History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 56

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 56

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To establish and maintain a permanent normal school requires a strong effort, a persistent purpose and a numerous constituency. Union City, for a brief period, undertook to accomplish such a work.

The attempt was somewhat heroic, and, though the movement could hardly have proved a lasting success, yet, for the time, much good resulted-if not in pecuniary compensation to the teachers employed yet, to the pupils who availed themselves of the opportunity afforded.

There have been three normal schools in Union City-two in Indiana and one in Ohio.

The first (in Indiana) was somewhat fully attended, having several teachers.

The second (in Indiana) was but small, with three teachers.

The third (in Ohio) had a fair attendance, with three teachers.

Since that time, no normal for Union City has been attempted, but those who would be normalites at home have been left to pursue the even tenor of their way to their respective county seats, to the classic halls of Winchester or Greenville, where the genial, wide awake Butler on the one hand, or the sedate and sober minded Martz on the other, will smooth their pathway up the rugged steeps of the hill of science.

Since that time, in each successive season (except 1881), nor- mal schools have been carried on at Winchester for the present and prospective teachers of Randolph County, with commendable energy and thoroughness, and with reasonable success. Some of the teachers have been Profs. Butler, Ault, Bosworth, Marsh, Branson and Bowers, Superintendent Lesley, and perhaps others. The pupils have pursued their studies in these schools with great eagerness and with gratifying success. One thing is probably true, that, while these summer schools may do for those who are

181

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

simply preparing to teach, yet, for such as have already spent seven or eight months during the year in the ardnous labors of the school-room, attendance upon the normal during six long, hot and weary weeks more will be found to be virtual suicide.

If clergymen and professional men need the proverbial sum- mer vacation, much more do teachers, whose labors are far more exhaustive than are those of either of the other classes men- tioned. "Let the teachers rest " is the cry of outraged nature. Let the people and the teachers hear and heed the cry.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES, ETC.

Most persons suppose that institutes are a thing of modern days alone, and they will perhaps be surprised to be told that, thirty years gone by, under the leadership of Prof. E. P. Cole, and with the co-operation of other instructors of that time, en- thusiastic and successful institutes were held, not, indeed, as a matter of legal duty, but as a voluntary method of acquaintance and improvement.

Those who were then young, now are old, and most, perhaps all, who took part in those institutes, have left the profession, and many of them doubtless have been called from earthly labor to reward.

These meetings were maintained for several years, but the removal of some of the parties, and other things combined, caused their cessation for a time.

In 1865, the school law of Indiana was remodeled, making provision, among other things, for the holding of a connty in- stitute, requiring the closing of the schools during its sessions, and appropriating a limited amount of money from the funds of the county toward its support.

In June, 1865, Pleasant Hiatt was appointed County School Examiner, and, during his term, held one institute. Resigning in 1866, he was succeeded by Rev. John G. Brice, who had the position till the summer of 1871, but held no institute. In Au- gust of the same year, Andrew J. Stakebake was appointed to the office of County Examiner, and he revived the institutes, hold- ing one each year of his term.

In 1873, the office of County Examiner was changed to that of County Superintendent, and in June of that year, Charles W. Paris was chosen Superintendent of Education. He continued the holding of institutes, as also he fulfilled the requirements of the school law concerning township institutes, then first made obligatory by the statute. Both township and county institutes have been maintained to the present time. Those in the town- ships are held monthly during the winter season, and now and then in the summer. The county institute has been in August or September, except one or two at the Christmas Holidays. They have been gonerally well attended, the number of members sometimes rising to nearly two hundred.

Numerous teachers at home and from abroad have assisted in giving instruction at the institutes, and many lectures have been delivered, to the satisfaction and delight of those who attended them. Prominent among these instructors and lecturers who have officiated from time to time have been Profs. Eli F. and George B. Brown, George W. Hoss, Bell, Olcott, Daniel Hough, Harrison, Butler, Bosworth, Anlt, Lesley, Marsh, Branson, Tucker, etc. The intelligence and efficiency of the corps of teachers in the county have been greatly increased during the past few years and the members of the profession show a commendable determi- nation to improve their opportunities to the utmost, and perform the best possible service to the public and to the youth placed under their eare.

COUNTY INSTITUTE, 1881.

A county institute was held in August, 1881, under the di- reelion of Daniel Lesley, County Superintendent, at the high school building in Winchester, during five days. The instrne- tion was given by Prof. Adams, Principal of Danville Normal In- stitution, and Mrs. Emma S. McCrae, long High School Princi- pal at Muncie, Ind. Both these persons are lively and interest- ing in their deportment and their methods, and the members were both pleased and profited thereby. The attendance was good, the numbers of teachers present more or less during the week being about one hundred and sixty.

COUNTY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

This was formed in March, 1880, with the intention of hold- ing quarterly meetings for consultation and discussion, and the presentation of essays and addresses upon educational topics. Meetings were held during 1880, but they have been for some months omitted. In fact, county and township institutes, nor- mal schools, etc., take so much time and scholastic labor that the experiment of an additional educational .enterprise may well be considered of doubtful practicability.

FUNDS.

The people of this country have, from early times, made wonderfully munificent provisions for the education of the youth. And especially the New England colonies were, in the first ages of settlement, foremost in educating all their children, and wher- ever New England emigration and influence have gone, their power has been uniformly employed to foster and permanently to establish abundant means of mental and moral culture to the people at large.

But the intelligent and pious all over the land have, from t' e earliest times, been forward to spread knowledge and plant the foundations of learning over the country.

The provisions of the national and State governments have been abundant and remarkable.

First, the Congress of the Confederation, May 20, 1785, in an act for the disposal of the public lands, provided as follows:

There shall be reserved the Lot No. 16 of every township for the maintenance of public schools within the said township; also, one-third part of all gold, silver, lead and copper mines, to be sold or otherwise disposed of, as Congress may direct.

The famous "Ordinance of 1787" declares: "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of educa- tion shall forever be enconraged."

April 9, 1816, in the act for the admission of Indiana, it was required that the people of the Territory should ratify and per- petuate the appropriation of Section No. 10 to the use of schools, which they did June 29, 1816.

In the original constitution of the State, framed in 1816. a general system of education is authorized and required. Legis- lation for this purpose began with the first Legislative Assembly. An act was passed at the first session, approved December 14. 1816, for leasing and improving the school lands.

The original school law of Indiana was approved January 31, 1824, incorporating Congressional townships and providing for the establishment of schools therein.

The system at first was crude, and the funds were yet to be obtained, and their source was but scanty, still a beginning was made. The fund began to be, and such has been its growth and continual inereaso that, in 1878, the school fund of Indiana stood at the amazing sum of $8, 974, 555.55, and in 1880, probably $9,500,000.

The items making up the fund may be stated as follows:

1. Congressional township fund, $2,453,106.73.

2. Saline fund, arising from the sale of land containing salt springs, $85,000.

3. Surplus revenue fund, established February 6, 1837, $573 .- 502.96. This sum is liable to be called back by the National Government, but, during forty-five years, the fund has never been disturbed.

4. Bank tax fund, upon the old State Bank, established in 1834, $80,000.

5. Sinking fund, remaining to the State from the old State Bank, $4, 767,805.39.

6. Fines, forfeitures and escheats, yielding a considerable amount.

Thus wisely and wonderfully well has the commonwealth of Indiana built upon the foundations planted by the nation, and in such & princely manner have the needs of the people for intel- ligence been supplied

The above has reference to the permanent State fund alone, only the income of which can ever be used, and that for no pur- pose except the payment of tuition.

182

HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI COUNTY.

The purchase of sites, the erection and furnishing of school- houses, the contingent expenses of the schools, etc., are pro- vided for by a special tax, and the tuition fund is increased to an amount sufficient for its purpose in the same way.

RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES, 1880, 1881.

TUITION.

SPECIAL REVENUE.

DISTRICTS.

Rereipta.

Disburse- ments.

Balance on 11 and.

Receipts.

Disburse- mente.

Balance on Hand.

White River

$8071

$5031

$3040

$2879

$1446

$1433

Washington

6150

3445

9205

2063

1563

500

Greensfork

4829

2700

2129

1583

687

896

Stony Creek

3111

1869

1912

1571

1020

551

Nettle Creek

3362

2345

1017

1443

651

792

West River

3322

1576

1746

1467

213

1234

Green

2716

1631

1085

1391

1009

382

Ward

3562

2052

1510

1528

568

960

Jackson

3962

2070

1892

1124

521

603

Wayne ..

4923

2565

2358

4270

577

3693

Monroe

6842

2080

4762

2938

o'erdr'n

Franklin

1841

1381

460

1149

259

890

Winchester

8713

4621

4092

9865

1376

8489

Ridgeville.

2083

1018

1065

483

335

148

Farmland

1437

960

477

668

393

275

Huntsville

471

265

206

Union City.

7921

4365

3556

4053

2517

1536

Totals

$73316

$40174

$32842

$38562

$16119

$22443

The tuition fund and the special revenue form a grand total of : Re- ceipts, $111,878 ; disbursements, $56,593 ; balance on hand, $55,285.

Thus has the State provided, and the townships, cities and towns piled up the taxes mountain high, that the children and youth of the commonwealth may enjoy the advantages of intel- lectual development. Such princely sums expended onght to produce immense results-much greater, in fact, than have over yet been accomplished.

SCHOOLS OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

There are now in Randolph County fifty one brick, eighty- four frame and no log schoolhouses, with an estimated value of $128,245. Ten of these are expensive edifices, erected with an outlay of from $4,000 to more than $20,000 each, as follows:

Winchester-Two houses, both brick; the first, built in 1867, cost $22,000, and containing six rooms: the second, in 1879, and containing four rooms.

Union City (Ind. )-Two houses; one, brick and frame. two stories, eleven rooms; one frame, two stories, four rooms.

Farmland-One brick, two stories, four rooms, cost $12,000.

Spartansburg -- One brick, two stories, three school-rooms, two recitation rooms, cost $7,000, with land, furniture, fencing, etc.

Lynn-Brick, two stories, two rooms, cost $4,500.

Edgewood (colored) --- Brick, two stories, two school rooms, two recitation-rooms, cost $1,500.

Morristown-One, brick, two stories, cost $5,000 (estimated). Saratoga-One, brick, two stories, two rooms, $3,000 (esti- mated).

Arba has a one-story brick with two rooms.

Pinhook (Greensfork No. 1) has a one-story brick with two rooms.

The wages in all amount to about $40,474, and other expend- itures to $16, 119.

The number of houses in each township, outside the towns (and the towns), is as follows:

Jackson, 9; Ward, 12; Franklin. 6; Green, S; Monroc, 9; White River, 21; Wayne, 10; Greensfork, 11; Washington, 16; West River, 11; Nettle Creek, 10; Stony Creek, 9; Winchester, 2; Union City, 2; Farmland, 1; Ridgeville, 1; Huntsville, I.

NUMBER OF GRADED SCHOOLS.

Winchester-Two buildings, nine rooms, eleven teachers. Union City-Two buildings, ten rooms, eleven teachers. Farmland-One building, three rooms, three teachers.

Ridgeville-One building, four (college) rooms, four teachers. Huntsville-One building. one room, one teacher.

Spartansburg-One building. three rooms, three teachers. Arba-One building, two rooms, two teachers.

Pinhook-One building, two rooms, two teachers. Edgewood-One building, two rooms, two teachers. Lynn -- One building, two rooms, two teachers.

Morristown- - One building, two rooms, two teachers.

Schools are maintained for a length of time varying from four to nine months during the year, at a cost from the public funds of from $200 to $4,500 per year for tuition, with other expenses amounting to from $46 to $2,600. The salary of th, Superintendent at Winchester and Union City is paid wholly or partly from the special revenue funds. The Winchester schoc! cost per year of eight months -tuition, 84,621; expenses, $1,376. The Union City schools cost, per year of nine months -tuition. $4,365; expenses, $2,517.

In these school buildings are taught, throughout the count: about one hundred and sixty-seven separate schools (rooms).

During 1880-81, 211 teachers were employed -- 120 males and 82 females.

The number of teachers holding certificates who had been licensed by the Randolph Superintendent was about two hundred and forty.

The teachers have certificates of from six months to two years, a goodly number having been renewed after obtaining two two year certificates, while soveral hold licenses from the Stal Board. The larger number have been educated within the county, in the high schools and the county normals, though an increasingly large proportion have attended the normal schools outside the county-Lebanon, Valparaiso, Danville, Terre Haute, and perhaps other places.

In most of the schools, all the legal branches are taught, while in many of them other studies also are pursued, as algo. bra, philosophy, book-keeping, drawing, etc., and in the town high schools, a regular and more extensive course of study is laid down and followed, with a good degree of exactness; and each year, some persons graduate, and receive diplomas certify- ing to that interesting and important fact. A larger number undertake portions of the course, dropping out here and there not more than 10 per cent ever reaching the high school, and nos more than I to 2 per cent gaining the summit of school ambition -graduation.

A sadly large proportion accomplish only a very ordinary knowledge of the common branches, and only a very, very few. out of the whole number find themselves, on leaving schon .. equipped in any good degree with the wherewithal for a success: ful entry upon a business lifo career. This is a state of thin. which is not pleasing to contemplate, and the friends and pr moters of education ought to bestir themselves to find, if possible, a sure and speedy remedy therefor.

A training more practical and a course occupying a shorter time should be furnished, that the great mass who can attend during a number of years much less than the whole, may be edu- cated therein.

Many object to carrying the public school so far, but cer- tainly poor persons, those who pay small taxes, or none at all, should never even dream of finding fault with the policy, since, at the cost of a few cents or a dollar, or even at no cost, they have placed within their reach the means of a reasonably thorough and somewhat extensive education. Country school-teaching will long, and possibly always, be a temporary occupation, rather than a settled business, peculiarly adapted, indeed, to those who are "preparing " for an intellectual life pursuit. It is, in truth, a Godsend to them, and, on the whole, right well and nobly do they perform the tasks allotted to them. There exists among the great body of our teachers an earnest and a wholesome, albeit ; friendly, rivalry and ambition each to outdo the other in excel- lence and success in their sphere of action. Much time and money are spent by teachers in attending normal institutes, and normal schools, both at home and abroad, in maintaining town- ship and county institutes. in reading educational journals, etc., etc .. to the end that they may be able to rise high in the scale as educators, and to accomplish thorough and successful work. And, indeed, the spirit of ambition and devotion is greatly neces-

183

HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI COUNTY.

sary, since more money is spent upon this one thing than upon any other single public interest. The' education of youth is, perhaps, the grandest public enterprise, and it well deserves the supreme attention paid to it, and the immense outlay of labor and treasure bestowed thereupon.

The educators and the public are studying with increasing earnestness how to purify, strengthen and perfect our magnifi- cent, costly and somewhat efficient, yet still greatly defective, system of public schools, and to bring to pass that most desirable result-complete, thorough and most effective methods of public and private instruction, coupled also with the most economical ontlay practicable of public funds, and especially how to secure to a far larger number a much greater and more various range of instruction during a time more suitable to their needs.

From the county Manual for 1880, we take the following:

Daniel Lesley, County Superintendent. Trustees-Ira Tripp, White River; Joel Mills, Washington; John F. Middleton, Greensfork; William T. Davis, Stony Creek; John C. Clevinger, Nettle Creek; Levi Johnson, West River; Luther L. Moorman, Green; John B. Sipe, Ward; Peter Poorman, Jackson; Robert B. McKee, Wayne; Adam Slonaker, Monroe; Isaac N. Stratton, Franklin.

CORPORATION TRUSTEES.

Winchester-A. R. Hiatt. President; William Moore, Secre- tary; J. L. Stakebake, Treasurer.

Union City-W. A. Wiley, President; C. S. Hook, Secretary; William Harris, Treasurer.

Ridgeville-M. L. Sumption, H. T. Kitselman, A. H. Far- quhar.

Farmland-Peter O. Hewitt, J. H. Merridith, W. B. Carter.

The County Board of Education is made up of the County Superintendent, the Township Trustees and the Presidents of the City School Boards.

In the Manual are given also (1) rules for gradation and promotion; (2) township institutes; (2) course of study; (3) plan for grading licenses and wages; (4) powers and duties of school districts, etc. ; (5) text-books; (6) names of licensed teach- ers.

The text-books are chiefly, though not entirely, those issued by the eclectic publishers. The number of teachers holding licenses during the summer of 1880 was 242.

The grades are six in number based mainly upon the readers, the Fifth Reader being used in the last two grades.

Grammar (proper) extends from the third grade through the sixth grade. Geography goes through the third, fourth and fifth. Arithmetic begins in the second, and is continued through the sixth grade. History is assigned to the fifth and sixth, and physiology to the sixth ; reading, spelling and writing, through the whole course.

Attempts are being made, with more or less success, to regu- late the country-school work by a uniform system of gradation. An effort is put forth, also, to systemize the township institute work so as to make them useful for the purposes intended by the law requiring them. As to gadation of country schools, peculiar and somewhat serious obstacles lie in the way, which may, per- haps, be at least partially overcome.

We append below a brief account of some of the more im- portant schools of the county.

STATISTICS.

Arba Graded School .-- The Arba building has two rooms, and for some eight years the school has had two teachers during the winter, though some of the time the number of pupils hardly justified the outlay. Some of the teachers have been Messrs. Bond, Canada, Daly, Brown, Nichols, Glunt, with Mrs. Bond, Miss Green, Miss Teagle, etc., primary teachers. The school is under the authority of the Township Trustee.

Edgewood (Colored) .- The school building belongs not to the township, but to the Union Literary Institute, a chartered institution of thirty-six years' standing. It has two rooms and two teachers, one only of whom is employed by the public funds. The pupils, however, have all the advantages of the double graded school maintained throughout the year, and the course of

instruction has been thorough and extensive. A detailed account of the Union Literary Institute may be found elsewhere in this work.

Farmland. - The town was incorporated for school purposes in 1876. The first School Trustees wore J. S. Davis, W. W. Fowler, L. A. Gable, and all the trustees have been these: J. S. Davis, W. W. Fowler, L. A. Gable, J. H. Merridith, P. O. Hew- itt, H. F. Wood. The present school building was erected about 1868 by the Township Trustee, at an estimated cost of $12,000, running the township heavily in debt, which burden of debt bas remained substantially till the present time, though indeed somewhat reduced in amount. When the town became incor- porated for schools, the schoolhouse continued the property of the township, and it is so still, proving a "bone of contention " between township and village from year to year. The town school has been held, however, in the large building in the vil- lage, the Town Trustees paying a small rent to the township for the use of the house. The grading of the school has been car- ried on for several years, as far back at least as 1869. From that year, a Principal has been empoyed with several assistants. Those Principals have been Lee Ault, 1869-72; C. W. Paris, 1873; Mr. Atkinson, 1874-75; W. L. Lloyd, 1876; M. Bosworth, 1877-78; J. M. Branson, 1879; J. V. Stewart, 1880; John Han- cock, 1881. There are three grades and three teachers em- ployed. The statistics for 1880-81 are given below:

Primary-Enrollment, 78; average monthly, 40; average daily, 37; per cent of attendance, 75.

Intermediate-Enrollment, 63; average monthly, 42; average daily, 35; per cent of attendance, 84.

High-Enrollment, 49; average monthly, 36.7; average daily, 30; per cent of attendance, 82.

Total-Enrollment, 190; average monthly, 128; average daily, 102; per cent of attendance, 82.

Boys, 94; girls, 96. Total, 190.

The teachers for 1880-81 were: Principal, J. V. Stewart; Intermediate, Miss Mayne Wasson; Primary, Miss Flora Deal.

Green Township .- Eight schoolhouses. seven brick. The schools hold six months; wages, $1.25 to $2.50. Tho teachers for 1880 have been: No. 1, Lola Webb; No. 2, Leroy Dearmond; No. 3, Allen Holly, Paulina Green; No. 4, Charles M. Hubbard. No. 5, Jacob Life: No. 6, Edward E. Gunklo, Millie Blakely: No. 7, David Graham; No. 8, C. A. Rickards. The Trustees have been Silas T. Gordon, Antony Jarnagin, James McProud, Joseph Devoss, Luther Moorman.

Huntsville .-- The brave little village of Huntsville has, for some reason not, appreciable by the great outside world, made herself to be a "school corporation;" yet she has only one schoolhouse, one room in that building and one teacher perform- ing all the teaching in that ambitious "burg." Nevertheless, to choose that teacher and to manage that school, three Town Trust- ees have to be chosen, and they have to choose three other citi- zens, who must in turn choose the teacher, and do " all and sun- dry " things needful in and about that school building and school aforesaid, that education may thrive and knowledge keep evon pace with the increase of population in the town of Huntsville. Why so much machinery must be set and kept in motion to grind so small a grist "all by itself" remains a mystery. Still, the town of Huntsville sticks bravely to its school corporation, pays its own school taxes and has the luxury of a school independent of the " whole round world."

Morristown. - The school building was erected by the Town- ship Trustee for the village. It is a good substantial structure, built in 1875, having two stories and two rooms. Jonathan L. Miller has been Principal for two years, and is engaged, also. for the current year, 1881-82. J. F. Deal was primary teacher for the past year, and is employed for the current year also. Number of pupils for 1880-81, 130; High School, 55; Primary, 75.

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History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 56

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664