Ever since the beginning of time, education has been a main component of society. This allowed us to communicate with others and learn a variety of subjects and matters. In this very town there have been several public schools; some that still exist and others that are now gone. Out of these schools, four are long gone. Many know of the former Franklin School, which was located on May St., the so called “Lafayette School” located where the current municipal building is, Public School #3, and a school located in an area around Mohawk and North 8th Street. Some of these schools have been forgotten in time, but others live on in the memory of the “Hawthornites” that have stayed for decades.

Lafayette School: This school had been through it all. Starting out as a school and ending up as a municipal building made this building an icon for the town…until it burned down. Some of the first students in Hawthorne attended this school on the once lone Lafayette Street. The Vietnam/Korea Memorial has been moved to the side of the building, compared to the original spot in front of the municipal building. Not much other information is known about this building aside from the fact that it burned down in the mid 70’s.

Public School No. 3: For many this Public School never existed. Built in 1885, it was known as Manchester School 11. It was located on Goffle Road but it burned down in 1935. At one point, it was used as a police station.

Franklin School: Several people who lived in this town back before the 80’s would have memories of this school and the time that they spent there. Next to the pool on 50 May St. is where the school was constructed. Construction started in 1910 and was completed in 1912. The original enrollment was 156 students. The site of the school was once part of a one acre plot from the DeGray Estate and was purchased for the sum of $1,000. The peak of the school’s enrollment was 375 in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s the school consisted of 14 classrooms. Sadly, the school was closed down in 1985 and was sold into the private sector. Today, the school has been converted into an condominium and still bears the sign “Public School Number 5.”

Other Schools: There are suspicions that there is a school up on Mohawk Ave. and that it can still be seen today; however there is little to no information on this building.