Jersey County, Illinois - Chapter 20: Private Educational Institutions, 1919

Chapter 20: Private Educational Institutions

The Jersey ville Young Ladies Seminary was instituted only ten years after the organization of Jersey County, and before the development of the common school law and system which is in existence today. This seminary was mentioned in Dr. Grosvenor's Thanksgiving address, which was delivered only fourteen years after the organization of the county. Miss Virginia Corbett was its principal. No better description of this famous institution and its development can be found than that contained in the "Souvenir of a Re-union of Its Former Students" held at Jersey - ville, October 7, 1891, at which Miss Corbett was present. This was the thirty-fifth anniversary of the closing of that institution, and quotations are made therefrom.

Reunion

The Jersey ville Young Ladies Seminary was opened in the fall of 1849 by Miss Virginia Corbett, in a small room east of the main building which was erected in the following year. The school at first only num¬ bered sixteen, increasing, however, until the last year, 1856, when there were seventy in attendance. Over 200 young ladies were numbered as pupils in the seven years, it was conducted. During this period Miss Corbett had five assistants, Miss Elizabeth Richards, now a successful teacher in New York City; Miss Kate Corbett, now Mrs. J. A. Chestnut; Miss Rachel Corbett, now Mrs. A. C. Hinton ; and Miss Eliza Chandler, now Mrs. S. V. White of Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. Penuel Corbett was the

In the spring of 1856, Miss Corbett closed her labors as teacher, and on October 7, following, was married to Mr. Isaac Harbert. The thirtyfifth anniversary of her marriage, which occurred October 7, 1891, was made by her old pupils now resident in and around Jerseyville, the occasion of a reunion, the object of which was to cement anew the friendships of past years. Invitations were sent to former pupils, whose addresses could be learned, and were generally responded to; many who could not attend, sending messages of congratulations and good wishes. Over thirty letters from ladies living in California, Wash¬ ington, Colorado, Nebraska, Dakota, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, were received, expressing their warmest affection for their teacher and class¬ mates ; relating reminiscences connected with school life, with very sincere regrets because of their inability to be present and take part in the reunion. The following are their names and addresses: Miss Rebecca Gowan, St. Louis, Mo.; Mrs. Ella Moreau Morgan, St, Louis, Mo. ; Miss Mary Estes, St. Louis, Mo. ; Mrs. Hannah Updike Colby, St. Louis, Mo. ; Mrs. Mary Charles Crosby, Brookfield, Mo. ; Mrs. Phoebe Nihils Clark, Rush Hill, Mo. ; Mrs. Mary Silsby Martin, Kansas City, Mo. ; Mrs. Margaret Potts Dennis, Anthony, Kas. ; Mrs. Hannah Van Pelt Sufficool, Benwade, Kas. ; Mrs. Mary Nevius Holmes, Moorhead, Minn. ; Mrs. Mary Van Pelt Whyte, Breckenridge, Col. ; Mrs. Lizzie Adams Curtis, Lockwood, I. T. ; Mrs. Nellie Miner Keene, Farnsworth, S. D. ; Miss Nancy Cogswell, Stella, AVash. ; Airs. Hila Cory Fillev, Buffalo, N. Y. ; Aliss Sarah Keith, Jerseyville, Ill.; Airs. Sarah Hansell Norris, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Elizabeth Squier Woodruff, Jerseyville, Ill.; Airs. Annie Pennington Evans, Jerseyville, Ill. ; Airs. Alahala Chappell Buckles, Newbern, Ill.; Miss Nellie Alexander, Chicago, Ill.; Airs. Jennie Kirby Conklin, St. Louis, Mo. ; Aliss Talitha Bridges, St. Louis, Alo. ; Aliss Sarah Updike, St. Louis, Mo. ; Aliss Frank Risley, of Alissouri ; Mrs. Alary Howell Carson, Lewis Station, Mo. ; Mrs. Lizzie Perry James, Bonita, Kas. ; Mrs. Ellen Cory Cramer, Cherryvale, Kas. ; Airs. Rebecca Goodrich Gamble, Beatrice, Neb.; Airs. Fannie Vanarsdale Armstrong, Oakland, Cal. ; Mrs. Minerva Adams Remer, Indian Territory ; Mrs. Emily Plowman Cheney, Denver, Col. ; Mrs. Sarah Hill Almon, Vine Grove, Ark.; Mrs. Maggie Van Dike Anderson, Princeton, N. J. ; Miss Lizzie Culver, Miss Mary Shephard, Jerseyville, Ill.; Airs. Eliza Farley Bell, Jerseyville, Ill. ; Mrs. Annie Fletcher Hill, Jerseyville, Ill. ; Mrs. Rebecca Whitehead, Alexander, Jerseyville, Ill. ; Miss Harriet Lowder,

William M. Hanley And Family

The reunion took place at two P. M. in the parlors of the Commercial Hotel. Every available space was filled with beautiful flowers, including an immense bouquet of the rarest, from Mrs. Whipple, and a marriage bell from Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Christy. The event was of significance beyond the mere coming together of friends. The tide of years rolled by with all the deep meaning that had its beginning in the plain school building so many years before.

Program

McGill Weeks, Upper Alton, 111.; Mrs. Lydia Hill Greene, Carrollton, Ill. ; Mrs. Christina Blanford Kent, Greenfield, Ill. ; Mrs. Rose Allen Herriott, Jacksonville, Ill.; Mrs. Smith Carrington Kane, Belleville, Ill.; Mrs. Amanda Cowen Rae, Virden, Ill.; Miss Annie McGannon, Jersey - ville, Ill. ; Mrs. Lizzie David Lewis, Jerseyville, Ill. ; Mrs. Ann Horton Tiff, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Jennie Hutchinson Smith, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Cornelia Wyckoff Shephard, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Kate Bonnell Beaty, Jerseyville, 111.; Mrs. Emeline Davis Perrings, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Rebecca Pittman Spencer, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Julia Cummings Whipple, Jerseyville, Ill.; Mrs. Mary Cassidy Hood, Jerseyville, and the former preceptress, Mrs. Virginia Corbett Harbert. also of Jerseyville. Miss Sarah Keith, who had shown much interest in arranging for this reunion, was unexpectedly called from the city.

Address Of Welcome

"It is no ordinary welcome I bring you today, my dear girls of the olden time. More especially do we, living in and near Jerseyville, greet those who have left home and duties to mingle with us today in our reunion. Most cordially do we welcome you to our hearts and homes. Some who expected to be with us, and others because of distance, have reluctantly sent regrets.

"As far as I have been able to learn, and my interest did not cease when you left the schoolroom, your paths have been more sheltered than those of many. The interest shown in this reunion is evidence that the maturer years have not obliterated youthful attainments.

"I need not assure you that my interest extends to your children, whom I am proud to claim as my grandchildren, and even to their chil¬ dren, and I shall be glad to learn how many there are of the latter.

"During the last month, i teacher I loved - the former principal of Monticello Seminary - passed her eightieth birthday, and we. her pupils, surprised her with over one hundred letters of congratulation. Now, if my life be spared until the thirty-first day of July in the year of our Lord. 1906, I shall reach my eightieth milestone, and shall expect a letter from each one present, for I trust you will all be living at that time.

"And now, dear girls, let us lay aside all formality this afternoon, and in renewing old friendships forget the rapid flight of time; taking for our motto :

"In behalf of my schoolmates, I thank you dear teacher, for your kind words of welcome. It was not necessary that they should be spoken, for the hearty clasp of the hand, the loving kiss, as well as the sparkling eyes, have already told us we are welcome, and we are so glad to be here. Indeed no words of mine can express to you our feelings of perfect happiness in being permitted to be with you at this reunion of teacher and pupils. No doubt each one of us, during the years of our separation have often been thinking of each other, wished and even longed for a gathering like this, but such a meeting we never, for one moment, imagined could possibly occur. But today we find ourselves in Jersevville - our dear old home, our schoolgirl home, Jerseyville - around which cluster so many loving, tender and sacred memories. It was here we first formed the strongest ties of friendship, ties that never have been broken. Here in your cemetery our loved ones are buried, and in your old houses of worship many of us consecrated our lives to Christ and His work, beginning our Christian life during the ministry of Revs. "Wood, Grosvenor, Bulkley and Colwell. Here some of us took our mar¬ riage vows. Oh the happy, loving thoughts that cling to the dear old name, Jerseyville. The letters that spell the name look different to me, and of all home names, the sweetest to me is Jerseyville.

"And now, my dear teacher, whom we all so dearly love, the memory of your kindness, patience and long suffering with us, while under your care, we have never forgotten ; and your Christian example has ever been before us, and has not only influenced us in the right way, but has assisted in moulding our characters for good. God reward and bless you more and more, and on this, your wedding anniversary, may our Heavenly Father continue to be with you and your dear husband, and may you be permitted to enjoy together many more returns of this happy day."

" Beloved teacher, friends of my youth: We are here this evening to commemorate the days spent in the old white seminary on the corner. We parted a band of merry-hearted girls, with our lives all unknown before us ; and are met tonight, a company of middle-aged women, with the volumes of our lives all written, except the last few chapters. What a holy record it is! How lovingly do we linger over some of its pages! How trivial are many, how ludicrous others, and with what reverent touch do we turn these leaves where in our Gethsemane, in the agony of our souls, we cried out, 'Thy will be done,' and angels have come and ministered unto us.

"Since to every noble life there belongs a meed of praise, so, to¬ night do we offer our tribute of respect to her, to whom it is our delight to look back with feelings of love and honor. I have now the pleasure of introducing to you Mrs. Lucinda Hurd Russell, who wall respond to the toast, 'Our Teacher.' "

"Madam President, and students of Jerseyville Young Ladies Semi¬ nary. The honor you have conferred upon me is most heartily appre¬ ciated. There is so much meaning in these two words, however, that all I can say will but feebly express the gratitude of our hearts, for this opportunity of meeting our beloved teacher once more.

"As I look into the faces of these schoolmates, my mind goes back to those days when we were lighthearted schoolgirls. It does not seem so very long either ; and time has dealt so gently with our teacher, that we cannot realize it has been so long since the day we assembled in the old church to witness her marriage.

"These thirty-five years have brought about many changes, yet we remember as if it were but yesterday, the counsels of one who ever strove to prepare her pupils for lives of usefulness. We were not perfect by any means, yet, as I remember it, we were not so very disobedient; so let us hope our teacher remembers only the good we tried to do."

Messrs. James E). Russell of Tecumseh, Neb.; Benjamin Swavze of Peoria, Ill.; Samuel W. Davis of Paola, Kas. ; and Charles Van Dyke of St. Louis, Mo., who were accompanied by their wives, were at the reception.

Arrangements having been made to lay flowers upon the graves of ' ' our dead, ' ' the ladies met the following morning, and, after surprising their teacher, Mrs. Harbert, with a handsome present, which was most gratefully received, they proceeded in carriages, kindly furnished by the citizens, to our two beautiful cemeteries, where all had opportunity to show that the loved ones who had passed on before were not for¬ gotten.

"To members of the I. 0. 0. F. for the use of their hall for our reception; and to various ladies and gentlemen of Jerseyville for friendly and hospitable attention.

"That we, who are from abroad, extend to Mrs. Harbert and all the old students who reside here, our sincere thanks for this opportunity of renewing old acquaintances and pledging anew the friendships and love of our youth to our sister students of the fifties."

Mrs. Virginia Corbett Harbert was born July 31, 1826, and died October 14, 1917, at the age of ninety-one years, two months and four¬ teen days, and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, in Jerseyville, Ill.

In 1857, Mrs. Susan Henderson Cutting re-opened the Jerseyville Young Ladies Seminary, which she conducted as a private enterprise for about twelve years, or until about 1869, during that period employ¬ ing as teachers, educators of the highest talent, gathered from both eastern and western states. Instruction was given in the common and higher English branches, with Latin and French, painting, drawing, vocal and instrumental music. Mrs. Cutting labored hard and sacrificed much, and through her school, did much to bless and refine the homes represented in her institution.

Board Of Instruction

The board of instruction was represented by the following teachers: Mrs. L. M. Cutting, principal ; Miss Jennie V. A. Vosburch, teacher of French and Latin ; Miss Harriett M. Henderson, principal of the primary department; Miss A. Maria Blackburn, teacher of instrumental music; Miss Ella V. McGannon, teacher of both vocal and instrumental music.

Mrs. Cutting's death was a sorrow to all who knew her, and her funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church, June 6, 1890, Rev. I. C. Tyson, officiating. i