USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > King's handbook of Springfield, Massachusetts : a series of monographs, historical and descriptive > Part 12
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family school, and such of its pupils as are not provided for in the home of the principal are placed among families of culture and refinement in the immediate vicinity. The course pursued is both English and classical, especial attention being paid to mathematics and to composition ; a feature of the latter branch being the writing out, on Mondays, of abstracts of the sermon heard on the previous day.
The Elms is on Ingraham Avenue, upon the brow of the hill, "beauti- ful for situation," and commanding a fine view of the valley. The school was founded in Hadley, in 1866; and its principals are Misses Porter and Champney. It is for girls and young ladies only. The Harvard examina- tions are the standard of requirement for work done in the school; and, beside English branches, the classics, and modern languages, music, draw- ing, and painting are taught. Parlor-concerts, by the most advanced pupils, afford opportunity to gain experience in public musical performance.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Giles's Day and Boarding School was commenced at its present location, 359 Central Street, in the year 1866. Its primary object was to receive only a sufficient number of pupils to occupy their immediate supervision ; thus endeavoring to secure thoroughness in whatever studies pursued, either in fitting students for college, or for practical business. This course has been pursued to the present time.
St. Michael's Hall and School is the name of the new building on Elliot Street, designed for the children of the cathedral parish. The school is in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The building itself is 120 feet front, and has 2 wings, each 94 feet in length. The Io schoolrooms will seat about 700 pupils ; and the large hall on the third floor, excellently adapted for the uses for which it is intended, and provided with a stage and scenery, has a seating capacity of 1,200. The course of study embraces nearly all the branches taught in the public schools, including French, Ger- man, Latin, vocal and instrumental music. The school is designed to accommodate girls and boys of all grades. It was opened in 1883. Near the building may be seen the convent of the sisters who form its corps of instructors.
The Sacred Heart Parochial School, on Everett Street, was established in 1877, and is conducted by the Sisters of Notre Dame. It is exclusively for girls, and has an average attendance of about 450. One afternoon in the week is especially devoted to needlework. The school-building stands near the convent, and, besides eight schoolrooms, contains a hall capable of seating over 1,000, and well equipped for dramatic entertainments. The library comprises 700 volumes. The superintendent is Sister Mary Johanna.
The Kindergartens are several in number, of which 2 are mission- schools ; one of these being exclusively for colored children, and located in the old town-hall.
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THE ELMS: THE PRIVATE SCHOOL OF MISSES PORTER AND CHAMPNEY.
On Ingraham Avenue,
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The Charity Kindergartens. - One was started at 186 Worthington Street, September, 1882, for children of the poorest families in the neighbor- hood. Another was opened in November for the colored children on and near Willow Street. These were supported by contributions and under the charge of the Women's Christian Association. Each was in charge of a trained kindergartner, with assistants from Miss Brooks's training-class ; and
St. Michael's Hall and School, on Elliot Street.
twenty-five children in each were taught in accordance with Fröbel's method. In June, 1883, the Springfield Kindergarten Association was formed to carry on the work for the following year, with Mrs. J. R. Hixon as president ; Miss E. M. Ames, vice-president ; and Miss A. A. Pease, secretary. The kindergartens opened Sept. 10, 1883; and twenty children are taught in each, ranging in age from three to five. All the materials used are donated by the Milton Bradley Company.
The Springfield Collegiate Institute, established in 1874 by Rev. M. C.
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THE SACRED HEART PAROCHIAL SCHOOL AND CONVENT.
On Everett Street.
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Stebbins, is an English, classical, and business school for both sexes. Its principal is C. E. Blake, A.M., and its location 346 Main Street. Its gradu- ating exercises are held in the Opera-House, and combine with the literary features, military drill, that branch being taught in the school. This school fits for all the colleges, and in its business and commercial course pays especial attention to bookkeeping. It has a valuable set of philosophical apparatus.
The Springfield Business College, under the management of G. C. Hinman, gives students a training especially fitted for a business-life. The methods in use in Bryant & Stratton's Business College, and in Rochester University, are adopted ; and celerity in reaching practical results is particu- larly sought in the instruction given. This college occupies a fine, large, well-lighted room on the second floor of the "Springfield Republican " Block; and any visitor will be favorably impressed with the earnestness with which the students - young men and women, boys and girls - carry on their work. In the specialty of plain, practical business writing, there is probably no school in the country where the results will average better than they do here under Mr. Hinman's personal instruction. There is also a type-writer department, where instruction is given in the use of the Remington type- writer. The college was founded in 1876; opened in Madden's Block; moved later to Hampden Block, and finally, three years ago, to its present quarters.
Geer's Commercial School is taught by George P. Geer, the most accom- plished practical bookkeeper in the city, and the author of " Geer's Analysis of the Science of Accounts." The instruction is mostly confined to book- keeping, business arithmetic, and commercial practice. It occupies room No. 4 in the Union Block.
The Dr. Windship Graduated System of Health Movement is taught at an institution devoted to physical culture and mechanical treatment. Most of the apparatus used in this system of movement was invented by Dr. G. B. Windship, who founded this system in Boston in 1865. It was introduced in this city by Dr. C. B. Cone, its present director, in September, 1876, as a branch of the Springfield Collegiate Institute, then at Court Square under Principal Rev. M. C. Stebbins ; and was removed to its present attractive quarters in Central Hall, No. 389 Main Street, opposite Haynes's Hotel, in June, 1882, where its facilities and patronage have been greatly increased. It does not aim to qualify persons for extraordinary feats of strength or agility, but to promote their general health. The apparatus is constructed so as to exercise in turn every muscle in the body. An experienced in- structor takes care to prevent undue exertion or danger. A little time spent in this exercise each day is a practical safeguard against the whole brood of nervous diseases. The methods originated by Dr. Windship, and
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
applied by Dr. Cone, condense into an agreeable half-hour enough muscular work to refresh and restore the brain and body wearied by a day of seden- tary occupation. The system is said to be a curative for many special and local ailments, and a preventive of certain kinds of disease. Many pro- fessional and business men, and many ladies and children, who are patrons of the establishment, speak well of its methods and their effects.
The International Institute was established in Springfield at the begin- ning of 1882, to assist youth and adults, especially foreigners, to attain those various ends which they may have in view. Its director says, "It extends counsel to those who seek its assistance, and begins at once the work of preparation for some definite career, employing teachers and recommending institutions in accordance with the purposes of its patrons. It thus aims to supply in part the place of parents and guardians in the way of educational supervision, and has become quite a centre for South-American youth and students of languages." "Its headquarters are at No. 629 Chestnut Street, and its director is Paul Henry Pitkin.
The Hampden-County School-Committees' Association was founded in 1877; and its membership includes school-committees, school-superintend- ents, and friends of popular education. Its purpose is to discuss questions relating to the management and conduct of public schools; and its meet- ings, held at the call of the officers, are intended to be semi-annual. Offi- cers : L. F. Mellen, West Springfield, President ; E. A. Hubbard, Springfield. Secretary. Executive Committee, A. P. Stone, Springfield; W. H. Eaton, Westfield; H. C. Strong, Springfield.
-- ADMIRAL PASCHAL STONE.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Literature and Science.
LITERATI AND SCIENTISTS, LIBRARIES, READING-ROOMS; LITER- ARY, HISTORICAL, AND SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS.
TN the world of literature, from the days of the Pilgrims to the present time, Springfield has held high place. Here William Pynchon, one of 4 the most cultured of the earliest civilizers of this continent, composed his famous "heretical " book, " The Meritorious Price of Man's Redemption," which was as truly the pioneer of religious freedom of thought as its author was of civil liberty of action. Here were established, among the earliest, some of the best newspapers in this western world; and here, from those days to these, have been maintained daily and weekly journals powerful for the formation of public opinion and the direction of public action. Here Hon. William B. Calhoun, afterwards a member of Congress, established the first agricultural journal in the country. Here the elder Samuel Bowles published the first daily newspaper, out of Boston, in the State; and here, succeeding him, his son made it one of the leading journals of New Eng- land, and himself one of the first and most noted independent journalists in the country. Here Josiah Gilbert Holland began and grew to eminence in his literary career as a journalist, novelist, essayist, and poet ; finding, in the local records and traditions of the colonial past, the material for his romantico-historical story of " The Bay Path." At his cosey, modest house, 115 High Street, now occupied by Tim Henry, he composed his " Bitter- Sweet ; " and later, at his villa at Brightwood, now the residence of George C. Fisk, he wrote "Kathrina." Here, from his editorial desk in the office of " The Springfield Republican," he sent forth successively the " Timothy Tit- comb Papers," "Gold Foil," "The History of Western Massachusetts," - perhaps as valuable a contribution to local historical literature as has ever been made, - and the " Life of Abraham Lincoln," accorded the first place among the biographies of the " Martyr President;" while, at the same time, he was enriching the columns of his newspaper with prose and verse of such excellence as to place its literary department on a plane with the best magazines of the country, a position which it has held, under succeeding managers, to this day. Here, in the rooms now the law-office of Bos- worth & Barrows on Elm Street, George Bancroft wrote the second volume of his History of the United States. On the westerly side of Maple Street, in the mansion now owned by James B. Rumrill, the saintly William B. O.
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Peabody, first pastor of the Unitarian church, for many years taught Re- ligion poetry, and Poetry religion. His musing-ground, it is said, was the romantic ravine then called "Martha's Dingle," now the cemetery, where he was inspired to the sermons, essays, and poems which so greatly influ- enced his own and succeeding generations.
Here, also, the second Samuel Bowles supplemented his journalistic service to the world with his " Across the Continent," " The New West,"
Josiah Gilbert Holland.
and "The Switzerland of America," works not yet succeeded by superiors upon the subjects of which they treat; and here his son, the third of his name, following in his footsteps, devotes himself to independent journalism.
Here Frederick A. Packard, more than half a century ago, wrote and published the first remembered novel of Western-Massachusetts authorship, entitled " The Insurgents."
Here Edward King, now of world renown as a journalist, newspaper- correspondent, novelist, essayist, linguist, and poet, began his career. Here
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the distinguished political economist, scientist, and statistician, David Ames Wells, was born and bred, and commenced and continued his intel- lectual work until called away to become a national adviser. Here Gen. Francis A. Walker lived and labored in his chosen field, until, like Well's, summoned by popular demand to a wider sphere. Here, now, the author- architect, E. C. Gardner, lives and labors in his Brightwood cottage, cultur- ing the American people to better taste in house-building.
. From here, only lately, has westward gone Rev. Washington Gladden, famed as a preacher, essayist, and poet, the founder while here of " Sunday Afternoon." Here the Merriams, George, Charles, and Homer, the pro- prietors of those sine-qua-nons of literature, the spelling-book, and Webster's Dictionary, for more than half a century made their home; and here the two latter still reside, and maintain, with other partners, the business office of their publishing-house. Here lived and died the brilliant preacher, essayist, and eke novelist, the Rev. Dr. George B. Ide.
Here, a generation and a half ago, C. Teresa Clark, one of the earliest women in the local field of literature, wrote essays and poems for the maga- zines of her day. And here are, or lately were, as successors of her own sex, these : Marion Harland (Mrs. E. P. Terhune), author of "Judith " and other novels, "Common Sense in the Household," "Eve's Daughters," and other works upon social science and domestic economy : Adeline Traf- ton, author of " The American Girl Abroad," etc .; Katharine B. Foot, author of "Tilda," "Marcia's Fortunes," " Orphan in Japan," and other stories, and a contributor to the magazines and journals ; D. Ellen Goodman, a contributor of prose and verse to the magazines and the local press ; Mrs. William L. Smith (" Aunt Carrie"), author of "Popular Pastimes for the Field and Fireside," " The American Home Book," and other works of the kind, and a contributor to juvenile literature; Mrs. William Rice, a contrib- utor of essays and poems to the magazines ; Mrs. Maria Pabke, an Austrian by birth, now Americanized, author of stories and sketches, and correspond- ent of several foreign journals, compiler and translator with "Margery Deane " (Mrs. M. J. Pitman) of "Wonder World," - published by the Put- nams, a collection of wonder-stories of all nations, -also the author of a hygienic cook-book; Mrs. Edwin W. Seeger (née Christine Kipp), a poet and magazine contributor ; Miss Ambia Harris, a writer of essays and sketches ; Mrs. Albert T. Folsom, a frequent contributor of stories and verse ; Miss Lillie Palmer, a poet ; Miss Mary A. Chapman, daughter of the late Chief Justice Chapman, a translator from the German and French; Madame E. D. R. Biancciardi (formerly Miss Elizabeth Rice), now in Italy, a poet, essayist, story-writer and literary critic; Mrs. Zadel B. Gustafson, a novelist and poet ; Mrs. C. A. Judkins, a writer of society essays ; Mrs. W. S. Gompf, a frequent contributor of stories; Mrs. L. E. Poole (née Newell), a writer
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of stories for the juveniles ; Mrs. George D. Field, poet and essayist ; Mrs. F. H. Cooke, a story-writer, essayist, and critic; Mrs. Charles Peet (née Currier), author of " Hubbub," etc .; Miss Julia R. Smith, author of " How they made a Man of him," etc .; Miss Annie B. Williams, a contributor of stories to the " Atlantic " and other magazines ; Miss Alice I. Pennell and Miss Delia Foot, occasional contributors of verse to the local press; Mrs. Dora (Dennison) Keeney, a poet whose verse is familiar to the readers of " The Homestead " and " The Union." So many names of women are known as frequent or occasional contributors to literature, but in the quiet homes of Springfield there are doubtless many others deserving mention in this chapter.
Of men with whom authorship in lit- erature is or was an avocation, or an interlude to vocation, there are, or have lately been, resident in Springfield the following clergymen : Samuel Osgood, formerly of the First Congregational Church; Francis Tiffany, formerly of the Church of the Unity; and Richard G. Greene, formerly of the North Congrega- tional Church, - frequent contributors of essays, literary and religious, the latter one of the editors of the " Library of Uni- versal Knowledge ;" William Rice, D.D., author of "The Pastor's Manual," now librarian of the city library, the compiler of a cyclopædia of poetry, and the editor Rev. Dr. Samuel Osgood. of the revision of the hymn-book now in use by the Methodist-Episcopal Church ; William T. Eustis of the Memorial Church, compiler of a hymn-book for church use, and an essayist ; Charles A. Humphreys, formerly of the Church of the Unity, compiler of a hymn- book for Unitarians, and a poet ; E. P. Terhune, D.D., of the First Church, an essayist, religious and general; Charles Van Norden, of the North Con- gregational Church, author of "The Outermost Rim and Beyond," and an essayist upon social science and political economy as well as upon religious subjects ; William N. Rice, now professor of natural history in Wesleyan University, author of a variety of articles for scientific journals, and of some published sermons; James F. Merriam, author of essays on religious and other topics ; George E. Merrill, author of " Three Christian Mothers," etc. ; Theodore C. Pease, a graduate of the High School, author of numerous essays, poems, and reviews ; A. D. Mayo, formerly pastor of the Church of the Unity, an essayist, particularly upon education, now actively engaged in missionary effort in that behalf at the South.
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Besides the clergymen authors, there have been Charles A. Beach, a humorist and historical writer, author of "Pitzmaroon," etc .; Dr. George S. Stebbins, a writer of scientific essays, and author of a humorous auto- biographical sketch entitled "My Satchel and I;" George S. Merriam, an essayist and a frequent contributor to the press and magazines ; John Baker, a Pole by birth, a story-writer, a translator from several languages, and a political essayist ; Louis N. Roberts, author of " High Art," a humor- ous essay; Stephen T. Hammond, one of the editors of "Forest and Stream," author of essays on field-sports; George D. Field, a magazine story-writer; Edward H. Lathrop, a member of the bar, an essayist, and a poet ; George W. Taylor, writer of humorous sketches and verse; Henry Denver, a frequent contributor of verse ; Herbert Myrick, a contributor to " The Youth's Companion " and other periodicals ; Christopher C. Merritt, a writer of prose and a poet, who has published one volume of poems, which is soon to be followed by another; Aella Greene, a journalist and a poet, the author of three separately published volumes of poems, of sentiment, piety, and patriotism, and delineative of New-England life (they are, " Rhymes of Yankee Land," " Into the Sunshine, and other Poems," and, just from the press, " Stanza and Sequel," a romance in verse); John L. Rice, a writer of prose and poetry, whose "Dartmouth College and the State of New Con- necticut," contributed to the papers of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, and published in its first volume, excited great interest among his- torians throughout the country. His poem delivered before the Grand Army of the Republic on Memorial Day, on the occasion of the dedication of the Soldiers' Monument, is perhaps the most notable of his verse.
Among those who have contributed to local historical literature, the earliest was the Hon. George Bliss, the first of his name, whose address at the opening of the Town Hall, March 24, 1828, is a work of the highest authority and the basis of many later productions. His son, of the same name, once President of the Massachusetts Senate and later Speaker of the House of Representatives, contributed many valuable historical articles to Springfield newspapers. The address of the Hon. Oliver B. Morris, formerly for many years judge of probate for Hampden County, delivered May 25, 1836, on the two-hundredth anniversary of the settle- ment of Springfield, -first printed in the "Papers and Proceedings of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society," - was a masterly produc- tion. He made many other valuable contributions to the archives of history ; but following him in the same field, his son Hon. Henry Morris, formerly judge of the Court of Common Pleas, now the senior member of the Hampden bar, and president of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, has contributed more biographical and historical matter than any local writer, with exception, perhaps, of Dr. Josiah G. Holland. The pub-
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lished volume of the Historical Society contains five papers read by him at its meetings, -"The Old Main-street Jail and House of Correction," " Elizur Holyoke," " The Old Pynchon Fort and its Builders," " Slavery in the Connecticut Valley," and " Miles Morgan " (an account of the Puritan whose memorial statue stands in Court Square). In addition to these, are his " History of the First Church," published in book-form, his con- tributions to the " History of the Connecticut Valley," and his "Early History of Springfield, 1636-1675." Mason A. Green, now of the staff of " The Spring- field Republican," author of a novel called " Bitterwood," a prose contributor to the maga- zines, and a poet as well, takes rank also as an historian by his " Springfield Memories," in which are told anecdotes of local persons and events which, but for him, might have passed from George Merriam. Springfield memories. He also contributed to the above-named volume an account of "The Breck Controversy in the First Church in Springfield." Willmore B. Stone, a lawyer, and author of a "History of the High School of Springfield," is also an essayist upon political economy, and matters pertaining to the law and general literature, - notably on " The Attitude of our Government toward Polygamy," and a "Eulogy on Charles Sumner," in 1874.
The papers published in the Historical Society's volume, other than those already mentioned, are from these Springfield writers: Joseph K. Newell, "The Old Springfield Fire Department; " William L. Smith, "Springfield in the Insurrection of 1786 (Shays' Rebellion); " T. M. Dewey, " Early Navigation of the Connecticut River, the first Steamboat ;" Everett A. Thompson, "Count Rumford and his Early Life ; " Mrs. William Rice, " Ryefield ; or, a Town in the Connecticut Valley at the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century;" and Dr. Alfred Booth, " Salmon and Shad in the Connecticut River." Dr. Booth is also a writer upon hygienic and other subjects. Joseph K. Newell, a soldier of the Tenth Regiment M. V., now of the firm of T. M. Walker & Co., has written and published the history of his regiment, entitled "Ours." William P. Derby has published, during the year, a history written by him of his regiment, the Twenty-seventh M. V.,
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with the title, " Bearing Arms in the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regi- ment." James L. Bowen, a contributor of stories, is now preparing the history of the Thirty-seventh Regiment M. V. Rev. John W. Harding of Longmeadow is entitled to mention in the list of historiographers of Spring- field; for his history of Longmeadow, contained in his address delivered at the centennial celebration of that town in October last, involved necessarily that of Springfield, from which Longmeadow separated 100 years ago. Mr. Harding is also an essayist, and a contributor to "The Springfield Repub- lican." Admiral P. Stone, the superintendent of schools, is an essayist on educational topics, and has published several text-books, among them a " History of England."
Journalism and general literary work have been combined by these local writers : Solomon B. Griffin, managing editor of "The Springfield Republican," a political essayist, a writer of sketches of fiction and fact, and a poet. A notable piece of his work was "The History of the Hoosac Tunnel," published in "The Republican " in 1873. Wilmot L. Warren, leading editorial writer of " The Republican," is an essayist. upon politi- cal economy, social science, and finance. He delivered an address at the commencement of Tufts Col- lege, his alma mater, in 1882, upon " The College in Civil Affairs." He has also contributed to the litera- ture of travel by his late letters to "The Republican," upon his recent trip to the Pacific Slope, upon the occasion of the opening of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Charles G. Whiting, literary editor of " The Republican," a poet, and author of the series of papers published in his department of his paper entitled " The Saunterer." William W. Gay of the " Republican " staff, a con- tributor of verse. Harry R. Dorr, Rev. Dr. George B. Ide. lately of "The Republican," now of the " Boston Herald's" staff, a prose-writer and poet. Joseph Hood, for- merly of " The Republican," now deceased, a remarkably versatile writer of pungent essays. Clark W. Bryan, for many years connected as a part owner with " The Republican," afterwards with "The Union," and at pres- ent owner of "The Berkshire Courier," " The Paper World," " The Manu- facturer," and "The Builder." J. O. Davidson, of the " Republican " estab-
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