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Page 10 text:
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A Brief History of Our School. A Frank P. Muhlenberg. The writer, having been requested by the present efficient superintendent of our schools, Mr. E. C. Ham- bleton, to furnish a brief history of the Galesburg school for the “School Souvenir,” begs leave to state that it affords him pleasure to comply with his request. He finds, however, that to give even a brief outline of the history is a laborious and difficult task to per¬ form, because many items are wanting and the records have been imperfectly kept. The list of school officers who took a prominent part in the early and later organization, and the teach¬ ers was obtained from such sources as were within reach and from memory, the writer having been con¬ nected with the schools from 73 to ’82 and ’84 to ’87. Should any names, entitled to be mentioned in this article not appear, the imperfect source of informa¬ tion, not our intention is to be blamed. No public statement of the progress and condition of our school was ever published in permanent or convenient form, except as appears from the pen of the late A. I). P. VanBuren in the Kalamazoo County History. True, the current events, school attendance, audited accounts, etc. were duly reported in the daily and weekly papers published at Kalamazoo, Mich., and the weekly papers of our village, but no comprehensive summary of the operations of our system. “The first schoolhouse was a log building 12x14 and stood on the S. E. Cor. of the W. 1-2 of the S. W. 1-4 of Sec. 13. It was built in 1834. Miss Jones of White Pigeon was the first teacher. She had twelve pupils whose names we regret we cannot give here. In 1836 the old log building was abandoned and the distr ict erected a frame house on the N. W. Cor. of G. Matthew’s land on Sec. 24. I ater the house was re¬ moved fifteen rods north, to the S. W. Cor. of Ralph Tuttle’s land, now owned by A. H. Can , where it re¬ mained for many years, being used for a school-house, for religious purposes, township and political meetings, etc. In 1845 this building was moved into the village of Galesburg on the sight where the old brick school- house, now converted into a dwelling, stands. In 1853 it was sold to George Truax and removed to Washing¬ ton St. and used as a dwelling. In the same year a brick building was erected by the district, William E. Powers was the builder, J. W. Corhen, an early settler, giving the land for the site. It was scarcely erected before it was burned. In the same year a two story brick building w is erected on the same spot by our deceased townsman, John M. Lay. In 1859 this school duilding was condemned as unfit for school purposes, and shortly thereafter the distiict electois voted the procuring of a new site and subsequently purchased a
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Page 11 text:
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lot from Win. A. Blake and R. F. Johnson on the S. W. Cor of Centre and Toland Sts. and erected the present large and beautiful brick building.” It has been found very difficult to ascertain the exact cost of the new building owing to lost school records and the missing secretary and treasurer’s books. It is doubtful if any person can give a reliable statement of cost etc., and we therefore put it as stated by the late A. D. P. VanBuren about $16,IKK). The old district school regime held until 1863, when the graded system was adopted with its courses of study. The primary, intermediate, grammar, and high school departments have furnished our children with educational advantages equal to our colleges of early times, and we are glad to know that the larger part of our young people have availed themselves of the op¬ portunities offered. I think we, as a people, have reason to be proud of our schools, of the interest and foresight shown by past and present school officers, and the efficient services of faithful teachers. The establishment of chemical and physical labora¬ tories, known as the “William Schroder Memorial Laboratory Equipment,” in the school is the most marked feature of the past few years. While a small portion of our equipment was furnished by the board and pupils, the major and most valuable portion was donated to the school by Mrs Melinda J. Schroder, widow of William Schroder, deceased, who, as a busi¬ ness man, jiossessed the confidence and respect of our community, and who, when living, was always known to favor popular education. This furnishes to every child attending our school the means of instruction in the natural sciences equal to those of city schools. There was no formal graduation of classes until the years 76 and 77. Then a gap followed until ’81 and ’82, then another gap until ’87. Since then there have been yearly graduation of classes to date. Its one hundred forty-seven (147) graduates, besides scores of others who partially participated in its benefits, are witnesses of its utility. The list of the earlier school officers is some¬ what incomplete by reason of missing records. We can therefore only give a brief list, to-wit: Ralph Tuttle, Hugh M. Shafier, Dir.; J. W. Cotheeu, Wm. Schofield, Roswell Ransom, Dir.; J. W. Allen, John White, Dir.; J. R. Comings, J. M Lay, S. M. Mills, Ezra Stetson, Dir.; A. B. Sumner, R. A. A ' drich, Dir.; A. L. Mason, Fay Aldrich, E. C Stern, Dir.; Phillip Cory, Alvin Bur¬ dick, Marsh Gidduigs, Dir.; E. T. Mills, Isaac Mason, Jeremiah Cell, Dir.; John Seeley, Wm. Batt, Dir.; M. B. Rawson, Lyman Gates, IsaacCory, Milo Bust wick, B. A. Wing, M. L. Lynch, R. S. VanVIeet, Dir.; O. F. Burroughs, Dir.; William Blass, E. T. Cogswell. The names of the later school officers are as fol¬ lows: D. B. Hall, O. F. Burroughs, Dir.; D. K. Rogers, ♦Deceased.
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