Harrison Township

Harrison Township

THE subdivision bearing the above name is bounded on the north by Wayne County and Posey Township, on the west by Fairview Township, on the south by Connersville Township, and on the east by the West Fork of Whitewater River. It is one of the original townships into which the county was divided on its organization in 1819, and was then described as follows: "Beginning at the southeast corner of Section 17 in Township 14, Range 13; thence west to the western extremity of the county, thence north along the west line of said county to the line dividing the counties of Wayne and Fayette; thence east to the boundary; thence south to the northeast corner of Section 33, Township 15, Range 12; thence east to the northeast corner of Section 32, Township 15, Range 13; thence south to the place of beginning."

Harrison as then described, in addition to its present territory, included the entire township of Posey, the northern two-thirds of Fairview, and so much of Waterloo as lies west of a line parallel with the eastern boundary of Connersville Township. It lost its territory lying east of the river on the formation of Waterloo Township in 1821; it was lessened to the extent of Posey Township on the formation of the latter in 1823, and was still further lessened twelve sections on the formation of the township of Fairview in 1851.

Its surface is undulating and well adapted for agricultural purposes, having good natural drainage, and the greater portion being well watered by springs and streams, the larger of which are West Fork, Big and Little Williams Creeks, and Lick Creek. At the last appraisement the lands were rated for taxation at $38 per acre without and 141 with improvements. The people are industrious and given almost entirely to agricultural pursuits, there being one notable industry, a tile factory, in the township. For several years past some special attention has been given to the manufacture of butter and cheese, there having been established two dairies of probably less than 100 cows each, the proprietors of which are Enoch Caldwell and Warner Broaddus. The eastern part of the township is crossed north and south by the White, water Valley, and Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroads, and the citizens of that locality have, too, the advantage of the Hydraulic, which runs parallel with the railroads.

Land Entries

With the exception of about five sections of land on its western border, the township lies within the "Twelve Mile Purchase," and was sold as set forth below:

Section 32, with the exception of a small fraction which was sold in 1814 to William Baker, was not sold until 1821-22, Minor Thomas and Thomas Shipley purchasing in 1821, and Ira Starn in 1822.

Section 31 was disposed of in 1821-22, William and Hugh Dickey, Minor Meeker, John Dailey and Ebenezer W. Finey purchasing in 1821, and Collen Smith in 1822.

John Beard purchased the northwest quarter Section 31, October 24, 1811; John Hardin a portion of the southeast quarter of the same Section, October 24, 1811; E. Harding the southwest quarter of that Section March 12, 1812.

Archibald Reed purchased the southwest quarter of Section 18, October 23, 1811; Ebenezer Heaton the northwest quarter of Section 18, October 30, 1811; John Grewell, the northeast quarter of Section 6, October 23, 1811; Silas Gregg, the northeast quarter of Section 7, October 23, 1811; Edward Webb, the northwest quarter of Section 7, October 23, 1811; Zadock Smith, the southwest quarter of Section 7, March 14, 1812; John Grewell, the northwest quarter of Section 6, March 19, 1812; Andrew Thorp, the southeast quarter of Section 6, December 2, 1816; Edward Webb, the southwest quarter of Section 6, April 18, 1817.

George Geage purchased the north half of Section 1, October 22, 1811; Jacob Shreller, the southeast quarter of Section 1, October 22, 1811 ; James Daugherty, the southeast quarter of Section 2, October 22, 1811.

Francis Ellisgwood (most likely EUinwood), the northwest quarter of that section, January 10, 1822. Matthew Hawkins, a portion of fractional Section 17, October 21, 1820.

Section 18 was entered in small tracts - John Darter, eighty acres in 1820; John Hawkins, William Saxon and William Philpott, the former two eightyacre tracts, and the others eighty acres each, in 1821; Stephen Bilby and John Philpott, eighty acres each, in 1829.

Pioneers And Pionker Settlement

played their part in transforming the wilderness into beautiful and fertile fields amid the privations and hardships of pioneer life, replaced the cabin with a substantial brick, the cumbersome log-stable with the commodious baru, gave up the sickle, the scythe and the cradle for the reaper and the mower, the "flail" for the steam-thresher, saw the wigwam of the savage give way to the church, witnessed generations born to know only by tradition the block-house, the trail of the Indian, and the wild animals, gave shape to the civil, political and religioushistory of the county, and at last, their bodies to the churchyard. Peace to their ashes.

A number of the Caldwells emigrated from North Carolina in the early history of the West and settled in Preble County, Ohio, near the little village of Fairhaven, and in 1811, removed to what is now this township. Among the brothers were Joseph, James, Train, and perhaps, John. All settled on land above designated and Joseph built a cabin on Christmas Day. Their families were subsequently removed to their posse.ssions, but the alarming state of affairs on the approach of the war of 1812 induced them to return to Ohio, and in 1814 they again came to their possessions. For protection a block-house was built which was picketed in by an outer fence after the usual style to which they all resorted for fear of an attack. It stood on what is now the W. H. Florea farm, in Section 34. Joseph was a native of North Carolina and died in the year 1850. John died in 1872 - was born in Guilford County, N. C, in 1798. Train was one of the first Associate Judges of the county on its organization. A number of their descendants are still residents of the county.

William Webb, Sr., died in the county in 1863, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. He was born in Virginia and in his infancy with parents removed to Kentucky, and in 1806 to Indiana Territory. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, removed to what subsequently became the county of Fayette in 1813, and was one of the members in the constitution of the First Regular Baptist Church of the county.

About the year 1812 Patrick McCarty and John C. Smith, a son-in-law, settled in the township. They had previously emigrated from one of the Carolinas and settled in Franklin County. Mr. Smith was a soldier of the war of 1812. His son William M., long identified with the history of the county, having served the people in various official positions, was born in a block-house some miles west of Brookville in the fall of 1812. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and the grandson, though in advanced life, served in the late war of the Rebellion.

John Tyner and wife Fannie, from North Carolina, immigrated to Fraaklin County, and in 1813 to what became Fayette. Mr. Tyner became one of the first of the Board of County Commissioners, and died while so serving in 1822.

The Kolbs were from Georgia; Tihlman settled in the township in 1811, and died in 1845. Francis Grofif, from Warren County, N. J., came to the Whitewater country about the year 1813, and became a resident of the township.

William McCarty settled early. He was one of the chain-carriers of the surveying party which in 1817 were engaged in surveying the lands of the " New Purchase."

Joseph and Alexander Dale, emigrating from Woodford County, Ky., settled in the township in 1815. Mrs. Eliza Florea, daughter of Joseph Dale, widow of Lewis C. and mother of the Florea Bros., attorneys at law in Connersville, was born in the township in 1815. She remembers that in 1822 some 300 Indians came to the forest surrounding her father's home. Her father traded a great deal with the Indians. These Indians in question came or stopped to trade. They had different kinds of wild game, deer and bear meat, turkeys, etc. They rode ponies with husk saddles. The eldest brother of Mrs. Florea was when a babe stolen by the Indians, but rescued by the father before a mile from the cabin.

In 1815 a little colony left the vicinity of Bangor, Me., and settled temporarily at Columbia, near Cincinnati, Ohio. Daniel Campbell, John Savage and Jacob Nelson, all related, and Henry Welch composed the colony. Mr. Savage, in the fall of 1815, died at Columbia, and his wife and family, with the others mentioned, in the February following settled in what afterward became this township. Mrs. Savage was the mother of the venerable John Savage, of Connersville.

The Widow Savage subsequently married John Adams, and in 1822 removed to what is now the Benjamin Thomas farm, situated in the southeastern part of the township. The brick house on that farm was erected for Mr. Adams in 1822, and is thought by Mr. Savage to have been the first brick house built in the township. The brick work was done by Nathaniel Leonard, and the carpenter work by Zachariah Parish.

Samuel and Isaac Dehaven, natives of Kentucky, immigrated to this county and settled in Harrison Township in about 1816. Isaac was in the war of 1812. Samuel Dehaven, Sr., who entered the land, was a native of Pennsylvania.

The widow of Joseph B. Shipley and mother of Samuel J. of this township settled in the county in 1819, bringing with her several children from the State of Delaware.

Samuel B. Ludlow, of New York State, in 1819 walked to the county of Fayette; subsequently entered land at the land office at Brookville, and in 1821 settled upon it.

Jame.4 C. Rea, a native of Rockbridge County, Va., located in the township in 1818, and played a conspicuous part in the affairs of the county, having been Justice of the Peace for nearly a quarter of a century, besides tilling other official positions. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and subsequently Ensign and Lieutenant in 1816 and 1818 in the State Militia of Virginia, and later Colonel in the Indiana State Militia.

John Groendyke, a native of New Jersey, when young went to Long Island, N. Y., and in 1812 to Butler County, Ohio, and in 1814 to Dearborn County this State, thence into the subdivision under consideration about 1819.

From about 1819 to 1822 a number of families coming from the New England States settled mostly in the "New Purchase" in the western part of the township, and founded what was called Yankeetown, which name it has since retained. Among these were Elder Minor Thomas, Joshua Wightsman, Elder Minor Meeker, Eleazer Carver, Francis Ellinwood, Collen Smith, Stephen Ellis, and perhaps others.

Elders Minor Thomas and Minor Meeker were ministers in the Regular Baptist Church, and with their families emigrated from New York to the lands elsewhere designated, in 1819. William W. Thomas, a son, was long and favorably known to the citizens of the county. His earlier years were passed in schoolteaching, but after the close of that avocation he was through a long life closely and prominently connected with the farming interests of his township.

Minor Meeker, Jr., a son of the Elder and father of C. C. Meeker, of Harrison Township, served his country in the war of 1812, and represented this county several times in both branches of the Legislature. His death occurred in 1865.

Moses Ellis, of the above-mentioned family from New York, emigrated to North Bend, Ohio, in 1818 and eight years later settled in this township. He was made the tirst Postmaster of that settlement, commissioned November 28, 1827. The name of the Yankeetown office was Plumb Orchard.

Not far from this time came Zenas Powell from Kentucky, and David Wolf from the same State, the latter being a native of Maryland, but removed to Kentucky in the beginning of this century.

In 1825 settled Jonathan Clifford from Vermont, Joseph Taylor from the State of New York, though a native of Massachusetts, and Jesse Shaw from Guilford County, N. C. Mr. Shaw served in the war of 181 2, was for a period the miller at the old Goodlander mill and in 1853 removed to Wabash County, this State, where he died in 1884, aged eighty-seven years.

Independence Day, 1829

Independence Day, 1829, was observed by the citizens of the county by a celebration held on the farm of Col. J. C. Rea, near the "cross-roads." The orator of the day was Samuel W. Parker; reader of the Declaration of Independence, Caleb B. Smith; Col. William Caldwell, Marshall, and Thomas J. Sample, Assistant; Adam Banks, Chaplain. The music was under the direction of Ephraim Clifford and John Sample, Jr. There was a large assembly present and after the formal exercises of the day were over some 400 ladies and 600 gentlemen were dined, and at the tables a number of toasts were drank. Good music was furnished and the occasion was livened with the discharge of artillery.

The first grist-mill in the township was the Jacob Goodlander mill, located in Section 7, Township 14 north. Range 13 east, on the west fork of Whitewater River. It was built prior to 1823. For a number of years Thomas Campbell was the miller. This mill was patronized extensively, persons coming to it from miles distant. There has been no grinding here for upward of thirty years.

In 1819, on Lick Creek, there stood a saw-mill in Section 34, which was probably the first built in the township. Several years later it became the property of Minor Meeker, Sr., and later passed into the hands of Lewis Florea and continued in the Florea name until operations ceased. The frame is yet standing.

In an early day the eastern part of the township was well supplied with mills, there being six on Williams Creek and all within an area of four miles. The first of these was built by one of the Kings in Section 6. It was a grist-mill and ground corn only. Some years subsequent to the erection of this mill, which was not far from 1825, a factory for the manufacture of wooden bowls was attached and run by Anson King and Joshua Wightsman.

Another of these mills was for grinding both wheat and corn. It stood in the extreme southwestern part of the township and was built by Thomas Moffett probably fifty years ago. The other four were saw-mills, the oldest of which was located in Section 6, built by Levi Trowbridge not far from 1830. A little later was built another by Moses Ellis. It was located in Section 31, and passed into the hands of a son Lewis, who replaced the old mill by a large and commodious one, in which was a turning-lathe and machinery for the manufacture of shingles and lath. The mill was finally removed by Mr. Ellis to Bentonville, where steam became the motive power. It is now in operation at that point. Some few years subsequent to the building of the Ellis mill, the third of the four saw-mills was built in the northern part of Section 31, by John Finney. The fourth stood in Section 7 and was built by John Campbell not far from 1842. This mill is still in existence, but has not been in operation for several years. There are at this writing no grist or permanent saw- mills in the township.

Minor Meeker, Jr., carried on a tan-yard on his farm probably a half century ago, and a decade earlier Joseph Dale was operating a copper still on his land. Just north of what is known as the B. Thomas farm, a copper still was operated by Tharpe & Gordon, prior to 1839. A carding-machine was built on the branch on the D. Bale farm, by one Stockdale, about the year 1837.

Located in the northwestern part of the township are extensive tile works, which have been in operation for quite a period of years, carried on for some time by Ellis & Williams, and subsequently by John Payne, the present Auditor of the county.

Among the early merchants at Harrisburg were Nathaniel McGlure and Lyman Thomas. The firm of Lackey & McCliire were granted license by the County Commissioners as merchants in the county, in July, 1827, for the period of one year, for which they paid 112. 50. In August, 1828, the firm was McClure & Dickson, and in 1829 Nathaniel McCluro & John Murphy. Lyman Thomas was licensed to keep a grocery and spirituous liquors at the " Cross-roads in Harrison Township" in 1828, which was renewed the following year.

Probably as early as 1818, or thereabouts, there stood a log schoolhouse on the possessions of John Tyner, near where the lands of Mr. Tyner and those of some of the Caldwells cornered, in which school was held by William McKemmy, who is believed to have taught several consecutive terms in this building. It is thought that Manlove Caldwell and a man by the name of Banks taught later in this building or neighborhood. Mr. Train Caldwell, born in 1810, went to the Tyner schoolhouse to his first school.

On the old Williams farm in the northeast quarter of Section 6 was built one of the early log schoolhouses. It is remembered to have been standing there in 1822. The following year a summer school was taught by Myriam Swisher. William W. Thomas taught here early and possibly was the first teacher in the building.

About the year 1823, or perhaps a little later, a log schoolhouse was built in the southern part of Section 12, or the northern part of Section 13. Early teachers in this house were William Nelson, a Mr. Clark and Lunsford Broaddus. The nest house for this neighborhood was built one mile north.

Some years subsequent to the Tyner house, a schoolhouse was erected at Harrisburg, in which Nelson Penwell and William Thomas are remembered as having kept school.

Another of the early built schoolhouses in the northwestern part of the township stood on the present site of the Second Williams Creek Baptist Church, just across the road from the house heretofore mentioned on the Williams land. In about 1837 Isaac Scarce was teaching here. Other teachers in this building were Jasper Davis and Harriet Thomas. The following is a sample of a " reward of merit " of nearly sixty years ago, and was given in one or the other of these houses at this point:

Soon after 1838 a schoolhouse was built about one and a half miles north of the one at Second Williams Greek Church, and another about half a mile south of the church. Among those teaching in the north house were Harriet Thomas, Ann Ellis, Hiram Dale, C. M. Stone and Edwin Trowbridge.

There are now in the township six schoolhouses, as follows: one at Yankeetown; one at Harrisburg; one two miles east of Harrisburg; the Hankins schoolhouse; the Gossipville schoolhouse, in the eastern part of the township; Elephant College, on the Henry Mygat farm; the Wilderness, about one mile south of Harrisburg, and the Schrador, about two miles south of Yankeetown.

Regular Baptist Church at Lick Creek. (1814-46.) - In the years 1813 and 1814 a number of members of the Baptist Church removed from the lower part of the Whitewater Valley, chiefly from the bounds of Little Cedar Grove Church in Franklin County, and situated on the West Fork of the Whitewater River. They had letters of dismissal, and on the 14th of May, 1814, there met at the house of James Tyner the following-named nineteen persons, and were there constituted .into a church by the name of Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, on Lick Creek: John Tyner, Forest Webb, James Tyner, Thomas Carter, Richard Kolb, William Webb, John Gilliam, Jehu Perkins, William Henderson, Jesse Webb, Robert Atkinson, Fannie Tyner, Katie Webb, Nancy Carter, Nancy Webb, Elizabeth Perkins, Lear Webb, Martha Henderson and Rebecca Anderson.

In the following June a committee was appointed to look out for a site for a church building; and subsequently the land of Forest Webb, Jr., was chosen. That spring one pole and forty perches of land were purchased of that gentleman at a cost of $6, and in the following December there were added to it three poles and fifty-two perches which were purchased of the same man, and for which $20 was paid. On this latter land it was agreed in the spring of 1816 to build a meeting-house to bo thirty feet square and have a gallery. Lewis Johnson and James and Richard Tyner were appointed to superintend the building of it. This church we learn was constructed of logs and stood near where the present one at the graveyard now stands, and was occupied as a house of worship until the year 1833, when a brick meeting-house 35x55 feet was erected. Enoch Applegate, John Milieu, William W. Thomas, Alexander Dale and William Helm were appointed to superintend its erection. This building stood until 1882, when it was replaced by the present neat and commodious frame.

Forest Webb and John Tyner were chosen Deacons of the church early in 1814. For a time in the beginning, the church, we judge from the records, was served by visiting Elders, as appear in the minutes the names of Elders James Smith and Stephen Oldham as Moderators (both then of other churches). Later Moderators of that early period were Forest Webb, John Caldwell, John Tyner, Isaac Martin, Lewis Johnson, Elder William Miller and Elder Thomas.

Elder William Miller it seems was ordained aa their minister June 3, 1820, and at this time appears the name of Elder William Thomas. These men were both early pastors of the church. Later, along in 1830-31-32, appear the names of Elder John Sparks, Elders Stephen Oldham, Joseph Martin and Wilson Thompson, the latter serving the church for a number of years beginning early in 1835.

The church on Lick Creek flourished and became one of the strong churches of the Whitewater Association, but dissensions and controversies on points of doctrine and discipline finally arose, which terminated in a division of the church, occurring in 1846, at which time the church numbered 120 members.

Out of this division grew two churches, which today are numbered among the living religious societies of the county. The division was not simply local, but extended beyond county and even Association limits, and affected many of the Old School Baptist Churches of this entire region of the country. Both divisions or branches of the Lick Creek Church retained the name of the original church and each claims, we believe, to be the old organization. The same can be said of the Associations to which each belongs. It is not our purpose to set forth the claims of either, but to simply give an outline sketch of each. The two churches bearing the same name have been generally styled in order to designate one from the other, Means and Anti-means, although, we believe, the church to which has been given the name of Means does not countenance the appellation, hence as a matter of distinction we will style them North and South, in accordance with the relative positions they occupy to those cardinal points (South Church, Antimeans).

In February, 1816, Forest Webb, Jacob Youngblood and James Tyner, of the Lick Creek membership, were chosen to select a place for a buryingground and the result was the origin of the old graveyard at the Lick Creek Church. Among the aged people whose remains rest by the old church and whose graves are marked by legible tombstones are the following-named: John Tyner, died in 1822, aged forty-five years; James Tyner, died in 1823, aged forty-seven years; Margaret Tyner, his wife, died in 1838, aged sixty-two years; Nancy Stephens, died in 1835, aged eighty-one years; Elizabeth Denman, died in 1842, aged eighty-four years; Mehitablo Kolb, died 1848, aged seventy-three years; Abigail Trowbridge, born in 1783, died in 1839; John Murphy, born in 1784, died in 1835; Doctor Ball, died in 1856, aged sixty seven years; Rachel Ball, died in 1870, aged seventy-nine years; Zenas Powell, died in 1863, aged eighty-seven years; Charity Powell, died in 1857, aged eighty-seven years; Mary Caldwell, died in 1873, aged eighty-two years: James C. Rea, died in 1876, aged eighty-seven years; John Steven, died in 1845, aged seventy-eight years; Mary Frazier, died in 1860, aged seventy- nine years; Mary Louderback, died in 1867, aged eighty years.

Regular Baptist Church of Lick Creek (South 1846 -84.) - This branch after the division retained the church property and have since worshiped at the old site, until 1882 in the old brick meeting-house at the graveyard, and since in the neat frame edifice constructed at that time. The regular minister of the old church at the time of the division was Elder Wilson Thompson, who remained with those continuing worship at the same church. The membership of the Church South, or the number remaining at the old church in 1846, was about eighty-seven. Elder Thompson's successor was Elder Harvey Wright, who has served the church as regular minister the greater portion of the time ever since. During his absence for about one year his position was filled by Elder Jesse Jackson.

Elder Thmpson was a strong man both in the affairs of church and state. He was a native of Kentucky, born in Woodford County, August 17, 1788. His father was a pioneer of that State when the forests were dense and inhabited almost entirely by wild beasts and savage Indians. Says Thompson: "I have often sat spell-bound while hearing my father relate the many dangers and hairbreadth escapes of his border life, and those of the Revolution." Our subject's boyhood was consequently passed amid the thrilling alarms and trying privations incident to border warfare and pioneer life. He received little schooling and that in a scattering way, attending the cabin schools for a few days at a time only, during which time he acquired only a smatterin? of the common branches. When he commenced preaching he could not read a chapter or hymn intelligently. He early manifested great interest in religious matters and at the age of thirteen years was converted. In 1810 he was licensed to preach within the bounds of the 'North Bend Association. His first sermon was preached at the house of a Mr. Cowgill, who lived near the line then dividing the counties of Boone and Campbell, Ky., he being then in his twenty second year. In the latter part of the year 1810 he settled in the State of Missouri and was there engaged in preaching for several years. In the spring of 1814 he removed to Ohio and resided near Spring- field, now Springdale, Hamilton County. He had during the winter preached for the Baptist Churches at Mill Creek and Pleasant Run in that vicinity in connection with Springfield, which churches he continued to attend until 1819, though in the meantime he had made several journeys, preaching through Ohio, eastern Indiana and Kentucky; and through Kentucky, Tennessee and the Mississippi Territory. His father entered a quarter-section of land on Indian Creek in the Whitewater country in 1814, and while prospecting in that region was accompanied by the son, who then preached his first sermon in Indiana.

From 1819 to 1824 he was the assistant co-laborer with Elder Clark at the Baptist Church in Lebanon, Ohio. In 1834 he removed to Fayette County, Ind., and early in 1835 he took pastoral care of the Lick Creek Church, and the superintendence of the Second Williams Creek Church. He served the former church regularly for many years as pastor, and when old and feeble occasionally preached for that people until his death. May 1, 1866.

' ' Elder Thompson for many years was considered one among the most able investigators of Scripture in the Regular Baptist Church. He engaged in public discussion with the most talented mind, the most popular denominations; and in all his discussions^the public judgment accorded to him great success. In public debates he had, connected with his strong reasoning powers, the faculty of selecting his proof-texts directly to the point, depending more upon the meaning and purport of the texts used than on the number employed. When he took a position he was careful that it should be a tenable one; and after taking a position, he would not suffer himself to be driven or enticed away from it."

After removing to Indiana, he made three extensive tours of preaching, one in which he traveled through Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and New Jersey; another, through Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. The other tour was through the State of Georgia.

He served several years in the State Legislature from the county of Fayette. His wife was Mary Gregg, whom he married in Kentucky, May 24, 1810.

Regular Baptist Church of Lick Creek {North, 1846-84). - Some forty of the old Lick Creek Church membership, prominent among whom were James Tyner, William W^ebb, Alexander Dale, William W. Thomas and Enoch Applegate, withdrew therefrom in the spring of 1846, and in June declared themselves the Regular Baptist Church of Lick Creek. Elder John Sparks was chosen their pastor. In 1847, an acre and a half of land lying one-half mile north of Harrisburg, was secured of John Caldwell and B.

S. Trowbridge, upon which was erected the present frame church edifice now standing on that site. Alexander Dale, William W.Thomas, and James Tyner were the first Trustees chosen. In March, 1848, Elder D. H. Drummond began giving the church a portion of his time, and in 1854 Elder George Harlan was employed, and in 1863 Elder Erasmus D. Thomas' name appears as one of the Elders of this church. The membership of this church is the larger of the Lick Creek churches.

Second Regular Baptist Church on Williams Creek. - This church was made up mainly by members formerly belonging to the Lick Creek Church, and was constituted July 21, 1832, representatives being present from the churches of Lick Creek, Franklin and East Fork of Flat Rock. The original membership was as follows: Eleazer Carver, Grigg M. Thompson, Abigail Trowbridge, Mary Johnston, Anna Draper, Harriet Thomas, Phcsbe Thomas, Schuyler Jagger, D. F. Thomas, Elizabeth Stephens, Benjamin Stephens, Martha Morphew, W. M. Buck, Ellen F. Buck, Elizabeth Carver, Phcebe Jagger and Elizabeth Rich (of which number Grigg M. Thompson is the only one now living).

The first letter of the church and messengers were sent to the W^hitewater Association July 21, 1833, the letter being prepared by Grigg M. Thompson and Nathan Morphew. The following August the church was received into the Assooiation'as one of its members.

The first Clerk of the church was Nathan MorpheW) who was followed by G. M. Thompson. For several years prior to the building of a meeting-house, services were held at the schoolhouse then standing on the present site of their house of worship, which'is of frame, and was built in 1846. The Trustees then chosen were Drury Tyner, Lewis H. Johnston and E. Carver.

The pastors of this society have been Elders James Newhouse, G. M. Thompson, Wilson Thompson, and later, John Sparks, David Drummond, William Sparks, E. D. Thomas and Charles Reed.

Wiley Chapel {Methodist Episcopal Church). - This church, located at the graveyard near Williams Creek, in the southwestern part of the township, is the outgrowth of a class early organized at the house of a Mr. Hawkins in that vicinity. In 1823 among the members were the Hawkinses, the Curtises, Morrises and Weltons. The charge, on the organization of the Connersville Circuit in 1822, was placed on that circuit, and it has since remained on the same circuit and circuits, growing out of the old Connersville Circuit (Columbia and Glenwood).

MoflStt, and in that vicinity about this period was a favorite camp-meeting ground. Sabbath -school, too, was held in a building belonging to Mr. Moffitt, which had previously been used for a store. Among the members of the chiu'ch at about this period were Thomas Moffitt and wife, Robert Fielding and wife, John Hawkins and wife, and Mrs. Mary Campbell. The frame edifice now standing, though since remodeled, was built not far from the year 1844. The ground for both church and burial purposes was deeded to the church by John Hawkins.

The Christian (Campbellite) Church, situated just east of the hamlet of Harrisburg, is the outgrowth of religious meetings held at private houses and in the schoolhouse at Harrisburg some years before the late war, though perhaps not formally organized until in 1864. It has been stated in print that the organization was eifected in 1864 by Elder W. G. Irvin, with thirty-two members. Among those early identified with the church were Warner Broaddua and wife, Edwin Wilson and wife, Edward Higham and wife, Thomas Robinson and wife, and Warren Drennen and wife. The neat and substantial church edifice in which the services of the society are held was erected in 1871, and dedicated that fall by Elder Daniel Van Buskirk.

Half-Century Citizens

S. G. Tyner and wife, J. Gronendyke and wife, William Monteith and wife, Warner Broaddus, Samuel Pavey and wife, William Stephens, William Christman, William Wolf, George Wolf, David Wolf, James Dehaven and wife, W. VV. Thomas, Mary A. Honeywell, Benjamin Thomas, Josiah Kerr, Potter Kerr, Margaret Kerr, Elizabeth Kerr, Mary Moffitt, C. G. Dehaven, Stephen Thomas and wife, C. M. Stone, Eliza Florea, Franklin Booe and wife, Jane Lambert, John Ludlow, S. B. Ludlow, Hannah Ludlow, David Taylor and wife, Lewis Ellis and wife, Rachel Meeker, Nancy Hackleman, Mary Jordon, Thomas Shipley and wife, Joseph Caldwell and wife, Sidney Taylor and wife, David Gordon, Sanford Guard, Caroline Kolb, Zenos Powell and wife, Hiram Sparks and wife, John Bates, Miss E. M. Rea, Miss H. J. Rea, Emeline Sims, L. C. Stone, L. W. McCormick and wife, H. Hackleman and wife, Thomas Campbell and wife, U. B. Tingley and wife, Chester Meeker, Anson King, Rachel Hackleman, Hannah Murphy, Asenath Trowbridge, Jacob Dehaven and wife, Sara Caldwell and wife, Nancy Webb, S. J. Shipley, Eliza J. Morrifield, Garret Wolf, Mrs. E. Rogers, J. B. Bush, Sarah Smith, John H. Dehaven, Louden Smullen, Elizabeth Bryant, Elizabeth Smullen.

Source changes here: from History of Fayette County, Indiana : Her People, Industries and Institutions, by Barrows, Frederic Irving, published 1917; 6,919 words in this source stream.

Harrison Township

The people of Harrison township have ever been wide awake to the advantages of education and as early as 1818 school was held in a log school house on the farm of John Tyner near the South Lick Creek church. The first teacher or teachers of this school are not known, but Millie Perin and William McKemmey were among the first and the latter taught several terms in this place. Subsec[uently, Manlo\-e Caldwell, Hugh Gilchrist, Jefferson Casady and a man by the name of Banks \\-ere teachers. Hawkins Hackleman was a pupil in this school when it started and his daughter, Mrs. Willard Robinson, of Harrison township, still has the arithmetic which he compiled. It is a stitched volume of more than one hundred pages and contains all of the principles of the subject up to the double rule of three. Three of the children of this pioneer later taught in the township: George and James Hackleman, and Mrs. Willard Robinson.

In the northeastern part of section 6, stood a log school house of the usual primitive type, erectec^ sometime in the early twenties. In all probability \Villiam W. Thomas was the first teacher. In this building was taught one of the first summer schools if not the first in the county by Myriam Swisher. This school was held in the summer of 1823 and was attended not only by the children of the immediate community but those from several parts of the township and county.

The third school house in the township known as the Broaddus school house, was built in 1823, or possibly a little later, in the southern part of section 12, or the northern part of section 13. Three of the first teachers were William N^elson, Lunsford Broaddus and a pioneer by the name of Clark. Within a period of a few years this building was supplanted by a more modern (^ne a mile north. In the latter part of the thirties the pioneers in the vicinity of Harrisburg awakened to the need of a school and erected a log house for the purpose. Nelson Penwell and William Thomas were among the early teachers.

Sometime previous to 1837 the settlers in the northwestern part of the township built a school house on the site later occupied by the Second Williams Creek Baptist church. Jasper Davis, Isaac Scarce and Harriet Thomas were some of the first teachers. Shortly after 1838 another school building was erected about a mile and a half north of the one mentioned

The township now uses only tliree school huiidinss ; A conscilidated Iniilding at Harrishurg', the (irantl Avenue Iniilding in the southeastern part of the township near the city of Connersville, and one district school. The Harrishurg school has three teachers, does non-commissioned high-school work and has displaced three rural schools, hacks bringing the children from the outlying districts to the school. The teachers are C. E. Brookbank. principal, and Hope Kerr and Leila Trusler. The Grand Avenue school has two teachers. Homer Taylor and Margaret Sturwold. Tlie district teacher is Lillian Lake.

F.Xyette County Schools In I916-I7

During the past few years I\'iyette county has been gradually abandoning its rural schools in favor of a consolidated school sx'stem, a change which has been of incalculaljle benefit. There can be no (|uestion but that in a township like Waterloo, for instance, the pupils are getting l)etter training in the consolidated school than they formerly did when there were four meagerly equipped one-room buildings in operation. Better teachers, better buildings, better equipment and conse(|uenth' better results follow the consolidation of the rural schools. This system has carried to a farther degree in Fayette county than in any other county in the state, and all of this work has been accomplished under the efficient direction of the present count\- superintendent of schools, Claude Trusler.

At the present time there are oni\- eighteen rural schools in the entire count)-, while every townshij) but Columbia has a high school of some kind. Special music and drawing teachers are employed, so that every pupil in the county has the opportunity to get instruction in these two subjects. With the adoption of the present vocational system in 1913. Fayette county, under tiie direction of Superintendent Trusler. at once put the system in operation throughout the county. In fact, every act which the Legislature has jiassed during the past decade for the benefit of the public schools has at once been inc(jr])orated in the schools of the county.

During the year 1916-17 there were emi)loyed a total of ninetv-four teachers in the county, not including the s])ecial teachers employed outside of Connersville. Of this number there were fifty-one outside of the county seat, the remaining forty-three lieing in Conners\ille. Nineteen teachers outside of the county seat were men and thirtv-two were w(jnien ; in Conners-

Fairview Township - Ernest Jeffrey, principal of the high school at Ealmouth; Florence Doane, Alfred Hall, Vina Lockhart, Nelle Retherford, C. W. Saxon and Frank Hinchman.

Harrison Township - C. E. Brookbank, principal of the high school at Harrisburg; Hope Kerr, Leila Trusler, Homer Taylor, Margaret Sturwold and Lillian Lake.

Jackson Township - Sherman Waggoner, principal of the high school at Everton; Ethel Moore, Edna Lake, Grace Newland, Hazel Banning and Frank Scott.

Orange Township - Edgar Starr, principal of the high school at Orange; Merle Colvin, Rolland Morris, Marguerite Sipe, William Cameron and Bryan Davison.

Posey Township - L. S. Miller, principal of the high school at Bentonville : Mayme Thompson, Sarah O. Hussey, Emma Sutton and Mrs. Charles Freeman.

Waterloo Township - Ray Burns, principal of the high school at the consolidated school ; Lawrence Scott, assistant principal ; Mary Greer and Effie Scjuires.

The distinct feature of public-school education under the old Constitution (1816-1852) was the county seminary. This was the only public school in operation in the state, and in some counties there was even a tuitional charge for it. The establishment of the seminary in Fayette county was made possible by the legislative act of January 27, 1827, and the building of the t\vo-stor\- structure provided for by this act was the first building in the county for school purposes erected by public money. Unfortunately, the records of the seminary seem to have been lost, and the following sketch of this school has been prepared largely from former accounts of the school, supplemented by data furnished by Miss Katharine Heron.

The first trustees, appointed by the circuit court, were George Frybarger, Dr. Philip Mason and James Groendyke. ' Martin M. Ray was appointed clerk. This board was authorized to select the site for a seminary building, superintend the erection of the same, have general management of the school funds and select the teachers. The board of trustees selected two lots on the .southeast corner of Fifth street and \\''estern avenue for the site of the building, the lots being owned at that time by Oliver H. Smith, and still the site t>f a school house. The officials entered into a contract with Richard Miller for the erection of the building, which was to be constructed of brick, to be two stories high and to be completed by January i, 1829. for which he was to receive seven hundred and seventy-three dollars. Samuel C. Sample was appointed to superintend the construction of the building. The furnishing, painting and plastering of the structure was let to different contractors. Thomas Alexander agreed to lath and plaster the house for fifty dollars; Thomas J. Sample and William Burnett furnished the seats, desks and other necessary furnishings for forty-five dollars; Caleb B. Smith, afterwards in Lincoln's cabinet, contracted to paint the house, furnish the paint and brushes, for one dollar and twelve and one-half cents a day. The building, when completed, consisted of a hall and one room on the first floor, and on the second, a large room and a small room. In the large room were the grown Ijoys and men and in the smaller room were the maps, charts, globes and other paraphernalia of the school. On the lower floor was an elevated platform running lengthwise with the room on which were seated the young women and girls, the smaller girls being seated in front of the older ones. On the opposite side of the room were the boys seated on wooden benches which extended crosswise with the room.

The building was not cr:)mpleted at the time specified in the contract, but was finished in time to begin school on July 13, 1829. According to an official notice issued by the school clerk, Caleb B. Smith, "the establishment of a seminary has been at the expense of the county, and the object of the managers is to afford to the youth of the county an opportunity of acquiring a good academic education." School opened on the above date with Samuel \V. Parker, later member of Congress, as principal. (24)

The original plan provided for two courses of study and the school' j'ear was divided into four terms. First, there was to be the elementary school, followed by a so-called English scientific course, the latter being divided into two classes, namely, the junior and senior. In the elementary school was taught orthography, reading, penmanship and arithmetic (Pike's system) through the "rule of practice." In the junior year arithmetic was completed, and Greenleaf's English grammar, ancient and modern geography (Worcester), bookkeeping through single entry, elements of history with historical charts ( \\'orcester) and weekly recitations in declamation and composition. The senior year comprised rhetoric ( Jameson), logic (Hodge), natural philosophy and chemistry (Keating), algebra ( Bonnycastle), geometry (Playfair), surveying (Gummerie) and mensuration ( Bonnycastle). Tuition for these courses was two, three and fi\'e dollars, respectively. Latin, Greek and French could be taken with higher mathematics if applied for. Upon the completion of the course of study the student was given a diploma, and those completing it in part were given certificates of progress. The greatest number of pupils in. attendance at one time was about one hundred.

Subsequent early teachers in the seminar}- were Elder M. Bradley, a graduate of Brown University, and Harvey Xutting, who was graduated from Amherst College. Nutting also taught school in the basement of the Methodist church, now the German Presbyterian church.

After the academy building had been occupied a few }-ears the need of a school bell became manifest and on Christmas Day, 1833, a subscription paper was circulated for the purpose of raising funds for the purchase of a bell that was to cost thirty dollars and fifty cents.

The seminary continued in operation until the adoption of the present .state Constitution in 1852. and thereafter it appears that a private school was in operation for three years. In the summer of 1855 the school trustees of the town decided to acquire the old seminary building and use it for pul)licschool purposes. It was decided to tear down the old building and erect a new structure and during the following year the old seminary building was torn down. Thus came to an end the seminarv historv of Favette countv.

There were no public selnuils in t 'tmnersville under the iXi() (.'onstiuuii mi. Such schools as were in operatidU jirior to \8-,J were maintained hy i)ri\ate funds and the schools were either what were known as "subscrii)tiiin" scIkimIs or tuitional schools. Owing- to the fact that all these schools of early times were private affairs, there are no t)fficial records extant concerning them. The names of some of the teachers have Ijeen preserved, Init it is impossil)!e to give a consecutive history of the schools. Of course, after the opening of the countv seminarv in Connersville in 1829 that institutiiMi was liberally patronized bv the citizens of the town, but this was not a town school, and is not to be so considered. It was a county institution and the only school in the county supported by public funds.

Tust who the first teacher was in Connersville. where he held forth, what he taught, or what the length of the teriu may have been, are points upon which the historian is left to conjecture. The best e\idence indicates that one Charles Donovan (or Dawson) opened a school about 1823 in a building which stood on the east side of what is now Central avenue. The same pedagogue subsequently taught in a log building on the east side of Central avenue, imniecliatelv south of Third street. Some time in the twenties, and before the establishment of the seminary in 1829, school was conducted in an abandoned dwelling on Central avenue. No records of these earlv schools are in existence, but it is known that in addition to Donovan, two men. Gilbert and dray, had taught in the village before 1828.

One of the very early female academies in this section of the countr_\- was opened in Conners\-ille in 1830 1)\- a woman named Maines. A woman (jf the name of Stone also was a teacher. The school was conducted in the basement of the Presbyterian church, the site of which in later vears was occupied by the Caldwell pork house and still later by the .\ntlre theater. -Mthough the school was sujjposed to be for girls only, the names of William llankins. David Mount and Thaddeus Lewis were among the names of youngboys enrolled. The pupils of the school used to sjjend their recess periodij playing in the canal bed, at that time in the course of construction.

Private schools were also conducted in the early days. The Mrs. Stone above referred to was a teacher in the female academy, taught school in her own home, a one-story house that stood on the site of the Michael Shoeing building. A Mrs. Earl also taught a private school in her one-room cabin. A school designated as the "Female Academy" was conducted by Mrs. Haines, wife of Doctor Haines, in a brick house on the site of the present Fifth street school building during the early period.

Very early the basement of the old Methodist church, now the German Presbyterian church, was used for school purposes. Up to about 1840 the church trustees furnished the room where many subscription schools were held in the period from about 1834 to 1840.

In 1843 the territory comprising the village of Connersville and vicinity was styled school district Xt). 7, of which Josiah MuUikin and Richard Winchel were the trustees. They employed John B. Tate to teach the common branches in the village of Connersville for a term of six months, beginning on May 17, 1843, ^^^^ which he was to receive a salary of twentvtwo dollars a month.

In the absence of all records, a complete list of teachers in Connersville prior to 1853 cannot be given, but among the teachers in addition to those previously mentioned, were J. G. Edgerton, Harriet Mcintosh, the Reverend Nelson, the Reverend Jenkins and a woman whose name was Ginn.

School Board Devises A Plan

After the adoption of the free public school system in Indiana in 1852, the school board, composed of Messrs. Hagerman, Crawford and Applegate, in September, 1853, adopted the following resolution:

M^hcrcus, The gradeit free" public scLool ))i-esents advantages not to be founil in the older systems, it is desirable to bave introduced into the corporation schools as soon as possible, but in view of the expense involved in paying for tuition and other contingencies which would follow on the adoption of said system iu all its provisions, and in the further consideration that all the means to be used in buying grounds and liuilding school houses are .vet to be provided, it is thought advisable to introduce a plan. The corporation school trustees shall furnish .schoolrooms, including furniture, together with fuel to warm the same, on condition, tirst, the trustee must have satisfactory assurance that proper inducement will be presented to secure as many pupils as may be thought advisable. Second, that proper efforts will be made to introduce and carry out the plan in compliance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the person or i)ersons whose duty it may be to direct and control the same. All teachers engaging under this management will tix their own price of tuition, and make their own collections.

Be It Further Kcsalrcd. That to execute the above plan the corporation school trustees shall appoint an educational committee to be composed of two branches, first an executive branch to consist of three members, whose duty it shall be to prepare all the rules and regulations necessary in carrying out said system, viz., to receive the a) rili- tiiriiiii of te;ichers. :uul to ui;ike .ill iu-0|>tn- iii-r;infj;eiiients to ciiiililc llieiii (the U-acluMsi til enter upon the di.scbiirge of their duties, to arrange the division of the grades, to selet-t a series of text-books, and, in short, attend to all such duties as devolve liiioii the general superintendent of the district school. They will apply to the conioration sc-hool board for the schoolroom, when wanted, and for any repairs or material of iiny kind which may be required. Second, an auxiliary branch to be composed of three members from each of the three school districts, whose duty it shall be to as.sist the teachers in making up their schools, and also to confer with the citizens generally on the subject of the above management, giving all the information necessary to encour.ige and iironiote the desired success.

The executive committee appointed according to the above conditions were Rev. J. B. Brownlee, Rev. E. G. Wood and Rev. WilHam Pelan. The auxihary committee consisted of Joseph Justice, James Miller and James Mount, district No. i ; William Hawk, N. H. Burk and Alexander Morrison, district No. 2 ; William Brown, A\' illiam Tindall and John Farner, district No. 3.

A suitable building could not be procured at this particular time and the idea of opening a school had to be abandoned temporarily. Subsequently a new school board was elected consisting of N. H. Burk, J. Justice and E. B. Thomas, and they remained in office until after the erection of a school building.

In 1854 nine teachers were employed in the Connersville school. They were Hannah Ginn. O. Aborn, L. J. Beach, Eleanor Jones, Catherine Farner, Harriet Mcintosh, John W. McLain, H. R. Grosvenor and Euphemia Mullikin. The male teachers received thirty-six dollars a month, and the females, twenty dollars. The school enumeration for 1854 was six hundred and twelvt; the number enrolled during the year was four hundred and twentynine; average daily attendance, two hundred and forty-nine.

First Free Public School

In September, 1855, the county commissioners leased the seminary lot for a period of ninety-nine years to the city school Ixjard and preparations were made for the erection of a school building. The building as completed in 1858 was eighty-six feet long and sixty-nine and one-half feet wide, three stories high, the first and second floors containing four rooms each, thirty-five by thirty-feet. Twelve-foot halls extended the entire breadth of the building. One-half of the third floor was finished for chai>el purposes, Friday afternoon exercises and school exhibitions. This building stootl until condemned in 1893.

the fall of 1858 with John Brady as superintendent. He held the position until i860 and from that date until 1865 Harvey Nutting was in charge of the schools. Charles Roehl was elected superintendent in 1865 and served in that capacity for two }-ears. During these two years, the free school s\steni was cniploxed during the first six months and the remainder of the school term was taught as a subscription school. J. L. Rippetoe was selected, as superintendent in 1867 and served four 3-ears. During his administration the school term was lengthened to eight months in 1867, and to nine months in 18(18. Several changes in the manner of instruction were introduced under his management. In 1871 a man of the name of Hughes was elected superintendent, remaining one year, and he was succeeded by one Housekeeper, who was compelled to resign on account of poor health before the close of the school year. In 1873 J. L. Rippetoe again assumed the management of the schools and continued in that capacity until 1885.

Gr.Vduates Of Connersville High School

It is impossible to trace in detail the history of the Connersville public schools during the two decades, 1858-1878, at the end of which the first class was graduated from the high school. The names of several of the teachers during this period, and all of the superintendents have been previously given. There are no official records which will show the character of the work done, whether there was a regular high-school course in operation, or whether the schools were graded. There were high-school subjects given during the seventies, but it is evident that the course was not planned with a view to graduation, since the first class did not graduate until 1878. In the fall of 1877, W. J. Bourn is designated as having been principal of the high school. Who he was, or where he came from, the local records do not state.

Since that vear there has been a class of graduates to complete the high school each year, and a tabulated summary of the graduates shows that there have been six hundred and eighteen who have received the diploma from the high school.

The first graduating class from the Conners\'ille high school held its exercises on June 14, 1878, at which time nine graduates made their bow to the public. Since that time there have been a total of 618 graduates, 218 boys and 400 girls. To this should be added a consideralile number who, during the first twenty-five years, were denied a diploma because they did not study Latin. A tabulated summary of the number and sex of the graduates since 1878 is given below.

Fayette Couxty, Indiana City School Buildings

There was only one building in the cit\- tor pulilic school purposes between 1858 and 1888. In that year the present lughth street building was erected. This building has eight rooms. In 1893 the old building which stood on Fifth street was replaced by the present structure, also an eight-room building. In 1S94, the northern section, known as Maplewood was annexed to the city. The building was considerably enlarged about 1900. In 1015 the Maiilewond building was remodeled, a large addition built, and to all intents was made a new building, with every convenience which modern school architecture ilemandetl. The present magnificent high school building was built in 1904 at a co^t of si.xty thousand dollars. It contains twenty rooms, and a number of other rooms used for offices and for various other purposes. Thus at the present time the city owns four school buildings, and all of them are ef|uippcd to meet all of the modern demands of school work. \\'hen the high school building was completed in 1904, wnnien of the city started an agitation to have nothing but the best of classical pictures and statuary in the different school buildings. The different clubs of the town co-operated in buying pictures and statuary for each room, and within two years they placed seven hundred and fifty dollars worth of pictures and works of art in the various rooms.

School Publications

The first course of study, or "School Manual," as it was called, was issued in 1891, by W. F. L. Sanders, and since that time there have been others published, in 1907 and 1912, each carrying a five-year period. These reports are prepared by the superintendent and contain a wide variety of information concerning the schools of the city. The report for 1916-17 is now being prepared by Superintendent E. L. Rickert. and will be a work of more than one hundred and fifty pages. In addition to these reports of the superintendents at various times, Superintendent Guy M. Wilson issued a course of study in mathematics in 191 1. These official publications have been supplemented at times by an "Annual" produced by the senior class of the high school. These "Annuals" are very valuable compendiums of historical material and throw an interesting light upon the progress of the high school from year to year. A school paper called The Clarion is in the fourth year of its publication.

New Subjects Taught

The public schools of today teach a wide variety of subjects that were not included in the curriculum a few years ago. The casual visitor to the high school building of Connersville today will see girls baking biscuits, trimming hats, making aprons and receiving instruction in a multitude of other points concerned with domesticity. In another room boys may be seen making various kinds of furniture and engaged in the several forms of the industrial arts. Courses in agriculture are provided so that the boy who is from the farm or wants to engage in farming after leaving school has an opportunity to receive scientific in.struction in the modern methods of agriculture.

In other worils, the public sciiool of today is trying as never before to fit boys and girls for active life when they leave the school room. No one will say that a knowledge of Latin or algebra is going to help a girl to bake biscuits or a bov to select seed corn, and it is for this reason that

Fifth Street School Building, Conxersville

The course in domestic science in the Connersville schools was introduced in 1913, and has been extended each )-ear since that time. Complete courses in cooking, dressmaking and kindred subjects, such as are usually included in domestic science courses, are given. The cooking department is ]irovided witli tables, cabinets, range, and a full complement of all kitchen utensils necessary to cooking. The sewing room is fitted up with a number of sewing machines and all things necessary for such a course.

The manual training department is fitted with an electricall\-(lri\en saw and planing and turning outrits. One room is dexoted to cabinet-making, eacli .student having a separate work bench, with his own tools. Another room is set aside for finishing the furniture made by the bo}'s. The manual training department was installed in the summer of 1916 and it is the intention of the school board to add to it until it is as complete a system of manual training as may be found in any city in the state of this size.

It seems pertinent in this connection to give a birdseye view of the schools as they appear in 1916-17. There are four buildings, forty-three teachers, and fifteen hundred pupils. All of the high school work is done in the high school building, and also the eighth-grade work is conducted in the same building. The elementary schools employ twenty-eight teachers. All the pupils in and above the 5A grade come under the departmental system of instruction. All the music and drawing instruction is given or sujiervised by special teachers. Music has had a special teacher since 1892. A commercial course including typewriting, shorthand and bookkeeping has l)een in operation since the new high school was opened in 1904. This course prepares its graduates for positions in business offices and more than twenty-five graduates of the course are now filling responsible i>ositions. .Ml the domestic science instruction is given in the high-school building, with the exception of one class in sewing in the Eighth street building.

A noticeable feature of the public school buildings of the citv is the completeness with which they are equipped. Every wall in each room is painted in such a way as to give the best lighting results. The buildings have modern ventilated toilets, sanitary soap and towels, semi-indirect electric lighting, phonographs, display theaters, outside drinking fountains, plavground apparatus and material and a system of supervised. play.

Each teacher is provided with a loose-leaf manual which contains the bulletins issued by the superintendent from time to time, so that each teacher is kept in constant touch with the superintendent. There is also a daily messenger service maintained between the superintendent's office and each school. There are supplementary lists in reading, geography and history provided for the different grades, and all sorts of "helps" for the teachers in the lower grades. Each room has a small lilirary of books adapted to the needs of that grade. Each room is provided with a cabinet of sufficient size to allow each to have a separate compartment for his work.

The high school during the current year employs eleven full-time teachers, and has an enrollment of two hundred and sevent\-five. The building is modern throughout and is well e(|uipped to meet the modern demands for school work. During 1916-17 there were thirty-five graduates of the local high school in college. The school is commissioned by the state and is also accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The teachers in the high school are expected to contribute, within their respective abilities, to the literary, athletic and social life of the school and these phases of school life are prominent.

The students in the high school maintain a paper known as The Clarion. whicli is now in the fourth year of its jjublication. An athletic association includes l)oth students and high school teacliers. High school athletic teams engage in competitive contests with ntlier schools in the state. There are literary and debating clubs for both buys and girls. A motion-picture machine is in operation and a regular film service is provided. Illustrative work is done in English, history, Latin and other high school subjects. There is a complete course in history and a])preciation of music under the super\ision of a competent instructor. In the music room there is a grand piano and a pbonograpli. During the past few years, the school has acquired a series of phonographic records which demonstrate the music, both vocal and instrumental, of many of the leading artists of the world. Each room also has its own particular paintings and works of art.

\A'hile the buildings themselves and their equipment will measure up to the buildings and equijMuent of any other city in the state of a similar size, Connersville has one feature of its public school s}-stem which demands is usually found in the playgrounds of the lars^er cities and includes a hrick tield house, twenty-ei.^ht hy forty-two feet, provided with a shelter room, toilets, shower baths, store rooms, attic and veranda on all sides. In addition the playground has an elliptical running- track with a straighiawax-, two tennis courts, basket-ball goals, a baseljall diamond, two sets of six swing.s each for girls, a horizontal l:)ar, rings, giant strides, ocean wave, swings for boys, a cement wading-pool twenty feet and two inches in diameter and twehe inches in deptli, outside drinking- fountains, sand box, bab\- swings, jumping standards, flagstaff and electric lights.

The initial costs of the improven-ients and equipment, not including the land donatetl. are as follows: I'ield house, wading pool, fountain and gates. $3,700; tennis courts, running track and ball field, $618; walks and grading around building, $275; hedge grading and fences. $200: ajjparatus and playground material. $457; flagstaff, lights and pedestals. $200 : total. $5,500. This makes the cost for improvements and equiprnent a])proximatelv the cost of one room in the erection of a new modern school building. The initial costs of iniprovements have been met. to the extent of one thousand dollars, in part by donations b\- friends of ;\lr. Hawkins and the remainder is being paid for b\' pul)lic taxati<in as pro\-ided b\- law.

This gift of a very fine site so well suited to the ])urposes of a pulilic playground made it possible for Connersville to be the first lifth-class citv in the state to avail itself of this law. The ])layground was ])o]ail;ir from the beginning and all classes of the i)eo])le take pride in and believe in it as a most excellent factor in the present eflicient school svstem.

The history of the Conners\-ille schools would not be coiuplete without n-iention of the Marguerite Thiebaud scholarship in Karlham College. .Miss

Thieliaud was liorn in Connersville, was graduated from the local high school in 1908, from Earlham College in [912, and died at Bryn Mawr, Pennsyl- \'ania, in March, 1914. while in her second year of post-graduate studies in Bryn Mawr College. In her honor her parents, B. F. and Alice Thiebaud, established a scholarship in Earlham College, carrying an honorarium of three hundred dollars annually. Hanging on the waW of the high school auditorium is a framed announcement of this scholarship, and such of it as pertains to the scholarship proper is here given.

I. Miirgiiei-ite Thiebaud was born iu Connersville iu 1S!J«). She was graduated from the Connersville high sc-hool in 19<)S, and from Earlham College with the class of l!)ti'. She died in Bryn Mawr in March, 1914, while in her seeocd year of po.st-graduate studies.

Marguerite Thiebaud possessed and cultivated the finer qualities, both of mind ^nd character. She represented well the modest, earnest, high-minded type of young Chri.stian womanhood. She cared for the better things. She set a good example.

II. In October. 1915, her parents, Ben,iamin F. and Alice Thiebaud, founded a scholarship in Earlham College as a memorial "to their daughter. This scholarship is open to graduates of the Connersville high school, young men and young women, who have been residents of Fayette county for at least two years previous to graduation.

(c) He shall rank well in scholarship and ordinarily shall be selected from the group standing highest fourth in the class, i. e. In a class of forty he shall be one of the highest ten in point of scholarship record.

The superintendent of schools of the school city of Connersville, the princii)al of the high school and the assistant principal constitute a committee to determine the n)ethod of selection of the beneficiaries and to make or to approve the selection, which when certlfled to the college by the superintendent of schools is final, sub.i'ect only to the approval of the college.

The first award of this scholarship was made in the spring of 1916 and Grace Edwards, a graduate of the class of 1916, was selected as the first one to receive the benefits of the scholarship. She is now attending Earlham College, where she is making an enviable record.

City School Superintendents

Since the present system of public schools was established in Connersville in 1858 there have been thirteen .superintendents, their names and dates of service being as follow: John Brady, 1858-60; Harvey Nutting, 1860- 05: Charles Roehl, 1865-67; J. L. R.ippetoe, 1867-71, 1873-85; Mr. Hughes,

Tlie superintendent lias had an office clerk since January r, 1904, this position having heen held in turn hy Harriett Williams. Flora Doenges, Myrtle Morgan and Sophia Nickel. The superintendent's office is equipped with an adding machine, rotar\- mimeograph, safety vault and up-to-date record and filing devices. .Ml the high .school liooks are handled thnnigh the superintendent's office, which is a regularly appointed depository. The regular school lihrary contains in excess of one thousand \olumes.

luhvard L. Rickert. superintendent of the C'onnersville city schools, was horn in Columhiana county, Ohio. Xovemher 12, 1874. He was graduated from the Columhiana high school and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the College of Wooster in 1901. Subsequently he did ix>st-graduate work in the L'ni\ersit}- of California and in Harvard L'ni\ersit\- and in 191 1 receixed his degree of Master of .Arts from Columbia Unixersit}'. Superintendent Rickert's teaching experience began in i8()3, and for two years he taught in the rural schools of his home count}", h'rom 1895 to 1897 he taught in the Xorth Lima, Ohio, schools. Following his graduation from Wooster in icjoi, he became principal of the Lowellville, Ohio, schools, and remained there until 1005. The two following years he was princi])al of the elementary school at Voungstown, Ohio. In the fall of 1907 he tnok charge of the schf)ols at Maquoketa, Iowa, as sujierintendent, and continued there until 1912, when he became superintendent of the schools of Connersville.

Mr. Rickert was married on July 31. 1912, to firace Weimer. of Beach City, Ohio. They are the parents ai two sons, Fdward \\'. and (leorge .\.

-Apparently from the official records the office of high school principal was first established in 1877. the year in which the high school adopted a course leading to graduation. The first graduating class was in the spring of 1878. It will be noted from the appended list of principals that only one of the number later became superintendent. Three of the former princijials are now living in Connersville, E. M. Michener, W. R. Houghton and John

Board Of Education

The first records of the Conners\-ille city school trustees which gives the members of the board are those of 1873. The following table gives the three members, year by year, since that date. It will be noticed that it has been the rule to continue the members in office from year to year. The complete list follows :

Teachers in the Fifth street building. - Chester Boone, jirincipal, ()F>: Harriet E. Williams, 3A ; Ethel Carter, 3n; Xellie White, 4.\ : niandie lliggs, 4B-,v\; Laura CKldard, 3P.--'.\ ; llnrtense C"rag<i, _'P,-i.\: .May Merritt. iB.

The Elm Hurst School For Girls

One of the most beautiful sites in Fayette county is the picturesque little park at the southern edge of the city of Connersville in which stands a stately building, now the home of the Elmhurst School for girls. This school was established by Isabel Cressler and Caroline Sumner in 1909 for the purpose of giving to the girls of the Middle West educational opportunities equal to those to he had in the Eastern schools for girls. Miss Cressler and Miss Sumner have had charge of the school since it was organized in 1909. Miss Cressler is a graduate of Wilson College and Miss Sumner is a graduate of Smith College.

Elmhurst is a unique school in many respects. In the first place, the enrollment is limited to twenty-four, the number which can be accommodated in the building. While the school is strictly non-sectarian, it is permeated with a religious atmosphere. Each day's work begins with a short chapel service, and Sunday morning attendance at one of the churches in Connersville is required of all pupils. The curriculum is divided into two courses, an academic and college preparatory course, and what is denomitrated an advanced collegiate course. The first course includes the following subjects : English, mathematics, Latin. French, German, Greek, history, science and history of art. The second course adds civil government, social and political science, logic and psychology. In addition to these subjects instruction is given in painting, drawing, vocal and instrumental music, dancing and a practical course in domestic science. The school property comprises one hundred and twenty acres and by utilizing the tillable land the school has developed a combination agricultural and domestic-science course which is unique in the work of private schools for girls. There is also an excellent course provided in physical training, the system in use being known as the Mensendieck system. Elmhurst is the first and only .school in America to use this system and the instructor in charge is a graduate pupil of Frau Dr. Mensendieck.

The historic building in which the school is located was not all constructed at the same time. The nucleus of the present structure was erected by Oliver H. Smith, then a member of Congress, in 1831, but his contribution to the magnificent building of the present day was only four rooms. These same four rooms are now in the middle of the forty rooms now found in the building. When Smith removed to Indianapolis in 1839 he sold the building to Caleb B. Smith, also a congressman and later a member of President Lincoln's cabinet. The building next became the property of James Shaw, later of Nicholas Patterson, and from the latter it passed into the hands of Samuel \V. Parker, another congressman from Connersville. Parker eventually disposed of it to James N. Huston, and after passing through ditYerent hands it finally became the property of Dr. W'. J. Porter. While Senator Huston occupied the residence, it was a part of an estate of man\- hundred acres, called "Old Elm Farm." from the ancient elm grove. The Senator was the political manager for Benjamin Harrison, who. with his first wife. Mrs. Caroline Scott Harrison, was a frequent visitor at the place. When Harrison became President, Senator Huston became United States treasurer.

Later, when "Old Kim Farm" was divided and sold, Mrs. W. J. Porter applied the modified name of "Elnihurst" to the part held for a time for sanatorium purposes by her husband. About 1905 it was purchased by the late George B. Markle. of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, who used it as a summer home. Four years after he became the owner the present school was established.

The magnificent forest trees surrounding "Elmhurst" furnish one of its most distinctive features. The famous "Elmhurst" elm stands ninety-five feet high and measures sixteen feet in circumference at the base. Good authorities have placed the age of the tree at three hundred years. Standing near the elm tree is a catalpa spcciosa, eight feet in circumference and one of the best specimens of this variety in the country. "Elmhurst" has one of the finest beech trees in the state. The tree measures thirty-two feet in circumference at the base and stands one hundred feet high. Another tree proclaimed by Dean Coulter, of Purdue University, to be a perfect type of the American elm is a century old and measures ten and one-half feet in circumference.