Alan Crawford

Many things in our community have been lost to the ages. One of the more beloved structures is the Roseton School. This magnificent structure opened in 1905 to serve the Roseton community which consisted of the employees, and their families, who worked in the brickyards. The bricks for both the school and Lady of Mercy Church were donated by Mrs. Jova. Here’s photo of the school from a close friend and gifted photographer, Nancy Baldwin McNamara.

+Chas. D. Coutant was principal for the first three years before moving on to the Hyde Park School District. The school was a focal point of the Roseton community. A PTA was enthusiastically organized in 1952, to improve the education of their cherished cherubs through the support of their parents. This was a tax rich school district and somewhat of a shining jewel out of the many.

This gem was home to approximately 70 students a year during the 1950s and 1960s. Who of us can forget the typical lunch menus we enjoyed back then?

The Roseton School was in the of the Newburgh School District, but when the push was on, beginning in the mid 1950’s to early 1960’s, to consolidate all the individual schools, the battle commenced with some wanting to remain in the Newburgh District while others voiced their objection and advocated becoming part of the Marlboro District. The fight was on!

The debate and legal maneuvering eventually reached the New York State Supreme Court! Postings in local newspapers polarized people to support each cause (see the 06-21-1961 and the 06-22-1961 editions of the Evening News). The endgame? The Roseton School was absorbed into the Marlboro School District.

The last class to graduate from the Roseton School was in June of 1967 (see 06-22-1967 edition of the Evening News). Some civic minded individuals realized the antique school bell was still in the building and removed it at the time of sale to Central Hudson, before the building was demolished, so it wouldn’t be lost. This was proudly displayed during the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration at the Marlboro High School (see 01-28-1976 edition of the Southern Ulster Pioneer).

With the consolidation came the need for a larger, central school which precipitated the sale of the Roseton School with the funds from the sale being used to help build the new campus. In June of 1975, the board approved the sale of the school building after a vote of 137 to 7 in favor of the sale. In July of 1975, Central Hudson purchased the school for the tidy sum of $55,000. Soon after, this beautiful structure which had been filled with the laughter of the children of our community for over sixty years was demolished and became history.