USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 36
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The laws governing the public schools of Pennsylvania had be- come so extensive and complicated that, upon the report of a spe- cial commission to investigate the subject, a school code was adopted at the special session of the Pennsylvania Legislature in IgUI. Among other provisions was that of a state board of edu- cation, a state superintendent and assistants, thirteen state normal
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schools, teachers' institutes, a teachers' retirement fund, school libraries and medical supervision and inspection of the schools.
A strange contrast is that of the past and the present in the teaching profession. During the last quarter of the past century there were many applicants for almost every school, even at the very low salaries then paid, while now there are very often not enough applicants to supply the schools, although the salaries are more than double what they then were. A. J. Magee, now pro- prietor of Alfalfa Stock Farm at Sanford, Colorado, recalls that in "the seventies," when he was the successful applicant for the Shenandoah school, near Ickesburg, in Saville Township, there were seventeen applicants. That township then paid $31 per month for No. I certificates: $27 for No. 2; $23 for No. 3, and a further reduction, regardless of grade, for beginners. During recent years the high salaries paid in other lines induced many of the best teachers to adopt other vocations, with the result that teachers' salaries had to be advanced or a backward step taken with the schools.
With a decrease of population, owing to smaller families and fewer families, the wayside school buildings are dwindling in num- ber. Taking but one district in the county as an example ( Spring Township), two have dropped out in the Perry Furnace section, there being none between Jericho and Springdale, a distance of not less than six and one-half miles. Between Union and Germany there are none, the distance being more than three miles.
During the past century, especially in the country districts, the spelling school and the literary society, conducted during evening hours, were a source of instruction as well as entertainment, not only for those of school age, but for the public generally. In these spelling schools it was the custom for two "choosers"-a position of favor-to "choose sides," words being pronounced alternately to the "sides," the "side" having the last contestant standing being the winner. Some are still held, but their number is few as com- pared with the days of yore. The literary societies produced the best talent in their respective neighborhoods, the debates giving many a youngster his or her first chance "to speak in public." There are yet a number of these societies in existence and showing real life, but as a whole, like the spelling school, they passed their zenith with the end of the century.
The modern trend seems to be to pass over the common branches too briefly, as an instance in the neighboring city of Harrisburg well illustrates. During a very recent year the Colonial Dames of that city offered three prizes of $10, $5, and $2.50 for the best essays along patriotic lines from scholars. The first two prizes were carried off by foreign-born children on better grammatical
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
expression, better spelling, and better penmanship, all of which shows that heritage alone cannot win against ambition.
Liverpool Borough was the first school district in Perry County to have a graduating class, the year being 1884, and the principal, E. Walt Snyder, later a physician at Liverpool and Marysville.
The first teacher in Perry County to be retired under the pro- vision of the Teachers' Retirement legislation was T. W. Tressler, of Juniata Township, who was retired in 1920. The previous win- ter Mr. Tressler had taught his fifty-third term. As it is but eight-six years (in 1920) since the advent of the free school sys- tem it will be seen that he was identified with it for more than sixty per cent of the time since its inception. Those fifty-three terms were consecutive, save a single break of one term. During the fifty-three years but one day was missed owing to illness. That record is remarkable.
Among the teachers who taught for long periods is Capt. G. C. Palm, late of near Sandy Ilill, who taught over fifty terms and was once a candidate for county superintendent of schools. His first term was taught at the Sandy Hill school and he had eighty pupils. He was then sixteen years old, and fifteen of his pupils were older than he was. Mr. Palm was 82 years of age in Febri- ary, 1921, which would place the time of his entry into the pro- fession in 1855. The late John W. Soule, of Centre Township, was another veteran teacher, having taught thirty terms. The late Wm. A. Meminger was another veteran, having taught thirty-one consecutive terms. He began teaching in 1862. He was also a surveyor for twenty-three years and long a justice of the peace in Newport. J. J. Asper began teaching in 1875 and still teaches, having been out of the schoolroom but one or two years during that time. G. H. Rumbaugh has also taught about that long.
Abner Knight, father of the late Erastus L. Knight, of New- port, taught in the county schools for forty years.
In the public press the first county superintendent quoted the late J. A. McCroskey, of New Bloomfield, as a good teacher of that period. Henry Thatcher, father of the noted Thatcher boys, taught quite a number of terms, as also did Daniel Gantt, who be- came chief justice of Nebraska. Two others who taught many terms were John S. Campbell and S. E. Bucke, Mr. Campbell having taught over forty terms.
An early teacher in Perry County, soon after its creation as a county, was Ann Watts, who afterwards became a missionary in the home field. She taught in the vicinity of Nekoda, Greenwood Township. One of the early teachers was Thomas Cochran, at Millerstown. Another who taught eight years in the public schools soon after their establishment was John Raffensperger, born in the very year of the county's erection.
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Two others who were able men were Lewis Barnett Kerr and Silas Wright, both able school men, and both filled the county superintendency on more than one occasion. Of Mr. Wright more elsewhere. Mr. Kerr was born in Tuscarora Township, March 19, 1830, so that his early schooling was almost coincident with the inauguration of the free school system. He was educated in the public schools of the county and in Tuscarora and Buoomfield Academies. Mr. John S. Camp- bell, a fellow teacher, describes him as "a man of few words, with positive ideas." The res- ignation of Rev. Bucher, the county's second superintendent of schools, was filled by his ap- pointment. He later filled the position twice by election. He was a teacher in the Mt. Demp- sey Academy at Landisburg for three terms. He died February 7, 1905, and a day or two later Mrs. Kerr passed away, both being interred in the same grave. LEWIS BARNETT KERR. All his children entered the teaching profession or the ministry, where, with a single exception, they are still to be found. $
The names of all these earlier teachers might well appear here with descriptive matter, but space forbids.
Among the teachers of the latter half of last century was Wil- liam E. Baker, born April 20, 1834, almost coincident with the in- stitution of the free school system, with which his name is insepa- rably connected in the annals of Perry County. He was married into the well-known Shuman family, his wife having been Susanna (Bixler) Shuman. Professor Baker was one of the earliest, most proficient and successful of Perry County pedagogues. He was born near Ickesburg, and in that section of the county his life was chiefly spent. He was a self-made man, of noble impulses and a penetrating mind. At the Teachers' Institutes of those earlier days he was an important factor. Mr. Baker died October 16, 1900. Luke Baker, the New Bloomfield attorney, is a son.
A new era seems to have dawned upon the schools throughout the county. When not otherwise done, the pupils have been having the walls of their rooms papered, and have purchased window shades, flags, victrolas, organs, pianos, singing books, as well as contributed to local and world-wide charities, raising the money
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
by conducting entertainments and holding small social affairs. The New Bloomfield school even purchased a most expensive encyclo- pædia. Numerous literary societies are held, and at Duncannon the schools had their own entertainment course. At a number of places, notably the Blain Vocational School and at a number of Buffalo Township schools, hot lunches were provided by the pu- pils, under direction of the teacher. The Newport schools have their own publication, "The Blue and White," and a number of the lower grades have a school garden on lands owned by the school district in another section of the town. New Bloomfield has a school orchestra. A number of schools measure and weigh the children and look after their general health. Many of the town schools have track teams, basketball teams and baseball clubs. So far, Tyrone Township has led the movement for consolidation, by closing four schools and selling the buildings. A new central school at Loysville replaces them. Even a village the size of Ickes- burg has educational advantages now which a very few years ago were not enjoyed by many boroughs of much larger population. The former high school there was transformed into that of a three- year alternating type in 1920, but in 1921 it was changed to a four- year course with two teachers, by the Saville Township school board. To it go the advanced pupils from the entire township. Being a rural county and the towns considerably separated, fiekl day exercises were not instituted until 1921, when the Blain Voca- tional School carried off first honors. The score by points was: Blain, 66.50; Newport, 52.50; Landisburg, 37; Duncannon, 34 ; Bloomfield, 22.
The Blain Vocational School is an outgrowth of the Blain- Jackson Joint High School, which had as principal Newton Ker- stetter from 1914 to 1920. During the winter of 1916-17 Mr. Kerstetter. looking towards the advancement of the schools, intro- duced the subject of vocational training to the citizens, who sanc- tioned it, and the Blain Vocational School came into being with the opening of the term of 1917-18. In 1920 the State Department classed it as one of the three best vocational schools in the state. As an example of the advantage secured by the change it might be noted that during its last year as a joint high school the state appropriation was $172, and the payments to teachers was $735. while during its first year as a vocational training school it received from the state $2,637.50, which added to $586.38 tuition from non- resident pupils, totaled $3,223.88. During the latter year the pay- ments to teachers was $3.045.
The trend of education in the country districts is towards the consolidation of schools, and spells the passing of the small one- room building in many places. The Blain Vocational School is an
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example; the Landisburg joint high school is another, Penn and Saville Townships established central high schools. Late in 1921 Centre school, in Wheatfield Township, burned, and that township is considering the erection of a central school at Roseglen.
It may be of interest to know just who were the first persons from Perry County territory to graduate from college, to get a State Normal diploma and to secure a business education. David Watts, the only son of General Frederick Watts, born in what is now Wheatfield Township, on October 29, 1764, matriculated at Dick- inson College, founded in 1783, and graduated with the very first class, the first college man born in the territory comprising the county. He became one of the greatest lawyers of his day and the father of Judge Frederick Watts, the third judge to sit regn- larly on the Perry County bench. The first graduate of a State Normal School was Silas Wright, born in Greenwood Township, who graduated at Millersville, the first school of that description in Pennsylvania, in 1865. Prof. Wright was the superintendent of the Perry County schools for three terms and the author of the only separate Ilistory of Perry County before this volume. The first woman graduate of a State Normal School was Miss Anna Froelich, born in Duncannon, who also graduated at Millers- ville, in the class of 1882. Miss Froelich was also the first Perry County woman to become a school principal, having been principal of the Duncannon High School in 1885. She was long a member of the faculty of the Central State Normal School, at Lock Haven, and is now a member of the faculty of the Millersville State Nor- mal School. The first native to take a business course that we could find record of was Hugh Hart Cummins, of Liverpool, who later became President Judge of Lycoming County.
As something of an indication of where Perry County stands educationally in the commonwealth, no less than three of her sons have been honored with the presidency of the State Educational Association. At the annual meeting held in Pittsburgh, in 1902, Junius R. Flickinger, a native of Madison Township, was the pre- siding officer. At the Altoona meeting, in 1906, Lemuel E. Mc- Ginnes, who was reared to manhood in Buffalo Township, was the president. In 1917 the meeting was held at Johnstown, and Charles S. Davis, who was born in New Bloomfield, presided. That as many as three school men from little Perry should be selected to preside over the deliberations of this important educa- tional body in but little more than sixty years of its existence, is an honor that has come to no other locality in the state outside of the larger cities. At the present time John C. Wagner, born in Saville Township, is treasurer of the State Association, having been such since 1917. Mr. Wagner is superintendent of the Car- lisle schools. Of the three named above who were presidents of
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the State Association, Mr. Flickinger was long principal of the Central State Normal School at Lock Haven, Mr. McGinnes was long superintendent of the Steelton schools, and Mr. Davis was then principal at Steelton and succeeded Mr. McGinnes as super- intendent, the latter two having been associated in the work at Steelton for thirty-six years.
Two of Perry's sons, David Loy Tressler, and Charles W. Super, became college presidents, the former of Carthage College in Illinois, and the latter of Ohio University, while a third, Junius R. Flickinger, became principal of the Central State Normal School of Pennsylvania. Others became founders of academies, county superintendents in various states and counties, while still others- many in number-became superintendents, principals and teachers.
The rolls of educational institutions throughout the land con- tain and have contained for many years the names of hundreds of Perry Countians. Of the academies patronized the New Bloom- fiekl Academy (now the Carson Long Institute) and Mercersburg have been the leading ones. The State Normal Schools at Ship- pensburg, Millersville, and Lock Haven, in the order named, have had the larger number of those preparing to teach, while among the colleges, those most patronized have been Dickinson, the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, State, Gettysburg, Franklin & Marshall, and Bucknell. Among women's colleges Wilson probably leads. There is usually a Perry County Club at the Shippensburg insti- tution, at State College, and ofttimes at other institutions. Invari- ably the county is represented on leading athletic teams in these institutions, and even more frequently upon the staff of the liter- ary clubs.
While Perry County has always been in the van in so far as edu- cation in Pennsylvania is concerned, yet many of its school build- ings, especially in country districts, are not the models of neatness as are the homes which contribute the children as pupils. The number which need paint inside and out is large. In dozens no papering has been done since their erection many years ago. Other counties are in the same plight, yet that fact does not mitigate the circumstances in the least. A county which has given to the count- try at large four governors, three chief justices of as many states, two college presidents, and educators like J. R. Flickinger and L. E. McGinnes, not to mention dozens of others, cannot afford to let any building in the county remain in any but first-class shape.
The only joint high school in the county, except the Blain Voca- tional School, is at Landisburg, being maintained by that borough, Tyrone and Spring Townships. It was started in 1914, the first principal having been Rev. Thomas Matterness. The first town- ship in Perry County to establish a township high school was Penn,
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in 1895, in the room formerly occupied by the Lower Duncannon High School. It was later consolidated with the Duncannon Bor- ongh High School. During 1919 the county teachers formed an association and held their first auunal picnic at Groff's Woods. In 1920 a second picnic was held. The program consisted of edu- cational topics.
Public schools have proven that education is the greatest defense of a free people, that ignorance is a curse to any nation, and that their existence is the best guarantee of the rights granted by the Constitution. They are the virtual cradle of our democracy and. in the classrooms and upon the playgrounds meet upon an equal footing the sons and daughters of the wealthy and the poor. There are instilled the lessons of democracy and there are taught the first principles of fraternity. A writer has well said "the battleground of the world is the heart of the child," and that government fails at its source which ceases to make ample provision for the develop- ment and nurture of its future citizens.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
Until the creation of the office of county superintendent of schools the public schools made slow progress, but from then on the schools became systematized and made great progress. Perry County has been unusually fortunate in having the highest type of men fill this important office-educators of the type of Kerr, Wright, Flickinger-and, in fact, one might well mention any one of them and still be within the truth in saying that they were men well above the average, even in educational circles.
Shortly after the passage of the act creating the position the first convention to select a county superintendent of schools was held in the courthouse at New Bloomfield, June 5, 1854. Joseph Bailey, then a state senator, residing in Miller Township, was chosen as president, and James L. Diven, of Landisburg, as secre- tary of the convention. An effort to make the salary $600 per an- num was lost and it was placed at half that amount. There was a contest in which three ballots were taken, Rev. Adam R. Height, of Mechanicsburg, winning the election and thus becoming the first county superintendent. He had just located in the county that year-March 1-as pastor of the New Bloomfield Lutheran charge. The candidates nominated and votes received were as follows :
Rev. A. R. Height, Bloomfield, 42 47 51
William Brown, Penn, .
33
42
49
Rudolphus Heim, Landisburg,
6
11
Albert A. Owen, Landisburg,
16
Henry Titzel, Juniata,
4
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Ilenry G. Milans, New Bloomfield; Rev. Solomon Bingham, Penn, and David Brink, Liverpool, were also nominated but were withdrawn before balloting began.
Rev. Ileight's term is noted for his promptness in familiarizing himself with the work of the county's schools, his efficiency, and his energy. He used the public press to report his visits and make suggestions towards standardizing the schools.
Three years later, at the triennial convention, Rev. Theodore P. Bucher was elected. He was a theological student, but recently graduated, and had attained prominence by opening the Mount
PROF. SILAS WRIGHT. Ex.County Supt. of Schools and author of "A History of Perry County."
Dempsey Academy at Landisburg. Another advantage possessed by him was that he had been a clerk in Thatcher's store at New- port as a boy, and his manliness and exemplary behavior was known of among a large circle of people. He continued teaching at the academy during the summer months while filling the office.
During the summer of 1859 Superintendent Bucher resigned, and Lewis Barnett Kerr, of Tuscarora Township, was appointed, his commission being dated September 1, 1859. So successfully
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did Prof. Kerr fill the position that he was elected at the third triennial convention, which met in May, 1860. Prof. Kerr's work stands high in Perry County educational circles, even to this day.
On May 4, 1863, at the fourth triennial convention, Jacob Gantt, of Millerstown, was elected over William R. Cisna, of Madison Township, on the fifth ballot, by a majority of fourteen votes. Other candidates voted for were L. B. Kerr, Tuscarora Township; L. O. Foose, Juniata, and S. HI. Galbraith, New Bloomfield. Three years previously the salary had been increased from $300 to $400 annually, but at this convention it was again placed at $300, but Superintendent Gantt, at a special meeting after his election succeeded in having it raised to $500 per year.
In May. 1866, the fifth convention chose Silas Wright, of Green- wood Township, on the third ballot, over Jacob Gantt, of Millers- town, and George W. Lesher, of Duncannon. Prof. Wright was graduated from the Millersville State Normal School in 1865 and was the first State Normal graduate in the county. When elected county superintendent he was under twenty-five years of age.
In May. 1869, at the sixth convention, Lewis B. Kerr was again elected, having a majority of eight votes over Silas Wright, his closest competitor. There were eleven ballots and four candidates.
The seventh convention occurred May 7, 1872, and fixed the salary at $700 per annum. George C. Welker, of Liverpool, was chosen over G. C. Palm, on the third ballot, by a majority of eight votes. Before the ending of the first year of his term Superin- tendent Welker died, and Silas Wright was appointed, his com- mission dating April 1, 1873. So acceptably did Prof. Wright fill the position that at the eighth convention in May, 1875, he was elected over six competitors on the first ballot.
At the ninth convention in May, 1878, S. B. Fahnestock, of Duncannon, was elected over Rev. John Edgar. At the tenth con- vention, May, 1881. Junius R. Flickinger, of Madison Township, defeated S. B. Fahnestock, of Duncannon, for reelection. At the eleventh convention, in May, 188.4, Prof. Fahnestock was again a condidate but was defeated by E. U. Aumiller. At the twelfth convention, in 1887, Prof. Aumiller was reëlected over G. C. Palm and E. Walt Snyder, and at the thirteenth convention he was again reelected, his opponent then being John S. Arnold.
The fourteenth convention, in 1893, selected Joseph M. Arnold, the other candidates being Silas Wright and J. Albert Lutz. Mr. Arnold was reelected at the fifteenth convention, in 1896, but later resigned and was succeeded by E. H. Bryner, by appointment of the governor. The salary was made $1,000 per annum in 1896. At the sixteenth convention, in 1899, and the seventeenth, in 1902, Mr. Bryner was reelected, the latter time over John C. Wagner. The salary was made $1,500 in 1899, and $1,475, according to a
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provision of the state law, in 1902. In 1905, at the eighteenth con- vention, Mr. Bryner was elected for the third time, his competitors being D. A. Kline, S. S. Willard, J. L. L. Bucke, and F. A. Ham- ilton. Superintendent Bryner resigned in October, 1905, and S. S. Willard was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy.
The nineteenth convention, in 1908, brought the closest vote since the first election, when Rev. Height led William Brown by but two votes. At this convention the vote was D. A. Kline, 83, and S. S. Willard, 81. At the twentieth convention, in 1911, Mr. Kline had no opposition and was reelected. The salary was made $15 for every school up to 100 and $5 for each additional school, which made it $1,945. At the twenty-first convention, in May, 1914, Professor Kline was again elected without opposition, for a term of four years, at a salary of $1.940. For the first time the convention was held on the first Tuesday of April, 1918, instead of in May. This was the twenty-second election and Prof. Kline was again selected without opposition. According to statute the salary is now $2,490.
Of the men who have filled the position Rev. A. R. Height, Rev. T. P. Bucher, J. R. Flickinger, S. S. Willard, and D. A. Kline were college graduates. Silas Wright, S. B. Fahnestock, E. U. Aumiller, E. H. Bryner, and D. A. Kline were state nor- mal school graduates, and Lewis B. Kerr, Jacob Gantt, and George C. Welker were educated in the common schools and academies. It will be noted that Prof. D. A. Kline, the present incumbent, is the only one graduated from both college and normal school. While there have been twenty-two elections to the super- intendency and four appointments to fill vacancies created by death and resignation, yet but twelve men have filled that respon- sible position. * Prof. Kline has had four elections, or more than any other. Prof. Aumiller and Prof. Bryner were elected three times. Prof. Wright's name was voted on at more conventions than any other, being balloted for in the convention of 1866, 1869. 1872, 1875, and 1893. being successful in 1866 and 1875. Of the appointees, Messrs. Kerr, Wright, and Bryner were successful in succeeding themselves.
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