USA > Illinois > Massac County > History of Massac County, Illinois > Part 7
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The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints meets in Joppa. It was first organized under William G. Barrett in 1926. It was reorganized in 1952 as a mission church of Inde- pendence, Missouri. There are 25 members. The leader is Elder Earl Phillips.
The Seventh Day Adventists meet at the Maurice Copley home on North Avenue, under Elder W. A. Kalmodin.
The Gideons is a non-denominational group of business men whose chief purpose is the distribution of Bibles and Testaments to hotels, motels, school
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youth, and service men. Through the President, James Hard, and his eight helpers, many books have been placed.
A history of churches would not be complete without a treatment of Negro Churches. Here again Baptists and Methodists predominate. The First Baptist Church (Metropolis) was established in 1866. The longest pastorate was that of Ferdinand Robinson-27 years. Members number 150. Lenus Turley is the new pastor, having just completed 17 years pastoring of Brookport Unity. Antioch Bap- tist Church was organized in 1904. Membership is small for a city church-only 18. The Freewill Baptist Church is a younger member. There are 30 members but it is growing. S. S. Cousins is pastor. Some maintain that the St. Paul AME Church was organized in 1913, but probably a much earlier date should be set. Members total 124. The pastor is James K. Brown. The colored Church of God has a small congregation on Johnson Street.
In Brookport the oldest colored church is the Bethel AME, started in 1874. The building was erected in 1917. Members : 50. Pastor : J. H. Roulac. Baptist Unity Church was established in 1913, the result of a union of St. Paul's and another church. The building was erected in 1915. Members: 70. Pastor : Rafield Sanford. The colored people have a small congregation at the Church of Christ.
The remaining Negro churches will be dealt with briefly. In Joppa the Cumberland Presbyterian
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Church is almost inactive. Rev. L. Turley conducts part-time services at the Joppa Clover Leaf Baptist Church. In Mermet those of the Church of Christ, Methodist, and Presbyterian belief all occupy the same building on different Sundays. The village of Choat has the Mt. Hebron Baptist and a Presby- terian Church. Siloam, established about 60 years ago, is decadent, having only 13 members. This Baptist church is pastored by Otto Roten. Shady Grove Free Baptist has about 35 members and a strong Sunday School. Rev. Macon is pastor. Little Rock is the only Christian colored church in the county. It was organized in 1875. Every three months Siloam, Shady Grove, and Little Rock take communion together.
Some statistics may be interesting at this point. There are 66 churches in the county. In 1929 Metropolis had 12 churches. Today there are 21. In 1900 Baptists numbered 1000 in the county. To- day there are 2684 members. The three leaders for numbers of churches are: Baptists 17, Methodists 11, Church of Christ 9. The smallest group is prob- ably the Seventh Day Adventists or the Latter Day Saints. Methodists total 1450, Lutheran 684, Chris- tian 633. The largest church is Metropolis First Baptist with 877; the second, Metropolis First Methodist with 792; the third, Brookport Baptist with 425. Total county church members are 7056 or more than 50 per cent of the total population. The national figure was 59 per cent in 1954.
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Some of the extinct churches deserve a word. Tucker's Chapel, organized after 1875, always held services in school-houses. It was Methodist. Lib- erty Ridge Christian Church began about 1867 and died in the 1920's. Canaan Church is no more. Nineveh Baptist Church (colored) lasted past 1900. So did the colored Goodman's Chapel. Ebenezer Baptist was organized in 1838. New Ebenezer lin- gered past 1900. Old Salem Baptist was organized in 1844. New Columbia Churches-one which was dedicated by the famous Peter Cartwright-are gone. The colored Zion Baptist died soon after 1900. (6)
As one wanders over the grounds of the old ex- tinct churches, or about the cemeteries, a pensive mood will likely come upon one. One thinks what high visions have been seen, how the Gospel mes- sage has called generations of men to attempt a better, fuller life. Those churches served their day, and many right well. The church is still one firm foundation upon which to mold a life. The years have seen many thousands of Massac County people working toward the spiritual and cultural advance- ment of the community .*
*For data up to 1900, O. J. Page has largely been drawn upon.
CHAPTER XIII
SOCIAL CENTERS
Close to 50 social, service, youth, fraternal, and professional organizations are active in Massac County, providing an adequate outlet for the varied needs and interests of the citizenry.
The Metropolis Blue Lodge No. 91 of the Masons is the oldest group, having been organized April 1850. It is strictly local and numbers more than 250 members. Royal Arch Masons, Metropolitan Chap- ter No. 101 was chartered October 1866. It com- prises more than Massac County. Gethsemane Commandery No. 41, Knights Templar, was organ- ized October 1872. East St. Louis is the local cen- ter for this stage. Sam Smith is Master and Merritt D. May Chaplain. E. G. Whyers has been secretary for 48 years. Farmers' Lodge No. 232 is located in Brookport. There are local men also in the New Columbia, Bay City, and Ganntown lodges. Lily of the Valley Chapter No. 85 of the Order of the Eastern Star surrendered its charter to the Grand Chapter in 1871, and was issued a new one in 1886. It has about 200 members. Pauline Miller is Worthy
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Matron. Metropolis Shrine No. 89 of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, an adjunct of the Masons, is a group to which men also may belong. It was char- tered in May 1947. Members total 165 of which Edna Rodgers is Worthy High Priestess.
The parent lodge of Odd Fellowship was char- tered October 1851. It was the Chosen Friends Lodge No. 86. The Massac Lodge No. 442 was chartered in 1871. In 1922 the two merged as Mas- sac Lodge No. 86. There are 100 members. John W. Guice is Noble Grand. Joppa and New Columbia lodges are extinct. Welcome Rebecca Degree Lodge No. 28 was organized October 1870. Metropolis Rebecca Degree Lodge No. 116 was instituted in 1882. (6) According to Mrs. Curtis Haley, present Noble Grand, the present lodge is No. 28 and was formed in 1881. There are now 77 members.
Elks Lodge No. 1428 was organized August 13, 1923, with 73 charter members. There are 168 mem- bers now. Robert Eckenberg is Exalted Ruler.
Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 282 was organ- ized in Metropolis in November 1949. Its 538 mem- bers makes it perhaps the largest organization in the county. Growth has been phenomenal. Arthur Heil is Governor. The Women of the Moose organized a chapter October 11, 1950, with 75 charter members. Mrs. Idella Compton is Senior Regent.
In the 1870's debating clubs, literary societies, and singing schools filled the social needs. In 1880 a Chautauqua Circle was formed and lived nine
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years. In 1897 the Women's Literary Club was formed which name was changed in 1908 to the Metropolis Women's Club. Many outstanding civic moves have had their beginning in this club. Mrs. Frank Marberry is president, succeeding Mrs. Elmer Geittmann. There are 57 members. The Evening Women's Club (formerly the Junior Women's) was organized in 1930, with Cornelia Carter as first pres- ident. The membership of 70 is presided over by Mrs. Anna Schwegman. The Metropolis Business and Professional Women's Club began in August 1945. Monthly meetings are held for its 86 mem- bers. Organized by Verna Helm, Betty Grace is now president. The Brookport Women's Club was organized about 1925. Members: 35. President : Carolyn Midgette. There are two sororities in Metropolis: Beta Sigma Phi, formed April 1947 (Mrs. Leonard Adkins, president), and local chapter Zeta Eta of Delta Theta Tau, installed February 1938 (Pat Kidd, president).
Overton P. Morris Post No. 306 of the American Legion was organized at Metropolis on October 21, 1919. It was named in honor of Overton P. Morris who was killed in the Argonne. High membership year, before the entrance of the many World War II men, was 1926 with 227 members. Membership now is 308. The post has done much excellent work along civic and charitable lines. Eugene Miller was installed new commander in July 1954. The Aux- iliary organized June 1937. There are 97 members.
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Mrs. Juanita Wehrmeyer is secretary. The Brook- port Lester Reynolds Legion Post No. 523 was or- ganized in 1930 and has 60 members commanded by Jack Anderson. Its Auxiliary has about 40 mem- bers. Ruby Garrett is president. Joppa Legion Post No. 1214 is inactive at present. The Disabled American Veterans organized originally May 27, 1935, but later reorganized. It counts 154 members. The commander is Norman Grant. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fort Massac Post No. 3847, was or- ganized February 1943. Ray Lindsey is commander over the 231 members. Its Auxiliary, organized June 1946, is still active. William L. Cross Camp No. 130 of the Spanish War Veterans was organized November 1934. A convention of 150 Southern Illi- nois veterans was held in Metropolis June 1937. According to William D. Harrington, a Spanish War veteran, the charter was surrendered about 10 years ago, and the few veterans left affiliate with the V.F.W.
An organizational meeting was held in the New Central Hotel May 10, 1921, at which time a perma- nent organization of the Metropolis Rotary Club was effected. There were 23 charter members and Henry J. Humma was chosen president. On April 23, 1941, the club was host to more than 3000 Rotarians in an annual District Conference. Pres- ently there are 55 members. Raymond Wehrmeyer is president. Metropolis Lions Club was formed in the spring of 1941. Members: 45. President: J.
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Riley Wetherington. Brookport Lions organized January 1953. Members : 22. President : Talmadge Ross. Metropolis Kiwanis organized April 6, 1938. It has taken an aggressive lead in advancing the general well-being of the community. It was hon- ored by the election of Ray Harper as Governor of the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District for 1953. Mem- bers total 45, with Howard Miller succeeding Paul Wehrmeyer as president. Joppa Kiwanis formed January 1953. There are 20 members. Logan Woods is president. Metropolis Country Club organized in 1922. It has a fine clubhouse and ample acreage for golfing. Members : 135. President : William Tiner.
The Metropolis Chamber of Commerce is the result of a consolidation of the old Commercial Club and the Business Men's Association, October 1917. Membership has been erratic but is now 195. Thomas Graman is president; James Cannon, sec- retary. Under Cannon, new civic spirit and mem- bership has been quickly built up. The chamber has done much since 1926 to assist in community en- deavors. The Junior Chamber of Commerce received its charter November 4, 1947, but became inactive in 1950. Brookport Chamber of Commerce has as its secretary Wayne Hohman. Membership is 25 or 30. Joppa Chamber of Commerce organized in March 1950. Under the impact of the erection of the huge steam electric station, the Joppa Chamber has a peculiar and vital part to play. Secretary James
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L. Wood has made a vigorous publicity campaign in behalf of Joppa.
Fort Massac Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was formed December 17, 1929. The present Regent, Mrs. L. L. Evers, has succeeded Mrs. Roy Helm. There are 26 members.
Several groups cater to youth and act as an up- lifting force in the community. Boy Scout Troop No. 1 began March 1915, under Scoutmaster Andrus E. Helm. The county BSA is a member of the Egyptian Council. Alfred Bonifield has been promi- nent in such organizational work. Metropolis has seven troops, Brookport and Joppa have one each. A total of 134 boys participate, under the direction of O. D. Troutman. Cub Scouting started in 1942 but languished for want of leadership. There are several boys who are members of Boys of Wood- craft. There are 182 Girl Scouts. Sixty-two of these are Brownies and 20 are Seniors. Joppa is expecting a GSA group. Inter-racial groups are planned for Metropolis; in fact, there are one or two mixed groups now. Mrs. Margaret Decker is Scout Com- missioner. Under the 4-H banner are seven agri- cultural clubs comprising 133 yout There are eight Home Economics clubs with 146 members. J. R. Strubinger and Athylin Mathis are advisors. Club work was begun in 1931.
The following five organizations fall into the professional category. The president of the long- standing Massac County Teacher's Association is
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Howard Trampe. Average enrollment is 125. The County Bar Association has six members. Grover E. Holmes is chairman. The Massac County Med- ical Association was organized March 31, 1875. There are six members. Harry Wright is president ; G. F. Cummins, secretary. Dr. J. A. Fisher was president of the Southern Illinois Medical Society in 1942-43. The Massac County Ministerial Asso- ciation has about 20 members. Dr. Charles H. Morris is chairman. The Farm Bureau was organized Oc- tober 6, 1920. It has 800 members. President : Ben
Buldtman. The Home Bureau was organized August 13, 1947. Members : 227. President : Athy- lin Mathis. The Farm Bureau advisor is J. R. Strubinger. The Farmer's Institute is an annual event. It was first organized in the county in 1898. Other temporary groups have been organized along special interests, such as The Strawberry Associa- tion and The Livestock Shippers Association.
Dr. George F. Cummins is permanent chairman of the Red Cross, with Mrs. Nettie Miller as secre- tary. There is little activity now, but the Red Cross stands ready for any emergency.
A number of miscellaneous organizations, some extinct, are placed here next. There is a Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The Civil Air Patrol is a national organization for the promotion of air activities. It has gained impetus under L. Vance Moyers, manager of the Municipal Airport. There are 60 members, exclusive of cadets. Paul Miller is
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president of the Massac County Fair Association. The first fair since 1892 was given in 1946. The Sportsmen's League started November 1952. Metropolis Fishing Club, started in 1926, is no more. The Isaac Walton League began July 1935. The Southern Illinois Fox Hunter's Association has held several large meetings at Fort Massac. One such, September 5-7, 1938, drew a crowd of 15,000 with 200 dogs. Specialized recreational clubs, such as base- ball, must all but be omitted in this short account. Metropolis was the home of the "Old Blues" Base- ball team back in the first decade and a half of the century. Wid Matthews played his first game in it May 1914. The present Khowry League and Lions Club promote a softball program.
No data has been secured on the Metropolis Men's Choral Club (organized October 1938) nor the Massac County Chorus (organized April 1948). The latter won first place at the State Fair. The Massac County Singing Convention is an annual affair, drawing crowds of 2000 or more. The County Blind joined forces in July 1935. The Townsend Club movement found numerous adherents here in ยท May 1936. A squadron of the Sons of the Ameri- can Legion was formed January 10, 1940. It lost strength. The Orestes Lodge No. 268 of the Knights of Pythias began October 1892 and flourished for some years. The Tribe of Ben-Hur, Metropolis Court No. 181, had 180 members in 1906. It still made news in 1911. The Grand Army of the Repub-
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HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
lic has long since been deceased (see Chapter IX). The Redmen of Metropolis once numbered 35. It is extinct. A project for the Pocahontas fell through. District Redmen and Pocahontas staged a large celebration in Metropolis on July 4, 1930, at which almost 10,000 were in attendance. Modern Wood- men of the World counted some members for a num- ber of years. A local group was organized in 1908. By 1933 it was dead. In 1929 and 1937 large con- ventions were held in Metropolis.
The colored population has been quite active in its social centers. Of the 13 groups, only three have become extinct: the American Legion Aux- iliary (organized 1940), the Elks, and Sister of the Mysterious Ten (organized 1909). Alpha Art Club was organized in 1918, Bessie M. Cork Club in 1930, Etta Jackson Club in 1925, Daughter Elks in 1923, Court of Calanthe in 1939, Household of Ruth in 1881, and Order of the Eastern Star in 1892. Silver Crown Lodge No. 26 of the F. and A. M. (Masons) was chartered October 10, 1878. Odd Fellows Lodge No. 1808, now numbering 30 members, was organ- ized June 4, 1877. A good three-story building was erected in 1903. Neely Fossie Post No. 760 of the American Legion, was organized in 1934. There are 35 members. Thelbert Renfro is commander .*
*O. J. Page has been most helpful for data up to 1900.
CHAPTER XIV
EDUCATION AND HEALTH
There is not the space to discuss the various State laws which affected education, interesting and pertinent as they are. Suffice to say that the free school law was enacted in 1855 and was further implemented by the 1870 constitution.
Early schools were very different from those to- day. Reading material was scarce as well as other supplies. The houses were of log. There were rows of rough benches but no desks. At recess the books were placed on shelves. Water was carried, some- times from ponds. Modes of punishment were more severe, even if quaint. Schools ran for a few months in the winter season and had very little supervision except for the teacher. He was supreme.
The office of School Commissioner was estab- lished in 1831. Rev. H. G. Estell was the first who held the office in the county, 1843-44. Ben S. Enloe served next in 1846 but was removed for incompe- tency. R. S. Nelson was also found unfit. James Elliot served efficiently until 1855. He is said to have taught the second term of subscription school
,
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HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
in the first school house of Massac County. In 1847- 48 there were 1516 children of school age. (6)
W. H. Scott was elected by the people as the first county Superintendent in 1865. In the meantime young William Priestly had become superintendent of the Metropolis city schools (1865-1870), and later became the third county superintendent (1877-1882), Called by Page "the father of the public schools of Massac County", his annual institutes drew edu- cators from afar, and his influence was never erased. (6)
By 1887 there were 47 schools in the county. Gone, or disappearing, were many old practices, such as "studying out loud." Webster's Blue Back Speller was being replaced by other books. Charts, maps and encyclopedias appeared. Buildings were of frame. Teachers understood the laws of peda- gogy better. Even the paddle was less used. (6) A few generations ago those who acquired a formal education thought it would suffice for a lifetime. However, changes have come, slow perhaps and sometimes imperceptible, and old and young alike have had to adjust.
History is dynamic. It must record changes or explain the absence of change. Today we live in a very dynamic age. Change has accelerated at an ever-increasing pace since World War I. What of the blanks in our own county history before 1900? Some of the blankness is due to paucity of records. Perhaps a greater reason is that society was rather
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static. Progress in agriculture and industry was slow. Southern Illinois for a long time was essen- tially "a hog and hominy region". It was a pretty drab world. Social progress was slow. Victorian prudery prevailed. Schools continued largely in the old tradition and only rarely would a man like Bob Ingersoll or William Priestly come along. Isolation, too, was a real factor. The river, with its fleeting ships, only for the moment widened the horizon of toiling farmer or tradesman. Provincialism long re- mained in the region. The railroad was the first to quicken the pulse of the population, to be rushed along in the twentieth century by the automobile and airplane. To education itself is due a great share of this change.
Some figures may serve to show the trend in school population. There were 3078 pupils enrolled in the elementary schools of the county in 1906-07. There was a 2.6 per cent increase by 1925-26 or 3160. Of children ages 6 to 20 many times only 65 per cent were in regular attendance. For 1930 the en- rollment was 3014; for 1940 a drop to 2293. (56) By March 1954 the enrollment had risen to 3443. Metropolis alone in 1953 counted 1363 elementary pupils. (11) In 1873 the old Central School required only six teachers. The other schools of the county were one-room. There were probably less than 70 teachers in the county in 1890. In 1920 there were 97 teachers and the term had increased to 146 days. In 1940 there were 130 teaching positions. Forty-four
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HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
still taught in rural one-room schools. (10) Teach- ing positions dropped to 115 in 1951-52.
W. A. Spence was County Superintendent 16 years (1902-1919). Luther L. Evers was the dean, having served 20 years (1919-1939), and having previously taught 16 years. Someone has said that probably no man in any capacity touched and in- fluenced the lives of more young people of Massac County than did Luther L. Evers. (11)
The last county grade school mass graduation exercises held June 1952 marked the passing of an old tradition. The average size of the graduating class over a 35-year period was 131. The largest was 300 in 1926. The 1952 class numbered 139. (11)
High schools have had a phenomenal growth in America. The first high school in Illinois was in 1855. In 1875 there were 133. (1) In Massac, high school work began about 1873 in a 2-story, 8-room brick known as Central School. W. C. Scott organ- ized and graded the school, which also housed ele- mentary pupils. Kittie Brown was the first and only graduate in 1877. There were no classes in 1879, 1881, or 1883. Since 1877 there have been about 2500 graduates. Enrollment has constantly increased in the Metropolis High School. Ten were graduated in 1906. In 1924 graduates numbered 82; in 1942 there were 80; and in 1954 the largest class of 142 graduated. Enrollment was 130 in 1915; in 1953 it was 564. A District School at first, in 1924 the school became the Metropolis Community High
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School. The main building was built in 1912. The gymnasium was added in 1930; a wing in 1931; major improvements in 1944; and a $600,000 expan- sion program began in 1954. (10) (11) The Junior High School was completed in 1951. It graduated 116 in June 1954.
A. L. Whittenberg was the guiding spirit at Brookport High School. As principal, around 1900, he prepared a 3-year high school course. Before, the schools were poor and overcrowded. There had been none at all in 1870. In recent years the high school has had an average enrollment of about 170. There were 18 graduated in 1954. Lincoln High School (colored) is now integrated with Brookport High. Joppa High School was organized in 1921 and the building erected in 1926. An increased en- rollment to more than 100 has necessitated a recent $400,000 expansion program. New Columbia High School was organized in 1928 and a good building erected the next year. It never enrolled many, and the building has housed a consolidation of ele- mentary schools since 1949-50, the secondary pupils going to Metropolis Community High School. Dun- bar School, Metropolis, was built in 1921, and housed both elementary and high school colored children until 1953, when a policy of non-segregation was instituted. The school had been preceded by the old Livingston Institute which burned in 1915. (10) County-wide high school enrollment has shown a no less phenomenal rise. From 75 pupils in 1890,
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and 244 in 1920, enrollment soared to 763 in 1940. There are more than 800 high school pupils at pres- ent. From 1906 to 1926 there was an increase of 403 per cent. (56)
How does area population compare in educa- tional status? The median years of school com- pleted in Illinois is 7.8 years. That of Massac is 8.6 years. In Illinois 24 per cent had completed high school. Locally 18.8 per cent had completed high school or beyond. (9) Figures are for 1950. In 1940 about 43 per cent of Illinois high school gradu- ates entered college. The rate for Massac County is near 57 per cent. About 100 left for college in September 1952. Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois received about one half of them. (11)
An early attempt at a college was made in 1851 according to Court House records. No one seems to know whether the college opened or not. The "Old Seminary" held its fourth term in 1868. J. F. McCartney induced David Kerr to come to Metrop- olis from the East and teach at the seminary. The year was 1880. In its heyday this institution was known as the Christian Collegiate Institute. It stood across the street north of the present Christian Church. Various normal schools, lasting several weeks in the spring or summer, prepared teachers even past 1906. The last attempt at a college was in 1926. Fort Massac College held day and night
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