Wayne County, Ohio - Chapter 10: Educational, 1910

Chapter 10: Educational

When the pioneer band settled in the forest lands of Wayne county they came to build for themselves homes, and to most of them that included the proper training of their children, both in intellect and morals. The church and the school house were the first things sought for after the cabin home had been reared and a small patch of timber had been cleared away, on which land was to be grown, the first crops upon which the hardy pioneer settler was to feed his little flock.

Wayne county was in no wise behind her sister counties in establishing her school system, and year by year improved it until today no county has better grades of public schools than are found here. At first this county, in common with all sections of the United States at that early date, depended on the subscription school for the primary education of their children.

Primitive Schools

Perhaps no better description of the early-day schools in Wayne county can be given the reader of today than to quote from the late Ben Douglas, who had lived here and made a careful study of the growth of the school systems of Ohio from the earliest times to the date he incorporated the following into a chapter of his "Wayne County History," published in 1878. It reads as follows :

"The primitive school house, as described to us, was eighteen feet square, built of logs, round or hewn, as the caprice of the builders suggested. It had a floor of split logs called puncheons ; it was roofed with clapboards, with ridge poles to hold them to their places and keep the wind from blowing them away. At the one end was a fireplace, - in fact, in many instances, the whole end was devoted to such use, and therein were rolled and tumbled in immense hack-logs. At the other end was a door with latch and string, and a window was formed by sawing out a section of a log, inserting therein a light frame and stretching over the same some white oiled paper.

"In the center of the room were slabs which were used for benches, without hacks, and these were set on feet, or sticks set up perpendicularly at

''These early schools were gotten up by subscriptions, that is, parents subscribed so much for each member of the family; if they sent one, so much; if more, that much in proportion more. These subscriptions were usually for a quarter, and the school commonly began November ist. Though it was a short term, it was sometimes long for the teacher. The instructor was most anybody they could pick up; sometimes an intelligent neighbor, sometimes the peripatetic gentleman 'from York State.' In those days the teacher was held in great esteem, aye, reverence. He was a master, and was supposed to know everything. He could solve puzzles, do sums, make capital letters, sometimes he drank nothing but milk, and his last and most unfortunate gift was that he could sing. He always kept 'order' in the school room, his weapons to make the scholars 'behave' consisting of a rule and a well-filled quiver of 'gads.'

"When he touched somebody's son he employed his whole intellect. If perchance he thumped him he did it bodily - boldly. If he struck his knuckles with his club, he did it with refined courage; if he pulled his ears - why this was government. At this, the father thought the child was being instructed. He pretty nearly always boarded with the scholars, and of nights he would call them around him, the little trembling urchins, with black marks on their tender backs which resulted from his cruel hammerings during the day, and pat them on the head and cheeks and tell the parents how apt and smart they were ; that this was Cincinnatus and that a Cicero. The father would take it 'all in' and reflectively remark to his good wife of the fame that was sure to come upon them.

"Sometimes the scholars would 'bar' their teacher out on Christmas or New Year's day and then his Satanic majesty was to pay with a depleted purse. He might break in the door, or crawl through a window, or jump down the chimney ; or if there were any big scholars in attendance, he would 'cave in' and promise to 'set 'em up' the next day. The 'treat' he would furnish would be composed of candles, cakes and gimcracks. On the last day of the school the heads of the family would assemble and the master would use some endearing terms to parting children and their fond fathers and mothers.

"The subjects taught were the three rules - celebrated rules - 'Readin', Ritin' and Rithmetic' to the rule of Three. If the teacher said he could go this far he was hired with no further examination. If a pupil could bound the United States he was considered classic and fit to preach or practice law.

Spelling was a big thing, for the masters were always spellers themselves, and in addition 'worked out hard sums' of the neighborhood. The children sometimes had a long distance to go to school, and in such cases their parents made furrows with their plows through the woods, or 'blazed the trees' as guides for them. Here they would gather, hoys and girls, the omnipresent 'big brother' likewise putting in his appearance. The boys in those days, too, kept busy their eyes to all fun going on, and occasionally they took their dogs along, Jew's harps, jackknives, and frequently a pistol was taken with them."

They all voted for long recesses and short recitations. But under all these circumstances they managed to make some accjuirements, and proved to be highly useful members of society when they grew to manhood and womanhood. To these back-woods pupils we are today greatly indebted for the many blessings we enjoy, for when the times were ripe and the questions of improving the school system came up for them to decide, they knew the need of a change and always voted right.

The Public School System

With the advancing of the decades, the settlers of Wayne county heralded with almost one accord the advent of better schools and they were soon patterned after some one of the older Eastern states.

The adoption of the new state constitution gave a new impetus to the educational affairs of Wayne county. The enactment of the first general law upon this subject, dated April 14. 1853, imparted a giant impulse to the cause and progress of the public schools of this county. This was an entirely new school law, on the free school system plan. This law was prepared by a senate committee, consisting of Hon. Harvey Rice, of Cuyahoga county, Hon. George Rex, of Wayne county, and Hon. Alonzo Cushing. of Gallia county. Its provisions were grand and beneficent.

Wayne county people seemed from the first to grasp the intent of this new law and at once were eager to take advantage of the same. Among the first townships to move under the law was Plain, and the first school house built under the new law was what is known as "People's College," in sub-district No. 7. It should here he stated, however, that, as is nearly always the case in any innovation, it was met with a stout opposition ; hut under the direction of Hon. Benjamin Eason, Jacob Weltv and Rol)crt C. Beard, the local directors, the sub-district completed its building, which served as a model for many years for other sub-districts of Wayne county. From time to time various amendments have been made to that school law; but in all subsecjuent legislation upon this subject, the salient features of the original law have been retained ; and today the same system of free education to all the youth of the state remains as a monument to the wisdom, intelligence, justice and genius of the framers of the first law.

Smithville High School

What was Cjuite an educational institution, at an early day, was the Smithville high school, established in August, 1865, at Smithville, Green township. Prof. J. B. Eberly was the first teacher and became principal of the school. In 1867 money was raised by subscription to the amount of five thousand dollars to build a building to take the place of the old "Synagogue," or Presbyterian church. By 1878 it was reported to be in flourisbing condition, with buildings in all valued at twenty thousand dollars. The average yearly attendance had, up to that time, been two hundred and seventy-five students, of both sexes. A large per cent of the local school teachers up to that date had been educated at this most excellent institution. The school had no endowment, nor had it received any gifts except the original subscription of five thousand dollars.

The officers in 1877-78 were: President, Rev. D. Kosht, of Smithville; secretary, B. Musser; treasurer, Rev. James Baldwdn; board of trustees, Benjamin Hershey, of Canton; D. B. Hotchiss, of Limaville; David Shisler, of North Lawrence; Rev. John Excell, of Limaville; David Ecker, of Burbank; John Williams, of Smithville.

With the settlement of the county, the coming of railroads and building up of towns, and the growth of the Wooster University, this school largely dropped out of sight.

The first school in Milton township was taught in a log shanty in 1817, by William Doyle, where the Knupp church later stood. It Was twenty by tw'enty-four feet in size. In the winter the room was so cold that the scholars' ink would freeze while they were wwiting. This w^as a subscription school.

In Congress township the first school was taught by John Totten, in the first cabin ever erected there. The first school house built for such purposes was in 1819.

In Green township the first school was taught in 1818 by Peter Kane, a student of Oxford, England. The first school house was erected on the northwest quarter of section 23, and was a log cabin eighteen by twenty-two feet in size.

In Sugarcreek township the first school building erected ivas in Dalton, the site being where the cemetery was later located. The first teacher was Peter Vorrhes. In the township of Sngarcreek the first school was taught by Samuel Cook.

In Franklin township one of the very earliest school houses was that long known as Polecat school house, built on what was later known as the Stephen Harrison farm. Daniel Daringer donated an acre of land for school house purposes.

The first school house erected in Clinton township was called the "Newkirk" building, being situated on Henry Newkirk's land, near the stream issuing from the big spring and where the road crosses it. It contained three log benches for the children to be seated upon. The fireplace ran along the entire end of the house. The first teacher was Theory Parker, of Holmes county, who received seventy-five cents a week for her wages.

Schools At Shreve

The village of Shreve has always paid much attention to the school system, and had most excellent public schools from the very earliest day of free schools. In 1858 the corporation limit of the village was constituted into one district for school purposes. May ist, that year, a board was elected and it was decided to build a small brick school house, which was carried out at an expense of seven hundred and eighty-eight dollars. Edwin Oldroyd was the first to teach in the new building. The first memliers of the hoard of education at Shreve were as follows: John Rol)ison. S. Battles, llenr}' Fverly, Albert Richardson, Daniel Bertolett and W, G. Crossnrin,

In May, 1867, it was found necessary to build a new school house, and the ])resent structure, in part, was erected. It is a fine two-storv building on the high eminence overlooking the village. Here have l)cen held manv terms and school years of the best of modern-day public schools, and from the place haYe gone forth into the world many useful and well-educated men and women.

Canaan Academy

Canaan Academy was one of the first educational institutions in Wayne county, located at Windsor. The building, a two-story frame, thirty-six by forty-eight feet, was erected in 1842 by a stock company. This academy was controlled by a board of directors, the first board consisting of John Paul, M. D., Jonas Notestine, Justin Mills, Harvey Rice and Alfred Hotchiss. The school was opened December 3, 1843, with forty-seven pupils, under the direction of Prof. C. C. Bomberger, A. B., who taught three years. Reverends Barr and Barker had charge during the summer of 1847, being succeeded, in the winter of 1847-48, by Prof. Isaac Notestine, who taught with short intervals and remained in charge until 1863. After that year the school was taught by a number of other professors until 1874, when it was permanently closed, under Prof. J. W. Cummings. When Professor Notestine was in charge in the winter of 1851, the house was burned, after which a brick building was at once erected. The Canaan Academy was a great educator for those living in Wayne and adjoining counties.

From the report of the state commissioner of common schools in Artgust, 1876, the following has been taken, to show the contrast since then in school matters in this county, as following it will be given the latest school reports.

In 1876 the amount paid teachers in high schools and primaries was $52,797 : amount for other expenditures, including the foregoing, making a total of $121,101.

There were in the county, between the ages of six and twenty-one years, 13,473 white children and 9 colored; of this number there were between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one 3,253; there were 6,228 boys and 6,645 gfi'ls ; 5 male colored and 4 female colored.

At that date there were in Wayne county 138 sub-divisions, ii separate districts and 1 1 sub-districts included in separate districts. The total value of school property in the several townships and separate districts was $243,562.

There were employed during the year ending August, 1876, a total of 320 teachers and 10,064 pupils enrolled; of this number there were 10,029 between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. The average attendance was 6.333-

Number of school houses in the county, 235 ; number of school rooms, 345; value of all school property in Wayne county, $563,800; number of teachers employed, 254; monthly average wages for men in elementary schools, $46; women, $44; high schools, men, $74; women. $50; boys of school age, 5,352; girls, 5,042; total number enrolled in schools. 8,127; average daily attendance, 6,048; number of high schools, 84; volumes in school library, 12,936; rate of school tax (1908), eight and one-half mills per dollar of taxable property ; number of high schools in village, special and township districts in county, 1 5 ; the grades in the various districts are as follows :

Centralization Of Rural Schools

The average rural school district has but fifteen pupils, and from that number only ten upon an average attend school the full school year. There are eight hundred small sub-districts in Ohio. There can be but little enthusiasm in so small a collection of children, either for the teacher or the students.

The first law with reference to school centralization in Ohio counties was passed April 17, 1894, and it was applicable to Kingsville township. Ashtabula county. A law of general application was enacted April 5, 1898. The good results in Ashtabula county led many other townships in northern Ohio to adopt the same system. In 1908 there were within the state one hundred and eighty-six schools wholly or partly centralized.

Advantages Of Centralization

The following advantages have l)cen set forth I)v the best educators of this country regarding the combining of the smaller district countrv schools together into one centrally located union school, to which the children mav be transported to and from home by public conveyance at public expense:

It encourages supervision and gives the superintendent a much more favorable chance for thorough inspection of the work of the lower grades.

It gives the boys and girls of the rural schools the benefit of such special branches as music, drawing, and agriculture, under a special teacher employed by the board of education.

It encourages the formation of good township high schools and gives to the boys and girls in the township districts ecjual advantages with the children of the city districts.

School affairs can be administered more systematically. Better equipment in the way of apparatus and library for the different grades can be provided for less money.

It helps to solve a difficult problem for the boards of education where the enumeration in several sub-districts is exceedingly small and new buildings are needed.

Up to the present time - 1909 - Wayne county has not taken this matter up. There are some townships certainly in which it would not be practical, while in several others it might he well worth a trial.