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Empire Township
Education
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

In spite of the hardships and struggle to barely exist, church and school were not neglected. In 1832, the Clearwater School was built of logs about 1 mile south of LeRoy. Lame Will Johnson was the first teacher His legs may have been weak but not his arms for he was first class with the hickory stick. He was pretty fond of whiskey and on one occasion passed it out to his pupils so all were slightly intoxicated. Once they locked him out of the school. He managed to climb to the roof, cover the chimney and smoke out his pupils. Once a month, he got religion and repented. [Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]

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