Monroe Elementary School, built out of local fieldstone, was opened in 1935. It was originally called Monroe Consolidated School because it replaced all of the old schoolhouses. Monroe's seven one and two room schools and their contents were auctioned to raise funds for classroom materials for the new school. East Village-Barn Hill Schoolhouse was bought by the East Village Methodist Church for $25.00 to be used for Sunday School as well as church suppers. Later, it was donated to the Monroe Historical Society. It is now located near the Monroe Green on Wheeler Road and is used as a living history museum.

The funding for the building of Monroe Consolidated was provided through a federal government program, the WPA (Work Projects Administration). The WPA created jobs for those unemployed during the Great Depression.

In the early 30's before Monroe consolidated was opened, the town's school houses accommodated children in grades 1-6. Monroe's seventh and eighth graders were bused to school in Trumbull. Until Masuk High was built in the 50's, students who attended public high school were bused to Bridgeport.

In 1935, teachers at Monroe Consolidated earned $85.00 a month while the bus drivers were paid about twice that amount.

By Nancy Zorena
Retired Teacher, 3rd Grade