The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-01-09

windows. These were made by enlarg-
ing the openings between the logs, the
whole length of the building. AS there
was no glass, these openings were
closed by setting little sticks up and
down, driven between the logs, about
a foot apart, and pasting paper upon
Them AS there were no newspapers,
old almanacs, old copy books, DO,
were used, and in order to let in the
light, this paper was CREASED with melt
ed lard. This made it much more
transparent, and at the same time pre-
vented the rains from beating it out, as
the water would glance off from the
creased paper.
Seepers were laid in the house, and
on these a floor of puncheons was laid.
These puncheons were large logs split
open and the fat side hewed. A loft of
clapboards was laid over head, and a
shutter to the door made of clapboardS,
pinned upon wooden crosspieces, with
wooden pins, in holes bored with small
auger.
Now we have our house done, and
we must have it furnished. For desks,
holes were bored in the log next under
each window, and wooden pins driven
in. Upon these long clapboards were
laid, for desks. Upon these we practic-
ed writing. In front Of these desks
were long benches to sit upon. These
were made by splitting open a poplar:
saping, hewing the fiat side, and insert
ing four legs in the round side. One
or two more of these seats was placed
before the fire, for the pupils to sit up
on. There were no backsto these seats,
and often the legs in them were SO long
that the feet of the smaller children
would not touch the floor. 1t was a
terrible thing for child to sit on hard
seat, without back, and his feet swing
ing above the floor for seven or eight
hours each day. But more of this
when speak Of the schools taught in
these houses.
Now l have my house ready for
school, and neither iron, glass, sawed
lumber, brick, or dressed stone about it.
But, you will say, you surely had iron
hinges and lock to your door2 Not
at all. The door was hung on wooden
hinges, and had wooden latch, raised
by a string run through hole in the
door, and hanging down outside.
Besides the furniture already named,
the master had an old chair, a rod, and
sometimes ferrule. There was a home
made water bucket, and gourd for a
dipper. Talk about your blackboards,
maps, globes &c, Such things were
never dreamed of in the early days
There was no need for them. In the
first place, the school master wat
thought to be perfect if he could read
write, and cipher so far as the Single
Rule of Three. Geography and Gram
mar were never heard of, and if a per
son had proposed to teach any higher
branches, am not sure that he would
not have been mobbed, as having inter
course with familiar spirits. Wha
could teacher have done, had he at
tempted to teach Geography Not ont
man or woman in ten but would hav,
been willing to have risked his or he
life upon the theory that the earth wa
as fiat as a pancake, and that the sun
moon and stars, arose and passed owe
and around the earth every twenty fou
hours, coming up out of the sea in th'
morning, and sinking into the sea a
night. The people almost UNIVERSAL!
believed that America was an island
can find plenty of men in Jackson
county at this day who will laugh n
you ifyou tell them that the earth is
globe, and has two very rapid motions
Nearly all the school houses in Jack
son county prior to the year 1888, wer'
very similar to the one ! have described
Having got our house ready, the young
teacher will like to know something
about the school master, how the direct
ors hired him, how much they paid him
&c. reply that there we're no public
schools. All was conducted on the SO
lect, private, or subscription plan.
Before proceed to describes a school
let me describe one of the teachers, ant
be may serve as sample of all the rest
TIE teachers were all old men. TIL,
one have in my minds eye was abou
fifty five or sixty, His name was Park
Dear. He was called "Old Parks