History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 98

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954

USA > Indiana > Orange County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 98
USA > Indiana > Washington County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 98
USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 98

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).

AN OLD METHOD OF CORRECTION.

In discipline some of these teachers resorted to singular methods of punishment. Mr. Banks was strikingly original in this respect. At one time there were in his school a very bad, white boy named Dan Richard. son, and a peaceable. quiet, well-disposed colored boy named Dempsey Nixon. These boys were well matched in size, age and strength. Richardson made it a regular business to let abundant gushes of his con- summate meanness fall upon Nixon. Repeated punishments and keen rebukes on the part of the teacher were wholly unavailing. After the patience of Banks. in efforts to restrain Richardson, was wholly exhausted, he supplied himself with three superb, tough switches, and calling the boys out on the floor and placing a rod in the hand of each and retain- ing one in his own hand, he peremptorily ordered a grand switch-battle to open out and threatened to apply the rod held in his own hand to the back of the boy who should first flag. Vehemently and vigorously each boy plied his antagonist. At last Richardson cried "enough." He was con-

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quered, and ever afterward allowed his dusky schoolmate to rest in peace.

PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER.

John Smiley is reported to have been a well educated Irishman, a diligent, successful teacher of the long ago. James Denny was pro- nounced a superior teacher, always doing good teaching work. For a considerable time he was County Surveyor. Jesse Rowland, besides teaching, did considerable work in the preaching line. Surviving pupils say of McAfee that he was a capital teacher. Richard L. Dickson was an Irishman, a good scholar, always in stylish garb, a fine penman, a gay beau, fond of society, and left the country between two days. Jon- athan Prosser was a man of considerable education, but did not remain in the teaching work long. He became a physician and was reputed suc- cessful in that line of useful labor. Thomas Portlock, an early teacher of Washington Township, deserves special mention as a complete repre - sentative of non-progression. In early life his dress was a model of advanced style. He was a model lady's man. In 1828 his teaching was confined to the ancient Dilworth a-b ab order; he was neat in penman- ship. In 1568 his teaching was in every respect exactly as it was forty years back In all the intervening years he made no progress in scholar. ship. When asked by one of his early associates in the rural teaching life, why he had made so little advancement in schoolmaster knowledge, he replied that he had been eminently a pilgrim in the trade -that he had taught in a greater number of counties in Indiana and Kentucky than any other teacher living. McWilliams had a greater reputation as an equestrian thau as schoolmaster. Sportamen said that he "strode a horse with Alexandrian skill." James A. Watson was a graduate of Hanover College: he was a workman, and if he taught but a single month he was certain to make bis mark -not the mark of birch, but of intellectual progress. He died early. Alexander Attkisson, the school- master, the Sheriff, the County Recorder, sought to do well whatever he undertook. Isaiah Dill's career as a teacher was very brief. For the birch he substituted the yard stick. No one with more affability could boast of calicos, silks and satins. Still he was a Washington Township pedagogue. George May. Jr., exchanged Webster for Blackstone, Chitty and Kent. John Smiley took much delight in bestowing Indian names upon his male pupils The venerable Levi J. Thompson, in his boyhood days, was called Joe Kilbuck; Smiley saw in the boy Levi something of the Indian chief. The laborers in the early teaching work of Washington Township had at least one woman sharing their toils. James MI. Caress. in his article for the Centennial Democrat, says that MIrs. Prichard taught on what was then known as the Henseley farm in 1917. The house in which she taught had loop-holes for the purpose of shooting at Indians. John Smiley taught on the Dawalt farm in 1816.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Mr. Caress claims that the first school in the township was taught by John Barns, in a cabin near the residence of the late George Barnett. The qualifications of Barns as a teacher are not given. Ebenezer Patrick taught some in Salem. but he was much more noted in other situations than in the teaching work. In his own language, the A B C profession had no charms for him.

THE BALEM GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

Many who taught in Washington County made no effort to build up schools of note. Others labored with elevated results in view. In this line John L. Morrison took the lead. In early youth in Pennsylvania he tried his hand at teaching. In December, 1824, in Washington County, Ind., he was at the mind-training work which led so many Hoosier boys onward and upward in the pathway of subsequent usefulness and honor. The Walnut Ridge witnessed his first efforts, but his stay there was brief. The intelligent men and women of Salem were hungering and thirsting for the bread of knowledge and the fountain of intelligence in their very midst. They wished an intellectual and moral feast for their children. A small, single-story brick house, now the residence of Rev. George W. Telle, had been erected, and to which had been given the then somewhat high sounding title of Salem Grammar School. On the first Monday of April, 1825, under the supervision of an intelligent Board of Trustees, young Morrison began his Salem teaching work. With his bands and heart strengthened by the patronage and encourag. ing words of such men as Parke, Bradley, McPheeters, Malott, Booth, Newby, Henderson, Lyon, Coffin and many others, he soon rendered Salem Grammar School a power in the land. Enterprising young men and women desirous of obtaining a solid education came flocking to Salem. The world does move. The grammar school was a complete suc- cess, but Salem wanted more. Washington County was not satisfied. One success demands a triple triumph. The provisions of the old con- stitution had enabled Washington County to accumulate a fund sufficient to erect a commodious seminary building. Steps were taken to carry out the constitutional intention. A county seminary must be put in operation. Morrison was a young man of keen forecast. He had been teaching Latin, Greek, geometry and trigonometry, but he regarded his classical and scientific attainments not quite up to the standard of a fit Superintendent of a county seminary; consequently, he surrendered the grammar school and hastened off to college that he might be in ample readiness for seminary work. His points were well taken. When the building was completed, at the call of the Trustees, he opened the school in October, 1828. Soon he made the school a power, and the fame thereof spread far and wide. Kentucky. Illinois and Missouri sent sons and daughters to be educated at Washington County Seminary. The reputation of this school won for Salem the name " Athens of the West."

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THE SALEM FEMALE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE.

The commanding success of Washington County Seminary induced Mr. Morrison to embark in another very important educational enterprise. He planned, built and put into operation the Salem Female Collegiate Institute. Under his active, skillful leadership a school of widespread notoriety, and not only of notoriety, but of eminent usefulness, grew up. Many of the present mothers of the land received a solid, thorongh edu- cation under the immediate instruction and supervision of Mr. Morrison. To understand well the powerful educational influence and life in that line actively driven forward at one time in Salem, it is well to draw again upon Mr. Caress' article. He wrote as follows: " Morrison con- ducted the institute in connection with the seminary for young men and boys. One may judge of the amount of work he did, and of the interest taken, and the good accomplished, when such a one learns that there were about 100 females and as many males attending his schools all at the same time. In the County Seminary James G. May assisted Mr. Mor- rison 600 days."

OTHER PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS.

James G. May's teaching work in Washington County, Ind., com- menced in the same month of the same year in which the work of Mr. Mor- rison began. In a cabin in Brown Township, on Twin Creek the former began the important work of training Hoosier boys and girls. His next work was at Cooley's Meeting-house and Armstrong's Schoolhouse. The school and patrons at both these houses were the same. This school was sustained for 448 days. Some of the pupils taught in that rural school became Inw-makers and Governors. From March 1, 1858, to February 3. 1872, James G. May sustained a continuous private school in the County Seminary Building. At the same time he had pupils in attend- ance from Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louis- iana. The war forced away all the Southern pupils except those from Louisville and New Orleans. In the past seven years he has sustained schools at Campbellsburg, Fredericksburg and on the Walnut Ridge Jesse Hungate taught the first several terms in Vernon Township, and then in Washington Township. He was as quiet and earnest in his teach- ing work as he is now solid and careful in his business operations. Mr. Meriweather was the successor of Mr. Morrison in the Salem Grammar School. He was a man of reputed scholarship, but did not succeed in adding any reputation to the school placed under his care.

THE FRIENDS' SCHOOL.

For many years the Friends, about two and a half miles northeast of Salem, have been distinguished for their well-directed efforts in the cause of education. Mr. Caress in his Centennial paper says: "The first shadow of a school in the neighborhood of the Friends was taught in their meet-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.

ing.house, near the residence of the late Dr. Seth Hobbs." This begin- ning of school work in their midst occurred about 1816. In 1817 a log- schoolhouse was built near John Trueblood's residence.

In 1822 a house of hewed logs was erected near the tannery now owned by A. J. Parker. Necessarily, wherever schoolhouses are built, schools follow. Then followed the construction of a commodious brick house. This the enterprising Friends designed for a good academic school. In this house Edmund Albertson, afterward an able physician and distinguished minister in the Friends Society, did such work in the teaching line as gave no little reputation to the school. The Friends were systematic in their visitations to this school' A gentleman who vis- ited it in the spring of 1934 paid in a newspaper article a very high com pliment to teachers and parents. The government was admirable. the teaching thorough. and the encouragement and support given to the teachers was the crowning jewel.

A TYPICAL PIONEER SCHOOLHOUSE.

A modern description of a pioneer schoolhouse is absolutely amusing. Here follows one: " It was a rude log hut. with puncheon floor and wooden door-hinges, and all the accoutrements of a pioneer cabin. For windows it had a log chopped ont and greased paper pasted over the opening. The seats were made by splitting a sapling. and putting pegs. or what they called legs, in these. It was warmed by means of green timber in a large fire place, almost as wide as one end of these." These writers seem unable to grasp the abiding truth that it was the teacher and not the cabin that mude the good school-that it is the teacher and not the castle that makes the college In one of these rude log huts James Cochran taught. Xenophan's Greek and Cicero's Latin as thoroughly as the same was done at Cambridge or Oxford. People who think that grand teaching cannot be done without marble palaces and beautiful lawns, forget that there never will be a " royal road to geome- try."

THE BLUE RIVER ACADEMY.

The Friends appreciated this vivid truth, as the roll of successive teachers in the old brick academy clearly indicates. They were Abigail Albertson, Thomas Loan, Barnabas C. Hobbs, Timothy Wilson, Benja- min Albertson, Aquilla Timberlake, Luther B. Gordon. Semira True. blood, Emaline Trueblood, Cyrus Bond, Morris Pritchard and Abram Trueblood. These names do not occur in the order of individual service. Let the reader look over the names and inquire after these mien and women. When his eye falls on the name of Barnabas C. Hobbs he will be ready to exclaim: " Place that inan in the most uninviting log-cabin, and give him boys and girls. young men and women to teach, and his school will be made a first-class college." In a haw-patch he would

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teach every thing, and teach it well. Other names are given as teachers in the brick. Among these are Styles and Newby. The spirit of prog. ress among the Friends demanded a new and more commodious build- ing. This demand resulted in bringing forth the neat, well arranged, commodious structure, called the Blue River Academy. This building was ready for occupancy in 1561. Very soon a flourishing academic school leaped into full life. It soon became something better. It was a well-graded school. In its embrace many little folks found an intel- lectual home and choice. Under the new order of things principals became professors. The new school was inaugurated under the supervision of Prof. Thomas Armstrong. The roll of professors includes Prof. Pritchard, Prof. Hunt, Prof. W. P. Pinkham, Prof. S. J. Wright and . Prof. Albert H. Votaw. Miss Angie Hough filled the Principalship with much ability, but by some means she was not dubbed Professor. After- wards came in Prof. Estes. Other teachers were Dorcas Armstrong, Fred Albertson, Ed. Trueblood, Franklin Moore, Hanna Robertson. Alice Armstrong and Ruth Armstrong. Under the management of Prof. Pinkham the school gained a wide-spread reputation for useful- ness. Very much might be said concerning the vast good Blue River Academy bas dispensed.

THE SALEM GRADED SCHOOL.

Returning to educational operations in Salem, it should be stated that the Town Board of Trustees, through the agency of three School Trustees, erected a commodious school building for the purpose of organ- izing a graded school. On the 1st of February, 1872, the building was partially finished, and the Trustees invited James G. May to transfer his school from the seminary building, take charge of the contemplated school in the new building, and "put the entire machinery in good running order." Accordingly. on the 5th of February, 1872, the task was undertaken. The assistant teachers at the beginning were Miss Panline Henderson, Miss R. E. Schwarts, Jasper S. N. Stewart and Frank J. Hobson. The grade then embraced primary, intermediate, grammar and high school departments. The curriculum of the high school department reached the junior year of Indiana University. During the first two years several pupils were prepared to enter the Freshman and Sophomore classes at Bloomington and Hanover. In the latter part of March, 1872, James M. Caress became an assistant in the high school department. In September. 1872, Miss Adda Casper suc- ceeded Mr. Hobson, and some time afterward Miss Hattie Jones filled the place of Miss Schwarts, the latter having chosen to become the wife of A. A. Cravens. The Superintendent in his report to the Board pro- nounced each assistant a diligent, skilful, faithful teacher.

The Board of Trustees * has been as follows: In 1875-76, H. D. Hen-

. The following statistics of the lligh school were prepared by a member of the historical company from the annual catalogues issued by the Superintendent.

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derson, David Duckwall and D M. McMahan; in 1876-77, D. M. Als- paugh succeeded Duckwall; in 1877-78, James G. Clark succeeded McMahan; in 1878-79. George Paynter and William M. Clark: succeeded Henderson and J. G. Clark; in 1879-80, Andrew J. McIntosh succeeded Alspangh; in 1880-81 the Trustees of the previous year held over; in 1881-82, John L. Williams succeeded Paynter; in 1882-88, John R. Bare succeeded McIntosh; in 1883-84, Azariah Lanning succeeded Clark.

The teachers during the school year, 1875-76, were: William Russell, High School: Mrs. Bina Russell and A. P. Hinshaw, Grammar; Miss Zua C. Hoyt, Intermediate; Misses Anna Unthank, Lydia Chamberlain and Pauline Henderson. Primary. The teachers of 1876-77 were: William Russell, High School; Braddie Bradshaw, Grammar; Sarah Allgood and Bina Russell, Intermediate; Anna Unthank, Lydia Chamber- lain and Pauline Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1877-78 were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; S. B. Moore and J. M. Caress, Assistants; Mary N. McCrae, Grammar; Eliza Gordon, Intermediate; Lizzie Cooper. Lydia Chamberlain and Pauline Henderson. Primary. The teachers of 1878-79 were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; David H. Owens, Assist- ant; Lou Huston, Grammar; Mary Schwartz, Intermediate; Cora Cas. par, Lydia Chamberlain and Pauline Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1879-SO were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; Frank P. Smith, Assistant; Phila Long, Grammar; Mary Schwartz, Intermediate; Lizzie Craycraft, Lydia Chamberlain and Paul- ine Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1890-81 were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; Frank P. Smith, Assistant; Phila Long, Grammar; Mary Schwartz, Intermediate; Lizzie Craycraft, Lydia Chamberlain and Panline Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1881-82 were: James A. Wood. Superintendent and Princi- pal of High School ; J. M. Philputt, Grammar; Cora Caspar, First Interme. diate; Sallie O. Burton, Second Intermediate; Lizzie Craycraft, Lydia Chamberlain and Pauline Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1882-83 were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; I. M. Bridgman, Assistant; Clara Crim and R. P. Mather, Grammar; Sallie O. Burton and Cora Caspar, Intermediate; Lizzie Craycraft, Lydia Chamberlain and Pauline Henderson, Primary. The teachers of 1883-84 were: James A. Wood, Superintendent and Principal of High School; Miss Calla Harrison, Assistant; R. P. Mather, Grammar; Sallie O. Burton and Cora Caspar, Intermediate; Lizzie Craycraft, Mary R. Smead, Paul- ine Henderson and Nannie Taylor, Primary.

In 1875-76 the school enumeration was 514; number enrolled 409; average daily attendance, 241.6. In 1876-77 the enumeration was 512, enrollment 301, average daily attendance 235.6. In 1877-78 the end-

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meration was 553, enrollment 440, average daily attendance 282.1. In 1878-79 the enumeration was 588, enrollment 404, average daily attend- ance first two terms 303.4, last term 217.7. In 1880-81 the enumera tion was 637, enrollment 416, average daily attendance missing. In 1S81-82 the enumeration was 565, enrollment 423, average daily attend- ance 302.3. In 1882-83 the enumeration was 577, enrollment 407, aver- age daily attendance 292.2. In 1993-84 the enumeration was 587, enrollment 431, average daily attendance 324.8. The High School of Salem is second to none in the State. Teachers are carefully chosen and required to do thorough work. The school has steadily grown in effi- ciency, magnitude and popularity. A noticeable and commendable feature is the departure from the burdensome classics to the bright and sparkling sciences of the day. This is in keeping with the educational advance- ment of the present, and a substantial measure of the excellent work done by the High School. Prof. Russell succeeded Prof. May as Super- inten lent in 1874, and was himself succeeded by James A. Wood, the present incumbent. in 1877. Miss Pauline Henderson has taught in the primary department since 1872, a marked recognition of her skill, faith- fulness, patient endeavor and popularity in her profession. Under Prof. Russell there were no graduating classes; under Prof. Wood there have been seven, a total of forty-four graduates, except those of 1884. The classics were wholly dropped under Prof. Russell, but Latin is in the course under Prof. Wood. The junior and senior years include advanced algebra, geometry, Virgil, physics, chemistry, rhetoric, geology, outline of history, astronomy, mental philosophy, political economy and English literature. The school is well supplied with apparatus.

THE STUDENTS' REBELLION.

On the Old Corydon road, about three miles south of Salem, stood an old schoolhouse which, in 1838, became famous on account of a students, rebellion. The teacher was driven from his little empire, and "hard" boys occupied his throne. The Trustees of the school were overwhelmed with astonishment. In the fall of 1839 they sought a teacher of powerful muscle and indomitable will. This man of physical force was duly inaugurated. Promptly, the rebels were on hand, engaged in a brief skirmish, but soon "ingloriously fed." Ever after that, peace and harmony reigned in that school.

A short distance north of Salem, on the Brownstown road, a private enterprise in the educational range, called Bunker Hill School, was in lively operation for several years. In 1840 this school was at the zenith of its glory. Connected with this school was Bunker Hill Literary Society, in its day, a very spirited organization. Some of the young men and boys connected with that society afterwards ranked well in the minis- terial, legal and medical professions.

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Between the years of 1836 and 1860, another important private edu- cational enterprise maintained a lively, useful existence, and afforded the opportunity to many boys and girls to obtain a good English educa- tion. The school bore the imposing title of Highland Seminary. Much solid teaching was done in the Seminary. The school was located on Highland Creek, in the vicinity of what bears now the euphonious title of Brushville. Some of the teachers who reigned over this literary empire were Cornelius Edick, a sprightly Irishman named Bryant, and the Sisters Harold. Highland Seminary had its vigorous Literary Society. In this brick-and-mortar school-age, very few will render proper credit for the full amount of intelligence diffused by such private educational enter- prises.

LITERARY SOCIETIES.

Connected with Washington County Seminary and Salem Female Institute, were four very important literary societies-two male and two female. The oldest and most noted of these societies was the Zelopaideu. sean. It was organized January 16, 1829. and was in active operation till some time in 1847. Some of its active members were John I. Mor- rison. Samuel Reid, Elijah Newland, Thomas V. Thornton, Thompson Thornton, Thomas Marks. James G. May, George May, Jr., Minard Sturgus, Zebulon B. Sturgus, John Sturgus, Harvey D. Henderson, Thomas D. Weir, John P. Scott, William Lee, James A. Cravens, John L. Menaugh, A. M. Crooks, George B. Bradley, James A. Watson, and many others who in after years gained worthy reputation in various ways. A peculiarity about this society was that every issue which in any way effects society might be freely debated. The most exciting questions were, in a gentlemanly way, warmly contested. The Philomathean Society gained considerable notoriety, and survived many years. It was mainly composed of very young men and boys. Senator Booth, of California, was its star orator. The female societies, though full of vivacity, were of much shorter duration.

MONROE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS.

Many of the very early settlers of Monroe Township were the devoted friends of education As soon as the children were safe from the scalp- ing knife of the lurking savage, a home of instruction was found for them in the rude, now much sneered at, pioneer, puncheon-floor, log-cabin. The now venerable Joseph Denny was brought by his father to Monroe Township in 1809 or 1810. Not long after the arrival. the settlers were compelled to guard against Indian incursions by gathering into a hastily constructed fort. This rude edifice of safety stood about one hundred yards south of what is now Plattsburg. As soon as Indian depredations were at an end, the pioneer school cabin was erected. Mr. Denny, in speaking of his old school days, brightened up. The rough, old cabin was no hindrance to his progress in the good things the old schoolmasters

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taught. He reports that the first school was taught on the farm on which Norvall Peugh now resides. His roll of teachers includes John Sntton, Jesse Rowland, James Blythe, William McAfee, Benjamin Hamilton and a MIr. Dake, whose first name he could not call to mind. Mr. Dake tanght the first "silent " school that Mir. Denny ever witnessed. These ancient teachers wrought earnestly and sought to advance the children. In discipline James Blythe was very severe. A great-grandson of John Sutton has been teaching on the Walnut Ridge for several years.

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History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 98

Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 199-?] Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.] Number of Pages: 954

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954