The name "Jefferson Institute" would lead us to believe that the intention was to establish a permanent school of high grade. An interesting point—a real joker—is the use of "Rickreall" in a notice signed by John Lyle for he soon became convinced that "La Creole" was the original and correct form. The subject is as near a feud as the Southerners on the creek ever developed and to this day perenially flares up and waxes hot in the summer months. The two camps are represented by the descendants of Nathaniel Ford and by those of John Lyle. Both sides have numerous adherents and considerable data. With this explanation, the writer, being a loyal descendant of John Lyle and having been twice forced by the exigencies of historical accuracy to inscribe the distasteful word "Rickreall" will henceforth ignore it and refer to the loved stream as "La Creole."
Jefferson Institute was a log cabin erected for the purpose on the land claim of Carey Embree. It is to Mary Embree (Mrs. Hayter) that we must go for details of the school. Benches made of long planks were placed along the walls and the children sat facing the wall, using for a desk a puncheon, a wide board, set on props against the wall. Pens were made of sharpened goose quills, many kept in readiness by Mr. Lyle. The first pencils were lead bullets hammered flat and long. Ink was made by squeezing the juice from oak balls and letting it stand on iron filings. The writing paper was blue and probably purchased of the Hudson's Bay Company. The pioneers had brought school books. Carey Embree brought enough to keep his children advancing for three years. The Bible was read in the morning, each child reading a verse. There was a lunch period, also recess, during which the boys played ball with knitted balls on one side of the house while on the other side the girls jumped the rope with ropes made of braided rawhide.
