History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 50

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776

USA > Illinois > Bureau County > History of Bureau County, Illinois > Part 50

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The school laws, after the repeal of the Duncan law, were often changed-they were revised and changed again before they at- tained to the perfection we at present have in them. Even now, they are susceptible of improvement, though they are superior to those of many other States. A peculiarity in the different State constitutions is that per- taining to education. The constitution of 1818, while endorsing education in a general way, is silent upon the subject of educating the masses through the medium of the com- mon schools. The framers of the constitu- tion of 1848 went a little further; they said that the General Assembly might provide a system of free schools. It was not, however, till after half a century of existence as a State, that her delegates, in convention assembled, engrafted upon the pages of her orgauic law a mandatory section, declaring "that the General Assembly shall provide a thorough and efficient system of free schools, whereby all children of this State may receive a good common school education.

We have already given very full accounts of

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the first schools in the county, by whom taught and where, in the earliest settlement of the county. Hence, now it is only nec- essary that we take up the subject by a rapid reference of the early days of the school-mas- ters as they came to the places in the county that were settled at a later date.

The first teachers in Lamoille were Heze- kiah Smith, Mrs. Pierce (from Dover), Rev. Vincent Baltist. Howard Johnson taught a subscription school at Perkins' Grove. Mariah Smith, now Mrs. Clapp, a sister of Hezekiah Smith, was also one of the early and efficient teachers.

In Arlington the first teacher was Mrs. Carrie Brush. She also taught a school in Tiskilwa. Her successor as a teacher in Tiskilwa was Senator L. D. Whiting. The first schoolhouse built in Arlington was in 1855, and the first teacher in this was Miss Caroline Morton, who was followed by W. H. Robinson (this was W. H. R. No. 2, and not the one first named), W. H. Hill, M. D. Pax- son, Z. S. Hills, C. O. Sawyer, S. C. Whip- ple, H. S. Hallock and A. E. Okey. Mem- bers of the present School Board are T. A. Manl, R. B. Van Lew, and Thomas Ryan.

L. J. Kendall furnishes us the following from Lamoille: "Owing to there being no records kept, I have been obliged to glean what I could from the older citizens in regard to the history of the schools. In (about) 1836 Mrs. Bowen, now Mrs. Walter Porter, taught a free school in her house. In 1838 money was raised by subscription and Heze- kiah Smith was employed to teach, on the site where Charles Thompson now lives. Soon after a building was erected for school purposes on the lot now occupied by John Igon's shops. The township in 1846 first raised money by taxation for schools at the rate of 15 cents on $100. In 1851 the first 1

Congregational Church was built and the basement was used for school purposes until 1858, when the present brick building of two rooms was finished. In 1875, more room being required, a frame one-story build- ing was built near the brick. Among the Principals who have been employed since 1858 are: Frank Allen, Lyman Kendall, Mr. White, Mr. Corning, Z. S. Hills, J. H. Smith, A. M. Burns, Mrs. A. M. Richardson, J. E. Hathorn, S. C. Whipple, B. F. Stock, Addi - son Lowry and E. P. Hussey.

At present the school census is 246, the number enrolled 160, the average daily attendance for the past school year 105.

In 1867 the Arlington School District erected a school 'building at an expense of $14,500. A Principal and two assistants com- menced work at once. The same number of teachers have been employed continuously since, except one year a fourth teacher was employed half the time. The average at- tendance has ranged from 125 to 150, the highest number being 175. The Principals were: Profs. S. B. Bathurst, S. C. Whip- ple and W. H. Robinson, each serving a term of years.

The first school in Neponset was taught by Julia A. Bigelow in the winter of 1855-56. She was paid $20 a month. The school was for three months. In 1861 two teachers were for the first time employed, and an extra room had to be secured to accommodate the large number of pupils applying. A frame building was erected in 1864 of five rooms. This was burned April 13, 1870. In 1870 the present two-story brick was erected at a cost of $15,000. In 1877 the School Board arrauged a complete grade of the schools, and have granted diplomas to graduates since that time. There has been no change since the course was adopted.

The graduating classes are as follows:

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Class of 1878-J. H. Bates, Principal; Emma Moore, Laura Emery.

Class of 1879-J. H. Bates, Principal; William Priestman, Ida Priestman, Alice Nichols, Alice Carse, May Connelly.

Class of 1880-H. B. Hubbell, Principal; Walter D. Whaples, Minnie Watts, May Foss.

Class of 1881-W. R. Green, Principal; Dollie Avery, Crayton Boyer, Alma Cook, Mabel McIntire, Nellie McIntire.

Graduate in 1882-W. R. Green, Princi - pal; Lizzie Lawless.

Class of 1883-D. Griffin, Principal; Belle Foss, Jessie Gerrond.

Class June 13, 1884: May McIntire, Cora Priestman, Ada Pratt, Louis Gardner.

The number of pupils in attendance at present (1884) is 175, which varies, of course, during the winter and spring sessions.

The members of the present School Board are: P. M. Childs, President; Dr. John Priestman, Clerk, and Dr. J. H. Bates.

Mr. E. Finley has kindly furnished us the following items of the De Pue schools:

This District No. 4, Selby Township, was organized November 20, 1852. Eli Leonard, John H. Stockman and Joshua Bishop were the Directors elected at the first meeting. Mrs. Elizabeth Spratt was the first teacher employed, and on a salary of $2 per week and board. The term as indicated by the record (rather indefinitely) consisted of about four weeks only. Among the earlier teach- ers of this school were W. H. Mesenkop, who was engaged to teach a term of three months. commencing the first Monday of November, 1857, at a salary of $37 per month and board himself. Miss M. A. Wheeler, who was succeed- ed by Miss Mary Johnson, taught during the year 1858, each at a salary of $5 per week, exclusive of board. Since said year the following teachers have been employed:

1859, Isaac P. Holloway, Jesse Davis and J. S. Turner; 1860, Thomas T. Dorwin; 1861, Clarinda Hart, Eugene Gilbert and Jesse Davis; 1862, Jesse Davis and L. Gleason; 1863, C. Bartlett; 1864, Jesse Davis; 1865, Fanny McKee; 1865-66, J. R. Earnest; 1866-67, Jesse Davis; 1868, Charity Long and E. C. Wilson; 1869-70, Henry G. Young, Lydia M. Young and F. M. Johnson; 1871-74, Alice Colton and W. H. Hill; 1874, L. C. Smith; 1875, W. H. Hill and L. C. Smith; 1876, L. C. Smith and W. H. Hill; 1877, J. R. Earnest and John Frazier; 1878, J. R. Earnest; 1878-80, John Frazier: 1879-80, E. Bangs; 1881, L. Dysinger and Anna Stedman; 1882, Anna Stedman and L. Dysinger; 1883, L. Dysinger, Anna Stedman and L. M. Breed.

W. H. Hill taught six years in succession ; John Frazier four years; L. Dysinger and Anna Stedman now in third year.

Of late years the teachers have been en - gaged for the full term of nine months, with few exceptions.

The first school building erected in this district was a frame built during the summer of 1854; size of building, 24x30, one story. The present building is a brick, two stories and basement, the latter being ten feet high, and used for the Primary Department; the npper rooms are each thirteen feet high, and are used for the Intermediate and Grammar Departments. All of said rooms are 27x33, feet, are convenient and well ventilated, and contain No. 1 seats and desks. This build- ing was erected by Chris Mason in 1874, and cost about $6,000. The following are the present school officers: Paul J. Smith, Pres- ident; Edward Finley, Clerk; Charles E. Stedman.

Mineral High School, in District 1, Town 16, Range 6, was established 1857. The old building was sold and a new one erected 1869,

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

at an expense of $4,500. The following teach- ers have been employed in the order given: I. J. Heaps, two years; J. W. Rice, one year; D. C. Cooper, one year; S. D. Abbott, two years; L. K. Holroyd, two years; Frank Akins, same; A. D. Jenkins, same; J. W. Boling, same. The assistant teachers were Mary Ripley, Carrie Newbecker, Sarab Hen- ry, Emma Henry, Ida Knipple, Martha Ban- enger, Jesse Riley, Belle Pettis and Edna Brainard.

Princeton Schools .- The basement of the old Hampshire Colony Church was the shel- ter for Princeton's first school, which was taught in the winter of 1836-37. The first private school was taught by A. B. Church, in his own dwelling. In 1851 James Smith kept a private school. In 1851 the South Union schoolhouse was erected by J. H. Bry- ant and James Everett. P. W. Ferris was the first Principal. The School Board until 1872 consisted of three members, one retir- ing every year. The first consisted of Arvis A. Chapman, President; J. V. Thompson, Clerk, and John Riale. They were elected in 1857. They appointed H. P. Farwell Principal, at a salary of $700 per year. Miss Allen, Miss Dunbar and Victoria White were employed as teachers at a salary of $6. each per week; in a short time two other teachers were added to the force. The Prin- cipals were: Mr. and Mrs. Forrest, Job A. Parker, J. H. Blodgett, G. W. Dickinson, Mr. and Mrs. Bangs, M. E. Ryan, T. M. Johnson, E. P. Burlingame, Samuel F. Hull, Albert Ethridge, D. L. Hurd, Charles Robin- son and Z. S. Hills. These were in charge of separate buildings. In 1868 Mr. Maltby was appointed Principal, and was the first to have charge of all the public schools in the town. The next year he was succeeded by the present incumbent, C. P. Snow, a native of Boston. He came to Princeton from Peoria,

where he had been engaged in teaching. His ability and value are well attested in the long and prosperous course of his work in the schools here, and the entire satisfaction his labors have given the entire community. He literally organized and graded the Princeton schools, brought order out of chaos, and has given the schools a wide and enviable repu tation.

The present force of teachers in the Prince- ton schools consist of: C. P. Snow, Superin- tendent, and Miss H. L. Everitt, Miss Stella Burr, Miss Minnie Bryant, Miss Clara Allen, Miss Mary Stone and Miss Sarah Kannan in school No. 1; and Miss Lottie E. White, Miss Minnie Phelps, Miss Gertrude McCormick and Miss Sarah J. Sharpe, in No. 2; and Mrs. Lelia Holt, Miss Carrie Hodgman and Miss Minnie Colesberry, in No. 3.

Princeton High School .- A complete his- tory of the origin of this school will be found in a previous chapter. Here we need only add this was the first township high school organized by a special act of the Legislature of the State.

The school has a library of about 1,000 volumes, embracing works of history, biog- raphy, travels, science and general litera- ture; a laboratory well supplied with the necessary chemicals, gas and water, for gen- eral chemistry, and philosophical apparatus and specimens for the study of natural his- tory, sufficient to meet the requirements of preparatory text work.

Over 2,000 pupils have received instruction, of whom 305 have completed the course of study and received the diploma of the school. The present occupation of graduates so far as known is as follows: Lieutenants United States Army, 2; preaching, 2; medicine, 8; law, 14; teaching, 65; farming, 30; busi- ness, 53; married ladies, 46. Eleven have died.

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

The first Board of Education was ap- pointed in 1867 and their respective terms expired: Rev. Flavel Bascom in 1870; Hon. John H. Bryan, 1881; George O. Ide, Esq., 1869; Matthew Trimble, 1869; Jacob Chritz- man, 1871.

The next Board was elected as follows: 1869, Arthur Bryant, Jr .; 1869, Dr. Joseph Mercer; 1870, Stephen G. Paddock; 1871, Henry Kennon, Esq .; 1872, William C. Trimble; 1874, Justus Stephens; 1875, Ed- ward R. Virden; 1878, Col. I. H. Elliott; 1878, William Miles; 1882, H. M. Trimble, Esq .; 1884, Milo Kendall, Esq.

The present Board consists of: William Miles, President; S. G. Paddock, Secretary; E. R. Virden, H. M. Trimble, Milo Kendall.

The Principals were appointed and retired: 1867, Henry L. Boltwood, A. M., February, 1878; February, 1878, Charles A. Smith, A. B., June, 1878; September, 1878, H. C. McDougall, A. B., June, 1882; September, 1882, Charles Raymond, A. M.

The present corps of teachers: Charles Raymond, A. M., Latin, political economy; Osgood Smith, A. B., German, Greek; John C. Bannister, natural sciences ; Miss Emma V. White, history, English literature ; Miss Carrie Everett, mathematics ; Miss Julia S. Charbonnel, United States history, consti- tution ; Miss Caroline M. Hyde, B. S., mathe- matics, grammar; Miss Mary B. Creesley, drawing ; Miss Annie Kelly, A. B., elocu- tion, rhetoric.

Classes were organized in the fall of 1867 under the Principalship of Henry L. Bolt- wood, A. M., with five assistants, and an average attendance of 138 pupils.

There was a steady increase of attendance till the year 1875, when the highest enroll- ment was attained, 383 pupils, of whom 119 were from other towns in the county.

this part of the State, and drew largely from the surrounding towns. Its success has stimulated other communities to raise the character of their own schools, and has re- sulted in the establishment of academies and district high schools in different parts of the county, thus cutting off a fruitful source of revenue.

The attendance at the present time is 231, with thirty from abroad.

There are four courses of study, each re- quiring five years of work, viz: the Normal, the English, the Latin, Scientific and the Classical. The Normal is designed for pu- pils intending to teach in our public schools, and is made to conform to the statute re- quirements for first grade certificates.

The English embraces those studies best calculated to prepare one for the active duties of life.

The Latin, Scientific and the Classical are intended to prepare students for the corres- ponding courses of our best colleges.

Walnut Grove .- For some years a school was taught during the winters in this place in a log schoolhouse of the diminutive and illy arranged style. In 1859 a comfortable frame schoolhouse was erected. This an- swered all purposes until 1869, when a more pretentious two- roomed building was erected, but the demands soon outgrew this building, and additions doubling its capacities were added, and gave them four rooms, each thirty feet square, and these are taxed to their ut- most capacity.

Tiskilwa Schools .- These have long been a source of great pride to the good people of this town. No similar sized town in the State has done so well. Their splendid graded school building stands as a splendid monument to the enlightened enterprise of her people. It was erected in 1867 at a

This was the only school of high rank in | cost of $35,000, and has a seating capacity

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for 300 pupils. Their Principal has long been R. E. Cutler.

Miss Abbie (Mrs. Lyford, of Galesburg,) was among the pioneer school teachers here in 1838. She is a sister of Judge Jesse Em- merson, and is remembered by those who were school children then and are growing gray now as the kindest and best of teachers. This first schoolhouse was built by the volun - tary work of the early settlers, the chief among whom was Amariah Watson, who eventually bought out the interests of the other holders, and then he sold the building to the School Trustees. A union schoolhouse was erected on the line between the towns of Indiantown and Tiskilwa. This was the first brick schoolhouse in Bureau County. The first Principal in this school was Alan- son Benson. This building was used until 1867, when the present house was completed.

Lamoille .- In addition to many facts al- ready given of the schools in this place we give the following additional items: One of the first teachers was Miss Jennie Beach, whose school had the appearance of but a feeble remnant from the vacated nurseries of the few houses about there. Several private schools were then taught, of which we have already given an account. A building was erected in 1855. It was afterward converted into a Free Methodist Church. In this build- ing C. A. Davis, A. L. Stearne, A. W. Hem- pleman and Mr. Chapman taught good schools. A small building was purchased in which to teach the primary department. This was occupied during the winters of 1864 and 1865. The latter year the schools were first graded by J. A. Marcar. for min years the Principal. To him is due much of the honor of the admirable schools the good people of this place have so long enjoyed.

Neponset .- Miss Emma J. Moore has given the following account of the schools in this

place: "The first school, in I855-56, was taught by Julia A. Biglow in a house owned by William Bryan. In the summer she taught where William McFarland afterward resided. In 1857 Carrie Van Court taught in what is now George Robinson's kitchen. In 185S the schoolhouse was built; Miss Van Court remained the teacher. In 1861 the building was sold and removed, and a new one erected, containing two rooms and two recitation rooms. C. L. Dunham and Ellen Bushwell were employed as teachers. In 1867 an addition was made and Prof. Knapp became Principal. This house was burned April 14, 1870, on which was an insurance of $6,000. Then a brick building was erected at a cost of $14,000. After Mr. Knapp re- tired Prof. Joseph Bates was the Principal.

Wyanet .- In 1854 a school was taught here. In 1867 a comfortable two-story schoolhouse was erected, containing four rooms.

Dover .- The first teacher here after the erection of their school building was Mrs. Abigail Nichols. Then the present elegant building was erected, and Miss Emma Hor- ford was teacher.

Malden. - A small one-room building was first erected in Malden for schools. It soon grew too small and their present building was erected.

Leepertown .- For some years the only school in this township was taught in the village of Leepertown. In 1859 a large brick was built, accommodating eighty pupils.

The wide-spread interest and the ready aid extended in every direction toward schools is well attested by the action of the County Agricultural Society, where every year such munificent premiums are offered and paid for school work of every kind intended to stimu- late teachers and pupils to struggle for the

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prizes. This is already quite a feature of the annual society exhibitions, and the school exhibitions in the buildings erected for their especial purpose are well worthy the inspec- tion of all visitors. Over $200 in prizes were paid out this year (1884), and the growing interest in this part of the society's work is attested by the fact that the buildings should at once be greatly enlarged.

In the county there are of school age-be- tween six and twenty-one years of age-5,052 males and 5,111 females; a total population under twenty-one years of age of males, 7,284, and females, 7,434. There are in the country 185 ungraded schools and 16 graded schools. Enrolled in the graded schools are males, 1,391; females, 1,407; in ungraded schools, 2,605 males and 2,356 females. There are 16 male teachers in graded schools and 45 females. The total number of teach- ers in the county, 244. There are 182 frame schoolhouses and 19 brick buildings. The highest wages paid any teacher in the county is $155.55 per month; the highest paid any female is $50 per month. The lowest paid any male teacher is $25 and any female $20. The total of the district school tax is $86, - 486.87. Total value of school property,

$265,365. Bonded debt, $5,S30.60. Re- ceived from the State fund, 1SS4, $11,115.76. The total school expenditure for the last fis- cal year, $100,129.99.

The present county school Superintendent, Jacob Miller, holds each year a county insti- tute of three weeks' duration, which is largely attended by nearly every teacher in the coun- ty, and is one source of the great efficiency of the schools of the county.

CHAPTER XXXII.

BUREAU COUNTY AND ITS BLOODED STOCK-THE GROWTH OF THIS VALUABLE INDUSTRY-WHO FIRST EXPERIMENTED IN THIS LINE -CATTLE AND HORSES, ETC. , ETC.

the Denhams, who came to this county in 1838, especially to Luther Denham, is due the credit of the first at- tempt to open here a stock farm; that is, a farm devoted to the propagation of im- proved stock of any kind. The brothers came here and examined the country with this project in view (more especially the rais- ing of improved sheep), and after examining the country far and wide concluded to pur- chase Red Oak Grove and make here an ex- tensive sheep farm. From the general state of the country the scheme was somewhat pre- mature in its attempted development, but it was an index mark in the right direction, and there is but little doubt but some of the great results the people are to-day enjoying were greatly accelerated in their coming by the far-seeing efforts of Mr. Denham.

Robert Otley brought the first thorough- bred cow into the county. A few inferior graded cattle had been brought here, but this was the first thoroughbred. This was more than a quarter of a century ago, and the novelty of the thing is well attested by the excitement and great interest it created far and near. The word passed around that Ot- ley had brought into the county a cow that had cost $1,100. To a people that had bought and sold cows from $10 to $30 this was a marvel indeed. Long and special visits were made by many to see this remark- able animal. Up to this time the general theory was that good or poor stock was wholly a question of good pasturage and easy access to the corn crib. Therefore, size was the one thing looked at in judging cattle, and

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this and the probable amount of flesh that could be put on large, rough frames were the tokens of comparative value. But the start once mnade, as was done by Otley, the value of blood and pedigree were soon well under- stood subjects, or at least sufficiently under- stood to interest men, and cause them to see that here were both profit and pleasure.

Mr. W. L. Norris, of Arlington, has placed us under great obligations for the following notes on improved stock:

" The soil, climate, natural grasses, and later the cultivated grasses, and especially blue grass, stamped this country as one well adapted to cattle-raising to a greater extent than was usually found in good farming dis- tricts. Although many of the earlier settlers were reared in localities where stock-raising took a secondary and cropping a primary po- sition in the affairs of agriculture, they soon decided that here on the fertile prairie it was much easier, and far better pecuniarily, to pay more attention to the raising of beef. The market was far from home, and it was much easier to have the extra produce in the form of flesh, which would walk to market, than to have it in grain which had to be hauled. When the principal market for both grain and stock was Chicago this matter of transporting the crop was important, and it is still important, thongh the railroads come nearly to our doors; and it is considered more advisable than ever that the surplus of the farm should be in that shape which is the least tronble to move about and dispose of.

" The improvment in the class of cattle from the first settlement of the county to the pres- ent time has been very great, and some think there is not much room for further advance- ment in this line. Any one going over the county from one side to the other in any di- rection cannot help but be struck with the wonderful difference of the grade of cattle

in different localities. Although the number of improved bulls now used in the county is very great, there is still room for as many more, and the standard of excellence of those now in use could be very much raised before they would approach very near to the highest type of improved cattle.

" While we have not the climate, and per- haps not so fine blue grass and living water as Kentucky, we can raise as good cattle as are raised anywhere, but they require more care and feed in winter, and the cost of pro- duction is materially increased. Compared with the older stock districts of Kentucky cattle-raising in this county is in its infancy.

"One cannot say when the improvement in our cattle began, for it has been continued, to a greater or less extent, ever since the county was fairly settled. New settlers com- ing in brought their favorite stock, and some of it was so much better than the stock al- ready in the locality that it was sought after and extensively used as a source of improve- meut to the general stock. Frequently this improvement was not followed up by some- thing better, and the standard was not raised much for several years, and in too many cases went back somewhat. It was not always pos- sible to get improved stock at a price that these pioneers thought best to pay, and in many cases the desire for anything better than what they had or could obtain without much effort was lacking. They did not real- ize the importance of improved stock, and only obtained it when it was brought among them, lacking the energy required to advance under difficulties.

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History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 50

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company Number of Pages: 776

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776