Franklin in Franklin County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)

Franklin's Pioneer School House 1860

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 21, 2017

1. Franklin's Pioneer School House 1860 Marker

Caption: Early sketch of Franklin's Pioneer School House as it might have appeared in the 1860's.

Inscription.

Franklin's Pioneer School House 1860. . The first school in the new colony was in the home of Hannah Comish, who was the teacher. This was the first white school taught in the State of Idaho. Her home was located on the east side of the fort where she taught about 20 pupils with a three month's term for the first year , Late in the fall of 1860, logs were cut and hauled from Deep Creek Canyon to build a school house that was completed in late spring 1861. The new school building consisted of a single large room with a dirt floor and a large fireplace in the east end. The fireplace was made of soft white sandstone and provided the only source of heat for the log stricture with its sod roof. The building faced west with a door on the end and a single window on each side with a small window near the door. The door of the little building was made of split logs and the little 8 X 10 inch panels of glass were brought in from Salt Lake City. The student benches were made of pine slabs, flat side up with legs of maple or birch. , This school house also served as a meeting house and amusement hall, Each Saturday, straw was removed from the dirt floor and replaced with fresh straw so it would be clean for Sunday. Whenever it rained, the children were excused until the storm was over as the roof was no waterproof. , When the school opened in the fall of 1861, G. Alvin Davy was the teacher. He had about 70 students in attendance. Some of the slates and pencils used in the school came from slate rock found in the mountains east of Franklin. In the first school, there was just one reader for each class and one speller for the entire school so the students would take turns. Tuition was paid to the teacher with any kind of produce or cloth, molasses or meat. In 1863-64, William Woodward taught school and received $40.00 a month, collecting his pay from each pupil, which would have been about .40 cents each. . This historical marker was erected by Idaho Historical Society. It is in Franklin in Franklin County Idaho

The first school in the new colony was in the home of Hannah Comish, who was the teacher. This was the first white school taught in the State of Idaho. Her home was located on the east side of the fort where she taught about 20 pupils with a three month's term for the first year
Late in the fall of 1860, logs were cut and hauled from Deep Creek Canyon to build a school house that was completed in late spring 1861. The new school building consisted of a single large room with a dirt floor and a large fireplace in the east end. The fireplace was made of soft white sandstone and provided the only source of heat for the log stricture with its sod roof. The building faced west with a door on the end and a single window on each side with a small window near the door. The door of the little building was made of split logs and the little 8 X 10 inch panels of glass were brought in from Salt Lake City. The student benches were made of pine slabs, flat side up with legs of maple or birch.
This school house also served as a meeting house and amusement hall, Each Saturday, straw was removed from the dirt floor and replaced with fresh straw

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so it would be clean for Sunday. Whenever it rained, the children were excused until the storm was over as the roof was no waterproof.
When the school opened in the fall of 1861, G. Alvin Davy was the teacher. He had about 70 students in attendance. Some of the slates and pencils used in the school came from slate rock found in the mountains east of Franklin. In the first school, there was just one reader for each class and one speller for the entire school so the students would take turns. Tuition was paid to the teacher with any kind of produce or cloth, molasses or meat. In 1863-64, William Woodward taught school and received $40.00 a month, collecting his pay from each pupil, which would have been about .40 cents each.

Erected by Idaho Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.

Location. 42° 1.026′ N, 111° 48.144′ W. Marker is in Franklin, Idaho, in Franklin County. Marker is on East Main Street near 1st Street East, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 60 East Main Street, Franklin ID 83237, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Franklin Relic Hall - 1937 (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Franklin Historic District (about 400 feet away);

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 21, 2017

2. Franklin's Pioneer School House 1860 Marker

The marker is on the left.

ZCMI Co-op Building (about 500 feet away); FCMI Store 1858 (about 500 feet away); The Birthplace of Samuel P. Cowley (about 600 feet away); Hatch House (about 600 feet away); Lorenzo Hill Hatch & John Doney Houses (about 700 feet away); Old Fort of Franklin (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Franklin.

First School House Plaque, on the right image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 21, 2017

3. First School House Plaque, on the right

In honor of
First Schoolhouse
built in Idaho 1860
184 ft. sq. 32 ft west
Erected Aug. 1927
by Daughters Utah
Pioneers

Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2017. It was originally submitted on July 15, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 336 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 15, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.