Schools (demolished) – Brownville ME

City:
Brownville, ME

Site Type:
Education and Health, Schools

New Deal Agencies:
Civil Works Administration (CWA), Work Relief Programs

Started:
1933

Completed:
1940

Quality of Information:
Very Good

Marked:
No

Description

The New Deal was involved in improvements to the school system in the small mill town of Brownville and Brownville Junction.

According to the 1933 town report, the town paid its share of $1,064.32 for materials for a Civil Works Administration (CWA) school project. The school superintendent reported that the  CWA requested a school project and school officials asked for an enlargement of the Brownville Junction High gymnasium. The CWA paid for all labor and $626.00 for materials. May 1934 was the planned completion date when the CWA was liquidated. Its reported that under Federal Emergency Relief, 65 pupils were receiving one-half pint of milk daily until June which resulted in improvement in the physical condition of the students. The Principal of the Village High School reported that the CWA installed a balcony in the Village High gymnasium.

According to the 1934 town report, FERA was involved in renovations at the Junction High school that fixed up the rooms and varnished all the desks. The principal of the Brownville Village high school praised the renovation of the chemistry laboratory that came out of Federal spending.

In the 1939 town report, the superintendent noted “At the beginning of the school year, the N.Y.A. program was initiated in the High School. At the present time we have seven students, each receiving six dollars a month for work which is performed about the school under the direction of the teachers. This work consists of correcting papers, typing, mimeographing, painting, rough carpenter work, etc.” Likewise, the 1940 town reports “Through our N.Y.A. program a continuing effort is being made to improve the physical surrounding in our classrooms. This year, at the present date, all the desk tops have been sanded and refinished. The only cost to the town has been for the materials and the equipment used.”

Brownville High School was built in 1932-33 after a fire in March of 1932 completely destroyed the original building. That building remained an elementary school until the fall of 1987. It was then sold but nothing was ever done with the building. It was finally demolished in the summer of 2021. It was located at 14 Stickney Hill Road.

Brownville Junction High School was constructed in 1921 – also following a fire at the original school building. This building graduated its final class in 1968 but continued to be used as a middle school until it was turned over to the town in 1975. This building was torn down in 1976. It used to be located at 5 North St.

Contributor note: Thanks go out to the town clerks for their assistance with my scanning the reports and answering questions and Susan Worcester of the Brownville Historical Society and her help in trying to locate photos.

Source notes

Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Brownville Maine 1933-34 1939-40.

Conversations with Susan Worcester of the Brownville Historical Society.

Site originally submitted by Andrew Laverdiere on January 4, 2022.

Location Info


14 Stickney Hill Road
Brownville, ME 04414
Piscataquis County

Coordinates: 45.308941, -69.028804

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.