USA > Iowa > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 24
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Writing was taught by the teacher making the characters in a copy book and the scholar made the best imitation he could by looking at the letters. One of the rules for writing was to keep the feather ond of the penstock pointing squarely over your shoulder. Our pens were made of goose quills. That was one of the arts a teacher was examined in-the cutting. shaping and making a suitable pen out of a goose quill. Steel pens were not used by the scholars until they had learned to write with a quill pen. Our school day was not only From 9 o'clock until 4 P. M., but in the winter time was from daylight until dark, and in the summer time the school closed in the evening in time for the scholars to get home by sundown. Those who lived farthest from the school were dis- missed first and others afterwards, according to the distance they had to go.
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PRIMITIVE PEDAGOGUES PADDLED PUPILS
The teacher had a list of rules governing the school. These rules were read to the pupils every Monday morning and upon violation of them a light punish- ment was inflicted for each offense under each rule. When a pupil had broken three rules or one rule three times he was then punished by a severe whipping, generally with the consent of the parents, who advocated the doctrine that the more severe the punishment the better the scholar was made. Our teachers some- times had what was called a lookout. This was one of the scholars, who stood on the end of one of the seats and watched the rest of the pupils. When he saw any violation of the rules, or whispering, he threw a ruler at the scholar, calling him or her by name. This scholar then had to take the ruler to the teacher, who would give the culprit several sharp raps on the palm of the hand with it. This scholar would then mount the seat and watch for another vietim; and at the least offense, the ruler was thrown and that fellow would then go up and get his ration. This process kept on until the school board put a stop to it. for the lookout would often throw the ruler at some one who was not whispering in order to get back to his seat. This ruler was made of black walnut, about two feet long and two inches wide and three-fourths of an inch thick. beveled on one side. The fellow that was on the lookout was not particular whether he hit you on the head with the ruler or where he struck you and when the ruler was thrown every scholar on that seat would jump, thinking he was the one wanted.
Teachers were sometimes hired for a stipulated sum of money and their board, which was secured by the teacher boarding around among the scholars. a week at each home. This was not very pleasant for the teacher. If the parents liked the teacher he was supplied with the best they had. but if they did not like him as a teacher he was generally given the poorest bed to sleep in. with very little covering. A teacher boarding around had for his supper one evening buttermilk, and corn bread that had been baked several days, and after partaking of the repast he thought he could sleep on what he had eaten. The next morning, about the time he was getting up, he heard quite a hammering and pounding ont in the kitchen and then the voice of the old lady broke in ou the morning air: "My gracious, girls, you will break that skillet. Why, what are you doing?" "Why, mother, we are breaking up the corn board so we can soak it in the buttermilk for breakfast." The teacher was taken with a violent headache and had to take a walk in the fresh morning air.
BARRING OUT THE SCHOOL TEACHER
There was another amusement that was carried on by the larger boys and usually occurred at Christmas time. This was called "barring the teacher out "' of the schoolhouse: with the object of making him treat the scholars to candy or apples. If the teacher missed any days except the Fourth of July he had to make them up and, in order to do this, sometimes would teach on Christmas and New Year's, If they desired to teach on those days it was a custom to treat the scholars. The door of the schoolhouse was generally barred up on Christmas by the larger boys and the teacher was denied admittance unless he produced
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the candy or apples. The smaller scholars were taken in at a window, which was fixed for the occasion, and guarded by a strong force. When the teacher would try the door and ask for admittance every scholar would have his book studying as though everything was in its regular order. If he said he could not procure the candy and apples that day or if he had them with him, which was generally › the case. the door would be unbarred and thrown open and at noon time beeame a gala time for two hours, being Christmas day. and everything would pass smoothly. But if the teacher failed to treat, there was a general melee as to who should have possession. Sometimes this was carried to the extent of break- ing up the school. The school board in the settlement one year hired the Presby- terian minister who was stationed in the neighborhood. lle thought he would play the boys a sharp trick, so he dismissed school the day before Christmas and gave a vacation until after New Year's Day. But when he came to the schoolhouse on the morning of the 2d of January, he found the door fastened and all the scholars in the schoolroom in their proper places, studying their lessons, with one of the older boys filling the place of teacher. He looked in at the window. and making a few congratulatory remarks to the scholars went away. In about an hour he returned and asked all of those who wished to come out and go to his home and he would teach them there until he could gain pos- session of the schoolhouse. Some of the smaller children desiring to go, the window was raised in order to let them pass out. While they were passing out the teacher attempted to get into the schoolhouse and succeeded in getting one leg and his head in. The window was then pulled down on his shoulders and he was held a prisoner. In a few moments his clothes were loosened by un- buttoning them. lle was rolled back out of the window and his clothes were stuffed full of snow. lle finally begged for mercy and was let up. He started for his home without his hat and with his clothes filled with about all the snow they woukl hold.
FIRST SCHOOL IN DICKSON SETTLEMENT
The first school taught in the Dickson Settlement was in the year 1845, the teacher being a lady. There were eleven scholars, and as the wages were $12 for three months, in order to have a school a young man who had taken up land, paid $1 to make up the deficiency. This made the sun $1 per scholar for three months, or $4 per month for the teacher's wages and she boarded herself. This would look like starvation wages to a teacher of this day and age, and so it would be.
Our schoolhouse, I remember, was a crude affair. It was 12 by 14 feet. built of logs and daubed with mud. The floor was split basswood logs laid with the flat side up. Seats were made of the same material, with legs about two feet long. so that your feet did not touch the floor. Imagine the position for a boy to sit all day on one of those benches, with his feet and legs hanging down. The writing desk was made by placing one-half of a split basswood log against the wall in the crack between the logs, of which the schoolhouse was built. This was kept in place by two legs that rested on the floor. The roof was held in place by poles about six inches in diameter, one pole upon each row of shingles, which were split from a straight grained log, about three feet "u). I - 14
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long. There was a fireplace in one end of the schoolroom and a piece of carpet was used for a door shutter.
The opportunities at that time for children to get a start along educational lines were, to say the least, very limited, and just so up to manhood. As soon as a boy was old enough, he was put to work on the farm during the summer and when winter came he took an ax and went to the timber, to help get out rails and stakes with which to make and repair fences the following spring.
TImis our schools were sadly neglected, not because it was the desire of our parents, but the people were poor and often parents were unable to provide snit- able shoes and clothing for their children in which to attend school. But a few years relieved that condition of affairs and schools were placed on a solid basis under our laws. Schoolhonses sprang up very quickly over our county and the foundation was firmly laid, from which has grown our present school system, by which every child within the county can receive a fair education. The foregoing schoolhouse herein described stood on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 23, Colony Township, No. 90, Range 3 west, fifth principal meridian.
As there is no historical or other record of our schools, I have written the foregoing to show the primitive condition of them, the manner in which they were conducted and the energy of the early settlers in establishing them.
SPELLING SCHOOL
We also had spelling school once a week during the fall and winter. This was generally conducted in the evening and was often attended by our parents. Two captains were selected and they generally threw up a penny for the first choice among the scholars: then the captains chose alternately until all the spellers were taken, which made a fair division. The words were then pro- Bounced by the teacher, first to one side and then to the other. When a word was missed by one side the other had a chance to spell the word. The side that missed the least number of words was declared the winner. Time and again the whole school would stand up and when a word was misspelled the person sat down and did not spell again at this contest. The school would get down to from two to four spellers and the last to miss a word was considered the champion.
SINGING SCHOOL
There was another school called a singing school, which was conducted in the evening. Here the young people were taught the art of singing by note. The singing books were somewhat different from those used today. Each note was represented by a different character so that the position on the staff did not make any difference. The note was known by its shape. The first books only had Four notes, but as civilization advanced, we obtained books that had the full complement. Half and quarter notes had different marks by which they were known. The person who couldl sing the loudest was considered the best singer, provided he had the opportunity to go home with the best looking girl. The screeching at one of those singing schools would set all the dogs and wolves in the neighborhood to howling.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL AND LIBRARY
Sunday schools were among the things of interest with the early settlers. Their organization was similar to the present day only we did not have the books and papers to distribute among the scholars that are now enjoyed. The older children, who could read in the New Testament, were required to commit to memory one or more verses from the Bible and recite them on the following Sabbath. The smaller scholars, who could not read, were arranged in classes and the teacher read to them from the sacred Word some story contained therein and explained the story as it was read to them. Our first Sunday school was conducted without any books, papers or pamphlets whatever. The New Testa- ment was the only book or written matter of any kind used in the school.
The next thing of interest was the introduction of a Sunday school library, which was sent us from the Home Missionary Society, and contained 100 vol- umes of suitable reading for both old and young. This gave our Sunday school a forward movement. as reading matter of any kind was very scaree in this new settlement and it was also instrumental in leading the thoughts of our people to a higher am in life. Each scholar took a book from the library to his home, returning it the next Sabbath and taking another book. This process gave each person an opportunity to obtain and read every book in the collee- tion. Colporteurs passed through the country, distributing religious books of different kinds. If one was able to pay a small sum of money for the books it was accepted, and if not the distributor gave you a New Testament and left small printed pamphlets, that were called tracts, containing religious reading and instruction.
A JOKE ON THE COLPORTEUR
An amusing story was told by one of the colporteurs who called at a certain home that was comparatively new. He found the woman and children destitute of money, with which to buy books, and he said to the woman of the house as he went ont to his wagon. "I will leave you some tracts." The woman replied, "Yes, and I will be very glad if you will leave them with the heel traeks toward the house, for the children and me are alone today and I do not wish to enter- tain company."
Thus, through the kindness of religious men and the missionary society, we were supplied with reading matter which would have been impossible for us to obtain, through lack of ready money. Consequently, we would have been com- pelled to do without them. As onr settlement grew and became more able to give, our schools prospered accordingly.
DEBATING SOCIETIES VERY POPULAR
Debating societies were well patronized both by old and young. The society would meet once a week in winter evenings at the schoolhouse and, after a division of the house on a question proposed at a previons meeting, it was dis- cussed both pro and con. The side that propounded a preponderance of argu- ment was declared by the judges the winner. Many questions, both state and national, that were before the people, were discussed at these debating societies
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and were the means of changing the votes of many persons who had attended them and obtained a knowledge of the question at issue before the people; they could cast their ballot intelligently. It was in one of these societies in Illinois that President Lincoln shone as a star and developed the oratorial powers which he possessed in his early life. No doubt this early training was of great assist- anee to him in his arguments, not only in courts of law but also in his political life, when discussing questions of national character, of which his argument at Freeport, Illinois, in the year 1858, upon the slavery question, stands without a rival on the pages of American history. The question of temperance was argned in these societies and thus the principle was early instilled into the minds of the younger people of the county. Delaware County has always voted for prohibition at all the elections held where the liquor question was at issue. Although starting along educational lines in a very primitive way the carly settler laid a foundation upon which a gigantic structure has arisen, for eduea- tion. temperance and reformation.
GROVES THE FIRST PLACES OF WORSHIP
Our first temples in which the worship of God was conducted were in the groves near some settler's cabin, a stump being used for a Bible stand. As we had no resident minister we were visited about three or four times a year by what was called a cireuit rider, who came on horseback carrying all his aeeouter- ments with him. These were placed in a couple of leather pouches. called saddlebags, and fastened to the baek part of the saddle, which hung down on the sides of the horse. The contents usually were a change of elothing, a Bible, a hymn book and a collection of leaflets of religious reading, which he distributed among the people. Upon his visits he performed marriage ceremonies, baptism of children and preached funeral sermons, if any one had died since his last visit. As we did not have hymn books, the minister would line the hymn that was to be sung by reading two lines of the first verse of the hymn, in which the congregation joined with the minister in singing. Then the next two lines were read by the minister and they were sung by all; again, the next two lines, and so on until the hymn was sung from start to finish.
CAMP MEETINGS ANNOYED BY ROWDIES
C'amp meetings were Frequently held by the church people. There would be some four or five of these meetings during the summer and autumn, when the people came from their homes prepared to spend about two weeks. Some had tents, others covered wagons, in which they slept. The cooking was done by a camp fire near by. The camp grounds were lighted in the evenings by building a scaffold about five feet high, on which about one foot of dirt was thrown. A tire was placed on this dirt and kept burning and in this manner the grounds were lighted; lanterns and candles furnished the additional light needed. The meetings were generally attended by two different classes of people. There was very often a rowdy element that was a source of annoyance to the quietly dis- posed people which sometimes became very troublesome. The people were sometimes assembled by the blowing of a tin horn for the worship hour. Some
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rowdy would manage to steal the horn and about the time the congregation had gotten well located in their tents and wagons for the night, the horn would be blown vigorously and aronse them from their slumbers. Many other pranks, too numerous to mention, were imposed upon the worshiping people. I will refer the reader to the autobiography of Peter Cartwright, who has very elaborately written of the acts of this rowdy element during his services in the Rock River Conference.
PIONEER PREACHERS-CHURCH A "SHACK" COVERED WITH LEAVES
After a few years, resident preachers were established among our people, but we did not have any church building. Our log schoolhouses were pressed into service and our religious meetings were held in them and sometimes they were held in private homes. There was an appointment where a minister was to hold service in a private house in our settlement, the hour being 10 o'clock in the morning. The people had assembled and the hour for worship was draw- ing near. The man at whose home the service was to be held saw a wolf chasing his sheep in the pasture near by. He took down his gun, went out into the pasture and succeeded in killing the wolf. Just as he came back to the house, dragging the dead wolf, and with gun on shoulder, the preacher rode up and thus the good man was caught in a dilemma on Sunday morning. After shaking hands with the minister, he remarked that he had been trying for two weeks to get a shot at that wolf and, seeing a good opportunity that Sunday morning. he could not resist the temptation, for if he did not kill the wolf it would kill his sheep. The minister 'replied : "Brother D-, work of necessity must be done, and if there are any more wolves show up, we will kill them if it is Sunday."
The first religious service that the writer remembers attending was held under a shanty covered with brush and leaves. A large stump near the, shanty was used as a Bible stand. Logs, about 116 feet in diameter, were used for seats. The preacher, a large and powerful man, preached an old-fashioned hell-fire-and- brimstone sermon that caused the children, who were old enough to understand, to refrain from doing anything wrong for fear the devil would carry them off.
PREACHIED FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
The love of God for humanity was not mentioned in his sermon; neither were the familiar quotations from the lips of the Savior, such as "Suffer little children to come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Ileaven." "Except ve beeome as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." The only inducement held out to ns, which our young minds grasped, was that we would have to be good boys and girls in order to escape hell fire. The love of the Divine Teacher was not taken into considera- tion. And yet Christianity, education, temperance and reform seemed to travel hand in hand. Starting out among the carly settlers in a very small beginning. the guiding hand of God seemed to crown their feeble efforts with success: for the schoolhouses and churches within our county are strong evidences of the fact today.
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The pay of the ministers was quite an object. Often they took the larger share of their stipend in such products as the settlers had, as little money was in circulation among the people and they were willing to take the inconveniences of a new country along with the rest. As our county grew in population the different church organizations became established among our people. Even Mormonism was preached among the settlers after the votaries of that sect were driven from Nauvoo, Illinois. Sabbath desecration was never practiced among the people. We generally had a Sunday school and class meeting, and some member would lead the meetings in the absence of a minister ; hence the young people received religious instruction that became the foundation of character in after life.
A FREE VOTE AND A FAIR COUNT
Political parties were run on the lines of a free vote and a fair count, our county being principally democratie. The republican party had not been born. The old whig party was in existence as late as 1860. Previous to 1856 the two principal parties were whig and democratie. with the latter in power. Occa- sionally a whig candidate would be elected. Elections in that day were not as well guarded as they now are. Reports on the votes from back townships in the county and back counties in the state were very often meddled with before the returns were all handed in. Sometimes more votes were returned than there were people living in the precincts. The offices not being being very remunera- tive were not looked after very closely and a defeated candidate did not care to spend much time in a campaign or contest.
The campaign of 1860 was one of the most exciting ever witnessed in this county, not so much ou local, as on national affairs. The paramount question of the non-extension of slavery had been espoused by the republican party, which had been defeated in 1856. The election of James Buchanan to the presidency of the United States had given the southern democracy an opportunity to get hold of the property of the United States. Our army was placed mostly in the southern states and our munitions of war were sent south, so that when the war actually began in the spring of 1861 we were almost destitute of anything with which to defend ourselves. The slavery question had been agitated among the Northern people and had been thoroughly disenssed by onr statesmen, as well as the victory of the republican party, in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. In 1860 there were five candidates for the presidency of the United States. This was the first victory for the young republican party, with its platform so well defined on the slavery question. The Southern Confederacy was organized. The southern members of Congress withdrew, to meet at Montgomery, Alabama, and there assembled, defied the authority of the general Government. War was then declared against the United States and the great rebellion came on. Delaware County was not lacking iu patriotism. After the firing on Fort Sumter, which was the beginning of hostilities, her young men answered to the first call for troops, and men and means were furnished by our citizens to every eall made by the President, and their watchword was, the Union of these states must be preserved at all hazards!
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CLOUDS ON THE POLITICAL HORIZON-THE CIVIL WAR
Not only our county but the whole country from East to West and North to South was awakened to the fact that our political difficulties could not be settled but by the arbitrament of war. Argument had lost its force, compromise had Failed, and as a last resort the call to arms had come and our county was in a turmoil. The appeal of orators, the beating of drums, the booming of guns were heard in every town, village and hamlet within its border. The young men of Delaware County responded to the call to arms, shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom and singing one of the familiar songs of that day, "We Are Com- ing. Father Abraham. Six Hundred Thousand More"; and for nearly two long. weary years the people had misgivings as to the result of the great struggle, as first one side would gain a vietory and then the other. Also, foreign nations, looking to the cotton trade of the southern states, were debating the question of recognizing the southern Confederacy as an independent nation and com- pelling us to raise the blockade of the southern ports. The opening of the Mis- sissippi River in July. 1863, by the northern forces, seemed to put a quietus on foreign interference and the situation viewed from a foreign standpoint was decidedly in favor of the United States. Thus in this gigantic struggle we had enemies without as well as armed foes within. During the four years of hos- tilities, the army and navy were the embodiment of the Republic. All eyes, both at home and From foreign shores, were trained upon the advance or the retreat of the United States armies. If we were successful and gained a victory, our stocks and bonds advanced in price. When the northern army suffered a defeat. the stocks and bonds of every description went down in price. Congress of the United States paid little attention to any legislation that was not a war measure, as our existence as a nation depended on the victory of our army which, after a four years' struggle, was victorious, and the angel of peace spread his wings over our devastated country. Peace was declared, the army disbanded and the soldier boys of Delaware County, like those of other places that had survived the death dealing contest, returned to their homes. While to some, it would seem, the home coming soldier's heart would be leaping with joy over his safe return to his home and friends, yet with many of them this was not the case. There were many changes in the old homestead since he went away. The Death Angel had left a vacant chair at the family board, the familiar faces that sat with him at the table were not all there. Then the thought of comrade, brother, friend that he left in the Southland to molder away into that silent, voiceless, dreamless dust. from which there is no waking until the trump of God shall arouse him from his slumbers; the toilsome march, the siege, the conflict and the scenes of carnage and blood ; the burial place of comrades and the whole panorama of his military life seems to pass before him in a moment of time and with tears dimming his eyes, he excuses himself by saying his appetite is gone. Hence, with many the home coming was as sad as the departure for the field of strife. The great struggle required nearly every able-bodied man sub- jeet to military duty to enlist in the cause of his country ; consequently, the women in many instances took their places both in the shops and on the farms, doing the work of the men in the fields.
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