Decatur Democrat, Volume 50, Number 48, Decatur, Adams County, 31 January 1907 — Page 7

' HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY First School House Built In 1839 In Root Township, Three Miles North of Monmouth. CHAPTER 111. The Historical Club, in continuing their study of the History of Adams County, devoted the meeting of November 13 to the “Educational Struggles;” or “The Church, The School and the Press of Adams County.” The famous ordinance of 1787 declared that the means of education in Cthe Northwest Territory must be forever encouraged, and Congress had already set aside every sixteenth section of land in this vast wilderness for school purposes. Although Indiana had, from the first, a class of publicspirited men, who were the friends and advocates of popular education, yet she was slow in carrying out the principles laid down in the ordinance. As early as 1807, the General Assembly of the Territory began legislation for education. The school lands were first looked after and improved. Various funds were added to the school fund from time to time, until, in 1876, it was estimated that Indiana had a larger school fund by two millions of dollars than any other state in the Union. In the opening years of the Territory and state, when the school fund was mainly sections of unimproved land, educational interests suffered for lack of available funds for buildings and teachers’ salaries. The first school houses in the county were probably built by popular subscription of money and labor. Built of logs, like the dwelling of the ./ settler, with puncheon floor, rude benches for seats, greased paper for glass and the rude door with wooden hinges and latch. The teacher’s salary was paid by the patrons of the school. Taken altogether, the cause of education was rather fitful and uncertain at that early day. The first mention of anything pertaining to schools in Adams county, is found in the records of the organizaton, where John R. Evans is appointed seminary trustee. We next read tha x Thomas Johnson donated ground for x seminary to the county seat Later we find that the seminary ground in each county was sold and the money added to the common school fund, so that was probably the mainspring of the educational interests. There is a tradition extant, that the first school house bult in the county was in Root township. This house was built in 1839 by Messrs. Wise, Evans, Hooper, Ames, Gorsline and others, probably. It was located about one-fourth of a mile west of the Piqua road, nearly three miles north es the , village of Monmouth. The first and only teacher remembered in this school house- was Joshua Randall. This house was soon abandoned and a hewed log house with glass in the windows, was built on land donated by Ezekiel Hooper, on the Piqua road, not far from the first one. Dr. T. T. ; Dorwin, deceased, of Decatur, is remembered as one of the teachers in this house. I. K. Fuller also taught an oldtime singing school there. The first Methodist class for that section of the country was organized and held their meetings in that house until a church was built in Monmouth. In 1854 a new frame building was located in the center of the school district, about three-fourths of a mile east of the Piqua road. The first school in Monmouth was probably held in some unused cabin, which had served as a home for an early settler. As no records are obtainable, this must also have been a subscription school. Traditon has it that among the first to train the young in the rudiments were a Miss Kimsey and Perry Lewto, whose son was afterwards township trustee for many years. A further installment of this chapter on “Early Educational Struggles in Adams County” wil be given in tomorrow’s issue. Wabash township also claims the honor of building the first school house in the county. This was a log building, embellished with all the comforts of that primitive time, which were not at all numerous. This house was built by Peter Studabaker, Col. Vance, Ormian Perrine, Samuel Simison and Reed Dlsby. About the same year (1839) Decatur claims to have built her first school house, under the school laws of 1824. Who the teachers were in this house if it ever was built at all, is not known, but it could not have been used so very long, for it is on record that one of the rooms in the court house was utilized for a school room in 1846 by one James Luckey, who was obliged to give bonds to repair all tyoken window lights made by the children and suspend his school whenever the county officials wanted to use the room. Some time after, a frame building was erected for school purposes. This building

stood on the east side of North Second ' street, about where the Holthouse livery barn now stands. In 1854 the third building was erected. This was two stories in height and large enough for two recitation rooms, besides the main room, for each story. There were four teachers employed for the first term of school held in this building. Prof. Cook, was the principal, and Miss Jenne Bollman, DeWitt Rugg 1 and Miss J. Kimberly were assistants. * The more advanced scholars were ' sent upsatirs, while all the lower grade pupils went to the room below. , The school was thoroughly graded in ( 1878 under the management of Prof. ] S .G .Hastings and in 1881 seven pu- < pile graduated in the first class. In 1885 the present High School j building was erected, made of brick and costing $15,000. This soon became too small for the ever-increasing num- , ber of . school children and Decatur now has, besides the Central High ( School building, three substantial < brick structures known as the North, South and West ward buildings. The Geneva school was classified in 1873, using the old M. E. church as one department of the school. In 1873 a large, substantial building of brick was erected and the school graded under Mr. J. O. Jones as principal. Hartford township, beginning like the rest with her log school house, now has her graded school in Beuna Vista, organized and graded in 1877. In Monmouth a new brick building was erected in 1877 and the school graded in-1878 under Prof. J. H. Walters. The Ceylon school was organized in 1884, with W. A. Aspy as principal. At a convenient turn of the river in St. Marys township, there was erected, between 1840 and 1844,' a much needed grist mill, a saw mill, a woolen factory and three or four houses. This constituted the village of Pleasant Mills. When the plank road was built in 1846 this village had a boom and seven or eight more houses were added. This addition to the population called for a school house and with the usual pioneer pluck and energy, the house was built Our informant does not tell us whether this first house of one room, four wndows, and one door was built of logs or not, but inasmuch as there was a sawmill already in the village it is to be feared that Pleasant Mills departed from the usual custom and put up a plank or a frame house, and so deprived the citizens of the traditional puncheon floor, wooden hinged, log cabin school house. However, that may be, our informant waxes eloquent over the good wdrk begun in tne first four-wifido wed one room, school house, some of the effects of which can be seen to this day and then goes on to say that Pleasant Mills has sent forth teachers for every township in the state who have always fulfilled every requirement and always gave satisfaction, and, furthermore, that Pleasant Mills never need import any teachers, but has of her own, plenty and to spare. Good for Pleasant Mills! In 1879 the school was organized and graded under G. W. Peterson as principal. Monroe has a large school building. The school is graded and employs two teachers. - In those early days of Adams county, when her educational interests were mainly upheld by the individual efforts qf hqr citizens, every aspirant far pedagogical honors furnished his or her own credentials. Later when the state passed the’ common school law of 1851, and began to disburse public money, the applicant had to pass an examination before two or three trustees appointed to examine and hire teachers. Still later, only one examiner for each county was appointed to pass upon the fitness of the applicant for a license. Each applicant for a teacher’s license chose his or her own time and pleasure for going before the examiner and it some times happened, if it was a busy time or the roads were bad, the schbol was begun and the license procured afterwards. However, this state of affairs prevailed only in those palmy days when the common school curriculum was composed mainly of the three R’s, Readin’, Ritin, and Rithmetic. Afterwards the township trustee was not allowed to hire a teacher until the license was duly exhibited for inspection. The school examiner was supposed to have an education above the average, and some times he had, and some times he made the applicant think he had, which was just the same. The first to hold the office of school examiner was Joshua Randall. In 1873 the office of school examiner was changed to superintendent of schools of Adams county. D. D. Heller was the first county superintendent. The fizst county Institute was called by S. C. Bollman in 1866. Since that time they have been held every year. The first township institute was held in 1873 by D. D. Heller, county superintendent. - Since that time every year the various townships have held from three to six institutes, and manynew methods have been developed, new ideas suggested and many young teachers assisted in their efforts to educate the future citizens of Adams county.

VARIOUS CLUBS IN SESSION The Knights of Pythias’ Annual Roll Call a Successful Event— Other Affairs. Mrs. Kuebler royally entertained the members of the Pastime Club Friday evening at her home ®n Monroe street. The house was artistically decorated with cut flowers and the color scheme of pink and green prevailed throughout the decorations. Bright and very brilliant was each room with the lighted candles. The evening was spent in playing numerous games and dancing. The prize winners were Misses Lettie Lange, Edna Crawford and Clara Lange, but the “howling success” of the evening was in giving Miss Clara Lange the second degree of the initiation, after which an elaborate four course dinner was served by Mrs. Kuebler, to which all did justice. Friday evening at hall of Kekionga lodge No. 65, Knighst of Pythias, occurred an event long to be remembered by every member who attended. It was the annual roll call meeting, when they celebrated the organization of the lodge. The first part of the evening opened with very interesting talks by D. N. Erwin and C. T. Dorwin bn the reminiscences of the past, which were received with much applause. A< number of members from Charles A. Knott lodge of Willshire, 0., gave excellent talks under the head of the good of the order, after which came the roll call, and number of letters from members who could not attend were read in response to the call of their name at roll call. This lodge is very prosperous, and it now has one hundred and fifty-eight members enrolled and about one hundred of these were present last night. At the close of the meeting a great banquet was served, during which the lodge members presented beautiful bouquets of carnations, tied with the colors of the lodge to the four charter members, who were: A. R. Bell, C. T. Dorwin, Fred Schafer and Godfrey Christen. o- - THREE HORSES WERE BURNED Also a Cow and Thirteen Hogs— Grain and Machinery—Loss Is Over $2500. ... . ■ i As the result of a fire in which a big barn located on the James H. Tucker farm just west of Peterson, Perry James, a tenant, is loser about S2OOO. The Tucker farm is the old Robert Niblick farm, having been purchased from the heirs three years ago. Sometime last night the barn caught fire mysteriously, and burned almost before anyone knew of it Practically nothing was saved and the loss includes three valuable horses, a cow, thirteen head of hogs, machinery and tools, 800 bushels of corn, several tons of hay and various other articles, comprising practically all the wealth of Mr. James, and as he had no insurance the loss is a calamity hard to bear. The barn was an old one and Mr. Tucker’s loss will probably not be over S7OO. ■ -o . FORMERLY SECRETARY OF WAR Ex-Governor of Michigan, a Brigadier General, Candidate for President and a Millionaire. Washington, Jan. 24. —Senator Russell Alger of Michigan, formerly secretary of war, died at nine o’clock this morning at his home in this city, of heart trouble. He was bom in Lafayette, Ohio, February 27, 1836. He worked on a farm for years, thus securing money to defray expenses of his education. He was admitted to the bar in 1859, but gave up the practice soon on account of ill health. He entered the civil war as a captain and rose to a brevet brigadier general. After the war he entered the lumber business, acquiring a large fortune. He was governor of Michigan 1885-87, was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1888; was commander-in-chief of the G. A. R. in 1889-90, and became secretary of war in 1897. He resigned his office in 1899, wrote a history of the war with Spain and in 1903 was elected to the United States Senate from Michigan. — -O' ■■ 1 A barber in a “moral town” had been notified that unless he closed the shop on Sunday and attended church servces the “better element” would quit patronizing him. The scare that he received induced him to post the following notice on his door: “No more Sunday shaves; every Sunday morning you. can find me up in the as big as anybody. Pray for me.” amen corner shoveling dimes into the contribution box and playing hypocrite —Exchange.

VISITS THE FRANKFORT SHOPS Theodore Shonts, Clover Leaf President, Inspect* Railroad Shop*. Theodore Shonts, the president of the Clover Leaf railroad and the man who is also in charge of the building of the Panama canal, was in Frankfort a short time Wednesday, he coming in with other officers of the road on a tour of inspection of the property. President Shonts made a trip through the shops here, noted the improvements that have been made of late and mingled with the men in the employ of the company in the various departments, speaking to them as he passed along. Mr. Shonts also had a look at the piece of land that the tax payers of the township are soon to vote upon giving a donation to the company for the purpose of buying this land, it to be used to enlarge the shipping facllties at this point and upon which the company will build additional buildings, enlarge those already there and build additional side tracks. The party remained in Frankfort about an hour, and then left for St. Louis. — ■ >■ ■' IN THE CIRCUIT COURT ROOM Attendance and Interest Excellent— Regular Program Was Rendered. ——— The annual session of the Farmers’ Institute for Adams county was called to order at tne court room at ten o’clock this morning by President Ed S. Moses. Rev. A. B. Haist gave the Invocation, after which Easts F. Jones read a well prepared paper on “Hogs.” He said: Corn is good, but a balanced ration is better. Barley is said to produce the best bacon. Keep In view these four points, viz: light, ventilation, heat and cleanliness. Some , say .that hogs do not pay and that they are left to too large quarters and should not be shut up in little pens. There is no best breed of hogs. Don’t feed much soft corn to hogs; it may cause cholera. He fed field peas and f turned them (the hogs) in the field with a large gain in pounds for his work and feed. This proved a good paper. Mr. S. Pontius then followed with an adidtonal talk, and a general discussion then followed. How to prevent hogs from eating chickens was answered by Mr. Jones. Keep chickens away -from where we feed hogs. He does not believe it , pays to cook feed for hogs. Like produces like, relatively but not absolutely. It is a fundamental law for all things in animal or vegetable king- ' dem. Messrs. Nidlinger, Whistler and others gave good talks on the subject. A recipe for sugar curing meat was given by Jones and Bell, and Link- . er and Sprunger: Saltpeter; Salt and sugar. . - — OFFICIAL NEWS OF CORN TRAIN Arrangements have just been completed for the running of a special seed corn train over the Pennsylvania* lines in Indiana, by the Purdue University Experiment station. This run will include the Vandalia and the Grand Rapids &. Indiana roads. The train will start February 25th, over the Effner and Logansport division, and wIH continue on the trip fifteen days, covering 1500 miles of the Pennsylvania system in the state. More than 165 stops will be made at which lectures will be given and printed literature distributed. Already the Experiment stateion has received many letters from farmers along the route, announcing their approval of the scheme. At no time has the seed corn of the state been in a more serious condition than at the present, and at no time has the Experiment Station been in a better position to lend assistance than right now. Preparations are being made to secure the best and most practical materials for the lectures, and the best, men of the state are being engaged to assist in the work. All interested in com improvement should plan to meet this train at some point along the route. Those wishing schedule br other information can obtain the same by applying to G. I. Christie, Lafayette. ■. - o The Carnation League of America has sent out a special appeal to all patriotic men and women to observe the birthday of William McKinley this year by wearing a carnation, the favortie flower of the murdered president. Carnation Day comes on January 29th, when McKinley would have been 65 years old. . The river is again within its banks and is still subsiding slowly. The ice men are anxious to see it get to its normal stage in order that the ice may have a chance to form and get thick enough to put up. The weather indications are for a continued cold snap aud it is quite likely that there will still be sufficient cold to make a good crop of ice.

MESSAGE FAVORS SHIP SUBSIDY House Committee Increase* the Salaries of Many Postal Employee*. Washington, Jan. 24. —Dr. Miles F. Porter of Fort Wayne, one of the members of the board of trustees of the American Medical association, would restore the canteen to the regular army. This is what he says: "After a careful study of the evidence at hand I am convinced beyond the question of a doubt that the abolition of the army canteen has resulted in an increase of intemperance and immorality in the army. I am therefore in hearty accord with the effort that is now being made to restore the army canteen.” Washington, Jan. 24.—The president sent a message to Congress calling attention to the great desirability of enactment of legislation to help American shipping and American trade by encouraging building and running lines of large, swift steamers to South America and the Orient. The urgent need of our country’s making an effort to do something like its share of its own carrying trade on the ocean has been called to his attention, the president says, in striking fashion by the experiences of Secretary Root, on his recent South American tour. State aid to steamship lines, the president says, is as much a part of the commercial system of today as state employment of consuls to promote business. Washington, Jan. 24.—The sub-com-mittee of the house committee on postoffice and post roads, which has been engaged in framing the postoffice appropriation bill, has agreed to report to the full committee the following Increases in the salaries of postal employees: Clerks in first and second class offices in towns of less than 25,000 population, minimum salary, S6OO a year, maximum $900; in towns of from 25,000 to 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $1,000; in cities of more than 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $1,200. Carriers in towns of less than 25,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $900; in cities of from 25,000 to 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum sl,000; in cities of more than 75,000 pop ulation, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $l,lOO. The salaries of railway mail clerks are to be increased SIOO in each grade after the first year. The committee will decide before the end of the week upon the increase to be given rural free delivery carriers. For the classes of employees already decided upon the increase in the postoffice appropriation will be approximately $5,000,000. o TO BE SHIPPED NEXT WEEK A Number of Families Will Move to Decatur—Name of Concern to be Decatur Furnace Company. The Angola Furnace Co. are located in their new and commodious quarters in this city. The plant shut down at Angola last Saturday and this week the machinery is being loaded on cars preparatory to being shipped here. We are authorized to announce that the name of the concern wilt be change to The Decatur Furnace Company. The plant will employ quite a force of people from the start and within a few months will probably be using fifty people. Mr. Fanning, a representative, is in the city, renting a number of houses for people who will move their families here next week. Among those who will bring their families here at once are Mr. Daugherty, general manager; Mr. Fanning, office man; Mr. Mann and Mr. Sowle, moulders; Mr. Fisher, an expert machinist; Mr. Cockran, foreman of the moulding room; Mr. Mabe, cupilo tender and several others. Besdes these are Miss Butcher, bookkeeper; Mr. Fisher, a furnace man, and Mr. Bryant, moulder. The Decatur Furnace Company will have one of the best and most modern plants in the country. They will make the best furnace on the market and are bound to grow rapidly. At present they will occupy two large new buildings erected especially for this purpose in the Krick & Tyndall addition. Boost for The Decatur Furnace Company. — — o ■■■■■— Dr. J. N. Hurty, secretary of the state board of health, is active in behalf of a measure that would increase his salary from $2,400 to $3,600 a year. He has taken time to dispense with information on the side, however, that 80 per cent of the school buildings in Indiana, are draCa traps. 80 per cent of Dr. Hurty’s are subject to a discount of about 90 per cent on sight.—Marion Chronicle.

SOME HANDSOME MENU CARD* Col. Dick Townsend Uses Hl* Original Idea*. We are in receipt of a number of fancy menu cards from the National hotel, Dick Townsend, host, Peoria, 111. Aside from the fact that the fares are the kind for which Dick is famous, fairly making one’s appetite howl, they are unique because they are original. The New Year’s card has a cover on which is an attractive picture of little Miss Gregory of this city, coasting on her sled. The Christmas card cover design contains a pretty picture of four happy yougsters, two of whom are recognized as Dan and Dick Jeffries of this city. The cards are all handsome and show that CoL Dick has lost none of his old-time ability and originality in the hotel business. ■ ■ s MARRIAGE LICENSE WAB ISSUED The first marriage license for more tnan a week was issued at the county clerk’s office Friday morning the lucky parties being Perry Johnson aged twenty-six son of Levi Johnson of Kirkland township, and Ode Baltzell, aged seventeen, daughter of Date Baltzell of Monroe township. Samuel Schindler moved to Decatur yesterday. Their goods were hauled through by wagon. The family left on the morning train. Miss Anna Conrad went along to help her sister with the work. Mr. Schindler has the position as motorman on the Fort Wayne & Springfield Electric road. — Berne Witness. Alfred Sprunger living northwest of town lost a horse valued at $250 Tuesday morning. The animal would weigh 1750 pounds and was prized by the owner as it was considered the family horse. It was quite a loss for Mr. Sprunger but we presume a gain, for the Decatur Fertilizer company, who came for the carcass.—Berne Wit- ! ness. Mrs. W. J. Vesey was happily sur1 prised yesterday afternoon by the ladies of the Rome City club, who called upon her en masse to congratulate her upon her birthday anniversary. Cards 1 occupied the afternoon and prizes 1 were won by Mrs. Louis Curdes for • points, Mrs. Frank Poole for games, ■ and Mrs. J. E. K. France for fourteen 1 hands. Other guests were Mrs. Allen 1 Vesey, Mrs. Vai Gutermuth, Mrs. ■ Will Graeter, Mrs. M. L. Jones and • Mrs. Martha Cox. —Journal-Gazette. Miss Fredia Schindler left today for Denver, Colorado, where she was called to the bedside of her brother who is 1 suffering with spinal meningitis and ' cannot possibly recover. Miss Schind- - 1 ler has been employed by Mrs. D. M. ' Hensley for some time past. The latest sensation comes from Marion and is to the effect that the police of that city have unearthed an opium den. In arresting two colored women on a charge of having robbed a man Ipf fifteen dollars, the police were led to make a search of the room and they discovered within a pipe and a complete outfit for hitting the hop. The inmates of the house were arrested and are now the subject of a rigid examination to know just hew far the practice has spread in Marion. The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is character. That is true. What a man is survives him. It never can be buried. It stays about the home when his footsteps are heard there no more. It lives in the communty where he was known, hence we shoiiid take care to build into our characters only beautiful things. The two cases filed against Isaac Robison a few days ago, on a charge of public intoxication, were set down this morning by Squire Stone and will be heard the 29th of this month. In bond for his appearance. The cases will be hard fought as Robison denies the allegations and states that he will fight the same to the bitter end. An agreement was reached this morning among the clothing and shoe merchants that hereafter on Sundays .their places of business would be closed and that they would not open on the Sabbath day unless it was absolutely necessary. This is a good move on the part of these business men and will enable the proprietors and clerks to take a whole day of rest. Albert Acker has accepted a position as debit collector for the Metropolitan Insurance company and assumed his new duties, yesterday, being under the tutorage of S. S. Bartlett, agent for this territory. Mr. Acker is a hustling young fellow and will undoubtedly make a success of his new venture. He assumes the duties and position made vacant by the resignation of J. J. Mayer. William Shoemaker sold his fine eighty acre farm on the Wabash and Hartford township line to Mr. Lindlay Stanley of this township, formerly of Viriginia, the price paid being SB,tvJ. -ur one hundred dollars per acre. Mr. Shoemaker will give possession the first of March and in the meantime will build a cottage on his four acres in West Geneva.—Geneva Herald.