USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Historical sketch of the German-English Independent School of Indianapolis, "our old school," > Part 6
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An extra meeting was called for the purpose of advising the Vorstand of the sudden departure of Mr. Dingeldey, which latter was taken to be severance of his relations with the school.
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Men Who Aided the School
CHARLES J. KUHN.
Born in Schnaith, Wuerttemberg, Germany, January 24, 1819. Landed in New York on June 1. 1953. Came to Indianapolis in June, 1853. Died July 27, 1896.
HENRY SEVERIN.
Born in Gnetersloh, Westfalen, Germany, January 19, 1827. Landed in New York in 1849. Came to Indianapolis in 1853. Died April 2, 1899.
PETER LIEBER.
Born in Duesseldorf, Germany, May 27, 1834. Landed in New York in 1853. Came to Indianapolis in 1862.
WILLIAM F. KUHN.
Born in Schnaith, Wuerttemberg, Germany, October 11, 1825. Landed in New York in 1855. Came to Indianapolis in 1855. Died April 22, 1874.
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On May 16, 1869, Mr. Seidensticker was instructed to co-operate with Miss Berran in the selection of a new Geography.
On May 18, the necessary arrangements were made for the annual picnic on Pfingstmontag.
On May 23, the Vorstand requested Messrs. Seidensticker and Kothe to again install Mr. Dingeldey as a teacher, in accord with the conditions imposed.
The unpropitious weather of the year 1869 necessitated the postponement of the annual early summer picnic twice after it had been set for May 31, 1869.
The picnic was to have been held on June 6, at "Crown Hill Park," but had to be deferred to the next day owing to rain.
On June 8, the "Taeglicher Telegraph" referred to the picnic "der Deutsch- Englischen Schule" of the day before in a very meager account, as a success ; prob- ably the liquid refreshments offered the representative of the newspaper, had a very deleterious effect.
The several notices of the picnic in the "Taeglicher Telegraph" prior to its occurrence, told the friends of the school that "Vogt's" band would furnish the music, and that the round trip on the street railway would be twenty cents for adults and ten cents for children.
The following month ended the author's connection with the school.
The author's connection with the school dates from the morning, when our beloved teacher, Theodore Dingeldey, in the fall of 1863, shortly after his advent in this city, called on my parents, who then lived at the southeast cor- ner of Market and Pine streets, and took me, a lad of less than five years, to school, where the senior Reitz, with his long white hair, violin in hand, teaching the "baby class" to sing "A. B. C.," etc., became my first tutor, in the one story addition in the rear of the original school building.
When my parents moved to Tipton County in the fall of 1864, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Seidensticker, Sr., generously offered to take me into their family, so that I might attend the school, and to them next to my parents, I owe a debt of gratitude, difficult to extinguish.
I lived with Mr. and Mrs. Seidensticker from 1865 to the summer of 1868, as one of their family, and as such shared the rod, with their children, which was on occasions, wielded with severity.
The following was submitted by one of our comrades and is given with very little change:
"As I have been asked to send in my opinion of the old German-English school which I attended for five or six years, I will rake up my memory and see what I can still find there. Just as Christianity resolves itself finally in Christ and his teach- ings, so a school resolves itself into a few personalties and a few principles. Of the teachers I love best to remember, is Miss Kittie Berran, a New England schoolmarm who sojourned among us at that time for several years. She was first of all a lov- able woman and besides a very good teacher. She reigned like a queen by force of love, that beautiful, mysterious and compelling force so good to encounter in a world of strife and struggle. She had pet names for her scholars, and I was designated
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Men Who Aided the School
HENRY BUSCHER. Born in Kappeln, Westfalen, Prussia, Germany, November 7, 1804. Landed in America in 1832. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1839. Died October 1, 1881.
JOHN RULAND HEIM.
Born in Grunbach, Wuerttem- berg, Germany, May 15, 1807. Landed in Philadelphia July 24, 1830. Arrived in Indianapolis October 19, 1834. Died September 18, 1883.
JOHN STUMPH. Born June 23, 1830, in Alsfeld, Hessen-Darmstadt, June 23, 1830. Landed in Baltimore in 1849. Came to Indianapolis In 1849. Died May 28, 1885. Mr. Stumph graciously constructed the stone foundation for the original school building free of cost in aid of the enter- prise, when it needed assistance most.
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Men Who Aided the School
JULIUS BOETTICHER. Born in Nordhansen, Province of Saxony, Prussia, Germany, June 5, 1812. Landed in Philadelphia in 1831. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1848. Died April 24, 1875.
AEGIDIUS NALTNER. Born in Baden, Germany, Sep- tember 1, 1825. Landed in America in 1850. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1851. Died May 8, 1891.
CHARLES BRINKMANN. Born in Frille, Westfalen, Prussia, Germany, March 17, 1821. Landed in America -. Arrived in Indianapolis -. Died February 1, 1879.
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and known as 'grandfather.' For a boy aged fourteen, that was certainly nothing to be proud of, but it fell on my ears like music, as coming from her it was charged with love and kindness. She could not be harsh, and even when she censured, it was like doing you a favor. Good will is what we felt in her presence always, and happy and contented we were more than willing, indeed eager, to learn and to obey. She was competent and patient, and I do not know how any boy could have had a better teacher.
"A German teacher, Louis Klemm, also impressed me as exceedingly capable. He, too, was a lovable character and a true leader of boys. I heard of him later as an author of school books, and as very successful somewhere in the east. He took a whole herd of us boys out to the creek on summer afternoons and taught us how to swim. We were an unruly lot of shouting young savages in his presence and no doubt we misused his kindness, on our tramps through the woods and fields.
"But with Theodore Dingeldey it was different, as his ideas of discipline were rigidly enforced with a hickory stick that he carried with him for this purpose, and which he would wield with severity upon occasion.
"William Mueller was also handy with a ruler of ample proportions which he carried conspicuously with him under his strong right arm.
"I believe old Pestalozzi would have objected to their hickory ruler and sub- stituted the rule of kindness and respect. However, they were capable teachers if sententious and impatient somewhat in their mothods of making impressions. Theo- dore Dingeldey was especially good at teaching singing, and his children's chorus was superior to any in the city.
"I came in contact with many other teachers at this fine old school, but as I am to be brief, I can only state they were all carefully selected and appointed to their several tasks on their merit solely.
"But do we not find life itself and this world, a school in which we get many hard knocks and which is but a continuation of the more well-defined school of our childhood days where we but learned to begin aright. What this school stood for is plain enough. It accomplished its object and when the public schools grew in importance, it ceased its activities as there was no longer any need for it.
"It has passed away, passed on as many of its pupils have since done and are still passing inevitably, and may even the very last one drop a tear for the dear old school on Maryland street, where children were taught that life is not an idle dream. If nevertheless I have proved but a dreamer and a seer of visions and even also an object of scorn, I have nevertheless this compensation, I can always conjure up the old school with its precious memories and dearly love it-not only for what it ac- complished, but for what it tried so hard to do and with such hearty, even pathetic good will, which breeds good will forever and ever down the ages eternally.
"When I was a boy this school was also called the German-American, the free thinkers, the Dutch, from the word Deutsche, school. If we had a correct history of the pioneer Germans of Indianapolis, it would prove very interesting and enlighten- ing. Germany stood then as now at the head of nations in many ways, and amongst the German emigrants were very many of culture, purpose and character. Mr.
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Men Who Aided the School
FRIEDERICH SCHULMEYER. Erstwhile collector of dues for the School. Born in Goetzenheim, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, March 24, 1814. Landed in New York in 1855. Came to Indianapolis in 1855. Died November 28, 1896.
FRIEDERICH RITZINGER. Born in Woerrstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Germany, June 8, 1819. Landed in America in 1848. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1854. Died November 10, 1879.
GUSTAVUS SCHURMANN. Born in Eilpe-Hagen. Westfalen, Germany, December 25, 1811. Landed in New York about 1846. Came to Indianapolis about 1852. Died October 4, 1870.
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Men Who Aided the School
COLONEL FRANK ERDELMEYER. Born in Hernsheim, bei Worms, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, November 2, 1835. Landed in New York in 1852. Came to Indianapolis in 1858. Enlisted in 1861 for the rebellion in 11th Indiana Volunteers ; became captain in 32d Indiana, and rose to lieutenant-colonel. Commanded his regiment for two years. Mnstered out September, 1864.
ALPHONS VORSTER. Born in Eilpe, Westphalen, Ger- many, January 24, 1843. Died August 4. 1878.
CHARLES COULON. Born in Goettingen, Hanover, Germany, February 16, 1825. Landed in Boston in 1847. Came to Indianapolis in 1852. Died February 2, 1881.
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Men Who Aided the School
CHARLES F. HAHN. (Onkel Hahn.) Born in Werther, Westfalen, Germany, April 9, 1820. Landed in Baltimore In 1846. Came to Indianapolis in 1851. Died May 4, 1904.
CHRISTIAN F. SCHMIDT. Born in Birkenfeld, Saxon-Mein- nigen, Germany, November 3, 1830. Landed in New Orleans in 1849. Came to Indianapolis in 1859. Died February 3, 1872.
HERMANN TILLY. Born in Hildesheim, Hanover, Germany, October 26, 1822. Landed in New York in 1829. Came to Indianapolis in 1852. Died March -, 1876.
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Vonnegut, for instance, was well educated, and was especially well versed in German literature. Around him as a nucleus this school grew to such goodly proportions that it attracted attention from all parts of the United States, and many pupils not only of German, but of American, English and French parentage, received their edu- cation at this well-equipped school. Its influence on the public schools of Indianapo- lis was unmistakable, and they were later recognized as among the best in this country. Mr. Vonnegut had been elected a public school commissioner and he was soon recognized as one of the greatest moral forces in the city. Mr. Vonnegut as the minority member fought the best and greatest fight Indianapolis has ever wit- nessed, and at great personal loss and sacrifice. Although he has been successful commercially, he was better pleased with quite another kind of wealth and for this he fought more valiantly than any other of his fellow-citizens, many of whom to this day think schools just grew up naturally, and know little of the strenuous pioneer work that has to be done in the face of ridicule and opposition.
"Many others too numerous to mention here helped, but for nearly half a century Mr. Vonnegut bore the brunt of it all. It is not detracting from the good work of many others to speak here mainly of the most prominent moral force in our public school system of that early date. My object here is to call attention to the early German influence in Indianapolis schools and to trace it mainly back to the old German-English school which in its flowering was the best school for children in this city. As necessity is the mother of invention, one of its fruits was this school, which was considered absolutely necessary. In the days of its birth, the Germans were ridiculed as hyphenated Americans and broadly designated as 'the dutch.' This sort of treatment was dictated variously by jealousy, by ignorance, by humor, etc. But it was plainly evident to the early Germans that such culture as they had brought with them from the fatherland had not only to be preserved, but enlarged and made general, and a proper school was the first necessity to insure both. What- ever it may have been at its inception, it became later on better and broader than the public schools of that day. The schoolmarm of 1860 to 1869 was all there was to the public school as then constituted below the grade of high school, but later on they improved rapidly and soon attained a high standard of efficiency. Scholars were withdrawn from this private school and then it was closed permanently. It was in its way a pioneer and a successful school at a time when good schools were rare. It had a grand total of over 2,000 scholars, and 30 teachers at a time when In- dianapolis was still a town of only about 40,000 inhabitants. Under the circum- stances it was a great achievement and a fortunate one.
"The old German-English school has been criticised because it did not teach religion, but such criticism was entirely unjust. It did not nor could it have taught any one of the 101 Christian, or any one of the 101 non-Christian sects, simply because the school was as non-sectarian as our public schools, and it was compelled to avoid sectarianism as a rock upon which it would have been shattered, or reduced to very small proportions. It all depends finally upon a definition of religion to decide whether an individual or an institution is religious, irreligious, or non-reli- gious. There is, however, no doubt about some very strict sectarians being irre-
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ligious, as they do not respect the eternal verities, are indifferent in promoting all things that are good, true and beautiful, are intolerant and cannot even think of a universal brotherhood until the universe accepts their creed and is bound by their ritual and ceremonies. The German-English school taught music, drawing, poetry and literature of only the best kind, encouraged its pupils to create and not destroy, and thus taught him how he may be related to the Creator no matter how imperfect his own creations may be, and thus, too, are pupils taught the difference between religion and sectarianism.
"William O. Judge said: 'The only true science must also be a religion and that is the wisdom religion. A religion that ignores patent facts and laws that gov- ern our lives and deaths and our sad or happy hereafter, is not religion. The one true religion is one that will find the basic ideas common to all philosophies and religion.' "
"(Signed) LOUIS J. METZGER."
On July 11, 1869, it was reported that teacher Mueller had agreed to stay in his position until April 15, 1870.
On July 18, 1869, Koerner, the custodian of the school, resigned and Frieder- ich Schulmeyer was appointed in his place.
On September 8, 1869, Hermann Tilly asked permission to send his fourteen- year-old daughter to the school, which was granted.
Messrs. Seidensticker and Vonnegut were instructed to confer with Mr. Short- ridge, of the high school, relative to admitting Miss Lena Schubert to his school.
Mr. Dingeldey reported on September 13, that Fraulein Lena Schubert had received an appointment as assistant teacher at high school for an indefinite period at $40 per month, and that teacher Mueller was still giving her private lessons.
Beginning with September 13, a number of meetings of the Vorstand were held at the office of Seidensticker and Naltner, real estate brokers.
The annual meeting of September 24, 1869, was held at the school, and the first thing on the program was the adoption of a resolution of condolence in memory of Johannes Reitz, who served the school as a teacher from October 1, 1862, to June 15, 1865. Mr. Reitz, who was 70 years of age when he came to the school, died on August 11, 1869, at a ripe old age, and respected by all who knew him.
The meeting elected the following officers for the ensuing year :
President-Adolph Seidensticker.
Secretary-Edward Mueller.
Treasurer-Friederich Schmid.
Bookkeeper-Henry Schnull.
Trustees -- Clemens Vonnegut, George Ferling, William Kothe, Louis Lang and Alexander Metzger.
Mr. Schnull declined to accept the position of bookkeeper, owing to press of private business.
On October 9, Mr. Metzger offered his resignation as Vertrauensmann, but the same was not accepted.
On December 18, 1869, at the "Erste regelmaessige Geschaeftsversammlung
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Men Who Aided the School
AMBROSE BALLWEG. Born in Wertheim, Baden, Germany, April 4, 1830. Landed in New York in 1848. Came to Indianapolis in 1850. Died September 7, 1879.
FRED P. RUSH. Born in Pelgte, Westfalen, Ger- many, May 10. 1834. Landed in New York, November, 1853. Came to Indianapolis, November, 1853. Died April 29, 1909.
FREDERICK BALLWEG. Born in Wertheim, Baden, Germany, March 20, 1825. Landed in New York in 1848. Came to Indianapolis in 1853. Died September 19, 1898.
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Men Who Aided the School
CHARLES H. GROBE. Born in Erfurt, Saxony, Germany on May 28, 1819. Landed in New York in 1849. Came to Indianapolis in 1856. Died November 2, 1891.
CHARLES E. HEINRICHS. Born in Osnabrueck, Hanover, Germany, July, 1819. Landed in New York in 1847. Came to Indianapolis in 1853. Died August 24, 1893.
CHARLES VOLMER. Born in Oelde, Westfalen, Prussia, Germany, June 23, 1824. Landed in America in 1848. Arrived in Indianapolis in 1848. Died in Memphis, Tenn., August 27, 1866.
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des Deutsch-Englischen Schulvereins," Mr. Jacob Metzger was elected to succeed Mr. Henry Schnull as bookkeeper.
Mr. Gustav Zschech was elected a trustee in place of Alexander Metzger, who resigned on October 9, 1869.
A resolution to make Mr. Carl Beyschlag an honorary member of the Schul- verein was voted down, on the plea that the by-laws of the society did not provide for honorary members. Mr. William Dietrichs acted as secretary of the meeting in place of Edward Mueller, absent.
At the meeting of December 20, 1869, the teachers complained of lazy or ex- tremely unruly pupils and mentioned several. Members of the Vorstand agreed to confer with the parents of these boys regarding the complaints lodged against them.
Teacher Keilmann gave notice of his intention to quit the school on April 15, 1870.
On January 3, 1870, Peter Spitzfaden asked permission to send a girl whom he had brought from New Orleans to the school, which was granted.
The meeting of January 13, was called owing to the hasty quitting of teacher Mueller, who notified the Vorstand that he had accepted a position in Cincinnati.
On January 31, 1870, the committee, composed of Messrs. Clemens Vonnegut and Adolph Seidensticker, reported that they had appointed Mr. R. Chilian tempo- rarily in place of Mr. Mueller, resigned.
On March 14, 1870, it was resolved to appoint Mr. Kraeuter from and after April 15, 1870.
Frau Krugmann was given permission to operate an "Industrie Schule" in one of the rooms of the school.
The meeting of April 24, showed the arrival of teachers Kraeuter and Stolze. It was also reported that teacher Annie Wate had gone to Boston with the corpse of her father, and that Abbie R. Wate, her sister, was teaching in her place.
The minutes show the following names as composing the teachers' staff : Theodore Dingeldey, George B. Kraeuter, John Stolze, Kati L. Berran, Annie R. Dodge and Abbie R. Wate.
The same record showed the composition of the Schulvorstand in the order in which they were to visit the school, and it was ordered that the list be exhibited in the school, presumably to give the pupils a chance to make a showing before the interested visitor.
On May 4, the Freidenkerverein asked to be permitted to use the Saal or the room of the Erste Classe on the second floor, which called for the following resolu- tion :
Beschlossen, Dem Wunsche zu begegnen gegen eine Verguetung von $1.00 per Woche und zwar fuer die Sommermonate bei 2 woechentlicher Kuendigung. Das Rauchen soll in der Halle nicht erlaubt werden; auch soll der Schuldiener dafuer sorgen dass alle Thueren in die Schulzim- mer geschlossen sind, ebens die Thueren der Apartements; auch soll er Alles was in den Schulbaenken im Saale ist, in Verechnung nehmen.
On May 11, it was resolved to hold a picnic on Pfingstmontag ; Mr. Lang and
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Mr. Ferling were appointed to look for a site, and Mr. Lang's offer to attend to the bar was accepted and he was authorized to employ the necessary hands. Mr. Gaus was asked to give attention to the ice cream stand.
So on "Pfingsmontag," that is June 6, 1870, the "Deutsch-Englische Schule" held its annual picnic at "Crown Hill Park." Vogt's band again did the musical stunts and the street railway fares were the same as the year before.
An account of the picnic in the "Taeglicher Telegraph" relates that the pupils gathered at the school and marched to Washington street, thence west to Illinois, where they boarded the cars, i. e., street cars.
On June 13, Mr. Vonnegut reported that he had given "dem kleinen Kolb" einen Verweis, aber kein Zeichenbuch, da er chon eins hatte.
It was resolved to thank Louis Lang, G. Ferling, Fred Schmid and Mr. and Madame Gaus for their services in the conduct of the picnic.
The meeting of July 11, 1870, instructed Mr. Fred Schmid to look for a white- washer to contract for the whitewashing of the Schule.
At the meeting of August 8, 1870, it developed that but one male teacher was present a week before school would take up on August 15, so it was decided to em- ploy Mr. Osterloh temporarily.
On August 12, 1870, Mr. George Gramlich, of Adrian Michigan, was intro- duced to the Schulvorstand.
The annual meeting of September 3, 1870, elected Mr. Clemens Vonnegut as president, to succeed Mr. Seidensticker.
William Kothe was elected secretary, to succeed Mr. Edward Mueller. Fried- erich Schmid was elected treasurer, and Mr. Jacob Metzger, bookkeeper.
Messrs. Albert Reissner John F. Mayer, Louis Lang, George Ferling and Nicolaus Jose were chosen trustees.
A meeting of the Vorstand of September 12, 1870, was attended by the teachers, Gramlich, Kraeuter and Osterloh.
The meeting of September 26, decided to adjourn school on Wednesday of fair week in October in order to give the pupils an opportunity to attend the fair.
Under date of October 2, 1870, Louis Lang offered a room for meetings of the Schulvorstand at his place on South Meridian street, which was thankfully accepted. Wonder why ?
Mr. Vonnegut spoke to the meeting about the bad behavior of certain chil- dren, the boys of Messrs. R-, K- and M -- being pointed out in particular. The fathers were asked to appear at the next meeting of the Vorstand. At the next meeting Miss Wate emphasized the complaint about the boys referred to with a let- ter. It was then decided that the parents of the children would have to appear be- fore the school and promise better behavior in the presence of their offspring.
On October 28, 1870, Mr. G. A. Schmidt, of Cincinnati, was appointed Ober- lehrer. On November 1, Mr. Osterloh was told that his services would not be needed after the end of that week.
On November 15, 1870, Mr. C. Bopp, of Ihringen, Baden, was introduced to
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Men Who Aided the School
CHARLES JOHN. Born in Nordhausen, Prussia, March 9, 1818. Landed in New York in 1840. Came to Indianapolis in the Forties. Died in 1907.
HENRY FRANK. Born near Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany, April 11, 1827. Landed in America in 1835. Came to Indianapolis in 1852. Died May 20, 1902.
MATTHIAS HARTH.
CHARLES MAYER.
Born in Marbach, Wuerttemberg, Germany, May 17, 1820. Landed in Baltimore in 1839. Came to Indianapolis in 1839. Died December 27, 1891.
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Men Who Aided the School
FRANK FERTIG. Born in Buchen, Baden, Germany, May 16, 1827. Landed in New York August 27, 1849. Came to Indianapolis in 1849. Died February 16, 1911.
MICHAEL HOFMANN. Born in Ahlemannsfelden, Wuert- temberg, Germany, Septem- ber 18, 1823. Landed in Philadelphia in 1850. Came to Indianapolis in 1852. Died February 19, 1892.
CHARLES POST. Born in Hagen, Westphalen, Germany, October 20, 1815. Landed in New York in 1848. Came to Indianapolis in 1862. Died April 5, 1906.
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the Schulvorstand. He had just arrived to take a position as teacher. Mr. Bopp later became the husband of our schoolmate, Lena Schubert.
On Saturday evening, December 25, 1870, the "Weihnachtsfest" of the "Deutsch-Englische Schule" took place in "Washington Halle." (The location is now known as the "Cleveland Club.") An account in the "Taeglicher Telegraph" told of a large Christmas tree; that Mathilde Woerner recited a poem, and that the pu- pils sang "Wenn die Schwalben heimwaerts ziehen." The newspaper further stated "Die Herren Schmidt, Bopp, Kraeuter und Gramlich bewiesen, dass unter ihrer Lei- tung die Kinder Zucht und Ordnung lernen, etc.
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