"Restore, Renew, Rediscover Your Historic Neighborhood Schools!"

3rd Annual Preservation Week 2002 Photo-Essay Competition

Stop for just a moment; I want you to think back to your childhood, think back to your school days. Remember your friends, the games on the playground, learning to read for the first time, watching the older kids, and wishing you were them, because they always got to do the cool things. Think of the Teachers, the lasting impression they had on you. Now that you have played out all of these wonderful memories, I want to tell you that I am going to tear down your old school. After all it's old, and is has no significant meaning to me. It's just some worn building that needs to be out of the way for my bright new garage. No, there isn't any real reason that I need this new building just that it would make life at the volunteer fire department a little less cramped. How does this make you feel? Angry? Sad? That is how the people in the little town of Westport feel about this "Old" schoolhouse. I want to tell you a little about Westport, and then you can make the decision for yourself should it stay, or should it be torn down.

The small little town of Westport can be found on a map of Kentucky just north of Louisville, on the Ohio River. Westport first called Liberty it was founded May of 1780 by Mr. Elijah Craig. Mr. Craig sold Westport in April 1796. Advertisements were distributed, but the first lots were not sold until August 17, 1801, this weas the first lot sold, and it was for the County Courthouse, ten other lots sold that same day. By 1880 the population was up to 219. In 1880 the private school burned. In 1882 another school was built in Westport. It is located by the fire department. The front section of the building was the original schoolroom. An addition was added in 1920.

There were eight grades taught there, and only one teacher. Her name was Miss Mae Esters. She began each day by teaching the first graders, and ending with the eight graders. It was common throughout the day for the older children to tutor the younger ones. Chalkboards lined the walls and there was a step against the wall so the elementary school student could reach it to do their daily lessons. In the classroom was a pot bellied stove that was fueled by coal, it was the only heat in the building. There were little handmade benches that held two children at a time until it was there turn to be taught and they then moved up front closer to the teacher on a longer handmade bench.

An alumni of Westport school was Alice Mac Mattingly, she says that each day around lunchtime she remembers some of the Mother's coming each day with a huge pot of beans and cornbread so that the children would have a hot meal everyday. Charlton Alvin Harp told me of the games they used to play in the commons area, mostly the boys played baseball, and the girls would play tag, or roll a ball and kick it. Their games were simple yet very entertaining for the time. According to a book written by Sara Diane Sanders titled "Westport, Kentucky," states that on Fridays there was the much-anticipated spelling bee.

The schoolhouse today is used for the annual Halloween/Chili Party where the town and surrounding citizens gather dressed in costume for an entertaining evening. The Westport homemakers meet there as well, and the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. My Mother remembers when she was growing up in Westport, the wonderful Fish Fry's that were held there every summer, you could get all you can eat fish, slaw, fries, and homemade pie for about $3.00 she said, people came from all over the County for the Westport fish fry. In the late 70's it was designated to be torn down before the new fire garage was built, but for reason's I am unaware, it remains.

Nearly 118 years after the quaint little Westport School opened it's doors to the little bright eyed children that were eager to learn, the schoolhouse is once again being designated to be destroyed. In today's society there are many people that think only of the futre, how new things defines who you are. They forget or, simply don't care about the significance of "old" buildins and cemetery's. I find it disgraceful to want to tear down all of the town's history. With the town's growth there are many new citizens to the area this is not a significant building to them. Are we going to let them destroy our heritage? I think not, and so does many of the other "Old Times" as we are called, have begun a "Save our Schoolhouse" fund, it is headed by Kathy Hockersmith. My family is also a member of this group; they are attempting to get funding from the State to preserve the schoolhouse. Any monies that I may win during this contest will be donated to the Schoolhouse fund. There is my photography that I took in February 2001. It shows an old white building only behind the wood and paint lies memories of school days gone by for nearly 200 people. I have also attached a picture of a 1920 class. Can you see the significance of this little part of history from Westport, Kentucky? I can. Won't you help us save the School?

This essay and photograph(s) are the property of Preservation Kentucky, Inc. and Kentucky Heritage Council and that any use of the photo or essay must be approved by PK and KHC.