Hughesville Junior Senior High School - Monarch Yearbook (Hughesville, PA)

Page 24 text:

HUGHESVILLE MON ARCH HIGH scHoo1. , An important meeting of the Board was held November 9th, 1852 in which much was accomplished. Decisions for the length of the school year, qualifications and pay of the teachers, and securing of the necessities were made. Once more we use the notes of Secretary Kahler: The School Board met November 9th, 1852. Isaac Shipman, R. Rook, C. Cromley, Wm. Ball and john Kahlcr were present. On motion of R. Rook that the school commence on the 20th of December and procure '1'hos. C. San- ders and A. B. Putman for teachers at 'I wenty-two dollars per month and each school to be kept open three months. On motion of R. Rook that the Secretary of' the School board purchase five tons of coal for fuel for the two schools. On motion of Wm. Ball that Chas. Cromley and Isaac Shipman attend to repairing the school houses, agreed to. On motion we adjournedf' IOHN KAHLER, Secty. ln the meeting following this one, the school of Wolf Township was incorporated into the borough school and the proportions in which the citizens and parents were to pay was decided. At the final meeting for the term, in March 1855, the School board was reorganized. Although not deeply renowned nor long remembered, the first school board of Hughesville may take a position parallel to the western pioneers. How they struggled through the first of public schooling, overcoming dire straits, low funds and Iacl. of cooperation is a feat that required unbounding courage, sacrifice and fidelity. Many men have come and gone and many school boards have been organized and disbanded since the original one in 1852, but none can claim to have accomplished more, materially, than those tour men and their assistants who placed the Hughesville Schools on the right track and built the foundation for the present system. Of course, credit must be given to those who carried the torch on from where the resigning hands dropped it. Many notable citizens of Hughesville have served on the Director s Board of the School, In the years following the founding, the members shifted continuously, some serving three years, some two and some only one. Included in the list were Stephen Flick, james I-Iuling, S. W. Corson, Jonas Hill, Selathiel Kelly, George Bodine, john H. Rothrock, Peter Buck, Israel Sanders, Thomas Sanders, and Daniel Steck, all men of high civic standing. To name all the past members would constitute a book in itself. A glance at the minutes of the Board meetings dated November 4th, 18th and 21st, 1868, respectively, reveals improvements and enlargements in the institution, a smoother running organization and a cooperating group. Following are the notes: November 4th, School board met. Members all present. Minutes of previous meetings read and approved. It was unanimously agreed by acclimation that we retain the present teachers for the next term of School, said term to commence on the 23rd day of November and continue for four months. Mr. H. Hill to teach for forty dollars per month. Miss Florence Biddle to teach for Thirty dollars per month. On motion, an order was granted Mr. Peter Reeder for 3535.23 for coal, brooms, boards, glass, putty, etc. furnished for the school house. On motion the treasurer was appointed committee to wait on Mr. Aaron Musgrave, collector and inform him that his duplicate must be paid and settled up as soon as possible. Adjourned to meet in two weeks from this evening A. C. CARLISLE, Sectyf'

Page 23 text:

HUGHESEIELE MONARCH C HIGH SCHOOL EARLY HISTORY OF THE HUGHESVILLE SCHOOLS The year, Nineteen thirty-four ushers in the eighty-second consecutive year of progress in the Hughesville Schools. As the state of Pennsylvania commemorates a century of education, the borough of Hughesville may proudly celebrate over three- quarters of a century of similar progress. From a frame building, fifty-six feet long, thirty-two feet wide and twelve feet high, the house of education has grown to two brick buildings covering a broad lot of over fifty tho-:sand square feet, in the center of Hughesville, from a three month term of teaching a dozen children, the school year has grown to nine months instruction of about five hundred boys and girls of all ages, from a two-course curriculum employing one teacher, the system has expanded to a broad selective group of subjects employing nearly a score of instructors. What is behind all this advancement? The action is simply due to constant improvement and enlargement of the community surrounding Hughesville and is a sign that the educational system is advancing proportionally. corresponding to the advancement of thc status of the locality. In truth, the school organization is just one step ahead of the town in respect to facilities, for while the town's population has increased little in the past decade, the school has developed materially, both in size and re- sponsibility. However, to understand clearly the background of the present educational sys- tem, it is necessary to delve into verified records, tabulated by authenic and responsible people. There is, in the possession of a prominent town citizen, the original Minute Book of the very first school board. Mr. C. Stecl-: Hill, at the present a veteran member of the school board, has furnished most of the following information, partly from his own copious memory and partly from the aforementioned records. Following is an excerpt from the first page of the Minute Book of the Hughesville School Board , the primordial established volume in which the first attempts for organizing an educational institution in Hughesville were tabulated. On yellowed script, written in a heavy forehand and dated june 3rd, 1852, the following is noted. The School Board for the borough of Hughesville Elect was organized by appointing Isaac Shipman president, and john Kahler, Sec'y, Henry Frymire and Robert Rook by Ballot Elected for the term of 5 Years, Isaac Shipman and john Kahler for 2 years, Charles Cromley and Wm. Ball for one year. On motion we adjourned to meet tomorrow Evening at Early Candle light. It is signed john Kahler, Secty. of School Board. The next entree, dated june fourth, is entered in the same hand and shows the Board well on the way toward or- ganization. Directors met according to adjournment. Isaac Shipman, Robert Rook, Wm. Ball, Chas. Cromley, H. Frymire, john Kahler. Robert Rook nominated Thos. Kahler Treasurer of School Board, which was unanimously agreed to. On motion of H. Frymire that we meet on Wednesday Evening next and invite the town Council to meet with us, agreed to. On motion we adjournedf, After this entree the accounts show a somewhat regular meeting of the new organization, although it took this industrious group four months to get any co- operation from the nearby townships. A long-drawn-out controversy concerning cer- tain appropriations was carried on between the Township of Wolf and the Borough of Hughesville. It finally led to a lawsuit which in turn secured a nominal amount for the Hughesville schools. This amount, along with the one hundred and fifty dollars levied in taxes during the first year of operation maintained the Hughesville Schools! Compare this small sum with the present huge amount spent on mainten- ance of the High School today.

Page 25 text:

...ggbpgilwnl-HJGHESVEITE TTT! MQNARCH HIGH SCHOOL November 1 Sth. School board met. Members all present, minutes of previous meeting read and approved. The treasurer reported having waited on Mr. Aaron Musgrave, collector, and that there was about one hundred dollars more or less on his duplicate yet unsettled. The board then agreed that we meet on next Saturday evening and that Mr. Musgrave be notified to be present at that time to settle up his duplicate. The treasurer also reported 337.74 money in the treasury at this date. Adjourned to meet next Saturday evening. A. C. CARLISLE, Secty. November 21st. School board met, members all present. Minutes of previous meeting read and approved. On motion agreed that the teachers be allowed four days to attend the county institute if they see fit to do so. Mr. Musgrave being present claimed exonerations on the following persons on school duplicate for 1867. Elisha Alden 31.00, Thomas VanBusl-:irk 31.18, Elias Buck 31.26, George W. Bridge 31.26, Aaron Barger 31.32, Peirson Kahler 31.35, john Kitchen 3127, john Taylor 31.06, Christian Springer Sr 31.06, A. G. Thornton 31.33 amounting in all to 31647. On motion the above exoneration were allowed except john Kitchens 31.26, leaving 315.27 of exonerations. On motion an order was granted the secreta.ry for 34.00 expenses incurred in advertising for and procuring teach- ers. On motion agreed that we adjourn to meet regularly on the first Monday of each month at Mr. Peter Reeder's Store. A. C. CARLISLE, Sectyf' The concluding securable notes are information of an increased school term. Dated 1870, they conclude the early history of the Hughesville Schools. Since that time perhaps history has been made, far more appreciable to the times and perhaps more beneficial to the school as a whole, but the carrying on of the standard is now the duty of the oflsprings. 'lt takes little initiative to take up where one has left off, but to organize, equip and start the ball a-rolling is a task that deserves commemoration. In the facts presented below, we see evidence of real, sincere interest. june 6th, 1870. School board met. All present but A. C. Henrey. On motion D. Hill was elected President protem. Minutes of previous meeting read and approved, whereupon the new board proceeded to organize, when on motion D. Hill was elected president, A. H. Hill Secty., Wm. Frantz Treasurer for the ensuing year. On motion that there be an order drawn on the Treasurer in favor of A. C. Carlisle for ten dollars for services as secretary. Agreed to. On motion that there be an order drawn on Board in favor of Peter Reeder for 56 cents for broom, agreed to. On motion of A. C. Carlisle it was agreed that the School Board meet on the first Monday evening of each month. On motion we adjourned. A. H. HILL, secfyf' ,