Chester High School - Summit Yearbook (Chester, IL)

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THE SUMMIT Brief History of the Schools of Chester, Illinois by George L. Guy, Superintendent of Schools, 1882-1885 and 1890-1893 “About the year 1721 a Fleming taught the Tamaroa and Kaskaskia Indians to sow wheat in this region; whereby the condition of these tribes was very much improved.” This is the earliest record of any teaching near the place where Chester now stands, and it may be regarded as a good beginning for an industrial university. Father Charlevoit and the Jesuit missionaries are associated with the earlier instruction of the children in the newly forming civilization; but the French language was their medium, and their impress was lost on the incoming English and American settlers. A building used for school purposes at as late a date as 1830 stood at a place called Portland on the present site of the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. (1) In 1829 the first house in Chester was built by Samuel Smith, who had purchased this land, and the shipping point was known as Smith’s Landing. His wife, Mrs. Jane Smith, was a native of Chester, England; and to her was given the privilege of naming the new city. Early school houses stood beyond the present location of the cemetery; below the hill near what is now Joseph Beare’s residence; near the Presbyterian Church, halfway up the hill; and at other convenient points. (2) There was evidently considerable interest in education even at an early day, for I cannot find that tuition rates were at any time less than one dollar per month, and the schools were well attended. Among the pioneer teachers honorable mention is made of men named Holloway (at Portland), Messrs. Sykes, Means, Skilling, Gardner, Anderson, Farrington, Rev. O. L. Barter, Charles, and Corrington, and ladies named Mrs. Drew. Maggie Kennedy, Mary Servant, Fannie Swanwick, Anne Henderson, Miss Frone (recommended by the governor of Massachusetts), Mary Prine, Abbie Prine, Miss Davis, Miss Whitehead, Miss Vienna Cooke, Anna Maxwell, Kate Maxwell. and the Misses Stafford. The latter seem to have been very superior teachers, as were others in the list. These are all I have succeeded in rescuing from oblivion. With few facilities, they kept as good schools as the community would permit. By their example and devoted interest they still live. In 1859 the records, still preserved, show that on the 10th of October at the court house, William A. Gordon “drew the long term” and J. H. Nelson “drew the next long term” for the new Board of Directors. (3) Sept. 8, 1861, a levy of 20 cents on the one hundred dollars was ordered upon the taxable property of the district. Thus free schools seem to have attained a secure footing within six years after the act establishing the present public school system was enacted by the Illinois Legislature. In 1862 James Neville, F. D. Outen. and Theodore Van Kannal held school; the name of Robert Mann appears on the Board of Directors; and the total expenditure by the district was $602.50. In 1863 H. Bueckman, William Lakenan, and William Roberts were directors. As teachers the names of John H. Lindsey and Amanda Whittaker now appear. Then come Mary Jane Guthrie, Mary Jane Williamson, Emily Wassell, Clementine Cole. Mr. Calvin Mitchell seems to have been the first high school teacher. D. S. Morrison was elected principal of schools August 3, 1867, with John F. Baumann appearing as clerk of the Board. In 1869 John A. Malone; in 1870, J. H. Lindsey; in 1871. a Mr. Howard, and J. N. Holloway followed in order in that position. Page 10

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THIRTY-THREE L. V. Kkutsingkk Principal ITS., Unix., Illinois Physics, Algebra W. R. Lowry Superintendent B.S.. A.M., Univ., Missouri Ophema Hack A.M., Washington Univ. English, Voice Marik H. Jukrgkns B.ITEd., American College of P. Ed. Girls’ P. Ed. W. O. Simmons A.IT, Westminster College Football, Track, Mathematics Leona Burmeister A.B., Univ., Illinois English, Latin, Pram a tics Dorothy E. Dak win S. E. Mo. Teachers’ College Bowling Green Business Univ. .S'horthand, Typing. Bookkeeping L. L. Colvis ITS., Univ., Illinois Agriculture P. A. Goranson B.S., Univ., Illinois Biology, General Science, V Ed., Basketball Ai.fkkd Rebbe B.S., Univ., Illinois Manual Arts, Social Science Evelyn May Roberts A. IT, Illinois College istory, English Frieda Duncan Ed.IT, S. I. Normal Univ. Sr. High Music, Jr. High Una A. Gilster ITS., Univ., Illinois Home Economics, Chemistry Page 9

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THIRTY-THREE The first Board of Education was elected April 5, 1873, organized August 19, 1873, and comprised the following gentlemen: C. B. Cole, Charles Wassell, Christian Wagner, William Roberts, Jacob Gnaegy, and John F. Baumann. In 1874 Prof. R. C. Ross was principal—troublesome times. (4) In 1875 Mr. H. 1). Updike followed. A grammar department was established under Miss Anna E. Houston, and the principal is mentioned under the name superintendent. During these years, the name of J. Perry Johnson as president of the Board of Education and that of John F. Baumann as secretary are closely connected with the progress of the schools. A. B. Rohrbaugh and R. W. Matthews follow in 1877 and 1878 as principals of the schools with John G. Middendorf, who was president of the Board. In 1881, during the administration of schools under Prof. R. W. Matthews, bonds were issued to build what is now the Central School building. William A. Gordon, M. D., and F. Bueckman were in succession presidents of the Board of Education. Mr. R. W. Matthews having died soon after the close of the school year in 1882, the Board invited Supt. George L. Guy of Shawneetown, Illinois, to take charge of and organize a system of instruction for the city of Chester. (5) This he did and continued in office for three years. W. R. McKenzie, M. D., was president of the Board of Education from 1883 to 1888. In 1885, Rev. George S. Hatch was elected superintendent, and in 1886 Prof. T. B. Greenlaw followed, continuing in office four years. (6) In 1890 George L. Guy was recalled to the superintendency, and it is he who is responsible for these fragments of history. R. J. Harmer and Henry Clay Horner have been very active and useful secretaries of the Board of Education during late years, and William McAdam as president has brought an intelligent and liberal mind to the duties of that office. The names of the present Board of Education are: William McAdam. president; Henry Clay Horner, secretary; Charles B. Cole; Ralph E. Sprigg; Henry Speckman; Isaac Meredith; and Lewis Heitmann. Clarence Staley is treasurer. The corps of teachers to May 14, 1892, were the following: George L. Guy, superintendent; Julia A. Sebastian, principal of high school; Edgar P. Keneipp, principal grammar school; Miss Eleanor Cameron; Miss Sara Gertrude Harner; Miss Anna H. Kelly; Miss Alice Crissey; Mrs. Ella Morse; Miss Fannie White-head; and J. N. Stewart, teacher in colored school. (1) The building used for school purposes stood at this site, since it ?oas here that the city of Portland was started. This point was close to the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. It will be recalled that the Mississippi River cut through into the Kaskaskia and follows the course of that river, now, from a point near the site of Fort Gage. (2) The reference here to the building halfway up the hill refers to the present Lincoln School. The Presbyterian Church mentioned here has been worked over and is now a dwelling occupied by E. A. Crippen. From the “Combined History of Randolph, Monroe, and Perry Counties,’' published by J. L. McDonough Co., in 1883, we take the following: “In 1839 the Board of Trustees arranged to erect a building twenty-eight feet front by forty deep, to be used as a scltoolhouse, union meeting house, and town house. Mather, Lamb Co. gave lot five of block nine of their addition to the town as a site for the structure. Its cost exceeded three thousand dollars. The building was finished in the summer of 1839, and in September of that year a committee was directed to have the interior plastered, provided the cost did not embarrass the Page 11