Since its original construction in 1813, the building at the junction of Washington Valley Road and Schoolhouse Lane in Morris Township New Jersey has been a familiar landmark. The building has had many functions, serving primarily as a schoolhouse and a community meeting place. It was also used for band practices, agricultural lessons and local assemblies. The first wooden structure stood on the site for more than 50 years.
By 1869, in order to accomodate the Valley's growing population, a larger building was constructed. The red brick building was divided into a main room and cloak room, with an outhouse out back. Although the building ceased to function as a school in 1913, the red brick structure continued to be used by the people of the Valley. It stands there today, in the early 21st century, behind a giant pine tree, serving the valley residents as both a community center and historic site.
One early community group, the Washington Valley Social Club, provided entertainment from 1915-1926. Members of this group, all residents of the Valley, would meet two Fridays a month for games and refreshments. By 1919 another early community group, the Washington Valley Home Economics Club, had formed. This group grew out of another group of women who had met at the schoolhouse to make surgical dressings for World War I. For a little more than ten years, the two groups regularly held their meetings in the schoolhouse building. According to Washington Valley historian Becky Hoskins,
Beginning in 1921 and to last for five years, the Washington Valley Home Ecomonics Club was annexed to the Morris County Home Bureau and changed its name to the Washington Valley Home Bureau. However, by 1926 a new constitution was drafted by the group and the name was changed back to Home Economics Club. As written in the new constitution, the club was re-organized
As the Home Economics Club was gaining a stronger foothold in the community, the Washington Valley Social Club, after 11 years of good times and games, disbanded. Fearing that the schoolhouse property might be sold off for commercial interests, members of the Home Economics Club rallied to keep the schoolhouse their own. The Valley women envisioned the building as not only the focal point of their rural community but also, as an historic site to be recognized. They banded together in order to advocate for, promote the environmental signifigance of, and to preserve the unique history of the Valley. In 1926 the schoolhouse became the official symbol of the newly created Washington Valley Community Association.
Though the community meetings and events held at the schoolhouse are not as frequent as they once were, the Washington Valley Community Association actively safeguards the schoolhouse, still using it to this day for social and community functions, as well as association events. Records of past activity by both the Home Economics Club and the Community Association can be located in this collection.
The records of the Washington Valley Schoolhouse include Constitutions and By-Laws, meeting minutes, schedules, events and program information, committee files, subject files, photographs, sheet music/song books, a stamp, a meeting gavel and a scrapbook and a memorial photo album.
Subject Terms
The records of this collection are divided into two series. The first series contains five subseries and almost all the files within each subseries are arranged chronologically. The one exception is
The first series contains documents created by the Washington Valley Community Association. In existence since 1813, the Association members continue to create records documenting their activities, interests and preservation efforts. These records are divided into five series. The first subseries contains the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association as well as other administrative documents. Subseries B contains meeting minutes, program information and event schedules from 1813 to 1995. Subseries C documents the kinds of committees and groups the members have formed while Subseries D contains information on the causes and issues those committees were involved with over the years. The last subseries contains general office files. Photographs, songbooks/sheets, notecards and an example of their stationary are located in this last subseries.
Files from the Washington Valley Home Economics Group comprise the second series, highlighting the late 20th century activities of this group. While there is a Constitution from 1926 and meeting minutes from 1929-1930 in this part of the collection, the bulk of the material dates from the 1970's to the 1990's. Types of records include clippings, correspondence, treasurer's and secretary's files, minutes, meeting schedules, lists of events and programs, Christmas letters and a scrapbook. Flat file box 7 is included in this series. Some of the contents of the box pre-date 1920, some of the contents are not dated and the memorial book dates from 1992. The book commemorates eight club members.
This collection is open to researchers. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the North Jersey History Center researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Washington Valley Schoolhouse Records, 1813-2007 may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material. Digital camera use is allowed.
Donated to the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center in 2008 by the Washington Valley Community Association.
[item], [folder title]. Washington Valley Schoolhouse Records, 1813-2007. North Jersey History and Genealogy Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library. Morristown, NJ.
Processed by the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center Archivist, Summer 2009.