Burney High School - Rehtnap Yearbook (Burney, IN)

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Retrodpect lhe educational history of Decatur founty falls into two divisions, the period from the organization of the county until 18o3, when the present system of public schools was adopted, and from that date to the present Tree schools were provided for by the onstitution of 1851, but it was not until two years later that they went into operation Prom 1822 until 1855 there was not a single free school in Indiana The old academies were supported, in dart, bv tuition paid by students All education, prior to 18o1, was obtained in what was known as subscrip tion schools, pare ts payinr the teacher a specified amount per pupil Teacher were not exanined and taught 0417 the rudiments of readin writ ing, and arithmetic In rore pretentious schools some geography and history were taught During the early days the usual school term in Decatur county was three months The school day began early in the horn? ually sunrise, and con tinued until sundown The teache vould be the first to arrive at school axd to recite Early schools were held in vacant loo cabins, chinked with mud, provided with puncheon seats and oiled paper windafs In those days schools were not provided with bells When the teacher wished to call the pupils to come into udy, he stepped outside and pounded on the building and shouted, Books! One young lady applied f r a school in those days and after a few ques tions were answered she was given a certificate which read, nThis certifies that Miss Brooks can read a little and write a little' The first free school in the county was established in Greensburg in 1857 and was conducted in the basements of the churches The first grade school was established in 1801 In 1870 a normal school' was conducted at Milford CC1iftyJ for profes sional teachers Ralph Alexander william A Manlove was elected trustee of Clay losrshio in 1866 and served four years He was succeeded by John L Miers, who served two years, John B Trimble from 1872 1876, Richard wright for two vears, George . Byers for two years, william E Burney from 1880 1882 Clay lownship had thirteen school districts, all had good brick buildings Five were built by Trustee, hanlove, two by Niers, three by Trirhle, two by Wright, and the Thirteenth District established and the house built by myers The estimated cost of the houses was w14OO each They were finisded with good desks, blackboard, maps, globes, charts, etc The school term for 1880 was 120 days The number of children enumerated was 485 and the number in school was 426 The first schoolhouse was built on Dodridge A11ey's land in 1825 It was built of logs, with a fireplace occupying one end Loas were sawed out at each side, then greased papers were inserted to admit light Middle Fork schoolhouse was built in 1826, Buck Run and Duck Creek school houses were built in 1827 These schoolhouses were used for preaching and for various other purposes In 1836 the township was divided into districts 1857 a frame schoolhouse was erected in Milford CCliftyl. Frame schoolhouses were built in some districts. Later they were replaced by brick schoolhouses over the township. All schools in Clay Township, as in other parts of Indiana, were on the subscription basis. Parents paid the teacher so much a term for each pupil they sent to school. Teachers taught only the ruoiments of reading, writing, and arithmetic. The usual term of school was three months and the school day began early in the morning and lasted until sundown. The teacher would be at 49 .. . 1 V . A I F Y I fi , ,. ' 0 ., r Q . A ' I -I , r K - H G ' v 1 . f S L Q A I H 7, . - , . .. . W, J , . rv- A f' . . . V ' .. .ng 11:1 - . r n I z be at his desk at sunrise, and the first pupil to arrive would be the first one . . ,J 'i . . I J. ' . st ll ll ' e . . n v - O uv , v m :A 2 I 0 I - A .U U v .z. H, . - . m ' Q .J ' , , L li A- 1.1 D as . 1 . . I O ' v Q 0 I , . In