History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607, Part 31

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USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607 > Part 31

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1855-56. A Mr. Mead, a young man, who left again.

1856-57. A Miss Steuben, who came from and returned to Ohio.

1857-58. I have no report.

1858-59. A photograph artist who had his gallery on a flat- boat.

1859-61. Henry Kessler, who afterwards went to the war with Comp. H. of 6th Inf. He returned and taught again in Fountain City and other places.

The district No. 1 of the Town of Belvidere, in which school was taught as early as at Fountain City, had then and has now its schoolhouse on the northern line of the Southwest Quarter of Sec- tion 9 of Tshp. 20, Rge. 12, at the fork of the Alma and Fountain City and the Probst Valley Road. The first teachers, from 55 to 59 were:

1855-1856. Miss Fannie Bishop, daughter or niece of Collins Bishop, then a resident of the district.

1856-57. Mr. Samuel Hardy, then working for John Linse,

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1857-58. Robert Strohmann, afterwards County Surveyor. Went to the war,and did not return to BuffaloCounty. 1858-59. Thomas More, brother of Mr. John More of Cross in this county. Died.

It is, of course, imposible to give lists of teachers of all districts as they were successively established. One instance, however, may find a place here. The town of Alma is not mentioned in the first report on the schools of this county. But during the winter of 1856-57 the first school was taught by Dr. John Ehing, who received his certificate of Mr. Philipp Kraft. Both of these gentle- men are yet living, Dr. Ehing at the city, Mr. Kraft in the town of Alma.

After Dr. Ehing, C. Moser, jr., kept the school and was suc- ceeded by Mr. Weisshaupt, who, I believe started the first Singing Society in the village.

In the following table I have endeavored to give the first or pioneer districts in every one of the present towns and corpora- tions. This was an extremely tedious and in its results very un- certain undertaking, since it is now more than twenty, sometimes nearly thirty years since schooldistricts were formed, and twenty- six years since the old proceedings were abandoned, so that the people have forgotten all about these old occurrences.

The same may be said in regard to first or pioneer teachers in the towns. Few or none of them are at present residents of the county. Further remarks will be found after the table.

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EDUCATION.

No. 4 of Gilmanton.) Afterwards the little schoolhouse was built near Gilmanton and a Mr. Peso taught there first; after him Miss Georgiana Lockwood, afterwards Mrs. G. W. Gilkey; after her Albert Southworth of Mondovi, brother of Ryland Southworth, and after him Miss Louisa Lockwood.

I can and will not dispute any authority, but quote the in- stance as one of the perplexities experienced in collecting informa- tion. So I was in doubt about the first school in the Town of Lincoln, it being possible that the School District at Mattausch's having existed at about the same time, if not earlier than the lower district, now called No. 1. I have, however, good authority for stating that in 1863 Mr. John Muir taught the first school in the latter district, the schoolhouse standing on the land of F. F. Schaaf between his own house and that of M. Profitlich. In District No. 2 the first school was taught in the house now belong- ing to M. Hammer, and the first teacher was Miss Henrietta Ainsworth. In consideration of the above circumstances, which must be applicable to most towns I beg the pardon of every reader, who might feel slighted or neglected by being omitted from the table. It will not be expected that I should give the time of formation and the first teacher of every district.

So far we have been considering public education, or educa- tion in the public schools with all its concomitant arrange- ments. There are, however, some schools not of a public char- acter in regard to their support, though, perhaps, not exclusive with regard to the admission of pupils. We designate all `schools not public in our sense of the word as private schools. In this county the private schools are all denominational, but may be divided into three classes; 1. Those with a full course of instruc- tion, similar to that of the public schools, including religion as one of the important branches. of this course.

2. Those entirely devoted to religious instruction, cultivating a foreign language for the purpose of instruction in religion and using rituals and songbooks.

3. Sabbath Schools of different denominations, some using. the German, others the English language, instruction being mostly of a religious kind.

Of the first class are the,

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EDUCATION.

ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AT FOUNTAIN CITY AND IN WAUMANDEE,

These schools have a full course of instruction, using, how- ever, books which do not conflict with the doctrines of the church. I believe that there is, at least for girls, a course of instruction in such manual labor as may be useful in households, as sewing, knit- ting and ornamental work. There has never been any complete and reliable report on the attendance of these schools, and in the absence of such I forbear further discussion. The German lang- nage, I understand, is an essential branch of instruction in these schools. A boarding institute is connected with each school. Temporary private schools are held every year during the latter part of the winter and in early spring in all the churches of this denomination for the instruction of those who desire to go to the first communion. These latter schools do really belong to the second class.

Of the second class are the

NORWEGIAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SCHOOLS.

Rev. F. A. Moeller who furnished me the history of the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregations of which an extended account will be found under the head of "Religion," says of these schools:

"The above mentioned four congregations are divided into school districts according to local convenience. In these districts there is annually a religious school taught for a few weeks or even for three months."

He names as Teachers in those schools S. Odegard, John Am- dal, Lars Kjos, John T. Ness, A. Hillestad, E. N. Bloom, and M. Garthe; he also mentions some others, but not by name.

These schools begin by teaching reading and writing the Nor- wegian language, as all the religious books used are in that lang- uage. Sometimes it happens that these Norwegian schools, as they are popularly called, interfere with the attendance in the public schools, and I' remember at least once that I blundered into one of them, intending to visit the public school' in the school house in which it was kept.

To the same class belong.

OTHER PROTESTANT SCHOOLS.

They may be found in all the churches of the denomination: about Easter time, and serve as preparations for the confirmation

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of those members of such churches, who desire to pass through this ceremony. . I think that Rev. Nommensen, when he was in charge of his church at Fountain City, maintained a school with a more extended course of study, but I am not precisely informed about the facts in the case.

The third class comprises the

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

They are fully delineated above.

ART EDUCATION.

There is one kind of instruction, which though found in all parts of the county to a certain extent, is not furnished by schools, and not usually in classes. This is the instruction in Music. Bands and their members usually receive instruction by their leaders, at least in the performance of a limited number of pieces, further instruction being only incidental, notes and musical nota- tion being only used as an auxiliary for the special purpose.

But everybody is aware that all the music is not made by the bands. Instruction in playing the piano and the organ has become necessary and is performed by numerous persons. Form- erly these instructors, almost exclusively ladies, came from abroad and staid only for a short time. At present "home talent " is patronized. Some of this home talent has been improved and developed by a course of instruction at Milwaukee and other places.

Instruction in playing the violin, the flute and the guitar and other instruments is sometimes given by gentlemen having ac- quired some skill in performing on the instruments named.

Of the " Arts" music is the one most practiced, the number of performers being very numerous, especially among the ladies.

Of other arts, especially the

GRAPHIC ARTS,

we can not boast of much progress. The only success in quality is in Photography. In former times this art was practiced mainly by itinerant artists, who with their outfits went from place to place, and whose performances were, to say the best of them, mediocre. In 1876 Gerhard Gesell established his gallery at Alma, he being even at that time a man of taste and ambitious of improvement, and he may now be ranked as as a first-class artist, who would certainly compare favorably with those of his profession in much larger places than we can boast of in our county. It might be

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EDUCATION.

both by precept and example teach writing, and they have their will and results are as good as in other branches.

Higher schools than the highest departments in our graded schools not existing in our county, such schools in other counties were frequently attended by pupils from this county, and in former times Galesville University had some influence on Buffalo County education, as being the preparatory school of a number of our teachers. My first contact with pupils and graduates of said University produced a very unfavorable impression upon me, which has not yet been entirely eradicated, although a few in- stances have come to my knowledge, which prove, that the school might produce good results.

Very similar impressions were produced upon me by what I saw of some of the pupils of the Arcadia High School. I hope to be spared a similar experience with the pupils of our own incip- ient high school at Alma.

I really think that this chapter on education, as far as schools are concerned, is long enough. But, as I have already intimated, education does not end in the schoolroom. It is continued through life involuntarily and intentionally. All must and do learn invol- untarily, but only the dull and stupid learn in no other way. In- tentional study and self-education take so many devices, ways and means, that no book could ever account for all. But the greatest factor in education after school years is certainly the " press."

Of this we will speak in an other chapter as far as our own publications are concerned, and perhaps a little, also, on other pa- pers most in circulation among our people.

Other factor are the Pulpit, Debating Societies, Lectures, Ex- hibitions, Theaters and Concerts, and finally Libraries. Of the first, the pulpit, we' will speak under the head of "Religion." Debating Societies have from time to time been started and kept up at different points with some temporary success, but being usually the fruits of some enthusiasm and rivalry among young people of a town or school district, they always expire naturally by the changes that are taking place among the participants, who are either scattered by emigration or become dissatisfied with their juvenile efforts.

Lectures do not seem to take greatly among our people, which may also be said of exhibitions. Theaters and concerts are some-

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times well patronized, especially those gotten up by home talent. None of our larger places are, however,, large enough to . encourage troupes of the better sort to venture into them, and so we can hardly pretend to an educational character in theatrical. perform- ances by traveling combinations.

Of public libraries we have in fact .but one deserving, any particular notice. It belongs to the. ..

HOWARD LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

of Gilmanton. The idea of starting a library in that town seems to have originated with Mr. Sidney Howard, who donated the sum of $500.00 as a fund the interests of which were to be used for the purchase of suitable books. It is stated that the scheme went into operation in 1864, and I think there is also a membership fee of one dollar to be paid by each person who wishes to be entitled to the privileges of the institution. The use of books is put up at auction if there is a particular demand for certain works, other fees are not collected ... This library is doing much for the dissem- ination of good literature. , Ten years ago there were about five hundred volumes, but there must now be more. .

LITERARY SOCIETIES

existed at different times and places, some merely for social inter- course and as a means of acquiring fluency in expressing thoughts and opinions, others with a view to permanency and to furnishing materials for instruction. All these societies labored under the mistake that a "Budget" was a necessary appendage to each of them, and that the said "Budget", could be kept free. from gossip and annoying small talk .. The people of the present time, especi- ally young people, see, and have seen, all .their lives, a newspaper in every nook of the country, and as everybody is more compe- tent than any editor to get up a paper, a paper, yclept "Budget," is gotten up, and edited in turn by every member. The Budget soon manages to stir up a rumpus, and society and literary effort collapse together. We had such a society here in Alma, for some time quite a creditable affair, and of laudable intentions. After it had met its fate, the books accumulated in its library were de- posited in the library of the school district, where, I hope, they will be properly taken care of and used to advantage. A similar society was lately in operation at Fountain City. It was founded in 1879, Miss Cora Clark, president. From a program before me

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it appears that the customary exercises were practiced, including singing, reading, declamation, news of the week and debates. It continued for five or six years.

Some of the singing societies have also small circulating libraries for their own members. See "Public Societies."

The professional lecturer has, as previously stated, not met with any marked success among us, whether he spoke in English or in German. One kind of lectures, however, has found attentive listeners among the class for whom it was intended. This is the Agricultural Institutes, which perhaps should have been mentioned under the head of "Agriculture" but may also find its place here. These institutes are always kept in Mondovi, and as I am not now a farmer and living about twenty-five miles from the place named, I may be excused from saying much about the matter.

Having always maintained, that, as the teacher, so is the school, I am naturally interested in everything calculated to im- prove the intellectual standard of the teachers. The last import- ant movement in that direction was the "Reading Circle." Its main intention was to furnish to teachers suitable books at re- duced prices, and to induce them to assemble at convenient pla- ces and times to discuss the matters contained in these books. It was in the fall of 1885 when operations were first begun in this county and some progress was made during that winter, which was continued during the winter of 1886 and 87: The severity of the two winters, the particular configuration of our county, and, it must be said, though it may be disagreeable) the indolence of many teachers, especially those who were most in need of the pro- posed improvement, prevented the success to which the scheme seems to be fairely entitled.

With some of our teachers there is little or no danger that it wiil ever be said of them, as of Horace Greely : " He is a self-made man and admires his creator," although I wish that every: one of them were . entitled to the vanity implied in the quotation. For, say whatever you may, every educated person is to a certain ex- tent or degree "self-made" in mentality, and to that degree he or she is useful or at least original.

Perhaps I ought to apologize for the personal, or as some peo- ple may be pleased to call it, egotistical, remarks in this chapter.

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452

PRESS.

The press of Buffalo County consists at present of three news- papers, viz .:

The Buffalo County Journal of Alma;

The Buffalo County Herald of Mondovi;

The Republikaner of Fountain City.

I shall accord every one of these papers a separate article, and will in these introductory remarks only speak of the relation of the press in general to our population.

It is usually conceded, that, other things being equal, the number of newspapers in a country is directly proportional to the number of those who are able to read, hence inversely propor- tional to the number of illiterates. There are some apparent ex- ceptions to that rule. They are not real, since other conditions are different. I have seen it stated, and I believe it to be approx- imately correct, that in Germany there is but one newspaper to every six thousand inhabitants, while there is one to every five thousand in France. But France at present is a republic, while Germany is a monarchy, or a combination of monarchies under a central government. This is one reason why more papers are is- sued, proportionally, in France, Another reason is the different character of these two nations; the Germans being rather slow, solid and conservative, while the French are rather quick, super- ficial and revolutionary, and have from time immemorial been remarkable for loquacity and gossiping. Of course, the newspa- per is not the only standard by which the intelligence of a nation is to be judged, and even if it were the question would still be perminent: In which of the two countries are proportionally the most readers of papers ? It must be remembered that in France there are many active political parties, each having its organs, and each party-fraction having the same, while in Germany there are but two great parties, and the papers of the opposition and its fractions are considerably bridled.

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PRESS.

But, to come back to our own county, we have a population of 16,483 and so there would be one paper for every 5,494 per- sons. This would not be a very bad proportion under any cir- cumstances, but it neither indicates the proportion of educated and illiterate persons, nor the general culture and intelligence of our population. Local papers like ours, though useful, and even nec- essary can not compete with papers published in large cities and cannot furnish all the news and other information desirable to so many different persons.

The proportion of actual illiterates is very small among us, and as we are in a free country, and parties, and fractions of such are not wanting, but rather as abundant as other weeds, it can readily be understood that the three county papers are by no means all the papers subscribed for and read among us. But in relation to these latter I think that the German population does comparatively more for them, taken together, than the other parts, since many Germans do not only keep the paper printed in their native language, but also one or both of those printed in English. They are in a measure compelled to do so, while Americans and others, who can not read German, are naturally excused from sup- porting papers printed in that language.

Historically considered, the Press received attention and sup- port in this county at an early period of its political existence.

The "Beacon" must have been established at Fountain City in 1856. Citizens of Fountain City assure me that they had a paper in their place before there was one at Winona. The oldest copy of the "Beacon" which I had access to, is in possession of Mr. John Clarke of Fountain City, and dated March 20, 1858. It was Republican in politics. Among advertisements I noted, those of R. W. Feigel and Schuster & Bro., Merchants, A Finkelnburg, Surveyor and Court Commissioner, Robert Strohmann County Surveyor, Marvin Pierce Attorney and Counsellor at Law; of tav- erns and hotels: Fountain - City House by H. M. Hamann, Wis- consin House by Ehler Schumacher, Washington House by J. P. Behlmer, all at Fountain City; Alma House by W. H. Gates at Alma. Buehler & Clark advertised the Fountain City flour mill, etc. The number also contains the list of the Grand and Petit Jury.

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PRESS.

In consideration of the Tax-List, then, and for many years afterwards, a lucrative job, which was worth contending for, the Fountain City "Advocate" was started in 1857, but it did not live to get a chance at the tax-list, which in 1858 had to be published in the 'Trempealeau Times." Its successor was the " Buffalo County Ad- vertiser" published by Marvin Pierce an C., Bohri, jr. It lived from 1860-61. The Beacon having expired in 1858 and the press and material been removed to Eau Claire, Fountain City was for several years without a newspaper. For those who may think there is something in a name, I will give a synopsis of the con- secutive proprietors and editors of the above named papers, al- though none of them with the exception of Mr. Bohri is at pres- ent alive or known to the younger generation.

FOUNTAIN CITY BEACON.

July 18, 1856 to Oct. 1858.

PROPRIETORS: EDITORS:

L. M. Rose and R. Beeson.

Dr. T. G. Hake.

L. M. Rose and Wheelock.

L. M. Rose.

Ketchum Averill.

Stock Company.

Chas. Patterson.

FOUNTAIN CITY ADVOCATE. From Sept. 1857, about six months.

Proprietor: Ketchum Averill.

BUFFALO COUNTY ADVERTISER. From 1860 to 1861.

Proprietors: Marvin Pierce and C. Bohri, jr.

The " Advocate " was the successor of the " Beacon," and the " Advertiser " was required in order to obviate the publication of the tax-list in an adjoining county. After having accomplished this special purpose it expired. The county-seat having been re- moved from Fountain City to Alma, (see Organization) the latter place offered the better chance for a newspaper enterprise. This brings us down to the papers yet in existence. But before enter. ing upon their separate history I must mention a venerable relic, not of the press of this county, but still preserved within it. This is a number of the Ulster County, N .. Y., Gazette, published January 4th, 1800. It contains an account, at considerable length, of the

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PRESS.

Whether or not the paper would have a case against the editor and proprietor for a divorce on account of "wilful desertion," we are not lawyer enough to decide, but we know that it still adheres to him, as it always did, and still does, to the Republican party and its principles. Although Mr. DeGroff is not a practical printer himself, he has a very effective job printing office, both in English and in German, though not as complete in the latter as in the former; yet, with the assistance of some of his German friends he would get along swimmingly by simply asking for advice. It is not, of course, to be expected that one man should do everything, but what he does, ought to be done creditably, and I believe that applies to our friend John as his accomplishment. His shadow did not grow less for a number of years, and we hope it will never, until he enters that blissful realm, where there is too much light to admit of shadows.

With this I intended to dismiss my friend DeGroff and his paper from the pages of this book, but as both have some excel- lent qualities I found that I should say something more. The "Journal" has in course of time, and especially under Mr. De Groff's editorship considerably improved, and is a very readable and interesting paper, especially as a chronicle of passing events of the neighborhood. Liberal space has been granted for the last nine years to an "Educational Column" edited by the different county superintendents who held office during that period. Other interesting correspondences have also from time to time found a place in it. It is, also, the official paper of Buffalo County and deserves to be patronized, by subscription as well as by advertise- ments.

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History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607, Part 31

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