The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-05-18
LOCAL HISTORY.
CONTINUED from first page. J

| 10 Initiate. comparisons are
odious." MANY men OF many
minds, many birds of many
kinds" Demonstration is the
thief of time" and "EvlD commu.
nicatlons corrupt good manners"
were some of them. However.
not all copies were of this char
acter. Some of the more pro-
gresslve teachers would write, as
a copy, sentence expressing a
scientific truth, fact of history
or something about some one
whose name was famous. Goose
quill pens went out of use in Wells
Valley schools about 1854 or 1855.
The difficulty, in the matter of
classification, IN the schools. ow-
ing to the use of too many differ
ent text books was got rid of IN
1854. At a meeting of the board
of school directors, held on Oct.
Goth, of that year, series of text
books, to be used in all the
schools, was adopted. Five di-
rectors were present at that
meeting and their action was
unanimous. 1t seems to me that
it is due to the memory of those
faithful directors, every one OF
whom he'd seen years Of service
as a director, who made this long
stride IN advance. the first action
of kind IN Wells Valley and no
doubt the first in Fulton county,
that l should here record their
names. They were Joshua Ed
wards, David Osborne, Henry
Keith, John Sharrer and John S.
Houck. At that time the school
law authorized directors to adopt
text books but did not make it
obligatory upon them to do so.
This in connection with the fact
that they knew their action would
arouse bitter criticism and op-
position, serves to show in PLAIN
est light, that they were men,
who had at heart, the best inter-
ests Of the schools and that there
was not a self seeker or time
server among them.
To show that these old drec
tors knew just what they were
doing, give list of the books
they adopted. They were Nc
Guffey's readers and spoilers,
Dawes series of mathematics,
Bulllon's grammar, Mltchell's S
geography, Olmstead's phlloso'
ply, Olney's astronomy, Web
ster's dictionary and the Bible.
Many changes in text books, for
use in Wells Valley schools, have
been made since that day, nearly
60 years ago, but has there any
improvement ever been made
} since that time?
In 1858, there was a black
board suspended on the wall in
the old Gibson house-or two OF
them, rather; they contained
about 10 feet of surface and hung
on leather straps. When they
were first placed there | do moi
| know but 1t was prior to 1851
There was no black board in any
other school house until 1858. Al
that time a blackboard was placed
IN No. 2 school house and another
IN No. 4. ThereIwere no crayons
IN use before 1865. Chalk was
used. 1t came In large hemls-
pherical blocks. Up to 1875
! teacher or pupils or both paid fol
chalk, crayons, brooms and wa
: ter pals. No wash basin could
be seen in any Wells Valley
school house IN those days, They
were not needed. Gibson's Rur
was very close to the old Gibson
house, Roaring Run right by the
Biven house and beautiful little
stream murmured within a few
feet of the Camp spring house
then why buy wash basins? How
they got along at No. 2 where
there was neither spring nol
stream / know 1t. There were
no towels but what of that? Did
not every country boy and gir
carry a good serviceable cottor
handkerchief at all times and one
that could be depended upon ir
any emergency?
. Globes. outline mans. counting