Your Home Town

We recently posted information about the Princeville Academy which was a private high school in Princeville in the late 1800s until the early 1900s. That post was from a school catalog that described the school and listed students. The Princeville Academy published a quarterly school newspaper titled "Princeville Academy Sol". Each quarter, the newspaper would include essays written by the students as well as other articles submitted to the paper. One essay of interest, published in 1900, is entitled "Your Home Town". Below is the article in its entirety.

"Your Home Town"

"The only way to build a town is for all to go hand-in-hand, every man to the wheel.  Banish all feelings of discord, if any; let harmony prevail, and you are sure to prosper.  Talk about your town, write about it, speak well of it, encourage your people at the head of municipal affairs, choke the croakers, beautify the streets in every way, patronize the merchants, refrain from sending outside for goods, advertise in its newspapers, favor home enterprise in every way, and if you can not think of some good word to say, just keep quiet.  There is nothing to gain and everything to lose in slandering the home of your adoption.  There are those who delight to oppose every enterprise advocated but upon investigation, these men will be found to be the most despised of all."


The words that were written over 110 years ago are still true today. Princeville is rich in history and we should all be proud to call Princeville home!

Night at the Museum V

Night at the Museum V will be on Saturday, September 22 at the Princeville Heritage Museum.  The entertainment will be the Bradley Jazz Combo.  Tickets are by advanced sale only so get your tickets now.  This is a great way to support a local organization and get a great meal and entertainment without having to leave Princeville!!  For questions or to purchase tickets, please call the museum at (309)385-1916.

Old Stone School House

This is a picture of the first public school building in Princeville, also known as the Old Stone School House.  It was one of the oldest buildings in Princeville and was erected in 1846.  It was located on the northeast corner of Canton and French Streets (now West Main St. and South Cottage Grove).  It was built from donations of stone, lime, lumber and labor and a small amount of money.  The gable on the south had 1846 carved in stone to signify the year it was built.  The stone school house replaced the first public school which was established in 1834 in a log cabin southeast of the Rock Island Depot.  The first teacher at the the old stone school building was Benjamin F. Slane from 1847 to 1848. 

In 1866, the school district rented the vacant Princeville Academy building (Princeville Academy closed for a few years in 1866 because the war took students away from town) because the old stone school building was not large enough.  The first public school building (known as "Old Brick") on the West Main Street school property was built in 1872.  That building was replaced in 1907 with a larger brick structure that was dedicated in February of 1908.  That building housed the high school and grade school until the current school buildings were built.

The Freshman Class of 1892

It has been a few months since we have posted on the blog.  Since our last post, we have celebrated the 175th Anniversary of the Village of Princeville during Heritage Days in June and hosted the 4th Annual Heritage Harvest at the museum in July.  To celebrate the start of the school year, today's blog is about enrollment in 1892 at Princeville Academy.  Imagine what life in Princeville was like 120 years ago!

This spring, I mentioned that the Lillie M. Evans Library shared some documents from their archives.  In the collection were numerous Princeville Academy Sols (school newspapers) and catalogues from the late 1800s and early 1900s.  During that time, there was a Princeville Public High School as well as the private Princeville Academy.   According to the local history books, the Princeville Academy was located a few blocks south of the park.

From the catalogue:
"Princeville Academy is an Evangelical Christian school offering superior advantages of location, instruction and moral and religious influence, designed to fit students for entering college or for teaching and, in general to aid them in their preparation for active, useful lives.  There will be nothing sectarian in its conduct or management."  According to the catalogue, there were a total of 93 students enrolled in the Princeville Academy in 1892.  Those students were studying either academics or music, or both. Tuition ranged from $1 to $12 per term (3 terms per school year) based on courses taken and what year in school in which the student was enrolled.

The faculty in 1892 included:
Edwin B. Cushing, Principal
Miss Mary Francis
Miss Georgie L. Kinney
Miss Alice Peters
Miss Luella Gray

The following is a list of names of students enrolled in Princeville Academy in 1892.  After their name is the town in which they resided.  Some students boarded with local families while they attended the school.

Princeville Academy Enrollment in 1892
Linus Aldrich, Akron
Anna Auten, Akron
Charles H. Auten, Princeville
Edith R. Auten, Akron
Edward Auten, Jr, Princeville
Esther R. Auten, Akron
H. Louis Auten, Princeville
Julia Auten, Akron
Laura Auten, Akron
Maria E. Auten, Akron
Nellie Auten, Princeville
Peter Auten, Princeville
Sarah Auten, Princeville
Emory Barnum, Princeville
Lois Blanchard, Princeville
Fred Bliss, Princeville
Luther Bliss, Princeville
Guy Bouton, Princeville
James Byrnes, Akron
Merle Burdick, West Hallock
Frank Butts, West Hallock
John Butts, West Hallock
Robert Campbell, Alta
Arthur Carman, Princeville
Carrie Chase, Akron
Virginius Chase, Wady Petra
Pinkey Cheesman, Arlington
Emma Conrad, Princeville
Merritt Cornell, Akron
Rosa Cornell, Akron
Charles Cornish, Princeville
Bert Cutler, Princeville
Bernice Debord, Princeville
Leatha DeBord, Princeville
Mamie Dickinson, Akron
Agnes Dowdall, Princeville
Guy Edwards, Princeville
Irma Evans, Princeville
Myrtis Evans, Princeville
Lena Ferguson, Princeville
Anna German, Princeville
Frank German, Princeville
Leatha Gordon, Princeville
Martha Gordon, Princeville
John Graham, Akron
Herbert Hakes, West Hallock
Nellie Hammer, Princeville
Byron Hare, Princeville
Bessie Herriott, Monica
Ora Herriott, Monica
Addie Hopkins, Princeville
Dena Hopkins, Princeville
Mamie G. Hopkins, Princeville (it is noted that Mamie died 07/20/1892)
Maude Hopkins, Princeville
Harry Houston, Akron
Myrtle Irwin, Princeville
Cora Kingery, Akron
Florence Kingery, Akron
Clyde Livingston, West Hallock
Ella McDermott, Akron
Maggie McDermott, Akron
Beulah Metzel, Princeville
Albert Moffit, Princeville
Willard Morrow, Akron
Ethel Nelson, Princeville
Leo Nelson, Princeville
Lewen Nelson, Princeville
Annie Parents, Princeville
Nettie Potts, Princeville
Mamie Pullen, Dunlap
Neva Prouty, Princeville
Calvin Rice, Akron
Luther Searl, Princeville
Daisy Shane, Princeville
Alice Sheehy, Radnor
Mamie Sheehy, Radnor
Burnham Sloan, Princeville
Maza Sloan, Princeville
Harry Smith, Princeville
Mary Smith, Princeville
Howard Stewart, Akron
Lillie Sussex, Laura
Ethel Todd, Monica
Vora Weaver, Princeville
Myrtie Wear, Princeville
John Whittaker, Laura
Harry Willard, Akron
Maude Williams, Princeville
Lennie Yates, Dunlap
Willie Yates, Dunlap

Princeville High School Class of 1922

As the school year is coming to a close, many of us are celebrating graduations.  The seniors at Princeville High School are graduating on May 27 and the Princeville Grade School Junior High Promotion is May 25.  Do you remember your high school or grade school graduation?  What was it like 90 years ago? 

Today, I want to share with you a program from the Princeville High School graduation in 1922.  There were 18 students in the graduating class.  Many of the students were from families who have been in Princeville for decades.  The 3 photos below depict the cover, inside and back cover of the graduation program.  The graduating students were Elizabeth Cheesman, Esther Calhoun, Sherman Cornish, Lucile Cushing, Ruby Cutler, Evelyn Emery, Armond Foster, Mildred Graham, Paul Hough, Leora Kneer, Jennie LaMay, Emily Matthews, Lois McWhorter, Hazel Pierce, Lowell Pierce, Cecile Sheelor, Gladys Taylor, and Maude White. 

In 1922, there were 7 faculty members at the high school. The Princeville High School faculty in 1922 included C.C. Byerly, Wm. T. Axline, Besse DeBord, Francis Jackson, Gertrude French, Danelia Janssen and Harriet Fast.  One thing that hasn't changed since 1922, is that there were 7 members of the Board of Education.  The board members included HL Matthews, HC Rose, Dr. AJ Hawkes, Dr. EE Henson, Edgar Tretheway, Mrs. Charles Auten and Mrs. Etta Kelly.

Princeville Celebrates 175 Years

The 175th Anniversary of the Village of Princeville is this year.  There are many events planned to celebrate this milestone, many of which, are scheduled during Heritage Days which is June 21 to 24 at Stevens Square.  The Princeville Heritage Museum is working with the Princeville Civic Association to help plan all the festivities.  We are especially excited about the reproduction (pictured above) of the panoramic photo of the Princeville Business District .  Hold yesterday in your hands as you remember Princeville's Demisemiseptcentennial.  Cherish our sepia toned memory of downton Princeville circa 1915, available in the 5" x 30" sintra mounted print or an impressive 60-inch print ready for framing.   All proceeds benefit the Princeville Heritage Museum.  These would make great gifts and would be ideal for hanging in your office or conference room.  Photos are available at the Princeville Heritage Museum.  For questions, please call the museum at 385-1916 or email phmdirector@frontier.com.

5" x 30" panoramic photo: $50
8" x 60" panoramic photo: $175

Princeville's Three Hospitals

Did you know that at one time Princeville had 3 hospitals?  Recently, the Webster family shared some scrapbooks with us.  The scrapbooks had clippings from as early as the late 1920s.  We think this article is from 1943 and appeared in a newspaper from Peoria. 

The caption at the bottom is " This community of 1000 inhabitants, located 25 miles northwest of Peoria is proud of the three hospitals located here.  The Seven Oaks Sanitarium was opened here in 1929 by Miss Marie Moore, RN.  The Princeville Rest House has only been open for one year.  It is run by Mr. and Mrs. John Frericks.  The Nickols Sisters Rest Home has been caring for patients since 1931."

The house at the top is the Seven Oaks Sanitarium and is located on the south side of town on Douglas Street.  It is currently a private residence.  The house in the middle picture was built by the Friedman family and is on the corner of Walnut and High Streets.  It is currently the Hammitt-Hott Funeral home.  This home has undergone many renovations.  The front door the funeral home on High Street is the side of the house.  The house in the bottom picture is on South Cottage Grove and was built by Dr. T.E. Alyea around 1890.  It is currently a private residence.

Last week, a visitor at the museum told us the story of staying at the Nickols Sisters Rest Home before and after she gave birth to her oldest son.  Do you have any memories of these hospitals?