All the children of the church went to that old
school house. We find in the contract drawn up
with Master Joseph Allen to teach in 1781 and
1782 at the Paxton school, that Rev. John Elder
subscribes for 3 scholars, John Rutherford for
2%, Robert Elder and Alexander McCauley for
%. In the next year, August, 1782, Rev. John
Elder is sending his children, David, Samuel,
Michael, Rebecca and James for periods of from
three to nine months; and in the same list we
read of young Kelsos, Kerrs, Murrays, Carsons,
53
Rutherfords and Wilsons among the long list of
pupils.
Master Allen was to teach these youngsters "to
read, Write and Arithmetic (as far as the End
of Reduction in Kelso's Assistant) in English,
according to the best of his capacity, for the term
of one year from the time he shall begin." For
this he was to receive "at the expiration of each
quarter the sum of Five shillings hard money (or
Wheat to the value thereof) and also to be found
Meat, Drink, Washing and Lodging at one cer-
tain house convenient to the schoolhouse; to-
gether with a Scholhouse, Firewood and Stove."
The last two were a wise provision, for we read
in Parson Elder's notebook for December 11,
1786, "This day he (Mr. Armstrong) discon-
tinued ye school on acc't of ye severity of ye
weather." This was the year of the Great
Pumpkin, Flood, when, in September, the Sus-
quehanna covered all the land about the grave-
yard on lower Front Street, Harrisburg, where
the first John Harris is buried; and the ground
in the lower part of town was strewn thick with
pumpkins brought down in the flood. An un-
usually severe winter followed.
There is probably only one person alive to-day
who was ever in that old log school before it
finally closed. Miss Lizzie Rutherford well re-
members being taken there in 1837, when visit-
ing her Aunt Mary, Mrs. Samuel Rutherford.
She accompanied a little girl in her aunt's fam-
ily, named Maria Ulrich, and though too small
54
to recall who was teacher — she was barely four
and a half years old — remembers clearly the low
bench for the children and her pride at being al-
lowed to sit with Maria and the older girls at her
high desk facing the wall.
55
Memorial Gateway.
Erected by Harrisburg Chapter of D. A. R.
1906.
VII
PAXTON-MOTHER OF
HEROES
"We are the choice of the Will: God, when he gave the
word.
That called us into line, set in our hands a sword.
Set us a sword to wield none else could lift and draw,
And bade us forth to the sound of the trumpet of the
Law."
How many modern Presbyterians would be in
their pew on Sunday if they faced a minister
with a loaded gun beside him and each man in
the congregation went armed. That was no un-
common sight when these old walls were new —
yet there is no lack of church attendance re-
corded.
Page 18
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
All the children of the church went to that old school house. We find in the contract drawn up with Master Joseph Allen to teach in 1781 and 1782 at the Paxton school, that Rev. John Elder subscribes for 3 scholars, John Rutherford for 2½, Robert Elder and Alexander McCauley for ½. In the next year, August, 1782, Rev. John Elder is sending his children, David, Samuel, Michael, Rebecca and James for periods of from three to nine months; and in the same list we read of young Kelsos, Kerrs, Murrays, Carsons,
Rutherfords and Wilsons among the long list of pupils.
Master Allen was to teach these youngsters "to read, Write and Arithmetic (as far as the End of Reduction in Kelso's Assistant) in English, according to the best of his capacity, for the term of one year from the time he shall begin." For this he was to receive "at the expiration of each quarter the sum of Five shillings hard money (or Wheat to the value thereof) and also to be found Meat, Drink, Washing and Lodging at one certain house convenient to the schoolhouse; together with a Scholhouse, Firewood and Stove."
The last two were a wise provision, for we read in Parson Elder's notebook for December 11, 1786, "This day he (Mr. Armstrong) discontinued ye school on acc't of ye severity of ye weather." This was the year of the Great Pumpkin, Flood, when, in September, the Susquehanna covered all the land about the graveyard on lower Front Street, Harrisburg, where the first John Harris is buried; and the ground in the lower part of town was strewn thick with pumpkins brought down in the flood. An unusually severe winter followed.
There is probably only one person alive to-day who was ever in that old log school before it finally closed. Miss Lizzie Rutherford well remembers being taken there in 1837, when visiting her Aunt Mary, Mrs. Samuel Rutherford. She accompanied a little girl in her aunt's family, named Maria Ulrich, and though too small
to recall who was teacher — she was barely four and a half years old — remembers clearly the low bench for the children and her pride at being allowed to sit with Maria and the older girls at her high desk facing the wall.
Memorial Gateway.
Erected by Harrisburg Chapter of D. A. R.
PAXTON-MOTHER OF HEROES
"We are the choice of the Will: God, when he gave the
word. That called us into line, set in our hands a sword. Set us a sword to wield none else could lift and draw, And bade us forth to the sound of the trumpet of the
Law."
How many modern Presbyterians would be in their pew on Sunday if they faced a minister with a loaded gun beside him and each man in the congregation went armed. That was no uncommon sight when these old walls were new — yet there is no lack of church attendance recorded.