Hood Octagonal Schoolhouse

Is an early public school in Newtown Township, was built by James Dunwoody in 1842, and replaced a log school of the same name that was built by his father Joseph Dunwoody and two neighbors for their children. It is a one room schoolhouse built in an unusual octagonal shape. High windows let in light without distracting students from their work.

Probably its most famous student was William Hood Dunwoody, son of the man who built the school, who moved west to make his fortune and struck gold as one of the owners of the Washburn Crosby Company, the makers of Gold Medal Flour.

The schoolhouse is on the grounds of Dunwoody Village, and has been cared for and preserved by them in recent years. Each year, school children come to the schoolhouse, where Volunteer school marms or masters in historic garb recreate math, penmanship, history and science lessons as they would have been taught in the 1840s or 1850s. Participating students look forward to recess when they are able to play with toys authentic to the period.

If you would like to volunteer in some capacity, please contact Dunwoody Village to offer your services.

Dunwoody Village
3500 West Chester Pike
Newtown Square, PA 19073
Phone: 1-800-dunwoody
http://www.dunwoody.org/