USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 6
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furniture and apparatus are essentials, but the item above all others is a teacher with com- mon-sense, education and "up-to-date." We have the buildings, the apparatus, the ambition. and our children have the brain -; will we give them the best directing power? Menard was the fourth county in the state to adopt a course of study-"the teacher- went down into their pockets and paid for it." The "State Course of Study" has now become so perfected that the work of the whole county can be --- to matized and perfected in such way as to have all the school do the same work and do it in the same way. If parents will give their earnest co-operation to the officer, and teach- ers, no difficulty will be experienced in making the schools all that we could desire them to be. We will give a brief account of the Peters- burg school. After laborious and painstaking search, we find it a settled fact that Charles B. Waldo, a brother-in-law of John Bennett, E-q. mentioned as one of the early settlers and busi- ness men of the town, was the teacher of the first school in Petersburg. This was in 183; and it was taught in a log cabin in the south part of the town. A year or two after this, a small frame schoolhouse was put up west of the town, on the brow of the hill, near the "old Dr. Allen place." It stood out in the brush. with a winding path leading to it. In this primitive temple of learning the youth of the period laid the foundation and learned to shoot paper wads=until 1853, when the town purchased a building from the Masonic fra- ternity, which they had used as a hall. and changed it into a schoolhouse, and in it opened a free school, flinging its doors open to all. rich and poor alike. It seems somewhat strange, but it is absolutely true, that although the common school law was passed in felt the first free school in this place was not taught till 1855. U'p to this time the old subserip- tion schools were the only kind in Petersburg. About the year 1815 or 15 16 the Mason- started at school in the lower story of their hall for the lenelit of their children and engaged W. 1. Dickey as teacher. The attendance was not limited to their own children. others being admitted upon certain conditions. This con- tinned until it was bought by the town, as
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notrend alone. After its purchase an addition was built to 11, making a large and commodious school Imilding, which answered all the needs of the town till 18:4. when the present third ward school building was begun. This was pushed with such energy that by February, 1525. it was ready for use. This is a brick building. of six rooms, with modern ventila- tion, heating, etc. It was built at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The first free school was taught by Judge J. H. Pillsbury, in 1855 and 1856. The following is a list of principals. in regular rotation. from Pillsbury down; J. 11. Pillsbury, 1855-56: John Dorsey. 1856- 5 ;: Edward Laning. 1851-58: J. H. Best. IS8 to 1860: A. Bixby. 1860-61 : W. Taylor, 1861-62: Edward Laning. 1862-63: M. P. Hartley. 1863-61; W. Taylor. 1861-65; C. E. MeDougall, 1865-66; J. A. Pinkerton and .J. 11. Pillsbury. 1866-6: W. R. Berry. 1862-69; 1: 11 Crandall. 1869-20: Professor Mayfield, 1520-21: M. C. Connelly. 1821-16: (. I Hat- field. 18;6-12 : JJ. A. Johnson. 1812-18: M. C. Connelly. Ists-t9; then came Briggs. McBride, Frank Hal. Mannix. Perrin. Mecker and then the present principal, or rather superintendent. 11. 12. Waits. Mr. Waits began his work here last September and is offered as line an oppor- tunity a- any man ever had to prove his ability. For a number of years past the school has been in a sad state of decline, having fallen into rutt- of a quarter of a century ago. We spend money enough and have a patronage which. not only in numbers but also in ability. is equal to any anywhere and we have a right to demand the best in our schools. We want men and women of natural ability and educational train- ing to conduct our schools. There is a popular custom. found almost everywhere, that is a great detriment to our schools, and that is the custom of employing "home talent." It is all right to employ home teachers, provided they are as well qualified in every way as any others, but we cannot afford nor can our children afford to have our school system made a chari- table institution." Our children have but one time. of a few years, to prepare for the work of hfe. Directors and patrons should appre- mate this fact and secure the best opportuni- ties for them that can he had. The people
should exercise the greatest care in the che- tion of school boards. as only a few men are adapted to the work that they have to do.
About 1890 or 1891 a new and modern schoolhouse was built in the first ward. This is a brick building. with all modern appliances. having seven rooms, furnace. efe. It cost about twelve thousand dollars. A high school, with primary room. library room, etc. was built some Years ago, at a cost of four thousand dollars, but this was torn away in the spring of 1001 to give place to the new high school building. which will be occupied the first of January. 1905. This house cost eighteen thousand dol- lars and is up to date in every feature. Be- sid . the class-rooms, cloak-rooms, etc. it has a gymnasium for loy- and one for girls. labora- tory, and in fact everything that could be de- sired in a perfect school-building. Will we now have a school such as the town has a right to demand? h is now "up to" the board and the superintendent to decide this matter.
We have in Menard county four towns that have a regular high-school course of three or four years. These are Petersburg. AAthen -. Grenview and Tallula : and several which teach the high-school branches, but what we med most is a system of township high-school -. The combination of country schools is the rational solution of the rural school question. Let our or more districts be consolidated inte one. building a large schoolhouse in a central place, and the problem is solved. By doing this the school can be graded in such a way that no teacher will have more than half. one third or one fourth as many grades as the country teacher now has. In this way each teacher will be able to care for more than twice as many pupils a- under the present method and will be able to do the work much better. This would reduce the number of teachers, at least one half, or more, and the number of rooms the same, thus reducing the running expenses at least one half. The matter of difficulty of attendance, on account of the mereased dis- taner that some will be obliged to go. is the chief and. in fact. almost the only argument against it. bet this has been tried in many places and found to be a very weak objection. It is a fact that. as a rule, the pupils farthest
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
from the schoolhouse are tardy and absent the least. Where pupils are near the school no provisions are made to get them there, while in cases where they are a distance away pro- visions are made and. as a result, they attend regularly. This plan. instead of increasing the expenses of the schools over what they are under the present system, would materially re- duce them. But suppose it increased them twenty-live or fifty per cent. it would still he a saving to the public in general, because the majority of parents. at this time. desire to give their children a high-school course, at least. as their entire education or to prepare them for college. When we take into consid- eration the amount of money spent by the farmers, in board and tuition, in sending their children to high-school, and then reflect that this can be done at home, by the proposed sys- tem, we are able to see what an immense saving there would be in it. Township high-schools are coming and they are coming to stay, and the sooner we prepare for them the better off we will be. Before school boards spend any more money in building new schoolhouses or in repairing old ones, they had better weigh this matter and act the part of wisdom and economy. The time has come for the people to exercise common sense in respect to this question. We spend millions of dollars every year in this matter of education: why not economize and get all the good for our money that we can. Il is within our reach to place within the grasp of every boy and girl of the land, the means of securing an academic educa- tion. There are scattered all over this country thousands of poor boys and girls who long and Inger for an education: boys and girls who. if they had the opportunity, would mak . their mark in the world: and shall we not place this boon within their reach ? How many Edisons and To-las and Darwins and Agassiz in om- bryn are stretching out their hands to as and pleading for the opportunity to succeed! Shall we not hoed the call ?
In 18to the public schools. having run down or retrograded. in Petersburg, several public- spirited citizens determined to provide some better educational advantages for the young
people of the town. To this end som .1. Brahm. Isaac White. H. W. Montgomery. David Frackelton. A. M. Robbins and B. F. Mont- gomery forneed a joint-stock company and created a building on the hill, some half mile west of the public square, for the purpose of having a "good school." The building cast three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars and the school was opened under the name of "The Petersburg Seminary." As seen from the above facts, it was a private and individual enterprise and the rite charged was thirty-siv dollars per pupil, for a form of nine months The first year of the new seminary. W. S. Bon- nett and Miss M. A. Campbell vore employed is teachers. The patronage was not what the projectors had hoped for but they continued to conduct the institution. The second year D. M. Bone and Mis M. P. Raines were the teachers. Let me remark just here. parentlet- ically. as a matter of deep interest to all our lady readers. and especially the "school- maris," that both of those principals married the assistants. Whether this fact led to the position of assistant being much sought after by young lady teachers or not we are not Ill- formed. But there was no trouble in seuring lady teacher- after this. This seminary was continued for two more years and then the en- terprise was abandoned. Whether the I- creased efficiency of the public schools was the cause of this or not we cannot say, but at any rate the school closed The directors sold the building, which has ever since been used as a dwelling house. and Mrs. Rachd Frackelton bought the ground and erected a residence upon it. This is the only effort ever made in the county to build up a school of a higher grade, except the one at Indian Point. Nearly. or quite fifty years ago an academy was or- ganized at that place, which was very sheer- 'ul for a number of years. Rev. A. .. Stran was principal of that school and it was well at- tended and the work done would compare fa- vorably with the work of any school, of similar grade, in the country, but after a few years it went down and since that time the two rooms of the building have been occupied by the dis- triet, which employs Two teachers all the time.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
Some misfortunes have come to school build- ings in Menard county in the last year but they have proved blessings in the end. During the winter of 1903-01 the schoolhouse at Athens burned to the ground, destroying the furniture and books, maps, etc. They. how- mer, had a fair amount of insurance and at once prepared to rebuild. They opened the New Year. 1905. in one of the most commodious. convenient and up-to-date buildings in the entire county. The building burned was get- ting old and was somewhat old-fashioned any way, so that getting the insurance, and adding a comparatively small amount, they have a now and modern building. which they would have been obliged to build within a short time.
Tallula added two most elegant rooms to their already commodious building in the fall of 1901. The rooms added are absolutely per. fect. so far as light. ventilation and comfort are concerned. It cost considerable money but it will be a paying investment in the long r'un.
Oakford. also. Ich the educational inspira- tion and added two rooms to it- already com- fortable schoolhouse. In fact all over the coun- ty the spirit of improvement in educational advantages has been felt and results are visible on every hand. Petersburg. with her now eighteen thousand dollar high school building. with gymnasium, laboratory, library. etc .. and a score of other evidences of advancement. tells the trend of public feeling. Will not the poo- ple arouse to a sense of their needs and their opportunities and at once begin to agitate the question of township high schools or of neigh- borhood high schools, it does not matter which? Districts have the right under the law to com- bine in any way that they please. for the good of the schools. Four, six, or any number of schools may combine, that may see fit. under the township high school law or under the general school law, and the directors have the right to dictate the branches that they wish taught. Distance is the only argument against this, and this will disappear when it is care- fully investigated and inquired into.
EARLY CHURCHES.
Notwithstanding all the toils and trials in- cident to the settlement of a new country, and many rough and vicious men who come into them. it is a fact that the teachings of the Christian religion were felt and realized in the most remote and sparsely settled settle- ments. What a relmike, too, is given to the ministers of the present time, by the self- sacrificing devotion and arduous toil of those men who first planted the standard of the t'ross of Christ in the sparsely settled frontiers of the west. Without the most remote hope of any temporal remuneration. exposed to danger and disease, subject to the severest trials and most painful privations, they went out. foregoing all the joys of home and the society of loved ones, to be instrumental in the advancement of the truth and the salvation of men. Often the pioneer preacher. with no companion but the horse he rode. would start across the wide prairies, with no guide but the knowledge he had of the cardinal points, or perhaps a point of timber scarcely visible in the dim and hazy distance. and. reaching the desired settlement. would present the claims of the Gospel to the few assembled hearers, after the toilsome and lonely day's journey : then after a night of rest in the humble cabin and partaking of the sim- ple meal, he again enters upon the journey of the day, to preach again at a distant point. Thus the "circuit" of hundreds of miles was traveled month after month : and to these men We owe the planting of church - all over the land. and the hallowed influence of religion as scen and fell in society everywhere. At this late day it is impossible to learn who was the first minister who visited the territory now embraced in Menard county. This honor is claimed for at least a dozen different individu- als, and three or four different denominations lay claim to the honor of being first to ho represented by a minister here. There were at least five denominations that were ropre- sented by ministers coming here in a very early day. These were the Regular. Hard-Shell or Calvinistic Baptists. the Separate (now Mis- sionary) Baptists; the Methodists: the New- Lights, afterward called Disciples, sometimes called "Campbellites:" and the Cumberland
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
Presbyterians. We will give a very brief his- tory of these separately.
REGULAR BAPTISTS.
These people. generally called "Hard-Shells." have ever been anti-missionary, and generally opposed to temperance societies and opposed In ministers receiving stipulated salaries, but are a good class of citizens, candid and reliable. while their ministers are men of good natural ability but a majority of them are uneducated. Yet among them have been numbered some of the great preachers of the world, for example. Charles H. Spurgeon. Being Calvinists of the most pronounced type. it is not to be wondered at that they believe that if God has made it a man's duty to preach. He will enable him to do the work when the time comes without any previous preparation on his part. Hence they in their preaching give to the people the truth "just as God gave it to them." If this be true we must say, and with reverence. that Ilo has given them some very strange messages. Very soon after settlements were begun here "Regular" Baptist preachers made their advent also. Some affirm very positively, that the Regular Baptist church in the neighbourhood of Salem was organized before the Baptist church at Clary's Grove. Grandmother Potter. who was a grown woman, and living within a mile of Salem, says that the church was older by a year or two, than that at Clary's Grove. But the memory of all others is at variance with hers. Be this is it may. one thing is true, that this denomination had a church here in a very early day. Other societies were per- haps formed in the county, but if so, they. with that of Salem, have long since become ex- tinet. so that at the present time there is not. we believe, an organization in the county. But there are a number of good and substantial mon of that faith, whose Christian life and char- acter will compare favorably with any others. still living in the county. While we would not say anything disrespectful or disparaging of this venerable people, whom we respect and honor, vet we cannot refrain from relating an anecdote of them. the truth of a part of which, at least. is vouched for. In the palmy days of Salem Dr. Allen created quite an excitement
on the subject of temperance and many were induced to sign a pledge of total abstinence. Among those signing the pledge was Minter Graham, the pioneer teacher of the county, and a member of the Regular Baptist church. So soon as this was known to the church. Graham was promptly tried and as promptly turned out. Thus far the story is true to the letter. But the story, as popularly told at the time. is to the effect that on the same day that "I'nele Minter" was turned out. another brother was tried for getting drunk and he too was oy- pelled. After this an old brother are very solemnly, and, drawing a quart "flask" from his pocket, the bottle being about half full of whisky. and holding it steadily between his eye and the light and inclining his head light- Is to one side, he thus addressed the congrega- tion : "Brothering. you have turned one mem- ber out because he would not drink and an- other because he got drunk and now I want to ask a question. It is this: How much of the critter does one have to drink in order to remain in full fellowship in this church?" We are not advised what answer was given to this question but doubtless there was a medim well defined, and understood by the mmistry if not by the laity. This people performed a very important part in the opening up and development of this country and their in- Quence for good is still felt all over this section. Many men and women of the denon- ination. among the best citizens of the call- try, are living here, but not in numbers sulli- cient to organize societies, but adhering in their faith they are calmly waiting the tram- fer to the "great congregation above."
MISSIONARY BAPTISTS.
A. before stated. the Baptists were early in this field, but this denomination was very much divided, especially on the subject of foreign and domestic missions. There were, beside the "Hard-Shells" or Regular Baptists, the Separ- ate and I'nited Baptist-, and these were di- vided into the missionary and anti-missionary parties. The opposition to mission- gradually declined till long since there ceased to be any anti-mission Baptists except the Hard-Shells. No people can justly he said to be opposed to
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
missions who enroll among their members such men as the Judsona. Clary's Grove Baptist church was organized on Christmas day. 1821. This was the first church of this denomination organized in the county but the burden of testi- mony is that Rock Creek Cumberland Presby- terian church is entitled to the honor of being the first religions organization of any kind in the county. From Clary's Grove radiated an influence which makes it the parent of that denomination in all this section of country. The early Baptist preachers. like all the evangelical preachers of that time, were earnest. devoted and self-sacrificing in their labor -. Baker - Prairie congregation of Baptist- was organized in rather an early day and is still an important church. A\ Baptist church was or- ganized in Petersburg soon after the town was laid out, and is still a flourishing congregation. New Hope, on Sand Ridge, is one of the old Baptist churches in the county and is doing well. There was at one time a church in Greenview. but it has gone down. They have in the county three good brick buildings and one frame. The venerable P. 11. Curry. after over sixty years in the ministry in this county. i- now preaching as a missionary in Athens and we hope will succeed in building up a church in that place. The Baptists form an important element in society in this county and their influence for good is felt far and near. Baptist ministers are mentioned in other places in this work. in connection with the various settlements, but as there are some of more importance than others we will mention them here. Elder P. Il. Curry is an able and good man and has done more for that church than any other one man in all this part of Illinois. At over eighty years of age he is still at his post, battling for the right as he sees it. Rev. William Goldsby. who died many years ago, grew up in this county, was converted here in early life and began preaching and spent his life in the work. lle was a man of limited "location and possessed of nothing brilliant intellectually, Int his straightforward integrity. unswerving honesty and devoted piety gave him a wonderful power for good and while he was not regarded as an able preacher yet in his simple way he won many to the way of right-
vousness, and will doubtless have many stars in his crown of rejoicing. The Spears. Hon. W. T. Beckman and others were pillars in this denomination and did much for the cause of religion and morals in this county. and are doubtless reaping their reward.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
It would seem eminently proper to have placed this church first in the history of churches in this county for they are preemi- bently a pioneer people. Its policy for spread- ing the gospel is just exactly adapted to the want- and needs of new and sparsely settled sections of country. The first Methodist that over settled in Illinois was Captain Joseph Ogle, who came to the state in 1215. The first Methodist preacher to come to the state was Roy Joseph Lillard. who formed the first -o- ciety in the state. This class was formed in the cabin of Captain Ogle, in St. Clair county. but the exact date is not given. Some time later Rev. John Clark, who had preached for Years in the Carolinas. that is from 1291 to 1196. desiring to get away from slavery. wan- dered westward and was the first to preach Methodism west of the Mississippi river. and sufrequently came to Ilinois. Rev. Hosea Rigg- was the first local preacher to settle in the state. The first work in the state. under the authority of conference, was in 1803, when Rev. Benjamin Young was appointed mission- ary to the territory of linois by the western conference, holding it's session at Mount Geri- zim, Kentucky. In 1804 be reported sixty- seven members in the state. He was a man of great zeal and energy. In 1806 Rev. Jesse Walker came to the state and it was he who held the first camp-meeting in the state. At the close of 1806 there were two hundred and rightren member- in the state. The western conference included Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and all the northwest. In 1812 it was divided and Tennessee and Illinois formed a conter- once. In 1816 the Missouri conference was formed and Ilinois was joined to it. In 1821 Illinois conference was formed. with Indiana joined to it. In 1532 Indiana was separated from it. and Illinois formed a separate confer- ence. We have no reliable evidence as to who was the first Methodist preacher in Menard
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
county but we do have proof that as early as it did the house was "brought down." Pardon 1820 or 1821 a class was formed at Athens. one illustration of the man: a story that is absolutely true and told without exaggeration. Mr. Barrett was a plain western man, used to western habits and customs. He was also blessed with a powerful physical constitution and. being a man of very active habits, his na- ture demanded, and he relished most heartily. good, plain, wholesome food. At one time he was on a cirenit in which one of the preaching points was in a settlement of New England people and most of the members were Yankees. Of course their manners were very unlike his. and especially in the matter of diet they were totally unlike. In that early day sweetmeats were scarce and those Eastern people had no idea of eating meat like the Westerners. They lived almost entirely without meat, and the inevitable pumpkin-pie was a standard part of their living. especially in the fall and winter season. Brother Barrett visited almost every house but it was everywhere the same the pumpkin pie confronted him wherever he went. At last. almost starving. he hinted very broad- ly that he wanted meat. but to no avail. Final- ly on Sunday morning. at the quarterly meet- ing. when the Presiding Elder was present. he determined to present his case to the Lord in prayer. A large audience had assembled and Brother Barrett offered the opening prayer. After addressing the throne of grace for a time he went on: "O Lord. we thank Thee for this good land. for this productive soil and for sunshine and shower. And we pray Ther. O Lord, if Thou canst bless under the Gospel what Thou didst curse under the Law. that Thou wouldst bless the hogs. Oh. may they fatten and thrive: and do Thou send abundant crops of corn that they may be made fat. that Thy servants may have meat to cat. that they may grow strong to serve Thee and do Thy will. But Oh. Lord, we pray Thee to blight the pumpkin crop. Send blasting and mildew on every sprout and vine, for Thou knowest we can not serve Thee on the strength they give." He then went on, closed his prayer. and the service: and we may say that Brother Barrett had meat to eat after that. This story is literally true. Mr. Barrett lived and con- timed to preach till some time in 1528, and Rev. James Stringfield was probably the first Methodist preacher in the county and certainly the first local preacher of that faith to settle here. In 1821 or 1822 a cirenit was laid out and Rey. Isaac House was the circuit rider and Rev. Simms presiding elder. The Metho- dists built the first house of worship that was built in Menard county; it was built on the farm of Harry Riggin. The land was donated by Mr. Riggin, to revert to him when it ceased to be used for the purpose for which it was given. It was a neat hewed log house, twenty- two by thirty-six feet. and by chance it had glass windows. We say by chance because it was almost impossible to secure glass at that day. but Mr. Riggin had brought a lot with him and donated enough for the church. This house served the purpose fill about 1839 or 1810. when it was sold and became a barn on Mr. Riggin's farm and the proceeds were ap- plied on the church built in Athens in 1810. The church has been blessed in Menard county with the labors of some very able men. The venerable Peter Akers. D. D., was presiding elder here for some time and Peter Cartwright has preached in almost every grove and way- side in the county. The church has now four good houses and four congregations in this county at the present time. Reminiscences of Meth- odist preacher- rush on the mind but if the flood gate is once opened there is no safe place to land. so we will speak of but one more man. The portly figure and smiling face of Rey. Barrett rises up before us, and with the face an interminable store of incidents rush upon the memory. That eve, so full of humor, looks out on the world no more; the voice. so sweet in persuasion, so dire in denunciation and so convincing in argument. is long since silent in death. Init those who knew him will never for- get the power of his pulpit efforts or the nn- rivaled point and potency of his witticisms. Always and everywhere a zealous Christian gentleman and devoted minister, yet he saw the ludicrous side of things and he had the gift of leading others to see it also. Sometimes. though not often. this characteristic of the man would manifest itself in the pulpit and when
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