USA > Missouri > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Mo. , carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns, and villages > Part 28
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THE AULL SCHOOL FUND.
The last will and testament of John Aull, of Lexington, was admitted to probate February 22, 1842, and contained special bequests amounting in all to $62,000. Among the special bequests occurs the following: " I give, devise and bequeath in trust to the county court of Lafayette county, in the State of Missouri, the sum of one thousand dollars, to be loaned out by said court on real estate security of ample value and free from all incumbrances, and at the highest legal interest, to be continued at interest perpetually-and the interest accruing therefrom to be applied under the direction of said court to pay the tuition or education of orphan or poor children under the age of sixteen years, at or within two miles of the couuty seat of said county." (The same amount, under the same condi- tions, was bequeathed to each of the counties of Ray, Clay and Jackson.)
*Between the ages of six and twenty years.
-
247
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
This bequest was received by the court, placed among the county's vari- ous funds, and remains intact to this very day. The interest goes annually into the public school fund of the city of Lexington.
COUNTY CONVENTION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESIDENTS.
January 5, 1875, a convention of presidents of school districts was held at Lexington. The following list of that convention will serve to show the school system of the county:
Sub-
Sub-
dist. Twp. R.
President.
dist. Twp. R. President.
1 49 24 George P. Gordon
5 48 24 Otto Walkenhorst
4 50 24 . Jacob Newland
Aullville . Wm. Downing
6 50 27. Wm. Pearcy 2 48 25. Jacob Taggart
5 49 27 .Eli Adams
Mayview . . John P. Herr
4 50 25. . George Liese 2
45 24 Henry Oeting
2
49 25. H. L. Grooms
2 51
25.
. L. G. Buford
1
50 27 Dr. S. Smith
Lexington H. J. E. Ahrens
1
50
26. John Page
50 26 David Groves 1 5 48-49 26. S. L. Smith
4 49
25. A. K. Sittington 2
50
29. H. H. Westmeyer
1
51
25 .R. Kountz
3
50 28 John E. Arnold
1
48
28 R. T. Russell 6
4 48 28. . Mat. Wood
3
50 24 . T. A. Catron
1
50 28 J. B. McDonald
4
49 26 Seth Mason
4 51 28 .J. W. Burton
3
50 26 .Ferd. Smith
1
48
24 . C. Reisterer 2
49
26 A. W. Douthitt
4
48 24 H. A. Bringater
1
51
24. John Chrisman
2
50 25
.. H. Haeffer 3 49 28 H. S. Kincaid
1
48 25 John Yokely 1
49
27. H. C. Chiles
4 49 24 Fritz Everets 4
49
29 M. Strader .
The following committee was appointed to select a list of school books for use in this county:
Clay township, J. B. McDonald; Dover township, D. Groves, Prof. Carter; Davis township, G. P. Gordon; Freedom township, H. Reisterer; Lexington, H. J. E. Ahrens; Middleton township, C. C. Catron; Sniabar township, R. T. Russell; Washington township, C. L. Ewing; county at large, George M. Catron.
" COTTONWOOD ACADEMY."
Wm. Houx relates the following: In the forepart of the winter of 1838, George Houx and his brother Wm. Houx, originated the idea of estab- lishing a high school. William Houx hewed cottonwood logs on an island in the river above Lexington, and floated them down to the town, and the same year erected a log house, 18ft by 20ft. He got the boards to cover the house from a large white oak tree that stood near where the
3
50 27
. Thos. Jones
2
50 28 . Isaac Varner
4 50 27 . D. J. Morgan
Higginsville. H. G. Smith
4
49 27 Moses Anson
3 49 25 D. H. Hill Lafayette county .. Geo. M. Catron
49 27 C. L. Ewing
248
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Baptist church now stands, corner of North and Poplar streets. This was the beginning of the high schools in Lafayette county. A number of ladies were principally educated here, who afterward became wives of prominent men of the state. The Messrs. Houx secured the services of Mrs. David Hogan, of Pettis county, to come and take charge of the school. The school continued in a flourishing condition for several years. The Messrs. Houx after a number of years, gave their interest to Rev. Robert Morrow. Mr. George Houx was the leader in this enterprise, and furnished all the means.
THE OLD MASONIC COLLEGE.
It has been extremely difficult to get any data for a sketch of the early days of this historic institution, although some of its graduates have won honorable celebrity in their several spheres of life. We first interviewed five or six different men in Lexington who were supposed to know all about it, but we were always referred to some one else. We then wrote to Rev. Dr. Vincil, and here is his reply:
OFFICE OF GRAND SECRETARY, A. F. & A. M., STATE OF MISSOURI, ST. LOUIS, July 18, 1881. 5
Dear Sir :- I know nothing of any records concerning Masonic col- lege. I can furnish no data.
Respectfully, JOHN D. VINCIL.
We then wrote to Judge Wm. T. Wood, at Kansas City, and here is his reply :
KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 29, 1881.
I had full knowledge, but most strangely, I fail to remem- ber those facts so as to answer your purpose. I have no papers or mem- orandum to which I can refer to assist me. * * * Everything was written down, and all papers and records were kept by Dr. Boulware, since deceased. *
* * I think it probable that his widow, Mrs. Boulware, still residing in Lexington, has preserved them, and if so, I am sure it will give her pleasure to give you full access."
Thereupon we interviewed Mrs. Boulware, who said she had given all her husband's papers to Dr. Chapman, administrator of the estate, and to Zenophon Ryland, Esq. We sought Dr. Chapman, and he said no Masonic records or papers had come into his hands; then we found Mr. Ryland-and he did not remember about it, but said if he did receive any he sent them to the grand secretary, as the college was entirely under the control of the grand lodge. But really he did not think Dr. Boulware ever had any records of the college; he was secretary of the Masonic lodge, but not of the college. We give the foregoing facts to show how difficult it often is to get reliable historic data on a matter supposed to be
249
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
familiar to everybody, and to show that this historian did the best he could to get full particulars of the Masonic era of the old college.
We finally got the following points from Mr. James Cloudsley: "After considerable discussion in the grand lodge over the proposition to establish a college for the orphan children of deceased Masons, it was finally decided to do it, and the cities of Lexington and Palmyra became rivals to secure its location; but Lexington made the Largest offer, subscribing $30,000 toward it, and thus it became located here. In the spring of 1847 the corner-stone was laid, with the usual ceremonies, by the grand master, Joseph Foster, E. Winsor and Wm. P. Walter being marshals of the day. The main building was erected that year, and in 1848 it was dedicated by Grand Master Foster. It was controlled entirely by the grand lodge; it was primarily for the benefit of the orphan children of deceased Masons; and each member in the state was to pay a small per capita tax to support the collage. H. Sherwood was the first president of the board of trus- tees. The first professors were Archibald Patterson and Matt. Williams.
Gen. John S. Marmaduke, of Saline county, Judge Samuel F. Gilbert, of Platte county, Missouri, and Stephen B. Elkins, member of congress from New Mexico, were educated in this college, and have since dis- tinguished themselves.
The people of Lexington raised altogether about $32,000 and put into the buildings and grounds of this institution. But when the civil war broke out in 1861 it was early occupied as a military post, and was alternately in possession of federals and confederates all through the war. Soon after the close of the bloody struggle the old college building was converted into a military institute by the state authorities. But in this character it soon became such a palpable farce that the state returned it to the Masons.
From the report of the proceedings of the house of representatives on January 10, 1870, we take the following:
By Mr. Miller, of Lafayette: On leave, resolution that a committee of five be appointed to visit the Missouri Military Institute, at Lexington, and report its condition to the house.
A statement from the Auditor was read, showing that $15,000 had been appropriated for establishing and improving the Institute.
Mr. Miller said that the institute there was a swindle on the state. The military part of the institution consisted of four colored youths, who peri- odically parade around the dilapidated building. The superintendent resides in two rooms of the building. Beyond that it is unoccupied. About two hundred dollars had been spent in improving the house. It was a burlesque upon the design of its founders and proprietors. He would like to know what had become of the $3,000 a year appropriated to the institution. The state should either re-cede the grounds and property to the donors, or establish there a school worthy of the name. The money is drawn out of the treasury on some pretext of official requisition, but the accounts should be examined to find how the funds had been applied. .
250
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
The governor had informed him in effect that there had been no school there for twelve months. The motion was adopted, and Messrs. Miller, Weinrich, Powell, Ithner and Key were appointed.
The college property having reverted to the Missouri Grand Lodge, in the year 1871, they donated it to the
CENTRAL FEMALE COLLEGE,
of the Methodist Episcopal church south, on condition that they would · maintain a first-class female college in the building, and furnish free tuition to a limited number of daughters of deceased or indigent Masons.
The Central Female College was organized in 1869, and duly incorpo- rated, with all the powers usually pertaining to a collegiate organization. Many of the members of this new body had been among the original incor porators of the Old Masonic College, so that the ultimate succession was the more easily effected. Wm. Morrison was first president of the board of curators. The first session of the new female college opened on the first Monday in September, 1869, with Dr. Wm. F. Camp as acting president of the faculty. He was in a short time succeeded by Dr. J. O. Church, who filled the chair about two years, and was then followed by Dr. W. T. J. Sullivan. The next president was Rev. Marshall McIlhany; and after him W. F. Kerdolff, Jr., the present incumbent.
W. F. KERDOLFF, JR., was born in Lexington, Missouri, in October, 1853. During his early life he attended constantly either private or pub- lic schools in his native town, and in the fall of 1870, left home to attend Central College at Fayette, Mo., where he remained four years. Very early in life he united himself with the M. E. church south, and has since remained a consistent member of the same. During the time he was at college, he obtained license to preach, and since that time has continued his relation of " local preacher " in his chosen church. Soon after leaving college he married Miss Alice Eaton, an estimable young lady who resided near Fayette and whose father and mother are of old Kentucky and Virginia stock. In the fall of 1875, he began teaching school in Mor- gan Park Military Academy, near Chicago, Ill., where he remained two years. At the end of this time he came back to his old home, Lexington, Mo., and took charge of the Lexington High School, where he had grad- uated before leaving home to attend college. In this position he remained three years and was re-elected for the fourth year, but declined the prof- fered position and was soon after called to the presidency of Central Female College. Under his administration the college is now in a more prosperous condition than ever before, there being more pupils enrolled at this time of the present year, October, 1881, than during the whole of any previous year.
ELIZABETH AULL FEMALE SEMINARY, LEXINGTON, MISSOURI.
252
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
also 454
HISTORY OF THE ELIZABETH AULL FEMALE SEMINARY.
Elizabeth Aull was born at New Castle, in the state of Delaware, in 1790. She united with the Presbyterian church of her native town when about fifteen years of age. She was sister to James, John and Robert Aull, and Mrs. Maria Pomeroy, all of whom were early settlers and in their lifetime, wealthy and prominent citizens of Lexington. As early as 1839 we find the names of Elizabeth Aull and her sister Mrs. Pomeroy and . brother James, among the first members of the Presbyterian church, which was organized in Lexington during that year. There were twenty of those first members, and Mrs. Pomeroy is the only one of them who is still living, 1881.
In 1857-8 Elizabeth had a lingering sickness which finally resulted in her death. During this period she meditated much upon what she should do with her property, she having about. $150,000 in her own right; and it was in this time of protracted wasting of body that she formed her plan and purpose to do something for the education of the young women of this state, for she had observed that the provisions for their education were meager and insufficient. Also, about this time occurred the business failure of H. S. Chadwick & Son, to whom she had loaned $10,000 and taken security on Mr. Chadwick's fine residence. This mansion was about to become her property, and it seemed like a providential provision for the female seminary which she was planning in her mind. The plan and pur- pose and determination of the project was entirely her own; and after she had fully decided upon it, then she called in her pastor, Rev. B. M. Hob- son, and asked his counsel about some of the lesser details of the matter. It has been commonly believed that Mr. Hobson had used his influence to induce her to devote some of her ample means in this way, for the bene- fit of the church, but Mr. Hobson himself says it was not so; and Mrs. Pomeroy also informs us that it was Elizabeth's own doing-that she did not even mention the matter to her until she had determined upon it, and thought of the Chadwick house as a nice place for the school.
The following is that portion of Miss Elizabeth Aull's will in which she made provision for the founding of a seminary.
"Item 36th. I give and bequeath to Robert Aull, George Wilson and Rev. B. M. Hobson, as trustees, upon the conditions and subject to the restrictions hereinafter named, the following real estate situated in the city of Lexington, Missouri, viz: The real estate recently purchased by me of Hanson S. Chadwick, and now in his possession, embracing lots numbered five, six, seven, eight and nine, in block number two, in Mun- dy's addition to the town of Lexington, as described in the plat of said addition, now on file in the recorder's office for said county of Lafayette, the real estate hereby bequeathed, being the whole of the real estate con- veyed to me by the said H. S. Chadwick and wife by deed dated the 29th
253
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
day of September, A. D., 1858. In trust, however, to be used as a female seminary of learning, under the management and control of the Presby- terian church, in Lexington, Missouri, of which I am now a member; upon condition, however, that upon said premises such seminary shall be opened and established within three years after my death. And, if upon said prem- ises such seminary shall not be opened and established within the period afore- said, then said premises and every part thereof shall revert to and become a part of my estate; or if after said seminary shall be so opened and established, said premises shall cease to be used for the purpose aforesaid for a period of two years, then said premises and every part thereof shall revert to and become a part of my estate. And, in the event, for the reasons afore- said, or either of them, said premises shall revert to my estate, I give and bequeath the same and every part thereof to my residuary legatee here- inafter named, his heirs and assigns forever. And, if in addition to the real estate above specified, which I value at ten thousand dollars, a fur- ther subscription of ten thousand dollars in money, shall be made and paid to the proper person or persons, for the use and benefit of said seminary, within three years after my death, then I give and bequeath to the said trustees, above named, the further sum of ten thousand dol- lars for the use and to be expended for the benefit of said female semi- nary.
This will was signed and sealed by Miss Aull in the presence of Edward Stratton, Wm. P. Boulware and A: H. McFadden, October 1, 1858. Her death occurred December 12, 1858, and on December 18th the certificate of probate was issued. February 22, 1859, the will was recorded, and the executor named in it (Robert Aull) was placed under bonds of $150,000 for his faithful execution of its many bequests.
The citizens of Lexington soon commenced making subscriptions toward the additional $10,000 which were necessary to secure the bequest. About $6,000 were subscribed; but it began to be feared that under the conditions of the will some state of facts might occur which would cause the whole property, subscriptions and all, to revert back to the residuary legatee. The requisite $10,000 could not be made up, and consequently the Chadwick property, and the contingent $10,000 named in the will would soon fall to John Aull, as the will provided. At this stage of affairs Mr. Aull made a proposition which should still meet, legally, the terms of the will, and at the same time not defeat his sister's wish to found a female seminary. He would take the Chadwick property, as the will provided he should, and give his own house in place of it for the school; and give one-half of the contingent $10,000. This was not nearly so liberal a pro- vision as Miss Aull had herself intended to make; Mr. Aull's house was not so good a one, and the amount of money was only half; but it was a D
254
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
great deal better than to lose the school entirely, because the $10,000 "additional subscription" could not be raised. So the working friends of the enterprise accepted Mr. Aull's rroposition, as the best they could do under the circumstances. And about $2,000 of the $6,000 which had been subscribed were ultimately paid in, notwithstanding this change of plan. Stephen G. Wentworth has been one of the trustees from the beginning; he was treasurer seventeen years, and president of the board three years; he donated to the school a telescope and some other scientific apparatus, besides other liberal benefactions.
The legislature of Missouri chartered the constitution March 12, 1859, and incorporated Robert Aull, Rev. B. M. Hobson, Gen. R. C. Vaughan, Dr. J. B. Alexander, John Chamberlain, George Wilson, James Wilson, S. G. Wentworth, Samuel F. Taylor, A. W. Hutchins, W. J. Ferguson, Rev. T. A. Brachen, and Edw. M. Samuel, as the original board of trustees.
Rev. Lewis Green Barbour, A. M., now professor of mathematics, Central University, Richmond, Kentucky, was chosen the first president. Under his management the school opened its halls for the reception of students September, 1860. The school prospered under his care, and made for itself a fine reputation. The war, however, soon came on; while the school was not closed, it materially interfered with its peace and pros- perity. Mr. Barbour remained, true to his trust, until the war closed, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Capt. Rufus W. Finley, A. M., who entered upon his duties in the fall of 1865. His term of office closed in the summer of 1867.
Anthony Haynes, A. M., a graduate of the Missouri State University, succeeded him. He resigned after a three years' administration.
The next president was Rev. J. A. Quarles, A. M., a graduate of West- minster College, Missouri, during the incumbency of Pres. S. S. Laws, now at the head of the State University. This was the beginning of a new era in the history of the seminary. Mr. Quarles, in addition to his tute- lage for eight years, under Prof. F. T. Kemper, of Boonville, Missouri, had attended the college at Fulton, had passed two years at the great University of Virginia, then at the zenith of its glory, and had taken theological course at the world-renowned seminary of Princeton, New Jersey. Possessed thus of an unusually liberal education, he was also gifted with energy and rare executive and organizing talent. He threw his whole soul into the work, and thoroughly remodeled the school from top to bottom. The present plan, which is quite peculiar, is his work. Its radical features were introduced by him at once; but the minutiæ have been the result of his thought, experience, and observation since he has been engaged in the work. He was fortunate to associate with himself
255
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Ireland, who took charge of the boarding department, and have made it exceedingly popular.
Mr. Quarles continued at the helm for three years, during which period the school grew in patronage until it became necessary to add the left wing to accommodate its increasing members. The joint labors of the church and school proving too much for him, he resigned the presidency in 1875, and Rev. Jas. M. Chaney, A. M., was chosen his successor. The administration did not last longer than three years, when he was followed by Maj. A. H. Todd, A. M,, who conducted the school one year.
In 1877 Mr. Quarles, having been laid aside from the ministry by what the physicians pronounced an incurable disease of the throat, was again chosen president for a period of ten years. The past four years of his second administration have been growingly prosperous. In 1879 Mr. Quarles purchased the square of ground adjoining the Seminary on the · southwest, and converted the brick building that was on it into the Prepar- atory Department. In it are also rooms for the school of Design. In 1880, the buildings still being crowded, seven additional rooms were added in the rear of the chapel. Even this did not furnish the accommodations needed, and so, later in the year 1881, Mr. Quarles bought the square next southwest, on which stood the elegant and commodious mansion which was Miss Aull's original bequest to the Seminary. This he occu- pies as a residence, and as a home for any pupils who may not be able to find accommodations in the main buildings of the Seminary. In the cut of the grounds as found in this volume, the three adjacent squares, all under one enclosure, are presented. The buildings on the right, as you look at the picture, are the Seminary proper, containing the chapel, reci- tation, music and sleeping rooms, all under one roof. The central building is the Preparatory Department. The house on the extreme left is the president's mansion. These buildings have but two stories, and thus long stairways are avoided. The main buildings are lighted throughout with gas. The grounds altogether enclose something over six acres. The location is the bluff of the Missouri river, the buildings overlooking the turbid waters of that majestic stream. The health of the institution has been so good, that not a single death has occurred amongst the boarders or teachers during the twenty-one years of its existence.
The studies are divided into two grand departments; easily, naturally and necessarily seperable from each other. Each of these are sub-divided carefully and accurately. The sciences are arranged into subordinate departments. The preparatory, the intermediate and the collegiate. This division is, of course, based upon grade. The collegiate department of the sciences is arranged into separate schools: The school of English, of mathematics, of history, of languages, of physics, of metaphysics, and of the Bible. The department of the arts is also classified into schools: the
256
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
school of music, of design, of elocution, of penmanship, of fancy work, and of cooking.
The course of study in mathematics embraces the calculus; in physics, ten of the natural sciences, in languages, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Anglo- Saxon, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. In music, the course is classical and unusually extensive.
In the collegiate department, the graded system has been abandoned, and the elective substituted for it. This is one of the more radical features, and, as its friends claim, most important reforms. Each pupil is graded in each study according to her attainments in that study, and without ref- erence to her proficiency in anything else; and no pupil is advanced or retarded by those who belong to her grade. A parent or pupil may select just those studies which taste and talent may indicate. There is no treadmill course. Each one stands exclusively on her own merit in each department. The pupils are not graduated by classes, each one must work her way, study by study, until she has passed successfully all the written examinations of the course. The work of no other institution is accepted.
That is, if a pupil has passed to the senior year in another college, and then comes here, she must stand the regular written examinations of this seminary in the studies she has pursued, if she wishes to graduate. As proof that the standard for graduation here is exceptionably high, Mr. Quarles points to the fact that during the seven years of his prosperous administration, only five young ladies have received the baccalaureate diploma, while the mistress' degree has not yet been even attempted.
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