Modern Times schoolhouse in Brentwood finally reopened, after years of setbacks
Brentwood community members on Friday celebrated the reopening of the Modern Times schoolhouse. Credit: Rick Kopstein
A little yellow schoolhouse in Brentwood sounded a bell and opened its doors Friday, more than a century after serving as a teaching hub for a "model society" that eventually petered out.
Unlike the turn of the 20th century, when pupils sat to learn inside the octagon building, there weren’t yet children clamoring inside on Friday but instead several dozen residents and public officials who played a part in reviving the once-aging structure.
“We take pride in being among the very few districts with its historic schoolhouse preserved on its own ground, a powerful symbol of pride, perseverance and a deep respect for history,” district Superintendent Wanda Ortiz Rivera told those who gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the school.
“Like this schoolhouse, Brentwood stands strong, resilient, rooted and always rising,” Ortiz-Rivera said.
It's the hamlet’s oldest schoolhouse and one of the last remaining such structures on Long Island, according to preservationists. It will serve as an educational hub and museum, according to a program guide for Friday's event.
Utopian colony
A group of residents who aimed to create an ideal society erected the school in 1857. Called Modern Times, the utopian settlement was built on a 90-acre stretch of land on the premise of individual liberty, free of a criminal justice system and taxes, Newsday previously reported. During the 19th century, several utopian colonies developed across the country, according to the Library of Congress.
According to a public notice published in the New-York Daily Tribune on April 4, 1853, about Modern Times, “The object of the settlement is to furnish an opportunity to exchange labor equitably” and for women to paid the same as men. The land, the notice said, was free of sand and mud and would be good for agriculture.
But the utopian society, which attracted about 150 residents, became defunct by 1864, due to economic pressures and clashing philosophies, Newsday previously reported.
The building continued to be used as a schoolhouse until 1907 and later was used as a private residence. In 1988, the schoolhouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was donated to the Brentwood school district by the son of the final resident, after she died. In 1989, the property was moved onto the site that houses the school district's administration building. It fell into a state of disrepair, suffering a number of setbacks through the years, including financial hurdles and delays caused by natural events and other circumstances.
Brentwood Historical Society president Ellen Edelstein at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Ellen Edelstein, the president of the Brentwood Historical Society, was a major player in the building's rehabilitation.
After restarting the historical society in 2012, she told the crowd, “I became determined to save this building."
That same year, Superstorm Sandy hit, causing more delays. In 2020, the pandemic struck.
The project wound up costing about half a million dollars, with most of the money coming from the district's general fund and about $144,000 in grants, Newsday previously reported.
“I can't say enough about the support and generosity shown by the current school district board and administration. Through their vision and partnership with the historical society, this stubborn little building is now restored," Edelstein said.
She added, "Hopefully it will be a beacon to others to come and learn about us, appreciate us and recognize us for all we have to offer."
A view of the inside of the schoolhouse. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Gerri Odom, president of the Brentwood Council of Parent-Teacher-Student Associations, was one of several people who toured the building Friday. She said her five children, ranging in age from 21 to 35, all attended schools in the district.
“We've been talking about it and knowing about it for many years, and for it to finally be complete, it's like amazing,” Odom said. “It shows so much history that a lot of people even living in Brentwood, the students who go to the school, they don't really know it. This would be phenomenal for them to come in and see.”
George Munkenbeck, an engineer and Islip Town historian, said he helped Edelstein find the right workers for the historic renovation.
"It signifies bringing back and bringing to the students, a way to touch the face of history. They can see that there were people here before them. Many modern educational ideas came from here, for better or for worse," he said.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
