LaPorte County, Indiana - Chapter 30: Education - Michigan City and Laporte, 1904

We come now to the two largest centers, each of whose educational data would make a book. Packard's History says that the first teacher in Michigan City was probably a Mr. McCoy, who taught in a schoolhouse erected by Thompson Francis, architect and builder, in 1834. At this statement the question which naturally arises is, whether this was not the Rev. Isaac McCoy, of the Carev Mission, to whom we have before al¬ luded. The building in which the teaching was done was used also as a place for religious meet¬ ings, for as yet no building exclusively for church purposes had been erected. At that time preach¬ ers frequently stopped over Sunday in Michigan City, not desiring to travel on the Sabbath, and when they did so they were pressed into service, and preached to an extemporized congregation. Knowing the zeal of Mr. McCoy, that he should tarry for a time and teach in that first school building, is just what we would expect of him. He had already come as far as Hudson and estab¬ lished a school there, and had preached in the county. In such a sparse population is it prob¬ able that it was any other Mr. McCoy who was the first teacher who taught in Michigan City? As early as 1835 two schools had already been commenced there, and arrangements were in course for a high school.

From 1838 to 1840 and perhaps '42 or *43, there was a literary institution in Michigan City which occupied a building three stories in height. It was called the Michigan City Institute, and its principal was the Rev. James Towner, a man of deep learning and piety. He was assisted by Miss Clarissa Ward, afterward Mrs. Wyllis Peck, and by Miss Abigail Coit. The Institute was built in 1837 on the ground now occupied by William Millers' meat market, on the comer of Tenth and Franklin streets. Male students were furnished with board and rooms in the building, but young ladies found board in private families near the school. Mr. Charles G. Powell, editor of the LaPorte Republican , says that in 1842 or '43 quite a colony from Clinton township, where he then lived, attended this institute, and that their names were Wolcott B. and Amelia Will¬ iams, Edward and Amelia Bigelow, cousins of the first named couple, Samuel and Emily Will¬ iams, Eldridge T. and Eliza Harding, Darwin and Seth Patterson, Frank G. and Lucy Scar¬ borough, and possibly a few others, and that as a rule they boarded themselves and had a good time. Probably these are all gone now.

Institute was certainly in operation in 1841. It began its fall term on the first Monday in Sep¬ tember of that year, with school open to both sexes. Students were accommodated with board and rooms furnished, with the exception of beds and bedding, in the Institute buildings. Rooms were furnished to students who wished to board themselves. The terms of tuition, per quarter, were : common branches, $3.50 ; Greek and Latin languages, $6.00; other branches, $5.00; room rent, from $2.00 to $3.00; use of globes, 50c. These terms were payable one half in advance and the remainder at the end of each quarter. The board was $1.50 per week. No scholar was re¬ ceived for less than half a quarter, and no deduc¬ tion was made for absence except in case of sick¬ ness. For a time this school was quite success¬ ful, but it was finally given up and the building was moved down upon the lot at the corner of Second and Franklin streets and converted into a hotel so well known by old residents as the Lake House, and later was destroyed by fire.

One of the earliest patrons of the public schools in Michigan City was Mr. George Ames, nowf deceased. Among the earliest recollections which some have of him are his expressions fa¬ voring a higher standard of public schools and the better education of the young. Everything per¬ taining to the welfare and prosperity of Michi¬ gan City he held very much at heart. We will now quote verbatim from Mrs. H. J. Willits, of Michigan City : -

The first public school here was taught by Mr. Gallatin Ashton, father of Mr. Lymon B. Ashton, in a small wooden building on the lot where the Elston school now stands, at the cor¬ ner of Pine and Fourth streets. The lot was donated by Mr. Elston for that purpose. This building was occupied as a public school for many years. Mr. Hubert Williams was the next teacher, who was assisted by his daughter Amelia. Later a Miss Lucy Fuller taught a young ladies' school there, and also in the old Washington house, which stood on the corner now' occupied by Mr. Burbank, at the corner of Pine and Fourth streets.

For many years a select school was kept up in the old chapel, with many different teachers, Mr. Warren, Mr. Choates, Mrs. Lampson, Mr. Phelia Wells, and Mr. Kent being among the most prominent and best known. The old chapel still stands, being the third story of the building on Michigan street, where the kindergarten school is held, and now owned by Hon. John H. Barker. Mrs. -Susan Lowe and her sister, Miss Harriet Lowe, were efficient and faithful teachers.

From 1848 to 1850 Miss Mary Brown, after¬ wards Mrs. Lord, had a school for young ladies. She was a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, Canada, and a highly educated woman. Other select schools were held during the intervening years by Miss Baldwin, Mrs. Sears, Miss Folsom, and Miss Clemons. Mrs. Lydia Evarts was a very successful teacher here for many years, teaching a select school. Miss Mary Van Deusen, Miss Ann Hartwell, and Mrs. Mary Griffiths were teachers of long, faithful service. Of the later teachers it is not necessary to speak, as they are familiar to all and the list would be too long.

When a schoolhouse was built in the early days (I have this from good authority) one of its indispensable appendages was two wooden pins over the teacher's desk on which the whips could be laid. These were generally well trimmed beech or hazel rods, from two to six feet in length. Sometimes the teacher would have half a dozen in readiness, some well worn and others kept in reserve. Teachers were expected to govern on the home plan. The Christian people of that day had great faith in the wisdom of Solomon who has left an aphorism for family government, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son." They be¬ lieved the rod had a two-fold virtue. It was not only a terror to cut down but was a spe¬ cific against stupidity and idleness. It was used as freely on the boy or girl who failed to recite well, as on the one who was guilty of mis¬ demeanor. Beech and hazel rods had a wonder¬ fully stirring effect on both mind and body. The rod has now become very unpopular in school. The old system made it merit' a bad name. Our improved methods now exclude it. The effect* no doubt, of too great reaction from its extreme use. - So far Mrs. Willits.

There are at present in Michigan City, four public school buildings in use, and four which are not yet completed, thus making a total of eight public schools, which, next year, will be ready for occupancy. Besides these there are four parochial schools. The enrollment of the public schools in 1888 was 1049, in 1903 it was 2455 ; the enrollment of the parochial schools is between 1200 and 1400. There were 208 pupils in the high school last year, and 19 in the gradu¬ ating class. The city expends about $70,000 an¬ nually for the maintenance of its schools, and em¬ ploys a corps of 60 teachers. There are eleven members of the high school faculty, namely : ;

The kindergarten was established just two years ago, and the results were so gratifying that there are now six kindergarten rooms and eight teachers.

Michigan City has four parochial schools, two Roman Catholic and two Lutheran. St. Mary's, which is the German and English Catholic school, has an attendance of about five hundred, and is conducted by the Order of School Sisters of Notre Dame. St. Stanislaus is the Polish Catholic church, and has a school of about 300 attendance. The two Lutheran schools are St. Paul's and St. John's. Rev Henry Wickmeyer, of St. Paul's has the larger school. He has four teachers, four rooms, and three hundred pupils, the school and church being established in 1873. Rev. J. G. Hoch, of St. John's, has three rooms, three teachers and two hundred pupils in his school. St. John's church and school were es¬ tablished about forty-eight years ago.

Michigan City had other educational influ¬ ences in the splendid lectures which were deliv¬ ered there. Even in the thirties we find eminent lecturers on astronomy and other subjects, de¬ livering choice lectures before the people of the young harbor city, and in the forties the lectures embraced also education and kindred subjects. The lecturers would visit both Michigan City and LaPorte. And in the fifties the teachers and pupils of one city would visit the other city in a body. An instance of this kind was on January 21, 1857, when a great crowd of teachers and pupils came to LaPorte and had a general good time. Michigan City had the best lecturers the country afforded, among whom were John G. Sax, Charles Sumner, Wendell Phillips, Henry Ward Beecher, and many others. Often these gentlemen were entertained at dinners given by private parties. Bayard Taylor visited Michigan City more than once. On one occasion he was entertained at dinner by Mr. and Mrs. C. E. De Wolfe, and quite a large company was pres¬ ent. Mr. Taylor had just returned from his "Life in the North or the Midnight Sun," and his social talk of the scenes in that far away land was quite as interesting as his lectures on the same subject. The best troupes of concert singers in the country also visited Michigan City. The place took in almost everything by way of instruction and amusement that was traveling, and the people were seldom imposed upon, very little that was not good coming their way.

And when we add to all this the splendid public library, it would seem that the educational advantages of Michigan City were about as com¬ plete as they could be for a place of its size. The nucleus of this library was really the gift of Mr. George Ames, by will, for books.

The public library was built in 1896, at a cost of about $35,000. The lot on which it was built is valued at $5,000, making the building and grounds come to $40,000 in value. The money was raised by personal subscription. Since the building was completed there has beeen raised an endowment fund of $14,000 also by subscription. The building is strictly fire-proof, being con¬ structed of stone and iron, and contains eight thousand volumes. Miss L. B. Arnold is the present librarian. Recently the library board adopted a resolution abrogating the guarantee card, which has always been a requirement pre¬ cedent to getting books from the library. The new order has already gone into effect, and it is believed that it will tend greatly to increase the circulation of the library.

In the year 1833 the first school house was built in LaPorte. So says General Packard. And this is likely ; for from the first the settlers of LaPorte gave much attention to school mat¬ ters. But it is very difficult to get any real data concerning that early period. The most that we have to depend upon is the memories of those who were then children living in LaPorte. But few of these people remain, and their memories disagree, and are not to be relied upon unless taken in connection with written or printed docu¬ ments, or with dates which have in some way been recorded. No advertisement of any school in LaPorte is found prior to 1837. It is certain that at that time John C. Reid taught a school in the city. It was taught for five months, be¬ ginning in November, and was limited to thirty scholars. Instruction was given "in the most cor¬ rect manner in orthography, orthoepy, read¬ ing, writing, geography, arithmetic, grammar, algebra, astronomy with the use of globes, elements of geometery, trigonometry and sur¬ veying, navigation, natural and moral philos¬ ophy, elements of chemistry with experiments as far as practicable, history ancient and modern, and composition. Close application to study was required of every pupil, and correct morals were taught in all the departments. Any pupil who could read was received without regard to age, on compliance with the rules of the school. Public examinations were held at the close of the term, and the rule was to receive scholars only at the beginning of the term, and for the whole term. Mr. Reid taught school a long time in LaPorte. The regular fall session of his school began on Monday, August 30, 1841, and continued until Christmas. In 1845 a^so be was still here, notwithstanding that the LaPorte Uni¬ versity was flourishing, and in that year his school did not close until July third. He must have been a strong and substantial educator.

In the fall of 1841 the Misses Brumm, from New York city, opened a female seminary in the house which had recently been occupied by Cap¬ tain Bailey in the southwest part of LaPorte. The school year was divided into two terms of five months each, and was "conducted on the most approved principles." Attention was "paid to those accomplishments and graces so highly ornamental and necessary to a finished educa-

In 1842 the subject of education received much attention in LaPorte, not only from educa¬ tors but from the public generally, and much was said and written concerning the weakness of the public school system. In 1850 there was much discussion of union schools. In 1861, and again in 1871, Mr. C. F. Kimball, then principal of the high school, wrote a series of articles on educa¬ tion, and at other times also all through the years there was much interest here in the subject of education, as shown by articles and documents still extant.

One of the most striking things in connec¬ tion with the educational history of LaPorte is the great number of private schools which have been taught in the city. To mention them all and say a few words concerning each would re¬ quire a whole chapter. In 1843, and before, the Lancasterian Academy, a high-grade school for both sexes, "located in a retired and pleasant part of the village of LaPorte," was in operation, with F. P. Cummins as principal. In the fall of 1849 Miss E. J. Forsyth opened a school "in the upper room of the institution formerly occupied by Mr. Cummins," which was exclusively for ladies. In August, 1849, a teachers' institute was held in Mishawaka. This was then a new thing in this section of country, and the idea was borrowed from the state of New York. Some of the most eminent educators of the east conducted the insti¬ tute, and LaPorte people were greatly interested in it. The LaPorte committee were Gilbert Hath¬ away, Samuel E. Williams, Willard A. Place, Harvey Strong, Franklin Strong, F. Church, Rev. H. C. Benson, and C. W. Pomeroy. In the fifties there was the school of Miss E. K. Chand¬ ler, the select school of Mr. and Mrs. Spencer O. Dyer, which was taught in the "West schoolhouse," the select school of Mrs. Scott assisted by Miss Terry, which commenced its third term on Monday the 14th of August, 1856, in the building then "recently occupied by Miss Way two blocks south of the brick schoolhouse." There were the select school of Mr. R. M. Johnson, in the "White schoolhouse," the school of Mrs. C. B. Sisson with "her usual corps of teachers," and the school of

Miss Marion Harvey at the corner of Clay and Prairie (now Maple avenue). Miss Harvey was assisted in the higher departments by Miss Jennie Marvin, a practical and thorough teacher from Ohio. In the sixties there was Parson's Male and EemaJe College with rooms in Allen's block at what is now the corner of Indiana avenue and Main street, with its classical and English depart¬ ments, but which later became Parson's Com¬ mercial school. In September, 1862 Mr. J. W. "Vandewalker opened a school in Wilson's Hall. In February of the same year the Misses Whiteliead and Reese opened the third term of their ^singing school over Elliel's tobacco store. There were Bryant's class in penmanship which soon developed into a commercial school, William P. Phelan's technical and training school, and many others.

But there were two schools which deserve special notice. One of them was the school taught by Mrs. Mary M. Holmes, who after¬ wards conducted a fine school for young ladies in Springfield, Illinois. Mrs. Holmes must have been a superior teacher, for the St. Louis Demo¬ crat, the Springfield (Illinois) State Journal , and the Chicago Tribune of those days place her in the very front rank of the educators of her time.

The other school worthy of special mention was the Young Ladies Seminary, taught by Miss Julia A. Howell, in which the tuition in the higher English branches was $4.00, and in the primary department $3.00. Though the school was for 3£irls, a limited number of boys under nine years of age were received. The school closed its term usually with an exhibition of chste and beau¬ tiful exercises, and except in the summer interim, it was not long before the next term began. It "had the best of recommendations, and gave ex¬ cellent satisfaction.

Miss Howell, now Mrs. D. Noves, started fier school in the fall of i860, with about sixty pupils. She was assisted by Martha W. Tinker, of Old Lyme, Connecticut, who for the past thir¬ ty years has been a missionary in Van, Armenia. Miss Tinker is now Mrs. Dr. George C. Reyn¬ olds, who is a missionarv phvsician. Miss How¬ ell was also assisted by Miss Ellen Keyes,, of Elgin, Illinois. The school continued for about three years and closed with a hundred scholars.

The school flourished during its whole existence and was closed only because of the marriage of Miss Howell to D. Noyes. When the school started it occupied the house next door to the northwest corner of Jefferson avenue and Perry street. It moved from there to a barn belonging to Captain Thomas Pryce, an uncle of Miss How¬ ell, the bam having been remodeled into a school building. Afterwards the school was moved to a house on the comer of Prairie, now Maple avenue and Chicago streets, where more commo¬ dious quarters were obtained. The alumnae of this school hold an annual banquet at the' Teegarden Hotel and call themselves the "Noyesy Howells."

James C. Howell, the father of Julia A. How¬ ell Noyes, came to LaPorte city in 1832 and es¬ tablished the second dry goods store in the city, on the same lot now occupied by Leffman's mil¬ linery store, on the southwest corner of Michi¬ gan avenue and Main street. George Allen es¬ tablished the first store on the lot now occupied by the office of the Wilson Lumber Company. Mr. Howell was an elder in the Presbyterian church and was a member of the building com¬ mittee which built the first Presbyterian church in LaPorte. The same building is now occupied by the Disciples church. Mr. Howell married Miss Helen M. Newell, stepdaughter of Captain Abner Bailey, in 1836, and moved to Racine, Wisconsin. In 1842 he moved from Racine to Chicago, and died there in 1855. The prop¬ erty now bounded bv First street, Indiana ave¬ nue, Harrison street and Tyler street all belonged to Mrs. Bailey.

So numerous and so excellent were the pri¬ vate schools of LaPorte, that in the LaPorte County Whig of November 6, 1847, occurred the following which was headed, "Our Literary In¬ stitutions."

"We know of no place where the people can boast of as many good schools. The buildings and churches are emblematic of the spirit of our people. Here we have every facility of education. The medical school which has just commenced its sessions will be attended by an unusually brge number of students. Many of them are already present, and they are a very intelligent bodv of men. Among the schools we mention LaPorte University, * under the charge of Mr. Cummins. He has a large and 1 commodious building and is prepared and qualified to give instruction. A school exclusively for the edu¬ cation of young ladies is conducted in this place by Misses Crosby and Smith, and we are pleased to see it well attended by rosy-cheeked misses cf our village and vicinity. We learn that a female seminary is to be located here and the necessary buildings erected. Mr. and Mrs. Dwelle, Mr. Austin, and Mr. Reed have opened their schools for the winter. So it will be seen that LaPorte is highly favored in educational matters."

Coming down to more recent times, J. M. Holrres opened a business school in LaPorte and carried it on for fifteen years, when it went into the hands of J. N. Poole and W. Whitmer. They continued the school until about 1890, when it was closed for about two years. George Famum reopened it, but at the end of three months H. C. Xoe tpok the management of it. Mr. Xoe was assisted by J. X. Poole, William Miller, and Xellie Winchell, as teachers. The school thrived under Mr. Noe's management until about 1901, when it was discontinued.

There also is the Hawlev-Hennessey Home, situated on the Pine Lake road, northwest of LaPorte, a school where orphan children, or children whose parents are temporarily on the other side of the ocean, or children whose parents for any other reason are prevented from caring for them in their own homes, are taken and cared for and taught the rudiments of education after kindergarten methods.

Xor should the Horological school be for¬ gotten, a school organized for the purpose of training young men in the art of watch-making and repairing; and as the fitting of spectacles to needy eyes is a part of that business, the school has its department of optics, in which department J. H. William Meyer, M. D., of LaPorte, who is thoroughly furnished for the purpose, has for many years given to the students scientific lec¬ tures on optics and so much of ophthalmology as is required. For some years this school oc¬ cupied the large and well lighted building at the comer of Michigan avenue and Washington street : but in 1892 Mrs. Lida Bradley and F. F. Ide purchased all the stock; and though some improvements were made, and there were eightytwo students, after a time the larger interests of the school were removed to Peoria. Still, a watch school has been continued here under the instruction and supervision of John L. Hutchin¬ son, attended annually by quite a number of stu¬ dents, and which has done some excellent work; but even this suspended operations in the spring of 1904, and now the horological schools of La¬ Porte are things of the past

As to parochial schools, on the first Monday in September, 1849, the Rev. Solon W. Manny, A. M., rector of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church in LaPorte, opened a school in the room opposite the public square, which had been occu¬ pied by the Sons of Temperance. It was known as St. Paul's school. Application for member¬ ship must be made to the rector, and every scholar was expected to be supplied with a prayer book. Common and high English branches, Latin and Greek were taught. This school, however, did not flourish, as there was not a sufficient constituency to make it a success, and there was a lack of energy in conducting it.

The German Lutheran school was founded in 1857 by Rev. R. Tramm, who, besides being rector of the parish, was the only teacher of the school for two years. At that time the parish was financially able to support a teacher, and Mr. Emrich filled the position for about eight years, or until about 1867. At that time Profes¬ sor J. G. Siegert took charge of the school and is the present principal. The school started with seven pupils and the number has steadily in¬ creased until now it has two hundred and sixtvfour pupils and four teachers, including Profes¬ sor Siegert. The grades run from one to seven, after which the scholars enter the public schools, and the school is in session ten months ot tne year. The school has a fine, large brick building near the church on A street.

Another parochial school is that of St. Paul's German Evangelical church on West Main street. When the church was founded, April 30, 1867/ the founder, Rev. I. Kammerer, organized a parochial school and taught the same, so did his successor, until the church was financially able to employ a teacher. There was a succes¬ sion of teachers; some of them are still in their chosen calling in other parochial schools of the Evangelical Synod of North America. At the present time the school is held on Saturday fore¬ noon from September to June and taught by the pastor. At the same time catechetical instruc¬ tion is given from September to Easter, three afternoons of the week, after the close of the public school each clay.

The school of St. Joseph's Catholic church was opened some forty-five years ago under the pastorate of the Rev. Father Scherrer, first resi¬ dent priest of St. Joseph's church who it seems combined with his pastoral office that of first teacher. The first school building, still standing opposite the present school, was private property of Mr. Rumely, scantily and poorly furnished, and in use only a few years till somewhere about '63 the present modest building was reared and later on in the seventies was enlarged to its present size and capacity. During the first fif¬ teen years some six or seven teachers served for various periods, men, apparently, of ability and moral worth, and, singularly enough, as if in pioneer times, almost forgotten already by the men and women of to-day. It shows how little of time and human society is ours or given us. During the above specified time the pedagogues serving at various periods, disregarding succes¬ sion, were such men as Messrs. Meyerhoffer, Baldwick, Koenig, Zeph Walmerad and Humes Brothers. In 1870 a young priest was sent here, the Rev. John H. Oechtering, now V. G. of Ft. Wayne diocese, who brought during his ten years of pastorate a young teacher Mr. Mayle to pre¬ side over the destinies of the young citizens, and many now living in LaPorte have a vivid and material recollection how deeply the decalogue of physical or willow suasion penetrated, ab¬ stracting from pantaloon environment. In the summer of 1880, Mr. B. J. Kohne, under the Rev. J. Nussbaum, deceased, was installed and contin¬ ued sixteen years in office, a man of moral and Christian worth and integrity seldom found. The present holding of office since 1896 is by the re¬ ligious community of the C. P. P. S. order, who provide instruction for some eighty odd pupils in the ordinary elementary branches as in the other common or public schools at a very moder¬ ate salary, made possible by a life of restric¬ tion on themselves as well as edification to their pupils.

During these many years the average at¬ tendance of pupils has varied from fifty to over a hundred, owing to the fluctuating condition of the city of LaPorte, caused by the ever chang¬ ing and removing from place to place of former vital and life-giving industries. That a good school and a competent instructor in it is held by the members of this church (an heirloom of their ancestors in the ages past) as a most important factor, is evidenced by the voluntary financial sacrifice which annually approximates $1,000 and in years past, at times, probably exceeded that figure.

St. Rose's Academy was established and has been fostered by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. The priests of that order had charge of the spiritual training of the pupils, and the sisters were, and still are, the teachers. The writer is informed that the academy was established in 1856, and that it first occupied a building imme¬ diately south of St. Peter's church, on the comer of Monroe and Osborne streets. However that may be, it was reopened on the 18th day of August, 1856, by the sisters, in their new resi¬ dence just north of St. Peter's, to remain there until such time as they might be able to erect an academy. The time soon came and the school was built. The plan of education was published at the time of the reopening. The sisters held a fair in 1856, and another in 1857. At the one in 1857 both the Democratic and the Republican brass bands were present and furnished music on each evening. The fair was held February 17th and 18th. There were the usual guessing game, lotteries, etc., and the object was to pay off the debt on the sisters' school. Scholars of the city schools when accompanied by their teachers were admitted to the fair free. The honorary managers were Dr. T. D. Lemon, Wil¬ liam Cessford, Nathaniel Lee, Edward Vail, T. M. Gleeson, George Seymour, J. Kreidler, P. Steenberg, James Forrester, Samuel Burson, Benjamin Kress, A. J. Wair, A. H. Robinson, F. McCullum, S. Van Pelt, John Faller, Daniel Fry, and John Rumely ; and the committee of arrangements were P. Huncheon, J. McIntyre, John Kelly, Daniel Casey, Richard Huncheon, David Grant, Stephen Shehan, John Dalton, George Ballard, and E. W. Kennedy. It ap¬ pears from this that, notwithstanding the objec- tionable lottery features, the citizens generally were willing to help in a good cause. The fair passed off pleasantly and successfully though the weather was bad. John Rumely drew the furn¬ iture, A. H. Robinson the gold watch, and L. Doyle the dressing case. At the fall session of 1856 there were eightv-four pupils, twentyfour of whom were boys. At the next session young or married ladies were permitted to at¬ tend at certain hours. In the spring of 1857 an addition was built to the academy. On July 1. 1857, there occurred a distribution of pre¬ miums to the pupils of the school. The sisters went on holding festivals through the years, until now the school has large, pleasant buildings on Ridge street, with an attendance in 1903-4 of seventy-five day scholars and twenty to thirty boarders. The present head of the school is Sis¬ ter Mary Cheophila. The grades of study run from one to twelve.

During the incumbency of Dr. W. N. Hailman as superintendent of LaPorte city schools, Mrs. Haitman had a kindergarten training school. The school building stood on Indiana avenue, on the site now occupied by the residence of F. E. Osborne, Esq., and was fitted with all conveniences for its purpose. It has since been moved to Ridge street, and a double dwelling house made of it. Mrs. Hailman was an ex¬ perienced and scientific kindergartener, a mistress of its theories, and many were the teachers who went out from her classes more thoroughly im¬ bued with the principles of modern education, and better fitted to teach them.

We come now to the public schools of La¬ Porte. The high school class of 1903 published "The Maple," an elaborate, illustrated volume containing the names of the alumni and alumnae of the high school, with much interesting and facetious matter, and among other things, a careful, condensed history of the public schools of LaPorte, which though a small mountain of data on the subject lies on the writers' desk, he thinks sufficient to include here. He has sought to find a like his¬ tory of the public schools of Michigan City that he might publish that also, but has been unable to do so.

The public schools of LaPorte were estab¬ lished under the new school law of 1852, which was made to conform with the radical changes in educational provisions made by the new state constitution.

In 1856 a public meeting was called at the court house to discuss whether or not the public school system should be adopted for LaPorte. After earnest discussion of the merits of the private schools and public (called pauper) schools, Messrs. Gilbert Hathaway, Amzi Clark and Benjamin P. Walker were appointed a board of school trustees to establish the public system. During the same year the little brick ward schools were built, one for each ward of the city. These soon became inadequate for the accommodation of the children, and later the board, of which James Moore was president and John B. Niles was secretary, determined to secure an architect and draw up plans for a large build¬ ing capable of taking in all the children of the city. This much done, they halted and a general election was held for the purpose of determining whether a new building should be constructed. The decision was favorable to building and re¬ sulted in the election of Judge W . C. Hannah, president, Rev. G. C. Noyes, secretary and La¬ fayette Crane, who was absent on special service in the sanitary commission of the Army of the Cumberland, was elected treasurer, which posi¬ tion he filled more than seven years.

The schools in the ward buildings had been ungraded and were practically independent but in 1865 after much argument pro and con Mr. T. L. Adams, principal of the Adams Private Academy, was appointed superintendent and the graded school system was established. The graded system implies a scheme whereby the pupils are required to pursue a prescribed course of study, and are classified according to their attainments.

The printed report of 1869-70 shows that gradation was accomplished only after a deter¬ mined resistance to the innovation. In this re¬ port considerable space was given to arguments for the desirability of the graded system. The report of 1871 called attention to the necessity of refitting and remodeling in the high school building, now known as the Central building. In 1872-73 a plea for desks for the primary rooms was made in the following words, "In the primary schools (of which there are five) there is no school where all the pupils are provided with desks, and in two of them not one is thus provided. In these grades the slate is in almost constant use, and must be held upright in the arm or placed upon the lap - in either case com¬ pelling- an awkward and unnatural position." The report of the following year shows an ade¬ quate supply of desks in primary grades. We dwell thus fully on this point that the present generation may realize the long period of pri¬ vation necessary for the accumulation of sup¬ plies for school work which are so fully and abundantly furnished in our schools.

From the report of 1875 we learn the system of elocutionary and rhetorical exercises had been in use two years. Music had been in the schools three years, and the course in Ger¬ man extended through six years. Here we see that LaPorte was fully up to the best schools of the country in enriching its curriculum.

The three following reports emphasized the necessity of employing only thoroughly equipped teachers and retaining only thoroughly efficient ones. This points to a high standard for the teaching corps. In 1876 there was much discus¬ sion over the question of "Overwork, Home Study, Dissipation, Etc.," and in 1878, two years before the first meeting of the Manual Training department of the National Educational Asso¬ ciation, there was a strong plea made for the introduction of Technical - now called Manual Training.

In 1879 "Home Study and Overwork" was again a mooted question. For three years fol¬ lowing, the subjects of primary and supple¬ mentary reading and English composition were emphasized. In 1882 drawing was introduced as a regular study with Mr. Frank Aborn, of Cleveland, Ohio, as special teacher. The next year brought an earnest endeavor to improve the penmanship work. The school library was added to quite extensively, and a creditable library list was published. During the same year the stoves used in many of the buildings were jacketed and so connected with fresh air flues that the ventila¬ tion of the rooms was greatly improved.

period in the school history of LaPorte. Into the strong and progressive school spirit and work built up by his predecessors Dr. W. X. Hailman introduced the "New Education" carrying with it a complete reorganization of the course of study, the incorporation of the kinder¬ garten and manual work, and the arrangement of the work upon the concentric circle plan.

For the greater part of this time there were no published reports, but the schools were con¬ tinually advanced and improved, and in 1893, at the World's Columbian Exposition, a certificate was issued by the Exposition judges awarding a medal to the Public Schools, LaPorte, Indiana, for completeness of system from kindergarten to graduation, good training, and excellent results in all grades.

In 1890 the department of drawing was or¬ ganized in the high school, and Professor Fred¬ eric H. Simons, the present incumbent, was ap¬ pointed teacher and supervisor of art work. In 1892 the commercial department was organized.

During the year 1894 the present high school building was erected to meet the demands of the schools, caused by the growth in number of pu¬ pils and extension of work. In this building ample provision for the future was thought to have been made, when provision was made for one hundred seventy-five pupils. The present high school enrollment is two hundred fortythree. This building was erected on the site of the old Indiana Medical College.

For many years the LaPorte high school has been on the list of Indiana commissioned high schools, and in the year 1887 the school was en¬ tered on the three years' accredited list of Mich¬ igan University. In 1897 the commercial course was extended ; the department of English was organized ; the school was entered on the ac¬ credited list as a co-operating school with Chi¬ cago University, and its graduates given privi¬ lege of entering the freshman classes without examination. Since 1898 the list of colleges accrediting the work of the schools has grown so as to include practically all schools belonging to the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and also some courses in the eastern colleges. The grades styled 8}4, which practically increased the time spent on grade work to nine years below the high school has been abolished ; the course of study has been thoroughly reorganized ; book contracts have been entered into with dealers to secure great re¬ duction in cost of books and supplies. A book rental plan has been established enabling all who desire so to do, to rent the text books necessary for carrying on their work, instead of purchasing them. The seventh and eighth grades of the city have had their work organized on the de¬ partmental plan, giving the children the advant¬ age of specialists as their instructors in these classes, and making it possible to organize the departmental and high school classes on the same basis as to program, promotions, electives, etc.

School exhibits, at home and abroad, have displayed the actual products of the pupils' work in such a way as to bring considerable attention and commendation to the schools. A library of nearly 8,000 sheets of mounted pictures, arranged and classified by topics has been collected in the various rooms for the better illustration of the school work, and for the past two years mounted specimens of the work of the various subjects have been mounted in scrap book form and are preserved in the respective rooms of the different grades for the inspection of patrons, pupils and visiting teachers, and for a true ex¬ hibit of the course of study as worked out by the schools.

During this same period, from 1898 to date, quite extensive repairs have been made. Every school building has been thoroughly overhauled ; walls cleaned and tinted and some steel ceilings put in. Cement walks have been put on and around all school grounds; heating plants have been remodeled, or new ones installed in all the large buildings. The high school gymnasium has been established ; the school indebtedness has been lifted ; the transfer receipts on account of tuition from nonresidents have been more than quadrupled ; and the libraries and supple¬ mentary reading lists have had extensive addi¬ tions.

The present attendance both in grades and high school has never been equalled in our schools. The teaching corps has been harmonious and a unit in furthering the welfare of the schools and the good work and standing of the schools is attested, at home, by the cordial and loyal support of our citizens, the liberal patron¬ age from nonresidents, and, abroad, by our un¬ usually large and successful college representa¬ tion. which includes for the present year fiftyone students in twenty-one different collegiate or technical schools.

La Porte schools, from the earliest days of the private schools up to the present time, have al¬ ways been held in high esteem both at home and abroad, and it is hoped that our schools may

Appended are the names of the members of school boards, superintendents and high school principals of LaPorte public schools, with the date of service :

La Porte University deserves special mention. In the winter of 1840-41 a charter was obtained from the state legislature, through the exertions of Hon. John H. Bradley, who was then a mem¬ ber from LaPorte, for a school of high rank to be called the LaPorte University. The charter was drawn by William P. Andrew and provided for an institution which should have a literary, a medical and a law department. The medical and law departments were organized nearly at the same time. The prime mover in organizing the law school was Judge William P. Andrew. The school began its sessions on the first Mon¬ day in December, 1841, and thereafter had two yearly sessions of five months each, opening on the first Monday in April and in October. The school had its moot court, and a thorough course of reading in law, with proper examina¬ tions, and furnished text books to the scholars who desired them.

At this very time the medical college was holding its first session. An old copy of the La¬ Porte County Whig of February 23, 1842, men¬ tions the names of the faculty of "The Medical Department of the LaPorte University." The faculty were Dainel Meeker, M. D., the chair of anatomy and surgery; J. P. Andrew, M. D., the chair of obstetrics and the diseases of women and children ; and F. W. Hunt, M. D., the chair of materia medica, chemistry, and medical juris¬ prudence. Then the paper says editorially, "These gentlemen are now giving their first course of lectures, to an attentive and intelligent class. This institution, though now in its in¬ fancy, gives the flattering assurance to the west¬ ern country of its future high destiny and ex¬ tensive usefulness." Dr. Meeker had delivered lectures to private classes before, and his wrork grew into that of the medical school.

The literary department came a little later. It existed before, and was merged into the uni¬ versity. We have referred above to the Lancasterian Academy which was in operation in 1843 and before, with the Rev. F. P. Cummins, as principal. This was a high-grade school, having, besides a thorough English course in¬ cluding philosophy, the natural sciences and mathematics, courses in Latin, Greek, German and French. When it was determined to organ¬ ize the literary department of LaPorte Univer¬ sity, application was made to Professor Cummins to merge his school in the university, as such a move would be likely to make it successful from the start. In connection with Rev. W. K. Mar¬ shall, then pastor of the Presbyterian church in LaPorte and a teacher in the academy, Mr. Cummins finally did so and became president, or acting president of the LaPorte University. Thus the Lancasterian Academy became the liter¬ ary department of the LaPorte University, which began its first session in the medical building on Monday, May 5, 1845. Students wishing to pursue any branches of a common or collegiate education were received, and females wishing to attend were taught in a separate building.

In August, 1847, literary department an¬ nounced that its third academic year would begin Monday, September 6; that it had re¬ cently purchased the building lately occupied by the medical department; that the principal had fitted up this large, splendid and commodious building until it was inferior to none in the north ; that he had engaged the services of Miss Jane Forsythe, of the Courtland school in New York, whose high attainments would fit her as the head of the female department ; that a special effort would be made to fit students for teaching ; that the morals of students would be guarded with the greatest care ; and that lectures on Bible history, the evidences of Christianity, and the natural sciences would be given.

The literary department flourished until the fall of 1848. It had its public exhibitions and examinations, with distinguished speakers from abroad, it was widely noticed in the press, and became quite famous. But whether because the new building was too heavy a financial burden, or because of some disagreement of Professor Cummins with the university, his department parted company with that institution. In Febru¬ ary, 1848, a bill was passed by the legislature to incorporate the LaPorte Collegiate Institute and Female Seminary, the literary department of the university was merged into that, and contin¬ ued to flourish for a time. In July, 1848, the de¬ gree of A. M. was conferred upon Professor Cum¬ mins by Jefferson College of Pennsylvania, and in

October of that year the papers mentioned the Collegiate Institute as flourishing. Yet it was closed in 1848, probably at the end of the fall term. In August, 1856, Mr. Cummins an¬ nounced that "the LaPorte Collegiate Institute and Female Seminary, successfully conducted by the subscriber for several years, and which closed in 1848," would be reopened on the first Monday of September, with Mr. W. B. Truax, A. B., as assistant. The attempt, however, was not successful; public schools were nowforging to the front, the war came on, and in 1861 Mr. Cummins became chaplain of Colonel Fitch's regiment, then in camp at LaFayette.

The medical department of the university was more successful. It held on its course year after year. In 1846 or '47 its name was changed to the Indiana Medical College. Its catalogue showed that it was in a very prosperous condi¬ tion. The number of students attending it in¬ creased so as to make it practicable to increase the faculty. It was considered one of the best institutions of its kind in the west. At the com¬ mencement in 1847 there were one hundred and four students in attendance, upon nineteen of whom was conferered the degree of M. D., and the honorary degree of M. D. was conferred upon two gentlemen from New York. The first building it occupied stood where Davidson & Porter's store now stands. This was afterwards occupied by the literary department under Pro¬ fessor Cummins. The medical college vacated its old building and began the fall term of 1847 in its new building, which had been erected on the site now occupied by the high school. This was a frame structure, thirty-eight by sixtyeight feet, and forty feet high. It had two large lecture rooms, each of which was nineteen feet from floor to ceiling, arranged in amphi¬ theater form, to accommodate from two hundred and fifty to three hundred students. It had a large private dissecting room, and two large rooms for museums, also private rooms for the professors. At the time it was considered one of the best buildings for the purpose in the west. The college began its fall session with about a hundred students. Among them was Profes¬ sor Shipman, who had joined the faculty some time before, who was a superior lecturer, and whose return to the college was hailed with joy.

As the session neared its close, in the spring of 1848, a resolution of thanks from the students was tendered to Dr. G. A. Rose for his lectures, and for his interest as president of the medical college. The resolution was signed by C. Hard, Z. T. Slater, M. Cooley, R. F. Gatling, and S. S. Austin. The graduation exercises were held in the Presbyterian church, and there was an address by Professor A. B. Shipman. There were then a hundred and seventeen students. The degree of M. D. was conferred upon fortyseven candidates who were presented by Pro¬ fessor John B. Niles. The organization for 1849 and 1850 was as follows :

In 1849 and *5° the professors went to other places and delivered lectures for the benefit of young physicians and students, as for instance in Wabash and LaFayette. It was the oldest medical college in the state, and this early univer¬ sity extension work came with authority. The lecturers were, almost without exception, not only thoroughly furnished but good speakers. Extracts from their lectures got into the local papers and were quoted far and wide. On special occasions others than the students would go into the college and listen to the lectures, which were highly appreciated. The college was not with¬ out its clinics. Occasionally patients would come from a distance and surgical operations con¬ sidered v«ry difficult in those days were per¬ formed in the college, especially by Doctor Shipman. The college even figured in the courts in criminal cases, for the stomachs of those supposed to have been murdered by poison were brought to the college where they were subjected to analysis by Professor John B. Niles. Instances of all these things are at hand and might be related.

But there grew up other schools which drew away the patronage and support from this one. The medical department of Michigan Univer¬ sity was opened, the Rush Medical College at Chicago, a similar institution at Indianapolis, and one at LaFayette; and finally the managers of the LaPorte college determined to suspend the lectures. This occurred in 1851, and the sus¬ pension proved to be the final closing of the school. The building was afterwards occupied as a literary academy by Professor Churchman, a blind man and an excellent teacher, quite a number of whose pupils still live. It was a school for girls only, and was a flourishing insti¬ tution until it was burned in the winter of 1855. The institution was never reopened. The graded free school system was adopted in 1856, and proved so eminently successful that there has been less need for private schools of any kind. For many years the only private schools of any importance have been the parochial schools. St- Rose's Academy, and the business colleges; and latterly the commercial course of the high school has rendered even the latter unnecessary.

There is one other educational influence of LaPorte which is worthy of mention, and that is the Home Health Club work of David H. Reeder, M. D., the inventor of "Renew-U Food." The doctor began his club work in 1896 by start¬ ing a health magazine in Kansas City. Its name was The New Race . It was moved to Chicago in 1897 and still published there, but through the fault of a partner it went down. The doctor then bceame a member of the Inter-Ocean editorial staff of Chicago, both daily and weekly, and so remains. He conducts the Home Health de¬ partment of that paper. He wrote his first Home Health Club book in 1898, which was published by the Inter-Ocean . "Home Health Club, Vol¬ ume I" was given free to members of the club. Purchasing a life membership certificate for one dollar was the condition of membership. In 1898 the club numbered five hundred members. The active membership is now ten thousand. The reading membership is five hundred thousand. The club has members in every English-speaking country. Volume II of the club books was pub¬ lished in 1901, and Volume III, which is a book of lectures, in the same year. The three volumes aggregate over one thousand octavo pages, and contain over one hundred and twenty-five illustra¬ tions made under the doctor's supervision. The illustrations include the doctor's system of physi¬ cal culture, a simplified anatomy, and a practical course in osteopathy. The first volume is now in its fourth edition of three thousand each, the second is in its second edition of two thousand each, and the third is in its second edition of two thousand each.' Each is a two-dollar book. Soon after publishing his first volume the doctor located in LaPorte because, on account of its accessibility, beauty and nearness to Chicago, it was a suitable place in which to have his head¬ quarters. He established the Home Health Club on Indiana avenue, and then formed a stock com¬ pany which bought the large sanitarium on the Pine Lake road, but which for several reasons was discontinued, and the doctor moved into town again and conducts his work from an office in LaPorte, keeping two stenographers constantly occupied. In the line of physical culture the Home Health Club department of the Inter-

Ocean , conducted by Dr. Reeder, and the books which he has published, are having a wide edu¬ cational influence, and unquestionably are doing a great deal of good.

Many of the youth of both sexes who have been reared and who began their education in this county, have gone forth and become eminent as teachers, and some who have taught in the coun¬ ty have achieved a wide reputation, notably among whom are W. N. Hailman, Ph. D., the able advocate of the new education, and George A. Talbert, M. S., a former science teacher in the LaPorte high school, who, on account of his experiments in cerebral localization a few years ago, attained to some prominence in the scien¬ tific world.

There have been, and still are, other educa¬ tional influences in LaPorte county, such as libraries, literary and art associations, etc., but as these are in good part social in their nature, and as this chapter is already sufficiently long, we defer them to the next chapter.

The school enumeration of the county com¬ pleted in May, 1904, shows an increase of 976 in the county, of which 386 is in LaPorte and 615 in Michigan City. In the county outside of these two cities there was a loss. The total in¬ cludes 35 colored children in the county. The total number of male scholars is 7,442, of female scholars 7,251, making in all 14,728.

At this writing a telegram states that the ex¬ hibition from the rural schools of Indiana is attracting much attention from the educators at St. Louis, according to State* Superintendent F. A. Cotton, who has been in St. Louis arrang¬ ing the display. The rural school exhibits, he says, are more artistic and more nearly complete than are the like exhibits from other states. The arrangement of the Indiana exhibit was among the first to be put in place. The exhibits from the counties of LaPorte, Benton, Porter and Knox are regarded as among the most at¬ tractive features of the Indiana display. The department of public instruction paid particular attention to the exhibits from the rural schools, leaving the trained teachers in the city schools to do their own work. Mr. Cotton says that the exhibits from the Indiana cities are equal to those from the cities of other states. As one of the results of the address of County Superin¬ tendent Bunnell at St. Louis favoring the teach¬ ing of farming in the country schools with spell¬ ing, arithmetic, geography and other branches of study, children may next year receive instruc: tino in the handling of hoes and plows and har¬ rows, the harvesting of crops and the planting of seeds and occasonally listen to learned discus¬ sions on the. elements of the soil. F. A. Cotton, superintendent of public instruction, suggests that an elementary course in agriculture be added to the regular curriculum of common schools located in farming districts of the state.

"Now, this course in agriculture which I have outlined, will be purely optional with the pupils and the teachers," says Mr. Cotton. "The course, as now decided upon, will consist of in¬ struction in the examination of seeds of all kinds, the planting of grains and plants and a study of their development, instruction on the elements of the soil and such work along other lines of agri¬ culture as may be practically carried on at the school house/'