WHEREAS, Teachers' institutes in other states have proved potent means in elevating the standard of education, be it, Resolved, That the county superintendent of public schools, be requested to notify al! teachers of public schools in the county that attendance at the next semi-annual session of the institute will be requested, and that a failure to comply without a reasonable excuse will forfeit their certificate. Resolved, That we regard the "Journal of Education," published by J. B. Merwin, 708 Chestnut street, St. Louis, Mo., as a powerful auxiliary in the promotion of the educational interests of the west, and in order that its sphere of usefulness be extended, we earnestly recommend that all teachers, school directors and other friends of education become subscrib ers. Resolved, That the thanks of the institute are tendered Maj. Merwin, editor of the "Journal of Education," for his valuable and efficient services during the institute. Resolved, That the thanks of the institute are tendered the pastor of the Congregational Church for the use of the house for lectures. Resolved, That the thanks of the institute are tendered the board of education of Sedalia, for the use of the school buildings during the insti tute. Resolved, That a vote of thanks be tendered Capt. A. J. Sampson, county superintendent of public schools, for his successful efforts in organizing and conducting this institute, and for the able and instructive address be requested for publication in the Sedalia papers and the "Journal of Education." Resolved, That the proceedings of this institute be published in the Sedalia papers, and the "Journal of Education." The following are the names of the members enrolled, to-wit: Geo. W. Ready, W. S. Deardoff, B. F. Curnett, Wm. M. Barnhill, Jas. M. Caster, Joseph Kingsley, Geo. O. Brown, G. M. Colbert, M. V. B. Shattuck, A. J. Sampson, J. C. McCoy, T. J. Barton, J. M. Bigley, Edward Brown, Robert Reese, Wm. Hoffman, John Malone, William E. Strong, W. W. Snoddy, L. L. Bridges, J. M. Siglin, W. B. O'Bannon, Geo. W. Campbell, Milton Parish, Eva Griffon, S. J. Joplin, Mrs. W. J. Tucker, P. E. Sampson, E. Davidson, O. L. Ball, Mary A. Kidd, Mrs. L. Harrison, Mrs. M. A. Armes, Clara Kells, Julia Kells, J. B. Merwin, J. B. Brooks, M. Cotton, A. A. Neal, C. R. Griffon, J. R. Haviland, M. A. Nicholes, J. C. Grimes, T. M. Walker, T. J. Love, J. M. Bell, S. S. Evans, Geo. Rice, Henry Lamm, Sue Thompson, Miss S. J. Maltby, M. E. Grossbeck, Sallie Young, Thos. J. Gill, J. M. Duvall, J. M. Carter, M. C. Crawford, Mary Simons, Wm. Hansberger, Fannie Bard, Fannie C. Rothbon, Olivia J. Branham, Mary Ramey, Mrs. C. G. Delamater, Etta A. Phillips, O. G. Cooper, Prof. G. Beard, Miss O. Borrick, J. D. Brown, Alpheus Moore, Jas. Vangasken, Ewing Summers, J. S. Snead, S. M. Jackson, Mary A. Smith, Mary S. Thomas, N. E. Willer, Martha Woods, E. M. Amery, Wm. Cunningham, Chas. H. Hewit, Maud Zimmerman and John Osborne. Institutes met as follows: Nov. 6, 1869, and continued four days; May 3, 1870, three days; Nov. 9, 1870, three days; May 9, 1871, four days; Oct. 24, 1871, four days; Nov. 14, 1872, two days; Nov. 5, 1873, four days; Oct. 22, 1877, three days; Aug. 28, 1878, three days; Aug. 29, 1879, three days; Aug. 24, 1880, three days; Dec. 29, 1881, two days. SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS. A. J. Sampson, elected superintendent in 1868; A. A. Neal, elected superintendent in 1870; Prof. Westlake, elected superintendent in 1872; W. F. Hansberger, elected commissioner in 1875; Joseph Kingsley, elected commissioner in 1877; J. B. Van Petten, elected commissioner in 1879; R. M. Scotten, elected commissioner in 1881. SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT TO STATE SUPERINTENDENT FOR 1880 AND 1881: Number of white children between six and twenty years of age: Male, 4,012; female, 3,960. Total, 7,972. Number colored children between six and twenty years of age: Male, 414; female, 478. Total, 892. Number of white scholars attending school during year: Male, 2,995; female, 2,817. Total, 5,812. Number of colored scholars attending school during year: Male, 241; female, 294. Total, 535. Total number days' attendance of all scholars, 578,414. Average number days' attendance of each scholar, 77. Number days school taught: Summer, 2,915; winter, 9,725. Total, 12,640. Average number scholars attending each day: Summer, 1,117; winter, 3,767. Total, 4,884. Number of teachers employed in the county during year: Male, 80; female, 83. Total, 163. Average salaries of teachers per month: Male, $36.90; female, $36.70. General average, $36.80. Number of school houses in the county, 116. Number of buildings rented for school purposes, 4. Number of white schools in operation in the county, 100. Value of school property in county,.. Assessed valuation of county,.... Amount at beginning school year,. Amount rec'd for tuition and other sources... Amount rec'd of public fund, (state, county and tp.,. . . . $ 84,006.00. 6,438,181.00. 22,634.49. 627.50. 10,041.74. Amount of unexpended school funds at close of year... 20,840.65. For the year 1880, Pettis county enumerated white children, between six and twenty years of age; male, 3,944, female, 3,813, total 7,757; of the colored children for the same year, male, 423, female, 456, total, 879, making a grand total of 8,636 school children of the county. For the beginning of the year (April, 1880), the county had the following funds: Cash on hands, $22,559.76; received from State, $5,892.56; county, $1,601.43; township, $2,223.54; district tax, $33,526.58; other sources, $3,297.26; total receipts, $69,101.23; total expenditures, $46,416.40; amount on hand at close of year $22,684.83. For that year (1880) the total attendance of all the pupils amounted to 802,920 days, and each pupil averaged eighty days, four school months. This great degree of nonattendance on the part of pupils in the public schools, indicates a lack of interest by the patrons of the schools. Out of the 8,636 children of school age, 6,692 were enrolled in the schools, leaving 1,944 out of the public schools. Perhaps one-third of this number attend private schools, leaving 1,276 children without instruction. During that year (1880) there were 136 teachers employed at an average salary of $40 per month. The average salaries were: for the males, $45 per month, and the females, $35 per month. The cost of tuition per day of each pupil was six cents, and the rate levied in the county to support the schools was sixty-five cents on the $100. The value of public school property for 1880 amounted to $115,000. Besides the public schools of the county, Sedalia has two academies, a telegraph institute, and a commercial school, which are extensively noticed under the head of Sedalia schools. The duties of the clerk of each district are to keep a correct record of the meetings, to contract with teachers, file teachers' certificates, compel teachers to make a complete report of their term of school, giving the time, wages, number scholars, ages, and attendance, with such other statistics as the board may require. The commissioner is elected in the spring at the same time as the directors (first Tuesday in April) of the odd years. He issues teachers' certificates of two classes. The "second class" embraces orthography, reading, penmanship, arithmetic, English grammar, modern geography, United States history, and civil government, good for a term of one year. A certificate of the "first-class" includes all the above with the addition of the natural sciences and physiology, and may be issued for a terin of two years. The commissioner does but little in a public capacity except examine teachers and grant certificates, for which he receives $1.50 for each applicant, and $40.00 for making an annual statistical report to the state superintendent. The future prospects of education in Pettis have a very encouraging outlook. The county already ranks among the foremost of the state in educational matters. Better teachers are coming to the front, and at no very distant day Pettis county will have better school facilities. CHAPTER X.-THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. The following pages of this chapter contain a sketch of physicians who, having practiced some time in Pettis county, have since deceased; also a short professional sketch of the present resident physicians, from whom the facts could be obtained. Dr. John W. Trader, of Sedalia, kindly arranged the facts he could collect in relation to those who have died. A letter was sent to each physician in Pettis county requesting facts about his professional career, and those who responded are noticed herein. In making this necrological report of the physicians of Pettis county, we have been compelled to rely mainly upon the information furnished by old settlers, and especially upon that furnished by Major Wm. Gentry, who has been familliar, and personally acquainted, with all these families. These reports are necessarily brief, as nothing is attempted beyond an effort to preserve the history of those persons who, in many instances, are important factors in the first settlement of our county. DR. CHRISTIAN E. BIDSTRAP, a native of Denmark, settled near Georgetown, Pettis county, Mo., in the year 1833, on the farm known as the Craven's place; practiced medicine some six or eight years; died near Clifton, at his brother's. The doctor was never married, andh as no relatives in the county at present. DR. MOSES A. FERRIS was a surgeon in the volunteer forces from Kentucky in the war of 1812; removed from Georgetown, Ky., and settled in Pettis county near, Longwood, in the year 1833 or 1834, on what was then known as the Baker farm. The doctor was a representative man; in addition to practicing medicine, he preached to the early settlers, and married the young folks; he being what was then known as a Reformed preacher. The first blooded cattle brought to Pettis county were imported by Dr. Ferris. The doctor practiced medicine some ten or twelve years in this vicinity, and died suddenly, while out hunting, by what was supposed to have been apoplexy; none of the family, except the widow of the eldest son, residing at Longwood, are residents of the county. DR. WILLIAM J. WESTFIELD settled in Georgetown in the year 1834 or '35, from Kentucky. The doctor was what is generally known by the early settlers as a "root and yarb doctor." The doctor cultivated his own medical plants, and had quite a garden of herbs from which he supplied his armomentorium as occasion required. He left no family in the county, and no positive evidence of when and where he died. DR. WILKINS WATKINS was born in Virginia in the year 1809, and settled in Georgetown, Missouri, in the year 1838. The doctor represented this county in the legislature in the year 1845 or '46, and was register of lands at one time, at Clinton, Missouri. He moved to Salem, Oregon, in 1863, and returned and settled in Sedalia, Missouri, in 1867, where he died December 6, 1872. He leaves a wife and daughter who are now living in Sedalia, and two grand children, residing at Ft. Scott, Kansas. DR. THOMAS EVANS was born in Washington City, D. C., October 27, 1805; educated at "Columbia College," D. C., graduating in both literary and medical departments. Came to Missouri in 1832, and moved to Pettis county in 1840, and located on the eastern border of the county on a farm which he improved himself, where he lived and practiced medicine until he sold his farm and located in the town of Smithton in the year 1872, where he resided until his death, which occurred on the 10th of September, 1874. The remains are buried at the Smithton cemetery. Dr. Evans was no ordinary man. Deeply imbued with the greatness of his calling, he never, by word or deed, lowered the standard of his profession. His reputation extended over Cooper, Saline, Pettis, Morgan and Benton counties, and for thirty odd years he served this people with a fidelity that will not soon be forgotten. The doctor never held a public office. He leaves three sons resident of this county, two of whom, Drs. E. C. and W. H. Evans, are leading physicians of Sedalia, Mo. DR. EDWARD SPEDDEN settled in Georgetown in the year of 1841 or '42; was born and raised on the eastern shore of Maryland. Died in Georgetown about the year 1856. Dr. Spedden was an eminent physician, and of more than ordinary acquirements; was charitable to the poor, and modest and retired in his deportment. The doctor was twice married; had six children by his first, and one son by his last wife. None of the family live in Pettis county at present. DR. Moss came to Georgetown, from one of the New England |