USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 25
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During the year $1,712 was paid for new schoolhouses and $1,987.90 for repairs and improvements. The total amount expended for all school purposes was $22,285.92. "We are building better houses and filling them with better furniture. Now occasionally the smallest pupils' feet touch the floor; he finds something more than airy nothing to lean against and he writes on a desk inclined at an angle less than forty-five degrees. People are actually begin- ning to think that our children are human beings and the school- houses should be better than a horse stable," said the commissioner.
The schools had felt the effects of the war-many of the best teachers having gone to the field and many teachers more or less unqualified having taken their places. During the year ninety-nine certificates were granted to teachers, twenty-one to males and seventy- eight to females. The highest monthly wages paid to male teachers was $60 and the highest to females, $40. The lowest was $20 to males and $10 to females. The average monthly wages to males was $30 and to females $13.37. "I cannot see why this difference. The competent, faithful and true female who devotes her time, energies and talents to her school is entitled to just as much compensation as the male. She performs the same amount of mental labor, under- goes the same wear and tear of mind and body and' accomplishes the same amount of good. The honest truth is we do not pay our teachers enough and particularly our females. In the county as a whole the number of well qualified teachers has increased while those that fall below mediocrity are finding employment more diffi- cult to obtain," observed the commissioner at the conclusion of his report.
At the session of the Legislature in 1864-5 important changes were made in the school law of the state. The county school com- missioner became under the new law the county superintendent of schools to be elected for a term of four years.
The public examination of the Mercer Collegiate Institute inva- riably called out a large attendance of friends of the pupils and citizens generally. In June, 1865, the examination was unusually interesting. Classes in Latin, analysis of the English sentence, advanced classes in parsing, algebra, arithmetic, geometry, botany, etc., passed creditable examinations. The exercises were interspersed with vocal and instrumental music, Aledo Saxe-Horn Band supply- ing the latter and the students the former. One song "Good Bye Jeff" was exceedingly well received at this time. The subject of "Equality of the Sexes" was debated by the students; the decision was given in favor of the ladies. George Powers recited an original
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poem. The exercises in the evening netted about eighty-five dollars for the benefit of the Great Sanitary Fair at Chicago.
In the summer of 1866 Mrs. Harroun conducted a select school in Aledo. The old Harroun schoolhouse was situated about three and a half miles southeast of Aledo. In September, 1866, J. S. McMillan was principal of the Aledo schools; Mr. Hardy first assistant; Mrs. E. Porter, Mrs. Harroun and Miss A. M. Smith assistants of the other departments. The previous year S. B. Atwater was principal of the Aledo schools.
For the winter term of 1866-7 the board of directors of the public schools of Aledo adopted the following rules and regulations: That children should be punctual in attendance and in returning home; that all children residing within a convenient distance from the schoolhouse should go home for their dinners; that new pupils would be admitted at any time during the first two weeks, but thereafter only on Mondays with written permission from the directors; that all resident children between the ages of six and twenty-one years should be admitted and that others could gain admittance by per- mission of the directors and by the payment of tuition; that no scholar should be permitted to leave school at recess nor at any time before the regular closing hour, nor be absent from any historical exercise or any examination without the consent of the teacher; any pupil who should violate this rule would not be permitted to reenter without written permission from the board; that no pupil would be permitted to remain in school unless supplied with suitable and necessary books and utensils unless extreme poverty on the part of parents or guardians should prevent such supply; that should any pupil be absent three days in days or half days without an excuse satisfactory to the teacher, the superintendent should notify the parents and if he should be absent six days he must secure permis- sion to reenter school in formal way; that pupils engaged part of the time in other studies or pursuits would be excused under proper arrangements; that the studies pursued in each grade should be only such as were prescribed by the board. These rules were strongly favored by J. S. McMillan, superintendent.
The report of the school superintendent for the year ending September 30, 1866, showed 102 school districts in the county and ninety-seven schools. In six of the districts no school was held. The average number of months school was kept was 6.94. Whole number of white persons under twenty-one years of age, 9,392 ; whole number of white persons between the ages of six and twenty-one years, 6,709; whole number attending school, 5,977; average daily attendance,
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2,785.4; number of graded schools, 6; number of private schools, 2; number of schoolhouses, 95; amount paid for teachers' wages, $23,972.68; amount paid for new schoolhouses, $5,328.90; total amount expended for all school purposes, $42,988.26. Average monthly wages paid to male teachers, $40.68; average monthly wages paid to female teachers, $27.60; number of first grade teachers' certificates, 20; number of second grade teachers' certificates, 128. The superintendent reported that the great majority of schools were poor and the buildings were the same. The apparatus which had been purchased six or eight years before was now nearly worn out and worthless. The teacher really made or unmade the school, usually the latter. Reading was taught in a perfunctory way, in a sing-song manner without sense, pauses, inflection or emphasis. Penmanship was almost wholly neglected. Recitations were rattled off mainly to get through and not to understand. There were a few exceptions. Arithmetic was taught to better effect; so was geography and history. None of the schools graded as should be. The report showed that in the graded schools of Aledo, Keithsburg and New Boston more than one hundred pupils should have attended each department. During the year some of the departments actually did contain more than one hundred. In the higher department of New Boston School the recitation of seventeen classes was heard daily. Aledo had made an extensive addition to its schoolhouse and five teachers were em- ployed. It was urged that if the teacher was to be continued as the whole,school, none but those with first class certificates and abundant experience should be employed. Although several hundred dollars had been collected from fines imposed for violations of the liquor laws, not a dollar had been paid into the school fund of the county. Sylvenus B. Atwater, superintendent, made a scorching criticism of the manner in which the schools were conducted.
The charge having been made in December, 1866, that Aledo's "Science of Government" was a disloyal work and should not be allowed in the schools, the students of Aledo College met and formally passed resolutions that the charge was unfounded and further resolved that as students they were entirely satisfied with the book and heartily endorsed and recommended it to other schools. Twenty-four stu- dents signed the resolutions.
In October, 1866, the public schools of Aledo were graded into five departments and numbered about two hundred pupils. Rhetor- ical exercises took place every two weeks in the superintendent's room and were attended generally by the parents of the pupils.
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About the same time the students organized a literary society and held weekly meetings during the winter of 1866-67. The exercises consisted of readings, declamations, essays, dialogues, debates, dis- cussions, etc., and usually were varied, instructive and interesting.
At the close of the Aledo public schools in December, 1866, the five departments had about two hundred and twenty-five pupils. For the first time punishment by whipping was avoided and better order than ever prevailed. It was declared that flogging was a relic of barbarism and should never again be employed in the schools of Aledo and the county.
In March, 1867, Mr. Atwater, county superintendent, offered the following prizes for the school year commencing April 1, 1867: To the teacher who should succeed in teaching the best school in the county, $100; to the teacher who should teach the best school in each township, $10. No school would be examined before eighty days actually taught. No premium was to be paid to the county unless the names of at least forty-five teachers should be registered as competitors. The following points were to be considered in the examination : (1) Order; (2) classification; (3) methods of teach- ing; (4) good manners of the pupils. Preliminary arrangements for awarding the premiums were made at the April meeting of the County Teachers' Association.
In September, 1867, William Pardee was principal of the Aledo schools and the assistants were Miss Ann Allen, Miss Burbank, Miss McCoy and Mrs. Porter. In September, 1868, Mrs. E. M. Walker was principal and Miss Burbank, Miss Stevens, Miss Morey, Mrs. Young and Mrs. Porter, assistants. Miss Morey was one of the teachers in the Aledo High School. The enrollment for the Aledo public schools at this time was 208.
The Mercer Collegiate Institute, which had been abandoned for some time, was opened again in November, 1868, under the charge of Rev. A. A. Hough, of Pennsylvania. He taught a term of five months and had three departments : Advanced, Middle and Primary. The tuition for the advanced course was $15; for the middle course, $12.50, and for the primary course, $10.
During the winter of 1869-70 the Mercer Collegiate Institute was conducted by Prof. S. E. McKee, who had conducted the acad- emy at Washington, Iowa. He called it a high school, but in reality it was a continuation of the Mercer Collegiate Institute.
In 1869 I. N. Bassett was elected one of the directors of the Aledo schools. His associates were N. P. Brown and H. R. Morrison. The directors met and organized and agreed unanimously in favor
SOUTH SIDE SCHOOL, ALEDO
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of employing S. B. Atwater as principal and Mrs. Young and Miss Jennie Marquis. Miss Burbank was to be continued and Amanda and Matilda Frazier were to be employed. Miss Burbank lived in New Hampshire and the Misses Frazier were attending the State Normal School at Bloomington, and Mr. Bassett was authorized to employ these three persons, which was done. They were all good teachers, but Mr. Atwater did not give satisfaction as a principal, and in 1870 C. W. Sherman was employed as principal and the other teachers above mentioned were employed in their respective depart- ments. In 1872 there was dissatisfaction with Mr. Sherman as principal. He was a good teacher but failed in his government and treatment of the teachers employed under him. Nearly all of them were teachers of much more experience than he had had, but he did not treat them with the courtesy they were entitled to. Mr. Bassett was in favor of employing another superintendent, but one of the directors wanted to continue Mr. Sherman, and the other was in- clined to decide with Mr. Bassett. The latter was reelected director upon the issue that a new superintendent of the school would be em- ployed. The result was Mr. A. U. Barler was employed as super- intendent for 1872-3. When Mr. Bassett was elected director he found the school building in a very bad condition. There were no walks from the sidewalk to the door and there was no sidewalk on the north side of the schoolhouse. The building needed painting and many of the blinds were off, laying on the ground, and the maps and books inside were poorly taken care of. The outhouses were in a miserable condition and obscene language was written all over the walls. Mr. N. P. Brown, soon after the directors were organized, was absent the balance of the year and Mr. Morrison and Mr. Bassett undertook to put the building and grounds in good condition, Mr. Bassett taking the lead after they had agreed what should be done. A sidewalk was built at the expense of the school board on the north side, and walks to the door and over the grounds wherever needed. The house was repainted and repaired in every respect and the furni- ture, library, etc., put in a good condition to be cared for. These expenditures cost considerable amount of money and when it came to the election of a successor to Mr. Brown, Robert Irwin was induced to become a candidate. Quite a number of the persons in Aledo, some of whom had no children in school, became clamorous to have some one elected who would not expend so much money. In other words, using their own language, "They wanted a man who knew the value of a dollar." Mr. Irwin was elected, but as soon as he was qualified he called on Mr. Bassett and said to him: "You
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know what many of the people said about you in supporting me for a director, but I want to say to you that you will find me ready to cooperate with you in getting needed expenditures for school purposes."
At the head of the Aledo public schools in September, 1870, was C. W. Sherman, principal. The assistants were Miss Burbank, Miss Amanda Frazier, Miss Tillie Frazier, Miss Jennie Marquis and Mrs. Young.
In December, 1870, the citizens of Aledo met at the Barton House for the purpose of forming a joint stock company to erect a suitable college building in the town. Eli Detwiler served as chairman. On motion of Rev. J. S. Poage, steps to form a joint stock company were immediately taken. The shares were placed at $100 and a committee was appointed to report at a subsequent meeting, having prepared the necessary writings for the purpose. J. S. Thompson, J. M. Clokey and I. N. Bassett were this committee. On motion, Horace Bigelow stated that all who desired to subscribe stock now were permitted to do so. The earliest stockholders were Dr. W. D. Craig, J. S. Pinkerton, W. K. Fulton, H. Parkman, J. M. Clokey, T. Maddux, W. H. Holmes, L. F. Chamberlin, A. M. Byers, D. H. Porter, Horace Bigelow, I. N. Bassett, J. S. Poage, N. Edwards and W. A. Lorimer. A. M. Byers, D. H. Porter, J. S. Poage and Thomas Ryan were appointed a special committee to secure further subscrip- tions. The meeting thereupon adjourned to December 21st. This meeting was again postponed and a special meeting was held on December 31st, on which occasion Eli Detwiler again served as chair- man. This meeting was held at the courthouse. The committee previously appointed prepared articles of incorporation which were read and adopted. They recited that the corporation was formed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an institution of learning in the Town of Aledo to be called the Mercer County Academy. The capital stock was fixed at $25,000. Five trustees were provided for and as soon as practicable suitable grounds were either to be purchased or secured by gift for the purpose of education. Provi- sion for courses of study, the employment of a competent faculty, etc., were made. It was provided in Article 3 "That the said Mercer County Academy should be and remain forever non-sectarian and should not be managed or controlled by any religious sect or denom- ination." These articles of incorporation were signed by Nicholas Edwards, W. A. Lorimer, I. N. Bassett, J. M. Clokey, I. N. Dunlap, J. S. Pinkerton, W. K. Fulton, John C. Pepper, James S. Poage, W. H. Holmes, P. F. Chamberlin and Horace Bigelow. At this
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session a new committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions as follows : J. S. Poage, I. N. Bassett, J. M. Clokey, Nicholas Edwards and John G. McGuffin.
In the year 1872 several waves of reform in school matters swept the county. One was instruction in music. This step was taken by all the villages and cities and by many of the country schools. At Aledo the directors employed Professor Hanchett as special in- structor in music in the public schools of the village. Every Friday he was required to give an hour to musical instruction to each of the public school departments. Children were especially instructed in how to read notes and in an understanding of the musical staff. In the fall of 1872 the Aledo Academy was placed in charge of James Henderson, A. M. He was assisted by J. M. Wylie, J. T. McCrory, T. S. Slaughter and Mrs. J. DeC. Henderson, The principal taught English literature, French and Spanish. Mr. Wylie gave instruc- tion in Greek, Latin and mathematics; Mr. McCrory was assistant teacher of mathematics; Mr. Slaughter gave instruction in music and Mrs. Henderson taught German, music, drawing and painting. The term was twelve weeks and the tuition for the higher classes was $10; intermediate department, $8; primary, $6. The trustees were I. N. Bassett, L. D. Holmes and one other.
In September, 1873, the Aledo schools were conducted by A. U. Barler, principal, and Miss M. L. Walker, Miss Edie Pryne, Miss Ella Gaily, Miss Merryman and Mrs. Comfort, assistants.
The efforts of the committee to raise funds for the construction of a new academy were slow, but in the end successful. The build- ing was commenced in 1873 and was finished, ready for occupancy. by September, 1874.
The site for the new schoolhouse at Aledo was chosen by vote in June, 1881. The result was as follows: Block 101 west of J. M. Wilson's, 107 votes ; block 1, Center Addition (Lorimer's), 58; block 109, south of J. Harvey's, 31 ; block 96, Lou Brown's, 2; block 64, south on Monument, 6; total vote, 204.
The Aledo public schools in 1876 had an enrollment of 347 pupils, and the following year an enrollment of 392.
In September, 1875, the New Boston public schools were opened by J. E. Harroun, principal, and Miss Josie Calhoun, Miss Flora Bartlett and Miss P. A. Willits, assistants.
In 1878 the enrollment of pupils in the Aledo public schools was 401. In 1881 the enrollment in Aledo was 368, and the average attendance was 341.8. At this time Alexander Stevens was principal
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of the high school and had one assistant. There were seven other rooms occupied at this time.
On April 13, 1835, John Long was appointed the first county school commissioner by the county board. He does not seem to have been inspired with his duties, but on the contrary was some- what indifferent, so that very little progress was made under his direction. Teachers were few, wages low, parents were satisfied to get anybody to keep school and the commissioner spent most of his time on his land projects. It is said that he and his successors for many years cared more for what they could make out of the sale of school lands than for improvement in the manner of conduct of the schools or in educating the children. At first the commissioners did not examine teachers but left that duty to the school directors of each district. It was nearly fifteen years after 1835 before the school commissioner assumed the duty of examining teachers and in a general way guiding the management of the schools. The school directors or trustees, of which in each district there were three, really had little or no education and hence their examinations were more of a farce than anything else. If they could secure a teacher who could read, write and cipher they were willing to accept him, although the law required that teachers should also be examined in geography and grammar. In those days the examinations were usually oral, except in written arithmetic. John Long served until December 5, 1836, and retired without having accomplished any progress whatever in the schools.
Mr. Long was succeeded by William I. Nevius, who was reap- pointed in 1837, 1838 and 1839. He seems to have done better than Mr. Long. On June 6, 1839, Ephraim Gilmore succeeded Mr. Nevius and through his intelligence and efforts some progress was made in the condition of the schools and the qualification of the teachers. In 1841 the office became elective and Ephraim Gilmore was elected to the position he had formerly occupied by appointment. He continued to occupy the position until 1846, by which time there were in the county at least fifty schools, such as they were. On August 3, 1846, Thomas Candor was elected but was succeeded by Benjamin D. Ellett the next year. The latter held the office two vears and was succeeded in 1849 by Tyler McWhorter.
Since 1835 very little progress had been made in the methods of qualified teachers or suitable schoolhouses. Mr. McWhorter was the first school commissioner to undertake the examination of teachers. Under him the first real advancement was made in the public schools. He was somewhat exacting with the teachers, but
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all seemed to like him. In some instances, as good teachers were scarce, he was obliged to give certificates where some doubt existed as to the qualification of the teacher. He was careful, painstaking, watchful and gave excellent advice to all the teachers. Under him several of the best teachers in the county became prominent in local educational affairs. Among them were Simeon Smith, David Felton, Rezin Kile, Harvey S. Senter and others. In November, 1853, John Ramsey succeeded Mr. McWhorter and continued for two years, when he was succeeded by Norman P. Brown, a practical and compe- tent teacher, but neither Mr. Ramsey nor Mr. Brown possessed the executive ability and the competency to continue the advancement which had been started by Mr. McWhorter.
On November 6, 1857, J. E. Harroun became school commis- sioner. The new law gave him full power as superintendent and required him to visit the schools. This he did with excellent results, as narrated elsewhere. He seems to have made the mistake, how- ever, of not being practical enough. He did not find out the mistakes made by teachers in actual practice and assist them to improve, but in his visits he usually delivered speeches to the whole school and although his remarks were pertinent and valuable they did not result in improving the practices in the schoolroom. However, through his great energy he accomplished much good. Under him the great wave of teachers' institutes swept over the county as narrated else- where.
In 1859 Rev. J. S. Poage was elected school commissioner. He was an able man, a fine speaker, but largely a theorist, and was not a practical teacher nor a good manager of teachers. His services therefore were largely abortive. In 1861 Amos T. Waterman, a practical teacher, was elected school commissioner. He was prac- ticing law at the time and in the end became a brilliant member of the bar. He devoted enough time to the office to make it fairly successful and made considerable progress through improved school conditions. In 1863 Washington L. Campbell succeeded him, but the Civil war being then on, he could accomplish little. In 1865 Sylvenus B. Atwater, who had served gallantly in the Union Army and been wounded, was elected county superintendent for four years. He was a practical teacher but seems to have been too strict and critical in his conduct with the teachers. It is said that he drove nearly half of them out of the business. The result was that the county was destitute of sufficient able teachers to fill the schools and trustees or directors were compelled to secure persons in many instances who did not have certificates. Mr. Atwater was a man Vol. 1-17
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of great energy and no doubt did his best. He reformed the text- books; in a measure created uniformity therein throughout the county. In many instances he forced his views upon many districts and even spent considerable of his own means to carry out his ideas of reform and improvement. He fought for a blackboard in every schoolhouse, made the examinations of teachers extremely difficult, criticised the patrons for the poor buildings and apparatus and thus secured the ill will of many teachers and patrons, but as a whole his influence, though critical and severe, put the people on their mettle, with the result that the schools were really improved under his management.
In 1869 Frederick Livingston became county superintendent. He was well qualified from an educational standpoint, but was too theoretical and had little administrative ability. He mismanaged the records and the funds of the office and in the end left somewhat in disgrace. During his administration the Legislature passed a law making women eligible to all school offices. Accordingly, in Novem- ber, 1873, Miss Amanda E. Frazier was elected county superintend- ent for four years. She was reelected in 1877 and in December, 1881, upon the change of the law, was unanimously reappointed to succeed herself by the county board to fill the vacancy thus created.
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