History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 43

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 43
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 43

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At some time before 1780, Thomas Davis gave a quarter of an acre of land for a school-house site "near the house of Capt. John Ogden," which was near the present house of Mr. Jason Crane. But in 1782, Caleb and Joseph Davis, probably the grand- son and the great-grandson of Thomas Davis, ex- changed for the quarter-acre a new half-arre at the corner of the Newtown road. On this new lut was placed, at about 1782, a wooden building, which was soon after burned, and a small stone edifice took its place.

After sixty-seven years the half-acre was enlarged by additional purchases on the east side. The little stone school-house in 1549 gave way to a substantial the lot of 1782 became a portion of the present school play-ground behind the Presbyterian Church.

Alexander Wilson, the celebrated ornithologist. was for a time teacher in the upper school-house; tradition has it that in lively spirits he wrote the qualities of the good people of the time in dog- gerel verse. But the earliest teacher of whom we have full information was Mr. Amzi Armstrong, a young man about seventeen years of age, who taught on Watsessing Hill in 1788 or 1789. He came from Florida, N. Y., and twenty years later, as Dr. Amzi Armstrong, became the successful principal of the academy. He studied theology under the Rev. Jedediah Chapman, of Orange, while he was teaching in the Franklin School-house, and was called to be pastor of the Mendham Presbyterian Church in 1796. One of his successors was the son of Mr. Armstrong's former pastor in Florida, Mr. Amzi Lewis, Jr., who was teaching here in 1810. With him was associated Mr. Amos Holbrook. The two taught in the two school-houses, alternating a month or so at a time, in the year 1810.

2. The period of the Academy and of Madame Cook's school.

THEACADEMY was projected in 1807, and sufficiently

1 Now the residence of Mr. Willard Richarla.

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

finished in 1-10 for the reception of students. It was an unusual enterprise among the academics of the day In oljeet was the glucation of young men for the ministry, and it was closely identifico with the interests of the church. It seems in fis Ichest das- quite to have surpassed in reputation the academi - of Newark and of Orange, whose origin prevede d. h absorbed the attention of the town ; an l'we all & hobby then were on the plan of the payment of the toitum the addres first, and afterwards the actdumny and " Madanie L'ok's School,' quite over Widowed the . neton schools.

It was built by "a society for the promotion of hit- triture," and ' for the purpose of billing an a adus" upon joint-stock subscription, in shares of twenty five dollars each. Its massfre book wally have shoe leen adorned with a manserl roof, and it vols has heth made pere p cashe to the eye. The terror-stone was laid with ad Iroses by the Res. Abel Jacksom nost b the Rev. William Weall undge, then principal of the Newark load my.

Mr Amzi Lew s. fr., became the first principal a man . t pleasing a fores and of un noted auditie, who, declined in health and son du d.

Ilissue e sor was a graduate and a tutor from Prince- ton -the Rev. Humphrey Mount Porine. The Rev Almer brundage was his usher or ussist.int.

Rs. John Ford, who came from Princeton in 1×12, Powed Mr. Penne, and added French to the preceding attractions, assisted by his brother, Ra. Marer's Ford.

The studeors of the classical department were from thirty to forty in number, young men of mature age, who assisted the principal in conducting the moreing and evening devotions. The primary depart ment in the hoont Les ment non berel at that time about events five pupils.

Res Abner Brundage, who was a student among them conbl recall in his old age twenty two of his fi How -students who became profesional men. Among them were Red. boob Tuttle, father of Res. Joseph F. Toutle D.D. (president of Wabash College, Indi ana), Rev. John M. Pablot, Rev. Stephen Saunders, Rev, Thas Harrison D. D., Rev. Samuel II. Us, DD. L.L.D., Rev. Enos A. Osborne, Rev. Backus Wilbur, Rev. Para II Day, Rev. Robert Condit. D. I. Rev. William J. AArmstrong, D D., Rev. Edwin E' Down r. Res. Stephen Dodd Ward, Abort Pierson (afterward prindpal of the academy ), Hon. William B. Kinney, Hon Willum Pennington, Dr. Sontel Liwi nee Ward, Dr. Charles Davis, Dr. Joseph Smith Dodd and his brother, Amzi Dodd, Esp., Wil- liam Miller and Ira Whitehead. The institution gained celebrity, and became the principal seminary of learning in this part of the State.

Res. Arazi Armstrong, D D., became principal from 1516 to 1826. He came from Mendham, and con- ducted the institution with signal ability. His dis position was happy, his wit was keen, his judgment

und his und was jewhat ig und & minstdi. i lewis asite is how are, By Dr Whom J Armstrong by Me Albert Piersom. whoafterw.rl be ame his son-in-law by His second son, averw rl Han. Anzi Aen trong, by Res. Dr. Philip C' Hay, and Rev. Stephen by Ward, then sell ? men,

Most of the andeots inter ning te enter the monis- try entered the javer el at college nul then the Thebsteal Smigaryy but in some instances th ir while course, academi and the logical, was t kon wider Dr. Vriastrong

Amor the students were the Res. Fra mu- D. Willis, B.v. Festa Hanks, Res. George Piren, Rev. t harles E. Hyde. Ry D.richM Lethr .p. B.v. James Adaom, Rev. Samuel Hutchings, I . E. R. Hopperted, Res John Sedley, Res Peter Kagone, Ros. George Taylor, Rev. Scheroch 1. - 3. 5. nel 11. B. Black, Aaron Katchell and Jotham Jeho on.

Aller Pierson was principal from 1526 to la per 1831, with Zophar B. Dodd and afterward Je hn .1. Nash is supervisor of the boar l and labor of the str- dents. Mr. Pi rson was the first s haler of his el. n college, a skillfulteacher, " a grave, o ligent, evn t. and exacting master of latin ty ' as one of his dil - gent stealents remembers bim. Among the students of that time were the Rev. Joseph Vance, Res. Nathan Shotwell, Rev. Obadiah W. Johnson, Rev. Thomas Con hran, Rev. Eleazer T. Ball, Rev. Jar in Beach, Rev. Lewis Hamilton, R v. H. 1 .. Hoqquem- burg, Rev Arthur Granger, Rez. Jacob D'un .. Rev. Vrahem De Witt, Rev. - Thenson, Res Joseph Clark, Rev. George D. Young. Rev. Alanson Sos field, Rev. Nathan 11. Gale, Rev. Nicholas W. thevaller, Rev. William C. Munroe, Heman Mead, J.bh 1 Brevart, and later Res. Robert R. Kellogg, Rev. Peter Dougherty, Rev. J ]] Sherwood. R. v. Elins T. Richards, D. D., Rev. John 11. Morrison, D. D., of the Indiana Mission, India, (with when originated the "Week of Prayer" now observed by the Evangelical Alliance throughout the world. Rev. Gere D Arm- strong. D.D., Rev. Molahethon W. Jacobus. D. D. Rev. Joseph F. Turtle, D. D., Rev. Samuel Paine, Rev. Nathaniel Beach, Rev. Mares Creme. David .1- Frame, John Provost, I. M. Ward, M.D., Je seph 1. Davis, M. D., Moses W. Dodd and others.

I'nder Dr. Armering the academy was conducted as his own private school. Before he le t Bloomfield the property was consiga to the Presbyterian Edu- ration County. The original stock in the bu ding was lost, but fifteen hundred dollars were subscribed in Bloomfield to the society to ald them in making the purchase.

Mr. Edwin Hall, late a tutor in Middlebury College, was the principal in 1-31-32 This was the Rev. Dr. Elwin Hall, afterwards professor of the)- logy in the Vuburn Theolog cal Ser mary. He was principal but n singh yer, but he left on his de. r. ture the reputation of n stimul. ting and command- ing teacher. Twenty-five or thirty beneficiaries were

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

sustained by the Education Society. His administra- "teachers and home missionaries during her life as a teacher.

tion was promising a new career of success in the his- tory of the institution, when the smallpox broke out among the students, and a second attack followed. This unexpected interruption and certain other com- plications were the occasion of the termination of the in ademic and theological period of the institution. It had had a successful career of twenty-two years,

Among the students under Rev. Dr. Hall were Hon Edward W. Whelpley, Edward A. Lambert, Rev. Melancthon W. Jacol us, D. D., Rev. Burtis C. Megie and his brother, Rev. Daniel E. Megie, Rev. Thomas Sydenham Ward and his brother, Rev. John Ward. Rev. Charles E. Mills, Rev. Samuel Laurence Tuttle. Rev. Alexander O. Peloubet, Rev. William Purcell, Rev. J. II. Howe, and Rev. John Knox.

The principals who afterwards conducted the academy as a private school were Egbert W. Wheeler, 1822-33: Franklin W. Sherrill, with Marshal Warner, assistant, 1833-37; William K. McDonald, 1838 -1843; David A. Frame, with Amzi Dodd, Joseph Riggs and Thomas C. Dodd, assistants, 1×42-44; Warren S. Holt and James H. Rundall, 1844-45; James H. Rundall, 1845-66.

The property passed through a number of changes. and was finally bought from James H. Rundall by the board of directors of the German Theological School. It is new occupied by them as a seminary. with acadeydie and theological departments.

MADAME COOKE'S SCHOOL .-- During the latter part of the academy period the Bloomfield Female Femi- nary was organized. A building was prepared facing " the common." in 1836, by an association of gentlemen, at a cost of six thousand dollars. Madame Cooke's School, as it was familiarly called, was for the young ladies of the place what the academy had been for the young men.

Her son, Mr. Robert I .. Cooke, in 1837 became associated with her, and continued the school after his mother had withdrawn. The religious life was the ratling object of Mrs. Cooke, but the instruction com- manded high esteem. She wrote, late in life, a book entitled " Memories of My Life Work," and died at her son's residence, adjacent to the > minary building. ( and in the further elaboration of the whole system.

in 1861. She enumerated eighteen hundred and fifty pupils, sixteen teachers and students who became foreign missionaries and many others who became

At the end of the flourishing period of the academy the interest in the common district schools revived. Although overshadowed by the more com- manding institutions, and although no public school was accessible except on the payment of tuition, the in- terest in them had not ceased. Rev. Samuel Fisher, D.D., residing at West Bloomfield, father of Rev. Samuel W. Fisher, D.D., then pastor of the West Bloomfield Church, Chabrier Peloubet, David A. Frame and Dr. I. D. Dodd were prominent members of the school committee of the town. Dr. J. A. Davis was the first town superintendent. The Rev. Ehe- nezer Seymour succeeded him in the office.

Rev. Calvin Lathrop was a teacher in the Central School.

3. The period of the free school system. The begin- ning of this period is distinctly marked by the en- actment of a special school law for the township of Bloomfield. The town has the honor of seeking and securing the first free school town law in the State.' The law was enacted in 1849, and a period of concen- tration and more thorough gradation began.

There had been seven school districts in the town- ship,-the Franklin, Central, Union and Stone House Plain, belonging at the present time to Bloomfield ; the Speertown, West Bloomfield and the Washing- ton, belonging afterwards to Montelair.

The C'entral and the Union were united in a strong district, since known as the Central Union School District. The Franklin District was soon absorbed. The two school-houses were sold or removed, the lot in the rear of the church was doubled in size, the double-sized space appropriated as a play-ground, an adjoining lot made the school site, and a new school building was erected. The new central build- ing was three stories in height, sixty-four feet long and

Mrs. Harriet B. Cooke had taught in Vergennes, Middlebury and Woodstock, Vt., and in Augusta, I thirty-two feet broad, and cost two thousand five hun- fia. For eighteen years her seminary in Bloom- dred dollars. It was afterwards enlarged and stood for twenty-one years. During these twenty-one years, and especially in the latter portion of that time, the modern graded system of instruction was de- veloped, which culminated in a High School. field was the centre of a powerful intellectual and religious influence. She was a woman of powerful and penetrating mind. With great decision of char- arter, her quick insight, profound sympathy and deep piety swayed teachers, scholars and families in the The principals up to the time of the High School were Lewis B. Hardcastle, Warren Holden, E. Il. Hallock, Mr. Purrington, Henry A. Ventres, Jobu R. McDevitt, John H. West and F. H. Morrell. town. The celebrity of her school became estab- lished. Her rooms were filled with incomers and her day-desks with the girls and young ladies of the vicinity.

The grammar, intermediate and primary depart- ments had now taken form and a system of branch primaries began to be developed. The Berkeley Pri- mary was established in 1968. The Brookside P'ri- mary was opened in 1870.

A second advance in the free school period now took place in the establishment of the High School

Plainfield had a special district law enacted in a preceding year. The free school law for Newark was enacted lu 1850.

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

The High School aims to secure for its teacher a college graduate, and to include in its instruction the classic languages, the advanced preparatory mathematics, outlines of natural science, and the haber English subjects.

By alt exchange of land with the church, in 1971. the school lot was better adjusted to the school needs. The present large edifice, faced with Philadelphia brick, three stories in height, forty-eight feet broad, ninety-two feet long, with towers for stairways, was created at a cost of twenty nine thousand dollars, and was ready for occupation in 1872.

The principals have been J Henry Root, 1571-80, with from twelve to twenty assistants in the three school-benses; Benjamin Mash Is50-81, with sey- ruteen assistants, and John B. Dunbar, from Issl to the present time, with eighteen assistans.

The High School instructors have been, I'verett S. Corkpole, 1972 74; W. V. Louderbough, 1575 76 1. 1. Adams, 1976-7%; S. A. Clary, 187 79; John F. Woodhull 1-81-42; and Edward K. Allen, in 152.

The first assistants to the principal have been Aliss Eliza B. Whipple and Miss Helen Adelaide Shibley.

A library was begun in 1875, and has advance ] to seven hundred volumes in the three school-houses.

The first class was graduated from the High school in 1\76.

A new branch primary building, to be known as the Central Primary, is now in prices of construle- tion. It is located on Liberty Street, near the centre of the town is two stories it height, is built of pur sed brick, trimmed with brown stone, contains six class rooms and two play-rooms, and is estionalel to cost Given thousand dollars. The central building will her after be occupied only by the grammar and High & hoel departments.

The whole system of popular education, under a careful and attentive board of trustees, with the as- si ate of the resident county su krintendent, Mr. Charles M. Davis, is attaining a high degree of ethi- cirney.

The trustees of Ist) were David Oakes, Warren S. Baldwin, Art mas N. Baldwin, James Morris and Robert Is Conke, acting for the Central Union ; and Dr. Joseph A. Davis, Eliphalet Hall, Abraham JI. Cadmus, Chabrier Peloniet and Albert Matthews, art- ing for the Franklin District during the process of comodation. The trustees in ISTI were Warren S. Baldwin, Chabrier Pelou'u, Samuel Carl, Rev. Daniel HI. Temple and E. W. Page. The trusted of 1544 are Chabrier Peloubet, Edmund A. Smith, Dr. William 11. White, Thomas Oakes, JJohn Sherman, and Wil- Jiam A. Baldwin.

The enrollment of scholar- for 1571 was five hun- dred and seventy -two, and for 1883 &4 nine hundred und five. There are forty-three students in the High School, three hundred and forty-six in the grammar school and five hundred and seventeen in the three primaries.

The amount paid for the salaries of tomor i [-] was Slo; in 171 72, $170, in 1-1, $11,013.

Private Schools. The inte Gration communi ated by the acad my and the Young Ladies' Seminary gaver to several private institution of which, for a number of years hada marked influence on th . town.

The four which were the most attractive were thos . of Rev L'enezer Seymour and of Charles M Dises. in Bloomfield and those of David A Frame and of Warren S. Holt, in West Bloomfield.

the Rev. Ebenezer Sonomr after his retirement fr da the pastorate of the church. Hewas opened in 1947. and for thirteen years was a successful school. It had at one time two departments, out for young men and one for young ladies, and attracted students from abroad. Rev. Mr. Seymour was sunny in disposition. genial in manuers and unfailing in kindnes of he rt. Fond of music, an enthusiast in natural science, atten- tive to the religious culture of his udents, he unit d the " hom " and the "s hool" in a high er ler of s - cal and intellectual dis ipline. Many of his students found their way to the college and to the ministry.

After the period of hus & hoel was ended he esta'. lished a Mineralogieal Exchange in New York, and was widely known among the mineralegists of this country as well as in Europe.

THE BLOOMFIELD A'LASE A. SCHOOL, was ONE as a boarding-school for boys, in 1851, by Charles MI Davis and Robert Foster, both graduates of the ( .]- lege of New Jersey. Mr. Foster withdrew after tico Years, and soon after be same the principal of the al- legiate department of the Brooklyn Polytechni Insti- tute, which position he still holds. The school was limited to twenty-five boarders, and was continued under Mr. Davis' care until Itis. Many of his boys became active and influential men, and not a few of them died fighting for their country, Mr. Days was afterwards principal of the Newark Academy Ile has now been for some years superintendent of the public schools in Essex County. His residence the old Joseph Davis house.

The schools of David A Frame and of Warren s. Holt were in West Bloomfield, but both gentlemen were for a short time in the succession of teachers at the academy

Private schools of shorter duration and of lesser note, as day-schools for girls and young ladies, ha e been numerous in more recent years, but the rising execHence of the graded free school system has For- ited the opportunity for large sue ess in such a form it instruction. The latest & hool of the kind has been established recently by Mas Henrietta B. Northall in the former pars mage, and is comme ilng itself to the confidence of the people.

Other Literary Organizations. The earliest lit- erary organization was the Wardsesson Labrary Company, which existed as early as 1790. It was at

~70

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

the period of the school activity, when young Amzi Armstrong was at the Franklin School-house. It was to this association that Gen. Bloomfield made his gift of one hundred volumes as an addition in 1797. Adam Smith on the "Wealth of Nations," "The Spectator," Russell's "Ancient Europe," Mosheim's " Eeel siastical History " and ('revier's " Roman Ilis- tory are still preserved as relics of the old library.

THE YOUNG MIES'S LYCEUM represented another literary influence outside the school history. It was organized in 1838, at a large and enthusiastic meeting held in the church, but held its ordinary meetings in the little school-house. William R. MeDonald, principal of the academy, and afterwards professor of literature in Washington College, Pa., and Mr. Robert L. Cooke, then assistant in Madame Choke's school, were leading minds in discussion and in lectures on literary and scientific subjects. They were supported by such persons as the physicians of the town-Drs. Isaac D. Dodd, Joseph Smith Dodd and Joseph A. Davis-Chabrier Peloubet and Robert N. Foster.

One of the principal effects of this lyceum was the building of the old lecture-room of the church, which was erected to serve the church for religious meetings, the lyceum for its literary occasions and the town for its elections. The proper successor of the Lyceum was the Young Men's Literary I'nion, organized in 1865, and transformed into the Eueleian Society in 1867. Although not large in number. the society was vigorous and alert in discussions, in debating contests with lyceumns of neighboring cities, in main- taining several courses of public literary lectures. It maintained a reading-room in its hall, and originated measures which led to the formation of a library association.

THE BLOOMFIELD LIBRARY ASSOCIATION was an effort to re-establish a library. A plan was pro- jected in 1871 which promised success. Two concep- tions, that of a public hall and that of a library, were united. A charter was obtained which gave the name and the idea of a library a prominent place, but which aimed also to secure every advantage of a commodious and attractive audience-room. The result was that the library hall absorbed the library itself, and that financial embarrassments which overtook the editice lett the small library gathered in inglorious retirement. The library building and lot were oli- tained at an expense of thirty-one thousand dollars, but only one of the two sections of the projected building was erected. Some two hundred and fifty volumes of the original Wardsesson Library were transferred to the Young Men's Lyceum. A number of these volumes descended to the Endleian Society and afterwards to the Library Association.

THE GERMAN THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL. The Ger- man Theological School of Newark, N. J., located in Bloomfield, has its origin in successful church-work among the German people of Newark and vicinity.

The Presbyterian Churches of the vicinity had be- come interested, from 1848 to 1869, in the inereas- ing German population. To supply their German churches with a ministry, and to supply a further educated ministry to the Germans of America, this institution was founded in 1869.

The first beginnings were in the city of Newark, where instruction was given to the first class ou Sept. 20, 1864, and where German and American pastors were the instructors until 1872. During that year and the following the plans were enlarged. A faculty was chosen, a curriculum of study was fully formed and the property in Bloomfield was purchased.

The property consists of the original Bloomfield Academy building and a lot of land about an acre in extent. The building is a solid parallelogram, with a mansard roof, has four stories and a basement, and fronts the southern end of the park. It is occupied by the students as a dormitory, and contains also the lecture-rooms and apartments for the family of a "house-father."

The number of the students is limited by the special religious design of the institution. From twenty to twenty-five have been usually in attendance. The first class graduated in 1874. The present attendance, in 1884, is twenty-seven.

The course of study is divided into two depart- ments, -the theological department, which has a three years course ; and the academic course of four years, which conforms in good part to the character of a German gymnasium. The instruction is both in English and in German. The education is designed to include a compacted discipline in the essentials of the American academy. college and seminary. The student's mind is formed both in the German and the English mode of thinking. The theological professors devote at least one hour a day to, the academic or gymnasium department. The gymnasium is now open for the admission of other students than these study- ing theology, and a separate " testimonial" is given to those who complete the gymnasial course.

The theological faculty in 1884 consists of Rev. Charles E. Knox, D.D., president and professor of homiletics, church government and pastoral theology ; Rev. George ( Seibert, Ph. D., D.D., profesor of Biblical exegesis and theulogy ; Rev. Immanuel Casanowicz, instructor in Hebrew and church his- tory.

The additional instructors in the gymnasium are Harry E. Richards, M.D., professor of mathematics and natural science; Hermann L. Ebeling. A.B. (.Johns Hopkins) classical instructor; Rev. William (". Piderit, assistant instructor.

The board of directors is elected by the Presbytery of Newark ; Rev. Jonathan F. Stearns is president, Samuel L. Pinneo is secretary and F. Wolcott JJack- son treasurer. Both directors and professors are sub ject to the approval of the General Assembly, the highest body of the Presbyterian Church.

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP.

The endowment andout to stopme, which includes for its condition, and at length passed into his pas- building and grounds, $14, 500; Newark professorship, sion It was finally sold after his death by h - hair- 822,000 . scholarship, $100. to the Essex Publi Ifbal Lard Within a few vear- The current expenses are provided in large part frota individual and church contributions. that boarl has further wideoel and gra led the old pike, and now the Bloomfield Avenue, tothe top of the mountain, is on of a system of bread and bouti- ful streets which ra liate froty the city through great renches of suburban population.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 43

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830