Perry County, Watts' School House

[jeff of pa]

 

[Mackaydon]

Admittedly, I didn't know what is a subscription school; now I know: Subscription schools were funded by a monthly tuition fee paid by the parents to the teachers. In turn, the teachers were responsible for securing a place of study and for paying the rent from their earnings. Because the pay was low, many teachers were women, and they typically received one dollar per pupil per month. Attendance usually lasted a few months because children were needed to help with harvesting and other farm chores.
Jeff, thanks for the 'lesson'.
Don in SoCal

 

[Mackaydon]

Some history.........
Pennsylvania passed its first School Law in 1824 providing for the election of school directors in boroughs and townships. People across the Commonwealth were largely opposed to this law and it was generally ignored. However, Pine Grove established the first subscription school in 1830. Again, subscription schools were not free schools; they charged a fee for students to attend. School was in session six months of the year; girls attended for six months, boys for three.
Don in SoCal

 

[jeff of pa]

If memory & My Understanding of Pine Grove (Schuylkill County) History is right.
The First School in Pine Grove was where the House (parsonage) Sits Now