Galesburg Augusta High School - Rambler Yearbook (Galesburg, MI)

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I was the school house and the teacher, contributing here as ever elsewhere, to the progress and prosperity of the community. Their history receives elsewhere in these pages the attention of a more adequate know¬ ledge and more capable pen than those of the present writer. Recent years have rapidly thinned the ranks of the early pioneers, but an honored few yet survive, and among these it cannot he considered invidious lo men¬ tion Mrs. Catherine Earl Whitcomb. When General Shatter was a barefooted hoy, roaming the forest wilds of Comstock township, Mrs. Whitcomb was already married, and her husband, the late Charles Whitcomb, participated in the erection of nearly all the early frame buildings of the village. For sixty years her home has been within the boundaries of the same village lot on Battle Creek street; and now, in her ninetieth year, she retains all her old time interest in, and kindly feeling for, her fellow citizens of Galesburg. Mrs. Whitcomb is the oldest present resident of the village and presum¬ ably, with one exception, of the township. Galesburg has many societies and associations. The Lathes’ Library association has grown with the years and from small beginnings has become a power¬ ful influence upon the social and intellectual life of the village. It has a tine library and numerous member¬ ship. Other, equally worthy, institutions must be ignored here through lack of space. The village of 1901 might properly be designated “New Galesburg. The advent of modern facilities in the way of electric transportation, lights, etc., is broad¬ ening the views and developing the enterprise of her people and under these impulses bright hopes for the future are justly entertained. But whether these anticipations be realized or oth¬ erwise, the hearts and homes of Galesburg’s sons and daughters will remain embowered amid the bounteous foliage of her trees, while above leaf and flower and human hopes, her church spires ever point the pathway to the stars. l- fkjnner . Ladies’ and Cents ' Fine Shoes - - - . S ' ftSSSS; g ' rocehies The Largest and Best Selected Stock. —Is now located on the— Corner Mill and ’Bailie Creel Sts.. Galesburg. Everything pertaining to the trade constantly on hand and kept fresh by frequent renewals. Latest Styles ¥ 0} ¥ Cm fV A JVebvest JVoxJelties U Of77 r 7, Lowest Trices GALESBURG. MICH.

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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