The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-05-25
LOCAL HISTORY.
CONTINUED from first page.

1
| he presented bill for 81 80 tc
pay for part of what he had fur
nished, and the school directors
authorized the payment of the
bill. This method of obtaining
fuel for the schools continued
until 1855, when the school dlrec
tors decided to sell the contract
to furnish the fuel for each
school, to the lowest bidder at q
public sale of the same.
| Until 1858 nobody seemed tC
think that an outhouse, for con-
venlence of teacher and pupils,
should be provided for a schooI
house. | suppose the reason for
this was, that there were thick
woods near every school house.
When Fulton institute was built
IN 1858 an out house was erected
on the school grounds. This was
the only one ia the township un
til 1862.
One of the customs connected
with old time schools, was that
of "barring out" the teacher. If
a teacher neglected or refused to
"treat" his pupils at Christmas
time, he was right sure to find
the school house closed against
him some morning. During the
night the boys had gone to the
school house and securely fas.
tened doors and windows on the
inside. The teacher coming in
the morning found the boys IN
possession with a demand for a
"treat." If the teacher acceded
to the demand the house was
opened, if not he was supposed
to stay out until he did so. In
such cases the boys had the sym
pathy of the people IN the school
district. Not often did a teacher
take the risk of beng "barred
out" after the demand for a treat
had been made upon him. 1t
was too unpopular.
In 1858, two teachers in Wells
township refused to treat on de.
mand to do so, and were prompt
ly barred out. The teachers
made no effort to gain admission
to their school rooms, but, after
a few days, reported the state of
affairs to the school directors,
who opened the school houses.
Soon after, at a meeting OF the
board of directors, they decided
that the senseless custom of bar.
ring out teachers was old enough
to die; and, that far as they were
concerned, they proposed to have
part in Its funeral. Accordingly
they requested the two teachers,
who had been barred out, to
make good the time lost from
their work, and notified the par.
ents of the boys, who did the
barring out, that they would es'
cape prosecution, by each paying,
promptly, his share of the ex'
pense of paying the teachers for
extra time. Some of them ac-
cepted the offered terms at once
but others not until they saw the
penalty of violated law and costs
of court proceedings staring
them in the face. Then they
paid what was demanded of them
No barring out teachers In Wells
township since that time.
AS stated, the tax levied fol
school purposes IN 1858 amount
ed to 1904. SO. Five years later
the people were asked for con
slderably more than $500. There
was steady, persistent anc
growingdemand for better schoo
houses, and better facilities fol
work IN them. The old rule of q
days teaching tor a month hac
been abolished and "a days were
required, and the custom, o.
keeping the schools in operation
on alternate Saturdays, had beer
relegated to the past also. Furtt
er on, teachers were required tC
study some standard work or
education and teaching. and meet
the school directors once in two
weeks for discussion of some
phase of their work. Failing tC
do this without reason satisfac
to,,, to tho eohnnl 1traotorc m,