17. Nathan Hale Schoolhouse v.EH

Hale, Hale, The Gang’s All Here
East Haddam (Google Maps Location)

June 9, 2007

mq18e.jpgThere are at least four, yes four, separate and distinct museums in Connecticut honoring Nathan Hale. Two schoolhouses in which he taught (New London and East Haddam), one homestead (Coventry), and one fort (New Haven). I visited the New London schoolhouse 4 years after this one. This is all rather amazing when one realizes Hale died at the ripe old age of 21. Having lived in CT for 16 or so years now, it’s “Nathan Hale this and Nathan Hale that.” An old friend of mine dated a girl with the last name of Hale and all she ever heard was, “Are you, like y’know, a Hale Hale? (She wasn’t.)

So what’s all the hubbub? Before visiting his old rustic schoolhouse in East Haddam, I really had no idea. Now I do, but only because the fine folks there plied me with reams of material on the man. Why didn’t they just tell me? Because apparently I was interrupting their get-together. What get-together? The get-together of the DAR and SAR of course! Ok, ok, I’ll begin at the beginning…

mq18c.jpgJune 9th was CT’s “Open House” day which meant that most museums around the state were open and free. I had a whole day planned of solo MQ’ing which started out at the lovely Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford. Afterwards I drove down Route 9 to the Haddam area because there were a bunch of little places to check out all clustered together. Strangely, on the drive down I began to feel like crap but soldiered on because, well, because that’s what Nathan Hale sure would have done.

I found the turnoff for the museum, drove up the rutted dirt road to the top of a hill and was quite surprised to see a whole bunch of cars there. Wow, I thought, I had no idea this tiny little museum would be so darn popular. It was raining lightly as I walked to the door, stepped up, and right into a group of older people milling about with crockpots and armfulls of Tupperware casseroles and gelatins. Um, hello? They pretty much completely ignored me so I did as I’m wont to do and completely ignored them.

mq18b.jpg The problem with this relationship was that the entire museum was about 18 feet by 11 feet and it was dark inside and I was snapping flash photos. Yet somehow, we pretty much stayed out of each other’s way – though I almost snuck a spoonful of ambrosia when no one was looking. Hey, Nathan Hale was a spy, so I could just say I was being sneaky like their hero. And not just these people’s hero, but Connecticut’s official state hero!!

At this point, I think it would be fun to divulge to you, dear reader, my entire notes from this visit: NH Schoolhouse, DAR/SAR picnic, NH B’day, 22 spy on LI, Hanged in NYC, Hated E. Haddam – New London. Oldest bell in the US 805 Spain, Chris Dodd house, eye.

mq18g.jpgGood stuff. So here I am, over two months later, piecing that together for your pleasure and education. I wondered around the intimate room and read a few of the displays. Finally, after a few minutes of this a nice older lady asked if I was interested in the museum. I sure was! And so were a few other people there with me as well. She took us outside and quickly explained what was going on – this was the celebration of Nathan Hale’s 251st birthday and the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution were celebrating. I was familiar with DAR, but not SAR (See comment below). Apparently these two fine patriotic groups own and operate the 2 schoolhouses as well as something called the War Office up in Lebanon, CT.

And they take their love of Hale very seriously. I could spend 2000 words discussing Hale’s contribution to our country’s birth, but all that can be found here with far better writing and insight than I can offer. Hale was a Yale grad who became a teacher here in East Haddam. He hated it though (according to our guide) and sought another teaching position down in New London. He was accepted there and did two revolutionary things: Accepted women in class and gave his students praise for doing well. What a cad.

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My cornerstone

Then the news came from Lexington and Concord that war had begun with the British so he quit his teaching post and joined the Army. Quickly bored of sitting around Boston in a stalemate, he moved on to some “real” fighting on Long Island and New York City. At some point, he was asked to become a spy – an opportunity he jumped at. Apparently he was pretty good at gathering reconnaissance and was responsible for a bunch of rebel victories. Annnnnnnnnd then he was caught spying on Long Island and hanged in New York City the very next day. With a few more Hale museums ahead of me, that should suffice for now. Some facts about the schoolhouse itself: It was built in 1750. Nathan Hale served as schoolmaster from 1773 to 1774. Good enough.

mq18h.jpgThe docent went on to tell us some personal stories about growing up in East Haddam (a very pretty, quaint Connecticut River town) including the time her sister poked her eye out with a stick. Literally – the poor dear was missing an eye – well, I think her actual eye was still in her face, but it didn’t work. She then went on to drop a bomb on me…

Down the hill from the schoolhouse was a church; St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. (Cool name.) On top was a bell in a belfry. She casually mentioned, “Nathan Hale, Hale, Nathan, Hero, Patriot, Oh yeah, that bell down there is the oldest cast bell in the New World, Great teacher Hale, Yale Hale, Hail Hale, dead at 21 Hale…”

Really?! Apparently. From East Haddam’s town website:

The bell now hanging in St. Stephens Episcopal Church, on Main Street, East Haddam is thought to be the oldest bell in the New World. It was originally cast for a Spanish monastery in 815A.D. When Napoleon invaded Spain, the church housing the bell was destroyed and the bell left among the rubble. In 1834, a Yankee sea captain loaded the bell as part of the scrap metal used as ballast for the voyage home. Thus the bell began its trip to Connecticut. Discovered in New York, it was sent by a ship chandler to his wife’s hometown of East Haddam.

Wow – what does it mean that the coolest fact I learned at the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse (East Haddam version) was about a totally random bell in an adjacent church? (That, and US Senator and current Democratic Presidential *cough cough* hopeful Christopher Dodd’s house was also almost within site of the top of the hill) I don’t know, but I do know that’s why I love CTMQ!

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One of my favorite CTMQ pictures, from St. Stephen’s cemetery down the hill

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Cost: Free, donations accepted
Hours: Memorial Day – Columbus Day 12 – 4 PM
Food & Drink? Steal some 3-bean salad when they’re not looking
Children? Sure
You’ll like it if: You know about the bell
You won’t like it if: You’re claustrophobic
Freebies: 3-bean salad when they’re not looking

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For the Curious:

Museum Website
East Haddam Attractions
The execution of Nathan Hale
DAR
SAR
SARS
CT SAR
Bell making in the 1700′s
Chris Dodd for Prez!

7 responses to “17. Nathan Hale Schoolhouse v.EH”

  1. Rob says:

    There is a St Stephen of Hungary Roman Catholic Church pretty close to me. It’s 9 blocks away, about 1/2 mile. You can learn more about St. Stephen here, from the church’s web site.

    Robert Stephen

    http://www.saintstephenofhungary.org/stephen.html

  2. KO says:

    NICE. The bell part, that is. I kid. Without boring anyone, I will mention that in the 10 months I worked as a Coventry Police officer I was up to my own bells in Nathan Hale, Hale, Hale hero, Hale Hale Hale unsolicited conversation, etc. My only regret is I have but one life to give if I have to hear another Nathan Hale story from a member of the darn Coventry Hysterical Society. Nice people, but geeze. I gots places to be this year people.

    Another little known fact was in 1991 I was honored with the SAR medal for military excellence during my brief association with UCONN ROTC. I had never heard of them before that time either.

    Keep up the good work Steve. I will check in again this week.

  3. Stephen Shaw says:

    CTMQ,

    I’m glad you visited, but I’m sorry to hear that our volunteers for the day were not as hospitable as they should be. Must have been a bad day or they were just hungry.

    The Schoolhouse is now opened from May thru Oct, Wednesday thru Sunday from Noon to 4pm.

    We have a new exhibit about Nathan Hale which will have a grand opening on June 28, 2008, so come back and visit again as there will be more to see.

    By the way it’s the SAR who own and maintain the Nathan Hale Schoolhouses in the East Haddam and New London and the War Office in Lebanon. We are very thankful for the support of the DAR with all three museums.

    Patriotically,
    Stephen Shaw
    Property Steward, Connecticut SAR

  4. Steve says:

    Thanks for the clarifications!

  5. Nicole says:

    Go to the Prudence Crandall Musuem…Connecticut’s State Female Hero. She’s MUCH better than Hale!

  6. Ashley says:

    im doing a report on nathan hale!ive learned so so much about him! and in school theres hardly anything about nathan hale! god, thankyou for internet!!lolz!

  7. Pamela E Tankard says:

    Entertaining article. Enjoyed the humor. Learned some American history too!

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