USA > Indiana > Vigo County > History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922, Vol II > Part 9
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5 See State Superintendent's Report for 1844. Only a few counties represent anything except reading, writing and arithmetic, as taught in the common schools.
682
HISTORY OF INDIANA
might aspire to be a surveyor without losing his standing with the masses.
§ 123 CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
In 1830 there was organized in Cincinnati an association of public school teachers with the rather ponderous title, Western Literary Institute and Col- lege of Professional Teachers. Among its members were such well-known teachers as W. H. McGuffy, C. E. Stowe, E. D. Mansfield, and J. H. Perkins. There was a board of directors, under a vice president for each state. In 1835 this board for Indiana was M. A. H. Niles, J. H. Harney, E. N. Elliott, John I. Morri- son and M. Parks. In its annual meetings during the next few years Indiana teachers took an active part.6 In March, members of the society organized the Cin- cinnati Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowl- edge. Its purpose was to improve the schools of the Mississippi valley. In 1845 they sent an agent to Indianapolis to confer with members of the society resident there. At a public meeting at Indianapolis a committee of nine, headed by Judge Isaac Black- ford, undertook the work of supplying better teach- ers to the schools of the state. A circular was sent to each district calling for information concerning school conditions and needs.7
During the year 1844 H. F. West, a member of the Cincinnati society, traveled extensively over Indiana in the interests of a better school system. In August, 1846, he returned to Indianapolis and began the pub-
6 In the volumes of its Transactions are addresses on all phases of school work. These are undoubtedly the source of the numerous papers on education published in Indiana from 1845 to 1852.
7 Indianapolis Journal, April 7, 1847.
683
CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
lication of a fortnightly journal called the Common School Advocate, devoted to the common schools. In his introductory article the editor lamented the gen- eral backwardness of the schools. Reading was espe- cially poor and he detected a tendency on the part of the older pupils to skip reading in order to take the higher branches.8
During the year 1847 the agitation for common schools increased. The governor had referred to the subject favorably in his message. Signed articles appeared in most of the newspapers pointing out the value of learning and especially the danger in its neglect.9
The General Assembly of 1846 by joint resolution recommended a state Common School convention to be held by the friends of education at Indianapolis, May 25-28 inclusive.1º This convention was attended by a large number of influential men. Governor Whit- comb and Chief Justice Blackford presided. Ovid Butler, Caleb Mills, S. H. Thompson, R. W. Thomp- son, Edward R. Ames and others were on the resolu- tions committee. The long discussions reached every detail of the schools. Various plans of organiza- tion were discussed.11 Caleb Mills presented his famous statistics on illiteracy. A committee was ap- pointed which drew up the school law of the follow- ing year. Throughout the four days' discussion there was only one subject before the convention: How to improve the common schools.
8 Indianapolis Journal, Aug. 26, 1846.
9 Indianapolis Journal, Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 3, and Feb. 10, 1847.
10 House Journal, 1846, 360; Senate Journal, 1846, 387. This resolution is not printed in the Laws.
11 The proceedings in full are given in the Indianapolis Jour- nal, June 4, 1847.
684
HISTORY OF INDIANA
The convention met again, December 10, 1847, to hear the report of its legislative committee. A state Educational Society was organized which took up the work of perfecting the school system. The report of 1847 covers finances, organization, houses, texts, teachers and local administration.12 It was while this agitation was going on that the remarkable series of papers summing up the substance of the discussions was prepared and published in the Indianapolis Journal by Caleb Mills.13
A committee of the school convention and one of the house of representatives worked almost the whole of the session of 1847 on the school bill, but only suc- ceeded in passing it through the house one week be- fore the General Assembly adjourned. Feeling that it had had too little time to discuss it the senate re- ferred the whole matter to the people in a referen- dum. The question was, do the people want to tax themselves for free schools? Two points would be gained by the referendum. Public opinion would be educated and the members would have time to con- sult their constituents and study the measure.
The Indiana Education Society held its first meet- ing, May 25, 1848, at the capital. The General As- sembly had kindly given the society a room in the statehouse for headquarters. Rev. E. R. Ames pre- sided and Joseph L. Jernegan, a brilliant lawyer from South Bend, made the principal address, on the subject, "The Relation of the Colleges to the Com- mon Schools." Prof. Daniel Read spoke on the need of libraries in the country districts. Amory Kinney was employed to travel over the state and collect in-
12 Indianapolis Journal, Dec. 20, 1847.
13 These papers were edited by Charles W. Moores and pub- lished in Vol. III, Indiana Historical Society Publications, 360, seq.
685
CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
Lagrange Steuben
5686
Lake 302
17125 (259) Laporte Porter 698 207 6 73
StJoseph 1513 ₺ 99 (245) ,
12455 516 (1035).
Noble 963 G
6075
37 (131)
froted with marshall)
(4 (8)
1255 6
Whiteley
Jasper 2276/20 (202)
Pulaski 224+22 (172)
Fulton
2211 (1092)
589- to
86
(326)
(1073)
huntington
( 646)
Miant
Wabash 1387
ما
e
Cass 1281 5
3/3
to
(8/6)
137 (5711
(562)
Adams 4 44
Benton 112+31 (95)
105 ( 401)
Carroll 273 47
( 172)
287
Grant
(15)
Tippecanoe
7978) 3926314
(14)
( 1064)
157
2432 6 471 (15 49)
Clinton 1111 6 460 (057)
275693 (480)
Madison 488₺
Delawer.E
Fountain 11346 717 (1444)
Montgomery 86'5
Boone
559
1182
535 to
1105(954)
( 815 )
Henry 1072 To
Wayne 24925
Sparke 9605
Hendricks mation 623 6 1846 5
Hancock
616
1404 (9/8)
1420
1892
Putham 65536
31539 {(1302)
15 40
(3/6).
2300
morgan
Johnson
(2021)26564
205 to
1224
996-
119.4.60
934 50
444
(470) (1641)
Decatur
1078462
(332) 1238
monroe 3776
Brown 187 6
11376
15,68
Sullivan 594 5
Greene
1448
490
1033 (1153)
10976
1900
Knox
(1564)
339
1452
(12)
50
(1214)
494
Orange 152 6
630 ৳
(898)
Pike 2486
Dubois 19716
(1396).
ailson
Crawford 3816759
Floyd
1101 5505
766
6.72 (430)
(945)
Harrison -513 7786 1509
-(902)
1055
14664 142
754 (371)
599
323
(89)
747
(1108 )
497)
(945 )
(437) Jefferson Switzerland
21946287
/2785
Daviess Martin 6816
95 106 657
cote
(1432)
665
5
(1104)
Jackson
Jennings 1343 6
1043
Dearborn 2601
1105 ( 743 )
464 631380
(1035)
(1503)
Lawrence 475
590 16
1338
(38) 833
140%
627
798 37
(145) 5 939
Clay 2/6/6
Owen
15/63 w(902)
Tipton
Hamilton
Randolph
1399 6
1952
579 11095)
(1137)
880 25 424
Jay 503 15
Warren 9565
to 472
Howard
Blofford
Allen 18216 /10 440
596657
Kosciusko
149 (365)
326
(593) starke
Marshall
6985
99
(482)
175
to
309
440 L/C2
187 (11 10)
Vigo 10/15
Shelly
Rusín
Fayette Union 101461126 6 500 16:81
(514) Franklin
62,9 5
Bartholomew
(30) Ripley
(1027) 642612(77)
1812 Clark (1222) 1540 66587
(795) 6
(1496) Vander U12& Warrick posey burg 498 to
Perry 529 5
Spencer's
1554
Washington 6704793
879
177
Whit 5646
Elkhart
11986 (23) 184.
VOTE ON FREE SCHOOLS, 1848 ( ILLITERATES)
686
HISTORY OF INDIANA
formation on the common schools. Rev. F. C. Holli- day spoke on the means of elevating the common schools. The convention lasted several days.14
The legislative committee, appointed, May 27, 1847, by the convention, consisting of Amory Kinney, O. H. Smith and Calvin Fletcher, laid before the Gen- eral Assembly an elaborate report containing not only a detailed description of educational conditions as they then were, but pointing out the failures and suggesting remedies.15 Another committee, consist- ing of E. R. Ames, Jeremiah Sullivan, T. R. Cressy, R. W. Thompson, J. H. Henry, Solomon Meredith and James Blake, prepared an "Address to the Peo- ple in Relation to Free Common Schools." This was sent broadcast to the people during the referendum campaign.16 The house committee, of which Amory
14 Indianapolis Journal, May 31, 1848.
15 Documentary Journal, 1847, Pt. II, 145. This is one of the best reports available for a study of the situation at that time. This, together with the "Address in Relation to Free Com- mon Schools," undoubtedly formed the basis for legislative action during this period. Following the "Address" in the Documentary Journal is a summary of educational conditions in all the eastern States. This latter was taken from West's Common School Advo- cate.
16 Documentary Journal, 1847, Pt. II, 161. A brief quota- tion from this eloquent appeal will show its nature: "In the older settled parts of our country, at the decease of parents, the children are sure of an education, the best of fortunes. They also generally inherit sufficient property to give them a start in life. And should they be left orphans and without property, they are in the bosom of the relatives and early associates of their deceased parents. They have all these friends to fall back upon when their father and mother are no more. Parents, when closing their earthly career under these circumstances, have, comparatively, but little cause to be solicitous for their children.
But in the West, circumstances are widely different. We live in a land of emigrants. We have but few men of wealth. The
687
CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
Kinney was chairman, submitted a detailed report on the necessity of elementary teaching, training teachers, free schools, school taxes, superintendence, district boards, and libraries. This was a defense, section by section, of the bill submitted to the peo- ple.17 These documents were circulated by thous- ands. The General Assembly considered subscribing for the Common School Advocate for each school district.
The campaign for free schools was not an easy one. The referendum was not on the abstract propo-
great mass, though comfortable to live, are really poor compared with the older States. But few of our children have ever seen their grandsires or the brothers or sisters of their parents-and, in truth, no reliable provisions are made for their education. Now, what must be the feelings of the dying emigrant father? He is leaving no property for his children beyond bis funeral day. None of his relatives are near to throw around those orphans their guardian care, and at the same time no system of education is in existence to furnish them with that intellectual furniture which constitutes the greatest temporal wealth. He leaves them in poverty, in ignorance, to the cold charities of a land of strangers and exposed to every temptation.
The free common school system may throw her broad mantle over this helpless class of innocent sufferers, to shield them from Infamy and woe, to develop and give their minds far higher attainments, and plant them as virtuous and useful citizens in this broad and beautiful valley whose influence is to decide the destinies of this mighty nation."
17 Documentary Journal, 1847, Pt. II, 355. A study of this document shows where the opposition to the measure was: "Teachers are not chiefly responsible for the condition of the schools of a community, because they cannot of themselves estab- lish and carry on schools. They cannot teach without scholars; and they cannot compel people to send scholars. Teachers may form plans, but If the people do not choose to have them executed they can send away the teacher, or keep the children from going to him. The people build and furnish the house, the books, etc., and they do as they think best about these matters. Teachers are
688
HISTORY OF INDIANA
sition as many commentators seem to think. There certainly was an overwhelming sentiment in the state for schools, but these schools were to be free, poor and rich all jumbled together, common, devoted to reading, writing and arithmetic, non-sectarian, where children of infidels mingled with those of Christian parentage, and last and worst, to be paid for by all whether the payer had children or not. The people were asked to vote on a bill with all its details, and every politician knows how much more difficult it is to carry a bill in detail than it is to carry the gen- eral principle on which the bill rests.18 For instance, Judge James S. Frazier, of Kosciusko county, op-
dependent on them for permission to teach, for pupils to teach, for houses, etc., wherewith to teach, and for subsistence while they teach. The power is with the people, not with the teachers. The people are responsible. The school officers are chosen by the people, must be directed by the people, and have no power to compel the attendance of the children. The legislature assumes no right to put any teacher in a schoolhouse, nor to place any child under one's charge, nor to debar the people from having children taught as their parents feel it a duty. The legislature prescribes conditions for the use of public funds in education, but it constrains none to put their children into a school. The people choose the legislature and can have one that will execute their wishes in the matter. The people's money will secure such teachers as will answer their views if they will fix a standard and require instructors to come up to it. The people can have good schools if they will. The people are responsible, for they make the schools what they are."
Still another campaign pamphlet favoring common schools was prepared by F. C. Holliday, James H. Henry, Joseph L. Jernegan, Jeremiah Sullivan and Charles H. Test, a committee of the Indiana State Educational Society. Judge Kinney took the stump for the measure.
18 It may be thought that the expression In 1848 was on the general proposition, but a reading of the law submitting it will make the point clear. The house had worked out a long bill and passed it. This is expressly mentioned in the act as the bill to be acted upon. Laws of Indiana, 1847, ch. XLIX.
CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
689
Steuben
Laporte 1559 19 368
St Joseph 12,81 to 312
Elkhort 12015 ~ 835
822#264
788
Lake 422 + 31
Porter 6 70
Noble (in faver)
Dekall 450 5 365
votet
with maraold
1018 5 ***
whitely fator)
Jasper 276 # 164
Pulas ıştı 947512
Fulton 701 to 109
Allen 1130 to 483
Huntington
Cass
Miami Wabash 1160
Wells
979
(in favor)
Adams 639 t 210
Benton 124637
Carroll 1012 6 506
359
to 580
Grant 7625564
5145171 Blackora 25 164
Warren 881 G 248
2011 to 528
Clinton 882 G 765
Tipton 2015 189
Madison
Delaware 657G
Randolph
5-40
Boone 5595 /118
13:35
Henry
Parke 1169 to 1455
Putnam 980 € 11960
Hendricks 15445 1249
marlon 1898 5 ≤ 1752
Hancock ( against )
1983
wayne [2000,5 1/4/2
Virgo 11/48 't 1199
Clay 515 G 690
morgan/ JOhnson 99515 604 + 1190 1469
929
Franklin 1297-5-1066
789 69571
barthol new
Monroe 560 G 1197
Brown 210 G 37/
(n Faver)
Sullivan 488 G 1244
area'ne 797 54 1155
Jennings
Ripley 972 872
Dearborn 2090€ 57L
Lawrence Martin 694, 51256
Jackson (in favor )
478
Knox 1026 1 474
Davies's 663 892
535
Scott 4096604
Pike 12155
Dubois 84 1675
Crawford 175 ℃ 714
Floyd
posey
Vander.
Perry Spencer, 5095
Harrison 9575 1267
60%
(in faver)
VOTE ON FREE SCHOOL LAW, 1849
Jay 30 4 to 242
Fountain 1339 to Montgomery 10975
Hamilton $20
(against)
949
937 G 698
Vermillion
45SE 376
Fayette Union 992,6,711G 512 92.5
shell 1364
1357 5 1633
Owen
Dec 1317)51167
Ohio
Switzerland
247
Jefferson 2608G 750
Orange 349 G 1459
Washington 1058 4
1575
Clark 14055.876
Gibson 1049 5 707
77/
Warrick RIST 75 €'506 973 € 180
Starke
Marshall 54# 5 121
Kosciusko
White 419 5 158
463
Tippecanoe
485
1863
Howard
Lagrange
690
HISTORY OF INDIANA
posed the bill because it made the system local rather than state-wide. With a prescience far beyond his fellows he argued that they could never have a real system until money from a state fund was distributed equally to every child in the state. The result of the poll was satisfactory. The measure was endorsed by a majority of 16,636.1.9
The sore spot in the common school bill was the taxing provision. The people were just recovering from a period of financial mismanagement and, while they shared the visions of the friends of education, were reluctant to undertake to raise a large sum an- nually for schools.
With the warrant of the people in their hands the General Assembly of 1848 soon constructed a bill to increase and extend the benefits of the common schools, which received the signature of the govern- or, January 17, 1849. So fearful, however, were the members on the tax provisions that in order to get enough votes to carry the law a county local option referendum had to be authorized. This gave each county the privilege of adopting the law for itself. If the county voted adversely then the old school laws prevailed.2º The law was adopted in sixty-one coun- ties and rejected in twenty-nine.
With the passage of the law of 1849 interest turned to the constitutional convention authorized at the same election which approved the law of 1849. Among the members of the convention were only a few of the outspoken champions of free schools. John I. Morrison, who was chairman of the committee on education, Daniel Read and Edwin R. May had to bear the brunt of the fight in the convention. No
19 The following map shows the vote on the last referendum : 20 Laws of Indiana, 1848, ch. CXVI.
691
CREATING SCHOOL SENTIMENT
progress was made, but the ground already won was held. The seminaries were abolished. Various pro- visions looking toward the consolidation of all school funds into the common fund were made, even a seri- ous effort to divert the congressional seminary grant or to divide it among the several colleges of the state. One can not avoid noting their lack of vision when compared with such men as Kinney, Frazer, and the earlier agitators. The new constitution em- phasized the common schools but gave only a faint authorization for a state system of education.
The first General Assembly under the new consti- tution took up the work of formulating a law organ- izing the common schools. Governor Wright in his message did not hesitate to speak plainly on the duty of the state toward these.21 On the committee of the house on education were Robert Dale Owen, chair- man, and James R. M. Bryant, two of the most pro- nounced friends of schools in the state. It is scarcely too much to say that the preparation and passage of the common schools bill engrossed their whole time. On December 10, they returned an adverse report on a petition to convert the state seminary fund to the common school fund. Neither from the standpoint of law nor from that of the common good did they consider it advisable. Mr. Owen was especially insis- tent on maintaining the only non-sectarian college in
21 House Journal, 1851, Pt. I, 19. "This is the most favorable view of the question. The same census shows that we have sev- enty-five thousand and seventeen over the age of twenty years that cannot read and write. This number, believed by many to be more than we really have, has been greatly enlarged at a distance, in the public journals. In our zeal to advance the cause of sound learning, we have neglected to throw our energies and means In the right direction. Whilst we have been building up colleges and academies, have we not forgotten and neglected the great schools of learning, common, district and union schools?"
692
HISTORY OF INDIANA
the state as an open forum for all science. If the in- come were distributed, he pointed out, it would pro- vide one and one-sixth cents for each school child in the state.22
Acting on a suggestion of Mr. Owen concerning a normal school, a petition was presented, January 30, asking that the state seminary fund to be used to equip a normal for the training of teachers of com- mon schools exclusively. The petitioners were merely referred to the previous report.
Petitions to have English taught in the common schools; to enact a compulsory attendance law; to found a state normal; and to organize a normal de- partment in some college of the state were heard and reported on. In the meantime the committee was cultivating a school sentiment among the members. Leading educators were brought to the capital where they lectured in the Assembly rooms. Finally on February 9, 1852, the committee reported the bill which became the famous law of 1852, the foundation of the old Indiana common or district school.
It should be said that the district school had been previously developed and hundreds of them were at that moment in successful operation. It is the merit of this law that it organized them into a state institu-
22 House Journal, 1851, Pt. I, 105. "Your committee are therefore of opinion that such divisions of the University fund would be illegal and unconstitutional, even if it were expedient, and inexpedient even if it were legal and constitutional. Your committee believe, however, that in strict conformity with the terms of the grant, the fund in question may be made directly to subserve the cause of common schools by establishing as a perma- nent branch of the State University, a normai department, for the training of common school teachers. Had the resolution referred to them made such a proposai, they would have reported unani- mousiy in its favor."
693
THE DISTRICT SCHOOL
tion and began that steady state support and super- vision which in time gave us a real state system of education. The bill was fought vigorously at every step. Amendment after amendment aimed at the essence of the act was warded off. From February 9, it was postponed to March 10; from then to April 24; the committee of the whole came to a deadlock on it and asked to be discharged from any further consid- eration ; on March 10 it was sent to a committee to be rewritten;28 this committee held it till May 12 and then recommended a substitute which was laid on the table ; a half dozen proposed amendments would have prevented money collected in one county from being diverted to another; an attempt was made to submit the whole bill to a popular referendum but failed by a vote of twenty-four to sixty-two; and finally, on May 20, the house came to a vote and the bill passed by a majority of seven. The title was then amended on motion by Mr. Owen and the work was done.24 After considerable opposition it passed the senate, June 2, by a majority of one.
§ 124 THE DISTRICT SCHOOL
Financing was and always had been the chief dif- ficulty with the Indiana schools. In this respect the congressional land grant had been a misfortune. It had taught the people to expect the cost of education to be met without any sacrifice on their part. Not having been accustomed to paying taxes and always having associated them with oppression, the people
23 Mr. Owen was chairman of this committee.
24 House Journal, 1851, Pt. II, 1849. Godlove O. Behm of Tippecanoe moved to add to the titie "and to swindle the larger counties out of at least one-half of their Congressional Township fund." The representatives from many of the wealthy counties opposed it on that account.
694
HISTORY OF INDIANA
were now reluctant to shoulder the burden of a half million dollars annually. Having determined to pro- vide common schools for their children, they now searched every quarter of the horizon for resources which they could turn into a school fund. The con- gressional township fund consisting of $1,607,819.13, the proceeds of every section of land numbered 16, the surplus revenue fund, consisting of $551,529.92, given to the state under the Distribution bill, the saline fund, consisting of $61,270.05 from the sale of lands around salt springs given to the state by con- gress in 1816, the bank tax fund, consisting of $56,- 969.04, the proceeds of a tax of twelve and one-half cents annually on each share of stock in the state bank held by individuals, were merged. Besides these there were fines, forfeitures, escheats, and the pro- ceeds of the sales of the old seminary properties throughout the state. All these in 1852 totaled $2,- 268,588.14, which was to constitute the common school fund. It was estimated this would give annu- ally about $150,000, the balance, necessary to conduct the schools, remaining to be made up by a direct tax. For this purpose a general levy of ten cents on the hundred dollars was made. It will be noticed that there were two innovations here; the first and most opposed was the consolidation of all the county con- gressional funds. Some counties had many times as much money from this source as others; the other was the awful ten cent levy which would be a badge of bondage on those who had no children to attend schools. The law of 1849 had permitted those coun- ties which so desired to tax themselves for the sup- port of the schools, but this money never went out of the county. It seems now to have been a great strug- gle over a small matter, but it contained the whole question of a state school system. Without the power
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