History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 44

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 44

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About 1823 or 1824 a Mr. Cannon taught school in a log house south of Aurora on the Judge Holman place. "Probably one hundred yards south of this cabin the neighborhood a little later built a log school house in which a Miss Green is remembered as having taught." In the western part of Center township another hewed log school house was built at an early period. and Everett Milburn is recalled as one of the first masters. Gideon Cum- mings was a teacher in the southern part of the township along Laughery creek, as was also Samuel Hopping. Servetus Tufts was an early teacher in what was called the Mt. Zion meeting house. now gone, situated in the Trester graveyard, just over the line in Washington township.

At Cambridge. in Miller township, Jacob Blasdel. who came to the county in 1804, built a primitive school house that stood until 1825, which was said to have been the first chartered academy in the state of Indiana. In this academy some of the higher branches were taught. and Mr. Blasdel donated the land for the academy, which was to be used for such purposes as "long

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as water runs." On the west fork of Tanners creek school was held very early in the old log meeting house and it was taught by Elias Horner at one time. Thomas Ward also was one of the early teachers and likewise William Runnels. At what was at one time well known as the Sugar Grove church. school was kept by Levi Garrison, who was a lame man. On the Robert Frazier farm a school house was built at an early period in which at one time a man by the name of Eddy taught. In Hogan township one of the earliest school houses in the county was built. the date of which cannot now be determined. It was about a mile north of Wilmington on the creek, and Benjamin Powell and Elijah Bonham are two of the teachers that taught there. Mrs. Baker, a resident in Wilmington in 1885, was a pupi! in the school. Jack Howard and John Harwood were among the first teachers in a school house erected on the Jacob Harwood farm. A brick school house was erected in the village of Wilmington in 1825.

WILMINGTON SEMINARY.

In 1832 the trustees of the seminary fund located the county seminary at Wilmington. It was a brick building, two stories high, and was sixty- four by twenty eight feet, with four rooms. It was for several years an academy for higher learning, somewhat akin to the high schools of today. But with the march of time and the advent of the graded schools the building has been taken over by the township.

In Washington township schools were taught by Eli Green and Richard Chapman at an early period, on the Daniel Canaway farm. Another school was taught on the old Nichols farm, by Joel Lynn and James Russell. The date of these early schools was about 1816. About Milton, in Clay township. the first school house is thought to have been erected about 1816. It was a log structure and was about a mile above on the north side of the creek. A Mr. Roby is remembered as the first teacher. A Mr. Bush was one of the early teachers in Clay township. Thomas Wilson also was one of the early teachers. He received, it is said, ten dollars per month, and boarded around with his patrons.

Robert F. Ray was the first teacher in Cæsar Creek township, and he is said to have taught in a cabin that stood in the southern part of the township on the lands owned by John F. Licking, in 1885. Mr. Ray also taught a school on the Judge Watts farm. The first regular school house was built near Farmers Retreat, about 1825. Adolphus Dimmick and George John.

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son were two of the pioneer teachers in Caesar Creek township. and taught in a school house near the Cole graveyard.

The early schools of Harrison township were taught by John Wilkins, John Kilgore and Daniel and Isaac Hartpence. Not much is handed down concerning the early schools of that part of the county. Settlements were made there among the earliest in the county, and the character of the settlers was such that it is very probable that schools were taught there as early as in any of the first settlements. John Wilkinson. Mason and J. C. Cloud and Solomon Cole are spoken of as teachers in Logan township.

The early schools of Jackson township were taught in the Union church, and at the house of Isaac Lawrence, Sr., by John Yeriger. Schools were also taught in the Alden neighborhood by the wife of Samuel Alden. A hewed log school house was the first school house in York township. It is said to have been located about one-half mile north of Yorkville. and the early teachers were David Latin, James Gidney and a Mr. Howell. Judge Cotton, author of "Cotton's Keepsake," taught at Van Horn's school house at an early period.

PAYMENT OF TEACHERS.

The first school house erected in Sparta township was in the Crozier neighborhood, now in Hogan township. and is supposed to have been built about 1820. The first teacher of which there is any record is a Mr. Ball. In 1824 a log school house was built on the site of the present school house No. 5. Nathaniel Richman and John Daniels are two of the teachers that tradition says taught there. Other teachers were, John Arnold. Thomas Wood, Samuel Wright, John Osborn and Leander Kelsey. In 1820 a log school house was built on ground within the limits of Moores Hill, and Sanford Rhodes, it is thought, taught the first school there. The tuition charged at this school was said to have been seventy-five cents per quarter for each pupil. Most of the pay was received in commodities needed by the schoolmaster and his family.

In Manchester township a log school house was standing. in 1825. at Hogan Hill. Just when it was erected is not known. It stood until the decade between 1840 and 1850. James Stephenson was one of the early teachers in this school house.

School was taught at Wrights Corner, in the old log Baptist church, iu the early history of the township. In the decade between 1850 and 1860 an

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academy was erected at Wrights Corner and advanced studies were taught. It was very prosperous and was the means of doing much good in advancing the cause of education. George L. Curtis, afterwards a prominent Methodist divine, was the principal of the school for a year or so. At Manchester there was also about this same time a prosperous academy, which was taught by men afterwards prominent in the cause of education. These academies answered the purpose of creating a thirst for higher education, and were the means of stimulating many of the young men of that vicinity to enter the colleges of the state, and thus make preparation for a broader field of labor. Like the academy at Wilmington and at Lawrenceburg, these en- deavors, while resulting in good and filling the demand of the time, gave place to the graded school, the high school and the university of today.

Thus it will be seen that in the early times Dearborn county responded to the laws provided by the Legislature for the advancement of education. and the people were ambitious that their children should be given as good a chance to secure knowledge as was possible for the times. The log school houses of the twenties in many places gave way to the academy, such as the Washington Agricultural College and other attempts of the kind. The college on the hill back of Homestead, of which so little is known, was erected at that period.

CONTRAST OF FORMER YEARS.

These seats of higher learning were succeeded by the Lawrenceburg Academy, Wilmington, Manchester and Wrights Corner academies: and they, with the working out of the new constitution of the state and the advent of the graded schools, have been succeeded by the present system of graded schools and the high school. Now there are commissioned high schools at Lawrenceburg and Aurora with two-year high school courses at Manchester, Guilford, Wilmington, Dillsboro and Greendale. The principals of these schools at this time (1915) are: Manchester, Robert W. Lusk; Guilford, Robert T. Schooley; Wilmington, George P. Dennerline; Dills- boro, H. R. Shuter; Greendale, C. W. Fletcher.

LAWRENCEBURG SCHOOLS.

The first school house in the village of Lawrenceburg is supposed to have been on the court house square. It was a log building and the first teacher to "wield the birch" is thought to have been the Rev. Samuel Bald-

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ridge, and the next a Mr. Fulton. Baldridge was a Presbyterian minister, who worked as an itinerant missionary in the Whitewater valley from 1810 to 1814. A school was kept just across the Ohio river, in what was called Touseytown, as early as 1808, by Mrs. Mary Lane, wife of Amos Lane, afterwards a member of Congress from this district. In 1813 a teacher by the name of Zenas Hill here taught the young ideas how to acquire knowl- edge. He is spoken of as an excellent teacher and thoroughly equipped to instruct pupils in both Latin and Greek, as well as the common branches. School was kept at one time in an old frame building between Mary and Vine streets, opposite the Regan hotel, also on the same side of High street, just west of Walnut. Samuel H. Dowden, a Virginian, taught school for some years in one of these houses. Mr. Dowden was the father of the late Otho and Virgil Dowden, whom many of the older residents well remember. A Mrs. Stevenson also was a teacher, she afterwards marrying Thomas Tousey, who lived over in Boone county, Kentucky.

The old Presbyterian church was used as a school room for many years, especially the basement. In 1833 what was advertised in the papers of the times as the "Lawrenceburg high school." was opened by a teacher named Z. Castelline in the Presbyterian church. In 1841 the school trustees were J. H. Brown. William Brown and John P. Dunn, and it was advertised that the free school district No. 9, including all that part of the township lying east of Gray's alley, would be open on May 10. The school taught by Stephen Bundy was held in a room on High street, then called Ferris Row, now occupied by the Mccullough Drug Company. The school taught by Mrs. C. Morehouse was held in the basement of the Presbyterian church.

The Dearborn county history of 1885 says, "In 1851 there were two high schools in the city, the Lawrenceburg Academy established by J. M. Rall, assisted by Miss Parmelia Fahr, and the Lawrenceburg Institute, estab- lished under the supervision of trustees, with Edward Cooper, A. M., prin- cipal." In addition to these schools there were in the city, a select school held in the basement of the Presbyterian church, under the direction of Miss and Mrs. Potter; a middle district school taught by Miss Wardell; the New- town District, district No. 10, Germantown, taught by John D. White. There were also two German schools on Walnut street; one German Catholic taught by John F. Herwig, and the other, both Catholic and Protestant, taught by Jacob Behmar. From 1840 to 1856 the following are among those who taught in the basement of the Presbyterian church: John M. Wilson. Dr. Potter, John D. White and John M. Olcott.

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The following advertisement appeared in the Indiana Register of June 6, 1851 : "Lawrenceburg Academy. The attention of the public is respect- fully invited to this institution. The course of instruction will comprise Latin. Greek and French languages, and Mathematics; together with the usual branches of a thorough English education. It is designed not merely to store the memory with facts, but to discipline the mind and cultivate the power of thinking; to awaken mental activity and qualify the student to arrange the knowledge he may acquire into themes for reflection, and render it applicable to the business of life. The buildings of the Academy occupy an airy and healthy location. They are fitted up with every convenience for study, and are surrounded by spacious grounds, affording ample facilities for recreation and exercise. The Academy years will consist of two sessions of five months each, the first of which under the present arrangement, com- menced on Monday, the 10th instant. No student admitted for less than half a session. Students charged from time of entrance, unless in cases of protracted illness. Vocal music will form part of the school exercise, free of charge. Terms of tuition per session : Primary Department, $6.00; English, including Mathematics, $10.00; Classical, $15.00; French, $5.00; Drawing, $5.00; Monochromatic painting, $5.00; Music, Piano Forte, $20.00. For further particulars address the Principal, Rev. J. M. Rall, postpaid. Law- renceburg, March 14, 1851."

AN AMBITIOUS EFFORT.

Just below the above advertisement of an academy, the location of which is not mentioned, is another one of what was styled by its backers: "Law- renceburg Institute: The Trustees of this institution, having reorganized and increased their appliances for the education of youths of both sexes, announce that it will be opened for the reception of pupils on Monday. the 12th instant. They have secured the services of Edward Cooper, A. M., as Principal, in whose qualifications for conducting its several departments with efficiency and usefullness. they have the highest confidence, based upon his experience in conducting Academic Institutions of the highest character. The Female Department will be under the instruction of Mrs. M. A. Cooper, Miss Mary J. Reynolds and a competent and accomplished Music Teacher. The spa- cious, convenient and well located building at the corner of Elm and High streets has been taken and placed in excellent order. A good piano, com- fortable school furniture, and ample facilities for an extended and thorough

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course of instruction have been provided. The number of pupils is limited to sixty ; with a determination to admit no one whose moral character, habits of life and attention to study are exceptionable. For the few remaining seats and privileges of the school, application should be made to L. B. Lewis and E. G. Burkham, Esqs. Hours of instruction from 8 a. m. to 12 m .; 1 :30 p. m. to 4:30 p. m. A lecture will be given each week to the pupils and their parents, on subjects connected with the course of studies and the best means of intellectual and moral culture. D. S. Major, President. M. H. Harding, secretary. Lawrenceburg, May 2, 1851."

These means of education helped to fill the gap between the present day system of education and the early pioneer times, when schools were hardly known, and those that were held were of the crudest description. The "An- nual Catalogue of the Instructors and Pupils of the Lawrenceburg Institute, for the year ending July 13, 1849," was published by the Indiana Register office. It is a pamphlet of twelve pages. The trustees of the institution were: Hon. George H. Dunn, William B. Mccullough, M. D., Daniel S. Major, Esq., M. H. Harding, William S. Durbin, Omer Tousey, Levin B. Lewis, William Brown, Elza G. Burkam, C. F. Clarkson, Esq., Rev. A. E. Chambers, David Macy. Board of Instruction: Rev. W. W. Hibben, prin- cipal; Henry B. Hibben, John F. Marlay, S. M. Hibben, Miss Sarah J. Hib- ben, Miss Mary B. Wirt, Miss Lucetta Durbin, W. B. Thurston, instrumental music. In the senior class, male department, was one pupil, Omer J. Touscy. The junior class had eight pupils : Uel Armstrong, John Henry Brower, Ru- fus S. Craft, Elijah G. Durbin, William J. Fitch, Edward D. Moore, Ben- jamin M. Piatt, John P. Thompson. The second academical years, as it was called, had enrolled sixteen pupils, as follow : James M. Brashear. George P. Buell, John F. L. Buell, William E. Craft, Davis W. Cheek, John WV. Durbin, Morgan L. Fitch, Augustus Gage, Oliver H. Hibben, Francis M. Jackson. James W. Jones, Samuel L. Law, Benjamin P. Mccullough, James McKin- ney, Jacob Roland. and William B. Welsh.

The first academical year had enrolled fifty pupils, many of whom are well known men of a generation just past. Among the sixty were Jesse Armstrong, Christian Anderegg, Charles B. Burkham, Joseph H. Burkham. George T. Brown. William H. Brown, Charles E. Brashear. William R. Bateman, John H. Browneller. Theopholis B. Crider. William N. Durbin, Charles Darragh. Samuel W'. Durbin. Theodore Fitch. Henry M. Farrar. Abram Franklin Farrar, John Herrick, John Hauck. Jacob Hauck, George W. Hipple, Ethan Hunt, Peter Martenstein, John Miller, Job Miller, Thomas

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Mckinney, Andrew J. Morgan, Levi P. Miller, John A. Rymond, Henry Stockman, George H. D. Tate, William Wymond, Montgomery P. Wardell. In the primary department of the males were forty-five boys. Among the number are familiar names such as William D. Burkham, Isaac G. Crontz, Lewis Crooker, David Durbin, Charles Goble, Isaac L. Goble, John F. Horn- berger, Adam Konkle, George Ludlow, John H. Lewis, Wilbur Sheldon, John W. Sparks, Howard Watts.

In the female department there were no seniors and just one junior. Miss Catherine E. Tate. In the second academical year were enrolled sixteen young ladies whose names will be very familar to many, as follow: Harriet E. Brown, Miriam J. Brown, Anna M. Brown, Jane E. Brashear, Frances P. Dunn, Virginia M. Fitch, Melvina M. Greuzard, Frances A. Gray, Leah T. Hayes, Josephine A. Lucas, Emma E. Lewis, Rebecca B. Moore, Louisa M. Miller, Mary C. Major, Hannah A. Selby, and Sarah J. Woodward.

The first academical year had enrolled fifty-three pupils. Among the number were names that are very familiar to many, as follow: Mary A. Anderegg, Martha S. Brower, Mary E. Crooker, Anna E. French, Kate P. Ferris, Mary Groff, Cordelia Groff, Isidore H. Harding, Jane E. Hamilton, Laura T. Lewis, Sarah J. Ludlow, Mary E. Lewis, Ada J. McCormick, Elizabeth A. Mattocks, Emily J. Miller, Caroline Macy, Rachel Morgan, Martha Morgan, Rebecca Miller, Ruth A. Miller, Martha A. Mason, Mary H. Sparks, Fanny E. Sparks, Jane L. Smith, Mary Lucy Stockman, Liberty Sparks, America Sparks, Kate Saltmarsh, Mary F. Tousey, Anna J. Tate. Sarah A. Vail, Anna Watts, Margaret Wymond, and Helen Ward. In the primary department of the female portion were enrolled forty-seven misses among whom were the names of some yet living and many who are well known to the present generation, but lately passed over to the other shore. Sarah R. Browneller, Uladilla Crider, Julia L. Dumont, Cornelia Dumont, Mary F. Dumont, Hannah Dunn, Columbia J. Daniels, Augusta M. Durbin, Martha Ferris, Laura F. Harding, Louisa Hornberger, Ella Lane, Josephine Major, Belfer McCall, Mary A. Miller, Seraphine Miller, Harriet Patton, Martha J. Sheldon, Pamelia Ferris Thorne, Josephine Watts, and Emma J. Wymond.

The institute had enrolled two hundred and forty-seven pupils. The senior's year study comprised : chemistry, finished ; geometry, finished; trigo- nometry and mensuration, astronomy. Evidences of Christianity, 'Blair's Rhetoric" and "Whateley's Logic." The classical course comprised: Latin and Greek readers and grammars (Bullion's), Cæsar, Sallust, Cicero, Vir-

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gil (Anthon's), Horace, Greek Testament, Græca Majora, etc. Two literary societies were a part of the school's make-up, one in the male and one in the female department. The prospectus says of the institution that "The Insti- tute is located in perhaps the healthiest town on the Ohio river. In evidence of this fact, during the past year two hundred and forty-seven pupils have been in attendance and not a single death has occurred among them. The country around is elevated, beautiful, fertile, and healthful-unsurpassed, it is believed, by any location in the West. The building is large and spacious, situated in the retired part of the city; and is so arranged that the male and female departments are distinct and separate. The Principal resides in the building-in whose family those young ladies boarding in the institution will receive every attention necessary for their health, improvement and moral training." This educational institution was undoubtedly a source of much good to the growing town.

MODERN SYSTEM INTRODUCED.

Under the new constitution of 1852, the public school system gradually got organized. In 1876, the Centennial year, appeared the following sketch of the Lawrenceburg public schools. "The Lawrenceburg graded schools were organized and established the 15th of November, 1856, by Omer Tousey, John Anderegg and Samuel Morrison, board of school trustees; and Norval Sparks, clerk : J. M. Olcott, superintendent, D. H. Pennewell, assistant super- intendent : Mrs. Hubbell. Mrs. Brashear, Miss Yeatman and Miss Brower teachers. Number of children attending public schools in the city, 250; num- ber of children between the ages of five and twenty-one years in the township, 1,294. The high school building, which is a part of the present building, was erected in the year 1859. by the township trustee, William Tate, and completed by his successor. John Ferris. In the year 1865. by and in pur- suance of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, the control and management of the city schools was transferred from the township trustee to a school board of trustees, consisting of three persons, president, secretary and treasurer. to be elected by the council of the city of Lawrenceburg. Since then the following named persons have been elected and acted in that capacity : Levin B. Lewis, John H. Gaff. Andrew A. Helfer. Andrew J. Pusey. William M. James, Noah S. Givan and John K. Thompson. The present board is : George Otto, president : Dr. Charles B. Miller, treasurer : Thomas Kilner, secretary. At no time in the history of the schools have they been in as good condition financially as at the present time. At the expiration of the

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present school year, there will remain and unexpended the sum of $4.979.84. It is the desire of the present board of trustees, with the consent and approval of the patrons of the schools, to make some radical changes therein, whereby they may become more efficient and beneficial. There is annually expended by the board for school purposes, $10,000.

"The school property consists of two large brick buildings: One situated on the corner of Short and Market streets, surrounded by a beautiful park, with fine playgrounds for the children; and the other on the corner of Ship- ping and Fourth streets, a building erected in 1870. the grounds of which have been ornamented during the present year by shade trees. The buildings are well equipped and every facility afforded to make the schools efficient and the equal of any in the State. The corps of instructors are John R. Trisler, superintendent; William F. Gilchrist, principal; Josie Brand, Sallie B. Marsh, Emma C. Hauck, Emma L. Pusey, Mary Hopping. Carrie H. Rowe, Fannie Pierce, Katie Ferris, Annie S. Hayes, Esther L. Avery, teachers; A. S. Teutschei and F. J. Kalmerten, German teachers; Prof. Emil A. Roehrig. vocal music. Joseph White, janitor; Margaret Brown, janitress. The average monthly salary of the teachers, exclusive of the superintendent, is $50.60. Number of children enrolled in the school, 650; number of children enumerated between the ages of six and twenty-one, 1,951."

In 1883 the enumeration of children for school purposes was 1,743, and in 1885 the organization of the schools was as follows: School board-R. Walter, president; Frank R. Dorman, secretary; Dr. C. B. Miller, treasurer ; Thomas V. Dodd, superintendent; W. H. Rucker, principal; Julia W. Rabb, special teacher of grammar and principal of the eighth year; Emma Brogan, special teacher in the grammar department and principal of the seventh year : Mary E. Pusey, special teacher of geography in the grammar department and principal of the sixth year; Nettie Van Ness, special teacher of arithmetic and principal of the fifth year; Pauline Berkshire, teacher in B primary grade Retta Brodbeck, teacher in C grade; Nettie Akers, teacher in D grade, first year; Carrie Goyer, teacher in C and D grades, first and second years; Jennie Huff, assistant teacher in D primary grade; J. R. Kuhlman, superintendent of German, teacher in German grammar department; Alice Schleicher, teacher in German primary department; Anna Sembach, teacher in German primary department, first and second years; Matilda Hoffrogge, teacher in German primary department; first and second years; E. A. Roehrig, teacher of music and penmanship. Wash Howard, janitor Oldtown school building: Mrs. Florsch, janitress, Newtown building.

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The first class was graduated from the high school in 1872. and were Fannie Pierce, Mary E. Banyard, Emma C. Hauck. E. D. Freeman and Carrie H. Rowe. There were no more graduates until 1876 when the grad- uates were Mary Jones. Mary Pusey. Lizzie Savage. Edward T. Mader, From that day to this there has been a class graduated every year and the alumni have reached the number of four hundred and fifty-four, and are out in the world making their own way much better with the help of the equip- ment furnished in the Lawrenceburg high school.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 44

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123