USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 18
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July 1, 1899, there were one hundred and twenty-nine prisoners confined in this institution.
MINNEHAHA COUNTY POOR-FARM.
At a session of the board of county commissioners on February, 11, 1880, the proposition of N. E. Phillips to sell to the county the southeast quarter of section twenty-seven in Mapleton township for a county poor-farm was accepted. The price paid was $15,000. For several years after the occupation of this farm by the county, very few improvements were made, but at a session of the county commis- sioners in April, 1889, a contract for building a county poorhouse thereon was awarded to A. S. Leonard for the sum of $6,720, and on the 24th of September following, the building, having been completed, was turned over to the county and accepted by the commissioners. Since that time other improvements have been made, but as they ap- pear in the illustration, no further description is given. The farm is gradually being made self-supporting, and its management and the care of the inmates of the poorhouse have for the greater portion of the time been under the supervision of competent superintendents. The present superintendent is Joseph Hostetter, and the poor-farm has been under his able management since July 1, 1895.
MINNEHAHA COUNTY POOR-FARM.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
CHILDREN'S HOME.
The first work done in South Dakota in behalf of homeless and neglected children was commenced in October, 1891, by the Rev. I. R. McConneghey in connection with a similar work in North Da- kota, with headquarters at Fargo, and under the management of the Minnesota department of the Children's Home society.
The society soon realized that the territory was too large for one man to thoroughly care for, and decided to open another Home in this state. With this end in view, the Rev. E. P. Savage of St. Paul, Rev. J. R. McConneghey and W. B. Sherrard visited Sioux Falls in December, 1892, and laid their plans before the pastors and Christian workers of the city. They were cordially received; and it was agreed that the Woman's Benevolent Association should take charge of the local work. They also agreed to assume the responsibility of paying the rent, furnishing the house and providing it with fuel. Committees were appointed, and the work received such hearty sup- port of the business men, that in a few days there had been over four hundred dollars subscribed, besides donations of furniture and other useful articles. The general expenses of the work such as board, clothing and transportation, were to be provided for by the super- intendent.
The first children were received February 16, 1893, and up to June 1, 1895, there had been received two hundred and two children, forty-three of them from Minnehaha county. All of these children had been placed in homes, except seventeen, who still remained at that time.
The Home is located a short distance south of the Baptist col- lege, and although not pretentious in appearance, serves its purpose in making a temporary home for homeless and neglected children. When a child has been received at the Home, the first work of the superintendent is to find a clean, Christian home for the child. The society requires great care to be exercised in so doing, and when the child has been placed in a home, it does not for this reason cease to watch over it.
This institution is supported wholly by voluntary contributions.
Until May 1, 1895, the work had been carried on under the su- pervision of the department of Minnesota. During the session of the legislature of South Dakota in 1895, an act was passed providing for the incorporation of associations to provide homes for destitute children. Under this law, the South Dakota Children's Home So- ciety became incorporated Angust 20, 1895, with the following board of directors: For three years, Bishop W. H. Hare, C. E. Baker, WV. B. Sherrard, Mrs. Hattie C. Phillips of Sioux Falls, A. S. Dis- brow of Alcester, N. C. Mallory of Aberdeen, Mrs. J. K. Woods of Rapid City, Coe I. Crawford of Pierre. For two years, W. H. Stiffler, J. N. Hutchinson, C. E. Mckinney, Mrs. A. Beveridge of Sioux Falls, Joseph Stone of Tyndall, S. R. Thrall of Huron, E. M. Will- iams of Yankton, Geo. G. Ware of Deadwood. For one year, J. O. Dobson, D. B. Scott, C. S. Palmer, P. P. Peck, Amund Mikkelson, Mrs. S. G. Tuthill of Sioux Falls, Mrs. Alice Gossage of Rapid City, W. F. T. Bushnell of Aberdeen.
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The object and scope of this association as now incorporated is "to take charge of and place in family homes any children surren- dered to them by parents or guardians, or delivered to them upon the order of any court of record of this state, or by any board of county commissioners or other body having the care of the poor."
WV. B. Sherrard has been superintendent and in charge of the Children's Home ever since it was first located at Sioux Falls. He has labored industriously and conscientiously, with his whole heart in the work, and is entitled to the hearty support of all in his effort to find Christian homes for the poor little waifs of humanity. Since May 1, 1895, Miss Allie Jewell of the Iowa Children's Home Society, has been engaged as assistant superintendent of the South Dakota society, and has active charge of the Children's Home at Sioux Falls, and is well adapted for the work.
Mr. Sherrard, in speaking of the Home, said that the committee of charities and corrections of the Congregational convention held in Sioux Falls in 1892, called attention to the fact, that before the state recognized a child it had to become a truant, vagrant or criminal; and put the following inquiry to the convention: "Is it well to take a young criminal and try and keep him from becoming an old criminal; is it not better to keep him from becoming a criminal at all?"
One of the objects of the Children's Home, in the language of Mr. Sherrard, is to prevent the child from becoming a criminal at all.
The great good this society is doing, commends it to the consid- eration of all, and it hardly seems possible that the good people of South Dakota will permit an institution of this character to lack in material support.
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL FOR DEAF-MUTES - SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE-ALL SAINTS SCHOOL - LUTHERAN NORMAL SCHOOL.
At the second meeting of the county commissioners of Minne- haha county, held April 3, 1871, at the store of W. S. Bloom, in the village of Sioux Falls, James A. Hand was appointed superintendent of schools. At a special meeting of the board on April 12, this ap- pointment was rescinded for the purpose of appointing Mr. Hand county attorney, and John Bippus was appointed county superin- tendent of schools. The first official act of Mr. Bippus under this appointment was to divide the county of Minnehaha into school dis- tricts, and a report of the division he made was submitted to the board of county commissioners at their next meeting, July 3, 1871. This report was adopted by the board, and seven school districts were created.
School district No. 1, comprised the entire township of Sioux Falls; No. 2, nearly the entire township of Mapleton; No. 3, sections one, and part of twelve in Benton, three sections in the northwest corner of Mapleton, four sections on the east side of Lyons, and twelve sections in Sverdrup; No. 4, ten and one-half sections in the north and west part of Sverdrup, and eight sections in the south and west part of Dell Rapids township; No. 5, the township of Wayne; No. 6, the township of Split Rock, and No. 7, the township of Brandon.
These original districts were subsequently divided and subdi- vided and other districts organized as the population of the county increased. There have been as many as one hundred and thirty dis- tricts, but through consolidations the number has been reduced, and at this writing (1899) there are one hundred and twenty-two school districts in Minnehaha county in which schools are taught. The number of persons of school age (6-21 years in the county is 7,100, and the average attendance during the last school year was 3,619.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL FOR DEAF-MUTES.
The South Dakota School for Deaf-Mutes was established in the fall of 1880 under the name of Dakota School for Deaf-Mutes, and was located at the City of Sioux Falls.
Mrs. D. F. Mingus, nee Miss Jennie Wright, now a resident of San Diego, Cal., took the first steps toward the establishment of the school, which has grown to such proportions during the past eighteen vears.
Upon her arrival here, Mrs. Mingus secured the co-operation of Rev. Thomas B. Berry, an Episcopal minister, who had been in- structor in the New York and Maryland schools for the deaf.
There were at this time four deaf children in Sioux Falls-Hester Black, Willie Hanley, and two brothers, Lewis and Harry Garrison. These children Mrs. Mingus and Mr. Berry took into their care, and soon added a fifth, Andrew Sieverson, from the vicinity of Sioux Falls.
The work of educating these children was carried on in a private dwelling, and the expenses were paid by private donations. In the lat- ter part of the summer following, Professor James Simpson, for three years a teacher in the Iowa institute for the education of the deaf, and brother-in-law of Mrs. D. F. Mingus, came to Sioux Falls and as- sumed the management of the school. A fund of S1,000 was donated by the City of Sioux Falls, besides an appropriation of $2,000 from the territory, and a site of ten acres, which was the gift of E. A. Sherman, R. F. Pettigrew and L. T. Dunning, all of Sioux Falls, and Isaac Emerson of Melrose, Mass.
A frame structure 36x40 feet and a wing 16x24 feet, containing fourteen rooms, was at once erected upon the site donated. This building was ready for occupancy October 21, 1881, on which date the pupils were removed to it. There were then seven pupils, Sarah Collins of Sioux Falls and Willie Richmond of Bon Homme county having been added to the previous inmates.
The first board of directors was made up of the following gentle- men: E. A. Sherman president; Amos F. Shaw treasurer; E. G. Wright secretary and C. K. Howard, all of Sioux Falls, J. O'Brien Scobey of Brookings, Rev. G. C. Pennell of Deadwood, C. A. Louns- bury of Bismarck, V. P. Thielman of Parker and O. S. Gifford of Canton.
During its session of 1883 the territorial legislature appropriated the sum of $12,000 for the erection of a new building. At the begin- ning of the term of 1884-5, the frame structure was vacated, and the main building occupied.
Shortly after, more room was needed, and two years after secur- ing the appropriation for the main building, another appropriation from the territory, this time $16,000, was obtained. The erection of the boy's dormitory was then commenced, and was completed in the spring of 1886. Both buildings were made of Sioux Falls granite, the first being trimmed with with red bricks and the last with red pipestone from the famous quarries in Minnesota.
The next appropriation secured for buildings and improvements
MAIN BUILDING.
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BOY'S DORMITORY.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
was the sum of $56,000, obtained in February, 1887. A shop building was erected, also a barn, both built of Sioux Falls granite. A water tank holding 525 barrels, and a wind mill were put up, and twenty acres of land adjoining the original site were purchased.
Up to the summer of 1887, the superintendent and his wife, with an assistant part of the time, were the only teachers, but the school had increased to such proportions that additional teachers were needed.
The opening of the school in the fall of 1887 saw three teachers, appointed during the summer ready to take up the work. These were Miss Emma Von Behren, Miss M. Frances Walker and Mr. H. McP. Hofsteater. After a year of teaching, Miss Walker resigned her position and was succeeded by Mr. Frank R. Wright. After an- other year Miss Von Behren resigned her position as teacher and ac- cepted that of matron of the school, which position had been held for five years by Miss Ida E. Wright. Previous to the appointment of Miss Wright as matron, Miss Kate Harrington held this position for a short time. Mrs. M. L. Simpson was appointed to fill the va- cancy caused by Miss Von Behren's resignation. Mrs. Simpson had been for several years a teacher in the St. Louis day school for the deaf. Miss Von Behren held her position as matron until 1891. when she resigned and was succeeded by Miss M. Frances Walker, form- erly a teacher in the school. Mr. Wright also resigned in 1891, and Miss Von Behren again became a teacher. In 1892, Mr. Hofsteater resigned and Phil L. Axling, one of the first graduates of the school, was appointed to fill the vacancy.
An art department was created in the latter part of 1889, and Charles A. Locke, a graduate of the Iowa school for the deaf, was appointed instructor. Failure to obtain sufficient provision for the maintenance of this department, caused it to be discontinued, and Mr. Locke left the school in the spring of 1892.
In August, 1887, a boys' supervisor and a night watchman were appointed, W. E. Dobson and H. J. Harlow filling these positions. Two years later both of them resigned, and C. R. Hemstreet and A. T. Richardson were appointed. Mr. Hemstreet resigned in July, 1892, and was succeeded by John Griffiths.
In the fall of 1889 the territory was divided and the states of North and South Dakota were created. The following winter the North Dakota legislature established a school for her deaf children. As a result of a conference between Governor Mellette of South Da- kota and Governor Miller of North Dakota, the children of the last mentioned state attending school at Sioux Falls were sent home in April, 1890. Prior to that time the pupils in the South Dakota school numbered forty-seven. Thirteen belonged to North Dakota, and before the close of the term one or two others had left the school, leaving thirty-two pupils. Within three years after, the number of pupils had increased to forty-eight, while at the same time ten or twelve had graduated, or left never to return as pupils.
During the year 1892, a ninety-ton round silo was built, and the same year it was filled with corn ensilage, raised on the twenty acres of land belonging to the school. This ensilage constituted almost
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
the sole feed for ten cows and some fifty head of sheep. For the lat- ter a frame addition to the barn was built in the fall of 1892, the boys of the school doing the work with the assistance of a carpenter.
One of the first trades taught in the school was printing, a small outfit being purchased in May, 1887, and the publication of a small paper was commenced in December of the same year. About a year after, carpentry and the tinner's trade were introduced. Farming operations have been carried on more or less from the first, and to- day the results of the labor in this direction stand out very conspic- uously.
Several of the older boys are instructed as thoroughly as possi- ble in practical farming and dairying. After one term the tinner's trade had to be abandoned by reason of lack of funds to pay for the services of a competent foreman. Printing continued to be taught. The boys received their first lessons in the art from H. McP. Hof- steater, one of the teachers, and in December, 1887, started a small leaflet called The Advocate. The paper circulated first at home, but in January following it was enlarged and sent out as a fortnightly, under the title of The Dakota Advocate, and later it became a weekly.
A steam-heating apparatus was placed in the main building as early as 1885, and about two years after the completion of the boys' dormitory the building was heated by steam. In January, 1891, elec- tric lights were placed in all the buildings, including the barn.
The school term begins on the second Wednesday in September in each year, and closes on the second Wednesday in June following. All pupils return to their homes for a summer vacation of twelve weeks. The course of study pursued in the school consists of the English language, composition, history, arithmetic, geography, grammar, physiology, penmanship, drawing and bookkeeping.
During the whole period since the school was opened, the health of the pupils has been good. Every pupil has recourse to the bath apartments at least once a week. They are always furnished with good, serviceable clothing, well-cooked and wholesome food, and com- fortable beds. In study, labor, and recreation, constant watchful- ness is exercised over their health, as well as their intellectual and moral training.
In Professor Simpson's report covering the time from November 30, 1890, to June 30, 1892, he stated that they had obtained through the United States census office the names of over one hundred and twenty deaf persons between the age of six and twenty-one years re- siding in South Dakota. Of this but fifty-six had availed themselves of the benefits of this school, while the remainder were growing up to manhood and womanhood in total darkness. He thinks it is an outrage on civilization, and a disgrace, and an exhibition of rank ignorance on the part of the parents and guardians who refuse to allow the afflicted children the benefits of the school. "Education is necessary for every child, but more so for the deaf, for obvious reasons." The proper age at which deaf-mutes should be sent to school is between six and ten, according to health and growth.
The method of instruction in this school is known as the "com-
SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
bined system," that is, signs and the manuel alphabet are used in teaching all, and articulation is taught to those only whose vocal organs have not been sufficiently impaired to render them incapable of utterance.
The number of pupils during the school year of 1893 was forty- eight, and during the school years of 1894 and 1895, there were in at- tendance each year forty-seven pupils. At the close of the school in June, 1895, the following persons were in charge of the school: Pro- fessor James Simpson, superintendent; Miss Hester E. Bridges, matron; Phil L. Axling, Mrs. M. L. Simpson and Miss M. F. Walker, teachers.
The school has been under the care of a board of directors, a board of trustees and finally a board of charities and corrections. This last mentioned board consists of five members, who have in their charge besides the school for deaf-mutes, the state reform school, the South Dakota hospital for insane, and the South Dakota penitentiary.
Governor Lee in his annual message in January, 1899, said of this school that "no state institution is conducted in a more ener- getic and conscientious manner than the deaf-mute school under the able management of Professor Simpson and his wife."
SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE.
In July, 1881, a mass meeting of Baptists in the southern half of Dakota Territory was held in Madison, and during this meeting a committee was appointed to secure offers from different localities for the establishment of an institution of learning to be under the guidance and control of the Baptist denomination. Edward Ellis, A. W. Hilton, A. S. Orcutt, M. J. Lewis and B. Morse were ap- pointed such committee. The citizens of Sioux Falls made an offer of $6,000 in cash and land, for the location of the institution in the City of Sioux Falls, which offer was accepted. A board of trustees was elected, and the institution named Dakota Collegiate Institute. The school opened September 18, 1883, in the basement of the Bap- tist church, where it was held for two years. Professor Hardy C. Stone was in charge of the work until his death February 11, 1885. During that year the school was reorganized and then became known as the Sioux Falls University, and the Rev. E. B. Meredith was elected president. He held this position until January 1, 1895, when he was succeeded by Professor E. A. Ufford, who resigned after having been in charge one year, and Professor E. B. McKav took his place and remained its president until his death, when Professor A. B. Price, the present incumbent, was appointed.
The first class graduated in 1886, and each succeeding year a class has graduated from the academic department. President Meredith and F. J. Walsh (who was a professor in this school for seven years), placed all the friends of the institution under great obligations for their untiring, self-sacrificing devotion to its inter- ests. The faculty has been composed of an able corps of teachers, and it is not too much to predict that notwithstanding the financial embarrassment under which it has hitherto labored, it will soon take
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HISTORY OF, MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
a prominent position among the leading institutions of learning in the Northwest.
The board of trustees have quite recently changed the name of this institution, and it is now known as the Sioux Falls College. The accompanying illustration of the school building makes it unnec- essary to describe it, except that it is seventy-six feet long and forty feet wide. It is beautifully located southwest of the business por- tion of the city, with ample grounds for college purposes; and one of the most admirable features of its location is, that it is far enough from the city to secure the tranquility so desirable for a school, while at the same time it is near enough to make it pleasantly acces- sible from the city.
ALL SAINTS SCHOOL.
Bishop Hare, on the 7th day of April, 1884, met by appointment a few of the most influential citizens of Sioux Falls in the parlors of the Cataract house, to lay before them a project he had in view of lo- cating somewhere within his diocese an institution for the education of young ladies. When they had all assembled, the Bishop made a statement of what he wished to do, and said that he did not come to get a bid and then go elsewhere to see if he could get more favorable terms, but that he had come to the conclusion that Sioux Falls, tak- ing all things into consideration, was the most appropriate place for the institution he was about to establish, and that he would locate it at Sioux Falls upon certain conditions. He then proceeded to say that he had a certain sum of money at his disposal for that purpose, and that his proposition was one of business. That he should re- quire, if his proposition was accepted, the most unqualified assur- ance that it would be fulfilled on the part of the citizens of Sioux Falls, and that he was willing to give an ample bond that he would faithfully perform all that he proposed on his part. He then laid be- fore them the plans of the main building as it now stands, and said he would proceed at once to erect it, and have it ready for occupancy as a school for young ladies in September the following year. But before agreeing to do so he must have a donation of $10,000 in land and cash. His estimate of the cost of the structure was in excess of S40,000. After having made this proposition he left the room. The citizens present, at once determined that the proposition was one which the people of Sioux Falls could not afford to reject. A vote was taken, and all present voted to accept the proposition, and ap- pointed a committee to see that the land was obtained, and the bal- ance of cash raised. The committee engaged in the work assigned them with great zeal, and only a few days elapsed before they had secured the site for the buildings, and the necessary amount of money.
During the summer of 1884, the foundations were built, and on the 11th day of September, the corner stone was laid, with such ec- clesiastical and masonic ceremonies as were appropriate to the formal beginning of such a great educational enterprise. A proces- sion was formed at the Masonic Temple, composed of the Knights Templar, Sioux Falls Chapter No. 2, the Blue Lodge and members of the Grand Lodge, in the order named, numbering 140. This pro-
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ALL SAINTS SCHOOL.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
cession, at the head of which was the Canton band, proceeded to Main avenue, then south on Main avenue. Between Fourteenth street and the railroad track it halted to receive the ecclesiastical body, composed of sixteen clergyman and several lay members, headed by Bishop Hare, which was approaching from the site of the building. The Knights Templars formed in open ranks and the ec- clesiastical body passed through and took a position between the Knights and the Chapter, after which the united procession marched to the place of the final exercises. The initiatory ceremonies of lav- ing the corner stone were conducted by Bishop Hare. Psalm 145 was read responsively by the Bishop and the clergy, the Apostle's Creed was recited and other exercises engaged in, after which the Bishop deposited in a copper box in the cavity the articles that had been prepared for that purpose. The box was then sealed, and the laying of the corner stone was committed by the Bishop to the Ma- sonic fraternity. The Grand Lodge took charge of putting the stone in place. Wm. Blatt of Yankton, Grand Master, had charge of the ceremonies, which were those prescribed by the ritual for such oc- casions. At the conclusion of the ceremonies several addresses were made. Bishop Hare gave the history of the enterprise, and addressed the multitude present in a very feeling manner; and all who heard him were convinced, that the enterprise so auspiciously begun, would under his direction and care not only become in due time an educa- tional institution of great advantage to Sioux Falls, but also a grand memorial of the good Bishop's labors in behalf of the people under his charge.
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