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Governor Mike Dewine speaks to the crowd from the pulpit of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Marietta

Gov. Mike DeWine highlighted the Northwest Ordinance’s role in public education at a celebration in Marietta

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MARIETTA, Ohio (WOUB) – Gov. Mike DeWine made the drive from Columbus to the Northwest Territory’s original capital of Marietta Wednesday morning.

“Marietta’s always beautiful,” he said. “Washington County is just a great place.”

Two men carrying flags dressed in pioneer outfits walk through the front doors of a church to start the Northwest Territory Celebration.
People dressed like the original settlers of Marietta carried in flags to kick off the event. [Noah Cavin | WOUB]
He and dozens more packed the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Marietta for the 238th annual Northwest Territory Celebration.

The event was originally supposed to be held outdoors by the Start Westward Memorial, but heavy rain that swept through the area in the morning forced the gathering to be moved indoors.

This inconvenience did not spoil the fun, though.

People dressed like the pioneers who settled Marietta walked through the church doors, carrying flags and beating drums to start off the event celebrating the signing of the Northwest Ordinance.

The ordinance created the government of the Northwest Territory, which is now the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. It guaranteed citizens rights like freedom of religion, prohibition of slavery, and the right to a free public education.

Public education was the focus of this year’s event. Warren Local School District Superintendent Kyle Newton stressed its importance. 

“This just tells you how important the Northwest Ordinance was for the common school,” said Newton. “It laid the foundation for pretty much all of public education today, and especially in Ohio.”

Paul LaRue, president of Ohio’s State Board of Education and southeast Ohio native, was the keynote speaker. He emphasized just how important the Northwest Ordinance was for Ohio’s educational system today.

“This is truly one of the cornerstones of American democracy,” he said. “The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was the North Star for public education in Ohio.”

LaRue also spoke about the vision of the authors of the Northwest Ordinance, and how it aged well.

“This is the magic phrase: ‘Schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged,’” he said, quoting from the document. “It’s unbelievable that in 1787, they had the foresight to think about that, and it rings true today.”

Governor Mike Dewine and his wife, Fran, speak to the press outside of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Marietta.
Gov. DeWine and his wife, First Lady of Ohio Fran DeWine, echoed the importance of education in Ohio. [Noah Cavin | WOUB]
DeWine echoed the sentiment, and said that the education of Ohioans is just as important 238 years later, regardless of where in the state they call home.

“Education is the key to the future for every child of the state,” he said. “Our goal is for every child to get a good education. It doesn’t matter if they’re from inner-city Cleveland, or an affluent suburb, or whether they’re in our Appalachian counties.” 

He also went on to say the rights that the Northwest Ordinance promised are vital to the lives of Americans, not just Ohioans.

“What holds us together is the basic principles of this country, which is free speech, freedom of religion, public schools — these things are all vitally important,” said DeWine. “What it really means to be an American is you believe in these basic principles.”