"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 3 June 1891, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

Schools and Schoolmasters - Some People of Ancient Days and Other Incidents.

MR. EDITOR:-In reference to schools and schoolmasters in my experience and observation from early in the twenties up to 1839, and being three years after the public or free school system came into use, which made quite a difference in the number of scholars as well as wages of teachers. The first I remember of attending was in the old frame building in Ligonier, where my oldest sister and two or three brothers attended, walking two and one-half miles over the old State road, first opened by Gen. Forbes' Army in 1758. This road was very thickly grown up on each side with low brushy timber, the largest having been cut off to supply charcoal for the Hermitage furnace; only one old cabin and a few old fields partly grown up with thickets, one called the milefield, where report had it that many ghosts had been seen in the night time. It was a sort of wild lonely road for children to travel, being afraid of snakes and wild animals, as there were many bears and deer coming down from the mountains at times. My father shot two bears in the woods near our place; also foxes, pheasants, partridges, the whippoorwill, etc., dwelt in those woods and thickets.

The books in those early times were the New England primer, U.S. spelling book, and testament and Bible, and years afterward when English reader came in use the Bible and testament were still used. This primer and U.S. Speller should never be thrown aside, but kept in mind and used to some extent, at least those who commenced with them think so. I inquired of our book stores here for copies, but could not get them. Those striking lines of rhyme set to the alphabet throughout and the burning of John Rodgers at the stake in Smithfield during Queen Mary's reign, Feb. 12, 1554, is a very thrilling event, also the catechism and much excellent matter in the U.S. speller. In the early days the catechism was recited on Saturday and a lesson of it given to be learned on Sabbath and recited on Monday. There were no recesses in the middle of forenoons and afternoons and an alphabet was hung up at the door with large letters "out" on one side and "in" on the other, and after asking the master to go out, you had to turn this card, and when you came in turn it back, showing you were in.

Some of those families I can remember, as Ankneys, Irwins, Collins, Devers, Divelberts, and Col. John Ramsey, founder of the town and connected with Gen. Harrison, and one of the Colonel's family was married to Gen. Campbell, who lived four miles beyond Blairsville, when a medical student. The General's father was a pioneer of that county and owned a large tract of land on the Blacklick and built the first mill in that region. The next school I remember was on the northwest corner of the Pollock land where I went only a few days. Although it was perhaps where my grandfather's family went to school and my mother among them. This school was in charge of Master Elder, a rather grave looking old gent who commanded strict obedience. His son Joseph settled near Pleasant Unity and also followed teaching. He was well versed in mathematics and surveying, and some college students from the valley and elsewhere went to him for instruction. A new school house was built and was a noted place for good day schools. I went my last winter of schooling to this place when taught by a Western Reserve Ohio Yankee man. He taught about six months and then returned to Ohio.

A NEIGHBOR.

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 10 June 1891, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

More about Schools and Teaching - Laughlinstown of Ancient Days.

MR. EDITOR:-I remember in 1820 to 21 there were no schools only in the towns of Ligonier, Laughlinstown and the Pollock's school, there being six or seven miles of intervening territory without schools. My father and neighbors went to work in the woods and build a house of logs on our place that had neither iron nor glass in the construction. The door hinges and latch even were fastened with wooden pins, and the teacher's desk was fastened to the wall on pins driven in auger holes; wooden chimney with few stones for backwall, built high and well across one end of the house and well daubed with mortar, as well as cracks between the logs, except two wide ones made still wider for light within. In these openings sticks were set up and paper pasted on and oiled to prevent the rains from destroying and lasted the year. This school was taught by David Allison, son of Thos. Allison, also a schoolmaster and neighbor where my father had lived four years in Indiana county. He was quite a young man, but an excellent teacher and commanded the best of order during school hours. Many of his scholars were larger and older than himself. I commenced at two syllables in the U.S. book and went through; was a fair reader in the testament and had learned the catechism up to the commandments in one year. In those days of schooling children were not allowed to be idle, but closely study their lessons over and over, and if there was a hard word could come to the teacher for help, but they must know the lesson when they came to recite. I think scholars in those days made better progress than now. I have met with some that could not read well that had been in public schools for years. After that year a district was formed and a school house built on the Finly farm, the first one owned by your neighbor, Francis Smith, who now owns about the best in the valley; one also formed at the Hermitage, and this house was never again used. This Hermitage school occupied one-half the storehouse of the furnace with the shelving and old counter still remaining; in the other side or half were many bottles of drugs and remains of groceries.

This David Allison taught six months there and then studied medicine with Dr. Steward, of Indiana, who was noted for "turning out" many young doctors. He then practiced his profession till he died in the fifties at Saltsburg, Pa. John Clark, Esq., John Clifford, Martin Knox and I think James Clifford were also teachers in this house up to the time [unclear word] was built on the same land, up by the old State road in 1834. This is where the writer taught several winters before leaving home and during which time, perhaps, the first semblance of a school institute was formed, the first year of free schools, in the old frame house at Ligonier, consisting of James Armour and Francis Little, or Laughlinstown, the two James Pollocks and your scribe. We met monthly and discussed the best manner of teaching and managing schools. Little and the two Pollocks went to Kentucky to teach. The two latter died there and Little studied and practiced medicine and may be living yet. Before we went to the Hermitage two brothers and twin sisters went to the Laughlinstown school taught at different times by twin brothers named Hindmans, from north side of Indiana county. They afterwards became preachers in the U.P. church. They were good teachers and had large schools and were very strict, and any one lying, swearing or fighting on the way to or from school had to be punished for the offence. Also these Hindmans, Allison and other teachers would not suffer the practice of puns and jokes with a feature of falsehood in them. One boy jokingly remarked one day that he ran a thorn in his foot half as long as his arm, and (of course) another boy told the master. He was called up for lying and said the remark was made in fun. The teacher said it wouldn't be much fun to go to hell for lying. The admonition may have had a lasting effect, as he afterwards became an able preacher.

Laughlinstown was then rather lively and quite a place for the conestoga teams to stop before ascending the mountain. The families of noted nativity were Robt. and David Armour, Wm. Curry, Burdet, George Seymour, Robt. Elder, Simon Burd and Jas. Clark, Esq., the latter was a man of excellent mind and at one time a school teacher; was candidate for Congress and defeated by Hon. Richard Coulter, but soon after elected canal commissioner and moved to Blairsville, where he spent the most of the balance of his days; had been an unbeliever, but was converted and joined the church. Rev. Dr. Scroggs, pastor; had his children baptized and lived out his days a very religious man. The Main store of this town always had in it Mr. John Armour, son of Robert, whose widow and part of family reside there yet, and for a long time was sole owner and manager of the mercantile business. He was surely amiable and most gentlemanly in every way in all dealings.

A NEIGHBOR.

{Note,--In a previous article there were two misprints, Lewis Hager should have read Lewis Trauger, and extensive, expensive in running furnaces.}

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 17 June 1891, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

Schools, School Books and Debating Societies

MR. EDITOR:-In reference to school books, the advance from the primer, U.S. speller, Bible and Testament to the Cobb's speller and English reader, etc., being the advance made up to the time I left home and quit teaching. I have not been noticing the books in use only that in some of the modern ones there is quite an improvement in the primary books by dividing up the large and hard words into syllables for the reading lesson following, by which the scholar can become familiar and learn all the hard words himself; also temperance, physiology, etc., are being extensively taught and I hope also prohibition of tobacco in all its forms will receive its full attention as a vile practice.

I see a statement by Prof. David Irving in the Presbyterian Banner that religion is not properly prominent and says McGuffy's reader of 101 pieces, prose and poetry, only 33 were religious. In his sixth reader published recently but 17 of 138 pertain to religion, wit and humor taking its place, and this religious sentiment is lessened still further in recent fifth reader, which has only 4 religious pieces in 100 and in a popular fourth reader there is not a religious piece. In an excellent fifth reader of a great publishing house of today, 5 out of 90 chapters are devoted to religion. This is surely not the way of training children in the way they should go, so that when old they will not depart from it. Perhaps since the fall of our first parent there never was a better question asked and answered than the first in the Catechism in reference to the chief end of man and the scripture directions following. This life is surely short and trifling when compared to eternity and is the only chance for a preparation to enjoy eternal happiness, or failing entirely, eternal misery-too awful to think of or describe. Therefore school books should be carefully and well prepared for the children as immortal beings, and not left to the book rings and speculators to rule all consideration of school book supplies. Surely it would be well at all times to use the scripture reading in schools; also some training in music and catechism of various churches as lessons, but not a general recitation.

Of debating societies in my young days there were some very lively and interesting ones and they were regularly continued during the winters. There was generally a board of judges. The ones I attended were held at Ligonier, Hermitage and Findly school houses, though at the Pollock school house that I heard of was perhaps equal to any other. The two champion debaters there were Maj. John Hill and Elder John Pollock, and when they met to debate on a political subject it was Greek meeting Greek and good entertainment for the boys. They were opposite in politics, the former a strong Democrat and had served in both branches of the State Legislature; but as a well posted politician and good debater it was the report that uncle John P. was fully his match. It was also said that Pollock defeated the U.P. Presbytery in Indiana county on a controverted subject when only two or three leaned his way at first, when the case came up in the Presbytery in the thirties. J. Pollock was a well read man, had a good memory and was of very ready expression.

The young Pollocks and many young men around in that school district were good debaters. On the subject of abolition at Ligonier I remember of one debate of peculiar interest and magnitude, and on which occasion Rev. Jas. Scroggs and Elder Jno. Pollock were there; also W.W. Woodend, just then a graduate of Jefferson College and a cousin of Robt. Graham, of Md., who happened to be visiting there. He was of a slave holding family, I think, and a fine speaker. Graham, Woodend and Dr. Cummins were the principal speakers against abolition. The Rev. and Elder and I think Dr. Miller were the ones in favor. It was a warm and lengthy discussion, but think the judges did not decide the contest. I remember how the Md. Graham pictured the happy and good feeling existing in families where they dwelt together in harmony, and how the children were attached to their nurses from childhood, and vice versa, and wouldn't leave the household if they had a chance, and it was only the abuse of slavery that created the evil, like many other laws and regulations. He was highly complimented, but the other party answered that that might all be and do if they were not all bound in slavery during their lifetime and could be bought and sold as chattels.

A NEIGHBOR.

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 24 June 1891, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

MR. EDITOR:-At the Findly schoolhouse there were some noted debates and the chief speakers were Samuel Findly, Squire Thos. Beam, Wm. Luther, a Campbellite preacher, brother of Squire R. Luther, of Laughlinstown, and others of less note, and at times others were present, and Hugh Young, from I don't remember where. I recall one particular case when the subject was pretty fully debated, that Jos. H. Pollock and Hugh Young were pitched against each other over some particular feature of the subject. Both men surely displayed ability of powerful argument and natural talent of oratory to lead one to think they should be in one of the learned professions where public speaking was the chief business. Pollock had been attending college and was advanced somewhat in an education, but Young was only of common school training but an extensive reader of history, with good memory and of ready ability to apply it to almost any subject in debating societies. Jos. H. Pollock was a son of the Judge and early in life went to Virginia to teach; married there and settled down to be a farmer or perhaps an M.D., with slaves to do the work. Hugh Young and his father followed the stone mason trade. He said they came from Somerset county, where they had built many stone houses and barns and that his father preached. They would go to church, have services and eat a lunch, and then the young folks would engage in athletic exercises while the old folks sat around, looking on and enjoying the display of activity, most of the afternoon. They worked some for father at their trade. The old gent was a nice quiet man, the son jolly and plenty of talk, and we boys enjoyed his company. When provoked occasionally at something he would say he felt like swearing, but it wouldn't do, as he was a preacher's son. He had a brother (Milton) smart in body but not in mind, he said, like he and his father. The brother could perform somersaults, walk on his hands and all those actions done by the circus riders in modern times, that was considered extraordinary in those days, for it was before the days of such things being around in the country.

A NEIGHBOR.