Yolo-Sonoma County CA Archives Biographies.....Dingle, Charles Edward 1852 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com January 13, 2006, 10:48 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) CHARLES EDWARD DINGLE It is the belief of many that no profession is more important and no responsibilities more weighty than those associated with the preparation of the children of our great country for the duties awaiting them in life's vast fields of labor. To such work Professor Dingle has given the entire period of manhood's activities and with a success that is recognized wherever he is known. Any record of his own life is in many respects also a history of the gradual development of the Woodland schools, with which he is connected as supervising principal and to which he has devoted the most fruitful era of his eventful career. As an educator he has been characterized particularly by a progressive spirit, a far-seeing discrimination, an intelligent vision of present opportunities and a comprehensive insight into future needs. Throughout the entire period of his association with the Woodland schools he has labored conscientiously to raise the standard of education and to secure for the young people of the city the very best possible opportunities to prepare for lives of patriotic citizenship and intelligent helpfulness. In taking up a consideration of the life of Professor Dingle we find that he is of Missourian nativity and Kentucky lineage. His father, Carter B. Dingle, was born at Georgetown, Ky., and followed the westward drift of migration, settling on a farm in Audrain county, Mo., while he was a mere youth. While in the prime of manhood, in 1860, he was taken from home and children by death. There were six children in his family, and four of these are still living. Charles Edward, who was next to the eldest, was born near Mexico, Audrain county, Mo., August 13, 1852, and at the time of the death of the father he was eight years of age. The mother, who was born in Missouri and bore the maiden name of Nancy C. Ward, afterward became the wife of John G. Dingle, a brother of her first husband; four children were born of that union, three of them being now living. Of the ten children born of both unions Charles Edward was the only one to seek a home on the Pacific coast, the others preferring to remain in the midst of scenes familiar to their early days and among the friends of their youth. It would perhaps be impossible for Professor Dingle to recall when he first formed the determination to secure an education. As a small child he was ambitious to learn. In that locality and era educational interests were at a low ebb. Little was being done for the children. The teachers were for the most part illy prepared for their profession, the text-books were few and crude, and the schoolhouses bare and uninviting. The school which Professor Dingle attended in his own home district he named "Poverty Point." The name is indicative of the barrenness of the surroundings and the difficulty experienced in securing an education there. However, he had better advantages in an academy at Mexico, Mo., and later he worked his way through the Kirksville (Mo.) State Normal, from which in 1871 he was graduated with a high standing. On his return home he began to teach in the home district. It can be understood readily that this was no easy task. All of the children were acquainted with him and some had gone to school with him, though in lower classes. To all of them he was known by his nickname of "Bud." The familiarity of old comradeship would in many instances prevent success, but that was not the case with him, for he was so remarkably fortunate in pushing the pupils forward in their studies that he was retained for three years and then resigned against the wishes of the patrons. Coming to California in 1876 and securing a school near Santa Rosa, Professor Dingle was engaged as instructor in the Rincon district for six months. From there he came to Yolo county and taught for six months in the Buchanan district. Next he taught for six months in the Rincon district and for a similar period in the Buchanan district, after which he followed the work at Black's Station. During 1880 he came to Woodland as vice-principal of the schools. There were then two school buildings and nine teachers, with about four hundred pupils. At the expiration of two years he was chosen principal and continued to serve in this capacity until 1897, when he resigned in order to serve as postmaster under the administration of President Cleveland. During the four years of his incumbency of the office of postmaster he also served as a member of the board of education, being president of the same for one year. Upon the expiration of his term as postmaster Professor Dingle again was selected as principal of the Woodland schools, and since then there has been no interruption in his association with the exacting duties of educational work. During two years of the time, although nominally supervising principal, he was continued as principal on account of shortage of funds, but since 1912 he has limited his labors to those of supervising principal. There are now three grammar schools and a kindergarten, with seventeen teachers and six hundred and fifty pupils. In addition there is a splendid high school, with seven teachers and one hundred and eighty pupils. The establishment of the kindergarten was due to the efforts of the principal, who for several years labored to arouse interest in the enterprise and finally, about 1892, was successful in having it started. From 1884 until he was appointed postmaster he served as a member of the county board of education, which has had the further benefit of his co-operation since 1910. Success in his work has given him prominence in the California State Teachers' Association and he is further an active member of the National Educational Association, whose conventions he has attended several times and in whose progressive plans he has maintained a warm interest. Although never partisan in his political views, he is loyal to the Democratic party, and, had he so desired, could have held many of the offices within the gift of his party. In fraternal relations he is connected with the Woodmen of the World and the Masons. He was made a Mason in Woodland Lodge No. 156, F. & A. M., in which he is past master, and furthermore he holds membership in the lodge of Perfection and the Rose Croix, Scottish Rite, in Sacramento. The pleasant home of Professor Dingle at No. 631 College street is presided over with rare tact and unfailing hospitality by his wife, whom he married in Petaluma, this state, and who was Miss Nellie Sims, born near Mexico, Mo., educated there and in California, and from childhood identified with the Baptist Church. They became the parents of four children. The eldest, Willie Boone, is the wife of Charles W. Ilgner and lives in Sacramento. The elder son, Carter Spence, is now in Mesa, Ariz. Eleanor Edward, who died at the age of twenty years, was a graduate of the Woodland high school and a member of the sophomore class in Mills College. The youngest member of the family circle, Charles Oscar, graduated with the class of 1912 from the Leland Stanford University. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/dingle336bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb