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Deer Creek Township Schools

From History of Madison County, W. H. Beers & Co, Chicago, 1883

The early settlers of Deer Creek township, like the pioneers of most countries, realized fully their lack of edcuation, and as soon as possible endeavored to provide the ways and means to educate their children. The country was sparsely settled, and many of the children had long distances to travel over almost impassable mud roads to attend the first school established, which made it quite discouraging to both parent and child. But the undaunted will and perseverance of those unflinching noble men and women, soon overcame all obstacles, and the settlements rapidly increasing in numbers from accessions from other countries and States, they were soon enabled to dot the township over with schoolhouses at reasonable distances apart. Although the first schools were held in rude log structures, with puncheon floors and slab seats, with none of the comforts and conveniences of the schoolhouses of the present day, and though the roughness of these structures was in exact keeping with the unpolished and limited qualifications of the greater portion of the teachers of that day, yet they answered their purpose, being the best they could have under the circumstances; they served as a beginning – a foundation and stepping-stone to something better – and but a few years elapsed ere the rapid increase of population with attendant improvements and advantages enabled them to have better schoolhouses and better teachers.

To show the rapidity with which the township was populated, and the progress in the establishment of School Districts in a few years, as well as to give a knowledge of the families that then lived in the township, we will give a list of the families in each School District at quite an early day. School District No. 1, in 1826 – Amos Howard, Sidney Addison, Amos J. Howard, John Cory, William Scott, Anry Brown, James Brown, Joel Burnsides, Asa Bates, Benjamin Landon, John NEgley, Richard Baldwin, John Summers, William Kirkly, Ansel Bates, Elijah Bates, Asa Owens, John Canaber, David Reece, Thomas Gillespie, Samuel Dickison, David Culver and Abner Williard. Total, twenty-three families. District No. 2, in 1827 – Thomas Orperd, George Prugh, John Osborn, John Groves, Joseph C. Geer, Henry Groves, John Arbuckle, Erastus Hathaway, Charles Atchison, John Kennedy, John Shields, David Ross, John Ross, Fanny Shields, Blackwell Parish, Benjamin Bowdry, Uriah Hancock, John Hamond, Henry Prugh, Noah Morris, and Thomas Taylor. Total, twenty-one families. District 3, in 1830 – John W. Simpson, Eli W. Gwynne, Elizabeth Owens, William R. Lawrence, John C. Wagoner, Franklin Clark, Zachariah Jones, Jemima Jones, William Blaine, Alexander McMurray, Mathias Furrow, William Minter, Hiram Edwards, William McCoy and William T. Davidson. Total, fifteen families. District No. 4, in 1827 – Benjamin Pike, Joshua Littler, John Calhoun, Asa Wright, John Clernoe, Samuel Ewing, John Ewing, Charles Ewing, Daniel Wright, John McDonald, Sr., Thomas McDonald, John McDonald, Jr., Elizabeth ––, Jacob Sidener, John Plimell, Sr., John Plimell, Jr., John McNutt and John Adair. Total, nineteen families. District No. 5, in 1827 – Alfred Garrett, Robert M. Adair, Jessie Stout, Elizabeth Adair, Edward K. Adair, John Davidson and William T. Davidson. Total, seven families. District No. 6, in 1827 – Timothy Beach, Robert Scott, John Scott, Gabriel Markle, George Vance, William Soward, Charles Soward, Barnet Warren, Valentine Wilson, Samuel Wilson, Eli Williams, Robert Taylor, Jonathan Markle, Sutton Potee, John Roberts, Benjamin Hull, Solomon Porter and Levi Humble. Total, eighteen families. These school districts have since the above dates been changed, and the present districts are not numbered as then; and the township at that time embraced more territory than now, as other townships have since been organized, and Deer Creek Township made smaller. The above enumberation shows that, from the very few families that resided in the above mentioned territory in 1807, in the short space of twenty years, they had increased to 103 families, established into six school districts.

The first schools were often held in private houses before the people were able to erect buildings expressly for school purposes. One of the first schools we gain an account of was held in a small log building twelve feet square, situated in Lawrenceville, opposite the house of Isaac Jones; this was about 1816. The first teacher was a Yankee by the name of Turtlott. There were but few scholars, and the teacher was paid with money raised by subscription, which amounted to about $8 per month, and the teacher "boarded around." He was very rigid in his discipline, as were most of the "schoolmasters" in that day; and he extended his authority over the children at their homes, or on the road, as well as in the schoolroom, and if any trouble arose among them that came to his knowledge he chastised them severly, and it was considered all right; in fact, rigid discipline was as much expected as that they learn from their books, which were of the most primitive kind. These subscription schools were the only schools to be had for many years, as in that day there was no school tax or public money from any source for the support of schools; hence, in every neighborhood, wherever the settlers became numerous, and able to support a teacher at those very low wages, a school would be held in some private house, if there was no schoolhouse.

The first house erected expressly for school purposes, of which we find an account, in this township, was built on what is now H. W. Smith's farm, about one mile south of La Fayette, near where his barn now stands. It was built of round logs, puncheon floor, clapboard roof and door. The front of the fireplace wa the width of one end of the house, and greased paper, instead of window glass, through which light was admitted into the room The first teacher who taught here was a Yankee by the name of Clark. Another teacher who taught extensively throughout the township was Mr. John Gillingham. Subsequently a school was established on the Curtain farm, one mile or more east of the one mentioned above. This was in an old log cabin, so low that the scholars could not stand up straight, and they had to take out the joists overhead in order to give standing room. But as the years advanced the country became thickly settled, roads were extending in all directions, progress and improvements of all kinds were marching onward, wealth was increasing, and every neighborhood needed and could support a school, good frame and brick houses were erected, and now there are six school districts, with as many good schoolhouses.

District No. 1, at La Fayetee [sic], has a large frame house with two rooms, and supports two teachers; wages of teachers – females, $35; males, $50 per month. Board of directors, Valentine Wilson, H. wilson and A. N. Fox. District No. 2 is located on the Upper Glade. The first schoolhouse in this neighborhood was a log house of the most primitive kind, and was built on John McDonald's land, south of the present school building, near where the railroad now passes; this was about 1814 or 1815. This house was succeeded by another log house, located north of the present one, on the north side of the pike. This was again succeeded by the present comfortable frame house, which was erected near the Upper Glade Methodist Episcopal Church, in which for many years the "young ideas have been taught to shoot." The present Board of Directors are, L. B. Wright, James Plimell and Clark Sidener. District No. 3, "Coniac Run District," is located on the old Curtain farm. The first building was a hewed-log house, erected on a lot donated and deeded expressly for school purposes, and can never be used for any other purpose. This house remained in use till 1860, when the frame house was built. The enumeration of this district is now about twenty-five scholars. Present Board of Directors, John Lohr, William Bierbaugh and J. B. Garrett. District No. 4: The first schoolhouse erected here was a frame, located on the National road, just west of John Snider's residence; and built about 1843. It is believed that John Amos was the first teacher. In 1856-57, the present frame house was erected. The enumeration of this district is about thirty scholars. They usually have school taught about nine months every year. Teachers are paid from $40 to $50 per month. District No. 5 – "Dun District" – is of more recent organization. The lands in this neighborhood were owned by a few persons, and for a long time the number of school children were limited, and they had no school nearer than La Fayette. In the spring of 1859, they erected the present school building, and the first school was organized June 4, 1859. The first teacher was Rev. John Haight, since which they have had regular school sessions. No. 6 – a joint subdistrict, known as the "Beach School District" – was organized in the spring of 1872, from Deer Creek, Somerford and Union Townships, and a neat brick house erected the following summer. Mr. Freeman was the first teacher. First Board of Directors, Dr. W. M. Beach, C. D. Converse and William T. Arick, who have filled the office to the present time. The school tax levied in this township, in 1881, was $2,700. Average pay of teachers, $30 to $50 per month.