History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold
Number of Pages: 738

USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 38

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Up to this time, all the profit from the care of private patients has been expended in main- taining the public or free ward. Of the money spent in this way, Dr. Lewis has given $4.921 .- 96 and the ladies of the directorate have pro- vided $1,258.38. This department has cared

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for 114 patients, many of them remaining for long periods of time-one patient has been un- der treatment for a year. This charity work had grown to a point where Dr. Lewis felt he could no longer assume the financial burden of bearing nearly four-fifths of the expense it in- volved from his private purse, so early in 1905 he made an appeal to the public-spirited citizens of Bay City to maintain the free ward as a pub- lic philanthropy, to be owned and supported by the general public, thus making the Lewis Hos- pital, in the strict sense of the term, the only public hospital in Bay City.

CHARITIES.

OLD LADIES' HOME .- The Associated Charities, a band of noble-hearted women, who have time and energy to aid those in sor- row and distress, was first organized by the ladies of Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church in 1886. Led by Mrs. Samuel G. M. Gates and Mrs. Nathan B. Bradley, they raised $3,- 000 to purchase the property since enlarged and improved, located on Monroe street and Fourth avenue,-a spacious, two-story frame building, with stone foundation and basement. Nearly $10,000 has been collected and spent for the laudable purposes of this home in the last 18 years, during 13 years of which time Mrs. Gates has been the earnest, able and inde- fatigable president of this worthy association. Ill health compelled her to resign in 1899, Mrs. Selwyn Eddy assuming the responsibilities of the executive office of the association for more than three years, until ill health also compelled her retirement. For the last three years Mrs. Frank Shearer has presided with commendable devotion over the destinies of Bay City's two most worthy institutions of sweet charity. The Old Ladies' Home is in the nature of a private boarding house, all the inmates contributing

something toward the maintenance of the rooms, of which the home has 25 furnished with all the comforts, but none of the luxuries, of the modern home. The inmates are there for life, enjoying the eventide of their earthly journey in congenial and quiet surroundings, free from care and assured of kindly attendance to the last. In 1905, 27 inmates are enrolled. Miss Josephine Albertson is the matron, with two domestics and a janitor. The Asso- ciated Charities are having their annual rum- mage sale April 24-29, 1905, the proceeds of which go into their charity fund, constituting each year a more liberal and well-earned sum.

CHILDREN'S HOME .- Amid a grove of giant forest trees, fronting on Columbus ave- nue, one of Bay City's prettiest and broadest thoroughfares, stands the pride of the city's charities,-the handsome, three-story brick structure, whose roof covers the homeless waifs of the community. After the Associated Char- ities had firmly established the Old Ladies' Home, they turned their attention to the poor little chilren, many of whom are each year left motherless and homeless, even in this well- regulated community. The first few years the children were kept at the Old Ladies' Home, but this was found inexpedient, and a separate home was established on Johnson street. After some years of hard work, without commensu- rate results, the association concluded to drop the more burdensome care of the little waifs. Mrs. Samuel G. M. Gates, however, never lost faith in the final success of this much needed home for children, so with the aid of Mrs. Murray, who for nine years was the devoted matron of this home, and a few others, she fitted up one of her houses on Ioth street for the children, where for nearly eight years they. received the best of care, though the accom- modations necessarily limited the number that could be taken.

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In 1901 the ladies made another determined effort to secure a permanent and sufficient home for these poor children, and a number of busi- ness men, headed by A. E. Bousfield, raised about $20,000 that year for the beautiful Chil- dren's Home, which was occupied by the asso- ciation March 10, 1902. The home is of ar- tistic design and architecture, containing a large dormitory for the girls, another for the younger boys, and a third for the older boys, with a roomy nursery for the little mites, of whom there are always several under that hos- pitable roof. The basement contains the steam- heating plant, and a large children's play room, for use in winter and during storms, when the roomy out-door playground is not available. Airy dining rooms, kitchen, reception room and living rooms complete the equipment. Miss Grace Bradley, the present matron, has been in charge for three years, with four as-

sistants. A kindergarten was taught here until the public schools took up this work this year.

On April 25, 1905, there were 52 chilren in the home, ranging from two weeks to 14 years in age; 38 attend the public schools, while 14 are too young, and the older of these receive their first instruction at the home. Some of the children are placed here by their parents, whose employment, or lack of a home, pre- vents their taking proper care of them, and these contribute something toward their main- tenance. But by far the larger number of the inmates are wards of charity.

The Associated Charities' officers for 1905 are: Mrs. Frank Shearer, president; Mrs. Archibald McDonnell, Mrs. E. T. Carrington and Mrs. D. C. Smalley, vice-presidents ; Miss Nellie Thompson, financial secretary; Mrs. George E. Harmon, recording secretary ; Mrs. Wilfred E. See, treasurer.

CHAPTER XIII.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES AND THE PRESS.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.

BAY CITY, EAST SIDE .- The progress and enlightment of any community, State or na- tion can best be judged by its schools. And in the light of that standard Bay County has from the first taken a creditable place in the educational field, and in 1905 Bay City ranks foremost among the cities of its size in that great field of endeavor in the United States. Unlike many other frontier settlements, Bay County's earliest pioneers were mostly people of education, and among them were citizens of more than ordinary culture and refinement. Hence some of the earliest public acts here pertained to the creation and the support of schools.

The first school district was organized in April, 1842, and the first school was held in the Bonnel house, a one-story frame building, 14 by 20 feet in dimensions, located on the river front near the foot of Columbus avenue. Miss Clark taught from June I to September I, 1842, her class consisting of Daniel Marsac, Margaret Campbell, Emily Campbell, Perry and Philenda Olmstead, Richard Trombley and P. L., H. B. and Esther Rogers. Thomas

Rogers was moderator, Judge Sydney S. Camp- bell, director, and Cromwell Barney, assessor. Capt. David Smith assumed charge January I, 1843, with 23 scholars, of whom William R. McCormick, John Churchfield and Israel and Dan Marsac were more than 21 years old proving that the pioneers believed their chil- dren were never too old to learn.

On January 7, 1845, the new school house, one-story, 21 by 26 feet in size, was completed near the foot of Washington avenue, and Harry Campbell, the joker of early folk-lore here, taught the young idea how to shoot. The district extended for more than three miles along the river front, and the children had to trudge many weary miles morning and even- ing. Miss A. E. Robinson taught in 1847-48, for a salary of $1.50 per week and "boarding 'round!" In season, teacher and pupils paddled to school in Indian canoes.

By 1854 the township of Hampton re- quired better school facilities for 160 children of school age then enrolled and the Adams street school was built to seat 300 pupils. This answered the purposes of the East Side until 1865. This Adams street school of the Sec- ond Ward was then enlarged to accommodate 500 pupils. In 1884 the writer attended this school then crowded to its capacity, Miss Holmes being principal and Miss Lucy Bertch, Miss Babo, Miss Newkirk and Miss Rutledge,

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teachers, several of whom are still on Bay City's efficient corps of instructors.

In 1866 another school was opened on Mc- Kinley avenue and Adams street, seating 120, with every place filled. That year the Farragut School property was bought for High School purposes at a cost of $4,400, and the Sherman School property cost $2,800.

The union School District of Bay City was incorporated March 20, 1867. In 1868 George Campbell built the Farragut School for $67,350, the first session being held in April, 1869. Additions had to be made that year to all the existing schools, and Prof. D. C. Scoville became superintendent. The schools were graded, thoroughly disciplined and organized. In 1874 Prof. I. W. Morley became superintendent, and for nearly 20 years superintended the growing school system.

Just 30 years ago, in 1875, there were six school buildings, with 35 teachers and 3,800 school children. In 1882 the present High School building was started on Madison ave- nue and IIth street, and despite many additions is quite inadequate for the use of Greater Bay City in 1905. In 1885 there were nine schools, 51 teachers and 6,650 pupils. The teachers' salaries amounted to over $16,000.

In 1877 the training school for teachers was organized, the supply before that coming largely from abroad, and by 1885 over 40 of the local teachers had graduated from the High School, and taught at least one year in the training department.

In 1883 the school property was valued at $154.548, the bonded intebtedness of $30,000 had been wiped out and the Board of Educa- tion of the East Side from that time to this has managed to keep down its bonded indebted- ness. in encouraging contrast to the indebted- ness of the West Side school district in 1905. In 1883 Professor Morley reported an enroll-

ment of 2,983 pupils,-1,494 boys and 1,489 girls; 1,712 were from eight to 14 years old. The average daily attendance was 2,056.

The school census of the Union School Dis- trict of Bay City for the school year ending September 7, 1903, showed a total of 9,488 children of school age; of these, 4,587 were boys and 4,901, girls. The Eighth Ward con- tained 3,009 children of school age, nearly one- third of the total, while the Ninth Ward showed the smallest number of children,-322.

Supt. John A. Stewart's report for the year ending June 30, 1903, enumerated II school houses, the value of the school property, includ- ing the Fitzhugh site, being given as $326,500, without any bonded indebtedness. The amount paid for superintendence and instruction was $60,380.79, while for current expenses, includ- ing the amount paid on account of the addi- tion to the Garfield school, there was paid out $26,178.65, making the total cost of the schools $86,559.44. The taxable property of the city for the same period was $11,426,135. The average attendance for the year was 3.675 while the average of pupils enrolled was 3.768, making the per cent. of attendance 97.52. Of the 121 regular teachers, nine were men and 1 12 women. There were also five special teachers. There were 59 non-resident pupils enrolled.

The following is a statement of finances of the Union School District of Bay City, for the year ending June 30, 1903 :

RECEIPTS.

Balance on hand July 1, 1902 $ 9,687 87

Tax collections from levy of 1902 48,707 49

Back tax collections 13,924 95

Refund from State for School for Deaf 694 58

Primary School Fund 24,154 20

Tuition 574 06

Sales

12 50

Fines

4 25

Sundries

25 22

Total $97,785 12

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DISBURSEMENTS.

Teachers' wages $60,380 79

Janitors' wages

6,463 00

Secretary ..

500 00

Text book clerk

240 00

Superintendent's clerk

200 00

Contingent

3,509 38

Printing and stationery

1,027 25

Fuel

3,399 56

Repairs

1,854 18

Building and building supplies 961 29

Text-books and supplies

5,908 99

On account of Garfield addition

2,115 00

Balance on hand July 1, 1903

II,225 68

Total

$97,785 12

After deducting $2, 115 paid on account of construction of the addition to the Garfield school, the total cost of the schools for the year was $84,444.44. The above mentioned cash balance of July 1, 1903 does not include the $9,000 in the building fund.

The different school buildings on the East Side were built in these years : Farragut, 1868, valued at $40,000; Sherman, 1874, valued at $22,000; Fremont and Whittier, both in 1875, valued at $25,000 and $15,000, respectively ; High School, 1881, valued at $75,000 ; Dolsen, 1883, valued at $40,000; Woodside, 1884, valued at $5,000; Garfield, 1886, valued at $40,000; Lincoln, 1889, valued at $20,000; Washington, 1895, valued at $35,000; High School Annex, 1903, valued at $6.500. All the buildings are of brick and two stories high, except the High School Annex and the Wood- side School, which are one-story frame struc- tures. The High School, High School Annex and Dolsen School are heated by steam, while the others are heated by furnace, except the Fremont School, which is heated by furnace and steam. In Bay City's schools there are 87 session rooms and 31 class rooms, with 4,761 sittings.

The public schools of Bay City are organ-

ized into three departments of four years each, making 12 years in all. Each year is further subdivided into B and A grades, each grade covering the work of a half year. In addition, there is a sub-primary grade for children who are barely of school age, and for those who at home speak a foreign language. In the sub- primary kindergarten methods are largely used. The primary department proper consists of four years as does also the grammar department. Taken together, the eight grades of these two departments constitute what is known as the common school course. The school year of 38 weeks is divided into terms or semesters of 19 weeks each. Pupils are regularly promoted at the end of each semester, whenever in the judg- ment of the superintendent their qualifications entitle them to advancement. A pupil is sub- ject to reclassification at any time, but no one is placed in a lower grade except by the consent of the superintendent. No pupil who has been regular in attendance is required to go over the same work more than twice. If at the end of a second semester the pupil is still found de- ficient, a trial in the next higher class is al- lowed. During the last week of each of the first four school months in a semester, the teacher records her estimate of the value of each pupil's scholarship, and at the close of the semester an average of these estimates with the result of the examination, such examina- tion counting only as one estimate, determines the promotion. By consent of the superin- tendent the examination may be dispensed with and the promotion made to depend fully upon the teacher's estimate.

In four of the schools, branch libraries are in full operation, with books provided from the Public Library. This plan has proved a great success as is plainly evident from the number of books drawn, which are mostly juvenile but also include some for adults. For

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the year ending March 1, 1904, 6,387 volumes were drawn credited as follows: Fremont School, 2,278; Garfield School, 1,878; Sherman School, 1,261 ; Whittier School, 970.

The Bay City High School is in a flourish- ing condition and forms a fitting climax to the work of the city school system. It is indeed a department of which our citizens may well be proud, furnishing as it does the finishing touches to the education of so many of the graduates of the grammar department and at the same time giving adequate preparation to those who wish to continue their studies at higher institutions of learning. In its equip- ment it is well prepared to meet all reasonable demands of the present time. The physical laboratory is supplied with apparatus, which has been accumulated gradually from year to year, sufficient to enable the scholars to pursue their investigations under the guidance and di- rection of the instructor. The chemical labor- atory is equally well fitted to give to each stu- dent the fullest scope for individual experi- mentation. The biological laboratory likewise, while on a smaller scale than the other two la- boratories, is well fitted for its own special work in the study of botany and zoology. In this department the students are thoroughly trained to the proper use of the microscope, the laboratory being fully supplied with excellent instruments. The school is also equipped with a telescope, an electric stereopticon and with a collection of several hundred specimens of rocks and minerals. The commercial depart- ment has grown to be a very popular feature of the institution, excellent instruction being given in bookkeeping, typewriting and stenog- raphy and the allied branches. The school has a department of manual training, which is justly popular and a school library has been organized that has proved itself to be a useful feature of the institution. Graduates of the

Bay City High School are entitled to enter the University of Michigan on diploma as well as a number of leading colleges both in the East and in the West. The elective system of courses has been in vogue for some years past. The teachers employed in the High School, 19 in number, are almost without exception college graduates, with an average teaching experience of more than 10 years. Even with the Annex, which became so imperative as a means of relieving the congested condition of the High School, every part is now occupied and the question of additional room will again soon have to be met and settled. Indeed it cannot be many years before a new and modern High School, suited to the needs of a large and growing city, will have to be constructed.

The training school, which within its limi- tations has so greatly assisted toward infusing into the teachers of the Bay City schools a spirit of love for the work and love for the children, has wrought a complete change in the atmos- phere of the school room. In a large measure the feeling of fear has been eliminated from the schools and the feeling of respect for and confidence in the teacher has taken its place. For this change great credit is due the training, which the young teachers receive in this school. For the last 15 years or more, it has been the custom to put teachers of the higher classes in charge of the several rooms and to provide each teacher with an assistant from a lower class. The two teachers in each room hear their classes alternately and while one conducts a recitation the other renders individual assist- ance to the pupils under her special charge. This arrangement enables the teacher who knows most about the pupils and their work to give such assistance as may be deemed ad- visable.

The Bay City Oral School for the Deaf, conducted in the Washington School, has been

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an unqualified success and is doing a work that would largely have been neglected but for this school. It may well be considered as comple- mentary and not in opposition to the State in- stitution at Flint. The pupils, with very few exceptions, could hardly have been sent from their homes and must have gone with little or no training, where now they receive the very best that can be given. This school has been hampered by the State departments, both edu- cational and financial, who have read into the law what the supporters of the local institution fail to find, and who have gone out of their way to make seemingly unfriendly rulings.

BAY CITY, WEST SIDE .- Capt. B. F. Pierce gave the land for the first school house on the West Side, then the township of Bangor. It was situated on the high ground, a quarter of a mile from the river bank, where Michigan and Litchfield streets now intersect. The sovereign people of Bangor gathered there to vote in those early days, and the zealous mis- sionary assembled the pioneers within its walls to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. The village of Banks also established a school in a diminutive shanty about this time, and from 1863 to 1868 school was held in the Town Hall. Salzburg had a little district school of its own, when Wenona bloomed forth on the shaded oak ridge in 1864. James A. Mc- Knight, in 1905 still hale and hearty, was the father of the first permanent school house in Wenona, negotiating the $10,000 issue of bonds voted for that purpose. George Camp- bell built the Central School for $9,500, while the school furniture cost $1,200, an ex- travagant outlay in the minds of many sturdy pioneers, for the sum was a large one accord- ing to the standard of those days of self-denial and hard work. Out of 300 enrolled children of school age, 180 attended on January 27, 1868, when A. L. Cummings began his labors

as superintendent. In 1868 Banks built a com- modious school, which was destroyed by fire in November, 1877, and the present two-story brick school replaced it, at a cost of $8,000.

In 1880 the West Side had three school districts, with the following trustees: First District, Frederick W. Bradfield, moderator ; Robert Long, director; Bernard Lourim, as- sessor; Second District : Theodore F. Shepard, moderator ; James A. McKnight, director ; La- feyette Roundsville, assessor; Spencer O. Fisher, W. M. Green and J. H. Plum, trustees ; Third District; B. Staudacher, director; Charles Anderson, moderator; Rudolph La- derach, assessor. The late F. W. Lankenau was superintendent, and among his well-known corps of teachers a quarter of a century ago were Mrs. C. C. Faxon, F. C. Thompson, Affa Weatherby and Mrs. C. A. Thomas. The to- tal number of school children was 2,531.

Since then new schools have been erected as follows: Dennison School, Sixth Ward; Corbin School, Second Ward; Jenny School, Fourth Ward, presided over by Affa Weather- by, a veteran teacher of 1880; Kolb School, Fifth Ward, and Park School, Second Ward, both handsome and substantial two- story brick structures ; and Riegel School, Fifth Ward.

The officers of the Board of Education of the West Side for the year 1903-04 were as fol- lows: President, George L. Lusk; vice-presi- dent, Jesse W. Coles; secretary, John M. Roy; treasurer, William E. Magill. E. D. Palmer was superintendent of the schools. There were seven teachers in the High School, five in Cen- tral School, 10 in Trombley School, 10 in Park School, 10 in Kolb School, six in Riegel School, six in Jenny School, four in Dennison School and four in Corbin School; these with the su- pervisor of music made up the teaching force of 63 members, of whom seven were men and

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56 were women. In addition to these regular teachers, there were four substitutes.

TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES .- The same commendable spirit that brought the public school system of Bay City to its present high state of perfection brought the little country school to every nook and corner of Bay County, the pioneers usually having a school in opera- tion long before a store or other public utility graced their little settlement.

Portsmouth township had the first school in Bay County, a block-house on the river front, at the foot of Fremont avenue, being fitted up about 1838, which school was taught by Judge Albert Miller. A larger building was erected in 1850, which served as a school and meeting house for many years. The town- ship has three school districts at the present time.

There were four school houses in Hampton township 25 years ago, with Ralph Pratt, su- perintendent; J. H. Sharpe, school inspector ; William Felker, clerk. In 1904 another hand- some brick school house was completed on the Center avenue road, whose equipment will compare favorably with that of the best district schools in the country. The children in Essex- ville attended the little log school house a mile east of the settlement from 1860 to 1870, when the village built its own frame school building. This was destroyed by fire in 1879, and was at once replaced with the present substantial two-story brick school house. A quarter of a century ago, F. N. Turner was principal ; Miss Jennie Fry and Miss Mary Felker, teach- ers; Joseph Hudson, moderator; Henry F. Emery, director. In 1905, Walter L. Snyder is principal; Misses Heminway, Warren, Robi- son and St. Clair, teachers; William Felker, director ; and A. E. Harris, moderator. There are seven school districts in the township.

The first school in Williams township was established in Charles Bradford's farm-house, with Mrs. Charles Fitch, teacher. The town- ship has now six school districts, each having its own school.

Bangor's early school history is that of Banks and Wenona. This township has three school districts.

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History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872- Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold Number of Pages: 738

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold
Number of Pages: 738