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Plans for New Building

December 1, 1905, V. XXIII

CHAPTER 70.

The year '77-8 was an eventful one in the history of the school. We were so pressed for room that it was impossible for the school to grow larger without an additional building.

In the first catalogue published in 1871, the enrollment of the select term the fall of 1870 and the foreign students entering during the year, was 131, in the second catalogue for the first Normal school year, it was 288, the second year of the school, the great panic year and the year we had the trouble about the leaking roof, etc., the enrollment was 281, a loss of seven students. That year there was an additional roof put on the building and settlement made with the trustees of stockholders. The next year or third year, the enrollment was 319, a gain of 35 students. The fourth year it was 357, a gain of 41; the fifth year it was 449, a gain of 92; the sixth year, it was 476, a gain of 27; the seventh year of the school year 1877-8, it was 473, a loss of three students.

Under normal conditions a school as well as a tree must continue to grow. When growth ceases, decay begins, or at least there is danger of decay. We discussed the conditions in our faculty meetings. Prof. Ogden, president of the Normal school at Worthington, started a school at Fayette, O. The Church of God had organized a school at Findlay. After we had bought the Normal school at Fostoria, Prof. Sniff and Prof. Burket started up again at Fostoria and Prof. Hall reorganized the Academy at Milan, O. Prof. Skidmore started a school at West Liberty in Logan county and some parties tried to start a school again in the old college buildings at Northwood, O. There was also talk of organizing a Normal at Middlepoint.

Competition was growing and we were in a tight jacket that allowed no expansion. I talked with many of the citizens of Ada and vicinity. They all appeared to think the town too poor to do anything. I tried to get the citizens of Liberty township interested, but all seemed immovable. Nearly all, both in town and country, said the school was "a good thing;" but many said that when they need houses or barns they build them and if we needed room we should do like-wise. I tried to show them what we had done and the help the school was to every citizen; and also explained that we were not able financially to build such a house as we needed. I told them my plans, that I thought I could be able in a few more years to have 4000 or 500 students annually. They smiled. I think only two or three citizens believe that I could accomplish what I conceived I could. I think John Dobbins and A. Ream believed that I could accomplish what seemed to others impossible. I suggested taxation either of the whole township or of the village. The township was immovable and there was but little interest manifested in the village.

Finally we said unless we got assistance we would go elsewhere. At first it was said, "Go." I went to various places and corresponded with others. I went to Bellefontaine, to Worthington, to Elery, to Greenspring, Upper Sandusky, etc., etc. When it became known that I really thought of leaving, I suddenly for a second time, became the meanest man in town. One man a butcher, whose name I have forgotten and I would not give it if I could, said that I would be mobbed if I attempted to leave. I was the store box subject of conversation. I never heard that I was a Jew and called on Pontius Pilate to crucify him, or that I was a Tory during the American Revolution or a Rebel spy; but was guilty of about everything else. Apparently I had but few friends left in town. I became somewhat sour. I never claimed entire sanctification. I suddenly became aware that I owned but a sixth of the plant. It was true that I had twelve years of hard work invested with scanty remuneration financially, but I was only forty years old and could try again. I was out of debt and had a little more money than I brought to Johnstown.

I had many friends in eastern Ohio. I found I could get the Alliance school the next year, which later I handed over to my friend, Prof. J. Fraise Richard, whom we had bought out at Fostoria. I was still looking for a town that wanted a Normal school. I was well acquainted with Peter Cuneo, editor of the Wyandotte county Republican. He was the orator on Arbor day when we planted hundreds of trees on and around the school campus. He and a number of our students worked up a strong sentiment in upper Sandusky in favor of starting a school there. The Faculty on invitation went to see the situation. Jacob Leinard went along to take observations. We presumed that he reported that in all probability we would go there to start a school.

That evening, after we returned, a committee of citizens came to see me and informed me that there was a called meeting in the basement of the M.E. church to consider some plan of raising the money for a new building by taxation and suggested that I present a written statement of what the Faculty would do and what we would ask the citizens to do. I will send the original copy to the editors of the Herald to be inserted in this chapter.

Each member of the Faculty as he entered the church received an ovation, and although but a few days before the meanest man in town, I never before or since have received a more cordial welcome than I did that evening. A. Ream, Hiram Shannon, Henry Young, Chris Young, John Dobbins and many others told of the hard work, etc., etc., needed to build a big school. Before the meeting I called together the members of the Faculty to prepare our propositions. There were eight pages; the third page is lost.

Proposition to School board, Ada., O., by the Faculty of the N.W.O.N. School.

1. The Faculty of the Normal School is to convey by warranty deed a parcel of land commencing at the N.E. Corner at intersection of Main St. and Peach Ave., thence south to a line running midway between two rows of evergreens about 25 ft. north of the present Normal building, thence west to Gilbert St., thence north to Peach Ave., thence east to place of beginning, containing two acres more or less.

2. The Faculty of the Normal School is to educate free of tuition all scholars within the present limits of the district now known as the Ada Union school district; said scholars to have passed a certain grade hereafter to be described. First: no scholar to have his tuition free in what are ordinarily known as the common branches, viz: Orthography, Spelling, Arithmetic in all its forms and names, Geography in all its forms and names, English Grammar in all its forms and names, English Reading, in all its forms, ... curriculum of the institution. Also in all the ancient languages known as the classics as far as published in the curriculum.

Second: No legal school scholar shall enjoy these privileges unless a bona fide inhabitant of the said district at the present date (of this instrument) and others after their parent or parents have been bona fide residents of the district one year and of these only such as have attended the Union school of Ada one year.

3. On the second part, the Ada Union School Board shall pay $2000.00 in cash for the ground specified in the first section.

4. In consideration of the advantages afforded by the Normal school in general and in tuition to legal school youth, the School Board shall erect on a site mutually agreed upon between Board and Faculty, upon the ground described in the first section. A school building the plans and specifications of which with proper heating apparatus, shall be mutually agreed upon, and properly seated, by mutual consent at a cost not less than $16,000. Two thousand dollars to be laid out in fencing, grading and apparatus, the apparatus not to cost less than $1500 and said building, ground building, and apparatus, furniture, etc., to be leased to the Faculty of the Normal school for a period of thirty years for school purposes only. The Faculty paying for all ordinary repairs not including repairs of foundation, wall, roofing, and matters of like nature.

5. And should there ever be a tax assessed on the school property personal and real still remaining in the hands of the faculty the School Board are to pay the same as rental for the instructions of school youth that will necessarily occur on said grounds and in said building now and here after belonging to the Faculty.

6. The Faculty as the party of the first part do hereby agree to give bonds, secured by mortgage, on all their real school property, to continue to take charge of the Institution known as the N.W.O.N. school, and to take a deep interest in its welfare, for the period of thirty years, not to teach in any other Normal school, Seminary or College within a radius of 125 miles.

7. The scholars admitted from the Union school district shall be admitted to the same general advantages and governed by the same general rules as other students, and under the control of the Faculty as other students, with this special understanding that the Faculty have the privilege of dividing the said scholars between or among the Literary societies even should foreign students not be so divided.

H.S. Lehr, G.W. Rutledge, J.G. Park, F. Maglott