History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 87

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042

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At the first meeting after the incorporation, F. Emerson Judd was chosen principal of the preparatory department, and shortly after Prof. D. S. Shel- don formerly a professor in Iowa college was secured for the Griswold faculty. Here Prof. Sheldon spent many useful, self sacrificing, arduous years. His residence on the southwest corner of Twelfth and Main streets now holds the

ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND SCIENCE HALL

ST. AMBROSE COLLEGE

FIRST HOME OF IOWA COLLEGE Now residence of Oswald Schmidt. 517 West Seventh Street

IOWA COLLEGE-LATER GRISWOLD COLLEGE Site now occupied by Davenport High School

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rooms of the Board of Education of the public schools, the superintendent's and secretary's offices.

The financial obligation Bishop Lee incurred in the purchase of ground and buildings from Iowa college he discharged to the penny, almost altogether by funds secured from wealthy eastern friends. It was in 1861 that the convention voted to open a theological department and to request the two Davenport rectors to give instruction therein. The number of pupils this year was sixty-two and this department became self sustaining. In 1864 all debts had been paid and the school was prospering and meeting expenses. Rev. Horatio Powers was president of the collegiate department, and the board of trustees contained such influential Daven- port citizens as Ebenezer Cook, John P. Cook, John E. Henry, and Rev. Alfred Louderback.

The next year 107 students were in attendance. A beautiful and commodious chapel was erected on the west block, costing $4,000. Lee hall was also erected and became the home of the bishop until his residence on the Brady street side of the cathedral close was ready for occupancy.

Endowments were being constantly secured from eastern friends of Bishop Lee. David J. Ely gave $20,000, and other gifts followed. The Crocker endow- ment reached $22,500, the Anthon fund, $11,500. Catharine Lorillard Wolfe was munificent in her benefactions and in her honor the stone building was named Wolfe hall.

In 1867 Rev. S. R. J. Hoyt was chosen principal of the primary department and the trustees set aside a strip of land 100 feet wide in the east block for the build- ing of the edifice first known as the bishop's church, then Grace cathedral and now Trinity cathedral.

In 1868 President Powers resigned and Prof. Sheldon assumed control tem- porarily, to be succeeded by Prof. Edward Lounsberry. The students numbered 108. The library boasted 4,000 volumes. That year the first class graduated from the theological department and were ordained deacons by Bishop Lee.

Four years later a fund of $100,000 had been collected for the cathedral and an additional $20,000 for a residence for the bishop which was erected on the southeast corner of the cathedral close. In his annual address for 1873 Bishop Lee said, "The new and beautiful diocesan church is now nearly completed and will soon be consecrated to the worship and service of the Triune God. The church was commenced six years ago, and its erection has involved more labor and expense than was originally anticipated, though it has been a slight burden on the diocese itself, less than $10,000 having been contributed in Iowa for this object."

In 1872 financial difficulties necessitated the temporary suspension of the col- legiate department. Bishop Lee died September 26, 1874, and for the next two years Griswold college had no episcopal head. Then came Rev. William Stevens Perry, president of Hobart college, Geneva, New York, consecrated to the epis- copate in September, 1876.

During the existence of this college begun in promise which ran its course and is now but a memory permanent property to the amount of $200.000 was secured, more than half coming from the east; the graduates from the collegiate department were counted by scores, pupils numbering into the thousands took

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advantage of the instruction in the preparatory department and the graduates of the theological department were at one time laboring in thirteen American dioceses and as missionaries in foreign lands. The good accomplished by this in- stitution fully repaid the toil and investment. It is a matter of regret that its usefulness could not have been continued. The scholastic spirit and devotion to educational ideals which characterized Iowa college and Griswold college have descended as a heritage of priceless value to the people's college, the new public high school which occupies the site of Wolfe hall. For over half a century this spot has been set apart and consecrated to education, and has been preserved for future generations, for their culture and improvement.

KEMPER HALL.

It was about 1884 that the trustees of Griswold college planned a school for boys. It was to be a military school of high grade and was to be for the boys of the Episcopal diocese a place of instruction and training for useful citizenship. Plans were prepared by E. S. Hammatt, architect, and a contract let for a three story building of red sandstone and pressed brick. The corner stone was laid in 1885 by the Masonic grand lodge of Iowa.

When the building was completed it was opened by exercises of formal dedi- cation and reception. The school which was successfully launched in September, 1886, was named Kemper hall, in honor of Jackson Kemper, the missionary bishop of this jurisdiction. The school attracted many students and the neat cadet gray Kemper uniforms were a feature of younger Davenport social life. The school continued with varying success and occasional changes under the direction of the board of trustees until 1893. At the July meeting of the trustees of that year both Kemper and Wolfe halls were leased to Messrs. Hamilton and Von Binzer. The financial condition of the school did not improve and in June, 1894, the build- ings were leased to Prof. H. K. Coleman, who conducted the school for a year. In December, 1895, Kemper hall closed as a diocesan school. At the transfer of the Griswold property to the school district of Davenport the Kemper hall property representing an investment of not less than $65,000 went with the re- mainder and now is used as a private hotel, primarily for instructors in the schools and incidentally for others.

SCHOOLS FOR GIRLS.

The American ambition to render cultured and accomplished the daughters of the home is nothing of recent birth. Early in the history of this city it made pos- sible the establishing for girls of educational institutions of greater or less pre- tensions. There was the school of the Misses O'Hara, that of the Misses Lyons, and Mrs. Lindley's school ; the Davenport Female college, opened at Front and Brady streets in 1857 by Z. M. Smith, president, the Ladies college on Mt. Ida and the Davenport Female university. To this latter school much space is given in the earliest Davenport directory, that of 1855. And no wonder. Its three de- partments already opened are noted, its sixteen professorships-contemplated- the eighteen varieties of diploma which were in reach of the industrious. It was

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

a promising school, for "the sciences and letters, the principal professions of the sex and several trades are embraced in the scheme." The scheme was all right, but where is that university now? In the words of Hans Breitmann, it has glim- mered away into the ewigkeit.

The ladies college situated on Mt. Ida and founded by T. H. Codding and Mrs. M. A. Codding reached a greater fame. The building was erected by the tireless A. C. Fulton, "wizard of East Davenport," in his territory east of Bridge avenue from brick burned on the spot. The handsome structure, remodeled, is now the residence of A. J. Preston. This institution gave the name of College avenue to the thoroughfare immediately on the east.

In 1857 the Coddings relinquished the school to Mr. and Mrs. Tooke who were the "principal and adj. principal." Miss Matie Tooke was the teacher of music. A May, 1858, issue of the Davenport Weekly News contains a commencement program of this school which is entirely modern in arrangement and scope. At this time the school was prosperous with three score of young women from Iowa and neighboring states receiving the best instruction. In 1859 the demon of debt which had clouded the classic portals with its shadow entered into its own, and another Davenport school founded in the rainbow hues of hope went down in the darkness of disappointment.

EARLY EDUCATION IN BUSINESS.

W. V. Barr was the pioneer in the commercial field in Davenport. He came from Cincinnati and opened Barr's Commercial college in 1855. A year later Joseph C. Lopez, of Alabama, a civil engineer, became a partner. January. 1857, Mr. Barr died and the school of twenty students passed under Mr. Lopez' control. A month after Mr. Barr's death W. H. Pratt came to Davenport to open a business college, having experience in teaching writing and book-keeping. He found the opportunity ready to join with Mr. Lopez and did so, buying a half interest The school was then incorporated as the Davenport Commercial college. In 1859 Mr. Pratt became sole proprietor and incorporated with his school .by purchase Davis & Tipton's Commercial college which had been founded a year and a half previously. By 1864 the school had grown to an attendance of seventy- five pupils. The teaching and business management was in the hands of Mr. Pratt and his daughter. In 1865 Mr. Pratt entered into an arrangement with Wor- thington & Warner by which the school became one of a chain of colleges under one management. In the fall of 1865 the fixtures and good will were sold to Bryant, Stratton & Merrill, and was conducted under the management of Mr. Merrill.

In 1867 the institution was purchased by Iles & Montague. After the death of Mr. Iles, Mr. Curtis then of the Bryant & Stratton college at Burlington joined Mr. Montague. Soon after, this pioneer business college changed hands and finally closed its doors.

ST. AMBROSE COLLEGE.

This institution was founded in 1882 by Rt. Rev. John McMullen, D. D., first bishop of Davenport, and was incorporated October 6, 1885, under the laws of the

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state of Iowa, and is empowered to confer the usual academic honors. This in- stitution prepares for professional schools and fits for business life. The college is located in the northern part of the city, on Locust street, between Scott street and Western avenue. Although within the corporate limits the college is so far removed from the noise and bustle of business life that studies are uninterrupted.

The first three years of its life St. Ambrose was located in a portion of the cathedral school buildings at Twelfth and Iowa streets. It has occupied its present site since 1885, when the main or central part of the present building was first completed. The growth which the college has enjoyed from the beginning has necessitated the erection of three additions, the first costing $20,000, the second $30,000, the third, $60,000. The entire building is four stories in height and has a frontage of 300 feet. It contains class rooms, laboratories, an auditorium, gym- nasium, dormitories, and has a library of 5,000 volumes, and a museum contain- ing many geological and botanical specimens. In short, the building is well sup- plied with everything necessary for thorough and successful study and instruction in the different courses of study which receive attention.

The building is situated in the midst of a beautiful ten-acre grove of majestic oaks. The grounds are well laid out and afford ample opportunity for outdoor sports and athletics.

There are three courses of study, the academic, the collegiate and the com- mercial. These attract students in goodly number and from a wide territory. Literary societies, dramatic societies, with the college band and orchestra add to the enjoyment of the student body.

The presidents of St. Ambrose college have been as follows: Very Rev. A. J. Schulte, V. F., 1882 to 1891 ; Very Rev. J. T. A. Flannagan, V. G., from 1891 to 1907; Very Rev. William P. Shannahan, from 1907 to the present time.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY.

The first school for the higher instruction of girls to be opened in Davenport under the auspices of the Roman Catholic church, was St. Philomena's academy, dating back to 1845, and opened in connection with Father Pelamourgues' school at St. Anthony's church, corner of Fourth and Main streets, by the Sisters of Charity of the B. V. M. The patrons of the school were in humble circum- stances and through lack of financial support the school was discontinued in 1847.

In 1855 five sisters returned to Father Pelamourgues, among them Sister M. Agatha, the present superior at St. Anthony's school. The same year Judge G. C. R. Mitchell offered the Rev. T. J. Donoghoe ten acres of land in North- west Davenport as a site for a boarding academy. The gift was accepted the following year and it was agreed to erect an academy upon the land and to call the school the Immaculate Conception academy.

Circumstances beyond his control prevented Father Donoghoe from erect- ing the building until two years had passed. Then a two story brick building with a one story chapel wing was built and the sisters opened the school, July 15, 1859, on the present site of Mercy hospital. When the location was utilized for hospital purposes, the academy building built upon and added to became

ACADEMY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

ST. KATHARINE'S HALL. DAVENPORT

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the nucleus of the present handsome array of buildings of Mercy hospital. The sister superior of the school, Sister Mary Margaret with thirteen sisters assist- ing, constituted the first faculty, of which three are still living.

After two years of hardship in this location the institution was moved into the city that it might be of more ready access to the day pupils. The former residence of Mayor George B. Sargent, now the home of E. H. Ryan, on Brady street, near Eighth, was rented and the school transferred thereto in 1861. Here it remained until 1866, when the residence of R. B. Hill, Main and Eighth streets was purchased and the school brought to this new and handsome loca- tion. Here it has remained and grown and prospered until the present time.

The earliest additional building was a frame structure, which provided music studios and an auditorium. In 1884 the present main school building was erected. In 1906 a new and handsome edifice joining the main building on the north replaced the old frame conservatory building, giving additional room for instruction in science and a modern gymnasium. In 1909, jubilee year, the old R. B. Hill residence went into the hands of the builders and will emerge from the transformation a handsome addition to the architectural group of structures, being connected with the main building on the south. The present sister supe- rior is Sister Mary Editha.

The buildings are elegant and commodious and were designed with especial view to the health, comfort and pleasure of the pupils. Though in the heart of the city the location of the Immaculate Conception academy is retired and beautiful.

The course of study very full and complete, is planned for twelve years, if the pupils begin in the primary department, and four years if they begin in the academic department. There is the full complement of the practical and cul- tural studies and especial attention is given to art and music.

While there is systematic religious instruction in the school, no undue in- fluence is exercised over the religious opinions of non-Catholic pupils.

The school has a large patronage, not only from the city, but also from this and neighboring states.

ST. KATHARINE'S HALL.

It was in the summer of 1883 when Bishop William Stephens Perry of the diocese of Iowa met a number of representative citizens at the Board of Trade rooms on Second street to lay before them his plans for the founding of a school for young ladies. Other meetings were held and in 1884 the matter had prog- ressed to the selection of a location, the beautiful home of Mrs. John L. Davies, Cambria place, on the eminence known in early days as Plynlimmon heights, this being considered the ideal place for the school. A committee of the Griswold college trustees, consisting of the bishop, J. J. Richardson, D. B. Nash and N. P. Richardson, was appointed and the property secured. St. Katharine's hall began to have a distinct entity.

The purchase of this property anticipated the receipt of some $40,000 the bequest of Miss Sarah Burr of New York for the founding of a girls' school in the diocese of Iowa. After Miss Burr's death the estate became in-

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volved in litigation and it was not until 1889 that the legacy became available by which time it had grown to $50,400.

From its foundation the progress of the diocesan school, St. Katharine's hall, has been steady and sure. Every year has shown a gain in some respect. The school was peculiarly forunate in early years in having at his head a woman of rare ability, of exceptional educational preparation, personal influence and business sagacity. Given large discretion by the trustees she was for years not only the principal teacher, but the executive head and guarded the material in- terests of this school with the same thoroughness that she planned the course of study. September 24, 1884, St. Katharine's hall was formally opened. June 19, 1888, the first commencement exercises were held. March 29, 1888, the new telescope was installed and the Belle Richardson observatory added to the school plant. The corner stone of the beautiful school chapel bearing the name St. Mary's was laid in October, 1902 and the following February, the chapel was dedicated. At the same time the fine gymnasium building was completed and added to the group of edifices, which now bear the name of St. Katharine's. In 1907, October 31, Mrs. Helen G. Renwick transferred to the school her hand- some stone residence and five acres adjoining. By this purchase the grounds of the school were greatly enlarged and given ample frontage on Tremont avenue.

Miss Rice resigned the principalship in 1899 and became Mrs. J. J. Richard- son. She was succeeded by Miss Mary Frances Buffington, B. A., Vassar, who resigned after three years of faithful and successful work. In the spring of 1902, the trustees on the advice of Bishop Morrison transferred the manage- ment of the school to the Sisters of St. Mary, who were successfully conducting four other schools in different parts of the country. They are now in charge and it is the intention that they shall so continue.

From the beginning the school has aimed at a high standard of scholarship. The course of study is broad and prepares for the institutions of high grade. The graduates are accredited to such schools for girls as Smith, Wellesley, Vas- sar and Bryn Mawr. Much attention is given in the school to art and music.

SCHOOLS IN SCOTT COUNTY.

The county of Scott has always had reason to be proud of her schools. They have been well provided with suitable buildings, with the best teachers that good salaries could attract, and have been held for more months in the year than is the average in Iowa. Scott county has been among those Iowa counties that pay the best salaries to teachers.

In Scott county there are seventy-seven subdistricts, thirteen school town- ships, nineteen rural independent districts and ten city, town and village inde- pendent districts. The number of rooms in the rural schools is 101, the number of rooms in the graded schools 229. The average number of months Scott county schools are kept open is nine and eight-tenths.

At the latest date when information could be secured the total enrollment was 11,038. The number of schoolhouses in the county is 125, having a value of $1,039,868. The value of school apparatus is $15,904; the number of vol- umes in the libraries 15,408. In the school year of 1906-7, the money received

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volved in litigation and it was not until 1889 that the legacy became available by which time it had grown to $50,400.

SCHOOLS IN SCOTT COUNTY.

J. B. YOUNG

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from all sources for the support of the Scott county schools totals $259,913.08, a goodly investment in good citizenship for the future.

J. B. YOUNG, FOR THIRTY-NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS CONNECTED WITH THE PUB- LIC SCHOOLS OF DAVENPORT.

J. B. Young was born in the town of Duane, Franklin county, New York, July 15, 1833. Both of his parents were of Scotch-Irish descent. The town was an unbroken wilderness, situated in the northern foothills of the Adirondack mountains. It was a bleak and inhospitable land. His father was among the first settlers. Owing to the sparseness of population and the remoteness of dwellings from each other, no public schools were established or maintained for several years. The only schooling the boy had until he was in his twenty-first year was a term of four months in a country school in another town, when he was in his seventh year. All the intervening years were spent in hard work on the farm. The last four winters of his stay at home he spent in buying hay, grain and other supplies and hauling them by team to iron works and lumber shanties in the mountains, forty to sixty miles distant. In this traffic he was led to realize the need of more education than he then had in order to do business understandingly. Consequently, in the fall of his twenty-first year, after having secured the consent of his parents, he bade goodby to the old home and obtained a place with a farmer twelve miles distant and near the village of Malone, to do chores for his board and attend the school in the district the following winter. At the end of a four months' term he made agreement with another farmer near by to work for him on his farm for the ensuing eight months, at $12.50 a month, the purpose in mind being to do chores for his board the next winter and go to school, and then perhaps spend some time in study at the academy, which was situated in the village near by. When half the time of his farm engagement had expired his employer, knowing his intentions for the next winter, proposed to him that he discontinue work for him, hire a room in the village for lodging and self- boarding, attend the fall term of the academy and thus teach school the next winter, instead of spending it in another term in the district school, and so save time. Mr. Young hesitated as to his ability to teach on account of so limited knowledge, but finally accepted and acted upon the proposition. At the close of the term he secured the position of teacher of a small school in an adjoining town for three months, at a salary of $13 a month and board round. He had good success, notwithstanding his fears as to his insufficient education.

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History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 87

Author: Downer, Harry E Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042