Summer is drawing to a close and, as September begins, the new school year opens for many local districts.

Though class sizes in the Upper Delaware today typically remain small compared to schools across the nation, much smaller schools once existed in the area.

The Long Eddy School District #4, originally a one-room schoolhouse, eventually moved to a building on Chestnut Street with two floors, enough space for four rooms.

However, in the fall of 1926, the school burned down just before the new year was about to start, likely due to painters’ rags that had been left behind.

In 1928, the Long Eddy School District opened a new school on a site previously occupied by the Globe Hotel. Twenty-four years later, the school closed and merged  into Delaware Valley Central School. The 1952 school is now the location of the Dedeco factory.

The Basket Historical Society preserves and presents the history of the Upper Delaware area. If you are interested in becoming a member or finding out more, email baskethistsociety@gmail.com.