USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > History of the city of Cleveland : its settlement, rise and progress > Part 16
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Magazine of Western History
From Inwilliams2Bro NY
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
to be appointed by themselves, as often as twice in each term, and after carefully examining each school to report the result of their examination to the Board of Education, at least one week before the close of the term." And how thoroughly these committees performed their duties, some- times at least, is shown by a report of six printed pages, signed by Messrs. T. P. Handy, J. B. Waring, J. A. Vin- cent, H. Hayward and C. D. Brayton, that also lies before us.
This is a good place to observe that in those years the schools profited greatly by the labors of public-spirited citizens, who were thoroughly committed to the cause of popular education, some of whom were men of high ability and education themselves. Charles Bradburn served on the Board of Managers thirteen years, and he quit it then only to enter the City Council, where he thought he could be of more service to the cause that lay so near his heart. He it was who obtained the law requiring the Council to support a high school. The one city office that the vener- able T. P. Handy would ever consent to hold was that of Member of the School Board. George Willey served on the Board fifteen years. Mr. Freese, in his history of the schools, emphasizes the high qualifications of the men who, as members of the Board and the various Visiting Commit- tees, gave direction to school affairs forty years ago. J. W. Willey, Cowles, Williamson, Battles, Mather, George Willey, Starkweather, Tucker, Fitch, Waring, Palmer, Thome, Rice and the Ingersolls, whose names constantly occur in school records of those and later years, were all college educated men. The school-houses of to-day over-
-
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shadow in number and size these of that day; the sums of money expended on the schools now dwarf the sums ex- pended then; the corps of teachers and the army of children are ten or twenty-fold greater; but citizens of to-day can learn a lesson in public school matters from citizens of that day.
But the schools were growing, and a superintendent to look after them more closely and intelligently than a business or professional man could possibly do, was impera- tively called for. Recognizing this fact, the Board desired to appoint a professional superintendent, but the Common Council held back. At a public meeting called for that purpose the subject was discussed, Dr. E. E. White, then principal of Brownell school, now Superintendent of the Schools of Cincinnati, making the principal argument in favor of a superintendent; and this meeting, with other agencies, gave the proposition such an impetus that on June 1, 1853, the Council created the office, which the Managers promptly filled. At that time Cincinnati was the only city in the West that had a superintendent who gave his whole time to superintendence. Nor did the new Cleveland superintendent devote himself fully to that work for a year or more, but continued at the head of the High school also.
Before leaving this division of the subject we should remark that instruction in music was introduced into the schools in 1846. For several years following 1852 Mr. Silas Bingham was special teacher of music, and his labors contributed not a little towards starting the Cleveland schools on the way to that proud position in
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music that they have enjoyed for many years under the direction of Professor N. Coe Stewart. Drawing came in 1849, and for a number of years the well-remembered Pro- fessor Jehu Brainard gave able instruction in that branch of education.
III. - SUPERINTENDENT FREESE'S ADMINISTRATION,
1853-1860.
Andrew Freese came to Cleveland a young man of twenty- four in 1840, when there was not a system of graded schools in Ohio. He was a graduate of an eastern college, had had considerable experience in teaching, and had studied the science of education. Offering his services to the Board of Managers, he was engaged as a teacher and put at the head of the Prospect Street school, where he wrought and taught until called to the High School in 1846. He acted as Principal of this school until 1853. For thirteen years he had shown, as a teacher, large intelligence and scholar- ship, great zeal and energy, and had been very successful; it was, therefore, the most natural thing in the world that he should be called to the new office of Superintendent. Mr. Freese filled this office with excellent judgment and an enthusiastic devotion never surpassed, until 1861. Sev- eral important steps forward were made in those years, some of which will be mentioned.
School buildings and other material appliances were improved and multiplied. A regular course of study throughout, a thing before unknown in the city, was adopted at once, and this made an improved classification of pupils possible. In 1856 the classical languages were
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introduced into the High Schools, of which there were two after the union, and in 1858 German followed. But above all else Mr. Freese was a teacher. He had the insight to invent or select good methods of instruction, and he could not only use them himself but inspire other teachers to use them. He visited all the cities of the country where there was anything to learn about public education, bringing back with him the ripe fruit of his observation. Withal, he enkindled in pupils and teachers his own enthusiasm for study and learning. It is quite safe to say that no other superintendent of the city schools ever impressed himself upon the school children as strongly as Mr. Freese; the explanation of which is partly the fact that the pupils were then few in number as compared with later times, and partly to his personal qualities as teacher and man. In 1868-1869 he acted again as Principal of the Central High School, and then retired permanently from the service. The Board of Education at that time declared by resolu- tion: "To him more than any other man, are we indebted for the deservedly elevated character of our system of graded schools."
While the schools were under Mr. Freese's charge, the number of pupils increased from 2,845 to 5,081, and the number of teachers from 41 to 83. The increase was due, in part, to the union of the two cities in 1854. Ohio City came into the union with a school population of some twenty-four hundred and with a registration of about eight hundred in the schools There were three new school- houses in course of construction at the time, of which Hicks and Kentucky buildings are still in use. The schools
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were not perfectly graded, but a high school was in rapid process of evolution. The year after the union, this school was organized and for a time was called the "Branch High School," because the law authorized only one high school in the city; but this difficulty was in some way soon obvi- ated, and the school ceased to be a "branch " even in name. This school has occupied various homes, of which only two need be mentioned-the familiar old West High School at the intersection of Ann and State streets, occupied from 1861 to 1884, and the fine building now occupied at the corner of Taylor and Bridgestreets. Mr. A. G. Hopkinson was the father of this school; save for a single year, he served as Principal from 1854 to 1870. The other prin- cipals have been A. G. Manson, Warren Higley, S. D. Barr, Z. P. Taylor, J. H. Shults, Th. H. Johnston, and E. L. Harris.
IV .- MR. OVIATT'S ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. Luther M. Oviatt was a graduate of Western Re- serve College, and he entered the service of the city as a teacher about the year 1845. For many years he served ably and faithfully as Principal of the Eagle Street school, and on Mr. Freese's retirement in 1861 he was chosen Super- intendent. He served two years and then retired. That the schools thrived under his care is shown by the fact that the number of pupils increased 1,470 in two years, a large gain for that time. On his retirement, Mr. Oviatt became head of the Public Library, and continued such until compelled by ill health to abandon the position.
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V .- SUPERINTENDENT ANSON SMYTH, 1863-1867.
Rev. Dr Smyth entered the Superintendent's office at the beginning of the school year, 1863-64, and occupied it until 1867. Bred to the ministry, he had served four years as Superintendent of the Schools of Toledo, six years as State Commissioner of Common Schools, and had done duty as the editor of the journal that is now "The Ohio Educational Monthly." Mr. Smyth had not paid particu- lar attention to methods of instruction; he was weak where Mr. Freese had been strong; but he had good com- mon sense, sound judgment, was an excellent judge of character and particularly of teachers, had an inexhaust- ible fund of good humor, was a man of fine feeling, and while in the Commissioner's office had much observation of school organization. As a result, his administration of the schools was remarkable for strength in organization rather than in instruction. He laid much stress on the moral elements of education, and emphasized character- building. In after years he often pointed with just pride to the fact that a very large number of the teachers then in responsible positions had originally been chosen by him. Dr. Smyth was reelected in 1867, but declined to serve longer. He was paid at first a salary of $1,800, afterwards of $2,100 .*
* Dr. Smyth died in May, 1887, in his seventy-sixth year. The Cleve- land teachers who had served under him, of whom there were still twenty or more in the service, met and adopted the following resolutions :
Resolved, That in the death of the Rev. Dr. Anson Smyth we have lost a true and tried friend, whose life has been devoted to the advancement of the cause of education among the masses, the elevation of moral char-
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VI .-- THE SCHOOLS UNDER A. J. RICKOFF, 1867-1882.
On Dr. Smyth's retirement in 1867, there was some diffi- culty in obtaining a Superintendent; one or two gentlemen who were elected declined. At last, choice was made of Mr. Andrew J. Rickoff, who had won a wide and high rep- utation as an educator as the head of a private school in Cincinnati, and as Superintendent of the Cincinnati Public schools. He continued Superintendent of the Cleveland schools fifteen years, and during which he did more to shape the school organization of the city than any other Superintendent has ever done. The space at our disposal will permit only a general summary of the results of his administration.
First, a large number of excellent school buildings was built, several of them after plans of Mr. Rickoff's own devising. The course of study was overhauled from end to end, and the work, in several respects, laid down on
acter, and the dissemination of Christian principles among those with whom he, either personally or through the medium of his writings, came in contact ; that society has lost a most worthy member, one who, both by word and deed, was ever ready to cheer the discouraged, help the needy, and relieve the distresses of the broken-hearted; that the State has lost a servant who gave the best years of his life to the promotion of those interests which alone can render secure the grand institutions of the com- monwealth, one who assisted greatly in the organization and the perfec- tion of our public school system, and who for several years as State Commissioner gave tone and direction to the work of our common schools, and who as Superintendent of the Schools of Cleveland for four years did much toward laying the broad foundation which made their present prosperity possible.
Resolved, That in the accomplishment of all this work he has reared to himself a monument more enduring than time itself.
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new lines. The classification of pupils was revised, the twelve grades being thrown together in three grand groups: Primary, Grammar, and High School grades, every group containing four grades-marked D, C, B and A, counting from the bottom upward. The old division into "boys' schools " and "girls' schools" was abolished. A process of consolidation of the A Grammar, or highest. grammar, pupils was begun in 1867-68 and carried out until there were but four such schools in the city; afterwards, with the increase of pupils, the number was increased to nine in 1876, and to fourteen in 1882. Perhaps the most noticeable of Mr. Rickoff's changes was substituting women for men as principals of the Grammar schools, and dividing the city into districts, each presided over by a Supervising Principal. At first there were four of these, but the number was soon reduced to three, and still later to two, but the offices of Special Superintendent of German Instruction and of Special Superintendent of Primary Instruction were created, and thus the work of superintendence was more specialized. By these new arrangements, the work of supervising instruction was wholly taken from the principals of buildings, as well as most general administrative duties; it being the theory of the new organization to bring the teachers of all the schools into direct relations with the Superintendent and his assistants, and also the patrons of the schools so far as the more serious matters of administration were con- cerned. German was introduced into all the schools in. 1870; increased stress was also laid upon music and drawing.
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Mr. Rickoff's principal assistants in the work of super- vision were H. M. James and L. W. Day, supervising prin- cipals of districts, L. R. Klemm, and afterwards August J. Esch, as special superintendents of German; Miss Harriet L. Keeler, and afterwards Miss Kate S. Brennan, as super- visors of primary instruction, Mr Frank Aborn was special teacher of drawing; Mr. Stewart, already men- tioned, of music; first Mr. A. P. Root and then Mr. A. A. Clark, of penmanship; L. C. Force of reading, who retired in 1882 without having a successor. All these were faithful and efficient instructors and supervisors in their several places; especially was much of the great improvement in the primary grades due to Miss Keeler and Miss Brennan.
One of the most valuable of Mr. Rickoff's new depart- ures was the Normal School, now called the Training School. This school was created by the Board in 1872, but did not go into operation until 1874. The purpose of this school was to furnish a supply of well-prepared teachers for the city schools, and nobly has it vindicated its establishment. Superintendent Hinsdale stated in his report for 1886 that of the six hundred and three teachers employed in the schools the year before, two hundred and forty were "Normals;" also that the school had strongly tended to raise the standard of general culture and of pro- fessional ability of the teachers. The successive principals have been Alexander Forbes, who had previously served several years in the schools in other capacities; Elroy M. Avery, who had been Superintendent of the East Cleveland schools before the annexation of that village to the city, and the Principal of the East High School thereafter until
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the union of the high schools in 1878; Oliver Arey, who had seen much good service in the Normal school work; and Miss Ellen G. Reveley, the able incumbent since 1882.
Superintendent Rickoff saw the number of teachers in the schools increase from 123 to 473, and the number of pupils from 9,643 to 26,990. As respects attendance, the growth of the upper grades of the grammar schools and of the high schools was even greater than the growth of the grades below. To a degree, the growth of attendance was due to annexations to the city; East Cleveland came in in 1872 and Newburg in 1874, the first with a full- fledged school system of its own, and the second with a system developed to the second year of the high school course. Mr. and Mrs. Elroy M. Avery had been called to the East Cleveland schools in 1871, he as Superintendent, she as Principal of the High School. The schools thrived under their care, and at the time of the union there were in the corporation six schools, seventeen teachers, and an enrollment per year of about one thousand pupils. After the union of the schools was consummated in January, 1873, Mr. Avery acted as Principal of the East High school until the consolidation of the East Side High Schools in 1878, when he became Principal of the Normal School. At the time of the consolidation, the annual at- tendance at the East High School was from eighty to one hundred pupils. The Newburg annexation brought into the city system the Walnut and Broadway schools, a high school with a course of two years, about a dozen teachers, and an enrollment of about six hundred scholars.
In this period the schools received many flattering notices.
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
At the Vienna exposition a diploma was awarded them, mainly on the ground of plans of buildings submitted by Mr. Rickoff. Mr. Rickoff also received a medal for the same plans. Sir Charles Reed placed the Cleveland schools at the head of his list of American schools in his report to the Committee of Council on Education for England; the French Commissioners preferred the Cleveland school- houses to all American competitors; and Professor Bon- amy Price, the Oxford political economist, was so enthusi- astic as to say in England, "The best schools which are to be found in America, and therefore in the world, are to be found in Cleveland."
VII. - SUPERINTENDENT HINSDALE'S ADMINISTRATION, 1882-1886.
Mr. B. A. Hinsdale, who was widely known in educa- tional circles as President of Hiram College, was called to the superintendency on Mr. Rickoff's retirement. In his final report, Mr. Hinsdale states that on assuming the duties of the office he accepted the external organization of the schools, and made no attempts at change of system ; that what the schools needed was more fruitful instruction, a more elastic regimen, and a freer spirit; and that he set himself to accomplish this work through the minds of the teachers, their knowledge, views and ideals, and not by the use of mechanical methods. He continued to work on this line until the close of his superintendency. There is no better gauge of the growth of the city in some of the best elements of life, and particularly of the growing ap- preciation of the public schools and of the success of Mr.
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Hinsdale's administration, than a statistical summary found in the report just referred to.
In the periods 1882-1886 the number of pupils enrolled in the schools increased from 26,990 to 32,814, and the aver- age daily attendance from 18,676 to 23,595; the pupils in the primary grades increased from 18,969 to 22,643; in the grammar grades from 6,975 to 8,682; in the German department from 8,951 to 12,266; in the high schools from 1,005 to 1,399; in the Training school from 40 to 90; the total number of pupils registered in the schools increased only 21.6 per cent., but the average daily attendance increased 26.2 per cent .; the primary pupils increased 20 per cent., the grammar pupils 25 per cent., and the High school pupils 40 per cent. These facts show conclusively that the youth of the city in those years were remaining longer in the schools, and were more and more feeling their power.
This administration was remarkable for the number and character of new school-houses erected; fourteen excellent buildings containing 137 rooms, exclusive of mere recita- tion rooms, seating 8,250 pupils, were built at a cost, including lots, of more than $700,000.
Particular attention should be drawn to the growth of night schools in the period now under consideration. In the winter 1882-1883 there was but one such school, counting one hundred or more pupils, and this school was not wholly supported by the city; in the winter 1885-1886 there were nine such schools, with twenty- three teachers, and a total enrollment of 1,530 pupils, all supported by the city.
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The spirit of Mr. Hinsdale's management of the schools was well stated by Mr. E. A. Schellentrager, in his report as president of the Board of whichhe was a veteran mem- ber, on Mr. Hinsdale's retirement.
I regard the period of his administration as one of the most beneficent in the history of our schools. Qualified by thorough and comprehensive knowledge, and enthusiastically devoted to his calling as an educator, he succeeded in inspiring the faculty of teachers with enthusiasm for their difficult and responsible work, and in inducing them to continue with avidity the development of their own attainments. Opposed to all superficiality of training, he strove indefatigably against all mere mechanism in school instruction, and though many of his efforts were for the first time apparently fruitless and unsuccessful, yet it is proper to attribute to him the merit of having sown seed which shall cer- tainly spring up and bear beneficent fruit in the future.
At the beginning of Mr. Hinsdale's term, Mr. H. M. James, long an able supervisor, retired from the schools to accept the superintendency at Omaha, Nebraska, and dur- ing that time Miss Clara B. Umbstaetter was added to the supervising force. On Mr. Hinsdale's retirement, Mr. L. W. Day, who had served long and faithfully as a supervisor, was chosen Superintendent.
VIII .- SUMMARY AND REMARKS.
Many points of interest have been omitted in the pre- ceding history, and some of them will now be noticed.
At first, the members of the School Board were chosen by the Common Council. In 1859 the election was intrusted to the people; each ward was now entitled to a member, and one-half the wards elected every year. This rule pre- vailed until 1885, when there were twenty-five members ยท
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of the Board. In the winter of 1885-86, the city having been divided into forty wards, a law was obtained from the Legislature making twenty districts, two wards and one member to a district, elected as before at the municipal election. Since that time the Board has consisted of twenty members.
The result of the new departure of 1859 has been that, in almost every instance, members of the Board have been elected on party tickets. But the law of that year did not free the Board from the Council. It was still the duty of the Council to support the schools. The Board certified to the Council an estimate of the amount needed for school purposes ; but it was the business of the Council to levy the amount, more or less, as it should elect, subject only to the State law. The Board employed the teachers and managed the schools, but it could not expend more than fifty dollars for furniture or repairs on any one school build- ing without the consent of the Council first obtained. Simi- larly, the Council approved the boundaries of school dis- tricts. In 1865 the Board was emancipated from the Council in all particulars but one. The Board now recom- mended the purchase of new school sites and the building of new school buildings when it deemed them necessary, and it was the duty of the Council to act promptly on each recommendation, and, in case of approval, to provide funds to carry the same into effect. The Board could now levy taxes for all school purposes but the one just mentioned. In 1873 even this restriction was removed, and the exclu- sive control of school matters was put in the Board's hands, subject only to the enactments of the Legislature.
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This continued to be the law until the creation of the Tax Commission, which has the same power over the Board of Education that it has over the other branches of the city government.
The Board of Managers were the examiners of teachers for several years. The Superintendent did the work from 1853 to 1859. From 1859 to 1873 there was an examin- ing board of three persons, and since 1873 of six ap- pointed by the Board of Education. Messrs. A. G. Hop- kinson, L. W. Ford, and J. H. Rhodes have served on this Board so long that they seem permanent parts of the school machinery.
Of the great army of able teachers who have taught in the Cleveland schools, a large number have attained higher distinction in other places, either in education or in some other profession.
The influence of the Cleveland schools has been felt far and near; they have stimulated the building of better school-houses, the paying of better salaries to teachers and superintendents, the revision of courses of study, the eleva- tion of the standard of scholarship, and the quickening of teachers not only in Ohio but also in regions far beyond the borders of Ohio.
The Superintendent was elected every year until 1868, since then for two years at a time. For several years fol- lowing 1867 the salary was $4,000, but after the com- mercial crisis of 1873 it was reduced to $3,300, where it has since remained.
The following table exhibits the schools from four differ-
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