USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 21
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EDUCATION.
teacher during the county institute, and an examination fee of fifty cents is collected from each applicant taking the examination for teacher's license, all of which is put into the institute fund.
Township institutes have been held in each township on one Saturday in each month during school terms since the passage of the act of 1873. In 1872 James A. New, county examiner, reported one township as sustaining a teachers' institute or association. In 1873 Superintendent John 11. Bin- ford reported : "Township institutes held within the year, none." .At the September meeting of the county board of education, in 1873, however, the following resolutions were adopted :
"Resolved. that we will employ no teacher who does not attend the teachers' institute appointed by the county superintendent, and that we will to the full extent exact the penalty prescribed by the law for non-attendance on the same.
"There shall be organized in the county by the county superintendent three combined township institutes for the months of October and March, each of which shall hold one session during each of said months. The first shall be composed of Blue River, Jackson and Brown townships, and shall meet on the first Saturday of October and March at the public school house in Cleveland, unless otherwise ordered by the county superintendent. The second shall be composed of Brandywine, Center and Green townships, and shall meet at the school house in Greenfield on the second Saturday of Octo- ber and March. The third shall be composed of Sugar Creek. Buck Creek and Vernon townships, and shall meet on the third Saturday of October and March at Mt. Comfort, unless otherwise ordered by the county superin- tendent."
.At the September meeting of the board in 1875. the month of November was substituted for the month of October, and the institute for the western tier of townships was abolished. At the September meeting, 1880, the joint institutes were "deemed impracticable since the teachers are not willing to attend the same." The attendance of the teachers at the township institutes received a great stimulus in the passage of the act of 1889. providing that teachers be paid for attendance at these institutes.
TERMS OF SCHOOL.
With the increase of teachers' salaries came also longer terms of school. A report of the county superintendent made in 1875 shows the average length of the school term as follows: Blue River. 142 days ; Brown, 80 days : Center, 78 days : Jackson, 110 days ; Brandywine, 86 days: Buck Creck, 123
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
days : Green, 88 days ; Vernon. 100 days : Charlottesville, 100 days ; Fortville, 83 days: Greenfield. 90 days.
During the next decade the townships practically all began maintaining a six-months term. Within the last ten years another month has been added. while our high schools and some of our township schools now are beginning to maintain an eight-months term.
ENUMERATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
The records of the enumeration of school children during the early years of the county's history are incomplete and many of them have been lost. The United States census report shows that in 1840 seven common schools were conducted in the county with an attendance of one hundred and fifty- six pupils. In 1850 an attendance of two thousand, four hundred and thirteen pupils was reported. The enumeration taken in 1866 shows that there were in the county the following number of children between the ages of six and twenty-one years: Males, 2,621 ; females, 2.471 : total, 5,092. The number of children kept increasing for a number of years, and then began to decrease. as shown by the following table :
Years.
Enumeration.
Enrollment in Schools for the year
Average Daily Attendance for the year.
1866
5,002
4.324
1873
5.310
4.438
2,652
18-6
5.600
4.287
1882
5.581
1884
5.660
. .
1886
5.742
.....
1887
5.745
.
...
.
.. ..
1889
5.857
. . . ..
1800
5.857
4.653
3.510
1802
6,118
4.730
3.599
1803
6.348
4.693
3.458
1804
6,40I
-1.726
3.634
1805
6.353
1.008
3.585
1806
5.950
4.838
3,582
1807
6.064
4.775
3.791
1898
6.162
4.741
3.906
1800
5.931
4,753
3.680
1902
5.949
4. 198
3.679
1903
5.849
4.534
3,620
1014
4.671
3.793
3.266
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EDUCATION.
Without giving the table for all the years, the enumeration of school children of the county has decreased at the rate of about one hundred pupils per year during the last eleven years. According to enumeration reports there are fewer children between the ages of six and twenty-one years in the county now by about four hundred than there were at the close of the Civil War. The number reached its maximum in 1894. The highest average daily attendance, however, was reached in the schools in the school year, 1897-8. It will be observed that the enrollment in the schools in 1872-3 was only about one hundred less than in 1903, yet the average daily attendance of that year is almost a thousand less. This is. no doubt, accounted for by the fact that in 1873 a large number of the young people attended school for a short time during the winter term, but were absent on "good days for work." and withdrew early in the spring. This gave the schools a large enrollment, butt a low average daily attendance.
The great decline in the enumeration of school children is also having a marked effect on the county's distributive share of the school funds drawn from the state. For instance, the state school tax levy for 1914 was thirteen and six-tenths cents on every one hundred dollars of taxable property. Dur- ing the year thirty-two thousand, one hundred and ninety-two dollars and thirty cents was collected in taxes and interest on school funds, and paid over to the state treasurer. But when the state funds were again apportioned among the counties, on the basis of their enumeration, Hancock county re- ceived only $19.571.49. or $12,620.81 less than was collected by this county and paid into the state treasury. The figures above illustrate what occurs from year to year in the collection and distribution of the state school taxes.
CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATION OF HIGH SCHOOLS.
In 1865 the county examiner reported eighty-seven district schools in llancock county, but he reported no graded schools at all in the townships. In 1873. and again in 1876, eighty-nine districts were reported. During more recent years the number of district schools having only one teacher was reported as follows: 1892, 87: 1893. 85: 1896. 84: 1807. 81: 1900, 67: 1902, 66: 1903. 63: 1906. 62: 1907, 61 : 1908. 52 ; 1900. 49: 19IT. 47: 1912, +1: 1913. 38: 1914. 37: 1915. 32.
With the abandonment of district schools from year to year, the children have been transferred to larger centers, where they have the advantage of better gradation, etc. This movement has also made possible and expedient the organization of township high schools. Several high schools, including those in Blue River. Brown. Green. Jackson and Vernon townships were
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
organized, or at least classes had taken up high school subjects by 1895. . \11 the remaining townships except Brandywine had high school classes started not later than 1900. The organization of these schools was well begun by the time that County Superintendent Lee O. Harris took his office in 1897. At that time Hancock county still had practically all her district schools, but it will be observed that by the end of his administration, in 1903, eighteen dis- tricts had been abandoned. The pupils from these districts were attending the consolidated schools. Since that time almost one-half of the remaining dis- tricts have been abandoned. Blue River township had all her pupils in the consolidated school at Westland during the school year of 1914-15, under the trusteeship of Obed J. Coffin. During the school year of 1914-15 the various school corporations expended $7.325.00 for the transportation of pupils to the consolidated schools. The school houses in which our children now attend may be grouped as follows : Stone, 1 ; brick, 66; frame, 8 ; total, 75.
CUSTOMS OF DIFFERENT PERIODS.
Mention has been made of the fact that in 1865 an "Educational Col- umn" was conducted for a time in the Hancock Democrat by the Hancock County Normal Institute. In 1876 County Superintendent W. P. Smith again conducted such a "column." Articles were contributed by Mr. Smith and also by the teachers of the county. The first article to appear was offered by Lee O. Harris on "Composition." Another article of some length was contributed by A. V. B. Sample on "Duties of Parents." Other articles under the captions, "Force of Habit," "Description of School Room," "Cultivation of the Mind," and "Words." appeared from time to time for several years. In addition to such articles personal mention was made of the work and doings of teachers. In fact. a sort of an "exchange" was maintained in these columns. to which the teachers felt free to contribute, and which reflects a general cooperative spirit in the profession.
About the same time, or rather in 1875. knotty problems in arithmetic began to appear, for which solutions were asked. Teachers vied with each other in their efforts to solve these problems and publish their solutions in the local paper. Frequently different solutions giving different results were published, which gave rise to interesting arguments running from week to week on the solutions offered. Following is a problem which may probably be called typical, selected at random from those offered :
"Three boys start to sell oranges; one has ten, one has thirty and the other fifty ; they want to sell them at the same price and all receive the same amount of money. At what price must they sell and how much did each receive ?"
233
EDUCATION.
During the winter of 1870-71. N. W. Fitzgerald, principal of the Green- field school, adopted a plan of encouraging attendance, good behavior, indus- try, etc .. in the Greenfield schools by establishing "honor rolls." The "honor roll" was made up at the end of each week. Pupils who had been neither absent nor tardy, who had been "perfect" in recitations, and who had a grade in deportment of not less than, say ninety-five per cent., had their names placed on this "roll." At the end of each week the "honor roll" was published in the local papers. During that winter a few teachers in the county adopted the same plan and published the "honor rolls" of their schools. In a year or two this custom became very common, and "honor rolls" from schools in all parts of the county were published. This practice was con- tinued in the county pretty generally for about sixteen years.
In the spring of 1871. W. P. Smith, later county superintendent of . schools, finished a term at the Pleasant Hill school in Brandywine township. The term had been successful, relationships had evidently been cordial and agreeable. and in the issue of the Hancock Democrat of March 30 of that year he made the following public acknowledgment :
"Many thanks to the friends and patrons of the school for the prompt and cheerful cooperation they have rendered me during the term, and for the many 'good things' they provided for us and our visitors on closing day.
"To the Scholars: You will please accept my thanks for strict obedience to the rules of school, punctuality in attendance, promptness in recitation and close application to study; and now that school is out let me ask you not to lay aside your books entirely, but spend your leisure moments in reviewing the lessons you have recited at school that you may be able to begin your studies at the next term where you left off this.
"With best wishes for your future success in life. I bid yon adiew, as your teacher for the present. W. P. SMITH."
To this letter was also appended the "honor roll" of this school : Reuben Bentley. Joseph Kelm. James Parnell, Abijah Kemmerly, Henry C. Marsh, John J. Roberts. William Kennedy, Willie H. Marsh, Andrew J. Smith. James H. Smith, Newton Rhue. Charles P. Duncan, Mary E. C. Kelm. Emma Par- nell. Iduna May Smith. Ella Griggsby, Emanuel Smith, Henry Mckinney, Dard Roberts, Laura Parnell, Malinda E. Smith. May J. Smith. Rebecca Stump, Isaac T. Winn. James J. Duncan. James Roberts, Harriett Parnell, Saralı .A. Smith. Inez F. Smith.
This was the beginning of a series of such acknowledgments which often appeared at the close of schools during the seventies and eighties. They were not always in exactly the same tone, as will be seen from the following.
234
HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
which came from the teacher of district No. 10 in Vernon township in the spring of 1872:
"I would say to the scholars, the most of you have treated me well, and have not caused me any trouble. Hoping you will retain these few instruc- tions I have given you until a good old age, you have my best wishes through life.
"To the patrons of the school : I am sorry to say you have done but little in word or deed to encourage me in my work, but I trust you will do better in the future. J. H. SCOTTON, Teacher."
Sometimes the acknowledgment also included a narrative of the "last day." like the following from district No. 2 in Green township. in March. 1876:
"The day set in very inclement, but nevertheless, scholars, patrons and friends came marching in with turkeys, chickens, pies, cakes and everything that would tempt the palate.
"The morning program was as follows: \ complete review of the analysis of the alphabet, advanced reading, written spelling and manuscript history. After these exercises we had two tables spread across the house with everything nice to satisfy the appetite.
"The afternoon program consisted of concert reading, Grammar, Geogra- phy, Arithmetic, and closed by remarks from patrons and teacher. The scholars have been industrious, obedient and kind. I will return my thanks through your paper for the kindness and hospitality, both by patrons and pupils, shown me while teaching in their district."
"J. BENSON, Teacher."
Local pride was also reflected :
"School No. 9. near Willow Branch P. O., closed March 15, 1876, with a general turnout of patrons, pupils and visitors. The forenoon exercises consisted of. first, recitations in primary spelling and reading, after which the time until noon was spent with arithmetic classes. Noon now at hand, we dismissed for dinner. We set two tables, each twelve feet long, which were covered with edibles of all kinds.
"I will say in conclusion that we have had a very pleasant time this winter. This being my third term at this place, and very likely the last. I can say that I consider it a credit to any teacher to occupy old Spiceland school house. No. 9. Brown township.
"I now return my thanks to patrons and pupils for their kindness toward me as their teacher, and may they ever be found moving forward in the inter- est of an education.
JAMES L. SMITH. Teacher."
235
EDUCATION.
In the spring of 1876 the teacher of Benevolence school in Center town- ship made the following statement in the local paper :
"Pupils reported as most industrious and consequently most successful : Alice Goble. John Handy, Phebe Price. Ella Kinsey, James Heffernan, Ollie Wiggins, Mollie Trees, Eddie Gray, Rufus Temple, and George Wiggins.
"I can safely say for all that more practical pupils cannot be found anywhere. No cases of tardiness in the school during the term.
"The patrons of the district have my sincere thanks for the dinner fur- nished on this occasion.
THEODORE WINN, Teacher."
Many other acknowledgments could be added to the foregoing, but they illustrate the types of public acknowledgments that appeared in the columns of our local papers during those years.
But expressions of good will did not all come from the teacher alone. On several occasions the pupils also had something to say, and some of their doing's at least found their way into the local papers. We offer the following from the pupils of "Sparks school," district No. I. in Brown township, at the close of their school. in March, 1876:
"Resolved, that we return our earnest thanks to our well esteemed teacher for the general hospitality he has shown us during his two terms of school.
"Resolved, that we return our thanks to our teacher for discharging his duty among us as pupils without showing any partiality.
"Resolved, that we return our thanks to our esteemed teacher, A. J. Larue, for the information he has imparted to us as pupils since he came to our school.
"Resolved, that we are under many obligations to our teacher for rais- ing us up from the degrading name which the pupils were under in our dis- trict, caused by unruly pupils, and elevating us upon a level with other dis- tricts in the township and county.
"Resolved, that we recommend our teacher to any class of scholars that he may chance to meet in the future.
"Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be presented to the teacher's father, John R. Larue.
"Resolved, that we request William Marsh, trustee of P-own township, to send a copy of these resolutions to the Hancock Democrat for publication.
"Resolved, that if our teacher thinks these resolutions worthy, we re- quest him to present a copy of them to the county paper in which he resides.
"Resolved, that we return our thanks to our teacher for giving his con- sent to return at our next term of school and assist us in advancing our education."
236
HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
"Signed by scholars. Obee H. Garrett. James B. McDaniel, John H. Smith, Samuel N. Hunt, Charles Riggs. Levi L. Keesling. William Smith, Bay Cook. Lilly Cook, Mary A. Cook, Cimmie Cook, Hattie Giles, Florence Cook, Tidy Cook, Henry J. Garrett. Joseph MeDaniel. Joel A. Cook, Sanford Dudley. Cora Leiber, Eilnore Cook, William J. Dudley. Daniel M. Smith, Laura Cook, Mary A. McDaniel, Emma J. McDaniel, Nancy Cook. Fannie Broomfield, Della Cook, Isaac L. Garriott, John R. Keesling, James Broomfield, Charles McDaniel, Levi McDaniel, William R. Riggs, Mattie Cook, Luvina A. Gar- rett. Missouri Cook, Mary Smith, Annie Giles, Nancy McDaniel. Visy Cook."
On the same occasion the patrons of the above school gave the following signed statement to the Hancock Democrat for publication :
"We, the employers of school District No. 1. return our best wishes and thanks to A. J. Larue for his general hospitality and moral conduct, and for discharging his duty impartially, and for such we recommend him to any and all schools that he may chance to meet in the future.
"(Signed) : Joseph Garrett. Joel Cook, Morris Cochran, J. A. McDaniel. Lorenzo D. Cook, Daniel Hedrick, James C. Smith, Matt F. Cook."
At the close of school in the following spring. 1877. the pupils at Lea- mon's Corner. in Jackson township, no doubt felt that their teacher was worthy of as much recognition as might be given to the teacher of any other school. It is interesting to observe that among the pupils who signed the following resolutions are some whose names have long been well known throughout the state of Indiana :
"School closed here last Saturday. We, the pupils, return to our teacher. Miss Mattie Lineback, our sincere thanks for the kind and faithful manner in which she performed her duty.
"Resolved, that we will treasure up the seed which she has sown, and will improve every opportunity that will advance us one step further up the hill of science. (Signed) William H. Glascock, George Burnett, Jennie Mc- Corkle. Louiza Sheets. Cora Felt. Charles Chandler. Eugene Lewis, Emma Becket, Anna Chandler. James Clift, John Felt. Eliza Shipley, Mattie Glascock."
In the spring of 1870 the pupils of the Thomas school in Brandywine township adopted the following as a tribute of respect to Napoleon B. Branden- burg, who was a very popular teacher in the county for a number of years. in Sugar Creek. Brandywine and Center townships :
"TRIBUTE OF RESPECT.
"We, the pupils of school district No. I. Brandywine township, feel it our duty to tender our teacher. V. B. Brandenburg, a series of resolutions
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of respect for his services rendered as teacher for our benefit, as they now come to a close.
"Resolved, that he has labored diligently and earnestly with us and in our behalf to bestow upon our minds something that will enable us to occupy the positions to which we may be called.
"Resolved, that in performing this work he has not been partial in any respect, but has imparted instruction willingly and in the best possible manner to one and all, everything of a mysterious nature vanishing into ideas with a clearness that moulds upon the mind never to be forgotten.
"Resolved, that we unite in complimenting our teacher for his faithful efforts as a teacher in advancing us in our studies and for his untiring exertions to advance our best interests, and we heartily commend him to those among whom his lot may be cast as a teacher, efficient, capable, and worthy of their respect. Happiness and prosperity go with him. (Signed ) Thomas Hope, Julia Fields. Julia Hutchison, Willard Hutchison, Lillie Woods, Lura Thomas, Thomas Wilson, Mary Collyer, George Potts, Ira Davis, Charles Thompson, Lida Potts, Emma Collyer."
The patrons on that occasion adopted the following: "We, the patrons of said school, vouch for the propriety of the above resolutions: (Signed) John Sylvester. A. J. Jeffries, John V. White, A. M. Potts, William Kidwell, Wellington Collyer, B. F. Fry, II. J. Fry, Hiram Thomas, Smith Hutchison, Christopher Fields."
It was during these years, too .- the seventies -that the closing day of schoot came to be a social event in every district. It is still so lovingly re- ferred to as the
"OLD-FASHIONED LAST DAY."
The "last day" also received ample space in the columns of our local papers, and the "visitors" shall tell their own stories. We begin with the last day at Carrollton. March 25, 1876:
"We had a school of five months, which could not be beat in the town- ship, and which closed Saturday, March 25. It was taught by Cyrus Boring. Between the hours of nine and ten the parents came pouring in with baskets filled to the brim. They went immediately up to the Grange Hall to prepare a dinner for the school, which was done directly and in order. We had two tables, each thirty feet in length. These tables were well filled with as nice looking victuals as my eyes ever beheld. The dinner was composed of boiled ham, baked chicken, fruits, pies and pickles of all descriptions, and nineteen large cakes from three inches to fifteen inches thick. These were covered with
238
HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA,
icing as white as snow and trimmed with various colors of candies. The tables were covered with small edibles too tedious to mention, After the tables were prepared they all left the hall and went down to the school room, where they had the privilege of listening to splendid music. Then they marched, two and two, up to the hall. The scholars occupied one table, and the parents and visitors the other. Then Mr. Boring called all to order and thanks were returned by John D. Lucas.
"Then the feast commenced, and in a short time our nice victuals all disappeared. Then we returned to the lower room, where we had splendid music from the organ and singing from the scholars for one hour and a half. The school was then called to order by the teacher and a piece was read by James Reed from The Democrat of March 16. prepared by A. V. B. Sam- ple, subject. "Duty of Parents." Then the parents were called on to make a few remarks. Then the small children were called on to speak their pieces, which were very interesting. Then Mr. Renecamp was called upon to make a few remarks, which he did, and they were very appropriate for the occasion. Mr. Boring then got up and talked some fifteen minutes to the scholars and parents. He said he had not been mad during his five months of school. This speaks very well for Mr. Boring. He taught his first school in this place twelve years ago. He had only one scholar this term that came to him then. "GUMBO."
William M. Lewis, at present the genial proprietor of the book store, no doubt has many pleasant recollections like the following :
"On Tuesday last ( February 20, 1877) Mr. William Lewis closed his fourth school at Brown's Chapel school house. Jackson township. The day being a fine one, I concluded I would visit the school. Among the more im- portant exercises in the forenoon were advanced grammar and arithmetic. The several classes did their work in a manner that deserved great credit : the rough roads of arithmetic seemed to fade away before them and every- thing seemed easy for them. At twelve o'clock it seemed that the exercises were stopped, but we were pleasantly mistaken, for it turned out that they were only changed in order to make them more general. In a few minutes the ladies changed the scene into one of the most bounteous displays of good things to eat imaginable. After partaking of a hearty repast the young folks repaired to the play ground, where the bright light of the sun shone on fair young ladies and hrave young men present. About one and a half o'clock Mr. Lewis called the crowd together to hear the exercises of the afternoon. The first exercise was a class in elocution, consisting of J. E. Stephens, Henry H. Crider. Lafe Crider. John Slifer and Miss Emma Scott. Among the selec-
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