The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-08-30
AN OLD-TIME OFFERING.
A Few Scattering Leaves. That
Tell a Few Things About
the First Days of the
BelIefOntaine Union
Schools.

Mr.. ]. a. Templeton, of Belle Centre,
has kindly left upon our table few
leaves of paper printed in Sellefon-
taine, in 1856, called the Union School
Offering" and edited by Mr.. David
Parsons, the first Superintendent of our
Schools. A glance over the fragment
shows it to be an interesting relic.
In scanning it's contents we find that
there was at least one person in the
city, then, who believed in houseclean-
ing, and was rash enough to clean her
windows once or twice year. She
contributes this communication to the
observer"
ITO the Members of the d:-Will
you allow friend and patron to sug-
gest the propriety of having all the
rooms in the school house thoroughly Y
cleaned during vacation. At home, l have
my floors II am not able to have carpets, J
cleaned once or twice week and ev-
cry fall and spring | have all my doors,
windows, &C., of my house thoroughly
secured, Is not this as necessary,
where there are FIVE hundred or more
children, as it is where there is a family
of only half dozen?"
We find from an article commencing
the Board of Education, that it was
constituted of the following citizens:
1, S. Gardner, Samuel B. Taylor, DIR.
VIM. Thomas, Dr. w. d Scarf, DIR.
Benjamin S. Brown, Judge Anthony
Casad.
OF these, three were physicians, two
merchants, and. one, Judge Casad. a
lawyer. This was in June, 1856. All
but one of them, Judge Casad, were
living when we came to Bellefontaine
in 1865. Only one of them, DR.. w. D.
Scarf, is still living, and he. now lies
critically i'll.
The Union Schools were organized
in 1854.
In another part of the 'Offering,"
we find list of the gentlemen who
then lin 1866 constituted the Board of
Examiners. They were as follows:
VIM. Hartley, DR.. A. Hartley, Judge
N. u. McColloch. Andrew Gardner, jr.,
Rev. J. w. Goodlin, Solomon Adams,
C. w. B. Allison. Rev. James Wykes,
Rev. Mr.. Bradley and VIM. Hubbard.
OF these, Andrew Gardner, and Rev.
Mr.. Goodlin are still living.
'.The Union School Quartette, we
learn, was constituted of Jennett How
ard, Lottie Swami, B. F. Criswell and
John Criswell. "To sing as we'll as
this quartet Sings" says the "Offer-
ing" Ito be enabled to execute with
such exactness so many difficult pieces,
to be enabled as they are to sing so
softly and to hold in silence the breath
of hundreds, and in an instant to ex-
cite to laughter, to tears, to sorrow, to
exultation, &C., is a rare ability and
power"
In a column article the editor de-
tends Webster's dictionary against its
critics.
NELSON'S Brass Band'' is informed
that the schools are under obligations
to it; "for their sweet and excellent
music, on the two evenings of the clos
ing exercises" and the readers are in
formed that "Bellefontaine is undoubt-
edly proud that it has so good a band
as Nelson's, to cheer the citizens on
all occasions of importance"
"Mr. Warren's article, we tried to
get in, but it came too late. Sarah 8
poetry Is good, but was crowded out. "
The printers, as was proper, were
not forgotten in passing around the
cake, and the Hubbards got this fiatter-
ing testimonial:
THE MECHANICAL WORK OF THE
OFFERING.
Although the work of the printer on
the preceding numbers of the Offer
ing was considered above par, yet we
think it will be conceded on all sides
that the work of the present number is
any of its predecessors.
The writer has been assured that
some of the work of this number is so
difficult, that it would trouble us to get
it done in the city of Cincinnati.
The Hubbards are not stand-still
mechanics; they delight in progress
sion; such workmen are not to be
out-done by any of their fellow-com-
petitors. They can do any kind OF
work in their line that can be done in
the best of cities. See their adver
tisement.
The Board of Education had an idea
that its duty, in part, was too look after
the interests of the school in person,
and their example might be emulated
with profit in these days.
At the end of the school year, they
made this report to the people, show.
ing that their public servants were at
tentive to their duties and kept close
watch upon the schools, Their report
was as follows:
REPORT.
| To THE PATRONS OF THE BELLE
FONTAINE UNION SCHOOL:-The com
mittee on government report that they
have frequently visited your school
and scrutlnized its government. The
rules with which we are, or should be
all familiar, are properly enforced, s,
far as our observation and knowledge
extend; and the result is equal to the
expectations of its warmest friends.
Harmony, quiet and order are pre-
served in all the departments, to de
gree that never fails to impress the
reader that the school is in 1.-THE hand:
of its friends" and those, too who ar
competent for their respective posts
The old, barbarous method of govern
ing by the rod, and by harsh and bois
ferrous language, is entirely discarded
and the mild, but firm, address to tn
reason and conscience of the child,