A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 23

Author: Collin, Henry P
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing
Number of Pages: 1198

USA > Michigan > Branch County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan > Part 23

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).

It was most provident that the whole problem went into the hands of a man like Mr. Randall, who was then in the height of his successful busi- ness career, and that that gentleman gave to it the best of his business ability. Analyzing each proposition in turn, he formed the following conclusions : The first plan would doubtless have proved a failure, as Mr. Randall argued. " for several reasons. Families would seldom receive children directly from the poor houses. Many of these children have been neglected and need certain training before they can be successfully placed in homes. Unless carefully watched after being placed in homes, no matter how carefully the homes are selected. great injustice to the children must often result." His study of the orphan asylum plans as they have been worked out in New York and California, under the contract system, turned Mr. Randall against that plan. When he secured statistics of the general lack of success in active life by institutionally raised children he could not be won to that plan by the persistent Adrian lobbyists or anyone else. The special institution referred to in the third plan was more on the line of what the industrial schools of this state have since become, except that it was for both dependent and de- praved children. Their union in one institution at once became a menace to the better class. From a union of all these Mr. Randall finally evolved a plan which he presented to the committee in two short sections :

Ist. The state assumes guardianship of all dependent children of sound mind and body between ten and sixteen years of age.

" 2d. There shall be a state public school for these children connected with the common school system. to be their temporary educational home until they can be placed in family homes, the state to supervise them during minority."

Mr. Randall's ideas were unanimously endorsed by the joint committee, and he was instructed to draft a bill which he introduced on February 22. It passed both houses and was signed by Governor Bagley on April 17, 1871, and created the State Public School on substantially the same lines it has always followed-the first state institution of its kind in the world. After an experience of thirty-four years the greatest change from Mr. Randall's original plan is the reduction of the age limit at each end. Everyone believes

177

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

the admission of the babies is a good thing, but whether the limit should have been cut below sixteen years is a debatable problem.

As soon as the bill was passed Mr. Randall began a campaign to secure the institution for Coldwater. Jackson, Flint, Albion, Holly, Adrian, Brook- lyn. Northville, Grand Haven, Plymouth, St. Johns, Lansing. North Lan- sing. Portland, Jonesville and Monroe also came out with bids for its location. The late Hon. Harvey Haynes proposed to Mr. Randall to take equal chances and offer the board of location the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars if the school should be located here. On April 19, 1872. John J. Bagley (afterward governor), secretary of the commission, wrote Mr. Randall, in behalf of the commission, offering to locate here if the city would donate the Haynes tract and seven acres east of it, in all twenty-seven acres, and give bonds to pay into the treasury of the institution five thousand dollars per vear for five years. It took a lot of hard work, but the funds were secured and the offer accepted.

The State Board of Corrections and Charities was another outgrowth of Governor Baldwin's message and the commission above referred to. By its provisions the Governor appointed an agent of this board in each county of the state. Among his duties this officer is to constantly search for suitable homes for dependent children in his county, and is the legal guardian of children from the State Public School during their indenture into homes in his county. The legislature has since provided for a state agent who travels from county to county assisting county agents and inspiring them to do good work. The work of the school has been to reduce the per capita of dependent children of the state to a very large extent, while the population . has more than doubled. The institution opened in 1874. During that year one hundred and thirteen boys and forty-seven girls were received and cared for, a total of one hundred and sixty. During the school year of 1903-04 there were ninety-eight boys and eighty-one girls received, a total of one hundred and seventy-nine. The total number of boys received up to the close of the year 1903-04 was three thousand five hundred and forty-two, and the total number of girls one thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight; total number of children, five thousand four hundred and eighty to the close of that fiscal year, which is the last published report of the institution.

From a table in the last monthly report of the clerk of the institution to the board the following figures will be of interest, showing the disposition of all children since the school opened.

Received since school opened in May, 1874. 5790

In families on indenture first of the month. III9

In families on indenture became operative during month 28

In families on trial 50

Placed in families and residence unknown for over a year. IO

Total from whom reports are to be obtained. I207

178

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

Remaining in the institution at this date

172

Total present wards of the school 1379

Returned to counties by order of the board. 749

Died in families and in school

227 Adopted by proceedings in the probate courts. 687

Have become of legal age

360

Girls married .

186

Have been restored to parents

589

Have become self-supporting

1613

Total

5790 5790

Of the children received up to the last published report 5,190 have been white, 269 colored and 21 Indian: 1,289 were American born, 1,067. foreign born and 3,124 nationality unknown ; 384 were orphans, 1,069 half orphans, 2,667 both parents living, 360 unknown parentage. The average time of residence at the school for all children has been 4.05 months. The success of the plan is evidenced by the fact that of all the children indentured into homes 3,017 have had to be indentured but once, and 800 were successfully placed at the second trial. When it is remembered that misfits as to disposi- tion are more conducive to lack of success both as to the home and the child than any other cause, this record is remarkable. Of the 854 children visited in homes by the state agent in the year previous to his last report he sum- marized 524 as " doing well," 223 as " doing fairly well " and only 36 as " doing poorly," and this was only five per cent of those visited.

While the maintenance of children in orphan asylums costs other states from fifty to one hundred dollars per year for each child, the large number who are successfully indentured into good homes by the " Michigan plan" as it is generally known, has reduced the average expense to the state per child from year to year to less than twenty-eight dollars, and the " Michigan plan " places children in that best of all places for their successful growth to the ideal manhood and womanhood, the homes of its people.

There are several things which have been factors in the success of the State Public School. Among them has been the careful and efficient man- agement of its various superintendents. In turn they have been Zelotus Truesdell, Lyman P. Alden, John N. Foster, Wesley Sears, Chancy F. New- kirk, W. H. Wieand, A. N. Woodruff. A. J. Murray, John B. Montgomery. The latter gentleman has held the position since December 15, 1897. The present board of control are Governor Fred M. Warner, ex-officio; Frank M. Stewart, Hillsdale: John D. Shull, Tecumseh; and Norman A. Reynolds, Coldwater.

Of course, there have been changes since the school started. The original plot of twenty-seven acres has gradually expanded to one hundred and sixty acres. The buildings now include a fine administration building, chapel and dining room, a commodious school building, nine cottages, hos- pital, power house, barns, laundry, etc. The last invoice of state property at

Branch County Infirmary

179

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

the institution placed the buildings at $159. 111 ; the steam heating plant, etc., at $25.000 ; the land at $26,000, and the whole outfit at $259.950.

Among the recent changes is the admission of babies, which has now been done for nearly five years, at first only in a limited way, but of late taking all that have come. The experiment has been entirely successful. Instead of these waifs being promiscuously given away and drifting to no one knows where, they are now carefully cared for and their interests properly guarded. Children of these institutions have no taint upon them. they are simply dependent. Many of them have gone out to win positions of trust and honor. and several are leading citizens in various state circles.

THE BRANCH COUNTY INFIRMARY for dependent people, after an ex- istence of nearly forty years. stands today as a monument to the wisdom and sagacity of the state legislators of the early sixties, who enacted the laws providing for its establishment and maintenance.

Michigan has long been noted for her charitable institutions, but proba- bly no public institution has been productive of more genuine good than this Branch county infirmary for the poor and distressed people of our county.

The institution is located just north of the city on the Marshall road. A fine farm of one hundred and forty acres admirably managed provides a goodly share of the table supplies, while supporting a fine herd of Jersey and Durham cattle from which is obtained the large amount of milk and butter necessary in an institution of this kindl. Mr. George E. Burdick, the keeper. manages to turn over to the treasurer from six to twelve hundred dollars each year, for products taken from the farm. The main building is a large three- story brick structure of forty rooms and admirably constructed for the pur- pose intended. The arrangements are convenient and grounds beautiful.

The main building contains the superintendent's office and keeper's private apartments. On the first floor are the inmates' dining-rooms, pantries, sitting rooms, one large kitchen, supplied with large range and steam cookers. One large room with six beds is expressly for the old ladies that are not able to go to the second floors ; second and third floors are arranged as dorma- tories, while the basement is utilized as store rooms for the large amount of needed supplies. At convenient points upon the grounds are the hospital, power house, laundry, vegetable cellar and many other buildings necessary for the management of an institution of this kind.

The law provides for the admission of inmates to the institution on the certificate of one of the superintendents of the poor, to be issued only to dependent people who have no one to care for them. Since the establishment of the infirmary in 1860 over two thousand persons have been received and cared for : there are, on an average, forty inmates. A physician is hired by the year. Dr. Legg, of Coldwater, being the present physician. The inmates are well looked after, comfortably clothed and fed on good wholesome food. All beds throughout the institution are iron with good springs and mat- tresses and plenty of bedding. Those that are able to work are furnished with such employment as he or she is able to perform.

180

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

The main building and hospitals are heated by steam. An electric light- ing plant has just been installed, which adds to the convenience and safety ; also three fire escapes on the main building.

The laundry is thoroughly equipped with all modern machinery. The plant has its own water works and sewerage, and every attention is paid to sanitary measures.

Devotional exercises are conducted once a month by the W. C. T. U. and are looked forward to with a great deal of interest by the inmates. The holidays are always observed in due form. The infirmary is in direct charge of a board of superintendents. The present board are B. F. Rolph, Cold- water; D. W. Dodge, Union City, and Dr. E. Blackman, of Quincy. The keeper and matron, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Burdick, have complete man- agement and have as assistants in their work two engineers, one farm hand and two cooks. Institutions of this kind are being looked after more care- fully than in the past, their development and management are increasing year by year, so that they are now ranking with state and other large institu- tions of the day.

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

181

CHAPTER XXIII.

LIBRARIES-ACTIVITY IN LITERATURE, MUSIC. ART.

The library movement in this county may be said to have had its prac- tical beginning in connection with the schools, there being provisions for the establishment of school libraries in the first school legislation. The pioneer conception of a school library was, like most things of that time, primitive and crude. It is related that the citizens of one district in the county set aside five dollars to " establish " a library and an equal amount for the pur- chase of a suitable case in which to keep the books. Only ten dollars each year, in fact, could by law be set aside for a library. This was, of course. strictly a school library, and as such a part of school apparatus: it would hardly come under the consideration of this chapter.

Later the law was enacted providing that a township might tax itself to maintain a township library. Union City has a township library which as yet provides all the library facilities to be found in that village except the school libraries. In some villages of the state the township library is in a flourishing condition, but as a rule the township library does not fill the place that the makers of the law proposed.

BRONSON.

Bronson has a township library which has become, largely through the efforts of the ladies of the village, an institution worthy of the name. " The Free Public Library of Bronson " had its beginning in a " Ladies' Library Association," of which, in the catalogue of 1901, the following are named as members : Mrs. Mary Powers Gillam (nee Shepard), Mrs. Nellie Corey. Mrs. Warren Byrns, Mrs. J. Decatur Driggs (nee Flanders). and Mrs. E. C. Stevens and others. The association was begun about 1880, and a reorgani- zation and change of name occurred in 1888. Mrs. Corey was the first librarian. In 1901 a catalogue was printed, with an ordinary sized octavo page of seventy-two pages. Previous to this the catalogue was printed on both sides of large cards about 12 by 16 inches. The number of volumes in the Bronson library in 1901 was about 2800. The library is located in the town hall of Bronson township, and, as stated. is a township and not a village library. It is open every Saturday from 2 to 5 p. m., and also in the evening. Mr. Frank Keyes, Miss Louise Stevens, Miss Helen Powers, Mrs. Mary Akers have been librarians, and the librarian since April 1. 1901, has been Mrs. Josephine (Burnell) Green. The board of trustees in 1901 were Henry P. Mowry. John R. Bonney, Vinton H. Shaw, Clinton Himebaugh, John D. Schurtz. Nathaniel L. Holmes.

182

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

LADIES' LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF QUINCY.

About eight years ago Miss Frey, a teacher in the public schools, sug- gested the idea which was worked out and resulted in the organization of the Ladies' Library Association. In January, 1898, the ladies of the village held a social at which each one contributed one volume for the nucleus of the library, and since then the members, who now number about seventy-five, have contributed an annual due of fifty cents, and besides have given enter- tainments of various kinds to raise revenue. A small amount is also derived from the five-cent fee charged each outsider who takes a book.

There is no question of the success of the association's efforts. In almost every case the numerous Carnegie and other public libraries of the country have started from the nucleus established by a local association sim- ilar to that in Quincy, and the work now being done by the ladies of Quincy will bear fruit through all the future years. The library now contains 750 volumes, mostly fiction. Room for the books was first furnished by Mr. W. H. Lockerby, they were next kept for a time in rented quarters, until the State Bank donated a room in the rear of their building, where the collection is now located.

Mrs. M. S. Segur has been president of the association since its incep- tion. Mrs. Rodney Twadell was the first vice president, Mrs. Charles Houghtaling being her successor and the present occupant of the office. Mrs. Walton Barnes is secretary, and Mrs. W. H. Lockerby treasurer. The first librarian was Mrs. E. C. Dove, then Mrs. R. D. Rawson, and Mrs. Segur at present acts in that capacity.

COLDWATER PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The history of the Coldwater Library, which as an object of civic pride deserves to rank first among the city's institutions since few cities of the size anywhere in the country have larger and better equipped libraries, illustrates a praiseworthy combination of associate enterprise, of individual liberality and municipal public spirit.

The history of the Coldwater library goes back forty years, to an effort of the ladies of the city to conduct a lecture course. Money for this purpose was raised to the amount of five hundred dollars by a series of home enter- tainments. The public lecture movement having by that time lost favor, the lecture association, in 1869, resolved itself into a Ladies' Library Association. The charter members of this association were: Margaret L. Powers, Mari- etta K. Loveridge, Georgiana L. Cutter, Emeline Barber, Mary A. Wade, Mariet Smith, Harriet D. Morgan, Mary C. Champion, Mary Shipman, Alma Lewis, Alice C. Randall, Lizzie P. Woodward, AArdessa Crippen, Helen I .. Lanphere, Harriet L. Mockridge, Olivia Safford, Josephine P. McGowan, Adeline M. Wing. Sallie G. Nichols. Mary A. Rose, Ann Van Valkenburgh. These may be considered the founders of the public library in Coldwater.

Besides the money which had accumulated from the lecture movement, the city was canvassed for subscriptions to annual memberships in the library

183

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

association, and twenty-three life memberships were also sold at thirty dollars each. This gave the association an original capital of twelve hundred and fifty dollars.

Fifteen hundred dollars were expended during the first year for books. and by the end of 1870 there were twelve hundred volumes in the library. The first library quarters were the parlors of the late Dr. Beach's home on East Chicago street, which he donated to the association. In 1874 he pre- sented the association with a building in the rear of his dwelling and a five- year lease on the ground. Several hundred dollars were spent in making the building convenient for its purpose. Thus, by 1880. the Ladies' Library As- sociation of Coldwater was in a flourishing condition, having a library of two thousand volumes, a steady membership and having been untaxed by rent and other heavy expenses.

Besides the ladies' library, there was a school library of about a thousand volumes. This had accumulated in regular course from school tax devoted to that purpose, and the books were kept in the schoolhouses.

In March. 1880, the Coldwater city council, in accordance with an act of the legislature providing that public libraries might be organized and maintained by townships and municipalities, adopted a resolution providing for the establishment of a city library, the same to be free to all citizens, and to be in charge of a library board of nine citizens, who were to have complete control of the library. The act of the city council was part of the general plan for a combination and enlargement of the city's library facilities. The legislature passed a special law allowing the school library to be transferred to the city library, and the Ladies' Association also transferred their property and privileges to the public library, thereby losing their existence through integration with a larger institution. The consolida- tion of the two libraries was effected, and when the first library board took charge the history of the present library began.

There was an excellent nucleus of books; but otherwise the growth of the library to its present proportions has taken place since the creation of the public library in 1880. Almost at the beginning of its existence the board procured the fine site on East Chicago street just east of the public square, but there were no funds with which to erect a suitable building, and a spe- cial appropriation of public credit for that purpose was out of the question. The library had outgrown its quarters. and its usefulness was seriously im- paired. In March. 1885, the number of volumes had increased to 5.688. and the value of the institution depended on the kind of building that should shelter it.

The public spirit of a successful business man could find no better expres- sion and monument than in such a structure as the Edwin R. Clarke Library Building. The late Edwin R. Clarke came to Coldwater in 1850, so that he belongs among the pioneers, and in that year established the drug business on the corner of Chicago and Monroe streets which, at the same location, has been increased and has been successfully conducted to the present time. Mr. Clarke's ability and success as a merchant were equalled by his interest in his

184

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

city. He did not give recklessly without thought of results: but exercised the same care in that direction which had made his business prosperous. With mature forethought, therefore, he offered to build a home for the Coldwater public library, and at the same time submitted plans of the build- ing which he proposed to erect. His generous offer was accepted. The building was begun in the summer of 1886, and on December 29, 1886, the formal presentation and dedication were celebrated in the Tibbits opera house. It is proper to quote the words with which Mr. Clarke presented the building to the city: " When I first came to Michigan," he said, " the coun- try was new. The people generally were in moderate circumstances, and books and reading matter were not plentiful. I well remember the great privilege it seemed and the kindness I felt it to be when some of those early settlers gave me access to, and the use of, their limited collection of books. Recollections of those early days and the desire to express the friendship I feel toward a community in which I have lived so long, induced me to offer to build for you a library building."

The library is supported by the fines which formerly went to the school library and also a half-mill tax on city property. From six thousand volumes in 1885 the main library floor is now overcrowded with sixteen thousand volumes, and there are hundreds of documents and other material stored in the lecture room on the second floor. The most notable single addition was the private library of the late H. C. Lewis. Among the three thousand vol- umes of the collection are many costly and valuable works on art. Mr. Lewis was also a connoisseur in fine bindings, and the examples which he gathered at much cost of money and effort are also preserved in the library.

Miss Mary A. Eddy, who had been for some time librarian of the La- dies' Association, was appointed librarian of the public library July 6, 1881. She was succeeded by Miss Florence M. Holmes, who has held the position of librarian since 1895. The usefulness of the library to the public has been largely due to their capable and intelligent direction. The board of directors at this writing are the following: Z. G. Osborn, president ; C. U. Champion, vice president ; H. H. Barlow, secretary; and Mrs. G. Van Valkenburgh, M. WV. Wimer, Mrs. Margaret U. Clarke, Mrs. Alma M. Cunningham. Will- iam Wilson and Elmer E. Palmer.

ACTIVITY IN LITERATURE, ART AND MUSIC.

An institution that for a number of years did much to foster an in- terest and taste in the best works of art was the Lewis Art Gallery, which was established by the late H. C. Lewis some time during the sixties. The collection had been gathered during the sojourn of Mr. Lewis and his wife abroad. especially in Italy, and consisted of a number of originals and copies of well known works of the ancient and modern schools. To afford proper quarters for this collection Mr. Lewis erected, just west of his residence, a gallery, which is the south portion of the present Y. M. C. A. building; and when the collection continued to grow, he built an addition, forty by forty feet, on the north side of the first gallery. Some time after the death of Mr.

185

HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

Lewis the collection of paintings was removed to Ann Arbor, having been bequeathed to the State University. The Lewis Art Gallery building was afterwards remodeled to some extent and has since served as the liome of the Y. M. C. A.

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.

A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 23

Author: Collin, Henry P Publication date: 1906 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Collin, Henry P
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing
Number of Pages: 1198