The
school was built on land originally granted to Abraham Hyatt Sr., located
in Hyatt Settlement, now known as Milby. Our earliest notarial records
show that the school was in use in November 1822. This is one of the oldest
surviving buildings in this area, and is located on McVety Road close
to St. Barnabas Anglican Church built in 1874 and the Covered Bridge built
a year earlier.
Hyatt Settlement was settled in the
late 18th century and was an early haven for United Empire Loyalists seeking
refuge after the American Revolution in the United States. They found
peace, prosperity and a new home in this idyllic settlement where the
Ascot(t) and Moe’s Rivers converge and where they proceeded to build
houses as well as a gristmill, sawmill, general store and cheese factory.
Among the settlers were Cornelius and Abraham Jr., sons of Abraham Sr.,
whereas their brother Gilbert Hyatt settled in Hyatt’s Mills, now
known as Sherbrooke.
The Hyatt One-Room Schoolhouse, District
No. 2, Township of Ascot(t), was restored as the prime project for members
of Little Forks Branch UELAC, through Patrimoine-Ascott-Heritage, and
was re-opened 22 June 2002
During its restoration, the schoolhouse
was moved onto a new foundation, part of the main structure rebuilt and
the entire building stabilized with a steel beam. The original stones
were mortared to the cement foundation, giving it the appearance of originality.
The clapboard siding has been freshly painted “Country Red”
and the window trim in white. The classroom still holds the markings of
where the original desks were screwed to the wide spruce board flooring
and the pine wainscoting on the walls indicates where the desks were once
placed. Artifacts, schoolbooks and historical material, along with the
promise of taped interviews with former students and teachers, help to
transform the renewed building into an authentic heritage site. The complete
restoration includes a beautiful room in the basement that can be used
by the community and for holding functional, animated, historical and
educational activities.
By Beverly
Loomis U.E.
President, Little Forks Branch UELAC
& Patrimoine-Ascott-Heritage,Lennoxville, PQ
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