Living History in Nashua, NH
"Report Card"
Nashua's Little Brick Schoolhouse
Welcome to the
District #1 School
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Located in the Old South Burial Ground in Nashua, New Hampshire, the 1841 District #1 Schoolhouse stands as a testament to the 80 years it served as a suburban public school. Since its restoration in 1976 for the Bicentennial of the United States, the little brick schoolhouse has welcomed scholars from Greater Nashua for a two-hour re-living history program. Members of the King's Daughters Benevolent Association volunteered their time and resources to the renovation of this schoolhouse treasure in 1976 for the U.S. Bicentennial. They continue to curate the school and sponsor 4th grade classes.
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Each spring and fall, 4th grade students from Greater Nashua return to the days of reading, writing, and arithmetic, the wood burning stove, dip ink pens, slates and slate pencils, recitation lessons, and in some cases, the hickory stick! The "schoolmarm" or "schoolmaster" is at the head of the class to instruct the scholars, who once spanned a range of ages, grades, and ability levels. Here at the schoolhouse, history comes alive and visitors often say, "This is the best field trip I've ever been on!"
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Homeschoolers Fall 2025: Unfortunately, due to the large number of Nashua classes we serve (0ver 40 - 4th grades) and our limited seasonal schedule, District #1 must reserve its Spring schedule for Nashua Public Schools. Future homeschool groups will have to LIVE in the Greater Nashua area as we have been reminded recently of this covenant for using the schoolhouse. Contact in the summer for Fall 2025 openings and we will try to accommodate!
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This website is dedicated to the District #1 School, the devoted teachers who educated children in similar schools across the nation, and the countless scholars whose parents dreamed of better lives for their children.
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Here you can explore through VIDEO the history, photographs, and timeless tales that help us bring the one-room story to our visitors.
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Learn of the renewed interest in the preservation and restoration of our remaining one-room country schools in the United States. You'll agree that Nashua preservationists were ahead of their time!
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Meet our teachers! Click on the "Report Card" Tab above...
Plan Your Visit
District #1 Schoolhouse
(217) Daniel Webster Highway
Old South Burial Ground
Nashua, NH 03060
Grade 4 Contact Teachers of Nashua:
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You will be contacted by our scheduler in early February to begin planning your springtime visit to the Little Red Schoolhouse.
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The King’s Daughters Benevolent Association is happy to offer you our living history field trip once again at NO cost to you or your school.
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Most of you know from experience how it all works, but we begin making up the schedule by February 15th and will send all the information you’ll need.
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In the meantime, please keep the website address handy at www.nashuaschoolhouse.com if you’re new to our program or want a refresher!
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We'll email you a schedule after we meet with our schoolmarms and schoolmaster to schedule their days first. We may have some back to back classes this year - 9:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m…and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
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While we enjoy hearing from you, you won’t even have to confirm anything until you receive your schedule via email weeks ahead of our spring opening of April 1st.
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All you will have to do is arrange the bus with your transportation office and we’ll give you plenty of time to reserve them considering any shortage in drivers. Bills will be paid directly by the King’s Daughters.
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Looking forward to seeing you all!
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Grade 4 Teachers of Bedford, Hollis & Brookline:
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Please contact Susan Fineman in late summer to schedule your classes for the fall months of October and November. scfineman @aol.com
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Classes will be offered 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with some modification if needed for travel time.
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Due to a covenant for our use of the schoolhouse, Greater Nashua schools are asked for a donation of $1.00 per visitor. We promise it is well worth it considering how much many field trips cost.
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We always enjoy your attendance!
Life in a Country School
Schoolhouse Videos
"One-Room Schools of the Past"
What was it like to attend a one-room country school over 100 years ago in the United States? What were the buildings like? Who were the teachers? What did scholars learn? Why were there so many schoolhouses? What learning materials did students use? How did one teacher teach all those ages and grades in one room? How was the day organized?......and many more questions answered.
WATCH BEFORE YOUR VISIT TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE!
Nashua and the Schoolhouse -1841
Here is a short history of early Nashua, the District #1 Schoolhouse, and the decision to build the school in 1841. Learn who curates the schoolhouse today and what visitors will see when they experience schooling in the past.
WATCH BEFORE YOUR VISIT TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE!
"Our Resilient New Hampshire Schoolhouses"
Here is a 6-minute tribute to a number of preserved schoolhouses of NH. It was produced for "Strawbery Banke" Museum in Portsmouth, NH for their 4th of July on-line celebration in 2020. The theme was, "Resilience," as we all battled to come back from COVID-19 and could only visit "Strawbery Banke" virtually. Interpreters made videos of themselves as historic figures telling their stories of overcoming hardship.
I chose to highlight preserved schoolhouses that have survived the ravages of time, many to live again and tell their stories to appreciative visitors. I wish I could have featured all our NH schools, but the time was limited to 6-minutes. I hope you enjoy our beautiful New England schools and my heartfelt message about them....
Note: All the buildings identified with titles are in New Hampshire. Not all the general schoolhouse photos used are from NH schools: interiors, groups, items.
"Saving and Sharing One-Room Country Schools"
By 1900 the United States could claim that over 200,000 one-room schools were in operation across the nation. These humble little buildings were evidence of the commitment made to educate a growing and diverse population.
Across the United States countless civic groups or historical societies are very proud to save and refurbish a one-room country school, their little icon of early public education. In an on-going effort they have opened them as museums, and many offer programs for children to experience schooling of the past.
Learn of the commitment made by our ancestors to educate a patriotic and literate citizenry. Hear what is being done across the country to promote the preservation, restoration and history of our remaining one-room schools and to share our legacy of “free” public education.
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Historic Gravestone: September 5th, 1724
One of the most interesting gravestones in the Old South Burial Ground tells the story of Thomas Lund, age 42, who with seven more men buried beside him..."were all slew in a day by the Indiens (sic)." Native Americans and Nashua settlers were at odds with one another in 1724. Read the story of this incident below on the PDF reader!
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Contact us...
For additional information contact:
Susan Fineman at scfineman@aol.com
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The schoolhouse is located in the Old South Burial Ground on the Daniel Webster Highway.
Use the address for Walgreens' (next door) for GPS directions.
217 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, NH 03060
Country School Association of America
The District #1 Schoolhouse is recognized by the Country School Association of America, a national organization promoting the preservation of the remaining one-room country schools across the nation.
The CSAA is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the country school experience. The group is for those who are involved in one-room school preservation, history, or reenactment.
The District #1 Schoolhouse has been placed in the CSAA Registry as a Landmark Schoolhouse, one that has contributed in a positive way to the understanding and appreciation of the country school experience.
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