History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 108

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 108
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"The 12th section of the act of Congress establishing our Territory, declares, 'that the citizens of Iowa shall enjoy all the rights, privileges and immunities hereto- fore granted and secured to the Territory of Wisconsin and its inhabitants.' This extends to us all the rights, privileges and immunities specified in the ordinance of Congress of the 13th of July, 1787.

"The 3d article of this ordinance de- clares, 'that religion, morality and knowl- edge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and all means of education shall be forever encouraged.'

"Congress, to carry out this declaration, lias granted one section of land in each township, to the inhabitants of such town- ship for the purposes of schools therein.

"There is no subject to which I wish to call your attention more emphatically than the subject of establishing, at the com- mencement of our political existence, a well digested system of common schools."

This assembly addressed itself early to the task of providing for a system of com- mon schools, and enacted a law providing for the formation of districts, the estab- lishing of schools, and authorized the voters of each district, when lawfully assembled, to levy and collect the neces- sary taxes, "either in cash or good mer- chantable property, at cash price, upon the inhabitants of their respective districts, not exceeding one-half per centum, nor amounting to more than $10 on any one person, to do all and everything necessary to the establishment and support of schools within the same."

The second legislative assembly enacted January 16, 1840, a much more comprehen- sive law to establish a system of common schools-a law containing many excellent features. Its provisions were, however, in advance of the existing public senti- ment, on the subject of education making ample provision as it did for free public schools. Even the people of Iowa were scarcely ready for such a law.

In the United States Census of 1840, very few schools, either private or public,

974

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

were reported. One academy in Scott county, withi twenty-five scholars, and in the State, sixty-three primary and common schools with 1,500 scholars, being the whole number reported.

The first section of the act of 1839, for the establishment of common schools, pro- vided, that, "there shall be established a common school or schools, in each of the counties of 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 pro- viding that "the county board shall, from time to time, form such districts in their respective counties, whenever a petition may be presented for that purpose by a majority of the voters resident within such contemplated district." These dis- tricts were governed by a board of three trustees, whose duties were to examine and employ teachers, superintend the schools, and collect and disburse the taxes voted by the collectors, for school purposes.

Among the earlier enactments of the Territorial Legislature, were those requir- ing that each district maintain at least three months school every year, and that the expenses of the same be raised by taxes levied upon the property of said dis- trict. Among the latter enactments was that providing for a county school tax to be levied to pay teachers, and that what- ever additional sum might be required for this purpose should be assessed upon the parents sending, in proportion to the lenght of time sent. The rate bill system was thus adopted near the close of the territorial period.

When Iowa was admitted into the Union, as a State, December 28, 1846, with

a population of 100,000, and a reported school population of 20,000, about four hundred districts had been organized. From this time the number of districts rapidly increased, reaching 1,000 in 1849, and 1,200 in 1850. In 1857, the number of organized school districts had increased to 3,265. The Hon. Maturin L. Fisher, who then so ably filled the office of super- intendent of public instructions, in his report, dated November, 1857, urged the revision of the school law, and of the reduction in the number of school districts.

The seventh General Assembly again took up the subject of the revision of the school laws, and on the 12th day of March, 1858, passed "An Act for the Public In- struction of the State of Iowa," the first section of which provided that "each civil township in the several counties of this State is hereby declared a school district, for all the purposes of this act, the bound- aries of said township being the bounda- ries of said school district; and eaclı dis- trict as at present organized, shall become a sub-district for the purpose hereinafter provided: Provided, that each incorpora- ted city or town, including the territory annexed thereto, for school purposes, and which contains not less than 1,000 inhab- itants, shall be, and is hereby created a school district." This law took effect March 20th, 1858, and reduced the number of districts from about 3,500 to less than 900.

In December, 1858, a law was enacted providing that any city or incorporated town, including the territory annexed thereto for school purposes, may constitute a school district by vote of the majority of electors residing upon the territory of such

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

975

contemplated district. In 1860 the pro visions of this act were extended to the unincorporated towns and villages contain- ing not less than 300 inhabitants.

By an act passed April 3d, 1866, this privilege was further extended to any city or sub-district containing not less than 200 inhabitants, and certain territory contigu- ous thereto. It soon became evident that by this amendment a serious innovation would be made in the district township system, by the formation of independent districts in the more thickly settled and wealthier portions of the townships. The amendment was repealed early in the ses- sion of the following General Assembly.

Hon. D. F. Wells, in his report, dated December, 1867, says that, "the advanta- ges of the district township system are so numerous and apparent that prominent educators in other States where it is not yet introduced, are laboring earnestly for its adoption."

Hon. A. S. Kissell labored assiduously to secure such a change as would remove the sub-district feature of our system, which has proved a fruitful source of dis- cord and dissatisfaction, and was every year making the system more unpopular as it became more difficult of administration. He desired to abolish the sub-district meet- ing and the office of sub-director, and make each township a single school district, to be governed by a board of directors elected at the annual district township meeting for the term of three years. In his report, dated January 1st, 1872, he says:

In this system every township becomes a shool district, and all sub-district bound- aries are abandoned; and if this plan were carried into effect in this State, it would

allow no other school divisions than thosc of the independent and township dis- tricts.

The most experienced educators of the country have advocated this system. Among these are such men as Horace Mann, United States Commissioner Bar- nard, ex-Governor Boutwell, Dr. Newton Bateman, of Illinois, Dr. Gregory, late Superintendent, of Michigan, and the County and State Superintendents of one third of the States in the Union. The ar- guments advanced by many of these ex- perienced school men are unanswerable. Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have tested the system practically for several years; it is pronounced by these States as . a success, and this successful experiment of three or four years should have greater weight with us in this young and growing commonwealth than any theoretical argu- ments that could be advanced."

Notwithstanding the efforts and array of argument, and the conviction on the part of those who had made a special study of this subject, the General Assembly, which convened January 8, 1872, enacted a law providing for the formation of inde- pendent districts from the sub-districts of a district township. This law has ever been a plague to county superintendents, and several efforts have been made to ef- fect its repeal, but without avail.

Every Governor that Iowa has had has given his warmest approval of the con- mon school system. Governor James W. Grinics, in his inaugural message, Deceni- ber 9, 1854, displays broad statemanship, advanced and liberal views and eminently sound philosophy in the following lan- guage:

976

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

"Government is established for the pro- tection of the governed. But that protec- tion does not consist merely in the enforce- ment of laws against injury to the person and property. Men do not make a volun- tary abnegation of their natural rights, simply that those rights may be protected by the body politic. It reaches more vital interests than those of property. Its great- est object is to elcvate and ennoble the citi- zen. It would fall far short of its design if it did not disseminate intelligence and build up the moral energies of the people. It is organized to establish justice, promote the public welfare and secure the blessings of liberty. It is designed to foster the in- stincts of truth, justice and philanthropy, that are implanted in our very natures, and from which all constitutions and laws de- rive their validity and value. It should afford moral as well as physical protection, by educating the rising generation, by en- couraging industry and sobriety; by stead- fastly adhering to the right; and by being ever true to the instincts of freedom and humanity.

"To accomplish these high aims of gov- ernment, the first requisite is ample provis- ion for the education of the youth of the State. The common school fund of the State should be scrupulously preserved, and ·a more efficient system of common schools than we now have should be adopted. The State should see to it that the elements of education, like the ele- ments of universal nature, are above, around, and bencath all.

"It is agreed that the safety and perpet- uity of our republican institutions depend upon the diffusion of intelligence among the masses of the people. The statistics

of the penitentiaries and alms-houses throughout the country abundantly show that education is the best preventative of pauperism and crime. They show, also, that the prevention of those evils is much less expensive than the punishment of the one, and the relief of the other. Educa- tion, too, is the great equalizer of human conditions. It places the poor on an equal- ity with the rich. It subjects the appetites and passions of the rich to the restraints of reason and conscienee, and thus prepares each for a career of usefulness and honor. Every consideration, therefore, of duty and policy impels us to sustain the schools of the State in the highest possible efficiency."

SCHOOL FUND COMMISSIONER.

When Bremer county came into exis- tence, in 1853, the office of superintendent had not been created. The only school officer was the school fund commissioner who merely had charge of the school funds, to a certain extent the same as has the board of supervisors of to-day. He had authority to make loans of the school funds to private parties upon liberal secur- ity, and most of the mortgages recorded as made in early days were made to him in consideration of the school funds. So far as educational matters were concerned, he had about the same authority as the super- visors now have. In those days, the direc- tors hiring teachers, examined those whom they wished to employ, and public exam- inations were unknown.

The first school fund commissioner was John H. Martin, who was elected in April, 1854, receiving ninety-five out of the one hundred and eighty-one votes cast in the county. His term of office commenced

H. D. Gould

979

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

immediately after the election and expired when his successor qualified, two years later. Mr. Martin came to Bremer county direct from Illinois, about 1841, and lo- cated upon a farm north of Janesville. He was a good man socially, and was well liked by his neighbors. As to education he was somewhat wanting, it being said that he learned to write his name after be- ing elected, and when he did place his signature to a document, it was only by "much sighting and bending." After his term of office expired, he lived in the city for a time, meeting with some misfortune, finally left for Oregon, in which State he now lives. It might be of interest in this connection to state that Martin was de- nominated a "Hard Shell Baptist," and it was his father who erected the "little stone" Baptist church, which is now used as a dwelling, southeast of Waverly.

Thomas Downing was the successor to J. H. Martin as school fund commissioner, his term commencing in April, 1856, and expiring in Angust, 1858.

In 1858, the office of school fund com- missioner was abolished, the duties devolv- ing mostly upon the board of supervisors, and the

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, which office at this time was created. The duties and work of the office was then the same as at the present day, visiting schools, holding examinations, and looking after the interests of educational matters in general.

The first to fill this office was A. K. Moulton, whose term of office began when he was elected, in April, 1858. Moulton was from Great Falls, New Hampshire,

but did not come to Bremer county direct from that place. He brought his family and settled in Sumner township. early in the fifties. He was a man of good educa- tion; was a Free Will Baptist preacher, and had, prior to his coming here, filled the pulpit of his church in Lowell, Massachu- setts. He was considered by all who knew him an honorable upright citizen. For some reason he did not fill out his term as superintendent, only holding until May, 1859.

The vacancy so caused was filled by the appointment of W. W. Norris as superin- tendent of schools, who served during the balance of the term. Norris was very popular, a democrat in politics. It is an evidence of his popularity that he was sub- sequently elected as county treasurer. He was a man of good education and marked ability. Some years ago he went to Illi- nois, where he has had softening of the brain.

At the October election, in 1858, G. T. Sayles was elected superintendent, receiv- ing 456 of the 838 votes polled. His term of office commenced January, 1860, and continued two years. He has left the county.

George R. Dean was Mr. Sayles' succes- sor, and entered upon his duties on the 1st of January, 1862. In 1863, he was re- elected, and served until January, 1866, making a most capable and satisfactory officer.

George R. Dean is a native of Saratoga county, New York, and was born April 18, 1832. He is a son of George and Phæbe (Hooker) Dean, who immigrated to the United States about 1825, settling in Sara- toga county. When George R. was a child

980

1 HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

the family removed to Otsego county, where he received his early education. Subsequently he graduated from the State Normal School at Albany. During the spring of 1856 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Helen V. Chamberlin, who was born in Otsego county, New York, October 24, 1837, and is a daughter of Henry and Emily ( Edson ) Chamberlin. In the spring of 1857 he, with his family, removed to Bremer county, Iowa, and settled in Waverly. In 1863 he was elected mayor of Waverly and has also held other offices of trust.

The next superintendent of schools was Charles B. Roberts, who was elected in the fall of 1865, and took up his duties with the following year, serving two years. He came to Waverly just before the war, and was a school teacher by profession. He had lost one arm through a threshing machine accident. After serving his time as superintendent, for a time he ran the Bremer Hotel at Waverly, and finally re moved with his family to West Union. As an official he was accomodating and effi- cient. His snecessor was J. R. Hall, who was elected in the fall of 1867 and began to discharge the duties of the officein Jan- uary, 1868. He was a son of the Rev. Dr. Hall, of Michigan, and, upon coming to Bremer county, located upon a farm within two miles of the geographical een- ter of the county, and followed agricul- tural pursuits, until elected to office. Af- ter his term had expired he went into the patent right business, peddling various patented articles. In six or seven years hé left for parts unknown.

C. S. Harwood was the next superin- tendent, serving from January, 1870, to

January, 1872. He had come to the county some years prior to this, in company with his father and several brothers, settling in Franklin township. A few years ago he returned to Illinois. Mr. Harwood had a very good education, and was endowed by nature with excellent talents. He was a good teacher-as were all of his brothers and sisters, who made that branch, a business- a hard worker, and an enthusiastic as well as competent and thorough superintendent.

H. H. Burrington succeeded Harwood, and was re-elected his own successor, serv- ing from January, 1872, until January, 1876. Rev. H. H. Burrington was born in Washington county, New York, on the 8th day of May, 1826. He is the son of Henry H., Sr., and Betsy (Wait) Burrington. Henry H., the oldest of five children, was educated in the common schools. He re- ceived his preparative education at Poult- ney Seminary, Vermont. He graduated at Brown's University, Rhode Island, and in 1853 he spent two years at Roches- ter Theological Seminary, where he grad- uated. He was ordained in Burlington, Vermont, December 27, 1855, where he oc- cupied the pulpit for two years. In 1859 he came to Waverly. In 1872 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of public schools of Bremer county, serving the county faithfully for six years. In September, 1855, he was married to Miss Hannah M. Faville, a daughter of Thomas Faville. She was born in Herkimer county, New York, October 8, 1830. Five children blessed this union, four of whom are living-Carrie, Charlie, Mary and Stella. Mr. Burrington was the first reg- ular pastor of the Baptist church of Wa-

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

981

verly, and has always taken an active in- terest in the welfare of the same.

D. C. Chamberlin, the present county superintendent of schools of Bremer county, was born in Otsego county, New York, on the 3d day of November, 1839. He was a son of Heman and Drusilla (Davis) Cham- berlin. There was a family of six child- ren -threc sons and three daughters - four of whom lived to be adults. The sub- ject of this sketch was reared on his father's farm, receiving an academic education, completing the same in 1860, after which he engaged in farming in his native county, working by the month until he went into the army, in 1861. Hc enlisted in the Third New York Artillery, under Colonel Stewart, serving ninetcen months, eight months of the time he was military post- master of the regiment, and for six months, city hospital clerk and steward. At the end of the nineteen months he was mustered out on account of physical disability. He returned to his home in New York, where he remained until 1863. He received an appointment as clerk in one of the military departments at Washington, but after three weeks' trial, was again obliged to give up on account of poor health, and return home. On the 4th of May, 1864, he was married to Miss Delila Hummell, a daughter of Peter Hummnell, who died in defense of the Union, in the hospital, at Newton, North Carolina, in the spring of 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin have one son -George . R. Chamberlin. Mr. Chamberlin taught school in his native county, one term, dur- ing the winter of 1864-5. On the 13th of March, 1865, they left their home in Now York, and cmigrated to Bremer county, Iowa, locating on a farm in Warren town-

ship, where, however, he remained but a short time, when he removed to Waverly. At that time he became connected with the public schools in Waverly, as teacher, which occupation he followed until 1877, having taught twenty-nine terms without losing;a day. This made thirty-four terms that he has taught in all. In the year 1877. he was elected to thic office of county super- intendent of schools, which office he was well-qualified to fill, and the fact that he has continucd in the possession of this office, term after term, is sufficient evidence that he has filled it with credit to himself, and the entire satisfaction of his constitu- ents. And to say that by industry, hard work, and a close application to his duties he has greatly improved the school system, is drawing the picture mildly. Indeed, too much credit cannot be given Mr. Cliam- berlin for the active interest he has taken in bringing the schools of Bremer county to their high standard. He has 125 teach- ers under his charge, visiting them every term, when he thinks it advisable. In pol- itics he is a strong republican; he was city assessor of Waverly for one year, when he resigned; was city superintendent of schools for four years, from 1872 to 1876. He has been a member of the Baptist Church since 1868. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Lodge, No. 116; also a member of the Chapter, No. 24. He was made a Mason, in Waverly, in 1873, and has occupied all the principal offices in the lodge, filling the chair for one year.

THE DEVELOPEMENT.

From thic time of the first settlement of the county, and the time of organization of the first district, the number of school

982

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

districts increased very rapidly, and educational facilities became more and more efficient. Every decade that passed showed a marked contrast to the preceding one.

In 1870, there were between the ages of five and twenty-one, 2,502 males and 2,118 females. There were ninety-five schools in the county, with one graded. There were three brick, eight stone, one log, and seventy-eight frame school houses. Male teachers received an average of $8.01 per week, and females teachers, $5.72. In speaking of educational progress at this time, C. S. Harwood, county superinten- dent, says:

"We have ten per cent. less teachers than when two years ago, or nearly two years, I took charge of these schools; and we are able to-day to pay upon a written examination a very much higher per cent. on a much more severe examina- tion. I think I can safely say that our average qualification has advanced not less than ten per cent.

The most interesting feature of improve- ment is the fact that teachers are more fully awake in a "common-sense inanner, viz: that their pecuniary interests demand better qualification. That demand is ever regulated by supply, and that the world is not indifferent to the results of skilled labor. And the interest that parents and school officers are evincing in our school work, is increasing; where one year ago last spring, a director said to me: "She will do to teach our summer school; we can get her cheap," the same man said to me this spring: "Send us a good teacher, money is no object." And I am fully con- vinced that in many districts of this

county, a known poor teacher cannot get employment at any price, while a known good and faithful one will be secured regardless of cost. This is progress. The laborer is worthy of his hire, and in no department more so than in ours."

With respect to educational work done, the superintendent in his report says:

"I have given almost every moment of my time, and all of my interest to this work. I have visited every school, or very nearly every school, in the county twice, and many more frequently, and have kindly yet firmly, almost invariably, corrected all the errors noticed; have encouraged and commended all the good, and discouraged all the bad; have in fact made school my trade and "worked at my trade." I have held about a dozen Teachers' . Associations in the county- primary object to teach method, Yet in order to teach method, facts must be taught. Results, method, and fact, or fact and method. I cannot tell how much work I have done. I can truly say this: never in my life time did I ever do more hours of work or work more diligently and earnestly, and all my life has been toil. And as regards the work done by other agencies, I can say this: We have fully a score of the ablest, most conscientious, working teachers in the world, and several men on our school boards will do all in their power to fix and sustain a standard of education that is an honor to our State. With the aid of thesc we have been enabled to work up in several parts of our county a genuine enthusiasm, and poor work will not be tolerated, and good work will be well compensated."

983

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

In 1877 the number between the ages of five and twenty-one had increased to 2,883 males and 2,681 females. The old log school house had ceased to be reported. There were then seven stone, eleven brick and eighty-nine frame schoolhouses. H. H. Burrington, in his report to the State Superintendent, has the following:

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 108

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316