Perry Township’s District 6 schoolhouse didn’t exist in 1874, at least not on a map1, but Joseph Hewitt deeded a chunk of his land to Perry Township two years later in order to remedy the situation2. A schoolhouse built on Hewitt’s land stood east of the modern-day intersection of County Roads 600-East and 700-South3.Â
There isn’t any record of a common name for the District 6 schoolhouse, but Hewitt, Daugherty, Parks, and Hiatt are my guesses since those families owned property nearby. In 1881, Nancy Whitehead was the teacher at District 6. By that point, brick buildings had replaced all Perry Township’s log and frame schools4.
Along with residents in Districts 2, 7, and 8, District 6 petitioned officials to send its students to the District 9 school in 19025. The request was granted. The following year, Districts 2 and 6 were reestablished after their patrons expressed dissatisfaction with the consolidation. Locals changed their mind again two years later, and the District 6 schoolhouse closed down for good in 19047.
Today Perry Township’s old District 6 schoolhouse is a home.
Sources Cited
1 Kingman, A.L. (1874). Map of Delaware County, Indiana : from recent & original surveys, made expressly for this map, drawn, compiled and published by A.L. Kingman and assistants. map, Chicago, IL; A.L. Kingman.
2 Delaware County, Indiana. (1876, June 5). Deed Book 39. p. 288.
3 Griffing, B. N. (1887). An atlas of Delaware County, Indiana. map, Philadelphia, PA; Griffing, Gordon, & Company.
4 Helm, T. B. (1881). Mount Pleasant Township. In History of Delaware County, Indiana: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. book, Kingman Brothers.
5 Kemper, G. W. H. (1908). Education in Delaware County. In A Twentieth Century History of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume 1. book, Lewis Publishing Company.
6 (See footnote 5).
7 (See footnote 5).
