USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 49
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HIGH SCHOOLS.
The account of the establishment of the high school has already been given. The first term, the school was conducted in the old First District school building and thereafter until 1857 in the Academy building, at the corner of Fourth and Wilkinson streets. In 1857, this property was conveyed by the trustees of the Academy to the board of education. The Academy property, while managed by a self-perpetuating corporation, was really public property, as the money used for the securing of the same was mainly derived from the sale of lots donated to the public. The Academy building was torn down and the new Central High school, completed in 1858, erected on its site. The building was severely simple in its architecture. But during the thirty-six years in which it was used for high school purposes, the affections of hundreds of pupils and teachers came to be woven closely about it. In this period, 938 persons graduated from the high school, not including the class of 1894, which had its graduating exercises in the new building. In 1894, the present high school building at the corner of Main street and Monument avenue was ready for occupancy. In 1891, contracts had been let on the high school building. The building having been completed, it was formally dedicated April 13, 1894. Arrangements had been made for an ad- dress by Governor William McKinley, but at the last moment, he was prevented being present by the serious illness of his wife. Whereupon, Hon. J. B. Foraker was secured to deliver the address. Other fitting exercises assisted in making the day a red letter day for the high school. The total cost of the build- ing with lot and equipment was about $325,000. The school was named Steele High school at the request of the Alumnal association to commemorate the
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valuable and gratuitous services of Robert W. Steele in the interest of the Dayton schools. It was thought that the building would be adequate for at least twenty years, but in five years it was full to overflowing. Five of the large study halls had to be cut into smaller recitation rooms ; cloakrooms had to be fitted out for class purposes ; and the laboratories had to be moved to the basement. Not long afterward, the west ends of the corridors had to be cut off for class rooms. Later, it was found necessary to place desks in the auditorium and use the room for class purposes.
In 1906, the East High school was organized with George Buck as principal. it began with sophomore and freshmen pupils residing in the eastern part of the city. It found accommodations in the Ruskin school building, Mr. Buck acting as principal for both the district school and the high school. In January, 1909, the school was transferred to the new Stivers Manual Training High school. In 1909, W. H. Meck became Mr. Buck's successor.
Captain Charles B. Stivers became principal of the high school in 1872, and served until 1895. In his term as principal, he drew close to him the hearts of the pupils and made the entire community his debtor. For two years after the re- tirement of Captain Stivers, Malcom Booth held the position of principal. From 1897 to 1900, William B. Werthner was principal. In the last named year, Charles L. Loos, Jr., the present incumbent succeeded to the position.
A new departure in the history of the high school was the adoption October 3, 1895, of single daily sessions extending from 8:30 a. m., to I p. m. The new plan was not very satisfactory at first, but with some modifications has been re- tained to the present time. In 1902, the elective system was established. The physics laboratory, occupying quarters in the basement of the Steele High school building, is justly ranked as one of the completest high school laboratories in the United States. It has long been under the charge of Professor August Foerste. The chemistry laboratory is also deserving of notice. The school library numbers over two thousand volumes and additions are constantly being made. An art department was installed in the school in 1906. The following year, a course in music was added. In 1908, an addition was made to the high school building, providing for a lunch room in which two hundred and fifty persons can be seated about tables. In 1899, at the suggestion of a pupil, Sher- lock Gass, and the encouragement and direction of Miss Elizabeth Evans, an hon- ored teacher, the Decorative Art Association was formed. By small fees from pupils and generous donations from various sources, funds have been gath- ered through which almost one hundred art objects-photographs, paintings, casts and sculptures-have been placed in the building adding to its attractiveness and educational value. The last addition by the Decorative Art Association is the bronze lion placed upon a suitable base on the campus. The history of the high school would not be complete without a reference to the literary societies. A partial list with date of founding is the following: Philomathean, 1858; Eccri- tean, -; Spur, 1883; Forum, 1895; Agora, about 1898; Gavel Club, 1902; Euphronean, 1907; Aurean, 1908. The debates in the societies themselves and those with debating teams from other schools have been of a high order and have contributed much toward building up a worthy school spirit. The Steele High school has held a high place in athletics, the local contests and those with teams
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of other high schools developing an esprit de corps productive of various benefits to the school.
NORMAL SCHOOL.
The Normal school, first established in 1869, has had a continued existence down to the present time. It has had no settled home. It began its career in the Sixth District school building on Hickory street. Afterward it was succes- sively located in the Ninth and Eleventh districts. For about twenty years, it was located in the Third District school building. In 1907, it was transferred to its beautiful new quarters in the Parker school building. In 1890, Miss E. Kate Slaght succeeded Miss Mary F. Hall as principal. Miss Slaght served until her death in the summer of 1894. The following year the office of principal was tem- porarily filled by three different persons. In 1895, Miss Grace A. Greene, the present principal assumed charge. The Normal school in all these years has as- sured to the Dayton schools a continuous supply of trained and capable teachers. Graduates of the Normal school compose about seventy per cent of the teaching force of the city. The standard of the Normal school has been greatly raised of recent years. For twenty years after the founding of the school, the entrance re- quirement was solely examination in common branches, and those were eligible who had completed eighth grade work. The course of study, both for theory and practice, required but one year, and a generous portion of this limited time was given to the study of common branches. Now only a limited number of the highest rank of the graduating class of the high school are admitted and two full years are required for the completion of the work.
MANUAL TRAINING.
For a number of years previous to 1894. the subject of manual training was being considered by the board of education. At two different times, the matter of formulating plans was referred to special committees. Each committee, how- ever, met with such difficulties, largely of a financial character, as to induce them to postpone the matter, and so the action of the board was deferred. May 3, 1894, the subject was again brought up in the board, and assumed definite shape by the adoption of a resolution instructing the attorney of the board to prepare a bill for the state legislature authorizing the board to introduce manual training in the schools. At the same session a committee was appointed to go to Columbus and aid in the passage of such an act. The act was passed May 21, 1894. May 31, the committee on high school and course of study was instructed to draft a course of study for the manual training school. December 13, 1894, the board author- ized the committee on manual training and the committee on course of study to make a tour of inspection through cities of the east. The committee accordingly visited the manual training schools at Brooklyn, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Boston, Cambridge and Springfield, Massachusetts; and Ithaca, New York. They submitted an extended report on January 24, 1895.
No further action was taken until the following summer when arrangements were made to open the manual training school. In the school year, beginning in 1895, $1,171.97 was expended. The school was formally opened January 2,
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1896 in the assembly hall of the central district, Mr. E. H. Wood, mechanical engineer, in charge. The first year, there was an enrollment from the second and third year high school pupils of forty-five and from the eighth grade pupils sev- enty-six. The first year, attendance at the manual training school was optional and a number of the pupils dropped out before the end of the year. The second year, seventh grade pupils were admitted and attendance was made compulsory. In this year, provision was made for the boy's manual training classes in a busi- ness room at 128-132 North Main street. In 1897, a building for the manual training school was erected on the lot of the Third District school on the east side of Ludlow street, between Sixth and Franklin streets. To this when completed the manual training school was transferred. In 1898, E. A. Bending became principal. In 1903, he was succeeded by C. S. Evans, who continued in charge until 1908, when J. I. Lambert became general director of all manual training work. The scope of the manual training work has been extended until it in- cludes provisions for woodworking, cabinetmaking, wood turning, pattern mak- ing, forging, free-hand drawing, mechanical drawing and clay modeling.
For a number of years, there had been much agitation with reference to more complete facilities for mechanical training. Yielding to a general demand, the board of education began to plan for the erection of an adequate and up to date manual training high school building. The site chosen was the west side of the lot of the Lincoln school building on the north side of Fifth street, between Lincoln and Dutoit streets. The west and north wings of the building were erected in 1908 at a cost of about $200,000. The building when finished will be about three times the size of the part already completed and is estimated to cost about $550,000. In its present state, it can remain until such a time as con- ditions require the completion of the building.
The entire building will have a frontage of 433 feet on Fifth street by an ex- treme depth of 157 feet to an alley. The west wing of the building is three sto- ries, with high, well lighted basement. The latter contains one class room seat- ing sixty pupils, a lunch room and kitchen, laundry, locker rooms, lavatories, machine shop, and generation room for electrical machinery. The extension of the basement story forms the north wing of the building, one story in height, and provides for the large forge room, turning, molding and cabinetwork shops, thus providing for all of the manual training shops on the ground floor with ample north light and skylights. All machinery is built upon separate foundations rest- ing directly upon the ground and distinct from the foundations of the building, the purpose being in this way to reduce to a minimum any objectionable noise or vibration in other parts of the building. A boiler room, fuel room and space for the heating and ventilating apparatus are also provided for in the base- ment.
On the first floor, there are two large study rooms for sixty pupils each, two small class rooms and one large class room, besides the suite of rooms designed for the domestic science classes. This suite consists of a large kitchen, pantry, store room, dining room, reception room and bed room.
On the second floor are the physical and chemical laboratories, each provided with teachers' laboratories, work rooms, store rooms, dark rooms and lecture
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rooms. These lecture rooms are so arranged that they may be used as independ- ent class rooms and will accommodate thirty pupils each. There are also on this floor two large class rooms and two smaller class rooms.
On the third floor are located the mechanical and free-hand drawing rooms. These are provided with ample skylight, good wall space, store rooms, closets, etc. The ceiling of these four drawing rooms are sixteen feet in clear. There are also on this floor five class rooms.
The fourth floor consists of the space gained out of the attic by lowering the story height of a portion of the third floor and will be used for a botany room and the blue printing room. The botany room has an entire glass roof and is equipped with modern appliances for the pursuit of this study.
On each floor are provided the most modern and sanitary toilet rooms. There is also on each floor a teachers' room with toilet adjoining. The design for the entire building comprehends an auditorium on the first floor with entrances from the main corridor and will seat 800 on this floor. It will have a large stage and several dressing rooms. The gallery of the auditorium is to be entered from the main corridor of the second floor and will seat 240. A large gymnasium with ample locker rooms, showers, swimming pool and running track, will be pro- vided in the finished building. There will also be a large lecture room, library, principal's offices and reception room, additional lunch rooms and numerous class rooms. By an ingenious arrangement, the four stairways are so designed that they occupy the space of but two, and provide separate and distinct stairs for the classes ascending or descending. All parts of the building are well lighted, well heated and well ventilated.
This splendid structure is the building to which was transferred the East High school in January, 1909. To this building was also transferred the sec- tion of manual training for high school pupils.
At the beginning of the school year 1896-97, sewing was introduced to oc- cupy the attention of the girls while the boys attended the manual training classes. The work was extended to the high school in January, 1902. At the first, Fran- ces M. Williams had charge of this department. In 1900, Miss L. Belle Gray became supervisor of sewing. She was followed in 1907 by Miss Bessie A. Thompson, the present incumbent. The department is now known as that of Domestic Art.
In 1905, cooking or domestic science was introduced as a regular part of the school curriculum. The first work was carried on in the Patterson and Weaver schools, where independent initiative had already equipped rooms. Early in 1906, additional centers were established in the Parker and Lincoln schools, and in the fall a center was established in the Webster school. The work has also been extended to the high school. Miss Mary F. Hill, the first supervisor, was suc- ceeded in 1906 by the present supervisor, Miss Emma E. Mckinley.
KINDERGARTEN INSTRUCTION.
November 28, 1894. a resolution was adopted by the board of education under which a committee was appointed to consider the probable cost and benefit to be derived from the establishment of the kindergarten as a part of our school sys-
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tem. Nothing further was done until July 23, 1896, when a proposition was made to the board by the Riverdale Kindergarten Association, wherein they agreed to donate all their material to the board of education, the amount being sufficient to furnish a room in each of two schools, provided the board would begin its kindergarten work the same year and would locate one of the rooms at the sub-building of the Tenth District school. This association further agreed to provide without expense to the board a kindergarten assistant. Three other kindergarten associations made similar propositions to the board. Some of these propositions the board was able to accept. A committee appointed by the board recommended that a competent supervisor be appointed and that a kindergarten class in theory be organized, the pupils to pay tuition for their instruction. Aug- ust 17, a recommendation was made by the committee on text-books and course of study that the work of the kindergarten be properly outlined. These recom- mendations were adopted. Miss Anna Littell, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was appointed principal, and Miss Julia M. Wood, assistant. The first year kinder- garten schools were established in the tenth, eleventh and third districts. Six new kindergartens were opened in 1897. In that year, nineteen pupil teachers completed the kindergarten training course of two years and received diplomas. In time kindergartens were established in every section and at length in every school in the city. Miss Littell continues as supervisor.
SPECIAL TEACHERS.
The special teachers serving in 1909 with the date of their appointment are as follows : penmanship, Mrs. Belle C. Wilcox, 1899; drawing, Miss Mary A. Wood- mansee, 1899 (died Nov. 23, 1909) ; music, Mr. O. E. Wright, 1896; elocution and physical culture, Miss Lucia M. Wiant, 1892. Mrs. Wilcox, nee Miss Belle C. Nott. had served as supervisor of penmanship from 1892 to 1897.
THE SUPERINTENDENCY.
Colonel W. J. White, elected superintendent of instruction in 1888, continued to serve in that capacity till 1898. Dr. W. N. Hailman succeeded to the position in that year and served till 1902. W. N. Brown occupied the position from that time till 1905. At the latter date Dr. J. W. Carr was elected for a term of three years. At the close of this period, a protracted and bitter strug- gle ensued as to who his successor should be. He had many earnest sup- porters for a reappointment. The opposing candidate, E. J. Brown, was at the time a member of the board. On his resigning and another person being elected in his place, he received the requisite majority of the votes of the board and was declared elected superintendent. Action in the courts to declare the mode of election illegal was at length dismissed. Mr. Brown has brought forward a number of propositions for the improvement of the schools, among them a plan for individual advisers for the pupils of the high school, chosen from the corps of teachers. A plan for enlarging and extending the work of manual train- ing has also been adopted.
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BOARD OF EDUCATION.
The members of the board of education continued to be elected exclusively by wards, two from each ward, until the adoption of a general act, relating to boards of education, April 25, 1904. This act provided that every city should be known as a "city school district" and should be sub-divided into sections called "sub-districts" instead of into "wards." The following passage from the act relates to cities having more than fifty thousand inhabitants, and thus becomes a charter provision for the city of Dayton: "In city school districts the board of education shall consist of not less than two members nor more than seven members elected at large by the qualified electors of the school district, and of not less than two members nor more than thirty members elected from sub-districts by the qualified electors of their respective sub-districts." May 19, 1904, in harmony with this act, the board of education decided that there should be ten sub-districts corresponding to the ten wards of the city, and that there should be two members elected at large. All members of the board enter upon their duties the first Monday in January and hold their office for two years. At the time named, the annual reorganization of the board takes place. Formerly these changes took place in April.
The state legislature having given to women the right to vote in all matters relating to education, the women of the city availed themselves of their first privilege in this direction by voting in large numbers both at the primaries and the regular election in the spring of 1895. In some cases, their votes deter- mined the result. Subsequently, there was a falling off in the number of votes cast by women.
Beginning with 1888, the following are the names of the members of the board of education with the date of their installation, members holding their office for a term of two years :
1888-William Craighead, P. S. Bollinger, O. J. Needham, A. W. Gump, J. E. Byrne, W. R. Knaub, J. S. Schwinderman, Michael J. Swadener. O. J. Needham resigned in March, 1889, and no successor was appointed.
1880-William D. Gifford, Charles H. Kumler, Webster Fry, John T. Com- stock, Alvin R. Bowman, George H. Siger, John Allen Romspert, John Aman. Redmond P. Sage.
1890 -- William Craighead, Charles A. Huesman, P. S. Bollinger, John E. Byrne, R. M. Allen, John T. Maloney, W. W. Hackney, E. S. Otto, Joseph L. Mc- Kinney, J. Wasenich, George H. Slaght, J. W. Schwindeman, Nelson Routzahn, E. H. Kerr, John Meyer, John F. Hayes, Lawrence Butz, Jr., Jesse Cornell. James T. Noonan, John P. Snyder, E. M. Glancy.
1891-Lewis G. Reynolds, Albert M. Eyer, Webster Fry, A. R. Bowman George Schwartz, Albert W. Gump, Robert Stein. R. M. Allen, Charles Walt- mire, William Plattfaut, Henry Dhein, Joseph E. Lentz, Jacob Lewber, Dennis J. Madden, Redmond P. Sage, A. T. Brunette.
1892-William Craighead, J. A. Starkey, Webster Fry, E. F. Cooper, Louis Mehlberth, George A. Slaght, John C. Mayer. Charles Waltmire resigned, and Rudolph Pretzinger was appointed in October, 1892, in his stead. H. C. Thom-
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son was appointed in June, 1892, to fill the unexpired term of William Craig- head, who had resigned.
1893-L. G. Reynolds, H. C. Thomson, Albert M. Eyer, George W. Martin, David O. Kimmel, W. W. Hackney, Henry Dhein, A. H. Iddings.
1894-H. C. Thomson, C. R. Thomas, J. T. Comstock, E. F. Cooper, A. A. Lisman, George A. Slaght, John Meyer.
1895-Frederick Wunderlich, Samuel Sears, Charles J. Hall, A. W. Drury, Benjamin F. Hershey, Lewis G. Reynolds, A. H. Iddings, Ziba C. Shroyer, Robert Stein. H. A. Crandall was appointed in October, 1895, to fill the un- expired term of A. A. Lisman.
1896-William G. Frizell, E. L. Shuey, J. M. Weaver, Frank Weglage, Charles B. Stivers, N. D. Bates, Emerson L. Horner, J. T. Comstock, Robert M. Allen, T. F. W. Schmidt, A. J. Smith, H. A. Crandall. John C. Collett was appointed in July, 1896, to fill the unexpired term of T. F. W. Schmidt .. George Kline was appointed in January, 1897, to fill the unexpired term of Charles Hall. W. S. Hawthorn was appointed in June, 1897, to succeed E. L. Horner.
1897-Grafton C. Kennedy, George W. Miller, Fred Eickman, C. L. Hard- man, O. J. Needham, Daniel W. Oldfather, Pearl N. Sigler, Ziba C. Shroyer, E. C. Simpson, W. E. Hooven. G. Russell Wells was appointed in February, 1898, to succeed Pearl N. Sigler, and Mr. Wells was succeeded in turn by J. E. Froendhoff.
1898-William G. Frizell, J. M. Weaver, William Rumbarger, Pearl N. Sig- ler, Webster D. Long, Emerson L. Horner, William H. Myers, William F. Oel- man, A. J. Smith, Henry Zwick.
1899-Grafton C. Kennedy, George W. Miller, Harry Wolfensparger, Ells- worth Brentlinger, Oscar J. Needham, Thomas R. Coles, J. E. Froendhoff, Ziba C. Shroyer, J. C. Ely, James C. Burt.
1900-F. D. Barker, Frank Fife, W. A. Rumbarger, Philo G. Burnham, Web- ster D. Long, Wilbur E. Landis, William H. Meyers, William F. Oelman, George B. Ewald, Henry Zwick.
1901 --- Rolla B. Moodie, J. H. McCassy, Harry Wolfensparger, L. O. Miller, Oscar J. Needham, Frank M. Fergus, Joseph E. Froendhoff, Ziba C. Shroyer, William F. Chamberlin, J. C. Burt. The unexpired term of Harry Wolfenspar- ger was filled first by C. M. Davis and then by W. A. Rumbarger.
1902-F. D. Barker, Frank Fife, W. H. Durkin, George B. Smith, Webster D. Long, Wilbur E. Landis, J. W. Davy, Edward J. Sauerman, Allan O. Free- hafer, H. C. Baird. John M. Roser filled out the unexpired term of J. W. Davy.
1903-Rolla B. Moodie, J. H. McCassy, A. Euchenhofer, L. O. Miller, Oscar J. Needham, John T. Comstock, J. E. Froendhoff, Ferdinand Sitt, William F. Chamberlin, H. F. Littell.
1904-(Those entering the board of education this year served for terms of but one year.) F. D. Barker, Frank Fife, W. H. Durkin, George B. Smith, Webster D. Long, Wilbur E. Landis, John M. Roser, Edward J. Sauerman, Allan O. Freehafer, H. C. Bard. A. L. Bowersox filled out the term of F. D. Barker, and W. H. Miller that of John M. Roser.
According to the terms of the new school code, half of those to take office
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in 1905, were elected for terms of two years, and half for terms of four years. Thereafter, all members were to be elected for terms of four years.
In 1905, those going into office for two years were : J. M. Weaver, A. L. Bower- sox (succeeded by E. M. Huston). Julius V. Jones (succeeded by F. N. McMil- lin), Webster D. Long, Charles E. Lane (succeeded by G. C. Myers), W. F. Chamberlain.
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