Painting of Old Schoolhouse Showed It Had Second Story
by Ed Dybicz (date unknown)
When the “Old Roberts Schoolhouse” on Croton rd. Upper Merion, was being reconstructed some years ago by the King of Prussia Historical Society, notices appeared in local newspapers requesting any photograph or painting so that the rebuilding would be as exact in detail as possible.
Unfortunately, no such photos were forthcoming or, for that matter, was any painting found.
However, later research did reveal a description of the Old Roberts Schoolhouse. This came about when an article written in 1935 was found in the archives of the Historical Society of Montgomery County in Norristown. It was discovered that a painting of the schoolhouse was made by artist K. H. Jaeger of King of Prussia. The whereabouts of the painting in not known.
But it was one of about 30 sketches that Jaeger painted in oil depicting many views of the historic spots, hills, buildings and valleys of Upper Merion.
Jaeger’s artistic work was twice as interesting becasue he would write a description of his painting. These were on exhibit in Norristown, Philadelphia and New York. The display in Norristown drew many people and among the paintings was a sketch of the Old Roberts Schoolhouse.
Jaeger wrote the following: “Built about 1848 on Croton rd., at the foot of French’s Hill, on the edge of the Hundred Mile Woods by the Hon. Jonathan Roberts, Upper Merion’s only United Sates Senator, and given by him to the township for the education of pupils from the Henderson, Hughes and Roberts Farms, and for others from the Martin’s Dam section, who had formerly walked to the “Mud College’ located on the Roberts’ farm on Gulph rd, now known as the Buttonwood Lodge.
“The school, originally a one-story structure, was later enlarged by a brick addition at the front, and still later, by the addition of a frame second-story.
“Abandoned as a school in 1917, it reverted under terms of the original deed to the Roberts estate, was sold, and lying idle. Since then, it has fallen into eerie state of dissolution and decay, with the woods gradually creeping over it again.”
From the ruins of the foundation and stone back wall, the King of Prussia Historical Society in 1960 finished recreating the one-room schoolhouse.
