History of the "First Schools"

 

Back in the 1930’s Rev. James F. Price wrote a series of articles called Facts and Reminiscences About Crittenden County. It’s a wonderful series of articles that contains facts about our schools, churches, the formation of the county, early settlers to the area and much more. This is a small section that he wrote about the first schools in the Marion area.

The schools of Crittenden County have a varied history from the most meager beginnings to their present efficiency. Some dates and facts may not be strictly correct, but this has been compiled from the best data obtainable.

The first school in Crittenden County was taught in a building opposite the Harry Perry house, one mile south of Marion.(The now empty field next to Norman Dr.) It was taught by James Hanks in 1842. The year in which the county was organized.

James Hanks’ father’s name was George Hanks; his grandmother’s name was Ann Hanks. They came from Claytonville, Anderson County, S. C. Ann Hanks had a daughter named Nancy Hanks. According to tradition she was Abraham Lincoln’s mother. At least James Hanks claimed to be a cousin of Lincoln.

The next one who taught in the building was J. O. Hadden. We have no data to enable us to determine how long any of these early teachers taught; probably from one to three years.

Hadden was followed by James Duvall, and he was followed by George W. Cone. During the time Cone taught the school was moved into the town of Marion. It has not been determined in what building the school was held after its removal. Mr. Cone taught four or five years.

The next instructors for Marion were Mr. Primer and Miss Carey, both from the State of New York. They taught in what was called The Old Seminary, where the Methodist parsonage now stands. At some of these early schools board and laundry for students cost only $1.25 per week. In music instructions were given on the accordion.

In these days they held what was called "loud school;" that is, the pupils studied out loud. The strongest voices would nearly drown out the weaker ones. If there came a lull of voices in the school room the teacher would stamp his foot and cry out, "Get to your lessons." Then such a bedlam of voices would burst forth that would almost make a thunderstorm pale into insignificance.

The next teacher at Marion was Clark Johnson. He was the first man that ever examined the writer for a certificate. He was very droll in his ways, but a fine scholar and an excellent teacher. The writer remembers that he had a box about five feet in every dimension, full of books, mosly Latin and Greek. He taught in the building called "Long Tom". (It was located were Gilbert’s Funeral Home is now.)

After this Mrs. White taught for two years; then Prof. A. Wood taught for a time. From 1869 to 1873, Prof. John L. Cade taught in a little brick building where the Graded School building now stands.(where Marion Jr. High School use to be, an empty lot now.) Mrs. Meary was his assistant. She was a very fine teacher.

The government of the school was by a system of merits. You would be given so many merits at the beginning of the week. Every failure in recitation or any act of misconduct would take away a merit. Some pupils would have few merits left at the end of the week. Bud Bigham had more money than most of the boys and he did like to talk to the girls. He would buy merits from some of the boys so he could have some at the end of the week, for every loving chat cost him one or more merits.

J. J. Nall and R. H. Adams took charge of the school in the fall of 1876. It was called the Male and Female Academy. One taught in the little brick building which stood on the present Graded School grounds; the other taught in the brick Presbyterian Church building which stood in the old cemetery. (on the corner of Moore St. and Hwy. 60 W)

Two early schools in Crittenden County made of logs.       Lilly Dale

                                                                   Sisco Chapel