Historical Society to hold tour of preserved schoolhouse

The Newfield Historical Society will open a preserved one-room schoolhouse for anyone who is interested in viewing its history.

The Kellogg’s Corners school, located on the front lawn of the Newfield Central School District (CSD) on Main Street, will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 10.

“[The schoolhouse] is not being used like it could be. It gives people a chance to explore,” said Joleen Krogman, vice president of the Newfield Historical Society. “It’s a resource for the community that isn’t being utilized.”

Krogman noted that the schoolhouse tour is a “hands-on experience.” She added that visitors can sit down at a desk, explore the inkwell with the bakelite cover and swinging closure, handle and read old books, ring the big bell and use the chalkboard.

Originally located at the corner of Vankirk Road and Kellogg’s Corners in Newfield, the current schoolhouse is the third structure that was built between the early 1800s and around 1883. Construction of the current schoolhouse was completed in 1887.

The Kellogg’s Corners schoolhouse was one of 21 schoolhouses in town in the 1800s. The current schoolhouse, which closed in 1939, was a prominent piece of the town for 52 years.

“A lot of the other [21 schools] were turned into houses,” Krogman said, noting that schoolhouses in Newfield were two miles apart from each other. The Kellogg’s Corners schoolhouse was known for its view of the town’s hills and valleys, Krogman added.

The schoolhouse had no more than 20 students per school year, Krogman said, noting that the building temporarily closed if there weren’t enough students to fill it.

“Many Newfielders can recall happy hours and simpler times spent in this little one-room school and others like it,” said Newfield Historical Society trustee Alan Chaffee via a YouTube video about the schoolhouse.

The Kellogg’s Corners schoolhouse closed due to the centralization of education, which led to the modern-day Newfield CSD. When the schoolhouse closed, the structure was bought for a dollar and became the Kellogg’s Corner Arts and Crafts Club “for many years,” Krogman said.

The building on Main Street returned to being a schoolhouse in 1976, when Newfield CSD’s teachers and students spent a day in the building in honor of America’s 200th birthday.

In 1992, the schoolhouse moved from Kellogg’s Corners to Main Street after the community raised funds for maintenance and preservation of the building.

The building is owned by Newfield CSD, but Krogman said that the Newfield Historical Society continues to collect funds to preserve it. 

“When [the schoolhouse] was moved, they put a good foundation on it,” Krogman said.

Newfield Historical Society recently submitted an application for a New York state historical marker for the schoolhouse through William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Krogman is hoping for a response to the application in the fall.

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Newfield Music Series postponed for 4th straight week

Another week, another canceled summer music show in Newfield.

For the fourth straight week, the Newfield Music Series at Mill Park was postponed due to the weather. Tim Ball and Mark Bickford, who were originally scheduled to perform on July 24, saw their show get rained out.

The Yardvarks had scheduled shows on June 26 and July 17, but both were postponed.

The Cast Iron Cowboys’ July 10 performance at Mill Park was postponed, as well. Rescheduled dates for The Yardvarks, the Cast Iron Cowboys and Tim Ball and Mark Bickford are yet to be determined.

The rest of the series’ lineup is as follows, with each show beginning at 6 p.m.:

• Aug. 14: Square dancing with Caller Marc Faris
• Aug. 28: Rev Ezra

Further information about the Newfield Music Series at Mill Park can be found on the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Newfield library to host family story time

The Newfield Public Library will host a family story time from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 6.

The event is in partnership with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County and Tompkins Families CCE program. It includes baby doll circle time, Spanish and English story time, songs and movement and socialization and free play.

For more information or questions, reach out to cce-parenting@cornell.edu or call 607-272-2292 (ext. 247).

Yoga for beginners held every Saturday

A yoga for beginners class will be held every Saturday at Newfield Public Library from 10 to 11 a.m.

Phyllis KuanYin Chi, a yoga teacher certified through Yoga Farm in Lansing, will lead the class. The instructor also has additional training in trauma-informed yoga.

The class is on the second floor of the library. It is suitable for people new to yoga or those with mobility issues. There is also an opportunity to deepen poses for those with more experience.

The class is for ages 18 and older. Participants must have their own yoga mat or blanket. The class is free, but there is a suggested donation of $10.