USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of Dayton, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneer and prominent citizens Vol. 1 > Part 25
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stood a small desk, without lock or key, made of rough plank, over which a plane had never passed, and behind this desk sat Professor Glass when I entered his school. There might have been forty scholars present, twenty-five of whom were engaged in spelling, reading, and writing, a few in arithmetic, a small class in English grammar, and a half dozen like myself had joined the school for the benefit of his instructions in Greek and Latin. The moment that he learned that my intention was to pursue the study of the languages with him his whole soul appeared to beam from his countenance. He commenced in a strain which in another would have appeared pedantic, but which, in fact, was far from being so with him.
"The following imperfect sketch drawn entirely from memory may serve to give some idea of his peculiar manner: 'Welcome to the shrine of the muses, my young friend, Salve ! Xaipe! The temple of the Delphian god was originally a laurel hut, and the muses deign to dwell accordingly, even in my rustic abode. Non humilem domum fastidiunt umbrosamve ripam.'" Mr. Reynolds gives more to the same effect, but this may suffice. It was Glass' great ambition to write and publish a "Life of Wash- ington " in Latin, and when Mr. Reynolds met him he had nearly completed the work. Mr. Reynolds, who highly esteemed him, furnished him the means to remove to Dayton in 1823, and there the life was completed and the manuscript delivered to Mr. Reynolds, who agreed to assist him in finding a publisher. Lengthy proposals of publication fully describing the work were printed in the Cincinnati and Dayton papers, but without result. In the columns of the Dayton Watchman, covering the time of his residence here, may be found advertisements of his school. Shortly after his arrival this characteristic one appeared: "The subscriber, having completed the biography of Washington, which had engaged the greater portion of his attention and solicitude for the past two years, and being constrained to remain in Dayton for some months for the purpose of correcting the proof sheets of said work, respectfully announces that his school is now open for students of cither sex, who may wish to pros- ecute classical, mathematical, or English studies. As respects his literary attainments or standing as a scholar, he refers to the faculty of arts of any university or college in the United States." Proof-reading was only the too sanguine anticipation of the poor author, as the work was not published until 1835, long after his death. It would seem that school teaching in Dayton at that carly day was not without its annoyances, for in an advertisement in the Watchman he denounces the conduct of certain boys who had removed an out-house from his premises in the night as " ungentlemanly and unsoldierly." His friend, Mr. Reynolds, removed
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from Ohio and was absent for several years, and during his absence Francis Glass died. It seems from advertisements which he was profuse in inserting in the newspaper, that he struggled manfully on with his school and as a last resort offered his services as a physician. With his inextinguishable love of the classics, shortly before his death he published in the Watchman a Latin ode on the death of Lord Byron, which was followed in succeeding numbers of the paper by translations in prose and verse by some of his scholars. The ode was prefaced by the following introduction: "To the academicians and scholars in the United States of America, especially of those who delight in literary pursuits, Francis Glass, A. M., wishes much health."
This brief notice in the Watchman is all we know of his death: "Francis Glass died August 24, 1824, after an illness of about three weeks." In the same column of the paper appear the unavailing pro- posals for the publication of the " Life of Washington." He was buried in the old city grave-yard, which has long ceased to be used for burial purposes and is now occupied by residences. The remains of all unknown persons were removed by the city to Woodland Cemetery, where he now sleeps in an unmarked grave.
In 1835 the "Life of Washington," through the instrumentality of Mr. Reynolds, was published by Harper Brothers. Mr. Reynolds had acquired considerable literary reputation as the author of a "Voyage Round the World in the United States Frigate Potomac" and by con- tributing to the Knickerbocker Magazine, and was able to rescue from oblivion the long neglected and dearly loved work of his old teacher. It forms an openly printed volume of two hundred and twenty-three pages. That such a work in Latin should have been written by a country school teacher remote from libraries and compelled to teach an ungraded school for his daily bread is certainly one of the curiosities of literature. Emi- nent scholars have pronounced the style terse and vigorous and the Latin classical. It was introduced into many schools as a text book, and the writer remembers its use in the Dayton Academy in 1838. It is now out of print and rare, but a copy may be found in the Dayton Public Library. We may smile at the eccentricities of Francis Glass, but we must respect him for his fine scholarship, his patriotism, and his kindliness of heart. All honor to the pioneer teacher and scholar, who in another age and under more favorable circumstances might have become a Casaubon or a Scaliger. Allibone thought Glass worthy of a place in the " Dictionary of Authors," and Duykinek has a lengthy notice of him in the "Cyclopedia of American Literature."
Milo G. Williams was another teacher of mark at an early day. In
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1833 he was invited by Mr. David Pruden to come to Dayton to take charge of a manual labor school, to be established in the large brick building owned by him, which until a few years ago stood at the junction of Jefferson and Warren streets. Mr. Williams was to conduct the academic and Mr. Pruden the labor and boarding departments. The large building was used for the school and boarding purposes, and shops were erected for instruction in various mechanical trades. A large number of boys from Cincinnati and other places were attracted to the school by Mr. Williams' reputation as a teacher and the school for a time enjoyed great popularity. Not proving a pecuniary success, it was closed after a few years' trial, and Mr. Williams returned to Cincinnati to con- tinue his work as a teacher there. Both Mr. Williams and Mr. Pruden were actuated by philanthropic motives in the establishment of the school and deserve credit for the attempt to combine intellectual culture with preparation for the practical duties of life. How this may be done is still perplexing the minds of educators, and it is no discredit to them that they did not find the solution. The effort now being made in several cities to introduce manual training in our public schools is full of promise, and it is hoped that in this way this desirable end may be reached.
In 1844, by invitation of the trustees, Mr. Williams returned to Dayton to take charge of the Dayton Academy, where he taught with great acceptance until 1850. Solicited by leading members of the religious denomination to which he belonged, he resigned to take a position in a college of his church at Urbana, at which place he died in 1880, having reached a ripe old age. He was a gentleman of fine presence, admirable social qualities, and ever ready to unite with others in efforts for the public welfare. He was one of the founders and the first president of the Dayton Library Association, and in many ways left his impress on the community.
But perhaps the teacher who made the deepest impression on our system of education was Mr. E. E. Barney. Coming to Dayton in 1834 he brought with him from New York the most advanced methods of teaching and introduced them here. He inspired his scholars with his own enthusiasm, and transformed study; from drudgery into pleasure. He procured the best apparatus for the illustration of natural science, and by frequent excursions to the country sought to make his pupils familiar with the botany and geology of the region. Composition and declama- tion were required studies, and a literary society and library were established in the school. Ile encouraged the planting of trees and flowers, and by every means at his command sought to develop a sym- metrical character. He was quick to notice the aptitude of pupils for
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particular callings in life, and his advice often exerted an important influence on their after career. The discipline of the school was mild, but firm, and largely left to the honor of the pupils. Corporal punish- ment was rarely resorted to. Each morning the school was opened with the reading of the Scriptures and prayer.
In 1838 when a public meeting was called to determine upon the building of the first public schoolhouses, Mr. Barney heartily advocated the measure. His experience and advice were freely given in planning and seating the new schoolhouses, and his school furnished educated teachers, who carried at once the newest methods of instruction into the public schools. Invited in 1845 to take charge of the Cooper Female Seminary when it was first opened, he entered on the work with the same ability and energy that built up the great car works of which he was so long the head. A large part of the older citizens of Dayton were his scholars in the Dayton Academy or Cooper Seminary, and recall his instructions with pleasure and gratitude. Mr. Barney died in 1880.
But little is known of the early history of the public schools of Dayton. The school directors of that early day kept no records of their proceedings; at least, none have been preserved. We glean from the newspapers the names of a few directors and teachers, and that is all. Before 1831 schools had been partly supported by taxation, but it was not until that year that the school district of Dayton was formally organized. A meeting was held at the courthouse Saturday, May 14, 1831, and Dr. John Steele, F. F. Carrell, and Warren Munger were appointed directors, Edmund Harrison clerk, and William Bomberger treasurer. It would appear from the following notice that the directors did not serve, but no explanation is given in the newspaper:
"First District school will be opened Monday, December 5, 1831, by Sylvanus Hall, approved teacher, in the schoolroom on Jefferson Street, between Water and First streets. Public money appropiated to support it.
" LUTHER BRUEN, "NATHANIEL WILSON, " HENRY VAN TUYL, "Directors."
Three additional rooms were soon afterwards opened in different parts of the city for the convenience of scholars.
From this time until 1838 schools supported by taxation were taught for a few months each year in rented rooms. No public school buildings had been erected, and the majority of citizens sent their children to private schools. During this period the following persons served, at
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different times, as directors: Thomas Brown, William Hart, James Slaght, J. H. Mitchell, David Osborn, Ralph P. Lowe, Simon . Snyder, and William II. Brown. Among the teachers of this period were Mr. and Mrs. Leavenworth Hurd, who taught in the old academy building, on St. Clair Street. The public funds not being sufficient to sustain this school, one dollar per quarter was charged for each scholar.
We have now reached the period when the public schools began to assume the importance in the public estimation which they have ever since maintained.
In 1837 Samuel Lewis was elected, by the legislature, State super- intendent of schools. Mr. Lewis entered upon his work with great enthusiasm, visiting every part of the State, and addressing the people at all important points. It was one'of these addresses that led to the public meeting in 1838, which resulted in the building of two school- houses. Prior to that time not more than three hundred dollars in any one year could be raised by taxation in a school district for the purpose of building schoolhouses. By the law of 1838 it was provided that " a special meeting might be called after twenty days' notice, stating an intention to propose a schoolhouse tax, at which a majority of the voters present, being householders, were authorized to determine by vote upon the erection of a schoolhouse, and how much money should be raised for such purpose." Legal notice was given, and a public meeting assembled May 7, 1838, in the courthouse. Strenuous opposition was made to the ' levy of the tax by a few wealthy citizens, but after a heated discussion the measure was carried by a large majority. The amount to be raised was fixed at six thousand dollars, and it was resolved to build two houses, one in the eastern and one in the western part of the city.
General R. C. Schenck, at that time a rising young lawyer, was an eloquent advocate of the public schools, and was warmly seconded by Simon Snyder, to whom, as the advocate of schools and libraries and of every measure at that carly day that tended to promote intellectual and moral culture, the people of Dayton are deeply indebted.
The opposition did not end with the meeting. It was believed that it could not be proved that the law had been complied with in giving notice of the meeting. This had been anticipated by Mr. E. E. Barney, who had taken the precaution to post the notices in person, and, accompanied by a friend, had visited them from time to time to see that they were not removed. The injunction was not granted, and the houses were built on the sites now occupied by the second and fourth district schoolhouses. The plans were taken from the Common School Journal, and embodied the most advanced ideas of the time on the subject of school architecture.
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Unfortunately no records of this important period of our school history down to 1842 have been preserved, and we have to rely upon tradition and the newspapers of the day for our scanty facts. Now that the public school system is firmly established in popular favor and has become as much a part of our city institutions as the municipal government itself, it is difficult to realize the necessity felt by the friends of the public schools in their early history to devise every practical method to bring them to the notice of the public and increase their popularity. On several occa- sions the schools marched in procession through the streets and the public was made to realize their magnitude and the great work they were accomplishing.
In 1838 D. HI. Elder, principal of one of the district schools, had. instructed his scholars in music on a method highly commended by the Journal of that day. On the Fourth of July the school marchied in procession, headed by a brass band, and escorted by the Blues and Grays, the militia companies of the town, to the Methodist church, where a concert was given by the school, which was received with enthusiasm, the Journal saying that "if anyone can hear the appeal to his patriotism sent forth by the united voices of this small company in the young army of the republic while singing, 'My Country "T'is of Thee,' without feeling his opposition die away and his whole heart warm towards the public school system, he is made of sterner stuff than should enter the human composition."
In 1839 a public meeting was held, of which Dr. John Steele was chairman and Simon Snyder secretary, at which it was resolved that the Fourth of July should be celebrated by a procession composed of the publie, the private, and the Sunday-schools of the town, which should assemble at the corner of Main and Third streets and march to the public square (Library Park), where exercises were to be held and a picnic dinner given to the children. The parents and citizens marched on one side of the street and the teachers and children on the other, and the spectacle made a deep impression on the public mind.
In 1856 the school year was closed with a grand picnic and exhibition of the public schools. The Journal gives a lengthy and enthusiastic description of the parade, saying that it was "the most beautiful and exhilarating scene witnessed in our streets for years." The procession formed at the corner of Main and Third streets and reached to Steele's Hill, and was composed of the city council, the board of education, the high and district schools. Two brass bands enlivened the procession with music, and each school carried a beautiful silk banner, the scholars wear- ing rosettes. The Journal says "the procession must have contained
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twenty-five hundred persons, including teachers, pupils, and others, and reached from the courthouse very near to the grove, where the exercises were held." The exercises began with prayer, then the "exhibition song" was sung by all the pupils, conducted by Charles Sochner, the teacher of music, and accompanied by the German brass band. Declamations and patriotic songs followed, and the formal exercises were concluded with an address by the president of the board and the delivery of diplomas to the graduating class of that year of the high school. After an excellent picnic dinner the rest of the day was spent in games of all kinds.
The procession of 1856 made such a favorable impression on the public that it was determined to repeat it in 1859. The board of educa- tion appointed Henry L. Brown, Henderson Elliott, and D. A. Wareham a committee to make the necessary arrangements. The Journal says, in reference to it, "The public schools took the town yesterday. It was a pleasant sight, that army of children." The procession marched down Main Street to the fair grounds, headed by the Phoenix Brass Band, followed by Rev. D. Winters, chaplain of the day, the city council, the board of education, and the schools. The high school carried a beautiful silk national flag, and the scholars wore rosettes of red, white and blue; the district schools marched behind silk banners ornamented with gold lace, each school having a distinct color. The following mottoes were inscribed on the banners: "Let there be light," "Education is the main pillar of the Temple of Liberty," " We are taught to love Piety, Morality, and Knowledge," " We mingle reason with pleasure and wisdom with truth," " We love to learn." Arrived at the grounds, after prayer, dec- lamations and songs were given and short addresses made by D. W. Iddings, the mayor of the city; R. W. Steele, president of the board of education; and Isaac H. Kiersted and Henderson Elliott, members of the board. The scholars were then dismissed to enjoy a bountiful dinner from their well filled baskets.
A procession of the seven thousand youth and children now in our public schools would be a grand and inspiring spectacle, but there is no longer need of such a demonstration.
Ralph P. Lowe, Simon Snyder, and William H. Brown were the direct- ors of the schools in 1838-1839. Mr. Lowe removed to Iowa many years ago, where he held the distinguished positions of judge of the supreme court and governor of the State. Mr. Brown removed to Indiana, where he lived to a great old age, and manifested his continued interest in Dayton by occasionally contributing to the Dayton Journal reminiscences of early times here. Simon Snyder died in Springfield several years ago, and his remains were brought here and interred in Woodland Cemetery.
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In 1839-1840 Simon Snyder, R. P. Brown, and Thomas Brown served as directors, and in 1840-1841 George W. Bomberger, Jefferson Patterson, and Solomon Price. Of all the prominent friends of the public schools of this period whose names are recorded, only a few are living-Thomas Brown, R. N. and W. F. Comly, and R. C. Schenck.
In September, 1839, the schools were opened in the new schoolhouses and continued for three quarters of twelve weeks each. Collins Wight was principal of the western district and D. L. Elder of the eastern district. The salary of the principals was five hundred dollars per annum. In addition to the principals one male assistant and three female teachers were employed in each house.
It would seem that the zeal of the directors of 1839 outran their discretion in keeping the schools open for so long a period. In March, 1841, a city charter was granted to Dayton, by which the control of the public schools was given to the council. In the interim between the adoption of the city charter and the appointment by the council of a board of managers of public schools as provided for in the charter, a committee of the city council was appointed to take charge of the schools. This committee consisted of Henry Strickler, David Davis, and David Winters. On the records of the city council is found the first report of the condition of the schools which has been preserved, made June 14, 18441. The committee say: "It was necessary to suspend the schools from April, 1841, to January, 1842, to enable the directors of 1841 to dis- charge the indebtedness incurred in 1839 by the directors of that year requiring the schools to be kept open the whole year, thus anticipating eight hundred dollars of the school fund of 1840. The schools were kept open in 1840 six months; then suspended until January, 1841, with a view of closing without indebtedness. But the great change in money affairs defeated the object, as the poll-tax of fifty cents a scholar could not be collected. The schoolhouses are now in use by the principals of the schools, in which they are teaching private schools. They hold them on condition that in each house twenty charity scholars shall be taught each quarter."
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The city charter fixed the levy for school purposes in Dayton at two mills on, the dollar, and directed that the "school tax so levied, and all other funds that may be collected or accrue for the support of common schools, shall be exclusively appropriated to defray the expenses of in- structors and fuel, and for no other purpose whatever." No provision was made for contingent expenses, which rendered it necessary to require a tuition fee of fifty cents per quarter from each scholar. Parents who were unable were not expected to pay. This tax was continued for several
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years, until suitable provision was made by law for contingent expenses. In addition to the levy of two mills for tuition purposes, ample power was given to the city council to issue bonds, by vote of the people, for the crection of schoolhouses.
The city charter directed " that the city council shall in the month"of January, each year, select from each ward in the city one judicious and competent person as a manager of common schools; the persons so selected shall constitute and be denominated the board of managers of common schools in the city of Dayton, and shall hold their offices for one year, and until their successors shall be chosen and qualified."
The general management of the schools was committed to this board, but in the most important particulars it was merely the agent of the council. The power to levy taxes and issue bonds was vested in the council, and the board could only recommend the amount that in its judgment was needed.
Practically, however, the board exercised complete jurisdiction, as in no case were its recommendations disregarded. The fact that the two bodies cooperated for so many years without serious difference of opinion or conflict conclusively shows the unanimity of public sentiment in favor of liberal provision for the schools.
The first board of managers for the schools was appointed by the city council in January, 1842, and was composed of the following members: First Ward, Ebenezer Fowler; Second Ward, Robert W. Steele; Third Ward, Simon Snyder; Fourth Ward, E. W. Davies; Fifth Ward, William J. Mckinney. From a report made to the city council December 12, 1842, it appears that the total amount of school fund in the treasury January, 1842, was two thousand, four hundred and eighty- two dollars and eighty-five cents. From this had to be deducted a loss on uncurrent money of three hundred and seventeen dollars and thirty-five cents, and an indebtedness from the last year of five hundred and fifty-two dollars and fifty-five cents, leaving only one thousand, five hundred and eighty-two dollars and ninety-five cents with which ,to conduct the schools.
Four schools were opened, two in the public schoolhouses and two in rented rooms. Six male and ten female teachers were employed. The principals were W. W. Chipman, W. J. Thurber, E. II. Wood, and William Worrell. The salary of the principals was one hundred and ten dollars per quarter; of male assistants, eighty dollars, and of female teachers, fifty dollars. The board was determined to close the year without debt, and the schools were continued only one quarter, one month and one week, exhausting every dollar of the fund. The houses,
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however, were not closed, the teachers continuing private schools in them throughout the year.
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