Allen County OhArchives History - Schools .....The First School Of Lima August 3, 1896 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Woerner judyw0113@yahoo.com May 8, 2006, 4:56 pm Book Title: The Times Democrat, August 3, 1896 THE FIRST SCHOOLS OF LIMA (Excerpt from an article entitled “Opened—Is the Teachers’ Annual Institute of Allen County.”) The school was held in the north room of the old court house, which stood on the east side of Main street, between the square and Spring street, in the winter of 1832-33, it was of the subscription variety, term 66 days. W. H. C. MITCHELL, of Traverse City, Mich; T. T. MITCHELL, of Lima; JOHN J. COLE, of California; S. H. WARD, of Paulding county; Mrs. D. MUSSER and Mrs. D. BREESE, of Shawnee, tp., are all that remain of the thirty-nine scholars of the first school of Lima. Col. JAMES CUNNINGHAM, father of Mrs. J. N. HUTCHINSON, who is now, or was on the examining board, taught in 1833-’34. The scene of his labors being JACOB DOWN’S log cabin on Water street, where the Schultheis tannery now stands. Up to 1832 the law did recognize the school ma’am. In December 1831, an act was passed providing that “On the petition of the inhabitants of a district, and when the school examiners have granted such petition, the school directors shall appoint a female to teach spelling, reading and writing, only.” Miss MARGARET A. POAGUE saw her opportunity and grasped it. In 1834 she taught a small school in ORAIN VALENTINE’S cooper shop. As it was floorless, roofless and sideless Miss POAGUE necessarily taught in the summer time. JOHN CUNNINGHAM, whose daughter, Mrs. O. W. SMITH, has been one of our successful teachers, was the next teacher. In the summer of 1835, Miss MARIE HOVER taught in the Baptist church. Two schools were taught in the winter of 1835-’36 by Rev. CHAFEE in the Baptist church, and JOHN THOMAS in the court house. The first continuous nine months school was held in the Baptist church by LEMUEL H. IDE. In 1855 the union school system was adopted by a vote of the people. In 1856 the school was organized with Dr. W. W. LITTLEFIELD as superintendent, They occupied the old Methodist church until 1858, when the west school building was opened under the superintendency of WM. A. SHAW. The schools of Lima and of Allen county have always kept pace with or been in advance of the growth in other respects. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/allen/history/schools/firstsch18nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ohfiles/ File size: 2.8 Kb