More information provided by the Mountain HomePlace near Paintsville. It is my belief that the O.B McKenzie referred to in this article was Oliver B. McKenzie b. March 17, 1813 in Scott Co., Virginia; d. June 05, 1878 in Johnson County, Kentucky. However, my records show that he settled at Laurel Creek. Is there someone out there on our list who can comment about this? Thanks, Sharon in Pleasant Hill, CA The McKenzie School Few institutions have been held in such fond regard and recalled in such nostalgic terms as the little red schoolhouse. It ranks with the old oaken bucket, the little brown church in the vale, and pictures of the old home place that are remembered by millions as they recall that long ago way of life. But the Johnson County schoolhouses were not painted red; they were mostly white, if not of unpainted log construction. The rude log schools with their puncheon floors, were around for nearly a century and provided the typical school experience for the great majority of Kentuckians. The cracks between the logs were filled with mud to keep out the wind on a cold winter day. Much of the furniture was hewn from logs. Students in these early schools used goose quill pens and ink made from polk or elderberry juice. Equipment was limited and it was left to the inventiveness of the teachers, community leaders and older pupils to come up with the homemade learning tools of that time. Built in the late nineteenth century, this is one of Johnson County's common schools. The original site of the building was a tract of the O.B. McKenzie property located on McKenzie Branch. The Johnson County School Board received title to the half acre plot on which it stood in 1898. The site also contained a well for the school's use. The McKenzie Branch School is a rectangular log building one and one-half stories in height and containing a single classroom. The only entrance to the school is in the gable end facing the road. Each family whose children attended the school contributed four logs to the structure. Thus, the preparation of the logs is varied but half dovetailed notching is used to join the logs. You will note that the sources of light were the four windows, the oil lamps that sat of their high brackets attached to the walls, and the front door when the weather permitted it to remain open. You will also note that the benches were handmade and did not take into consideration the comfort of the occupants. The school year began after blackberry picking time in July and lasted for six months. The class could range in size from thirty to sixty pupils and in age from six to twenty. The teacher and the classroom supplies were provided by the county. It was the teacher who was the key to the success of the district schools. The county school commissioners and the district trustees were responsible for examining and certifying teachers. Teacher salaries were always low and the differences in salary among counties and districts were extreme. In many neighborhoods teachers had no choice but to board in homes where board was cheap - typically $1.50 - $2.00 per week, with the option of staying over for the weekend at no extra charge. Because of their knowledge and authority, the teacher stood tall in the eyes of the community and the students. Teachers were expected to be models of behavior and scholarship, get the needed education, dress well, and live on wages that were not always paid on time. Educational aids included one box of chalk, erasers, a pressed poplar blackboard covered with slate impregnated paint, a coal bucket to fire the Burnside No. 1, and a 10 gallon water bucket with two cups that set on a small table or shelf behind the front door. The parents and teacher contributed books to the school's permanent collection. Since the building was seldom locked, it also served the function of a public library.