The History of Public Secondary Education in Wyoming, Ohio
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Much valuable assistance was rendered the writer in the preparation of this thesis. The sound counsel and patience of Dr. D. H. Eikenberry of The Ohio State University is gratefully acknowledged. Also acknowledgment is due a number ot graduate students of The Ohio State University who have written similar historical treatments. Although the names of the residents of Wyoming who have rendered invaluable service would necessitate a list too lengthy tor inclusion at this time, it is the writer's desire to express appreciation to Mrs. Jessie Warman Wilson, a member of the first graduating class of the Wyoming High School, Mrs. Brayton M. Graft (deceased), Mr. Harold Bush, Mr. Bernard Bradbury, Mrs. E. B. Cluff, Mr. Ralph Foster, Mr. Jon Boss, Mrs. Ruth Martin, and Mrs. Marcella Dicken. Grateful acknowledgment is due Joan Dickey for patience and typing service far above the ordinary duties of wife and mother. 11:_ Al:~2380 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • . • • • 1 Statement of the Problem • • • • • • • • 1 Reasons for the Selection of the Problem 1 Limitations of the Study • • • • • • • • 2 Related Studies • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Sources of Data • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Organization of the Study • • • • • • • • 6 II GENERAL HISTORY OF WYOMING, OHIO • • • • • • • 8 Early Descriptions • • • • • • • • • • • 8 Wyoming Becomes a Village • • • • • • • • 17 General Information • • • • • • • • • • • 23 Civic Center • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26 Churches • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 27 Financial Data • • • • • • • • • • • • • 34 III DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WYO MI NG, OHI 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Introduction • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Public Education Prior to the Emergence of the High School • • • • • • • • • • • 36 Development of the Four-Year Secondary School 1883-1928 • • • • • • • • • • • • 45 Development of the Six-Year Secondary School 1928-1956 •••••••••• • • 59 IV DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRICULUM AND THE INFLUENCES AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT • • • • • 72 iil Introduction • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 72 The Curriculum of the Four-Year High School 1883-1928 • • • • • • • • • • • • 75 The Curriculum of the Six-Year High School 1928-1956 • • • • • • • • • • • • 79 Influences Affecting the Development of the Curriculum • • • • • • • • • • • • 84 A Brief Resume of Curricular Development in Wyoming High School Since 1935 • • • • 92 v HISTORY OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • • • • 96 The Early High School to 1900 •• • • • • 96 The Period 1900-1920 • • • • • • • • • • 96 The Period 1920-1940 • • • • • • • • • • 106 The Period 1940-1956 • • • • • • • • • • 115 Discontinued Organizations • • • • • • • 117 The Parent-Teacher Association • • • • • 118 VI ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF SINCE 1874 • • • • • • • 120 Superintendents • • • • • • • • • • • • • 120 Principals • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 137 VII SUMMARY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 143 BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 150 APPENDICES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 156 APPENDIX A FACULTY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 157 APPENDIX B MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SINCE 1880 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 168 APPENDIX C WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES SINCE 1885 • 175 APPENDIX D INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ATTENDED BY GRADUATES OF WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 189 APPENDIX E 4 PREVIOUS HISTORIES OF THE WYOMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS • • • • • • • • • • • • • 196 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE NUMBER PAGE I POPULATION OF WYOMING, OHIO, BY DECADES FROM 1900 UNTIL 1955 •••••••••• • 20 II TAX RATES AND ALLOCATION, WYOMING, OHIO, SINCE 1938 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 33 III TOTAL ENROLLMENT IN WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL, GRADES NINE THROUGH TWELVE, FROM 1935 THROUGH 1956 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 69 IV THE USUAL DISTRIBUTION OF I. Q.•S FOR VERY LARGE GROUPS OF CHILDREN AND THE DISTRIBUTION FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE WYOMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS • • • • • • • • • • 70 v NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY OF THE TEACHERS IN THE WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1935 (GRADES 7-12) • • • 85 VI INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS PER-PUPIL AND PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CURRENT EXPENSES FOR INSTRUCTION IN WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1934 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 VII TOTAL EXPENDITURES {EXCLUDING CAPITAL OUTLAY) PER-PUPIL FOR WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL AND THE COMPARATIVE POSITION OF WYOMING IN THE STATE OF OHIO FOR SUCH EXPENDITURES IN ALL EXEMPTED VILLAGE DISTRICTS • • • • 87 VIII SALARY OF SUPERINTENDENTS OF WYOMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 1874 BY FIVE YEAR INTERVALS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 136 IX SALARY OF PRINCIPAL OF WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1935 ••••••••• • • • vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NUMBER PAGE 1. Map of the city of Wyoming, Ohio • • • • • • 19 2. First school building on Wyoming Avenue • • 38 3. Curriculum of the Wyoming High School in 1910 ••••••••••••••• • • • 77 4. Present curriculum of the Wyoming High School • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 82 5. Charles s. Fay • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 125 6. James D. Stover • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 128 7. Present building being erected adjacent to the building which was erected in 1889 • • • 129 8. Ellwood P. Reeve • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 131 9. Zura M. Walter • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 133 10. Harold Bush • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 135 11. Grace Ruth Mittendorf • • • • • • • • • • • 139 12. Bernard s. Bradbury • • • • • • • • • • • • 141 vii THE HISTORY OF PUBLIC SECONDARY EDUCATION IN WYOMING, OHIO CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement '?! ~ Problem It was the purpose of this study to trace the evolution and expansion of the public secondary school of Wyoming, Ohio, from its earliest beginnings to its present plan of organi zation and place in the community. The study involved the ac cumulation and arrangement of all cognate data, and an attempt was made to show the relationship of these data to the origi nal aims of the community and school and to the present-day structure of the Wyoming High School. Reasons ~ the Selection ~ !!!!.! Study Education is similar to history in the respect that changes are inevitable. History is also concerned with the filling-in of blank pages and the compilation of events which frequently are affected by preceding circumstances and oc currences. Education is likewise not without its share of blank pages which, if filled-in, might offer beneficial data and ideas. This history of the emergence and growth of secondary education in Wyoming, Ohio, is presented to the l 2 reader as an attempt to furnish a word picture of one com munity's exparience It is the writer's opinion that the results of the educational program of Wyoming, Ohio, are worthwhile and should be made known. The writer has been impressed by the caliber and poise of the graduates of the Wyoming High School and was inspired to undertake this study with the hope ot ex posing the community's "pattern of operation" for others to observe and evaluate. In addition, the writer desired to compile a study which would be of interest to the citizens of Wyoming, Ohio. Limitations 2f the Study In a study of this type, a great amount of material was available, but in order to condense the history, much ex traneous material was eliminated. !l'he work in this study was limited to the history of the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades of the Wyoming High School, and not, as in early educational history, to the grades tollowing the primary grades and preceding the grammar grades. However, due to the chartered and functional organi zation or the present high school, consideration was given to the seventh and eighth grades whenever it was necessary. In addition, the history or the community or Wyoming, Ohio, was included in order to give the reader a better picture of the setting of the Wyoming High School. 3 Related Studies Research for this study revealed that previous attempts to trace the history of the Wyoming High School included two short articles giving the important events in the history of the school. The first of these two writings appeared in the November 8, 1923, edition of the Wzoming School Chatter, a student sponsored newspaper or the Wyoming High School. The material for this article was gathered by members of the staff of the Wyoming School Chatter. The second attempt to infol"Dl the citizens of Wyoming, Ohio, of the history of their schools was found in the "Dedication Program" issued in 1928 at the dedication of the Wyoming Avenue building. This treatment was written by Mrs. Eva McGrew Graff, a member of the Wyoming Board of Education from 1916 until 1935. A partial history was found in the printed report of a school survey conducted in 1946 by the Bureau of Educational Research of i'he Ohio State University. A history of the community of Wyoming, Ohio, was found available in the high school thesis written by Jon Boss while attending the Wyoming High School in 1954~ Sources --of Data 1. Published Material A. Books. In order to obtain the legislative history of the public schools of Ohio and the United States, several histories of education were examined. The same procedure was 4 followed to determine the effects of the work of various national educational committees upon the policies of the Wyoming High School. In addition, all available literature regarding the history of the community and the history of the school was utilized. Valuable sources- for this data were: (1) I. L. Kandel's History~ Secondary Education which gave a background of the educational legislation, development, and organization