Restoration of the Seth Thomas clock at Center School has already started despite being nearly $50,000 shy of the project’s $70,000 goal.

Specialists from Balzer Family Clock Works took apart the clock’s mechanism and removed the dial arms Dec. 1 for restoration at the company’s shop in Freeport, Maine.

Mattapoisett resident Ray Andrews, who is leading the project, called the removal a “momentous occasion.”

“The $20,000 raised so far is a down payment for the six-month restoration work,” Andrews said. “The next payments will be in March and sometime this summer, when the piece is reinstalled.”

The 1898 timepiece has been dormant since the 1990s due to faculty maintenance. Once reinstalled, it will stand behind glass plating in the third floor of the school. Andrews said he would be the official “clock keeper,” inspecting the mechanism monthly.

“Many people have never heard this clock ring,” Andrews said. “Once the project is finished, it will have automatic windings with an ‘a.m./p.m.’ shut off. So it will ring from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.”

Andrews said 204 donors have contributed so far, but those numbers are disappointing.

“This should be a community project,” he said. “It’s a piece of history owned by the town, and it needs a proper restoration. There’s been a weak representation from Center School alumni from the 1960s to 1990s as well. Many classes from the 40s and 50s are represented, but I’d like to see more from the later years.”

Linda Balzer, owner of Balzer Family Clock Works, said the project was worthwhile.

“After this is completely disassembled and put back together, it can run for hundreds of years,” Balzer said. The company has restored more than 30 clocks in the region, including similar Seth Thomas pieces in Attleboro and North Sutton, New Hampshire. “You can’t get much better than this clock.”

Balzer also said having the mechanism on display would be a great teaching tool.

“You’ve got math and physics right here,” she said. “Kids are so into electronics these days and don’t see much mechanics. Some kids haven’t even seen an analog dial before!”

Andrews said he has applied for Community Preservation Act funds and is meeting with the Preservation Committee Dec. 8.

The state’s Community Preservation Act allows towns to adopt a real estate tax surcharge of up to three percent to fund open space, historic preservation, community housing and public recreation. The state matches no less than five percent and no more than 100 percent of the funds raised from the surcharge.

The Community Preservation Committee recommends to Town Meeting how the funds should be used.

Click the link below to download the project donation form.