ERIE COUNTY OHIO - Bio History of Kelley's Island - Education
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374                              
May 16, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio
The Kelley Family Book compiled by Hermon Alfred Kelley   1897   
And Then They Went West
by Darlene E. Kelley    1998   
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    The first school teacher on Kelley's Island was Miss Lucretia Wood,
who taught in 1836, ten pupils.  The first school house was erected in
1837.  Miss M.H. Dean taught in it the first winter.  The authority for
the above is an article on early Island schools which was published in
the first volume of the " Islander ." J.E. Woodford was one of the early
teachers, but of it, the date is not known when he taught. We find a
record in the township clerk's book that in 1847-48, Miss Jane E.
Johnson and Miss Elizabeth Roosevelt is recorded.  In 1850, District
School No. 2 was established in the east end;  it was on the Woodford
Road not far from J.E. Woodford's farm. About 1852, Miss Mary Kelley,
daughter of Julius Kelley, taught in this school.   Prior to 1850, the
only school house was the one on Division Street.  The little frame
school house was succeeded in 1853 by a large two story stone building.
M.K. Holbrook commenced keeping school in the new school building
December 26, 1853.  In 1858, George P. Bristol arrived on the island
fresh from Hiram College and began to teach in District No. 2.  He was
then only 19 years old.  He taught in this district until he left the
island to go to war in 1864.  District No 1 school was taught by Mr. Wm.
Hull in 1862 and by Mitchell Hamilton possibly in 1864.  The graded
system was inaugurated in 1865, and a "select" school taught by W.K.
Holbrook was started.  It was held in the basement of Kelley's Hall.
This was the beginning of The Kelley's Island High School. In 1869, Mr.
Holbrook was made superintendent of schools.  From 1867 to 1870 the Rev.
Merchikens, pastor of the German Reformed Church, taught a German school
in the basement of Kelley.s Hall.  In 1870, Mr. Titus Hamilton was
employed to teach in the North School District No. 3, vice Miss Mary
Rush resigned.  We give a list of the pupils attending the Island
Grammer school in 1870, which was taken from a report of the
superintendent.  It is possible that some of them may be deleted or
forgotten:  A division; Nettie Cameron, Mary Carpenter, Peter Ditche,
Lutie Dean, Walter Dean, Willie Moysey,  John Moysey, Henry Reicher,
Bill Webb,  Eddie Ward,  Bertie Ward,  Mary Townley, Henry Kelley,
Charles Kelley, Willie Harvey.  B division;  Willie Beatty,  Peter
Mootz,  Lucy Shirley, Charles Quinn, Arthur Dean, Mary Ann May, Lydea
Titus, Fany McGettigan, Lottie Hinde, Kittie Elwell, Sarah Lincoln.  C
division;  Lewis Moatz, John Haley, Sara Carpenter, Anna Quinn,  Edward
Brannon, David Moysey, Harry Berden, Joseph Kolb, Irving Kelley, Willie
Kelley, Charles Townley, Charles Webb, Herman Kelley, Grace Parmenter,
John Mootz, Willie Titus.   Mr. H.L. Bates continued the select school
started by Mr. Holbrook.  It also met in Kelley's Hall.  In 1873, there
were about 200 children of school age.  In 1877, a frame high school
building was erected near Primary school No.2 on Division Street, near
the center of the Island, at a cost of about $1,300.  It was said to be,
at the time, the nicest school building on the Island.  Mr. David was
the first teacher of the Parochial School, 1876-77.  In 1901, a new
brick high school building was erected and named the Estes School,
because it was by the generosity of James Estes in bequeathing the sum
of $15,000.00 for this purpose,  that the building was possible.  This
was the finest school on the Island.
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