USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it > Part 56
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The Rev. John Parker was a staunch supporter of the public schools, and led the movement which made them free to rich and poor alike in 1863. In 1871 Dr. C. H. S. Davis, then a rising young physician, came on the board of school visitors, and
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served as acting school visitor for the next four years with a zeal that un- fortunately proved too costly for his practice to long continue. His report of 1875 is full of information and deals with the professional side of the schools as well as the material. Not one of the important steps in the for- ward movements of the following thirty years did he fail to advocate. It was the decided misfortune of the
visitors were ministers. Two men of this calling will always be insepa- rably associated with the educational history of Meriden. Rev. John T. Pettee, who was acting school visitor from 1876 to 1896, with the exception of the years between 1880 and 1887, when the leadership fell to Rev. J. H. Chapin. These two men had the su- pervision of the schools in hand for twenty years. They were men of
Photo by R. S. Godfrey.
HANOVER SCHOOL,
town that it failed to see the value of his proposals at that time. He re- mained on the board of school visitors until that body was abolished in 1896, and was the only member to be elected to the new town school committee, of which he has ever since been chair- man.
Clergymen always figured promi- nently in the lists of school visitors. In the year 1857 seven of the nine
good judgment in practical affairs who held the confidence, not only of the teachers under them, but of the taxpayers and voters. The labors of Dr. Chapin in securing a town High school entitle him to be remembered as one of the founders.
On September 4, 1869, Albert B. Mather began his duties in the newly organized high school depart- ment of the newly built Corner school.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
He was soon made the head of the school and later of the subordinate schools which grew up in that dis- trict. At the time of his elevation to the superintendency in 1898 there were 1,000 children in daily attendance to the thirty-six teachers working under him. For the next seven years he was superintendent of schools, but the twenty-nine years he spent at the Cor- ner school enabled him as a teacher
ber of men who thus became actively interested in their welfare. After a man has served a term in office he ap- preciates more the work of others. Rev. J. H. Farnsworth was an able and progressive man, giving much time and thought to the duties of his office as school visitor. Rev. Abra- ham Norwood was an aggressive man on the board for a short time. Dr. C. A. Graeber and Dr. N. Nickerson were
Photo by R. S. Godfrey. SOUTHEAST DISTRICT SCHOOL.
and a man to put his deepest impress on the life of the community.
To mention all the names which deserve mention here is manifestly impossible. Many of the best pro- fessional and business men of the town have served the schools in one capacity or another, usually on the dis- trict committees. This was good for the schools because of the large num-
active and influential members of the same board. Dr. Andrew W. Tracy served as member of both boards, school visitors and school committee, for twenty years, with insight and force.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The evening schools have had a varied career. During the winter of
SCHOOLS.
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1872-1873 there were 124 registered pupils. The school was continued the next year, but in 1874 and 1875 the selectmen refused the use of the room and the project was dropped for sev- eral years. In the winters of 1882 and of 1883 Edward C. Wheatley, of the West district, conducted a school without any assistance from the town.
In 1886 the state began to aid the
even made up by overdraft. Men re- ceived $2.50 a night and women $1.50 for their services as teachers.
The next year the average attend- ance dropped to 102 per night, and the next year to forty-five; the following year the project was given up. In 1893 the state required the towns of more than 10,000 population to main- tain evening schools and appropriated
Photo by R. S. Godfrey. ST. ROSE'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
towns, with the result that in the win- ter of 1886 and 1887 the evening schools had a decided boom. 498 pu- pils were registered and the average attendance for fifty evenings was 249. This was more than double that in Hartford, one-third more than in New Haven, while other cities in the state were left far behind. The town ap- propriated money most liberally and
$3.00 per pupil in average membership for 100 nights. The committee went so far as to recommend the erection of a special building for the evening school, but it had no support. Under a threat of mandamus the school was opened on the 27th of December. Mrs. Adele S. Booth and her son, Paul C. Booth, with the help of scholars from her own private school, young ladies
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from the High school and even boys from our Central Grammar main- tained the school for thirty-seven evenings with an average attendance of ninety. Mrs. Booth conducted this school in the Town hall for two sea- sons, and after that at her own house, at the small expense to the town of $300.
From that time until the fall of 1905 the school was conducted at Mrs.
338 pupils were registered, represent- ing twenty different nationalities. The average attendance for the fifty nights was ninety-five.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
The first schools in Meriden were private schools, and until 1863 even the public schools were not entirely free. Whether because some people supposed that the public schools were
t
Photo by R. S. Godfrey. ST. LAURENT'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
Booth's, at the Pequod Business Col- lege, and in the basement of St. John's Lutheran church. The small appropria- tion and the limited quarters inter- fered much with the usefulness of the schools. The use of the High school building and the appointment of a strong corps of eight teachers from the day schools in 1905 and 1906 proved a popular feature, and made the sea- son the most successful of recent years ;
inferior, or were too proud to edu- cate their children at the public ex- pense, the idea long prevailed that children of the better class should be taught in private schools.
In 1869 there were four such schools-Miss Landfear's, Miss Hin- man's, Miss Plumb's and Mrs. Aug- ur's. The Meriden Institute flour- ished from 1847 to 1853. It was lo- cated in a building erected by H.
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D. Smith near the site of the present Church street school.
On Aug. 17, 1848, through the ef- forts of General Walter Booth, Sam- uel Yale and Rev. John Parker, the "Meriden Academical Association" was formed, and on the 23d the "Ar- ticles of Agreement" were deposited with the secretary of state, thus giving the organization a legal standing. Eighty shares at $25 each, taken by over fifty subscribers, provided the $2,000 necessary to buy and put in order the old Baptist church, then standing on the northeast corner of the Broad street burying ground.
The stockholders never received any cash dividends, were once assessed seventy-five cents a share, and several times took collections at the annual stockholders' meetings to make up small deficits. The rent charged the teacher varied from nothing to $25 a quarter. There was a fairly good in- come from rentals of the basement for business purposes, and the hall for traveling shows like "Tom Thumb" and the "Indian Exhibition" in 1849; for party caucuses, religious meetings of Millerites and Universalists, lodge meetings of the Odd Fellows, singing schools and other events. The Ly- ceum had free use provided it fur- nished the oil which was then $1.12 a gallon.
The first officers were as follows: Samuel Yale, president ; D. R. Wright, secretary ; Russell Coe, treasurer ; Gen- eral Walter Booth, Rev. Harvey Mil- ler, Rev. A. A. Stevens, Rev. John Parker and Linus Birdsey, trustees.
Most of these men served throughout the life of the Academy. Linus Bird- sey was always in charge of the rent- als and repairs.
The trustees engaged a man teacher each year who got what he could by charging tuition. He had little or no apparatus to work with, and only such books as he might own himself. Some of the teachers were M. B. Moore ('49), James Atkins ('53), Mr. Ross ('57, '58), Mr. Wilder ('61), Mr. Jewett ('62), Miss Landfear ('64-'69).
In 1869, after twenty-one years' ex- istence, the building was sold, the school being no longer able to live in competition with the new Center school. It was moved to Twiss street where it is now used as a dwelling.
The school of Mrs. A. S. Booth, conducted at the lower end of Olive street, belongs to a later period. In the year 1894, III pupils came under her instruction. She still teaches many private pupils.
In 1879, through the efforts of prominent Germans who wished that their language might become a part of the education of their children, the German-American School Association was formed. Some of the incorporat- ors were: August Schmelzer, August and Henry Hirschfeld, Charles Heine- mann, Albert Patzer and Peter Maeur- er. The school was organized by Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Roeth, and con- ducted by them in a substantial brick building until the school was discon- tinued in 1903. In that year the town purchased the building, and has since used it for the Central Grammar
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school. The school was very success- ful and generally had from sixty to 100 pupils.
Although a few children are pri- vately instructed at the present time, there is no private school of any con- siderable size.
Church schools have been a prom- inent feature in the educational life of Meriden from a very early date. Of the five Catholic schools St. Rose's is the oldest. It was started in 1855 in the basement of the church at the cor- ner of Broad and Olive streets. In 1860 it was removed to the basement of the present church, and in 1872 the school occupied a wooden building, first on Liberty street, which was moved to the rear of the present build- ing. As the parish grew a beautiful brick building was erected on the church property on Center street in 1874. The sisters came to Meriden in 1872, previous to which the teach- ing was conducted by lay workers.
In 1904 the growth of this denomi- nation necessitated the building of an- other church, when St. Joseph's was erected and a school connected was opened in the brick building on West Main street, between Butler and South Grove, formerly used as a chapel. In- struction which covers the first six years of school life is now given in five rooms of St. Joseph's school by Sisters of Mercy from the Convent of St. Bridget, on Center street. About 260 pupils are enrolled. Many of these pursue their studies in the gram- mar grades at the St. Rose's school.
St. Laurent's, the French Catholic
church, opened a school prior to 1893. In 1894 it had an enrollment of 300. At the present time the St. Laurent's church has a beautiful two-story brick schoolhouse. The school was origi- nally conducted in the basement of the church, but in 1903 a handsome six-room brick school building was erected in the rear of the church. Since 1893 the teaching has been done by Sisters of the Assumption, of Nicolet, P. Q., of whom eight are now em- ployed. The number of pupils en- rolled is 309. French grammar and Christian doctrine are included in the studies taught. The principal is the pastor of the church, Rev. A. van Oppen.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church in June, 1886, through the in- defatigable efforts of the Rev. A. Krafft, established a regular day school. Its first teacher was A. Miller, who temporarily took charge in the fall of 1886. A year later, C. A. Burgdorf, the present principal, was engaged. From twenty-seven pupils enrolled in 1886 the attendance has steadily encreased until at the present time almost 200 scholars are regis- tered. There are now, besides the principal, three teachers, Miss M. Na- gel and Rev. S. F. Glaser, who teaches geography and religion. The school occupies the lower story of the church edifice.
St. Mary's German Catholic school was opened in September, 1894, with Professor Keller as its first teacher ; he was succeeded in the following year by August Saleski. In September,
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1896, the Sisters of the Congrega- tion of Notre Dame, Baltimore, Md., took charge. The staff at present consists of four teachers.
The St. Stanislaus' Polish church school occupies two rooms in the rear portion of the church building on Jef- ferson street. This school was opened for the first time in 1897 with about ninety scholars, the teacher being A. Pryba. At the opening of the school year in September, 1905, owing to the crowded condition of the school, it was necessary to open two rooms instead of one. John Nowak was appointed teacher of the Polish branches, suc- ceeding A. Pryba, and Teresa B. Hav- ens was appointed teacher of the Eng- lish branches. There are now about sixty scholars in each room.
The total registration in these six schools for the year 1904-1905 was 1,773.
HIGHER EDUCATION.
Though the need of a central High school was urged many years in vain, higher education was provided in various ways. The Meriden Institute previously referred to flourished as early as 1847. The report of 1864 mentions an academy as among the flourishing private schools, meaning the Meriden Academy on Broad street. The erection of the large brick school houses of the Corner and Central dis- tricts in 1868 and 1869 gave an impe- tus to the higher education, which had already been carried on to a limited extent in the smaller district schools, and virtually closed the Academy.
In 1868 and 1869 a regular high school department was organized un- der the direction of A. B. Mather at the Corner school, while Rev. J. T. Pettee taught the senior department of the South Center school, which was a two-room building. In Mr. Pettee's room the pupils ranged from young men and women who were instructed in Latin and Greek, down to little chil- dren in primary geography. In that year each of the four largest districts employed college graduates as princi- pals in order to teach the High school branches.
The visitors of that year strongly urged the establishment of a central High school. It seems that years be- fore, after furniture had been pur- chased to open a town High school, the vote by which it had been estab- lished was rescinded on account of the expense. The visitor in 1869 main- tained that the town would save money by having a central High school with one college man at the head, instead of having four district high schools which required as many high-priced principals.
The school visitor in the report for 1880 gives a full account of the high school instruction given at the Corner and Center schools, and states that pu- pils flocked to these schools from other districts in order to get the higher branches. Still the number was small in comparison with the total population. The graduation exercises of the Center school must have been very good that year, for he enthusias- tically remarks that the essays would
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have done credit to the graduates of Vassar College.
On the 12th of April, 1881, the long and weary fight for a town High school came to an end, and the town voted $3,000 with which to start a Central school of not over two rooms The promoters probably won the day by omitting the objectionable word "High." The second floor of the new German-American school on Liberty street was leased, and under the prin- cipalship of Henry S. Pratt, the school began. A committee consist- ing of Dr. C. H. S. Davis, Dr. J. H. Chapin and Saxton B. Little, ex- amined the applicants for admission at the Corner school on June 30 and July I, 1881. Of the seventy-three appli- cants fifty-four passed and fifty-one entered the school in September. Thereafter the higher studies were ex- cluded from the district schools. In the following year by vote of the joint board of selectmen and school visitors the name was changed from the New Central school to the Meriden High school, and thereafter as long as the town remained under the district sys- tem, the town annually elected a spe- cial committee of five members to take charge of this school. On the 15th of June, 1883, the first class graduated with thirteen members. A total of 609 persons have graduated from the school.
At the annual town meeting in Oc- tober, 1883, it was voted to appro- priate $50,000 to procure a site and erect a suitable building for the High school ; the sum was later increased to
$80,000. The lot, on the corner of Catlin and Liberty streets, was pur- chased at a cost of $19,500. Work was begun upon the building in 1884, and in December, 1885, it was for- mally opened. There have been three principals : Henry S. Pratt was placed in charge of the High school when it was opened in 1881. In 1888 he was succeeded by Simeon T. Frost who taught until 1900, when he re- signed, and the position was given to his assistant, Willis J. Prouty, the present principal.
The dedication of the High school building was a notable event, the ora- tor for the occasion being United States Senator O. H. Platt. The building was thronged by citizens at every public occasion. There were prize speaking contests and public ex- hibitions by the pupils which were the social functions of the season. Every existing report of the school visitors speaks in affectionate terms of the school, and recounts the liberal gifts of every sort from citizens who believed in its educational mission. Isaac C. Lewis founded the library with a gift of $1,000, and Walter Hubbard, a few years later, contributed another $1,000. Dr. J. H. Chapin's gifts of cabinets of minerals and other articles were probably of equal value. Hor- ace C. Wilcox equipped the laboratory for the study of chemistry, botany and physics at an expense of over $1,000. Ratcliffe Hicks contributed $1,000 for a permanent fund for prizes and oratory. Besides these larger gifts there were smaller ones. The town
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allowed the receipts for tuition to be expended for the library, which is al- ready one of the best High school li- braries in the state and has over 4,200 volumes. There are now 287 pupils, two male and eleven female teachers in the school.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.
A great step was taken when, in 1863, the schools were made free. In that year but fifty-seven per cent. of the children enumerated were regis- tered in the schools, and but sixty-six per cent. of those registered attended. In 1869 the irregularity of attendance was said to be the most prominent evil in the schools, and the apathy of the parents was especially censured. But as more money was expended upon the school buildings and good teach- ers, the public schools were better at- tended. In 1867 but sixty-five per cent. of the registration attended schools, while in 1874 the percentage rose to eighty-three and one-half. For many years the pupils in the upper grades would drop out of school as the year drew to a close. The enact- ment of the compulsory education law in 1877 greatly improved the condi- tions. An annual inspection of the factories used to be made, and from thirty to fifty children were made to attend school as a result. At first the duties of the truant officer was to bring runaways back to school. Now he enforces the law against negligent parents. Truancy has been so sharply looked after for many years that it is practically impossible for a child to
grow up in ignorance at this time.
The general progress of the coun- try has been reflected in the progress of our schools. The reports of Dr. Davis and Dr. Chapin indicate the spirit of the times. Dr. Davis was es- pecially progressive in temperament, and had he been able to secure the adoption of his measures the name of Meriden would have been conspicuous throughout New England, at least, for her good schools. Dr. Chapin was more conservative though he was- never provincial. He visited the best schools of the day and brought the comparisons home to the teachers of Meriden.
The growth from isolated schools with short terms and untrained teach- ers to a system of schools unified in aim and effort, and crowned by a good High school was gradual, and was ac- complished with much patient effort.
CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT EVENTS. 1863-Schools made free of tuition charges.
1872-Attendance for at least three months in each year made com- pulsory for children between & and 14 years by state statute.
1881-Meriden High school founded. 1883-First class graduated from the High school.
1885-Towns of over 10,000 popula- tion required by state law to maintain free evening schools. 1896-Town voted to abolish districts and consolidate all schools un- der town management.
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1896-First superintendent appointed. 1896-Drawing introduced under a supervisor.
1898-Singing introduced under a
supervisor.
1903-First kindergarten established at Franklin street school.
1905-Town voted to furnish text books free of expense to pupils.
TEACHERS OF MERIDEN, APRIL, 1906.
High school-Willis J. Prouty, A. M., principal ; E. L. Montgomery, B. S., Augusta J. Boone, Caroline J. Hitchcock, Florence M. Fisherdick, A. B., Caroline L. Nagel, Emma K. Fos- kett, Elizabeth DeK. Pease, Ph. B., Jennie H. Gibson, Caroline Wilbur, Sara Beecher, A. B., Alice H. Breck- enridge, A. B., Florence Garton, A. B.
Central Grammar school-Joseph Gerard, A. M., principal; Nellie F. Russell, Flora J. Newell, Annie M. Gaines, Anne P. Foskett.
Church street school-Joseph Ger- ard, A. M., principal ; Anna C. Rice, Caroline A. Ryan, Louise A. Hitch- cock, Edith E. Reynolds, Fannie W. Kelsey, Ethel H. Mix, Anna Norton, Grace C. Reynolds, Mattie S. Wet- more, Flora B. Ray, Rosemary Brady, Minnie G. Wiles, Emma F. Ryan, Mary A. Havens.
Willow street school-Edith L. Bevins, principal ; Nellie A. Pagnam, May A. Lynch, Katherine A. McIn- tee.
King street school-Ella Daniels, principal ; Elizabeth T. Dunne, Nellie W. Dow, A. Louise Hastings, Kather-
ine E. Ryan, Mary O'Brien, Barbara Anderson, Agnes Falvey, Mary H. Savage (absent on leave).
West Main street school-William E. Gardner, principal; Jennie D. Wood, May H. Clark, Carrie F. Bo- durtha, Hazel Harmon, Jeanette A. Falvey, Josephine F. Fitzgerald, Nel- lie T. O'Donnell, Ella G. Glynn, Au- gusta F. Riecke, Eleanor M. Hagerty.
Lewis avenue school-Cornelia A. Comstock, principal ; Helen S. Mix, Anna T. L. Burk, Marion G. Hynes, Augusta A. Fischer, Edith P. Macy (absent on leave), Mary E. Lane, Hat- tie C. Foster, M. Mabelle Fulton, Alice A. Slater.
Liberty street school-H. D. Beebe, principal ; Susan F. Newell, Fannie R. Ives, Sarah N. Benedict, Ella L. Hitchcock, Nettie L. Bowen (absent on leave), Mrs. G. F. Welch, Emma S. Pease, Theresa C. Raarup, Rhoda A. Briggs.
South Broad street school-Carrie E. Bull, principal; Anna Fitzgerald, Anna E. Wilcox, Mrs. I. O. Ives.
North Broad street school-Arline Denison, principal ; Ella Hackett, Lena Rettman, Mabel G. Mossman, Henrietta L. Rahaley, Katherine E. Mahon, Laura A. Parker (absent on leave), Fannie E. Webber, Lillian J. McLoughlin, May Gilmartin.
Columbia street school-Mrs. Ida S. Roeth, principal ; Edna M. Harris, Mrs. Mary (Foster) Dann, Lucy E. Birdsey, Mary M. Rahaley, Georgia Seidensticker.
Franklin street school-Blanche J. Paddock, principal; Nellie Keena,
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Mrs. H. H. Barnes, kindergarten; Harriet I. Foster.
North Colony street school-S. Watson Warden, principal ; Sabra K. Taylor, Lillie Eldridge, Minnie Lally, Dora E. Tracy, Margaret Landargan, Selena J. King, Helena E. Ryan, Katherine Brady, Emma M. King.
Hanover school-Nellie E. Simons, principal ; M. Eudocia Bowman, Ione Benham, Florence M. Richmond, May Seidensticker, Mary J. Moriarty.
East school-Florence G. Robinson, May I. Manley.
Southeast school-Mary Gaffney.
Supervisor of music-G. Frank Goodale.
Supervisor of drawing-Ollie E. Ragon.
Janitors-High, John Kane; North Colony street, Frank Pease; North Broad street, James Griffin; Liberty street, William P. Camp; Church street, Edward A. Wuth ; King street, Thomas McMahon; South Broad street, D. E. Pardee ; Lewis avenue, Patrick Hehir ; West Main street, James Fitzgerald ; Columbia street, J. E. Taylor ; Hanover, J. J. Schwink and J. W. Stetson; East, Josephine Winner ; Southeast, James Kates ; Central Grammar, Wilson Carpenter ; Franklin street, Joseph King ; Willow street, Thomas H. Daly.
WILLIAM POWERS KELLY.
William Powers Kelly, superinten- dent of the Meriden public schools, was born at Troy, Ohio, in 1865. After gaining his preparation for col-
lege in the public schools, graded and High school, in his native town, he entered Dartmouth college in 1882, and graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1886. Three years after the college conferred upon him the degree of A. M.
Following the example of many an impecunious collegiate he began to teach school for the sake of the quick
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