Seven Hills High School - Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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school by the boys, who had provided themselves with provisions, in case a long siege was necessary to obtain their demands. The holiday was usually granted with a treat of apple cider and cakes. Until 1823, the curriculum of these schools consisted largely of instruction in the languages, mathematics and some rhetoric. At this time the method was slowly changed, as was shown by the 4'Cincinnati Female Academyii under Dr. John Lock. He had liberal and enlarged opinions on Hfemalei' education and introduced the higher branches of Science among the pretty creatures who assembled there. One lovely girl took a degree in mathe- matics, another in moral philosophy. They blushed so sweetly and looked so beautifully puzzled and confounded, that it was difficult for many to de- cide how far they merited a diploma? This school was of high rank and extremely popular, in fact, the daughters of the most distinguished citizens were enrolled there. Dr. Lock showed great zeal and devotion for his work, and at the same time had perfected the system of upouring oil on the troubled watersf' lt is amusing today, to read in the paper the advertisement of the Joseph Herron Academy, which appeared in 1850: 4'School for boys situated on the north side Sixth Street between Walnut and Vine, out of the business part of the city and surrounded with line private residences and shaded by beauti- ful trees. About 1855, Mr. Chickering came from the East and established a school in Avondale. It became necessary, however, to have a larger building, so it was moved to the hall of The George Street Engine House between Central Avenue and Plum Street. These private schools continued for many years to prosper and enlarge, forming the foundation for our public schools of today, and strengthening themselves for their long existence through the years. NANCY MCLAUGHLIN, 1940 Cincinnati A Literary Center uCincinnati more than any other Middle Western city, has been,', writes Henry Howe in his uHistorical Collections of Ohiof, ua literary center-a great book-publishing, book-selling martf' The bookstore of Robert Clarke and Company was one of the few literary focuses before the Nineteenth Cen- tury. Here one met the most eminent of social, literary and musical com- pany. This unusual popularity for books is credited to the integrity of our Winona, 193 9 i891

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when the water was above nine feet, but many when it was below. A census was taken, and it was decided that a plan for improvement must be adopted, that the Ohio River should be canalized by means of fifty-four locks and movable dams. When these were completed, the depth of the water would never go below nine feet, thus assuring navigation the length of the Ohio River at all times. The work was begun, and the first dam, just below Pitts- burgh where the Allegheny and Monongahela unite, was completed and ready for use in 1885. It was such a great undertaking, and the cost amounted to so much, that it was thought if the work could be hurried it would be better. This could not be done, however, because at one time funds were lacking. lt took fifty-five years to complete the work. Now that the river has been improved, and the boats to an even greater extent, it is hard for us to realize all the dangers braved by those tiny canoes and flatboats. It can truly be said that navigation has progressed as much as industries. It may have taken a long time, but it was worth it. PATSY Poem-3, 1941 Early Private Schools After the more material needs of the settlers of Cincinnati had been ac- complished, such as erecting homes and other buildings and providing fortifi- cations, the community naturally turned to the establishment of schools. It was in the early part of the nineteenth century that the first private schools of Cincinnati were founded. The children whose parents could not afford these advantages did not receive instruction. Primitive as all this may seem, Cincinnati, until the Civil War, continued to be the center of learning for the West and Southwest, and well deserved to be called the Queen City of the West. One of the first private schools for boys was established by Robert Stubbs, an Englishman, in 1800. It was called HThe Classical Schoolw and taught such subjects, as Greek, Latin, Geometry, and Rhetoric. A year or so later, a Mrs. Williams opened a school for girls on the same order. The best ex- ample of a private school of this time, however, was that of Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter. This school was held in a 10g cabin not fifteen feet square, in the district which was later known as Sedamsville. From 1810-1812, three or four other small schools started in the down- town district around Sixth and Main. These were for boys, and each school had about forty pupils. It was at these establishments that the boys learned the method of obtaining a holiday. At noon the school master went out for his lunch. On returning he would sometimes find himself barred from the W mm, 193 9 1881

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early book sellers. These business men were the first to interest people in reading and from their work has resulted much of our love for books and ultimately the establishment of libraries. Already in the late Eighteenth Century a library had been estab- lished in one of our earliest residential districts, Waliiiit Hills. This library was a private one which was well equipped with 700 volumes. The library was destroyed by fire soon after 1800. The Theological College of Lane Seminary dedicated its library in 1833. President Lyman Beecher, DD., was the president of the college when its 1000-volume library was com- pleted. The school then had an enrollment of one hundred students. There was no tuition, just a monthly payment of 35 for board. The Lane Medical College had already been endowed with 2000 volumes in the year 1825. The Cincinnati Board of Education was the first promoter of the public libraries. As early as the year 1838 or 1840 the Board had established a library in the center of the city and equipped it with 164,000 volumes. At first, each book was read approximately three times yearly. The Mercantile Library soon followed in the steps of the first Public Library. This library had a more specialized selection of books and was turned into a private library. One of the most interesting libraries was that of Mr. A. T. Coshorn. Mr. Goshorn, who refused compensation for having aided the state in engineer- ing an exposition, was given an appropriation of 310,000 by the citizens of Cincinnati. This sum was to be used in equipping one room in Mr. Gos- horn's home as a library. ln 1858 this gentleman bought books of his choice and established a private reading room. Enoch l. Carson, whose library burned several years ago, had the most complete Masonic library of the world. He also had a fine collection of Shakespearean works. One of the earliest clubs was the 4'Historical and Philosophical Societyn which was located on Garfield Place. This club possessed a library of 7000 volumes and over 40,000 pamphlets. The Unity Club was started as a Sun- day afternoon pastime for debaters and book lovers. This club later charged a nominal fee and as its membership grew it moved to the Grand Opera House where both men and women met under the leadership of librarian A. W. Whepley. The U.C.D. was founded in 1866 for ladies and gentlemen of Mt. Auburn and surrounding communities. This club devoted its weekly sessions to essays. Even earlier than this one, was founded the Literary Club under the auspices of a Librarian of Congress, A. B. Spofford. This club dis- WL wlfone, 193 9 1901