Ohio History Journal

OHIO STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

 

REVIEWS, NOTES AND COMMENTS

 

BY THE EDITOR

 

OHIO HISTORY IN THE SCHOOLS

History and Geography of Ohio, by William M.

Gregory, Head of the Geography Department, Cleve-

land School of Education, and William B. Guitteau, Di-

rector of Schools, Toledo, Ohio. Ginn and Company,

Publishers, New York and Columbus, 1922.

It is to be regretted that in the educational system

of our State there is no legal mandate to teach Ohio his-

tory in its public schools. It is a precious heritage of

this and coming generations of Ohioans, and certainly

our boys and girls are much more entitled to know it

than the history of foreign nations. The thrilling

Indian wars, the struggles and victories of our pioneers,

the origin and development of our institutions, the ac-

quaintance with our great characters in war, education,

literature, science and commerce, should be transmitted

from generation to generation. The best and most

natural method to do this is through our schools. Upon

these historical facts are based the ideals which con-

stitute the real worth of the State. Macaulay in his

History of England, writing of this idea, says: "It is

a sentiment, which belongs to the higher and purer part

of human nature, and which adds not a little to the

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strength of states. A people which takes no pride in the

noble achievements of remote ancestors will never

achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride

by remote descendants."

An intelligent knowledge of these achievements

should constitute a part of the education of Ohio youth.

This has been presented by the authors of this school

book in a very attractive and scientific manner. As an

educational work it is worthy of the highest praise, and

we hope to see it introduced into the proper grades of

every school in Ohio. This is the first Ohio school his-

tory and geography written for this purpose, and it

meets all the demands. When a pupil finishes its study,

he will be well posted in the historical and material

progress of his state. He will realize for the first time

the enormous cost in heroism and sacrifice that was paid

to found Ohio; he will learn that the men and women

who laid its foundations were sturdy believers in liberty,

education and religion; that they came here not as trap-

pers or conquerors or traders, nor to acquire wealth, but

to build homes and to cultivate the land. They were

courageous, industrious and sturdy, and as a result they

built one of the most remarkable commonwealths of

modern times. They cleared the forest, founded a state

government, conquered the Indians, defeated a foreign

invader, built canals, and as a climax, founded a com-

mon school system unexcelled in all the world.

The authors have described all this in a remarkably

attractive manner-so pleasing and simple as to make

its study a pleasure. Nor have they quit their work

there. The student is led through the progressive de-

velopment of the state. They have shown the effect of

its physical features, and natural resources, which the

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Reviews, Notes and Comments      587

industry of its people has erected into a state, which,

though only thirty-fifth in area, has become among its

sisters of the Union fourth in population, and in wealth

exceeded only by New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

This text-book is a credit not only to the authors,

but to the publishers as well. By its attractive illustra-

tions, its appropriate maps and its illuminating graphics,

they have produced a work that will make its study

fascinating. Again, we say, its use in our schools should

be general.

 

SCHOENBRUNN ANNIVERSARY

The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the

building of the first schoolhouse and the first church in

the Ohio country by the Moravian missionaries at

Schoenbrunn near New Philadelphia, Ohio, was most

appropriately celebrated August 20-24, 1922.  The

celebration was inaugurated by a union meeting of the

churches of Dover and New Philadelphia in the Union

Opera House of the latter city Sunday, August 20. The

address was given by Rev. J. E. Weinland, pastor of the

Dover Moravian church, and was a most interesting his-

toric review of the early Moravian settlements in

Tuscarawas County. The address was published in full

in the local papers and is a valuable contribution to the

history of this Ohio country before it was organized as

territory or state.

On Wednesday evening, August 23, a meeting was

held in the Union Opera House of New Philadelphia

under the auspices of the Tuscarawas County Historical

Society. More than 1200 people were present. The

chairman of the meeting, Professor Fred Barthelmeh,

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588     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

superintendent of the county schools, introduced Dr. W.

O. Thompson, President of Ohio State University, who

delivered a scholarly and inspiring address on the work

of the Moravian missionaries in the Muskingum Valley.

"It would be difficult," he said, "for us in the wildest

flights of imagination to understand the plights and ex-

periences of the early settlers among the Indians who

inhabited this valley. Those men and women who came

here as settlers were men and women who came out of

love for and a desire to render a service to others." He

paid high tribute to the unselfish motives and work of

these pioneers.

There were brief addresses at this meeting by Secre-

tary C. B. Galbreath and Director William C. Mills of

the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

The series of celebrations reached its climax on the

evening of August 25 when "The Story of Schoen-

brunn" was presented as a historic pageant in the Union

Opera House of New Philadelphia. The house was

filled to overflowing and nearly 1000 people were unable

to secure admission. The pageant was a success in

every particular. David Zeisberger, the leading spirit

among the missionaries, was brilliantly represented by

Ben W. Cunning, and Rev. John Heckewelder, the asso-

ciate of Zeisberger, by Rev. Theodore Reinke. Nearly

fifty other characters were represented by persons

especially selected for their parts. The plot included

eight episodes from 1772 to 1778, "and brought scenes

in early Ohio days to a graphic realization. Students

of history, local critics of amateur theatricals and ad-

mirers of dramatic ideals were enthusiastic in their

declaration that the spectacle was a worthy and ap-

propriate tribute to the first settlers of Tuscarawas

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Reviews, Notes and Comments      589

County and the founders of the first church and school

in Ohio."

This pageant was so highly appreciated that those

who presented it were prevailed upon to repeat it on the

following evening when a capacity audience again en-

joyed and heartily applauded it.

Nothing so thoroughly arouses and impresses the

events of local history upon the general public as the

presentation of that history in the form of pageants.

This fact has been abundantly demonstrated by a num-

ber of such pageants that have been presented in dif-

ferent parts of Ohio within the past year.

 

 

PROFESSOR CLEMENT LUTHER MARTZOLFF

Professor Clement Luther Martzolff, a life member

of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society

and for a number of years on the Board of Trustees,

died at his home in Athens, Ohio, August 5, 1922. He

was born in Monday Creek Township, Perry County,

November 25, 1869. He had been in failing health for

the past five years but continued his work in Ohio Uni-

versity at Athens until last March when his illness took

a serious turn. In June he was confined to his home

where he remained until his death.

Professor Martzolff was throughout his entire life

a student and a thorough teacher. After leaving the

schools of his county he attended Capital University at

Columbus, Ohio, one year in 1892 and the summer

school sessions at Ohio University in 1896, 1903, 1905

and 1906. He entered the regular term of that institu-

tion in 1904 and was graduated in 1907 with the de-

gree of Bachelor of Pedagogy. He received the Mas-

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590     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

ter's degree in 1910 and that of Doctor of Literature

from Wittenberg College in 1920. He was a student at

Harvard in 1904. Professor Martzolff was an en-

thusiastic and efficient teacher and for years an institute

instructor. He taught in his native county from 1889-

1896 and was superintendent of schools at Buchtel from

1896-1899. In 1899 he was principal of the Glenford

High School; from 1900-1902 superintendent of schools

at Junction City, and from 1902-1906 he held the same

position in New Lexington. After his graduation he

was professor of history in Ohio University and was

head of the history department of the Arts College in

that institution at the time of his death.

He was a writer of history. A number of his con-

tributions have appeared in the QUARTERLY. He wrote

a History of Perry County, History of Athens County,

Autobiography of Thomas Ewing, Fifty Stories from

Ohio History, The Story of Ohio and The First

Service Star. He was active in the work of acquiring

Big Bottom Park for the Society.

He was county examiner in Perry County from

1894-1904. From 1901-1902 he was chairman of the

Democratic County Executive Committee of Perry

County and was a delegate to the state conventions of

1895, 1897 and 1910. He was active in the temperance

cause and was a Wilson presidential elector in 1912.

The papers of his native county, of Athens and southern

Ohio bear uniform testimony to the high character of

Professor Martzolff's life service as citizen, student and

teacher.

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Reviews, Notes and Comments              591

 

THE DUNMORE TREATY

In the hope that some trace might be discovered of

the Dunmore Treaty, to which references were made in

the meeting of the McGuffey Society at the Logan Elm,

an account of which is published in this issue, Governor

James E. Campbell, President of the Society, on August

3, addressed a letter to the American Ambassador at

London, England, to which he has received the follow-

ing answer:

"DEAR SIR:-

"I have been instructed by the Ambassador, who is at present

in Scotland, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of August

3rd, in which you request that an effort be made to obtain a

copy of the Treaty of October 1774, negotiated by Governor

Dunmore, with the Indian tribes of Western Pennsylvania and

Virginia and a portion of Ohio.

"Inquiry was made of the Treaty Department of the British

Foreign Office and a response has just been received from that

office, a portion of which I beg to quote:

'In reply to your letter of the 25th ultimo relative to the desire of

the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society to obtain a copy of

Governor Dunmore's treaty of October 1774 with Indian tribes of West-

ern Pennsylvania and Virginia and a portion of Ohio, I regret to inform

you that no copy of the treaty can be traced in this department or in

the Colonial Office.

'Enquiries have also been made in the Public Record Office and

British Museum but no trace of the document can be found. I do not

know in what other direction an enquiry in this country could be directed

with any possibility of a successful result.'

"I am, dear Sir,

"Your obedient servant,

"WALTER C. THURSTON,

"Second Secretary of Embassy."

 

On the afternoon of October 2 an interesting meet-

ing was held under the wide-spreading branches of the

Logan Elm. Professor M. C. Warren, County Super-

intendent of Schools, presided. The principal address

was delivered by Dr. Howard Jones, of Circleville.

This address in full, with a more extended notice of the

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592     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications meeting will appear in the January issue of the QUAR- TERLY. The centenary of the birth of Rutherford B. Hayes, the program of which was announced in our last issue, was successfully celebrated on October 4. A descrip- tion of the pageant and an account of the dedicatory and commemorative exercises will be published in the January QUARTERLY,

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