From one-room schoolhouses warmed by wood stoves to mid-20th-century high schools shaped by desegregation, Delaware’s classrooms tell powerful stories of community, change, and resilience.

The Delaware Public Archives’ new digital exhibit, Old School: Rediscovering Classrooms of the Past, explores the history of schools that once stood across the state. Featuring photographs and histories of institutions such as the Octagonal Schoolhouse, Phillis Wheatley School, Iron Hill School, and Old Claymont High, the exhibit highlights how education brought people together despite challenges like segregation, limited resources, and natural disasters.

Through these images and stories, visitors will rediscover how Delaware’s schools, though many are gone or repurposed, shaped everyday life in towns and rural communities alike.

Old School: Rediscovering Classrooms of the Past is on display in the Archives through the end of November 2025. View the full exhibit booklet on our website.

For more information about the Delaware Public Archives or to learn more about events and other items of interest at the Archives, visit archives.delaware.gov.

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