USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 53
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Adams township was the first township in the county to have complete consolidation. Its new building was occupied in 1911. This school has ever since been an inspiration to citizens of various parts of the state to give the boys and girls of their respective communities better educational advantages.
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Concord township came next with complete centralization in 1914. Thus sentiment has grown until at the present time in this county more than one thousand three hundred children are riding to school in seventy-one wagons at the average daily expense of eleven and one-half cents per pupil. This number will be considerably increased during the coming school year, when there will be but fifteen one-room school houses left operating in Champaign county.
During the last few years, there has been almost as much sentiment in favor of giving the boys and girls in the smaller villages and rural com- munities good educational opportunities as there is in the cities. Why should the boy on the farm be expected to obtain an education under adverse con- ditions? Is he constituted any differently from the city boy ?
Beginning with the erection of the thirty-thousand-dollar ten-room build- ing at Rosewood in 1911, with its auditorium seating four hundred people. and rooms in the basement for manual training and domestic science now in full use, other communities began to feel that their boys and girls were as meritorious of the best educational advantages as are those in Adams town- ship.
In 1914 Concord township erected a twenty-five-thousand-dollar build- ing which is somewhat smaller than the one at Rosewood, having eight rooms and an auditorium with a seating capacity of two hundred and seventy-five. Soon Salem issued bonds for thirty-five thousand dollars with which to build a new high-school building having the largest auditorium in the county. seat- ing seven hundred people. In the northern part of the township is a splen- did grade building, thus completely consolidating the schools at Kennard, Couchmans and Kings Creek.
Woodstock, which includes the south part of Rush township, voted twenty-seven thousand dollars to take care of the youth of that district and the new building has been occupied since the holidays of 1915. Next to fall in line with the centralization movement was North Lewisburg and the northern part of Rush township. Expending approximately forty-five thou- sand dollars, they erected a new high school building, containing one of the finest auditoriums in the county, and a large gymnasium under the audi- torium. In 1916, the Mingo school district voted thirty thousand dollars worth of bonds to erect and equip a thoroughly modern building which repre- sents the latest designs of present-day architects.
Next to feel the influence of the consolidating movement was the Wayne- Cable district where twenty thousand dollars was voted to erect a new high school building and auditorium; which, with the present fifteen-thousand-
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dollar comparatively new building, is a tribute to the civic pride of the entire community.
Mad River township, with a vote of thirty-three thousand dollars, has completely consolidated her schools at Terre Haute in one of the finest little buildings in the county ; it has an auditorium seating three hundred, four class rooms and manual training and domestic science departments.
The citizens of Urbana township were not to be behind the times with respect to education, and in the spring of 1916 voted to construct a thirty thousand dollar school building in the center of the township and establish a first-grade high school. The building is much like the other centralized school buildings of the county in point of architecture and modern improve- ments.
The latest consolidated school building is in the course of construction in Jackson township. The building which will cost approximately thirty thousand dollars, is to be modern in every detail; it will be ready for occu- pancy the first of September, 1917.
The largest and finest of all the consolidated schools of the county, that of the Johnson-St. Paris school district, is yet to be built. This district includes an area of twenty-one miles square. The building is to be built on the north side of east Main street, in the Patdorf addition, St. Paris. The cost of the structure will be about seventy-five thousand dollars.
If the location of a site for the erection of a centralized school can ever be amicably agreed upon, Harrison township will have advantages similar to those of the rest of the townships and rural communities. Already eighteen thousand dollars has been voted for that purpose.
When the buildings now under construction and contemplation are com- pleted. Champaign county will have expended approximately three hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars within a period of six years for school build- ings. This is a record which doubtless cannot be equalled in the state, and one which serves as a criterion of the thrift and progress of the county in general.
As conditions now exist, there are twelve schools outside of Urbana doing high school work. Seven of this number are of the first class, and five of the second. In these centralized schools, thirteen special teachers are employed, five of whom teach music; two, drawing; three, home economics, and three, manual training. Today there are nine school districts wholly centralized : four partly so, and only one where there is no centralization.
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MODERNIZATION OF THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY SCHOOLS.
It is to be deplored that so many counties in the United States have among their citizens so many reactionaries whose chief function seems to be to turn back the hands of the clock of progress, whether the projected improvement is better roads, better agriculture, or better schools-yes, schools, the hope of democracy which has been conjured up in our country by the magic wand of Columbia for the safety of the state in the years to come. Since reactionaries are with us, cognizance must be taken of their presence, for too often it is sadly true they are persons of influence and wealth who have strong followings. We could compare these men with the Chinese, the classical examples of reaction, but even the Chinese are now feeling the vigor of progress in their veins.
It may be that the reason expenditures for education meet with resist- ance is because its results are too abstract for measurement with the yard stick, the peck measure, or in dollars and cents. Too often farmers expend large sums for improving a breed of hogs, cattle or horses, while they allow their boys and girls, like Topsy, "to jes' grow." But the signs of the times bear great promise, for people are becoming more concerned about raising "a better crop of boys and girls," and one direction taken by this movement is the expenditure for modern sanitary school buildings, especially in the rural districts and in small villages. Why should the boy or girl on the farm be compelled to acquire his education under conditions more unpromising than those under which children of the city receive theirs?
Champaign county is indeed fortunate in having citizens who are wide- awake to this movement for better boys and girls, and the looseness of their purse-strings, whenever educational improvements demand expenditures, augurs well for the future of the children of Champaign county. They believe that an investment in better boys and girls yields great dividends, even though they cannot be measured readily in dollars and cents. These dividends, however, are paid in various ways, for better school facilities make better farmers, better business and professional men, better housekeepers and better mothers. The magic touch of education is the "open sesame" to the fabulously rich accumulation of culture and social efficiency which has been stored up through all the ages of the past. If one has no children, the expenditure he makes for the education of his neighbor's children adds to the sum total of social welfare and in the long run he is also benefited.
Educational advancement in Champaign county has been turned toward
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centralization, and the elimination of one-room school buildings. Not only does this system afford the children better educational facilities, but it also is efficient and economical. Since fewer teachers are needed, more money can be turned to the employment of better-trained teachers and the acquisition of better equipment. Think of the outlay necessary to give the children in every one-room building in a county the benefit of a well-equipped manual training shop and domestic science kitchen. There is a natural cause for consolidation in Champaign county. Obviously there has been a movement of the rural population to the urban centers. Then again, there are fewer children in the county than there were forty years ago.
Centralization began in the county about twenty years ago in Salem township when the Deibert school was transported to Kings Creek. In 1911 Adams township made the first great step toward complete consolidation when it opened up its new thirty-thousand-dollar modern school building at Rosewood. Soon centralization grew apace in the other townships until now Champaign county has one of the most completely centralized school systems in the state, in 1917 there being only seventeen one-room school buildings left in the county.
These improvements have not been brought about without a great out- lay on the part of the citzens of the county, for the towns and townships have spent $403.500 for new school buildings in the past six years since Rosewood erected its centralized school, the first of its kind in this section of the state. During these six years twelve bond issues have been made by the towns and townships of the county for this purpose: Adams township, $30,000; Con- cord township, $25,000; Harrison township, $18,500; St. Paris and Johnson township, $75,000; Mad River township, $33,000; Mingo, $30,000; North Lewisburg, $35,000; Salem township, $35,000; Union township, $10,000; Cable, $20,000; Woodstock, $27,000; Urbana township, $35,000. Eighteen hundred school children of the county ride to school in eighty-five wagons, at an average daily cost of eleven and one-half cents a pupil.
This movement promises well for the future of the Champaign county schools, since they are well started toward the goal set up by present-day educators. The test of time will show the efficiency of the system. When it is realized that now only a small per cent of the whole number of children ever see high school, and of these a large per cent never finish, we see that a school system must be devised which will more widely minister to the needs of boys and girls. After the process of modernization is completed in the county school system, it can then more fully open the eyes of the child to the golden opportunities for service which await him on his native soil. As
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these boys and girls mature under the efficient tutelage of the new schools, they will acquire the perspective which will enable them the better to assume the responsibilities of citizenship.
SOME SCHOOL STATISTICS.
In presenting the status of the schools of Champaign county today the historian is compelled to rely to a great extent upon statistics which, with the co-operation of the county superintendent, have been taken from his reports of June, 1917. These facts go to show that few counties in the state hav- ing the population and wealth of Champaign, are able to present statistics which compare favorably with those of this county. A glance at the school valuations of the county proves that there are hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in school property. Grouped by townships, school districts and villages, the valuations are given as follows: Adams township, $33,850; Concord township, $31.385; Harrison township, $3,000; Jackson township, $12,000; Johnson township, $8,000; Mad River township. $58,000; Mingo, $43.300; Salem township, $90,000: Union, $15,000; Urbana township, $33,930: Wayne township, $32,075. Villages, Christiansburg, $16,500; Mechanicsburg, $55,000; North Lewisburg, $75,275; St. Paris, $24,000; Woodstock, $67,900. The school libraries are valued at $6,205.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
At the close of the school year, 1916-17, there were fifty-one elementary schools in the county. By law, elementary schools are grouped into five different classes, namely : Ungraded, second grade rural, first grade rural, second grade consolidated, and first grade consolidated. Of the ungraded group, Concord township has one; Harrison, five; Jackson, six : Johnson, six ; Mad River. two; Mingo, one; Salem, three; Union, ten; Urbana, seven; Wayne, one; and in the villages, Christiansburg has one: Mechanicsburg, five: St. Paris, one; and Woodstock, one. Adams township has the only first-grade consolidated school. Schools of the first and second grade rural, and the second-grade consolidated groups are not represented in any town- ship or village.
RELATING TO TEACHERS.
The following table shows the number of teachers who have taught in their present positions for the indicated number of years :
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Over
I Yr.
2 Yrs.
3 Yrs.
4 Yrs.
5 Yrs.
5 Yrs.
Elementary
48
26
II
5
5
8
High School
18
10
5
2
-
4
-
-
-
-
Total
66
36
16
7
5
12
The following table indicates the teaching experience of the teachers who taught in Champaign county in 1916-17:
Over
I Yr.
2 Yrs.
3 Yrs.
4 Yrs. 5 Yrs.
5 Yrs.
Elementary
28
24
8
6
9
38
High School
10
2
4
--
-
-
-
-
Total
38
26
12
6
9
54
The academic and professional training of the teachers who taught in the public schools of the county during 1916-17 is shown in the following table :
University or College
Normal.
Non-Graduates.
Graduatex,
Non-Graduates.
Graduates.
High School
7
23
5 67
. .
Elementary
8
I
6
Normal Training. Non-Grad- Grad-
High School.
Common School.
untex.
uates.
1 yr.
2 yrs 3 yrs.
grad.
only.
High School
2
--
--
-
--
Elementary
I
7
I
5
12
91
7
What a striking difference we see when we contrast the academic and pro- fessional training of the teacher of today with that of the one of a half cen- tury ago. Then the requirements were few; he had to be able to read and write, add and subtract, and to wield the hickory withe. Today the pros- pective teacher must be a graduate of a first-class high school and have the required amount of normal training before entering the profession.
In the elementary schools there are six teachers who hold state life license ( four professional and two, provisional) : twenty-seven, three years; fifteen, two years ; fifty-nine, one year. In the high school work, five teachers hold state life license (five professional and eleven provisional) : eight, three years; four, two years ; four, one year. Of the thirteen special teachers in the schools, five hold three-year licenses, and one a one-year license.
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URBANA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Very little of the history of the early schools of the Urbana schools is recorded and those living when education was taking root have passed away, leaving but few traditions with the oldest citizen. The schools of this city passed through the stages of subscription schools-half subscription, half public schools-until the year 1838, when a state law made the ways and means of education much easier for local authorities.
The first building used for school purposes in Urbana was the Pearce log cabin, erected on a knoll about forty rods east of east Lawn avenue on Scioto street. The building was erected originally by Thomas Pearce as a residence in 1804, but when the necessity of a place for holding school became imminent, the structure was transformed into a school house.
According to tradition, a subscription school was started near the inter- section of Kenton and Water streets in a house rented by a man named Rowen or Rouen, as early as 1810; and in 1812 or 1813 a similar school for older children was opened on Water street near its intersection with Locust street. The instruction was of the most elementary character. Children were taught to read, spell and write and, in some cases, cipher. The text books con- sisted of a Webster's spelling book, New Testament, and the Western Calcu- lator. The illustrations were for the most part made on smooth clapboards by means of charcoal or keel. Later. a poor grade of yellowish-white or greenish-white paper of foolscap size was employed in copying forms, pro- verbs and verses.
SUBSCRIPTION SCHOOLS.
The history of the Urbana public schools would not be complete without a detailed account of the subscription schools which played a most important part in laying the foundation for future educational development. The pioneers from the Fast had many peculiar ideas concerning education. Many wished their children educated in co-educational schools; others did not. These circumstances led to the establishment of an academy for boys and one for girls, and later, private schools for both. To provide a suitable place for the girls' academy, a building was erected on the corner of Church and Wal- nut streets. In order that the girls might be taught and instructed according to the standards of the East, two sisters who were highly educated for the day were secured from Washington, D. C., to instruct the young girls of the village. But for reasons unknown to the present generation the school was
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not a success and passed out of existence with much less notice than attended its coming.
While this school was for the time by far the best known school, there were others conducted by local teachers. Among a few of the early pioneer teachers of the subscription schools were Peter Oliver and William Stephens, who taught in a log house on East Scioto street, Henry Drake, Nathaniel Pincard, and John C. Pearson, the latter of whom was clerk of the court for many years. Other teachers included a man of the name of Thompson, who taught a little school on Walnut street, and Lemuel Weaver, who conducted a more or less private school between Water and Reynolds streets. About 1825 two teachers, whose names were Baldwin and Whitney, formed a part- nership and conducted a school that was excellent for the time. During the early twenties, an Irishman named Bell taught in a log cabin on Miami street. He was very eccentric, very strict with respect to discipline, and at times very free in using the rod. But with all of his faults, Bell succeeded in laying the foundation for a good school. In the course of time he gave up the teach- ing profession and was succeeded by a man named Haines, who taught in a frame building on Scioto street. In some unknown manner the latter incurred the ill-will of a few of the leading citizens of the village, and, rather than remain under such circumstances, he fled to Mississippi.
Two men, King and Britton, took up the school work after the departure of Bell, and taught school in a log hut where the Grace Methodist church stands today. Jonathan Chaplin came into the village about 1828, and, being a man of more than average education, was induced to teach a school. In accordance with the numerous requests, he secured a little house near the creek on West Market street. He was later a teacher in the old academy buikling. Among other teachers contemporary with Chaplin, who conducted school in different parts of the village, were James McBeth, Hamilton Davis, a man named Murray, Newton Heylen, Amanda Fish, Mrs. Shaw and A. M. Bolton.
OTHER TEACHERS OF AN EARLY DAY.
One of the most popular teachers of the early days was Harvey Marsh who conducted a school on West Market street and later in the Mosgrove prop- erty of Main street. He followed the teaching profession for only two or three years and then became one of the leading merchants of the village. Con- temporary with Marsh in the teaching profession was Edward Taylor, who, although not a success as a teacher, did a great deal toward building up the schools. He taught here only a few years and then moved to Cincinnati.
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John Sample, who was an average scholar and diligent student of botany, came about 1833. It was his intention to write a history of the flora of Champaign county, but the work was given up on account of ill health. Sample taught in the old academy, as also did another man who came about a year after the latter made competition so keen for Sample that he left. This man was W. F. Cowles. a Yankee, and the teacher who first introduced the blackboard into the schools. The year after he came here he advocated a manual-labor school for the boys. in which they were to study half the day and cultivate a plot of ground the other half. The farm selected for the experiment belonged to John W. Hitt, and was located just north of town. The idea, while in a sense a good one, was so far in advance of the times that it never amounted to much.
After the departure of Cowles. Ben F. Ogden, a well educated man, became a teacher on the ground floor in the academy. As a student he had few superiors, but as an organizer and a disciplinarian he was a failure. His success lay in his rare magnetic personality and in his influence over his pupils. Among the first female teachers in the village were Mrs. Shaw and Amanda Fish. Other teachers besides those already mentioned were: A man by the name of Irwin who, according to tradition, was the first Latin teacher in Urbana; Harry Marsh and John Ogden, the latter a teacher in 1842-43.
ORGANIZATION OF FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Legislature approved an act, February 21, 1849, which furnished the basis for the first system of free public schools.
Pursuant to this act the electors of school district No. 7, Urbana township, Champaign county, Ohio, convened at the court house on Saturday, April 28, 1849, at 1 o'clock P. M. L. G. Parker, one of the electors, produced the following notice :
SCHOOL NOTICE.
The qualified electors of School District No. 7 In Urbana township ( which district Includes the town of Urbana) are hereby requested to assemble at the court house in Urbana. Saturday, the 28th day of April. 1849, at one o'clock P. M .. there and then to vote by ballot for or against an act entitled "For the better organization of the Public Schools in cities and townships," passed by the General Assembly of Ohio at the last session thereof.
Urbana. O., April 14th, 1849.
(Signed ) A. R. Colwell, Joseph Vaure, Joseph Saxton, John H. Young. J. H. Patrick, 8. V. Baldwin, Samuel H. Robinson, David Gwynne, William F. Senter. J. B. MeGown. M. MeComsey, E. Sheldon. John McCord (and thirteen other frecholders of said district ).
Sworn to before N. Rhodes, J. P.
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Whereupon the electors chose and appointed L. G. Parker chairman, Jacob Skeen assistant chairman and Ichabod Corwin clerk, who were each sworn to fairly and honestly conduct the election and the polls were then declared open. Whereupon the following persons, each having the qualifi- cations of an elector of said district No. 7, presented themselves and depos- ited their ballots, to-wit: A. R. Colwell, James R. Coulter, William Ham- ilton, F. M. Wright, S. P. Castle, D. W. Littlefield, Jacob Skeen, Uriah Goble, W. Carothers, Isaac Johnson, E. Sheldon, Jacob Minturn, W. W. Henderson, James Taylor, M. McComsey, R. R. Cowell, Samuel Funk, H. Shimp, W. H. Baxter, W. Chatfield, W. T. Busser, L. L. Marsh, Thomas Lackey, R. F. Henkle, F. W. Slater, Roland Harvey, John Poffenbarger, Oliver Collins, L. H. Barchus, R. McNemar, Barney McDargh, J. H. Pat- rick, Frazier Funk, M. C. May, Alexander Stuart, H. B. Stayman, L. G. Parker, Ichabod Corwin, W. W. Helmick, George Collins, James Tucker, William Ward, E. Stuart, D. C. Jameson, Samuel C. Ward, Nelson Rhodes, Joseph McComsey, M. B. Corwin, Daniel Stafford, Samuel V. Baldwin, Joshua Saxton, Charles Flago, A. F. Reed, John H. Young, Smith Updike, Joseph B. Prettyman, Samuel Light, S. Stafford, Robert Given, S. H. Rob- inson and Josiah G. Talbott. Out of a total of sixty-one votes, sixty were for the adoption of the measure favorable to free public schools, one against.
Following this notice came one calling for an election on May 12, 1849, of six directors under the new law. Forty-two electors answered the call and chose for the first school board the following: S. V. Baldwin, David Gwynne, J. H. Patrick, John H. Young, F. M. Wright and Decatur Tal- bott. The board held their first meeting May 17, 1849, and were sworn into office by N. Rhodes whereupon they organized pursuant to the law. S. V. Baldwin was elected president; David Gwynne, treasurer; Decatur Talbott, secretary.
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