Richardson School

When the District Schools were laid out in 1791, the east ward's location was not defined. Officially, this was the District Number 7 School. Hales (1831) and Walling (1853) both show the schoolhouse on the west side of Salem Rd, midway between Andover and Baldwin, approximately where Georgiana Rd is now. In 1854, the town bought a parcel of land on the other side of the road (Bk 20 Pg 474), and erected the new building. By 1875, Beers shows the school on the east side of Salem Rd, closer to Andover Rd. In 1885, the Annual Report called it the Pattenville School. In 1890, it's called the Richardson School and maintains that name into the 20th century. Miss Annie J. Page was a long-time teacher at the school, but needed a two-year absence for health reasons. She returned for the 1898 school year to everyone's relief. She died Oct 26, 1909 and was recognized as having a 33-year teaching career in town.

In 1916, the school closed, when only 11 pupils would be enrolled there. It was the last of the 10 district schools to close, in favor of sending the children to the much larger Talbot and Pollard Schools. In 1932, it was sold to the East Billerica Community Club on the condition that if they give up the building, it would revert back to the town. Eventually it was vandalized and burned down in 1973.

References

1. MACRIS BIL.149