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Ross Twp School HistoryThe Bergholz Story, author, Call, published by Featheringham, pp. 42-45, School Days
The first schoolhouse in Ross Township was also built about 1814 and was located about half a mile southeast of Stephen Coe’s mill near Mooretown. James Ewing was the first teacher with a three-month term. A Mr. Shane writes that early schools were often not so fortunate as to have a schoolhouse. They "were often taught on subscription and a teacher would get to use of some cabin outbuilding or a farmer’s kitchen in which to hold his school. He would seat in a very primitive way, but it served his purpose…"
The early teachers were all persons of very common scholarship and included Mr. Dixon, Thomas Riley, Mr. Baker, Henry Crabs and Samuel McCutheon. The schools were held sometimes one month, sometimes three, according to the money raised. They were kept in the winter, but seldom in the summer. The predominating religious influence being Presbyterian, the parents were encouraged by the ministers to educate their children. About 1820, under a then new law, townships were districted and school houses built; but still the distilleries outnumbered the schoolhouses four to one.
Dr. Shilling, in the first chapter of his book, Yellow Creek Stories, provides a description of what many of the early log schoolhouses must have looked like. "It was approximately 18 feet square, rough ceiling and six small windows. A huge fireplace faced the schoolmaster. Outside the doorway was small and deep, due to the thickness of the oaken and mortar walls." |
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