Summary of The Heritage of Vermilion County (Summer 1988, Vol. 24, No. 3)

Cover Feature

• The cover photograph, donated by Delbert H. Brown of Georgetown, shows the Busey, Illinois Store in McKendree Township, Vermilion County.
• The store once served as a post office, blacksmith shop, and community gathering place for weddings and meetings. Visible signs include Star Tobacco and Newsboy Plug advertisements. The people pictured include Lydia and Lon Jenkins with their children, Albert Brown, and William Morgan.

Main Articles

“Reading, Writing and ’Rithmetic” by Donald G. Richter

• A detailed memoir of attending Lake Shore School, a one-room country school that operated from the 1860s until it closed in 1957.
• Describes:
  • Building design: single classroom, cloakrooms, alcove library, coal furnace heating, kerosene lamps, and outhouses.
  • Classroom life: carved desks with inkwells, globe, chalkboards, recitations, use of flashcards, and holiday programs.
  • Daily rhythms: children timed dismissal by the whistle of the nearby freight train; winters brought challenges with coal heat, drying wet clothes, and frozen washbasins.
  • Teaching style: teachers managed all eight grades, acted as nurse, disciplinarian, and janitor. Discipline included willow switches, standing in the corner, or missing recess.
  • Community impact: the school served as both an educational and social center, hosting programs, plays, and picnics.
• Includes rich anecdotes about WWII-era school life (1940s), farm life, coal mines, early transportation, and consolidation of schools.

“Catlin Historical Society Establishes Museum” by W. David Baird

• Reports the founding of the Catlin Historical Society and its purchase of the Woodin House (built 1827) to serve as a museum.
• Abraham Lincoln was said to have stayed at the inn during his travels.
• The house is being restored to its early 19th-century appearance with fireplaces, original hardware, and planned herb gardens.
• Local pioneers featured: James Millikin (later founder of Millikin University) and Lura “Grandma” Guymon, a midwife credited with delivering over 1,000 babies in the area.

“Memories of Our Rural Schools” by Marilyn F. Campbell

• Reflects on the 200+ one-room schools that once dotted Vermilion County before consolidation in the 1940s.
• Schools included names like Squankum, Science Hall, Knight’s Branch, Welcome, Cottonwood, and Wide Awake.
• Highlights the Red Oak School project: saved from abandonment and moved to Kennekuk County Park to be restored as a memorial to rural teachers.
• Shares donor letters recalling their teachers, classroom experiences, and the strong educational foundation provided in rural schools.

Other Features

• Museum News: Updates on new acquisitions such as WWI photographs, an anesthesia machine, stained glass window, and mining artifacts.
• Events Calendar: Midwest Quilt Show (July 1988), Mann’s Chapel Memorial Service (October 1988).
• Reflections: Tribute to William Holmes McGuffey, author of the famous McGuffey Readers, which shaped education in America with lessons in reading, morality, and civic duty.

Overall Themes

• Preservation of Local History: Stories of early stores, schools, and homes emphasize community pride in heritage.
• Education & Rural Schools: A major focus is on the legacy of one-room schools and their role in shaping Vermilion County’s identity.
• Community Involvement: Volunteers, historical societies, and museum projects play key roles in keeping history alive.