County conservation giving away school

Good home sought for historic, one-room schoolhouse. You haul. 472-4421.

Due to budget limitations, the Jefferson County Conservation Board is offering the former Peach Blossom Schoolhouse to anyone interested in relocating and making use of the building.

?We just don?t have enough use for it in the park to justify putting money into it,? said conservation director Dennis Lewiston. ?We?d like to see it go to a good home.?

Lewiston said the school was never used much as a shelter for weddings and other events, as had been the intention when the building was moved in the 1970s from its original location a half mile north of Wooster corner on Glasgow Road to Round Prairie Park.

Laurie Woody visited the schoolhouse annually with her fifth-grade classes, but since her retirement, Lewiston said the building?s use has become even more infrequent.

?It?s unfortunate that we don?t have enough money to take care of everything,? Lewiston said, noting every county budget is tight and something had to give.

The board felt spending taxpayer money on keeping the parks up and running was a better investment, he said. Instead of funding schoolhouse repairs, the conservation board will be putting money into Round Prairie Park?s electrical system.

Lewiston said the school needs a new roof and patching in a few spots, but ?structurally it?s very sound.? The school has no plumbing, but is wired for electricity, though none is currently in use.

The board hopes to find someone who can use the school as a workshop, or even renovate it for a home, Lewiston said.

The conservation board first bought the Cedar Township, District No. 6, Section 12 schoolhouse believing it would make a nice addition to the park being developed, Lewiston said. At that time, Round Prairie Park was the only multi-use public park in the county, he added.

The conservation board later considered moving the school to Jefferson County Park, but determined it would be too cost prohibitive.

The conservation board has now turned to the historical society for assistance with finding a new owner. Both the Jefferson County Fair Board and Maasdam Barns Preservation Committee turned down the structure.

Prior to its move to Round Prairie Park, the Peach Blossom Schoolhouse also had been used as a community hall and polling place.