Pie Suppers

 

Based on the archives of The Pocahontas Times and the historical collections of Glen L. Vaughan, the early schoolhouses of Pocahontas County were defined by primitive conditions, strict discipline, and a slow evolution from log cabins to consolidated institutions.

Documentation and Conditions

Reconstructing the history of these schools proved difficult for historians in the 1970s because fire had destroyed most of the county's early school records. However, a 1912 report by Superintendent B.B. Williams offers a snapshot of the educational landscape: at that time, there were 110 schools or grounds in the county, yet only 13 were fenced. Attendance was sporadic, with only three out of every four eligible pupils actually attending school.

Architecture and Furnishings

The earliest schools were often repurposed farm homes or roughly generated log structures.

• Mt. Pleasant (Indian Draft): One of the first schools in the Edray community, known as Mt. Pleasant, was a log structure with a clapboard roof held in place by "weight poles" rather than nails. The fireplace occupied one entire end of the house, constructed of rough stone with a chimney made of slats and mud.
• Lighting and Seating: Before glass was available, windows were made by pasting greased paper over cracks in the logs to admit light. Seats were split logs or poles set on wooden legs without backs. Desks were non-existent; students wrote on "slates or tablets used on knees," or used a plank fastened against the wall.
• Heating: In later years at Marlinton, the heating evolved to a "Big Room" heating stove. This stove served a dual purpose: children brought meat and vegetables to school, which the teacher boiled all morning on the stove to create a "mighty soup pot" for lunch. However, temperature control remained a major complaint in 1898, with reports of teachers keeping rooms either too hot or too cold, and children "starving to death for water" because they had to carry it from a distance.

The Educational Experience

Curriculum and Tools Writing was initially taught using quill pens. By the late 19th century, the curriculum began to expand, sometimes controversially. In 1898, the introduction of "calisthenics" (light gymnastics) caused an uproar among parents who viewed the arm movements as "shaking hands" or physically abusive to the boys.

Discipline Discipline in the late 19th century was severe. An 1898 article by Andrew Price described the "novice" teacher's reliance on corporal punishment, noting that students were "whipped with the same regularity that cattle should be salted." Children could be whipped for "petty offenses" or simply to ensure quiet.

Lunch and Recess Students typically carried their lunch in containers like half-gallon Karo syrup buckets. A typical lunch might consist of cold buckwheat cake folded over elderberry butter or jelly. Recess activities were spirited and physical. Popular games included:

• "Prisoner's Base" and "Run, Sheep, Run".
• "Gravel shooters" (slingshots) and mock battles between neighborhood groups, such as the "Stillwell gang" in Marlinton.

Teacher and Community Relations

Teachers were central figures in the community, often boarding with local families.

• Pay and Board: Early teachers were paid "per scholar a month". It was common for teachers to board in the homes of their students, sometimes walking miles over ridges to get to the schoolhouse.
• Notable Teachers: The records mention teachers like Ethel Nottingham, who wore a fur collar and rode a horse to school, and the poet Louise McNeill, who taught at the "Graded" home school.
• Parental Expectations: Parents in the 1890s were demanding, expecting teachers to "teach from six to six." If a teacher failed to meet these grueling hours, they were often labeled "public deadbeats".

Social Hubs

Despite the hardships, these one-room schools served as vital community centers. They hosted "pie suppers," Christmas pageants, and community nights where families would gather. In some areas, before churches were built, schoolhouses hosted religious services; for example, the New Hope Lutheran congregation held services in schoolhouses prior to erecting their church in 1893.