MYERS-Eli L. (Meyers) - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Eli L. MYERS. One of the most striking features in the history of the development of Western communities is the attention they have given to educational matters, and wherever a considerable settlement has been formed the village school has been one of the first objects taken under consideration by the community. Even before the days of the great-school system, when the settlements were small and the children scattered, there was an endeavor on the part of the pioneer Western communities to secure for their children such advantages of education as were available. How much better the advantages of the present day, and how much interest is taken in educational matters. Among the prominent educators of Fountain County, Indiana stands the name of Eli L. Myers, who for many years has been an advocate of the best systems of instruction and emplys them. Mr. Myers was born in Wallace, in the SE part of Fountain County, August 31, 1850, and is a son of Job (sic - John?) and Catherine FINE Myers, both natives of the old North State. The parents cam eto Indiana in 1829, but subsequently moved to Illinois, and there the father resides at the present time. He is a successful farmer. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Myers, died on this farm 82 years of age, and his wife died at 87. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Fine, was a native of Kentucky, born there when the family had started back to NC on account of Indians, a colony of 42 having settled on an adjoining farm near Jacksonville. The original of this notice was reared on the old farm adjoining that of his grandafther's and there continued to make his home until 30 years of age, receiving a good practical education at Waveland Academy under Prof. KRITZ. At the age of 18 he began to teach school and continued to instill knowledge into the youthful heads of the future men and women of Indiana for 23 years, 7 in Montgomery and 16 in Fountain. Three years of this time he was in the graded school at Waynetown and 3 years in the Veedersburgh (sic) school. He missed but one of the twenty-three years of school work, and during that time exhibited the characteristics which have rendered him distinguished throughout his career and which have made his life a succession of successes. Mr. Myers was elected County Superintendent of schools in June 1891 by the Board of Trustees, and has now 142 licensed teachers employed, 163 teachers in all. He had visited nearly all the schools in the county and is holding the teachers to a strict conformance to a course of study adopted by the State Superintendent and is grading the schools. About 40% of the teachers have had Normal training. In the enthusiastic pursuit of his chosen profession, he has awakened public sentiment to a higher appreciation of the benefits to be derived from a good education, and his unflagging zeal and ceaseless devotion to the promotion of educational improvements have borne good results. On the 7th of AUgust, 1873, he married Polly WERT of Montgomery County, born near Alamo Nov 26, 1848 and the daughter of Richard D. Wert, formerly of Alamo but now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Myers have been born the following children: Lena L; Vinnie R; Edith Gay and James H, all bright and attractive children. Our subject and wife hold membership with the Lutheran Church at Wallace and contribute liberally of their means to its support. In politics he is an ardent Democrat and has been a member of the Central Committee and was a member of the State Convention in 1880. Mr. Myers fills his responsible position with distinguished ability and a zeal born of love for his work.