History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 61

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 61

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[The following pages, upon Mr. Hopley's ad- ministration and management of the Bucyrus schools, we deem of interest, and have had it prepared carefully for this special department. -HISTORIAN.]

At the opening of the spring term, in April, 1856, Mr. J. Hopley entered upon his duties as Superintendent, and his labors constitute an era in the history of the schools. At that time, the union school system was in its infancy, and that a system or series of schools should be found in disorder was not so serious, nor so un- usual, as such a condition of affairs would be in the present day. Mr. Hopley was intro- duced to his new duties by Rev. A. Ilowbert, President of the Board. with the remark, " We

408

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

cannot tell you anything about the schools, ex- cept that they are completely run down." The whole corps of teachers was new, and there were neither the registers of the past term nor any official reports to guide him. But the heart of the new Superintendent was in his work. IIe had been educated at the Royal Na- val College, located at Camberwell, a suburb of London, England. This naval school was con- ducted mainly upon the Bell system, and, as pupil and as monitor under this plan, Mr. Hop- ley had been trained in the art of instructing large classes. He was, moreover, a good sys- tematizer, and he soon brought order out of chaos. The citizens recognized this, and gave him their cordial support. To what extent he succeeded, two extracts from the Bucyrus pa- pers will show. The following notice of a con- test among the pupils of the high school is taken from a communication by Dr. W. R. S. Clark, and published in the Journal December 27, 1856. The portions complimentary to the Superintendent and teachers are omitted as un- necessary in a history of the Bucyrus schools :

Not less than fifty scholars were at one time on the floor, each intently engaged in spelling and defining the words pronounced to them from McGuffey's Fourth Reader. After three hours, twelve of the two contend- ing parties still retained their position on the floor, having neither spelled nor defined a single word incor- rectly, although 600 had been given to them. The finale was exceedingly spirited. The generality of the pupils retained their position until 995, 969, 936, 920 and 900 words had been pronounced. One young lady maintained her position against an opposition of ten, spelling down in succession nine of them, when the exercises were closed from the simple fact that the book had been exhausted. Altogether, this young lady must have spelled and defined over 250 words.

The young lady to whom reference is made in so complimentary a manner was Miss Vir- ginia Swingly, now Mrs. J. B. Gormly ; and her sister, Miss Marcella Swingly, was the only per- son left on the other side.

From the Journal, of December 3, 1857, the

following is taken from a report of a similar contest, involving, this time, however, the three highest schools. This extract has an added in- terest, because it recalls the names of many who have since grown to be honored and respected citizens, and themselves heads of families :

The multitude which crowded the spacious room was indicative of the deep interest which parents are taking in relation to the schools. * *

* I have * taken some pains in procuring the names of those scholars that did so great credit to themselves, and am proud to publish them to the readers of the Journal, and feel confident that they cannot be excelled by any school in the country. The following are the names of those pupils who spelled through a book of over one thousand words : In the high school, Misses Mary E. Moderwell, Georgianna Merriman, Elizabeth Moder- well, Amanda Kimmel, Jane Sims, Melinda Lightner, Ophelia Didie, Elizabeth Rexroth and Sarah Rexroth, and Master Hiram Moderwell; in the senior grammar school, Misses Helen Van Tyne, Fidelia Howenstein, Mary Gormly, Lydia Rexroth, Elizabeth Rowse, Mar- garet Fulton, Anna T. Fulton, Elizabeth Bradley, Mas- ters A. Van Tyne, D. Hall, J. Moderwell, Eugene Sims, D. Kanzleiter, Rufus Kuhn and Leroy IIenthorn. Miss Emma Shaw, from the junior grammar school, retained her place on the floor during the pronunciation of over 900 words, and Miss Mary Howenstein, from the same department, kept up until after 800 words had been de- livered, spelled and defined.

These results were not produced by any un- usual effort, as Mr. Hopley afterward explained in a communication to the paper ; they were the result of steady perseverance, a few minutes only each day, and of encouraging mutual competition in large classes. In consequence of complaints wholly factions, a committee was appointed by the Board of Education to visit the schools to make a careful examination of their condition. This committee consisted of S. R. Harris, Esq., John A. Gormly, Esq., and Rev. J. Cronse, and the following extract taken from their report, illustrates the system upon which the schools were being so thoroughly taught and so rapidly elevated :

In all the schools except the High School, there are but two classes in each department, and all the pupils

409

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

in each class are employed at the same time on the same lesson, and as a general thing each must not only perform his own part in the recitation, but must watch the mistakes or correctness of his classmates, and by correcting the mistakes or omissions of the others ad- vance himself in his class ; and by the accuracy of his acquirements he maintains his own position in the class, and thus they are all kept at work at the same time. For example, and to illustrate our meaning, the committee observed a recitation of arithmetic in the Junior Intermediate Department. There was a class of about thirty small pupils reciting their lesson in sim- ple multiplication. They stood in order on the floor, each provided with a slate, and they all wrote on their slates the multiplicand and multiplier as announced by the teacher; the first one in the class numerated the figures in the example, the next multiplied the first figures announcing the product, at which the whole class wrote the same on their slates, the third continued the operation for the next figure, and so on through the whole class, and if any one made a mistake it was corrected by the next one below who could correct it, and the lower one who made the correction advanced above. When the multiplication was completed, there- fore, the entire class had the same on their slates, and each several pupil had performed all the mental labor which was required to perform the entire multiplica- tion. In the Senior Grammar School, the whole room, amounting on that day to some fifty pupils, during the visit of the committee, performed an example in reduc- tion, both ascending and descending reduction, in the same manner, and the committee were pleased to see the readiness of their answers and the neatness of their work, as it appeared when completed on their slates. The pupils in all the departments appear to be judi- ciously classed in a similiar manner in all the other branches. The plan, therefore, appears to have the ef- fect to create an ambition and laudable emulation among the pupils, and fits the intellectual and indus- trious ones for proper advancement to the higher de- partments.

Mr. Hopley's connection with the schools con- tinued for two years, and it is a striking proof of the value of his labors, that the organization that he then effected has remained substan- tially the same ever since. After retiring from the schools, he formed a partnership with A. M. Jackson, Esq., in the practice of the law.

From a report made December 30, 1857, the following facts are taken : "Number of pupils enrolled during the past four months-males, 205; females, 193; total 398; being an in- crease of 44 over the same term of 1856 and 1876, since April 1, 1856 ; average daily at- tendance 238.5." The number in each of the different grades was : High School, 33 ; Senior Grammar, 56; Junior Grammar, 64; Senior Intermediate, 61 ; Junior Intermediate, 54; Senior Primary, 66 ; Junior Primary, 64.

In April, 1858, Prof. Alexander Miller took charge of the schools, and remained until June, 1861. receiving a yearly salary of $800. But- terfield said in regard to this gentleman : "The superior qualities of Prof. Miller as a teacher are well known in Ohio. His ripe scholarship, gentlemanly bearing, his high-toned morality and Christian character shed a bright luster on the position he occupied. He was appreciated by his employers and respected by all." Dur-

ing his administration the enrollment increased to such an extent that the board rented at dif- ferent times the M. E. Church basement, the old Baptist Church, and finally the Congrega- tional Church basement, in which a second junior grammar school was organized. B. B. McVey was then employed by the board at $800 a year. He commenced in September, 1861, and remained until April, 1864. Butter- field says : " Ilis indomitable energy, affability and zeal made him a very popular Superin- tendent. The standard of our schools was elevated by him." Prof. Samuel J. Kirkwood was his successor, and continued for one year and three months, receiving $1,000 per year. At the end of the June term, 1865, he resigned to take charge of the public schools in Titiin, Ohio. He is at the present time Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy in the university at Wooster, Ohio.

In September, 1865, J. C. Harper com- menced his long term of five years. The salary paid him was increased several times,

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

and for the last twelve months' service he re- ceived $1,600. During the half decade he was in charge, the grading of the schools was more thoroughly systematized than at any other period, and the first class completed the course and graduated March 25, 1870. In the six months preceding this date, the number of pupils enrolled was as follows : High school, 38 ; four grammar schools, 182; five interme- diate schools, 266 ; four primary schools, 299 ; total, 785. The crowning work of Mr. Har- per's administration was the building of the new union schoolhouse, the most important event in the history of the Bucyrus Union Schools. Since the public schools of the town have been organized, there may have been men in charge of them who possessed a better edu- cation than this gentleman, but no Superinten- dent has excelled him in the natural ability to govern the scholars. It is doubtful if, in the five years he was in charge, he personally used the rod upon refractory pupils more than half a dozen times. He will long be remembered by those scholars who attended the higher grades during his long term of service. for the many instructive and entertaining talks in which he imparted to them much valuable in- formation not found in the text books.

Miss Marcella Swingly, teacher of the high school for nearly all the preceding six years, was, in September, 1870, promoted to the su- perintendency, and received a salary of $1,100 during her third year. The idea of having a lady Superintendent was declared to be an " experiment " by the board that employed her. It proved in most things to be a successful one, and, during the three years of her admin- istration, the pupils advanced in scholarship, and most citizens were satisfied. Occasionally, when difficulties arose in regard to government, she did not receive from the Board of Educa- tion that hearty support which should have been extended to a lady in charge of so many refractory pupils, and consequently at times

the position she occupied was particularly try- ing and embarrassing. She was also opposed by citizens who did not believe the doctrines taught by those who are endeavoring to secure the adoption of their Sixteenth Amendment to the National Constitution. However, she had many warm friends, who have always admired her many sterling qualities as a Christian lady. It is worthy of historical note that she is the only person who has occupied in the Bucyrus Union Schools the different stations of a pupil in several grades, a teacher of several grades, and finally General Superintendent over all departments.

In the summer of 1873, the board succeeded in obtaining the services of Prof. F. M. Hamil- ton, a graduate from the University of Michi- gan, located in Ann Arbor, at a salary of $1,700 per year. Since 1873, the schools have been under his fostering care, and during this period, seven classes have completed the high school course and graduated. He is a polished gentleman, possessing a fine classical education, and the fact that he is now serving his eighth year as Superintendent of the Bucyrus schools, is sufficient proof that his labors are appre- ciated by an unusually censorious public. Al- though Mr. Hamilton teaches over half his time, there has never been a better general supervis- ion than during his administration. Teachers' meetings are held each week, conducted by the Superintendent. Examinations of teachers are conducted by examiners appointed by the board ; they are both oral and written. The pupils in the various grades are examined twice each term, and these tests of scholarship are also both oral and written. At the present time, the schools are graded and classified as follows : A, B, C, D and E Primary ; A, B and C Intermediate ; A, B and C Grammar ; the Ger- man-English School and the High School. The number of scholars enrolled in these depart- ments during the school year ending June 11, 1880, was as follows :

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

BOYS. GIRLS. TOTAL.

High school.

Grammar schools.

142

Intermediate schools

104

183

Primary schools

.219

208

427

German-English school.

112

Total.

465

484

949

Miss Diana Taylor, the first high school teacher, remained one term, and resigned Oc- tober, 1850, to accept a more desirable position. Since this time, the following persons have had charge of the high school in the order named : Carrie Thayer, Harriet Weight, Julia Brown, Delia Galusha, Julia Dustin, Emma McGregor, Martha Stewart, until July, 1856; Julia C. Breckenridge, until July, 1857; Julia A. Wal- work (now Mrs. Jacob Scroggs), until June, 1862 ; Jennie E. Jackson, until April, 1864; Marcella Swingley, until April, 1868; Sallie Freman, from January until June, 1869 ; Mar- cella Swingley, second term, until July, 1870 ; J. C. Shumaker, until July, 1871 ; Sarah Rex- roth (now Mrs. T. J. Monnett), until July, 1872 ; Anna Sigler, until July, 1873 ; A. G. Gumaer, until July, 1874; H. E. Kratz, until July, 1875; William Thomas, until July, 1876; D. C. Porter, until July, 1877, and J. W. Spindler, the present incumbent. Of these persons, Miss Walwork, now Mrs. Jacob Scroggs, had charge five years, the longest continuous term, and Miss Marcella Swingly, four years at one time, and one year at another. The persons who have successively taught the high school, have, in nearly every instance, fully met the expec- tation of those who employed them. Many ex- celled as thorough and accomplished instruct- ors, and not a little of the prosperity and progress of the schools is due to their wisdom and energy. The want of space prevents a more extended reference to each. From 1866 until July, 1873, an assistant high-school teacher, was employed, and among those who have served in this capacity are : Miss Anna McDonald (now Mrs. Shannon Clemens),

until April. 1868 ; Anna R. Cary, from January until June, 1869 ; Alice Codding, until July, 1872; Lizzie Baltzly, until July, 1873.

Since the graded-school system has been adopted in Bucyrus, many different persons have taught in the lower grades. It would be a difficult task to secure the names of all these teachers who have been employed during the past thirty years. At the present time the fol- lowing persons have charge of the several de- partments : High School, J. W. Spindler ; Grammar Schools-A, Miss Lizzie McCracken ; B, Miss Sarah Sheckler ; C, Mrs. C. P. Wiley ; Intermediate Schools-A, Mrs. Mary Beer ; B, Miss Mattie Messner ; C, Miss Frankie Seroggs. Primary Schools-A, Miss Lizzie Stauffer ; B, Mrs. Emma Dalzell ; C, Miss Maud Keller ; D, Miss Dillie Clymer ; E, Miss Mary McCon- nell. German-English School, Mr. Carl F. Preuss and Miss A. M. McCracken. Of these teachers, Miss Mary McConnell has been em- ployed by the board for eight years ; Miss Sa- rah Sheckler, sixteen years ; and Mrs. C. P. Wiley, twenty-four years. Henry Wingert, the present janitor, has occupied that position since the erection of the new building.

The frame schoolhouse, built in 1839, and the brick building, finished in 1852, furnished ample accommodation for several years. When the number of pupils increased, the board pro- vided more room by renting, at different times, the Methodist Episcopal Church basement, the old Baptist Church, and, about 1860, the base- ment of the Congregational Church, which was occupied for several years. But the different grades became crowded to such an extent that the question of erecting an additional building was agitated. At a special election, held May 18, 1863. it was decided to sell the old frame schoolhouse, to purchase additional ground east of the brick building, and to levy a tax of $2.000 for improvements. Three weeks later, on June 9, at another special election, the cit- izens voted unanimously to build an addition

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

to the brick schoolhouse, and to levy a tax of $9,000 for this purpose. The two and one-half acre lot east of the brick building was pur- chased of John A. Gormly for $1.650, and $6,- 000 of the tax voted was levied. but the other propositions voted by the citizens were not carried into effect. Two years afterward, April 25, 1865, the Congregational Church was pur- chased for $3,000, and fitted up with four schoolrooms, and these for a time relieved the crowded departments. In January, 1866, the territory of District No. 2 was added to Bucy- rus Special School District, and shortly after this, the Senior Grammar Department was as- signed quarters in the old district schoolhouse, at the western end of Warren street. The proposition to levy a tax of $40,000, and build a large edifice, was submitted at a special elec- tion held February 24, 1866, but the citizens rejected this by a majority of 104 in a vote of over four hundred. It was generally admitted, however, that the interests of the children de- manded more and better school accommoda- tions ; and, after the question had been dis- cussed for another year, the board submitted, at a special election, held April 13. 1867, two other propositions, asking for either $10,000 or $20,000. Both of these were carried by large majorities. The board employed A. Koeller, a Cleveland architect, to elaborate their design, and furnish the necessary maps, elevations and specifications. The contract for building the edifice was let to the Bucyrus Machine Works at $46,900. Excavations for the cellar were commenced in the fall of 1867, and, in April, 1868, the old brick building was torn down. The corner-stone was laid Thursday, July 30, 1868, by the Masonic fraternity, in the pres- ence of about five thousand persons. In the cavity of this stone was fastened an oblong tin box, and within this they placed the following articles : " A parchment roll of the schools, beautifully written in India ink, by Fred M. Swingly, showing the scholarship and deport-

ment of every scholar belonging to the union schools, a copy of the Holy Bible, copies of the Crawford County Forum and Bucyrus Jour- nal, a fine specimen of printing, a certificate of the County Clerk, to which was attached the official scal, a marriage certificate by Probate Judge, with official seal, specimen of nickel coins, specimen of fractional currency, several pieces of curious coin, copy of the State School Commissioners' report, and various other ar- ticles." After the Masonic ceremonies, the crowd adjourned to the grove, where addresses were delivered by Rev. Joshua Crouse, John R. Clymer, editor of the Forum, and Rev. Ja- cob Graessle, Pastor of the German Lutheran Church. The stone foundation was completed during the summer of 1868, and the brick walls were rapidly pushed forward during the fall and early winter, so that by February 1, 1869, the immense structure was under roof. For nine months succeeding April 1, 1868, the schools were discontinued. Monday, Jan- uary 4, 1869, six departments were opened- the High School in Blair's hall, the Senior Grammar in the district schoolhouse, the Jun- ior Grammar and Intermediates in the old frame building. The new building was com- pleted during the summer of 1869, and dedi- cated on the evening of September 28, at which time a large and intelligent audience assembled at Chapel Hall, where the following exercises were held : A masterly poem of dedication, written by William Hubbard, was read by J. R. Clymer ; addresses were delivered by Rev. A. S. Milholland, C. W. Butterfield, Hon. D. W. Henkle, State School Commissioner, Prof. J. C. Hartzler, Miss Sarah Frantz, and others. The ceremonies were then concluded with a public dance.

The Bucyrus Union School building stands at the south end of Lane street. It is con- structed of stone and brick, in the most sub- stantial manner, and finished in a plain, but neat and durable style. In the creation of this

413

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

edifice, the board had several designs in view -to provide enough large, commodious, well-lighted, healthfully ventilated schoolrooms for the youth, not only of the present, but for future generations. The building, which is three stories in height, with a nine-foot basement, and surmounted by a large dome, presents a massive, elegant and majestic ap- pearance. There is a breadth and spacious- ness about the entire structure, inside as well as outside, that pleases all who have compared it with other public buildings. The entire length is 208 feet; depth of center or main building, 120 feet ; depth of wing, 45 feet. There are twenty-one large rooms, besides a fine hall for exhibitions, which is capable of seating 500 persons. The building also con- tains wide, airy halls with convenient closets for clothes ; numerous doors for entrance and exit, so that the larger and smaller pupils are separated and all are secure in case of fire or other casualty. The edifice is situated in the midst of a fine schoolyard, four acres in extent, one-half of which is composed of one of those beautiful oak groves so frequently found upon the Sandusky Plains.

The total amount paid the Bucyrus Machine Company on their contract, was $50.415.69. The furniture, bell, furnaces, stone pavements, fences, gas-pipe, cisterns, wells, drains, out- buildings and other improvements cost over $25,000, making the entire cost of the edifice upward of $75,000. The citizens voted a tax of $20,000, April 13, 1867, and an additional $20,000 on November 28, 1868. The old buildings were sold for about $5,000. These levies were not sufficient to defray the entire expense of the new schoolhouse, and the board, desiring an additional $12,000, called a public meeting, which assembled at the court house, January 22, 1870. They submitted a report to the citizens, who appointed a committee to examine the school accounts during the preced- ing four years. This committee made an elabo-

rate report to the public, in which was included an itemized account of the expenses incurred by the board during the period covered by the investigation. Although it was generally con- ceded that the board had made some mistakes, no evidence was found which proved them to be guilty of fraud or official dishonesty. During the preceding four years, they had expended over $120,000 of school funds. The citizens, who were laboring under a heavy tax levied to raise this amount, naturally supposed the ex- penses incurred were too high, and, when the special election was held, March 2, 1870, they refused the additional $12,000, by a vote of 292 to 151. The school treasury was empty, and funds were necessary in order to conduct the schools ; the board applied to a friendly Legislature, which, by a special act, granted what the citizens had refused. But the citizens would not forgive the members of the board, who had outwitted them, and, when their term of office expired, they were not re-elected.

The board of 1867, the original projectors of the union school building, was composed of the following gentlemen ; Dr. C. Fulton, Presi- dent ; John R. Clymer, Secretary ; John Franz, Treasurer ; Judge James Clements, George Donnenwirth, Sr., and Samuel Hoyt. Had this board asked for a levy to commence a $75,000 schoolhouse, the money would have been re- fused-the $40,000 proposition had been re- jected by a large majority when submitted to the citizens the previous year. So they asked for $20,000, and, having secured authority for this amount, adopted the plan for a new build- ing, which cost, before completed, nearly four times the sum originally authorized by the citizens. While the schoolhouse was well under headway, they were openly condemned by many citizens for their actions. and, after the structure had been completed, they were more bitterly denounced by the majority. Ten years have elapsed since the editiee was finished; it is now all paid for, and every public-spirited

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 61

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