Schools for children engaged the active attention of the early settlers of the county, Scarcely had a dozen families located within a radius of a few miles and secured indispensable shelter for themselves within the walls of their rude cabins, before efforts were being made to provide a school fo their children. In the early days, good schools were truly few and far between, and it was thought to be very fortunate indeed in an opportunity was offered for obtaining even the rudiments of a common school education. any one was thought competent to teach school if he had a reasonable knowledge of the "Three Rs" - Reading, "Riting and "Rithmetic--and, even with these qualifications, teachers at that time were difficult to obtain. Many of the scattered settlements could not afford to hire a teacher,k and the children had no educational advantages other than what their parents could find time and opportunity to provide. But it was observable that the parents of that day were extremely anxious that their children should not grow up in ignorance; hence it was that during the winter months the children who were large enough were sent to school two to five miles distant. Morning and evening, they would trudge all that distance, taking the dinners with them which their affectionate mothers prepared, and during recess a regular picnic was held, the substantial meal being fully appreciated. The Log School House and the Teacher- The school house was a log cabin, with onee window at the side and a fireplace at the opposite end from the door entrance. The furniture was of primitive style, the heavy seats constructed of sawed slabs or split puncheons, while there were a rough desk and a stool for the teacher, with a plentiful supply of hazel switches in full view. The latter sometimes hade a wholesome effect on the children, who knew full well that in them were the elements of corporal punishment or correction. The teacher usually sat before the fireplace, facing the scholars, and coluld, at a glance, see what was transpiring among his pupils. books were few, consisting chiefly of the "blue spelling book" - Webster's Elementary Speller" being then universally used-- with oe or two "English Readers," Kirkham's Grammar and Pike's, Smith's or Ray's Arithmetic, these constituting the sum total of the fountain of knowledge from which to fill the minds of these sturdy, healthful pupils. From these may be judged the sources from which were drawn the elements which, under adverse circumstances, developed some of the foremost men of the nation, such as Lincoln, Garfield and others, who entered upon their intellectual life through this modest curriculum. The walls of the oldtime school-room were not decorated with beautiful maps - geographical, scientific and hygienic; nor did artistic and massive globes stang upon the floor, representing in detail all the lands and seas of the universe; neighter was there an abundance of textbooks, filled with up-to-date information and covering the broad fields of literature, science and art. This was before the days of photography, and mark the contrast between the artistic conditions of then and now. On the walls of the log schoolhouse, wher space would permit, some youthful Hogarth would scrawl a likeness of the teacher; or, as was often the case, he would try to transfer to high rough canvas -- the whitewashed logs -- the pretty features of some little Venus with whom he was in love. Besides maps and works of art, the modern walls were often decorated with beautiful specimens of penmanship for the children to copy; 8in those days teachers were often employed who could scarcely write their own names intelligibly. CONTRACT BETWEEN TEACHER AND PARENTS-- A good illustration of the difference between the primitve and modern methods of education is afforded in the following agreement, made between JOHN G. WOODSIDE and the patrons of his school, the original being in possession of his son, WILLIAM L. WOODSIDE: "Articles of Agreement, made and entered into this first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, by and between JOHN G. WOODSIDE of the first part, and the undersigned, of the other part, both of McDonough County and State of Illinois: "I, the above named Woodside, do agree to teach a school in the school house near Levi Parents for the term of six months, five days in each week, or time to that amount. I do agree to teach spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic to the best of my skill and judgment. I also bind myself to keep good order, and pay strict attention to my school. And we, the undersigned, do promise to pay the said Woodside for his services one dollar per scholar in money, and three dollars in good merchantable wheat, pork, wool, linen, linsey, flax, or work at the market price in this neighborhood, to be delivered at said Woodside's house -- the pork to be paid at the usual time of killing, the money part, or other articles, to be paid at the expiration of the school. And we, the subscribers, do bind ourselves to fix the school-house in a comfortable manner, school to commence the first day of May, or sooner if subscribers want it. I, the said Woodside, will begin with twenty scholars, and any larger scholar, or scholars who will not submit themselves to the rules of said school, shall be expelled from said school; and it is understood that said Woodside is to have the liberty of teaching his own children. If either of the parties should become dissatisfied the school can be discontinued at the end of three months by the teaccher, or a majority of the subscribers, either party giving two weeks' notice." This agreement shows the primitive methods adopted in the early settlement of this western country, and, at the same time, bears witness to the earnest desire of parents to have their children educated in some measure. An analysis of the environments and opportunities of the settlers of seventy-five years ago must bring one to the conclusion that they were earnest, common-sense, patriotic citizens, and builded much better than they dreamed of.