Norwich – The former John Mason School and central school office building at 90 Town St. this week became the first in what will be a series of school buildings to be readied for marketing and sale.

The school central offices moved into the former Bishop School last summer when a persistent sewer system backup in pipes behind the building hastened the plan to vacate the historic 1891 school. The previous plan connected with the $384 million citywide school construction project called for central offices to move into a renovated Samuel Huntington School.

Currently, only the school district’s computer servers remain in the Mason School. School Business Administrator Robert Sirpenski told the Board of Education on Tuesday that the school district’s IT company will move the computer servers to Kelly Middle School in early July.

A refrigerator and a few old desks can be moved to the city transfer station, he said.

The Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to declare the John Mason School surplus property and turn the building over to the city by Aug. 1. There could be six other school buildings that could become surplus properties.

Mayor Peter Nystrom said Thursday that there has been interest in the building, including one local business owner who recently toured the former school. Nystrom said once the building is declared surplus property, the City Council can vote to seek requests for proposals from developers for the property.

“It should become a tax-producing property,” Nystrom said.

Because the school property is within the Norwichtown Historic District, no exterior alterations would be allowed without approval from the Norwich Historic District Commission.

The school sits on the original 1659 home lot of Major John Mason, a controversial figure in Connecticut history for his role in the massacre at a Pequot tribal village in Mystic in 1637. Norwich city Historian Dale Plummer said Mason’s home disappeared from the property early on and is not mentioned in Frances Manwaring Caulkins’ History of Norwich, written in the mid-19th century.

The courthouse was moved to the site in the 19th century before a new courthouse was built downtown. The new Town Street District School was dedicated on Feb. 5, 1891, and the school remained active through the mid-20th century, Plummer said.

The two-story wood shingle-sided building features an ornate bell tower above the stone and red brick arched front entrance. The words “Public School” remain clearly visible in raised red brick lettering. A faded wooden plaque on the left side of the entrance recognizes the site as Major John Mason’s 1659 home lot.

“It’s a nice little building, very attractive,” Plummer said. “Generations of Norwichtown residents went there. There are so many people that recall going there.”

Plummer said students at times were rewarded for excellence by being allowed to ring the school bell.

Prior to the 2009 celebration of the city’s 350th anniversary, Plummer and fellow bell enthusiast Kevin Harkins examined dozens of bells in churches and other buildings throughout the city, including the Mason School bell. They were surprised to find it most likely is a former train bell and once they determined it was in working condition, they recorded the bell sound.

“It’s a sweet little bell,” Plummer said.

c.bessette@theday.com