USA > Illinois > Piatt County > Past and present of Piatt County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many prominent and influential citizens > Part 4
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of matters of interest to teachers. About eighty-five percent of our teachers are regu- lar attendants at teachers' meetings. The officers of the association for next year are as follows: President, Supt. J. T. Gale, of the Monticello schools ; Vice-President, Prin. H. H. Kirkpatrick, of the DeLand school; Secretary, Kathryne Heath, of Monticello; Treasurer, Charles McIntosh, county super- intendent. The executive committee is made up of these persons, and three other elected members as follows: Winifred Hammond, Gertrude Dockum and Lilly Lanier. The executive committee arranges the course of study for the year, and the different pro- grams.
SCHOOL DIRECTORS' ASSOCIATION.
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Two years ago the Piatt County School Directors' Association was formed for the improvement of the schools of the county. The first meeting was held in the Monticello high school building. About seventy-five were present, and a very interesting pro- gram was carried out. A constitution was adopted and a permanent organization ef- fected. The object of the association was to bring the directors in close touch with the schools and with each other so that the effi- ciency of our schools might be increased. L. H. Alvord was elected president ; Mrs. Maye Duncan, secretary, and P. B. Maxhimer, L. A. Melvin and G. A. Lindsley and Charles McIntosh program committee.
The second meeting was held in the high school building at Monticello, September, 1902. At this time the following officers were elected : President, P. B. Maxhimer ; Secretary, W. W. Lefever. An important action taken at this meeting was the adoption of the following resolution :
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Resolved, That this association recom- mend that all school boards in the county appropriate a suitable amount each year (at least fifteen dollars) to be spent under their direction for books for the library, for pic- tures for the school, or other similar pur- poses.
The next meeting will be held in Monti- cello in October.
At the meeting of the Piatt County School Directors' Association held last Sep- tember, the subject of, school text books was discussed, and it seemed to be the unanimous feeling of the directors present that there should be a uniformity in the adopted text books of the county. A resolution was adopted providing for a committee of fifteen persons, ten to be chosen by the Piatt County School Directors' Association, five by the Piatt County Teachers' Association, with the county superintendent as chairman of the committee. The directors' association chose the following persons : Charles Adkins, Charles Burns, A. T. Smothers, A. A. Har- lan, H. C. Marquiss, J. H. Coon, W. F. Stevenson, O. W. Moore, J. H. Easton and P. B. Maxhimer.
The teachers' association chose J. G. Gale, J. E. Underwood, Clark Blacker, Len- nia Hart and Winifred Hammond.
A preliminary meeting of the committee was held in the county superintendent's of- fice Saturday, April 25, at which the follow- ing members were present : Charles Ad- kins, A. T. Smothers, A. A. Harlan, H. C. Marquiss, O. W. Moore, J. H. Easton, J. T. Gale, J. E. Underwood, Clark Blacker, Win- ifred Hammond and Charles McIntosh.
The subject of county uniformity of text books was discussed, and the members pres- ent were unanimously in favor of county uni- formity. A motion was carried that the
committee recommend the adoption of books in three subjects. It was decided to concur in the action taken by the teachers' associa- tion in recommending the adoption of Mont- gomery's primary history for sixth grade, McMaster's school history for the seventh and eighth grades, Rational grammar for the seventh and eighth grades.
It was also decided to make a thorough examination of the different readers on the market, and to recommend a series for adop- tion in the county. The committee then ad- journed to meet again May 29.
Notices were at once sent to all the book companies that publish readers and they are invited to submit samples. The committee met again May 29. The following mem- bers were present: Charles Burns, A. T. Smothers, W. F. Stevenson, O: W. Moore, A. A. Harlan, H. C. Marquiss, J. H. Easton, J. T. Gale, J. E. Underwood, Winifred Ham- mond and Charles McIntosh. Charles Ad- kins was not present, but he sent his written opinion, and vote on readers. Representa- tives of the different book companies were given an oppportunity to present the merits of their respective books. After discussion, the committee decided to recommend the adoption of the Cyr's readers for the regular or basal text in the county, and the progress- ive readers and stepping stones to literature for supplementary use. It was also decided to send a circular letter to every school di- rector in the county giving the recommenda- tions of the committee.
ANNUAL INSTITUTE.
An annual institute is held each year. This year the institute was held June 1-5,. with the following instructors: Miss ·Edna Keith, of the Western Illinois Normal
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school, who had charge of the primary work ; Prof. Henry Johnson, of the Eastern Illinois State Normal, who had the work in history, and Prof. F. G. Blair, who had the work in reading and literature. The work in coun- try school management was conducted by County Superintendent Charles McIntosh, for the beginning teachers.
STATE COURSE OF STUDY.
The State course of study is now being used in every school in the county. It is a course prepared under the direction of the State Teachers' Association and is in gen- eral use all over the State. The advantages which it has over the old text book method is that instruction will be much broader, so that they get not just simply the views of one man. but they study the subjects.
In enforcing the use of this course of study the county superintendent sends out each month to all the teachers questions on the month's work just studied. On a speci- fied Friday the sealed questions are given to the pupils. In the spring the county superin- ten lent, in person, conducts an examination of the advanced pupils. Central examina- tions, as they are called, are held. in twelve (r fourteen different places in the county. The questions are made out by the county superintendent and the papers are graded by him. From three to ten or twelve different schools are at these examinations, so that "here is given an opportunity to compare the work done in the different schools. Those who make an average of 75 per cent. in the central are eligible to the final, which is held the latter part of March or the first of April. Those who make an average of 75 per cent. in the final are considered as hav- ing satisfactorily completed the year's work. When a pupil has completed both the sev-
enth and eighth year's work he is entitiled to a common school diploma, and when he has completed both the ninth and tenth years' work he is entitled to a diploma in the higher course. Within the last five years a great deal of interest has been taken in the higlier work in our country schools and the interest in it has grown. The fourth annual county commencement exercises were held this year at Monticello Wednesday after- noon, June 17, and at Cerro Gordo Thursday evening, June 18, 1903. Sixteen diplomas were given to the graduates of the higher course and thirty to the graduates of our common school course. A common school diploma will admit the holder to any high school in the county without further exam- ination, and the higher course diploma will. give the holder certain credits in the high school, so that the high school course can be completed in about two years.
The following statistics with regard to the schools may be of interest: Number of children in county under 21, 6,952; number children in school, 4.313: number rooms used in graded schools, 58; number of vol- · umes in libraries, 11,450; amount of bonded school debt, $42,645: amount of money raised by special tax last year, $81,975.67; amount paid teachers. $57,037.65 ; paid for new school houses. $3,087.54 ; total expend- itures for school purposes, $82,428.87; num- ber of public high schools, 5; number of schools that enrolled fewer than five pupils, I; fewer than 10, 2; fewer than 15, 14; amount received from State Auditor last year, $2,620.58; interest on county fund, $456.65; received from fines and forfeit- ures, $30.
MONTICELLO TOWNSHIP.
The first school taught in Monticello township was by James Outen. The school
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house stood west of Monticello, near the river. The first school in the town of Monti- cello was held in the first court house, and was taught by George A. Patterson.
The first school house built in the city was.a block south of the square next to the Presbyterian church lot. Esquire A. J. Wiley donated the ground and helped build the house.
The old brick school house in the south part of town was built in 1857-8. Isaiah Stickle was the first teacher in the new house. At first only three rooms were completed, two below and one upstairs. In 1869 or 1870 the upper room was divided. This was used for school purposes until the present new brick building was erected. In 1903 the old house was sold and torn down.
In 1894 a new, large, ten-room house was erected. It is one of the most substan- tial buildings in the county, erected at a cost of $22,000. It is heated by steam, has a splendid system of ventilation and is pro- vided with water.
A four-room frame building in the north part of town was erected in 1877. Three rooms of this are now used.
In all, Monticello employs thirteen teach- ers. There are three teachers in the high school and one of the teachers gives half her time to teaching music in the grades.
The list of principals of the schools are as follows: Isaiah Stickle, Mr. Babcock, Mr. Scovell, W. F. Gilmore, A. T. Pipher, J. A. McComas, Mr. Porter, John P. McIn- tosh, Arthur Edwards, P. T. Nichols, Jesse Hubbard, Gilbert A. Burgess, Amelia E. Sanford, H. F. Baker, W. H. Skinner, F. V. Dilatush, W. R. Humphrey, James H. Martin, F. E. Auten, P. T. Nichols, J. H. Martin, E. A. Fritter, J. H. Meneely, W. C.
Hobson, J. E. Webb and J. T. Gale, the pres- ent principal ( 1903).
There is a good high school course and its graduates are admitted to the State Uni- versity without examination. This year's graduating class numbered nineteen, the largest in the history of the school.
Margaret Davison, of last year's class, won the scholarship at the competitive exam- ination last summer. J. T. Gale was the superintendent. The enrollment of the school is about 500. There is a library of 200 volumes, and the apparatus and library used for the high school is estimated at $550. They have one of the finest school grounds in the county.
Besides the schools in town there are the following country schools in the township: Stringtown, Dighton, Prairie Chapel, Ridge, Haneline, Independent, New York, Casner, Anderson and Dublin. Each of these schools has a good library, and most of them nice pictures. The Dublin school has nicely framed pictures of Lincoln, Columbus, Longfellow and Washington, a colored Ital- ian copy of the Dance of the Muses and an Italian copy of Sistine Madonna. Prairie. Chapel has a fine grove in the school yard. The school house at Haneline is brick. The Casner school is a small one, having but four pupils last year.
BEMENT TOWNSHIP.
· The first school in Bement township was taught in the village of Bement by Henry C. Booth in 1856. The length of the school was but three months and the salary was $40 per month.
A two-room building was erected in 1859. F. E. Bryant was the contractor and J. M. Camp was the builder. Previous to
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PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
this time they had used rented buildings. The school grounds, which are used even to the present time, and make a fine campus, were donated by L. B. Wing and William . Rea. In 1866 four additional rooms were added, although they were not all used for some time. Two more rooms were built on in 1886 and four more in 1892, making in all twelve school rooms. A steam heating plant was put in in 1884.
On September 4, 1898, the building was struck by lightning during a storm and was damaged to the amount of $1,350, which was paid by the insurance companies.
In April, 1899, the entire frame building was destroyed by fire. The fire originated in the night from some unknown cause, and before it, was discovered the building was past saving.
Arrangements were at once made for a new building, and in the fall of 1899 and 1900 a magnificent new building was erected, which is one of the handsomest of any of the smaller towns in the State. Cost, $27,000.
It contains eleven school rooms, besides offices, recitation rooms, etc. "It is heated by steam, has drinking water on each floor and has a very efficient system of ventilation.
N. G. Hinkle, now in Champaign, was a director of this school for twenty-one years and was a very interested and capable director.
The following is a list of the school principals : H. C. Booth, S. K. Bodman, J. W. Richards, C. D. Moore, J. B. Lovell, A. S. Norris, J. A. Helman, J. R. Johnson, J. N. Patrick, E. M. Cheney, Mrs. Shirk, F. M. Fowler, Asa W. Mason, H. A. Coffeen, W. J. Cousins, J. H. McComas, G. C. Gantz, A. C. Butler, Thomas Sterling, Miss Bell Sterling, R. O. Hickman, T. C. Clen-
denen, I. N. Wade, W. E. Mann, P. K. McMinn, William Condericker, Charles W. Groves, A. B. Martin, J. M. Martin, Charles McIntosh, E. L. McDuffee, C. H. Andrews and Arthur Verner.
The school was placed on the accredited list of the State University in 1881, under Mr. Clendenen, but was afterwards dropped. Under the superintendency of J. M. Martin it was again placed on the accredited list, and has been on the list continuously ever since.
Many of its graduates have entered the State University and have made very cred- itable showings. At least five of its grad- uates have won scholarships given by the State.
In 1896 Anna Mitchell won the scholar- ship, the schools under the supervision of Charles McIntosh.
In 1897 Ida M. Hinkle, schools under supervision of Charles McIntosh.
In 1898 Charles Dawson, schools under supervision of Charles McIntosh.
In 1900 Clarence Holcomb, schools un- der supervision of C. H. Andrews.
At this same time S. R. Noe was award- ed a scholarship and credited to DeWitt county. He graduated under E. L. McDuf- fee.
In 1878 a frame school house was built in the southern part of the district to accom- . modate those living at a distance from Bement. Joanna Fleming was the first teacher in the school. This house has been repaired and remodeled from time to time and is now in very good condition. The "Bement Rural," as it is called, has a library of over 200 volumes.
There are nine rural schools in the town- ship, as follows: Ray, Moma, Davies, Fisher, Concorn, Mitchell, Bement Rural, Coffin, Moore. . Davies has a cupola and a
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bell, and a flower garden. of the best rural school libraries in the county.
CERRO GORDO TOWNSHIP
At first the scholars from Cerro Gordo attended a school situated over in Macon county. The first school house in the town- ship was built in Cerro Gordo on the site of the present school building about 1857. Andrew Mckinney was the first teacher in the house, and taught the school for three years.
In 1867 a two-room brick building was erected at a cost of $6,000. In 1873 a two- room wing of the same size and material was added. In 1881 a one-room frame addi- tion was added. The rooms were heated by stoves, some of which had two, one in either end. This house did service until 1900, when it was replaced by a handsome six- room modern building, heated by a furnace, and modern in every respect. In 1900 the high school course was revised and enlarged and made four years instead of three. Its work was also accredited at the State Uni- versity. The following is a list of its prin- cipals : Andrew Mckinney, Mr. Green. John Garver, Mr. Welch, P. H. Harris, E. Duncan, A. D. Beckhart, T. C. Fuller, Miss Olive E. Coffeen, Joshua Thorpe, A. R. Jolly, B. F. Stocks, W. S. Hall, George N. Snapp, W. H. Givler, J. E. Wooters, I. C. Baker, John Loeffler, C. O. DuBois, A. L. Starr, George S. Morris, S. Cass and Earl Q. Snider.
MILMINE.
The present two-story brick school house Milmine was erected in 1871 and at
cost $4,500. Jasper N. Wilkinson was its
It has also one first principal and was followed by A. D. Beckhart, W. H. Chamberlain, Allen S. Stults, John A. Smith, Frank East, Mr. Mckinney, Charles Hughes, M. M. Morris, Joel Dunn, George E. Stuart, John J. Wil- kinson, A. C. Duncan, C. C. Walsh, Thomas Gilvere, Charles McIntosh, J. P. Rose, I. N. Biebinger, Warren Sanders, George F. Arps, F. S. Betz and Mattie G. Johnson, the present principal. Milmine is a two-room school, and its pupils have been making very creditable showings in central and final ex- aminations recently.
LA PLACE.
The LaPlace school building was erected in 1884. It was a two-room building, erected by Josiah Gunkle, the contract price being $1,999.40. The school board at that time consisted of A. S. Hawthorne, presi- dent; James A. Fleck, clerk, and S. S. Mil- ler. In 1903 they built a two-room addition to the house, the contractor being Frank Michael. The cost of the new building and the repairs on the old was $2,250. The list of teachers is as follows: 1884, George S. Morris and Alta Dawson; 1885, George S. Morris and Naomi Smith; 1886, J. A. Har- denbrook and Naomi Smith; 1887, E. O. Humphrey and Nellie Espy; 1888, E. O. Humphrey and Maye Gannon; 1889-1897, A. C. Duncan and Maye Gannon; 1897 and 1898, Arthur Verner and Nellie Hoyt ; 1899, J. E. Underwood and Mary Mohler; 1900, J. E. Underwood and Mary Mohler ; 1901, J. E. Underwood and Alice Dillow; 1902, J. E. Underwood and Minerva Goodrich ; 1903, J. E. Underwood, Grace Hobson and Minerva Goodrich.
The first graduating exercises were held in 1902, with four graduates.
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PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The high school course was revised in 1903 and now consists of three years work. The enrollment in the school is IIO. The school sentiment in the district is good.
Beside these three graded schools there are the following schools in Cerro Gordo township :
Gulliford, Pemble, East Union, Star, Pleasant View, Voorhies, Center 16-5, Cen- tennial, Prairie Dell, Center, Center 16-4, Clark and Lintner.
Pleasant View and Centennial have fine groves in the school yard and the properties in each of the above districts is well kept up. Lintner district is contemplating the 'erec- tion of a new school house.
GOOSE CREEK TOWNSHIP.
The first school house erected in Goose Creek township was a log house near where the Piatt school house now stands. George A. Patterson was the first teacher. The next school established in the township was the Morain school. These were both large schools, the average attendance being from sixty to eighty pupils.
DeLand is the only village school in the township. It now has a four-room house, heated by steam, built in 1887.
The principals at DeLand are as fol- lows: B. F. Stultz, E. E. Carrier, C. D. Thomas, C. H. Wells, Thomas Gilvere, A. C. Staley, Edward C. Graybill, H. S. Davis, Arthur Verner, Noah A. Young and H. H. Kirkpatrick, the present principal. The rural schools in the township are as follows :
Mount Vernon, Wisegarver, Western, Fairview, Pleasant Falls, Harmony, Piatt Morain, Ashland, Prospect, Enterprise, Ken- tucky. The Kentucky school house was built in 1902.
SANGAMON TOWNSHIP.
George A. Patterson taught the first school in Sangamon township. The house was a log school house and stood north of White Heath near the site of the old White school house. James Outen, S. K. Bodman, W. H. Reese, H. Timmons, Charles Hughes, Pamelia (Combes) Hughes, Sadie Reed and others are among the early teachers in this township.
White Heath has a two-room frame house, built in 1893. The principals of the school are as follows: J. T. Gale, Florence (Tippett) Duvall, D. W. Carper, Alfred Ewington, C. M. Morris, Lennia Hart, Clark Blackner. The country schools in the township are as follows: Galeville, Sunny Mound, Argo, Madden, Centerville, White, Lodge, Union, Camp Creek and Prairie Dell. The White district has recently completed a modern, one-room building, one of the best arranged in the county. The windows are all on the north side. The Argo district let the contract recently for a similar building, to be completed this fall.
WILLOW BRANCH TOWNSHIP.
Judge Edward Ater taught the first school in Willow Branch township about 1840 in a log school house on Willow Branch. Among the early teachers of the township may be mentioned the following : Robert L. Barton, J. Hull Brown, Caleb and Riley Tatman, the Suver sisters and Thomas Lamb, Jr.
Cisco has the only village school in the township. At first this district was very small, but it has been gradually reaching out until it has nearly four sections and main- tains three rooms.
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In 1900 they built a modern, four-room brick house, well lighted, heated and venti- lated. It is heated by a furnace. The cost of the building complete was about $6,000.
The principals of these schools have been as follows: C. C. Walsh, J. E. Nichols, George N. Dunham, D. C. Shaff, Chester M. Echols, John C. Hall, D. C. Shaff, T. H. Pease, E. S. Jones, J. R. Simer and Henry C. Gross, the present principal.
The other schools in the township are as follows: New Union, Excelsior, Wild Cat, Shady Nook; East Cisco, West Cisco, Oak Grove, Willow Branch, Havely, Riverside, Dillow, Hanover, Baker, Grove.
The Riverside school house was built in 1900 and the East Cisco in 1901. The Wil- low Branch school has always been a large one. Recently the house has been extensively repaired, new seats put in and a well sunk.
UNITY TOWNSHIP.
The first school house in Unity township was a very primitive one, even having the paper windows. It was taught by John Col- lins about 1842. The first school house in Mackville was built in 1858 and was taught by James Lewis. Among the early teachers in the township may be mentioned the fol- lowing: Peter A. Hamilton, Gilbert A. Bur- gess, George W. Poole, J. A. Hawks, J. H. Easton, Mrs. J. A. Hawks, Joseph Trench-
The first school houses were Shonkwiler, Harshbarger, Mackville and Tryon. Pier- son first belonged to the Tryon district and was a part of that district until 1882. The last school in the old Tryon school house was taught by William Wilson in 1882-3. The house stood just south of A. B. Chambers
and a mile and a half south of the Easton school house. In the spring of 1883 the Pierson district was formed. George F. Righter taught the first school here in the school year of 1883-4. He was followed by Belle Barnes, William Loveless, Emily God- win, John H. Easton, Anna Davies, Bell (Righter) Snider, Alberta Easton, B. M. Godwin, Rhoda Lowe, Otto C. Adams and Edward Erhardt.
In the meantime the village of Pierson had been growing and they had to have a larger school house, so in the fall of 1892 the present two-room building was com- pleted. Miss Mollie Birks was the first prin- cipal , teaching there the school year of 1892-3. The other principals at Pierson in order are as follows: Holton Hall, John P. Rose, F. S. Betz, Alice Withers and Henry C. Gross.
'Up to 1876 the pupils from Hammond attended the Love school, which was sit- situated northwest of Hammond, near where the present Hammond cemetery is. In 1876 the school house was moved into Hammond. John Hughes taught the first school in the new location. Among the other teachers in the one-room school house at Hammond may be mentioned : Laura Hines, Levi Harber, Mr. Humphrey and Amos M. Sharp.
In 1882 a new two-room house was built and George S. Morris was the first principal. In the summer of 1896 two additional rooms ard. John A. Hardenbrook and wife, C. H. 'were added. The building is now a four- Righter and Miss Anna Davis.
room frame house, heated by a furnace. The rooms are nicely decorated and some good work is being done there. Four teachers are employed. The list of principals is as fol- lows: George S. Morris, Frank Godwin, W. W. Larrabee, D. L. Baker, John Loeffler, William Theobald, L. C. Foster, Warren Sanders. Jennie B. Burks. J. T. Gale, S. S.
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Mountz and N. B. Bonham, the present principal.
The Atwood district was organized as a union district in the spring of 1884. The town of Atwood is built right along the county line, between Piatt and Douglas, the county line being the main street of the vil- lage. Previous to 1884 the Atwood children on the Douglas side went to the Otter school and those in Piatt county went to the Mack- ville school. Either school was about a mile and a half from town. A four-room house was erected in 1884 .. Three rooms were used the first year and James Hicks was the first principal. In 1886 four rooms were used. Afterwards a two-room addition was built and the house now contains six rooms. In I90I a steam heating plant was installed. For some time there was considerable oppo- sition to the district from the Douglas side. The Atwood district maintained school in the old Otter house until 1894, when two sections in Douglas county were taken from the Atwood district and those who objected to the management of affairs at Atwood were placed in the Garret district.
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