Van Wies Point School (1861 - c. 1949)

in Bethlehem Central School District

Webpage by Cliff Lamere    March 15, 2022

(photo from Bethlehem Revisited by the Bicentennial History Committee - 1993 )

In 1861, the Van Wies Point School was built near the Hudson River in Albany County, NY.  Van Wies Point was named after Jan Van Wie, so the local name sometimes appears as Van Wie's Point in the literature.  The school district's official website used to say, "The Bethlehem Central School District... was formed in 1930."  That year, seven one-room schoolhouses throughout the Town of Bethlehem became part of the Bethlehem Central School District.  They were Delmar, Slingerlands, Elsmere, Houcks Corners, Bethlehem Center, Glenmont-Normansville, and Van Wies Point. 

A September 15, 1942 newspaper article (see below) shows that the school was still in operation that year.  The teacher was Miss Margaret E. Plume, who was fresh out of college.  She taught all five grades which included only nine students.  Miss Plume became Mrs. Hughes on November 19, 1944 when she married Staff Sgt. John M. Hughes, Jr.  She left teaching in 1945 (probably at the end of the school year) and moved to Long Island where her husband was stationed.

After raising five children of her own, Mrs. Margaret Plume Hughes returned to teaching in 1961, this time at the Glenmont Elementary School from which she retired in 1978.  A 1968-1969 staff directory shows that she was teaching First Grade there.

The newspaper article below was sent to me by Alan Hughes, class of '65 and son of Margaret Plume Hughes.  It had been in the family for 80 years.  His mother is pictured ringing the school bell.  In 1949, the school property was sold.

The Town of Bethlehem Historical Association published an article about Van Wies Point School in its April 1996 Newsletter.  The fascinating story is told by a person who had been a student at the school for three years (1920-1923).  Here are some samples.  "Very few households had electricity in the '20's and the school had none."  "There was no well. ...  Mrs. Keyser taught us some simple rules of hygiene by showing us how to make paper cups from tablet paper rather then [sic] drinking from the dipper itself."  Click the link to read more.