Source: Ruth M. Brubaker, THE HISTORY OF PLEASANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS 1835-1962 (1979), p. 73.

BUTTERBAUGH SCHOOL (DISTRICT 7)

The first school in this district was taught in 1842-43 by Kitty Ann Humererichouse in a log schoolhouse on the Jacob Bussard farm. This was located a mile north of 114 and 300W. She began school without a stove. A fire was built in the woods not far from the school. The pupils would stand about the fire to study their lessons and then go in to recite. After the weather became too cold she took the school to Jacob Bussard's home until they got a stove for the school.

A writing desk was made on wooden pins arranged along the side of the wall. Slabs with wooden pins for legs served as seats. Their books were the "Elementary Spellers," the New Testament, and the "Old Pikes" arithmetic. The ink was made from maple bark and copperes. Goose quills were used for pens. School was held in the log house for about twenty years. Teachers salaries were from $12.50 to $22.50 per year.

In 1859, a frame building erected on the site of the present building took place of the log house. Hewed logs, with pins for legs were their first seats. They afterwards got double desks. Levi Karns taught the first school in this house. The first blackboard was made of painted boards and attached to a movable frame. Later the painted boards were nailed to the wall. The writing desk was made fast to the wall and extended the entire length of the room. They had some wall maps, an old fashioned globe and Webb's dissected wood chart. The pupils studied spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, language and geography. During one term that Daniel Smith taught the stove was held together by an "old long-link" chain. In 1870-71, because of some trouble with the teacher, the school was divided, part of the pupils going to D.S.T.  Butterbaugh's house where they used the wash house as a school. Mr. Leach was the teacher.

The present brick structure was built in 1873 and was to have been the first brick school in Pleasant Township. It was provided with many maps and charts and a set of geometrical blocks. There were even shades at the windows, some pictures on the walls and quite a library of useful books. They thought it was a very pleasant place and a great improvement over the old schoolhouse of the earlier days. The subjects taught were spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, language, grammar, history, physiology, scientific temperance, geography and even music. Some of these subjects did not come until the later years.

The school had grown from its rude beginning in the log house, with very poor means of teaching, to a pleasant state of usefulness.

But it too had to go like all one-room schools when the time came for the larger school. For shortly after 1909 the school was closed. later sold as they all were and Layman Metzger got the building and land. Later making it into a home and to this date it has been used a home. The present owners are Mrs. Evert Baker and son Max.