Johnson County, Missouri - Chapter 9: - Public Schools, 1918

Chapter 9: - Public Schools

PROGRESSIVE SPIRIT OF JOHNSON COUNTY - EARLY SCHOOLS - EARLY STT'DIES AND METHODS OP TEACHING - PRESENT STUDIES AND METHODS - RESULTS OF EARLY' AND PRESENT EDUCATION - SPECIAL HIGH SCHOOLS - RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS - THE ELM HIGH SCHOOL - FARMERS' (FAY'ETTEVILLE) HIGH SCHOOI^THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD OF FAYETTEVILLE - THE JOHNSON COUNTY' PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF TODAY'.

The story of the beginning, struggles and achievements of the public schools of Johnson county, is not unlike that of the average progressive community of the West, ^^'hile the educational system of this county at times has met with discouraging conditions, the spirit of the people of Johnson county has been for better schools since the organization of the county, and they have gone on and improved whenever possible.

The spirit of the people was best shown nearly fifty years ago when they came forward and voted bonds to the extent of $173,000 to secure the Normal School. This was in 1871, only seven years after the close of the Civil \\'ar, and the county was still suffering from the wreck of those four years. That amount of indebtedness meant many times more than it would now.

Early Schools. - For a number of years after the first settlement of this county was made, there was no such a thing as a public school maintained by public taxation. However, as the country was settled, the pioneers provided schools by what was known as the "Subscription School" system. The plan was to employ a teacher and each family who lived within a reasonable distance to pay a certain amount for each member of the family who attended school. The early teachers were generally men, or as tliey were known in those days, "school masters." Tlierc was no fixed standard as to their (|ualific;itions other than an ambition to teach school. But among these early teachers of Johnson county were many very well-qualified men, college graduates and those who were otherwise well educated.

At first there were no distinct buildings for school purposes, and the first "sul)scrii)lioii schools" were held at tlie residence or lotr cabin of some pioneer. It was not long, however, until the log school house began to make its appearance. In architectural design these primitive temples of knowledge did not differ materially from the average pioneer cabin of those days. They were usually built of hewn logs, with a fire-place at one end, with puncheon floors and usually a portion of one of the logs on the side of the building sawed out to admit light. There was no such a thing as a blackboard, and the benches were made of split logs, supported by wooden legs, driven into auger holes. We still have with us a number of Johnson county pioneers who attended school in the old log school houses.

The following is a verbatim copy of an early Missouri teacher's contract and school rules made in 1836. (It was not in Johnson county, but conditions here were the same.) See "Warrensburg StandaiMHerald," February 9. 1917.

"The said Noland doth agree upon his part to teach a common school in a school house in the neighborhood of John H. Stone's. Branches taught : spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic. The term proposed to be taught is three months, or one quarter, containing sixtyfive days, fi\e days in a week. The hours of school for commencing, at an hour by sun in the morning: dismiss at an hour by sun in the evening, and allow a reasonable time at the middle of each day for recreation.

"Said Noland binds himself to keep good order in school to the best of his power and ability. If it should be the desire of the subscribers that the school be under the inspection of trustees, the teacher has no objection on his part. The trustees are to I;e three disinterested men, two chosen by employees and one by the teacher.

"The subscribers on their part bind themselves by these presents to pay said Nolan two dollars per scholar per quarter at end of said quarter, which may be discharged in corn, pork, oats or beans, to be delivered at said Nolan's house that is to say, if paid in corn, on or before the first of November next ; or if the pork, on or before the first day of December next. Both articles will be recei\ed at the market price. The subscribers doth also bind themselves to furnish their scholars with necessary books and paper and to keep school house in good repair during said term. The school shall not consist of less than eighteen nor more than twenty-five scholars, and to commence the sixth day of June. 1836. In testimony whereof we have here set our hands this 31st dav of Mav. 1836."

School Rules

"There shall but one go out at a time without permission. No scholar will be allowed to go out more than twice liefore and twice after play-time, without permission.

The following are literal copies, first of a receipt by Catherine I. Baker, teacher of Murray school, in Johnson county, in 1848, for lier salary of $42: and, second, of a report made by .\lfred Hocker, teacher of the same school, made in 1849. The originals of these papers, together with many other interesting early papers, now belong to Mr. Thomas Porter Murray, a relative of Uriel Murray, one of the first county judges, and for whom the school was named. They show the small amount of money paid the teachers, its source both in public and jirivate funds, as well as the simplicity of the whole transactions:

"Received of Uriel Murray one of the trustees of Murray district, townshi]) 46, range 27, forty-two dollars in full for teaching a district school, this 7th August, 1848. Catherine T. Baker."

"An account of a school taught by .Mfred Hocker. cpialified as the law directs in Murray destrict No. 1, townshi]) No. 46, r.ange No. 47, in the county of Johnson, state of Missouri, in the year 1849. for the term of six months (viz) :

The Brandies Tauglit was English Ciramniar. Natural Pliilosopliy, Astronomy, Arithmetic. Orthograpliy. Reading & Writing. Book used was Smith (S: Murrays Grammar, Comstocks Philosophy, Smith Smiley Ray & Fowlers .Arithmetics, W'ebsters spellers, McGuffeys Readers, &c. --18th Sept., 1849. Alfred Hocker, Teacher."

In time the old log scliool house was succeeded by the more convenient and commodious frame liuildings. and the subscription school became a thing of the past. Howe\'er, tlie public schools of Johnson county were not out of the struggling stage wdien the great Ci\il War came on and paralyzed the public school system of the state. Many schools in this county were suspended and a number of school houses in the county were burned In- invaders and irresponsible marauders.

Upon the return of peace in 1865. attention was again turned to the building up and the Ijetterment of tiie schools and of education in general. School houses were rebuilt, where they had been rlestroyed. New school districts iiave been created and JTigii schools established in the principal towns of the county.

Early Studies and Methods of Teaching. - The course of study in the first elementary schools varied largely with what the teacher was able to teach, but in general it was about as follows:

There was little or no geography, physiology or go\ernment. Music was also taught, largely by --singing schools." Tlie writing and singing schools were separate schools, conducted Ijy men anrl women wiio were specialists in these branches.

The above curriculum was extended almost indefinitely when there would be students in a community who wanted more education and they could find a teacher who could give it to them. The first uniform course of study suggested for the public elementary schools of the State was that made by State Superintendent of Schools Edwin C. Davis. In a circular dated September 20. 1855, he provided for five classes, and the "Fifth or High Class" should, he said, be ready to "continue orthography, reading, writing, mental and written arithmetic, English composition, declamation, English grammar, history and algebra. This class is now prepared to study, in addition to the above branches, chemistry, geology, mineralog}% geometry, surveying, rhetoric, intellectual philosophy, logic and astronomy."

While such a course of study could not have been generally extended to the elementary schools, no doubt there were some schools that did study, to some degree, all these subjects.

Early Methods. - The methods of instruction involved chiefly memorizing. Spelling, geography, and all other subjects were, as far as possible, learned by rote. Names of things to be learned were often grouped so that when recited aloud, they would have a swing to them, sometimes rhyme, and would be given in a sing-song.

The school hours were "from sun to sun." The term was short, four months being the longest up to the Civil War, except that sometimes the subscription schools would be three months' fall school and then an additional two months in the spring.

1. In the course of study: (a) In the elementary schools; a greatly increased amount of reading, both in and out of school, and both of general literature and also of collateral reading in connection with other studies. Every first-class country school is now required to have a library containing more volumes than could have been found in the early days in all the elementary schools of the state put together. (1)) In the high schools; a great increase in vocational subjects and training.

2. In the methods of instruction: (a) In the elementary schools; the development of and ap])eal to the interest of the student in the work, instead of the rote system, (b) In the high schools: the adaptation of the school work to the student's individual character and talents.

Results of Early and Present Education. - Our forefathers in this county had meager school facilities of all kinds. But their appreciation of them, together with the struggles they necessarily encountered in their daily lives under pioneer conditions, resulted in an actual training of a high value. Further, on account of the very fact that the things they learned were so few, compared witii today, and that fewer things made up their whole lives, their judgment about these things and their "common sense" was probably better than ours today.

Today any good high school graduate has more information than the college graduate of early days. By this knowledge he avoids much of the waste of all kinds, mental and material, due in the old days to ignorance, and can, and usually does, achieve far more material results.

The writer believes that the next great step will be one that is already going on, and that is to train our children in actually doing things, instead of merely learning about things.

How to convert the knowledge he acquires in the class room into actual results in his life, however, the student learns after he leaves school, and often very poorly, slowly and sometimes practically never at all. Our schools do not train the students in the actual getting of results, but only gives them the preliminary knowledge.

Special High Schools. - The Jackson township high school at Elm is a pri\ate high school, and the Fayetteville high school was started by pri\-ate subscription. The history of these schools follow:

[Editor's Xote : This history is obtained through 'Sir. J. N. Hutchinson, one of the scliool's active organizers, and Mr. Paul W. Osborne, its present principal, and is written by Mr. Osborne.]

We have quite a few consolidated high schools in INIissouri and they are doing a great work. However, it is not always possible to vote consolidation, and where this condition prevails something must be done. It is not always possible to do what the peojile of Elm have done, but it goes to show what a few entJTUsiastic school workers can do if they try. AVe belie\-e that what Elm has done, any community can do if the people will just put their shoulders to the wheel.

twenty-five dollars per share, and a building committee appointed. This committee constructed the present two-room building and began school work the following September.

The plan was to begin with the ninth grade and add an additional year's work each year until the school was doing four (4) years" high school work.

The second year forty-two students were enrolled, with A. L. Burks as teacher. In the fall of this year a barn was built for the students' horses.

The fourth year started with fifty-six (56) enrolled, with Paul W. Osborne as principal and Miss Pearl Williams as assistant. During this year, the full four (4) years' work was done.

The fifth year, 1917-18, Paul \W Osborne was re-elected principal and Miss Lee Druna ?liatt made assistant. The enrollment for this year was thirty-three {33). The entire enrollment for the five (5) years, is eighty-two (82) students.

[h'ditor's Note: Mr. Robbins is one of the active workers of Ha;'.el Hill township and for Hazel Hill township, and has done and is doing nuich for his community. He was one of the organizers of this school. J

Consolidated District No. 3 is composed of four districts in lla/el Hill townsliip, - Salem, Coleman, Fayetteville. and Neflf districts. A meeting was held of the districts and there was cast an almost unanimous vote for consolidation, but later the two-thirds vote for bonds for 1)uilding failed, .\loncv to run the school, however, was voted. So ;i building was ])Ut up, for tcmporar_\- use, by a popular subscription of four hun- dred dollars. School opened September. 1916. Another bond election was held December 24. 1916. and $6,000 liond issue was then voted, by two votes over two-thirds.

The contract was let in the fall of 1917, and the building is now almost completed, costing about $8,000, $2,000 being from state aid. Pupils were enrolled the first year: forty-one are enrolled now. There are two teachers, an eight months" term, and a three years' course approved by the state.

First Board. - George Young, president ; \\'. E. Allworth, vicepresident : W. O. Redford, clerk; A. J. Dyer, treasurer; Joseph Roach and \\'. I. Robbins. all directors, h^irst teacher. R. G. Bigelow: present teachers. JMiss Bessie Day. principal; and Williams.

The chief workers for the consolidation at first were Mrs. B. D. Schooling and JMrs. Charles Cobb, joined by present board and Mr. Robert J. Martin. The temporary building was from contributions by everybody, large and small, the first contribution of fifty dollars being from Mr. Martin. The merchants of Odessa and \\'arrensburg also assisted.

The building is 30 by 64. divisible into three rooms, or can be used as a single assembly room with stage on one side. A basement is underneath the whole building. There are six acres of land.

(Editor's Note: Air. Boston was born in Johnson county, of pioneer parents; first taught school here twenty-two j-ears ago, was elected county superintendent in 1911, and has been re-elected ever since.)

The public school system of Johnson county consists of 115 districts, each with one elementary school; two districts, each with one elementary school and one two-year high school; si.x districts, each with one four-year high school, and from four to six elementary schools.

The above elementary schools include for negroes, one in Warrensburg, one in Holden. one in Centerview. one in Montserrat. one in District 42 (Lynn in Simpson township), and one in District 71 (Murray in Columbus township).

school has only six months. All town schools have nine months. The school hours are from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4, with tAvo 15 minute recess periods.

The qualifications of the teachers raqge from third grade count)' certificates to "90-hour" diplomas from the Normal School. About onethird of the teachers have county certificates and two-thirds have normal or university certificates. The salaries of teachers are from $35 to $70, in the country, with an average of $53. In the town grades they are from $40 to $50; in the high schools, from $60 to $100. The town superintendents receive from $900 to $1,800 a year.

The course of study is the regular state course. It consists of reading and arithmetic from first to eighth grades ; geography, history and language work from third to eighth grades; nature study from third to si.xth grade, and agriculture in seventh and eighth grades; civil government in seventh and eighth grades.

A complete list of the school houses of the county, their location in the township, enrollment of pupils, 1916-17, volumes in library, and name and address of clerk, is as follows: