History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 39

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207

USA > Ohio > Madison County > History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions > Part 39

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Digitized by Google

- -

275

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

was required by law to appoint a board of state examiners, consisting of three persons, who held their office for two years. This board was authorized to issue life certificates to such teachers as may be found, upon examination, to have attained "eminent profes- sional experience and ability." These certificates were valid in any school district in the state, and superseded the necessity of all other examinations by the county or local. boards of examiners. Each applicant for a state certificate was required to pay a fee of three dollars.

There was in each county in the state a board of examiners appointed by the pro- bate judge, their official term being three years. The law provided that "it shall be the duty of the examiners to fix upon the time of holding the meetings for the examination of teachers, in such places in their respective counties as will, in their opinion, best accommodate the greatest number of candidates for examination, notice of all such meet- ings being published in some newspaper of general circulation in their respective coun- ties, and at such meetings any two of said board shall be competent to examine appli- cants and grant certificates; and as a condition of examination, each applicant for a certificate shall pay the board of examiners a fee of fifty cents." The fees thus received were set apart as a fund for the support of teachers' institutes. In city districts of the first and second class and village districts, having a population of not less than two thousand five hundred, the examiners were appointed by the boards of education. The fees charged were the same as those of the county boards, and were appropriated for the same purpose.

DISTRICT SCHOOL DIRECTORS.

There were in the different districts, sub-districts, in which the people elected, annu- ally, a local director, whose term of office continued for three years. From this it will be seen that each sub district had a board consisting of three directors. These directors chose one of their number as clerk, who presided at the meetings of local directors, and kept a record thereof. He also kept a record of the proceedings of the annual school meetings of the sub-district. The board of education of each township district consisted of the township clerk and the local directors who had been appointed clerks of the sub-districts. The law provided that "in every district in the state there shall be taken, between the first Monday in September and the first Monday in October, in each year, an enumeration of all unmarried youth, noting race and sex, between six and twenty-one years of age, resident within the district, and not temporarily there, desig- nating also the number between sixteen and twenty-one years of age, the number resid- ing in the Western reserve, the Virginia military districts, the United States military district, and in any origianl surveyed township or fractional townships to which belongs suction 16, or other land in lieu thereof, or any other lands for the use of schools or any interest in the proceeds of such land : Provided, that, in addition to the classified return of all the youth residing in the district, that the aggregate number of youth in the district resident of any adjoining county shall be separately given, if any such there be, and the name of the county in which they reside." The clerk of each board of education was required to transmit to the county auditor an abstract of the returns of enumeration made to him, on or before the second Monday of October.

The county auditor was required to transmit to the state commissioner, on or before the 5th day of November, a.duly certified abstract of the enumeration returns made to him by clerks of school districts. The law provided that "the auditor of state shall, annually, apportion to the common-school funds among the different counties upon the enumeration and returns made to him by the state commissioner of common schools, and certify the amount so apportioned to the county auditor of each county, stating from what sources the same is derived, which said sum the several county treasurers shall retain in their respective treasuries from the state funds; and the county auditors shall, annually, and immediately after their annual settlement with the county treas-

Digitized by Google

276

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

urers, apportion the school funds for their respective counties, according to the enume- ration and returns in their respective offices."

This law provided that the school year should begin on the 1st day of September of each year, and close on the 31st day of August of the succeeding year. A school week should consist of five days, and a school month of four school weeks. The law also provided, in relation to common schools, "That they shall be free to all youth between six and twenty-one years of age who are children, wards or apprentices of actual resi- dents of the school district, and no pupil shall be suspended therefrom except for such time as may be necessary to convene the board of education of the district, or local director of the sub-district, nor be expelled unless by a vote of two-thirds of said board of local directors, after the parent or guardian of the offending pupil shall have been notified of the proposed expulsion, and permitted to be heard against the same; and no scholar shall be suspended or expelled from the privilege of schools beyond the current term : Provided, that each board of education shall have power to admit other persons, not under six years of age, upon such terms, or upon the payment of such tuition as they prescribe; and. boards of education of city, village or special districts shall also have power to admit, without charge or tuition, persons within the school age who are members of the family of any freeholder whose residence is not within such districts, if any part of such freeholder's homestead is within such district; and provided fur- ther, that the several boards of education shall make such assignments of the youth of their respective districts to the schools established by them as will, in their opinion, best promote the interests of education in their districts; and provided further, that nothing contained in this section shall supersede or modify the provisions of section 31 of an act entitled an act for the reorganization, supervision and maintenance of com- mon schools, passed March 14, 1853, as amended March 18, 1864."

Provision was made by law for the establishment and maintenance of teachers' insti- tutes, which were established for the professional improvement of teachers. At each session competent instructors and lecturers were employed to assist the state commis- sioner, who was required by law to superintend and encourage such institutes. They were either county, city or joint institutes of two or more counties, and the examina- tion fees paid by teachers to boards of examiners were devoted to the payment of the expenses incurred by these institutes.

It is said that a state consists of men, and history shows that no art or science, wealth or power, will compensate for the want of moral or intellectual stability in the minds of a nation. Hence, it is admitted that the strength and perpetuity of this republic must consist in the morality and intelligence of the people. Every youth in Ohio, under twenty-one years of age, may have the benefit of a public education, and since the system of graded and high schools has been adopted, may obtain a common knowledge from the alphabet to the classics. The enumerated branches of study in the public schools of Ohio are thirty-four, including mathematics and astronomy, French, German and the classics. Thus the state, which was in the heart of the wilderness but a little more than one hundred years ago, now presents to the world not merely an an unrivaled development of material prosperity, but an unsurpassed system of popular education.

SCHOOLS UNDER THE NEW LAWS.

By J. R. Clarke, State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, Southeast Ohio District.

A little more than a year ago (1913) our Legislature and our enthusiastic governor gave us a legal survey of all schools outside of the cities, and we have all found out what many already knew, namely, that most township and village schools were without any system; and in these everything unsanitary, unattractive and retrogressive were found that everywhere goes with a lack of system. The report of the school survey commis-

Digitized by Google

277

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

son is full of the shortcomings of our schools and gives the school air a bad perfume -some say a worse one than it deserves. Be that as it may, it tells too much truth for such a state as Ohio. What now would be the results if the state, through its department of public instruction, were to get out a volume of the many, many virtues and gracious centers of learning and refinement found in all corners of our state-the high and consolidated schools; the modern single room schools; the model teachers; and all those with the best equipment and physical conditions-libraries, pictures on the walls, clean rooms and premises-and God's out of doors? The message of these must of necessity be carried in print or by messenger to the teacher and boards who have been laggards. Laws will not create school spirit nor make good teachers; the inspired word and the gentle touch of spirit with spirit will give us both.

Briefly, the new laws provide for a well-defined school administration, for standard- izing the schools, for training the teachers, and for very much more money from the state treasury for schools. Much more is provided in these laws along other lines.

The administration is planned in a superintendent for each county and a local superintendent in each rural and village district, or a superintendent for a combination of these rural and village districts. The county superintendent is the state representa- tive in each county. He will be the head of all school work in his county, if he is big enough, and if he is not, he will be sand on the machinery. He will of necessity be the county director of the teacher training schools in connection with the first grade high schools, and to do this effectively must be the peer of any teacher in the county, or his leadership will take the schools downhill. He is the clerk of the board of county school examiners; he will provide a manual of courses of study to the districts of the county, which will outline a minimum of work; he nominates the local superintendents in most cases and does much in directing the teachers' institute work.

In short, he is the legal leader of the county school forces. Will he lead educa- tionally? We all pray for an affirmative answer-and will get this answer where the county board of education, unafraid and in its own best judgment-elects the right man-an educator who is well qualified for the work and who has shown unmistakable qualities of leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.

College diplomas and high school certificates are not the most important qualifica- tions of the new educational county official. The new school code of Ohio makes rad- Ical and sweeping changes in the organization and administration of the rural and village schools. The county superintendent has many problems to solve problems more delicate, more important and more difficult that confront the city superintendent. It has been no easy task to install this new school machinery successfully from the outset. Judging from the duties laid down in the new code, this official must possess, in a high degree, organizing, administrative and executive ability.

Among the duties of the county superintendent under the new code are the follow- ing: He shall be in all respects the executive officer of the county board of education; he shall act as secretary of the county board of education ; he shall conduct a county conven- tion of school board members; he shall prepare a minimum course of study which shall be a guide for the local boards of education; he shall nominate the district superintendents; he shall hold monthly meetings with the district superintendents and advise with them on matters of school efficiency; he shall visit and inspect the schools under his super- vision; he shall have direct supervision over the training of teachers in the county normal training schools; he shall be a member of the county school examiners and act as its secretary; he shall make reports to the county auditor, to the county board of education, and to the state superintendent of public instruction; he shall lead in man- aging the county institute. These are only some of the duties of this county school

Digitized by Google

278

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

official-the county superintendent, and it is very evident from these and other duties not enumerated that he should be a man of high qualifications a. man of wide range of experience and a high order of executive and administrative ability.

CENTRALIZATION OF RURAL SCHOOLS.

The new code places great emphasis on the centralization of rural schools. It has been demonstrated in Ohio that this form of school organization affords the best oppor- tunity for the ideal rural school-the best opportunity for the successful teaching of agriculture and domestic science-the best opportunity for the development of the rural spirit and country life-the best opportunity to give the youth of the rural districts that kind of an education which will fit them best for their life work.

But the people of Ohio are a conservative people. There are many "stand-patters" in education, and a campaign must be waged in every township to educate the people up to a higher standard and to this more improved form of rural school organization. The new school code'makes ample provision for the centralization of schools, but with- out able leadership very little can be accomplished .. The county superintendent should not only possess strong executive and administrative experience and ability, but he should be a strong and prudent leader in all educational reforms and improvement.

THE RURAL HIGH SCHOOL.

The people are coming to realize more and more that equality of opportunity for the people of the rural districts means the improvement and development of the rural high school. The new code provides for this improvement.

The new code recognizes the fact that the rural high school must be made the equal in all respects to the city high school. Its aim is to make the rural high school a social and educational center for the best development of the whole rural community life. The rural high school is to become the crowning feature of our modern rural school system. The improvement and enrichment of the rural high school is one of the many good features of the new code. A good high-school education today is more essential than a common-school education was in the days of the fathers.

A close analysis of the new code shows that the standards now set for rural and village schools are higher than those for the city schools. Dean H. G. Williams, of Ohio University, writes: "Ohio's greatest need within the next few months is for edu- cational leaders. No state in the Union has swung more rapidly into the progressive educational column than Ohio, and we have today a new school code which will tend to revolutionize educational policies and practices."

RESUME OF CHANGES IN SCHOOL SYSTEM.

The rural school came into Ohio from New England, first establishing itself in the Western reserve. Only the more densely populated and progressive communities were blessed with schools during the first quarter of the past century. The school houses were very remotely placed, and the schools served very large areas. School teachers were even more scarce, and often suitable ones could not be found. It frequently hap- pened that a student in college found it very convenient to replenish his dwindling funds by dropping out of college for a term during the winter time and go to one of the back districts of Ohto and teach a six or even ten weeks' term of school. That young people appreciated the opportunities that thus occasionally came to them is attested by the fact that these early schools often numbered from seventy-five to one hundred pupils

Before 1852 only four branches were required to be taught in Ohio schools, namely : reading, writing, arithmetic and spelling. The men teachers were required to take examination in reading, writing and arithmetic; but the lady teachers were let off a little easier, and for some reason-the reader may speculate- they were permitted to

Digitized by Google

279

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

substitute orthography for arithmetic. Evidence of proficiency in these branches usually secured the coveted license to teach, and these permits were from six months to eight- een months in length. After the year above mentioned two more subjects were added to the list of requirements; they were English grammar and geography. The additions have continued from time to time until today the teacher is required to pass an exam- ination in ten subjects before being permitted to teach in the rural schools.

RURAL POPULATION DWINDLING.

Between 1870 and 1880 improvement in the rural schools of Ohio consisted mainly in these five things: the building of more school houses, of better school houses, raising the educational requirements of the teachers, paying better wages, and enforcing attend- ance on the part of the children. By 1885 or 1890 the rural school had reached its greatest efficiency and enjoyed the splendor of its sentimental glory. Soon thereafter the rural exodus began. Some rural communities in Ohio, between 1890 and 1910 lost one-third of their populations. The number of one-room school houses, which, before 1800, existed in about the right ratio to population to best serve the rural communities of the state, became too numerous in 1910, not because there had been so many new school houses built, but because there were fewer families and, therefore, fewer children in the rural districts of the state to make use of them. So it has come to pass that the rural schools, and the system of rural education generally, became a burden to the rural people when considered from the standpoint of efficiency. The Ohio state school survey was the outcome of an effort to seek a remedy from these various ills of our rural school system.

In the meantime, however, there were isolated efforts towards a solution of the great rural education problems. The most common method of bettering the rural schools of the state, and one which reached, in some parts, where strong educators were placed in control, a high degree of development, is the system of township supervision of the one-room elementary rural schools in connection with a township high school. In this system the civil township, usually including a village, is the school-administration unit. which is still quite common in New England, but which has quite disappeared in all other parts of the country in favor of the county unit. Ohio is the latest state to follow the accepted order of the great states of the famous American corn belt.

NEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF MADISON COUNTY.

The county board of education at its first meeting in May, 1915, divided Madison county into supervision districts. It was decided that the three village districts, Plain City, West Jefferson and Mt. Sterling, should remain as separate supervisory districts. The remainder of the county was divided into four districts as follows: Rural district No. 1, Darby, Canaan and Jefferson townships; No. 2, Pike, Monroe, Somerford and Deer Creek townships; No. 3, Fairfield, Oak Run, Pleasant and East Range townships; No. 4, Union, Paint, West Range and Stokes townships. It is estimated that this will save the county about five thousand dollars in cost of supervision and will enable the school boards to pay their teachers better salaries. The salaries of the teachers vary in the different townships from forty-five to seventy-two dollars per month.

LONDON'S HIGH SCHOOL.

. The new high school building at London, the county seat, was formally opened in May, 1913. The chief speaker of the occasion was Prof. Edward E. Sparks, a former graduate of that high school, who is now president of Pennsylvania University. The class of 1913 had the honor of being the first to graduate from the new building.

The London high school stands on the accredited list and ranks among the best and . largest schools in the state. Superintendent W. H. Rice is the head of the eficient

Digitized by Google

280

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

faculty; Mrs. Lester Bidwell, English department; Miss Grace Thurness, German and senior mathematical department; Miss Marie Bowers, Latin department; Miss Mar- guerite Bange, history department; Miss Beulah Wells, mathematical department; Mr. Garrison, commercial department; Mr. M. C. Wagner, scientific department.

The first year in the new high school building aroused in the students a new spirit of loyalty, pride and admiration. They realized the advantage afforded by the building in each of the different departments. The gymnasium was a source of physical devel- opment and pleasure to both boys and girls, Basketball. was most popular and several very interesting and closely contested games were played. The senior girls' basketball team holds the girls' championship in the high school. The auditorium, with its finely equipped stage, has been of great benefit, rendering the presentation of the senior play a simpler matter.

The students of science have been greatly benefited. The laboratories are com- pletely equipped and have made it possible for each student to perform the different experiments individually. Those who are taking the commercial course have had the advantage of using the most complete and up-to-date desks in this part of the state. The work in each department is made exceedingly interesting by its head. The follow- ing sketches, one by. Mrs. Minnie Creath Bidwell, on "The Study of English," and one by Miss Marguerite Bange, on "The Study of History," give an idea of the work done in these two departments and are illustrative of the high standard of the work in all departments.

"The problem of teaching English to high-school pupils is not an easy task, but one that yields genuine pleasure and constant enlightenment.

"The child's school life should be like his play, the outpouring of his whole being. Especially should this be so when he is occupied with those studies which involve the art side of human nature; and where can a finer opportunity for art work be found than in our prescribed course in English? It is the duty and the pleasure of the Eng- lish teacher to bring the average boy and girl to look upon the art of composition as a natural mode of self-expression. All children love to express themselves, though they do not always like to express what other people think they should. But give them subjects which appeal to their inner beings, and they will cheerfully study all the rules which underlie narration, description and exposition, in order, as effectively as possible, to tell the stories they enjoy, describe the things they like, explain the games they know, and argue the points of their beliefs. No boy needs to be compelled to memorize the rules of baseball if he loves our national game. " Just so no boy needs to be com- pelled to write a composition or orally discuss a subject if the assignment be some- thing in which he is really interested. Meet the boy on his own ground and he will do the rest.

"Most of our 'classics' which now form an important part of our English course are admirably adapted for the development of literary appreciation, if the children are not forced to toil over unimportant details. But if, on the other hand, they are led to enjoy the story, to feel the chivalry of 'Ivanhoe,' to learn the great moral and relig- ious lesson of 'Sir Launful,' to suffer and be redeemed with the 'Ancient Mariner,' new worlds will open before them. The writer has often watched with great pleasure the growing interest of her pupils in the character study in 'Silas Marner,' their love of the beautiful and the exciting in 'The Lady of the Lake,' and their appreciation of the nineteenth-century ideals of beauty, love and morality found in the 'Idylls of the King.'

"Some one has said, 'Literature is the expression of life in words of truth and beauty; it is the written record of man's spirit, of his thoughts, emotions, aspirations; it is the history and the only history of the human soul. Its object, aside from the. delight it gives us, is to know the soul of man rather than his actions; and since it

Digitized by Google

281

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.

preserves to the race the ideals upon which all civilization is founded, it is one of the most important and delightful subjects than can occupy the human mind.'

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 39

Author: Chester E. Bryan Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1207

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207