The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-01-08
SCHOOLS In JACKSON COUNTY
SIXTY YEARS AGO.
Lecture Delivered Before the Jack
son County Teachers Insti-
tute, January 2, 1885.
BY D. MACKLEY.

In what I may say, I will use the
terms used sixty years ago. The
teacher was not then called a peda-
gogue, but The Master; pupils were
called scholars; studying or learning
Arithmetic was called ciphering; to
recite WAS called saying a lesson; to
pronounce words to be spelled was
called giving out spelling; solving
problem in Arithmetic was called
doing sum; recess was called play
time; men did not then teach, they
kept school.
There were no public schools in
Jackson county sixty years ago. No
school-houses were built at the cost Of
the taxpayers. The settlers would
agree to build school-house, and
would meet with axes, broad-ax, fro,
maui and iron wedge, horses, half-sled,
and other necessary implements, and
in two or three days the house would
be ready for use. If [ had time, it
might be interesting to describe the
manner of building and furnishing
the original school-house; but have
only time to say that there was not a
nail-in fact not an ounce Of iron, or
square inch of glass about it. The
great fireplace, taking in wood eight
to ten feet long, the cat and clay
chimney, the puncheon floor, clap
board loft and roof, the windows being
a space cut out between two logs,
almost the entire length Of the build
ing, and instead of glass, having
CREASED paper pasted upon upright
pieces Of wood, to enclose the window
all these have often been described
by old men and women. School
houses were not built where old aban-
doned cabins could be secured as
school-houses.
Of the seven masters to whom |
went to school, one-the second Of my
masters, is yet living, and as [ knew
he had kept school more than sixty
years ago, / wrote to him few weeks
ago, and here is his answer:
WINCHESTER, IND, Nov, 1884.
Cd Mackley:
ESTEEMED FRIEND-Your kind and
esteemed letter received, and its con-
tents noted. / will most cheerfully
answer your questions, as well as
can.
Il am yet living, nearly eighty-four
years old, and can write little. The
first three schools [ taught in the
State of Ohio, was in Gallia county.
The school you refer to, taught in
Jackson county, in which you were a
scholar, commenced the first of De-
cember, 1927. | received two dollars
scholar each per quarter, three
months. in trade. All kinds Of trade
were taken. Corn was the standard
almost legal tender. 1t was gener-
ally fifty cents bushel Other COM
modities were governed by it. About
| that time there was little or no money
paid for school teaching in the coun-
try. 1t was very scarce.
1.-THE next winter I taught public
school in Gallia county, for which [
received ten dollars a month, paid in
public money. Others around me got
the same
''School-houses were generally rude
log cabins. The seats were generally
hewed slabs, the legs too long for the
children's feet to reach the. floor; wood
and clay chimneys. often very smoky.
"Orthography, Reading, Writing,
and Arithmetic were the branches
generally taught. Students were kept
in school each day much longer than
now. In some of the schools they
spelled aloud. I was taught to call
the last letter in the English alphabet
lizard. The rod was more freely used
in school than now, yet | never used
it but once; | resorted to other means
and had but little difficulty to keep
good order.
Notwithstanding the many diff
entities that existed in those days,
young scholars generally learned fast
er than now, but not so correct.
Il forgot to state, in the proper
place, that my first school in Ohio
commenced the first of December
1928.
EFF you publish your lecture in the
Standard. please send me copy con-
tanning it.
Cs'Y ours with the Kindest Respect
"W. G.. WILMoRE"
A few days afterwards | received
the followingi
WINCHESTER. IND,
Nov. "a, 1884.
FRIEND MAcKLEY = The letter
started to you few days ago was very
hastily written. After mature con-
sideration conclude the first school !
taught in Ohio was in a house which
stood near the line between Jackson
and Gallia counties, but in jackson
county. This was in the year 1923
The second stood near the line, and in
Gallia county. Both schools were
made up with scholars from both
counties. Both houses were log cab.
ins, which had been used as dwelling,
houses. Sometimes rude hut was
thrown together to accommodate one
term Of school. What change!
| "Now. nv dear friend. do not neg.