The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-02-16


time and personal labor himself, his
men and teams, to assist in the erection
| OF the building. He writes that " A
taxpayer and a foreigner by birth said
to me Squire &. told US that we should
break downin building Deming's Cas-
tie and ruin the people, but have four
children to school and it costs me $48 a
year, and can now see plainly that
this would be more than twice my pro.
portion of tax to build house and
meet the expenses of the school,"
| Between the years 1910 and 1850
there was great immigration into the
United States and into Wisconsin from
Germany and from ireland. The peo-
pie of New England birth had not yet
fully realized the value of the sturdy
character and the real ability that
these emigrants were bringing to this
land. At one of the meetings for the
discussion of the school question some
citizen asked Mr.. Deming tauntingly:
" Would you tax me to educate the
Dutch and the Irish?" Quick as a
flash Father Deming is said to have
Numbered out: I" Yes, tax you that they
may become good citizens and make
your property more valuable and your
home safer" We could now call the
roll of the sons of those early German
and Irish settlers who by reason of the
benefcent opportunity of the KenOsha
free schools have been enabled to OBJ
tain positions of prominence in the
professions, in politics and in the COM
MERGE of this western world.
In the memoranda of those days left
by Mr.. Deming, | find the following:
con the day upon which our school
was to commence the pupils were
notified to meet in the park and march
in procession to the school house, the
room of our High school. That was a
proud and happy hour when my voice
was raised in devout Thanksgiving and
earnest supplication for the blessing of
Almighty God upon our enterprise"
The significance of this picture is
beyond our immediate comprehension.
Under the mighty spreading oaks
which many of us remember in the days
of their majesty and on that glad
morning, the youth of Southport, led
perhaps By the men of middle years
and the aged, made their way to take
possession of that great boon and
heritage now enjoyed by every Ameri
can child, the free public school. AS
Mr. Deming wrote, Let it be observe
that at that time there were half a
dozen cities in Wisconsin more pOpul-
GUS than ours; no such school or school
house could be found in any other part
of the state. We were pioneers in this
movement, but the effect before one
year rolled by was electrical in various
parts of the state. Wisconsin has led
Illinois and Michigan in educational
progress. In a few years the valley of
the Mississippi may safely challenge
the world for equal free public school
| facilities We are living when those
few years have rolled around and per-
ceve the realization of his forecast. He
| looked forward to later date in the
future, when colleges and universities
and all the higher class of instruction
should be free. AS he said, Life's
toll will be over with many of us before
this discussion will begin, but begin it
will, and compliance with such demand
will be finally had. The ignorance and
degradation and sin of our sin-cursed
world is to be then conquered and
overcome. Every avenue of intellig
ence will be finally thrown open, and
then, not till then, will man, universal
man stand forth redeemed and dis
enthralled and rendered intelligent,
pure, long lived and happy. May God
speed the day."
The opening of the first free school in
+; Wisconsin on June 18th, 1915, has been
frequently and / believe truthfully
claimed to be the first west of the
Allegheny mountains, and the third
free school in the Union outside of New
England.
There is another picture of Father
Deming that comes to me. In his later
years and when the free high school
was doing it's splendid work in training
those lawyers, judges and soldiers, with
whose names we ofKenosha are familiar
and of whom we are proud, on many a
Friday afternoon at the appointed time
for declamations and reading of COM
positions, there would be heard a
movement in the hall and the opening
of the door, and in would march per-
haps Mr.. Jilson or Mr.. Lyman and
Father Deming, the latter with his
white hair and beard, his kindly blue
eyes, gold bowed spectacles and his
gold headed cane tapping the floor as
way was made to the platform for
these honored citizens. There is i'm
patience among the boys who would be
glad to be released from school and go
to their games. Perhaps some school
mate, breaking rules, whispers, " Frank
thara ia vour fathor y Later at the