Madison County History and Genealogy

History and Genealogy



History of Madison County


Pleasant Township Schools


From History of Madison County, W. H. Beers & Co, Chicago, 1883

As this township began to be settled early, we would naturally expect to see schools and improvements early established, and we find that such was the fact. The class of citizens who first located here were men of nerve and intellect, who sought the welfare of the rising generations; they knew the importance of schools, to educate and train the minds of youth, to bring out their latent powers and to produce strong and healthy intellects, such as should become able managers of church and State. As the first settlement was made on Deer Creek, in the eastern part of the township, so here we find in the Alkire neighborhood a primitive log schoolhouse, erected about 1812. These early schoolhouses are often described in this history in writing of other localities that here, and hereafter, when we speak of a primitive log schoolhouse, their construction and character will be fully understood by the reader. The first teacher in this school was Adam Alkire. The first schoolhouse has long since been destroyed, and others, more improved, have succeeded it.

At an early day in Mt. Sterling, a lot four rods square was purchased of Abraham Alkire, for which he was paid $10 for school purposes, and upon which the people of the district erected a small frame building, and which continued to be used for school purposes till about 1850, when an addition was built to the old schoolhouse, which again served the district till about 1862, when Smiley Hughs, acting for the district, purchased from William Riddle four-fifths of an acre of ground, where the present schoolhouse is located, upon which they erected a frame house, 48x24 feet, two rooms, with a hall between them, at a cost of #1,100, and they then established it as a graded school. This house served the town until 1876, when the old house was sold and moved away and the present fine two-story brick house was erected, containing six rooms, at a cost of $13,000. This is one of the finest school buildings in the county outside of London, and does credit to the enterprise and educational tastes of the people of Mt. Sterling. The school enumeration in 1881 was 201. Total school funds, $2,161.65. Expended for tuition, $1,888, and for contingencies, $516.88. The school now consists of five departments, with the following corps of teachers, viz., Primary B, Miss Lou Hurst; Primary A, Mrs. H. E. Schryver; Grammar B, Miss Mary Pierson; Grammar A, Walter W. Storms; High School, Prof. N. W. Bates, Superintendent and teacher.

The Board of Education in Mt. Sterling are D. H. Douglass, President; H. W. Schryver, Clark; H. D. Marcy, Treasurer; Dr. E. B. Pratt and J. W. Ingrim. Throughout the entire township there are now good schools and schoolhouses. The township is divided into seven subdistricts and one joint subdistrict. Enumeration of scholars in Mt. Sterling, 201. Township school funds, $4,621.10; Expenditures–tuition, $20.50; contingent, $281.95; total $2,331.95[sic]. Township Board of Education: Bryan Flynn, O. W. Bostwick, John W. Rea, Joseph Bower, F. O. P. Graham; President, D. E. Robison, Trimble Graham and C. H. Miller.



From History of Madison County, Ohio, Chester E. Bryan, Supervising Editor, B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis (1915)

As this township was among the first to be settled, it is not surprising to also find that one of the earliest school buildings in the county was erected within its limits. As the first settlements were made on Deer creek, in the eastern part of the township, So here we find, in the Alkire neighborhood, a primitive log school house erected in about 1812. These early log school houses have been described elsewhere and this one was no exception to the rule. The first teacher in this building was Adam Alkire. The building has long since disappeared


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