Education Programs at Portersville Academy

Amos Clift built Portersville Academy in 1839, and for nearly 50 years the building did yeoman service as Groton, Connecticut's Fifth District School.  The two-story, Greek Revival structure, was originally located just north of present day Union Baptist Church.  The town of Groton moved it to its present location in 1887 where it became the First District Hall. 

In the mid 1950s the town stopped using the building and it fell into disrepair.  In 1976 the Mystic River Historical Society bought and restored the schoolhouse, and in 1991 furnished the second floor classroom with reproduction period desks built by members of the Society.

Today Portersville Academy once again opens its doors to students.  Local schools are invited each year to send their students for our educational programs, specially designed to enrich children's historical understanding of our area and to be fun as well.  Many hundreds of young students from local school systems, public, private and parochial, have enjoyed Field Trips to Portersville Academy for the past fourteen years.

Spring 2010

We look forward to welcoming first- and third-grade teachers and students this academic year to our Portersville Academy Connecticut History Presentation.  The cost of the field trip is $3/student, and registration is on a "first come, first served" basis.  Each class should be accompanied by three adults to help the children with their take-home craft project.  Please contact our registrar, Nancy McKay, by March 1 to register, or for further information.  She can be reached by phone at 860-536-8531 or by email at nancmck@sbcglobal.net.

We offer our 2-hour programs for first-graders from May 3 to June 11, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  We also offer 2-hour programs for third-graders from April 26 to June 11, Monday through Friday.  We can accommodate two classes (maximum of 48 children) per session.  All classes are 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Aides with special needs children are not charged.  Additional adults are $3.00 each.  Registration will remain open until class slots are filled.  (Please note that May 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11 are already booked.)

For First Grades:  Each class will spend one 50-minute period upstairs in our recreated 1840's classroom with our teacher, "Miss Palmer".  The focus of this classroom experience includes lessons in "Readin', 'Ritin', and 'Rithmetic", as they were taught in 1845, as well as school manners and behaviors, as they were practiced by our ancestors.
     The other 50-minute period will be spent outside and downstairs, learning about "Families at Sea" in the 19th Century.  Using photographs and stories, a MRHS volunteer will share the experiences of families of captains who sailed the seven seas to search for whales or to trade with China and Japan.  Each student will make a craft project to take home.

For Third Grades:  Each class will spend one 50-minute period upstairs in our recreated 1840's classroom with our teacher "Mr. Avery".  Lessons as they were taught in 1845 and school manners and behaviors, as they were practiced by our ancestors, will be featured.
     The other 50-minute period will be spent downstairs, learning about "Home Life in the 19th Century".  Each student will make a craft project to take home, and a MRHS volunteer will use artifacts and clothes from Grandma's Attic to illustrate the chores, clothing, and pastimes our ancestors used over 150 years ago.  Each child will also have the opportunity to play with 19th Century toys and games.

These programs are offered only to school classes.   Home schoolers are also invited to contact the registrar.  Her contact information appears above.