Early Schools: Part 6

"This substantially brings the history of the private schools in Peoria down to the year 1855. On February 15, 1855, the school inspectors took charge and the schools became public schools, the records of which have been preserved.

"When the inspectors assumed control, there was no school house in the First Ward although the foundation had been laid for a building at the corner of Adams and Walnut streets. In the Second Ward there was a small school house [that was] inconvenient and uncomfortable. In the Third Ward there was an old foundry which had been fitted up as a school and would accomodate 80 to 90 pupils. It was hot in summer and freezing in the winter. In the Fourth Ward was a better school house which is now standing at No. 322 North Washington street. In this school house there were seats for about 80 to 90 pupils. There were then in the city approximately 230 children attending school. There were approximately 1000 of proper age who should have been attending school.

"From May to October, 1855, the Board had been able to get together $2,414.85, the sum total of the school money of that year. During the next year they had been able to collect $11,089.46. During the year ending May 1900, the inspectors expended $63,503.00 for new school buildings. They have in all parts of the city 18 large well furnished school houses, averaging ten or more rooms each. The total cost of these was $750,000.00. The total disbursements of the Board for the year was $246,168.00 of which $135,106.96 was for salaries [for the] paid teachers. During that year [1900] they employed and paid 218 teachers. They had in round numbers 8000 pupils to educate.

"When President McKinley came to Peoria in the fall of 1899 there were approximately 5000 children marching in procession to welcome him to Peoria. This did not include the scholars of the High School, nor did it include any of the small pupils of the primaries.

"There has sometimes been a snarl at the school taxes. This exhibit shows the cost of schooling a child at approximately $20.00 a year for each pupil. The cost in a private school would be over $50.00 a year and the schooling would be much inferior. The school tax in cities the size of Peoria is generally higher than in this city."

Part 6

Submitted by Steve Slaughter

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