USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 15
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Elliott W. Rice, Colonel 7th Infantry, from June 20, 1864.
Wm. W. Belknap, Colonel 5th Infantry, from July 30, 1864.
John Edwards, Colonel 18th Infantry, from September 26, 1864.
James A. Williamson, Colonel 4th Infantry, from January 13, 1864.
James I. Gilbert, Colonel 27th Infantry, from February 9, 1865.
Thomas J. McKean, from November 21, 1861.
BREVET MAJOR-GENERALS.
John M. Corse, Brigadier-Gencral, from Octo ber 5, 1864.
Edward Hatch, Brigadier-General, from De- cember 15, 1864.
William W. Belknap, Brigadier-General, from March 13, 1865.
W. L. Elliott, Brigadier General, from March 13, 1865.
Wm. Vandever, Brigadier-General, from June 7,1865.
BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERALS.
Wm. T. Clark, A.A.G., late of 13th Infantry, from July 22, 1864.
Edward F. Winslow, Colonel 4th Cavalry, from December 12, 1864.
S. G. Hill, Colonel 35th Infantry, from Decem- ber 15, 1864.
Thos. H. Benton, Colonel 29th Infantry, from December 15, 1864.
Samuel S. Glasgow, Colonel 23d Infantry, from December 19, 1864.
Clark R. Weaver, Colonel 17th Infantry, from February 9, 1865.
Geo. A. Stone, Colonel 25th Infantry, from March 13, 1865.
Francis M. Drake, Lieut. - Colonel 36th Infant- ry, from February 22, 1865.
Datus E. Coon, Colonel 2d Cavalry, from March 8, 1865.
George W. Clark, Colonel 34th Infantry, from March 13, 1865.
Herman H. Heath, Colonel 7th Cavalry, from March 13, 1865.
J. M. Hedrick, Colonel 15th Infantry, from March 13, 1865.
W. W. Lowe, Colonel 5th Cavalry, from March 3, 1865.
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
CHAPTER IX.
1 EDUCATIONAL-STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The people of Iowa have ever taken a deep interest in education, and in this direction no State in the Union can show a better record. . The system of free pub- lic schools was planted by the early set- tlers, and it has expanded and improved until now it is one of the most complete, comprehensive and liberal in the country. In the lead-mining regions of the State, the first to be settled by the whites, the hardy pioneers provided the means for the education of their children even before they had comfortable dwellings for them- selves. School teachers were among the first immigrants to Iowa. Wherever a little settlement was made, the school house was the first thing undertaken by the settlers in a body, and the rude, primi- tive structures of the early time only dis- appeared when the communities increased in population and wealth, and were able to replace them with more commodious and comfortable buildings. Perhaps in no single instance has the magnificent pro- gress of the State of Iowa been more marked and rapid than in her common school system and in her school houses. To day the school houses which every- where dot the broad and fertile prairies of Iowa are unsurpassed by those of any other State in this great Union. More especially is this true in all her cities and
villages, wliere liberal and lavish appro- priations have been voted by a generous people for the erection of large, commodi- ous and elegant buildings, furnished with all the modern improvements, and costing from $10,000 to $60,000 each. The people of the State have expended more than $10,000,000 for the erection of public school buildings.
The first school house within the limits of Iowa was a log cabin at Dubuque, built by J. L. Langworthy, and a few other miners, in the autumn of 1833. When it was completed, George Cabbage was em- ployed as teacher during the winter of 1833-4, and thirty five pupils attended his school. Barrett Whittemore taught the school term, with twenty-five pupils in at- tendance. Mrs. Caroline Dexter com- menced teaching in Dubuque in March, 1836. She was the first femalc teacher there, and probably the first in Iowa. In 1839, Thomas H. Benton, Jr., afterward for ten ycars Superintendent of Public Instruction, opened an English and classi- cal school in Dubuque. The first tax for the support of schools at Dubuque was levied in 1840.
At Burlington, a commodious log school house, built in 1834, was among the first buildings erected. A Mr. Johnson taught the first school in the winter of 1834-5.
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3
In Scott county, in the winter of 1835-6, Simon Crazin taught a four-months term of school in the house of J. B. Chamberlin.
In Muscatine county, the first school was taught by George Bumgardner, in the spring of 1837. In 1839 a log school house was erected in Muscatine, which served for a long time as school house, church and public hall.
The first school in Davenport was taught in 1838. In Fairfield, Miss Clarissa Saw- yer, James F. Chambers and Mrs. Reed taught school in 1839.
Johnson county was an entire wilder- ness when Iowa City was located as the capital of the Territory of Iowa, in May, 1839. The first sale of lots took place August 18, 1839, and before January 1, 1840, about twenty families had settled within the limits of the town. During the same year Mr. Jesse Berry opened a school in a small frame building he had erected on what is now College street.
In Monroe county, the first settlement was made in 1843, by Mr. John R. Gray, about two miles from the present site of Eddyville; and in the summer of 1844 a log school house was built by Gray, Wm. V. Beedle, C. Renfro, Joseph McMullen and Willoughby Randolph, and the first school was opened by Miss Urania Adams. The building was occupied for school purposes for nearly ten years.
About a year after the first cabin was built at Oskaloosa, a log school house was built, in which school was opened by Samuel W. Caldwell, in 1844.
At Fort DesMoines, now the capital of the State, the first school was taught by Lewis Whitten, Clerk of the District Court, in the winter of 1846-'7, in one of
the rooms on "Coon Row," built for barracks.
The first school in Pottawattamie county was opened by George Green, a Mormon, at Council Point, prior to 1849; and until about 1854 nearly all the teachers in that vicinity were Mormons.
The first school in Decorah was taught in 1855, by Cyrus C. Carpenter, since Gov- ernor of the State. In Crawford county the first school house was built in Mason's Grove, in 1856, and Morris McHenry first occupied it as teacher.
During the first twenty years of the his- tory of Iowa, the log school house pre- vailed, and in 1861 there were 893 of these primitive structures in use for school pu :- poses in the State. Since that time they have been gradually disappearing. In 1865 there were 796; in 1870, 336; and in 1875, 121.
January 1, 1839, the Territorial Legisla- ture passed an act providing that " there shall be established a common school, or schools, in 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 school districts in their respec- tive counties, whenever a petition may be presented for the purpose by a majority of the voters resident within such contem- plated district." These districts were governed by boards of trustees, usually of three persons; each district 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
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additional sum might be required should be assessed upon the parents sending, in proportion to the length of time sent.
In 1846, the year of Iowa's admission as a State, there were 20,000 scholars, out of 100,000 inhabitants. About 400 school districts had been organized. In 1850 there was 1,200, and in 1857 the number had increased to 3,265.
In March, 1858, upon the recommenda- tion of Hon. M. L. Fisher, then Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, the Seventh General Assembly enacted that " each civil township is declared a school dis- trict;" 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 3,500 to less than 900. This change of school organization resulted in a very material reduction of the expenditures for the compensation of district secretaries and treasurers. An effort was made for several years, from 1867 to 1872, to abolish the sub-district system. Mr. Kissell, Superintendent, recommended this in his report of January 1, 1872, and Governor Merrill forcibly endorsed his views in his annual message. But the Legislature of that year provided for the formation of independent districts from the sub-districts of district townships.
The system of graded schools was inaugurated in 1849, and new schools, in which more than one teacher is employed, are universally graded.
Teachers' institutes were organized early in the history of the State. The first official mention of them occurs in the annual report of Hon. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., made December 2, 1850, who said: "An
institution of this character was organized 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 beneficial influence of these institutes was admitted, it was urged that the ex- penses 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 annually for three years, to be drawn in installments of $50 by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and expended for these insti- tutions." He proposed that three institutes should be held annually at points to be designated by the superintendent.
The expense of this would be trifling, and all recognized the benefits to be derived; and yet no legislation was had until March, 1858, when an act was passed authorizing the holding of teachers' insti- tutes for periods not less than six working days, whenever not less than 30 teachers should desire. The superintendent was authorized to expend not exceeding $100 for any one institute, to be paid out by the county superintendent, as the institute might direct, for teachers and lecturers, and $1,000 was appropriated to defray the expenses of these institutes.
Mr. Fisher at once pushed the matter of holding institutes, and December 6, 1858, he reported to the Board of Education that institutes had been appointed in 20 counties within the preceding six months, and more would have been held but the
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appropriation had been exhausted. At the first session of the Board of Education, commencing December 6, 1858, a code of school laws was enacted, which retained the existing provisions for teachers' insti- tutes.
In March, 1860, the General Assembly amended the act of the Board by appro- priating "a sum not exceeding $50 annually for one such institute, held as provided by law in each county." In 1865, the super- intendent, Mr. Faville, reported that "the provision made by the State for the benefit of teachers' institutes had never been so fully appreciated, both by the people and the teachers, as during the last two years."
By an act approved March 19, 1874, normal institutes were established in each county, to be held annually by the county superintendents. This was regarded 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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HISTORY OF IOWA.
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 anni-
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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. Eachi 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 brick 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 regn- 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 dates. 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 resigning, 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 hands 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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HISTORY OF IOWA.
room and increased facilities of every kind. Other institutions of a similar kind should also be established throughout the Statc.
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.
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