The Nine School Districts
Prior to the Revolution, the area that is now East Lyme had three school districts. (Walnut Hill was separate at that time being so far away from the main part of town in 1749. Until the 1920s, East Lyme had nine schools: Niantic Hill, Flanders, Little Boston, Bank District, Black Point, Mack’s Mill, Toad Rock, the Head of the River, and Walnut Hill. The Niantic Hill School was located at what is now the corner of Bride Brook and the Boston Post Road. The town sold this school house to Ruby Parker in 1929.
Little Boston School
“School Documents.” Schools, Public Library Archives, East Lyme, Connecticut
The Bank District School was located in on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Black Point School used to be located at Fairhaven Road opposite of Gada Road. The Black Point School was closed in 1927-1928 and the students that were there were sent to the Niantic Center School. The building still stands but is now a private residence.
The Mack’s Mill School was on Upper Pattagansett Road west of Powers Brook. This school was closed in 1897.Students were sent to the Flanders School.
The Toad Rock School was located on Pennsylvania Avenue near the intersection with East Pattagansett Road. This school was named after a rock located near the school that resembled a toad.
The School by the Head of the River was located around Boston Post Road east of the Old Mill.
The Walnut Hill School was located at Walnut Hill Road.
The Little Boston School was located on West Main Street and was the only school that was still operational in the 1920s. It was named “Little Boston”, it was located on Boston Post Road, and it was one of the best schools in the area, thought by town locals to be second to the Boston School in Massachusetts. (The Boston Post Road is now Route One, but at the time the school was named, Ben Franklin had moved the postal delivery route from Route One to Route 156). This school building is still standing on the grounds of the historic Thomas Lee House.
Works Cited
Chendali, Olive Tubbs. East Lyme Handbook: The A, B, C's of East Lyme History. East Lyme, The East Lyme Century and A Half Committee, 1989.
“School Documents.” Schools, Public Library Archives, East Lyme, Connecticut
Black Point School
“School Documents.” Schools, Public Library Archives, East Lyme, Connecticut
Toad Rock School
“School Documents.” Schools, Public Library Archives, East Lyme, Connecticut