Plymouth High School - Mayflower Yearbook (Plymouth, IN)

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10 THE SENIOR ANNUAL hundred srevenfty. May 26 an election was held, the 'purpose fbeinrg to see ilf thae people favored a school tax. Tfhe vote stood eight against and five in favor. June 23 a townlslhip election was held for the saline purpovse, at which the vote stood thluteen opposed to seven Hin favor. In Mfarch, 1854, the loft given to the county for a 'seminary was solid to 'tihe -city for one hunldred dollars, anid on the thirticth 0-f the same month Mr. S. Morgan was given, the contract for erect- ing a school houtsle. This 'bufilding was completed in Decemfbefr of the saime year. It conta'in1ed'th'ree school rooms and onle. 1-e'ci'tat'ion -room and wvars consli-dered an excfell-ent fn-uilding for 'its time. Mr. VV. J. Moir 'was chosen' prin-cipal of the schools and had as alssistlanhs Mrs. E. Crum anid 'Miss E. Adsalms. The -enrrollment numbered one hun- dreld fifty. Mr. M'Ulf wars succeeded 'by Mr. C. H. Blair, who was princi- pal, 'part olf one year, when H. C. 'Burlingalmle :took charge of the schofols. Mr. Mfank Cummings succeeded hlim 'in 1861. He wtas fol- lowed by Mr. D. D. Luke, who remained prinlclipal until August, 1870. In 1868, a school building wa-s erecteld in the third ward. Upon the rehiremfenft of Mr. Luke in 1870, Mr. R. A. Chase was chlosen as superintendlent, EU position which 'hc held until 1903. During the adminlis'tra'tion1 of Mr. Chiase, manly important changes -took place in our schools. A system'a'tic course of study was aldopted: the schools were grade-dg a school library was start- ed: HI high school course of study introduced for 'the first -time, and business methods used. wlh'ich hroughlt afbout a rapid development df proper school facvilities. In 1874 a new 'buildling wtas erected on Plumb street. July 4th thfe corncrstonc was laiid -With Masonic ceremlonies. On November 26th of the same year, the fbuildting was dedicated and school open- el four days later. In 1893 a si'mlil'ar hulild'inrg was constructed 'adiofininrg the first 'and the two buildings are now known as the Wlalshinfgton l'311'illflfin,ff. To satisfy the conditions olf a ualptidly increasing p0p'u'l'a- tion, it was found necessary 'in 1897 to construct a more commodi- ous burillding in place of 'tlhte Vila-rd huiilding ont the South Side, anfd 'this is now known as the VVe'bst1er. Mr. Chaise was succeeded in 1903 by R. A. Riandall. Upon the advenlt of Mr. Randall some changes w'ere'n1rade in keeping with the ge-nrefral trend of the educational policy of the State. High School. The hiistory of the High School begins wlith the 'advent of Mr. Clhase as superinftendenit of schools. At this time 1872-1874, Mis-s Clteveland talughit the higher 'branches in 'the Plymouth Schools: and when the High School was organized, Sepltemher, 5, 1873, Miss Clievelanld and Mr. Chase were the High School in'sttruc't- OUS. ' The High Schlool proper may he said to have 'begun at the time t'he new 'buillding was 'entered in 1874. Wm D. E. Prescott of Man- chester, Iowa. was the H1-st nrincinal and he with Mr. Chase con- sttitutied the High School instructors.

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THE SENIOR ANNUAL 9 HISTORY OF THE PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Eva -Ieftirs. COMMON SCHOOLS. Our schools are charctericltic of the lfiheral spirit of that educa- tional policy which was contained in the Compact of the Ordin- ance of 1787, and which in a large measure has produced the pres- ent int+ell'ectual condition off the Northlwest Tenriwtory. Religion, morality afnd knowledge being necessary to good government and twhe happiness off nrankinidf' schools and other means of education have always been encouraged. Whiavt is norw the City of Plymouttib was plartted in 1834, and in t'he Reference, Loft 131 on Plu-mb street was dofnialted for at school. One and one-'half acres adjoiulintg on the west was given for a coun- ty seminary. Not until 185-L, however, was the record off fthe platt- ing acknowledging and recording the Platt of Plymouth properly certified to. Although the lots were n-ever used for the purpose for which they were donnateld, ample provision for etlucaltion had been made in accordance wi-th the spirit of the Ordinance of 1787. The first school in Plymou'th was conducted 'by O. F. Norrton in the lVVlll1ltCI' off 1837, but there is no evidence thalt he taughlt more than onle term. The school was held in the old count house, wlhiclh then stood on the west side of Michigan street, near Adams. Flro-m 1841 to 1846 it 'is said that Mr. Palrfsons and Rev. Austlin Smith fauglrt in this Court Hou-se. In 1840 Mrs. Erksiue erected a' build- ing for school purposes, where she taughlt for several yea-rs. From 18-I-5 fto 1854, school was held ini a building lwlhich stood on the lot in the rear of the Lutheran chlurch on Adams street. This building was also ow-ned' 'by private parties. Until the Cousntituttion of 1850. fthle schools orf the State' were dependent upon local and volluntalry enterprise. VV'hen the Consti- tuition was aldopsted in 1850, the Legislaltiure immediately too-k steps to establish a ulnrilform State system, bu't not until 1865 was the present syvtem fairly sltanted, due to adverse decisions of the Su- preme Court. Prior 'to 1850, the people did little towards support- ing the schools through taxaltfi-ont. Schools in organized communi- ties were unwder fthe jurisd-iciti-on of the Townshlip trustee, but his du- tlies were confined for the moslt part to assisting any one desiring to start a school by donlatuing what lititle money he might obtain through the School Fund. This amount was entirely inadequate to support a tefacl1er:anld the bailance was obtaintefd by charging tuition of each pupil attendlinlg. Alt the time that Plymouth was incorporated as a town. in 1851, nlo special atitenltion was given 'to free schools, and not until 1853 d'icl the real awalkeni-n-g to the value of free schools com-e -to the peo- ple of Plymouth. Alt this time the population of the town was six

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THE SENIOR ANNUAL 11 The High Sclhool olcciulpied -the easltern half of the second floor. Thi-s space was divided into an assemlbly hall anld one recitation room. The C'l'l'I O'lilH1lC'lllt rin the 'Hliglh School in: 1873 vvtals 39. As to the course df stluvdy at that 'ti1ne, we quote the follolw- ing: The High Sch-ool gives instruction in 1ll'3fll'ltC-l1lv3.lt'lC'S as far as to surveying, in natural s-cieu-ce, includi-nig boftany, physical geograpllry, c'hem'i's'tlry, phyisviology, astronomy. natural pfhii-losopfliy-Iits course in. the Englislh la'n.gu'age emlbraces English, rhetoric, and English literature, to fwlhilch is 'adlded 'political 6'C0'I'll0l1ly, generanl hisftoryand a thorough knowledge of 'book-keepiiig. Sulclh classes in Germain and Laxtlin afs may the d'esrired are also formed. The study of the con- st'i't'u'tion olf the United States is requri-red olf pupils entering the High Schlool. The exercise in literary work conIs'i'st's of delhalting, es- says, 'flC'ClZlll1l1Z1vlllOIll', 'and readings annd are h'eld' daily thus affording an. amounrt of drill wfhich coulid not 'be had when the exercises were held monthly. A weekly reci-tat'io-n in 'thle currenlt. news of the day is had in the Higih School and first grade. W'r'ititen exarinin-atiowns are held 'whlen tlleemeltl ardvisa'ble. generalllly rinovnlthly, and at the close of each year an annual texamuinatrion is 'hvadf' Unltil 1903, few changes were made in the Hlilgh Slclhool sys- tem. At that time the 'course of study was rchalnzgeld and enrichedg the nu-miher of in's-itructorrs increased 'to four: tthe assembly hal! was enlarged. recitatlion rooms inrcrearsed to tiwo, and a physical and Bo- tanical Laboraltory room with equfipment provided. The enrrollment 'inicreaised rapidly from this 'tlime o-n, and in 1907 it became nerceslsary to make c'han-ges in. order to accomnnordate the rapidly increasing a't'tendance. The Auditoniuni was fit-ted up for an A'ssen1'hly Hall. Tfhe old Assembly 'hall was made over into three recitation rooms. This gave for 'high 'school purposes a study hall with a seatinig caipaleity ovf over tlwo hundred pupils, five reci- tation rooms, and two lalboraltories. In 1903 a folurth vear was added to the Hligh School course, anld the credit svst-em of promotion in- troduced. A credit is given for a grade of 75 per cent or above for one semester. T'l1inty-'tlhnee credits aire required for graduation. The 'adv'a.nce'ment of elducational affairs has necessitated a change in the cofurse of sltudy from time to time. In the fall of 1907 a Commercial Department was rintroduced. and has proven to be one of fthe m-ost valuable features of the High School Course. Two courses of 'study are olfereld, one preparatory to college, the other arranged for those fvvhlo do not l11ltC'l1lCl to 'continue in scholl- astic study. The tivwo 'courses are id'entica.l for the first and second years. Election of studies is open to pupils of the Fourth Year, and so far as possible tfhle pupil is advised to elect those studies whlich wlill 'best fit 'him 'for his vocation alfter leaving High School. Special studenfts desiring 'to take up co'mm'erc'ial work only, sh-oulfd file with the superinttendenft a written request to that eifect. eonnlter-signed by the pzarenrt or guardliain. 'For the completion of this work a cert'ilfiicate of attainment will be granted. Because of the grovvvlinig te-n.den'ciy of 'busfiness men to employ High School gradu- ates and one of the m-inium state law requirement thalt all new