Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-23
Tuesday, August %, 1921.

far from HOpewell A. K. +. chufch anu
in his day was considered a fine teach
or His instruction embraced only
reading, writing, arithmetic and sur
yeying. Some few of his pupils studied
Murrays English Grammar and
Morse's Geography. He began his
school on, or about the first of jan
uary and continued six days in the
week until the week before Christmas
without any vacation. The only holi-
days were the Saturdays before tho
celebration of the Lords Supper AT
Hopewell church which was twice a
wear and the Tuesday Of the spring
term of court for Chester county. He
was never married and made his home
at the Rev. John Hemphilrs, then
pastor of Hopewell church.
Alexander Ske,ly afterward taught a
school about two miles northeast Of
Blackstock. He was regarded as fine
scholar and we'll up in the ancient
languages and higher mathematics,
but was very NlSlOHaiS' ""S S'>pN''
of q military company and wrote a
great deal of doggerel poetry, some OF
very good rhyme. One Of his poems
Tine Fourth Of July" was fine in SEN
timent and fairly good poetry. But as
I have said he was visionary. Being
endowed bv nature with splendid me-
cha nical trend Of mind he !conceived
the idea that perpetual motion was a
possibility and in order TO demonstrate
this idea, he built a small shop ana
went to work on his machine when
was very complex affair. Got the old
ladies of the neighborhood TO spin yarn
to be used for driving band. When
he had all things completed he invited
in his neighbors TO sec it work off, all
things being in readiness. He pulled
Il lever to put his machine in gear ana
let on the power. but there was moth
ing doing. After tinkering a snort
while with it he again put on his So
called power with the same result
then he called some Of the men stand
ing around Ia assist in turning the
driving wheel when the band broke to
the chagrin of Skelly and the amuse-
ment of his visitors. This exploded
Skellys perpetual motion after the
band broke. He walked off and the
building and machine rotted down.
The first school | ever attended was
taught by William Douglas and was
located just across and opposite 10
where w. II. Latham now lives. lie
taught from the 4. Il. C.'s to the
classics. In this day and time grades
were unknown. The text books were
very few Wcbstcr's blucbaCk and the
Testament were the readers. Coughs
Arithmetic. Smiths English Grammar
and Morsr's Geography constituted the
tcXt books. Some studied Peter Par-
ley's history The A. Il. c. fellows had
the alphabet in all its form pasted on
a board paddle and this was used 10
teach them the letters. After they
knew all the letters then they were
promoted TO Webster's Blueback, spell
ing and nron0mcinr in two letters.
then three or four. when they got l"
"I;akrr" and ON until words of nine or
ten sylablcs could be spelled and pro-
nouncCd correctly When this was ac-
compishcd Il boy or girl generally was
a fair reader. Generally the last thing
the who,c school was asked spelling
lesson in which they were given haif
an hour to prepare. This was done by
the larger scholars getting their
Walkers dictionaries and smaller ones
the Blucback. studying or rather sing
ing the words in loud tone of voice,
swinging their bodies back and forth
kccping time. The seats were made of
mnchconS, smooth on one side ana
legs in them. Some higher, some low
e. to suit the scholars. On these a
small chap had to sit for hours with
nothing to rest his back against. The
writing was all done with a quill pen.
These were all made by the teacher.
A scholar would obtain a quill from u
goose wing and bring it to school ana
the teacher would transform ii into a
pen. These wrote much smoother
than the present day stub pens which
we're unknown then. They would not
last more than a couple of days. Many
who attended thiS-thcr names are
now unknown in this section, viz: Nc
CantS, PerryS, ClaIkS, lnSrams, Sulll-
vans, knights, Goodrums, etc My
brother William and myself are the
ONLY ones now living that ! know of.
At the Bell place about mile above
Blackstocli, formerly lived John +. De-
Bardclaben. | think he built the pres
cnt dwelling on this place. think ne
had studied medicine in his younger
days. but never did any practicing. lie
ran a small farm. Eut his chief nccu-
patton was merchandising and Keeping
Il house for the entertainment OF
travellers. and also place where the
stage drivers changed horses on their
trips. He amasScd considerable prop
rrtv for that day. One incident nc-
Cured in the neighborhOnd that Great
ed quite a cOmmotiOn in that day ana
time. y great many pcddIerS plied