USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 21
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teachers, among whom I find the names of Henry Jackson, Mate Scourse, Professor Patterson, Horace Maynard, Martin French, Alfred Knight, Washington Friz- ell, James Rogers, T. J. Webb, O. C. Gor- man, Russell Allen, Kate Knight, Sarah Hamman, J. L. Wright and Warren An- derson.
When the pioneers of Elizabeth Town- ship felt the needs of education they erect- ed a log schoolhouse on the Christian Knoop farm near the Staunton line. Here John Enyeart presided and when not teaching he acted as justice of the peace and adjusted neighborhood quarrels. In 1812 John Schell taught on the Lost Creek crossing, when he was sober enough to do so. The school books used in Elizabeth Township were Webster's Speller, Dil- worth's Arithmetic, the Bible, and other books not so well known. In these rural schools elocution was always taught and as Friday was the day set apart for this exer- cise the scholars vied with one another in declamation. With the introduction of the famous MeGuffey series of readers the pu- pils found "pieces to speak" more to their liking, and "Bingen on the Rhine," "Casa- bianca," "Rienzi's Address to the Rom- ans," became standard favorites. Prizes were often given to the best declaimers and considerable rivalry prevailed among the rural "orators."
Bethel Township has always set a high mark in the conduct of her schools. As early as 1802, years before the county was organized, a little schoolhouse arose on the Rudy farm and two years later a man named Kehan taught in the township. These first schools were carried on by sub- scription after the manner of the times, but in 1830 Bethel was divided into six
school districts and the system of educa- tion became more pronounced. Later on the number of districts were increased. Township superintendency becoming nec- essary N. H. Albaugh was appointed su- perintendent in 1866, and in 1874 Hiram Brown was chosen to assist him. Mr. Brown was made superintendent two years later and under his supervision the schools of Bethel advanced to the foremost rank. Since that time they have become an edu- cational power in the county.
There is no record at hand giving a his- tory of the early schools of Staunton Township. It is safe to say that they were conducted in the line of adjacent schools, having the same complement of old-time teachers who looked after the growing mind on meager salaries and un- der many difficulties that beset the early highways of learning. When the first schools were established in Troy a number of the youth of Staunton attended, but later on the little schoolhouse came into existence east of the Miami and Staunton Township educated her youth in school- houses of her own. To-day each district is well governed in educational matters and the township can point with pride to efficient schools.
Within the last few years township su- pervision has been tried with good suc- cess. The supervisors are hired by the boards of education in the several town- ships and they visit and grade the county schools. Since the introduction of this system a marked improvement has been noticed in the schools. The supervisors, or superintendents, as they are sometimes called, receive on an average $45 a month. Some of them will superintend the schools of several townships. Singing is also
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taught in the schools in some special dis- tricts. Teachers of rural schools average $50 per month.
In addition to the common and high schools of the county, there are two pro- gressive parochial schools. These are in Troy and Piqua.
St. Patrick's Parochial school, of Troy, is under the superivison of Rev. Anthony J. Mentink, the resident pastor. It was founded in 1886, by Rev. F. H. Bene. The addition of the present auditorium, with extra class room, was made in 1906 and fills all requirements. To-day there are three Sisters of the Precious Blood in charge of fifty pupils. This school is noted for its efficiency and is ably conducted by those in charge.
The parochial school connected with St. Boniface Church, of Piqua, is under the charge of Rev. George P. Steinlage, pas- tor. Its attendance is good and it bas been brought to a high state of excellence. It is one of the recognized institutions of the city. The pastor is unremitting in his care of the school and the progress of the pupils is deserving of great praise. The St. Boniface Parochial School is one of the best of its kind in the state.
The teachers' examinations of Miami County are conducted by a board of ex- aminers appointed by the probate judge. Two examinations are held each month, and certificates are granted. This sys- tem has prevailed for years and has been found efficient and popular. The exam- iners are chosen from the ranks of the foremost educators of the county. The present ones are C. L. Bennett, Coving- ton; Charles H. Teach, Lena, and George Routzahn, of Staunton. Examinations are also held under the Boxwell law, which
permits graduates from the country grad- ed schools to enter the Troy and Piqua high schools, the expenses to be met by the several townships. On the whole, during the first century of their existence the pub- lie schools of Miami County have pro- gressed to an amazing extent. Instituted in the backwoods, while yet the fear of Indian invasion hung like the pall of doom over the sparse settlements, they labored under difficulties that would have discour- aged less worthy enterprises. From these pioneer schools came men and women who have proven the best citizens the county has produced, and to their lasting credit be it said that they left to their children the educational facilities which are en- joyed to-day. The county has taken no backward steps in the education of its youth. Its motto has ever been "For- ward!" and with its large number of school children well housed and well taught, its future is not doubtful. Thousands of dollars are annually appropriated for edu- cation, and new school buildings are being constantly erected for the accommodation of the pupils. Corporal punishment has practically disappeared from the schools. This relic of the old days has fallen into disrepute and Byron's stanzas are for- gotten :
"Oh, ye! who teach the youth of Nations, Holland, France, England, Germany or Spain, I pray ye flog them upon all occasions, It mends their morals, never mind the pain."
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE SCHOOLS OF BRADFORD. AND EARLY HISTORY.
(Prepared by Nate Iddings; read at dedication of the new building, Saturday, Dec. 12, 1908.)
In 1861. about the time the Rebellion broke out, the C., C. & I. C. Railway Company saw the necessity of making a connection between the first and second di- visions of their road at Richmond. Ind. Engineers were sent out to look up the best route, and they finally set- tled upon leaving the main track just east of Covington, called the Summit, being the highest point between Piqua and Covington. This line passed Covington on the
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south, and on through Franklin Township, Darke Coun- ty, to Arcanum, and then ou to Richmond. John Sewers, ef Covington, then a contractor, having built a part of the old road, and having considerable influence with the railroad men, took the surveyors in his carriage and brought them west te the Darke County line, and sug- gested that it would be a good place to leave the main line and go to Richmond by way of Greenville, and it is said that he parted with a gold watch, and that Brad- ford was then and there established. The survey was made and the read built.
From that time on until 1867, there was nothing here but a wooding station. Trains stopped here in the woods for fuel. William Stump, with a tread horse- power, did the sawing, trains would stop and a half hour was used by all the train men in filling up the tender with wood, and if any tramp or wayfarer desired to get a free ride, he only had to throw wood for a few minutes.
In 1868 the bargain previously made was cen- summated. Johu Sowers purchased the Hoover farm fer the company, and the Round House was built; a bex car was set off on the north side of the track and was used as a depot. John S. Moore was an early comer, with a grocery store, quickly followed by Nate Iddings. with a general store. Solomon Routsong purchased a farm and laid out his plat, Moses Wise followed with his additien, and Bradford was then placed on the map. The name was suggested by Charles W. Wrapp, and he in the village, and S. B. Christian in the country, can- vassed and had established a post-office, and Wrapp was the first postmaster. He carried the mail around in his hat and delivered te patrons, this being the first free delivery ef mail matter, perhaps, in the county.
The children then attended school in Miami County, in a little brick house located on L. A. Dve's farm east of town, and in Darke County at a log school house, on the same site as is now occupied by the brick, No. 2. These schools were taught by country teachers, whe had muscle-with plenty of beech limbs growing nearby. Bradford began to clamor for a school of her own. Perry Marlin, a farmer, was the director for this dis- trict in Newberry Township, and he wanted the town to get along with one room. Bradford wanted four, and they finally compromised on two rooms, which was the best that could be done at the time. The two rooms were built the next summer. They are still stand- ing and were converted into a dwelling house by Henry Klinger. The very first year they were found to be inadequate, and the old skating rink at the north end of town was rented, and two grades met in that building.
The Rev. Mr. Best was the first principal teacher. He was a very excellent gentleman, but lacked government. Before the holidays his pupils became so unruly that it was necessary for the Board to interfere. A new set of rules were established, and school opened the next week with no better success. Some of the larger boys walked into school with their skates on, and while he was trying to maintain order, one of the larger boys struck Mr. Best over the head with a skate. and left the frame hanging around his neck. This was too much for Mr. Best and he resigned his position.
Dr. Renner and his wife, both well educated teachers, were hired to finish the term. They were from Brook- ville, Montgomery County, and came well recommended. The second day after he was installed three boys came into school with their skates on their feet. Mr. Renner looked daggers at them, but they paid no attention to him. When they were called to recite they walked out
on the floor with their skates still on. The doctor did not say a word, but went te his desk, drew out a keen switch, and gave them each a complete thrashing, with- out any explanation, and sent them to their seats. The skates were quietly removed and business went on. In- side ef two weeks all was harmony. About all he had to de was to pull down his eyebrows-and he had plenty of them-look the boy in the face, and he would wilt in a moment. He was re-hired and held his pesition as leng as he desired, leaving it to take up the practice of medicine.
At that time the voting was done at Covington and Gettysburg. Nate Iddings and Frank Gulieh organized the voting precinets, and against a geed deal of oppo- sition from the two towns-Covington and Gettysburg- had the village incorporated, and established the special school district of Bradford, Miami and Darke Counties, Nate Iddings making several trips to Columbus for that purpose. At the first cleetion in the special dis- triet for members of the board, Dr. William Commons. l'homas Marlin, John O'Connors, Peter Smith, L. Van Trump, and Nate Iddings were elected.
At their first meeting they submitted a proposition to be voted upon to appropriate $25,000 for the pur- pose of building a new school house, which preposition was carried almost unanimously, and $25,000 in bonds were issued in denominations of $500 each and to bear S per cent interest. The first $15,000 were handled through the Stillwater Valley Bank, of Covington, Ohio, at a cost of $500. Eddings took the $10,000 at face value. It seemed to be an easy matter to get the money, but we could not build a house without a location. The little politicians had gotten up a strife between the north and south sides of town. All the churches had been located on the south side and they wanted to put the school house on a square below James Street, on what we call Oklahoma, near where Dan Evans resides. The Board was divided, three and three. After a long worry one of our men went over to the other side. Peter Smith moved out of town, and that left anether vacancy. A meeting was called to fill it, and Commens and Mar- lin left town to break a quorum. We watched Mr. Mar- lin's house until eleven o'clock at night, when he slipped in and went to bed. We waited outside until we were sure he had retired, when we knocked at the door and his wife let us in. We organized a meeting and elected a mau to suit us to fill the vacaney. The next day Dr. Commons returned and Marlin told him what had hap- pened. He went te Troy that morning and enjoined us from building the house on the north side of the first division railroad tracks. At this time my companions deserted me and took the other side, with Dr. Commons as leader. I alone favored the present site. The in- junction had not been dissolved, and there were grave doubts as te whether it would be sustained, and I had an equal opportunity to resort to the same line of tac- tics. I proposed to leave it to a vote of the people. This seemed to them fair. as they had the majority of the voters ou the south side. The election was adver- tised, and held on a Saturday afternoon between two and six o'relek, in July, 1875. There were thirteen saloons in the village and they were all seen (?) the day be- fore. We had carriages to haul our side to the polls. H. W. Smith cast his first vote that day, and the hustle that he put on has made him a winner ever since. Two hundred and thirty-eight votes were cast-137 for the present site and 101 against it, leaving a majority ef 36 votes.
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I tried to buy the whole park-about cight acres-but was cut down to about three acres by the balance of the board, they thinking we ought not to buy more ground than we actually needed. The house was built in 1876. George W. Mannix and Dennis Dwyer, of Greenville, were the contractors and builders.
We bought the ground of Moses Wise, and his son Samuel afterwards laid out the balance of the park in tonn lots. At that time the walk to the school lot was only six feet wide. The corporation owned the lot upon which the Drs. Minton now own and reside. I tried to get the council to keep it for corporation purposes, but it refused and built its council house on a little patch of ground on Church Street, back of Mrs. Shearer's lot. Dr. Minton contracted with the council for his lot, and I paid him $100 for ten feet on the south side, so as to make the walk sixteen feet wide. A new board after- wards returned to me the $100. The two rows of trees were planted by Daniel Seiders at my expense, and Dr. Minton had a vast amount of trouble in keeping the boys from swinging on them, for it seemed, even at that day, some of our citizens were opposed to having shade trees. They would not be there if he had not watched and protected them.
We prepared the plans and specifications for the building, and had a proviso that no extra should be charged without an agreement in writing with the board and signed by both parties. This precaution saved the district $2,500, which the contractors tried to collect. I had the honor of leading the honorable board to the spot and throwing out the first shovelful of dirt. Mr. O'Connors having moved in from the country, thought the first thing that had to be done was to clear the ground. His father, an old man, was living with him, and he sent him down for that purpose, and before I knew it, he had chopped down three of the finest trees on the lot.
You may travel Darke County over and you will in- variably find that every school lot is denuded of its trees. The house was built the summer of 1876 and D. S. Meyers was installed as the superintendent, with a corps of five or six other teachers, principally ladies. Mr. Meyers served as principal for several years; during the last one considerable opposition developed against him. The board was unable to hire and it was left to the commissioners of Darke County.
They, after postponing the hiring all summer, selected Mr. Myers. The opposition was so strong and deter- niined that the people refused to send their children to him, and they hired a special teacher and opened a school in an upstairs room in the Arnold Block. Mr. Myers graduated three pupils in the first class and had eleven in the junior class. The three first graduates were A. F. Little, Alice Stone Teeter, and Frank Sowers. A. F. Little Began the printing business in the garret at his father's residence on a press that cost one dollar and fifty cents. He married one of the graduates of the second class, and they have had three children to grad- uate, and he is now the honored mayor of the village. Alice Stone Teeter married and lived in the village many years, and died, leaving a husband and two bright chil- dren, who are following the example set by her. Frank Sowers married and removed to Winnemack, Indiana. where, after an honorable life of a few short years, he died, leaving a wife and three children.
D. W. K. Martin, now editor of the Versailles Policy, succeeded Myers as superintendent, and graduated
eleven, this being the junior class under Myers-six ladies and one gentleman. Martin was succeeded by Prof. Faul, who remained one year and was succeeded by Prof. P. E. Cromer, who had charge of the school for three years, and left to go into the practice of med- icine. Cromer was succeeded by Prof. H. L. Youut, who made an excellent superintendent, having good control of the school, more on the military plan than the others; he left the school after four years of work, for politics. He was deputy clerk of Darke County, school examiner, prosecuting attorney of the county for six years, and clected as the Democratic senator of the twelfth district of Ohio by a large majority, when the district had been represented by Republicans for several terms preceding.
Yount was followed by Professor Maier, an excellent gentleman, who governed the school by love for the pupils. 1Ie left to take the presidency of Bryn Mawr, a school for girls in Maryland. His course there was brilliant but was cut short by his untimely death. Maier was succeeded by Prof. Morriss, who handled the school successfully for several years, and left to take a better paying position with the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Morriss was succeeded by Prof. Chrowel, who needs no eulogy from me. His many kind acts and deeds are in- delibly engraved upon the minds and hearts of our peo- ple never to he effaced. Chrowel left to become cashier of the new National bank. He was succeeded by Rai- burn, who now has charge. All of these professors had graduating classes, to the number of more than two hun- dred members, who are scattered all over the country, doing well in their different pursuits of life. I have not the time to speak of them individually.
It was said in arguments during the recent campaign against the liquor traffic, that one boy out of every five, and one girl out of every eight, went to the bad. I am glad to say that rule does not apply to the graduates of the Bradford school. In all my searches I have not found a single one but what has an honorable occupa- tion, making an honest living, and a credit to the school. Of the members of the Board of Education at that time, Peter H. Smith removed to his farm north of Clay- ton, where he died a few years later. L. Van Trump was a physician, and practiced his profession until his deccase in 1901. John O'Connors removed to Green- ville, where he went into the business of carriage mak- ing, and now resides in Chicago. Thomas Martin is now a resident of Covington. Dr. Commons is a retired physi- cian living in Union City, Ind. He was very active in building, and especially in opposing the location of the school house on its present site. When I was appointed to write this sketch I tried to shift the matter on him, and received the following letter from him.
Union City, Ind., Dec. 7, 1905.
Mr. Nate Iddings,
Bradford, Ohio.
Dear Iddings-Your letter of the 6th inst. inviting me to the dedication of your new school house, and offer- ing ine one-half of your time, besides care, is thankfully received. I regret this very much, both from good will to you and because I believe that I could give your people some inside school house history, which would be new and interesting. Owing to injury received in bat- tle, I have become so disabled as to need the care of another person. This makes going from home. and es- pecially into miscellaneous company, inconvenient and unpleasant. My disability is altogether in my hands and arms, otherwise I am in excellent health. Thanking
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
you again for your invitation, and with best wishes to yourself and your people, I am respectfully,
WM. COMMONS.
The house that we built is a thing of the past. It an- swered its purpose well. The two hundred graduates that we sent out well pays for the efforts that we put forth in that direction.
I want to congratulate you all upon the beautiful structure that we now dedicate. It would be a credit to any city. The architect, Mr. Jackson, certainly deserves our praise for the plans, and Mr. Ray Zimmerman for the construction and workmanship; the board of educa- tion for the agreeable manner in which they have worked, all with perfect harmony. The vast crowd here as-
sembled shows the spirit of our people and the interest taken in the education of our children. The only part of my work left is the site for grounds. At the final round-up for the location, I was alone at the election; I had thirty-six majority. I was somewhat abused for the course I took, and I now want to leave it to a vote of this vast audience, whether I shall be sustained or not. All of you who are in favor of leaving it stand on the present site which I fought so hard for, please re- main in your seats and look pleasant. Now, if there is anyone who wishes to vote to the contrary, he will please stand on his head. The proposition is sustained unanimously.
NATE IDDINGS.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE PRESS: LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS, ETC.
Early News Conditions-Early Newspapers Destitute of Local News-Their Contents- Presses in Use-The Old Time Compositor-First Newspaper in Miami County, The Piqua Gazette-The Intelligencer-The Miami Reporter-Troy Times-The Miami Union-The Troy Sentinel-The Troy Democrat-The Daily Record-The Buckeye-The Enquirer and Piqua Journal-Miami County Democrat-The Hel- met-The Daily Call-The Piqua Leader-Despatch-The Miami Post-The Reflec- tor-The City Item-The Herald -- The Stillwater Valley Gazette-Greenville Ad- vocate-The Covington Gazette-The Covington Tribune-The West Milton Record -The West Milton Buckeye-Local Literature and Authors.
"The Press! all lands shall sing, The press, the press we bring All lands to bless, O pallid Want, O Labor stark! Behold, we bring the second ark, The press, the press, the press!"
Prior to 1820 no newspaper was printed in Miami County; mail facilities were poor; the mails were carried on horseback and by the time the few newspapers taken by the people reached their several des- tinations the news was stale. It took a month at least to get the latest news from Europe, and local items were then un- known. Cincinnati, Columbus, and a few eastern newspapers were about the only ones that entered the county. These were filled with the doings of Congress, the quarrels of the political parties, and for- eign affairs. Very few original communi- cations appeared in the newspapers of that day. Now and then some would-be philos- opher deseanted on some favorite hobby
to the extent of a column and more, and at the close left the reader as much in the dark as when he started. I have looked over the files of the old papers in the coun- ty during the first years of their exist- ence and found no local news of any kind. The comings and goings of the people were not mentioned. The daily then was not dreamed of, and it did not make its appearance until many years after.
The first newspapers were printed on the old hand press, the famous "Washing- ton," which is still to 'be found in some offices, especially in the South. Working this press required the strength of a giant and of course but one page of the paper could be printed at a time. There were few editorials those days; the editor, if such he may be called, used the seissors and the paste-pot and never troubled him- self about "leaders" and the like. It re-
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