HISTORY OF
ORANGE COUNTY

CHAPTER 9

By James L. Noblitt

The first school established in Paoli Township was in a small round log-house, situated upon the land of David Thompson’s heirs, in Section 16, Town 1 north, Range 1 east, one mile west of Chambersburg. The first teacher was an old gentleman named Tomlinson. He could teach reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. Among the patrons were the Chamberses and Lindleys. This was probably the first school ever taught in Orange County. There is now no person living who attended this school. Mr. Tomlinson remained here but a short tine, and was succeeded by Thornton Brady. Nathan Farlow is the only person now living (1884) who attended Mr. Brady’s school. The next teacher was Duncan Darrock, succeeded by Thomas Newlin. William G. Chambers attended during Mr. Newlin’s term. John Murray taught about one mile south of this in 1823. These schools were superseded by the establishing of a school at Lick Creek, in 1824, at the site of the present school building. This was the first district school established in the county under the Congressional Township System. It was supported in parts by rents of school land. John Murray taught here in the fall of 1824. Thomas Newlin was teacher about 1828-29. He gave his pupils a treat of cakes and pies at Christmas time. It was served at his residence, a half mile from the schoolhouse. The house was a log building 18 x 24 feet. It was replaced by a frame house in 1822. Among the patrons were the Chamberses, Lindleys, Thompsons, Lynches and Gillums. William C. Gillum attended during 1829. Shadrack B. A. Carter and Jonathan Prosser were early teachers in this neighborhood. The studies embraced reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and grammar. Several years after this Morris Pritchard introduced the first geography. Later than this Levi Woody taught here a number of years. He was a good teacher. Under his management the school was well supported, and became one of the best in the county under the district system. All the common school branches, including algebra and philosophy were taught. The patrons at this time were the Lindleys, Chamberses, Towels, Dixons, Clouds, McVeys, Thompsons and Coxes. Miss Asenath Cox, who became a very excellent teacher, was a pupil of this school.

In the meanwhile other schools had been established in this and adjoining neighborhoods. In 1816 the citizens built a small log house near Thomas Atkinson’s place, three miles south of Paoli, and employed a Mr. McIntire to teach. Shadrack Ditts taught here about 1820. The patrons of this school were the Atkinsons, Stouts, Farlows, Grimeses, Mormans, Boltons, Lambdins and Throops. Sophia Throop, then a young girl, walked three miles morning and evening to attend the school. Miss Throop afterward became the first lady teacher in the county. The studies in this school embraced reading, writing, spelling and primary arithmetic. In 1816 Evan Jones taught a school in a house which had been used as a dwelling, about one mile south of Paoli. The next year the citizens of this neighborhood built a schoolhouse on land of Nathan Farlow, west of Beechgrove Church. Roderick McLuskey, an Irishman, was the flrst teacher. He was succeeded by Thornton Brady in 1818. Mr. Brady was a good man and was much beloved by his pupils. The patrons of this school were the Farlows, Truebloods, Wolfingtons, Pinnicks, Williamses, Weeks, Boyds, Hills, Lindleys, Dishons, Dixons and Hollowells. Mary Hollowell, who was said to be the first female child born within the present limits of Orange County, was a pupil of this school. Miss Hollowell afterward became Mrs. Joseph Clendenin. About the year 1820 Maj. Doak opened a school in a small house near the sink of Stampers Creek. Among his patrons were the Lewises, Johnsons, Sniders and Mahans. He was followed by Richard Mills near the present site of Rifetown in 1821, and he by John Murray, at same place, in 1822.

In 1825 the citizens built a log house, 18x18 feet, on the land of Cyrus Quackenbush. It was furnished with split sapling seats and one glass window, a log being taken out on the other side to admit light. Henry M. Canaday was the first teacher. The branches of study were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. This was the first silent school taught in the county. Mr. Canaday remained here three years and was succeeded by Samuel Dalton. Samuel Hudelson studied grammar at this school. The patrons were the Hudelsons, Elrods, Lindleys and others. During the summer of 1839 Sophia Throop taught in this district. The house was situated on Owen Lindley’s place. Lindleys and Wellses were among her patrons. In 1841 William Hudleson and John Hollowell, District Trustees, built a log schoolhouse two miles northwest of Paoli. Judge John Baker, now of Vincennes, Ind., built the chimney for this house. Theodore Stackhouse taught here in 1843. The studies embraced all the common school branches; wages of teacher, per month, term of three months, $18, public money. Remainder paid by rate bills. Patrons were Hudlesons, Hollowells, Ellises, Braxtans, and Milligans. Mr. William Hudelson served as District Trustee here for more than fifteen years, for which service he never charged or received any pay. Schoolhouses being inconvenient in some neighborhoods, churches were used for schoolhouses. Alexander Morris taught at Newberry in 1831. Julia Talbert taught in the old ]og church at Stampers Creek in 1841. Sophia Throop also taught one school here. In 1832 Sarah Chambers taught a school where Chambersburg has since been located. She received $1.50 per pupil for a term of three months. Among her patrons were the Cateses, Chamberses and Robinses.

Under the congressional township system, Paoli Township had the county seminary and five district schoolhouses in which to educate her 800 children. At the August election in 1848 her people refused to exchange these for a free school system. The vote was as follows: For free schools, forty-five votes; against free schools, 339 votes. The same question being again submitted in 1843, there were 116 votes in the affirmative and 238 in the negative. In 1850, and again in 1851, the question was voted upon. At this last election there were 133 votes in the affirmative, and 201 in the negative, but free schools came to Orange County without an affirmative vote of her people, by the passage of the school law of 1852.

The first Trustees in this township were Henry M. Hobbs, William Rhodes and Levi Woody. They were elected April, 1853, and on the 30th day of May submitted the proposition to vote a tax for building schoolhouses by taxation to a vote of the people. This proposition was defeated by a majority of 106 votes. The Trustees estimated the cost of schoolhouses required to furnish educational privileges to the children of the township at $5,000. But as the money could not be raised without an affirmative vote of the people, the result of the late election was accepted as a final blow at the public schools of the township. The Board of Trustees now declined to purchase the county seminary building, which was sold in August of that year, pleading want of funds and the unwillingness of the people to be taxed for schoolhouse purposes. But happily the Legislature of 1855 furnished a remedy for this state of affairs by giving the Board of Trustees the power to levy without the vote of the people. The Board now proceeded to divide the township into ten districts. The first levy was made in 1856, being 25 cents on each $100 worth of property, and 50 cents on each poll. Four of the district houses were adopted and six new houses built, one each year. The county seminary was afterward purchased and used as a public school building by the township. The first free schools were in the winter of 1855-56. Paoli Township has now thirteen school districts. The buildings are substantial frame houses, being well finished and furnished with improved furniture and school apparatus. Schools are sustained from five and a half to six months each year, at a cost of about $3,000 per annum for tuition expenses.

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