USA > Indiana > Grant County > Fairmount > The making of a township, being an account of the early settlement and subsequent development of Fairmount Township, Grant County, Indiana, 1829 to 1917, based upon data secured by personal interviews, from numerous communications > Part 15
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The first school house was built on the Benjamin Benbow farm, later known as the Daniel Thomas farm, now owned by William A. Beasley. It was a log structure, erected in 1836. The next school building was erected on the Jacob McCoy farm in 1839.
In 1844 a frame school house was built on the Edmund Leach farm by popular donation. A store and a saw-mill were also started at about the same time, and the community took the name of Leachburg. Joe Broyles taught here. Among the scholars at different times were Elizabeth and Louisa Reeder, William M. Duling. John Duling, George W. Reeder, Henry Carpenter, Charles M. Leach, Clark Leach, Frank Brewer, James Terrell, John W. Furnish, Milt Brewer, Mary Brewer, William, John H. and Adrial Simons and Morton and Oliver McCor- nick, the two last named being grandsons of Robert McCormick.
The earliest teachers in the Township upon the building of log school houses were David Stanfield, Thomas Baldwin, Joseph W. Bald- win, Solomon Thomas, Thomas Gordon, Rachel Lee and John T. Morris.
In his young manhood Thomas D. Duling, Sr., was Township Trustee. He was broad in his views and tolerant of the religious and political opinions of others. When he leased land for the erection of a school house, it was definitely stipulated in the agreement that the building should be open free to all denominations for service when not in use for school purposes. This school house stood three-quarters of a mile due north of Fowlerton.
Edmund and Eliza ( Hubert) Duling came to the Township in the same year, 1845, with the former's brother, Thomas D., Sr. Edmund Duling's family consisted of five children, namely : Maria, Asa, Mary Jane, Solomon and Emily. Mary Jane died at an early age. Edmund Duling bought eighty acres of land of Nathan Dicks, who in the early
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Early Schools and Teachers.
day owned a half-section, this tract lying about one mile northwest of Fowlerton. Edmund Duling was a successful farmer and a minister in the Methodist Protestant denomination. In his younger days he, like his brother Thomas, was a teacher. One of his schools was taught at the old Myers school house, then situated at a point about one-half mile northwest of Fowlerton. The old Duling school house, frequently called Liberty, a frame building twenty-four feet square, erected in 1856, was located on the farm now owned by J. O. Duling, three-quar- ters of a mile northwest of Fowlerton. The first teacher at this school was William H. H. Reeder, followed in consecutive order by George Bowers, Milt McHatton, Columbus F. Lay, John Heal, David H. Bowers, Mary Taylor, Lydia E. Brelsford, John M. Littler and John Daily. There was an enrollment of sixty at the first school taught there in 1856. Among the scholars were Thomas, Ellis, Lemon. Mary Jane and William Jones, children of Jacob Jones ; Mary Ann and Simon Small, children of Josiah and Sarah Small : Laura, Hiram and Elijah Simons, children of George W. and Mary Simons ; Wesley, Henry and George Roberts, children of Matilda Roberts; Newton and Stephen Brewer, children of Stephen and Jane Brewer; Sarah and William Searl, children of Elijah and Rachel Searl; Nancy, Charles, John and Robert Nose, children of George Nose : Washington and Mi- nerva Reynolds, children of Thomas and Rebecca Reynolds ; Charles Wright, son of Charles and Nancy Wright; George W., Hiram A., Burtney R. and Robert L., sons of Joseph and Catherine Jones ; John C .. Thomas, Minerva, John M., Lewis and James Littler, children and step-children of James and Sarah Nottingham; Joshua, Andrew and Deborah Bishop: Eliza and Cenia Reeder, daughters of Franklin and Fannie Reeder ; William and Adrial Simons, sons of Henry and Eliza- beth Simons; Joseph W. Parrill, step-son of Henry Simons; Jasper, Charles M. and George Leach, sons of Edmund and Emily Leach ; Jane, Joseph and Eunice Barclay, children of Henry Barclay ; Maria, Asa and Solomon Duling, children of Edmund and Eliza Duling ; William M., Mary, John W., Barbara Ann, Elizabeth, Thomas D., Jr., and Joel O. Duling, children of Thomas D., Sr., and Nancy Duling. The winter term of school continued for sixty days, from December to February. W. H. H. Reeder, the teacher, walked two miles through woods and swamps, built his own fires, boarded himself, received one dollar a day for his services, and on the last day of school gave each boy and girl a present. William H. H. Reeder was one of the strong. efficient teachers of the early day. He was a foremost man in pro- moting the best interests of the Township. He took great pride in his
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The Making of a Township.
work when he set out to do a thing. He always contended that it was his duty to perform any task set before him with all the care and intelli- gence of which he was capable. Several of the boys whose names are mentioned served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and some of them never returned from the front.
In 1865 there were 495 children in Fairmount Township of school age. The amount of tuition fund drawn during the year was $908.98.
In 1875 the number of children of school age was 445. Amount of tuition fund drawn during this year was $1,353.68. The tuition fund increased in ten years $444.70.
In 1876 there were 447 children enrolled in the Fairmount Town- ship schools, 264 male and 183 female. The average daily attendance was 283. In this year there were eight school districts and nine teachers, six male and three female. The salary of the teachers was $2.18 per day for male teachers, and $2.02 for female teachers. The number of days taught during the year was seventy-five. There were two brick and six frame school houses, having an estimated value of $5,000, and $100 worth of apparatus.
In 1866 Jonathan P. Winslow, who was at that time Township Trus- tee, built the two-story frame school building* which stood on the square, donated by Jonathan Baldwin for the purpose, on East Wash- ington Street previous to the time that the present brick structure was erected to replace it.
Winslow met with considerable opposition. Citizens at that time thought the Trustee was too ambitious, that his plans were too elabor- ate, and that the building he planned was too big and entirely too expen- sive. But with characteristic energy and persistence Winslow went forward with the work. He lived to see his judgment vindicated by later developments. as it was not many years before his critics discov- ered that he rightly interpreted and foresaw the needs of the time. His neighbors in later years gave him full and proper credit for his foresight. William Pusey and Mary Winslow Bogue were engaged as the first teachers in the frame building. In 1891 the present com- modions brick building was constructed.
MARY ANN TAYLOR.
Some incidents are here related in the life of Mary Ann Taylor. who was one of the teachers of Fairmount Township in the years of
*Squire Caleb Moon afterwards bought the old frame building, which had been turned into a dormitory, and moved it to his farm, west of Fair- mount, in November, 1898, where it was worked over into a barn.
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Early Schools and Teachers.
the past. She was of English birth, born in Stebbing, England, in August, in 1843, coming to the United States when a little child. being the youngest of a family of five children, who with their father, William Taylor, set sail for the new world some time in the spring of 1849. The mother, for whom Mary Ann was named, had been laid away three years previous, in one of the beautiful cemeteries of England. William Taylor chose a sail boat for this journey of almost three months, as much safer, as he believed, than a steamboat, of which there were few at this time. The little Mary Ann, then five years old, remem- bers her disappointment at leav- MARY ANN TAYLOR ing on shore her small dog, named Keeper, whom she had hoped to take with her. She remembers during a funeral on shipboard her father holding her up to see the shrouded figure lowered into the water, and of her fright at a great storm at night. There was great distress during the voyage from sea sickness, and her elder sister said to her when she refused to eat :
"Oh ! but you must or you may die, and we might have to bury you at sea."
The child remembered the family coming to Lagro, Indiana, by canal, although the connecting link between the Atlantic and the canal is lost ; and also that Aaron, who was next to her in age, after crossing the ocean without serious mishap, fell overboard into the canal and was rescued with more or less difficulty. At Lagro friends met them with a wagon and brought them to Grant County. This was some time in June. William Taylor, with his motherless children, settled in Fair- mount Township and lived on the little farm that he purchased until his death, in 1854. It was in these years that the people of Fairmount Township endeared themselves by many acts of kindness to this lonely family. The children left were never without home and friends.
The first school attended was a subscription school at Back Creek. which was taught by William Neal. The school advantages being bet-
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The Making of a Township.
JOHN R. LITTLE
ter in Jonesboro, after a time Mary Ann found her way into the Jones- boro schools and took advantage of every thing offered at that time in the way of education. Such teachers as Sarah Jay, Terah and Asa Baldwin, Cornelius Ratliff, with his wife, Susan Jay Ratliff, and Cornelius Shugart, have left a pleasant memory. Just before the Civil War she attended the In- diana College, at Marion, for a time. After leaving college Miss Taylor, who had intended to be- come a teacher, went back to Fair- mount Township to begin her work. Her favorite pastime as a child had been make-believe school teaching. when she would gather the children of the neighborhood around her during vacation time. keeping them happy and out of mischief for hours. She speaks of her first school in the summer as a real school, taught by a little girl, as she was not much more than that. She may have inher- ited somewhat the teaching in- stinct, as two of her maiden aunts were life-long teachers in Eng- land, having taught until past four-score years.
Taught thirteen terms of school in of 1859, at Wesleyan Back Creek. Fairmount Township. In 1905. when Mr. Little wrote for teacher's license, his examination papers showed an average grade of 100 per cent. He served one term of six years as Trus- tee of Fairmount Township. John R. Little is a son of Thomas and Susan- nah (Foust) Little. Thomas Little served during the Civil War, first in the Eighty-fourth Indiana Infantry, and later in the Seventh Indiana Cav- alry. John R. Little's people were Quakers for many generations back.
After teaching at Wesleyan Back Creek she taught in Fairmount a summer and fall school. These were subscription schools. In the winter of 1863-1864 she taught the Duling district school. east of Fairmount. In March, 1864, she was married to Joseph A. Morrow, of Jonesboro. In 1866 they moved to Marion. Mr. Morrow having been elected Clerk of the Circuit Court of Grant County. They identified themselves with the Methodist Epis- copal Church, of Marion, having been members of that church in Jones-
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Early Schools and Teachers.
boro since early in life. Here Mrs. Morrow took up active church work, in the Sunday school as teacher and assisant superintendent in the Woman's Foreign Missionary work and wherever duty called her. At the present time she lives in Marion and is still interested in all work for the benefit of humanity, although of necessity not so active as in former years.
NAMES OF TEACHERS OF FAIRMOUNT TOWNSHIP
Tacie Pemberton Adell
Terah Baldwin
Charles Atkinson
Thomas D. Barr
Ann Austin
Thomas Baldwin
Lydia Morris Arnold
Joseph W. Baldwin
Joy Anderson
George W. Bowers
Agnes Anderson
David H. Bowers
Mary Winslow Bogue
Lydia E. Brelsford
Alonzo A. Burrier
Ella Brightenfelt
Narcissa Luther Bundy
Anna Bogue
Elias Bundy
Zola Beasley
Andrew Buller
Dora Bogue
David Baldwin
Emma C. Beals
Mattie Carter Bogue
Vashti Binford
Burton Bradfield
Aaron Cosand
Joseph Broyles
Milicent Cosand
Frank C. Brown
Sarah Cammack
Millie Bogue
Will Calhoun
William Bowers Frank Bundy
Pearlie Champ
Lancaster D. Baldwin
Mrs. Amy Carroll
William Baldwin
Hugh Clark
Robert Beauchamp
John Carter
Stella Buller Zola Neal Brunt
Eli J. Cox
Asa T. Baldwin
William. J. Caskey
Charles Baldwin Susannah Baldwin
James E. Caskey
Mary Baldwin Quincy Baldwin
William Cammack
John H. Baldwin
Mosilean McFarland Crilley
Arcadia Baldwin
John W. Cox
Huldah Baldwin Bradford
Eliza Coffin
Mahlon Cook
Peninah Hill Binford
Keturah Baldwin Crawford
John H. Caskey
Sallie Clark
Cassie Lamm Carter
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The Making of a Township.
Truxton Coggeshall
Hamilton Dean
Clark Calderwood
Joel Davis
Charles H. Copeland
Thomas Duling, Sr.
Will Coahran
Edmund Duling
Lelia Davis Coahran
Alex Deeren
Charles L. Coffin
Nathan Davis
Professor Carr
Foster Davis
Gertrude Coyle
J. M. Dickey
Elmira Dillon Charles
Dorinda Rush Davis
Mattie Carter
Lucy Davis
Edna Calvert
Wyllis Davis
H. L. Carter
R. B. Duff
Mrs. Mattie Charles
Everett Davis
Ava Cope S. C. Cowgill
Homer L. Dickey
Bernice Conner
Nelle Denney
Katie Coaltran Dillon
Professor Dean
Alice Coahran Dillon
Mr. Douglass
Georgia Dickens
Hannah Beeson Davis
Hazel Duling
John Evans
Estella Davis
Martin Evans
Millie Cosand
Elwood Garner
Ellwood O. Ellis
Flora Reeder Glass
Dora Ellis
Addie Dare Goodall
Nen H. Edwards
Mahala Gordon
Ora E. Eiler
Edward Gardner
Vina French John Furnish
W. C. Goble
Joseph Furnish
Eugene Goble
Neil Good
Grace Bevington Guinnup
Rebecca Garrison Hayden
Prof. Daniel Freeman
Elizabeth Hollis
Evan H. Ferree
Clinton Hockett
Rachel Moreland Fankboner
Jarett Horine Joseph A. Holloway
John D. Ferree
Thomas Harris
Eliza Jane Dillon Harvey
Charles M. Hobbs
Albert Haisley
.
John Flanagan
Hortense Glass Murton Glass Treva Seale Gaddis
Thomas Gordon
Ada Hill Felton
James Flanagan Forrest Foraker
John Dailey
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Early Schools and Teachers.
Robert W. Himelick*
Anna Harvey
Louisa Baldwin Henley
Lida Millikan Haisley
W. J. Houck
Oscar Hockett
Icy Horton
Grace Hobbs
Rose Horton
Waldo E. Haisley
Oliver Hockett
Mr. Hadley
John Harley
Kate Holliday
Sallie Price Harvey
Gusta Whitney Johnson
H. A. Hutchins
Cerena Wright Jay
Benajah Harris
Berry Johnson
Elwood Harvey
Cassie Jennings
John W. Himelick
Henry Jeffrey
Cyrus W. Harvey
Ben Jones
Jesse Harvey Henry Harvey
Thomas Elsa Jones
Thomas Harvey
Ora Jones
Miriam Henley
David Jay
Mamie Ellis
Elizabeth Johnson Rush
John Jones
Lydia Hussey Ephraim O. Harvey Avis Harvey John W. Harvey
Walter L. Jay
Edith Johnson
Beulah Knight Kaufman
Susannah Harvey
Samuel Knight, Sr.
Gertrude Hinshaw
Thomas Knight (Long Tom)
Thomas Hutchins
Estella Davis Kirk
John Heal
Robert Kearns
Richard Haworth
Louvenia Winslow Kelsay
Nettie Baldwin Hollingsworth Tillman Hutchins
Sallie Hollingsworth Kelsay Mrs. Thomas Knight
*Robert W. Himelick is a native of Madison County, Indiana, where he was born December 16, 1869. He was educated in the common schools, at Fairmount Academy, State Normal School, Indiana University, DePauw University and New York University. He received the degree of Master of Arts at Indiana University. He is a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Himelick is principal of the Cleveland (Ohio) Normal School. He graduated from the State Normal School in 1898; Bachelor Arts, Indi- ana University, 1909: Master of Arts, Indiana University, 1910; superin- tendent of Fairmount schools; Jonesboro, Indiana; Monessen, Pennsyl- vania; supervising principal, Indianapolis schools; summer school instructor, Indiana University; superintendent training school, State Normal, River
Falls, Wisconsin, and principal, Cleveland Normal School since 1914. Mr. Himelick was married, in 1895, to Miss Meda O. Tyler, at Fairmount. They are the parents of two interesting children, namely: Francis and Jesse Himelick. Mr. Himelick has attained to his high position in educational achievement by thorough preparation and conscientious effort, ever mind- ful of the importance of keeping his profession at the highest standard of efficiency and practical usefulness.
Orpha Jones
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The Making of a Township.
Joseph Knight Thomas Knight Cly Knight Julia Kelsey
Mollie Sherwood Murphy
Earl Morris
Jay MCEvoy
James Merritt
Mary Ladwig
Miles Moore
John R. Little
C. V. Moore
William J. Leach
Columbus Moore
William G. Lewis
Marion Moore
Frank Livesy
Ada McCormick
Myrtle Leach
Nora Mart
Norman Leasure
Milton McHatton
Preston Lucas
Exum Morris
Thurman Lewis
Rachel Moon
John Lewis
Sallie Merritt
Marie Lyons
Thomas Morris
Matilda Lassiter
Millie Morris
Charles Lloyd
John T. Morris
Thomas Ladd
Mrs. Miles Moore
J. D. Latham
Elizabeth Moreland
Morgan O. Lewis
Daniel W. Lawrence
Mary Latham McTurnan
Dorothy Luther
Gertrude Mills
Leonard Little A. R. Long
Samuel M. Nolder
Rachel Lee
William Neal
Columbus F. Lay
Winslow Neal
John M. Littler
Thomas J. Nixon
Homer D. Long
Annie Newby
Lee O. Lines
Alice Nixon
Lucinda Mendenhall
Mahlon Neal
Maggie Moore
Miss Nagle
Thomas Morris
Dea Nolder
Emma Phillips Martinez
Berry Oliver
Frank Monahan
William P. Osborn
William Modlin
L. M. Overman Mahlon Osborn
Mary Ann Taylor Morrow
Deborah Moore
Ruth Osborn
Mina Hollis McCone
Lydia Osborn
Ed Monahan
George A. Osborn
Morton McCormick
Margaret Lindley Overman
Milton Millspaugh
Calvin W. Pearson
Benson Millard
R. Nelson
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Early Schools and Teachers.
Edith Philippy
J. W. Parker
Frank M. Presnall
Nancy Reece Jesse Reece Seright Roberts
George M. Pierce
Grace Ratliff
Thomas Pusey Seth T. Parsons
Frank H. Rigdon
Lucia Parrill
William H. H. Reeder
Margaret Wright Phillips
Joseph A. Roberts
Rena Price Jane Pruitt
Ancil M. Raper
Fidella Pierce
John Rush
Levi Pierce
Ryland Ratliff
Enos Presnall
Ancil E. Ratliff
Charles T. Parker
Milo E. Ratliff
W. L. Pearson
Anna Rush
Joseph W. Parrill
Calvin C. Rush
Frederick Rauch
Mary Pearson William Pusey
Ora Searls
Ella Pearson Patterson
Ada Scott
Angelina Harvey Pearson
Mary Spangler
Malissa Pierce Morris
Joseph Shugart
Phoebe Pemberton
Nellie Simons
Tod E. Paulus
Henry Stover Sallie Stretch
William Stover
W. S. Seaford
Otho Selby*
John Smithson
John H. Simons
Adrial Simons
Ella Exelby Steele
Osha Starr
Frank Sherwin
David Stanfield
"Otho Selby, one of the prominent and successful teachers of pioneer days, was a native of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, born in 1805. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Selby, a native of Maryland, who emigrated to Pennsylvania. It was in this State that Samuel Selby, Jr., father of Otho Selby, was born; his mother, whose maiden name was Agnes Bernhard, was also a native of Pennsylvania. Her death occurred in Grant County, in 1855. Otho Selby died at his home in Fairmount Township in 1880. He was educated in the common schools of Pennsyl- vania, came to Franklin County, Indiana, in 1832, and later to Fairmount Township, where he made his home, and where he at one time owned 200 acres of good land. Before he came to Fairmount Township he taught school in Franklin County thirteen years in one school house, a part of this time passing the summer seasons in Grant County on land which he had entered. In politics he was a Democrat, and was a member of the Presby- terian Church. His wife's maiden name was Jane C. Allen, born in Ohio, in 1821, who died in Fairmount Township in 1878. Her father's name was Joseph B. Allen.
Samuel Radley
Ovid Reeder
Russell Ratliff
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The Making of a Township.
J. R. Sherrick
Prof. W. E. Schoonover
W. W. Ware Roland Whitney
Frances Sheppard
Geneva Sanders
J. M. Wilson Cyrus Wilson
Catherine Stanfield
Enos Wilcuts
Frank Smith
Helen Weston Wells
Anna Simons
Eunice Pierce Wilson
L. O. Slagle
Joel White
Katie Coahran Slone
P. H. Wright
Irma Smith
Asenath Winslow
Martha Townsend
Joseph Wilson
Martin Tracy
Millie Wilcuts
Alice Test
Herman Wimmer
Elon W. Tucker
Thomas Winslow
Maggie Tracy
Lillie Watson
David Thomas
Margaret Neal Wilson
George Thorn
David Weesner
Aaron Taylor
Flaud Wooten
Jesse J. Thomas
Belle Van Arsdall
L. L. Tyler
Jennie Van Arsdall
Solomon Thomas
Myrtle Ellis Winslow
Martha Townsend
Mary Wright
Bert Thomas
Addie Wright Dora E. Wilson
Jennie Phillips Whitney
E. Leona Wright
Cassie E. Wiltsie
Carrie Wantland
J. H. Wilson Murt Woollen
Alfred Waldron
William Young
Robert L. Wilson
Lizzie Zink
Delia Truman
Charles Baldwin taught in the log house at Back Creek about 1836; Beulah Knight Kauffman in new frame. There were no desks, only benches; no backs, and a long plank for those who wrote. William Neal next.
Then I went to Fairmount, as the meeting house was now built, and Millie Wilcuts taught there. I will not soon forget it was in this school I made my first public effort in speaking. They were speaking poems, so I asked Jennie Rush if she knew "Twinkle, Little Star." She said, "Yes." So we went out on the floor. She commenced with "Tinkle, tinkle, 'ittle 'tar," so fast | burst out laughing after saying "Twinkle" once, and ran to my seat. ( Now, that was different from today, being in the Matron's Medal Contest for the W. C. T. U. work.)
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Early Schools and Teachers.
We now moved to Marion ; were gone five years. Back again to Back Creek, close to the school house. David Thomas was teaching when we returned. Miriam Henley, next Quincy Baldwin, a Winslow (forget his given name), from another county ; Melissa Pierce, Joel Davis. Anna Newby, Mahlon Osborn, then the war came on. I taught one winter at East Branch. We then went to Iowa.
MRS. LYDIA ARNOLD.
Ottawa, Kansas, February 6, 1917.
(Editor's Note .- Mrs. Arnold is a daughter of Nathan Morris. Mrs. Arnold, moved away from Fairmount more than fifty years ago. Since her marriage to Isaac Arnold she has lived in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. In another part of her letter Mrs. Arnold states that besides herself, Thomas Morris, Exum Morris and Millie Morris were other members of her father's family who taught school in Fairmount Township. Mrs. Arnold has for years been active in work as teacher among the Indians, in Sunday school associations, in Women's Chris- tian Temperance Union matters, in suffrage organizations and other lines of endeavor having to do with the betterment of civic and social conditions. )
I have been reading your letters and notes which I have enjoyed very much. I can remember a few teachers who have not been men- . tioned, especially my first.
In 1860 a small frame school house stood in Nixon Winslow's grove just across the road from his late residence east of town. This school was taught by Huldah Baldwin Bradford. Other teachers I remember going to were Anna Rush, Asenath Winslow, Joseph Wilson. They taught in the Quaker school, across from the Quaker Church, Here the Quaker children went in preference to the other school. Fourth-day meeting was observed and teacher took her flock to church. Sometimes this seemed a day, and how many times we sought for excuses, mostly always in vain.
CAROLINE SMITH PICKARD.
Marion, Indiana, February 21, 1917.
(Editor's Note .- Mrs. Pickard is a daughter of Rariden and Rachel (Baldwin) Smith, and a granddaughter of John and Mary Ann Smith, early settlers. Mrs. Pickard's grandparents were the first couple to obtain a marriage license in Grant County. Rariden Smith was at one time interested in a tanyard located here.)
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The Making of a Township.
My father. Exum Elliott, bought the farm north of the Solomon Knight farm in the fall of 1864. My mother was Solomon Knight's eldest daughter, therefore I am a great-granddaughter of Joseph Wins- low.
Though living in Mill Township we went to Back Creek to meeting, and the greater part of the time from 1864 to 1874 I went there to school. Several have spoken of the "gads" and the "whippings," but I never witnessed a child whipped at school. Neither did I hear of one being whipped at any school I ever attended, though this may have happened.
Several have spoken of all the school attending mid-week meeting at II o'clock, a custom which was faithfully kept up at Back Creek until the fall of 1888. The teacher, although a Friend, decided not to take the children to meeting, and as the patrons did not ask him to let their children go, the custom of so many years was dropped.
Now, I never remember of attending school but that it was a part of the program of the day to begin school with a Bible reading. A few of my teachers offered prayer occasionally after the reading, and sometimes a pupil would pray. One teacher especially I remember that read from the Bible and prayed every morning, often explaining to us children the lesson read. One morning she read the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes and gave from it such a vivid picture of an old man with- out God that I have never forgotten it.
RUTH T. CAREY.
Jonesboro, Indiana, April 10, 1917.
Once there stood a little school house in the corner of a large woods near where Perry Scale's house is now located. In that school house Elmira Dillon taught a summer term. If memory does not fail. she was the daughter of Sammy Dillon, and she afterwards became the wife of William Charles. Mr. Charles had a gift in public speaking, and was recorded a minister of the Friends Church in his young manhood days. Mrs. Charles died soon after her marriage. Are these memories cor- rect ? To that school among the trees went Misses Mary and Hannah Wilson, the writer and her sister, Emma, and it probably was the first school for each of us. We had great fun making clothes and hats during recess hours out of pawpaw leaves and even roofing our play houses with the same big leaves.
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