‘School days, … dear old golden rule days’ – Times-Mail (subscription)

As the 2016-2017 school year comes to a close, students and adults alike can experience a rare book display created in the Lawrence County Museum gallery using aged Indiana school library books. Some of the books have Indiana Township Library imprinted on the leather-bound covers. Most are dated 1854. Cover pages note they were the property of the township trustees Flinn Township, Guthrie Township and others. These scholarly books were available to the Lawrence County public 163 years ago.

One might have assumed the Lawrence County pioneers, though hardy souls, were not concerned with education.

From a newspaper article written by Ladies of the Round Table Club members and printed in the Bedford Daily Mail, in 1924, we learn that was not the case.

Harken back to 1800, the year that Indiana was admitted into the Union as a territory. The first settlers of Indiana were subjected to hardships and privations, but within them seemingly an inner light glowed with the vision While no schools existed, it was their most keenly felt desire to have their children taught.

In Guthrie Township, an Irish monk named Alfred Langdon, is thought to have organized the first school in the territory in Leesville in 1814.

Lawrence County was created in 1818. In 1825, the county seat became the newly established town of Bedford in Shawswick Township.

Subscription schools were the first type of county schools. Animal skins and other crude commodities defrayed the cost. Citizens felled trees, hewed out the logs and erected one-room log school houses that would accommodate from 10 to 25 students. The New Testament was a common school book, and all who could read took part in the scripture reading.

In some schools, children were expected to be at the school by sun-up, and the sessions closed near sun-down as these thrifty pioneers expected the school master to earn his pay by putting in as much time as any other hired man.

Bedfords first school was held in its new log courthouse building. Tradition has it that Captain Hill taught the first school with an enrollment of 36 pupils. He taught reading, writing, arithmetic, rhetoric, grammar and algebra for a stipend of $2 per quarter from each pupil. This school lasted until January 1831 when the Legislature passed an act providing for a seminary.

The Lawrence County Seminary was a two-story brick building with a large room on each floor. It was erected one block north of the courthouse. Mr. Lynn was the first teacher. Children from all over the county attended this school. In 1832-33, this school was presided over by Robert W. Thompson who would later be elected to the U.S. Congress in 1841 and 1847 and President Hayes would appoint him Secretary of the Navy in 1887.

The Lawrence County Seminary hired its first female teacher in 1837. Miss Lovey Kittridge, a cultured, godly woman arrived from the East and was authorized to teach a session in the seminarys completed upper room.

In Spice Valley Township, children had a school at least as early as 1835.

One very early book included in the rare book display is, The Poetic Works of Alexander Pope dated 1836. Though not known to be a school library book, it came to the museum from the estate of the educated family of Edmond Braxton Thornton.

Antoinette Rawlins, who was born in 1839, has the distinction of being the first young woman to graduate from a Bedford school and graduate from an institution of higher learning. She earned an A.B. at Asbury College. Several of the countys early male pioneers also graduated from Asbury College Moses Fell Dunn, Dr. Howard LaForce, Samuel Crawford, Alcana Williams and others.

Some of the countys colorful school names were: Booghers Point in Indian Creek Township, Coal Dump in Marion Township, Fishing Creek in Bono Township, Popcorn School in Perry Township, Rabbitsville School in Marion Township, Silverville School in Indian Creek Township, Wildcat in Guthrie Township, and Wahoo in Spice Valley Township. You can find a listing of about 150 schools that have come and gone through the years its in the school section of the museums digital display Explore Lawrence County.

From the countys early days, citizens can justly be proud to have provided educational opportunities.

Source: Lawrence County District School Records 1835-1851, the Bedford Daily Mail, Saturday, April 12, 1924, museum records.

Robert Brummett will present Lawrence County History in Pictures at 7 p.m. on May 8 in the museum meeting room. The presentation follows the LCHGS monthly meeting at 6:30. Both the meeting and the speaker program are free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served.

Brain Games XVI are May 16, 18, 23 and 25 beginning at 6:30 each evening at the Little Theatre of Bedford. Sponsors, teams and volunteers are still needed. Contact Lacy Hawkins at lacyhawkins@gmail.com for more information.

New in the gallery: Check out the railroad exhibit in the museum front window. It includes local pictures and artifacts from a time when the railroad was big business in our county. The exhibit is on display in honor of the May 18 opening of the newly renovated Milwaukee Depot.

New in the gallery: Vintage mason jars, Ball and Kerr. $1 each.

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'School days, ... dear old golden rule days' - Times-Mail (subscription)