USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Memoirs of the Miami valley > Part 76
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At first only the corporate limits of Piqua or Washington township were included in the Chapter, but September 1, 1918, the boundary was changed, and Brown, Spring, Creek and Newberry townships added, thus adding four Branches, Covington, Bradford, Lena and Fletcher. At the organization meeting J. B. Wilkinson was elected chairman, Rev. J. F. Cogan vice-chairman, F. P. Irvin treasurer; Martha H. Wood, secretary, and Mrs. Charles Conroy, assistant secretary ; and after a meeting of the directors, an execu- tive committee was appointed consisting of Mr. J. L. Black, Prof. George C. Dietrich, Mrs. Emma Fordyce, Mr. A. D. Hance (since deceased). Mrs. W. H. Allison, A. A. Hall, Henry Kampf, Miss Stella Peffer, W. W. Wood III, and ex-officio, were included the chairman, treasurer and secretary of the newly formed Chapter.
Mrs. August I. Boal generously gave the Chapter the use of a room in the Scott-Slauson block which she owned, for six months, free of rent, and at the end of that time, Chapter headquarters were moved to the Chamber of Commerce.
It is interesting to note that the shipping committee had three chairmen, Mr. W. V. Hayes, general secretary of the local Y. M. C. A., who resigned to become secretary of the War Y. M. C. A. at Wright Field, Dayton, O., Rev. William H. Allison, rector of St. James Episcopal church, who went overseas as Y. M. C. A. secre- tary with the American Expeditionary Forces; the third chairman, Mr. J. C. Eley serving for the remainder of the time.
The campaigns of the Nursing Committee, Mrs. W. K. Leon- ard, chairman, for graduate nurses for the Student Nurse Reserve, resulted in recording 14 graduate nurses, four undergraduates, 12 student and 12 practical nurses, seven having made arrangements for autumn entrance to training schools of their choice. Two of Piqua's nurses were accepted for service, one, the public health nurse, Miss E. La Verne Gamble, being sent over seas; Miss Irene Hockenberry serving at the Walter Reed General Hospital, Miss Margaret Hunter, who was in training in Columbus, was sent to Camp Sherman during the influenza epidemic. The committee obtained a Red Cross nurse for Piqua during the epidemic, the public health nurse having left for overseas' service.
The Woman's Service League, Mrs. Augusta I. Boal, chair- man, which was organized in April, 1917, for the purpose of doing war work, and had done splendid work, soon after the organization of the Piqua Chapter was merged with the Red Cross, Mrs. W. H. Allison was appointed chairman of woman's work, and she was assisted by the executive committee, Mrs. L. M. Flesh, Mrs. C. E. Stuart, Mrs. W. T. Hart, and Mrs. E. A. Todd, and the vestry of St. James Episcopal Church placed the Parish House at the dis-
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posal of the Women's Committee for a Red Cross Workshop, and all work was done there for several months, when because of increasing demands, the departments of hospital garments and supplies, and the yarn were moved to rooms over the Third Sav- ings and Loan Bank, and the Parish House was devoted to surgi- cal dressings. Later a house on North Wayne street was rented, and all the work done under one roof.
Meanwhile Mrs. A. M. Orr, Mrs. Theodore Royer, Mrs. G. M. Peffer, Mrs. J. C. Eley and Mrs. H. D. Hartley were added to the executive committee. Surgical dressings and home nursing classes were organized, Mrs. Allison teaching one, and drives for refugee clothing were held each spring under Mrs. A. A. Hall. The three- hundred dollars raised by the Woman's Service League was used by the Red Cross to purchase the first supply of yarn. Mrs. G. A. Brooks was the superintendent of this department, and she was assisted by Mrs. F. B. Roe, Mrs. Forrest Stickler, Mrs. Harry Brown, secretary, Miss Louise Jones, Mrs. H. D. Hartley, Mrs. P. L. Snorf and Mrs. Helen Reymiller, as well as the room supervisors. The unit system was instituted, the knitters numbered over a thou- sand, and 5,678 articles-sweaters, helmets, wristlets, socks, mufflers, afghans, trench caps and bed socks-were knitted, filling 18 boxes, and with a valuation of $16,945.50.
Articles to the number of 107,206 were made in the department of surgical dressings, hospital supplies and sewing articles. The women filled every quota assigned, never refusing a single call; layettes for Belgian babies, and other refugee garments, comfort kits for the soldiers, and the assembling and packing of Christmas packets for them, and decorating and selling Red Cross bags, were among other things accomplished, the total value of the women's productions being $39,759.53.
The Home Service Section was first started in January, 1918. In the beginning six families were dealt with, and March, 1919, the number had increased to 169, the secretary, Miss Mary Sawyer, having in that time made 585 calls to the homes of men in the Service, and received 823 visits at the office. Most excellent work in the way of making Red Cross supplies, packing and filling boxes, etc., was done in most, if not all of the factories, the churches and schools, as well as the Branches, of which the chairmen were. Women's Work-Lena and Conover, Mrs. A. J. Brantner ; Fletcher, Mrs. J. C. Suber ; Covington, Mrs. May Rothermal; Bradford, Mrs. Robert Meyer. Men workers, chairmen-Lena and Conover, Mr. Omer B. Frazier ; Fletcher, Dr. J. R. Eichelbarger ; Covington, Dr. H. W. Kendall; Bradford, Mr. H. N. Conley.
While devoted women were giving their time daily at the workshops and in their homes to work in the gauze, hospital and refugee garments and supplies, yarn and other comforts for the soldiers, equally devoted men were promoting membership cam- paigns and War Loans, etc. The first war drive and membership campaign in June, 1917, had an unusual record, in that the entire amount subscribed, $25,000, was paid in full. The first member- ship campaign brought 2,706 annual members, 510 magazine mem- bers, 3 life and I patron member, and the next in 1918 brought in 239 magazine members. Because of the Miami County War Chest,
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put on with such success in May, 1918, the Chapter did not have another war drive, as through this organization it was not only able to meet its allotment of $18,000, but received as its share of the over-subscription 132 per cent. of the allotment, making $23.760. It is well to add here that although some chapters kept a large reserve balance in their treasuries, the Piqua Chapter never did, but patriotically spent the money as it came in for supplies in order to render the greatest service, accepting every quota whether it was for war drives, membership, or chapter production, sometimes not knowing how the money could be obtained to fill the orders, but trusting to the loyal people of the city and townships, and they never trusted in vain, every quota was accepted and met. The grand total of money received by the Piqua Chapter from all sources from June, 1917, to May, 1919, was $61,477.92.
The newspapers rendered inestimable service, the Leader-Dis- patch, Call and Press, members of the editorial staffs being on the publicity committee, the Boy Scouts also rendered frequent service, and the ministers of the various denominations helped in all possi- ble ways. Unfortunately, it is entirely impossible to give credit to a large number of those who helped by work or money or both; practically every person in Piqua and the four townships adjoin- ing, did what he or she could to the best of his ability to further the splendid work of the Red Cross.
The children were not behind their elders, for they gave enthu- siastic service to Junior Red Cross work, a chapter being organized early in 1918, with all the pupils in the schools organized into Red Cross Auxiliaries. Supt. G. C. Dietrich, chairman, and the princi- pals of the various schools were made chairmen of the branches in their schools. Mrs. Minna McClay was made director of the ele- mentary work, and Miss Lucy Patterson of the high school, Miss Helen D. Hetherington elected secretary-treasurer, and Mr. R. M. Franz placed in charge of the boys' work. Because of the interest of the school children the elementary schools were 100 per cent, and the high school about 60 per cent in membership. A total of $500 was raised, which was largely expended for materials and to meet assessments from the Red Cross society. The time was taken from the regular art periods of school work for the making of articles for the soldiers and Belgians, and in each school members of the Parents' association co-operated gladly with the auxiliaries. Articles made under the direction of the ladies of the Parents' association were: Park avenue, 120; South street, three dozen under garments; 500 pits and shells were collected by the children and sent to Columbus to be used in making of gas masks; 104 articles were made by the High school girls, and 500 pairs of knit- ting needles and packing boxes for the Parents' associations were made by the boys of the Manual Training department.
The Piqua chapter was honored by having a Piqua girl in the Red Cross Home Service department at Red Cross headquarters in Paris. Miss Eucebia James spent eleven months overseas in this work. Miss Dessa Shaw, superintendent of the Memorial hospital, and one of the three registered Red Cross nurses in Piqua, was
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awarded special chevrons from the National Red Cross Nursing Service for her service at home.
Churches. Piqua might well be called the "City of Churches," with its eighteen churches all well attended. The United Pres- byterians, in 1816, were the first denomination to build a log cabin church in Piqua, located at the southeast corner of Downing and Sycamore streets. This was replaced in 1837 by a plain brick church. Twenty years later this building was found too small and plans for a new building started, and the present church on Down- ing street between Ash and Greene streets was completed in 1858. Before this year the congregation had been known as Associate Reformed Presbyterians. During the World war, their pastor, Rev. Ralph Neale, was granted leave of absence and was in Y. M. C. A. service overseas.
As early as 1807 meetings of the Methodist Episcopal church were held in Piqua at the homes of the early settlers. In 1815 a log church was built on an acre of ground in "Upper Piqua," donated by John Johnston for church and cemetery purposes. The First Methodist Episcopal church in Piqua proper was on Spring street and was built of frame. In 1837 a brick church was put up at the corner of Main and Greene streets. This church has been enlarged as necessity required and is known as the Greene Street church. Rev. John A. Altman is their pastor, and the congregation is increasing to such an extent that a new location for a larger and more modern building is being sought.
Favorite Hill mission is maintained by the Greene Street church.
In 1853, it was decided to introduce a second Methodist church as the Greene Street congregation had so increased. The church was first located below the railroad, on Wayne street, and after- ward a frame church was built on West Water street, between Downing and Chestnut, which was destroyed by a tornado, after- wards rebuilt, and finally burned a few years ago. Undaunted by all these misfortunes a fine brick church was erected in 1914 at the southeast corner of Franklin and Ash streets. The present pastor is Rev. J. R. Wynd.
The Presbyterian church on the southeast corner of Caldwell street, is one of the handsome churches of the city, having a rough stone front and good lines of church architecture. It has one of the largest and most faithful congregations in the city, and is quite a contrast to the first place of worship of the Presbyterians in a small brick church built in 1823 in the south end of town on the west side of Wayne between Wood and Sycamore streets. Their second church building was dedicated March 8, 1845. This was the brick church at the southeast corner of Wayne and Ash street, oc- cupied for 45 years. Rev. E. H. Montgomery is the present pastor.
In January, 1823, St. James Episcopal parish was organized, and for five years church services were held in a log house, at the southwest corner of Wash and Wayne streets, also out at the school house on Colonel Johnston's place. The first church was erected in 1828 on Spring and North streets. This church becom- ing inconvenient in location a building was erected by the congre-
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gation and consecrated December 1, 1847. This was torn down in 1899 and replaced by the present churchly edifice of rough stone and brick on the same site. Rev. Gideon McNullen was the first rector. Rev. W. H. Allison, rector from 1907 to 1919, was in the Y. M. C. A. service overseas for the duration of the World war. The present rector is Rev. Hayward S. Abelwhite.
Baptists held their first place of worship in a frame building that members of the congregation put up in 1830 near what is now the southwest corner of Harrison and Ash streets. In 1848 a brick church was built on the south side of High street between Wayne and Downing. In 1916 the present modern and convenient struc- ture was erected at the northwest corner of Greene street and Broadway. On completion of this building the Calvary Baptist church congregation, who had been worshipping in their own church on Ash street near Virginia street since 1876 united with them. Rev. A. W. Littrell, the present minister, was granted leave of absence during the World war, and did faithful duty in Y. M. C. A. service, especially during the influenza epidemic at Camp Sher- man.
St. Paul's Evangelical church is located on the northwest cor- ner of Greene and Downing streets. In 1840 the present site was purchased and in 1845 a small frame church building was purchased from the Cumberland Presbyterians and moved to this location. October 17, 1846, saw the establishment of the first resident pastor, Rev. T. A. G. Doepken. The present brick church was completed and occupied in 1870. Rev. Paul Gehm has been the pastor from 1912 to the present date.
St. Mary's Catholic church dates back to the year 1839. when services were held in the home of Valentine Butsch by Father Theinpoint, of Dayton. In 1843 the Catholics had their first resident priest, and the first church building was erected at the present site on Broadway in 1844. In 1869 the church was greatly enlarged and Sisters' home across the street was erected. In 1897 the present St. Mary's school was erected under Rev. E. P. Hickey and in 1899 the church was practically rebuilt. The present well arranged parsonage was built in 1914 under the direction of Rev. John F. Cogan, the present pastor, who came in 1913.
Prior to 1855, all Catholics worshiped in one body in this city, but in that year a separate congregation of the German American of Piqua was established and Rev. Hemsteger was appointed the first pastor. The first St. Boniface church was erected on Adams street and completed the fall of 1855. In 1866 the present large brick edifice was erected at Downing and Miami streets. Rev. Geo. P. Steinlage had charge of St. Boniface from February 14, 1881, until his death which occurred here in 1913. The present pastor is Rev. A. C. Tabke.
The First Christian church in its earliest days occupied a small frame building on Broadway between High and Ash streets, known as "Broadway Chapel," until the present church building was con- structed in 1895. Dr. S. F. Newhouse was the first pastor.
The United Brethren also used the "Broadway Chapel" until 1901 when they built a frame church at the northwest corner of Wood and Water streets. In 1908 the present brick church was
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built at the corner of Ash and College streets. Rev. C. W. Stephens has been pastor for the last two years.
The Church of Christ was the last to occupy the "Broadway Chapel," and their present brick edifice was built in 1901 at the corner of Broadway and Boone street.
St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran church has always occupied the present site at the corner of Wood and Downing streets. The first structure was of frame, built in 1890, and this was replaced by a brick church completed in 1913. Rev. S. Long has been here, since 1916.
The Wayne Street Methodist Episcopal church (formerly the German Methodist), at the corner of Wayne and Young streets, was established by Rev. Paul Brodebeck. The original frame church was built in 1866 and 67 and remodelled in 1898. Rev. F. Johannes is the pastor. The First Reformed church, until this year, was called Zion Reformed church. This congregation oc- cupies a frame church on Wayne and Miami streets, built in 1875, but since remodelled. The first pastor was Rev. Rusterholtz.
There are two colored churches, both having very good brick churches, the Cyrene Methodist Episcopal and the Park Avenue Baptist.
The Piqua Public Schools. "To keep the schools abreast of every movement that will make Piqua one of the best cities in the United States in which to live," has been the aim of the Board of Education, the administrative officers and the teachers of the Piqua Public schools. And truly they have made remarkable strides. In 1809, when the first school house was built-a little log structure made possible by the subscriptions of the early citizens of Piqua- near the corner of what is now Main and Union Street, Isaac Hen- derson, who afterward became a prominent physician, was given the position of teacher. Here the youthful Piquads went to school until 1818, when "The Seminary" was erected on the public square, a one-story building, the first teacher being John P. Finley. Piqua was then, and still is, in school district number two.
James DeFrees, Abel Brandon, and Robert Young were elected directors of district No. 2. W. R. Barrington, clerk, and Thomas G. Ward appointed teacher, this being the earliest record of a teacher employed. After 1840 the teachers were paid entirely by the township. The churches and homes also housed many private schools.
Three schools erected about 1845 or 1846, were named according to their relative positions, the North school being between Boone and North streets on the west side of Caldwell; the East school was just south of Ash street on the east side of Harrison street, while near the southwest corner of Wayne and Wood streets stood the South school. The Union School System of 1849 was adopted by vote in 1853, and it was decided to build a Union school, a School board being also elected, on it being W. W. Wood, Wm. Scott, J. D. Holtzerman, J. T. Janvier, Dr. G. V. Dorsey, and W. T. Hum- phreville.
The high school was finished in 1856, the whole cost of build- ing and grounds being $34,983.80, and A. G. Chambers was first superintendent.
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A school for colored children was established in 1854, in the Wesleyan church (where now stands the Cyrene A. M. E. church), but in 1872 a school was built for them at the northwest corner of College and Boone streets, and used until August 1, 1885. After that time, the colored children were allowed to attend the regular schools.
The Park Avenue school was built in 1874 at the northeast corner of Park avenue and Broadway, this taking the place of the old "North school" on Caldwell street; it being sold and torn down. The Spring Street school was originally the home of Robert Young, on Spring and Ash streets, the residence and lot having been purchased in 1875, and the house remodelled for this purpose, as the old East school had been sold. The new school on Spring street was completed in the spring of 1894.
The Wayne Street school, originally called the new South school, was built in 1877 at the southwest corner of Wayne and Wood streets, just north of the old one; in 1890 the South Street school, at the southeast corner of South and Chestnut streets, was erected ; the Staunton Street school was obtained when the Hunter- ville School district was annexed by the Piqua district in 1893, this school being new at that time, and the purchase and remodelling of the Baptist church on Madison avenue in May, 1905, gave to Piqua the present Madison Avenue school, the North Street school hav- ing been built on its present location, at North and Walker streets in 1888-89, the lot having been purchased in 1888, and the building completed the following year ; an addition being built in 1898.
A new high school was built in 1884, considered a fine building and the pride of Piqua for many years. But the introduction of many new phases of school life, such as manual training and domes- tic science, necessitated large and more modern quarters, so in 1913 the present handsome structure was begun and finished in time for the opening of the school year in 1914. The approximate cost of the building was $150,000, and it is one of the finest high school buildings in the state. There are accommodations for 600 students, a complete domestic science and art department with din- ing room, kitchen, bed room, sewing room and other rooms; a particularly well equipped manual training department, with both iron and wood-working rooms, a fine gymnasium, 70 feet long, 38 feet wide and 18 feet deep, with showers off of it for boys and girls. There are administrative offices for the superintendent of schools and principal of the high school, laboratories, a sun garden for botanical and agricultural purposes, reference libraries, and lunch rooms, beside an auditorium seating about a thousand on its first floor and balcony. The building is situated in the center of an entire square, and is most imposing.
The Favorite Hill school, begun in 1908, dedicated in 1909, at- tracts many visitors. Built on the cottage plan, which originated in Colorado, having five rooms, all opening on a central corridor, and each having its separate exit. The plan was adopted at the suggestion of Mrs. W. P. Orr, who was then a member of the board. An athletic field, where many a football game has been played, is situated in its rear.
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The manual training department has three courses, wood- work, iron-work and textile. The latter has complete machinery for the making of underwear from the yarn to the finished gar- ment, and these classes are taken advantage of by boys and girls who work in the factories in the afternoons. For such pupils the high school has a single session plan, whereby pupils who must earn their living may continue their high school course. Another big feature is the night school, which has been in operation for five years. It gives full business and other courses.
The special school for retarded children under Miss May Gillis. has brought happiness and new interests in life to many. For the past nine years the Piqua schools had a definite course of reading for every school child from the first grade on. This is considered very helpful by educators. The art department, under Mrs. Minna McClay, has achieved distinction and praise for the really remark- able results obtained by the pupils.
Music is more than a fad in the Piqua schools. The Board of Education, with the object of developing a strong musical senti- ment in the community, provides twenty free lessons on any musi- cal instrument, there are classes in musical appreciation in the high school, a High School band, a High School orchestra, each of twen- ty-five pieces, a Junior band of sixty pieces, and girls' and boys' glee clubs. Patriotic song services or "Community Sings" have been successfully held at the high school, and the fine Lyceum course, which is carried out every year, brings good music as well as lectures.
The encouragement of athletics has always been a policy of the Piqua schools, and many victorious teams have been turned out in football, baseball and basketball, Merlin Ditmer being the coach for years. An interscholastic league was also formed in 1913 among the elementary schools. From the seventh grade through the high school each girl and boy had physical culture under com- petent men and women teachers, physical examinations being given and defects corrected. In connection with the Junior Red Cross the schools did enthusiastic war work during the World war, an account of which has been given. The pupils also sold $50,000 worth of Thrift Stamps in 1917-18; $20,000 in 1918-19, and collected a large amount of fruit shells and tin. The fall of 1918 a cafeteria lunchroom was established at the high school for pupils and teach- ers who live at a distance, and its success is shown by the fact that 200 are served there daily. Parents' Associations and Mothers' clubs established in 1909, are a big feature of the school life, for these help the schools buy pianos, victrolas, pictures, and assist in all possible ways ; much extra war work was accomplished because of the aid of these associations, which have monthly meetings.
The Piqua High school is accredited by the North Central As- sociation of Secondary schools and colleges, and one-half of its graduates enter colleges. They are noted, too, in the business world-one of the highest salaried men in America is a graduate of the Piqua High school-and a large quota of both men and women graduates served their country during the World war.
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