" Tradition reveals to us the existence of two school-houses in the town of New Rochelle, used as such probably before the Revolution and during the closing years of the 18th Century. One was situated in the neighi)orhood of the old tollgate, and the other on North Street, opposite the residence of Mr. Simeon Lester, and just in fi'ont of a high clump of rocks, which at this place divided the road into two parts, running around the rock on both sides, leaving a triangular space between them, and on this gore of land the school-hou.se was built."

The school-house in District No. 2 was on North Street, at the junction of this street with the road

1 Contniit's Manuscript.

-Bolton, vol. i. p. I'mI.

' Coiilant's, " Reniiiiiecenc?s."

HISTOKY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

from New Eochelle to East Chester. That in District No. 3 was at Cooper's Corners, on the east side of North Street. The interior of these primitive schoolhouses (1795-1796) is thus described by Mr. Coutant: -- "The inside of these houses was of the crudest and cheapest finish. As to the outside, they were small, unpainted shanties, usually located on some surplus angle of the streets, or rocky land, unfit for cultivation, thus economizing ground, and making these barren spots, where no vegetation could grow, produce the precious fruits of education. The houses were ceiled round with unpainted boards, shrunken from their grooves ; consequently no ventilators were needed ! Their ' fixtures ' were extremely rude and simple, consisting for the most ])art of pine boards nailed up to the sides and ends of the room for desks, with sometimes a shelf underneath, on which to keep books and slates. They were furnished with seats of long oaken slabs, with legs driven into auger holes at each end, and all of the fixtures and furniture were curiously notched and carved into many fantastic forms and grotesque images by the busy jackknives of the mischievous tyros.