Kane County, Illinois - Chapter 16: Religious .\nd Educational, 1908

Chapter 16: Religious .\nd Educational

One of the early settlers of St. Charles, Joseph T. Sibley, states that probably the first minister of the gospel wdio visited the Fox river valley was Rev. John Clark, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, with whom Mr. Sibley had become acquainted at Middlebury, Vermont. He became a resident of Kane county about 1837, in which year Mr. Sibley helped to build a log house for him on the east side of the river, between Geneva and Batavia, on the corner opposite the old Todd place. It is stated he came here from Chicago. Mr. Clark was born in Washington county, New York, July 30. 1797, converted in 181 7, and in 1820 entered the New York conference at the Methodist Episcopal church as an itinerant. In 1832 he was appointed superintendent of all the Indian missions in the Northwest, and arrived at Green Bay, Wisconsin, July 21, of that year, being the first Protestant minister to administer the sacrament in the state. In 1836 he was transferred to the Illinois conference, and it is likely that he first visited this region some time previous to that date - perhaps about 1833-34. He was transferred to Texas in 1841, to the Troy conference in 1844, and to the Rock River conference in 1852, when he was stationed in Chicago. As presiding elder, Mr. Clark's labors led him over a large district lying west of Lake Michigan. Clark (now Jennings) Seminary, at Aurora, was named in his honor, the idea of such a school having first been advanced by him. He died of cholera in Chicago, July 1 1, 1833, and was mourned both East and West as a good man gone.

It has also been stated that probably the first sermon in Kane countywas preached in August, 1834, at the log house of Christopher Payne, in Batavia township, by Rev. N. C. Clark, a minister of the Congregational church, whose labors among the pioneers of the valley began at that time. "Father Clark," as he was called, has been described as "one of God's noblemen, of a kindly, affectionate nature, truthful and sincere, and one who drew men to better things, by his own gentle and consistent ways, quite as much as by his persuasive exhortations. No breath of suspicion ever followed him from his first entrance into the county until loving hands bore him tenderly to the beautiful city of the dead that overlooks his old homestead in Elgin." Mr. Clark assisted in the organization of several Congregational churches in Kane county, and his home was for a time in St. Charles, where he was residing in 1837.

Contemporary laborers with "Father Clark" were Elder J. E. Ambrose, of the Baptist denomination, and Rev. William Kimball, a Methodist. A former historian has said of these three : "These men traveled on foot or on horseback among the early settlers around Chicago, stopping where night overtook them, and receiving the hospitalities of the cabin; without money and without price. Reverently asking the blessing of God upon all that they did, their lives were simple and unostentatious, their wants few and easily satisfield; their teaching plain and unvarnished, touched with no eloquence, save that of their daily living, which was seen and known of all men. Though of different religious sects - one being a Congregationalist, one a Baptist, and the other a Methodist - yet no discord was ever manifested between them, but a united effort was made by them to show men the way to better things by better living. They were not only physicians for the soul's care, but they sometimes ministered to the body's ailments. They married the living and buried the dead; christened the babe, admonished the young and warned the old; cheered the despondent, rebuked the wilful, and hurled the vengeance of eternal burnings at the desperately wicked. A\'hen other orators were scarce, they sometimes mounted the rostrum on the Fourth of July, and stirred the people to patriotic thoughts. Wherever they came they were welcome, and notice was soon sent around to the neighbors, and a meeting held. For years they could say literally, as did the Master before them, 'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but (we) the sons of men have not where to lay our heads."

The first actual church organization in the county was effected by the Congregationalists, at Batavia, in August, 1835. The Baptists and Methodists formed nearly contemporary organizations, the years 1836 and 1837 witnessing the formation of several church societies in the county. The Episcopalians were also early in the field, and the Universalists built, in 1842. at St. Charles, the first house of worship erected by that denomination in Illinois. The material used in its construction was brick. Rev. William Rounseville, who assisted in the work of building it, also formed a Universalist society at Aurora in the same year. Rev. Andrew Pingree. of Rutland, was also an early Universalist minister.

Peesbyterian Church, Elgin Elgin Seminary

Following in rapid succession after the organizations mentioned came others by various denominations in different parts of the county, until now many hundred thousand dollars are invested in church property, while scores of beautiful and substantial edifices point their stately spire upward, and testify that the religious welfare of the inhabitants is not lost sight of.

The first Sunday school in the county was organized at Batavia in 1835, and from that beginning similar organizations have spread throughout the length and breadth of the county, until scarcely a hamlet is without their influence. The Kane Count}- Sunda}- School Union, with representatives from every portion of the county, has been in existence since 1866. and in its animal con\-entions seeks to discover the best methods of operating and governing the Sunday schools.

That there were many laughable incidents in the history of the early churches, and in the experience of the teachers of the gospel, is a well authenticated fact. The shepherds looking for the lost sheep of Israel were neither more nor less than human beings, and that they enjoyed the ludicrous episodes in their experience can hardly be doubted. In 1883, when there were but few Episcopalians living in St. Charles, Bishop Chase, a tall, fine-looking, white-haired old man, held service under the ritual of that church in that place. J. W. Churchill, the Batavia lawyer, who was a "bluff, nervous fellow, and much attached to the forms of his church," asked his daughter, on their way to cliurch, if she had her prayerbook. "No, father," she replied, "I forgot it." "Forget your prayerbook!" was the excited rejoinder; "Go and get it! You might as well be in hell as in an Episcopalian church without a prayerbook." The chronicler does not state whetlier the young lady returned for the book or not.

The Free Methodists, a strong body, whose first churches were organized in Kane county about 1859-60, under the ministry of Re\-. Dr. Redfield, have for many years held their camp meeting in the beautiful "round grove," three miles northeast of St. Charles, and the attendance is generally very large. A tract of ground has been set off especially for their use, and churches are usually represented from nearly all parts of northern Illinois. The tent life of these people lasts one week in each year.

Other ministers of the gospel who visited the Fox river settlements very early were Rev. Perry, who preached in the house of William T. Wheeler, at St. Charles, in the spring of 1835; Rev. Jesse W'alker, a missionary to the Indians, and Rev. Mr. Hubbard, a Baptist. The latter men first made their appearance about 1834-35. A Bible class had also been organized at the house of John Kittridge, in St. Charles, probably in the fall of 1834.

Aurora - St. Mary's church, Rev. D. O'Brien, pastor; Timothy D. Burke, assistant. St. Mary's school; 12 teachers of Providence; pupils, 400. St. Nicholas' church, Rev. C. Schnueckel, pastor; L, M. Linden, assistant; St. Nicholas' school; 12 Sisters of St. Francis; pupils, 600. St. Charles' hospital, under the direction of 22 Sisters of St. Francis. Sacred Heart church. Rev. J. C. Simond Scliool, 5 Sisters: pupils. 50. Annunciation B. Y. M. church.

Elgin, Kane County - St. ]\Iary's school, 11 Sisters of Charity; pupils, 238. St. Mary's church, Rev. J. McCann, pastor; F. B. Swanson, assistant. St. Joseph's church. Rev. Joseph Rohde, pastor. St. Joseph's school, 4 teachers of St. Francis; 100 pupils. St. Joseph's hospital in charge of 13 Sisters of St. Francis. Chaplain, Rev. James Friderich.

In 1833, while Kane county was yet a part of LaSalle county, a Bible society was formed at Bailey's Grove, lying south of the Vermillion river, near Tonica. Tw^o directors were afterward chosen to represent the Big Woods district, viz. : E. S. Town, of Batavia, and a Mr. Strong, late of Aurora. Calvin Ward, of St. Charles, was chosen for the Little Woods district, and J. H. Mason, of Big Grove. Kendall county, for that district. The earlier records of the Kane County Bible Society have been lost, but the first officers were Solomon Hamilton, Esq., of Elgin, president; E. Buckingham, a young lawyer, of Geneva, secretary; E. S. Town, of Batavia, treasurer. The secretary died about 1841. The county society accomplished but little during the first year of its existence, as the several local societies had not become auxiliary to it. These latter were located at Aurora, Sandusky Precinct (embracing Batavia and Geneva), St. Charles, Elgin, and Dundee, and each did some work. In 1847, Rev. Amasa Lord was put in charge of the work in northern Illinois. An agent was employed the same year to canvass the county, and auxiliary societies were organized in each precinct. In February, 1848, the collection of $654.38 in cash was reported, of which about half had been expended in the work. In the succeeding years this society did a great amount of work.

Educ.Vtional

Schools were opened in a somewhat primitive fashion in Kane county as early, perhaps, as 1834; it is thought a school was taught in that year in a little log cabin at Batavia, although 1835 may be the correct date.

In 1835 the first school in St. Charles was taught, and we hear of them soon after in Aurora, Geneva. Elgin, Dundee and elsewhere. There was little system in the manner of maintaining these early schools, there being then no effective laws in the state to govern them. They were usually of a rather select nature, although occasionally they might also be termed free schools ; but in the latter case the expenses were necessarily borne by a very few individuals. At one time the pioneer inhabitants of Aurora elected three school trustees, not, however, in pursuance of an)- statute, who were to superintend the interests of education. Their honors were duly bought, it seems, for Burr Winton, who was one of the first board, once stated that he had to pay the bill for one quarter, amounting to nearly $30, out of his own pocket, and he never collected $5 in return.

Edward \V. Brewster, a native of Orange county. New York, came west in 1839 and settled upon a large tract of land in the northeastern portion of St. Charles township. He built a schoolhouse in the Little Woods and gave instruction gratis, this being the first absolutely free school in the state of Illinois. "Father Brewster," as be was called, was an enthusiast in the cause of education, and under the new constitution was elected superintendent of schools for Kane county in 1850. He inaugurated the plan of holding teachers' institutes, and continued the friend of free schools until his death, which occurred in May, 1886, when the venerable man had nearly reached the age of ninety years.

Both male and female teachers found employment in the schools of pioneer days, the former usually holding forth in the winter and the latter in summer. The school-teacher's position, while full of honor, was not one of great emoluments, and there is no instance of any of the early wielders of the rule becoming wealthy off his or her salary. The quarters in which the young idea was taught the rudiments of an education were generally in some small log structure; but this did not interfere with their opportunities for acquiring such knowledge as could be imparted to them. And be it understood that among the schoolmasters and schoolma'ams of the '30s and '40s there were many wise heads, whose stores of educational fruit had been carefully laid up in eastern institutions, and furnished a seemingly exhaustless fountain of information from which to draw for the benefit of their western pupils. Such opportunities to learn as were presented were quickly taken advantage of, and the classes that issued forth from the log buildings of old were anything but numbskulls.

The first free school district in Illinois was organized on the east side of the river at Aurora, in 1851, under a special act of the legislature, the general free school law not being passed until two years later. The progress of the schools of the county since then has been wonderfully rapid, and no better schools can be found today in the Union than Kane county possesses.

Alfred Churchill, school commissioner of Kane county in 1846, wrote as follows to the Prairie Messenger, published at St. Charles : "Generally, I would say that the schools are in a bad state, with some few exceptions, at the head of which is placed Sugar Grove precinct; one school in Pigeon Woods; one or two in the northeast corner of section 32, range 7. These exceptions I do not make on account of the high character of the schools, but on account of the determination of the inhabitants to do the best they can.

In tlie villages on Fox river I have found that common schools were in a worse state than in the country townships. This fact I attribute to two main causes - lirst, an aristocratic feeling, which is manifested by the number of select schools, which are partially sustained (I say partially, for there are so many that none could be well sustained) ; and secondly, a miserable sectarian spirit, which destroys all union of effort.

"Dundee has a very comfortable schoolhouse, and, I think, from the energetic character of the directors, they will have a good common school this winter. They expressed a determination to make their common school superior to the select schools.

"At Elgin, I found three or four elegant houses for as many different sects to worship (I hope not their creeds, but their creator) in, and not one public schoolhouse; but I have hopes of that place, as they have a few individuals there, redeeming spirits, at work for the benefit of all.

"St. Charles has undoubtedly paid too much attention to erecting the walls of intended places of worship and select schools to show well at the common schools; though I saw a lot of boys throwing stones through the windows of a tolerable building, and concluded from the circumstances that it was the common schoolhouse, as the boys were well dressed and apparently just out of the high school - young aristocracy thus venting its spleen against plebeianism.

"Geneva commenced late in the season a house for common schools, and was progressing rapidly when the extreme cold weather set in, which has temporarily suspended operations.

"Batavia has two houses for worship, which are generally occupied by a few scholars in each - the people there not being sufficiently agreed about the road to heaven to let their children associate in one school on earth, under one good and efficient teacher.

"Aurora has two public schools in houses belonging to the town, which, from appearances, were built before their meeting houses, which argues well for their good sense, showing that they were more desirous of buildings for utility than show; and, from the literary societies, libraries, and desire for reading and literary conversation manifest in one class (in Aurora I could distinguish but one class, and that included the whole population of the place), I am satisfied that Aurora is destined to take a high stand among the inland towns of the West."

Mr. Churchill believed the select school directly opposed to the common school interests, and urged the people to establish common schools, and live up to the school law then in force in the state. He was hostile, not to the teachers of the select schools, but to the schools themselves, as dangerous to society, and for other well-grounded reasons. He urged directors to use every effort to make the common schools superior to all others in their districts. His hopes and desires for the common schools were realized in a few years, and although select schools still continue to solicit patronage, the prestige which the new free school law gave to the common schools placed the latter in the position they should long before have occupied. With the ascendency of the district schools, those of a select nature began to wane, and they were soon lost sight of, with the exception of such institutions as Jennings (Clark) Seminary and the Elgin Academy, and the many business colleges since arisen, which were and still are valuable preparatory schools, and do not interfere with the public places of learning.

In 1848 there existed what was known as the Kane County Educational Association, which held its meetings at various places in the county. Prominent individuals delivered addresses before it, and the people generally were invited to attend its meetings. Andrew Pingree was secretary, and S. S. Jones was elected president at a meeting held at St. Charles, October 4, 1848. The following vice-presidents were elected at the same time: Dr. Hale, Dundee; J. Scott, Franklin; Andrew Akin, Hampshire; Dr. Sanford, Elgin; Stewart Christie, Jackson-; N. E. Daggett, Washington; J. W. Hapgood. Burlington; Spalding Eddy, Fairfield; Rev. G. S. F. Savage, St. Charles; A. W. Glass, Geneva; J. C. Waldron, Batavia ; W. R. Parker, Fox River; Mr. Hall, Big gnd Little Rock; Thomas Judd, Sugar Grove; David Wheeler, Blackberry. The association then voted to petition the legislature for free schools.

Some of the early pedagogues were characters in their way, and James Bancroft, who held forth in St. Charles, was a notable example. F. G. Garfield, of Campton, in calling up memories of the olden days, wrote as follows concerning Mr. Bancroft, in the spring of 1885 :

"Asa Haseltine, Fanny Bancroft and Horace Bancroft were born in the same neighborhood and were schoolmates of my father; and ivhen, on May 23. 1841. a boy, I had arrived in St. Charles and put up with \Mieelock about noon. I was considerablv astonished two hours afterwards bv having; all of those old schoolmates of mv father, whom, of course. I knew nothing about, getting around me, making inquiries of my father, and when he would arrive, etc. But I was more than astonished when James Bancroft, the father of Horace and Fanny, introduced himself by telling me he had taught my father his letters, and was a school-teacher then, which was the fact. He was a natural born school-teacher - good for that and little else. For years he occupied the upper story of his son Horace's stone building, on the corner west of the old hotel, and ran a school upon the pay-by-the-scholar principle. From the parents of some he would collect tuition, and from some he would not : but it was all the same to him if he was only imparting knowledge to the young. He got money enough from his patrons to pay for his clothes, his whiskey and provisions, all of which, at that time, were cheap. Bark from the saw logs in the mill yard furnished him fuel, and he would always have from one to three cords of it packed up in a large room which was alike his kitchen, parlor, bedroom and schoolroom ; and there, amidst piles of bark, accumulation of old clothes, dishes, dirt and fleas, he taught the male children of St. Charles the first rudiments of an education. He used to surrender his schoolroom to Judges Moody and Howard when they desired to hold court, and Sam Flint used to tell a story, how once when his room was crowded, with Moody upon the bench and Fridley and Farnsworth as opposing counsel, the large audience, crowding back against one of his piles of bark, tipped it over, whereupon the fleas rushed out in such force as to tip the benches over, loaded with the crowd, and break up the court. But James Bancroft performed well the part for which it seemed that Providence designed him. Commencing school teaching at the age of sixteen, he taught for over a half century, and probably no man in St. Charles ever taught a greater number of scholars in the aggregate; and no man upon this continent ever exceeded him in the pleasing art of imparting knowledge to the young."

The first of the fine public school buildings in the county were erected in St. Charles, that on the west side, in 1854, and that on the east side, in 1856, costing, respectively, $6,000 and $15,000. These were considered in their day remarkably fine buildings, but, while still in use, they have been overshadowed by the splendid buildings erected at Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Batavia and Aurora, the latter city especially being supplied with the very best of structures. The rural districts have mostly frame buildings of a simple style architecture, though in places brick has been the material used.

In March, i860, according to the report of Rev. David Higgins, county superintendent of schools, there were in Kane county 186 schools, with a total attendance of 9.074 (males 4,827 and females 4,247). In 1887 the statement of the county superintendent, Marvin Quackenbush, whose death in 1904 was lamented by all. showed the following facts :

Value Of Property Old Baptist Schoolhouse

Interesting data regarding the condition of the public schools of Kane county is given in the annual report of County Superintendent of Schools Dean. The report includes the entire work of the school system from June 30, 1906, to July I, 1907.

Now 32.941 Children In Kane

It is estimated in the report that there are 32,941 children in the county under 21 years of age. Of this number 23.345 are between the ages of 6 and 21 years. There are 51 graded schools and 107 ungraded schools throughout the county. The total enrollment for the year was 12,259, in the graded schools and 2,332 in the ungraded districts.

Four hundred and fifty-six teachers are employed in the county and the average pay is $120 for men and $52 for women, monthly. The total value of Kane county school property is placed at the high figure of $1,336,245. School apparatus is valued at $21,664 and the libraries at $19,169.50. The total amount of district tax levy for schools was $391,776. The total expenditures fcr the year were $520,507.17.

Interesting' Comparisons

Comparisons in the report show that approximately the same number of boys and girls attended the graded schools. In the ungraded districts the boys outnumbered the girls by about 200. In the high schools, however, thei-e were approximately 400 more girls than boys. There were 247 graduates from high schools during the year. Of this number 151 were girls and 96 boys.

The year appears to have been a poor one in the line of school improvements. The report shows that but three school buildings were erected during the season. Two of these were to replace burned buildings, the G.. P. Lord, of this city, and the Oak street school, at Aurora.

That the educational standard of the county as a whole is fast becoming better is shown by the statistics that there are throughout the county only three persons between the ages of 12 and 21 years who are unable to read and write.

Some School Statistics

Number of graded schools, 51 ; number of ungraded schools, 107; number of public high schools, 13; number of boys enrolled in graded schools. 6,128; number of girls enrolled in graded schools, 6.131 ; number of boys enrolled in ungraded schools, 1,256: number of girls enrolled in ungraded schools, 1,076.

Number of men teachers in graded schools, 32 ; number of women teachers in graded schools, 319; number of men teachers in ungraded schools, 4; number of women teachers in ungraded schools, loi.

Highest monthly wages paid any man, S280; highest monthly wages paid any woman, $120; lowest monthly wages paid any man for full time, $35; lowest monthly wages paid any woman for full time, $25 ; average monthly wages for men, $120.96; average monthly wages for women, $52.81.

Number of boys enrolled in high schools, 784 ; number of girls enrolled in high schools, i .006 ; number of boys graduated from high schools, 96 ; number of girls graduated from high schools, 151.

Number of beginners employed as teachers, 37 ; number of men examined for teachers" certificates. 16; number of women examined for teachers' certificates, 183; number of men rejected, 2; number of women rejected, 19.

The above facts and figures indicate that the schools of the county have grown in many ways over 100 per cent in the past twenty years. The value of the school property has increased nearly threefold.