History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 25

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940

USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 25

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).

The new constitution of 1852 incorpo- rated this law, and under this simplified ma- chinery the supervision of schools in Whitley county practically began. Prior to the adoption of the new constitution the primitive conditions in the county made the appointment of school examiners unnec- essary.

teacher who expects remuneration out of the public funds should be legally licensed by a properly appointed examiner. He came to Columbia City, and upon failure to find such an official made his wants known to the

board of county commissioners, who thereupon temporarily appointed I. B. Mc- Donald, school examiner for Whitley county. After a brief oral examination Mr. Stultz was placed in possession of the first teacher's license issued in the county. Later in the same year Mr. McDonald was regu- larly appointed examiner and for two years he served in that official capacity alone. In 1854 S. G. A. Reed and A. A. Bainbridge were appointed his associates for one year, and the following year C. W. Edwards and A. A. Bainbridge were chosen; but these gentlemen looked to McDonald for the exe- cution of the duties of the office and it was under his management that the teaching body of the county began to assume form. For the succeeding five years the appoint- ments to the office of examiner were as fol- lows: In 1856, P. H. Hardesty, William Bell, A. A. Bainbridge ; 1857, J. H. Alexan- der, Henry McLallen, Josiah Brown; 1858, A. J. Douglas, Josiah Brown, J. H. Alexan- der: 1859, Isaac Van Houton, A. J. Comp- ton, A. W. Myers ; 1860, Isaac Van Houton, A. J. Compton, A. W. Myers.

In 1854 Reverend Jacob Wolf, believing in the efficiency of learning beyond merely the rudiments, undertook the establishment of a college in the county. Whether the early activity in educational matters of the people of Union Township helped him in the selection of the site is not known, but he decided upon a place at the center of this

Early in the summer of 1852 Joseph Stultz, who was then justice of the peace in Cleveland township, having made up his mind to teach school within the year, dis- covered after some investigation that a . township and there erected a building as the nucleus of Wartberg College. He brought to this place A. J. Douglas, an intelligent and enthusiastic young man, and the two assumed the work of a faculty. A number of young men took up their residence here.

207

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

and others found homes among the farmers in the immediate vicinity, and for two years the school seemed to prosper with a fair at- tendance. The day, however, was too early and the "call of the wild" too strong for the awakening of interest in Latin and Geom- etry, and in 1856 the school was disbanded and the property willed to Wittenberg Col- lege, at Springfield. Ohio. Mr. Douglas came to Columbia City, and assisted I. B. McDonald in a public school which he had opened above the old Baptist church where now stands the Town Hall.

In 1861 the legislature enacted a law providing for the appointment by the county commissioners of but one school examiner for each county to serve for a term of three years, and H. D. Wilson was at once ap- · pointed. He was a man of considerable ability and served the people in a credit- able manner during the years of the Civil War holding the first county institute in 1863. In 1864 I. B. McDonald returned from his service at the front with the title of Colonel and was promptly elected exam- iner. He held the office for two terms and entered vigorously into the spirit of the work. His large problem was the establishi- ment of school districts and the location of schoolhouses. The early pioneers had built log cabins for schools and had naturally located them at the best convenience of com- munities regardless of geographic lines. To reduce these promiscuous schools into the system contemplated by the state of having one school regularly located at the center of four sections of land was a problem that involved no end of rivalry and even bitter feeling. It must be said to the credit of Colonel McDonald that in all this he acquit-

ted himself with honesty, good judgment and dignity. Time has proven that as long as the little district schools remain their loca- tion in the county was judiciously deter- mined.

Teachers' examinations then were infor- mal. The examiner held an institute for a week or two at which such topics as the "reduction of complex fractions," "punctua- tion," or the "parsing of the noun" were taught, and at the close he held an oral ex- amination under whose searching fire of questions the prospective teacher sat in fear and trembling. But there were splendid young people in those days who aspired to teach and whose heroism in facing priva- tions and hardships was a lesson and a wor- thy example itself. The following names are taken from the record of licensed teach- ers : Hugh L. Finley. Rose Nickey, Mary Magers. Joseph P. Anderson. John C. Chey- ney, William H. Knisely. W. H. Liggett. Ruth McNear, H. C. Widup, William Mc- Laughlin, Mattie Best, Nellie M. Coutz, L. D. Bevington. Malissa Bechtol, James A. Campbell, Zilpha E. Hurd. G. W. North, H. W. Spangler, Jeremiah Summers, Lizzie Widup, Joseph E. Stoner, B. F. Stultz, Fan- nie Thompson. Hannah Holm, Jennie A. Park, Louise Gregg, Chester L. Cone, Au- gusta Cleveland. Millard F. Anderson, Charles D. Moe, Frank B. Moe, Valorous Brown. T. A. Lancaster, Alexander Snyder, Jennie Daniels, Maggie Daniels, John Fetro, Lizzie McCoy, George W. Reasor, William H. Swan. W. C. Barnhart, Samuel D. Mil- ler. A. J. Douglas. J. W. Adair, L. D. Tho- man, W. H. Coyle, Christopher Souder. Jacob Herr, John H. Reider. George D. Trembly. W. C. Rickey, J. D. Allerton,

208

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

Amos Coyle, F. M. Ihrig, W. F. McNag- ney, C. B. Tulley, M. D. Garrison, F. M. Searles, Henry Bridge, D. Dickey, Isaac Herr. T. A. Stewart, J. D. Coverstone, Isaac Van Houton, Alexander Knisely, Da- vid Webster. Jennie Hartsock, Hannah Hartsock, Augusta V. Ireland, Mary E. Lathrup, Lucy A. Watson, Almeda Keni- son, Mary Jane Swayne, Amanda D. Kee- fer, Nancy F. Kaufman, Josiah F. McNear, Amanda Cassel, David Coyle, James E. Darland, Richard H. Darland.

One day in July, 1867, a young man with all his earthly possessions in a satchel walked into the Ritter House in Columbia City and registered under the name of W. C. Barnhart. He was a teacher from Ohio and came to this county with the intention of teaching a private school. After a talk with Examiner McDonald he walked the next day through the woods to South Whit- ley. There he met Dr. E. Merriman, Dr. C. W. Edwards, and S. A. Sheibley, trus- tees of an organization that had joined the township trustee in erecting a schoolhouse, and contracted with these gentlemen to es- tablish a school to be known as Springfield Academy; the one other condition in the contract being that the school should have a primary department sustained by the township and that this department should be taught by Mrs. Nellie Couts.

In August Mr. Barnhart opened his school in what is now a part of the building occupied by the Atoz Printing Company, and for two years with the assistance of M. S. Tracy, L. D. Bevington, J. M. Fraze, and G. W. Reaser, as teachers, he conducted a prosperous institution. Most of the work then known as the "higher branches" was

taught by Mr. Barnhart himself; and dur- ing the life of the school two hundred thirty- seven pupils attended the majority of whom registered in his department. After the second year, finding that hard work and Eel River ague were laying their hands roughly upon him and, according to his own statement, that the mutations of local poli- tics were proving equally unkind and disas- trous, he left the school and went to Lar- will. . Here he taught a short term, and be- fore its close was elected superintendent of schools in Defiance, Ohio. Meanwhile the growing movement toward the high-school idea all over Indiana made the local private school more and more difficult, and Spring- field Academy was absorbed by the public school system.

At the regular election in 1870 Colonel McDonald was elected a member of the state legislature and in June, 1871, he resigned the office of examiner and A. J. Douglas was appointed in his place. Mr. Douglas served the unexpired term following the policy of his predecessor but making use of written examinations upon questions provided by the state department. In 1872 State Super- intendent Hopkins and other leading educa- tors of the state recommended that the office of school examiner be abolished and that of county superintendent be created. As a re- sult the general assembly in 1873 enacted a law providing for a county superintendent to be appointed by the township trustees for a term of two years. It did not create a new office but changed the name of the old one enlarging its powers and increasing the function of supervision. A. J. Douglas was elected for four successive' terms; and in addition he performed the duties of super-

209

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

intendent of city schools of Columbia City from 1869 to 1879. During his administra- tion the history of the schools was marked by a slow but steady growth in efficiency. Brick houses and improved desks were tak- ing the place of the log structures and hewn benches and some attention was being given to a uniform course of study. School meet- ings were common, and the "big dinner" at which the genial county superintendent did the honors, and where conviviality and the school spirit were happily commingled, kept parents, children and teachers close to- gethier.

In 1873 Hon. A. Y. Hooper, a gentle- man of public spirit and some financial means, established Green Hill Academy. He built on North Line street in Columbia City a small frame building designed for school purposes and placed in charge Misses Lou- isa C. Kinney and Sarah A. Nichols. These ladies were teachers whose culture and re- finement appealed to many of the best fam- ilies in the city and here they conducted a subscription school with thirty or forty chil- dren. In 1880 the teachers went west, and the building was converted into a dwelling house which stands as a memorial "even unto this day."

In 1879 the growing responsibilities of the city schools induced the board of edu- cation to relieve Mr. Douglas of their care and oversight and Augustus C. Mills was chosen the first superintendent of city schools with distinct duties. The high school was commissioned under his charge in 1880. While serving his second year the educa- tional waters became somewhat troubled and he resigned, W. C. Barnhart being cho- sen to fill his place.

In June, 1881, the administration of school affairs in the county passed into the hands of Joseph W. Adair who served two terms. Mr. Adair was a man whose intui- tions were strong and accurate, his sympa- thies were generous, and his heart big enough to feel that every boy and girl in the county was his own. He had been a success- ful teacher and as a lawyer had proven his ability at the bar. Normal schools were still in their infancy, and the tide of school literature of which now there is a flood had not yet begun to rise. Every year he con- ducted a training school for teachers at the county seat continuing for several weeks and the progressive teachers depended upon it for their advancement and inspiration. Township institutes were organized, and the "big dinner" feature began to give place to the discussion of school questions. Ques- tions for the examination of teachers were provided by the state board of education and imported talent began to be used in the county institutes. Text books were adopted by the township trustees under the advice of the superintendent.

During this time W. C. Barnhart was showing his hand as an organizer in the schools of Columbia City. He made no pretense of diplomacy but met the situation in a square fight, and to him is due the credit of bringing order out of the rather chaotic state into which want of organization had permitted the city schools to grow. He re- duced the grades into a definite system and reorganized the high school to retain its commission. At the end of three years though doing splendid work he had made enough enemies to call for his successor and John C. Kinney was named in his stead.

210

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

Near the close of this administration James B. Humphreys came to Churubusco and was employed as principal of the town schools. He organized a few classes in the "higher branches"; taught algebra, rhet- oric and natural philosophy to the students who cared to do "advanced work" and to this beginning the high school at Churu- busco owes its origin.

The trustees met in regular session in June 1885 and elected Alexander Knisely, county superintendent of schools. That Mr. Knisely was the right man in the right place at the right time there has never been the slightest doubt in the minds of the people. No one in the history of the county has ever brought to the office hardier cour- age, better judgment, and a keener sense of honor. Gifted with a personality that was positive and unflinching, he set his face to the task of making teaching a distinct and separate problem for every teacher indi- vidually. He outlined and published the first course of study and made school work throughout the county uniform. He had a unique method of encouraging self-criti- cism on the part of teachers by putting his observations in question form, and the terse and pointed letters that the lagging teacher might expect seldom failed to hit the mark. Eighth grade commencements were held in every township: competitive declamatory exercises grew out of these among the chil- dren : rousing school exhibitions were held at the county seat ; and in every way the boys and girls were encouraged to do their best. County institutes were held during the mid-winter holidays for which the best instructors were employed and patrons at- tended in large numbers while teachers were

required to render punctual attendance. Mr. Knisely's devotion to the cause of education is shown by his spending most of his own salary in the administration of the office.

The South Whitley high school was or- ganized in 1886, and G. M. Naber was placed in charge. The following year the town was dignified by the construction of what was then the finest school building in the county; and this material equipment made it possible for South Whitley to main- tain educational leadership in the county for a number of years. In 1888 L. H. Price was chosen principal, taught for two terms, and was succeeded by J. D. Merriman. In 1890 G. H. Tapy organized and taught a normal school in the G. A. R. Hall in the town of Etna and began work with forty pu- pils. He arranged to continue the school but at the close of the first term he was elected principal of the South Whitley high school.

W. C. Palmer became superintendent of the Columbia City schools in 1885 and for six years followed a vigorous policy in the administration of school affairs. The enu- meration of children for school purposes in 1887 was 6,005. the highest mark in the his- tory of the county; and this evidence of prosperity made imperative the construction in 1889 of the West Ward school building. W. W. Williamson in 1888 was chosen prin- cipal at Churubusco. He believed in the vir- tue of discipline; and, quoting his own words, "Government more or less civil con- stituted the center of the course of study." His successor was A. R. Thomas, who held! the position for three years.

In 1801 at the expiration of his third term Mr. Knisely was succeeded by Guilford

2II

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

M. Naber. Mr. Naber was a graduate of the State Normal School and during his incumbency gave methods of instruction much attention. A short time prior to his election the new text book law became oper- ative under whose provisions uniform books at practically half their former price were furnished under state contract upon the requisition of the township trustees and boards of education. The county superin- tendent became the accountant and was made responsible for the record of sales and remittances of these books. Mr. Naber proved a faithful official and devoted much of his time to the actual "field work" among the schools. He organized the "Teachers' Association" which held its annual meeting on the two days following Thanksgiving Day, and he changed the date of the county institute to some week in the autumn before the opening of the public schools. He devel- oped the Teachers' Reading Circle in the institutes and encouraged the establislunent of Young People's Libraries in every school district. In continuing the policy of his predecessor Mr. Naber intensified the work of teaching and his own energetic and tire- less efforts were reflected by his teachers.

In 1891 P. H. Kirsch was chosen super- intendent of the Columbia City schools. Though the details of school work were irk- some to him he was in many respects an able man, having made original researches in bi- ology and becoming an authority in ichthy- ology. The school enjoyed a gradual growth under his supervision and he was followed in 1897 by Miss Luella A. Melhinch. During this administration the principals at Churu- busco were U. W. Keplinger. Paul Wilkie. L. F. Chalfant, and G. H. Mingle. Each con-

tributed to the organization of a three years' high school. In 1895 G. H. Tapy was promoted to the superintendency at South Whitley.

Burnside Clapham, who was also a grad- uate of the State Normal School was elected county superintendent in 1897 and held the office one term. He was decisive in char- acter, positive in his convictions, and uncom- promising toward opposition when he be- lieved himself to be right. In 1897 a law was enacted by the general assembly giving an applicant for teacher's license the option of having his papers graded by the county superintendent or the state superintendent. The term of office was also lengthened to four years. Mr. Clapham gave his atten- tion largely to grade work, making it his policy to withhold children from the high school until they had thoroughly mastered the work of the grades. He took an ad- vanced position on school architecture, as- sisting Trustee J. L. Creager of Washington township, in constructing in district No. two the finest district school building in the county. In 1898 the South Whitley high school was commissioned and the same year C. L. Hottel was chosen superintendent at Columbia City. He held the position seven years, giving the schools a quiet but safe administration. During this time the en- lollment due to transfers from the country and promotions from the rural high schools reached one hundred twenty pupils, and the high-school corps was correspondingly in- creased from two to five teachers.

In 1899 George H. Tapy, a graduate of Wabash College, was elected county superin- tendent. He at once began the solution of two coming problems; - the establishment

212

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIAN.A.

of local high schools and the consolidation of the district schools that had become too small to do good work. Early in 1902 the people in Washington and Jefferson town- ships held mass meetings and decided to erect a high school building at the center of each township.' The following year meet- ings were held in Etna township which re- sulted in a petition signed by ninety-five per cent. of the taxpayers asking the trustee to erect a commodious schoolhouse and to con- solidate all the schools of the township. A little later Trustee Hugo Logan enlarged the school facilities of the village of Colla- iner by building a modern structure and transported to it the children of the adjacent districts. Additional teachers were added at Collins and in 1906 Trustee Elmer Nei contracted to have built a beautiful and com- inodious building at Coesse to accommodate all the school children of Union township. A high school had been previously organ- ized at Larwill and for these schools a uni- form course of two years' and three years' work was arranged through which all stu- dents could be regularly promoted into the graduating classes of the commissioned schools in Churubusco, South Whitley, and Columbia City. Bad roads are yet a hin- drance to transportation but the intelligent and prosperous people who live in the coun- try are awake on the subject of education and are demanding school facilities for their boys and girls equal to those of the city. During this administration the qualification of the teacher was gradually raised from proficiency in the common branches to grad- uation from the high school, and this broader view of school work is bringing with it better results.

In 1899 D. H. Richards became princi- pal at Churubusco. The next year his suc- cessor, Claude Beltz, was given the title of superintendent, an additional teacher was added to the high school, and in 1903 the high school was commissioned by the state board of education. Mr. Beltz was fol- lowed by L. L. Hall and J. W. Colburn. At South Whitley O. H. Bowman, J. W. Cole- berd, and W. W. Strain took charge in the order named. In 1904 the enlarging school sentiment in the county and city demanded the construction of the magnificent building in Columbia City now used exclusively for high-school purposes, the schools of the city at once leaped into a class with the best schools of the state, and M. W. Deputy, an energetic, scholarly man, placed in charge.

The schools of Whitley county today rank high in Indiana. They have more than kept pace with the material develop- ment of the county. When we look back over the experiences, trials, failures and suc- cesses of seventy years we feel an honest pride in our attainments and our hearts grow warm in the faith of a yet brighter day. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. Our fathers looked forward to the realization of the things contemplated in their wise system, and we can prove ourselves worthy or our sires only by keeping our faces to the future in the anticipation and achievement of still better things for our sons and daughters.

What the future may bring does not concern the historian but lies within the do- main of prophecy. But if the "signs of the times" are rightly interpreted the day will sometime come when one splendid and com- hand as well as the head, and above all

213

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

modious school located in the midst of beau- tiful grounds will grace the center of every township, where the workshop and school garden will contribute to the training of the

where the true teacher will follow the pre- cept and example of the Great Teacher in the training of the heart that makes for righteousness and more abundant life.

MILITARY HISTORY.

BY L. D. CLAPHAM.

The first military organization in Whit- ley county was a company of cavalry. of which each furnished his own equipment and mount. Then, 1852 to 1855, were or- ganized a company of infantry and a bat- tery of artillery and some of them were still in existence at the outbreak of the Civil war. They were for home protection and amusement, it affording the "young bloods" an opportunity to meet, have a good visit and show their ability as soldiers. It may be said that it was largely due to these vol- unteer organizations that Whitley county was able to furnish its full quota of soldiers during the Civil war, the training and mili- tary spirit of the former organizations had its effect and a strong martial spirit ex- isted.

After the Civil war there was organized in the county a company of infantry with headquarters at South Whitley (Spring- field) and was made a part of the state militia, the equipment being furnished by the state, though each individual member supplied his own uniform.

Among those who have lived in Whit- ley county who served in the war of 1812 was David Hemmick, who was orderly un- der General Harrison. Thomas Walker.

who lived west of Columbia City, served in a Virginia regiment, as did James Jones. John Jackson, William James and a Mr. Maring were also soldiers in that memorable war.

Mexican soldiers who have resided in Whitley are Thomas Keeley, Jolin Slees- man, William Smith, Joseph Crow, James Van Ness, Edward McMahon, Peter Mc- Mahon. William McMahon, Peter Howell. James E. Sargent and a Mr. Disbrow.

Without attempting to analyze the vari- ous views held by citizens at the outbreak of the Civil war, it is sufficient to say that the great body were in accord with the sup- pression of the rebellion and took early ac- tion toward advancing the Union cause. Stirring editorials in the Republican and the News, a Democratic paper, led to enthusi- astic meetings where patriotic speeches were made and resolutions passed pledging loyal support to suppress the rebellion. A volun- teer company was enlisted. its roster ap- pearing on another page.

Liberty poles were raised in every town- ship, great gatherings of people attending and dozens of flags could be seen flying to the breeze from a central point of vantage. May 7, 1861, the ladies presented a silk

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 25

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth Publication date: 1907 Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 940

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940