Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-05-14
SCHOOL TEACHING IN THE SIXTIES
Seven Dollars Month and Board Joys of Boarding
Round" With "reminiscences of School Teaching
in Fulton County
By Roxie Handy Rice

honored position for many years, the
memory Of the first two terms will
never grow dim.
My first excrusiating experience
occurred, when / was compelled to
face q board Of school examiners, in
order to prove an intellectual claim
to n license to teach school. / doubt
II ever a soldier, going into his first
battle, approached the ordeal with
isenngs OF greater fear and trem-
ling.
In those early days, no certificate
for over six months time. was grant
I'd ~ an applicant, taking the first
county examination; If, at the ex-
piration Of that time, the applicant
could show guarantee of having
made good shs would, upon q second
appearnnce, receive one. granting her
permission to teach for a term Of
twelve to twenty-four months.
Having secured the certificate, the
= next thing, was getting school; that
not always proving a cynosure, even
though many amusing experiences
would arise, making the game of
school hunting, quite interesting at
least.
remember, driving ten miles to
apply for school, where, previous
" had been informed, they were look
ing for a teacher. My heart swell
ing with pride. I walked up to one
Of the Directors, who was busily hoe
ing in his garden. That mans name
was WILLIAMS" After listening
to me as I made known my business,
he turned toward me, resting both
hands upon the hoe-handle, looked me
over from head to foot, then, having
arrived ut his own satisfactory con-
clnsion. expressed himself. as follows:
"You, talk about. teachin' our
school, Yer haint even growed up;
better 70 back hum. and wash yer
mothers dishes, an weed the onion
beds: yer don't looks though yer
knowed ernuff TO teach piggs.'
While Fastening to get out of his
yard, ! glanced back, and saw him
stin resting upon the hoe-handle, and
as for the first time noticed the in
human look about his entire appear
ance, and realized the heartlessness
In which he had clothed his remarks
TO me, this thought came to me:
IT Just wonder now, what especial
qualifications are required, to enable
one to teach PIGS?
Although my first application for q
school, had not received very fiatter-
ing encouragement, perseverance, at
last brought its reward. as succeed
ed IN securing q school in one of the
weelthisst farming districts in the
county, then known as the Harrison
School, I found everything about
the school and neiRhborhood, mosi
congenial. II was my good fortune
70 teach both the Spring and Sum
mer tsrms--five months in all, fol
which I received the sum of THIRTY
FIVE DOLLARS. That, being tbs
first money had ever earned, fell
myself well upon the road to affluence
In order to earn that Seven Dollar,
per month, the teacher must binC
herself, in written contract, to teacl
twenty-five days in each month, be
ginning school promptly at nin'
o'clock, teach until twelve. take one
hour incoming, beginning promptly a
one o'clock, continuing until four p
m. Woe unto the teacher who fail
ed to live up to the letter of the con
tract, as, in every community, woul'
be found . self-appointed monitress
upon the lookout, ready to report
that Miss So-or, So, didn't teach he
hours; "hence. It behooved the in
coming teacher. to watch out"
The following fall, / engaged b
teach winter term In q certain Dis
trict near Ottokee, then my hom
town. Il being a winter term, ant
q large school numbering fifty AM
sixty scholarsl their ages ranging
from Eve years, TO twenty-one, wa
paid the fnunihcent sum Of Thre
Dollars a week with board; board
was then known as "boardinl
around" In, spending one or NOR
weeks (according to the number o
children from one home attendin
schooD.
Out Of her wages, the teacher wa
expected to hire boy to build tn
fires; should the teacher be economi
cally inclined, she would build tn
fires herself. thereby, saving twenty
five cents a week.. the writer has
clear recollection Of stripping tn
slivers from many a rail fence, in ol
Fulton county, for the purpose @
nsing them for hndling-wood.
A the majority Of scholars, live
one and one half, to two miles dis
tant from the school house, 1t rt
ouired no little nerve to start out be
tween seven and eight o'clock in tn
morning. wade through huge sno'
drifts. with the thermometer hover
ing around, land often belowl the ger
mark. Upon arriving at the scho'
house, enter an extremely cold room
and with half frozen fingers, attemE
10 build q fire, while perhaps, a doze
or more little kiddies would stan
shivering around, crying with COLI
and oh. how often the fire would ia
to burn, but just srnolder in the stov
filling the room with smoke, aft'
which. should it decide to blaze fort
every window must be opened, in o
Aer that the smoke might escap
while standing four and five dee
around the stove were scholars
every size, crowding one anothe
anxious TO get nearer the warmt
at the same time preventing al
heat from escaping the distant par
of the room.
O YOU children, of the present ge
Grafton. with vo0r steam-heated, W.
ventilated scho0i-rooms, you lit
enjov, in comparison with what yo1
forefathers had to contend, In ord
IN achieve their education; and y
those early DAYS Of struggle 4
knowledge. brought forth a Lincol
q Grant and thousand of illustriol
men. whose names will live forev
In history.
One OF the aegravating experience
with which the teacher had to conten
was In the arranging Of various clas
es; and they were various. in eve
sense Of the term. Graded schoo
in rural districts, were at that tir
unknown; besides. there were no 8
line of books IN vogue; therefor
the teacher was Obliged to arran
rlasses to fit the books. In MAJ
instances, I have known one book
serve two OF three in a family. Tn
classes must be formed in accordan
TO the age Of the pupil; usually frt