North Scituate in Providence County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
Scituate Schools
Scituate Heritage Trail
| — | Historic Scituate, Rhode Island | — |
Rhode Island passed the Free Public School Act in 1818. Before schools were built, children were taught in private homes. It wasn't until 1834 that Scituate first appropriated $300 for schools. The town was initially divided into twelve school districts, which later increased to nineteen districts. Each district provided its building and teacher, and each school has a district number. Note the district number of the schools pictured.
#2 North Scituate Academy opened in 1825 and served as a school for 100 years. It was expanded during WWI to become a community house and still serves the public today as the North Scituate Community House. See Scituate Town Hall for usage.
The unique planetarium (above right) has been a feature on the Academy School ceiling since it was built in 1825. The planet Neptune was not identified until 1846, so it does not appear. Please stop in to view the planetarium in all its glory.
#17 Clayville School, built in 1846, is well-preserved and has had many uses.
#18 Glenford School Class
#5 Chopmist School, built in 1830, featured separate entrances for boys and girls, as was typical
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Many of the districts with schools were submerged in the development of the Scituate Reservoir. The children of families who lost their homes to the reservoir project had to attend schools in the surviving districts. Shown left is #9 Hopeville (Hope), packed with students.
Private residences were also used, as is shown here, at Hope's Almond Fiske house with children at recess.
Pictured (left) in the front row, third from right, is Helen O. Larson at #6 Rockland School. Helen's family moved to Hope when Rockland Village and the school were condemned for the reservoir project. Like many children then, Helen did not return to school but went to work in the textile mills. Before the enactment of child labor laws, most children worked on farms or mills. Entire families worked together in factories, a practice known as the "Rhode Island System."
Typical child mill worker
Mill advertisement targeting children
Erected 2021 by Town of Scituate, Rhode Island. (Marker Number 3.)
Topics. This historical
Location. 41° 50.095′ N, 71° 35.182′ W. Marker is in Scituate, Rhode Island, in Providence County. It is in North Scituate. It is on West Greenville Road (Rhode Island Route 116) north of Silk Lane, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 546 West Greenville Road, North Scituate RI 02857, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Quiet Corner and in Greater Providence. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Richmond Mill Bell (within shouting distance of this marker); Scituate Honor Roll (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bell Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Revolutionary War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Scituate Honor Roll (within shouting distance of this marker); Korea Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Village of North Scituate / Scituate, Rhode Island (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Scituate.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 2, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 2, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
