The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition Thursday, July 1, 1976 Section B, Page 4 THE BOSTON AREA DATES BACK AS FAR AS THE 1880'S Many of the communities in the areas around Boston, date way back in the 1880's and maybe before, such as the Goldmine, Piney Grove, Mt. Joy, Old Salem, Popular Springs, Center, Pearce's Mills, Mt. Pleasant, Bethel, Sunny Home, Brock's, Burleson, Mount Brook, Gum Springs, etc. Mr. and Mrs. J. T. GIBBS and Mr. and Mrs. John MOORE of Route 1, Brilliant, between Goldmine and Piney Grove, were most helpful to the Journal Staff in establishing some facts in churches and schools in those early days. Sam BOWEN, husband of Bette GIBBS BOWEN and father of the late Sterling BOWEN, taught one of the first schools in the area north of Boston, known as Mt. Joy, in 1888. John Jesse GIBBS, father of Wilburn GIBBS, Maude GIBBS BYNUM, and the last Willie GIBBS HINZ, taught the next schools in the section, a number of years at the Old Salem School and then many years at the Goldmine School. He taught his youngest brother, J. T., Mr.s J. T. GIBBS, and even his own wife Amanda BEAUCHAMP GIBBS, before their marriage. He had previously prepared himself for the teaching positions by attending High School and Glen Allen and Guin, and had his higher learning at the old Agricultural College in Hamilton. In these little one-teacher schools in the early years, the teachers were paid around twenty to twenty-five dollars per month, by the County, and they taught anywhere from one hundred to two hundreds(sic) students in the little ill-equipped schools of one room. as (sic) far as it is known, the students attended school because they were strictly eager to learn, and J. T. (Jim) GIBBS learned the same math and algebra under his brother's techings(sic), and since that time, until he was able to solve any difficult problems that his children brought home in all their high school and college years. it is almost incredible when one thinks of a lone teacher being actually able to teach the large number of students ranging from the beginners to sixth grades, all ages, but the older students were able to helpout(sic) in holding some of the classes of the lower grades, and so the full school dya(sic) progressed and the students learned much. Even after Jim GIBBS was out of school, he and Tuck ASHMORE, another student who finally went on to study medicine and practice in Eldridge for many years, exchanged any hard arithematic(sic) or algebra problems they happened to run across in their later years in the effort to "stump" one another with difficult problems. They both usually kept figuring until they came up with the correct answer which they proudly returned to the sender. According to Jim GIBBS and his wife, the former Minnie Belle BEAUCHAMP, Kel FITE followed John Jesse GIBBS as the second teacher of the Goldmine School, and then in line after Mr. FITE, were: bill CANTRELL, Sally THORN, Letha THORN, John CLARK, Jim LOGAN, Anderson GAY and the last was Elsie WHITEHEAD HAWKINS. The Piney Grove School, established several years, later, was first taught by Charlie BURGESS, then Sally THORN, and in line after Miss THORN, were: Beatrice MIDDLETON, Nanny SANDLIN, Lee PALMER, Carrie WAKEFIELD McCALEB, Nerva WILLIAMS GAY, Augusta HOLLEY, Autie CAGLE, and Edith COUCH, the last teacher, taught for many years and up to the time that the school was consolidated with the Brilliant Elementary School. Miss COUCH taught in Winfield after leaving the Piney Grove School, and is currently on the staff of the Wilson School. John MOORE of Route 1, Brilliant, attended the Mt. Pleasant School back in those early years and a list of teachers there were Mat WESLEY, John CONNER, Will LETSON and Mrs. WILSON, and he also attended the Webb School taught by John CONNER and Charlie FRANKS. Mr. MOORE's wie(sic), the former Velma INGLE went to the Gum Springs School. Her teachers were Jesse GORDON, Dave LAMBERT, Albert YOUNG, Miss Fildie HUGHES and Gus BURGESS, present Postmaster of Winfield Post Office, and after Mr. BURGESS, Lena WEST, who taught in the Brilliant Elementary in later years, followed by Mr. BURGESS and a Miss BOTTOMS of Hamilton, a Mr. BEASLEY and Mr. Bull WESLEY followed by Miss WEST. Sterling and Bob UNDERWOOD were the noted fiddlers of the communities, Jack FOWLER; could beat a snappy drum, and John COCHRAN would team with them as leader of the band at the school functions in the Goldmine School. At the end of the school term, it was the custom for the students to march in line for the final ceremonies. Sterling and Bob UNDERWOOD at the "fiddles", Jack FOWLER at the drums, and John COCHRAN leading with the United States Flag, would head the line of students in the School parades and marches. The great sport of the young crowd, back then, was baseball. Jim, tim and John Jessee GIBBS, Lewis Harm FOWLER, Billy, John and Ellie BEAUCHAMP, and Sterling BOWEN wee among the players of the team that played at the STOKES place. They also played a game known as "Town Ball" in which the ball was knocked with a paddle-like bat. Among the other forms of recreation included "Base", "Mumble-Peg," and of curse, the old "Huskin' Bees," but the greatest and most interesting form of recreation, which was in a way very serious, was debating. Debates were held in alternating places in Old Salem, Goldmine, and Piney Grove, and among the debates weer Jim GIBBS, Bill COCHRAN, Charlie BURGESS, Jim COCHRAN, Henry RAWLS, Young and Lum GREEN, and others. The debates covered a varied field of subjects, and of curse politics, and were held on Friday and Saturday night after week-long research had been done in preparation for both the affirmative and negative sides of the questions. Thee were three judges for each debate and Jim GIBBS expressed the opinion that these debating sessions were the assemblies that really brought the audiences. Among the earliest families in those years included: The UNDERWOODS, HUSTONS, GIBBS, BEAUCHAMPS, BOSTICKS, LOGANS, GILBERTS, HANEYS, STOKES, THOMASES, ASHMORES, MILSES(sic), HALEYS, LAMERTS, ESTESES, HUGULEYS, MOORES, INGLES, GREENS, McGUIRES, WHITES, STANFORDS, WHITMANS, COCHRANS, BURLESONS, FOWLERS, RAWLSES, and TIDWELLS. The Goldmine Community had two churches in those early years, the people of early Boston having come to Goldmine before the churches were established in Boston. There were the Methodist Church and the Church of Christ located at Goldmine (The church(sic) of Christ is till(sic) there today). The Free Will Church was located at Mt. Joy, the Primitive Baptist at Popular Springs, and the Missionary Baptist had churches at both Old Salem and Red Dirt. All denominations could use the Piney Grove Church except Mormans. There was a period of years when the Piney Grove church was inactive, then in the 1930's Mrs. J. J. (Amanda) GIBBS, the REv. L. G. ALVERSON, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew MILES, Mr. and rs.(sic) Samuel GAY and other interested families held an assembly to reorganize the Methodist Church. The Rev. ALBERSON, Pastor of the Brilliant Methodist Church and for a number of years Principal of the Brilliant School, served as the pastor of the Piney Grove Church, Mrs. Amanda GIBBS led the singing, and also taught Sunday School; Samuel GAY served as Superintendent, Mrs. GAY, Mrs. Andrew MILES, Mrs. Bufa CAGLE, Miss avonnah(sic) LITTLE and Miss Rachel GIBS(sic) taught sunday(sic) School Classes, and the little group of Methodists grew until at the present time, a modern church has been erected south of the original church held in the old School building. The Church of Christ, which also reorganized shortly after the Methodist, held services in the same school building until they built a modern church just northwest of the old school on the property of Albert Gibbs, Among the early members of the Church of Christ wee the CORKRENS, DICKINSONS, GREENS, FARRISES, BURLESONS, and DOSSES, The family of tim and Mary GIBBS became members at the time they moved from the Burleson community, and many other added since. The Bethel Church and the BROCK Church have both had churches of Christ for long periods. Among the leaders of the Bethel Church have been the HOLDTS, MILESES, CAULDES, LAMBERTS, DICKINSONS, CORKRENS, and LOGANS, etc. and at the BROCK Church are the BROCKS, DIKESES, BURLESONS. Among the Goldmine leaders are the SELFS, GILBERTS, LOGANS, McCALEBS, MILESES, GREENS, CORKRENS, BERRYHILLS, etc. At the Gum Springs Free Will Baptist, there are the John MOORES, Trellis MOORES, Mr. and mrs.(sic) Max GIBBS, the SEXTONS, the HALCOMBS, the MCKAYS, and the TUCKERS among the regular members.