A site for a school house was obtained, one-half on the south-west corner of Seth Thompson's farm, and the other half on the north-west corner of Luke Thayer's farm, just north of the old stone school house now standing in front of the South Ridge Cemetery. Half of the house was to stand on each man's land. Leases were given to the district which were to continue as long as the land was used for school purposes, but when not used for this purpose the land should revert back to its original owners. During the Fall of l8l6 the citizens put up a log house, with chinkings of wood and mortar of clay. Within a month the building was completed, and the first school in what is now District No. 9 was taught during the winter of 1816-17. The teacher was one of the superior advantages for those times. Chester Sanfcrd, eldest son of Eli Sanford, Esq., who had received an academic course before he left New England, was employed as perfectly competent for the task. It will be interesting to see the names of a number of his scholars: The children of Seth Thompson, Sr., were George and Hannah; of Eli Sanford Eber S., Wheeler and Catherine; of Jacobs Williams, Martial, Diocletian, Ralph, Douglass, Lydia and Elvira; of Ralph Wright, Sophia, and Ralph K.; of Thomas Mastin, Luman N. Strong, adopted son; of David Hicks, Josiah; of James Hicks, Betsey; of Phineas Alexander, Luther and Stephen, of Noah Fogg, Joseph and Eliza. Of course a larger number attended, but these are the names of those that can be remembered. One thing that especially attracted the attention during the term was the wedding of the teacher. He was married December 26, 1816, to Miss Sally daughter of Jonithan Gilbert, Esq. To give place for these ceremonies, the school was dismissed for a few days. In the Spring of 1617, Mr. Sanford with his young wife moved on the place now owned by Stephen Berley Buss, about one mile east of the South Ridge Post Office. In the farm were about 196 acres.
The summer school for 1817 was taught by Miss Cynthia Mastin, daughter of Thomas, Jr. Later In life she became the second wife of Phineas Alexander. Solomon, son of Lemuel Jones, and Ashbel, son of Seth Thompson, Mary and Laura, daughter of Luke Thayer, were among the scholars. The Winter school of 1817-18 was taught by Walker Wood of Kingsville. The summer of 1818 by Miss Betsey Hicks, sister of David, James and Joseph. Later she was married to Daniel Sawtell. The winter of 1718-19 by Jacob Young, from Strafford, Vt. On leaving the school he went to Meadvllle, Pa. The Winter of 1819-20 by Hiram Coffin. He had taught but two or three weeks when during one night the log schoolhouse caught fire and burned down. Some of the scholars were on their way to school the next morning before they heard of it. This misfortune closed that term abruptly. The next summer, 1820, Mrs. Samuel Ely taught in a log house that stood on the creek bank in the south part of the cemetery just north of the present residence of Charles C. Durkee. Mrs. Ely took her son Edgerton, 3 � years old, with her. The scholars in District No. 7 attended there in that poor excuse for a private dwelling. This was the first school taught south of the creek. A log school house was built on the south-east of Kent's Corners.
Immediately after the loss by fire of the log school house, a meeting was called for the purpose of building a frame house to stand on the site of the log one which burned. A building committee of three was chosen, consisting of Peck Clark, Diocletian Wright and Shubel Abbee, who were to superintend the job. And In order that our readers might have before them the manner of doing business sixty years ago In the wilderness of Ohio, we will copy the subscription which we find In the old papers of Mr. Clark, which reads as follows:
"Whereas, Education is the foundation of civil and religious liberty, and without which we cannot be useful member of society; and the knowledge that It cannot be obtained for ourselves and our children without expense In preparing a place where It may be taught;
"Therefore, we, the subscribers mutually agree and promise to furnish such materials as shall be wanted to build a school house; and each one to provide and deliver on the ground near where the old house stood, such part or parts for the building as shall be set to our names. For this purpose we have chosen a committee to receive the materials and out up the frame and cover the same; the timber for the frame Is to be delivered on the grounds by the first of April next, the stuff for covering by the 15th of April next; the brick for the chimney as soon as wanted. We calculate to be known by the name of the South Ridge Center District."
Salem, January 22, 1820.
To the foregoing elaborate instrument there was attached the following subscription:
"All the square timber, rafters, and sleepers to the amount of $17.50,
Luke Thayer; all the clapboards, 1700 feet, delivered, to the amount of $3.90, Jacobs Williams; all the shingle to the amount of $18 , Zebediah Thompson; one hundred studs, ten feet long, 4 by 4, one thousand feet roof boards, one inch thick, twelve feet long, eight hundred feet of board boards(?), white oak, 1 � inches thick, twelve feet long to the amount of $26.80, Ralph Wright and Sherman Wright. The brick for the chimney and building the same, and hearth, Seth Thompson, Sr. and Seth Thompson, Jr. to the amount of $17.75, also Ira Parker, $14.50; framing the house and putting on the roof boards, shingles, $24, Peck Clark; putting on the siding, setting the girt and flue boards about the chimney ready for shingling, $15, Diocletian Wright eight twenty lighted window frames and window sash, two four lighted windows over each door and find stuff, $11, Shubel Abbee; making two outside doors and find stuff, (No subscriber) all the sealing boards for the inside to finish the school house, Obed Edwards and Lemuel Jones.
To this for a term or twom there was to be added the seating. Slabs with legs inserted served a welcome purpose until the writing desks could be made. A cross legged table and an old splint bottomed kitchen chair completed the furniture for the season. Thus the people of South Ridge had the first framed school building In Ashtabula County.
Among the teachers who supplied this district during the eight or ten years following, we have the names of Mr. Raynolds, Alva Sanford, Ira Hawkins, Adam Smith, Miss Harriet Dean, Daniel Hatch, Mr. Blakeslee, Solomon Spaulding, Alexander Call, William Wright; and Miss Urana Spaulding, later the wife of John Haviland, taught in the summer of 1824, and gave the writer of these sketches his first lessons In the alphabet. Rev. Asa Jacobs was our instructor for a number of Winters, also Rev. A. K. Moulton for two or three terms. We remember Miss Lydia, wife of Deacon Crittenden, as one of the lady teachers of those times. Rev. D.M.L. Rollin taught a select school in the church for some years, 1857-40.
Among the many pleasing things of those early school-days, was corporal punishment that had to be measured out to nearly every scholar. A teacher was thought to be a very poor governor Indeed, who did not use up handfuls of rods during the Winter term. After the boys had been sent to the woods for Dr. Beech and Hickory a few times they learned to be cunning with them. At one time the messenger would hack them In various places so that they would break after one or two strokes. At another he would twist the withe and run his pen-knife through it, or the switch was cut off and nothing but a club remained and this the teacher would not use. Next, there would come the time of talking and whispering, to get the boys to take off their coats, and when this was gained, the punishment for the wrong was added which often would be less than the first. One day when the scholars had been sliding down hill in the deep snow drifts during the noon hour, and the teacher looked on with a great deal of merriment, but immediately after school was called they were all arraigned in the middle of the floor for correction. A severe lecture did not convince the scholars that they had committed any crime, but the girls and all had to take their share of stripes and be sent to their seats. Among this number were some of the most worthy spirited that ever adorned any country, Some of these girls became the wives of some of our most wealthy and honored citizens; and the boys are many of the most wise and best of our land. One for two terms served as justice of the peace.
In the first schools in Ohio, the teachers were compelled to depend exclusively on parents and guardians for their wages. There was no public money, but certain lands were donated by government, about 60,000 acres, the avails of which could be used when sold. But the people did not like to have them sold until lands should be worth more. A little later the Legislature passed an act to tax parents and guardians about half enough to pay the schooling of their own children. This, the teacher could obtain without delay, but for the balance he was to make out his school bill so many miles per day and as much per scholar, and go the rounds and collect It. Many times the patrons would not have any money and he would be compelled to wait years for his pay, and sometimes never get it. Later, and as we have the law at present, the Legislature took the more sensible view of things. Viz.; that all children were scholars of the State of Ohio, and should be educated at her expense. Hence, all taxable property was laid under contribution for this purpose. This at first raised a bitter complaint from the old bachelors and maids because they had no children, for, as they said, educating other people's children. When they should have families, they affirmed, they would educate them, but did not like to pay other people's expenses. At length it was seen to be a very reasonable law. It is only two or three years since the law was passed compelling children to attend twelve weeks in each year between the ages of eight and fourteen. Thus the schooling in Ohio has grown to grand and noble attainments.
In the early days of our pioneers, scholars were thought to be we; educated for any ordinary business in life If they thoroughly trained in the common branches of spelling, reading, writing, geography, grammar and arithmetic. Too often they would omit geography and grammar as not absolutely essential. Arithmetic was to be the last study to complete their course, as, on leaving school, they would enter immediately into the practical use of figures and then would not forget this most important branch. With these ordinary advantages, some of our citizens have risen to fill offices of trust in our towns, Counties, and States. Their own genius has made way for them. All thanks to the fathers and mothers who stood up 30 nobly and wrought so faithfully for the common school. This district has had four school buildings, one log, in 1816; one framed, in 1820; one stone in 1851; and the present one a very fine wooden one in 1878.