The Auditorium of Memories

This weekend is the Broome County Art Trail, and we decided to visit the site of a historic school that was the site of several art displays.

The J. Ralph Ingalls School in Maine, New York was built around 1938-40.  At that time New York State was attempting to consolidate rural one room school houses that were still operating into one centralized building.

The hamlet of Maine, New York (population about 5100) had 14 one room school houses and their students were transferred into the completed J. Ralph Ingalls school building.  We were told that classes ceased around 1981 and that the building was placed on the National Historic Register in 1998.

A man in Johnson City had (we were also told) purchased the building and intended to renovate it.  Unfortunately, he passed away a couple of years ago before he could complete the work.  A local historical society currently owns the building.

I couldn't photograph the outside due to heavy rains when we pulled in, but I found this photo on Wikipedia.  The sidewalk was filled with water and I was wearing walking shoes.  All I got was a picture of the entrance.

But let's go in and see what we can find.

We were met by a retired teacher and he let us explore some of the rooms.  I didn't take pictures because I was concentrating on art, including photographs (excellent ones) taken by our teacher guide while he talked to some former students who had come to visit the building.

The stage - taken without flash

The auditorium was dark.  The teacher let us explore inside - in the dark.

The auditorium was filled with treasures - or junk.  You decide.  I turned the flash on while spouse used his phone as a flashlight.

Rocking horses?

On a couple of tables were books - lots and lots of books.  In the dark, I saw a title that interested me (above) and the teacher said I could keep it. (It's a book club edition, alas, but I didn't take it for value but to read.) There was another book, a 1959 Fannie Farmer cookbook that I may have been interested in also, but it was falling apart.

I thought I took some other pictures but they didn't come out.

While we were there, other former students came through.  I wonder what I would think if I visited my elementary school (which is still standing and still an elementary school

Maybe I should have taken pictures of the interior.  Hopefully one day I will get another chance.