Jericho School

These early pioneers taught their children in their homes until 1822 when the log
Meetinghouse doubled as a schoolhouse (first school). Classes were held 3 or 4
months during the winter, but not in the summer as everyone was needed to work
on the farms and in the fields.

By 1825, the school had grown to 20 or 25 pupils. Henry Hill donated a piece of
land in the northeast corner of his property (south and east of the first cemetery) for
the construction of a school (second school). Henry Hill's daughter Asenath
Thomas described the building as a simple log structure heated with a large
fireplace at the north end of the room. The benches and desks were made of logs
split in slabs. Pegs were driven into the round sides to serve as legs for seats and
desks. Amos Peacock was the school superintendent responsible for the care of
the new building, obtaining supplies, and meeting with other education officials. In
midweek, the school children walked as one body to the Meetinghouse for one
hour at 10:00 a.m.

The third school was built directly south of the frame meetinghouse on land
purchased from John Pike in 1836. The school served up until 1858. Friends
sponsored this school through all these years, and although Wayne Township had
organized district schools in 1838, Jericho Friends cared for this community
school. This school grew in attendance until it was necessary to build another
schoolhouse. The township could not put a building on the Friends grounds with
public money. Most of the pupils being Friends, an agreement was effected in
which the township was to build the school on the northwest corner of section 31
south and opposite the present cemetery. Friends were to choose the teachers
and have the school attend meeting every 4th day morning (Wednesday). Unity
continued to prevail, and the school became so large thqt another room was added
to the building and there were tow teachers. Lyceum, literary, and debating
societies of which we have records, were organized.

About the year 1878 the Conservatives established a school in section 31 about
1/4 mile south of the two-room school. This decreased attendance so much that the
two rooms were thrown together and the school was reduced to one teacher.

Around 1881, a small building was purchased wet of Winchester and moved 1/4
Mile west of the present cemetery on the north side of the road. that was the
Conservative School until about 1887, as the numbers had dwindled. An example:
when Abram Peacock moved to the Plainfield area in 1885 that took 5 or 6
children out of the school. After being abandoned the school building was moved
south across the road to be a part of Edith & Alice Hinshaw's house. The district
school in White River Township then absorbed the pupils.

Sometimes before the abandonment of the conservative school a Sabbath School
was organized in the new brick church. This attracted many young people and
greatly increased the attendance of the church. Later, others than the Friends came
and a Union Sunday School was organized. At this time (around 1890) a Rev.
Esther Cook held a revival and gathered many into the service. The young people
organized a Christian Endeavor Society and took the lead in the religious activities
of the community. Thr spirit of union and harmony influenced the Union Sunday
School attendance greatly. The literary and debating societies were revived.
Spelling and ciphering matches became common, and people came for miles
around to see the plays and other forms of entertainment given by the school.

The day school (#7) was at this time completely controlled by the township. Along
about 1889, a dispute arose between the Trustees of Wayne and White River
Townships. It was over who shoud bear the expense of operating the school, since
it was on the township line. A majority of the people favored keeping the school in
the old place, while the trustees preferred to move the school to Sorghum Corner-
one mile east, on land owned by Elijah Peacock. A compromise was affected and
a school was built half way between the two places. The name stayed as school #
7 and was known as the Compromise School. During the history of this school,
other literary societies were carried on. The prohibition constitutional amendment
question was a subject of debate. This schol was in operation from 1891 until
1913. When Wayne Township considered consolidation about 1911 the # 7
School was the first to petition for admittance. Thus, it was called Wayne Township
School from 1913 until 1957. Then it consolidated into the Union City Community
School System. Wayne Township and Jackson Township together with Union City
are now known as the Randolph Eastern School Corporation. As of 2003, Juanita
Chenoweth, wife of a direct descendant of Abraham Peacock lives in this brick
"Compromise School" which is still in good shape.

Sources for this information came primarily from:

Randolph County Pioneer Families by Willard Heiss-

Indiana Historical Society. Indianapolis, Indiana

Abstracts of the records of the Society of Friends

Willard Heiss Indiana Historical Society. Indianapolis, Indiana

Sharing common Ground by Betsy Peacock 1994.

The Jericho Friends And It's Community 1818-1958 (Ray Brumfield)

The History of Randolph County Indiana by Ebenezer Tucker 1882.

Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy by William Wade Hinshaw.