HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 9

SCHOOLS OF STAMPERS CREEK TOWNSHIP

I have not been able to learn the precise date at which the good people of this township determined to establish a school, but certain it is that about 1814 George Vandeveer, a crippled man, came with his family from Kentucky and made settlement near the head of Patoka Creek, where he soon afterward opened a school. The house was a small, round log structure, dirt floor, without windows, door or shutter, and was situated upon the land now owned by Mrs. Nancy Lynch. Here he taught one session during the summer, and then in order to have better accommodations he removed his school to a dwelling-house of a Mr. Pierce near the head of Patoka Creek. Here he remained teaching a three months’ session each year until about 1829. The branches of study were reading, writing, spelling and primary numbers. The patrons of these schools were the Vandeveers, Danners, Holadays, Bosleys, Pierces and Shores. Mr. Vaudeveer was succeeded as a teacher by Abram Pierson, who in the fall of 1831 opened a school near where Danner’s Chapel now stands. He taught for three months. The average attend ance was about fifteen pupils; wages, $1.50 per pupil. An old gentlemen named Fielding taught a school in a dwelling-house upon the land of Mason Burgess in 1818. The Burgesses and Mahans were patrons of this school. Mr. Edward Cornwell, present County Recorder, recollects attending school at the Mahan District about the year 1821. Jeremiah Mozier was the teacher. The house was a small round-log cabin, situated on the land of Cyrus Finley, near where the schoolhouse now stands. It was built and furnished with split saplings for seats by the citizens of the neighborhood. The patrons of this school were the Cornwells, Burgesses. Mahans and Doaks. The branches of study were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. The pupils in arithmetic very frequently retired to the grove in order to avoid noise while pursuing their studies. Mr. Mozier was succeeded as a teacher in 1822 by Alexander Wallace, who taught here for several terms. He was a very excellent teacher of penmanship. John Murray taught one school here in 1824. The people south of the above district being without school privileges, Mr. Richard Hall, Asa Burtt and several others resolved to build a schoolhouse and established a school with Mr. Burtt as teacher. The house was built on the land of Mr. Burtt, but he dying before the school was opened, Michael Dougherty was employed to teach. He taught here during 1828 and 1829. The same years John Clements taught at the Copeland farm.

The Congressional Township system now coming into operation. The above schools were discontinued, giving way to the district schools, which were now being established. The territory now comprising Stampers Creek Township was made up of a part of four different Congressional townships, each one independent of the others in school matters. The portion situated in Town 1 north, of Range 1 east, seemed to enjoy the best school privileges, on account of the school land of that township having been sold earlier and for a better price than any other school land in the county. The first district schoolhouse was built on the land of Richard Hall, in 1829. This was a hewed-log-house, constructed by the citizens of the district, fitted and furnished as required by the acts of the Legislature of 1824. The patrons of this school were: the Halls, Grigsbys, Beasons, Burtts, Burgesses, Chambers, Dilliards and others. The first teacher was Jacob 0’Feather. The branches of study same as in the more early schools. N. W. T. Goodwell succeeded to the management of this school in 1831. He remained for two years. His was the first silent school in this neighborhood. Wages of teacher $35 for term of three months. The Danner Schoolhouse, south of this, was built in 1832. Alexander Ralston was the first teacher. He was succeeded by William Johnson, the services of the latter being much in demand on account of superior scholarship, being able to teach geography and grammar, and to take his pupils through arithmetic. The patrons of this school were: the Danners, Vandeveers, Hollowells and Noblitts. Prof. Johnson, of Marengo, was a pupil of this school. Colored children attended this school upon the same terms as whites. In 1841 Richard D. Walters, who had been educated at the Washington County Seminary, under the instruction of the famous John I. Morrison, opened an independent seminary of learning in the Hall district. The school was a success. Joel C. Dilliard and Julia Talbert prepared themselves to enter the field as teachers at this school. The next year Mr. Dilliard taught a nine months’ school at Millersburg, in this township. This was a subscription school. The patrons were: the Dilliards, Duncans, McCoys, Wolfs and Cornwells.

Under the Congressional township system there were six schools in this township, and strange to say they were in so great esteem that the people refused to exchange them for a free school system, as the vote at the August election in 1848 abundantly proves. At that election, there were cast for free schools, three votes; against free schools, 151 votes. The question was again submitted in 1849, also in 1850 and 1851, but with no better results, the friends of the law not being able to poll more than a half dozen votes at any election. But free schools came with the adoption of the school law of 1852. The first Trustees were Joel Vandeveer, Fleming Duncan and Edward Cornwell. They were elected in April, 1853, and at once entered upon the duties of their position. They found the old district schoolhouses in very bad repair and therefore resolved to build new houses, but before anything could be done in the matter money must be voted for building purposes by the people of the township. An election was ordered for August 1, 1853, and after a very exciting canvas, the proposition to levy a tax of 45 cents on the hundred dollars’ worth of property was carried by a majority of six votes. Five of the old houses were now sold for $38.10. One house was adopted as a township house. Five new houses were built. They were frame, 20x24 feet, four twelve-light windows, plank desks and seats for pupils. Blackboards and a map of the State of Indiana were also furnished. The first free schools were in the winter of 1855-56. Henry H. Poison, I. K. Martin and R. C. Wells were among the first teachers. By the year 1869 the schoolhouses having been found to be too small, the building of larger houses was commenced, one being built each year until the entire number was replaced. The houses are frame, 24x36 feet, well finished and furnished with improved furniture, maps, globes, charts. etc. The schools are sustained for about five months in each year at a cost of about $1,200 per annum.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE SCHOOLS

By the term "pioneer schools," I mean those early schools which were established and supported without any aid from the public funds. These schools were generally loud schools. By this is meant that the pupils were not required to prepare their lesson quietly, but that each pupil had the privilege of repeating his lesson in whatever tone of voice best suited him; indeed, in some cases it seemed that a premium was set upon noise, and that he who could make the most noise did the best. The studies pursued in these schools were usually reading, writing and spelling, and sometimes arithmetic. The recitations in these subjects were heard by the teacher, taking one pupil at a time and hearing him read or spell as best he could in the noise and confusion. The text books were usually Webster’s Speller and the Testament. Writing was practiced in a bold round hand, from copies set by the teacher with a goose quill pen. Arithmetic was taught from the " cyphering book of the master." When a pupil failed to solve the problem given him, he carried it to the teacher, who looked over it until he found an incorrect figure; this he marked and returned the slate to the waiting pupil without explanation or comment. There was one rule in these schools which survived for many years, and rendered futile all attempts at classification. It was that he who was first at school in the morning should recite first during the entire day. The day’s session was usually from sun-up until sundown. There was no regular time for opening school in the morning. When a pupil arrived at the schoolhouse he was required to take his seat and commence upon his lesson. There were no recesses in those days or time for relaxation, except at the noon "playtime," which was usually spent by the teacher in making or mending goose-quill pens. Now, is it really to be wondered at if the weary pedagogue did sometimes fall asleep amid his labors, or the thoughtless urchin beguile the weary hours by repeating the word "horse grammar ?"

The Congressional township system originated with the act of Congress to enable the people of Indiana Territory to form a State government, approved April 19, 1816. This act provided that Section 16 in every township should be granted to the inhabitants for the use of schools. Nine of these school sections are situated within the boundaries of Orange County. Soon after the admission of Indiana as a State the Legislature provided for the appointment of Superintendent of school lands in each township. These officers had power to lease said lands for a term of years, the rents to be applied to the support of schools.

The first law under which schools could be established in Indiana, appears in the Revised Statutes of 1824, under the title of an "Act to incorporate congressional townships, and providing for public schools therein." The law authorized the inhabitants of each congressional township to elect three School Trustees, who were to have control of the school lands and schools generally, with power to divide their townships into districts and appoint Sub-Trustees for the same. These Trustees also examined teachers in regard to their ability to teach reading, writing and arithmetic. Schoolhouses were to be erected by the labor of all able bodied male persons of the age of twenty-one years or more. residing in the district: those who failed to work to pay 37 1/2 cents for each day so failing. These houses were to be eight feet between floors, and at least one foot from the surface of the ground to the first floor, and finished in a manner calculated to render comfortable the teachers and pupils. Township 1 north, of Range 1 east, was the first to organize under the act. As stated elsewhere, the first district school established was at Lick Creek, three miles east of Paoli. The inhabitants of this township were also the first to ask that their school land be sold. The sale was at public auction on the 25th day of September, 1829, by William Lindley, School Commissioner. Samuel Chambers was auctioneer. The land was sold in eighty acre lots and brought an average of $4.37 per acre, the highest price paid being $7.32 per acre and the lowest $2 per acre. This was the highest price realized for any school lands in Orange County, the greater amount being sold for $1.25 per acre. The organization and establishing of schools proceeded very slowly under this system, some townships not being organized until about 1840. The crowning defect of the whole system was that no schools could be organized until the inhabitants declared by vote that they wished their township organized and schools established. This, with the want of funds, made it impossible to establish anything like a school system in Orange County. By the year 1850 there were forty-nine district schoo]s in the county. receiving an average of about $16 per annum of public money for the support of schools. There were now about 4,500 children of school age in the county. Schools were taught for about three months in the year. Teachers received from $10 to $12 per month. The deficiency of public money was made up by rate bills levied upon pupils. The methods of instruction were very nearly the same as in the more early schools. In some localities silent schools and better methods of instruction had been introduced. The want of text-books rendered it impossible to classify pupils. Geography and grammar had been introduced. Pike’s Arithmetic and Murray’s Grammar were standard textbooks. Meanwhile the friends of popular education were working with all their power to establish schools and build up a sentiment favorable to education in the county. During the winter of 1835 the citizens of Paoli organized a "Moot Legislature." Mr. James A. Watson, Principal of the County Seminary, and Chairman of the Committee on Education in that body, presented a report upon the necessity of completing our system of education which deserves more than passing notice. He insisted that the Legislature could no longer plead the infancy of our State; that a public school system would increase the wealth of the State by encouraging immigration; that it was an imperative duty to comply with the demands of the Constitution in regard to establishing schools; that public justice demanded the education of the masses; that it is not unjust to tax those who have no children for the support of schools. The last proposition was long a bone of contention among our people, but the principle has now became well established. This report was ordered to be printed in the county papers and copies sent to the Committee on Education in both branches of the Indiana Legislature. As to whether this exerted any influence or not cannot now be determined, but certain it is that the legislative mind became at once convinced that there was not sufficient educational advantages in Orange County. They therefore passed an act dividing the county into five seminary districts and providing for the establishing of schools in each district, also appropria. ting all money derived from fines and forfeitures to the support of these schools. This act was vetoed by Gov. Noble on the ground that it was unconstitutional in this, that it diverted the funds derived from fines and forfeitures from the support of county seminaries as required in the Constitution.

The Board of County Commissioners now resolved to give some assistance to the schools, and in June, 1836, ordered Alexander Morris, County Treasurer, to pay 5 per cent of the county revenue to the School Commissioner, for the encouragement of education. This was the first money derived from taxation for the support of schools in Orange County. But while this work was going on, the people imbibed the idea that schools could be supported without cost; that the Congress of the United States had or would provide ample means for the education of all the children within her borders, so that when the Legislature of 1847 submitted the question of establishing free schools in the State, it was the "bugbear" of taxation that did the voting, and made such a bad showing for Orange County at the August election in 1848. At this election there were but 152 voters in the county who deposited a ballot in favor of free schools. The school law of 1848, which contained a provision that the several counties of the State should be exempt from its provisions until a majority of the voters gave an assent thereto, was three times rejected in Orange County by the same cry of taxation. But our people were, even then, a progressive people, when they understood the question upon which they were called upon to vote. They regarded the free schools as bringing nothing but burdensome taxes and a band of hungry office holders to feed and fatten at the public crib. But they gave a majority of nearly 400 votes in favor of the Constitution of 1851, which made it possible to have a free school system in Indiana.

Under this Constitution, free schools have grown and prospered in Orange County. By the year 1857, they were well under way in all the townships of the county. Uniformity of text-book now enabled the teachers to arrange their pupils into classes. Loud schools and rate bills were beard of no more, and modern methods of instruction were introduced. Blackboards, globes and outline maps were placed in the schoolrooms. The school law of 1865, which provided more money for the support of schools, established the County Teachers’ Institute, and requiring all schools in a township to be taught an equal number of days, gave new life to the schools of Orange County. By a careful system of county examinations, a better class of teachers was provided. Perhaps no agency has done so much to elevate the standard of teaching as the County Institute. The law of 1873, creating the County Superintendency and County Boards of Education, and providing for holding Township Institutes, was also a progressive movement. The Township Institutes were organized in the several townships during the school year of 1873-74. They meet once each month during the session of the public school and have been a useful agency in bringing about uniformity in the schools of the county.

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