Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1898 — Page 1

VOL. XX.

A Humorous Synopsis

Of The , Proceedings of The Teachers’ Institute. One of the most interesting as well as quite the most amusing - feature of the recent _ teachers’ institute, was a synopsis of its proceedings, read at the reception Thursday evening, by John E. Alter, ourcounty surveyor. We herewith give the synopsis, slightly abridged for want of space. Ladies and Gentlemen , Teachers of the Institute; and Guests of the Reception I come before you today with a mixed feeling of the two great passions of human nature, joy and sorrow. lam overjoyed at the thought that by the common consent of myself and the extra good management of two or three others, I am permitted to be spread on the list of your programme, and thus brought before you, as if by accident. But on the other hand the shadow of my countenance is overcast with pity, to know that this . mass of intelligence must, sit and listen to my harangue of “much ado about nothing” ’till I am dono; or else wait ’till I get through. The theme of my subject is a synoptic summary of the events, happenings and sayings both wise and other wise, which were told, said or narrated by the Professors, preceptors and teachers during, before and after the intervening sessions of the present convening Teachers' Institute in Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, as follows, to wit: The principal difference between teachers of the present and past is the comparison and contrast; they are smaller for their size, and know more at the same age than they do at any other. The professors and Institute workers are very much ' similar to what they used to be, they tell the whole truth, and then some. Crowd on the good work of education; toil on teachers, and win the crown which is laid up for you; win the prize at the end of the race, for ye shall reap if you faint not. During the Institute the teachers’ hopes, prospects, intentions and resolutions are built up as high as Haman was hung ou his own suspender. Now I a’n’t kicking on this method of cheering you and blowing you away up in I the air like bubbles made of soft soap on Sunday; but to keep up these intentions and resolutions you must yourself throw fuel into the furnace or the steam will go down, and your power will wane like a harvest moon in summer time. These polished ideas you have gained here will only start you on the Golden Railway to success. and it then depends upon you to keep up the momentum by your own skill, ingenuity, vim, thought, work, labor and determination. On Monday evening we were treated to a lecture by Dr. Aley, on the scientific topio of “Educational Fads.” He made it very plain by, a verbal analytical diagram that a “fad” is a good thing , carried too far before you let it go j to seed. Now I will not say that he made a “fad'’ out of his subject because that would be carrying my criticisms too far, and therefore my paper would become a “fad.” He said many good things, the best of which I have forgotten to remember. He memtioned many very fine properties belonging to the jimson weed, but, Oh dear, he forgot its o-dor. Next he tried to make a fad out of the average boy, but couldn’t find such a boy, they were all individual sons of guns even to the fourth and fifth generation. Dr. Aley struck the right chord in the i*oper key when he advised the teachers to study the chronological history of education,

THE RENSSELAER SEMI-WEEKLY REPUBLICAN.

NO. 2.

and keep in touch with the dynamic p6wer of knowledge all along these lines. In Arithmetic too, the Dr. won fresh laurels on the mathematical field as he arrayed simple and compound numbers against each other in solid phalanx, comparing and contrasting both of them separate and each one of them together. Finally he waved his magic 7 wand over the blackboard, peace was restored and all went merry as a marriage bell, when he showed there was no real difference except in name, and, as Shakespeare says, “shoot what’s in a name.” He showed that numbers differed from simple numbers by being a limited express which sometimes carried passengers at the ratio of 16 to 1, while the simple ones run right or left with a uniform radix of 10 to 1 without regard to the separatrix, only as a flag station. The Arabic method of computing arithmetic by mathematical numbers, had to steal its way into the Anglosaxon nations, and is, therefore, a case of numerical grand larceny. This may, he says, be superceded by a system whose radix of increase or diminuendo is 7or 12. The African has 20 as a multiple of difference in the building of numbers, because he has ten toes and goes barefooted. Professor Glasscock is an extraordinary expert, Ex-deputy State Superintendent of extra avoirdupoise, and wearing a good, open, honest, liberal kind of an expression or the features of his countenance. Everyone likes him, and he seems to reciprocate with an involuntary motion by reflex action. He told us many things about the “Im mortal Sh akespeare;” how his prose fit the lower order of animals, and his poetry applicable only to the upper tens and twelves; how Lady Mcßeth knew her husband better than he did himself. (Sometimes my wife is the same way, she kuows my business better than Ido myself.) He had the courage of action and she the courage of endurance, and botween them they did the daring deed. On the subject of correlation he mentioned the school, the home and the church. He gave an illustration showing how one blade of grass could cover a wolf in sheep’s clothing. His ‘Tempest’ was not a bad storm at all, but more like a ‘peaceful calm stealing over the fanciful bridges of sleep, intemperance, babyhood, youth and old age; warning us as they pass not to judge by appearances. His talk on Plato was abbreviated owing to the recklessness of those tresspassers who had gone on before. Ending with the oracle that “life is what we make it,” in his “Crowning a King” he gave us a beautiful picture of manhood in the prime of manhood, and advised every young man to take the oath of matrimony and get,an unmarried wife to bear his troubles for him. Professor Mack is a little bit of a sawed off, sharp as a tack, musical as a lark and wears glasses in his spectacles. He gave us some good song drills, some very fine selections on a violin fiddle, nad talked about drawing the lines, putting up the bars, leaving the spaces, taking rests, pointing dots, pitching high, syllables, notes, major scale, minor and diatonic scales, tone, power, and then he gave us the key to the whole business and we can go in and sing when we please. We wish to compliment the members of the Institute, and especially the ladies, on their good behavior and attention during the week. For they've had a hot time in the old town. Superintendent Hamilton did extremely well for a man of his height, size, age and ability. Now there is Professor Sparl-

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1898,

ing, (last but not least). He's a regular prodigy in the superlative degree. Say, I new that fellow when he was only just Sam Sparling, and hardly that, out in the mud and water of the ponds with his pants rolled up to his breeches, and not a sign of a hat on from the crown of his head to the top of his feet. In general appearance, when he began to grow he got bigger, and in a few weeks he was too large for his size. When he tried to put on airs, he looked just a little bit unsymmetrical in his awkwardness, aud you looked for him to fall down, but he didn't. When he started out in an educational line I felt sorry for him; I didn't think he would ever be able to count his money or write a letter to his best girl, but he did. But I “a’n’t ashamed of him now since he has taken his life in his hands, trusted in his own strength and labor, has overcome, by persevering diligence, all the surrounding difficulties, and is now far on the road to fame. He has crossed the briney deep, visited many of the most interesting scenes of the Old World, and comes back to tell us of some of the wonders of art and nature. In his lecture “Castles on the Rhine,” he led us in a sweet soothing rhyming kind of a poetical blank verse gradually to the castled apex of his story, by touching on picturesqueness of our own Rocky Mountains as a source of food for our poets, then to the older and taller mountains of Asia; of the silent, gloomy, but ponderous aspect of the pyramids of Egypt, where they have kept company with the Sphynx on the Banks of the Nile for centuries. Of Windsor Castle as it stands before the "World as a monument of masonic skill of great architectural beauty. Then he gently leads us into the valley of the Nile where all the beauties of nature have been spread over those vine clad hills in elegant profusion, where grapes hang in luscious festoons, and one vast flower garden from Dan to Beerslieba, the choicest of which are plucked by the fays and river sprites, weaved into garlands by the Fairies, to be worn on the noble brow of “De Wacht am Rhine.”

Ten Cattle Killed By Lightning.

About as big a slaughter for one stroke of lightning as is often heard of, occurred during the storm Monday night, in Barkley. Ten head of grown cattle were killed by a single stroke of lightning on the James T. Randle farm. They belonged to his son Thomas Randle. There is a black oak tree standing ‘.right in line of a board fence, and under this tree the cattle had taken shelter during the storm. Five were found in a bunch together on one side of the fence, under the tree, and five on the other side. The animals that were killed were cows, heifers and steers. ()f course they were a complete loss, except their hides, which were saved.

Oats Crop Burned Up.

Oscar Howden, on the former C. J. Brown place, 2 or 3 miles southeast of town, had a serious loss this morning. Thrashers had just begun thrashing four large ricks of oats, the product of 40 acres, when-the ricks caught fire, presumably from the engine of the machine, and were all burned up. It is estimated that 1600 bushels were lost. The threshing machine belonged to the Hildebrands. It was saved.

Miss Mary Meyer left for Chicago Sunday where she will stay two weeks studying late styles in millinery also purchasing an entire fall stock. 2w

“They Builded Wisely in Building Well.”

Although many well informed people believe otherwise, admit- j ting that the new court house is worth every dollar it has cost and j that every dollar of such cost has j been put into the building, did the future outlook for Jasper county ! demand any such expensive struc- j ture? And was it wise in the' Oammissioners or did they show even average business management in paying §165,000 for a building which they had contracted for complete at a cost of $89,180.00? —Jasper County Democrat. Before proceeding to answer the two questions propounded in the above paragraph, we should like to ask the Democrat if, in all candor. it believes it is dealing honorably or truthfully or even half way honestly by its readers, in trying to make it appear that the original contract for the court house was for a building “complete” and furnished, ns it now is? The Democrat knows very well that the contract was for no such thing, and it knows that it was widely and frequently published, from the very start, that theie were many things which the original contract did not cover. It did not cover the furniture aud fixtures, ! which is always a very large item in a good court house, and especially so, if the furniture and fixtures are sufficiently good and permanent. Neither did the original contract include the cost of a furnace building separate from the court house, nor for filling the yard and building the walks; nor for electric light fixtures, for a tower clock, or bell. Neither did it include the architect’s commission, the rental of temporary offices for the county officers, the special sessions of the commissioners and many other items of expenses, which everybody of ordinary iutelligence knows to have been necessary and unavoidable parts of the cost of the building. So much for the Democrat’s i palpable attempt to deceive ignor- | ant people into the belief that the ; court house was to have been , completed and furnished and all J incidental expenses met out of the ! original -Contract price of §89,180. In regard to the question whether the future outlook of Jasper county demands such an expensive structure, we answer that in view of that very thing, the future outlook, and very bright future outlook it is too, of Jasper county, the commissioners would not have been justified in erecting any materially smaller, less permanent, or less attractive building. We have a very large and rapidly developing county, and one that is bound to immediately increase very fast in wealth and population. And it will not be twenty years nor half of twenty years before everybody, including even the editor of ■ the Democrat, will see that the | court house was built none too ! large nor none to well for the needs, 1 of the county. As The Republican has remarked in connection with this matter before, the commissioners were bound in duty and the highest! wisdom to consider the greater | ! needs of our greater future, in ] building this court house, and they built wisely in building well.! Will the Democrat itself enum- | erate any very material or very, j costly particulars in which it I actually and truly believes that a 1 smaller, poorer or less attractive ; court house would have been better j for the present and future demands I of the people of Jasper county?

Hard Coal.

Place your order with Coen A Brady now for hard coal and get the lowest price. If they do not see you call them at phone 7. For baled straw call on L. S. Renicker, by the depot.

Land Business Looking Up.

It looks like the laud selling and buying business in Jasper county was beginning to recover from the re-action of the unreasonable boom of several years ago. Especially is this the case in the northern part of the county. For instance Geo. F. Meyers, the real-estate man of Kniman, reports five good sales of land he has recently negotiated in his immediate vicinity. And what is better the land is not being bought for speculative purpose or to increase the holdings of who already have large quantities of land, but the buyers are men who intend to move upon and cultivate the land themselves. One of the men who sold out is Fred Meiser, an excellent citizen of Walker, whom it will be a misfortune to have move away, if such is his intention. He has sold 320 acres to Frederick Fink and William Timpke, of Downer's Grove, 111. Another sale was that of our old friend John Wolf, who sold 80 acres to Charles Schwass, of River Yeiw, 111., and another is that of Lewis Marny, who sold an 80 to Wm. Schwass, also of River View. The fourth sale was Mathias Schillo to Mitchell Obermoyer, an 80 acre tract; and the fifth, also an 80, and belonging to W. B. Austin, of Rensselaer. The buyer ds Joseph Laux, of Chicago.

Dr. Becker's Testimonials.

Mr. Becker is a natural and attractive orator, and never fails to captivate his audience with the grauduer of his thought and the brilliancy of his expression. It will pay you to go through mud and rain and snow and hail, and stand up all the time, if need be, to hear this lecture.—Rev. W. E. Moster, Leaf River, 111. Although the Doctor came highly recommended as a lecturer, few of our people had any conception of his distinguished ability as a speaker. Both lectures were gems of the highest order, and so splendidly did the speaker command the attention of his audience on both evenings that you might have heard a pin drop drop bet tween his sentences. —Greencastle (Pa.) Sun. The applause given Doctor Becker last Thursday and Friday nights was so enthusiastic that those who did not hear him are sorry they stayed away. He would fill his audience with sound instruction then jostle it down with wit and humor, and this way kept it up the first night for an hour and forty minutes. The second night the increased audience was sucli a tribute to the favor with which Mr. Becker met the people of Fredonia that with his eloquence,splendid rhetoric, amusing stories, his inimitable impersonations, he held the vast audience two hours. No one regrets the judgment of the lecture association in securing him. — Fredonia (Knn.) Herald.

The Commissioners' Court.

The September term of the commissioners’ court opened this morning. For the first time in several months Commissioner Martindale is well enough to be present and to take part in the proceedings. Four liquor licenses were granted today. The parties are Reason M. Dunn, of DeMotte, Hannon Clark, of Wheatfiold, Michael Bernicken, Wheatfield and Jainer H. Bilile, of Remington,

Strick Gets Acquitted.

Just after noon Tuesday, Squire Burnham his decision in the case against George Strickfadden for assault and battery on David Platt. In view of the evidence of several parties that Dave Beemed to be looking for trouble, and followedStrick around and struck at him, the Squire found the defendant not guilty, and the proceedings agninst him were dismissed.

REGULAR WEEKLY EDITION.

Quite a Bad Runaway.

There was a rather serious runaway in town Thursday morning. A horse hitched to a top buggy, be* longing to John Bourne, east of town, started from Elder N. H. Shepherd’s residence, on Van Rensselaer street. Mr. Bourne was putting some wire in the buggy, which frightened the horse. A two old son of Mr. Shepherd’s was in the buggy, and was thrown out and quite badly bruised aboyt the head. Just how serious the injuries are the physician, Dr. Johnson, could not at once determine. The horse ran down town and near Forsythe’s store was Caught by J. J: Montgomery, who held on to it until near the telephone exchange when it ran into Mr. Montgomery’s own buggy breaking it some. His horse started to run but being tied to a weight soon came to a stop. Mr. Bourne’s horse ran through the business part of town and then out on the Btock farm road, finally breaking the buggy badly. Previous to getting down town the horse ran around several streets, and at some point ran into a cart driven by Frank King. He was thrown out and bruised to some extent.

Foot Ball Prospects.

The base ball season is about over, and it is now time that the foot ball men commenced practicing. Rensselaer will undoubltly have a strong team this year. All of last year's men will be back except Manley, Sayler and Lakey, and possibly Lakey may be back in time to fill his old place at center. Manley's and Saylers’s positions will be the hardest to fill; there is however plenty of good material out of which a good tackle should be developed. At quarter back however it will be a more difficult problem, it is a place that requires a quick, nervy aud heavy man. Reynolds or Rhoades however should fill the position with out much difficulty. All the old men have been tried, and their worth is known, but if a new man should appear better than one of the old men, of course the new man will get the place. The team should organize immediately, and a meeting to that effect will be called sometime in the near future.

Death of Mrs. Rebecca Stoner.

Mrs. Rebecca Stoner, widow of George W. Stoner, died Sunday, Sept. 4th, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Wm. Swisher, in Gillam township. She was born in 1820, and her age was therefore about 78 years. Her maiden name was Powers. She was married" in her 26th year to Geo. W. Stoner, who died in 1893. She leaves eight children, namely, Mrs. Wm. Day, of Renrselaer, Mrs. Jacob Wilcox, of Surrey, Mrs. Wm. Swisher, and Thomas Stoner, of Gillatr; also one daughter in Ohio and a son and a daughter iu Kansas. She was a consistent Christian from the age of sixteen years. The funeral was held Tuesday, at Mr. Swisher's residence, and interment made in Hershman cemetery, in Walker township, where her husband is also buried.

Marriage License.

\ Geo. M. Lambert, \ Lizzie Hancock, j John W. Odle, ( Mattie J. Steven.

Some good grade Short Horn bulls, old enough for service. Inquire of O. C. Halstead. 6wp South Bend wagons and buggies of all stvleta at L. S. Renicker’s. 86. _ > . _ . . . ... ' -