USA > Iowa > Story County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa > Part 11
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Iowa Territory was created July 3, 1838. January 1, 1839, the Territorial Legislature passed an act providing that "there shall be established a common school or schools in
81
HISTORY OF IOWA.
each of the counties in this Territory, which shall be open and free for every class of white citizens between the ages of five and twenty- one years." The second section of the act provided that "the county board shall, from time to time, form such districts in their re- spective counties, whenever a petition may be presented for the purpose by a majority of the voters resident within such contemplated dis- trict." These districts were governed by boards of trustees, usually of three persons; each dis- trict was required to maintain school at least three months in every year; and later, laws were enacted providing for county school taxes for the payment of teachers, and that whatever ad- ditional sum might be required should be as- sessed upon the parents sending, in proportion to the length of time sent.
When Iowa Territory became a State, in 1846, with a population of 100,000, and with 20,000 scholars within its limits, 416 indepen- dent school districts had been organized. In 1850, there was 1,262; in 1856, 2,850; in 1860, 4,655 sub-districts; in 1869, 6,773 sub-dis- tricts; in 1875, 2,536 independent districts, and 7,062 sub-districts; in 1880, 3,192 inde- pendent districts, and 7,668 sub-districts; in 1889, 3,451 independent districts, and 8,768 sub-districts.
In March, 1858, upon the recommendation of Hon. M. L. Fisher, then superintendent of public instruction, the Seventh General Assem- bly enacted that "each civil township is de- clared a school district," and provided that these should be divided into sub-districts. This law went into force March 20, 1858, and reduced the number of school districts from about 3,400 to 932.
This change of school organization resulted in a very material reduction of the expen- ditures for the compensation of district secre- taries and treasurers. An effort was made for
several years, from 1867 to 1870, to abolish the sub-district system. Mr. Kissell, superintend- ent, recommended it in his report of January 1, 1870, and Gov. Merrill forcibly endorsed his views in his annual message. But the Legis- lature of that year provided for the formation of independent districts from the sub-districts of district townships.
The system of graded schools was inaugur- ated in 1819; and new schools, in which more than one teacher is employed, are universally graded. In 1868 there were 212 graded schools; in 1875, 407; in 1880, 2,209; in 1885, 3,060, and in 1889, 3,523.
The first official mention of teachers' insti- tutes in the educational records of Iowa occurs in the annual report of Hon. Thomas H. Ben- ton, Jr., made December 2, 1850, who said: " An institution of this character was organ- ized a few years ago, composed of the teachers of the mineral regions of Illinois, Wiscon- sin and Iowa. An association of teachers has also been formed in the county of Henry, and an effort was made, in October last, to organize a regular institute in the county of Jones." At that time-although the ben- eficial influence of these institutes was admitted, it was urged that the expense of attending them was greater than teachers with limited compensation were able to bear. To obviate this objection, Mr. Benton recommended that "the sum of $150 should be appropriated an- nually for three years, to be drawn in install- ments of $50 each by the superintendent of public instruction, and expended for these in- stitutions." He proposed that three institutes should be held annually at points to be des- ignated by the superintendent.
No legislation in this direction, however, was had until March, 1858, when an act was passed authorizing the holding of teachers' institutes for periods of not less than six working days,
82
HISTORY OF IOWA.
whenever not less than thirty teachers should desire. The superintendent was authorized to expend not exceeding $100 for any one insti- tute, to be paid out by the county superintend- ent as the institute might direct for teachers and lecturers, and $1,000 was appropriated to defray the expenses of these institutes.
December 6, 1858, Mr. Fisher reported to the board of education that institutes had been appointed in twenty counties within the preced- ing six months, and more would have been, but the appropriation had been exhausted.
The board of education at its first session, commencing December 6, 1858, enacted a code of school laws which retained the existing pro- visions for teachers' institutes.
In March, 1860, the General Assembly amended the act of the board by appropriating "a sum not exceeding $50 annually for one such institute, held as provided by law in each county."
In 1865 Mr. Faville reported that the " pro- vision made by the State for the benefit of teachers' institutes has never been so fully appreciated, both by the people and the teachers, as during the last two years."
By act approved March 19, 1874, normal institutes were established in each county, to be held annually by the county superintendent. This was regarded as a very decided step in advance by Mr. Abernethy, and in 1876 the Sixteenth General Assembly established the first permanent State Normal School at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, appropriating the building and property of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at that place for that purpose. This school is now in successful operation.
The public schools are supported by funds arising from several sources .. The sixteenth section of every congressional township was set apart by the general government for school purposes, being one-thirty-sixth part of all the
lands of the State. The minimum price of these lands was fixed at $1.25 per acre. Congress also made an additional donation to the State of 500,000 acres, and an appropriation of five per cent on all the sales of public lands to the school fund. The State gives to this fund the proceeds of the sales of all lands which escheat to it; the proceeds of all fines for the violation of the liquor and criminal laws. The money derived from these sources constitutes the per- manent school fund of the State, which cannot be diverted to any other purpose. The penalties collected by the courts for fines and forfeitures go to the school fund in the counties where collected. The proceeds of the sale of lands and five per cent fund go into the State treasury, and the State distributes these proceeds to the several counties according to their request, and the counties loan the money to individuals for long terms at eight per cent interest, on security of land valued at three times the amount of the loan, exclusive of all buildings and improvements thereon. The interest on these loans is paid into the State treasury, and becomes the available school fund of the State. The counties are responsible to the State for all money so loaned, and the State is likewise responsible to the school fund for all moneys transferred to the counties. The interest on these loans is apportioned by the State auditor semi-annually to the several counties of the State, in proportion to the number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years. The counties also levy an annual tax for school purposes, which is apportioned to the several district townships in the same way. A district tax is also levied for the same purpose. The money arising from these several sources constitutes the support of the public schools, and is sufficient to enable every sub-district in the State to afford from six to nine months' school each year.
83
HISTORY OF IOWA.
The taxes levied for the support of schools are self-imposed. Under the admirable school laws of the State, no taxes can be legally assessed or collected for the erection of school- houses until they have been ordered by the election of the district at a school meeting legally called. The school-houses of Iowa are the pride of the State and an honor to the people. If they have been sometimes built at a prodigal expense, the tax-payers have no one to blame but themselves. The teachers' and contingent funds are determined by the board of directors under certain legal restrictions. These boards are elected annually. except in the independent districts, in which the board may be entirely changed every three years. The only exception to this mode of levying taxes for support of schools is the county school tax, which is determined by the county board of supervisors. The tax is from one to three mills on the dollar, usually, however, but one. Mr. Abernethy, who was superintendent of public instruction from 1872 to 1877, said in one of his reports:
" There is but little opposition to the levy of taxes for the support of schools, and there would be still less if the funds were always properly guarded and judiciously expended. However much our people disagree upon other subjects, they are practically united upon this. The opposition of wealth has long since ceased to exist, and our wealthy men are usually the most liberal in their views, and the most active friends of popular education. They are often found upon our school boards, and usually make the best of school officers. It is not uncommon for boards of directors, especially in the larger towns and cities, to be composed wholly of men who represent the enterprise, wealth and business of their cities.
The following comparative statistics speak in eloquent terms of the extraordinary stride
made in the growth of the common-school sys- tem of lowa from 1849 to 1889, a period of but forty years: 1849-Independent school dis- tricts, 1,005; ungraded schools, 554; average annual session, four months and four days; male teachers, 336; female teachers, 245; aver- age compensation per month-males, $14.53; females, $7.64; persons of school age between five and twenty-one years, 50,082; total scholas- tic enrollment, 17,350; frame and log school- houses, 349; brick, 35; stone, 3; total, 387; valued at $38,506; number of volumes in school libraries, 180; teachers' institutes, 0; total teach- ers' salaries, $24,648; expenditures on school- house grounds, buildings, apparatus and for fuel, etc., $20,090; annual interest of perma- nent school fund, $6,138; total equalized assess- ment of State, $18,509,000. 1889-District townships, 1,188; independent districts, 3,451; sub-districts, 8,768; ungraded schools, 12,088; graded schools, 3,523; average annual session, seven months and fourteen days; male teachers, 5,432; female, 20,361; average compensation per month-males, $37.52; females, $30.37; persons of school age between five and twenty- one years, 649,606; scholastic enrollment, 489,- 229; total average attendance, 304,856; frame school-houses, 11,847; brick, 777; stone, 225; log, 30; total houses, 12,879; valued at $12,- 580,345; number of volumes in school libraries, 74,891; number of teachers, 99; total teachers' salaries, $4,197,165; expenditures on houses, grounds, apparatus, fuel, etc., $2,650,963; an- nual interest of permanent school fund, $263,- 690; total equalized assessment of the State, $522,567,000.
The report of the superintendent of public instruction for the year 1888-89 shows that satisfactory progress has been made in comply- ing with the law of 1886, touching the study and teaching of the effects of alcohol and stimu- lants upon the human system. This instruc-
84
HISTORY OF IOWA.
tion-oral, book, chart, or lecture-is universal throughout the State.
Out of 96,392 children in the State, between the ages of eight and sixteen years, inclusive, 13,077 do not attend schools of any kind.
The following was the amount of permanent school fund in the several counties on the 30th of June, 1889:
Adair
$29,244 69
Jefferson 24.493 33
Adams ..
30,640 74
Johnson. 26,418 40
Allamakee . ..
59,884 58
Jones 34,256 53
Appanoose. . .
24,392 05
Keokuk 24,959 56
Audubon .. .
37,151 45
Kossuth. :7,630 22
Benton ..
36,161 38
Lee. . 25,958 15
Black Hawk ..
18,061 19
Linn. 21,602 10
Boone ..
92.613 58
Louisa 18,789 57
Brenner
49,110 69 9.819 16
Lucas. 22,387 47
Buena Vista. .
53,103 69
Madison.
62,031 22
Butler. .
26,807 34
Mahaska. 22,896 79
Calhoun.
54,065 75
Marion. 47,029 01
Carroll.
15,100 00
Marshall
31,501 07
Cass
51,962 70
Mills.
42,168 85
Cedar.
38,265 43
Mitchell. 12,532 49
Cerro Gordo. .
18,095 79
Monona. .
33,395 51
Cherokee ..
64,967 91
Monroe
57,912 14
Chickasaw
25,130 77
Montgomery .
40,722 96
Clark
42,568 54
Muscatine. .
22,006 68
Clay
44,413 00
O'Brien.
109,439 91
Claytou
42,122 69
Osceola
64,480 75
Clinton
9,910 45
Page.
70,519 44
Crawford.
85,322 09
Palo Alto ..
33,069 23
Dallas
44,083 74
Plymouth
108,666 24
Davis. .
24,928 91
Pocahontas.
62,188 91
Decatur
80,812 15
Polk
44,564 08
Delaware
14,022 07
Pottawattamie
69,244 31
Des Moines. .
44,424 77
Poweshick . . .
59,966 66
Dickinson. . .
26,649 83
Ringgold.
52,367 50
Dubugne. .
11,555 00
Sac .
14,292 43
Emmet.
33,965 47
Scott.
3,002 59
Fayette.
68,523 57
Shelby
18.319 40
Floyd.
29,705 46
Sioux.
108,848 32
Franklin
19,404 35
Story
44,955 97
Fremont
55,718 46
Tama.
38,567 45
Greene.
41,024 58
Taylor
45,092 61
Grundy .
20,443 45
Union.
39,178 46
Guthrie
24,155 07
Van Buren. . .
23,998 53
Hamilton
47.691 53
Wapello
43,373 13
Hancock
20,168 28
Warren .
36,252 18
Hardin. .
35,569 90
Washington
34,737 03
Harrison.
41,081 04
Wayne ... Webster.
45,718 00
Howard
40,868 40
Winnebago .. .
68,195 66
Humboldt.
27,656 46
Winneshiek. .
29,083 93
Ida ..
21,972 00
Woodbury .. .
81,053 00
Iowa ..
81,429 50
Worth.
25,725 00
Jackson
25,160 84
Wright
32,179 83
Jasper
62,549 08
Total
$4,074,326 72
The significance of such facts as these is unmistakable. Such lavish expenditures can
only be accounted for by the liberality and public spirit of the people, all of whom mani- fest their love of popular education and their faith in the public schools by the annual dedi- cation to their support of more than one per cent of their entire taxable property ; this, too, uninterruptedly through a series of years, com- mencing in the midst of a war which taxed their energies and resources to the extreme, and continuing through years of general de- pression in business-years of moderate yield of produce, of discouragingly low prices, and even amid the seanty surroundings and priva- tions of pioneer life. Few human enterprises have a grander significance or give evidence of a more noble purpose than the generous con- tributions from the scanty resources of the pioneer for the purposes of public education.
The educational institutions of the State are as follows: Iowa State University, Iowa City ; Iowa State Agricultural College, Ames; Iowa State College for the Blind, Vinton; Iowa State Institution for Deaf and Dumb, Council Bluffs; Iowa State Industrial School for Boys, Eldora; Iowa State Industrial School for Girls, Mitchell- ville; Iowa State Soldiers' Orphans' Home, Davenport; Iowa State Normal School, Cedar Falls; Iowa State Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children, Glenwood; Amity College, College Springs; Burlington College, Burlington ; Calla- nan College, Des Moines; Central University, Pella; Coe College, Cedar Rapids; Cornell Col- lege, Mount Vernon; Drake University, Des Moines; Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant; Griswold College, Davenport; Iowa College, Grinnell; Lutheran College, Decorah; Oska- loosa College, Oskaloosa ; Parsons College, Fair- field; Penn College, Oskaloosa; Simpson Cente- nary College, Indianola; St. Joseph's College, Dubuque; Tabor College, Tabor; Upper Iowa University, Fayette; University of Des Moines, Des Moines; Western College, Toledo.
66,823 30
Henry.
14,510 07
Lynn 74,732 18
Buchanan. ..
85
C
HISTORY OF IOWA.
CHAPTER X.
THE PAST PROVEN BY THE STATE OF IOWA IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION-RESPONSE TO THE FIRST CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS-WORK DONE BY THE STATE OFFICERS TO FACILITATE THE ENLISTMENT OF TROOPS- THE PROTECTION OF HER OWN BORDER A NECESSITY-ENGAGEMENTS IN WHICH IOWA TROOPS PARTICIPATED-SANITARY WORK DONE BY THE STATE-SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOME- BOUNTY AND DRAFTS-NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS FURNISHED.
The mighty rivals, whose destructive rage Did the whole world in civil arms engage, Are now agreed .- Roscommon.
OWA may well be proud of her record during the war of the Rebellion, from 1861 to 1865. In the promptitude of her responses to the calls made on her by the gen- eral Government, in the courage and constancy of her soldiery in the field, in the wisdom and effi- ciency with which her civil admin- istration was conducted during the trying period covered by the War of the Rebellion, she proved herself the peer of any loyal State. The proclamation of her governor, re- sponsive to that of the President, calling for volunteers to compose her First Regiment, was issued on the fourth day after the fall of Sumter. At the end of only a single week men enough were reported to be in quarters (mostly in the vicinity of their own homes ) to fill the regiment. These, however, were hardly more than a tithe of the number who had been offered by company
commanders for acceptance under the Presi- dent's call. So urgent were these offers that the governor requested (on the 21th of April) permission to organize an additional regiment. While awaiting an answer to this request, he conditionally accepted a sufficient number of companies to compose two additional regi- ments. In a short time he was notified that both of these would be accepted. Soon after the completion of the Second and Third Regi- ments (which was near the close of May), the adjutant-general of the State reported that upward of 170 companies had been tendered to the governor to serve against the enemies of the Union.
Much difficulty and considerable delay occurred in fitting these regiments for the field. For the first infantry a complete outfit (not uniform) of clothing was extemporized-prin- cipally by the volunteered labor of loyal women in the different towns-from material of varions colors and qualities obtained within the limits of the State. The same was done in part for the Second Infantry. Meantime
86
HISTORY OF IOWA.
an extra session of the General Assembly had been called by the governor, to convene on the 15th of May. With but little delay that body anthorized a loan of $800,000, to meet the extraordinary expenses incurred, and to be incurred, by the executive department, in con- sequence of the new emergency. A wealthy merchant of the State (ex-Governor Merrill, then a resident of McGregor) immediately took from the governor a contract to supply a complete outfit of clothing for the three regi- ments organized, agreeing to receive, should the governor so elect, his pay therefor in State bonds at par. This contract he executed to the letter, and a portion of the clothing ( which was manufactured in Boston to his order) was delivered at Keokuk, the place at which the troops had rendezvonsed, in exactly one month from the day on which the contract had been entered into. The remainder arrived ouly a few days later. This clothing was delivered to the regiment, but was subsequently con- demned by the Government, for the reason that its color was gray, and blue had been adopted as the color to be worn by the national troops.
Other States also clothed their troops, sent forward under the call of President Lincoln, with gray nniforms, but it was soon found that the Confederate forces were also clothed in gray, and that color was at once abandoned by the Union troops. If both armies were clothed alike, annoying if not fatal mistakes were liable to be made.
But while engaged in these efforts to dis- charge her whole duty in common with all the other Union-loving States in the great emer- gency, Iowa was compelled to make immediate and ample provision for the protection of her own borders from threatened invasion on the south by the secessionists of Missouri, and from danger of incursions from the west and northwest by bands of hostile Indians, who were
freed from the usual restraint imposed upon them by the presence of regular troops stationed at the frontier posts. These troops were with- drawn to meet the greater and more pressing danger threatening the life of the nation at its very heart.
To provide for the adequate defense of her borders from the ravages of both rebels in arms against the Government, and of the more irresist- ible foes from the western plains, the governor of the State was authorized to raise and equip two regiments of infantry, a squadron of cav- alry (not less than five companies) and a bat talion of artillery (not less than three com- panies). Only cavalry was enlisted for home defense; however in times of special danger, or when calls were made by the Unionists of Northern Missouri for assistance against their disloyal enemies, large numbers of militia on foot often turned out, and remained in the field until the necessity for their service had passed.
The first order for the Iowa Volunteers to move to the field was received on the 13th of June. It was issued by Gen. Lyon, then com- manding the United States forces in Missouri. The First and Second Infantry immediately embarked in steamboats, and moved to Han- nibal. Some two weeks later, the Third Infan- try was ordered to the same point. These three, together with many other of the earlier organized Iowa regiments, rendered their first field service in Missouri. The First Infantry formed a part of the little army with which Gen. Lyon moved on Springfield, and fonght the bloody battle of Wilson's Creek. It re- ceived unqualified praise for its gallant bear- ing on the field. In the following month (Sep- tember), the Third Iowa, with but very slight support, fought with honor the sanguinary en- gagement of Blue Mills Landing ; and in Novem- ber, the Seventh Iowa, as a part of a force com- manded by Gen. Grant, greatly distinguished
87
HISTORY OF IOWA.
itself in the battle of Belmont, where it poured out its blood like water-losing more than half of the men it took into action.
The initial operations in which the battles referred to took place were followed by the more important movements led by Gen. Grant, Gen. Curtis, of this State, and other command- ers, which resulted in defeating the armies de- fending the chief strategic lines held by the Confederates in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas, and compelling their withdrawal from much of the territory previously con- trolled by them in those States. In these and other movements, down to the grand culminat- ing campaign by which Vicksburg was capt- nred and the Confederacy permanently severed on the line of the Mississippi River, Iowa troops took part in steadily increasing num- bers. In the investment and siege of Vicks- burg, the State was represented by thirty reg- iments and two batteries, in addition to which eight regiments and one battery were employed on the outposts of the besieging army. The brilliancy of their exploits on the many fields where they served won for them the highest meed of praise, both in military and civil cir- cles. Multiplied were the terms in which ex- pression was given to this sentiment, but these words of one of the journals of a neighboring State, " The Iowa troops have been heroes among heroes," embody the spirit of all.
In the veteran re-enlistment that distin- guished the closing months of 1863 above all other periods in the history of re-enlistments for the national armies, the Iowa three years' men (who were relatively more numerous than those of any other State) were prompt to set the example of volunteering for another term of equal length, thereby adding many thousands to the great army of those who gave this re- newed and practical assurance that the cause of the Union should not be left without defenders.
In all the important movements of 1864-65, by which the Confederacy was penetrated in every quarter, and its military power finally overthrown, the Iowa troops took part. Their drum-beat was heard on the banks of every great river of the South, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, and everywhere they rendered the same faithful and devoted service, main- taining on all occasions their wonted reputation for valor in the field and endurance on the march.
Two Iowa three-year cavalry regiments were employed during their whole term of service in the operations that were in progress from 1863 to 1866 against the hostile Indians of the west- ern plains. A portion of these men were among the last of the volunteer troops to be mustered out of service. The State also supplied a con- siderable number of men to the navy, who took part in most of the naval operations prosecuted against the Confederate power on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and the rivers of the West.
The people of Iowa were early and constant workers in the sanitary field, and by their liberal gifts and personal efforts for the benefit of the soldiery, placed their State in the front rank of those who became distinguished for their exhibitions of patriotic benevolence dur- ing the period covered by the war. Agents appointed by the governor were stationed at points convenient for rendering assistance to the sick and needy soldiers of the State, while others were employed in visiting, from time to time, hospitals, camps and armies in the field, and doing whatever the circumstances rendered possible for the health and comfort of such of the Iowa soldiery as might be found there.
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