Washington County, Indiana - Chapter 10: Ducatuin, Sclliidi.s Axd Tf.achk, 1916

Chapter 10: Ducatuin, Sclliidi.s Axd Tf.achk

At ;iii early date Wasliin.ijtrin dmiity timk rank a^ the leading educational center of the state h'arly emigrants were generally well educated for that day, in fact man\- were college lired and some had acquired a finished education. All realized the imiiortance nt educating the young as thoroughly as conditions would permit. The tirst school house built in the county was situated in the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 4, township J north, range 4 ea<t, in tlie smith sitle of Firock creek, and two and one-half miles northeast of Salem, A pile of crumbled stone where the chimney once ^tood. still marks the spot. As all school houses in the count}-, up to about 1820. were Iniilt after the model of this one, a description of it will do for all.

The size of the room was eighteen by twenty feet. Rouml logs were first notched down till the l)uilding was of the desired height. They were then scored and hewn, thus gi\'ing the walls a smooth ajijjearance on the outside. .\n opening for light was made by cutting the upper half out of one log and the lower half <if its next neighbor abo\e, when short sticks were fastened in the opening thus made at ))roper interxals of space upon which greased pajier was ])aste<l for \vindow lights. The floor was made by cutting down small trees, cutting them to proper length and hewing down for sleepers. Then other trees were cut. split o])en and hewed down to an even thickness and laid u]3on the sleepers, the broadest and smoothest side up. There was one opening for a door, which was closed by two shutters. opening from the center inwardly. 'ldie\ were also made of split and hewn

>le ribs, running lengthjilace by pole weights, out of red oak. whicii 'I'he room was heated img out nne end of the t;h. The logs thus cut out were used to he^iii the construction of the chimney. Tliey were placed some four feet l)aci< from the btiilding, then short logs were cut and notched down, one end on these logs, the other end passing back into the crack between the logs in the building, where the ten foot pieces had been cut out, thus forming a sort of pen as high as a man's head, on top of which the remainder of the chimne}- was Iniilt u]) of sticks or rived lath, laid down in and ])lastered mer with cla\- mortar to prevent them from catching fire. The inside of the base of the chimney was then filled with rocks and clay so as to make a safe firebox. The cracks between the logs of the building were chinked with juggles of pro])er size and then well daubed with clay. There was alw.iys a large fire liurning during school hours. The back logs were usu;dly from seven to eight feet long and from eighteen to twentyfour inches thick and other wood was piled on as long as there was room. One ma\- well conceive that with such a roaring fire the house would be warm in the coldest of weather.

The seats were strong and si .lid. They were made of small poplar trees split in hahes and dressed on the to]) or split side. Holes were bored in the round side with a two-inch auger and pins put in for legs. The writing desks were equal in simplicity. Holes were bored in the wall and strong pins driven in upon which puncheons were laid, dressed down as smooth as could be done with the tools at hand. C'hildren were supplied with but few books - probably some sort of a speller, the old English reader, which would now be considered a difificult book for a twelve-year-old to read, and an arithmetic. So the .girls were taught to read and write, it was considered enough for them to know.

The First Teacher

The attendance at this first school in the winter of 1809-10 was over twenty-five most of the time, some of whom walked a distance of three and e\en four miles. The teacher's name was John Barns and he taught a three-month subscri])tion school, as there then was no public school fund yet provided by the state. Harns taught two winters in this first school liouse. In the fall of 181 5 two other schocjl houses were built, of the same priniiti\e style as this first one. ( )ne nf them was located two and onehalf nules Udrlh of .Salem, on the P)rownstown road, near the center of section 5. ^i **"" rods iKjrtb of John Hitchcock's cabin. This school was conducted for sexeral years Ijy Shadrack Lewelling and Robert Loudon. A second one was biult in the I^enny neighborhood, on the northwest quarter of section 6, town 3 north, range 4 east. The Quaker.? had built a church two miles east of Salem, now known as the Hicksite church, and it was used for school purposes for several years. At these three points schools were started in the fall of 181 s, which necessitated the abandonment of the first school house built, which was allowed to rot down.

From these beginnings school houses soon sprang up in other settlements and by 1825 there were houses in every township in the county, but their locations were not arranged with any system and schools were conducted for longer or shorter terms as patrons could afiford. .\.mong other early school houses there was one on the north end of Dawalt's farm, three miles east of Salem, not far from the first Baptist church, erected in 1814. Here John Smiley taught in 1816-17. In 1817 a Mrs. Pritchard taught school in a house then known as the Hensley place, about a mile and onehalf northeast of where Harristown is now located. This house had loopholes along the sides, so that the cabin could be used as a fort in case Indians should make a raid jn tiie settlement.

Salem's first school was taught in the \\ inter of 181 5-16, by Duncan Darrow, in a cabin that stood on the southwest corner of Market and Water streets. Darrow conducted a school here during two seasons and was followed by Ebenezer I'atrick, who taught in a cabin that stood where the library building now stands. Of the first "knights of the birch," some were highly educatetl. James Cochran .\yas a classical .scholar and astronomer of more than local note. He had once been rich, but the Embargo .Act of 1807 left him penniless. He came west- to forget his financial troubles and became a common schoolitiaster. He taught several years in a school house erected in 181 7, a few rods west of the residence of Ernest Purlee, in Canton. John Smiley, a well-educated Irishman, taught successfully at the Dawalt school house in 181 6. James Denney was an early teacher and one of the first surveyors in the county. Jesse Rowland, Richard Di.von, Jonathan Prosser and William McAfee were all early teachers and for their excellent work were long remembered

In the de\eloi>nient nt the public school system its advocates had a hard battle to fight. Those who opposed the creation of a public school fund - and there were many of them - said: 'A\"e lia\e educated our children at our own expense and why should we now lie taxe<l to death to create a

On July 4, 1826, the people of Salem decided to observe the fiftieth anniversary of the nation's birth in grand style. John H. Farnhain was decidedly the leading orator of Salem at that time and was invited to deliver the. nddress. He accepted the invitation upon condition thsrt he be ])ermitted to choose his own subject. ".\nd what is the subject," inquired the committee. "The necessity of a i)ublic school system in Indiana," was his reply. The committee expressed doubt as to the popularity of such a subject, fearing its effect on the speaker himself, but it was finally agreed that he should l)e allowed to shape his address as he pleased: Although the 1^'ourth was a rainy, bad day, at an early hour there was a vast gathering of tlie people from every portion of the county. In the pouring rain a large procession was formed on the public square, which, led by , martial music, proceeded to the old Presbyterian church at the north end of High street, where after the usual preliminary ceremonies, Farnham delivered one of the most logical and powerful orations ever pronounced before an Indiana audience. Hut a portion of his address gave unpardonable offense to many present. He took a decidedlx* bold and irjtelligent stand in favor of free schools for both rich and ))oor. His position on this question was far in adxance oi the politicians of the day. His opinions were bitterly assaulted and relentlessly condemned on every hand. However, he met his opponents with manly firmness and unconnnon ability. Previous to this he had been a regular attendant at the sessions of the Legislature held at Corydon and man)- enactments passed by that body bear the imprint of bis mind, although others received credit therefor. But this man of power and now of un(|uestionabk- right, did not live to witness the success and trium])h of the great truths and principles which he so ably enunciated and ad\ocated on that jubilee day - he fell a \'ictim of the cholera scourge in 18,^3. Xo man of his day did more to advance thcicause qf e<|ucation than did John H. Farnhain and miny of his assistants lived to see the common school sxsteni he advocated lieconie a living, permanent necessity.

Old School Hooks

As one searches tlie country over it is a \ cry difficult matter to find) old school hooks, more so than almost any other class of bound literature. \cr\ few ]>ersons are found who have even one of their own old books iirocixcd, for \\ hen they were out of date thev were considered as value- less as a last year's almanac and most of them perished miserably long ago. The text-book equipment of the first schools in this county was exceedingly n-ieager. After children were taught to read thev carried to school anything they could find in the hoine that would do to read. This might be a catechism, a history, a testament or bible. \''ery few oi the older pupils could afford arithmetics, so they \\ere taught mathematics without a book. Teachers gave out to their pu]iils rules and iJrobleuT^ from manuscript "sum books," Avhich they themsehes had made under their teachers, or had pre- ]>ared them for use in the school room. Some pupils were thus taught mathematics without ever having seen an arithmetic. The\' in turn would copy down all the "'sums" they learned "ami the liook thus made was carefully preserved for future reference.

Schools had no blackboards and no maps, but there was occasionally founfl a teacher who owned a small globe which attracted a great deal of attention and dubbed the possessor as a learned man. Slates did not come into use until about 1820, and lead pencils not until about 1835. In filling the pages of their '"sum lx)oks,"' and copy books as well, children used pen and ink exclusively. Every family kept a few geese, if for no other pur- ])ose, so there might always be a good suppK- of pens in the house, for pens then were all made of goose (|uills and one of the master's most essential accomplishments was the ability to make and mend these pens. Even if he were an expert, the making and repairing for a large school consumed a good deal of time. Each family was also its own ink manufacturer. The usual process was to dissolve ink powder : but many country folk gathered the bark of swamp maple, b<jiled it in an iron kettle to give it a more i>erfect black color ami when the decoction was boiled down sufficiently, copl)eras was added. If this ink was allowed to freeze it was spoiled. Inkstands were often used as candlestick>. in which case grease ran down and s])oiled the ink.

The paper used in the school room was dark and rough. Its cost caused it to be used s]jaringl\-. It came in foolscap size, unruled and for writing books each sheet was folded to make fo\ir leaves, or eight pages. Enough of these were slipjjed within each other to form a Itook of desired thickness. Lastly a cover of c(jarse brown i)ai)er wa^ cut out the size of the book and the whole \va^ sewed together. The children ruled the book themseh-es by means of le:id ])oint. made from a bullet, which \vas kept tied to the ruler. The master alway> set the copies at the to]i of each nage, usuall}- some moral precei)t like '"Honestv is the best ]iolicy," etc. Alany children soon

Pioneer Harvest Scenes

About the year 1782, Noah Webster brought out his first speller, which bore at first the ponderous title, "The First Part of a Grammatical Institute of the English Language," the name being adopted at the suggestion of the President of Yale College. For a score of years it survived this title, when it was changed to "The American Spelling Book," and still later to "The Elementary Speller." From almost the first it took a leading place among books of its class and held it for many decades. Besides bringing order out of chaos, Webster counteracted many vulgarisms in pronunciation. \\'hen the first edition of this spelling book was printed Webster had to give bond to make good any loss that might result to publishers, but the copyright came to be very valuable. Webster sold his privilege to publishing firms all over the country, the old-time difficulties of transportation affording the firms ample protection from rival encroachment.

In 181 7, when the speller was revised, one printer" gave Webster three thousand dollars and another forty thousand dollars for the right to publish the work for a term of years. Cincinnati and L,ouisville firms published the speller for all this western country for many years. One edition appeared with a dreadful woodcut that purported to show the features of "Noah Webster, Jun., Esq.," which was the subject of much ridicule. One man in particular made himself obnoxious to Webster, who challenged him to "meet him on the field," but the offender "chose to shed ink instead of blood," and the warfare was confined to the columns of the newspaper.

In 1829 the usual binding of the speller consisted of a back of leather and sides of thin oak boards, pasted over with a dull blue paper, -which gave it the name of "old blue back." This cover was without lettering and the sheets were held together and fastened into the cover by means of two strands of tape that pierced the folds of paper a quarter inch from the l)ack and the book opened very stubbornly. There was considerable reading matter mixed in with the spelling and in the back part there were eight "fables," each with an illustration, which were the delight of young students who never forgot about the rude boy who stole apples and the maid and her milk pail.

Boarding Around

No man in the county - or possibly in the state - ever had as varied an experience in the school room as James G. Mav. He came to Indiana when he W2ES nineteen years of ;ige and began at once teaching school in Jefferson township. A short time previous to his death he gave his experience in "boarding "round," as was the custom at that time. School patrons then paid a fixed- sum per scholar, the price of subscription being so regulated that the teacher womld gt: about six dollars a week and "boarded 'round." His experience was similar to that of most other teachers of that day and was as follows :

"I came to Indiana in 1824 and at once found employment in the school room, in a sparsely settled district. I received the munificent emolument of six dollars a week and boarded with my patrons. Some lived within onehalf mile of the old log school and others two miles away. When I boarded with patrons who lived furtherest away I had to be up betimes in order to get to the .school and have a good hot fire burning when the children came in. Havihg Ijeen the fortunate possessor of an abundant sense of humor, I enjoyed a good many situations that a person not having any of the good gift of humor to his portion would have found most trying. I preferred boarding 'r6und to being knocked flown to the lowest bidder, as was the custom in some rural districts many years ago. Lest this seems a little va:gue. I may add that in some districts the teacher was paid a certain sum and hoard. Then the directors or committeemen of the district asked for bid,s for hoarding the teacher, and he was turned over to the lowest bidder, no rhatter what that bidder's environment might be. An old gentleman once tofd me that he was present at a meeting held in the school house in which hfe Was to teach his first term of school sixty years ago when a numl>er of the residents of the district met to make bids for boarding him. He suffered tht hurrfili.ation of being knocked down to a bidder who oiTered to board him for eighty-seven and one-half cents a week. One bidder offered to board him for seventy-five cents a week if he would help with the chores, biit as he was studying to fit himself for college, he refused to fall in with this oflfef. It was well that he did. for he discovered that one of his predecessors Who had agreed to such an arrangement discovered that helping with the chbres meant the milking of six cows before daylight in the morning and the responsibility of keeping a huge w(-iod-box filled with wood he was expected to cut, saw and split himself.

"I had no such arduous dutic'i thrust upon me when I boarded "round. but T did make myself useful in rather unusual ways on different occasions. T remember that T was for two weeks the guest of an old lady who asked me if t wotiW mind -sewing carjjct-rags for her in the evenings. Wishing to oblige. T consentefl to this pro[>osition and pursued the task diligently while there, presenting-, no doubt, rather a ludicrous spectacle sitting in an old split-bottom chair sewing rags for the twisted stripe of a rag carpet, the first ever seen in that part of the settlement. A week or two later I spent my allotted time with the family of the woman who was to weave the rarjiet. It was of my own accord that I sat beside the big, clumsy loom in what she called the weave room, a lean-to adjacent to the two-room cabin and watched her beat some of the rags T had balled into their final resting place in the hit-or-miss body of the carpet.

"I spent a week with one famil\- in which there were no less than eight boys all under twelve years of age, and when bedtime came I was asked if it would bother me any to have Tommy and Jimmy and Sammy sleep with me. Discovering that there was no other place for them to sleep if I did not acquiesce in this arrangement, I agreed to it, and spent sleepless nights with the three little scjuirmers, who were heedless of their mother's admonition not to "wriggle and sc|uirm all night so the teacher can't sleep none.'

"I recall one week spent with a musical family. The father was proud of the fact that he could outfiddle any one in the neighborhood; a daughter played on the dulcimer, a home-made instrument, while a boy of thirteen did fearful execution on a flute and fife; another daughter created awful discords with an accordeon, while a boy often played alternately and agonizingly on a jews-harp and a common coarse comb. The proud father was (|uite right when he promised me that I would 'hear something' when all of them 'started up ""^'ankee Doodle'' " at the same time on their various instruments. .\t the close of this and some nine or ten other selections played in concert by the entire family I was informed that gran'ma'am and gran'dard would sing for me if I wished them to do so. Courtesy compelled me to say that 1 was eager to hear them, and the old couple began to sing some of the <|ueer ballads frequently sung by rural firesides some years ago.

"The singing of old ballads was a very popular diversion in the rural homes of >'ears ago. Nearly all of these ballads were very long and dismal, and they were sung to droning and dismal tunes. Sometimes the singers would weep as the)- sang them, and the nervous strain was great when one had to listen to ten or fifteen of these harrowing ballads in a single evening.

"Customs change with each decade, and the old-time custom of the teacher boarding 'round does not obtain to any great extent at the present time. But I have some happy memories of the days when I boarded 'round, and 1 remember with pleasure the simple comfort and genuine kindliness of some of the homes in which I was a guest, and T have always been gL-^d that it once fell to my portion to board 'round.''

Barring Out Thk Schoot, Master

As the forests, Indians and wild game disappeared before the advance of civihzation, so many of the old-time customs of pioneer days have passed away to give place to the habits and manners of a new age. One hundred years ago the schoolmaster had to stand treat to his pupils some time during the holidays or he was likely to be barred out of the school room and perhaps take a ducking in the nearest creek or pond. But the practice, once so common, has long since died out. A fatal tragedy or two in the county had much to do in making this practice unpopular and the doing away with it altogether.

While there were many good teachers in early times, there were quite a few who were adventurers, broken down or dissipated professional men. There were many Yankee clock peddlers and Irishmen, the latter unusually being men of severity. They generally claimed great scholarship and exhibited a masterly skill in the use of the rod and the ferule. It must be said, however, to their credit that they were the most thorough instructors of their day, and usually managed to keep sober from Monday morning until Friday night, while the remaining two days of the week they could be found about the nearest still house in the settlement.

John Smiley was a full-blooded Irishman, of positive character, well educated and conducted his schools to suit himself. He taught several winters at different places in -the settlement southeast of Salem. In the winter of 1817-18 he taught in what was called the l^odman neighborlu)od. The school house was of the regulation model of that da\-, about eighteen feet square, heated by a huge fireplace. Smiley was a stern, husky fellow and spoke in a harsh, rough voice. He occupied a chair, the only one in the room, at the rear end opposite the door. He had tnade up his mind that lie would give no treat to his pupils at Christmas time, Ijut had kept \ery quiet on the subject, not intimating to anyone what he intended to do.

Christmas came on Wednesday that year, and the first twd days <'{ the week order seemed to reign lietter than usual. Rut there were mysterious conferences held before and after school hours, and the knowing lix^ks of some of the larger boys and girls indicated some secret plot was on foot oi which the master was to be ke[)t profoundly ignorant. At first the secret was confided to a favored few, who would be able at the proper time to liring the others into line and help to carry out any measures they might adopt. The master was supix)sed to lie ignorant of what was going (^n ; he ne\er alkicled to the subject, and if anyone mentioned it his angry looks and blunt demeanor seemed sufficient to pre\ent any attempt to defy his plans or rebel against his authority. But he was not unmindful of the fact that trouble was brewing.

By Tuesday night everything was prepared for the siege, for there was no treat in sight. Very early next morning the conspirators assembled at th^ school house, carried in enough wood to run them two or three days, if necessary. Provisions had also been provided for a lengthy siege. The door was barred and a lot of wood was piled up against it to keep it from being forced open, ."sentinels were left outside to announce the approach of the enemy. Suddenly the cry was heard, "He's coming." In fact, he had come upon them in a round-about way and was upon them before they knew it. The door was tried but was found to be fastened. "Open the door," thundered the master. But there was no response. Again he demanded that the door should be o]iened, or the guilty ones would be severely punished. Still there was no answer. He then decided to force an entrance, and secured a good-sized stick of wood to be used as a battering ram. Then the house shook, the hea\\' door creaked and the smaller children within scrambled to be let out. But the door was strong and stood firm. Finding himself unable to force an entrance without doing serious damage to the house, the master retired a short distance and sat down.

.Some su])posed he intended to wear out the garrison by simply letting them alone, otiiers suspected a ruse to decoy them out of the house. Suddenly, however, he returned with a handful. of rods and climbed on top the house, intending to stop up the chimney and smoke the young rascals out. But in this he failed, for the cracks in the ceiling were so large that the smoke escaped and but little inconvenience was exjierienced. Finding his efforts to obtain admission fruitless and having been informed by some of the larger boys that if he broke in they would duck him, the master now ])ro])o.sed a truce, and asked for their terms of capitulation. These had been carefidly prepared and were passed into his hand through a crack under the door. The\- read as follows : "First - A full pardon for all concerned in the l)arring out : second, a donation of apples, cakes and candies to be served to the wliole school Frida}' afternoon; third, holiday until after New Year's day."

After parleying a time, the terms were accepted, and the paper was duly signed by both parties. The siege was ended; the door was unbarred and the master entered amid hearty cheers. Fvery one was in good humor and went home rejoicing. At noon on Friday, teacher and pupils were on hand promptly and festivity and pla\ w-ere indulged in. The master unbent himself far the occasion and some of the larger boys and girls were appointed to .assist in serving the feast that had been provided. There was no time for sullenness, and the mastc" entered into the occasion with as much pleasure as the victorious pupils. After a speech by the master, full of kind words and good wishes, all were dismissed, and with happy hearts and merry voices hastened to their homes to relate the day's experiences and to return at the close of their holidays and resimie their studies with renewed zeal and \igor. Thus happily ended the "barring nut" of the school master as it occurred a .century ago.

As homes were Ijeing established on the new townsite of Salem the inhabitants directed some attention to providing means for religious services and the training of their children in the rudiments of education. Religious (Services were frequently held in private homes and in the citurt-house as soon as it was completed. In the winter of 1814-15 there was a private school conducted in the new town. Schools then, of necessit}-, were all pri\ate institutions. Nearly all the inhabitants in the state were then cimhned to the i)order counties along the Ohio river and no [niblic school system had been created - hardly thought of, and when the matter was first discussed it was bitterly opposed.

The teacher secured his or her scholars b\' circulating a subscription paper, and when enough names had been secured to justify the undertaking the school was o]:)ened. Scholarships were, not alwavs jxiid in cash, for in many instances it was specified in the subscription ])aper that the fee was to he paid in wood, vegetables, household goods and the like. Tlie instruction was in the main all elementary. The stress in teaching was placed mainly on spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic. Other >(i-calle<l cummon branches received but little attention, and when a stud.ent took on grammar or geogranhy he assumed an air of superiority over his kss fortunate schoolmaster, and it was usually prophesied that he would some time be a professional gentleman too lazy to work.

School terms were seldom more than three nr four months long. 1 wo rude school hciuses were built in Salem about 1S17. one in tlie northwest part of town, in the creek bottom, about three blocks north of llackberry street. .\n(4her stood on the west bank of Brock creek, a short distance south of Market street.

wards started the first newspaper; Thomas Nixon, Mr. M^rriweather, Mrs. Mary Bates, who operated a school regularly on north Main street for several years; Mrs. George Cook, who taught on south Main street, and an Irishman named Adamson. A Miss Combs taught several sessions on the south side of east Market street, about two blocks from the square. Later on William McCoy taught in the basement of the old Baptist churdl, and the basement of the Presbyterian church was used by Burr Chase and Dr. Jesse Moore. Private schools continued long after the schools began to be supported by taxation. For several winters schools were held in the old Lutheran church that stood on East Market street.

Free schools were established in 1837-8. About this time Saiem was divided into two districts, north and south= - the north district having its school in a brick building on the east side of North Water street, a short distance above Hackberry street. The south district occupied a brick building on Fast Poplar street, originally erected as the first Methodist church of the town. This building finally passed into disuse and a frame structure took its place, erected on the same lot on the corner just east of the old brick. Schools were conducted regularly in these two districts until 1869, when the town built its first high school building.

Early Instructors

.Some of the early teachers in the north and south school districts were: Barclay Moore, Lucius Hobbs, Elijah Heffren, Alice Townsend, Pauline Henderson, William Alvis and Alice Powell. As early as 1824 the progressive citizens of Salem saw the need of establishing a school for more advanced instruction than could be obtained at the ordinary winter term of school. .\ conference was held and it was decided that a commodious house should be built and the best educator in the country secured to conduct the school. The house was a one-story brick, situated two hundred feet south of East Market street, on College avenue, where John Hay was born and where George W. Telle has lived for a number of years. John L Morrison was chosen to head the school. He was a promising young man, had been brought up and educated in Pennsylvania, had taught in his native state, and in 1824 had conducted a very successful school in Walnut Ridge.

On the first Monday in April, 1825, under the supervision of an mtelligent board of managers, young Morrison began his labors, the school having been given the then somewhat high-sounding title of "The Salem Grammar School," and it was a grand success from the very start, and Morrison became a power in the community. During the winter of 1825-26 the grammar school was full to overtiowing; in fact, a number who sought admission had to lie turned away for lack of accommodations, and a new school building was planned.

The provisions of th.e state constitution had enaliled the county to accumulate a fund sufficient to erect a commo<lious seminar}- liuilding. A two-acre lot was procured on the northeast corner of Hacklierr\- street and College avenue, and work on the building was l)egun in the -pring of 1828 and was completed in time to begin school the first of October. The building was a two-story lirick, forty by sixty feet, and stood the long way east and west. The end walls had no openings. On the east end the boys construcfed a ball alley. On the west end was a large chimney, with huge fireplaces on both floors. Ten feet on the east end was cut off for hallway, in which the stairway was located. One end of up-stairs hall was fitted up for a sort of laboraton'. The eastern end was surmounted by a cu|>ola, adorned with a weather-cock and supplied with a bell.

Morrison found it necessary to ac(|uire a more thorough knowledge of the branches he would be re([uired Xn teach in the new seminary, and while it was being planned and built he sought that education at Oxford, Ohio. During his absence the grammar scIkioI \\a-; luanaged one \'ear b\- Alerrvweather. ATorrison ojiened the seminar}-, with James G May as assistant.

A School For Young Women

The seminary sprang at once ii-ito prominence and there were students m attendance from all parts of the state, and adjoining states as well. Its commanding success induced I\Ir, IMorrison to build and put in operation the "Salem Female Collegiate Institute." This he located on the corner lot immediately west of the seminary. It was a three-story brick building, forty by fifty feet. It was planned by a Philadelphia architect and cost eight thousand dollars. This was completed in 1834, and was run in connection with the academy for young men. One may' judge of the amount of work Morri.son drd, the interest taken and the good accomplished when informed that there were about one hundred young ladies and as man}- }-oung men going to his school at one time. At this time Morrison's school was emphatically the most jjopular school of the state. There were two literary societies connected with it, the Zelo-Paducian and fhilomathian, which were very influential in giving pupils practical training and accurate scholarship.

their mark in the world, were Dr. EHjah Newland, one of the foremost physicians of the state in his day and at one time state treasurer; Dr. Edmund Albertson, a noted physician and eehicator ; Gen. Rol>ert Allen, who distinguished himself during the Civil War; Minard and Zebulon Sturgis, who held responsible positions at the nation's capital; Gen. Nathaniel Kimball, a celebrated soldier and treasurer of state; W. C. DePauw, a most successful financier and for whom DePauw ITni\ersity was named; Barnabas C. Hobbs, one of the foremost educators of the state; John L. Campbell, the originator of the centennial exhibition; Thomas J. Rodman, a soldier and inventor of the Rodman gun during the Cix'il \\'ar; Newton Booth, at one time governor and United States senator of California, and many others who were leaders in their respective callings.

In 1840 Morrison sold the school building to the Presbyterians, and the name was changed to "The Salem Presbyterian Female College." Rev. B. M. Nyce. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was put in charge. His father was a \\ealthy merchant and he studied for the ministry and came west as a missionary. When ]\Tr. Nyce took charge of the seminary he brought his sister with him as an assistant. Miss N}'ce brought with her the first piano that caiue to Salem. It attracted great attention and -was the beginning of a new era. Every young lady in the town wanted to take lessons, and Salem thus became (-(uite noted for its music. Mr. Nyce was a finished scholar, especially well up in chemistry. Some ten years later he invented a process by which fruits were preserved with scarcely a perceptible loss of flavor, which realized him a small fortune. During his first year in Salem there was a great revival in religion, and he became so absorbed in religious work that he gave up the school at the close of his first year and became a preacher, and a very celebrated one. His successor was George Bradley, a graduate of Marietta College, Ohio. Near the close of the vear the .school building caught fire and burned to the ground. .\ new house was immediately built.

Mr. Morrison was again installed heafl of the institution and was pirinci- ]3al again for two years. Morrison then entered the newspaper business, and was succeeded by Professor Blackington, who conducted the school for two years, when, not being self-sustaining, the buildings were sold at sheriff's sale - M. M. C. Hobbs being the purchaser. He conducted the school for three years, with considerable success. He sold to Professor Wilson, he to Professor Biggs, which carried the school up to 1858. At that time a stock company, headed by James G. May, purchased the building and grounds and Mr. May was put in charge of the school. From March i, 1858, to February 2. 1872, he sustained a continuous private school; a portion of the time being assisted by his son, W. ^V. May, who was one of the best instructors that ever taught a school in southern Indiana.

put in charge, transferring his private school to the new building. He con- On the 5th of I'^ebruary, 1872. the town completed her first graded school building, on the cast end of Walnut street, when James G. May was tinned in charge till March 15, i<'*!74, after which date Professor May taught private classes at his residence in the old female institute.

W. \V. M'ay taught very successfully a number of years at Corydon and New Albany. In 1873 he was engaged by W. C. DePauw to open a prel)aratory school in New Albany for the benefit of his own sons in the main, but with the understanding that other pupils might be taken in up to twenty, but no more. It was called the "Fikosi" school, this being the Greek word for twenty. The name became popular, and this school having fulfilled its mission. Professor Ma}- decided to reopen the old Salem academy, which he did in 1878. and this institution bore the name of "Eikosi Academy.'' Ijut there was no limit -to the number of ]jupils. This school he conducted successfully until his death, in 1885.

The old female institute building was afterward purchased b\- the town and remodeled for the use of high school pupils. When the new graded school building on Water street was built, the old institute was abandoned and sold to private parties. In 1878 \V. W. Stevens purchased the old academy building and grounds, after it had been abandoned for school purposes. Karly in 1880 it burned to the ground and the lots passed into private hands.

The Salem and Washington township joint high school was erected in 1008 and dedicated on Xovenil)er 27. that }car. It is located on Water street, on land donated 1\\ tlie heirv of Martha I.}on, and in livr honor I. yon Mall is named. It gi\es a com]>lete four-year course, incliuling modern instruction in manual training, agriculture and household arts. The school-has an enrolhnetrt at present' of two hnntlrdd eighty-fix^ students from the town rmd townshi]), and ranks among the best schools of its class in the state.

Prof. K. E. Cavanaugh, superintendent of the schools of Salem; Prof. Heorge H. Telle, principal ; Lera Berke}', Cora L. Simpson, Clem O. Thompson, John H. Davis, Roy Huckleberry, Jennie Wright, Lola Parker, Ethel Shultz an<l F"iorence Graham are the present teachers.

Blue River Academy

The first school taught in the Quaker neighborhood was at the old church, two miles northeast of Salem, in the winter of 1815-16. There is little known of this school except that there was a school there on the above date. The first school house built in the settlement was on John Trueblood's farm in 1817. In 1822 a hewed log house was erected alx>ut two hundred yards west of the bridge that spans the creek a mile west of Canton. This was used till 1827, when John Reyman became owner and oj>erated h cabinet shop tliere. for, some time.

In the summer of 1828 a brick house was built -back on the hill where what is known as the "Quaker school house" now stands, and near the church and cemetery. The lirst school taught here was in 1829, under the charge of Edmund Albertson, who afterward distinguished himself so honorably as a physician. Abigale Albertson won considerable distinction as a primary teacher in this school. Under the administration of the Albertsons, which continued for eight years, the school flourished and built up rapidly, parnabas C. Hobbs began his educational career here as successor to Albertson, and Semisa Lindley succeeded .A.biga]e Albertson as assistant. The school continued to flourish under Hobbs' management, which could not have been otherwise under such a man as he.

Probably no man in the state ever distinguished himself more in the matter of education than did Barnabas C. Hobbs in the rolls of teachers and state su])erintendent of schools. He taught here two winters very successfully. Then followed Benjamin Albertson, Aquilla Timberlake, Abram Trueblood. Calvin Pritchard, Timothy Wilson and others, who carried on the school in a successful manner.

In 1867 \A'illiam P. FMnkham took cliarge of the school and taught till 1873, when he resigned to take charge of the Paoli public schools. Under Professor Pinkham's management the school became widely known and had a large attendance from all parts of the county and surrounding counties as well. The whole coniinunity regretted the loss of this able instructor ,vhen he chose other fields for his labors During Professor t'inkham's superintendency there were at times o\er one hundred pupils enrolled.

Among those who w -'ut forth from Pilue l\i\-er Academy and l>ecame famous were Joseph Moore, who l)ecame |)resident of I'.arlham College, and Benjamin Trueblood, who was for many \ ears secretar\- of the liUernatioual Peace A-sociation. The academy continued until iSXi. a ]ieriod of more than tifty ye.ars. Private schonls were conducted for ^everal years, 1)ut smce looi) the building has been used by the cnmmon schools of the district.

A school (if considerable note in its da\- \\;is "Punker Hill School." situateil in the forks of the Brownstown and Spark's b'errv roads, about one-half mile north of the present corporation Ime of Salem. To get up to the school house from Brock's creek there wa^ (|uite a little hill to climb, hence its name. It was buih in 18J3. It was a brick building, twenty by thirt}' feet, with a huge fireplace. It stood the long wa}- east and west, with one door in the- center of the south side and windows on tlie north and south sides. The fireplace was in the west end, and in the east end there was a flue and sto\e. The seats were of heavy sawed slabs, of different heights to suit the scholars. In real cold weather fire was kept running in both fireplace and stove, the girls gathering about the open fire, the boys around the stove. Around the house there was about an acre of cleared land for a play ground. .\ few rods south of the house stood what was Cdusidered the largest poplar tree in the county, being near eight feet in di.'uneter.

This school Avas always a large one, there being ]iupils from town and as far l)ack in the country as two miles or luore. Many of the older ])eople in and around Sak-m at this time attended this school. ( )f the teachers that taught there were Cornelius Edick. William Phillips. Siiueon Clayton, Samuel Lusk, William McCoskey. Mr. Draper and H. -\therton. A celebrated debating society was maintained for a number of years at this school house. ])artici|xite(l in bv the best talent in the count). The old-time singing schools were frequentl) held at Punker llill. ;uid it was used quite frequently for church pm-])oses.

This old house stood until Mav jj. iS(.o, xxlien it was wrecke.l bv a terrific tornado that swept through the county. Malinda Hitchcock was teaching schdol at the time. The chil.lreii were out fur a recess when the

Storm came up. A wagon load of people going to town sought shelter in the school building. With the first crash the windows blew out, and in a few seconds the walls came tumbling in upon the children, and but for the protection of loft timbers and ceiling most of them would have been crushed. Nearly all. including the teacher, were more or less bruised and two were killed outright - Estella A-Iorris and Lida Hodgins.

Highland Seminary

Between the years 1836 and i860 another important private educational enterprise maintained a lively and useful existence, called the "Highland Seminary." The teachers were Cornelius Edick, a bright Irishman named Bryant, and the Harold sisters. This seminary was located about two and one-half miles northwest nf Salem, in a settlement sometimes known as Brushville.

\Vhile athletics, in its modern significance, was perhaps not so prominent as a feature of school life as it is today, yet the games and recreations were not neglected. .\s early as 1869 or 1870 a regular baseball club was organized in Salem with the following players comix>sing the nine : M. K. Chapman. \\'arder W. Stevens, Mr. \A''ood, Winnie Clark, John McKinney, John Mansfield, .\]>s Armstrong, F.li Menaugh and John Crow. The sur- \ivors of this team, who were winners of many a contest on the diamond, declare that in athletic skill and thrilling pla}'s no modern ball game could sur]jass these contests of more than forty years ago.

Who that e\er attended a neighborhood school in "the olden times" - that is, se\ent\- or more years ago - can e\-er forget his experiences there. How vividh' and distinctly dn the building and the persons and scenes within reappear when conjured up li\ memory. There was the huge fireplace or large "ten-plate" stove, in which blazed a roaring fire of dry rockmaple logs which sent forth a grateful warmth into the room very acceptable to the shivering incomers. The first tiling the schoolboy did after going to his seat in the morning was, generally, to thaw out his ink, which had frozen ^olid durnig the night. This was a grateful trouble, as it gave him an excuse for basking in the warmth of the fire.

Whittling in the school room was strictl\' forbidden, yet there was scarcely a s(|uare foot of bench or desk that was not hacked by a jack-knife. There was not a semblance of a black-board or wall map in early school rooms; the only decoration, aside from the gauzy network of the geometrical spider in the corners, were the hieroglyphics of "keel" and charcoal on the walls - by spectacular urchins. The only broom available for sweeping out the room was a rough scrub riffair made of a small, tough white oak sapling, which was usually wielded by the larger girls at the noon hour. School was called by the loud rappings of the teacher upon the window sash, and the entrance of the mixed, coughing throng of knowledge seekers into the room was characterized by an indiscriminate rush for the more desirable seats. It was strictly a case of "tirst come, first served," and everywhere there might be observed animated bevies of both sexes in promiscuous and hilarious enjoyment.

Nothing but the most flagrant violation of decorum was noticed by the a\erage instructor, and the rod and ferule were the panacea for all severe offenses, f'upils came intd school at all hours of the day and no questions were asked ; and seldom did a teacher rebuke the social communications and sly mischievousness of the young tyro, unless the noise became too pronounced or was continued at too great a length of time. There was no school iioard to regulate teachers or pupils and the "master" was truly monarch of all he surveyetl.

The recreative sjiorts and amusements ui the olil countr\- schools were many and varied in character. The boys mostly engaged in what was termed "town ball," "bull-pen," "cat," "base," "marbles," and "roly poly;" while the girls jumpetl the rope, played "puss\- wants a corner." "ring around rosy," and other more (|uiet games. Then there was the grapevine swing, and the searching for wild lowers and strawberries in the spring time. .\ttending all these were innumerable little joyoils pleasures of youthful associations that have ])assefl with the age of the olden time.

Not to be forgotten was the old-time singing school. Few countrybred men and women now past the noon of life but can tell something of those happy davs when the singing schools were in full blast in almost every neighborhood during the winter season - long gone now but for their mellow memories. In this age of jirogress many old-time practices and customs have been inipro\ed on. but the old-fashioned singmg school is gone and nothing takes its place. Life in those days offered nothing comparable with the innocent zest found at these assemblages. How simple it all was and how pleasant ! The teacher w ent from \illage to village, from school house to school house, and was .always .a welcome guest at one house after another, among his patrons. Ofttimes it was a difficult matter to decide where he'd better go without wounding the feelings of some of his urgent friends who proffered to share with him their bed and board free of charge.

Sometimes the singing teacher brought with him a melodeon, with its mysterious arrangement of folding legs and pedals: sometrmes he was a master of the violin, or "bass fiddle." More often, however, the only musical instrument was a tuning-fork, whose "B-z-z-zz" was the delight of the small children. At ''early candle lighting" the singers began to gather at the school or meeting house. A song by the teacher was usually the first thing in order, after which the lesson was given. A term consisted of thirteen lessons. The books used were "The Sacred Lyre," "The Old Missouri Harmony," "The Psalmist" - notes being represented by the numerals - "Mason's Harp," and others. The prime object of the school was to learn to read music- -learn the songs - and that end was faithfully pursued. The modern terms applied to voice culture and expression were unknown.

There are few hearts so withered and old but that beat faster when they hear the wailing, sobbing or exulting strains of those old-time hymns or chants ; and the mind floats down on the current of these old melodies to that fresh young day of hopes and illusions; of voices that were sweet, no matter how false they sang, of nights that were rosy with dreams, of girls that blushed without cause, and of lovers who talked for hours about everything but love.

The rural schools of the county, under the direction of these officials and a corps of competent teachers, have been of inestimable vakte in the development of a prosjx;rous and progressixe rural life. .Vn educational rejxjrt of the county, published by Professor Hopper, in 1915, gives a splendid review of the work of these schools, and demonstrates the educational value of the modern methods of instruction which ha\'e been introduced here.