Schools.
There were two factors in the development of edu- cation in our county. The Germans built the school- houses and the Irish furnished the teachers. In the settlement of our county, the church in every com- munity was the first institution to be organized; the school was the second. The result was that the school and the church were usually built near each other. Often the church building was used for the school, and more often the school-house served in the double capacity. The primitive school-houses of the woods-107
were crude affairs. They were all built on the same general plan. A pen was built of unhewed logs; the spaces between the logs were filled with "chinks" and mud; one end of the building was occupied by a huge fire-place, in front of which half of the pupil, alter- nately roasted and froze, that particular half being dependent upon whether he sat with his face or back to the fire. In this huge fire-place, the "dinners" would often be placed to keep them from freezing. The benches had no backs. There were low ones for the little fellows and high ones for the big boys. These benches were split from trees. The upper side of each was "smoothed" with an ax, and splinters were often numerous. The writing desks were along the walls of the building. A log had been left out above this place and when the opening was covered with greased paper an elegant window was the result. Wooden pegs were driven into the logs upon which their caps were hung. The teacher sat upon a high chair, before a high desk, opposite the fire-place. Behind him within easy reach was an abundance of rods. If there was not a sufficient supply to successfully impress the recalcitrant pupil with the glories and benefits of an education, there was no dearth of duplicates in the woods. The writing pens used by the pupils were made of quills, and one of the cardinal requisites of every teacher was that he should be able to make a good quill pen. The teacher "boarded 'round" and if he hap- pened to be a genial sort of a personage his coming was always welcomed. Only the elements of an education were taught. The spelling-book was always required. If you were not the possessor of a Reader, any book you happened to have would serve quite as well. The Bible was read and at times the Prayer-book made a108
suitable reading book. It has been said that the cele- brated Hagerstown Almanac was often utilized. In searching for the first school in Perry County, we would naturally look toward New Reading, the oldest settlement. A subscription school of three months was conducted there during the winter of 1808. But it was not the first school. It was the second. The year previous, an English school was taught about two miles east of Somerset. An English and German school was taught in Somerset, the very first year of the town's organization. School was conducted within the present limits of New Lexington, before the town was laid out. The building was a log cabin that stood at the foot of Brown street, near the spring that yet sends forth its sparkling water. This was in 1815. Five years later a school-house was built where the McClelland Livery Barn now stands. At about the same time, the rural districts began to arouse themselves and a school began its operations near where Arthur King now lives on the Logan road. In 1830 Pike Township was divided into districts, much in the way it is divided now. The first school in Madison was taught about one and a half miles south of Mt. Perry. No date can be found for this school but it evidently was quite early. Bearfield began to have schools about 1820. Some of the early teachers were men who knew very little about teaching. Again there were among them some of considerable ability. They were for the most part persons who would drop into a neighbor- hood, teach their term of school and drop out again. A few remained as fixtures.109
In the Bethel Presbyterian Cemetery near Middle- town, is buried one of these old time pedagogues. His name was Colonel Thorn. For many years he taught at Somerset, but finally, he like all teachers must, sooner or later, dropped out of the ranks. For many years afterward he was a familiar figure with his pecu- liar "teacher ways." Prof. Charles Nourse was for many years a prom- inent teacher. In Somerset he taught a select school, under the very dignified name of "The Somerset Col- legiate Institute." Prof. Nourse afterwards became principal of the New Lexington public schools. He was one of the examiners of Perry County, and an examination taken under him in 1866 is described as follows: "There were thirty-two applicants-ten men and twenty-two women. The applicants were ar- ranged as a class in school and the examination pro- ceeded orally. It seems that Prof. Nourse was the only examiner present. The questions were given to the head of the class and if answered correctly due credit was given, if not it was passed to the next, and so on through the class. When the examination was completed, those who had passed successfully were given certificates at once. At this examination all of the ladies received certificates, but only four of the men were successful. In giving out the certificates, the examiner, who was evidently somewhat of a ladies' man, remarked that it was no more than right to in- dulge the ladies." Our first schools were supported from the revenue of school lands. These being insufficient, the fund was augmented by private subscription. The pioneer school law of Ohio was passed in 1821. It provided for a tax, the division of a township into districts, and110
the election of three men in each district to levy the tax, build the school-house, employ the teacher and be the judge of his qualifications. It was left to the option of the electors whether they would make such provisions or not. This made the district the unit and the people of Ohio still cling to that idea. In 1825, a law was passed, making it mandatory upon the town- ship trustees to divide townships into school districts, each district to elect three directors, who should build a school-house, employ a teacher, make the needful assessments and superintend the school. The teacher's qualifications were to be determined by a Board of County Examiners. In 1838 the law was enacted mak- ing the township clerk superintendent of the township schools. His duty was to visit each school at least once a year and examine all matters "touching the situation, discipline, mode of teaching, and improve- ment thereof." At least six months of good schooling was required. In 1847 the celebrated Akron Law was passed. This gave the right, to provide "for the support and better regulation of the common schools in that town." The next year this law was made general. And still the next year the "Law of 1849" was applied to all cities and towns. Under this law the modern High School had its origin. In 1853, a general law was passed, designating one of the sub-directors a member of the township Board of Education. It was practically as it is now with the exception that the township board had no voice in em- ploying the teacher. Its jurisdiction was only general. This law also provided for the levy of one-tenth of a mill upon the taxable property for the purpose of fur-111
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