History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 22

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272

USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 22

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

239

EDUCATION.

tions read were "Gone With a Handsomer Man," and "Courting in the Coun- try"; and I must say that the reading was certainly excellent, and the effect produced by some of the reading was very interesting. After the class was dismissed Henry Crider and Miss Scott were recalled and read "Hiawatha's Wooing" and "The Famine," Mr. Crider reading the former and Miss Scott the latter. They both did splendidly. After the reading was over came declamations, essays, etc., which kept us interested until near four o'clock, when Mr. Lewis made a few remarks which were very interesting, followed by others present. On the whole I have concluded I spent one of the most pleasant days of my life, and after this I shall visit schools more frequently.

"VISITOR."

The following from "Nebraska school," in Center township. also in 1877. is interesting for the clearness with which it sets before us the festivities and exercises of the last day, and because of some of the men whose names appear therein as pupils of this school :

"At twelve o'clock school was dismissed for dinner, which had been pre- pared by the patrons of the school. Dinner being spread. it was interesting to see the polite and genteel manner in which Miss Mattie Lineback served her guests at the table. One side was reserved for visitors, the other for the pupils, who were marched up in good order. After thanks were returned by our friend, William Brooks, all partook of the dainties which were spread before them and good enough for a king. Dinner being over, we enjoyed ourselves in social chat for an hour, there being some forty or fifty visitors present, besides quite a number of pupils. At the ringing of the bell all took their places to hear the afternoon exercises, which were mostly literary and delivered in good style. I was diverted to see little Johnnie Wiggins, son of our friend. John F. Wiggins, come to the stand to speak. He came so earnest. with eyes sparkling like jewels. There is something noble in that little fellow. Ile has had the misfortune to lose one of his hands, but he is not without tal- ent. I would say to Mr. Wiggins, give that boy an education and he will make a man of himself. Much credit is due Miss Ettie Felt for the becoming man- ner in which she acted the part of the old lady, with her cap and spectacles on. By the way. Eugene Lewis is a very good speaker and Billy Glascock a very good journal reader. Everything was done decently and in good order. The last was an essay by Miss Lineback, which was gotten up in good style and read with politeness. I am happy to say that Miss Lineback is an ac- complished lady and understands her business. At four o'clock the school closed and I returned home much pleased with what I had seen and heard.

"A VISITOR."

240

HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.

Though the "eats" were lacking, the program rendered at New Palestine on closing day in 1879 was thoroughly in harmony with the spirit of the times :

"Last Thursday and Friday were spent in oral examinations at the New Palestine graded school and the result is satisfactory to all. Rev. Winches- ter asked a few questions, to which answers were readily given. The schools of the upper department assembled in the lower room when the literary exer- cises commenced. Among the many creditable acquittals 1 will men- tion a few : "Darius Green and His Flying Machine." by Allie Bottstord. a boy whose executive ability is unsurpassed by one of his age. Next a dia- logue, "Mrs. Partington's Tea Party," by Ida Lipscomb, Cora Ulrey. Kate Armstrong and Annie Warner. A declamation entitled. "Old Man of Fifty- three." by May Bottsford, was well done. Two renderings by Henry War- rum. of Nameless Creek, entitled "A Sermon to Ladies" and "Woman's Sphere." were well delivered. Essays were read by Willie Buchel, John Sharp, Flora Rice, Rosa Warrum, Glennie Hook, Lulu Vansickle, and many others. They also had an excellent paper read by Misses Jennie Buchel and Cora Winchester ..

"Mr. Wood having engaged the services of State Superintendent Smart, we had the pleasure of listening to one of his interesting lectures at the M. E. church. The teachers at this place, though they have not as suitable a nouse and apparatus as others, have given satisfaction as far as I have been able to learn, and deserve credit for their untiring efforts to advance the cause of education. May they as teachers ever be prosperous.

"A WELL WISHER."

These narratives could be duphcated many, many times from the columns of the local papers during those years and for a decade following.

SPELLING SCHOOLS.

The spelling school was an institution that dated back almost to the be- ginning of the schools themselves. It was one of the first forms of entertain- ment that our schools offered to the communities. Many years before the Civil War schools had their "best speller -. " School met school. well knowing that their "best spellers" could spell every word in the old McGuffey spelling book, and that their opponents must go down in defeat or the match must be a draw. Not only did the school have its best speller, but the community had its best speller, and he was relied on, "sent for" if necessary. Where is the community in the county that did not have at least one or more farmers who worked all day and then spelled to the wee hours of the night to uphold

EDUCATION.

the reputation of the district in any match that a challenge might bring forth?

In the earlier days especially, one school challenged another. Often. simply a "spelling school" was announced. When the people had congre- gated captains were announced who chose the spellers. Then different plans were followed. Sometimes "runners" were chosen: sometimes the contest was to see who could "stand the longest": and sometimes it was determined in favor of the side missing the fewest words. Generally the contest was entered for entertainment and to win. But it was not an uncommon thing for some patriotic and enthusiastic citizen to offer a prize to the winning side or to the winning school.

It seems that spelling schools began almost with the organization of schools in this county, and continued more or less generally until within a decade or two of the close of the last century. They were conducted not only by the public school as an institution, but by organizations, societies, etc .. and were frequently the means of raising funds, just as we now give enter- tainments, socials and suppers for the same purpose.

One of the most interesting spelling matches in the county was arranged by the ladies of the Greenfield Benevolent Society. The ladies canvassed the city and procured the consent of a number of business men and others to spell. Among them were: W. S. Wood. J. A. New. J. L. Mason. L. W. Gooding. A. Reynolds, G. T. Randall, O. Moon, William Mitchell, Lon Hammel, Mrs. Dr. Martin, Colonel Roberts, War Thomas, J. Ward Walker, I. P. Poulson, George B. Cooley. A. B. Linebeck. J. H. Binford. A. T. Hart. W. Hammel. Kite Geary, Hattie Havens, William J. Matthews. R. A. Riley, Lee O. Har- ris, H. J. Dunbar. James Walsh. Dr. E. I. Judkins, W. R. Hartpence. J. Roth- enberger, W. O. Thomas, Rev. White, Marg. Roland, Emma Swope. A. W. Ilough. H. L. Moore, Mrs. H. C. Chapman.

The contest was set for the evening of March 13, 1875, at the court room. By common consent the following appointments were made: J. 11. White. master: G. W. Puterbangh, umpire: J. Ward Walker and William Mitchell. captains.

It was also agreed that the winning side should be awarded three cords of wood and a ham of meat for the benefit of the society. The contest was to determine which side could remain standing the longer. Since so many of the spellers are clearly remembered, it is interesting to observe the order in which they "went down," and the words they misspelled :

1. Lee O. Harris, petrify.

W. S. Wood. typify.

2. James Walsh, typify. (16)

4. I. P. Poulson, typify.

212

IIAANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.

5. Capt. A. L. Ogg, adamant.

6. S. E. Duncan, adamant.

2C. B. Clayton, idolater.

7. Mrs. H. C. Chapman, license. 21. J. Ward Walker, belligerent.

8. Mrs. A. C. Heaton. habitude.

Miss Sarah Walker, pestilent.

10. Colonel Roberts, impanel.

11. L'. Royer, pursuant.

12. William Mitchell, metallic.

13. Mrs. Gwinn, metallic.

14. Mrs. F. H. Crawford, satirize.

15. Mrs. W. S. Wood, satirize. 29. H. R. Clayton. epilogue.

16. Capt. R. A. Riley, azimuth. 30. James .\. New, vapory.

17. G. T. Randall, calabash.

18. Mrs. L. W. Gooding, maccaboy. 32.

Rev. C. T. White, seizure.

At this point. John H. Binford, who had been chosen by Mr. Walker, was left standing alone, and the honors went to Mr. Walker's side. The Symphony Glee Club furnished music during the evening, and the receipts netted the Benevolent Society eighteen dollars and ten cents.

Spelling matches similar to this one were held in various parts of the county, in which old and young participated. One other very interesting match was arranged between Greenfield and Knightstown. Each side spent more or less time in practice for the contest, which was held at the court house on the evening of May 14. 1875. Among the contestants from Green- field and vicinity were: H. J. Dunbar, Mrs. Nellie Brown, Mrs. C. W. Gant. Miss M. E. Dille. L. W. Gooding. John H. White, L. M. Test. I. P. Poulson, Ephraim Marsh, Miss Royer, J. H. Binford, William Hammel, James . 1. New. D. S. Gooding. G. W. Puterbaugh, Capt. A. L. Ogg. Oscar F. Meck. W. B. Hartpence. E. W. Smith, James Walsh. C. F. White. 11. R. Clayton, Mrs. N. P. Howard, Mrs. L. W. Gooding.

This contest was put on a basis that required not only good individual spellers, but good team work. to win. The side which lost the fewest points in misspelling words was to be declared the winner. Unfortunately for our spellers, they misspelled more words than did their opponents, and Knights- town carried off the honors of the match. This occasion, however, was also attended with a good time socially. The Knightstown team came over early in the evening and were entertained by the Greenfield people. Several arti- cles and letters from members of the visiting team appeared in the local papers here afterward expressing appreciations of hospitality and of the good time generally.

22. Theo Winn, consulate.

23. Charles Winn. serious.

2.4. Riley Cross, aromatic.

25. Dr. E. I. Judkins, allegoric.

26. Mrs. Brown, panegyric.

27 William Hammel, vicegerent.

28. W. R. Hartpence, decimal.

31. H. L. Moore, repellent.

19.

L. W. Gooding, hypothenuse.

243

EDUCATION.

Fortunately but one generation has arrived in the county too late to become familiar with the old-time spelling school.

TOWNSHIP COMMENCEMENTS AND COUNTY ORATORICAL CONTESTS, PRIZES, ETC.

Commencement exercises began to be held in some of the townships in the carly eighties. They were not very elaborate, however. As late as 1891 the common school graduates of Sugar Creek township met on commence- ment evening without a previously arranged program. The graduates were prepared to "speak their pieces." and when the county superintendent arrived a program was arranged. A choir was made up from the young people of the audience, who sang several selections from the regular Sunday school books that were in the church : the children spoke, and this concluded the program.

During the decade following, however, these occasions grew to be much more pretentious. Elaborately embossed invitations began to be issued, or- chestras were employed, the rooms decorated, and the parents went to great expense in purchasing apparel for the graduates. Neither parents nor chil- · dren wished to be outdone, which made it very hard for people who could ill afford to make such outlays. The same thing was true during the first decade of the present century. The county board of education considered these matters at several meetings and recommended greater simplicity and less expense in the matter of dress, etc. During the last few years the par- ents and graduates have begun to take the same view. At a number of com- mencements during the last three or four years the boys have been wearing a plain, but neat uniform suit. The girls, too. have adopted a uniform dress. usually a plain white regulation suit with red tie. The classes appear to a very good advantage, the commencement is not expensive, nor so foolish, say many.

During the early history of the township commencements all the grad- uates recited their own selections. This was continued very generally until four or five years ago, when the common school commencements began to be combined with the high school commencements, for which a professional speaker has been employed.

At the September session. 1889. of the county board of education. Trus- tee James P. McCord, of Vernon township, moved that the county superin- tendent be ordered to arrange for a county oratorical contest, and that he select suitable prizes for the same. This motion was carried and the county oratorical contest became a feature of the county institute week at Green- field until about 1910. At each township commencement the "best speaker" was chosen to represent the township at the contest. The selections spoken

HANCOCK COUNTY. INDEX.

at the oratorical, and also for a time at the township commencement were sup- posed to le original, and many of them were, but entirely too many of them seemed to be composed under the inspiration of the "Royal Path of Life." "Portraits and Principles," and other books of similar type. There was a great deal of interest in the contest. and sometimes also a great deal of feel- ing. even among the school officers over a failure of their representative to take the prizes.

For several years, from 1886 to 1889. the county board of education offered prizes to the schools for the best attendance during the term. . \t the June meeting. 1887. the members of the board expressed themselves as being pleased with the results obtained. For the school year. 1887-8. the prizes consisted of ten dollars each, and diplomas were given to pupils per- fect in attendance during the past year. In 1888 Lossing's "Encyclopedia of United States Ilistory" was selected as the prize.

COUNTY EXHIBITS.

The first exhibit of the school work of the county was made at the west school building at Greenfield in the spring of 1876. From this exhibit the best work was selected as the county educational exhibit at the Cen- tennial Exposition at Philadelphia. In order to defray the expenses of mak- ing the state exhibit at Philadelphia the schools of all the counties made efforts to raise funds. In Hancock county "school exhibitions" and enter- tainments were held in practically all of the towns and townships. "There will le a school exhibition at Ellis school house, northeast of Greenfield, on Saturday next. The exercises will be varied. Admission, ten cents. Pro- ceeds to go to the Centennial fund " So ran the announcements in the col- ums of the local papers during the early months of 1876. At Fortville, Me- Cordsville. New Palestine and Greenfield elaborate exhibitions were given. and in some instances repeated. Churches. halls and school houses were utilized, and at several points comparatively large amounts were raised. . At the exhibition of the Greenfield pupils at the Masonic Hall over forty-eight dollars was taken in on two evenings, and a total of over seventy-six dollar- was raised by the Greenfield schools. At some of the other towns in the county as much as twelve dollars and fifteen dollars was contributed to the fund. This method of raising funds was adopted on the suggestion of the state central committee, who asked the state to contribute twenty-five thou- sand dollars to assist in erecting suitable buildings, defraying expenses, sug- getting that the money be raised by school exhibitions, concerts, die.

In April, 1882. another exhibit was made at Greenfield. It consisted

245

EDUCATION.

mostly of manuscripts on the various school subjects, maps, etc. It was esti- mated that ten thousand pages of manuscript and seven hundred maps were exhibited.

In the fall of 1884 preparations were made for holling another county school exhibit at the close of that term of school. A committee was ap- pointed to devise plans and ways and means for holding the exhibit. They reported as follows :

"REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL EXHIBIT.

"We, the committee on school exhibit, appointed by the county super- intendent, submit the following report ;

"Time and Place-The exhibit shall be held on the second Saturday in April in the west school building in Greenfield.

"Plan of Work-(a). Higher Grades. County superintendent shall prepare a list of fifteen questions for the fourth and higher grades, ten of which are to be selected and written upon by the pupils. The examination to be held on same day in each school. One-half the work to be done in Jan- uary, the other half in February.

"(b). Lower Grades. Work of third and lower grades to consist of manuscripts, maps, drawings, and such other miscellaneous work as the teacher may see proper.

"(c). General Work. It is understood that the work of any or all grades shall not be confined to the work designated above. but may consist of any work which, in the discretion of the teacher, would add to or show up the work of his school. Such as miscellaneous drawing, paintings, outlines. diagrams, work in higher branches, etc.

"Rules-1. All work exhibited in the above classes must be performed by bona fide members of the school and strictly under the discretions and regulations governing monthly examinations of teachers.

"2. All manuscript work should be written with pen and ink in books prepared for that purpose, which will be placed in the book stores.

"3. The answer should be numbered to correspond with the number of its question and a list of questions should accompany each subject.

"4. All work should be completed by the Ist of April, and it shall be the duty of each teacher to prepare his work in convenient form and see that it is presented for exhibit.

"5. The questions prepared for examinations shall be held by county superintendent and submitted to the teachers just before the examination and

246

HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.

not be unsealed until the morning of examination in the presence of his school.

"Miscellaneous-Each teacher is requested to contribute ten cents, to be unid to county superintendent, for the purpose of defraying necessary expenses.

"J. W. SMITH, "J. K. ALLEN. "E. W. FELT. "W. S. PORTER. "W. C. AATHERTON. "OLLIE STONER. "MATTIE THOMAS, "Committee."

This exhibit was held as planned in the spring of 1885. A large number of pupils from all parts of the county were in attendance.

During the winter of 1886-7 quite a large number of manuscripts, in- cluding maps, etc., was collected in the county and displayed as an educational exhibit at the county fair at Greenfield in 1887. A similar exhibit was made at the county fair in 1888.

The next exhibit was prepared during the winter of 1892-3. The county exhibit was held at Greenfield, from which work was selected for the Colum- bian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. This work consisted largely of written work, maps, etc .. that illustrated the regular work of the schools. . \ large part of the necessary funds for defraying the expenses of making the school exhibit at the Chicago exposition was also raised by the school children of the state. . \ "Penny Fund" was originated, into which the school children con- tributed their pennies to an amount of about five thousand dollars. In the raising of this fund the children and teachers of Hancock county participated.

During the winter of 1903-4 another county exhibit of school work was made at the high school building at Greenfield. This work consisted of examination papers from all grades, including the grades and high schools, compositions and other manuscripts illustrating the daily work of the schools. Ample space was also given to music and drawing. Stenographic reports of recitations, township, town and city histories, collection of Riley pictures, and photographs of the best school houses in the county, formed the features of the exhibit. From the county exhibit a rather large exhibit was selected for the St. Louis Exposition in 1904.

No collection of class room work was submitted to the Panama Expo- sition at San Francisco, in 1915. A photographic exhibit, consisting of pic-

2.47

EDUCATION.

tures of the oldest type of frame school buildings, the latter type of one-room brick school houses, and some of our best high school buildings, inchiding also inside views of industrial arts and domestic science departments, was sub- mitted as a county exhibit from Hancock county.

TEACHERS UNIONS.

During the winter of 1877-78 this matter was presented to the teachers. It likely was not considered seriously by the teachers as a whole, vet several letters were published in the local papers in which individual teachers urged the advisability of effecting such an organization. Several letters were also published in which other teachers advised against taking such steps. The argument advanced for a teachers' union was practically the same as that advanced for labor unions.

.A more definite step in this direction, however, was the organization in 1904 of a chapter in the county of the Order of Pestalozzi. . \ lodge was instituted at Greenfield during the week of the county institute in September. 1904. Ora Staley. then principal of the Charlottesville school, was elected as the chief officer. The lodge never convened, however, after the evening of its institution, and very few of our teachers ever became familiar with its mysteries or its purpose.

LINCOLN FUND.

During the winter of 1914-15, while the great European war was rag- ing, the Red Cross Society made an appeal to the school children of America to contribute a penny each for the relief of the suffering children of the war zone. The response everywhere was generous. In Hancock county. especially in those schools where a proper explanation of the matter was made. the children responded gladly. Though not all schools participated, the fol- lowing contributions amounted to a little over two cents per capita for all the school children of the county :

Blue River Township.

Consolidated school .$3.02

Brandywine Township.

No. 1-Alpha Smith, teacher $3.25

No. 2-Elijah Reeves, teacher 1.10

No. 3-Jessie Boring. teacher 1.00

248

HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.

Brown Township.

Warrington, room 3. $ .45

Shirley schools 2.00

Wilkinson schools 3.5-

No. 9-Charles Carlton. teacher .96

Buck Creck Township.

No. 4-Esther Luse, teacher $1.00

Mt. Comfort schools 2.50

No. 6-Ward Davis, teacher .50

No. 7-Ethel Snider. teacher 1.00

No. 8-Effie Welling, teacher. 1.00

Center Township.

No. 1-Gladys Teel. teacher .75

No. 3-Hazel llanes, teacher .75

No. 6-M. Bussell. teacher .64

No. 7-Thelma Bussell. teacher .50

Maxwell schools 2.80

No. 14-Ernest Hiday, teacher .50

No. 15-Rosa Garriott, teacher .70

Mohawk schools 1.00

Green Township.

No. 1-Dean Baker, teacher $ .50

No. 2-Will Reed, teacher 1.00

Eden schools 2.CO

No. 7-Wynema Binford, teacher 1.CO

Jackson Township.

No. 4-Julia McClarnon, teacher S .83

No. 1-Robert Hunt, teacher .54

No. 6-Mary Payne. teacher 1.00

Cleveland schools 1.00

No. o-Grover Van Duyn, teacher 1.05

Charlottesville schools 5.32

No. 3-Martha Coffin. teacher 1.00

2.49

Sugar Creek Township.

Philadelphia schools $1.10

No. 3-Julia Ilerrlich, teacher 2.25

New Palestine schools.

3.00

V'ernon Township.

McCordsville schools S 3.85

No. 3-Will McCord. teacher 1.00

No. 5-John Walker, teacher 1.30

Greenfieldl schools 14.35

Total

. $72.55

This fund was known as the "Lincoln Fund," in honor of our martyred President, who gave his life in the service of humanity. The money, amount- ing to over six thousand dollars, from the state of Indiana, was distributed to the destitute children of all the warring nations of Europe.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

The first compulsory education law of the state was passed in 1807. It made provision for county truant officers, also for a truant officer for in- corporated cities. Since 1899 one truant officer has served the entire county. The officers appointed for the county under the above and succeeding acts are :

Charles Huston-Appointed in 1897. for Greenfield; served four years. James 11. Kimberlin-Appointed in 1897. for Vernon, Buck Creek, Brown and Green townships; served two years.

James Veach-Appointed in 1897. for Jackson, Blue River. Center, Sugar Creek and Brandywine townships: served two years.

Charles Huston-Appointed in 1800. for county: served two years. George W. Shekell-Appointed in igo1, for county : served three years. George Hull-Appointed in 1904. for county : served two years. William Morse-Appointed in 19c6, for county : served one year. F. M. Carpenter-Appointed in 1907, for county : served one year. William P. Wirick-Appointed in 1900. for county; served seven years.

The most of the work of the truant officer to this time has been among the poor in the cities and towns of the county. Very little need for such an officer has existed in the townships. A few prosecutions have been made

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 22

Author: Richman, George J Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc. Number of Pages: 1272

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272