The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-12-11
IMPROVEMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL
FACILITIES.

The pioneer schools correspond.
ed with pioneer life in the early
period of Our country's history.
Needs of school supplies were few
and simple, as were also the oppor-
tunities OF the patrons to procure
them. The attention Of the people
was chiefly directed to clearing up
the country, which occupied all of
their time, and their children could
not be spared much of their time
for intellectual improvement. The
school buildings in those days, like
the houses ofthe people, were rude
ly constructed and school supplies
were of the most primary character,
and scant in quantity, and it was
thought that if one could read,
write aud cipher, was all the edu-
cation that one needed, as so many
people could neither read nor write.
Probably half the children went
to school without any books, as
they were very costly and precious
and hard to procure, as stationery
OF all kinds were scarce, and many
parents too poor to buy them. But
it must be remembered that the
printing press was also in its pio-
neer days, and labored under the
same disadvantages that all other
pioneer enterprises did.
Under such circumstances, nei-
ther teachers nor pupils could have
any higher ambition than "go
through the books" then in vogue
whether they mastered them or not,
as each teacher (perhaps then bet
ter known as master } was a law
unto himself, and his qualifications
certified to, by his ability to con-
quer the pupils, if not by moral
suasion, then by brute force and
hickory oil"
Each school was independent of
all other districts, and the only test
of superiority of rival districts, was
in the old fashioned spelling bee.
II appears that the patrons of the
schools in those days took more
interest in these spelling bees than
do the patrons of our schools in the
more modern days of first class
school facilities, and full supplies,
with all the paraphernialia of school
apparatus. Whole communities,
old and young, male and female,
used to attend the weekly spelling
bee, i'll which was as much interest
manifested as in a circus show.
Here the champion spoilers within
reach of all districts, assembled and
engaged in the contest for the
championship or belt" which
they priced more highly than
Jeffries or Fitzsimmons could
prize the pugilistic belt for the
championship. At all events there
was more honor in the spelling
belt than is in the pugilistic
belt"
But with Our country's develop
ment and Improvement the pioneer
schools faded with pioneer life, and
both were supplanted by a higher
and more refined civilization, and
hence the people and their children
no longer grope in intellectual dark
ness, nor stumble over superstitl Gus
relics of past ignorance, as our
forefathers cleared the country from
the forestry and removed all i'm
pediments and rubbish from the
soil that the industrious husband.
man might reap thirty. sixty and
hundred fold as the product of his
labor, by properly cultivating the
land. So, in like manner, they
prepared the way for intellectual
advancement and progression, that
by the use of all modern education
al machinery, our schools reap more
than hundred fold of educational
advantages of which we boast as
the triumph and glory of our
American Institutions.
Yet, with all the glorious i'm
provements which lifted humanity
to higher and nobler state of life
and general advantages in every
department of human activity, we
love to take an occasional backward
glance, and crown with glory and
praise the noble pioneers and their
immediate successors-that is, our
ancestors, who paved the way that
such glorious results might follow
in the wake of their noble deeds;
but which they never dreamed
could ever be accomplished by their
descendants.
II the first settlers and founders
of Bloomsbury could rise and see
that beautiful and magnificent town,
teeining with industry and busi-