The Town Hall building was originally constructed as the DeRuyter
Union School to replace a large, four story stone structure built as the DeRuyter Academy in 1835. The original academy
was located just west of the present building on the same lot.
| DeRuyter Academy |
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| "Old Stone Heap" |
In 1931 the consolidated DeRuyter Central Rural School District
was created and in 1936 a second school building housing high-school students was constructed on Railroad Street. With
the elimination of many rural schools during the 1940s, new school construction was warrented. In May, 1952, a new wing
was added to the Railroad Street building and the "old brick" school discontinued. In May, 1953, the former school was
turned over to the Town for $50.
| One of the class rooms in the old school. |
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Above
Front to back, starting at left:
Row 1: Francis Handy, Richard Wood, Burnette Rainbow
Row 2: Carline Swayze, Lawrence Rainbow, Helen Thompson, Edith Van Dee
Row 3: Alice Briggs, Robert Ousler, Nancy Vincent, Ivan Atwood
Row 4: Janice Coon, Erma Paddock, Alice McGowan, Myrtle Bliss
Row 5: George Hoobler, Leah Vincent, Robert Powers, Percy Van Deusen, Robert
Long
Row 6: Wells Smith, Betty Fox, Glen Warner, Wellrose Newitt
Fire Bell
Article from the August 21, 1984 Cortland Standard:
The old DeRuyter fire bell has been hung in front of the Town Hall.
After nearly 38 years in storage, the bell has been given a place of honor beside the flag poles
which were erected on the east lawn a couple of years ago.
The bell was used as a fire bell from 1884 to 1946 when the Town Hall, then known as Union Hall,
burned. The old bell was then put in storage until recently.
The base of chimney blocks was erected by workers from Camp Georgetown under the direction of
David Marshall who polished the old bell. Supervisor Susan Waterstripe painted the supporting framework.
The bell was cast in 1832 by the L.A. Spinwall Co. of Albany. It originally hung in the
Old Union Church which stood approximately on the site of the present day United Church of Christ.
When the church was torn down in 1883, the bell was saved to be used as a fire bell.
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Taken
From the 1907 Gleaner:
NEW SCHOOL
BUILDING
The Contracts Let,
Work to Commence as Soon as Possible.
After many weeks
of careful consideration of the various bids submitted to them, including revision of plans, examination of several school
buildings, etc., the Board of Education have accepted bids for the construction of DeRuyter’s new school building which
ensure its erection the coming season. The accepted bids are:
For
the carpenter work, Lester Orcutt of South Dayton, N.Y.,
at $7,624.50
The
Mason work, Preston B. Parker, Randolph, N.Y.
$5,782.00
The
heating plant, E.E. Palmer, Syracuse, N.Y.,
$694.00
This
provides for everything about the work except the plumbing, which the approximate $100 left of the $15,000.00 appropriated
will amply cover.
The
architect’s bill is $502.00 which is also included. The Board is confident
that the appropriation will fully cover the total cost.
Above
Front to back, starting at left:
Row 1: Genett Burrows, Mary Smith, Doris ____ Best, Winifred Wood, Beatrice Grinell, Vivian Jones Wood,
Della Fox (teacher, standing)
Row 2: Dorothy Wells, Jimmy Hinds, Edna Atwood Dorward, Esther Watten, Irene Vincent, ??
Row 3: Vane McAllister, Joyce Hathaway, Robert McGowan, Barbara Lee, Evelyn Brown, Nina Mathews Albro,
___ Stearns Brown
Row 4: Dorothy Fox, Howard Paddock, Marjorie Dorward, Jeannie _____, _____Thetis Lambert
Row 5: Jean Hoobler Brand, Earl Nielsen, Genevieve Sawyer, Raymond Ossont, Elizabeth Ryan
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