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The Ear ly Days PAGE • - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY, AUGUST 21.1181 Education Prospers In County McHenry county residents have always had great in­ terest in education. Even in pioneer times, when everyone was poor and struggling against adverse conditions to make and pay for a home, they tried to give their children what op­ portunities they could for school training. A number of schoolhouses were erected in the county prior to 1840, and at least two terms of school are known to have been taught in the county the summer of 1838, only a year after the formal organization of the county. An early history book commented, "With such commendable enterprise thus early evinced, it would have been strange if the cause of education had not prospered here." According to the reliable testimony of an old teacher, Now For Fall Enrollment FANTASY FARM CHILD CARE •LOWEST RATES •STATE LICENSED QUALIFIED TEACHERS •HOT LUNCHES •INDOOR & OUTDOOR PLAY AREAS ALSO AVAILABLE BEFORE AND AFTER SHCOOL CARE FOR CHILDREN UP TO 10 YEARS. U Call 385-2499 Ages 2-6 Hours: 6:45 to 5:30 PM TTTT i LJ the first school in the county was taught in the summer of 1838, in what was later the town of Coral. The first official mention of the subject of public schools appears in the county records under the date of June, 1841. Carlisle Hastings was then appointed "School Land Com­ missioner", and boards of school trustees were ap­ pointed for each township in the county. In McHenry township, the board members were Amory Thomas, Gideon Colby and Benjamin Tuttle. From that time onward, schoolhouses were built and schools supported wherever the population was suf­ ficiently dense to bear the expenditure. As the county became more thickly populated, new districts were formed so that in a very few years every settler was within a short distance from a schoolhouse. An insight into the state of the public schools 126 years ago is obtained from the record of the Board of Supervisors. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 1855, Mr. Jewett, of the committee on education, presented resolutions declaring, "1st. That there is a sad deficiency of properly and legally qualified teachers in and for your said county. "2d. That there is a lade of McHENRY OPTICIANS 1301 RIVERSIDE DRIVE (Across from the Fox Hole) McHENRY, ILL. (815)385-9240 r sS> Attention Moms. ALL KIDS FRAMES Metal or Plastic In A Hurry? Glasses Made While You Single Vision Only Attention Boys & Girls.. OVER 3,000 FIRST QUALITY FRAMES Metal or Plastic Attention Co-Eds... Visit Our Boutique Designer Section For That Special Frame I interest and zeal on the part of said teachers to discharge those weighty respon­ sibilities incumbent upon them in a becoming manner. "3d. That there is a lamentable lack of unifor­ mity in the plan of in­ struction which is so desirable in every county. "4th. That there have been considerable sums of money expended for the purpose of maintaining and supporting teachers' institutes, the object of said institutes being to remedy the dif­ ficulties above named. "5th. That these institutes have come far short of the object for which they were established,", etc. To improve the existing state of the raiblic schools, Mr. Jewett proposed the establishment, at the county seat, of an institute to be called the McHenry County Normal School; but his suggestion was never acted upon. The early settlers were men who were fully awake to the importance of fostering education. Not only did they give vigilant attention to the work of maintaining district schools, but they also put private schools in operation which were productive of great good. The chief in­ stitutes of this character were located at Lawrence, Marengo and Crystal Lake, though other private schools were maintained in different parts of the county. Lawrence Academy, situated in the northwestern part of the county, was one of the earliest and most flourishing schools in this section. It was presided over by able instructors, and man^t afterward prominent men were among its students. Its prosperity gradually waned, and eventually it ceased to exist, its place being supplied in a great measure by the im­ proved privileges of the common schools. Marengo Collegiate In­ stitute was the name of an academy, started under very promising auspices at Marengo in 1857. A building five stories high, designed to accommodate ISO students with rooms, was erected, and the school started with 115 pupils enrolled during the first year. Among the instructors were Rev. Geo. T. Goodhue, Rev. R.H. Richardson, and C.C. Miller, A.M. A flourishing seminary was maintained for some years at Crystal Lake Village under the name of Nunda College. The above mentioned were among the most prominent private schools ever establsihed in the county. They were in­ strumental, in a great degree, in the improvement of the common schools, inasmuch as they sent forth m a n y w e l l - q u a l i f i e d teachers to labor in them Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre K but they are more deadly in the long run. --Mark Twain A good book is the best of friends, the same to-day and for ever. --Martin Farquhar Tupper Studies serve for delight, for or­ nament, and for ability. --Francis Bacon I will point you out the right path of a virtuous and noble Edu­ cation; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect, and melodi­ ous sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming. --John Milton . . . t h e w h i n i n g s c h o o l b o y , with his satchel, And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. --William Shakespeare How parents can start their children in music By the time a child reaches the age of five or six, he or she may already be asking to learn how to play a musical instru­ ment. According to the American Music Conference, this is the ideal time for a child to begin music study. But, no matter at what age a child discovers the joy of music-making, AMC says par­ ents should follow these guidelines for getting their child started in music lessons. • Select a music teacher care­ fully. Try to find at least three to choose from. Good sources of information are friends whose children are taking lessons and making good progress. The child's reaction to the teacher is important, so have them meet to see how well they get along. • Group instruction is widely available and should be consi­ dered as a possibility for your child. Group programs foster a spirit of teamwork and coopera­ tion among children and allow them to share their experiences. They may also be less expensive than private lessons. • Buy or rent a good instru­ ment. For a beginner you may want to buy a secondhand in­ strument, but be sure to get ad­ vice from a musician or music teacher before investing. Good instruments help be­ ginners develop an ear for music and to recognize "sour notes." • Help the child select an in­ strument that is suitable for both his physical capabilities and size. Ukeleles, pianos or child size violins, for example, are in­ struments that are easier for children to handle than a tuba or a trombone. • Be prepared to play a sup­ porting role in the child's musi­ cal experience. A parent's in­ terest and enthusiasm can be a tremendous influence on the child's progress." STRAIGHT LEGS AND BOOT CUTS $17's BOOTS, BELTS SHIRTS, VESTS JACKETS WITH CLASS! Pistil _______ WOMENS' JEANS AND BENDOVERS WlfORM COLORS) 95 BIBS WHITE HI*0 BLUE *16™ BIT PAINTERS O WHITE *10°° A 3 J Authentic Western Weer ft Western Jewelry LA BLUE$12°® SUN 3321 W. ELM ST. MC HENRY, ILL. . .... , ^15-385-1833 . ; t k i / . r r . . . / T . 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