First Richburg Academy circa 1881
Richburg School Remembered
The first school in Richburg was built about 1820, somewhere in the northern part of the town, with Sophia Hitchcock as its first teacher. In 1848 Alvin Richardson donated
land, with the understanding that the land would belong to the town as long as a school building was on the lot, for the use of building a new school. The Richburg Academy was erected at a cost of $3000, on the site where the Bolivar-Richburg Elementary School is now located. Its ninety pupils came from a fifty mile radius to complete their
education or to prepare as a teacher. On the first Board of Trustees were Alvin Richardson, Samuel Carter, Samuel Sherman, Pliny Evans, Hollis Newton and Alvin Richardson, Jr. The first teachers were Professor Bixby and his wife.
On April 12, 1850, the Richburg Academy was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York and soon took rank as a leading educational institution in this part of the country. In 1859 it employed three
teachers, with 86 students of whom 51 pursued classical studies. The value of the lot and building was set at $3000.
About ten years later this institution was merged into the public schools of the town as a graded school.
Until Richburg's sudden growth during the oil rush, the Academy was Richburg's sole educational facility. Then in the 1880's, the Union
Free School was built at the same site that the Academy once stood.
This was a form of High School to accommodate pupils from the surrounding districts who wished to
prepare for college.
Unlike schools of today, the Richburg Union Free School divided the year into only three terms. The terms were: fall, 16 weeks, winter, 12 weeks and spring, 10 weeks, for a grand total of 38 weeks. The
school had not as yet become a government-aided school, so a tuition of 25 cents per week for high school and 16 cents a week for elementary was paid in advance.
Although it was only a three story wood building, in 1902-03 the Union Free School was recorded as one of the best schools in Allegany County.
Finally, in 1925, the people in Richburg decided to build a new brick structure costing $125,000. Because of the new State aid bill for centralized schools,
Richburg Central School became the 19th centralized school in the state, and the second in the county. Richburg merged with its neighbor, Bolivar, in
1995 and the school building is still in existence today as the Bolivar-Richburg Central Elementary School.
Town of Wirt rural schools
There were at one time at least ten rural schools in existence in the town of Wirt. These were:
# 2 Pine Grove School located at the corner of County Rte 40, (Jordan Hill Rd), and the West end of the Pine Grove Road.
# 3 Babcock School located at the corner of Davison Road and Carrier Road.
# 4 Smalley School located on County Rte 1, (Nile-West Clarksville Rd.)
Smalley School
# 5 Wirt Center School located at the Wheeler farm on County Rte. 34, (West Notch Road.)
# 7 Cottrell School located on State Rte
275, (East Notch Road,)
# 8 Pleasant Valley School located on
Pleasant Valley Road, once known as Hells Hollow.
# 9 Phillips School located near the
intersection of Richburg Hill and Phillips Hill Roads.
# 10 Dimick School located on Dimick Road
about 500 feet from its junction with County Rte 8 near the present Dimick Cemetery. It was named for the Dimick family who lived on the farm.
# 11a Inavale
School located on County Road 8 near the settlement of Inavale. Grange hall there still called Inavale Grange.
Former Inavale School originally located on the Rumsey farm, purchased by former Richburg Oilwell Supply, moved to its present location as part of the old pipe
shop and now deteriorating.
Utopia #11b
In the early 1880's, when the United States Government decided to extend its system of Post Offices, Wirt Township qualified for two---one in Wirt Center and one on the
East Notch. This latter one was to be in the Kenyon home which was located about four miles north of Richburg. Frankie Kenyon named it "Utopia" which was accepted by Washington D.C.
Anyone, neighbors or others, that were going to Friendship would bring mail back to the Utopia Post Office. But in the year 1891, the post boxes were moved to the front
entry of the Wells house and Ernest Wells became the new postmaster. This arrangement continued until the start of "Rural Free Delivery", but the name "Utopia" continues to this day as a
designation of this part of the East Notch.
A rural school house was built. It was painted a bright red. Later it was decided to paint it white. The result was a pink building and it became known as "The Pink School
House."
Wirt District School # 6 ("The Pink School House")
Beside it was a cemetery, which is now known as Utopia Cemetery.
According to Gertrude Wells Seamon, several families lived in this area. McOmber, Le Suer, Kenyon, Green, Burrows, Whitwood, Willard and Wells are a few.
Much of this article is taken from Gertrude Wells Seamon's history. To learn more, drop into the Museum and read this book. It is an interesting record of early settlers
and their daily life.
Disposition of some of the Rural Schools
Pine Grove sold to George White for $75
Wirt Center sold to John Canfield for $120
Cottrell sold to J.F. Dick for 126.50
Pleasant Valley sold to Henry Millis for $10
