artist rendering "Let's put the people back in the picture," is the motto of the members who have been working diligently to complete renovations on the Clarkson Schoolhouse. Their motto is certainly appropriate when considering the number of former students, graduates and other community members who have been volunteering their time and talent to make the restoration dream a reality. Now, two artists, Helen Smagorinsky and Franz Schwenk, have become part of the effort with their renditions of the schoolhouse. Paintings by both artists have been reproduced into prints which will be on sale throughout the town in various locations. The prints are 16 x 20 and are suitable for hanging. Smagorinsky's print is also available in a smaller oil painting on canvas that has been stretched, sprayed and is ready for framing. Both prints are titled: Historic Clarkson Schoolhouse - 1853 to 1956. Educating Clarkson's Children. The prints are $20 and the canvas paintings are $50 each. While Smagorinsky's print features a more whimsical design, Schwenk's print takes a more realistic approach because of his background as an architect. Schwenk heard about the restoration project and contacted Clarkson Historical Society President Mary Edwards and told her he had painted a picture of the schoolhouse because his wife had been a student there. The prints are being sold as part of the continuing fund raising efforts as the Clarkson Historical Society continues renovations on the historic schoolhouse. Edwards said that the society, which was formed in 1997, had the schoolhouse restoration on its agenda from the beginning but that work began in earnest in April 2003. The replacement of the roof and the straightening of the bell tower were the last big projects that have been undertaken at the site. Committee member Don Lage, who is serving as project manager, said the society is awaiting the return of several estimates before further work is undertaken. "We want to get windows in and the exterior of the bell tower painted before the snow falls," he said. Carole Palmer said she got involved because just hearing about the project stirs strong memories of time spent in the schoolhouse. "I'm a former student and every time someone would start talking about the history of the building I would get excited about it and it just brought back such good memories," she explained. The schoolhouse shares a "long geographic history," with the Clarkson Community Church, Edwards said. She explained that in 1835 there was a wooden schoolhouse that shared the church property, and was located in front of the church. It was called The Clarkson Academy. It offered high school advanced study similar to a junior college. "Our school was built in 1853 because the first school burned down," Edwards said. "What's interesting about our schoolhouse is that it is a two story brick schoolhouse constructed in pre-Civil War style in a Greek Revival fashion." The first floor was used to teach first through third grades and the second floor was utilized for fourth through sixth grades. "The schoolhouse was used to educate Clarkson children for approximately 100 years," Edwards said. "It was last used as a schoolhouse in 1956." Until the recent renovations, the building had been untouched and vacant for about 50 years. The ultimate goal of the renovation is to utilize the schoolhouse as a meeting place for the Clarkson Historical Society. It will also be used as a museum to display artifacts and also as a place for the Brockport Central School district to send its fourth graders for a day to experience what it was like to have been educated in a historic schoolhouse. Lage said that everywhere they turn people are offering to help out with the renovation project. "It's incredible the kind of volunteer spirit this project has raised," he said. Lage, who never attended the school, became involved in the project because he was a life-long resident of the town. The historical society received two grants of $14,000 each from the state which were arranged for by Assemblyman Charles Nesbitt and Senator George Maziarz's offices. A grant was recently submitted by the society in hopes of obtaining $180,000 from the New York State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation department. The Clarkson Community Church donated $2,500 to the project and a $2,400 donation was made by Clarkson's historian. Edwards said Town of Clarkson officials have been supportive of the project and have offered a myriad of in-kind support from use of their facility to funds for postage for a mailing the society did last year. Information on the project can be obtained by contacting Edwards at 637-5810; Palmer at 293-3393; Lage at 395-0009 or Kermit Mercer at 637-5102. Donations are being sought for the Clarkson Historical Society Schoolhouse Fund and can be sent to P.O. Box 600, Clarkson, NY 14430. |
