The Old School building, which opened in 1897 and now houses Cranbury’s municipal offices, is an integral part of the township’s history.
By:Casha Caponegro
The Old School building, which opened in 1897 and now houses Cranbury’s municipal offices, is an integral part of the township’s history.
"The Old School has such a sense of place; it has meant ‘Cranbury,’" said Barbara Thomsen, a member of Cranbury Landmarks Inc. "The newer buildings in town the new school, firehouse and bank they just don’t go with Cranbury."
It was only a few decades ago, however, that the schoolhouse was slated for demolition by the school board, which could not afford the upkeep and repairs necessary for the historic building.
"There were three times during the 1960s and ’70s that bond issues came up, which included the destruction of the Old School," said Ms. Thomsen, who believes the first bond issue was brought up in 1964. "We worked very hard to see that citizens would turn down these bond issues."
A group of concerned citizens, calling itself the Save the Old School Committee, was dedicated to stopping the destruction of the schoolhouse and convinced the courts to delay the bulldozers. Eventually, these volunteers formed Cranbury Landmarks Inc., an organization that continues to assist in the preservation of historical sites and buildings throughout Cranbury.
Once the destruction of the building was delayed, Landmarks worked with the Historical and Preservation Society to convince the state to declare the schoolhouse a historic site.
According to the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, the Old School building was put on the State Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1971. It was put on the national register on June 21, 1971.
"This gave the building a measure of protection from public undertakings," said Robert Craig of the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office. "Any project concerning the building, whether it be demolition or restoration, would have to be reviewed and authorized by this office before it could be carried out."
Despite this official designation, the Old School building was still not completely protected from demolition.
"The school board told us that we would have to find a use for the schoolhouse or they would ask permission from the state to destroy it," said Ms. Thomsen.
It was at this time that Landmarks decided to turn the Old School building into a cultural center.
"It was really the Princeton Ballet Society that saved us," said Ms. Thomsen. "They were our first tenants. We then fixed up the building so it was presentable to rent."
Ms. Thomsen said Landmarks matched funds donated by the National Parks Service and the New Jersey Historic Sites Commission. It also enlisted volunteers to help renovate the building without disturbing its historic qualities.
"The school is a fine example of Victorian schoolhouse architecture and it is unique in that there have been no jarring additions that would mask its original style," said Clara Amend, another founding member of Landmarks. "We knew it had to be restored according to the style of the building so it would remain an example of what we were trying to preserve."
Once the Old School’s restoration was completed in 1974, Landmarks rented out the building to various cultural groups and organizations, including the Princeton Ballet Society and the Rutgers Extension Division’s Program for Women.
"The building was architecturally sound and because of that we wanted to have a cultural center," said Mahbubeh Stave, who also has been a member of Landmarks since its creation. "The Old School served that purpose for many years until the Board of Education needed extra room. We encouraged them to come in and gave some rooms to the township, which grew. Eventually, the township needed more rooms and the Board of Education wanted the building back."
In an ironic twist of fate, the Board of Education reclaimed the building that it previously had attempted to demolish.
Today the Old School building continues to house the Board of Education offices and the township’s municipal offices and courtroom. The building also contains the Gourgaud Gallery.
According to the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, the Old School building is an important landmark, providing a glimpse into the foundations of modern education.
"The Old School is a good example of the schools built in the aftermath of the state’s passage of a school consolidation act in 1894," said Mr. Craig. "The state, at that time, was trying to get towns to close down one-room schools and open consolidated schools that would be graded. This was a big move in public education, making it more manageable and more like modern schools.
"It is important that we remember these buildings for the advances in education that they brought," said Mr. Craig.
Without the hard work and dedication of Cranbury Landmarks Inc., however, the Old School building and its extensive history would have been reduced to a pile of rubble, existing only in the memories of its former teachers and students.
The township recently purchased the Old School from the Board of Education and has since been renovating the building, making it a suitable home for its municipal offices. A rededication ceremony, in which the Old School will officially become Cranbury’s Town Hall, has been set for Oct. 14.
Although Cranbury Landmarks Inc. is no longer responsible for maintaining the schoolhouse, the organization continues to work with other groups on community projects.
William Bunting Jr., president of Landmarks, said the organization is assisting the Historical and Preservation Society with the restoration and repair of the Old School’s clock tower.
"We are also working on an ongoing written history of Cranbury," said Mr. Bunting. "This has been a long-term project and we are hoping to be finished with that shortly so that it may be published."
If you have a story or memory about the Old School that you would like to share, contact News Editor John Saccenti at [email protected].