USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 19
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The first teacher here is remembered as David Creamer, who taught three months each year in a log cabin on the farm of Jacob Jenkins. The subscription school became very popular in a short time after the settlement of this county. On March 18, 1826, the township trustees divided this town- ship into seven school districts. After a number of years, the log buildings gave place to better structures of frame. Later the number of school dis- tricts was increased to thirteen, and then substantial brick school houses were constructed-a great innovation in educational facilities. The county super- intendent's last report will show what the condition of schools is there today.
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In Jasper township the early children had very little of what even then was considered good school facilities, and not until 1816 was there a school house erected in the township. This was a round-log structure, with puncheon floor and seats, and was lighted with greased paper stretched over openings in the log walls. It was built by the settlers in the dark, dense woods, on land belonging to Richard Ayers, in the Coil-Bush neighborhood. There Thomas Powell was first to instruct. He commenced in 1816, almost a hundred years ago. He received but a mere stipend, sufficient to keep the wolf from his door. This building was soon replaced by a better example of log school house and it was located a mile to the east, on the Richard Smith farm, then the property of Abraham Bush, John S. Burnett, later county auditor, taught the first school in the last mentioned building in 1818. Another school house was erected on the Coons property, a mile south of Milledgeville, early in the settlement of Jasper township. This served until 1837, when it was no longer sufficient for the increasing demands. The good citizens of the township assembled and determined to improve in the matter of a school house. They could not agree on a common site, so built two houses, one being on the John Rankin farm. Here Joel Starbuck was first to teach : he was from Clinton county. This was still in subscription school days, remember. The other building was located three miles south, on the old State road, now Washington and Jamestown pike.
It is also related that in 1828 there had been a school house built on the old Persinger farm. It was of round poles, with desks running along each side, to be occupied by pupils only, while writing. Here John T. Powell taught the first term, receiving ten dollars per month, payable in produce. Two years after this it was burned and never rebuilt.
In 1845 a school house was built on the land of Williamson Ferguson, in the center of the neighborhood, Ferguson donating the land. The house was erected by the settlers, and Miss Mary Jane Blystone, of Jeffersonville, was the first to teach there. This was a subscription school. The common or public school system, while in force in Ohio as early as 1837, was not adopted here until much later. The people were slow to adopt it and still stuck to the subscription plan, which they believed to be cheaper, but in fact was not, all things being counted.
In Concord township, as in all parts of the new country, the children of school age were forced to remain at home and help clear the land of tim- ber and brushes, as well as till the garden patch. in place of enjoying the schools in which. otherwise, their parents would have been pleased to see
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them attend. But within a few years this all changed for the better, and parents then awoke to the fact that their own loved ones must secure at least a practical education-sufficient to enable them to read and write and "add sums" correctly. Therefore, the families making up the several neighbor- hoods commenced to start private and subscription schools. They erected log cabins and did all in their power to suitably fit up the structures that they might be warm in winter time, for that was the popular part of the year for schools-a season when the children could do nothing else! Several years since, when an attempt was being made to search out and record the school history of Fayette county, Levi Rowe made the assertion that "the first school house in this township stood on the banks of Sugar creek." The first teacher was William Sweet. He was followed by J. D. Moon. Five families, living east and west of the Randolph survey, erected a small cabin in the center of this survey, either in 1824 or 1825, and this served for school purposes. This was followed by numerous other buildings and as time went by frame, and finally brick, school houses might have been seen here and there throughout the township. Men and women of rare attainments were then . secured to teach and the educational facilities were speedily taken advantage of.
In Green township, it was a matter of deep regret to the pioneers, most of whom had come in from some one of the older, better developed Eastern or Southern states, that they had to keep the children at home to work, in- stead of sending them to school, as they had been in the habit of doing. Money was scarce and taxes had to be paid and when that was accomplished there remained but little to pay "subscription" to a school teacher, hence many in this township grew to be young men and women without having the proper chance to attend school. Finally, some of the better educated ladies commenced teaching in their own cabin homes. They had a lot of scholars who walked as far as five miles, in order to attend these "home schools." Twenty-five pupils was a sufficient number to establish a "sub- scription school" with and as soon as times admitted the settlers did this. Where parents were too poor, be it said to their credit, those of better financial standing paid the sum in addition to their own shares in such schools. One dollar and a half was the amount usually paid for the term.
The first school house here was a very rough affair erected of poles, had a puncheon floor, a mud chimney, seats of poles split in two with the flat and sometimes "slivery" side up. Where the chinking was out the most, there the greased paper was applied for windows, as that allowed light, at the same time keeping out the rain and wind. This fearfully and wonderfully-made
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building was erected on the Little Wabash in 1819, where in later years the heirs of 'Squire Clay resided. This subscription district was six miles square, and in the winter of 1819 was in charge of Ebenezer Christy, a good teacher -when sober! Another early teacher was a Mr. Bradshaw. Today the township boasts of good buildings and modern furniture and fixtures in keeping with advanced ideas.
In Perry township existed the same trouble as in most other sections of Fayette county. The lack of money, need of the children's help at home, and a sparseness of settlement-all worked hardship for those who would other- wise have had their families in school, at least part of the year. But as it was, fate seemed to order otherwise for a quite a number of years. Finally, times were better and the clearing up of land had put the parents in a position to handle the work at home better themselves, and then school houses were soon found in the township.
The Ayers schoolhouse, built in 1810, was probably the first within Perry township. It was built on lands owned by Mr. Ayers, in the Center survey. Charles Cox was the first teacher in this pioneer building. Five or six years later there were two more added, one near the present Wabash school house, on Robert Scott's land, where Rev. W. A. King lived later. This was doubtless erected for both school and church uses, as many of the earlier buildings were erected with both objects in view. The other building was erected on land owned by Judge James Crothers. Mrs. Crothers had a school in her own house prior to the erection of this building.
In 1822 a round-log school house was built on the Isaac Henderson land near the Cochran Methodist Episcopal church. Hugh Painter taught the first term here and Jackson King the second, and these two ended the schools for that house.
Early in 1815 the Tom Ellis school was built. It was just at the close of the War of 1812-14. It stood at the very edge of Martinsburg, and Isaac Woods was among. if not the first, to teach there. John Moon was one of the later teachers and he forbade the burning of sassafras wood at the school from a superstitious belief quite common then, that it would be followed by evil results. These fears, it is known, did not extend to the use of whisky, or prevent him from resorting to his bottle for "inspiration." Old men tell us that they, while attending this school, frequently saw the master sneaking away to a place where he hid his bottle and come back with a smile stealing over his face. In 1828 this building was removed to the Todhunter land. It was known as the "Quaker school house" and there, as teachers, presided Messrs. Barnett, Joseph McLure, Samuel Banks and Jacob Todhunter.
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In October, 1845, the township was divided into seven sub-districts, and later still two more districts were created, one being used exclusively for the colored children. Long before 1877 brick school houses were the general rule in this township, and today every modern facility is employed to make good the education of the rising young.
In Marion township the first school was taught by James Webster, father of Bryce Webster, in the winter of 1812, in a cabin built for dwelling pur- poses, on the southwest side of the Springfield and Chillicothe road. Near this, on the opposite side of the highway, a small log school house was erected in the summer of 1813, and in this Mr. Webster taught the winter term of school. It was then abandoned and in 1814 another was erected on land of Adam Turner, and there Webster taught five years.
In Madison township the first school was taught in the year 1809, a winter school, by Samuel Myers, in a log cabin near the site of the present village of Waterloo. He walked two and a half miles to and from this shack of a building. Probably the next school was that taught on William Mor- gan's land, in the Armstrong survey. In the winter of 1824 Thomas John- son taught a term of school there as well as the winter following. The building was abandoned for such purposes about 1829, when a small house, eighty rods west of Yankeetown, was employed, and James Martin taught therein. Joseph Counts came as the next teacher (but few women were hired in those days). A Mr. McGary taught here three or four terms, and was followed by Julius Bicknell.
On the Urbana road, a mile and a half from Waterloo, land owned then by Jesse Barton was used for school purposes and a building was provided at Yankeetown about the same time. In about 1829-30 a building was erected in the W. Sanford survey, No. 13135. Clement Twifford, who had taught in the neighborhood before, was the instructor there. This building was burned, together with all the pupils' books. The school was then divided, one portion attending a term or two of school in an old unoccupied dwelling, then in a cabin of Richard Ciurson. In 1838 a building was erected at White Oak and occupied ten years, when a new building took its place. This was abandoned in 1877, when an elegant frame structure was built and the district was made independent.
Of schools in Paint township let it be stated that the pioneer here, in attempting to furnish his children with even an ordinary education, realized that he had a task before him. The common school system, as now under- stood, was not known at that date anywhere on American soil. Good teach- ers and buildings suitable were almost out of the question. Not until Fayette
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county had been organized a number of years were there any regular schools. Samuel Robins has been claimed as the earliest to teach in Paint township.
On the Midway and Bloomingburg pike, a small log cabin went up about 1815-a century ago-and there the first school was taught by one Greenley. About 1820 Thomas Fullerton, father of George S., taught in an old building on the Sulzer farm.
In 1817 the neighbors round about hewed the logs necessary to build a neat cabin on the corner of Abraham Kirkby's land, and it is said a school was immediately started there. A Mr. Twilliger first taught the "young idea" there to shoot. Robert Burnett also taught and boarded around among his patrons.
In 1853 the township was divided into eight districts and the board of education was composed of Samuel Myers, James Larrimore, Perry Salmon, . John Tway, A. F. Parrott, John Flood, John Carle and Hamilton Green. On May 14th, that year, the board met and decided to build a house for each district in the township, and to levy a tax of not less than three thousand eight hundred dollars and not more than four thousand dollars to carry out that project. This was a wonderful stride! Later it was decided that each district should have five hundred dollars to get a site and build a school house with.
On April 16, 1855 (mark the early date in talking of recent reforms), fifty-five young ladies, praying for the exclusion of tobacco from the school rooms of the township, were gratified by having such an order made and the same to go into immediate effect. Long skirts and tobacco spit were no friends even at that day!
The census shows that in Paint township in 1855 there were 439 white youth-225 male and 214 female-between the ages of five and twenty-one; colored youth, 9 males, I female ; grand total, 449.
WAYNE CENTRALIZED SCHOOL.
At Good Hope there was erected, in 1913, a large two-story, red pressed- brick school building, known as the Wayne township centralized school. Its cost was about twenty thousand dollars. It is a modern structure, built by a public spirited township, the citizens of which have faith in the final success of this system of public schools, instead of having them scattered about over the township. Better results can be obtained. It is quite a step in advance of most counties, but ere long Ohio will be dotted with centralized schools.
(14)
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The pupils are easily transported by hack to and from their homes. They are safer, and have better, brighter minds to do school room duty, than the students who travel in mud and dust, storm and sunshine, from half to two miles and more to attend school. The rivalry and general interest there manifest shows that ultimate good will come from this system. Its good effect is already seen here. The voters who at first opposed the system would not now vote against the measure, since they see the benefit to be de- rived therefrom. The actual cost is not much, if indeed any, more than under the old system. When the advantages to be gained are all counted in -a speedy and correct education, all the way up to eighth grade, in a school in all particulars equal to those found in the cities, the cost then is no more than the old plan and far better in many particulars.
It is believed that before many years the children will be hurried to and from school by means of automobiles, but at present are carried in hacks provided with comfortable seats, cool in summer and warm in winter; the little folks enjoy going to school in a fashion not hitherto known.
At Jeffersonville there is a school building costing four thousand dollars.
The class of buildings in the village and cities of Fayette compare favor- ably with other counties. The following items regarding the Fayette county public schools have been gleaned from the state records of 1913: Grand total enrollment in county was 4,781 ; number of school houses in the county in 1913 was 102; value of school buildings, $378,800; number of school districts in county, 76; number teachers employed in county, 163; the wages for men were fifty-three dollars per month in elementary schools; in separate district elementary schools, sixty dollars per month for men; for women, fifty-three dollars; in high schools men received eighty-six dollars and women received seventy-five dollars per month.
The number of volumes in library in the various schools of the county was one thousand four hundred and seventy-five.
Of the high schools of Fayette county in 1913, it may be said that at Bloomingburg there were fifteen boys and seventeen girls; two boys gradu- ated and six girls ; average age of boys, seventeen years, and of girls, fifteen years ; total number graduates in whole history of school, one hundred and eighteen.
At Jeffersonville there were thirty-two boys and fifty-four girls; boys graduated, one, girls, eight ; average age of boys, fourteen years, and of girls, fifteen years; total number graduated in the whole history of the school, one hundred and thirty-six.
In Washington C. H., William McClain received $2,500 as superin-
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tendent of the high schools; the high school principal received $1,100; cost of new school house erected, $100,000 ; number school houses in city, seven ; number seats or sittings in city for elementary scholars, 1,400; for high school pupils, 300: value of school property, $180,000; number teachers in elementary, 35; in high school, 8. The average wages paid for men in ele- mentary, $60: in high school, $97: for women in elementary, $50, in high school, $74 per month. The number of weeks taught in one session was thirty-six.
THE THOUGHTFUL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
[PUBLISHER'S NOTE-Despite the modesty of Mr. Allen, the supervising editor of this history, the following reference to him is considered entirely pertinent to this work. ]
The first county school superintendent of Fayette county, Prof. Frank M. Allen, has started out in the right direction to make a very efficient and practical superintendent. He has original ideas and believes in interesting and instructing the young by means otherwise than from regular text-books. He has recently presented every school house in the county with a fine, large picture of Abraham Lincoln, his only requirement being that the teacher have the pupils donate a cent or two each towards providing these portraits with suitable frames, and suggests to teachers that a small flag of our country be fastened on the wall over the portrait. These portraits are received with great pleasure by the school patrons, for who does not revere the name of "Honest Abe?"
Superintendent Allen has also commenced distributing to the various schools in the county two significant cards, which are to be read in school and hung upon the walls. One of these cards carries on its face "The Prayer of a Horse," while the other is the late U. S. Senator Vest's eulogy on the dog, entitled "A Tribute to Man's Best Friend."
The prayer of a horse was written by a blacksmith and veterinary, and reads thus :
"To Thee, My Master, I Offer My Prayer :
"Feed me, water me and care for me, and when the day's work is done provide me with shelter, a clean, dry bed and a stall wide enough for me to lie down in comfort. Talk to me; your voice often means as much to me as the reins. Bid me a kind good night. Pet me sometimes, that I may serve you the more gladly and learn to love you.
"Do not jerk the reins and do not whip me when going up hill. Never strike, beat or kick me when I do not understand what you mean, but give
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me a chance to understand you. Watch me, and if I fail to do your bidding see if something is not wrong with my harness ; it may be I need a new collar, or my mouth may be sore from a cold or old rusty bit.
"Examine my teeth when I do not eat. I may have an ulcerated tooth, and that you know is very painful. Do not tie my head in an unnatural position or take away my last defense against flies and mosquitoes by cutting off my tail. Do not tie me out on the streets cold days and cold nights with- out a blanket. You know, master, it was never intended that we should be treated thus.
"And finally, O my master, when my useful strength is gone, do not turn me out to starve or freeze, or sell me to some cruel owner to be slowly tortured and starved to death; but do thou, my master, take my life in the kindest way, and your God will reward you here and hereafter!
"You may not consider me irreverent if I ask this in the name of Him who was born in a stable! Amen."
CHAPTER XV.
SECRET AND FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
In almost every part of the civilized globe there are today secret orders and benevolent fraternities doing a work for humanity impossible to accom- plish in any other manner. The old-time prejudice against secret orders has long since passed. While some church creeds still hold that it is not proper, and not in keeping with Biblical teachings, the number is indeed small. To be an honored member of the Masonic. Odd Fellows or Pythian orders is but to be engaged in the daily duty of helping one's fellow-man, even as did the Master when he walked among the children of men twenty centuries ago. The principles upon which these great fraternities are founded are derived from the Bible itself. There are unworthy members as well in lodges as in churches, but that is no argument against either institution.
It will be the aim of this brief chapter to mention something concerning the organization and present standing of the three great and world-wide fraternities, Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
Fayette Lodge No. 107, Free and Accepted Masons, at Washington C. H., the pioneer secret body in Fayette county, was instituted and com- menced work on December 7. 1839, pursuant to a dispensation granted by the deputy grand master of the grand lodge of Ohio, under date of Novem- ber 29, 1839. The lodge was dedicated December 26, 1840. The charter members of this lodge were Joel S. Bereman, Samuel F. Yeoman, Samuel Millikan, Joseph Bell, Jacob Ott. Valentine Coil and Daniel McLain. J. S. Bereman was the first worshipful master: Jacob Ott, senior warden; S. F. Yeoman, junior warden : James Sharp, senior deacon ; Daniel McLain, junior deacon ; Joseph Bell, treasurer ; Samuel Millikan, secretary; Valentine Coil, tyler.
The membership in October. 1914, was two hundred and thirty-one. Of this number there were fifty-one resident Masons. The present elective officers are: Worshipful master. Ernest E. Ellis ; senior warden, Harry M. Rankin ; junior warden, Ray D. Post ; treasurer, William H. Dial; secretary, John L. McFadden : senior deacon, Amos Thornton; junior deacon, Omer F. Sturgeon; chaplain, E. B. Arbogast ; organist, James Whelpley ; master of ceremonies, Anda E. Henkle : tyler, Edwin D. Pine.
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This fraternity suffered great loss in way of its hall and records in the great conflagration which swept so many valuable buildings away in Decem- ber, 1911. It rebuilt and that structure is the present imposing Masonic hall, said to be fire-proof.
Fayette Chapter No. 103, Royal Arch Masons, was organized at Wash- ington C. H. on July 1, 1867. The dispensation was signed by the following companions : John Turk, S. N. Yeoman, J. W. Cleveland, Mills Gardner, E. L. Ford, Lewis Cook, Addison Bybee, Benjamin F. Mouser and James F. Ely. The officers under the dispensation were as follows : John M. Turk, high priest ; S. N. Yeoman, king; J. W. Cleveland, scribe; J. F. Ely, captain of host : Mills Gardner, principal sojourner ; Lewis Cook, royal arch captain; E. L. Ford, master of third veil; Addison Bybee, master of second veil; Ben- jamin Mouser, master of first veil.
Garfield Commandery No. 28, Knights Templar, at Washington C. H., was granted a dispensation August 30, 1876, the following being the charter members : Mills Gardner, J. P. Ely, Benjamin F. Coffman, C. O. Stevens, A. C. Johnson, J. F. Hopkins, C. Garis, E. L. Ford, A. P. Kirk, E. B. Updegrove, A. M. Stimson and John R. McLain. The first knight created was Daniel McLain. C. Garis, J. F. Ely, A. M. Stimson, Mills Gardner, J. W. Woods, A. C. Johnson, A. B. Adams, J. R. McLain, B. F. Coffman were men appointed to the first offices. A charter was granted by the grand commandery on August 27, 1877.
This society is now in a flourishing condition. Its original name was "Eli," but was changed to Garfield in honor of the lamented President, James A. Garfield. The present eminent commander is Elmer A. Klever.
In the summer of 1914 the Masonic bodies in Fayette county were as follows :
Fayette Lodge No. 107 had a membership of two hundred and thirty- one ; Bloomingburg Lodge, ninety-six; Jeffersonville Lodge, ninety-six; resi- dent Masons, fifty-one; total Master Masons, four hundred and seventy- seven ; Fayette Chapter, two hundred and fifty-seven ; Fayette Council, sixty- four ; Garfield Commandery, two hundred and seven; Royal Chapter. Order Eastern Star, one hundred and ninety-seven : Forest Chapter, Order Eastern Star, sixty-two; Jefferson Chapter, Order Eastern Star, ninety-five.
Bloomingburg Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized, under dispensation, September 30, 1870. Their first stated meeting was held October 7, 1870, there being but ten members at that date. The lodge was constituted December 23d of that year, under charter granted by the grand lodge of Ohio. Its charter members were John Brown, J. M. McCoy, Will-
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