Source: Ruth M. Brubaker, THE HISTORY OF PLEASANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS 1835-1962 (1979), p. 77-78.

INDEPENDENCE OR KROFT SCHOOL (DISTRICT 8)

This District has been known by many names, some that others had not heard of, Independence, Kroft, Farley, Bull Lake and some others.

The first school in this district was located on the southwest corner of the farm known as and owned by a Mr. Horace Rager. This was built about 1840. Several families had moved into this community and saw the great necessity of education, so they decided to build a schoolhouse. It was built of logs, had two windows on each side and a door at the south end. The pupils all sat around the walls facing it. The seats were made of rough boards and had no backs. Their desks were boards fastened to the wall. This house was not plastered.

Scholars under ten years had no books except a speller. Older ones studied reading, writing, and ciphering. The educators thought these studies were all that were necessary. As their minds gradually developed they saw a necessity of a wider field of knowledge. This school gradually grew until they saw it necessary to get a larger schoolhouse. With the smallness of the house and its poor sanitary arrangements they decided to build a new one.

The second schoolhouse was built about 1853. It was a frame house, with seats made large enough for four to sit in. In front was a rostrum and also the blackboard was all in front. There was a bench in front of the rostrum and the class sat on this bench to recite their lessons. But soon this house became unsafe and a new one was built. Mr. David Kroft took the old frame one for a shop.

The third house was built in 1881-82. This was located about a quarter of a mile west of the old one. They had a very peculiar time getting the ground. Mr. Kitt owned the land and he would not sell it. One evening some of the neighbors got him drunk and then bought the land of him while he was under "the influence." This was one of the very few cases in which alcohol proved to be a benefit to the public, but it was a loss to the user, as it always is.

Mr. Tobias Gushard, who was trustee then bought the brick from Mr. George Leffel for this schoolhouse. This house had four windows on each side and a door at the north end. It was the largest country schoolhouse in the township.

This building is still standing and is in fairly good repair. For a number of years it had been used as storage by the Krofts.

These changes did not take place suddenly. That is not the way history develops. It has been a gradual, constant development which is still in progress. One good way to see how marked the changes have been is to visit the old schoolhouses and then look at what we have today.

This school sets across the road from the Corner Cupboard on a little rise.