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CHAPTER IX
THE SCHOOLS OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY
Any one past the traditional allotment of three score and ten years can describe a pioneer school. No one can describe the pioneer schools. Without system and often apparently without promise or hope, they filled their place in the community life of the sparsely inhabited settlements, dragging along from "term" to "term," subject to the whims and eccentricities of whatever "master" might be in charge for the time ; but for all that, they proved their right to persist and
it is a matter of some astonishment to the reviewers of the present generation to reflect upon the sound foundations of learning there were laid in the study of the rudiments. Often the "master" was as illiterate as his pupils and less intelligent, but out of the haphazard methods some good inevitably came and the "sacred flame" of learning was not allowed to die out, the torch was not allowed to drop. More often happily—the master was a man whose soul was aflame with the teaching impulse, whose mind was ripely endowed and richly stored with learning. Fortunate were the pioneer centers into which such a man came. His influence often would be sufficient to recreate an entire community along social lines. Those who were fortunate enough to be brought under the spell of such an influence carried the lessons there learned to their lives and thus passed them on, the old schoolmaster's influence thus persisting even to the present day.
THE ORDINANCE OF 1787.
Happily, the initial settlement of the lands comprising what is now Auglaize county was in most instances made by men who brought a pretty sound schooling with them. They knew the importance of this schooling being handed on to
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their children and consequently lost little time after effecting their settlements in getting schools started and in seeing to it that these schools were directed as effectually as might be under prevailing conditions. The Ordinance of 1787 creating the Northwest Territory declared that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged" and the pioneers of Ohio in general lived up to the spirit of this ordinance, not simply because it was law, but because, as one commentator phrases it, "they knew the benefits of schools and desired their children to enjoy them."
It hardly would be to the purpose of this compilation to enter into any comprehensive review of the ambling school laws of Ohio up to the time of the passage of what is known as "the Akron law" in 1847, which in 1848 was extended to all incorporated towns of the state and by further extension in the next year came to provide the first real system of free graded schools, so that by the middle of the past century the free graded system was permanently established and was meeting with hearty approval. Before that there had been no uniformity in grading and no unity in management. The "master" was master indeed, responsible only to local directors who too often not only were indifferent to their public duty but often as unqualified to judge of the fitness of the teacher as were some of the "examiners" of the period. Up to as late as 1838 the law only required that teachers should be examined in writing, reading and arithmetic, and these three "rudiments"—including, of course, spelling—constituted the course of study. Textbooks were few. Reviews of the time indicate that Murray's Reader, Dillworth's or Webster's Speller and Pike's Arithmetic were the usual outfit of the teacher and each of the pupils generally had one or more of the books on the list, although more often than not one set had to suffice for all the children of a family. Reading and spelling were the great tests of learning, and to have mastered the arithmetic to the last "sum" in the book was to have acquired an education, at least in the districts.
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As Henry Howe pointed out in his memorable "Collections" many years ago, these pioneer schools, "were not public schools in any true sense and not free schools in any sense. The land grants were not yet available and school taxes were unknown. The teacher made an agreement to 'keep school' a certain length of time and those who sent children agreed to pay from $1 to $3 for each child sent. The school was in reality a private school. The building in which a pioneer school was conducted, if a separate building was used, was extremely simple and uncomfortable. It was generally from fifteen to eighteen feet wide and twenty-four to twenty-eight feet long, and the eaves were about ten feet from the ground. Built of logs, its architecture was similar to that of the log cabin of that day, even to the 'latch string.' The floor was of earth or of puncheons or smooth slabs. In the more elegant buildings the inside walls were covered with boards, but the more common coating was clay mortar. The furniture consisted principally of rude benches without backs, made by splitting logs lengthwise into halves and mounting them, flat side up, on four legs or pins driven into the ground. Desks similarly though less clumsily made were sometimes furnished to the 'big boys and girls.' The room—or at least one end of it—was heated from an immense fireplace. There was no blackboard, no apparatus of even the rudest description to assist the teacher in expounding the lessons."
THE BUILDING OF THE PIONEER SCHOOL.
Even before the beginning of the school the first matter of importance, of course, was to provide a building for the accommodation of the teacher and his pupils, but this was an easy matter for the pioneers. The settlers of a neighborhood would get together on a specified day and begin the erection of a school house at some point as nearly central as a site could be procured. This was always easy to obtain, as land was worth but $1.25 an acre and a suitable site could be found where the owner of the land, especially if he had children of a school age—and he generally had, for large families were in
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fashion in those days—was only too willing to donate an acre or half an acre of his land for the purpose. With this detail of location fixed, the settlers would gather on a day for the "rollin' " of the logs essential to the structure and on another day for the " raisin' " of the same, and thus about the third day the school house would be completed.
The typical pioneer school house in this region was made of round logs, or if the settlers were particularly nice about it they took the further trouble to hew the logs, as giving a better "finish" to the job. These logs were notched at the end to form a mortised jointure and the spaces between the logs were filled or "chinked" with sticks and daubed with clay. The roof consisted of clapboards, held in place by poles extending across the roof, called weight poles. The floor was of puncheons, or planks split from logs, two or three inches in thickness and hewed reasonably smooth on the upper side— this, of course, in the days before the portable saw mills came lumbering in . The fireplace was about six feet wide, made of logs lined with clay or undressed limestone, if there chanced to be a quarry nearby. The chimney was made of stone and split sticks plastered with clay. A stout door hung on wooden hinges and was fastened with a wooden latch. A log was cut out of one side to form a long window and this open space was covered with paper greased to make it translucent. Long wooden pins were driven in the log under the window and a broad plank was laid on these pins to serve as a writing desk. The desks were made of half a poplar log, smoothed with an adz and supported by legs driven into the round side. An unlooked-for splinter in these seats might often create an unexpected diversion in the school as some unhappy wight would feel its piercing presence in his quivering anatomy.
The more formal diversions of the school consisted of ciphering matches, spelling bees, "town ball," Friday afternoon or evening "literaries" and the barring-out of the "master" at Christmas time to compel him to "treat," all occasions of excitement and merriment. The spelling and the ciphering
(18)
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matches and the "literaries" would be participated in by the whole neighborhood and the excitement not infrequently would be accentuated by the adjustment of physical as well as mental rivalries, these personal and private physical readjustments often as not terminating in a "free-for-all" fight that would clear the neighborhood atmosphere for weeks to come.
But why continue this description ? It is a story that has oft been told, an inseparable part of the wonderful mosaic of our common life, the pattern of which is familiar to all. Yet it is well, "lest we forget," formally to recall to each recurring generation the days of old, and nothing is
more important in making up a definite history of the county than the retouching of the old familiar picture of the little pioneer school. The history of these schools lives only in the memory of persons who received what little education they were fortunate enough to secure from teachers who are now sleeping, in some secluded spot their last long slumber; but they more often than not left behind a memory that has grown brighter through the lapse of years.
SOUVENIRS OF OTHER DAYS.
In the A. J. Linzee collection referred to elsewhere in this work there is a pencil drawing by Mr. Linzee of the Old Town school house built in 1835, the sketch being indicated as the first public school house built in Jefferson township, Mercer county, just west of St. Marys, in what later came to be Auglaize county. The picture shows a small hewed-log structure, with a door and one window at the front or side, an outside "chinked" chimney at the end and a clapboard roof held down by weight poles. A notation by the artist says that "there was not a nail in the whole structure. The door was put together with pegs." In this collection there are numerous other sketches of old log houses, including that of the house erected by Robert Linzee at Old Town, west of St. Marys, in 1833, upon his removal up here from Athens, Ohio, the year following the departure of the Indians from this region. Hap-
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pily, the school children of this county have no need to draw upon their imaginations in order to visualize a pioneer log house, for there are numerous such examples of the old woods- craft architecture remaining in the county. Along the St. Marys-Wapakoneta highway there are two or three of these old log cabins still standing and in excellent condition. They are tenanted and from the general appearance of the surroundings, those who occupy them apparently take pride in maintaining these interesting relics of the pioneer period.
In this same collection of Mr. Linzee's there is also preserved an interesting souvenir of the schools of the olden days in the form of a hand-engrossed certificate of excellence in study issued by John S. Houston, the old Government surveyor and in his day one of the best teachers of this region. This time-stained certificate reads as follows: "Premium in Arithmetick to Jackson Linzee—By close application, with a brilliant intellect, in 54 days has learned and worked all the sums in addition, subtraction, multiplication & division, with all the compounds, Reduction, Rule of Three, Interest & Practice—aged 13 years. February 26, 1843—at school 54 1/2 days. (Note) Jackson worked over 68 pages of Stockton's Arithmetick in the above time of 54 days. John S. Houston, teacher."
BENEFITS OF THE AKRON LAW.
By the time Auglaize county came to be erected as a separate civic entity in 1848 schools such as the above had sprung up in all parts of the county and as "the Akron law" became operative about that time, an orderly system of procedure soon was inaugurated and the basis for the present admirable school system in the county was well and firmly laid. It was about that time, too, that the teachers were becoming interested in the "get-together" movement which led in to the passage of the law providing for the appropriation of money in each county for the purpose of holding county teachers' institutes, another long step forward in the
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way of proper systematic effort; uniform courses of study were being adopted, grades were being established and maintained and by the time the Civil war broke out the schools of the county were on a pretty firm foundation. The incidental interruption due to that struggle did not prove a lasting handicap and was quickly made up when the flurry was over, a new impetus being given to all forms of endeavor and school movements kept in the lead always, the present wonderful system being a gradual evolution based upon the demands of the successive generations.
It is but proper here to note that the newspapers were faithful and consistent promoters of the schools at all times, particularly during the practically reformative period along in the '80s and '90s of the past century, and the files of the papers of that period show regularly conducted departments devoted to the schools, even as the papers of today recognize the value of keeping foremost the interests of this vital and vitalizing influence. Prof. J. L. Carson, then superintendent of the Wapakoneta public schools, was a particularly active contributor to the local press during the '80s and through his writing along that line did much to stimulate local school development.
STORY OF A TYPICAL SCHOOL.
According to the older chronicles, one of the first of the pioneer schools established in what is now Auglaize county was that along the Auglaize a mile or two north of the present village of Buckland in Logan township, which at that time was comprised within the confines of Allen county. The narrative concerning this school fixes its date only as "at an early period," refers to it as a log school house and states that "one Benham, and subsequently William Knittle, taught school there. In 1829 Archelaus Martin presided over a school of about fifteen pupils. The pioneer schools were all conducted on the old principle of subscription, the amount stipulated being a certain amount of tuition per pupil. About
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1840, however, the people began to take action in the matter of organizing common school districts. As the population of the township increased, school districts were organized and log school houses erected to meet the growing requirements of the public. In 1860 there were six sub-districts, two east and four west of the Auglaize river."
This reference to the early schools of Logan township is but typical. Other townships were organizing in the same fashion. Similar reference to the early schools of Union township, to give another example of pioneer school development, has it that the first school house there (then in Allen county) was erected in 1836. "It was a round log cabin, covered with clapboards held in place by weight poles. The floor was made from puncheons split from white ash logs and hewed on one side. A large fireplace at one end of the room furnished heat for the occupants. They could get no glass for windows, so they used paper. Strips of wood were nailed across the windows, the paper pasted on and oiled with coon oil, which rendered the paper semi-transparent. The next trouble was to keep the birds from cutting the paper. The writing desks were made of puncheons about ten feet long and laid upon pins in the wall. There were two such desks. The seats were saplings split in two, about ten feet long, and legs put in the round side, with the flat side up. Such was the school house in which many of the children of the early settlers received their education. Asa R. Mahin taught the first school in the winter of 1836-7. He was employed for three months at $10 per month. A. D. Berry taught in 1837-8 and William Gilmore in 1838-9."
The interesting colonization plans carried out at New Bremen and Minster in the early '30s, of course contemplated the immediate erection of schools and churches, those two inestimable handmaidens of progress. According to Professor Williamson's review, "the first public school building in Jackson township was erected in Minster in 1834 and was situated at the corner of Adams and Zweibruken streets. It served as a township and village school building until 1853, when a
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four-room brick building was erected in Zweibruken street between Adams and Fifth street. After the establishment of the church and convent at Egypt a school house was built in that locality in 1860. The two-story brick building erected in Minster in 1853 continued in use until 1877, when an elegant brick edifice was erected at a cost of $22,000." This building was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1905 and pending the erection of the fine new public school building there the
parochial school house was used for public school purposes. In this connection, a notation from the pen of F. J. Boerger, then superintendent of schools at Minster, for the Williamson review (1905) points out that "it should be stated here that the schools of Minster from the earliest times have been supported by public funds and Sisters as well as male teachers have submitted to county examination for license to teach. During the '60s and '70s the following teachers were employed at various times: Mr. Renfrow, Mr. Collet and Mr. Schiffer, All three gentlemen were organists of the church as well as teachers. The last named, especially, was quite a good singer
and improvisor on the organ. In 1880 John Horst took charge of the schools and for sixteen years held his position. It is generally conceded that no better teacher has ever taught at Minster. During the sixteen years of his supervision the following teachers taught the boys' grades : Aloys Roessner, J. H. Reitmeyer, Frank Hackman and B. Sherman. After the erection of the Union school building in 1894 a course of study was adopted and the departments graded in conformity to it."
This same review has it that "the first public school in German township was taught in the log church erected in Bremen in 1835. Two years later the first school house was erected in New Bremen. About 1845 two more houses were erected in the township. The one located a mile north of the village was known as the Kuenning school. The other was located three miles west of the village and was called the West District school. In after years the log houses were replace by neat brick buildings which are at the present time
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(1905) furnished with all the modern school appliances. In 1875 German township was organized into a Union school district and a building was erected at New Bremen in 1876 at a cost of $17,000. The organization resulted in a great and manifest improvement of the schools. We feel safe in saying that no township of its size in Ohio, not including large cities, has sent a greater number of students to college since 1886 than German township." High praise, indeed, but apparently justified by the facts.
THE DEVELOPING SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The schools of the other townships were developing in much the same fashion. The era of the pioneer log school house had passed, the snug little frame or brick school house, of delightful memory to many whose hair is now growing gray, was taking its place ; the villages were erecting ample and substantial school buildings for the proper accommodation of the rapidly growing juvenile population and in due time the township consolidated school came in, with its comprehensive solution of the problem of "the greatest good to the greatest number," and the modern high school with its inestimable benefits to the young people of the county was on its way, gradually working up to its present admirable standard which provides a course in instruction to the youth equal to that of the colleges in the days of the "fathers."
It was about 1891 that the township high school was erected at New Hampshire in Goshen township. Concerning the school situation there, Professor Williamson's review observed that "no village in the county has attended more earn - estly to the cause of education than the citizens of New Hamp - shire and the community immediately surrounding it." Coil cerning the school situation at New Knoxville, the Professor's review had it that "although organized under the Union School law, the system of graded schools was not introduced (in that village) until 1885, at which time a four-room brick building was erected at a cost of $5,000." Continuing along
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this line, it is noted that "there are no schools in the county under a better system of management than the schools of Washington township. The board of education has always been liberal in the expenditure of money for school improvement. The Washington township board was the first one in the county to pay the tuition of the advanced pupils from the district schools and no township has sent larger numbers to the annual Boxwell examinations than this one. The nine school buildings are modern in their structure and in most instances are surrounded by beautiful lawns, ornamented with shade trees."
Concerning pioneer conditions relating to the schools of Union township, it was observed that "the early schools of Union township were primitive in their character as well as in their teaching. The first school was taught about 1836 by R. C. Layton. The immigration of 1833 and 1834 was so great that it became necessary to erect four school houses, At the close of 1836 all the lands in the township had been entered except section 16 (the school section). It became necessary therefore, in 1836, to build two more school houses, Since that time educational interests have kept pace with the other developments of the township." The first school house in Pusheta township was put up on section 19 in 1834. It was a typical log cabin of the period and is said to have been "used for many years afterward." In addition to the public schools, a Catholic parochial school is maintained at Freyburg and a Lutheran congregation of the Missouri Synod maintains one in the township. The first school house in Wayne township is said to have been built in 1836, one of the typical log buildings. A picture of the township school at Waynesfield, presented in this work, is a graphic illustration of the advance that has been made in school work since that day. Indeed, the pictures of school buildings throughout the county carried in this work provide a more realistic commentary on the progress of the school system than can be set out in words. Will the succeeding generations regard these buildings as "antiquated" as this generation regards the old log school house
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or its successor, "the little red school house" of former generations ?
THE SCHOOL AS THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
The general effect of the presence of these little old pioneer schools in the days of the formative period of this county ought not to be underestimated by the thoughtless reader whose sense of perspective has not been trained to take in the whole view of that time. These schools were the literal social centers of the neighborhood. Now nearly every township in this county has its "community house," and great conveniences they are. Then the district school was the community house for the district, to which the people gathered when called together under common stress of any sort. Often, before churches properly were organized, they were the common meeting places for religious services, open to any and all denominations alike. In them were held the local political meetings. During the stressful days of the Civil war they were the local rallying places and the centers of local war activities. The community there met for social diversion, spelling schools, writing and singing schools, debating societies, "exhibitions" and the like, and when the farmers' get together movement started there were held the meetings which inaugurated the coming of the present successful farmers federation. They served well the purposes of the time and place and thus are venerable. Though there still are quite a number of district schools remaining in this county and rendering well the service to which they are adapted, centralization plans are under way in such townships as have not yet adopted that system of bringing the youth under the one roof for greater efficiency of school administration, and those who thoughtfully are furthering these plans believe it will not be long until the days of the district school will have wholly passed.
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HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THEM
Under the heading "Spelling Schools" an article in the Auglaize County Democrat (Wapakoneta) of June 8, 1865, so completely covers the subject and is so fraught with reminiscent interest that it is here reproduced :
"Spelling schools—have you forgotten them'? When from all the region round about they gathered into the log school house, with its huge fireplace that yawned like the main entrance to Avernus. How the sleighbells—the old fashioned bells, big in the middle of the string and 'growing small by degrees and beautifully less' toward the broad brass buckles— chimed in every direction long before night—the gathering of the clans.
"Then came one to school, the `Master'—give him the capital M, for he is entitled to it—Master and all bundled into the huge red double sleigh, strewn with an abundance of straw and tucked up like a Christmas pie, with half a score of good large buffalo robes. There were half a dozen cutters, each with a young man and maiden, they two and no more. And then, again, a pair of jumpers, mounting a great, outlandish bin, heaped up, pressed down and running over-- Scripture measure—with small collections of humanity picked up en route from a dozen homes, and all as merry as kittens in a basket of wool. And the bright eyes, red lips, that one caught a glimpse of beneath those pink-lined, quilted hoods, and the silvery laugh that escaped the mufflers and fur tippets they wore then—who does not remember them'? Who can ever forget them'?
"The school house, destined to be the arena of the conflict, has been swept and garnished; boughs of evergreen adorn the smoke-stained and battered walls. The pellets of chewed paper have all been swept from the ceiling and two pails of water have been brought from the spring and set on a bench in the entry, with an immemorial tincup—a wise provision, indeed, for 'tis warm in the spelling room. The big boys have fanned and replenished the fire till the old chimney fair-
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ly jars with the roaring flames and sparks fly out at the top like a furnace—the oriflame of the battle. The two 'Masters' are there, the two schools are there ; and such a hum and such a moving to and fro ! Will they swarm?
"The ferule comes down upon the desk with emphasis. What the roll call is to armies, that 'rule' is to whispering, laughing young company. The challengers are arranged on one side and the challenged on the other. Back seats, middle seats, low front seats, all filled. Some of the fathers and grandfathers, who could, no doubt, upon such an occasion ‘shoulder a crutch and show how fields were won,' occupy the bench of honor nearest the desk.
"Now the preliminaries—the reputed best speller on each side chooses. * And so they go, 'calling names', until live or six reputed champions stand forth ready to do battle, and the contest is fairly begun at last. Down goes one after another, as words of three syllables are followed by those of four, and these again by words of similar pronunciation and divers significations, until Moses and Susan alone remain.
"The spelling book is exhausted, yet there they stand. Dictionaries are thumbed over, memories are ransacked for ‘words of learned length and sound' until by and by Moses comes down like a tree and Susan flutters there still, like a little leaf aloft that the forest and the fall have forgotten. Polysyllables follow and by and by Susan hesitates just a breath or two, and twenty tongues are working their way through the labyrinth of letters in a twinkling Little Susan sinks into the chink left for her on the crowded seat and there is a lull in the battle. Then they all stand in solid phalanx by schools and the struggle is on, to spell each other down. And down they go, like the leaves in winter weather, and the victory is declared for our district and the school is dismissed.
"Then comes the hurrahing and bundling, the whispering and glancing, the pairing off and the tumbling in. There are hearts that flutter and hearts that ache ; mittens that are not worn, hopes that are not realized and fond looks that are not returned. There is a jingling at the door ; one after another
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of the sleighs dash up, receive their nestling freight and are gone.
"Our 'Master' covers the fire and puts out the candles and we wait for him. Don't you remember how he used to pinch the smoking wick with the forefinger and thumb and then thrust each helpless luminary headfirst into the socket? The bells ring faintly in the woods over the hill, in the valley. They are gone. The school house is dark and tenantless and we are alone with the night. Merry, care free company! Some of them are sorrowing; some are dead and all, we fear, are changed. Spell! Ah, the `spell' that has come over that crowd of young dreamers—over you—over us—will it ever be dissolved ?"
THE WAPAKONETA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
From a history of the Wapakoneta public schools published in 1876 it is learned that the leaders in the work of organizing the first school in what now is the county seat town were Robert J. Skinner, who located at Wapakoneta as receiver for the land office upon the opening of the old Indian reservation lands there for settlement in 1831 ; T. B. VanHorn, who was the auctioneer for the land sales, and James Elliott, one of the sons of Capt. John Elliott, the old Government blacksmith on the reservation. It is narrated that it was through the enterprise of these three that a one-story brick school building was erected on the bank of the Auglaize, the neighborhood of the present B. & O. railway station, but that "the building material was of such inferior quality that
it rapidly fell into decay and a few years later fell down," It was reported that "the brick were so soft that the boys cut holes through the walls, which afforded opportunities, when the master's back was turned, of ' gliding out to go a fishing.'" While it stood this building served the purpose of school house, church and town hall, the only public building on the place.
The first teacher who taught in this building was one Smith, who taught in the winter of 1834-5 and in the winter
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following, and is said to have been a good teacher. The text books in use were the English Reader and Introduction, Kirk- ham's Grammar and Pike's Arithmetic. The school was supported by subscription, the teacher "boarding around," and the fuel was supplied by the patrons of the schools, each patron furnishing an amount of wood proportionate to the number of pupils he sent to school. Mr. Smith was followed by Lemuel H. Ide, who taught during the winter of 1836-7 and the winter following and who "is mentioned in commendable terms by those who attended school at that time." Samuel Harvey taught during the winter of 1838-9 and was followed by Z. B. Rooker, who was the first teacher here to receive money from the tuition fund established under the law of 1838. In the winter of 1841-2 Dr. D. W. Littlefield conducted the school and Dominicus Flaitz, afterward county surveyor, started a private school for German speaking pupils, which he maintained for several years. J. A. McFarland succeeded Littlefield and was in turn succeeded by Samuel Brady, who carried on the school in the old Indian trading house of Peter Hammel', the little brick school house having by that time become untenable. Isaac Dawson followed him and taught in the same building until 1847.
In the meantime the Methodists had erected a meeting house and in 1848, the year in which Auglaize county was erected, the school was carried on in the church, which in that same year also was used as a place for holding court and so continued until the court house was built. Burwell Good was the first teacher in the church building and was followed by George H. Stephenson and James I. Elliott. In the summer of 1849 the first "summer school" was taught by Sarah E. Whitney (afterward Mrs. W. V. M. Layton), who had in the year previous taught a term at St. Marys and who came to Wapakoneta with the family of John J. Rickley, the first treasurer of the county. It is said that John Nichols and James Skinner each paid the tuition of a pupil in order, as they said, "to have another young lady in town." In the summer of 1850 Jane Aldrich taught a summer term of school
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and thereafter this form of private school was maintained in the town pretty regularly, thus giving the children of such families as desired more than the four months training of the public school an opportunity to extend the course.
TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR RICHARDSON.
In the winter of 1849-50 Andrew Poe was in charge of the public school and he was succeeded by Professor Westby, of Lima, who was succeeded by George M. Espich, of whom it is written that he "taught six months at a salary of $150, of which $105 was paid from the public tuition fund and the remainder by subscription. He taught a second term at a salary of $210." John S. Williams, afterward probate judge, followed Espich as the teacher of the village school and he in turn by A. B. Norris, Calvin Crowe, Isaac Soles and wife, Mary Elliott and a Mr. Muchler. By this time the town was becoming well established and in the summer of 1856 a brick school building of three rooms was erected on the site of the present Williamson school building, the same being put up at a cost of $2,517. The first teachers in this building were Sylvester Mihill and wife, who continued for two years. In the fall of 1858 George H. Richardson was placed in charge of the school and he continued for three years, the grammar school department at first being in charge of Mary Barrington and the primary, Miss Q. L. Lytle. Later Miss Mattie Crowell was in charge of the grammar department, while Miss Mary Barrington taught the primary department.
Prof. George H. Richardson, above referred to, was a Massachussetts man, a graduate of either Harvard or Yale, and was a man of great learning and deep piety. Moreover he was a man of extremely pleasing personality and a splendid type of Christian gentleman. While he was superintendent of the Wapakoneta schools the war cloud which had been gathering for some time broke in all its fury and the country was in the midst of a terrible civil war. In the early stages of the Civil war Professor Richardson accepted a call to the
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superintendency of the Muncie (Ind.) public schools. Soon the older boys of the academy began, one by one, to enlist in defense of their country and in a short time but few were left. With the remark. "It is as much my duty to fight and risk my life in defense of my country as the boys of my school," Professor Richardson resigned the superintendency, enlisted as a private in an Indiana regiment and was soon on the way to join other comrades on the front in West Virginia. While on the train, thinking of no immediate danger, he was shot by a Confederate sharpshooter concealed in the bush near the railroad and was instantly killed, being shot through the heart. His remains were taken to Middletown, Md., and given a Christian burial. His untimely death caused intense sorrow to the people of Wapakoneta and Munice, where he was greatly beloved.
Professor Richardson was succeeded in the Wapakoneta schools by B. S. McFarland, who was principal in 1860. Some mystery seems to attach to the direction of the school during the Civil war period, for the review above referred to simply says of that time that "it appears on the record that the board was unfortunate in the selection of principals from 1861 to 1865," It is true that in many Northern communities the local dissensions of the Civil war time were carried into the schools, in some instances practically disrupting them for the time, and on that period it may perhaps be as well to drop a veil, even as it apparently was deemed an act of discretion on some one's part to remove from the public files of the newspapers the file covering the war period of the only newspaper then published in Auglaize county.
LATER PROGRESS OF THE SCHOOLS.
In the fall of 1865, following the close of the war, the schools entered upon their first term of nine months. The Rev. W. C. Barnett was placed in charge as principal and he was followed by Benjamin Bear. It was in 1866 that the Wapakoneta schools were reorganized under the operation
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of "the Akron school law" and in that same year an addition of two rooms was built onto the school building. Of Leonard Alleman, the first superintendent of schools under this reorganization, who was elected by the board in 1867, it is written that he "proved to be incompetent and was dismissed before the close of the year." It was then that the late Prof. C. W. Williamson, of excellent memory throughout this region, was elected superintendent of schools at Wapakoneta. lie served in this capacity for eleven years, or until 1879, and during that time did much to develop the schools. The present old Third Ward school building, which was erected under his superintendency in 1875 at a cost of $28,000, now carries the name of the Williamson school in honor of his memory. In 1889 a second school building was necessary to take care of the growing population in the east end of town and the Second Ward building was erected at a cost of $12,000. The high school was carried on in the Third Ward; building until 1908, when the handsome new high school was erected on south Blackhoff street at a cost of $35,000 and named the Blume high school in honor of the donor of the site, the late L. N, Blume, who was one of the members of the local school board at the time the structure was erected. In addition to the donation during his life of the site of the Blume high school, Mr. Blume devised in his last will that $50,000 of his estate be set off to the city of Wapakoneta for library purposes. The provisions of this bequest have not yet been carried out, pending a decision as to the specific form the benefaction shall take.
William Hoover succeeded Professor Williamson as superintendent of schools, serving two years, and in 1881 was succeeded by J. L. Carson, who served until 1887 when the board re-elected Professor Williamson who meanwhile had been in charge of the New Bremen schools and who continued in charge for twelve years, or until 1899, when he was succeeded by H. H. Helter, who in 1908 was succeeded by Charles Haupert, who served but one year and in 1909 was succeeded by F. E. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds served for twelve years, or until 1921, when he was succeeded by Charles C. Nardin,
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the present superintendent of the city schools. In addition to the public schools at Wapakoneta, St. Joseph's Catholic parish maintains a parochial school, which was rebuilt in 1900 at a cost of around $30,000 and in which the children of the parish are carried into the higher grades of the public schools.
Under Superintendent Nardin's direction in the city schools is the following teaching staff, a roster that will be interesting for comparative purposes in the next generation : Blume high school—R. Menschel, principal ; W. L. Swaidner, H. L. Edmonds, E. E. Nott, T. C. Wiley, Sarah M. Howell, Norma L. Wintzer, M. Cleona Gabriel, Pera Campbell, Naomi Caldwell, Edith M. Dakin, Clara Postle, Mildred E. Schmidt and B. T. Goodman. Williamson school—Kate Kohler, Lulu Bechdolt, Elizabeth Chrismer, E. Jane Bailey, Helen L. Walter, Florence Anderegg, Essie Wolph, Julia Burk and Della Morrin. Second ward school—H. W. Gibbs, Edith Hettle, Jane Burnfield, Ida Brown, Mrs. H. W. Gibbs, Selma Knierim, Hulda Abe and Ione Breese. Supervisor of music, Grace Mytinger. The class of 1922, Blume high school, numbered eighty-one.
THE SCHOOLS OF ST. MARYS.
Prof. C. C. McBroom has been superintendent of the St. larys public schools since 1907 and is aided by the following '!icient corps of assistants and teachers : Charles Candler, principal of the high school (West Side) ; Burl Frampton, principal of the East side school; Ivy McNeil, Lillian Williams, Cora Smith, P. H. Koehler, Nelson Campbell, Edith Slabaugh, Hazel Bay, Fred Koenig, Floyd G. Brown, Reinhart Kuhlman, Lola Fisher, Mrs. Mollie Bowen, Naomi Moore, Pauline Zwez, Mildred Frey, Alice Youngs, Nellie Keuthan, Maragaret Bridgeford, Lillian Boltz, Mrs. Edith Orphal, Irma Schmehl, Nettie Cooper, Grace McSherry, Luetta Seifert, Clara Finke, Thetis Martin, Margaret Heine, Belva Marshall, Edith Smith, Grace Watkins, Audrey Cisco and Marguerite Geiger. In the campus of the high school
(19)
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at St. Marys there stands an impressive monument on the face of which is inscribed the following legend: "Loyalty. Erected 1915 by past and present patriotic citizens of St, Marys in commemoration of our volunteers of the Civil war, 1861-1865."
Having been the first center of orderly settlement in the region now comprised within the confines of Auglaize county, St. Marys was the initial point of organized school development here and the high standard set by those who rendered pioneer service in the schools there has been maintained through all the years since. Professor Williamson's review of conditions affecting the development of the school system in this county has it that the first schools taught in St. Marys were called "pay schools," that is, the pupils were taught for a certain charge apiece, usually fifty cents a month or $1.50 for a "quarter" of twelve weeks. A school of this kind was taught by James Laird in the old log school house situated in the southwestern part of the village, from 1825 to 1831. Laird was an Irishman noted for his witticisms. In 1832 he delivered a Fourth of July speech which, for the merriment it produced, has not been surpassed since that date, His peroration closed with the declaration that "Whoever will come for to go, or go for to come to strike at the heart of Liberty, he must first pierce my own heart." James Laird was succeeded by James Watson Riley, who taught in the court house during the year 1831-2. In that year he per- f ormed the triple duties of teacher, county clerk and county surveyor. Mr. Riley was followed by Miss Abbott, a lady of superior ability, who taught during the years 1833-6.
As the village grew in population the schools increased in number. It is difficult to assign dates to the following teachers who were known to have taught at times from 1836 to 1852. In 1837 Mrs. McGinley taught in the log school house. In the following year Miss Sarah Henry taught in the same building. Later Mary and Susan Barrington taught in rooms owned by Mr. Stattler on Main street. Schools also were taught by Miss Ward on Wayne street, by Miss Almira
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McLaughlin on Main street and by the Rev. Mr. Cameron in the old court house. Mr. Cameron was succeeded by Levi Hamaker, who served in the dual capacity of school teacher and collector on the Miami canal from 1851 to 1853. In 1853 the village schools were reorganized under the "Akron law," and since then the following have served as superintendents of the schools : A. Rodgers, 1853-55 ; John Fairbanks, 1855-57 ; Professor Templeton, 1857-58 ; William Richardson, 1858-60 ; S. F. DeFord, 1860-64 ; J. B. Peaslee, 1864-66 ; W. F. Torrence, 1866-79; J. A. Barber, 1879-81; J. A. Shawan, 1881-83 ; C. S. Wheaton, 1883-89 ; J. D. Simkins, 1889-1903 ; Elmer Hotchkiss, 1903-07; C. C. McBroom, 1907 to the present time.
MRS. TOUVELLE'S REMINISCENCES.
Supplemental to the above and as a most interesting sidelight on conditions respecting the pioneer schools of St. Marys, the following story of the schools of that town written by Mrs.
T. G. Touvelle for a souvenir book commemorating "Home Corning" week at St. Marys in July, 1907, is here, introduced as one of the most informative contributions along this line ever prepared in this county. Said Mrs. Touvelle : "From the beginning of the history of St. Marys to the present time her inhabitants have made school a paramount consideration. The first school of which we have any knowledge was taught by James McIntire, a soldier. The school was taught in a little log cabin at the south end of Wayne street, then called the Chickasaw road. Sixteen children, some of them only five or six years of age, found their way through briars and bushes to this primitive school. One primer, a Testament and one English Reader were all the books they had. The nearest store was in Piqua. The people were poor and paper scarce and the children learned to write on pieces of paper given to them by French traders.
"Previous to 1844 Ohio made no provision for the support of schools, and to provide schooling for their children the subscription schools of St. Marys began, a knowledge of which
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has almost reached the bounds of tradition. Teachers came only as brought by Government agents or came to visit friends and were persuaded to stay. The pay was small, seldom more than $3 a month. Families from New England, Baltimore, Virginia and Maryland moved into this promising village and to the intelligence, good sense and fortitude of these fannies St. Marys owes the excellence of her early schools. In the old court house and block house subscription schools were taught by Oliver Rood, Stacy Taylor and Rev..Simeon Gregg, Mrs. Dumbauld, wife of a government surveyor and a niece of President Monroe ; Mrs. McGinley, of New York, and Miss Abigail Medbury, of Providence, R. I., educated and refined young women, came to visit friends and remained as teachers. In 1848 Miss Henry, of Lenox, Mass., taught a select school
for girls in the brick church on the south end of Main street. In 1850 the two-story frame house, now known as the Sawyer home, was known as the Cameron Academy or Hall of Science. The boys and girls studied in separate rooms and recited together. Miss Mary Barrington taught a girls' school in the basement of the Baptist church and Rev. Fitzgerald taught a school for young ladies in the north half of a brick house on Front street, now the home of Mrs. Mary DeRush and Mrs. Chenwith.
"The state having made provision, common schools were taught six months of each year. Several male teachers had charge of these schools, which were very crowded. Mr. Torrence, Mr. Morris and Mr. Hamaker were some of the teachers. The passage of the 'Akron school law' gave to St. Marys its opportunity for a graded school and in 1853 a school organized under this law was opened in St. Marys. Rev. Holliday was superintendent; Miss Anna Pierce was assigned to the first room and Miss Almira McLaughlin, to the second; Mr. Dixon to the fourth and Miss Ethie Pearce to high school. There were only four rooms to the first building, but in 1855 an addition was built and two departments added. In this latter year Rev. A. Rogerg was made superintendent. He was a scholarly man and left an impression on
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the literary work of the school. Jonathan Fairbanks, of Massachusetts, was teacher of the fourth room. He succeeded Mr. Rogers and the remarkable work of the school began with his administration. The Union school of St. Marys was famous over northwestern Ohio, pupils entering and continuing for years from Celina, Lima, Piqua and New Bremen. During the time of Mr. Fairbanks's superintendency came the beginning of the Civil war, a period of painful and momentous interest in the school, when teachers and boys closed their books and with long, questioning looks toward the old Fifth and high school, went out to battle. Mr. Fairbanks was succeeded by S. F. Deford, who remained for two years and was followed by Oliver Temple, who remained one year. Teachers in Union school prior to 1865: S. Hollida, Ethel Pearce, Anna Pearce, Almira McLaughlin, Mary McLaughlin, Alice Ketcham, Flora Mills, Marie Wood, Jemima Breckon, Julia Linzee, Mary Phelps, Alice McKee, Sadie Elliott, Vennie Vorhees, Mary Adams, Anna Davis, William Shaw, George Richardson, William Josselyn, George Espy, Emmet Carpenter, William McKee, Charles Phelps, Michael Stone and Sallie Kyle.
"The inhabitants of St. Marys were always a music loving people. The itinerant singing school teachers always found a warm welcome and taught singing school in the old Methodist church and in the basement of the Baptist church. We recall the do-ra-me drilling of Professor Adams's scales and the famous school exhibitions owed much to Professor Shaw and Professor Belden, who drilled chorus classes. To Philip von Herzing does St. Marys owe its love for and early instructions in classical music. A graduate of a German university, and having the intense love of music characteristic of the German student, he missed the music of the Fatherland and through his influence Prof. Emil Weinberg came to the little village of St. Marys in 1856 and organized classes in violin and piano. Some of his pupils were very proficient and became celebrated. He gave several musicals, the first in the dining room of the Dieker House. He remained in St. Marys three years and then went to Milwaukee, where he acquired a
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national reputation. The first concert company that visited St. Marys was the Swiss Bell Ringers, who gave a concert in the Sawyer House hall in October, 1855. In November, 1855, the Lima brass band gave a concert in Sawyer House hall and in the winter of 1856 the St. Marys brass hand was organized. The members were Anderson Hunter, Richard Gibson, George Moeglich, Samuel Huffman, Francis Miller and William Kimple, the latter of whom was the leader. They practiced in the large room on the second floor of the Wegley building and in September, 1856, went to Lima by invitation of Hon. M. H. Nichols and headed the procession in the great Buchanan rally of that year. Their uniform was a linen duster and straw hat."
COUNTY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
The Auglaize County Teachers' Association dates from the fall of 1868 when, at a meeting held in the old brick school building at Wapakoneta, a constitution and by-laws were adopted for such an association and officers were elected as follows: President, W. F. Torrence, principal of the St. Marys school ; vice presidents, H. W. Bockmoehl, C. C. Pepple and Emma C. Good; secretary, F. C. Layton; treasurer, Middleton Lucas, and executive committee, C. W. Williamson, William Blakely and C. B. Smith. Levi Hamaker, probate judge ; Edward Meyer, county clerk, and the county school examiners, W. V. M. Layton, Rev. W. C. Barnett and Dr. C. C. Berlin, were present and participated in the organization. The initial membership of this association, a list that will revive memories of many of the best known teachers of that period, follows: C. W. Williamson, W. F. Torrence, Maggie L. Roney, Nettie Hollingsworth, Amelia M. Wood, Emma A. Good, Zida S. Layton, Jennie S. ____, Carrie M. Elliott, Mary B. Elliott, Nettie Simpson, Tallie Trimble, S. B. Smith, William Pinkerton, C. T. Cook, T. A. E. Weadock, H. W. Bockmoehl, Oliver McDonald, John Knierman, Robert Montgomery, Thomas J. Hasting, Daniel
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D. Dapper, Joseph Gearing, R. G. Montgomery, Julian F. Lewis, H. W. Stearns, E. B. Stiner, W. H. Blakely, Middleton Lucas, F. C. Layton and Emma Mott. A two-weeks institute was held at Wapakoneta, beginning August 16, 1869, and the teachers' institute thereafter became a fixed feature, the influence of these institutes soon becoming perceptible in all sections of the county in the introduction of better and more systematic methods of teaching Since 1897 these meetings have been of but one week's duration. Professor Williamson's review has it that "a notable degree of improvement in the country schools dates from the year 1891, when a movement was inaugurated to prepare and place an exhibit of the school work of the county at the World's Fair at Chicago. Arrangements were made at the annual institute of 1891 to place the manuscript work of branches taught in the schools on exhibition in the city hall in February, 1893, and at the World's Fair in the following March. The most numerously attended meeting of teachers ever held in the county assembled at the opening of the exhibition. At the close of the World's Fair management a diploma and medal were awarded to the schools of the county for the excellence of work in their exhibit. Certificates of special merit were awarded to the schools of Cridersville, Minster, St. Marys and Wapakoneta. Miss Nancy Broderick, of Moulton township, also received a certificate for excellent primary work in a country school district."
ROSTER OF TEACHERS OF ATJGLAIZE COUNTY.
An excellent normal school course is maintained in the county for the benefit of teachers and prospective teachers, the director of this course being Mrs. Olive M. Eggleston, who is assisted by Jessie Bryant and Catherine Culleton. The present (1922) county superintendent of schools is Glenn Drummond, who is assisted in his office by W. Sanders Idle. The superintendent of the Waynesfield village schools is W. A. Miller; Minster, J. C. Halsema, and New Bremen, Elmer
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W. Jordan. The staff of teachers under the direction of the county superintendent follows :
Waynesfield—Lester Stough, Blanche Augsberger, Elizabeth Kippler, Roger Patrick, LeVon Doty, Elinor Feikert, Eva Coffin, Mary Leininger, Nova Elder.
Minster—A. H. Knapke, Marie Bornhorst, Gertrude Steinherger, Constance Durbin, Sr. M. Rosalinda Rieman, Sr. M. Eleanora Riffel, Sr. M. Symphorosa Baer, Sr. M, Virginia Eschle, Sr. M. Cecilia Paluszak, Sr. M. Justa Riekenbrode, Sr. M. Marina Yost, Sr. M. Ruth Heuisen.
New Bremen—G. L. Conrad, Ruth Carlisle, Mary Wiseman, Alvina Burk, O. A. Diehm, Otto C. Doenges, Mane Roche, Emma Loy, Helen Neiter, Esther Brandt, Bertha Wierth, Marie Greiwe, Esther Vornholt, Edgar Wierth.
Uniopolis—John W. Davies, Loy Stevely, Charles Parlette, Helen Bally; (Rural)—Hardin, Lillie Parlette; Walton, Doris Sellers ; Ohler, Ethel McDougle.
New Hampshire— J. E. McNaughton, Geneva Tabor, O. F. Lusk, Hazel VanHorn, Ruby Feikert, Cecile Hull.
Cridersville—Edna Hawisher, George Roess, Cosetta Scott, Alvena Mowery, Helen Fix, Jessie Bryant.
Buckland— George E. Chronic, John H. Rousculp, Miss Nellie Parlette, Miss Edna Crabb, Miss Llewena Marsh; (Rural)—Sodom, Vida Richardson; Butcher, Mildred Ramge ; Place, Una Steveley ; Doering, Theodora Gilberg.
New Knoxville—Edwin J. Meyerholtz, Paul Wenger, Elizabeth Kuck, F. A. Grewe, Selma Cook, Marianne Wellman.
Salem Township Deep Cut, Mildred Greek; Smith, Lucille Wright; Kossuth, W. R. Briggs; Kossuth primary, Meta Meckstroth ; Croft, Grace Baning ; Swamp College, Mrs. Tillie C. Anderson; Barber, John Gallman.
Noble Township—Moehl, Bertha Aufderhaar ; Brewer, Joyce Bailey; Slife, Muna Hamilton ; Doute, Flossie Mae Smith; Walnut Grove, Melva Miley; Warman, Sadie Miley; Four Mile, Gretchen Nickel; Yahl, Lois Brewer.
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St. Marys township—Koop, Mabel Barrington ; Poppe, Mrs. Sophy Reed; Carter Creek, Ella Wellman; Dohse, Araminta Kuhlman; Ferguson, William Huffman; Graybill, Helen Waesch ; Huenke, Corla Ike.
German Township—West Side special, Clement Steinecker.
Jackson Township—Egypt, Marie Willke ; Egypt primary, Louise Puthoff ; Jackson special, Fred Huber.
Logan Township—Elm Tree Hall, Frank Holtzapple ; Zion, Mrs. Jennie Richardson.
Moulton Township—Glynwood, Carl F. Minnich ; Town- line, Laura Oelrich ; Burke, Cora Birk; Moulton, Catherine Culleton; Dorley, Winona Bailey.
Washington Township—Chapel, Marcella Hoge ; Walnut Grove, Irvin Katterheinrich ; Burk, Clara Kolter ; Brookside, Mrs. Caroline Holtkamp ; Burroak, Edwin B. Mahn; Cloverleaf, Bertha Haberkamp ; Cleardale, Gretchen Rohrbacker.
Duchouquet Township—Parlette, Opal Spees ; Infirmary, Jessie Crawford; Whiteman, Mildred Sillin Burton, Ida Williams; Burden, George Berlet.
Pusheta Township Winegardner, Louis Blank; Lenox, Nora Hettle ; Weimert, S. W. Frazier; Taylor,. Leona Hittepole ; Roode, Clarice Shanks ; Mentz, Thomas Burke, Jr.
Clay Township—Idle, Ella Watkins; Eheman, Mrs. Ruth Helmlinger ; Geyer, Mamie Fogt ; Santa Fe, Mamie Roediger ; Dearbaugh, Lulu Duvall ; St. Johns, Earl F. Kent; St. Johns (primary), Mrs. Lela B. Kent; Dobie, L. A. Musser; Lusk, J. W. Swartz ; Line, Alethia Elliott ; Rinehart, Roy Clingerman.
Wayne Township—Sugar Grove, Riley Wilson; Wallace Fork, Mrs. Eldon Buffenbarger ; Nickell Valley, Eldon Buffenbarger ; Willow Branch, Hazel Baker.
Music Supervisors—W. L. Gebhart, Albert A. Jones and Miss Laura Niederhaus.