Source: Ruth M. Brubaker, THE HISTORY OF PLEASANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS 1835-1962 (1979), pp. 81-82.
ANTIOCH and FAIRVIEW SCHOOLS (DISTRICT 10)
These schools were two different schools and were located into almost different areas in some ways. Only the fact that the Eel River was really not far from either made them somewhat alike. But the Antioch was the first in the district.
This area was not far from the Eel River. When the first settlers came to this neighborhood there were still a small band of Indians, living on the bank of the river, but before too many years they were gone.
The settlers came about 1838-40. Among them were Jacob Rantz, Mr. Slegial, Mr. Cassleman, Daniel Rantz, and Elias Hoover. Mr. Slegial was a potter. His shop was a quarter mile west of where the schoolhouse stood.
There have been two sawmills in this district in the early years. The first, built by Weaver & Smith in 1876, which was on the Berger farm. The second, built by George Royer in 1884, this was on the Reahard farm.
In 1857, Alex Hall put up a blacksmith shop on the corner of the farm owned in 1897-98 by Mrs. Watkins. Across the road was a wagon shop owned by D.B. Wental, who was nicknamed "Dan Bad Wagonmaker." He furnished the farmers with wagons, plows, harrows, and anything else they needed on the farm. later the same building was used for a store. In 1898 it was used for a stable and belonged to Mr. Ogden.
In 1848, the people, feeling the need of better school privileges, joined together and built what was known as the "Eel River College." It was situated about a mile and a quarter south of the present building site and was entirely surrounded by woods. it was built as all dwellings, of logs and was eighteen feet wide and twenty-two feet long and eight feet high. The seats were slabs, and boards laid on pins that were driven in the wall served as desk for the large pupils. The children sat on backless benches near the stove.
The teachers or master, as he was called, received about $12.00 or $15.00 a month, for which he was expected to teach reading, writing, spelling and to flog the boys. Size was one of the requirements of a good teacher then.
In about 1860, a plank building (not frame) was put up on the present school ground. It was furnished about the same as the first. Then ten years later a frame house was built. But it was furnished with more comfortable seats. It was used until 1883, when the brick building was put up.
The brick was used for school until 1910 when sometime before the people felt there was the need for a large school. So this was one that would be closed so the children could ride the bus or hack to the larger school.
Since 1884, there had been Sunday school held at this building and church every month since 1894. This building was used for two kinds of learning.
They built the new school of brick with three rooms and much better seats. More blackboards, maps, globes and anything else that was needed to make it better education. There were some pictures on the walls also.
But this building was poorly planned. The building was built good enough but very poorly located. It was almost in the next township to the south. Not far from a different township on the west. The patrons felt if their children had to ride a long ways to go to school they might as well ride a little more and go where the high school was. So it soon became evident that this would be another school no longer needed. But this school was not paid for as yet.
It was two years after it closed in 1924 that the trustee Robert Fulton stated the last Bond on the building had been paid.
In 1938, it was put up for sale and sold to E.H. Harlan and Glen Madeford for $207.50. That was not very much after all it did cost $12,000 to build it.
The building was torn down and now there is a house there and Mrs. Ida Miller, who has lived there for a number of years, is still there.
This was one school where you can really see how times have changed.
This school was built the same time the last one at Bussard and also Disko. But Fairview was the first to go and everyone was wondering just how long the other two would be in use.
The German Baptist Brethren held church in the Antioch building, as to how long it is not certain. But this building was also sold. It is felt that a Rager bought it and the land. Mr. Cletus Rager and his father used the building for storage and kept corn in it for some time. But it too gave way to the times and about all one can see now are a few bricks. Mr. Cletus Rager does have the cement plate that had the name and date on at his home. This was in the top front of the building.