Danville High School - Medley Yearbook (Danville, IL)

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19 THE MEDLEY 17 ODitr Progrrss tu Siincattmt You say that you don’t like to go to school, and that it is such hard work and no pleasure! If you only knew it, your school life is all pleasure compared to what your grandparents had to go through to get theirs. Just ask your grand-father, if you are lucky enough to have one still living, what a time he had to get his little bit of education and how he valued it when he did get it. Perhaps he will tell you that free public schools were unheard of; and if anyone were to say that it was the duty of the State to provide them he would probably have been sent to the asylum. He knows all about the first school in Vermilion County. It was taught in Elmwood township about one mile west of Vei-milion station. No doubt he will remember Reuben Black, the teacher. The boys then were as mischievous as now, and made fun of the tall, thin lad, but the older ones admired his courage and pluck that caused him to come all the way from Ohio and secure enough subscription pupils to make it worth while to open a school. While he only taught spelling, writing and reading, he influenced his pupils in a desire for better education and helped to prepare better schools for the next generation. Your grand-father may, or if he doesn’t, your grand-mother might remember the next school which was founded in 1827, two miles northeast of Vermilion station. The teacher was an ardent Methodist but was not able to make the school pay and so only taught one year. The next school seems to have attracted the most attention for almost everyone who lived around 1828 will tell you the smallest details concerning it. It was made of logs with holes cut for windows. These were covered with oiled paper to let the sun through but Old Sol” must have been offended at the poor entrance that was offered him for it is said that he sent only his weak and helpless rays into the little school room. The only means of heating the room was a large open fire place made of logs plastered with mud. It was the duty of the larger boys to carry logs for this monstrous fire place. The fire was not particular about the amount of fuel it consumed either, for often the boys had to get up as early as four o’clock to cut wood enough to last during the day! The seats were hard slabs and as there were no desks, the pupils had to balance their slates on their knees. At that time it was the practice to study aloud and the noise that issued from that school house was something to escape, if possible. The lad who could make the most noise was supposed to be gaining the greatest amount of “learning”. If you were to ask for more information about the early schools, your grand-father would no doubt, tell you that those he had mentioned were the usual type of pioneer schools. You haven’t heard enough about early education? Perhaps your father could tell you something about the schools in 1875 for that was about the time he started. He will tell you that now more people are taking an interest in education. Schools were inaugurated by direct exertion and supported by private contribution, but only those 20

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19 THE MEDLEY 17 Slrucrirs An aircraft shall be ’rected, By my own hand and skill, Of light but sturdy metals. To sail o’er dale and hill. The motors shall be mighty, And sing a song so true, Ne’er miss a shot or waver, As we the clouds sail thru. The car shall be good looking, And have a place for two, To sit and sail together, Like two would love to do. The tanks shall have more volume Than Rockefeller’s casks, So we could ride forever. And ne’er run out of gas. But when we come back earthward, As most all fancies do, We’ll fall in some great garden, And there find joy anew. Then when old age doth conquer, And we can see the end. We’ll dream again of olden days When flights and love did blend. Russell Maurice Dupfin 19

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19 THE MEDLEY 17 who paid received their benefits. It was the settlers now, instead of a poor teacher needing the money who started the schools. They agreed upon a place and then they all met there on a Sunday and divided the work. Some cut down logs, others hauled them up, and others set them in place. Whoever proposed a school went around and took subscriptions from all or as many as wanted to go. If it was a stranger that proposed this, one of the well known citizens would offer to take him around and introduce him to those interested. The usual price was one dollar or one dollar and a half for three months and twenty-five cents extra for coal. Sometimes one man would subscribe for three or four more children than he had to send; and sometimes a man had three or four more to send than he had money to pay for. In this case he would send them alternately; that is, one go one week and another the next. It was about this time the act of 1849 was passed again and this time was allowed to stay in effect. You don’t know what the act of 1849 was? Why, that was a law that said each teacher must be able to pass a certain examination in Arithmetic, Reading, Spelling, Writing, Geography and American History. But so few could pass these tests that there were not enough teachers for the number of schools so the law was repealed. Nearly all the teachers could pass the examination in 1879 so the law was re-enacted. This alone shows what a great change had been going on. You tell the truth when you say that your school life is easy compared to that in those schools. You have well educated teachers, most of them college graduates. You have no manual work to perform. The cars take you right to the door, and still there are some people now who are willing to throw their education away. How? Why there are a number of ways the young folks find to throw it away; first, by insisting on going to work when they finish the eighth grade. In a few years they will have reached the height of their powers, and can go no higher. Others throw it away by refusing to study after they get to high school. The path of our progress in education has left innumerable milestones. You will have to look at pictures of the older schools for none of the buildings are still standing. A few of the country schools now, resemble those of the middle period which your father remembers. And now look at the schools of to-day. They are all that art, invention and science can make them. And not alone by buildings is our progress marked but by higher ideals, the better men, the betterment of politics, this nation wide prohibition movement, increasing desire to get as much as possible out of life and to make the best use of what we do get. I have talked too much I am afraid but you brought up a subject that always gets me started and one on which I never know when to stop. I only hope this little sermon will send you back to school tomorrow with the resolution that you will get everything from your studies that you can, for remember that advancement in education has not stopped and that in a few years from now, even if you learn all you can, the people who attend school then, will be better educated than you. Anna Wall ’17. 21