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School Year 1877-78

November 17, 1905, V.XXIII, No. 26

CHAPTER 68.

The printing of catalogue No. 7 for the school year 1876-7 and announcements for 1877-8 was awarded to J.C. Fisher, editor of the Commercial, the new name of Ada's local paper. The length of the terms of school and the tuition charged in the various departments remained the same as the previous year and there were few changed in the catalogue.

The enrollment for this year was 476 a gain of 27 over the enrollment of the previous year; but a smaller gain. The gain the year before had been 92. The gain had been but little over 5 percent, the year before it was nearly 29 percent. There were two causes for the decrease in gain. The buying of the school at Fostoria the previous year had given the school a "boom" and the want of room was hurting the school. More room and better facilities and accommodations were demanded. How to get more room was the problem to be solved.

About this time the Lynch farm of 40 acres south of the Normal campus was offered for sale. We were offered five acres adjoining our campus for $500. I wanted to buy the land but some of my associates said we would never need it. My arguments were of no avail and as I owned but a sixth interest in the school I dropped the subject, but in later years was very sorry that I did.

The Faculty or owners at this time were H.S. Lehr, president; J.G. Park, secretary; Fred Maglott, librarian, G.W. Rutledge. The Board of Instructors the past year had been H.S. Lehr, J.G. Park, Mollie Schoonover, Fred Maglott, M.J. Ewing, J.W. Zeller, Mrs. E.A. Richard, W.D. Woodard, Mrs. Hattie Rowley, Mrs. Julia Zellar, Will R. Pontius, H.D. Solge, and Robert Kidd.

The instructors employed for the school year 1877-8 were H.S. Lehr, A.M., Practical Arithmetic, Higher Mathematics, Moral and Mental Philosophy, Political Economy, English Literature and School Government.

J.G. Park, A.B, English Grammar and Analysis, Surveying and Engineering, Logic and Greek.

Fred Maglott, A.B., Geography, Higher Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Astronomy, Latin and German.

Mollie Schoonover, A.B., Algebra, Rhetoric, Letter Writing, Latin.

M.J. Ewing, B.S., The Natural Sciences.

W.D. Woodard, Book-keeping, Plain and Ornamental Penmanship and Drawing.

Will H. Pontius, Vocal Music, Voice Culture, Violin and Cornet.

A.S. Solge, Jr., Piano and Organ.

Robert Kidd, A.M., Special Instructor in Elocution.

Public Occasions. On the day and evening of June 13, 1878, there will be a Reunion of the Philomathean Literary Society.

Commencement exercises, Friday, June 14, 1878.

Contest between the Literary societies on the evening of June 14, 1878.

The school year, 77-78 like the preceding years added scores and scores of new students many of whom like those of other years have made their mark in the records of success.

I cannot name all but will name some of those with whom I became intimately acquainted and whom I can place in their respective societies. I still was at one or the other of the exercises. The first new student of that year whom I shall name is G.D. Wylie, of West Geneva, Ohio. He had completed a full classical course at Northweed, in Logan county. I do not now remember the name of the college. It was under the control of the United Presbyterian church. Later the school was moved to Beaver, Penn. I think it is called Geneva college. Mr. Wylie is now a prominent minister in New York City. He has charge of the Scotch Presbyterian church. He is a fine scholar, is eloquent and a hard worker. I shall never forget what he said when he entered school. He remarked, "I have come here for several purposes. Your school is more widely known than the school at Northwood and you offer excellent advantages for public speaking in your literary societies, and I want to imbibe some of the spirit and enthusiasm of the Institution as a see it exhibited by your students." He made some remarks about the president of the school which I shall omit. We became very warm friends and exchanged letters about twenty years or longer.


This year we also enrolled H.C. Babbitt, of Kentucky, one of the best Greek scholars enrolled in the Normal while I was its president. Charming Lollie Churchill entered this year. She was full of fun, but a true lady. She is now a widow of Judge Melhorn. Lollie Churchill, Minnie Manning, the Maxwell girls and Rose Holywell, what a quintette! Babbitt and Miss Churchill were Philos. In March, '78, three college students from eastern Ohio entered the Normal; Jonas Cook, J.R. Neely and Oscar C. Voorhies. Cook and Neely had been Mt. Union students, Voorhies had been at New Franklin college. They entered school a few days after the opening of the term and supposed that I forgot to read the rules to them. The roomed at what was then the Stumm house, now the Russell grocery house. Saturday morning I happened to pass that way going down town. The boys stopped me and said they wanted to hear the rules. Mr. Cook remarked, "I have been here nearly a week and have not heard the rules. I may violate some rule and get into trouble." I said I presume you all three are gentlemen. Mr. Cook replied, "We are so reckoned at our homes." I replied that if they were gentlemen, there would be no trouble. I further added that gentlemen are not profane, neither steal, lie nor are dishonest nor get drunk. Mr. Cook remarked, "That method of government may do here but it would not do at Mt. Union." I laughed and added you will soon see how the plan works. In about two weeks I again met him. He laughed and said, "It works like a charm." He and I still correspond. I will here insert part of his last letter. He and Mr. Neeley sent me chestnuts from the hills of Carroll county many years and Mr. Neeley calls his oldest son Lehr Neeley.

In looking over my correspondence with Mr. Cook who now lives in Indian Territory I conclude to insert here a letter he wrote me in 1889.

Mr. Cook's Letter of 1889.

Harper, Kans., Feb. 18, 1889.

My Dear Friend: The Ada Record reached me today, through which I learn of the social event which was held in honor of you and yours Feb. 1st. Were it not that 1000 miles intervene, I should feel slighted because I received no invitation. But when memory goes back to you, time and space are almost annihilated, and I feel then is now. I have long since been convinced and my association with you, assisted in bringing me to this conclusion, that sympathy does much, yea much more than much, in developing good, honest men and women. I have always since our acquaintance looked upon you as one of my true friends, and believe me, I have always tried to reciprocate. Few men have inspired young men and women to nobler lives as you have. I grow sick at heart when I compare what I have done with your work not that I have tried to do evil, but that I have done so little. Nor do I envy you your just dues. I hope to visit you August or September and trust that you can be so at leisure as to allow us time for a conversation. The world is treating me kindly. School moves very pleasantly. The Board here has already unanimously reappointed me for next year at $130 a month. Will do four weeks institute work here next July. In August will conduct two institutes one week each, in Kentucky. Will have a large wheat crop, if nothing happens to prevent, on my farm. Expect 800 bushels to my share. Shall be pleased to hear from you,

Your friend,

Jonas Cook.