Newark post., 1910-11-09
HISTORY OF WHITE
CLAY CREEK SCHOOL

tiers bought large tracts, Cntil there
was time and necessity for subdivision
the population was very much scat
tered.
These immigrants were intelligent
The Church of Scotland early adopted
measures for the promotion OF gem
cral education.
Hethcrngtou, under date OF 1906,
speaks oi an Act of Parliament re-
spccting schools, realizing what had
been long and earnestly sought by the
Presbyterian Church--a school in
every parish throughout the whole
kingdom SO far supported by the pub
lie funds as to render education ac-
cessible to even the poorest in the
community
1t was the religious character, in
tclligence and love OF liberty OF these
pcopie which drove them first from
Scotland to Ireland and then to this
country, and which gave them SO inn
portsnt an influence in establishing
the free institutions which we now
enjoy
In the old documents OF the White
Clay Creek Presbyterian Church es-
tablished in I72I. not a mark in the
signing OF names is to be found
The first building upon the present
site OF the church was erected in 1852.
just across the pubic road there
stood until about five years ago, an
ancient, one-roomed, log building,
where the great grandparents of the
present generation attended school
The writer has been unable to OBJ
tain any definite information as to the
history of this school prior to 1907
one Of her ancestors being a pupil
aho"t that time
An extract from an historical ser
mon, delivered at White Clay Creek
i'll 1876 is pregnant with suggestion.
".The Reverend Charles Tennsnt was
licensed by the Presbytery OF Phila-
delphia in 1896 and became pastor of
this church in 1887. He WAS the young
est son OF Reverend William Ten
nant and was born i'll Ireland in l7II.
His father cane to this country with
his family in I7l6 1t had been neces-
sary for those who wished to enter
the ministry of the Presbyterian
Church in this country, to obtain their
education either in a New England
College or in Europe. but Mr.. Ten
nant taught his four sons-all OF whom
entered the ministry-and many others,
and the small building which he occu-
pied as schoolroom received the
celebrated name. ''the Log College.
The location of this building is not
given. Reverend Charles Tenant
was at White Clay Greek from 1737
Il. I'LL -, le
of his father and establish a "Loe
College" for his and others children
The records show that son was
born TO him in I744, and another sr
I747. Quoting from the same dis
course. we learn that the Tennan
family and those associated with then
occupy a very important place in the
carly history of the Presbyteria,
Church They co-operated with Whit
field in evangelistic work, and thei
progressive spirit is shown by the fac
that they took d prominent part il
the great Schsm Of I74I, between th'
Old and New Sidee OF the Presbyter
ian Church
The men who razed the old log struc
ture a few wears ago had tough piec,
of work The logs were OF oak an
securely mortised or notched. In tn
first decade of the last century it wa
"psy school, a man would appea
in the neiehborhood in the fall. de
clare himself schoolmaster and be
gin 'gwine round beatin' up skule
Parents who could afford to do SO
paid pittance for each child sent t,
school. The master ckcd out a lvinI
by cobbling shoes after school hours
When there was an interment in tn
nearby graveyard, the teacher rang
ed the pupils in line and marche
then over to view the "burying.' N
doubt this barbaiou performance wa
TO impress upon their infant minds tn
fact that life is short and they ha
best take advantage OF the privilege
to impi owe the heeting hour
The date of tie erection OF tn
prcscnt stone building can not be as
ceftained, but there seems to be n
authority for placing it earlier tina
1920, though pupils of the early Fl
ties declare it was very old buildn
then.
The tract OF land upon which tn
building stands was bought from Squir
Sanders for SIoo The esquire" wa
an important man in the communit
combining the activities ard trades {
Justice OF the Peace. cabinet-make
undertaken and farmer. He Wa
thought to have driven quite bal
gam with the school commissioners
selling quarter OF an acre OF woot
rsrf' for $Ioo.
Pupils OF the school in 1852 reca
the existence OF grass-grown excav;
tons in a nearby field belonging
the ancestors of Judge George Ora
A tract from this property was offere
for the. erection of school building
with the understanding that the scho
should be kept open designated nun
Der of months each year: failing tn
the tract should revert to the CIR;
estate Evidently the worthy vote
OF the district felt unable to fulfill II
required conditions as meeting W;
called at which it was decided to D.,