The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-02-16
REMINIsCENsEs
In the History of the Early Days OF stark
County.
Continued From Last Week.

That there was IN existence relldDle
record of the organization, &c. OF the
SNYDER School District was fact known
to but few, and only after some errors as
TO dates and first settlers were made IN
the beginning of these sketches, did IL
transpire that such records had been III
the possession of the late Joseph Smith
for many years, and through the courtesy
of Mr.. Alfred Smith we were permitted
to examine them. 1t was hoped that
Others would take up the subject, correct
errors and bring out new facts and IN
cidents which would have greatly
added to their interest, but this it seems
was not TO be.
At a meeting held in the house of
Simon Snyder on the 9th day of July,
1882, in Lake township, fifty years ago
the coming july the first election" OF
directors was held, joseph Smith recelY-
ing eight votes, Simon Snyder seven,
and Jacob "Gaerte, ST., seven, thus fill
ing the Board. At the same time George
EYerhart received six votes Tor Treas
urer, and Jacob Gaerte, Jr., six votes
for "ClSrk, u thus completing the first
organization of which we have any
record. On the 14th day Of September,
1888, one year later, One-half acre OF
ground was decided jointly by Simon
Snyder aid Joseph NTH a. site for
school house, Adam Snyder and Peter
Snyder being witnesses to the deed. On
the 10Th day of October of the same year
another election was held, we suppose,
at the school house which must have
been occupied for the first time during
the winter of 1882 and 1888. Nine voters
were present, Among those not preYl-
ously named were Frederick Rode,
Joseph Bishop, John Gaerte, Michael
Snyder and Jacob Heiser, the latter,
with Peter Snyder and friedrich Rode,
being elected to fill the Board of Dlrec-
tors, John Gaerte, CLARK, and Michael
Snyder being Treasurer. Running along
over the record of annual elections, we
meet with the names Henry Sell. Adam
COchlein, Lewis COssler, John Anders
and John Essick, elected Treasurer,
the 10th day of October, 1885. We also
find the names of David DOuds, David
Sell, George Hanney Emanuel Kemerer,
James Hunt, John Zerbe, John Geib, the
latter, father of Squire Gelb, elected
Director in 1910. Later, we lind the
names of John Freyberger, Jacob ''YOck"
Eulmer, Jacob Splitter and JACOB Beard
which brings us up to the year lS4o. Ot
the persons mentioned as far as we ale
able to learn, but two of those present
at the first and second elections are yet
living; George EveThart, living near
EIkhaTt. Indiana, and Jacob Carte, Jr.,
living in the same old district. The
marvellous changes which have taken
place within the recollection OF these
two men seem more like fable than
reality. Those wonderful ciyilizers, the
railroad telegraph and steamboat, were
then unknown. The vast wilderness of
the west" is now filled with millions of
happy and prosperous people. The long
tedious voyage of three months across
the ocean is now accomplished in eight
or ten days. To cross the continent
from New York to San Francisco, but
HauG 10 rnunirp1 The news of
yesterday gathered from all over the
world we read to-day. Truly, the past
fifty wears have witnessed changes which
have affected the well-being of humanity
to greater extent than any thousand
years in the previous history OF the
world. Into no like period from
the time of our first parents to the pres
ent, have been crowded so many events
and inventions of startling nature,
and it is difficult to imagine that any
like period in the future, even to the end
of time, can possibly compare with the
age in which we live. The celebration
of Christmas forty years ago was quite
a different affair from which 1t is to-day.
No Christmas tree loaded down with
sweetmeats and valuable presents graced
the parlOT (D of our parents. Their
frugal habits made necessity by cir
cumStances when wheat was worth
from forty to fifty cents bushel, and
oats fifteen to eighteen cents. Fifty
cents was the price of days labor, and
money must be raised to pay taxes, buy
such articles of clothing as could not be
produced by home talent and industry,
besides numerous other drafts made on
the small store of cash in the old draw
string leather purse. Notwithstanding
Christmas day was looked forward to
with perhaps as pleasant anticipatiOns
as it is at the present time, and the
simple preparations consisting in our
good mothers making mOlasses cakes,
cut in fantastic shapes, rat cakes cut
square or OblOng, plated, twisted, or
the dough stuffed through the spout of
the coffee pot and dropped into the old
dutch Oven," half full of hot lard, and
baked to a delicious brown. The festive
turkey had not made its advent as the
central figure on the elabOrately set
Christmas table. Simple as were these
home preparations, they were watched
with a wonderful interest by the child
rem, and the relish with which they
were enjoyed was all the keener for not
being surfeited with delicacies mixed
with an untold amount of dyspepsia.
In addition to these home preparations
there were vague rumOrs of a grand treat
to be extOrted from the school master
on Christmas by "penning" him out of
the school house until he agreed to fuTn-
ISL a CuTlSLuldS II6dJ. II vi W6ehS III du-
vance the matter was privately dis
cussed by the older scholars, all of
which did not escape the eye of the
master, who, anticipating some attempt
of the kind several days prior, assuming
an air OF sternness and severity, the dis
cipline being enforced to an extent
which resulted in an unusual number
of fiagelatiOns and the display of half
dozen formidable looking gads placed
cOnspicuOusly on the pins above his
desk, and in sight of the whole school,
wore an ominous look, The awe inspir-
ing effect was easily perceptible in the
school, as the big boys worked away at
their sums with a reflective air, evil
dently trying mentally to work out the
possibilities of success or failure, The
hanswer'' in the event of the latter
unequivocalIy suggested by witty rods
on the wall, requiring no Daniel to in
terpret their significance, and the sly
QIances exchanged between master and
pupil indicated that something more
than usual was occupying their
thoughts. The door and windows were
Eecured with unusual care and several
mornings previous the master was at
IIxya aorly hnnP tn