Fayston’s Number Nine Schoolhouse as seen from the Mill Brook. Photo Kevin Russell
Alongside Mill Brook and shadowed by the Green Mountains, the Number Nine Schoolhouse has in Fayston stood for more than a century, initially as a school and center of community, then as a place of architectural creativity, and continuity in the town of Fayston. Now, thanks to a new nonprofit and a generous deal from its longtime owners, the schoolhouse is poised for a third act.
Earlier this summer, Friends of the Number Nine Schoolhouse, Inc. (FNNS), a newly-established nonprofit, reached an agreement to purchase the building from the Burley family for half of its most recent $235,000 appraisal – a bargain sale reflecting both the Burleys’ stewardship and their commitment to the building’s legacy.
“They’ve taken wonderful care of it,” said Kevin Russell, founder and president of FNNS. “Now they’re giving us an incredible opportunity to bring it back to the community.”
BUILT IN 1903
Built in 1903 near the junction of Mill Brook Road (formerly Town Highway #1) and Number Nine Hill Road, the two-room schoolhouse served the children of Fayston’s District 9 for six decades. In 1963, the district opened a new facility on German Flats Road, and the schoolhouse’s bell rang out for the last time.
That same year, Robert Burley, a senior designer on the Gateway Arch project with architect Eero Saarinen in St. Louis, made a bold decision. While his colleagues were heading to New York, London, and L.A., Burley told his colleagues he was purchasing the two-room schoolhouse in Vermont to start an architecture practice, Russell recounted.
Burley and his wife Patricia transformed the schoolhouse into the headquarters of the Burley Partnership, an architectural firm that operated from the site for the next 60 years. Today, at age 97, Robert Burley and his daughter Jill – also an architect and longtime partner in the firm – are passing the torch to FNNS, ensuring the building’s legacy continues.
COMMUNITY FIRST
FNNS was officially formed in 2021 with a mission to turn the schoolhouse into a multi-use space rooted in community. Their guiding principles: Serve, Learn, Honor, Celebrate, and Thrive.
“We’re imagining a space where local nonprofits can operate, where residents can come for art classes, lectures, music lessons, and even wellness activities,” said Russell. “It’s about creating something that honors the past while serving the present.”
Initial plans include maintaining the lower level as office space for nonprofits – two of which have already signed on. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail Association (NFCT) is currently leasing space, and the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) is set to co-share the floor this month.
Meanwhile, the upper classroom, which retains its historical charm, will be transformed into a space for community programs. Russell said that before that happens, the organization will be holding open houses and listening sessions to engage the community and determine how people want to use the space.
GENEROUS TERMS
The Burleys have agreed to sell the schoolhouse for $117,500 – 50% of its appraised value – and will hold a five-year mortgage to give FNNS time to raise funds.
“Our goal is to pay off the mortgage in three years,” said Russell. “That’s doable with the support we’ve built.”
FNNS has launched a start-up campaign aiming to raise $25,000 by the end of September to finalize the purchase. Long-term, the organization hopes to raise $400,000 over five years – $150,000 for the purchase and $250,000 for restorations identified in a preservation assessment supported by the Preservation Trust of Vermont.
Operating costs are projected at $18,000 to $20,000 annually, which will be largely offset by rental income from nonprofit tenants. The organization is also applying for grants and seeking support from the Vermont Community Foundation and other potential partners.
Discussions about the project began in 2021 and have included support from the Fayston Select Board, Fayston Elementary School PTO, Mad River Valley Planning District, and a growing list of local residents and stakeholders. Organizers hope that by next summer, the school bell will ring again, not just for learning but for new ways the community can come together under one, historic, roof.
BOARD MEMBERS
The FNNS board members include the following and more may be added.
- John Williams, president, is a lifelong Fayston resident whose parents, Arthur and Hanna, both taught at the Number Nine Schoolhouse in the 1950s. A senior marketing specialist at National Life Group, Williams also serves as secretary of the Mad River Valley Community Foundation.
- Kevin Russell, secretary, is a 30-year resident and longtime nonprofit leader. He has held roles with the Mad River Path Association, the Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition, and currently serves on the North Country Trail Association’s board. He is a part-time educator and avid writer.
- Andrea Henderson, treasurer, is a certified public accountant and local conservationist known for spearheading knotweed removal efforts. She also serves on the Fayston Conservation Commission and the Garden Club.
- Jill Burley, at-large, is semi-retired from the Burley Partnership and remains committed to her family’s legacy. She continues to care for her father, Robert, and is determined to see the building thrive in its new role.
Donations to Friends of the Number Nine Schoolhouse, Inc. are tax-deductible. Checks can be made payable to Number Nine School and mailed to:
Friends of the Number Nine Schoolhouse, Inc., 831 Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673.
To donate online via secure portal: https://fnns.betterworld.org
