USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial history of Grant County, Indiana, 1812 to 1912 : compiled from records of the Grant county historical society, archives of the county, data of personal interviews, and other authentic sources of local information > Part 47
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The question then seems to be, shall we go to school to learn oue vora- tion, for the purpose of getting ready to be a servant merely or for the purpose of becoming a master adventurer in the field of modern oppor- tunity. We must expect, of course, hewers of wood and drawers of water to come out of the schools in due proportion, but it seems to me that not one of them could have gone to school with the ambition to be nothing more.
Part of this very question is the ambition with which we go to school. I venture to say that a majority of those students in the high schools today do not know what they are going to do when they graduate. Those in favor of vocational schools seize upon this fact as a great asset in their favor. They charge that the schools are purposeless, that they do not aim at any definite product. Instead of translating dead languages, dead Latin paradigms, proving geometry propositions that are of no practical value, searching into and reading the records of history, they would train the student to some particular vocation ; they would turn out seamstresses, housekeepers ta thing which girls ought. to learn at home -- How say you, Signor Null -- ), shoemakers, carpenters. paper hangers, farmers, and what not. Certainly that is to be preferred to a scattered and aimless choice of studies. But it must be borne in mind that at this period of life the student's purposes and ideals are not clearly defined. He lives in a land between the practical things and his ideal. Ile does not see things in definite form. And so I do not believe that it is right to cause the student to take some special vocation before he has fully explored his powers and found himself. True, this is an age of specialization, but let the specialization come after a broad foundation has been laid. The studies of school and college sift men out for their right professions without their knowing how or when it happens.
The fellows who take to biology and are handy with the microscope will take to medicine as a matter of course. The fellows that get waked up in philosophy naturally go into the ministry. Those for whom physics and chemistry hold a fascination will become engineers and scientists and electricians. Those who take to history and politics are foreordained to law. A man's vocation thus becomes the expression of his ideal.
Our school system in order to be of any force must have a genera!
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ideal. Our present ideal holds the school a place of general development wherein the student may build a broad foundation for the work of after life. The new education takes as its ideal the market value of an education.
It regards an education as of vale ouly in dollars and cents. If there is our tendeney in modern life that needs to be fought it is the tendency to put a market value upon everything we do. Education can not be measured in money value. That education which assures a man only so many dollars a year is not a true education. The student must be pre- pared for complete life. Why should so much time be spent on litera- ture? Because literature is the expression of ideals of love, truth and beauty, the revelation of the soul. Why do we translate the dead languages? Because Latin and Greck for centuries carried the thought of the world. Because Latin is the most logical language the world has known. Because in the Greek and Latin we find still the models of the world in history writing, in oratory and in literature. Why do we spend hours in demonstrating eut and dried geometry propositions? Because the study of mathematics is logical, it induces correct thinking. The object is mental efficiency. A technical training will give mechanical efficiency, but technical training without a liberal arts course is like
CLASS IN HORTICULTURE-MMGION NORMAL SCHOOL.
an engine running with but a little fire under its boilers. Its capabilities are limited. The interests of the world are so intermingled that to do one thing well a person must have a working low belt, of many subjects. A person's life can be no larger than the foundation he has laid.
Technical schools and specialization are necessary. The men they train are indispensable. But first let us lay a strong broad foundation of liberal arts, of the studies that enrich and quicken the mind. We soon forget the things learned at school, but the habits, the training and tastes developed there remain. The object of the modern school is men- tal discipline, to produce the right attitude toward life. Technical training begun too soon will lessen and narrow the student's capabilities. Let the school remain a place where modes of life are taught and not mere mechanical skill. Let us remember that the wrong ideal inevitably
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dwarf's the soul while the other in its own good time builds monuments of character.
While some object to the high school because only the favored few graduate from it, as long as its graduates produce such splendid orations the system is not wholly ineffectual, and his sarcastic criticism upon the average class speaker is a portrayal of fact as often witnessed in Grant county commencements. Now and then a speaker takes the graduating class into the account, but many times have the graduates grown rest- less under the spellbinder's efforts to hold the attention of those in front rather than of those seated behind him-the honor guests of the occa- sion-and school officials should take that circumstance into the account when casting about for class speakers. The 1933 graduating class of the Marion High School has set a pace for other graduates, and rathri than take chances on being ignored by an imported orator, it produced its own oratory.
XLIV. HISTORY OF LITTLE RIDGE DISTRICT SCHOOL
By Ina Mary Ratliff
It is often said that the history of one family is practically the his- tory of other families under similar enviroment, and the story of the Little Ridge school as presented by one of its pupils at her commence- ment in 1901 has value because of its originality, and because condi- tions in other neighborhoods are similar, barring the fact that Little Ridge is the only district in Liberty where two teachers have been universally employed prior to the time of this particular commence- ment. Miss Ratliff entered Fairmount Academy, completed the course of study, and then entered Earlham College, where she graduated eight years later. After two years as a Liberty township teacher she connected herself with the American Friends board of Foreign missions, and in 1911 she went to Cuba as a missionary.
The young lady exhibited the initiative in her own character at her township commencement by delivering an original production, and the following sketch has merit as coming from a township graduate- some reaching that stage carly: "The first school in Liberty township was taught by Martha Jane Morgan, now Martha Tumbleson, in a schoolhouse near where Charles Payne now lives. It was called the Joseph Morgan school because it was through his influence that it was organized. Just fifty years ago the Quakers started a subscription school in the old log meeting house at Little Ridge. Some of the teachers were Rachel Moore, George Pierce and my grandfather, Mah- Jon Harvey, who lived two or three hundred yards north of the school- house. Ile sent his little girl to school when the woods were so thick that he had to ent away the bushes and blaze a path to the school- house so she would not get lost.
The first district school in Liberty township was the Reeder school, on the corner north from the tile mill at Wright's station. Among the teachers were Lydia Harvey, Mary Jane Hadley and Lewis Jones, who is now president of the Michigan Normal School. | Editor's note. Mr. Jones was a Grant county boy who became superintendent of the Indianapolis city schools, and later held the same position in Cleve- land, Ohio, before locating in Michigan.] They held elections and voted on the teachers, the candidates securing the greatest number
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of votes being given the position. At that time the teacher did not write an examination for a license, but went to Marion, where a man, called the examiner, asked them questions for half an hour or more, and if they couldl answer some questions which he could not he granted them a license, as the supply was not great and some schools often had poor teachers.
When Jesse Wright became trustee he built a school house about a mile and a half west of Little Ridge on Mahlon Brewer's farm. It was low ground and the water often raised to a depth of two feet during spring rains, and one spring when George Pierce taught the water raised around the school house until there was not a dry spot near it. De rode a horse to school that morning. The water was so high he could not get to the wood pile on foot, so he rode ont to it and loaded the wood on in front of him, carried it up to the door and threw it in the house. He built a fire, but no scholars came and there was no school until the water went down. About 1870 a school house was built at this place, and the first teacher was A. H. Gauntt, with Edward Caldwell as his assistant. Both teachers resigned on account of sickness and John and Eli Cox finished the term. The next teacher was Elwood Scott, who is now a minister, then T. J. Nixon taught three years with Mossilene MacFarland, Sallie Hollingsworth and Eliza Jane Hlowell as assistants.
Three or four years after the school was opened it became necessary to build another room. All the young folks in the neighborhood from little boys and girls of six or seven to grown men and women went to school. Where there were several children in one family they carried one big basket and all ate together. The next teacher was Thomas Hutch. ins, with Jennie Newby as his assistant ; Evan II. Ferrer followed, teach ing three years; Anna Goodwin, Ella Exelby and Sarah Whitson each taught a term with him, and next came Enos Harvey, who taught two years, with Mollie Brandon and Sallie Price as assistants. Alexander Fink taught two terms with Ella Cannack and Ruth Harvey as his as- sistants. J. F. Carmichael and Jennie Roser taught the next year, fol- lowed by James Jones and Myrtle Kimes, who were afterward married, and Anna Chappell was his primary teacher. Joseph Latham and Anna Ellis taught the next year, and after them came Aneil E. Ratliff and Cora Doherty. James Eaton came next with Cora Doherty assisting again. William Young then taught one term without an assistant, and it was during this year the school house burned one night. all the scholars losing their books, and at the time the present brick school house was built, Mr. Young teaching the next year with Nettie MeMasters as primary teacher.
I Editor's Note. Because Little Ridge was an unusually thickly popu- lated district, there was a "Jeanto" built on the old frame school house, and the primary teachers there always taught in the "Kitchen." The new building has two rooms and when there is only one teacher the other room affords a play room for basket ball. ]
Homer Dickey and Flo Wells were the next teachers, followed by Dempsy Ceball, with Flo Wells and Lillie Hungerford as assistants. Flo Wells began the next term, and Frank MeCabe, who is now trustee of our township, finished it. Clayton Johnson then taught two terms with Louise Hutchins and Josephine Knight assisting him. Frank Me- Cabe taught the next year with Edna Ballenger assisting him. Oliver J. llockett then taught two terms with Stella Davis and Edna Ballenger assisting him. W. W. Ware and Miss Ballenger taught the next torm and this completes the list up to our present teachers, who are Mr. Ware and Dora Bogue. Little Ridge school has had more teachers, a greater number of pupils, a longer list of graduates and bigger dinners
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than any other school in Liberty township. Many of our pupils have pushed forward, and are now tilling positions of honor and credit to themselves and to the country. May the high standard which our former teachers have left us not be lowered, and we believe the pupils of Little Ridge will continue to reach high ideals as in the past.
XIV. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM=HIGH SCHOOLS
Who will gainsay the statement that education increases one's oppor- tunities for success-paves the way for influence and usefulness in the community ? Primitive educational conditions have been fully described by other Centennial history writers, and there is wholesome pride in the status of Grant as compared with other counties in Indiana, accredited to have the best educational system in the United States in any nation in the world.
In his autobiography, Allen Jay, who always called Grant county his home, says that during the reconstruction period following the Civil war he heard an eminent German educator deliver a lecture in Wash- ington City, entitled: " Educational Laws of the World," and be used maps and charts in illustrating his lecture. Ile had maps of all nations. It was while Mr. Jay was a solicitor for Eartham College, and he always kept in close touch with such things. When the German professor dealt with the laws of the United States he showed individual maps, and the one indicating the best system was of Indiana. Mr. day quotes from the lecture: "According to the map of Indiana, ladies and gentlemen, there is a state that has the best educational system in the I'nion- yes, the best there is in the world, and the Quakers are to blame for it, " and "Looking Backward, " it appears that Barnabas C. Hobbs, who was the educated Quaker of his day, was state superintendent of publie instruc- tion during this reconstruction period in Indiana, and all through the United States.
No doubt B. C. Hobbs had more to do with educational affairs in Indiana at this critical time than any other man-head of the school system at this formative period. Many people speak of the seventies as eventful years in local history. War had "waged its wide desola- tion," and the institutions of antebellum days were dissipated (See chapter Marion Academy and College of Indiana), were scattered to the four winds, and perhaps he was the opportune man to do something for the schools of Indiana. Mr. Jay says further that Mr. Hobbs was not appreciated at the time by the state nor by his own church, but a gen- eration later full eredit was given to him. Mr. Hobbs one time visited Grant County Friends' churches, conflicting with the celebrated John Henry Douglass, who had the second round with a wornout andience, and he had occasion to criticise him, saying he was a tedions, doctrinal sermonizer, preaching above the heads of those who listened, but today he is honored as the man who gave to Indiana its educational prestige. There was an Indiana school exhibit at the Centennial exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 that attracted the nations of the world on account of its excellence, focused attention, and since then Indiana has been in the ascendancy, and some local enthusiasts say Grant is a front line conty in educational efficiency and interest.
In his own biographical sketch, G. A. Osborn relates that the one thing in which he feels most pride is his relation to the graded school system in Grant county, and it was while he was county superintendent of schools that the first class was graduated from the common schools.
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Including the 1913 graduates, 4,691 diplomas have been issued-and why not the common school the hope of the country ? Township and county commencements have long attracted the best families because so many firesides have been touched by them. No county bordering Grant has ever had such demonstrations, and the interest created in the town- ships always culminates in a big county commencement -- the thirteen township winners in oratory always being honor graduates, and con- testing again for county laurels. While all the towns have their grade and high school commencements, only the townships meet a second time and contest for county honors. The cream of the comumuity always comes ont to see the common school graduates receive their diplomas.
Farm dinner bells ring early on township commencement day. It used to be the young horse was hitched to the carriage, but for several years there has been an automobile show in each township when the ribbons Inttered from the bosoms of the graduates. Often there have been four generations present, the uncles, aunts and cousins of the grad- uates all doing them honor on commencement day. The Indiana theater was never large enough for the county meeting, and in 1913 it was demonstrated that the new civic hall was smaller than the numbers who came to the commencement-every foot of room occupied, and many unable to see and hear the graduates. llow to take care of a county commencement andiener has always been the problem of the county board of education, and the Lyon tabernacle, although only a temporary structure, would just about meet the requirements.
The fathers and mothers are interested in these diplomas, saying they understand how their children obtain them, and the writer remem- bers two homes where the parents claim them and regard them as the finest ornaments on their walls-say the children may have them later. The late Henry D. Carter and Mrs. I. C. Creviston had similar ideas- - those diplomas were not bought with money. An alummi of 4,691 mem- bers is a splendid showing for a little more than one generation in com- mon school history. When these diplomas are given the common school graduates, they are always toll about the nine high schools and the private educational institutions in the county inviting their patronage, and there are few who stop with their first commencement day. It is said that about fifty per cent of those who enter the freshmen year in' high school graduate with the seniors later.
Intellectually speaking, grade means measure of intelligence regu- lated, perhaps, by years, and while some are strong and some are weak, individual attention is the purpose of the system. "Feed my sheep and feed my lambs, " applies to the teacher as well as the minister. Of course there are changed methods in vogue since Grant county common schools turned out their first graduates. What has become of the slate and poneil of other days? While the slate and "slate rag" may have been unsanitary-who did not spit on his slate to clean it-and while pencils would sometimes serateh and disturb the teacher's nerves, the slate and pencil were part of the system less than a generation ago. A school tablet industry has sprung up in Grant county now-an educator of other days who knew how much the slate was used simply took advantage of the situation, and the slate has been relegated to the enrio exhibit.
" Don't care whether school keeps or not just so the big girls come," is a time honored saying antedated since the boys and girls are grad- uated at twelve and fourteen-before the ardent passion seizes them, and the high school teacher must combat that inclination. The pupils graduate too young for courtship among themselves or to fall in love with the teacher. A present day Sunday school teacher who once taught in public school declares the graduates do not have an all around, gen- Vol. 1-21
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eral education when they receive diplomas. When some of the fathers and mothers see their children leave home for high school or college, they sometimes wish they could turn back the clock and have them little again. A child learns many things from association at school that had not disturbed it before its "school days, golden rule days" had taken it away from them.
"Can't you keep more quiet, can't you mind the rule ?
Bless me this is pleasant-teaching public school,"
certainly reflects universal conditions.
It is said there never can be any more rail-splitting presidents, no more statesmen from the common schools, as all pupils get into high school before the days of their physical activities. The county historian was a teacher from 1879 to 1891, and he enjoyed twelve winters immensely. While there were township graduates in that time the popularity of the commencement came later. When aestheticism began to assert itself -- those who attended the Roseburg school the winter of 1886-7 for wit- nesses, the first window draperies were installed-cheese cloth and red oil calico, and while the pupils enjoyed the touch of refinement, those curtains did attract a great deal of attention. There were some pic- tures on the wall and the curtains, and it all made the place homelike, and since then such decorations are the universal custom. Roseburg was the first district school in Grant county to have window hangings at all. 1l. M. Shugart was trustee of Franklin township. He allowed the bill at a dry goods store, and Mrs. Clarkson Willents made the curtains. Rolinda closed his last school at "the brick" in Monroe, March 21, 1891. and there were wall and window decorations there. Twenty-two and one- half years later, September 20, 1913, he went again to the teacher's examination, making an average of 90.5, and again he is eligible to teach in the common schools of Grant county. You can't lose some folks.
it has been said that property in ancient Sodom was not worth its face value after Lot-the one righteous man, moved ont of town, and the school house removed from the community would have the same de pressing effect. Remove the three educational institutions, the school. the church and the printing press, and what would hold the community together? Some twentieth century school boards require a teacher to 'live in a community for the sake of her influence. Literature is not silent, and both "The Hoosier Schooimaster " and "Rolinda," deal with the common school question. While "Lickin and Larnin" used to ha inseparable, and "pettyeoat administration" was an unknown quantity in the early history of Grant county schools, a new era has dawned and County Superintendent C. H. Terrell, who furnished considerable data for this chapter makes the prophesy that in the course of time "mere men" will be clamoring for their rights in the school room. There is evolution in everything, and the "weaker vessels" seem to be in the ascendancy. In the study of English a generation ago the rule was to give masculine form to pronouns in common gender, but the twentieth century Sunday school and educational literature all designate the teacher as "she, " and the 1913 register shows 104 men and 208 women employed in Grant county schools. The ratio changes a little in the high schools, where there are twenty-eight men and twenty-two women, and it is as an educator that woman comes into her own-no discrimination against her sex as in many vocations.
Statistics show that in the first one hundred years in the history of education in the United States, that of ten thousand men who have risen to prominence not more than thirty were self-taught, although the self- made man and his tailor, and the self-made woman and her drugeist,
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are prominent in literature. A boy with only a grammar school educa- tion has a slim chance of promotion-the open doors are for the educated young man, and the ladder of fame is hard to ascend unless one has the credentials. No one tells in public in the twentieth century about acquiring an education after attaining his majority-that he learned his "a, b, abs" after he was a voter. The fathers and mothers of today still hear the echo of sneh speeches in public places. Some of the best educators used to tell it from school house rostrums and other platforms. Along in the days of Barnabas C. Ilobbs there were men and women who could "do sums" in their heads who could not "ligger to the Rule o' Three" in a text book at all.
What would the grandfathers and grandmothers have accomplished had a liberal education been vouchsafed to them? They lived in a day when brawn was necessary in transforming the wilderness, while their posterity requires brain to cope with the methods of advance civil- ization. The people who could "do sums" in their heads were the ma- terial from which statesmen were made, but now the boy with a high school or college training has better opportunities before him. The best thing one can do For a young man is to urge him to obtain a liberal edu- cation. The trained business girl is independent-can support herself. She need not listen to the love story of the young man without character as his capital. The self denial practiced by fathers and mothers in educating their children is an old, old story in Grant county.
In its broadest sense, education includes all of the experiences in the life of the individual that in any way modify his nature. There are various definitions and interpretations, and it is well to look into what philosophers-educators, ancient, modern and contemporary say about it. No course of study is a fixed thing, and no teacher is a fixture unless he demonstrates his ability. It used to be said that every one ate a peek of dirt in his life time, but sanitary conditions have been revolutionized, and there is no more noticeable change than in methods of pedagogy. There has always been sentiment in favor of the district school, and hallowed associations eluster around it. When the district school was the social center there were no nearby colleges and universities luring the young men and women away from the community. The graded lesson system was certainly the beginning of the end, and the boys in knee pants and the girls in short skirts now study in the higher insti- intions of learning. Only children attend the common school today, and the graduating class is boys and girls rather than young men and women. There are abandoned school houses, deserted play grounds, and the chil- dren are transported to other communities.
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