JOSIAH L. PETTINGILL

to impart them to others. McGuffey's readers and spellers, and Adams'
arithmetic were the text books used. The spelling school "fans", of
whom there were several in the Pettingill family, had the McGuffey
speller so well mastered that it was necessary to go to other books for
words of sufficient difficulty to "spell them down". Few of the boys and
grils from these early farms secured an education beyond the district
school, but they attended these schools until they were well grown.
Developing great strength at home swinging axe and cradle, it was only
natural that the "big boys" among the pupils should wish to show their
muscle. Consequently, wrestling, running and jumping were favorite
sports, and he who excelled in these primitive athletics was likely to
be greatly respected in the community.
     For the same reason, a good physique was looked upon as the first
necessary qualification of a teacher. While still quite young, Mr. Pet-
tingill was called upon to act as substitute for a teacher at Burr Oak.
He was not large, but was well set up and determined to succeed. The
boys thought that being in temporary charge and inexperienced, he
would be easy for them to handle, so they soon began a campaign of
mischief to see what the amateur teacher would do. Knowing that only
prompt action could save the day, Mr. Pettingill went to the seat of
the boldest offender and lifted him from his seat, which was of the old
fashioned kind and fastened to the floor. As the teacher swung the boy
with considerable speed, the latter's boot heels with big nails project-
ing raked the long box stove throughout its length, producing a series
of sparks which were so spectacular as to awe the remainder of the
pupils, and establish the teacher's reputation as a disciplinarian. He
afterwards taught successfully for two winters in the district east of
Mindoro.
     With its own school, churches and store, a grist mill at what is
now Stevenstown, and a saw mill built by Harrison H. Slye near Min-
doro Corners, the early community of Lewis Valley felt itself to be
quite comfortably situated. The abundance of good land and other op-
portunities of a new country naturally invited every enterprising boy
to strike out for himself at an early age. No such complicated outfit of
machinery as is needed today was necessary to the farmer of that day.
A team, a wagon, a plow and a drag would do to start with. Co-opera-
tion in the use of machinery was everywhere practiced among the
farmers. So Josiah Pettingill, having shown himself well fitted for
responsibility, found himself at an early age farming on his own account.
     Then came the Civil War, a great demand for wheat and a short-
age of man power, and Mr. Pettingill carried on three farms in an
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