Aston Township.

to make such township appropriations as would secure the State and county appropriation for school purposes. It was decided at this meeting of the board to add a sum of two-thirds of a county rate, which amounted to five hundred dollars, and on May 17th the question as to the sum was submitted to a popular vote, which resulted in the measure being adopted, fifty-eight votes for to nine against the measure.

On June 10, 1836, a proposition was made to secure the building known as Martin's school-house, and the owners agreed to rent it at two dollars per month. The directors, on June 16th, consented to accept the offer, on condition that a list of the contributors should be furnished the board, so that the proportional share of the rent could be paid to each of the contributors. It was also determined that an effort should be made to obtain possession of the schoolhouse then being erected by John P. Crozer at West Branch, as well as the house expected to be built at Rockdale, for the school term. The proposition looking to the occupancy of the Stony Bank school-house was accepted, and on Sept. 3, 1836, it was ordered by the board that John Sharpless should be asked to deliver the key of that building. This school-house was built on a lot containing two acres and four-tenths of a perch of land, which Thomas Pennell, on March 9, 1796, had conveyed for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, to Daniel Sharpless, of Middletown, Abraham Sharpless, Emmor Williamson, and Jacob Pyle, of Aston, on the payment of twenty pounds Pennsylvania money, and a "yearly rent of one American cent, if demanded," the grantees promising to erect "a good & sufficient stone school-house of the dimensions and forms as shall be agreed on by such persons as shall subscribe for that purpose." It was opened for tuition by the directors of the public school on Oct. 31, 1336, for a period of six months. Previous thereto the directors finding the building was much out of repair, twenty dollars was appropriated to put it in condition for public use. The school board also by resolution agreed to accept the children of contributors of the old Village Green and Stony Bank schools, on the payment of two hundred and twenty-five dollars per quarter to the board of directors for the township.

Martin's school-house was subsequently known as the Logtown school, and the latter name in 1880 was changed to Chester Heights school, its present title. A school being required at Rockdale, the board directed that a suitable building should be obtained there for that purpose, if possible, and Richard S. Smith, a director, offered to give the use of a house there rent free, "provided it is left in as good condition as the Board finds it." This offer was accepted, and the dwelling standing back of the present "Mountain House" became the first public school at that point, L. White Willianis being the first teacher. This building had been used as a school during Henry Moore's ownership of the land. In 1853 the Aston public school, the present building, was erected at Rockdale; in 1880 the schoolhouse at Llewellyn was built. Messrs. Haigh & Co., in the fall of the year 1875, offered to give an acre of ground at Bridgewater as the site for a school-house, but for some reason these gentlemen and the directors did not come to a definite understanding until June, 1879, when the offer was accepted, and a brick building erected on the ground thus donated.

The following is a list of the school directors of Aston township:

1840, Samuel A. Barton, John Garsed; 1842, Mark Pennell, Stephen Hall; 1843, Mahlon Monsell, George Thompson; 1844, James McMullen, Stephen Hall; 1845, John W. Thatcher, Thomas Martin; 1846, George Thompson, Edwin Hannum; 1847, Thomas Williamson, Andrew W. Mathues; 1848, Thomas Martin, John Dutton; 1849, Edward Hannum, James W. McCracken; 1850, Samuel R. Hall, Nicholas F. Walter; 1851, Samuel R. Hall, Thomas Martin; 1852, James McCracken, Edwin Hannum; 1853, Nicholas F. Walter, William Hannum; 1854, George Thompson, James Bleyler; 1855, George Thompson, Edwin Hannum; 1856, Elwood Tyson, William Burns; 1857, James W, McCracken, Phineas Dicson; 1858, Andrew W. Mathews, J. Hervey Barton; 1859, John B. Rhodes, Robert L. Martin; 1860, George Yarnall, Robert L. Martin; 1861, Edwin Hannum, James W. McCracken; 1862, William Brown, James Bleyler; 1863, Charles Hart, William Brown; 1864, William McCracken, Benjamin Crowther; 1865, Edwin Hannum, Thomas Swayne; 1806, Thomas Pancoast, Elwood Tyson; 1867, Thomas Pancoast, Lewis Martin; 1868, William G. Davidson, William F. Mathews; 1869, C. C. V. Crawford, William Carson; 1870, Judge Tyson, John Neal; 1871, John B. Rhodes, Samuel A. Crozer; 1872, Charles W. Mathues, James W. McCracken; 1873, C. C. V. Crawford, C. R. Heyburn; 1874, John D. Kiser, Samuel K. Crozer; 1875, S. A. Fields, C. W. Mathues; 1876, C. C. V. Crawford, Caleb R. Heyburn; 1877, Samuel A. Field, James W. McCracken; 1878, Samuel H. Hall, John B. Neal; 1879, S. M. Challenger, C. R. Heyburn; 1880, Elwood Tyson, Joseph N. Scott; 1881, Samuel Rhodes, Samuel K. Crozer; 1882, E. P. Hannum, Samuel Challenger; 1883, W. S. S. Gay, Robert Taylor; 1884, Caleb R. Heyburn, James C. McGraw.

The private schools in Aston, other than the old-time contribution schools, have not been numerous, but their story, so far as I have yet learned, is full of interest. During the second war with England, Joseph Neef, a Frenchman, who attempted to establish the system of study then employed at the noted Pestallozzi, in Switzerland, removed from Philadelphia to Village Green, where he remained for several years. David Glascoe Farragut, who, almost half a century afterwards, became the great naval hero of the nineteenth century, while residing at Commodore Porter's home at Chester, became a pupil of Mr. Neef. The latter had as a tutor in his school Phiquepal D'Arusmont, a Frenchman, who subsequently became prominent because of his marriage to Fanny Wright, - the strong-minded lecturer of half a century ago, - who drew upon herself public denunciation simply because her views and opinions were noticeably in advance of the age in which she lived. She was possessed of large means, and the marriage, on the part of D'Arusmont, was mercenary, and eventuated in a few years in a separation between the ill-mated couple. Previous to 1820, Joseph Neef closed his school at Village Green and removed therefrom.

About 1845, Rev. Benjamin S. Huntingdon, an Episcopal clergyman, established a seminary for