History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 60

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 60

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continued several years, but, after the Method- ists erected their church, they organized a sep- arate school, about 1834, in the interest of their congregation. The Presbyterians organized their school in 1835, and the Lutherans in 1838. Since then, the other denominations have established Sabbath schools, in the following order : Baptist, in 1844, and re-organized in 1864; German Lutheran, about 1844; Re- formed, about 1850 ; German Methodist, about 1854; Disciple, 1876 ; United Brethren in Christ, 1879.

During the latter part of 1869. a Young Men's Christian Association was organized at Bucyrus. The first meeting held for this purpose assembled at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Tuesday evening, November 2. The audience was addressed by Christian gentlemen from Mansfield. The Association was organized at the M. E. Church, Friday evening, November 5. 1869, with the following officers : President, William M. Reid ; Vice Presidents, W. B. Ben- nett and B. F. Lauck ; Corresponding Secretary, M. Deal ; Recording Secretary, George C. Gorm- ley ; Treasurer. James B. Gormley ; Board of Managers, E. P. Penfield, G. W. Myers. MI. V. Longworth and J. J. Fisher. A daily prayer meeting was established, which continued for some months ; the association rented the sec- ond story of No. 8 Quinby Block, and fitted it up with a library and entertaining newspapers, and, for several years after. the prayer meeting was discontinued ; the organization maintained a special hall for the general use of all accepta- ble public meetings. For some three years, the Y. M. C. A. Hall was in the second story of Birk's Bloek.

Although the pioneer settlers of Bucyrus and surrounding country suffered many hardships, and often sighed for the comforts and luxuries of their former Eastern homes, they did not forget that the minds of their children needed instruc- tion, and at an early day the cause of education enlisted their attention. Unfortunately. a pio-

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neer settlement, sixty years ago, did not possess, and could not obtain, the many modern educa- tional improvements. It is not surprising, then, that, in a community deprived of many conven- iences of life, the early schoolhouses were rude buildings, poorly furnished and illy adapted to the purpose for which they were used. But, in these rude log school buildings in those early pioneer days, many children, who afterward be- came good, substantial citizens of the country, received the only school instruction they ever obtained. And some, who, in after years, be- came distinguished citizens of the nation, not only for their high moral worth, but also for their intellectual attainments, received the foundation of their education in these pioneer schoolhouses.

The first school taught on the site now occu- pied by the town of Bucyrus, was held in a lit- tle log cabin situated on the south bank of the Sandusky River, just north of the lot occupied by Silas Bower's residence. This cabin was erected by the Beadle family on their land, and had formerly been occupied by them as a res- idence. It has long since passed away. but at that time was west of the town plat, laid ont on Norton's land after this cabin was built. Will- iam Blowers taught the school held in this rude building during the winter of 1822-23. He was fully competent to take charge of it. as he pos- sessed a very good education. The attendance was not large, and nearly all those who were pupils in this first school at Bucyrus are dead and gone ; however, Horace Rowse and Mrs. A. M. Jones, two of them, still remain citizens of Bucyrus. Blowers charged a tuition fee of $1.50 per pupil, for a term of three months and " boarded around." His text-books were Pike's Arithmetic. Dillworth's Spelling-book and the Columbian Orator. The next winter, Blowers taught a school in Liberty Township : he was one of the first two licentiates of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Crawford County, and for many years an active minister of that denomi-

nation. Butterfield, in his history, relates the following in regard to this first school : "An incident of this school is remembered, the hero- ine of which is now one of the most respected matrons of our town-then a sprightly lass of half a dozen summers. Once upon a time, this ' pretty, winsome, wee thing' made her appear- ance in the school-room promptly at 9 o'clock, A. M., with a pair of new shoes upon her feet, an event calculated to produc a profound sen- sation ' in those pioneer times ; but in preparing the leather for these shoes, the blacking of the tanner gave out, and, as there was none to be had nearer than Zanesville, the consequence was, that, rather than send so many miles for an additional supply, only one shoe was black ; the other was quite red. In those days, ' despotic fashion ' had not swayed her scepter over the heads of the mothers of Bucyrus." Shortly after this first school. Altie Kent taught another near where Samuel Ludwig now lives, and some of her pupils resided in the new town. Miss Elizabeth Norton, now Mrs. A. M. Jones, one of her scholars, relates that the teacher fur- nished her good pupils with " rewards of merit." These tokens were home-made; designed by the instructor, and highly colored with golden- seal and blood-root. Joseph Newell also taught in the same building after Miss Kent.

The first public schoolhouse built in Bucyrus was erected soon after the passage of the act of 1824, establishing free schools in Ohio. The site occupied by this building was at the cast end of the lot, on the northeast corner of Walnut and Mary streets. This lot is now owned and occupied by Charles Vollrath. The schoolhouse stood on the spot just west of where the Roman Catholic Church now stands. "The building was of logs. The builders had no need of an architect ; hence there was no plan and specifi- cations. It was ' to be of logs, and twenty feet square ;' a summary understood by all without the aid of an elevation."-Butterfield. " It was furnished in the cheapest and most simple style.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

All the children of the district who could be 'spared from work' attended. A Board of Directors controlled or managed the school ; that is, they hired the teacher and drew orders on the Treasurer of the township for the pay- ment of his salary, which was $15 per month. Zalmon Rowse was the first teacher in the first schoolhouse, and, though not a professional teacher, his labors were entirely satisfactory to his neighbors. When the public fund, which at that time was small, became exhausted, the school was dismissed ; this generally occurred after a three-months term. During the summer months, a school was opened for the younger children by some one who charged a small tuition fee."-Scroggs. Rowse continued his school during the summer one time, his neigh- bors agreeing to do his harvesting rather than have the school stop during that season. Jonas Scott and Horace Pratt also taught in this first log schoolhouse. Butterfield says of Pratt : " He is remembered as a good teacher ; but, notwithstanding his fine chirography, made his mark, as a few of the boys, now our old and re- spected citizens, have still a striking and vivid recollection. Like the memory of joys that are past, a recollection of him is pleasant, but a little mournful. Debating societies and teachers' institutes had never, at that day, discussed the question as to whether corporal punishment ought to be abolished from schools." In this old log schoolhouse the benches were placed around the sides ; windows were formed by sawing an aperture through the logs at the side, and the fire-place at the end furnished heat dur- ing the winter. The population of Bucyrus was soon increased by new settlers to such an extent that all the scholars could not be accommodated in the twenty-foot-square log schoolhouse, and arrangements were made by the citizens to con- struct a more suitable building. Samuel Norton deeded to the district for school purposes the lot now occupied by the Monnett House, and upon this was erected a brick schoolhouse,

18x36 feet in extent, and one story high. Al- gebertus Bucklin burnt the brick for this build- ing about the year 1826. His brick-kiln was situated near where Thomas Hall's barn now stands, northeast of the present railroad junc- tion. This building was not only used for school purposes, but served in those early days as a court house, town hall and meeting-house for the different religious societies. When used as a court house the jury had to be accommo- dated in shops or vacant buildings in other parts of the town. It was used as a meeting- house by the Methodists, both Protestant and Episcopal, the Lutherans, both English and German, the Presbyterians, Old School and Se- ceders, Reformed Baptists and possibly other congregations. In this schoolhouse were taught orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic and geography, and, when the teacher was qualified, a few of the larger boys and girls were taught English Grammer and Natural Philosophy. Among those who taught in this building at an early day were Horace Pratt, Sallie Davis, Dr. Horton, Mrs. Espy and two daughters, Maggie and Elmira, Mr. White and others. After several years, this brick schoolhouse could not contain all the children of the town, which received each year additional accessions, and schools were established in other parts of the village. The public school fund was not sufficient to employ teachers all the year round, and, consequently, between 1826-50, many private schools were started at different times. While the American House, erected about 1830, and now occupied by William Shaw, was in an unfinished condition, a school was taught in what is now the hotel

office. A frame building on the northeast corner of Perry and Walnut streets, torn down several years since, a log house on Main street, south of what is now Blicke's store, and other build- ings, were used for school purposes. The old log district schoolhouse, erected as early as 1833, at the west end of Warren street, and now occupied as a wood-house, on the same lot, was

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

the building which many scholars of the town attended.

The progressive citizens, knowing that the interests of their children demanded more and better accommodations, made arrangements for a larger building. Mr. Seroggs says in his historical sketch : " In 1839, the brick school- house, which was then too small to hold all the pupils, had to give way to a more imposing structure. A frame building, 50x30 feet, two ! stories high, divided into four rooms, with closets and suitable stairs, was erected upon the school lot near where the old brick had stood. The house was finished in good style, and was furnished with the best kind of school- house furniture then in use, made of black walnut plank, the value of which at this time would be a small fortune in itself. The house was provided with a belfry and fine bell, and, when entirely finished, it was painted white with green blinds, and was the best and most imposing public schoolhouse in this part of the State. School was first opened in this building, October, 1840, and was, in a qualified sense, a graded school. The first teachers were S. Fry. J. B. Squier, Misses Marshall, Cary and Espy.

Mr. Fry taught the more advanced boys and had a general supervision of all the schools though he spent no part of his school hours in supervising, and never taught in a place other than the room under his immediate charge. Mr. Squier taught the smaller boys, Miss Mar- shall the more advanced girls, Miss Cary and Miss Espy the younger girls. All of these teachers, unless it be Miss Marshall, are still living, honored and respected members of society. There was no regular course of study prescribed. The common English branches were taught, and, when boys or girls desired instruction in Natural Philosophy and Algebra, they could be accommodated ; but, if they became extravagant in their desires. and wanted to get still higher, they had to be sent

from home. The text books then used were : Webster's Elementary Speller. MeGuffey's First. Second. Third and Fourth Reader, Porter's Rhetorical Reader, Colburn's Mental Arithme- tic, AAdams' Practical Arithmetic, Olney's Geography, Kirkham's Grammar, and Com- stock's Natural Philosophy. Declamations and compositions were in order each week. Some of our most substantial citizens received all their school education in the old brick and frame schoolhouses."

In those early days. it was seldom that the village school, supported by the public school fund, offered facilities to those scholars who wished to obtain a knowledge of the higher branches usually taught in normal schools and academies. In order to supply this want, experienced teachers would occasionally estab- lish a higher school and charge tuition. The People's Forum, of March 23. 1849, contains a card from E. G. Chambers, announcing " that he had permanently located in the place and is prepared to teach. in the most thoroughly scientific manner, the various branches of science usually taught in high schools and colleges." Mr. Chambers occupied for some months, one of the four rooms in the old frame schoolhouse, now the Monnett House. He did permanently locate in the county, for he is at present a resident of Whetstone Township. Some eighteen months previous to this, Joseph R. Whitham conducted a high school in the village. The People's Forum, of October 29, 1847, contained the following notice, which is given as a specimen of the educational system as it was just before the union schools were organized :

HIGH SCHOOL .- The undersigned, a graduate of Jef- ferson College, Pennsylvania, would respectfully inform the citizens of Bucyrus and vicinity, that he proposes to commence a High School in the town of Bucyrus. Having had considerable experience in teaching, he flatters himself that he will not prove unacceptable to those who may see proper to lend him their patronage.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

TERMS OF TUITION PER SESSION OF FIVE MONTHS .- The lower English branches, including English

Grammar, Geography and Arithmetic .. .$ 6 00

Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, History, etc .. 8 00 Latin and Greek Languages, with the higher

branches of Mathematics, including Alge- bra, Geometry, Surveying. etc. 10 00

The Session will commence November 15. Pupils commencing at any time before the middle, of the ses- sion, will be charged a full term ; those not commenc- ing until the middle, or after the middle, of the session, will be charged half a term. JOSEPH R. WHITHAM. BUCYRUS, October 25, 1847.

This gentleman taught in the frame building, and was employed several times to teach the reg- ular school, which he did as long as the public funds lasted, and then charged tuition of those scholars who desired to continue. It is reported of him that he possessed a good education, and liked the company of young ladies, but was somewhat "green." His admiration for one who is now the wife of a distinguished citizen of the town, and still admired by all her friends, was not disguised. One evening he called to see her and spend the evening. About 9 o'clock, the old folks, sensible, good old souls as they were, bid the young people good-night and retired. But Whitman very foolishly could not appreciate their kindness. and did not take advantage of this delightful - well, hour (we fear the lady if we should say a longer time) tendered him, and left for home. He ap- peared uneasy, and his mind must have troubled him, for, after going a very short distance, he returned, and when the young lady again an- swered his knock at the door, he was so pro- fuse in his apologies " for keeping her up so late, and for staying so long after the time at which she usually retired," that she told her most intimate friends how " green " he acted ; these intimate friends would not keep still, and told it as a " good joke " on Whitham.

During the twenty-five years in the educa- tional history of Bucyrus. between 1825 and 1850, many different persons taught public and

private schools in the village. It would be a difficult task to secure the names of all these teachers, and a much greater one to describe the many particular incidents which occurred during the administration of each. Among those who taught during this period, and not previously mentioned are : Of the gentlemen. Messrs. McMullen, McGill. Wallace. Jacob HIof- man. Yost. Myers. Lee. Camp. Davis. Plants. Kiskaden. Rowse. Sears, Squier, Fry. Needham. Everson and Martin ; of the ladies, Emily Rowse, the Misses Cary. Margaretta Williams, the Misses Davis, Ann McCracken and Hannah J. Dunn. Many of these names will doubtless recall to the memory of old settlers, pleasing recollections of the times that are past. Of all those who were teachers in Bucyrus. previous to 1850, only one is at the present time a resi- dent of the town. This is Mr. Horace Rowse. who was also a scholar in the first school taught in Bucyrus Township. "Many of the rest have long since been piloted over the river by the grim ferryman."

Until the year 1849, the common schools of Ohio with but few exceptions, were conducted upon the general plan of district schools. The General Assembly of the State on February 21 of that year, passed an act "for the better reg- ulation of the public schools in cities, towns and villages " which permitted the organization of graded or union schools. Many towns throughout the State immediately took advan- tage of this law, and the citizens in Bucyrus were not slow to avail themselves of the oppor- tunity to secure a better school system, which was then offered by this act of 1849. But all public improvements, however necessary and beneficial to a community. are opposed by many citizens, and. when the question of graded schools was submitted to the qualified electors of the village in April, 1849, they rejected the new system. The friends of education were not discouraged, but continued to agitate the matter, and, after the new plan had been ex-

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

plained to the "intelligent voter," the question was again submitted some weeks later, about July, 1849. The result of this election was a victory for the present graded school system by a fair majority. Jacob Seroggs, Esq., says, in his Centennial History : " The persons most active in securing this plan were Hon. Josiah Scott, late Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Dr. Willis Merriman, Aaron Cary, Dr. Jacob Angenstein, Hon. L. W. Hall, J. B. Lar- will, Rev. John Pettitt, John Anderson, John Moderwell, M. P. Bean, editor of the Forum, and Col. Zalmon Rowse. There were no doubt others who were active and efficient in produc- ing the desired result, but the above named are at this time prominent in the mind of the writer. The most serious and obstinate oppo- sition came from a few men of wealth, who had no children to educate, or who cared but little for any education beyond what was necessary to compute interest at 12 per cent." Shortly after this system had been adopted, the citizens assembled and elected the following persons as the first Board of Education of the Bueyrus Union Schools : Rev. John Pettitt, John Anderson, Aaron Cary, Dr. Jacob Augenstein, Dr. Willis Merriman and John Moderwell. These were all active and zealous friends of education and of the new plan, and the union school was in the hands of its friends. The board was organized by the election of Dr. Merriman as President, Aaron Cary as Seere- tary, and Dr. Jacob Augenstein as Treasurer. For some reason, the board was delayed in get- ting everything arranged, and the organization of the schools was not completed until the spring of 1850. The board then published in the People's Forum of April 26, 1850, the fol- lowing announcement :

SCHOOL NOTICE .- The Bucyrus Public Schools will commence on the first Monday in May, under the Su- perintendence of I. Booth, Principal. He will be assisted by Miss Taylor, of Syracuse, N. Y., assistant to the Principal in the High School; Mr. Bowles, of

Ashland, to take charge of the Secondary or Grammar School; Mr. Schepf, of this place, to conduct the Ger- man department, aud Miss McCracken and Miss Fitz- simmons the primary scholars not entitled to admission to the school under the law, will be received on the following terms, viz. :

For tuition in Primary Department, per quarter of

eleven weeks. $2 00

For tuition in Secondary Department or Grammar,

per quarter of eleven weeks 3 00

For tuition in High School, per quarter of eleven weeks 5 00

By order of the Board of Education of Bucyrus.

A. CARY, Secretary.

In the above notice, the name of N. P. Tarr, teacher of the Junior Grammar, was for some reason omitted, and the grading during the first term was not as advertised by the Secre- tary, but as follows : High School, Senior Grammar, Junior Grammar, Secondary and Primary. Miss Diana Taylor, the first High School teacher, was employed at $25 per month ; T. C. Bowles received the same amount for teaching the Senior Grammar ; N. P. Tarr, taught the Junior Grammar for a short time, but he took sick, and the board employed Jacob Scroggs to take his place at $20 per month. Misses Ann MeCracken and Maria Fitzsimmons (now Mrs. Dr. Byron, of Upper Sandusky) had charge of the Secondary and Primary Depart- ments and received $13 per month. Prof. Israel Booth, the first Superintendent, was employed at a salary of $600 per annum. A special tax was levied by the board sufficient in amount. when added to the State fund, to pay these teachers and current expenses.

Prof. Booth had a difficult task to perform. It was necessary for him to organize and re- duce to a system the adverse elements of the old district schools. Butterfield says : "His fault was eccentricity and forgetfulness, but he succeeded and succeeded well." In the Cen- tennial sketch, it is stated : " He was a pains- taking and conscientions gentleman, who tanght about one-half his time and had his regular

That. J. Monnett

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

classes ; the remainder of the time was spent in supervising the subordinate teachers and in instructing them in the best way to teach." Booth conducted for some months an educa- tional department in the People's Forum, and this was greatly instrumental in enlisting the attention of citizens to the work being per- formed. The Board adopted rules for the regu- lation of all departments ; eight to guide the Superintendent, nine for the teachers, and six special and twenty-five short general rules for the pupils. The lower departments were held at the frame schoolhouse, and in them the com- mon branches were taught. The High School, during the first year occupied the Odd Fellows' Hall, situated in the second story of Ander- son's Block, now the residence of C. K. Ward and George C. Gormly. Their room was not provided with any school furniture, and the facilities for teaching and the convenience of the temporary occupants were not first-class. But in this lodge-room were taught Algebra, Natural Philosophy Latin, French, Drawing and all the common branches. After the first term, public examinations were held and exhi- bitions given for two nights, October 10 and 11, in the Lutheran Church. The school grew rapidly in favor with the people, and after the first year all open opposition died out. Satur- day, October 26, 1850, the citizens voted to levy a tax of $4,000 for the purpose of building a new schoolhouse. The new building erected soon after was made to accommodate the high school and grammar schools, as the old frame was barely sufficient to accommodate the pri- mary and secondary grades. As the number of pupils increased, such changes were made in the grading and classification as the exigencies of the time appeared to demand. For several years only two terms were held each year ; the spring term, continuing during the summer, and the fall term, which extended through the winter.

Miss Taylor, the first high school teacher, left

after the first term, and Miss Carrie Thayer was her successor. Prof. Booth remained two years and was succeeded by H. S. Martin, for one term, at the rate of $500 per annum. Booth removed to Indiana and engaged in the prac- tice of law at Sullivan, where he died in 1860. The sixth session of the Union Schools com- menced Monday, November 8, 1852, with Prof. J. M. Hill as Superintendent. He was a gradu- ate of Jefferson College, possessed a fine edu- cation and had great experience. He remained one year and received $600 for his services. The new brick building was first occupied in the fall of 1852 ; when he commenced, previous to this, the high school was held at the M. E. Church. David Kerr was then employed by the board, and took charge of the schools in the fall of 1853. For a short time previous to this, he had practiced law in Bucyrus. He re- ceived $600 per annum, remained two years, and " his kindness to the scholars will long be remembered by those whose good fortune it was to be cared for by him." His successor in the fall of 1855, was J. K. Mason, a graduate of Yale College-a young man of fine scholas- tic attainments, but with little experience as a teacher. He only remained six months, at the rate of $600 per year.

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 60

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034