The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-06-01
LOCAL HISTORY.
Wells Township Schools, Houses, and
Teachers of Sixty to One Hun
dred Years Ago.
FOR THE NEWS BY NJ. NJ. HORTON.
Continued from last week,

schools during term of 1872 by
John b. Foote at Gibson's and by
j. X KItterman at Camp Spring
W. w. Osborne and Miss Elvlra
Willett were the members of the
class at Camp Spring,
Geography was taught first al
Glbson's during term of 1S55-f
by Anon G.. Edwards and the
first class IN algebra was organ,
lied IN 1858 by II. S. Wlshart.
The members of that class were
j. W. Griffith, Harvey Wlshart,
James A. and Robert III. Speer
and myself.
Until after the adoption of the
County Superlntendency there
were alway to be found young
people from Wells Valley schools
in some of the old time semlnaries
or academies located IN adjoining
counties. During the summer of
1853 there were nine such pursu-
ing their studies IN the seminary
at Cassville, Huntingdon county.
The Min wood academy at Shade
Gap, the Allegheny Seminary at
Ralnsburg, the young ladies'
seminary at Shirleysburg and
that at Newville were patronized,
also. After the superintendency
was established, the common
schools did the work which the
academies and seminarles had
been dong, and the latter ceased
to exist. Those old time schools
IN Wells Valley gave to the world
many preachers, doctors, and
lawyers and turned out more
teachers who could dc the work
than did any other township IN
Fulton county or any township
in any of the surrounding coun-
ties.
Now, what of those who were
pupils In those old schools fifty
to sixty years ago? Those yet
living are white haired old grand
fathers and grand mothers now,
and not many of them vet remain
on earth, cannot write of those
who were pupils at Camp Spring,
Bivens and at M. E. church he.
cause | lost sight of nearly all of
them long ago. | know, only,
that but few of them are left; but
of the sixty to eighty boys and
girls who used to crowd the old
Gibson school house every school
day, | know of but twenty-five
yet living and l think there are
no more.
What a hustling, energetic,
happy, wide owake crowd of
young Americans we were, and
how very well we succeeded IN
making things lively for one
another and for our faithful hard
working teachers. Those teach.
ers are now in the full enjoyment
of their great reward on the
"Other side," but there memory
will be revered while one of us
remains.
My article on old time military
of Fulton county closed with a
proposition that the old boys, yet
living, meet, for the last time, in
reunion. Now, 1 would earnest
ly suggest to my school mates, of
the long ago, in Wells Valley
schools, that we arrange for a
reunion on site Of one of the old
school houses and that at no dis
tant time in the future. | am
sure that such a reunion would
be an occasion of rare enjoyment
for every one of us. Long, long
years have come and gone since
we were together last. It's long
since most of US ever saw one
another. We are white haired |
old people now and in the course
of nature, we will soon all be |
gone; so let us meet again while
yet we may. | have no doubt our
pleasure at meeting one another
again would be great as that we
enjoyed long years ago when
pltted against one another IN a
well contested game of town ball,
or while engaged In the exciting
contests of the spelling bees at
Gibsons or Blven's.