Westmoreland County Public Schools history

The method of employing teachers and the general management of the-schools at that time can be pretty well gathered from the following agreement written by James McClelland, and dated May 5, 1825.

Joseph S. Walthour was born in North Huntingdon township, February 5, 1829.

A schoolhouse built prior to 1833, but in use at that time near Congruity, in Salem township, has been described be one who attended school in it that 'ear, and who is vet living.

William H. Cochran was the first teacher under the new system in 1837.

In 1847 he began teaching at Elwood school, in the northern part of Franklin township.

In 1849 John G. Albright taught school there, it being his first term as a teacher.

Briefly it set forth that a number of teachers having met in October, 1852, came to the conclusion that it was high time that a County Teachers' Association should be formed in Westmoreland.

The Saltsburg meeting was equally interesting, but not, of course, fraught with such great results in the state, for that work had been done by the New Alexandria meeting in 1853.

After a short venture in the mercantile business he taught the Byerly school in 1854, at twenty-two dollars per month.

Nevertheless, in our county in the years of 1858 and 1589, the great question agitating the people was, whether or not the office should be abolished.

Westmoreland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1780-1863, opens a new window

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons in Westmoreland County, State of Virginia, Whose Parents Had Ceased to Cohabit, 1866, opens a new window

After retiring from office in 1873 he travelled and rested a year in the west and then resumed teaching near his home in Salem township and continued to be thus employed for some years.

From Still's Underground Rail Road Records, opens a new window (1886):