USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 55
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Rose township-William Kelso, president ; B. McCreight, treasurer ; C. A. Alexander, sec- retary : Warrant No. 252; State aid, $163.14.
Snyder township-A. Brockway, president : A. Ross, treasurer ; William Shaw, secretary ; Warrant No. 41 ; State aid, $26.54.
Young township-William Campbell, pres- ident : J. W. Jenks, treasurer ; J. Winslow, sec- retary ; Warrant No. 146; State aid, $94.52.
Total, State aid, $485.23.
It would seem from the above that it in- cludes the appropriation of 1837 also.
APPROPRIATIONS BY THE STATE FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES TO JEFFERSON COUNTY IN 1880 AND 1892
1880
1892
Barnett
$ 54 60
$ 328 22
Beaver
225 96
946 67
Bell
187 32
1,057 23
Big RI1
66 36
691 00
Brockwayville
908 66
Brookville
504 00
3,357 35
Clayville
50 40
773 92
Corsica
76 44
426 97
Eldred
207 48
1,568 57
Gaskill
109 20
594 26
Heath
45 36
259 12
Henderson
158 76
915 58
Knox
210 84
1,233 44
McCalmont
113 40
725 55
Oliver
224 28
1,160 88
Perry
255 36
1,305 99
Pinecreek
231 84
1,257 62
Polk
58 80
414 60
Punxsutawney
155 40
2,477 24
Reynoldsville
378 00
2,829 65
Ringgold
174 72
957 04
Rose
284 76
1,713 68
Snyder
209 16
1,990 08
Summerville
279 85
Union
136 08
773 92
Warsaw
277 20
1,520 20
Washington
252 00
3,886 88
Winslow
347 76
3,040 40
Worthville
29 40
210 75
Young
204 96
786 68
Total
$5,420 52
$39,065 72
From a special dispatch to the Pittsburgh Commercial Gasette we take the following :
-
Clover
190 68
673 72
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
"Ilarrisburg, May 31, 1883 .- An unsuccessful attempt was made in the Senate this morning to retain the extra five hundred thousand dol- lars for the school appropriation which was added in the House and afterwards stricken out by the Senate committee in its revision of the general appropriation bill. The motion was made by Dr. MeKnight, of Jefferson. Mr. Laird, of Greensburg, was in favor of in- creasing the school fund. A short discussion followed on the condition of the finances, the effect of pending legislation and the propriety of being less liberal toward the hospitals and other charitable institutions and doing more for the school fund, which was favored not only by the gentleman named, but by Mr. Davies, of Bradford; Mr. Emery and other Republicans, though Mr. Ilerr, of Dauphin. objected to the matter being treated as one of party or politics. After a long debate Dr. McKnight's amendment was on a division de- feated, less than a majority of a quorum vot- ing for it. In the afternoon, however, Dr. Mcknight succeeded in making a compro- mise, and the school appropriation was made one million two hundred thousand dollars."
ORGANIZATION UNDER COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM
From the best information to be had it ap- pears that in 1837 Cyrus Crouch taught the first school in Brookville under the common school system. He taught two terms, and was followed by Jesse Smith, Craighead and Han- nibal.
As carly as the fall of 1835 a man by the name of Timblin made application for the school in Punxsutawney. He was examined by the board of directors and was the first master under the new school system. The members of the board were C. C. Gaskill. Joseph Winslow and James Torrence. Mr. Gas- kill attended to the examination of the mas- ter. It was held in an okl log house in which Mr. Torrence lived. The master was examined in reading, writing and arithmetic. The "United States Speller," the "English Reader" and the "Western Calculator" were the text- books used in the school. At that time Young township included Bell, MeCalmont, Gaskill, llenderson and parts of Winslow and Oliver. There was a great deal of hostility to the school system at first in Punxsutawney.
Four schools were organized under the com- mon school system in the fall of 1835 in Pine- creek township, one near where Nathaniel But- ler lives, another near the Bowers school, then called the Frederick school. another near
Richardsville, and the other in the schoolhouse near the Beechwoods graveyard. The directors were John Lattimer. William Cooper and An- drew Barnett. A schoolmaster of the time says that David Butler, John Lattimer and Andrew Barnett examined the masters at .An- drew Barnett's house. Thomas Kirkman taught first under the school system at the Butler schoolhouse. Mrs. Mary MeKnight taught the summer term in this house in 1840. Mr. Kirkman taught thirty days for a month. receiving fourteen dollars a month and board- ing himself. They used the "English Reader" and the "United States Spelling Book." The schools began some time in November, and continued three months.
Thomas Reynolds taught the Waite school in Beechwoods first under the school system. He received twelve dollars a month and "boarded round" with the scholars. There was a ten-plate stove in the schoolhouse, and the fuel consisted entirely of chestnut and hem- lock bark, which the large pupils helped the master to pull from dead trees in the vicinity. There were about twenty-eight pupils attend- ing the school, with an average daily attend- ance of eighteen. Judge Andrew Barnett. John Lattimer and William Cooper were the principal citizens who took part in having the schools started. John Wilson was probably the first master at Richardsville. There were about fifteen pupils there.
In 1836 a schoolhouse was built above Pres- cottville, called the Fuller schoolhouse. Thomas Reynolds taught the first school in it. Dur- ing the summer of the same year a contract for buikling a hewed log school house near Mr. Dickey's, in Henderson township, was given to Mr. Caufman, and a school was com- menced the following winter under a Mr. Heisy as master. From the best information to be had, a school appears to have been organ- ized in the Bowers-Gaskill settlement some time before that. About 1836 a school was organized under the school system in Perry township, and taught in one of the old cabins in the vicinity of Perrysville. No one remem- bers who the master was.
In the winter of 1835 or 1837 a school was kept in an old cabin near Frederick Stears, by a Mr. Travis. That was the first school in that locality under the school sys- tem. \ Mrs. Travis taught a summer school in the same place. It was then in Perry, but was included in Porter township when the latter was organized. About the year 1839 a frame school house was built just above Perrysville. T. S. Smith. Sr., furnished the
287
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
nails and spikes and some other citizens fur- nished other material and built the house. The same year a hewed log schoolhouse was built near George Blose, Sr.'s. William Postleth- wait, George Blose, Sr., the Youngs and some others were prominent in having the school organized.
The first common school in what is now Eldred township was commenced in the be- ginning of the winter of 1837. The house was built by the citizens the same fall, near where the Hall schoolhouse now stands. It was a hewed log house. John Lucas taught the first school in it. There were about forty scholars. John Kahle taught the first school in Kahletown, Eldred township, about 1837 or 1838, in one end of his father's house. That was the first school in that part of the county.
About 1837 or 1838 a round log schoolhouse, called the Milliron school, was built a short distance northwest of where Ringgold now is. Samuel Hice was the first master there. He received not more than ten dollars a month. They used "Cobb's Spellers" as text- books. Henry Freas, John Hice, Benjamin Campbell and others were the principal cit- izens active in having the school organized.
A schoolhouse was built in Rose township, near Mr. Spyker's, in 1836. Previously a house on what is now the Pleasantville road, near John J. Miller's, had been rented for school purposes. The first school in Union township under the school system was taught by Rev. Jesse Smith. about 1838, in a log cabin, with a wooden chimney along one end. The cabin was about two miles from Corsica, near Dallas Monks'. The pupils studied their lessons out loud. The teacher was paid six- teen dollars a month, and boarded himself. Some of the citizens who took part in start- ing the school were John Fitzsimmons, the Barrs, the Hindmans, Rev. Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Monks.
Clover township was organized into a sep- arate school district in 1842. The first board of directors was organized May 24, 1842. Rev. C. Fogle was president, John Shields, secretary, and D. Carrier, treasurer.
PIONEER SCHOOL CONVENTION UNDER THE LAW OF 1834
"Section 3. It shall be the duty of the said school directors, within ten days after the period of their election, annually to meet in their respective school districts, when such board shall choose, out of their own body, a president and secretary, and a delegate to
join the delegate meeting provided for in the following section ; they shall appoint a treas- urer for the district where no township or borough treasurer shall be otherwise ap- pointed ; and it shall be the duty of each board, on the day of their first assembling as afore- said, to divide themselves into three classes, the first of which shall serve until the next election, the second until the second election, and the third until the third election follow- ing, so that one-third of each board may be chosen annually; and if any vacancy shall occur, by death or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the body in which such vacancy may occur to fill the same until the next election. "Section 4. On the first Tuesday of Novein- ber, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, and the first Monday in May in each year thereafter, there shall be held, at the county courthouse in each division, a joint meeting of the county commissioners and one delegate from each board of school directors within said county or school division, in which it shall be decided whether or not a tax for the expenditure of each district be levied ; and if a tax be authorized by a ma- jority of the joint meeting, it shall be appor- tioned among the several districts as county levies are now by law apportioned. Each del- egate to the joint meeting shall be entitled to receive one dollar per day for each day's attendance spent by him in traveling to and from and attending said meeting, to be paid out of the county treasury."
The delegates appointed by the several boards of school directors in the respective districts of Jefferson county, together with the commissioners of said county, met agree- ably to law at the courthouse, in the borough of Brookville, on Tuesday, the 4th of Novem- ber ( being the first Tuesday of the month). The following delegates were in attendance :
County Commissioners-Levi G. Clover, James Corbet.
Rose-Robert Andrews.
Barnett-Cyrus Blood.
Pinecreek-Andrew Barnett.
Young-John Hoover.
Perry-John Philliber.
Ridgway-James L. Gillis.
The above delegates met the 4th of Novem- ber and adjourned until the 5th in consequence of the absence of some delegates. They met the 5th of November in pursuance to previous adjournment, and proceeded to business. On motion the convention was organized by call- ing Robert Andrews to the chair and appoint- ing John Beck secretary. On motion of Mr.
288
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Andrew Barnett, and seconded, it was unan- imously resolved that an appropriation for common schools be made :
"Resolved, that a tax be levied and raised of double the amount of the appropriation made by the Commonwealth for common schools.'
The following shows the proportionable share due each township out of the money appropriated by the Commonwealth, viz. : Barnett township, $6.13; Ridgway township, $7.06; Perry township, $21.86; Pinecreek township, $13.20; Rose township, $37.60; Young township. $19.20; total, $105.05.
The tax to be raised off the people. for the purpose of carrying into effect the "free school" system, was estimated at double the amount appropriated by the Commonwealth.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS
.According to Section 17 the 1834 law pro- vided that "the secretary of the Common- wealth shall be superintendent of all the pub- lic schools established by virtue of this act."
Common School Notice
"For the purpose of settling controversies, of collecting and imparting information con- nected with the common school system, so as to produce harmony and vigor in every depart- ment of its operations, the superintendent will be at the county towns mentioned in the fol- lowing list on the days therein designated at ten o'clock a. m.
"Directors, teachers and all others who may have business to transact with the superin- tendent, under the fourth paragraph of tenth section of the school law, will meet him at the proper county towns on the days respect- ively named. As the chain of appointments now made will not admit of more than one day's delay at each place, early and punctual attendance is earnestly requested.
"Brookville, Jefferson county, Saturday, Sep- tember 2.
"THOMAS H. BURROWES,
"Superintendent Common Schools.
"Secretary's Office, Harrisburg. July 18, 1837."
James Findlay was the pioneer superintend- ent of common schools.
Rev. John C. Wagaman, of Punxsutawney. a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, was elected our pioneer superintend- ent at a school directors' convention in Brook- ville. June 5. 1854, and voted a salary of
three hundred and fifty dollars a year. He served until May 3, 1856, when he resigned. Pennsylvania in school matters was behind New York and some of the Western States, and in that year adopted the county superin- tendent idea from those States. The foreign population of the State was bitterly opposed to this change and to this advance. The law of 1854 also required orthography, reading. writing, English grammar, geography and arithmetic to be taught in every district. The State superintendent also recommended the adoption of uniformity in books.
The law of 1854 was a dreadful blow to the old log schoolhouse, with its poor light. high boards around the walls for writing desks. unqualified and incompetent teachers, short terms and diversity of books. In 1854 the people of the county were anxious to have schools organized in their neighborhoods and did establish them throughout the whole county as soon as each locality had a suffi- cient number of people to entitle them to a school. In this way the schools increased till they numbered one hundred and five at the beginning of the superintendency in 1854.
With the beginning of the superintendency the school term had been increased to four months, and the age of log schoolhouses, with slab seats and wall desks, was passing away. Rev. John C. Wagaman, in his report for 1855. complained of the poor condition of the houses. The model building was in Clover township. He says: "The majority of the schoolhouses are old, poorly constructed, of logs, and open, uncomfortable and entirely unsuited to the purpose ; cold in winter and hot in summer, many of them only about twenty feet square, low pitched. with only light enough on a cloudy day to make the darkness visible ; chil- dren are pent together, reciting. studying ( ?). freezing and crying."
A general lack of such furniture as pokers, shovels, coal boxes and brooms, as well as coal houses and other necessary buildings, is complained of. All the houses except three were reported as defective in admitting light.
At that time MeGuffey's readers were used throughout the country; Cobb's and MeGuf- fey's spellers, Kirkham's and Bullion's gram- mars, Davis', Ray's and the Western Calcu- lator arithmetics were the textbooks.
SOME SCHOOL LAWS
It was not until 1855. and Pollock was gov- ernor, that any organized effort was made by the State to extend and perfect the common
289
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
school system. There was no department of education. Andrew G. Curtin was secretary of the Commonwealth in that year, and he appointed Henry C. Hickok his deputy. Hickok devoted himself exclusively and tirelessly to the advancement of our schools, in which he was heartily supported alike by Governor Pol- lock and Secretary Curtin, and then for the first time the school system of the State was brought into something like organization. The popular prejudices against the public schools had been slowly dying and increased appro- priations were made from year to year until it was regarded as safe to win the crowning victory for public schools by making the ac- ceptance of the system mandatory upon every district of the State. The approach to this grand consummation had been so gradual that it was finally effected without convulsion, and when Curtin retired from the office of secre- tary the organization was so well advanced that Hickok continued in charge of the depart- ment during Curtin's six years as governor, growing in efficiency and public favor with every succeeding year.
The act of 1849 required a four-months terni. This was repealed in 1851, but the act of 1854 restored the four-months term and raised the school age from six to twenty-one.
As late as 1842 children were admitted to the schools at the age of four years.
The act of June 25. 1885. fixed the number of school days as follows : That a common school month shall hereafter consist of twenty days' actual teaching, and no school shall be kept open in any district, for the purpose of ordinary instruction, on any Saturday or on any legal holiday, or in any county, during the time of holding the annual county institute therein.
It was not customary formerly to close school for holidays or Saturdays. Neither Christmas, New Year or Fourth of July could close the door. Recess was had twice a day, and no time was fooled away for public ex- hibitions at the close of the term.
In 1894 a continuous six-months term was required.
The act of 1866 made institutes obligatory in every county in the State: also gave the directors the right of eminent domain; also authorized borough and city superintendents.
Pioneer Compulsory Education Act. 1895
An act to provide for the attendance of children in the schools of this Commonwealth, and making an enumeration of children for 19
that purpose ; also providing compensation for the assessors making the enumeration, and pro- viding penalties for violations of this act, was approved the 16th day of May, 1895.
EVENING SCHOOLS
That it shall be the duty of the board of school directors or school controllers of any school district in this Commonwealth, upon the application of the parents of twenty or more pupils above the age of six years, res- idents of said school district, to open a free evening school for their tuition in orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic and such other branches as may be deemed advisable, and to keep open said school for a term not less than four months in each year, each of the said months to consist of twenty days, and each of said days an evening session of at least two hours: Provided, however, that when the average daily attendance for one month falls below fifteen daily, said school directors or school controllers may, at their option, close said evening school for the remainder of said term .- Act of May 12, 1883.
GRADED SCHOOLS
In 1856 there were eight graded schools in this county-four in Brookville, two in Punx- sutawney and two in Troy. In 1878 there were twenty-seven graded schools in the county- eight in Brookville, four in Punxsutawney, four in Reynoldsville, three in Corsica, two in Troy, two in Richardsville, two in Brock- wayville and two in Port Barnett.
In 1878 Polk township furnished each of her schools with a "Webster's Unabridged Dictionary."
In 1852-53 I taught the winter term of the Alaska school. The house was on the brow of the hill north of the present village. It was about two miles from Brookville. I boarded at home, carried my dinner, and walked to and from the school morning and evening, was my own janitor, and received twelve dollars a month. I was examined by the board of directors, Joel Spyker, Esq., be- ing chief. He required me to read a few verses in the English reader, write a few lines, spell a few words, add and subtract, multiply and divide by the rules of the Western Cal- culator. I was just a boy of sixteen, but, of course, ruled with the rod and thrashed the scholars accordingly.
There may be more, but I only know of four of my scholars now ( 1915) living :
290
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
James and Hezekiah Vasbinder, of Rose town- ship; James Stecle and R. M. Matson, Esq., of Brookville.
SELECT SCHOOLS
Select schools have been held in the Brook- ville Academy at various times. The Acad- emy was established in 1838, and the Brook- ville Female Seminary was also authorized and established that year. The school for teachers held by Mr. McElhose was in the Academy building. Punxsutawney has had a select school during the summer at different times for a great many years. Reynoldsville ( 1878) had one. Rev. Samuel Bowman taught a select school in Whitesville about the summer of 1853. In the summer of 1860, and the two succeeding summers, Mr. S .. M. Davis taught in the same place. His school was well patronized, and did much toward advancing the cause of education in that por- tion of the county. School was taught there during the summers of 1875 and 1876. Troy had a select school during the summer of 1875. Perrysville had a select school, which Mr. Innes taught in the summer of 1862, and also held a term in the summer of 1863. An- other school was taught in Perrysville dur- ing the summers of 1872 and 1873. Belleview had a select school for a number of terms under Rev. Mr. McFarland. All these efforts were short-lived.
TOWNSHIP INSTITUTES
The first township institute of any record that has been found was organized in Young township, at Punxsutawney, and kept open during the winter of 1854-55. From that time local institutes were kept open in different parts of the county until they became a part of the school machinery in nearly every town- ship. A county normal was opened by Pro- fessor Blose in Perry township the last of April. 1877, and continued ten weeks. About sixty-five persons attended it.
COUNTY INSTITUTES
was teaching the Brookville Academy at that time, and had gone to Western New York during vacation, that he must come and help hin, as he had never been at an institute, and knew nothing about one. At Mr. McElhose's request Mr. Smith returned, and assisted at the institute. Mr. Smith says: "They had a lively time, a good little institute." The ex- ercises were class drill, discussions and lec- tures. Mr. McElhose and Professor Smith conducted all the class drills, and did the lec- turing. They had class drills every day in reading and arithmetic. Professor Smith lec- tured one evening on astronomy, devoting con- siderable attention to meteors. Among the male teachers attending were Mr. Allison, now Dr. Allison, A. J. Monks, William Monks, R. Snyder, John Carley, G. Siars, A. McAllister and John Cummings ; among the female teach- ers were Misses Maggie and Mary Polk, two or three Miss Kinniers, Miss Mary McCor- mack and a Miss Clawson, from Punxsutaw ney.
County institutes have been held every year from that time to the present.
Our second superintendent was Samuel Mc- Elhose, of Brookville, who was appointed to fill the vacancy of Wagaman on May 16, 1856. This term and salary expired June, 1857. At a convention of directors held in Brookville, May 4, 1857, Samuel McElhose was elected to succeed himself and voted a salary of five hundred and fifty dollars a year. On May 7, 1860, Samuel McElhose was again elected to succeed himself and the same salary voted him. This, his last term, expired in June, 1863. About this time he enlisted in the United States Volunteers Emergency Men. Jefferson county owes more to Samuel Mc- Elhose in educational matters than to any other man who has filled that position. Hc was an energetic superintendent. The schools were in a flourishing condition during the lat- ter part of his superintendency. He was the first superintendent that opened a school for teachers. He was continually holding what he called schools for teachers. He held these in Brookville and in the townships. These schools were kept open from one to three weeks. HIc also called and conducted the first county institute in Jefferson county in October, 1856. He held one in Punxsutawney. December 3, 1856. Samuel McElhose was a man of intellect, a worker, educated and a pol- ished gentleman. I learned the printer's art in part with him. He died in the army, Au-
The first county institute ever held in Tef- ferson county was at Brookville, in October, 1856, under Mr. McElhose's superintendency. The session continued for two weeks. Forty- two teachers attended it. Another institute, which continued four days, was held at Punx- sutawney in December of the same year. There were eighteen teachers in attendance. Mr. . gust 16, 1863, and is buried in the old grave- McElhose wrote to Prof. S. W. Smith, who
yard.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Prof. Sylvanus William Smith, of Brook- ville, was elected superintendent on May 4, 1863, at a salary of eight hundred dollars a vear. Professor Smith's salary was raised to one thousand dollars a year from June I, 1864, by a special convention of school direct- ors called for that purpose. He was reelected May 1, 1866. This term expired June 4, 1869. During two years of Mr. Smith's term of of- fice nearly all the former male teachers of the county enlisted and went into the army, and their places were supplied with female teachers. This operated much against the prosperity of the schools. In the report for 1865 there were only thirty-two male teachers, but one hundred and twenty-five female teachers in the county.
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