We purchased the schoolhouse in 2004. It was one of those unexpected life moments. Lou casually mentioned that there was a former schoolhouse on the Erie Canal in Albion, NY that was for sale. I've always wanted to live near the Canal and our daughter, who homeschools her children, wanted to live in a school. Lou didn't expect all the excitement that followed! We saw the schoolhouse on Sunday, and although the building was in much need of some TLC, it was love at first sight. We made an offer that was accepted on Monday, listed our home on Thursday and sold it by Sunday. Friends and family thought we had lost our minds, but we could envision the wonderful possibilities. Within a few months, we had moved in and our daughter and her family followed shortly after that.

Lou and I are both Xerox retirees. After Lou's retirment, he started a construction and painting business. The experience he gained in this new career was invaluable when faced with the monumental task of renovating the school. My interest was in the area of design - how to modify the building to meet family needs while keeping the character of the school. Three of the classrooms are now comfortable living quarters. Chalkboards still adorn many of the walls and one of the classrooms looks much like it did in the 1950s. Lou and I work well together as a team and have found this experience to be incredibly rewarding.

My hobby is family history and that interest has led me to preserve the history of St. Mary's School with a collection of photos, newspaper articles and class rosters. Our schoolhouse building celebrated its 100th birthday in 2007. Many former students were present to remember their school days and to reconnect with old friends at an Open House held on April 14, 2007.

We again find ourselves at a place of new beginnings. It is just Lou and me living here now and we are excited about sharing our wonderful schoolhouse and its history with others. We encourage you to browse our site - take a virtual walk through our schoolhouse, read about its history and discover all the Erie Canal Schoolhouse B&B has to offer.

- Jeri Becker