USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > Education in Indiana. An outline of the growth of the common school system, together with statements relating to the condition of secondary and higher education in the state and a brief history of the educational exhibit. Prepared for the Louisiana purchase exposition, held at Saint Louis, May 1 to November 30, 1904 > Part 32
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ship as the unit and center of educational activity, the township high school came. It was an evolution and came naturally. Academies, seminaries, and other secondary schools gradually came under the control of the towns and townships, and there are few private or denominational preparatory schools left. The elosing years of the last century witnessed a rapid development in township high schools.
The township high school was usually located in a centrally situated town, but not always. There are many flourishing schools in rural communities, some of these bearing commissions from the state board of education. Some of these schools are located in small municipalities, and are organize i jointly between town and township. Others, as hinted above, are joint township schools under the management of two or more townships. These schools are often the centers of really great learning, hav- ing, as they do, some of our strongest men and women as teachers. Bright young graduates of our normal schools, col- leges, and universities, ambitions to rise in the profession, come to these schools and attract to them the best young blood in the township, The result is apparent in increased educational inter- est in the community. The course of study is made to appeal to the interests of the many, and everything is done to make the time spent in school worth while. For the vast majority this is the finishing school, and it is made to mean as much as possible. And so it becomes a great educational center, and marks an epoch in the lives of many who are to take up their life-work in its shadow. It is not a preparatory school for college, though many of its graduates go to college. Its aim is to do the best thing it can for those who presumably will go no farther. Com- munity life determines our course of study, and the puplis are prepared for life's activities. In doing the best thing for the majority who do not enter college, we have found that we are doing the best thing for the minority who do go to college, and we have come to believe that such a course prepares for college best. In the smaller schools courses are articulated with courses in the large high schools, so that in many cases where good work is done, and where the teachers are known, one, two, or three years' work in small schools is accepted in full and given credit for credit in the larger high school,
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
In the matter of school architecture there has been great progress in the state. This is particularly true with regard to township buildings. Some of these high schools are housed in modern, well-equipped buildings that are models in every way.
The Nineveh township high school in Johnson county has been in operation since 1872, and is probably the oldest school of its kind in the state. It was established by the abandonment of three district schools located near the village. The high school is in the center of the village, and is attended by all the pupils in the township prepared to do high-school work. I find an account of the work of this school in State Superintendent Geeting's report of 1898. Superintendent Gecting gave great impetus to this movement ; indeed, his name and the growth of the township high schools are inseparable in Indiana. The fol- lowing account of the Nineveh school is evidently from the pen of one who was familiar with the work of the school:
It is one of the most potent factors in our community for good, and has unquestionably raised the standard of intelligence, of morality, of taste, and therefore, of life among the people. While a few in the township are opposed to higher education, the vast majority favor the school and would not do without it. The school has many graduates now, some of them in higher institutions of learning, and some filling positions of trust in different parts of the country. Many have married and settled here in the township. and have an elevating influence upon the com- munity. The principal is also superintendent of the grades, and receives four dollars per day. We have two teachers doing high school work. The principal is a college graduate with a master's degree, and the as- sistant is a high school graduate, and has made other special preparation for her work. We have a four-year course. though the terms are only six to seven months. The character of the work done is equal to that done in any of the high schools or preparatory schools of the state, so far as we go. I firmly believe the work done by our pupils is far superior to that done in the larger towns. as there are fewer things here to take attention from the work. Our pupils range in age from fourteen to twenty-two, and spend an average of two hours a day upon each study. There are five graduates this year, two from town and three from the country. Two of these live about four miles distant, and their parents have conveyed them back and forth for four years. In this connection I would state that about half of our pupils live upon farms. No provision has been made by the trustee for conveyance, but this is not felt as being a hardship, as those living in the country have rigs or wheels of their own. In the first year there are ten pupils: in the second, three: in the third, four; and in the fourth, five. In Latin, besides the pre- liminary work and grammar, we read two books of Cæsar and three of Virgil. In mathematics we complete Milne's High School Algebra and
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Wentworth's Plane Geometry. We give two years to English literature, two years to general history, one year to geology, one year to physics, one year to rhetoric, one year to physical geography, and three months to civil government.
As another example, the Straughn township high school, in Henry county, is typical of scores of schools over the state. What I write here is taken from a recent account sent to me of the work of this school :
The township graded school, with a high school, was organized in October, 1893, in a three-room building, with three teachers and one hundred five pupils, eighteen of whom constituted the freshman class of the high school. Eight of these freshmen had not completed the work in the common schools nor grades and as a consequence six of them dropped out the first year. Two married in the second year, and ten of the original eighteen finished the three-year course. Last year another room was added to the building, and there are now four teachers and one hundred and twenty pupils with a fourth year added to the high- school course. The school has graduated thirty-two pupils. Many who began the work in the Stranghn school finished in other high schools, and many did only a part of the work.
That the Straughn school has awakened ideals of culture hitherto unknown in the community is conceded by all. Patrons, pupils and teachers have worked in harmony, and are equally proud of the school.
Of the thirty-two graduates, sixteen have attended higher institutions of learning. Eight are teachers or have taught school. Six are graduates of business colleges. Four are Indiana university students. Two have been students in the farmers' course at Purdue. One has been a DePauw student. Twelve are farmers, and two are merchants. It is the opinion of the writer that the influence of this school has entered every home in the community, and that it is an influence for better living.
While there are scores of township high schools working under widely different conditions, some with short terms and short courses, and no limited number of teachers, the tendency is to meet the requirements of the state board of education, and there is a constantly increasing number receiving commissions. The requirements for a commission are as follows :
Three years of language, three years of history, three years of mathematics, two years of science, four years of English are required, with electives to complete a full course of four years. This is not meant to be absolute but is suggested as a basis upon which to form a course and as the minimum amount of work required. As further requirements the following may be men- tioned; (1) The character of the teaching must be satisfactory ;
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(2) the high-school course must not be less than thirty-two months in length, continuing from the eighth year; (3) the whole time of at least two teachers must be given to the high- school work; (4) the pursuing of a few subjects throughout the entire course rather than many covering short periods; (5) a library adequate to meet all the demands for reference work and general reading supplementary to the regular text-books; (6) laboratories fully equipped to do all of the necessary work in the sciences pursued in any given high school.
INTERESTING DATA.
Number of counties in Indiana 92
Number of townships. 1,016
Number of high schools, all grades. 763
Number of township graded schools doing work in common branches only 1,011
Number of township high schools.
580
Number of commissioned township high schools
15
High-school enrollment 36,641 Township high-school enrollment. 13,305 High-school graduates, 1903. 4.440
Township high-school graduates, 1903
1,344
Number of high school teachers.
1,829
Number of township high-school teachers.
848
Salaries of teachers employed:
a. Commissioned high-school teachers (170 days average
school year) per year. $726.00
b. Township high-school teachers (140 days average school year) per year 432.00
Per capita cost of maintenance:
a. In commissioned high school 33.00
b. In township high schools. 25.00
The value of the work that these township schools are accom- plishing cannot be stated. Provision is made for free secondary training for every child in the state. The one great end kept in view is the preparation of the child as fully as possible for the real duties, opportunities, and privileges of life. We are trying to make an institution that will develop manly men and womanly women ; one that will teach the boys and girls that there is work to do in the world, and that will help each one to find his life- work, and show him how to be successful and happy in it. The secondary school can bring to the pupils and to the community
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
the great forces in life which guide, inspire, and realize possibili- ties. It can minister to the needs of life, not only by bringing broad fundamental principles of culture, but by suggesting practical social problems and their solutions, and, more than this, by suggesting and pointing out actual vocations and ways to succeed in them. Our school machinery has been simplified. There is now only one trustee in a township, and the large responsibility placed upon him is gradually being realized, and . we are obtaining better men all the while for the position. The dignity of the calling is growing, and there is for ns not far in the future to see a complete realization of the things for which we have hoped and for which we have striven.
C. ACADEMIES.
1. FRIENDS' ACADEMIES.
4. SPICELAND ACADEMY, SPICELAND.
The foundation of Spiceland academy was laid as early as 1834, when the members of the Society of Friends living in the vicinity of Spiceland, Ind., decided that they must have better facilities for the education of their children than the common schools of the state then afforded. Before the Friends were able to build a school house, Robert Harrison, an Englishman, taught several terms in a log meeting house. Mr. Harrison was well edu- cated and also taught a Latin class, which recited twice a week. The school increased in interest and members until the Friends felt that they were able to support a school of their own. A frame building was built especially for school purposes. During this time the school was under the care of a committee appointed by Spiceland monthly meeting. In 1860 a more commodious house was built and in 1871 a brick building was built.
The school was chartered in 1870 and is the oldest academy in charge of the Friends in the state. While the school is under de- nominational control, it is not sectarian in the least, its purpose being to develop practical, earnest and active christian manhood and womanhood.
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
Practically all the teachers of Henry county and many of the adjoining counties have been students of the academy, and we might conclude that the school has influenced the teaching force of the surrounding counties to no small degree.
The board of trustees consist of six members, two of whom are appointed annually by Spiceland monthly meeting to serve a term of three years. Usually two of the members are women. At present the faculty consists of six members, and the enrollment is eighty-three.
The academy has an endowment of nearly seven thousand dol- lars and owns a farm worth at least four thousand five hundred dollars. The school is supported from the interest of the endow- ment fund, the proceeds of the farm and private tuition. It also receives public funds from the township trustee for the township high school work.
b. BLOOMINGDALE ACADEMY, BLOOMINGDALE.
The Friends' Bloomingdale academy was founded as a manual labor school in 1845 under the care of the Friends in western Indiana. About that time there was much speculation on new educational schemes. The socialistic system was rampant, com- munities were being organized, and manual labor schools had many enthusiastic advocates. Harvey Thomas, a well known educator of Pennsylvania, having conceived the idea of establishing a manual labor school somewhere in the west, came out to Parke county, Indiana, and found a promising field for such an enter- prise and attentive ears to listen to his economic plans. About thirty acres of land were purchased at Bloomfield (now Blooming- dale) and buildings were erected. In a few years the manual labor phase of the institution was abandoned as impracticable. Though failing to reach what was desired in technical arts and industries, the school was a success in college work.
Prominent among those to whom the institution owes its success was Barnabas C. Hobbs, LL. D., who served as superintendent for twenty-one years. During his superintendency the school was reorganized and incorporated under the laws of Indiana as the Friends' Bloomingdale academy. The charter provides that this institution shall be controlled and managed by Bloomingdale quarterly meeting of the Friends' church. Its officers consist of
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
a board of trustees appointed by the ehmreh. This board selects a principal who has immediate jurisdiction over the school.
The laboratory facilities, through the energy and earnestness of A. F. Mitchell, present superintendent, have been greatly enlarged and improved.
The present enrolhnent is sixty-seven. This academy is sup- ported mainly by tuition of its students. There is an endowment fund that gives an annual revenne of $300.
c. CENTRAL ACADEMY, PLAINFIELD.
Central academy was organized in 1878 for the purpose of pro- viding thorough secondary education for all young people of the community who could not otherwise obtain such advantages. Afterward the work was taken up by the Friends church. In 1892 an association was formed with a capital stock of $10,000, and a certificate of incorporation under the laws of Indiana was granted. At this time three quarterly meetings in Morgan, Marion and Hendrieks counties, known as the White Lick, Fairfield and Plain- field meetings, took up the work. Later Danville quarterly meet- ing was admitted into the association. The school is controlled by a board of twelve directors chosen by these quarterly meetings, three from each meeting. A president, secretary and treasurer, who together with a fourth member form an executive committee, are the officers of the board.
At present there are four members of the faculty, and the present enrollment is fifty. The school is supported principally by tuition of $30 a year. There is a permanent endowment of $2,500, and other funds producing abont $250 a year.
d. FAIRMOUNT ACADEMY.
A proposition for the establishment of a quarterly meeting school was presented to Northern Quarterly Meeting of Friends held at Back creek, two miles north of Fairmount, Indiana, December 15, 1883. A committee composed of sixteen men and ten women was appointed at this meeting to consider the feasi- bility of the proposition. In three months the committee, after having met four times, reported that they thought the opening a good one for the establishment of a higher institution of learn- ing, and giving in justifieation of their recommendation the fol-
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lowing: "As we recognize in a properly conducted school the elements for the building up of character and rendering the pos- sessor more useful in both church and state."
This committee suggested that the quarterly meeting incorpo- rate itself for the purpose of holding property, and also presented to the meeting "an article of association" for an institution of this kind. In June, 1884, the committee reported the location and purchase of the grounds for the academy building in Fair- mount, Ind., and presented to the meeting the names of six per- sons to serve as trustees of said academy, viz., Jesse Haisley, Sammel C. Wilson, Peter H. Wright, Enos Harvey, Abel Knight, and W. C. Winslow; also an incorporating committee composed of Elwood Haisley, James M. Ellis, Thomas J. Nixon, Ivy Lu- ther and Mahlon Harvey.
In September, 1885, the trustees reported the building com. pleted at a total cost of $9,929.53, and that the school would open September 21, 1885, with Joseph W. Parker as principal and instructor of the academic department, and Elwood O. Ellis as instructor of the grammar department. By action taken by the quarterly meeting in March, 1888, the academy was incor- porated. In June, 1888, a contract for taking one hundred pupils from the corporation of Fairmount was closed for the sum of $720.00 tuition and $145.00 rent and fuel. The school has been supported by tuition paid by the students, and, from time to time, voluntary subscriptions for its support by friends of the institution. In March, 1893, the school having outgrown its old quarters, a proposition to sell the academy building and grounds and rebuild in another location was presented to the quarterly meeting. The meeting approved the plan and ap- pointed a committee for this purpose. The old building and location was sold for $8,000.00. The new building and grounds, costing $17,327.60, are located one mile northwest of the center of Fairmount.
Legal notice being given, the board of trustees, consisting of six members, was appointed by the quarterly meeting to serve for three years, two being elected at each June meeting.
At present ( May, 1904) the board consists of the following persons : Ancil E. Ratliff, President : James M. Bell, Secretary ;
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
Joel B. Wright, Treasurer; William W. Ware; ( Mrs. ) Anna M. Johnson ; ( Mrs. ) Ida Winslow.
The faculty (1903-1904) is made up as follows: Principal Leon L. Tyler, literature and pedagogics ; (Mrs.) Minnie L. Ty- ler, history and English ; Frances A. Sheppard, Latin and Ger- man ; Forest Foraker, science and mathematics ; R. E. Dean, com- mercial; Harriett E. Henry, piano and voice.
The enrollment in the academic courses for the present year (1903-1904) is 100, in the commercial course 20.
The school is now approaching the completion of a $20,000 endowment which it is hoped will be reached by September, 1904. This will, in a measure, free the quarterly meeting from special efforts to meet the deficits which result yearly, from the fact that a merely nominal tuition rate is charged ($25 per year). Judged by the character of its 200 graduates, a better place to put a gift could not be found.
In equipment, the academy is practically in the college class. Its laboratory was one of the first opened in a preparatory school in Indiana, and its library, the gift of Iredell B. Rush, of Co- lumbia City, Ind., is rich in reference works and books of rare value. The students publish a paper called the Academician.
The Aurora literary society is the one central source of pleasure and forensic opportunity during the winter months.
The work is organized so as to give the largest measure of latitude in the choice of courses. A four years' course leads to university and college entrance; a three years' elective course for general education or college; a three years', covering English work only with a year's study in pedagogics; two commercial courses, preferably for post-graduates, each covering one year, one making bookkeeping the major, the other shorthand and type- writing.
As to subjects offered with maximum time: Latin, four years ; German, two; algebra, two; geometry, one; physics, one; general history, two; English, three and one-half; civics, one-half; bot- any, one-half; biology, one-half; chemistry, one-half; Bible study, four; pedagogics, one; arithmetic, one; American history, one; English grammar, one; physiology, one-half; physical geog- raphy, one-half ; trigonometry, one-half; commercial arithmetic, one-half ; commercial law, one-half ; business correspondence, one ;
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penmanship, one : spelling, one; bookkeeping, one ; shorthand, one ; typewriting, one; business practice, one; instrumental music, four; vocal music, four.
Tennis, basket-ball, croquet and other out-of-door sports afford diversions, both healthful and attractive.
C. WESTFIELD ACADEMY, WESTFIELD.
No report was submitted by the Westfield academy, though it is known to be an excellent school. About two hundred students are enrolled.
f. AMBOY ACADEMY, AMBOY.
Amboy academy was established by the Society of Friends at Amboy, Miami county, Indiana, in 1872, and was under the con- trol of the Friends church. The first building was built by the Friends and paid for largely by private donations. For the first three years after the school was founded, it was supported by tui- tion and private subscriptions. From the first the object of the school was to do academic or high school work. Consequently an academic spirit has always pervaded the institution. In 1875 the Friends leased this building to the township trustees and school was continued under township management. Then the town and township bought the Friends' building together; other buildings were added and the school became a joint town and township high school. The school is at present under the management of public officers, and is a commissioned high school.
Amboy academy is now a joint graded school of Jackson town- ship and town of Amboy, Miami county, Indiana. It is under the joint management of the township trustee and three members of the town school board. Said trustee is elected by vote of the people for a term of four years. The members of the school board of Amboy academy are elected by the trustees of the town of Amboy for a term of three years. There are eight members in the faculty and four grade teachers. The school occupies one building. The present enrollment is two hundred and thirty-five, sixty of whom are in the high school department.
It is supported by state funds and local taxation of Jackson township and town of Amboy. The township defrays 65 per cent. of the running expenses and the town 35 per cent.
The school has graduated 120 students.
At present A. E. Martin is superintendent.
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2. MILITARY ACADEMIES.
1. CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY, CULVER.
The Culver military academy, the largest and possibly the best known private academy in the world, was founded in 1894 by the late H. H. Culver, a generous and philanthropic citizen of St. Louis. Since his death his widow and sons, residents of St. Louis, who with the superintendent, constitute a self-appointing board of trustees have vigorously carried out Mr. Culver's plans, constantly adding new buildings and equipment, until today the school stands a great monument to its founder, and a credit to the state and nation. The rapid growth of the institution is without parallel in the history of private schools, its attendance increasing 800 per cent. in three years.
Col. A. F. Fleet, A. M., LL. D., the present superintendent, has been the head of Culver military academy almost since its begin- ning. Under his skillful and almost magie touch, the corps of cadets has grown from a company of thirty to a battalion of almost two hundred and forty ; with enough applicants in excess of capac- ity for each of the past two or three years to fill another school. Col. Fleet received his instruction in the great civil war and during all the years since he has been teaching. The superin- tendent is assisted by a staff of sixteen officers and instructors, who are themselves graduates of leading colleges.
There are three great fire-proof barracks, a steel and brick rid- ing hall, a splendid gymnasium of similar structure, equipped with running track, baths, etc. These constitute the main build- ings of the Culver plant. For military purposes the United States government has issued the academy a splendid equipment of small arms and artillery.
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