USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 38
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In September of this school year was held the first teachers' institute in Ohio, for the benefit of all grades of teachers.
Hon. E. Lane, Rev. L. Hull, C. B. Squires, and others, were prominently connected with the work of securing lecturers and creating an interest in the then new undertaking for the advancement of educational interests. Wise as they were in projecting this effort, how little could they have realized its true import to the schools of Ohio.
There were ninety-seven teachers in attendance, and the work of instruc- tion was performed by Hon. S. Town, of New York, Hon. E. Lane, M. F. Cowdery, A. D. Lord, C. B. Squires, and Lyman Preston. The meetings con-
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tinued one week, being ably conducted, and very satisfactory to all interested in the cause of education. Mr. Cowdery afterwards became superintendent at Sandusky, holding the position for many years with honor to himself and last- ing benefits to the schools.
In 1846-47 the enrollment of pupils reached four hundred and ninety Algebra and astronomy were added to the course of study in the high school.
This brings the history of our schools up to their first grading under the original of the present school law, and it is perhaps necessary to explain that. while the general public had for a period of nineteen years enjoyed such schools (during a limited portion of the year) as the most advanced citizens of the State at that time deemed proper at public expense, still the era that followed was a great stride in advance of the general sentiment in regard to such matters.
In November, 1848, F. M. Follett, H. F. Merry, and C. Leonard-the school board-elected F. M. Cowdery as superintendent of instruction with power to classify the pupils in such a degree as the buildings and circumstances in general would permit.
On the first Monday in December of that year the pupils were assembled and classified as primary, secondary, grammar, and high school students.
During the first week of school four primary classes were established with an aggregate membership of two hundred and sixty, three secondary, with one hundred and eighty, two grammar schools with one hundred and sixty pupils, and a high school numbering about sixty; six hundred and sixty in all. It is not to be inferred that this grading was entirely satisfactory to those who had brought it about, but it was an evident improvement on the old method or lack of method which had existed in the fullest sense of the word for a number of years.
Under the new order of things Mr. Cowdery acted as superintendent and principal of the high school, Mrs. Cowdery and Miss L. A. McElwain as assist- ants. Mr. W. H. Nye with Misses A. Osborne, E. Barker and Helen Barker took charge of the grammar schools. Misses E. Lewis, H. M. Hoyt and E. Moore took the secondaries, and Misses L. Barney, M. Barrett, A. Smith and Fannie B. Stone were appointed to the primary schools. Nearly thirty years later Mr. Cowdery in preparing a paper for the Centennial of U. S. Independ- ence speaks with enthusiasm of the spirit and ability manifested by these teach- ers, and the members of the board who helped to bring the change about. He omits to mention what the writer may add that M. F. Cowdery is entitled to a full measure of the lionor due those who thus early saw something of the future possibilities of our great graded school system, and was willing to labor for its advancement, even against a general public sentiment of distrust or apathy, or worse at times, active opposition.
As soon as the school law of eighteen forty-nine was received at Sandusky after its passage in February of that year, it was resolved unanimously by public
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election to adopt the new law for the control of the city schools. F. T. Barney, E. Bill and D. Souter, were added to the membership of the board elected the fall before. Many difficulties were experienced by these pioneer graded school workers that have been lessened somewhat by time, experience and observa- tion. They had no neighboring school systems organized, and going forward as those of the present day are doing. They had comparatively few educational works and papers, few meetings of experienced educators, and in fact they had more disadvantages than it would be profitable to undertake enumerating, let alone discussing at length.
A feature of this new system was an unclassified school which, as its name implies, was made up of pupils of vastly different dispositions, qualifications, ages and surroundings, who for various reasons could not be easily distributed among the various classes of the regular grades. This school was kept up with satisfactory results for over twenty years.
The average attendance at this school was eighty pupils, two-thirds boys. Miss M. Kelley, Miss Julia A. Hitchcock and Mrs. F. Hull had charge at differ- ent times. Pupils were promoted at all times during the year to any grade in. the city that they were prepared for, and this practice, doubtless, aided these excellent lady principals in disciplining their, at times, somewhat irrepressible classes.
The first plan under which the schools were graded contemplated teaching in the primary grade the simplest elements of language, numbers, geography and vocal music, with object lessons adapted in kind and extent to the capacity of children from six to eight years of age. The qualifications for promotion from this grade were fluency in reading in the Second Reader, familiarity with half the multiplication table, ability to name from the maps all the countries and large bodies of water in North America, and one term of practice in out- line drawing. Cleanliness and morality were always encouraged, and Bible reading as an opening exercise was quite generally practiced for some years in all the schools. Mr. Cowdery mentions with particular commendation the suc- cess Mrs. Mary N. Clarke, who is still in the schools, and after a service of thirty-eight years, doing excellent work for the little ones. Mrs. M. C. Dewey, now principal of the fourth ward building, and for twenty-six years a faithful teacher, is also commended. Kind mention is also made by him in his centen- nial article of Mrs. F. Hull and Miss Fannie McFall.
The primary grade occupied two years, from six to eight; the secondary schools were expected to give fluency in reading the Third Reader, ability to construct maps of the United States and other countries, to answer mental questions in text-books of arithmetic, to parse and analyze, etc., vocal music, and essay writing also received attention in this grade. The pupils were kept here nominally two years but in practice, nearer two and a half. Among the teachers who deserve honorable mention Mr. Cowdery names in this grade Miss
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Mary Comstock, Misses Fannie Harris, Annie Aplin, Hattie Fisher and Sarah Clarke; the latter is still at work in the grade. Prior to 1860 he mentions Misses E. Moore, E. Lewis, F. B. Stone, M. Loomis, C. M. Walker, S. L. Sprague, E. M. Jackson, E. D. Bartlett and E. S. Booth.
The grammar schools comprised a four years course in the work already be- gun in the other two grades, and fitted the classes to enter the high school. Messrs. W. H. Nye, L. E. Walker, G. C. Woollard, J. Chandler, M. H. Lewis and W. H. Rayl, and Misses Helen Follett, F. B. Stone, L. A. McElwain, E. W. Jackson, L. Perry, E. Hutchinson, E. Moore and S. J. Moore (the latter still in the work) were very successful as principals in the grammar schools between the years 1850 and 1887. The high school was established in 1845, and by 1847 Latin, French, physiology, chemistry, astronomy and algebra had been added to the course. The high school was then an experiment, but to use the lan- guage of a recent educator, it is at this time no longer an experiment, but a mansard roof on the public school system. In 1848 it was decided that the English branches (whatever they may be), should alone be taught, and this ac- tion excluded French and Latin from the schools up to 1860, when on petition of R. B. Hubbard and others Latin and Greek were introduced. A sort of compromise was effected that gives pupils a chance to graduate in an English course in three years, or to take a full course in four years, thus making the complete school course, as at the present time, cover twelve years.
Mr. S. S. Colton, principal of the high school from 1852 to 1867, with his assistant, Miss A. A. Breck and others, is credited with establishing the high school on a permanent basis by means of the popularity secured through con- ducting it so successfully. The present high school building was erected at the close of his administration at a cost of $92,033.88.
Volumes I and II of the Gleaner, a monthly magazine edited under the aus- pices of the high school and superintendent, lies before us as we write. Con- siderable matter contained therein is worthy of special mention, if not of repro- duction, did our space permit, but we must be content for the present with a limited notice of its general characteristics.
Mr. Cowdery is nominal editor, but for some time this work seems to have devolved upon the brighter members of the high school class.
About this time contributions of books and curiosities were commenced for the benefit of the schools, and the June number of 1850 contains a list of such contributions as do other numbers later in the year. Misses Martha Hastings and Henrietta T. Day are the editors of this number, which is the first one print- ed, and establishes the following terms: Single copies five months, fifteen cents; three copies, forty cents ; five copies, sixty-two and one-half cents (not stating who shall make the change); ten copies, $1.10; twenty copies, $2.00-cash al- ways in advance. The editors began this publication with over three hundred paid subscriptions, and the money thus received was deposited in the bank sub-
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ject to the draft of the publishers as they complied with the terms of the con- tract made with the editor-in-chief. The paper was to be stopped promptly as the advance money of individual subscribers ran out; but its editors hoped to continue the publication on and on into the inscrutable future as they said, mak- ing it a record of the knowledge, the improvements and virtues of the young minds arounds us. While happy to exchange with all school papers, they were determined to pay and receive the difference between their publication rates and those of their exchanges. In short, they enjoyed a happy state of abso- lute independence seldom attained by newspaper publishers in this part of the world.
An inquirer discusses the question on an inside page " Do worms fall from the clouds ?" leaning strongly to the opinion that they do not, and criticising some contemporary who has evidently maintained the opposite opinion in a number published while the paper was published in manuscript form.
Another item informs certain lads in our town that it isn't polite, when in- vited to a party, to drink lemonade enough to run a saw-mill three months in the year, and eat cake and candy enough to stock two confectionery shops. This number also contains a poem by Leonora, on the burning of the steamer Griffith on Lake Erie, with three hundred souls on board. Number two, pub- lished in October, 1850, takes up the subject of punctuality in the schools, and discloses what at the present time would be regarded as next door to anarchy by our teachers and the patrons of the public schools. Seventy-one excep- tions are noted in the High School in four weeks. The First Grammar School has 293 cases, the Second 193, West Market 66, West Liberties 156, West Prairie 44, East Prairie S5, total 908. The total enrollment at this time was less than 800, so the little ones must have been absent or tardy more than once around, or some of them were kept pretty busy to bring the delinquency up to these imposing proportions.
Later issues of this paper contain letters and statistics from Milan, Norwalk and other towns. A correspondent from Norwalk glories in the fact that they have (1851) a four-room school building located on what is to be the principal street when a certain railroad is completed, Mechanic street it is called, and the information is also furnished that Prof. De Wolf, since school commissioner, was principal at that time in Norwalk.
Their High School course was much like Sandusky's, but our correspon- dent informs us that in the secondary school they study young studies, such as mental arithmetic, geography, reading, writing and spelling, while the pri- mary scholars he says study " Infant studies, such as the A B C's, Ab's, etc." The correspondent is evidently a pupil, as he goes over the rules of the school with the remark that they are all " I can think of, or at least, all I care to re- member." Among those enumerated are no whispering, and pupils must fold their hands during opening prayers.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
A correspondent writing from St. Louis tells of his trip there via Chicago; from the latter city they went by canal boat to La Salle, and he tells how on the way their tow boat passed a steam canal boat going in the same direction at its best speed, all enjoying the exciting race.
From La Salle they took the steamer Prairie Bird, which he says flew over the water, giving them scarcely time to behold the beautiful scenery as they passed. Volume I, No. I, of this interesting and valuable little paper i- edited by Misses Martha Hastings and Henrietta T. Day; No. 2, by Messrs. Wm. Tilden and Isaac Mills ; No. 3, by Misses Mariette Farwell and Emma L. Coan ; No. 4, by Messrs. D. Lampman and F. W. Alvord; No. 5, by Misses Frances Jennings and Sarah Root. Volume II, No. I, is the work of Super- intendent Cowdery and contributors, as are the other numbers of this volume; most of them contain communications from the schools of surrounding towns. Number 2 contains an announcement of the Huron and Erie County Teachers' Association to be held at Milan on the first Saturday in June, 1851 ; all inter- ested in education are invited, and it intimated that teachers who care for professional standing had better attend, also that the number attending will determine whether they meet at Milan again.
Mr. Cowdery was about this time connected with the editorial staff of the Ohio Journal of Education. A report in this paper for 1852, places the city fifth in population and sixth in school enrollment; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Co- lumbus and Dayton being larger, and Lancaster, though but one-third as large, having a greater number of pupils enrolled,-probably outsiders mostly.
Sandusky's population at that time was 10,000, and her schools enrolled I,OLI pupils. The library was valued at $625. Three male and nineteen fe- male teachers were employed, the former at an average salary of $700, and the latter $180. The school tax was four mills, which taking into account the purchasing power of money was nearly double that of the present time. By an article furnished this journal in 1854, we find that in the primary schools of the city ten minutes were given to religious exercises, ten to moral lessons and ten to physical exercises each morning.
Professor U. T. Curran, a man of energy, professional spirit and marked ability, in 1872 succeeded Mr. C. R. Dean, who had followed Mr. Cowdery in 1871. His administration of eight years was marked by numerous improve- ments in the previous excellent management of the schools. The fourth ward building was erected in 1872, costing about $15,000. Drawing and music were embodied in the course during the same year. In 1873 the schools were regraded on substantially the same basis as the present. In 1874 the present board room in the high school building was fitted up; the fifth (now sixth) ward building was erected at a cost of $22,778. A training school for young teachers was also established. Mr. Curran left the schools in ISSo for the more lucrative legal profession, and his withdrawal from school work has been, and is, regretted by many friends both in and out of the profession.
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THE CITY OF SANDUSKY.
In the fall of 1880 Dr. Alston Ellis was elected superintendent of schools, and held the position until 1887, when he resigned to accept a position in Hamilton, O., where he had served for eight years previous to his election in Sandusky. Like Messrs. Cowdery and Curran, he was an active educational worker outside the school room, and on his retirement was presented with a me- mento in the shape of a valuable pin, by the Erie County Teachers' Association, of which he was an ever active and brilliant member. In 1887-S he was ap- pointed a State school examiner, elected president of the Ohio State Teachers' Association, tendered degrees by an Ohio college, and received many other tokens of the high esteem in which he is held by Ohio educators. During his administration at Sandusky many improvements were made in the school sys- tem ; a remarkably fine discipline was maintained, the cases of absence and tardiness were reduced to a minimum, and the Campbell school building was erected in 1885-6 at a cost of about $30,000. Notwithstanding the fact that this building cost but one-third as much, many consider it much finer in archi- tectural beauty and finish than the high school. The Campbell street building, like the sixth ward building, was erected by Sandusky builders: V. Kerber built the latter, and Adam Feick & Brother, the former.
Dr. H. A. Balcam, of New York, but more recently superintendent of the Fostoria College, succeeded Dr. Ellis in the schools, and is conducting them at the present time on nearly the same general plan, but there are indications of changes in some directions at least. Dr. Balcam is a man of wide experience in school work, and his efforts will be supplemented by his cultured wife, who is a lady of rare elocutionary abilities.
Wm. H. Rayl, for over twenty years principal of the grammar schools, re- signed at the same time with Dr. Ellis. His place was filled by Miss M. J. Healy, for many years a successful teacher in our city.
The present public schools employ sixty-two teachers, of whom five are specially employed to teach German, for which purpose a room has been as- signed in each of the five large buildings.
The principals are : High school, Miss Emma Paddock ; A, grammar, Miss M. J. Healy ; fourth ward, Mrs. M. C. Dewey ; fifth (sixth) ward, Mr. A. A. Bartow; eighth (Campbell street), Miss E. A. Cassidy ; first (tenth) ward, Miss M. E. Ferguson ; Washington, Mrs. Mary N. Clarke ; East Market, Miss C. Polley ; West Market, Miss Fannie Loomis; Huron Park, Mrs. M. E. Fors- ter.
There are nine buildings in the city, the A grammar and high schools both being in the Central building. The present complete school system embraces twelve D primaries, enrolling 563 pupils ; eleven C primaries en- rolling 443; eight B primaries with 419; seven A primaries with 320. There are six D grammar classes with 310 pupils; four C grammars with 203 ; three B grammars with 145; two A grammars with 100, and
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four high school grades with 145 pupils enrolled. The complete schoc: course covers twelve years, beginning with the D primary and taking the course followed above in enumerating the grades. The complete course in- cludes instruction in reading, spelling, writing, drawing, geography, grammar, arithmetic, physiology, German, Latin, rhetoric, English and American litera- ture, natural philosophy, science of government, botany, United States and general history, algebra, geometry, astronomy and composition.
Of course with the present efficient corps of teachers, there is much intel- lectual and moral culture secured to the pupils in all parts of the course.
The graduates are quite generally well prepared to enter on the active duties of life or complete their studies in higher educational institutions.
Platt R. Spencer was in 1856 connected with our schools as teacher of penmanship; he was succeeded by Mr. J. Hornbeck, and he by L. S. Thomp- son. From time to time other special teachers of music, drawing, etc., have been employed, but at present the only special teachers are those of German. They are Mr. Charles Wommelsdorf, and Misses Herckener, Kate Seitz, Marie C. Weier, and Sophie Kiefer.
There was at one time a separate school for colored pupils in the city, under the control of three directors of their own race, but it was done away with during Mr. Cowdery's administration.
Sandusky City Business College .- Among the educational institutions of the city, the Sandusky City Business College, organized in 1887 by R. L. Meredith and R. B. Harris, is worthy of special notice. Though a compara- tively new enterprise, it has an enrollment of nearly a hundred. As its name implies, pupils are thoroughly fitted for business. A teacher's training depart- ment is also conducted in connection with this institution of learning. This department has been eminently successful thus far, and the reputation of its managers is a guarantee of future prosperity.
PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.
The city receives State funds for all the children of school age, and collects taxes from all citizens alike. It is a fact that nearly one-third of these pupils however, receive their education from private schools supported by the Cath- olic churches. If other congregations should take the same course, what a reduction in taxes would be necessary to keep down the surplus.
SCHOOLS OF ST. MARY'S CONGREGATION (GERMAN).
Since the year 1855 this congregation has supported a parochial school. With the increase of population it became necessary to erect buildings, and in 1863, under the pastorate of Rev. N. Moes, a stone building with four spacious rooms, was built on the lot at the corner of Decatur and Jefferson streets, fronting on the latter street. In 1887 a similar structure was erected at a cost
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of $6,000, all paid by the congregation. This building fronts on Decatur street, and is quite tastily designed. During the past ten years the attendance at these schools has ranged from five hundred and seventy-five to six hundred and fifty pupils. The highest class of boys is taught by Joseph Gerhardstein. The remaining pupils are taught by seven " Ladies of the Sacred Heart" from Cleveland, and one lay teacher.
The children from six to fourteen learn besides their religious instruction in the catechism and Bible history, English and German reading, writing and composition, United States history, geography, arithmetic, and music. At the option of the parents they are taught bookkeeping, algebra, and geometry, and the girls needlework. All these schools are under the immediate direc- tion of Rev. Moes, the pastor, the general direction of a board of school direc- tors for the whole diocese of Cleveland, and a special board of examiners for various districts. Rev. N. Moes, of St. Mary's church, is president of the board for the district in which Sandusky belongs.
These schools put a yearly burden of $3,000 on the congregation which supports them. They rank high among Sandusky educational institutions. .
SAINTS PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH SCHOOLS,
Under the charge of Rev. Father Sidley, owns a large lot on the corner of Jackson and Jefferson streets, where are located a three-room brick building, costing about $2,000, and a stone building worth in the neighborhood of $4,000. The former is for girls, and has an attendance of about 200 ; the lat- ter for boys, and has not far from 125 in attendance on the average. These schools are under the superintendency of Rev. Sidley, and are conducted by the " Ladies of the Sacred Heart," by whom the girls are taught. The boys are instructed by lay teachers. The schools are kept open during ten months of the year. The age of pupils range from seven to thirteen years.
Semi-annual promotions are made. These schools were established in 1856, and have been conducted since that time by the ladies of the order men- tioned above, with marked success, graduating many bright scholars. Miss H. Fitzgerald has acted as principal for twenty-three years past, and is still at her post of duty with excellent prospects for the future.
THE HOLY ANGELS CHURCH, LOCATED ON TIFFIN AVENUE,
Has a fine, little two-story brick school building on Jefferson street near Tiffin avenue. About one hundred children are in attendance at present, though there are accommodations for nearly twice that number
This school is under the supervision of Rev. Father Tracy, the pastor of the church, and is taught by lay teachers Misses McGushen and O'Don- nell. The course of study is similar in this school to that of the grammar de- partment of the public schools.
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CHURCHES OF SANDUSKY.
Wayne Street Baptist Church, west side of Wayne, between Adams an. Washington, Rev. Granger W. Smith, pastor. As early as 1838, Rev. S. Is Webster, of Monroeville, made an unsuccessful effort to gather together all ti.« Baptists living in Sandusky, and organize them into a church of that denom . nation. After his attempt seven years passed before such an organization w ... actually made. There is no record, however, that it existed longer than three or four years. It died during the cholera plague of 1848 and 1849. Its only pastor was Rev. R. W. Henderson. Of its members, one is a member of the Baptist Church now in existence, i. e., Mrs. Lewis Benjamin.
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