Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society offers historical items related to local education
Collection includes donations from the recently closed Regional Office of Education
 

[August 25, 2015]  LINCOLN - With children flocking to schools backpacks in tow, the Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society is featuring its educational collection including recent donations received upon the closing of the Logan, Mason, and Menard Educational Service Regional office in Lincoln.

Among items received is a framed teacher’s penciled list of items needed for school. Included are: two brooms, three boxes of chalk, one coal bucket, one feather duster, and two dozen teacher’s schedules. And the notation, “Also, the clock needs some repairs.”

Other donations from the regional school office include a globe, long-handled map pull, E. H. Lukenbill’s personal dictionary, the office seal stamper; three sets of wooden cased antique letter stampers, a carousel of assorted signature stamps, and copies of The Logan County School Messenger, dating from 1932, along with yearly school directories.

Photographs of the Logan County Regional Commissioners and Superintendents of Schools on display in the LCGHS front window include those of Levi T. Regan, who served from 1869 to 1873;
Evan P. Gram, 1898-1905; D. F. Nickols, 1905-1916; Donald Splain, 1906-1916; Lukenbill; and more recent superintendents George Janet and Jean Anderson.
 

Histories on James G. Chalfant, the first county superintendent of schools, who served from 1865-1869 for the more than 100 school districts in Logan County, and again from 1873-1877; William H. Derby, 1877-1882; Samuel M. Guttery, 1882-1894; J. S. Cole, 1894-1898; William Hackney, the first school commissioner in 1839; Samuel Briggs, 1843; James Primm, who filled out the unexpired term and served again in 1846 and 1847; Ezekiel Bowman, 1844-1846; Samuel Emmett, 1847; Samuel Parks, 1849-1855; J. C. Webster, 1856; J. E. Cummings, 1857; David James, 1857-1859; William Starkey, 1859; J. H. Beidler, who established the Teacher Institutes in Logan County, 1861; and A. S. Guthrie, 1863-1865, have been received.

Also in the collection is an Illinois Pupils Reading Circle completion award signed by Supt. Lukenbill in 1936; a framed listing of eighth graders in Logan County in 1945; a framed 1945 eighth grade commencement program; a framed photograph of students of Mrs. Emma J. Miller at Mill Grove School in Corwin Township, circa 1907; a framed photo of New Holland School, 1902-1905; and a scholastic bowl plaque.

Also received is a 2012 photograph of the Regional Board of School Trustees; and maps of Logan County town and country schools and regional school service regions.

The LCGHS school collection also contains the Logan County One Room School book; a wooden armed desk from a one room school; a tin drinking cup; a variety of old dictionaries and primers; a bell from a one room school; a 1907 photo of the old Lincoln High School on Broadway Street; and a Walnut Grove School songbook.

In addition the Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society holds a collection of yearbooks, beginning with the 1914 Lincoln High School Panorama, and including yearbooks from Hartsburg-Emden, Mt. Pulaski; Atlanta, Elkhart, New Holland-Middletown, Forest City/Manito, Chestnut, and Broadwell. LCHS newsletters are also available for viewing as are the LCHS Alumni Directory and a publication on Menard County Schools.

On the college level the following books have been donated to the Society:

• The Lincoln College Story 1865-1995;
• Lincoln College Emancipator ‘Histories of College’, 1927;
• and Lincoln College the Namesake College, 1865-1965.

The Lincoln College Lincolnians are also housed in the LCGHS library as are yearbooks from Lincoln Christian College.

[Diane Osborn, LCGHS]