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The earliest school buildings were usually a crude log cabin built
by the whole community with a fireplace in one corner and a window in the other to provide
proper air circulation. The first school in the county was established in Hardin, Ohio, in 1816 and was taught by Mr. Robert Gibson.
Until a permanent building was constructed,
students were taught the three ‘R’s - reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic
in individual homes. Cephas Carey brought in the first
teacher for his children and soon other families were hiring teachers. The teacher
normally lived with the family or in some cases in a house provided by the hiring family. As with many pioneer communities, school was first regarded as a luxury and not a necessity. Pioneer families were more concerned with survival and had very little free time to devote to ‘book learning’. The first school sessions usually lasted about four months as the students were expected to work on the farm the rest of the year. The first schools were not free, but were supported in part by public monies or a charitable community supporter. When this fund was exhausted, teachers had to collect the balance from the parents of the pupils or not receive full pay for their labor. In Port Jefferson, early wages ranged from $16 to $18 per month for 26, 8-hour days. Sidney’s first school met in the temporary courthouse on Ohio Avenue built in 1822. The teacher was Mr. J. C. Calhoun. The text books were the New Testament, the U.S. Spelling Book and Dayboll’s Arithmetic. In those days, pens and paper were very difficult to come by. The pens were made by the teacher out of quills. The paper was made at the mills but came to the schools unruled and the lines had to be drawn in by hand. |
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