Double-Log School

The Double Log school house was used as a multipurpose building for some years before an adobe building was constructed. It was used as a school, church meeting house, civic center, and social center. It was about 20 feet wide and 22 feet long, and was located behind were the current Relief Society Hall now stands. It had a fireplace on each end of the building. Benches were in place, made of split logs that had been smoothed down.1 2

School Activities

Frances Adam Bair recounts his time in the city's first school:

"I went to school in a double-log house where the old relic hall now stands. This large log house with no floor served as a meeting house, school house, and dance hall. ...They placed benches in for meetings and had two grades of school in this building, on in each end. John Robinson taught in the one end and James Freeze in the other. Freeze taught the upper grade. John Robinson taught me the letters and to read."2

Susannah Titensor also recounts:

"I remember the first school I attended at Richmond. It was a log house with a chimney built in one end. The fireplace was the only heat we had. The seats were made from slabs with pegs for legs. There were no desks to work on. The teacher had a small table for his desk. On it was a small cowbell which he used to call school. He also had a rule nearby which he wasn't slow in using. If we drew a picture we were punished. I have had many a whack over the hand. What writing we did was on slates. There were very few books and we had to borrow from each other. We had a small primer that was published in Salt Lake City. It was called the Deseret Primer and contained about a dozen leaves."3

Parents would pay for their children's tuition in produce.1

Church Activities

Records owned by Richmond City indicate that a ward choir was organized as early as July 1, 1861 in the log building.1

Social Activities

City dances from 1860-1865 were held in the building. Though the ground was dirt, it did not cause any problems for the dancers and attendees.

Sources