USA > Ohio > Summit County > Twinsburg > Twinsburg, Ohio, 1817-1917, Part I History, Part II Genealogies > Part 4
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWINSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS
E. S. KERR
T WINSBURG has had good schools throughout its history. The pioneers who settled the town came imbued with New England standards of a high order. The influence of Connecticut ideals has been felt in every period of the school history of the town and no doubt has been a controlling factor. Emphasis has been placed upon education to such an extent that always Twinsburg has had commendable schools.
The first school building was built in 1822 on the public square. Moses and Aaron Wilcox, who donated the square to the town, contributed twenty dollars in money for the building. This building served as church, school and town hall. Lavina Merriam was the first teacher. Another build- ing was built on the northeast corner of the square and later moved to the west side of the square where it was destroyed by "Loco-Focos" because anti-slavery meetings were held in it. The desks consisted of a wide shelf around the wall which the pupils faced. They sat upon long benches. Those in the front of the room were smaller for the younger pupils. The studies pursued were the three R's. Punish- ment for misdemeanors consisted in holding out the palm of the hand for a few strokes of the ferule. After this build- ing was torn down, school was held in the M. E. church.
The township was divided into ten school districts about 1835. Log schoolhouses were built in each district. In 1853 the township was redistricted and a map showing the new districts was prepared by C. W. Mathers, town clerk. The new districts were larger than the original districts and consequently fewer in number. At this time new school buildings were erected in nearly all the districts. The average cost of a school building was four hundred dollars. This period was one of a new awakening along educational lines. Teachers' wages ranged from eight to twelve dollars per month. Increased interest in school affairs resulted in rapid progress. The Board of Education of which Robert Dunshee was chairman, subscribed for and began to read the
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"Journal of Education." In these days the Board of Educa- tion usually held their meetings in the basement of one of the churches. Records show that Board meetings were held in the Methodist and Congregational churches.
As might be expected the school at the center, district No. 1, because of its larger enrollment and leadership, has occupied the center of the stage. After the destruction of the school building by the "Loco Focos" and while school was being held in the M. E. church, the Board made re- peated efforts to purchase the Free Will Baptist church for a school building, but without avail. The Board then pur- chased the old church, later known as Lyceum Hall, on the east side of the square. School was held in this building until 1885. The building still stands and is owned at present by Miss Alford. In 1885 a bond issue for a new building carried and work was immediately begun on the new building which is the one occupied at present. At this time the Board of Education was composed of the following men: Dr. S. Freeman, pres., P. W. Gott, J. T. Hempstead, Frank Post, L. H. Oviatt and O. E. Chamberlain.
The first superintendent to teach in the new building was A. A. Mall who taught one year. Mr. Mall was suc- ceeded by A. W. Carrier who taught for nineteen years. Mr. Carrier's work occupies a prominent place in Twins- burg's school history. He introduced the higher branches into the school and by untiring effort and sacrifice laid the foundation of the present high school. Emphasis was placed upon mathematics as is evidenced by the fact that trigonometry was taught. Mr. Carrier conducted the first high school commencements. The first music teacher to teach in all the schools of the township was Mrs. Cleora Lane who began teaching music in 1903. Mr. Carrier was succeeded by L. G. Bean in 1906 at which time the Board of Education was composed of S. H. Crankshaw, pres., C. B. Lane, H. E. Post, Mrs. E. B. Crouse and S. C. Williams. E. J. McCreery was town clerk. Mr. Bean's administration marks the beginning of a new era in Twinsburg's schools. Under his supervision the schools were reorganized and the outlying districts were brought under supervision. The high school was standardized. The first assistant high school teacher to be employed was Miss Ruth Murdock, who
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began teaching in 1907. Mr. Bean was succeeded by H. L. Janson in 1909. Mrs. Dollie H. Bean was the first high school principal. She began teaching herein 1909. The close of the year 1909 marked the retirement of C. B. Lane from the Board of Education. Mr. Lane served the people of Twinsburg intermittently as a Board member for a period of more than forty years. His work was characterized by wisdom and foresight. To this honored citizen credit is due for the proper solution of many of the School Board's perplexing problems.
The chief development of Mr. Janson's administration was the centralization of the schools. At a special election on June 4, 1910, the people of Twinsburg voted in favor of the centralization of the schools. The Board of Education was composed of P. P. Evans, pres., Mrs. W. S. Lister, F. J. Doubrava, Dr. R. B. Chamberlin and O. H. Bennett. The school building was remodeled. The school was reorganized, placed upon a standard grade and given a first grade high school charter by the state. Messrs. C. E. Riley, O. H. Bennett and C. B. Lane bought about five acres of land adjoining the school property and gave the schools the use of it with the understanding that the School Board should finally acquire it. The teaching staff for the first year under centralization was composed of the following teachers: high school teachers, H. L. Janson, supt., Mrs. Dollie H. Bean, prin., Miss Mary Brown, assistant prin .; grade teachers, Edna Lane, Ellen Bissell, Eloda Holt, Florence Ellsworth, Effie Holt (Dell district). Mr. Janson was suc- ceeded by Mr. F. D. Green in 1911. In 1912 Mrs. Bean was succeeded by Miss Alberta Grant; Miss Brown was suc- ceeded by Miss Edna Lane and Miss Ruby Gall was em- ployed as special music teacher. Mr. Green resigned in March, 1913, to accept an appointment by the State. Mrs. Dollie H. Bean was chosen to complete the unfinished year. Mrs. Bean was succeeded by E. S. Kerr in 1913, Mrs. Bean succeeding Miss Grant as high school principal. Miss Mildred Moore succeeded Mrs. Bean as principal in 1914. In addition to those mentioned above the following persons have taught or are teaching in the grades of the centralized school: Frieda Schmalzle, Mary Keenan, Edna Swan,
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Frances Moore, Lovina Caster, Ina Walton, R. T. McBride, Christine Doster, Marion Wall, W. A. Forbes (Dell district).
Within the last three years some significant develop- ments of a different nature have manifested themselves. The high school classes in Agriculture have improved the school lawn. Another group built the apparatus necessary for a Chemistry department. Still another group has brought to completion a manual training shop. These im- provements and added opportunities for the children have been made possible by the excellent services rendered by the members of the present School Board which is composed of P. P. Evans, pres., O. H. Bennett, G. B. Walton, Mrs. W. S. Lister, W. H. Chamberlin, and E. J. McCreery, clerk. That the people of Twinsburg appreciate the services rendered by this Board is evidenced by the fact that every member has been re-elected and in most cases more than once. There is at present under construction on the school grounds an athletic court of magnificent proportions. This undertaking has been made possible by the contribution of Daniel R. Taylor, a former Twinsburg boy who is also to be thanked for other substantial evidences of his interest in his boyhood home. During the last ten years the Twinsburg schools have been helped in large measure by the work of W. S. Lister whose wisdom, foresight and untiring labors for Twins- burg's betterment have given him a foremost place among our worthy citizens.
SAMUEL BISSELL AND THE TWINSBURG INSTITUTE
Compiled almost entirely from papers in Mr. Bissell's own handwriting by his daughter, MRS. FANNY BISSELL.
F OR my father's ancestry I am largely indebted to his day-book of 1850. Concerning his father's people he writes: "My forefathers were Nonconformists, came from Somersetshire, England, and landed at Plymouth, Mass., in 1628. With others they went across the woods and settled in Windsor, Conn. My father was born in East Windsor and, when young, was left an orphan because of the death of his father in the Revolutionary War. He was brought up by his brother, Justus, and with him moved to Middlefield, Mass., at an early age."
Here in 1796 he married Thankful Cheeseman. There seems to have been some romance connected with the coming to Braintree, Mass., of her ancestor, George Cheese- man, son of Lord George Cheeseman, Earl of Clifford, a Catholic. By the death in the Revolutionary War of her father, Edward Cheeseman, the family of nine children were scattered. Thankful Cheeseman at the age of six found a home in the family of Judge Niles of Braintree, Mass., where she acted as servant, having no education whatever. Later, she went with her brother to Middlefield, Mass., where occurred her marriage to Robert Bissell. And in this rough country their five children were born: Samuel, Apr. 28, 1797; Laura, May 2, 1798; Roswell, Oct. 7, 1799; David, July 4, 1802; Bianca, Apr. 6, 1804.
In 1806 my grandfather, Robert Bissell, with his family were forty days on the road from Middlefield, Mass., through Penn. by way of Pittsburg to Mantua, O. Here he left the family while he went on to select the site of their future home. His choice fell upon a spot in the wilderness one mile southwest of the center of Aurora, Portage Co. He rolled up a log cabin covered with bark, without door, fireplace or chimney; destitute of floor save in one corner where were plank split out of ash on which to spread the beds.
REV. SAMUEL BISSELL
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SAMUEL BISSELL AND TWINSBURG INSTITUTE
Here, about the middle of July, one day at noon he placed his family and left them to spend the night alone. In the dead of night, while the children slept, their faithful dog gently struck grandmother with his forepaws several times, until he knew she was awake, but made no sound. An animal was heard to approach the cabin and rub itself against the corner where grandmother lay, and then go away. In the morning the children picked long black hairs from off the corner. Bruin could easily have made them his prey had he been so disposed.
Here amid wild beasts, without meat, vegetables, butter or milk, having only bread and a jug of molasses brought from Massachusetts, grandfather had left them to go to Warren. He sold his team and took as partial payment a barrel of pork which, after being brought, proved unfit for use.
Just so soon as my father was sufficiently strong an ax was placed in his hands, and till 1816, he helped fell the trees and clear away the forest until sixty or more acres of dense forest were changed into fruitful fields. Grandfather was a carpenter and as such was absent from home much of the time when his health would permit. Thus it came about that more than a usual portion of the labor on the farm was performed by the children.
When father was about fifteen years of age the War of 1812 took place. He wrote concerning it: "War was de- clared by our government against Great Britain. There were two great political parties: one in favor of the war called the Republican and now answering to the Democratic party; the other, called the Federalist, now answering to the Republican party who thought the differences between the nations might have been settled much better in some other way. One of our neighbors, a Republican, who had been appointed marshal with full authority, came to my father and demanded his oxen. My father remonstrated, telling him the oxen were his sole dependence in clearing his land and providing bread for his family. Although father was an invalid, it made no difference. The cattle were taken and no remuneration offered and it was not until some time after the close of the war that I rode horseback fifty miles to obtain a pittance for the privation. Such was the unfeeling
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mind toward one of another party. Party names change but does the depraved mind of man alter?"
As early as 1812 father relates the following: "Went over the entire eastern part of what was then called No. 9 in tenth range. Its owner we knew not nor cared not. We drank of the big spring near Herrick's stone house and found swarms of bees in the trees not far from Mr. Riley's stone house which furnished at least one hundred pounds of honey."
Following these writings I find a description of father's earliest efforts to master the common branches. "In 1814 I rode in the rain and mud through Mantua and Shaylersville to Ravenna and there purchased a large slate which I carried choice as gold under my arm fairly shivering with the cold before I reached home. In November I began to study Arithmetic at the age of seventeen years. Fathers could hardly spare their sons in summer and only in winter could the lower branches of study be attended to. When I reached common fractions I was told they were useless and so omitted them and this practice became common. In 1815 I began the study of English grammar being the only young man in town that attempted it; but four or five young men had gone to Pittsburg or New England for the study of the higher branches. In a short time I recited the theory of "Murray" and when I began to parse the teacher frankly confessed that he was incapable of hearing me. And now I must give it up or go a mile and a half to the pastor, Mr. Seward. I chose the latter. Beside traveling that distance I did chores enough to kill any young man of the present day."
Father speaks of being in two great wolf hunts some- time in 1816 or 1817. These were held for sport and to clear the woods of wolves which were troublesome. Entire town- ships would sometimes be surrounded by the hunters. These hunts were attended with great danger although the life of constant peril from wild beasts was conducive to good markmanship.
Father continues to write: "In 1816 through the influ- ence of the blessed Bible I united with the people of God and resolved, by the Lord's assistance, to spend my life to benefit my fellowman. For this object I needed a better education.
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I urged my father to let me begin a classical course. This he very reluctantly consented to do, but only upon condition that as much time as I should spend doing this before coming of age I should make up after. Since there were no schools in this region where the higher branches were taught I walked each day a mile and a half to the residence of Mr. Seward, pastor at Aurora, and recited as he could find time to hear me. This was kept up for two years during which time I had the sole instruction of a Sabbath school of about twenty persons.
"In 1819, when I thought I was prepared to enter college, there was no such institution in this part of the country. A literary society had been located at Burton and chartered by the Legislature, a building was in process of erection and a man was expected to take charge of the school which was designed to be a college. Mr. Seward was one of the board of trustees and wished me to go to Burton to school. I was not pleased with the idea and determined to go to Yale. But I had no means to defray my expenses abroad. He very kindly offered to assist me if I would go to Burton and otherwise not. I was dependent and felt very unpleasantly to go counter to the advice of Mr. Seward and wept much over it. I resolved, dependent as I was, to put my trust in God and go to Yale.
"With great effort my father obtained twenty dollars and a few friends gave me three more. I fixed upon the day to start expecting to walk to New Haven. Just at this time a merchant from Massachusetts came to Aurora and procured two horses on a debt, expecting to ride one and lead the other. He told me I might ride one if I would bear the expense. Since he knew of my dependence and my object and was himself an officer in the church I felt he was hard. I rode the horse to Massachusetts, starting with only twenty-three dollars. When I arrived I had spent all but five. I walked sixty miles to Hartford but my feet were so sore that I was obliged to take the stage for the remainder of the trip to New Haven. I then had about three dollars left.
"With trembling steps I called upon President Day and told him from whence I came and my object, but took care not to reveal my poverty. He asked me what I had studied
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and remarked that there was some provision made for poor students after they entered college. But I was not yet pre- pared for admission. Cut off from all hopes of aid when he left off conversation, my hopes of help from man were gone and my only support was in God. I had supposed I had a friend in college who would help me, but he had gone into the country. All were strangers. I arose with a heavy heart but not desponding and, as I was turning to bid him good-bye, he said very pleasantly, 'You will make your home with us for the present' and took me into an adjacent room, saying, 'This was the study of Dr. Stiles and Dr. Dwight and there is a box containing Dr. Stiles' Hebrew manuscripts,' and there furnished me with books to finish my preparation for college. At Commencement, which took place in about four weeks, I went about forty miles to East Haddam and there remained studying till January, the beginning of the second term of the freshman year, when I was examined and ad- mitted in 1820. I had nothing on which to rely for support and had to be credited or leave. At the beginning of the last term of the freshman year I found work which paid for my board, room, fuel and light. You may well imagine the trials through which I had to struggle. In the autumn of 1821 I taught select school at Plymouth, Conn., and for three months the next fall. Then I went to Harwinton and taught three months and in 1823 six months.
"By these means and with waiting on tables, hearing recitations, and some donations, I was able to receive my diploma in September, 1823, and left college free of debt. With four small trunks I took stage for Buffalo, N. Y., pay- ing double fare. There I put my property aboard a schooner that belonged to Ft. Meigs on the Maumee. Expecting my property would be left at Cleveland I started on foot to make the two hundred mile trip home. After being home a week I sent to Cleveland to learn if my property had arrived and word was returned that it had.
"I asked my father for his oxen and cart to drive through the woods and mud to Cleveland. Over my ordinary clothes I put a logging frock. With food in a pillow-case and whip in hand I started at noon on Thursday, the second week in October. I drove a mile and a half when in a deep mud-hole the bow came off and away went one of the oxen. I got into
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the mud half a leg deep and extracted the neap from the yoke pulling off the other bow and away went the other ox. I shouldered the yoke and put after the oxen in the woods, drove them back half a mile, put them in a lot and returned home to make a bow-pin. Then I returned, yoked up the oxen, put them on the cart, drove over to the northwestern corner of Twinsburg, and, the night coming on, stopped at a log shanty owned by Oliver Wells. The next day I arrived in Cleveland about noon and went to Merwin the chief business man and asked for my property. It had not arrived. With an oath he asked me on what I had put my property. I named the schooner when he said, 'Why did you not build a coffin and put the property in it and shove it off into the lake?'
"After further inquiry I found the vessel had passed Cleveland in a gale the week before and had stranded at the mouth of Black River. Thinking the vessel might be left there I resolved to drive on. In the meantime two mission- aries, Alvin Coe and wife, who had made their way from Vernon, Trumbull County, to Cleveland on their way to spend the winter at the mission station on the Maumee above Ft. Meigs, asked the privilege of riding with me to Black river. I told them I had only a cart and oxen and a board across the box. Mrs. Coe was a very delicate woman, well educated. Many people thought them foolish to go on such an errand. They got aboard the cart and I drove on to Dover where we spent the night and the next day about the middle of the afternoon we arrived at Black river. I left the team and went six miles to the mouth of the river, found the vessel had been stranded, but had got off the day before and had taken my trunks. I started to walk back to my team but it became so dark that I stopped at a log cabin, ate a bowl of bread and milk and took the floor for my bed. In the morning I arrived at the place I had left my team, probably where Elyria now is, and spent the Sabbath. Considering the uncertainty of getting my property unless I went after it I concluded on Monday morning to drive on to Portland, now Sandusky City, where I arrived at noon Wednesday with my missionaries and then drove the team back eight miles and put them out to pasture. I returned to Portland the next morning. Leaving Mrs. Coe to go to Detroit when-
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ever opportunity should present itself, Mr. Coe concluded to walk with me seventy miles to the Maumee. Thursday morning we started and arrived at Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, at about noon on Friday and before us was the Black swamp of forty miles and with but a horsepath through and a shanty half way. We started, expecting to reach the shanty by nightfall, but failing, we lay in the woods sheltering ourselves as well as we could under the trees for it rained and sleeted and became so cold that the snow did not melt on the leaves. About nine in the morning we came to the shanty where the woman made a cake of Indian meal and pumpkin and put it into the embers to bake. This, together with some fried wild duck, constituted the best breakfast I ever ate. It was Saturday noon and Mr. Coe said he could not endure to walk through and would stay till Monday. I inquired the way and alone started for Ft. Meigs. I waded Portage river and went on and on until I came out at dusk on the Maumee opposite Swan creek where Toledo now is. The river was wide, the wind blew a gale. There was a house on the opposite bank but I could neither be seen nor heard and was obliged to camp out for the second night on the cold bank of the river. It was so cold that for the first time that season the river froze a rod out into the stream. As early as it was worth while I went down to the brink and made all possible signs of distress. Soon a man came out of the house down to the river and came over in a canoe. Never was I so glad to see a human being. Soon after landing I pulled off my boots. My heels were so raw and inflamed that I could no longer wear my boots. It was the Sabbath, but my feet so pained me that I got but little rest. Toward evening I put some rags around my feet and walked a mile down the stream to the house of an Indian agent by the name of Stickney. He was a well educated most agreeable gentleman. He had married Molly, the oldest daughter of Gen. Stark. They had four children. The oldest daughter the mother called Molly after herself, the other daughter Indiana. The oldest son they called One, the other Two. After spending the night here I returned to Swan creek and Monday afternoon hired a horse with an Indian to take it back and rode eight miles to Ft. Meigs. Here I found Mr. Coe and the next morning bought a pair of moccasins and
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walked with him to the mission station, wading the river. It was now November and the vessel had come and gone to Detroit, taking my property.
"I found at the station a young man who had volunteered his services for a year to establish the station. When the year closed he was taken sick and had just recovered so far that chills had left him. He asked to go with me to Aurora on his way home to Meadville, Pa. I told him I feared the ague would return and he would be left among strangers. He insisted on going and we returned to Ft. Meigs. The vessel returned from Detroit on Friday and on Sunday morning started back. As there was no other way of getting to Detroit we both went on board. The young man had six dollars, I was then penniless. Monday morning we arrived at the mouth of the Detroit river but the wind and the cur- rent were too strong to allow the boat to go up. I hired a horse and a boy; the young man rode; I walked. We ar- rived at Detroit in the evening and found Mr. Coe at the residence of Gov. Cass. There we spent the night. The next day I found my property and on Wednesday put it aboard a vessel bound for Portland. We arrived Friday noon. The ague returned to the young man. I went for my oxen, and took on my load Saturday morning and drove eight miles, the young man having a dreadful fit of ague on the way. We spent the Sabbath very pleasantly and Mon- day morning started on. When we had gone about four miles we found the snow a foot deep and the weather very cold. I went by the side of my cattle in my moccasins through the snow and arrived in Newburg Thursday night. Friday the snow and mud would about half bear up. I was all day till night getting to Twinsburg. Here I had a bowl of bread and milk and. slept on the floor. The next day I arrived home about 10 o'clock, having been gone over a month. Such were my sufferings and labor in my course of education."
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