"Classical Education,"as reading, writing and arithmetic were termed, was considered unnecessary for the average person in those days when settlers were wending their way into these regions. Few persons were literate in these subjects.

Until 1817, there were no State funds assigned for the support of public education, and not until 1871 was there any real recognition of the State's obligation to provide free education. It was not until 1913 and 1914 that laws for compulsory education were enacted.

The first schools were, therefore, privately maintained, supported by tuition; and attended only by those who could afford such a luxury. And it might be added that the school masters were usually impoverished unless they also plied another trade.

William Rankin, who has been called the "venerable pioneer of classical education in Sussex County," started his "Select School" in Deckertown, now Sussex, in 1833. Rankin had previously taught in the "Clove Select School," in a community north of Deckertown under that school's founder, Edward Allen.

Mr. Rankin's Select School was not overcrowded even though the building was only 14 feet x 14 feet, because he had only one pupil to start with! However, this pupil was to distinguish himself by becoming president of the Deckertown Bank.

The first State funds were apportioned to communities in relationship to the taxes paid into the State by that community, but in general there were few regulations or standards to be met in school buildings or teaching staffs.

Branchville's first school was named "The Academy" and was established in 1844. The 1860 map locates this on Church Hill.

The first public school was erected on Wantage Avenue about 1872 and was described as being a building on "handsome proportions." It was destroyed by fire in 1897. The present school was built in 1898 on the same site.

The building has undergone many modernization changes. In 1968, the private home of Kenneth Duffy on Maple Avenue was purchased and made an annex for the kindergarten. In 1971, there were 135 registered pupils with seven full time teachers and two who serve part time. Mr. Robert Haight was the Teaching Principal.

In 1950 the frankford Township Consolidated School was opened taking in five rural schools which were subsequently closed. This modern building is situated on Pines road on the outskirts of Branchville.

The rural schools that were replaced were Long Bridge School on Old Culvers Lake Road near "Happy Time Barn," Pellettown (Papakating School), Mattison School on Mattison Road and the Frankford Plains School which were all converted to dwellings. The fifth school was in Augusta and is now the Frankford Township Hall.

Also associated with education are the libraries. Branchbville at one time had a small public library housed in the basement of Selected Risks old building where reading room was provided. The Newton Library was in the Court House building. In June, 1957, the new Sussex County Library was opened in its new and handsome building on The Homestead-Newton Road absorbing both the Newton and Branchville libraries.