History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 14

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1192

USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 14

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"And to-day the swallows flitting

Round my cabin see me sitting

Moodily within the sunshine, just inside my silent door, Waiting for the ' Ager,' seeming

Like a man forever dreaming; And the sunlight on me streaming Throws no shadow on the floor ;

For I am too thin and sallow To make shadows on the floor- Nary shadow any more!"

The above is not a mere picture of the imagination. It is sim- ply recounting in quaint phrase what actually occurred in thousands of cases. Whole families would sometimes be sick at one time and not one member scarcely able to wait upon another. Labor or exercise always aggravated the malady, and it took General Lazi- ness a long time to thrash the enemy out. And those were the days for swallowing all sorts of roots and "varbs," and whisky, etc., with some faint hope of relief. And finally, when the case wore out, the last remedy taken got the credit of the cure.

EDUCATION.

Though struggling through the pressure of poverty and priva- tion, the early settlers planted among them the school-house at the earliest practical period. So important an object as the education

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of their children they did not defer until they could build more comely and convenient houses. They were for a time content with such as corresponded with their rude dwellings, but soon better build- ings and accommodations were provided. As may readily be snp- posed, the accommodations of the earliest schools were not good. Sometimes school was taught in a room of a large or a double log cabin, but oftener in a log house built for the purpose. Stoves and such heating apparatus as are now in use were then unknown. A mnud-and-stick chimney in one end of the building, with earthen hearth and a fire-place wide and deep enough to receive a four to six-foot back-log, and smaller wood to match, served for warming purposes in winter and a kind of conservatory in summer. For windows, part of a log was cut out in two sides of the building, and may be a few lights of eight by ten glass set in, or the aper- ture might be covered over with greased paper. Writing desks consisted of heavy oak plank or a hewed slab laid npon wooden pins driven into the wall. The four-legged slab benches were in front of these, and the pupils when not writing would sit with their backs against the front, sharp edge of the writing-desks. The floor was also made out of these slabs, or "puncheons," laid upon log sleepers. Everything was rude and plain; but many of America's greatest men have gone out from just such school-houses to grapple with the world and make names for themselves and re- flect honor upon their country. Among these we can name Abra- ham Lincoln, our martyred president, one of the noblest men known to the world's history. Stephen A. Douglas, one of the greatest statesmen of the age, began his career in Illinois teaching in one of these primitive school-houses. Joseph A. Wright, and several others of Indiana's great statesmen have also graduated from the log school-house into political eminence. So with many of her most eloquent and efficient preachers.

Imagine such a house with the children seated around, and the teacher seated on one end of a bench, with no more desk at his hand than any other pupil has, and you have in view the whole scene. The " schoolmaster " has called " Books! books!" at the door, and the "scholars" have just run in almost out of breath from vigorous play, have taken their seats, and are for the moment " saying over their lessons" to themselves with all their might, that is, in as loud a whisper as possible. While they are thus en- gaged the teacher is perhaps sharpening a few quill pens for the pupils, for no other kind of writing pen had been thought of as

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yet. In a few minutes he calls up an urchin to say his a b c's; the little boy stands beside the teacher, perhaps partially leaning upon his lap; the teacher with his pen-knife points to the letter and asks what it is; the little fellow remains silent, for he does not know what to say; "A," says the teacher; the boy echoes "A;" the teacher points to the next and asks what it is; the boy is silent again; "B," says the teacher; " B," echoes the little urchin; and so it goes through the exercise, at the conclusion of which the teacher tells the little " Major " to go back to his seat and study his letters, and when he comes to a letter he doesn't know, to come to him and he will tell him. He obediently goes to his seat, looks on his book a little while, and then goes trudging across the puncheon floor again in his bare feet, to the teacher, and points to a letter, probably outside of his lesson, and asks what it is. The teacher kindly tells him that that is not in his lesson, that he need not study that or look at it now; he will come to that some other day, and then he will learn what it is. The simple-minded little fellow then trudges, smilingly, as he catches the eye of some one, back to his seat again. But why he smiled, he has no definite idea.

To prevent wearing the books out at the lower corner, every pupil was expected to keep a "thumb-paper " under his thumb as he holds the book; even thien the books were soiled and worn ont at this place in a few weeks, so that a part of many lessons were gone. Consequently the request was often made, " Master, may I borrow Jimmy's book to git my lesson in? mine haint in mny book: it's tore out." It was also customary to use book-pointers, to point out the letters or words in study as well as in recitation. The black stem of the maiden-hair fern was a very popular material from which pointers were made.

The a- b-ab scholars through with, perhaps the second or third- reader class would be called, who would stand in a row in front of the teacher, "toeing the mark," which was actually a chalk or char- coal mark drawn on the floor, and commencing at one end of the class, one would read the first " verse," the next the second, and so on around, taking the paragraphs in the order as they occur in the book. Whenever a pupil hesitated at a word, the teacher would pronounce it for him. And this was all there was of the reading exercise.

Those studying arithmetic were but little classified, and they were therefore generally called forward singly and interviewed, or the

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teacher simply visited them at their seats. A lesson containing several " sums" would be given for the next day. Whenever the learner came to a sum he couldn't do, he would go to the teacher with it, who would willingly and patiently, if he had time, do it for him.

In geography, no wall maps were used, no drawing required, and the studying and recitation comprised only the committing to memory, or "getting by heart," as it was called, the names and locality of places. The recitation proceeded like this: Teacher- " Where is Norfolk?" Pupil-" In the southeastern part of Vir- ginia." Teacher-" What bay between Maryland and Virginia?" Pupil-" Chesapeake."

When the hour for writing arrived, the time was announced by the master, and every pupil practicing this art would turn his feet over to the back of his seat, thus throwing them under the writing desk, already described, and proceed to "follow copy," which was invariably set by the teacher, not by rule, but by as nice a stroke of the pen as he could make. The first copies for each pupil would be letters, and the second kind and last consisted of maxims. Blue ink on white paper, or black ink on blue paper, were common; and sometimes a pupil would be so unfortunate as to be compelled to use blue ink on blue paper; and a " blue" time he had of it.

About half past ten o'clock the master would announce, " School may go out;" which meant " little play-time," in the children's parlance, called nowadays, recess or intermission. Often the prac- tice was to have the boys and girls go out separately, in which case the teacher would first say, " The girls may go out," and after they had been out about ten minutes the boys were allowed a similar privilege in the same way. In calling the children in from the play-ground, the teacher would invariably stand near the door of the school-house and call out " Books! books!" Between play-times the request, "Teacher, may I go out?" was often iterated to the annoyance of the teacher and the disturbance of the school.

At about half past eleven o'clock the teacher would announce, "Scholars may now get their spelling lessons," and they would all pitch in with their characteristic loud whisper and "say over" their lessons with that vigor which characterizes the movements of those who have just learned that the dinner hour and " big play- time " is near at hand. A few minutes before twelve the " little spelling-class " would recite, then the " big spelling-class. " The latter would comprise the larger scholars and the major part of the school. The classes would stand in a row, either toeing the mark

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in the midst of the floor, or straggling along next an unoccupied portion of the wall. One end of the class was the "head," the other the "foot," and when a pupil spelled a word correctly, which had been missed by one or more, he would "go up " and take his station above all that had missed the word: this was called " turning them down." At the conclusion of the recitation, the head pupil would go to the foot, to have another opportunity of turning thein all down. The class would number, and before taking their seats the teacher would say, " School's dismissed," which was the signal for every child rushing for his dinner, and having the " big play- time."

The same process of spelling would also be gone through with in the afternoon just before dismissing the school for the day.

The chief text-books in which the "scholars " got their lessons were Webster's or some other elementary spelling-book, an arith- metic, may be Pike's, Dilworth's, Daboll's, Smiley's or Adams', McGuffey's or the old English reader, and Roswell C. Smith's geography and atlas. Very few at the earliest day, however, got so far along as to study geography. Nowadays, in contrast with the above, look at the "ographies " and "ologies!" Grammar and composition were scarcely thought of until Indiana was a quarter of a century old, and they were introduced in such a way that their utility was always questioned. First, old Murray's, then Kirkham's grammar, were the text-books on this subject. " Book larnin'," instead of practical oral instruction, was the only thing supposed to be attained in the primitive log school-house days. But writing was generally taught with fair diligence.

"PAST THE PICTURES."

This phrase had its origin in the practice of pioneer schools which used Webster's Elementary Spelling-book. Toward the back part of that time-honored text-book was a series of seven or eight pictures, illustrating morals, and after these again were a few more spelling exercises of a peculiar kind. When a scholar got over into these he was said to be " past the pictures," and was looked up to as being smarter and more learned than most other people ever hoped to be. Hence the application of this phrase came to be extended to other affairs in life, especially where scholarship was involved.

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SPELLING-SCHOOLS.

The chief public evening entertainment for the first 30 or 40 years of Indiana's existence was the celebrated "spelling-school." Both young people and old looked forward to the next spelling- school with as much anticipation and anxiety as we nowadays look forward to a general Fourth-of-July celebration; and when the time arrived the whole neighborhood, yea, and sometimes several neigh- borhoods, would flock together to the scene of academical combat, where the excitement was often more intense than had been expect- ed. It was far better, of course, when there was good sleighing; then the young folks would turn out in high glee and be fairly beside themselves. The jollity is scarcely equaled at the present day by anything in vogue.

When the appointed hour arrived, the usual plan of commencing battle was for two of the young people who might agree to play against each other, or who might be selected to do so by the school- teacher of the neighborhood, to " choose sides," that is, each con- testant, or "captain," as he was generally called, would choose the best speller from the assembled crowd. Each one choosing alter- nately, the ultimate strength of the respective parties would be about equal. When all were chosen who could be made to serve, each side would "number," so as to ascertain whether amid the confusion one captain had more spellers than the other. In case he had, some compromise would be made by the aid of the teacher, the master of ceremonies, and then the plan of conducting the campaign, or counting the misspelled words, would be canvassed for a moment by the captains, sometimes by the aid of the teacher and others. There were many ways of conducting the contest and keeping tally. Every section of the country had several favorite methods, and all or most of these were different from what other communities had. At one time they would commence spelling at the head, at another time at the foot; at one time they would " spell across," that is, the first on one side would spell the first word, then the first on the other side; next the second in the line on each side, alternately, down to the other end of each line. The question who should spell the first word was determined by the captains guessing what page the teacher would have before him in a partially opened book at a distance; the captain guessing the nearest would spell the first word pronounced. When a word was missed, it would be re-pronounced, or passed along without re-pronouncing (as some teachers strictly

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followed the rule never to re-pronounce a word), until it was spelled correctly. If a speller on the opposite side finally spelled the missed word correctly, it was counted a gain of one to that side; if the word was finally corrected by some speller on the same side on which it was originated as a missed word, it was "saved," and no tally mark was made.

Another popular method was to commence at one end of the line of spellers and go directly around, and the missed words caught up quickly and corrected by " word-catchers," appointed by the captains from among their best spellers. These word-catchers would attempt to correct all the words missed on his opponent's side, and failing to do this, the catcher on the other side would catch him up with a peculiar zest, and then there was fun.

Still another very interesting, though somewhat disorderly, method, was this: Each word-catcher would go to the foot of the adversary's line, and every time he " catched " a word he would go up one, thus "turning them down " in regular spelling-class style. When one catcher in this way turned all down on the opposing side, his own party was victorious by as many as the opposing catcher was behind. This method required no slate or blackboard tally to be kept.

One turn, by cither of the foregoing or other methods, would occupy 40 minutes to an hour, and by this time an intermission or recess was had, when the buzzing, cackling and hurrahing that en- sued for 10 or 15 minutes were beyond description.

Coming to order again, the next style of battle to be illustrated was to " spell down," by which process it was ascertained who were the best spellers and could continue standing as a soldier the longest But very often good spellers would inadvertently miss a word in an early stage of the contest and would have to sit down humilia- ted, while a comparatively poor speller would often stand till nearly or quite the last, amid the cheers of the assemblage. Sometimes the two parties first "chosen up" in the evening would re-take their places after recess, so that by the " spelling-down " process there would virtually be another race, in another form; sometimes there would be a new " choosing up " for the " spelling-down " con- test; and sometimes the spelling down would be conducted witlı- out any party lines being made. It would occasionally happen that two or three very good spellers would retain the floor so long that the exercise would become monotonous, when a few outlandish words like " chevaux-de-frise." " Ompompanoosuc " or " Baugh-

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naugh-claugli-ber," as they used to spell it sometimes, would create a little ripple of excitement to close with. Sometimes these words would decide the contest, but generally when two or three good spellers kept the floor until the exercise became monotonous, the teacher would declare the race closed and the standing spellers ac- quitted with a " drawn game."

The audience dismissed, the next thing was to " go home," very often by a round-about way, "a-sleighing with the girls," which, of course, was with many the most interesting part of the even- ing's performances, sometimes, however, too rough to be com- mended, as the boys were often inclined to be somewhat rowdyish.

SINGING-SCHOOL.

Next to the night spelling-school the singing-school was an occa- sion of much jollity, wherein it was difficult for the average singing- master to preserve order, as many went more for fun than for music. This species of evening entertainment, in its introduction to the West, was later than the spelling-school, and served, as it were, as the second step toward the more modern civilization. Good sleighing weather was of course almost a necessity for the success of these schools, but how many of them have been prevented by mud and rain! Perhaps a greater part of the time from November to April the roads would be muddy and often half frozen, which would have a very dampening and freezing effect upon the souls, as well as the bodies, of the young people who longed for a good time on such occasions.

The old-time method of conducting singing-school was also some . what different from that of modern times. It was more plodding and heavy, the attention being kept upon the simplest rudiments, as the names of the notes on the staff, and their pitch, and beating time, while comparatively little attention was given to expression and light, gleeful music. The very earliest scale introduced in the West was from the South, and the notes, from their peculiar shape, were denominated "patent " or "buckwheat " notes. They were four, of which the round one was always called sol, the square one la, the triangular one fa, and the "diamond-shaped " one mi, pro- nounced me; and the diatonic scale, or " gamut " as it was called then, ran thus: fa, sol, la, fa, sol, la, mi, fa. The part of a tune nowadays called " treble," or " soprano," was then called " tenor;" the part now called " tenor " was called " treble," and what is now "alto " was then "counter," and when sung according to the oldest rule, was sung by a female an octave higher than marked, and still

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on the " chest register." The " old ". " Missouri Harmony " and Mason's " Sacred Harp " were the principal books used with this style of musical notation.

About 1850 the "round-note " system began to " come around," being introduced by the Yankee singing-master. The scale was do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do; and for many years thereafter there was much more do-re-mi-ing than is practiced at the present day, when a musical instrument is always under the hand. The Car- mina Sacra was the pioneer round-note book, in which the tunes partook more of the German or Puritan character, and were gener- ally regarded by the old folks as being far more spiritless than the old " Pisgah," " Fiducia," " Tender Thought," " New Durham," " Windsor," " Mount Sion," "Devotion," etc., of the old Missouri Harmony and tradition.

GUARDING AGAINST INDIANS.

The fashion of carrying fire-arms was made necessary by the presence of roving bands of Indians, most of whom were ostensi- bly friendly, but like Indians in all times, treacherous and unreli- able. An Indian war was at any time probable, and all the old settlers still retain vivid recollections of Indian massacres, murders, plunder, and frightful rumors of intended raids. While target practice was much indulged in as an amusement, it was also neces- sary at times to carry their guns with them to their daily field work.

As an illustration of the painstaking which characterized pioneer life, we quote the following from Zebulon Collings, who lived about six miles from the scene of massacre in the Pigeon Roost settle- ment: "The manner in which I used to work in those perilous times was as follows: On all occasions I carried my rifle, tomahawk and butcher-knife, with a loaded pistol in my belt. When I went to plow I laid my gun on the plowed ground, and stuck up a stick by it for a mark, so that I could get it quick in case it was wanted. I had two good dogs; I took one into the house, leaving the other out. The one outside was expected to give the alarm, which would canse the one inside to bark, by which I would be awakened. hav- ing my arms always loaded. I kept my horse in a stable close to the house, having a port-hole so that I could shoot to the stable door. During two years I never went from home with any certainty of returning, not knowing the minute I might receive a ball from an unknown hand."

WIGKOK & GRIFF

TRAPPING.

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THE BRIGHT SIDE.

The history of pioneer life generally presents the dark side of the pieture; but the toils and privations of the early settlers were not a series of unmitigated sufferings. No; for while the fathers and mothers toiled hard, they were not averse to a little relaxation, and had their seasons of fun and enjoyment. They contrived to do something to break the monotony of their daily life and furnish thein a good hearty laugh. Among the more general forms of amusements were the " quilting-bee," "eorn-husking," "apple-par- ing," " log-rolling" and "house-raising." Our young readers will doubtless be interested in a description of these forms of amuse- ment, when labor was made to afford fun and enjoyment to all par- ticipating. The "quilting-bee," as its name implies, was when the industrious qualities of the busy little insect that " improves each shining hour " were exemplified in the manufacture of quilts for the household. In the afternoon ladies for miles around gathered at an appointed place, and while their tongues would not cease to play, the hands were as busily engaged in making the quilt; and desire as always manifested to get it out as quickly as possible, for then the fun would begin. In the evening the gentlemen came, and the hours would then pass swiftly by in playing games or daneing. " Corn-huskings " were when both sexes united in the work. They usually assembled in a large barn, which was arranged for the oc- casion; and when each gentleman had selected a lady partner the husking began. When a lady found a red ear she was entitled to a kiss from every gentleman present; when a gentleman found one he was allowed to kiss every lady present. After the corn was all husked a good supper was served; then the "old folks" would leave, and the remainder of the evening was spent in the dance and in having a general good time. The recreation afforded to the young people on the annual recurrence of these festive occasions was as highly enjoyed, and quite as innocent, as the amusements of the present boasted age of refinement and culture.

The amusements of the pioneers were peculiar to themselves. Saturday afternoon was a holiday in which no man was expected to work. A load of produce might be taken to " town " for sale or traffic without violence to eustom, but no more serious labor could be tolerated. When on Saturday afternoon the town was reached, " fun commenced." Had two neighbors business to transaet, here it was done. Horses were "swapped." Difficulties settled and

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free fights indulged in. Blue and red ribbons were not worn in those days, and whisky was as free as water; twelve and a half cents would buy a quart, and thirty-five or forty cents a gallon, and at such prices enormous quantities were consumed. Go to any town in the county and ask the first pioneer you meet, and he would tell you of notable Saturday-afternoon fights, either of which to-day would fill a column of the Police News, with elaborate engravings to match.

Mr. Sandford C. Cox quaintly describes some of the happy feat- tures of frontier life in this manner:

We cleared land, rolled logs, burned brush, blazed out paths from one neighbor's cabin to another and from one settlement to another, made and used hand-mills and hominy mortars, hunted deer, turkey, otter, and raccoons, caught fish, dug ginseng, hunted bees and the like, and-lived on the fat of the land. We read of a land of " corn and wine," and another "flowing with milk and honey ;" but I rather think, in a temporal point of view, taking into account the richness of the soil, timber, stone, wild game and other advantages, that the Sugar creek country would come up to any of them, if not surpass them.

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History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 14

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co. Number of Pages: 1192

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1192