MOSLEY SCHOOL - MARION TOWNSHIP
From a newspaper article written by Marie Donnell
Students at Mosley in 1898 - Marie Donnell identified those she could as follows; front row, unknown, Floyd E. Gruber,
Alfred Deputy, Clifford Deputy, Almira Gruber, unknown, Carrie Trapp, Maud Lewis, Jennie Kysar, Myrtle Kysar; middle row, Bertha Davis Trisler,
Eunice Barnes, Neshia Carlock Bridges, Nathan Smith, Janie Barnes, Elma Kysar, Ethel Lewis, Frank Lewis, unknown, teacher Arthur Rogers;
back row, unknown, Elmer Smith, Clarence Kysar, Cloay Deputy, Gertie Davis, Lulu Barnes and John Davis.
In 1898, the Mosley School was actually only a large room heated by two large flat-topped wood stoves. The entrance of the building was on the west, and led into a "good-sized" hallway. On either side of the hall were coat racks and shelves for lunch boxes. Hanging from the ceiling was the rope for the school bell.
The desks faced the east, and blackboards extended across the entire east wall.
Hung above the blackboards were three large pictures in frames - one of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, one of the Loan Wolf and the third of The Last Supper. These turn of the century students were fortunate to have a "map case" which included maps of "the continents, the oceans, seas, islands and one of the United States."
On the south wall were shelves of books - biography, history and some classics. There were also a few "current" novels.
School opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 4 p.m. An hour was taken for lunch and the students, of all ages, had 15 minute breaks in morning and afternoon.
These children had the freedom to plan their own recreation. In good weather they played baseball. The smallest children were given a "place" when it came his or her turn to bat, each could give his "place" to a favorite batter.
Sometimes they played "shinny," using a block of wood or an old tin can for a "a hockey ball." The shinny sticks were made from shrubs that grew at a founded angle out of the clay banks near Mosely. This was a good pastime on the way home from school.
Another original game was "jail." The school's woodshed had an open window where the wood was unloaded. The leaders chose sides with one child becoming the first "prisoner." The object was to see which side could capture the most prisoners. Of course, all the prisoners eventually escaped by jumping out the window of the shed.
Jumping rope and playing marbles held a fascination for several of the students, and on rainy days there were always card games - Bunco, Rook, Flinch and Authors.
In the winter, boys took parched field corn to much on during school hours. The corn was heated on top of the stoves.
Spelling for "headmarks" or awards was an exciting time for the entire school, and was held on the last day of classes.
And that's how it was in 1898. Except for the one-room schoolhouse, the school day was really not so much different than today's school day.
You may use this material for your own personal research, however it may not be used for commercial publications without express written consent of the contributor, INGenWeb, and