HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 9

SCHOOLS OF GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP

This township not having been settled so early, schools were not organized here until a later date than in the other townships of the county. I have not been able to locate the first school within this township. Among the earliest was the one organized in the old log church at Providence. Amos Critchfield was the first teacher here. He taught a six months’ session in 1830. The patrons of this school were the Stones. McCanns, Bennetts. Pitmans, Kendalls, Agans, Newkirks and Grimeses. The succeeding teachers were a Mr. McCrae, McCelvey and Charles Sands, in the order named. Margaret Murray taught here in the summer of 1851. At this school James Pruett, a small boy, was killed by the falling of a pile of lumber which was being delivered here for the building of the frame church house. About 1838 William Key taught in a small log schoolhouse near the Apple Church house. He could teach reading, writing, spelling and primary numbers. The Apples, Easters and Hunts were pupils. Thomas Hunt taught here in 1841. Wages, $2 per pupil, per term of three months. Thomas S. Lambdin was a pioneer teacher of this township. He taught an early school in a round-log-house which had been used for a dwelling. It was situated in the north part of the township on Section 28, Township 1 north. Range 1 west. This was a "loud" school, as were most early schools. It is said that there was a boy in this school who so disliked going over the lessons that he would not do so at all, but repeated the word "heptorpy" from morning till noon and from noon till night in order to make the teacher believe he was studying the lesson. The district school at Hobson’s place was established about 1840. The house was a hewed-log building, had glass windows and seats without backs. Wilford Ditts was the first teacher. He was succeeded by Thomas Hunt in 1842. The course of study embraced all the common school branches. The patrons were the Apples, Williards, Gilliatts, McDonalds, Teafords, Hobsons, Easters. Gobles, Aliens and Tarrs. The school here was well sustained, and was long considered one of the best district schools in this part of the county.

The district school at Lomax’s place east of Unionville, was established about 1840. John Stout, William Stout and John F. Murphy were teachers in this school. In 1847, the house being "out of repair," a district meeting resolved to levy two days’ labor upon each citizen in order to repair the house. Those who did not wish to work, could be exempt by paying 50 cents in money. The wages of the teacher were $1.50 per pupil for a term of three months. The patrons were required to furnish one-half cord of wood or pay 40 cents per pupil in addition to the above. A district meeting decided that non-residents should not have the right to attend this school. The Gobles, McCabes, Lomaxes, Hills, Davises, Hammonds, McBrides, Marletts and Morrises were patrons of this school. Other district schools were established previous to the adoption of the Constitution of 1851, when this township had six district schools and 420 school children. These schools were giving very good satisfaction to the voters of Greenfield, as proven by the result of the August election in 1848, when her people unanimously voted not to exchange for a free school system, casting 108 votes in the negative. The same question was submitted again in 1849, also in 1850 and 1851; at this last election there were six votes in the affirmative to 111 in the negative. But free schools came without an invitation. The first Trustees under the free school system were John D. Hammond, John Apple and Abner W. Allen. They were elected April, 1853, and in June of that year they submitted the proposition to build a schoolhouse by taxation to a vote of the people. This proposition was unanimously defeated, there being sixty-nine votes against it, and none for it. The Board, however, proceeded to lay off the township into six districts. The district houses were sold for about $45. Six log schoolhouses were now built at a cost of $45 each, and paid for from proceeds of levy of April, 1856. These houses were hewed logs, and had plank floors and glass windows. The first free schools were in the winter of 1855-56. Greenfield Township has now ten school districts. The houses are very fair frame school buildings, well furnished with school apparatus and fitted for schools, except in the matter of seats for pupils, the old box-seats being still in use. Schools are sustained from four and a half to five months each year, at a cost of about $1,600 per annum.

SCHOOLS OF SOUTHEAST TOWNSHIP

The first school established in this township was situated upon the land now owned by John Agan, one mile east of Valeene. The house was a small, round log cabin. It was built for a schoolhouse by John Hollowell, Robert Breeze and David Brown. I have not been able to learn the date of the opening of the school, nor the name of the first teacher. The second teacher was named Cantrell, and he was succeeded by John Harned about the year 1817. The studies pursued were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. The Hollowells, Breezes, Browns and Cantrells attended this school. About the year 1815 a log-cabin schoolhouse was built near John H. Buchanan’s farm in the southwest corner of the township. This house had fence corner fire-place, puncheon floor and open windows. The first teacher was named Willis. He remained here several years and was succeeded by Thomas Harned about the year 1818. Reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic were taught here. The Harneds, Reels, Baileys, Stones and Tarrs attended. During 1824-25, Alexander Morris taught three terms of school in a house situated on the land of James N. Murphy, Section 11, Town 1 south, Range 1 east. Harrison White is the only person now (1881) living who attended this school. The Hollowells were patrons of this school. Some years after this, John Holaday taught a term of school in a small log house west of Rock Spring Church. Sophia Throop taught bere during the summer of 1881. The Harneds and Hollowells were among her patrons.

About 1830, Henry Crittenden opened a school in a log-cabin situated on the Thomas Ferguson land, west of Valeene. He taught reading, writing and spelling. Among his patrons were Hunts, Furgusons, Selfs and Summers. In the winter of 1835-36, John Bobbitt taught a school in a dwelling house on the Veach land, near "Hog defeat" Creek. Studies same as above. The Veachs, Cooks, Bobbits and Hunts attended. Thomas Hunt, of Paoli, was a pupil of this school. In 1838 a district school was established in the southeast part of the township on the George Vance land. The house was a hewed-log structure, and was built by a tax of $1 each upon the citizens of the district. This fund, amounting to $50, was voted upon themselves at a district meeting. It was expended by Henry Crittenden, District Treasurer. Enoch Weathers served as District Treasurer here for many years. John Bobbitt was the first teacher in this school. Spelling was the chief recreation pursued here. Night spellings were held often. The patrons were the Strouds, Taylors, Crittendens, Weathers, Keys, Sanderses, Vances, and others whose names I do not have. Nehemiah Tower taught a silent school here, in 1847, the first silent school in the district. Mr Tower was regarded as a very excellent teacher, being able to teach all the common school branches. The first school record of Southeast Township is dated November 4, 1841, being an enumeration of the school children showing the number to be 321. The next is the report of Joel C. Dilliard, as teacher of District No. 3. Length of term, 65 days Wages of teacher, $55. Average attendance, 28. The schoolhouse in which Mr. Dilliard taught was in the south part of the township, east of Harned’s Chapel. This school was taught during the fall of 1841. The patrons were the McDonalds, Harneds, Lambdins, Piersons, Wellmans, Falkners and McMahans. Mr. Dilliard taught all the common school branches.

The old log-church house south of Valeene was used as a schoolhouse for several years. Col. John Line taught here in 1839. The Hazlewoods, Hollowells, Crittendens, Childers, Harneds and Purkhisers attended school here. Gilbert Jenkins was teacher here about 1848. It is said that he whipped a young man named Roach before allowing him to take a seat, on the first day he attended the school. About 1841 a small frame schoolhouse was built near Rock Spring Church. Thomas Furguson taught here in 1842. He was succeeded by Charles Sands in 1843, and he by Daniel Dwyer in 1844. The wages of the teacher were $50 for a term of three months. The patrons of this school were the Stalcups, Childers. Harneds, Puttes, Hollowells and Moons. About the same time the district school was established at the Furguson place west of Valeene. Thomas Hunt commenced teaching here in 1843. He remained about eight years, teaching a three months’ session each year, wages $40 per term. The Furgusons, Tarrs, Veaches, Glenns, Sanders, Cooks, Starrets, Cartwrights, Maxedons and Selfs attended this school. As many as sixty pupils were enrolled during a session. All the common school branches were taught. Silas Stout taught at the district school in the northwest part of the township in 1838, followed by Hiram Atkinson in 1842. The above were good schools. All the common school branches were taught. The Stouts, Atkiusons, Andrews and Newlins were pupils of this school.

Under the Congressional township system, Southeast Township had six district schoolhouses, which her people thought amply sufficient to furnish an education to the (1100 children of the township, as the result of the August election, 1848, would seem to indicate. At that election, there were cast for free schools eight votes. Against free schools, 204 votes. This question was submitted again in 1849, also in 1850 and 1851. At this last election the friends of the schools were able to poll thirty-five votes while the opposition was reduced to 152 votes. Samuel Stalcup and Thomas Harned voted for free schools at every election. The first Trustees were James Childers, James McDonald and William Noblitt. They were elected in April, 1853, and in June of that year they submitted the proposition to vote a tax for building schoolhouse to a vote of the people. This proposition was defeated by an overwhelming majority. The Board of Trustees now laid off the township into eleven districts, and requested the people to build houses by private subscription, or labor of the citizens. Three districts responded to the request and built log schoolhouses. The remaining districts not proceeding to prepare houses, the Board of Trustees built them, using the school fund for that purpose. In the three districts where the citizens had built the houses, free schools were taught in the winter of 1854-55: in the remaining districts not until the winter of 1855-56. Southeast Township has now twelve school districts. The houses are substantial frame buildings well furnished with school apparatus, and about half supplied with improved furniture. Schools are sustained from four to five mouths in each year, at a cost of about $2,000 per annum.

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