Octagonal Schoolhouse, also known as the Eight-square School House, is a historic octagonal schoolhouse building located in Cowgill's Corner, Kent County, Delaware.

History

In 1829, Delaware became the second state to establish free public education for its residents. This schoolhouse, which opened in 1836, is one of the first buildings from that movement, and the only one not significantly altered at the time of its addition to the National Register of Historical Places. Manlove Hayes, who lived south of Leipsic is said to have designed the structure since education benefited his numerous children and step children. It is a one-room and one-story stuccoed stone building. It has a pyramidal shingled roof with a stepped stone cornice. The first teacher was Joshua G. Baker. Both boys and girls attended the school and were seated in two circles in the interior, with boys facing the outside and girls the inside. It remained a public school well into the 20th century, after which it was used as a community meeting house. and ' It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1971.

References

External links

* Octagonal school buildings in the United States One-room schoolhouses in Delaware Historic American Buildings Survey in Delaware School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Delaware School buildings completed in 1836 Schools in Kent County, Delaware 1836 establishments in Delaware National Register of Historic Places in Kent County, Delaware {{Delaware-school-stub