The Wallop School was one of the last one-room schoolhouses in use in Connecticut and is one of just a few that remain in their original location.
Although still sparsely populated by today’s standards, Enfield’s population had grown considerably by 1754 and had spread across most of Enfield’s vast area. Enfield’s citizens (men only – no women allowed!) voted that year to establish five school districts including the Wallop District. Later that year funds were approved by the town’s voters to build the necessary schools. The first Wallop School, probably a wood structure, was one of the schools built with those funds.
Enfield’s population continued to grow, even in the sparsely-populated areas like Wallop. Only a few years after construction of the Wallop School the Wallop District was split into two districts, creating the new East Wallop District and resulting in construction of the East Wallop School. The Wallop School became the West Wallop School, although the district remained Wallop. Curiously, in town records the school is usually identified as the “West Wallop School” but sometimes as the “(West) Wallop School,” particularly after the East Wallop School closed in 1931. The Enfield Historical Society uses the “Wallop School” name in a nod to the school district that it served.
About 1800 the original school building was destroyed by fire and replaced by the present one-room brick building. Both the original and current buildings had no plumbing, so water was supplied by a well outside and “restroom facilities” were provided by a privy (outhouse) behind the school. Heat was provided by a wood stove that was fueled with cordwood. A later addition to the left end of the building housed coal storage when the stove that heated the school was upgraded to coal.
One-room schoolhouse teachers taught students from many grades at the same time in the same room and Wallop School teachers were no exception. In the 1937-38 school year, for example, there were seven first grade, two second grade, eight third grade, one fourth grade, one fifth grade, and four sixth grade students, a total of twenty-eight students in one classroom taught by one teacher, who, if that wasn’t challenging enough, was also the janitor according to town records. At least classes were relatively small and discipline was strict. Children sat in class in order by grade, with the youngest children in front and the oldest to the rear.
The Wallop School operated continuously until 1947, when its last teacher became ill and the school closed. The building remained vacant until 1959, when a fire severely damaged the structure. Anxious to obtain a meeting place, the newly-founded Enfield Historical Society gained possession of the remaining ruins in 1961. After completing repairs, the Society opened the Wallop School Museum to the public. More recently, the Society completed a multi-year restoration of the school, carefully and lovingly recreating the atmosphere and character of the school during its 150 years as an active school.
