Education from Beers History of Warren County, Ohio
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The History of Warren County, Ohio

Education

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Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 21 December 2004

Sources:
The History of Warren County Ohio
Part III. The History of Warren County by Josiah Morrow
Chapter VI. General Progress
(Chicago, IL: W. H. Beers Co, 1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, IN: Windmill Publications, 1992)
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The character of the pioneer schools of the county has already been described. To illustrate the manner in which subscription schools were opened and maintained, the following advertisement from a Lebanon paper is copied. The date of the advertisement is March 7, 1817. Westfield was the name then recently adopted for the town now known as Red Lion:

NOTICE.—The inhabitants of Westfield, together with the adjacent neighborhoods, will please to observe that as soon as practicable the subscriber intends opening a school at the brick schoolhouse at the customary price of two dollar per quarter, one-half in produce

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at market price. Those who may wish to encourage literature may send a short or longer time, discretionally with themselves, of which there will be an accurate account kept, and strict attention paid, by
The public's most obedient humble servant,
ANTHONY GEOHEGAN.

There was much opposition throughout the State, in its early history, to the principle of supporting free schools by taxation. The first law in Ohio authorizing taxation for school purposes and providing for the management of schools by local officers elected by the people, was passed in 1825; yet, in 1837, there were no free schools in the State outside of Cincinnati, and, excepting in the larger towns, where good private teachers were encouraged, but few schools afforded, even for three or four months in the year, instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic. The country schools in Warren County were perhaps not inferior to those of any other county in the State, yet the greater portion of the children of the county, were under the instruction, for two, three, four or five months in the year, of teachers who were generally young men, and, with some exceptions, were without the education, culture or training to fit them for the proper conduct of elementary schools. In 1838, Samuel Lewis, the first State School Superintendent, wrote in his annual report: "Every possible variety is found in the character of the teachers, and the kind and manner of instruction. There is this encouragement, however: The people are very generally convinced of present defects, and seem determined to remedy the evils. There are but few places where a teacher can be employed who does not pretty well understand English grammar and geography, in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic."

From the best attainable sources of information—the early school statistical reports being incomplete and inaccurate—it would appear that in the year 1840, the average monthly wages of male teachers in Warren County were about $20; of female teachers, about $14. From this time, the wages gradually increased, until they attained their maximum in 1870, the average monthly wages of teachers in the elementary schools for that year being reported at $45 for gentlemen, and $34 for ladies. In 1880, they were $39 for gentlemen, and $32 for ladies. In 1880, there were in the county 103 schoolhouses, valued at $114,000, and containing 149 schoolrooms.

The first teachers' institute in the southern part of Ohio was held at Cincinnati in February, 1847. The first teachers' institute in Warren County was held in the hall of the academy at Maineville, in the summer of 1852, and was continued five days. Among the teachers of the county who were instructors at this institute were Josiah Hurty, of Lebanon; C. W. Kimball, of Maineville; W. T. Hawthorn, J. S. Morris and C. W. Harvey. Lectures were delivered by L. A. Hine and C. Knowlton. Prof. James E. Murdoch, the distinguished actor and elocutionist, gave an evening entertainment of select readings, which highly delighted the large audience of teachers and citizens present. Resolutions were adopted requesting the court to fill the vacancies then existing in the Board of County School Examiners with practical teachers; favoring the establishment of lyceums and libraries in every town and neighborhood, and recommending every teacher to acquaint himself with the phonetic system, with a view to its practical introduction. The report of W. T. Hawthorn, Secretary of the institute, concludes as follows:

"Thus has terminated the first institute of Warren County. Those only who were present can fully appreciate the rich treat that was there afforded. It is not yet nine mouths since the association was organized by a few enterprising teachers, who, 'solitary and alone,' have faithfully attended the regular monthly meetings, while other teachers have looked on, wondering what good a teachers' association could do. Those who attended know, and the community, through them, will soon feel the benefits of this institute. Now

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that the work is fairly under way in our county, we cordially invite those teachers who have heretofore held back to unite in a good cause and aid in revolutionizing the common schools of our county. The exercises were highly interesting and instructive. The best methods of teaching the different branches was discussed. The attendance of the citizens evinced their interest in the exercises. A respectable number was in attendance all the time, and often a large audience. Each evening, the spacious hall, lighted at the expense of the citizens, was crowded until a late hour."

Since 1852, annual county teachers' institutes have been held, with increasing success and widening influence for good as their objects and advantages became known. Among the distinguished men not connected with the schools of the county who have assisted at these institutes as instructors and lecturers, may be named Dr. A. D. Lord, Prof. Daniel Vaughn, E. E. White, John Hancock, John Ogden, W. D. Henkle and W. H. Venable. At times, nearly the whole work of conducting the institute has devolved on the three County School Examiners. The institute fund provided by the school law, consisting of two-thirds of the amount received from the 50-cent fee paid by applicants for teachers' certificates has usually been found sufficient to defray the entire expenses of the County Teachers' Institute.

The Warren County Teachers' Association, organized in 1851, has continued in existence until the present. Its meetings are held monthly during the school year. The exercises are generally of a practical character, and mere speech-making is discouraged. Both the annual institutes and the monthly meetings of the association are attended by the most progressive and energetic teachers of the county.

While the common schools of Ohio have always been intended to be strictly undenominational, the question of religion in the public schools is one that has caused considerable discussion. The question whether the Bible should be formally read and the schools opened in the morning with religious exercises has, in portions of the county, caused rancorous animosity. There has never been any legislation on the subject in Ohio, the legal decision of the question being left under the laws to the local Boards of Education, who may prescribe, allow or forbid such exercises. In Warren County, the local boards have seldom taken action on the subject, and the matter has been left, generally, to the discretion of the teacher. The question was most vehemently discussed soon after the passage of a resolution, in 1869; by the Cincinnati Board of Education, forbidding the reading of the Bible and other religious books in the public schools of that city. This resolution led to a contest in the courts, which lasted four years, and was settled by a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court of Ohio sustaining the resolution. The spirit of the elaborate opinion of the court was averse to Bible-reading and religious instruction in public schools supported by common taxation. Of late years, a large majority of the teachers of Warren County have voluntarily refrained from Bible-reading, religious exercises and religious instruction in the public schools.

County School Examiners.—A system for the examination and certification of teachers has existed ever since the passage of the first law in Ohio for the support of education by taxation, but the number of Examiners and the method of their appointment have fluctuated. Strangely, however, the law has uniformly styled the persons appointed, School Examiners, although their duty has been confined to the examination and the granting of certificates of qualification to teachers. In 1825, the law provided for the appointment, by the Court of Common Pleas, of three Examiners, and enumerated the branches of study in common schools as "reading, writing, arithmetic and other necessary branches of a common education." In 1829, the number of Examiners was

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placed at not less than five nor more than the number of townships in the county. In 1834, the number of Examiners was limited to five, but it was made the duty of the Examiners to appoint a suitable person in each township to examine female teachers only. The act of 1836 provided for three Examiners in each township, but in 1838, the law again provided for three School Examiners for the whole county, which has continued to be the law until the present time. In 1853, the appointment of Examiners was vested in the Probate Court, and applicants were required to be examined in "orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and English grammar." Previous to 1858, the examinations of applicants for teachers' certificates were conducted in a very loose and unsatisfactory manner. For many years, a single member of the Board of Examines could examine any applicant at any time the application was made, and write out a certificate of qualification. Intelligent men, however, were generally appointed Examiners. The first Board of Examiners appointed under the act of 1825 consisted of A. H. Dunlevy, John M. Houston and Phineas Ross. Among others who held this office previous to 1853 may be mentioned Judge Collett, Gov. Morrow, Jonathan K. Wilds, Lauren Smith and Thomas F. Thompson.

Since the passage of the act of 1853, more care has been taken in the licensing of teachers for the public schools. Regular meetings have been held for the examination of applicants, at which at least two of the Examiners must be present. Applicants are examined in all the branches named in the law fixing the qualifications of teachers. A register has been kept, and is preserved, giving the names of all persons who have received certificates of qualification in Warren County since the 3d day of May, 1853, and the dates and grades of their certificates.

The following are the names of the School Examiners of Warren County since 1853:

C. Elliot, 1853-54; D. S. Burson, 1853-54; C. W. Kimball, 1858-55; Josiah Hurty, 1853-54; Rev. J. H. Coulter, 1854-54; William W. Wilson, 1855-57; J. H. Elder, 1855-58; W. T. Hawthorn, 1855-56; Rev. Marsena Stone, 1856-60; John W. F. Foster, 1857-60; Rev. W. W. Colmery, 1858-60, William D. Henkle, 1860-64; Thomas B. Van Horne, 1861-62; Rev. J. F, Smith, 1862-63; Rev. E. K. Squier, 1862-65; John C. Kinney, 1863-64; Rev. W. W. Colmery, 1864-66; W. P. Harford, 1864-72; Rev. Lucien Clark. 1865-67; Charles W. Kimball, 1866-67; Charles W. Harvey, 1867-68; John. C. Ridge, 1867-68; John C. Kinney, 1868-70; Peter Sellers, 1868-69; J. B. Nickerson, 1869-71; A. W. Cunningham, 1872-74; Peter Sellers, 1874-78. Hampton Bennet (1870), Josiah Morrow (1871), F. M. Cunningham (1878). The last named three being the Examiners in 1882.


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