|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice
 |
School Memorabilia of the
Tri-Counties
Doty Hill Independent School 1846
- 1940 |
|
 |
|
|
| School: Doty Hill Independent School |
| Township: South Creek Township, Bradford County |
| Year: History by Gladys Burnham |
|
|
|
Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008
 |
Do You Know that you can search just the
700 pages of School Records on the site by using the Schools button in the Partitioned search
engine at the bottom of the Current
What's New Page? You can narrow your search by entering a township name
and a surname and using the Find All Words option |
|
DOTY HILL INDEPENDENT DISTRICT
In the 1840' s the farmers of Doty Hill were in
better financial circumstances than the farmers in the rest of the area
around them, so they wanted better advantages for their children than either
South Creek or Ridgebury could provide. So in 1846 the School Boards in
the two townships met together and agreed to form an
Indpendent District on Doty Hill and build a schoolhouse.
They met at Smith B. Brown's house, and after careful deliberations, agreed
to build a log schoolhouse on Mr. Brown's line, which was also the boundary
line between the two townships.
| This is the only log schoolhouse that we have any record of in the
area. According to the minutes, the schoolhouse was built and in June 1847,
we .find that both school boards met at S.E. Brown's house, for the purpose
of examining the house (school), getting the deed to the lot, etc. The
lot came from Smith Brown's farm, and the building was built where George
Pautz now has a farm pond. About 1880, the log building was no longer fit
to use, so a framed building was buit which is still standing. (1962) |
 |
They elected their own School Board and made their own tax levy, which
was always a little higher than that of the adjoining townships. Doty Hill
remained an independent district as long as a school was
maintained there. On June 3, 1940, we find
that there was a hearing held in Towanda at the request of the Doty Hl11
School Board for the purpose of abolishing the Doty Hll1 School District.
There had only been 7 to 9 pupils in attendance for six years previous.
A.A. Soper was Secretary, C.C. Campbell was its Treasurer, Mrs. Lyle Stevens
was the last Tax Collector. There was no difficulty about getting a court-order
from Judge Charles M. Culver as the District had no indebtedness. In fact,
the Treasurer, Mr. Campbell turned over $413 and some cents to Mrs. Belle
Coursen, Treasurer of South Creek Township, this being the amount of funds
left in Troy Bank after all debts were paid. The last check was given to
Genevieve Osbourne May 13, 1940 for her last month of teaching.
Thus the school had operated continuously as an independent district
for 92 years. The last teachers were, John Updyke, Grant Rob1yer, Hazel
Roberts, Ruby Chamberlain, am Genevieve Osborne. The farmers whose land
bordered the district, or were partly in the district had the privilege
of sending their children there or not as they wished. Few did as the taxes
were always higher than in the adjoining townships.. Independent District
of Doty Hill, Sept. 1940. No use made of it.
Article excerpted from The Ridgebury story by Gladys Burnham
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
Published On Tri-Counties Site On 21 FEB 2004
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: Joyce M. Tice
You are the
visitor since the counter was installed on 21 FEB 2004 |
 |
|
