The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-04-20
LOCAL HISTORY.
CONTINUED from first page. !

brought TO the school house,
and at the noon recess, the boys
had no end of rare fun and enjoy.
ment while sklnnlng them.
In 1906, a school house, the ex'
act location Of which l have been
unable to ascertain, stood near
the home buildings or the old
Thomas Griffith place. School
was "kept" IN 1t for several years,
A Mr.. Young was one of the
teachers there.
In 1909, three schools, up-to-
date in character Of work done in
them, and very well patronNed,
were in operation In Wells Valley.
The teachers were John Alex.
ander, - Ryan and - Roach.
The common school system
was established in 1884; and ac-
cording to the law governing the
operation of the same, the quail.
fed voters IN each borough and
township might adopt or reject
the system at an election held to
determine the matter. In &C.
cordance with this law an elec.
tlon was held in Hopewell town
ship, Bedford county, of which
Wells Valley was a part, early IN
1885. The election resulted in
the adoption of the school system
by a decided majority. 1t would
be very interesting to know how
Wells Valley voters stood at that
election. Very soon after this
election, SIX school directors were
elected in Hcpewell township, of
which number Thomas Speer of
Wells Valley was one. He owned
and occupied the farm now owned
by George W. Sipe. He was the
father of the late w. A. Speer of
Saluvla. Immediately after the
organization of this board, they
decided TO build a number of
school houses, two of which were
to be In Wells Valley. These two
were built In 1635-one at Glib
sons, the other at Blveu's. The
first stood at foot of a steep hill
field close to Glbson's Run, and
near the present residence of Mr.
J. w. Gibson. The other was
located IN an angle formed by the
intersection of main valley road
and Roaring Run on left of run
and left of road looking toward
New Grenada where run is
spanned by a bridge near U. B.
church.
Because these houses were
frame weather-boarded build.
ings. inside walls and ceiling
plastered, larger than school
houses usually were and warmed
by old fashioned template stove
instead of chimney fires, they
were considered very fine. Each
was lighted by three windows
one on each side and one in end
opposite the door. These WIN.
dows were long ones, extending
nearly the lengthlof the building
and wide as the breadth of three
D oy III panes OF glass.
The Gibson house was used for
school purposes until end of term
Of 1878, when 1t became the
property of MIR. Alexander Glib
son, who used most of it for fuel;
but parts Of 1t can now be seen
as part Of the granary IN Mr.. j.
w. Glbson's barn.
The Blvens house did duty as a
school house until close of term
of 1861 2, when it, too, became
fuel. What memories and as
sociations the thought Of those
old school houses call up.
The seats in those old school
houses were made of slabs-hat
side unsupported on stout
sticks firmly fixed in auger holes
bored in the slabs. There were
no back supports to any of those
seats, except In case of one at
Gibson's. The desks were made
of boards resting on strong sup
ports fastened to the walls on
both sides and one end of the
building. When seated at the