Jefferson County, Illinois - Chapter 13: History of the Schools in Mount Vernon, 1909

Chapter 13: History of the Schools in Mount Vernon

The subject of education should engross the attention of every good citizen of the county. It certainly does interest that part of us who in our "growing up" were so greatly deprived of its privileges. Our forefathers struck the keynote when they declared in their famous "Ordinance of I 787" that "knowledge with religion and mortality are necessary to the good government of mankind." Without education there can be no free or lasting government. An ignorant people can be governed, but only an intelligent, educated people can govern themselves ; in other words, we must educate or we will certainly perish, no argument is needed along this line.

At first Congress passed an act enabling Illinois to set apart section 16 of each township for the use of the inhabitants of such township for the support of schools. The sixteenth section so donated, amounted to about a million acres for Illinois and over ten thousand acres for Jefferson county. Truly a princely donation for education in that day. But the squatters took possession of the school lands and wasted the timber and otherwise decreased the value of same and the cause of education languished, the settlements were sparse, money scarce, and no professional teachers. Thus things went on until in 1825, the Duncan school law, a good one, but far in advance of the population, was passed, which declared: "To enjoy our liberties and rights, we must understand them : It is a well established fact that no people ever continued long in the enjoyment of civil and political freedom, who were not virtuous and enlightened; it is, therefore, considered the peculiar duty of a free government like ours, to extend and encourage the improvement and cultivation of the intellectual energies of all." Then followed the law, which is really the foundation upon which our admirable free school system of today rests, and which is now being enforced and cared for by Professor Francis G. Blair, a Jefferson county boy. But at that time the people were not ready for it - not educated up to it - and after its repeal, which took place two years later, the cause of education languished; and for many years the schoolhouses, school books, school-teachers and manner of mstruction were of the most primitive character. The houses were of the proverbial log-cabin variety, and the books were as rude as the cabins and the teacher was sometimes the most primitive of all. He considered it his duty to impart instruction by means of a gad, just as we controlled oxen in those days. It was this vicinity from 1825 to 1837. The documents read something Hke this: "I, Edward Maxey, agree to teach a school of spelling, writing and arithmetic, for so long, for five days each week and make up any lost time, according to my best skill and the scholars' several capacities, for four dollars for each scholar - two of which to be paid in money and the rest in pork or young cattle at the expiration of the term." And below were the names of nearly all the pioneers, signing one or more scholars, some one-half scholar, some one and one-half, some two and some three. And these agreements extended through several years, signed by Maxey and the early settlers.

And so the work of education went on, but was not altogether satisfactory even to the most unlearned. But the "deestick schoolmaster" was a unique character - a personage of importance. He was even considered a better authority on law than the Justice of the Peace. He ranked high in social life and was considered a kind of an intellectual center of the neighborhood. But his time was up and he passed away; he fled before the whistle of the locomotive and the click of the telegraph and we shall Aever see his like again. He lives - only in tradition. The framers of the Constitution of 1848, said the General Assembly might provide a system of free schools, but is was even several years later before the convention which said : "The General Assembly shall provide a thorough and efficient system of free schools, whereby all children of the state may receive a good common school education," and compelling all parents, guardians, etc., to send the children under their care to the public schools.

The first school ever taught in Jefferson county was in 1820, by Joel Pace, who was then County Clerk. It was taught in a floorwall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 135 less cabin, without ceiling or window - perhaps without shutter to the door. The next school was by James Douglas at Old Shiloh. He boarded at Zadok Casey's and it was then that the Governor got his education - from Douglas. That school-house burned down, another one built and Emory Moore taught the next school at Old Union; then W. L. Howell. A man named Freeman taught a school at Mulberry Hill in a cabin put up by Clark Casey, and thus the school went on and afforded the children about the only excitement they had in those days. The testament, the spelling book, the arithmetic and a little writing book was the course of study, and the schools were loud - very loud - for everyone "studied out loud, at one and the same time.

Schools In Town

The people of Mount Vernon for several years patronized schools in Shiloh township. In 1831 a log school-house was erected about wljere George Howard now lives, this side of General's Pavey's in the northwestern part of the city. Scholars came from the west as far as Bullock's Prairie. Here Mr. Tally taught the first school in what is now Mount Vernon; after Tally had "tally-ed" out, John Baugh taught here; then Abner Melcher and daughter Priscilla ; and then John Downer, and the house fell in. Miss Rand taught a school on the west side of the square. Joshua Grant, brother of A. M., taught in the Methodist preacher's house, standing next to the old church on Eleventh street, and part of the time was occupied in keeping the snakes out of the room.

At length the educational fever took a new phase ; it was determined to have an academy and Governor Anderson gave the site off of his farm, locating the new school house on Eighth street, just south of Jordan. In 1 839 the Legislature incorporated a board of trustees composed of Zadok Casey, Stinson H. Anderson, Joel Pace, W. S. VanCleve, E. R. Ridgway, Downing Baugh, J. W. Greetham and Angus M.Grant. A building committee was appointed and the furnishing of the materials and putting up the building was awarded to John H. Watson for three hundred and fifty dollars. John and Asa Watson and John Leonard built the house and the work of education seemed assured. There were two large rooms - one below and the other above, a stairway on the north with a small room for apparatus, which we understand was furnished by Governor Casey. The first school was taught by Lewis Dwight, a Yankee school teacher and preacher. His assistant was a Miss Evans. While teaching, Dwight married Governor Casey's daughter, Mahala, and they were the parents of Judge Samuel L. Dwight, now of Centralia, but who received his early education in the old academy. Dwight soon after died, and Joel F. Watson taught the next term. Then came Johnson Pierson ; Dr. Beach and wife ; Walbridge and sister; W. W. Bennett; T. B. Tanner; William H. Green, Sr. ; John H. Pace, and last, but not least, the notorious Bob Ingersoll of infidel fame. These were all prominent men and good teachers, and the reputation of the old academy was known far and wide. Many of the pupils of this old Mount Vernon Academy are now on the other side of the divide, but some of them had risen to a degree of eminence before going and it is quite proper that we name a few, like Governor Casey's boys - Drs. Newton and John, Colonel and Judge Thomas S. - all were called to fill positions of honor and trust; Robert F. Wingate, attorney general for Missouri; Col. L N. Haynie, adjutant general and colonel in the war; Lewis F. Casey, prominent in Illinois and Texas; Joel F. Watson, for many years County Clerk; James M. Pace, School Superintendent and first Mayor of Mount Vernon ; Dr. A. Clark Johnson, Jefferson county historian; Charles T. Pace, that thoroughly Christian, busiwall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 137 ness and Sunday school man; Dr. W. C. Pace, of Ashley, and brother, N. C, who was captain in the army and then Mayor of Mount Vernon for several terms; Captain and Judge Samuel L. Dwight, Centralia - Dr. Pace and Judge Dwight being the only ones of these now living ; others, whose names we do not now recall ; and last and least, your humble servant, the writer, who considers it fame and honor enough to be permitted to write even a brief account of this school and the men who composed it, both as teachers and scholars, to say nothing of the public-spirited men who instituted it. Inside this historic house the writer received all the schooling he ever had, about six months in all. Being a "roust-about and boy of all work" around the principal hotel of the town, he could only attend school "between times" - that was about one day in and two days out, and in this way learning a little and, leaving most of what he ought to know out, he graduated from his alma mater - the old Mount Vernon Academy, being "excused" whenever he was needed at the hotel or whenever farming time came. Still we liked our teachers and "our neighbor boys" who seemed to be fixtures in the academy and memory reverts to them very tenderly.

for the old school-house has long since disappeared. It was never out of debt - was attached and sold in 1 854 to Richard and Barzilla Ragan and after their death it fell into the hands of Mrs. Rohrer, who built the brick house that now stands exactly where the old

For a while school was kept almost anywhere. A Presbyterian minister put up a house just west of Noah Johnston's and tried to run a private school, but one Sunday morning he went out to the pasture to catch his horse to ride out in the country to preach. The horse "felt his oats" and would not be caught and the preacher went to the house, got his gun and planted a load of buckshot in his hide for his smartness. The shot had a bad effect - on the people - and soon aiter, the reverend quit his school, quit preaching and moved on. In 1851-2, H. T. Pace built a school-house in the grove just north of Dr. Plummer's on Tenth street, and employed Miss Willard, who afterwards married Rev. John Ingersoll (Bob's father), to teach. Mrs. Chamberlain, Mrs. Hogue and Morton Green taught there afterwards. Martha and Sarah Green - the doctor's sisters - taught in the old Methodist church. When the Methodist church was built, the three rooms below were for school purposes and in these Rev. J. Leaton, the first station preacher, opened school in 1854. Next year a charter was granted by the Legislature to Z. Casey, J. Leaton, John N. Johnson, John H. Watson, Joel F. Watson and Walter B. Scales, who with three others to be selected by the Southern Illinois conference were to be trustees of the Mount Vernon Academy (new). Prof. Leaton was principal and remained so for three years. After him came A. C. Hillman, John H. Pace and C. E. Robinson and others conducted the school until it quit - just like the other academy. The war came on and schools, like other businesses, shut up shop and studied war.

Rev. Thomas H. Herdman, of Ohio, with Miss Carrie Smith, of Mattoon, and started up the school again. Prof. Herdman remained four years, giving good satisfaction, being assisted by Miss Sellers and Miss Anna Waggoner, who was afterwards Mrs. Gus Strattan. In 1 866 the project of building a school-house became a very live question, and resulted in securing the lot where the Franklin school-house now stands and the building of a twelve thousand dollar school-house, having two large rooms above and two below. Mr. Barbour was employed to teach the school. He had an altercation with one of his scholars, got cut, and quit; E. V. Sattenfield filled out his time, then G. W. Johnson, Ryder, Forbes, Wilson, Woodward, Courtney, Frohock, Nichols, Barnhart, McCrea, Alvis Reubelt, VanCleve and Minor, the present superintendent. When the house was finished, the classes went from the church to it, but the basement of the Presbyterian church had been leased for school purposes and the classes taught there remained, but were finally merged into the public school. This first house was destroyed by the great cyclone that struck Mount Vernon in 1888, but was speedily rebuilt larger and better. After this it seemed to be no trouble to get favorable votes for school-houses - in fact, the people seem ready to endorse every proposition for the enlargement or betterment of our school facilities. Since the town has risen. Phoenix-like, from the cyclone, a large public school-house has been erected and added to, on the west side ; another on the south side, and has been voted for the northwest side, somewhere near where the original schools were taught by Tally and others. Nothing evokes as much feeling and enthusiasm as our school election, both as to the location of houses and selection of superintendents to run the schools, which shows plainly that our educational interests are certainly not lagging. To show that we are up to date, it is only necessary to state that in addition to the above, we have a Mount

Vernon township high school, one of the most beautiful in all the region round about, with Prof. J. M. Dickson in charge and a corps of teachers that would be an honor to any first-class institution of learning. This school receives pupils from the eight grades of the city schools and from township schools as well. Nothing in the history of Mount Vernon and Jefferson county promises as much good for the city and county as does this township high school. It secures to the rising generation of city and county, a better and higher grade of education than it would be possible for the majority of them to secure without it. It is refreshing to see the young people flocking to the school and Jefferson county's "higher education " seems assured by its being operated in our midst. All honor to the people of Mount Vernon township who voted that this school should be.

And then, we also have a school-house and competent teachers for the colored population. Altogether we have in our city schools an average of about twenty-four hundred. The school buildings of the city are all creditable structures, but will have to be enlarged to meet the requirements of the heavy increase in school population, the number of children of school age now approximating twenty-eight hundred, requiring the services of a superintendent, three principals and a corps of from twenty-five to thirty-five teachers. Our schools are first-class and reaching for higher standards. In addition to the large number of pupils in the home district, many come from other parts of the county to secure the advantages of the high school training as a preparation for business or teaching. Many of our graduates now hold positions in the schools of Mount Vernon and Jefferson county, and many others are ornaments to the homes and professional and business circles of our own and other cities.

In view of these facts we think we are justified in our statement that the public schools are by far the most important of Mount Vernon's institutions and they are entitled to the loyal and hearty support of every progressive citizen.

Then in the township, outside of Mount Vernon, we have eight other school-houses well filled with the rising generation who are coming on to take the places of men and women now on the stage of action ; all well equipped with good teachers and necessary school supplies.

The entire school interests of Jefferson county are now being cared for by our efficient, painstaking County Superintendent of schools, Mr. Arthur E. Summers, who has the interest of the county and the schools at heart and who leaves nothing undone that he sees ought to be done. The county has had many good superintendents, but none more efficient and faithful than the present incumbent.

The following statistics will show somewhat of^ the present status of education in our county, which the reader can compare with the beginning of our school interests at his leisure :

As supplementary to our splendid high school and our graded schools of the county, we have in the state some old and tried colleges and universities to "finish up" the work so well begun, the uni- versities at Champaign and Carbondale need only to be mentioned, and the Northwestern at Chicago ; and then such institutions as Mc- Kendree at Lebanon and many Jefferson county boys have risen to distinction from the knowledge they gained there ; among others, the Illinois College, Shurtliff, Knox and even Ewing College - all important factors in fitting young people for future usefulness and success in life - and all from the almost insignificant beginnings, referred to in the early part of this chapter. Men, boys, women and girls, just think of the wonderful opportunities and facilities, which you now enjoy for education and advancement, as compared with what your predecessors enjoyed. Will you not show yourselves worthy successors to these glorious pioneers - these "diamonds in the rough" Christian patriots?