Carter’s Mill School, also known as the eight-sided school was built in 1820 by Robert Carter at Carter’s Bank. The stone place of learning was replaced in 1886 by a two-room frame building located on the west side of Singerly Road at Andora. William Spratt built the Andora School for $275
It is uncertain when the octagonal school building was lost. When the Cecil Whig visited the location in 1971 all that remained were some building stones. Mrs. Leonard Spratt informed the reporter that she had lived in the area for 30 years and the school was gone when they moved to the area.
One African-American boy the son of Gyp Valentine, an employee at Carter’s Mill attended classes at the octagonal school.
As for why an eight-sided structure, the History Center provides some insight: “The philosophy of octagonal-shaped school buildings can be traced to a Quaker tradition brought over from the old country. The concept is based on the idea that an octagon shape was conducive to a better learning environment because the instructor could be placed in a prominent position within the space and be the focus of the students.
It was also beneficial because the octagonal shape provided more square feet of inside space than either a rectangle or a square. Ventilation and lighting were also pertinent issues of the times, and an architectural structure with eight sides allowed for an opening in all sides of the building.
The building’s thick walls helped it to retain heat during the cold months, which also helped provide insulation against the heat in the warm weather.”
For more on old Cecil County Schools See
Notes and Sources
* Cecil County Maryland Public Schools, 1850-1958 by Ernest Howard (1970)
* Cecil Whig, Stones Only Marker to Forgotten School, March 17, 1971
* The History Center, Eight Square Schoolhouse History https://thehistorycenter.net/educa…/eight-square-schoolhouse
* Cecil Whig, Looking Back, Sept. 29, 1979