History of Piper City
IT WAS A LONELY LIFE
Before the advent of the hard roads, the days and years were often fraught
with loneliness, especially for the women who lived on the farms, but they
kept very busy. If we were to visit a pioneer home it would seem very odd to
us, no doubt. Usually the homes were small with only weatherboard on the
outside, with no lathes or plaster on the inside. Sometimes the only rugs
were rag rugs made by hand, and the homemaker usually made all of the
clothing for the family.
To keep warm the housewife spread the floors with straw and covered it with
carpeting and tacked it down at the walls. Feather beds or straw ticks were
used for mattresses and everything on the farm was used in some way.
Because there were not many trees there was not much wood to burn. Coal was
brought in from mining states and that helped alleviate the cold during the
winter months.
The pioneers had many little forms of diversion that meant a great deal to
them. Children played checkers and jackstraws, but soon they were doing
their share of the work along with their elders.
Women sometimes stayed home for months or even years. Mrs. Catherine
Stadler, who was called affectionately "Grandma, Stadler" by everyone, came
to this area with her husband under the Homestead Act and they later
purchased 80 acres of land in section 20 from the Illinois Central Railroad
for $10 an acre.
In a newspaper clipping telling of some of her reminiscences after she
became an old, old lady, she recalled that in the early days she had spent
10 years of such solitude as she had never known. For four years she had
never left home. After her husband died in 1884, she raised their 10
children and supervised their 360 acre farm. This was no small job.
For a time they drove six miles to a natural spring at Oliver's Grove for
water for themselves and for their stock. At first this was necessary
because of a lack of equipment, but later they continued to do it because of
a superstition that water from artificial wells was deadly for both man and
beast.
IT WAS "WILD AND RAW"
Mrs. J. W. DeMoure who came with her husband to the "Wilson settlement" in
1864, where her husband was superintendent of Dr. Wilson's large farm
interests, once said:
"It was wild and raw in those early days. Few have any idea of the
hardships. I remember I didn't see a woman for 18 months at one time, and
then Mrs. Captain Mitchison came over to see me one day just for an hour or
two. It grew better with the settlement of the country, and when we moved
into Piper City in 1887, we then left a well settled country and almost a
section of fine, well improved land of our own."
The women were made of strong and sensible stuff, but occasionally to break
the monotony, there were Fourth of July picnics and small socials and
gatherings. In the winter the churches had oyster suppers and mite society
meetings. There were little musical productions and debating societies were
quite popular.
FIRST FAIR IN 1882
The first fair was put on by the Piper City Union Agricultural Board in the
fall of 1882 and this grew to be an annual event that everyone looked
forward to with great anticipation.
A premium list and fair book for the 10th annual fair lists these officers
of the association: Joseph Burger, president; C. A. Cook, vice president; T.
J. Sowers, vice president; H. S. Carpenter, secretary and Ira W. Hand,
treasurer.
No intoxicating liquor was served on the fair grounds and no intoxicated
person was allowed on the grounds. Races were held every afternoon, except
on the opening day, with purses ranging from $30 to $100. Gambling on the
races was against the rules of the association, but interest in the races
was keen for most of the horses were owned by local people. Many races were
limited to Ford County horses. The fair was closed on Friday so that the
moving out could be completed on Saturday and no one would have an excuse to
"break the Sabbath".
Young people came in for special consideration by the fair board. School
children were admitted free on Wednesday afternoons and a two year
scholarship to Wheaton College was given to any Ford County resident,
between the ages of 16 and 24, who could deliver the best original oration
of not less than five minutes or more than 15. There were also general
school exhibits and awards for the best equestrianship for young men and
young ladies under 15 years of age.
MANY CLASSES OF LIVESTOCK
The 1891 fair book from which this information was gathered lists a wide
variety of classes in livestock. In poultry, 34 classes are listed in the
regular division and over 20 in the miscellaneous, ranging from pea fowls to
brown China geese.
The agriculture, horticulture and floriculture divisions also reflect the
variety of vegetables and grain raised in those days. Over 40 varieties are
listed with prizes of 50 cents and 25 cents offered for the best red wheat,
spring wheat, white wheat, clover, flax, rye, buckwheat, millet, sugar
beets, celery, pumpkins and many others.
Under miscellaneous farm products, awards were offered for the best cheese,
butter, smoked ham, comb honey, extracted honey, bees in observatory, lard,
maple sugar, beeswax, soap, sorghum, hops, wool fleece and German carp fish.
What a contrast to the specialized products of today's farms.
A display of leather work included a class in harness and saddlery, boots
and shoes, and trunks and travel bags.
The women could vie for prizes and glory in the domestic arts classes where
they could show their skill in the culinary or needlework divisions.
There were no lights at the fair ground so there was no evening program.
However, in later years, at least, a good traveling dramatic company would
be engaged to put on plays at the Opera House in the evenings. Children and
adults saved their pennies all year to have enough to attend the show every
night if possible. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was one of the favorite productions.
There were four different fair grounds in Piper City and at least two fair
associations. The last one which closed in 1917 was called the Ford County
Fair Association and was held in the soutnwest edge of town on the land now
owned by Mrs. A. W. Underwood. The first fair was held at the east edge of
town where Mr. and Mrs. Otto Albrecht now live and one was held just back of
the north side business district. Another site was where the school now is.
After the fair disbanded in 1917, the buildings were sold in February of
1918 for $3,000. There was some hope that a new organization would be formed
and the fair would be started again at a later date, but these hopes never
materialized. The buildings were torn down or moved, the land soon was put
into cultivation, and the fair was just a memory.
OPPERMAN'S BAND
One of the chief attractions at the annual fair was the performance of the
"Opperman Band". This group was a Piper City institution for many years,
entertaining at all patriotic, political, social and religious functions
throughout the area. They did this without compensation other than the
pleasure it gave them to share their musical talent with an appreciative
audience.
Charles Opperman, the founder and director of the band, was born in Colbitz,
Germany, August 23, 1857, and came to America in 1868 with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. David Opperman. They first settled near Chatsworth, moving from
there to Brenton Township in 1873. After his marriage to Margaret Rehm, in
1874, they lived three and a half miles southwest of town and moved into
Piper City about 1895. In 1897 he and his brothers, Ernest and August,
bought out Clark's general store which they continued to operate until 1905
when he invested in a cotton plantation in Mississippi, moving there in 1907
with his family. There he remained until 1915 when ill health and a
homesickness for his former home prompted him to come back to Piper City.
Here he stayed until his death in 1930.
He is best remembered for his muscianship, although he was a profound lover
of things of nature, and spent much of his time in the culture of trees and
flowers, and even planted and tended flower beds in the railroad and village
parks.
Mr. Opperman's father, David Opperman, was a vocal teacher and in 1878
became the leader of a most successful glee club. From that beginning a
cornet band was organized by Charles Opperman and his brothers, August and
William, under the leadership of Prof. Rebholz, in 1880. In 1887 he
organized a band at Thawville. In 1894 the Opperman Piper City Band was born
and it was for years one of the leading musical organizations in this
section of the country.
The band played regular weekly concerts during the summer time and at
various fairs, both here, and at Fairbury, Pontiac and many other places.
Four of the Opperman brothers were charter members of the band and it was
later strengthened by younger members of the family. In about 1915 or 1916
it was decided that the band needed new uniforms, and since their services
were generally free, they held two or three public concerts to raise money.
They featured special soloists and instrumentalists. Mr. Opperman's
daughter, Margaret, and Miss Irene Flessner were two of the young ladies who
sang to help raise the money.
In the early days the band had a "bandwagon" or "chariot" with curved sides
drawn by four horses, in which they used to travel to other towns. In this
way they publicized the fair and other events.
VILLAGE GROWS
In 1870 there were 307 inhabitants in Piper City and this number had grown
to 750 by 1884. The little village was steadily growing and there were many
signs of progress in the latter part of the 19th century.
In 1884 Piper City had a two-story school in the middle of the block on West
Cross Street between Pine and Green Streets. There were four churches, a
hotel, two newspapers, a bank, four general stores, two hardware stores, a
lumber yard, three grain elevators, a creamery, a livery stable, an
agricultural warehouse, two drugstores, two wagon shops, three blacksmith
shops, and a post office.
The creamery, which was located at the east end of Walnut Street, did a big
business and about 20 tons of butter were produced per year. Most of it was
sold in New Orleans at 20 to 35 cents a pound. They churned four times a day
in the summer and eight times a week in the colder months.
John A. Montelius, Sr., who came right after the Civil War to manage the
extensive land holdings of his uncle, Dr. William Piper, was active in much
of the commercial development of the village, primarily in banking and the
grain business.
The first bank was established in 1870 by Charles M. MJontelius and his son
John A. Montelius, Sr. The bank was opened with a capital of $50,000.
EXCURSION TRAINS POPULAR IN 1880's
The "excursion train" was a product of the times in the 1880's, meeting the
need of the railway companies to keep their otherwise idle passenger coaches
engaged in money-raising activity. Due to the rapid expansion of the
railroads, many such as the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad Company,
which had just gone through a costly reorganization, were eager to do
whatever they could to make a little money.
Excursions were planned by the railroad companies to such points of interest
as the State Fair in Springfield, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, homestead
sites in Nebraska, and the world's first skyscraper in Chicago. Public
response was overwhelming, and many church groups and other organizations
rented trains and went as a group to see these places. It was the era of
excursions.
During the middle of July, 1887, handbills were displayed prominently in
Peoria and vicinity describing an excursion on the T. P. & W. to Niagara
Falls scheduled to leave Peoria at 7:15 P.M., Wednesday, August 10. The
price for a round trip ticket, good for up to ten days, was $7.50 and the
handbill advised that you couldn't afford to miss it.
Many people took this advice to heart, and by 6:00 P.M., that fateful night,
a large crowd was already gathered on the station platform and the final
preparations were being completed on the Niagara excursion train. It was
made up of six Palace sleeping cars, two reclining chair cars, five day
coaches, a combination baggage car, and the General Superintendent, E. N.
Armstrong's official car.
As the train came to a stop, the eager excursionists rushed aboard carrying
large lunch baskets, diapers, and other provisions for the small children
that went aboard. There was no dining car on the train.
GREAT TRAIN DISASTER
Little did the excursionists realize that instead of a happy trip, they were
really heading for one of the greatest train disasters in history. So
terrible, in fact, that the editor of the Piper City Pan Handle Advocate
wrote:
"No pen is able to describe the scene, and to do so would require human
flesh for parchment, a flame of fire for a pen, and human blood for ink."
The departure was delayed slightly by latecoming passengers. From the first,
things did not go exactly as they should. After all were aboard, the two
locomotives slowly pulled the train out of the station amid great bursts of
waving and shouting between the people on the train and the people on the
station platform.
The train crossed the bridge over the Illinois River and proceeded eastward
across Illinois. After another hour's delay to repair a drawbar mishap, the
train continued on its way, making a few stops to pick up additional
passengers. Several got on at Fairbury. It reached Chatsworth after 11:00
P.M., about an hour and a half behind schedule. After leaving Chatsworth the
engineer on the first engine opened the throttle and at last it looked like
they could make up for lost time as they sped toward slumbering Piper City.
BRIDGE BURNED OUT
Approaching a small bridge about two and a half miles west of Piper City,
the engineer caught sight of a small blaze in the distance. The fireman
noticed it, too, and passed it off with a remark about section hands being
more careful in burning off the weeds along the track. But the words were
hardly spoken before both men realized with shock that the bridge itself was
on fire and that they were headed toward it at high speed. The engineer gave
a desperate pull on the whistle rope signaling "down brakes."
It was too late to stop and the first engine crossed over the bridge and ran
on east up the track for some distance. The second engine leaped the chasm.
The tender of the first engine became derailed and broke loose from both
engines. The tender of the second engine was stripped of its trucks and
landed 100 feet east of the bridge, where it was thrown into the ditch north
of the tracks. The engine was dumped into the ditch on the south of the
track opposite.
As soon as the second engine crossed the culvert the cars followed, and
leaving their trucks in its ditch, were piled and mashed together like
kindling wood. The scenes of horror and confusion that followed were
frightful. There were about 700 people on the train, and of these fully one
half were in the coaches that now lay in a huge mass. Seven cars filled with
dead and dying people were jammed into a space of two car lengths.
The car of General Superintendent Armstrong was thrown across the track and
the trucks knocked from under it. The occupants had a miraculous escape. Mr.
Armstrong was thrown out of the car and escaped with a slight scratch.
The engineer of the leading engine was unhurt, but the second engineer was
instantly killed with his head crushed to a pulp. His fireman jumped from
the engine and was uninjured.
The accident was thought to have occurred at 11:49 P.M., since that was the
time when the dead engineer's watch had stopped. Almost immediately two
trainmen ran the first engine, without a tender, into Piper City for
assistance. On arrival the fire alarm was given, which at that time was done
by striking the steel rim of a locomotive wheel with a sledge hammer.
Soon the town was bustling with activities and the tracks were covered with
people going to the scene of the disaster. The news was telegraphed to other
towns and soon help was on its way from Chatsworth.
The ladies of both places prepared places for the wounded and in short
orde;r both Chatsworth and Piper City looked like hospitals. Doctors were
rushed to the scene on hand cars and were among the first to arrive.
FIRE THREATENS CRASH VICTIMS
The fire received the first attention of the early arrivals, for if any of
the cars had caught fire the horrors of a holocaust would have been added to
the already frightful disaster.
The events of that tragic night had one more ironic twist to make before the
coming of the dawn. The day had been a hot and searing one, and the sun had
shone down mercilessly on a parched prairie. The Peoria Daily Transcript had
carried a front page story that very day on the great drouth, calling it a
disaster for the farmer. The much longed for rain finally came at about 2:30
o'clock the morning of August 11. It may have been a blessing to the
farmers, but to the victims of the train disaster and those working at their
rescue it was the final touch of horror.
The darkness was faintly illumined by lanterns as the night was pierced with
the screams of the dying and injured. The pouring rain and lightning and the
roar of thunder added up to a scene that couldn't be forgotten by anyone who
witnessed it.
After the wounded had been handed out of the cars and were being cared for
as well as posible, the work of removing the dead began. Strong men began to
take everything apart in the three telescoped cars. As they progressed they
came across such scenes as these described in the Piper City Pan Handle
Advocate:
"Here someone would pick up a valise and uncover an arm or leg without a
body, and over there someone would pick up a piece of linen to hand to the
nurses and when lifted up discover a child mashed to a jelly. Such sights
were common and made the bravest men shudder. Ghastly bodies of both men and
women hung in grotesque fashion from the windows. In the midst of all of
this horrible mixture of legs, heads, arms and mutilated bodies were to be
seen frail pieces of glass and wood as good and unmarred as before the
wreck. A small clock found in one car was keeping time as well as if just
wound.
"The maniacal scene became more agonizing as husband sought wife, wife,
husband, father or mother, children, or children wildly clamoring for
parents, while brothers, sisters, relatives and friends kept up the same
frantic search, with their lost loved ones sometimes so mutilated as to be
unrecognizable. The piercing shrieks of terror-stricken people suddenly
bereft of those most dear to them, and under such awful circumstances,
mingled with the heart-rending groans of the wounded and dying, etched the
scene on the minds of those who were there."
Piper City's two physicians were the first on the scene and worked at their
mission of mercy until completely exhausted the next day. The Opera House,
the hotel and numerous private dwellings were turned into emergency quarters
for the injured. Food and medicines were procured as soon as possible and
all that could be done was done to alleviate the suffering. Eighty-one lost
their lives that night and many more were maimed for life.
Piper City people acted with unstinting service and performed some of the
most trying duties that can be required of a human being during the
aftermath of the "great train wreck."
TRAINS BRING EXCITEMENT
It is hard to imagine the excitement of the townspeople over the arrival or
departure of the trains. People came down town just to see who got on and
off and it was said that Caroline (Cad) Beach met every train and was always
dressed "to the teeth." She was a reporter for her father, Judge Beach's
newspaper, The Pan Handle Advocate, and it was said that nothing escaped her
reportorial pen.
The hotel was conveniently located just across the street from the depot and
the traveling salesmen would display their wares in the lobby, and the local
merchants would come there to buy. The proprietor of the hotel, about 1900,
was Jim Jeffery and it was called the Jeffery House. It was sold at auction
in 1906 and a modern brick building erected in its place.
Another hotel called the Central Hotel flourished after that on the corner
where Cook's IGA now stands. This was the scene of many suppers and balls
and was often used by the churches and civic organizations to hold their
dinners or meetings. The Methodists held their Washington Birthday dinners
there for many years. This hotel was in existence until after World War II,
although its commercial enterprise had been on the wane for several years
before that. It was torn down in 1947 to make way for the grocery store
which was built by George Cook and his son, Ronald after the latter came
back from service in World War II.
Certain years stand out as notable in progress and events. 1895 was one of
those years as the little frontier town of Piper City began to build and
improve. J. A. Montelius, Sr., made the greatest improvement by building a
new brick building 40 by 80 feet. This building houses the State Bank today.
A newspaper clipping describes it thus:
MODEL BUSINESS STRUCTURE
"It is a model business structure, ornate in appearance and most substantial in construction. The foundation is of stone and superstructure of brick, with oolitic stone trimmings. The facing of both north and west fronts is of dark red pressed brick with terra cotta trimmings above doors and windows, and a wide expanse of plate glass, while on the street corner is a graceful tower which appropriately adorns the entire structure. The interior finish will be in keeping with its outside appearance, and when completed, which will be soon, it will have cost $12,000. The corner room will be occupied by the Piper City Bank which will certainly have quarters unsurpassed in the county. In the rear of the bank, on the west side, Mr. Montelius, Sr., will have his grain office, which will be occupied by Mr. Montelius' sons in conducting the Agricultural Implement and wagon carriage business, the second floor being devoted entirely to wagons and carriages. An immense elevator will facilitate the handling of vehicles and machinery and render the business which is usually so laborious almost a pleasure. Mr. Montelius is entitled to highest commendations of the people of Piper City for his enterprise as well as for the evidence thus given of his faith in the future of his town. It is such manifestations of confidence which encourage future development along the same lines.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
"But his is not the only improvement worthy of mention nor the only one
which renders the growth of the village remarkable. We found the Thompson
Brothers occupying a large double brick store two stories in height and
finished inside and outside in manner which would reflect merit on a place
of many times the size of Piper City, while adjoining them on the west and
constituting part of the same frontage is the jewelry store of Mr. Roberts,
well stocked and equipped with the finest of furnishings. The drug stores of
D. A. Boal and Dr. S. D. Culbertson, each 25 feet in width, are constructed
with the same view to adornment and durability and furnished with the most
modern interior fittings.
"The buildings enumerated constitute a frontage of about 165 feet, in front
of which, and many other buildings, is laid about a block and a half of
first class cement pavement.
"On the opposite side of the railroad is another brick building of about 27
feet frontage in which is located the new Odd Fellows' Hall which soon will
be dedicated. The upper story is owned by the lodge and they can soon be
congratulated upon the possession of one of the finest lodge rooms in the
county and sufficient for all their needs for many years to come.
"While these are not all the improvements of the season, they are the
principal ones, and when the electric light plant, which is now in the
course of construction, is completed, Piper City will have taken a step in
advance of which will make the season of 1895 memorable in her history."
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
The electric light plant was built by A. A. Blair and later sold to Dave and
Charles White and Otto DeMoure. This was quite a progressive step for the
village and constituted a big job for the owners of the plant, as they had
to wire the homes of their customers before they could sell them
electricity.
The generator for the plant, which stood on the north side of Peoria Avenue
across from what is now Cook's IGA, was run with steam engines and boilers
to provide the electricity. They also ran a line to Chatsworth and supplied
them with electricity for a time.
It was some time later that electric street lights were installed. The
village board was very frugal with the use of electricity and at one of
their board meetings in 1900 they considered not turning on the lights on
bright moonlight nights.
FLAX, A POPULAR CROP
Flax was a popular crop with early farmers in this area because it helped to
prepare the sod for cultivation. There was a flax mill in Jeffery's pasture
at the south edge of town near where Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Pearson now live.
Sorghum mills were rather plentiful and there were evidently several plants
that took the sorghum grown by local farmers and made rich, brown sorghum
molasses. This was an important staple in the pioneer's diet and many a
table was set with nothing but corn bread and molasses. There was a sorghum
mill about where the Custom Farm Services fertilizer plant is now located.
This mill was run by Mr. McLaughlin.
There also was a mill across from L. T. Bishop's, or where the Edwin Bork
family now lives, and one north of town operated by "Molasses" Koerner.
Children used to follow the wagons hauling molasses cane into town, chewing
on the sweet stalks that fell to the ground.
An ice plant was an important addition to the early business section and
there was probably more than one ice house during the early history of the
town.
Nels Plank operated an ice house for many years. They used to cut ice out of
ponds in the winder and store it for the summer. There was a pond north of
Robert Dehm's residence where they used to harvest ice. Ice, like other
crops, was harvested when it was ready, and it was considered ready when it
was eight inches thick.
TURN OF THE CENTURY
The turn of the century was ushered in with great plans by Piper Cityans to
build a new $12,000 schoolhouse on a new site at the south edge of town. To
be forever left behind was the cramped two-story frame school, heated by
space heaters in winter, and poorly ventilated in summer.
Gone, too, was the three-year high school that had seemed more than adequate
for the children of the pioneers up to this time.
The new brick two-story school was the pride of the citizenry, and furnished
large and comfortable class rooms for all grades from first through high
school.
On August 27, 1900, the cornerstone to the new school house was dedicated in
an impressive exercise in which almost all the townspeople took part. The
exercises were under the auspices of the Masonic lodge. A committee was on
hand to meet Grand Master Hitchcock, who arrived on the 9:45 A.M. train. At
2:00 P.M., the procession formed at the lodge hall and marched to the
schoolhouse site, headed by Opperman's Cornet Band.
The Reverend M. C. Long delivered the first address — a history of the
school. Grand Master Hitchcock followed with the main oration, after which
the ceremony of laying the cornerstone took place. The exercises concluded,
members of the lodge, friends and patrons, returned to the lodge hall for
various amusements and entertainments, and at 6:00 P.M. refreshments were
served.
School started October 1 in the old building, with Miss Mary Hotzenpillar,
principal; Miss Clara Bishop, assistant principal; W. G. Cook, grammer
department; Miss Anna Ralston, intermediate, and Miss Lizzie Dick, primary.
After the Christmas holiday, youngsters began going to school in the new
building and everyone felt very proud to think that all grades from first
through high school could attend such a nice modern school.
The old school was not completely abandoned, but was used by youngsters who
played basketball and other games in it. Later it was moved to the site
where the Triple H Company now stands, and it was used by Mike Kelly and his
sons to store implements and such. They were dealers of farm implements for
many years.
One small addition was made in 1920 to the 1900 school, then in 1937 the
board of education thought that it was time to enlarge the school and local
people responded affirmatively by voting the referendum necessary to do it.
A fine new gymnasium and several classrooms were built.
1940'S BRING MANY CHANGES
The 1940's ushered in many changes for the schools. The country schools
began to close one by one and their pupils were amalgamated into the town
school. This was due to the economic pressure of the rising costs of
teacher's salaries and the state government's upgrading of standards. There
was pressure from many groups, including the Illinois Agricultural
Association, to consolidate schools and to upgrade the rural schools to a
par with the town schools.
Many did not feel this way. In fact, they felt that what the country school
had to offer was superior to the town school.
The trend continued, however, and the last of the country schools to close
was the Crandall School.
Some of the faithful country school teachers moved into the town school
system and others retired. We still have some teachers who formerly taught
in the country schools. Among them are Mrs. Frank Bouhl, Mrs. Merle Harford,
Mrs. Donald Schnurr, Mrs. Francis Boma and Edmund Colravy.
A bit of Americana passed from the scene with the country schools. They had
been little centers of community interest, the box socials in the winter and
the school picnic at the close of school were events that the whole family
looked forward to with anticipation.
Being geared to the necessity of rural youngsters working on the farms the
country school was usually in session for only eight months to the town
school's nine. At the end of April, or first of May, the families of the
district all gathered for a picnic dinner to mark the close of school.
After the bountiful dinner, the men and boys organized a ball game and the
women exchanged recipes and visited. The highlight of the day came when the
freezer of ice cream was opened in the afternoon and everyone enjoyed this
rare treat. The teacher customarily furnished the ice cream out of her
meager salary.
The closing of the country schools presented the problem of getting the
children to town school and on August 31, 1942, some parents from north of
town attended a school board meeting and asked that the school obtain a bus
and see that their children got to school.
Shortly after that the school did get one bus which shuttled back and forth
as best it could. Some of the students had to wait at school until the
others arrived for classes.
Ben Thompson was hired as the first bus driver. The school now maintains
four buses, a mini-bus and one spare bus.
The country schools were disposed of in various ways. Some were moved away
and remodeled for homes. Others were bought with the idea that they would
remain as community centers for the district, but this hardly ever worked
out. Center School is used for a town hall and polling place by Pella
Township, one of the few still used and maintained. There is hardly a
recognizable country school in the area.
In the fall of 1946 two country schoolhouses were moved into town where one
was used for industrial arts and the other for ag. They were used for a few
years until better facilities were built.
Hot lunches were also started in the 1940's and the old dining room was the
room under the stage in the gymnasium. The pleasant, well-lighted dining
room in use today was built in 1952.
COOPERATIVE STARTED IN 1967
An experiment in education was begun in 1967 when Chatsworth and Piper City
began the "cooperative plan." In this plan, students are bused from one
school to the other and it has made a more economical teacher - pupil ratio
and has given a wider choice of subjects to students.
It has been hailed by educators all over the state as "the largest
cooperative in the state of Illinois." The two superintendents who worked
out the cooperative plan were Edward Gladish of Piper City and Robert
Stuckey of Chatsworth. Further consolidation seems imminent in 1969, but
only the future will reveal just what and how much.
Our modern school with a staff of 22 teachers and two administrators is a
far cry from the first humble beginning of education begun on the prairie
110 years ago.
The first school in Brenton Township was in a small lean-to beside the home
of John R. Lewis The offer of this rude building was gladly accepted by the
newly formed school trustees, as no education had been "diffused" in the
township up to this time. Miss Annie Hobbis of Onarga was employed as the
first teacher, beginning her duties the first Monday in December, 1859 and
continuing four months. Mr. Lewis also furnished the fuel for the school and
boarded the teacher for the very liberal sum of $24.
The Wagner school was one of the earliest country schools and was also used
by the churches to hold meetings and socials.
MANY TEACHERS SERVED
Many Piper City teachers could qualify as outstanding and we make no attempt
to name them all here, but a few stand out in length of service and devotion
and we would be remiss if we failed to note their contribution to the youth
of this community.
Clara May Powell was an early country school teacher who taught in the Herr
School. She also organized a Sunday School there which she taught on
Sundays, making her attendance at school a necessity for six days a week.
This was quite a bit of devotion when we note that it was the teacher who
did all the janitoring, fixed the fires, and took care of all emergencies.
Once in a great while one of the school board members was called in to
"settle" one of the big boys.
Anna Ralston devoted most of her life to teaching and exemplified the
old-fashioned image of a school ma'arm. She wore her hair in a bun on top of
her head and her mouth was drawn into a tight little knot from which very
little praise ever escaped. She was there to teach, and teach she did. Many
were better off for her strict discipline and devotion to learning.
Professor J. H. Francis was superintendent here for many years, retiring in
1954. Not only did he superintend both grade and high schools, but he also
was a very good math teacher and made even the most unlikely pupils
understand it a little better. He taught here for 36 years.
Miss Dora Heavener was a first and second grade teacher and introduced
literally hundreds of children to school. Later she became teacher of the
kindergarten. She was the second kindergarten teacher. Mrs. Sylvia Guren
taught the first class in the spring of 1952, then Miss Heavener started in
the fall and taught kindergarten until she was forced to retire because of
her health in 1962 after devoting 46 years to teaching. Piper City was one
of the first schools in the area to have a full time kindergarten.
OPERA HOUSE
The Opera House was an institution in the early days. It superceded Clark's
Hall as a center of all civic activities. The churches held suppers,
musicals, and fairs in Clark's Hall in the earliest days, but everything had
to be carried up the stairs and they were delighted to hold their meetings
in the larger and better equipped Opera House after it was built.
Here every strata of the town's social life must have passed at some time or
another. The big events of the year were the stock shows that came to town
and played to an audience starved for entertainment. Basketball games were
held here so all school children frequented its halls often and found
special joy in watching the proceedings from the dark and sometimes hot and
stuffy gallery. The Mogul basketball team was well known in the area before
World War I and for a long time afterwards. Their fame as an independent
basketball team was known all over Central Illinois and some very important
"name" teams came and played the Moguls on the Opera House court.
In 1907 the Opera House was remodeled and lost its distinctive cupola that
marked the early era of its architecture. It is not known just when the
Opera House was first built, but we know it housed the Masonic Lodge on the
second story. The Lodge was chartered in 1868.
FARMERS INSTITUTE
The Farmers Institute was held here for many years and besides the exhibits
of grain and produce brought in by the farmers, there were all kinds of blue
and red ribbons given in the culinary arts to the farmers' wives. School
children submitted hand work and themes to be judged and resultant winners
were published in the paper.
The afternoon and evening program consisted of "pieces" and songs and
entertainment by school children with a "special" speaker brought in who
could entertain and enlighten his farm audience.
It was a time of fun and good natured rivalry and families attended together
and enjoyed mingling with other families. Usually Farmers Institute was held
in February and bad weather often marred the event, although they dared not
hold it any later in the spring for the mud roads became impassable after
the spring thaw.
In later years dances were a regular event and some people approved and
others did not. The dances usually drew a good crowd, however, and
Falletti's orchestra from Kankakee was one of the most popular dance bands
in the 20's and early 30's.
Other more staid events also took place in the Opera House including the
senior class's graduation and the eighth grade honor night.
After the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches built dining rooms, their
suppers and meetings were usually held within their own walls. And after the
school built its gymnasium, the basketball games, graduation and even the
alumni banquet were all held there. The Farmers Institute, like the county
fair that preceded it became a thing of the past. Farmers could hear better
speeches on their radio sets and certainly the entertainment was better than
anything that could be mustered by local talent.
In the late 40's it became obvious that the usefulness of the old Opera
House, as people had known it for many years, was a thing of the past. A
group of interested citizens got together and decided to put in a bowling
alley in its place and in 1947 the Opera House was razed.
Extracted 12 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass
