Pg 330

         In those days, a neighborhood covered an area of twenty miles square, and the people—men and women, young men and maidens—did not hesitate to go that far visiting, to church or to singing school. As already stated, the first sermon preached in the county was preached at Col. Hardman’s residence, and the first Methodist Episcopal class was also organized there. That pioneer cabin was a kind of general center and its “latch string” was always out, whether to visiting neighbors, the wayworn traveler or to people who came together in a public capacity—religious, political or judicial. Its owner was recognized as a factotum, and his services were always in demand in some capacity.

         In the Fall of 1838, the young people of the neighborhood prevailed upon Col. Hardman to open a “singing school,” that they might have an opportunity of cultivating their vocal abilities. He yielded to their solicitations, and turned his cabin into a music hall. The books in use at that time were known as the Missouri Harmony, and once a week the young people came from their homes in every direction to “take music lessons.” This school was kept up for four years, during which time his scholars became very adept readers of “buckwheat” notes, and in the use of their voices. Neither the boys nor the girls were afraid to open their mouths, and when they undertook to render old Pisgah, New Topia, Coronation, Windham, Easter Anthem, Greenfields, or any other of the old time favorites, they awoke the forest echoes, and awed or shamed into silence the birds that sang in the adjacent groves.