Footnotes to Long Island History
date
Shoreham, First School
by
Thomas R. Bayles
When the town of Brookhaven was
divided in to school districts in 1813, Shoreham was bounded on the east
by Wading River Creek, and on the south by the “Butt Line.” This
district was known as Number 35, but was changed to Number 10 in 1842.
In the school census for 1813, the
following heads of families were listed: James Woodhull, Richard
Robinson, Nathaniel Tuthill, Benjamin Woodhull, Zophar Mills, David
Worth, Henry Hudson, Peter B. and Abraham (no last names listed). There
were 26 pupils registered in that year. In 1852 the census showed only
21 children, and 20 years later it was about the same, so for many years
there was little growth in the area.
In those years cord wood cutting
was an important industry through this section of the island, and
thousands of cords were cut during the winter months and carted with
teams to the bluffs on the Sound, where it was loaded on schooners
during the summer and shipped to New York and the brick yards up the
Hudson at Haverstraw. Schooners came in to shore at high tide and
“layed on” so that at low tide the teams hauled the wood across the
beach and loaded the schooners. “Loading sloop” was vigorous work as it
had to be done before the tide came in, when the sloop or schooner
floated again. Many times it was done at night according to the tide.
The landing where wood was loaded at Shoreham was know as Woodville
landing.
In the early 1800’s Daniel Swezey
of Middle Island operated a small store near the landing, which was
headquarters for the men in the cordwood business, and for many years
this landing was know as “Swezey’s Landing.” He was a son of Daniel
Swezey of Middle Island, who was active in the Revolution and had to
flee to Connecticut to escape capture by the British during those years
Long Island was in the hand of the British soldiers.
The road leading to this landing
from Middle Island was opened in 1812, and was called “Corwin’s Road”,
as it started near the home of the Rev. Jacob Corwin and Middle Island.
He was one of the first ministers of the Wading River Congregational
Church shortly before 1800, and was the first minister of the New
Village (now Centereach) Congregational church in 1818.
The property at Swezey’s landing
was in the possession of the Swezey family for many years, and then sold
to William B. Dickerson and afterward acquired by James A. Warden, who
about the year 1895 began the developments which later led up to the
organization of the incorporated village of Shoreham. This village was
also known as Wardencliff for several years.
The first school building in this
district stood on thee Woodville Road near the present village of
Shoreham, and was used until after the Civil war, when it was sold and
another site secured on North Country Road near the railroad station,
and a schoolhouse built. This was used until 1910 when it was destroyed
by fire. In 1911 a new building was erected and school opened in
September of that year. This was a modern building for those days. In
April 1926 this building was destroyed by fire from and “unknown
cause.” At this time there were only about 10 pupils so an emergency
classroom was set up in the vestry of the Catholic chapel.
Shortly after this another site
was purchased near the junction of North Country Road and the road
leading to Shoreham Village. Here a picturesque building of Spanish
style was erected at a cost of about $12,000.
The village of Shoreham nestles on
a slope overlooking Long Island Sound and for many years wealthy and
distinguished persons have made their summer homes here, including
Channing Pollock, the famous playwright and author.