History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 109

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559

USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches > Part 109

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Let us now look at the possibilities of Ohio in the future development of the American Republican Re- public. The two most populous parts of Europe, be- cause the most food-producing, are the Netherlands and Italy, or, more precisely, Belgium and ancient Lom- bardy; to the present time, their population is, in round numbers, three hunded to the square mile. The density of population in England proper is about the same. We may assume, therefore, that three hundred to the square mile is, in round numbers, the limit of comfortable sub- sistence under modern civilization. It is true that modern improvements in agricultural machinery and fertilization have greatly increased the capacity of pro- duction, on a given amount of land, with a given amount of labor. It is true, also, that the old coun- tries of Europe do not possess an equal amount of ara- ble land with Ohio in proportion to the same surface. It would seem, therefore, that the density of population in Ohio might exceed that of any part of Europe. On the other hand, it may be said with truth that the Ameri- can people will not become so dense as in Europe while they have new lands in the west to occupy. This is true; but lands such as those in the valley of the Ohio are now becoming scarce in the west, and we think that, with her great capacity for the production of grain on one hand, and of illimitable quantities of coal and iron to manufacture with on the other, that Ohio will, at no

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remote period, reach nearly the density of Belgium, which will give her ten million of people. This seems extravagant, but the tide of migration, which flowed so fast to the west, is beinning to ebb, while the manufact- ures of the interior offer greater inducements.

With population comes wealth, the material for edu- cation, the development of the arts, advance in all the material elements of civilization, and the still grander advancement in the strength and elevation of the human mind, conquering to itself new realms of material and intellectual power, acquiring in the future what we have seen in the past, a wealth of resources unknown and undreamed of when, a hundred years ago, the fathers of the Republic declared their independence. I know how easy it is to treat this statement with easy in- credulity, but statistics is a certain science; the elements of civilization are now measured, and we know the prog- ress of the human race as we know that of a cultivated plant. We know the resources of the country, its food- producing capacity, its art processes, its power of educa- tion, and the undefined and illimitable power of the human mind for new inventions and unimagined prog- ress. With this knowledge, it is not difficult nor un- safe to say that the future will produce more, and in a far greater ratio, than the past. The pictured scenes of the prophets have already been more than fulfilled, and the visions of beauty and glory, which their imagination failed fully to describe, will be more than realized in the bloom of the garden which republican America will pre- sent to the eyes of astonished mankind. Long before another century shall have passed by, the single State of Ohio will present four-fold the population with which the thirteen States began their independence, more wealth than the entire Union now has; greater universities than any now in the country, and a development of arts and manufacture which the world now knows nothing of. You have seen more than that since the constitution was adopted, and what right have you to say the future shall not equal the past?

I have aimed, in this address, to give an exact picture of what Ohio is, not more for the sake of Ohio than as a representative of the products which the American Re- public has given to the world. A State which began long after the Declaration of Independence, in the then unknown wilderness of North America, presents to-day the fairest example of what a republican government with Christian civilization can do. Look upon this pic- ture and upon those of Assyria, of Greece or Rome, or of Europe in her best estate, and say where is the civiliza- tion of the earth which can equal this. If a Roman citizen could say with pride, "Cirus Romanus sum," with far greater pride can you say this day, "I am an Ameri- can citizen."

CHAPTER XIV.

*EDUCATION -- EARLY SCHOOL LAWS -- EDUCATIONAL JOUR- NALS -- COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

WHEN the survey of the Northwest Territory was or- dered by Congress, March 20, 1785, it was decreed that every sixteenth section of land should be reserved for the "maintenance of public schools within each township." The ordinance of 1787-thanks to the New England associates-proclaimed that, "religion, morality, and knowledge being essential to good government, schools and the means of education should forever be encour- aged." The State constitution of 1802 declared that "schools and the means of instruction should be encour- aged by legislative provision, not inconsistent with the rights of conscience." In 1825, through the persevering efforts of Nathan Guilford, senator from Hamilton county, Ephraim Cutler, representative from Washington county, and other friends of education, a bill was passed, "lay- ing the foundation for a general system of common schools." This bill provided a tax of one-half mill, to be levied by the county commissioners for school pur- poses; provided for school examiners, and made town- ship clerks and county auditors school officers. In 1829, this county tax was raised to three-fourths of a mill ; in 1834, to one mill, and, in 1836, to one and a half mills.

In March, 1837, Samuel Lewis, of Hamilton county, was appointed State superintendent of common schools. He was a very energetic worker, traveling on horseback

*From the school commissioners's reports, principally those of Thomas W. Harvey, A. M.

NOTE I .- "The first school taught in Ohio, or in the Northwestern Territory, was in 1791. The first teacher was Major Austin Tupper, eldest son of General Benjamin Tupper, both revolutionary officers. The room occupied was the same as that in which the first court was held, and was situated in the northwest block-house of the garrison, called the stockade, at Marietta. During the Indian war, school was also taught at Fort Harmar, Point Marietta, and at other settlements. A meeting was held at Marietta, April 29, 1797, to consider the erection of a school building suitable for the instruction of the youth, and for conducting religious services. Resolutions were adopted which led to the erection of a building called the Muskingum academy. The build- ing was of frame, forty feet long and twenty-four feet wide, and is yet (1878) standing. The building was twelve feet high, with an arched ceiling. It stood upon a stone foundation, three steps from the ground. There were two chimneys and a lobby projection. There was a cellar under the whole building. It stood upon a beautiful lot, fronting the Muskingum river, and about sixty feet back from the street. Some large trees were upon the lot and on the street in front. . Across the street was an open common, and beyond that the river. Immediately opposite the door, on entering, was a broad aisle, and, at the end of the aisle, against the wall, was a desk or pulpit. On the right and left of the pulpit, against the wall, and fronting the pulpit, was a row of slips. On each side of the door, facing the pulpit, were two slips, and at each end of the room, one slip. These slips were stationary, and were fitted with desks that could be let down, and there were boxes in the desks for holding books and papers. In the center of the room was an open space, which could be filled with movable seats. The first school was opened here in 1800." -Letter of A. T. Nye.

NOTE 2 .-- Another evidence of the character of the New England associates is the founding of a public library as early as 1796, or before. Another was also established at Belpre about the same time. Abund- ant evidence proves the existence of these libraries, all tending to the fact that the early settlers, though conquering a wilderness and a savage foc, would not allow their mental faculties to lack for food. The char- acter of the books shows that "solid " reading predominated.

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all over the State, delivering addresses and encouraging school officers and teachers. Through his efforts much good was done, and many important features engrafted on the school system. He resigned in 1839, when the office was abolished, and its duties imposed on the sec- retary of State.

The most important adjunct in early education in the State, was the college of teachers organized in Cincinnati in 1831. Albert Pickett, Dr. Joseph Ray, William H. McGuffey-so largely known by his school readers -- and Milo G. Williams, were at its head. Leading men in all parts of the west attended its meetings. Their published deliberations did much for the advancement of educa- tion among the people. Through the efforts of the col- lege, the first convention held in Ohio for educational purposes, was called at Columbus, January 13, 1836. Two years after, in December, the first convention, in which the different sections of the State were represented, was held. At both these conventions, all the needs of the schools, both common and higher, were ably and fully discussed, and appeals made to the people for a more cordial support of the law. No successful attempts were made to organize a permanent educational society, until December, 1847, when the Ohio State Teachers' association was formed at Akron, Summit county, with Samuel Galloway as president; T. W. Harvey, recording secretary; M. D. Leggett, corresponding secretary; Will- iam Bowen, treasurer, and M. F. Cowdrey, chairman of the executive committee. 'T'his association entered upon its work with commendable earnestness, and has since never abated its zeal. Semi-annual meetings were at first held, but, since 1858, only annual meetings occur. They are always largely attended, and always by the best and most energetic teachers. The association has given tone to the educational interests of the State, and has done a vast amount of good in popularizing education. In the spring of 1851, Lorin Andrews, then superintend- ent of the Massillon school, resigned his place, and became a common-school missionary. In July, the association, at Cleveland, made him its agent, and insti- tuted measures to sustain him. He remained zealously at work in this relation until 1853, when he resigned to accept the presidency of Kenyon college, at Gambier. Dr. A. Lord was then chosen general agent and resident editor of the Journal of Education, which positions he filled two years, with eminent ability.

The year that Dr. Lord resigned, the ex-officio relation of the secretary of State to the common schools was abolished, and the office of school commissioner again created. H. H. Barney was elected to the place in Oc- tober, 1853. The office has since been held by Rev. Anson Smyth, elected in 1856, and re-elected in 1859; E. E. White, appointed by the governor, November 11, 1863, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. W. H. Cathcart, who was elected in 1862; John A. Nor- ris, in 1865 ; W. D. Henkle, in 1868; Thomas W. Har- vey, in 1871; C. S. Smart, in 1875, and the present in- cumbent, J. J. Burns, elected in 1878, his term expiring in 1881.

The first teachers' institute in northern Ohio was held

at Sandusky, in September, 1845, conducted by Salem Town, of New York, A. D. Lord, and M. F. Cowdrey. The second was held at Chardon, Geauga county, Ohio, in November of the same year. The first institute in the southern part of the State was held at Cincinnati in February, 1837; the first in the central part at Newark in March, 1848. Since then these meetings of teachers have occurred annually, and have been the means of great good in elevating the teacher and the public in educational interests. In 1848, on petition of forty teach- ers, county commissioners were authorized to pay lectur- ers from surplus revenue, and the next year, to appropri- ate one hundred dollars for institute purposes, upon pledge of teachers to raise half that amount. By the statutes of 1864, applicants for teachers were required to pay fifty cents each as an examination fee. One-third of the amount thus raised was allowed the use of exam- iners as traveling expenses, the remainder to be applied to institute instruction. For the year 1871 sixty-eight teachers' institutes were held in the State, at which three hundred and eight instructors and lecturers were em- ployed, and seven thousand one hundred and fifty-eight teachers in attendance. The expense incurred was six- teen thousand three hundred and sixty-one dollars and ninety-nine cents, of which ten thousand one hundred and twenty-seven dollars and thirteen cents was taken from the institute fund; two thousand seven hundred and thirty dollars and thirty-four cents was contributed by members, six hundred and eighty dollars by county commissioners, and the balance, one thousand three hundred and seventy-one dollars and fifty cents, was ob- tained from other sources. The last report of the State commissioners (1878) shows that eighty-five county insti- tutes were held in the State, continuing in session seven hundred and forty-eight days; four hundred and sixteen instructors were employed; eleven thousand four hun- dred and sixty-six teachers attended; twenty-two thous- and five hundred and thirty-one dollars and forty-seven cents was received from all sources, and that the ex- penses were nineteen thousand five hundred and eighty- seven dollars and fifty-one cents, or one dollar and seventy-one cents per member. There was a balance on hand of nine thousand four hundred and sixty dollars and seventy-four cents to commence the next year, just now closed, whose work has been as progressive and thorough as any former year. The State association now comprises three sections; the general association, the superintendents' section, and the ungraded school section. All have done a good work, and all report progress.

The old State constitution, adopted by a convention in 1802, was supplemented in 1851 by the present one, under which the general assembly, elected under it, met in 1852. Harvey Rice, a senator from Cuyahoga county, chairman of senate committee on "common schools and school lands," reported a bill the twenty-ninth of March, to provide "for the re-organization, supervision and maintenance of common schools." This bill, amended in a few particulars, became a law March 14, 1853. The prominent features of the new law were:

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The substitution of a State school tax for the county tax; creation of the office of the State school commis- sioner; the creation of a township board of education, consisting of representatives from the sub-districts; the abolition of rate-bills, making education free to all the youth of the State; the raising of a fund, by a tax of one-tenth of a mill yearly, "for the purpose of furnish- ing school libraries and apparatus to all the common schools." This "library tax" was abolished in 1860, otherwise the law has remained practically unchanged.

School journals, like the popular press, have been a potent agency in the educational history of the State. As early as 1838, the Ohio School Director was issued by Samuel Lewis, by legislative authority, though after six months' continuance, it ceased for want of support. The same year the Pestalozzian, by E. L. Sawtell and H. K. Smith, of Akron, and the Common School Advo- cate, of Cincinnati, were issued. In 1846, the School Journal began to be published by A. D. Lord, of Kirt- land. The same year saw the Free School Clarion, by W. Bowen, of Massillon, and the School Friend, by W. B. Smith & Co., of Cincinnati. The next year, W. H. Moore & Co., of Cincinnati, started the Western School Journal. In 1851, the Ohio Teacher, by Thomas Rainey, appeared; the News and Educator, in 1863, and the Educational Times, in 1866. In 1850, Dr. Lord's Journal of Education was united with the School Friend, and became the recognized organ of the teach- ers in Ohio. The Doctor remained its principal editor until 1856, when he was succeeded by Anson Smyth, who edited the journal one year. In 1857, it was edited by John D. Caldwell; in 1858 and 1859, by W. T. Coggeshall; in 1860, by Anson Smyth, again, when it passed into the hands of E. E. White, who yet controls it. It has an immense circulation among Ohio teach- ers, and, though competed by other journals, since started, it maintains its place.

The school system of the State may be briefly ex- plained, as follows: Cities and incorporated villages are independent of township and county control, in the management of schools, having boards of education and examiners of their own. Some of them are organ- ized for school purposes, under special acts. Each township has a board of education, composed of one member from each sub-district. The township clerk is clerk of this board, but has no vote. Each sub district has a local board of trustees, which manages its school affairs, subject to the advice and control of the township board. These officers are elected on the first Monday in April, and hold their offices three years. An enum- eration of all the youth between the ages of five and twenty-one is made yearly. All public schools are re- quired to be in session at least twenty-four weeks each year. The township clerk reports annually such facts concerning school affairs as the law requires, to the county auditor, who, in turn, reports to the State com- missioner, who collects these reports in a general report to the legislature each year.

A board of examiners is appointed in each county by the probate judge. This board has power to grant certificates

for a term not exceeding two years, and good only in the county in which they are executed; they may be revoked on sufficient cause. In 1864 a State board of examiners was created, with power to issue life certificates, valid in all parts of the State. Since then, up to January 1, 1879, there have been one hundred and eighty eight of these issued. They are considered an excellent test of scholarship and ability, and are very creditable to the holder.

The school funds in 1865 amounted to three million two hundred and seventy-one thousand two hundred and seventy-five dollars and sixty-six cents. They were the proceeds of appropriations of land by Congress for school purposes, upon which the State pays an annual interest of six per cent. The funds are known as the Virginia Military School fund, the proceeds of eighteen quarter-townships and three sections of land, selected by lot from lands lying in the United States Military Re- serve, appropriated for the use of schools in the Virginia Military Reservation; the United States Military School fund, the proceeds of one thirty-sixth part of the land in the United States Military district, appropriated "for the use of schools within the same;" the Western Reserve School fund, the proceeds from fourteen quarter-town- ships, situated in the United States Military district, and thirty-seven thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight acres, most of which was located in Defiance, Williams, Pauld- ing, Van Wert and Putnam counties, appropriated for the use of schools in the Western Reserve; section six- teen, the proceeds from the sixteenth section of cach township in that part of the State in which the Indian title was not extinguished in 1803 ; the Moravian School fund, the proceeds from one thirty-sixth part of each of three tracts of four thousand acres situated in Tuscarawas county, originally granted by Congress to the Society of United Brethren, and reconveyed by this society to the United States in 1834. The income of these funds is not distributed by any uniform rule, owing to defects in the granting of the funds. The territorial divisions des- ignated receive the income in proportion to the whole number of youth therein, while in the remainder of the State, the rent of section sixteen, or the interest on the proceeds arising from its sale, is paid to the inhabitants of the originally surveyed townships. In these territorial divisions, an increase or decrease of population must necessarily increase or diminish the amount each youth is entitled to receive; and the fortunate location or judi- cious sale of the sixteenth section may entitle one town- ship to receive a large sum, while an adjacent township receives a mere pittance. This inequality of benefit may be good for localities, but it is certainly a detriment to the State at large. There seems to be no legal remedy for it. In addition to the income from the before-men- tioned funds, a variable revenue is received from certain fines and licenses paid to either county or township treasurers for the use of schools ; from the sale of swamp lands (twenty-five thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars and seven cents allotted to the State in 1850), and from personal property escheated to the State.

Aside from the funds, a State school tax is fixed by

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statute. Local taxes vary with the needs of localities, are limited by law, and are contingent on the liberality and public spirit of different communities.

The State contains more than twenty colleges and universities, more than the same number of female semi- naries, and about thirty normal schools and academies. The amount of property invested in these is more than six million dollars. The Ohio University is the oldest college in the State.

In addition to the regular colleges, the State controls the Ohio State university, formerly the Agricultural and Mechanical college, established from the proceeds of the land scrip voted by Congress to Ohio for such purposes. The amount realized from the sale was nearly five hun- dred thousand dollars. This is to constitute a perma- nent fund, the interest only to be used. In addition, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars was voted by the citizens of Franklin county, in consideration of the location of the college in that county. Of this sum one hundred and eleven thousand dollars was paid for three hundred and fifteen acres of land near the city of Co- lumbus, and one hundred and twelve thousand dollars for a college building, the balance being expended as circumstances required, for additional buildings, labora- tory, apparatus, etc. Thorough instruction is given in all branches relating to agriculture and mechanical arts. Already excellent results are attained.

By the provisions of the act of March 14, 1853, town- ship boards are made bodies politic and corporate in law, and are invested with the title, care and custody of all school property belonging to the school district or town- ship. They have control of the central or high schools of their townships; prescribe rules for the district schools; may appoint one of their number manager of the schools of the township, and allow him reasonable pay for his services; determine the text-books to be used ; fix the boundaries of districts and locate school- house sites; make estimates of the amount of money re- quired; apportion the money among the districts, and are required to make an annual report to the county auditor, who incorporates the same in his report to the State commissioner, by whom it reaches the legislature.

Local directors control the sub-districts. They enumerate the children of school age, employ and dis- miss teachers, make contracts for building and furnish- ing school-houses, and make all necessary provision for the convenience of the district schools. Practically the entire management rests with them.

CHAPTER XV.

AGRICULTURE -- AREA OF THE STATE -- AGRICULTURAL, POMOLOGICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

"Oft did the harvest to their sickles yield, Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;

How jocund did they drive their teams afield ! How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke."

THE majority of the readers of these pages are farm- ers, hence a resume of agriculture in the State, would not only be appropriate, but valuable as a matter of history. It is the true basis of national prosperity, and, therefore, justly occupies a foremost place.

In the year 1800, the territory of Ohio contained a population of forty-five thousand three hundred and six- ty-five inhabitants, or a little more than one person to the square mile. At this date, the admission of the territory into the Union as a State began to be agitated. When the census was made to ascertain the legality of the act, in conformity to the "Compact of 1787," no endeavor was made to ascertain additional statistics, as now; hence, the cultivated land was not returned, and no account remains to tell how much existed. In 1805, three years after the admission of the State into the Union, seven million two hundred and fifty-two thousand eight hun- dred and fifty-six acres had been purchased from the General Government. Still no returns of the cultivated lands were made. In 1810, the population of Ohio was forty-five thousand three hundred and sixty-five, and the land purchased from the Government amounted to nine million nine hundred and thirty-three thousand one hun- dred and fifty acres, of which amount, however, three million five hundred and sixty-nine thousand three hundred and fourteen acres, or more than one-third was held by non-residents. Of the lands occupied by resi- dent land owners, there appear to have been one hundred thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight acres of first rate, one million nine hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred of second, and one million five hundred and thirty-eight thousand seven hundred and forty-five acres of third rate lands. At this period there were very few exports from the farm, loom or shop. The people still needed all they produced to sustain themselves, and were yet in that pioneer period where they were obliged to produce all they wanted, and yet were opening new farms, and bringing the old ones to a productive state.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 109

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559