USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 24
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229
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
About two years after retiring as superintendent of schools, Mr. Leal commenced farming on land he had bought near Sidney, and thus con- tinued for many years. He was also appointed drainage commissioner by the county board, and during his term collected about $27,000 on swamp land account that many had charged was sunk in building the courthouse. He held the receipts for that sum until his successor was appointed, and much of it would never have been collected but for his honorable persistency. In 1885 his report as sanitary inspector of Urbana was published in all the metropolitan papers by the State Board of Health as a model document of its kind, showing the thorough man- ner in which Mr. Leal always responded to a call for the public good. But it is, of course, as the father of Champaign County's system of popular education that he will be the highest honored and the longest remembered.
GEORGE R. SHAWHAN, LATER-DAY BUILDER
Mr. Leal was succeeded in the superintendency by S. L. Wilson, who was elected to the office in November, 1873, and served until 1877. Mrs. Calesta E. Larned served from 1877 to 1881, and was succeeded by George R. Shawhan, whose service extended from 1881 to 1902, twenty-one years. He shares the honors with Mr. Leal in developing the county system of free schools. and made a special mark for the zeal and efficiency by which he raised the grade of qualifications required of country teachers, and expanded the practical work of the teachers' institutes and the county normals. He also introduced many features into the schools, in line with modern thought and practice, tending to make them and their surroundings more pleasant and artistic. Like Mr. Leal, he was always so strong a leader of public sentiment in regard to the development of the system as to keep the general interest alive and retain the loyalty of the brightest and most thoughtful of the pupils.
Mr. Shawhan was of an old Kentucky family, his father, William M., having become prominent as a farmer and public-spirited citizen of Rush County, Indiana, before locating in Raymond Township in the spring of 1856. He was a leader in the Christian Church and died in the Sidney house of worship of that, denomination in 1875. Superin- tendent Shawhan taught school in that place for several years; then took a course in literature and science at the University of Illinois, from which he graduated with high honors in 1875, and was principal of the Homer schools for four years previous to 1881, when he was appointed county superintendent of schools to fill the vacancy caused by the legis- lative change in the time of holding the election. In 1882 he was
230
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
elected to the position by the Republicans, receiving the largest majority of any man on the ticket. During his long period of service as county superintendent he evinced the deepest interest in the welfare of the Illi- nois Industrial University, and in 1885 was chairman of the committee of the alumni that was so instrumental in changing the name of the institu- tion to that of the University of Illinois.
PRESENT STATUS OF THE SCHOOLS
Mr. Shawhan was succeeded by the present superintendent of schools, Charles H. Watts, in 1906. Under Superintendent Watts the progress of the schools has continued, and Champaign County does not suffer in comparison with any other section of the State of virtually equal popu- lation and financial resources. The status of the system as it exists today is best told in the report of Superintendent Watts covering the year 1917. The statistics indicate the enrollment of pupils, number of teachers, value of school property and tax levy by school districts.
Distriets.
Enrollment. Teachers.
Value of Property.
Tax Levy.
Sadorus
426
11
$16,205
$7.540
Colfax
205
9
9,650
4,500
Scott
267
9
12,450
5.400
Mahomet
352
12
22,245
8,850
Newcomb
258
7
9,978
4,350
Brown
386
18
45,890
17,150
Pesotum
417
11
17,440
7,350
Tolono
416
14
18,345
8,427
Champaign
2,290
94
673.979
141,850
Hensley
173
6
7,300
3,650
Condit
178
8
8,525
5,450
East Bend.
249
10
10,360
5,750
Crittenden
212
9
8,440
4,700
Philo
357
11
16,800
6.400
Urbana
2,104
68
342,735
93,775
Somer
230
10
9,550
6,550
Rantoul
630
22
40,550
14,650
Ludlow
250
9
14,000
5.150
Raymond
436
12
12.792
6,825
Sidney
374
12
22,060
8,371
St. Joseph
381
14
34,160
11,975
Stanton
216
9
8,500
4,875
West Compromise
337
12
9,650
5,300
Harwood
164
9
9,225
4,700
Ayers
139
6
8,100
3,800
Homer
373
14
20,388
10,375
South Ogden
249
11,650
4,600
North Ogden
115
5
4,950
2,075
East Compromise
251
7
18,375
6,625
Kerr
68
3
1,900
1,650
Township 20, Range 11
48
1
500
600
Township 21, Range 11.
10
1
375
250
Township 22, Range 11.
44
2
1,325
850
Totals
16,101
452
$1,448,392
$424,363
231
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
From the annual report of the superintendent for the year ending June 30, 1916, it is learned that the total current expenses incurred by all the schools under his control amount to $414,223.48. The average salary of men teachers is $740.90 per annum and of women teachers $522.83.
STATE EXAMINING BOARD
The last biennial report of the state superintendent of public instruc- tion contains much interesting and valuable matter, especially covering the legislation relating to the State and county systems for the past decade. Cullings from that report, issued by Francis G. Blair in the fall of 1914, are especially instructive and encouraging as showing the advancement made in the qualifications required of teachers and the specialization in the supervision of the rural schools.
"When the public school system of Illinois was in its infancy," says Superintendent Blair, "boards of directors examined their own teachers. Later on, the law placed this function in the hands of the township trustees. It soon became apparent that if standards of education were to be established, some greater uniformity in the qualification of teachers was necessary. No such uniformity in teaching qualification was pos- sible, unless the certificating authorities were more uniform in their requirements. This led to giving the county superintendent the power to examine any certificate teachers within his county. At the same time, the superintendent of public instruction was empowered to grant certificates of State-wide validity. The number of certificates granted by the superintendent of public instruction from 1855 down to 1914 has been a very small number of all the certificates issued in the State. The great mass of the teachers taught on county certificates. For the last twenty-five years it has been generally known that standards of qualifications for county certificates differed widely in the different coun- ties of the State, as teachers were passing from one part of the State to the other, carrying certificates and asking that they be recognized wher- ever they went. Some of the county superintendents in the State began also to feel the burden of the preparation of questions and the grading of the manuscripts of the candidates examined. It was such a function as usurped much of the valuable time of a county superintendent which should have been spent on the supervision of his schools. Finally, after many years, a bill was drafted which received the support of the State Teachers' Association and the county superintendents. It passed the Forty-eighth General Assembly, and became effective on July 1, 1914. It provided for a State examining board which should make such rules
232
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
as were necessary to carry into effect the provisions of the law. The superintendent of public instruction was made ex-officio a member and chairman of this examining board. The law required that three of the four appointed members should be nominated by the county superintend- ents' section of the State Teachers' Association and appointed by the superintendent of public instruction. The other member of the board was to be appointed by the same authority.
"In order that the three county superintendents upon the examining board might represent, in a general way, the three large sections of the State, the superintendent of public instruction asked that the county superintendents from each one of these sections should nominate a can- didate. At the meeting of the State Teachers' Association in December, 1913, the county superintendents' section nominated Cyrus S. Grove, county superintendent of Stephenson County, for the northern portion of the State; Ben C. Moore, county superintendent of McLean County, for the central section, and Elmer Van Arsdall, county superintendent of Richland County, for the southern section. They were subsequently appointed. The superintendent of public instruction appointed as the other member of the examining board Hugh S. Magill, Jr., superin- tendent of the city schools of Springfield, Illinois, who, as a State senator, had had more to do with the enactment of the law than any other one member of the General Assembly.
"The examining board met and organized by electing Superintendent Magill secretary of the board.
"Very few boards have faced as large a task as lay before this examining board. It had to deal with 30,000 teachers in service and provide means for making the transfer of their old certificates for those under the new law ; it had to arrange for examinations to accommodate those who wished to secure certificates before the opening of the school year. The law was, necessarily, extended and detailed. Few laws, covering such broad field and such complicated interests, have been freer from perplexing inconsistencies in provision and language. However, it has been found necessary to interpret some of the language of the law so as to make it consistent with certain other provisions. It has been necessary to issue circulars of instruction to county superintendents and teachers, and to provide blanks covering every detail of the inaugu- ration of the law.
"The examining board has held fifteen meetings up to the 1st of November, 1914. The first examination was held on July 16 and 17, 1914.
233
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
GROWTH OF WORK OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
"The history of the movement to establish the office of superintend- ent of public instruction has been told in detail many times. The need of such an office had been felt long before the State took the first step toward its permanent establishment. Three lines of work were assigned to it by the Legislature :
"The first one of these related to gathering and tabulating statistics and data relating to public education.
"The second one related to the giving of legal and educational advice and counsel to all the school officers of the State.
"The third related to the supervision of the State common school system.
"The first one of these functions occupied the time and energy of the superintendent of public instruction for the first ten or fitteen years, along with some advice and counsel to school officers. The super- intendent of public instruction was given no assistance and practically no expense fund. One stenographer helped him in the preparation of all the reports and in the getting out of all his circulars. This statis- tical work has grown rather than diminished, but the Legislature has, in recent years, been more liberal and has provided the officer of superin- tendent of public instruction with two clerks, who give practically all their time to the collection of this data and the preparation of the statistical reports.
"Advice on legal matters is now given by one assistant, who is a trained lawyer, and who has made a special study of the School Law of the State. The advice on educational matters is divided up amongst the heads of the various departments-the persons in charge of rural schools giving advice to rural school officers; those in charge of ele- mentary schools, advice to elementary school officers; those in charge of the high schools, to high school officers. Thus it will be seen that the advisory function of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has become more effective through the enlargement of the office force and the placing of special men in charge of special fields of work.
"This last result, however, has been made possible, mainly, through the enlargement of the office force for the performance of the third legal duty-that of supervision.
"From the very beginning of the office, the Superintendent of Public Instruction did whatever supervising he could in the little time which was left over from his other burdensome duties. At the very best, he could do nothing which merited the name of supervision.
234
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
SUPERVISION AND STANDARDIZATION OF RURAL SCHOOLS
"In 1906 the work of building up the office for the performance of this duty was begun. A supervisor of rural schools was appointed, who was to go into the field, work with and through the county super- intendents for the supervision and improvement of rural schools. Two years later, another assistant was allowed whose duties were to supervise rural and village schools.
"In 1913 the Legislature provided for a high school supervisor, with an annual salary of $4,000. With these three men, it was possible for the Superintendent of Public Instruction to arrange for a syste- matic supervision of the country schools, the elementary schools, and the high schools. As high school supervisor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction appointed Principal John Calvin Hanna, of the Oak Park High School. It is believed that the office of Public Instruc- tion can serve the cause of public education in no more effective way than through giving advice and counsel in directing the growth of secondary education. The last twenty years has seen a tremendous development in high schools. In no other field has there been such a demand and such a need for careful, competent advice and counsel. The work of recognizing the high schools, as required by the certificating law, is proceeding with thoroughness and care.
"Mention has been made of the appointment of rural school super- visors.
"In 1909, a system of standardization for the improvement of rural and graded schools was adopted by this office. In brief, it provides for the visitation by a supervisor from the Department of Public Instruction, who, with the county superintendent visits the schools. If these schools meet the minimum requirements in physical equipment, in course of study and in teaching, a diploma, signed by the supervisor and by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, is granted to the school. A door plate is also given by the Department of Public Instruc- tion to be placed on the front door of the schoolhouse. It was found, in a very short time, that school officers wanted something to work for above the minimum standards already set. It was decided to offer a superior diploma for a one-room country school which should furnish superior equipment, course of study and teaching, and a superior school plate was made.
"Under this movement schools have been standardized as follows: In 1909, 84; in 1910, 142; in 1911, 277; in 1912, 469; in 1913, 641; in 1914, 629. In 1912 twelve schools were standardized in Champaign County, and eleven in 1914.
235
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
HIGH SCHOOL TUITION ACT
"In 1909, the Legislature passed an act requiring districts which did not maintain a high school to pay the tuition of their eighth grade graduates in some four-year high school, selected by the parents upon the approval of the directors of the local district. This law, however, in its passage through the Senate, was amended by the insertion of the clause which said, that the tuition should be paid by the district, pro- vided the parents or guardian were unable to pay. It was known by those who were interested in the measure, that this amendment weakened greatly, if it did not destroy the law. Very shortly after it went into effect, it was attacked in various courts on various grounds. Finally, a decision was given by the Supreme Court that it was unconstitutional, inasmuch as a Board of Education was not competent to decide who was able and who was not able to pay the tuition. The State Teachers' Association, which had taken up this matter, again went before the Legislature with a demand for an enactment of a law without this unconstitutional provision. Such a law was passed by the Forty-eighth General Assembly and went into effect July 1, 1913.
"It is difficult to over-estimate the far-reaching consequences of such a law. Immediately upon its going into effect, every square foot of territory within the State became high school territory. Before that time over 300,000 boys and girls were living in districts where no high schools were established. When they completed their eighth grade work, all free high school opportunity for them ended. If they attended any high school, their parents had to pay the tuition. Here arose that old and ugly distinction where society was divided by a money considera- tion. With the going into effect of this new law, every graduate of the eighth grade in every district in the State had this free high school opportunity open for him. He was not compelled to accept it, but it was open if he desired it.
"In the first year under this law it has been tested and tried in practice as well as in the courts. Many of the decisions based on this law are of great interest. Two of them are printed in this biennial report. It is sufficient here to say that the law has been held consti- tutional by the Supreme Court. Under its provisions, at least 5,000 boys and girls, who would not otherwise have been in high school, have gone. In the year closing June 30, 1913, there were enrolled in the high schools of the State 78,942; in the year closing June 30, 1914, there were 85,301 pupils enrolled, a gain of over 8 per cent, whereas the gain in the enrollment in the elementary schools is only 2.6 per
236
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
cent. While the enrollment in the high schools, as compared with the enrollment in the elementary schools, has been gradually increasing, this rapid and unprecedented growth must be attributed to the free high school tuition law. Some difficulties have appeared. It has been found that some school districts cannot raise enough money under the limit set by the law to maintain a good elementary school and, at the same time, pay the tuition of their high school pupils. Wherever such a condition exists, the directors have had to do one of two things-cut down the character of their elementary school, or refuse to pay the high school tuition. The courts have held that the directors in such districts are under no compulsion to pay high school tuition, unless they have money remaining after paying for the maintenance of a good elementary school. It is believed that some provision will have to be made for meeting these peculiar cases. One proposal is to have the Legislature appropriate a special amount which shall be used to aid these needy districts. This has the objection of making it appear that the fault somehow lies in these particular districts, whereas the fault generally lies in unwise methods of taxation and distribution of the revenues. A second proposal is, that when the distributive fund is sent to each of the counties, the county superintendent shall be required to distribute to all the high school districts upon the school census basis, as now pro- vided by law ; that he shall withhold out of the other portion a sufficient amount to pay the tuition of all the pupils from the non-high school districts and then distribute the balance to those districts on the school census basis.
STATE EDUCATIONAL SURVEY
"The last ten years has witnessed the development of a new tendency in public education-that of the school survey. It has arisen out of the desire of taxpayers, as well as school officers, to have some sort of an appraisement of the quantity and quality of the work which is being done in public education. Unfortunately, for the success of this move- ment, these surveys took the form, in the beginning, of private ventures. Certain clubs, organizations or individuals provided money to employ experts to conduct these investigations or surveys. In several notable instances, the experts thus employed seemed to be more interested in getting out a startling, sensational report, rather than in arriving at conclusions which would assist school officers in making the work of the public school system more effective. In many parts of the country, school officers and school teachers were beginning to think that these experts were like some surgeons, who were reputed to care very little
237
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
whether the patient survived or not, so long as the operation could be pronounced successful. No one could deny, however, that the desire for these surveys and appraisements represented a distinct and worthy demand on the part of the public. It became necessary, therefore, for school officers and school teachers to devise methods whereby the public might be informed in some tangible sort of a way concerning the work of public education. In the State of Illinois, the State Teachers' Association has undertaken a State-wide survey of public instruction. The State Association and its various sections appropriated money out of their treasury. A number of the normal schools, colleges and the State University added to this amount. A committee was appointed to take direct control of this survey. A plan was formulated. The various lines of investigation were placed under the immediate direc- tion of men and women especially fitted to carry them out. Professor Lotus D. Coffman, of the School of Education of the University of Illinois, was made secretary of the State Association and director of the State Survey. It may take two years, three years, or four years to carry out this survey to a conclusion. When it is done, however, it will have the distinction of having been thorough-going and complete, but at the same time, sympathetic and considerate. The taxpayer will have no reason to question the genuine, bona fide character of the survey, and the friends of public education cannot quarrel with this conclusion on account of any lacking of sympathy on the part of the investigators."
GREGORY 1867-80
PEABODY 1880-91
JAMES 1904-
BURRILL ACTING PRESIDENT 1891-4
DRAPER 1894-1904
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
CHAPTER VIII
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
GERMIS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-EARLY ATTEMPTS TO FOUND STATE UNIVERSITIES -PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY-PROFESSOR TURNER'S LEADERSIIIP-ILLINOIS INDUS- TRIAL LEAGUE ORGANIZED -- MORRILL BILL PASSED- THIE HONOR DUE PROFESSOR TURNER-ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY FULLY INCORPORATED-DR. JOHN M. GREGORY CHOSEN REGENT-BIOG- RAPHY OF JOHN MILTON GREGORY-PROPOSED DEPARTMENTS AND COURSES-STUDENT GOVERNMENT SYSTEM-WOMEN FIRST AD- MITTED-COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING FOUNDED-MAIN UNIVERSITY BUILDING COMPLETED THE FOUR PIONEER COLLEGES-AUTHOR- IZED TO GRANT DEGREES-EARLIEST LITERARY SOCIETIES-PROFES- SOR S. W. SHATTUCK-DR. GREGORY'S ADMINISTRATION-BIOGRAPHY OF DR. S. II. PEABODY-THE PEABODY ADMINISTRATION-TRUS- TEES MADE ELECTIVE-SALE OF NEBRASKA LANDS-PRESENT NAME ADOPTED-RESIGNATION OF DR. PEABODY-DR. THOMAS J. BURRILL -DR. BURRILL'S ADMINISTRATION-NEW COURSES OF STUDY CREATED-HIGHEST HONOR TO DR. BURRILL-PRESIDENT ANDREW S. DRAPER-SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY, CHICAGO- SCHOOL OF LAW AND STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL-DEAN OF WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT CREATED-SUMMER SESSION ESTABLISHED-COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY ORGANIZED-PRESIDENT DRAPER'S ADMINISTRATION -SCHOOL OF COMMERCE AND ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION -LIBRARY AND AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS COMPLETED-TWO BUILD- INGS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING-DR. EDMUND J. JAMES ( BIOGRAPHY) SUCCEEDS PRESIDENT DRAPER-SCHOOL OF COMMERCE BUILDING -- SCHOOL OF EDUCATION CREATED SCHOOL OF CERAMICS-STATE GEOLOGICAL AND WATER SURVEYS-SCHOOL OF RAILWAY ENGINEER- ING-GENERAL PROPERTY TAX FOR UNIVERSITY-IMPROVEMENT IN CHICAGO DEPARTMENTS-INCREASE OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY, 1890-1917-LIBRARY SCHOOL-THE GRADUATE SCHOOL-GENERAL PROGRESS IN TEACHING AND STUDENT STRENGTHI-SUMMARY OF GROWTH, 1903-1917-IMPORTANT BUILDINGS ERECTED SINCE 1914 -FROM 1908-1914-CHIEF BUILDINGS BEFORE 1908-PROPOSED
239
240
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
BUILDINGS-SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES REORGANIZED, 1906-1915 -- SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS ADDED, 1905-1916-DR. GREGORY'S PREDICTION-GROWTH OF UNIVERSITY BY YEARS, 1867-1917- ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY-FIRST MEETING OF THE BOARD (1867) -UNIVERSITY OPEN TO STUDENTS (1868)-1870-1871-1872, 1873, 1874-1876, 1877-1881, 1882-1884, 1885, 1886, 1887- 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894-1896, 1897-1899, 1900-1901-1904- EDMUND J. JAMES BECOMES PRESIDENT-1905-1910-NEW AUDI- TORIUM DEDICATED-1911-1916- DEATH OF DR. T. J. BURRILL- ADMINISTRATION-DEPARTMENTS AND COURSES-THE COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION-GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS-THE COL- LEGES AND SCHOOLS-THE UNIVERSITY SENATE-NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF THE FACULTY-EXPERIMENT STATIONS AND SCIEN- TIFIC BUREAUS-AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION-ENGINEER- ING EXPERIMENT STATION-STATE LABORATORY OF NATURAL HIS- TORY-THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST'S OFFICE-STATE WATER SURVEY -STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY-BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN ACCOUNT- ANCY-INVESTIGATION OF ILLINOIS COAL PROBLEMS-ACCREDITED HIGH SCHOOLS-UNIVERSITY HONORS-PRIZES AND MEDALS- SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS-LOAN FUNDS-UNIVERSITY EXTENSION WORK-AGRICULTURE-CERAMIC ENGINEERING HOME ECONOMICS-UNIVERSITY FINANCES-TOTAL VALUATION OF UNIVER- SITY PROPERTY.
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