USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 43
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876
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
A. King Principal of the high school. Jacob Scheld was Principal of the New Athens Village schools. E. J. Bashore was Principal of the Freeburg Village schools, and Jennie Hughes Principal of the Rentchler town schools. John Arras was Principal of the Shiloh Village schools. C. M. Wilton was Superintendent of the O'Fallon Village schools and Principal of the high school. C. P. Boyer was Principal of the Caseyville Village schools. O. C. Church was Principal of the Dewey Station schools. Walter C. Stookey was Principal of the Union schools in Belleville Township. J. G. Duis was Principal of the Smithton Village schools. Har- ry A. Paine was Principal of the Millstadt Village schools. John B. Huddle was Principal of the Alta Sita Village schools. C. B. Jones was Principal of the Brooklyn Village schools. C. H. Busiek was Superintendent of the Belle- ville city schools. John E. Miller was Superin- tendent of the East St. Louis city schools.
COUNTY SCHOOL ORGANIZATION, INSTITUTES, ETc .- A list of County Superintendents of schools is given in another chapter. The first School Superintendents-or rather Commission- ers, as they were then called-examined and paid teachers. They were custodians of the school fund and kept an account with each township. Under the school law of 1855, they were required to visit and inspect each school once annually. The law of 1872 left school visitation optional with County Boards, and from 1873 to July 1, 1879, there were no official inspections of schools, the Superintendents du- ties being to attend to office work one hundred days each year. In June, 1879, the County Board increased the time of service of the Su- perintendent to 250 days, and directed him to visit and inspect all the public schools of the county. Superintendents prior to 1859 left no records of examinations of teachers. From Sep- tember 16, 1863, to August 20, 1864, teachers, in order to obtain certificates, had to take the oath of allegiance to the United States Govern- ment. That was during the Civil War. Some of the male teachers enlisted and did soldiers' duty.
The organization of normal schools, and nu- merous private training schools, afforded young men and women, desirous of becoming teach- ers, better advantages for fitting themselves for the duties of the profession. Today, the
teachers of St. Clair County, as a body, are not surpassed by the teachers of any other county. The institute work of the county was begun in 1859, under the superintendency of George Bunsen. April 4, of that year, in pursuance of a call issued by the leading teachers of the county, eighty-three teachers assembled at Belleville and organized the first St. Clair County Teachers' Institute, declaring in the first article of their constitution, that their ob- ject was the advancement of education and the mutual improvement of teachers. Mr. Bunsen was elected President and Prof. E. Bigelow, of Lebanon, Secretary of the institute. The St. Clair Teachers' Association was organized in March, 1879. John H. G. Brinkerhoff, of Leb- anon, was its first President. The North St. Clair Teachers' Institute was organized during that year at O'Fallon, and the South St. Clair Teachers' Institute, at Marissa, in 1880. The Belleville teachers and the East St. Louis teachers effected home organizations. Some of the early teachers' associations ceased to exist when their animating spirits left for other fields of labor. Now the teachers of the county hold meetings at different towns four or five times a year, and hold a week's session at Belleville in August. The institute for 1906 was in session during the week beginning August 20. Since 1859, Superintendents have kept records of ex- aminations and frequently added comments like the following concerning teachers to whom they have given certificates: "Tolerable-I fear for his sobriety;" "Very good for one so young;" "Pretty good for a youth;" "May lack management;" "Amply educated and likely to hold his own in any school."
BELLEVILLE SCHOOL HISTORY .- For the follow- ing account of the Belleville schools during twelve years of their earlier existence, the editor is indebted to the "Belleville Advocate:"
At a meeting of the legal voters of District No. 4, T. 1 N., R. 8 W., held October 16, 1847, the following were elected School Directors: Charles Ellis, William M. Parker and C. G. Y. Taylor. October 20
the Directors elected Mr. Taylor District Treasurer. November 18 the Directors visited the schools taught by John Coleman, Mr. Beach, Miss Hough and Mrs. E. H. Avard, and "found them all under good reg- ulation and tolerably well supplied with school- room furniture."
877
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
January 6, 1848, the Directors met and ex- amined the schedules of schools taught by John Coleman, Mr. Holbrook, Mr. Beach, Mrs. E. H. Avard and Miss Hough, and ordered the fol- lowing sum paid to same: Coleman, $4.65; Holbrook, $1.05; Beach, $3.30; Mrs. Avard, $5.90; also, that the Treasurer be paid $.75 for record and account books purchased for use of Directors.
At an election held in the same district in February, 1851, David Swyer, Theodore J. Krafft and William Lorey were elected Direct- , ors, and Mr. Lorey was chosen Clerk. On March 11, following, the Directors visited schools taught by Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs. Hyde, and "were satisfied with everything, but regret- ted that Mrs. Hyde's room was too small for the number of pupils" and declared "she should soon have a more commodious room." The statistics of the number of white children un- der twenty-one years of age, in September of same year, showed the following results: Males, 952; females, 897-total, 1,849. By October, 1853, the number had increased to 2,271.
The first election under the school law of 1855 was held January 14, 1856, and the fol- lowing persons were elected Directors: James Affleck, Henry Goedeking and Will Kempff, and Mr. Kempff was made Secretary. The Directors decided to hold a meeting on the first Thurs- day of each month, "at early candle-light." On January 24 the Board in a body visited and ex- amined the several schools and made the fol- lowing report:
(1). The school in the Protestant church under the management of Mr. M. Leitz; 156 pupils, most of them German. The studies em- brace English and German. Mr. Leitz has a certificate and keeps a schedule. (2). The school of the Catholic church under the man- agement of Paul Anton Fellmich; ninety pupils, mostly German. Studies, English and German. Teacher has a certificate and keeps a schedule. (3). School in basement of Catholic church under management of T. Webster; fifty-five pupils, most of them English. He has a cer- tificate and keeps a schedule. (4). School in the basement of the Methodist church, kept by Miss Granger and Miss Ash; seventy pupils-
all females. Both teachers have certificates and keep schedules. (5). School in Odd-Fel- lows' Hall, kept by Mrs. and Miss Edwards; 100 pupils, male and female; two departments
-the primary kept by Miss Edwards. Both have certificates and keep schedules. (6). School of F. M. Rall and W. F. Erich, in Abend's Hall; seventy-seven pupils, of whom seventeen were not residents of the district. Pupils, all males. Studies, German and Eng- lish. Mr. Rall has certificate and is to keep a schedule. (7). School German brick church, kept by Mr. Kraus; fifty pupils-all German. He keeps a schedule but has no cer- tificate. (8). School in the old hall, kept by Miss Field. Fourteen pupils-male and female, all small and commencing; has no certificate or schedule. (9). School in basement of Pres- byterian church, kept by P. Roeder. Twenty pupils-all German, male and female. Studies, German and English. He has neither certificate ner schedule. (10). School of Mr. Dennis, twen- ty-five males, embracing higher and common branches. Has both schedule and certificate. (11). School in West Belleville school-house, kept by Mosbacher; twenty-five pupils, all Ger- man. Both certificate and schedule.
The total number of pupils in the fourth district was 682. Affleck moved that a commit- tee of one be appointed to see that all teachers keep their schedules in accordance with the law, and he was appointed as said committee.
It was decided that, as Mr. Leitz had too many pupils for one teacher, he be empowered to employ an assistant to teach the English branches.
The Board also resolved to publish in a news- paper in future a report of the proceedings of each meeting. .
On March 13, 1856, the Board having care- fully examined the school law and duties pre- scribed in same for the Superintendent (pub- lished January 8, 1856), adopted the following resolutions:
"WHEREAS, We have become more acquainted with the school law, and found that it would be against truth to sign the present schedules, as the schools are not maintained according to law, and
"WHEREAS, The money voted as taxes for sustaining free schools is merely to keep up such schools during six months; therefore,
"Resolved, To use the money coming to us by the first of April next for the support of free schools during the coming six months, from April 1 to September 30, whereby we are en- abled to keep the schools according to law."
878
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
At the same meeting the chair was instructed to invite the Trustees to meet with the Board of Directors on the next Friday and consult in regard to the enforcement of the above resolu- tions. It was also-
"Resolved, That we mature the plans of our schools, and secure the same as soon as we are acquainted with the views of the Articles in regard to the condition of our affairs and the law."
On March 21, 1856, at a called meeting the Board decided in favor of the appointment of a committee to have the rules and regulations printed in pamphlet form and Messrs. Affleck and Kempff were appointed such Committee. On April 3 this committee reported the print- ing of the rules, and that E. H. Fleming had been allowed $13 for printing 100 copies. At the same meeting it was resolved:
"That we commence free schools on next Monday, April 7, 1856, under the following ar- rangements:
"To keep in each ward a primary school, and also a primary school in West Belleville, all for boys and girls together, and two German schools, one for boys and one for girls.
"Male department of grammar school to be kept by Messrs. Dennis and Heller, each with a salary of $450, in Odd Fellows' Halı, for the rent of $25 a year.
"Female department of grammar school un- der the charge of Mrs. Edwards and Miss Hough, the first at $450, the latter, at $350, to be kept in the basement of the Methodist Epis- copal church, at a rent of $100.
"First Ward Primary School, in charge of Miss Edwards at $250, in basement of Presby- terian church, at a rent of $50 a year.
Second Ward Primary School, in charge of Messrs. Leitz and Roman, at salaries of $400 and $350 respectively, to be kept in the Ger- man Protestant church, at a rent of- $$50 a year.
"Third Ward Primary School, in charge of Messrs. Webster and Felrich, at $$400 each, to be kept in the school room of the Catholic Church Association.
"Fourth Ward Primary School, in charge of Miss Gaskill, for $300, to be kept in the old Library Hall, for $74 a year.
"West Belleville school, in charge of Mr. Roe- der, at $400 a year, to be kept in the West Belleville school-house.
"Also, to employ Mr. T. Erich as teacher of German in male and female grammar depart- ments, at $$300 for teaching four hours daily."
At a meeting held April 15, 1856, in conjunc- tion with the teachers employed in the different schools of Belleville, the Board took under con- sideration the adoption of a uniform system of text-books, and, on propositions made by the teachers, adopted the following: McGuffey's Series of Readers, to be gradually replaced by Power's Readers; Mitchell's Intermediate Ge- ography; Greenleaf's Common School Arith- metic and Colburn's Mental Arithmetic; Butler's English Grammar; Webster's Spelling Book and School Company; Goodrich's History of the United States; Copy Books with copy set."
It was further decided-
That "arithmetic be the standard in dividing the classes in all the schools."
That "no pupil shall be admitted to any of the schools after the first week of any term, except by special consent of the Directors; provided, however, that in this present term the time of admission shall be extended to the first day of May."
That "all the scholars coming to school from one of the other districts shall pay, in the gram- mar department $4, and in the primary depart- ment $3 one term."
The schools having already opened on April 7, the Directors decided to discontinue instruc- tion in German in the grammar departments, and that Mr. Erich, who had been instructor in German in those departments, be employed in an additional primary school to be taught in the west basement of the Presbyterian church; also, that in consequence of the crowd- ed condition of the Third Primary School, Miss O'Neil be employed as assistant teacher in said school for six months, for $75; also, that a Principal be employed for the male grammar department in place of Mr. Dennis, who desired to resign. At this meeting the Secretary was instructed to hand to the Board of Trustees and the County Clerk the following report:
"We, the undersigned, President and Clerk of the Board of Directors of District 4, T. 1 N., R. 8 W., do hereby certify that the following amount is necessary for salaries of teachers to keep up a sufficient number of free schools, in said district, for at least six months during the ensuing year, from the first Monday of October, 1856, to the last of April, 1857, viz .:
879
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Ten primary teachers, at an average of $350 a year, $1,750; four grammar teachers, at an aver- age salary of $450, $900; total for six months, $2,650." The report was signed by H. Goede- king as President and William Kempff, Clerk.
As the capacity of the schools in the First and Third Wards was inadequate for the accommo- dation of pupils seeking admission, the Chair- man was instructed to negotiate with Miss Badgley, then teacher of a private school in the Fourth Ward, and employ her "as a public teacher; also, to make a contract for a suitable school room."
On July 14, 1856, it was resolved that a va- cation for all schools commence July 25 and continue to August 25.
The salary schedule for the six months pre- ceding March 28, 1857, showed the following results :
Mrs. Edwards and Miss Hough, $400; Mr. Noetling and assistant, $280; Miss Mary Ed- wards, $150; Mrs. W. Rech, $230; Messrs. Leitz and Roman (first quarter), $187; Messrs. Leitz and Repler (second quarter), $154; Mr. John Webster, $200; Mr. Helmich, $200; Miss O'Neil, $100; Miss Gaskell, $150; Miss Badgley, $150; Mr. Paul Raeder, $200. Total, $2,401.50.
On June 15, 1857, the amount necessary for payment for rents, fuel, repairs and the like, were declared to be $1,500; and for teachers' sal- aries, $6,000; total, $7,500.
At an election held for and against the pay-' ment of taxes for the support of free schools for the whole year, the number of votes cast for the measure was 450, and against, 307. The tax levied this year (1857) was at the rate of ten cents on each $100 for general school purposes, and twenty-five cents for teachers' salaries and extending terms of school. On September 19, of that year, the salaries of teachers for one school year were fixed at $500 each for male teachers, and $400 each for fe- male teachers.
October 11, 1857, Mr. Parks was employed as Superintendent at a salary of $1,000 a year, with the condition that he superintend all the schools in the district and take charge of the grammar department; also that he "classify all the scholars, visit each school in the dis -. trict at least once every month, arrange the ex- aminations and do and perform all such duties as generally devolved upon a School Super- intendent." November 23, 1857, C. T. Elles
reported having visited all the schools in the Hall and Thomas house, and J. Lehr having visited the schools in West Belleville, stating that there were too many scholars for one teacher. The Board, therefore, resolved to visit that school in a body, and consider what could be done before employing another teacher. On December 17, 1857, a regulation was adopted re- quiring the teachers during the winter months to open school for the morning session at 9 a. m. and for the afternoon session at 1:30 p. m., each session to continue three hours; also, that all pupils be required to furnish their own text-books and stationery, in default of which they would not be admitted to the schools.
On January 29, 1858, it was resolved to em- ploy Mr. Raab (afterward State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1883-87 and again, 1891- 95) as assistant teacher to Mr. Wile in West Belleville, for a term of three months at a sal- ary of "$75 for the said term." On February 22, of the same year, a high school was rec- ognized as a "necessity," and it was decided to "order forty double seats from Cincinnati, and prepare the third story of the Literary Hall for a high school."
April 2, 1858, the schedules of the following named teachers were examined and the Treas- urer instructed to pay salaries for the first term in the sums indicated: James P. Slade, $125; L. C. Edwards, $125; Joseph C. Parks, $250; Miss Julia Taylor, $60; Miss Nancy S. Hough (now Mrs. C. T. Elles), $100; Miss Mary Ed- wards, $100; W. H. Barnum, $125; Mrs. Mary A. Johnson, $100; Paul Roeder, $125; James M. Hay, $125; B. F. Wile, $125.
On April 19, 1858, the Treasurer was ordered to pay Mr. Raab, for his first quarter, $75, and Theodore Kelsel $239.60 for desks.
On May 19, in consequence of complaints re- garding the punishment of pupils, it was de- cided to abolish corporal punishment, the cases of incorrigibles being "referred to their par- ents."
On July 13, of this year, it was resolved to employ Mr. Parks as Superintendent for an- other year at a salary of $1,200, and that Mrs. B. C. Edwards be employed as his assistant in the grammar department at $500. August 27 following it was decided to employ Mr. Raab as sole teacher in the West Belleville School, with authority to spend one hour each morning in giving instruction in German. On August 30
88c
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
it was decided to pay Paul Roeder $600 on con- dition that he teach German one hour extra each day.
October 28 and 29, 1858, the visiting board visited all the schools, and the number of pu- pils in each school was reported as follows: Mrs. Edwards', 78; Miss Mary Edwards', 44; Mr. Wile's, 37; Miss Taylor's, 78; Mrs. Wee- den's, 50; Mr. Slade's, 78 (was stated he should have an assistant) ; Mr. Parks' and Mrs. Scott's, 59. Only 14 pupils were found to be studying German in Mr. Roeder's school and 11 in Mr. Raab's, and the Board declared it did not "feel justified to continue the German classes after this quarter expires."
Superintendent Parks submitted an interest- ing report in reference to the condition of the schools under date of December 7, 1858. About the same time the Board decided to recommend the introduction of singing in the schools. On .December 23 of this year it was de- cided to suspend the schools during Christmas week, the time to be made up later.
On March 3, 1859, it was decided to permit the teachers of the district to suspend their respective schools during the first week in April, 1859, "in order to attend their respective in- stitutes," with the condition "that, if any teach- ers thus suspending their schools do not at- tend the said institute every day, their time of absence will be deducted from their wages."
April 4, 1859, the first Teachers' Institute held in Belleville opened under charge of Mr. Mer- win, with a full attendance, interesting lectures being given every evening.
At an election held May 14, 1859, three ques- tions were submitted to vote of the people, with the following result: Building a school-house at Second Street and Race Avenue for, 131; against, 259; Extending school term in 1860- for, 246; against, 213; Buying Odd Fellows' Hall for school-house-for, 129; against, 295.
June 2, 1859, the Board visited the schools of Mr. Wile, Miss Ferrill and Miss Taylor-the last having 160 pupils, which, it was declared, was "too many," and that "the school ought to be divided."
July 19, 1859, the Directors fixed the rate of taxation at the same as that of 1857.
During the year 1859 the teaching force of the Belleville public schools consisted of twelve teachers and a Superintendent.
At the meeting of the Board of Directors held August 1, 1859, the Clerk was instructed to no- tify Mr. Parks that his services as teacher and Superintendent were no longer needed, and the "place" was declared "vacant."
August 22, 1859, it was "resolved that the scholastic year commence August 29, in order to close the schools by July 4, next."
August 29, the Directors resolved that, as they had no Superintendent, the schools be sus- pended until after the election.
On Monday, September 5, 1859, George Bun- sen, William Kempff and James Affleck were elected Directors. The total expense for the school year 1858-59 was $6,085.95.
BELLEVILLE SCHOOLS OF 1870 .- In 1870, John Hinchcliffe wrote as follows regarding the Belleville public schools of that period:
"The people of this city have always mani- fested a proper desire for the education of the young, and our public schools may now be justly regarded with peculiar pride. Even while our people were being heavily taxed for bounties to soldiers and for support to their widows and or- phans, they gave their almost unanimous con- sent to the expenditure of over $100,000 for the erection of new school-houses, fitted with all the most modern appointments, and furnished with everything deemed necessary to aid the teach- ers in the important work of educating the · young of this district. The new school-house erected in the Fourth Ward is located on a block of ground in one of the most elevated positions in the city. It is built of brick, after a very elaborate design, and contains four large rooms, each of which affords ample accommo- dation for seventy-two scholars, and four smaller rooms, designed for the accommodation of fifty scholars each. To the large rooms are attached four class-rooms, which are occupied by the as- sistant teachers. The whole building is adapted for the education of about 500 pupils. The Sec- ond Ward school-house is located within an en- closure which embraces one full block of ground. The building is a large three-story brick, and contains fifteen school rooms and a large hall in the third story, which can, at any time, be converted into three more good school rooms. This building is adapted to the accommo- dation of about 900 scholars. The average daily attendance of pupils in our public schools is up-
881
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
wards of 1,200, although a much larger num- ber have their names entered on the rolls. The grounds around each of these school-houses have been carefully graded and planted with shade trees. The rooms are all well ventilated, and warmed by hot-air pipes distributed throughout the buildings. On the grounds of the school-house erected in the Fourth Ward there is a separate house for the occupation of the janitor and his family. The schools in this district date their educational year from the first week in September each year, and they con- tinue in session for forty-two weeks. During the first two weeks of each school term scholars can enter without applying to the Board of Di- rectors, but afterwards pupils are only admit- ted by the Board on showing good and suffi- cient reasons why they did not enter during the first two weeks. That rule is enforced in or- der that the scholars may be properly classified and enjoy the full benefits of the schools. The school directors for this district-which in- cludes West Belleville-are George Bunsen, Charles F. Noetling, and Gustav Heckel.
"The number of teachers employed in this district is twenty-seven. The branches taught in the high school department are reading, spell- ing, writing, geography, map-drawing, vocal music, mental and written arithmetic, gram- mar, rhetoric, composition, history, algebra, geometry and physics. There are four grades in the schools-primary, intermediate, grammar and high. It is perhaps not necessary to state the branches taught in the three lower grades of the schools. It may be sufficient to say that arithmetic is made the standard of classifica- tion. The liberality displayed by our citizens in support of education may be inferred from the rate of taxation for school purposes as given below: : For the year 1868, it was $2.00 on the $100 of taxable property. For the year 1869, it was $1.75, while for the year 1870, it is $2.10. The amount paid to teachers for sal- aries in this school district for 1869, is about $15,000."
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