Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/495

 HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��These block-houses were for several 3ears used for schoolhouses, churches aud public halls. Among the first calling built in the town was one on the east side of the square where Hedges" new block now stands. John 3Iull taught school in this cabin in 1817. Mull taught sev- eral years in the town. In 1821, he is found on West Third street teaching in a one-story dwell- ing house, directl}' opposite the United Presby- terian Church — the building standing between the McFall dwelling and J. H. Cook's dwelling. A few of his pupils were John Stewart" s two ])oys. Mansfield, Hiram, G-eorge and Eliza Gil- kison. John Loge, Perry Walker and Jane Lind- ley. Mull was a cripple, but a verj' good teacher for that day. He used to sit on a stool in the center of the schoolroom with a whip in his hand sufficientl}- long to reach every scholar. In this wa}', he managed to keep order without leaving his seat. The younger scholars of those days were taught their letters and their multi- plication table in a rather novel manner — the letters being pasted on one side of a little board made in the shape of a paddle, and the multi- plication table upon the other side. This pad- dle had a small hole bored through one end. and was hung up when not in use. It may fairly be presumed that it was occasionally used for other purposes than those mentioned.

John Lowery taught one of the earliest schools in a two-stor^' frame building, which occupied the site of Dougherty's tailor-shop on South Main street. This building had been put up by Elijah Lake for a warehouse. Lake kept a store in it for some time ; and was after- ward Clerk of the Court, the same building being used for a court house while the late structure was in course of erection on the square.

A ver}' earl}' school was taught in a one- story log cabin, which had been erected and used for a dwelling, immediately south of the log house occupied by John Wiler for a tavern, on Main street. James Russell taught one

��term here, and, during this term, an incident occurred illustrative of the customs of those times. It was customary to bar the teacher out on Christmas, and require him to treat before he could again take possession. It may be remarked that this custom is still in vogue in ueai'ly all the more Western States to-day. When 3Ir. Russell found the door barred, he attempted to capture the place by assault, but, failing, climbed to the roof with the intention (probably not serious), of entering by the chimney. A hot fire in the huge fireplace beneath, however, drove him l)ack ; he was compelled to retreat, and, it may he inferred, in some confusion. The most surprising part of the business was the demand of the future sov- ereigns, which was fico (/ii/h)us of irJn'xki/. some cakes, apples, etc.

AVhen Judge McCluer kept a kind of tavera on the old Lamberton corner — site of the sav- ings bank — being, probably, unable to keep up the supply of pork and cornbread his numerous guests demanded, without some outside assist- ance, he concluded to rent part of his building for a schoolroom, and placed a board partition across one room for that purpose. Alexander Kearn taught here one winter. ^Irs. Or ant re- members going to school to him. and that she could look through the cracks of the board partition and study anatomy on the numerous hogs the Judge had slaughtered and stored in the next room. Kearn taught a select school of about a dozen scholai's.

Judge Stewart, in his younger days, was among the" earh' teachers in 3Iansfield. He taught a select school in a dwelling-house on the corner of Second and Wahuit streets. The lot is now owned by Dr. W. H. Race. The Judge also taught a select school on Market, between Walnut and 3Iulberry, in a two-story log house, owned and occupied by John C. Gilkison. Stewaits school was in the upper part of the house ; a stairway being erected on the outside of the buildino-. The house stood

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