USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 23
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After the fair there were several important public sales of full- blood animals. Nesbitt sold fifty-four large type Poland Chinas at Warnock's Pavilion at Aledo; Frick & Wickett sold at Keithsburg sixty of the large type Poland Chinas, and Jordan & Son sold 350 head of grade cattle at a farm one mile south of Spaulding. E. M. Castle & Son sold at public sale forty head of full-blood Jersey hogs; W. A. Huffman had a sale of pure-bred Chester Whites, and H. E. Robbins sold twenty-five full-blood Clydesdales. H. Bigelow & Son also had a public sale of pure-bred Duroc Jerseys that aver- aged about forty-seven dollars per head. The poultry plant of T. D.
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Winders at Aledo had grown so in size and business as to attract general attention in recent years. At one time in 1913 he was feed- ing 12,000 chickens. He enlarged his building and his facilities greatly. Late in 1913 he packed from one thousand to twelve hun- dred chickens daily and had a weekly payroll of over three hundred and fifty dollars. At this time he had 8,000 chickens on feed. They consumed three tons of cornmeal, and large quantities of oatmeal every week; also large quantities of chopped alfalfa, meat scraps and other articles to balance their rations.
In December, 1913, the sixth annual poultry and corn show was held at Aledo. Buff Plymouth Rocks were shown by W. E. Nesbitt, W. W. Warnock, D. A. Brown and Ira Dodson; Barred Plymouth Rocks were shown by William Denen, Howard Dunn, C. F. Schin- ter, B. F. Cullison and Mrs. E. Durston; White Plymouth Rocks by E. B. Dodson; White Wyandottes by E. M. Dixon and Bower Brothers; Silver Laced Wyandottes, Frank Jones; Partridge Wyan- dottes, H. R. Morgan; Rose Combed Rhode Islands by S. Pinker- ton, Thomson Sisters and Emma Reaber; Single Combed Rhode Island Reds by Thomson Sisters; Buff Orpingtons by Jones Broth- ers; White Orpingtons by C. C. Abercrombie, Mrs. Charles Welsh and Judd Britton; Black Minorcas by J. H. Harney and O. M. Simpson; Golden Crested Polish by Earl M. Dixon; Silver Span- gled Hamburgs by Earl M. Dixon; Cecilian Buttercups by Harry Simpson ; Campines by W. W. Warnock.
The corn show at the same time was equally interesting and important. Jones Brothers, of Seaton, took the first prize of $10 for the best fifty ears in Class A; S. S. Lane, of Alexis, showed the best fifty ears in Class B; E. Jones, of Aledo, showed the best single ears in Class C; E. B. Dodson, of Joy, exhibited the best ten ears of any color, Class D; S. S. Lane, of Alexis, showed the best ten ears, Class E; W. E. Stancliffe, of Viola, showed the best ten ears of Class H; E. Johnson, Aledo, showed the best ten ears, Class I; J. G. Miller showed the best five ears of any color.
The annual Farmers' Institute was held in December at Aledo and was presided over by A. L. Duncan, president. Among the proceedings were the following: A lecture on "Alfalfa and Its Re- lation to Live Stock Farming," by A. M. Abbott, of Morrison; "The County Agricultural Adviser," by G. R. Bliss. During his address the latter offered to bet $100 that if a pig at weaning time was given the double serum treatment it would not die of cholera. ยท Prof. W. A. Hook spoke on "Crop Rotation," and C. A. Campbell, of the local experiment station, spoke generally on the results of his management of the experiment station.
CHAPTER XI
EDUCATION
Facts concerning the early schools of Mercer County are almost wholly lacking, owing to the fact that the records were either not kept or were lost. It thus happens that recollection alone of the early settlers has to be depended upon for the few scraps of history of early teachers and early schoolhouses and the early methods of instruction. It is generally agreed that Abraham Miller, Jr., taught the first school near New Boston in the summer of 1833. He taught in a small log cabin that stood on the claim of Erastus Denison. It is remembered that he had about twelve scholars enrolled with an average attendance of nine or ten. The second school in the neigh- borhood, which to this day has been called the Bluff, was taught three miles east of New Boston by Joshua Willits. Both Miller and Willits taught several terms, and for that period were good teachers. Other early teachers in New Boston Township were George W. Julian, who afterwards became prominent as a member of Congress from Indiana. He taught one or more terms on the Willits farm. In the '40s New Boston Township was laid out first into three dis- tricts and finally eight and by 1850 there were at least eight schools in the township.
The first schools taught in Keithsburg Township are not now remembered. One was taught by Mrs. William Sheriff in her resi- dence a short distance northeast of Upper Keithsburg. Another early school was taught by John McH. Wilson, and another by Miss Lucy Wilson and by others. Mr. Wilson taught in a cabinet shop in the Village of Keithsburg. In those days one school term a year was all that was taught. The parents considered themselves lucky if they could place their children in school for three months of each year. All were subscription schools and the wages paid were very low, probably not more than fifteen dollars or twenty dollars a month, or even less. An early school in Keithsburg was taught by Thomas Libby and another by Isaac Bliss. The latter taught in a cabin which stood in Robert Keith's dooryard. John Heaton taught in 1847 in a frame house that was fitted up for the purpose. He continued to teach for several terms. Mrs. Lucretia Freeman taught in the
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McManus brick building. The first regular schoolhouse built in Keithsburg was put up in 1849. This was erected by private sub- scription. From this time forward the Keithsburg schools were unsurpassed by any in the county, but they were almost wholly select schools. Some of them were really excellent for that day.
In 1855 a female seminary was organized at Keithsburg. Wil- liam Gayle was president and Isaac N. Bassett, secretary, and there was a very competent teacher, Miss Mulkey, who was employed and taught for one year. Miss Mulkey was an able teacher and had a fair attendance of girls and young women. The Misses Todd suc- ceeded her and held forth in the Methodist Church. Other teachers were employed, but in a short time the school was suspended.
In 1863 Rev. C. M. Wright founded the Mercer College in the Orth House and later occupied the Masonic Building. He was assisted by Mary W. Evans and Emily J. Whitlock. J. S. McMillan 'kept a select school in Keithsburg at the close of the Civil war. W. P. Allen gave instruction in a business course in Keithsburg in the early '70s, occupying Apollo Hall. Rezin W. Kile was a teacher at this time. John C. Pepper taught several terms about 1849 and 1850, at Keithsburg; so did Isaac N. Smith, who was assisted by Mrs. Freeman. From 1851 to 1855 Harvey S. Senter taught several terms in this township. So did N. P. Brown. The second school building at Keithsburg was built in 1856 and was occupied first by Warren Shedd and later by T. C. Swafford, Isaac McManus, William A. Wray, John P. Chowning, C. W. Searles, W. H. Farris, E. H. Jamison, William A. Griffin and others. The first big brick school- house in Keithsburg was finished in 1882 and was at that time the best school building in the county. It was fitted with up-to-date and excellent apparatus, the seats and desks being patented. The building was two stories and furnished four rooms when necessary. In the '6os and 'zos the Keithsburg District had serious trouble over the question of bonding the district for school purposes. The matter was taken into the courts and required many years before a final and satisfactory settlement was accomplished.
The Mercer Female College and Branch Normal School was opened at Keithsburg on April 4, 1864, with Rev. C. M. Wright, A. M., as principal. It had been projected the previous year, but the school was not actually commenced until the spring of 1864. T. B. Cabeen was president of the institution and William Gayle, secretary. The tuition per quarter was as follows: Primary depart- ment, $3 ; preparatory, $4; collegiate, $5 ; normal, $5 ; music, German,
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painting and drawing were extra. Students could secure board for $2.
A school was first established in Millersburg in 1838, taught by Mr. Lane. In 1839 Lane was also the teacher, assisted by Mrs. Elizabeth F. Thornton, wife of H. W. Thornton. A complete list of the teachers is not obtainable, but in 1846 school was taught by Hiram Felton, father of Herschel Felton, now a resident of Millers- burg. The building in which Mr. Felton taught was owned by him and stood on the prairie south of the present residence of Mrs. Ellen Boyd. From 1847 to 1849 Harvey Senter, afterward circuit clerk of Mercer County, taught. He first taught in the old courthouse and afterward in the new schoolhouse, which was erected on the south- west corner of the present school grounds and which was moved across the street when no longer used for school purposes and is now occupied by John C. Summers and family as a dwelling.
In 1856, what is now known as the Old Brick Building, was erected. It stood until 1893, when it was torn down and replaced by the present modern brick structure. William McK. Young and Mrs. A. M. Young, of Aledo, and Judge William H. Gest, of Rock Island, were teachers in the school at an early day. This school was never made a graded school and consequently has no regular graduates or alumni. For this reason it has long been the wish that among the pupils of a school having such an early origin and histor- ical setting there should be some sort of an organization that might take the place of an alumni of the graded school and the college. This wish has been realized, to which credit should be given to a few ladies who were formerly pupils of the school. At their request a number of the former pupils met and plans were discussed and adopted by which a permanent organization was effected. Under its constitution any pupil who has attended the school at any time up to and including the spring of 1881 is eligible to membership in the association. All teachers employed during the same period are like- wise eligible to membership. Under the organization as originally effected, Rev. N. W. Thornton was made president; Mrs. Emma Mardock, secretary, and Mrs. Minnie Hollenback, corresponding secretary.
In 1839 the Millersburg Seminary of Learning was incorporated by the Legislature. This institution would no doubt have continued and become permanent and useful had it not been for the fact that the county seat was soon removed to Keithsburg. This led to the abandonment of the school.
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In Eliza Township the first schoolhouse was a log structure on top of the bluffs near the Noble farm. Miss Mary A. Delaber was teacher. Another early teacher was Miss Emily Cawkins. The exact date when these schools were taught is not known, but was probably all in the decade of the '30s. I. N. Bassett taught one term in this schoolhouse in 1853, and his son, Victor H. Bassett, taught several terms about 1890. Bessie Bassett, his daughter, about the same time, taught one term at the schoolhouse near Petersville.
One of the first schools in Perryton Township was taught by Miss Farwell in a small house on section 26. It was erected by Jackson Woods for other purposes. The first regular school was a log build- ing which had been occupied by J. Jingles, which was moved to section 28 and fitted for school purposes. Abraham Miller is said to have been one of the first teachers in this township. He also taught one of the first schools at Sugar Grove in Mercer Township.
An early school in Ohio Grove Township was taught in 1839 by Miss Ruth Conner in a new barn erected by Capt. Richard Rice. One of the first regular schoolhouses was erected on section 4 and another on section 7. By 1843 the township had six or seven schools in successful operation. The names of the teachers are not re- membered.
One of the early schools in Duncan Township was taught by Buford Duncan in the settlement which was named for him. The second was taught in the Pomeroy District. In 1839 a schoolhouse was fitted up in Abington Township near the residence of W. T. Jackson. Miss Harriet Wilson was the first teacher in this build- ing. It was a round log structure, covered with clapboards and had a puncheon floor. Warren Shedd was one of the early teachers in this township. John Nevius and Miss Lucy Wilson were others. By 1850 the township had from six to eight schools.
The first schoolhouse in Suez Township was erected in 1837, though terms may have been taught a little earlier in other buildings. Robert A. Pollock, James A. Stewart and Samuel Shaw erected this building. It stood on section 21, was built of logs, had a clap- board roof and a puncheon floor. R. Caldwell was the first teacher in this building. By 1843 the township had four or five schools.
The first school taught in Greene Township was in the John Collins' residence and was taught by his daughter, Elizabeth, in 1840. In 1842 the first public school building was erected on the hill in the east part of the present Village of Viola. This building was used until 1856, when a two-story brick structure was erected forty rods to the southwest and occupied until 1871. On that date
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a much larger and better one was erected on two blocks, which were purchased in Viola at a cost of $500. Miss Sarah Hayes was the first preceptor in this building. The building and grounds, with their equipment, cost a total of $7,000, and reflected great credit upon the little village that day. It was two stories high, contained four rooms and was in charge of S. M. Wiley, of Aledo, in 1872.
The first schoolhouse, so far as now recollected in Preemption Township, stood at Farlow's Grove, and the first term therein was taught by Miss Boose. The second was taught at Preemption Cor- ners on section II, in the Brewster House. The exact date when these sessions were held is not known but it was some time in the 40s. By 1848 Preemption had at least five schools in session.
The first school in Richland Grove Township was taught by Chauncey Stanard during the winter of 1837-8 in a log house, 12 by 14 feet, which stood on the farm of Peter Metzler on section 14. This was the only schoolhouse in the township until 1840 and by 1843 there were four. The names of the other early teachers are not remembered.
Rivoli Township was slow with its early schools. When the first was taught is not known. By 1848 there were several in session in the township. The first regular schoolhouse perhaps was built in 1848 on James Durston's farm and was a frame structure. Among the early teachers in this township were E. H. McConoughty, L. Chidester, H. Brown, Sarah C. Westfall, L. Cawkins, John Libby, A. M. McChesney, Mathew Cole, Catherine B. Harvey, J. S. Mahan, Harmon Brown, Melissa Welliver, Nathan T. Smith, Mary Under- wood, Lydia A. Wilber and others.
Among the first schools in North Henderson Township was one taught by John Wilshire in the house owned by William McGreen- wood. Robert Shaw taught in a small cabin owned by Young C. Mann, about 1838. By 1843 the township had four or five schools.
When Judge Thompson and Levi Willits laid out the town plat of Aledo, they offered $10,000 to a religious denomination that would establish a college in that village, and in the fall of 1856 Levi Willits made a contract with the Methodist Episcopal Church at their gen- eral conference to accept the donation and take charge of the direction and operation of the college. Willits agreed, in addition, that he would loan $10,000 to the college for a term of years. Lewis W. Thompson and others gave the college forty acres, the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18. Hector J. Humphrey was appointed by the Methodist conference agent of the college and soon located in Aledo. Trustees were elected and the organization
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was completed and subscriptions of a few thousand dollars were made by individuals, and the work of erecting the college was com- menced. The corporate name was Mercer County College. The site for the building was where Archie Bridgford's residence is now located. During 1857 and early in 1858 the basement of the build- ing was completed and brick were manufactured and placed on the ground for the erection of a three-story structure. A very good commodious building was planned. The lumber was procured and the windows and door frames were all made ready to place in the building. Levi Willits' wife was a Methodist and Judge Thompson's wife was a Presbyterian, and when Willits had made the contract with the Methodist conference, Thompson was very much dissatisfied, and they then made an agreement to give to the Presbyterian as- sembly $10,000 for the erection of a college in Aledo, which offer was also accepted, and the organization was perfected in 1857, and a small frame building was erected which was used for a preparatory school, commencing in 1857 and continuing for about two years. The Presbyterian college was incorporated and organized as the Mercer Collegiate Institute, and is hereafter narrated in detail as the Mercer Collegiate Institute. Levi Willits died in February, 1858, without having paid over to the trustees of the Methodist college the loan of $10,000, and the financial crisis coming on that year, the college was without funds, Judge Thompson not being able to pay the balance of the $10,000 that the firm had agreed to donate. The trustees of the Methodist college then delivered to the trustees of the Presbyterian college, all of their material and gave up any further attempt to finish the college building.
There was then an attempt to establish an academy and a two- story brick building was erected on part of the block where the court- house now stands in Aledo, and the school was continued for about four years, when the building was sold to pay the indebtedness that had accrued on account of the erection of the same. Shortly after that time the Wylie brothers erected a two-story frame building in the southeast part of Aledo, just east of the residence of Levi Lewis, now occupied by Mrs. Morrow, and J. M. Wylie conducted a private school or academy for some three or four years, after which it was suspended.
There was also a private school for young ladies or girls estab- lished about 1870 or 1871. A Miss Housekeeper, who was a very competent teacher, was employed. This school continued for two or three years with a very good attendance of young ladies, when that was also suspended.
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In February, 1855, the common school law of the state was passed by the Legislature. It provided for a state superintendent of public instruction, a county school commissioner, who had general supervision of the schools of each county, three township school trus- tees and school directors for each local district. All teachers were to be examined by the county commissioner in orthography, reading in English, penmanship, arithmetic, grammar, modern geography and history of the United States. Provision was made for the pay- ment of teachers, but the amounts were left wholly to the directors of each district. This all made a complete revolution in methods of teaching. Under the new law, houses were to be built by the districts and were to be kept in order and teachers were to be paid so much per month for their services.
Immediately a new order of educational affairs was instituted in this county. The Teachers' Association was organized September 5, 1855, and among the first members were D. Willits, Tyler Mc- Whorter, John Ramsey, Warren Shedd, N. P. Brown and a few others. By February, 1858, the membership of the association had increased to over one hundred and twenty-five. At this date Aledo did not have a hall large enough to hold all who wished to take part in the proceedings. In 1856, the Schuyler Presbytery located their Mercer Collegiate Institute at Aledo and appointed Rev. William Townley as first principal.
Pursuant to call, a limited number of teachers assembled at Aledo, on December 23, 1856, for the purpose of holding an institute and putting the school machinery of the county in operation. It was stormy weather and but few ladies were present. The male sex were represented by T. McWhorter, N. P. Brown, J. E. Harroun, S. B. Atwater, James H. Reed, F. W. Livingston, Doctor Ashbaugh and a few others. The first day was consumed in getting in working order. In the afternoon of the second day exercises in reading and grammar were conducted, with J. E. Harroun and S. B. Atwater as leaders. In the afternoon arithmetic, orthography and miscel- laneous discussion engaged the attention of the teachers. In the afternoon James H. Reed lectured on the subject "The Relations and Responsibilities of the Teacher." Other subjects discussed were School Government, Corporal Punishment, Physiology, Order Studies in Schools, Physical Education, Composition, Uniformity of Text Books, etc. A resolution favoring the abolition of corporal punishment was lost by a small majority. Resolutions favoring the better organization of the teachers of the county were adopted. Gen-
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erally, all present were improved by this means of intelligent inter- change of thought and method on educational subjects and systems.
In July, 1857, the Mercer Collegiate Institute duly went into operation under Rev. William Townley. He was an experienced instructor, had taught elsewhere for many years and was thoroughly competent to establish the institute in excellent working condition. This he did in a short time. John H. Nevius was president of the Collegiate Institute Board. The course of instruction was divided into several departments. The primary branches cost $3 per quarter; common school branches, $5 per quarter; if algebra, bookkeeping, surveying, philosophy, astronomy and the languages were required, a charge of $7 was made. A temporary structure was used in which to hold the institute, and in this building the various church organi- zations held their first services. The old school Presbyterians, the Associate Reformed Lutherans and the Free Presbyterians used it when not occupied by the school or each other. At the same time Rev. M. Bigger, another old and experienced teacher, taught a term on the second floor of his dwelling in Aledo.
Under the act of February 16, 1857, to establish and maintain a system of free schools throughout the state, a new impulse was given to the free or common school movement. This law was further amended in important particulars in 1858-9 and as the years passed other improvements were added until the county has its present splendid school system. The reform movement took possession of the whole county in 1857. Teachers became enthusiastic in support of the new movement. Parents were pleased with the change, but taxpayers were fearful lest their taxes would be so increased as to make the system burdensome. At the institute of February, 1858, thirty-two teachers took part in the work of the session. This number did not include all the teachers in the county and at once those present demanded that all should be required to attend in order to secure a uniformity in methods. It was argued that if teachers de- sired better wages and better houses in which to teach, they should improve their methods by attendance at the institute and by courses of study and reading. There was great enthusiasm and good feeling generally at the session in 1858. Previous to this time very little had been done to improve methods of instruction. In 1858 the teachers themselves demanded more rigid examinations and higher requirements as part of their duties. It was at this time that the teachers asked that the certificates should be graded first, second and third, but it required several years before their wants in this regard were carried into effect. The county school commissioner had a
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difficult task before him. It was no easy matter to overturn the prejudices and customs of all former years and establish an entirely new system that would give satisfaction to teachers and parents. Perhaps if all the teachers had not assisted him it would have taken a good many years longer to have secured satisfactory results. But the institute and the enthusiasm of the teachers themselves were suffi- cient to support and sustain the school commissioner, N. P. Brown. Their objects were stated at the institute. One of the chief results sought was self culture, or the elevation of the profession of teaching and the improvement of instruction tactics.
The new schoolhouse in Aledo was completed in October, 1857, and immediately occupied. So great was the demand for school facilities that pupils were admitted from numerous outside districts, coming often from three to five miles and paying tuition. This gave Mr. Bigger a larger number of pupils than he could properly in- struct. and F. H. Herdman was employed as his assistant. During the winter of 1857-8 lectures on school subjects were frequently delivered by Mr. Bigger and others in the schoolhouse and were attended by the citizens generally. About one hundred and twenty- five pupils attended the session of 1857-8. In the fall of 1857 the new schoolhouse in Keithsburg was finished. It was two stories high and contained four large rooms and cost $4,500. Warren Shedd was the principal and the attendance was about one hundred and thirty.
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