the best of its capacity, the Columbian School leased the upper floor to vari- ous religious groups, and during what Yankees called the “War of the Rebel- lion” it opened in the evenings to al- low local Union troops (the Columbia Guard) to meet and drill. But by the end of the Civil War, the community was growing fast. The Township of South Orange had formed by 1863, containing the communi- ties of South Orange and Maplewood. Soldiers returning from war to family life, and improvements to the railroad, which created a growing new citizenry – “the commuter”, were revitalizing forces that encouraged investment in education. And in 1867, a state law re- quired that Columbia become a graded school. By 1877, the old two-story wooden building erected in 1815 was found to be woefully inadequate, so in 1880 a new two-story brick build- ing was constructed near the old Columbia to deal with a school population of around 240 students. This new building al- lowed for the establish- ment of a high school for grades 10-12 in 1885, ful- filling a new demand for higher education. More renovations and additions followed in 1898 and 1910 as the towns con- tinued to grow. In 1894, feature story / 13 Top: Drawing of Columbia School House built in 1815. Below: This weathervane, in the form of a comet, is thought to be from the 1815 structure (from the Durand- Hedden House and Garden collection). the South Orange Maplewood School District was created by consolidating the districts of South Orange, Maple- wood and Hilton, replacing the origi- nal private trustees with a public board of education. This new investment in the school system brought with it the controver- sial practice of teaching more than the traditional spelling, reading and writ- ing. By the 1890s, South Orange High School, alternatively called Columbia, adopted “manual training,” as well as history and science. In 1892, Cornell University accepted two Columbia graduates. Within the decade, Colum- bia began an athletics program, and the student council and The Colum- bian newspaper were created. Conservative parts of the commu- nity objected to these changes. The BOE fielded complaints about teach- ing “fads and frills,” writes Foster, and they wrote editorials to New York- based newspapers asking to return to the teachings of the “little old red schoolhouse.” The same conservative elements in the district objected to less inhibited student behavior as well. Superinten- dent Foster lamented the horrors of students sneaking alcohol into school dances and abandoning the “restraint and refinement of the waltz and polka; Bunny Hug, Turkey Trot, Fox Trot and Shimmey [sic] began to reign.” Dances were banned for a few years. (Cue the Footloose music!) But student behavior took a back seat to international affairs as World War I erupted. Eligible male students and all male teachers enlisted. Epidem- ics such as polio and Spanish influenza raged through the community. By this time, most of the farms in This brick building, with the last addition completed in 1910 – on South Orange Avenue and Academy Street – served students from 1880 - 1927. SERVICE  KNOWLEDGE  EXPERTISE Broker / Sales Associate 973-214-4636 Susan.Blodgett@cbmoves.com Sales Associate 973-219-8865 Virginia.Spiegel@cbmoves.com Susan Blodgett, ABR Ginny Spiegel @WeKnowNJRealEstate 145 Maplewood Avenue Maplewood, NJ 973-378-8300 THIS IS HOME. THIS IS HOME. “May your thirst for life never run dry” Authentic Irish Cuisine, Irish Coffee, Fine Wines and Irish Whiskey worthy of Celtic Kings Experience the best of Ireland’s Pub traditions Family Friendly • Good Cheer Raw Bar on Fridays 4–7 p.m. ST. JAMES’S GATE APPAREL AND GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE website: www.stjamesgatepublickhouse.com Join us fireside for lunch and dinner 167 Maplewood Avenue Maplewood Village 973-378-2222 Check our website for upcoming events LOOK FOR OUR: Fall Brews! Fall Menu Items! Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! Mark your calendars: ROBERT J. MILLER OYSTERFEST SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 1 to 9 pm at The Woodland featuring Oysters, Bands, Melanoma Screenings, Food Vendors, Beer Garden For tickets, visit bobmilleroysterfest.com