USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston (its past and present) and prospects for the future, with sketches of prominent men > Part 32
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In 1888 Mr. White married Helene Schmimelfennig, daughter of Gen. Schmimelfennig of Pennsylvania.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Master White is an earnest worker, thorough in the management of the school and is respected by all his pupils.
NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
This school was established in the building it now occupies on D Street corner of West Fifth Street, having been built in 1867-68 and dedicated March IOth of the latter year. It was named in honor of Otis Norcross, mayor of Boston during 1867, who bequeathed a fund of $1,000, the income to be expended by the master for the benefit of the school library. The building is four stories high and contains fourteen rooms and a hall. Area of site, 12,075 square feet. There are two primary buildings in the district.
On the establishment of the Norcross School District, the girls, taken from the Lawrence School, occupied the new building, and their master, Josiah A. Stearns, took charge of the new school, being the first master thereof. He resigned in 1882, completely broken in health, and he lived but a few months afterward. He was succeeded by the
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MASTER FRED O. ELLIS.
NORCROSS GRAMMAR SCHOOL (GIRLS) D and West Fifth Streets
present master, Frederick O. Ellis, who was transferred from the Bigelow School where he had been sub-master.
DRAKE PRIMARY SCHOOL. - This building occupies a site on C Street at the corner of West Third Street and was built in 1869. It is three stories high and contains six rooms, five of which are occupied by primary classes and one by a school of cookery, known as Boston School Kitchen No. 2. Classes from the various other schools for girls
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IHISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
in South Boston have regular days for meeting here where they are taught cooking by a special instructor. The building was named in honor of Henry A. Drake, a well known resident of South Boston, who served on the School Committee from 1854 to 1858 inclusive, and from 1864 to 1868 inclusive. Area of site, 10,260 square feet.
CYRUS ALGER PRIMARY SCHOOL. - In 1881 this building was erected on West Seventh Street. It is two stories high and contains eight rooms, all of which are occupied. It was named in honorof Cyrus Alger, the celebrated iron fo under and a well known resident of South Boston. Area of site, 16,560 square feet.
There are twenty-five regular instructors in the district : - One male and twelve female instructors for the grammar, and ten CYRUS ALGER PRIMARY SCHOOL West Seventh Street. female instructors for the primary and two for the kindergarten classes. Sewing is taught by two special teachers to every division of the grammar school. Pupils in grammar school 660, primary schools 588, total for district 1,248.
The master and teachers are as follows :
Norcross School : - Master Fred O. Ellis : first assistants M. Eliz- abeth Lewis and Mary R. Roberts ; assistants Emma L. Eaton, Mary E. Downing, Maria L. Nelson, Emma F. Crane, Juliette Smith, M. Josephine Leary, Elsie M, Paul, Agnes J. Hallahan, Cherrie W. St. Clair and Ellen T. Noonan.
Drake School : - First assistant Eleanor J. Cashman ; assistants Fannie W. Hussey, Abbie C. Nick- erson and Kate E. Fitzgerald.
Cyrus Alger School : - First assist- DRAKE PRIMARY SCHOOL. C and Third Streets. ant Ann E. Newell ; assistant, Han- nah L. McGlinchey, Harriet L. Rayne, Jennie A. Mullaly, Alice W. Baker and Josephine J. Mahoney. Kindergarten :- Principal Louise M. Davis ; assistant Ruth Perry.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Master Fred O. Ellis began his career as a teacher in Swampscott where he taught in both high and grammar grades. He was thus engaged at the breaking out of the Civil War and answered the coun- try's call in 1862, going to the front with seven of his former pupils. When his term of enlistment had expired he returned to Swampscott where he again took up his position at teaching, the school committee having held his position open. In February 1865, Governor John A. Andrew commissioned him a captain in the state militia. Two years later he came to Boston to accept the position of sub-master in the Bigelow School, which position he filled with ability until 1882 when his excellent service secured for him the position of principal in the Norcross School which he has retained since that time.
SHURTLEFF SCHOOL DISTRICT.
This school was established in 1859 and, as its membership grew, quarters were secured for the pupils in various places, among them being the vestry of the Pres- byterian church on Dorches- 7 ter Street, the Bigelow Hall, a hired room on Broadway, and rooms in the Ticknor School in Washington Village. As time advanced the number of pupils rapidly in- creased and as the Bigelow School was overcrowded a new school building became an urgent necessity. Ac- cordingly the present struc- ture was erected and, on its completion in 1869, the vari- ous places formerly used for school purposes were deserted for the new building. It was then decided to relieve the SHURTLEFF GRAMMAR SCHOOL (GIRLS). Dorchester Street. Bigelow School and the girls were taken from there and in- stalled in the Shurtleff School. The present building was erected on the site of what was formerly the Boston Cemetery, the work of construction continuing during 1868-69,
and the building dedicated on Nov. 23 of the latter year. It was named in honor or Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, mayor of Boston 1868-70. It is a brick building with granite trimmings three stories high, con- taining fourteen school rooms and a hall, six rooms on each of the first two floors and two school rooms, a library and hall on the top floor.
Shortly before the dedication of the building Mayor Shurtleff pre-
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
sented the school with a handsome clock which was placed in the hall and since that time the school has received various gifts from graduates and others, among them being busts of Mary A. Livermore and Lucy Stone, all of which have been placed in the school hall. Area of site, 40,553 square feet.
There is but one primary building in this district.
CLINCH PRIMARY SCHOOL. - This structure is directly in the rear of the Shurtleff School, occupy- ing a part of the same lot of land, which includes the corner of F and West Seventh Streets, the entrance being on F Street. This building was erected in 1871. It is a brick struc- ture three stories high and contains six rooms. It was named in honor of the Rev. Joseph H. Clinch, an Episco- pal clergyman, well known in South Boston, and who served on the old Primary School Committee, 1853-54 and who composed the ode at the dedication of the Shurtleff building. Area of site, 13,492 square feet.
CLINCH PRIMARY SCHOOL. F Street.
There are twenty-three in- structors in the district : - One male and thirteen female instructors for the grammar, and seven female instructors for the primary and two for the kindergarten classes. Sewing is taught by a special teacher to eleven divisions of the grammar school. The system of dress cutting by the " Magic Scale " was begun in the first class in the fall of 1887. Pupils in grammar school about 600, primary school 366, total for district 966.
The master and teachers are as follows :
Shurtleff School : - Master Henry C. Hardon ; first assistants Anna M. Penni- man and Ellen E. Morse; assistants Kath- arine A. Dwyer, Jane M. Bullard, Winni- fred C. Folan, Mary M. Clapp, Marion W. Rundlett, Anna L. Scallan, Ella G. Fitzgerald, Marguerite S. Clapp, Margaret L. Nolan, Margaret M. Ring and Katherine S. Nash.
MASTER HENRY C. HARDON.
Clinch School :- First assistant Alice G. Dolbeare ; assistants
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Mary E. Morse, Alice C. Ryan, Lillian M. Hall, Florence G. Frazer, Sarah T. Driscoll and Mary Taylor. Kindergarten : - Principal Frances S. Tufts ; assistant Florence H. Murray.
Master Henry C. Hardon has the distinction of being principal of this district since the erection of the school. He was born in Mans- field, Mass., and first attended school there. His parents moved to Virginia, taking him with them when he was still very young, and here he attended a private school and later Martinsburg Academy, conclud- ing his studies at Berkeley Seminary. He came to Massachusetts during early manhood and engaged in mercantile pursuits. His first position as a teacher was as an usher in the old Hawes School. His next position was that of sub-master of the Mather School which he held until his appointment as principal of the Shurtleff School in 1 865.
THOMAS N. HART SCHOOL DISTRICT.
This district was established to relieve the Lincoln Grammar School district, and the present building on East Fifth Street, corner of H Street, was erected in 1888-89 and was occupied December 4 of the latter year. It contains thirteen school-rooms, a teachers' room, master's room, reception room and a hall. One room in the building is used as a kindergarten. The building was named in honor of Thomas N. Hart, mayor of Boston during 1889 and 1890, and again in 1900 and 1901. Shortly after its dedication Mayor Hart presented the school with a handsome marble clock which decorates the hall. This building is three stories high and, being one of the most recent in South Boston, is fitted with all modern improvements. It occupies a part of the site formerly occupied by a section of the historic Dorchester Heights. A part of the elevation was removed in order to level the ground for school purposes. There are two primary schools in this district, the Capen and the Benjamin Dean.
Alonzo G. Ham, loved and respected by his pupils of the Lincoln School, was appointed master of the new Thomas N. Hart School on its establishment in 1889. From the Lincoln School to the new dis- trict also went the sub-master, John F. Dwight, and seven of the teachers. On the death of Mr. Ham in 1895, Sub-Master Dwight was advanced to the responsible position which he has so satisfactorily filled ever since,
CAPEN PRIMARY SCHOOL. - This building was erected in 1871 on East Sixth Street, corner of I Street. It is three stories high and contains six rooms and originally belonged to the Lincoln District. It was named in honor of an esteemed clergyman, Rev. Lemuel Capen, who lived and died in its immediate neighborhood, and who served on the old Primary School Committee, 1823-1831 and 1842-43. Area of site, 12,354 square feet.
BENJAMIN DEAN PRIMARY SCHOOL. - This is a new building,
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
two stories high, erected in 1898, on H Street, corner of East Sixth Street, directly in the rear of the Thomas N. Hart School. It contains eight rooms and was named in honor of the late Benjamin Dean, an
THOMAS N, HART SCHOOL (BOYS), East Fifth, Sixth and H Streets.
esteemed resident of South Boston who at one time served as a con- gressman from the district. Area of site, 11,977 square feet.
There are twen- ty-eight regular in- structors in the district, two male and eleven female in the grammar, and eleven female instructors in the primary and four in the kindergarten schools. Pupils in grammar school 457, primary schools 790, total for district 1,247.
The master and teachers are as follows : Thomas N. Hart School :- Master John F. Dwight ; sub-master John D. Philbrick ; first assistant Margaret J. Stewart ; assistants Jennie F. McKissick, Mary B. Powers, Emma J. Channell, Fan- nie G. Patten, Anastasia G. Hyde, Bertha Pierce, Florence Harlow, Carrie L. Pres- cott, Maude C. Tinkham and Mary E. Donnelly. Primary classes, M. Edna Cher- rington and Mary F. Keyes.
Capen School : - First assistant Mary E. Powell ; assistants Laura J. Gerry, Mary E. Perkins, Ella M. Warner, Mary E. Farrell and S. Louella Sweeney.
Benjamin Dean School : - Assistants Evelyn M. Condon, Lura M. Power and Anna T. Mahan. Kindergarten : - Prin- cipal Mary I. Hamilton ; assistants Alice J. Sughrue, M. Isabel Wigley and Gertrude C. L. Vasque.
MASTER JOHN F, DWIGHT.
Master John F. Dwight was born in Plymouth, Mass., Aug. 20,
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
1 844, his parents being Rev. John and Sally Ann (Hastings) Dwight. He fitted for college at Phillips-Exeter Academy and took his degree at Harvard University in 1870.
From 1870 to 1876 he was principal of the Rahway Institute and was master of the Cumming School in Woburn from 1876 to 1877. In the latter year he was appointed sub-master of the Lincoln School, South Boston, where he remained until 1889 when he was appointed
CAPEN PRIMARY SCHOOL
East Sixth and | Streets.
BENJAMIN DEAN PRIMARY SCHOOL. H and East Sixth Streets.
to a similar position in the new Thomas N. Hart School, remaining in that position until 1895 when he was made master.
Mr. Dwight lives at Weymouth, Mass. His wife was Miss Nellie L. Woodruff of Rahway, N. J. and of four children, two are living, Edith Marion, 18 years of age, and John F. Dwight, Jr., 16 years of age. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
As sub-master of the Lincoln School, then in a similar position in the Thomas N. Hart School, and especially as master of the latter institution, Mr. Dwight has won for himself the respect and esteem of his pupils. Kind and patient, yet he is a thorough disciplinarian and his pupils ever remember him with feelings of gratitude and admiration.
SS. PETER AND PAUL'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
This school, located on West Broadway, directly opposite SS. Peter and Paul's Church, near A Street, was established in 1860 shortly after the fire that destroyed the old church and when work had commenced on the present house of worship. The building is of brick, three stories high, and has seventeen rooms, having been enlarged
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
during the pastorate of Rev. William A. Blenkinsop. The school is in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame. In September, 1895, Rt. Rev.
SS. PETER & PAUL'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Broadway,
Bishop Brady established a school for boys and there are now in attendance 630 girls and 380 boys. The area of the site is 14, 142 square feet.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
Probably one of the largest and best parochial schools in Boston is that connected with St. Augustine's Church. It is situated at the corner of Baxter and E Streets. For many years Rt. Rev. Monsignor O'Callaghan, D.D. P. R., had this school in view, but did not under- take its construction until his church was entirely paid for. In 1892 he bought the site on E Street, now occupied by the schoolhouse, the same site which he had many years before rejected as a site for his church. The work of construction was commenced and the school established and opened for the first time in September 1896.
The building is four stories high, constructed of brick with brown- stone trimmings and contains sixteen class rooms and a large hall capable of seating 1,400 persons. The present school consists of 996 pupils, boys and girls, who are taught by twenty-six Sisters of Notre Dame who live in the convent on the opposite corner of Baxter and E Streets. Sister Albertina is the principal of the school. The area of the site is 16,65 1 square feet.
The attendance at the St. Augustine's School has increased so rapidly that during the past year one hundred pupils have occupied two rooms in the hall on F Street, adjoining the rectory.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
ST. AGNES PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
One of the first acts of Rev. Michael F. Higgins, after assuming the pastorate of the Gate of Heaven Church in 1873, was the opening of a parochial school. This was on the first floor of the church, corner of I Street, and the Sisters of Notre Dame, from SS. Peter and Paul's School, were the teachers. In 1879 the brick building corner of I and East Fifth Streets was erected, named St. Agnes School, and the Sisters of St. Joseph came in September, 1879. The building has since been 17 used as a convent and school. From its very establishment the at- tendance has been large, and the ex- cellence of the course of study there may be judged by the fact that during the present year all the graduates of the school who took the examination for admission to the new high school on Thomas Park passed with very high ST. AGNES PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. I and East Fifth Streets. marks, such as to receive special mention from the headmaster and Kindergarten, primary and grammar There are fifteen instructors and the
members of the School Board. grades are included here. number of pupils is 608.
GERMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL.
At the corner of F and West Sixth Streets is a neat looking two story school building, which is known as the German School. It is a branch of the larger school on Shawmut Avenue, con- nected with the Church of the Holy Trinity (German ) and in it are two primary classes composed of the chil- dren of German residents of South Boston. When they complete their primary course here they may be admitted to the large school on Shaw- mut Avenue. The school is taught by two Sisters of Notre Dame. The school was established in 1898 and ST. AUGUSTINE'S CONVENT, E Street. has an attendance of more than 100 pupils.
SOUTH BOSTON SCHOOL OF ART.
This splendid institution is maintained through the generosity of John Hawes, whose money has already done so much for the improve-
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
ment of South Boston. The school is now located in the old Hawes Church, at the junction of East Fourth and Emerson Streets, and
ST. AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL,- E Street.
GERMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL, F and West Sixth Streets.
provides instruction in mechanical and freehand drawing, draughting,
modelling in clay, yacht designing, stenography and several other equally interesting and important studies. The corps of teachers is the best obtainable, the sessions are evenings during the winter months and there are classes in manual training for young people on certain afternoons.
The John Hawes fund has been devoted to religion and education. In 1870 there was an evening school for women and girls started in the ward room corner of Dorchester and Fourth Streets. In 1872 the Walter Smith Art School was established in the Savings Bank Building, casts were bought and the school has continued ever since. In 1877 it was removed to the Bird School on East Fourth Street, SOUTH BOSTON ART SCHOOL, Old Hawes Church, East Fourth and Emerson Sts. and, on the vacating of the Hawes Church in 1892 and the congregation moving to the present house of worship on East Broadway, the Art School moved to its present quarters.
The school affords an excellent opportunity for the people of South Boston to follow many of the studies and arts that are not taught in the public schools of the city.
CHAPTER IX.
CHURCHES AND CLERGY- CEMETERIES.
. Phillips Congregational Church. Rev. C. A. Dinsmore - Phillips Chapel, Rev. Percy H. Epler- South Baptist Church, Rev. F. M. Gardner - St. Augustine's Chapel -SS Peter and Paul's Church, Rt. Rev. John J. Brady - St. Augustine's Church and St. Monica's Chapel, Rt. Rev. D. O'Callaghan -Gate of Heaven Church and St. Eulalia's Chapel. Rev. R. J. Johnson -St. Vincent's Church, Rev. George J. Patter- son - Church of Our Lady of the Rosary - Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Rev. John Chmielinski - Lithuanian Church, Rev. Joseph A. Gricuis -Church of the Redeemer, Rev. A. B. Shields - St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Rev. William H. Dewart - Grace Episcopal Church. Rev. W. S. W. Raymond -St. John's M. E. Church, Rev. George Skene-City Point M. E. Church, Rev. W. A. Mayo- Dorchester Street M. E. Church, Rev. E. Higgins - Hawes Unitarian Church, Rev. James Huxtable - Church of Our Father (Universalist), Rev. A. J. Cardall - Fourth Presbyterian Church, Rev. J. Kirkpatrick. St. Augustine's Cemetery - Hawes and Union Cemeteries.
R ELIGIOUS toleration has been a marked feature of the district almost since its earliest history and as a result, it is stated on reliable authority, that there are now more churches situated within the bounds of South Boston than in any place in New England of the same territorial area.
This sacred right accorded to all by the Constitution of the United States has been strictly observed and upheld and today we have in our district some twenty churches, representing the Roman Catholic, Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Unitarian, Universalist, Congregational and Presbyterian denominations.
PHILLIPS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH - West Broadway.
Like all the early churches in this district, this one has an interest- ing history. Commencing with but thirteen members, December 10, 1823, the present society took form under the name of the " Evangeli- cal Congregational Church of South Boston" and was organized through the efforts of Rev. Mr. Hawes of Glastonbury, Conn.
In the early days the members worshipped in Harris hall on West Fourth Street near C Street, this place being used until March 9, 1825, when a small brick structure was erected at the corner of West Broadway and A Street, costing $8,936, the money being ob- tained through the kind aid of friends in other churches, its title being held by members of other congregations in the city as trustees for the church.
It was incorporated as Phillips Church Society, March 25, 1834, and about a year later it was voted that the name " Phillips Church
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
be adopted, and the edifice was then deeded to the society. The church adopted this name owing to the fact that it was anticipated that the street on which it fronted would be called Phillips Street after Mayor Phillips, as it was the intention at that time to name the cross streets of this district after the past mayors of Boston. This was not done, however, and the streets were named alphabetically as today.
A continuous and healthy growth brought about the erection of a new and more commodious church in 1836, on the site of the old one, costing $12,000. In this structure the congregation worshipped until 1858, when the structure was sold and a new building erected on the present site of the church. The vestry of this new edifice was completed and in readiness for use in PHILLIPS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. West Broadway, November 1858, and the entire house of worship was finished and dedicated September 21, 1859, at a cost of $36, 132.
In 1845 and 1857 members left to organize other congregations and in the latter year the two united, form- ing the E Street Congregational Church. Here they worshipped for many years as a separate body, until they returned to the Phillips Church, shortly before the dedication of the present edifice in 1879. The E Street Church has since been abandoned as a place of worship.
Nothing of particular interest occurred until 1879, when the edifice underwent a thorough renovation and many extensive alter- ations and improvements were made which necessitated a re-dedication Dec. 10 of that year.
The list of rectors and assistant rectors includes the following : Prince Hawes, April REV. C. A. DINSMORE. 28, 1824, to April 18, 1827 ; Joy H. Fairchild, Nov. 22, 1827, to June 2, 1842 ; William W. Patton, Jan. 18, 1843,
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to Dec. 30, 1845 ; John W. Alvord, Nov. 4, 1846, to March 24, IS52 : Charles S. Porter, Feb. 22, 1854, to July 8, 1857 ; Edmund K. Alden, Sept. 21, 1859, to Nov. 6, 1876; Robert R. Meredith, Nov. 13, 1878, to Oct. 16, 1883: Frank E. Clark, Oct. 16, 1883, to Oct. 17, 1887 ; W. H. G. Temple, Nov. 1, ISSS, to June 19, 1895 : C. A. Dinsmore, March 11, 1896, and to the present time.
The assistant rectors have been E. N. Hardy, Nov. 6, 1890, to Nov. 24, 1893 : George H. Flint, Jan. 12, 1894, to Oct. 24, 1895 ; Percy H. Epler, Jan. 21, 1896, and to the present time.
Rev. Charles Allen Dinsmore, the present rector, was born in New York City August 4, 1860, and is a son of L. H. Dinsmore, M. D., and Mary S. (Ladd) Dinsmore.
After finishing the studies of the grammar school, he attended the Wood- stock High School, Vt., and later Dart- mouth College, from which he received his degree. He then entered the Kentucky University and later the Vale Divinity School, and, concluding his studies here, he took a post graduate course at Yale Uni- versity.
His first pastorate was the Congrega- tional Church at Whitneyville, and later the Congregational Church at Willimantic, PHILLIPS CHAPEL, East Seventh Street. Conn. He was at the latter place when called to take charge of the Phillips Congre- gational Church, January 1, 1896, and he has been pastor since that time. Rev. Mr. Dinsmore is married, his wife having been Miss Annie Laurie Beattie. They have a daughter, Miss Rachel Dinsmore, six years old, and they reside at 811 East Broadway.
Rev. Percy H. Epler, assistant rector of Phillips Congregational Church, was born in Illinois, July, 1872, being a son of Cyrus Epler, judge of the Circuit Court in that state.
He received his early education in the public schools, and later entered a preparatory school. Finishing his studies there, he entered the Illinois College, completing the course in 1892, and then entered Y'ale College, where he remained during 1892-93.
He next took the course in the Yale Divinity School. finishing in 1896, and was shortly afterward called to become assistant rector of Phillips Church.
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