"This Fortunate District": Green School History

Welcome to Green School History, a site devoted entirely to the Green School in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Located on East Main Street in the Green section of Middleborough, the school was built in 1871 and was in continual use until June, 1941, when it was closed. Reopened for a short period of time in the 1990s, the Green School in 2009 was threatened with demolition. A group of concerned residents banded together to save this one-room schoolhouse. Thanks to the interest of the community supported by financial contributions by residents and former pupils, the building has been preserved and the exterior restored. A new use for the structure is currently under consideration. This site hopes to convey the immense historical and educational value which the Green School still retains, particularly its ability to speak to the educational history of the community of Middleborough.

The easiest way to navigate through the site is by using the left-hand sidebar. Click on the icons to read about some of the unique aspects of the Green School's history, to view pictures of the school and documents related to its history, or to make a contribution towards its preservation. Also, for a quick reference, you can also click on the chapters underneath each icon to go directly to a topic of interest.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Color of the Green School

Much work has been accomplished this winter in repairing the Green School and securing it to the weather. More recently, the long familiar green color of its clapboarded exterior has disappeared beneath a coat of gray primer, preparatory to painting. One of the next decisions regarding the building will have to do with the color which the building's exterior should be painted. This decision is sure to stir considerable discussion locally if the debate over the color scheme of Middleborough Town Hall several years ago is any indicator.

Historically, the Green School was likely painted a light color, possibly white, at the time it was built. While no early photographs or descriptions of the building exist documenting the original color scheme of the school, another school which was constructed at the same time and which was identical in design - the Fall Brook School at Wareham and Sachem Streets - appears to have been painted with the color scheme of a white body and trim, with dark colored shutters, window sash and doors. Possibly, the color could have been slightly darker, such as buff or sand, as these were common neutral shades employed in the Victorian era and photographs from the early 1900s indicate a slightly darker shade. While there exists no certainty that the town painted the two schools identically, it would appear the most logical decision.

Despite the cliché of the "little red schoolhouse" and the brightly-colored East Middleborough School which sports this cheery shade, local school buildings were only rarely painted red. There is some indication that the schoolhouse at Muttock was the only Middleborough school painted this color, and there exists no documentation indicating that the Green School was ever this color.

As for green, the Green School presumably was probably never historically painted green. The name of the school is taken from the school's location at the former training green in Middleborough, and not from its exterior. It is only in recent memory that the school has been green. No doubt, the person ultimately responsible for the green color was either unaware of the origin of its name, or thought the color choice a clever play on its name.

So what color should the Green School be painted? Green School History is inviting you to cast your ballot in an informal poll. Simply click on the color of your choice to the left and see what others think as well.

3 comments:

  1. A historic paint analysis (if not already completed) might be helpful for determining how the school's color schemes changed over time and what would be most appropriate exterior color.
    The Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Office might have further suggestions on local companies that could do this. If cost is an issue, another route might be to contact the Historic Preservation Program at Roger Williams University. This might make a good student project if both parties are interested.

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  2. Thank you to everyone who has devoted time and enery to this project. I know money is probably the issue, but I thought there was talk about restoring the front of the building to the two door design? It would make a world of difference.

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  3. [The following comment was received March 1, 2010, at 10:54 PM, under the posting entitled "Flag". I have moved it here as it speaks best to this posting. -Mike]

    Anonymous said...
    we went to town meeting to decide what color the town hall should be after the preservation.
    It would appear to me that no one has a right to change the color without a vote at town meeting. It is a public building, owned by the taxpayers.

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