History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 29

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288

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One advantage was possessed by the young of that period which greatly

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outweighed many so-called educational facilities of modern days: the minds of the children were brought directly in contact with nature, its wild forests, its rocks, its waterfalls, its springs bubbling forth from the hillside, its wild game, its great variety of birds, its multiform specimens of herbs, shrubs and trees with their rich fruitage. Then, too, the minds of children were not distracted by the great diversity of studies and texts, nor were they drawn away from their legitimate objects of study by the sudden appearance of a circus or minstrel troupe. What may have been regarded hardships and deprivations were, really, sources of genuine educational strength and value. It is certain, too, that the instruction in those days, as well as the general educational equipment, was not calculated to sugar-coat and make easy the processes of learning. Patent processes, easy methods, labor saving devices, these belong to a later period of educational activity and reform.

It must be borne in mind that the pioneer days were antecedent to the existence of a public school system. Private schools, or rather neighborhood schools, supported by the voluntary efforts of the people of that particular region, supplied the wants of the people. The schools were held as long as the master would consent to give instruction for the sum subscribed by his patrons. In order to get a correct view of those days we must not forget to look at the old-time school-houses.

The School-house built by the people of the neighborhood was, as a rule, a rude, round log structure, about twenty feet square, and but one story high. The better class of them had puncheon floors, and all had clap-board roofs, held down by heavy weight-poles. Illumination was secured by means of greased paper that covered an opening made by cutting out one or more logs. When, at a later day, a larger opening was occupied by a hand-made sash, containing four panes of glass, 8x10, a remarkable stride in school architect- ure had been accomplished. The seats used were rough benches made from split logs, whose flat surfaces were placed upward, and the convex ones down- ward, resting upon pins driven into them for supports or legs. Desks were wide slab boards, resting upon pins driven horizontally into the walls of the building, compelling the advanced pupils to face the wall. The chimney was, perhaps, the most interesting part of the structure. It was constructed of sticks and mortar, or in some cases of stone, and frequently occupied one end of the building. It was always large, and afforded an abundance of room for the huge back logs that were rolled into the same to hiss and sputter, as the sap oozed from either end. Then, too, this wide-throated chimney, which received the liberal contributions of wood that willing hands had provided according to the number of children furnished by each family, was a superior means of ventilation, though little attention was then given to that important condition of health. This chimney was likewise the line of attack in case the master refused, during the holidays, to furnish a treat to his pupils. If the teacher was fortunate enough to reach the school-house earlier than any of his pupils, he could hold the fort, unless the ingenuity and daring of some of the largest boys prompted them to smoke him out by placing some covering upon the top of the chimney.

The black-board of the primitive school-house-well, that did not exist. The slate, or more likely the home-made copy book, received all the work of either teacher or pupil. As for globes and charts, they were unheard of.

Text-books were scarce and imperfect. . The principal purpose of the prim- itive teacher was to give instruction in reading, as an aid in religious training in the Bible, the catechism and the hymn-book, and as an auxiliary to any other branches to be taught in school. At first the instruction was very im-

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perfect. Learning the alphabet from A to Z, or " zed," or "izzard," by going down the column of letters, reversing the operation, and then skipping about, was supposed to be the first step in educational work. In many cases these letters were pasted on small shingles or paddles, and the object used in giving a knowledge of the arbitrary characters. Meaningless combinations of these letters, ba, be, bi, bo, bu, and ab, eb, ib, ob, ub, etc., etc., were perpe- trated upon innocent pupils as a part of their work in saying lessons. Strange to say, there are so-called teachers, even in this ninth decade of this nineteenth century, who still pursue the same plan of work.

The old time spelling-books were those of Thomas Dilworth, an English school-master, living early in the last century; Webster's the latter part of the last century and early part of the present, and still extensively used in the South; " United States Spelling-book," published at Pittsburgh in 1809, and the "Western Spelling-book," by Rev. Joseph Stockton, principal of an academy at Pittsburgh, 1810-20. Their places were taken at a later period by vigorous competitors.

Writing was the next important occupation. No patent copy-books sup- plied the school-room. The work for beginners consisted of certain straight marks, pot-hooks and loops, the copies being written by the teacher with a quill pen upon paper. Advanced pupils had their copies set by the master, who paid no attention to the analysis of letters into right and left curves, ovals, etc., but expected an imitation of the work set by him. One of his leading occupations in the school-room was that of making and repairing pens formed of goose quills. Superior writing was done in those days.

Reading at first was not taught in classes, but the pupil read from whatever he had in his possession, Testament, Bible, catechism or spelling-book. Later the Columbian Orator, American Preceptor, English Reader, Porter's Rhetorical Reader and works of that character were used, until they were supplanted by various graded text-books introduced with the building up of the common school system. The lessons contained in those early readers were life-long possessions of great value.

Arithmetic consisted, at first, mainly in doing sums. Classes were not called, but individual work upon problems assigned by the master employed the time of the pupils. When one needed help he repaired to the master's seat to receive it; or in some cases hoisted a flag of distress at his own seat. One of the early books used was Dilworth's "Schoolmaster's Assistant," first published in England, and then republished in this country before the Revolution. Afterward the texts of John Gough and Zachariah Jess, Daboll's "Schoolmaster's Assistant," Stockton's "Western Calculator," and Walsh's Arithmetic supplied the needs of the young.

Geography was not an original branch of school study. Pinkerton's Geography, Workman's "Elements of Geography," Nichol's "Compend of Geography," and Grew's "Description of the Use of Globes," were pioneers in this line, and though not properly appreciated at first, performed excellent service as educators for the present advanced work.

English Grammar was not considered a common school subject at first. It was regarded as belonging to a higher education. The texts of Webster, Lindley Murray, Harrison, Comley and Kirkham, were the pioneers of this somewhat dry and lifeless subject. Murray and Kirkham long continued to be the standards, and in many respects have never been excelled by modern text- books. Roswell C. Smith's work was a later seeker for public favor.

Methods of Instruction were not then the subject of any concern. To know the "reason why " was almost a matter of impudence. " Children were

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taught," says Wickersham, " as if the only faculty they possessed needing cul- ture was memory; as if the only intellectual appetite God had given them was for facts and forms. Spelling and writing were the branches of learning best taught, and both of these are almost wholly mechanical."

The writer of this chapter has at hand now a juvenile reader published in 1823, for the use of schools in the United States, which fully corroborates the statement as to the absence of anything like method in the presentation of sub- ject matter in those early days. In the preface the author suggests: " Proper attention does not appear to have been paid to the formation of elementary books, intended to introduce children into a course of reading. The matter which they contain is generally such as is ill adapted to infant capacities, and the arrangement is often injudicious. Selections have been made, the language of which is either too lofty, or too refined, to be intelligible to children at an age when their stock of ideas must, of necessity, be yet small. *

* * In the work now presented to the public, an attempt has been made to remedy these defects. The matter, it is believed, will be found, on inspection, to be such as infant minds can easily comprehend; and it is so arranged as to make a gradual transition from the easy to the more difficult."

Let us see. The book contains 160 pages, measuring about three inches by five. The first lesson begins thus: "Come here, Charles; come, tell me your letters; do you know how many there are?" "Yes, sir, twenty-six."

"Where is the pointer ? Here is the pointer. Now read your lesson."

"Charles, can you spell the letters?" "Yes, sir." "Let me hear you, Charles." The child begins thus: "Ai, bee, see, dee, ee, ef, jee, aitch, etc." "Charles, do you know how many vowels there are?" "Yes, sir; a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes w and y. W and y are consonants when they begin a word or syllable; but in every other situation they are vowels; and b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x, z, are consonants."

Now it must be apparent to any one that no child could answer such ques- tions in the first lesson of the first day of school; and it must be apparent, too, that no sensible teacher now would think of asking them. But this was called matter "such as infant minds can easily comprehend." An examination of the contents of this juvenile reader shows that selections were made from Blair, Stearne, Knox, Addison, Emmet, Tappan, Cunningham, Cowper, Watts, Johnson, More, Thompson and other master writers of the world. The last extract in this juvenile reader is a quotation from Thompson's Sea- sons, commencing:

First joyless rains obscure Drive thro' the mingling skies with vapors foul. Dash on the mountain's brow, and shake the woods, That grumbling wave below. Th' unsightly plain Lies a brown deluge, as the low bent clouds Pour flood on flood, yet unexhausted still Combine and deep'ning into night shut up The day's fair face.

It is safe to say some progress has been made in the methods of teaching primary pupils, since the publication of the above mentioned text book; and that equal progress has been made, too, in the preparation of the books them- selves.

No more valuable contribution to our pioneer history could be made, if it were possible, than to record the names and deeds of those heroic men and women who began to mould the rising generation in the new settlement. Without ornate appliances, or the stimulus of abundant earthly remuneration, they labored zealously for the bettering of the condition of the on-coming

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citizens. They have long since departed from earthly toils and conflicts, and their labors do follow them. Their work is written not upon tablets of stone, but upon the characters of children, even to the third and fourth generations.

As early as 1817 Samuel Webster taught school in Delaware Township. His service continued for a period of two years and nine months in the first log school-house erected in the township. He was a Yankee, being a native of the East. He never flogged his pupils. Robert Fruit taught about the same time, or, possibly, a little later, in a building on land subsequently owned by R. Reznor.

One of the early teachers of Cool Spring was Joseph Alexander. He was born in Washington County, about the year 1798. At a later period, in edu- cational work, came Alexander Riddle, Miss Betsey Jennings, Willis Alexan- ander and a man named Clark.

Thomas Coulson came to what is now Fairview, in Fairview Township, in 1798. In 1817 he erected, on his own land, a school-house for the accommo- dation of his own children. He was himself the first teacher.

The first teacher in Hempfield Township is said to have been Alexander Dumars, an Irishman, and grandfather of A. D. Gillespie, of Greenville. In 1807 he taught in a log house, located on land cleared by Thomas Dumars.

Philo Dodd wielded the birch in Jackson Township as early as 1805.

James Lowry taught in Lake Township before 1812, in a school-house built of hewed logs, 25x30. It was on land then owned by William Service, but subsequently by Richard Lyons.

Alexander Riddle and Messrs. Starrett and Williams taught in Liberty Township about the close of the War of 1812-15.

In Sandy Creek James Brush and Mrs. David Patterson were both teach- ers at an early date -the former in 1801 and the latter in 1808. David Nelson taught about 1826, in a log building about fourteen feet square, erected on the farm subsequently owned by W. Applegate. He received $12 per month in produce. N. B. Laird afterward taught in the same school.

Margaret Streight and George Carringer were teachers in Perry Township as early as 1826.

Allen Dunn taught in the first school-house built in Sandy Lake Township. It stood on the land of Patrick McCloskey. The house was built about the year 1800, but Dunn's teaching occurred about ten years later. In the same house also taught Samuel Lowry. About 1823 or 1824 William Little taught in a house built on Enos Sanford's farm. He was succeeded by Dorcas Alder- man, a native Buckeye girl, young and handsome.

Alexander Duncan taught in Shenango Township at an early date. The school-house was situated near the State line, on the Sharon & New Bedford road. His efforts were made about the opening of the War of 1812. He was followed by John Nesbitt.

John Hannah and a Mr. McLean were pedagogues in Springfield as early , as 1830.

William Kennedy taught in Sugar Grove Township, in a house built of round pine logs, near Riley's Corners, in 1815. He was physically very feeble, and died before his second term closed.

John Speir opened a school in West Salem Township, about three-quarters of a mile west of Greenville, in 1802-03.

Edward Johnston taught a school in a cabin on his farm in West Salem prior to the War of 1812. He conducted it several terms.

Henry Garth taught, in Wilmington Township, 1805-06, in an unfinished dwelling belonging to Samuel Weir.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Of the teachers in Wolf Creek as early as 1826, Betsey Gates taught in a house on land afterward owned by William Jamison; Catherine Mayne, Har- riet Wooden and sister taught on the Ethan Coleman farm.

In 1807 Solomon Sutton, of Worth Township, taught in a log school- house on the Daniel Wolverton farm. The first school in the county is said to have been taught in the Amity Presbyterian Church, which stood on the line between Mercer and Venango Counties. Samuel Westlake was also one of Worth's early teachers. The school-house stood on the Westlake farm.

J. G. White taught the first school opened in Millbrook village, about 1858. Miss Sarah White was the first teacher in Bethel borough. The house was a small frame, on the north side of the street, erected in 1871.

James Rogers, licentiate of the Seceder Church, taught the first grammar school in Greenville, in 1824. Two years later came Samuel Webster, from New Hampshire, who taught in Greenville several years. Among other early Greenville teachers were Rev. John Gamble, W. M. Stephenson, John A. Bingham (afterward United States Minister to Japan) and Samuel Griffith, attorney at Mercer.

Thomas Rigdon taught in a school erected about the year 1800, three- fourths of a mile west of the present site of Sharon. David Hays taught in a log school-house built on the Henry Hoagland farm, in Hickory Township, in the year 1800. George McCleery, father of Joseph McCleery, now a resi- dent of Sharon, was an early teacher, and had classes in that dry subject, English grammar, in 1823. Among some of the other early teachers of Hickory Township were James Schofield, who came from the vicinity of War- ren, Ohio. He was a good instructor. Joseph Budd, son of William Budd, Esq., was an early teacher, and "good for those days." "Old Master Wil- son'' taught one of the earliest schools on the site of Wheatland. His struc- ture was situated on the farm of William Haywood, and was built in 1816.

John Dunlap was one of the teachers that had charge of the school built on the Byerly place, near Sharpsville, in 1821.

Allen Dunn was the first teacher in Sandy Lake. His school-house was an old log building which stood on the hill, and was built in 1828.

One of the pioneer teachers of a later period of Mercer County history is still living in Sharon. Reference is made to James Hanavan, Esq., a native of Ireland, where he also received his education. He taught his first school in Delaware (now Jefferson) Township, at the Catholic Church, three miles north of Mercer, in 1843. It was a select school. The following winter he taught a public school in the same district in the house known as the "Round Top School." The text-books then used. were: United States Spelling Book, English Reader, New Testament, Western Calculator, and Kirkham's English Grammar. Some of the people objected strongly to the teaching of so meaning- less a study as English grammar, with its declensions and conjugations and pars- ings and analysis. They compared its parsing processes to the chattering of a flock of blackbirds on a tree. Mr. Hanavan taught summer and winter from 1843 to 1854, and during winters from 1854 to 1864, when he retired from the field of pedagogical activity. His efforts were distributed over Delaware, Cool Spring and Fairview Townships. Some of his pupils in those country schools have become conspicuous in public life, embracing such persons as Hon. S. H. Miller, of Mercer; W. W. Service, insurance agent, and Miss A. R. Service, milliner, of Sharon; A. H. McElrath, attorney, and Newton Donald- son, of Mercer, and many others that cannot be mentioned.

The compensation of those days ranged from $10 to $15 per month, with permission to "board round." The regular public schools continued about

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three months, and were supplemented by six months' subscription term. The law permitted patrons to pay the teacher in produce, including corn, buck- wheat flour, oats and potatoes. Mr. Hanavan was desirous of securing a suit of new clothes. Branton H. Henderson, now of Sharon, was a partner with Lewis Weaver, of Mercer, in the dry goods business. With this firm Mr. Hanavan arranged to take produce for the material, and with James Forker, still a tailor in Mercer, to take the same kind of pay for the making of the suit. Still another difficulty presented itself. The produce had to be col- lected. This was done at the store of Mr. Miller, of Cool Spring, whence it was conveyed to Mercer to liquidate the claims against the teacher. The suit was made of English broadcloth, costing $4 per yard, and the tailor's bill was $5.

The public school system of 1834, fostered by such men as Thaddeus Stevens and Abner Lacock, was a great step in the direction of popular educa- tion. At first it met with opposition, because it was regarded as an innovation; but opposition gradually subsided until a general acquiescence, passive in some cases, was yielded to it. Progress was made, even, though slowly, but, unfortunately, our records are not as complete as they could be desired to indicate what was done.

In 1846 the following imperfect report of the condition of schools in the county was made:

Whole number of schools. .214

Average number of months taught. .5 months, 5 days.

Number of male teachers. 170

Number of female teachers. 145

Average monthly salary-male. $13.00

Average monthly salary-female. 6.09

Public meetings were held from time to time in various parts of the county to stimulate greater zeal in, and love for, the education of the people. One of these meetings was held at the court-house in Mercer October 23, 1850, Dr. John Baskin, chairman. Prof. Robert Milligan, of Washington College, delivered an address on the necessity of educating the masses and building up and sus- taining the public school system.

The most important measure in promoting the permanent and healthful growth of public school interest in the county was the establishment of the office of county superintendent of public schools. This important step was taken in 1854. It led to the supervision of work which had previously been illy done or not done at all. The first election for the position of county superintendent occurred on the first Monday of June, 1854, the period at which the law creating the office took effect. The school directors from all parts of the county, to whom belonged the duty of making choice of a com- petent man, assembled at Mercer. A number of candidates were in the field ready to be first in the discharge of the onerous duties imposed. Among them were William G. Rose, of Pine Township, subsequently mayor of the city of Cleveland; F. P. Carrington, of Sheakleyville; William Dickson, of Clarks- ville; James C. Brown, of Greenville, and others. Rose and Dickson with- drew before balloting began, being dissatified with the salary then offered, $400 per year. Mr. Brown was chosen, and served nearly two years, when he resigned, and was succeeded by G. L. Eberhart, now an attorney and resident of Beaver County. Mr. Brown entered heartily upon his work, and succeeded in getting the system before the people.

A teachers' institute was held at Mercer the ensuing November. Home talent mainly was employed to engage in the work of instruction. Judge

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Arcus McDermitt, the principal of Mercer Academy, and M. D. Leggett, of Cleveland, Ohio, assisted in the work. The institute of that early day was imperfect, but accomplished good results. Teachers were yet in the azoic age of professional work. The "what" or subject-matter of teaching was the main object sought. The instruction at teachers' associations was all intended to answer that purpose. Knotty questions, difficult or curious problems, the parsing of complex sentences-matters of this character demanded the time and consideration of the institute. Nor is there any attempt to find fault with this order of procedure. It was the proper thing to do, in fact the only thing. In the natural order of events the "how" or subject of methods be- came the theme of heated and exaggerated lectures. Patent processes of doing things, or of solving the intricate problems of school management and school instruction, were heralded with a great flourish of trumpets. One would sup- pose that teaching was to be regulated like the eight-day clock, if the instruc- tor could only be wound up by the new processes he would run automatically and infallibly until the original impulse was expended. But this condition finally gave way to the "why " of teaching or the philosophy of work. The study of the human constitution, as well as the objects to be taught, began to attract. the attention of more reflective minds. This is the highest grade of work .. It had to be attained by slow and regular processes.

Much of this progress was secured through the instrumentality of the teachers' institute. Much imperfect work, it must be confessed, was done, but then we must remember that mistakes constitute an important factor in both individual and national development. But the institute did more than this. Its work resulted in securing educational enthusiasm, a professional spirit among the instructors of the land. It unified their efforts, and made them more potent for battling successfully against the fruitful enemy of the race-ignorance. In all these matters, of course, it was ably assisted by the system of county supervision under which it acted.

List of County Superintendents .- As already intimated the first county superintendent was J. C. Brown, of Greenville. For many years he has been a journalist, and is at present engaged in the publication of the Advance- Argus, of Greenville.

Gilbert L. Eberhart filled out the unexpired term of Mr. Brown. He was a candidate for re-election, but was unsuccessful. He is at present a resident. of New Brighton, Beaver County, where he is engaged in legal and editorial business.

Calvin W. Gilfillan was the third incumbent. After serving his term of office, he went to Franklin, Venango County, where he still resides. He was a member of Congress at one time.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 29

Author: Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1288

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288