Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
Historian's Corner
September 1, 2016
Scripture School students (1936) Teacher Mrs. Beatrice Byrns “A Pioneer Schoolmaster” In the Sandy Creek News for July13, 1905 was an account of the Republican County Convention for that year. Among those who attended was mentioned Hon. Timothy W. Skinner of Mexico, formerly Surrogate of Oswego County, who was described as one of the leading Republicans of Oswego County and a delegate to the Judicial Convention for that year, 1905. Then followed an account of an interview with Mr. Skinner, which is reproduced here because of the interesting picture it gives of the schools in Sandy Creek about the year 1845.
“Mr. Skinner relates that sixty years ago when he was eighteen years of age he taught school in the Scripture District in the Town of Sandy Creek, which is the first district south of the village. There were in attendance at that time in this school eighty scholars, many of whom spent the summer on the farm, the canal or the lake and came to school in the winter to make trouble for the teacher and to turn him out if possible.”
“Mr. Skinner boarded around among the families in the district. At times he slept in attics and was occasionally obliged to shake from his clothes in the morning, the snow which had sifted in through the crevices and knot holes during the night. He built the fires and swept the school house and often split the wood consumed during the day from the pile which had been drawn, sled length, to the door. For his services he received the sum of $13 a month and his board.”
It is not to be wondered at that the man who was able to quell the turbulent spirits of eighty farmer boys and girls and who survived the crucial ordeal of teaching school under such circumstances at the raw age of eighteen, should make his mark in the world and be found still hale and hearty at eighty years of age.
We are trying to personalize the One Room School book with a story or comment. For example: Joe attended Woodruff School and remembered playing this recess game OR Joe’s teacher was Hazel Riley and social studies was his favorite subject. Jack lived in the village of Sandy Creek and went home every day for lunch. |
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Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
1992 Harwood Drive
Sandy Creek, NY 13145
315-387-5456 x7
office hours: Friday 9am to 2pm
www.sandycreeknyhistory.com |
