The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-23
Early ity
History
Contributions On the Early
Days Of Richmond Will
Appear In This Col
umn Dali,
EARLY SCHOOLS.

MIS-. Saran A. Wf1Gley writes:
The log school house built on the
ground donated by John Smith, was
similar to the one described In this
column few days ago. It stood until
9 small brick building was erected. /
hope some one can give the year It
WAS built and some account Of the
teachers.
In 1S43 I attended what presume
to be the first kindergarten held in
Richmond. have forgotten the teach
err name. She was a woman, past
middle age and lived on the north
side Of Main street between Third and
Fourth streets. The front room of
her dwelling was devoted to the school,
which consisted of six or eight chill
dfen. under six years Of age. do not
remember her method Of teaching, but
do remember that we took our dolls
with us, and had good time playing
IN her grassy side yard.
think it is a mistake to include
Dr. Warmers name in the list of early
teachers. think he practiced medi-
cine from the time he came here un-
til his death in 1885. He erected
good,sized brick house on the site OF
the present city building, and at his
death he left it to the city. 1t was
long known as the Warner building,
and occupied by the city officers.
In 1897 a large room east OF the
the Office was used for school, the
pupils entering on the north. side.
The teacher was Miss Mary Thorpe,
who besides the common branches
taught French, drawing and painting
In water colors. She had globe and
maps, but what interested most was
an abacus, or Chinese reckoning
board, with the aid OF which she
taught the younger children. the rudi
ments of arithmetic. I think Miss
Thorpe taught in Richmond about two
years, and then removed to Center
school. Miss Thorpe taught In Center
vile many years, where she was high
ly esteemed both as a woman and
teacher.
The Rev Samuel Hoshur conducted
a school at Centerville as early as
1898 This school was attended by
young men and women, among whom
I recall Caroline Lampson (afterward
Mrs. Jesse SideD, Miss Anna Finch
(afterward Miss George Julian.
Among the young men who taught
were Oliver Morton, William Murray,
William and Lewis Wallace (sons of
Governor Wallace). Lemuel King and
Samuel Hoshour. Mr.. Hoshour wrote
a series of letters which were pub
lished in county paper. They were
signed Lorenza Altisant. Lorenza
goes on journey and writes these
letters to a friend at home. Each pu-
Pill in the spelling class was furnished
a copy OF the letters. They were re-
CURED to read them in class and
spell, pronounce and define the words
used. This was very difficult as
there was no unabridged dictionary
at that time, and the writed used all
the obsolete and peculiar words at
his command. These letters were aft
erward published in book form, and
It is a literary curiosity. A copy may
be found in the Morrisson-Reeves IL
brary.
Like most early teachers, Mr. Har-
Ian trained the boys with the fire.
auent use of the rod. A beech grove
near the school house furnished the
necessary equipment.
There was another school taught
by Miss Sarah Dickinson. This school
was for girls only. Each day she ap-
pointed one of the pupils as monitor,
and seated on a high platform, she
was required to record all infringe
ments OF the rules that came under
her observation. This reporting on
friends and playmates was a very dis
agreeable task, and was soon discon-
tinued, parents and children entering
their circumstances.
Between the years of 1845 and 1850
there was a school taught in Richmond
by Miss Sarah Evans, which was I'M
der the supervision of the H1ckslte
Friends monthly meeting.
l hope some one will write de-
tailed account of this school and
teacher. Many of her pupils are still
living. SARAH A. WR1GLEY.