Old Savannah School House
Encyclopedia
The Old Savannah School House is a historic one-room school
house in Grand Cayman
, Cayman Islands
. Initially opened in 1940, it is operated nowadays as a museum by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands
.
posts, between which walls of concrete
were poured. Sinking the posts turned out to be a difficult job during construction, as the structure was to be constructed on a bed of dolomite
. Eventually, a method of softening the dolomite with fire was tried and found successful, allowing work to continue.
for the duration of their youth. Churches eventually took over some educational responsibilities, and a few private school
s were built, but it was not until the early twentieth century that the government decided upon a more regulated program.
Before the Savannah Schoolhouse was built, the nearest schools to which children could be sent were in Spotts and Caswell; the 1932 Cuba Hurricane
, which passed directly over the islands, obliterated the former, and soon after the local population began moving towards Newlands, Savannah, and Crewe Road. Savannah in particular was a heavily-growing community, and it was soon decided that the settlement needed a school to better serve its children. Construction of the school was performed by a team of local craftsmen under the direction of Head Carpenter Will Wallace Bodden. Sand for the site came from Spotts Beach; other materials, as needed, were transported from George Town
. The schoolhouse was completed in 1940, opening its doors to pupils for the first time on September 12 of that year. The Education Report described it as being "adequate in size ... an asset to the district ... (which) filled a long felt need to this small community, the cost being about 250 pounds".
Children from seven to fourteen all studied in the same room; discipline was strict, and singing and sports were also popular. The basic curriculum
also covered reading, writing, arithmetic
, history, geography
, science, religious education
, and ethics
. For many pupils, their formal education ended when they left the school; some were able to take the Jamaica Local Exam, while others were able to go on to higher education
in Jamaica
, the United States
, and the United Kingdom
.
The schoolhouse remained in use for 41 years before being replaced by a new, more modern, and more spacious building now located directly behind it; the old school was then used as a storage space for furniture and supplies. Eventually it was decided to demolish the old structure, which saddened former pupils, and a drive to save it began. This coincided with the creation, in 1987, of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, and the local district committee decided that restoration of the old school would be a good project with which to begin. The Old Savannah Schoolhouse was the first building whose restoration and refitting were overseen by the National Trust; it initially opened as a museum in 1995, and further restoration was undertaken in 2004. Today it has been furnished with replica 1950s-era desks, benches, and hat racks, and displays textbook
s, reports, and needlework
as well as a copy of the school uniform
. The museum is currently open by appointment only.
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
house in Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
, Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. Initially opened in 1940, it is operated nowadays as a museum by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands
National Trust for the Cayman Islands
The National Trust for the Cayman Islands is the National Trust serving the Cayman Islands. Its purposes are to preserve sites of artistic and architectural interest in the islands and to provide protection for local natural resources and wildlife...
.
Construction
The building is supported by ironwoodIronwood
Ironwood is a common name for a large number of woods that have a reputation for hardness. Usage of the name may include the tree that yields this wood...
posts, between which walls of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
were poured. Sinking the posts turned out to be a difficult job during construction, as the structure was to be constructed on a bed of dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
. Eventually, a method of softening the dolomite with fire was tried and found successful, allowing work to continue.
History
Education in the Cayman Islands was a spotty affair up until the 1920s, and many students were homeschooledHomeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
for the duration of their youth. Churches eventually took over some educational responsibilities, and a few private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s were built, but it was not until the early twentieth century that the government decided upon a more regulated program.
Before the Savannah Schoolhouse was built, the nearest schools to which children could be sent were in Spotts and Caswell; the 1932 Cuba Hurricane
1932 Cuba Hurricane
The 1932 Cuba hurricane was a powerful and deadly late-season hurricane during the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the tenth tropical storm, fifth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 1932 season...
, which passed directly over the islands, obliterated the former, and soon after the local population began moving towards Newlands, Savannah, and Crewe Road. Savannah in particular was a heavily-growing community, and it was soon decided that the settlement needed a school to better serve its children. Construction of the school was performed by a team of local craftsmen under the direction of Head Carpenter Will Wallace Bodden. Sand for the site came from Spotts Beach; other materials, as needed, were transported from George Town
George Town, Cayman Islands
George Town, Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. The city has a population of 35,600 and is the largest city on Grand Cayman....
. The schoolhouse was completed in 1940, opening its doors to pupils for the first time on September 12 of that year. The Education Report described it as being "adequate in size ... an asset to the district ... (which) filled a long felt need to this small community, the cost being about 250 pounds".
Children from seven to fourteen all studied in the same room; discipline was strict, and singing and sports were also popular. The basic curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
also covered reading, writing, arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
, history, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, science, religious education
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
. For many pupils, their formal education ended when they left the school; some were able to take the Jamaica Local Exam, while others were able to go on to higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The schoolhouse remained in use for 41 years before being replaced by a new, more modern, and more spacious building now located directly behind it; the old school was then used as a storage space for furniture and supplies. Eventually it was decided to demolish the old structure, which saddened former pupils, and a drive to save it began. This coincided with the creation, in 1987, of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, and the local district committee decided that restoration of the old school would be a good project with which to begin. The Old Savannah Schoolhouse was the first building whose restoration and refitting were overseen by the National Trust; it initially opened as a museum in 1995, and further restoration was undertaken in 2004. Today it has been furnished with replica 1950s-era desks, benches, and hat racks, and displays textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s, reports, and needlework
Needlework
Needlework is a broad term for the handicrafts of decorative sewing and textile arts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework...
as well as a copy of the school uniform
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
. The museum is currently open by appointment only.