Sandusky County, Ohio - Chapter 29: Fremont - Pu3lic Schools., 1882

Chapter 29: Fremont - Pu3lic Schools.

erected about the year 1816, on the site of the present High School building, a few rods west of Fort Stephenson (then standing) and within three years after the heroic defence of that fort by Colonel Croghan.

It was constructed of rough, unhewn logs, cut from the surrounding trees and hastily put together by the joint efforts of the early settlers. Oiled paper took the place of glass in the windows, and the seats were of the most primitive construction. It was replaced in 1817 by a more substantial structure, erected on the same site, fronting east, and built of hewn logs, with some such improvements as glass windows, a row of desks around the walls, and a blazing fire-place at the eastern extremity.

In recording the names of such of the early teachers of our common schools as we have been able to find, we may mention Mr. Jocelyn, Dr. Gooding, Miss Beebe, Mr. Bradley, Dr. Brainard, and Ezra and Justus Williams; but we cannot name them in regular order from 1819 to 1828, except E. B. Johnson and Mr. Simms, who taught in 1824 and 1825.

During the winter of 1818-19 a select school was taught by Mrs. Lysander C. Ball, in one of the rooms of old Fort Stephenson, and she says that one of her pupils was an Indian boy, whose capacity for learning was quite equal to that of her brightest scholars, and he was so considered by the rest, and respected accordingly. Mrs. Ball was born February 15, 1800, and is still living (1881) in her

Samuel Crowell, from Virginia, was engaged in the common schools in 1828 and 1829; he was a fine teacher and a very worthy man. He was afterwards twice elected sheriff of Sandusky county.

Edson Goit came next, who taught in 1830 and 1831; he then studied law, was admitted to the Bar in 1833, and died at Bowling Green in 1879. He was a man of superior ability and leaves an honorable record.

Wilson M. Stark was engaged in teaching from 1836 to 1839 inclusive; he was then appointed postmaster, and afterwards elected county treasurer for four years, and then county superintendent of schools; he was highly respected as a fine scholar and teacher, a thorough business man, a gentleman of strict integrity, and thoroughly qualified for every position he was called to fill; he died, in 1864, honored and loved by all.

Horace E. Clark, after teaching a number of years, was elected county surveyor seven years, and county auditor four years; he died at Lower Sandusky, and is remembered as a very worthy citizen.

One of the most prominent and efficient pioneer teachers of Sandusky county was John W. Case, who came to Lower Sandusky about the year 1834, and served the people as teacher for about ten years with eminent success, and he has always stood so high in the estimation of this community, as a scholar, teacher, and Christian gentleman, that we feel assured our readers will justify us in presenting to them an epitome of his history, which we we clip from a report of the proceedings of the Muskingum Methodist Protestant conference in 1877.

Whereas, Death has visited our conference during the past year and removed from our midst one of our pioneers, as well as a revered father of the church; and

Resolved , That we, as a conference, join in recording the following facts in regard to the deceased : Rev. John W. Case was born in October, 1808, in Orange county, New York. He was converted and united with the Baptist church in his sixteenth year. He was married in August, 1829, to Miss Rachel M. Bylia of New York city. He taught school in Georgia, New York city, Rochester, Adams' Basin, and Lower Sandusky. When he moved to Ohio, he united w'ith the Methodist Protestant church. In 1839 he was licensed to preach; and in 1841 he was admitted into the itineracy. He preached and labored on the following circuits and stations: Bellevue, Bucyrus, Coshocton, Pleasant Hill, Steubenville, Vienna, Mount Pleasant, Belmont, Zanesville, Pennsville, Wellsville, Cambridge, Pisgah, Otsego, Huntingdon, Rich wood, and Lewistown. On all these fields of labor Brother Case was highly esteemed, and he still lives in the memories and hearts of these people. His dear companion was a true wife, a loving mother, and a sympathizing co-laborer; she died August 24, 1874, in great peace. He was again married to Mrs. Mary Conning, of York, Medina county, Ohio, June, 1876, with whom he lived in harmony until March, 1877, the day of his death. He was buried at Hartwood, Tuscarawas county, by the side of his first wife. Thus rests a veteran of the cross.

To which we append the following poetic address delivered by Dr. Thomas McCune, of Fremont, Ohio, at the reunion of the John W. Case association held at the court-house during the annual pioneer meeting, September 6, 1881.

Reminiscences Of Lower Sandusky

Those who were pupils of the old log school-house remember very distinctly the deep ravine that used to run just south of the present High School building, in i whose waters, swollen by recent rains, they used to play; also the graves of the British officers near by, and a mound which marked the common burial place of the British soldiers that fell in the battle of Fort Stephenson, over and among which they were accustomed to ramble in their school-day sports. This school-house was also the church and court-house. In it the teacher taught, the missionary preached, and the judge expounded the law and administered justice.

The studies pursued in the earlier schools were reading, writing, arithmetic, a little grammar, and very little or no geography. Among the text books were Pike's Arithmetic, Murray's Grammar, the introduction to the English Reader, the English Reader, and the sequel to the same, together with Webster's Spelling Book.

The old log school-house stood until the fall of 1834, when it was burned down, as it was considered unsafe for school purposes, a cholera patient having died in it the previous August. In its stead a rough stone building was erected, containing at first one room, and eventually two. This remained until after the organization of the schools on the graded or union school plan, and the ereci tion of the new brick building in 1852-53.

! The same year a brick school-house was j erected on the east side of the river, on I Howland street, which continued to be used for school purposes for nearly thirty years, when it was sold to the city council for an engine house.

The stone school-house on the west side of the river and the brick on the east side supplied the school wants for many years, although before 1850 additional buildings were rented on both sides of the river.

Dr. Dio Lewis, who has since obtained a National notoriety, taught school in 1843-44, in the old Exchange building, north of the Kessler hotel. The school was incorporated as the Diocletian Institute. Mr. Lewis not meeting with suffi cient encouragement, abandoned the project after about two years' trial.

Graded Schools

In January, 1850, a public meeting of the citizens of Fremont was held at the court-house, for the purpose of taking preliminary steps toward the organization of the schools on the graded or union-school plan, under the State law of 1849. Akron had led the way in the establishment of graded schools, under a special law passed at the instance of that town. Fremont was not slow to improve the opportunity afforded by the general law of 1 849, whose passage by the Legislature had been induced by the favorable reception of the Akron experiment. Among the active supporters of such reorganization of the schools were Dr. L. Q. Rawson, Rev. H. Lang, General Buckland, Hon. Homer Everett, Judge James Justice, Sardis Birchard, and Horace E. Clark. The question was submitted to a vote of the people February 2, 1850. The measure met with active opposition, and the election was, perhaps, the most exciting local election in the history of the city, electioneering carriages being brought out to gather in voters as on great political occasions. The measure of reorganization on the graded school plan was carried by a majority of forty-four in a total poll of two hundred and eighteen votes.

The school record from this date, 1850, for a period of twelve years, is unfortunately lost, and we are therefore obliged to depend for information relative to the early organization of the schools very largely upon the memory of men, together with such documents as poll books and the occasional reports of treasurers and teachers found among the papers preserved.

Mr. Olmsted had been an active and even violent opponent of the new departure in the school organization, and had done what he could to defeat the measure. The friends of new organization, as a stroke of policy, determined to elect him a member of the board, of which he was chosen president. He gracefully accepted the situation, and became a warm sup- | porter of the schools.

The first board of education proceeded to take measures for the erection of a new building for the better accommodation of the schools. There were, at this time, five schools - two in the stone schoolhouse, one in the brick on the east side, one in the frame building, still standing ; just east of the bridge, known in the records as the Bridge school-house, and another in the basement of the old Methodist Episcopal church, the latter two bej ing rented for school purposes.

The new school building, containing four rooms, and costing between six and eight thousand dollars, was not completed so as to be ready for the schools until the fall of 1853. Three different appropriations were made for the erection of this building, the first being carried with scarcely any opposition, and the last by a ; small majority only.

It does not appear that any attempt was made to grade or classify the schools for two or three years subsequent to the organization under the law of 1849, Probably from the want of suitable accommodations.

The following amounts were paid for tuition for the fall term of three months in 1851: Rev. F. S. White, one hundred i and twenty dollars; Horace E. Clark, ninety dollars; Miss R. P. Mitchener, i Sarah G. Downs and Elizabeth Ryder, forty-five dollars each. F. S. White, before his removal to Fremont, had been a teacher in Cleveland, and an active and warm supporter of Superintendent Frieze in the organization of the schools of that place, contributing articles to the Cleveland Plain Dealer in furtherance of their interests and the interests of the public schools in general. His salary of forty dollars per month was considered by many as extravagant in its character. It was the largest amount that had ever been paid. He only taught one term.

In a report of one of the male teachers, in 1853, we find the statement that threefourths of the pupils lose, at least, onesixth of their time, or one hour every day, in consequence of tardiness. Teachers of to-day, who rightly enough feel that they have cause to complain of the tardiness of their pupils, can gather consolation from this statement of twenty-three years ago.

The schools were first graded when the new school building was occupied, in the fall of 1853. Horace E. Clark, a former teacher in the 'schools, and at that time a member of the board of education, and county auditor, exercised a general supervision over the schools during this school year. B. W. Lewis taught in the high school, S. Treat in the west, and J. W. Hiett in the east side grammar schools. There is no report for this year.

The following year, 1854-55, J. W. Hiett acted as principal of the high school, and Superintendent B. W. Lewis and S. Treat having charge of the grammer schools, and Julia Kridler, Helen Morgan and Mary Tichneor being teachers in the primary and secondary schools.

The report of this year, the first general report ever made, shows a total enumeration of eight: hundred and sixty-four, a total enrollment of five hundred and ninety- -two, and an average daily attendance of three hundred and twelve, or fifty-three per cent, of the entire enrollment. The salaries paid were forty dollars per month for the high school, thirty-five dollars in the grammer schools, and twenty dollars per month for the lady teachers in the j primary and secondary grades, j There were at this-time six schools, re- : spectively styled the high school, the west side and east side grammar schools, the west side secondary, and the west side and the east side primary schools, four of which occupied the new school building.

The studies pursued in addition to the common branches were, according to the reports, philosophy, physiology and chem- | istry. In the fall of 1855 George A. Starkweather was employed as superintendent, and his wife as grammar school teacher, at a joint salary of one thousand dollars.

J. B. Loveland taught in the east side i grammar school. Mr. Loveland continued an effcient teacher in the grammar 1 and high schools from this time until the year 1864. Mr. Starkweather remained in charge of the school for two years. History, algebra and Latin are reported among the additional studies pursued.

C. C. Woolard, the present principal of one of the Cincinnati schools, suc- ! ceeded Mr. Starkweather as superintend- 1 ent in the fall of 1857, holding the position two years, at a salary of eight hundred dollars per year. From their correspondence the board seemed anxious to obtain I all the information possible from other towns of the Slate relative to the manage- I ment of graded schools. At this time | there were eight schools, four in the central building, one on Wood street, two on Howland street, and one on Croghanville hill, three new one-story buildings having been erected about this time. In 1858 it became necessary to rent the Presbyterian session room for the use of the high school.

The superintendent complains to the board of the irregular attendance of teachers upon the teachers' meetings. This is the first reference we find, in the history of the schools, to teachers' meetings for professional instruction. They were held on Saturday, and attendance upon them had been rendered obligatory by action of .the board.

That this period was not one of perfectly harmonious action and good feeling is evident from the tone of the letter of Don. A. Pease, in which he speaks of the excited state of the public mind in school matters, and rather reluctantly, in consequence thereof, accepts the position of superintendent for the year 1859-60, at a salary of seven hundred dollars.

Mr. Pease discharged the duties of superintendent for one year only. No general annual report seems to have been made during all these years, since Superintendent Hiett's report, nor for the three following years, or if made they took no permanent shape and have been lost.

In i860 the Rev. Dr. Bushnell, resident pastor of the Presbyterian church, was elected to the position of superintendent of schools at a salary of three hundred dollars per year. Mr. Bushnell wras a fine classical and mathematical scholar. His work was exclusively of a supervisory character. He did not teach, and in connection with his school work continued to discharge his ministerial duties. He held the position of superintendent, and ably discharged its duties for a period of three years. During the first year of Mr. Bushnell's administration J. B. Loveland taught in the high school, Mr. Sowers in the west side grammar school, and J. Burgner in the east side grammar or mixed school. In the following year J. Burgner taught in the high school, J. B Loveland in the grammar school, and F M. Ginn was employed on the east side. Mr. Ginn remained connected with the schools, an | efficient and acceptable grammar school ! teacher, until the year 1870, when he became superintendent of the schools of i Clyde, Ohio. In the fall of 1862 G. C. Woolard returned to the schools as principal of the high school, at a salary of five hundred dollars a year; J. B. Loveland continuing in the grammar school at a j salary of four hundred and fifty dollars, F. M. Ginn, at three hundred and fifty dollars, and the lady teachers generally receiving two hundred dollars a year.

: The Presbyterian session room was occu- | pied by the high school, and the basement of the Methodist Episcopal church was rented for a primary school. This was the last year of Mr, BushnelPs superintendency. He was endeavoring, we learn, j to bring the schools to a course of study I which he had marked out for his own I guidance, something that had not herej tofore been done. His superintendency j closed, however, before the work had j been thoroughly accomplished.

The following year, 1863-64, Mr. Woolard was first elected principal of the high school, and then clothed with the powers of superintendent, and an assistant teacher for the first time employed in the high school. Hitherto the superintendent, with the exception of the Rev. Mr. Bushnell, had been sole principal of the high school, and supervision under such I circumstances must necessarily have been of a nominal character. There seems to have been considerable friction during this school year, in the working of the school machinery in the teachers corps, and, as a natural consequence, between board and teachers.

Toward the close of the year the powers of supervision over the schools on the east side of the river were conferred temporarily on Mr. Ginn.

this year, one on John street and one on Hickory street. It seem to have been the policy of the board, after the erection of the central building, to build one-story structures, with a view almost solely to local accommodations.

This year terminated Mr. Woolard's connection with the schools of Fremont. We are disposed to regard him as a gentleman of good ability, and possessed of a large fund of valuable information in the theory and practice of teaching, especially in the lower departments.

Superintendency Of W. W. Ross

In 1864 W. W. Ross was elected superintendent, his brother Zachary Ross being employed in the grammar school, both at a joint salary of one thousand one hundred dollars, which was increased to one thousand two hundred dollars at the close of the first term. Miss Kate Patrick was assistant in the high school.

At this time there were ten schools, respectively styled high, grammar, intermediate, secondary, and primary. Two of these schools occupied rented rooms, entirely unsuited to school purposes. There was no printed course of study, and in fact no definite course of study of any kind, especially in the high school, that was considered as of a binding character.

A course of study was marked out during the first term, covering a period of eleven or twelve years, four years being given to the high school. It received the sanction of the board, and was published for the guidance of teachers and the information of parents.

The high school studies hitherto pursued were, according to the reports, algebra, philosophy, physiology, and history, a very few pupils having occasionally studied geometry, chemistry, and Latin.

ical geography, philosophy, history, bookkeeping, botany, chemistry, rhetoric, science of government, natural history, astronomy, geology, logic, mental and moral philosophy, and Latin, the latter being optional.

During the first year the superintendent's time was wholly occupied in teaching, the work of supervision being effected chiefly through teachers' meetings, which were held weekly. During the second and third year about one hour each day was given to the work of supervision. The last term of the year 1864-65, Zachary Ross having resigned, Mr. Ginn was transferred to the west side, as principal of the grammar school, and the east side school became one of secondary and intermediate grade.

At the beginning of this school year, 1865-66, Miss E. L. Otis, an intermediate teacher, was transferred to the high school, a position she has continued to fill, either as assistant or principal, with marked fidelity and success to the present time.

In May, 1866, the question of appropriating sixteen thousand dollars for the erection of new school buildings, one on the east and one on the west side of the river, was submitted to the vote of the people. It was carried by a vote of two hundred and seven to one hundred and twenty one. These buildings, one a twostory and the other a three-story structure, were built the following year, and first occupied about January 1, 1868.

An additional teacher was first employed in the high school at the beginning of the school year of 1867-68. This arrangement, which thenceforward gave the superintendent two-thirds of his time for supervision, together with the new school

A German-English school was first established in 1868-69, covering the five lower grades. It has been maintained ever since, having for several years been in charge of Miss E. Augspurber, a teacher of twenty-five years' experience.

None but lady teachers have been employed in the English schools since 1870. Miss G. A. Lawton, the first lady principal of the grammar school, filled the position with rare ability for one year. Her successor, Miss M. E. Wood, has continued to discharge the onerous and responsible duties of grammar school principal from that time to the present, with such ability, energy, and success as few gentlemen could excel. She has been assisted most of the time by Mary Fanning, a faithful and competent teacher.

There has as yet been no conscious loss of power in the schools, either in discipline or in other respects, from the exclusive employment of lady teachers.

In 1873 a new and beautiful two-story primary school building was erected on John street, at a cost of five thousand dollars, and a one-story school-house on John street, and another on Hickory street, were sold by the board. This was a move in the direction of centralization of the schools, rather than their isolation.

In this year, 1873, the schools prepared work for the Vienna Exposition, illustrative of the work of all the grades, for which they received a diploma of merit.

This same year the board of education, for the first time, gave the annual report of the schools a more permanent form, by the publication of a neat little volume of sixty pages, containing the regulations, course of study, and report of the superintendent.

Shortly after, the number of grades in each room was reduced from two to one, as far as the scattered state of the school buildings made it practicable. These changes, which more definitely marked out the work of the lower grades, and determined their boundaries, resulted in immediate improvement in the work of the first six years, and a more general advancement in the annual promotions.

More recently these single-grade schools have been subdivided into two sections, with a viewr ultimately to have one five months in advance of the other, both to be promoted annually, and the advanced section of the A grammar grade, when promoted to the high school, to have the privilege of completing the course in three years, or of taking up additional studies.

Attendance, Etc

The apparently small increase in the enrollment of 1875 over 1865 was occasioned by the withdrawal of pupils from the public schools to attend the new denominational schools in the city. The per cent, of the total enrollment in average daily attendance has increased from fifty-three per cent, in 1855 and 1865 to sixty-eight per cent, in 1875.

Suspensions have been rarely resorted to, too rarely, perhaps, for the interests of the schools. The policy has been one of extreme caution in setting a boy adrift, even when there was small prospect of amendment. It is believed there is a general willingness in the community to sustain the teacher's authority, the cases being exceptional where parents seem to regard that the tardiness and irregular attendance of their children is no one's concern but their own, and that their misconduct forfeits none of their school rights.

The recent regulation which puts children or parents to the inconvenience of reporting to the superintendent or board, in case of repeated delinquencies in the matter of regular and punctual attendance, is helping to lessen these evils.

The high school course of study, from the time it was adopted in 1864, has been a four years' course. It has been slightly modified by giving two less terms to algebra in the second year, and substituting arithmetic in its place, and by substituting English literature for moral science in the last year of the course.

The present course is: First year, grammar, algebra, physiology and physical geography; second year, algebra, arithmetic, philosophy, history, botany, bookkeeping; third year, geometry, chemistry, rhetoric, zoology and science, qf government; fourth year, trigonometry, astronomy, English literature, geology, logic and mental science.

Latin may be selected in the place of grammar and history in the first and second years; zoology and mental science in the third and fourth years, or pursued conjointly with all the studies of the last two years.

! boys promoted to the high school the | privilege of completing the course in three ; years. This plan has operated admirably, such pupils often proving the very best in the classes to which they have been advanced. The privilege has not been given to the girls.

The high school has never met with any opposition in this city. No larger audiences assemble than on commencement occasions. It is believed no school is ; more highly appreciated, or more thoroughly fortified in the affections of the people. Its efficient principal, Miss E. L. Otis, has been continuously connected with the school for a period of ten years. She was assisted for three years by Estelle S. Rawson, a former graduate of the schools, and for the last three years by Miss M. L. Smith, of Mount Holyoke,

I Some attention is now paid to the elements of natural history in the D grammar grade, the elements of botany in the C, of physiology in the B, and of physics in the A grammar grade. United 1 States history is also studied in the A grammar grade, and takes the place of geography. Practical language lessons form a more important feature than formerly in the work of the C and D grammar and primary grades. Writing is commenced with the first day of school life, and an effort is made to give the pupil constant daily practice in the use of written language.

Mental arithmetic, formerly pursued as a separate study, is now taught in combination with written arithmetic. Effort is made to give its analytical processes merited attention, and to use them as a key to the operations in written arithmetic. Number lessons commence with the lowest grade.

success. Two years ago L. S. Thompson, of Sandusky, was employed as a special teacher in drawing, to visit the schools once a month, and give instruction to teachers as well as pupils, and S. C. Collins, of the same place, as a special teacher of music, to visit the schools twice a month. Under their efficient supervision the schools are making commendable progress in these b&anches.

One new feature has been introduced into the schools, worthy of mention. Practical drill in- music and literature has been made a daily exercise, with excellent results. ^ A series of concerts was given at the close of the school year 1880 and 1881, which showed gratifying proficiency. Burns' and Moore's songs were sung with enthusiasm. A regular course of reading is being encouraged this year as a special feature.

The following is a list of members of the board with the dates of their election, beginning with the year following the organization, and continuing up to 1872:

Hon. Homer Everett was secretary of the first board of education, and has served as secretary and president many terms since, contributing efficient and judicious service to the schools.

The Rev. H. Lang, to whose research we are indebted for many of the facts of this review, was a member of the first board, and C. Doncyson was elected in 1853. Both have served from twelve to fifteen years, and been active, earnest, working members. J. S. Van Ness has been a member of the board for ten years, and most of the time president, without remuneration, giving careful attention to the school property and interests of the city. Mr. Stine has been an active member and treasurer for six years. Under his able management of the finances, the board are able to report themselves free from debt.

Mr. Elwell served efficiently for three years as secretary. Mr. Hale, the present secretary, is in his third term, and has proven himself a liberal and efficient member of the board.

Very much of the efficiency of the schools is due to the hearty co-operation i he present board has extended to the eachers, and the liberal and yet judicious

The following gentlemen have served as superintendents since the grading of the schools in 1853, *n the order mentioned: H. E. Clark, one year; J. W. Hiett, one year ; G. A. Starkweather, two years; G. C. Woolard, two years; Don A. Pease, one year; Rev. E. Bushnell, three years; G. C. Woolard, one year; and W. W. Ross, who is in the eighteenth year of his superintendency.

The schools completed, with much labor and pains on the part of the teachers, fourteen volumes of school work for the Centennial Exposition.

The Present Superintendent

W. W. Ross was born at Seville, Medina county, Ohio, December 24, 1834. He attended the village school until he was eleven years old, and then, fora few years, enjoyed the advantages of instruction in a private or academic school, common in those days on the Western Reserve, taught by Charles Foster, a graduate of Dartmouth college, and a very successful teacher, who died during the war of the Rebellion.

He attended school little after he was sixteen years old, and none after he was seventeen, and but nine weeks outside his native village. He taught his first school at the age of sixteen, at fourteen dollars per month.

He built up a flourishing private or academic school, at Spencer, Medina county, Ohio. He took charge of this school for four or five years, and subsequently, for a like period, had charge of the academy in his native village.

in the office of Noble & Palmer, Cleveland, Ohio; also in the office of Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield, of the Seventysecond Ohio regiment, Medina, Ohio, and with the Hon. J. C. Johnson, Seville, Ohio.

His first experience in connection with graded schools was at Clyde. He was superintendent of the schools of that place from 1862 to 1864. In the latter year he was elected superintendent of the public schools at Fremont, a position he has filled for seventeen years, and still occupies.

Formerly quite active as a political orator, he has always taken a lively interest in political matters, and was the candidate of his party for State school commissioner in the year 1871.

He has filled the position of State school examiner for two terms; has served as president of the Tri-State Teachers' Association, and of the Northwestern Ohio State Teachers' Association; has been an active institute worker, and a frequent contributor to educational journals. From earliest ch dhood more or less familiar with legal proceedings in the office of his father, who served as justice of the peace almost uninterruptedly for a period of thirty years, he early elected the law for his chosen profession, and although circumstances have led him into another field, he has never, perhaps, entirely abandoned the thought of ultimately entering upon the practice of the law.

This thought, however has never prevented his giving his best activities and energies to the educational work in which, by the judgment of his peers, he has met with eminent success.