USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Historical sketch of the German-English Independent School of Indianapolis, "our old school," > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14
"Our Old School"
Historical Sketch of the German English Independent School of Indianapolis
By Theodore Stein 1914
Gc 977.202 In3st 1519399
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02302 2566
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historicalsketch00stei
.
HISTORICAL SKETCH of the GERMAN-ENGLISH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL of INDIANAPOLIS "OUR OLD SCHOOL, ¿
By THEODORE STEIN Author of THE HISTORY of the GERMAN FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY of Indiana 1854 to 1904
COPYRIGHT, 1913 THEODORE STEIN
THE CHELTENHAM-AETNA PRESS INDIANAPOLIS
1519399
Index to Portraits
00
Page.
Page.
Achilles, Frederick W 69
Ballweg, Ambrose 88
Ballweg, Frederick 88
Bals, Charles H. G 41
Bauer, George
11
Bauer, Mary Sachs. 100
Beck, Bertha Christman 108
Becker, Jacob 44
Berran, Kitty L. 60
Bieler, Jacob L. 45
Boetticher, Julius
81
Bohlen, Dietrich A. 41
Bohn, Julia W. 123
Bopp, Christian 65
Brinkmann, Charles 81
Buscher, Henry
80
Butsch, Valentine
16
Butsch, Lena W 105
Coulon, Charles 84
Damme, Franz 28
Dietrichs, Margret M. K. 109
Dietz, Friedericka M. S. 118
Dingeldey, Theodore
56
Dodge, Annie R. 64
Erdelmeyer, Frank 84
Fahrbach, Regina B 105
Ferling, George 18
Fertig, Frank
93
Fertig, Katharina W. 119
Frank, Henry
92
Frank, Johanna S. 113
Gall, Caroline E. H 100
Gall, Louise R. 115
41
Goeller, Olga
72
Goepper, Friederich
36
Goepper, Susannah B 105
Gramlich, George
64
Grobe, Charles H.
89
Grobe, Emilie M. H. 113
Haas, Carl 65
Hahn, Henry 76
Hahn, Charles F 85
Hahn, Anna M.
123
Harth, Matthias
92
Haueisen, William 36
Haueisen, Charlotte S. 108
Heim, John R. 80
Heinrichs, Charles E. 89
Hielscher, Theodore
50
Hofmann, Michael 93
Hofmann, Albert 196
Homburg, Konradin
11
Imberg, C. August. 44
John, Charles 92
John, Wilhelmine S.
113
Jose, Nicholas 33
Jose, Johanna B. 112
Keilmann, Wilhelm 61
Klemm, Louis R. 60
Knodel, Ernst 65
Koehne, Charles 18
Koehne, Wilhelmine F. 115
Koeniger, George 44
Koessly, Mrs. Ed.
68
Koster, Katherina Y.
114
Kothe, William
32
Kothe, George 33
Kothe, Christine M. 104
Krug, Gottlob C.
76
Kuhn, Charles J. 78
Kuhn, William F. 78
Lang, Susannah M. 101
68
Lieber, Hermann 28
Lieber, Peter
78
Lieber, Marianna M 104
Lieber, Sophie M. 119
Ludorff, Louis 32
Mannfeld, George 37
Mansfield, John W
64
Mayer, John F 40
Mayer, Charles 92
Mayer, Mary B. 112
Metzger, Alexander 40
29
Metzger, Wilhelmine E
104
Metzner, Adolph 37
Meyer, George F
18
Meyer, Theodore 45
Meyer, Justus
52
Miller, Reinhold A.
76
Mueller, Edward
29
V.O. A 2021
69-12-2
Hoosierland
500 /m
1
Metzger, Jacob
Goebel, John G.
Lehnert, Ernst
Page.
Mueller, Wilhelm 57
Mueller, Christiana 61
Mueller, Louise S. 119
Naltner, Aegidius
81
Naltner, Elizabeth E.
101
Pingpank, Charles
69
Poor, Adele
56
Poor, Adelaide
57
Poor, Cecelia A. 57
Pfaefflin, Theodore A. F
15
Post, Charles
93
Recker, Hubert
45
Recker, Amalie S.
122
Recker, Lena K. 122
Reissner, Albert
32
Reissner. Emilie P. F. H.
112
Reitz, Johannes
52
Reitz, Wilhelmine
53
Reitz, Henry
53
Reitz, Katharina 53
Ritzinger, Frederick 83
Rush, Fred P
88
Rush, Bertha G.
115
Schellschmidt, Adolph
76
Schellschmidt, Ferdinand 76
Schmid, Frederick 36
Schmid, Emilie S.
108
Schmidt, Christian F.
85
Schmidt, Caroline F
122
Schubert, Lena
72
Schulmeyer, Friederich
83
Schulmeyer, Margaret R.
123
Schumm, Julius 50
Schurmann, Gustavus 83
Schnull, Henry 40 Seidensticker, Adolph 16
Seidensticker, Minna S. 101
Severin, Henry
78
Severin, Augusta R. 109
Stauss, Gustav
29
Stechhan, Henrietta G. 118
Steffens, Elizabeth Y. 114
Stein, Theodore
3
Stein, Frederick 8
Stein, Henry 52
Straubenmueller, Johann 50
Stumph, John 80
Sturm, Anna C. L 114
Tilly, Hermann
85
Tschentscher, Rudolph C.
68
Volmer, Charles
89
Vonnegut, Clemens 16
Vonnegut, Katharina B.
100
84
Vorster, Alphons
Wate, Annie S.
56
Wate, Abbie R. 60
Wate, Jessie L. P. 69
Werbe, Friedericke W
109
Wirt, Sarah C.
72
Woerner, Philipp
15
Wynn, Cynthia Crook.
61
Zschech, Gustavus
28
Zschech, Anna B. F.
118
Page.
THEODORE STEIN. Born in Indianapolis, November 7, 1858.
WITH THE ADMONITION TO EMULATE THE GOOD TRAITS OF HIS PROGENITORS AND THEREBY UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OF THE FAMILY NAME, THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED TO MY SON
Theodore Helletreau Thert Stein
AND THROUGH HIM TO MY FORMER COMRADES, THE GIRLS AND BOYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL
I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT THAT SOME KIND OF A PERMANENT ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE FORMED IN ORDER TO COMMEMO- RATE THE OLD SCHOOL, OF WHICH THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT BUT THAT IT WAS THE FOUNDATION OF THE PRESENT HIGH STANDARD OF GERMAN-AMERICAN CITIZEN- SHIP EXISTING IN INDIANAPOLIS, FOR WHICH YOUR CITY NOT ONLY HAS A NATIONAL BUT A WORLD REPUTATION. THIS IS DUE TO THE ENERGETIC STEPS TAKEN BY OUR FATHERS AT THE RIGHT TIME, MOVED BY THE SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM AND THE HEART. IT HAS BORNE ITS FRUIT. OTTO METZNER.
(A former pupil. Son of Captain Adolph Metzner.)
DE ET A LAPIDE
HE AUTHOR of the pages following, an American with an 6 American ancestry antedating that of most Americans (1630), in whose veins courses blood not only of the Anglo- Saxon, but of the French Huguenot as well; and whose forefathers of the revolutionary period of our country, fought for, and alas! also against independence; is proud of his German ancestry which has had its seat on the little mountain spur on the river Lahn opposite the city of Nassau, in the present province of Hessen-Nassau in Prussia, Germany, for a thousand years. But still more is he attached, as every true American should be, to his Alma Mater-in this instance the old German-English Independent School- which, during the entire time of its existence was located on the north side of Maryland between Delaware and Alabama streets, in the city of Indianapolis.
The attachment for this school, to which he and others owe so much, has prompted the writer to undertake a short sketch, dating from the founda- tion and continuing to its close, in 1882.
While the author has met with general and hearty encouragement and wellwishes in his effort to recall our youthtime as we lived the same in school, he has also met with suggestions that some of us may possibly not wish to remember the plain days and ways of our school, as contrasted with the state of affluence of the present day. If such sentiment exists, he has failed to find it. For the benefit of those who may, however, harbor feelings of this kind, he wishes to express his profoundest sympathy.
VOLTAIRE in his "Tancrede" said :
"A tous les coeurs bien nés que la patrie est chère!" Translated: "How dear is the fatherland to all noble hearts!"
VOLTAIRE also wrote in "Le Fanatisme":
"La patrie est aux lieux où l'âme est enchainée!" Translated: "Our country is that spot to which our heart is bound!"
Admirable sentiments indeed, and to these I will add in German as apropos to the subject dwelt on in this volume: "Wer die Schule seiner Kindheit nicht in gutem Andenken halten will, ist ihrer unwuerdig."
Our Old School
T HE establishment of our old school was primarily due to a desire on the part of certain citizens of German birth, of the early part of the last half of the nineteenth century, to have the German language taught their children, alongside the official tongue of our country, without any re- ligious embellishment to detract; something which was impossible in our city schools of that period.
This desire did not assert itself until some time after another effort along more conservative lines had culminated in an action of the City Council of our city, when, on December 1, 1856, it was resolved,
"That German children should have instruction in their own language and that a part of the city school fund be appro- priated to employ a German teacher."
Frederick Stein, the father of the author of these pages, who had been elect- ed the City Clerk of our city only a short while before, aided in this movement and may have had some weight with the councilmen owing to prestige attendant upon being the first of his party, the newly-born Republican party, to attain to that office.
An editorial in the "Freie Presse" of December 11, 1856, after compliment- ing the City Council for its action, closed by saying, "May the public schools and public education prosper forever."
This language would indicate that the Germans of that day were not nar- row or even particularistic ; they wanted their children to have the widest possible scope of learning along elementary lines; they wanted German taught their off- spring alongside the English language, and were overjoyed when the City Council favored action looking to an accomplishment of their wishes in this regard.
Their joy was, however, destined to be short-lived, for the resolution was referred by the Council to the city's School Trustees for inquiry into the feasibil- ity of the plan, and these wise men, Calvin Fletcher, David V. Cully and David S. Beaty, declared against the same for the following reasons :
1. Insufficient room.
2. Lack of money.
3. It would not be right to favor German, for in that event the French liv- ing here (a mere handful) would demand similar recognition.
4. Fear of sectarian influence to divide the school fund.
5. The public schools are for all children, and a great many children of Ger- mans are attending the same.
6. Two languages can not be taught at the same time in the beginning.
MAPAZAL
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
( 8 )
How ridiculous the last objection sounds at the present day, in the light of experience, and the results attained in the German-English Independent School of Indianapolis !
As a result of the action of the city School Trustees no German was taught in the public schools for several years to come, the burden remaining with individ- ual efforts of citizens of German extraction, and of German teachers who had been and were thereafter coming to the city on their itineraries through the States, and also with German Lutheran and Reformed Church schools.
As a matter of interest the writer incorporates herewith a list of the city's officers for the year 1856:
Councilmen-1st Ward: Samuel Delzell and George Durham. 2d Ward: F. S. Newcomer and Samuel Patterson.
Od Ward: Douglas Maguire and William Mansur.
4th Ward: Geo. W. Pitts and Samuel Crocker. 5th Ward: N. B. Palmer and Adam Gold.
6th Ward: Livingston Dunlop and Nixon Hughes.
7th Ward: Henry Buscher and William McKee.
Mayor-William John Wallace.
Clerk-Frederick Stein.
Treasurer-Francis King.
Marshal-Jefferson Springsteen.
Deputy Marshal-Samuel Keely.
City Attorney-John Morrison.
Street Commissioner-Jacob Fitler.
City Engineer-Daniel B. Hosbrook.
Assessor-John B. Stumph.
Night Watch-Captain H. F. Mapes.
FREDERICK STEIN.
Born in Wabern, Hessen-Cassel, Germany, March 27, 1825. Came to America in 1850. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1855. Died April 16, 1895.
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
( 9 )
One of the things interesting to all school boys and girls, and now of his- torical interest to the former pupils of the old school is the fire department of yonder days. Who of the earlier pupils of the school does not remember old Andy Wal- lace, the wholesale grocer, with quarters at the southwest corner of Delaware and Maryland streets ?
Mr. Wallace was the chief fire engineer, to whom we looked up with pride and wonderment. Afterward Dan Glazier filled the same position until his untime- ly death in the Woodburn-Sarven Wheel fire, now over forty years ago. The fire com- panies consisted of the following :
Marions No. 1, with engine house at the southwest corner of Massachusetts avenue and New York street.
Independent Reliefs No. 3, or "Row Boats," so-called from the peculiar way of working the hand engine then in use by them. This company was located on Meridian street, opposite the postoffice. The latter before 1862 was situated on the east side of Meridian street, north of Pearl.
Invincibles No. 2, or "Wooden Shoes," so-called from their German constit- uency, with its engine house on the east side of New Jersey street, at the north- east corner of Court.
Westerns No. 4, with engine house on the south side of Washington, west of West street.
Unions No. 5, located on the south side of South street, between Delaware and Alabama streets.
The hook and ladder house was located on the west side of Delaware, between Market and Ohio streets.
In connection herewith I present a picture of "Glenn's Block" with its watch tower, containing the old fire alarm bell during our school days. Glenn's Block served not only as a home of the New York store, Carmichael's book store, etc., but the two upper stories were used for the city hall in those days. The city offices were there, including the council chamber. See page No. 126.
Preceding the councilmanic effort, the "Indiana Volksblatt" of December 17, 1853 contained the following editorial expression :
Neue Schule-Unter den Anzeigen unserer heutigen Nummer finden unsere Leser auch die Ankuendigung des Herrn Winter (Wirth), eines praktisch gebilde- ten deutschen Lehrers zur Bildung einer neuen Schule.
Obgleich wir noch nicht Gelegenheit hatten, uns durch persoenliche An- schauung von dem Zustande der hiesigen deutschen Schulen zu unterrichten, so sind wir doch der festen Ueberzeugung, dass eine hoehere Elementarschule hier nicht nur Raum finden wuerde, sondern sogar ein Beduerfniss ist.
Dass Herr Winter (Wirth) sich bei der Gruendung seiner Schule unabhaengig von den verschiedenen Sekten haelt, ist ein sehr guter Schritt, da so die Eltern aller Confessionen ihm ihre Kinder anvertrauen duerfen, ohne befuerchten zu muessen, dass sie die Schule ihren Glaubenslehren entfremde.
Wir sind der Ansicht, dass es auch fuer die Fortschritte der Kinder besser ist,
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
( 10)
wenn der Religionsunterricht in der Schule sich auf das Allgemeine beschraenkt, und das Spezielle desselben dem Kirchen- und Pfarr-Unterrichte ueberlassen bleibe.
Was Herrn Winter (Wirth) anbelangt, so scheint uns derselbe, soweit wir Gelegenheit hatten, mit ihm zu verkehren, ein tuechtiger Paedagog, der fuer die Leitung einer gutem Schule vollkommen befaehigt ist.
Wir wuenschen ihm alles Glueck und hoffen, dass er bald Gelegenheit erhalten wird, etwas Tuechtiges in seinem Fache zu Stande zu bringen.
Here follows the above referred to announcement:
Deutsche Schule-Am 21ten Januar, 1854, Morgens 9 1-2 Uhr eroeffnet der Unterzeichnete im Lokale der hiesigen Zionsgemeinde eine Deutsche Schule, welche, ohne confessionelle Faerbung und unabhaengig von einer Partei, sich die Aufgabe stellt, die ihr anvertrauten Kinder auf das buergerliche und Geschaeftsleben vorzu- bereiten.
Es wird an 6 Tagen der Woche Unterricht ertheilt im Rechnen, Schreiben, Lesen, Zeichnen, in Geographie, Geschichte und Naturkunde.
Das Schulgeld betraegt 2 Dollars per Quartal und wird im Anfange des Quar- tals entrichtet.
Anmeldungen nehme ich entgegen in meiner Wohnung bei Mr. Ballmann, Washington Strasse, Indianapolis.
(Signed) RUDOLPH WIRTH, Lehrer aus Preussen.
Subsequently one J. Reiss inserted in the "Indiana Volksblatt" the following:
Deutsche Schule .- J. Reiss beginnt am 3ten April einen deutschen Elementar Unterricht. Er ersucht seine Landsleute ihm ihre Kinder zu schicken.
Durch Abhaltung vierteljaehriger Pruefungen sollen die Eltern Gelegenheit erhalten, sich von dem Fortschritte der Kinder zu ueberzeugen.
Seine Wohnung ist Liberty Strasse, zwischen New York und Ohio Strassen, In- dianapolis, Maerz 31, 1855.
(Signed) J. REISS, Deutscher Lehrer.
This notice appeared again on April 7 and 14, 1855, in the "Indiana Volks- blatt," which paper under date of March 31, said editorially :
"Wir machen unsere Leser auf die Schulanzeige des Herrn J. Reiss in einer anderen Spalte dieses Blattes aufmerksam,und glauben Eltern welche eine praktische Elementarbildung fuer ihre Kinder wuenschen, mit Recht diesen Lehrer empfehlen zu koennen, da er in Deutschland gebildet worden und sich durch vieljaehrige Praxis tuechtige Erfahrung im Schulfache erworben hat."
About this time Karl Beyschlag, an editor of the "Freie Presse," with the aid of the "Verein Freier Maenner," also attempted a German school, but apparently with little success, for in all my searches I have not met with anyone who would say that he or she attended the Beyschlag school.
Since the author does not subscribe to the doctrines of "free-thinkerism," in- sofar as condemnation of all that pertains to religion is concerned, he cheerfully mentions the fact that German was taught in this city, long before there were any attempts at "Confessionslose Schulen," namely the school of the German Evangel- ical Zions Church, and of the German Reformed Church. However, the German
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF ' HISTORY
(11)
GEORGE BAUER. Born in Neckardenzlingen, Wuerttemberg, Germany, Dec. 31, 1821. Landed in America in 1846. Came to Indianapolis in 1848. Died June 27, 1858.
DR. KONRADIN HOMBURG. Born in the Rhein Pfalz, Bavaria, Germany, in 1797. Landed in America about 1826. Came to Indianapolis in -. Died March 1, 1881.
taught was by preachers and not college-bred teachers, hence there was more stress laid on the Catechisin than on grammatically correct languages.
Nothing more was heard of the Wirth and Reiss schools; but on January 29, 1857, Theodore Hielscher, who was afterward to play such a prominent part in the establishment of our school, advertised a lecture to be given by him in Turner hall, on February 1, 1857, for the benefit of the "Erste Deutsche Confessionslose Schule."
On February 26, 1857, Mr. Hielscher announced another lecture for Sunday night, March 1, 1857, in Turner Hall, the price of admission being placed at ten cents for gentlemen, ladies free; all for the benefit of the "Erste Deutsche Confessionslose Schule," welche sich hier bildet.
Incidentally Mr. Hielscher tells us that the receipts of the first lecture amounted to the munificent sum of three (3) dollars.
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
( 12 )
I am certain that the Turner Hall here referred to was the building connected with Apollo garden at the southwest corner of Kentucky avenue and Tennessee street, now Capitol avenue, and not the original Turner Hall on North Noble street.
Mr. Hielscher was in those days the editor of the "Freie Presse," one of the two German weekly newspapers of this city.
While the "Volksblatt," the other of the two papers was a partisan Demo- cratic sheet, the "Freie Presse" was equally partisan, but of abolition Republican tendencies.
Under date of May 7, 1857, the "Freie Presse" contained the following an- nouncement :
"Schule-Die Herren Bauer und Charles G. Miller sind erboetig Anmeldungen fuer die Deutsch-Englische Schule anzunehmen. Nur bis zum ersten Juni werden diese Anmeldungen angenommen. Nur solche duerfen sich melden die ihre Kinder regelmaessig schicken wollen."
About this time and until his death the year following, Mr. George Bauer who is here and hereafter mentioned, was engaged in the merchant tailoring busi- ness with Mr. Frederick Goepper, and was one of the most enterprising and public- spirited of our citizens of German birth. He was not only recognized as an honor- able and upright gentleman, but he was a leader in the thought and part of the leaven which brought about the organization of the Republican party in this locality, so far as the German population was concerned. His children, Elizabeth, Mary and George, were pupils of our old school from its inception, and one regret is that their father did not live to see the fruit of his labors ripen.
On May 14, 1857, the "Freie Presse" published the following:
"Am Montag den 18ten Mai beginnt die Deutsche-Englische Schule; das Schullokal ist im Hause des Herrn Ballmann, der Office der "Freien Presse" gegen- ueber.
"Der Unterricht dauert von 8-12 Uhr Vormittags; nur Kinder die regelmaes- sig kommen werden aufgenommen. Nach dem ersten Juni hoert die Aufnahme von Kindern auf, etc.
"Anmeldungen bei Herrn Bauer und Charles G. Miller. Am Sonntag Abend um sieben ein half Uhr findet eine Versammlung der Eltern in Herrn Charles G. Mil- ler's Saal (Lokal des Gesangvereins) statt."
To better identify the location of the Hielscher school as herein described, let it be said that the home of the "Freie Presse" at the here specifically referred to period was in a building, the site of which is now occupied by the east half of the Pembroke Arcade on Washington street. Opposite the same on the north side of the same street, on the site of the present "Hereth Building," once owned by Emma Abbott, of comic opera fame, Matthias Moesch conducted a confectionery, and ad- joining the same on the west and on the same lot, was Hermann Ballmann's tailor shop and dwelling, and here it appears, the "Erste Deutsche Confessionslose Schule" was first opened up.
From this location the Hielscher school was transferred to the third floor of the John R. Heim building at the southwest corner of Washington and Alabama
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
(13)
streets, where the "Freie Presse" also had established its home. The John R. Heim building afterward became the property of one of Mr. Hielscher's pupils, Otto Stech- han, who became one of the first pupils of our old school.
The "Lokal des Gesangvereins" was in a building at 27 South Delaware street, where is now the general office of the German Fire Insurance Company of Indiana. On June 4, 1857, the "Freie Presse" wrote:
"Die Deutsch-Englische freie Schule gedeiht besser als wir uns vorgestellt hatten. Bereits 20 Kinder nahmen Theil, und alle Kinder von Eltern die da wollen, dass ihre Kinder was lernen, und sie regelmaessig schicken, etc.
"Auskunft bei Herrn Bauer und Charles G. Miller."
This school appears to have been continued under the direction of Mr. Hiel- scher and as an individual enterprise, for on April 8, 1858, he advertises in the "Freie Presse," that his school would again open.
On June 10, 1858, Ludwig Heye announces in the "Freie Presse" hoeheren Unterricht fuer aeltere Kinder deutscher Eltern! Naeheres bei J. B. Nell, 86 East Washington Strasse, ueber Rosengarten's Drug Store.
(The German population of that day did not seem much inclined to hoeheren Unterricht for their children, for this newspaper notice was the first and last heard of it.)
On August 28, 1858, Theodore Hielscher inserted in the "Freie Presse" the news that his school was again open.
The "Freie Presse" of September 23, 1858, contains the following :
"Schule-Vom ersten bis 15ten October nehme ich wieder Kinder in meine Schule auf. Dieselbe umfasst zwei Klassen, jede unter einem besonderen Lehrer.
"Das Schulgeld betraegt fuer ein Kind monatlich $1.00; fuer zwei Kinder $1.50; fuer drei Kinder $2.00.
"Kinder deren Vater stirbt waehrend sie diese Schule besuchen, haben von da an, wenn keine Gesellschaft dafuer bezahlt, den Unterricht frei. Wer ein Waisen- kind zur Schule schickt, zahlt dafuer den halben Preis.
"Das Schulgeld wird im Voraus entrichtet und kein Kind wird aufgenommen dessen Eltern nicht zu ordentlichem regelmaessigem Schulbesuch fuer das Kind verpflichtet.
Nach dem 15ten October wird die Aufnahme von Zoeglingen geschlossen. Wer bis dahin sein Kind nicht schickt, hat bis sum naechsten Fruehjahr zu warten, damit nicht die schon vorgeschrittenen Schueler stets durch neue Ankoemmlinge gestoert und aufgehalten werden. (Signed) THE. HIELSCHER."
A week later, or following the above elaborate notice, Mr. Hielscher told the public through the "Freie Presse" that he would conduct a night school for the Eng- lish language.
Under date of December 30, 1858, the "Freie Presse" published the following announcement :
"Deutsch-Englische Schule .- Der Unterzeichnete macht hiermit unserem ver- ehrtem Deutschem Publikum bekannt, dass er naechsten Montag den dritten
OUR OLD SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY
(14)
Januar (1859) Morgens 9 Uhr, in dem basement der schottischen Kirche Ecke der Delaware und Ohio Strassen, eine Deutsch-Englische Schule eroeffnen wird.
(Signed) "JULIUS SCHUMM, Lehrer."
While the efforts of Wirth, Reiss, Beyschlag, Heye, Hielscher and Schumm were purely personal and intended for private gain, Beyschlag and Hielscher no doubt received much encouragement from the "Freie Maenner Verein," prominent among whom were George Bauer, Theodore Hielscher, Gustav Zschech, Franz Damme, George Mannfeld, Charles John, John F. Mayer, Matthias Moesch, Jacob Becker, Hermann Weinberger, and others, all abolitionists on the all-absorbing slavery ques- tion of those days.
The "Verein Freier Maenner" appears to have had its headquarters at Turner Hall on North Noble street, the site of the present, 117 or 119, in the earlier part of its existence, for a Fourth of July program published in the "Indiana Volksblatt" of July 1, 1854, tells us of the formation of a procession at their place of meeting above described and their march west on Market street to Delaware, south to Washington, west on Washington to Colonel May's lot back of Meikel's Brewery, later the site of Kingan's pork house.
The "Bund der Treue" or "B. D. T.," a semi-secret organization of German men, the direct result of the so-called "Know-Nothing" period, had for membership some if not all the foregoing gentlemen, and a sprinkling of "Forty-eighters" or German revolutionists with Dr. Konradin Homburg at its head. The "B. D. T." met in the latter's office, and were staunch supporters of everything German, especially Ger- man education.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.