Schools
The Portland Public School District was organized in 1837 and Almeron Newman was elected Moderator, William Churchill Director, and James Newman Treasurer. Jenny Berry was probably the first teacher in a small log house on the river flats on the west side of town, near the railroad bridge. After this burned a few years later, William Churchill taught in a vacant house nearby.
In 1842 the voters raised three hundred dollars and the "red schoolhouse" was built on the top of James Street Hill, at the corner of Smith St. Seventy children attended, and the school was soon too small and the older boys and girls had their classes in the basement of the Universalist Church nearby.
As more room was needed, the "red school" was sold to the Methodist society, and moved by them to the corner of Elm and Bridge St. It now stands at 230 Elm Street and is used as a residence.
To replace this school building a two-story structure was built sometime around 1858, 
and four teachers were hired. In 1869 a fifth teacher was added and the basement of the Universalist Church was again used-this time for the Intermediate Department. The State Teachers' Institute was held here in 1869. Prof. Carus was in charge of the school, which was not graded until 1872.
A four-acre lot between Brush and Hill with Smith Street as its east boundary had been procured and the Brown School was built on the southeast corner of it and was ready for occupancy in January in 1870.
In 1871 there were 380 children between the ages of five and twenty and the school was divided into the following departments: High School, Grammar School, Intermediate, Second Primary and First Primary.
The "White School" was built in 1873 on the West Side on Quarterline Street. This building was used until 1911 when all children were sent to the school on the east side of town. This building was used again briefly in 1918-19 when the east side building burned. It was torn down in 1940 after serving as a manufacturing plant.
The year 1881 saw the construction of a new brick school at a cost of $15,000, built on the four acre plot with the Brown School, facing Brush Street at the end of Elm. It accommodated all the grades except the First and Second Primary which were left at the Brown School. In 1903 a two story addition was built on the south side of the newer building and the old Brown School was moved to 127 Maple Street where it was used for there today.
The Portland High School graduated its first class in 1882. It consisted of Mary White and Kittie Scribner.
The custom of holding the graduation exercises in the Opera House began in 1885. The building had a suitable stage and a seating capacity of six hundred. Closing exercises for elementary school. were held here also for many years.
The first St. Patrick's School was built in 1906.
In the early evening of October 16, 1918, the High School. building was destroyed by a fire believed to be of incendiary origin. As it was completely useless, arrangements were made to house the High School in the Congregational Church and the grades in the West Side school, St. Patrick's auditorium, the Nazarene Church, and the basement' of the Carnegie Library.
The taxpayers voted to bond for $100,000 to build a new school on the same site and this school opened its doors in September, 1920. The enrollment was 127 in High School and 227 in the grades. This building is still in use, housing some grades and junior High School. The Oak Street School, built in 1953 housed primary grades and one kindergarten class meets in the Baptist Church. The High School, built in 1961 is used by grades nine through twelve.
