Education in Pike Township

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(c) 1988 by Maxine Stevens, Secretary to Superintendent of Pike Schools.

Education was first provided in the cabins of the early settlers in the township.   In 1884 Sulgrove describes the first education efforts as follows: “The first school of the township was taught by George L. Conrad, in a cabin on David McCurdy’s land, on the west banks of Eagle Creek, near where James McCurdy’s sawmill was built on the farm now (1884) owned by James White.   The second school was taught in a cabin on the land of Capt. John B. Harmon.   The next school in this part of the township was in Pleasant Hill school and meetinghouse, in the southeast part of the township, in the Staton neighborhood, in a cabin on the land now (1884) owned by Thomas Ramsey, where James C. Meyers lives on Lafayette Road.  This school was taught by Hugh Wells.

“The next school was taught by Oliver Shirtliff, in a cabin where Jones Chapel now stands (ed. note: this location is on westside of Eagle Creek Reservoir on northside of West 56th Street near the Jones Cemetery.)   Then the Burns schoolhouse was built, on the east side of the creek in 1830 or 1831.

“When the township was sufficiently settled, several schoolhouses were built, with better accomodations for the scholars, than the cabins had afforded.   They were about sixteen by twenty feet in size, and high enough for the large scholars to stand upright.   The doors were hung outside; holes were cut in the walls and greased paper posted over them. . .

The furniture consisted of split poles with legs in them for the scholars to occupy . . .

In 1853-54 the township was divided into 12 school districts and frame schoolhouses were built.   Teachers were required to obtain a certificate of competency from the county board of education and to teach all the common school branches.   In 1884 Sulgrove indicated that Pike Township had twelve school house as good as any in the county.  They were:

1. Road 100 and Road 421 (West 86th Street at Michigan Road)

2. Poplar College, West 86th Street at Zionsville Road,

3. Corner of Hines and Cooper Road (now 86th and Cooper Rd.)

4. First about 65th and Dandy Trail then W. 56th St. and Dandy Trail,

5. Lafayette Road north of 65th Street

6. In New Augusta now R.T. Moore Co.

7. Old Augusta at 71st Street and Road 421 (Michigan Road)

8. West 56th Street and Guion Road

9. West 46th and Reed Road

10. 46th Street and High School Road

11. Snacks on Lafayette Road (Limbo College) this later became Earl’s Auction and today is a Speedway Gas Station at Southeast corner of West 52nd and Lafayette Road.

12. Traders Point (formerly the Rural Academy), between Moore Road and Lafayette Road and West 79th Street.

The following information relates to School No. 6 listed above.  In the early 1880’s a four-room, two-story brick building was constructed in New Augusta and high school subjects were added.   In 1889, a three year course was offered, and the high school was granted a commission.   It was a great day in 1892 when Frank Senior and Charles Burns became Pike’s first two official graduates from a commissioned high school.   Later Frank Senior taught in the high school for several years.

One of the most interesting facts about Pike Township today (1988) is that the first floor of the above mentioned building still stands in New Augusta.   Referred to by community natives as the “old gym”, it has been owned and used for many years by the R.T. Moore Plumbing Company.  There is also a house in New Augusta which has one room from a school built in the New Augusta area in 1872.

 

 

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