METUCHEN – School days and lessons may be part of the distant past inside the borough’s Old Franklin Schoolhouse, but in essence it remains a vibrant presence in the community thanks to an expansive guiding vision and the efforts of dedicated volunteers and supporters.
Constructed circa 1807, the one-room schoolhouse on Middlesex Avenue was Metuchen’s only public school for more than 50 years. The original 20-by-20-foot structure was built by local craftsmen who volunteered their labor to build the schoolhouse on donated land, according to Tyreen Reuter, president of the Old Franklin Schoolhouse and chair of the Borough Improvement League (BIL), which maintains the historic schoolhouse.
The schoolhouse was awarded a “Certificate of Eligibility” for the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and in 2017 was listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places as a “Key Contributing Site” in the Middlesex Avenue-Woodwild Park Historic District.
Under BIL’s leadership the schoolhouse has evolved to encompass a broad mission, championing social causes, offering a welcoming community gathering space, hosting social events, fundraisers, musical performances, art exhibits and more.
Reuter has been part of that broad mission having served as president of the Old Franklin Schoolhouse since 2002. She is also chair of the borough’s Historic Preservation Committee.
The BIL currently has about 160 to 170 members with a core group of 10-15 volunteers.
Look at the history
As stated, the schoolhouse was built circa 1807. The BIL formed a century later in 1901 right after the Borough of Metuchen was founded, according to Reuter.
“The ladies and gentlemen who formed BIL had fond memories of the building because this was 1901 and some of them had actually gone to school there or knew people who did, and they wanted to preserve it,” Reuter said.
“So they started an effort to rescue the building and took it over and pretty soon they started using it in the same ways it is now – hosting events to raise funds for different causes and having musical performances and things like that.”
At some point by the 1860 and 1870ss, it changed primarily to a women’s organization. It was involved in the state Federation of Women’s Clubs, which was a “very big organization in the late 19th century.”
“… [It] was a way [for] women [to be] able to have some political power because we didn’t have the [right to] vote until 1920,” Reuter explained, adding she believes a lot of what they do now was initially done in the early 1900s.
“They were a very progressive group. They wanted to have speakers from around the world, they had a guy who explored the North Pole come and speak, they were very involved in the Women’s Suffrage movement, issues having to deal with child labor laws, things like that.”
In the 1960s, the BIL became more of a women’s social function and they did a lot of conventions. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a shift as volunteerism started to decline.
“… [The BIL] became ladies who were really interested in preserving the building and they had a couple of core events they ran: there was a tea in May and the house tour in December,” Reuter said, adding they would rent out the building to fundraise.
Adapting to the times
The BIL is dedicated to the preservation of the Old Franklin Schoolhouse and other community-centered initiatives, according to the website, www.boroughimprovementleague.org.
And every chance they get, they support other nonprofits in and around the community. The BIL also supports a wide range of arts – visual to dramatic to musical.
“We basically make [the Old Franklin Schoolhouse] available for their fundraisers at bare minimum cost and if they’re just looking to have a meeting they can [just] bring food bank donations,” Reuter said. “Or if somebody’s a member of our organization they can meet [at the schoolhouse].”
For example, the BIL partnered with the group Breaking the Chain Through Education, which was founded by Metuchen High School social studies teacher Evan Robbins.
The organization focuses on child slavery in Uganda.
Each year, the BIL also provides a scholarship to a graduating high school student.
Another financial source for the schoolhouse includes making the schoolhouse available for rental for social events such as bridal showers and small weddings, Reuter added.
From the beginning, the BIL has been going along with the ever-evolving nature of volunteering.
Over the years, BIL volunteers have wanted to take on small improvement projects around the town, helped organize a town clean up and helped to form a Parent Teacher Organization and public library.
During Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the schoolhouse served as a center for donations and the BIL organized a number of collections.
During the pandemic, it was no different. BIL members donated to particular causes having to do with children’s issues and they supported essential workers.
Club members have clearly embraced a broader mission. A decade ago, the BIL decided to open the league up to men.
“I think that’s part of our strategy to be a healthy organization,” Reuter said. “Meaning we have active volunteers and fairly decent income. What we want to do, and I really credit the president before me, we need to figure out what people want to do and offer that.”
As for improvements, the BIL is planning to fundraise for an alternate entrance ramp, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible bathroom and a small storage area. The fundraising for the improvements was put on the back-burner due to the pandemic.
Supporting the arts
In recent years, the schoolhouse has hosted live music performances from local artist to artists from all over the country, Reuter said.
“The schoolhouse is really more of a listening room, so it’s an opportunity for a musician to sit in front of a really interested audience and have a lot of interaction with them,” she said.
Upcoming events include:
- A jazz musician’s live show on “Nesferatu,” a 1927 movie about a vampire.
- A local indie music band is coming back to the area for a record release in November.
Danny Adlerman, a Metuchen resident and member of the local band, The Just Cause, runs the open mic nights at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse.
“The schoolhouse has its own vibe,” he said. “I’ve had book-signing events there. My wife, Kim Adlerman, is an illustrator and fine artist as well as an art teacher. She’s had shows of her artwork.
“It’s a fabulous venue, I’ve seen plays put on there and readings, and staged radio plays.”
Adlerman noted at the open mic nights, they raise funds or different charities, which raise on average about $200 a month.
Renee Maskin, a Metuchen native and Asbury Park-based jazz/soul vocalist, said the schoolhouse provides a relaxed atmosphere scene for a great listening room.
“It’s a very welcoming space, a ‘come as you are and bring the kids’ [space],” she said. “It’s very casual, which makes it special, too. There’s not a lot of pretense, just come experience it, meet people.”
Maskin will be at the schoolhouse in November for the release of a new album.
The Adlermans will return to the Old Schoolhouse venue to host a joint birthday party to celebrate their mutual upcoming milestone birthdays.
“There’s just no better place to celebrate,” he said. “When you’re at the schoolhouse you don’t just feel that you’re celebrating the schoolhouse, you feel like the schoolhouse is celebrating you.”
