USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Past and present of Rock Island County, Ill., containing a history of the county-its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late Rebellion, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 21
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Applicants for admission to the High School are required to pass an examination ( oral and written ) in which an average standing of not less than 75 per cent. shall be attained, in the following subjects : Arithmetic, Geography, Grammar, U. S. History, Reading, Spelling, and Penmanship.
BUILDINGS.
During the school year ending March 31, 1874, the Board purchased sites for two new school houses, viz., for the West Ward House, six lots of
.
191
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
John Deere, Esq., in his Addition to the City of Moline, costing $3,000 ; for the East Ward House, part of a block of H. R. Edwards, for $1,500 in bonds.
The Central House was erected on the old site, by J. G. Salisbury, at contract price of $25,000, though its actual cost is reported at $26,653.16. This building contains the High School. It occupies a beautiful site upon the bluffs, commanding a view of the three cities, Davenport, Rock Island and Moline, the Government Works, the river, and for miles in either direction. It is an ornament to the eity, in fine architectural proportions, and its beautifully terraced grounds, covered with large elms, oaks and maples, render it one of the most pleasant spots within the city limits. The building is heated by steam, lighted with gas, and fitted up with all the best modern improvements.
The West Ward House was erected during the same year, at a contract price of $14,000, by Messrs. Raper, Turner & Kerns. Its actual cost as reported by the Board, was $14,812.54. It is also a fine building, with pleasant rooms and well shaded grounds, and admirably adapted to the com- fort and convenience of pupils and teachers.
The aggregate expenditures for this school year were $67,529.14. The number of teachers employed was fifteen; the number of pupils of school age in the district, 1,533.
The following year Prof. Lyman Gregory was elected Superintendent, and has continued ever since efficiently to discharge the duties of that office. He is a zealous and earnest worker in behalf of public schools, in the most thorough and comprehensive acceptation of the terms. By his efforts, combined with those of the Board and the efficient Secretary, a con- stant endeavor has been made at a higher state of perfection in all the departments of the schools, and a good degree of progress has been attained.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS.
Since the adoption of the present system, it has been a standing rule to hold teachers' meetings every month. The progress of these is referred to in the several annual reports and show very satisfactory results. The Board in their second Annual Report, for the year ending March 31, 1875, say :
"The monthly meetings required by our rules have been very generally attended. A better and an increasing interest has been manifested in the exercises, and their usefulness as a part of our educational system fully demonstrated. Here the matter to be taught is discussed, and the manner in which it can be best presented to the class is more fully developed. Here the earnest, thinking teacher can-and generally does-manifest the capacity and ability to teach, and here the indifferent and the unworthy can be detected. More systematic work and better preparation will yield still better results."
The interest in these meetings so increased that by the next Annual Report they had become semi-monthly. The following is from the Super- intendent's Report for the year ending March 31, 1876 :
"The teachers have met for the discussion of school work and for mutual improvement, every two weeks.
"The subject of English Literature has occupied a portion of the time during each meeting. Considerable interest has been manifested by nearly all. We have not yet, however, attained the maximum degree of enthusi- asm desired.
1
192
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
" The mechanic or business man who neglects opportunities of increas- ing his knowledge of the details of his business, soon finds that others who are ready to keep pace with modern growth, at whatever cost of individual effort, are gaining ths patronage which he desires. The teacher is subject to the same inexorable law. The school room is the work shop in which only the most conscientious, careful, skillful and energetic workman is profit- ably employed ; a studio in which artists, not amateurs, should find patronage.
"The interests of the Public Schools are too great, too varied, too far- reaching, to be lightly entrusted to the keeping of the careless or indifferent.
"The good teacher puts all time, interest, affection, soul, life into the work, and the amount of labor he is willing to perform is limited only by the amount of his strength."
Again in the report for 1877 it is said :
" The teachers' meetings have been continued semi-monthly, with in- creased interest. Discussions, class exercises, model recitations, selections and original essays have constituted the exercises of each meeting."
TRAINING CLASS.
In pursuance of a resolution of the Board, adopted July 5, 1875, a Training Class was organized at the opening of the fall term, under the in- struction of Miss Hageboeck.
The Superintendent recommended, if this class is to be continued, that the conditions of admission thereto be the passing an examination, which shall be equivalent to graduation from the High School, and that the full time of the class for the year be devoted to the work of training.
This class has been continued, and has been found one of the most ben- eficial institutions of the public school system. It has consisted of pupils from the Senior class of the High School, who intend to devote themselves to teaching, and Primary teachers from the Central Building, under the in- struction of Miss. Hageboeck, and has furnished many competent teachers, both to fill permanent places and temporary vacancies in the home corps of teachers, and to supply other schools. We extract the following from the last annual report to the Board of Education :
"Fewer changes than usual have been made in our corps of teachers. We in the main have been fortunate in retaining most of our former teach- ers, as well as in our selection of others to fill the vacant places. As a whole, we think our corps of teachers has never been excelled. All have tried to do well. Most have succeeded. The general success of those who have received positions, as they have completed our course of study, proves that we have in our own school the material for successful teachers. But if we would realize all we have anticipated from our own pupils, our Course of Study must be revised and extended ; and even when that shall have been mastered, their acquisitions must be supplemented by at least a year's thor- ough drill in a training school, before they can feel competent to fill the teacher's desk. We hope to see these facilities furnished our young men and women at home. But until this is done, or until they shall elsewhere qualify themselves for the proper discharge of the teacher's duties, they must not complain if we go abroad for such teachers as ought to be fur- nished in our own schools. The time happily has passed, when the super-
193
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
ficial can 'secure positions through the influence of friends. Position and preferment should be the rewards of hard study, strict discipline and thor- ough preparation. When our pupils shall present evidence of these qualifi- cations, places will be cheerfully given them in our corps of instructors.
DISCIPLINE.
The discipline in the public schools of Moline is strict yet paternal in its character, keeping in view the best improvement of the pupils. Upon rec- ommendation of Prof. Gregory, corporal punishment has been almost entirely, if not wholly abolished. The views of Mr. Gregory are set forth in the following extract from his report to the Board in 1875 :
"In a graded school like ours, where pupils are gathered from families of all kinds, the intelligent and the ignorant ; those who inculcate habits of obedience on the one hand, and disobedience on the other ; those who sec- ond the efforts of the teacher, and those who habitually and openly condemn such efforts, there will always arise necessity for discipline, and when milder means have failed, the last resort must be to corporal punishment or expul- sion. It is questionable in my mind whether it is ever the duty of the teacher to inflict corporal punishment. Necessity for such punishment sel- dom arises with pupils from well-governed families, and then the difficulty is always better adjusted by an appeal to the parent. It is my opinion that the responsibility of the pupil's good behavior should be placed where it properly belongs-upon the parent. A freer use of the power of suspen- sion, and a total abolition of corporal punishment from the schools, will, I think, prove beneficial.
"I do not think our schools should be made reformatories for children who are ungoverned and ungovernable at home. When it is discovered that we have pupils of vicious habits, whose influence upon others is per- nicious, they should be placed in a reform school, or at least kept from com- municating their evil courses to the well-disposed. Many parents allow their children to run the street nights, mingling with the saucy, the vulgar and the profane, learning all sorts of mischief ; or, if they are kept at home, permit them to read books and papers which fill their minds with trash, and then wonder why our schools are not better governed.
194
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
The following tables show some of the most valuable Statistics of the Schools for the last two years :
CONSOLIDATED REPORTS.
1876-7.
Month.
Year.
No. Enrolled.
No. Days School.
Average Number
Belonging.
Average Daily At-
Per cent. of Attend-
No. of cases of Tar-
No. neither Absent
nor Tardy.
Teachers Tardy.
No. of Visitors.
No. of Cases Cor-
No. of Pupils Ex-
April
1876
855
20
763
727
95
25
340
2
97
3
81
May.
66
787
20
747
703
94
21
457
0
556
0
70
September
66
SS3
15
S38
S31
99
33
620
4
61
0
64
October ..
944
20
894
864
97
39
557
3
170
1
92
November
960
20
917
SS7
96
23
564
1
106
0
99
December
939
13
920
871
95
64
564
0
429
0
SO
January
1877
946
19
864
S07
93
125
444
5 216
0
131
February
66
1026
19
967
929
96
30
573
0
212
1
134
March
(:
1093
20
942
895
95
68
515
0
470
1
47
Mo. Average
.
937 18
872
835
96
47
515
13
257
co/Lo
78
1875-6.
April
1875
764 20
611
663
93
SO
302
1
121 10
53
May.
731 20
678
643
94
55
315
0
148 14
30
September
S09 10
763
739
97
108
516
2
47
0
31
October.
865 20
S26
793
96
122
423
7
197
0
79
November
903 20
862
834
96
109
484
4
208
0
93
December
893 18
857
S25
96
153
450
1
319
0
91
January
1876
954 20
903
857
95
124
389
3
116
1 115
February
66
939 193
893
857
96
119
387
5
136
3
107
March
66
889 20
S44
S03
95
61
410
0
513
2
100
Mo. Average.
.
861 183
S16
779
96
103
40S
21
200
31
773
The number of teachers at present employed in all the departments is twenty-one.
poral Punishm't.
cused.
tendance.
ance.
diness
195
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
MOLINE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Next to the public schools of Moline, as a popular educative agency, is her Public Library and Reading Room. Indeed, this latter institution, in the design of its founders, is intended to carry up education to a higher plane than that reached by the public schools, and to lead to a broader and more comprehensive intellectual culture. To this end, its plan compre- hends not merely a collection of books, newspapers and magazines, but also an art gallery, a place of amusement and social conversation, a collection of rare curiosities, and cabinets of natural history and the various sciences.
Measures for the establishment of such an institution in the city of Moline were taken in the summer of 1872, soon after the passage of the law allowing cities and towns to raise money by taxation for library purposes. The Mayor, Hon. D. L. Wheelock, on the 21st of September, 1872, ap- pointed the following named persons a Board of Directors of the Moline Public Library: J. T. Browning, Engene Lewis, S. H. Velie, J. C. Starr, Wm. II. Russell, H. A. Ainsworth, H. H. Grover, and E. Okerberg. Mr. Okerberg declined to serve, and his place was filled by Hon. Charles At- kinson.
On the 21st of September, 1872, the Board organized by electing the following officers: President, J. T. Browning; Vice President, J. C. Starr; Secretary and Collector, H. H. Grover. Executive Committee-Messrs. Starr, Velie and Grover. Finance Committee-Messrs. Browning, Velie and Atkinson. On Books in Foreign Languages -- Messrs. Parker, Russell and Ainsworth .. On English Books-Messrs. Ainsworth, Russell and Lewis.
For two or three months after its organization the Board was engaged in considering plans and in drawing up By-Laws and Rules of Order for its government.
In the summer of 1872 the City Council appropriated $800; that was a beginning, but too small a sum to do more than provide a building or meet contingent expenses; hence the public must be enlisted to raise addi- tional funds by contribution. A meeting was accordingly, called for the purpose on the 17th of December, and $3,000 were pledged, the ladies or- ganizing into a society and becoming responsible for $500 of the amount. This sum was soon increased to $5,576.24. And with this financial as- surance the Board proceeded to procure snitable rooms and to purchase books. Rooms were obtained in the Post-Office building of Hon. S. W. Wheelock; the first installment of books was purchased, and the Library opened to the public Jannary 6, 1873.
Mrs. Kate S. Holt was appointed Librarian March 29, 1873.
PLAN OF THE LIBRARY.
The plan of the Library as devised by the Board of Directors, contem- plates fonr separate funds, as follows:
1. The Book Fund.
2. The Natural History Fund.
3. The Lecture Fund.
4. The Art Gallery Fund.
And it is proposed to secure the permanent endowment of all these de- partments, rendering them self-sustaining and perpetual.
196
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Here is a worthy object for the benefaction of liberal and wealthy citi- zens, to endow these departments either by donation or bequest; and it is proposed to name the department so endowed after the donor.
The Library has already found a generous patron in the person of Hon. S. W. Wheelock, whose munificent donation has secured a permanent build- ing for the Library.
Mr. and Mrs. Wheelock contributed $500 towards the original starting of the Library; as soon as the plans were completed, they also tendered the Board the use of the second floor of the Post-Office building, which was ac- cepted. Mr. Wheelock has shown great interest in the Library, and has planned with broad and comprehensive views of its usefulness.
On the 10th of March, 1877, he passed over to the Board a deed of the Post-Office building, the erection of which cost upwards of $20,000.
TIIE DEED.
" The grantors, Stillman W. Wheelock and Lydia Wheelock, his wife, of the city of Moline, County of Rock Island, and State of Illinois, for and in consideration of $1.00 in hand paid, and for the reason that they are de- sirous that the Moline Public Library may become permanently established, and wish to make a donation to the end that it may always hereafter own and control a library building suitable to its purposes, convey and warrant, subject to the conditions, reservations, restrictions and exceptions herein- after set forth, to the Board of Directors of the Moline Public Library, of the city of Moline, the following described real estate." [Here follows a legal description of the Post-Office building.]
EXCEPTIONS.
The first exception reserves the use of the first story of the building occupied for stores and the post office.
The second reserves the rent of the third story, now known as Masonic Hall, till June 22, 1880. After that time, the rent, amounting to $300 per annum, falls to the Library.
The third exception has reference to the rooms on the north side of the second floor, which are soon to be vacated. These are all the exceptions, and they are only of a temporary nature.
STIPULATIONS.
The building will hereafter be known as "Wheelock Library Hall." The stipulations to be observed by the Board of Directors of the Library are stated as follows in the deed:
"Said Directors shall provide, furnish and maintain in said building a suitable room or rooms for library and reading room. And whenever it shall be practicable, from funds coming into their hands, a room or rooms for amusements, games, conversation and music, and also for an art gallery, and a room or rooms with suitable cases for specimens in natural history, geology, minerology, botany and the kindred sciences, and literary exercises."
Another stipulation is that the rent received from any part of the building shall go to the Library Board to be held as a reserve fund for the purpose of enlarging the building, fitting and furnishing new rooms, and as a guarantee fund for literary entertainments, lectures, etc.
197
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
The next requirement is that the reading room shall be kept open four hours each Sunday.
In case the building should be destroyed by fire, and Mr. Wheelock should not see fit to rebuild it within one year, the real estate becomes the absolute property of the Board. The Board is required at all times to keep the building fully insured.
The grantees have no power to sell or convey the property donated during the life of Mr. and Mrs. Wheelock, nor to do so at any time within fifteen years from the date of the deed, without his written consent. After the time named, if the building is insufficient for the library purposes, it can, by a unanimous vote of the Directors, be sold, and the proceeds paid into the city treasury; and the amount shall be paid out only to rebuild for the use of the Library.
Among the efficient members in the organization of the Library, none have been more active than Messrs. Eugene Lewis and H. H. Grover, the former as the legal manager, both in the Legislature and in the Board, and the latter as the efficient Secretary and Collector. The ladies are entitled to great credit, as having not only pledged a liberal amount, but as being the first to complete the payment of their subscriptions.
LIBRARY REPORTS.
The following facts and statistics, gleaned from the Annual Reports of the Secretary, will be of interest. The report of 1877 not being yet com- pleted, as the Library year has only about three-fourths expired, we give those for the four years preceding, with the remark that the present unex- pired year will show an increased ratio of attendance and books issued. The Library contains about 4,000 carefully selected volumes, all of which have been purchased and procured since January 1, 1873.
1874-General Library Department, vols. issued, 8,228; Juvenile De- partment, 3,894; Total issue for the year, 11,522; average daily issue, 39.
1875-General Library Department, 7,494; Juvenile Department, 3,168; Total issue for the year, 10,662; Average monthly issue, SS8; Attendance during the year, 19,890; Average daily attendance, 66.
1876-General Library Department, 8,133; Juvenile Department, 3,558; Total issue for the year 11,691; Average monthly issue, 974; Attendance during the year, 20,986; Average daily attendance, 69.
PRESENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
President, J. M. Gould; Vice-President, J. C. Starr; Secretary, H. H. Grover; Treasurer, S. H. Velie. Members-Eugene Lewis, A. S. Wright, John Deere, E. C. Barnard, J. T. Browning. Librarian-Mrs. Kate S. Holt. Executive Committee-Messrs. Velie, Browning and Grover. Book Committee-Messrs. Barnard. Lewis and Wright. Finance Committee- Messrs. Gould, Deere and Starr.
MOLINE NEWSPAPERS.
THIE WORKMAN.
The first newspaper in Moline was started by Amos Smith, August 21, 1854, and was called the Moline Workman,-a name then and ever since typical of the industrious mechanics and laborers of that thriving
19S
HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
town. Amos Smith came to Moline from Lambertsville, New Jersey. He rented his office of James Chapman, Esq., a son-in-law of Mr. John Deere, who now resides in Jersey City. The Workman in its political tone was decidedly anti-slavery.
THIE INDEPENDENT.
In February, 1857, Robert H. Graham and Alfred Webster purchased the office of the Moline Workman and changed the name of the paper to the Moline Independent, issuing their first number on the 25th of that month. In May, 1858, Mr. Webster sold his interest to Mr. Graham and retired. In April, 1859, C. H. Brennan became partner with Mr. Gra- ham, and remained such till the 28th of December following. when he sold out to Col. M. S. Barnes. In 1860, Mr. Graham was again sole proprietor. He went to the war in Angust 1861, and J. A. Kuck, his brother-in-law, managed the paper till October, 1862, when it was discontinued.
Robert H. Graham was born in Yates County, N. Y., March 12, 1834, where he lived till his sixteenth year. IIe was well educated, graduating at Geneva College. While in college he edited the Geneva Valley Gazette a few months, published at Lima. In the winter of 1856-7 he graduated at the Albany Law School. He aided in raising a company of cavalry at Mo- line, and took the company to Leavenworth, Kansas. He was captain of the company (they called him "the Methodist Captain "), and was sent to Lexington, Mo., to guard that post. Assisted by 350 home guards he maintained his position and delivered the place over to Col. Mulligan. He was afterwards promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the 14th Missouri, and subsequently transferred to the Kansas department and promoted to Col- oneley of the Sth Kansas regiment. While at Leavenworth such was the reputation he had acquired as a disciplinarian, that General Hunter estab- lished a camp of instruction there and placed Col. Graham in command on the 6th of December, which place he occupied till March 12, 1862. He was then appointed Provost Marshal General of the State of Kansas, and fulfilled his duties faithfully till June 1, 1862, when fast failing health compelled him to resign. He returned to his native place, and died at his father's house, in Lima, N. Y., Nov. 11, 1862.
Mr. Webster was a native of Wilbraham, Mass., born September 17, 1836. Ile graduated at Union College, after which he studied law at the Albany Law School, and was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of New York in January, 1857. When he withdrew from the Independent he became a member of the law firm of Knox, Reed & Webster, in Rock Island. In 1864 he was elected to the State Senate of Illinois. He was an effective and talented lawyer, and continued to practice at Rock Island till failing health rendered it impossible for him longer to engage in business, when he spent some time in Minnesota in an effort to regain his health. He died of consumption in Rock Island, February 12, 1870.
Mr. C. H. Brennan, formerly connected with the Independent, was born in Philadelphia in 1833, and learned the art of printing in Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He came to Moline in 1859, remaining but a short time. He is now the proprietor of a job printing office in Chicago. After Mr. Brennan, Mr. Milroy was connected with the Independent for a short time.
199
IIISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Col. S. M. Barnes, and Mr. J. A. Knck, also connected with the Inde- pendent, are mentioned more at large in the history of the Rock Island Union.
THE CITIZEN.
In May, 1856, F. M. Linnehan started a job printing office in Moline, in connection with Wallace and Sickles, known as the "Franklin Book and Job Printing House," Sickles, Wallace & Linnehan. proprietors.
In July, 1858, the Citizen was started by F. M. Linnehan, as a semi- weekly Democratic paper of small size. In September, James Bowie was admitted as partner. In January, 1859, they enlarged the paper to nine columns to the page, and published it weekly. In February, Mr. Linnehan, sold out to Mr. Bowie, on time, taking a mortgage on the establishment. The paper was not a success, and as Bowie could not pay, ceased to exist some time during the summer of 1859 ; and Linnehan took possession of the property, and, in 1863, moved the material to Marengo, Iowa, where he started the Iowa Valley Gazette, continning its publication till November, 1864, when he sold the establishment to Hon. Hugh Martin, a prominent lawyer of Marengo, and went to Dubuque, where he still resides, and is employed as a compositor on the Dubuque Herald.
Mr. Bowie has been sufficiently noticed in connection with the Rock Island News.
THIE REPUBLICAN.
From 1862, when the Independent ceased, to 1865, no newspaper was printed in Moline. Late in the year 1865, William H. Jenkins started a six column paper here called the Moline Republican. It was Republican in politics, and the town being in need of such a paper, it prospered. In 1867 it was enlarged to an eight-column paper, and in June of that year, Mr. Jenkins sold the establishment to Capt. L. M. Haverstick, who closed the office, and Moline was again without a newspaper.
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