Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 51

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1074

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Youngstown > Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th > Part 51

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Up to 1838 the studies above mentioned were the only ones pursued in the Youngs- town schools, and the schools throughout the county, outside of Youngstown were no more advanced. The Bible was often used as a reading book, in connection with Dillworth's or Webster's spelling book and Adam's arith- metic. There were usually two terms of school each year, the winter term of December, Jan- uary and February-and the summer term which lasted until harvest time. It was not unusual to see married people considerably older than the teacher, occupying the benches of the school house during the winter months, in this way making up to some extent for their meagre opportunities in early youth. In ad- dition to the payment of the regular school fees, the residents were obliged to contribute a certain portion of wood to be used for warm- ing the school house during the winter. Quill pens were used for writing, the only desk for this purpose being a long board attached in a slanting position to the wall, before which the scholars sat on rough log benches. For their books they had no support but their knees.

Among the early teachers of Milton town- ship were Peggy Stevens, Gain Robinson, Jo- seph Duer, Phoebe Canfield, and Billings O. Plympton, who afterwards became a famous Methodist preacher. For many years teach- ers in this township were paid by subscrip- tion, receiving during the summer terms from $4 to $5 per month and very often taking their pay in grain or orders on the neighboring

stores. On one occasion a teacher who was to be paid in grain ordered it to be taken by the farmers to J. Orr's distillery, and a few months afterward he carried his winter's wages home in liquid form in a barrel.

In Jackson township the public schools were few, and but little interest taken in edu- cation until 1840, when a new impulse moved the settlers. They divided the township in eight school districts with a fractional district in the southwest corner. They hired compe- tent teachers, secured a good attendance of scholars, and from that time until the present the citizens have felt a deep interest in the cause of education. An academy was erected at the center in 1859, and the efforts of those who erected it were crowned with fair success.

The first school in Coitsville township was taught by Jeremiah Breaden, in a log cabin on the farm of Joseph Beggs, a little distance west of center. The second school organized was in the Harris district in the northeast por- tion of the township. It was held in a cabin house erected for the purpose which was after- wards taken away, and a frame house built on its site. The new one was used for a number of years, and was finally burned about the time when the first laws for the regulation and support of common schools were enacted in Ohio. In that school the Bible was one of the most important school books used. Rev. William McGuffey, author of the popular and excellent series of school books entitled Mc- Guffey's Eclectic Readers, was born in Wash- ington, Pennsylvania, in 1797, and subse- quently became a resident of Coitsville. He probably did more for the cause of common school education than any other person of his day, his school books being used throughout many, if not all the states of the Union. His parents had emigrated to this country from Scotland and were old school Presbyterians. He was a graduate of Oxford College. Eng- land, and although licensed to preach the gos- pel, was never settled as a pastor over any con- gregation, but spent his life in promoting edu- cation. He presided at different times over several colleges in this state and in Virginia.

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He died at the residence of his daughter in Dayton, Ohio, in the sixty-seventh year of his age.

In Greene township the early settlers took a deep interest in education and when there were only eight families in the township, and but eighteen prospective pupils, and some of these living three miles apart, a school house was erected, and in the winter of 1818-1819 Roswell Bartlett taught the first school. In . the following winter the teacher was John Harrington, in 1821 William Harrington, and in 1822 W. Bartlett. The summer schools during these four years were taught by Rhoda Rice, Mary and Syrena Evans, and Charlotte Bascom. Good schools have always been maintained in the township.

EARLY YOUNGSTOWN SCHOOLS.

The first school house in the village of Youngstown, which was erected about 1805, or possibly a little earlier, was a one-story log building, containing one room which stood on the Public Square, on the spot where the Sol- diers' monument now stands. Perlee Brush, as has been already mentioned, was teaching this school in 1806, though it is not certainly known whether or not he was the first teacher. He was followed by James Noyes, whose de- scription has come down to us as "a tall, slim man from Connecticut." In 1818, Jabez P. Manning occupied the school house on the Diamond, and in the following year Fanny Roth, or Ross, taught school either in Youngs- town or just south of the village. Besides the school house on the Diamond there was one near the residence of Isaac Powers, a building that served both as a church and school house at Cornersburg, and another near Parkhurst Mills.

In 1820 Miss Phebe Wick taught the school on the Public Square; Miss Mary Case, afterwards Mrs. Benjamin Stevens, also taught in the village about this date.

THE ACADEMY.

In 1823 the second school house in Youngs- town, sometimes known as the academy, was

built in Youngstown village by A. R. Bissell, and paid for by subscription. It stood upon the present site of the Diamond Block, near the southwest corner of the square. It was taught about 1827 by a Mr. Robinson, who at the same time was studying for the Methodist ministry. Upon the introduction of the union schools system in 1851, this school building was sold to the Disciples congregation, who used it as a church until 1873, when it was moved over on East Federal street and occu- pied as a store. According to the best infor- mation at hand, Miss Phoebe Wick and Jabez. P. Manning were the principal teachers in Youngstown between 1820 and 1827.

STATE LAWS.

In a true sense the early schools were not public schools, and, as we have seen, were far from being free schools. Land grants were for many years not productive of any revenue, and school taxes were unknown before 1821, when an enabling law was enacted by the- legislature providing that the townships might be divided into independent districts by the trustees if authorized by the electors, and that each independent district might elect three directors, who were empowered to erect a school building, employ a teacher of whose qualifications they were the sole judges, and make assessments for expenses with the con- sent of two-thirds of the electors. This law, being permissive, was of little consequence, and was followed in 1825 by what is usually referred to as "the first school law of Ohio," and was mandatory in its provisions. This law made it the duty of the township trustees to lay off the respective townships into school districts, hold annual elections for school di- rectors in each district, and authorized them to build a school house and maintain a school. A penalty was imposed if they failed to em- ploy a teacher. The law also provided for a board of county examiners to examine teach- ers.

In 1837 a law was enacted creating the office of superintendent of common schools of Ohio, and elected Mr. Samuel Lewis as super-

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intendent at a salary of $500 per year. Mr. Lewis was a man of remarkable ability and had the

STATE THOROUGHLY ORGANIZED

at the end of his three years' of service, when he resigned. The reactionists then came into power, and so many laws were enacted and repealed that it is very difficult to determine what the exact condition was when the Akron Law of 1847 was enacted, providing for or- ganizing all the independent districts in the borough into a union school, with a board of six members with full authority to employ a superintendent and conduct graded and high schools, followed in 1849 by a general law providing for the organization of union schools in all towns with a population of 200 or over, similar to the union schools of Akron. It was under this law that the Youngstown Union Schools were organized. Youngstown had at that time a population of about 1,800, with a school enumeration between the ages of 5 years and 21 years of 530. There were three school buildings, the West Side, the Middle or Front street building, and a building situated on East Federal street. Additional rooms were rented.

THE FIRST MEETING.

"At a meeting held by the directors-elect -elected under the Act of Assembly of Febru- ary 21, 1849-for the borough of Youngs- town and the territory attached thereto for the school purposes-on the evening of the 3d of May, 1851, Dr. H. Manning was elected president of the Board of Education; William J. Edwards, secretary, and Wilson S. Thorn, treasurer of said board.

"Homer Hine was appointed school exam- iner for one year ; R. J. Powers was appointed for two years, and R. W. Taylor for three years.

"It was ordered by the board that the treasurer give bond and security for the faith- ful discharge of his duties to the amount of two thousand dollars."

With this auspicious beginning the union schools of Youngstown began their history with a board of education composed of Dr. Henry Manning, Theodotius Garlick, William J. Edwards, Wilson S. Thorn, Jesse Baldwin and A. D. Jones.

Mr. Samuel F. Cooper was employed as superintendent and teacher in the High School at a salary of $500 for forty weeks. Mrs. Cooper was employed as assistant teacher in the High School at a salary of $160 per year. Teachers in the primary and secondary schools were employed at $140 per year, each teacher in the primary, secondary and grammar schools to sweep her own room and build her own fire.

Mr. Cooper was elected superintendent July 9, 1851, and served until July 9, 1853. Mr. Cooper remained in the service of the board two years.

Mr. W. S. Gray, who was a Disciple min- ister, was in the employ of the board in the secondary schools at a salary of $300 per year. Mr. Gray enjoyed the reputation of being a clear, incisive teacher, was much interested in oratory and oral reading, and a profound be- liever in the virtue of the rod. If pupils were truant, Mr. Gray would assign work to his pupils and then act as truant officer.

The board met August 15, 1853, and "W. S. Thorn was appointed to visit Mr. McMillen and hire him for a sum not exceeding $500 per year, to superintend our schools," is the entire record of the proceedings of a meeting. Mr. McMillen resided at Canfield, where he was employed in a harness shop. On August 16 the board met and confirmed the action of Mr. Thorn, who drove to Canfield and closed a contract with Mr. McMillen to superintend the schools and teach the High School. Mrs. McMillen was employed as assistant teacher at the rate of $20 per month. Schools were to be open forty weeks of five days each, and teachers were expected "to spend a portion of each Saturday together for mutual improve- ment."

1853 marked an era in school legislation. By the law of 1849 town and city schools were reorganized, but township schools were still.

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managed in part by the township trustees, and by the directors of the independent dis- tricts. By the new law a township board of education was created, consisting of one repre- sentative chosen from the board of local di- rectors from each sub-district, with the re- sponsibilities divided between the two boards. A provision to maintain a free school library was included, with an annual levy of one-tenth of a mill for its support. This law was in effect until 1860, when reactionary legislation repealed this excellent law. By this law the best literature found its way into every school house in the state, and many of the books then distributed are yet to be found in city and vil- lage libraries.

The schools were supported by the various state funds and a local levy of two and one- fourth mills to four mills each year during the first twenty years of the union schools. If a deficit was encountered, pupils were assessed in the High School one dollar, in the grammar school seventy-five cents, and in the secondary and primary schools, fifty cents.

Mr. McMillen was engaged June 26, 1854, for $650 for the ensuing year. On July 13, 1855, the board proposed to employ Mr. Mc- Millen one year for $800, which he declined and Ephraim Miller was employed for $550 a year. The following year an effort was made to secure Mr. McMillen, but without effect. Mr. Charles H. Lathrop was employed at $600 per year "unless the board should become dis- satisfied with his management, in which case they are at liberty to discharge him." Mrs. Lathrop was made assistant at $200 per year.

During 1857 and 1858 Mr. A. B. Cornell was superintendent and was succeeded by Dwight Hubbard in 1859, and Mr. Hubbard by H. A. Hall in 1860. In 1861 Reuben Mc- Millen was elected at a salary of $1, 100.

In 1860 a union school building was erect- ed on Wood street, on the site of the present structure (then Coal street), at a cost not to exceed $6,500, the building to be three stories high and 76x50 feet.

The journal of the board shows that on June 16, 1862, an order was drawn for $326 in payment of "eleven weeks' salary for Mr.

McMillen, deducting $24, his share of keeping school house clean. He is engaged at the same meeting for one year at a salary of $1,100.

On May 4, 1866, a regulation was made requiring the schools to commence at 1 :30 in the afternoon and close at 4:30. At a meet- ing of the board on July Ioth of the same year, the board made its first agreement record- ed in the minutes, by which the public schools and Rayen school, which was opened in 1863, co-operated. By this arrangement the Rayen school was to assume the salary of the princi- pal of the High School, $1,000; assistant teacher of the High School, $500; one-half the salary of the superintendent, $750; salary of teacher for lower grades at Rayen school, $350, and janitor and incidental expenses amounting to $400, making a total of $3.000. It was arranged that a joint meeting of the two boards be held every three months.

In 1867 Superintendent McMillen again severed his connection with the schools of Youngstown, and Mr. P. T. Caldwell served until 1873, when Mr. McMillen's name ap- pears upon the pay roll again.

On June 8, 1871, the board closed the con- tract for the construction of

THE FRONT STREET SCHOOL.

The cost aggregated $22,186.96.

Ironclad rules were adopted for the man- agement of teachers and pupils. Early in the sixties, a teacher who was tardy three times in one term was to be discharged unless a good reason for tardiness was given to the board.

In 1867, on the return of a pupil who had been absent, the parent or guardian was re- quired to give excuse in person or writing, stating the cause of absence.

"In every case of the absence of a pupil for more than three half days in any four con- secutive weeks without a satisfactory excuse to the teacher, the absentee shall without excep- tion or favor, with the approval of the super- intendent, be suspended from school, and the facts immediately reported to the board or

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL, YOUNGSTOWN

CITY HALL AND JAIL, YOUNGSTOWN

WEST FEDERAL STREET, YOUNGSTOWN, LOOKING WEST

ST. COLUMBA'S SCHOOL AND URSULINE CONVENT, YOUNGSTOWN

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their chairman, and shall not be readmitted until the beginning of the next term, unless by a written order from the board."

Mason Evans elected clerk, March 23, 1876-79.

August 7, D. A. Wilson resigned as prin- cipal of Front street school, and on September 4 H. C. Muckley was employed to fill the vacancy.

RAYEN SCHOOL.

The Rayen school owes its existence to the farsighted beneficence of Judge William Rayen, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of early Youngstown, who, dying in 1854, set apart by will a residuary fund of over $31,000 to be vested in trustees, the interest of which was to be expended in establishing a school to be known as the Rayen school. By an act of incorporation passed in 1856, it was provided that five trustees should be appointed, one each year, each to serve five years. The appointments were to be made by the judge of the court of common pleas. The first board appointed in June, 1857, consisted of Jonathan Warner, Charles Howard, Charles E. Cook, James Mackey, and Robert W. Tay- lor. With the accrued interest a lot was pur- chased and the original building completed in 1866.

In the same year the trustees made a working agreement with the city Board of Ed- ucation under which the Rayen school became the High School for the city and township. This arrangement still continues, the board of trustees being organized under the Ohio state law governing endowed schools, and the property belonging to the township. The ground and school buildings now have an endowment of $60,000.

Prof. Edwin S. Gregory, who had had a previous experience of thirteen years as pro- fessor of Latin and principal of the prepara- tory department at the Western Reserve Col- lege, was elected principal, Miss Mary Emma Cutter being chosen as assistant teacher. His efficient administration gave Rayen a high standing, and he gained in a high degree the

love and respect of his pupils. He was suc- ceeded by Mr. Mitchell, who served one year. In 1879 Mr. M. S. Campbell, superintendent of schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, a thorough scholar and man of rare wisdom, became prin- cipal. He left in 1883 to become principal of the Central High School of Cleveland, Ohio. The next principal of Rayen was Mr. Hill. Mr. Jewett came in 1891 and served until the present principal, Prof. Wells L. Griswold, was elected in 1901. Prof. Griswold, who is a graduate of Oberlin College (class of 1894) was superintendent of schools in Collonwood, a thriving suburb of Cleveland, before coming to Youngstown. He has proved himself a very efficient and successful instructor and is a man of exceptional executive ability.

The school began with about forty schol- ars, and now (1907) has an enrollment of about 650. To meet the growing demands for more ample accommodations, the school was remodeled in 1881; but within fifteen years the facilities had again become inadequate and it was necessary again to enlarge the building. The contract for the erection of the addition now used as a study room, was let August 20, 1894, and in the following year the new build- ing was occupied.

In the classics and mathematics the course of study is practically the same now as it was thirty-five years ago; but the other depart- ments during the last ten years have been largely reconstructed. In 1901 a new chemical laboratory was fitted up. There is also a large physical science laboratory containing much valuable apparatus and recognized as one of the best in the United States. The manual training department introduced about 1896 is equipped with a large variety of tools, includ- ing wood and steel lathes. The work in Eng- lish is extended so as to include the study of leading English and American authors. The other languages taught are Latin, Greek, French and German. There is also a normal department, which includes the study of civics. psychology and the science of education, de- signed expressly to fit young ladies for teach- ing.

The school possesses a fine collection of

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pictures, most of which are gifts of classes ; others have come to the school through the liberality of citizens. The school emphasizes the college preparatory work, and its grad- uates have almost invariably made good rec- ords in college, especially in Harvard. Pro- vision has been made for athletic training. There are also two literary societies, the "Rayen," for boys, and the "Galaxy," for girls, which hold outside debates on current topics.

In the words of Prof. E. F. Miller : "With this evidence of success in its work, we may feel assured that the school is realizing the ideal of its noble founder, and, as in the past, so in the future, Rayen school will offer in- centives for all youth who enter her walls seeking knowledge."

FREE KINDERGARTENS.

The Free Kindergarten Association was organized in 1892, and incorporated three years later under the name of The Youngs- town Free Kindergarten and Day Nursery Association. It took this name because Mr. George D. Wick had given the association $1.000 to establish a day nursery. Conditions seemed to demand such an institution, and it was carried on for four years, when not enough mothers taking advantage of it, it was given up

The first kindergarten was located at the · corner of Basin and Boardman streets, in the office of the old stamping works in the midst of the foreign element. But four of the forty children could speak English. It was con- ducted by Miss Mary S. Morgan, who had come direct from the Chicago Free Kinder- garten Association training class and had pre- sented the need of such work to the people of Youngstown. The first officers were: Miss Emilie Bonnell, president ; Mrs. A. M. Clark, Mrs. George Fordyce, Miss Balch, vice-pres- idents; Miss Louise Edwards, secretary and treasurer.

The institution owes much to Mr. John .C. Wick for his encouragement and financial

aid during those first years. He is still the largest individual contributor.

At Thanksgiving time the kindergarten was transferred to a better home on E. Fed- eral street. After several changes of location, the Hugh B. Wick heirs donated the use of their old homestead at Front and Market streets and it remained there seven years. By this time the kindergarten ideas had been so well rooted that the work had grown and spread so that there were several other kinder- gartens in various parts of the city.

One had been opened in the old City Mis- sion by Mrs. William Bonnell and Mrs. Ara- bella Ford, who undertook to raise funds for its support. This has now come under the di- rection of the association and has been trans- ferred to Brier Hill. Through the interest of Mrs. E. L. Ford, Mr. Ford induced The Youngstown Steel Company and The Brier Hill Iron & Coal Company to maintain it for the children of their employees. They have built a substantial little home for it resembling somewhat a Swiss chalet. It is the first cor- poration kindergarten in the city.

The next kindergarten was opened by the managers of Christ Mission, who still continue it and have added another at Westlake's cross- ing. This was followed by one at Haselton which was soon adopted by the association and named the Anna P. Haseltine Kindergarten in memory of Miss Haseltine whose mother donated the lease of a lot for a kindergarten building.

The latest kindergarten to be added to the association is the Harriet and Leslie Bruce supported almost entirely by Mrs. Bruce. It is located in the Valley Mill district. The rent and fuel are donated by the Republic Iron & Steel Company.

LUCRETIA K. BALDWIN MEMORIAL KINDER- GARTEN.

After ten years of struggle in the original kindergarten with dark rooms and crowded quarters, the principal made a strong plea for a central building for kindergarten purposes.

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The work had proven its worth. It needed a building which could be used as the center of kindergarten interests. The training class, the board meetings as well as lectures, could be held in it. Other lines of work could be car- ried on for older children, such as sewing and cooking classes, manual training and garden work, also free baths and a summer play ground.

These needs were set forth at a meeting of the Board of Trustees. It was decided to un- dertake the raising of a building fund of $10,- 000.00. So generously did people respond to the earnest women who undertook it that $12,- 000.00 was raised in about four months.

They sent out a printed appeal through the daily papers, one of which found its way across the ocean to Mr. and Mrs. William H. Baldwin, who were traveling in Turkey. The latter gave up their planned trip in the Orient and returned to offer the association a kinder- garten building in memory of Mr. Baldwin's mother, Mrs. Lucretia K. Baldwin, who was a daughter of Dr. Henry Manning, and who lived in Youngstown for seventy years after her birth here on October 5, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin felt that in no better way could they honor her memory than by the erection of a suitable building as headquarters for the work of the association.

The Grute lot, upon which the building now stands, offered the most suitable location, and was obtained at an expense of $20,000, of which the association paid half. Ground was broken for the building March 18, 1903, by the kindergartners and children, who marched in a body to the new lot. The contractor marked out the main entrance, handed them a new pick and shovel, and they dug the great doorway line with happy, hearts. The corner stone was laid on Froebel's birthday, April 21, by Imogen Baldwin, the little granddaughter of Mrs. Baldwin. On November 25th of the same year, the building, which had cost $28,- 000, was transferred to the association by Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin, with appropriate ceremo- nies. It is a handsome two-story structure, seventy-two by sixty-one feet, of light brick, with stone trimmings. The big sunny room

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 51

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1074

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1074