Rock County, Wisconsin - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 3 of those read), 1908 (part 6 of 11)

As soon as released, they got aboard a steamboat, as their canoe was not fast enough to suit them, and as the steamboat was ready to start down the river, they chose that. When the steamer was just fairly started, the boat was hailed from the garrison, and ordered to stop. The sheriff and some officers from the garrison came on board to look for a keg of specie that had been stolen from the storeroom at the garrison. We did not learn the particulars and outcome of the theft until we arrived in St. Louis, when we saw it in the newspapers.

It was this way, three soldiers agreed to steal the money that was there to pay to the Indians. The one on guard duty and two others were to dig under the wall and take the keg away and hide it, which they did. The next night a watch was kept, and one of them went to the keg and took out as much as he could get away with, when the watchers arrested him and recovered all the cash.

The captain of the boat had been up all night with convivial friends and soon laid down, and his son looked after the boat. The fear of arrest was yet strong in Brown, and he went to the bar and bought a gallon of whiskey and took it to the engine room and treated the engineer and fireman and told them to send her a flying. Pretty soon the old boat was creaking in every joint, and it woke the old captain, who came and ordered steam blown off, as he was afraid each minute of bursting the boiler.

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Kaintuck left us at Cassville, and we saw no more of him. I, being the youngest, was installed as cook, that was the most there was to do, except to steer, which was very easy, as we could now steer with a tiller in the rudder post, instead of a sweep, as is necessary on the Wisconsin.

I had plenty of room in the cargo box to set the eatables, as a cargo of lead takes up but little room. I had a box about four feet sqaure and one foot deep filled with sand on the deck of the cargo box, and on this I made my fire and cooked.

While the men were eating, I had to steer, as it was easy to do. One day I was steering, and as the current was slow, I ran over the body of a tree that had fallen into the stream, and under., water, so I had not noticed it. The boat scraped along over it, but when the rudder struck it, the rudder unslipped and would have sunk, as there was considerable iron on it. I called for all hands on deck and they saved and reshipped the rudder, and I was complimented by our captain for holding on so well.

As the captain was obliged to go to Galena, I was detailed to go with him. We took what he called the Galena slough and struck Fever river, and I paddled up to the town.

Business kept him until late and I had to move the canoe alone, as the captain was too smart to work when he could make any one else do it. The moon shone very bright, and we kept a sharp lookout for the keel boat, and found it tied up at Belleview, about fifteen miles from Galena. We now had smooth running and but very little to do. When we were at Le Clare at the head of the Rock Island rapids, we wanted a pilot over the rapids. We found a steamboat there that was going down, and the captain made a bargain to be towed over. But the steamboat captain came on board and said that he would pilot us over and it would be safer than towing. He told our captain that he would be surprised to see the river so low. We made the run safely and landed at Davenport, where we saw many Indians with red blankets that they had obtained from the British government at Maiden, in upper Canada. They were Sac Indians, who used to go to Maiden annually until 1833.

Our trip from there down was quite pleasant, except that we once left the channel, took down a slough and stuck fast on a bar at the lower end of the slough, and had to take off several tons of lead and land it below until we could float over the bar. Wild geese, cranes and pelicans were plenty. One evening just as we landed, we heard a great commotion among these birds and some of the crew went down to see them and shoot some. They said that it seemed to them that the geese and cranes were fighting the pelicans, as all were fighting and making all the noise possible, each in his own language. I could hear them, but I did not go down as supper must be prepared. We often saw a flock of pelicans on a sand-bar, and at a distance they looked like a snowdrift.

When we got to where Nauvoo was afterwards built up, we landed and looked for a pilot. We landed on the east side and the captain took Hagerman and went over to hire a pilot who lived a few miles away, and as there was so few steamboats running, many pilots were idle. As they were passing through some river bottoms, they disturbed several wild hogs; one old sow charged the captain, and it took his best action to get away from her. When telling us about it, the captain said by the "Holy Mother," I thought she would get her tushes into me.

The captain hired a pilot who continued with us to St. Louis. While passing a small French village, our little Canadian inquired of a couple of men who were sitting on a wood pile, what wood was worth, but they made no reply, and Frenchy asked them other questions that offended them.

Just then we were opposite a house and a woman came to the door and Frenchy greeted her in a civil manner, but she gave him a slang answer that made all laugh that understood it, when he thanked her and said he was very much obliged. Our laughing offended the men, and one of them ran towards the house and called for some one to bring him his gun and he would show keel-boatmen something. We sat with our feet hanging down on the side of the boat and did not think that he would shoot, but the pilot told us to go inside as he would shoot. He ran along the bank until he came to a lime kiln, when he fired on us. The ball struck the water and then the boat, but did no damage. One Avould hardly expect that such a crew would be shot at and not return the fire. As my gun was loaded and Brown's was broken, he took mine to return the man as good as he sent. His head was just above the wall of the lime kiln; Brown fired and we saw dust fly close to his head, and he dropped out of sight.

The captain in his cabin heard the commotion and came out and inquired what was the trouble. He was told and went out and told the village men if we were fired on again we would come ashore and burn their town.

We watched the lime kiln, and when we were out of gunshot, the man got up and went to the house. As Frenchy was the one that brought on the trouble, he was crazy mad.

His gun was an old army. musket cut off to make it more handy. It was not loaded, but he loaded it in haste, pouring in powder from a horn, and not measuring it, and then rolling down a lot of bullets that he had run to shoot wild geese. After the excitement we wanted to see how much lead he had in his gun. He put the ram-rod down and found he had at least one foot of powder and ball. Had he fired he would have bursted his gun and likely killed all or a part of the crew.

We landed at Alton, and the captain went home and found his family well, but surprised them, as they had not heard from him since he left there, as he had not written, and the time was long past that he set for the trip. Then came uneasiness and finally despair.

While he was gone, I wrote home, and as we had no writing materials on board, I went into an office to write and was told that it was the place where Lovejoy was killed and his printing press destroyed.

A man came aboard our boat to go to St. Louis with us, as but few steamboats were running. He said that he Avas there at the time of the riot and that the persons who destroyed the press did not intend to injure Lovejoy; but he, or his friends, fired on the crowd that was on the deck and killed a man named Bishop, who was sitting on his chest of joiner tools, and waiting to take a steamer to St. Louis.

While waiting one Sunday we noticed a crowd hurrying along the levee and saw a large deer swimming and men putting out with boats to catch the deer. It was a large buck with fine antlers. A boy came on our boat, as it gave him a fair view of the chase, and saw the crew of a steamer capture the deer, cut his throat and pull him into their boat. The boy said that he was back of town gathering persimmons, saw the deer and shot at it with a small pistol and thought that he hit one horn.

A small dog took after it and chased it until it came to the river at a bluff point of rocks and jumped from them into the river. He said he thought it was a tame one, as there was a red cloth on his neck, but the men that caught it cut that off and threw it into the water.

This rocky bluff has been graded down many years, and perhaps that was the last deer killed in St. Louis. While we were lying at the levee, a steamboat came from the Missouri river, and had a party of hunters and trappers that went out for Cheautau three years before. They hired for three years, as it required some time to learn and make the trip to the headwaters of the streams where beaver were most plenty.

This steamboat was built for a ferry-boat, as the people of the town thought they were imposed upon by a man who had a charter for a ferry and at very high rates, as at the time it was granted there was but little business, but now this had so increased that they thought the price should be cut down some.

The old ferry captain was obdurate and relied on his charter, but the citizens clubbed in and built a boat on what was called the Burden plan, I think named after the man that adopted this manner of building. It had two hulls and decked over all, so there was no tilting when a wagon was driven on.

Eeminiscences Of I. T. Smith 225

While running up the river I went into the engine room, and in conversation with the engineer, he told me that this engine was taken out of the Warrior that was at the battle of Bad Ax, and showed marks of bullets on the wood of the pitman, but not enough to disable it. We would have to propel the boat with poles as soon as we were on the Illinois river, as it was too low for a steamer.

Among the new crew was a young man from Kentucky, who came to St. Louis with a running horse and considerable money. He made a race and bet all his money and his horse. He was too large to ride and hired a town rider of some notoriety. The race was run and his horse was beaten, and he could not help himself, and tried to get at the boy that threw the race, but he was kept out of his way and this was his first chance to make a meal, so he shipped.

It took him about one week to get rid of the wages for his three years' work, and as he had been on the river a good deal, he shipped at the first opportunity.

He was born and raised at Green Bay, Wis. His name was Maximilian Jarvey. He had a fair education and had been in the employ of different traders on the Mississippi ; at one time for Joseph Ronlette, of Prairie du Chien.

I was much interested in what he told me about the life of a hunter and trapper and his experience when on the headwaters of the South Platte.

He said when trapping in the fall four men camped together, two went down the stream and two up, but came to camp at night. When the beaver became scarce, they moved on further up the stream until the weather or time induced them to turn and work down.

They had worked up the South Platte as far as advisable, and instead of going down the one they had come up, they found another stream that they supposed was a branch of the Platte and concluded to trap down that rather than to go over

They continued on down until they found Indians that they could not understand, and the Indians showed them to a village where there was a Catholic priest. Jarvey and the priest could both speak French. The priest told him that he was on the Arkansas instead of the Platte, and four trappers had made the same mistake before and were now washing placer gold at the river and showed them the way to the placer washing.

They found the men, who were making good wages, and wanted Jarvey and his comrades to stop and join them, and at first he thought he would. On reflection, however, he concluded to return and draw his pay and raise a company of men sufficient in numbers to protect themselves from the Indians or other parties.

As this was the fall for them to return, or loose three years wages, they concluded to strike across to the Platte and come home, which he did. He told us what he proposed to do, and several of the crew said they would join the company.

I never heard from any of them after I left the boat, but I went to Colorado in 1873, and in 1874 went to the San Luis park or valley. When there I often heard men speak of a party of prospectors who were killed by Indians, but I cannot now tell just where it was - and I don't know in just what year it was done.

One man told me that he had seen the bones of men and horses where it was, but I cannot tell where. His story was that a party of white men were prospecting and had an Indian boy with them. This boy belonged to a tribe that was hostile toward this mountain tribe. The mountain Indians wanted the boy, to torture him, but the miners would not give him up, although told if they would they would not be molested, but that this tribe must have the young Indian.

They were in a narrow gulch when attacked, and fought to the last man. One man assured me he had been at the place and had seen relics of the men and horses.

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One snowstorm made us lie by one day, and we landed on an island where we saw tracks of many deer and turkeys. As I had to cook and have the breakfast early so the men would pull out as soon as they could see the channel and pole along as it could be followed, I tired out, became too unwell to work, and had to quit and go ashore.

I stopped with a man named Free, who was deputy sheriff of Pike county, Illinois, and lived close to the river a half mile below Phillips Ferry.

The owner of the house was named Free, and was deputy sheriff of Pike county. Some of their ways were so new to me, and would be to others, that I will make note of them. The house was of round logs without any window, as the wife would not have one, as she would often be alone, as her husband was away on business, -and she would be more secure without one. When she was sewing she took a chink out of the crack between the logs near the fire, if the weather was cold, and at other times would open the door and sit near it.

She told me that one night she heard two men talking, and she watched them, as she had no light, and she could see them but they could not see her. They came near the house and sat on the fence near the chimney, and were consulting about breakinto the house, as they knew that Free was away. She would have surprised them, as she had a gun in her hands and knew how to use it and had the courage to do so. Free had a tenant in a small house near by. One night we heard a noise at the stable, and Free said it was some thief trying to break the padlock so he could steal his horse. He had a shotgun and loaded it with buckshot, and I had a rifle that he loaded with ball.

Then Mrs. Free and myself held up a blanket at the door so the firelight would not shine through when the door was opened. Free took both guns and went out carefully and to his tenant's cabin and aroused him, and he came out and took one gun and they looked for the thieves, who had left the stable, as they had heard the men when the cabin door was opened. After watching and waiting for some time they saw the men sitting on a log in a chopping near by, and Free pulled trigger with the shotgun. The cap exploded, but the powder failed to burn, and most likely that saved the life of one or both thieves.

At that time there were a great many hard characters in that vicinity and he was kept busy with his official duties. He was not a large man, but seemed fearless and self-reliant, and went for any one that his papers called for, however desperate he was. One day he arrested two men and took them to the court, and then went to serve some papers for witnesses. When he returned to court he missed the prisoners and on inquiring was told they were gone. They just w^alked away and defied all the crowd to stop them if they dared.

Free started after them, as they took the road to Phillips Ferry, and when he got there the ferry-boat was just getting started to cross the river. He called a halt and then talked to the men, and they promised to go back and stand trial.

They started back, and Free went home to get something, and when he got back to court the men were there - had come by themselves and stood trial. At that time there were hogs on the river bottom, in the timber, that were so wild they had to be shot to get them. As soon as I gained sufficient strength I started for home. The first day I made but seven miles, and stayed with a southern family. The woman got supper for me alone, as they had already eaten theirs. In the morning I ate breakfast with the family, and my bill was only eighteen and three-fourths cents. This was forcibly impressed on my mind by paying a bill to an eastern man a few days after. I stopped with a New England man Saturday night, and he was very pious and prayed for the sick traveler, etc. I ate with the family, so they had no extra work, and when I asked how much my bill was it was seventyfive cents. I had a half dollar in change, but that would not satisfy him, and he could not change a bill, so he came along with me to get the bill changed. As it was Sunday, the people slept late, and some were not up, and none could change the bill until we came several miles, and he was in a great hurry, as he wanted to go to a wedding that day. The contrast between the southern man and the very pious eastern one made an impression on me that I have never forgotten.

would not permit a steamboat to come. When I got to Canton 1 was told the salt had been sold in small parcels to families and not half of the houses had salt. 1 was told that one pound of salt was worth two of pork. A man was started for Chicago with a team to load back with salt. I had a chance to ride in his wagon, but the roads were frozen and very rough, as there was but little travel on them in any direction, as the river was closed, and never much up or down the river. It had been a sickly season and the farmers just began to crib their corn.

Two young men from Pittsburg joined me at Canton and tried riding in the w'agon, but very soon tired of that and went afoot. They each had a satchel which they left in the wagon, but I had only a gun, and I kept that with me, as I sometimes saw a turkey or pheasant. These men seemed well educated, and one was much interested in every rock we passed, and often stopped to examine it. We outwalked the team and stayed all night together at a farmhouse, and as the team had not overtaken us, they went back to see about their baggage, and I never saw them after.

It was said that salt could be bought in Chicago for five dollars a barrel, but one man named Dole bought up the whole in market and made the price fifteen dollars, and we thought that was what stopped our teamster.

Settlers were quite scattered and the houses generally on the west side of the road, as my road was on the west side of the river and close to the bluffs or highlands where they came to the river bottoms.

The bottoms were claimed by settlers in some places, since they had not been surveyed, as at the time the lands were surveyed the river was high and these bottoms covered with water were returned "inundated." I understood that the government afterward had them surveyed and sold as other land was.

I once met a man in Colorado who must have been born as early as 1845 or 1850 and raised in Pike county, and he told me that he never saw a parokeet. I have noticed since that some birds become extinct from localities where they were plentiful a few years before. As there was so little travel on the river road, there were no taverns, and I invariably stopped at farmhouses, and I don't remember of being refused a meal or a lodging. As I came north my health improved and my daily travels increased in miles until I could make thirty-five miles without extra time or exertion.

In coming up the Fox river I stopped with a man named Harrington, who told me of his living in Chicago in 1833 at the time of the Indian treaty, when much land was treated for. Harrington told me that the Indians were sullen and not much inclined to treat, and that Governor Porter of Michigan, who M'as at the head of the commissions, was not popular with the Indians and many were apprehensive that the Indians would not treat but would break out in a real war.

Most of the residents were fearful of that result and some of them took their families into the fort, but others said : ' ' That is useless, as, if they break out, they will take the fort, for the men in the garrison are not able to defend it."

The governor was reported as unfit to manage the treaty and cross toward the Indians, threatening them that unless they would treat he would make them do as Black Hawk was made to do the year before.

Porter would not allow any of the traders to let the Indians have whisky, but the commission kept full of it. After some days the fears of the people were greater and the Indians seemed more inclined to break out into open war. One of the half-breeds told the Indians this: "I am half Indian and half white, and shall go into the forest, and if you kill the soldiers you may kill me and my family." Then the traders rolled out some barrels of whisky and set the barrels on the end and broke in the upper end and put out lots of cups for them to use.

They also put out tobacco and eatables for the Indians. Although it was against the governor's orders and the customs at treaties, it had the effect to pacify the Indians, and the next day a treaty was made.

Reminiscences Of I. T. Smith 231

talking with a young Indian, and was suspicious that he meant mischief and watched him closely. Soon the young Indian struck at him with a large butcher knife, but, as he was on his guard, he dodged the knife and it went into the sideboard of the wagon and stuck there, and the Indian ran for the crowd, and he carefully w^ithdrew the knife and sent it east to his mother, as a keepsake.

As he felt he w^ould not be much safer in the forest than his own house, he concluded to stay at home. He went to some of the leading traders and asked them to station a guard at his house to protect him in case of an outbreak. The traders told him that he would and he might give the guard plenty to eat, but not give him w'hisky to drink.

That evening an Indian came and stood beside the door all night and until the family were up in the morning, when he fed him and gave him such presents as he thought best. Harrington said that he did not sleep at all, but his wife seemed to sleep as much as usual, and the danger did not keep her awake.

From Ottawa I followed the valley of the Fox river up through the small towns until my road diverged to the northwest toward Lake Koshkonong. At Bigfoot Prairie I was overtaken by William Hammond, wiio drove one horse and had some gunbarrels and tools for making guns. I kept with him until we got to Comstocks on Turtle creek, when he went on alone, as he was anxious to get to his brothers at Johnstown.

I was at Milton recently and one man called my attention to this celebration and told me he was there and repeated the remarks made by the governor on receipt of the present.

Under this head comes the treatment of official county affairs. By the laws of AVisconsin the county government is vested in a board of supervisors, comprising one member from each township, one from each incorporated village and one from each ward of each city in the county and the board now numbers thirtynine. There are twenty townships, four incorporated cities and three incorporated villages, and present population is 53,641 ; in 1840 it was 1,701. This body has charge of all affairs pertaining to the county. It is not a legislative body, but executive. It levies all state and county taxes, holds in trust all lands and properties belonging to the county, provides for support of county schools and officers and courts, provides for the care and maintenance of the insane and dependent poor, has direct supervision of all county officers from county judge to coroner, fixes all salaries of county officers and deputies and all officers of the county are required to report once a year to the board of supervisors. Among the important duties of the board is the care and supervision of the county insane asylum and poor farm. This institution represents an investment in lands (400 acres), buildings and equipment of a value of nearly $200,000, and is under the direct care and charge of a board of three trustees, appointed by the county board. These trustees appoint a superintendent and necessary assistants. This county farm is a community of itself, there being nearly 200 residents and we are pleased to also add that the county farm is nearly self-sustaining.

The records of Rock county begin April 1, 1839. Rock county was organized in 1839. The first commissioners were Enos I. Hazard, William S. Murray and William Spaulding, and their first act was to elect W. H. H. Bailey clerk of the board.

The second meeting of the county commissioners was held June 28, 1839. At this meeting Rock county was divided into two road districts. The clerk of the board was authorized to borrow in behalf of the county the sum of $1,050 at twelve per cent interest, said money to be used to purchase the site on which the court house now stands, of Joseph Goodrich. At this June meeting Hiram Brown was appointed assessor for the county, to begin his work at once.

On July 1, 1839, the commissioners were again in session and the main questions under discussion were the defects in the assessment roll and it was finally ordered returned to the assessor, with orders to "correct and complete forthwith," the board adjourned for two weeks to give the assessor time to do his work, and on July 15 the board was in session again and the assessment roll was accepted. The commissioners at this meeting ordered a tax levy of five mills on the dollar, on all property in the county subject to taxation. The assessed value of Rock county in 1839 was $21,792.45 (the assessed value of Rock county in 1907 was $47,494,980.) On a basis of eighty per cent of true value, which would make the true value of Rock county at present time $66,- 291,722.

At the meeting July 15, 1839, the following resolution was passed: "Ordered, that Hans Crocker, of Milwaukee, be appointed attorney for the board of commissioners for the purpose of procuring the right of preemption for said county, in conformity with the act of congress passed May 26, 1824, allowing preemptions of quarter sections to counties and parishes for the erection of county buildings, with authority to sign the names of said commissioners to any application or receipt or other papers that may be necessary to carry into effect the objects of this order."

The next meeting of the commissioners was held October 7, 1839, at Janesville, and organized by electing William S. Murray, chairman, and E. J. Hazzard, secretary. At this meeting a bounty of $3 on wolves was ordered. Numerous roads were laid out

October 12, 1839, the commissioners met again and the school question was the foremost thought and the county was divided into two school districts and the following named gentlemen were appointed ''inspectors":

The next meeting of the commissioners was held January 6, 1840. At this meeting the "license" question came to the front, and David J. Bundy was licensed to "keep a tavern" at Beloit and Charles Steven was licensed to "keep a tavern" at Janesville. John Hopkin's name appears at this time in the records as surveyor, having laid out several roads in the county under orders from the commissioners.

In 1840 the county was divided into three assessment districts and Samuel B. Cooper was appointed assessor for the first district, George Williston for the second district and A. S. Walker for the third district. Israel Cheney was appointed the first county treasurer and his first report shows collections $1,270 and expenditures $1,278. During the year 1840 the Beloit & Milwaukee highway was established and laid out. In January, 1841, Israel Cheney, county treasurer, reported collections for previous year as $3,462.99 and expenditures of $2,523.34. The total taxes collected in the county for 1906 was $513,432.18.

In June, 1842, was held the first meeting of the county Board of Supervisors, which body has continued from year to year since. This first meeting was composed of six members, viz. : William E. Holmes, Nathan G. Storrs, D. I. Bundy, W. H. H. Bailey, G. W. Brittan and Israel Jones. Nathan G. Storrs was elected first chairman of the county board and George H. Williston, clerk

The records are too incomplete to give the names of all the chairmen for past sixty-five years, but with one or two exceptions no man has held the office of chairman for more than two years consecutively, and an "unwritten law" rotates the office from city to township alternately, thereby producing great harmony and avoiding "ruts" by long continued control by any faction or party or individual.

Another noticeable feature regarding the county board work is the fact that for the past quarter of a century there has been "no politics" in the board; every man stands or falls on his merits as a citizen and not as regards the party he may belong to. Some of the best and most efficient members of the board have often been entirely out of harmony politically with the majority.

In 1870 the present court house was built at an expense of $100,000, and the contractor who superintended its construction was E. Ratheram, a present member of the board and has been for about twenty-five years, one of the most highly esteemed men on the board and is now a member of the building committee. His experience as a builder makes him a valuable member on that body.

Hon. Simon Smith holds the next record for long service, having served twenty years. A number of valuable members literally "died in the harness," notably S. T. Merrill, of Beloit; T. B. Bailey, of Beloit; C. E. Bowles, of Janesville, and Hon. Almeron Eager, of Evansville.

During the first year of our organization as a county, its commissioners, at a meeting held in Janesville, October 12, 1839, divided Rock county into two school districts and appointed as inspectors tor the first Hariman Raymond, George W. Brittan and James Heath, of Janesville, and A. L. Field and Hazen Cheney, of Beloit. For the second district: Joseph Goodrich, William B. Sheldon, Solomon Head, George H. Willington and Ansel Dickinson.

Among those inspectors in later years was Hon. Edward Searing, who afterwards became state superintendent of schools of Wisconsin. The county superintendency began January 1, 1862, with Rev. J. I. Foote, of Footeville, as superintendent. At the next election, the county, having then over 15,000 inhabitants, and therefore the legal privilege of two districts, availed itself of that privilege. For the first district, embracing the western part of the county, H. A. Richards was made superintendent ; for the second district, A. Whitford, the term of service being two years. For that first district the successive superintendents up to 1879 were J. I. Foote, J. W. Harris, E. A. Burdick and J. W. West, each serving two terms. In the second or east district. Superintendent Whitford was followed by C. M. Treat, four terms, and J. B. Tracy, three terms up to 1879. At that time the number of school districts in the county was about 170 ; of teachers (outside of Beloit and Janesville), 185. Whole number employed during the year, 325. Annual expenditure, about $55,000. Of this amount $2,500 came from the state school fund.

The annual reports of our two district superintendents for the past five years sufficiently reveal the character and extent of our progress in this direction.

During the school year of 1903, in the first district twenty-eight teachers received from $20 to $25 per month, and thirty-four from $25 to $30 monthly for about eight months. Take out of that sum the cost of board and lodging and extra expense for books and dress, and the net cash return for each teacher seems to have been manifestly much less than that of the average farm laborer.

Both districts reported an insufficient supply of text-books and the need for those of later date. They also recommended the consolidation of small districts, the scholars from which could with less expense be carried daily to some larger and better central district school. Another effort has been to get teachers of better training and to help the poorer teachers to gain such improvement. The means proposed was a county training school to cost about $2,000 each year. Instead of this plan, however, the same end is sought by means of county teachers' institutes, which are now held each year during the summer vacation. There is also a county teachers' association which holds helpful meetings in the spring and fall. Some of the districts have built model modem school buildings such as that of Joint District No. 3, town of Center, and No. 3, Avon. The latter school house has hardwood floors, steel ceilings, neatly painted side walls, slate blackboards, and the latest type of school furniture and apparatus. In 1904 some sixty-one of the districts in the first county district made good improvements. In the second county district Avalon built a substantial two-story building at a cost of $1,800. In this district, about three miles southwest of Janesville, is the historic spot where the famous Miss Frances Willard spent her girlhood days and attended district school. That old school building, which had become quite dilapidated, was in 1904 well renovated without and within ; a neat porch was made and the name "Frances Willard School" was placed over the door in attractive lettering. In 1904 the average monthly wage of teachers rose to $33. In that year 184 pupils from district schools were attending Rock county high schools (other than those comprised in the districts) and were paying for tuition $3,312 each year for the four years of the city school course. There was general improvement throughout the whole of the second district, and especially in the towns of Turtle, Clinton and Bradford.

in this county is the central diploma examination system inaugurated in the year 1903. Previous to this the questions were sent to each teacher and she gave them to her pupils. She marked the papers and certified the results to the superintendent. This meant as many different standards as there were different teachers. Where a teacher had poorly taught and poorly prepared the pupils beforehand, she sometimes made up for it by coaching them on the questions and helping them in the examinations. The anxiety of teachers to have their pupils receive a diploma overcame, in many instances, their sense of personal honesty. The result was that many pupils went away to the high schools very poorly prepared. In some instances they were unable to do the work and were shoved back into the grades, to the humiliation of themselves and to the chagrin of their parents. There they were compelled to pay their own tuition, instead of having it paid by the town, and must also pay for their board. This entailed an extra expense on their parents Avhich would not have been necessary had they remained in the home school until they had properly finished their work.

But the new system of examinations has changed this condition. All the pupils now write at some one of seven places in the district. Places most convenient for the greatest number of applicants are chosen. Each pupil is given a letter and a number, which he puts on his paper. His name, number and letter are sent to the superintendent. The committee which marks the pupil does not know the name of the pupil, but simply his letter and his number. This arrangement is equally fair for all. These papers are then marked by a committee consisting of one rural school teacher, one graded school teacher and one high school principal, all the papers in one branch being marked by one person. They return the standings to the superintendent, and those who have met with the requirements are given diplomas. This system seems to be as nearly impartial a one as it is possible to get. The results, in the main, have been very satisfactory. For some years the high schools have complained of the country pupils being unprepared for high school work, all the failures of the rural teacher as well as their own being charged to the rural teacher. Since 1903, however, things have changed. We send them pupils that are prepared, so far as an examination can test their preparation, and it is now "up to the high school" to con- tinue the work. We are holding them responsible, and not they us, for their failures. Pupils who have been sent to high school from this district, says Superintendent Hemingway, have been able to do the work satisfactorily. For the past two years, among the pupils entering the Janesville High School, the best average scholarship has been shown by those coming from the rural districts. This is the highest kind of a tribute to the present system of diploma examinations. Of course, to be fair, I must add that the rural schools send nearer their best than their average pupils, while the city schools probably send more nearly their average scholars.

In the year 1903 a state law was passed which requires all children between the ages of seven and fourteen, and all those between fourteen and sixteen, who are not lawfully employed at home or elsewhere, to attend school at least twenty-four weeks of each year, if living in the country, and thirty-two weeks, if in the city. For the year 1905 the average attendance of pupils in the first district was reported as being 115 days per pupil. Of the 2,836 children of school age then in that district, some 240 did not comply with the compulsory attendance law. That law makes parents or guardians responsible, and for neglect to observe it they incur a fine, which may range from $5 to $50. It says that school boards in cities of 10,000 population or more shall appoint a truant officer, and that the boards of lesser cities and of villages and districts may do so. As amended, it makes the county sheriff truant officer for the county, with the power of appointing deputies.

Another law for the improvement of our schools, passed by the Wisconsin state legislature of 1904-5, makes it the duty of the county superintendent to call one or more school board conventions each year. At the first of these, held August 17, 1905, seventy-five out of eighty-two school districts were represented by 133 school officers, and the various problems connected with the conduct of district schools were profitably considered. Another recent change tending toward more efficient administration is the following : For many years it has been the duty of the town treasurer to keep back ten cents for each pupil of school age in his town, and with this money the town clerk was to purchase library books for the several districts. In the winter of 1904 and 1905 that law was repealed and a new one made which requires the county treasurer to withhold that money and the county superintendent to spend it for the books mentioned, and also to list and index all the books in each district library. The number of those books within the first district, representing about half our county, in 1905 was reported as being 10,858.

The reports for 1907 show that most of the district schools now keep a teacher one year or more, instead of changing every term, as was common before. In the diploma examinations of the second district 133 ; pupils wrote and 49 finished the course. In the first district, No. 1, Spring Valley erected a new and modern school building. Including both high schools and rural schools, the male teachers for that year were paid an average of $80, and the female teachers, on an average, $40 per month.

The annual teachers' institute, held at Janesville, July 29 to August 9, included two classes of children from the city schools, which were taught by two city teachers, as models for the less experienced teachers present. The enrolment of teachers was 149, and average attendance 135, 52 of them being beginners. The average age of the teachers in attendance was twenty and one-half years. The Janesville High School now provides a special course for scholars who are intending to teach. As another sign of progress, academic dictionaries, supplementary readers and card indexes have found their way into many of the country schools.

The one law, however, which is doing and will do more for the district schools than any other, is that recently enacted law which provides a bonus of $150, to be paid in three installments, $50 a year for three years, to each district that keeps its school house and out-buildings in good repair, provides the needful apparatus, installs an adequate system of heating and ventilation, and employs an efficient teacher. According to the report of 1907, fifteen of the schools in the first district alone had complied with those requirements. This bonus is paid from the mill tax, to which Rock county is contributing more than she receives. Our neglect to take advantage of that law aids those of other counties who comply with it, and gives us nothing in return; by meeting those conditions, however, we do only what ought to be done in every district, and at the same time get back a good part of the tax that we have paid.

been under the charge of Superintendent Charles H. Hemingway, comprises 82 school districts, employing for the school year of 1907 119 teachers at an aggregate expenditure of $41,967. Of the 2,432 children between the ages of seven and fourteen years, 2,006 were in actual attendance. This district includes Edgerton and Evansville, each of which has a high school. The record of these comes within the history of those several to\\Tis. Footeville and Orfordville, also in this district, have each a graded school of the first class - that is, one employing three teachers or more (each has four) ; and Hanover and Fulton have graded schools of the second class, those of two teachers. One district in the town of Union transports its children, about fifteen each day, to a central school at Brooklyn. Thirty-two of the schools in this district have free text-books.

The second district, that of Superintendent 0. D. Antisdel, comprises 86 school districts with 112 teachers for the past j'^ear, and includes the high school at Milton, where there are eight teachers and a principal, and the high schools at Milton Junction and Clinton. The work of some of the second district schools has recently taken prizes at the Wisconsin state fair held at Milwaukee.

From these district schools have come some of our leading and prominent men, such honorable citizens as Mac Jeffris, Banker "William eleffris, Superintendent David Throne and Superintendent Antisdel, with others equally useful.

While the number of schools remains about the same, therefore, yet it is manifest that the quality of our country schools during the past thirty years has decidedly improved. This improvement, however, has not been gained without most devoted labor on the part of the friends of those schools, especially such as Superintendent David Throne gave for nearly ten years, and such efficient service as the present superintendents are giving. To get better school houses, better text-books and better trained and better paid teachers has required a brave fight against the indifference and even hostility of too many of the parents ; but the majority in favor of these improved conditions, though requiring larger expenditure, is steadily increasing.

From the state school fund the sum of $9,000 is now appropriated annually and divided among the county superintendents of the state for the expense of teachers' institutes. This pro- vides each of our two county districts with about $110 for that purpose. At the county teachers' institute for 1907 there waii an average daily attendance of 150 teachers.

Rock county has now enrolled in its two school districts about 5,000 children who come within the provisions of the state compulsory attendance act. Of these a little more than 4,000 are reported in the year 1907 as having attended school for the time required by law. During that year also 231 teachers were employed, at an expenditure of about $80,000. Our 168 district school sites and buildings are valued at $200,000. And there is another value besides that of dollars to be noted. At very many of the schools there have been public flag-raisings, which means that the school houses are each supplied with a flagpole and our national flag. On the Fourth of July and Washington's birthday, and Lincoln's, and on other national holidays, therefore, may be seen floating over nearly all our district schools the American flag. It gives assurance to all who see it that in those schools the children of every nationality are taught to love American liberty and are being trained in loyalty to the LTnited States.

Beloit Schools And School Teachers

Early Beloit had two school districts. No. 1 was for the east side of the river, and No. 2 for the west. The beginnings of our schools life on the east side are Avell described in the following paper, prepared in 1897 by Beloit 's distinguished townsman, now of New York city, Horace White :

"The first application made by this infant community to the legislative power for any purpose whatever was a petition for a charter for a seminary of learning. On the 11th of November, 1837, Major Charles Johnson and Cyrus Eames started to Burlington, Iowa, the then seat of the territorial government of the country now embraced in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, to obtain such a charter. In a dug-out they paddled down Rock river to the Mississippi, taking with them for provisions a supply of smoked suckers and cornbread, and then went by steamer to Burlington. They were successful and returned to Beloit with their charter on December 5 of the same year. It is needless to say that Beloit Seminary did not spring into immediate activity. Divers and sundry schools, both public and private, preceded it. According to the best information obtainable, the first school of any kind in Beloit was opened in the kitchen of Caleb Blodgett's house in the year 1838, the teacher being John Burroughs, of Orange county. New York. In the following year a school house was built by private subscription at the northeast corner of School and Prospect streets, and here the first public school was opened, under the charge of Hazen Cheney, who taught during the years 1839-40. He was followed by Hiram Hersey, Alfred Walker, Henry Brown and Samuel Clary in succession. In 1843 or 1844 a school was started in the basement of the Congregational church. This building had been erected in 1842, mainly by my father's efforts. As the Rev. Lucien D. Mears said, 'It was built with unpaid doctor's bills,' which means that some people hereabout could nat pay for Dr. White's services with money, but could pay with stone, timber, sand, lime and the labor of their hands and teams. That Dr. "White was eventually paid by the other members of the congregation there can be no doubt, since these men were not in the habit of getting anything of value for nothing, least of all their church privileges, the most valuable of all things to them. One of the early services held in this church was my father's funeral. He died of consumption, December 23, 3843. The hardships of a country doctor's life in a thinly settled region, where he was compelled to drive long distances by day and night in a rigorous climate, with little protection against the cold, cut him off at the age of thirty-three. He was a native of Bethlehem, N. H., a graduate of the medical department of Dartmouth College, a man of intellectual power and heroic mould. He shrank from no duties, and I am sure that no man ever performed greater services and sacrifices for Beloit than he.

"The school in the basement of this church, situated at the northwest corner of Broad and Prospect streets, was opened under the auspices of the Rev. Lewis H. Loss. This was the Beloit Seminary for which Johnson and Eames obtained the charter in 1837. I was one of Mr. Loss's pupils.

"My earliest recollections of school days, however, are not these. They cluster about an infant school on Race street (now 439 St. Paul avenue) kept by Miss Jane Moore, my mother's sister. She was 'Aunt Jane Moore' to all the young people in the town. From this I was transferred to the public school before mentioned, and in due time to the tutelage of Mr. Loss. The latter had for an assistant Mr. D. Carley. Mr. Loss was succeeded in 1846 by Sereno T. Merrill.

"Before the college proper began there were various teachers here, both male and female, whose names deserve respectful mention, although I do not remember exactly where all of them taught, viz. : Sarah T. Crane, Frances Burchard, Emeline Fisher, Philomela Atwood, Eliza Field, M. F. Cutting, Alexander Stone, Daniel Pinkham, Leonard Humphrey, Mrs. Saxby, Mrs. Dearborn, Mrs. Carr, Cornelia Bradley, Miss Adaline Merrill, Jonathan Moore, Ackland Jones and Horatio C. Burchard. The last named has since been a member of congress and director of the mint of the United States. Miss Bradley became the wife of Judge Hopkins, of Madison, Wis., and Miss Merrill the wife of Dr. Browne, of Hartford, Conn. After the death of Mary Kimball Merrill, the able principal of the young ladies' department of Beloit Seminary, Miss Jane Blodgett (now i\Irs. S. T. Merrill) and Miss Clarinda Hall had charge of a young ladies' school on Broad street, in a building which was afterward moved to State street and became the book store of Wright & Merrill; Miss Chapin (afterwards wife of Professor Porter) taught in this school in 1853.

"Mr. Humphrey was the son of the first rector of the Episcopal church in Beloit, and succeeded his father in that capacity. Miss Fisher, a woman of great energy and executive talent, became the housekeeper of the Fifth Avenue hotel in New York. All, so far as I know, whether rich or poor, high or humble, were honest, earnest men and women, doing good and not evil in their day and generation. Happy shall we be if the same can be said of us when our fleeting hour is past. ' ' Horace "White, 1897.

Among the very earliest of the teachers above named were Stone and Pinkham, who taught on Race street, and Mrs. Atwood and Mr. Cutting, whose names occasioned the first recorded Beloit joke: "Why is wood-chopping like our public school teachers? Because they are Cutting Atwood. ' ' Let us hope that this explanation was wholly exoteric and had no esoteric meaning. Miss Adaline ]\Ierrill was the sister of Sereno T. Merrill, and with Cornelia Bradley taught in the Beloit Seminary in the old stone church, and later in the Middle College building, to which that school was moved in the fall of 1848. Miss Bradley was my teacher in 1851 at the old School street school house, and I remember her as being both kind and efficient. Mr. Leonard Humphrey's school was held in a one-story brick building, which he had built, twenty by thirty feet, on the ground facing north on Public avenue, now number 534, and was called "the aristocratic school." In 1844 that edifice was bought by St. Paul's Episcopal church and used as its first church building.

The earliest school on the west side of the river was taught by Miss Foot in one room of a frame house, northwest corner of Third street and Roosevelt avenue, in 1848. The next school was kept in a small house on Fourth street about where the fire station is now, and was taught by Harriet Burchard and later by Sarah Burchard. Later (1852) a school was taught by Rev. Mr. Millet and wife in a little old plastered house on Merrill street on the hill ; and next was a school in the house of John Saxby, on Railroad street, a little north of St. Lawrence avenue. Then the stone house was built on Bluff street (now number 631), in which Mr. S. L. James was one of the early instructors. In the winter and spring of 1854 James W. Strong taught there, and later B. C. Rogers and wife. Other teachers were Mr. and Mrs. William Dustin and Miss Higby. That stone house had two large rooms and a small recitation room, but became crowded, and therefore about forty boys were provided with a store room in the old Cogswell building on the north side of East Grand avenue (now about number 220), and were taught by George Himes, a singer in the Baptist choir.

Another of those temporary public school rooms was in the upper part of the old Mansion house (now Thompson's building). Then came the new public school buildings on each side of the river.

In October, 1849, S. R. Humphrey, town superintendent of schools, published a notice informing the voters of Beloit that he had annulled the former arrangement of two school districts, and had combined them in one, to be called "Union District No. 1, Beloit," comprising sections 22, 27, 34 and 36, and that part of sections 23, 26 and 35, situated west of Rock river. October 23, John M. Keep was duly elected director of the district, S. E. Barker, treasurer, and S. Drake, clerk. One week later, however, as citizens of the west side had petitioned for a separate school, this district instructed the town superintendent, I. W. Thayer, to organize for them School District No. 2, including sections 22 and 27, and all those parts of sections 23, 26 and 35, situated west of Rock river. Union School District No. 1 then appointed T. L. Wright clerk, S. T. Merrill and H. Hobart as a finance and building committee, and March 10, 1851, engaged Herman Belden (or Belding) to excavate the cellar for a new brick school house at nine cents per cubic yard. The site chosen was in the city park, about in line with the south side of Public avenue, and four or five rods east of Cellege avenue. Gates & Company built the stone basement walls at nine dollars per cord and, with Stephen Downer, laid up the three story red brick walls at $1.80 per yard. October 29, 1851, the late board of Union District No. 1 were complimented for having erected a school building with only one-half as much of a debt for borrowed money as they had been authorized to incur. The whole cost was $4,312.71. The old school building on School street had been sold to L. G. Fisher

January 12, 1852, James W. Strong began teaching in that brick school house, associated with Mrs. Emmeline Fisher and Mrs. Carey. The house was thirty-six by fifty-four feet on the ground, and three stories high, with a basement. The corkscrew stairway from story to story for the girls was on the south side of the house and that for boys, on the north side. The three rooms were seated with wooden benches, seat and desk together, each accommodating two scholars, boys on the north side, girls on the south ; each floor had a main room and one recitation room at the west side, connected with it by large folding doors. "The house is warmed," says a Beloit journal of 1852, "by an ample furnace in the basement. The first and second departments are now opened, the latter under C. Childs, Esq., principal, and Mrs. Augusta R. Childs, with I. W. Atherton, Esq., and Miss Octavia A. Mills as teachers. This school comprises that portion of the village which is on the east side of the river and contains about three hundred scholars."

In 1855 "William C. Dustin was principal of No. 1, with his wife as assistant; S. G. Colley, director; S. Hinman, clerk; J. P. Houston, treasurer; A. J. Battin, superintendent of schools. In that year our old citizen, C. C. Keeler, Esq., then a boy of nineteen, came to Beloit and applied to Mr. Battin for a teacher's certificate. While with considerable anxiety he was waiting to be examined for it, Mr. B. asked him if he had ever taught before. "Yes," replied young Keeler, "in Vermont." "Oh, well," said Battin, "if you were good enough to teach in Vermont you are good enough for Wisconsin," and wrote out his certificate without any further questioning. Young Mr. Keeler then taught a winter school three months, in the Rubles district, four miles west of Beloit, which was inhabited by a race of giants from Pennsylvania. But they were very peaceable young giants and gave no trouble whatever to Miss Lucy Ann Brown, who taught that school in the summer of 1853, when she was only seventeen years old. A later principal of No. 1 was James H. Blodgett (afterwards principal of the high school at Rockford, 111., and now connected with the United States Census Department at Washing- ton, D. C). He was assisted in the third room by Miss Nancy- Brown, of Framingham, Mass., and her sister, Mary C. Brown (now Mrs. J. H. Blodgett), was principal of the second room.

During those early '50s Beloit had also in the old Beloit House, which had been moved to the southeast corner of Public avenue and State street, a female seminary, conducted by Rev. S. Beane and wife. Some of the teachers there were Almira D. White, Miss Cunningham (now Mrs. Edward H. Hobart), Miss Anderson and Miss Mary Davenport (Mrs. J. W. Strong), who afterwards became the very able assistant of Mr. Tewskbury, principal of our east side high school of those days.

That No. 2 school house of cut stone, built about 1855, a few rods north of where the Parker school now stands, was a commodious and imposing structure of two stories and basement and faced east with a bell tower at the east end. There were four rooms in the basement, in one of which taught Miss Mary Murray, Miss Mandana H. Bennett, Miss Gertrude Spencer and others, and on each of the other floors was a large school room with two recitation rooms. AVhen B. C. Rogers was superintendent he hired, for the sake of economy, a Methodist minister, Rev. Mr. Cooley, and his wife, both of whom were deficient in scholarship. One Friday evening, in the middle of the winter term, Mr. and Mrs. Cooley reported to the superintendent that they could not take the scholars any farther, and the next Monday morning their places were occupied by Alexander Kerr and Mrs. Kerr, with her sister. Miss Mary Brown (Mrs. Moses Hinman). Mr. Kerr, first principal of our city high school in 1868, was called later to be Professor of Greek at Wisconsin University, and is still connected with that institution as Professor Emeritus.

Other prominent teachers of No. 2 were George L. Montague (later first lieutenant Company G, Sixth Wisconsin Infantry) with Miss Maria A. Parry, assistant, and Charles W. Buckley, afterwards a member of congress from Alabama.

The history of our present city school system, inaugurated about forty years ago, is presented in the following paper by our esteemed clerk of the school board. Dr. Ernest C. Helm.

Chapter 76, Laws of 1868, State of Wisconsin, is entitled, "An act to consolidate Union School District No. 1 in the City of Beloit, joint with the towns of Beloit and Turtle and Union

The above entitled act was passed by the legislature of "Wisconsin early in 1868 and was published March 19, 1868. The boundaries are the entire City of Beloit, Wis., and four square miles in the towns of Beloit and Turtle adjacent thereto. Since that date the Beloit city school district has been acting under this special charter and the arrangements, though so old, have thus far worked very smoothly and satisfactorily.

1. For the purpose of erecting, keeping in repair and insuring all school buildings (except high school) within the limits of said district.

On the first Monday in July is held the annual meeting of each district, at which each elects one member of their district board for three years, thus making each district board consist of three members.

The boards of No. 1 and No. 2 meet on the first Monday in August, with the mayor and city clerk. The mayor presides and votes only in case of a tie ; the citj^ clerk keeps the record. This meeting is for the purpose of electing a city superintendent of schools, who also is the president of the board; and this is the only meeting where the mayor or city clerk are officially present. The Beloit city school board, comprising the members of district No. 1 and No. 2, and the superintendent is at all times a distinct body, entirely independent of the common council, or board of public works, and all except the superintendent are elected directly by the electors.

The Beloit city school board has general management and supervision of all the public schools within its district. It has entire charge of the high school, of the entire teaching and janitor force and of the truant officer. It levies taxes, purchases supplies and exercises all the powers conferred upon district school boards that are not explicitly reserved for districts No. 1 and No. 2.

Beloit Schools Axd School Teachers 251

No part of the general charter has been adopted by the district, therefore the entire management of the public schools of Beloit, including the erection, maintenance of high school, employment of teachers, curriculum (subject to state supervision) and taxation (subject to statute limitations), is under control of the Beloit city school board. After the publication of the before mentioned law, on ]\Iarch 19, 1868, the two districts promptly met on the 2Tth of March, 1868, and elected L. W. Davis superintendent and J. C. Converse clerk pro tem. The members present were: L. N. Davis, superintendent; J. C. Converse, T. L. Wright, Sr., J. A. Chapman, F. F. Cox and Joseph Britton ; absent, A. P. "Waterman. Their first act was the appointment of one member from each district, to secure options for the new high school site, and to secure a map of the territory of Beloit city school district. The selection of a high school site caused much discussion, as each side of the river wanted the high school. So great was the public feeling regarding the site for the high school that the special charter explicitly provided how it should be selected. The west side was finally victorious and the present high school site was selected. It is on a hill overlooking Rock river and is one of the most beautiful school grounds in the state.

As the school board had been unable to agree on a site two referees were chosen. They were 0. J. Dearborn, of Janesville, and Rev. Roswell Park, of Chicago. They, on August 27, 1868, wisely decided on the present site.

The first four superintendents were little more than presidents of the board and only served two years altogether. T. L. Wright, Sr., was the first president elected under the special charter to serve the district for any considerable length of time. In two periods he served eight years. Dr. C. W. Merriman was superintendent seven years, and Superintendent F. E. Converse is now in his eleventh year of consecutive service.

Professor Alexander Kerr, who was our first high school principal, went in 1870 to the chair of Greek in the Wisconsin State University and is now entitled to a life pension from the Carnegie foundation fund for his more than twenty-five years' work (over thirty-five years) as an instructor in that university.

The first class to graduate was in 1870 and consisted of twelve girls and eight boys. There were seventeen teachers. School census gave about 1,600 children of school age in the district, and the total cost was about $18,000 a year. The high school (not including the present year - when the class numbers about fifty) has graduated 676. Of this number about three-fourths were girls - 521 girls and 175 boys. Had there been a manual training school it is certain that the proportion of boys would have been far greater. In 1890 the board appointed City Marshal C. F. North as truant officer and bought a few tools for training in carpentry. This manual training department amounted to nothing owing to lack of funds, and the truant officer's duties were merely nominal. Public kindergartens were started in 1892 and by 1896 were so crowded as to require double sessions. The present system of naming the school buildings after prominent deceased citizens of Beloit was adopted in 1865. In 1896 the L^niversity of Wisconsin placed the Beloit high school on its accredited list. In 1896 the department of drawing was formed and an efficient teacher selected to teach the rudiments in all the schools. Two years later music was placed on the same basis. Beloit early established a system of fire drills which without disorder can empty any school building in from one to two minutes. All doors open out. The High and Wright schools have outside iron fire escapes, and in the fire drills pupils are sometimes sent out of one entrance and at other times out of other or all entrances. Free text books were provided for all the grade schools in 1899. Prior to that the average annual cost to the grade scholars for text books had been $2 per year, while since that date the annual cost to the district has been 44 cents per scholar. No free text books are furnished the high school pupils nor in the kindergartens. In 1903, in accordance with the new state law, W. C. Cowles was appointed truant officer, and he is still serving satisfactorily in that capacity. The effect of the law has been to increase the percentage of attendance. The present superintendent, F. E. Converse, has been in charge of the schools eleven years, and during that time there has been a very large increase in the number of scholars, and the efficiency of the public schools has increased very markedly. The board early adopted the plan of giving a large measure of control into the hands of the superintendent, holding him responsible for the efficiency of the teaching force and for the general condition of the schools. To this and to the unswervering loyalty of the people of Beloit to their schools, a faith, loyalty and generosity that is unbounded, can be attributed the high position that is now held by Beloit in public education. Our public kindergartens were among the first, if not the first, to be in separate buildings. We now have five separate kindergarten buildings ; four of them were especially constructed for kindergarten purposes and they are models of this kind. There is one new tenroom grade building, and four eight-room grade buildings, two of which are new, and two new four-room buildings.

There are in 1908 eighty teachers. The school census shows 4,400 children of school age in the district, and the total expenses are about $70,000. F. E. Converse is supervisor of schools and J. C. Pierson is principal of the high school. The present board are: L. F. Bennett, L. E. Cunningham, 0. T. Thompson, A. N. Bort, C. A. Smith, E. C. Helm, clerk. A. N. Bort has served continuously on the board for twenty-four years and most of that time was clerk of the board.

The high school building is too small and is greatly overcrowded. January 1, 1909, the fine new $130,000 high school addition will be completed, when Beloit will have an unusually fine high school building, thoroughly equipped in all departments, including gymnasium, manual training and domestic science. The total value of the school property of the district, including the high school building in process of construction, exceeds $400,000.

It would be unjust to close this article without words of appreciation for the large list of members of the board who have for forty years served the district well and faithfully, and that with no compensation other than that of work well done. Too much can scarcely be said in praise of the superintendents, principals and teachers who have labored so faithfully, efficiently and incessantly for public education in Beloit. The school board and the teachers alike would have accomplished little had not they always had the loving, hearty co-operation of the electors and taxpayers of Beloit; and to these loyal citizens is given the credit for the magnificent system of public schools of which Beloit is justly proud.

E. C. Helm

Among the principals of our city high school, the fifth in line, William H. Beach, who served from 1875 to 1884, became principal of the high school at Madison, Wis., and superintendent of schools for that city, 1884 to 1891; in the latter year he was made head of the department of history and civics at the high school in Milwaukee, Wis., and served as acting principal of the east side high school for several different periods. He is now living, retired from school life, on his farm in New York. In regard to him, the G. A. K. post commander for AVisconsin, Colonel J. A. Watrous, when visiting the East Division high school, Milwaukee, some seventeen years ago, told the pupils the following story, which one of them repeated to me : very anxious to capture two of the enemy's guns, which were so placed as to do us much damage. He called for volunteers for that hazardous service, and at once enough men offered themselves and a young lieutenant. At first the general said, "You can't do it, boys." He let them go, however, with orders to dismount, leave a few men to guard their horses, and work their way up as near to the guns as possible before charging. They did so and then that little band, led by the young lieutenant, dashed across an intervening field and won the coveted prize. A reinforcement of cavalry promptly following secured what they had gained and covered their return to their horses and to the cheers of their comrades. "And that young lieutenant," said Watrous, "was your instructor, AYilliam H. Beach." The girls clapped their hands and the boys all shouted. Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Beach ! Speech ! But what his speech was, or whether he gave one, this pupil did not distinctly remember. If my remembrance is correct our Mr. Beach, though a capable speaker, was not much of a fighter - with his mouth.

In 1839 the entire assessed valuation of Rock county was $21,792.45, and the county treasurer collected for the first year about $1,200. In 1907 the assessment of Beloit school district alone was $8,775,000, producing a revenue of over $150,000, of which about eighty thousand dollars was raised for school purposes.

The growth during the last twenty-eight years has been especially remarkable. Between 1868 and 1879 the levy for school purposes averaged not quite $9,860 per year. In 1879 Principal W. H. Beach reported: "Scholars enrolled, 1,052; average attendance, 712; amount paid teachers, $9,270; received from outside scholars, $605 ; net cost per capita of enrolled scholars, $8.23 ; of those actually in attendance, $12.17." In 1880 (according to F. F. Livermore, "Daily News," April 7th, 1908) Beloit had three school buildings with seventeen teachers, pay roll $7,900 and total expenditures of about thirteen thousand dollars for sixteen hundred children of school age, with land and buildings valued at about one hundred thousand dollars. In December, 1907, we had thirteen buildings, eighty-one teachers, a pay roll of $46,720, the total concurrent expense being $65,505, besides $20,000 paid on bonds and interest for new buildings, and a school census of 4,383. (The census for July, 1908, gives us 4,432. Of this number, dur- ing 1907, 3,300 were enrolled and 2,700 in daily attendance.) We have established three commodious kindergartens in connection with the Parker, Hackett and Strong schools, and, with the Gaston and Merrill new buildings and the Noble high school building, now (1908) being completed, possess a city school property which is estimated to be worth about half a million dollars.

The earliest settlers of Janesville pitched their camp and erected their first log cabin in October, 1835, opposite the "big rock" near the southern end of the bridge connecting Monterey with the Spring Brook portion of the city. The first school was established in 1838 in the log sehoolhouse on the property of Mr, Abram C. Bailey, near this first log house, on the south side of the bend of the river. The first teacher was Hiram H. Brown, who later lived in Green county. This was probably the first school opened in Rock county, if not in the entire Wisconsin portion of the Rock River valley. This primitive sehoolhouse was of the rudest construction. Its chinked walls were of rough hewn logs and the seats were basswood slabs. Thus at the "big ford" of the Rock river, within a few rods of the "big rock," from whose flat summit Mucketay Muckekawkaik (Black Hawk) harangued his braves, was founded in 1838 the first educational institution in Rock county and the Rock River valley. This log sehoolhouse was used until 1843, when another log house was occupied by the school until the erection of the red frame schoolhouse of the joint districts of Rock and La Prairie in 1844, a full half-mile east of the first log house. Daniel Nurse taught the school in the winter of 1841-42 and Mr. Benedict in 1842-43. Orrin Guernsey was the first teacher to wield the birch rod in the new frame building during the winter of 1843-44. Mr. Guernsey in 1856 wrote the first history of Rock county, a work of 350 pages, published under the auspices of the Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute.

While school matters were well under way in the Spring Brook region the settlement near the Janes tavern and ferry also established a school. This school was opened in a log house in the woods near North Main street three rods north of East Milwaukee street. Miss Cornelia Sheldon (later Mrs. Isaac Woodle) taught the first term of school in the summer of 1840. She was succeeded the following winter by Rev. G. "W. Lawrence, who established the first debating society in 1841. Other instructors in the village school were Messrs. Little, Bennett, Arnold, Wood and White. The records and names of the women who taught the summer terms of the school are Miss Wingate, Miss True, Miss Bennett and Mrs. Catlin.

In 1845 a brick building was erected on Division street which was regarded as a model of comfort and convenience in the early '40s and '50s.

Before the days of the free high school private academies were established throughout the Middle West. In 1843 a charter was granted to A. Hyatt Smith, E. V. Whiton, J. B. Doe, Charles Stevens and W. H. Bailey for the establishment of the Janesville Academy. A stone building was erected on High street near Milwaukee street, on the site of the present Lincoln school, and in 1844 the academy was opened with Rev. Thomas J. Ruger, an Episcopal clergyman, as principal. Many of the business men of that generation received their education at this old stone academy on High street. Mr. Ruger was succeeded by Mr. Alden and he by Messrs. Woodard, Webb, Spicer and Gorton. In the early '50s the school was known as the Janesville Collegiate Institution. It was purchased by the city in 1855 and became known as the Janesville Free Academy. It was used for public school purposes until 1876, when it was superseded by the present Lincoln school.

The delegates sent from Janesville to the convention assembled in 1845-47-48 to draft a state constitution were Hon. E. V. Whiton and Hon. A. Hyatt Smith. After a notable partisan controversy the present constitution was adopted in 1848. Therein provision was made for a school fund of more than $5,000,000, only the accrued interest of the sum to be expended.

Janesville Public Schools 259

maintained her district schools, but these were crude in methods and, as the population increased, a higher grade of culture was demanded. A few enterprising citizens with wise forethought determined upon thorough organization and gradation of the schools. Among those who were enthusiastic promoters of this achievement were Hon. J. J. R. Pease, Dr. Lyman J. Barrows, Hon. W. A. Lawrence, lion. James Sutherland, Judge M. S. Prichard and Hon. B. B. Eldredge. In April, 1855, the present system of schools was adopted, although it was not in practical operation until the schools were thoroughly graded in 1856.

At this time a record of educational and literary institutions of the city embraced a central high school, eight schools of lower grade, three select schools and the state institution for the blind, also the Janesville Lyceum and Mechanics Institute, the latter society assembling for improvement in arts and sciences.

April 4, 1854, James Sutherland was elected nominal superintendent of the Janesville schools, with O. N. Gorton as principal. December 9 of the same year, C. P. King was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Sutherland. G. S. Dodge succeeded C. P. King. On March 29, 1855, an act of the legislature amended the city charter by which the constable, assessors, school commissioners and superintendent of schools were elected by the common council. April 14, 1855, the following school commissioners were appointed : James Sutherland, Shubael Smith, M. C. Smith and Andrew Palmer.

Since the amendment of the charter, approved March 17, 1859, school commissioners have been elected at the annual charter election and have held their office for two years.

The following is the enrolment of the Board of Education since 1856. Many having served more than one term, names are arranged in accordance with date of first term of office : Hiram Foote, G. W. Lawrence, H. Collins, W. Mclntyre, Isaac Woodle,

Those who gave this faithful service to the public without remuneration, and often at the sacrifice of personal interests, should receive public recognition and appreciation.

In 1856 commodious buildings were erected in the Second and Fifth wards, and the schools were graded into high school, grammar, intermediate and primary departments, the old academy becoming the central or high school of the system. With its several departments in which were pursued studies taught in our best academies, with its ability to graduate pupils with a thorough English and classical education, the old academy became a magnet of superior force and an important factor in municipal affairs.

A demand for more room secured the erection of a high school building in 1858 at a cost of $40,000, and in 1859 the high school department, with Levi Cass as principal, was transferred to its new location.

An increase of population soon rendered additional accommodations necessary, and in 1866 and 1873 buildings were erected in the First and Fourth wards. In 1876 requisite appropriation

Janesyille Public Schools 261

Since then the Second ward school house has been rebuilt, new buildings have been erected in the Fifth, Fourth, First and Third wards, and also the new high school building; thus, year by year the school property has been increased until now its valuation may be approximately estimated at $300,000, with accommodations for nearly 3,000 pupils.

The high school proper was organized in 1856. The first class of three was graduated in 1858. Since the first commencement in the old academy building, which occurred without public exercises, the school has graduated 988. Of this number 513 have graduated within the past ten years, of whom 203 are boys and 310 girls. In the preceding thirty-nine years 113 boys and 362 girls have graduated. The goodly proportion of boys who continue in school in recent years is doubtless due to the school curriculum, which includes manual training, a commercial course and other practical features. The third floor of the old Jefferson school building was used for the high school rooms from 1859 to 1895. In the fall of 1895 the school was moved to the present commodious high school building on High street.

There are today eight courses of study. The equipment includes three well supplied laboratories for the science course, a manual training department with sufficient lathes for wood and iron turning, a domestic science course with sewing and cooking facilities and ample room throughout the building for 450 students. Fourteen teachers are employed.

In 1903 the overcrowded condition of the primary schools, together with the fact that large numbers of small children of the minimum school age were enrolled in the schools, led the Board of Education to establish the public kindergarten as a part of the school system. There are four large kindergartens in the city, with an enrolment of 250 pupils.

stitutions. The young people who have gone out from the Janesville schools bear striking testimony to the value and efficacy of the educational institution, as well as the homes and churches, from which they came.

One old time pupil, Ira Button (Father Joseph), sacrificed family, home and country upon duty's altar and has devoted his life's purposes to the lepers in the Sandwich islands.

James Sutherland, the first superintendent of schools in Janesville township in 1848, and of the city schools after its first charter, introduced and championed the normal school bill through the state senate in 1857.

In April, 1864, Principal Samuel P. Lockwood, accompanied by a large number of the high school boys, responded to one of the last calls for volunteers and left the school room as captain of Company A, Fortieth regiment. The five boys of the graduating class were among the number who enlisted, and their diplomas were awarded to them by the Board of Education the following June. The boys of that graduating class included S. C. Burnham, DeWitt Davis, Ira C. Fredendal, Silas P. Gibbs, Rufus Ressiguie.

Space forbids the mention of other prominent men and women who have graduated from or been connected with the city schools. The professions of medicine, law, dentistry, the ministry, and teaching have been successfully filled by the graduates and students of the schools. The trades have received additions of skilled workmen and faithful employees from her ranks. Some of the most successful business enterprises of the country have been managed or aided by some of the thousands of young people who received their early education in the Janesville public schools. Thousands of intelligent and successful homes have received their greatest inspiration and happiness when former school girls of Janesville came to preside over their destiny.

The First Congregational Church of Beloit, Wis., was organized by Rev. W. M. Adams, in the large kitchen at the east end of Caleb Blodgett's house, northeast corner of State and School streets, December 30, 1838, with these twenty-four charter members : Deacon Peter R. Field ; wife, Hannah, and son, Alfred L. ; her sister, Mrs. Nancy Crane; nephew, Robert P. Crane; niece, Sarah T. Crane, and son-in-law, Horace Hobart, all from Colebrook, N. H. Three were from Groton, N. II. ; Benjamin I. Tenny and wife, Ann, and Mrs. S. Cummings (later Mrs. McEl Henny) ; Asahel B. Howe and wife, Betsey ; Henry Mears and wife, Louisa, and her sister, Maria Clark ; Ira Hersey and wife, Omittee ; Elizabeth Field (wife of Alfred), Amanda Cooper, Chauncey Tuttle and wife. Amy; Sophronia Blanchard, Mrs. Cordelia Blodgett Hackett and Martha Blodgett. At the first communion season, January 27, 1839, were added Samuel G. Colley and wife ; his sister, Mrs. Ann Jane Atwood, and Mrs. Esther Crosby.

At first this church received home missionary aid to the amount of $75, but thereafter became independent of aid. Meetings were held in private houses until the Union school house was built, by private subscription, in the fall of 1839, at the northeast corner of School and Prospect streets. In that house the Methodists and Episcopalians held services on alternate Sunday mornings,- and the Congregationalists every Sunday afternoon and evening. April 7, 1840, Rev. W. M. Adams reported a Sunday school of twenty scholars, organized during the previous year, the first superintendent being the surveyor, John Hopkins. The first child baptized (in November, 1839) was the infant son of Deacon Hobart, Horace R., (now, 1908, editor of the ''Railway Age," Chicago).

lived here until her death, in 1899, at the age of ninety-two years.) The corner stone for their first building, "the old stone church," was laid at the northwest corner of Broad and Prospect streets, July 6, 1842, and the completed building was dedicated January 3, 1844. In May, 1843, Benjamin Brown joined that church, where his wife was already a member, and in 1845 their infant son, "William Fiske (the editor of this county history) was baptized there by the Rev. Mr. Clary. There also, December 25,

In 1852 the first building was lengthened twenty feet and the front approach changed. The new brick building on the hill, northeast corner of Church and Bushnell streets, was dedicated July 6, 1862, and seats with the galleries 1,200. The chapel at the north end was erected in 1873. Plans are now (1908) matured for changing this chapel to a modern structure.

This church is organized for the usual forms of christian service, and has a present membership (January 1, 1908) of 327 resident and 149 non-resident; total, 476.. Of these, three are missionaries in this country - Rev. and Mrs. Cyrus Hamlin, Tougaloo. Miss., and Rev. Thomas L. Riggs, Oahe, S. D. ; and seven are foreign missionaries - Mrs. T. D. Christie, Tarsus, Asia ; Mary H. Porter, Henry D. Porter, M. D. and D. D., and Mrs. Elizabeth Chapin Porter, Rev. Dr. Arthur H. Smith and Mrs. Emma Dickenson Smith, and Mrs. Isabella Riggs Williams, all of China.

Their first pastor. Rev. Dexter Clary, kept a register of marriages and deaths. As there is no record elsewhere of these facts his account for those earlier years is given here, so as to help preserve a valuable record. The original book, with the consent of Dr. Clary's grandson, R. J. C. Strong, M. D., of Beloit, Wis., will be deposited in our new state historical library building, at Madison, Wis.

William Fiske Browx, M.A., D.D. Beloit Chueches 265

June 30. Lucius J. Fisher, Beloit, to Caroline E. Field, Beloit (This was undoubtedly Lucius G. Fisher. Mr. Clary made a mistake as to his middle initial. - Ed.) 5.00

16. Nelson Tiffany, Manchester, 111., to Miss Miriam Elizabeth Benedict (Late of Perrington, N. Y.), now of Beloit. Witnesses, Chs H. AVarren,

(Although Dr. Clary's pastorate ended in 1850, July, Avhen he became an agent of the American Home Missionary Society, his home continued to be Beloit for the rest of his life. A few later items of this record are added as being of special interest. - Ed.)

1857 - Sept 8 Henry Partridge Strong to Sarah Maria Clary, Beloit. Witnesses, Mr. Strong (James), Mr. Fowler (James). Sept 23 mail certificate for Janesville.

The Second Congregational Church, Beloit, Wis. The Second Congregational Society was organized January 5, 1859. Public services of worship were first held in a hall at the southwest corner of Bluff and Bridge streets (now West Grand avenue).

The first church building was erected at the northeast corner of St. Lawrence and Parker avenues and was dedicated December 5, 1859. October 5, 1903, this church and society voted to build a new church edifice. The corner stone was laid (at the southeast corner of St. Lawrence avenue and Bluff street) October 30, 1904, and the new edifice was dedicated October 15, 1905. Cost, about $35,000.

The successive pastors have been: Rev. J. L. Knapp, 1859; Rev. N. D. Graves, 1860 to 1866; Rev. Henry P. Higley, D. D., 1866 to 1891 (his twenty-five years of service marking the longest pastorate) ; Rev. W. W. Sleeper, nine years, 1891 to 1900. He was an accomplished musician and built up the musical aspect of the church services Avith especial success. Rev. B. Royal Cheney served from 1900 until his death, when traveling in Europe during the summer of 1905, by an elevator accident in Florence, Italy. In the beautiful public cemetery of that city his remains were buried and the spot is now marked with a monument, erected by his many friends here. He had undertaken and carried through to virtual completion the building of a new church edifice, and had even arranged the programme of the dedication service. During Mr. Cheney's absence in Europe the pulpit was being supplied by Professor J. A. Blaisdell, of Beloit College. Rev. Mr. Blaisdell and Rev. Edwin A. Ralph were called as associate pastors and are still in service.

The First Presbyterian Church of Beloit. A number of those who joined the First Congregational Church did so with the understanding that whenever able to maintain a Presbyterian church they should be free to organize one. Accordingly, March 19, 1849, seventeen men and a boy met at the residence of Benjamin Brown, southwest corner of State and School streets (now East Grand avenue), organized themselves as the First Presbyterian Society of Beloit and arranged for the forming of a church.