The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-12
Educational Column
MrRTLE h. FARMER Edit,

MYRTLEB Il. FARMEn Editor
History of Our School Systems.
In the recent biennial report of
the state superintendent Of public
instruction, Supt. Nash gives a
most interesting review of the
growth of our school system aud
from it we have arranged in chron.
illogical order certain facts which
may be called the mile stones of
progress.
1S42-Audubon, the great natura-
list, journeying up the Missouri,
met VIM. Laidlaw of TT. Pierre TAX
ing his children to St. Louis to
school.
1S57.s-The first regular school in
Dakota was opened at TT. Randall.
A relative of Capt. Todd was teach
er, pupils, the white children of the
fort and several half breed child
rem.
1S6O-Dr. Franklin Caukins taught
a school in a room over McHenry's.
store in Vermillion; later in the
year, Miss Hoyt, NOW Mrs. H. Liv-
ingston, of Yankton) laugh a school
in the little Presbyterian church
just erected in that village through.
the egorts of Father Chas. ID. Mar
tin.
1s6l-That same spring the set
tiers at Bon Hontme built a little
log school house with dirt floor
and roof, and in May, Miss. Emma
S. Bradford began a three months
term with ten pupils. This was the
first school house in South Dakota.
1S62-The first territorial legisla-
ture adopted a complete code of
laws for the conduct of the COM
mon schools. The schools we're
open only to white children.
The University of South Dakota
was located at Vermillion, but
nothing vas done toward buildings
and maintenance until 1883.
1864-After the indian trouble
had been settled and company A
was encamped at Vermillion, Cap
tain Miner proposed the building
of a school house there, and the
soldiers put up a comfortable log
building IN the ravine, where Amos
Shaw, one of their number conduct
ed a school during the winter.
This was the beginning of the reg
ular school system at Vermillion.
1S65-The ladies of Yankton start
ed a fund to build a school house,
and the Brown school house on
Walnut street was the result. In
the am year Professor James S.
Foster arrived from New York with
a colony of sixty families and Gov,
Edmuds appointed him superin'
tendant of public instruction at a
salary of 500 a year, and the schools
were scattered here and there be
tween Fort Randall and Sioux City
1867-Professor Foster conducted
the first teachers institute in the
territory. Rev. f. C. Collins, the
father of ex-State Supt. Collins, was
one of the instructors, and Judge
Wilnmot w. Brookings and Hon
S. L. Sphinx delivered addresses.
1s71-Yankton Academy was
founded through the effort of DR.
Joseph Ward. The building stood
on the site of the present centra:
school at Yankton.
1S75-The legislature organized
the independent school district o:
Yankton; the Yankton high schoo.
was established and the property
of the academy was purchased fol
the public schools.
1881--Yankton College was found
,, ed and received its first classes il
September of that year. Clay
county voted $4,000 worth of bonds
; the proceeds of which were used tt
erect a building for the university
i, 1SS2-University received its frs
classes.
1S83-The Legislature apPropriat
fed $4,000 for building and mainten
ance of the university at Vermil
lion, and located the agriculture
|college at Brookings and the norm
al schools at Spear6sh, Madison
and Springfield. 1t appropriated
! funds for buildings at Brookings
and Madison.
: 1883-The Methodist established
Dakota University at Mitchell, TIN
Presbyterians established PIER,
University and the Baptists locat
ed Sioux Falls college.
1S84-N1adison Normal and Brook
ings Agricultural College opened
their doors to students.