USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > Centennial anniversary of Whiteside County Education Association, 1856-1956. Historical booklet > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
-25-
DANIEL B. YOUNG 1840-1842
Daniel Beers Young, first School Commissioner in Whiteside County, was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, September 16, 1800. When still a child, his family moved to the state of Ohio where he remained until 1837, when he came to White- side County in Illinois. Here he purchased a claim of six hun- dred forty acres in what is now Union Grove township, pay- ing for the land and improvements, together with some farm- ing implements, the sum of three thousand six hundred dol- lars.
Mr. Young, from the start, took an active interest in public affairs of Whiteside County and was elected its first Probate Justice, serving from 1839 until 1842. In 1840, he was ap- pointed School Commissioner of Whiteside County, being the first to hold this office, and served until 1842. As School Com- missioner, he was responsible for the distribution of school funds and the organization of school districts.
Mr. Young held other offices of public trust, always main- taining a keen interest in community affairs.
WILLIAM NEVITT 1842-1845
William Nevitt, Whiteside's second School Commissioner, was one of the early settlers in the county. He was born at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in 1779, and as a young man moved to Kentucky. Mr. Nevitt moved to White County in Illinois in 1818, and in 1834, to Knoxville in Knox County. Here he remained until August of 1837, when he moved to Albany in Whiteside County and purchased a farm just out- side of the present city of Albany. He was one of the original proprietors of Upper Albany.
Mr. Nevitt was appointed Justice of the Peace by the State Legislature in 1821, and later commissioned by Shadrach Bond, first Governor of Illinois. In 1831, he was appointed by Governor Reynolds as one of the Commissioners to improve the Little Wabash River.
In 1842, he was elected School Commissioner of Whiteside County, which office he held until his death in October, 1845.
CHARLES S. DEMING 1845-1857
Upon the death of William Nevitt, Charles S. Deming took
-26-
up the duties of School Commissioner for Whiteside County, and continued as head of the schools of the county until 1857.
Charles S. Deming was born in Pennsylvania on February 15, 1796. He came to Whiteside County in 1839, and settled on a claim two miles northeast of Lyndon, on which farm he remained until his death on February 21, 1862.
Mr. Deming was the last of the County School Commission ers, serving in that capacity for ten years. In 1855, along with the new township organization, the office of County Super- intendent of Schools was created with Mr. Deming as the first incumbent. He held this position for two years.
Charles Bent, Whiteside County historian, said of Mr. Dem- ing that "he was an earnest friend of popular education and served as County Superintendent of Schools for twelve years to the entire satisfaction of the people."
"Deacon" Deming, as he was called, instituted many changes in the conduct of the public schools of our county. He was the County Superintendent of Schools when the White- side County Education Association had its beginning in 1856. He was the first man in our county to call the teachers togeth- er for institutes where they might improve themselves profes- sionally. Out of this institute idea grew our Whiteside Coun- ty Education Association.
M. R. KELLY 1857-1869
M. R. Kelly, who succeeded "Deacon" Deming as County Superintendent of Schools, was born in New England in 1820, receiving his early education and training in an academy in Rutland, Vt.
In 1850, he came west to grow up with the country and first settled in Lyndon in Whiteside County, Illinois, where he be- gan his career by teaching school. He was called to Morrison in 1852, to become Superintendent of Schools, which position he held for three years.
Having made a good record as an educator since coming to the county, he was elected County Superintendent of Schools in 1857, a position which he was to hold with much success for twelve years.
Mr. Kelly became County Superintendent at a time when the schools of the county were in their formative stage. He did much to develop and establish them on a systematical and
-27-
useful basis. His great work during his tenure cannot be over- estimated.
In 1874, he was again made Superintendent of Schools in Morrison, serving for ten years. In 1884, he retired from ac- tive service in the field of education to a small fruit farm at the outskirts of Morrison. Here he spent his remaining days. M. R. Kelly died at his home in Morrison on December 27, 1904.
MICHAEL W. SMITH 1869-1873
Col. Michael W. Smith served as County Superintendent of Schools from 1869 to 1873. He was elected by a whirlwind of Sterling votes, the vote in the rest of the county being rather light, there being no issue at stake.
Col. Smith, who for a time served as principal of the Morri- son schools, was a precise, stern, methodical man and very efficient in the discharge of his duties.
He moved to Cincinnati in 1874, where he was appointed Professor of English literature and history in Hughes High School. This position he held with much success until his death in 1889.
ORRIN M. CRARY 1873-1877
Orrin M. Crary, who succeeded Michael W. Smith as White- side County Superintendent of Schools, is most readily identi- fied with Lyndon township, where he took an active interest in community affairs. He was elected Trustee for the village of Lyndon soon after its incorporation in 1874.
For several years, Mr. Crary served as head of the Lyndon schools. It was during this period that he also held the office of County Superintendent of Schools.
O. M. Crary was a frequent lecturer at county institutes. He was considered outstanding in the field of organic chem- istry, and was most often called upon to serve as instructor in this field.
GEORGE C. LOOMIS 1877-1882
George C. Loomis, of Fulton, took office as County Super- intendent of Schools in December, 1877. He performed very ably during his term of office, holding the position of Super-
-28-
George C. Loomis 1877 - 1882
B. F. Hendrickx 1882 - 1889 1902 - 1915
W. J. Johnston 1889 - 1902
Harry B. Price 1915 - 1939
R. M. Robertson 1939-1951
Loren S. Young 1951 -
-29-
intendent of Schools in Fulton at the same time. Most of his county work was done on Saturdays and during school vaca- tions, a very unsatisfactory arrangement which was soon to come to an end.
B. F. HENDRICKS 1882-1889 1902-1915
Benjamin Franklin Hendricks, who served as Whiteside County Superintendent of Schools for twenty years, was born in Pennsylvania in 1851, his family moving to Whiteside Coun- ty the following year.
B. F. Hendricks attended the common schools of this county and then did advanced study in the Sterling High School (Sec- ond Ward). He began teaching when 19 and taught in Ster- ling, Erie, Rock Falls and Savanna. Mr. Hendricks was elected County Superintendent of Schools in 1882. In 1889, he re- signed to accept the superintendency of the Savanna schools, a position he held for eight years. In 1902, he was again elec- ted to the post of Whiteside County Superintendent of Schools, serving until 1915.
Mr. Hendricks was an alert and enterprising educator and did much to improve the schools of the county. It was at the beginning of his term of office that the county Board of Super- visors agreed that the county superintendent should devote full time to his duties. This action came largely through the efforts of a special committee of the Whiteside County Teach- er's Association composed of Alfred Bayliss, M. R. Kelly and John Phinney.
The first "School Room Guide" made its appearance in 1884. Its purpose was to grade the rural schools and to give greater system to supervision. This course of study, which was supplemented by future editions and outlines and em- phasized by central and final examinations brought about phenomenal advances in the schools of the county.
Mr. Hendricks was the moving force behind the physical improvements in so many of our schools around the turn of the century.
W. J. JOHNSTON 1889-1902
When B. F. Hendricks resigned as County Superintendent of Schools in 1889, the County Board of Supervisors oppoint-
-30-
ed W. J. Johnston to serve out his term. Mr. Johnston served in a very satisfactory manner for the next twelve years.
HARRY B. PRICE 1915-1939
To Harry B. Price goes the honor of having longest served Whiteside County as its Superintendent of Schools. He came into office in 1915, and retired a quarter of a century later in 1939, as Whiteside County was completing its first century of formal organization.
H. B. Price was born November 11, 1868, at Oconee in Shel- by County, Illinois. Here he spent his childhood and attended the district schools. One of his school teachers became quite interested in him and urged him to take up teaching. With the help of his teacher he prepared himself to take the exam- ination offered by the county superintendent. Harry Price wrote a satisfactory examination and was entitled to a cer- tificate. Being only fifteen years of age at the time, he was forced to wait a year before he took over his first school.
After a year and a half of teaching in a rural school, Mr. Price enrolled in the Teacher's College at Normal, Illinois. He did some teaching while attending college and later taught at the college and in the city schools of Bloomington and Nor- mal. H. B. Price also served as Superintendent of Schools in Franklin Grove, Illinois, for many years and later at Fulton, Illinois, from which position he was elected to the office of Whiteside County Superintendent of Schools.
Mr. Price worked very hard during his tenure in office at developing a curriculum in the rural schools that would help and induce more rural youngsters to go on to high school and college. He was also a great supporter for the theory that the best teachers should be found at the elementary level as these are the most impressionable years.
The office of the County Superintendent of Schools was ex- panded under Mr. Price and it was during his years in this position that the first assistant was employed.
H. B. Price had many interests and was active in his church and local service clubs. He is remembered by many of his friends as a student of Lincolniana and often presented them with Lincoln mementos.
After his retirement in 1939, Mr. Price spent much of his time in writing and reading from his very extensive library.
-31-
Several of Mr. Price's literary efforts were published in mag- azines.
A long and useful life, most of it spent in the field of edu- cation, came to an end with the passing of H. B. Price on Octo- ber 21. 1954.
R. M. ROBERTSON 1939-1951
With the retirement of H. B. Price as County Superintend- ent of Schools in 1939, R. M. Robertson, Principal of the Rock Falls High School, presented himself as a candidate for the office. Mr. Robertson was promptly elected to the position and served successfully for twelve years.
R. M. Robertson was born on a farm near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1886. After completing his public school education, he entered Cumberland Valley State Normal School at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, with a view toward entering the teaching field. He later attended Washington and Jefferson College at Washington, Pennsylvania, where he received his A.B. and M.A. degrees. Mr. Robertson also did some post graduate work at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
Mr. Robertson spent forty years in the field of education, all of them as an administrator, either as a principal or super- intendent. One year was spent in Pennsylvania, six in Indiana, and thirty-three in Illinois, all but one in Whiteside County. After seven years in Erie, Mr. Robertson moved to Rock Falls where he served in the Township High School for thirteen years. He finished out his career by serving three terms as Whiteside County Superintendent of Schools.
Mr. Robertson made many wonderful friends throughout the county during his tenure as County Superintendent as did his fine wife who ably assisted him. Many fine things were accompanied during Mr. Robertson's years in the office, but outstanding contributions were the County Workshop spon- sored in 1941, the County Office Library of Children's Books, and the organization of County rural teachers' clubs.
Since 1951, Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have been living in well deserved retirement on their Ozark farm near Green Forest, Arkansas. They plan to return to our midst for the centennial anniversary celebration of the Whiteside County Education Association. It will be a real treat to have these fine friends with us on this occasion.
-32-
LOREN S. YOUNG
from 1951
Our present very able and efficient County Superintendent of Schools bears the same family name as Whiteside's first School Commissioner. The present day Mr. Young is, how- ever, not a descendant of D. B. Young of more than a century ago.
Loren S. Young is a native of Richview in Washington Coun- ty, Illinois, where he received his early education. After grad- uation from Centralia High School, he enrolled at McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois, and was graduated with a B.S. de- gree in 1933. Six years later, he completed work on his Mas- ter's degree at the University of Illinois.
Mr. Young began his teaching career in the rural schools of Washington County, Illinois. Fifteen years were spent as a teacher in the high school at Erie, Illinois, with a two and one-half year leave of absence while he served in the U. S. Navy during World War II.
When R. M. Robertson announced his retirement in 1950. Loren Young declared himself a candidate for the office of County Superintendent of Schools and was elected. He took office in August of 1951, and has served with much success since that time. He is now in his second 4 year term.
Mr. Young has two very fine staff members in Glenna Gad- dis, Assistant Superintendent, and Eileen Bealer, Secretary. Miss Gaddis, before joining Mr. Young's staff, was recognized as one of the finest teachers in the county.
A number of significant changes and improvements have taken place in the county during Mr. Young's short tenure. Some of the more noteworthy changes are:
1. Elimination of non-high school territory.
2. Nine Community consolidated school districts organized.
3. 46 less school districts since 1951.
4. Change from Township Trustees to County Board of School Trustee and from Township Treasurer to School Treasurers.
5. 14 new school buildings plus additions and alterations to several others.
Superintendent Young is an energetic school man and should lead the schools of Whiteside County to even greater accom- pishments.
-33-
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
1954-1955
Following is a portion of the last annual report of County Superintendent of Schools, Loren S. Young. A study of this report shows the many advances made by Whiteside County schools in the past one hundred years.
Total receipts including taxes, state and federal reimbursements etc. $5,390,884.84
Total educational and building fund expenditures. $5,440,672.79
Number of full time teachers employed
506
Total instructional expenditures-including administrators and teachers salaries. $2,141,598.32
Average teacher's salary (including administrators) $4,232.40
Number of students enrolled.
10,995
Number of school districts.
69
Number of male teachers.
141
Number of female teachers.
365
Number of districts with two or more teachers.
39
Number of one room school districts.
30
Income-township loanable fund
$4,162.29
Total value of township loanable fund $206,852.72 consisting of:
Cash
$50,163.07
Government bonds
$147,338.75
Notes on real estate
$8,750.00
Real Estate $600.90
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Number of private schools 5
Enrollment in private schools
1260
Number of teachers 34
-34-
EARLY TOWNSHIPS SCHOOLS
The very earliest schools in Whiteside County were connect- ed with the various settlements and were so identified. In 1849, an election was held in the existing precincts of the county for the purpose of deciding for or against township or- ganization. The vote cast was largely in favor of the move, but the action was soon rendered void because of some illegal- ity. The matter was again brought before the voters on Novem- ber 4. 1851, and once more carried successfully. The county was accordingly divided into townships and the first town meetings were held in each town on the first Tuesday of April, 1852.
Soon after township organization, school districts were numbered in each township. To this day, the schools of the county are most readily identified and located by the town- ship in which they are to be found, even though school district numbering is now done on a county-wide basis,
In recent years, consolidation has disregarded township lines and it not uncommon to find school districts that extend into a neighboring county. However, for the purpose of identi- fying the earliest schools in the county, the subject will be considered on a township basis. Much of the information that follows has been taken from the Bent-Wilson "History of Whiteside County."
ALBANY TOWNSHIP
The earliest settlement in Albany township was made in 1835 by a Mr. Mitchell and Edward Corbin. The first record of a school is the erection of a frame building, in 1845, by the Methodists to be used for church and school purposes. The first teacher was C. R. Rood, who later became County Sur- veyor, and held other county offices.
One of the early settlers in the township was William Nevitt, who came to Albany in 1837. Mr. Nevitt was the second School Commissioner to serve in Whiteside County, succeeding D. B. Young in 1842. William Nevitt held the post for three years.
CLYDE TOWNSHIP
The first claim, in what is now Clyde township, was made by Jesse Hill as a "Jack-Knife Claim" in 1835. It was not un- til 1838, however, that settlers began to arrive. The first school in the township was taught by Lucy A. Exley in the summer of 1846. Classes were held in her father's home on
-35-
section 28. The first school house is thought to have been erected about 1848.
COLOMA TOWNSHIP
The first permanent settlement in Coloma township was made by Isaac Merrill and Edward Atkins early in 1837. A number of other families came later that same year. Coloma's first school was taught in 1845 by Anastacia Sturtevant. Classes were held in an old store building in Rapids City, as Rock Falls was then known. The next year the people of the town agreed to pay L. H. Woodworth twenty dollars for a 12x12 frame building which had been originally built for stor- ing corn. Mr. Woodworth was to be paid in produce, the amount having been raised by subscription.
This little building served as school house for the next ten years, having been moved to the location of the present East Coloma School, and a Miss Mclaughlin installed as teacher. In 1854, construction was started on a brick school house which was finished and occupied in 1856.
The City of Rock Falls had its beginning in 1867. The first school was held in a brick building, located at the corner of Second Street and Third Avenue, which was later used as the city building. Two frame buildings were soon erected on the site of the present elementary school buildings, and by 1880, the enrollment had reached three hundred under the leader- ship of B. F. Hendricks.
ERIE TOWNSHIP
Erie township was first settled in 1835 by Lewis D. Crandall, Peter Gile and a Mr. Hunt. In the spring of 1838, a log school house was built without bonds or subscription. Polly Ann Sprague was hired as the first teacher. Horace Cole was the second teacher in Erie. The town of Erie was laid out soon after 1850, and in a short time the school in the village had grown to the point where it included primary, elementary and high school departments.
FENTON TOWNSHIP
This township is named in honor of its first settler, Joseph Fenton. He came with his family to Erie township in 1835, where they lived for a short time until a permanent home was erected in Fenton township and occupied in January of 1836. Fenton's first school was taught by Arminta Lathe in the fall of 1848, classes being held in a log house owned by James M.
-36-
Pratt. The first public school house, known as Pratt School. was built in 1857, and Mary Johnson was the first teacher.
FULTON TOWNSHIP
John Baker, Fulton's first settler, arrived in 1835 and made a claim in and about what is now the city of Fulton. Many other settlers followed him in the next few years. The first school in the township was started about 1838 within the limits of the present city of Fulton. This school was taught by James McCoy, who later became one of Fulton's most prominent citizens.
During the next few years, a number of independent schools were taught in this area by the following early teachers: Mr. Humphreys, Eliza Town, Mr. G. H. Rice, Sarah Jenks, Sylvia Coburn, and Martin Kibby. In 1847, School district No. 1 was organized and a stone school erected within the city limits. It was considered the finest school house in the county. Mr. Kibby was the first teacher in the new school.
By 1856, the stone school could no longer accommodate all who wished to attend, so the high school was moved to Reed's Hall and taught by H. H. Smith. In 1857, the voters of the community decided to build a new school which was occupied the following year. The new school had three departments- high school, intermediate and primary. Prof. G. C. Alvord was principal and was assisted by Ada Alvord, Mary Cowles and Miss M. A. Millikan.
The city of Fulton holds the honor of being the site of the first college in Whiteside County. Western Union College and Military Academy was opened by Col. D. S. Covert in September of 1861. With assistance from the United States Government in the way of muskets and other equipment nec- cessary for a cadet corps, Col. Covert's academy became a popular place for young men to receive instruction in military tactics.
Much success was enjoyed by this school during the period of the Civil War and calls for troops by the Government were answered by many well-trained cadets from the academy. After the close of the war, by act of the General Assembly, the school was incorporated as Illinois Soldier's College for the purpose of enabling Union soldiers from Illinois regiments to acquire an education. Its benefits were also available to their children.
GARDEN PLAIN TOWNSHIP
Abel Parker came to this township in the spring of 1836 to
-37-
make the first settlement. There was no regular school house in the township during the first years. In 1843, however, the inhabitants banded together and secured a little log house which was opened as a school that year with Susannah Boyn- ton as the first teacher. She was soon succeeded by Seymour Knapp. The first regular school house was a cement building erected in 1850 at Garden Plain Corners. A larger building was dedicated on February 9, 1869, on the occasion of the meeting of the Mississippi Teacher's Association here.
GENESEE TOWNSHIP
Genesee township was first settled in 1835 by Jesse Hill, Sr., and Adam and John James. In a short time, many more families had arrived to make their homes in the township. The first school in the township was taught in the winter of 1837- 38, classes being held in the evening in the home of William Wick. The teacher was Ivory Colcord. Not long after this a school was taught by Dinsmoor Barnett near the residence of Mr. Wick.
Another early school, near Prospect Grove, was taught by Nelson Fletcher who later became Superintendent of Carroll County Schools. The first school house in the village of Coleta was built in 1858. Ephraim Brookfield was employed as teach- er and carried sixty pupils on the roll.
HAHNAMAN TOWNSHIP
This township was not settled until 1841, when William Renner and family came to Deer Grove and built a cabin of logs. It was not until 1855, however, that any great number of settlers came to this part of the county. The first school house was built in 1857 in what was known as Brakey's settlement. It was sixteen feet square and seven feet high. Amos Reeves, who later served as Supervisor for the town, was the first teacher, holding classes during the winter of 1857-58. There were twenty-two scholars in attendance, some coming as far as five miles.
HUME TOWNSHIP
Hume township was first settled in 1836 by Leonard Morse and his family. They had previously resided in nearby Lee County. The first school was erected in 1857 and became known as the Cleaveland School. Classes were conducted in the new school that same year by Jane Griffith.
HOPKINS TOWNSHIP
Jason Hopkins and Isaac Brittell made the first settlement
-38-
in this township in 1835, on the site of the present town of Como. The following year William Pilgrim, Clement C. Nance and Joseph Jones arrived at Round Grove. Empire (Emerson) and Galt were settled at a later date.
The first school in this township was taught by a Miss Higley at Round Grove in 1840. The first school house in the town- ship was built in Como in 1842, the funds for this building having been raised by subscription.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.