1880 History of Blair County - Johnstown, PA

HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY. 28(now Henrietta) aliout lt95.William Loose, Georii-e Glass andKetring, were among the other teachers who taught in this vicinity(luring this period.Another school was established near .Etna Furnace,at an early day, which was in o[)erati(tn in 1T97. Tn ISOO tliehouse was destroyed by fire, and another to take its place was locatednear Keller's church. James Martin is the only teacher of this schoolM'hose name has been handed down to posterity. About 1800 JohnFisher taught a school in a private house near Sharpsburg, and in1802 a school house was built in the same vicinity known as theHauscr school. Most of the schools were German. The first Englishschool taught in the "Cove" was in 1800, by Mr. Roach, in a housewhich stood near Roaring Si)ring. Thomas Kinney taught a schoolnear p]]izabeth Furnace in 1800. Another school was taught nearBell's Mills, in 1809. Alexander Kerr and Dudley Burnham werethe leading teachers in this community. Sixty-seven years ago JohnSteele taught in a private house in Gaysport. Thomas Stearns, JohnKnox, Joshua Williamson, William Anderson, John Wcrtz, RoliertMcNamara, Joseph Cadwalder, S. P. Henry and Ephrain Galbraithare among the teachers who taught in Frankstown. (At that timeFrankstown included the present territory of Allegheny and Blairtownships.)In 1812, James Langham taught a school near Black's]\[ills, Greenfield township. John Dodson also taught in this neighborhuod.John Swoveland built a school house at his own expense,,and donated it for school purposes. In 1815 a school house was builtnear Allegheny Furnace, called the Beales' school. John Gwin andSummervillc were among the teachers here.Within the presentlimits of Allegheny townshi[), the first school house with shingle roofwas built (in Huncansville) in 1815.Under the act of 1854, creating the office of County Superintendent,Hugh A. Caldwell was the fii'st man to serve, Avith a salary of$400. L. H. Williams succeeded him in LSoC), and Geo. W. Englishfilled the office in 185T. John Dean, now President Judge of thisHisJudicial district, was elected in 185T, with salary raised to $(500.successor was John Mitchell, who was appointed to fill the unexpiredterm of Mr. Dean.In 18G0 Mr. Mitchell was elected for the ensuingterm. J. Ginter Counsman was elected in 18(')3, and was followed I)yElexis Elder in 1804. In 18(55 the salary was raised to $1,000. Mr.Elder served until 18()0. In the same year John B. Holland waselected, and in 1875 John H. Stephens was made Superintendent.More strenuous eft'orts have been made during the present year(1880), than in any previous one, to free the schools from incompetent