Cambridge resident turns local schoolhouse into a ‘school home’

Generations of memories have the chance to become new ones for a woman in Cambridge who’s turned a local schoolhouse into her a home.

Becky Barrie purchased Dickie Settlement Schoolhouse when it went up for sale in 1999, moving in and making it her residence later that same year.

“I just remember being so determined that I was going to end up here,” said Barrie in a recent interview 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 it was an opportunity she couldn’t let slip away as generations of her family had walked the halls of the schoolhouse at one time or another.

“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.”

She said the building was definitely a fixer-upper, needing various renovations in order to make the building into a livable home.

Various pencils, ink wells, and bits of pottery were found in different areas during the renovations, speaking to the years and sheer number of students the building saw.

Barrie said that, even though there is a special significance for her family, it also holds value for the local community. She mentioned it wasn’t just an important landmark for the students who attended, but also a pillar for residents throughout the area.

“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 also had the opportunity to invite former alumni to revisit the once-beloved schoolhouse, giving those who attended Dickie Settlement Schoolhouse the chance to reconnect with some of their childhood memories.