USA > Indiana > An illustrated history of the state of Indiana: being a full and authentic civil and political history of the state from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 18
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* * We have made copious selections of historical works, deeming the reading of such books both interesting and useful."
Caleb Mills entered upon his term of office as Superinten- dent of Public Instruction at the close of the year 1854. In his report, presented to the legislature in January, 1855, he says: " It is distressing to know that many localities can have no schools, because instructors cannot be obtained; and it is but little mitigation of our grief to be assured by county examiners, that more than half the license could not be legally authorized to teach if a rigid construction of the stat- ute on this point should be pressed." The Superintendent, in
266
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
this report, called loudly for some means by which teachers could be qualified for the important duties of conducting the schools.
In regard to the township libraries, which had previously been established under the new law, Mr. Mills remarked: "There is a peculiar felicity in this provision of the system inasmuch as it will prove, in no slight degree, especially in the rural portions of the commonwealth, an important substi- tute for the living teacher, and answer the purpose of a school of uninterrupted session. These volumes will be like gushing fountains to minds thirsting for knowledge. They will furnish to our youth, and adults of every age and pursuit, intellectual nutriment and mental stimulus. The wearied apprentice, the tired ploughboy, the exhausted clerk, and the secluded domes- tic, will find in them encouragement and solace under all their toils, privations and discouragements." And again, in the same report, in relation to school buildings, he says: " Among the pleasing signs of progress in educational mat. ters, may be named the tasteful and commodious school struc- tures that have been erected, or are now in the process of erection in various parts of the commonwealth. They have risen in all their beauty and symmetry of proportion, not only in the towns, but they have gone up in some of the rural por- tions of the State.
During Mr. Mills' term the public schools were blessed with singular progress; attempts were made to establish graded schools, but these met with much legal opposition, but were, as we shall see, eventually successful. The State Teach- ers' Association was organized with promises of success, and the number and efficiency of teachers were on the increase.
W. C. Larrabee succeeded Mr. Mills as Superintendent, and during his term the school law was subjected to severe legal criticism, but some general progress was made. He was suc- ceeded by Samuel L. Rugg, who, in his report to the legisla- ture of 1860, informs us that there were, at that time, 7,233 school districts within the State; 6,475 primary schools and 73 high schools. The average number of pupils to each school was forty-one. During the same year there were 6,766 teach-
267
EDUCATIONAL - GENERAL FEATURES.
ers employed in the primary schools, of which number 5,294 were males and 1,359 females; sixty-two male and fifty-one female teachers were employed in the high schools. The average compensation of male teachers was one dollar and thirteen cents per day, and of female teachers eighty-six cents per day.
SCHOOL STATISTICS OF 1860.
Whole No. of children between 5 and 21 years of age, 512,478 Increase since previous enumeration 17,449
Males 268,394
Females 244,074
Number of school districts in the State
7,309
Increase within the year
463
No. primary schools taught within the year 6,938
Increase within the year 463
No. of high schools. 78
Increase within the year
5
No. pupils attending primary schools within the year, 297,882
Increase within the year 71,509
No. attending high schools 5,991
Increase within the year 849
Average attendance at each primary school
31
Average attendance at each high school.
102
Male teachers employed in primary schools
5,614
Increase within the year 320
Female teachers employed in primary schools
1,611
Increase within the year 252
Male teachers employed in high school 77
Increase within the year . 15
Female teachers employed in high school 55
Increase within the year. 4
School houses erected within the year 750
Increase over the previous year . 84
Value of school houses erected within the year $324,276
No. of volumes in township libraries 221,523
No. of select schools. 694
No. of pupils attending select schools 11,805
268
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Mr. Barnabas C. Hobbs, Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, in his report in 1868, said:
"The General Assembly, in 1865, incorporated into our school law a provision requiring that 'The Bible shall not be excluded from the public schools of the State.' They spoke nobly for their heads and hearts. A sovereign State has given its insignia for the Divine Law. It marks the progress of Christian civilization, and indicates that toleration and mutual confidence have taken the place of jealousy and suspicion. It shows that the teachers of the common schools of our State have reached that standard which indicates large and liberal views; that they are guarded by prudence, and guided by that Christian patriotism which seeks to inculcate those cardinal and catholic principles which teach obedience to God and duty to man. The Bible is the universal law-book of the world, and was given by inspiration of God, with the injunction that it should be taught diligently to the children."
And, in 1870, the same gentleman truthfully said: “Our State has a great future before it. * * *
Industry and thrift are rapidly advancing the happiness and material wealth of the State. But for lasting success the interest of the capitalist and laborer must be blended. The laborer is contented only when he sees a pleasing future for his children. The free schools of the State afford this guarantee. They are alike the friends to both capital and labor."
CHAPTER XXXIII.
EDUCATIONAL - PRESENT FACILITIES.
TN the previous chapter we have traced the common school system of Indiana from its first organization down to 1870. By the statistics and suggestions contained in that chapter it may be seen that the system has been a complete success. It shall be the pleasure of the reader of this chapter
269
EDUCATIONAL --- GENERAL FEATURES.
to contemplate the present advanced condition of the schools and colleges of the State. In speaking of the history of the common schools of Indiana, the late lamented Milton B. Hop- kins, then Superintendent of Public Instruction, in his report of 1872, said: "The fountain of knowledge and learning has
CROSSCUP & WEST.PHILA.
JOHN BROWNFIELD, ESQ. See page 21.
been unsealed alike for all. The children of the poor and the opulent have sat down together at this fountain. The contest in reference to the fundamental principles that lie at the basis of the system has ceased. The enemies of free schools have
270
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
either been converted or have sunk away in sullen silence. The friends of this precious cause can now afford to seize upon a moment's leisure, and review as a matter of history, the origin, conflicts, struggles, reverses and triumphs of the great cause of popular schools." He continued: *
ORIGIN OF FREE SCHOOLS.
" In the year 1526 Martin Luther propounded to the Elector of Saxony the following proposition: 'Government as the natural guardian of all the young has the right to compel the people to support schools.' This proposition he argued thus: ' What is necessary to the well-being of a State, (and he might have added to its existence,) should be supported by those who enjoy the privileges of the State. Now nothing is more necessary than the training of those who are to come after us and bear rule.' Luther's proposition struck the mind of the Elector with all the force of an axiom, and just one year thereafter he invited the great reformer to draw up a plan for free schools, adapted to the exigencies of little Saxony. This Luther did, and in the year 1527 he produced with his own hand what is known as the Saxon Free School System.
"This inaugurated the era of public free schools supported by the State. Hitherto the work of education had been car- ried on exclusively by the church and educational corporations. These educated the few, but left the many untouched. The result was the few did the thinking; the many the serving. Luther's plan opened the door alike to all. The contest thus begun in Germany continued there for several centuries with varied fortune. After Luther's death other friends of popular schools bore the ark of the sacred cause on their shoulders. One by one the German States adopted, in substance, Saxony's system. The light of their example shot across the sea and fell upon Scotland, and the eloquent John Knox was heard in successful advocacy of popular schools in his own country.
"It is the part of candor, however, to confess that there was
* As the State has lost an efficient laborer in the cause of education in the death of Mr. Hopkins, we make a liberal extract from his able report of 1872, which our readers will not fail to appreciate.
271
EDUCATIONAL - PRESENT FACILITIES.
one unfortunate feature connected with these systems. An unholy alliance had been formed between the State and the church; and while the State was asked to provide the revenue for the education of all the children, the church dropped upon her knees and asked permission to execute the system. The privilege was granted, and hence the schools of those times partook largely of the ecclesiastical. The pure waters of science and literature were muddied with the sediment of a dogmatic and speculative theology. The prevailing desire was to make, not the intelligent thinking man or woman, but a blind devotee to the church. For the true model of a free school we have to look to this side of the Atlantic. Here the contest lies between Massachusetts and Hartford, in Connecti- cut. As early as in 1647 Massachusetts made it obligatory upon the inhabitants of every township of fifty householders to provide for the education of all; but the town of Hartford, six years before, in 1641, had established a town school, sup- ported from the public treasury of the city. The crown of this honor, therefore, must be placed upon the head of the city of Hartford. Other New England States early fell into line, and by the time we reach the Revolutionary era free public schools are fixtures in all those States. Luther's proposition that it is the right of government as the natural guardian of the young to compel the people to support schools by taxation, had been a steady and growing principle with these colonies from their earliest settlement. To this same principle and to that same Revolutionary period we must look for the origin of the free schools in Indiana.
"In the year 1780, Congress, realizing what must be the barren condition of the national treasury at the close of the war, commenced prospecting for some fruitful source of reve- nue. And to whom could the people's representative look but to the States themselves. They possessed no divine wand by the touch of which all turns to gold. Virginia, standing in the front of the battle, her patriotic bosom bare to the leaden storm; her giant arm uplifted to give a powerful blow for inde- pendence, was the owner of large possessions lying north of the Ohio, east of the Mississippi, and stretching north to
272
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Lake Superior, a territory out of which have since been carved five great States, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis- consin, containing an area of 239,522 square miles, 153,294,080 acres of land, and capable of supporting a population of fifty millions of souls.
"Congress ventured to hint to Virginia that a present of these lands for the benefit of the entire family of States would be very acceptable. A hint was all the patriotic heart of Vir- ginia then needed, and on the first day of March, 1784, through her delegates in Congress, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, she made the solemn, patri- otic and valuable conveyance.
" Does history afford another instance of patriotism like this, a civil State ceding away, in fee simple, so vast an area of the richest country on earth, without one dollar in compen- sation? Virginia may have committed errors since, but when I remember that from her the people of Indiana have their homes and firesides, I feel like spreading the cloak of universal amnesty upon my shoulders, walking backward, and covering up those errors.
" Next, the surveyor, with chain and compass, passed over this beautiful land, and marked it off into squares of six miles each, called congressional townships, and these again were divided into smaller squares of one mile each, called sections, making thirty-six sections in each township. These were numbered, commencing with the section in the north-east cor- ner, counting westward and eastward, as a boy plows rows of corn, the sixteenth falling near the centre. In 1787 a terri- torial government was established over this country, and in the third article of the ordinance of 1787, the Congress declared that 'religion, morality and knowledge being essen- tial to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.' This was the grain of mustard seed planted by patriotic hands, which has grown into our great educational tree.
" On the nineteenth of April, 1816, Congress invited Indi- ana to meet in convention, adopt a constitution, and take her position among the family of republican States, tendering for
273
EDUCATIONAL - PRESENT FACILITIES.
her free acceptance or rejection the following proposition: 'That the section numbered sixteen, in every township, and, when such section has been sold, granted, or disposed of, other lands, equivalent thereto, and most contiguous to the same, shall be granted to the inhabitants of such township for the use of schools.' Indiana 'chose the good part that shall never be taken from her,' and thus fell heir to about five hun- dred and seventy-six thousand acres of land. This became the corner stone of our system of free public schools."
Let us now turn our attention to the present condition of the glorious system of popular schools in Indiana. First, then, as to the means of support. And just here we strike the great key note that makes the heart of every Indianian bound with patriotism. INDIANA HAS A LARGER SCHOOL FUND, BY TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE UNION. The following was, in 1872, the Indiana
COMMON SCHOOL FUND:
Non-negotiable bonds $3,591,316 15
Common school fund 1,666,824 50
Sinking fund, at 8 per cent. 569,139 94
Congressional township fund
2,281,076 69
Value of unsold congressional township lands. .
94,245 00
Saline fund
5,727 66
Bank tax fund
1,744 94
Escheated estates 17,866 55
Sinking fund, last distribution 67,067 72
Sinking fund, undistributed 100,165 92
Swamp land fund 42,418 40
Total $8,437,593 47
These items are all embedded in the constitution, and form the principal of the common school fund, a perpetual fund which may be increased but never diminished. Let us com- pare this fund with the school fund of the other leading States in the Union:
Indiana,
$8,437,593 47 Arkansas 2,000,000 00
18
274
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Connecticut . 2,809,770 70
Florida 216,335 80
Illinois 6,348,538 32
Iowa 4,274,581 93
Kansas 750,000 00
Kentucky
1,400,270 01
Maine.
289,991 58
Massachusetts 2,210,864 09
Michigan 2,500,214 91
Minnesota 2,471,199 31
Missouri
2,525,252 52
Nevada
29,263 80
New Hampshire
336,745 45
New Jersey 556,483 50
New York.
2,880,017 01
North Carolina 968,242 43
Ohio 6,614,816 50
Rhode Island . 412,685 00
West Virginia 216,761 06
Wisconsin 2,237,414 37
We may add to this that the common school fund of Indi- ana is still increasing.
The next grand feature of the educational facilities of Indi- ana is her numerous and commodious school houses. The school house is the unerring sign of civilization; there is no better exponent of the educational progress of a people than the number and kind of their school houses.
Two provisions have been made by the legislature of Indiana for the erection of these. The first authorizes the school trustees of the townships, incorporated towns and cities, to levy a special tax in their respective corporations, not exceed- ing twenty-five cents on each one hundred dollars' worth of taxable property, and fifty cents on each poll in any one year ; the second authorizes the trustees of incorporated towns, and the city councils of incorporated cities to issue bonds to the extent of thirty thousand dollars.
Under the operations of these two provisions of the law, school houses have sprung up in all parts of the State.
275
EDUCATIONAL - PRESENT FACILITIES.
Wherever the traveler passes through the rural districts, the neat frame or substantial brick greets him with a smile of cheerfulness, and as he enters the towns and cities of the State they arise before him in commanding proportions. Among the cities a commendable spirit of rivalry is at work. The following statement will show the progress in the number and cost of the school houses for each of the last nine years pre ceding 1875:
Year.
Stone.
Brick.
Frame.
Log.
Total.
Total valuation.
1865
65
440
5770
1128
7403
$3,827,173 00
1866
78
506
6145
1096
8231
4,515,734 00
1867
71
554
6672
1063
8360
5,078,356 00
1868
74
592
6906
831
8403
5,828,501 00
1869
76
655
7207
723
8661
6,577,258 33
1870
83
725
7436
583
8827
7,282,639 30
1871
125
834
7517
513
8989
7,381,839 73
1872
88
877
7586
547
9080
9,199,480 15
1873
1874
12,000,000 00
The more recent amendments of the school law provides for County Superintendents, and for a high standard of qualifica- tion of teachers.
Having observed some of the general features of the educa- tional facilities of Indiana, we would naturally turn to notice the universities, colleges, normal and high schools, and other special educational agencies. A full history and description of these being included in the history of the town or city in which they are located, and presented in another part of this volume, renders superfluous any mention of them in this con- nection. Readers are referred to the contents and indexes to find special features desired. The following table, however, will show the number and class of special educational institu tions that are noticed at length elsewhere:
EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
PUPILS.
INCOME - ENDING JUNE 1, 1870.
Classes and Kinds.
Number.
Male.
Female
Male.
Female.
From En- dowment.
From Tax- ation and Public Funds.
From other sources, including tuition
All Classes
9,073
6,678
4,974
237,664 228,189
226,813 217,887
$2,126,502 2,002,052
$322,389
Public
8,871
6,402
4,640
Normal
1
3
3
49
54 )
High
69
106
123
5,228
4,845
2,002,052
61,547
Grammar, and Graded Common
371
171
558
17,578
18,751 194,237
Classical, Professional and Technical
50
184
141
4,936
3,401
50,620
118,250
197,641
Universities
6
66
1,428
239
32,800
17,700
17,050
Colleges_
16
115
28
2,431
671
48,520
17,700
96,030
Academies
16
26
99
1,305
2,275
1,000
8,050
64,940
Law Schools
1
2
51
*
Medical Colleges
1
5
43
2,500
Theological Colleges.
2
3
43
*
Commercial Colleges.
71
15
782
33
24,831
School for the Blind
1
3
4
43
57
32,500
For the Deaf and Dumb
1
8
5
143
129
60,000
Of Art and Music
4
4
5
34
218
8,720
Day and Boarding Schools
124
58
143
2,802
3,494
47,427
Parochial and Charity Schools
28
34
50
1,737
2,031
6,200
15,774
1
1
I
8,430
6,122
3,956
205,334
Ungraded, Common.
1
1
1
1
* Income included in date of Universities.
276
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
-
$50,620
61,547
TON.A.B
DANIEL
.L.D
WALTER.R.
0 İGH
REV.T.A.WYLIE D.D.
L.LD
RICHARD
WEN
COL. JAMES THOMPSON.U.S.A
278
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Connected with the educational institutions of the State are the libraries, prominent among which are the "township libraries," or common school libraries. In our table which follows, giving the statistics of libraries in the State, we have classed the " township libraries," as school libraries. These were established under the school law of 1852. By this law each township in the State-nearly one thousand - was sup- plied with a very complete library. The selection of books for each of these libraries contemplates the literary wants of all classes, youth and adult, and is intended to gratify the tastes of every calling and pursuit of life. The merchant and the farmer, the mechanic and the physician, the lawyer and the preacher, all find something to amuse, entertain and instruct in these collections. These libraries furnish rich materials for the discipline of the mental and the culture of the moral powers. They are well calculated to refine the taste, chasten yet gratify the imagination, inculcate virtue, rebuke vice, foster temperance, strengthen patriotism, encour- age enterprise, confirm and establish whatever is lovely and of .good report in character and praiseworthy in action. Is it any wonder that, with these splendid libraries, added to the other superior educational facilities of the State the people of Indiana have already attained a high standard of literary, moral and religious culture :
STATISTICS OF LIBRARIES FROM 1850 TO 1870.
1870.
1860.
1850.
Kinds and classes.
No.
.Volumes.
No.
Volumes.
No.
Vols.
All classes, public and private Libraries, other than private_ State libraries.
5,301
1,125,553
1,123
467,062
151
68,403
2,333
647,894
341
198,490
58
46,238
1
16,147
1
12,000
Town, city, etc
70
47,164
Court and law
92
10,308
School, college, etc
1,006
323,391
534
7
10,500
Sabbath school
1,075
204,629
247
202,916 65,456
85
11,265
Church
87
24,356
1
200
1
400
Circulating
20
8,294
Private
2,998
497,659
279
EDUCATIONAL - PRESENT FACILITIES.
RELIGIOUS.
" Knowledge is power," because wherever education prevails there will always be found a high moral and religious culture. In the State of Indiana, as may be seen by the following sta- tistical table, if compared with a similar showing of other States, there are a larger number of churches, in proportion to the population, than in any other State in the Union with but a single exception- that of Massachusetts. The largest religious denomination in the State is that of the Methodists, which has a membership of considerably more than double , that of any other religious society. The Methodists have one thousand six hundred churches in the State at this writing, as shown by the returns of the compilers of this work, which gives them an increase of over two hundred churches in four years, or fifty churches a year. By referring to the following table it will be seen that the increase has been above this ratio for the last twenty years. The value of Methodist church property in the State in 1874 was nearly four millions of dol- lars, or more than three times as great as that of any other church society in the State.
Next to the Methodists, in point of numbers and wealth, are the Baptists; third in order, in this regard, are the Chris- tians; and fourth, the Roman Catholics. The following table will be interesting:
STATISTICS OF CHURCHES.
1870.
1860.
1850.
Churches.
Sittings.
Property.
Churches.
Sittings.
Property.
Churches.
Sittings.
Property.
Baptist, regular
552
135,575
$1,047,625
474
164,710
$ 430,510
428
138,783
$ 212,735
Baptist, other.
68
16,800
89,700
27
9,900
25,350
13
4,050
4,745
Christian
455
122,775
810,875
347
125,600
270,515
187
65,341
89,790
Congregational
18
4,800
119,900
11
5,250
42,600
2
1,400
8,000
Episcopal, Protestant
49
10,300
492,500
29
10,350
117,800
24
7,300
74,000
Evangelical Association Friends
81
29,500
263,800
93
41,330
111,650
89
44,915
60,355
Jewish
5
1,900
113,000
2
450
8,000
Lutheran
195
62,285
619,600
150
46,384
237,000
63
19,050
37,425
Methodist.
1,403
346,125
3,291,427
1,256
432,160
1,345,935
778
266,372
492,560
Miscellaneous
2
472
730
Moravian
2
650
5,000
1
400
3,500
57
18,250
21,600
Mormon
New Jerusalem
1
100
4,000
Presbyterian, regular
333
116,560
2,006,550
275
104,195
266,435
282
105,582
326,520
Presbyterian, other
42
12,400
71,500
53
21,070
72,850
3
1,300
1,650
Dutch Reformed.
2
500
8,200
6
1,500
7,850
5
1,275
1,800
German Reformed
34
8,880
97,300
9
3,800
26,600
5
1,150
3,500
Roman Catholic.
204
86,830
2,511,700
127
57,960
665,025
63
25,115
167,725
Shaker.
Spiritualist
1
1
250
600
United Brethren in Christ
184
33,975
188,000
Universalist
18
6,300
73,400
28
9,130
37,850
15
5,050
17,800
Unknown, local missions
Unknown, Union
4
1,200
3,000
44
13,022
35,804
15
4,000
8,050
1
.
-
.
280
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
47
10,925
124,600
.
Second Advent.
Unitarian
1
CHAPTER XXXIV.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
THERE is no State in the Union, not even Old Massachu- setts, which can boast a better or more humane system of benevolent institutions. Indiana has ever been mindful of the poor, the blind, the deaf and dumb, the friendless, the orphan, and the fallen. All have their institutions. These have ever been well supported by charitable donations from individuals, and by liberal appropriations from the State.
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