Kester School
The first schoolhouse for the children of Ikeler Hill vicinity was on Kester Land and was built by Joseph, son of John Kester, who came to this locality in 1792. Ikeler Hill is located in the Northwestern corner of Mount Pleasant Township, Columbia County
John Kester, great-grandson of the above John Kester, gave this description of this first schoolhouse, “It was unpainted either inside and outside, weathered by the years on the outside and blackened by smoke inside. Lined with pine boards instead of plaster, it was almost square tow windows in each of three sides with the door and a window in the fourth side.”
The plank desks faced the wall on three sides of the room. The seats were benches without backs, the pupils sat with their backs to the room. Near the egg cylinder stove in the center of the room were benches with backs for the small children.
The pupils furnished their own books and equipment. Independence, National, Sauders and other readers were used. Those early arithmetic books taught the multiplication tables to the twenty-fives, how to read to decillions—they learned them too!
Very little paper was used. Slates with soapstone and slate pencils were used for written work. Erasing was a simple matter of spitting on the slate and wiping it off on trousers or aprons. A wet rag was sometimes stored in the desk for this purpose. It soured and was unsanitary too.
Spelling Bees
The schoolhouses were used for gathering places for everyone at times. They often had spelldowns at school, but a common get-together was the spelling bees held at the schoolhouse. The entire neighborhood participated. Leaders were selected and stationed on opposite sides of the spellers. The bees were usually held at night and furnished entertainment for the entire community.
The Singing Schools
Another source of entertainment that was enjoyed by the community was the singing school. Armed with pitch pipe, the teacher divided the group in four parts. The notes in the lesson books were read by numbers. Besides the singing books, many old ballads were learned as folk songs frequently were by ear. Some of the titles were “Mary Wood”, “Sweet Florilla”, “Charlotte’s Last Ride”, “Tum-achic-ari-bum”, “The Soldier”, “Poor Little Boy”, “Build Me a Boat” and “The Mourner’s Ships”.
Last day of School
Few teachers finished school without an Exhibition. A temporary platform would be built curtains hung and elaborate entertainment by given by the pupils. The community would by invited. The building would usually by packed.
In 1872 the Kester school was closed and a new schoolhouse, Ikelers, was built.
Kester Teachers
Information is from “A History of Ikeler’s Hill or Ikeler’s School District” by Ava Dennen Hower 1960 and revised by the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society 2004
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