Steubenville Herald Star October 8, 1940; page 6 PIONEER DAYS By CHALMERS C. WHITE THE Elizabeth Jenkins property at Mt. Pleasant has changed hands for the first time in 100 years, having been purchased by Donald Francy of Rayland. It is older than the historical Friends Meeting house. It was erected In 1807 by Abraham Dillworth and later taken over as a hotel by the outside Friends at yearly meeting time. Later Nathan Updegraf purchased it and offered it in the early forties to his son-in-law, George Jenkins as a place to open his precedent breaking school. The editor of the American Friend states that this property is as historically significant as the yearly meeting house. George Jenkins who had been teaching at a Friends Boarding school nearby his home resigned because the place was too cramped and conservative. He started a progressive school of his own which he maintained in his home for several years on a non-denominational basis. Its distinction lay in the fact that he introduced the co-educational idea having boys and girls mingle freely in their school work instead of keeping them separate. Records show an enrollment of 50 pupils some of whom were more than 25 years of age. Until last year when she went to Hollywood, California to make her home with her nephew it was the home of Miss Elizabeth Jenkins, daughter of George Jenkins the teacher.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 15:38:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015