USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Essex county, N.J., illustrated > Part 15
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C. W. MENK, SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
94
ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
quarter of a century has flitted by, since forestry or tree culture arose to the dignity of a science, and much less time has passed since this marvellously beautiful science and its authoritative study, found a place in our school curriculum.
But now, as the years roll by, the pupil leaving school without the foundation laid (at least in forestry study) is looked upon as a rare avis indeed, while each one goes forth a warrior brave, armed for the fight against the ruthless destroyers of our forest glades and beautiful trees of the wood and dell.
If not another beneficent result had accrued from the innova- tion, the victories achieved and promise of achievements over those fearful scourges of our timber land sections, which here- tofore, as awful visitants invading with relentless fury hill-top or valley, bearing down in an hour the tree fruit of ages and leaving naught but a smouldering ruin to mark its path, is enough to call down bensions of love on the heads of those mighty spirits who in their devotion to the science of tree growth and forest preservation, and who have led the advance guards, winning victory after victory over forest fires, is enough to establish their undying fame. We now have the brightest of promises looming up in the near future that the fiend will lie chained at their feet, with the key for its releasing intrusted to such hands only as will make use of the beautiful lessons learned in the school room, of the best methods of meeting and defeating its wild and reckless careering, and the depriving of forest fires of tree fruit for its feeding and fatening and robbing it of its greatest terrors.
Nearly, if not quite all, the states of this Union have enacted laws which authorize the Governor to set apart by proclamation a certain day which is usually selected from the closing April or May days, to be known and celebrated and enjoyed under the name, style and title of Arbor Day. The day thus set apart is usually accompanied by a recommendation in the proclamation, that it be observed as a day of thanksgiving to God, for the beautiful benefices of trees and plants, their planting, nourishment and protection, accompanied by instruct- tions from teachers and addresses and songs appropriate to the occasion by the pupils of the school.
That our readers may get a better understanding of Arbor Day in the public schools, we take the liberty of transferring to
K. GORE, SCHOOL. COMMISSIONEK.
these pages the following circular, and which was placed in the hand of every teacher.
Some of the county superintend- ents arrang- ed a pro- gram not leaving it as we did to their own vo- lition and good judge- ment. " If there is one duty more than another and monstrative which our plan of
WARREN STREET SCHOOL.
worthy State Superintendent and Board of Education would impress upon their County Superintendents in the administration of the laws governing the public schools under their immedi- ate supervision, it is the faithful observance of what is known as Arbor Day.
" That I may second their desires so far as in me lies, I would urgently request the principals and teacher of all the public schools under my care, to see to it. that the intent of the origi- nators and introducers of this important branch of education into our public school curriculum of study, shall not only not be neglected, but shall be faithfull car- ried out and made as thor- oughly in- pressive upon the minds of the young as is possible. The more practical you can make the exercises the better. By this I mean the introduc- tion into the school room of as many of the accessor- ies to the de-
H. M. WOOLMAN, M. D., SCHOOL, COMMISSIONER.
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ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
instruction, such as plants, shrubs and young trees, as possible. This, accompanied by a few short practical remarks on the nature and growth of the same, with their relation and value to the human race, will prove attractive and instructive. Arbor Day having been wisely and happily fixed at the season of the year when everything in nature is young, or clothed in the garb of youth, it makes a starting point for the study of the first easy practi- cal lessons in Botany. What I would urge upon teachers, is, that wherever it is possible the pupils who are of the age to understand should be taken into the fields once a week; at least from now till the close of the term, and simple demonstrative lectures in elementary botany be given. To have the pleasure of looking upon their promising little ones romping over the fields by the side of their teacher, (veritable flocks with shepherds attending), will send a thrill of joy through the devoted parent's heart.
"As in the years gone by, I direct only, that there shall be a full and faithful observance of the day, and suggest the program of exercises to be carried out, leaving to principals and teachers the election of appropriate addresses, music and songs ; then conclude the day's observance with the planting of trees and shrubs, the potting of plants and flowers ; this I trust none will neglect. I hope you will make this an ideal Arbor Day, an oasis indeed in the history and conduct of the school under your care, to which you can turn in the future and truthfully say, well done! Having completed your exercsises and taken that rest necessary for recuperation, which will necessarily follow the extra mental and physical strain, you will write out a con- cise report of your Arbor Day exercises, and send it to me not more than five days afterward.
Respectfully, DR. M. H. C. VAIL,
County Superintendent. "P. S .- Let me urge upon you the necessity of a careful guardianship of the trees, shrubs and flowers planted on Arbor
C. CLARK, SCHOOL COMMISSIONEK.
Day, as - have reason to fear that many beauti- ful repre- sentatives are destroyed soon after planting."
Another in- novation, one which has proven of wonderful utility to pub- lic schools, and a desid- eratum long sought, is the beautiful sys- tem of edu- cation for the beginner, known as the Kindergar-
MONMOUTH STREET SCHOOL.
ten. No visitor to the public school of this day fails to be charmed at the first step of his progress through the maze of depart- inents and rooms, iuto each of which he is ushered on a tour of inspection, as first of all his or her attention is called to the little tots of from five to seven summers assembled in the kin- dergarten room, where in orderly play they wile the hours away, and besides education getting made easy they learn to adore the school. Few sights are more interesting than that which the kindergarten class presents while engaged in accomplishing the task of education getting. The kindergarten innovation is another of those moderns which have come to stay, and all the old fogies in the land with birchen rod and heavy hand, will never be able to drive it away.
As early as 1892, the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, Dr. Poland, was constrained in his annual report. while discussing this system of early instruction to pupils who are just passing through the susceptible age of " bib and tucker " to speak as follows :
"Among the most recent innovations witnessed in the public schools of the country, the kinder- garten is perhaps the most important. As a system it aims to provide suitable tuition and training for children from four to six years of age, too young in general to enter upon the curricu- lum provided by most of our elemen- tary schools. With- out attempting an explanation of its distinctive aims and methods, I will say simply that it differs from the current
M. B. PRUDER, SCHOOL COMMISSIONER
.
96
ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
primary school training in laying little stress upon cultivating a knowledge of reading and of numbers, but confines itself to a systematic development of the observing powers and a corres- ponding facility in expression. Not the least important, more- over, is its remarkable adaptation for the development in the child of a moral sense. As a means of preparation for the ordinary elementary school curriculum it stands unrivaled. It is asserted by those who through experience with its workings are competent to pass a judgement thereon, that the kindergal- ten training shortens materially the time necessary to com- plete the usual primary and grammar school course of study. Aside, then, from the fact that the training itself is of almost incalculable value, its general introduction would become an
directed to the uprooting of vicious habits acquired in these years of evil tuition in homes of ignorance, if not of vice, and in the baneful companionship of the sidewalks and gutter.
"Remarkable as it may appear, however, the kindergarten is of hardly less value to the children of the rich than to those of the poor, the ignorant and the vicious. It provides a little cosmos wherein rich and poor meet on equal terms. It aims to cultivate besides the intellectual powers the nice preceptions of right, justice and equality. At an age when distinctions of right and wrong, if not intellectually perceived, are nevertheless clearly felt and indellibly impressed. the child life is given a direction and impetus that will save it often the danger of sub- sequent contamination.
CHARLTON STREET SCHOOL.
economy to the State which is called upon to provide instruc- tion through the whole period of the school age.
" Its chief merit, however, is not to be ascribed to its .ronomie value in the foregoing sense, but to its remarkable adaptation to the age and environments of the child to develop those incipient powers that begin to display themselves at the age of four to six years.
" No more pitiable sight is to be witnessed than that of little children of the kindergarten age, deprived of pleasant homes ind careful nurture, spending the hours of the day upon the sidewalks and in the streets of our large cities. To these the kindergarten is a boom of inexpressible joy and of incalculable value.
" Much of the early training of the elementary schools is
"It is my pleasant duty to report that the growth and exten- sion of the kindergarten idea in the State of New Jersey, though somewhat slow, is none the less steady and hopeful. In thir- teen of the twenty-one counties of the State it has gained a foothold.
"True, in a number of cases the kindergarten training introduced is not the true kindergarten, but what is known as mixed kindergarten, including more or less of ordinary primary instruction ; but in all the counties mentioned it is recognized as a part of the school system. The whole number of children in attendance at the date of this report (1897) was 4,300. This, however, is an excessive estimate, since it includes besides those who are being taught in the kindergarten proper many in the so-called mixed kindergartens, wherein the principal
07
ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
stress is laid upon the ordinary elementary school instruction. A careful estimate of the number of children attending the real kinder- garten would not exceed 1,500, it is likely.
"The minimum age at which children are received into these kindergartens is five years. The State law, which fixes the school age at five to twenty years, inclusive, prohibits the attend- ance of children of a lesser age. In order, there- fore, to encourage the establishment of more kindergartens, and to enable them to accomplish their best service, some legislation is needed.
"As to the cost of the kindergartens now being maintained, no satisfactory statistics are at present attainable. It is encouraging to know that in the cities and school districts where the kindergarten has been longest in operation, it is most highly appreciated."
Although, as above stated by the learned doctor, there were kindergarten classes estab- lished in but little more than half the counties of our State, and in less than half the schools in those counties where this beautiful institution had gained a foothold, had this scion of educa- tional royalty been grafted, to-day the school without the kindergarten instructor surrounded by the happy wee's of the human race, is the rarest kind of an exception.
TWELFTH WARD GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL. T HIS school was founded Dec., IS58. The building is a two story brick structure, 70 x 30 feet, situated at the corner of Niagara and Elizabeth Streets, on a plot of ground 100 x 90 feet, and is valued at about $12,000. It contains three class-rooms and a kindergarten, and prepares the children for entrance to the High School. The present number of pupils being two hundred, the charges are eighty cents per month for each child in the kindergarten, and one dollar per head for those in the higher classes.
Where three children of one family attend school at the same time, the third is admitted free. A collector is appointed by
SOUTH EIGHTH STREET SCHOOL.
the School Association to collect the money. The present principal, Mr. Eugene Rahm, is a thoroughly educated gentleman and a musician, having been connected with the school for the past four years. Ile is ably assisted by Miss Carson and Miss Farrington as teachers of English, and Miss Marie Zehnder, who has charge of the kindergarten. The Men's Society con- nected with the school, is composed of 370 members who are all well known and enterprising citizens, The quarterly dues are seventy-five cents. The present officers are: J. Burkhard, President : J. Spuhler, Vice-President ; J. Goldbach, Treasurer ; Il. Rabke, Secretary ; Fr. Lembach, Financial Secretary. The Ladies' Association has a membership of 130. Their dues are fifteen cents per month. The officers are: Mrs. M. Nobbe, President ; Mrs. A. Burkhard, Vice-President : Mrs. C. Burkhard, Treasurer ; Miss M. Zehnder, Secretary. The school is in a flourishing con- (lition and free of debt.
THE NEWARK STREET GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL.
HIS school was founded on April 24. 1853. T The building is a two story high frame house with a little tower on its center. The lot is 60 x 100 feet. The value of the property, including the school furniture, amounts to $5,500. The school has two classes and rooms for the teacher's residence. The number of pupils vary between 70 and 90. The school money is sixty cents for each pupil. Dr. Fritz Kempf is the principal of the institution. Miss Enlie Temme instructs in the kindergarten. To the School Society belong 147 members. The yearly assessment of each member is $1.20. The same amount is paid by the 41 members of the Ladies' Society. The Board of Directors are the following gentlemen : A. F. Burkhardt, President ; Peter Vetter, Vice-President; Paul
FOREST HILL SCHOOL.
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ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED,
Karge, Secretary ; Chas. Weller, Treasurer. Martin Bross, John Kreitler and Julius Sager are the visiting members.
The officers of the Ladies' Society are : Mrs. John Noll, President ; Mrs. Bein, Secretary and Mrs. John Sanvers, Treasurer. The school is free from debt. Vacation, two weeks.
GREEN STREET SCHOOL.
THIS renowned institute, located in the centre of the city, was incorporared in 1856. It comprises a kindergarten, a primary and a grammar department. The rooms are light and well ventilated. In a seven years' course the pupils are prepared for the public high school. Besides the common English studies the German language and gymnastics are taught. A library of over 600 volumes is in the reach of the pupils.
The tuition is exceedingly low. The faculty consists of nine teachers besides the principal. Director, H. von der Heide, Pd. M.
TWELFTH WARD GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL.
BEACON ST GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL.
'HIS school was founded by the " Deutsch-Englischen
T Schul-Verein " of the old sixth and thirteenth Wards, in 1858. Being attended by 360 pupils, it is the largest German and English School in New Jersey. About 75 of the children are in the kindergarten, where they are instructed and educated according to the principles of Frochel. The remainder is divided into five classes. The following studies are taught by seven teachers (including the director): English Language, Reading, Writing. Spelling. Grammar, Object Teaching, Com- position, German Language, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Natural Science, Drawing and Music. The tuition amounts to $12.00 per year. At the head of the school is the Board of Direc- tors, elected by the School Society (Schulverein). The present Board consists of : Henry Schaedel, President; Philip Dilly, Vice-President; Dr. Edward Il, Treasurer ; August Goertz, Secretary; Fred Jacob, Financial Secretary; Dr. F. Ill, John Fisher, John Henning and John Conrad.
When we take into consideration the number of German- English Schools existing in Newark. we come to the conviction that the thought which the poet wished to impress upon the minds of the Germans of America, has sunk deep into their hearts.
These people may drift apart in regard to religious or politi- cal views, but in one idea they extend hands ; they provide schools in which the treasures of the German language are preserved for their children. Occasionally we meet with rare cases, in which wealthy Germans neglect the education of their children in the mother tongue, but it is singularly touching on the other hand to note how the greater part of the less fortu- nate class, are willing to make any sacrifice in order to grant their offspring an education in the German language. That this is true is proved by the fact that no less than fourteen Ger- man-English Schools exist in this city at the present time, in which over thirty-seven hundred children receive instruction in their mother tongue.
It certainly is to the interest of our German-English Schools, when our attention is occasionally called to it anew. and for this reason a few statistics about these schools will be here given.
ST. BENEDICT'S SCHOOL.
Situated at the corner of Komorn and Niagara Streets, was founded in 1862. The present build- ing. erected in 1885, is three stories high, the first floor containing two class-rooms, and the second. three, Besides this, we find on the ground floor a play-ground large enough to accomodate 500 children, and two rooms in which the pupils hang articles of clothing. The third story contains a spacious hall, in which festivities are held. Another large play-ground adjoins the building. There are 450 children attending the school, who receive in- struction in five different classes, The terms per month for each child in the advanced classes are ninety-five cents, in the lower grades sixty-five cents. The director of the school is the Rev. Father Leonard Walter. The teachers are Mr. Joseph Sauerborn and four Sisters of the St. B. Order.
They are the Misses Matilda Krapf, Hilary
NEWARK STREET GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL
99
ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
Wiest, Liboria Hartmann and Rosemary Malone. The society connected with the school has a membership of 230. The contributions made by the gentlemen toward the support of the school, are twenty-five cents per month. The ladies pay fifteen cents every month. The Board of Directors consist of the following gentlemen : Messers L. Peter, President ; A Steines, Vice-President ; J. F. Wildemann, Rec Sec'y ; H. Martin, Cor. Sec'y ; A. Bernauer. Fin. Sec'y ; J. Bernauer, Treasurer, and J. Span- genberger, Porter. During vacation-July and August-the school is closed.
THE GERMAN-ENGLISH PRES. DAY-SCHOOL. Was founded in the year 1854, and situated at No. 38 College Place. This two story building has a dimension of 80 x 40 feet ; the entire prop- erty has a dimension of 100 x 150 feet. Con- nected with the school, is a hall 50 x 100 feet, containing a library and dressing-room. The property is valued at $50,000. There are 240 children attending the school. The terms are eighty cents per month for one child. In the three class-rooms we find the following instruc- tors : Prof. Gustave Fisher, Mr. E. Riethmann and Mrs. J. Geppert, The kindergarten is in charge of the Misses C. Brandley, L. Knoll and A. Anschuetz. The Board of Directors consists of the Messers Rev. J. A. Guenther, President ; J. Franz, G. Weber, H. Staehle, C. Metzger and C. Wolf. The school is free from debt.
ST. PETER'S SCHOOL.
This school, begining with sixteen pupils March 8, 1885, is to-day one of the largest attended of the German-English Schools. The plans for the principle building, 146 x So feet, situated on Livingston Street, contains ten class-rooms, and a hall having a seating capacity for 800 persons. An adjoining building on Belmont Avenue contains five class-rooms, a hall for societies to hold their meetings in, and a dwelling place for the janitor. In the fourteen class-rooms, together with the kindergarten, upwards of eleven hundred children receive in- struction. The rooms are divided into seven classes for boys, and the same number of classes for the girls.
The terms are fifty cents per month for each child. The poor receive an education free of charge at the expense of the parish. The school is under the direc- tion and control of Rev. Father Stecher, and the Sisters of Charity. ST. AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL.
er
'
DR. A. FRITZ KEMP.
BEACON STREET GERMAN AND ENGLISH SCHOOL.
rounding it. There are four class-rooms for the accommo- dation of more than three hundred children. The school is in charge of Rev. Father Neidermeyer and the Sisters of Charity. BERGEN STREET PAROCHIAL SCHOOL,
In which instruction is given in German alone by Mr. Flocken. The school consists of one class, and is situated in the rear of St. Paul's Church. The school fees constitute the salary of the teacher.
ST. ANNE'S SCHOOL,
Situated at No. 376 South Seventh Street, is the youngest of her sister schools, having been organized September 1, 1889.
This school-house is 90 feet long and 46 feet wide and con- tains four class-rooms, in which 240 children receive instruction in eight different divisions, from five Dominican Friar Sisters. The director of this school is the Rev. Father A. M. Kammer.
THE BLUM STREET GERMAN-ENGLISH SCHOOL. This school was founded in 1876. There are two class-rooms situated in the basement of the church. The num- ber of child- ren attending the school, have in con- sequence of unfavorable circumstan- ces in busi- ness within the last five years, been reduced from 60 to 35.
On account of this there is but one class-room. The terms per week are
EUGENE RAHM.
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This school was founded in 1874. Thetwo story build- ing is situated in Jay Street near Sussex Avenue. Its dimensions are 74 × 32 feet, and is valued at $12,600, including the build- ing together with the four lots sur-
100
ESSEX COUNTY, N. J., ILLUSTRATED.
The school buildings are EDWARD ZUSI, SCHOOL COMMISSIONER. neatly fitted and are heated by steam, with the exception of two, which are still using the old style of stoves. The 12th Ward German-English School, and the Catholic Schools, have definite terms for admitting new pupils into the schools. In the re- maining schools new pupils are granted admittance at all times during the year.
A collector is appointed by the First Ward and Green Street Schools, to collect the school money. In the other schools the fees are collected in the school by the teachers. All the pupils are supplied with printed books without cost, by the First and Tenth Ward German-English Schools, and the poor children are furnished with books free of charge in the German-English Parochial Schools of this city. The following schools received a legacy from Mrs. Dr. Greiner, who died in the year 1889. The First Ward German-English School, the Tenth Ward German- English School and the Newark Street School, $2,000 apiece; the Green Street School and Beacon Street School, each $2, 500.
W H PARSONS, SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
fifteen cents for one child. As the requisite means to appoint a teacher are not at hand, in- struction is given by the pastor. Rev. Mr. Girtanner, assisted by Mt. Theophil Girtanner.
The school principals have entire charge of the schools, and either act in the capacity of, or have control of the janitors, who have comfortable apartments fitted up for their families in the upper stories of the different school buildings. Public exami- nations are held annually at the closing of the school year, by the Board of Trustees, and in the parish schools the examina- tion is conducted by a commis- sion appointed by the Rt. Rev. Bishop of the diocese.
CARL HELLER, PRINCIPAL.
Mr. Hockenjos, who died in 1891, bequeathed $500 to the Green Street School; Mrs. Ottendorfer, of New York, pre- sented Green and Beacon Street Schools, in the year 1883, with $500 apiece, Mr. Joseph Hensler, Sen., presents the Twelfth Ward School 850 annually, and during the past three years the amount was raised to $100. Green Street School prepares her pupils for entrance to High School. St. Benedict's School pre- pares her boys for admittance to St. Benedict's College, which adjoins the school. In case the children in the highest divisions of the remaining schools, wish to enter public schools they are advanced to the highest grades in these schools.
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