History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history, Part 15

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 15

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By an act approved March 19, 1874, normal institutes were established in each county, to be held annually by the county superintendents. This wasregarded a very decided step in advance by Mr. Abernethy, and in 1876 the General Assembly estab- lished 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 the full tide of successful experiment."

The present public school system is ad- mirably organized, and if the various offi- cers who are entrusted with educational interests of the commonwealth continue faithful and competent, should and will constantly improve.

Funds for the support of public schools are derived in several ways. The 16th section of every congressional township was set apart by the General Government for school purposes, being one-thirty-sixth part of all the lands in the State. The minimum price of these lands was fixed at

one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Congress also made an additional donation to the State of 500,000 acres, and an ap- propriation 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 viola- tion of the liquor and criminal laws. The money derived from these sources consti- tutes the permanent 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 col- lected. The proceeds of the sale of these lands and the five per cent. fund go into the State treasury, and the State distributes these proceeds to the several counties accord- ing 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 im- provements 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 per- sons 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 .

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arising from these several sources consti- tutes 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.

The burden of direct taxation is thus lightened, and the efficiency of the schools increased. The taxes levied for the sup- port of the schools are self-imposed. Un- der the admirable school laws of the State, no taxes can be legally assessed or col- lected for the erection of school houses until they have been ordered by the elec- tion of a 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 built some- times 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 instructions. 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 levy- ing 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 dol- lar; usually, however, but one.

In 1881 there were in the State 4,339 school districts, containing 11,244 schools, and employing 21,776 teachers. The average monthly pay of male teachers was $32.50, and of female teachers $27.25. There were 594,730 persons of school age, of whom 431,513 were enrolled in the public schools. The average cost of tuition for each pupil per month was $1.62. The expenditures for all school purposes was

$5,129,819.49. The permanent school fund is now $3,547,123.82, on which the income for 1881 was $234,622.40. In each county a teachers' institute is held annu- ally, under the direction of the county superintendent, the State contributing annually $50 to each of these institutes.

THE STATE UNIVERSITY.

By act of Congress, approved July 20, 1840, the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to "set apart and reserve from sale, out of any of the public lands within the Territory of Iowa not otherwise claimed or appropriated, a quantity of land not ex- ceeding two entire townships, for the use and support of a University within said Territory when it becomes a State." The first General Assembly, therefore, by act approved February 25, 1847, established the "State University of Iowa," at Iowa City, then the Capital of the State. The public buildings and other property at Iowa City, were appropriated to the University, but the legislative sessions and State offices were to be held in them until a permanent location for a Capital was made.

The control and management of the University were committed to a board of fifteen trustees, to be appointed by the Legislature, and five were to be chosen every two years. The Superintendent of Public Instruction was made President of this Board. The organic act provided that the University should never be under the control of any religious denomination whatever; and that as soon as the revenue from the grant and donations should amount to $2,000 a year, the University should commence and continue the instruc- tion, free of charge, of fifty students annu-

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ally. Of course the organization of the University at Iowa City was impracticable, so long as the seat of government was re- tained there.

In January, 1849, two branches of the University and three normal schools were established. The branches were located at Fairfield and Dubuque, and were placed upon an equal footing, in respect to funds and all other matters, with the University at Iowa City. At Fairfield, the Board of Directors organized and erected a building at a cost of $2,500. This was nearly de- stroyed by a hurricane the following year, but was rebuilt more substantially by the citizens of Fairfield. This branch never received any aid from the State, and, Jan- uary 24, 1853, at the request of the Board, the General Assembly terminated its rela- tion to the State. The branch at Dubuque had only a nominal existence.

The normal schools were located at An- drew, Oskaloosa and Mt. Pleasant. Each was to be governed by a Board of seven Trustees, to be appointed by the Trustees of the University. Each was to receive $500 annually from the income of the Uni- versity fund, upon condition that they should educate eight common-school teach- ers, free of charge for tuition, and that the citizens should contribute an equal sum for the erection of the requisite buildings. The school at Andrew was organized No- vember 21, 1849, with Samuel Ray as Principal. A building was commenced, and over $1,000 expended on it, but it was never completed. The school at Oskaloosa was started in the court house, September 13, 1852, under the charge of Prof. G. M. Drake and wife. A two-story briek build- ing was completed in 1853, costing $2,473.

The school at Mt. Pleasant was never or- ganized. Neither of these schools received any aid from the University fund, but in 1857 the Legislature appropriated $1,000 for each of the two schools, and repealed the laws authorizing the payment to them of money from the University fund. From that time they made no further effort to continue in operation.

From 1847 to 1855, the Board of Trus- tees was kept full by regular elections by the Legislature, and the trustees held fre- quent meetings, but there was no actual organization of the University. In March, 1855, it was partially opened for a term of 16 weeks. July 16, 1855, Amos Dean, of Albany, N. Y., was elected President, but he never entered fully upon its duties. The University was again opened in Sep- tember, 1855, and continued in operation until June, 1856, under Professors John- son, Welton, Van Valkenburg and Griffin.

The faculty was then re-organized, with some changes, and the University was again opened on the third Wednesday of September, 1856. There were 124 students (83 males and 41 females) in attendance during the years 1856-7, and the first regu- lar catalogue was published.

At a special meeting of the Board, Sep- tember 22, 1857, the honorary degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred on D. Franklin Wells. This was the first degree conferred by the University.

The new constitution, adopted in 1857, definitely fixed the Capital at DesMoines, the State University at Iowa City, and pro -. vided that it should have no branches. In December of that year, the old capitol building was turned over to the Trustees of the University. In 1858, $10,000 were

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appropriated for the erection of a board- ing hall. The Board closed the University April 27, 1858, on account of insufficient funds, and dismissed all the faculty except Chancellor Dean. At the same time a res- olution was passed excluding females. This was soon after reversed by the General Assembly.

The University was re-opened Septem- ber '19, 1860, and from 'this date the real existence of the University datcs. Mr. Dean had resigned before this, and Silas Totten, D.D., LL.D., was elected President, at a salary of $2,000. August 19, 1862, he resigned, and was succeeded by Prof. Oli- ver M. Spencer. President Spencer was granted leave of absence for fifteen months to visit Europe. Prof. Nathan R. Leonard was elected President pro tem. President Spencer resiguing, James Black, D. D., Vice-President of Washington and Jeffer- son College, Penn., was elected President. He entered upon his duties in September, 1868.

The Law Department was established in June, 1868, and, soon after, the Iowa Law School, at DesMoines, which had been in successful operation for three years, was transferred to Iowa City and merged in the department.

The Medical Department was established in 1869. Since April 11, 1870, the gov- ernment of the University has been in the bands of a Board of Regents.

Dr. Black resigned in 1870, to take effect December 1; and March 1, 1871, Rev. George Thatcher was elected Presi- dent.

In June, 1874, the chair of military instruction was established, and Lieuten- ant A. D. Schenk, Second Artillery, U. S.

A., was detailed by the President of the United States as Professor of Military Science and Tactics.

In June, 1877, Dr. Thatcher's connection with the University was terminated, and C. W. Slagle was elected President. He was succeeded in 1878 by J. L. Pickard, LL. D., who is the present incumbent.

The University has gained a reputation as one of the leading institutions of the West, and this position will doubtless be maintained. The present educational corps consists of the following, besides President Pickard: in the Collegiate De- partment, nine professors and six in- structors, including the Professor of Mili- tary Science; in the Law Department, a chancellor, two professors and four lec- turers; in the Medical Department, eight professors and ten assistant professors and lecturers.

No preparatory work is done in the University, but different high schools in the State, with approved courses of study, are admitted as preparatory departments of the University, whose graduates are ad- mitted without examination. Common schools, high schools and university are thus made one connected system.

The present number of students in the Collegiate Department is: males, 163; females, 69; total, 232; in Law Depart- ment, 140; in Medical Department, 195.

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

This is located at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk county, and was opened in 1876. The institution trains teachers for our schools, and is doing excellent, though limited, work. What is wanted is more

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room and increased facilities of every kind. Other institutions of a similar kind should also be established throughout the State.

STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. -

The State Agricultural College and Farm were established by act of the Gen- eral Assembly, approved March 23, 1858. The farm was located in Story, county, at Ames. In 1862 Congress granted to Iowa 240,000 acres of land for the endowment of schools of agriculture and the mechani- cal arts. In 1864 the Assembly voted $20,000 for the erection of the college building. In 1866 $91,000 more were appropriated for the same. purpose. The building was completed in 1868, and the institution was opened in the following year. The college is modeled to some extent after Michigan Agricultural Col- lege.

Tuition is free to pupils from the State over sixteen years of age. Students are required to work on the model farm two and a half hours each day. The faculty is of a very high character, and the institu- tion one of the best of its kind. Sale of spirits, wine and beer as a beverage is for- bidden by law within three miles of the college. The current expenses of this institution are paid by the income from the permanent endowment. A. S. Welch, LL. D., is President, and is assisted by twelve professors and eight instructors. Whole number of students admitted, 2,600; present number, 240. The college farm consists of 860 acres, of which 400 are under cultivation.

Besides the State University, State Agricultural College and State Normal

School, ample provision for higher edu- cation has been made by the different religious denominations, assisted by local and individual munificence. There are, exclusive of State institutions, 23 universi- ties and colleges, 111 academies and other private schools. All these are in active operation, and most of them stand high. A list of the universities and colleges, and a brief notice of each, is herewith given:

Amity College is located at College Springs, Page county. S. C. Marshall is President. There are 6 instructors and 225 students.

Burlington University is located at Bur- lington, Des Moines county. E. F. Stearns is President of the faculty. There are 5 instructors and 63 students.

Callanan College is located at Des Moines, Polk county. There are 14 in the faculty, of which C. R. Pomeroy is Presi- dent, and 188 students are enrolled.

Central University is located at Pella, Marian county. It is an institution of the Baptist denomination. Rev. G. W. Gard- ner is President of the faculty, which numbers 7. There are 196 students.

Coe College is located at Cedar Rapids, Linn county. S. Phelps is President. There are 10 in the faculty and 100 students.

Cornell College is located at Mt. Vernon, Linn county, and is under the control of the M. E. Church. W. F. King is Presi- . dent. There are 20 instructors and 400 -

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students. This college is one of the highest in character, and has a large at- tendance.

Drake University is located at Des Moines, Polk county. G. T. Carpenter is President, and is ably assisted by 25 in- structors. There are 125 students.

Griswold College is located at Daven- port, Scott County, and is under the control of the Episcopal Church. W. S. Perry is President. There are 7 instructors and 80 students.

Iowa College is located at Grinnell, Po- weshiek county. G. F. Magoun is Presi- dent. There are 14 instructors and 359 students. The institution is one of the leading colleges in Iowa, and is perma- nently endowed.

Iowa Wesleyan University is located at Mt. Pleasant, Henry county,. W. J. Spaulding is President. There are 6 in the faculty, and over 160 students in at- tendance. The University is under the auspices of the M. E. Church, and enjoys a high degree of prosperity.

Luther College is situated in Decorah, Winneshiek county. L. Larson is Presi- dent of the faculty, which numbers 10. There are 165 students in attendance.

Clin College is located at Olin, Jones county. C. L. Porter is President.

Oskaloosa College is situated in Oska- loosa, Mahaska county. G. H. McLaugh- lin is President. The faculty numbers 5,

and the students 190. The college stands very high.

Penn College is situated in Oskaloosa, Mahaska county. B. Trueblood is Presi- dent of the faculty, which numbers 5. There are 175 students in attendance.

Simpson Centenary College is located at Indianola, Warren county. E. L. Parks is President. There are 9 instructors and 150 students.

Tabor College is located at Tabor, Fre- mont county. Wm. M. Brooks is Presi- dent. The college was modeled after Oberlin college, in Ohio. The faculty consists of 6, and there are 109 students.

Upper Iowa University is located at Fayette, Fayette county, and is under the control of the M. E. Church. Rev. J. W. Bissell is President. There are 11 instruc- tors and 350 students. This University stands very high among the educational institutions of the State.

University of Des Moines, at DesMoines, has 5 instructors and 80 students.

Whittier College was established at Salem, Henry county, by the Friends. J. W. Coltrane is President. There are 4 instructors and 105 students.

Riverside Institute .- This school is located at Lyons, on a beautiful elevation overlooking the Mississippi river." Rev. W. T. Currie is the Principal of this Academy.

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE.

By an act of the Legislature of Iowa, approved January 24, 1855, the Iowa Insti- tute for the Deaf and Dumb was estab- lished at Iowa City.

In 1866 a great effort was made to re- move the Institute to DesMoines; but it was finally permanently located at Council® Bluffs, and the school opened in a rented building. In 1868 Commissioners were to locate a site, and superintend the erection of new building, for which the Legisla- ture appropriated $125,000. The Com- missioners selected 90 acres of land two miles south of the city.

In October, 1870, the main building and one wing were completed and occupied. In February, 1877, fire destroyed the main building and east wing, and during the summer following a tornado blew off the roof of the new west wing and the walls were partially demolished. About 150 pupils were in attendance at the time of the fire. After that, half of the class were dismissed, and the number of pupils re- duced to 70.

The present officers are: B. F. Clayton, President, Macedonia, term expires in 1886; A. Rogers, Secretary, term expires 1884; John H. Stubenranch, term expires in 1884. The county superintendent of schools annually reports all persons of school age that are deaf and dumb; also those too deaf to acquire learning in the common schools. The cost per pupil is $28 per quarter, and is paid by the parents or guardian; but when unable to do so, the expense is borne by the respective county. The regular appropriation is $11,000 per annum, drawn quarterly. Parents and

guardians are allowed to clothe their children.

The whole number admitted to the Institution is 621. Present number, 221. Last biennial appropriation, $27,839.

. COLLEGE FOR THE BLIND.

The first person to agitate the subject of an Institute for the Blind was Prof. Sam- uel Bacon, himself blind, who, in 1852, established a school of instruction at Keokuk. The next ycar the Institute was adopted by the State, and moved to Iowa City, by act of the Legislature, approved January 18, 1853, and opened for the re- ception of pupils, April 4, 1853. During the first term 23 pupils were admitted. Prof. Bacon, the Principal, made his first report in 1854, and suggested that the name be changed from "Asylum for the Blind" (which was the name first adopted) to that of " Institution for the Instruction of the Blind." This change was made in 1855, and the Legislature made an annual appropriation of $55 per quarter for each pupil; afterward this appropriation was changed to $3,000 per annum.

Prof. Bacon was a fine scholar, an eco- nomical manager, and in every way adapted to his position. During his administration the institution was, in a great measure, self-supporting by the sale of articles manufactured by the blind pupils. There was also a charge of $25 as an admission fee for each pupil. Prof. Bacon founded the Blind Asylum at Jacksonville, Illinois.

In 1858 the citizens of Vinton, Benton county, donated a quarter section of land and $5,000 for the establishment of the asylum at that place. On the 8th of May,

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that same year, the trustees met at Vinton and made arrangements for securing the donation, and adopted a plan for the erec- tion of a suitable building. In 1860 the contract for enclosing was let to Messrs. Finkbine and Lovelace, for $10,420. In Angust, 1862, the goods and furniture were removed from Iowa City to Vinton, and in the fall of the same year the school was opened with 24 pupils.

The institution has been built at a vast expenditure of money, much greater than it seemed to require for the number of occupants. The Legislative Committee, who visited the college in 1878, expressed their astonishment at this utter disregard of the fitness of things. They could not understand why $282,000 should have been expended for a massive building for the accommodation of only 130 people, costing the State over $5,000 a year to heat it, and about $500 a year for each pupil.

The present officers are: Robert Car- others, Superintendent; T. F. McCune, Assistant Superintendent; Trustees: Jacob Springer, President; M. II. Westbrook, J. F. White, C. O. Harrington, W. II. Leavitt, S. H. Watson. Whole number of occupants, 436. Present number, males, 36; females, 50, Salary of superintendent, $1,200; assistant, $700; trustees, $4.00 per day and mileage. Annual appropriation, $8,000, and $128 per year allowed for each pupil. Annual meeting of trustees in June. Biennial appropriation in 1880, $3,000.

IOWA HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

The Iowa Hospital for the Insane was established by an act of the Legislature, approved January 24, 1855. Gov. Grimes,

Edward Johnson, of Lee county, and Chas. S. Blake, of Henry county, were appointed . to locate the institution and superintend the erection of the building; $4,425 were appropriated by the Legislature for the site, and $500,000 for the building. The commissioners located the institution at Mount Pleasant, Henry county, and a plan of the building was drawn by Dr. Bell, of Massachusetts. The building was designed to accommodate 300 patients, and in Octo- ber work commenced, superintended by Henry Winslow. The Legislature had appropriated $258,555.67 before it was completed. One hundred patients were admitted within three months. In April, 1876, a portion of the building was de- stroyed by fire. From the opening of the Hospital to the close of October, 1877, there were admitted 8,684 patients. Of these, 1,141 recovered, 505 were improved, 589 were discharged unimproved, and 1 died. During this period 1,384 of the pa- tients were females.

The trustees are elected by the Legisla- ture, and all officers are chosen by the trustees. Superintendents are chosen for six years. Dr. Ranney was first chosen in 1865; salary, $2,000 annual. Whole number of patients admitted, 4,598; present num- ber males, 298; present number females, 235. Trustees paid $5 per day and mile- age, not to exceed 30 days each year. Annual meeting, first Wednesday in Octo- ber; quarterly, January, April and Sep- tember.

Present officers are: Mark Ranney, M. D., Superintendent; H. M. Bassett, M.D., J. P. Brubaker, M.D., and Max Witte, M.D., assistant physicians.

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, AT INDEPEND- ENCE.

The Legislature of 1867-8 adopted meas- ures providing for an additional hospital for the insane, and an appropriation of $125,- 000 was made for that purpose. Maturin L. Fisher, of Clayton county, E. G. Mor- gan, of Webster county, and Albert Clark, of Buchanan county, were appointed com- missioners to locate and superintend the erection of a building. These commis- sioners commenced their labors June 8, 1868, at Independence. They were author- ized to select the most desirable location, of not less than 320 acres, within two miles of the city of Independence, that might be offered by the citizens free of charge. They finally selected a site on the west side of the Wapsipinicon river, about a mile from its banks, and about the same distance from Independence. The contract for building was awarded to David Arm- strong, of Dubuque, for $88,114. It was signed November 7, 1868, and work was immediately commenced. George Josse- lyn was appointed superintendent of the work. The first meeting of the trustees was called in July, 1872. At the Septem- ber meeting, Albert Reynolds, M. D., was elected Superintendent of the Hospital; George Josselyn, Steward, and Mrs. Anna B. Josselyn, Matron.

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Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918