USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 43
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the winter the large boys came to school after the work was done and they worked vigorously at read- ing, writing, ciphering and spelling. Boys at- tended district school frequently after they had attained their majority. People now forty years old can remember the large number of "big boys" that were present during the winter term. It was not thought manly by many of these same big boys to attend school in the summer time. The summer school was thought fit for the small chil- dren and the girls. Many who taught school were themselves poorly educated and had nothing more than the advantages of the district school. In the '50s. '60s and earlier 70s the custom of hiring a woman for the summer and a man for winter prevailed. The summer term was generally short, the winter term in rare instances covering a period of four months. The pupils scarcely got school was handed over to a new teacher. Finally the school year was divided into
acquainted with the teacher before the the spring. summer and winter terms. the spring term covering a period of two months, summer term two months. and the winter term two and a half to three months, and in rare instances four months, and in many districts three teachers were employed during the year.
As previously stated. many large boys attended school, and in those pioneer days were in some cases quite unruly. "No lickin' no l'arnin' " was the prevailing sentiment. and sometimes the doc- trine ended in a catastrophe for the teacher. In almost any school district of the county if we could talk with pupils who attended thirty. forty and fifty years ago, we would hear a catastrophe of this kind where the big boys put the sehool mas- ter out. while in other instances if we were to talk with the teachers of those times we would find that the only virtue they would mention in their own experience as teacher would be the fact that they were able to "liek the whole paek." In those days if a school became decidedly unruly the di- rectors would look over the community and select for the teacher a man with physical qualifications rather than mental, with the instruction that he should open school and be boss and maintain order.
In noticing some of the programs of the teaeh- ers institutes of the '50s we find questions like the following for discussion : "In nature, as well as civilization. order is Heaven's first law, and it is necessary that the teacher maintain order and
291
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
strict discipline before they can be successful teach- ers." In the later '50s in the school taught in May- field the teacher had a class in grammar, which for those days was famous for its ability to parse, an- alyze and diagram, and teachers came from all around to hear the class at work. Still it is safe to say that a majority of the community were much opposed to the grammar class, as it took time from studies that they regarded essential. When the graded schools were established and the children of the country began to attend, boys generally found themselves in a predicament. They were all right in arithmetic but woefully deficient in grammar. Even as late as the carly '80s Professor A. J. Blanchard, superintendent of the Sycamore schools, gave the pupils of the country schools ranking ac- cording to examinations in language and grammar. Teachers of the early days spent much of their time in cyphering with the older classes. There seemed to be no exercise of the school of sufficient importance to prevent the teacher from doing a sum for the pupil when requested. In many in- stances if the teacher were hearing a recitation in reading or spelling, the pupil for whom the sum was being done could hear the class recite. In other cases teachers would allow the class to go on as best they could and give his attention to the difficult sum. After the State Normal school was established and the influence of that normal he- gan to be felt some of the teachers regarded the "doing of sums" as time wasted. and instead of do- ing the work for the pupil would ask judicious questions and leave the pupil to think his way through the difficulty. Many a teacher with mod- ern ideas was bitterly criticised by the patrons be- cause they would not stop and "do sums." as in times past. Well do we remember the first normal teacher who came to teach in a Mayfield district where we attended later when a little boy. The directors believed in her and per- haps one or two other families of the neighbor- hood, but the majority of the community were against the modern ideas that she had acquired at normal. She introduced reading charts, outlined maps were purchased upon her recommendation, and she attempted to beantify the schoolhouse and ground. Much of this was considered a wasteful expenditure of money, and before the term closed a rebellion broke out. But many of the same "reb- els" were glad to acknowledge the efficient work of
this teacher in after years. In fact the school was given an impetus which was of lasting benefit. By 1860 nearly all the log houses were replaced by frame buildings. These were built in the form of a rectangular box, the ceiling was low, the windows were on three sides and stove in the middle. The buildings were sided, lathed and plastered and in winter were very cold. Unfortunately the office of county superintendent was made of a political nature and when nominations were bestowed for other offices "geography" counted for considerable in the nomination of superintendent. Mr. Dwight Crossett, who succeeded N. S. Greenwood, and was on the whole a bright man and an efficient superin- tendent for that day, says that when they made up the Union ticket he was put on from the fact that he was a democrat. H. C. Beard, who followed Mr. Crossett, was a teacher of considerable ability, visiting the schools and accomplishing considera- ble in the way of preparing excellent programs for teachers at the institules. During his administra- tion he secured the services of Dr. Richard Ed- wards. afterwards president of the Normal, and state superintendent for one term. Ile taught in all the branches at the institute and was the only instructor. For this he received the magnificent sum of thirty dollars. The total expenses of the office. including help at the institute was one hun- dred and forty-two dollars and forty cents in 1864, and Mr. Beard received for his services one hun- dred and fifty-five dollars and eighty-nine cents and commissions of fifty-two dollars for twenty- six days' visitation. In the fall of 1864 on the re- publican ticket at the nomination at the conven- tion the patriotic people of De Kalb county wished to reward the soldiers who had suffered on the field of battle and Lieutenant Pritchard by common consent was to receive the nomination. Owing to failing health he was compelled to withdraw, and Captain M. V. Allen of Shabbona, a wounded sol- dier, was given the nomination without opposition. Mr. Allen had had no experience whatever in teachers' work and after attending a summer school of normal for a period of two weeks he be- gan operations. At that time the county superin- tendent received a better salary and the office was made much more lucrative, nine hundred dollars being voted extra by the board of supervisors, so that in all Captain Allen received abont a thousand dollars a year.
298
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Ile was succeeded by Professor H. P. Hall, who was elected in the fall of 1868. MEr. Hall was a collegiate and had received splendid educational opportunities in his New England home. Ile had been city superintendent of the Sycamore schools and from this time on educational affairs prog- ressed rapidly. Mr. Hall made a special effort to prepare the teachers in grammar. history and geog- raphy. His institutes were exceptionally valuable along this line. Ile visited the schools of De Kalb county regularly and did much to secure better primary work in the district schools. At the time he began his work of superintendent he tound many teachers using the old a b c method. and he did a great deal to put an end to this old-fashioned way of teaching the children to read. It was through his efforts that many of the trees which adorn country schoolyards were planted. All this met with considerable opposition. The teachers of musele alone did not fare well in their examina- tions before Professor Hall. He found many of the men teaching school would sit with feet upon their «lesk,. chew tobacco and use the stove as a cuspidor. It is needless to say that he made an enemy of that type of teacher. Mr. Hall received a regular sal- ary and held the office for a period of eight years. Much of the opposition created by Mr. Hall among the patrons of the schools of this county is to his credit. and many who opposed his views at that time now admit the error of their way. The ma- jority of the people of this county think H. P. Hall was in advance of his time.
After the nomination of S. L. Graham, the county board of supervisors passed an act which. though honestly done by many of that body. proved disastrous to the schools of the county. The sal- ary was reduced from fourteen hundred dollars to four hundred dollars and the matter of school vis- itation was taken out of the hands of the superin- tendent. so that during the administration of MIr. Graham no schools were supervised at all. Mr. Graham was compelled to teach school, keep store and occupy himself in other lines of work, as the salary was not sufficient for honorable living. He was a graduate of Waynesburg College, and at the time of his accession to the office of county super- intendent was twenty-six years of age. llis work as principal of the Malta schools had been handled satisfactory and he was known as a young man of ability, and had an opportunity been given, as had been given his predecessors, H. P. Hall and N. V.
Allen, his services a> county superintendent might have been more effectual than they were.
Mr. George I. Talbot, a graduate of the State Normal. and principal of the Shabbona schools, was appointed by the board of supervisors in 1882. served one year, when he was elected for a term of four years. The schools had not been supervised during the term of Mr. Graham ; the county board by this time had realized the mistake they had made and the injustice done Mr. Graham, and re- stored the salary to its former position. At the time of his accession to office Mr. Talbot was twenty-eight years of age. Ile entered upon his work with characteristic energy and fought out many of the problems which have made for the betterment of the educational system of the county. Mr. Talbot was opposed to the old idea of a woman for the summer's teacher and a man for the win- ter', teacher, and he made an effort to secure a longer term of service for the teacher. Some of the "moss backs" who had taught in the winter and worked on the farm in the summer time soon found themselves without positions. His examinations were thorough and modern and in line with the ideas of his time. His institutes were exceptionally valuable and the day meetings which he held in different parts of the county did much
for a better educational spirit all along the line of educational work. wa> one of the educators of the state who formed the original course of study, which was adopted for district school work throughout Illi- nois. He brought to his institutes some of the best educators of that time, among them Dr. Hew- itt Neppers. Professor Powell. later supervisor of the public schools of the District of Columbia. and teachers of drawing, physiology and the elementary sciences. The pupils of the country school. upon completion of their course of study, in passing on final examination were given certificates which ad- mitted them to any high school in the county.
According to the course of study the examina- tions for the district pupils were given in Febru- ary and in May and the final examinations later in the year. Before the administration of Mr. Tal- bot many of the pupils had received no educational advantages beyond the district school. He encour- aged the prospective teacher to attend normal and make preparation. The days of the discussion of the old question. "}> Teaching a Profession." had passed.
JOHN WILLISTON COOK.
PUBLIC LIBRARY NEW YORK -- 1
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
301
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Mr. Talbot was succeeded in office in 1890 by Lewis M. Gross, of Kirkland. At the time of his election he was serving as principal of the Kirk- land school and 27 years old. Having taught under Mr. Talbot, and having had the advantages of his institutes and teachers' meet- ings, he naturally followed the course outlined by his predecessor. Under his encouragement the attendance at the normal school from the county was increased, the pupils passing from the coun- try schools to the high schools largely increased in number. The institutes continued to be exception- ally valuable, and under his administration the services of such men as State Superintendent Raab, Dr. Cook, F. T. Oldt, of Dubuque, and men from the leading universities of the Mississippi valley were secured. The reading cirele work, which had been started in the state in 1884, was continued, and Mr. Gross became a member of the State Teachers' Reading Circle board, and was its manager five years, which planned the pro- fessional reading for the teachers of Illi- nois. In the summer of 1899 he called a conven- tion of directors and established county uniform- ity of text-books. Mr. Gross found it necessary in the improvement of school conditions to have the co-operation of the directors, and directors meet- ings were held in different parts of the county. Schoolhouses, outbuildings and grounds were very much improved. The new schoolhouses built were models of convenience, comfort and beauty. This made county uniformity of text-books possi- ble, which removed, in a great measure, the bur- dens from the tenants' children, who are compelled to move frequently from one district to another.
During his administration teachers were nearly all hired by the year. During the latter part of his term of sixteen years the Normal School was established, which proved of great assistance, and Superintendent Gross immediately worked with the normal faculties for the perfection of the school system. Institutes which had been held in public school buildings of Sycamore, De Kalb, Sandwich and Genoa, were then held annually at the Normal, and the Normal faculty were the instructors. This gave a wide range of studies for the teachers of the county, and as they were held during the summer school, the faculty did the instructing for the amount of the institute fund on hand.
Mr. Gross was succeeded by W. W. Coultas, in
1906. At the time of his election Mr. Coultas was forty-five years of age and was principal of the Malta school.
Some of the school men who have been regarded as landmarks in educational work are A. J. Blanch- ard, of Sycamore, who for twenty-five years was superintendent of the Sycamore graded schools. He was superintendent of the Academy of Ver- mont until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he took a company from his school and entered the Army of the Potomac. He resigned on account of ill health and came to Sycamore in 1862, served a period of five years, then for five years was super- intendent of the Litchfield and Rochelle schools, and was again employed as city superintendent by the board of education of Sycamore and served in this capacity for twenty years. Under A. J. Blanchard the first graduating exercises of the public schools of the county were held in 1876. The course of study at that time covered a period of three years. This plan was followed by the other schools of the county and in the later '70s DeKalb and Sandwich had commencement exer- cises. In 1881 the Genoa school had commence- ment exercises under the direction of Professor D. M. Gibbs, which was soon followed by the smaller graded schools of the county, so at this time in the schools of Fairdale, Kirkland, Kingston, Malta, Cortland, Shabbona, Waterman, Hinckley and So- monauk courses of study ranging from two to four years have been laid down and commencement ex- ercises held accordingly. Seven years ago the course of study in the Sycamore graded schools, under the direction of Superintendent J. L. Adee, were extended and covered a period of four years. This was followed by De Kalb, by Genoa and by Sandwich. These schools had been on the credited list at the University of Illinois and the leading colleges of the Mississippi valley. Aside from Latin no languages were taught in public schools until seven years ago, when German was added.
In 1902 township high school was organized in De Kalb. but not until after four elections were held. This is the first township high school in the county and is the only one at present. Movements to organize high schols in two other townships have been defeated. The red letter day in the school history of De Kalb county occurred in
302
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
1899. when the Ihmnor Normal was established and opened for work at De Kalb. Previous to this time the teachers who desired normal train- ing were compelled to attend the State Normal at Bloomington. but under an act passed by the legislature in 189; three other normals were pro- vided-one at Charleston and one at De Kali.
Dr. Cook was for many years professor of math- ematics at the oldl normal and was for years its president. The school has been organized along lines of study by this famous educator. and is to- day one of the best normal schools in the Missis- sippi valley. Dr. Cook was elected president of the National Teachers' Association at the annual teachers' meeting in Boston, in 1902. Professor John A. Keith. a graduate of the old normal and later a student at Yale, wa- one of the valuable as- sistants called by Dr. Cook to the chair of peda- gogy and psychology. Dr. Charles MeMurray. a prominent author of books treating of the method of teaching and some valuable school text-books. was for years an instructor in this institution. An- other assistant of Dr. Cook was Newell D. Gil. bert, who is an instructor of the Normal and for many years city superintendent of schools in De Kalb. As a city superintendent Professor Gil- bert is one of the most prominent in the state. He has been sueceeded by Professor Hatch and will hereafter devote his time to the work of the Normal School. Professor Charles occupies the chair of biology. and Lida B. McMurray is super- visor of primary work. Professor Page occupies the chair of history.
Prof. S. F. Parsons occupies the chair of mathe- matics. There are fifteen members of the faculty in all, and many courses are offered to the student. The school has increased in attendance regularly every year since its inception. The influence upon the teaching force in De Kalb county and Illinois has been marked. Even during the short career of this school, teachers graduating here have become prominent and are well known in the professional ranks of the Mississippi valley.
The establishment of the State Normal in De Kalb was an epoch in the history of this county and was a benefaction to all of northern Illinois and a monument to the men who conceived the idea, and by their wealth and labors made it pos- sible.
EARLY POSTOFFICES.
In the fall of 1884 Hon. John Wentworth was invited to deliver an address at the Farmers' pic- nie at Sycamore. He could not attend. The fol- lowing letter he wrote to Mr. Hix. editor of the "City Weekly":
I was prevented by unforeseen circumstances from attending the Farmers' picnic in your coun- ty. As a sort of text to speak from and to con- verse upon in private conversation. I collected the following list of the early postmasters in De Kalb county. with their compensation. With every one of these gentlemen I was personally acquainted and at most of their houses I have visited. Prob- ably not a half dozen of them are now living :
JOHN. WENTWORTH.
1-37
Sycamore
Mark Daniels . $16.>>
Somonauk
Reuben Root
15.34
Paw Paw Grove.
Asahel Baldwin 2.47
1-39
Coltonville
Rufus Colton 32.54
Genoa
H. N. Perkins
23.>4
Paw Paw Grove
Wm. Rogers
13,54
Somonank
John Eastabrooks
92.52
1×41
Genoa
1. N. Perkins 17.46
llick's Mill
Henry Hicks
Kingston
Levi Lee
4.31
Ohio Grove
Samuel Spring
Somonauk
David Merritt
2- 93
Sycamore
John R. Hamlin
59.00
1843
Genoa
H. N. Perkins 39.91
Hick's Mill
D. M. Gilchrist
9.93
Somonauk
David Merritt
61.09
South Grove
James Bvers
2.64
Sycamore
Jesse C. Kellogg
43.01
1-45
Coltonville
Calvin S. Colton. 4.47
Genoa
J. N. Perkins.
27.61
Hicks' Mill
M. M. Mack No returns
Kingston
Jonas Ilaight
Shablona Grove
W'm. A. Langer
13.65
Sycamore
Iesse C. Kellogg
91.45
1-47
Genoa
H. N. Perkins .. 34.16
Hicks' Mill
Martin M. Mack
19.49
Kingston
Jonas Haight
14.56
New Lebanon
Peter S Pratt.
7 11
Ohio Grove
Homer Roberts
9.19
South Grove
James Byers
: 16
Sycamore
Zelotes B. Mayo
02 46
1-49
Blood's Point
S. V. W. Scott. . 10.31
Coltonville
Calvin P. Colton
7.24
De Kalb Center
Russell Huntley
1.1%
Genoa
R W. Waterman
21.03
Hicks' Mill
Morgan Losee
14.35
Kingston
George H. Hill
Lacey
R B. Thomas
1.24
303
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Line
Joseph Shaw 7.48
New Lebanon
John A. Oakley 12.91
Shabbona Grove
Wm. Marsh, Jr. 42.31
Ohio Grove
Homer Roberts 14,59
Ross Grove
Wheeler Hedges 1.09
Somonauk Depot
Alex. R. Patten. 69.25
Shabbona Grove
Wm. Marks
12.75
Somonauk
David Merritt 70.95
Squaw Grove
W'm. C. Tappan. 23.52
South Grove
James Byers 8.63
Sycamore
Z. B. Mayo
195.32
1×51
Blood's Point
S. V. W. Scott 17.85
Buck's Branch
C. B. Rhodes. .
12.33
De Kalb Center
Russell Huntley 27.81
Dorset
Win. Robinson 11.64
Genoa
Norman Durham 115.29
Hicks' Mills
S. P. Harrington 34.07
Kinston
Geo. H. Hill
16.88
La Clare
Dan'I Robinson
19.06
Line
Joseph Shaw 8.69
Lost Grove
Chauncey Luce 20.17
New Lebanon
Allen Bigelow
17.61
Nev
C. Goddsill No returns
Ohio Grove
Homer Roberts 17.09
Ross Grove
Moses Bartlett
25.09
Shabbona
Wm. Marks 61.71
Somonauk
David Merritt 81.45
Sycamore
J C. Waterman
250.61
Williamsburg
John F. Snow 3.57
Van Buren
Jeremiah Mulford 17.84
Williamsburg
John F. Snow
4.27
1853
Blood's Point
R. W. Humphrey 11.56
Busk's Branch
C. B Rhodes
21.07
De Kalb Center
Russell Huntley 25.10
Dorset
Wm. Robinson 8.63
Genoa
John H. Ball 33.27
Hick's Mills
S P. Harrington 18.62
Kingston
Gco. H. Hill. 13.01
Line
S. Baker
8.59
Lost Grove
Chauncey Luce
13.53
New Lebanon
Allen Bigelow
15.15
Ney
L. P. Kellogg.
3.09
North Kingston
Chas. W Branch
6.84
Ohio Grove
Homer Roberts 9.99
Ross Grove
Geo. V. Miner 19.90
Shabbona Grove
Samuel Curtis
59 13
Somonauk
Alex. Patten
57.74
South Grove
James Byers
12.64
Squaw Grove
WVm. C. Tappan 2.55
Sycamore
Wm. P. Dutton.
174.31
Van Buren
Jeremiah Mulford 14.55
Williamsburg
John F. Snow 4.34
1835
Blood's Point
John Lee 15.20
Brush Point*
Harrison Mackey 6.99
Cortland Station
Chauncey Luce 37.16
De Kalb Center
Smith D. Baldwin 32.12
De Kalb Center
Elijah Gifford 104.23
Dorset
Wm Robertson 5.68
Dorset
Alex. McNish 5.63
East Paw Paw
A. B. Breese. 59.62
Genoa
Wm. A. Allen 73.04
Hicks' Mills
G. A. Gillis. 42.85
Kingston
George H. Hill. 17.22
Lacey
James Rowin
25.47
La Clare
Timothy Goble
33.35
New Lebanon
Allen Bigelow
26.73
Ney
L. P. Kellogg
13.76
North Kingston
Chas. W. Branch
14.14
North Pierce, discontin'd Jan. 3, 1855
.66
Ohio Grove
Homer Roberts
15.38
Pierceville
Moses Hill
10.64
Ross Grove
Charles Davis 21.67
Ross Grove
H. H. Clark
2.90
Sandwich
Robert Patton
104.06
Shabbona Grove
. Geo. W. Kittell. 45.71
Shabbona Grove
Samuel Curtis 22.17
South Grove Henry Safford 23.40
Sycamore
W. P. Dutton. 391.14
* Changed July 1, 1854, to Somonauk Depot
To the foregoing the editor of the "City Week- ly" appended the following in the spring of 1885:
"It will be observed that in giving the following list of early postmasters in this county, with whom he was acquainted, he expresses the thought that probably not half a dozen of them are now living. Well, we have taken some pains to inquire, and are able to say that from fifteen to twenty still survive. We personally know that the following are alive: H. N. Perkins, Peter S. Pratt. Geo. Il. Hill, S. P. Harrington, Richard W. Humphrey, Leander P. Kellogg. W. P. Dutton, Moses Hill, John Lee, Wm. A. Allen, James Rowen and Henry Safford. We will add one more name to Mr. Wentworth's list, which he doubtless overlooked- that of Dr. 1. W. Garvin of this city, who at quite an carly day was postmaster at New Lebanon. Those whom we do not know among the survivors, but are informed that they still live, are Geo. W. Kittell, Moses Bartlett. N. Durham and Russell Huntley. Still others of them may be alive, and. presumably, are, but they are very few. The names and location of the list of offices are familiar, with the exception of Line and Williamsburg.
"A reference to the compensation received by the several postmasters named would indicate that some of them served out of a pure love of country. the same as the soldier who fought to save the I'nion. There was James Byers, of South Grove, who, owning more land than he could look over from any given point, consented, in consideration of the magnificent sum of $2.64, to perform the duties of postmaster for the year 1843. Peter Pratt, who lives on the interest of his money, was willing to be postmaster for $7.11 in the year 1847. We suppose the reason that the North Pierce postoffice was discontinued in 1855 was that the postmaster wrote to Washington saying that if he couldn't get more than a 66 cent salary he would be obliged to resign, and did resign. At the same time when you get over at. Ney and down to Hicks' Mills, you are confronted with the start- ling announcement that there were absolutely no returns : but in the face of this poor Mr. Goddsill
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