USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee from its first settlement to the year 1895 > Part 31
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Mr. Pickard and his assistants were reappointed for the year 1871-72, with the addition of Emily Wright and Annie E. Chamberlain to the faculty. At the close of the school year June 28, 1872, there was a graduating class of thirteen students, one from the classical course and twelve from the general course. During the early history of the high school we find criticisms are urged against it that it is not practical enough and does not suf- ficiently subserve the wants of the people; serving only as an intermediate school between the com- mon school and the college. In the annual report for 1873 a revision of the course is suggested so that it may be made more practical. Professor- ships of specialties are recommended, and the requirements for admission are to be maintained.
At the close of the school year July, 1873, J. C. Pickard resigned as principal and was suc- ceeded by S. R. Winchell at a salary of twenty- three hundred dollars. Chas. E. Spinney, James A. Voelker and Geo. W. Peckham were appointed as assistants at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars each ; Miss Annie E. Chamberlain at a salary of eight hundred dollars and Sarah L. Denton teacher of the Normal department at a salary of twelve hundred dollars.
In the winter of 1872 a disastrous fire drove the high school from its quarters on the corner of Division and Van Buren streets and it was nearly
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
a year before the building was in sufficient state of repair to be reoccupied.
An almost complete change in text-books was made in the school in the year 1873-4. They were as follows : In mathematics we find Loomis and Ray, in science Dalton's Physiology, Nichol- son's Zoology, Gray's Botany, Guyot's Physical Geography, Stewart's Physics, Eliot's and Stover's Chemistry (later Nichol's Abridgement), Dana's Geology, Loomis' Astronomy, Mason and Lalor's Political Economy (afterward Perry was used). In English we find Green's Grammar, Sargent's Etymology, Harvey's Rhetoric, Day's and Shaw's and Underwood's English Literature and a variety of other works. We have Swinton's Histories and Townsend's Civil Government. In Latin, Leighton's Lessons, Harkness' Prose Composition and Goodwin's Grammar were used. Comfort's German Course and German Reader and Gredy's German Literature were used. During all the years of its history to 1875, the work of the high school seemed not entirely satisfactory, and apparently did not meet the hopes and expecta- tions of its friends. There were only one hundred and sixty-two pupils enrolled for the year ending 1875, of which sixty-nine were in the normal department. The High School Committee now propose a further revision of the courses of study and changes in its organization. They are of the opinion that Greek should be dropped from the course of study and that more prominence should be given to English, " particularly in its composi- tion, analysis, structure and literature." For the year ending 1875 the corps of teachers had been as follows : S. R. Winchell, principal ; Charles E. Spinney, teacher of mathematics and physical science ; George W. Peckham, teacher of natural and political sciences ; L. Burstall, teacher of French and German ; Sarah A. Stewart, teacher of the normal department, and Mattie L. North and Alfred H. Bright assistants. The corps re- mained the same for the year ending 1875, with the exception of Messrs. Winchell, Spinney and Bright, resigned, and the appointment to their positions of Messrs. Albert Hardy, A. J. Rogers and M. J. MacMahon, respectively. Maggie E. Conklin was added to the corps as an assistant in the normal department Jannary, 1876. The course of study was now modified so that English was made more prominent; better provision was made for the advance study of the German
language, and there was an attempt to have the science work strengthened. Composition and rhe- torical work were required through the entire course. Greek was retained in the course, not- withstanding the effort to discontinue it, and still remains as a permanent feature of the school. According to a rule adopted in 1874, all pupils who had passed the examinations of the first grade, held by the superintendent, were entitled to diplomas of graduation and were eligible to admission to the high school. To make provision for pupils not belonging to the public schools, a special examination was held, near the beginning of the school year. These examinations are still held, and any and all pupils have been allowed admission to these exam- inations.
In 1876 a rule was adopted that a public oral examination should be held at the close of each term in the high school, in addition to the regular written examination, and any pupil absent from this examination without the express permission of the principal, was to be suspended by the prin- cipal and not restored without the consent of the High School Committee. This rule never was a practical success inasmuch as the public oral ex- amination was attended by few, and frequently no visitors, so that the examination finally came to be a general oral review on the last day of the term, preceding the beginning of the written examinations. In Superintendent Mac Alister's annual report for 1875 and 1876, he speaks of the improved condition of the high schools. A higher standard of scholarship has been set up, the work more completely specialized, and im- proved by putting all the academic work of the normal department into the high school, and making the normal a purely professional school. Though the number of pupils attending had not greatly increased, the preparation for admission had much improved and the school was able to do more thorough high-school work.
The high school occupied an uncertain position before the public for many years and required many pleas and apologies from presidents of the board, high school committees, superintendents and its friends generally, for its existence. For many years public sentiment was not strongly in favor of public support of higher education, and it was only made possible by strongly presenting the fact that the common school education is
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SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
directly dependent upon the higher institutions in supplying teachers. Superintendent Somers and others had met the objection that the high school was for the benefit of the rich at the expense of the poor, by presenting the statistics showing that the high school was patronized by all grades and conditions of people; but more largely by the mechanics and other great indus- trial classes.
September 4, 1877, the rule was adopted that the daily sessions of the high school should com- mence at 9 A. M. and close at 3 P. M. with a recess of one half hour at noon. In 1882 the recess was increased to one hour. The length of the school day still remains the same. It is divided into six periods ; four in the morning and two in the after- noon.
In September of 1877 the School Board, through the Common Council, leased the Milwaukee Acad- emy building-Markham Academy-for the use of the high school, with the option of buying it for the sum of two thousand dollars on January 1, 1878. This was intended by the board only as a temporary expedient, expecting in due time to have the high school quartered in some large commo- dious building more centrally located in the city. The Common Council showed its willingness to take steps toward that end by calling for bids for a high school site. When the lease expired the property was purchased and has since been used for the high school.
At the beginning of the school year 1875-76 the apparatus in the high school was small in amount and poor in quality. It included in the physical science department a few broken pieces of apparatus for illustrating pneumatics, hydro- statics and "frictional" electricity, with a half- dozen bottles of chemical re-agents. It was slow getting materials from the board, and during the following few years Mr. Rogers had personally contributed more than five hundred dollars for apparatus, and Mr. Peckham even more. Some of this apparatus still remains as a part of the laboratory equipment. In those days no time was set apart for laboratory work in the school programme, and the most of this work for some years was regularly carried on after school. In the year 1878 some improvement was made in laboratory facilities by fitting up a room in the basement of the school building for work in chemistry, and the third floor for physiology
and biology. No further advance was made for laboratory instruction until the completion of the new building in 1887, when laboratory rooms and equipment were provided, unsur- passed by any high school in the country at that time.
On June 4, 1878, the board amended the rules to the effect that thereafter the committee on high schools should consist of five members beside the president and superintendent of the board, thus making the number composing the committee seven instead of five.
For the school year ending 1881, Mr. J. J. Mapel was appointed to succeed Mr. Albert Hardy as principal of the high school. Mr. Hardy went to La Crosse as superintendent of the schools of that city, where he still remains. Mr. Mapel continued as principal until July, 1885, when he was called to the presidency of the Milwaukee State Normal School, and Mr. George W. Peckham, who had been in the high school since 1873, was made principal. The continued demand for increased high school facilities finally brought the board to address a memorial to the Common Council, October 6, 1885, asking for the erection of a new high school building. Thereupon the coun- cil appropriated seventy-five thousand dollars for the erection of the new building, and it was commenced on the old site, corner of Knapp and Cass streets, in July of 1886, and was ready for occupancy February 1, 1887. The erection of the new building no doubt stimu- lated high school attendance, and we find in the report of Superintendent Anderson for the year ending 1888, that he urges the establish- ing of additional high schools on the South and West sides. He says: "The high school building is full to overflowing, and as many pupils have long distances to travel, the location of the building discourages attendance from the remote parts of the city." The average enrollment for the year was four hundred and twenty-eight pupils. In his report for the year ending 1888, Superintendent Anderson reports the high school in excellent condition. He remarks the absence of the military system of school government, which the layman in school work interprets as want of school order. He would not dis- pense with the formalities of opening exercises and would give more attention to rhetorical and English work. The complaint has long been made
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
that pupils do not get enough of English work. Preparation in English is deficient, and the time given to it in the courses of study is inadequate. All pupils receiving certificates or diplomas of graduation from the district schools were entitled to admission into the high school without exam- ination, and by resolution of the board, June 7, 1892, it was granted to all graduates of any school in the city of Milwaukee where the course of instruction is equivalent to the district school curriculum. A certificate must be provided by the principal that the pupil is prepared to enter upon the high-school work, and his final examination questions must be submitted to the superintend- ent. Pupils are also admitted by examination at the beginning of each term or by a certificate of good standing in any well-known high-grade high school.
The requirements for admission from the dis- trict schools to the high school, which are still in force, were adopted in 1877. It is a custom of several years standing, but which is not dis- tinctly covered by any rules, that pupils may be admitted without conforming to the above re- quirements, provided they have the requisite age and maturity in the judgment of the principal and superintendent to carry the special work they wish to pursue.
A. J. Rogers was appointed principal of the high school, April 1, 1892. Mr. Rogers had been teacher of physical science and mathematics since 1875, and vice-principal since 1887, and had been acting principal since the beginning of Mr. Peck- ham's absence, the last of November, 1891. Of the teachers still in the high school Miss Cath- erine Lilly was appointed by the board in 1888; Bernard A. Abrams and May M. Lakin, September, 1885; Miss Annie E. Chamber- lain in 1871; Sigmund Kundinger, Novem- ber, 1888; Harriet Post, January, 1888; Jane Passmore, February, 1887; Mary D. Shields, Febru- ary, 1891; Leo Stern, January, 1891; George A. Chamberlain, September, 1892; Helen West, Sep- tember, 1892; Emeline Hoffman, September, 1893; Abigail Wolcott, October, 1891; William H. Beach, October, 1891; A. J. Hogan, February, 1894; M. M. Shepherd, September, 1893; Percy II. Middleton, April, 1894. George Bergen, W. B. Huff and Helen Norton were appointed in 1895. Others who were teachers for a consid- erable time and who were important factors
in the school were, Henry D. Goodwin, Chas. E. McLenegan, Florilla Corbett, Anna L. Colman and Margaret S. Edington. Miss Edington was appointed to the high school October 29, 1888, and was a valuable and efficient teacher to the time of her sudden death in May, 1894. She was not only a good teacher, but also a beautiful character.
At a meeting of the School Board, August 2, 1887, a change in the rating of the salaries was made. For the first year of service, department teachers obtained fourteen hundred dollars and an annual increase of one hundred dollars was allowed until the maximum of seventeen hundred dollars was reached. The position of vice-princi- pal was also created. To this position A. J. Rogers was appointed at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars, which increased to two thousand dollars September, 1889. The new rating gave H. D. Goodwin seventeen hundred dollars, Charles Douglas sixteen hundred dollars and Charles E. McLenegan fourteen hundred dollars. Salaries of assistants were fixed at seven hundred dollars for the first year and eight hundred dol- lars thereafter.
On June 29, 1889, the salary of the principal of the high school was made three thousand dollars. In recommending the salary the com- mittee was "governed by the consideration of the increase in labor and responsibility which has attached to the position during late years, and by the fact that the salary as recommended is equal to and not greater than the average of salaries paid the principals of high schools in other cities." At the meeting of the board, July, 1894, the salaries of principals of high schools was fixed at two thousand dollars for the first year, with an annual increase of one hundred dollars until twenty-five hundred dollars was reached. Department teachers start at thirteen hundred dollars and increase one hundred dol- lars per annum until seventeen hundred dollars is reached; and assistants commence with seven hundred dollars and attain to their maximum the third year, when nine hundred dollars is reached.
Originally, the high school had but two courses, the classical and general or English. These were gradually increased to the ancient classical, modern classical, general science, high school and normal courses, with no foreign languages ;
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SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
then a business course, a German normal course, mand for higher education on the part of the great a more distinctly English course, and last of all a masses of our people. manual training course, were added. These The following table gives the attendance and number of graduates of the high school from its first organization in 1868 : were reduced in number in 1892 by uniting the English, High School and Normal into one. Mr. Anderson, in his report for the year ending 1884, suggests many changes in the high school curric- TOTAL No. GRAD. 4 YRS. ENROLL. AVER. ENROLL. AVER. ATT. No. GRAD. 3 YRS. ulum. The first two years he thinks should have more of the practical studies, which will lead 1868. 81 5 more directly to the store, the bank or the fac- 1869. 100 68 .. .. . . .. .... ... tory. He would make the order of the sciences -- 1870. 88 63 . . . . .. 1871. 90 146 6 physics, chemistry, biology and physiology, since 1872. 202 94 .. 13 91 .... physics and chemistry are fundamental to biology 1873. 140 80 12 16 . . 1874 128 99 96 13 .. and physiology. 1875 200 168 162
A new feature was introduced by putting what was named Science of Common Things in the two terms of the first year. This work is still given by illustrated lectures to the English and business pupils.
During the last twenty years the text-books have been gradually changed. In mathematics Loomis was changed to Wentworth, in science we have Huxley and Youman's physiology, Gage's physics, Remsen's chemistry, Bidgood's biology, Sully's psychology, Fiske's civil government, Mac Vain's political economy and Young's astronomy. Dana's geology only, remains after twenty years. For ten years past laboratory guides in each of the subjects, physics and chemistry, prepared by Mr. A. J. Rogers, has been in use in the depart- ment of physical science. In English we find Whitney and Lockwood's grammar, Kellog's rhetoric, Reed's etymology, Stopford Brooke's English literature and a variety of classics by dif- ferent authors. Pitman's books are used in short- hand ; Meyer, Montgomery, and Meyer and Allen in history; Allen and Greenough's Latin gram- mar and Goodwin's Greek grammar are still used, and different authors are used in the ancient clas- sics.
In German, Stern's course is used for beginners, and later Wollinger's grammar, Spanhoofd's grammatic and a variety of German classics. In French, Stern and Meras' are used for beginners and a variety of French classics with grammar work for advanced students.
Although the high school has had a hard struggle single handed, to represent higher educa- tion in the public school system and to justify its right of existence, it has gradually grown in pop- ular favor and maintained and even created a de-
455
400
385
11
14
1888.
513
428
409
10
33
1889
499
436
420
8
41
1890
553
496
469
22
36
1891
617
521
497
19
49
1892
635
543
518
30
64
1893
671
622
594
32
63
1894
27
73
1877
187
161
154
9
1878
219
165
156
13
1879
249
203
193
10
1880
322
250
238
9
1881.
314
278
262
12
. .
..
1882
...
....
. .
1883.
289
246
238
19
....
1884
294
265
253
21
....
1885
260
241
232
24
1886
368
330
318
10
20
1887
..
. .
After the new building was completed in 1887 it was soon filled, and agitation at once commenced for additional high-school facilities on the South and West sides of the city. June 3, 1890, Com- missioner Bruce moved the adoption of a resolu- tion favoring the erection of a high-school build- ing on the South side; and that the board ap- prove the passage of the resolution already in the Common Council, making provision for site and building.
This resolution unanimously passed the board. A site was subsequently purchased for sixteen thousand dollars, on the corner of Madison street and Second avenue. The school building, costing forty-five thousand dollars, was ready for occu- pancy January 1, 1894.
At its meeting, August 1, 1893, the board ap- pointed S. A. Hooper, principal of the South-side high school and L. M. Roberts, Mary B. Peter- son, Edward Rissmann and F. J. Jack, instructors. Alida Goodwin, Louise Haessler and Pauline Rich- ardson, were added to the corps during the school year ending 1894. Mr. Hooper succeeded Mr. W. E. Anderson as principal of the Fifth district school in 1883, when Mr. Anderson was elected
1876
202
157
150
4
19
164
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
to the superintendency. This position Mr. Hooper held until his appointment to the principalship of the South-side high school. The school was opened in rooms in the Fifth and Eighth districts in September, and moved into the new building in January following. First and second-year pupils residing on the South side were admitted to the school. L. M. Roberts resigned at the beginning of the school year ending in 1895, and the follow- ing additions were made to the corps of teachers : Harriet B. Merrill, Edward H. Hardy and Wini- fred Sercomb.
The total enrollment of the East side high school for the month of September, 1893, was seven hundred pupils, and of the South-side high school one hundred and thirty-five. For the first time in the history of the Milwaukee schools classes were graduated at Christmas and Easter, and additions were thus made to the two high schools during the year. In May, 1894, the aver- age enrollment of the East-side high school was six hundred and eighteen and the South side two hundred and thirty-one. From the figures it was evident that high school attendance was rapidly increasing, and another high school must be provided on the West side in the near future. Thereupon, Commissioner Schoenleber introduced a resolution which was adopted by the board, July 3, 1893, to the effect that the Common Coun- cil provide for the erection of a high school building for the West side, to be ready for occu- pancy January 1, 1895. At the meeting of the board in May, 1894, temporary quarters were asked for by the board, and at the August meeting Mr. Charles E. McLenegan was made principal of the West-side high school. Mr. McLenegan had
been at the head of the English department in the East-side high school for seven years, and had occupied a similar position in the Brook- lyn high school for the four last months of the school year ending, 1894. There was also ap- pointed at the September meeting the following corps of teachers : Carl Engelmann, Freeman E. Lurton, Alice Todd and Ada Parsons. Tempo- rary quarters are to be provided for the school in the library building on Grand avenue.
Of the causes which have contributed of late years to increased high school attendance, may be mentioned a greater range of studies and courses, and making the courses more flexible, so that they may meet the wants of a larger number in the community. Admission to college by certifi- cate has also had much influence in stimulating pupils to finish a course that wonld entitle them to enter the leading colleges and universities without examination.
Another factor which has already been effective in increasing high school attendance, and which will no doubt continue to influence attendance in the future, is the system inaugurated by Superin- tendent Peckham, whereby promotions in the district schools are made more frequently, and greater opportunity is given for individual ad- vancement in the grades. In this stimulus to more rapid advancement in the grades, great care will be necessary that the preparation for admis- sion to the high schools is in no way diminished, as might be the case in hurrying the pupils through the lower grades. The sentiment of the commu- nity is no doubt also growing in favor of the higher education of the masses, and has an influence in adding to the numbers in our high schools.
John Bentley.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
MANUAL TRAINING, NORMAL SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL STUDIES.
BY AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS.
T HE Committee on Text-books and Graded Course of Instruction, in 1876, recommended the introduction of industrial education of some sort into the public schools. This idea was frequently revived and on April 4, 1884, Mr. H. J. Desmond introduced a resolution that a com- mittee be appointed who should report on some practical method of introducing such instruction. At a meeting of the board in the following June a Committee on Industrial Training was named. Two months later this committee reported a resolution, which was adopted, that Professor Woodward of St. Louis and Col. Jacobson of Chicago, be invited to address the School Board and the citizens of Milwaukee upon industrial training. At this same meeting of the board a resolution by Commissioner Cary was adopted to appropriate not to exceed thirty dollars for the expense of a public meeting in the interest of industrial training. This proposed meeting, how- ever, seems never to have been held.
At the meeting of the board, December 22, 1884, a memorial was adopted asking the Common Coun- cil to provide for manual training in the school budget for 1886. The council was hardly yet prepared for this step and refused to allow it in the budget. Commissioner Stirn introduced a resolution in the board, February 5, 1889, that the High School Committee should be instructed to recommend to the board such measures as they deem proper for introducing manual training into the high school. This resolution was referred to the High School Committee, who failed to make any recommendation upon the subject to the board. By motion of Commissioner Walter at the meeting of the b.ard, June 3, 1890, a resolution was adopted to appoint a Special Committee on Manual Training. This committee was appointed by President Geuder and reported progress for several successive meetings, but the board took no action in the matter until March, 1891, when the Committee on Art and Industrial Education
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