USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Dover > Dover dates, 1722-1922 : a bicentennial history of Dover, New Jersey , published in connection with Dover's two hundredth anniversary celebration under the direction of the Dover fire department, August 9, 10, 11, 1922 > Part 12
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feel I would be ashamed of myself hereafter if I did not contribute something to such a memorial as you are building for our heroes and veterans, and which will be a credit to our town.
The Soldiers' Monument of the Second Selective District of Morris County was dedicated at the Hurd Park on Memorial Day, 1922, with the following program :
Capt. J. W. Farrow, Chairman
OPENING. Mr. Peter C. Buck
President Dover Shade Tree Commission
CHORUS-"America" Arcanum Band
School Children and Assemblage
ADDRESS OF WELCOME. Hon. W. H. Hosking
Mayor of Dover
CHORUS-"Memorial Day Song" . School Children
Rev. J. F. Bindenberger, INVOCATION.
Pastor First M. E. Church, Dover
One minute of silence will be observed by the assemblage in honor of deceased soldiers and sailors of wars of the United States and the bravest of the brave, their mothers, wives and sisters, who gave their loved ones for their country.
REMARKS .Adjutant Alonzo B. Searing
James McDavit Post, No. 54, G. A. R.
READING ROLL OF HONOR. . Capt. J. W. Farrow REMARKS-Spanish War. Sergeant Warren Surnburger GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. Miss Ruth Meyer LIST OF HONORED DEAD in whose memory the monument is erected, by F. F. Apgar, Commander, W. H. Baker Post, American Legion.
ORATION Hon. William N. Runyon
DEDICATION by. Edward A. McGrath State Adjutant, American Legion
UNVEILING by. Miss Florence Baker "STAR SPANGLED BANNER" Arcanum Band Assemblage Standing at Attention
RIFLE SALUTE. U. S. MARINES TAPS.
EXIT MARCH-"Over There" Arcanum Band The monument was unveiled by Miss Florence Baker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Baker and sister of William Hedges Baker, for whom the Dover Post of the American Legion is named.
It is to be regretted that Hon. William N. Runyon could not attend, having a previous engagement.
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All credit for raising the money to build the monument is due to our newspapers, the "Dover Advance" and the "Dover Index," who kept in touch with me and kindly published items from week to week, free of charge, from start to finish, and the "Rockaway Record" also assisted us, which if we had to pay for it all would place them among our largest subscribers. Thanks to our newspapers.
The bronze statue is entitled "The Spirit of the American Dough- boy," and was recommended by the National Memorial Committee to the National Executive Committee of the American Legion, as one hundred per cent. perfect, in the selection of a National Memorial Statue in Centralia, Washington. It was designed by the American Doughboy Company of Americus, Georgia, and made in Chicago.
The large bronze tablet was donated by Charles N. Polasky and has the following inscription on it:
"In Memory of the Veterans of the World War and the Men who gave their lives for their Country from this District, whose names appear on the stones below." Erected 1922.
There were thirty-eight men who died, from the Second District of Morris County, and there is a stone for each man, with a bronze tablet with his name on as follows :
Harry B. Anderson
John Thomas Stephen Huested
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Herbert Atkins
William H. Baker
Anthony Kepler
John R. Booth
Michael Kedzuf
Charles C. Buck
William W. Lewis
W. Joseph Bickert
Thomas A. Cannon
Vincent Manning George E. McKenna
John Castimore
Alward W. Meeker
Bertram Chamberlain
Henry F. Meeker
Samuel Chiarella
N. Leslie Mulligan
Bertram F. Cox
Richard S. Parke
James A. Donaldson
LeRoy Quail John J. Reiley
Frank Feeley
Frank E. Reynolds
William H. Flatt Ernest J. Harner Michael J. Hartford
Edgar B. Rogers
Herbert Smith Henry Stark
James C. Hennessey William J. Hocking Peter V. Farley
George T. Swackhammer
Anthony Sylvester
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The following is one copy of many letters received from families of the soldiers, who gave their lives for their country, showing their appreciation of the Soldiers' Monument, built in memory of the World War.
June 7th, 1922.
Mr. P. C. Buck, Dover, New Jersey.
My dear Mr. Buck :
Enclosed is a check to be added to the monument fund. Those of my family who have had opportunity to see the monument consider it not only an appropriate memorial, but also a lasting work of rugged beauty. The appreciation of the whole community is due you for bringing about the erection of it.
To some of us that monument is more than just an orna- ment of public interest and your efforts go beyond those of a public-spirited citizen.
Cordially yours,
It was estimated that there were about six thousand people attend- ing the dedication exercises. It was a beautiful day, but quite warm, and was a day long to be rememberd by everybody.
During the Winter, the Mayor and Council appropriated $10,000 for permanent improvements in Hurd Park and we hope in a few years to complete the park, which will be a big asset to our town, and we hope in the future that others will do like Mr. Hurd, leave the town a little something to remember them by and to beautify and make Dover a better place to live in.
P. C. BUCK.
DOVER POST OFFICE FACTS
NOTE :- In Munsell's History of Morris County (1882) we find that Col. Joseph Jackson was appointed by George Washington as the first postmaster at Rockaway in 1791. Dover people made that their post office until Jacob Losey was made postmaster here, which may have been in 1820 or earlier; probably earlier. Other postmasters of Dover following Jacob Losey were David Sandford, Sydney Breese, John Mar- shall Losey (until 1857), Maria B. Losey (until 1863), Ephraim Lindsley, Wilmot Thompson, Alpheus Beemer, Guido M. Hinchman (1882). Thus we have the "apostolic succession" of postmasters (1791- 1922).
The names of John Marshall Losey and his widow, Maria B. Losey, have been interpolated from information given in a letter of their daughter, Mrs. Livermore. EDITOR.
Mrs. Charlotte S. Hurd has contributed the following data :
Names and Appointments of Postmasters from 1888 to 1922 :
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James S. Melick. 1888
C. H. Bennett. .1908
Capt. D. S. Allen 1892
F. F. Hummel. . 1916
Wm. Pollard
. 1894
J. W. Hummer, Acting. . 1918
Geo. McCracken
. 1896 C. S. Hurd, Acting. ... . 1919
G. C. Hinchman.
. 1901
C. S. Hurd, appointed. . . .. 1920 (present incumbent )
Dover was a third class office until July first, 1901, when the receipts of the office warranted the establishment of city delivery service, employing four city carriers.
In 1914, parcel post matter not exceeding twenty pounds in weight was accepted for mailing, with provision made for insurance of valuable parcels, and a C. O. D. system was also installed. The growth of the business was so rapid that the weight of parcels was shortly increased to fifty pounds and since then to seventy pounds.
The business of the Dover office has outgrown three buildings since the present incumbent has been engaged in postoffice work. Part of the building now occupied by the National Union Bank was used for postoffice quarters for a number of years until the office was classified as a second-class office and the establishment of city delivery in 1901, when the space was found inadequate and new quarters were sought in the building now occupied by A. M. Ryan as a shoe store and W. O. Brown, wholesale music dealer, a short distance east of the First Methodist Church. This building was occupied from 1900 to 1910, when a new office was built at 5 Warren street by W. H. Baker, giving much more room and better working facilities. At the expiration of ten years these quarters were found too small for the business transacted and we were again forced to seek new quarters, since the office had advanced to a first-class office.
The W. H. Baker Estate built the present postoffice building a short distance south of the 1900-1910 building, and equipped it with up-to-date equipment, providing for growth of business for ten years at least.
We now have a force of eight clerks, eight city carriers, two rural carriers, also special delivery and mail messenger. Parcel post matter is delivered daily by automobile, whereas in 1914 to 1915 it was deliv- ered by carrier on foot. Then a horse and wagon delivery was made, semi-weekly, until 1920, when a motorcycle with side car was installed for delivery of parcel post, and in February, 1922, the postoffice depart- ment furnished a Ford truck to be used daily in delivery of parcels, since the business at the local office had outgrown former methods of delivery.
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THE DOVER FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
In 1839 there was a lyceum or literary society in Dover. Jacob Lundy Brotherton read a poem at one of its meetings, ending with these lines :
Dover ! gem amid the hills, Smiling with morn's benignant face, Thine industry shall weave a crown That thou shalt wear with regnant grace.
Possibly this society may have gathered together a few books in the interests of literary culture. But we do know that the Sons of Temper- ance, another society that was formed about this time, had a small col- lection of good books for circulation among the people and this was known as "The S. of T. Library." Among these books was a set of Prescott's histories. When the S. of T. could no longer provide housing for these books, William Young gave them a place in his bakery on Dickerson street and acted as librarian.
In October of 1901 the Octagon Club of Dover decided to form a public library. This was a Club of ladies who met for reading, to "improve their minds." The club consisted of Mrs. Louise M. Whipple, Miss Sue H. Crittenden, Dr. Elizabeth W. Griscom, Mrs. E. D. Neigh- bour, Mrs. Potts and Mrs. Robert Killgore, Mrs. A. T. Van Gelder and Miss Marion D. Beach.
In December they asked for the use of the study of the old Pres- byterian Church, opposite the present Memorial Church. This was granted and Rev. Dr. Halloway also loaned them his bookcases that remained in the old study. The ladies secured a traveling library from Trenton and took turns being librarian. They had no library funds, except as they secured private subscriptions. Miss Harriet A. Breese was finally appointed the first regular librarian and continued so until she went to California for her health and the town took over the library in 1904.
This brief historic note may serve to introduce the latest report of the Dover Free Public Library, given herewith in the "Dover Dates" column, as a significant and worthy feature of the history of this com- munity, functioning in this bicentennial year and having possibilities of increasing usefulness in the future.
Library Staff-Miss Martha A. Burnet, librarian; Miss Nina Woodhull, first assistant; Miss Mildred Powers, second assistant.
Library Trustees for 1922-Mr. D. B. O'Brien, president; His Honor, W. H. Hosking, Mayor of Dover; Roswell S. Bowlby, super- intendent of schools; Mr. Charles D. Platt, Mr. Louis Harris and two of the founders of the library, Mrs. Robert Killgore and Mrs. E. D. Neighbour.
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LIBRARIAN'S REPORT FOR 1921
The Seventeenth Annual Report of the Free Public Library, and the tenth report under the administration of your present librarian, is herewith respectfully submitted.
The Library has been open 301 days, being closed on Sundays and holidays. Number of books issued for home use 41,710, an increase of 7,013 over 1920 and the largest circulation on the records of the Library. Number of books added 763; by purchase 710, gifts 53. These books had been accumulating for some time and many were worn past repair or even rebinding. One hundred seventy of the best were sent to the Summer Camp of the Rahway Reformatory. Five hundred sixty new borrowers were added during the year, making a total registration of 8,875 since the opening of the Library.
No effort has ever been made to keep a record of the number of persons using the library for reading and reference, but from a conserva- tive estimate we find that the use of the magazines and reference books has increased in a marked degree, a large percentage of these readers being men and boys.
The new schedule of hours has been in operation for the past year and wider use of the library has shown the desirability of the lengthened hours of service. The additional space which was added to the Library last spring has been of great advantage. Not only is the office more con- venient, but the main room provides more space for the Girls' and Boys' Section, but even with this addition we are greatly over-crowded.
The two book stacks made by the pupils of the Manual Training Department of the High School have been in constant use and add greatly to the attractiveness of the Library. The report of the work with the schools is almost a repetition of that of last year, except that it shows an added growth in all lines.
The classes of instruction in the "Use of Books and Libraries" were held from October to April and on June 21st, IIO certificates were presented by the Library to the graduates of the Grammar School. Libraries have been placed in five more class rooms and at the beginning of the school year a library of seventy-five books was sent to the High School. The total number of books for school use, purchased from the "Special School Library Fund," is now 1,265. Statistics submitted by the schools show a circulation of 4,724, which represents many hours of reading, both for pleasure and profit. In addition to the "Class Room Libraries," 150 of our own books were set aside for High School reading, and, as usual, a large part of the reference work was in connec- tion with the schools. Pupils were sent to the Library each day for information on various subjects, as well as for debate and theme material.
In view of the growth of the reference work the Library stands in great need of a recent edition of the International Encyclopedia to replace the out-of-date set now in use, and the Encyclopedia Britannica for adult use.
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The librarian has spoken at three meetings of the Home and School Association and told stories to the children in several class rooms.
During "Good Book Week," a special collection of books was bor- rowed from Trenton and displayed in one of the show windows of the New Jersey Power and Light Company, and a talk on good reading was given to the older pupils of the North Side School. In April an exhibit of books on gardening was shown in the window of Berry's Hardware Store, with the result that, during the Spring, garden books were in great demand.
As the year 1921 was the six hundredth anniversary of the death of Dante, an effort was made to interest our readers by featuring the Dante collection, together with a few attractive pictures borrowed from the Newark Library.
The Bulletin of our Dover Library has been continued and has served as a medium to bring to the attention of our patrons books on current topics as well as the new books. Book lists have also appeared in the local papers.
One of the most forward steps in the interest of education in Morris County was the decision at the November election to establish a County Library. A long and intensive campaign had been carried on by municipal libraries to bring about this result. A County Library will be of material aid to the Dover Library, as the out-of-town borrowers will be transferred to the County Library and we will be on the exchange list.
The Dover Library was represented at the meetings of the New Jersey Library Association, held at Atlantic City and East Orange, at a special meeting at the Morristown Library during "Good Book Week," also at the annual meeting of the New Jersey Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations held at Trenton.
Gifts of books, pictures and periodicals have been received and are greatly appreciated. The Library is also indebted to the local newspapers for printing book lists and library news. Through the courtesy of neigh- boring libraries many of our patrons have been supplied with books on special subjects.
The Library staff remains the same as last year and the creditable. work accomplished is demonstrated in this report.
The librarian attended a weekly course in Library Administration at the New York Library School for three months and gained many new ideas which have been successfully carried out during the past year.
The librarian would acknowledge her indebtedness to the members of the Board of Trustees for their consideration and assistance, and would again emphasize the fact that no library can take its proper place in the life of a community, when, as for the last ten years, the work is carried on in inadequate rooms. The year 1922 should see steps taken to procure a permanent building and a branch library established in the northern section of the town.
The Library met with a great loss during the past year in the death of Mr. Isaac W. Searing. The following memorial has been adopted by the Board of Trustees.
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MR. ISAAC WEBB SEARING AND THE DOVER LIBRARY
Mr. Isaac W. Searing was president of the Board of Trustees of the Dover Free Public Library in 1904 and 1905, and from 1907 to 1917. The Library was first started as a private enterprise and was taken over by the town under Mr. Searing's administration as Mayor, in 1904. After he ceased to be Mayor he continued to be president of the Library for many years, and was deeply interested in its success and growth, doing all in his power to devise ways and means for the main- tenance of the work from year to year, and studying its needs for the future. Under his administration the Library grew from one thousand to eight thousand volumes, the number of persons who resorted to it increased greatly, and the public came to realize more fully its usefulness to the community.
Mr. Searing presided over the monthly meetings of the Trustees with kindly dignity and genuine interest. His business acumen was of great service and he took delight in discussing Library affairs with his associates.
He was, himself, a library of information on local matters and his reminiscences have been incorporated in Dover History. By these his- torical recollections and by his long term of service as president of the Library he made a unique contribution to the social and cultural interests of his home town.
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WHAT DOVER WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS 1920-21
Dear Santy Claus, I pen these lines To tell you what I want next year When Christmas comes; I have designs Upon your purse, my Santy dear !
So save your dollars, don't spend all On poorhouse, on police and jail And various things I can't recall- Strike out upon a different trail !
I want a Christmas gift that makes No paupers; but makes many rich ;
That gladdens many a home and breaks No hearts-leaves no one in the ditch.
I want a building fitly framed To be the home of noble minds,
A house where Wisdom is proclaimed, Where Truth a cordial welcome finds.
I want a temple where the shrine Of Freedom finds a fit abode ;
Where Muses may the heart refine And guide us on life's rugged road.
In short, I want a quiet nook Where folks may turn aside and find
The solace of a friendly book To cheer the heart, inform the mind.
A place that I can call my own, A Dover Public Free Library, No rented quarters, soon outgrown- A home more spacious, cozy, airy.
So. Santy, if a hint you need, You have it here; you know my heart: Now jingle, bells! and, reindeer, speed To Fairyland and do your part!
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EDUCATIONAL DOVER SCHOOLS IN EARLY DAYS
In the Centennial Collections of Morris County, published in 1876, there is an extended History of Morris County Schools, by L. W. Thurber, School Superintendent of Morris County. In this thorough and painstaking history the endeavor is made to trace out the earliest beginnings of education by townships. Incidentally much history of New Jersey is woven in with the story of the schools. This work of Superintendent Thurber's is well worthy of being republished as a valuable monograph on the history of education, preliminary to any account of education in Morris County after 1876. By this report Mr. Thurber takes high rank among the historians of Morris County.
Superintendent Thurber had previously been the Principal of the Dover schools and is still remembered by some of his old pupils, who «credit him with high ideals of school efficiency and with the ability to 'carry such ideals into practical execution. After his retirement from :active work Mr. Thurber resided for some years on Morris street, Dover. Later he went to Connecticut and now lives in Morris- 'town. Mr. Thurber's intellectual thoroughness and quality of mind is clearly shown in the history above referred to. I once tried to get him to write out his reminiscences of Dover for me, but could not persuade him to do so.
Under the head of "Randolph" Mr. Thurber pays a fine tribute to the school maintained by the Society of Friends from 1758, if not earlier.
"In its day it rendered a noble service to the cause of education ; for in it some of our worthiest townsmen began and completed their educa- tion; and here, too, were carefully inculcated good morals and brotherly love-the fruit of which instruction was seen in the humanity and philanthropy of such men as the late excellent Richard Brotherton and his kindred."
Before the public school system began there was a school at Dover, dating back perhaps as far as 1776, taught in the rooms used later by Mr. J. H. Neighbour as a law office. About 1796 permission was given "to build a school house near the foot of the "Road to Lamson's Farm" (on the south side of the Lackawanna R. R., where Lehman's wholesale storage building is, in 1922). No deed of this grant of land was recorded. To quote Mr. Thurber : "A public school was maintained in "this building for forty years, when the stone 'Academy' was built for the combined purposes of church and school and the old school house was taken possession of by the owner of the land. The matter did not "end here, for the district was unwilling to give peaceable possession of the old building, and refused to occupy the new. The controversy ibecame exciting, and the citizens were compelled to turn out with muskets and clubs to save the house from destruction. School was continued in the old house, which was repaired, and in 1843 was enlarged and remodeled and used until 1871, when the present building
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(Northside) was erected. This contains six good rooms, and will accommodate 400 pupils, and there are now six teachers and one prin- cipal employed (1876). The building and grounds cost $15,000. Five teachers receive $450 each, per annum, the vice-principal $700, and the principal $1,200, making an annual expense of $4,150 for teachers' salaries.
The price of tuition before free schools were established varied from $2 to $3 per quarter-all pupils paying the same. Until the erec- tion of the new school house the seats were defective and too few ; first, slabs on pegs, and without backs, extending around the room. These were removed and seats put in, each accommodating four pupils. The mode of instruction has also gradually improved and we find that its influence is seen in the advanced studies embraced in the course, for instead of the Three R's comprehending the studies of the school, the pupils are carried through U. S. History, General History, Hygiene, Natural History, Natural Philosophy, Algebra, Geometry, Surveying, Latin, Drawing, Music and Bookkeeping, with some other branches. ***
Other notes on the Dover schools are to be found in "Dover His- tory."
REMINISCENCES OF DOVER SCHOOLS
A narration of events and of my personal experiences in educational work, as vice-principal, and later as principal of schools, including par- ticipation in the musical activities of Dover, while a resident, and later as a regular visitor, begins with a date indelibly fixed in my memory, that of May 26th, 1876. As yet a mere boy attending for the last year a country school, I presented myself at the old North Side Schoolhouse for examination for a teacher's certificate. My task completed, late in the afternoon found me walking back and forth up Blackwell street from Warren street to the Presbyterian Church, which was then a town block of surpassing beauty, large maple trees completely arching the street, Dr. Crittenden's residence on the left, including one or two other fine residences, and McFarlan Park on the right. While waiting for a long over-due train East on the Boonton Branch, the last broad guage train to run, there being at that time a third rail, I solaced myself with that walk and its charming vista until late in the evening.
Three years of preparatory work as teacher then found me, through the good offiecs of Mr. L. W. Thurber, county superintendent of schools, engaged in teaching in Dover. Mr. Thurber, in addition to his county work, for a nominal retainer was employed by the Board of Education to give, as he termed it, a rainy-day supervision over the city school. Progressive in his tendencies, Mr. Thurber was what might be called a patron of the arts as well, and at his suggestion, weekly instruction in all the grades was added to the daily musical work in my own class.
A few years prior to this, Mr. Thurber was himself the efficient principal of the Dover school, and the excellent results that he obtained
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