A woman from Cambridge is giving new life to a local schoolhouse, turning it into her own home and creating fresh memories in the process.
Back in 1999, Becky Barrie bought the Dickie Settlement Schoolhouse when it was put up for sale, and she moved in later that year to make it her residence.
“I just remember being so determined that I was going to end up here,” said Barrie in a recent chat on The Mike Farwell Show. “I had a small catering business and I just thought it would be perfect to set up shop and to also turn it into a home.”
She said this was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up since many of her family members had once been students there.
“Not only did my siblings and I attend, but my dad and his siblings attended, and his dad and his siblings attended. It’s kind of a long line of family love for this place. When it was closing, my nieces were attending here, so we’ve actually got four generations of folks in the family who attended here, and all of us loved it.”
The building definitely needed some work though; she described it as quite a fixer-upper before she could live in it comfortably.
During renovations, they found all sorts of things like pencils, ink wells, and bits of pottery tucked away around the place – little reminders of how many kids passed through over the years.
Current photo of the schoolhouse turned home (Google Maps)
Barrie mentioned that besides its special meaning for her family, the schoolhouse has been important to the whole community. It wasn’t just a spot for students but also served as a gathering place for locals.
“It was a real magnet for the community for gatherings,” said Barrie. “If a girl was getting married, her bridal shower would be here. There was always a community Christmas party held here. So it was a real hub for the community.”
She’s even invited former students back over time to see their old school again – giving people a chance to reconnect with those childhood days at Dickie Settlement Schoolhouse.
