In the early days of St. Eleanor's School was taught by any person who felt qualified to do so. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pope opened the first school in 1820. A Mr. Sherlock kept the next school in a log cabin. In 1827 a Mr. William Coats (or Coots, as his name was spelled by Mr. Wiggins) arrived in the Village from England, and kept School over a store owned by one James Sharp. Mr. Wiggins wrote to the S.P.G. to urge the Society to open a school in the Village, and strongly recommended Mr. Coats for appointment as schoolmaster.
The Church did erect a school building on the corner of the Church lot, but with the advent of public school education, the Church discontinued its school. The building was auctioned, and haul- ed away to North St. Eleanor's. Thereafter school - was taught in the Court House until a new school was built. Today the Court House is gone too.
St. Eleanor's boasted two hotels: the "Ness", which burned down in 1932; and the “Old American", which is today Lyle's Canteen.
Near the "Old American" is a long narrow house, now occupied by the Village clerk, Mrs.Linda Muir- head, which used to be a Carriage factory.
St. Eleanor's about 1925 (Photo courtesy R.Ly1e)