The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-03-27

enactment Of The common schoo
laws but, let it be said in honor Q
| Addison, that her citizens wer,
the first to accept the common schools
adopting the system in 1884, th'
same year it was established and
notwithstanding the fact that bu
three school-houses were built the
irst year, under the supervision o
energetic school directors, such a:
General NJ. A. Ross.and Judge Han
ma, the schools were rapidly increas
ed in number and efficiency. Among
the most proficient teachers wht
taught in this township during the
FIRST few years of the common school
system, were j. W. Dawson, vii
liam Robinson, aud Prof. j. j. StuIz
man. A town was laid out by VIM
J. Baer, on the right bank of Laure
Hill creek, in Turkey foot township
and named Ursins. 1t was incorpo
rated iu 1872, and contains well
graded school; also. one Of the finest
school buildings in the county.
Confluence is another town, stu,
ted about two miles farther south, at
the junction Of Laurel Hill creek and
Casselman river. This town wa:
Incorporated in 1874. The school
was graded last year, aud is in good
condition but it is unfortunate fol-
the people that the school room does
not meet the demands of the school
The second settlement was made at
Berlin, which, from all the informa.
tion that can be obtained, must have
been a, early as l150. The town
was laid out by Jacob Keffer, Mr.
Fisher and Mr.. Hay in 1174; and
the lots donated alternately to the
Lutheran and Reformed churches for
church and school purposes. Church
es and sehool-houses were erected by
both congregations as early as 1880
The school-houses were built OF
rough logs, and very poorly furnished.
The benches were made of slabs and
the tables of rough boards. Though
each Church had a school-house Of
It's own, the schools were never con.
Quoted on strictly sectarian princi-
pies. A stone school was
built near the Reformed church in
1925, and about the same time an
old school house was torn down and
frame one erected on the same site
where the Lutheran Sunday-school
house now stands. This house was
known as the "Red School House, u
and is frequently spoken of by the
people of that place
A majority of the citizens of Broth
ersvalley township were averse to
the common school system, and for
this reason the people of Berlin with
drew from the township, and in 1886
formed an Independent school dis
trict. The common school system
was adopted by the new borough in
1887, and about the same time O new
frame school building was erected on
lot of ground that had been donat-
ed by Mr.. Fletcher for school pur-
poses. This house was used about
twenty years, when, in 1851 it was
torn away and new brick-building
constructed on the same site by Jacob
Zorn, senior This house contained
four rooms, and for the time being,
it subserved the purposes of school
house, very we'll The school was
graded, and three rooms were oecu-
pied From that time forward the
schools were placed under the super
vision of good teachers, such as Phil
ip Smith. Rev. John Brubaker, and
Prof. l. F. Rodabaugh, and soon at
tanned standing second to none in
the county. This school-house was
torn down during the summer of
1876, and fine two-story brick
building, containing four rooms Of
ample size, which are furnished with
the latest improved patent furniture,
has taken its place. The members
of the school board merit commenda-
tion for the judgment and economy
exercised in the erecting and furnish
ing of this building. An old Albright
church, in the northwestern. part of
this town, was changed into semi
nary in 1853, which was kept open
five terms an effort was made to
build college, but difference hav-
ing arisen between the citizens and
Church, as to the manner in which
the money should be procured for
the erection of the building, tho en-
terprise was abandoned. When or
where the first school was taught in
Brothersvalley township has not been
possible for me to ascertain. Schools
Here taught at different places, in
private houses, however, as early as
1855, and were gotten up by few
intelligent men, who felt an interest
in their own families and in the wei.
fare of the community. A few Of the
early schools were German, and read.
ing writing and arithmetic were the
only branches taught. The people
were slow in accepting the common
schools, fearing that the school tax
would be very burdensome. Finally,
however, after losing about $4,000 of
State appropriation, they accepted in
lS49. Prior to this, very few houses
were built exclusively for school pur-
poses, and in 1850 there were but six
schools in the district. Since that
time education has moved steadily
onward, and at present there are
within the same territory twelve
thriving schools. with intelligent CON-
munities surrounding them
The southern part of Brothersval-
ley and the northern part of Elklick,
were formed into new to gnsbip in
1912, and named Summit The
schools in this part of the county, in
early times, were taught in private
houses and deserted dwellings,
Abraham H. Miller states, however,
that small school house was built
on the farm now owned by Mr.. Kes-
singer, as early as 1895, but does not
know that school was ever taught
in it. Mr. Gedd;nger taught Ger
man school in an old dwelling on the
farm owned by Mr.. Harrick, in 1876.
The common schools were not adopt
ed until 1874, aud then only with
great difficulty, as guns were loaded