USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County > Part 140
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Illinois Telephone Company .- The Illinois Tele- phone Company established the Jacksonville Ex- change in 1900. The gentlemen who united in that enterprise are Messrs. C. F. Tonn, E. S. Greenleaf, A. L. French, E. P. Kirby and Henry Perbix. The latter was President of the com- pany at the time of the establishment of the Ex- change. The Jacksonville Exchange now has fourteen hundred and seventy-four subscribers.
G. E. Doying
699
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XIV. .
EDUCATIONAL.
EARLY SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM- SOME EARLY TEACHERS-COMING OF STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS-PRIMITIVE AND PRESENT CONDITIONS COMPARED-FOUNDING OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE AND JACKSONVILLE FEMALE ACADEMY-THEIR HIS- TORY-THIE WOMAN'S COLLEGE-ATIIENAEUM AND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC-BUSINESS COLLEGE- ROUTT'S COLLEGE-WAVERLY SEMINARY-EBENE- ZER MANUAL, LABOR SCHOOL-BEREAN COLLEGE- ILARVARD ACADEMY-SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS- 1.ADIES' EDUCATION SOCIETY.
Morgan County has held a conspicuous place, and taken a leading part in educational affairs in Illinois. Many of her citizens from the be- ginning were imbued with a high sense of the necessity and value of popular education. The splendid history of educational enterprises in the State is largely due to the early legislation in that behalf inaugurated and accomplished by Representatives of Morgan County. In 1825, Governor Joseph Duncan, then a member of the General Assembly from Jackson County, intro- duced into that body a bill for the establishment and promotion of a system of common schools. The bill passed that body, and became a law. It, however, was like many other excellent meas- ures, in advance of its time, and was repealed four years later. Nothing more was done until 1837, when at the session of 1836-'7, Judge Wil- liam Thomas, of Morgan County, who in many legislative enactments did so much for the State, drew up a bill, presented It before the As- sembly, and succeeded in having it passed. That bill was the foundation of the present common school system of Illinois. It was most admir- able In its provisions for the schools, and with various amendments and alterations, is yet in force. Some time previous to its passage, the National Congress had passed an act dividing among the States a large fund, known as the Suffrage Act Fund. By its provisions Illinois had received as her share over six hundred thousand dollars. The majority of the legisla- tors wanted this fund to use in furthering the great Internal Improvement system, then just culminating in the financial crash of 1837. Judge Thomas, however, succeeded in securing half of the fund for the benefit of the schools.
The exact amount thus secured was $335,592.32. By this stroke of policy on the part of Judge Thomas, this large sum of money was secured for the cause of education, and laid the basis of the generous support from the State treasury now given the schools of the State.
Congress, in its division of the Northwest Ter- ritory, had made provision for the granting of every sixteenth section of land, the proceeds from the sale thereof to be applied to a fund for the promotion and maintenance of popular edu- cation. Morgan County contains within its pres- ent limits, sixteen of those sections, or over ten thousand acres of land. Judge Thomas was ap- pointed Commissioner by the County Court to sell those lands and discharged that duty with his usual faithfulness, and a large increase was thereby made to the school fund of the county.
The old log school houses, upon the passage of this law, soon began to give way to more comfortable frame structures, which in some in- stances are now replaced by brick houses, filled with every modern educational convenience and facility. The advance of civilization; the im- provement of the country; the educated tastes of the people, and the demand for a more ad- vanced and better class of instruction have brought about a higher grade of teaching, and a consequent demand for advanced and excel- lent teachers. Time will undoubtedly show a still greater advance, and it is hoped such a standard will scon be reached that the profes- ion, so fraught with the interests of all, will not be used simply as a stepping stone to other and more lucrative callings.
Among the prominent promoters of educa- tion in the State of Illinois, the name of the late Hon. William Brown, of Morgan County, should not be omitted. He was Professor of Political Economy in McKendree College from 1837 to 1840. He was invited to address the Legislature in 1839, then holding its last session at Van- dalia. The House of Representatives on Fri- day, January 11, 1839, took the following ac- tion: On motion of Colonel Jesse B. Thomas, of St. Clair County, the following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted :
"WHEREAS. Hon. William Brown, Professor in McKendree College, proposes on the evening of Friday, this day, to deliver an address on the importance of education (including a knowledge of the principles of government, as understood by us) to the proper discharge of the duties of
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
a citizen of the United States, and on Tuesday evening to submit somepractical remarks touch- ing common schools, academies, colleges, and other matters connected with the cause of edu- cation; therefore,
"Resolved, That the use of the Hall of the House of Representatives be granted to Pro- fessor Brown, on the evening of Friday (this day) and Tuesday next, at halfpast six o'clock, for the purposes aforesaid."
The addresses contemplated in said resolution were delivered in Representatives' Hall, to large and respectable meetings of citizens and strang- ers. At the close of the last lecture, on motion of Mr. Newton Cloud, of Morgan, Col. R. B. Serv- ant, of Randolph, was called to the chair, when, on motion of Mr. Cloud, the following resolu- tions were unanimously adopted:
1. "Resolved, That the thanks of this meet- ing be tendered to the Honorable Judge Brown, for the interesting lectures which he has de- livered on the subject of education.
2. "Resolved. That a committee of seven be appointed by the chair, to solicit a copy of Judge Brown's lectures for publication; and that said committee raise the necessary funds and superintend the printing of 5,000 copies thereof, in pamphlet form."
The chair then appointed the following gen- tlemen on that committee, to-wit: Mr. Cloud of Morgan, Mr. Churchill of Madison, Mr. Butler, Mr. Allen of McLean, Mr. Thomas of St. Clair, and Mr. McMillan. This action led to the fol- lowing correspondence:
"VANDALIA, ILL .. January 19, 1839.
"To Hon. William Brown: Sir-The under- signed were appointed a committee to communi- cate to you the thanks of your fellow citizens, for the very able and interesting addresses de- livered by you on the subject of education. Con- scious that the subject is one of the most vital importance to a free people, and anxious to place your lectures in the hands of as many of the people as possible, we would respectfully, in the name of the meeting, solicit a copy for pub- lication,
"Respectfully, your friends,
Newton Cloud,
G. Churchill,
P. Butler,
J. Allen,
J. Hogan,
J. B. Thomas,
Robert McMillan."
"VANDALIA, ILL., January 20, 1839.
"GENTLEMEN-In forwarding a copy of the ad- dresses alluded to in your note of the 19th inst., I will only say that I fear that kind feelings have induced you, and those you represent, to over-appreciate their merits. If their publica- tion will, in any manner, advance the cause of education, they are at your service.
"Respectfully, "William Brown."
The part taken in that matter by the two distinguished citizens of Morgan County, Messrs. Cloud and Brown, is an example of the early part borne by the county in the cause of education. Those valuable lectures were re- cently published in the ninth volume of the His- torical Library of Illinois, 1904.
In 1853 the office of County Superintendent came into existence, resulting in longer terms for that officer, and in a few instances graded schools were established. In Morgan County, Illinois College, the Female Academy, the Illi- nois Female College, the Waverly Seminary and the Ebenezer Manual Labor School were doing good work, and were stimulating the public mind for higher educational opportunities. These institutions will be treated of under their respective names.
The Public Schools .- Jacksonville has long been known as an educational center, whose great reputation and influence as such have been felt far and wide. The early establish- ment of her public schools was mainly due to the earnest efforts of two of her distinguished citizens-Governor Joseph Duncan and Judge William Thomas. The honor of popularizing the public schools of Jacksonville is credited to that well-known educator, Dr. Newton Bateman. The traditional and recorded sources of information respecting the early Common Schools of Mor- gan County are so meager and conflicting as to places, persons and dates, that it is now impos- sible to obtain an authentic account of many of them. Nevertheless, any available facts now accessible on that subject should be preserved, chiefly in behalf of the persons who taught those early schools, some of whom subsequently became conspicuous in the public affairs of the county and State. In recording those first at- tempts at popular education in Morgan County, their chronological order cannot be exactly fol- lowed.
701
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
In the winter of 1820-21 a daughter of Mr. Seymour Kellogg taught a school in a log cabin without any doors or window-sash, near the head of the Mauvaisterre. A school, said to be the first taught regularly in the county, was held at the farm of Mr. Isaac Edwards on the Springfield road, a Mr. Palmer being the teach- er. About the same time a school was taught in the kitchen of a Mr. Jones, on the north fork of the Mauvaisterre. Afterwards Judge Isaac R. Bennett, Colonel Samuel Matthews and Hon. William Orear taught schools in the same neigh- borhood. A little later a Mr. Rice Duncan taught a school in what is known as the Pisgah neighborhood, ir a log house without floor or window panes. Hon. Newton Cloud taught the first school in Franklin. In the summer of 1826 a young man named Carson opened a sub- scription school in the court house in Jackson- ville. Not being adapted to that profession, his efforts were unsuccessful, and after about two weeks' trial he dismissed the school. The first school in Meredosia was taught by Mr. George Pickett in 1833. Mr. John Scott taught the first school in the neighborhood of Waverly. About the year 1840 Miss Sarah Melindy taught a school in a house on Court Street. Rev. Hor- ace Spaulding and wife were among the early teachers in Jacksonville. In the year 1833 Ste- phen A. Douglas came to Meredosia seeking em- ployment as a teacher. Walking to Bethel, then to Jacksonville, and meeting with no success, he continued his, journey to Winchester, at that time in Morgan County, having only thirty-sev- en cents in his pocket on his arrival there. There he soon opened a school with forty schol- ars, at three dollars each per quarter. The room in which he taught the school was only recently destroyed by fire. In September, 1826, William Thomas, a young lawyer from Ken- tucky, located in Jacksonville. Not being able to obtain other employment by which to pay his board, and being out of money, he engaged to teach school for three months, upon tlie common plan of obtaining scholars by subscrip- tion. A log building had been erected for a school house, located a short distance from the southeast corner of the public square, having no floor, chimney, doors, windows, or loft or ceiling above, at that time, which he occupied. In the month of November the house was fin- ished with an unjointed floor and loft, a sod and stick chimney, one window on the east and two
on the north side, with slabs for seats and wide planks for writing tables; and on the first Mon- day of December he opened his school in due form. About twenty-five scholars had been sub- scribed, with the understanding that each sub- scriber might send all the children that he could spare from service at home. He agreed to teach reading, writing and the ground rules of arithmetic. He had scholars learning their A B C's, spelling, reading, writing and arith- metic, and only two who studied English gram- mar. He attended punctually every morning by seven o'clock, made a fire and had the room warm by the time the children arrived. Very soon it was discovered that the Kentucky law- yer was giving general satisfaction, and the house was filled with children from the town and neighborhood. He often had fifty children in the school, and scarcely ever fewer than thirty. It required about ten hours every day to hear the routine of lessons, and frequently twelve hours.
That school, in that rude school house in 1826, was the forerunner of the numerous noble educational and charitable institutions that have given Jacksonville its fame and chief dis- tinction, whose origin and location were so largely due to the efforts of Judge William Thomas.
The first school houses were models of sim- plicity. Like most other buildings of that time, they were usually made of unhewn logs. For windows a log was cut out of the sides at a suitable place, and the opening covered with greased paper instead of glass to admit the light. The floor sometimes was the bare earth, or rough-hewn puncheons. A large fire-place, having a chimney made of small slats of wood and large lumps of mud furnished the means for supplying heat. The door was hung on wooden hinges. The seats were made of sawed slabs without backs, and supported by wooden legs inserted in holes bored with a large auger. Wide slabs fastened to the wall served the pur- pose of writing desks.
The teachers of that day were generally an itinerant class, often having little education. Some, however, were excellent teachers, and are yet kindly remembered by their pupils, now old men and women. The schools were always "pay schools," each patron paying a certain amount for each scholar, the tuition being us- ually graded by the branches studied. The
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
first school district in the county, of which there is any record, was the Mound School dis- trict, established September 2, 1828. The day of subscription schools did not entirely cease until 1853, when Mr. Willis Catlin, the first County Superintendent of schools, was elected to that office. After that time the schools were supported partly by subscription and partly from the public funds. Mr. Catlin was succeed- ed in that office by that distinguished educator, Dr. Newton Bateman. The examination of teachers then became more rigid, and marked improvement in every way was manifested. The log school house disappeared, giving place to frame or brick buildings of better proportions, with better furniture and apparatus. In the summer of 1874 the first Teachers' Institute was held in the county. These Institutes are now held every year, lasting from three to six weeks, and are largely attended by the teachers of the county with great profit to their work.
About 1833 or 1834, a public meeting of the citizens of Jacksonville was held to take action · in regard to the establishment of a school in their midst. At that time there had been no provision for township organization in relation to public schools; which legislation was not enacted till 1839. It was, therefore, decided to support the school by private subscription. That method of support was used for some time. Several schools existed in the town at different times, among which was one taught by a Mr. Robertson, of Kentucky, and another by a Mr. Devore. None of the schools of that time were under any organized system, and any one could teach a school who could gather together the necessary pupils, and find a room in which to instruct them. In 1850 the first school house was built on the northwest corner of West State and Fayette Streets, and a school was opened therein, under district organization. That building was known as the West District School. The building was three stories high, the upper story being used by the Masonic fraternity as a lodge room for a number of years. Dr. Newton Bateman for several years was Principal of that West Jacksonville School. Judge Edward P. Kirby succeeded Dr. Bateman as Principal, and conducted the school for three years with eminent success.
Before the incorporation of Jacksonville as a city by the act of 1867, the town was divided into four school districts. Mr. Samuel Murray
Martin, the School Commissioner, had the over- sight of all the schools, while each was gov- erned by an annually elected Board of Directors, three in number. Each school had its own Principal and assistant teachers. Only three of the districts had separate school houses till that time. But the Fourth District-now the Fourth Ward-completed in the spring of 1867 a magnificent building, planned on a grander scale than any of the others, with a large base- ment for a gymnasium and a play ground, and all the conveniences of the other school houses. It was named the Washington High School, in- cluding in its courses of study not only the com- mon branches, but Latin, Greek, Natural Sciences, Higher English and Mathematics. This building continued to be occupied by the High School until 1888, when the school was removed to the old West District School House on West State and Fayette Streets. In 1900 the latter building was demolished and the present High School building was erected on the same site, now including the block bounded by West State, Court, Fayette and Kosciusko Streets. The building is a very large one, affording am- ple room for all the purposes required, and equipped with all modern appliances and appa- ratus, making it one of the largest, most com- plete and beautiful school buildings in the State. The new school charter of 1867 at once introduced a new regime which centralized the general supervision in one Superintendent, and abolished the extravagant method of sustaining four high schools of small classes, by organizing one Central High School for the accommoda- tion of the entire city, which has been found to be a great improvement both pecuniarily and educationally. The new organization also led to a more careful and accurate classification of pupils as well as a more uniform course of study, thus securing more efficient preparation of the pupils for the advanced branches.
The free graded public schools of Jackson- ville received honorable mention at the Vienna Exposition of 1874. Pupils in the lower, as well as in the higher walks of life, share the same privileges and advantages. Colored pupils enjoy the same privileges and advantages as others. Thus are the foundations laid for in- telligence, which is one of the main pillars of the Republic.
Illinois College .- The history of Illinois Col- lege is so fully given in the first part of this
Janin Dunlap
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
work, the "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois," that only a brief epitome and the statement of later matters pertaining to it, are necessary in this connection. In December, 1830, Rev. Ed- ward Beecher, D. D., the oldest son of the dis- tinguished Dr. Lyman Beecher, became the first President of the college. He retired from the Presidency in 1844, when he was succeeded by Rev. Julian M. Sturtevant, who continued in that position until 1876 (thirty-two years), when he became Professor Emeritus, holding that place until 1885. He had been prominently connected with the first steps in founding the college and as its first tutor, his entire connec- tion with the institution embracing a period of fifty-six years. The subsequent incumbents of that distinguished position were Professor Ru- fis C. Crampton (acting), 1876-82; Rev. Ed- ward A. Tanner, D. D., 1883-92; Dr. John E. Bradley, 1892-99, Rev. Clifford W. Barnes, D. D., ·1900-04; Mr. Julius E. Strawn, A. M., (acting) 1905; and Dr. Charles Henry Rammelkamp, present incumbent, elected by the unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees of the college April 13, 1905. Besides those already named as early members of the Faculty, Rev. Truman M. Post, D. D., Mason Grosvenor, Jonathan B. Tur- .ner, Samuel Adams and Dr. Samuel Willard were among the carly Professors and Tutors of the college, and became distinguished for their eminent attainments and services. When it became necessary to maintain a Preparatory De- partment to fit students for the regular col- lege classes, Whipple Academy was established in 1866, and a building was erected for that purpose located on the southwest corner of Mor- gan and Kosciusko Streets. In 1876 that build- ing was sold to George W. Brown, by whom it was converted into the Jacksonville Business College, and the new Whipple Academy build- ing on the College campus was erected. The College became co-educational January 1, 1903, by the merging of the Jacksonville Female Academy with the College.
The plant now consists of nine substantial buildings, eligibly situated in the best and most beautiful part of the city. These build- ings consist of Beecher Hall, the oldest college building in the West, which is now devoted en- tirely to the Literary Societies and Young Men's Christian Association; the Club House; a hand- some residence for the President; Sturtevant Hall, used for recitation rooms and laborato-
ries; a dormitory, upon which several thousand dollars were expended for interior improve- ments during the last year; Whipple Academy, used for the preparatory department; the Jones Memorial Building, erected in 1896, containing chapel, offices, library, reading room and recita- tion halls; and a Gymnasium, equipped with every modern appliance, including cage, baths and training rooms. In the summer of 1903 a splendid up-to-date athletic field was construct- ed adjacent to the gymnasium at an expense of several thousand dollars. It is made of hard clay, is well drained and Includes a foot-ball gridiron, base-ball diamond and fast five-lap cin- der track. A few blocks distant from the cam- pus is the Young Ladies' Dormitory and Con- servatory of Music. That building is large and well situated, containing a convenient recital hall, reception rooms and gymnasium.
By reason of the inspiration of the generous gift of $50,000 by Dr. D. K. Pearsons, the prop- erty of the College has been increased some- thing like $200,000 in the last few years. The College plant is now the most beautiful and well equipped in the West, and with its magni- ficent location, its past splendid history, its en- terprising Board of Trustees (of which William Jennings Bryan is President), its able faculty and its large list of distinguished alumni, it be- gins the twentieth century under the most au- spicious and hopeful circumstances. (See "Illi- nois College," Hist. Enc. of Ill., Page 291.)
Jacksonville Female Academy .- The Jackson- ville Female Academy is the outgrowth of the home missionary spirit which began its benefi- cent enterprises in Illinois and other western fields as early as 1827. Rev. John M. Ellis, who acted as Moderator at the organization of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville in that year, and became its first pastor, came to Illinois with his mind full of the idea of plant- ing not only churches, but institutions of learn- ing also. To him, It is claimed, is due the in- ception of Illinois College and of the Jackson- viile Female Academy. During his pastorate of the church, lasting about four years, his ex- cellent and talented wife opened in her own house a school for young ladies, which was the germ of the Academy, the first of that class of institutions organized in Illinois and one of the earliest in the West. On September 29, 1830. a meeting of gentlemen favorable to the establishment of a female seminary was held
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
at the house of Mr. J. P. Wilkinson. A com- mittee consisting of Hon. S. D. Lockwood, Rev. John M. Ellis and Rev. J. M. Sturtevant was appointed to report on the subject, which they did at an adjourned meeting held October 2, 1830, as follows:
"WHEREAS, The vast importance and urgent necessity of extending the blessings of education to all classes of American citizens are felt and acknowledged by all enlightened patriots and Christians; and, whereas, the power of female influence over the intellectual and moral char- acter of the community must ever be too great for any or all other causes entirely to counter- act, commencing, as it does, with the first dawn of infant intelligence, and forming, perhaps, the most important and certainly the most desir- able part of that character, before any other causes can begin to act upon it, and accom- panying it through all the subsequent stages of its development; considering, too, that in the present important crisis of our beloved Republic not one effort ought to be withheld which can tend to give permanency to its foundations, the intelligence and virtue of the people; therefore,
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