USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 8
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
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CHAPTER VIII.
THE PRESS.
IMPROVEMENTS IN JOURNALISM, AND INCREASE IN ITS POWER. - EARLY PAPERS IN HENDRICKS COUNTY .- PAPERS AT DANVILLE, PLAIN- FIELD AND NORTH SALEM. - JOURNALS NOW PUBLISHED .- SKETCHES OF THE EDITORS.
In the development of modern civilization there is no more potent factor than the newspaper, and, at the same time, there has been no greater progress in anything for fifty years past than in American journalism. Fifty years ago the country had few newspapers that could be considered paying property. The metropolitan journals devoted about as much space to foreign as to domestic news, while country weeklies seemed to consider that which happened at home as of no importance whatever, and imitated the larger papers in style and contents. The telegraph and railroads, assisted by that enterprising spirit which is inseparably connected with successful journalistic management, have wrought most grat- ifying results. Local ne .vs has become the main feature of weekly country newspapers, and all journals of the better class are fore- most in advancing the best interests of the localities from which their support comes.
In Hendricks County, journalism has kept pace in the march of improvement with other professions and industries. The wide circulation of the papers at present published, and the large number of outside papers that are taken here, afford the best possible evidence that the people are intelligent, enterprising and progressive. In Danville alone 200 copies of the Indianapolis papers are distributed every day.
Although many able writers have been employed upon the county press in former years, without disparagement to any of them, it can safely be asserted, that the journals of the county, taken as a whole, were never better conducted than at present. The editors are gentlemen who understand their business thor- oughly, and do their utmost to give their patrons good, clean, reliable newspapers.
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HISTORY OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.
Journalism in this county is not yet forty years old. In the spring of 1846 the Danville Advertiser was established, with Joseph Graham as publisher and Dr. H. G. Todd (still residing at Danville) as editor. Dr. Todd and several other public-spir- ited citizens bought the press for Mr. Graham, in order to secure a paper here. The Advertiser was a six-column folio, and com- posed almost entirely of reading matter, there being few adver- tisements. It was Whig in politics, and, indeed, it was founded purely in the interest of the Whig party, for which it continued to act as an organ during the entire period of its existence. After a few years it changed hands, and for a time it had a checkered career, having various owners aud being issued under several different names successively, but remaining of the same political faith.
In 1856 it appeared as theD aniville Republican, under which title it was issued continnonsly until the' spring of 1864. April 23, of that year, the first number of the Hendricks County Union was published by W. I'. Gregg & Co. It was an uncompromis- ing war paper, and had, flying at its mast head as a motto, the words, "To preserve the Union soldiers must vote at elections as well as fight in the field." The name "Union " was selected in preference to the former name of "Republican," in order to gain the support of the war Democrats, which it succeeded, to some extent, in doing. It was ably edited, and was a success from the start. It continued under the management of the above firm, till July 14 of the same year, when Colonel Lawrence S. Shuler, a gallant soldier, became sole proprietor, with Colonel James M. Gregg as editor, and Gid. B. Thompson in charge of the local de- partment and assistant in the business management.
Colonel Shuler continued to publish the paper until April 20, 1865, when he sold it to James L. Singer, who became editor and publisher, and remained as proprietor of the paper until March 15, 1866, when John N. Seearce bought the office and became "editor and proprietor." Mr. Scearce continued at the helm of the Union for over thirteen years, changing the name in 1874 to the Danville Union. Under him the paper prospered and was . for most of the time on a good paying basis. During a part of his administration Dr. A. Furnas was agricultural editor, and con- tributed largely to the value and interest of the paper. In 1866 O. H. Smith was educational editor. Jan. 2, 1879, Mr. Scearce sold the Union to J. E. Sherrill, who had begun the publication
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of the Danville Republican. Mr. Sherrill merged the Union into the Republican, but the new paper was of short life. Jan. 30, 1879, less than one month after the suspension of the Danville Union, another Hendricks County Union came into existence.
The new firm was South, Hathaway & Co., and the paper at once struck the public favorably, there being something of an ad- vantage in the old name, " Union." In a few weeks Mr. Sherrill sold his Republican office and business to the new Union firm, S. F. Wishard and Jim B. Greenc being added to the same. A. G. South soon left the firm, and in a few months Mr. Greene retired, the paper being continned by Hathaway & Wishard. Aug. + of. the same year Mr. Wishard sold his share to John R. Rankin, and Hathaway & Rankin were the proprietors till Nov. 7, when O. H. Smith bought Mr. Rankin out, and Hathaway & Smith were then the publishers, while Mr. Smith became editor. In December, 1880, Mr. Smith bought R. F. Hathaway's share of the paper, and became editor an.l proprietor. Feb. 11, 1882, he sold to Parker & Bowen, of the Republican, who continued to issue the Union from their office for about two months, on account of certain advertising contracts.
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These gentlemen had, Oct. 13, 1881, started the Hendricks County Republican, which is now the Republican paper of Dan- ville. Feb. 10, 1883, Mr. Bowen sold his interest in the office to William N. Crabb, and the paper was published by Crabb & Parker, with Mr. Parker as editor and manager until the month of April, 1885. After Mr. Bowen's departure Samuel F. Wishard was local editor for one yea .. In March, 1884, Mr. Bowen re- turned to the paper, with which he was connected as local editor until April, 1885. In this month Crabb & Parker sold to the present proprietors, Moffett & Riddle.
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The Republican has the same heading and size (30 x 44, six- column quarto) as when first published. It is all printed at home, on the first successful steam press ever brought into the county. It is uniformly Republican in politics, but claims to be indepen- dent in everything else. The job-printing department is a profit- able one, as one man is employed constantly on job and press work. The Republican, which had not a subscriber when its first issue was printed, now has a circulation of 1,600.
This completes the record of Whig and Republican journalism in Danville, except that two papers have been moved there from Plainfield, both named the Progress. The first was in 1877, by John
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N. Vestal, who suspended after six months, and the second occa- sion was in May, 1883, when George V. Mechler made a like vent- ure. He, too, soon lost money, and gave it up.
The opposite political faith has been represented by several pa- pers, all at Danville. The first bore the enterprising title of the Butcher Knife, and was founded in 1856 by George Gregg. It lived four years, and then died out, in the midst of the strong Un- ion sentiments which pervaded the community at the opening of the war.
The Danville Indianian was established in 1870 by parties hail- ing from Greensburg. Soon after, it became the property of a stock company, and then for a time it was in charge of Dr. Hag- gart, who was followed by two brothers named Ray. In 1872 the office was purchased by C. N. Walls, who remained in control un- til the fall of 1875, when the office and material were sold and sent to Illinois.
In February, 1878, E. D. King founded the Democrat, remain- ing editor and publisher until August, 1879, building up an influ- ential and profitable paper. Attl e latter date mentioned, he sold to M. A. Barnett, who in turn closed out his office in October, 1881, to J. O. Parker, of the Republican, E. D. King, having re- turned from a year's absence in Colorado and founded, Sept. 15, 1880, the Hendricks County Gazette, which is now the Democratic paper of the county, and one of the leading country journals of the State. Launched in the midst of :. presidential campaign, the Ga- zette at once assumed a leading and influential position. Its editor was indicted for libel under the Grubbs law, but so transparent was the action of the partisan grand jury that Mr. King was never brought to trial, the judge quashing the indictment and throwing the case out of court.
In Angust, 1882, Mr. King retired from the Gazette, and it passed through various controls, till Ang. 1, 1884, when its pres- ent proprietor, Will A. King, with John W. Cravens, purchased the good will and business. The latter gentleman in a few months resumed the mercantile business, and Mr. King became sole pro- prietor. He is a practical newspaper man, having been connected with his father as co-publisher of the Gazette at its commence- ment. There are probably few county papers that surpass the Ga- zette in circulation and influence. It is conducted in a conserva- tive manner that gives influence to its sayings, and as a paper of local standing, it receives a large patronage from political oppo-
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nents over the county. Its subscription price is $1.50, and its cir- culation is between 1,200 and 1,500. In the spring of 1885 it be- came financially embarrassed, and at present writing its future is uneertain.
Plainfield has had several papers, the first being Once a Week, founded by John A. Deem, in 1862. This was suspended after a short time. It was afterward revived by John N. Vestal, who gave it the name of the Citizen, and published it for some time. He then sold it to Charles S. MeNichols, who issued a paper for a while under the name of the Tribune.
George V. Mechler, Nov. 11, 1880, issued the first number of the Plainfield Progress, which he ran successfully two or three years. Though a Democrat himself, he published it as an Independent sheet (being in a strong Republican locality) and was very success- ful. In fact, lie became, so to speak, too prosperous, and in May, 1883, removed to Danville, to compete with the journals at the county seat. This was a disastrous step to him, and he was soon obliged so suspend. Immediately after his removal Horace G. Douglass and J. A. Fullen commeneed the issue of a paper under the old name of the Plainfield Progress. But two weeks passed between the two papers, Messrs. Douglass & Fullen issuing their first number May 31, 1SS3. Mr. Fullen shortly withdrew, going West, whence he has, however, returned. Douglass retained con- trol nutil May 12, 1884, when he obtained an appointment at the Reform School, and sold the office to A. T. Harrison, the present editor and proprietor. The Progress was at first a five-column quarto, but was soon increased in size to six columnns. It was po- litically independent, under Mr. Douglass, but Mr. Harrison has - made it a Republican sheet. It is not rigidly partisan. The Prog- ress has made a general cirenlation in the southern part of Hendrieks County, and in adjacent parts of Marion and Morgan counties.
North Salem is the only other village in the county that has been blessed with a printing office. J. J. and H. E. Hennon caine from Rochedale, Putnam County, in July, 1884, and until March, 1885, published regularly the North Salem Reporter, a six-column quarto, independent in politics. In the month last mentioned the Messrs. Hennon returned to Rochedale.
JESSE W. RIDDLE, of the Republican, was born in Perry County, Ind., July 31, 1861, the son of James H. and Catharine (Goad) Riddle. The father is still living, a farmer of Perry County. Jesse
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was reared on the paternal farm, and received a good English edu- cation, first in the district schools and then in the Central Normal College, of Danville, where he graduated in June, 1883. He then followed teaching for two years at Pittsboro, this county, when in April, 1885, he entered upon journalism by purchasing a half in- terest in the Republican.
WILL A. KING, editor and proprietor of the Gazette, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5, 1864, and is the oldest of the children now living of E. D. and R. A. King. At an early age he entered the printing office of his father, and became a thorough workman in the "art preservative of all arts." His father is an editor of over thirty-years experience, and under his careful guidance the son not only acquired the mechanical knowledge of the business, but became thoroughly competent to assume any position connected with the newspaper office. In 1882 he became co-publisher with his father in founding the Gazette, of which he is now the sole head. His conduct of the paper is highly commended by men of all parties. It wields a strong influence in its party, and has a circulation and advertising patron age largely above the average of county papers throughout the State. Mr. King is nnmarried.
ARTHUR T. HARRISON, editor and proprietor of the Plainfield Progress, was born June 1, 1858, in Chesterfield, Madison Co., Ind., the son of John A. and Nancy E. (Diltz) Harrison. The father was a school-teacher for a number of years, but, removing to Anderson (the county seat) in 1859, he practiced law there until his health failed, a few years since. His wife died in 1863. Mr. Harrison was the leading lawyer in his eounty, and one of the ablest and best-known members of the legal profession in Indiana. He was a hard worker, and popular with all who knew him. He was Prosecuting Attorney fron 1862 to 1866, two terms, and was a candidate for Representative in 1859; but, as a rule, he avoided politics. The son atter ded school at Anderson from his fifth to his fourteenth year, and then served two years as an ap- prentice to the printer's trade on the Anderson Herald. A term at school was succeeded by six months more on the Herald. At the earnest request of his father. he then entered the latter's office to study law. He was soon thrown upon his own resources, owing to his father's failure in health. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1879, and to practice before the Supreme Court in 1SSO, on motion of Judge Walter March, of Muncie. He then practiced law in Madison County until March, 1SS3, the last year in part-
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nership with J. F. McClure. His inclinations all the time led him toward journalism, and during 1878-'9 he was local editor of the Madison Herald. In March, 1883, he went to Bement, Ill., where for nine weeks he ran the Gazette for the owner. Returning to Muncie, he worked on the Daily News until May, 1884, when he came to Plainfield and purchased the office, business and good will of the Progress, which he has since very creditably conducted. Mr. Harrison was married Sept.$11, 1883, at Mooresville, Morgan County, to Miss Clara Davis, daughter of Joshua M. and Rachel (Demoss) Davis. In politics Mr. Harrison is a zealous Republi- can. He and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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CHAPTER IX.
MISCELLANEOUS.
EDUCATIONAL .- PROGRESS IN.METHODS AND IDEAS .- THE SCHOOLS OF
HENDRICKS COUNTY. - CENTRAL NORMAL COLLEGE .- PUBLIC BUILDINGS .- REFORM SCHOOL AT PLAINFIELD .-- OLD SETTLERS' SO- CIETY .- AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS .-- AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. - HENDRICKS COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
"That people which has the best books and the best schools is the best people; if it is not so to-day, it will be so to-morrow." These words, from the pen of the French educator and statesman, Jules Simon, deserve to become a household quotation the world over, for no more potent nor expressive truth was ever uttered. Of course all progress and education is not derived from the study of books, and as Hosea Ballou has said, "Education commences at the mother's knee," and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends toward the formation of character; but at the same time no other one agency is so powerful as the common school in developing a nation of self-governing people.
The citizens of this county feel a just pride in their progress in educational methods, which have fully kept pace with the advance- ment in wealth and the development of material resources. As soon as the county was sufficiently settled to enable any neighbor- hood to open a school, a school-house was provided and the services of a teacher secured. Often a roo'n of a private house was occupied, and sometimes the deserted cabin of a squatter became a tempo- rary school-room, in which the old-time masters, who worked on the tuition plan, flourished the rod and taught the rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic. The first school-houses bnilt were structures of the rudest kind, such as no pioneer would be content to occupy as a dwelling. Built of logs, with floors and benches of punchcons, with a huge fireplace and a stick and mud chimney, they were little calculated for comfort or convenience. Window-glass was too expensive an article to be used in the con- struction of a school-house, and therefore greased paper was (435)
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substituted for it. The writing desk was a notable feature in every school-room. It generally extended across one end or one side of the room, and was made of a slab, held in its place by. wooden pins. For architectural effect, probably, certainly not for conven- ience, it was fastened high up on the wall, and the pupil, in order to use it, must climb upon a high wooden bench and sit there without a support for his back or his feet.
Of the qualifications of the teachers of those days, the less said the better. Many were accounted good teachers who, in these days, would be unable to secure a certificate even of the third grade. Yet the most of them put to the best use the little talent and less training they had, and succeeded in planting good seeds in the minds of their pupils. Some of the best minds this county has produced were those of men whose whole school education was received in the log school-houses of the pioneer days.
The progress of education here is only a miniature reproduction of what has taken place more slowly among all civilized nations. In recent years improved methods of mental culture have aided the teachers in securing better results. The primary object of eda- cating children is not that they may escape labor thereby, but that they may labor more intelligently. Children should be taught that employment leads to happiness, indolence to misery, and that all trades and professions whereby an honest livelihood is main- tained are honorable. Right living is the end to be achieved, and it is the workers that do the most good in the world. The man who constantly and intelligently thinks, is above temptation. The women who honorably labor in the various trades are to be pre- ferred and honored above those who sit with folded hands. It is education that makes duty more apparent, lessens toil and sweetens life. It is by true education that the moral responsibilities of the human family are better understood.
Methods are now sought for and followed in the school-room, The child's capacity and character are better understood now than in the pioneer days. The rod is laid aside, and children are no longer forced under the lash to order and apparent studiousness. Fretful and cruel teachers are giving way to those who love chil- dren, and again will mankind draw nearer to the millenninn. through the influence of the law of love. In this age better at- tention is paid to hygiene and ventilation in the school-room. Houses are lighted, aired' and warmed in a rational manner. Since the introduction of the "automatic " school desks there need
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be no more disagreeable seating in our school-rooms. The inventor of this desk will have a reward in the blessings of the countless thousand f healthy men and women who, in this generation, as children, are comfortably seated in many of our best schools.
New and better studies have been added to the course of study in our common schools within the last decade. Now, the child is taught to apply what he learns, directing his course of study in the line of his mental activity, cultivating the good, and re- straining the evil propensities. The time was, not far back, when only a limited knowledge of " 'reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic," could be acquired in the common schools. The highest aim of the youth of the pioneer days was to write a fair hand, spell orally, and solve mathematical puzzles. This age is moving in a better educational sphere. The change was of course gradual. It was a long struggle of ignorance and bigotry against education, in which the latter has been crowned the victor. But few teachers cling to the old theory. Little by little they are growing away from the old system. A few teachers, who do not improve, are yet votaries at the shrine of their idols-the birch, the dunce-cap and other old fashioned methods. Bnt,
"Too weak the sacred shrine to guard,"
they must soon yield to the new education, and enter the conflict against error and for a better educational life.
In this struggle for better methods, opinions covered with age and honors have been marched off the stage of human action and supplanted by facts and principles which have cost years of toil to discover, and more years to establish. To the close student and observer this theory is new only in its application to our schools. It is the normal or nataral method. This is the theory of education that antedates all others. The ancients taught by objects, when bat few of the most wealthy men of that day could afford books. In fact, text-book knowledge is a new thing to the world. The first teachers gave instruction orally. They were, by . the force of circumstances, independent of text-books. To this excellent plan has been added the written method. Then, it was principally by observation that on pils received instruction. By placing the objects before the pupils the teacher could easily reach their minds by his lectures. In this age blackboards, spelling- tablets, slates, charts and other school apparatus is in general use in our best schools. In the schools of to-day, it is through the 28
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eye that a mental picture is formed from the printed page which children draw upon paper or boards from the ends of their fingers. Well qualified teachers do not think of depending upon text-books at their recitations, but rather imitate the ancient normal methods. In order to meet the demand for better qualified teachers, normal training schools liave been established in this and other States. The teachers'. institute is also an outgrowth of the demand for teachers of a higher standard. Now, true education is admitted to be the drawing-out and developing of that which the child already possesses, instead of the old crowding theory of pioneer days.
There is perhaps no question which can so deeply interest the people of a county as that of obtaining teachers of known and tried ability. In the period of the early settlement of this county almost any one could teach. That time, with all of its rude school appliances, has rolled away. The claims of to-a can no longer be met by appliances of even a decade ago, for ex- perience is beginning to show that teaching, like every other de- partment of human thought and activity, must change with the onward movements of society, or fall in the rear of civilization and become an obstacle to improvement. The educational problem of to-day is to obtain useful knowledge-to secure the practical part of education before the ornamental, and that in the shortest time. An intellectual life of the highest culture is what is ealled for in a free country like ours. An intelligent man is better qualified for any of the duties of life than an nnod ueated person. This is an admitted fact. In truth, a free nation's safety is wrapped in the intelligence of its citizens. Only an educated people can long sustain a free republic ; therefore it is the duty of the State to educate that her free institutions may stand through all ages as sacred and endeared monuments of the enlightened people.
Education sweetens and hedges in the family eircle and drives away frivolity and gossip from a community, protecting the members from the inroads of vice and immorality. It is the strong bulwark of education that binds the nation of 56,000,000 people together for advancement that she may shine in the near future the brightest star in the constellation of governments. Rapid strides have been made in education within the last half century, but the field of improvement is yet boundless, and the
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