USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 25
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Rockford's steady growth has been manifest in the schools. Pressing needs have called for speedy adaptations of the system to keep pace with ideals of modern education. Playgrounds are being extended ; provision has been made for deficient, backward, and superior pupils; de- partmental teaching is now extended through all the schools. Plans for organized physical training throughout the elementary grades are now under way. Only through constant atten- tion can the schools be prepared to meet the commercial and industrial demands of the city. Rockford's growth has necessitated remodeling of old school buildings and the erection of new.
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
In all cases the new constructions have been worthy of the best ideals.
PRESENT SUPERINTENDENT.
On June 30, 1913, the Rockford Board of ' Education appointed Robinson G. Jones super- intendent of schools. Mr. Jones was born at Kansas City, Kans. The enforced wandering, incident to his father's nomadic life as a min- ister, led Mr. Jones back to the home of his ancestors in Ohio during the second year of his ex- istence. As his parents early set him "at books," there was small chance from the first for him to escape professional life. After passing through elementary grades and high school, at the age of sixteen he began teaching a rural school near Columbus, Ohio. He says the salary of $18 per month was pretty high in proportion to the service rendered. Intermittently teaching and attending normal school and college, he gradu- ated from both. Later he attended Columbia University, where he received his Master's de- gree. He served three years in rural schools and two years as a village school principal, then came to Illinois as principal of the high school at Gibson City. At the close of the first year he was appointed superintendent of schools of Gibson City, where he continued for four years. After leaving Gibson City, he held successively the positions of superintendent of schools, at Lexington, Ill., for two years; at Harvard, Ill., for five years; at Kewanee, Ill., for six years; and is now beginning the third year as superin- tendent of the Rockford schools.
TRIBUTE TO A MAN OF WORTH.
Superintendent Walker, head of the Rockford schools for twenty-nine years, literally died in harness, after a brief illness, April 17, 1913. Peleg Remington Walker was born in Windham County, Conn., July 1, 1835. He came to Illi- nois with his parents in 1856 and settled in Ogle County. Mr. Walker was graduated from the State Normal school at Normal in 1861. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Civil war in Com- pany K, Ninety-second Illinois Infantry, and served until he was mustered out, June 21, 1865. After the war Mr. Walker resumed his former profession and spent eight years at Creston and eleven years at Rochelle. In this connection at- tention may be called to Senator Ingalls' famous
poem emphasizing the thought that opportunity, "master of human destinies," knocks once at every man's door. Superintendent Walker heard the call and promptly answered. He came to Rockford at the psychological moment when the educational interests were in a transitorial period, and did the constructive work of his life. He was always the friend of the teachers, and they appreciated the fact. At the time of his death Superintendent Walker was president of the state board of education. He was a mem- ber of Nevius Post, Grand Army of the Re- public, and of the Loyal Legion. Funeral serv- ices were held in the Second Congregational church, of which he was a deacon. While his body lay in state thousands of school children marched in continuous procession by the bier. It was one of the largest funeral demonstrations in the history of the city. Addresses were made by his pastor, Rev. John Gordon ; David Felmley, president of the Normal school at Normal ; John W. Cook, president of the Normal school at De Kalb; and Principal Briggs, of the Central High school. Miss Frances Walker, daughter of Superintendent Walker, was made acting superintendent to fill out her father's unexpired year.
PAGEANT AND PARADES.
June 6, 1913, was made memorable by the first School Children's Parade and Festival, when 8,000 children marched in line and moved under the protection of police, teachers and citizens, to the fair grounds' park, Italians, Poles, Greeks and Lithuanians inarched proudly with their American cousins, telling the story of America's great crucible, the public schools. It was a real processional, "a mighty army," and made a pro- found impression never to be forgotten. It was a scene of great inspiration, at the same time suggesting a grave responsibility ; and all show- ing how nobly Rockford is responding to the needs of its children. Upon arriving at the park the day was passed in general rejoicing. A feature was the beautiful rose drill in which pupils of several grade schools were partici- pants. "We must have this annually." This was the verdict which followed the pageant of young crusaders, and May 22, 1914, and May 24, 1915, were devoted to parades and festivals simi- lar to the first. The fourth festival and parade was held May 19 1916. In 1914 the Young
Mary a Biffen
Alexander Giffen
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
People's Exposition Association was organized by representative citizens. Expositions were held in May, 1914, 1915, 1916, in which the handi- craft of the school children of the city were displayed.
A PAGEANT DRAMATIZED FROM AUTHOR'S HISTORY.
On June 16 and 17, 1915, another notable in- novation was made in the elaborate production of a historical pageant at Sinnissippi Park. The earlier scenes were dramatized from Charles A. Church's "History of Rockford," and many local celebrities of the period and of a later date told the story of the city in striking dramatic form. The participants were coached by Miss Czarina Giddings, an instructor at the high school. She was assisted in preparing the sce- nario by Roy L. Kettle, Robert Collins and A. V. Essington, also of the high school faculty. Joel Seedoff, as the Spirit of Rock River, gave a splendid recital of the episodes.
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.
Rockford High school has generally played an important part in Illinois high school ath- letic circles. A number of undisputed champion- ship teams have been turned out by Rockford High and there are others which had as good claims to first honors as any other school in the state. Rockford first leaped into real prominence in state athletic circles in the late nineties by winning the University of Illinois interscholastic meet, the first and only time the local high school has accomplished this feat. The football team of 1899 was the first gridiron squad of Rockford High to attain state wide prominence, tying with Bloomington for the down state title. Since that year Rockford has claimed the football honor on more than one occasion, and in 1910 was plainly entitled to the distinction of "state champions," the eleven of that year not meeting defeat in a single game. The 1914 record of R. H. S. on the gridiron was the poorest in many years, a majority of Rockford's bigger rivals triumph- ing over the local school.
In basketball Rockford has experienced more than its share of success. The teams of 1907 and 1908 were of state championship caliber and the team of 1911 won state honors in a tournament held at Peoria. High school sports have been given great consideration by the
Rockford public, and in point of attendance there is no city in the state which can surpass Rockford. Crowds of over 2,000 at football games are common, and in the basketball tour- nament held here in February, 1914, a new state record for attendance and receipts was attained.
Last year the high school athletes moved into their big, new gymnasium, and with the added equipment that has been provided for them Rockford high school teams promise to be more of a factor in Illinois high school athletic circles in years to come than they have been in the past.
Frank J. Winters is the present director of the athletic system of the Rockford public schools. He is a graduate of Springfield, Mass., Y. M. C. A. Training School.
PASSING OF A VETERAN EDUCATOR.
Rockford was called upon to mourn, April 26, 1915, the passing of Prof. O. F. Barbour, prin- cipal of Kent school from 1866. He was born in Perry, Lake County, Ohio, September 30, 1834, and was educated at Hiram College at the time James A. Garfield was a student. Prof. Barbour devoted nearly his entire active life to teaching ; his principalship of a Rockford school, covering a period of forty-nine years, is probably without a parallel in the history of Illinois. He origi- nated the "salute of the flag," which is now quite generally observed by the schools of the state. Funeral services were held from Court Street Methodist church, of which he was a member, and were conducted by his pastor, Rev. Frank N. Lynch. Prof. Barbour leaves two me- morials. The first is the esteem of the thou- sands of pupils who have been under his instruc- tion. A short time before his death he had the satisfaction of inspecting the plans of the new school building on Montague street which is to bear his name. Fred A. Carpenter is the archi- tect. In September, 1915, the board of educa- tion accepted the bid of Gust Holm of $89,885 for the erection of the O. F. Barbour school. An association of his pupils has also been formed to provide a memorial fund to be used in assist- ing worthy and needy students.
STATISTICS.
An idea of the magnitude of the public school system of Rockford may be gained by recital of
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
a few figures. The records of December, 1914, showed 34016 employes on the pay roll. The half means training school taught one-half day. There were twenty-one principals, 200 teachers for grade schools and two for summer school. On October 1, 1915, there were fifty-six instruct- ors in the high school besides the principal. The payroll as per schedule in effect in Decem- ber, 1914, amounts to $251,376.94 per annum. The number of graduates from the high school by years is as follows: 1885, 20; 1SS6. 28; 1887, 36: 1SSS, 13; 1889, 28; 1890, 32; 1891, 37; 1892, 28; 1893, 49; 1894, 52; 1895, 48; 1896, 66; 1897, 89: 1898, 56; 1899. 57; 1900, 67; 1901, 48; 1902, 56; 1903, 64; 1904, GS; 1905, 78; 1906, 102; 1907, 91: 1908, 116; 1909, 120; 1910, 118; 1911, 130; 1912, 179: 1913, 178; 1914, 205; 1915, 210.
Mrs. Gertrude Frary submitted her report of the school census at a meeting of the board September 7. 1915. There are 17,665 children in Rockford under twenty-one years of age; 8,813 boys and S.S52 girls. There are 5,538 chil- dren under six years of age, and 12,127 children of school age between six and twenty-one, and there are 3,110 Catholic children under twenty- one years of age. St. Mary's parochial school has an enrollment of 375; St. James, 312; St. Thomas high school, 94; total, 781. There are 533 Catholic children enrolled in the public schools. St. Paul's German Lutheran parochial school has an enrollment of 46. The total en- rollment for the city schools December 6, 1915, was S,538. The enrollment 'at the high school for the same date was 1,455. There is seating capacity for about 1,700 pupils, and when plans now contemplated are completed 2,700 pupils can be accommodated.
The tax levy for 1915 is: School fund, $319,- 273.SG ; building fund, $102,170.35; total, $421 .- 441.21.
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
The Rockford board of education is composed of the following members :
Fred H. Smith, president ; Mrs. Laura P. Greg- ory, Mrs. E. D. Reynolds, Mrs. T. H. McCann. A. J. Anderson, Charles Andrews, Jr., Frank M. Smith, W. M. Shimmin. C. J. Lundgren, H. B. Andrews, J. A. Bowman.
A. G. Everett is secretary of the board; C. E. Beery is superintendent of construction, and R. H. Brown is attorney.
COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
There are 110 school districts and eight parts of districts in Winnebago County outside of the city of Rockford. There are twelve high schools in the same area. Those at Durand, Rockton, Harlem consolidated and Pecatonica have a four years' course. Those at Cherry Valley, Seward, Kishwaukee and New Milford have a course of three years. Shirland, Roscoe, South Beloit and Winnebago prescribe only two years. The schools at New Milford and Kishwaukee will work up to a four years' course.
In early days the county officer was called school commissioner. The succession from 1837 to 1915 is as follows: Richard Montague, 1837 to 1839: Herman B. Potter, 1839 to 1841; Vol- ney A. Marsh, 1841 to 1845; Goodyear A. San- ford, 1845 to 1847; W. A. Dickerman, 1847 to
1849 ; C. A. Huntington, 1849 to 1857; Hiram H. Waldo, 1857 to 1859; Silas Sweet, 1859 to 1861; James B. Kerr, 1861 to 1863; Hiram H. Waldo, 1863 to 1865; Archibald Andrew, 1865 to 1873; 1873, E. G. Stiles to fill unexpired term; Mary L. Carpenter, 1873 to 1882; Charles J. Kinnie, 1SS2 to 1898; Olly J. Kern, 1898 to 1913; Mrs. Abbie Jewett Craig, the present superintendent.
A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATOR.
Winnebago County is entitled to a pre-eminent place in the evolution from the old-fashioned school to the community center of to-day. The chief factor in this transition was Olly J. Kern, county superintendent of schools from 1898 to 1913. Mr. Kern was born on a farm near Mat- toon, Ill., January 1, 1861; received his rudi- mentary education in the district school, and at- tended De Pauw University. He came to Cherry Valley in 18$8 and was for three years principal of the school, then having four rooms. In 1891 Mr. Kern became a teacher in the Rockford High school. He occupied that position seven years, until he was elected county superintendent. By personal experience Mr. Kern keenly realized the difference between the primitive schoolroom and the splendid opportunities now offered in the cities. He believed school life should be made attractive to the country child and formu- lated an educational creed, which he announced in his volume, "Among Country Schools," pub- lished in 1906. It is as follows: "The country child is entitled to every whit as good an educa-
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tional opportunity as that enjoyed by the most favored city child attending the American pub- lic school; to secure this right for the country child the country people must expend more money on the country school and expend it in a better way. I believe in consolidation, and my educational decalogue for school officers and teachers may be reduced to one simple command- ment, namely : 'Thou shalt enrich and enlarge the life of the country child.'" To realize this ideal Mr. Kern gave "the last full measure of devotion." He urged observance of Arbor day and encouraged better standards of interior dec- oration. He iustituted the traveling library, township graduation exercises, boys' and girls' clubs and other innovations. In 1902 he began the publication of the "Annual Report of Winne- bago County Schools," which has carried the name of Winnebago County not only throughout the United States, but into Canada and foreign countries. As a lecturer along these progressive lines he visited nearly every state in the Union. Mr. Kern's greatest achievement was the con- solidated school. The Harlem Consolidated is the highest type of the new country school, and is a magnificent mouument to Mr. Kern, In July, 1913, Mr. Kern accepted a position as as- sistant professor of agriculture at the Univer- sity of California, and in September he resigned the office of county superintendent. He began his new duties at Berkeley October 1, 1913.
PRESENT COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
· Superintendent Kern has a worthy successor in Mrs. Abbie Jewett Craig. She was appointed to fill the unexpired term of fourteen months by the board of supervisors at the September ses- sion of 1913; and assumed her duties October 1. Mrs. Craig is a daughter of John R. Jewett, a pioneer of the county. Her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Gilmore, was an early day teacher, and taught in the Youngs dis- trict No. 40, in Harrison township. Before com- ing to Rockford Mrs. Craig spent two years in South Beloit, during one of which she was as- sistant principal. She then devoted two years to the Rockford schools as regular substitute, special teacher and substitute principal. Mrs. Craig displayed such signal ability in her brief incumbency that the people recognized her claim to election for a full period of four years. She was unanimously supported at the Republican
primaries in 1914, and elected in November. She has not only carried out the policies of her pre- decessor, but she has developed her own pro- gressive methods. She has published two an- nuals, which becomes a greater task from year to year. These annuals have attracted wide- spread attentiou, and a representative of the National Education Bureau who was here dur- ing the county institute in September, said they were recognized as models of superinteudeuts' reports throughout the entire country.
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.
Winnebago County has the oldest consolidated school in Illinois. In view of this fact the de- tails of its origin are worthy of permanent rec- ord. In April, 1903, districts 90, 91, aud 93 of Seward township were, on petition, consolidated by the township trustees. A few days later, by a vote of 38 to 15, the people voted to bond the new district for $7,000 for ten years time, at four per cent, to erect a modern schoolhouse. The taxpayers also authorized the directors, by a vote of 47 to 11, to purchase a central site oť three and six-tenths acres. The price paid was $1,000. The building was dedicated January 30, 1904, and the event marked the close of a strug- gle of five years to give the children of the township better educational advantages. A not- able program was presented, which included ad- dresses by the late Alfred Bayliss, state super- intendent of public instruction ; Dr. John W. Cook, president of the state normal school at De Kalb; O. J. Keru, county superintendent of schools; and presentation of a flag by Hon. Laurence McDonald. The school was opened February 1, 1914, with an attendance of 103.
The second consolidated school is in Harlem Township. It was organized on the first Mon- day in April, 1910, upon petition of the legal voters of the districts. The district lies in four school townships. It comprises eighteen sections of land, thus equal in area to one-half of a town- ship six miles square. The consolidated district is composed of four districts: No. 49, the Love- joy school ; No. 52, the Bruuer school ; No. 56, the Free Soil school, and No. 61, the Union school. The petitions in the several districts asking for consolidation were signed by a large majority of the voters, and the petition was granted unanimously by the trustees of the four school towuships. Bonds to the amount of $18,-
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
000 were voted by a majority of 64 to 16, exactly four to one. An error in the assessment valua- tion of one district made a second vote of bonds necessary to come within the legal limit. The actual bond issue was $17,700, which is the legal five per cent on the 1909 assessed valuation of $354,425. The building was finished in 1911, at a cost of $17,700, and was dedicated April 26. The principal address was delivered by Dr. David Felmley, president of the Central Illinois State Normal school. The first board of direct- ors was composed of A. J. Lovejoy, Junius Snow and A. H. Conklin. One of the first acts of the board was a unanimous vote to employ only state normal or university graduates or their equivalent. The building is equipped for instruction in manual training, domestic science and agriculture. School children have special five-cent fare on trolley from any point in the district.
Two consolidated schools were effected in 1914. The New Milford district was formed by the union of three districts, Nos. 107, 109 and 110. The voters of these districts signified their de- sire for a consolidated school at the spring elec- tion held the first Monday in April. Bonds were issued amounting to $7,500 to run fifteen years, payable in annual installments of $500 each, commencing August 1, 1916. A brick veneer building of two stories was erected on the site of school building No. 109. Three teachers were employed the first year. At the opening of the school fifty pupils were enrolled in the grades, and sixteen in the high school.
The Kishwaukee district comprises what was district No. 202. New Milford Township, union with Ogle County; No. 203, union with Ogle County, and No. 158, lying wholly in Ogle County. A building tax of $2.600 was levied in 1914, and later the district was bonded for $5,000, payable in five annual installments, com- mencing July 1, 1916. The building is two-story brick veneer, has a gymnasium and rooms for manual training and domestic science. The building was dedicated November 19, 1915.
TRAVELING LIBRARIES.
As previously mentioned, Superintendent Kern instituted traveling libraries for the coun- try schools of Winnebago County in 1901. The object was to supply valuable helps for school work and good literature in a way that would
be possible to reach every district school, every child and indirectly every home in the county outside the city of Rockford. This was the first attempt of its kind in Illinois. These traveling libraries are the property of the county, and are in charge of the superintendent of schools. The money with which to purchase the books was acquired in two ways: First by appropriations by the county board of supervisors; second, by the net proceeds of annual township school exercises.
The districts over the county were grouped into circuits of six districts each, with two or three exceptions. The fractional township of Laona has exactly twelve school districts. The teachers of this circuit are over twenty miles from Rockford. The traveling library is the only way to reach them, for the distance is too great for teachers to go to the county superin- tendent's office and take books to their schools. With the traveling libraries all- schools are on an equal footing, as far as opportunity to use books is concerned. Three boxes of books were placed in each circuit with the exception of the graded school circuit, which had five boxes.
In February, 1914, the office occupied by the county superintendent of schools was given to the county recorder, and the superintendent was moved into two rooms formerly occupied by the county surveyor. In the present office there is no room for the traveling library boxes, neither is there any available space in the court- house. The result was the temporary withdrawal of the traveling libraries from circulation. They were placed in storage, but were again put into general circulation in the autumn of 1915. There are 112 boxes, which contain in round numbers about 8,000 volumes. The traveling libraries are supplemented by district libraries, which are the exclusive property of the respective districts. There were at the last report 8,717 volumes in the district libraries of the county.
Township graduation exercises was an inno- vation made in 1901. These annual exercises are helpful in creating a better educational ideal with reference to the country school. It gives an opportunity for all the children and parents of a township to get together in the interest of better schools. No attempt is made to create a great display, the aim having always been to have the children render a program of a simple educational character, and thus keep alive a growing interest. Ten cents admission is
THOMAS GILMORE AND WIFE
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
charged, and the net proceeds go into the travel- ing library fund. Eighth grade certificates for admission to the high school, pupils' reading cir- cle diplomas and teachers' professional attain- ment certificates are given at these union town- ship exercises. A subject is selected each year by the county superintendent, which is the cen- tral theme of the program. The aim is to make the program a unit all over the county, and thus make the exercises truly educational and at the same time entertaining.
SCHOOL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
Country school life in Winnebago County has assumed some of the complexity of the city. The factors contributing to this result are play festi- vals in the spring, and community fairs in au- tumn, spelling and declamatory contests, his- torical pageant in Durand and South Beloit in 1914, home and school associations, corn-grow- ing contests, parent-teachers' associations, and the Winnebago County School League. The Har- lem consolidated school is a typical community center.
CHAPTER XV.
ROCKFORD FEMALE SEMINARY AND ROCKFORD COLLEGE.
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS-ROCKFORD SITE CHOSEN FOR SEMINARY IN 1845-SEMINARY FOUNDED IN 1851 -SUITABLE GROUNDS PURCHASED - BUILDINGS ERECTED-BIOGRAPHY OF ANNA P. SILL-OF REV. ARATUS KENT-SUBSEQUENT SEMINARY PRINCI- PALS-SEMINARY BECOMES COLLEGE IN 1892- LIST OF PRESIDENTS OF ROCKFORD COLLEGE- PRESENT FACULTY-BOARD OF TRUSTEES-GIFTS TO ROCKFORD COLLEGE-PREPARATORY DEPART- MENT ABANDONED IN 1911-SUCCESSFUL ENDOW- MENT CAMPAIGN-SECOND OLDEST WOMAN'S COL- LEGE IN THE UNITED STATES.
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