The Van Keuren Stone house, now generally known as the Downs House, about a mile west of Goodwill church, on the road to Montgomery, was built in part by Hendricus Van Keuren in 1768, and in part by a previous owner probably John McNeal. The house is in excellent condition and is, perhaps, the oldest unchanged occupied house in the town. The Beemer house, situated on the old Stage road from Goshen to Albany, nearly three miles north of Montgomery and about two miles west of Walden, was built by Adam Beemer in 1770. It is a framed building and has been recovered and repaired, but otherwise not materially changed. It is now in fair condition. The Hans Youngblood house is situated on the road leading from the Searsville road north to the former site of Graham's church on the Pine Bush road. Tradition says it was built before the French and Indian War. It was used for a German school in 1761, and is not occupied at present. The Kidd house in the extreme southeasterly part of Walden was probably built in part by Alexander Kidd, who settled there in 1736. The year it was built is not known. Alexander Kidd was among the first elders of Goodwill Church. His descendants are numerous. SCHOOLS. One of the ancient landmarks is the Montgomery High School, formerly known as the Montgomery Academy. This noted school is as old as our National Government. It had its inception in 1787, the year that the National Constitution was framed. It was the fourth oldest academy in the State, having been incorporated in 1791. Before 1787 the inhabitants of the village and surrounding country felt the need of a school of a high grade, and during that year erected a school building on lots reserved in part for school purposes, when the village was first surveyed and laid out. In the autumn of 1787 teachers were employed and the school opened for pupils. During 1790 steps were taken to incorporate the institution and place it under the care of the regents of the State University, as appears from the following application and petition: "To the Regents of the University of the State of New York: Be it known that a certain tract of land pleasantly situated in the town of Montgomery, in the county of Ulster, in the center of a populous, fertile and wealthy country, hath lately been purchased, and a large and convenient building of two stories high erected and completed thereon, for the use of a public academy for the instruction of youth in the learned languages and other branches of useful knowledge, that the expense of the undertaking hath been defrayed by the free and liberal benefactions of individuals, of whom the subscribers constitute more than one-half with respect to the contributions raised and collected to found said academy, and that a gentleman of liberal education, of very competent abilities and irreproachable moral character has been procured, with a tutor, to teach in said academy.