USA > Indiana > Historic Indiana : being chapters in the story of the Hoosier state from the romantic period of foreign exploration and dominion through pioneer days, stirring war times, and periods of peaceful progress, to the present time > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Historic Indiana : being chapters in the story of the Hoosier state from the romantic period of foreign exploration and dominion through pioneer days, stirring war times, and periods of peaceful progress, to the present time, centennial ed. > Part 30
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This letter, yellow with time and sealed with wafers, reflects many of the phases of frontier life and the early college environment. During the Civil War the patriotic body of students at Franklin responded so universally to the call for troops that the college was closed for lack of students. Only two pupils, sad and regretful, remained within its halls, and they were both lame. It was at this time that Dr. Silas Bailey, that great man and great educator, resigned the presidency. After the war closed, classes were resumed and Franklin College is still living and only needs larger endowment to make its usefulness com- mensurate with the hopes and sacrifices of the long roll of good Baptists who have fostered the institution.
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The Methodists laid the corner-stone of Asbury- now Depauw-University in 1837. Through varying fortunes but "all leading to ultimate victories" this school still lives. Its influence has been vast within the Methodist Church. Like the other denominational colleges of the State it is "rich in traditions and in the sacrifices that have been made for it, and is firm in faith for the coming years."
As early as 1846 the Fort Wayne Female College was opened, but later it became a co-educational school and still flourishes at Upland as Taylor Uni- versity.
Moore's Hill College is another of the early schools established for both sexes, that still maintains its useful corps of instructors and still sends out its army of graduates. The Methodists have reason to be proud of the history of this school that they founded in pioneer times and have continued until now.
Indianapolis being an inland town was settled later than the section where these other schools are located and has no college extant that was organized before Butler University ; which was founded in 1850, by the Church of the Disciples. This school, so beautifully located in the environs of the rapidly growing capital of the State, and with the record it bears of a useful past and vigorous present management, only needs the personal interest and an endowment from the citi- zens of Indianapolis to make it one of the leading colleges of the West.
In 1840, six brave Sisters of Providence came out from France and established the Convent School, at Terre Haute, of St. Mary's of the Woods. This school has attracted pupils from all classes and many of the young ladies of the earlier time went there to
From the Stately Entrance you Look out over the Beautiful Campus of "St. Mary's of the Woods."
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secure the accomplishments not elsewhere obtainable, and they still revisit their loved alma mater. The school has grown to be a little world within itself, and is nestled in the lovely park which gives it its name.
Terre Haute is also the home of the State Normal School and Rose Polytechnic Institute; giving that city three influential educational centres. The Poly- technic was opened in 1883, and is intended for the higher education of young men, especially for the profession of engineering. There are over two hundred students enrolled. They come from all parts of the country and are offered excellent advantages under a fine corps of instructors.
The growth of the Roman Catholic college at Notre Dame would read like a fairy story to the members across the sea of the order which founded that school. No longer ago than 1842, its founder, Father Sorin, arrived from France. On a bleak November day a boy, who two years later entered as the first student, guided the stranger through an unbroken forest to the shores of the lake, where there stood a lone cabin surmounted by a cross. In sixty-six years, this Old World religious society, transplanted to virgin soil and adapting itself to new conditions, and the New World demands of its following, has planted in northern Indiana a vast establishment. This com- munity includes a primary school for children, an academy for youth, St. Mary's Convent School for girls, a theological seminary, and a university; all of which are flourishing, and their facilities must be constantly increased to meet the demands of the people. The university comprises schools of letters, science, laws, and engineering, Notre Dame is also a church publishing centre, for various influential church
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journals and books. Learned writers dwell within its walls and the influence of its journalists is inter- national. The head of the Order of the Holy Cross has now moved the headquarters from France to this point. If one is seeking for a marked example of the rapid strides made by American institutions, and at the same time an instance of how a conservative Old World congregation may adapt itself to the spirit and progressiveness of the New World, no more striking instance could be found than the vast Roman Catholic school at Notre Dame.
Most interesting educational influences have been inaugurated at beautiful Lake Winona; not only the Chautauqua summer classes, but the Technical In- stitute at Indianapolis, governed by the same people, has a most useful field before it as a much needed trade school, if its fine location is used as it should be.
The old Lutheran Concordia School transferred to Indiana soil at Fort Wayne, and the Merom College in its beautiful surroundings, were both founded before the Civil War. There are many schools all over the State, such as Culver Military School at Lake Maxin- cuckie-the largest school of that kind in the country,- the immense schools at Valparaiso, at North Manchester, Oakland City, and elsewhere, that are doing excellent work, but have been established in later times than the pioneer schools of which we are speaking. Those mentioned will show the character of the work done by the early settlers in the foundations they laid for the future generations. In the history of both the early and later schools established, "each educational institution is replete with examples of heroism and self-sacrifice on the part of many faithful friends."
Of the State schools, Bloomington University was
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the first one established after the State was organized. The constitution provided for such a college and the Legislature authorized its organization. Bloomington opened its doors in 1824, with ten pupils and President Hall as the only teacher, serving at a salary of $250.00 a year. He constituted the whole faculty, and if we may believe his reminiscences of The New Purchase or Seven and a half Years in the West, he felt that a Princeton graduate was lost to the world while teaching in the wild West. Those were the days when the classics were insisted upon, and Greek and Latin were the only branches taught there for the first three years! To this some of the practical frontier people very naturally objected. State politicians were as vague in their standards of culture at that time as they are still accused, at times, of being. One is quoted as declaring that "it was a right smart chance better to have no college at all, nohow, if all folks had'ent equal rights to larn what they most liked best." The common branches were soon added to the schedule of dead languages and the institution grew apace. Later it became co-educational, added an efficient school of pedagogy, was chartered as a uni- versity, and it has attained a most honorable position among the State schools of the Union. It now has nineteen departments, an enrolment of over fifteen hundred students, and a brilliant faculty of instructors. The members of the faculty of Indiana University have made notable contributions to our national literature in history, criticism, and science.
In addition to the establishment of thedenominational schools and the State University, there were always far-sighted men of broad views, who saw that many children were unprovided for. Looking into the
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future, they maintained with Caleb Mills that in a government like ours, the State ought to provide free education for every child, sufficient to enable him to become an intelligent citizen. This seems self-evident truth now, but the movement for common schools, supported by taxation, had to be worked out in each State separately, and each State in turn has had to meet the same objections and the obstructive tactics of those who opposed the movement. Mas- sachusetts went into the campaign for universal education very early in the history of the nation, and other sections followed. But after all these years, there are still neglected districts where the instruction within the grasp of the youth is meagre in the extreme, with a corresponding benighted condition of the population. In our day, we cannot imagine the war- fare waged in the different States against free schools in the last century. All the objections now used against forward movements like taxation for public libraries, or old age pensions, were then in vogue against public schools. Some of the arguments were that the in- dustrious should not be taxed to support the indolent; that free schools would pauperize the poor and make them depend entirely upon government help; that people who had no children should not be taxed for those who had more than they could bring up; that paternalism was in danger of creeping in; that free schools would make education too common! And some objected to people being made benevolent by law. These and other arguments were brought forward by short-sighted people in each State, as it swung into the line of progress. It seems strange now to read of mass meetings being held to oppose the move- ment, but they were, and speakers harangued the
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Student Building, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. From a photograph.
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crowds with all these arguments to try and stem the tide of opinion which had set in so strongly favorable to general education. For years pamphlets were circulated and long newspaper editorials were written against the proposition. Indiana was no worse than many other sections of the Union. Indeed she was in advance, for from Territorial times there had been statutes anticipating the future needs of the West. The Ordinance of 1787, Territorial laws, and the first State Constitution, as we have seen, provided for township schools, seminaries, and colleges, but there being no revenue from taxation the schools during all these years and for many years longer depended wholly on the sentiment of the community. Not- withstanding the advanced citizens had established such numbers of "pay schools" there were so many children growing up in ignorance, whose parents either could not or did not send them for instruction, that the agitation for the tax levy was begun. It was claimed by careful investigators in 1834, that only one child in eight between five and fifteen years of age was able to read. Even the capital did not have a free school until 1853, and that one was kept open only two months, and this in spite of many noble characters in different parts of the State, working for a change. At many places these men and women were seeking to awaken public sentiment in favor of free schools. The laws were on the books but the masses were very slow, as in all the States, in taxing themselves for the laws' fulfilment.
While affairs were at this stage, a New England settler, Caleb Mills, who had come out to act as a professor at Wabash College, became the grand leader of the forces who were agitating for effectual legis-
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lation. Over the signature, "One of the People," he addressed a series of six most urgent and convincing messages, directly to the Legislature, under the head- ing, Read, Circulate, and Discuss. These pamphlets were issued four years in succession. Mr. Mills set forth earnestly and plainly in the most pungent and telling manner, the illiteracy prevalent, because of the lack of common schools, and the responsibility of the legislators to formulate plans for their organization. He reminded them that to attend the schools then extant, it was necessary to pay tuition, which many were utterly unable to do. That owing to this fact only one in three of the children of school age attends any school, "that the constitution has committed to your charge the primary schools, the only institution to which nine tenths of the rising generation will ever have access." Like other legislative bodies they were slow to act on self-evident propositions. Friends of general education in different sections of the State rallied to the cause, and common school conventions were held in many localities. In almost every county the newspapers published communications from local leaders, presenting the arguments in favor of free schools. Many pamphlets on the subject were cir- culated for the general enlightenment of the people and to enlist more ardent interest in the immediate attention to the question. One of these circular letters, issued in 1847, expressed the hope that the free common school system may throw its broad mantle over the thousands of children of the poor-a helpless class of innocent sufferers-to shield them from infamy.
As a result of these combined influences, after two years of further delay, a referendum was ordered by the Legislature. The records tell us that at the fall
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election of 1848, after a voter had deposited his ballot, he was asked by the judge of the election, viva voce, "Are you in favor of free schools?" When the vote was counted it was found that 78,523 had voted for free schools, and 61,887 against them! Notwith- standing this opposition of the short-sighted element, the voters of Indiana had endorsed free schools, by a majority of 16,636. But the 60,000 non-progressives must be kept in mind, if we are to appreciate the heroic work done by the really active friends of uni- versal opportunity. This element was a dead weight that the more intelligent portion of the community carried, until they had succeeded in elevating Indiana to her present educational eminence; and are still carrying while combating the inertia of the ignorant and indifferent. Since the victory for no slavery in the new State had been won, when Indiana came into the Union, this triumph for free schools was the most important result reached at the polls by the commonwealth.
Even after this popular endorsement another session of the Legislature passed without that body devising any measures for relief! In 1849, the campaign was renewed. Again Caleb Mills addressed the Assembly, urging the members to have the independence to enact, and the wisdom to devise, a system that would be an example to the sister States, adding further valuable statistics of the prevailing conditions and outlining a remedy.
Following all these efforts of educators and citizens, the Legislature, guided by Governor Whitcomb, passed an act, giving the people of the State power to call a convention, to draft a new constitution. Robert Dale Owen, both as member of this convention and
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afterwards as a member of the State Legislature, was efficient in promoting the legislation. Professor John Q. Morrison, as a member of this convention, and an enlightened educator, proved to be a guiding hand in the educational provisions secured to the people in that instrument.
The new constitution, after being submitted to the people, went into operation in 1852. It contained the long desired authority for the actual establishment of a free school system, and the necessary enactments followed. This blessing had not fallen easily into the lap of the State. Detailed mention of the battle for popular education is made, that the present generation may not forget that their present extensive privileges did not come to them without a struggle. The lesson of this phase of the State's history may be a warning against obstructing future progressive measures for the general advancement of the whole people, as they arise. The labors of Mr. Mills, Mr. Owen, Mr. Mor- rison, and the liberal thinkers who worked with them for the great educational system have enabled Indiana to take rank among the very foremost States in the Union. Under the new law if the local tax was too meagre to supply funds, it was augmented from the State fund. The township became the political and social unit, a fact of the largest significance in the school system; and of equal importance was the fact that a head had been provided for administering the law in the State, a Superintendent of Public Instruction, under whom the work of intelligent organization has been carried forward from that time. Step by step Indiana has developed a most admirable free school system, that is comprehensive and, in time, will be adequate. New provisions are annually suggested
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for its betterment, from kindergarten to university. Industrial instruction is yet to be made an inte- gral part of all schools. Some of the country districts still need more school days and the advantages of centralization, which it is hoped may become uni- versal. One of the chief factors in the development of opportunities for all the children of the State, has been the high grade of service that Indiana has enjoyed in her State Superintendents of Public Instruction. If one is skeptical regarding the sum of good citizenship he should feel encouraged by the records of the incumbents of this position. Notwith- standing it is an elective office, and the candidate changes with the political party in power, as a matter of fact, each of the parties has from the beginning nominated good men. After these men are elected, however much the individuals differed in their ideas of what was most needed, it is noted that each superin- tendent has stood for progress in general and each has emphasized some great idea in particular and our present system is in this way the work of our successive State Superintendents and State Boards of Education.
In reporting on her inspection of the Indiana schools, Miss Shaw says that there is a general level of ex- cellence. The average rural school is far above the visitor's expectation. They are better than others because most of the teachers are better. And why? The State Superintendent neglects no one. The monthly letter to each teacher keeps them alert. There are uniform examinations and teachers are encouraged and invigorated by the system of teachers' meetings. Under the very representative State Board, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Indiana, the
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plans are laid for the expenditure of over ten millions and a half of money annually. The Superintendent must study the problems to be solved for the best advantages of the schools all over the State. The Monthly Bulletins, a system originated by Superinten- dent Cotton and issued from his office to the teachers, are intended for their inspiration and encouragement, and are alone invaluable to the upbuilding of the school system.
As the public schools developed, means of making them more and more adequate to the growing demands of the people gradually caused the organization of Teachers' Institutes, Reading Circles, Associations, and Normal Schools. For the better training of teachers was, and still is, the greatest need felt in making common schools effective.
In 1870, the State Normal School at Terre Haute was opened and there are a large number of indepen- dent normal schools, at Danville, at Angola, Marion, Rochester, and elsewhere, established for training teachers, which have a long enrolment of attendants. Many of the colleges also have included pedagogy in their curriculum. At Valparaiso the normal school has been merged into a college which attracts vast numbers. There are now over four thousand students, it being one of the busiest centres of young life in the West. An improvement in these schools is assured by the enactment of a law empowering the State Board of Education to act as a teachers' training board, regulating the system of normal school in- struction and determining what schools shall be accredited a place in the system. The Superintendent says that there are more than eight thousand students now in normal schools and colleges, preparing to
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hasten better schools. In the cities, training schools are conducted in connection with the high schools. The Indiana Kindergarten Training School at Indianapolis does invaluable work for the training of teachers for primary work, and they, in turn, are missionaries for the extension of better preparation of teachers.
Indiana takes the enlightened position that the special State schools for the blind, deaf and dumb, feeble-minded, and soldiers' orphans are to be on the same plane as for the other children of the State; they have been instituted, not as charities, but as parts of the great scheme of public education. In- dustrial training is combined in all of these institutions with the regular school work.
The developments of the school system to meet the needs of the people are most interesting. Among the most important innovations is the consolidation of the weak country schools into strong central ones. The little red schoolhouse at the crossroads makes a sentimental picture in verses about old school-days, or in the biographies of aspiring politicians; but it has always been a sorry substitute for the advantages supplied by the city schools. The tax affording only six months of schooling with one lone teacher trying to instruct twenty or thirty classes-very often there being but one pupil in a class; the single, ungraded school held in an uncomfortable room, remote from any one home, has always been the real truth about the condition of educational surroundings in the solitary schoolhouses. These isolated buildings with their poverty of equipment, and limited advantages of instruction, long seemed to the patrons the only possible way of managing district schools; but the leaders in educational matters had visions of better
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ways. The disadvantages under which the small isolated rural schools labor were recognized in the earliest days and were set forth by William Maclure as early as 1827, and again by Caleb Mills when he was the State Superintendent in 1856. The attention of the Legislature was called to this handicap of the country pupils, by State Superintendents Geeting and Jones. Finally in 1899, the General Assembly passed a law, recognizing the right of township trustees to transport pupils at public expense to a stronger central school. But it was soon seen that trustees must be required by law to do this, if the cause is to advance rapidly; for the backward districts, which need it most, will always have those who oppose any innovations. This was accomplished in 1907, when the Legislature required the township trustee to dis- continue weak schools averaging twelve pupils or less, and permitting it when there were fifteen or less; and when a school was thus abandoned, made it his duty to provide means of transportation for the pupils to a central school. Superintendent Cotton is largely responsible for the present flourishing state of this beneficent arrangement; and it is greatly due to his influence that so many pupils now enjoy the advantages of better school surroundings. Statistics of the results of these efforts for consolidated schools are most en- couraging, but the figures are misleading; for they are outgrown before they can be published. At present over seventeen thousand children of the State are transported to better equipped schools than could be maintained in the little crossroads schoolhouse, attended by less than a dozen pupils. Nearly one thousand wagons are used for the purpose of carrying the pupils, the daily cost amounting to one dollar
Photograph by Miner.
Industrial Training in the Public Schools.
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and eighty-four cents per wagon. Over thirteen hundred small schools have been combined into five hundred consolidated schools, with the number always increasing. Seventy-five counties of the State have tried the plan to their satisfaction. These children, thus transplanted, find themselves in better buildings, under better teachers, longer terms of schooling are possible, and the tax rate is no higher. "Being a farmer myself," said one trustee, " I believed that centraliza- tion was the farmer's opportunity to get as good schools as the village and towns have." Said another, "it is cheaper to run the hacks than it is to run the abandoned schools, and the educational advantages are many times greater in the central school."
One of the greatest advantages of consolidation to the country pupils is the possibility of industrial training, of laboratory work, of access to a library, and of instruction in music, drawing, and nature study. Special teachers may be employed in those subjects. The plan has been tried long enough, says the State Superintendent, to prove that a township school at one central point affords an opportunity for thorough work in these desirable branches. The elevating influence of such a school is felt to the very extremities of the township. It awakens educational aspirations of no mean power, stimulates efforts, and arouses mental energies and capacities. Such work is impossible in small isolated schools. The object toward which the friends of improved rural educational advantages are working is, that each township in Indiana shall finally have a complete system of schools, centrally located, with kindergarten, primary, and grammar grades capped by a four years' high school. In these schools industrial training, which includes
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