USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 38
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He was a marvel of learning by the time he was twenty-five years old, and becoming known as a man of more than ordinary at- tainments, he was honored by having con- ferred upon him the degre of Master of Arts, as a well merited honor, by the Uni- versity at Athens, Ohio. Although he was never permitted to enter a college or uni- versity, he thoroughly mastered all the de- partments of learning usually taught in them. He was a thorough linguist in both ancient and modern languages, a successful student of the natural sciences, an able his- torian, an extraordinary mathematician, and, by his strength of intellect and persist- ent effort, he became a most profound scholar in almost every department of learning.
He peacefully and quietly ceased from his labors August 10, 1879, at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. The remains of this distinguished man rest in Fairfield county, in what is known as the German Lutheran and German Presbyterian Cemetery.
Fellow teachers and students of Ohio, have we not in this prince of intellectuality, this self-taught man, an encouraging and ad- vantageous lesson? True, we cannot all be Dr. John Williamses, but his eventful life is certainly helpful to any thoughtful student. Permit nic space to give you a hint of the instruction which he received in mathe-
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matics. While he was a member of Canons- Wagenhals, a distinguished physician of burg Academy, he became on a time some- Lancaster and later of Columbus, and last, but not least, Mrs. Elizabeth Freeman Thompson, a superior grammarian and mathematician, the lamented wife of the writer.
what concerned about the correct solution of a problem in algebra. He had never as yet gone to any person or teacher for as- sistance. The hour for recitation was near- ing. His face flushed with shame to solicit aid, but feeling that he must be master of his work before recitation, he finally went to the instructor and asked for a word of ex- planation. The instructor looked at the problem for a moment and then said : "John, that is a difficult problem, and as the class will not recite till this afternoon, I will work it out for you at the noon hour." John thanked his teacher and went to his seat a happy boy. But he solved the problem him- self long before he returned to the school from his dinner, and thus saved the head master in mathematics the trouble. This is all the information he ever personally re- ceived from any instructor in mathematics. He mastered all departments of learning in the same persistent way:
Dr. Williams was the founder of the old Greenfield Academy in Fairfield county, where many distinguished scholars and re- nowned people of Ohio were educated. A few of these may be cited :- Judge Silas H. Wright, Hon. John M. Connell, Judge John S. Brasee, Newton Schleigh, Hon. Thomas Ewing of New York City, the late Theodore Tallmadge of Washington, D. C., Mrs. Samuel A. Baxter, mother of Samuel A. Baxter Jr., banker of Lima, Ohio, Dr. Joseph Freeman, Prof. A. Freed, the nat- uralist and distinguished scholar of Fair- field county, George W. Beery, a distin- guished lawyer of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, O. E. P. Ashbrook, of Windsor, Ill., Rev. Isaac Bookwalter, Dr. David Carpenter of Chicago, Oliver P. Chaney, Dr. M. P.
It has often been said and is generally be- lieved that James G. Blaine, the great statesman, and John Sherman, the nation's financier, were students of Dr. John Wil- liams, but this' is a mistake; they were not. The writer heard Judge Silas H. Wright say, on one occasion, that he personally knew and could name an active judge on the bench in almost every state in the union, who had been students of Dr. John Williams. Truly this man of mighty intellect and great attain- ments would have done honor to any seat of learning .*
"His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that nature might stand up And say to all the world, this was a man."
Catalogue of students in attendance within the year ending Aug. 15th, 1845.
William Famulener, Pickaway county.
David Henderson, Guernsey county.
Philip Welshimer, Amanda township, Fairfield county.
Newton Schleigh, Amanda township, Fair- field county.
Oliver Baughman, Hocking township.
A. W. Wilson, Greenfield township.
De L. F. Julien, Greenfield township. Silas H. Wright, Hocking county.
O. Benton, Pickaway county.
J. J. Stailey, Pleasant township.
Geo. L. Sites, Fairfield county. Samuel Hooker, Greenfield.
* One of the first texts used by me in college was "The Parser's Manual," and later, "The Readable Lex- icon" by Dr. Williams. The power of these texts In- spired new life and strength In every student. Dr. Williams was a benefactor of his race .- The Editor.
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CRAWFIS INSTITUTE, LANCASTER
SCHOOL BUILDING, LITHOPOLIS
-
A
FAIRFIELD UNION ACADEMY, PLEASANTVILLE
SCHOOL BUILDING, THURSTON
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William Salter, Portsmouth. John McFarland, Greenfield.
Jared Hooker, Greenfield.
Dixon A. Harrison, Royalton.
Levi Williamson, Royalton.
N. H. Sprague, Winchester. Wm. Carnes, Amanda.
Alfred Williams, Greenfield.
Samuel Hedges, Pickaway county.
John Sweitzer, Greenfield.
William Hutton, Greenfield.
John Hutton, Greenfield.
William Hedges, Pickaway county.
Richard Hooker, Greenfield.
La Fayette Tallman, Pickaway. James M. Wichizer, Greenfield.
Jonathan Flattery, Greenfield.
Samuel Roland, Greenfield. WVm. Daugherty, Pickaway. De Witt C. Atwater, Circleville.
John Cherry, Walnut township. Edward Talbott, Baltimore, Ohio. Benjamin Talbott, Baltimore, Ohio. Samuel R. Graybill. Greenfield. Geo. Hite, Lithopolis. Henry C. Lefever, Waterloo. Peter Finnefrock, Amanda.
7. C. Williams, Madison township. A. H. Thaeffer, Madison township. David Carpenter. Bern township.
Samuel Breck, Carroll. John Ewing, Lancaster. John Cox, Baltimore, Ohio. Edward Garaghty, Lancaster. Jolın Connell, Lancaster. D. A. Poorman, Carroll. Geo. Huber, Royalton. D. Palmer, Thornville. John Soliday, Walnut.
Henry C. Coulson, Greenfield. Solomon Weaver, Pleasant township. Geo. W. Myers, Lancaster.
James K. Black, Rushcreek township.
Jonathan Miller, Hocking.
„Abraham Shisler, Liberty township. Davis Tauter, Fairfield.
Conrad Reedy, Amanda.
Reuben Shisler, Liberty.
John Irvin, Lancaster.
Ezra Van Meter, Pickaway.
S. C. Koontz, Bern.
John S. Brasee, Lancaster.
Willis F. Williams, Lancaster.
Robert McNeill, Lancaster.
Frederick Foster, Lancaster.
Jesse Rickets, Bloom.
Thomas Beech, Royalton.
Emanuel Kemmerer. Pleasant.
Joseph Nourse, Lancaster.
James McCleery, Greenfield.
N. W. Dennison, Greenfield.
TEXT BOOKS
Boullion's English Grammar, Ray's Arith- metic, Mitchell's Geography, Comstock's Phil- osophy, Comstock's Chemistry, Ruschen- berger's First Books of Natural History, Mrs. Lincoln's First Principles of Botany. Eaton & Wright's North-American Botany, Preston's Book-keeping, Young's Science of Goverment, Newman's Rhetoric. Olin- sted's AAstronomy. Davies' Mathematical Course, Boullion's Latin and Greek Gram- mars and Readers, the usual Latin and Greek classics (Antlion's series, so far as published ).
Instruction is also given in the French and German languages.
NOTICE
Tuition in the more common branches. per session $ 8.00
Tuition, Languages and Mathematics. 10.00 Boarding (present rate) per week. $1.25 27.50
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Use of room and furniture. 2.00 Fuel and light, fall and winter ses-
sion, about 2.00
Fuel and light, spring and summer ses-
sion, about .75
Total per session from ... $38.00 to $42.00
The year included two sessions of twenty- two weeks each, the first commencing an- nually between the 20th and 25th of September and ending about the last of February; the second session commencing between the 15th and 20th of March and ending about the mid- dle of August.
FAIRFIELD UNION ACADEMY
Fairfield Union Academy, located at Pleas- antville, was opened in 1860. The academy had two brick buildings; in the north were the chapel, recitation, cabinet and society rooms; in the south were rooms for students, reading-room and boarding hall. When the school first opened in the fall of 1860, it was located in the Odd Fellows' Building and Prof. George Fleming was principal. Prof. Fleming was a highly cultured man, a classi- cal graduate of an eastern college. He seemed to know Bullion's Latin and Greek grammars as well as the author did; Latin and Greek were as familiar to him as Eng- lish. His strong forte was mathematics, and in scientific research he was fully abreast of his time.
In the spring of 1861 the first brick build- ing was ready for occupancy. The early as- sistants in this school were Prof. Peck, Will- iam Hastings, J. J. Wagner and J. S. Cole. Other teachers were Miss Edgar, D. J. Sny- der, J. W. Barber, Prof. Brown, T. C. Reade, C. C. Will, A. Freed, John Williams, F. P. Shisler, Peter Wagner, J. C. Harper, S. Knabenshire and John F. Alfred.
The following were early students at this school: Mary Trovinger, Hattie Shoemaker, Jennie Ashbrook, Anna Ashbrook, Valeria Hampson, Mary Duncan, Effinda Slife, Sarah Magruder, Louisa Magruder, Callie Yontz, Edith Smith, Mollie Smith, Emma Miller, Laura Fink, Susan Fink, Emma Claypool, Tillie Brandt, Amanda Weist, Mollie Cupp, G. M. Peters, T. H. Peters, C. W. Parido, Taylor Parido, W. H. Huber, G. A. Ewing, T. J. Duncan, N. P. Stevenson, Lewis Ash- brook, W. L. Brandt, J. J. Wagner, W. L. Koontz, J. W. Barber, D. J. Snyder, Thomas Hastings, P. M. Gibony, J. S. Cole, T. B. Newkirk, J. Claypool, S. B. Halderman, E. M. Coe, William Wildermuth, D. A. Weakly, A. N. Leitnaker, Mat Miller, G. M. Miller, A. B. Fry, S. G. Smith, L. B. Yontz, J. Harmer, Martin Thomen, Uriah Emick, A. E. Bretz, W. E. Ewing.
It will be impossible in this short space to mention all the worthy teachers who at some time in the career of this noted school in- structed the young people who gathered there as students. Prof. Darlington J. Snyder was one of the earlier teachers. He was full of enthusiasm and his intense energy lent to his work an interest that few men can command. He is now (1912) one of the leading physi- cians of the city of Columbus.
Prof. J. J. Wagner was also one of the young teachers in this institution, whose good work is still remembered, but whose life work was destined for the public schools. (See Liberty Township .- Baltimore. )
Prof. A. Freed was for years the leading spirit of this institution. His wide and very accurate knowledge of the sciences, particu- larly of archaeology; and his keen insight into astronomy and trigonometry, made him one of the most noted instructors of his class in the country. His own private collection in his
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beautiful country home attracted the atten- tion of scientists the country over. Though a sufferer from ill health, he was companion- able, interesting and always cheerful, beloved by his pupils and respected by men in author- ity everywhere. His keenness of intellect, his wonderful power of illustration and the great breadth of his knowledge, made an impres- sion on the writer that will never be for- gotten.
Prof. J. C. Harper took charge of the in- stitution when its business affairs needed the closest attention. He brought the school to a high standing in a literary way-improved its finances and advertised it widely. Prof. Harper had had a wide experience in public school work before he took charge of the Academy. This made him popular with the teachers and enabled him to do them much good by Normal training.
The scholarly Knabenshue did not remain long at the head of the institution, but he left his mark upon all who came within the circle of his influence. He posessed a keen mind and vigorous energetic methods of teaching. Later this distinguished scholar was sent by the President of the United States to repre- sent his country at a foreign court. Prof. Knabenshue's son Roy has become famous as an aviator, and has added much renown to his home, the city of Toledo.
One of the last of the distinguished prin- cipals was Prof. John F. Alford, whose quiet. unassuming manner, but scholarly and dig- nified work day by day revived the life of the decadent institution and, for a time, gave it new strength, vigor and renown. He brought the attendance up very closely to what it was in the hey day of its history.
Fairfield Union Academy was closed in the summer of 1903.
her brightest and most hopeful days, it is a sad commentary on the changes wrought by time to know that the school is no more, and that the buildings, neglected and alone, are crumbling back to Mother Earth. The owl and the bat make their home where once was heard the sound of music, instrumental and vocal, and the trained voice of the orator and debater. But such are the changes time will bring, a thought so beautifully expressed by one of the Academy's most noted pupils (now deceased), Dr. O. P. Driver :-
"Down where the schoolhouse used to stand, A visit late I paid ;
And lingered 'round its ruins wild, Deep musing while I staid.
"But ah, to me the scene was sad, And tears were free to flow ;
To think that a few years gone by Were doomed to change it so.
"Such are the changes years will bring, As older still we grow,
Till time shall find us near the tomb With locks as white as snow."
CRAWFIS INSTITUTE
Berne Township High School, or Crawfis Institute, owes its establishment to the benev- olence of a former citizen of the township, Mr. John Crawfis, after whom it is named. Mr. Crawfis was born in Berne township, Fairfield county, Ohio, but in early life re- moved to Putnam county, Ohio, where he lived until his death. Having accumulated a large fortune, he bequeathed at his death cer- tain lands to Berne township for the express purpose of establishing an institution of higher education, especially that of normal training for the people of his native township and such others of neighboring vicinities as would avail themselves of the opportunity.
To one who remembers the Academy in Mr. Crawfis's generosity was not alone for
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Fairfield county, the place of his birth, but it was extended equally to Putnam county, the place of his adoption. He therefore left a like amount for the establishment of a similar school in Putnam county near his home, where a flourishing school is to be found today.
With the proceeds of the sale of these lands, the Berne Township Board of Educa- tion, in 1889, erected a college building in the central part of the township, on a beautiful elevation, three miles southeast of Lancaster, Ohio. This beautiful elevation upon which the institution is situated overlooks a large scope of the picturesque and fertile region of the Hocking river, together with a large por- tion of the business part of the nearby city, making it one of the most pleasant and de- sirable places in the state.
During the year 1889-90 it was used ex- clusively as a township high school; but in 1890 and '91 two dormitories were built and the school was organized upon broader plans, carrying out the expressed wishes of its ben- efactor. During the superintendency of Prof. D. C. Arnold, the attendance grew very ra- pidly and the school became very popular. In 1892 an addition was built to the girls' dor- mitory, containing sixteen student's rooms with a large kitchen and dining-room in the basement.
Unfortunately for the people of Berne township, however, the energetic and success- ful instructor resigned his position in 1892 to accept a more lucrative one in the city. Prof. A. B. Kiefaber, who was elected to succeed Prof. Arnold as manager of the institution, entered upon his duties in September, 1892, with flourishing prospects. Gradually the school grew in popularity and attendance un- til extensive improvements had to be made exceeding those of all previous years. Polit-
ical affiliations and aspirations brought about another change in the management at the end of three years and Prof. W. J. Dum was ap- pointed as successor in 1895.
By this time the people of the township had come to esteem their higher institution more dearly and the Board of Education had learned the value of cooperative efforts. A new impulse was given the school and such rapid strides were made in her progress that she soon became the most popular institution of the county. The good work thus moved on for some years under the leadership of the energetic superintendent ; but in 1901 and 1902 new (Boxwell) high school laws were enacted by the State Legislature, and public sentiment was everywhere aroused in favor of high school education. Villages and town- ships vied with each other in rank. This, caused a decline in interest and attendance at Crawfis College.
Prof. Dum now resigned and a new and ac- tive man, Prof. William Walter, was placed at the head. Tremendous efforts were put forth by the management to attract public at- tention. The courses were revised and en- riched; the school building and dormitories were thoroughly renovated, painted, and made comfortable and pleasant ; a thorough gas plant was established, thus affording the most convenient, comfortable and cheapest fuel for light and fire; a new well was drilled at the most convenient place on the premises, in which the water issues from the solid rock and rises nearly to the surface, thus supply- ing the institution. not only with an inex- haustible supply of water, but also with the coolest, the clearest, and the purest available anywhere; the railroad company was induced to stop the passenger trains twice a week for the students; and the surroundings were so improved as to make the scenes both attract-
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ive and comfortable. At the end of the first year it was already felt by the friends of the institution that she was regaining some of her former glory. Year after year the whole life of the management was thrown into the building up of the institution and rapidly the occupation of the Board of Education, teach- ers, and public came to the aid and all doubt of establishing her former prominence van- ished. Often obstacles were thrown in her way, but the management worked on undis- mayed, surmounted these, and gradually lifted her above the heads of all her sister institu- tions of the county, even winning some state recognition.
The third year the enrollment had grown to such an extent that an addition had to be built to the boys' dormitory and a third in- structor employed. A new schoolroom was fitted up and agriculture was introduced as a regular and required branch. The fourth year the school had again increased in num- bers and prospects and it became necessary to provide new quarters for the boarding depart- ment. The basement of the girls' dormitory was accordingly prepared for the purpose and its management placed in the hands of respon- sible parties, whose duty it became to wait upon this department alone. The matron of the institution was thus relieved of the respon- sibility and the accommodations were made more commodious and convenient for the stu- dents.
Again the courses were improved and lengthened. Two parallel high school courses, of four years each, were put in operation. The one is an English course, requiring neither Latin nor German, while the other requires either Latin or German or both. The term was extended from eight to nine months and the school was raised to first grade, thus giv- ing graduates from these courses the highest
honors or credit that any high school in the state can give. The teachers' course was also lengthened one year because of the prevailing opinion that soon a high school education would be required for a teacher's certificate. Additions were made to both library and labo- ratory, so as to enable instructors to do their work more efficiently and more exhaustively.
These changes, with the increased interest in agriculture, necessitated the employment of a fourth teacher. With such a faculty, all of whom have had college training and are bent upon progress, the question of the growth and rank of the school will be removed for years to come.
No institution can show a better record in literary work. Crawfis institute stands second to none in this department and her members are sure to make themselves felt sooner or later as citizens and statesmen.
The rules of the institution are strict, and this fact now makes it safe for all classes to at- tend this school.
List of superintendents and principals of Crawfis Institute with their assistants from the organization of the scsool to the present time :
SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS
W. W. Boyd, 1889-1890.
D. C. Arnold, 1890-1892.
A. B. Kiefaber, 1892-1895.
W. J. Dum, 1895-1907. William Walter, 1907 to the present time (1912).
ASSISTANTS
A. B. Kiefaber, 1890 (resigned).
A. F. Hummel, 1890 (resigned).
E. C. Hedrick, 1891.
Prof. Randolph, 1891-1892.
W. H. Alwine, 1892-1894.
A. F. Hummel, part of 1894 (resigned).
21
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
G. H. Hartman, 1895.
A. M. Clover, 1895-1897.
WV. A. Graffis, 1897-1899. M. Kindler, 1899-1901. Prof. Gourley, 1901-1903.
E. L. Daley, 1903-1904.
J. M. Hengst, 1904-1905.
E. H. Kuhn, 1905-1900.
H. C. Bailey, 1906-1907.
A. D. Hufford, 1907-1910.
WV. S. Krout, 1910-191I.
Philip Bascom, part of 1911 (resigned).
N. W. Trasure, 1911-1912.
W. S. Krout, second assistant, 1909-1910. Karl Morris, second assistant, 1910-19II.
Gladys Johnson, second assistant, 19II- 1912.
J. W. Ford, third assistant, 1911-1912.
H. H. Tombarger served as substitute dur- ing part of Mr. Dum's incumbency.
JOHN CRAWFIS
John Crawfis was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, August 1, 1809, and died at his home in Blanchard township. Putnam county, October 9, 1880. He removed to Putnam county in the year 1834. Mr. Crawfis married a native of Fairfield county, but they had no children. In his will he provides for his wife during the re- mainder of her life and leaves her dower inter- ests in some real estate during her life time, and at her death the lands go to the board of education of Berne township, Fairfield county, and Blanchard township, Putnam county. The bequests were as follows : To Berne township, four hundred and twenty acres of land, which he valued at $25,000. To Blanchard town- ship, two hundred and forty acres of land, and notes and mortgages to the amount of $11,000, the total value of which he gives at $25,000. He also bequeathed to Ottawa Lodge No. 325, F. & A. M., the sum of $1,000. The residue of
his property, if any, was to be divided equally between the board of education of Berne town- ship, Fairfield county and the board of educa- tion of Blanchard township, Putman county, for the purpose of providing public libraries for the schools which he endowed.
THE BOYS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
It was a fortunate change by which "The Ohio Reform Farm" became known as "The Boys' Industrial School." This was accom- plished at the suggestion, and by the efforts of Supt. J. C. Hite. The world likes the word industry. It has the right ring. It means everything to the boys. It is wealth and happiness to the masses of mankind. In- dustry has done, and is doing the world's work. But there is needed one strong word just before the word "industry" to give it its full meaning and strength-the word "intelli- gent" must be placed there, for "intelligent in- dustry" today creates the world's finished product.
At the Boys' Industrial School the head, the hand and the heart are trained-made intelli- gent. These boys have ample training in the school room, where lessons are learned and problems solved just as in the best schools of the cities of our state. Then their hands are made to follow glibly the lines of the manu- factures of the various trades of life.
Vocational Training is the cry and call to- day from workshop, factory and counting house. Train the boy to some useful kind of work. This is the great demand of the age. The Boys' Industrial School has been doing this work in vocational training for many years and the institution has turned out men who are an honor to any profession or trade. It is well that this is true, for it gives these boys in this institution an equal chance in the race of life with every other boy. The present man-
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agement is efficient and thorough. The fol- lowing account will be read with interest and pride, not only by citizens of the county, but by every boy who has made the Institution his home.
THE BOYS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
By Prof. O. C. Larason.
The Boys' Industrial School is situated six miles south of Lancaster, Ohio, in Fairfield county, and contains twelve hundred and thirty acres of land, located in the townships of Hocking, Berne and Madison. It is connected with Lancaster by trolley and a good public road. The superintendents since 1859 have been as follows :
G. E. Howe, Lake county, April 5, 1859- April 5, 1878.
J. C. Hite, Fairfield county, April 5, 1878- June 18, 1879.
Col. G. S. Innis, Franklin county, June 18, 1879-June 1, 1880.
Chas. Douglass, Lucas county, June 1, 1880 -May 15, 1884.
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