Source: Ruth M. Brubaker, THE HISTORY OF PLEASANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS 1835-1962 (1979), p. 55.

WEST PLEASANT SCHOOL (DISTRICT 4)

The first school in the district was held in what was known as the Elliott house. As to the location of this house is not sure but was west of the South Pleasant school at least two miles and a little south. This house was so-called because it was built by Mr. Elliott for a dwelling house. But he soon moved away, and then it was taken for school purposes in 1844. It was fitted up for school in somewhat of a primitive style. The seats or benches were made of slabs split roughly out of logs with pins in the slabs for legs. Then there were holes bored in the walls in which pins were put, and some of these slabs were put on the pins, which formed the writing desk. There was no iron used in the construction in those times, the buildings had to use wood for the hinges and the latch, and the roof was fastened on with poles. There were only two or three terms taught here and they were taught by Elijah Bolin.

The first schoolhouse that was built in this district was in 1846-47, and was known as "Round-log" schoolhouse. This was located one-half mile northwest of the Elliott house. It was also a log house, and was furnished in the same kind of way and fixtured as the Elliott house. This house was 18 x 22 feet. School began in it in the winter of 1847, with David Thompson as teacher, who received a salary of $12.00 per month for a term of only two months.

In 1850, a number of the people in the district in the northeastern part thought this school was unhandy and they built a schoolhouse known as the "Red schoolhouse." It was built on the same plan as the Round-log, but at a different location. It was located one and three-fourth miles east of the Round-log schoolhouse. One mile north of the last location where the school was finally put. The Red schoolhouse only stood about three years, until it was burned down; then the pupils again went to their former school, the Round-log, until 1860, when the house became unfit for use. They they built the fourth school for the district just across the road north from where the last one stood, or across from the Bucher farm. it was a frame building and was the first one the township helped to build in this district. This house was known as "Nagle school."

There being at this time no other school near, and the country being more thickly settled, caused this school to be very large, having at one time eighty pupils enrolled. It required two teachers, who were John B. Shipley and his brother.

Then in 1880, the first brick schoolhouse was built across the road. But because of very poor workmanship it only stood for four years, when it too became unfit to use. In 1884, it was torn down and rebuilt with a number of changes in the structure. This made six schoolhouses that had been used in the district in the last fifty-five years.

As to just how long the last one was really used is not sure. But was found at least until 1909. As to who bought it and the ground after it was no longer needed is not known either. There is very little that can be found of the old school anymore.