History of Cincinnati, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 53

Author: Ford, Henry A., comp; Ford, Kate B., joint comp
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, O., L.A. Williams & co.
Number of Pages: 666

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Superintendent Hancock, one of Mr. Rickoff's succes- sors, says of the administration of the pioneer superin- tendent :

He, by his display of organizing and general executive power, at once placed himself in the front rank of educators. Under his admin- istration was introduced that thorough grading of schools which has been productive of such excellent results, and has been followed more or less closely by all the cities. and towns of the State. He was also the first to make a general use of written examinations for ascer- taining the comparative value of the work done in the several schools of an educational system. . At an early period of Mr. Rickoff's administration in Cincinnati, the principals of schools were relieved of the charge of a room of pupils, and were put at supervisory work, under such a rule that they were required, in all except some of the smaller schools, to give their whole time to it.

Mr. Rickoff was succeeded for a single year by Mr. Isaac J. Allen, and he by Professor Lyman Harding, who had been long and favorably known in the work of academic education in the city. He was superintend- ent from 1861 to 1867. His successor was John Han- cock, Ph. D., one of the very foremost men in educational work in the country. Dr. Hancock was superintendent of the Cincinnati schools for seven years. He is a reformer in education, with conservative tendencies, no novel schemes and methods of education shaking his regard for solid attainments as the essential thing in any system of education. Here he promoted the establishment of the city normal school, and placed the special teaching of penmanship and drawing on an enduring and system- atic basis. The course in object lessons, as now incor-

porated in the course of study, was adopted during his term; and, in the higher ranges of study, a constant pressure was kept up in the direction of "the humani- ties." It was a notable era for the city schools. Dr. Han- cock has since been superintendent of the schools of Dayton, Ohio, a member of the State board of examiners, and president of the National educational association for one year. No voice from Ohio is heard with more respect and honor throughout the country, in the discussion of educational topics, than his.

John B. Peaslee, the present incumbent of the super- intendency, is a native of Plaistow, New Hampshire, born September 3, 1842. His father was a graduate of Dartmouth college, a member of some distinction in the State legislature, and also prominent in the convention which formed the State constitution. His mother, whose maiden name was Harriet A. Willits, was of a famous Quaker family, and a graduate of the New York City public schools. On both sides he is thus of cultured an- cestry, and to his home training, mainly, he owes a very thorough preparation for the higher education. This he took in the academy at Gilmanton and the college at Dartmouth, graduating from the latter in 1863. Upon the recommendation of President Lord, of that institu- tion, he was appointed, the same year, to the principal- ship of the grammar school at Columbus, in this State, in which he served so ably as to secure promotion the next year as first assistant of the third district school in Cincinnati, from which, three years afterwards, he was advanced to the post of principal of the fifth district school. Serving two years in this capacity, he was then passed to the principalship of the second intermediate school; and finally, in 1874, being then but in his thirty- second year, he succeeded Mr. Hancock as city superin- tendent of public schools, to which post he has since been regularly re-elected.

Already, while only a first assistant, Mr. Peaslee had begun the introduction of the neat and accurate slate work, which, as fully developed under his superintend- ency, has done much to make the Cincinnati schools famous, and as carried over to the preparation of books of examination papers, attracted very marked attention at the expositions of the world's industry where they were shown. Some other features of his reformatory work have been already exhibited in these pages-as the memorizing and recitation of gems of literature, a new method in elementary arithmetic, and the commemora- tion of the birthdays of celebrated authors, of which he is unmistakably the originator. The first and last, par- ticularly the last, have been widely copied, and Superin- - tendent Peaslee is often called upon to explain his methods to bodies of educators, near and remote. He is now in the prime of his powers, and doing daily a sur- prising amount of work.

With all his busy activities he found time to study law, and was admitted to the Hamilton county bar in 1865. For some years he was president of the State board of examiners. In the summer of 1880 he received the honorary degree of doctor of philosophy from one of the Ohio universities.

197

HISTORY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

THE PRESIDENTS

of the board of education since its regular organization have been: Peyton S. Symmes, 1833-8; Elam P. Lang- don, 1839-41; Edward D. Mansfield (acting), 1842; James H. Perkins, 1843 ; Joseph Ray, 1843-6; William Hooper, 1847-8; Bellamy Storer, 1848-52; Rufus King; 1853-65; Andrew J. Rickoff, 1865-6; Samuel S. Fisher, 1866-8; Francis Ferry, 1868-9 and 1870-1; Henry L. Wehmer, 1869-70; Jabez M. Waters, 1871-2 ; L. W. Goss, 1872-5 ; W. J. O'Neil, 1875-7 ; Alexander C. Sands, 1877- 8; William H. Mussey, 1878-80; J. W. Underhill, 1880.

STATISTICS.

The following comparative statement exhibits, in part, the remarkable growth of the public school interests in the city, and the increase of expense from year to year during the middle period of the history of Cin- cinnati: In 1826, there were collected for school pur- poses, $1,578.69; in 1827, $1,846. 15; 1828, $1,869.35; 1830, $11,263. II (almost exactly as much as for all other purposes in the city that year); 1831, $12,661.29; 1832, $16,127.46; 1833, $16,466.93; 1834, $16,401.80; 1835, $19, 166.38; 1836, $21, 137.73; 1837, $21, 137.73; 1838, $26,917,73; 1839, $19,686.77; 1840, $18,497.20; 1841, $15, 107. 13; 1842, $20,965. 15; 1843, $20,965.15; 1844, $20,835.84, 1845, $20,602.626

The following table shows the number of teachers em- ployed, and the amount annually paid for their services, from the opening of the common schools in Cincinnati in 1829, to the close of the year ending June, 1878:

AVERAGE NUMBEER OF TEACHERS.

AVERAGE

PAID

TEACHERS.

For the year ending June, 1830.

$5, 196 51

1831.

7,936 57

1832.

7,911 13

1833.

6,408 26

1834.

8,371 09

1835.

8,648 43

1836

11,430 48

1837.

15,846 37

1838.

15,846 37

1839.

19,901 10

I840.

19,604 35

1841.

18,594 82

1842.

18,555 12

I843.

20,091 70

1844.

20,979 62

I845

23,927 82

1846

25,020 50

1847

26,499 50

1848

127

35,378 35

1849.

I37

38,462 96

1850.

148

46,834 23

1851.

157

50,856 51

1852.

160

57,35€ 94

1853.

193

64,025 96

1854.

222

86, 151 78

1855

225

96,945 78

1856

222

98,821 75

1857

240

103,707 44

1858.

252

133,284 54

1859.

282

139,501 04

I860.

317

147,437 45

1861

341

156,231 54

1862.

348

146,703 50

1863.

355

159,566 16

I 864.

373

186,271 06

I865.

373

216,165 30

AVERAGE

NUMBER OF

PAID

TEACHERS.

I866

384

240,798 26

I867.

396

290,027 42

I868

418

311,435 96

1869.

439

336,536 22

1870

450

368,312 33

187I.

507

418,229 81

I872.

510

419,713 18

1873.

513

420,225 36

1874

510

437,891 26

1875

545

470,844 35

I876.

579

476,053 56

1877

587

509,307 71

I878

604

523,735 67

THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

The educational institutions in the city, in charge of the Roman Catholic church, aside from the parochial schools, are the theological seminary at Mount St. Mary's of the west; St. - Xavier's college; the Passionist Monas- tery on Mount Adams; the Catholic Gymnasium of St. Francis Assisium, conducted by the Franciscan Fathers ; St. Joseph's academy, on Eighth street, near Central avenue; the Young Ladies' Literary institute, in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame, on Sixth street; Mount St. Vincent's academy, for young ladies, at Cedar Grove, in the extreme western part of the city; and the St. Mary's academy of the Sisters of Notre Dame, on Court and Mound streets. They have also the academy of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart, located at Clifton, near the city.

The parochial schools include that attached to St. Peter's, with fourteen divisions and about fourteen hun- dred pupils; St. Francis Xaviers, twenty-two divisions, two thousand two hundred pupils; St. Paul's, ten divis- ions, one thousand one hundred pupils; St. Mary's, ten divisions, one thousand three hundred pupils; St. John's, nine divisions, one thousand pupils; St. Augustine's, nine divisions, one thousand two hundred pupils; St. Francis', eight divisions, one thousand pupils; St. Jo- seph's, eight divisions, eight hundred and twenty pupils ; St. Anthony's, six divisions, nine hundred pupils; St. Edward's, three divisions, two hundred pupils; All Saints', three divisions, three hundred pupils ; St. Ann's (colored), two divisions, one hundred pupils; St. Patrick's, nine hundred pupils; Holy Trinity, eight hundred pupils; St. Philomena's, seven hundred pupils; Holy Angels', one hundred and thirty-four pupils; St. Rosa's, two hundred pupils; Immaculate Conception, two hundred pupils. It will thus be seen that the Catholic parochial schools are a very important element in Cincinnati education. There are also two other Catholic schools, which are not pa- rochial.

OTHER SCHOOLS.

In February, 1881, Colonel Carson, chief of police, caused a list of the private schools of the city to be pre- pared, at the request of the census bureau, which gave the following results, believed to be approximately accu- rate: Medical schools, four; business colleges, three; art schools, eight; music schools, twelve; kindergartens, thirteen.

198

HISTORY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.

Roman Catholic parochial schools, thirty-six; other Catholic schools, two; other denominational schools, fourteen ; miscellaneous schools, fourteen.

PROFESSIONAL CULTURE.

The means of preparation for their work, now freely supplied to the teachers of Cincinnati and candidates for teaching therein, by the city institute, the Normal school, and the chair of pedagogy in the university, have been presented. Other means of professional training may fitly be mentioned here. They have not been want- in Cincinnati for nearly sixty years. The second associa- tion of teachers for professional improvement that was formed in the United States is believed to have been organized in this city in 1822. It had but fourteen mem- bers, and more than half of these going out of the city or the profession in a short time, the society soon became extinct. One of the most notable organizations of the kind that ever existed anywhere took its rise here seven years afterwards, at the instance of a score of teachers, who in 1829 formed "The Western Academic Institute and Board of Education." It was organized "to promote mutual improvement, harmony, and energy amongst teachers, co-operation in parents, ambition and applica- tion amongst scholars, and, finally, to adopt and bring into universal operation the most approved and efficient modes of education." Elijah Slack was president ; Caleb Kemper, first vice-president; John Easterbrook, second vice-president; C. B. McKee, recording secretary ; M. C. Williams, corresponding secretary; Alexander Kinmont, treasurer; Stephen W. Wheeler, librarian; and the coun- sellors were Albert Picket, Nathaniel Holley, Josiah Fin- ley, D. Davenport, Timothy Hammond, John Hilton, Moses Graves. The society was certainly very well made up, and would have honored any stage of Cincinnati's history, if these were, as one may well suppose, the rep- resentative men of the organization. It held the first annual meeting with some eclat the next year, and the next (1831) grew into the institution by which its found- ers and promoters became widely known and honored, "The Western Literary Institute and College of Profes- sional Teachers." The objects of this were "to promote the cause of education, to foster a spirit of intellectual cul. ture and professional skill among its members, which will fit them for enlarged usefulness to themselves and their fellow-men, and to establish the name and character of a liberal profession." Its scope of operations, like its name and membership, was a wide one. Its prospectus, in part, was as follows:

It is contemplated by the college to form district associations or school institutes throughout the country, and to have delivered in them courses of lectures by persons appointed for the purpose, embracing subjects of a literary and practical nature, with appropriate illustrations of the most successful modes of teaching, and to lay before school com- mittees, parents, and teachers, all the important information that can be collected from any source.

The Centennial volume on Education in Ohio, in its chapter upon Teachers' Institutes, thus gives some re- sults :

It did not succeed in establishing "a school institute" in any county except Hamilton, in which an association was formed that met quarter-

ly or oftener for many years, but, by its discussions and the publication of the addresses delivered at its annual meetings, it created a wide- spread sentiment in favor of liberal culture, and aroused public atten- tion to the necessity of universal education in a republic. It was not a teachers' institute, as that term is now applied, but, as it showed the benefits and advantages that might be derived from combined action, and awakened an interest in professional education among teachers in various sections of the State, a history of teachers' institutes would be incomplete without a statement of the character and aim of the organi- zation and an allusion to the earnest efforts of those belonging to it to create and maintain an esprit de corps among the members of the pro- fession in tlie west.

In the same volume the Hon. E. E. White's chapter on Teachers' Associations contains the following:

The society held annual meetings until 1845. The sessions opened on Monday and continued through the week, and the largest churches in the city were required to accommodate the audiences. It was at- tended by the leading teachers and friends of education in the Missis- sippi valley, but it was chiefly directed by Albert Picket, Alexander Kinmont, Milo G. Williams, W. H. McGuffey, Samuel Lewis, Dr. Joseph Ray, Nathan Guilford, Professor Calvin E. Stowe, and other Ohio members.

The College of Teachers contributed largely to the advancement of education in Ohio and the west generally. In the fourteen years of its existence over three hundred addresses and reports were made before it, discussing education in all its phases and grades. The seven volumes of "Transactions" published contain an amount of educa- tional experience and information not found in the same compass in any other early publications.

It also instituted measures and agencies for the improvement of schools. As early as 1833 it recommended the organization of teachers' associations, and it early contributed to the development of what is now known as the Teachers' institute. It advocated the grading of schools and the importance of a supervision, especially urging the cre- ation of the office of State superintendent of public instruction. In 1835 it secured the passage of a resolution by the general assembly of Ohio, appropriating five hundred dollars to enable Professor Calvin E. Stowe, of Lane seminary, Cincinnati, who was about to visit Europe, to make an examination of the elementary school systems of Prussia and other European nations. Professor Stowe submitted the results of his observations and enquiries in an able report, which exerted a wide and beneficial result on American schools.

At the annual meeting in 1835, a resolution was adopted recom- mending that meetings of teachers and other friends of education be held at the seat of government of the several States during the sittings of the legislatures. This action resulted in the holding of conventions in Ohio, as shown hereafter, and in other States, and important legisla- tion was secured.

The College of Teachers suspended in 1845, but the cause is not known to the writer.

The meetings of the Academic institute were monthly, and were generally well attended. Two notable addresses were delivered before the institute and board at its anni- versary meeting in June, 1831, which were published, with other transactions upon this occasion, in a neat pamphlet. They were by Mr. McKee, who appealed for the co-operation of parents and other citizens in the education of the young ; and by the Rev. R. H. Bishop, D.D., president of the Miami university, who proclaimed the advantages of the common schools and called for their grading and the employment of competent teachers. This meeting was the spring whence the College of Teachers took its rise. Mr. Williams moved a resolution for correspondence with prominent western and southern teachers concerning a proposed call for a convention of. educators and the friends of education, at some point which might be settled upon by a majority of the corres- pondents. It was adopted, and Mr. Williams, being also corresponding secretary of the institute, wrote to the persons contemplated by his resolution. There was cor-

199

HISTORY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

dial approval on the part of those addressed, and the general voice designated Cincinnati as the place of meet- ing. The convention was called for a four-days' session, beginning October 2, 1832. On that day, on motion of Mr. John L. Talbot, a committee-Messrs. M. Butler and H. Bascom, of Kentucky, M. A. H. Niles and M. M. Bingham, of Indiana, and Albert Picket and Milo G. Williams, of Cincinnati-was appointed to consider the expediency of forming a Western society of teachers, and if it was thought expedient to report a constitution as its organic act. The committee made a favorable report the next day, with the draft of a constitution appended, which was adopted, after some unimportant amendments. This instrument made a declaration of objects similar to those previously indicated, but in somewhat different language, viz .: "To promote, by all laudable means, the diffusion of knowledge in regard to education, and especially by aiming at the elevation of instructors who shall have adopted instruction as their regular profession." Officers were elected as follows: Thomas J. Matthews, president ; Milo G. Williams, corresponding secretary; David L. Talbot, recording secretary; Timothy Hammond, treas- urer. The subsequent history of the college has been already outlined.

The Hon. . E. D. Mansfield, the first and only commis- sioner of statistics in this State, in his third annual re- port, that for 1859, shows in a very interesting way the connection of this institution with one of the most im- portant steps in school legislation ever taken by our gen- eral assembly. He had just mentioned the law of 1825, by which the county commissioners were directed to levy half a mill on the dollar for the use of common schools; and goes on to say:

The next most important act of legislation (that of March, 1838) was due mainly to a popular impulse arising from the discussions of the col- lege of teachers. An institution called the "Academic institute" held regular meetings in Cincinnati for the discussion of educational ques- tions. The leaders in this movement were Albert Picket and Alex- ander Kinmont, both teachers. In consequence of the interest taken in this subject, they called a general convention of the friends of edu- cation in the Mississippi valley, in June, 1831. From this arose the "Western College of Teachers," which continued for fourteen years, till 1845, carrying on the most fresh and animated discussions on all the controverted and interesting points of education, till it finally accom- plished, in the excitement of popular feeling and the liberal acts of leg- islation, all the ends for which it was instituted. Among the first ob- jects of interest were the inefficiency of the school system, and the ig- norance of teachers. These points were debated until the principles necessary to action and improvement were determined. Looking to an efficient school law, the college of teachers passed a resolution that it would greatly advance the interests of cducation in the west, for teach- ers and friends of education to hold periodical conventions at the seats of government in the different States during the session of the general assembly. In pursuance of this resolution a convention of teachers and friends of education was held at Columbus, assembling on the thir- teenth of January, 1836. Of this convention Governor Lucas was president, Dr. Hoge vice president, and Milo G. Williams secretary. Prior to this time, in the then administration of Governor Vance, Pro- fessor Calvin E. Stowe had been appointed an agent of the State to visit Prussia and obtain information on the Prussian system of instruc- tion. He had now just returned, and was a member of the conven- tion. The Prussian schools were discussed, lectures delivered, and de- bates held. The subject of common schools was referred to a commit- tec, and, on the fifteenth of January, the committee reported by E. D. Mansfield, pointing out the defects of the school law and recommend- ing amendments, chiefly in relation to the appointment of a superin- tendent of common schools, the requisition of higher qualifications on

the part of teachers, the greater responsibility and additional duties of the examiners, and the establishment of school libraries and the collec- tion of school statistics by means of reports. This report was adopted in the form of a memorial to the legislature, and all its recommenda- tions have since been embodied in the school laws, although the office of superintendent and the establishment of school libraries have met with a vigorous opposition.

Mr. Mansfield says elsewhere of the college that it "was an institution of great utility and wide influence.

A large array of distinguished persons took part in its proceedings, and I doubt whether in one asso- ciation and in an equal space of time there was ever con- centrated in this country a larger measure of talent, of information, and of zeal. Among those who either spoke or wrote for it were Albert Picket, the president and for half a century an able teacher, Dr. Drake, the Hon. Thomas Smith Grimke, the Rev. Joshua L. Wilson, Alexander Kinmont, James H. Perkins, Professor Stowe, Dr. Beecher, Dr. Alexander Campbell, Archbishop Pur- cell, President McGuffey, Dr. Aydelott, Mrs. Lydia H. Sigourney, and Mrs. Caroline Lee Hentz. With these were numerous professors, teachers, and citizens, zealous for the cause of education, most of whom contributed more or less to the transactions of the college.

It was a nieans of great intellectual development, and I am well convinced, for that purpose, the best Cincinnati has ever had. In its meetings I have heard such discussions as I have neither heard nor read of elsewhere."

The public school teachers of the city, besides their annual institute, for which the board of education liber- ally provides, had for a number of years a principals' asso- ciation and a lady teachers' society, both meeting at stated intervals. They were united in the summer of 1880, under the title of the Pedagogical Association, the first regular meeting of which was held at the Hughes high school building in January of the next year.

SAMUEL LEWIS .*

It is fitting that this name should fill a leading place among the early educators of Ohio. Among the first in point of time, he also ranked among the first in the eloquence, the persistency, and the rare disinterested- ness with which he advocated the right of the poor and ignorant to a common school education. " He was born in Massachusetts March 17, 1799. In 1813 the entire family, of which Samuel was one of nine children, began their journey westward. For father and sons that meant a journey on foot as far as Pittsburgh, whence, a flat-boat being purchased, they floated down to Cincinnati. At fifteen he is working on a farm for seven dollars a month, and giving his entire wages to his father. Having learned a trade afterward, he pays his father fifty dollars a year for his time. At twenty he re- solved to study law. In 1824 he was licensed as a local preacher in the Methodist church. In 1837 he became State superintendent of schools. In his crusade against ignorance, he rivaled a medieval knight. The first year he traveled more than fifteen thousand miles, chiefly on horseback, quickening school officers, teachers, and par- ents. In his first report he seems to have been gifted

* These biographies have been extracted, with some abridgement, from the centennial volume on Education in Ohio.

200

HISTORY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

with prescience. It gave shape and consistency to the school law passed by the general assembly, and many of his suggestions have stood well the test of time, and are, to-day, in active operation. In 1839 he resigned his place because of failing health. The temperance and anti-slavery causes both received a large share of his time in the latter years of his life. His death occurred in 1854.

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History of Cincinnati, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 53

Author: Ford, Henry A., comp; Ford, Kate B., joint comp Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Cleveland, O., L.A. Williams & co. Number of Pages: 666

Author: Ford, Henry A., comp; Ford, Kate B., joint comp
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, O., L.A. Williams & co.
Number of Pages: 666