Stark County, Ohio - Chapter 14 (1 of 2 so headed), 1881

WHEN the survey of the Nortliwest Territory was ordered by Congress, March 20, 1785, it was decreed that every sixteenth section of land sliould be reserved for the "maintenance of pubhc schools within each township." The ordinance of 1787 - thanks to the New England Associates - proclaimed that, " religion, morality and kiiipwk'dgc being essential to good guvcrnuient, scliudls and the nicansnl" educatinn should forever be eucouragcil," The tState Con.stitution of lb((2 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, and other friends of education, a bill was passed, " laying the foundation for a general system of 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 was raised 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. He was a very energetic worker, traveling on horseback all over the State, delivering addresses and encouraging school officers and teachers. Through his efforts mncli good was done, and

Note 1. - The first school taught in Ohio, or in tho Northwestern Territ<>ry, was in 1791. The first teacher was JIaj. Austin Topper, eldestson of Gen. Benjamin Tupper, hoth Revolutionary nfficers. The room occupied was the same as that iu which the first Court was held, and was situated In the northwest hlock-houseof Ihefxarrieon, ildj 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 1 831 . Albert Pickett, Dr. Joseph Ray, William H. McGuftey - so largely known by his Readers - and Milo G. Williams, were at its head. Leading men in all piu'ts of the West attended its meetings. Their published deliberations did much for the advancement of education among the people. Through the effcirts 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 succesisftil attempts were made to organize a permanent educational society until December, 1847, when the Ohio State Teachers' As.sociation 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 tho lot and on the street in front. Across the street was an open common, and beyond that the river. Immediately opposite the door, on entering, was a broad aisle, and, at the end of the aisle, against the wall, was a desk or pulpit. On the right and left of the pulpit, against the wall, and fronting tho pulpit, was a row of slips. On each sideof 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 down, and there were boxes in the desks for holding bo<iks and papers. In the center of the room was an open space, which could be filled with movable Beata. The first school was opened here in 1800." - ieMer of A. T.

Note 2. - Another evidence of the character of the New England Associates is the founding of a public library as early as 179G, or before. Another was also established at Belpre about the same time. Abundant evidence proves the existence of these libraries, all tending to the fact that the early settlers, though conquering a wilderness and a savage foe, would not allow their mental faculties to lack for food. The cliaracter of the books shows that "solid" reading predominated.

never abated its zeal. Semi-annual meetings were at first held, but, since 185S, only annual meetings occur. They are always largely attended, and always by the bust and most energetic teachers. The Association lias given tone to the educational interests of the State, and has done a vast amount of good in jiojjularizing education. In the spring of 18.51, Lorin Andrews, then Superintendent of the Ma-ssillon .school, resigned his place, and be- Ciime a common-schocjl missionary. In July, the A.ssociation, at Cleveland, madi^ him its ageut, aud instituted measures to sustain him. He remained zealously at work in this relation until 185;}, when he resigned to accept the presidency of Kenyon College, at Gambier. Dr. A. Lord w;us then chosen general agent and resident editor of the Joimial of Edxcatioii, which positions he filled two years, with eminent ability.

The year that Dr. Lord resigned, the ex officio relation of the Secretary of Stale to the (-onimon schools was abolished, and the office of school commissioner again created. H. 11. Barney was elected to the place in October, 1853. The office has since been held by llcv. Ans(m Smyth, elected in 185G, and re-eh^cted in 18511 ; K. E. White, api>ointed by the Governor, November 11, 18G3, to till the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. W. H. Cathcart, who was elected in 18G2; John A. Xorris, in 1865; W. D. Ilenkle, in 18(58; Thomas W. Harvey, 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, 184.5, 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 w;\s held at Cincinnati, in February, 1837; the fii-st in the central part at Newark, in March, 1848. Since then the.se meeting's of teachers have occurred annually, and have been the means of great good in elevating the teacher and the public in educational int4'rests. 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 1804, applicants for teachers were re<|uirod to pay 50 cents each as an examination fee. Onii-third of the amount thus raised was allowed the use of examiners as traveling expenses, the remainder to be applied to institute 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 §16,361.91), of which 810,127.13 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 eightyfive county in.stitutes 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 §10,587.51, or §1.71 per member. There was a balance on hand of §!),4t)0.74 to commence the next year, just now closed, who.se work has been as progressive and thorough as any former year. The State Association now comprises three sections; the general a.ssociation, the superintendents' section and the ungraded school section. All have done a good work, and all rejiort progress.

The old State Constitution, adopted by a convention in 1802, was supplemented in 1851 by the present one, under which the General As.sembly, elected under it, met in 1852. Harvey lliee, a Senator from Cuyahoga County, Chairman of Senate Committee on "Common Schools and School Lands," reported a bill the 20th 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 representiitives 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 onetenth 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 i.ssued by Samuel Lewis, by K'gislative authority, though after -six months' continuance, it ceased for want of support. The same year the Pattalozzian, by E. L. Sawtell and H. K. Smith, of Akron, and the Common School

D. Lord, of Kirtlaud. The same year saw the Free School Clarion, by W. Bowen, of Massillon, and the School Friend, by W. B. Smitli & Co., gf 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 Neivs and Educator, in 1863, and the Educational Times, in 18GG. In 1850, Dr. Lord's Journal of Education was united with tlie School Friend, and became the recognized organ of tlie teachers in (_)!iio. Tiie Doctor remained its principal editor until 185(5, 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 controls 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 jjurposes, 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 tuiri r<']iorts to the State Commissioner, who r(illi.'i-t« thi/^o 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 certificates 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 certificates, valid in all jiarts t)f the State. Since then, up to January 1, 1879, there have been 188 of these issued. They are considered an excellent test of scholarship and ability, and ai'e 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 eightetui quarter-town.ships 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 Military School Fund, the proceeds of one thirty-sixth part of the land in 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 fi-om the sixteenth section of each township in that part of the State in which the Indian title was not extinguished in 1803; tlie 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 nut distributed by any uniform rule, owing to defects in the gnaiting 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 tiufs ami liceuscs 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 LSc-luMtcd 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 tliirty normal schools and academies. The amount of property invested in these is more than SC.ddii.ddd. The Ohio University is the oldest c(.ill<>ge in the State.

In addition to the regular colleges, the State controls the Ohio State University, formerly the Agrictdtural and ilechanical College, established from the proi-ecds 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 t(.lK. usrd. Tn ad.lltinn, the sum of $300,000 \va^ \ntcd liv ihi' ( iiizi'us of Franklin County, in consiiloratiiiii of the location of the college in that county. Of this 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 .igriculturo and the mechanical arts. Already cxcellciil 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 cu.stody of all school property belonging to the school district or town.ship. They hav(^ 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. aM<l allow him reasonable pay for his services; deienninc the text-books to be used ; fix the liouudarics of district.s and locate schoolhouse sites ; make estimates of the amount of money required ; apportion the money among the districts, and are required to makt; an annual report to the County Auditor, who incorpoiates ilie same in his report to the State Conimissioncr, by whom it reaches the Legislature.

Local directors control the subdistricts. They enumerat(; 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 them.