Gail Benson: Buena Historical Society: Early School of Buena Vista Twshp

BUENA HISTORICAL SOCIETY…….

EARLY SCHOOLS OF BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP

by Gail Benson

Several schools, referred to as School Districts, are listed in the first minute book of the Buena Vista Township Clerk.  Buena Vista was formed from Hamilton Township in 1867, and schools are mentioned as early as 1869.  That does not mean they did not exist before that time, but they were not mentioned in the Clerk’s minutes book.

In 1869, the School Districts listed were Amity, Downs, New Germany, Oak Road, Buena Vista, Vine Road, Newton Ville.  In an 1871 reference, Vine Road is no longer listed and Newtonville has become one word, but the others listed remain the same. 

An 1872 map that appears on the website of Rutgers University at http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/Atlantic/OldAtlanticCounty.html  shows only three school buildings.  One is shown on the west side of what is now Route 54, north of Route 40.  That would be the current Library V restaurant, and I assume that is the one they would call Buena Vista.  Another is on the southeast corner of what appears to be Lincoln Avenue and Vine Road.  One would think that is the school called Vine Road.  But there is also a school called Oak Road; legend says that school was at the corner of Lincoln and Oak.  It would appear unlikely that you would have two schools that close together.  The third school shown is on the northwest corner of Union and Post; although Post is called Park on that 1872 map. Even though a school is not shown on the map, we all know where Newtonville is.  New Germany is the old name for Folsom, which was part of Buena Vista Township until 1906.  We still have an area called Downstown. 

Since the book referred to “School Districts,” perhaps areas had the responsibility of providing for the education of their children.  That could have meant sending them to another district’s school.  Today, we have what are called non-operating school districts. They collect state aid and local taxes and pay tuition to have the local students attend the schools of another district.  They do not operate any school buildings of their own.  The State of New Jersey is currently in the process of trying to eliminate these districts with no schools.  In Atlantic County, we had Corbin City and Longport that fell into that category.  In Gloucester County, Newfield is also classified as a “non-op” since the Buena Regional Board of Education operates Newfield’s one school building.

So, we have accounted for all of the names with the exception of Amity.  The school that appears at Union and Post would not fit any of the names; so perhaps that was Amity. 

If you have any information or old stories about our schools, you can email BuenaHistorical@gmail.com or contact us by regular mail at P. O. Box 114, Buena, NJ 08310

Buena Historical Society meets on the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Township Municipal Building, Route 40, Buena.  Our next meeting is February 17, 2010. Please join us.