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The Warrensburgh Academy was built in 1854 on property on the corner of Elm Street and what is now Stewart Farrar Street, deeded to the Academy by Linus D. Barnes. A two-story structure was built of stone by stonemason Peter Buell at a cost of $4,500. In order to finance the school a stock company was organized and by 1859 it was completely paid for through the issuance of shares which were valued at $12.50 each. Later additions came between 1875 and 1880. Enrollment ranged between 75 and 160 pupils. (The one-room district schools continued as only those who were able to pay tuition could afford the Academy.) The first principal was the Rev. Robert Clapp of Chestertown. In 1888 through the encouragement of Albert C. Emerson and others the Warrensburgh Union Free School and Academy was established, providing free education through high school for Warrensburg children. On December 7, 1897, the Union Free School became a high school under the New York State Board of Regents. About this time, the old Union Free School and Academy building proved too small to care for the ever-increasing number of students. After much heated debate and voting, it was finally decided to build a new structure. The new building, constructed of native stone by Jonah Hess of Johnstown on the same site, was completed in 1898 and served for nearly fifty years.
The Union School had four classrooms, - Primary, Intermediate, Grammar, and High School; two recitation rooms, and the Principal's office. We hung our wraps in a large hall. It had outdoor toilets like a district school. Legend has it that on this site as far back as 1832 there stood a
small district schoolhouse with seats arranged around the sides of the room and a rostrum in the center. And history has it that on
this same site a stone Academy was built by Peter Buell in 1854 at a cost when completed of $4500. The Academy was controlled by stockholders who would give the use of the building to any professor who would come there and teach. Pupils had to pay tuition which was the only salary the professor received. In 1860 the school was incorporated under the Regents and at this time the property was deeded to the Warrensburgh Association by Linus D. Barnes, former owner. When the Union School District was organized in 1888 the trustees of the Academy gave the new organization a quit claim deed to the property upon the sole condition it would always be used for school purposes~ At this. time it was voted to add a wooden addition on the southern side of the stone schoolhouse. After the addition of this wing the whole building boasted three class rooms on the main floor and four on the second floor. In 1897 the Warrensburgh Free School became a high school under the Regents. It was decided to build a larger schoolhouse and so the frame wing was sold and the stone part torn down. During the construction classes were held in two business blocks uptown. The exterior of the new building was of native granite trimmed with gray marble. The interior was of Georgia pine. There were six large class rooms on the first floor and on the second floor were three more class rooms, a very large high school room, three recitation rooms and a library. Large cloakrooms adjoined each class room. The basement contained the furnace room, two "closets" and two playrooms, one for girls and the other for boys. New furniture was placed in the high school room but furniture from the old stone-frame building was used in the other rooms. The actual cost of this new building was announced to be $25,050.00 including the sewer. The first classes held in the new building were on March 5, 1900.
The Union School had four classrooms, - Primary, Intermediate, Grammar, and High School; two recitation rooms, and the Principal's office. We hung our wraps in a large hall. It had outdoor toilets like a district school. Legend has it that on this site as far back as 1832 there stood a
small district schoolhouse with seats arranged around the sides of the room and a rostrum in the center. And history has it that on
this same site a stone Academy was built by Peter Buell in 1854 at a cost when completed of $4500. The Academy was controlled by stockholders who would give the use of the building to any professor who would come there and teach. Pupils had to pay tuition which was the only salary the professor received. In 1860 the school was incorporated under the Regents and at this time the property was deeded to the Warrensburgh Association by Linus D. Barnes, former owner. When the Union School District was organized in 1888 the trustees of the Academy gave the new organization a quit claim deed to the property upon the sole condition it would always be used for school purposes~ At this. time it was voted to add a wooden addition on the southern side of the stone schoolhouse. After the addition of this wing the whole building boasted three class rooms on the main floor and four on the second floor. In 1897 the Warrensburgh Free School became a high school under the Regents. It was decided to build a larger schoolhouse and so the frame wing was sold and the stone part torn down. During the construction classes were held in two business blocks uptown. The exterior of the new building was of native granite trimmed with gray marble. The interior was of Georgia pine. There were six large class rooms on the first floor and on the second floor were three more class rooms, a very large high school room, three recitation rooms and a library. Large cloakrooms adjoined each class room. The basement contained the furnace room, two "closets" and two playrooms, one for girls and the other for boys. New furniture was placed in the high school room but furniture from the old stone-frame building was used in the other rooms. The actual cost of this new building was announced to be $25,050.00 including the sewer. The first classes held in the new building were on March 5, 1900.
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