Wallkill School (The Basin)  1830 - 1922

(5a) Wallkill's first school system existed as early as 1830 and was located by the Wallkill river on part of the Lucht's farm on Wallkill Avenue a half mile past the DuBois House. There was a spring there where they got water for the school. There were no classes in the winter as the doors froze shut with ice due to being so close to the river.

(5b) The second school, a two story building with two rooms, was built on the triangle on the west side of the present Wallkill Bridge. Thirty-five pupils attended this school as well as band concerts were held there is 1870.

(5c) A new building was built east of the old firehouse on Bridge Street. I was called the Wallkill Union Free School. It was elementary and two years of high school.

As usual for one-room schoolhouses - two entrances - one for the boys and one for the girls

Being short on space the belfry was removed and a second story was built. The belfry was then placed in a different spot.

(5d) In 1908 the school burned IIt was not a total loss, so while being restored, classes met in the Town Clerk's Office on the Vera Terrell property which is where the Wallkill Valley Savings and Loan is now.

In 1922 the John G. Borden School was officially opened. The pupils assembled at the old school building Bridge Street and marched to the new school