Alexander County IL Archives History - Books .....Chapter XVIII Schools 1910 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 19, 2007, 10:01 pm Book Title: A History Of The City Of Cairo Illiniois CHAPTER XVIII THE SCHOOLS OF THE CITY DURING the existence of the Holbrook administration from 1836 to 1842, when the population of the town ranged from less than a hundred to two thousand people, there were no doubt one or two schools in Cairo. They were private schools, sustained by the individual subscriptions of the parents of the pupils. We have not been able to find any record or writing about such schools; but Mr. Moses B. Harrell, in his short history of 1864, names one or two individuals who taught school here then. As in many other cases, a very thorough search would no doubt bring to light information now deemed as non-existent; but it is quite impossible to devote more than a reasonable amount of time and labor to going over and through sources which might be supposed possibly to contain historical facts of some importance. We must gather diligently that we may have the opportunity of choice, and we must sift carefully that the best only may be preserved. We have a fairly full record of what was done for the maintenance of schools in Cairo commencing with the year 1853. Much of it is found in a large book called the "Journal," containing pages 632, which was opened for the Trustees of Schools for that year by Mr. Moses B. Harrell their treasurer and secretary. The Trustees were Bailey S. Harrell, William Dickey and P. Corcoran. At the commencement of that year they had no school-house, and their first step was to apply to the legislature for leave to use the interest on the funds obtained by the sale of school lands above town for the erection of a school house "for the inhabitants of the township" On the 10th day of February, 1853, the legislature passed the act they requested; but it required the Trustees to conform to section 81 of the act of February 12, 1849, which provided that when the trustees desired to have a school-house built they should have a public meeting of the voters and ascertain their wishes in regard to the matter. This was done, and on the 21st day of May, 1853, the voters assembled and held their meeting, of which Samuel S. Taylor was the chairman and J. J. Rutter the secretary. The resolution drawn up and offered for the building of the school-house at the cost of not exceeding five hundred dollars, was unanimously adopted; and on the 31st day of May, 1853, Bryan Shannessy was given the contract to build a school-house, twenty-five by forty-five feet and twelve feet high, for five hundred and seventy-five dollars. The specifications for the building, furniture, etc., are all found set out in full in the said Journal, as are also the notices and all other proceedings. Shannessey was required by the written contract to complete the house by the 15th of October, 1853. The trustees, Bailey S. Harrell, William Dickey and P. Corcoran, on the 27th of August, of the same year, entered into a contract with Charles T. Lind to teach the school for one year, commencing September 1st, for six hundred and twenty-five dollars, payable in quarterly instalments. He was to furnish all the fuel, and was to insure the house for one year for the use of the trustees. He taught the school and was paid, as required by the contract. The record of all these proceedings, as entered in the said Journal, shows that the school-house was to be built upon a lot to be donated by the Trustees of the Cairo City Property. The deed was made December 22, 1853, the day before the Peter Stapleton and John Howley deeds were made for lots down on Third Street near Commercial Avenue, and is for lot numbered thirty, in block numbered forty-seven, in the city of Cairo. It is on the north side of Eleventh Street about one hundred and fifty feet east of Walnut Street. The building at this time standing there and used for colored children is the same one contracted for and built in 1853; and the first school taught therein was by Charles T. Lind, commencing September 1, 1853. It has been used almost continuously for the long period of fifty-six years. Few of us know of the memories and associations connected with the little building. We must call attention, however, to the strong provision in the deed to the effect that the lot was conveyed to the Trustees of Schools of the township "for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a common school in the city of Cairo," and for no other purpose or use whatsoever and only so long as the same should be used by the inhabitants of the said district for said purpose and use aforesaid and no longer. While this restricted use is stated in strong language, there is no provision or language for its reversion to the grantors or any one else in case it should be used for other than school purposes. The whole of the property of the Trustees of the Cairo City Property was sold in 1876 and a new trust formed, called the Cairo Trust Property. We do not remember that the decrees and conveyances made at this time provided in any way that reversionary interests in property like this should go to the new trust or to any one else; and we venture to say that it is highly probable that the Trustees of Schools now have and hold an absolute and indefeasible title to the said lot, and that they may deal with it as with any real estate conveyed to them without any conditions whatsoever. The record book above spoken of, called the "Journal," contains nothing more regarding the employment of teachers. It seems that there were no school directors at that time and that the trustees acted as directors. We have found a number of old schedules kept by teachers, beginning with the year 1855. Some of the teachers seem to have been employed for two or three or more years. We give their names up to the year 1865, although it may be there were some whose names we have not obtained. Some time ago I had prepared a number of pages in outline, expecting to fill the blanks therein with information I supposed I could easily obtain. The pages commenced with the Douglas School building on Walnut Street between Douglas and Fourteenth Streets, which was erected in 1864 by Messrs. Rankin, Wood and Wickwire, under the supervision of directors Daniel Hurd, William J. Yost and Moses B. Harrell, and came on up to the Elmwood School building, erected in 1908-1909 by Mr. Frank Ferguson, under the supervision of Mr. Casper Kusener, architect, and the Board of Education, composed of the Hon. Walter Warder, president, Edward L. Gilbert, H. H. Halliday, P. H. Smyth, Mary B. Wenger, E. D. Carey, J. H. Galligan, Anna G. White, C. B. S. Pennebaker and W. F. Gibson; but I have found it so difficult to obtain the necessary information that I have not been able to complete the statements. Mr. Edward L. Gilbert, a member of the present board, and for many years its secretary, informed me that he had made a long and diligent search but could not find the record or minute book or books of the board prior to April, 1902, at which time the present book began. I regret this very much; for the people of Cairo have taken a very great interest in their public schools, and I desired to embrace in this history as much concerning them as their importance would seem to require. Not being able to present a reasonably full account, I have thought best not to undertake to present one in a very imperfect form. The members of the board from its establishment, almost forty years ago, have uniformly endeavored to do the very best they possibly could for the people of the city in the support and maintenance of our schools. There has been a steady and wholesome growth in the schools all the time. The expense of their maintenance has been comparatively large, not to say heavy, especially when the ordinary expenses have had to be increased by large sums required for new buildings. It is well known that the expenditures have been larger because of the fact that the colored people are not possessed of property subject to taxation to such an extent as to meet what would be regarded as their proportionate share of the burden under ordinary circumstances. The white people have had in large measure to maintain schools for both races. The law made it their duty, and it is only simple justice to them to have it said that they have cheerfully borne the burden of the additional expense. If there has ever been any lack upon the part of our boards of education to discharge fully the duties owed by the public to the colored people we do not know when it has occurred. All our citizens have felt that it was a matter of very great importance that all of the children in the city, without distinction of race, should be afforded ample opportunity for securing an education. They have looked upon it as absolutely necessary in any view that might be taken of the needs of the city and the public at large. Under these circumstances, with so large a proportion of colored people in the city, our boards of education have had no easy task to perform. They have endeavored to please, so far as it was in their power, both the white and the colored people, the latter of whom have at times made complaints, but it is believed that in very few cases, if any at all, was there any just ground for dissatisfaction. It was not until the year 1865 that the directors chose a superintendent of schools. Our first superintendent of schools was Mr. E. A. Angel, who had charge of the schools from the summer of 1865 to the summer of 1866. The superintendents succeeding him with the terms of service are as follows: E. P. Burlingham, 1866-1869; Joel G. Morgan, 1869-1870; H. S. English, 1870-1871; W. H. Raymond, 1871-1872; George G. Alvord, 1872-1881 ; M. Bigley, 1881-1882; E. S. Clark, 1882-1883; B. F. Armitage, 1883-1886; and Taylor C. Clendenen, 1886 to the present time, a period of twenty-four years. Of these nine superintendents, whose services have extended over a period of forty-five years, only four served more than one year. They were E. P. Burlingham, three years; Prof. Alvord, nine years; Prof. Armitage, three years, and Prof. Clendenen, twenty-four years as above stated Prof. English died here while superintendent. Only a very few of our people remember Professors Angel, English and Raymond. Professors Burlingham and Alvord are remembered by a great many. Prof. Burlingham seemed to be a great favorite with all the teachers and the pupils. He seemed to have given character to the schools, which continued for some time. It was of a kind that seemed to meet with pretty general approval, but was somewhat criticized by others. It was remarked that on all public occasions his pupils appeared to great advantage. This was true, but I do not suppose that persons so speaking of the schools meant to imply that they were in any other respects inferior. Prof. Alvord, here nine years, seemed to impress upon the schools something of his own individuality. He was a remarkably affable and well-appearing man, and I have no doubt that under his supervision the schools were well conducted. Mrs. Alvord was a very talented lady and a fine teacher. Prof. Armitage left us and went to Mattoon in 1886. He was also liked very much, but for reasons of health, I believe, he desired to go elsewhere. Prof. Clendenen has been here almost three times as long as any of the former superintendents. This speaks much more for him than anything I might say. He has gone forward, year after year, in his own way of management and according to his best judgment, and that he has been successful in his long and arduous work, no one can doubt. No one knows better than the superintendent what the duties are which such a position imposes. To have been at the head of schools, such as we have had here for a quarter of a century with the children of the two races to be educated and trained, signifies hard and exacting work and faithful service. The names of the present Board of Education are as follows: H. H. Halliday, President; Edward L. Gilbert, Secretary; Mary B. Wenger, Anna G. White, C. B. S. Pennebaker, James H. Galligan, W. F. Gibson, Walter Wood, W. M. Hurt, P. T. Langan, Herman C. Schuh and J. J. Rendleman. The names of the present teachers in the public schools are as follows: Superintendent, Taylor C. Clendenen; Supervisor of Music, Laura A. Miller; Supervisor of Drawing, Pauline Vanderburgh. Cairo High School: J. Earl Midkiff, Commercial; Margaret Wilson, English; Elizabeth Smith, History; G. Pearl Mulberry, Domestic Science; Clara B. Way, Latin; C. O. Gittinger, Mathematics; Sheldon R. Allen, Manual Training; Maude Hastings, Latin and English; and E. H. Carlson, Science. Douglas School: Henry E. Alvis, Principal; assistants, Margaret Leuschen, Zulima M. Smith, Allie Chambers, Ethel Barry, Reta Cohn, Jennie E. Dewey, and Anna Riley Redman. Safford School: Ella Hogan, Principal; assistants, Maude Ehlman, Pearl Cohen, Julia Farrin, Maude Palmer and Carrie J. Miller. Lincoln School: I. H. Hook, Principal; assistants, Laura I. Milford, Katherine Walbaum, Alice Wenger, Emma Carey, Bessie Batterton, Helen Lippitt and Frances W. Bennett. Elmwood School: Ralph W. Jackson, Principal; assistants, Mabel Lancaster, Margaret Whitaker, Ella Armstrong Blauvelt and Ellen B. Fisher. Woodside School: Delia Hurst. Sumner High School: John C. Lewis, Principal; Ben H. Mosby, English, History, and Athletics; Mabel C. Warrick, History and Domestic Science; assistants, Cordelia O. Lewis, Eva C. Self, Mattie E. Guy Lott, F. F. Bowlar, Alma Partee, Lydia Amos, Lida Tyler, and Ida M. Bedford. Garrison School: Emma L. Minnis, Myra V. Scott, Josie Ruffin and Nancy A. Bugg. Greeley School: Ernestine Jenkins, Principal; assistants, Azalea Dumas, Georgia Bugg and Araminta Taylor. Bruce School: H. S. Sanders, Principal; assistants, Edmonia A. Watkins and Amelia Pearson. Phillips School: Hannah M. Harper. During the last thirty or more years, there have also been one or more private schools in the city. For many years the Catholics maintained a "Female Academy of the Sisters of Loretto." The prospectus of the institution will be found in the "Cairo Morning News" of September, 1864, setting forth that the institution would open on the first Monday in October. They purchased block seventy-eight in the First Addition to the city of Cairo and erected on the westerly end thereof excellent buildings for their school purposes. It was patronized largely by Cairn people and also by many persons living in the adjacent parts of the country. It was discontinued many years ago, but for what reasons I am not able to state. It may have been because of the influence and growing strength of other similar institutions which drew from the same fields of support. The Germans also maintained for many years a school for the teaching of German to their own children and such others as their parents desired to send to their school. The Catholics have always had one or more private schools, and they have now two flourishing schools, the one under the care of St. Patrick's church, and the other under the care of St. Joseph's church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: A HISTORY OF THE CITY OF CAIRO ILLINOIS BY JOHN M. LANSDEN WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS CHICAGO R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY 1910 COPYRIGHTED, 1910 BY JOHN M. LANSDEN The Lakeside Press R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY CHICAGO File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/alexander/history/1910/ahistory/chapterx132gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 15.9 Kb