The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-01-19
For the REPUBLICAN.
RETROSPECTIVE.
An Incident of Early Days, and the
First Public School

Arriving some time before the exer-
cises began, an incident ever fresh in
my memory from the very nearly fatal
results, occurred to mind.
When a lad of some six or seven
years, my mother, whose home was
near by, took basket and her young
hopeful, which was yours truly, and
proceeded to the heavy timber little
south of where this school house now
stands, in quest of wild grapes. Having
accomplished the object of search, we
started home. When very near the
spot where the house now is, my moth
er became aware that we were pursued
by a large herd of wild hogs, which for
some unknown cause were greatly ex-
cited. She quickened her pace, but
was soon aware of the fact that escape
by that means was impossible. Time
was becoming exceedingly precious and
reaching a tree which the wind had up
rooted, and the limbs of which prevent
ed it from lying fiat on the ground, she
placed her basket of fruit and her boy
on the body of the tree, and climbed
onto it at the root, and proceeded to
where her treasures were, which was
sufficiently elevated to be out danger
of our pursuers, but none too soon, for
at once they were all around and under
us, champing and making all kinds of
threatening demonstrations, with tush-
es several inches long.
| Mother encouraged the boy by say
ing, "Hold on for dear life, for if you
fall off you wont live minute" After
some ten or fifteen minutes, which, to
me seemed as many hours, the swine
became discouraged, and went slowly
away in the direction they came, and
we lost no time in making our escape.
But the intense agony of those few
minutes left an indelible impression
on the memory of the lad, at least.
| Another thought came to mind while
writing: In the winter of 1856, 1 at
tended the first public school ever
taught, in what is now known as "tbe
Fair Ground district" Prior to that
time the only schools taught were what
were known as Subscription schools. "
Any person who wished could teach,
provided he could get sufficient num-
Der of subscribers to justify him in so
doing, and in case room could be OBJ
tanned.
After the directors had been elected,
they called a meeting of some neigh
bors, there was no school house., to see
what ceuld be done in order to have a
school as soon as possible. The great
majority of the early pioneers bad
practically little or no education. My
father was never in school until afte 1
his marriage, and then only twenty
three days! But they by no means ur
dervalued an education, having felt the
disadvantages of it's lack.
At the meeting they determined t(
fit up, if possible, an old deserted log
cabin, which was only used for sheel
shed, and stood on the north side o
Blue Jacket, and some 60 rods n. e. o
the n. e. corner of the Fair Grounds
AS one object of this sketch is to com
pare the present with times, wage
and environments of sixty-four year
, ago, brief description I trust will no
/ be out of place.
The pioneers of the district met a
the old cabin to see if it could be mad
, to serve until taxes could be levied an
collected to erect suitable building.
The cabin was about 1Sx22 ft. square
: of round logs, the roof covered wit
! clapboards which were kept in plac
1 by laying on them weight poles. l
e the west end was a stone fireplace
about eight feet wide, and three deel
: surmounted by stick and mud chin
e chimney, which had never been bui
: more than half as high as the roof. Th
roof was sadly out of repair, but notf
ing daunted, they concluded that the
could make it answer the purpose for
q time. To resolve was to act, and to az
n was to accomplish. Some repaired tn
d roof, others the floor, logs were cut OF
v of several places, and creased pape
pasted over the holes to admit tn
q light. Holes were bored in the wal
). and pegs driven in on which to la
, boards, to be used for writing benche
0 A ten plate stove was placed near til
east end of the room. Now it was nigl
II and nothing prepared on which tt
}. children were to sit, therefore, it W;
J. unanimously agreed that each or
10 sending to school should at least flu
|. nish one bench, and the meeting "a
l. journed, well pleased with their su
IF cess.
" Peter Knox was employed and taugl
the first public school ever taught
v this district. He was model man,
splendid teacher, and, withal, vel
strict disciplinarian; and woe betit
the reckless urchin who disobeyed
idled away his time, for above the do
were two hooks, on which, when Il
cabin was occupied, was always plac,
the gun, but was now utilized for ''tl
70 more noble and glorious purpose
holding in readiness half dozen hic
70 ory or hazel sprouts.
The school was a most decided su
= cess, which is the more remarkah
when the appliances of teaching a
:, taken into account. The only books
!, the school were: Primer, Introdu
tion to English Reader, English Rea
q, TT Q uiStorv fuSed as n raada,