Plymouth High School - Mayflower Yearbook (Plymouth, IN)

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struggle with poverty and the hardships of pioneer life When he first came to the county there were no while people here, and hi» associates were the Pottawattamie Indians, who were the only residents here then He necessarily learned their manners and customs, and learned to speak fluently their language, which he did not forget even to the day of his death There was a peculiar circumstance connected with his death which is not generally known, and will bear repeating here as a mystery that has not yet been solved In the neighborhood where he lived there was a considerable number of spiritualists, who held occasional meetings, and. through Ihr mediums that developed among the number, claimed to be in communication with those who had passed over.' Mr Cook was not inclined to be a ••believer and had not attended many, if any. of their meetings However, on a certain Saturday night. he had agreed that he would attend a meeting to be held at the house of his neigh bor, Edwin Dwinnell, about three miles distant He told them he was going to Plymouth to do some tracing, and when he returned and arranged things for the night he would go over He rode hb horse to town and when he returned, in leading him through the barn lot lo the stable, an infuriated bull gored Mr. Cook in the leg. inflicting a frightful wound, which was not only dangerous but painful Those assembled at Mr Dw inneU'» waited a long time for Mr. Cook to come, but as it wa» netting late the seance opened in the usual form One of the mediums went into a trance, and a sprit came who was asked if it could tell anything about Charlie Cook and why he had not come a» he had promised It replied that in trading his horse through the barny ard he was gored by a bull in the leg and was so badly hurt that he would die in three days Those present were much excited at the information, and Mr. Dwinnell said he would saddle his horse and go over and see if it w«v true He d»d so. and found Mr Cook gored and hurt as stated. Three «lays afterwards he died. Mr Dwinnell related this to the writer shortly after it occurred and declared that the information came to him as stated, and at the time and under the cir- cumstances he had no other possible way of finding out about it. Mr Dwinnell » long since dead, as are a bo moat of those who were present on the occasion named, and the matter remains as great a mystery today as it did when it occurred It was Charbe Cook, or one of whom he was a type, concerning whom our own 'Monster Poet wrote the following charming bit of poetry My fiddle ? Well. I kind o' keep her handy. don't you know! Though I ain't so much inclined to tromp the strings and switch the bow As I was before the limber of my elbow got so dry. And my fingers w as more limber like and capensh and spry: Yit I can plonk and plunk and plink. And tunc her up and play. And jest lean back and laugh and wink At rvYy rainy day! SmiKtNIlNNIAL SCRAPBOOK Schools mm! Teaching By Mn.JnrWMmrirr Anyone over seventy years of age could tell you about a pioneer vchoot in Indiana, but no one could tell you about THE pioneer schools. as there was no such thing A general description of all early schools in Indiana is impassible Each school was n i ac- cording to the wishes of three trustees elected by a particular township The citizens, who favored schools. not all people did) found a building and hired u teacher As ev ery man was required (by lawr) to contribute free labor towards budding a school house in the township, all men helped whether they believed m public schools or not The number of pupils varied from thirty to thirty-five or so. The ages varied from six to sixteen or older, and they studied out loud Heading or ciphering aloud by thirty pupils made the school room sometime «all the time?) seem like a miniature bedlam As one can imagine, things were very much confused and confusing The teaching profession began to disappear, and the teacher, who was brave enough to stick it out, was often the —2 laughing stock of the neighborhood Most often he was a bachelor There were «believe It or not some lady teachers The unmarried teacher lived with on family, and then another, during the teaching term, which wa iwally two. three, or four months The term, in most cas«. wa from December to March. The teacher's life was no bed of rosea; only the thorns wer present in the bed which was shared with two or three of th «mailer children In some homes, he was begrudged each bite h ate at the tahlc The shortness of tbs school term was duo to the needed on the farms for spring and fall work Even in the lat IWO's and 40 s many rural schools were of eight month duration«. The girls of Indiana, during the struggle for public school) were not sent to «ch«»l for various reason The parents felt it wa foolish for a girl to know how to read and write Her mother coul teach her at home the necessary essentials to be a wife an mother The salary of the teacher varied considerably It seemed t depend on the whims of the trustees of each township The sui could be as low as twenty dollars for the term or it night be i high as fifty dollars, but not likely to he hifgier A contract in my possession, which my great grandfathi signed the 50th day of November. 1KB. stated that the salar would be ten dollars a month He was to teach reading, writ» and arithmetic for a three month term The trustees promised supply firewood and keep the house in good order .School was commence on the 4th day of December The moat common textbooks used throughout Indiana wei Webster's Spelling Rook. English Header Pike's Arithmetic, ar Kirkham's and Murray's Grammars The New Testament was favorite hook for reading classes and The Colombian Oral furnished themes for declamation The state of Indiana w anted the individual to run his own schoc The people involved bent over backwards to do so. and eai school depended on the teacher and local conditions They ww all different Indiana law permitted twenty householders m congressional township to organize and open a school The citizens elected three trustees The township was also given lai by the state and if the trustees so desired, they could sell the lands instead of using them far school purpose». These three trustees were the legal ancestors of the ache directors, and this was the beginning of the district school syste (aider the general supervision of the township trustee Little w done about opening schools hecauie of lack of rev enues These three mm were authorised to locate houses or bu houses, determine the length of the term, and the method payment of the tuition tax, provided any were levied Hod discipline course of study, and even methods of instruction wt left to the trustees As one can imagine, much maladministrati and neglect were the chief features The schools being used were maintained by tuition paid for some persons la the township, mow provision was made existing law to provide funds from the sale of sections of t congressional townships.. People resisted being taxed schools By I MO the leading mm of Indiana recognized the comp) failure of the school system Tbr House Committee on Educati made known as follows: • We present almost the only example of a State professing have in force a system of common school education, which d not know the amount or conditmn of its school, thr number schods. and the scholars to be taught and to receive i distribution of these funds. It is a body A law passed in tktt laid the foundation for our prewent syst of free schools supported by ptiilic taxation In 1B5S this law w declared unconwtitutional by the Supreme Court In IR8S a not I test was made and another court reinstated thr law as c sbtutional The struggle for free public schools has been a long hi struggle in all sections of the country Some states still seem to in the throes of tnal and error PMS 1876-19

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THE PLYMOUTH GLEE CLUB This wax a musical society which came into exigence in 1873. mainly lor the purpoor of giving entertainments for the benefits of the needy poor of Plymouth ami vicinity. It was composed of five gentlemen of some musical talent, residents of Plymouth The first entertainment under its management was given in Balcony hall. Plymouth. January I. 1873. The program embraced an opening address by the late Charte H Rrevr twelve vocal and instrumental srlrrtionv a charade. Wayward, and two recitations. Stamms O'Brian. the Brave Boy of GlingaU.'' and “Over the Hills to the Poorhouse. The opening quartet by the Glee Club took the Large audience by storm The music, was an arrangement of ’ Maryland. My Maryland, and the words by Mr Reeve They were so highly spoken of at the tune and were so appropriate to the objects of the entertainment that they are worthy of being perpetuated by being inserted here The words are as follows: Dread Winter spreads his icy pall. Chilling blasts around us roar. Before him Autumn's beauties fall— Earth’s green face is seen no more • frosts congeal the rolling tide. Disease and want move sJde by side. And desolation far and wide Face the weak and helpless poor. Health, strength and plenty on us wait. Peacefully our days go by; Shall those crushed down by hapless Pate. Vainly raise to us their cry? Shall thirst and hunger ceaseless crave, Shall death come near • beyond the grave - Shall we stand by with power to save. While the sick and needy die? No, no! The Lord has given us I m e And Faith and Hope' It must not be. Our Faith and Hope by works will prove Duily works of Charity. Haste then - bring forth fram out your store wiierrwith to clothe and feed the poor; Bring consolation to the door Of distitute humanity. Two entertainments were given during that winter, the net proceeds of which were $142.32. This was distributed to the deserving needy by a committee of one selected from each of the church organizations then existing in the city. PLYMOUTH SILVER CORNET BAND This band was organized in lMM under the control of the republican party, the money for the purchase of the imtmments t»nng contributed by that party It was. however refunded by the members o! the band about the end of the campaign of IMft It was composed of twelve members originally, but soon fell to ten. hich kept it going about ten years Those who composed the band after the reorganization in the ’70s were: Charles Hasianger, Frank Smith, Charles Chapman. Edward Quivey, Wm W Davenport. Daniel B Armstrong. James M Confer. H B Miller. Thomas No», William Moore. The present Plymouth band was organized out of the remnants a former band, which had been organized out of still another wnd Under the leadership of Ben M Srybdd it is considered one jf the best band organizations In northern Indiana In an interview not long ago with the only survivor of the Migmal members of the old band he said: In my time I have ward many world famous bands, such as ‘The Washington Marine Band.” “Sousa's Great Chicago Band. “Pat Gilmore’s EJand. “The German Prussian Band, “The French Band, The Mexican Military Band of seventy five pieces And yet. PHS 1876 1 976 he said, in the language of our own Hoosier port, slightly changed to fit the occasion. T want to hear the old band play! “Such tunes as ’John Brown's Body' and 'Sweet Alice.' don't you know. And The Camels is A-comin',and John Anderson. My Joe,' And a dozent others of 'em - 'Number Nine’ and 'Number Levem' Was favorites that faUt) made a feller dream o'heaven .And when the boys ’u’d serenade I've laid so still in tied I've even heerd the locus blossoms droppin' on the shed When 'Lilly Dale,' or 'Hazel Dell' had sobbed and died away • I want to hear the Old Band play THE OLD TIME FIDDLERS In the beginning of the formation of society tn Marshall county, there was nothing that was more conducive to enjoyment and to cement the young people together m the bonds of good fellowship than the old time fiddlers who made the music for the Hoe Downs that were so popular during the formative society period and for a number of years afterwards. Amusements of some kind were an absolute necessity, and during the winter season, when the few amusements of the summer had passed away, the boys and girfc determined that they would have an occasional dance— hoe downs' they were called to relieve the monotony of the long and dreary w inters The first and most important thing to do was to procure the services of a fiddler—not a violinist. because a violinist was considered entirely too high toned for the back woods dances in those days Some of the younger men who came with their parents and others for the purpose of making this part of the country their home had taken time by the forelock and had purchased fiddles and learned to play after a fashion before they started to “the new coiaitry. ’ and had learned to call” some of the figures of the country dances, so the getting things in shape for a start was not so difficult a thing as it at first apprared The largest house in the neighborhood was selected as the place w here the dance was to be held The beds were taken down and all the furniture removed, and upon a pinch there was room enough for two sets to dance, provided they did not spread out too much The boys and girls for miles around were un ited and generally were only too glad to accept the invitation, because in that way they could become belter acquainted, and many a happy marriage resulted from the acquaintance» formed and the associations of these primitive country dances As a matter of fact, the old fiddlers, who were artists in their way and could make a whole orchestra, with a caller to spare, were very few The writer remembers but one in all the region of country round about that could do it up to a turn That was Charlie Cook, who lived a short distance west of Pretty lake, and who was killed a few year ago. being gored by an infuriated bull He was not what was called a scientific Odder, but when he “rammed up his bow. and plinked and plonked and pliaiked the strings, and tuner her up. you know, and put his qtad of tobacco on the other side of his mouth, and called out 'Take partner for a quadrille. everybody knew the old fiddler would do hts level best He stood at the end of the log cabin dancing hall, and did the fiddling and calling at the same time, and you may be assured he kept the boys and girls buoy moving to the figures, down outside and up the middle.' balance all, doe see doe. ’ 'ero» over. “swing your partners. “all promenade, etc He played pieces that the old fiddlers of these days know nothing about, such as The Girl I Left Behind Me.' “Jamie's On the Sea. “Boyne Water. Fisher's Hornpipe, Arkansas Traveler, and the bke To these inspiring strains— They danced all night Till broad daylight. And wtnl home with the girb in the morning Charlie Cook was one of the pioneer of this country, having come here as an Tmftan trader in the yew 1832, and was. therefore, probably the first white settler in the ooiaity, and a representative of that class whose early years were a continued —7$—

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HISTORY OF TMK PLYMOUTH Pt'RI.ICM lioous Eva Jefflrt 19» COMMON HTHOOU Our schools are characteristic of the liberal spint of the «'durational policy which was contained in the Compact of the Ordinance of 17 7. and which in a large measure has produced the present intellectual condition at thr Northwest Territory Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind schools arvi other means of education have always been encouraged What is now thr City of Plymouth was platted in 1134. and in the Reference. l»t 131 on Mumb street was donated for a school One and one half acres adjoining on the wed was given for a county seminary Not until 1854. however, was the record of the platting acknowledging and recording the Platt of Plymouth properly certified to Although the lots were never used for the purpose for which they were donated, ample provision lor education had hern made in at cnrd.m» r u ith the spirit of the ( rd nance at 17BT. The first school in Plymouth was conducted by O F Norton m the winter of 1837. hut there is no evidence that he taught more than one term The school was held in Die old court house, which thm stood on the west side of Michigan street, near Adams From 1841 to 1846 it is said that Mr Parsons and Rev Austin Smith taught in this Court House. In l»(0 Mr». Krkstne erected a building for school purposes, where she taught for several years From )W lo 1834. school was heldina building which stood on the lot in the rear of the l.uthrran church mi Adams street This building wm also owned by private parties. Until the Constitution at 1850. the schools of the State were dependent upon local and voluntary enterprise. When the Con- stitution was adopted in 1850. the Legislature immediately took step» to establish a uniform Statr system, but not until 1866 was the present system fairly started, due to adverse decisions of the Jkiprrme Court iTior to 1850. the people did little towards sup porting the schools through taxation School» in organized communities were under I hr jurisdiction at the township truster. IxjI hts duties were confined for the mod part to assisting any one desiring to start a school by donating what little money he might obtain through the School Fund. This amount was entirely inadequate to support a teacher and the balance was obtained by charging tuition ol each pupil attending At the time that Plymouth was incorporated as a town, in 1851. e il attention was given to free school , and not until 1853 did the real awukening to the value of free schools come to the people of Plymouth At this time the population of the town was sn hundred seventy May 26 an election wax held, the purpose being to .see if the people favored a school tax The vote stood eight against and five in favor June ZJ a township election was held for the same purpose at which the vote stood thirteen opposed to seven in favor In March. 1854. the lot given to the county for a seminary was wild to the city for one hundred dollar , and on the thirtieth of the same month Mr S Morgan wav given the contract for erecting a school house This building wos completed in December of the same year It contained three school rooms and one recitation room and was considered an excaiant buildup for it time Mr W .1 Moir was chosen principal of the school and has as assistants Mrs E Crum and Miss E Adams The enrollment numbered one hundred fifty. Mr Moir was urceedcd by Mr C. H Blair, who was principal part of ooe year, when It C Burlingame look charge of the » ooi Mr Mark Cummings succeeded him in 1861 He was followed by Mr I) D laike. who remained principal until August, 1870 In I»68. a school building was erected In the third ward Upon the retirement of Mr Luke in 1870. Mr R A Chase was chosen as (uperintendent. a position which he held until 1903 During the administration of Mr Chase, many important changes took place in our school». A systematic course of study was adopted; the schools were graded; a school library was started; a high school course of study introduced for the first time, and business methods used, which brought about a rapid development of proper school facilities PHS 1876 1976 In 1874 a new budding was erected on Plumb street. July 4th the ('omerstone was laid with Masonic ceremonies On November 26th of the same year, the building was dedicated and school opened four days later. WASHINGTON SCHOOL In I8S0 a similar building was constructed adjoining the first and the two buildings are now known as the Washington Building To satisfy the conditions of a rapidly increasing population, it was found necessary in 1807 to construct a more eommoebou building in place of the “Ward building on the South Side, and this is now known as the Webster Mr Chase was succeeded in 1905 by R A Randall Upon the advent of Mr Randall some changes were made in keeping with the general trend of the educational policy of the Slate. HIGH SC HOOL The history of the High School begins with the advent of Mr Chase as superintendent of school At this time 1872-1874. Miss Cleveland taught the tugher branches in the Plymouth Schools, and when the High School was organized. September S. 1873. Miss Cleveland and Mr Chase were the lhgh School instructors The High School proper may be said to have begun at the time the new building was entered m 1874. Wm D. E. Prescott of Manchester. Iowa, was the first principal and he with Mr Chase constituted the High School instructors. The High School occupied the eastern half of the second floor. This space was dividrd into an assembly hall and one recitation room The enrollment In the High School in 1873 w as 39. As to the course of study at that time, we quote the following The High School gives instruction in mathematics a far as to surveying, in natural science, including botany, physical geography, chemistry, physiology, astronomy, natural philosophy its course m the English language embraces English, rhetoric, and English literature, to which is added political economy, general history and a thorough knowledge of book-keeping Such classes in German and Latin as may be desired are also formed The study of the constitution of the United States is required of pupils entering the High School The exercise in literary work consists of debating, essays, declamation, and readings and are held daily thus affording an amount of drill which could not be had when the exercises were held monthly A weekly recitation in the current nr» of the day is had in the High School and first grade Written examinations are held when deemed advisable, generally monthly, and at the close of each year an annual examination is had. Until 1903. few changes were made in the High School system At that time the course of study was changed and enriched; the number of instructors increased to four; the assembly hall was enlarged, recitation rooms increased to two. and a physical and botanical Laboratory room with equipment provided The enrollment increased rapidly from this time on. and in 1907 it became necessary to make changes In order to accommodate the rapidly increasing attendance The Auditorium was fitted up for an Assembly Hall The old Assembly hall was made over into three recitation rooms This gave for high school purposes a study —25—