Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 12: The Schools of Delaware County, 1924

Chapter 12: The Schools of Delaware County

As Logan Esarey in his notable "History of Indiana" so aptly points out: "Any native of the state past the age of seventy can describe a pioneer school; no one can describe the pioneer schools." The lamentable truth of this latter clause cannot be denied, for too often these schools simply were indescribable - indescribably bad. And yet, even though they were without system and often apparently without promise or hope, they filled their place in the sparsely inhabited settlements, dragging along from "term" to "term," subject to the whims and eccentricities of whatever "master" might be in charge for the time, and proved their right to persist. Considering the handicaps under which these pioneer schools labored, it is a matter of some astonishment to the reviewers of the present generation to reflect upon the sound foundations of learning that there were laid in the study of the rudiments. Often the "master" was as illiterate as his pupils and less intelligent, but out of the haphazard methods some good inevitably came and the "sacred flame" of learning was not allowed to die out, the torch was not allowed to drop. More often - happily - the master was a man whose soul was aflame with the teaching impulse, whose mind was ripely endowed and richly stored with learning. Fortunate were the pioneer centers into which such a man came. His influence often would be sufficient to recreate an entire community along social lines. Those who were fortunate enough to be brought under the spell of such an influence carried the lessons there learned into their lives and thus passed them on, the old schoolmaster's influence thus persisting even to the present day.

Happily, the initial settlement of the lands comprising what is now Delaware county was in most instances made by men who brought a pretty sound schooling with them. They knew the importance of this schooling being handed on to their children and consequently lost little time after effecting their settlements in getting schools started and in seeing to it that these schools were directed as effectually as might be under prevailing conditions. The Ordinance of 1787 cre- ating the Northwest Territory declared that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged," and the pioneers of Indiana in general lived up to the spirit of this ordinance, not simply because it was law, but because, as one commentator phrases it, "they knew the benefits of schools and desired their children to enjoy them."

It hardly would be the purpose of this compilation to enter into any comprehensive review of the ambling school laws of Indiana up to the period following the Civil war and along into the middle '70s when the importance of uniformity in grading and unity in management became generally recognized and was thereafter insisted upon. Much has been done since then toward the development of an adequate system, but it is admitted that much remains to be accomplished in the interest of efficiency. A recent (1922) survey of the whole school situation in Indiana revealed that though "Indiana is usually regarded as among the states that possess a fairly good system [of schools]; as a matter of fact, the state has in this matter a better reputation than it deserves." On the basis of this survey, a constructive program was outlined by the Indiana survey commission recommending a greater centralization in a state board of education, the adoption of a county unit system in the operation of the schools, the extension of consolidation of rural schools, and junior high schools, improved provisions for teacher training, a new system of licensing teachers based upon a progressive salary schedule, and the equalization of school taxes. This survey was regarded as a hopeful step and progress is expected.

The story of the little old log school house in the clearing has so often been told that it has become an inseparable part of the wondrous mosaic of our common life, the pattern of which is familiar to all. Yet it is well, "lest we forget," formally to recall to each succeeding generation the days of old, and nothing is more important in making up a definite history of the county than the retouching of the old familiar picture of the little pioneer school. The picture presented in this work of Delaware county's first school house, erected in Perry township, and said to have been drawn from a pioneer's description, will visualize to the youngsters of today such a school better than any verbal description and is worthy of study.

The school land grants were not yet available and school taxes were unknown. The teacher made an agreement to "keep school" a certain length of time and those who sent children agred to pay from $1 to $3 for each child sent. The school was in reality a private school. The building in which a pioneer school was conducted, if a separate building was used instead of utilizing some willing settler's kitchen as a gathering place for the little folks, was extremely simple and of course as uncomfortable. It generally was from fifteen to eighteen feet wide and twenty-four to twenty-eight feet long, and the eaves were about ten feet from the ground - about ten logs. Built of logs, its woodscraft architecture was similar to that of the log cabin of that day, even to the "latchstring." The floor was of earth or of puncheons or smooth slabs. In the more elegant buildings the walls were covered with boards, but the more common coating was clay mortar. The furniture consisted of rude benches without backs, made by splitting logs lengthwise into halves and mounting them, flat side up, on four legs or pins driven into the ground. Desks similarly though less clumsily made were sometimes furnished to the "big boys and girls." The room - at least one end of it - was heated from an immense fireplace. There was no blackboard, no apparatus of even the rudest description to assist the teacher in expounding the lesson.

Even before the beginning of the school the first matter of importance, of course, was to provide a building for the accommodation of the teacher and his pupils, but this was an easy matter for the pioneers. The settlers of a neighborhood would get together on a specified day and begin the erection of a school house at some point as nearly central as a site could be procured. This was always easy to obtain, as land was worth but $1.25 an acre and a suitable site could be obtained where the owner of the land, especially if he had children of school age - and he generally had, for large families were "in fashion" in those days - was only too willing to donate an acre or half an acre of his land for the purpose. With this detail of location fixed, the settlers would get together on a day for the "rollin' " of the logs essential to the structure and on another day for the "raisin' " of the same, and thus about the third day the school house would be completed.

Characteristic Picture Of The Old Examiners

The lack of competent direction of the affairs of these schools 'was the great handicap. The "master"? was master indeed, responsible only to local directors who not infrequently not only were indifferent to their public duty but wholly unqualified to judge of the fitness of the teacher, whose examination generally was little short of farcical. The reminiscences of Barnabas C. Hobbs, one of the most effective factors in the salvation of Indiana's school system from the blight under which it rested, gives a characteristic picture along that line. 'The only question asked me at my first examination," wrote he, "was 'What is the product of 25 cents by 25 cents' We had only Pike's Arithmetic, which gave the sums and rules. These were considered enough at that day. How could I tell the product of 25 cents by 25 cents, when such a problem could not be found in the book? The examiner thought it was 614 cents, but was not sure. I thought just as he did, but this looked too small to both of us. We discussed its merits for an hour or more, when he decided he was sure I was qualified to teach school and a first-class certificate was given me."

A legislative act in the middle '20s provided for the organization of school districts, the appointment of three trustees in each district and the erection of "suitable" school houses, which law apparently was executed or not, at the whim or discretion of such trustees as might be holding the offices at the time. After 1833 the district trustees were elected by the voters of the districts. In 1836 any individual might hire a teacher and draw his part of the school fund for maintenance. Then, as Doctor Esarey, in his "History of Indiana," so vividly sets out, "there was only one more step that could be taken, and this was taken in 1841, when the qualifications of the teacher were left to the district trustees. It is not strange that under these circumstances the teaching profession disappeared. Men of high education and of great power filled the ranks of the preachers and lawyers, but the teacher of this period was not uncommonly the laughing stock of the neighborhood. While other institutions of the state were taking on efficient state-wide organization, the schools, under the ruinous idea of local self-government, were struggling hopelessly with unequal lengths of terms, incapable teachers, dishonest trustees, diversity of text-books, lax inforcement of school laws and school discipline, neighborhood quarrels over school sites, narrow views of education and lack of wise leadership. This situation lasted until the

The Days Of The Private Schools

The census of 1840 revealed 366 illiterates over twenty years of age in Delaware county, with a population of 8,848. In 1850 the number was 1,069 in a population of 10,969. In the former year the ratio of illiterates in Indiana was one to seven. The census of 1920 gave Delaware county 928 illiterates, of whom 629 were native born. In the election of 1848 on a state-wide issue "for raising by taxation an amount which, added to the present school funds, should be sufficient to support free common schools in all the school districts in the state not less than three nor more than six months each year," Delaware county rejected the proposition by a vote of 808 against to 715 for the tax clause. Those were "the good old days." Happily, the issue was carried in the state, fifty-nine counties voting for the free-school proposition. No wonder that the harmful effects of failure to organize an effective school system during the '30s and '40s were felt in all classes and fields of social life. Despairing of any relief from the public schools, the churches, each in its way, tried to solve the problem of popular education and almost every preacher became a school teacher. It was thus that many private subscription schools were founded and continued for uncertain periods. As Doctor Esarey comments in his history, "such schools depended so completely on the teacher and on local conditions that no history of them can be written."

Though twenty years before, statutory effect had been given to the constitutional provision for the erection of county seminaries, it was not until in the '40s that Delaware county took action along this line. In the spring of 1841 the county commissioners appointed a board of trustees consisting of B. F. Haycock, S. G. Campbell and John Jack to give the matter direction. Dr. George W. Garst donated to the county a square of ground at the county seat (site of the present Jefferson school) for the erection of a seminary building and in May of that year these trustees advertised in the Telegraph for "sealed proposals for building a county seminary at Muncietown, on the first Saturday of June next." But it was not until several years later that the seminary was completed. In the records of the commissioners' court as of the September term, 1846, there is a notation of an allowance to Thomas S. Neely "for labor and materials in re- spect to the completion of the county seminary." With the establishment of this seminary a new impetus gradually was given the cause of education in Delaware county and all sections of the county profited. A roster of the students of this seminary during the spring session of 1846 shows an enrollment of ninety-three. In 1855 the school trustees of the town of Muncie bought the seminary building and merged it with the town's growing school plant, which in the years since has gradually developed into its present stately proportions.

According to the Helm chronicle, the first school in old Muncietown was taught in a log cabin that stood at the site now occupied by the Wysor block, southwest corner of Main and Walnut streets, and it is stated that this school was opened "in the winter of 1829-30, by Henry Tomlinson, a native of North Carolina, who had come here a short time previously from Preble county, Ohio. In this. school were about twenty pupils, representing eight families." In this same chronicle there is preserved an informative review of the development of the early schools of Muncie, compiled by Hamilton S. McRae, who was made superintendent of the schools in 1867 and who for nearly twenty years, assisted by his wife, Mrs. Emma Mont. McRae, carried on here; the two doing a work that gratefully to this day is acknowledged as having laid the foundations of the present admirable school plant. The work of consolidating the district schools in the several townships of the county was begun, in the fall of 1899, in Hamilton township. This work quickly was taken up by most of the other townships and, stimulated by the law of 1907, has progressed until now all townships save one are equipped with a consolidated school, and a movement now is under way that soon will bring this recalcitrant township into line.

The Village School Of Eighty Years Ago

What is believed to have been the second building used for school purposes in Muncie was a house which stood on the alley on the east side of the street in the 200 block in North Walnut street and which stood for many years or until destroyed by fire on July 17, 1893. In referring to the fire the News spoke of the building as "'one of the oldest in Muncie, having stood for fifty years or more. Many people have lived in it and it has been used for other purposes from time to time. Years ago the two lower rooms were rented for school purposes. The late Volney Willson, when a young man, taught school there and taught a good one, though occupying only one room. That was in the early '40s and one room comfortably held all the school children of Muncietown. At one time a small grocery store was kept in one of the rooms by G. W. Spilker's father. In its day it was reckoned a fine building for Muncietown. For many years it belonged to the John A. Gilbert estate. The late O. J. Gilbert lived there a long time and his children were born and raised there."

In the interesting collection preserved by Mrs. Julia S. Williamson there is a time-stained, home-made copy book, with the "copy" line set at the top of each page in the firm, legible hand of Volney Willson, its date showing that it was filled in the school term during the winter of 1841-2 by Mary Jane Gilbert, daughter of Goldsmth Gilbert and the first child born on the Muncie townsite, who married Doctor Andrews and was Mrs. Williamson's mother. The "copies" set in this book are much the same as those made familiar to later generations of school children and probably equally familiar to earlier generations, including such old standbys as "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," "Dangerous are the kisses of an enemy," "Faithful are the wounds of a friend," "Necessity is the mother of invention," "O! for a lodge in some vast wilderness," and the like, an individuality being given to the book in an occasional line of personal meaning, such as "'Rec'd of Goldsmith Gilbert fifty dollars on account," and "Union Village is in Washington county, New York,"' where Willson was born. In this collection there also are a few pages of a copy book set for Goldsmith Gilbert Jr., Mary Jane's brother, who died at the age of nineteen years, and one line of which carried the very pertinent advice - "Endeavour to write as fast as you can write well."

The picture presented in this volume of the first school house in Delaware county is a reproduction of a cut made from a model of the log school house erected in Perry township in 1827, about threefourths of a mile to the east and north of the present site of New Burlington. The model from which the original cut was copied was among the contributions from Indiana to the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, which model bore a placard reading as follows: "School house of 1827, from George Albert Carpenter, Muncie, Ind. A model of the first school house built in Delaware county, Indiana, made on a scale of one-half inch to the foot, by George Albert Carpenter of B high school, represents, with historical accuracy, an actual house of 1827, 20x20 feet, and ceiling eight feet high. The furniture is shown, consisting of long benches for pupils and a shorter one for the teacher; a writing desk; with the greased; paper for light,

The original woodcut appeared in the Muncie Times for pusher vm 1879, with the following comment: 'The above cut is a specimen of the first school house in Delaware county. Quite a number of citizens are now living who received their first instructions under this, the headquarters of learning in this county. But from this, progression swept onward, notwithstanding the many obstacles, such as the want of funds to build houses and pay teachers, the want of qualified teachers, the sparseness of the population, the mismanagement of the school funds, the opposition of the few and the indifference of the many, and the general condition of the pioneer settlers, - which was such as to require for the greater part of each year the assistance of the younger members of each family in the work of clearing away forests, opening farms and planting, cultivating and gathering crops.

"Still, amid all these difficulties, the friends in favor of a general system of public instruction continued to work and to look forward . with hopes of ultimate success . . . and now, in less than two generations, we have the solid brick, with its good light, right ventilation, a model of convenience; a desk for each pupil and every one sitting under the guidance of a well qualified teacher, who is preparing them for the duties of an American citizen. We now [1879] have 124 school houses in Delaware county, outside of the city of Muncie; seventy-three brick and fifty-one frame. We can hardly realize the advancement, and yet it is true. The old house to a parlor, almost; the slab bench to an easy desk; the clapboard window to a correct light; the birch to music and drawing; the 'rule of three' to a well qualified instructor; the dense forest to a neat shaded and flowered yard. God bless the old pioneers. Let the children of today thank them, and let us make the right use of what they, through our Heavenly Father, have seen fit to give us."

At the time the above was written, as noted in the report of County Superintendent Clancy for the school year 1879-80, there were 125 school districts in the county and 145 teachers employed, 101 males and 46 females; amount expended for tuition, $35,642.28; pupils enrolled, 6,394, of whom 3,399 were males and 2,995 females, with a total enumeration of children in the county of 7,686. The value of school buildings, with grounds, seats, etc., was placed at

$135,275. The teachers enrolled in the county institute for that year numbered 146, and the enrollment in the county normal school was 75. At that time there were twenty graded schools in the county, as follows: Muncie, thirteen and Eaton, Daleville, New Corner (Gaston), Yorktown, Albany, Salem and Cowan, one each. The report of the auditor as of the fiscal year ending May 31, 1880, showed $59,618.18 school funds in hand.

Current Report Of School Superintendent

The development of the schools of Delaware county since the period above referred to may best be visualized by a review of some of the figures in the annual report of County Superintendent Baird for the year 1923. The total enumeration of persons of school age in Delaware county as of this year was 16,380, with a total enrollment in the schools of the county of 12,444. There were 10,929 persons enumerated in Muncie and the enrollment in the schools of that city aggregated 7,298. In the grade schools of the county there were 9,871 pupils enrolled, these being distributed as follows: City of Muncie, 5,616; town of Albany, 337; Center township, 871; Delaware township, 126; Hamilton, 255; Harrison, 299; Liberty, 328; Monroe, 291; Mt. Pleasant, 458; Niles, all children transferred to other townships; Perry, 168; Salem, 311; Union, 474; Washington, 337.

For some time during his incumbency Superintendent VanMatre maintained a formal organ of communication between the office of the county superintendent and the teachers and people of the county. generally, giving to this bulletin the name of the Delaware County Public School Journal. No. 4 of Vol. II of this publication, for January and February, 1901, was issued as a "souvenir edition" and is indeed a valuable souvenir of the state of the schools of this county at the beginning of the present century, a souvenir that is carefully preserved in many homes throughout the county and which will be invaluable as a work of reference in the next generation; for in that "souvenir edition," besides much matter of interest to school men generally and a thoughtful presentation by the superintendent of the then developing subject of township school consolidation, there are carried portraits of the members of the county board of education and portraits of all the teachers then serving in the schools of the county, exclusive of the Muncie city schools. Thus have been preserved the portraits of more than 200 persons who were connected at that time with the schools of Delaware county, an array that will have a constantly growing value as time passes.

A Half Century Of School Service

Mrs. Martha Ida (Ellis) Ivans, who in 19238 completed her fiftieth year as a teacher in the Muncie city schools, was graduated from the old Muncie Central Academy on June 27, 1873, at the age of sixteen years, and in the fall of that year taught a rural school about four miles southwest of Muncie, just south of the present Children's Home on the Yorktown road. In the next year she taught the lower room of the Anthony school in Muncie (Fifth and Walnut streets). This school house had two rooms and Miss Jennie Neely was the other teacher. This school presently was merged with the Jackson school, where Mrs. Ivans remained for seven years, and then in 1881 she was made principal of the Jefferson school. In 1886 she was transferred to the high school. In 1892 when departmental work was established in the high school she chose mathematics and has continued teaching that branch in the high school. Mrs. Ivans is a daughter of Capt. John H. Ellis, who was killed at the battle of Chickamauga in 1863, and a sister of the late Judge Frank Ellis of the Delaware circuit court. When Mrs. Ivans was graduated the old academy (precursor of the high school) was being carried on under the superintendency of Hamilton S. McRae, with the assistance of his wife, the gifted Mrs. Emma Montgomery McRae.

Mrs. Emma Mont. McRae, who died at the home of her daughter at Newton Center, Mass., on September 21, 1919, at the age of sixtyeight years, was the daughter of a Methodist clergyman and both her grandfathers were clergymen. She early became associated with school work and after her marriage in 1868 to Capt. Hamilton S. McRae, a native of Indiana and a veteran of the Civil war, who then was serving as superintendent of the Muncie schools, she continued in school work, an able assistant to her husband, presently being made principal of the high school (old academy). When in the early '80s Professor McRae's field of labor was changed to Marion she continued helpful in school work there until after her husband's death in 1887, when she accepted the chair of English literature at Purdue University and for twenty-one years held that post, or until her retirement from active school work. She was buried beside the body of her husband in Beech Grove cemetery, Muncie. Mrs. McRae was a member of the board of directors of the Indiana Teachers' Reading Circle from the date of that body's organization in 1883 until in January, 1910, "over a quarter of a century in a splendid service she was so eminently qualified to give." Upon leaving Purdue her time was given to lecturing, particularly in the Chautauqua field, and to the general extension of the work of women's clubs, in which latter phase of feminine expression she for many years took a foremost part, her influence in that direction having a far-reaching effect upon the movement which she did much to inaugurate in Indiana.

Succession Of School Superintendents

In a report made by Professor McRae to the state superintendent of public instruction in 1878 concerning the old county seminary, it was stated that "one of the first teachers was Volney Willson, who with a stern hand reduced the unruly spirits to a fair state of discipline. The advent of James S. Ferris, in 1847, as principal, marked an era in the growth of the fine educational spirit which now characterizes the city. He was aided in his work by Russell B. Abbott, whose scholarly exactions in the class room are yet remembered with gratitude by those who were made to writhe when a lesson was not prepared. After these, were Pierre L. Munnis and Marshall White. George W. Hoss came in 1852. The fact that his receipts for a year amounted to $600 is evidence, considering the times, that the seminary was prosperous. The private academy of Luther W. Emerson, who succeeded the accomplished George H. Richardson, was quite prosperous in 1862-63. The same may be said of the school of Mr. E. J. and Mrs. Rice which followed. They were assisted in their excellent work by the enthusiastic Ferris, who had returned. The school of William Richardson was well sustained. It was not interrupted by a winter term of free school. The school rooms were sufficient in number for those able and willing to pay tuition, but not for all when tuition is free." The old seminary building was torn down in 1865 to make room for a building better adapted to school purposes, which in turn was succeeded by the present Jefferson school building.

The "accomplished" George H. Richardson above referred to in Professor McRae's account, was a Massachusetts man, a graduate of either Harvard or Yale, and has been referred to by one who knew him well as "a man of great learning and deep piety, of extremely pleasing personality and a splendid type of Christian gentleman." In 1858 he became principal of the Wapakoneta, Ohio, schools and three years later accepted the call to take the superintendency of the Muncie schools. The war then came on. Soon the older boys of the school began to enlist and in a short time but few were left. With the remark, "It is as much my duty to fight and risk my life in defense of my country as the boys of my school," Professor Richardson resigned his superintendency, enlisted as a private in an Indiana regiment and was soon on his way to join other comrades on the front in West Virginia. While on the train, thinking of no immediate danger, he was shot by a Rebel sharpshooter concealed in the bush near the railroad at South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862, and was instantly killed, being shot through the heart. His body was buried at Middletown, Md. During his short residence in Muncie he had made many friends and the untimely cutting off of this useful life was much lamented.

Professor McRae continued as superintendent of the Muncie schools until 1881, when he was succeeded for one term by F. M. Allen, returning to the schools then for another year or until his departure for Marion in 1883. John M. Bloss then became superintendent and in 1887 was succeeded by W. R. Snyder, who in 1903 was succeeded by George L. Roberts, who served until Benjamin F. Moore was made superintendent in 1908. Professor Moore, now of the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal at Muncie, remained at the head of the city schools until he went over to the normal staff in 1918 and was succeeded by T. F. Fitzgibbon, the present superintendent. Beginning in the middle '80s, Joseph A. Goddard served as president of the Muncie school board for more than ten years, or until succeeded in 1898 by Theodore F. Rose, who was kept at the head of the school board until in 1915, two notable terms of service which ought not be forgotten in any estimate made of the development of the Muncie schools during the period of service thus covered.

The first public school in Indiana to receive a first class rating under the state law of 1921, which provided for a system of scoring, was the Riley school of Center township, this county. Although technically a township institution, the Riley school (named for James Whitcomb Riley), just north of Muncie, has all the facilities and equipment of a city school and its term is the same length as in the city schools - nine months. One reason for the excellence of this school, as Lee O. Baird, the county superintendent, expresses it, is because "Riley is a school with a soul." Its teachers, he pointed out, are filled with constructive ideas. Sometimes they fail to follow accepted precedents in the matter of instructing the young; always they seek to do progressive things, and they have attracted wide attention from school men far outside their supposed sphere of influence.

J. S. Shepard, the principal of this school, and his teaching force have drawn up a school creed which all in the school are expected to follow, as follows: "We believe that this school should by means of its course of study and otherwise, train children in habits of industry and thoroughness, self-control and self-direction, obedience and respect for authority, politeness and good manners, kindness and regard for others, neatness and order, and truthfulness and the use of proper and chaste speech."" The flag salute and pledge of loyalty are given every morning in every room, the flag flies over the building every day during school hours, at frequent intervals prominent men and women from various walks of life speak to the pupils on appropriate subjects and about twice a month impromptu programs are given in which both teachers and pupils take part as equals, with the idea of developing a spirit of co-operation. The Riley school, erected in 1913, is a consolidated grade school with grades from one to eight. Special attention is given to sanitation and comfort. On occasion the building is used as a local community center and in other ways has proved its value apart from its merely routine uses. The boys' Bible class of this school carried off first honors in the county in competition with the Bible classes of both city and country schools for the Young Men's Christian Association awards at Muncie for the season of 1921-22. Delaware county is one of the pioneers in the school consolidation movement and this school is a fitting example of what other similar schools in the county are doing.

The Muncie Central High School

As a matter of comparison between the little log house in which the schools of old Muncietown had their start and the present Muncie central high school, the central building of the well organized school establishment of the city, the following brief description of the latter building may be of interest to future generations. This Central high school building, which was erected in 1914, occupying the entire square between High and Franklin and Adams and Charles streets, in the original plat of old Muncietown, is of brick and stone construction, fire proof, three floors and a full basement, the latter utilized as the ground floor, the rooms on this floor numbering from 101 to 148, inclusive. On the first (main) floor the rooms number from 202 to 230, inclusive; second floor, 301-329, and third, 401-405, this latter floor including the ample auditorium. The main entrance is on High street. There are four commodious study halls, lunch room and kitchen, a five-room model furnished apartment for home economics study, three instructional kitchens, a laundry, a millinery room (vocational) , two instructional dining rooms, an ample and well equipped gymnasium, two locker rooms, two shower-bath rooms, two apparatus rooms, six office rooms, three store and supply rooms, a forge (foundry) room, a finishing room, a woodworking shop where much practical work in the way of desks and cabinets for school uses is turned out, a machine shop, two mechanical drawing rooms, a model print shop where the school city's needs in the way of printing are taken care of under practical direction, amply equipped library and reading room, three laboratories, three lecture rooms, a running track for athletic training, a roof greenhouse, seventeen large halls, a rest room, a room for household decoration and dental clinic room. The Wilson (junior) high school on Thirteenth street between Franklin and Liberty streets, has three floors and in proportion to its capacity is equipped on a scale equal to that of the Central school, while the several grade schools also are of comparatively modern construction and admirably equipped.

There are about 325 persons connected with the official and teaching staff of the Muncie city schools, these besides the staffs of various private schools, a business college, music schools and the like, all these, with the eastern Indiana branch of the Indiana state normal school, offering local educational advantages and opportunities that are the pride of the whole community.

The present (1923-4) officials of the Muncie city schools follow: President of the school board, Fred F. McClellan; treasurer, George L. Haymond; secretary, Edward Tuhey; superintendent of schools, T. F. Fitzgibbon; executive secretary, Grace Fern Mitchell; assistants, Jane Harris and Elizabeth Maggs; county superintendent of schools, Lee O. Baird; secretary vocational department, Lois M. Thompson; extension department of the public library, Lois Ingling; custodian, James J. Ryan; attendance officer, Carrie V. Dunn; medical inspectors, Dr. J. 8. Martin, Dr. J. M. Quick and Dr. J. H. Lindley; clerk, Marie Lancaster.

Among the heads of departments of the teaching staff are Adaline Cates, Gladys B. Lord, Nellie W. Massey, Clarena Hunter, L. W. Glover, Maurice Murray, Maude H. Riekeberg, Calla J. Kassabaum, Olive E. Ludy; director industrial education, Harvey Mitchell Anthony ; director vocational education and manual arts, Glen D. Brown; supervisor of the department of home economics, Mary Beeman; supervising principal Central high school, Frank E. Allen; Wilson high school, T. B. Calvert; Jefferson school, Catherine E. Kealy; McKinley school, S. J. Alexander; Washington school, R. Q. Downing; Blaine school, Emma B. Goodwin; Jackson school, A. E. Miller; Harrison school, Charles Roush; Lincoln school, Webb Hunt; Garfield school, A. L. Elabarger; Roosevelt school, W. H. Knott; Longfellow . school, H. O. Lanning; Emerson school, C. C. France, who also is supervising principal of the Whittier school, which is also a training school for the students at the Ball Teachers College, Eastern Divison Indiana State Normal School.

Included in the city school system are five free kindergarten schools, of which Lillian Mitchell is the supervisor, the several directors being as follows: Ruth Mauz, director of the Emma L. Case Memorial kindergarten; Nellie McClung, Second street; Elizabeth Pittinger, Jennie Neely Memorial; Mary Thompson, Alice Tyler Memorial, and Renovia Bradbury, Crosley Ball Memorial. Sister M. DeSales is the principal of St. Lawrence's (Catholic) parochial school, which has a teaching staff of nine, with the Rev. F. F. Houlihan, rector of St. Lawrence's parish, as director.

The Kindergarten Association of Muncie was organized at a meeting held at the residence of Mrs. Susan Jack on the evening of Wednesday, March 19, 1879, with Mrs. Emma Mont. McRae presiding and with Mrs. Julia Richey as secretary. A constitution was adopted and Mrs. John Kirby was elected president, Mrs. Julia Richey secretary and Mrs. Will Little treasurer. This has been a continuing organization of great social benefit.

Schools Promote Neighborhood Amenities

It is perhaps no secret that from the days of the beginning of the towns there has been something of a feeling of rivalry, both social and commercial, between Muncie and Anderson. This was perhaps more openly expressed in "the good old days" than now. But there was an incident back in the '70s that served in a measure to alleviate the social tension and for a time bring the towns more nearly together in a spirit of amity, if the following article from a copy of the Anderson Herald of the last week in June, 1877, may be accepted:

"In compliance with an invitation received from Mrs. Mont. McRea and the members of the senior class of the Muncie high school, a large number - some forty or fifty perhaps, including many of the late graduates of the Anderson high school - visited Muncie on Friday afternoon last to witness the commencement exercises there. The kindly treatment accorded the visitors upon their comfort, the solicitude expressed in their behalf by the Muncie people, has been a constant well of good feeling to the visitors, from whose crystal depths brimming beakers of good will and kindness have been drunk that will do more to quench the fire of jealous rivalry and business animosity heretofore to some extent existing between the two cities, and draw together in silken social bonds the residents of Anderson and Muncie until, in after years, it may be written of them 'one and indivisible.'

"Muncie is a thriving, dashing little town with plenty of wealth and that indefinable something which can only be described as the 'git-up-and-git' about it, the lack of which renders a town splendidly dull. It is our candid, unbiased opinion that while Muncie is a paragon of a town and has many acquired advantages over Anderson, the latter surpasses it both as a place of business and residence; having, among other things, a better agricultural country around it, better water and better facilities for manufacturing. Muncie, on the other hand, lays over Anderson in point of improvements, having better school buildings and far superior hotel accommodations. * * * After the entertainment (commencement exercises at the opera house) a social time was enjoyed in the parlors of the Kirby House until the growing lateness warned the Andersonians to depart. At about 12 o'clock those that had driven through in buggies and carriages from Anderson took their departure, carrying with them agreeable recollections of the visit. The thanks of the visitors are due, among others, to Mr. George F. McCulloch and Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton McRea for their attention and kindness. On behalf of the 'stalwart sentiment' of Anderson, the Herald extends the right hand of fellowship to the gallant little magapolis of Delaware county, and speaking for that sentiment, says to all Muncie and Muncieites, 'No matter what may have been our differences and feelings in the past, in the future Anderson can cherish naught but kindliest remembrances'."'

The Muncie News two years later (June 10, 1879) referred to the neighboring county seat town in this fashion: 'The city of Anderson, that pleasant suburb of Muncie, last week gave up their city charter and have gone back to the more economical government of a country village." The neighborly amenities were being maintained - in a fashion. Concerning the commencement exercises here referred to, the News devoted more than two columns of its space to an account of the affair, introducing the same with the statement that "a more brilliant audience of ladies and gentlemen never assembled in the Opera House than that which greeted the graduating class on last Friday evening on the occasion of the tenth annual commencement of the Muncie high school."

A Sidelight On The Earlier Normal Schools

An advertisement of the "first session of the Muncie Summer Normal School, term of four weeks, beginning July 16, 1877," is carried in the Muncie News a month or more prior to this date, the same being signed by O. M. Todd, county superintendent, and D. H. H. Shewmaker, secretary and treasurer. In this advertisement it is announced that the instructors are to be O. M. Todd, theory and practice, | physical geography, language, etc.; D. H. H. Shewmaker, higher mathematics, general history, physiology, etc.; Levi G. Saffer, botany and zoology; Hamilton S. McRea, philosophy and sociology. The tuition fee is fixed at $2.50 the term and "boarding at the very lowest rate possible will be secured." It also is announced that "the city library will be free to the students. It has 3,000 volumes, including a large number of scientific works, besides a large number of choice periodicals and the leading daily newspapers."

It is apparent from contemporary newspaper letters and comment that there were serious rivalries and direct conflict of ambitions in the early days of the county normal school. A communication from the Rev. O. M. Todd printed in the Muncie News of June 27, 1877, under the head "Unparalleled Cheek," gives out plainly to the public that "we understand that W. H. Fertich, who thinks that Delaware county fails to appreciate his greatness and importance, is now scattering circulars through the county with double intent to gratify his own boundless vanity and conceit and also to strike an underhand stab at the school interests of our county. His low mendacity with regard to myself personally I shall treat, as I do him, with contempt. But I will not permit his efforts to injure our own school pass unnoticed. To give an exhibition of the boundless. egotism of this wonderful animal production of eastern Indiana we quote from the circular issued and designed by himself:

"<'This normal will be conducted by W. H. Fertich, author of Fertich's Instructive Elocution, who is the most popular institute instructor in this state.'

"How is that for self praise? How does that do for sounding one's own horn? 'The most popular institute instructor in this state!' Is not that rich for the people of Delaware county, who know this Fertich, 'author of Fertich's Instructive Elocution?' He ought to have added - who holds a second grade license. * * * Merciful fathers! What a big bucket of milk Bill Fertich does give when he is fresh; but it's very thin - so thin that if you churn a whole four- weeks yield you will not get five cents worth of real instruction out of it. * * * For particulars we refer all the teachers * * * to correspond with the good people of Yorktown, where Fertich taught his last school in Delaware county and where he was egged at one of his thrilling elocutionary entertainments."

That was a day of plain speaking. The files of the News for that period reveal that a state of verbal war existed between Ethell, editor of the News, and Brady and Mellett, of the Times, and the "names" and epithets of opprobrium bandied between the rival editors were typical of the rough-and-tumble style of expression of the period, "chuckle-head," "numbskull" and "moss-backed stabbers" being among the tamest of the compliments thus conveyed. Perry Heath then was just beginning to "branch out." An item in the News of July 4, 1877, says: "Perry Heath, for a long time connected with the News office, is about to take a co-partnership in a newspaper office near Vincennes. He will achieve success, as he is industrious and saving." And he did.

Editor N. F. Ethell just then was carrying on a vigorous campaign against the Muncie saloons and the "'social evil" as he found it existing in the town at that time and some of the pictures he drew of conditions, and the plain manner in which his theme was presented, hardly would be regarded as "polite reading" by the newspaper readers of today.

As a matter of interest not only to themselves but to the probable grandchildren of those whose names appear below, here is given a list of pupils of the Muncie schools which appeared on the "Special Merit Rolls" as published in the News in January, 1877, this list carrying the names of those who had not been tardy or absent or demerited in deportment, the pupils ranking 1 who had the highest general average ascertained by combining the average punctuality, attendance and deportment with the average examination:

Miss McElwee's Room - Rank 1, Effie Burt, Emma Mayer; rank 2, Ross Silverburg, Rosa Budd; 100 in p. a. d., Sallie McCulloch, Rosa Silverburg, Effie Burt, Nettie Beckwith, Nora Russey, Darby Glenn, Charles Holbert and George Pfieffer.

Mr. Shewmaker's Room - Rank 1, Mary E. Moore, Frank L. Wachtell; rank 2, Newcomb A. Galbraith; 100 in p. a. d., Robert S. Haines, Fred Husted, Jennie Lotz, Dora McCrillus, Kate Neely, Maud Ardery, Newcomb Galbraith, George A. Jones, Charles Kurtz, Joseph Ceon, Hattie B. Mitchell, Mary Moore, Charles Moore, Charles Swain and Frank Wachtell.

Miss Kate Young's Room - Rank 1, Eva Young ; rank 2, Otto Carmichael, Minnie Glenn, Frank Hibbitts, Ida Lockwood; 100 in p. a. d., Otto Carmichael, Eva Brundage, Isa Lockwood, Emily Phillips and Christina Shoecraft.

A First Hand Glance At The Rural Schools

In November, 1877, N. F. Ethell, then editor of the Muncie News, took a trip over the county and in the article he wrote for his paper, based on that trip, he said: 'We have visited quite a number of schools. Asa general thing our schools are doing finely. There seems to be general harmony and co-operation between patrons, teachers and trustees. We therefore look for this year's work to be attended with good results. There is an evident advance in the cleanliness, neatness, taste and good order manifested in our schools. School discipline is rapidly rising to what it ought to be, a thing of principle and not a contest of muscular force. * * * While corporeal punishment may be necessary, we hold that the necessity is found only in extreme cases." The old theory of "no lickin', no larnin'" was passing. The editor also stated that "we are struck with the improvement manifested in our school houses." Better days were dawning for the rural schools.

As an instance of the development of the schools during the past half century, a review of a volume of reports of the teachers of Center township in the period above referred to will be interesting. The volume in hand, opening in February, 1878, James A. Maddy then being the trustee of Center township, opens with the report of Clara Dombaugh, teacher of school No. 8, for the term beginning on Monday, October 1, 1877, and closing on February 22, 1878, "the whole number of days taught during the school term" being 100. There were then 18 boys and 15 girls attending No. 8, a total of 33, who maintained an average daily attendance of 1614. The teacher was paid $2 a day. McGuffey's readers then were in use in the schools of this county, the "Eclectic" system of copy-books was in vogue, and

Ray's arithmetics were used. In the matter of geography and history, there seems to have been no general system. The report under consideration shows that in this district there were five pupils "taking" geography, the text books being the Eclectic and Guyot's, and five taking history, Swinton's being the text book. Physiology and English grammar were not taught in that school. Oliver Carmichael was the teacher during the spring term of this school and he had one pupil in the grammar class, Harvey's grammar being used. Two were enrolled in geography and eight in United States history, Swinton's and Quackenbos's texts being used in the latter study; no physiology. Sixteen pupils were enrolled for this spring term.

In district No. 9, Charles C. McCrillus teacher, with an enrollment of 48 (27 boys and 21 girls) and an average attendance of 38 3/5, twenty-three were taking geography (Eclectic) and English grammar (Harvey's), while six were taking physiology (Brown's) and United States history (Quackenbos). Six also were taking elocution (Kid's), five algebra (Ray) and five chemistry (Steele). The Spencerian system of writing was used in that school.

In district No. 3, Thomas R. McRae teacher, there were 43 pupils, 21 boys and 18 girls, with an average daily attendance of something more than 25. Nine of these were taking geography (Harper's and Guyot's), eight, grammar (Harvey's and Pinero's), four, physiology (Cutter's) and five, United States history (Swinton's). For some unexplained reason this school was carried on by McRae for but fortysix days and the term was completed by R. W. Monroe. In the school taught by George N. McLaughlin during that winter there were thirty pupils enrolled, with an average daily attendance of 20.1. The boys also predominated here at the ratio of 18 to 12. Fifteen of these were taking geography (Eclectic). White's arithmetic was used as well as Ray's, twenty-two being in the arithmetic class. Seven studied grammar (Harvey's), two, physiology (Cutter's) and nine United States history (Ridpath), while two were taking algebra (Ray).

German As An Elective Study

In passing, it is proper to say that the curriculum at that time also provided for the teaching of German, elocution, ancient history, natural philosophy, physical geography, bookkeeping and geometry. In none of the schools in this township was German taught at that time, the slight proportion of the elements of German-speaking population here apparently not having been able to force that branch on

In district No. 10, Truman P. Coates teacher, there were 88 pupils, 22 boys and 16 girls, with an average daily attendance of 16.97. Geography was studied by nine, grammar by seven, physiology (Cutter's) by three, United States history (Quackenbos) by four and algebra (Ray) by one. Charles F. Parks then was teacher of district No. 5. He had 38 pupils (24 boys and 14 girls), with an average attendance of above 26, eleven of whom were studying geography, nine grammar and ten United States history; no physiology class. In district No. 1 George W. Blodgette was the teacher. He had 53 pupils (24 boys and 29 girls) and an average attendance of 32. Ray's arithmetic and McGuffey's readers were used. Eight pupils formed the class for the study of Guyot's geography; eight grammar (Harvey's), and three United States history (Quackenbos). Edith Bryan was teaching in district No. 7. She had 43 pupils (26 boys and 17 girls), with an average attendance of 28. Of these, fourteen were studying geography (McNelly and Guyot) ; four, grammar (Harvey and Clark) ; four, physiology (Brown), and five, United States history (Swinton). In district No. 2, Charles E. Hamilton teacher, two were studying algebra (Ray). There were 30 pupils in the school (16 boys and 14 girls), with an average attendance of 21. Five were taking geography (Guyot's); seven, grammar (Harvey's) ; three, physiology (Brown and Hutchinson), and nine, United States history (Quackenbos). Following the expiration of the regular term of 100 days a "spring term" of forty days was carried on in these schools, a generally lessened attendance being marked in the respective reports of the teachers.

It was in the spring of 1878 that John Brady became trustee of Center township. He was followed by J. R. Mason and the latter by George W. Fay, in whose hand the last record in the book under review, closing the term 1885-6, is entered. Among the other teachers whose reports are rendered during this period were Emma T. Mc- Clintock, Sarah Armstrong, Charles M. Austin, Kate C. Straddling, Charles A. McClellan, J. H. Lemmon, William H. Brown, Anna E. (Nevitt) Ross, Harry Bowman, Charles W. Nelly, Mary M. Brady, Charles D. Winans, J. J. and A. L. Warfel, Helen R. Young, Kate E. Keaty, Anna Belle Reid, Ella Miller, J. C. Ogle, Flora Carpenter, Sadie C. Drumm, Frank S. Tyler, Adam Warfel, Alta Stiffler, Kate Garst, Clara Cowing, Sadie Kelley, William H. Hickman, Mary E. Mason, Hugh A. Cowing, Matiida (Tillie) J. Harlacher, Della Shew.

maker, Charles E. Johnston, Edward Tuhey, Mattie J. Reid, Milton L. Collins, Mollie L. Brown, Mary E. Boyer, Oscar Polhemus, G. W. Patterson, John H. Rickard, Anna M. Cochren and Nettie Dungan. By the time this record book closes (1886) the rate for teachers in the district schools had advanced to $2.25 a day and some of the older teachers were receiving $2.50, the contracts providing that the teacher was also to perform janitor service, or at least "not to present for him or herself, or anyone else, any claims for janitor's fees," and in many instances to this clause was added a stipulation that the teacher should "have fires built by 8 o'clock, a. m." The consolidated school with its many conveniences and advantages was far out in the offing.

Eastern Division Indiana State Normal School

The activities of the normal school in Delaware county, culminating in the spring of 1918 in the state taking over the work that had been carried on in the old Eastern Indiana Normal University at Muncie, had its inception about fifty years ago, when in 1875 the first normal school in this county was undertaken at Daleville. This school was opened for the benefit of such teachers of the county as might desire to "brush up" a bit in their studies pending an examination for a license to carry on school work during the ensuing winter and was conducted under the direction of A. W. Clancy and J. R. Woodward. It is said that the attendance at this first normal school was sixty-five. In the following summer these directors secured the services of three assistants, amplified their program, broadened their curriculum and attracted to their institution so much attention that their enrollment in that year reached to 110. In the next year (1877) the Rev. O. M. Todd, then county superintendent of schools, took charge of the normal, which by this time apparently had created a place for itself. In 1878 A. W. Clancy was elected county superintendent and he superintended the normal course during that year, with D. H. Shoemaker as assistant, and 135 students were enrolled.

For years thereafter the privately directed normal school was carried on in the county, with varying degrees of success, its work being supplemented during the '70s and '80s by the effective co-operation of an organization effected in 1869 and known at that time as the Delaware County Educational Association, a voluntary association of teachers effected for mutual benefit, and which in 1874 became known simply as the Educational Association, among the leaders in this latter movement having been such well known teachers of that period as

A. C. Mellette, H. S. McRea, O. M. Todd, Emma Mont. McRea, A. W. Clancy, A. J. Wells, D. H. Shoemaker and John O. Lewellen. The old Delaware County School Teachers Association was disbanded about twenty years ago (1905), the county joint teachers' institute at that time and since then filling the need of these "get-together" meetings and absorbing the old volunteer association of teachers.

This was about the situation with respect to the normal school movement in this county when in the spring of 1896 the Eastern Indiana Normal University Association was organized at Muncie. According to the articles of association on file in the office of the county recorder, this association was organized on May 13, 1896, "'to establish and maintain at or near the city of Muncie, Ind., a normal university for the education of males and females." And out of this project grew the development of Normal City at the northwestern edge of the city of Muncie and the present Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School. The incorporators of the original Indiana Normal University Association were John O. Lewellen (then county superintendent of schools), W. R. Snyder (then superintendent of the Muncie city schools), Isham Humphries, J. A. Quick, Joseph M. Stafford, Lewis W. Davis, P. F. Smith, C. W. Smith, William P. Bowers, E. H. Stradling, L. J. Hooke, Frank D. Haimbaugh, John B. Jackson, John C. Johnson and D. A. Funkhauser. This association was organized by the election of the following officers: President, J. O. Lewellen; vice president, L. J. Hooke; secretary, Frank D. Haimbaugh, and treasurer, J. A. Quick.

Development Of Old Normal School Project

Local credit for the inception of the normal school project is freely given the late Frank D. Haimbaugh, who when he entered the newspaper field here in 1891 recognized the potentialities of such an institution and began editorially to educate the local public to the idea. His campaign of publicity was carried out systematically and in time produced results. When in the spring of 1896 a definite organization was effected in this behalf he was elected secretary of the association and in that capacity rendered a full measure of executive service. He and George Higman selected the site for the proposed school, secured a donation from the landowners of ten acres for a campus site, got an option on the surrounding tract and started in to popularize the Normal City idea.

The site chosen, the one now occupied by the state school, had been farmed but for years had been neglected and had grown up in a thicket of hazel brush. Not an inviting prospect for a new town. The plan was to plat the site, sell the lots and put the first payments into the erection of school buildings. In 1898 the Eastern Indiana Normal University Association was reorganized and incorporated, with a board of trustees representing each township in the county. This new organization continued Mr. Haimbaugh as secretary and J. A. Quick as treasurer, made Charles A. VanMatre, county superintendent of schools, president and George Higman assistant treasurer. The sale of lots was succesful and in that same year preparations for building were made. In the next year (1899) the school was opened with F. A. Z. Kumler in charge. Kumler's administration did not prove what was expected and in December, 1901, he retired and the school was closed. The United Brethren church made a tentative offer for the building with a view to establishing a theological school, but no satisfactory agreement could be arrived at in that behalf. A group of Muncie citizens also attempted to take over the school but failed.

In 1905 John Latschaw and his associates opened the school under the name of the Palmer Institute and carried on for a couple of years. Under local direction A. L. Pittenger then took charge and carried on a normal school for a year. In 1909 an attempt was made to have the state take over the drooping institution. In 1911 M. D. Kelly took charge and in association with C. W. Boucher, then at the head of the Marion (Ind.) normal school, secured a merger of the latter institution, a manual training school at Plano, a school of music at Muncie and a local manual training school and started out as the Muncie Normal Institute. This amalgamation proved successful and the trustees of the old normal university association turned the institution over to Kelly and his associates, giving a deed to the property. Hard times came knocking at the door and the Muncie Normal Institute presently passed into the hands of a receiver, and for two years was operated under a receivership. At the end of that time it was sold in court and was taken in by the Ball brothers, of Muncie.

The State Takes Over The Institution

When in the spring of 1918 the Ball brothers offered to donate this property to the Indiana State Normal School a proper investigation of the proposition was made by the board of trustees of the state institution and the proffer was accepted, the trustees deciding to es- tablish in this property a branch of the state school to be known as the Eastern Division. The property was thoroughly repaired and renovated at state expense, the equipment enlarged, needed furniture bought, the library reorganized and enlarged and a competent faculty of trained men and women employed for the work, which since then has been carried on under state direction. In 1922 the Ball brothers added to their gift to the state by a further donation of $250,000, with which to provide a new and modern gymnasium on the campus of the institution. The Legislature in 1921 appropriated the sum of $125,000 for the erection of a science building as an addition to the architectural equipment of the school, and other additions are contemplated to meet the growing requirements of the school, which has come to be recognized as a valuable acquisition to the social and cultural life of the city.

The property thus held by the Eastern Division consists of a beautiful building, in addition to those mentioned, the old parent school, situated in the center of a splendid tract, a dormitory for women which will accommodate about seventy-five persons, and a tract of about sixty acres adapted in every way to an extension of the school as it may grow, and for all garden and experimental agricultural purposes. The donation of the Ball brothers also includes a tract of land of about equal size which has been transferred to a trust company in trust, to be used for the benefit of the institution. A set of six tennis courts have been laid out in the grounds and other accommodations provided for the recreation of the students. The attendance at the school has grown steadily since the institution was placed under state control in 1918 and during the past summer more than 1,200 students were enrolled. By action of the board of trustees in 1922 an addition was made to the name of the institution, the title of which now reads, the Ball Teachers College, Eastern Division Indiana State Normal School, in honor of the donors of the plant who continue to maintain their interest in the institution. A training school for teachers is maintained at the normal school, one of the grade schools of the city and the city high school being utilized for this purpose, and an extension course is maintained in which nearly one thousand students are enrolled in the various classes. The curriculum and direction of this school are identical with those of the parent school at Terre Haute.

Development Of The Public Library

Under the provisions of Sec. 5 of Art. X of the first constitution of the state of Indiana county libraries could be established and maintained out of funds derived from the sale of lots reserved in the county towns or county seats. Such a library was established in Delaware county and was long maintained, the books being cared for in an upper room of the old court house, but just when it was established is not known owing to the loss of the early records of the board of county commissioners. This old county library served a good purpose but like so many similar establishments in the state never became distinctly popular on account of lack of availability. Most of these county libraries in Indiana long ago succumbed to the essential defects of the system - distance from the borrower and indifferent or inefficient direction. The last legislation in their behalf was in 1852. Later, under the provisions of the new constitution, came the township libraries. It has been said that "while the township library system was a thing of short life, it is doubtful whether the same amount of legislation and the same amount of money expended ever accomplished more for the higher life of Indiana than was accomplished in this instance."

The creation of the township bray was a part of the general act providing for and creating a general system of common schools. Under the provisions of this act of 1852 these township libraries were "in charge of the boards of township trustees" and "such trustees shall be accountable for the preservation of said libraries." It is not difficult therefor to account for the eventual disappearance of such collections of books as thus were installed. By various makeshift amendments this law was so altered that the township library practically legally ceased to exist in 1867 when the funds to be raised for public township libraries were diverted to the erection of the state normal school, and this continued as the situation with respect to all counties in the state, save Marion, until in 1873, when city councils were empowered to levy a tax for library purposes; which appears to be the beginning of the modern library organization and control - that is, the beginning of the movement to make the library municipal property. And it was thus that in 1873 was inaugurated a new movement for the creation of an adequate public library at Muncie.

Beginning Of The City Library

The city's right to provide for a city library under this law was discussed in council but nothing officially definite was done in the matter until in the next year. In the meantime some of the "forward looking" men of the town were talking library and in the spring of 1874 formal action was taken. At a meeting called for the purpose of discussing the project by Hamilton S. McRea, then superintendent of the city schools, and held at the court house on the evening of May 30, 1874, a library association was organized, the initial stockholders in the enterprise being Mr. McRae, Walter March, William B. Kline, William Brotherton, Carlton E. Shipley, Thomas J. Brady, Erville B. Bishop, James Boyce, Marcus C. Smith, William Glenn, James N. Templar, Stanton Hussey, Frank Ellis, N. F. Ethell, David H. Case and John W. Ryan. On the following July 31 the city council passed an ordinance donating $3,000 to the project, which thus was got under way without much further delay.

The city donated for library purposes the east room on the second floor of the city building free of rent, the space was filled with the proper furniture, the old books held over from the county and township libraries and from the dwindling libraries of the old Philalethian and Workingmen's societies were collected, about 3,000 volumes in all, Mrs. Harriet L. Patterson was installed as librarian, such new books as the funds on hand would warrant were purchased, and on January 9, 1875, the new free public library was opened. It is but proper to say that many books were donated to the library by private individuals. The cireulating library of Henry C. Marsh, comprising something more than 1,300 volumes, also was taken over and thus before the end of its first year the public library had become fairly well stocked.

The library was fortunate in being appointed, soon after its establishment, as the repository for this congressional district of the publications of Congress and the original deposit in this behalf, with continuing accretions, gives a special value to the fine collection in the library's reference room. The popularity of the library was assured from the beginning. The librarian's report for the year ending March 31, 1877, two years after the formal opening of the library, shows that 11,979 books were issued during the year. In the next year there were issued 17,120 books, indicative of a rapidly growing interest in the library. In addition to this the reference and reading rooms of the library were growing in popularity as their accessibility gradually became known in the community. As the mayor's report on the general welfare of the city in the year 1878 well said: "This extensive reading by the people cannot fail to have an influence for good, present and future, to the people and to the city."

The Gift Of Andrew Carnegie

On the richly adorned facade of the Muncie public library there is carved "Muncie Public Library," supplemented by the inscription: "This building the gift of Andrew Carnegie. Built Anno Domini 1902 - Law, Science, Prose, Art, Poetry, Music." And thereby hangs a tale. When about the beginning of the present century the library beneficences of Andrew Carnegie began to attract national attention, a movement was set on foot to enlist the interest of the old "iron master" in the direction of Muncie. The library board turned the matter over to the Commercial Club and that organization in February 27, 1901, on motion of the late J. A. Daily, created a committee which addressed Mr. Carnegie in this behalf, asking him "to investigate the conditions, which we believe will make the project worthy of a place in your splendid scheme of public benefaction," and at the same time pointing out that "we already have a fair beginning for a public library; if we had a building worth $50,000 it could be liberally maintained and would be a perpetual fountain of intelligence and worthy of your noble efforts." The answer to this was "if the city of Muncie will furnish a suitable site and agree to maintain a free public library at a cost of not less than $5,000 per year, Mr. Carnegie will be glad to give $50,000 for a building." This was dated March 8. At a meeting of the council held on the 11th following the Carnegie proposition was accepted and a committee appointed to make arrangements for carrying the agreement into effect. On the following July 29 this committee recommended the purchase of the Shirk corner, southeast corner of Jackson and Jefferson streets, at a cost of $13,000 and the council concurred in the recommendation. The George W. Spilker residence which in 1894 had been donated to the city for library purposes, was sold for $6,000, which sum was applied on the purchase price of the Shirk corner, building plans speedily were carried out and on January 1, 1904, the present handsome library building, erected at a cost of just under $56,000, was dedicated and the keys formally turned over to the library board by the then mayor, Charles W. Sherritt. The library board, a continuing body, serves by appointment, two members being appointed by the city school board, two by the city council, two by the circuit court judge and one by the township trustee, this latter official also ex-officio being a member.

Mrs. Patterson, the first librarian, served in that capacity for six years and in 1881 was succeeded by Mrs. Caroline Fleming, who in 1890 was succeeded by Emma Sparr, who in the next year was succeeded by Katherine Wilson. In 1903 Artena M. Chapin was appointed librarian and thus was serving at the time the new library was opened. She was succeded in 1911 by Margaret Edna Streeter, who on March 1, 1917, was succeeded by the present incumbent, Mary Torrance, a trained librarian, whose present staff consists of Eugenia Raymond, assistant; children's librarian, Susan R. Weimer; extension, Lois Ingling; circulation, Katherine Jarvis, and custodian, W. S. Martin, the latter of whom has been connected with the library for many years. In 1906 branch libraries were established at Avondale, Congervilla and Whiteley and these branches, together with the weekly trips of the book wagons which now cover the township, make books easily available to all within the immediate scope of the library's circulation area.

The growth:of the library's influence may be gauged by the following figures from the current (1928) statistical report of the librarian: Books, 44,884; borrowers, 18,379; circulation (non-fiction), 49,422; fiction, 183,301. The present annual income of the library is in the neighborhood of $25,000, provided by a .05 levy placed both by the city and by Center township. It is interesting to note that the Muncie public library has been selected by the Illinois State Library School as one of the libraries in which the seniors of the school may do practical work. This library also was selected by the Indiana state library commission to be visited by a representative of the Philippine government who was observing the work of a selected group of American libraries. From time to time the library has profited by generous donations both of books and curios and of the latter there now is a sufficient collection to form the nucleus of a pretty good local museum when the steps toward the creation of such an institution shall be taken. Several valuable works of art also have been donated, these latter including a characteristic bit of the work of Wayman Adams, who was born and reared in Muncie and who now is recognized as one of America's leading portrait painters, making his home in New York. The Muncie public library is the only tax-supported library in the county. The normal school has a library of more than 8,000 volumes.