(By Lola Ayer)

The first school taught in the present limits of Hammond township was taught by Mr. Thomas Miller in 1821. The school houses were made of very rough material. The way they secured light was by leaving a log out of one side for a window.

The benches were of very rough material and a fire place was in one end of the room. The wood was chopped by the pupils. The teacher derived his pay by subscription. One of the qualifications for the early teacher was his ability to make a quill pen. They taught reading, spelling, writing, and arithmetic (commonly called ciphering).

Near Newtonville subscription schools were taught at a very early date. The first probably by Allen Lamar.

In 1865 there were 12 school districts and 12 school teachers in Hammond Twp.; and there were 794 children enrolled in the various schools.

The estimated value of all school houses including, seats, desks, and out houses was $4800.00 and the value of school house lots were $400.00

The total tuition costs or pay of teachers for the year was $2570.00. The estimated tuitions support received for the school year 1865 was $1497.53 and the Special School fund estimate was $561.11.

The course of study that was adopted was Orthography (or Spelling) Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Geography, English, Grammar, Physiology, and United States History.

The average daily pay for school teachers was $2.02 for men teachers and $1.23 for women teachers. Many people in Hammond Twp. were interested in school because as far back as 1880, 34 persons in Hammond Twp. held teachers license.

Some of the older schools in the township were:

MOSBY school was located near Finch Hill, North of Grandview and in the year of 1914 this school divided into two schools, namely, Banks and Dawson about a mile and one half farther north.

DAWSON school is located near Chris Dawson farm and 3 miles ed on road 30 near John Roth and discontinued in the 20’s.

BROWN was located on Road 32 near Bird Rue and discontinued in the 20’s.

TALBOTT SCHOOL was located on road 32 near John Roth and Discontinued in the 20’s.

POWELL SCHOOL was located 1 mile east and north of Newtonville. Discontinued in the year 1928.

SARGENT SCHOOL was located south of Newtonville and discontinued in 20’s.

MEEKS SCHOOL was located ½ mile west of Newtonville and 1 mile north. Discontinued in 20’s.

CHANCLER SCHOOL located in Highland Neighborhood.

AYER SCHOOL located near the Aaron Ayer Sr. farm and located 2 ½ miles east of Chrisney and this school did not discontinue until 1926.

MAY SCHOOL, located 3 mile north and east of Grandview. Discontinued in the late 20’s.

HAAF SCHOOL – Adam Haaf donated ground for school and the location was 3 mile south east of Chrisney.

GRANDVIEW SCHOOL burned in 1942 (Actually, the school burned July, 1943--Ed.) and school was held in C. C. C. barracks purchased from Tell City 1943 for 2 years. The High school pupils are now transferred to Rockport and Chrisney. A new grade school building built in Grandview in 1949, now houses all the grade school children in and around Grandview. Some of the teachers that taught in the Hammond Township schools as far back as 1900 are still living.

They are: Miss Anna Kriege, 1900; Mr. Hilbert Bennett, 1902; Mr. Isaac Painter, 1904.

Plans are in the making at the present time to build a new school in Newtonville so that all children in Hammond Township will be offered the very best in school facilities.