Medina County, Ohio - Chapter 14, 1881

1785, it was decreed that every sixteenth section of land should be reserved for the "maintenance of publie schools within each township." The ordinance of 1787 - thanks to the New England Associates - proclaimed that, "religion, morality and knowledge being essential to good government, schools and the means of education should forever be encouraged." The State Constitution of 1802 declared that * schools and the means of instruction should be encouraged by legislative provision, not inconsistent with the rights of conscience." In 1825, through the persevering efforts of Nathan Guilford, Senator from Hamilton County, Ephraim Cutler, Representative from Washington County, common schools." This bill provided a tax of onehalf mill, to be levied by the County Commissioners for school purposes; provided for school examiners, and made Township Clerks and County Auditors school officers. In 1829, this county tax wasraised to three-fourths of a mill; in 1834 to one mill, and, in 1836, to one and a half mills.

In March, 1837, Samuel Lewis, of Hamilton County,was appointed State Superintendent of Common Schools. Hewasa very energetic worker, traveling on horseback all over the State, delivering addresses and encouraging school officers and teachers. Through his efforts much good was done, and

NoTE L. - The first school taught in Ohio, or in the Northwestern Territory, was in 1791. The first teacher was Maj. Austin Tupper, eldestson of Gen. Benjamin Tupper, beth Revolutionary officers. The room occnpied was the same as that in which the first Court was held, and was situated in the northwest block-house ot the garrison, called the stockade, at Marietta. During the Indian war school was also taughtat Fort Harmar. Point Marietta, and at other settlements, A meeting was held in Marietta, April 29, 1797, to consider the erection of a school building suitable for the instruction of the youth, and for conducting religious services. Resolutions were adopted which led to the erection of a building called the Muskingum Academy. The building was of frame, forty feet long and twenty-four feet wide, and is yet(1878)standing. Thebuilding was twelve f»et high, with an arched ceiling. It stood upon astone foundation, three steps from the ground. There were two chimneys and a lobby projection. There was a cellar under the whole building. Itstood upon a beanti'ul lot, fronting the Muskingum River, and about sixty feet back fion: the street. Some large trees wero many important features engrafted on the school system. He resigned in 1839, when the office was abolished, and its duties imposed on the Secretary of State. , The most important adjunct in early education in the State was the college of teachers organized in Cincinnati in 1831. Albert Pickett, Dr. Joseph Ray, William H. McGuffey - so largely known by his Readers - and Milo G. Williams, were at its head. Leading men in all parts of the West attended its meetings. Their published deliberations did much for the advancement of education among the people. Through the efforts of the college, the first convention held in Ohio for educational purposes was called at Columbus, January 13, 1836. Two years after, in December, the first convention in which the different sections of the State were represented, was held. At both these conventions, all the needs of the schools, both common and higher, were ably and fully discussed, and appeals made to the people for a more cordial support of the law. No successful attempts were made to organize a permanent educational society until December, 1847, when the Ohio State Teachers' Association was formed at Akron, Summit County, with Samuel Galloway as President; T. W. Harvey. Recording Secretary; M. D. Leggett, Corresponding Secretary; William Bowen, Treasurer, and M. F. Cowdrey, Chairman of the Executive Committee. This Association entered upon its work with commendable earnestness, and has since upon the lot and on the street iu front. Across the street was an open common, and beyond that tlie river. Immediately opposite the door, on entering, was a broad aisle, aud, at the end of the aisle, against the wall, was a desk or pulpit. Qn the right and left of the pulpit, against the wall, and fronting the pulpit, wasa row of slips. On each aideof the door, facing the pulpit, were two slips, and, at each end of the room, one slip. These slips were stationary, and were fitted with desks that could be let Jown,and there were boxes in the desks for holding books and papers. In the center of the room was an open space, which could be filled with movable penta, The first school was opened here in 1800." - Letter of A. T. ye.

Norvr 2. - Another evidence of the character of the New England Associates is tha founding of a public library as carly as 1796, or before. Another was also established at Belpre abont the samo time. Abundant evidence proves the existence of these libraries, all tending to the fact that the early settlers, though conquering a wildernc83 and a savage foe, would not allow their mentel faculties to lack for food. The character of the books shows that "solid" reading predominated.

never abated its zeal. Semi-annual meetings were at first held, but, since 1858, only annual meetings occur. They are always largely attended, and always by the best and most energetic teachers. The Association has given tone to the educational interests of the State, and has done a vast amount of good in popularizing education. In the spring of 1851, Lorin Andrews, then Superintendent of tne Massillon school, resigned his place, and became a common-school missionary. In July, the Association, at Cleveland, made him its agent, and instituted measures to sustain him. He remained zealously at work in this relation until 1853, when he resigned to accept the presidency of Kenyon College, at Gambier. Dr. A. Lord was then chosen general agent and resident editor of the Journal of Education, which positions he filled two years, with eminent ability. |

The year that Dr. Lord resigned, the ex officio relation of the Secretary of State to the common schools was abolished, and the office of school commissioner again created. H. H. Barney was elected to the place in October, 1853. The office has since been held by Rev. Anson Smyth, elected in 1856, and re-elected in 1859; E. E. White, appointed by the Governor, November 11, 1863, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. W. H. Cathcart, who was elected in 1862; John A. Norris, in 1865; W. D. Henkle, in 1868; Thomas W. Ifarvey, in 1871; C. S. Smart, in 1875, and the present incumbent, J. J. Burns, elected in 1878, his term expiring in 1881.

The first teachers' institute in Northern Ohio was held at Sandusky, in September, 1845, conducted by Salem Town, of New York, A. D. Lord and M. F. Cowdrey. The second was held at Chardon, Geauga Co., in November of the same year. The first institute in the southern part of the State was held at Cincinnati, in February, 1837; the first in the central part at Newark, in March, 1848. Since then these meetings of teachers have occurred annually, and have been the means of great good in elevating the teacher and the public in educational interests. In 1848, on petition of forty teachers, county commissioners were authorized to pay lecturers from surplus revenue, and the next year, to appropriate $100 for institute purposes, upon pledge of teachers to raise half that amount. By the statutes of 1864, applicants for teachers were required to pay 50 cents each as an examination fee. One-third of the amount thus raised was allowed the use of examiners as traveling expenses, the remainder to be applied to in- stitute instruction. For the year 1871, sixty-eight teachers' institutes were held in the State, at which 308 instructors and lecturers were employed, and 7,158 teachers in attendance. The expense incurred was $16,361.99, of which $10,127.13 was taken from the institute fund; $2,730.34, was contributed by members; $680, by county commissioners, and the balance, $1,371.50, was obtained from other sources. The last report of the State Commissioners - 1878 - shows that cightyfive county institutes were held in the State, continuing in session 748 days; 416 instructors were employed; 11,466 teachers attended; $22,531.47 were received from all sources, and that the expenses were $19,587.51, or $1.71 per member. There was a balance on hand of $9,460.74 to commence the next year, just now closed, whose work has been as progressive and thorough as any former year. The State Association now comprises three sections; the general association, the superintendents' section and the ungraded school section. All have done a good work, and all report progress.

The old State Constitution, adopted by a convention in 1802, was supplemented in 1851 by the present one, under which the General Assembly, elected under it, met in 1852. Harvey Rice, a Senator from Cuyahoga County, Chairman of Senate Committee on "Common Schools and School Lands," reported a bill the 29th of March, to provide "for the re-organization, supervision and maintenance of common schools." This bill, amended in a few particulars, became a law March 14, 1853. The prominent features of the new law were: The substitution of a State school tax for the county tax; creation of the office of the State School Commissioner; the creation of a Township Board of Education, consisting of representatives from the subdistricts; the abolition of rate-bills, making education free to all the youth of the State; the raising of a fund, by a tax of onctenth of a mill yearly, "for the purpose of furnishing school libraries and apparatus to all the common schools." This "library tax" was abolished in 1860, otherwise the law has remained practically unchanged.

School journals, like the popular press, have been a potent agency in the educational history of the State. As early as 1838, the Ohio School Director was issued by Samuel Lewis, by legislative authority, though after six months' continuance, it ceased for want of support. The same year the Pestalozzian, by E. L. Sawtell and H. K. Smith, of Akron, and the Common School

Advocate, of Cincinnati, were issued. In 1840, the School Journal began to be published by A. D. Lord, of Kirtland. The same year saw the Free School Clarion, by W. Bowen, of Massillon, and the School Friend, by W. B. Smith & Co., of Cincinnati. The next year, W. H. Moore & Co., of Cincinnati, started the Western School Journal. In 1851, the Ohio Teacher, by Thomas Rainey, appeared; the News and Educator, in 1863, and the Educational Times, in 1866. In 1850, Dr. Lord's Journal of Education was united with the School Friend, and became the recognized organ of the teachers in Ohio. The Doctor remained its principal editor until 1856, when he was succeeded by Anson Smyth, who edited the journal one year. In 1857, it was edited by John D. Caldwell; in 1858 and and 1859, by W. T. Coggeshall; in 1860, by Anson Smyth again, when it passed into the hands of E. E. White, who yet conirols it. It has an immense circulation among Ohio teachers, and, though competed by other journals, since started, it maintains its place.

The school system of the State may be briefly explained as follows: Cities and incorporated villages are independent of township and county control, in the management of schools, having boards of education and examiners of their own. Some of them are organized for school purposes, under special acts. Each township has a board of education, composed of one member from each subdistrict. The township clerk is clerk of this board, but has no vote. Each subdistrict has a local board of trustees, which manages its school affairs, subject to the advice and control of the township board. "These officers are elected on the first Monday in April, and hold their offices three years. An enumeration of all the youth between the ages of five and twenty-one is made yearly. All public schools are required to be in session at least twenty-four weeks each year. The township clerk reports annually such facts concerning school affairs as the law requires, to the county auditor, who in turn reports to the State Commissioner, who collects these reports in a general report to the Legislature each year.

A board of examiners is appointed in each county by the Probate Judge. This board has power to grant ceruficates for a term not exceeding two years, and good only in the county in which they are executed; they may be revoked on sufficient cause. In 1864, a State Board of Examiners was created, with power to issue life cer- tificates, valid in all parts of the State. Since then, up to January 1, 1879, there liave been 188 of these issued. They are considered an excellent test of scholarship and ability, and are very creditable to the holder.

The school funds, in 1865, amounted to $3,271,- 275.66. ` They were the proceeds of appropriations of land by Congress for school purposes, upon which the State pays an annual interest of 6 per cent. The funds are known as the Virginia Military School Fund, the proceeds of eighteen quarter-townships and three sections of land, selected by lot from lands lying in the United States Military Reserve, appropriated for the use of schools in the Virginia Military Reservation; the United States Miltary School Fund, the proceeds of one thirty-sixth part of the land ih the United States Military District, appropriated "for the use of schools within the same ;" the Western Reserve School Fund, the proceeds from fourteen quartertownships, situated in the United States Military District, and 37,758 acres, most of which was located in Defiance, Williams, Paulding, Van Wert and Putnam Counties, appropriated for the use of the schools in the Western Reserve; Section 16, the proceeds from the sixteenth section of each township in that part of the State in which the Indian title was not extinguished in 1803; the Moravian School Fund, the proceeds from one thirty-sixth part of each of three tracts of 4,000 acres situated in Tuscarawas County, originally granted by Congress to the Society of United Brethren, and reconveyed by this Society to the United States in 1824. The income of these funds is not distributed by any uniform rule, owing to defects in the granting of the funds. The territorial divisions designated receive the income in proportion to the whole number of youth therein, while in the remainder of the State, the rent of Section 16, or the interest on the proceeds arising from its sale, is paid to the inhabitants of the originally surveyed townships. In these territorial divisions, an increase or decrease of population must necessarily increase or diminish the amount each youth is entitled to receive; and the fortunate location or judicious sale of the sixteenth section may entitle one township to receive a large sum, while an adjacent township receives a mere pittance. This inequality of benefit may be good for localities, but it is certainly a detriment to the State at large. There seems to be no legal remedy for it. In addition to the income from the beforementioned funds, a variable revenue is received from certain fines and licenses paid to either county or township treasurers for the use of schools; from the sale of swamp lands ($25,720.07 allotted to the State in 1850), and from personal property escheated to the State.

Aside from the funds, a State school tax is fixed by statute. Local taxes vary with the needs of localities, are limited by law, and are contingent on the liberality and public spirit of different communities.

The State contains more than twenty colleges and universities, more than the same number of female seminaries, and about thirty normal schools and academies. The amount of property invested in these is more than $6,000,000. The Ohio University is the oldest college in the State.

In addition to the regular colleges, the State controls the Ohio State University, formerly the Agricultural and Mechanical College, established from the proceeds of the land scrip voted by Congress to Ohio for such purposes. The amount realized from the sale was nearly $500,000. This is to constitute a permanent fund, the interest only to be used. In addition, the sum of $300,000 was voted by the citizens of Franklin County, in consideration of the location of the college in that county. Ofthis sum $111,000 was paid for three hundred and fifteen acres of land near the city of Columbus, and $112,000 for a college building, the balance being expended as circumstances required, for additional buildings, laboratory, apparatus, etc. Thorough instruction is given in all branches relating to agriculture and the mechanical arts. Already excellent results are attained.

By the provisions of the act of March 14, 1853, township boards are made bodies politic and corporate in law, and are invested with the title, care and custody of all school property belonging to the school district or township. They have control of the central or high schools of their townships ; prescribe rules for the district schools; may appoint one of their number manager of the schools of the township, and allow him reasonable pay for his services; determine the text-books to be used; fix the boundaries of districts and locate schoolhouse sites; make estimates of the amount of money required ; apportion the money among the districts, and are required to make an annual report to the County Auditor, who incorporates the same in his report to the State Commissioner, by whom it reaches the Legislature.

Local directors control the subdistricts. They enumerate the children of school age, employ and dismiss teachers, make contracts for building and furnishing schoolhouses, and make all necessary provision for the convenience of the district schools. Practically, the entire management rests with tbem.