YAPHANK'S
OCTAGONAL SCHOOL
a sketch written by,
Guss Neuss
November, 2000
Yaphank's Octagonal School
A sketch is attached which depicts the interior of the
school as it was in the period I was in attendance,
1921-1925. The building was located on the south side of
Main St. with the students' desks facing to the north.
The teacher's desk was in the north end facing the
students. A blackboard was on the north wall. A small
foot pumped organ was against the northeast wall and a
storage unit at the northwest wall. All of this was
elevated about eight inches above the classroom floor.
In the center of the building was a cast
iron pot bellied stove which was the heat source for the
school. The stovepipe went directly up to the octagonal
cupola on the roof. Double desks for the pupils were
arrayed as depicted in the sketch. A small cast iron sink
with a pitcher pump was the drinking water and wash-up
facility. This was located at the southeast wall.
The school entrance was at the east and a
wood shed at the south. Fuel for the stove, cleaning
utensils, etc. were stored in the woodshed. There was no
electricity, light was through large windows in the
north-east, south-cast, north-west and south-west walls
and from the cupola. There must have been oil lamps for
additional light as school board meetings were held in
the evening hours. I have no recollection of these lamps
being used during class hours.
Toilet facilities were primitive. About
one hundred feet southeast of the main building was a
two-hole outdoor toilet [privy] for the boys with a
similar facility southwest for the girls. Playground
equipment consisted of four eight inch diameter posts set
in a row solidly in the ground with two inch diameter
pipes set at different elevations for use as exercise
bars.
Teachers 1920-1925
School Year
1920-1921 Nettie (Mrs. George) Baker
1921-1922 Lucy Kinsella
1922-1923 Mildred Blanchard
1923-1924 Bessie Bliss
1924-1925 Mrs. Caswell
Mrs. Baker was a native of Yaphank and resided in the
town. Misses' Kinsella, Blanchard and Bliss were new to
Yaphank. All three, during their tenure, boarded at the
Gustave Neuss' residence on Main Street. Mrs. Caswell and
her husband rented the Richard Homan-Olsen house.
Teaching Methods
The teacher had to instruct eight grades
in the various subjects appropriate for the class level.
Rarely did a class exceed five students. In addition to
the three "R's" of reading, writing, and
arithmetic, subjects included geography and some history.
While a class was receiving instruction, other students
were to utilize their time in study. Any student with a
desire to learn could get knowledge of advanced grade
material by listening to the presentation of the upper
class students. When called upon by the teacher, a
student would respond at his or her desk. Class size was
such that the teacher was able to act as a tutor.
The few books required were school
furnished. Palmer method was the choice for writing.
Geography was primarily about the Western Hemisphere with
the United States accented Appropriate texts were
available for reading and arithmetic. One teacher made a
practice of reading from a novel for a period of at least
twenty minutes a day. This was scheduled for immediately
after the noon lunch period. Needless to say, most of the
students dozed during this rendition.
Each Wednesday, a traveling physical
education teacher arrived at the school to have the
entire student body go through a stand-up exercise
routine. Since many of the students were from farm
families where daffy work was the rule, the exercises
were viewed as unnecessary by many of the class body. In
addition to the phys-ed class, there was a personal
hygiene inspection for ears, neck dirty fingernails, etc.
A typical school day commenced with the
Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States.
Then a hymn or song was sung from the Golden Book of
Song. There were no restrictions on mentioning
"God" in public schools in the 1920's. Songs
such as " Abide With Me" and "Sweet Hour
of Prayer" were sung, as were Stephen Foster
favorites, Even Civil War numbers such as "Tenting
Tonight on the Old Camp Ground7 were remembered. The
"under God" was added to the Pledge of
Allegiance when Eisenhower was president.
Janitorial service for at least two years
was performed by the Neuss brothers, Bill and Gus, Jr.
The duties included sweeping the school floor, dusting of
desks and emptying waste baskets. A supply of firewood
was maintained at the base of the pot-bellied stove. Ash
removal from the stove was accomplished as required. The
American flag was raised and lowered daily while school
was in session. Pay for this work was five dollars per
month.
Discipline was not restricted as it is
today. Student misbehavior was treated promptly. Talkers
were corrected with the application of wide adhesive tape
over the culprit's mouth. Other misconduct was, depending
on the teacher, more or less severe. Whipping with a
ruler or a rubber strap was not unusual. Detention was
not used as a punishment. Physical action was the rule.
During the 1920 time period there was
considerable debate by the local school board relative to
school consolidation. The purpose was to reduce class
size and limit a teacher to the teaching of a single
grade. To accomplish this, school districts of Yaphank,
West Yaphank, Coram and Middle Island would have to agree
on a central school location and have students bussed to
that location. The Yaphank school board, after heated
discussions, decided against consolidation. It was felt
that the local control of the education process should
not be relinquished. The result was the building of a
two-room school on the site of the one room octagonal
structure.
Click
here to see a floor plan of the Yaphank School
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