The Tiger Valley School

The Tiger Valley School was a one-room schoolhouse located in eastern Knox County.

Built in 1850, the building was used until 1935. Then the Harlett family used it for storage, and kept it in fair structural condition. Mrs. Harlett donated it to the Museum in 1994, at which time volunteers under leadership of Guy Van Nostand carefully marked, dis-assembled, moved to the current location, and re-assembled key pieces, adding new upper walls, roof, and belfry.

The furnishings did not (necessarily) come from this building, rather were donated by many persons from many sources. They include combined desks and seats in various sizes, textbooks, pictures of schools from around the county with the teacher and students,a map of the 140-odd school houses scattered throughout the townships, quills and inkwells, and old lunch pails.

There would be 20-25 students in grades 1-8, coming from 6-10 families within walking distance (a mile or so)--all in one room. Students from one grade would come up to the "recitation bench" at front to learn/recite on a given subject. They would use their "laptops" (small slates) to write responses to teacher's prompts. Meanwhile, students in the other 7 grades remained at their desks and studied--we hope.