Historic Schoolhouse Restored and Reopened

Historic Schoolhouse
Restored

by Lillian Hurley

December 12, 2002

After nearly a decade of neglect, one of the last remaining schoolhouses on Long Island has been restored. The Swan River Schoolhouse in East Patchogue saw little activity in recent year, except for occasional vandals; a far cry from the sounds of school children which once roamed the grounds over a century ago.

The historic building remains on its original site and still has many of the original desks and books. The stove dates to it’s 1858 construction as well. It hasn’t been used as a school since the 1930’s according to records and was only opened periodically as a polling place.

To stem the continued pilferage by the public of the antique contents, Brookhaven authorized the restoration of the small frame building. The school was painted inside and out and the driveway was restored by town parks department staff. An alarm system will help protect the school in the future.

“I cannot thank Supervisor LaValle and the Town Board enough for putting an end to the destruction this building and for restoring and rehabilitating our precious schoolhouse,” said Patchogue Historian Anne Swezey at a recent grand-reopening ceremony.

With many of the antique furnished returned, Marjorie Roe, President of the Greater Patchogue Historical Society, cut the ribbon. Roe is descended from the original owners of the schoolhouse and surrounding property. Tours will be conducted in the future depicting the “common classroom” setting, where all grades shared a classroom, prevalent during the 1800s. During that period three children shared a desk, with up to 40 students in the class representing a full range of grades. The first teacher at the school was John Vunk. Working as a teacher during the day, he attended law school at night and eventually became a Judge

Helping to ease the burden of illness during the holidays,New York Islanders hockey players brought presents, good cheer, and smile to young hospital patients and staff on December 12, 2002. (L-R: NY Islanders Mattias Timanber, Arron Asham, and Mattias Weinhandl along with University Hospital CEO Bruce Shroffel, second from right, give a gift to a Pediatric patient. )