Decatur County, Indiana - Chapter 7: Education, 1915

Chapter 7: Education

The educational history of Decatur county faUs into two divisons, the. period from the organization of the county, until 1853, when the present system of public schools was adopted, and from that date to the present. Free schools were provided for by the Constitution of 1851, but it was not until two years later that they went into operation. From 1822 until 1853 there was not a single free school in Indiana, for even the old academies were supported, in part, by tuition.

All education was obtained in what were known as subscription schools, parents paying the teacher so much a term for each pupil they sent to school. Teachers were not examined and taught only the rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic. The three R's formed the basis of all work in the school room, although in the more pretentious institutions geography and history were taught.

Early Rural Schools

The usual school term in Decatur county during the early days was three months, and the school day began early in the morning and lasted until sundown. The teacher would be at his desk at sunrise and the first pupil to arrive at the school house would be the first to recite. This privilege of reciting first was much sought by those more eager for knowledge and there was usually keen competition among the star pupils, and consequent early rising. There were a few drones, however, who cared little Avhether school kept or not, and therefore, as if to show their contempt for learning, would come straggling in about ten o'clock, or in plenty of time for the noon recess.

Early schools were -held in vacant log cabins, chinked with mud, provided with puncheon seats and oiled-paper windows. Text books were the American Primer, Dilworth's and Webster's spelling book, Guthrie's or Pike's arithmetics, the English Reader, the Bible and, sometimes, Weem's "Life of Washington." This last book was a novel, but won a place in the list of text books because of the excellence of the moral carried by the cherry tree story.

School houses were not provided with bells in those days and when Ihc teacher wished to call his pupils from play, he would step outside, pound upon the side of the school building with a stick and shout, "Books! Books!" at the top of his voice.

Pupils studied "out loud," and the resultant bedlam was autliljle for some distance from the Ijuilding. The experienced teacher could tell in an instant when some youth wa\'ered in his pursuit of learning or sought to engage in conversation, at the expense of his lessons.

Sometime near 1840 Miss Jane Bartee taught a school in the southern part of the county. She must have possessed an ear for both rhyme and rvthm, for she gave her school rules a metrical embodiment. The following classical fragment is still extant :

The father of this poetical school ma'am was a justice of the peace, and, by virtue of that ofhce, a member of the count}- board, which performed the duties of the present-day county commissioners. When the board met in Greensburg, Mr. Bartee would walk thither, barefooted and garbed in undyed homespun, and, thus attired, enter upon his official duties with all due dignity.

Teachers were expected to treat their pupils at Christmas. Whisky and sugar were common delicacies for teachers to serve to boys and girls at this glad season. Sometimes a teacher, with more than ordinary moral and physical courage, braved public opinion and declined to treat on this occasion. Often it went hard with him. x\ Mr. East, teaching in Marion township, once declined to follow precedent in this respect. He was seized by the larger boys and hustled most ingloriously toward a nearby pond. He yielded to the inevitable just in time to escape a ducking.

Singing was a common method used by teachers in inculcating familiarity with multiplication tables and geographical facts. The pupils sang their tables through, from the "twos" to the "twelves," forward and backward, and then, with what spirit they had left, swept into the strains of the geography song, the first line of which went something like this :

Rankin and William Alarlow, Springhill ; John Goddard, Clinton townshi]) ; "Uncle Jack" Bell and John Hopkins, Mt. Carmel ; Sam DonneU, Samuel Henry, James AlcCoy, William Thomson, Kingston; Tom Peery, Elijah Mitchell, Enoch Tackett, J. S. Guant and Garrard Morgan, near Greenshurg, and Joe Patton, Samuel Sebaugh and James Brockmare, in Greenshurg.

Qualifications Of Teachers

In the early days, not much preparation was required in order to "teach school." The pedagogue looking for a school for the winter, with an opportunity to "board round" and so eke out his scanty earnings, went to the townshi]) trustees, applied for a place, and if they liked his appearance he was hired without much of an examination into his qualifications. In most cases, the trustees themselves were men with very little education and would not presume to f|uestion the ability of anyone seeking a position as teacher.

When examinations were given, they were usually oral and, in most cases, delightful farces. In the early days, so the story goes, a young woman applied to Doctor Moody for a license to teach. Doctor Moody was a meinber of the board of county examiners. He asked her a few questions and then gave her the following certificate :

In 1S35 Dr. S. H. Riley, then a young man, wanted a license to teach and presented himself at the drug store of County Examiner Daviess Batterton, in Greenshurg. Mr. Batterton wrote down a question upon a slate and Riley, seated upon a box, would write the answer upon paper. Meanwhile Mr. Batterton would wait upon a customer or two and then write down another question. When the examination was completed, Batterton wrote out a teacher's license for Riley.

Residents of Springhill called a meeting on July 2, 1843, ^or consideration of methods for improving the common school system. George Anderson presided and E. Mitchell acted as secretary. The following organization was effected: Adams Rankin, president; William Anderson, secretary; W. M. Herrick, Rev. James Worth and John Bell, directors. Rev. Hugh Maime and P. Hamilton were rec|uested to address the meeting at a future date.

In 1818 the Legislature passed a law providing fcr a trustee for each count}-, whose duty it should be to accumulate and invest funds arising from exemption money and fines, for the establishment of a secondary school in each county, to receive pupils from township schools and fit them for the State University. This law was superseded in 1824 by an act providing for county seminaries. The Greensburg seminary was authorized by an act of the Legislature on January 20. 1832.

In 1833, ele\-en years after its organization, Decatur county a\ailed itself of this law. A sufficient sum had been raised from sources mentioned to build a seminary. The location selected was the corner of Franklin and AIcKee streets, one square from the railroad. Contract for its erection was awarded to Jacob Stewart, who completed the building in 1834, at a cost of two thousand dollars. Stewart had formerly been a land surveyor under Colonel Hendricks.

The first trustees of the institution were: James Freeman, James Elder, Abraham Garrison, Benjamin Jones, [Morton Atkins, David Montague, Da\'id Johnson and Samuel Donnell.

The old building, which is still standing, is a large, square, two-story brick structure, surmounted Ijy a brick cupola. The grounds about the institution covered an entire block, giving the few pupils a considerable amount of territory over which to romp and play. The seminary was opened in September, 1834, but, like other institutions of this character in the state, it relied entirely upon tuition fees to pay teachers and meet other expenses. The day of free schools was still far distant.

James G. [May was the first instructor. He had been emplo\-ed as assistant teacher for a time at Salem and was well (|ualified to take charge of the institution. He was assisted by his wife and sister and Elias Riggs, a Princeton man and uncle of Riggs Forsyth, at one time head of the old First National Bank. The first pupils were Orville Thom])son, Oriegon Thompson, Camilla Thompson and James B. Lathrop.

May was succeeded, in 1840, by Abram T. Hendricks, a graduate of Hanover College, who taught for one year and then quit to enter the ministrv. While he was in charge of the seminary he had the valuable assistance of his younger brother, Thomas A. Hendricks, who later became \-ice-president of the United States.

Dr. J. B. Lathrop. who was one of the first students at the old seminary, remembers Mr. Hendricks verv well, as he and the man who later became governor of Indiana and then vice-president, read Virgil together in the old building. The last time Mr. Lathrop met the distinguished man, Mr. Hendricks told him that, while he didn't know whether or not he had accomplished much good in the world, he did know that he had many pleasant recollections of days spent at the old seminary.

Speaking of Mr. May, the first instructor, Mr. Lathrop says: "He was assisted by his sister. Miss Elizabeth May. I can say for him tliat, while he licked them every day, the bo3's who went to school to him have a profound reverence for his memory. T remember that he was very anxious to organize a Latin class. I was nine' years old and was one of its first members. Mr. May taught later in Salem and New Albany. He taught until he was eightytwo years old. When he became so old that he was no longer wanted in town, he went out into the country to teach."

The next superintendent of the seminary was Philander Hamilton, a product of the institution which was placed in his charge in 1841. When but a small boy, he met with an accident and was badly crippled. He first studied in the seminary under James May and later graduated from Hanover College. He managed the institution for one year and then retired to edit the Grccnshiirg Sentinel. Hamilton turned a year later to the study of law and died after practicing a few years. He served one term in the Legislature.

Francis P. Monfort, graduate of Oxford College, and later a Presbyterian minister, followed Hamilton. He is said to have possessed marked ability as a poet. Monfort was assisted by Agnes Neal until 1844, when he was succeeded by Dr. Andrew M. Hunt, later founder of Sioux City, Iowa.

Davies Batterton, an Indiana University man, was the last head of the seminary. He took charge of the institution in 1847. I'"* 1852 the new state constitution abolished the seminary system, the building was sold and the money applied to the school fund. As Greensburg was not incorporated until 1859, the building was rented and maintained by private enterprise as a grammar school.

Arnong students at the seminary who achieved success in later life were: Thomas A. Hendricks, LTnited States senator and vice-president of the United States : Dewitt C. Rich, who represented Jennings county in the Legislature ; John F. Ewing, who became a successful lawyer at Burlington, Iowa; James N. Sander, noted Presbyterian minister; Orville Thompson, printer, soldier and writer, and James B. Lathrop, minister and banker.

Private Schools

About 1840 Benjamin X'yce and his sister Elizabeth conducted a school in a small building on the site of the present county jail. Miss Nyce taught the smaller children and her brother the larger ones. Eight years later a subscription school was started on Jackson street by Miss Martha Ann Gageby. Dennis Coakley, an Irishman, had a school during the spring of 1849 on North Franklin street. Another school was opened in the basement of the Presbyterian church in 1850 by Rev. David Monfort and INIiss Alary Carter. In 185 1 jNJrs. Luther taught a subscription school in a little one-room frame house on West Washington street.

Later, pri\'ate schools were started for those who wished to secure a higher education than they could obtain in the public schools. Miss Abbie Snell, a New Englander, taught a class of twenty regular high-school subjects in the rear of the present Greensburg National Bank building. Associated with this school was one taught by Miss Hood, later Mrs. James Bonner. Mi.ss Snell later married Judge Bonner. Miss Hood, with the assistance of Belle Carroll, conducted a school in the liasement rif the old Presbyterian church. It was organized in 1869 and continued until 1875.

First Free School

The first free school in Greensburg was opened r)n July 20, 1857, with four teachers: Mrs. McCollough, Miss Eunice Paul, B. V. West and I. G. Grover. Text books used were : McGuffey's readers, Ray's arithmetic, Pineo"s grammar, Goodrich's history, Bullion's languages, Comstock's philosophy and chemistry, and Davies's legends. The higher branches were taught by Mr. Grover. The first school trustees under the new system were ^^'. \\". Lowe, A. I. Hobbs and B. H. Harney. The primary department, taught by Mrs. McCollough, was located in the basement of the Baptist church ; the next grade, taught by Miss Paul, met in the basement of the Presb}-terian church, and the other two teachers held forth in the seminary.

Graded Schools

The first graded school in Greensburg was in 1861. It was conducted in the basement of the old Baptist church. Miss Drucilla Warthin was principal and Aliss Rebecca Richmond, assistant. The school was free for town pupils, but those coming from the country were charged six dollars for the

Upon the organization of this graded school, Doctor Moody, A. R. Forsyth and J. B. Lathrop were named trustees. There was only sufficient money to run the school for a term, with no allowances for incidentals. Money was raised to hire a janitor by assessing each pupil fifty cents.

It was during this term that Doctor Moody displayed true Solomonic wisdom in settling a rather delicate matter. One of the patrons of the school came to him and protested because a little negro girl was attending the school. He said he would take his own daughter out unless the colored pupil was removed. The colored girl was very light in color, while the protesting citizen's daughter was a very dark hj-unette. "Very well," said Doctor Moody. "We will send a man around tomorrow to pick out the negro. If he picks out the negro, she goes out, and if he picks out your child, she goes out." The irate citizen was content to drop the matter.

By the school law of 1853, civil township trustees were authorized to establish a sufficient number of public schools to care for the education of all white children. Negroes and mulattoes were not to be admitted ; neither could they be taxed for school purposes.

The following old petition, presented by Greensburg colored people to the school board, is preserved in the public library : "We, the colored people of the city of Greensburg, respectfully ask you that our children be admitted to all the rights and privileges of the public schools. We beg to say that we make this request for the reason that there are not sufficient colored children in the city to justify the organization of a separate school for them." The petition was signed by J. W. Therman, Richard Lewis, Mitchel Tracy, W. B. Scott, S. Crewett, W. Sanders, John ?^Iorgan and George W. Lee. Richard Lewis was the father of a subsequent graduate of the Greensburg high school who became professor of mathematics at Hampton Institute.

In 1870 a separate school for colored children was operated for a time in rooms over the First National Bank, with a Miss Anderson as instructor. The project was abandoned after a short trial.

The first recorded gathering of Decatur county pedagogues took place in Greensburg in 1857. Two teachers in Sand Creek township, Kidd and Chaffin by name, had been raising a considerable amount of rhetorical dust in arguments on corporal punishment. Debates had been held in various parts of the township, and they arranged to conduct a debate in Greenslnirg, in order that teachers from all parts of the county might be present.

Fifteen teachers assembled in Harney's hall to hear the two worthies present their arguments. But. before either of them could take the floor and open the meeting, ^V. H. Powner arose and, after pointing out the futility of such a discussion, proposed that an organization be effected for improvement of methods of instruction. The suggestion was followed and Davies Batterton was elected president and J. .\. Dillman, secretary. Neither of the authorities upon corporal punishment was given an opportunity to loose their floodgates of oratory. The first teachers' association met in Greensburg the first Saturday in December, 1859, and the last Saturday of the same month a permanent organization was effected with Davies Batterton at the head.

This organization conducted the first teachers' institute in August, i860. G. W. Hoss, later state superintendent of public instruction, was the lecturer. The following year an institute was held at Clarksburg.

Probably the first class of any kind to be conducted for the benefit of teachers was one held in ^lilford, in August, 1862. This institute was in session five weeks, with an attendance of forty-five. One of the nienil)ers of this class was Elizabeth Riley, who later became Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart. The instructors were County Examiner \\'illiam H. P(iwner, J. B. Mallett, G. W. Stotsenberg, Jacob Dillman and a Mr. Merritt. At the end of the term a written examination was conducted. Most of the male teachers left in the middle of the tenn, when news of a Confederate raid was received, to volunteer for home defense.

Those who were successful in passing the examination received a teacher's license, issued by the county examiner, which had been written by J\lr. Sinks, a writing teacher. The county examiner delivered them in person and collected a fee of fifty cents from each person who secured a license. A local newspaper of that day made the following pertinent comment on the meeting: "Professors Powner and Merritt have solved two important problems : First, that institutes in this county are a fixed fact and will be held annually, and, second, that this county has no need to import teachers to conduct normal schools."

Normal Schools

ducted by C. W. Harvey, although we find the following article in the Standard files of 1862 : "The Decatur County Normal School closed its first session of six weeks on August 15, at Milford. Dr. D. S. Welling, Prof. G. Hoss and Prof. W. H. Venable were the lecturers, and held an examination the last week. There were enrolled sixteen males and thirty-one females, whose names are given. R. W. Miers, L. H. Braden and Misses Maggie Logan and Louisa Marshall and Mrs. Mary Sefton still survive."

Thirty teachers attended this training school of 1870, which continued for three weeks. Although the results accomplished were of great value, no effort was made to give another normal course until 1879, when E. L. Duncan and Dr. J. A. Carr, then county superintendent, conducted a sixweeks course at Adams, which was attended by thirty-five teachers.

In 1880 Messrs. Duncan and Carr held their first normal in Greensburg. It continued for six weeks, was, attended by sixty-four teachers and closed with the county teachers' institute. The feature of this course was the professional instruction given by Mr. Duncan. The following summer, C. L. Hottell, principal of the Clarksburg schools, opened a normal school, which had only a fair attendance.

A third nonnal course was given in Greensburg in 1892 by W. P. Shannon, George L. Roberts and C. T. Powner. Other courses of a similar character were given in Greensburg in 1893 and 1897. Most of them lasted for six weeks and were held for the purpose of making an academic review of the common branches. Lectures were also given upon psychology and other subjects, with the idea of fitting those attending to pass teachers' examinations.

Since the passage of the act requiring all candidates for teachers' licenses to have taken a prescribed course in normal work, this training has been given at state institutions and other educational centers, and the county normal is a thing of the past. In its time it did a great deal of good, and many teachers received excellent preparation for the school room by attending its sessions.

The Flag

Today the American flag flies over every school house in the country. There was a time when it was not customary to display the national ensign from such places, and an attempt to fly it over the school house in Milford caused considerable trouble, resulting in the arrest of a number of prominent citizens there. In honor of the election of Abraham Lincoln, two of his ardent supporters raised a flag above the school house. That same night it was taken down by others, who saw in the action an affront to themsehes. Another flag was secured and placed upon a pole in the school house yard. This pole was cut down and the flag removed. At the next session of court ten Milford men were required to answer to charges of riot.

During the Civil War the schools of the county were closed for one year, on account of financial troubles. Trustees had been hiring teachers a year before money with which to pay them became available. The Legislature passed a law requiring the necessary mone}- to ht in the township funds before teachers could be retained. This made it necessary to close the schools until operating funds could be secured. During this period a large number of subscription schools were conducted.

School Supervision

Before the creation of the office of county superintendent by act of the Legislature in 1872, the duties of that position were discharged by school examiners. There were at first three examiners for each county, but later the number was reduced to one. The powers of the school examiner were slightly broader than those wielded by the board of examiners. The first examiner to be appointed was William H. Powner, who was given the office in i860. J. B. Mallett took the office in 1866. He was followed by James R. Hall, who served until the reappointment of Mr. Powner in 1871. Powner then held the position until it was abolished.

Establishment of the office of county superintendent in Decatur county did not work the marked changes which were experienced in other parts of the state. Powner, who had been school examiner, was continued in charge of the schools of the county, at a slight increase in salary, with but slight changes from the duties he had been performing during the ten years previous.

In 1873, under the amended superintendency act, the l3oard of countscommissioners appointed Philander Ricketts superintendent. The amendment to the original law curtailed the salary of the office and also reduced its powers. Ricketts served for a year and then tendered his resignation. Meanwhile, the amended law had been declared unconstitutional by the supreme court. The board of county commissioners then, in 1876, appointed James L. Carr. John H. Bobbitt was appointed the following year, and, after serving for a short time, resigned. W. B. Ryan was appointed to complete the unexpired term. Mr. Carr then held the office for a term of two years. J. H. Bol^I^itt was elected in i88t and served for three terms, or until 1887. He was again a candidate for the office in this year, but was defeated by John W. Jenkins in a close contest. Eighty-six ballots were taken by the township trustees before either candidate secured a majority of the votes.

County superintendents elected since that time have been : L. D. Braden, 1889: John Jenkins, 1891 : E. C. Jerman, 1897; Edgar Alendenhall. 1903, and Frank C. Fields, 191 1.

The school enumeration for IDecatur county for 1872, as taken by Superintendent W. H. Powner. was seven thousand and fifty-eight. The number of school children in the county, according to the latest enumeration is fi\-e thousand ninety-eight.

First School Building

The first school building in Greensburg was completed in 1863 by R. B. Thomson, contractor, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. It was located on Monfort street, midway between North and Washington streets, on what was then known as the Luther lot. The erection of this building was begun by the town school board, composed of Samuel Christy, W. A. Donnell and Barton Wilson. Two additions were later added to this lot. The high school addition, a two-story affair, was erected in 1876, and used until the present high school building was opened.

When the first building was in the course of construction a workman fell from its walls and was killed. For many years the tradition lingered that the ghost of the unfortunate mechanic lurked in the basement of the building, and many a child held to the straight and narrow path of school discipline through fear of being sent to the basement in punishment for misdemeanors.

The real beginning in earnest of the schools was not until 1862, when the "seat of learning" was transferred from the "old seminary" in the southeast part of the city, to the present site on West Washington street. The location of this site was made by popular vote.

B. F. Brewington was superintendent when the new building was first used in the fall of 1862, and he remained four years, being succeeded bjy J. R. Hall, who was at the helm in 1866-67, '^"d J. W. Culley in 1867-68. The school had grown in 1867 until the enrollment was six hundred and sixty-nine.

Harvey became superintendent. He remained at the iiead of the schools for thirteen years, and by his planning and firm executive ability he set the schools upon a higher plane of usefulness than they had ever been before. At the conclusion of his term in 1881 there were eight hundred and twenty-six pupils in the schools and fourteen teachers employed.

Greensburg High School

Near the close of Professor Harvey's first year, 1869, the high school department was instituted in the same building' where the common branches were taught. Until 1875, when the high school addition was erected, the school had the competition of the private school which was managed by Mrs. Abbie Bonner.

The Greensburg high school began its career on September 5, 1869, with Miss Rebecca Thomson as principal. Rev. J. R. Walker, a native of Ireland and a well-remembered United Presbyterian preacher, was professor of languages. Prof. C. W. Harvey was superintendent, but was' ill and not able to be in school the first week. Miss Thomson came here from Rising Sun in 1868, and went from here to Franklin College.

Other teachers of the schools at this time were : Mary Howells, Cincinnati; Mehitable Fowler, Troy; Amelia Holby, Kate Cunningham, Mary Wilson, Almira Thomson, Bell Carroll and Mrs. Rebecca Rhiver.

The first high school commencement exercises were held at the Baptist church on May 19, 1871. There were two graduates. Miss Ida R. Stout and Miss Anna Myers, who afterward won distinction in the New York journalistic field. On this memorable occasion the two young- lady graduates read essays which were ]ironounced creditable productions by the hearers.

There were five graduates at the second annual commencement, which was held at the Christian church. Those who were members of the class of 1872 were Mollie Paul, Mary Christy, Jennie Williams, Lizzie Shirk and Lou Pope. Mr. Pope later became head of a Chicago educational concern. In 1873 Ida and Herschel Wooden and Belle White were granted diplomas. There were about fifty students in high school at that time.

The grade teachers then were as follows : Rebecca Rhiver, Seymour Pierce, Allie Thomson, Mamie Wilson, Lizzie Dobyns, Mary Howells. Amelia Holby, Mary E. Wilson, Maggie Stoner and Mary Elcock.

The high school grew steadily in popularity as people perceived its value and in a very few years classes of considerable size were being graduated. (13)'

As years went by, more and more students saw the necessity of secondary school training and entered the high school direct from the common branches.

In 1876 the attendance had so increased that added quarters were rendered necessary, and a brick addition, fifty by eighty feet, was built, in 1877, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. The trustees then were W. A. Donnell, Samuel Christy and Doctor Bracken. The addition is still in use for the grades. The first principal of the new high school was W. P. Shannon, who served until 1882, when he became superintendent of the cit}' schools, succeeding Superintendent Harvey. Mr. Shannon died on December 16, 1897.

C. T. Hottell became the principal when Mr. Shannon given the superintendency. He was followed by David Curry and George L. Roberts. Mr. Roberts served the high school for ten years and then went to Indiana University in the summer to take his Bachelor's degree. He returned to Greensburg for the following school year, and upon the death of Mr. Shannon was appointed to take the superintendency. He remained here until 1901. and then went to Frankfort, and later to Muncie. He is now at the head of the department of education in Purdue University.

The next high school principal was Edgar N. ]Mendenhall, who served six years and resigned in 1903 to become county superintendent. Superintendent Roberts was succeeded in 1901 by D. M. Geeting, former state superintendent of public instruction, a man of broad experience, who was thoroughly acquainted with all branches of school work. He served until 1903, and then left Greensburg to become deputy state statistician, a position he held until his death. Superintendent Jerman, the present incumbent, succeeded Professor Geeting in 1903.

There have been graduates every year e.xcept 1883, when the high school course was enlarged and another year's work added. There have also been five colored graduates from the Greensburg high school, but none of recent years. The enrollment in 1908-09 had been the largest up to that time. It was as follows: High school, 184; West building, 679; East building, 284. Total, 1,147.

The high school had reached such proportions by 19 12 that it was deemed necessary to provide larger and more modern quarters. The contract was let on August 16, 1912, for the erection of a new high school building by Trustees W. C. Woodfill, John F. Russell and Dr. R. M. Thomas. Pulse & Porter were awarded the contract for $65,410.09. It was con-;pleted in the winter of 191 4, and, although not entirely finished, the high school classes were first held in the new building in the winter term of that year.

There have been 753 graduates from the Greensl:)urg high scho<;)l in its forty-six years of existence, 267 boys and 486 girls making up tlie hst, according to the figures gleaned from the Standard.

The Greensburg schools have attained their high state of development through a long series of educational efforts, and tiie good citizens of this city deserve a great amount of praise in contributing so nobly to this cause and standing behind all educational ventures which have been carried on b^' the different heads from the beginning of the school S3'stems. The high school stands today in the front ranks, and in looking back over the educational history of the county it can be seen that the early seeds of education which were sown by such illustrious men as Professor May and others are being reaped by our present generation in their modern building and the up-to-date instructors.

The present status of the schools in Decatur county may be discussed by townships. Adams township has three consolidated schools and one district school. The largest of these schools is located at St. Paul. This is a commissioned high school and its history and developments will be taken up later. The next consolidated school in this township in point of size is located at Adams. This school is equipped with a modern building and, in addition to the regular grade work, three years of high school work are taught. Four hacks serve as a means of transportation to the children who attend this school and five teachers administer to the intellectual wants of the children. The third consolidated school is located at St. Omer. The regular grade work is taught in this school, but the high training is secured at St. Paul. The district school is supplied by one teacher, who has charge of all the grades.

Cla}- township has within its limits two consolidated schools and two district schools, in addition to a joint district school which accommodates the pupils from Clay and Sand Creek township and is located on the township line. The largest of these consolidated schools is located at Burney. This is a commissioned high school and affords excellent opportunities to the pupils of this section for high-school training. The children are furnished with seven hacks to bring them to the seat of learning in the township and the school is well attended. Although the building is large and the school has been provided with sufficient teachers to accommodate them in the past, still in the last few years, owing to the general trend of children from the district schools to the consolidated schools, the capacity of the school has been crowded to the limit and plans are already under way to enlarge the present building in order that the increase in enrollment can be properly taken care of. Clifty is also provided with a consolidated school, but only for grade work. This school has three teachers who administer to the grade pupils. Two district schools are located in the rural districts of the township and are each supplied with one teacher, who has charge of all the grades.

Clinton township was originally divided into four school districts, each district being accommodated with a one-room school building. The school enumeration of Sandusky having increased, it was necessary to add another room to the building there.

The first steps toward consolidation were made in 1894 under rather singular circumstances. A teacher had been hired to teach the school at district No. 2. When the day arrived for the opening of the school year the teacher was present, but not a pupil put in his appearance, as they had all entered the Sandusky schools. The teacher continued going to the school and finally the trustee compromised with her for one-half of her salary. This was the beginning of consolidation in Clinton township.

The enrollment steadily increased and in 1896 another room was added. In 1900 one school hack was introduced for the transportation of children to and from the Sandusky schools. The second district school to be abandoned was district No. 4, which occurred in 1905. The following year the third and last district school was abandoned, with the resignation of the teacher in charge of that school.

This left Sandusky the center of the schools of Clinton township and, with the added enrollment from the other three districts, the school building was not large enough to accommodate the pupils. In August, 1907, another room was added to relieve the congestion. In 1898 the two-year high school course was oft'ered and in 1907-08 the rooms were divided and a teacher placed in charge of each room. The state superintendent's report shows that Clinton was the first township in the state to have a completely consolidated school, with necessary conveyances to carry the children to and from school. All was progressing very nicely until January 21, 1910, when the entire building and its contents were destroyed by fire. The term of

In the spring of the same year (1910) Trustee E. L. Meek let the contract for a $15,750 school building, which was to be erected during the summer. The building is located on the north side of town and on the Ft. Wayne pike. It is on the site of the old building, but the grounds were enlarged by the purchase of an acre of ground. This building was completed in the fall of 1910 and school was held in it for the first time that year. The building is one of the most beautiful, modern and well-equipped consolidated school buildings in this part of the state. There are three rooms on the first floor for the different grades and the second floor is taken up with the eighthgrade room, high school room and auditorium.

The enrollment for 19 15 in the high school was seventeen. There were four grade teachers and the high school superintendent. The teachers, and grades over which they have charge, are as follow : Kirby Payne, high school; Carrie Thackery, seventh and eighth grades; Janie Martin, fifth and sixth grades; Mary Cushman, third and fourth grades; Mabel McDowell, primary. The basement is divided into two large play rooms, one for each. sex. Six hacks are utilized in transporting the children to and from this seat of learning. Consolidation has pro\ed successful in Clinton township on account of the small size of the township and the excellent financial condition at the present time.

Fugit township has not made such rapid advancements in the lines of consolidation as some of her sister townships. The only consolidated school in this township is located at Clarksburg. This school received its commission in 1913, graduating the first class in 1914. This school is well attended and has a very modern course of study. Kingston has one of the most unique schools in the county. A new country school building was erected, at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars. It was the intention of the founder to form a community school. This building has two rooms, with a large assembly room in the basement, covering the entire first floor, and is modern in every respect. One striking feature of this building is the lighting system which includes a large skylight. At present only one teacher is employed in this school and the attendance the past year was only twenty. A Catholic school is located at St. Morris. This building is owned by the church, but the teachers are employed by the township and are approved by the citizens

Jackson township has the greatest number of consolidated schools, no district schools remaining in this township. The live consolidated schools in this township are located as follows: Newburg, VVaynesburg, Alert, Bighorn and Sardina. The four first-named schools have only two teachers, who administer to the wants of the children, while the last named has three. Two years high school work is taught in all of these schools, in addition to the regular course of study for the grades.

Marion township, owing to its unfortunate location in not being supplied with the proper railroad or interurban facilities, has made no advancement in the line of consolidation. The condition of the roads in this township make consolidation almost an impossibility. There are eleven district schools located over this township and one teacher supplies each of these schools. There is also a parochial school, located at Milhousen. Four teachers are employed to administer to the children of this locality. One of these teachers, however, is employed by the public, the church exercising power in the choosing of this teacher.

Salt Creek township has lately made rapid advancements in the consolidation of its schools. In 1909 a school building was erected at Newpoint, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. This school maintains a three-years high school, in addition to the grade work. There are also three district schools remaining in this township, which have not been changed by the consolidation. Among those, who, in more recent years, served as teachers in the schools of Salt Creek township, are: G. M. Gard, Ellen Moody, James D. White, John H. Bobbitt, Dennis O'Dea, H. W. Jenkins, Mrs. H. W. Jenkins, Ed Glidewell, Grover C. Harding. J. G. CoUicott, now superintendent of the Indianapolis city schools, received his elementary education in this township, as did also Lewis A. Harding, prosecuting attorney, and Anna B. Collins, of Indiana University. Fred Baas was principal of the Newpoint schools in 1915- ^ , j'i^l

Sand Creek township has one consohdated school, located at Letts. This school building has been remodeled and affords very modern and commodious quarters for the young aspirants for knowledge. This school also presents a commissioned high school course of study and the enrollment for the past year totaled forty-four. Westport also has an ui>to-date high school, with an enrollment of eighty-five. There are six outlying district schools in this township, which ha\e not experienced the ad\antages of a consolidated district.

Washington township has two consolidated grade schools, supplied with two teachers each. There are also three district schools in this township, which cannot be consolidated. The high school students of this township are accommodated by the Green.sburg high school, which is dealt with in its proper place.

Summarizing the different township schools of this county, it can be easily seen that there is a marked advancement toward consolidation and centralization. The citizens of this county, as in other counties, are beginning to realize the greater advantages which can be gained from a consolidated school, which affords more high-salaried teachers and better educational facilities than could be received through many scattered one-room schools.

Westport High School

The first school at Westport was taught in the year 1845 by ^ Mr. Biddinger. This school house was a one-room log building, having seats around the wall, a large stove in the center of the room and recitation benches arrayed in a quaint manner around the stove. These benches and seats were made of rough-hewn logs which were not promoters of comfort. The sessions of the school during the first winters after the building was erected never exceeded three months and the average attendance was estimated at about thirty.

In 1859 this log building was replaced by a two-story brick structure, erected on the site of the old log school house. The upper room was used as a town hall, but soon the school attendance was increased and consequently this was used for class purposes. iNIr. Strickland taught the first school in this new brick building. He also was the first teacher to introduce high-school studies in the curricuhim of the school course. When he retired from the field of teaching this work was dropped and was not taught again until the present school building was erected. Under Mr. Strickland's leadership the attendance of the school was increased, the average then being about sixty-five pupils. Two teachers were regularly employed and, some years, the attendance was increased until it was necessary to add another teacher.

The increased attendance also brought about the necessity for larger and more modern quarters, but this could not be provided at that time, so a frame room was built for a temporary means of relieving the congestion. The publication of a weekly school paper was begun about this time and became quite an interesting factor among the students. After the building of the railroad, the attendance of the school rapidly increased and the school soon boasted of an attendance of one hundred and twenty students. The majority of these were enrolled at the brick building, as the frame room was only used for the primary grades. The average length of the term was from six to seven months, and from three to four teachers were employed. The present building was erected in 1896. It was originally a twostory brick building, containing four rooms and two halls. The average attendance at that time was about two hundred and twenty-five and from four to five teachers were employed. In 1909 the building was enlarged by the addition of two new rooms. The original two upper rooms were converted into one large auditorium and a laboratory, and a recitation room was also added to the basement.

The school was commissioned in 1909-10 and additional improvements have been made to the building since that time. The school is furnished with modern equipment and devices, is both comfortable and attractive and has an average attendance at present of two hundred and eighty. The school has been under the leadership of Supt. Oscar W. Holmes since its commission to the first grade ranks. Superintendent Holmes is a graduate of Indiana State Normal School and ranks with the foremost educators of the day. Since its commission Westport high school has graduated eighty students from its ranks who are now engaged in various callings.

.\thletics is a great factor in the regular work of the school life. Domestic science and agriculture have also been added to the curriculum of studies. The common school attendance averages two hundred and the high school attendance is placed at eighty. Seven teachers are employed.

St. Paul School

The history of the St. Paul schools, as with all of the early schools of Indiana, hegin with the little log school house. In the year 185 1, when the surrounding country was one vast wooded territory, with scattered settlements, there was established a small school in the little village of St. Paul. This was the beginning of an educational program, the end which has not been reached, but is still pushing ever higher. The interior of this room was characteristic of all the early log school buildings. A large fireplace occupied one end of this building, and at the opposite end was a small platform, on which the early pedagogue held his sway. The desks were made of half logs, with their flat face hewn smooth, and the seats were similarly constructed. Along the wall was a long, smooth, wide board used for writing. The three R's - reading, writing and arithmetic - were the only subjects taught. Such was the beginning of the school system in St. Paul.

About the year 1856 the quarters of the school was changed to a frame building, but this was only a temporary change. The next move was to the second story of what was then known as the Ridlen building, but is now occupied by Mr. Johannes' buggy shop. Some of the teachers who saw active service there were Mr. Madison, George Stotsenburg, David Sutton, Dr. and Mrs. Ballard. Spelling was one of the chief diversions in the schools of this time and many good spellers were developed.

After several years, the school again shifted and this time established in the building which is now the home of Henry Neidigh. The growth of the schools had reached such proportions at this time that two rooms and two teachers were required. Among the names of the teachers who served at this time were James Scull, Mrs. D. J. Ballard, Eunice Paul, Charles Powner, George Stotsenburg and Doctor Ballard. One of these who is especially remembered by the pupils is Charles Powner. Mr. Powner was a near-sighted man, of little training, and the boys found plenty of time and opportunity for fun at his expense. It was during this period of school that the people became divided on religious and ix)litical views and this, in turn, split up the school system. There were then established three different schools, besides the remnant of the public school. They were located as follows : One in the Methodist church, one in the Catholic church, and one in the Floyd building. The latter was a private school established by the Madison and Woodard families, the former being sectarian schools. This factional difference was soon adjusted and in 1870-71 a new school build- ing was erected on the site of the present high school building. This was a large, square, brick building erected by Trustee Benjamin Jenkins. It contained six class rooms and a large assembly room. Each morning the entire school would gather in the large assembly room for the opening exercises, which consisted of singing, etc.

Gradually the courses were enlarged by the addition of a few high school subjects, but the exact date of this is unknown, although the first graduates of this one-year course are given as Flo Hoover and Frank Ray. The first teacher in that high school was Mr. Alcott. This was merely an incentive toward the greater work of making this a standard high school. A short time later a three-year course was added and this was maintained until the old building was destroyed by fire. The teachers who assisted in the old building were Mr. Lewark, principal; Mr. Jewett, number four; Mrs. Jewett, number two, and Mrs. Viola Palmerton, number one.

The building was destroyed by fire in 1901 and work was immediately begun on the erection of a new building, but this was not accomplished in time for school work that winter and, in consequence, school was held in the rooms of the Kanouse and Floyd buildings. In 1902 the building was completed, but the courses of study remained the same. A little later the standard for Indiana high schools was raised by the Legislature and Mr. Crawley was placed in charge of the schools. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Crawley for his efl^orts in raising the St. Paul schools to their present standing. The advancement of this high school has been marked and, with the assistance of the patrons, Mr. Crawley has been able to meet all of the demands of the state board of education and keep St. Paul high school in the first rank of commissioned schools of the country. It was commissioned in the fall of 191 1.

Nearly all lines of work are now demanding a high-school education. Competition is driving men in every field of endeavor to make better preparation. As a result, advanced schools for farming, business, theology, medicine and law are demanding that students shall have completed a standard four-year high school course before taking up their college or advanced work. The patrons of this school have fully realized this and, in order that their children might be able to go forth into the world and cope with graduates from other schools on an equal footing, they have seen to it that their high school should add all of the different advanced courses in learning and ofi^er every inducement for the home training.

their four years of commissioned standing. Professor Crowley have served as superintendent for the school for thirteen years and deserves a good portion of the praise due this high school. There are seven teachers and two hundred students at present in grades and high school. The high school alone employs three teachers and has an enrollment of fifty students.