Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1891 — Some More Reminiscenses. [ARTICLE]

Some More Reminiscenses.

Dur comparison, began three weeks ago, between the Rensselaer and Jaspercounty of ten years ago and now, would be greatly incomplete without some reference to our public schools. Much id the way of improvement had, indeed, been accomplished, but still, between the institution persided over by the brilliant and gifted but “windy” and somewhat superficial De M. Hooper and that of those thorough educators. Profs. Reubelt and Wilson, “there is a wide gulf fixed.” The difference between the ancient, cramped and ramshackle wooden school house, and the present handsome and commodious brick structure, is hardly greater. The school is now “right up to date” in all its methods. It has has a splendid library, of close to 1,000 volumes and a fine and complete philosophical apparatus, neither of which, did it have then. The increased population of the town together with improved methods of securing attendance, have probably more than doubled the average daily attendance. The alumni of the then numbered 11, now 63.

The country schools of Jasper County also, have made’great progress in these ten fruitful years. The good work at that time being done hy D. B. Nowels, has been nobly carried on by D, M. Nelson and J. F. Warren. The difference in the personnel of the county teachers’ institutes of that time and this, well illustrates the change in the country schools. Then it took hard drumming to get together 30 or 40 teachers, to the institutes, where now it is no trouble to get 130 or 140. Then there was a most marked flavor backwoods Hoosierism,in every gathering of country teachers. Much that was gawky, lanky, awkward and ill-dresed among them; now any urban assembly need not be more polished in deportment nor elegant! in attire.

The societies of the town have had their share of changes in ten years; and those who were the dominating spirits in the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and Eastern Star lodges of ten years ago, have mostly been “shuffled off the boards” or relegated to the rear, and new members have come to the front. The G. A. R. Post had not then been organized, nor the Rebecca lodge. The Knights and Ladies of Honor, have been, but are not, since that time and so also the Sons of Veterans encampment. The “Ladies Literary Society ,” was then in tne full heyday of its rosy and vigorous youth. It had a long I and brilliant career, but is now num- I bered among the things tliat were. I A thriving temperance society then, I as now, existed, but a long hiatus of I years without an active temperance I organization intervened between I them. < J I

We are not willing to leave this theme without some reference to thej people of -10 years ago, although tb speak of them with any degree of fullness would be a task impossible. In the court house, Ezra Nowels was auditor. He is now a judge in Colorado. Charley Price, the man whose wonderful wit and talents for practical joking has become a permanent tradition of the town, was county clerk. He has since been a jufige ini Dakota, and now gets a big salary’ as attorney for a corporation in Tennessee. Jim Abbett was recorder. He is now a very suicessful Methodist preacher in far-off Oregon. John Powell was sheriff. He now holds a government clerkship in Washington City; Henry’ Adams was treasurer. He still remains in the county, but has wandered away from the political fold, upon his exclusion from the feed racks therein. The practicing attorneys then were Thompson, Chilcote and Babcock, with W. W. Watson, J, W. Douthit, Daniel B. Miller, John Burroughs and Elza Phillips as beginners. Thompson, Chilcote, and Douthit are still in the race. Babcock has moved to Ohio; Watson is in the Washing pension office; Miller in the insurance business in Illinois: Burroughs went to Hammond and Phillips passed over the the dark river. Graham, Marshall, Austin, Hopkins and Foltz, are all later additions to the local bar The doctors have not been so badly lost in the shuffle as other professional and business men. J. H. Loughridge, Washbum, Alter and Bitters were here then as now. Link has moved to Nebraska, and Martin is dead. Hartsell, Mrs. Jackson and V. E. Loughridge have come upon the boards in later yeajs. If anything further is given in this line it must be at another time.