USA > Indiana > Marshall County > History of Indiana : containing a history of Indiana and biographical sketches of governors and other leading men. Also a statement of the growth and prosperity of Marshall County, together with a personal and family histry of many of its citizens, Vol. II > Part 14
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).
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 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
132
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
per Packard, October 1, 1875, when it was merged into the Republican.
The Restitution .- The Restitution is a religious paper of twenty-four columns, published by the Christian Publishing asso- ciation of Plymouth, Ind. The printing and work on the paper is done by McDonald & Co., at the office of the Plymouth Demo- crat. The paper is now in its twenty-fourth volume, having been formerly published in Chicago, from whence it was removed to Plymouth, December 1, 1874, where it has since been issued. It is published at $2 per year in advance; Hiram V. Reed, editor-in- chief; Elders S. A. Chaplin, T. Wilson and J. M. Stephenson, cor- responding editors. It advocates "the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." It has a circulation of 2,000, and copies of it find their way into almost every kingdom and province on the globe.
The Indiana Greenbacker .- This paper was started during the campaign of 1878, as the organ of the greenback cause in Mar- shall county. Later, it announced itself as the organ of the greenback party of the thirteenth congressional district, and still later as the organ of the party in Indiana. M. W. Downey and D. McDuffie were the first editors. They were succeeded by Phil Corcoran, and he by A. W. Barlow, and he by Robert Neil.
The Farmers' Monthly .- This was an octavo publication com- menced in 1876, at Plymouth, Ind., by H. V. Reed. It started out with a subscription list of 700, and was, in every respect, an excellent paper. For want of sufficient support it was suspended some six months later.
The Church Monitor, by Rev. J. J. Faude, of the Episcopal church, Plymouth, was published about nine months, in 1877. It was a quarto, neat in mechanical make-up, edited with tact and ability, but for want of sufficient support its publication was dis- continued.
The Sunshine .- This was a Sunday-school paper, started in 1876 by J. F. Wilcox, who at that time resided in Goodland, Ind., in the interest of the Sunday-schools of the Christian church. It was printed at the Democrat office, and lived about a year, when it expired for want of financial nourishment.
Public Schools of Plymouth .- Information respecting the schools of Plymouth anterior to 1869, must be obtained from one of three sources, viz .: The records of the state educational department, the newspaper comments, and personal recollections. A thor- ough research among the dusty documents of state officials and the reports of school officers reveals the fact, that however val- uable these statistics may have been to the state printer in the footings of accounts current for stationery, or however satisfac- tory they may have appeared as specimens of mathematical skill,
I33
MARSHALL COUNTY.
they are nearly worthless for giving any definite idea of the schools then in existence. Whether the omission of the very items which are desirable, or the gross inaccuracies of those given, are the more to be deplored, will ever be a matter of doubt with those who have occasion to use them. Reports which show the enrollment of the schools to be greater than the entire pop- ulation between the ages of six and twenty-one years, must be received with some suspicion. They either prove the falsity of the saying, that " figures will not lie," or disclose a remarkable thirst for knowledge on the part of the adult and married por- tion of the community. Newspaper comments of that day and generation, display a notable unanimity in glorifying the common school system in theory and condemning it in fact, thus leading a latter day inquirer to conclude that the "practical workings of the schools did not come up to the advertisements of their friends, or that the editorial comments were written in a Pick- wickian sense. Besides, such statements as "Miss A.'s school closed on Friday with exercises which were highly creditable to both pupils and teachers," after the lapse of years, do not give the most satisfactory view of the attendance, studies, methods and successes of the schools. Personal recollections, like per- sonal opinions, are found to be somewhat discordant. No better evidence could be had that "our life is a dream," than the effort to detail the circumstances and events of a quarter century ago. Like the remembrance of a dream by one who wakens, are the visions in memory, spectres of the living realities that once occupied the mind. This somewhat lengthy review of the means of in- formation, which, by the way, is intended for the relief of the writer rather than the edification of the reader, explains the im- possibility of drawing a perfect comparison between the schools of the present and those of earlier time. All that can be done or expected in this article, is to give a hasty sketch of the former condition of affairs, showing that the advancement in educational matters has been commensurate with that in material interests, and that in the advantages which Plymouth employs, her schools are not the least. The first school in Plymouth was taught by O. F. Norton, in the fall or winter of 1837. The school was held in the old court house, which then stood on the lot now owned by Mr. J. N. Freese on East Michigan street, near Adams. Mr. Norton is said, by one who knew him, to have been a man of more than ordinary intelligence, of great amiability of charac- ter, and as possessing the respect of his fellow citizens. He afterward filled the position of county clerk. The next school of which we get any account, was taught by Mrs. Erskine, who erected a building, which is now used as a residence, immediately south of the residence of Mr. J. M. Klinger, near the Catholic church. This school was commenced about 1840, and was taught
I34
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
for some time between that year and 1845. A school-house was then built on Adams street, on the lot now owned by Mr. John Dial, in the rear of the Lutheran church. This building was used until December, 1854. It has since been moved to Walnut street, and is occupied as a residence.
The first school in this building was taught by a Mr. Reed. He had a hard set of scholars to manage, if his story was true, and he was a hard man to get along with, if any dependence could be put upon the reports of his pupils. He was followed by Willoughby M. McCormick, and he by Mr. Clark, Mr. Crusan and others, all of whom closed their labors with indifferent success.
Until 1851 the schools were under the jurisdiction of the town- ship trustee, although by the school law at that time in force, their jurisdiction was almost or entirely nominal, their school duties being little more than to make a donation to the teacher of the morsel of interest coming from the school fund. The usual custom seems to have been to apply the public school fund to the benefit of any teacher who chose to start a school, he making up the deficiency by tuitions from the pupils, although there were some entirely free schools during this period. The first agitation of school questions appears to have taken place about 1853. From the time when the town was incorporated in 1851 to the fall of 1853, the evidence shows that there was no public or private school in Plymouth, as the corporation trustees report at the latter date a larger school fund than could have accumulated in less than two years.
In the Plymouth Banner of March 24, 1853, appeared an article, signed "S. M. E.," calling attention to the need of a school, stating in most forcible language the evils and the in- efficiency of the private school system, and proposing a plan for the future. The article is especially noticeable from the fact that it describes the graded school system as it now exists in all cities and towns of any educational repute. There was not then such a school in the state, and very few in the Union. If the writer is living, he has the satisfaction of knowing that the plan suggested by him, and which undoubtedly was viewed by the few who read it as chimerical and visionary, has been universally adopted as the only feasible method of public instruction. In the same paper of April 16th of the same year, was issued a call for a meeting of the people, to consider the propriety of employing Mr. and Mrs. Etter, of Rochester, who were mentioned as being teachers of a different grade from that with which the town had been afflicted thus far. The writer of the call indulged in some very plain remarks, in which he cited the people to the “ hum- buggerry which had been practiced upon them by the strolling quacks who called themselves teachers," and urged the economy
135
MARSHALL COUNTY.
of the management of the schools by the town authorities, and particularly of lavishing upon the teachers larger salaries. As no rejoinder to his criticisms appeared, it may be inferred that they were substantially true, or that the school masters were all abroad when the article appeared. At the same meeting the ad- visability of building a school-house was discussed. The popula- tion of Plymouth at this time is given as 670.
May 26th an election was held upon the proposition to levy taxes for the support of schools, at which the vote stood five in favor and eight against such tax. June 23d a township election was held for the same purpose, at which the vote stood thirteen opposed, to seven in favor. About this time Mr. and Mrs. Etter, Mr. James Thrawls, Mr. J. M. Wickizer and others, taught pri- vate schools. In March, 1854, the lot donated to the county for seminary grounds, was sold to the town for the nominal sum of $100, and on the 30th of the same month a contract for building a school-house was entered into with Mr. S. Morgan. This building was completed in December of the same year. It con- tained three school rooms and one recitation room, and was a credit to the town. It is now known as the Eureka Mills. Mr. W. J. Moir was chosen principal of the schools, and had as as- sistants the first term, Mrs. E. Crum and Miss E. Adams. The attendance was at first about 150. The text books used were Sander's spellers, Parker's readers, Davies' arithmetic, Mitchell's geography and Clark's grammar.
Of all the teachers of former times, Mr. Moir has left behind him the most pleasant recollections. He is uniformly mentioned with great respect by those who were his pupils, and there can be no doubt that he inaugurated a new era in school matters. Mr. Moir was succeeded by Mr. C. H. Blair, who was principal but a part of one year when he was followed by Mr. H. C. Burlin- game, late auditor of Marshall county. Mr. Burlingame re- tired from the management of the schools in 1861, concluding that he had done his share of missionary work, and that he would seek some less "promising" but more lucrative employ- ment. Mr. Mark Cummings, who was for many years county examiner, then took charge of the schools. He was followed by Mr. D. D. Luke, who remained as principal until August, 1870, when he was elected superintendent of the Goshen schools. In 1868 the building in the Third ward was erected. Upon the re- tirement of Mr. Luke in 1870, Mr. R. A. Chase was chosen as superintendent and has continued such to the present time.
Upon the records appear the following names of teachers who were employed either in public or private schools within the period from 1855 to 1870: Miss Holloway, Miss Ackermann, Miss Fuller, Miss Patterson, Mrs. Locke, Miss Woodbury, Miss Briggs, Mr. and Mrs. Comstock, Miss Howe, Miss French, Miss,
136
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Westen, Miss Hawley, Miss Borton, Mr. J. A. Rousch, Mr. R. M. Johnson, Miss Van Valkenburgh, Miss Wright, Miss Kidwell, Miss Blair, Miss Thompson, Miss Coffy, Miss Russell, Miss Ed- wards, Miss Chamberlain, Miss Pierce, Mr. T. J. Goble, Miss Barber, Miss Nichols, Miss Morrill, Mr. R. A. Hume, Miss Ewalt, Miss Mattingly, Mr. J. F. Lentwine.
Since 1870, either for better or worse, many important changes have been made in the administration of the schools. A syste- matic course of study has been adopted and is in use, the schools have been graded, a more exact discipline has been introduced, and from a state of comparative confusion as regards any settled policy of action, the business of the schools is as well and com- pletely systematized as that of any mercantile firm in town. In 1874 a new school building was erected which is at present occu- pied by the schools. It is of brick, of two stories with a base- ment story available for school rooms. It has nine school rooms, with private and recitation rooms, is supplied with the best quality of school furniture and in its finish and adaptation has no superior in the state. It has rooms for 500 pupils and is warmed by four large furnaces of the Ruttan style. It has also the cele- brated Ruttan system of ventilation.
Within the past fourteen years the facilities for advanced classes have been much increased, especially by the instruction offered in the high school grade. The position of high school teacher was held during 1872-3 and '74, by Miss Louise Cleave- land. She was succeeded in 1875 by Mr. D. E. Prescott, of Chi- cago, and he by Mrs. D. B. Wells, who formerly was principal of schools in Detroit. Under Mrs. Wells, the instruction in the high school has been surpassed by none in the country, and its classes would be a credit to any institution.
The schools are now divided into nine grades, and the high school with nine teachers besides the superintendent. The in- struction in the grades below the high school embraces the com- mon school branches. The high school gives instruction in mathematics as far as to surveying, in natural science, including botany, physical geography, chemistry, physiology, astronomy, natural philosophy - its course in the English language embraces analysis, rhetoric, and English literature, to which is added political economy, general history, and a thorough knowledge of book-keeping. Such classes as may be desired are also formed in German and Latin. The study of the constitution of the United States is required of pupils entering the high school. The exercises in literary work consist of debating, essays, declamations and readings, and are held daily, thus affording an amount of drill which could not be had when the exercises were held monthly. A weekly recitation in the current news of the day is had in the high school and first grade. Written examina-
137
MARSHALL COUNTY.
tions are held when deemed advisable, generally monthly, and at the close of each year an annual examination is had. The school was honored in 1874 by being enrolled by the state board in the list of schools whose graduates would be received at the state university without examination.
It is not intended in this article to belittle or underestimate the labors or accomplishments of teachers and school officers of other days. In looking at their work, and considering the lack of buildings, of money, and often of a kind and encouraging public sentiment, the wonder is that they did so well. While to the teachers have come, in a great measure, the rewards and en- couragements of success, it must be remembered that to the teachers and school men of early times, we are altogether in- debted for our school system, and a large part of our school revenue. If any improvement has been secured in the Plymouth schools, within the past few years, it is due to the generous sup- port of the public, and especially to the wisdom, forbearance, and firmness of the several boards of education. If the exper- ience of the past twenty-five years teaches anything, it is wisdom of the policy inaugurated and pursued by these respective school boards, which may be briefly summed up in these words:
I. That a public school, to be successful, must be managed upon the same principles as any other great business enterprise.
2. That a public school, to fulfill its object, as well as to jus- tify its support, must be divorced from all party, clique, or sec- tarian influences or control.
3. That as high order of talent is needed in primary instruc- tion as in higher grades, and since the majority of pupils are in the primary rooms, the employment of cheap teachers for lower grades is unjust and injurious.
4. That the worst extravagance of which a city can be guilty, is the employment of cheap teachers, entailing, as it does, the double loss of the parents' money, and the children's time.
5. That the public schools are not intended as a hospital for the sick and infirm, who may be unable to endure physical labor, nor as an asylum for distressed widows and helpless maidens, who, because they can do nothing else for a livelihood, infer that they can teach school. That nothing but her success can be taken as the estimate of a teacher's worth.
6. That while the schools are for the people, and like other public institutions, are under the control of the people, that con- trol must be exercised through the appointed legal means, viz .: the officials who have been chosen by the people for that purpose.
It is not too much to say, that these principles have produced a great revolution in the Plymouth schools.
The public schools of the city are still superintended by Prof.
138
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
R. A. Chase, and have the reputation of being second to none in the state for good discipline, good attendance and general efficiency.
The following is from the Plymouth Democrat of August the 28th, 1890, and is a brief summary of the last school year's work,
The City Schools .-- The Democrat has just completed printing the report of the city schools for the years 1889-90, which will probably be distributed the latter part of this week. It contains much interesting and valuable information and should be care- fully perused and preserved for future reference by parents and others interested in our excellent schools.
From it we learn that 655 pupils were enrolled within the year, the average membership was 554.8, per cent. of membership on enrollment 85, on enumeration 51, and the number in school at the end of the year was 523, the per cent. of attendance was 96.7, and during the year 73 pupils were neither absent nor tardy. There were only 24 cases of tardiness during the year, 22 of which were in H, I and K rooms. Besides this informa- tion of a general character the report gives the standing of each pupil attained at a final examination in each study, in which each pupil is represented by a number known only to the pupil and his parents. The volume also contains a catalogue of the school library, which contained on August 20th, 3,073 books, of which 387 are private property, leaving 2,685 belonging to the library. The library has become an important feature of the city schools and according to the rules established by the board of education every resident family has a right to use one book from the library at the same time and retain it for two weeks.
One of the important educational institutions of Plymouth is St. Michael's academy, founded in 1870, by the Catholics. It is a boarding and day school for young ladies, also for small boys under twelve years of age. This institution is under the direc- tion of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, from their Mother Home, near South Bend, Ind. To quote the glowing words of one of the managers: "The course of study combines the solidity of the scientific and literary pursuits with those light and graceful ac- complishments which throw a charm over domestic life, and con- tribute so essentially to elevate the tone of society at large." St. Michael's academy at present occupies a two-story brick building. The pupils occupy two large rooms which are well filled. Three rooms are devoted to music and are furnished with two pianos and one organ. The academy is under the guidance of five sisters, of whom Sister M. Pulcheria acts as directress.
Religious Societies .- One would naturally suppose that it would be an easy matter to gather the statistics of the churches, and trace the rise and progress of religious matters, since the organi-
I39
MARSHALL COUNTY.
zation of the county; but such is not the case. Like everything else of a secular nature, the records, such as have been made at all, have been poorly kept, and the information gained from an examination of such as are at hand, is of a very indefinite and unsatisfactory nature.
Several of the earliest settlers were members of the Presby- terian church, before they came here. In May, 1838, a Presby- terian church was organized in Plymouth, which at the first, numbered twenty-two members, and several others joined soon afterward. Of the meeting which was held at the formation of this organization, Rev. W. K. Marshall, of La Porte, was mod- erator. About the commencement of 1839, Rev. E. W. Wright became the pastor of this church and acted in that capacity about one year. Mr. Wright possessed excellent abilities as a preacher, and was apparently a worthy young man. For several years af- ter Mr. Wright left, the church was without a pastor. During the year of 1843-44, Rev. William Westervelt preached in Plymouth for a few months, with much acceptability, and then returned to Oberlin college, of which institution he was at the time a student. In 1845 the Presbyterian church of Plymouth, ob- tained a pastor in the person of Rev. John M. Bishop, who had then just graduated at Lane seminary. Mr. Bishop possessed learning, fine abilities, and other characteristics that were calcu- lated to make him highly useful in the ministry. His stay of two years is remembered by many with great pleasure. The suc- cessors of Mr. Bishop came to Plymouth about in the following order: Rev. C. D. Meeker, Rev. N. L. Lord, Rev. J. B. L. Soule, Rev. J. H. Spellman, Rev. N. Armstrong, Rev. William Porter, Rev. Mr. Campbell, Rev. William Lusk, Rev. J. E. Chapin, Rev. A. Taylor, Rev. George A. Little, Edwin P. Thomson and Wal- ter O. Lattimore, present incumbent, and the congregation, which numbers among its membership, some of the most sub- stantial citizens of the place, is in a flourishing condition.
In Center township there are nine organizations-six of which are located in Plymouth: Methodist, Church of God, German Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Catholic. The Methodist society erected the first church edifice, which is now re- moved to the " fair grounds." It was built about 1850, and was considered at that time, a very convenient and commodious house of worship. It was owned and occupied by that society until about the year 1867, when the present brick structure was com- pleted at a cost of some $12,000. The ministers in charge have been as follows: Thomas Owen, J. B. Mershong, Isaac Stagg, W. J. Forbs, Elias Daud, Albert Munson, Arthur Bradley, J. C. Robins, Thomas C. Hackney, Daniel M. Hancock, Rev. - Sals- bury, W. J. Forbes, Rev. --- Casper, J. G. Osborne, Lucas Neba- ker, N. L. Brakeman, William Reeder, William Harker, W. P.
140
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Watkins, Philander Wiley, C. A. Brook, T. E. Webb, J. C. Mahin, W. R. Mikels, L. C. Buckels, J. L. Boyd, J. L. Stephens, T. C. Stringer, G. B. Bawer, W. P. Mckinsey, A. A. Gee, W. C. David- son, J. A. Maxwell and Dr. H. A. Tucker, now officiating.
The Methodist congregation was organized in Plymouth in the year 1836. The membership was small in the beginning, but steadily increasing until 1849, the membership was sufficient to justify the erection of a building for their own accommodation. The building was erected and used until 1867, when the present church building was erected.
The Episcopal society was formed about 1863. From quite a small beginning, the church has increased until it now numbers about fifty communicants. Those who have been in charge of the rectorship are Rev. L. P. Tschiffely, Rev. Portmess, Rev. A. Youndt, Rev. William Lusk, Rev. Dr. Hume, Rev. J. J. Faude, Rev. S. T. Buster and Rev. Dr. Kemp.
St. Michael's Congregation, of Plymouth, Ind .- The follow- ing historical paragraphs concerning the Catholic, or St. Michael's, congregation, of Plymouth, Ind., are taken from an address delivered before said congregation, by Mr. Michael Ryan, Feb- ruary 18, 1890, upon the occasion of the deliverance of the church from a debt that had been hanging over it for many years:
Previous to 1861, Plymouth was a missionary station, visited by priests from South Bend and Valparaiso. We think it is in order here to give a brief history of the block upon which the church, the pastoral residence and the academy stand to-day.
Lots Nos. 58, 59 and 60, original plat of Plymouth, were trans- ferred from Zebedee Brown to David Vinnedge, December 19, 1856. They remained in the possession of David Vinnedge dur- ing the years 1857, 1858, 1859 and 1860. In the month of April, 1861, the valuation for purpose of taxation of lot No. 58 was $350, and improvements, $150; total, $500; total tax, $4.00. The valua- tion of lot No. 59 was $275, and improvements, $150; total, $425; total tax, $3.40. The valuation of lot No. 60 was $300, no improvements; amount of tax, $2.40. The total amount of tax for the three lots and improvements for 1861, was $9.80. The 13th day of June, 1861, Rebecca Vinnedge, the widow of David Vinnedge, deeded to Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers, lots No. 59 and 60. The 18th day of February, 1863, Rebecca Vinnedge, by Nathan H. Oglesbee, administrator, deeded to Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers, lot No. 58. [I will state here that lot No. 58 is situated on the south end of the block, while No. 59 is the center lot, and No. 60 is the one on which the church now stands.]
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.