USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Steuben County, Indiana, together withbiographies of representative citizens > Part 40
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exception of teaching a few terms of school in winter. In the win- ter of 1863-'64 he attended a course of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill., after which he began practicing at Metz in connection with W. Alphonso, which partnership continued until 1865, when his brother having moved to Angola, he remained at Metz and began to practice for himself. In 1868-'69 he attended a course of lectures at Charity Hospital Medical College, Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated the latter year, receiving his degree of M. D. In 1870 he spent a short time at Rush Medical College, Chicago, and in 1872-'73 he attended a course of lectures in the different medical schools of New York and Philadelphia. He was married in Angola, April, 1863, to Elizabeth Powers, daughter of Calvin and Emeline Powers. Mrs. Wood was born in Steuben County, Ind., January, 1842. They have had three children- Lillie (deceased), Edna and Alphonso Calvin Wood. Dr. Wood is a member of the Steuben County Medical Society, of which he has been President and Secretary several terms; of the North- east Indiana Medical Society, of which he has been President, Vice-President and Treasurer; of the Williams County (Ohio) Medical Society; the Indiana State Medical Society, and the Amer- ican Medical Association. He has been one of the Board of Cen- sors in the Fort Wayne Medical College. He belongs to the Ma- sonic and Odd Fellows fraternities. As a physician Dr. Wood stands deservedly high and his practice is among the largest and most lucrative in the county. Located in a country town he has a gen- eral practice in all branches of medicine and surgery. In sur- gery he has an extensive practice; in the reduction of fractures and dislocations he has been eminently successful; has performed some important surgical operations, otably trephining of the skull. The Doctor has been particularly interested in obstet- rical practice in which he has a large experience.
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CHAPTER VIII.
THE PRESS.
FIRST JOURNALISTIC VENTURE IN THE COUNTY WAS THE INDIANA RE- VIEW .- ITS SUCCESSORS .- HOOSIER BANNER. - TRUTH SEEKER. - THE STEUBEN REPUBLICAN .- SKETCHES OF W. W. FERRIER, OSCAR F. RAKESTRAW AND FRANK T. BURNHAM. - THE ANGOLA HER- ALD .- SKETCH OF W. K. SHEFFER.
The first newspaper published in Steuben County was the Indi- ana Review, which was started in 1848 by a man named Morton. The venture was not a successful one, and in a few months the journal was suspended. The second paper was called the Hoosier Banner, which came into existence early in 1855. Hunter & Dewey were the first publishers. Hunter soon severed his con- nection and the paper was continued for a time by Dewey. The Truth Seeker, a Spiritualist and free-thought paper, was next es- tablished by Bowman & Louden, but after a brief existence it was suspended. It was subsequently revivified in New York City, where it is now a large, influential, well-conducted periodical, hav- ing an extensive circulation throughout the United States. It was made a success by the late D. M. Bennett, who was persecuted so much during the later years of his life by the notorious Anthony Comstock.
THE STEUBEN REPUBLICAN.
Early in 1857 J. M. Bromagen, who had been publishing a pa- per at Auburn, De Kalb County, moved his office to Angola, and commenced publishing the Steuben Republican. The office being heavily encumbered, it soon became evident that Bromagen could not keep the paper going. Charles Case, who was a candi- date for Congress in this district in 1857, did not wish the paper suspended, so arrangements were made whereby F. C. Chapin, now of Toledo, Ohio, took the Republican until after the election, when Charles G. Mugg came in possession. James B. Parker was the next editor, and after him W. H. H. Day, now of Moberly, Mo.
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In 1861 Messrs. Rose & Macartney purchased the paper. Rose afterward withdrew from the firm and in 1864 Macartney sold to J. J. Miner, who was soon succeeded by O. W. Parish. J. A. Myr- tle was the next to try his hand at the newspaper business, but soon took into partnership R. H. Weamer.
After Weamer retired, Myrtle continued the publication for a time, and then leased the paper to W. C. McGonigal. April 8, 1874, Germ Brown and Francis Macartney took the office and made many improvements in the paper. In June, 1875, Mr. Ma- cartney retired and was succeeded by James U. Miller. The fol- lowing January the paper was enlarged to a nine-column folio and a new outfit including a power press was purchased.
In May, 1878, the form of the Republican was changed from a folio to a six-column quarto. The following August Germ Brown, the senior editor, died; and in the spring of 1879 Mr. Miller purchased from the estate the interest formerly owned by Mr. Brown. Mr. Miller continued the paper under his name for five years, but in the meantime, Nov. 9, 1881, the Steuben County Journal was founded by Messrs. W. W. Ferrier and Oscar F. Rakestraw. It was a six-col- umn quarto, Republican in politics, and published Wednesdays at $1.50 per year. The Journal prospered and acquired a fair pro- portion of patronage and good will. April 1, 1884, Ferrier & Rakestraw purchased the Republican of Mr. Miller and consoli- dated the two papers, retaining the name of the older. It was deemed desirable to use the name of the county in the title of the paper, and, too, the Republican was well known within and out- side of the county from its age, thus making the name a valuable one from an advertising point of view.
The Steuben Republican is one of the very best country news- papers in the Northwest, and has become one of the most influen- tial journals in Northern Indiana. Its circulation is nearly 3,000. Messrs. Ferrier & Rakestraw associated with themselves, at the time of the consolidation of the two papers, Mr. Frank T. Burn- ham, former editor of the Republican, who had for several weeks been in their employ as assistant editor of the Journal.
William W. Ferrier was born at Metz, this county, July 18, 1855, the son of William and Olive M. (Thompson) Ferrier, both of whom were natives of Ohio. Mr. Ferrier, Sr., came to Metz in an early day, and for twenty-two years kept a store at that point. In 1875 he removed to Angola, his present residence. He has two daughters (Mrs. Dr. Waller and Mrs. Stephen O. Powers), and one
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son, the subject of this sketch. The latter attended the common district school and assisted in his father's store until 1872. He then entered Otterbein University, at Westerville, Ohio. At this in- stitution, which is under the control of the United Brethren, he stud- ied six years, and was graduated with the degree of B. A. in June, 1878. Three years later he received the usual degree of A. M., given to graduates of three years' standing. Mr. Ferrier passed his time in looking after property belonging to himself and father, and also read law for a time, until November, 1881, when he en- tered upon his present occupation-journalism. He was married Feb. 23, 1881, to Miss Adessa Jarvis, daughter of Joseph J. Jarvis, of Straitsville, Wayne County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Fer- rier are members of the United Brethren church.
Oscar F. Rakestraw was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, Oct. 30, 1849, the son of Caleb and Elezan R. Rakestraw, both of whom were natives of the Buckeye State. Caleb Rakestraw was for sev- eral years a carpenter, but came to Steuben County in 1858, set- tling near Metz, and engaged in farming. In addition, he also keeps a hotel. His wife died in 1874, leaving four children. The oldest is Oscar F. The others are Mrs. Richard Gale, living west of Angola; Mrs. John Dustman, of Coldwater, and Mrs. Anna Dunham, of Angola. The subject of this brief biography at- tended the district school, and also, in 1864, studied for a time at Hillsdale. Afterward he was at school at Angola. Entering the Angola postoffice during the incumbency of Alfred Osborn, he served as assistant until 1871. In that year he commenced work- ing as an insurance agent, being thus engaged until 1877, except one winter spent at Hillsdale College. In 1877 he entered the Republican office, and in June, 1880, he once more engaged in the insurance business, in the employ of the Connecticut General, of Hartford. He was special agent for this company from June, 1880, till March, 1883, going to New England in December, 1882, and traveling there until forced by illness to abandon the work. In the meantime, November, 1881, he assisted in the establish- ment of the Journal, with which he continued his connection while engaged in the insurance business. Since March, 1883, he has given his entire time to the Journal, and to its successor, the Republican. He was married June 10, 1879, to Melissa Cline, daughter of Michael and Barbara Cline, of Angola. Mr. and Mrs. Rakestraw are members of the Disciples' or Christian church.
Frank T. Burnham was born at Hinsdale, Mass., Sept. 16,1855,
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the son of Theodore and Emily C. (Cady) Burnham, natives respectively of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The father, who was Treasnrer of the Nashawannck Manufacturing Company (at that time the only suspender manufactory in the United States), died a month before Frank was born. When the latter was three years old, his mother removed with him to Baraboo, Wis., where she died in September, 1874. Frank studied in the public schools and was for a time in the High School grade. In 1871 he went to California, with the purpose merely of making a visit; but in the end he remained three or four years, assisting in his uncle's store at Sonora. In December, 1874, he returned to Baraboo, where he taught school for two years. In 1876 he went to Chicago, where he was first connected with the Hotel Reporter, afterward being legislative correspondent of the Daily News. In the summer of 1878, he was employed as a special correspondent of the Times, and in August of that year he entered the commission house of Lasher & Son as a stenographic correspondent. In April, 1879, he came to Angola, and he has since been connected with the Republican, except a few weeks during the winter of 1883 -- '4. He was married Nov. 27, 1879, to Hattie E. Sexton, daughter of A. J. Sexton, of Kilbourne City, Wis. Of this marriage one daughter has been born, April 15, 1881, named Elva.
THE ANGOLA HERALD
was established in January, 1876, by Isaac L. Wiseman, who brought the press and material here from Ohio. The Herald was then a five- column quarto sheet, devoted to the interests of the Democratic party. It was printed on a job press, one page at a time. In September of the same year Mr. Wiseman sold to Will- iam B. McConnell, Esq., a one-half interest in the office, when a hand-press, a quarto-medium Gordon job press, and considerable other new material were added to the office. A few weeks later, Mr. McConnell became sole proprietor, and the form of the paper was changed to an eight-column folio, which was subsequently re- duced to a seven-column folio. In July, 1877, W. K. Sheffer, of Ligonier, Ind., purchased a one-half interest in the material and good will of the office, and assumed control as editor and publisher, the style of the firm being McConnell & Sheffer. The paper was at this time supplied with a new heading, the word "weekly" be- ing dropped from its title. In July, 1878, Mr. Sheffer became sole proprietor of the Herald, and six months later he again enlarged
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it to an eight-column folio, in which form he still continues its publication.
Under its present management the Herald has improved very much, and its subscription list has increased largely. It is now in a prosperous condition. A good job-printing department is con- nected with the paper, and altogether it justly ranks among the leading local newspapers of the State.
William K. Sheffer, the present publisher of the Herald, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, July 6, 1845, the son of Adam and Rachel Sheffer, natives respectively of Maryland and Penn- sylvania. His youth was passed in his native county, and in his twentieth year he went to Kendallville, Noble Co., Ind., where he remained about eight years, and where he first engaged in the printing business. In April, 1872, he entered the office of the Ligonier Banner, where he remained until July, 1877, when he came to Angola and purchased a half interest in the Herald, be- coming sole proprietor in January following. He was married in Ligonier, Ind., Nov. 27, 1873, to Miss Eliza A. Pence, daughter of Samuel N. and Hannah Pence. Mrs. Sheffer was born in Stark County, Ohio, Aug. 16, 1848, and has been the mother of three children-Lenora Elma, born June 6, 1876; Sammie Edwin, born Nov. 19, 1880; and Laura Bessie, born Sept. 10, 1882, and died Jan. 17, 1883.
CHAPTER IX.
EDUCATIONAL.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. - PROGRESS IN EDUCATIONAL METHODS AND STANDARDS .- IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SCHOOLS .- EARLY SCHOOLS .- TEXT BOOKS. - IMPROVEMENTS .- NORTHEASTERN INDIANA LITERARY INSTITUTE, OR ORLAND ACADEMY .- INCEPTION, PROSPERITY AND DE- ULINE .-- TRI-STATE NORMAL COLLEGE.
"That people which has the best books and the best schools is the best people; if it is not so to-day, it will be so to morrow." These words from the pen of the French educator and statesman, Jules Simon, deserve to become a household quotation the world over, for no more patent or expressive truth was ever uttered. Of course all progress and education is not derived from the study of books, and as Hosea Ballou has said, " Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends toward the formation of character;" but at the same time no one other agency is so powerful as the common school in developing a nation of self-governing people.
The citizens of Steuben County feel a just pride in their progress in educational methods, which have fully kept pace with the ad- vancement in wealth and the development of material resources. As soon as the county was sufficiently settled to enable any neigh- borhood to open a school, a school-house was provided and the ser- vices of a teacher secured. Often a room of a private house was occupied, and sometimes the deserted cabin of a squatter became a temporary school-room, in which the old-time masters, who worked on the tuition plan, flourished the rod and taught the rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic. The first school-houses built were structures of the rudest kind, such as no pioneer would be content to occupy as a dwelling.
Built of logs, with floors and benches of puncheons, with a huge fire-place and a stick and mud chimney, they were little calculated for comfort or convenience. Window-glass was too expensive an article to be used in the construction of a school-house, and there-
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fore greased paper was substituted for it. The writing-desk was a notable feature in every school-room. It generally extended across one end or one side of the room, and was made of a slab, held in its place by wooden pins. For architectural effect, probably, cer- tainly not for convenience, it was fastened high up on the wall, and the pupil in order to use it must climb upon a high wooden bench and sit there without a support for his back or his feet.
Of the qualifications of the teachers of those days the less said the better. Many were accounted good teachers who in these days would be unable to secure a certificate even of the third grade. Yet the most of them put to the best use the little talent and less train- ing they had, and succeeded in planting good seeds in the minds of their pupils. Some of the best minds Steuben County has pro- duced were those of men whose whole school education was re- ceived in the log school-houses of the pioneer days.
The progress of education here is only a miniature reproduction of what has taken place more slowly among all civilized nations. In recent years improved methods of mental culture have aided the teacher in securing better results. The primary object of edu- cating children is not that they may escape labor thereby, but that they may labor more intelligently. Children should be taught that employment leads to happiness, indolence to misery, and that all trades and professions whereby an honest livehood is maintained are honorable. Right living is the end to be achieved, and it is the workers that do the most good in the world. The man who constantly and intelligently thinks, is above temptation. The women who honorably labor in the various trades are to be prefer- red and honored above those who sit with folded hands. It is edu- cation that makes duty more apparent, lessens toil and sweetens life. It is by true education that the moral responsibilities of the human family are better understood. Methods are now sought for and followed in the school-room. The child's capacity and charac- ter are better understood now than in the pioneer days. The rod is laid aside, and children are no longer forced under the gag or lash to order and apparent studiousness. Fretful and cruel teach ers are giving way for those who love children, and again will mankind draw nearer to the millennium through the influence of the law of love. In this age better attention is paid to hygiene and ventilation in the school-room. Houses are lighted, aired and warmed in a rational manner. Since the introduction of the "auto- matic " school desks there need be no more disagreeable seating in
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our school-houses. The inventor of this new desk will have a re- ward in the numbers of healthy men and women who in this gen- eration, as children, are comfortably seated in many of our best schools.
New and better studies have been added to the course of study in our common schools within the last decade. Now the child is taught to apply what he learns directing his course of study in the line of his mental activity, cultivating the good, and restraining the evil propensities. The time was, not far back, when only a limited knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic could be ac- quired in the common schools. The highest aim of the youth of the pioneer days was to write a fair hand, spell orally, and solve mathematical puzzles. This age is moving in a better educational sphere. The change was of course gradual. It was a long strug- gle of ignorance and bigotry against education, in which the latter had been crowned the victor. But few teachers cling to the old theory. Little by little they are growing away from the old system. A few teachers, who do not improve, are yet votaries at the shrine of their idols-the birch, the dunce-cap and other old-fashioned methods. But "too weak the sacred shrine to guard," they must soon yield to the new education and enter the conflict against error and for a better intellectual life.
In this struggle for better methods, opinions covered with age and honors have been marched off the stage of human action, and supplanted by facts and principles which have cost years of toil to discover, and more years to establish. To the close student and observer this theory is new only in its application to our schools. It is the normal or natural method. This is the theory of educa- tion that antedates all others. The ancients taught by objects, when but few of the most wealthy men of that day could afford books. In fact, text-book knowledge is a new thing to the world. The first teachers gave instruction orally. They were by the force of circumstances independent of text-books. To this excellent plan has been added the written method. Then, it was principally by observation that pupils received instruction. By placing the object before the pupils, the teachers could easily reach their minds by his lectures. In this age, blackboards, spelling tablets, slates, charts and other school apparatus is in general use in our best schools. In the schools of to-day it is through the eye that a mental picture is formed from the
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printed page which children draw upon paper or boards from the ends of their fingers. Well-qualified teachers do not think of de- pending upon text-books at their recitations, but rather imitate the ancient normal methods. In order to meet the demand for better- qualified teachers, normal training schools have been established in this and other States. The teachers' institute is also an out- growth of the demand for teachers of a higher standard. Now true education is admitted to be the drawing out and developing of that which the child already possesses, instead of the old crowd- ing theory of pioneer days.
There is, perhaps, no question which can so deeply interest the people of a county as that of obtaining teachers of known and tried ability. In the period of the early settlement of this county al- most any one could teach. That time, with all of its rude school appliances, has rolled away. The claims of to-day can no longer be met by appliances of even a decade ago, for experience is be- ginning to show that teaching, like every other department of human thought and activity, must change with the onward move- ments of society, or fall in the rear of civilization, and become an obstacle to improvement. The educational problem of to-day is to obtain useful knowledge-to secure the practical part of education before the ornamental, and that in the shortest time. An intel- lectual life of the highest culture is what is called for in a free country like ours. Only an educated people can long sustain a free republic; therefore it is the duty of the State to educate, that her free institutions may stand through all ages as sacred and endeared monuments of the enlightened people.
Education sweetens and hedges in the family circle, and drives away frivolity and gossip from a community, protecting the mem- bers from the inroads of vice and immorality. It is the strong bulwark of education that binds this nation of 56,000,000 people together for advancement that she may shine in the near future the brightest star in the constellation of governments. Rapid strides have been made in education within the last half century, but the field of improvement is yet boundless, and the work of ed- ucation must still go on and make perhaps greater changes than those from the time when
" The sacred seer with scientific truth In Grecian temples taught the attentive youth, With ceaseless change, how restless atoms pass From life to life, a transmigrating mass,"
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to that of to-day, when men's thoughts are directed to the investi- gation of what they see around them.
Between 1835 and 1840 several school-houses were erected in Steuben County, though but few neighborhoods were able to sus- tain a school regularly, and never more than three months in a year. Many of the first schools and teachers, with dates and in- teresting facts, are mentioned in the township histories. In 1840 nearly all the school-houses were log structures and about the only improvement which had been made in them was the substitution of a few 7 x 9 panes of glass for the old-fashioned paper windows. At that time the text books in common use were the New Testa- ment, Pike's Arithmetic, Comly's Spelling Book and Webster's Elementary Spelling Book. Writing books were generally made of foolscap paper, or of leaves out of some old account book stitched together. The teacher wrote the copies and made pens from goose- quills for the whole school. Sometimes evening writing schools were conducted by some itinerant teacher of penmanship. These were attended by as many as could afford to pay the very moderate tuition fee. The young people derived much pleasure from these gatherings and gained some knowledge of penmanship. Debating societies were instituted early in some parts of the county. with very beneficial results to the youth who took an active part in them.
By 1840 some of the townships had begun to have a small school fund derived from the sale of lands set apart for educational pur- poses. Though the amount of revenue was generally small, some- times not more than $2 or $3 for each school, yet this amount served as a nucleus and stimulated neighborhoods to maintain schools. Teachers were paid from $5 to $15 per month. Three months was an unusually long term; probably the average length of the school term did not exceed two months. From 1840 to 1850 there was gradual progress in educational matters. Better teachers were to be had in the country schools. At that time the best schools in the county were at Angola, Orland and Brockville (Fre- mont). At these the teachers generally gave instruction in gram- mar, algebra, natural philosophy and other high branches.
After the adoption of the new constitution in 1852, a tax of 16 cents on each $100 worth of property was assessed for school pur- poses, according to law. Then, for the first time in its history, Steuben County began to have school accommodations adequate to the wants of its population. School-houses were erected where-
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