HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 9
SCHOOLS OF FRENCH LICK TOWNSHIP
The first school in this township of which I have any account was established on Sulphur Creek in the year 1820. Samuel Cobb was the first teacher. He was succeeded by Jordan Giles, and he by John Harvey. The branches of study were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. The patrons were the Charleses, Pinnicks, Gileses, Collinses and Hazlewoods. In 1821 Jonathan Mullen taught a school on land of Green Ray. in a house which had been a dwelling. Rev. James P. Campbell was a pupil of this school. In 1823 Michael Miller opened a school in a small log-house upon the Faucett land. This house was furnished with poplar poles for seats. placed upon legs so high that the feet of the smaller children did not reach within six inches of the floor. A hooked stick hung beside the door, to be removed when a pupil went out of the house and placed back in position when he returned, in order to avoid having more than one out at a time. Mr. Miller was succeeded as a teacher by Benjamin Boils, who was afterward sentenced to the State prison for life for the crime of murder. Samuel Dalton taught here about 1828. The course of study in these schools embraced reading, writing. spelling and arithmetic. The patrons were the Campbells, Millers. Doughertys and Wilsons. Nelson W. Nunley taught in this neighborhood about 1826. He was considered an extra good teacher, being able to teach grammar and geography. In 1834 Col. John Pinnick and Samuel Wolfington employed an old sailor named Acley to teach their children. The school was established in a dwelling house near French Lick Springs. The pupils of this school spent a large part of their time in roasting potatoes. The district school at Azor Charles' farm was established in 1836. Jacob Dishon was the first teacher; he was succeeded by Daniel Smith, and he by John Mellon. The Charleses, Smiths and Pinnicks were among the patrons of this school. A district school having been established on the land of Nathan Lambdin, near
Prospect, Henry Johnson became the teacher about 1843. The Lambdins and Pinnicks attended this school. The same year Wilton Smith taught the district school near Buncomb Ridge. Old French Lick church house was used for a schoolhouse for ten years, having been built. about 1840. Jacob Dishon, Daniel Smith and David Porter, afterward County Treasurer, were teachers here. The patrons were the Pinnicks, Gileses, Robbinses and Winingers. William Furguson, the last teacher, made quite a disturbance by attempting to teach a silent school. The people could not understand how children taught in a silent school would ever be able to transact any business in this noisy world.
The district schoolhouse on Collins' land near line of Paoli Township, built about 1831, is still standing. It is a hewed log-house, 18x24 feet. stone chimney and was furnished with the regulation "split sapling" seats. Samuel Dalton taught several terms here. He was succeeded by Michael Dougherty, J. W. Kidwell, Mr. Rickmire, John Newlin and Hiram Trueblood in the order named. Nancy Lindley also taught a summer term here about 1840. All the common school branches including algebra and natural philosophy were taught here. Among the patrons were the Truebboods, Lindleys, Springers and Osborns. This school was well sustained, and in point of efficiency, became second to none in the country. Under the Congressional Township system, French Lick had but five district schoolhouses, and 463 school children to educate. But these accomodations seemed amply sufficient to furnish an education to the children of the township, if we may judge from the returns of the August election, 1848. At that election there were cast for free schools, 9 votes. Against free schools, 187 votes. In 1849 there were 34 votes in the affimative and 178 in the negative. In 1850, 16 in the affirmative and 171 in the negative. In 1851, 23 votes in the affimative and 139 in the negative. But notwithstanding this opposition, free schools have grown and flourished in French Lick Township. The first Trustees were John Dishon, Thomas Nichols and John Tillery. They were elected in 1853. The old records of this township having been destroyed in the burning of Trustee Gilleatt's house, in January, 1884, I rely upon the recollections of the older inhabitants. The proposition to vote a tax for building schoolhouses having been defeated, the Trustees were not discouraged, but immediately put under contract the building of eight log schoolhouses. There being no money in the treasury, these houses were enclosed and roofs put on them this year, the contractors agreeing to wait for their money until it could be levied and collected by taxation. These houses were finished and fitted up for school after the Legislature had provided means for levying a school house tax without an affirmative vote of the people. The first free school was taught during the winter of 1855 - 56.
These log schoolhouses have all disappeared, being replaced by good substantial frame buildings. Four new districts have been added to the number. French Lick Township has now twelve schoolhouses, all well furnished with improved school furniture and apparatus. Schools are sustained about five months in the year at a cost of about $2,250 per annum for tuition expenses.SCHOOLS OF JACKSON TOWNSHIP
The first school of which I have any account in this township was established about the year 1821, in a log cabin about one-half mile west of the town of Newton Stewart. A man named Constable was the first teacher. The next school of which I have been able to obtain any information was situated in the north part of the township, near the Killum’s farm. Miss Sophia Throop taught here in 1827. The Killums were among her patrons. This was probably the first school taught by a lady in Orange County. Miss Throop taught here for two terms of three months each. The first term she made $7.50 above her board bill. The second her pay amounted to something more than this. Then to Miss Throop belongs not only the honor of being the first lady teacher in the county, but also of having done good and efficient work in the school-room for less pay than was ever received by any other teacher of the county. Patrick Dougherty was a pioneer teacher of this township, but I have not been able to locate schools taught by him. About the year 1832, Thomas Treadway taught a term of school in a church house, situated in the northwest part of the township on Section 30, Township 1 north, Range 2 west. A schoolhouse having been erected here, Samuel Mills became the teacher about 1835. He was succeeded by Reuben Cox in 1836, and he by William Pinnick in 1838. These were all subscription schools. Wages of teachers about $1.50 per pupil for term of three months. A district school was established here about 1841, and John Ditts employed to teach. He taught reading, writing, spelling and primary arithmetic. He was succeeded by Benjamin Newlin in 1847. The Cases, Coxes and Collinses were among the patrons of this school.
About 1837 Rev. John Walls taught a term of school near the William Marlett farm, in Section 2, Township 1 south, Range 2 west. The house was a log-cabin which had been erected for a dwelling. The Palmers and McDonalds were among the patrons. Thomas Hunt, of Paoli, also attended this school. The first school record of Jackson Township bears date of July 26. 1837, being the proceedings of a public meeting to elect a Township Clerk and Treasurer. Samuel Parks was elected Clerk and John C. Walls, Treasurer. This is followed by a map of township - showing boundaries of the five school districts. At a public meeting of the citizens of District No. 1. held at the house of Ptolemy Bledsoe, August 12, 1837, it was resolved that this district would support a three months’ school each year, and to adopt the dwelling house of Lewis A. Bledsoe as a schoolhouse. Jonathan Palmer, a noted pioneer teacher, opened school here September 25, 1837. He received $45 for a term of three months. Money was paid in advance of the opening of schools. This was the first district schooJ organized in the township. Mr. Palmer gave very good satisfaction as a teacher and was re-employed for the next term upon the same conditions as before. There were about fifty pupils belonging to this school. The Bledsoes, Parks, Walls and Palmers were among the patrons. District No. 3 was organized January, 1839. At a meeting of the voters of this district it was resolved to build a hewed log schoolhouse, 20 feet square, finished "with one nine-light window, one long window, stick and clay chimney, plank floor, nailed down, board roof, held on by weight poles," to be ready for school by June 30, 1839. This house was to be situated in the north part of Section 26 south of Patoka Creek. The location was afterward changed to near the campground, upon condition that Isaac Eastridge would furnish "boards to cover it," and William Stewart furnish plank for the floor, and do all the hauling of building material. James Eastridge was the first teacher here. The school opened August 2, 1842. There were about seventy children enumerated in the district. The Eastridges, Gilliatts, Stewarts and Wallses were among the patrons. The wages of Mr. Eastridge were $36.50 for a term of three months, to be paid as follows: "$25 in State script, $2 in Illinois money and $9.50 in currency." About 1850, the people of this district decided to change the location of their schoolhouse to the north part of Section 24, Township 1 south, Range 2 west, being one mile north of Patoka Creek. A public meeting resolved to build a log schoolhouse here, 16x20 feet, and to expend the sum of $8.50 for building purposes. Lewis Walls taught here in the fall of 1850. Term of three months. Wages $10 per month.
Under the Congressional township system, Jackson Township had six district schools and 280 children of school age. At the August election, 1848, her people unanimously resolved not to exchange these schools for a free-school system of which they knew nothing, except that it was to be supported in part by taxation. At that election there were cast against free schools 108 votes. This question was submitted again in 1849, also in 1850 and 1851, but at no time were the friends of the system able to poll more than a half dozen votes. But free schools came to Jackson as to the other townships of the county. The first Trustees were Christopher Cox, Henry Banks and Lewis A. Bledsoe. They divided the township into six districts, and built log schoolhouses and paid for them with the school funds. The first free schools were in the winter of 1856-57. Schoolhouse No. 1, in this township, was the last log schoolhouse used in the county, a school having been taught here during the winter of 1878-79. Jackson Township has now ten school districts. The houses are substantial frame buildings, well finished and furnished with school apparatus, and about half supplied with improved furniture and the remainder will soon be supplied. Schools are sustained from four to five months each year, at a cost of about $1,500 per annum.