USA > Ohio > Ohio's progressive sons; a history of the state; sketches of those who have helped to build up the commonwealth > Part 71
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"For forty-seven years he has been a teacher in the Cincinnati Woodward High School, and for thirty-five years its Principal. Thus he has had to do with fifty classes of pupils. Upward of 2,300 have graduated during this time, and some twelve thousand others have taken partial courses under him. As a man of faith in God, a gentleman, an efficient instructor, a firm disciplinarian, and yet a good friend, during all these years, he holds to-day the love and respect of these thousands, who have been his scholars, now embrac- ing all ages, from youths in their teens to men and women of three-score years, of all avocations; and residents, not only of Cincin- nati, but of every State in the Union, and of every country on the globe, and to-day, the date of his retirement from his position at the head of this High School, they assemble in the hall of the dear old school, to take him by the hand, to thank him for the past, to wish him God-speed for the remaining years and tasks of earthly life, and to express their assurance that at its end the divine verdict will be 'Well done, good and faithful servant."
"In testimony whereto, witness their auto -. graphs herewith."
John Imboden Hudson,
Superintendent of the Public Schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, was born at Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, on the 17th of April, 1863. He received his education in the common schools of that city, and was gradu- ated from the High School in 1880. He
JOHN IMBODEN HUDSON
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entered the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia, in September, 1881, and remained there four years, graduating on the 4th of July, 1885, as Senior Captain of the corps of cadets, and ranking as "No. 3 distinguished" in a class of twenty-five. He then took service with the Maysville & Big Sandy Railroad, now the Chesapeake & Ohio, as an assistant civil engineer, and rose to the position of resident engineer. In 1887 he was appointed resident engineer on the Ohio & Northwestern Railroad, under Colonel John D. Letcher as chief engineer, and later was resident and division engineer on the Roanoke & Southern Railroad. From 1890 to 1893 he taught civil engineering and military tactics at the Ohio Military Institute at College Hill, Ohio, and was with the Kentucky Training School for the next three years in a similar position. He entered the Portsmouth High School as Principal in September, 1896, and held that position until April, 1901, when he was chosen Superintendent to succeed Dr. Thomas Vickers. He was re-elected for 1902, 1903 and 1904. He was appointed city civil engineer in May, 1899, serving until the 3d of January, 1900, when he resigned, after having completed several miles of street paving, sanitary and other sewers. He was a member of the Flood Defense Commission, which established the present system of dikes and pumping stations as a protection from high water, and was one of the consulting engineers during the construction. He has received the degrees of B.S. and C.E., and also has been a member of the City Board of School Examiners for six years, and is serving his third term on that Board. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Doty, daughter of Theodore Doty, on the 3d of September, 1891, and six children have been the result of this marriage. As Superintendent of the Portsmouth schools, he is active, energetic and progressive, and has managed the schools with great efficiency. His efforts during the past three years have placed the public schools of Portsmouth on a plane with those of any city in the State of Ohio.
GUSTAVUS FREDERICK JUNKERMANN
Gustavus Frederick Junkermann,
The venerable ex-Superintendent of Music in the public schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born on the 8th of December, 1830, at Biele- feld, Westphalia, Germany. He is the scion of a prominent family of that province, his father having been connected with the government. Mr. Junkermann received a very thorough education in the classic schools of his home. Being a youth of exceptional spirit and high ideals, he became involved in the revolution- ary movement that spread all over Europe in 1848 and filled the minds of the liberty-loving people with dreams of a European republic. But these dreams were scattered when the reactionary elements became victorious, and the best blood of the country was ruthlessly sacrificed for the cause of liberty. The activity of Gustavus F. Junkermann in that struggle made him a marked man, and with many others he was captured and condemned to be shot. However, he was more fortunate than others. Through the assistance of true and
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daring friends, he managed to escape the night previous to the hour of his execution, and embarked for England. On board of the vessel that carried him from his native land he read a detailed report of his own execution. After many years had passed, through the influence of his father his pardon was obtained from Emperor William, but he never went back to his native land to live, but made several visits to his former home. In Germany he was prepared for the profession of an architect, and when he came to the United States it was but natural for him to try to embark upon that profession, but he found no occasion to do so. His first work in this country was the arduous labor of pitch- ing hides in a tannery, and later he was employed as a bricklayer. When he came to Cincinnati, shortly after his arrival in the new world, he was engaged as a teacher of German in the Jewish schools, and later in the public schools, and from this time on Mr. Junkermann has played an important part in the history of education of the Queen City. He soon mastered the English language, and his proficiency became so great that he was given a position as a teacher of English in the public schools, and in subsequent years he held the offices of Principal of the Vine Street and Camp Washington Schools. Having received a thorough musical education in Germany, he became closely identified with the musical interests of Cincinnati soon after his arrival in that city, and he was the first musician there who started a complete orchestra. He also played in the orchestra of the old National Theater. After he had remained for a number of years in Cincinnati, Mr. Junkermann went to St. Louis, where he followed the musical profession, and from St. Louis started for Memphis. Here he became engaged in business, as well as teaching, but he was so outspoken in his sympathies for the negroes that his business was ruined, and he was compelled to leave, going to New Orleans, where he resumed his musical profession. In that city he played in the French opera. Returning to Memphis, he found that it was impossible for him to earn enough to sustain his family, so he came back to Cincinnati, leaving his family in Memphis. Immediately before the breaking out of the terrible yellow fever scourge which visited Memphis in the early '70's, Mr. Junkermann was able to send for his family, and thus they escaped a terrible danger. Again becoming connected with the public schools of Cincinnati, Mr. Junkermann, in 1879, was made Superintendent of Music in the public schools, and he held this position until 1900. During this time Mr. Junkermann has been of incalculable value to the schools of this city, and has done much towards the development of the musical instinct of the people of the Queen City. For a number of years he was director of the teachers' orchestra, a musical organi- zation of great merit. He retired in 1900, after a long and useful career. As a token of their esteem, the teachers and ex-pupils of the public schools arranged a testimonial concert for his benefit, given in Music Hall, with tremendous success. Mr. Junkermann has been married twice, and is the father of seven children by his first wife, three of whom are living. His second wife bore him four children, one of whom survives. G. S. Junker- mann, M.D., D.D.S., Dean of the Cincinnati College of Dental Surgery, is his son.
Franklin H. Kendall,
Superintendent of Schools of Painesville, Ohio, was born in Steubenville, Ohio, on the 15th of January, 1862. He received his elementary education in the Steubenville public schools, from which he graduated at the age of fifteen. After spending five years in the newspaper business he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, receiving the A.B. degree in 1887. In September of the same year he entered upon his chosen work of teaching in the Marionville Collegiate Institute, of Marionville, Missouri, and at the close of that year was elected Principal of the Institute. This he resigned to, accept the Principalship of the
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FRANKLIN H. KENDALL
Second Ward School of liis native city, Steu- benville. Here he remained for three years, acting as Principal of the night schools, in addition to his regular work for one year, when he was elected to a position in the High School of that city, from which he resigned to accept the Principalship of the Painsville High School. This position he held for eleven years, in which period the school enrollment was more than doubled. In 1902 he was advanced to the Superintendency of the Painesville Public Schools, which position he now holds. For six years he has been a mem- ber of the Lake County Board of School Examiners, and for three years President of the Board of Trustees of the Painesville City Library.
R. J. Kiefer,
Superintendent of the Public Schools at Upper Sandusky was born at Lykens, Craw- ford County, Ohio, on the 19th day of April, 1871. His parents were of German extraction. Peter H. Kiefer, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1842. Having been left a widow, with six children, the mother decided to emigrate to America. The oldest son of the family was sent to America in advance on a prospective tour. Glowing reports were sent back, and the next year the widow and family started for their new home. This was in the year 1849. After a trip of forty days on a sailing vessel they landed at New York, and immedi- ately started for Ohio. Their final destination was the southern part of Seneca County, which was to be their future home.
Peter H. Kiefer grew to manhood, a car- penter by trade. During the Civil War he responded to the call for volunteers, and, joining the Fifty-fifth O. V. I., saw extensive service and marched with the army of Sher- man on the memorable expedition to the sea. After the war he returned to Crawford County and pursued his trade.
In 1870 Peter H. Kiefer was married to Miss Sarah Feighner, who was born in Stark County, Ohio. This family came to Stark County from Pennsylvania, to which place they had come from the State of New York. They were from German ancestry, having settled in the State of New York in early
R. J. KIEFER
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colonial times. After marriage the parents of Mr. Kiefer purchased a farm in Lykens Town- ship, on which they live at the present time.
During his early childhood R. J. Kiefer attended the district school known as the Frog- pond District. Having a mile and a half to walk, he nevertheless attended very regularly, never missing but one and one-half days, until he was sixteen years of age. At this agc he was granted a teacher's certificate to teach in the schools of Crawford County. He then taught school in the winters and spent his summers at the Ohio Northern University, situated at Ada, Ohio, where he completed the scientific course of study in 1893. Mr. Kiefer also did surveying on railroad construction work, and while filling the capacity of assistant resident engineer at Attica, Ohio, for the Columbus & Sandusky Short Line he was offered the position of Principal in the High School at Attica, Ohio. This position did not offer as remunerative a salary as did the work on the railroad, but judging that it would offer better opportunities for advancement, it was accepted. At the close of the first year's work, Mr. Kiefer resigned to accept the position of Principal of the Clyde High School. Here he remained for the two following years. He was offered the position for a third year, but resigned to accept the Superintendency of the Attica schools, a position clearly in the line of promotion. The work of Mr. Kiefer met with uniform approval. While there he did much to raise materially the standard of work and secure for the school a high reputation. While at Attica, Mr. Kiefer pursued a course of study at Heidelberg University. situated at Tiffin, Ohio, going to Tiffin on Saturdays to meet his professors and to receive instruction from them. He here completed the classical course of study with the class of 1902. Mr. Kiefer holds both grades of life certificates in the State of Ohio, his High School certificate having been granted in 1897 at the June examination.
In June, 1895, Mr. Kiefer was united in marriage with Miss Ida Sanford, of Attica, Ohio, an estimable and cultured lady, with whom he had become acquainted while at Attica as Principal of the High School. After their marriage they began housekeeping at Clyde, Ohio. Mrs. Kiefer was a teacher in the Attica schools prior to her marriage. She was a graduate of the High School at the same place. Her work in the school-room was very satisfactory, as is evidenced by the fact that she was retained in the same position for seven years. To this union there have been born four children. Mr. and Mrs. Kiefer are domestic in their habits, and enjoy the comforts and pleasures of home life.
After eight years' service at Attica and an offer for the succeeding year Mr. Kiefer informed the Board that he felt that he owed it to himself to seek fields of labor more remunerative and more in line with his abilities as a teacher. His resignation was accepted with reluctance. Mr. Kiefer was elected to the Superintendency at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, at a salary of $1,200. He was chosen from a field of sixty applicants to this position at the age of thirty-two. His work here has been uniformly pleasant and agreeable, and gives satisfaction to all. He has just recently been re-elected to the position at a very sub- stantial increase of salary.
Mr. Kiefer is an active member of the National Educational Association, also of the Ohio State Teachers' Association, the Ohio State Academy of Science, and is always found at the meetings of the local teachers' associations, in which he takes an active part. He is a staunch Christian and a member of the Knights of Pythias and Free and Accepted Masons.
Charles A. Krout,
Superintendent of the Public Schools of Tiffin, Ohio, is a men well and favorably known among the educators of the State of Ohio. Mr. Krout was born on the 12th of March, 1862, in Morrow County, Ohio, and is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Rule) Krout, who were
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born in Maryland and moved to Ohio in 1858. His father was a carpenter, and reared a family of six sons and three daughters. He died on the 24th of September, 1903, in his eightieth year. The mother of Superintendent Krout still survives. Mr. Krout spent his youth in the village of North Woodbury, Morrow County, where he also obtained his early education. After completing a course of study in the village schools, he went to Keo- kuk County, Iowa, and taught school for one year, after which he returned to Ohio and graduated from the Chesterville High School, the father of the noted Dr. Gunsaulus, Presi- dent of the Board of Education, signing his diploma. After his graduation Mr. Krout taught school in Morrow Countiy until 1883, when he matriculated as a Freshman in Wit- tenberg College, at Springfield, graduating from this well-known institution in 1887 with the degree of A.B., receiving the degree of A.M. in 1890. Since leaving college he has been engaged in teaching continuously. Three brothers and a sister have also been promi- nent in school work. He superintended the village schools of New Burlington until 1890, when he became Principal of the Tiffin High School, serving in this position until 1900, when he was promoted to the Superintendency of the city schools. Mr. Krout received his State life certificate in 1894, and spent the summer of that year at Harvard University, doing special work in physics.
CHARLES A. KROUT
On the 25th of June, 1895, he was married to Mrs. Eva E. Hartmann, and, accompanied by Mrs. Krout, spent the summer in Europe. Two sons have been the issue of this union, John Allen and Charles Vincent. Mrs. Krout had been a successful teacher in the Tiffin High School. Her father, J. T. Bacher, now in his eightieth year, receives her care. Mr. Krout is a member of the English Lutheran Church, and for several years has been Treasurer of the Council and Superintendent of the Sabbath School, while Mrs. Krout belongs to the First Reformed Church. Mr. Krout is a Past Master of the Tiffin Masonic Lodge and a member of DeMolay Commandery, K. of P., and of the Junior Order United American Mechanics. He takes an active part in all school association meetings and civic affairs.
William D. Lash,
Superintendent of the Public Schools of Zanesville, Ohio, one of the best-known educators of the Buckeye State, enjoys the distinction of having been connected with the schools of his city for more than a generation. Under his tutorship many have been edu- cated who now hold honorable and responsible positions. Mr. Lash first saw the light of day on the 24th of July, 1846. He was born and raised on a farm near Athens, Athens County, Ohio. His father, Jacob Lash, was a native and an early pioneer of the State of
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Ohio, and of German descent, while his mother, Susie (Morrison) Lash, was of Irish parentage. Mr. Lash attended the district schools and the Ohio University at Athens, entering the latter institution in 1866 and graduating from the same in 1871, receiving the degrees of A.B. and A.M. When twenty- five years of age, he, for one year, became connected with the schools of Jackson, Ohio, and in 1872 accepted a position as Assistant Principal of the Zanesville High School, and was made Principal of the same in 1875. Three years later the Board of Education of Zanes- ville appointed him Superintendent of Schools of that city, which position he has filled con- tinuously since that date. Mr. Lash is recog- nized as a man who takes the keenest interest in educational work, and is a member of the City Board of Examiners, State Teachers' Association, and the National Teachers' Asso- ciation. On the 28th of October, 1873, he took WILLIAM D. LASH to himself a wife, Jenet W. Griffin, by which marriage he is the father of three children, two boys and one girl. He takes an active interest in church work, and is a Ruling Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in his home city. His residence is located on Dresden Road, Zanesville, Ohio.
SAMUEL HERRICK LAYTON
Samuel Herrick Layton,
Superintendent of the Public Schools in the city of Gallipolis, Ohio, and one of the best- known educators in the State, was born on a farm on the 16th of October, 1866, near Jack- sontown, Licking County, Ohio. His parents were Frances Marion Layton and Lucinda P Herrick. His father was a well-known farmer who also engaged in the undertaking business, and was a native Virginian. His mother was born near Zanesville, Ohio, and was a grand- daughter of General Samuel Herrick. Mr. Layton received his early education in the schools of his home district, after which he attended the Ohio Normal University, the Ohio Wesleyan University, and did post-grad- uate work in other Universities, graduating from the Ohio Normal University in 1892, and from the Ohio Wesleyan in 1896. These insti- tutions of learning conferred upon him the degrees of B.S., B.L., A.M. and Ph.D. Dr Layton started in public life when nineteen
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years of age, accepting a position as a teacher in the primary schools of Jacksontown, where he remained for a period of two years. The two following years he taught in the district schools, after which he was made Superintendent of Schools at Dublin, Franklin County, Ohio. That position was held by him two years, when he took the same position in the Worthington public schools. There he remained for three years, until he became con- nected with the Ohio Wesleyan University as a teacher of English. The next five years of his life were passed as Superintendent of the Mechanicsburg and Barnesville schools. At the termination of that period, Mr. Layton was offered the position of Superintendent of Schools in a much larger field, that of Gallipolis, Ohio, where at the present writing he is engaged in the practice of his profession. Dr. Layton is conceded to be a man of great intellectual powers, thoroughly familiar with all the details of his profession, ever striving to improve the system of teaching, and always ready to accept the newer methods of instruction when in his opinion they show an advancement of ideas. He has always been keenly interested in teachers' institute work, and has held the position of President of the Franklin County and Champaign County Teachers' Institutes. He was Secretary and Treasurer of the Franklin County S. S. Association; for two years he was School Exam- iner in Champaign County, and is now a member of the City Board of School Examiners of Gallipolis. He is an active member of the National Educational Association, of the Ohio State Teachers' Association, and is President of the Tri-State Association. In 1901 School Commissioner Bonebrake appointed Dr. Layton a member of the committee to arrange a syllabus on physiology, hygiene and scientific temperance for the schools of Ohio. Dr. Layton was married to Miss Minnie M. Brashares on the 26th of November, 1896. He attends the Methodist Episcopal Church at Gallipolis, Ohio, where he is a member of the Official Board.
WILLIAM S. LYNCH
William S. Lynch,
Superintendent of the Shelby Public Schools, Shelby, Ohio, was born on the 18th of September, 1861, at West Bedford, Ohio. He is the son of Cornelius Lynch, a farmer. His mother's maiden name was Dorcas A. Fry. Both of his parents are natives of Ohio. Mr. Lynch's grandfather settled in Coshocton County at a very early day ; he was a hatter by trade. His great-grandfather came from Ireland. He rendered noble service to his country as a Revolutionary soldier. Dr. Hugh Lynch, an uncle of Superintendent Lynch, resided at Millersburg, Iowa County, Iowa, at the beginning of the Civil War. He enlisted and was promoted to the position of Captain of a company and later to the office of Major. After two years' service he was permitted to return home on account of ill health and died in a few days after reaching home. John Lynch, another uncle, was killed at Fredericksburg, Maryland, on the 13th of April, 1862. He was a member of Company A, Sixteenth O. V. J.
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Superintendent Lynch received his early education in a country school. In 1881 he entered Denison University, and completed the preparatory course and a part of the Fresh- man year of that institution; then dropped out of college and taught for three successive winters in his home school. He taught a summer term in the West Carlisle schools, and at the close of the term was re-elected for the next year, Mr. Lynch being the first teacher in the West Carlisle schools elected for a year. At the end of the year he entered Ohio Wesleyan University, from which institution he graduated, receiving the degree of A.B. Since graduation he has given his time to teaching and superintending public schools. He taught one year in the A grammar grade of the Danville and Buckeye City Union Schools, Knox County, Ohio, and at the end of the year was elected Superintendent of the schools, which position he filled for two years, and having an opportunity to get into a wider field of work, he resigned at Danville and superintended the schools at Bellville, Ohio, for six years, and was re-elected for an additional term of two years, but resigned and took charge of the Shelby public schools, which position he is now filling. He has had charge of the Shelby schools for eight years.
He was President of the Richland Couny Teachers' Institute for two years, President of the Bi-County (Richland and Ashland Counties) Teachers' Institute for two years, and Vice-President of the Northwestern Teachers' Association.
In political belief, Mr. Lynch is a Republican. He is a member of the Mansfield Com- mandery, No. 21, Knights Templar ; also a member of the order of Knights of Pythias.
B. O. Martin,
Superintendent of the North Baltimore (Wood County, Ohio) Public Schools, was born on a farm near Greenville, Ohio, thirty-seven years ago. Being of an educational turn of mind, he was able to read at three years, and at six had read several histories of the United States and a history of the world. In the old schoolhouses near his home he was the cham- pion speller a hundred times before he was twelve. Entering Greenville High School at thirteen, he left it at fifteen, and began teach- ing. His marriage, in 1887, to Miss Anna Moist, a neighbor's daughter, was a most fortunate thing for the young school-teacher. Settled in a small home, he studied diligently, and at twenty-one secured a first-grade cer- tificate in Darke County. He also served as County Examiner in Darke County for six years. Being elected as Principal of the Arcanum (Ohio) High School in 1894, he entered the Ohio Normal University, from which he graduated in 1897, and again in 1899, teaching to pay his expenses. He served as Superintendent of the Gettysburg (Ohio) b schools for three years, resigning his position to accept the Superintendency at LaGrange, Ohio, in 1899. In 1901 he was elected to the Superintendency of the schools of Ashtabula Harbor, and to his present position in 1904,
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