USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 28
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In the historical sketches of the several townships in Chapters VI and VII will be found accounts of the early schools in the rural districts, as well as statistical and other information showing the evolution of the school system and the condition of the public schools of each township at the close of the year 1913.
The schools of Huntington County have always occupied a high place in the educational annals of the state. The early settlers were fully im- pressed with the importance of educating their children. Although no provisions for maintaining free schools had been adopted by the state at the time the county was organized, schools were established and sup- ported by subscription, and a few of the early pioneers even went to the expense of employing teachers for their families alone. One of these was Samuel Jones, the first settler in what is now Salamonie Township, who engaged John McGraw as a private tutor for his children soon after he had built his cabin in the wilderness.
Late in the year 1834 William Delvin opened a subscription school in a room of Jonathan Keller's old log tavern on West State Street in the Town of Huntington. There were then but four white families in the town-Joel and Champion Helvey, Jonathan Keller and a man named Fogstetter. The children of these four settlers were the pupils of Mr. Delvin in what was the first school ever taught in Huntington County. The next year a log schoolhouse was built on West State Street, and C. H. McClure taught a term there in the winter of 1835-36. The next teacher was a Miss Sergent, who remained but a short time, and she was succeeded by a Miss Swift. James R. Slack was the teacher in the winter of 1840-41, and about this time a frame schoolhouse was erected near the corner of Guilford and Market streets, which really marks the begin- ning of the city's public school system. Other early teachers were Miss Lucy Montgomery, who taught a term in the summer of 1841; Harmon Montgomery, John B. Fairbanks, John K. Snyder, E. P. Washburn, Miss Rose Ferry, and John Skiles, who was the first clerk of Huntington when it was incorporated in 1873. Mr. Skiles used to tell how his remuneration was $1.50 per pupil, "payable in money or anything that could be converted into money," and how he had about seventy-five
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pupils enrolled and about fifty classes, owing to the fact that there was no uniformity of textbooks in those days. He taught his school in the old frame courthouse at the corner of Jefferson and Franklin streets.
In 1851 a new brick schoolhouse was built on the hill, not far from the Catholic church. It had two rooms, and Walter Richards and his wife were the first teachers in the new building, remaining until the spring of 1854.
The first board of school trustees, consisting of Joseph W. Purviance, Benjamin Orton and F. G. Fraine was appointed by the town council in January, 1853. At the previous session of the legislature a law was enacted giving town school boards the authority to levy a tax for the support of the public schools, and this board was established in order to permit Huntington to realize the advantages of the law.
In 1862 the brick schoolhouse on the hill was sold by the school board, which then bought the old stone hotel known as the "Rock House," which had been erected by General Tipton in 1835. This old house stood on the bank of the Wabash & Erie Canal at the northwest corner of Warren and Matilda streets, where the public library is now situated. ยท It was used for school purposes until 1873, when a large brick building was erected upon the same lot-the first real modern schoolhouse in the city. This structure is still in use.
After the completion of the new schoolhouse in 1873, which is known as the Central School, the school board, then composed of Samuel F. Day, Dr. A. H. Shaffer and William C. Kocher, organized the first graded school system, with Professor James Baldwin as superintendent. From that time to the present the schools of the city have made steady prog- ress. The high school building was completed and opened in 1890, and the city now has six public school buildings, viz .: The high school, the Central School, the William Street School, the Tipton Street School, the State Street School and the Allen Street School. Seventy teachers are employed and over $50,000 annually paid in teachers' salaries. The value of the six public school buildings is estimated at $180,000. During the school year of 1913-14 these buildings were insufficient to meet the demand for room. The school board rented the basement of the Boston Grayston residence as a classroom, and the assembly room in the public library building was used for hearing recitations. In the high school 385 students were enrolled, and the building is intended to accommodate only 300. Under these conditions the board took the preliminary steps at a meeting on June 15, 1914, to erect a new high school building of the most modern and approved type.
The board that adopted the resolution to erect a new building is composed of Eli A. Allen, president; Zachariah T. Dungan, secretary,
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
and Milton W. Strauss, treasurer. The city schools are under the superintendency of Jesse M. Scudder, one of the best known educators in the State of Indiana.
A recent session of the state legislature enacted what is known as the vocational education law, and the school authorities of Huntington County are making honest efforts to comply with the provisions of the law. During the school year of 1913-14 some instruction was given in agriculture and domestic science in all the township high schools; man- ual training was taught in the schools at Lancaster Center and the Town of Warren, and preparations are being made to introduce a complete course of manual training in the several township high schools of the county.
In the City of Huntington a manual training department has been in operation for several years. In June, 1914, the schools of the city gave a three days' exhibit of their work during the preceding year, and much favorable comment was heard upon the display of wood and metal work turned out by the boys, the needle work of the girls in the manual train- ing departments, and the many beautiful drawings and paintings made by the pupils in the art department. A foundry and a mechanical draw- ing course are to be added to the department, which is under the super- vision of William A. Shock, an experienced teacher in manual training.
Altogether 185 teachers were employed in the public schools of the county during the year ending June 1, 1914. The value of school prop- erty in the several towns and townships has been given in connection with the township and town histories, but for the convenience of the reader it is deemed proper to present the following general summary in tabular form, to wit :
Clear Creek Township $22,500
Dallas Township 9,000
Huntington Township 31,000
Jackson Township 20,000
Jefferson Township
16,500
Lancaster Township
32,500
Polk Township
25,000
Rock Creek Township
20,000
Salamonie Township
19,000
Union Township
21,500
Warren Township
13,500
Wayne Township
26,000
City of Huntington
180,000
Andrews 25,000
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
Markle
$ 20,000
Warren
25,000
Total for the county $506,500
Any county with a population of less than thirty thousand that has over half a million dollars permanently invested in school property and pays out annually in salaries to teachers considerably over one-fifth of that sum evidently believes in education. That is the condition that pre- vails in Huntington County. A majority of the buildings are of modern type, and the old style houses are being replaced with new ones as rapidly as circumstances will permit. In each.town and township the
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ROANOKE HIGH SCHOOL
high school building will compare favorably with many city schoolhouses. The Roanoke high school, herein illustrated, is a typical Huntington County high school building.
Prior to 1873 the public schools were under the supervision of an official called the county school examiner. Among those who held that office in early days were Dr. Abel M. Lewis, Dr. F. W. Sawyer and Frederick S. Reefy, the last named having been the founder of the Roanoke Seminary. In 1865 the duties and responsibilities of the school examiner were extended, and Rev. Richard A. Curran, a highly edu- cated and practical gentleman, was elected to the office. During the six years of his administration the character of the schools and the standard of teachers were greatly improved. He was succeeded in 1871
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
by Maurice L. Spencer, who continued in office until after the passage of the law of 1873 establishing the office of county superintendent.
Following is a complete list of the county superintendents, with the year in which each entered upon the duties of the office: Maurice L. Spencer, 1873; Francis M. Huff, 1874; M. B. Stults, 1879 ; E. A. McNally, 1881; A. D. Mohler, 1885; Oliver Kline, 1887; James B. DeArmitt, 1893; Henry D. Shideler, 1895; Ira B. Potts, March, 1906; Clifford Funder- berg, 1911.
In addition to the excellent public school system, St. Mary's Catholic parish maintains a parochial school in a substantial building erected for the purpose on Warren street, between Tipton and Roche streets; the parish of SS. Peter and Paul has a parochial school on Cherry Street, between Tipton and George streets, and St. Peter's Lutheran Church has a commodious brick schoolhouse adjoining the church property on La- fontaine Street. The history of these parochial schools does not differ materially from such schools elsewhere. They are conducted under the auspices of the church, provided with good teachers, and are maintained by the people of the parish at their own expense.
The Huntington Business University, located on East Market Street, was founded in 1893 by the late O. E. Hawkins for the purpose of pro- viding some place where the young men and women of Huntington and vicinity could fit themselves for a business career. Some years later the school passed into the hands of Chester B. Williams, who erected the present building about 1904. Since then Mr. Williams has established coordinate schools at Portland, Peru and Garrett, Indiana. The Hunt- ington School enrolls on an average from sixty to seventy-five students at each term. The course of study is similar to that in business colleges throughout the country, and the character of the work is fixed at a high standard. Graduates of this school are scattered all over the civilized world. There is at least one in Skaguay, Alaska, and some have found their way to far-off Japan.
CENTRAL COLLEGE
For many years the United Brethren Church maintained a col- lege at Hartsville, Bartholomew County, Indiana. In the early '90s circumstances made it advisable to discontinue the institution, and in 1897 Rev. Charles A. Kiracofe was appointed to take charge of the movement to establish a college at Huntington, under the educa- tional department of the United Brethren Church, to take the place of the one abandoned at Hartsville. A real estate company made a proposi- tion to donate a site for the college building, provided enough lots were
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
CENTRAL COLLEGE
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
sold in the adjoining addition to justify the donation. Mr. Kiracofe ac- cepted the offer, went to work in earnest to dispose of a sufficient number of lots, and in a comparatively short time announced that the sales were enough to insure the establishment of the school.
A force of men were put to work on a building, which was com- pleted in time to be dedicated in September, 1897, and a little later the first term of Central College began, with Mr. Kiracofe as president and one of the instructors. A number of families came to Huntington for the purpose of educating their children at the college. Some of these families rented homes in the city and others built near the college. In a few years quite a settlement grew up about the institution, and was incorporated under the name of College Park, the principal object being to establish a local government that could maintain order in the vicinity of the college.
Mr. Kiracofe remained at the head of the institution until June, 1903, when he was succeeded by James H. McMurray. Mr. McMurray was succeeded by F. H. Gragg, who in turn was succeeded by Clarence A. Mummart, the present president of the college.
The course of study in Central College is that adopted by the educa- tional department of the United Brethren Church, and the character of the instruction is nonsectarian. The building occupies a beautiful cam- pus in the northeastern part of the city, and each year the college was opened has witnessed a larger attendance and greater prosperity. This is the only college in Huntington County.
ROANOKE SEMINARY
No history of education in Huntington County would be com- plete without some account of the old Roanoke Seminary, which in its day was one of the best known schools in Northern Indiana. Not long after the Town of Roanoke was laid out by George A. Chapman Frederick S. Reefy came to the place looking for a location for a school that would give instruction in branches higher than the "three R's." That was before the days of graded high schools and normal institutes, and institutions of learning in which young people could prepare them- selves to enter college were exceedingly scarce. Mr. Reefy met with all the encouragement he could desire, and in a short time the "Roanoke Classical Seminary" was opened for the reception of students. The few students enrolled during the first terms went out and advertised the school, and it was not long until the attendance reached 250. Among those who attended this old seminary were some of the most prominent business and professional men of Northeastern Indiana, including James B. Kenner, Lewis Bridge, James M. Hatfield, A. A. Bowen and M. L.
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
Stephens of Huntington County ; James Harper and Samuel Swain, who became prominent attorneys of Fort Wayne; Elisha Swan of Whitley County, Beech Steele and Michael Sickafoose.
Maurice L. Spencer, the first county superintendent of the Huntington County schools under the law of 1873, was an assistant teacher in the seminary for awhile. The reputation of this school gave Roanoke the title of the "Athens of Indiana."
Mr. Reefy, the founder of the school, has been described as a self- made man. One who knew him well says: "His commanding presence, executive strength and indomitable pluck in keeping ahead of certain classes, in which he confessed he was not well versed, only added to his popularity. He was a man of the people, an authority, and whether playing a horn in the band or swinging a cradle in the harvest field, he was 'Johnny on the spot.' "'
After conducting the school successfully for several years Mr. Reefy disposed of it to other parties, and for a time it was under the control of the United Brethren conference as a preparatory school for Otterbein University of Westerville, Ohio. From one proprietor to another it passed until it came into the hands of D. N. Howe. Meanwhile the public school system of the state had developed, graded schools had been established in numerous places, normal institutes had been intro- duced, and the demand for such institutions as the Roanoke Classical Seminary had decreased until the patronage was only a small part of what it had been in former years. Mr. Howe removed the school to North Manchester and the old seminary at Roanoke became a thing of the past. To the students who attended it in the days of its prosperity, students whose hair is now sprinkled with silver, the recollections of their studies and pastimes at the old seminary still linger as a pleasant memory.
THE PRESS
As a factor in the educational development of any community the newspaper plays an important part. Its first purpose is to dissemi- nate the news, information of a general nature regarding current topics and the doings of the world as events occur. The telegraph and the daily newspaper have practically annihilated both time and distance. If an Old World monarch is assassinated by an anarchist, the fact is known all over the globe within a few hours. By thus keeping in touch with what is going on in the world the reader of the daily paper is given a broader view of life. But in addition to the news feature the news- paper is an educator in a more concrete sense. Numerous short articles of a historical or descriptive character have been of great benefit to the reader in giving him new ideas and impressions of politics and geography.
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
Hints to farmers on planting and harvesting in these latter days supple- ment the work of the agricultural college; the mechanic often finds, through some well-written newspaper article, a better way of doing cer- tain portions of his work, and many a housewife has read with both interest and profit some item relating to domestic economy.
The first newspaper ever published in Huntington County was the Republican Bugle, which was started by Thomas Smith in 1847. Mr. Smith was editor, business manager, compositor, office boy and pressman. His outfit consisted of a limited stock of type and an old-style Franklin press, and the paper advocated the principles of the democratic party. No doubt, if the old printing office of the Bugle could be restored, it would appear to the people in this day of linotypes and power presses as an antiquated affair, but in 1847 it was hailed with delight. Huntington had a newspaper.
In 1859 the name of the paper was changed to the Huntington Demo- crat by Alexander C. Thompson, who was at that time the editor and proprietor. About a year later Samuel F. Winters and William C. Kocher purchased the paper. Mr. Kocher retired in 1862, and in 1877 Craig & Hilligass succeeded to the ownership. Mr. Craig afterward became editor in chief of the Indianapolis Sentinel. In 1884 his interest was acquired by Col. I. B. McDonald of Whitley County, and in 1885 the Democrat was sold to Benjamin F. Biliter and William R. Emery. Mr. Biliter bought his partner's interest in November, 1889, and in 1893 the entire outfit was sold to Robert J. Day. Subsequently Day sold out to O. W. Whitelock, who also acquired the Huntington News and consolidated it with the Democrat under the name of News-Demo- crat. After a few years Whitelock disposed of the paper to Martin H. Ormsby, who in May, 1911, purchased the Morning Times, which was started by Thad Butler in 1907. The paper was then conducted as the Times-Democrat until December, 1911, when it was absorbed by the Huntington Herald.
In July, 1848, Isaac and Alexander W. DeLong began the publica- tion of the Indiana Herald at Huntington. Isaac DeLong soon retired from the paper, and the entire control passed into the hands of his son, who conducted the paper until 1869, a period of twenty-one years. The DeLongs, father and son, were whigs in their political views, and the Herald was conducted as an organ of that party until after the founding of the republican party, when it espoused the cause of the new political organization.
In 1869 U. D. Cole and M. G. Main purchased the paper and remained in charge for a few months, when Mr. Main disposed of his interest to John F. Moses. The firm of Cole & Moses then conducted it until 1875,
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
when A. W. DeLong again took charge, with Alfred Moore as an assist- ant. In October, 1878, Mr. Moore was succeeded by Charles F. Filson. About four years later James B. Kenner, Alonzo and O. E. Mohler became the proprietors and continued at the head of the paper until a stock company was organized and assumed ownership and control.
Alexander W. DeLong, one of the best known journalists who ever ran a newspaper in Huntington County, was born near Senecaville, Ohio,
ALEXANDER W. DELONG
June 21,- 1828, a son of Isaac and Mary DeLong. Until the age of thir- teen years he attended the common schools and then entered upon a four years' apprenticeship in the office of the Somerset (Ohio) Post, where he learned the trade of printer. He then attended school for six months, after which he was employed as a typesetter on the Zanesville Courier for about nine months. Here an opportunity offered for him to at- tend the Ohio Wesleyan University, where he completed his education. At the age of nineteen years he came to Huntington, and the following year,
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
aided by his father, he established the Indiana Herald, as above stated. He assisted in organizing the Citizens' Bank of Huntington; was active in promoting the building of gravel roads; served on the Huntington school board ; was a leader in the old Workingmen's Institute and library ; took an active part in politics as a republican, going to Cincinnati as a delegate to the national convention that nominated Hayes and Wheeler in 1876 and was a member of the state central committee for four years ; served as postmaster of Huntington from 1865 to 1883; was then re- ceiver for the land office in the northern district of Arizona for about fifteen months, and occupied other positions of trust and responsibility. Old residents remember "Aleck" DeLong as a public-spirited man and an all-around good citizen.
When the Indiana Herald was consolidated with the News-Express, in May, 1887, the name was changed to the Huntington Herald, under which it is still published. At the time of the consolidation Thad Butler of the News-Express and O. E. Mohler of the Herald became the prin- cipal editors and managers of the new publication.
The News-Express was the outgrowth of two papers. W. T. Cutshall established a local weekly in 1878 under the name of Lime City News. It was at first independent in politics, but later became an organ of the greenback party. In 1883 it was acquired by D. B. Hoover, who made it again an independent paper. On January 1, 1886, the Andrews Express, published by Thad Butler, was consolidated with the Lime City News, with the name News-Express, Hoover & Butler editors and publishers.
Mention has been made of the taking over by the Herald of the Times-Democrat. The Herald is the oldest newspaper published contin- uously under the original name, in Huntington County. It is published every afternoon, except Sunday, and also has a morning edition for circulation on the rural mail routes. The latter was established in 1907. The present Herald Publishing Company was incorporated about the beginning of the year 1914.
Soon after selling the Times-Democrat to the Herald, Martin H Ormsby decided to start a new paper in Huntington. Accordingly, the first issue of the Huntington Press made its appearance on February 11, 1912. The publication office was at first on Jefferson Street, but in order to obtain more room was removed to the present location on West Wash- ington Street. The Press is published every morning, except Monday, and is the only democratic paper in the county. It is still owned and edited by its founder.
On January 1, 1889, Benjamin F. Biliter began the publication of an agricultural monthly called The Farmers' Guide. At first it consisted of only eight pages and clubbed to some extent with other papers for
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
the purpose of building up a circulation. In a little while the publication was increased in size to sixteen pages and the clubbing arrangement was abandoned. It is now published as a weekly, has a circulation of about eighty thousand, covering Indiana, Ohio, Southern Michigan and part of Illinois. From forty to fifty people are employed in all depart- ments and the Guide is one of Huntington's best advertisements.
Among the miscellancous publications of the state a number are issued from Huntington. The publication department of the United Brethren Church publishes the Christian Conservator, edited by C. A. Mummart, president of Central College, and the Missionary Monthly, edited by J. Howe. The Catholic Publishing Company issues the Parish Monthly and a weekly called Our Sunday Visitor. A little monthly called The Message, devoted to the cause of temperance, is published under the auspices of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Indiana, with Mrs. Luella F. McWhirter as editor.
In 1875 James Long purchased the outfit of the Lagro Enterprise and removed the office to Andrews (then Antioch), where he began the publication of the Antioch Enterprise, the first newspaper in that town. Mr. Long's principal object was to establish an organ for the greenback party of Huntington County. In 1881 it passed to the hands of C. A. Richardson, who made it neutral in politics.
The Andrews Express was founded by Thad and Mark Butler in July, 1882. It was the successor to the Enterprise and quickly acquired a wide circulation. On January 1, 1886, it was consolidated with the Lime City News, of Huntington, as above stated.
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