A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 69

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

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"Female Seminaries" then so popular in the country, the forerunners of our first colleges for women, and coeducational schools. It was discontinued about 1877.

BROOKS SCHOOL.

Brooks Academy had its origin in the desire to honor the memory of Rev. Fred- erick Brooks, who died while in charge of St. Paul's church. He was a younger brother of Phillips Brooks, and was greatly loved by his parish and all who knew him. A building was erected on Sibley street, by a number of gentlemen, including General J. H. Devereux, J. H. Wade, Samuel Andrews, Dan P. Eells, Colonel Wm. Harris, C. E. Smith and Wm. Edwards. In this building the school was opened in 1875. During its existence it had three principals, John S. White, Mr. Harding and E. H. Thompson. Mr. Thompson remained with the school until its close, in 1891.

The courses of study were preparatory to the best colleges. Military drill was a feature of the work. A number of men now prominent in Cleveland's business and professional life, attended Brooks Academy.

MISS MITTLEBERGER'S SCHOOL.

Miss Augusta Mittleberger, the daughter of William Mittleberger, and niece of James M. Hoyt, both prominent citizens of Cleveland, was graduated from the Cleveland Seminary and taught there for some years. Later she conducted private classes for young women in her own home on Superior street below Erie. These formed the nucleus of a small school, which was removed in 1877 to the Leek block on Prospect street, now called the Croxden. The boarding department was opened at the same time on Sibley street near Case avenue. The growth of the school was rapid. Many pupils were attracted to it from out of the city and it soon had to seek larger quarters. In 1881 it was established in the large prop- erty then recently acquired by John D. Rockefeller, on the southeast corner of Case avenue and Prospect street. The number of this house was 1020, and im- mediately became known among the young ladies of the school as "Ten-Twenty," which remained its pet name.

The original building was enlarged from time to time to make room for the expanding school, and in 1889 it was remodeled to provide facilities for two hun- dred and twenty-five pupils. For two years (1887-89) Miss Blakemore (Mrs. Worcester R. Warner) was associated with Miss Mittleberger in the principal- ship, which later was again vested in Miss Mittleberger alone and so continued until her retirement in 1908. The school then closed its doors.

For many years this school was widely known throughout Ohio and adjoining states. Its curriculum included courses from kindergarten to college. In this school were taught a goodly portion of the influential women of the Cleveland of today. The daughters of Presidents Hayes and Garfield were educated in this school, also the daughters of Secretary John Hay, and of many other distin- guished men.

Miss Mittleberger's influence has been far-reaching in circumference and depth. She was possessed of the superlative gifts of a teacher, had a clear insight into the pedagogical problems of the hour, and in her were found all the rare

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graces of a winning personality ; a union of potencies that explains her unusual success as a teacher, leader and friend.

THE HATHAWAY-BROWN SCHOOL.

This flourishing school began as the girls' branch of Brooks Academy, soon after Mr. White had opened his school. It was under the competent guidance of Mrs. M. E. Salisbury. At first it was located on Euclid avenue, but later a new build- ing was provided on Prospect street, between Sterling and Hayward. Mrs. Salis- bury relinquished the school to Miss Frances Fisher (Mrs. Wood), who in turn, was succeeded by Miss Anne Hathaway Brown (Mrs. F. G. Sigler.) The school was entirely reorganized, moved to Euclid avenue, and was renamed after Miss Brown. Miss Mary E. Spencer became proprietor of the school upon the retire- ment of Miss Brown. Since 1902 Miss Cora E. Canfield has been the principal. The school had by this time entirely outgrown its quarters. In 1905 a number of public spirited citizens, impelled by the generosity and wise interest of Mrs. Sam- uel Mather, formed the East End School Association for the purpose of erecting and equipping a modern school for girls. Rev. James Williamson is president of the Association. A beautiful site was secured on Logan avenue (East One Hun- dredth street), amid the stately trees of the old Streator estate, and here a beau- tiful and adequate stone building was erected. It is of chaste gothic design, fire- proof in construction, and embodies all of the conveniences and safeguards of a thoroughly equipped modern school building. In the rear of the building extensive grounds give ample opportunity for field sports, tennis and basketball. The edu- cational work of the school embraces all grades from kindergarten to academic. The academic department includes the college preparatory course, leading to the school certificate accepted by the College for Women, Smith, Vassar, Wellesley and Wells, also an English scientific course.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL.

University school was founded in 1890 as a college preparatory school. From the beginning, however, the school has also emphasized manual training and phy- sical training. Newton M. Anderson, who had been principal of the Manual Train- ing School, and who was responsible for the founding of that department of the high school system of Cleveland, was its first principal, and Chas. Mitchell was associated with him. Much of the manual training idea was incorporated into University School. This idea was set forth in the first issue of the "School Record," October, 1890. "University School boys can at the same time with their educa- tion derived from books, get a good knowledge of all the ordinary pursuits of the day, such as carpentry, wood training, blacksmithing and the handling of ma- chinery. This not only gives them a good idea of what the methods of these de- partments are, but also teaches them to do with their hands what the brain con- ceives." The school building was commenced in June, 1890. Until its completion A. A. Pope tendered the use of a ten room dwelling on the corner of Hough and East Madison avenues. Here instruction was given until the opening of the

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new building in April, 1891. In the first class, 1891, there were seven graduates, four of whom entered Yale university, one Case School of Applied Science, one Adelbert College. Classes have continually increased in number. In 1909 there were twenty-eight graduates, of whom twenty-six entered college.

The equipment now includes a substantial main building, with recitation rooms, library, assembly room, shops and laboratories; a gymnasium with swimming pool and athletic cage; a dormitory, with accommodations for forty boys; a laun- dry and a complete lighting and heating plant. There is also a separate school for boys from eight to twelve years of age. The school is owned by a stock com- pany and controlled by a board of trustees. George Pettee followed Mr. Ander- son as principal. Mr. Pettee was followed, in 1908, by Harry A. Peters, the present principal.

LAUREL SCHOOL.

In 1896 Miss Jennie Warren Prentiss (Mrs. Ward), opened a private school for girls in her home at 95 Streator avenue (East One Hundredth street). The following year a house nearby was fitted up for day school purposes, the boarding pupils remained in the old home. The school was considerably enlarged thereby, and was known as the Wade Park Home School for Girls. In 1899 the school was incorporated as Laurel Institute, and controlled by a board of trustees. In 1900 it had outgrown its limited accommodations and moved to the large house on Euclid avenue, where it still is located. In 1902 Miss Prentiss resigned and Miss Florence Waterman was appointed principal of the school, which place she held until in 1904' she resigned to accept a position in Baltimore. Mrs. Arthur E. Lyman, who had been actively connected with the founding of the Hathaway-Brown School and has been well known in Cleveland for many years as a successful teacher, acquired the school and completely reorganized it and renamed it Laurel School. In 1908 a stock company was organized to acquire the magnificent site on Euclid avenue near Republic street (East One Hundred and First street) which formed a por- tion of Dr. Streator's splendid estate. The rapid growth of the school de- manded new buildings. A substantial fire proof recitation hall was erected in the rear of the yard, the well built barn on the premises was remodeled into a gymna- sium, and when the old frame Disciples church on the corner of Euclid and Streator avenues was taken down, the chapel was moved to the rear of the schoolhouse and was remodeled into an assembly hall.

Under the efficient and energetic management of Mrs. Lyman, the school has forged rapidly forward. Its revised and progressive course of study has attracted the attention of educators from other cities. The material success of the school is due in large measure to the wise interest taken in its affairs by W. A. Harshaw, president of the corporation which owns the property.

CENTRAL INSTITUTE.

This institution is unique among the schools of the city, and of the country. "It began in 1889 as a business college. In 1895 it was incorporated and placed under the present management. In the intervening thirteen years it has developed

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along entirely new lines. From two teachers, two departments, business and shorthand, with seventy-five pupils, the Institute has grown to its present size ; six departments, English, business, shorthand, drafting, engineering and college pre- paratory, with fifteen teachers and an attendance of four hundred pupils.

"During these thirteen years, the company has purchased the property the school occupies, and has three times enlarged the building and is constantly increasing the equipment."

"The especial features of the Central Institute are, a fifty-week year instead of the usual thirty-eight week year, an attitude toward athletics and social activities which resists their encroachments upon studies, less importance placed upon certain purely cultural studies than is commonly placed upon such studies by public schools, and lastly, the atmosphere of earnestness imparted to the entire mass of pupils because of the fact that Central Insti- tute pupils are older than those of public schools and because the Institute offers the brightest pupils an opportunity to advance according to their ability."

As a result of these opportunities scores of Cleveland boys who are compelled to work for a living have been able to work their way into college and into many use- ful positions in our community. In 1905, Case School of Applied Science offered a prize of three hundred dollars to the graduate of any private preparatory school passing the best entrance examination. Four successive years, earnest young men from this school have taken this prize. Its graduates are found in the leading col- leges of the country. The school owes its success to James G. Hobbie, who has been the principal since its inception, and the leader in its beneficent work.

THE PARKER SCHOOL.

"The Froebel School was established in 1896 by parents, who desired that the individuality of each pupil should be more carefully recognized and that less for- mal methods should be employed in the education of the children than in the larger schools. It was organized for the public benefit, with no other profit in view than the educational advantages to be derived from the school by its patrons.

"It has been deemed advisable to change the name 'The Froebel school,' a name suggesting that it was organized especially for children of the kindergarten age, to one that should convey more clearly the general idea of the means em- ployed in the education of the children. The establishment of the work was a direct outgrowth of the efforts of Francis W. Parker in behalf of the children of the United States. From the time the school was incorporated until his death, he gave his heartiest interest and support to all that the undertaking here suggested. The school will therefore henceforth be known as The Parker School, for the in- dividual training of boys and girls."

Mrs. Chas. C. Arms was the first president of the school and instrumental in developing it. The present officers are: President, Mrs. Arthur A. Stearns ; vice president, Mrs. W. H. Cleminshaw ; second vice president, Mrs. Hermon A. Kelley ; secretary, Mrs. A. V. Cannon ; treasurer and business manager, Mrs. Albert Whit- tlesey. W. P. Beeching is principal. The school is located at 2052 East Ninety- sixth street.

From an old wood cut. Courtesy Adelbert College

WESTERN RESERVE COLLEGE. HUDSON, OHIO

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CHAPTER LVIII.

THE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY.

By Professor E. J. Benton, Professor of History, Western Reserve University.

INTRODUCTION.

The Western Reserve University comprises two undergraduate colleges, Adel- bert college and the Cleveland College for Women, and the Graduate school, the Law school and the Library school, all of which are located on Euclid avenue near the entrance to Wade park, and the Medical school, the Dental school and the school of Pharmacy which are situated near the heart of the city. Its origin and development are characteristic of the growth of higher education throughout the United States. There was to begin with the small country college, with a relig- ious purpose at the foundation, a small group of professors, self-sacrificing ideal- ists, a meager student body, averaging five or six to each instructor, an intimate life almost monastic in its seclusion from the secular life of the time, permeated with a reverence for the amenities and privileges of scholarship, and with a touch of aristocracy expressed in the prevailing feeling of exclusiveness.

FOUNDATION AT HUDSON.

The Presbyterian and Congregational ministers and their people in the Con- necticut or Western Reserve in Ohio, pioneers in a new region and true sons of New England, became concerned "for the education of indigent pious young men for the ministry." (Records of the Trustees, p. 4.) Some of their number under the name of the Erie Literary society founded an academy at Burton in 1805, but the institution met with a series of mishaps largely incident to all pioneer enterprises and to the effect of the War of 1812 in the northwest. The Presby- teries of Grand River, Portage and Huron, which included practically the whole of the Western Reserve territory, attempted for a time to cooperate with the Erie Literary society, but they finally became convinced that Burton was an unhealthy unpromising location incapable of becoming the seat of an institution of their high ideals and withdrew their support.1 Commissioners appointed in 1824 rep- resenting the Presbyteries of the Western Reserve then set to work to locate a new literary and theological institution under instructions "to take into view all circumstances of situation, moral character, facility of communication, dona-

tions, health, etc." They seem to have considered the merits of Burton, Aurora, Euclid, Cleveland and Hudson for the site of the proposed school. From reasons that appeared sufficient Hudson was chosen. Cleveland was as yet an insignificant and unhealthy river town. Hudson had the advantage in situation in all points of main concern for a country college, and it was a day nearer Pittsburg and the east by the main thoroughfare of the period. It presented a stronger claim in subscribing seven thousand, one hundred and fifty dollars to secure the college, besides one hundred and sixty acres of

1 Records of the Trustees, p. 3; Cutler, "A History of Western Reserve College," p. 13.

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land for a site. A charter was promptly secured, February 7, 1826, the corner- stone of the first building laid April 26th, and the first students, three in number, · began receiving instruction in temporary quarters at Talmadge in December, 1826, under a tutor pro tempore. The college opened at Hudson in the autumn of 1827. A preparatory department, indispensable at that time before the day of adequate public secondary schools, was organized at the same time, and a theologi- cal department was established in 1830. 2

A DENOMINATIONAL COLLEGE.

The college was established by the Presbyterian and Congregational churches. It looked to them for the subscriptions, gifts and bequests which alone made a continued existence possible. The fees of the students for tuition amounted to only ten dollars per term from each, and the total amount furnished less than one-tenth the funds necessary to carry the college through the first five years.3

The efforts made to gain state aid were futile. Church societies and especially the society for the Promotion of Collegiate and Theological Education at the west with headquarters at New York, soliciting gifts from the churches of the east to use in maintaining the church colleges in pioneer regions, were indefatigable in their aid. Several professorships in the theological department were endowed and some general permanent endowment provided, mainly by such gifts. A col- lege church distinct from the village church, and Presbyterian in its denomina- tional relations, was formed in 1831 and maintained until the removal to Cleve- land. The president was the pastor, and the instructors were invariably members. The trustees, president and professors united in efforts to bring the students therein. All students were required to attend the regular Sunday services at the college church. The professors were required to subscribe to a confession of faith as a religious test.4 The religious purposes underlying college edu- cation made itself felt in the student life of the college. The students of the freshman class and other students petitioned the trustees in 1833 that "the Bible and other Christian authors may be studied as classics instead of heathen au- thors." 5 With all the religious and denominational tendencies the college at Hudson never became in a legal sense the property of a particular denomination. No denominational restrictions entered into its charter, presumably because the founders did not think these necessary. The later sectarian colleges were held in loyalty to the denomination by rigid charter conditions quite in contrast with the laxness of the earlier relations of church and college.

The trustees of Western Reserve college gradually looked to a wider support than the denominational one of the foundation. Internal dissensions and finan- cial disasters combined to loosen the denominational bonds. The loss of endow- ments for the theological chairs and for strictly religious uses of the college re- leased it from legal obligations. The theological department with its endow-

2 Records of the Trustees, pp. II ff.

3 Records of the Trustees, p. 14; Haring, "Bulletins of Western Reserve University." Vol. 9, No. 3, p. 17.

4 Records of the Trustees, p. 90 and p. 577.

" Record of the Trustees, p. 50.

Courtesy of the College

CAMPUS OF ADELBERT COLLEGE SOON AFTER ITS REMOVAL TO CLEVELAND, 1850

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ments frittered away and its student body dispersed among other rival schools near by. It was abandoned in 1852.6. A one remaining endowment, that of the Oviatt professorship of sacred rhetoric, was, with the consent of the donor, trans- ferred to the collegiate department under the name of the Oviatt Professor- ship of Rhetoric. The suppression of the theological department cut the main cord in the Presbyterian and Congregational attachments. The establishment of more zealous denominational agencies at Oberlin and Woos- ter was an event of great significance. The mismanagement of finances at West- ern Reserve accomplished more to alienate the old supporters and force the trus- tees to turn to a larger constituency. The transformation into a strictly undenom- inational college took place so gradually, so unconsciously, that it has become diffi- cult to trace the steps. As late as June 24, 1879, the trustees invited the Cleve- land Presbyterian and the Puritan Conference of Congregational churches each to appoint a committee to attend the examinations of the college classes. The re- moval to Cleveland terminated the last vestiges of denominational attachment.

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS OF THE HUDSON PERIOD.

For more than half a century the little college struggled on in Hudson against all the odds that have beset pioneer colleges. Western Reserve college was a second Yale in all its interests and aspirations. The people of the Western Re- serve were largely Connecticut people. It was only natural that they should strive to realize the Connecticut college ideals. Yale had a small endowment. Within two years after laying the first corner stone, steps were taken to secure an endowment for the Western Reserve college, but little progress was possible be- cause the resources were constantly drained to meet a constantly accumulating debt. The first instructors were employed with an agreement to be paid "one-half in cash, one-half in stores, with a promise they should not seriously feel the em- barassments of our embarassments." 7 The maximum salary of a professor was at the time about seven hundred dollars, but most of them received far less, often contributing themselves from their own incomes to the necessities of the college.

College support came in the "store pay" of the times. Donations and the payments of subscriptions and the tuition fees were paid in land, in stone, in lumber, in labor, in books, in furniture, in corn, in hay, oxen and horses. Money was scarce and very little came directly into the college treasury. Mr. Coe, the soliciting agent, announced in one of his reports a total in subscriptions of twenty-three thousand, one hundred and forty dollars and seventy-five cents, but not enough of this was in cash to meet his expenses of two hundred dollars.8

The miscellaneous receipts were naturally hard to convert into the immediate needs of a young college. Such economic conditions pressed the college into business for itself. Donations in land brought on "College Farms." The prod- uce of these was sold to the college boarding house, to the professors, and sometimes to the general consumer. Farm products paid salaries and paid

6 Cutler, "A History of Western Reserve College," p. 51.

7 Haring, "Western Reserve Bulletin," Vol. 9, No. 3, p. 91.

8 Cutler, "History of Western Reserve College," p. 18; Haring, "Western Reserve Uni- versity Bulletin," pp. 5, ff.

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other obligations. The students found employment on the farms, enabling the sons of the poorest to rise a rung in the social scale. The "company store" served the same end. It took in the gifts and payments in kind and disposed of them at a profit, or it bought at wholesale such articles as muslins, linens, and silks, buttons, needles, and brooms, medicines, buggies and farm imple- ments to sell to the college community or to allow professors in lieu of cash. Inexperience and mismanagement more than balanced the profits made in the retail processes, but it was fortunate for the faculty that the college could make even "barter payments." A page from the treasurer's journal for April, 1844, is ample commentary on an interesting feature of other day college finances :

"Rec'd of August Adams, on subscription, 20 bu. potatoes, and sold to Prof. Day 41/2 bu., to Prof. St. John 432 bu., and to Prt. Pierce, 2 bu., and planted 9 bu. @ 25c."

"Rec'd of E. S. Warden $35.32 in lumber, to be cr. to his account."

"I purchased 2 calico dresses, for which paid $3.50, and gave them to Mrs. Ladd and Mrs. Williams for their services in getting up the Com. dinner, think- ing it right so to do."

"Rec'd of Henry Bugby a heifer @ $8.00, $6.59 to pay the bal. of interest due on his land contract, for which I have to-day given him a deed."

"Rec'd a yoke of 3-yr. old steers @ $25.00 to apply on contract of S. T. Griffin; also of Austin Ritter 2 heifers for $11.00; also of S. Stone a cow @ $12.00 and a heifer @ $6.00, and allowed him $2.00 for driving cattle."

Appeals like the following taken from the Ohio Observer for February, 1844, recalls an era of heroic self-sacrifice in the history of higher education in America :

"Only a few contributions have as yet been made. The professors received in money comparatively nothing from the treasury. Some of them have been living on their own resources which are now exhausted. They are enduring pri- vations or making great sacrifices to sustain the institution. But it cannot be expected they will do so long unless deliverance comes from some quarter."

A former treasurer of the university in a very interesting review of the finances of the early college, relates the experiences of President Pierce, who was president from 1834 to 1855. "His personal account for each of these twenty-one years shows an average of two hundred debit entries. In payment of a salary of nine hundred dollars per year, he is charged with all the items of produce and stores, already referred to, and in addition, is charged with the term bills of dozens of students, whom he in his own poverity, was moved to assist. He is charged with books and other articles which had been delivered to him in payment of donations, but which the college was unwilling to accept. On rare occasions he received payment in money. When he resigned his office, an adjustment of his account showed him to be the college's creditor for thou- sands of dollars, in addition to the three thousand dollars which was at that time voted to him, in recognition of his great services as financial agent. In part payment of this large balance, he finally accepted a deed for the 'Oviatt Farm.'" 10

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 69

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262