NOTE: This country school was located at the Southeast corner of Montague and Conger Roads in Ogle County on the Winnebago County line, about 7 miles Northwest of Byron.
HISTORY OF FAIRVIEW SCHOOL
By W. W. Bridgeland (written about 1935)
This is not only a history of Fairview, but we will also call it a reminiscence of school days.
Fairview, I think, can be classed as a pioneer school, although there were other schools in a radius of several miles that preceded it. Yet, it was built by men who were early settlers, and experienced the inconvenience of pioneer life, who came here before the railroad. Chicago was their nearest cash market and, being required by the government to pay their taxes with cash, they were obliged to haul their wheat to Chicago with ox teams, to secure it. Those times were not so many years before Fairview School came into existence.
Many of the children of the neighborhood walked several miles to attend the neighboring school of Hoisington and Oak Grove Roads. And later, in 1860, Alfred Copeland kindly offered one room of his log house for school purposes. This room was fitted with benches and other equipment necessary and was the nucleus from which Fairview sprang.
The parents in this community, feeling the need of a more convenient place in which to educate their children, met on September 3, 1860, at the home of Mitchell Elliott, for the purpose of electing a board of directors and planning for a new school building. The directors elected were Alfred Bridgeland, John Hench and Alfred Copeland. Steps were immediately taken for the erection of the new building and a location was sought for. William Wright offered a lot for the school building on the northwest corner of his farm, which was accepted, and is now the present site.
The building was erected in 1861, a modest frame structure 15 x 25 feet, which would be about 74 years ago. (Note: This history was written in about 1935.)
The district lines were established with the school building being on the county line. The district was made up from both Winnebago and Ogle Counties, and at the present time the boundaries are about the same except for a few changes that have been made from time to time to accommodate individual families. As the name implies, the view is not only fair, but far.
For viewing the interior of this building through the mind’s eye, we enter through the door in the center of the north end, into an entry extending the width of the building, and from this to the school room through two doors, one to the right for the boys, and one to the left for the girls.
Upon entering we see four rows of desks, the outer rows on either side by the wall extending almost the entire length of the room and facing the north; the two center rows about halfway across, leaving a space for the stove and recitation benches. The teacher’s desk was at the north end of the room on a raised platform between the two entrance doors. This desk faced the school and commanded a good view of everything that was going on. Behind this desk was a board seat extending the length of the platform on which the teacher was supposed to sit and most of the time it was occupied by some unruly pupil who was placed there to be under the watchful eye of the teacher. And they were lucky if they got off that easy for that was in the day of “no lickin’, no learnin”.
All the seats and desks were of pine boards. The desks had covers that raised on hinges to receive the books and other contents, and you can imagine the continual clatter of lids in the exchange of books, which in itself, was enough to try the nerves of any teacher. The seats to the desks were stationary boards and were intended to seat two pupils. The one sitting at the farther end of the seat by the wall had to sit down and slide the length of the seat to get in place. Some of the seats were lower than others for the smaller children, yet they were too high for many of them to rest their feet upon the floor, and they had to sit and dangle them in the air.
The stove was another article of furniture worthy of note. It was a long cast iron square cornered box with the sides highly decorated with figures and vines, and it would almost take in a stick of cord wood. For convenience, the cord stick was cut in halves. On cold mornings it was filled to the top and glowed red hot with a furnace heat.
When the school opened there was a large attendance and for many years continued so. I think the cause of this was for several reasons. First, most of the people had large families, and, second, many of the older pupils had to work at home during the summer and could only attend the winter months of school. So, they continued going until they were 20 years of age, and some of them older. Another reason for the large attendance was that there were many girls and boys who came into the district, working for their board in some family attending school. Some winter terms there were over 50 pupils enrolled, consequently some of the smaller children had to sit three in a seat, and some had to sit on the recitation bench and had no desk at all.
The McGuffey’s speller and reader were used for our text books. The primer was for the little ones, for in those days we had to begin our education with the abc’s. There was no “royal road to learning”. After thoroughly learning the alphabet, we were advanced to the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and later on, there was a Sixth reader. Then came U. S. History by Beard, Arithmetic, Ray’s Mental, Second, Third, and higher. Algebra, Davis and Robinson’s, Geography, Cornell’s Political and Warren’s Physical, Grammar, Clark’s and Green’s Gray’s Botany, Coolie’s Philosophy, Zoology. The last three text books were introduced in the school by R. T. Morgan, teacher from 1871 through 1874.
In the early history of the school there were no grades or written examinations, as we have now. The teachers were generally employed for the summer or winter terms instead of for the year resulting in a more frequent change of teachers. No written grades were left by the previous teacher, so every new teacher started the pupils at the beginning of the book each time, and they went as far as they could before the next teacher started them at the beginning again, consequently, the first part of the book would be soiled and torn while the last part would be “good as new”.
In the year 1871, the old desks, being well carved and out of date, were replaced with new ones of the Sterling make, something similar to what we have now, except they were double desks. The teacher’s desk was replaced with a table desk and chair. I think, at this time, there was an addition of 9 ft. added to the north end of the school room making more and greatly needed room. The entrance to the building was changed from the north end to the east side of the building. The entrance from the entry to the school room was now made through one door. We were very proud of our new desks and other improvements and they were kept sacred from knives and scratches for many long years.
Years after this the entry was again changed, and the door was put on the north end again. The entry was divided into three equal parts. The center was used as an entrance to the school room and the ones on each side was used for cloak rooms which opened into the school room.
For the year 1911, 50 years having gone by, the district again felt the need of a new and up-to-date school building, and a special meeting was called by the directors to vote for or against it. The vote was in the affirmative, and the directors went to see several new school buildings. The plan of the Weldon school was chosen, with a few alterations. The contract was let to C. S. Thomas of Pecatonica for $1250.
The old building was sold at auction the highest bidder, James Moore, for $110. The new building was erected on the same site on which the old one stood. The size of the new building was 26 x 30 ft. The entrance was 8 x 10 ft., and the cloak rooms, 6 x 12 ft. The school room was seated with new single desks, also furnished with slate black boards, and other up-to-date equipment.
Let us return with our reminiscences to the early history of the school. All our time was not taken up with work. We had our hours of recreation, and we always looked forward to the intermissions of the day. Recess was in the forenoon, an hour at noon, and again in the afternoon. At noon we could scarcely swallow our dinners before we were out on the playground ready to put in full time. One of our games was “Pom Pom Pullaway, if you don’t come, I’ll fetch you away”.
Another game was “Goal”, which was played often. We also played “Ante Over”, and for this we had a good many accidents by sending the ball through the window, with the penalty being taking our seats, and paying for the glass. “One old cat, two old cat”, and “Round Town” were very popular games in our younger days. “Crack the Whip” and “Skin the devil” were very exciting and some times ended up with a broken bone. “Duck on the rock” and “Shiney” also often ended with a bloody nose. “Poison”, “Ring around a rosy”, and “Drop the handkerchief” were favorite games with the little folks.
In winter, we did a great deal of coasting and skating. But, baseball was the most popular of all the games. It was introduced by Fred Wells, the County Superintendent’s son, who taught the school for a term. The indoor games were played a great deal in cold and stormy weather. Some of them were “Jacob and Susan”, “Spat them out”, “Blind Man’s Bluff”, “Pussy wants a corner”, “Authors”, “Dominos”, “Checkers”, “Chess”, etc. And, at one time, dancing was all the go with Joseph Hudson being the violinist.
Another greatly sought for pleasure was the privilege of going for water. In the early history of the school, there was a drilled well situated east of the building. Like a good many other wells at that time it was equipped with well curb, windless and bucket, and like the “old oaken bucket”, it brought up cold, sparkling water. But the trouble with that well was that too many of the boys had an ear for music, and many a stick and stone went clattering down the tube going plump in the water below. In time the well became full of stones and no more water could be drawn. We then had to go for water to the nearest house, which was a quarter of a mile away. As soon as the water arrived the privilege of passing it was given to some favored pupil. This was done with a large tin cup, passing from one pupil to another until the cup was drained, and then dipping it into the pail be refill it, and doing through the same process again, until all were watered. We had no germs in those days and we all came through it healthy and well.
Some of the other happy diversions were those that only came occasionally, such as giving monthly recitations on Friday, or the last day of school. Others were spelling down matches, school exhibitions, visiting schools, or entertaining other schools in return. Lyceums were held, debating all the great questions of the day, such as “resolved that the pen is mightier than the sword”, or “which is the mother of the chick, the hen that laid the egg, or the one that hatched it”, and many other important questions too numerous to mention.
Perhaps the best time was when we went to some neighboring school for a spelling match. Some of the older boys would get their father’s team and lumber wagon, and as many of us as could, would climb in and go forth with high hopes. Most of the schools had their champion spellers, but Fairview was second to none. Our champion spellers were Will Hench, Nattie Elliott and Minnie Jones, and we always felt pretty sure of victory when we had one of them along.
In our school life we had other diversions besides games and fun. Sometimes it became necessary to use discipline, and the degree of that punishment depended a great deal on the temperament of the teacher. One of the most dreaded punishments was the ruler. In 1868 we had a teacher, namely, John Harris, who seemed to use the ruler on the slightest provocation, and woe to the pupil that fell a victim. The switch came next in severity and made quite a lasting impression on the school. There were other modes of punishment more mild, and perhaps used more often such as standing in the corner and facing the wall or being raised from the seat by the ear, also making boys sit with the girls (in this case, I am afraid the punishment was on the innocent). Being kept after school was another frequently used punishment.
There have been many improvements in the educational world in the 74 years since Fairview was built. The system of teaching is better. Now there are examinations and grades given. The old way of using many different kinds of text books has been replaced by a uniform system throughout the country. The old text books have given place to new and more attractive books, especially to the children. The school room and its equipment changed. The old board seats and desks have given place to convenient and comfortable ones. The room is lighted better with more windows, and in the right place. Now there is electricity for dark days. The old wood stove has been replaced with the heater or furnace. Now a better system of ventilation is used. The water pail and community tin cup have been replaced by the water fountain and individual cups.
Let us return again to the early history of the school. There has just been handed to me a letter written by Maggie Wray in 1863, one of our first teachers, in which she gives some very interesting information. She said she wished to buy a new bonnet, and the dealers asked her $7.00 for it. That would be about two weeks’ wages, as she was only paid $3.75 per week, and boarded around. The dealer kindly let her have it for $6.00.
Another interesting item was that there was but a small attendance during the first few years of school, as a good many of the men folks had gone to the war (this was early in the 1860’s) and the boys had to stay at home and work the farms. So, the large attendance previously spoken of in this history did not occur until several years later, at the close of the war.
The wages paid to the teachers of Fairview during its existence range from $15. per month plus board to $115., with the average being from $25. to $50.
The teachers were, as near as I have been able to find out from old records were: First, Sarah Deaver, who taught in Alfred Copeland’s house, and when Fairview was built, brought her school to the new building.
Other teachers included, Maggie Wray, Herb York, Nariah Mathewson, John Harris, Rubie Fitch, Helen York, Anna Worton, Mattie Elliott, Hannie Linn, Clara W. Jones, Ellen Patton, Sara Noble, H. T. Morgan, Jennie Hench, J. G. Burke, Anna Jones, J. B. Williams, Fred Wells, Sellie Meredith, John Hench, Elmer Hench, Fannie Crosby, Frances Glenn, John Dixler, Annie Bowie, Louis Smith, Nattie Clark, Agnes Clark, Frances Hinkle, Edith Ives, Mary Jean Love, Jean Bowie, John B. Love, Nell Ballaugh, Elizabeth Mae Gregor, Florence Beckner, Louise Michaelson, Nina Benson, Anna Nasch, Elsie Chapman, Ruth Ness, Gertrude Bridgeland, Dorothy V. Stanley, Ada Wright, Hazel Wilder, Wilda Palmer, Iva McCartin, Elizabeth Bridgeland, Henrietta Sehroder, Loretta Byrem, Helen Schenck and Marjory Wright.
In closing, I will say, let us all boost for the country school.
Note: Fairview School was located at the Southeast corner of Montague and Conger Roads, about seven miles Northwest of Byron, Illinois. At some point in time it was moved to a farm at the corner of Water and Hoisington Roads, where it remains today, 2012. Water Road was moved south, so the old school is now located on “Old Water Road”.
By W. W. Bridgeland (written about 1935)
This is not only a history of Fairview, but we will also call it a reminiscence of school days.
Fairview, I think, can be classed as a pioneer school, although there were other schools in a radius of several miles that preceded it. Yet, it was built by men who were early settlers, and experienced the inconvenience of pioneer life, who came here before the railroad. Chicago was their nearest cash market and, being required by the government to pay their taxes with cash, they were obliged to haul their wheat to Chicago with ox teams, to secure it. Those times were not so many years before Fairview School came into existence.
Many of the children of the neighborhood walked several miles to attend the neighboring school of Hoisington and Oak Grove Roads. And later, in 1860, Alfred Copeland kindly offered one room of his log house for school purposes. This room was fitted with benches and other equipment necessary and was the nucleus from which Fairview sprang.
The parents in this community, feeling the need of a more convenient place in which to educate their children, met on September 3, 1860, at the home of Mitchell Elliott, for the purpose of electing a board of directors and planning for a new school building. The directors elected were Alfred Bridgeland, John Hench and Alfred Copeland. Steps were immediately taken for the erection of the new building and a location was sought for. William Wright offered a lot for the school building on the northwest corner of his farm, which was accepted, and is now the present site.
The building was erected in 1861, a modest frame structure 15 x 25 feet, which would be about 74 years ago. (Note: This history was written in about 1935.)
The district lines were established with the school building being on the county line. The district was made up from both Winnebago and Ogle Counties, and at the present time the boundaries are about the same except for a few changes that have been made from time to time to accommodate individual families. As the name implies, the view is not only fair, but far.
For viewing the interior of this building through the mind’s eye, we enter through the door in the center of the north end, into an entry extending the width of the building, and from this to the school room through two doors, one to the right for the boys, and one to the left for the girls.
Upon entering we see four rows of desks, the outer rows on either side by the wall extending almost the entire length of the room and facing the north; the two center rows about halfway across, leaving a space for the stove and recitation benches. The teacher’s desk was at the north end of the room on a raised platform between the two entrance doors. This desk faced the school and commanded a good view of everything that was going on. Behind this desk was a board seat extending the length of the platform on which the teacher was supposed to sit and most of the time it was occupied by some unruly pupil who was placed there to be under the watchful eye of the teacher. And they were lucky if they got off that easy for that was in the day of “no lickin’, no learnin”.
All the seats and desks were of pine boards. The desks had covers that raised on hinges to receive the books and other contents, and you can imagine the continual clatter of lids in the exchange of books, which in itself, was enough to try the nerves of any teacher. The seats to the desks were stationary boards and were intended to seat two pupils. The one sitting at the farther end of the seat by the wall had to sit down and slide the length of the seat to get in place. Some of the seats were lower than others for the smaller children, yet they were too high for many of them to rest their feet upon the floor, and they had to sit and dangle them in the air.
The stove was another article of furniture worthy of note. It was a long cast iron square cornered box with the sides highly decorated with figures and vines, and it would almost take in a stick of cord wood. For convenience, the cord stick was cut in halves. On cold mornings it was filled to the top and glowed red hot with a furnace heat.
When the school opened there was a large attendance and for many years continued so. I think the cause of this was for several reasons. First, most of the people had large families, and, second, many of the older pupils had to work at home during the summer and could only attend the winter months of school. So, they continued going until they were 20 years of age, and some of them older. Another reason for the large attendance was that there were many girls and boys who came into the district, working for their board in some family attending school. Some winter terms there were over 50 pupils enrolled, consequently some of the smaller children had to sit three in a seat, and some had to sit on the recitation bench and had no desk at all.
The McGuffey’s speller and reader were used for our text books. The primer was for the little ones, for in those days we had to begin our education with the abc’s. There was no “royal road to learning”. After thoroughly learning the alphabet, we were advanced to the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and later on, there was a Sixth reader. Then came U. S. History by Beard, Arithmetic, Ray’s Mental, Second, Third, and higher. Algebra, Davis and Robinson’s, Geography, Cornell’s Political and Warren’s Physical, Grammar, Clark’s and Green’s Gray’s Botany, Coolie’s Philosophy, Zoology. The last three text books were introduced in the school by R. T. Morgan, teacher from 1871 through 1874.
In the early history of the school there were no grades or written examinations, as we have now. The teachers were generally employed for the summer or winter terms instead of for the year resulting in a more frequent change of teachers. No written grades were left by the previous teacher, so every new teacher started the pupils at the beginning of the book each time, and they went as far as they could before the next teacher started them at the beginning again, consequently, the first part of the book would be soiled and torn while the last part would be “good as new”.
In the year 1871, the old desks, being well carved and out of date, were replaced with new ones of the Sterling make, something similar to what we have now, except they were double desks. The teacher’s desk was replaced with a table desk and chair. I think, at this time, there was an addition of 9 ft. added to the north end of the school room making more and greatly needed room. The entrance to the building was changed from the north end to the east side of the building. The entrance from the entry to the school room was now made through one door. We were very proud of our new desks and other improvements and they were kept sacred from knives and scratches for many long years.
Years after this the entry was again changed, and the door was put on the north end again. The entry was divided into three equal parts. The center was used as an entrance to the school room and the ones on each side was used for cloak rooms which opened into the school room.
For the year 1911, 50 years having gone by, the district again felt the need of a new and up-to-date school building, and a special meeting was called by the directors to vote for or against it. The vote was in the affirmative, and the directors went to see several new school buildings. The plan of the Weldon school was chosen, with a few alterations. The contract was let to C. S. Thomas of Pecatonica for $1250.
The old building was sold at auction the highest bidder, James Moore, for $110. The new building was erected on the same site on which the old one stood. The size of the new building was 26 x 30 ft. The entrance was 8 x 10 ft., and the cloak rooms, 6 x 12 ft. The school room was seated with new single desks, also furnished with slate black boards, and other up-to-date equipment.
Let us return with our reminiscences to the early history of the school. All our time was not taken up with work. We had our hours of recreation, and we always looked forward to the intermissions of the day. Recess was in the forenoon, an hour at noon, and again in the afternoon. At noon we could scarcely swallow our dinners before we were out on the playground ready to put in full time. One of our games was “Pom Pom Pullaway, if you don’t come, I’ll fetch you away”.
Another game was “Goal”, which was played often. We also played “Ante Over”, and for this we had a good many accidents by sending the ball through the window, with the penalty being taking our seats, and paying for the glass. “One old cat, two old cat”, and “Round Town” were very popular games in our younger days. “Crack the Whip” and “Skin the devil” were very exciting and some times ended up with a broken bone. “Duck on the rock” and “Shiney” also often ended with a bloody nose. “Poison”, “Ring around a rosy”, and “Drop the handkerchief” were favorite games with the little folks.
In winter, we did a great deal of coasting and skating. But, baseball was the most popular of all the games. It was introduced by Fred Wells, the County Superintendent’s son, who taught the school for a term. The indoor games were played a great deal in cold and stormy weather. Some of them were “Jacob and Susan”, “Spat them out”, “Blind Man’s Bluff”, “Pussy wants a corner”, “Authors”, “Dominos”, “Checkers”, “Chess”, etc. And, at one time, dancing was all the go with Joseph Hudson being the violinist.
Another greatly sought for pleasure was the privilege of going for water. In the early history of the school, there was a drilled well situated east of the building. Like a good many other wells at that time it was equipped with well curb, windless and bucket, and like the “old oaken bucket”, it brought up cold, sparkling water. But the trouble with that well was that too many of the boys had an ear for music, and many a stick and stone went clattering down the tube going plump in the water below. In time the well became full of stones and no more water could be drawn. We then had to go for water to the nearest house, which was a quarter of a mile away. As soon as the water arrived the privilege of passing it was given to some favored pupil. This was done with a large tin cup, passing from one pupil to another until the cup was drained, and then dipping it into the pail be refill it, and doing through the same process again, until all were watered. We had no germs in those days and we all came through it healthy and well.
Some of the other happy diversions were those that only came occasionally, such as giving monthly recitations on Friday, or the last day of school. Others were spelling down matches, school exhibitions, visiting schools, or entertaining other schools in return. Lyceums were held, debating all the great questions of the day, such as “resolved that the pen is mightier than the sword”, or “which is the mother of the chick, the hen that laid the egg, or the one that hatched it”, and many other important questions too numerous to mention.
Perhaps the best time was when we went to some neighboring school for a spelling match. Some of the older boys would get their father’s team and lumber wagon, and as many of us as could, would climb in and go forth with high hopes. Most of the schools had their champion spellers, but Fairview was second to none. Our champion spellers were Will Hench, Nattie Elliott and Minnie Jones, and we always felt pretty sure of victory when we had one of them along.
In our school life we had other diversions besides games and fun. Sometimes it became necessary to use discipline, and the degree of that punishment depended a great deal on the temperament of the teacher. One of the most dreaded punishments was the ruler. In 1868 we had a teacher, namely, John Harris, who seemed to use the ruler on the slightest provocation, and woe to the pupil that fell a victim. The switch came next in severity and made quite a lasting impression on the school. There were other modes of punishment more mild, and perhaps used more often such as standing in the corner and facing the wall or being raised from the seat by the ear, also making boys sit with the girls (in this case, I am afraid the punishment was on the innocent). Being kept after school was another frequently used punishment.
There have been many improvements in the educational world in the 74 years since Fairview was built. The system of teaching is better. Now there are examinations and grades given. The old way of using many different kinds of text books has been replaced by a uniform system throughout the country. The old text books have given place to new and more attractive books, especially to the children. The school room and its equipment changed. The old board seats and desks have given place to convenient and comfortable ones. The room is lighted better with more windows, and in the right place. Now there is electricity for dark days. The old wood stove has been replaced with the heater or furnace. Now a better system of ventilation is used. The water pail and community tin cup have been replaced by the water fountain and individual cups.
Let us return again to the early history of the school. There has just been handed to me a letter written by Maggie Wray in 1863, one of our first teachers, in which she gives some very interesting information. She said she wished to buy a new bonnet, and the dealers asked her $7.00 for it. That would be about two weeks’ wages, as she was only paid $3.75 per week, and boarded around. The dealer kindly let her have it for $6.00.
Another interesting item was that there was but a small attendance during the first few years of school, as a good many of the men folks had gone to the war (this was early in the 1860’s) and the boys had to stay at home and work the farms. So, the large attendance previously spoken of in this history did not occur until several years later, at the close of the war.
The wages paid to the teachers of Fairview during its existence range from $15. per month plus board to $115., with the average being from $25. to $50.
The teachers were, as near as I have been able to find out from old records were: First, Sarah Deaver, who taught in Alfred Copeland’s house, and when Fairview was built, brought her school to the new building.
Other teachers included, Maggie Wray, Herb York, Nariah Mathewson, John Harris, Rubie Fitch, Helen York, Anna Worton, Mattie Elliott, Hannie Linn, Clara W. Jones, Ellen Patton, Sara Noble, H. T. Morgan, Jennie Hench, J. G. Burke, Anna Jones, J. B. Williams, Fred Wells, Sellie Meredith, John Hench, Elmer Hench, Fannie Crosby, Frances Glenn, John Dixler, Annie Bowie, Louis Smith, Nattie Clark, Agnes Clark, Frances Hinkle, Edith Ives, Mary Jean Love, Jean Bowie, John B. Love, Nell Ballaugh, Elizabeth Mae Gregor, Florence Beckner, Louise Michaelson, Nina Benson, Anna Nasch, Elsie Chapman, Ruth Ness, Gertrude Bridgeland, Dorothy V. Stanley, Ada Wright, Hazel Wilder, Wilda Palmer, Iva McCartin, Elizabeth Bridgeland, Henrietta Sehroder, Loretta Byrem, Helen Schenck and Marjory Wright.
In closing, I will say, let us all boost for the country school.
Note: Fairview School was located at the Southeast corner of Montague and Conger Roads, about seven miles Northwest of Byron, Illinois. At some point in time it was moved to a farm at the corner of Water and Hoisington Roads, where it remains today, 2012. Water Road was moved south, so the old school is now located on “Old Water Road”.