Pond Hill School – A Glimpse into Early Education in Naugatuck
Based on the recollections of Henry Baldwin
Written by Sandra Clark, Town Historian

During the early 1800s, Pond Hill in Naugatuck was home to three different one-room schoolhouses over a span of 30 years. The first, recorded on the Waterbury land records in 1794, was believed to have been destroyed by fire and rebuilt shortly after. In 1822, a second school was constructed and remained in use until 1906. A third building, later converted into a private home, stood at the intersection of May Street and Donovan Road, and served as both a school and community space.

Henry Baldwin, whose family had deep roots in the area, recalled the second building in his writings. His story captures the spirit—and occasional mischief—of early schooling. He described Pond Hill as a place where “foundations were laid for characters such as any people will be proud of.”

One such character was Hube Johnson. Baldwin tells of a memorable Saturday incident when Hube, told by a teacher to leave, returned anyway during afternoon recess and tried to quietly reenter the school. When stopped, Hube simply stated:

“I came in as a visitor,”
and sat on a bench.

The teacher, enraged, attempted to drag him out by the hair. Hube, defending himself, landed a blow that gave the teacher a black eye. Chaos erupted. Younger students cried, older students clenched their teeth, and one brave pupil intervened, shouting:

“Unhand him or I will plank you right on the floor!”

The teacher let go. Order was restored.

Despite the drama, Baldwin notes that Hube went on to become one of the most respected and beloved teachers in the region. In his words:

“So I conclude the castigation the teacher gave him and the black eye he gave the teacher have been mutually beneficial, for who knows that for that lesson if Hube would ever have become so successful a pedagogue…”

Source
Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter
Volume 15, Issue 1
January - February 2010

Pond Hill Revisited
By Sandra Clark

It is now time to revisit Pond Hill and Henry C. Baldwin. Henry had just spent the fall working for Uncle John Hopkins. His contract ended in October 1854 and since there was no room for him at his home, the question was how could he be utilized for the winter months. The problem was solved. He was to go to “Aunt Ruthy Spencer’s,” do chores for his room and board and go to school at Pond Hill.

"My father took me to Seymour-Johnson’s shoe shop and fitted me with a pair of shoes that would pass for 'storey'. How I did want boots, but 'the coin of the realm' was scarce in those times, and so I had to be content with the shoes. I remember suggesting that they would not keep out the snow as well as boots. The shoes were taken back off part of the sole where the pegs pressed out, and a few pebbles put into the heels."

I spent a few weeks at home, but as soon as school began, my patient, loving mother had patched up my clothes, for new ones were not to be thought of, I took up my quarters at the old house just at the top of the hill above the corner.

I was to take care of two cows and besides I expected to cut and bring in enough fuel to the home and perform chores for my board. The only occupants of the house besides myself was “Aunt Ruthy” widow of Elizur Spencer, an old lady nearly eighty years of age, and her daughter Eliza, who was hearing impaired.

After milking and feeding cows and getting in a due supply of wood, it was quite dark, and I was summoned to supper. It was needless to say I did not require a second invitation. Talk of something “toothsome”, the plate of the veriest picketer was never tickled more agreeably than was mine, with a dish of warmed up potatoes and sausage, and besides, there was apple sauce and nice bread and butter.

"If I left any 'manner’s piece' at all, it was a small one. The clock slowly ticked until it began that peculiar clucking sound preliminary to striking eight. Aunt Ruthy quoted -
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”"

She lit a little old pewter lamp filled with whale oil, that gave just about as much light as a respectable glowworm. I was shown up stairs to a bed close under the roof. I climbed into a magnificent feather bed in fear and trembling, and hung my pants on a chair.

This was indeed a horrid night, though not quite so intensely horrid as my first night at Uncle John’s. I gathered the clothes about my head and fell finally into a drowse from which I was awakened by the most terrific clatter and squalls I ever heard. It was the most diabolical cat serenade I ever listened to, and that was not the worst of it... There was a space between the roof and the ceiling of the stoop to which cats had access and they could run clear round, and that was just what they were doing.

Some time in the winter, an event happened that threw the whole community into the wildest excitement and sent a sense of fear into the hearts of all timid women and children, and created a great demand for bolts, locks, and weapons of all kinds.

Henry Sears with his wife and a young child, lived in the old house on top of Dunn Hill. One night Sears exhibited a roll of bills (the amount I do not recall) while in the center. There was snow on the ground. That night his house was broken into and robbed of the money which was in a little tin box. Mrs. Sears and the child occupied one room and Mr. Sears the other. Mr. Sears was awakened by some means and went into the room where his wife was and found a window open, and on further examination he found the child’s head crushed in and his throat cut from ear to ear, and his wife unconscious, with her skull fractured by a blow from a hammer. Mr. Sears gave the alarm and the town was aroused. The box in which the money had been was found a mile or so from the house empty. The murderer was never discovered.

All this tended to add a new horror to my situation for it was supposed by many that Aunt Ruthy kept a considerable sum of money in the house, but I resolved, as I was the only man on the premises, to defend the house and its inmates if need be with my own blood; that was when I thought the matter over in the day time, but when in bed in the dark, the idea of fighting a burglar or of “blood” made me shake like the ague. In order that I could be prepared, I went to Charley Wedge who was one of my school mates and for whose mechanical skill I had a profound respect; and have still, and got him to make me a “Bowie knife” handle blade and sheath. It had a pointed blade and an edge on both sides. I kept it at my head of my bed all the rest of the winter.

As the days grew longer during the winter of 1854, Henry began to extend his range of vision and acquaintance. He went more often into the Center of town which was then located on the East side of town. He, however, did not pay heed to his father's warnings that it was a “sink of iniquity: where profanity and New England rum fairly tainted the atmosphere”.

“Profanity was regarded by my father, not as a ‘venial sin’ by any means, but a deadly one.”

Source
Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter
May - June 2010