Program

Hometown Heritage®

Subject

Building, Education

Location

334 Westport Rd, Easton, CT 06612, USA

Lat/Long

41.249738582012, -73.302731829096

Grant Recipient

Staples Academy Foundation

Samuel Staples was said to have been born in 1708. He inherited his wealth and property from his relatives, some of the first settlers in Connecticut. Staples devoted his life to the betterment of the community and donated his land and money to support others. In 1781, Samuel donated a large part of his estate to the local Presbyterian church. He also bequeathed 2,500 pounds and a large tract of land to found a free school for poor children in the Parish of North Fairfield. The school was to be maintained from the rent and profits of his land and bonds. He named neighboring ministers, Robert Ross, Samuel Sherwood, and James Johnson, as trustees.

After Staples died in February 1787, a conflict arose over where the school would be built. Ross and Sherwood refused to comply with his wishes and would not build a house in North Fairfield parish nor allow the school to be kept there. Johnson disagreed with the other trustees but was forced to resign. The school moved between parishes for several years. In 1792, the community members of North Fairfield petitioned the General Assembly to secure a schoolhouse in their parish, as intended and promised by Staples. Staples’ land was kept private and could therefore not be taxed, sold, or settled upon. The petitioners argued that the town and parish needed tax money from the land and that it was hindering population growth and development in the area. The General Assembly ruled in favor of North Fairfield and Greek Revival-style schoolhouse was built it in the parish, as Staples wished, in 1795.

Education for both men and women was virtually unheard of at the time, but Staples Academy welcomed male and female students as early as 1796. Children were instructed in Ancient and Modern Languages, mathematics and other English studies. Those unable to pay for instruction could receive payment in gratis. The town of Easton was incorporated in 1845, and the school became known as Easton Academy. One of the famous alums of the academy, Issac Toucey, served as Governor of Connecticut, U. S. senator, U. S. Attorney General and Secretary of the Navy. After 120 years, the academy closed as the trustees ran out of funding.

However, the town took ownership of the school, and it served children until 1931, when a new central elementary school was built. The Easton Congregational Church purchased the building in 1937. The building was then remodeled to accommodate Sunday school classrooms and a kitchen for the church. It was renamed as the Academy Community House. The space is still owned by the church and continues to enrich the community with educational events and supportive programming to fight food insecurity, poverty, and addiction. In 2024, the Staples Academy Foundation was established to preserve and restore the historic school.