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 24
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 24
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Though the cause of popular education languished in all these years, its friends continued the struggle in its behalf. The princi- ple had taken firm root in the public mind, and continued to grow and gain strength. In 1833, the first educational convention held in the state met at Vandalia. A second was held at the same place the following year. Thirty counties were represented by about sixty delegates, among whom were Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, the latter serving as secretary of the convention. An address to the people and a memorial to the legislature were adopted. These resulted in several important changes in the previons school laws. In 1837 the first educational periodical in the state was started at Jacksonville. It lived a nseful life of one year.
In 1843, an unsuccessful attempt was made to secure the estab- lishment of the office of state superintendent of schools. Petitions were circulated for signatures; lectures were delivered upon the need and practicability of thorough supervision. Notwithstanding this failure, it was thought by many that the time was ripe for pushing the proposed measure, and that a convention of the right men should be called to prepare a plan for a system of common schools which might be recommended with confidence to the next General Assembly. A suggestion to that effect, made by John S. Wright, in the educational column of his paper, The Prairie Farmer, resulted in the meeting of such a convention at Peoria, October 9th, 1844. A plan for a school-system was drawn up, and an able me- morial addressed to the legislature. "Mr. Wright, who was secre- tary of the convention, explained and advocated the proposed bill before the legislative committees. The result was a complete revi- sion of the school law in 1845, and the passage of an act making the secretary of state, then the Hon. Thompson Campbell, ex-oficio state superintendent of schools, the county commissioners ex-officio superintendents of common schools in their respective counties, and anthorizing district taxation for school purposes npon a favorable majority vote. This law was little more efficient than those that had preceded it. The school-officers, receiving no compensation, neglected their duties or were not qualified to discharge them ; the people were generally indifferent, or, refusing to tax themselves under the law, contributed to make it a dead letter.
Matters were not much improved until 1853. In this year the General Assembly passed a bill introduced by the chairman of the committee on education, Hon. S. W. Moulton, of Shelby county, making the office of state superintendent a separate one, to be filled
1
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
by appointment by the governor until the general election in 1855, and biennially by election thereafter. The bill also directed the superintendent who should be appointed to frame a bill for the unification of the school system of the state. Hon. Ninian W. Ed- wards was appointed the first state superintendent of public instruc- tion, and had the honor of preparing a bill, which, meeting with ready acceptance by the legislature, was adopted as a law, Feb. 15th, 1858.
This system, the first that really made the schools free by pro- viding for a sufficient state and local tax for their support, consti- tutes the body of the present system. Important modifications have been made from time to time, particularly in 1872 and 1879. The management of the system is in the hands of a board of three direc- tors, one elected each year for three years for each district ; a board of trustees elected in the same manner, with a treasurer whom they appoint biennially, for each township; a county superintendent, elected for four years, for each county ; and a state superintendent, elected for four years. The following is the list of state superin- tendents : Ninian W. Edwards, appointed in 1854; W. H. Powell, 1857-9; Newton Bateman, 1859-63; John P. Brooks, 1863-5; Newton Bateman, 1865-75; S. M. Etter, 1875-9; James P. Sladc, 1879-
The sources from which the conimon school and other public edu- cational revenue is derived, are as follows: the three per cent. fund, surplus revenue, seminary fund, county fund, township fund, fines and forfeitures, the state appropriation of $1,000,000, annually, and the district tax fund.
In 1878, there were 12,286 free public schools, in which were enrolled 706,753 pupils, taught by 22,292 teachers, and costing $7,526,109.26.
On petition of fifty qualified voters, boards of trustees are author- ized to establish township high-schools. Provision is made for boards of education with special powers, in districts having two thousand or more inhabitants.
To provide for the education of teachers, the state normal univer- sity was established in 1857, the southern Illinois normal in 1869, and county normal schools were authorized the same year.
Such, in brief, is the school-system of the state. Founded upon the principle that the property of the state is responsible for the education of the youth of the state, and its schools being absolutely frce, it is a just source of public pride, and must continue to be the first means for securing the future prosperity and happiness of the people of the commonwealth.
SHELBY COUNTY. THE EARLY SCHOOLS.
In character and influence the early schools of Shelby were not unlike those of others of the older counties of the state. Among the early settlers there were many who desired for their children better educational privileges than they themselves had enjoyed, and especially were those who had immigrated from the eastern states, or had had opportunities for knowing something of the influence of the schools in those states, in sympathy with the growing idea that the youth of a community should be educated to a certain extent to enable them to stand in proper relation to society, and that the state is in duty bound to provide the means for securing to each individual such advantages for intellectual training as will prepare him for the duties of citizenship. There were not wanting those who opposed this idea on general principles, arguing that there must always be two classes in a community, one of which, as a laboring class, has no need of, and no time for
acquiring mental culture, which would unfit them for the duties in their sphere in life, and make them discontented with their sur- roundings. But native shrewdness readily discovered the advan- tage which " a little learning" gives one in his relations with his fellows, and came to believe " the dangerous thing " something in no small degree worth seeking. This, and the " divine discontent," the moving spirit in every step of progress, tended to make among the sturdy pioneers many warm friends of education and earnest advocates of schools. As a result, almost with the first settlement of the county, schools were established, and always in a neighbor- hood as soon as a sufficient number of scholars could be gathered.
Though these carly schools might not show very favorably in comparison with those of the present day, and though the old-style schoolmaster who ruled therein may have possessed scarce a smattering of the accomplishments now required at the hands of the aspirant for pedagogic honors, still they had their mission andl fulfilled it, and, it may be, were more fully appreciated than better schools and teachers would have been.
The average old-style schoolmaster could hardly be called a professional, in the sense in which the term is understood at the present day, though he could boast of large experience running through many " winters," and was an expert wielder of the ferule and hazel switch. He was generally an individual whose fitness for the position lie assumed was attested by the fact that he had never succeeded at anything else, and for whom dame Nature had done little, and culture nothing at all. Still there were among the earlier teachers, and those who were in the ranks forty or more years ago, many men of genuine worth, who, if not very liberally educated, were possessed of much good sense, and who did much to cultivate that regard for thorough mental acquisition which has resulted in a heartier appreciation of the superior privileges of to-day. Many of these old teachers of Shelby county are kindly remembered by those who were boys and girls in the " thirties and forties." Now and then a college man, by some hap or mishap, found his place among them ; and a genius was not uncommon. A graduate of Yale, who had local reputation as a poet, but whose name and rhymes are both forgotten, is remembered to have sue. cessfully taught the young idea in the wilds of Okaw. Many remember to have seen the snowy head of Moses Story in the rural distriets a quarter of a century after he finished the first school taught in the county ; and tell of John Price, the Greens, Addison Smith, who astonished the rustics by teaching that the earth is round ; Squire R. Davis who, after years of absence, returned to the county to teach his new-found method for solving arithmetical problems-by straight-line analysis,-which has since been re- discovered, and a score of others.
The first school-houses erected in the county were built of logs, generally unhewn, chinked and daubed, and provided with a capacious fire-place at one end, and sometimes in both. The earth was often the only floor, though split logs, or puncheons, usually did duty instead of plank. Some, built only for use in summer for the benefit of the smaller children, were without windows, the open door and the cracks between the logs serving to admit the needed light. Greased paper was often used for windows instead of glass. The furniture was of the rudest character, generally such as a man at all expert with an ax could readily split from the body of a tree. A rough shelf along one side of the room served as a desk for writing purposes, while a split log, supported upon pins, answered for a seat. Later, the square-built structures, many of which still stand in weather-beaten old age, with furniture of sawed lumber afforded greater comfort and convenience ; but the prevail- ing style was rough and uneouth. A rude desk set against two or
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
more sides of the room, with a seat to correspond before it, accom- modated the larger scholars, while the smaller were ranged with their fcet dangling several inches above the floor, on lower seats in front. The individual plan of instruction was the one generally followed. There are older boys and girls still living who readily recall pictures of those early schools in session. The daily routine may have begun with the older pupils or the highest class, who were called to recite by the master's : " Rise ; manners ; take your seats." And then they read in turn in a monotonous, expressionless way, in what they called "the school tone." This done, there were more "manners," the class turned and swung their feet over the seat towards the wall, and were ready for writing, in which exercise they filled the pages of their copy-books, made from plain foolscap, with imitations of the copies "set " by the teacher. Then followed the time for "ciphering," which, like the writing, took much of the master's attention, requiring him to have frequent recourse to the manuscript book in his desk, where all the " sums " in the arithmetic were wrought out or copied from the book of some old schoolmaster. In the meantime the second class had its turn at "the three R's," and so on, until the youngest had "said his letters " from the old blue spelling-book, at the point of the master's knife, when the same routine was begun over again. Frequently the school had an interval for loud study, especially in the prepara- tion of spelling lessons ; at such times the quantity of enthusiasm knew no limit, and it might be considered a poor school that could not make itself hcard a furlong at least. These earlier schools gradually gave way to better, that prepared the way for those of the present day.
The first school-house built in the county was crected as early as 1821 in Cold Spring township, and in it was probably taught the first school. It was a neat log building with puncheon floor, and stood near where Vanwinkle settled, now the Horstman place, near the cold spring. The first school in it was taught by Moses Story, who was a popular teacher in the county up to about 1850. The second school in regard to which any information can be obtained, and the first in Shelbyville township, was taught in the old log court-house, which stood a short distance south-east of where the present structure is located, in 1827, by Joseph Oliver, who served as postmaster at the same time, for want of better accommodations, keeping the mail in the crown of his hat. It is reported that a school-house was built near the old court-house about 1830, but this is no doubt a mistake; and it is quite certain that no building was put up in Shelbyville, exclusively for school purposes, till the erection of the Academy iu 1854. The old court-house was used as a school-house for many years ; here John Perryman taught in 1831 and Addison Sınith years after ; Charles E. Woodward occupied it in 1841. In the village there was generally a school of some kind, but none others of sufficient importance to leave any trace until the return of Squire Davis with his new arithmetic, and the coming of William Fling, who taught several years in the old Christian Church. The first school in that part of Shelbyville township cast of the river was taught by Daniel J. Green, in a small log cabin near where the old Log church built by the Predestinarian Baptists stood before its removal to its present site, in 1831. The late Elder Bushrod W. Henry, taught in the same house in 1833. S. R. Davis taught where Oak Grove Chapel now stands, in 1838.
The second school house in the county, was built in 1832, in Richland township, near where the town hall now stands. It was a small, round hickory log building, having greased paper windows. William Robinson and James Rouse were the first teachers.
John Price taught the first school in Ash Grove township, in an empty cabin on his place ; the second was taught in a cabin belong?
ing to A. G. Frazer, by Younger Green, a one-armed man, who afterwards taught the first school in the first school-house, a small log building which stood on the south-east corner of section 4, and which was used for several years without a floor.
The first school-house built in the north-western part of the county, stood near the centre of section 12, in Flat Branch town- ship; the first teacher was David Simon, the second was J. C. Rod- inan. This school being centrally located was largely attended by pupils from surrounding townships. A small log school-house was built just north of where the village of Moawequa now stands, in 1836. The old "Elm School House," on section 34 in Rural township, was built in 1845. " Old Hickory," a small log cabin, standing near the centre of section 3, was probably the first school- house erected in Tower Hill township. Charles McCabe was among the first teachers. The first in Oconee was a hewed log building, erected in 1838, near where the Hinton school-house now stands. The first in Holland township was built on section 29, near the Daniel Gallagher place, about 1845. S. R. Davis and John Flem- ing taught in the township in 1837-8. The first school iu Big Spring township was taught in an empty house on John Spain's place. This house was used for school purposes for several years. Thomas Bell was one of the first teachers. The first school-house in Windsor township was built in 1835, near Ben. Bruce's place, on Upper Sand Creek, and the first school was taught by S. R. Davis the same year, and other early teachers were Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, Sarah Clay, and the daughters of Addison Smith.
By 1850 all the townships had been organized, and the manage- ment of local affairs turned over to the boards of trustees and directors. Schools, supported in part by voluntary tax or subscrip- tion, and the public fund, had become more common, but there was little in the way of systematic effort to maintain schools previous to the passage of the free school law of 1855; after this date they began to improve, until at the present day they compare very favor- ably with those of neighboring counties, their progress being noticcable particularly in the more rational methods of instruction, the continually rising standard of the qualifications of teachers, nearly one half of whom are now females. School-houses, many of them of tasteful architecture and finish, are numerous enough to place school privileges next door to every home in the county. School furniture has become a marvel of neatness and comfort.
In 1880, there were reported in the county 150 school districts, having 6 log, 135 frame, and 9 brick school-houses. There were employed in the schools 122 male, and 108 female teachers. Out of 10,721 persons in the couuty under 21 and over six years of age, there were enrolled in the schools 4,319 male and 4,109 female pupils. The total expenses of the schools for the year ending June 30th, 1880, was $47,363.36, of which $33,335.07 was raised by district tax.
The total value of the property used for schools in the county is $120,000. The amount of the township fund belonging to the several townships is $51,953; Penu township having the largest amount $7,010, the income from which is alinost sufficient to sup- port the schools. Moawequa comes next with $5,927 ; Windsor has the smallest fund, it being only $6-0. This fund is in the hands of the several township treasurers, by whom it is kept loaned upon proper real and personal security. The list of township treasurers with their post-office address is as follows :-
9,1
M. S. Kimball Oconee.
10, 1
L. L. Gale.
66
9,2
John Adams.
Beek's Creek.
10, 2
Wm. Corley
Lakewood.
11, 2
H. K. Baines
Tower Hill.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
12, 2.
W. E. Killam
Tower Hill.
13, 2.
Joseph Dunean.
.Moawequa.
14, 2
B. McHenry.
66
9, 3.
L. G. Torrence.
Cowden.
10, 3
Samuel Roland.
Shelbyville.
11, 3.
Andrew Roessler
12, 3.
Reuben Roessler.
13, 3.
Isaac Longenbaek
14, 3
Hiram Johnson
Moawequa.
9, 4
E. K. Parkhurst
Beecher City.
10, 4
Henry H. Allen
Shelbyville.
11, 4
Burrell Roberts.
12, 4
James Dazey
66
13, 4
Skelton Birkett
Todd's Point.
9, 5
M. Bernhard
Shumway.
10, 5.
Isaac S. Wilkinson
Stewardson.
11, 5.
S. C. Russell
Windsor.
12, 5
L. S. Baldwin,
66
9, 6
Christian Bigler
Sigel.
10, 6
J. C. Holloway
Neoga.
11, 6.
G. W. Cross
12, 6
S. L. Warden.
Windsor.
There are in the county five graded schools, that at Shelbyville being the most important. It is controlled by a board of education consisting of six members, under a special charter obtained in 1869. It succeeded Shelby seminary in its work and influence, and is justly considered one of the most thorough and efficient schools in the state. Seven classes have been graduated from its high school. In 1879-80, 723 pupils were enrolled, and twelve teachers, including the superintendent, employed. The beautiful building in which the school was taught, was erected in 1869, at a cost of about $50,000.
The first Teachers' Institute held in the county was convened in Shelbyville in the summer of 1875, by John Stapleton, county superintendent, who was assisted by Professors Dove of the city schools, and McCormic and De Garmo of the State Normal Univer- sity. Four others have since been held. The teachers of the county have no organization.
One of the most important of the agencies in bringing the com- mon schools up to the present fair state of efficiency is the county superintendency. It is as easy to show the need of thorough and intelligent supervision in the management of a system of schools as in the conduct of other extensive and important enterprises. Facts might be adduced to demonstrate the value of such supervision ; and any one who will examine into the work of the superintendent of schools of this county during the last few years, must conclude that the office is one of great importance, to be filled by no ordi- nary individual, and in regard to which a most liberal policy should be held.
Joseph Oliver was appointed the first school commissioner in 1831, and held the office, with several others, until 1841, when he was suc- ceeded by Edward Evey. The latter was succeeded in 1853 by Hon. S. W. Moulton, who, in the twenty years following, probably exerted as much influence in bringing about favorable legislation in regard to public education, as any other man in the state. Mr. Moulton was succeeded in 1861 by Samuel King, who served four years. In 1865, the title of the office was changed to county superintendent of schools, and the term extended to four years. Anthony T. Hall was elected in this year, and held the office until his death in the autumn of 1872, when E. A. McGrew was appointed to complete the unexpired term. John Stapleton was elected in 1873, and suc- ceeded in 1877 by the present incumbent, Homer S. Mouser.
Though the schools are not as good as they might be under more favorable conditions, they are better than they ever were before. That the whole system of common schools is still very imperfect, no one affects to doubt ; it is like a vast machine whose parts are sus-
ceptible of ceaseless improvements. But the whole tendency is evidently to constant and valuable progress. It is firmly fixed in the hearts of the people, as is shown by their fostering care, and so long as it continues to grow and flourish the country is safe.
An attempt was made to establish a permanent school of higher grade in Shelbyville previous to 1840, and several in the years fol- lowing, but no decisive action was taken until after 1850. In 1853, through the influence of a number of prominent citizens, among whom were Rev. George Fisher, Rev. John Selby, C. C. Scovill, J. D. Bruster, and others, an organization, with a Board of Trustees, was effected, and the erection of a building undertaken for the ac- commodation of such a school as the needs of the community and the vicinity seemed to demand. Money was raised by subscription for building purposes, and late in the autumn of that year, the founda- tions of the " old seminary " were laid, with the expectation that it would be ready for occupation early the following spring. The position of principal at a salary of $75 per month was offered to S. W. Moulton, who had settled in Shelbyville three years before. It was declined by him and the Board of Trustees, after some search for the right man for the place, were so fortunate as to secure the services of Professor Charles W. Jerome, then teaching in Danville Seminary, in this State.
The building was not ready for the accommodation of the school at the time appointed, and the school was opened in the old Metho- dist Church, which stood on N. Morgan St., where the residence of W. W. Hess now stands, with Mr. Jerome as principal and Mr. R. M. Bell as assistant. It is believed that about seventy pupils were in attendance the first day. At the end of a few weeks the upper rooms of the new building had been made ready for use ; to these the school removed, and continued through the first session of twenty weeks, closing with a two days' examination, the result of which was entirely satisfactory to patrons, pupils, and teachers. This was followed by the first exhibition, at the opening of which an appropriate address was delivered by Hon. S. W. Moulton.
The thoroughness of the work of the teachers, and the fitness they displayed for the positions they occupied, fixed the school in the hearts of the community. Its prospects had improved from the beginning ; more than one hundred pupils had been enrolled dur- ing the first term, and the increasing demand upon its capacities ne- cessitated enlarged facilities. During the vacation it was extensive- ly advertised as "Shelby Male and Female Academy," with pre- paratory, academic, and scientific and classical departments. Rev. C. C. Burroughs was employed as preceptor and teacher of mathema- tics, for the ensuing year, Mr. Bell continuing in charge of the preparatory departinent. The school opened for the fall and win- ter term October 4th, 1854, with an increased attendance, and an enthusiastic working spirit which characterized it throughout its existence. The number of students for the year reached 156. At the end of the second session Mr. Bell retired from the corps of teachers, Jasper L. Douthit taking his place.
At the opening of the next year, 1855-6, in consequence of the increasing popularity of the school, an assistant was added for the preparatory department, and a music teacher, Miss Olivia A. Smith. The corps of teachers for the year was, C. W. Jerome, principal, and teacher of mental and moral science ; C. C. Bur- roughs, preceptor, and teacher of mathematics and natural science ; Miss Olivia A. Smith, teacher of instrumental music; Jasper L. Douthit, teacher in the preparatory department, with Berkey Myers, assistant. The enrollment for the year, according to the " First Annual Catalogue of Shelby Male and Female Academy," was 122 males and 100 females, of whom 29 were in the scientific and classical course.
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