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63-542: Miss Wood had nothing at the time in her own right, but an indomitable will and determination. The Mount Carroll Seminary was established before there were any graded public schools in Mount Carroll, and at a time when the need for education was not widely perceived by the pioneer population. In the 1850s, along with the nationwide boom in primary education, there was also a trend towards women's higher education through seminaries and normal schools , particularly in

126-441: A Board of Trustees, the nine incorporators named in the 1852 charter. However, this arrangement was short-lived. In 1855, fearing that the school would fail due to the lack of subscription revenue, the incorporators sold their shares in the college to the teachers, Wood and Gregory. This was arranged under favorable terms, with the land donated and the buildings sold at cost, on the condition that Wood and Gregory continue operating

189-417: A Labor Department that gave students the opportunity to work off their tuition obligations. Some male students were also accepted for these positions, and were assigned to special lodgings. Outright scholarships were also available for certain classes of students. A full scholarship to the normal department was provided for one teacher from each township of Carroll County , and one teacher from each county in

252-515: A Women's Society was established to serve as a vehicle for this, the funds were never raised. Frances Shimer's personal efforts to provide endowment funds were also frustrated. In a will written shortly before his suicide in July 1895, her husband Henry Shimer left his entire fortune to Frances Shimer to use for educational purposes. However, the will was successfully contested by the Shimer family, and

315-469: A century later from 1932 to 1943 but set sixty years prior, typified later depictions of pioneer families. Daniel Boone (1734–1820) and Davy Crockett (1786–1836) became two real-life icons of pioneer history. The first westward migrations occurred as members of the Thirteen Colonies sought to expand their respective colonies westward. Those whose original royal charters did not specify

378-692: A key figure in U.S. history, settled in Kentucky , when that "Dark and Bloody Ground" was still undeveloped. One important development in the Western settlement were the Homestead Acts , which provided formal legislation for settlers which regulated the settlement process with little to no concern for the Native inhabitants of the land. Pioneers also settled on land that was once inhabited by American Indian tribes . The word "pioneer" originates with

441-422: A legal existence, it was necessary for it to have a physical location. To this end a system of funding by subscription was used, with $ 5 shares being offered as investments that would bear 6% interest "until dividends shall be declared by the board of trustees, out of profits arising from said seminary." 548 shares were subscribed, which would have amounted to $ 2,740; however, less than half of this amount ($ 960.75)

504-470: A local school district and draw from the entire district instead of the closest school zone . Some offer specialized courses or curricula that prepare students for a specific field of study. In contrast, others use the label as a promotional tool without offering programs different from a conventional high school. Preparatory schools began before the Civil War , when there were no public schools above

567-616: A number of student organizations. One of the first of these was the Neosophic Society. Under the Shimer-Joy administration of 1870 and thereafter, campus organizations included a Reunion Club (for alumni and former students), German Club, Missionary Club, Literary Society and Oread Society. The first student publication was the Seminary Bell , an eight-page monthly journal begun by the Neosophic Society in 1859. This

630-491: A western limit simply extended their lands westward indefinitely. After the United States was officially formed upon the ratification of the U.S. Constitution , federal coordination and legislation began to give settlement a more unified approach. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was the first official action by the federal government in deciding how political organization of new territories would be handled. Then in 1787

693-500: A year in 2014). Some prep schools are affiliated with a particular religious denomination. Unlike parochial (Catholic) schools , independent preparatory schools are not governed by a religious organization, and students are usually not required to receive instruction in one particular religion. While independent prep schools in the United States are not subject to government oversight or regulation, many are accredited by one of

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756-463: A year. Enrollment rose gradually but steadily through the 19th century, constrained largely by the available space. In the 1870s, it averaged 125 students per year. Student life at the Seminary involved long class days, extending from 8 AM to lights out at 9:30 PM. Life was also structured by strict rules. For example, students were not allowed to leave the school without a request from home, and

819-492: Is a type of secondary school . The term refers to public , private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher education . In Japan, college-prep schools are called Shingakukō ( 進学校 ) , which means a school used to progress into another school. Prep schools in Japan are usually considered prestigious and are often difficult to get into. However, there are many tiers of prep schools,

882-504: Is similar to other iconic figures involved in stories of the "settlement of the West," such as the cowboy , trapper, prospector, and miner; however, the pioneer is distinct in that he represents those who went into unexplored territory in search of a new life, looking to establish permanent settlement. Various figures in American folklore and literature typify the pioneer. The Deerslayer

945-452: Is sometimes based on specific selection criteria , usually academic, but some schools have open enrollment. In 2017, 5.7 million students were enrolled in US private elementary or secondary schools, constituting 10% of total school enrollment. Of those, 1.4 million students were enrolled in a secular (nonsectarian) school. Public and charter college preparatory schools are typically connected to

1008-529: The Land Run of 1889 , when parts of the territory of Oklahoma were first made available to settlers on a first-come, first-serve basis. As western settlement grew, certain trends began to emerge. Most pioneers traveled in wagon trains with their families and other settlers, banding together for defense and to spread the workload. Pioneers in the East often had to clear the land, owing to lush forests there. In

1071-530: The Northwest Ordinance declared that states could not individually claim new lands, and that westward expansion would be handled by the federal government. In implementing the Land Act of 1804 , the government took its first steps towards legislating the manner in which land would be individually claimed by and distributed to settlers. One federal effort to encourage western travel and settlement

1134-472: The Thirteen Colonies and later the United States of America to settle and develop areas of the nation within the continent of North America . The pioneer concept and ethos greatly predate the migration to the Western United States , with which they are commonly associated, and many places now considered "East" were settled by pioneers from even further east. For example, Daniel Boone ,

1197-658: The University of Chicago . The school at the time had an estimated value of $ 250,000. The affiliation related primarily to educational standards, and did not include any financial support. Shimer then became known as the Frances Shimer Academy of the University of Chicago. Shimer also adopted the University of Chicago's affiliation with the Baptist denomination, and required that at least two-thirds of

1260-492: The grammar school or elementary level anywhere in the US. Their graduates were not ready for college study, so many colleges set up "preparatory academies" to prepare them for college study. The preparatory division could dwarf the college enrollment, as at New York Central College . There were also preparatory schools unaffiliated with colleges, especially for girls, such as the Columbia Female Academy. At

1323-496: The 11 graduates from that year into those from the normal program, the collegiate program, the music program and the art program. The normal department prepared students to become schoolteachers, which was widely regarded as the only proper occupation for a woman outside the home. The demand for teachers trained by the Seminary was high. At the end of each term, large numbers of the seminary's students found immediate employment in teaching, even without formally graduating; in 1877, it

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1386-402: The 13–18 age range. Little financial aid other than loans is available. Prep schools can be day schools , boarding schools , or both, and may be co-educational or single-sex . Currently, day schools are more common than boarding, and since the 1970s, co-educational schools have been more common than single-sex. Unlike the public schools which are free, they charge tuition ($ 10,000 to 40,000+

1449-461: The 1880s, Frances Shimer became concerned about the future viability of the school, and made repeated efforts to secure an endowment. In 1886 she offered to provide the seminary to the Women's Christian Temperance Union on the condition that an endowment be raised. A similar proposal was made to the Baptist women of Illinois in 1887, with the requirement that they provide a $ 100,000 endowment; although

1512-524: The 21st century, some trial cases connecting public junior and senior high schools are seen in each region, too, broadening the education for college entrance. As the Japanese government provides grant-in-aid to private schools, the tuition is 5,000–10,000 US dollars per year, even if it is a private school. In the United States , there are public , private , and charter college-preparatory schools that can be either parochial or secular . Admission

1575-653: The Board be members of a Baptist church. The membership of the Board was divided equally among representatives of the University of Chicago, graduates of the Mount Carroll Seminary, and citizens of Mount Carroll. 42°05′33″N 89°58′38″W  /  42.09245°N 89.97710°W  / 42.09245; -89.97710 American pioneer American pioneers , also known as American settlers , were European American , Asian American , and African American settlers who migrated westward from

1638-582: The Middle French pionnier (originally, a foot soldier , or soldier involved in digging trenches ), from the same root as peon or pawn . In the English language , the term independently evolved a sense of being an innovator or trailblazer . As early as 1664, Englishman John Evelyn used the term with a self-effacing "workman" meaning when he wrote in his treatise on planting, Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-Trees : "I speak now in relation to

1701-592: The Midwest, the task was to bring agricultural fertility to the Great Plains . Some pioneers moved westward with the intent of claiming land for their families. Others, such as trappers , moved west for commercial reasons, and then remained there when their businesses proved to be profitable. The figure of the pioneer has historically played a role in American culture , literature and folklore . The pioneer

1764-438: The Midwest. However, such institutions were considered an unusual phenomenon in western Illinois. At the time there were few teacher training institutions in the region at all, and there was widespread opposition to higher education for women. In addition, the novelty of women succeeding in business was a source of considerable hostility from the local community. From the time of its founding, there were frequent predictions that

1827-721: The Royal Society, not my self, who am but a Servant of it only and a Pioneer in the Works". Various figures in American folklore and literature typify the pioneer. James Fenimore Cooper 's The Deerslayer (1841) became the most successful of his early series, the Leatherstocking Tales , about pioneer life in the Province of New York . Laura Ingalls Wilder 's Little House on the Prairie series, published

1890-455: The campus began in 1854 with 5 acres (20,000 m) of vacant land that had been used as a wheat field. By 1883, the campus covered 25 acres (10 ha), much of it planted with fruit trees. The landscaping followed the landscape gardening style of Andrew Jackson Downing , who advocated landscapes that created images that were beautiful or picturesque, to create an idealized image of rural life. The orchards and vineyards which occupied much of

1953-433: The construction of the third building, using the space formerly occupied by classrooms. It held 3000 books by 1878, and was also the designated repository for official documents from Washington, DC . The third and fourth stories of the building held private and trunk rooms in 1878, with a reading room on the third story. The second and third buildings were constructed in 1857 and 1865-1867 respectively. The second building

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2016-755: The departure of Mr Shaw to the American Civil War led to the cessation of publication of the Bell in 1862. In 1869, the Oread Society began to publish the Oread , also a monthly journal. The pages of the Oread were also used to publish announcements and advertisements from the school and its proprietor. Issues were 16 pages in length in 1869, and had reached 25 pages in length by 1878. Some two thousand apple trees, two acres of grapes, with every other hardy fruit in equal abundance, are cultivated for

2079-442: The entry into which depends on the university that the school leads into. Japanese prep schools started as chūgakkō ( 中学校 ) , secondary schools for boys, which were founded after the secondary school law in 1886. Later, kōtō jogakkō ( 高等女学校 ) , secondary school for girls (1891), and jitsugyō gakkō ( 実業学校 ) , vocational schools (1924), were included among chūtōgakkō and were legally regarded as schools on

2142-444: The exclusive use of the institution. Throughout the 19th century, the campus grew steadily from the original single building. By 1878, four buildings had been constructed, but the first three of these were joined together so as to give the impression of a single large building. Internally, the construction was such as to create a domestic atmosphere, with a large number of small rooms. The original brick building, constructed in 1854,

2205-465: The first piano in Carroll County . The seminary's music program began with only 3 students, but grew rapidly. By 1877, the music department had 6 instructors, and by 1883, the conservatory held nearly 40 instruments. The music program in this period was overseen by Isabel Dearborn Hazzen, a voice instructor who became well known in the area. The music and arts programs remained strong even after

2268-422: The first years of college. Subjects taught included mathematics, natural science, and classical languages. In the early 1870s, the seminary went through a transitional period, and specialized courses of study began to be provided, staffed by specialized instructors. The specialized departments of the school included a normal department which trained schoolteachers, and a music department. An 1882 survey divided

2331-443: The formerly coeducational seminary limited residential study to women in 1866, although some men were still allowed as day students. Despite an expressed intent to reopen the school to male students, it remained a women's school throughout the seminary period and did not become coeducational again until the modern Shimer College program was established in 1950. Financial aid included the equivalent of work study . The school included

2394-587: The founding teachers of the new seminary. Upon the arrival of Gregory and Wood in Mount Carroll, classes began in a single room in the Presbyterian church on May 11, 1853, with 11 students. Enrollment rose in the course of the year, and the school moved to another temporary location in the more substantial Ashway Building. When the school opened in its own building in October 1854, there were 75 students. The Seminary now having teachers and students as well as

2457-427: The grounds served both practical and recreational purposes. Their products were not sold, but used entirely to feed the "Seminary family". In addition to the main buildings, there were numerous outbuildings. One of these was the windmill house, near the main building and octagonal in shape. This drew water from a well 130 feet (40 m) deep. The 1894 Sanborn map also shows icehouses, henhouses and corn cribs. In

2520-423: The history of Shimer College. Not cramming for examinations, but preparing for the real duties of life, was the standard of excellence. A formal course of study was adopted in 1860. The Mount Carroll Seminary thereafter functioned similarly to a preparatory school , with a six-year course of study that could lead the pupil to more advanced study. Some graduates were prepared sufficiently well that they could skip

2583-528: The new system (6-3-3) took effect in 1947. Many shingakkō are six-year schools . Many have their origins in kyūsei chūgakkō and kōtō jogakkō , or ones attached to universities. Japanese pupils who aspire to a prep school education take written examinations in sixth grade in each prep school. Unlike six-year prep schools, the top municipal senior high school (three-year schools) in each school zone and some high-ranked private senior high schools (ditto) are also regarded as shingakukō ( 進学校 ) . In

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2646-455: The resulting reduced endowment was never sufficient to provide meaningful financial support. Frances Shimer also expected to be able to provide endowment funds from her orange groves near DeLand, Florida , but these were destroyed by a severe frost in January 1895. On July 1, 1896, Frances Shimer transferred control of the seminary to a 15-member board of trustees , under an affiliation with

2709-416: The same level as a school for boys. However, graduates from those two types of schools had more requirements for college entrance. In the modern period, many Japanese secondary schools were five-year schools, except for during a short term from 1943 to 1946. The social status of chūgakkō , or kyūsei chūgakkō ( 旧制中学校 ) , secondary schools for boys under the old system, did not disappear even after

2772-409: The school for at least 10 years. The transfer took effect on March 30, 1855. On February 25, 1867, the school was re-chartered by the state legislature to reflect the new arrangement. From 1853 to 1896, Frances Shimer was the chief executive of the school; although her title was "Principal", she is conventionally regarded as the first president of Shimer College. Initially the governance of the school

2835-422: The school. Her observance of strict economy in business affairs kept the school solvent. For most of her administration, the seminary made no effort to either recruit students or solicit donations, focusing all energy on creating a school that would "merit confidence". In retrospect, the governance of Frances Shimer and her successor William Parker McKee was looked on as a period of unparalleled calm and stability in

2898-408: The seminary became the Frances Shimer Academy of the University of Chicago in 1896. By the 1870s, there was also a literary department. In 1878, a department of telegraphy was established, with a single instructor. This was intended to provide the students with an option of a self-sustaining career other than teaching. In Mrs. Shimer's estimation, one of the best credentials a pupil could furnish

2961-586: The seminary would fail. The charter for the Mount Carroll Seminary was granted by the Illinois General Assembly on June 18, 1852. This act had been drafted by Judge John Wilson, then clerk of the Carroll County court and a strong advocate of education, and was submitted by State Representative William T. Miller of Mount Carroll. The original board of trustees had nine members including Wilson. The Seminary now existing on paper, it

3024-512: The state. Full scholarships were also provided to the daughters of soldiers who died in the Civil War, and partial scholarships to daughters of clergymen. In addition, scholarships were sometimes provided to the children of creditors by way of payment. Financial aid also sometimes took the form of loans. Credit was extended to "pupils of creditable scholarship", allowing them to pay a portion of their tuition with notes that drew no interest for

3087-429: The students were not permitted any visitors unless approved by their parents. Many pupils at the school were residential, but a significant number were day-students living with their families nearby. When the seminary formally opened in 1854, day-students accounted for about two-thirds of the student body. As the reputation of the seminary increased, a greater portion of students came from further away. The Seminary had

3150-549: The subsequent expansion from 1865 to 1867. The plans for both of these buildings were drafted by Frances Wood Shimer. In 1878 these two buildings were four stories tall. They held classrooms and recitation rooms on the first floor, as well as four private rooms for young men employed in the Labor Department. The second and third floors held dormitory rooms, and the fourth floor was devoted to studios and rooms for musical practice. The fourth building, completed in 1876,

3213-472: The time, men and women did not study together at any level, and there were no women's colleges . Some of the female preparatory schools became women's colleges after the Civil War. Free high school level education for all became available in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, the surviving "prep schools" in the US are primarily private, elite institutions that have very selective admission criteria and high tuition fees , catering to students in

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3276-457: Was 21 x 60 feet (18 m), two and a half stories tall, and added to the southeast of the first building. The construction of this addition in 1857 was halted by the Panic of 1857 , when only the masonry and carpentry had been completed. Wood, Gregory and their students worked together to successfully complete the construction in time for classes to start. This cost-saving pattern was followed in

3339-415: Was a source of substantial discouragement to the incorporators. She has asked no board of trustees to advise with their counsel — only to confound and distract. The school was not formally organized under its charter until October 1854, the initial "patronage" relationship between the incorporators and Shimer and Gregory having been informal in nature. Upon organization the Seminary was formally governed by

3402-521: Was ever collected in cash. Five acres were acquired at a cost of $ 500 although the land had previously been valued at only $ 7.50 per acre; the asking price skyrocketed as soon as the intent of building the seminary there was suspected. The seminary building was constructed at a cost of $ 4,500, largely on credit. Additional debts were incurred for the furnishings, purchased by Wood and Gregory in New York for approximately $ 2,000. This growing level of debt

3465-482: Was five stories tall. It was known as the "East Hall". The first story was occupied by utility rooms such as the kitchen, furnace room and laundry facilities. The second story was occupied on one side by music rooms and on the other by the principal's rooms and infirmary. The third and fourth floors were occupied by the dormitory rooms of students, and the fifth floor included a sunbathing room, rooms for musical practice, and large tanks for holding water. The grounds of

3528-403: Was in partnership with co-proprietor Cindarella Gregory, who served as the chief academic officer while Frances oversaw the finances. In July 1870, the partnership ended, when Gregory left the school to marry. The Mount Carroll Seminary subsequently remained the sole property of Frances Wood Shimer until her retirement in 1896. Frances Shimer's exacting oversight was credited with the survival of

3591-420: Was initially two and a half stories in height and 42 x 46 feet (14 m), consisting of 20 rooms. The height was subsequently increased to four stories. By 1878, the entire first floor, which had originally held seven rooms, had been opened up to form a single large dining room for the community. The second story held the library, office, reception room and music room. This library was established in 1867 after

3654-600: Was necessary to find teachers. Judge Wilson corresponded with Isaac Nash, a wealthy farmer in Saratoga County, New York . Boarding in Nash's house at the time were Frances Wood (later Frances Shimer) and Cindarella Gregory , recent graduates of the New York State Normal School . Wood was at the time suffering from tuberculosis , and seeking a change of climate. The two were persuaded to be

3717-490: Was proof of a desire for an education, a lack of money to meet expenses, and a willingness to help herself. The seminary accepted any pupil who was willing to learn, and is said to have welcomed pupils as young as three. Frances Shimer herself had begun school at the age of two and a half. During and after the US Civil War , female enrollment rose while male enrollment fell. Facing space constraints due to rising demand,

3780-537: Was published for a time from the offices of the Carroll County Republican , which had been taken over by a faculty member named Silvernail and a student named Ladd. When the Republican became insolvent, its equipment was acquired by Mrs Shimer and moved to the Seminary, where printing was overseen by a student named George Shaw who worked as a printer. A combination of circumstances including

3843-413: Was reported that 30 of those enrolled the previous term had found teaching positions. The normal department program followed the teachings of David Perkins Page , an influential pedagogical theorist who had also been principal of the New York State Normal School when Frances Wood and Cindarella Gregory attended. The music and arts programs were a significant attraction of the seminary. The seminary had

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3906-506: Was the most successful of an early series, the Leatherstocking Tales , about pioneer life in New York. Little House on the Prairie , a century later, typified a later series of novels describing a pioneer family. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett are two real-life icons of pioneer history. University-preparatory school A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school )

3969-676: Was the publication of The Prairie Traveler in 1859, three years before the Homestead Act was passed. Randolph B. Marcy , Captain of the U.S. Army, was commissioned by the War Department to provide a guide for those moving west. It provided not only mileage and stopping points during travel, but also gave advice about what to take on the journey, how to interact with Native Americans and also how to respond to threatening situations such as encounters with bears. There were many other forms of this process, such as land runs including

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