Hope Schoolhouse

Hope Schoolhouse. . , HOPE IRON FURNACE , The Hope Iron Furnace was built in 1854 and supported a community of about 300 to 400 people. Most of the those that worked at the Hope Furnace lived in single room log homes. Workers were often paid in company script, which was only good at the company store. The community surrounding the iron furnace also serviced local farmers and tradesmen in addition to iron workers. The nearby town of Zaleski also had several businesses put were prosperous at the time. The area was booming in the second of the nineteenth century. , HOPE SCHOOLHOUSE , The school district the area of the Hope Iron Furnace became its namesake. Although the Hope Furnace ended operations in 1874 the student enrollment of the district grew and it was determined that a new school was needed. On June 9, 1883, thee Hope School district purchased a half acre lot from Aaron Pinney for this purpose. The schoolhouse was built by a local craftsman named George Bell. , SERVING THE COMMUNITY , The school was a one room schoolhouse where one teacher taught all grade levels. While one grade level worked with the teacher, the others worked quietly on assignments. Students helped each other during these quiet periods and as a result, several of them became interested in teaching as a career. The school burned down in 1931. The practice of spreading kerosene on the wood floors to keep the dust down during the summer may have contributed to the blaze. Perry Pinney Sr and teacher Raymond Knox rebuilt the schoolhouse the following year. The school continued its role until the transition of local students to Zaleski Elementary, and closed in 1941. The schoolhouse was restored in 1988, and comes to serve the community place to hold local civic events.