The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-01-19
Orange Townships
First School Was Log
House Back In 1850
CONTINUED from page u

ways anxious to come together when
ever the occasion presented itself.
The "circuit riders" were the chief
religious attraction. Singing schools
were started and an itinerant music
master would endea7or to teach "part-
singin' in the old-fashioned way
without the aid of any musical instru-
ment except a baton and tuning fork.
Pioneer Literary Societies
Literary societies fourished in those
days when the young folks would get
together and spend the evening in
recitations, essays, music, and cap it
with grand climax in debate on
the merits of the abolitionist move
ment, the corruption of ths Bank of
the United States or the comparative
value of good roads and canals.
Argument waxed strong and heated,
but bad effects were Immediately dis
persed with refreshments and the
walk or ride homeward with ''the best
girl" The most celebrated literary
society held forth at the No. s, or
Owlsburg school.
Spelling contests were interesting
events, when the flower of the town
ship would get together in one of the
school houses and see which boy or
girl would stay up the longest as the
contestants cracked the hard ones
from the old McGuffey speller, and
fond parents or relatives were usually
out to back them to the limit.
| Benefits of Literaries
The momentous effect of these prac-
tices are often overlooked today with
our improved schools. Though the
present public school student is de-
cidedly superior in some branches of
learning, it is to be doubted very
much if he is the equal Of the pupil of
fifty or seventy-fve years ago in
spelling, pennlanship, grammar or
public speaking.
Many of the most brilliant debaters
in Congress, and some of the leading
preachers and barristers which We're
in their prime during the last century
received their early training and prac-
tice in these literary societies of rural
communities. One need ony give ex-
amples of Abraham Lincoln, Henry
Clay and Henry Ward Beecher in this
connection, or talk to many local men
of the generation after the Civil war
to hear the Kings English" in all its
ramifcations.
1t must be understood that the
young folks were no more inclined
to these subjects or activities than the
youth of today, but the bald fact that
there was nothing else to do was a
ldeciding factor in their inclinations
Another contributing factor was the
interest shown in politics in all the
pioneer communities during the rise
and Towering of Jacksonian democ-
racy.
First Log School House
The first school house in Orange
township was a log house situated on
the site of the now abandoned Ewing
school. The exact date of the erection
of the early school is not available
but it is estimated that it was COM
pleted several years prior to 1850.
A new frame school was built dec
ade later, and was placed on the OPP
posite corner. This school eventually
burned down and then another house
was put up. After this one was made
use of for many years, the Ewing
brick school, that was used until three
years ago when Orange township
schools were consolidated, was con-
structed.
Before Capitalization there were
districts in Orange township and each
of these had a school before the Civil
war The astonishing part of the
life of the township was the large
number of pupils in each school. Each
district had from forty to seventy pup.
lis each term and it is said that or
some occasions the rooms were sc
filled that some unfortunates were
forced to stand along the wall
Teachers Paid $40 Month
One teacher handled all the classes
and had eight grades to look after
For these duties, forty dollars a
month was then considered a very
good sum. However, we may be sure
these early teachers earned their SAL
aries honestly and we'll.
There are not many records left OF
the old school teachers. At "No. A.
: before the war, the teachers included
B. f. Boyles, David Anderson, A. c.
Ewing and Frank Ewing. Angeline
taught the district school in 1853 and
a man by the name of Miller about
| 1863.
Some of the teachers about 1865 to
; 1870 included Mrs Marshall, Sam
| Phillips and ]. D. Anderson. David
! and Alfred Thompson were two of the
earliest teachers.
} Large Enrollments
The large number of pupils sent to
! the schools of the township attested
i to the size of the families and to their
interest in education. The fact that
when they closed three years ago the
i .e,,,. ..al1.oI Il. u.