USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Bloomington > Historic treasures: true tales of deeds with interesting data in the life of Bloomington, Indiana University and Monroe County--written in simple language and about real people, with other important things and illustrations > Part 13
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No grading was done at this time;
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Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
the scholars, both large and small in any part of the town, attended the school that was nearest their homes. Many of these schools were of the highest character, having been taught by graduates of Indiana University or the Seminary; or in some cases taught by persons from abroad who had come west to follow their profes- sions.
The subject of grading the schools was strongly urged by Professor Hunter, a leader in the movement throughout the county, in 1863. The first public meeting to consider this subject was held by citizens of Bloom- ington on July 21 of that year, when Professor Hunter explained the prin- ciple of high, or graded schools. Oth- er meetings were held, and arrange- ments completed for opening the first graded school in Monroe county in September, 1863.
Free To All in Corporation.
The first principal of the graded schools of Bloomington was Profes- sor Hunter, with assistants as fol- lows:
School, in the old Baptist church --- Miss Mattie Cherry, Miss Lizzie An- derson and Miss Laura Verbryke; school, in the Second Presbyterian church-Miss Mary Anderson; school, in the "new" building-Miss M. Mc- Calla.
The principal held forth in the "new building" which was none other than the old tannery, on the later site of what we know as the "old" Central school building, which was considered a fine edifice when it was erected.
Milton Hight was the trustee, and announced that the school system was "free to all pupils within the corpor- ation." It was found necessary to in- crease the school fund by several hun- dred dollars, which amount was raised by subscription among the citizens of Bloomington.
Capacity Increased.
Soon after the graded school sys- tem started it was found necessary to start another primary department, which was taught by Mrs. S. S. Get- zendanner. The old Center School house, as it was then called, was used as was also, a frame building situat- ed on Seventh street between Lincoln and Grant streets.
The old tannery building was thor- oughly overhauled and fitted up for the establishment of four depart- ments in 1864. This state of educa- tional facilities prevailed until the then "new" Central school building was started in 1871 and completed in 1875, at a cost of over $50,000.
Bloomington Schools Unsurpassed.
The public schools have never been surpassed by those of any town or city in the state, in standards of learning, and have stood out as super- ior to those of many places in disci- pline, and efective practical educa- tional work.
Among the early high school prin- cipals or superintendents down to 1881 we find the following: D. E. Hunter, E. P. Cole, G. W. Lee, James M. Wilson, W. R. Houngton and Miss M. H. McCalla, who have been spoken of in the highest terms of praise for the manner in which Bloomington's
public schools were conducted and de- veloped.
Figures for 1921.
The comparative success of Bloom- ington's educational system may be seen by the following report for 1921:
With enrollment opening day 201 ahead of the corresponding day last year, Bloomington schools began their year's work in 1921. Supt. E. E. Ramsey states that there has been a gain in attendance in every building, all of which were already crowded.
The senior high school leads with a gain of 99 students.
The heaviest enrollment in any room was 72 in the Central Building. The next largest is 66 for one room in the McCalla building. The 1B class is not quite as large as that of last year.
Figures for the various buildings are as follows:
1919-20 1920-21
Senior H. S. 486
585
Junior H. S.
580
615
Central
508
540
McCalla
441
449
Fairview
329
339
Banneker
81
98
2425
2626
HARDSHIPS CHILDREN OF PIONEER FAMILIES WERE FORECED TO ENDURE TO HAVE LEARNING SHAMES US TODAY
In the Coldest Weather of Dead Winter, Little Fellows Ran Barefooted Through Snow to Schoolhouse-Carried "Hot" Board to Warm Their Freezing Feet-But, They Got an Education.
We, of this present day may have heard of some of the children of the pioneer settlers of Indiana having gone to school barefooted during the whole year, winter included, but many of us look upon the story as a figure of speech. The mere fact that it seems impossible for a child to trudge through the snow and ice in the dead of winter with nothing upon its feet is probably responsible for our treating the matter so lightly.
Fact in History.
In Washington township, that por- tion of Monroe county, Indiana, sit- uated just due north of the city of Bloomington, and known to us as the neighborhood of Wayport and Hin- doostan, early settlers tell of the hard- ships endured in the decades of 1816 to about 1836.
In writing of the history of Wash- ington township. Weston A. Good- speed, in 1883, makes the following statement:
Go Barefooted in Winter.
"Schools were taught during the thirties in the Collier, the Bales and Langwell neighborhoods. They were very imperfect in every respect ex- cept want of comfort and facilities for learning.
"The schools were taught in the rudest log houses, and were poorly at- tended, probably by children of two or three nearest families.
"It was then the custom, as more than one resident of the township can testify from experience, to go to school winter and summer barefooted. That seems unreasonable, but it was done in Washington township."
To begin with, the barefooted child had gone thus far into the seasons until his feet were hardened and cal- loused to resist the cold, by several extra layers of epidermis, which ne- cessity compelled Nature to provide.
The child could stand a degree of
cold which would, apparently, chill him to the bone, and could walk for some time in snow and frost without suffering more than he could bear with reasonable fortitude.
Devise Crude "Foot Warmers."
When he had to do extra duty in the snow, the child would take a small piece of board (hickory if he had it), say a foot wide and two feet long, which had been seasoned and partly scorched at the fire, and aft- er heating it until it was on the point of burning, he would start on a run toward the school house with the hot board in his hands.
When his feet became too cold to bear with longer, he would put the hot board on the ground and stand upon it until the numbness and cold had been partially overcome.
Takes Up "Stove" and Hikes.
Then, he would again take his "stove" in his hand and make another clash for the school house, and repeat the process until the building had been reached. Sometimes a flat piece of rock was substituted for the board, and was much better as it held heat longer, but was too heavy for the smaller children to handle well. This was actually done in Washington township, Monroe County, as mention- ed above.
One South American country has produced an emerald of 630 carats size and claimed it was the largest emerald in the world, and then learned that fields in the Ural mountains have produced emeralds that weighed six and three-quarter pounds, while the South American stone weighed only one-third of a pound. The six-and- three-quarter-pound emerald was among the crown jewels of Russia and ·its location now is unknown.
The Jenolan caves in New South Wales, discovered in 1841, rival the Mammoth cave of Kentucky in gran- deur, magnitude and variety.
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Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
ROMANCE OF ANCESTORS OF FEE FAMILY READS LIKE NOVEL-DESCENDANTS PIONEERS OF BLOOMINGTON
(Reprinted from History of Robert Fee Family)
During the reign of James the Sec- ond and in the day of the fiery per- secution of the Presbyterians of Scot- land, when Claverhouse with his fiend- ish minions were hunting them down with such brutal ferocity, that to this day, wherever the Scottish race is settled on the face of the globe, his name is spoken with a peculiar energy of hatred, our maternal ancestor, David Dempster and family fled to Ireland for safety. They settled in County Antrim near Belfast. Their daughter Margaret married Robert Scott, who was also a strict Coven- anter. This much is known of the maternal ancestor; a period embrac- ing over sixty years before our pater- nal ancestor, Captain William Fee, appears upon the arena. We are in- troduced to him through a very pretty romance in his life. He was a Scot- tish Highlander and when first known to us was a captain in the English Army. One day, with banners flying, drums beating and bagpipe giving forth its enlivening strains, Captain Fee marched with his company through the streets of Belfast. He was every inch a soldier in martial bearing, being six feet eight inches tall, well proportioned and of hand- some features. Lady Elisabeth Daw- son, the young daughter of an Earl, was watching the procession of Red Coats as they wended their way through the streets and was charmed by
"The bonniest lad that e'er she saw, Who wore a plaid, and was fu' braw And on his head a bonnet blue, This bonnie highland laddie."
So deep an impression was made on the fair Elisabeth, that she sent a servant to Captain Fee with her com- pliments desiring an acquaintance. This seems to us a little unmaidenly but it was a privilege that her rank gave her and quite in the order of things. Captain Fee was at that age when such a request from so honor- able a source was intensely appreci- ated and he lost no time in complying with her request. They met and it was a repitition of the "old, old story." "The light that ne'er yet shone on land or sea" beamed from her beautiful eyes and the intrepid highland soldier surrendered his heart to the fair girl whose acquain- tance was so strangely formed. Some time afterwards they were married -in the year 1749. Her father ob- jected, not to the man, but that she was forming an alliance beneath her rank.
The Lady Elisabeth was disinher- ited, but her father, the Earl, gave her a farm in County Antrim. Cap- tain Fee resigned his captaincy and they settled down in life on the little farm. There they lived a quite un- eventful life, and near by lies their sleeping dust. This union was blessed with five children: three girls, Lucre- tia, Eleanor and Elisabeth; two boys,
Joseph and our Grandfather Robert, who was the eldest and was born in 1750 near Ballymena.
Strict Covenanters.
In religion they were strict Cov- enanters, so called because they ad- hered to their covenanted vows. Rob- ert Fee married Rachel Scott in the year 1780. She was a granddaughter of our forefather David Dempster who left Scotland on account of the persecution of his family, as before stated. When Robert Fee desired the consent of Mrs. Margaret Scott to their marriage, she could not con- scientiously give her consent, as the young man was not a member of the Church. That one must be a strict member of the Church was paramount with them to every worldly considera- tion. Therefore, she frankly objected to their union. Mrs. Scott was a widow. Robert, however, being a "chip of the old block," persuaded Rachel to elope with him and he mar- ried her without her mother's consent. In a short while the mother relented and invited them to her house. They remained over night, and, as was the custom with all Covenanters,
"The cheerful supper done, wi' serious face, They round the ingle formed a circle wide."
to hold family worship. The Bible and Psalm book was given to Robert Fee and he was asked to lead in the family devotions. And be it said, to his credit, he cheerfully complied. On returning to his home a family altar was set up, whose fires were kept brightly burning for sixty years- extinguished only by death. He re- mained in County Antrim until the year 1791, when with his wife and four children and Mrs. Margaret Dempster Scott, his wife's mother, he emigrated to America. They arrived at Charleston, S. C., on Christmas day 1791, having been on the water 13 weeks. They at once came to Ches- ter County, west of the Catawba river, where there was a settlement of their countrymen of like religious faith.
Five Children Born.
Five children were born of this union-four of them in Ireland- Margret, November 20, 1872; Robert Dec. 5, 1875; William, May 1, 1787; Jean, June 21, 1789. The youngest child, Mary, was born a short while after they arrived at their new home in 1791. Robert settled on a farm where he lived about thirty-nine years. Mrs. Scott died in 1793. His wife, Rachel, died, September 8 1795, and Mary the youngest child died a few days later. They were all buried in the Burnt Meetinghouse graveyard, near Wylie's Mill postof- fice, Chester county. About two years after the death of his wife he was married to a Miss Nancy Allen. She lived about ten years. She had 110
children and was of very delicate health.
Took Third Wife.
In the year 1816 our grandfather, though sixty-six years old, being de- cidedly of the opinion that "it is not good for man to be alone," married a third wife in the person of Miss Isa- bel Hayes. At this time his children were all married and strenuously ob- jected to his third matrimonial ven- ture, except the youngest daughter Jean, who had married William Cher- ry. She went to her father's nome and received him and his bride, and reconciled the other children. That Isabel Hayes was a most estimable woman may be inferred from the number of children in the families who bear her name. Two children, Matthew Hayes, born February 7, 1817, and Joseph Dawson, November 8, 1818, were the fruit of this union.
Came to Bloomington.
The Covenanters believed it to be a heinous crime to barter in human flesh; hence Robert Fee Sr., never owned slaves. He believed that slav- ery would eventually bring war be- tween the North and South, hence he left South Carolina in November, 1830, and came to Indiana, being then in his eightieth year. Besides his wife and his two young sons, Mat- thew and Joseph, his son William and family, his son-in-law, William Tate and family emigrated to Indiana at the same time. Robert Fee Sr., set- tled near Bloomington, Ind., where many of his descendants still remain to this day.
He lived to be ninety-one years of age. This remarkable man was never sick a day in his life, and his death was due to a fall by which he received injury to his head. He died July 21, 1841, at his home, near Bloomington, and was buried in the old Covenanter cemetery, east of Bloomington.
William Orr Fee.
William Orr Fee, second son of William and Elizabeth Ferguson Fee, although born in Chester County, South Carolina, March 10, 1815, was one of the pioneers of Monroe county, having come to Bloomington with his father. One of the incidents of his boyhood he loved to tell of was a trip to Charleston, S. C., with his parents when he was a "wee, sma' fellah," where he had the pleasure of riding on the first railroad built there, which was ten miles long, and the cars were propelled by sails, much as a ship-this was before the use of the steam locomotive.
After the family moved to Bloom- ington in 1830, he remained at the homestead near this city for some years, and after a trip to his native home in the south in 1839 returned .to Bloomington where he engaged in various pursuits. He merchandised in Morgantown, then taught school near Bloomington, and was a stock dealer, marketing horses in New Or- leans, and cattle in Wisconsin. In 1841 he engaged in the mercantile business in Bloomington and proved himself worthy of the confidence in his ability and honesty placed in him by fellow-townsmen, as people would deposit their money with him for safe-
53
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
keeping, before Bloomington's banks were organized. He retired from active business life in 1882, and gave his attention to farming. He made a fitting choice of a life companion
in his marriage to Miss Jane Inman Owens, September 5, 1850.
Many descendents of the Fee family are a part of Bloomington and Monroe county's citizenship at present, Janu- ary 1, 1922.
DR. DAVID H. MAXWELL, BLOOMINGTON'S FIRST DOCTOR, DRAFTED INDIANA'S FIRST CONSTITUTION
Dr. David H. Maxwell, the first doctor to practice medicine in what is now the City of Bloomington, be- sides among those pioneer frontiers- men who helped clear the way for civilization and peaceful settlement of the new country by fighting Indians, along with Colonel Ketcham and Cap- tain Dunn, won a place in history as a statesman, whose ability was re- sponsible for the wonderful educa- tional advantages now offered by our "City of Higher Learing."
In 1812, Dr. Maxwell joined the historic organization of Rangers, and served under Captain Williamson Dunn (mentioned by Colonel John Ketcham, in his account of the Indian battles of the Rangers), as surgeon, for about a year during the cam- paigns of the whites in quelling and subduing the Indians in their incur- sons on the pioneer white settlements of Indiana.
After the company of Rangers dis- banded, in 1813, Dr. Maxwell located in Madison, Indiana, and it was from this place that he was elected as dele- gate to that historic First Constitu- tional convention, held at Corydon, in 1816.
Drafted First Constitution.
Elected a delegate to the first Con- stitutional convention, held at Cory- don, Indiana Territory, in 1816, from Madison, Dr. David H. Maxwell won a place in honorable history of Indiana by one deed he performed in having been the man who drew up the First Constitution of Indiana.
Had this been the only thing Mon- roe's pioneer physician did, lv would have been sufficient honur tur vue man to be rememberd for; but, we find in looking up the life of this truely great benefactor of our pres- ent citizenship, that his life was com- pletely filled with deeds of valor in preparing for the coming of future generations.
Dr. David H. Maxwell was elected to the House of Representatives from this district for four con- secutive years, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, and in one of these years he was chosen Speaker of the House. In the years 1825-1826 he was elected as Senator from this district composed of Monroe, Owen and Green counties.
First Doctor in Bloomington.
Removing from Madison to Monroe county in 1819. Dr. Maxwell lo- cated in Bloomington, the county seat of the then new county, and estab- lished his family in their new home which was situated on the lot where what was known as "The National House" in later years was erected. He was the first practicing physician
in Bloomington. He also served as postmaster of Bloomington for four years during an eventful and useful life, which ended with his death, May 24, 1854. His widow, Mary (Dunn) Maxwell, survived the death of her husband nearly twenty-six years, and in 1880, on March 18, died at the unusual age of ninety-three years.
President Madison's Act.
It was in the year, 1816, that Presi- dent Madison had designated what is now Perry township (old Seminary township) in Monroe county, as the additional township to which Indiana Territory would be entitled, under rul- ing of the United States Congres- sional Act, for educational purposes on becoming a State. And, naturally, as a member of th Constitutional Con- vention, Dr. Maxwell's attention was directed to Monroe county from this time on, and at the first sale of town lots, in 1818, he purchased one of the first locations in Bloomington. On May 10, 1819, the year following the establishment of Monroe county and Bloomington as the county seat, Dr. David H. Maxwell moved his fam- ily to Bloomington and established his home on the lot where later the old "National House" was erected.
We quote the following from "Indi- ana University, Its History from 1828 to 1890":
Unusual Foresight.
"Dr. Maxwell appreciated more than most of the early settlers the advantages of an education higher than that of the country schools, and also anticipated the educational pos- sibilities at Bloomington. He chose this place as his home, and ever since to the end of his life, in his character as a private citizen, as a representa- tive and senator, as an excellent writer, as a man of sound judgment, and for many years as president of the board of trustees, he was indefa- tigable in his labors for the interests of the University."
Having been a member of the First Contiutional Convention, and well ac- quainted with most of the early legis- lators of the State, Dr. Maxwell went to Corydon in the winter months of 1819-1820, to use his influence in pro- curing, if possible, the location of the State Seminary at Bloomington.
Effort Was Successful.
Evidently, Dr. Maxwell's efforts as a lobyist for Monroe county's inter- ests were successful, for we find that on January 20, 1820, an act was passed by the Indiana Legislature es- tablishing the Seminary at this place in the old Seminary (now Perry) township, including ten acres (where Bloomington's High School is now sit-
uated) just bordering the town of Bloomington.
Dr. Maxwell was appointed one of the trustees of the Seminary, and was elected to the presidency of this body by the assembled board of trus- tees soon after their organization. With the exception of the years 1838 when he was elected to the state leg- islature, he was president of the board of trustees, first of the Seminary from 1820 to January 24, 1828, when Indiana College was established out of the old Seminary, then of Indiana College until February 15, 1841, when Indiana University was chartered out of the Indiana College system, and the board of trustees reduced to nine, of which new University Trustees he was elected president, and served un- til 1851, when he resigned this honor- able position.
Born Sept. 17, 1786.
Dr. Maxwell, it seems, was born in Gerrard County, Kentucky, near Lancaster, September 17, 1786. His parents had come to Kentucky from Virginia, and his grandparents had come to America from the northern part of Ireland, the County London- derry, who having been Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, emigrated at a very early date to the colony of Virginia. Under the infuence of rigid discipline of this Scotch-Irish parentage, Dr. Maxwell reared his own family. His early education had been received in the home of his father, aided by such as the early-day neighborhood schools of Kentucky afforded, until he went to Danville, Ky., at the age of eight- een to complete his education. There he became well versed in mathematics for that early time, and was con- sidered an excellent English scholar and well read, though not classical student.
He studied medicine with Dr. Eph- raim McDowell, a man who was re- puted to be a leading doctor and' sur- geon in Danville in those pioneer times. After he had prepared him- self for the competent practice of his profession, he married Mary. E. Dunn, of Danville, Ky., in 1809 and moved to Jefferson County, Indiana Terri- tory (where Hanover now stands), and practiced medicine in that vicinity un- til about 1812.
Worthy Son Is Doctor.
The oldest son of Mr. David H., and Mary (Dunn) Maxwell was born May 19, 1815, near Hanover, Jefferson county, Indiana, and was named James D. Maxwell. This son came to Mon- roe county with his parents, in 1819, and in 1827, eight years later, entered the old Seminary, in Bloomington, where he graduated in the fall of 1833, after having taught in the prepar- tory department of the college for two years. He then travelled to Mis- sissippi, and taught school in the town of Clinton, to which only the aristro- cracy of the white southern planta- tion owners sent their children in that early day.
Returning to Bloomington, after teaching in the southern town one year, young James D. Maxwell took
up the study of medicine under the di- rection of his able father, and attend-
54
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
ed a course of lectures at Transyl- vania Medical College, in Lexington college after two years of study with his father. After returning to Bloom- ington, he entered regular practice of medicine with his father for another year, then formed a partnership with Dr. J. G. McPheeters. This partner- ship continued for about nine years, when it was dissolved and the two doctors each looked after their sep- arate practice. Dr. James D. Max- well was elected secretary of the board of trustees of Indiana College from 1838 to 1855, and was a member of the board of trustees again from 1860 until his death, as well as look- ing after his duties among the sick.
July 6, 1843, Dr. James Maxwell married Miss Louisa J. Howe, daugh- ter of Joshua O. Howe, a pioneer of Monroe county. Ten chidren were born of this happy union, as follows: Emma M., Mary E., Howard, Allison, James D. Jr., David H. Jr., Anna, Louisa A., Fannie B., and Juliette Maxwell. The family of Dr. Maxwell was reared in the teachings of the Presbyterian
church, of which the parents were members.
James Darwin Maxwell Prize.
Miss Juliette Maxwell, '83, director of physical education for women in Indiana University (youngest child of Dr. James D., and grandaughter of Dr. David H. Maxwell), offers an annual prize to students of Indiana University to be known as the "James Darwin Maxwell Medal," in memory of her father, James D. Maxwell, '33. This prize is awarded to a woman undergraduate of Indiana University each year, consideration being given to high scholarship, participation in Uni- versty activities, bearing, manner, neatness, principles, sincerity, suffici- ent attainment in physical education to be eligible for an "I. U." sweater.
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