USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 41
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The seat of the court was immediately established at Danville, where all the records and files of both courts were to be kept, and which became the of- ficial home of all the officers.
Scarcely were they well organized when it became evident that the rooms provided in the old building were inadequate for the business to be transacted by the officers of the courts and their assistants. From the beginning it was apparent that, from the point of business transacted therein, the eastern dis- trict of Illinois was destined to become one of the most important districts in the entire United States.
The territory embraced within the eastern judicial district of Illinois is unique in its commercial and industrial importance. It is bounded on three sides by navigable waters, the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, all of which come within the admiralty jurisdiction of these courts. Within the dis- trict are to be found the most extensively developed coal fields, and the most productive oil fields in the United States, while at East St. Louis, within the district, are to be found the largest stock markets as well as the second largest railroad terminals in the world, while foundries and factories are numerous throughout the district. Wherever such natural advantages and industries as these are found, there is also found business for the courts, in settling dis- putes and determining the sundry litigations which arise. By reason of the diversity of citizenship between parties engaged in the commerce and in con- ducting these industries a great volume of this litigation finds its way into the federal courts of the district.
By the report of the attorney general for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, it is found that in point of business transacted, barring bankruptcy, the United States courts of the eastern district of Illinois ranked fourth in the United States. The courts for New York, Chicago and Pittsburg, only, in the order named, surpass the United States courts at Danville, in the number of cases begun and disposed of during that year.
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The absolute necessity of a new federal building of sufficient size to accommodate, and in keeping with the importance of these courts had for some time been well established. $275,000 was set apart in the appropriations by con- gress in May, 1908, with which to purchase a new site and erect the new build- ing. An exchange of properties was effected between the National govern- ment and the heirs of Michael Kelly, whereby the Government came into pos- session of the "Kelly homestead," the one time home of Judge Oliver L. Davis, that eminent jurist of which all citizens of Vermilion County are justly proud, the consideration being exchange of properties and $54,000 to the heirs of Michael Kelly.
When the plans for the new building were drawn to come within the appro- priation remaining, they were found to be yet inadequate and insufficient. So an additional $100,000 was appropriated by Congress, in March, 1909, that the plans might be enlarged and made sufficiently comprehensive. In September, 1909, the new building was begun which, at this writing, is not yet complete. Sufficient progress has been made, however, to say that when completed it will be a structure to which the citizens of Danville and of Vermilion County may point with pride, and a fitting monument to the historic ground on which it stands. Could fate have wrought a more fitting deed, than to build a splendid temple of justice on the spot where that great jurist lived, and which he loved, and where law, and eminence, and justice in part, were born?
CHAPTER XXXI.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
FIRST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY-HIRAM TINCNOR'S SCHOOL-SCHOOL IN NEWELL TOWNSHIP-HOW A SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED-ELISHA HOBBS-VERMILION SEMINARY- ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS IN DANVILLE-THE DANVILLE ACADEMY - THE GEORGETOWN SEMINARY-THE DANVILLE SEMINARY-THE UNION SEMI- NARY-SEMINARIES GIVE PLACE TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL-SCHOOLS IN OAK- WOOD TOWNSHIP-SCHOOLS IN PILOT TOWNSHIP-SCHOOL AT DENMARK-THE LAMB SCHOOL-THE CUNNINGHAM SCHOOL-EARLY SCHOOLS IN DANVILLE- AMOS WILLIAMS BUILDS A SCHOOL HOUSE-JAMES DAVIS-MRS. CROMWELL- THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VERMILION COUNTY-PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
The first school taught in Vermilion County is said to have been in Elwood township. It was in a' log school house one mile west of Vermilion station. Reu- ben Black, a lad of eighteen, came from Ohio and in the winter of 1824-25, se- cured enough subscription pupils to make it worth his while to open a school. He taught one winter. John Mills sent four children-three sons and one daughter. Joseph Jackson, an Englishman, sent two children; Ezekial Hollingsworth sent four children ; Henry Canaday sent one; John Haworth sent three; making four- teen in all. The branches taught were reading, spelling, writing and some of the older pupils were taught arithmetic. So it was that these fourteen children, Ira. Millican, John and Rebecca Mills, Nathan and Mary Jackson, Jeremiah, Miles. Mahunday and John Hollingsworth, William Canaday and Thomas, David and Elvin Haworth were the first children to go to school in Vermilion County. This was two years and more before any one lived in Danville. In 1827 two miles northeast of Vermilion station there was another school taught. This time the teacher was a preacher from East Tennessee, of the Methodist faith, Mr. Elijah Yager by name. He took a step beyond the Ohio teacher and introduced com- mon arithmetic and declamation. He was a talented man for the times but his employers must not have appreciated him or he found other ways of getting a living more congenial, for the next school in this neighborhood was taught by Henry Fletcher, the following summer.
In the Butler's Point neighborhood the schools were not so prosperous. The first school taught was by Hiram Tinckor. It was south of the well known Thomas Keeney home. Mr. Tinckor was a good teacher and kept his pupils
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busy with their "Readin,' 'Ritin' and 'Rithmetic." He had fifteen pupils and those among them who lived at the Salt Works had to walk three miles to this school, and it was the only school for them to attend. A school house was built in 1827 in Georgetown on the square in front of the store of Mr. Frazier. This school house would hardly be considered of much use for that purpose at this time. Indeed it was the cheapest affair that could be built, of logs and had absolutely no conveniences.
A puncheon floor, a log sawed out over which a piece of greased paper was put, through which the light had a hard time to come, slabs for seats and no desks. It does not make a very attractive picture. But it was the best that could be had and served the purpose of housing the boys and girls whose parents were able to pay the subscription price of their "schooling." The teacher's name was Givens and after him it was Owen West who gave these children the desired in- struction in the three "Rs." The pupils were Perry, Martha and Luzena Brazel- ton, Brackin Lewis, George Lewis, Millican Moore, Eli and Mahlon Haworth and James Staunton.
The books used were the Old English reader, Talbott's Arithmetic, American Spelling book and Lindley Murry's grammar. At that time it was the universal practice to study aloud and the noise which issued from that school house was something from which to escape if possible. The lad who could make the most noise was supposed to be gaining the greatest amount of "learning." This school was continued until 1844 when the Georgetown Seminary was established.
The first school house in Newell township was on section 23, and was built in 1827. A man named Scott was the first teacher who has been described as a fatherly, elderly man with perhaps, too little force, since his successor with or without reason resorted to the use of the hickory stick upon every occasion. This man's name was Duncan Lindsey. He taught a good school and his pupils made remarkable progress, but his methods were approaching brutality. How much of this came because of the laxity of the first teacher can not be estimated at this day, or whether in fact the kindness of the first teacher did not seem to be laxity in contrast to the ways of his successor. The second school built in Newell township was put upon land owned by and called for Jacob Eckler. This school house was located between Joseph W. Osborn's and William R. Campbell's. A large walnut tree stood in the corner of Mr. Osborn's pasture and for years marked the site of the front of this school house. It was built in the fall of 1830 and Valentine Leonard coming to this neighborhood at about that time, lived in the house until the following summer, when the first school was opened there by Miss Elizabeth Stipp as teacher.
The pioneer school house is at once one of the simplest and most celebrated institutions in the early settlements of the country. It was made of round logs, puncheons covered the floor, a rude fireplace at one end reached nearly from one corner to the opposite one; in the other end of the room an opening had been made by leaving out a log, and in this, upright pieces were placed at intervals and on these oiled paper was pasted to admit the light. Under this improvised window a long board was put up with the proper pitch and along it a long bench was put. Here in this "flood of light," the children practiced their copies using a quill pen which the teacher made. One dear little girl, alas no longer here to
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tell the tale herself, loved to tell how she would get up early often and look for the quills the geese had cast in the night to take them to Mr. Huntington, a favorite teacher. And woe to her when her brothers happened to get up earlier than she did and gathered all the prizes from her, leaving not a single one. This was long before there was a system of free schools in Vermilion county and education had to be the product of greater effort than at this time. Schools were inaugurated by direct exertion and supported by private contribution and only those who paid received their benefits. School houses were built in this same way. The settlers agreed upon a place and then they all met at that place and divided work; some cut down the logs, others hauled them up and yet a third set them up in place. It was not necessary to have a school house to have a school, however. Where an empty cabin was available a subscription was the only thing necessary to the establishing of one of these temples of learning. Whoever proposed to have a school, went around among the settlers and took subscriptions from all for as many as were wanted to go to school. If it was a stranger who proposed to do this one of the well known citizens would offer to take him around and introduce him to those who would be interested in the matter. The usual price was $1.00 and $1.50 per term of three months and sometimes the winter term came higher, a charge of twenty-five cents extra was made to provide fuel. Sometimes a man who was very much interested in the school would subscribe for three or more than he had to send ; and sometimes a man had two or more children to send and he couldn't afford to send them all, then he would send them alternately; that is, would take one subscription and one child would go one week and another the following week. Reading, writing, spelling and ciphering generally comprised the text. On the interior of one of these houses there would always be wooden pegs driven upon which the boys hung their caps and the girls hung their hoods and shawls. Elisha Hobbs took the school down at Vermilion in 1831. He was one of the true teachers who could give a stimulus to learning that made the pupil want to go to school. He did more for the cause of education in Vermilion county than did any one else ever. He never paused in his efforts until the citi- zens found themselves with a school house 16 ft. square and six feet and a half between joists. The district got up a subscription to build a new house, but could not raise money enough to build it. At this juncture William Canaday, David and Elvin Haworth decided to make an effort to secure the amount. They got hold of the subscription paper and destroyed it and went to work with a will and their purses and their influence to build a house fit for an academy. So well did they succeed that in the summer of 1850 they had a seminary building, 30 x 52, with two recitation rooms supplied with proper desks and furniture. They employed James Davis as principal of the school and it opened with one hundred and ten students. The branches taught were geography, algebra, chem- istry, geometry, surveying, history, mineralogy, reading, spelling, elocution, do- mestic economy and Latin. Mr. Davis continued as principal for five years. He was a man of great energy, wisdom and tact. The standard of education was kept high and this seminary did a great work, leaving on the community the in- fluence which marked that part of Vermilion County. Of the men who did so much to build this school it is only necessary to state that William Canaday had
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seven sons who were educated in this school and David Haworth had eight. This seminary disappeared with the coming of the free or public school system.
The first school ever taught in Danville was in a log house probably built for the purpose, standing on the ground where Wright's mill stands. This cabin was built of huge burr-oaks fully two feet in diameter, and the ends were left sticking out without being sawed off, with clapboard roof and puncheon floor. It was rough in outward appearance, and inside had nothing to change that ap- pearance. The hugh fireplace extended across the room and was something peculiar in its way; without, instead of the chimney beginning at the ground, strong braces extended from the wall near the floor out into the room and up- ward, and upon these the chimney was built.
It was not less than six feet wide and large enough to hoist a good sized dry- goods box up through it. The fire was built under it and the first thing to learn in this school house was how to induce the smoke to go in the right direction. One advantage of the fireplace was that the wood did not need to be cut at all. Anything short of sled-lengths could be put in and the fire did the work of the wood chopper.
This school was opened in about 1830 and the teacher's name was Clark. He was a good teacher, and had charge of this school for a time, after which he was a tanner until he died. Another school building was put up near the river where the old planing mill stood and many of the elder sons and daughters of Danville went to this school; yet little record of this school can be found.
The Georgetown Seminary which together with the Vermilion Seminary fur- nished the school facilities for the children of the county for years, was built in 1844.
In 1836 a charter was granted incorporating the Danville Academy a stock company. Its terms make it possible for every free white person to subscribe to this school, and every subscriber was entitled to one year's tuition for every share owned. This enterprise never amounted to any good, however. No per- manent organization was ever effected.
While Vermilion was working for a seminary, which came in 1850, and Dan- ville had secured a charter for the means of establishing one but had done nothing else, Georgetown opened a school wherein the needs of the times were met. The Georgetown Seminary was organized in 1844 and for twenty years was the place sought by those of the entire county who were looking for means toward an education. This was a denominational institution, being under the charge of the Methodist Conference, and the teachers were selected by that body.
Here as in Vermilion is found the name of Canaday as one of the promoters of this institution. This name is often found in records of that which tended to advance the interests of Vermilion County. Mr. Canaday, Presiding Elder Rob- bins, J. H. Murphy of Danville, and Mr. Curtis were the early promoters of the Georgetown Seminary. Much depends upon the selection of the first teachers of any institutions of learning, and a happy choice was made in this case in the choosing of the first principal. This was Jesse Moore, a young man of not only excellent education but of commanding presence as well, and possessed of superior tact. Jesse R. Moore was at that time a local preacher and since one of the leaders in the Methodist church, afterward a presiding elder. When the war
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broke out he went into the service and was promoted to be a general in the army and after he came home represented his district in the national congress, after which he was pension agent at Decatur. His was a long life of usefulness and in no place did he render more efficient service to mankind than while he for four years was the principal of Georgetown Seminary. During these four years the school was operated in the frame building some of the older people of the county remember which had been built for a church and had been moved to the grounds afterward occupied by the district school. Mr. Moore's assistants were Miss Fairbanks, Walter Smith, afterward a Baptist preacher and Archibald Sloan, who, too, afterward became a preacher. The Seminary building was erected in 1848. It was a plain brick building, two stories higli and capable of accommodating two hundred pupils. Mr. Moore was succeeded by Prof. J. P. Johnson, who had charge for five years, with his wife and two nieces as as- sistants. Pupils came from a hundred miles away to this school. Danville sent her young people and the northern and western part of the county as far as hav- ing need of a school availed themselves of the opportunity given by an institution of the kind inside the bounds of the county.
Miss Sophia Lyons, afterward Mrs. Holloway, taught music. Prof. Asa Guy taught two years, from 1853 to 1855. He had his wife and Miss Hazelton as his assistants. Rev. Railsback was principal for four years and he was followed by Rev. McNutt. After his term was over the seminary was merged into the public school system. The seminary was built by individual donation of money or anything which could be turned into money and proved to be a power for the upbuilding of the community first and the adjacent territory of the county, to say nothing of the increased power of the church. The school was turned over to the district in 1861 and the public school directors of the district took entire charge of its management from that time on. There had been a sort of partner- ship between the directors and the trustees of the seminary for a few years past, but the sentiment favoring the public school had grown to the extent that it could not be sustained longer.
Six years after the Georgetown Seminary was established and at the time of the organization of the Vermilion Seminary, a charter was secured to incorporate the Danville Seminary. There was already one flourishing Methodist school in the county and one under the charge of the, Society of Friends. There did not seem to be any need of another under either denominational government. But those who had the papers of incorporation made out, were particular to stipulate that the majority of the trustees should be members of the Methodist church and that the teachers should be chosen by these trustees. That left all but the Meth- odists outside of the management of the school, either in the way of determining the course of study or whom should teach the course. Naturally this arrange- ment, no matter how well it was used, could not be satisfactory. An antagonism was the only outcome of such an ignoring of the opinions of one set of people by another who had only the right made by circumstances. Citizens of all de- nominations had subscribed to the enterprise and this restriction of their privi- leges resulted in a bitter division of the community on the subject of all others upon which there should be perfect union of opinion and action. The first trus- tees of this institution were Eli Helmick, Benjamin Stewert, E. F. Palmer, Daniel
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Fairchild, James Partlow, James Dennison and J. H. Gilbert. They located the school on two acres of land just north of Main street and built a two-story brick house for the use of the school. The land was deeded to the use of the church for school purposes and after the seminary was merged into the public school sys- tem there was a long litigation over the ownership of the land, because of this clause. At last it went back to the original owners. O. S. Munsell was the first principal of this school and Mrs. Munsell, C. W. Jerome, Miss Sarah Whip and Miss Ellen Green were the teachers. This was in 1852, when the roll of mem- bership was 206. This school had the advantage of having been in existence before it was incorporated under the management of Mr. and Mrs. Munsell. They were popular teachers in their school, kept in the old North Street church. Two courses were offered to the student, the classical and the scientific. This school was continued for twelve years. Mr. Munsell was succeeded by Prof. Aaron Wood, he by Prof. P. D. Hammond, he by Mr. McNutt and he by J. L. Dickson as principals of the school.
The dissatisfaction with the management of the Danville Seminary grew to such an extent that another school was organized March 15, 1851. This was called the Union Seminary and while the subscribers were not of the same church as that which dominated the other school, they were restricted to no one denomi- nation. It was established by a joint stock company and was an excellent school. These opposing schools were supported until the popularity of the public school system made it no longer a necessity to have the youth of Danville educated at subscription schools.
The trustees of the Union Seminary were representative citizens of Dan- ville. They were L. T. Palmer, J. A. D. Sconce, S. G. Craig, Guy Merrill and Hamilton White. They secured three acres of land in the part of town then called the north part, but what would seem almost the heart of the city at this time, and put up a good building which they used as a school house for a long time after the seminary was a part of the public school. The only relic of the location is now the name of the street which ran in front of the enclosure, on the south side of the building. Vermilion street was the western limit of the seminary grounds. In 1862 a common school system was adopted and it was very soon that the usefulness of these two private schools was at an end. A levy of a tax which was to be paid to all school districts in proportion to the number of pupils who attended the public school was a just cause to induce every public spirited man to support the public school with the attendance of his children. The outcome of this was that both buildings were rented by the di- rectors of the public school and J. L. Dickson, who was principal of the Dan- ville Seminary, was retained as principal of the public schools with nine assist- ants. The following year Mr. Spillman was employed. Thus it was that the seminaries at both Georgetown and Danville gave place to the public schools.
Such was not the case at the one under the management of the Society of Friends at Vermilion. When the Vermilion Seminary was established it was built as a permanent institution and remained an institution all the years from its organization to the time when, in 1873, the Vermilion Academy was or- ganized to take its place. And unlike the other three institutions of higher learn-
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ing in the county, it competed successfully with the high schools when they became competitors.
While the more pretentious schools are being considered it must not be forgotten that there were schools in other parts of the county where although the extent of the attempt was the mastery of the "Three Rs" yet they laid the foundation of learning without which the after building would be impossible. The first school building in Oakwood township was put up in 1829 or 1830. It stood close to the present town of Newtown, and was of the pioneer style.
Squire Newell and a Mr. McGuinn taught in this house soon after it was built. It continued in use for some time but another was built on what was known as "Parsonage Hill" just south of Newtown. Another of the early school houses was built on the state road near Stony creek.
School was taught in the neighborhood of the Juvinalls at an early day by Morgan Rees. This was on the east side of the creek but the children would attend school there and so it was not considered necessary to have one on the west side. The first house built in Pilot township was put up on section 20, T20, R.12. This was in 1836 or 1837.
Ezekial Leyton was the first school teacher. However, there had been a school taught in this township in about 1834. This was housed in a cabin and was taught by Mr. Beard. As early as 1833 there was a school house on the banks of the North Fork about eighty rods south of Denmark. Mary Beasley, Noah Sap and Elizabeth Stipp, were among the early teachers in this building. After a few years the building was abandoned and a private house in Denmark used. The Lamb school house was built in 1835 and was one of some preten- sion, having a window on each side, consisting of a single row of 8x10 inch panes placed close up to the eaves, and running the whole length of the building. Among the teachers at this school house are found these names which may recall early times to some one. There was Robert Price, John McKee, J. Poor and James A. Davis. It is not recorded which teacher of all these it was who punished a bad boy and in turn was severely punished together with his entire school. The circumstance was as follows. The boy was punished by the teacher and went out of the door which fastened on the outside with a padlock. Taking advantage of this fastening the boy made a prisoner of each and all in the school house and then climbed on the roof and covered up the chimney. While he sat on the outside awaiting developments the smoke poured into the room and was very annoying until the teacher thought to put out the fire with water and then a boy crawled up the flue and uncovered the chimney and unfastened the door.
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