The lower grades used the North and East buildings with the addition of the old Baptist Church and other rooms when needed, until 1860 and 1862.  Miss Harriet L. Barrows was made principal of the East School, retaining that position through all the subsequent changes until her resignation in 1889, comprising a longer term of service, it is believed, than has, as yet, been rendered by any teacher in the city.

    The North School, in the meantime, had various teachers, serving for longer or shorter periods, then Mr. C. A. Hull, brother of W. B. Hull, came in the fall of 1856, teaching a year in the North School and another year in the old Baptist Church, with Miss Margaret Piper, now Mrs. Johnson of Leavenworth, Kansas, as assistant, and afterward with Miss Abbie S. Stone.  The other teachers in the North School were Miss Amelia Stockdale, Mrs. Hannah Fleming and Mrs. M. A. Lermond-Culton, who also taught for a time in the East School. 

    In 1855 Mr. W. B. Hull of Bergen, N. Y., succeeded Mr. Hoxie as Superintendent of the Schools and Principal of the High School, with Miss Finch as assistant another year.  The writer followed Miss Finch in 1857, remaining three years; then Miss E. A. M. Sparks took the position when the school was moved in the fall of 1860 into the new High School building and remained teacher of the grammar department for seventeen years.

     Mr. Hull left in 1861, and was followed by J. W. Stearns, who taught only six months.  He was succeeded by Cyrus Cook, who took charge in the spring of 1862, remaining until 1865, when Mr. Hull was again called to the position and which he occupied until 1867, then giving place to E. H. Phelps from 1867 until 1869.  Then A. B. Leaman, a resident of the city, took the schools in hand as Superintendent and Principal, serving until 1877, when Mr. Hull for the third time was called to occupy the position, and in which he remained until his resignation in 1890, a period of thirteen years, and this, with his previous terms of six and two years, made his service as Superintendent of the Canton schools, just twenty-one years.  His successor now in office is C. M. Bardwell of Iowa.

    Miss Sparks served under Mr. Hull and Mr. Stearns until the advent of Mr. and Mrs. Cook in 1862, when the latter took the position until June, 1865, and Miss Sparks, during the stay of Mr. and Mrs. Cook and until her resignation in 1875 or ’76, had charge only of the grammar department her pupils still occupying seats in the High School room for some yeas, but as the scholars in the highest grade increased, she occupied, during the last few years of her service, a room on the second floor.

    When Mr. Hull returned in October, 1865, Miss Minnie C. Jones, Mrs. Helen T. Hoblitt and Miss Nellie Heyward each taught three months.  In October, 1866, Miss E. Huntley entered as assistant principal until 1870, having served under W. B. Hull, E. H. Phelps and A. B. Leaman.

    Miss Minnie C. Jones also served one year with Miss Huntley.

    A Miss Ferris from Galesburg also taught a few months about this time in the High School.

    Mrs. M. E. Hardy-Manly was principal for two years, and then Miss M. C. Jones filled the position, serving under Mr. Leaman and Mr. Hull, until her resignation in 1884.  She was in office thirteen years and one term, serving longer as assistant principal than any who preceded her.

    In September, 1884, Miss Laura S. Bass entered as principal, and served six years and one term, resigning at the close of 1890.

    In January, 1891, Mrs. E. W. Gallup of Detroit, Mich., came as principal of the High School with Miss M. A. Perkins as assistant, these both served until the close of the school year in May, 1893.

    Since September, 1893, Mr. C. S. Aldrich has been principal, with Miss Margaret Maynard and Miss Helen F. Walker as assistants.

    During the time between 1854 and the present year, the number of teachers has steadily increase, and while it will be impossible to enumerate or name all who have been employed, or to designate the positions they occupied, yet in addition to those already mentioned, the names of some who served for long periods, and some who are still serving, stand out prominently in the history of the Canton schools.  Among these are the Misses F. T. Gee, Louisa J. Spencer, Louisa Donn, Mattie J. Jones, Alice Cook, Lizzie and Augusta Anderson, Abbie West, Louisa Thornton, Sarah E. Dewey, Alice Clayton, Kate A. Gallagher, Alice Small, Josephine Fox, Maria Wisler, Mary Byrum, Mrs. Sarepta I. Jones-Eyerly, Mrs. Mary Bell-Thornton, Mrs. Carrie McCall-Black, Mrs. Julia Sanford-Wright, Mrs. Jennie Whiting-Christoper, Mrs. Amanda Armstrong-Beeson, Mrs. Emma Beatty-Danielson, Mrs. Sylvia W. Ingersoll-Woodruff, Mrs. Laura Curry-Beets, Mrs. Alice Krischke- Bredwell and Mrs. Josie Herring-Resor.

    The record of these for good work in the schools is unquestioned, and they well merit grateful recognition for their services.

    A number of those mentioned in this history as having been connected with the Canton schools have passed over to “the other side.”  Those of whom this is known to be true, are:  G. S. Hill, Alice Cook, Alice Clayton, Josephine Fox, Mrs. M. A. Culton, Lizzie Anderson, Mrs. Ermina Finch-Saunders, E. A. M. Sparks, W. B. Hull, and Mrs. Helen T. Hoblitt.  Of the decease of others we have no certain information.

    Music and drawing were introduced into all the schools in 1889, and with good results.  Miss Lillian S. Byington and Miss Sisson were the teachers of these branches for two or three years, and now Miss Margaret M. Salisbury and Mr. S. L. Smith have charge of them.

    Since 1891 Latin and German have been taught in the High School, but the study of these is optional.

    A year or two later type-writing and practical bookkeeping were also introduced, not as part of the regular curriculum, but like the study of the languages, at the option of the student.

    May some future historian do ample justice to the finely equipped corps of teachers now in all the departments of the schools, and chronicle their success.  Their number is thirty-eight, and the pupils they teach number nearly sixteen hundred.