USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Washington > The church on the green; the first two centuries of the First Congregational church at Washington, Connecticut, 1741-1941 > Part 14
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Another wholesome development has been the holding of church fellowship suppers during the winter months. They are held on Sunday evenings in the Parish House and are addressed by invited speakers, usually those who have been engaged in missionary work in various parts of the world. We have also had ministers and secretaries of missionary boards. Several of these suppers are held during the cold weather season and they make a substantial contribution to the spirit of fellowship in the church.
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A sad yet triumphant event took place in the church on December 6th, 1939. It was our final tribute to Mrs. John C. Brinsmade who was lovingly laid to rest upon that day. The church was well filled, including the gallery, with relatives, friends and Gunnery alumni. The beautiful flowers and wreaths witnessed to the love which so many held for her. The minister was assisted in the service by Mr. van Dyke who read the Scripture and by Mr. Carter who offered a touching prayer. The casket was taken to the cemetery in a horse-drawn carriage, followed by the Gunnery boys, the family and friends.
At the annual meeting in 1940 Mr. C. B. Nettleton asked to be relieved of his duties as church treasurer on the ground of increasing physical disabilities. This request was granted and he was made treasurer emeritus. A special greeting of appreciation was sent to him in recognition of his faithful unselfish work as treasurer of the church for forty-four years. A few weeks later Mr. Nettleton was presented with a radio by the members of the church as a small token of their appreciation and affection.
A big event in the life of the church took place on October 16th, 1940. This was a reception in the Parish House to Mr. and Mrs. Carter upon the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary. About 150 people were present, some coming from Woodbury, New Haven, Waterbury and other places. There were also quite a few present from the other churches of Washington. After the fellowship hour and appropriate remarks by the pastor, Mr. and Mrs. Carter were presented with a portable radio on behalf of the members of the church. The room was tastefully decorated with autumn leaves. De- licious refreshments were served, the wives of the deacons presiding at the table.
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The first significant event of the Bicentennial year was the week of special services which were held from February 18th to 21st, 1941. The guest speaker was Rev. Allen Hackett of Stamford, Connecticut. In view of the anni- versary year and the beginning of the Lenten season and the tragic conditions of the world due to the war, it seemed fit- ting to ask the members of the church to set aside the week of February 17th to consider together the message and place of the Christian Church in the world today. There were three evening meetings in addition to a men's supper, a women's luncheon and a young people's supper. It was the general consensus of opinion that the meetings were exceed- ingly worth while and that they helped to strengthen our loyalty and deepen our faith.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Church and the Schools
F ROM 1741 to 1779, when Washington was incorporated as a town, the members of the Ecclesiastical Society and the church were responsible for the schools of the com- munity. This was not a task that they desired to shirk as they believed wholeheartedly in education. They not only wanted men of learning as their ministers but they also de- sired the rudiments of education for all members of the com- munity. Side by side with the church, the custom was to establish the school house. This was true of most communi- ties in early Connecticut. There was a love of learning that impelled our forefathers to establish an educational system that began with the rural school, then sent students to the grammar school and finally made it possible for the best stu- dents to have a college education. Colleges like Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown and Williams are a testimony to the passion for learning that characterized the early settlers of New England.
Because of the difficulties of travel, the area of the Judea Parish was divided into different school districts. It is in- teresting to read some of the old school records. For
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example, there was a meeting of the First School Society of Washington on October 5th, 1806, of which Daniel N. Brinsmade was moderator. He was elected treasurer of the School Society at the meeting. The following were elected as the District School Committee : Norman Hazen, Samuel Leavitt, Elijah Perkins, Truman Parker, James Logan, Calvin Calhoun and David Platt. The following were elected as overseers : Rev. E. Porter, Dr. Ira Bronson, Preston Hol- lister, Warren R. Fowler, Jabez T. Warner, Daniel Cal- houn, Samuel Baker and Simeon Mitchell.
The old school records covering a period of about forty years have been saved and a copy of some of the records may be found in one of the scrapbooks in the Gunn Memorial Library. These records reveal that the school committees had charge of other matters, in addition to the work of the schools. There was the upkeep of the burying ground, the hiring of a driver for the hearse, the trimming of the hearse and the repairing of the cemetery fence. At a meeting of the School Society in 1823, a committee of five was appointed to secure a burying ground and sell it in lots so as to pay for the land and thus it would not be an expense to the School Society. In these various activities the ministers and members of the Congregational Church took an active part.
Interesting resolutions may be found in the record book of meetings of the men in charge of the Church Hill District. In 1838, "Voted, the committee hire a woman teacher three months certain, and four if it meets the approbation of the district. Voted board be $1.25 a week." In March, 1839, "Voted to set up a summer school five or six months." In the fall of the same year, the following votes were passed "Voted to set up a winter school for four months. Voted the committee procure a man teacher. Voted the committee
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make the necessary repairs to the school house and procure two benches, a stove, and six cords of hard wood chopped. Voted board per week $1.50 and wood sold per cord $2.70. Voted the committee be collector of the tax."
Mrs. Abigail Brinsmade Gunn recalled attending school in a school house which preceded that of the District School House on the Green. Presumably it was as early as 1826 when she was a child of school going age. It is probable that this building was located on the high bank at the left of the old Litchfield Road, a little beyond where the Gunn Memo- rial Library now stands. At that time it was the school house of the Center District.
In 1857, so writes Mary G. Brinsmade, a small one-storied school house stood on the Green at the top of the hill, not far from the present location of the Parish House. A door in the southwest corner opened into an entry which extended across the west end and which was filled with wood for winter use. Nails were along the wall for hats and coats and there was the pail of drinking water with its tin dipper. A door on the side opened into a square room which had windows on three sides and a wood stove in the middle. On the right side of the entrance on a raised platform were the teacher's desk and chair, and on the table was the large bell to call the scholars to school. The desks were of unpainted wood with a shelf beneath. School opened at 9 o'clock with the reading of scripture and a prayer by the teacher. There was an hour's recess at noon and the school closed at four in the afternoon.
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In the view of the church members of those earlier days, there was a close connection between education and religion. The natural result of education ought to be the development of character. Mr. Porter had given leadership in the whole
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field of religious education and under his guidance the reli- gious instruction of young people had made great progress. It is not surprising, therefore, to find the members of the church organizing a Sabbath School Society of Washington, with a constitution providing for officers, a library, and for classes of instruction. It was stated that any person who should subscribe to the constitution and pay twenty-five cents a year for the use of the library should be a member of the Society. The earliest meeting recorded in the old record book of the Sabbath School Society took place on April 17th, 1829. The last meeting recorded in the book was on March 26th, 1875. At this meeting a resolution was passed, arranging for the disbanding of the Society, since the Sabbath School was to be taken over by the church.
Since 1875, the educational program of the church has been one of its most important tasks. At each annual meet- ing there has been a report of the work of the Sunday School during the year. Through the work of the Church School, the boys and girls have been given the necessary foundation which has qualified them to become members of the church at the appropriate time.
No history of this church would be adequate that did not enlarge upon the close relationship that has existed between the church and the Gunnery School. For ninety years they have lived side by side as good neighbors. The Gunnery School was founded by Frederick W. Gunn who was born in Washington on October 4th, 1816. His father was a farmer and for many years held the office of deputy sheriff. His mother was a devout Christian and an active member of the Congregational Church. It was her earnest hope that her son might enter the Christian ministry. As a boy Frederick was noted for his high spirits and his love of nature. He at-
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tended school on the Green. In his tenth year the boy was called upon to face the tragic loss of both parents who passed away in an epidemic.
The expressed desire of his parents was carried out, how- ever, and Frederick was prepared for Yale College which he entered in the class of 1837. After returning from college he seemed to be at loose ends temporarily, not being sure of the profession he desired to follow. He thought of becoming a doctor and in order to earn money to pursue medical studies he began teaching in the Academy at New Preston where he remained for two years. In the fall of 1839 the "Academy" on the Washington Green being vacant, Mr. Gunn received the permission of the trustees to open a school in it. The school immediately became a success.
It was during these years that the New England com- munities were being deeply stirred by the antislavery excite- ment and Washington was no exception. Extended reference to this subject has been made in a previous chapter. The abolitionists in Washington were few but were very active and ably led by Frederick's older brother John. Because Frederick sympathized with the abolitionists, his school was boycotted, the trustees of the "Academy" prohibited his use of the building, and in 1845 he accepted the invitation of friends to open a school in New Preston. In 1847 he opened a school in Towanda, Pa., where he remained for two years. In the meantime, on April 16th, 1848, he was united in mar- riage to Abigail I. Brinsmade, the daughter of General Daniel B. Brinsmade, the ceremony taking place in the Congregational Church at Washington.
It was but natural perhaps that Mr. and Mrs. Gunn longed to make Washington their permanent home and the way opened in 1849 when he again began teaching in the
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Academy on the Green. In 1850, through the help of General Brinsmade, they became the owners and started the family school that has been in continuous existence ever since.
As an educator Mr. Gunn had original ideas, many of which were in advance of his time. He wanted as little school government as possible, preferring self-control rooted in the conscience of each student. In the words of Clarence Deming, the school was like a small republic. That such an experiment could function successfully in those early times was largely due to the genius of Mr. Gunn. In his mind char- acter training took precedence over the development of the intellect. Both were necessary but character was the more important. The quality he especially stressed was moral courage. A man of large impressive appearance himself, he also believed heartily in physical stamina. His methods of punishment were exceedingly novel and many are the amusing stories that have come down through the years. It was seldom that he felt it necessary to use the rod. There is only one case of verbal defiance. "You haven't the pluck, sir, to say boo to a goose," he once cried to a listless pupil. "Boo" shouted the angry lad, looking Mr. Gunn in the eye. When a titter ran around the school the master joined the boys in a hearty round of laughter.
In 1878, Mr. Gunn gave a statement of his views to the State Teachers' Association in which he stressed certain convictions about the rights of boys. "I am convinced," he said, "that there is an immense amount of soul power lost because teachers hold themselves aloof. I am not ashamed to have been a boy among boys. We have secured in some de- gree the rights of the slave. We are laboring not without hope for the right of the woman to vote. But how few teachers ever make any 'ado' about the rights of boys. We
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provide schools for their intellectual training but what school has fitly provided for the amusement of its pupils? Boys have an inalienable right to their fun. I charge you, young teachers, let the boys have their fun and share it with them. How much of healthy discipline of mind and body it may bring! Without lowering your high moral standard, you may find your way into the boy-heart."
One of the unique characteristics of the Gunnery School from the beginning has been the close bond between the school and the community around it. In the early days, Mr. Gunn took an active interest in community enterprises such as the library and the Dramatic Association. He organized the Judea Lyceum which became a center for the discussion of current topics. As a method of bringing together the school and the people of the community, he established the Friday evening receptions at the Gunnery. These were in- formal gatherings of a social nature, open to all, and help- ing to stimulate the social life of the village.
Perhaps the key to his character is to be found in the fact that Mr. Gunn was a natural liberal, possessing a healthy human interest in all phases of life. One could never doubt the sincerity of his motives. He refused to be bound by con- ventions. He might take an aggressive stand on a moral issue but he did not descend to personal bitterness. He was always a warm and steadfast friend. In view of his strength of character it is not surprising that his influence has re- mained an active force in the Gunnery School to this day.
What shall be said of his relationship with the church? He was, as stated in a former chapter, an active opponent of the slavery views of the pastor, Mr. Hayes. It is a fact that he never became a member of the church. He found it diffi- cult to subscribe to certain theological dogmas. Yet from
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the practical standpoint, he had an active share in many good works carried on by the church. In the words of Mr. E. K. Rossiter, "He took so active a part that, though he could not be regarded as a pillar of the church upholding it on the inside, he was like a strong buttress supporting it from without."
Each Sunday, through the years, the Gunnery students of Congregational background have been in their pews at church. In the early years they sat downstairs. After the organ had been removed from the back gallery, the Sunday School library room taking its place, the Gunnery students sat upstairs in the back gallery. In more recent years they have again gone downstairs, sitting on the right side of the church.
It is said that when Mr. Gunn returned from college, he delighted in using some of his spare moments in ringing the church bell, when the bell was supposed to be silent. This was particularly true on the occasion of weddings. The society had solemnly voted that the practice was undignified and that the bell should not be rung during weddings. No matter how securely the bell tower might be fastened, however, when the hour for the wedding came the bell would ring. The people felt confident that Frederick Gunn must be at the bottom of the ingenious schemes that defied the church authorities. Perhaps this explains why, through the years, the Gunnery students have enjoyed ringing the church bell to help celebrate special occasions, in spite of all efforts to prevent it. It must be confessed that the amusing contest still goes on.
One evidence of the close ties between church and school has been the use of the church building by the school for significant occasions. The graduation ceremonies are held
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there each year. One can never forget that it was from a crowded church that Mr. and Mrs. Gunn, each in turn, were carried to their last resting place in the beautiful cemetery. Mr. Gunn passed away in August, 1881, and the coffin was borne to the grave in his favorite wagon, drawn by the white horses he had driven for eighteen years over the Washing- ton hills. Mrs. Gunn lived to a ripe old age, passing away on September 13th, 1908.
On October 12th, 1882 a large number of people crowded into the church on the occasion of the unveiling of the Gunn monument. One person present guessed that there might be nearly two thousand people at the service. Henry Ward Beecher gave the principal address. In addition to the large choir, there was a quartet from New York under the leader- ship of Dr. Arthur D. Woodruff. From the church the throng proceeded to the cemetery where Senator Platt pre- sented the monument to the family. A touching response was made by John C. Brinsmade, the new master of the Gunnery.
Another notable function taking place in the church oc- curred in 1916 at the commemoration of the 100th anniver- sary of the birth of Frederick William Gunn. The celebra- tion began on Friday evening at the Washington Club Hall when there was an informal reception to Mr. and Mrs. John C. Brinsmade. In a witty speech Dr. Arthur D. Woodruff presented a purse to Mr. and Mrs. Brinsmade, containing $1,335 in gold, money and checks, presented by friends and members of the alumni. On Saturday afternoon the church was filled with friends of the Gunnery School for the com- memorative exercises. The main addresses were given by Dr. Richard Burton and Mr. E. K. Rossiter.
A most appropriate memorial to Mr. Gunn was the pub- lication in 1887 of the book, "The Master of the Gunnery."
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In this artistic volume are glowing tributes to his memory written by George A. Hickox, Orville H. Platt, Ehrick K. Rossiter, Clarence Deming, James P. Platt and Henry W. B. Howard. The beautiful illustrations for the volume were drawn by William Hamilton Gibson.
Upon the death of his father-in-law in 1881, John C. Brinsmade became the head of the school and ably carried on the work established and built up by Mr. Gunn. In the years that have followed, both the school and the church have been closely identified with the names of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Brinsmade. All efforts for the community welfare have had their loyal and enthusiastic support. Under their guidance the Gunnery School continued to mold the char- acters of the boys who came as students and who went out into the world, loyal to its traditions. After the death of Mr. Brinsmade, Mrs. Brinsmade continued to take an active interest in the school and remained until her death, a year and a half ago, the "mother of the Gunnery School."
In the year 1922 a new headmaster came to the Gunnery in the person of Hamilton Gibson, an alumnus of the Ridge School and the son of a well-known Gunnery boy. Under his leadership the school underwent a process of expansion and rebuilding. The old familiar building was taken down and in its place a number of new up-to-date buildings were erected. Outwardly the appearance of the school was greatly changed. It now possessed a plant able to cope with all the demands made upon it. Inwardly the same traditions were cherished that had been passed down from the beginning.
Mr. Gibson remained as headmaster for fourteen years and was succeeded by Rev. Tertius van Dyke in 1936. In 1937 Mr. van Dyke was made permanent headmaster, a position he now holds. The school continues the many useful
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functions for which it was founded. It continues to main- tain an eager interest in the churches and in the various activities of the town. On each New Year's Eve, people from far and near enjoy the traditional hospitality of the Gun- nery School in one of the most unique New Year's Eve par- ties to be held anywhere.
In the year 1894 a new school was started in Washington by William G. Brinsmade, a younger brother of John. For thirteen years he had been a teacher in the Gunnery School. He started his school for boys in the buildings that now constitute the Mayflower Inn and named it the Ridge School. The number of students soon rose to ten or twelve and a little later to twenty. The school was closely associated with the Gunnery School, Ridge boys going to the Gunnery for mathematics and chemistry and Gunnery boys to the Ridge for Latin and Greek. Mr. Brinsmade was especially gifted in the teaching of classical languages. He was also noted for the quiet and effective manner in which he maintained discipline.
In addition to his school duties he took an active interest in numerous community enterprises. For many years he was the center of musical interest as the director of the choir of the Congregational Church and of the Washington Glee Club. He was active in the work of the Ecclesiastical Society, being chairman of the Society's Committee for a long pe- riod. Also for many years he was chairman of the School Board. He also took great interest in the Washington li- brary and was a member of its Board of Directors.
When Mr. Brinsmade passed away in 1908 the commu- nity lost one of its most useful and beloved citizens. The school was continued until 1919 under the care of Mrs.
THE GUNN MEMORIAL LIBRARY
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH
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William G. Brinsmade. During the last seven years it was a school for small boys.
The Wykeham Rise School for Girls was founded in 1902 by Miss Fanny E. Davies. It began on the Green in the house now known as the home of Mrs. Colby. From the be- ginning the school stressed scholarship, good sportsman- ship, and good citizenship. The name is derived from the background of the founder whose ancestors have a memo- rial tablet in Winchester Cathedral opposite the tomb of William of Wykeham.
A small school called the Judean School was taken over by the Wykeham Rise School at the request of the committee members who controlled it. The late Mrs. Arthur Titus was its teacher at that time. The Hall on the Green was rented for the use of the combined school through the assistance of the late Miles Aspinwall.
When the five year lease neared its end the school had out- grown its quarters on the Green. Mr. Richard S. Barnes and Mr. Cornelius Gold both became interested in keeping the school in Washington and Mr. Barnes made an arrange- ment by which he built a suitable school on the present site and rented it to Miss Davies. After his death in 1913 the school was incorporated by Miss Davies and Mrs. Barnes. A destructive fire destroyed the plant in 1923 and it was de- cided to rebuild on the cottage plan. The Aspinwall place had been purchased and the two barns were converted into buildings. As time passed it seemed best to put the school on a permanent basis, Mrs. Barnes and Miss Davies turning over their interests to a Board of Trustees. The school is now run on a non-profit basis. In 1939 Miss Davies retired as Headmistress, her place being taken by Miss Elsie Lanier, the present Headmistress. Through the years the students
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at Wykeham of a Congregational background have been regular attendants at the Congregational Church.
In the year 1930 the Romford School was founded by Mr. Paul Cruikshank. This is a preparatory school for boys and is located at Romford on the bank of the Shepaug River. For a number of years Mr. Cruikshank was a teacher at the Gunnery before establishing his school. In 1936 Mr. Cruik- shank left the Romford School in order to become the new Headmaster of the Taft School. Mr. Paul Cornell is the present owner and Headmaster of the Romford School. As in the case of the other two schools, quite a few students of the Romford School regularly attend the Congregational Church.
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