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1. SUBJECT:

First Methodist School in Rockingham County.

2. LOCATION:

Harrisonburg, Virginia.

3. DATE:

1794.

4. OWNERS:

• Methodist School, 1794.
• Congregation of the Brethren Church, present owners of the old site.

1. DESCRIPTION:

The first Methodist School in Harrisonburg, Virginia, was a log house on the top of a hill, now the Brethren Church Site, was the original school organized in 1794, which building not yet completed, was used both as a school and a meeting house.

2. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

One of the first considerations of the early settlers of Rockingham County was the education and early religious training of the children. Some small family neighborhood schools had been established. In 1794 the first Methodist school was organized in Harrisonburg, Virginia, under the direction of Bishop Asbury. A "Loh House" on top of the hill, now the Brethren Church Site, was the original school organized in 1794, which building not yet completed, was used both as a school and a meeting house.

Bishop Asbury held his first conferences in the school matter in the old Stone House, later the General John E. roller home, which is still standing and occupied, and in good condition and the school was under the management of Trustees, with the Bishop himself ex oficio, a member of the board.

The first teacher appointed was John Walsh, at a salary of 50L per year. This school was operated under very strict rules and regulations, there being eighteen different rules which were scrupulously carried out, with severe penalties for violations of the rules.

The religious development of the child was one of the important features of the school; the Bible being read and prayer at opening and close of each day of school and all scholars were compelled to attend all religious worship of the school. It seems from the Rules that the school was open all the year. All pupils over seven years of age were compelled to attend all public worship in the school.

The enrollment of this school was limited to forty pupils and a tuition of thirty three shillings was the fee charged each pupil and strict punctuality was demanded during school hours, and a severe penalty for any profanity or irreverence was strictly enforced and no pupil was permitted to wear ruffles or powder his face.

One provision was to provide a garden or recreation ground for the pupils. No gaming or "instruments of play" shall be tolerated at the school. One rule of the school was to admit black servants to the school, provided they were classed and seated by themselves. Space on the right side of the gallery was set apart for the black pupils to attend public worship.

The rules, eighteen is all, which governed this first organized school in Rockingham are certainly to be commended and well worth studying by many of our present school teachers and governing officials with their many modern ideas and regulations governing the moral development in the education of the citizens of the country, an Act of the Assembly was passed January 20^th, 1806, incorporating The Rockingham Library Company.

First Methodist School in Rockingham County

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