Dubois County, Indiana - Chapter 6: Schools and Education, 1896

Chapter 6: Schools and Education

A school-house is a sign of civilization, of advancement and of education. There is no official record in Dubois County of its schools prior to September 12, 1866, except such as appears in the form of reports scattered about the various offices to whose incumbent such reports were made.

The fii-st schools in Dubois County, like in other counties of the state, were of the subscription kind. The school houses were of the same style as

From left to right the members are William Schiiler, N. B. CoflTriian (Johu Herr, school supplies), Levi L. Jacobs, John Wibbels, Johu E. Norman, Nick Senninger, Fred AUes, John Seitz. In fronton the steps are R. C. Smith, John H. Eehrens, John E. Steinkamp, George R. Wilson and Alois J. Schaaf.

the dwellings of those days; of log, with a large fireplace at one end, and a shelf used for a writing desk on one side. The school house often served as a church house and the teacher often served as a preacher.

Beginning with 1S24, and for many years, there were three school trustees for each township. These three trustees examined teachers in regard to their abilty to teach reading, writing and arithmetic. School houses were built by the able-bodied men in the district. The rooms were to be eight feet high, and the floors had to be at least one foot above the ground. Such was the beginning of the present district schools. Terms seldom exceeded sixty days, and the wages paid teachers were very low.

The first school houses in Dubois County were usually of logs and about twenty feet by twenty-four. The roof was of boards pinned down with wooden pins. The floor was made of puncheons. A puncheon was a combination between a log and a board. It was generally between three and six inches thick and was laid down loose. The seats in the school room were generally made of one-half of a small log, supported by four or six wooden pins, for legs. The books were Webster's Blue-back Speller, DeBald's or Pike's Arithmetic, and Olney's Geography and Atlas.

The New Testament served as a reader. The spelling lesson caused the greatest interest. To stand at the head of a spelling class was the highest ambition. Many pupils could spell every word in the book, even though they did not know its meaning, and perhaps never used the word again. To walk five or six miles to school was a very common occurence.

Pupils were permitted to study as loud as they pleased, and, many thought that the more noise the pupils made in studying their lessons, the better they would know them. There would be bits of "a-(5, ads," i-b, ibsf "-12 times 12 are 144,'- and divide,'" '-'-In the beginning, God said let there be light, and there was light," and various other sounds mixed up at the same time; all while school was in session, and while the teacher was explaining long division to the big boys and girls.

Pupils wrote with goose-quill pens, shapened by the teacher. The pupil always "run down'' his own goose, and brought the feather to his teacher to be dexterously converted into a quill pen. Sand served instead of a blotting-pad. School began at "sun up" and closed at "sun down," and he who got to the school house first recited first, and so on one at a time. There was no recess except at noon. One of the very first teachers was Simon Morgan. His penmanship is shown elsewhere in this little history. He taught school in Fort McDonald, in the court house at Portersville, and also in the log court house at Jasper. About 1S20, a school was taught near Haysville, and also at Shiloh, west of Jasper. Before this county was organized a school was taught near where Ireland now stands. One was taught in Jefferson township, north of Schnellville, about 1820.

Under the constitution of 1816, and from 1843 to the year 1853, John McCausland served in the capacity of county school examiner. From 1S53 to 1857, Rev. Joseph Kundeck, Rev, A. J. Strain, and George W. Fallon served as school examiners. S. J. Cramer succeeded Mr. Fallon; the others continued. For the year 1858, Rev. A, J, Strain, Stephen Jerger, and S. J. Cramer served ; for 1859, Rev. A, J. Strain, William Hayes, and John B. Beckwerment, served, and for 1861, Henrv A. Holthaus succeeded Rev. A. J. Strain.

In 1861, the law was changed, and only one school examiner was required. On June 5, iS6i, Rev. A. J. Strain was appointed and he served until his death, February 2, 1873. On the seventh day of the following March, Mr. E. R. Brundick was appointed.

A law was passed and went into effect March 8, 1873, calling for the appointment of the first county superintendent, on the first Monday of June,

Itistorv And Art Souvenir

1873, and bi-ennially thereafter. Mr. Brundick was appointed, and held until June 3, 1879, when Rev. Geo.C. Cooper became his successor. On June 6, 1881, the Hon. A. M. Sweeney was appointed and served with eminent success, until June, 1889, when George R. Wilson, the present incumbent, was appointed.

William Hayes

William Hayes. Examiner of Common School Teachers for theCouuty of Dubois for the term of two years from the first Monday in March, 1800. Appointed by the board of county commissioners. Died at JHsper, Indiana, November 1874. Mr. Hayes was born at Haysville, Indiana, October 4, 1834, He was an attache of the Courier office, at Jasper for fourteen years.

Rev. Joseph Kundeck

Kev. Joseph Kuudeck was born iu Johannicli, Croatias. Aug. '24, 1810. In 1837, he emigrated to Indiana, and in 1838, was installed asjCatholic pastor at Jasper. The congregation at Jasper theu numbered fifteen families. During 1840 and 1841 he built the first brick church at Jasper. He ofteu went to Madison, Ind., and over into Illinois to preach. He also visited the congregations at Ferdinand, Troy, Celestine, Fulda and McLoughlin, as their pastor. To restore his health he took a trip to New Orleans in 1843, and while there built its first German Catholic Church. He then returned to Jasper and built the Court House. About the same time he built the present brick church at Troy. He laid out the town of Ferdinand in 1840, having purchased the land of the United States in 1839. In 1843 he laid out tlie town of Celestine. In 18.51 he built the first Germau Catholic Church at Madison, Ind., and then made a trip to Europe. About this time he was appointed Vicar General of Vincennes, having previously been Missionary GeneraL In 1844 he introduced the Sisters of Providence in the schools of .Jasper. They now have a flourishing academy. On Nov. 29, 18.5.5 he laid out the first addition to Jasper. He bought a great amount of land from the government. His services and work iu Southern Indiana have resulted in much good. Perhaps no man in the early days of Southern Indiana was more generally and favorably known. In the spring of 1857 began an illness that caused his death on December 4th, 1857. A handsome monument marks his last resting place in St. Joseph's Cemetery at Jasper. No photograph of this man could be found. See copy of autograph elsewhere.

Rev. A. J. Strain

Born Jan. IS, 1821, died Feb. 2. 1873. Pastor of Shiloh congregation for twenty-six years; County School Examiner for nearly twenty years. He died while holding the above position. Shiloh, Lemmons.Hillsboro and Lebanoit churches Avere erected during his ministration. Ordained October 10, 1847.

Before 1S73, the examination passed by the applicant for a teacher's license was not difficult. The difficulty was in getting the teachers. The applicant usually called on the county examiner, who asked a few questions, which were answered orally, wrote a few lines as a sample of his chirography, and remained for dinner. After dinner if the examiner was satisfied with the applicant's knowledge, he wrote out a license and handed it to him. It was generally written upon a piece of fools-cap paper about eight inches square.

"This Certifies that^I have examined Wesley Kendall, Relative to his qualifications, to teach a Common schoolas required by the School law of Indiana and find him

County Superintenrlent from 1R81 to 18S9. Clerk of the Supreme Court of Indiana from l.sno to 1894; now I'rvsideiH o( tht; state Life Insurance to.

qualified to teacli Orthography, Spelling, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic as far as Interest, And he supporting a good Moral Character I therefore license him to teach the branches above named for the term of three months. July 29 - 1856. <'A. j. Strain, S. E."

[The language and capitals areas they appear in the original.] Under this license Mr. Kendall taught in the old Beatty school house in Columbia township, near the "Beatty Spring," and on the last day of school had a drill or muster of old soldiers, who formed a hollow square, and

World'S Fair Diploma

World's Fair Diploma and Medal awarded to the Dubois County Schools in 1893, at Chicago. The medal and its aluminum case weigh eleven ounces.

listened to addresses. To show that such was the usual grade in those days in Southern Indiana, below may be found a copy of a Crawford County license, with original capitals, language and punctuation:

"Leavenworth Indiana Nov 10th 1858. "This certifies that Wesley Kendall was this day by me examined in the following branches Orthography Reading Writing Arithmetic Geography and English Grammar and find him qualified to teach the Same he is therefore licensed a common School teacher two years. Thomas J. Dobyns, Examiner"

There are in Dubois County at the present time one hundred thirtythree public schools that are taught and furnished at an annual cost of over $40,000, besides many private schools, an academy and a good college.

There were in 1S96, seven thousand two hundred seventy-nine children of school age. More than $300,000 is invested for educational advancement in the different educational institutions of the county. Education took a new lease of life in this county in 1S73, under the new laws and it has never for a moment looked backward, nor stood still. Three large medals were awarded to the different educational institutions in Dubois County for exhibits at the World's Fair, at Chicago. Jasper College, Ferdinand Acadeiny, and the district schools of Dubois County were recognized in this substantial manner.