Ohio History Journal

422        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

FOURTH SESSION.

At the Saturday morning meeting President Randall turned

the program over to Prof. F. P. Goodwin, of Woodward High

School, Cincinnati, who conducted the meeting in the interest of

teachers of history. After some preliminary remarks regard-

ing the value of local history as illustrative of national move-

ments and of methods designed to utilize it in this way, Mr.

Goodwin introduced the chief speaker of the morning, Prof.

Arthur W. Dunn, the Director of Civics in the Indianapolis pub-

lic schools.

The paper of Prof Dunn is not here reproduced as it was

published in the complete report of the Association annual meet-

ing, as well as in the Indiana Quarterly Magazine of History for

December, 1908.

 

 

LOCAL HISTORY IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

 

Miss MAY LOWE,

Circleville, Ohio.

Is he an educated man who, though versed in mathematics, in lan-

guages, in all the lore of the ancient civilizations, does not know that

(it may be) where now stands his home once was waged as deadly

and as cruel a war as ever startled Europe; that here dwelt a strange

people of mysterious lineage, who wrought with their hands as remark-

able structures as the Pyramids--who wrought with their minds as

abstruse problems as did Euclid?

Can the resident of Pickaway County be termed educated, who,

though trained in the history of foreign countries does not know of

the remarkable fortifications (prehistoric remains) upon the site of which

the county seat now stands-who does not know of the noble chiefs

Logan and Cornstalk, and of the latter's sister (one as mighty as the

chief in council and in war) the Grenadier Squaw?

What of those citizens of Marietta who are ignorant of the doings

of the hardy pioneers who here laid the foundation of the first town

in Ohio, and at the same time blazed the trail for others whose coming

opened up all that vast region west of the Alleghanies? What of those

citizens of Marietta who do not know that within twelve miles of them

was that unique and beautiful house which was the scene of one of the

most romantic episodes in any history; in which was hatched the stu-

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Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Historical Association.       423

 

pendous scheme for the establishment of that great Western Empire

which Aaron Burr should rule.

What may be said of those citizens of New Lexington, who do

not know that less than a half century ago, there worked and played

about the beautiful hills with which they are so familiar, a young boy,

who, by his learning, his intrepid spirit, his sympathy with the oppressed,

was destined to "change the face of Eastern Europe"; who inspired the

Russo-Turkish war; who died in far-away Constantinople, and who, to-

day, lies in the little St. Rose cemetery, his grave marked by a huge

unhewn boulder, his name forever enshrined in the hearts of those who

know--MacGahan, Liberator of Bulgaria?

Endless, indeed, is the list of historical events bearing upon the

various localities of this great country; and endless will be the profit

and pleasure assured to the boy and girl to whose attention are brought

these events. For, once brought to their notice in the right way, they

will prove a source of infinite delight to the children, who will not be

slow in connecting the links until, at length, there is strung together in

their minds a chain of knowledge of historical events dealing with their

neighborhoods. And it will become, to them, an endless chain, for they

will follow it along, will add links dealing with their county, their

state, their Nation, and eventually, other nations.

It rests with parents and teachers to stimulate this interest.

That a knowledge of local historical happenings is considered of

importance, by thinkers and writers, is a matter of record. Note what

Whittier says:

"Our mother, while she turned her wheel

Or run the new-knit stocking-heel,

Told how the Indian hordes came down

At midnight on Cocheco town,

And how her own great-uncle bore

His cruel scalp-mark to fourscore,

Recalling, in her fitting phrase,

So rich and picturesque and free,

(The common unrhymed poetry

Of simple life and country ways,)

The story of her early days."

And coming nearer home we have the words of the venerable Dr.

William Henry Venable, with whom many of you are personally

acquainted, and who is honored throughout the land. In a letter written

some ten days ago, he says, "The topic is exceedingly important," and

he expresses himself as being in perfect sympathy with the objects of

the Ohio Valley Historical Association and mentions a number of his

friends among the members. It is needless to say to you, who know

him so well, that much of his work in prose and many of his poems

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424        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

testify to his interest in the subject of local history. Beside that noble

poem, "The Founders," written for your Central Ohio Valley History

Conference, a year ago, we find in his latest volume many poems (among

them, "John Filson," "A Ballad of Old Kentucky," and "Wending

Westward,") which breathe forth a spirit of interest in events which

shaped the history of a region with which we are all familiar.

Dr. John B. Peaslee, for many years the Superintendent of the

Public Schools of Cincinnati, and author of that instructive and enter-

taining book "Thoughts and Experiences In and Out of School," has

done a great deal to call attention to the value of this subject, as well

as to encourage its study. I trust I am not going too far when I say

that there seems to have been, on the part of those in authority, either

some prejudice against or some lack of knowledge of the importance

of this subject as a part of the work of the public schools. To over-

come, in any measure, these difficulties has, no doubt, been an arduous

task; and we perhaps owe it to the efforts of such men as Dr. Peaslee

that they have, even in a small degree, been overcome. That the time

may come, and soon, when certain time will be set apart in the school

courses for local history, as it is for arithmetic and spelling, will be,

in large measure, the result of the work of these pioneers and of the

Ohio Valley Historical Association.

During Dr. Peaslee's superintendency of the schools, in Cincinnati

there was not, and there is not now (to quote from a letter) any

systematic course in local history. He, however, supplemented the in-

cidental work done in this direction by the introduction of "Pioneer

Day" celebrations. The character and scope of these celebrations may

be gained from the following:

 

 

SUBJECTS FOR ESSAYS:

1. The day we celebrate.          8. First settlement of Columbus

2. General George Rogers Clark.       and Cincinnati.

3. The   Ordinance  of  Eighty-                                        9. Fort Washington.

Seven.                                                10. Habits of the pioneers.

4. The Ohio Company.                                                      11. Gen. Harrison.

5. Gen. St. Clair, first governor                                       12. The Cincinnati mound.

of Ohio.                                                                        13. German pioneers.

6. Gen. Wayne.                                        14. The Indians.

7. John Cleves Symmes.

 

 

SELECT READINGS:

1. Extracts from Ordinance of Eighty-Seven.

2. The West-extract from speech of Dr. Daniel Drake.

3. Description of the buckeye tree, by Dr. Drake.

4. Courage of Miss Zane.

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Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Historical Association.      425

 

5. "How Farmers Lived," by Judge Burnet.

6. Extracts from letters of Washington Irving, James K. Paulding,

Jared Sparks and James Madison, all referring to our State or City.

These letters were written in 1855, on the occasion of the "birthday"

celebration of Ohio by the citizens of Cincinnati.

 

 

DECLAMATIONS:

1. "The Pioneers," "Tecumseh," and "Old Mound," by Charles A.

Jones. (This mound stood near where the Hughes High School build-

ing now stands.)

2. "The Mothers of the West," and "Song of the Pioneers," by W.

A. Gallagher.

3. "Ohio's Pilgrim Band," or "Pioneer Hymn," composed for the

occasion by Lewis J. Cist, and sung to the tune of "America."

The schools were not confined to the above topics and selections;

nevertheless, the list fairly represents the character and scope of the

celebrations. As preparatory work, the Superintendent of Schools gave

a talk of nearly an hour each to all the pupils above the third reader.

Mr. C. B. Galbreath, State Librarian of Ohio, while Superintendent

of Schools in Paulding County, introduced some valuable work along

this line among the pupils under his charge. Among other things was a

collection of maps of local interest which he was asked to have pre-

pared as a part of the educational exhibit at the Columbian Exposition.

Prof. Stanley Lawrence, Superintendent of the village schools at

Ashville, Pickaway County, Ohio, (with which is connected a joint town-

ship High School) says that his school is typical of most of the village

and township schools with which he is familiar, and that, in his school,

little systematic effort is made to teach local history. The pupils read

Howell's Stories of Ohio, in the 6th grade, and Ohio History Sketches,

in the 8th grade; once in a while, in connection with composition work

or as graduating essays, papers on local history are prepared by the

pupils; papers on such subjects are given, now and then, on special

programs in observance of patriotic days.

In the schools of Circleville, in the same county, a similar con-

dition exists in regard to this subject. Those teachers who have a

predilection for it give such instruction as their limited time permits.

But no time is assigned for its study, and those teachers to whom pay-

day is the most important period in history allow a rich field to lie

uncultivated at their very doors. But all honor to those who do, in any

degree, cultivate it, for in this additional task they are neither stimulated

nor aided. Their reward comes, as it must come to so many toilers, in

the consciousness that, whatever the lack of encouragement, they could

not have been true to their high natures had they done less than their

best.

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426        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

A notable example of the work inspired by these teachers is that

done by the pupils of the High School of Circleville, in 1906 and 1907,

under the direct supervision of Principal T. O. Williams, now Principal

of the High School at Newark, Ohio. A magazine was conducted, dur-

ing these years, which reflected considerable credit upon the school. It

took its name, as well as its cover design, from the old fortifications

and the plan of the early town. Though the contents of the present

number are taken, in some cases, almost bodily, from a recent History

of Pickaway County, the selection shows discrimination, and the whole

number exhibits, better than words can do, the lively interest taken, for

a short period, at least, in the remarkable local history of the vicinity.

An application for information, directed to the State Superintend-

ents of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, brought courteous replies, but, as

far as the two former are concerned, nothing very encouraging as to

work undertaken or progress made in the study of local history in the

schools. The required books of supplementary reading, in the Ohio

Pupils' Reading Course, which course is not compulsory, include vari-

ous volumes of stories of Ohio history; and the common schools of

Kentucky are required to study the history of their State, the text book

adopted being Kinkead's History of Kentucky. But it is evident that

in these two states, as well as in most of the Union, the study of local

history rests almost entirely with individual teachers-that no special

time is allowed and no space assigned for this subject in the regular

courses of study.

A History of Education in the State of Ohio, prepared by mem-

bers of the Ohio Teachers' Association, formed a part of the representa-

tion of the educational interests of the State, at the Philadelphia Cen-

tennial Exhibition, in 1876. It, in conjunction with Historical Sketches

of Public Schools of the State of Ohio (same date) purports to be a

complete record of the history, work, and progress of the schools of

the State, up to that time. And as there is no mention of local history,

in the synopsis of a course of study given (in the first-named volume)

as representative of the courses taught in the graded schools of the State,

it is, perhaps, safe to assert that local history was not taught in the

Ohio schools, before that date. In the Historical Sketches the course

of studies is given for each town and city and local history is not named.

Of general reports, I have had access to nothing later than the

report of the Commissioner of Education, for 1906, and in it no refer-

ence, as far as I could detect, was made to the subject of local history

study.

In the Report of the Committee of Ten (a committee on secondary

school studies, appointed at the meeting of the National Educational

Association, July 9, 1892, with reports of the Conferences arranged by

this Committee) history is one of four subjects mentioned as being im-

perfectly dealt with in primary and secondary schools. This, it is to

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Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Historical Association.       427

 

be presumed, includes local history, as one phase of the general subject.

This report was submitted by one of the nine Conferences of ten mem-

bers each, decided upon by the Committee of Ten, this special Confer-

ence of History, Civil Government, and Political Economy convening at

the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., on December 28, 1892. These

experts "wished that these subjects might be made equal to Latin, Greek,

and Mathematics in weight and influence in the schools, but they knew

that educational tradition was adverse to this desire." The Report says,

that "taking a comparison of statements of 150 college students, American

history is studied in only about one-third as many instances in High

Schools as ancient history." It adds: "The dry and lifeless system of

instruction by text books should give way to a more rational kind of

work."

The only direct mention of the subject made in this Report, is as

one of a list of topics suggested for a year's intensive study for High

Schools, No. 14 being "Some considerable phase of local history." The

only mention, notwithstanding the fact that the Conference urged that

an eight-years' course of study of history be adopted by the schools,

four in grammar grades and four in High School. The first two years,

they suggested, be taken up with elementary biography and mythology,

the third year with American history, "because that is the subject in

which local interest is most readily aroused, and with which it is easiest

to connect some study of civil government." They urge, however, that

a year of classical history be taught in the grammar grades. Great

stress is laid upon this point, the one year of American history being

deemed quite sufficient, though the same Conference recommends the

study of local and state government. In fact, one deduction made by

this Conference would seem, to some extent, at least, to cast a damper

upon the study of local history in the public schools. They say: "Nor

has it seemed desirable to recommend a method not uncommon in Ger-

many, by which the student begins with the history of his own city and

widens out to his nation, to Europe, and perhaps eventually, to the rest

of the world. If this process is at any point interrupted the child is

left with the feeling that the world stops where his study has ceased."

If this be true, (and far be it from me to insinuate that these ten experts

in historical research are wrong,) would it not be better for Johnny

and Jenny to think that Athens or China has no history than to think

that Podgeville (where they live) has had no part in man's heritage of

noble endeavor and stirring deeds?

The Report of the Committee of Twelve on Rural Schools, ap-

pointed at the meeting of the National Educational Association, July 9,

1895, makes very interesting reading, a number of good things, especially

being suggested for the enrichment of the work of the rural schools, by

means of subjects drawn from rural life and surroundings. This could,

of course, be made particularly effective in the study of geography,

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428        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

geology, botany and zoology, and might be made none the less interest-

ing if attention were directed to local historical events and the preserva-

tion of historical sites and landmarks. This latter is slightly touched

upon in an appendix to the Report, in these words, taken from an excel-

lent paper by Francis W. Parker, of the Chicago Normal School: "Most

towns in the Eastern states and some in the West have interesting local

histories. There are generally stories of the Indians, of settlements, of

colonization, of noted men and women, of the part taken by the citizens

in the Civil War. A strong love of history can be induced and fostered

by beginning this study close to the home." Though these words are

so encouraging to our objects it is to be regretted that, as far as the

Report goes, no definite action nor recommendation was taken along

these lines.

But the seeming lack of interest in the teaching of local history

manifested by the majority of those mapping out courses of school studies

is pleasantly counteracted by the spirit which inspired the course of his-

tory as published in the State Manual and Course of Study for the

Schools of Indiana, 1908-09.  This is the most encouraging thing

I have found in the whole range of reports and courses of study to

which I have had access, and it may, no doubt, be said that Indiana is

the pioneer in the encouragement of the study of American history and

of local history. For, while other educational leaders seem to wish to

ignore the history of our own country, passing over the subject, in their

reports and study courses, as of little or no importance. Indiana comes

to the front and through its State Course of Study asserts that Ameri-

can history and Indiana history are important-that, of all history, they

are of supreme importance to the pupils of that State. For, out of an

eight-years' history course, five years are devoted to American history,

the first year being taken up entirely with local history. A note says:

"The pupils should be led to form pictures of life in our own State and

community by the study of those brave, faithful men and women who

have brought the crude territory to Statehood, and the unbroken forests

to the present fruitful fields."

The course mapped out is so significant of the great results which

may be expected from its study, and so suggestive of the good which,

without doubt, would result from its adaptation by other states, that I

copy it in its entirety.

 

FIRST PART. - PRIMITIVE LIFE.

References:  Pictures of Indian life found in calendars, railroad

circulars and general advertising booklets. Books: Old Indian Legends,

Zitkala-Sa; Stories of Pioneer Life, Bass; American Indians, Starr.

I. Local Study.

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1. Arrowheads, beadwork, moccasins, pottery and other Indian

relics found in the locality may be brought to the schoolroom

by the children. Indian mounds or Indian cemeteries in the

neighborhood may be visited and information regarding these

various relics and monuments, and the primitive people who

lived in the locality before the white people came, may be ob-

tained from people living in the community.

2. Study the local geography - hills, mountains, rivers, natural pro-

ducts, climate- and find the conditions that probably induced the

Indians to live there.

II. Primitive Life as Drawn from I, I and 2, and from the References.

1. Food and clothing.

2. Houses and furniture.

3. Modes of travel and communication.

4. Occupations.

5. Amusements. (Games, etc.).

6. Education. (What was taught and how?)

7. Religion. (What was worshiped and how?)

 

SECOND PART. - PIONEER LIFE.

References:  Stories of Pioneer Life, Bass; Great Americans for

Little Americans, Eggleston.

I. Local Study.

1. What became of the Indians in the locality? Study relics, old

buildings and other matter pertaining to the early white settlers.

2. Study the local geography and find the conditions of advantage

to the early white settlers.

II. Pioneer Life as Drawn from I, I and 2, and from the Reading Refer-

ences.

1. Food and clothing.

2. Houses and furniture.

3. Modes of travel and communication.

4. Occupations.

5. Amusements.   (Games, etc.)

6. Education.

7. Churches.

THIRD PART. - GREAT AMERICANS.

References:  Stories of Pioneer Life, Bass; Great Americans for

Little Americans, Eggleston.

1. Extend the study of the primitive life and the pioneers from

the locality to other parts of the State and country, and bring

out the friendly relations and the struggles between the Indians

and white people.

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430        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

II. Study Individual Pioneers.

1. The first Governor of Boston.

2. Marquette.

3. William Penn and the Indians.

4. John Stark and the Indians.

5. Daniel Boone.

6. George Rogers Clark.

7. Story of Frances Slocum.

8. Down the Ohio.

That one is able to find, in the great desert of indifference and

antagonism to the teaching of local history, such a pleasant oasis of in-

terest and zeal, is indeed, refreshing; and that this interest may broaden

and extend is to be most devoutly wished. One writer says: "History

furnishes the best training in patriotism and it enlarges the sympathies

and interests." This is more than ever true of local history, for is there

not a special meaning, to the child's mind, in the fact, that upon the very

spot where his schoolhouse stands were once performed deeds of valor

or daring? Does not this come home to him more forcibly than if the

same deeds had been wrought in far-away Asia or Africa? And does

he not, each time he hears these stories repeated, cherish them and dream

upon them, as did Elaine with the shield of Lancelot? Do they not be-

come, to him, an incentive to high endeavor and noble deeds?

At the business session which followed the Corresponding

Secretary and Treasurer informally presented the report of the

Executive Committee which will be found in Appendix. This

report, which included the proposed constitution was unani-

mously adopted and a vote of thanks extended to the committee

for its work. The Nominating Committee, of which Professor

A. E. Morse was chairman, presented the list of officers for the

coming year. Upon motion the report was adopted and the fol-

lowing named declared duly elected:

President:

Charles Theodore Greve, Cincinnati, O., Historical and Philosophical

Society of Ohio.

Vice-Presidents:

Arthur William Dunn, Indianapolis, Ind. Indiana Historical Society.

W. J. Holland, Pittsburgh, Pa., Director Carnegie Institute.

Virgil A. Lewis, Charleston, W. Va. State Archivist and Historian.

Woodford W. Longmoor, Frankfort, Ky. Kentucky State Historical

Society.

Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer:

Isaac Joslin Cox, Cincinnati, O. University of Cincinnati.

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Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Historical Association.   431

 

Recording Secretary and Curator:

Archer Butler Hulbert, Marietta, O., Marietta College.

Additional Members of Executive Committee:

E. O. Randall, Columbus, O. (Ex-Officio). Secretary of Ohio

Archaeological and Historical Society.

Frank Parker Goodwin, Cincinnati, O. Cincinnati History Teachers'

Association.

Harry Brent Mackoy, Covington, Ky. Hereditary Patriotic Societies.

Henry William Elson, Athens, O. Ohio University.

Harlow Lindley, Richmond, Ind. Earlham College.

Upon motion the question of a meeting place for the year

1909 was referred to the Executive Committee. To this com-

mittee was also referred the question of the time when the meet-

ing should be held. Invitations to meet at Frankfort, Kentucky,

and at Point Pleasant, West Virginia, were then extended to

the organization through the Executive Committee, for which

invitations the members expressed a vote of thanks.

It was then moved and carried that the president appoint a

committee of five to undertake the task of locating and pre-

serving historical manuscript collections in the Ohio Valley, and

also a committee of three to promote the study of local history

in the schools of this section. President Randall later an-

nounced the following appointments:

Committee on Historical Manuscripts:

Harry Brent Mackoy, Covington, Ky.

Isaac Joslin Cox, Cincinnati, O.

Virgil A. Lewis, Charleston, W. Va.

Henry W. Temple, Washington, Pa.

Harlow Lindley, Richmond, Ind.

Committee on Local History in the Public Schools:

Arthur William Dunn, Shortridge High School, Indianapolis, Ind.

Frank Parker Goodwin, Woodward High School, Cincinnati, Ohio.

W. H. Bartholomew, Girls' High School, Louisville, Ky.

Upon suggestion from the Executive Committee Article 4,

of the proposed constitution was amended to permit the selection

of four instead of two vice presidents, thus increasing the

Executive Committee to eleven members; and Article 6 was

amended to make the regular annual dues of each organization

five instead of ten dollars. For the constitution as thus amended

and adopted the reader is referred to Appendix A.

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