Union County, Ohio - Chapter 14: Educational History, 1915

Chapter 14: Educational History

In a paper read before the Pioneer Association in 1894, Hon. H. Sabine said: "As to the school matters of the early days in Union county, I have two points of evidence from our venerable associate, Andrew Keys. He said that Neighbor Irwin was a school teacher; that he had been a student at his school. Mr. Irwin li\-ed on the banks of Little Darby, a little southeast of Irwin Station. He said that IrM^in was one of the most intelligent men that e\er li\e(l in Union county. He was well read, an excellent student, precise and elegant in speech and stately in his manners. He was sui)erior to an}- man who came at a later date.

"Le\i Phelps, a leading man manv years in Union county, was froii, Connecticut. At first he settled near where Homer was at a subsequent date. He taught for a few years. For many years he was one of the best known men in Union county. He was the county's first land surveyor and enjoved the esteem and confidence of all who knew him. By such men was our schodjs conducted: by such men were our earliest families developed in their luiglish education.

"With such men and such means for a good English education and with sucli teachers as I ha\e named, have we not occasion to feel that we shall find it difticult to maintain that with our superior advantages of today we compare with our first families?"

It was several years after the first settlements were made in the county before attention was turned to educational matters. The people had been too busily engaged in preparing their homes and clearing the ground for cultivation. As soon, however, as circumstances would admit, instructors (jf the youthful mind found emijloyment and the simi)le log cabin in which the schoiil was kept sent smoke from its chimney curling upward through the trees of the forest. The dwellings of the inhabitants were often temporarih- used as school hou.ses, and the pedagogue who found himself placed in charge of a trooj) of youngsters, was welcomed by their parents as a valuable addition to their little community. He enjoyed all the pleasures of "boarding around," and partook of the homely fare set before him with as keen a relish as any of his entertainers. When a schoolhouse was built, it was of a simple sort so often described - a "rude log- structure," with a great chimney and a wide fire place : an opening cut in the logs for a window and stopped with greased paper, which admitted a softened light ; slab benches standing on wooden pegs ; a slab desk running around the sides of the room and resting on wooden pins placed in holes bored in the logs. The books used were few and made to do long service: arithmetic was thoroughly known to the more advanced scholars as far as the "single rule of three," or perhaps beyond that, after the teacher had taught them about as far as he knew, and then they were ready to quit school. Reading and writing were taught in all schools, and these formed nearly the sum total of the branches which it was deemed necessary for the pupils to understand. A little later, geography, grammar and other studies were introduced, and step by step, as the times demanded, the schools de\'eloped until finally the magnificent system now in use was adnpted, and even that has been greatly improved since its introduction.

The first school in Union county was taught in 1812 or 18 13, in Darby township, in a private dwelling near the Mitchell gravevarcl, bv Alexander Robinson. Abner Chapman taught a school near Plain City in 1813; this was attended b}- memliers of James Robinson's family, from Darby township. In 1814 a school was taught in a log schoolhouse wliich stood near the residence of Thiimas Robinson, also in Darby township. Henrietta Millington first presided over this school. As the settlements progressed, schools were organized and schoolhciuses erected in various parts of the county, and excellent etlucational facilities ha\e been enjoyed for many years.

Pioneer Schools And Log Schoolhouses

Perhaps no better way to set forth the conditions under which the early settlers had for providing an education for their sons and daughters can be given than to reproduce what was recorded in a recent history of Jerome township. While no two localities in the county had just the same sort of buildings or schools, yet in general what applied to one was true of all, hence, the following paragraphs from Curn-'s History of Jerome township:

"Until the vear 1852 or thereabouts, when the select school building was erected at New California, the schoolhouses were all built of logs. The fi6) schoolhouse attended by tlie children in the vicinity of the village was located in the center of a great woods, about three-quarters of a mile northwest from New California, on the farm of Perry Buck.

"There was no cleared ground and the paths leading to the schoolhouse were marked by blazing trees, and ran through the woods in many directions. The house was built of heavy logs, and consisted of one room about thirty feet square, fitted with benches without any backs. The desks consisted of long boards about a foot and a half wide, resting on wooden pins fastened into the logs by an inch and a half auger hole. Windows were on three sides, and the front wall, with one door in the corner, was taken up by the black board.

"The house was heated by a long, heavy iron box-stove. The children from at least twenty families attended this school, and in those days the families were not small as they are today. I think it is safe to say that there were sixty pupils in the district, and it seems an impossibility, as we go back in memory today, to see how they could all be crowded into a room of that size. Still, we did go to school there and learned something - in fact the writer and many others ne\-er attended any other district school.

"The district was in a radius, say commencing with the farm of James Robinson on the Watkins road, now owned by Mr. Seigman, taking the McCampbells, Woodburns, Mitchells, Gills, Currys, Cones, Beards, Bucks, and Taylors on the Marysville road.

"We had a lot of fun in winter, playing fox and hounds in the snow, running miles through the woods, choosing and having our snow ball battles. Base, black man, corner ball, town ball, anti-over, and two-old cat and three-old cat were the favorite games. The professional baseball of today was fashioned from the old town ball played in the early days. The ball was made by unra\eling old woolen stockings, winding the thread around a burnt cork, wetting it so that it would shrink and harden, and then covering it with sheep-skin. There was a pitcher, a batter and a catcher. The other participants did some desultory outfield work and took their turns on the infield. Good pitching, batting, catching and running were all developed in townball playing, and there was plenty of material to draw from when professional baseball was first organized.

"Of other games and sports, there was running, jumping, wrestling, bnxing. and now and then a real fight witli knuckles, for there were clans and gangs in those days. In the summer time the boys would build playhouses out (jf poles and cover them with green leaves and twigs for the girls, wliere they had their stores of May-apple blossoms or berries to exchange for ginseng or snake root, as that was the usual commodity in trade.

"There were spelling schools frequently, when the good spellers from surrounding districts would come in for a cuntest, and the excitement would be up to fever heat as one by one the pupils went down on a hard word. The next week our best spellers would visit other schools, so it would continue through the winter months.

"Among the early teachers of this particular school shcndd not be forgotten : Caroline Buck, Olive Gill, Maria Buck, Rev. I. X. Laughead, Jane Porter, Polly Snodgrass. Emma Dodge, Eliza Gill, Sophia Dodge, Nan Ale- Campbell, Lorinda Wilkins, Dr. D. W. Henderson, Elijah Brown, Charles Green, George Thompson, Milton Roney, and perhaps others whose names are not now recalled.

"On Friday afternoons there were (leclaniations by the buys and compositions by the girls. Parents would come in and we had a great time doingexamples on the blackboard, parsing grammar lessons, and spelling.

"The teachers did not spare the rod, but used it on all occasions, if in his or her opinion it was necessary. It did a boy a lot of good to ha\'e a teacher send him out for a switch to whip a boy he did not like \'ery well. I have a very distinct recollection of a boy getting a good whipping for inducing a little fellow to eat a piece of Indian turnip, with the result that it burned his mouth seriously. But the greatest disgrace of all was to be 'kept in" at recess or after school for some infraction of the rules.

"In writing lessons, we used quill pens, and it was a part of the duty of the teacher to make and repair al! pens. In tlie old 'First Reader' in use those days, there was a picture of a cow in a pcind. In one of our Friday afternoon exercises I remember of a boy getting up and reciting a \'erse about the cow which was as follows :

"That was all he said, and sat down well satisfied with his effort. The older boys used to tease him about it until he was a young man. He was a fine young man and has passed to his reward.

"For a number of vears the townshi]) elections were held in the sclioolhouse. i\t these elections many of the voters would spend the entire day at the voting place, and the discussions on political questions between the

Whigs and Democrats were often very warm and loud. A club of the Know-Nothing party, as it was called, was organized here, a political party opposed to foreigners voting as soon as they set foot on our shores, and was largely recruited from the Whig party. It was only in existence a few years when members of that party and the Whigs organized the Republican party. The Know-Nothing party was a secret organization. Their meetings were held in the old schoolhouse, for it was out in the dense woods, hence thought a very safe place for their deliberations - away from the world.

Barring The Teacher Out

"In those days it was the custom, in many districts to 'bar the teachers out" on New Year's morning, and 'keep them out until they capitulated by agreeing to treat all the scholars, usually with candy and raisins,- as apples and nuts were plentiful and were no rarity with the pupils. New Year's morning some of the older boys would be at the schoolhouse by daybreak, and one of the favorite ways of barring the door, as there were no locks, was to cut down a sapling from the woods near by, about six inches in diameter, put the pole through a rear window, then cut it off so it would reach from the floor at the rear wall to the top of the door and there brace it solid. The bo3's would then nail down all the windows but one. which was left so the pupils could be lifted in as they arrived. A fire was started in the stove and a sufficient amount of wood carried in to last through the siege, which would sometimes continue for half a day. The scholars would arrive early, and by the time the teacher arrived all would be ready for the parley, which was generally conducted by the big bo3's. Some of the teachers would take it good naturedly, accept the terms dictated, and surrender at once. In that case the door would be opened and a couple of boys dispatched to the village for the treat.

"Other teachers would become indignant and at first refuse a conference, and even attempt to smoke the scholars out bv climbing upon the roof and covering the chimney with a board. In one instance recalled, sulphur was dropped down into the fireplace, but the scholars were prepared for the emergency by having a bucket of water and the fire was soon put out. Ultimately the teachers came to terms, and all went merry and frequently a half holiday was proclaimed. It was a lot of fun and usually ended in a convivial time for all.

"Sleigh riding and skating were also great sports in winter season. In those davs before the streams were ditched, and the trees and bushes were growing along the banks, vvlien tlie January freshets came the water would not rush in such a torrent. B}- reason of the logs, drifts and fences, the water would spread out over the low pasture grounds and meadows, and when it would freeze there would be acres of ice. In the evenings the boys would congregate by the dozen, build great fires along the banks, play 'shinney' and other games, often until midnight. The thick woods along the narrow roads would protect the snow and it was not an unusual thing to have five or six weeks of good sleighing, which was enjoyed by old and young in sleighing parties and attending singing school.

"The old schoolhouse standing on the northeast corner of the square at New California is among the last of the old landmarks left in the village of buildings erected more than half a century ago.

"The house was very substantially built, as was the custom in those early days, otherwise it would not have stood intact for three score years. The frame is of heavy hewn oak ; doors, windows, casings, weatherboarding and walnut shingles, all worked out by hand. As you enter the front door there is a small room twelve or fourteen feet square, used for hat and cloak room, and a similar room on the left, used for election purposes. The main room will seat about seventy-five persons, and was heated by a huge box-stove, standing in the center of the room. It is undoubtedly the oldest schoolhouse in Union county at this date, and according to the recollections of the oldest inhabitants it has received but one coat of brown paint since it was erected. This house was erected in 1852 and the first 'select school' was taught by Llewellyn B. Curry in the winter of 1852-53. Sweet are the fond memories of this old building to some still living in the county and state- - as the old song runs :

"Pleasant days to think about now, but not all so pleasant when the schoolmaster used the rod with a hea\^ hand, as he was wont to do on fre- (juent occasions, but usually not amiss.

who with us, pored over the hard examples in Ray's Arithmetic and parsed with tlie thirty-tive rules of the old Kirkham Grammar, Gray's 'Elegy' and Hamlet's Soliloquy who have crossed the dark river. No other period of a man's life is fraught with as much unalloyed happiness as the good old school days.

"The citizens of that day, who by their enterprise and with the view of raising the standard of the common schools, erected the building have all passed to their reward, but their work has borne good fruit. Among the many old settlers who were interested and assisted both by work and contributions may be named Jesse Gill, John, Alfred. Samuel, David and Andrew McCampbell, Samuel B. and John Woodburn, John, William, Templeton and Henry Liggett, James A. Stephenson, Robert and John Curry, Nelson Cone, Jesse and David Mitchell, Dixon, Thomas, James, Moderwell and Mitchell Robinson, Walter Gowans, John McDowell, Rev. I. N. Lauhead. Perry Buck, Judah Dodge, James and David Dort, Jame Ketch, William Bigger, William Taylor, Anthony Wise, Elijah, Ira and Henry Fox, Landon Bishop, John Reuhlen and John Nonnemaker.

"The building fund was secured by private subscription, except fifty dollars donated by the township, with the proviso that it could be used for election purposes and other township meetings. Sunday school and singingmeetings were also held there for nearly a half century. The original idea in erecting this building was for the purpose of establishing a select school, where the higher branches might be taught and where students might be prepared for teaching or college. The best of instructors were usually engaged. A literary society was organized, and the select school was continued for about forty years until a graded school was established in the village. This school was largely attended and at one time it was shown by the records that there was a sufficient number of teachers in Jerome township to supply all the schools in Union county.

"Among the teachers of this quite celebrated school are recalled these following: Llewellyn B. Curry, Rev. L N. Laughead, Rev. Isaac ^^'inters, Olive Gill, David Cochran, Samuel Graham, Mr. Johnson, Thomas Evans, R. L. Woodbum. George Ruehlen, Mr. MeCharahan, Leroy Welsh, James Curry, John Stockton, E. L. Liggett, Calvin Robinson. David H. Cross and J. W. Baughman.

"A beautiful woods of sugar and other forest trees, the property of James A. Curry, adjoined the schoolhouse lot. This was the favorite trysting place for the boys and girls ranging;- from sixteen to eighteen years of age. .\t the noun hour many of the iiupils could have been seen walking under the shade of the grand okl forest trees and perhaps late in the fall gathering hickory-nuts, which were usually in abundance. No doubt some of these joyous hearted girls and boys, as they strolled along the shady paths, or, seated on the trunk of a fallen tree, plighted their friendship - or perhaps love - and talked not only of the present but of the future. Can any of the old pupils, whose hair may now be sprinkled with the gray tints of the autumn of life, recall such a scene? Some of these joyous hopes were destined to be rudely broken off by the cruel fate of the Civil War. Family ties were to be severed; sad hearts of mothers, sisters and sweethearts were to linger prayerfully in the old farm house along Sugar run, waiting for the loved ones who would never return.

"The autumn tenn of 18O0 ended the school days of many of the farmer boys forever, and they were to play an ' important part in that great Rebellion of the sixties.

'"Of the recent schools at New California today it may be said that in igio a substantial frame building, with live rooms, and in 1914 four more rooms were added, all modern in construction and appointment, was erected. It stands near the old school building around which centered so much of early school interest - the pioneer house still standing as a memento of other times and earlier generations.

"A school building was erected in 1913, and now pupils are transported to and from school in covered conveyances, night and morning, instead of ha\'ing to trudge through snow and mud as was the case in earlier days. Now the township has but two school houses whereas in former days, under the old system, there were at least ten. each in a district by themselves.

"For continuous service as a teacher, perhaps without question, C. L. Currv had the distinction of teaching longer than any one else in the township. He commenced in 1868 and taught each year until 1884 - a period of se\-enteen vears, a total of nineteen terms, or seventy months.

"In the village of Jerome there is a new school building, known as the Ryan Memorial School. The Jerome school is modern in every respect and speaks volumes for the community in which it is located. The district, aided by Samuel Rvan, erected this beautiful, large structure. It is indeed a monument of good sense and advanced thought along the lines of public gifts. It cost about eleven thousand dollars, and is a four-room building constructed after the latest approved plans. There is a basement auditorium accommodating three hundred people. The school is placed on the list of secondgrade high schools of the state. About a hundred pupils are now attending

The record shows that "At a meeting of the board of education held September 10, 1907, it was moved by T. J. Dodge and seconded by L. W. Hutchison, that the school in district No. 4 (McDowell district) be suspended and the pupils be transferred to district No. 5 (New California district)." The motion carried; at this meeting the schoolin district No. 8 (Lamme district) was suspended and the pupils transferred to the Dodge district No. 6.

The districts were all abolished in Jerome township by resolutions passed by the board, June 19, 1912, and September 9, 1912. All the children in the township are now carried in several covered wagons to the centralized schools at New California and Jerome.

Schools At Marysville

No more authentic article can be here given of the schools in Marysville, than to begin with an able article written Centennial Year - 1876 - by Prof. F. Wood, then superintendent of the city schools, entitled "Historical Sketches, Ohio Public Schools."

"The history of education in Marysville, for the first thirty years after its settlement, is not a matter of record now. There are people living in this community, however, who have been residents from a date as early as the settlement of the place.

"The first cabin within the present boundaries of Marysville was buill in 1818 by Jonathan Summers, a Quaker. The town was laid out in 1819 by Samuel Culbertson, and made the county seat in 1822. It can not be ascertained that any public arrangement was made for schools till about 1825. The early settlers, however, appreciating the necessity of education, united in sustaining private schools almost from the settlement of the place. Silas G. Strong had an active part in the location of the county seat at Marysville, and was an efficient officer for a series of years. In 1822 or 1823, Mrs. Strong, his wife, taught a school in her own home of some ten or twelve pupils, and was compensated by the parents of her pupils, though it can not be ascertained that there was a fixetl rate of tuition. Christopher Stiner, now living near Marysville (1876), was one of her pupils. Mrs. Strong's was the first school in the place. She taught only the rudimentary branches.

using- a variet}' of books, such as were in the possession of the faniiHes from which her pupils came. It is supposed tliat at this time there were some twelve or fifteen families witliin two miles of Alarysville. The first courthouse was built in 1822, and in it most of the schools were held until 1831. Occasional I}' private schools were taught in dwelling houses happening to be unoccupied at that time. Mrs. Strong, it is confidently affirmed, taught one or more terms in the comthouse, after it was built. It is thought that Paton B. Smith was the first male teacher and that he taught in 1825. Clement Twiford taught his first school in Marysville in 1826 and continued to teach at different times for five or six years. George Snodgrass, now li\'- ing in Alarysville ( 1876), taught a school in 182S in a log cabin in the eastern part of town. In the winter of 1830-31, Taber Randall, now a resident, and for several terms clerk of the court, taught in the courthouse. recei\ing fourteen dollars per month, and paying eighty-se\en and a half cents per week for poor board at the hotel. The same building ( the American ) it now used frjr a public house and the present superintendent of the school paid $5.50 for board there in 1868. In the winter of 1831-32, Robert Andrew taught, commencing the school in the courthouse in September, and in October going into the new schoolhouse in the southeastern part of the \illage, then just completed, being the first building erected in the place for school purposes. Hon. William C. Lawrence for a number of years, until his death ( 1846) a prominent lawyer in the county, assisted by his brother John, taught during the winter nf 1832-33, having it is thought some seventy-five scholars and received in compensation a hundred dollars for a term of three months.

"In the winter of 1834-35, the number of pupils had so increased that it was decided to employ two teachers. B. F. Kelsey taught in the schoolhouse and Marietta Kimball in a log cabin in the west part of town, .\fter this time it was usual to employ two teachers one of the terms in the year. Among the teachers before 1840 were the Rev. James H. Gill, Heman Ferris. John F. Kinney, Eliza Ewing, Martlia Jane Thompson, afterwards Mrs. Judge Woods, and Clarinda Westbrook. Mary Irwin and Susan Pollock also taught at a very early day. In the winter of 1838-39, there were three public schools, Mr. Kelsey in the sclioolhouse, ]\liss Thompson in the basement of the Presbyterian church, and ^liss Westbrook in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal church. In the winter of 1839-40, Chades Sanders taught nearlv one hundred pupils in the Presbvterian church basement. He introduced the spelling book already published l)y himself and afterwards published a series of readers which had a wide circulation. In the winter of 1842-

4j, three men were employed to teach the schools, now embracing two hundred or more pupils - B. B. Kelsey, Levi Lyon and James Henderson. From 1840, and possibly sooner, there began to be felt the need of better facilities for obtaining an education than the common schools afforded. In the summer of 1843, Caroline S. Humphrey opened the first high school taught in Marysville. Li two or tlu'ee instances a class in some of the higher branches liad been formed in the public schools, but Aliss Humphrey's was the first in which the principal object was to teach the higher branches. Rew James Smith instructed pupils in his church - the Preslnterian - in the languages and other branches preparatory for college. Li 1844, receiving some assistance from individuals. Rev. Smith erected a building for academic purposes. A school (jf a higher grade than had ever been taught in the county was opened in it in the autumn of 1844 in charge of James A. Stirratt. Hun. James W. Robinson, of this place, and Rev. Perkins, went through the preparatory^ studies, and a year and a half of college studies, under Rev. Smith's instructions and that of Mr. Stirratt, and entered Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1846.

"A good school having the confidence of the community was sustained in the academy most of the time from 1844 till the autumn of 1862. Rev. Smith taught much of the time, and at all times had control of the school. James A. Stirratt taught the first school in the building: Abraham W. Wood, assisted by Miss Herbert, the last. * * *

"The number of pupils in town had si5 increased liy 1847 that, to answer an iniperati\'e necessitv, two lirick sclKiolliouses were erected in opposite parts of town, each of two rooms. For fifteen years these, with the academy, aft'orded the school accommodations of Marysville. Up to 1849, thirty years from the settlement of the town, there seems to have been about the general averag'e facilities, appreciation and improvement of educational advantages. The law for the better regulation of pulilic schools in cities and towns which passed the Ohio Legislature in Fel^ruary, 1849, I'ecame a new and acti\-e stimulus in the minds of the community. They proceeded promptlv to organize and work under the new system. The comj^lete organization, as shown bv record, included these officials: Directors - Otway Curry. ])resident: P. B. Cole, secretary: Jacob Bouser. treasurer: W. \\'. Woods, J. \V. Cherry and Henry Shedd. Th.e examiners were James Smith, Charles W. B. Allison and Cornelius S. Hamilton. An entry is made in the record of 1849 showing the salary paid instructors: Cornelius S. Hamilton, per term of twcKe weeks, $66.00: Jackson C. Doughty, per term, $66.00; Laura Johnson, per term, $36.00: ^Trs. William E. Lee. per term, $36.00.

"A legally called meeting of the citizens of District No. i, Paris township, was held Alarcli 4, 1851, to consider the adoption of the union school system, but it was not carried. The second annual report of the board, in December, 1851, gives the number of pupils, 310; money received for school purposes, $439.40. In November, 1852, the pupils were graded by examination, according to advancement, and a set of ten rules for the government of. the schools, drafted b}- Messrs. Hamilton and Curry, were unanimously adopted by the board. In 1852-53 there were several puljlic meetings to consider the matter of a new schoolhouse ; and a resolution was carried lu purchase certain lots, and raise the money to pay for them, l)ut for some reason, not recijrded, it was Udt done. Then the scho(jls went on without much variation until i860. Some of the years, the more advanced pupils by examination, were put in charge of one teacher, and designated 'the high school.' In 1858, the subject of a new schoolhouse and tiie union school system was again agitated, and after due consideration, carried. Under date of December 24, 1858, is the following:

"'Resolved, by the legal voters of School District No. i, Paris township. Union County, Ohio, in general meeting assembled : dhat it is expedient and necessary to erect a new schoolhouse for said district; and that $10,000 be raised for that purpose, $2,000 in the year 1859 and $2,000 in each of the four succeeding years.'

"A site of about two and one-half acres was ]3urchased of Adam W'olford. Tweh'e bids were then received for the erection of a suitable building, and H. Rice and J. Fleck, of Alarysville, ]3resenting the best bids, the_\- were awarded the contract at $7,754, and $340 for extra work. This is a substantial brick edifice, 60 by 80 feet, two stories, with a well i)roportioned steeple, in which is a fine toned bell of about five hiuidred pounds' weight. After a cmisideralile delav the house was finally completed and i.)])ened in October, 1862, just thirty years after the first schoolhouse in was completed. A. W. Wood, who had been teaching in the academy aliout one year and a half, was placed in charge as superintendent at $50.00 per month and the tuition which he received from scliolars attending the school who were not residents of the district. The academy was gi\en up at this time, so there was no school in the county except the public schools.

"The board of education at the organization of the Union school were : P. B. Cole. C. S. Hamilton. J. Cassil, D. D. Welsh, \\'. H. Rob1). and J. H. Ryan.

served tlie terms and received compensation as follows : A. W. Wood, from October, 1862, to March, 1863, $50.00 per month and tuition of non-resident students; F. Wood, from March, 1863, to June, 1865, compensation as above with twenty dollars a month added during last year; Rev. A. E. Thompson, from September, 1866, with same compensation; L. Piper, from January. 1867, to June, 1867, with same compensation; Franklin Wood, from June, 1S67, to 1876, with an annual salary of $1,200. Sarah Jane Barbour had charge of the iirst primary department from the organization of the school in October, 1862, till June, 1873, eleven years. Mary E. Pierce held the position of first assistant for the last three years, and was principal in the highest department, embracing the high school and advanced grammar grade from September, 1870, till Jttne, 1875. In 1866, the wages of female teachers was raised to $30.00 per month, and has since been raised (1876) to $40.00. The principal receives (1876) an annual salary of $500.

"When our present house was built in 1862, considerable complaint was made that so large a plan was adopted, larger by one-third than the present needs demanded. But the wisdom of the arrangement was soon accepted, for in 1868 the number of pupils in attendance was fully equal to the capacity of the house, and in that year, by a vote of the district, they commenced to raise a fund to put an addition to the present house, or erect a new one in another part of the village. In 1876 this fund has accumulated to about $8,000. Although one hundred pupils are accommodated in rented rooms, and the schoolhouse still crowded, the new schoolhouse is not yet erected.

"To Hon. Cornelius S. Hamilton must be given the credit, largely, for placing Marysville in the van, with places of equal size, in securing the adoption of the union school system in i860. According to the records it was left principally to him to carr^^ into effect the various measures to complete the arrangement. He lived to see nothing of the advantages resulting. He had more to do than any other individual in carrying out the purpose, which he, with others, had formed, of establishing a school that should offer to all goofl and equal facilities for obtaining a thorough preparation for the various departments of Ixisiness life or admission to the halls of higher institutions of learning. Through his taste and efficiency and final decision, we have a good house, beautifully and favorably located, surroimded with ample ^grounds, adorned with evergreens -and other trees,- all of which will bear a favorable comparison with any school premises in our state."

Gilead, at $23,518 to construct the fine school building which served for the next thirty-eight years - the large three-story brick building in the eastern part of town. It was first occupied for school in the autumn of 1877. With the advancement of the school population it was found too small and in the fall of 1914 another large two-story modern brick schoolhouse was completed in the central west part of the city. It stands on the ground formerly occupied by the old schoolhouse already referred to as having been built in 1862. Thus it will be seen that the people at Marys\-ille believe in keeping pace with the modern educational demands.

The old historic school building in the city was condemned by the state authorities in 1912 and soon torn down. Then followed a long drawn out contest with the board and the taxpayers over the amount to be expended in another building. Three elections were held before the matter was adjusted. The second of these was on July 19, 1912, when it was asked to bond the district for $110,000, but the vote showed the defeat of the measure, 179 for and 475 against. At the third electiiin a measure for bonding the city for $100,000 was carried. The l)uilding was erected on the old West school grounds and was dedicated in January, 19 15.

In Paris township, three out of ten schools were compelled to close in 1914 on account of the daily attendance falling as low as the legal minimum wouhJ permit, twelve pupils being the least that can legally maintain a school.

In Darby township, one of the earliest school teachers in the Mitchell settlement was John Robinson. When he first came to the township he lived for a short time on J\Ir. ^litchell's farm, and while there held one term of school for the benefit of the few children in that vicinity. The house occupied for that purpose stood near the grave-yard. The first schoolhouse was later built near the same site. The first schoolhouse erected in the Robinson neighborhood stood within thirty rods of James Robinson's cabin. It was erected by the Robinsons and Sagers about 1820. Henrietta MiUington was the first teacher. Darby township has only four one-room schoolhouses, and they will be closed in 191 5 to make way for one consolidated school in the township.

A two-story building was erected at Unionville Center in 1884, and in 1912 it was considerably enlarged. In 1914 an eight-thmisand-dollar lirick building was completed.

In ^lill Creek township, the first school was established on survey No. 5,477, near the lirst settler's home, Ephraim Burroughs, who, like a few more, made a clearing and some small improvements and moved away. His old cabin was utilized for schoolhouse purposes, and Mrs. Martin Gulick was the first teacher. She was the daughter of William Richey, St., one of the pioneer settlers. The first Ijuilding erected exclusively for school purposes in the townshii) was the one on the farm of Zebadiah Farnum. Taber Randall was first to teach there. One or two other log schoolhouses were built, and in 1849 came the first frame school building, and that was in turn followed by a neat brick house in 1868. In 1913 a centralized schoolhouse was built and dedicated in October, costing $17,000.

In Dover township, doubtless the pioneer school was the one on Mill creek, in the vicinity of the Badley, Burroughs, Dysert, Hannaman settlements. As the township settled up, schoolhouses were built to accommodate the increasing population. The settlers wanted their children educated and did all in their power to bring that about, though poor were the means for sustaining schools in the great undeveloped forest land of this portion of the county. Tliis townsliip has recently adopted the plan of consolidating its schools.

The first schoolhouse in Liberty township was erected in 1824. It was a round log cabin at the lower comer of what was later styled the Baughan cemetery. But before that, school was held in an old unoccupied cabin on the Israel Carter farm. William Edgar was the first teacher, and Thomas Lapham the next instructor. Then came a stylish hewed-log house. The next was a frame structure. In 1880 a large two-story frame house was erected with two moms. Thus from the primitive pole log schoolhouse evolved the hewed log, and the (ine-story frame and finally the two-story building. Thirty years ago the township was tli\-ideil into ten school districts and each had its town building. Tlien, the average wages paid to male teachers was $41.00 per month; female teacliers received $27.00. The average number of weeks of school was twenty-eight.

consolidated scliool building- at the village of Raymond, which will he used for the union of all districts within Liberty township. At ijresent there are five teachers employed in the village schools of the place. At Peoria there is in use a two-story cement block building.

In Allen township, as soon as the settlement had increased sufficient to justify it, a school was established. It is thought that the earliest school was taught in this township by Wilson Reed, in the southeastern part of the township, near Buck run, in the winter of 1829-30. It was taught in a vacated pioneer cabin. Amos A. Williams taught the second school in a logcabin vacated as a dwelling, standing in another part of the township. Mollis Amy taught in his own residence next. The first regular schoolhouse erected within the township was that Ijuilt on the Christopher Wilber land, at the corner where the Milford and Lewisburg pikes meet. This was built in the fall of 1832, and there Amos Williams taught the first term. This house served until 183S, when a frame house took its place: it stood near where later stood Buck Run Chapel. All o\-er the township, as fast as settlers came in. schools and churches were erected to meet the educational and s])iritual needs of the people.

In Jackson township, the first school was taught in either 1830 or 183 1 - there seems a difference of opinion as to which year is correct. It was a three months' summer school, and there were twelve to fifteen pupils in attendance. The. location was a log cabin (in the David Allen farm. Talmr Randall taught the next school in the same house. His pupils were r)a\iil and Elizabeth Allen, Worrett, Joseph and Ebenezer Carter, Frank and William Chenev, Simpson, Levina and Levi Price and possibly a few others. In those early flavs schools were not situated in e\-ery settlement and jiarents often had to send their children to schools five and six miles away from home. This pioneer schoolhouse was about fifteen by eighteen feet in size, built of logs, with clap-board roof, and the customaiy greased paper windows. Reading, writing- and arithmetic were the liranches taught. The te.xt-books were Webster's elementary s])eller with Smith's and Pike's arithmetics. In the log school l)uilding- just north of Essex, Keziah Jane Randal and Caleb

There were reported as early as 1834, two school districts, one having liftv-four children of school age, and the other seventy-two. In 1835 another district was established, and in 1836 another was formed. The total pupils in the four districts was one hundred and thirty-three.

A rude log cabin structure with big fire-place and clay chimney at one end, was erected at Somerville soon after the village was platted. It was also used for religious services for some time. John Johnson taught the first school here and received eight dollars per month. In 1834 Elias Johnson taught in the little log cabin built by Samuel Hyde, but shortly after this a schoolhouse was erected on Elias Johnson's fami, near Somen-ille. The two Johnson brothers taught in these schools until one of the buildings was burned, after which one was built on Boke's creek. One was later -built at the village of Somerville.

A. E. Knox was among the faithful and efficient pioneer teachers, and taught many years in different districts of York. Dr. Joshua Skidmore, then a voung man, taught here also. Miss Penny, from Darby Plains, taught the first school near York Center in a log schoolhouse which stood north of the \illage on the south bank of Boke's creek. John Sterling taught two nnles north of York Center on Levin Wright's farm. Mrs. Mary Johnson was among the early teachers and received for her services one dollar per pupil for the temi, payable in corn, potatoes and coon skins, the latter being rated at twenty-five cents each.

The following is related of the first school in the Miller settlement : "In 1838, the children in the Miller settlement, had so increased as to raise the question - how shall these children be educated? A young man in their midst was willing to teach for moderate pay, but there was no schoolhouse. This difficulty was soon solved. Joseph Miller generously ofifered the use of his residence during the usual school hours of the day. This offer was accepted. The seminary was opened and moi'ning after morning, during the term, Mr. Miller and his aged companion rose early, did up their morning work, ate their breakfast, arranged the seats for school and then left the house, and went to their eldest son's residence. They returned again in the evening after school was dismissed. Thus, day bv dav, was the la-

In Claibourne township, there stood near the Sidle Methodist Protestant church a schoolhouse, in which was taught the first school in this township. A Mr. Lamphere, an old gentleman, was the first to instruct in this pioneer schoolhouse. The pupils included Ellison, James and Wilson Williams, Richard Samuel and Eliza Coterell, John A. and Elder Swartz, and perhaps the W'ilson children. The term lasted two months. A very excellent teacher of the old type was Eleazor Rose, whose memory was wonderful, and what he taught remained with his pupils all through life. The schools of Claibourne township have advanced with the county's development, until today the schools rank well with other townships of Union county. At Richwood the same building erected in 1876 is still in use, although it has been enlarged within recent years. *

In Washington township a log house was erected on the Titswortli place at an early date through the joint labors of the handful of settlers in the \icinity. It stood near the old cemetery, and Joseph Carter was one of the first teachers, if indeed not the very first. He taught two winter terms, and David Ellis taught several terms in the same building. For a number of years a subscription school was held on the Kenton and Marysville road, some distance north of Byhalia. Stacy Smith was also an old teacher in these parts of the county. Before the establishment of free district schools the terms were of unequal length and at various times of the year. The first term in the western part of the township was held in a log house which stood on the Bird farm. Mary Johnson was the first teacher. She recei\-ed seventy-five cents per week and "boarded 'round." Margaret Johnson also taught here later. Washington township has its central building in course of construction under conditions similar to those found in York township. (17)

In Taylor township, in March, 1850, road and school districts were set off and thirty )^ears later there were eleven sub-school districts in the township with a total enumeration of 497 pupils of school age. There were school houses in ever}- district, with a property valuation of $8,800; average wages of men, $28.00; of women, $20.00. There have been many changes for the better in the schools in the last quarter of a century. When one remembers the log cabin schoolhouses of early days in the county, and of all the hardships endured by parents and pupils and teachers in those days, they can not fail to appreciate the modern facilities by which the young generation of today are enabled to gain a good education.

In 1908 there was erected at Broadway an eight-thousand-dollar twostory brick building. Five teachers are employed in teaching the pupils from the village and from two country districts.

No one in Union county need read Edward Eggleston's "Hoosier School Master," in order to gain some knowledge concerning the old custom of making a school master "treat" his school on holidays, for right here in this county many such instances are on record, some of which have already been given in this chapter. Here is another full of interest. It was related at the dedication of the new centralized school building at Watkins, Mill Creek township, October 4, 19 13, by an old Union county teacher - pioneer Graham. "One Christmas, when a certain Mr. Dodge was teaching the pioneer school in a log cabin schoolhouse in this same district, the pupils, according to the fashion, determined to make the teacher 'treat' or lock him out of the building. At an early hour in the morning they assembled and barred the door well, and waited the master's arrival, but at the regular hour for 'taking up school,' the master descended from the low loft in the building where he had secreted himself. He commanded all to take their seats and commence their studies. So all went well until the noon hour, when they tried another plan. While the teacher was out of doors, the boys barred the door again and made another demand on the teacher, who promptly climbed to the roof of the building to get away from them. He then succeeded in smoking the pupils out by placing a board over the huge chimney. On his return to mother earth again, the demand was again made for the treats. Tiiis time the teacher took to the woods and climbed into a small tree to get away from their rough clutches. The pupils then went to a nearby neighbor and secured an ax and cut the tree down, which again placed the man at their mercy. While in the tree the teacher's watch fell from his pocket and was broken to pieces, and he gave some of the pupils pieces of it for souvenirs, but this was not a 'treat' and they still clamored. Finally, they seized him and took him to a nearby pond (remember it was in cold December) and there gave him a good ducking. After this part of the ceremony was over, all went back to the schoolhouse when the teacher went again into the loft and brought forth a large basket of fine apples and hurled them broadcast. They did this with a right good will and then they understood that he had planned to 'treat' them. Finding that they were in for a time with him, the teacher wisely concluded to give them all they wanted.

Among the early teachers at that school were Messrs. Dodge (who was ducked), Sweezey, Wolf, Charles Adams, Graham, Dr. Andrews, Duckworth, who became a minister, Thompson, who later became a congressman, Frank Cruickshank, Judge Brodrick and others.

At the dedication above referred to, the old teachers' desk (minus its deep drawer) was on exhibition, having been preserved all those forty odd years as a relic of the early school days in Union county.

Under the new school law of Ohio the schools of this county are under the general supervision of a county school superintendent. Prof. D. H. Sellers, who was elected by the county school board, July 18, 1914. He took his seat August i, that year, having been elected for one year.

Wages And Enrollment

From the unofficial report of the schools of Union county for 1914-15, it appears that the lowest wages paid was $40.00 per month ; the highest, $125.00 per month. The lowest attendance was six, in one room of the county. The highest number enrolled in any one room was no. The county is now divided into six school districts, and the wages as reported are as follows: district No. i, $44.29; enrollment, 566; district No. 2.

The first teachers' institute in Union county was organized about 1866. The first president of the organization was Franklin Wood, who held the position for many years. For nearly half a century the teachers of the county have maintained the organization and held annual meetings at the county seat.