USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
USA > Illinois > Moultrie County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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The latest aspirant for journalistic honors in Shelby county is
THE GREENBACK HERALD.
The office of the Sentinel, at Windsor, was purchased by a stock company, composed of the influential members of the Greenback party in Shelby county, and by them removed to Shelbyville. They placed Messrs. Stuart & Cook in editorial charge. They issued the first number October 18, 1879, and have continued its publication to the present. The Herald is the recognized organ of tlie Greenback party in Shelby county, and under the management of Messrs. Stuart & Cook, both of whom are practical printers, it has taken a prominent stand among the Greenback papers of the state.
OUR APIARY
Is the name of a monthly publication devoted to bee culture. It has a large circulation throughout the county. J. W. Johnson and E. Homrighouse are the cditors and proprietors. The first number was issued in June, 1879.
THE TRUE DEMOCRAT
Was the first paper published in the thriving village of Tower Hill. It was partially started as a campaign paper. First issue was August 20, 1880, M. A. Bates editor and proprictor. It is a five-column quarto in form. The material and presses are new. On November 15, 1880, Mr. Bates sold the paper to Jacob Swallow, of Pana. Mr. S. is also publisher of the Puna Palladium, and is a thorough newspaper man. Under Mr. Swallow's management the True Democrat will be run as an independent paper.
MOULTRIE COUNTY.
The first newspaper published within the borders of what is now known as Moultrie county was
THE SULLIVAN EXPRESS.
The press and material was purchased of the Cincinnati Type Foundry, brought to Sullivan, and the first number issued Septem- ber 12, 1857. James D. Moudy was the editor and publisher. A copy of the paper now before us shows that the Express received a liberal support from the business men of Sullivan, as there were twelve columns of home advertisements soon after its first issue. In politics it was independent. Mr. Moudy purchased the office, paying part cash and giving his note for the balance, and notwith- standing the evidences of its prosperity shown on its pages, collec- tions were bad and money scarce, and at the end of six months he found himself unable to meet the deferred payments. The office then passed into the hands of J. H. Waggoner and B. B. Hay- don, they assuming the indebtedness. These gentlemen took charge of the Express February 19, 1858. Both were practical printers. The firm of Waggoner & Haydon was of short duration, and con- tinued until April 9, 1858, when its interests passed into the hands of E. E. Waggoner. The firm of J. H. & E. E. Waggoner con- tinued until October 8, 1858, when E. E. Waggoner became editor and publisher. He conducted the Express into the democratic camp, and it became the organ of the Douglas wing of the demo- cracy. We may here add, that through the different changes, names, ownerships and administrations from that time to the pre- sent, the paper has been democratic in tone, and the recognized organ of the party in this section of the country. Mr. Waggoner continued the publication until February 11, 1859, when he sold out to J. H & I. V. Waggoner. His reasons for disposing of the office arc best told in his valedictory, in which he says :
" Dear Reader :- I have sold my entire interest in the Sullivan Express office to J. H & I. V. Waggoner. The reason I did so was, you would not pay your little bills, and I am too poor to pub- lish a newspaper without receiving some remuneration. You will please pay to my successors fifteen hundred dollars, the amount of your indebtedness to this office, and oblige your obedient servant, "NED WAGGONER."
The latter firm continued until March 18, 1859, when I. V. Waggoner died, and J. H. became sole owner and editor. In No- vember of the same year John R. Eden became the political editor of the Express. During his connection he gave the paper promi- nence among the journals of Central Illinois, and made for himself a reputation as a strong and vigorous writer of political articles, J. H. Waggoner piloted the management of the Express through the shoals of financial difficulties and hard times up to July 12, 1860, when F. M. Waggoner, another brother, lent a helping hand. Together they continued the publication until November 1 of the same year, when they announced through its columns that they would close the office for a short time, in order to give their undi- vided attention to the collection of money due the office. The proposed collections were a failure, and the office remained closed until the type foundry at Cincinnati took possession of the office and sold it to Alfred N. Smyser. He continued the publication until the summer of 1862, when he enlisted in the United States service and entered the army. The office then passed into the hands of the Perryman brothers, James D., George and Tobe Perryman. They continued the Express at irregular intervals, (and for a time it ceased entirely) until 1856, when Richard Couch brought a small
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
office from Shelbyville to Sullivan, and it and the Express were consolidated.
On the 20th of the same month Messrs. Couch and Perryman commenced the publication of
THE SULLIVAN DEMOCRAT,
a seven column paper, folio form. It was Democratic in polities. The publication was continued until January 1869, when Thomas M. Bushfield took posession of the office by virtue of the chattel mortgage that he held upon the presses' and material. He continued the publication of the paper and changed the name to
THE SULLIVAN PROGRESS,
which name it still retains. While Bushfield was the proprietor of the paper W. H. Smyser was editor and foreman of the officc. On the 6th of December, 1869, Bushfield sold the paper to P. L. Shutt. Under his management the Progress began for the first time to be self-supporting.
Mr. Shutt continued the Progress until November 27th, 1873, when he sold it to W. H. Smyser and W. J. Mize, who have con- tinued its publication to the present. When Messrs. Smyser and Mize purchased the paper it was an eight column folio, patent, which form it continued until August 12th 1875, when it was all printed at home. On the 21st of February, 1878, it was reduced to a seven column folio, sct in light-faced brevier and nonpareil type, and all advertisements set in nonpareil caps. The Progress, under the management and editorial control of the firm, has taken front rank in country journalism in the state of Illinois. It is a model of typographical neatness. The artistic and elegant designs and forms of advertisements as set up in the Progress are the admiration of the fraternity wherever the paper is known. As newspaper managers Messrs. Smyser and Mize have demonstrated their ability to run a newspaper and make it a financial success, and at the same time furnish their constituency a journal of which they may well be proud. These enterprising gentlemen have also established an office in Champaign, Illinois, and are editors and proprietors of the Times, a live Democratic newspaper, that is the organ of the party in the Fourteenth Congressional District, as the Progress is of the Fifteenth. Both are experienced men at either the case or in the sanctum, and have in addition, energy, enterprise, and industry the necessary requisites for success in any business.
The first effort of the members of the Republican party in Moultrie county to establish a paper that would be an exponent of their principles, was made in 1863, and originated with W. M. Stanley, the veteran newspaper man, now of the Union, Cham- paign, Illinois. He was the prime mover, and succeeded in organizing a joint stock company composed of the best and most influential members of the party in the county. They purchased the office in Chicago, and solicited W. A. Ballard to take charge of it as cditor and manager. The first issue of
THIE MOULTRIE COUNTY UNION BANNER
occurred July 20th, 1863. It was a seven column folio, neatly printed and soundly republican in its tone. Mr. Ballard continucd the publication for nearly one year, when he was deposed, and W. M. Stanley appointed his successor. The latter gentleman continued the management for the company for a short time, when he pur- chased the office and became editor and proprietor, and continucd the publication until April 3d, 1867, when he sold it to A. P. Greene and J. F. Hughes. These gentlemen changed the name to
TIIE OKAW REPUBLICAN,
and continued one year, when Mr. Hughes withdrew from the firmn and Mr. Grecne remained editor and proprietor until in February, 1870, when he sold the office and it was removed from the county. Under Mr. Grecne's management the Republican was intensely radical. Its readers were never left in doubt as to its editor's position upon any question of public interest. He was a strong and aggressive writer, and in ability considerably above the average.
THE SULLIVAN PLAINDEALER.
The material of the above named office was purchased of the St. Louis type foundry. It was well selected, and per consequence the Plaindealer was typographically neat. The first number was issued December 18th, 1872, B. B. and C. W. Everett, editors and proprietors. It was an eight column folio, and Republican in politics. Financially it was a losing enterprise. The publication was continued until May 15th, 1874, when the office was closed. It remained closed some time, when it was traded to P. W. Shutt for residence property in Shelbyville. Shutt removed the office to Paris, Illinois, where it is now known as the Times officc.
THE MOULTRIE COUNTY CIIRONICLE.
In 1874 Cicero V. Walls, now of the Newman Independent, Douglas county, Illinois, brought an office from Tuseola to Sullivan and commenced the publication of the Chronicle. The first issue: was October 9th, 1874. He continued the paper for eleven wecks when its publication ceased, Mr. Walls being convinced that the Chronicle would not receive sufficient patronage to justify its con- tinuance. He shipped the material to Arcola, and from thence to Newman.
The Chronicle was brought to Moultrie county and designed as a publication in the interest of the "Farmers' Movement," but the " movement " being irresponsive and not materializing to the extent desired by its too sanguine and mistaken supporter, it was shipped back as stated above.
After the decease of both the Plaindealer and Chronicle, the Republican party was without an organ until December, 1875, when W. A. Chapman brought an office from Tuscola to Sullivan, and on the 18th of the month and year above named issucd the first number of
TIIE SULLIVAN JOURNAL.
It was a seven column folio. Chapman continued the publication until May 13th, 1876, when he sold to A. S. Lindsay and J. W. Rohr. On the 19th of August, J. T. Williams became editor, and Rohr retired. That arrangement continucd until the 2d of Sep- tember, 1876, when Mr. Lindsay sold the Journal to W. G. Cam- bredge, of Tama city, Iowa. On the 9th of the same . month, Mr. Cambredge enlarged the paper to an cight eolumn folio. Hc continued the publication until April 6th, 1877, when he sold to T. L. Mc Grath and J. C. Stanley. Mr. Mc Grath sold his interest on May 4th of the same ycar to W. M. Stanley. The partnership of W. M. Stanley and Son continued until March 22d, 1878, when J. C. Stanley became the editor and owner of the paper. He published the Journal until April 28th, 1880, when he sold the office to Fred. T. Magruder and James R. Sedgwick. On the 28th of July, 1880, these gentlemen reduced the paper from an cight to a seven column folio in form. The Journal is neatly printed and ably cditcd, and exerts considerable influence in this congressional district. Both of the proprictors are young men, and yet upon the threshold of editorial and newspaper experience, but from cvidences already given we have no doubt that they will in time take front rank in the journalism of the state.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
The first newspaper published in the village of Lovington was
THE LOVINGTON INDEX.
The office was brought to the village from Farmer City, De Witt county, Illinois. D. C. Whetzell was the editor and proprietor. The first issue was in the latter part of October, 1875. Whetzell continued the Index until April, 1876, when the office passed back into the possession of W. C. Devore, to whom it originally belonged. The latter gentleinan changed the name to
THE LOVINGTON FREE PRESS,
and continued the publication for several years, when it was sus- pended and office removed to Farmer City. The people of Lov- ington were without a newspaper until thé 26th of November, 1879, when Benjamin Biddlecome brought an office from Danville, and established
THE LOVINGTON ENTERPRISE.
It was an independent paper, devoted to home interest. It was a seven column folio, neatly printed, and was a spicy paper, con- taining all the home news and whatever was of interest to its readers. When the paper was first brought to Lovington, W. J. Pricst was associated with Mr. Biddlecome in the publication. He remained until February 18th, 1880, when he retired and W. S. Tobey took his place. In July of the same year, the heading was changed to the Weekly Enterprise, and the paper was made a five column quarto of eight pages. The firm of Biddlecome and Tobey still continues, and from the evidences of prosperity and industry plainly observable around the office we have no doubt that the Enterprise is destined to be one of the prominent institutions and industries of Lovington.
The history of the Press of Shelby and Moultrie counties has been briefly traced. There have been but comparatively few failures, and it is fairly representative of the business growth of both counties. No industry can show a better record or less failures, or number more enthusiastic or patient workers. The influence and character of the press have grown with the material wealth, and intellectual growth of those they have represented. The number of newspaper enterprises organized, and now in existence in the counties and the character of their support, shows well for the liberality of their citizens, and it further shows the power and appreciation of printers' ink and editor's pen when used for the advancement of the intellectual growth of the people, and the material wealth of the country. We boldly and truthfully say, that to the press more than to any other industry, belongs the honor and credit of building up and making known to the outside world the wealth of soil, advantages of agriculture, excellent schools, business growth, and moral tone of the people of Shelby and Moultrie counties. It is the press that spreads these advantages before the world and invites emigration within its borders. As before said, the press is progress, and progress is the press.
PRINTO
CHAPTER XII.
COMMON SCHOOLS OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES.
THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS-THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THE STATE-ITS GROWTHI, RESOURCES, AND MANAGEMENT.
BY PROF. C. L. HOWARD .*
HE educational history of few even of the older States is more rich, more varied, or more in- structive than the educational history of Il- linois, and especially that part of it relating to the development and growth of her system of common schools. A complete sketch would not be wanting in interest, from first to last, to any one at all in sympathy with that force which has been rightly denominated the " chief defence of nations ;', a brief outline of its rise and extent, however, is all that is admis- sible in this connection.
The present school system may, in one sense, be said to date from 1825; but it was not till the adoption of the School Law of 1855, that the influences born of democratic institutions and the efforts of the most public-spirited among the early settlers took shape, and secured to the youth of the state for all generations to come, the inestimable privileges of a free and common system of elementary schools. The idea of popular education with reference to the ter- ritory embraced in the state, was entertained long before the forma- tion of the territorial government of the samc. Article III. of the celebrated ordinance of 1787, declared that " Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government," enjoined that " schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." The general government procecded to "encourage " the principle enjoined upon the incipient commonwealth, by embracing in the act of Congress adopted April 18th, 1818, " to enable, the people of Illinois territory to form a constitution and .state government," a proposition subject to certain conditions, to grant to the state,- " 1. The section numbered sixteen in every township for the use of the inhabitants of such township for school purposes ; 2. Three per cent. of the net proceeds of the sales of public lands within the state, one-sixth part of which should be exclusively bestowed upon a college or university ; 3. Onc entire township, to be designated by the President of the United States, which should be vested in the legis- lature of the state, to be appropriated solely to the use of a seminary of learning."
These grants with the conditions imposed, were accepted by the convention which met at Kaskaskia, in July, 1818, for the purpose of framing the organic law for the government of the new state, and on the 26th of August, an ordinance was adopted declaring this acceptance to be the act of the people of the state of Illinois, "not to be revoked without the consent of the United States." The first Governor of the State, SHADRACH BOND, a man of noble qualities and remarkable abilities, in his address to the first Gencral Assem- bly, at the time of its convening and of his inauguration, called
* We have seen fit to publish both Articles on the early school law of the state, as compiled by the gentlemen whose names head these Articles, be- lieving them to possess sufficient merit for perusal.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
89
attention to the educational interests of the state, provision for which had been so generously made by the bounty of the general government, and recommended that steps be taken for the appoint- ment or election of trustees in each township sufficiently populated, with authority to lease for a limited period, the section reserved for school purposes, requiring them to appropriate the income aris- ing therefrom to such usc in the manner to be prescribed by law.
proper management will create a fund sufficiently large to educate the children of the state to the remotest period of time."
During the second session of the General Assembly, which began on the first Monday in January, 1819, in pursuance of the recom- mendation of the Governor, made at the opening of the previous session, a bill calculated to carry out the desired objects was pre- pared and introduced. This bill, entitled " An Act relating to lands
PUBLIC SCHO
AD
1869
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING, SHELBYVILLE, ILLINOIS.
He urged the inexpediency of an carly disposal of these lands, be- lieving that if they were properly leascd and cared for, they would be rendered productive, and when the time should arrive at which it might be advisable to sell them, they would be extensively im- proved, and of great value. He declared that "Thesc donations, together with the three per cent. upon the net proceeds from the sale of the public lands, appropriated for similar purposes, with
reserved for the use of schools, was readily acted upon by both houses, and approved March 21, 1819 ; it provided for the appoint- ment by the county commissioners in each county, of three trustees in each township, who were authorized to lay out section sixteen in their respective townships, into lots of not less than forty nor more than one hundred and sixty acres, and to lease the same for a term of ten years, for the purpose of creating a revenue for school pur-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
poses. Had the spirit of the Governor's recommendation been as closely adhered to in subsequent legislation and in local manage- ment, nntil the lands became valuable, the public fund in nearly every township in the state would at the present time be sufficient to support the schools without taxation, and our educational inter- ests would have a permanent endowment which would secure an independence of the influence of loeal caprice, and of the embar- rassing conditions due to periods of financial depression.
From the passage of this act, the first contemplating provision for public education, little more was attempted until 1825. In this year, in accordance with the recommendation of Governor COLES, the General Assembly passed an act "providing for the establish- ment of free schools." The act premised that " To enjoy onr rights and liberties we must understand them ; their security and protec- tion ought to be the first object of a free people ; and it is a well established fact that no nation has ever continued long in the en- joyment of civil and political freedom, which was not both virtuous and enlightencd; and believing that the advancement of learning always has been, and cver will be, the means of developing more fully the rights of man, that the mind of every citizen in a republic is the common property of society, and constitutes the basis of its strength and happiness ; it is therefore considered the peculiar duty · of a free government like ours, to encourage and extend the im- provement of the intellectual energies of the whole." This bill was prepared by Senator Duncan, of Jackson county, and was very complete. Common schools, open to every class of white citizens, between the ages of five and twenty one years, were to be esta- blished in every county of the state. The power to form districts, which should contain not less than fifteen families each, was con- ferred npon the county commissioners' courts, on petition of a ma- jority of the legal voters resident in the contemplated districts. The affairs of each district were to be managed by a board of trustees and other officers. The trustces were authorized to levy a tax for the support of schools, " either in cash or good merchantable pro- duce, at cash price," not exceeding one-half of one per cent .. nor amounting to more than ten dollars per year for any one person. The state appropriated annually two per cent. of the money re- ceived into the treasury, five-sixths of this being added to the inter- est on the state school fund, and the amount distributed among the counties in proportion to the number of white inhabitants under twenty-one years of age. The counties distributed to the districts, but no district was to receive a part of this fund unless it had main- tained a school for three months during the year for which the dis- tribution was made.
This law met with violent opposition from several quarters. There were not wanting those who objected to common schools on the ground of principle ; prejudice inspired the hostility of others. The "right to tax one individual for the benefit of another " was denied, and the legality of the state appropriation was called in question. The result was the act became inoperative, and was vir- tually annulled by a general aet passed in 1827, which repealed the fifteen family clause, and made local taxation for the support of schools optional with individuals to be taxed. For several years little more was attempted in the way of establishing a permanent system of common schools, though occasional acts were passed by the legislature bearing upon the subject. In 1828 the sale of the township school-lands and the seminary township was au horized ; the proceeds of the sale of the latter and the three per cent. fund being borrowed by the state to pay current expenses. The grounds on which this sacrifice was made, and the state at the same time placed under a needless obligation, with the means by which it was brought about, are matters of record and must forever stand as a
disgraceful reminder of the demagognism which prevailed in the first decades of the state's politieal history. In 1835, the county fund, arising from the surplus funds in the hands of the connty commissioners, and in 1837, the surplus revenne fund, distributed to the states by the general government, were added to the free school fund. An amendatory act passed in 1837 provided for the incorporation of the townships, and increased the number of trus- tees to five, with supervisory authority over the schools. In this law appcars the first requirement for the examination of teachers ; a certificate of qualification signed by the trustees being necessary to enable them to be paid out of the school funds. The branches to be included in the examination were not indicated. In 1841, a complete revision of the school law was made. The number of trustees was reduced to three; the system of county commissioners was confirmed; each township was to have as many schools as the inhabitants desired ; but local taxation continued to be optional ; schedules were to be kept and returned to township treasurers by teachers, who were paid semi annually, viz. on the second Monday in January and July. Teachers were to be examined by trustees on the branches required to be taught-generally only the elements of "the three R.'s"
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