Elk Garden Graded School, Mineral County, West Virginia This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All ofher rights reserved. Any ofher use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or ofher means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm Source: History of Education in West Virginia Prepared under the direction of the State Superintendent of Free Schools 1904, Charleston: The Tribune Printing Company, 1904 pg. 158 - 160 Elk Garden Graded School BY D. C. ARNOLD, PRINCIPAL Elk Garden is strictly a mining town located in the western part ot Mineral county on the Allegheny mountain, 2,300 feet above sea level. Twenty-two years ago the primeval forest was hewn down and there sprung up in its stead a mining town of about 2,000 population. There was at that time about 400 acres otfthe magnificent fourteen-foot vein coal at this place. But as has been stated the forest gave way to the town, but at first the trees and the houses disputed each other's claims. The school house was built in the woods. Chestnut trees in the tall dropped their nuts in the paths that radiated from the school house, thus affording the children one of the pleasures of childhood, gathering nuts from under the "spreading chestnut tree," as they passed to and from school. Four teachers composed the teaching force at first which was after- wards increased to six. Messrs. Richard Boseley, Kenneth E. Burke, Charles B. Taylor and D. C. Arnold have been the principals, the latter having held the position for the last seventeen years. There have been six graduating classes under the State graduating system. In all forty graduates, fifteen gentlemen and twenty-five ladies, 37 1-2 per cent. gentlemen. The first graduating class was in 1895. There were three members in this class, Messrs. James Norman, and James Kenny and Miss Winnie B. Fenton. The two gentlemen are now suc- cessful merchants and Miss Fenton, a graduate ot the Fairmont Normal School, is teaching in the Elkins High School. Stephen Dixon, at the time President of the County Court, was the first President of the Board of Education to sign a diploma. Prof. J. Walter Ross, of the class of '97, afterward graduated from the Elliott Commercial School at Charleston in storthand [sic], and is now one of the leading teachers of stenography in the State, occupying a position, in the Elliott Commercial School, Wheeling. Mr. R. Marsh Dean, of the class of '99, is the successful principal of Nethkenville school. Wallace Bischoff graduated from the University ot Ohio in mining and engineering and now holds a lucrative position at Robertsdale, Pa. He finished the common school course here before the graduating system went into effect. Two young men of the earlier days of our school have become prominent ministers. Revs. Charley Biggs and Harry Marsh, and Miss Belle McIntire, who graduated at the head of her class at a female semin- ary in Pennsylvania, is the wife of Rev. Hough Houston, New York City. Sixteen of the forty graduates, or forty per cent., became teachers, engaging in this high and honorable calling one or more years. Ten of the whole number, or twenty-five per cent., are teaching at the present time. Others are book-keepers, clerks, students at higher institutions, and five of the ladies are housekeepers. All the rooms (six in number) of the school building are supplied with maps, and three rooms are supplied with globes and large diction- aries. The principal's room is supplied with the following apparatus: Two large maps, one a State and the other a United States map, three globes, physiological chart, mathematical blocks, dry measures, liquid measures, and numerous smaller articles. The room contains one large case for apparatus, two library cases containing 400 volumes, and an organ. The library books, the organ and a part of the apparatus were purchased by the school children and teachers with money procured by holding entertainments. The Board of Education of Elk District have always been liberal in purchasing apparatus for the schools throughout the district and in the last ten years have spent $120 for apparatus in the Elk Garden School. The teachers of the above school are D. C. Arnold, Carrie M. Pritts, Katie M. Joyce, Mary Mason, M. Ella Snyder and Pearl Linthicum. The Board of Education, President, J. R. Bane; members, A. B. Simons, Wm. P. Rodruck; Secretary, Walter H. Arnold.