NORWAY – Back in the “old days” when a building was needed, Paris contractor J. A. Haskell said someone went out, cut down trees and built it.

Judging from the floor of the Red Schoolhouse on Route 118, that’s how it was built, Haskell figures.

“It was way under-built,” he said after pulling up the floor boards and finding 5-inch poplar stringers that were rotted so badly in places they crumbled on touch.

“It was not a good choice,” he said.

Haskell was contracted by the town to replace a portion of the oak flooring and had little choice but to lay some new stringers and put down plywood.

“It was more extensive than we hoped,” said Debra Partridge, the town’s Recreation and Park Committee director, of the floor that was sagging and had dry rot. A 10-by-22-foot section of the original oak grooved flooring has to be torn up and stringers replaced. Next week, linoleum will be laid down next to the remainder of the oak flooring. More than two-thirds of the original floor has been saved, she noted.

The work is part of an ongoing effort to repair and rejuvenate the 1930s Red Schoolhouse next to Lake Pennesseewassee. The one-story schoolhouse closed in the 1960s and has since been used as the headquarters for the Norway Trackers Snowmobile Club, the Oxford Hills ATV Club, Norway-Paris Fish and Game Club, the Norway Parks Department swim program and the Norway Lakes Association.

The major work, replacing the septic system has been completed, and in early November the furnace will be replaced.

Following town meeting approval of $17,500 in June to begin the needed work, which includes pumping out, digging out and replacing the steel sewer storage tank, painting the building and replacing boards, Partridge was able to get design work for the septic system completed. About $4,000 remains in the funds.

Haskell said that despite the problems, he believes the building can continue to be used for many years.

“There’s more life, but it needs more money,” he said.

Selectmen recommended raising $27,500 last June, but voters agreed with the Budget Committee’s recommendation of $10,000 less.