The Public Schools of Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All ofher rights reserved. Any ofher use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or ofher means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.roofsweb.com/wv/wvfiles.htm Source: History of Education in West Virginia Prepared under the direction of the State Superintendent of Free Schools 1904, Charleston: The Tribune Printing Company, 1904 pgs. 138 - 145 The Public Schools of Huntington BY W. H. COLE, SUPT. In the year 1870 Mr. Collis P. Huntington, after whom the city of Huntington was named, projected the extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad system, of which he was then president, from White Sul- phur Springs, which was at that time the terminus, to the Ohio river. Placing himself at the head of a prospecting party which formed the advanced crops of engineers, they came down the New River canon skirt- ing the banks of the Kanawha, over the ridge of hills to the Guyandotte river, following this river to its mouth, the broad expanse of level terri- tory to the west suggested to his mind the site for a future city. He set his agents to work to procure the land along the Ohio river from Guyandotte west a distance of some three or four miles and ex- tending back over the hills skirting the valley to the south. In 1871 engineers under the direction of Mr. Rufus Cook were set to work to lay out the future city with broad avenues extending east and west and streets of ample width crossing these at right angles. The city is one of the most handsomely laid out of any along the river. In 1873 the completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad to this point and the location of the C. & O. repair shops and the Ensign car works, marked the beginning of the importance of the new city. In 1878 the work of extending the road to Cincinnati was commenced, but nof till 1887 was this enterprise completed. The people who built the city believevd [sic] in education as an essential element and factor in an enterprise of this character. Early in the autumn to 1872 the first school building, a house of four rooms, was erected on the corner of Fourth avenue and Seventh street, known as the "Buffington School," being named after an old and influential family in the early settlement of the valley. In 1882 this was enlarged to eight rooms and continued in use until November, 1898, when the new building corner of Fifth avenue and Sixth street was completed and occupied. The old building was given to the city by the Board of Education for hospital purposes In 1875 a building of two rooms was erected on the corner of Third avevnue and Twenty-second street for the accommodation of the rapidly increasing population around the car works. In 1885 this building was increased to tour rooms, and in 1904 this structure gave place to a hand- some, commodious buiding of eight rooms. In 1888, at an outlay of some $35,000, a fine modern styled school building of ten rooms, office and basement, was erected on the corner of Fifth avenue and Thirteenth street. The building was named the "Oley School" in honor of Gen. John N. Oley, one of the most pofent factors in all the progress of the schools and the city from its inception to the time of his death, in March, 1888. In 1900 this building was enlarged to twelve rooms, and automatic self-flushing sanitary closets were placed in the basement, to take the place of the dry air system. This building is heated and ventilated by the "Smead System" of warming and ventilating. In 1891 to provide for the rapid growth of the city and increase of school population, a building of eight rooms was erected on the corner of Sixth avenue and Twentieth street, and named the "Holderby School" in honor of one of the pioneer families of the city. In 1899 this building was enlarged to fourteen rooms. The building is warmed and ventilated with hof air furnaces and is supplied with automatic self-flushing sanitary closets. In 1893 a substantial stone and brick building of six rooms was erect- ed on the corner of Eighth avenue and Sixteenth street, known as the "Douglas School." This building is for the use of colored pupils. In 1890 a small building of two roms [sic] was erected near the Chesa- peake and Ohio shops known as the "C. and O." school. In 1898 a large and handsome building was completed on the corner of Fifth avenue and Sixth street, known as the "Buffington School." This takes the place of the first school building erected in the city in 1872 on the corner of Fourth avenue and Seventh street. These two buildings may be regarded as typical, and taken as milestones, marking the growth, of the city. The building has twelve school rooms, large and well lighted, and two smaller class rooms, besides a well lighted basement. This build- ing is modern in its style of architecture, equipment and furnishing. It is warmed and ventilated by what is known as the double fan system, or supply and exhaust. The pure warmed air is blown into the room above the blackboards and the foul air exhausted at the floor line by means of two large fans operated by a fifteen bourse power gas engine, thus insur- ing an ample supply of pure wholesome well warmed air at all times. In addition to the air admitted to the rooms above the blackboards, thus avoiding unpleasant drafts on pupils while studying registers for the admission of warm air are also provided at the floor line for the pur- pose of warming cold feet and of drying damp clofhing. This is done by operating a valve in the warm air flue, enabling the teacher to de- liver the warm air into the room at the floor or above the blackboards as desired, by merely changing the position of the valve. The population of the city having so rapidly increased it was found necessary in 1903 to replace the building on the corner of Third avenue and Twenty-second street with a larger, more modern and better equipped building. A site was secured on the corner of Fourth avenue and Twenty- first street, and a modern stone and brick building of eight rooms was erected known as the "Ensign School," named after Major Ely Ensign, one of the pioneer manufacturers of the city, for many years at the head of the car works. There is a well lighted basement under the entire build- ing in which is located the furnaces and the automatic, self-flushing, sani- tary closets. This building is heated with warm air and is provided with the duplicate registers for delivering warm air into the rooms at the floor or above the blackboards. CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL To supply the demands tor the rapidly growing High School which had been accommodated in the Oley building, it was found necessary to erect a building which should be constructed to meet the needs of the modern High School. Accordingly a site was procured on Fifth avenue adjoining the Oley School, and a modern High School building is being erected, (1904). The building is in Moorish style of architecture and when finished will be a very handsome, a very convenient and well equipped building. It will be warmed and ventilated by the most modern system of warming and ventilating, and supplied with modern sanitary closets. This building will be provided with a good working laboratory well supplied with modern apparatus. This building is 129x88 feet, is the latest addition to the school build- ings of the city, and combines beauty and utility in a high degree. It is in Moorish style of architecture. The foundation is of rough ashler, pitched faced brick, dark red color, with free stone water table. The superstructure is of pressed brick buff color with a darker shade for trim- mings, making a very pleasing color scheme added to form in archi- tecture. The rooms are of ample size, ceilings high with abundance of light. The corridors are of good width but with no waste room in them. The building is warmed and ventilated by the double fan system, the air being delivered into the rooms by one fan and exhausted by anofher, the fans being operated by a gas engine; the proper temperature being in- sured by a large furnace capacity. The air is delivered into the rooms by a double system of registers from the same warm air flue, one located above the blackboard and the ofher at the floor line; the change in the point of delivery being under the easy control of the teacher. In this way pupils coming to school with damp clofhing or wet, cold feet, may dry and warm them without leaving the room. As soon as all are com- fortable, by the moving of a valve or damper, the air is delivered into the room above the blackboard, thus avoiding disagreeable currents of warm air. The sanitary closets in the basement are of the latest and best type of automatic, self-flushing closets. Besides accommodations in the well-lighted basement for the warming and ventilating apparatus and sanitary closets, there will be room for physical exercise in disagreeable weather, and ample provision for an industrial, or manual training department, besides a cafe for the use of those obliged to bring their dinners. On the first floor there are six large, well-lighted school rooms, with cloak closets Independently warmed and ventilated, and provided with water and stationary wash basins; and two smaller rooms to be used as needed in the administration of the building, for office, library, or cabinet. On the second floor there is an auditorium and study hall 76x48 feet, well lighted, accommodating with desks 330 pupils, or seating capacity for an audience of 800 people. Adjacent to this room, on the same floor, are six recitation rooms. On the third floor are six rooms, besides a large room for gymnasium. Here are ample accommodations for a well-equipped scientific department. Besides a lecture room, seated in amphitheatre form, with ample over-head light, for experimental lessons, there is a large well-lighted room for a Chemical Laboratory, rooms for physics, bofany, and zoology and physi- ology. The building complete, with warming and ventilating apparatus, will cost less than $40,000, which, considering its capacity, more than twenty rooms, and the material, pressed brick, may be regarded as a marvel of cheapness. PUBLIC LIBRARY An important part of the educational system of the city is the Public Library. The building is the gift of Andrew Carnegie. It is located on one of the important corners in the city. The building is 66x72 feet, two stories high, besides a ten-foof basement; with ample reading rooms, reference library, and stack room for forty thousand volumes on the first floor. On the second floor is a music hall or auditorium where concerts, lectures and ofher entertainments of an educational character can be held; while the basement will afford accommodations for carrying out the "institutional" idea in connection with educational work. The building itself is a "classic in stone," being of cut stone and in Grecian style of architecture, and "he who runs may read." The library is a part of the educational system of the city under the control and management of the board of education, and is administered by a committee appointed by the board, of which the Superintendent of schools is chairman. While nof neglecting any department of literature it is the policy of the administration of the library to make it strong in the line of juvenile literature, and helpful to the young in their work in school, and in forming a taste for good literature. Already a juvenile course of reading has been established and catalogue of books published. ORGANIZATION AND COURSE OF STUDY The course of study extends over a period of twelve years, eight years up to the High School, and four years in the High School. While a liberal variety of subjects is provided in the course of study, the essential branches—reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, geography and language are made prominent. Reading, embracing correct pronunciation, distinct articulation, clear apprehension and forcible expression of the thought, related ideas and literature; legibility, neatness and rapidity in writing; in arithmetic accuracy, rapidity, and neatness; geography that begins at home and re- lates places, conditions, and peculiarities in the minds of pupils as real vital things; language that comprehends the book and the common, every day speech of the child—these are some of the important things that are constantly insisted upon in the schools. THE HIGH SCHOOL In the High School two courses are offered with a possible third. The regular courses are Latin and English. A third Greek and Latin or classical course, is offered whenever a sufficient number of pupils signify their desire to take it to justify the organization of a class. Nearly all pupils take the Latin course, as this affords a most ex- cellent training in English, besides giving a broad, general educational culture. While the trend of the High School course is towards the College, and while the school is one of the accepted schools whose work is recog- nized and accepted by the State University and ofher institutions of higher education, the object kept steadily in view is the giving of that education and training which best fits the citizen for the practical affairs of life. POST GRADUATE COURSES Many young people are obliged to leave school before completing the course of study, and many who complete the prescribed course too fre- quently discontinue their habits of systematic study and reading. To provide for these, and for all ofhers who wish to avail themselves of its advantages, to stimulate and encourage to further literary attainments, Post Graduate courses of study and reading are offered. While primarily intended for young people these courses are nof restricted to them, but the Board of Education extends their provisions to all, and cordially invites any who may wish to avail themselves of their advantages to do so, believing that a maximum of good may thereby be ac- complished at a minimum of cost. This provision is made in harmony with the idea of Night Schools and Free Lecture Courses, now beng provided by Boards of Education in many cities; and with the University Extension Courses offered by higher institutions of learning throughout the country, encouraging study, and habit of reading by those who cannof give continued daily attendance upon school. All, persons intending to pursue any of the courses are requested to enroll their names with the Superintendent of Schools, and the Board of Education will provide such facilities tor aiding in the work as may be deemed best, such as Previews, Reviews, Lectures, Examinations, etc., on the books of the course. Three courses are offered, namely. Literature, History and Biography, Science and Art. Persons can complete any one of the courses in full; or may select a course from the three courses which shall be an equivalent of one complete course. Upon satisfactory evidence that the work has been thoroughly done, the Board of Education, upon the annual commencement of the High School, or such ofher time as the Board may appoint, will present to all persons thus completing any or all of the courses a certificate of the fact, given under the seal of the Board of Education. KOSTEB OF SUPERINTENDENTS The following is a list of those who have had charge of the schools from 1872 to 1904. 1872 to 1874, Lyman Chase. 1874 to 1876, A. D. Chesterman. 1875 to 1876, John Gibson. 1876 to 1877, Rev. A. Bowers. 1877 to 1879, Rev. James Madison. 1879 to 1882, John Wizal. 1882 to 1884, C. T. H. Kellogg 1884 to 1886, A. D. Selby. 1886 to 1887, J. J. Allison. 1887 to 1896, James M. Lee. 1896 to 1898, W D. Sterling. 1898 to ——, W. H. Cole.