USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > An Educational History Of The School District of Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey 1666 - 1933 > Part 9
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Old Well on. Site of old Adrian Institute.
S
Site of old Adrian Institute New Bloomfield Ave off N. Side of Iselin Road
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tinued support by unremitted exertions to improve her pupils.
Terms
Reading and Writing with plain Needlework $2.50
Arithmetic and English Grammar 3.00
Composition, Geography, History and Ornamental Needle work 3.50
Astronomy, Natural Philosophy, Rhetoric
5.00
Music, Drawing and French ( separate charges)
Boarding and Washing, $115 a year, or $2.00 per week exclusive of washing.
A most particular attention will be paid to the moral and religious in- struction of the pupils."
This school occupied the plot of land now the site of the two houses on the corner of Rahway Avenue and Claire Avenue, almost directly opposite the Elm Tree Institute.
Another important school in the early seventies, the "Adrian Institute, " was located half way between Woodbridge and Iselin on New Bloomfield Avenue, Just beyond the re- sidence of Mr. Reinhardt. It was destroyed by fire, prob- ably about 1877. The foundations are filled with discarded junk with a number of large trees growing among it. The "Woodbridge Independent Hour" for June 22, 1876, gives the following account of the graduation exercises of that year: "The third annual commencement of the Adrian Institute at Iselin (formerly Uniontown) took place last Thursday afternoon. A large number of invited guests were present to witness the exercises which were conducted by the efficient principal, Mrs. L. H. Matthews and her assistants, Misses Anna
153
Michaelis, and Mary E. Fisher. The pas- tor of the Presbyterian Church, Reverend J. M. McNulty, gave the invocation. The program consisted of essays, recitations, German conversation, piano solos, vocal solos and duets, a German play and a French play.
"Adrian Institute has been increasing in popular favor since its opening three years ago and under the efficient management of Mrs. Matthews, bids fair to be one of the first institutions for young ladies in the country."
Judging from the commencement program, this school must have been well patronized and of excellent standing. Another young ladies' boarding school occupied the pre- sent home of Mre. F. G. Tisdall, next door neighbor to the Elm Tree Institute (Morris Academy) and was kept by the Stevens sisters. French, Latin, Arithmetic, Reading, and Writing were the principal subjects taught.
Miss Nettie Walker was teacher in a private school erected by Judge Albert D. Brown, father of the well-known "Brown Brothers" in East Woodbridge, or as it was sometimes called, Woodbridge Neck. "The Independent Hour" of June 29, 1876, tells that this young lady held a picnic at Alderney Park for the scholars and patrons of the school, together with a select company of friends.
A private school was conducted in the Presbyterian Manse by the pastor of the church in the old part now den- olished. Reverend Thayer Martin, grandfather of J. H. Thayer
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Martin, Jr. and the Presbyterian minister at the time, taught Latin.
Another school was carried on by a Mr. Stevens in the building now occupied by Mrs. Dunigan of Green Street near the Pennsylvania R. R. Station before the road was cut through. Many changes have been made in the appearance of the building since that time. French and Drawing were two of the principal subjects taught.
Miss Jane Arrowsmith's private school for young ladies was held in the house now occupied by Mr. J. H. Love at 95 Green Street. The appearance of the building has been changed considerably since its school days.
The Misses Emma and Sarah Mills kept a school in the house now owned and occupied by Mr. David Brown on Main Street next to the Methodist Church property on the east side. Tuition was $12.00 per quarter. Music and dancing were extra, a male teacher coming from Newark to teach the latter subject. When the school closed in 1876, through the opening of the new graded school, now known as School No. 1, there were from twenty to twenty-five pupils enrolled, mostly young children.
Today, the private school has little or no place within the area served by a good, well-administered school system. The public elementary school followed by the High School meets
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every ordinary need of the present day, except for those who especially desire a social carrer for their sons and daugh- ters and have the financial ability to pay for it.
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CHAPTER X Summary PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Raising money for the education of poor children Was an ever increasing item.
Mrs. Ricord's Boarding School for Young Ladies at Woodbridge is described.
The "Adrian Institute" between Woodbridge and Iselin holds its annual commencement June 22, 1876. Stevens sisters kept a boarding school in the present home of Mrs. Tisdall, Rahway Avenue.
Miss Nettie Walker teaches in East Woodbridge. The Presbyterian Minister keeps a school in the manse. Other schools are kept by Mr. Stevens, Miss Jane Arrowsmith and the Misses Mills.
CHAPTER XI
A NEW ERA BEGINS
The following notice marks the beginning of another epoch in the history of Woodbridge Township Schools:
"Notice is hereby given that an election will be held on Tuesday, July 24, 1894 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon in Masonio Hall, Woodbridge, New Jersey for the pur- pose of electing nine trustees of schools for the township of Woodbridge. This elec- tion is called in accordance with the pro- visions of Chapter 335, Section 16 of the laws of 1894, etc. "
Signed -- H. Brewster Willis County Superintendent of Schools for the County of Middlesex
Dated July 21, 1894.
When the meeting took place, there were twenty-two can- didates for Trustee, the following gentlemen being elected: Howard Valentine, C. B. Smith, Joshua Liddle, C. W. Boynton, John Lockwood, Joseph W. Savage, John H. Hilsdorf, Charles B. Demarest and John Correja, Jr. On July 30, the elected members met in the public school at Woodbridge for organi- zation with results as follows:
"Mir. Howard Valentine was unanimously elected President and Mr. Charles B. Demarest District Clerk. The members then drew lots for the terms of office, Mr. Howard Valentine, Mr. John Hilsdorf and Charles B. Demarest secur- ing the three year terms; Mr. C. A. Boynton, Mr. John Correja, Jr., and Mr. John Lockwood
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the two-year terms and Mr. C. B. Smith, Mr. Joshua Liddle and Mr. Joseph W. Savage the one-year terms. -- 1
One of the first acts of the new Board was to desig- nate and distinguish the several schoolhouses by number.
Woodbridge No. 1 Washington No. 4 Blazing Star No. 2 Locust Grove No. 5 Rahway Neck No. 3 Iselin No. 6 Fairfield No. 7
Mr. B. King, Clerk of Clark Township, Union County, re- quested that the children from that township be allowed to continue attending the Locust Grove School for the coming year, their Board proposing to pay for all books supplied by the Woodbridge Board.
The first order for school supplies for the several schools under the new regime was as follows:
#25 Gross Alpha Dustless M. Crayons H # Assorted 5 gal. Davids Black Ink -- 1 Doz. qts. do. 2 gross each Spencerian Pens. #1, #5, and #9 2 Gross Pen holders, straight handles
10 # Lead pencils, rubber ends, stamped "Woodbridge Schools. "
3 £ Soap stone slate pencils -- wood covered N
2 M. sheets plain manilla writing paper. " -- 1
The schools reopened September 4, 1894, after the summer vacation, and on September 10 the Visitation Committee of the Board reported an enrollment of 482 children, 360 new books of all kinds in good condition in the hands of pupils, and 1383 new books needed for all the schools.
A special meeting was held September 25, 1894 for the
1 Minutes, Board of Education.
159
purpose of raising by a district school tax the following amount thought to be necessary to conduct the schools for the coming year:
"Teachers, Janitors and Fuel 850.00
Repairs and School Supplies 425.00
District Clerk's Salary 225.00
Textbooks and Pupils' Supplies 1500.00
Total- $3000.00" -- 1
All items were voted upon favorably.
A definite effort by the new Trustees to sustain the principals and teachers in school discipline is indicated by the following resolution under date of October 24, 1894:
"Resolved that the Principals of all the schools be requested to report to the Board monthly the names of all pupils whose average in deportment during the preceding month is less than 80 and those pupils who cannot preserve this average will be liable by expulsion by the Board and that the Principals be instructed to have this resolution read by the teachers in each department monthly. " -- 2
At the request of the Board, Mr. J. V. Freeman, the Assessor, was asked to value the school property in the Township, which he did, reporting as follows:
"January 7, 1895
District
1 2
Amount $30,000 2,470
Less Bonds $6000 1300
Adding Cash $3000 2550
Net $27000 3700
1 Minutes, Board of Education
2 Minutes, Op. Cit.
160
District
Anoun'
Less Bonds
Adding Cash
Net
34567
750
100
850
790
40
750
690
60
750
870
70
800
1200
100
1300
$36770
7410
5790
$35150 -- 1
A note was added stating that Districts #5 and #6 are to be divided between Woodbridge, Raritan and Clark Townships. The present valuation of township school property appears in the appendix.
At this period the school children in Keasbey were supposed to attend No. 7 (Fairfield) but a complaint from Mr. J. G. Rossi of Keasbey's Landing, stated that there were 100 children in that district unable to attend school be- cause of the distance to No. 7, and requested the Board to take some action in this matter.
A petition was received by the Board from the Graduat- ing class asking for a course in Shakesperian literature which was granted, and the clerk authorized to purchase the necessary bocks to an amount not to exceed five dollars.
The matter of adjusting district lines came up and the President appointed a committee to confer with committees from neighboring townships where such adjustment was desir- able.
1 Minutes, Board of Education.
161
Probably for the same reason that a bell was purchased for the graded school in 1876, a belfry was erected on No. 7 school.
The district clerk reported that in conformance with the order of the Board relative to the petition of the Senior class to have a course in Shakesperian literature, he had purchased :
"Twelve copies of Julius Caesar and twelve copies of Hamlet at 22gg each. "
On April 25, Mr. John Lockwood, District Clerk, re- ported that he had conferred with committees of adjoining townships as to the proposed change of district lines be- tween Raritan Township and Clark Township, and stated that Mr. Carman, District Clerk of Raritan, had notified him, that the Raritan Board had adopted the lines as reported by their committee.
A similar report was made regarding Woodbridge and Raritan lines, and Woodbridge and Clark lines. It was thus definitely settled what school territory was included within Woodbridge Township. The settlement had to be made for the purpose of avoiding the confusion in taxation for school purposes which had been caused by different portions of a school district being in different townships or counties when their lines did not conform to the township lines.
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The Trustees ordered that a description of the new boundary lines be written in the minutes of the Board.
Teachers' salaries were taking a trend upward at this time, varying from $35.00 per month, the lowest in the township, up to $55.00 paid to the first assistant at School No. 1.
The appointments for principal were as follows:
Miss M. J. Mccurdy Carrie CD Jacques
E. Ella Baker
Blazing Star #2
Rahway Neck #3
Washington #4 = Rachel F. Folsom Locust Grove #5 Mr. William Spencer
Fairfield #7 (Fords)
At a meeting on May 24, Mr. H. Valentine, Chairman of the Teachers' Committee reported that the Committee unani- mously recommended Mr. John H. Love for principal of No. 1 School, and he was unanimously elected at a salary of $1200. When the new principal took charge in September, he found that under instructions from the Board, no promotions of pupils had been made the previous June, and that the method of doing this was left to him.
A proposition from Mr. A. Weber, relative to the es- tablishment of a school at Weber, had previously been re- ceived, offering to deed some property to the Board for this purpose, and he now wished to know what action the Trustees would take. He was assured that the matter would be taken up at an early date.
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A committee was eventually appointed by the President of the Board to meet with Mr. Adam Weber in relation to opening a school at that place.
Following this action, an interesting light on the economical policy of the Trustees is indicated in a request to the janitor of School No. 1:
"That he light the lamps in front of the schoolhouse all evenings when the moon is not shining. " -- 1
At the same meeting, the newly appointed principal, Mr. John H. Love, was present and at his suggestion an appro- priation of $50.00 was made with which to purchase addition- al scientific apparatus.
On August 19, Mr. Weber appeared before the Board and offered a part of the factory building at Weber for the pur- pose of a temporary school.
It seems that the "Weber" school committee was in favor of another offer for the location of a school at We- ber, for at an adjourned meeting of the Board on August 26, Mr. Ephraim Cutter, the Chairman, reported the building of- fered by Raritan River H. & P. Brick Company, through Er. James Rossi the Superintendent, for a temporary school and re- commended that a school be opened near "Keasbeys" in the southern part of the township.
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
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164
Mr. Cutter also read several letters received by him from Mr. Rossi relative to making certain changes in the building that he offered in order to adapt it better to edu- cational purposes.
The structure was a new one and had been used as a store house. At the next meeting of the Board it was re- solved:
"that it is expedient to open a school near "Keasbey Landing' this coming year, to be known as 'No. 8 School. '" -- 1
Also 1t was resolved:
"That the offer of the R. H. & P. Brick Com- pany, through Mr. Joseph C. Rossi, Superin- tendent, to furnish and prepare a building suitable for school purposes be accepted. " -- 2
It was also decided to engage two teachers for the school, a principal and one assistant, the salaries to be $40.00 and 35.00 per month respectively, and to proceed with the furnishing and equipment of the building at once. Miss Annie Richards received the principalship and Miss Mary H. Hall was elected as assistant.
A motion was carried at the same meeting:
"That one thousand "Perfect Slate Erasers" be purchased and distributed to the diff- erent schools in the district. " -- 3
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
2 Ibia.
3 Ibid.
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165
These erasers were small, pressed paper blocks about two inches long, one inch wide and half an inch thick, re- quiring no water. These were the days of slates and pen- cils. The so-called noiseless slates, bound around the edges with felt were used by the children. Teachers of to- day have had little or no experience with the old slate sponge and water such as the old-timer had. Drops of cold water gently and surreptitiously squeezed down the back of a neck invitingly bent forward by the pupil occupying the seat in front, usually produced results not conducive to the gen- eral good order of the class room.
The introduction of the "Blocks" had in view not only hygienic improvement, but the elimination of the "water- and-neck" trick. It proved, however, to be simply an ex- change of one evil for another, for the "Perfect Slate Erase- er" was also a perfect class-room missle. A teacher, weak in discipline, was helpless when a "Perfect" storm broke in her room.
The Keasbey School, No. 8, was opened Monday morning October 7, 1895, with an enrollment of 44 in the Primary De- partments and 28 in the Grammar grades.
The Vertical Writing System was much in vogue at this time and Woodbridge schools followed the fad. Its one re- deeming feature was its legibility.
166
Reports had begun to come in from several members of the Board regarding the increased enrollments at various points in the district, indicating that the population of the townships had commenced a steady growth and that ad- ditional school accommodations would soon be required. The great problem of building schools to keep pace with population growth had commenced and has continued from that day to this.
In 1896, it was the custom of the principals of the several schools to make reports and address all communica- tions direct to the Board which necessitated a great deal of detail work for the Board and for the Clerk on the minutes. Much of this was of minor importance and began to prove irk- some.
Miss E. E. Baker, teacher and principal at No. 4, re- quested the Board to allow her to engage a pupil as janitor at $2.00 per month. Permission was given with the under- standing that this sum was to be paid while the weather re- quired the building to be warmed, and after that time, one dollar per month for the remainder of the year.
The principals of the smaller schools had to do their own janitor work or make some such arrangement as above. In some cases, the principals were paid extra for this work. Mr. John Ohmenheiser was the regular janitor at School No. 1 and received $40.00 per month when schools were in
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session but the amount was cut down to $10.00 a month dur- ing the summer vacation.
At a February meeting, Miss Amanda G. Edgar was in- stalled as temporary principal at Blazing Star (Carteret) because of the diphtheria in the family of Miss MeCurdy.
An important step in the unification of the township schools took place when, acting on a letter received from County Superintendent H. Brewster Willis, February 1, the Board decided:
"That the sense of the Board was that Teachers' Meetings might be of benefit to the teachers and through them to the pupils. " -- 1
A motion was carried that:
"Teachers' Meeting be held in No. 1 School- house on the last Friday afternoon of each school month at 2 o'clock and that all teachers be required to attend such meet- ings or satisfactory reason for absence therefron be given to the Board and the Clerk authorized to notify the teachers. " -- 2
The first meeting was held on February 21, 1896.
On March 17, 1896, the annual meeting for the election of three Trustees and for voting appropriations for the com- ing year was held in the Masonic Hall. As a result, Mr. A. R. Berry, Mr. E. C. Ensign and Mr. J. H. Coddington were elected.
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
2 Ibid.
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Mr. E. C. Ensign has served continuously, with the exception of a few months, ever since that date, an evi- dence of the implicit confidence of the community in his integrity, trustworthiness, and ability to occupy such an honorable position. In addition to being a member of the Board, Mr. Ensign was elected as District Clerk in March 1899 and still holds that position (1933), each year find- ing him the unanimous choice of the Board.
On May 7, 1896 (with the exception of Mr. Love who was appointed on May 1) teachers were appointed to the town- ship schools as follows:
John H. Love
Principal
No. 1
$1350 per year
Amanda G. Edgar
1st Assistant
2
45
#
month
Helen Harned
2nd
#
#
2
40
=
Josephine Folsom
3rd
=
#
2
40
#
A
Carrie Jacques
School =
4
5
6
40
William A. Spencer
Principal
H
40
2
Annie Richards
Principal
8
45
Mary H. Hall
Assistant
=
8
40
Isabella Middleton
=
1
1
50
=
18
H
Aletta R. Runyon
=
7
50
H
=
May Kelly
1
45
Anna D. Dixon
#
1
45
K
H
3
35
35
M
E. Ella Baker
Rachel F. Folsom
Annie L. Armstrong
Alice Smith
Assistant
Viola E. Dunham
Martha E. Smith
7
50
=
R
Luella T. Kelly
= = =
Janitorial service for the following schools was fixed
by appropriations of:
1
50
50
35
55
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169
"Twenty dollars janitor salary per annum for cleaning schoolhouses Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, and that we appropriate thirty dollars per annum for janitor for No. 8 schoolhouse. " -- 1
Miss Alfarata Dilks was appointed (No. 1) as First Assistant in the High School department at $60.00 in place of Miss Keliher who had resigned, and Miss H. May Dixon was appointed Third Assistant at No. 1 at a salary of $50.00 per month. Mr. Eugene ii. Weeks was elected princi- pal of School No. 2 to succeed Miss MoCurdy at a salary of $80.00 per month. Miss Mary Van Arsdale was appointed to teach music, drawing, Latin and German in No. 1 at a salary of $60.00 per month. These appointments closed the comple- ment of teachers for the township for the ensuing year.
The high school faculty at that time consisted of John H. Love, Mary Van Arsdale, and Alfarata Dilks. Thirty- minute periods were in vogue, with continuous instruction through both sessions.
The subject of German was introduced this year, the beginning of many other progressive steps in building up a, new and modern curriculum.
On July 6, the Textbook and Course of Study Committee reported as follows, the report being approved unanimously:
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
170
"At a meeting of the Committee on Text- books and Course of Study held June 30, 1896, action was taken as follows on the course of study recommended by Ur. Love. Moved and carried that the re- commendation of Mr. Love in relation to an English course and a Latin Scienti- fic course in the High School Depart- ment and the course of study outlined by him and presented by him to the Board be recommended by the Committee to the Board for adoption.
Signed -- E. C. Ensign, Chairman of Committee" -- 1
In August, when better drinking facilities were needed, a new well was ordered to be dug on the north side of School No. 1. During the process of the operation, the contractor drove his drill through a layer of bluestone before reaching the potable water which was of remarkably fine quality and extremely oool. For many years thereafter, the clanking of the pumphandle went on, even after "city water" had been in- troduced, until by order of the Board, the well was filled in with ashes.
In the same month an important change was made for the benefit of the children attending School No. 1 by the in- stallation of the Feck-Williamson System of heating and ven- tilating. This was a mechanical, hot-blast system of heat- ing, and a pressure system of ventilating. A gasoline en- gine drove the ventilating fans which sent the warm air through metal shafts into the several class rooms.
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
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171
This was a tremendous advance in school heating and ventilating and the system was very efficient, being in operation many years until it wore out.
This year also marked the beginning of the era of Single- desk type
adjustable school furniture. At the same time an increased < appropriation for chemical and philosophical apparatus was made ($100) at the request of the high school principal.
Mr. Chase, Trustee from the Carteret section, was auth- orized "to employ the Hermann boys to haul cinders to fill up the school yard at No. 2 school. " One of these "boys" later became Mayor of Carteret, and the other, President of the Carteret School Board.
In 1897, with the object in view of improving the stan- dard of the school, the Supervising Principal recommended that the high school course be increased from three years to four. This suggestion was unanimously approved. Three of the four members of the senior class decided to continue through the fourth year, but the remaining student, hir. John H. Weber, elected to be graduated as the last of the old three-year course classes. The Board dispensed with the usual public graduating exercises this year for obvious reasons.
The visitation of other school systems for purpose of observation by certain teachers was encouraged by action of
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the Trustees at the request of the principal of the high school. No. 1 was always known as Woodbridge high school, although it housed all the elementary grades too. In fact, children attending the school, in whatever grade, invari- ably spoke of going to Woodbridge high school.
This year was also notable for the first "Grand School Day. " County Superintendent H. Brewster Willis wrote to the Board asking permission for this to be held, and Fri- day, June 11, 1897, was fixed for the event to take place et Boynton Beach. Mr. John H. Love was directed to confer with the other principals in the township and make all arrangements.
Mr. C. W. Boynton, the owner of the resort, gave the use of the place free with all the "amusements and attrac- tions" and in many other ways helped to make the day a joyous one for the children. Trolleys and stages were the means of transportation and a fine program of sports, in- cluding physical competitions and "A Grand Musical Dumbbell Exercise" took place on the dance-hall floor. Many of our "grown-ups" still remember this event and often refer to their participation in it.
On May 17:
"Mr. Adam Weber made an offer to the Board to erect a suitable and modern schoolhouse at Weber upon plans to be approved by the Board at a cost not to exceed four thousand
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