A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 54

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273

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HISTORY OF LAPORTE COUNTY.

tionable lottery features, the citizens generally were willing to help in a good cause. The fair passed off pleasantly and successfully though the weather was bad. John Rumely drew the furn- iture, A. H. Robinson the gold watch, and L. Doyle the dressing case. At the fall session of 1856 there were eighty-four pupils, twenty- four of whom were boys. At the next session young or married ladies were permitted to at- tend at certain hours. In the spring of 1857 an addition was built to the academy. On July 1. 1857, there occurred a distribution of pre- miums to the pupils of the school. The sisters went on holding festivals through the years, until now the school has large, pleasant buildings on Ridge street, with an attendance in 1903-4 of seventy-five day scholars and twenty to thirty boarders. The present head of the school is Sis- ter Mary Cheophila. The grades of study run from one to twelve.

During the incumbency of Dr. W. N. Hail- man as superintendent of LaPorte city schools, Mrs. Haitman had a kindergarten training school. The school building stood on Indiana avenue, on the site now occupied by the residence . of F. E. Osborne, Esq., and was fitted with all conveniences for its purpose. It has since been moved to Ridge street, and a double dwelling house made of it. Mrs. Hailman was an ex- perienced and scientific kindergartener, a mistress of its theories, and many were the teachers who went out from her classes more thoroughly im- bued with the principles of modern education, and better fitted to teach them.

We come now to the public schools of La- Porte. The high school class of 1903 published "The Maple," an elaborate, illustrated volume containing the names of the alumni and alumnae of the high school, with much interesting and facetious matter, and among other things, a careful, condensed history of the public schools of LaPorte, which though a small mountain of data on the subject lies on the writers' desk, he thinks sufficient to include here. He has sought to find a like his- tory of the public schools of Michigan City that he might publish that also, but has been unable to do so.

THE LAPORTE CITY SCHOOLS.

Historical Sketch by Supt. Jno. A. Wood.

The public schools of LaPorte were estab- lished under the new school law of 1852, which was made to conform with the radical changes in educational provisions made by the new state constitution.

In 1856 a public meeting was called at the court house to discuss whether or not the public school system should be adopted for LaPorte. After earnest discussion of the merits of the private schools and public (called pauper) schools, Messrs. Gilbert Hathaway, Amzi Clark and Benjamin P. Walker were appointed a board of school trustees to establish the public system. During the same year the little brick ward schools were built, one for each ward of the city. These soon became inadequate for the accommodation of the children, and later the board, of which James Moore was president and John B. Niles was secretary, determined to secure an architect and draw up plans for a large build- ing capable of taking in all the children of the city. This much done, they halted and a general election was held for the purpose of determining whether a new building should be constructed. The decision was favorable to building and re- sulted in the election of Judge W. C. Hannah, president, Rev. G. C. Noyes, secretary and La- fayette Crane, who was absent on special service in the sanitary commission of the Army of the Cumberland, was elected treasurer, which posi- tion he filled more than seven years.

This board constructed the building now known as the Central Building and on its com- pletion the schools were consolidated.

The schools in the ward buildings had been ungraded and were practically independent but in 1865 after much argument pro and con Mr. T. L. Adams, principal of the Adams Private Academy, was appointed superintendent and the graded school system was established. The graded system implies a scheme whereby the pupils are required to pursue a prescribed course of study, and are classified according to their attainments.

The printed report of 1869-70 shows that gradation was accomplished only after a deter- mined resistance to the innovation. In this re- port considerable space was given to arguments

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for the desirability of the graded system. The report of 1871 called attention to the necessity of refitting and remodeling in the high school building, now known as the Central building. In 1872-73 a plea for desks for the primary rooms was made in the following words, "In the primary schools (of which there are five) there is no school where all the pupils are provided with desks, and in two of them not one is thus provided. In these grades the slate is in almost constant use, and must be held upright in the arm or placed upon the lap-in either case com- pelling an awkward and unnatural position." The report of the following year shows an ade- quate supply of desks in primary grades. We dwell thus fully on this point that the present generation may realize the long period of pri- vation necessary for the accumulation of sup- plies for school work which are so fully and abundantly furnished in our schools.

From the report of 1875 we learn that the system of elocutionary and rhetorical exercises had been in use two years. Music had been in the schools three years, and the course in Ger- man extended through six years. Here we see that LaPorte was fully up to the best schools of the country in enriching its curriculum.

The three following reports emphasized the necessity of employing only thoroughly equipped teachers and retaining only thoroughly efficient ones. This points to a high standard for the teaching corps. In 1876 there was much discus- sion over the question of "Overwork, Home Study, Dissipation, Etc.," and in 1878, two years before the first meeting of the Manual Training department of the National Educational Asso- ciation, there was a strong plea made for the introduction of Technical-now called Manual Training.

In 1879 "Home Study and Overwork" was again a mooted question. For three years fol- lowing, the subjects of primary and supple- mentary reading and English composition were emphasized. In 1882 drawing was introduced as a regular study with Mr. Frank Aborn, of Cleveland, Ohio, as special teacher. The next year brought an earnest endeavor to improve the penmanship work. The school library was added to quite extensively, and a creditable library list was published. During the same year the stoves used in many of the buildings were jacketed and so connected with fresh air flues that the ventila- tion of the rooms was greatly improved.

From 1883 to 1893 was a very prosperous

period in the school history of LaPorte. Into the strong and progressive school spirit and work built up by his predecessors Dr. W. N. Hailman introduced the "New Education" carrying with it a complete reorganization of the course of study, the incorporation of the kinder- garten and manual work, and the arrangement of the work upon the concentric circle plan.

For the greater part of this time there were no published reports, but the schools were con- tinually advanced and improved, and in 1893, at the World's Columbian Exposition, a certificate was issued by the Exposition judges awarding a medal to the Public Schools, LaPorte, Indiana, for completeness of system from kindergarten to graduation, good training, and excellent results in all grades.

In 1890 the department of drawing was or- ganized in the high school, and Professor Fred- eric H. Simons, the present incumbent, was ap- pointed teacher and supervisor of art work. In 1892 the commercial department was organized.

During the year 1894 the present high school building was erected to meet the demands of the schools, caused by the growth in number of pu- pils and extension of work. In this building ample provision for the future was thought to have been made, when provision was made for one hundred seventy-five pupils. The present high school enrollment is two hundred forty- three. This buikling was erected on the site of the old Indiana Medical College.

For many years the LaPorte high school has been on the list of Indiana commissioned high schools, and in the year 1887 the school was en- tered on the three years' accredited list of Mich- igan University. In 1897 the commercial course was extended ; the department of English was organized ; the school was entered on the ac- credited list as a co-operating school with Chi- cago University, and its graduates given privi- lege of entering the freshman classes without examination. Since 1898 the list of colleges accrediting the work of the schools has grown so as to include practically all schools belonging to the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and also some courses in the eastern colleges. The grades styled 81/2, which practically increased the time spent on grade work to nine years below the high school has been abolished: the course of study has been thoroughly reorganized; book contracts have been entered into with dealers to secure great re- duction in cost of books and supplies. A book

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LAPORTE HIGH SCHOOL.

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rental plan has been established enabling all who desire so to do, to rent the text books necessary for carrying on their work, instead of purchasing them. The seventh and eighth grades of the city have had their work organized on the de- partmental plan, giving the children the advant- age of specialists as their instructors in these classes, and making it possible to organize the departmental and high school classes on the same basis as to program, promotions, electives, etc.

School exhibits, at home and abroad, have displayed the actual products of the pupils' work in such a way as to bring considerable attention and commendation to the schools. A library of nearly 8,000 sheets of mounted pictures, arranged and classified by topics has been collected in the various rooms for the better illustration of the school work, and for the past two years mounted specimens of the work of the various subjects have been mounted in scrap book form and are preserved in the respective rooms of the different grades for the inspection of patrons, pupils and visiting teachers, and for a true ex- hibit of the course of study as worked out by the schools.

During this same period, from 1898 to date, quite extensive repairs have been made. Every school building has been thoroughly overhauled ; walls cleaned and tinted and some steel ceilings put in. Cement walks have been put on and around all school grounds ; heating plants have been remodeled, or new ones installed in all the large buildings. The high school gymnasium has been established; the school indebtedness has been lifted: the transfer receipts on account of tuition from nonresidents have been more than quadrupled: and the libraries and supple- mentary reading lists have had extensive addi- tions.

The present attendance both in grades and high school has never been equalled in our schools. The teaching corps has been harmonious and a unit in furthering the welfare of the schools and the good work and standing of the schools is attested, at home, by the cordial and loval support of our citizens, the liberal patron- age from nonresidents, and, abroad, by our un- usually large and successful college representa- tion, which includes for the present year fifty- one students in twenty-one different collegiate or technical schools.

LaPorte schools, from the earliest days of the private schools up to the present time, have al- ways been held in high esteem both at home and abroad, and it is hoped that our schools may

ever deserve and hold an honorable position in the educational world.

Appended are the names of the members of school boards, superintendents and high school principals of LaPorte public schools, with the date of service :

MEMBERS OF BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES.

Gilbert Hathaway, Amzi Clark, 1856-59; Benjamin Walker, 1856-63; James Moore, John B. Niles, 1859-63; Judge W. C. Hannah, Rev. Geo. C. Noyes and Lafayette Crane, 1863-69; Hugh Donley, 1869-75; Dr. R. O. Crandall and W. A. Place, 1869-70; Ralph Davidson, 1870-71 ; Fred West, 1871-72; John P. Early, 1871-74; T. J. Foster, 1872-76; Simon Wile, 1874-83; Ellis Michael, 1875-88; Rev. J. F. Kendall, 1876- 77 ; L. D. Webber, 1870-80, and 1882-83; E. H. Scott, 1880-81; Hon. Mortimer Nye, 1881-82, and 1901 ; Dr. E. J. Church, 1883-87; Morgan H. Weir, 1887-90; C. H. Truesdell, 1887-88; W. A. Hosmer, 1888-91 ; Martin Weber, 1890-96; Joseph Jackson, 1891-94; Samuel Fox, 1892-94; Simon C. Freese, 1894-95 ; L. F. Weaver, 1894- 97; Robert Morrison, 1895-98; Julius Barnes, 1896-99 ; Dr. J. H. Wm. Meyer, 1896-1900 ; Theo- dore Lorig, 1899-1901 ; E. C. Hall 1899 -; F. W. Meissner, 1900 --; J. B. Rupel, 1901-1904, who has recently been elected to succeed himself.

SUPERINTENDENTS.

T. L. Adams, 1865-7 ; C. F. Kimball, 1867-9; C. E. Otis, A. B. 1869-71 ; J. E. Hinman, A. B. 1871-73; L. B. Swift, Ph. M. 1873-9; Frederic L. Bliss, A. B. 1879-80; John J. Abel, 1880-82; Horace Phillips, A. M. 1882-3; W. N. Hailman Ph. D. 1883-Jan. 1, 1894; W. H. Elson, Acting Supt. 1892-3; James F. Knight, Jan. 1894-96; Osman C. Seelye, Ph. B. 1896-8; John A. Wood, A. M. 1898 to date.

PRINCIPALS OF HIGH SCHOOL

C. F. Kimball. 1865-9; Coleman Bancroft, B. S. 1869-71 ; B. F. French, A. B. 1871-72; L. B. Swift, Ph. B. 1872-3: James Riddle Goffe, Ph. M. 1873-78: F. L. Bliss, B. A. 1878-79: John J. Abel, 1879-80; Edward M. Brown, 1880- 82; George Hemple A. B. 1882-84; Edward M. Brown, 1884-6; Frederick C. Hicks, 1886-8: Nathan D. Corbin, 1888-9: Arthur G. Hall. B. S. 1889-91 : Jas. F. Knight, 1891-3 ; H. J. Leggett,

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1893-7 ; John A. Wood, A. B. 1897-8; I. N. War- ren, A. B. 1898-1902; Frederic L. Sims, B. S. 1902 to date.

LaPorte University deserves special mention. In the winter of 1840-41 a charter was obtained from the state legislature, through the exertions of Hon. John H. Bradley, who was then a mem- ber from LaPorte, for a school of high rank to be called the LaPorte University. The charter was drawn by William P. Andrew and provided for an institution which should have a literary, a medical and a law department. The medical and law departments were organized nearly at the same time. The prime mover in organizing the law school was Judge William P. Andrew. The school began it's sessions on the first Mon- day in December, 1841, and thereafter had two yearly sessions of five months each, opening on the first Monday in April and in October. The school had its moot court, and a thorough course of reading in law, with proper examina- tions, and furnished text books to the scholars who desired them.

At this very time the medical college was holding its first session. An old copy of the La- Porte County Whig of February 23, 1842, men- tions the names of the faculty of "The Medical Department of the LaPorte University." The faculty were Dainel Meeker, M. D., the chair of anatomy and surgery ; J. P. Andrew, M. D., the chair of obstetrics and the diseases of women and children ; and F. W. Hunt, M. D., the chair of materia medica, chemistry, and medical juris- prudence. Then the paper says editorially, "These gentlemen are now giving their first course of lectures, to an attentive and intelligent class. This institution, though now in its in- fancy, gives the flattering assurance to the west- ern country of its future high destiny and ex- tensive usefulness." Dr. Meeker had delivered lectures to private classes before, and his work grew into that of the medical school.

The literary department came a little later. It existed before, and was merged into the uni- versity. We have referred above to the Lan- casterian Academy which was in operation in 1843 and before, with the Rev. F. P. Cummins as principal. This was a high-grade school, having, besides a thorough English course in- cluding philosophy, the natural sciences and

mathematics, courses in Latin, Greek, German and French. When it was determined to organ- ize the literary department of LaPorte Univer- sity, application was made to Professor Cummins to merge his school in the university, as such a move would be likely to make it successful from the start. In connection with Rev. W. K. Mar- shall, then pastor of the Presbyterian church in LaPorte and a teacher in the academy, Mr. Cummins finally did so and became president, or acting president of the LaPorte University. Thus the Lancasterian Academy became the liter- ary department of the LaPorte University, which began its first session in the medical building on Monday, May 5, 1845. Students wishing to pursue any branches of a common or collegiate education were received, and females wishing to attend were taught in a separate building.

In August, 1847, the literary department an- nounced that its third academic year would begin Monday, September 6; that it had re- cently purchased the building lately occupied by the medical department ; that the principal had fitted up this large, splendid and commodious building until it was inferior to none in the north ; that he had engaged the services of Miss Jane Forsythe, of the Courtland school in New York, whose high attainments would fit her as the head of the female department ; that a special effort would be made to fit students for teaching ; that the morals of students would be guarded with the greatest care ; and that lectures on Bible history, the evidences of Christianity, and the natural sciences would be given.

The literary department flourished until the fall of 1848. It had its public exhibitions and examinations, with distinguished speakers from abroad, it was widely noticed in the press, and became quite famous. But whether because the new building was too heavy a financial burden, or because of some disagreement of Professor Cummins with the university, his department parted company with that institution. In Febru- ary, 1848, a bill was passed by the legislature to incorporate the LaPorte Collegiate Institute and Female Seminary, the literary department of the university was merged into that, and contin- ued to flourish for a time. In July, 1848, the de- gree of A. M. was conferred upon Professor Cum- mins by Jefferson College of Pennsylvania, and in

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October of that year the papers mentioned the Collegiate Institute as flourishing. Yet it was closed in 1848, probably at the end of the fall term. In August, 1856, Mr. Cummins an- nounced that "the LaPorte Collegiate Institute and Female Seminary, successfully conducted by the subscriber for several years, and which closed in 1848," would be reopened on the first Monday of September, with Mr. W. B. Truax, A. B., as assistant. The attempt, however, was not successful; public schools were now forging to the front, the war came on, and in 1861 Mr. Cummins became chaplain of Colonel Fitch's regiment, then in camp at LaFayette.

The medical department of the university was more successful. It held on its course year after year. In 1846 or '47 its name was changed to the Indiana Medical College. Its catalogue showed that it was in a very prosperous condi- tion. The number of students attending it in- creased so as to make it practicable to increase the faculty. It was considered one of the best institutions of its kind in the west. At the com- mencement in 1847 there were one hundred and four students in attendance, upon nineteen of whom was conferered the degree of M. D., and the honorary degree of M. D. was conferred upon two gentlemen from New York. The first building it occupied stood where Davidson & Porter's store now stands. This was afterwards occupied by the literary department under Pro- fessor Cummins. The medical college vacated its old building and began the fall term of 1847 in its new building, which had been erected on the site now occupied by the high school. This was a frame structure, thirty-eight by sixty- eight feet, and forty feet high. It had two large lecture rooms, each of which was nineteen feet from floor to ceiling, arranged in amphi- theater form, to accommodate from two hundred and fifty to three hundred students. It had a large private dissecting room, and two large rooms for museums, also private rooms for the professors. At the time it was considered one of the best buildings for the purpose in the west. The college began its fall session with about a hundred students. Among them was Profes- sor Shipman, who had joined the faculty some time before, who was a superior lecturer, and whose return to the college was hailed with joy.

As the session neared its close, in the spring of 1848, a resolution of thanks from the students was tendered to Dr. G. A. Rose for his lectures, and for his interest as president of the medical college. The resolution was signed by C. Hard, Z. T. Slater, M. Cooley, R. F. Gatling, and S. S. Austin. The graduation exercises were held in the Presbyterian church, and there was an address by Professor A. B. Shipman. There were then a hundred and seventeen students. The degree of M. D. was conferred upon forty- seven candidates who were presented by Pro- fessor John B. Niles. The organization for 1849 and 1850 was as follows :

BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

Rev. Solon W. Manny.

Gen. Joseph Orr.

Franklin W. Hunt, M. D.

Wm. C. Hannah, Esq.

Daniel Meeker, M. D.

Azariah B. Shipman,* M. D.

Nicholas Hard,* M. D.

Elizur Deming,* M. D.

Tomkins Higday,* M. D.

*Ex-officio.

OFFICERS.

Rev. Solon W. Manny, President. Wm. C. Hannah, Esq., Secretary. Jno. B. Niles, Treasurer.

FACULTY.

E. Deming, M. D., Theory and Practice, LaFayette.

John B. Niles, A. M., Chemistry, LaPorte. Daniel Meeker, M. D., General, Special and Sur- gical Anatomy, LaPorte.

A. B. Shipman, M. D., Principles and Practice of Surgery, Courtlandville, New York.

Nicholas Hard, M. D., Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children, Aurora, Ill.

J. Adams Allen, M. D., Materia Media, Thera- peutics and Medical Jurisprudence, Kalama- zoo, Mich.

Tomkins Higday, M. D., Physiology and General Pathology. La Porte.

George W. Lee, M. D., Demonstrator of Anat- omy, Whitewater, Wis.

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In 1849 and '50 the professors went to other places and delivered lectures for the benefit of young physicians and students, as for instance · in Wabash and LaFayette. It was the oldest medical college in the state, and this early univer- sity extension work came with authority. The lecturers were, almost without exception, not only thoroughly furnished but good speakers. Extracts from their lectures got into the local papers and were quoted far and wide. On special occasions others than the students would go into the college and listen to the lectures, which were highly appreciated. The college was not with- out its clinics. Occasionally patients would come from a distance and surgical operations con- sidered very difficult in those days were per- formed in the college, especially by Doctor Ship- man. The college even figured in the courts in criminal cases, for the stomachs of those supposed to have been murdered by poison were brought to the college where they were subjected to analysis by Professor John B. Niles. Instances of all these things are at hand and might be related.

But there grew up other schools which drew away the patronage and support from this one. The medical department of Michigan Univer- sity was opened, the Rush Medical College at Chicago, a similar institution at Indianapolis, and one at LaFayette; and finally the managers of the LaPorte college determined to suspend the lectures. This occurred in 1851, and the sus- pension proved to be the final closing of the school. The building was afterwards occupied as a literary academy by Professor Churchman, a blind man and an excellent teacher, quite a number of whose pupils still live. It was a school for girls only, and was a flourishing insti- tution until it was burned in the winter of 1855. The institution was never reopened. The graded free school system was adopted in 1856, and proved so eminently successful that there has been less need for private schools of any kind. For many years the only private schools of any importance have been the parochial schools. St. Rose's Academy, and the business colleges ; and latterly the commercial course of the high school has rendered even the latter unnecessary.

The law school was continued three or four years with an attendance sometimes of fifteen to

twenty students. It was not sufficiently patron- ized to warrant its continuance.

There is one other educational influence of LaPorte which is worthy of mention, and that is the Home Health Club work of David H. Reeder, M. D., the inventor of "Renew-U Food." The doctor began his club work in 1896 by start- ing a health magazine in Kansas City. Its name was The New Race. It was moved to Chicago in 1897 and still published there, but through the fault of a partner it went down. The doctor then bceame a member of the Inter-Ocean editorial staff of Chicago, both daily and weekly, and so remains. He conducts the Home Health de- partment of that paper. He wrote his first Home Health Club book in 1898, which was published by the Inter-Ocean. "Home Health Club, Vol- ume I" was given free to members of the club. Purchasing a life membership certificate for one dollar was the condition of membership. In 1898 the club numbered five hundred members. The active membership is now ten thousand. The reading membership is five hundred thousand. The club has members in every English-speaking country. Volume II of the club books was pub- lished in 1901, and Volume III, which is a book of lectures, in the same year. The three volumes aggregate over one thousand octavo pages, and contain over one hundred and twenty-five illustra- tions made under the doctor's supervision. The illustrations include the doctor's system of physi- cal culture, a simplified anatomy, and a practical course in osteopathy. The first volume is now in its fourth edition of three thousand each, the second is in its second edition of two thousand each, and the third is in its second edition of two thousand each. Each is a two-dollar book. Soon after publishing his first volume the doctor located in LaPorte because, on account of its accessibility, beauty and nearness to Chicago, it was a suitable place in which to have his head- quarters. He established the Home Health Club on Indiana avenue, and then formed a stock com- pany which bought the large sanitarium on the Pine Lake road, but which for several reasons was discontinued, and the doctor moved into town again and conducts his work from an office in LaPorte, keeping two stenographers constantly occupied. In the line of physical culture the Home Health Club department of the Inter-

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 54

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1273

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273