A history of education in Indiana, Part 6

Author: Boone, Richard Gause, 1849-1923
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : R. Appleton and Company
Number of Pages: 482


USA > Indiana > A history of education in Indiana > Part 6


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 (link on the Part 1 page).


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 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37


57


SEMINARIES AND ACADEMIES.


A Table of County Seminarics. .


COUNTIES.


Organiza- tion.


Location of seminary. .


Organiza- tion.


Adams


1836


Allen


1823


Fort Wayne.


1826


Bartholomew


1821


Columbus.


....


Benton ..


1840


....


Blackford


1839


....


Boone.


1831


....


Brown


1836


....


Carroll


1828


Delphi .


1837


Cass


1829


Logansport .


1829


Clark


1801


Charlestown


1827


Clay


1825


Bowling Green.


1837


Clinton


1830


Crawford


1818


Leavenworth.


1835


Daviess


1817


Washington.


1841


Dearborn.


1803


Wilmington.


1835


Decatur


1821


Greensburg .


1832


De Kalb.


1837


....


Delaware.


1827


Muncie


1841


Dubois


1817


....


Elkhart


1830


....


Fayette


1819


Connersville


1832


Floyd


1819


New Albany.


....


Fountain


1826


....


Franklin


1811


Brookville.


1830


Fulton


1836


Gibson


1813


Princeton


1829


Grant


1831


Marion .


1850


Green.


1821


Bloomfield.


1832


Hamilton


1323


Noblesville


1827


Hancock


1828


Greenfield


....


Harrison


1809


Hendricks


1824


Danville.


Henry


1821


New Castle.


1834


Howard


1844


....


Huntington.


1834


. . ...


Jackson


1815


Brownstown.


··· ·


Jasper


1838


....


Jay.


1836


Jefferson


1810


1880


Jennings


1816


....


Johnson


1822


Greenwood


....


Knox


1790


Vincennes


1825


Kosciusko


1836


1840


La Grange.


1832


....


Lake.


1837


....


La Porte


1832


La Porte.


1843


Lawrence


1818


Bedford


1831


Madison.


1823


Anderson ..


1846


Marion.


1821


Indianapolis


1833


· .


...


....


..


Madison


58


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


COUNTIES.


Organiza- tion.


Location of seminary.


Organiza- tion.


Marshall


1836


Martin


1820


Dover Hill


1827


Miami


1834


Mexico


1843


Monroe


1818


Bloomington


1835


Montgomery


1823


Crawfordsville


1830


Morgan


1822


Martinsville


1839


Newton


1859


....


Noble


1836


Ohio.


1844


Rising Sun


. .


Orange.


1816


Paoli


1826


Owen


1819


1834


Parke.


1821


Rockville


1836


Perry


1815


1834


Pike


1817


Mount Vernon


1834


Porter.


1836


Pulaski


1839


Greencastle


1830


Randolph


1818


Winchester


1827


Ripley


1818


Rush.


1822


Rushville


1836


Scott.


1820


Shelby


1822


Shelbyville


1835


Spencer


1818


Rockport


....


Starke


1850


St. Joseph.


1830


.....


Steuben


1827


Sullivan


1817


Sullivan


1827


Switzerland


1814


Vevay


1834


Tippecanoe.


1826


Lafayette


1841


Tipton


1844


Union.


1821


Liberty


1825


Vanderburg


1818


....


Vermilion.


1824


....


Vigo


1818


Terre Haute


1827


Wabash.


1835


....


Warren


1827


. ...


Warrick.


1813


Washington


1814


Salem


1826


Wayne


1810


1827


Wells


1837


White.


1834


Whitley


1838


....


. .


Posey


1814


..


..


Putnaın


1822


....


..


Centreville


59


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


CHAPTER VI.


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


THE quarter of a century from 1825 to 1850, in Indiana, was, despite its delinquencies, and what seems now to have been the constant legislative blundering in educational af- fairs, a period of great intellectual and industrial activity. As with elementary, so with secondary education ; all sorts of schools were planned and legalized. Incorporations were to be had for the asking. Every legislative encouragement was given private individuals to organize themselves into school and education societies. Cities vied with each other in establishing schools-on paper. Small towns, even rural communities, and private enterprise became parts of the movement. In legislative proceedings and local records fairly reliable accounts are found of nearly a hundred such incorporations in the thirty years prior to the middle of the century.


Many of these were never operated, and had existence only on the statute-books-legalized, but not realized. Such was the Indiana Teachers' Seminary, incorporated February 1, 1834, at Madison, Indiana, by Williamson Dunn and others; the Western Union Seminary of 1833, and the Wash- ington Seminary in 1840. The "Richmond University," incorporated in 1832, was not located by the charter, nor was it mentioned as denominational or private. It was simply typical of a class of schools projected during the period, but never matured.


A table is appended of such private and incorporated schools as belong to this period and have a known record to give them a place in history. The entire movement through which private and associated enterprise sought to meet the deficiencies in the public policy of education is interesting, and has been of profound consequences. The incorporated Seminary of Indiana fifty years ago rendered an invaluable service to education throughout the State. It


60


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


is not expected that the list will be found complete. Many of the institutions are lost to history. Knowledge of others is vague and untrustworthy, but both in the memories of their students yet living, and in institutions, are found traces of their influence of deep significance to our people, and deserving of perpetuation .*


NAME OF SCHOOL.


Opened.


Closed.


Location and remarks.


1. Corydon Seminary.


1816


. . . .


Corydon. Vincennes.


2. Vincennes Academy


1817


3. Martin's Academy ..


1819


1840


Livonia.


4. New Albany School


1823


1858


"Scribner School." Aurora.


5. Aurora Seminary .


1823


...


6. Manual Labor School


1824


... . .


" Community School." Lawrenceburg.


9. Beech Grove Seminary


1827


....


Liberty, Union County. Became Hanover Col.


10. Hanover Academy


1827


....


Logansport.


12. Eugene Academy.


1829


....


Eugene.


13. Female Seminary ..


1830


....


Crawfordsville.


15. West Union School.


1832


1875


Monrovia.


16. Blue River Academy.


1832


. ..


Salem.


17. Christian College.


1833


. . .


New Albany.


18. Western Union Seminary ..


1833


....


Madison ; never opened.


20. Female Seminary


1835


21. Carlisle School.


1835


....


22. Olive Branch School.


1835


....


23. Indiana Baptist Manual


1837


1844


Became Franklin Col.


24. Western Scientific and Agri- cultural College


1837


25. Vincennes Academy


1837


...


Vincennes.


26. Manual Labor Collegiate Institute .


1837


St. Joseph County.


27. Laurel Academy.


1837


....


Franklin County.


28. Peru Collegiate Institute.


1837


Peru.


29. Cambridge City Seminary


1838


....


Cambridge City.


30. Female School ..


1838


Covington.


31. Cedar Lake Seminary ..


1839


. ..


Crown Point.


. .


7. New Harmony Seminary . .


1826


8. Cambridge Academy.


1826


....


11. Eel River Seminary .


1829


....


Greencastle.


14. Teachers' Seminary.


1830


....


19. Indiana Teachers' Seminary


1834


....


....


Salem; J. I. M.'s school. Sullivan County. Lafayette.


Labor Institution.


....


* It is earnestly desired that such readers of this volume as are inter- ested in the preservation of the traces of social movements in Indiana will contribute any additional facts they may have touching these seminaries to the author. The favor will be appreciated.


61


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


NAME OF SCHOOL.


Opened.


Closed.


Location and remarks.


32. Concordia College


1839


· ..


Fort Wayne.


33. St. Gabriel's College.


1839


...


La Grange.


35. Female Institute


1840


....


36. Orleans Institute


1840


....


37. Female Seminary.


1840


....


38. La Porte University


1841


... .


Included law and medi- cine.


39. Lancasterian Academy


1842


...


La Porte.


40. South Bend Academy .


1843


....


41. St. Mary's Seminary.


1844


....


42. De Pauw Female College ..


1845


....


43. St. Mary's Seminary . .


1846


....


"St. Mary's of the Woods," T. H.


44. Union Literary Institute. . .


1846


·


Spartanburg.


45. Female Academy .


1846


....


46. Friends' Academy


1846


....


47. M. E. College


1846


....


48. Female College


1846


....


Fort Wayne.


49. Institute of Fine Arts


1847


.. .


Bowling Green.


50. Female Seminary.


1847


....


Knightstown.


51. Anderson's Collegiate Inst ..


1847


....


New Albany.


52. Industrial and Literary Inst.


1847


....


Jeffersonville.


53. Perrysville Seminary 1847


....


54. Friends' Boarding School .


1847


....


Richmond.


55. Pittsburgh H. S.


1848


....


Rush County.


57. Male and Female Institute. . 58. Female Collegiate Institute.


1848


....


59. Collegiate Institute


1849


....


60. Clark University


1849


....


61. Plainfield Seminary.


1849


....


Rushville.


63. N. E. Indiana Literary Inst.


1849


....


64. Collegiate Institute


1850


....


65. Indiana Female College.


1850


....


Indianapolis.


66. West Point Literary and Agricultural College ... ...


1850


....


67. Female College.


1850


Princeton.


68. Female College


1850


Valparaiso ; Presby'n.


69. Goodwin Female Institute ..


1850


....


Lafayette.


70. Cloverdale Seminary.


1850


....


Cloverdale.


71. Moravian Seminary Young Ladies


for


1851


....


Hope.


72. Brookville College.


1851


...


Brookville.


73. Wolcottville Seminary


1851


....


La Grange County.


....


1848


....


Lawrenceburg.


Greencastle.


Waveland.


Plainfield.


62. Female Institute.


1849


....


Orland.


Indianapolis.


Tippecanoe County.


....


....


Vermilion County.


Carroll County.


56. Fairview Academy


1848


Charleston.


Bloomingdale.


Fort Wayne.


34. Collegiate Institute


1840


....


Vincennes.


Crawfordsville.


Orleans.


Rockville.


South Bend.


Indianapolis.


New Albany.


1. One class of seminaries was established at the instance of enterprising and public-spirited individuals in cities, and in lieu of city systems ; men who sought a more efficient


62


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


management than was incident to the county seminary- freedom from the limitations of an uncertain neighborhood support, while securing the advantages of higher education. These institutions were incorporated generally in the name of the town or city, or perhaps the founder or first princi- pal ; sometimes received municipal aid, either gifts or loans, for buildings or apparatus, and so were scarcely less public than were the county seminaries. Tuition was no higher. All classes were equally admitted. There were no geograph- ical limitations to attendance, and the schools were fre- quently provided with superior teachers, and generally had more convenient and abundant furnishings. The La Grange Collegiate Institute-the historic school of Rufus Patch ; the Carlisle School, in Sullivan County (1835) ; the Eugene Academy, in Vermilion County (1829) ; and the Cambridge City Seminary, made famous by the teachings of Prof. Hoshour, are a few illustrious examples of this large class, and were all superior schools. Martin's Academy in Wash- ington County, Anderson's Collegiate Institute at New Albany, the Literary Institute at Orland, the Lancasterian Academy at La Porte, and "collegiate institutes " in a dozen places, attest the widespread individual interest in higher education.


2. A number of schools of like grade, also, were established under the influence of the churches and at the prompting of religious zeal. Indiana was early made the field of action for every form of denominationalism. In Illinois and Michi- gan the State system early acquired and has fairly main- tained an ascendency. Not so in Indiana and Ohio. These two, of all the States of the Northwest, have had their edu- cational interests most divided. Here, in Indiana, especially, the sentiment was strong, and reappeared at times for forty years after the first school law (1824), that secondary and collegiate training were not a proper function of the State- at least, not wisely so, but belong of right to denominational and private enterprise. Prof. Caleb Mills, who did more for general education in Indiana than any other one man, re-


63


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


peatedly denied either the right or the need of the State to assume the burden and the responsibility of higher training.


Under the prevalent pioneer conditions, and in the at- mosphere of such sentiments, seminaries were opened and incorporated by the various churches, and reached all sec- tions of the State. The Finley Crowe Grammar School, or Hanover Academy, and the Wabash Manual Labor School and Teachers' Seminary, at Crawfordsville - both by the Presbyterians ; Asbury College, at Greencastle, by the Methodists ; the Indiana Baptist Manual Labor Institute, at Franklin, by the Baptists ; Concordia College, at Fort Wayne, by the Lutherans ; St. Mary's Seminary, at Notre Dame, by the Catholics ; Bloomingdale Academy, in Parke County, by the Friends ; and Hartsville Academy, by the United Brethren-all came before 1850, and all remain in some form of development to-day. Some of them have been trans- formed into colleges or universities. All have contributed valuable service to secondary and higher education in Indi- ana. Besides these there were the West Union School at Monrovia, and the Blue River Academy, both by the "Friends " ; the De Pauw Female College at New Albany, and another at Fort Wayne, both by the Methodists ; and the Moravian Seminary at Hope-all of accepted service, and remaining to the present day.


3. A still larger class of these secondary schools included those initiated and supported by organizations under various names -secular in constitution and purpose, and of the gen- eral nature of public "education societies." These were numerous and helpful, not only in establishing schools, but in fostering a common and wholesome sentiment upon edu- cation and the public welfare. Among the earliest of these were the "Mooresville School Society," in Morgan County, incorporated in 1828, the influence of whose labors may be traced in the neighborhood for half a century; the "First School Society," of Fayette County, in 1831, chiefly respon- sible for the seminary and the early interest in schools in and about Connersville ; the "Cass County Eel River Semi-


64


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


nary Society " (1829), that managed the educational affairs of Logansport for a quarter of a century, and held property valued at more than $10,000 ; the "Greencastle Seminary Society " (1830) ; the "Greenfield Education Society,"* of Hancock County; the "Big Spring Educational Society," in Johnson County, in 1833, which continued for three years, "during which period," says a recent writer,t "the school- house doors were kept open for ten months in the year" ; and the "Richmond Education Society," of Wayne County (1835). Somewhat later, but of the same general character, were the "Leesburg School Society," of Kosciusko County (1840) ; the "Union Society for the Encouragement of Learn- ing and Religion," at Port Royal, in Morgan County; and the "Jefferson Industrial and Literary Institute," at Jeffer- sonville, in Clark County. There were doubtless others also.


The history of these organizations, and others of their kind in the same period, would include most that was valu- able in the improvement of schools and the progress of edu- cation. These voluntary associations, sometimes incorpo- rated, sometimes not, working independently of the State, though with its sanction, supplementing private and other concerted efforts, organizing and nursing best neighborhood sentiments, and, wherever possible, giving to these concrete setting, by establishing schools, did much to make possible the fairly liberal law of 1852 under the new Constitution.


Not united effort alone is needed in such emergency as existed fifty years ago in Indiana, but organized and legally constituted effort ; and this the larger school societies fur- nished, under the patronage of such men as Williamson Dunn, John McCulloch, Benjamin Parke, Bethuel Morris, E. O. Hovey, J. A. Carnahan, Samuel Merrill, J. B. Miles, Moses N. Wilder, Jesse L. Holman, and others. The roll of their colleagues would be a long one. In no period of her history has Indiana been without her representative


* Later called the " Greenwood Education Society."


+ D. D. Banta, History of Johnson County, p. 371.


65


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


men-solicitous for the honor of the State and the welfare of the citizens-men who comprehended the dangers of ig- norance, and saw with chagrin the prevailing apathy. This associated effort permeated all the contemporary movements toward the establishment of schools, whether county, neigh- borhood, or church seminaries. The prevailing administra- tion was through public associations.


4. A fourth class, though of the same grade, included the altogether private schools-initiated and continued by pri- vate enterprise. Such were the classical institutes in Co- lumbus and Charlestown (the latter for eighteen years under the control of Z. B. Sturges) ; Martin's Academy, at Livonia, in Washington County; Anderson's Collegiate Institute, in New Albany, etc. For many years, for thoroughness of instruction and liberal patronage, for generous and compre- hensive curricula, they had no superiors in the State. Will- iam H. Churchman, I. N. Taylor, M. M. Post, Ebenezer Tucker, Rufus Patch, John I. Morrison, S. K. Hoshour, Bar- nabas Hobbs, O. H. Smith, William Haughton, Z. B. Sturges, and W. W. Hibben are historical names among the early and efficient teachers of private schools. These were men who gave character to the surviving educational sentiment of their respective neighborhoods ; men who left enduring marks upon the local institutions, and made or reformed the communities' reputation. Indeed, it is not too much to say that for a generation private schools of high rank fur- nished the standard by which the efficiency of public schools was estimated-a distinction which strongly emphasizes In- diana's kinship with the ante-bellum South.


In their fundamental character as schools, these four kinds rank with the county seminaries. The same class of students were enrolled and like organization prevailed, and a fairly uniform curriculum was offered in all. The State had neither the means nor the precedent for a State-sup- ported and State-controlled system of schools that should be adequate for all classes and of liberal grade. Neither were the State, and the zeal of the Church, and voluntary organi-


66


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


zations combined, sufficient for the task ; but together they accomplished something. No line of distinction can be sweepingly drawn. In each of the four groups were many poor schools. County seminaries, church schools, and private academies were often only expensive luxuries. Oc- casionally one received, as it merited, large patronage and public confidence. Of this character, excluding the county seminaries, were a few that have become deservedly famous.


The Eel River and Cass County Seminaries-the former a society, the latter a public institution, both established in 1829-were united in 1832, under the control of the "Cass County Eel River Seminary Society." The new institution was reorganized in 1836, the old buildings being sold, and a new and handsome three-story structure erected at a cost of nearly $10,000. As early as 1830 the principal was paid $500 a year salary. The school was finally (1854) absorbed into the town system of Logansport.


The Beech-Grove Seminary, in Union County, was not only one of the earliest (founded in 1827), but one of the worthiest of this grade of school. It was a purely private enterprise, initiated by Thomas Hollingsworth and his neigh- bors, and was presided over by William Haughton for twenty-one years. The course was liberal in scope, English in origin (Mr. Haughton was an Irishman, educated at the distinguished Friends' Academy-boarding school-Ack- worth, England), and strongly religious. Among the stu- dents of this country Quaker school (after the type of the English dissenters' academies of two centuries ago)-stu- dents notable in after years-were Gen. A. E. Burnside, Col. Nelson Trusler, Judges Cravens and Gardener, Mrs. Hannah Hadley, the philanthropist, J. S. Feris, the semi- narian, and Daniel Hough.


The Cambridge City Seminary was opened in 1839, with Prof. Hoshour as principal. Here, for seven years, with a large and flourishing school, were superior teaching, regular weekly preaching by the principal, and the composition of the incomparable. " Altisonant Letters."


67


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


Of the same academic rank, though differing in name, was the La Grange Collegiate Institute. It was initiated by some "friends of Christian education " in the year 1837. Really it had been planned before this, in an interesting way. Mr. Nathan Jenks, a resident of Ontario County, New York, who had, in 1832, under the influence of Rev. Charles G. Finney, forsaken the infidel club of which he had been an active member, and had consecrated his wealth and business talents to a defense of the cause he had pre- viously labored to destroy, was the principal agent and founder of the institute. In 1835, at a meeting in Victor, New York, he proposed the founding of a literary institu- tion somewhere in the West, and two years later, in com- pany with other members of a committee of investigation, came into northern Indiana. February 8, 1832, the school was formally located at Ontario in La Grange County. The founder gave $5,000, besides meeting much of the expense in building. Two houses were erected-one for a shop, the other for a collegiate building. The institution was incor- porated February 13, 1840, the academic department having already been in session four months. The school was origi- nally intended to include, besides a preparatory class, a collegiate course, a full theological course, an elective course, and a department of female education. Its charter gave it collegiate rank and granted power to confer degrees. But neither the theological nor the collegiate department was opened, and the manual labor school, though first to be equipped, was soon merged into the academy. Girls were admitted from the beginning, though from March, 1840, all social intercourse between the sexes, except in school rela- tions, was prohibited.


Rev. Rufus Patch, who became principal in 1844, served, except a vacation of two terms in 1850 and three years from 1857, until 1876-a period of twenty-eight years. He was a graduate of Western Reserve College, scholarly and efficient, and did a much-needed work long after the State's school system had been established, successfully competing with


68


UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION.


the best public institutions. Northern Indiana is largely indebted for liberal training and advanced views on educa- tional questions to the wise and beneficent ministrations of Rev. Rufus Patch.


Among the many efficient private schools of that early day it would be inexcusable to fail to call attention to one that was not only among the first, but one of the best as well-Martin's Academy in Livonia, Washington County. But one school of sufficient grade to be ranked with this has so early a history. That was the Corydon Seminary, founded in 1816.


Martin's Academy was founded by Rev. William Martin, a Presbyterian minister, and opened in the fall of 1819. It continued for many years, Mr. Martin leaving in the spring of 1831 to take charge of the seminary at Paoli. The course of study at Livonia included besides the then common branches-using Walker's Dictionary (in spelling), the New Testament and English Reader, Pike's Arithmetic and Mur- ray's Grammar-the higher mathematics also, Greek, Latin, mental and moral philosophy, rhetoric, logic, and natural philosophy. Among the students there were some from other counties and from distant parts of the State, and from other States even, particularly the South. Fees were mod- crate, and, as silver was scarce, pay was generally in "trade." Mr. Martin himself, who died in 1850, is still remembered among Presbyterians of southern Indiana as a fine scholar, a successful teacher, and "a royal good preacher." Indeed, it is averred by those who knew him, that so efficient was his school, if he had been less of a minister (seasons of re- vival sometimes hindered the continuity of the school), Hanover College might have been located at Livonia. While many students afterward became efficient lawyers, physicians, and teachers, the academy became known as a sort of school of the ministry.


But, aside from the generally scholarly training given, the most eminent service rendered by Mr. Martin was in the advanced standing he took upon the education of girls.


69


PRIVATE AND INCORPORATED SEMINARIES.


Many parents about Livonia, as elsewhere in the State, "objected to their daughters studying arithmetic or learn- ing to use the pen." But from the beginning Martin's Academy was coeducational from principle. The principal's daughter * subsequently became his assistant. Sisters were allowed to attend the school with their brothers. They dropped, occasionally, into the same classes. They were encouraged to follow the same course. Mr. Martin talked, and wrote, and preached, and taught the reasonableness of the common education of the sexes. His school was a con- vincing witness of the wisdom of what was then an experi- ment in education. This, let it be remembered, was almost three quarters of a century ago, when the precedent both East and West was against such policy. It was pioneer work, in a pioneer State, under the most unfavorable conditions.


The West Union School, to which reference has been made elsewhere, came a dozen years later, but was yet one of the earliest, very few schools of any sort having exist- ence before, and among Protestant denominations, but one- Hanover Academy. The West Union School was established by Friends in 1832, in a settlement near what is now Mon- rovia, Morgan County. It was put under the care of the White Lick Meeting, and, while admitting pupils to ele- mentary classes, maintained for thirty years a course of instruction for the more advanced as well. This higher course some time after 1860 was extended and enriched, and for a dozen years longer did eminent service for not only Morgan County and the Society of Friends, but for the sur- rounding country and people of all denominations.




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