The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-07-10
STATE TEA CHERS CONTENTION.

STA TIE TEA CHEERS CONTENTION.
This educational body assembled in
the Presbyterian church in Racine on
Tuesday evening. The spacious au-
dience room was entirely filled from
the platform to the doors. The adj
dresses of welcome was made by Hon.
j. G. Mem ynn,of Racine, and respond
ed to by K. w. Burton. of GAINESVILLE.
We give the address of Mr.. McMynn,
as it contains historical facts interest
ing to the friends of education in this
county, and inasmuch as this county
claims him as one of it's early and
prominent teachers.
M. President and Members of the State
Teachers Association
To me has been assigned the pleasant
duty of conveying to you the cor
dial welcome of my fellow-cit liens.
They wish me to assure you that thew
appreciate the good work accomplished
by your association, and they desire to
indicate to you the respect they feel
for your vocation and the confidence
they entertain that your efforts are
wisely directed, so as to promote the
public good
In certain sense, they feel towards
you as towards an old friend. They
welcomed the Association to this city
just thirty years ago. Some of them
have pleasant recollections of its mem
bers, when most of you were girls and
boys. Your third annual meeting was
held in this city in July, 1856. Your
first and second meetings were held at
the capital of the State. This fact NAV
be denied by the citizens Of Madison.
for l know of no reason why thew
should remember it. The members in
attendance were eight and seven re-
spectively. The place of meeting the
second time was dirty room in the
old court house, and the tallow candles
by the light of which we read to each
other addresses by no means suited to
the occasion-were furnished by the
forethought and liberality of Hon. J.
L. Pickard. The number of teachers
enrolled at the third meeting was more
than one hundred and fifty. Most of
the settled parts of the State were
represented. The teachers came by
boat, by stage coach, and by private
conveyance. They were men and wo-
men who would make meeting, for
any purpose, a success. 1t was a
common remark among our citizens,
that in decorum and despatch of bust
ness that meeting would not suffer bv
comparison with similar gatherings in
the older states.
At that time there were graded
schools of two departments at several
places in the state, but high schools
had been established only at Kenosha
and Racine. To the citizens of Keno
sha belongs the honor of leading in our
educational progress, and to Col. M.
Frank, of that city, this state is deeply
indebted for her excellent system of
public schools. In 1849 the people of
the north district in that city voted
tax Of thirty-one mills on the dollar
to carry on their school. Probably no
other district ever voluntarily made a |
greater sacrifice TO educate it's children.
As 1 said. in 1856 the only High
Schools in the state were at Kenosha |
and Racine. There were graded |
schools at several other places, but with
the exception of Beloit, Madison and |
Fond du Lac, they were not heartily |
supported: and truths relating to taxa
ton and school management now con-
sidered automatic were then generally |
denied. At this time no student had /
completed High school course of
study. but the first class graduated
from the school of this city in 1857.
We miss the men and women who
were then our guests, but we know
that you are carrying forward theirJ
good work, that you are influenced by
The same high motives, and we there
fore offer you as warm a greeting as !
we rendered them so many years ago.
probably no one of those here in 1856 II
s within reach of my voice, unless he
vas then Il resident of our city. OIL
hose here then I shall recall the I
names of Rev. A. G. Barry, state SUPER |
nrendent. Hon. J. L. Pickard and II
Hon. A. j. Craig, who have since held
hat Office. Rev O. o. Stearns, Rev. M. /
:. Kinney, Rev. James W. Strong. G
Rev. DR.. Park, Hon. Horace Rublee. i
'rof. 0. M. Conover. Messrs. James
sutherland, VIM. A. White, Geo. s. "
lodge, d. Y. Kilgore, A. Picket, w. "
Fanness, E. Hodges, VIM. G. Dustin. | a
!. o. kellogg, Valois Butler, A. G. lb
picer, G.. B. Goodrich and III. B. Coe. I
t these and others whose names do b