USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 18
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(Rev. A. H. Lemon was the rector of the newly organized St. Paul's Episcopal Church from 1836-1844. Rev. Wm. Vaux an Eng- lishman serving in like capacity during 1845.)
There is also a like notice of Aug. 31, 1843.
SCHOOL NOTICE
"The subscriber takes pleasure in announcing to his patrons that he has secured the service of Mrs. Young of Madison, Ia., for the Fe- male Department of this school. Mrs. Young comes well recommended and has had ten years of experience in teaching. She will take charge of the school next quarter, to commence on the 13th of September.
N. B. The male Department is under the charge of Mr. J. A. Findley an experienced teacher who will commence the next quarter on the 11th of September. The term per quarter will vary from $2.50 to $4.00.
A. H. Lemon (Ep. Min.) Aug. 31, 1843."
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July 23, 1843 we find the first boarding school for young ladies mentioned :
Female Seminary.
"The fall term of the Evansville Female Seminary, will commence on the Third Wednesday (20th of September next).
J. R. Barnes Principal. A like notice of Aug. 15th, 1844 reads :
"The Fall term of the Evansville Female Seminary will commence on Wednesday the 11th of September next. Tuition from $12.00 to $18.00 per year. Board without washing $1.25 per week.
J. R. Barnes Principal. Aug. 15, 1844."
The principal named Rev. Jeremiah Barnes was a graduate of Yale. He stopped off at Evansville in 1836 to avoid traveling on the Sabbath and finding the congregation of the Little Church on the Hill without a pastor consented to remain. He built a few years later at the corner of 3rd and Chestnut Streets a house to accommodate his little family and to afford room for this Female Seminary. His wife survived only a year and he married again, his second wife, proving an admirable as- sistant, having been formerly a teacher in a Seminary in the East. Of her influence in the school her loyal husband writes thus "My pupils will long remember her gentle ways, her earnest morals and re- ligious instructions."
In the Journal of September 28, 1843 Mr. Wurtz of New Orleans advertises.
"Special lessons in German, French and Latin"
Was Mr. Wurtz also a traveler, who by chance stopped off a day and was charmed to stay and cast in his lot with the little band of Pioneers ?
That same year, not to be outdone by the Episcopalians and Presby- terians, the Methodists opened a school in the basement of their Chapel. The advertisement is dated Aug. 22, 1844.
"Mr. M. Trafton will open a school on Monday the 2nd day of September next in which will be taught all the branches of a thorough English Education together with the Latin and French languages. As he will have the assistance of his sister, Miss Anna Trafton, he will receive the youth of both sexes, and every suitable age even those who have attended only primary schools. The terms are as moderate as any other good school in the town. The above school will be taught in the basement of the Methodist chapel, in a room already fitted up for the purpose."
Journal Aug. 22, 1844.
It was the age of Lyceums and lectures and the enterprising town of 1844 organized one of her own.
I quote from an Editorial of the Journal.
"We call attention of our readers to the Evansville Lyceum, the
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
organization of which will be found below. An institution of this sort, all will agree is needed in our town and we sincerely hope that it will merit encouragement and success.
"At a meeting of the citizens of Evansville held at the office of Messrs. Battell and Ingle Saturday evening Oct. 19th 1844 for the purpose of organizing a Lyceum the following leutemen were elected officers :
President-Judge C. I. Battell.
Vice Presidents-James Cawson Esq., Dr. G. B. Walker.
Board of Managers: John Mitchell, Dr. Wm. H. Stockwell, Wm. H. Elliott, H. P. De Butler, John Shanklin, G. Maghee, R. W. Dun- bar, James Laughlin and E. B. Coleman.
Board of Censors-James E. Blythe, John Ingle and Conrad Baker. Secretary ---- James E. Blythe.
Treasurer-John J. Chandler.
Order of Lectures for Nov. 1844 :
1st week Nov. 6th-Wm. Newton Esq.
2nd week Nov. 13th-Rev. J. R. Barnes.
3rd week Nov. 20th-Richard Owen Esq.
4th week Nov. 27th --- Judge C. I. Battell.
At a meeting of the Board of Managers John Mitchell was ap- pointed President. G. Maghee Secretary. On motion resolved that for the purpose of defraying the contingent expenses of the Lectures tickets will be sold to the gentlemen for 50 cents which will admit him to the series of lectures for the winter and ten cents will admit him to a single lecture."
Was this a sample of old time gallantry, or did the ladies of 1844 need some such inducement to lure them from their firesides?
Notice of 1st lecture follows :
"A lecture will be delivered before the lyceum on Wednesday even- ing at 7 o'clock at the Court House by Wm. Newton Esq. Those de- sirous to attend can obtain tickets by applying at the store of John Shanklin, Wm. Caldwell, W. & C. Bell or J. H. Maghee & Co."
Journal Oct. 31, 1844.
Nothing illustrates to me more fully the dearth of distracting enter- tainment at that day, than the advertisement of thirty consecutive lec- tures on Grammar in the Journal of Aug. 14, 1845. It must have taxed the ingenuity of this forerunner of Extension Courses, to in- terest and hold an audience on such a weighty subject. Oh the times and the manners !
GRAMMAR LECTURES
"The undersigned will commence a second course of lectures on this nceportant branch of Education on Monday Evening next and contdings thirty evenings. Terms $3.00 per scholar to be paid at the expi then of the term. Those who doubt the utility of this system will py bje call any or every evening of this week and see what has been] pret. For the benefit of those who cannot attend the evening classching } teach a class every afternoon." Aug. .845 G. H. Spencer.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Another such special course we find advertised in the Journal of February 12th, 1846, which is quaint in its phraseology and savors of some more modern methods of advertising.
NOTICE
"I will give a lesson on the Lancaster System of Geography at the Court House tomorrow evening (Friday the 13th) at early candle lighting for the purpose of making up a class. I proffer to teach as much as can be learned in six months on the common plan, in fifteen days for two dollars."
Wm. Gates.
Lectures on Chemistry are announced in the Journal of Nov. 16th 1848.
"Rev. C. A. Foster announces a course of lectures on Chemistry to be given in the brick school room next to the Episcopal church. Five dollars for the course."
To return to the schools.
In the Journal of May 28, 1846
"Mrs. A. E. Gorsuch proposes to open a seminary for young ladies in Evansville on Monday the 4th instant if sufficient patronage be obtained. The design is to establish a permanent institution in which a regular course of studies will be taught. Should it be found requisite a competent assistant will be procured. The terms of the institution will be as follows :-
"Preparatory Dept." $2.50 Geography, grammar and arithmetic $3.50, algebra, Geometry, Astronomy, Botany, Mental and Moral Philosophy $5.00 French and German Languages. Music, Drawing and Painting $5.00."
A printed monthly report card sent to the parents of Wm. Halleck Feb. 25th 1847 and signed A. E. Gorsuch, instructress E. F. Institute, has come into the possession of the Vanderburgh County Museum among other papers. Marks are given on perfect, imperfect and very bad lessons, on attendance, late or absent on violation of rules and on general conduct. The report preserved is exceptionally good, bearing in writing also this addition-Bright marks 2601.
A Medical College was established in Evansville in 1846 following the organization of a Medical Society in 1845. The notice of election of trustees is given in the Journal of Feb. 19th, 1846.
"On the 2nd of Feb. 1846, at an adjourned meeting of the Evans- ville Medical Society the following named gentlemen were elected Trustees of the Evansville Medical College, Conrad Baker, Ho4. C. I. Battell, Willard Carpenter, Jas. G. Jones, James E. Blythe Sy tor. F. Muhlhausen, Isaac Casselberry, John T. Walker, B. V. Teel, John
R. Wilcox."
John R. Wilcox, Seeum, y.
In the Journal of Aug. 24th 1843 The Vanderburgh b. Society advertises :-
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY 171
"German and English Bible can be had at Depositary in J. M. Caldwell's store on Main St.
(Notice of School Books)
A private High School with tuition seems an anomoly but such an one was proposed in the following notice :
"The undersigned having come to Evansville at the request of a number of the friends of Education to engage in teaching, would in- form the citizens in Evansville and the vicinity that he will open a High School for boys in the lower story of the Court House on Mon- day the 28th inst. at 9 o'clock where instruction will be given in the following branches and at the following rates :---
Rhetorical reading, Penmanship, History, Geography, English, Grammar and Arithmetic at $4.00 per quarter of eleven weeks each. Exercises in Analysis, Composition and Declamation, Algebra, Geom- etry, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry $6.00 per quarter. Latin and Greek Language, Trigonometry Elements of Surveying and higher branches of Mathematics $8.00 per quarter It is the design of the teacher to establish a school on a permanent basis, which shall prepare young men for professional or other business, who may not want to take a full college course or to prepare those who may for advanced standing in the best colleges and universities. A more extended notice of the school and of the teachers and of the books used will be given as the case may require. At present it will be sufficient to men- tion as the best class books, Davies Course in Mathematics throughout, Andrews introductory books in Latin and Anthon's in Greek, Butler's Rhetorical Reader. Expenses for the rent of the school room and fuel to be added to the bills of tuition, which are to be paid by the end of each quarter.
J. Faries.
Journal Aug. 22, 1846.
Mrs. Lura Heilman recalls her mother attending a private school for young ladies in 1847-1850 kept by two well educated cultured women, the Misses York, who came here from the East. "Judged," she says, "by the standard of that time, the school was an unusually good one, and attracted students from out of town. They gave instruc- tion in a large number of subjects, considered suitable for young ladies. I am sure of two, Astronomy and English Literature. One of them also gave drawing lessons.
Early in the fifties the Sisters of Providence opened a school for girls called St. Joseph Academy in the Griffith home at the corner of Second and Sycamore Streets, next door to the Church of the Assump- tion. Sister Anastasia, who was the Principal, died recently at an ad- vanced age. The school flourished during the years immediately pre- ceding the organization of a Public High School and was attended by the daughters of prominent Protestant as well as Catholic families. Copy books in beautiful script, pencil sketches and fine needlework, still preserved by their children, bear witness to the excellence of the teaching in these "ladylike accomplishments." A school for younger
-
.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
children both Irish and German was held in the basement of the ad- joining church.
We may well wonder at the large number of schools at this time, and the high standard of teaching maintained. They had much to do with the future prosperity of, our city and county.
The last one of note in the period assigned me was advertised thus in the Evansville Journal of November-1847.
MALE ACADEMY AND FEMALE SEMINARY
"Myron W. Safford gives notice that the above named institutions will commence the winter quarter the last Monday of November 1847. He will do all the work of the Academy. Mrs. L. M. Safford, assisted by E. F. Morton and S. C. Bowden will do the Seminary work. The academic covers Primary and Higher English Languages, Algebra and Geometry. The Seminary work-Primary Studies, Higher Eng- lish, Latin, French and Piano-forte music. Tuition $3 to $8 per quar- ter. Board for Ladies $1.50 per week."
Among the treasured posessions of an aunt of mine, Martha Orr, former pupil of Mr. Safford, I found an old scrap book with news- paper clippings, published at the time of his death, giving, fully his biography, while a catalogue of the school for 1850-1851 gives the list of pupils and details concerning the curriculum.
Adding to this, bits of reminiscence of surviving teachers and pu- pils, set forth a picture which seems worthy of preservation of early school life in the little city of Evansville.
Scanning the list of pupils, one recognizes the names of merchants, lawyers, editors, preachers, statesmen, philanthropists-who, moulded into character by this Yankee schoolmaster, became the founders and leaders of the city, that was yet to be. Well may we pause to consider the man, and his methods, who could so impress his ideals upon his generation.
Myron W. Safford was born among the rugged hills of Vermont, the 18th of January, 1812, in the town of Cambridge,-its very name suggestive of academic tradition. He was the son of Captain John and Elizabeth (Montague) Safford and a grandson of General Sam- uel Safford of Bennington Vermont, who served as Lieutenant-Col- onel in the Revolutionary Army and as Brigadier-General of the Ver- mont Militia. He was twenty-three years a member of the Governor's Council and for a quarter of a century Chief Judge of the Bennington County Courts.
Mr. Myron Safford was graduated at Middlebury College in 1839, studying Theology at Andover Theological Seminary the following year. Lured by the fame of Dr. Lyman Beecher of Lane Theological Seminary at Cincinnati, Ohio, the training school of the progressive New School branch of the Presbyterian Church, he came West and after a year of study there was licensed to preach in 1841. Cincinnati was then a center of business and culture, destined by all known signs to become the great metropolis of the West.
For several years he supplied destitute churches in Kentucky, with his home at Morganfield. Having however inherited a frail body and
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
a weak voice, he soon gave up preaching, and at the solicitation of the citizens of Morganfield, he took charge of the Academy there, where he taught for six years.
The 7th of September 1842 he married at Shawneetown Illinois, Lucretia Parsons Morton, eldest daughter of the Rev. Daniel Oliver and Lucretia ( Parsons) Morton. She was a niece of Levi Parsons, who went with Pliny Fisk as the first missionaries of the American Board to Syria, and a sister of Levi P. Morton, wealthy New York merchant and banker, afterwards Vice President of the U. S. Mrs. Morton was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke Seminary during the Presi- dency of Mary Lyn, and had come to Morganfield to teach in the Seminary.
How he happened to move to Evansville I do not know but a school was opened in Evansville in November 1847. The family lived in the old Scantlin home on Third Street, between Chestnut and Walnut, with the young women boarders. One of them, Miss Lavinia Scant- lin, recalls that the fare was simple and the discipline strict.
The school was held in a two story frame building, built on a hill of some fifteen feet elevation on the east side of Second Street be- tween Main and Locust Streets. It had been erected adjoining, the little Presbyterian Church, to serve as lecture room on Sundays and week nights, and was rented by Mr. Safford for his Academy at a yearly rental of $35, according to the records of the church of 1849.
Mrs. James Cutler of Evansville, recently deceased, in the 90th year of her age, wrote thus of Mr. Safford in reply to a question of our President concerning Mr. Safford, his appearance, age, traits and work :
"I was employed by him only one year from September 1852-1853 as the opening of the Public Schools caused him to abandon his work here. A casual meeting would give one the impression of an educated gentleman, not strong in character, but a goodness of heart and con- scientious endeavor to perform faithfully the duties of life, seemed to be revealed. Was never a visitor in his school but report said he found it difficult to control the conduct of young America even in those days. His wife, a sister of Hon. Levi P. Morton, was literary to a high degree. The last magazine must be read, before any other duty, however pressing, although she was a housekeeper and a mother. Two of her sisters, Misses Morton, were teachers in the Safford School before my coming to Evansville. While teaching under Mr. Safford's supervision, I was a member of his family and can testify that he per- formed his part of family life admirably. Always pleasant, even tempered and altogether a very agreeable person to be associated with, save when you wanted advice as to control in the school room; then his reply was "Do as you see best." I believe he was a competent, faithful teacher, with a shrinking from collision with pupils. Age un- known, medium height, thin in flesh, in fact the typical schoolmaster of olden times, lacking the belligerent qualities of many."
The tell-tale scrap book preserves several amusing stories of teachers of the school, which no doubt furnished a bit of gossip for
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
the Sewing Society of the "Little Church on the Hill." One reads- "To assist in the work of the Seminary later came the two sisters of Mrs. Safford, Mary, and Martha Morton, twins, handsome of face and possessed of fine accomplishments. About the time of their de- parture from Evansville, Miss Mary met a Presbyterian Minister named Hartpence, who fell in love with her. When he proposed mar- riage, she told him frankly that she did not believe she was adapted to the life of a minister's wife, but she had a twin sister, who was so much like herself in appearance that their relatives could hardly tell them apart, but who was wholly different in disposition, and who would be exactly the woman for him." Subsequently by the machinations of this matchmaking sister Mr. Hartpence did meet Miss Martha and mar- ried her, moving to Columbia Tennessee soon after. Miss Mary re- turned to the East and married Wm. Grinnell, associated with her brother in the wholesale dry-goods business in New York City. Her grandson is now minister in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City.
Miss Caroline Abbott, one of the teachers in the Seminary was a lovely woman and fine instructor. She afterwards married Dr. Blunt of Mt. Vernon, Indiana. She was a member of the household of H. Q. Wheeler, while in Evansville, who had read law in her father's office in the East.
Miss Rebecca Sophia Clark, principal of the Seminary in 1850, was a sister-in-law of H. Q. Wheeler. After leaving Evansville she attained fame as a writer of girls books under the nom de plume of Sophie May. Many of the characters in the Prudie books and the Dotty Dimple series were recognized as girls in the Safford School of Evansville, Mary Wheeler, daughter of H. Q. Wheeler and Nannie Sorensen (Mrs. W. E. French) being the heroines in Dotty Dimple. She may have been weaving her plots while here, for one of her pupils describes her as dreamy and absent minded. Miss Edith Reilly says daring pu- pils taking advantage of her reveries, often slipped out of the low win- dows to the playground for a game of marbles and back again without her missing them. Mrs. Evans recalls that Sis Baker in mischievous mood one day, crouching low, sneaked past Miss Dean, the near- sighted teacher, and once outside dropped through a coal hole to the cellar below, whence suddenly issued most unearthly groans, to the consternation of those not in the secret. Upon a second repetition of the offense, Mr. Safford was unwillingly summoned to inflict a most unusual punishment, the ferruling of the hand of a girl pupil.
The catalogue of the school of 1850-51, printed on blue gray paper at the Evansville Job Office, corner of Main and Water Streets, has been preserved. It contains a full list of pupils of that year, as well as the courses offered. As a heading it bears within a frame of fancy scroll design, the motto-"A good Education the parents' best legacy." Of the Academy, Mr. M. W. Safford, is named as Principal. Wm. W. Safford (a nephew) Assistant-pupil, L. H. A. Flengel Teacher of Ger- man language. Of the Seminary, Miss R. Clark, Principal.
In 1850 there were 105 pupils, an increase of 60% over the pre-
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
vious year, 65 male and 40 female. Of these 19 studied Latin, 11 algebra, 2 Greek and 5 French. A class in Astronomy and Geometry was promised for the succeeding year. Drawing, Painting and Music with the use of an instrument, were among the "extras."
In his prospectus to parents, Mr. Safford announces his aim:
"To give instruction to young ladies and gentlemen in what are usually denominated the higher branches to afford those wishing to teach an opportunity of becoming well qualified for business and aid them in getting good situations and last, though not least, to prepare young men for the regular college course."
The majority of the pupils were residents of Evansville, a town of 5,105 inhabitants, four were from Lamasco, two Vanderburgh County, three New Harmony, one Bluegrass, one Mechanicsville, one Sparta, Illinois. The full list of pupils is here given.
Female Department -- Maria Blish, Evansville; Mary E. Boicourt, Evansville ; Ann Clancy, Evansville; Margaret Clancy, Evansville ; Cassena Duncan, Evansville; Caroline Emrich, Evansville; Barbara Emrich, Evansville ;. Rosanna Farrell, Evansville; Nancy E. Foster, Evansville; Myra Glover, Evansville; Mary F. Hart, Evansville; Mary G. Harvey, Evansville; Madeline Harvey, Evansville; Maria Herchelman, Lamasco; Wilhelmine Herchelman, Lamasco; Agnes Hopkins, Evansville; Nancy Johnson, Evansville; Ann E. Lawrence, Evansville, Emily Lister, Evansville; Mary Miller, Evansville ; Lucy Miller, Evansville; Josephine Mitchell, Evansville; Mary Morgan, Evansville ; Martha J. Orr, Evansville; Cora Pentecost, Evansville ; Frances V. Page, Evansville ; Mary E. Page, Evansville; Emma M. Page, Evansville; Malvina J. Padgett, Evansville; Edith Reilly, Ev- ansville; Lavinia E. Scantlin, Evansville; Julia Scantlin, Evansville ; Malvina F. Shanklin, Evansville; Mary Sinzich, Evansville ; Emma Smith, Vanderburgh County ; Helen Wilcox, Evansville ; Sarah Wood, Vanderburgh County ; Sarah Woodward, Evansville; Mary Woolsey, Evansville.
Male Department-John L. Amory, Evansville ; William B. Baker, Evansville; Lyman L. Barber, Evansville; Charles Bennett, Evans- ville; Telford Bewley, Evansville; George Boicourt, Evansville ; Wil- liam H. Boicourt, Evansville; George B. Boswell, Evansville; Wil- liam Caldwell, Evansville; James Caldwell, Evansville; Augustus Carlstedt, Evansville; Henry Clark, Evansville; John Elliott, New Harmony ; Edward P. Elliott, New Harmony; Francis Fairchild, Mechanicsville ; John W. Foster, Evansville; Alexander Foster, Ev- ansville; James H. Foster, Evansville; Jacob Haff, Evansville ; Thomas E. Horn, Evansville; Charles B. Harrington, Evansville ; Napoleon Harris, Evansville; James Henry, Bluegrass; Francis Hopkins, Evansville; George Henson, Evansville ; Henry A. Hugo, New Harmony; Isaac Hutchinson, Evansville; John Johnson, Evans- ville; William Johnson, Evansville; James F. Law, Vanderburgh County ; John McDowell, Vanderburgh County ; William P. McDow- ell, Vanderburgh County; Edward J. McDowell, Vanderburgh County ; Edward Mitchell, Evansville; David A. Neal, Sparta,
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Illinois : James L. Orr, Evansville; Edward Parvin, Evansville ; James Parvin, Evansville; William A. Page, Evansville; Fred- erick Pentecost, Evansville ; Marquis W. Ross, Evansville ; Edward L. Ruby, Evansville; William W. Safford, Cambridge, Vt .; William Scantlin, Evansville; John Scantlin, Evansville; James Scantlin, Evansville : John G. Shanklin, Evansville; George Shanklin. Evans- ville; William Sherwood, Evansville; John Sinzich. Evansville ; Wil- liam Smith, Evansville; Gustavus Sorensen, Evansville : John D. Stockwell, Evansville ; Joseph Terry, Evansville ; William W. Walker, Evansville ; Jesse Walker, Evansville; Thomas Wheeler, Evansville ; William S. Whitten, Evansville; John W. Whitten, Evansville ; John R. Wilcox, Evansville ; William H. Wood, Vanderburgh County ; John C. Wood, Lamasco; Samuel M. Woolsey, Evansville; George M. Young, Evansville.
In a contribution to the 1917 Centennial History of Evansville, Mrs. Phebe Whittlesey Hamlin, writes charmingly of her memory of the school and the girls.
"A Contribution to the 1917 Centennial of Evansville. By Phebe Whittlesey Hamlin.
Evansville School of Girls Sixty years ago.
"In the latter part of eighteen forty, a private school was estab- lished near the corner of 2nd and Main Streets, just south of the New School Presbyterian Church by a gentleman, Prof. Safford. Two teachers were employed. Miss Abbot, since Mrs. Blunt of Mt. Ver- non, had charge of the higher education of the young misses, and Miss Lorain M. Dean of the primary grade.
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