Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-03-05
History of Ashtabula Township,
Written in 1S56-.from tile Times.



In the early stages of society the in-
habltants of Ashtabula were animated by
IL spirit, and used cXertions according TO
their means, in reference to the education
of their children, which to this day have
not been exceeded, nor surpassed in sue
cess in the common schools. The child
rem had less temptations to vice, were
more restrained and better governed at
school,. Order was better maintained
among the pupils, and their parents were
less difficult to please by the teachers.
Farmers, mechanics, and other lnboring
men, merchants, and occupations i'll com
mon life; have been well and sufficiently
educated IN the common schools above
described, in which the branches of COM
mon learning enumerated, were all to
which they could have access. And the
writer's long observation aud experience
convince him that such a course, being
sufficient for the education of the masses
Of the community, is that to which our
common schools ought 10 be limited, in
order to prevent TOO great variety from
abridging their usefulness, by diverting
The attention OF the teachers from those
mon course of studies. Let those who
are to be qualified tor teaching and other
learned professions, after having passed
through thorough common school
course, be sent to higher schools TO ccm-
plete their education.
TO test these sentiments, the writer
has had ample opportunity, in the com
mon and academic schools taught by him,
aud in his subsequent course of lite for
many years among the men aud women
who, in c. hood and youth, were his
ueloved pupils. They were easily gov
erned, orderly students, good proticients
in their studies. Many are living near
him with their families, and he has the
heartfelt satisfaction ofseeing them good,
useful, aud respectable citizens and mem
bers Of social, civil, and religious commu-
mites. Many have emigrated to various
pats OF the country, and many of them
gone to their long home.
Among those living in this and other
places, near and remote, are many re-
spectacle and useful husbandmen, me-
chanics, merchants, teachers, public Off
GERS and professional men, sharing the
zensy much to the qualification of their
old friend and preceptor. From 1880
onward for several years, and upon the
old system, common school districts were
multiplied in ratio with the increase OF
population, and were furnished with
more comfortable aud convenient school
| houses.
A new era of schooling commenced
eventuailyy in which, by legislative enact
ment, taxation was resorted 10 tor de-
traying the expenses of common school
education, aud the voluntary system was
mos y suRerceded. .... p. ..... b..
| ] h old common and academic school,
which was commenced by the writer in
1917 in the centre of tie West Village
was Continued on the voluntary princi
pies until A. ID. 1882. Then this school
was suspended by the Ashtabula Acade.
Emy, which was Incorporated February,
8 b., 1889
The building how the Town Hail.. cal+
ed also "Flreman's Hall, no longer used
for schools, township meetings, religious
assemblies, Masonic meetings, and other
public uses, war chiefly owned by church.
men, as members OF their parish and Of
the Masonic fraternity. They, with the
other proprelors, gave this building to
the west side Of the north public square,
repaired it, and opened their school. 0i
this old school house more will be given
hereafter u.l a
| hl passing from the old TO the new era
OF the pedagogical profession, aud man
agenent Of schools, one old man may be
indhlged, perhaps, in expressing his sen.
timents, in the language OF another, thus
| The schools-the schools Of other days
Those were the schools for me, ~
When, in frock and trowsers dressed, I
learned my A B G. ~ .sir.., ~, =,
| When with my dinner in my hat, e1
trudged away 70 school,
Nor dared to stop as boys do now ,....'