USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 8
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In Richmond Township the first school was taught by the daughter of Elder Pease, of Crystal Lake, in the Montelona schoolhouse. This was built in 1841, on the corner of William A. McConnell's farm, west of the village. In 1842 a school of forty-two pupils was taught at Solon by Charles Knapp. The graded school at Richmond was first opened in the fall of 1861, with Dr. S. F. Bennett as its teacher.
OTHER EARLY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Here in this county there have been several attempts at founding and maintaining religions training schools among which was the Pres- byterian Academy at Marengo. It had quarters in the basement of the then new church of that denomination. E. B. Conklin was its first principal and he was, after two years, succeeded by Professor Scudder. The enrollment was from eighty to 120 pupils. This academy was in existence some five or more years, when in the financial collapse of 1857, an "Educational Institute" was formed. A large five-story briek build- ing was erected for the purpose of carrying on the institution. It had scarcely been in operation for one year, when, for want of sufficient en- dowment, it fell into the hands of other parties and soon was dis- continued.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTES
Teachers' institutes and normal schools have been in existence a long time in this county. It is not the purpose of this article to go far into detail concerning these helpful adjuncts to the public schools, but simply to give a brief account of the establishing of such factors. That excellent educator and grand old Presbyterian clergyman, Rev. R. K. Todd, organized a teachers' institute in the autumn of 1849, during the first year of his first term as school commissioner. It was held in the old courthouse, continued for one week, had an average attendance of 150. During each succeeding fall for his term of office, a similar in- stitute or teacher's meeting was held, but during his successor's term,
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
the movement dwindled down until A. W. Smith, on assuming the office in 1855, had some trouble in re-awakening the teacher's dormant interest in this means of improvement. His institutes were held for two weeks, and at his third meeting, in the fall of 1856, a constitution was adopted and the institute began to assume a more perfeet form. Mr. Smith was the first to go out of the county to secure instructors, he having at his second meeting, the state superintendent as one of them.
School Commissioner Hutchinson was succeeded in 1855, by Asa W. Smith, who wrote as follows:
"In the fall of 1855, I was elected school commissioner, and, upon accepting the office, found it to be one of my legal duties to visit schools fifty days in a year, with a compensation of $2.00 per day. There were at that time somewhat over 200 schools in the county. Notwith- standing it was "big work and small pay," I resolved to undertake the task, which was performed by visiting two schools daily, and lecturing at night in the most convenient places for the patrons of the two schools just visited that day.
"In October, 1856, the present organization known as the Mellenry County Teachers' Institute was formed.
"In 1857, we had the most successful and interesting institute of my time as active member thereof. It was quite generally attended by the best teachers of the county, among whom were Rev. R. K. Todd, John A. Parrish, S. F. Bennett, Theo. Mead, M. F. Ellsworth, the two Misses Thomas, Miss Jewett, Miss Achsee Smith, Miss Thompson, Miss Il. S. Corey, Mrs. C. M. Smith, and many others."
In 1877 the records show that after 1857, the institute did not meet regularly. Its meetings were then generally held at Woodstock, but occasionally at MeHenry, Richmond and Nunda.
As the years passed by and state school laws made it obligatory upon the part of teachers to attend these institutes, they were, of course, more regular in their meetings. Later the state normal schools sprang into existence, and many teachers were greatly benefited by such educa- tional institutions.
SCHOOL STATISTICS
The following table is made up from items found in the annual report of the county school superintendent for MeHenry County, giving the name of districts and their numbers in the several townships of the county, the report for the same items in the incorporated villages and cities of the county, and enrollment of distriets:
-
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Dist. Pupils Number Enrolled
Dist. Pupils Number Enrolled
Riley Township-
Oak Grove
98
11
Lawrence
125
21
City Harvard 125
760
Chemung 127
51
Hartland Towship-
Cooney 65
17
Delanty 95
12
King
99
18
Anthony 147
16
Newman 100
13
Deep Cut
102
19
Ilughes
103
35
Desmond 104
23
North Dunham. . 128
22
Barrows 129
15
Island
133
14
Alden Township-
Cash Distriet 97
9
Shields
96
15
Fuller
112
14
Diggins
108
22
Teeple
93 22
Vermont
109
25
Hardscrabble 87
10
Franklinville 110
19
Maple IIill 111
19
Wilson
91
16
Bordwell
89
13
Kingsley
88
35
Marengo Township-
Oleott District .. 134
11
O'Rourke 115
18
Burr Oak 135
16
Heath 116
16
McGavern 137
11
Thorne 141
15
Oak Grove 118
7
Brown Town 119
16
Burton Township-
English Prairie. 9
Creek
10
29
State Line 123
24
Greenwood Township-
White Oak 124
19
Howe Distriet .. 35
12
142
11
Fay 143
25
Driver 144 9
Java
148
14
Williamson 145
22
Riley Center 146
33
Dunham Township-
County Line 7
11
Seneca Township-
Pleasant Ridge. 74
29
Evergreen 105
25
Bayard
106
11
Kanalay 107
11
Manly-Leo 94 8
Alden Village . .
92
67
Coral Township-
Harmony
1 30
Union Village 113
92
Seward 114
7
Coral Center 117
10
Poyer 138
20
Wilson-Pringle 139
26
City Marengo 140
370
Chemung Township-
Big Foot 90
32
Spring Grove .. 11
25
16
Carmack 101
30
MeGovern
District
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-- -
HIGH SCHOOL AND GYMNASIUM, CRYSTAL LAKE
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Dist. Pupils Number Enrolled
Dist. Pupils Number Enrolled
Thayer
63
21
Ford
52
18
Greenwood
Village
64
71
Munshawville 49
19
Crystal Lake
(City) 47 496
Fosdick
71
14
Charles
69
17
Me Heury Township-
Harrison-Marsh 36
10
Ostend 37
15
Sherman Hill 39
11
Lily Lake
16
9
Ilalligus .. . 81 25
Huntley Village. 85 245
Village
15
273
Dorr Township-
Johnsburg
12
141
Oak Grove 73
35
Ringwood 34
51
Pleasant Valley . 80
25
Lincoln
14
17
Ridgefield
Nunda Township- -
Village 48
44
District
17
14
Burton's
Bridge
22
14
Clemens 40
10
Walkup
77
13
Lucas 78
19
Prairie
42 11
Ilebron Township-
Hebron Village. 57 221
Burgett 56
17
Barreville 45
15
Turner 58
17
Prairie Grove . 46
11
Glass 59
16
Griswold Lake .. 19
14
Vanderkarr 60
17
Stone's Corner. 61
9
MeManaman
23
25
Tryon's Corner. 62
20
Wienke
55
15
Algonquin
Village 54
129
Village . . 29
241
Miller
53
5
Meyers-
Silver Lake
24
16
Monteloma . . 30
10
Cary Village 26
108
Hager 1 25
Oak Glen 27 12
Fox River Grove 149
45
West Harmony . 122
16
Grafton Township-
Me Henry
Emerald Park
Cold Spring 70
18
Woodstock 72
898
Gregory 75 12
McConnell 76 8
Cherry Valley .
41 12
lIolcombville 43
17
Terra Cotta 44
23
Algonquin Township-
Richmond Township- Richmond
South Prairie 51
20
Queen Am 67
12
Reed
66 14
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Dist. Pupils Number Enrolled
Dist. Pupils Nunber Enrolled
Keystone 31 23 Solon Mills . .. 33
34
Hardscrabble 32 9
Washington ... 13 16
The total expenditure for school purposes in the county (1900) was $356,562.17, and of this amount $247,403.61 was spent for payment of teachers.
The average length of the school year is eight and six-tenths months. The number of pupils enrolled in the county averages 6,245, which in- eludes 963 high-school pupils; and the number of children of school age in the county is 8,932.
GROWTH OF THE COMMON AND HIGH SCHOOLS
In the organization of the forees for rural education in this county, the succession of county school superintendents has been a notable one. The high standard of educational ideals existing generally throughout the county was first manifested in the selection by the popular vote of the county's chief educational officer, and sustained especially in the election of Prof. Lester Barber of Marengo; W. E. Wire, George W. Conn. Jr., and Prof. Addison M. Shelton.
During the terms of these four educators the rural schools progressed with general uniformity, and the high standards existing at the present are due in a great measure to their leadership.
In the city school system of the county, modern methods of organi- zation and administration have been constantly introduced and in the selection of studies and methods of teaching, those in anthority have con- stantly improved and kept abreast of the times. Buildings and grounds have been provided in each city as its growth warranted. Among the city superintendents of note who have served in this county may be men- tioned R. G. Jones, of Harvard, now superintendent of the Cleveland, Ohio, schools; C. M. Bardwell, of Marengo, now superintendent of the Aurora, Ill .. schools, and C. E. Douglas, of Woodstock, who is now super- intendent of the Erie. Pen., schools. The influence of these and other successful superintendents, is apparent in the present city school sys- tem of MeHenry County.
The development of the high schools of the county has been during the past twenty-five years, a wonderful growth. The enrollment has been doubled many times over, and in the present year, several of the city high
93
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
schools, notably Woodstock, Harvard, and Marengo, find themselves con- fronted with the necessity of ereeting new high school buildings to meet the needs of their districts. In Crystal Lake, the high school building and equipment are of the finest in the county. These improvements were secured though the aid of a large amount of back taxes received in the set- tlement of a local estate. Crystal Lake and Woodstock both have ex- cellent courses in normal school training and domestie science. Wood- stock, Harvard, Crystal Lake, Marengo, and MeHenry high schools all give up-to-date eommercial training. MeHenry and Crystal Lake have fine high-school gymnasiums for the physical training of their students.
The only available records at hand for securing the names of the superintendents of schools in the various cities and villages of the county, are those for Woodstock, which show that the first high school was taught in 1878 and the superintendents since the organization of the high sehool have been : Professors Warren Wilkie, 1878; A. E. Bourne, 1880; S. B. Inrsh, 1888; JJ. A. Kelly, 1890; John R. Kellogg, 1891; L. B. Eas- ton, 1894; G. W. Con, 1896; C. W. Ilart, 1897; C. E. Douglas, 1907; E. C. Thomas, 1911 ; and R. W. Bardwell who took charge of the schools in 1914.
The three public school buildings in Woodstoek were built as follows: the first one, the old brick school, was built in 1867; the new briek one, attached to or adjacent to the old building, is a handsome structure built in 1906 at a cost of $25,000; the third one is the Clay Street build- ing, built in the northern portion of the city, in 1907, at a eost of $20,000, exclusive of the grounds.
MC HENRY COUNTY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION
During the past fifty years one of the most potent influences in the progress of education in the county has been an organization of the princi- pals of the city or village schools of the county, known as the MeHenry County School Principals Association. This group of earnest educators has fostered in many ways the welfare of the county's public schools. They have met regularly at the county seat during the school term, some- times to receive inspiring messages from the eminent men from outside the county ; at other times to discuss the problems which confronted them in their schools. The membership in 1921 is: Oswell G. Treadway, Me- Henry, president ; A. M. Shelton, eounty superintendent, secretary ; II. A. Dean, Crystal Lake; C. W. Hill, Marengo; R. W. Bardwell, Wood- stock; C. O. Haskell, Harvard; Frank Ben, Hebron ; C. H. Duker, Hunt- ley ; C. W. Minard, Richmond ; and P. H. Willey, Alden.
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HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS
Charles Hastings, 1841-43; Peter Dietz, 1843-45; Major T. Irwin, 1845-47; Phineas W. Platt, 1847-49; Rev. R. K. Todd, 1849-54; M. T. Hutchinson, 1854-55: Asa W. Smith, 1856-59; Alvin Brown, 1859-61; Theodore Mead, 1861-63; Thomas Ercanbrack, 1863-65; A. J. Kingman, 1865-69; G. S. Southworth, 1869-73; William Nickle, 1873-77; A. W. Young, 1877-81 ; D. D. Baldwin, 1881-83; H. R. Baldwin, 1883-84; Lester Barber, 1884-90; W. E. Wire, 1890-1902; George W. Conn, 1902-10; 1. M. Shelton, 1910 to present date.
TODD SEMINARY
Todd Seminary is a private school at Woodstock for boys only. Its carly history was well written up for a former history of MeHlenry County by its founder's son, Henry Alfred Todd, who brought out the following historie points, in a lengthy biography of the Todd family : Rev. R. K. Todd, founder of this school, was a graduate of Princeton College, N. J., and was educated for the Presbyterian ministry, married a Miss Clover of New York, and, being impressed with the missionary spirit, started on a long trip with his young bride. This was in 1847 and they headed for the "far West." Railroads, generally speaking, had not yet come into eommon use and so they traveled by the Erie Canal, and by steamer over the Great Lakes to Milwaukee, Wis. Be- cause of a few young friends who had located in MeHenry County, Ill., he was led to come here. A Presbyterian Church had just been organized at Woodstock with thirteen members, and he was indneed to become its pastor. He was soon selected as superintendent of the MeHenry County public schools and held that position a number of years. Subsequently, he established a school of his own at Woodstoek
Finding it necessary at the end of a long term of years, on account of an affection of his throat to relinquish in a large part his publie speaking, he threw his whole energies into the building up of an institution of advanced education to stimulate, as well as satisfy the needs of the then rapidly growing West. He had already been one of the prime movers in the permanent foundation of the Marengo Col- legiate Institute, but that institution was entirely destroyed by fire, from which loss it never recovered. Again a similar calamity con- fronted Mr. Todd in the burning of the well-equipped building erected by him at Woodstock. Yet despite these losses, he gathered about him,
1111
UL
PUBLIC SCHOOL, HARVARD
95
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
as president, a large and efficient corps of instructors, obtained from the Illinois Legislature a generous charter, and inaugurated a long and highly prosperous period of collegiate work, the annual enrollment ranging from 151 to 200 students, from whom the ranks of teachers in Northern Illinois were for many years largely recruited. Late in the seventies, feeling the need for rest, Mr. Todd coneluded to limit his efforts to the eare of a classical home school for boys. The spaeions grounds and buildings, situated at the edge of the city, afforded a beautiful country retreat for a family of about twenty boys in their teens, nearly all of whom came from eity homes. Some even came in from distant states. Such was the foundation of the present excellent institution now known as "The Todd Seminary for Boys." Rev. Todd, the founder, feeling that he could no longer undertake the general management of the school, ealled to his assistance a young, vigorous man from New England, the present proprietor of the institution, Noble Hill, Ph. B., who came in the autumn of 1888, and in 1890 took complete charge. Mrs. Todd, wife of the founder, died, and Rev. Todd went to California to reside with his only son. In 1892 Prof. Hill purchased the property and has ever since owned and conducted a boys' school of a most remarkable and unique character.
The former buildings, in faet the entire institution, has been al- lowed to run down until it was almost a hopeless task to place it baek in the class to which its founder had aspired, but Prof. Hill knew no such word as fail and went to work with a right good will and did what few other men could have accomplished in so short a time, if indeed ever. The old buildings were remodeled, rebuilt and converted to other uses from those of former days and in time new buildings were erected on the beautiful campus which now comprises about eleven acres. During the last school year there were enrolled 110 pupils, com- ing in from seventeen states and territories, and one was booked from Cuba. The average age of these boys is about twelve years, with several no older than seven. It is estimated that fully three-quarters of these boys come from homes in the City of Chicago. Ten grades are taught, and this eourse of instruction qualifies the youth to go out into active life a finished scholar in his class, or to enter higher institutions of learning. The West and Middle West furnish the greater number of students. Ten instructors are usually employed, at this date half of them being men and half women. The school year of nine months is between September and June. The motto of this sehool is "Add to Virtue Knowledge."
96
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
This is a strictly non-sectarian school; moral character is all that is insisted upon in taking in students. Again it is strictly a Christian institution, for no instructor is ever employed unless he is a professed Christian, but no Christian denomination is harred, Catholie not excepted.
The ideal of the faculty is "for every Todd boy a good citizen." And this means what it says, a living active principle in the daily life of the Todd boys. The erowning glory of this school is the fact that it is a place where prohibition positively prohibits, a place of respect for authority and obedience to the law, where locks and keys are un- known and individual and property rights are respected.
A more healthful spot cannot be found on the continent, for its altitude is 1,000 feet above sea level, the highest point in all Illinois. During the seventy years of its existence not one death has occurred among the hundreds and thousands of pupils who have been in attend- anee. Climate, pure air, pure water, proper exercise and observance of sanitary rules have all combined to bring about this unequalled result.
The buildings found on the superb campus are: Wallingford Hall, Clover Hall, Rogers Hall, Grace Hall, the Gymnasium, Headmasters Cottage, West Cottage, Cozy Cottage, and North Cottage, used for hos- pital purposes.
The following practices are strictly prohibited: Use of cards or any form of gambling; use of tobacco; use of profane or vulgar lan- guage ; use or possession of fire-arms; reading of trashy books or papers; contracting debts; going off the grounds without permission ; going down town unless accompanied by a teacher; and leaving the buildings after evening prayers.
The instructors 1920 and 1921 are as follows:
Principal-Noble Hill, Ph. B.
Associate Principal-Roger Hill, A. B.
Secretary and Treasurer-Ross Taylor, A. B.
Headmaster-A. E. Johnson. A. B.
History-HI. A. Hunter, A. B.
Latin-F. J. Roubal, A. B.
Geography-S. L. Coover. Musie-K. Crilly, A. B.
English and Librarian-Miss Grace Libey
Reading and Spelling-Miss Pearl Fidler.
Primary Department-Miss Hazel Macdonald.
Primary Department-Miss Edith Divilbess.
97
HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
Mathematics-Mrs. F. J. Roubal.
Art-Miss Mary E. Newman.
Secretary to Principal-Miss Selma Rowe.
Dean of the Home-Mrs. Ross Taylor, A. B. House Mother-Miss Lillian Kauffman.
House Mother-Mrs. A. E. Johnson.
Nurse-Mrs. G. C. Trevarthen.
When Prof. Hill first came to Woodstock he was a single man, but two years later he brought his bride to the institution and to them were born a son and a daughter, both of whom have been educated primarily in this institution. The daughter, Miss Carol Hill, now Mrs. Ross Taylor, is the only girl who has ever attended the school. Both are now con- nected with their father's institution.
CHAPTER VIII
CHURCHES
RELIGIOU'S SPIRIT-LACK OF FACILITIES-FIRST SERVICES-FIRST CHURCHES
-BAPTISTS-CATHOLIC-CHRISTIAN SCIENCE-CONGREGATIONAL-EPIS- COPAL-LUTHERAN-METHODIST-PRESBYTERIAN-UNIVERSALIST.
RELIGIOU'S SPIRIT
Man has ever sought to draw near to his Creator, and never does this tendeney become so strong as when he feels the lack of something material in life. As long as his creature comforts are assured, his happi- ness is intaet, he appears able to exist without much thought of a future life, but let trouble or misfortune visit him, and instinctively he longs for some assurance of a power above his own. Just as a nation is purified and elevated through a period of great affliction, so are its people brought into proper religions frame of mind when misfortune falls upon them heavily.
LACK OF FACILITIES
Perhaps no one facility was more deeply felt, not only by individuals, but the communities they formed, in pioneer days, than that which in the old homes afforded proper observance of religious duties. The pioneer had no churches, nor could they at first come in contact with religious teachers. The lack of the religious element in the early settlements had much to do with the lawlessness which prevailed in some com- munities. It appeared impossible to properly curb this until churches were established and a regular religions routine installed. Therefore not only was it important for the peace and happiness of each individual that some religious services be provided, but also for the growth of the neighborhood from a frontier settlement into the home of law-abiding citizens to which desirable people and additional capital would be drawn. Because of these and many other eogent reasons, it is easy to see why the settlers exerted themselves to raise sufficient funds to guarantee a certain
98
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HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
regularity of religious services, and their efforts met with ample and gratifying results.
FIRST SERVICES
It matters not upon what exact date some certain sect held services, in a given community. The fact that such services were held is the im- portant faet. It is found that several Protestant and at least two Catholie churches were very early in the field in this county. They all had to hold services in some private home and put up with such accommodations as could be provided in a log cabin at first. Sometimes a schoolhouse was found in which religious services could be held. Some communities laeked a minister, and then a layman took charge, for they believed in the promise made to the "two or three gathered together in my name," even though they were in the wilderness where the sound of the church- going bell had never yet been heard. On red-letter days in the history of a settlement, services were held by a traveling clergyman, at which time ereeds and differences of doctrine were usually forgotten, and all gathered to drink in the words of warning and comfort which fell from the eloquent lips of one or another of the missionaries, soldiers of the Cross, who went forth, on horseback, into the wilderness and preached and labored for the Master, without thought of reward other than a bare living and the realization that they were living up to their conception of their duty to their Maker and humanity.
FIRST CHURCHES
Ofttimes the log schoolhouse served as a meetinghouse in the early days, but finally, after much effort, in each of the new settlements, the little frame house of worship with its tiny bell in a wooden belfry, began to dot the prairies or grace the beautiful valleys midst the woodland. It was one of sneh that the poet wrote "The Little Brown Church in the Vale," so popular everywhere now-a-days. Each Lord's day, a stream of people, clad in the best they possessed, might have been seen wending their way, on foot, horseback and with ox teams, to these little country chapels. In time these small frame structures gave way to larger, more appropriate edifices with costly and attractive stained windows and a high steeple with a silver-toned bell within its belfry. Some obtained pipe organs and modern furniture, but the same spirit guided them, the same purpose of worshiping the only true and living God, in both humble and more pretentious edifices.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
In order to give the readers of this volume a clear idea of how the religious element developed in every part of this county, the writer has sought to gather together all possible data from all denominations here represented, and place such information in readable form in one chapter.
BAPTISTS
THE MARENGO CHURCH is among the pioneer church organizations in northern Illinois. The first sermon ever preached in MeHenry County was by a Baptist minister named Southworth, one Saturday evening in April, 1836, at the home of Calvin Spencer. The audience was composed of less than a dozen people. Reverend Southworth was on his way further west, and perished in the terrible snow storm, near Rock Island in December. 1836. Rev. Lyman B. King, preached at the home of Calvin Spencer in October, 1836, and from that date on as occasion offered, until the autumn of 1838. In 1840, Rev. Isaac Marvin, a graduate of Harvard University, was sent into this region to labor in behalf of the Baptist Home Missionary Society. He and his young wife came in a one- horse wagon with their trunk strapped to the rear of the vehicle. About half-way between Coral and Marengo, a stick caught in one of the wheels and broke it. They stopped at the next house and remained over night. Their host proved to be Orson P. Rogers, who then lived, where after- wards resided William Boies. Through this incident was formed a Baptist Church in this vicinity.
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