Lindencrest School

Reading, Writing, and Ciphering: A History of Miss Jennie’s School

By Anna L. Baker

     A short distance from the Pennsbury Township line in Pocopson Township Miss Jennie Darlington conducted her private school in an upstairs room of the stone farmhouse in which she and her sister Miss Lucy made their home.  “Lindencrest” as the little school became known, was attended by children of several neighboring families.  W. J. Pratt, A. Dilwyn Huey, Norris G. Temple, Hugh McMullan, Victor Brinton were among those who were pleased to send their young children to this Friends’ School for their important educational foundation in the first four school grades.

     Coming the greatest distance to attend were the three grandchildren of Delaware County Judge Isaac Johnson from his farm “Oakdale” on Hill and Dale Road.  They were brought and called for each day by horse and buggy.  The other pupils lived near enough to walk.

     The school had begun with Miss Jennie teaching her own niece, Hannah Darlington, to read and grew to include this first pupil’s two sisters and two brothers and neighbor children whose parents were delighted to have this fine teacher instruct the little group of ten to fourteen pupils who otherwise would have had a long way to walk to the public school at the brow of Lenape Hill.

     Report cards showed results in Scripture, Spelling, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Physiology, and Drawing with emphasis placed on Neatness and Conduct.  When it came time for a pupil to enter the fifth grade of the West Chester Public or Friends’ Schools, each one found that Miss Jennie had prepared him/her well in subject matter and had stimulated a desire to excel.

     Memorable are the days of recess spent in sliding on the frozen Pocopson Creek or in playing in the Darlington apple orchard.  Parents and pupils delighted in the Christmas entertainment for which the large double parlors of the farmhouse became a stage and auditorium and in the spring closing exercises held on the lawn under the linden and mahogany trees with the guests seated on rocking chairs and meeting house wooden benches placed for them on the long and breezy front porch.  It was not unusual to have four generations in attendance to enjoy the festivities together. 

     Occasionally neighborhood happenings interrupted the even tenor of Miss Jennie’s routine.  One instance occurred when Mrs. Emlen Darlington came rapidly into the school room from across the lane to ask for help.  Little Bill, then three years old, could not be found.  With Pocopson Creek and the Brandywine River very nearby there was reason for alarm for the very active little boy’s safety.  Miss Jennie quickly dismissed all fourteen pupils with directions to scour the neighborhood where Little Bill often played with the pupils at recess.  After an hour of frantic hunting in barn and surrounding areas, someone thought of looking more carefully in Miss Jennie’s house.  There was Bill sound asleep under her dining room table. 

     From 1908 until 1917 “Lindencrest” flourished.  Then because of the acute shortage of teachers during World War I, Miss Jennie was persuaded to teach the country school located across from Parkerville Meeting House (now a private dwelling.) She closed “Lindencrest.”  Her enrolled pupils transferred with her to the County (probably Township) system at Parkersville in which she continued to teach during the War years and then retired. 

     Her influence is felt by many who remember their first teacher with affection and appreciation. 

     Miss Jennie’s home with its tiny “school room” on the Emlen Darlington farm is presently the home of Emlen and Mary Parker Darlington’s grandson, David Darlington and his wife, Sarah Pratt Darlington.

     This account of a twentieth century private school was written by Anna L. Baker, a retired teacher, who lived at Pocopson Station where her father, John A. Baker, was station agent and postmaster.  Anna was a pupil of Miss Jennie.      

April 1, 1990