The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 67

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964

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On the same day, the Board finding its powers restricted, and believing that harmony could not exist between the Council and themselves, adopted

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

the following resolution and ordered the Secretary to notify the Council thereof :

Resolved, That, under the construction put upon the power and duties of this Board, by the ordinance for its organization, by the City Council, we see no prospect of effecting anything for the establishment of public schools in this city, by any work this Board can do, and that we adjourn without day.

The Board of Education having thus, by its own act, ceased to exist, the City Council repealed the ordinance creating it, and enacted on the 10th of March, 1856, another ordinance, and appointed the following gentlemen as members of the Board, to serve until the next charter election : H. A. Wiltse, F. E. Bissell, J. J. E. Norman, James A. Reid and S. M. Case.

On the 11th of March the Board met at the office of Bissell & Mills. H. A. Wiltse was chosen President, and C. Childs, Secretary pro tempore. On the 15th a committee was appointed to procure plans and specifications for school buildings, and to compute the cost of erecting them. On the 31st of March a resolution was adopted to open a school in West Dubuque, and also to open schools on the hill and in the First Ward, by renting rooms for the purpose.

Mr Bissell reported plans and specifications for the Third Ward School edifice, and the Board adopted a resolution asking the Council to appropriate $10,000 for the purpose.

The charter election occurring early in April, 1856, the citizens elected a new Board, as follows: James A. Langton, First Ward; Chandler Childs, Second Ward; H. A. Wiltse, Third Ward; F. E. Bissell, Fourth Ward ; John King, Fifth Ward.

Mr. King resigned soon after, and William J. Kelley was elected by the Board to fill the vacancy.

The Council appropriated $30,000 to build suitable schoolhouses, and levied a tax therefor in addition, amounting to $17,620, and a teachers' tax of $8,- 810. Contracts were entered into for the buildings in the First and Third Wards, according to plans furnished by J. F. Rague, Architect and Superin- tendent. In December the Board published a report of the condition of the public schools, from which it appears that the number of children in the city between the ages of five and twenty-one, as reported by M. De Mowbray, census-taker, was 2,808; the number enrolled in the schools, 300; number of teachers, 8; number of inhabitants, 12,234.

The school property was reported as follows: Two-fifths of Lot 447, at the corner of Clay and Twelfth streets (102 feet on Clay and 100 feet on Twelfth, and the site of the present Third Ward Schoolhouse); part of Lot No. 602, having a one-story brick schoolhouse; part of Lot No. 600, having a front of 100 feet on Bluff street and a depth of about 300 feet, and being the present site of the First Ward Schoolhouse; a lot of one acre in the Fifth Ward, with frame schoolhouse; two school buildings (present First and Third Ward buildings) in process of erection, each 52x80 feet, three stories high, with basements; the basements 10 feet high, the first story is 15 feet, the sec- ond 14, and the third 16 feet. The first and second stories contain each, four rooms 24x30 feet, and designed for primary and secondary departments. The third story, two rooms 24x33 feet; and one 33x50 feet. This story is exclu- sively for the grammar department. Each building of capacity to accommo- date 800 pupils.

In April, 1857, at the charter election, the following were elected members of the Board of Education : D. A. Mahony, First Ward; J. L. Harvey, Second Ward; W. J. Barney, Third Ward; John D. Jennings, Fourth Ward;

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

W. J. Kelly, Fifth Ward. Mr. Jennings is President of the Board at the present time.

Another controversy arose this year between the Council and the Board elect as to the construction of the fourth section of the ordinance creating the Board of Education, the Board claiming that the Council could not appropri- ate any funds belonging to the schools to other purposes, and asserting that the appropriation of the school funds was the prerogative of the Board alone. This clashing of powers led to serious difficulties and embarrassed the Board so that it was very difficult to sustain the schools and pay the teachers. Dur- ing this year, the Fifth Ward School edifice was erected by the City Council, and those of the First and Third Wards completed, and the schools therein put in full operation.

The building in the Fifth Ward was of the same size and style as those in the First and Third Wards, and erected on the one-acre lot heretofore mentioned. W. J. Kelley resigned his seat in the Board in June, and Leonard Horr was elected to fill the vacancy. In July the office of Superintendent of District Schools was abolished. Mr. Mahony resigned his seat in January, and C. Childs was elected in his stead. The teachers were paid for their services in Harbor money and city scrip, then rapidly depreciating in value.

In April, 1858, at the charter election, the following Board was elected : H. A. Wiltse, James Mullen, William Churchill, William G. David, George W. Barnes. At the first meeting, C. C. Flint was chosen Secretary.

On the 13th of March, the Legislature of Iowa passed an act by which this Board was legislated out of office, and therefore, on the 12th of May, they adjourned without day. The only act of this Board was the publication of a report, on the 10th of May, showing the condition of the school finances, etc.

The citizens of the district had, in pursuance of the act of the Legisla- ture, met and elected a new Board, as follows : H. A. Wiltse, President ; F. E. Bissell, Vice President ; P. B. Cook, Secretary ; James Mullen, Treas- urer. These were all the officers authorized by the new school law enacted on the 10th of March of this year, as then construed.

In May, the Board opened a high school in the Third Ward building, and, in the fall, they purchased the Female Seminary, for $12,000, for a high- school building, and opened the high school in that edifice, with 110 stu- dents.

In 1859, the Board chosen at the charter election consisted of: H. A. Wiltse, President ; W. J. Barney, Vice President ; T. C. Snyder, Secretary ; J. W. Taylor, Treasurer ; Timothy Mason, J. H. Thedinga and William H. Rumpf, Directors.

On the 24th of December, 1858, the State Legislature passed an act entitled, " An act to confer certain powers on towns and cities, for school pur- poses," and, in March, 1859, an independent school district was organized, and, in addition to the former officers, three Directors were elected ; and, at first meeting of the Board thereafter, said Directors proceeded, according to law, to determine by lot the length of their respective terms of office, when William H. Rumpf drew for one year, Timothy Mason drew for two years, and J. H. Thedinga drew for three years.

In this year, the schools were prostrated by the financial crisis that com- menced two years previously. The Board was compelled to discontinue the high school and was unable to carry on the grammar schools for want of funds, without reducing the salaries of teachers nearly 50 per cent.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

It should be remembered that, when it was made known to the teachers that the Board were unable to pay but half the amount of salary they had been receiving, the teachers continued to discharge their duties, only getting a moiety of compensation to which they would have been entitled. Great changes occurred in the membership of the Board during this year. Of the seven members elected four resigned. Immediately after the election, Mr. Rumpf resigned as Director, and Dr. C. W. Belden was elected in his place. On the 1st of September, President Wiltse removed out of the district, and, the office being vacant, William J. Barney was elected President, and Dr. Belden Vice President. Alfred L. Brown was elected Director to fill the vacancy. Sep- tember 17, William J. Barney resigned the Presidency and Dr. Belden was elected President. Franklin Hinds was elected Vice President of the Board on the 29th of October. On the 5th of November, Dr. Mason resigned as Director, having been elected County Superintendent, and Mr. A. Blossom was elected to fill the vacancy. The Board then consisted of C. W. Belden, President; Franklin Hinds, Vice President; J. C. Snyder, Secretary ; John W. Taylor, Treasurer; J. H. Thedinga, Alfred L. Brown, A. Blossom, Directors.

In 1860, the following were elected members of the Board of Education : C. W. Belden, President; Franklin Hinds, Vice President ; A. F. Townsend, Secretary; John W. Taylor, Treasurer; Alfred L. Brown, Director, Alonzo Blossom and J. H. Thedinga holding over.

It required all the intelligence, activity and vigilance of the Board to meet their obligations and keep the schools in operation. Mr. Belfield was chosen Secretary, vice A. F. Townsend, resigned, and, on the resignation . of Mr. Bel- field, Mr. Samuel Newbury was elected. The high school was discontinued in this year on account of the financial pressure.

The following were elected members of the Board in March, 1861: C. W. Belden, President; John Hodgdon, Vice President; G. B. Grosvenor, Secre- tary ; John W. Taylor, Treasurer; Franklin Hinds, John H. Thedinga, Alfred L. Brown, Directors.

Owing to continued financial embarrassments, the schools were suspended for the first term, but were resumed in the following January.

The following were elected members of the Board in 1862: C. W. Belden, President; P. T. Brown, Vice President ; D. K. Cornwell, Treasurer; G. B. Grosvenor, Secretary; J. H. Thedinga, Franklin Hinds, Alfred L. Brown, Directors. During this year a judgment against the district, covering the high-school property, amounting, with interest, to nearly $18,000, was can- celed by the payment of $3,500 in cash. The whole indebtedness of the district was reduced to $2,700.

In March, 1863, the following were elected members of the Board : John Hodgdon, President; P. T. Brown, Vice President ; Thomas Hardie, Secretary ; D. P. Noyes, Treasurer; A. L. Brown, Franklin Hinds, J. H. Thedinga, Directors. During this year, the Board notified, by publication in the city papers, all persons holding orders against the schoolhouse or teachers' fund of the district, to present the same for payment, as no interest on said out- standing orders would be paid after the publication of said notice. Very few orders were presented, and the district, at the close of this year, was wholly out of debt.

In 1864, the Board consisted of John D. Jennings, President; Christian Wullweber, Vice President; Thomas Hardie, Secretary; Myron H. Beach, Treasurer; Franklin Hinds, John H. Thedinga, A. L. Brown, Directors.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

In this year a tornado unroofed the Fifth Ward Schoolhouse, during vaca- tion, which occasioned an extra expense of $3,500. The increase of pupils attending the First Ward School became such that the Board was obliged to open additional primary rooms in the old school building in that Ward. Addi- tional facilities were also required in the Third Ward, and the first floor of the Turners' Hall was rented and fitted up for the accommodation of primary classes.

In March, 1865, the Board elected was: Austin Adams, President ; J. P. Quigley, Vice President; Thomas Hardie, Secretary ; Myron H. Beach, Treas- urer ; John H. Thedinga, Franklin Hinds, Alfred L. Brown, Directors. ;

The increase of pupils in the Third Ward was such that in the primary rooms it was found necessary to divide the classes so that one-half could attend in the forenoon and one-half in the afternoon.

During this year the Board purchased, for educational purposes, the build- ing known as " Turners' Hall," on the northeast corner of Twelfth and Clay streets, the consideration being $6,000, subject to certain leases, including one for theatrical purposes, having five years to run ; said lease, and the stage prop- erty and fixtures, were subsequently purchased for $500. Some $7,000 were afterward expended in reconstructing the building and furnishing it for school accommodations, making a total cost thereof of $13,500.

This year, the Board also purchased, for $750, two acres of ground in West Dubuque, on which they erected a one-story frame schoolhouse, at a cost (fur- niture and fixtures included), of $4,000, and, with a capacity to accommodate 120 pupils. They also erected a building like the foregoing in every respect (including cost), at the head of South Dodge street, on the lot already owned by the District. This building is styled the South Dodge Street School, the other the West Dubuque School.

The following were elected members of the Board in March, 1866: Patrick Robb, President ; Charles Crocker, Vice President ; Thomas Hardie, Secretary ; M. H. Beach, Treasurer ; John P. Quigley, Franklin Hinds, John H. Thed- inga, Directors holding over.

A school for the instruction of colored children was opened in March, of this year, in the basement of the Centenary Methodist Church, northwest corner of Locust and Seventh streets, rented for that purpose.

The Dodge Street School, in Simpson's addition, was also opened this year in a building furnished by the citizens of that locality, free of rent.

The organization of West Dubuque, South Dodge Street and Dodge Street Schools, it was hoped, would give sufficient relief to the First and Third Ward Schools, which, for some time, had been overcrowded, although additional pri- mary rooms had been opened in the old school building in the former, and in the Turners' Hall in the latter; but, the school census of 1866 showing a large increase in the school population over that of 1865, it was deemed advisable to take steps toward the erection of a new schoolhouse in the Fourth Ward ; accordingly, in May, 1866, plans and specifications were adopted for the erection. of a building on a lot owned by the District, on the northwest corner of Fifth and Nevada streets, to be known as the Fourth Ward School.

In July, Patrick Robb, President of the Board, submitted a communication setting forth the necessity of re-organizing the high school, which, owing to financial difficulties, had been suspended in 1860. He recommended :

1st. That a high school be put in operation this fall ; that a room in Turner's Hall be pre- pared for the reception of the high-school class at the opening of the public schools in Septem- ber, and a competent principal be employed to take charge.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

2d. That a committee be appointed to carefully revise the present course of study in our common schools, with a view of securing the utmost proficiency in the common branches, and effectually removing the defects now evident.

3d. That said committee prepare a suitable course of study to be pursued in the high school, and report for the action of the Board such rules and regulations for the government of the high school as they may deem necessary.

The report was adopted, and the President and M. H. Beach were appointed as the committee. They reported a course of study which was approved. As this may be considered an important epoch in the history of our schools, we append the course, entire. It will be found interesting for comparison with the present, as it doubtless will be in the future.

High School Course .- First year : B Class-Higher algebra to page -, natural philosophy (completed), rhetoric, geology, history, reading, spelling, etc .; A Class-Higher algebra (completed), chemistry, Latin grammar, botany, German.

Second year : B Class-Plane geometry (five books), chemistry, Latin grammar and reader, Universal history, German ; A Class-Geometry (finished), Chemistry (finished), Cæsar's Commentaries (four books), Greek grammar, Ger- man.

Third year: B Class-Plane and spherical trigonometry, Virgil's Æneid (six books, with rules for hexameter verse), Greek grammar and reader, French, higher arithmetic (reviewed) ; A Class-Navigation and surveying, Cicero's Orations (four orations), Sallust's Cataline, Greek grammar and Anabasis, French, geometry (reviewed).

It may be stated in this connection, in order to a full understanding of the course of study first adopted for the present high school, that more advanced branches were pursued in the ward schools, at that time, than at present, including higher arithmetic, elementary algebra, natural philosophy, astronomy through the solar system, Constitution of the United States and general his- tory, all of which were subsequently transferred to the high-school course.

During the summer vacation of this year, a room on the second floor of Turners' Hall was furnished and the high school re-opened in September fol- lowing. Turners' Hall has since been known as the High School building.

This year the Fourth Ward Schoolhouse was built. This building is 70 feet front by 50 feet deep, two stories high, with an eight-foot basement under the whole building. There are four rooms on the first floor, 23x28 feet, 16 feet high. On the second floor there are three rooms, two of them 23x28 feet, the other 46x28 feet, each room 19 feet high. In the attic there are two reci- tation-rooms 12x23 feet, and 8 feet high. The entrance halls are in the center of the building, on the east and west. The stairs are wide and of easy ascent. The basement walls are of stone, and the superstructure of brick, with stone rustic corners, caps and sills. The building will seat nearly five hundred pupils, and was erected at a cost (including furniture and fixtures) of about $18,000.

The Fourth Ward School was opened for the reception of pupils on the 11th day of February, 1867, and before the close of the school year it was filled to its utmost capacity, thus proving that the expenditure therefor was necessary to meet the wants of a rapidly increasing population.

The following were elected members of the School Board in March, 1867 : Dr. C. W. Belden, President ; N. C. Amsden, Vice President ; Thomas Har- die, Secretary ; Timothy Mason, Treasurer, and Franklin Hinds, Director, J. P. Quigley and J. H. Thedinga holding over.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

Patrick Robb (the late President of the Board and one of the most efficient and valued of educational men), who had, for some weeks previous to the expiration of his term of office, been confined to his bed by a long and linger- ing illness, died on Friday, the 29th of March. The same day, a special meet- ing of the Board was called by President Belden. Resolutions of condolence and sympathy were adopted, and, on the Sunday following, the members of the Board paid the last tribute of respect to their departed friend and late associate, by following his remains to their last resting-place, in Linwood Cem- etery. As Mr. Robb, in life, had the respect and esteem of the whole com- munity, so, in death, he was universally lamented.

It having been the practice, for some years, to have the annual exami- nation of pupils conducted and promotions made by committees of citizens appointed for that purpose, and it appearing that such power placed in the hands of strangers had given dissatisfaction, the matter was referred, May 9, to a committee, of which Mr. Hardie was chairman, for consideration. At tlie next meeting of the Board, the committee reported :

" That, in their opinion, the present system of examinations and promo- tions made upon the result of said examinations by committees of citizens who are unacquainted with the general progress of the pupils is, for many reasons, inexpedient."

In support of this opinion, the committee gave the following reasons :

" Throughout our schools may be found many children of modest, retiring dispositions, whose timidity causes them to shrink from a public exhibition of their merits, and who, consequently, lose their self-possession if led to believe that their promotion, which they have so long struggled for, at last depends upon their success in an examination by strangers; and thus fail to show, in a satisfactory manner, the actual progress they have made in their studies during the term, while others who are less worthy, but more bold, will win the palm of victory. All promotions should be made as the reward of general progress, and not for particular display. The time allotted for said examinations is nec- essarily so limited that no committee, however well qualified for the task, can judge correctly of the relative merits of each individual in the class; and it frequently happens that committees who are appointed, however willing they may be, are unable, owing to business arrangements or otherwise, to attend, in which case disappointment ensues, and the labor of the examination falls back upon the teachers."

For these and other reasons equally forcible, the committee recommended that the promotions be made by the Principals of the schools on the result of the examinations and the general advancement of the pupils in their studies during the term. As to the power and duty of the examiners, the committee recommended the following rule, to wit :

"Examining committees selected from our citizens shall be appointed by this Board to attend the schools during the examinations, with full power and authority to participate therein, in such way and manner as they may deem best to test the proficiency and thoroughness of the pupils in the several studies within the grade they have passed; and the said committees be requested to report, in writing, to this Board, the result of their investigation, touching the conduct, discipline, general standing and advancement of our schools."

The report of the committee was adopted.

The above rule is still in force, and has given general satisfaction.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

In March, 1868, the following persons were elected members of the Board : John Hodgdon, President ; N. C. Amsden, Vice President ; Thomas Hardie, Secretary ; H. P. Ward, Treasurer; J. H. Thedinga, Director, Messrs. Hinds and Quigley holding over.

The question of diverting a portion of the school fund to the support of sectarian schools having been somewhat agitated by a number of our citizens, it was brought directly before the Board, May 21, 1868, by the presentation of the following petition, viz. :

DUBUQUE, May 1, 1868.

To the Board of Education of the city of Dubuque :

GENTLEMEN-The undersigned would respectfully represent that they are a committee, appointed by the German Catholics of this city, to memorialize your honorable body in behalf of the German and English school of our congregation. Said school has an average attendance of 360 scholars, which, for many years, has been supported by voluntary contributions, notwitlı- standing a large majority of the patrons of the school are bona-fide tax-payers.

We think it but fair and just that our school should be recognized as one of the public schools of the city, and receive an equitable share of the revenue appropriated to public schools. Your earliest attention to this matter is respectfully solicited, while we have the the honor to remain

Yours truly, DR. H. RISCHATSCH, JOHN RUGAMER, ADOLF SCHAEFLE. B. KOHAUS, H. BRINKMANN, FRANZ BREDE, Committee.

Messrs. Rischatsch and Rugamer, of the committee, presented the petition in person, and, on leave, addressed the Board at length in explanation of the views and claims of the petitioners, and concluded with a request that the mat- ter be referred to a special committee of the Board for investigation. The petition was accordingly so referred, the committee consisting of President Hodgdon and Messrs. Quigley and Thedinga. On the 18th of June following, the committee submitted the following report :

To the Board of Education :

GENTLEMEN-Your committee, to whom was referred the petition of the German Catholic congregation of this city, respectfully submit the following report :

Your committee have examined the subject carefully and in all its bearings, and find on all sides of it difficulties and conflicts with existing laws. The petitioners ask to have their present schools recognized as public schools. To do this, your Board would have to assume the entire management and control of said schools, to submit them to the same rules and regulations as our other public schools, to introduce the same text-books and course of study, to appoint teach- ers for the same from those examined and approved by the Board, and to set districts apart for them. This, however, in the opinion of your committee, would entirely destroy the object sought for by the petitioners. The German Catholic congregation is not confined to any one locality, but is scattered over the whole city ; probably the greater portion of the same would be excluded from these schools, while many others would be assigned to them who might have no desire to study the German language. Furthermore, to make these schools " public schools," they would have to be made accessible to all nationalities, and to do this, it would be necessary to teach the German language in English, and through English text-books, which also would conflict with their present arrangements and their apparent wishes.

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The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 67

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Number of Pages: 964

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964