The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-05-18


OF THE
Common Schools Of HiIISbOrO,
Highland County, Ohio.
The first settlers of Hillsboro were men of intel
ligence and at an early day eyinced great inter
est in schools. Many of these pioneers were men
of liberal education for that day, and were always
ready and anxious to provide schools for their chill
dren. Very soon after the settlement of the town,
pay or subscription schools we're taught at inter
walls by James Daniel and others. The first of
these schools, deserving of particular notice,
taught by Robert Elliott, who came here from
Kentucky, at the instance of Allen Trimble who
had known him teacher in that State.
Elliott opened his school in 1914, in building on
Walnut street, nearly opposite the Methodist
Church. At the start he had between thirty and
/ f4rty pupils, and the numbe, somewhat in
! creased afterward. lie considered Il good
teacher and his school continued for the fol-
lowing three years. 1t was attended by the chill
dren of the town, and by some from the adjoining
country. Several of the pupils of this school are
yet living, amongst whom John A. Trimbe,
John NJ Barrere Colonel Trimblc and Washington
Doggett.
While this school was going on, the citizens of
the town agitated the subject of the purchase of
lot and the erection of school house. A public
meeting was held, at which it was determined to
bay lot and build house, all to be paid for by
subscription, and to be the property of the town
for school purposes. Three managers were elect
ed: Joseph Woodrow, J. d. Scott and George
Shinn. They purchased of Jesse Williams the lot
on East Main street, which John D. Spargur
now resides for fifty dollars. The deed bears date
May Is, 1915. Very soon afterward a log school
house, twenty-five by thirty-fve feet, was erected
upon this lot. The house was of hewn logs and |
in the language of the article of agreement with
the contractor, $50 be chunked and sdaubed
with good lime and clay mortar on the outside and
to be lined with plank the walls in the inside |
and sealed above head" On the completion of the
house it furnished with seats and desks of |
simple construction, but in consonance with the |
means of the people and in accordance with the |
furniture of their homes. Elliott first occupied
this house. removing his school from the house on
Walnut street. He remained in it until 1913.
The next movement in the direction of better !
schools occurred in 1918. At that time the Madras
or Lancastrian school system was attracting con-
siderable attention in this country and Europe |
Captain John McMullin came to Hilsboro from
Virginia, and proposed to teach school upon this
plan Several prominent citizens became interest
ed in getting up the school, and meeting was
held and articles of agreement and subscription
were drawn mp and signed by nearly ali the citizens
of the town. For the welfare and good govern
ment of the school, Allen Trimble, William Keys,
Samuel Bell. John NJ. Nelson, Joshua Woodrow,
sr., John Boyd and William Wright were chosen
Trustees of the 'Hillsboro Lancastrian School,
These Trustees were empowered to contract with
McMullin TO teach the school, and were to pay him
a salary not exceeding six hundred dollars for the
first year. They were also authorized to provide
fuel and other necessaries. All expenses were to
be paid by assessments on the Subscribers in pro-
portion to the number of scholars each sent to the
school. The school was to be in session forty
eight weeks each year. To this school Allen Trim
bic subscribed four pupils, John Boyd four, Will
liam Keys three, John Jones three, Francis Shinn
three, John Smith, Pleasant Arthur, Newton Dog
gett, and some forty Others one two each. The
school was opened in the log house Main street,
in September ISIS, and all the appliances of the
Lancastrian system were prov ided. Amongst these
latter were the sand DESK which supplied the place
of the modern blackhoarfz Between sixty and
seventy pupils were enrolled at the start and the
number was afterward increased during the con-
tinuance of the school to ninety.
In 1921 an addition, twenty feet in length, was
added to the school house. This school seems to
have prospered for four years, and whatever the
defects of the system may have been, it had the
merit of turning out good readers, writers and
spoilers. Many of the at present old residents
were pupils in this school, amongst whom are
n ~ Jr:u |
H. Woodrow, Mrs DR.. Kirby, Col. Trimble, Mrs
J. NJ. Trimble, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Ellis and Wash
ingtOn Doggett. Fourteen others are still living at
other places. In these two early schools no pro-
vision was made for INDECENT pupils, excepting
what assistance was given them by their abler
neighbors, and that assistance was rarely withheld
from the deserving.
The Lancastrian School, under Capt. McNIullin,
closed in 1923. An effort made by John S.
McKelvy to continue it, but he carried it on for
only short time, when the system was aban-
doned No effort made in these schools to
teach anything beyond the common branches, ex-
cepting an occasional class in ing-keeping
The next school of any note was Taught by Eben
Hall and his wife, in the year 1926. The Halls
were from Massachusetts,, and were both well ed
ucaied. Hall was man of classical requirements.
He taught the advanced branches, and his wife the
Primary ones. Classes were taught by Hall in
Algebra, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. The Hon.
Nelson Barrere was pupil of this school, and
went thence to Augusta College.
Owing to domestic and other troubles, Hall did
not teach many months. he was succeeded by
Benjamin Brock, who taught for year or two.
ldge Gregg also taught a school about the same
time.
In 1927 Robert Way, Quaker teacher, who had
been teaching in Fairfield township, came to Hills
boro, and taught school. lie was a teacher of
very considerable reputation, and taught for many
years in Clinton county, where he died few years
ago.
In the year 1929 movement was made in the
direction of higher education in Hillsboro, which,
on account of the impetus it gave the cause of edu
cation and the results flowing from it, deserves ex
tended notice. This movement resulted in the
founding of the Hilsboro Academy. The pressing
want of some more thorough and extensive system
of Education, was felt and appreciated by the lead
ing men Of the town. This feeling led to a sub
scription being started for the purpose of provid-
ing Male High School or Academy. After good
deal of hard work, over five hundred dollars we're
rased in shares of stock of five dollars. The prin-
cipal stockholders Allen Trimble William
Keys, Andrew Barry, Joshua Woodrow, jr., Isaac
Telfair, John NJ. Nelson, Rchard Collins, Jacob
Kirby and Samuel E. Hibben.
The stockholders were Incorporated by an act of
the Legislature, and organized by eecting Allen
Trimble, President, Richard Collins, Secretary, and
Samuel E. Hbben, Treasurer. In order to COM
mence at once a school such as was contemplated
they purchased, in 1929, two-story frame house
on East Main street, on the lot on which John ~
Trimble now resides. The Academy was opened |
in this building in the autumn of 1929 with Rev
Samuel d. Blythe as Principal. Coming after him
as Principals were Rev. Joseph McD. Mathews Rev
John Eastman, James A. Nelson, and last, Profess
sOr Isaac Sans. II was the first High or Classical
School of any Importance in this part of the State
and attended by about fifty young men of this
and adjoining counties.
Early in the history of the Academy it received |
through the efforts of Governor Allen Trimble, |
donation of the States interest in two tracts of |
land forfeited for taxes. After paying Sl600 to |
heirs having claims the land, enough was realiz-
ell from the sale of portion of the land with which
TO buy lot and erect building. Accordingly,
tract of thirteen acres in the north part of town
n1-cha sod and m n a ram ndinus t,vn-ctnrv