The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-06-23
For the Press.
OLD TIMES IN THORN TOWNSHIP.
Our School House and school Forty
Years Ago.

Oi Jnnn Ofl-t, ABOUT ID Ethl- SOUTHWEST
from where the Thornville road crosses
the run, or streamlet near David w.
Miller's residence. The school hon=e
was abont twenty-five feet square, bnilt
of hewei logs, and covered with clap
boards held in place with heavy poles,
laid on each course of boards. The
floor was made Of puncheons and the
benches were made of slabs and punch
cons. without backs, the writing desks
were made by boring two-inch anger
holes in the logs the proper height
around three sides of the room and
driving wooden pins into them, and
laying broad puncheon= on them and
fastening them there. The door was a
ponderons affair made of puncheons too,
that withstood many a furious siege
ahont Christmas The room was light
ed by FIVE windows, and warmed by
large ten plate stove, that was Supplied
with wood, furnished by the parents in
proportion to the number of scholars
that each sent to school The house
was admirably situated on the high bank
about two rods south of the stream. for
the purpose of enjoying the advantage
of the water by both scholars and teach
ers. for there was an excellent spring of
water near by. and the branch at that
time was a very good fishing place for
small boys and girls, and the banks of
| the stream were denEely crowded with
! willows, that served the double purpose
| of furnishing poles for the little fishers,
/ and rods for the vigilant school master
| to govern his hoisterous school when
"moral snasion" failed to answer the
purpose, by trying a little positive sua-
/ ION on the transgressors' backs. that made
"Home Spun" and the children came
to school clad in garments that were
-pnn, wove, and made by the mothers
and sisters Most of the boys wore blue,
and butterrut colored jeans pants and
vests; and red; blue, or yellow blonses
or wrappers, and an old wool hat or seal
skin cap on the head. Our shoes were
made out of leather that was tanned by
Joseph and Jacob Crist, in their tan
yard, about sixty yards north of the
school house. The girls wore linsey
and flannel dresses of almost every
imaginable check and color. Those
were the pioneer days of old No. 8,
when whole sonled generosity was freely
shown, and reciprocated. If an insult
were given, (which was of very rare oc-
currencel there was instantly furious
pitch in" and battle fought with the
determination and fury of old wildcats
and then, in few minutes were good
friends again, and ready TO defend his
late antagonist, if an occasion required
it!
Those were the chivalric days, and
happy times of old Number Eight.
Now for the school! There we-e usually
three months of school in the Winter,
and six weeks in the Summer, the wa
ges usually paid to male teachers. were
twenty dollars per month; and from ten
to twelve dollars per month TO females.
The branches taught were c's, SPELL
ing, reading, writing. and arithmetic,
occasionally, one or two studying gram
mar and geography. The books used
We're Webster's Spelling book, the Eng
lish Reader, Historical Reader, Histor-
les of the Revolutionary War, and some
other histories. The Bible and Test
ament were also much in use at that
time. in our school. j i was real practi-
cal knowledge that was taught in those
days. The knowledge that was useful
on the farm; in the shop; and in the
market at large. There were no super
fuIties Taught in those days, but real
practical and useful knowledge that
could be brought to bear where most
needed. What's the use for Gland
lubber" to study navigation, when it is
self-eyident that he will never be able
to navigate anything successfully. but
the plow and cart? How few know their
own forte. 1t generally supposed that
education or "bonk learning" as it is
called, make the man or woman.
Very we'll, let us see. 1t is the origi-
nalIty of the boy or girl that tells.
Where did our great men come from?
They came from the dust to be sure But
how did they make start? | will tell
voI- Napoleon Bonaparte commenced
planning the different movements and
positions Of soldiers with grains Of corn,
when he was only six years old, and he
kept at it, planning and maneuvering
with his corn, placing his whole soul
INTO the one idea, a,-composed reasoned
and executed the most complete system
of warfare known to the old world at
that time. Bonaparte did not find his
tactics in the books; he originated them
himself, and what was the result? You
all know it, he was the terror of all
Europe. and without a parallel in sue
cessful warfarel Where did the prodig-
ious machine-the steam engine come
from? Who made il? Here, too, ] as
sure von that it was not made by a grad
] t4dtc VI Sp1ICSSB bht was
per fected at different times by men OF
just such education az graduated in our
old log school house. This is the
knowledge that tells, and may we have
more of it. MILTON DILTs.
disastrous fire occurred at St. Johns,
: Canada, on Sunday. A territory six
! hundred feet wide and mile in length,
; embracing the entire business portion of
= the town, was burned. Seven hotels,
! nine churches, the custom house, court
house, postofiice, United States Consu-
late, portion of the bridge over Rich
eIicu River, St. Johns woolen mills,
stone china warerooms and 250 stores
and houses were reduced to ashes. Miss
Lay, Il milliner, in endeavoring TO save
her goods, was burned to death. and
others were badly burned. The entire
? A