The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-15
9iSturiea1
[For the DEMooBATl
THE EARLYSCHOOLS AND TEA CH-
ERS OF CANTON.

It may be interesting to the rising gen.
Grafton of our city to learn something of
the schools here half century ago, and
what kind of teachers there were when
pater fdmilias was "-the whining school
boy, with his satchel, and shining morn
ing face, creeping like snail, unwillingly
to school,"
Schools are coetaneous with the town.
Canton was laid out, lots sold, and the
first building erected in 1906. The next
year, and before, there were a sufficient
number of resident children of proper
age to sustain school, anda log structure
was put up on the Court House lot, in
tended for school house. That fall, An
drew Johnson, who was by trade re-
pairer of watches and clocks, obtained
sufficient number of subscribers in the
town and country adjacent to justify him
in opening three months school in the
winter of 1903. He gave satisfaction,
and continued the school several winters,
following his trade during the summer
months. At that early day the custom
of barring. out" was in vogue; for the
man is still living who assisted in play
ing this trick upon Johnson, and relates
how he [Johnson] succeeded in effect
ing an entrance into the school room by
letting himself down the chimney.
The next school was opened in 1911
by a man named Baker, in frame build
ing of two rooms, that stood at the cor
ner of Tenth and Market. Both rooms
were occupied by the school, one for the
larger scholars and the other for the
smaller. As the teacher could not be in
both at the same time, it may be imagin.
ed there would be some disturbance in
one of the rooms. The teacher had
weakness for strong drink, and kept a
whisky bottle concealed in the brush
the building, to which he
would resort at stated intervals. Two of
the larger scholars found the bottle, emp
tied out the contents, and reflled it with
a fluid having the appearance of whisky,
but in taste quite different, then conceal
ed themselves in the brush near by to
enjoy the fun. 1t is said that when Ba-
Ker discovered the trick there was a won
derful sputtering and splitting, interlard-
ed with awful profanity. One of the boys
engaged in this trick became Judge of
the Court, since deceased, and the other
is now well known citizen of town.
There were female teachers at an early
day. Mrs. Elizabeth Reynolds after
wards Mrs. Laird taught several quar-
ters in this same building, as did also a
Miss Jones. Miss Huldah Chichester
/ [afterward Mrs. DIR. Bowen], is remem-
bered as one of the early female teach
ers. Miss Mary Reed taught a school in
the Kaufman building, corner Market
and Ninth.
About 1914 teacher by the name of
had schoolin the log Court
House, corner of Third and Market. The
year following a school was taught by
James Williams, in the frame house still
standing on the east side of the Public
Square, now occupied by grocery.
The school books of that day were few
and inexpensive. Dillworth's speller,
the Bible and Testament for reading
books, Coughs arithmetic, slate, few
sheets of foolscap, goose quill, and vial
Of ink constituted the whole series.
After the Lutheran and German Re-
formed organizations abandoned the
frame building they had erected as a
church, on the lot now owned by the
society, it was removed
across the street upon the lot donated
for school purposes, and fixed up as a
school building. The first teacher in this
place was a man by the name Of Powell.
This was about the year 1916, and very
little remembered of him or his school.
Soon after, William Smith, of Carlisle,
Pa, opened school in a one story frame
building on the lot now occupied by the
Jackson hotel. 1t was habit with him
to emphasize an expression by the word
bedazed, from which he obtained the So
briquet of "old Billy Bedazed." His
school did not continue long, nor was it
characterized by anything remarkable.
Bradley @. Goodwill came TO Canton
as teacher in 1918. He commenced in
the Coulter tavern, sign of the Green
Tree, now 0berley's. He taught there
two terms, Of six weeks each, and had