The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 49

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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During the year 1855 the people in Chees- man District put up a school building. It was located in the woods, more than half a mile from any public road, but has been re- moved to a more suitable location and the district has been divided.

As Hammonton, in Atlantic County, newly settled in 1859, began to grow and extend into Camden County, the people who settled at North Hammonton (now called Elm), being mostly of New England stock, a school-house was erected in 1861, and a good school has been maintained there ever

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

since. In 1864 Tansboro' District was divided into two districts, a serious mistake, and in the northern one, called Tansboro' North, No. 34, a school-house was built. A house was also built in 1858. In 1865 a school was opened in a little building in Milford Dis- trict, No. 28, belonging to the German Church, and held there until 1884, when a public school-house was erected. In 1867 the settlement at Atco by New England people built a school-house. In 1868 a good building was put up in Bates Mill District, and in 1869 an equally good one was erected in Ancora District. This same year a small house was built in Davisville District, No. 23. During this year the beautiful stone structure that graces the borough of Haddon- field was built, one of the most substantial and elegant school-houses in the State. It has four school-rooms, besides other rooms for class recitations or study purposes. In 1870 Merchantville built its first public school-house, with two rooms. It is quite an ornament to the borough. In 1875 a portion of Waterford District was added to Park District, in Atlantic County, and was called Parkdale District, No. 42. A site was secured in this county and a school-house built. Wrightsville District, No. 43, was set off from Rosendale in 1877, and soon after a one-story building, capable of accommodating seventy childreu, was built. In a few years another story was added, giving accommo- dations for one hundred and twenty children.

In 1877 an additional building was erect- ed in Cheesman District, No. 25, because of the size of the territory, and afterwards a new district was formed, with this school- house as the centre, and called Union Valley, No. 44. To accommodate the increased number of scholars in Rosendale, Champion, Haddonfield and Union Districts, new school buildings have been put up since 1880. In 1882, in Rosendale District, a two-roomed, one-story building was erected, and in Had- donfield, a two-story building, both of them

adapted for their work in size, construction, methods of ventilation, furniture and appli- ances. In 1883 a very neat, one-story house was built in Champion, and in 1885, one in Union. Portions of the county, especially those lying nearest Camden and the boroughs of Haddonfield and Merchantville, are grow- ing with such rapidity that the accommoda- tions for pupils must be increased every few years.

THE PRESENT SCHOOL SYSTEM .- The progress of education is pretty clearly indi- cated by the progress in the building of suitable school-houses. The two have gone along together and show a wonderful ad- vance. Nearly every old school-house, with its very limited space, its low ceiling, its small windows, its backless benches, has dis- appeared, only one of such school-houses being left and the old furniture is nowhere to be seen. The old curriculum of studies has given place to another and a broader one, with very much improved methods in teach- ing the different branches. The greatest im- provement has taken place since 1867, when the present admirable school law took effect, and the supervision of all the schools in the county was placed in the hands of a competent man and the licensing of teachers was con- fided to a competent board. Rev. Alexander Gilmore was appointed the first county super- intendent in 1867. He was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. F. R. Brace, in 1870. Intelligent friends of education felt the necessity of such action years before the new law was enacted. Dr. John Snowdon, who was superintendent of Winslow town- ship schools in 1866, said : "I would most emphatically urge the abolition of the power to license teachers, vested in the town super- intendents, so as to place it beyond the con- trol of local influences. The majority of the applicants for licenses to teach have either a relative or particular friend in the board of trustees, and if they are not licensed by the superintendent, a great deal of bad feeling

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is excited against the latter officer." Indeed, even since the new order of things, occasion- ally an influence, though unsuccessful, has been brought to bear upon superintendent and upon examiners to allow incompetent persons to obtain certificates of license to teach ; but the great majority, at least ninety- nine per cent of the whole, approve, indorse and rejoice in the new order of things.

As a result of having a head to the educa- tional interests of the county, a system of instruction was soon devised for all the schools in the county. There was no system before 1871. Each teacher marked out his own course of study. In order that accurate knowledge of the work done in the schools might be reached, circulars were sent to all the teachers in the county, requesting them to send on prepared blanks their schedules of studies for each day, with the time devoted to each recitation. From these it was learned that the time devoted to reading in the differ- ent schools varied from forty-eight minutes to two hours and thirty-nine minutes ; to spelling, from eighteen minutes to two hours and twenty minutes ; to penmanship, from nine minutes to thirty ; to geography, from five minutes to one hour ; to arithmetic, from thirty minutes to two hours and nine minutes ; to grammar, from no minutes to one hour and twenty minutes. Twelve had the highest classes in geography studying in an intermediate geography. The highest classes in arithmetic in seventeen were in fractions, and the highest in grammar in ten were in etymology. Only in ten schools was natural philosophy studied; in six, physiology; in four, algebra ; in six, book- keeping ; in seventeen, United States His- tory ; and in one, drawing. A convention of teachers and trustees was called in the month of June, 1872. It was very largely attended and a most earnest and enthusiastic spirit shown. After thoroughly considering the whole matter, a course of study was marked ont for all the schools in the county

and a schedule of recitations adopted as a guide for all the teachers. The good accom- plished by this systematic course of study for all the schools in the county was incalculable.

A new spirit was infused into the teachers. They felt that they had something definite and clear to mark out their pathway. This was, however, not fully satisfactory to the superintendent, and so in 1875 he presented to both trustees and teachers a better sys- tematized course of study, together with a recommendation that an examination of all the scholars be held in connection therewith, and that those pupils who should complete the course of study and pass a satisfactory ex- amination therein, should receive a certificate or diploma as a recognition of the fact. This was unanimously adopted, but on account of the shortness of time and the great amount of work to be done for the Centennial Expo- sition in Philadelphia, the regular examina- tion could not be attempted that year, and was therefore deferred to the succeeding year. In the spring of 1877 the first regular examination of the schools was held, the examination in each branch taking place the same day in every school in the connty, and the same set of questions, prepared by the county superintendent, being used. The papers of the pupils were examined by a committee of teachers, each member of the committee having, as a rule, only the papers in one branch, to prevent anything like partiality being shown. Twenty-two pupils passed the required examination and received their diplomas. This was the culmination of the county course of study, adopted in 1872. Since then nearly every county in this State and numerous counties in other States have adopted onr Camden County system and with the happiest results. A healthful rivalry has been created among the schools, which brings every teacher up to his best work, and incites pupils to more thorough and faithful study, both teachers and pupils being anxious to have their schools stand in the front rank. Strange

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

to say, some of the best results have been seen in the one department schools, when every few years there are successful pupils to take their diplomas. There are no ungraded schools in the county. The one department schools are all graded. So well has this county system worked that the faculty of the State Normal School adopted a resolution to admit pupils who possessed a county diploma to that institution without further examination. It seemed to some that a still higher step could be taken from a few years' working of this system, and so it was taken a little while afterwards and called " an ad- vanced course." This almost prepares boys for the Scientific Department of college.

We can look back with satisfaction upon the great advance made during the last six- teen years. No influence has been greater in helping along this advance than the State Normal School. It has done this not only by sending out from its halls teachers, fully prepared, well-trained and eager for the work, but by stimulating others, who could not, by reason of pecuniary inability, attend that institution, to study and work and make themselves equal in every direction, superior, if possible, to Normal School graduates. The motto of this county is still "Forward." The best has not yet been reached, but every day is seeing some progress in that direction.

REV. F. R. BRACE was born in the prov- ince of Newfoundland, B. N. A., in 1832, and was the son of Richard Brace, who was for over twenty years keeper of the prison either in the Northern District of the island or in the Central District.

He acquired the principal part of his edu- cation in the grammar school at Harbor Grace, and was there fitted for college, al- though he never entered. At the age of six- teen he entered the store of a book-seller in St. John's and remained there two years. He there, having associated himself with his elder brother, William H., commenced business in Harbor Grace, but gave it up in

two years. He left Newfoundland No- vember, 1853, and came to Trenton, N. J., and there taught school in Morrisville, Pa., opposite Trenton, one year, and the next year taught the public schools at Ewing and Millham, near Trenton. In 1855 he was elected assistant teacher of languages and mathematics in Trenton Academy.

In the spring of 1856 he was married to Emma, daughter of Whilldin Foster, of Trenton, N. J. He was elected principal of New Paltz Academy, New York State, March, 1857, and remained there two years. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Princeton College July, 1857.

Feeling that he was called to preach as well as to teach, he commenced his studies for the ministry, teaching by day and study- ing in the evenings. He removed to East Millstone, N. J., July, 1859, and opened a select school, classical and mathematical. While there he still pursued his theological studies and after an examination in both col- legiate and theological studies by the Classis of New Brunswick, connected with the Re- formed Church of the United States, he was licensed to preach by that body.

He removed to Elwood in June, 1861, to take charge of a large missionary field in Atlantic County, preaching at Elwood, Ham- monton, Pleasant Mills and Atlantic City. In October of this year he was ordained by the Presbytery of West Jersey. In 1862 he was elected township superintendent of pub- lic schools in Mullica township, Atlantic County, and filled that office three years. In 1865 he was elected one of the county ex- aminers of Atlantic County. He removed, in March, 1867, from Hammonton to Black- wood, to take charge of the Presbyterian Church there, and has remained its pastor until the present time.

He has been active in Bible and Sunday- school work and was three years in succession president of the County Sunday-school As- sociation. In 1868 he was elected one of

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the trustees of the public school in Black- wood, and in 1870 was appointed county superintendent of Camden County, which position he still holds. In 1874 he was elected for that year, president of the State Teachers' Association. He is now a member of the State Board of Control of the Teachers' Reading Circle. He is the originator of the graded course of study for all schools in the county, having put it into operation in the county in 1872.

Mr. Brace has two brothers teaching -- William H., principal of the High School, Trenton, and Alfred S., professor of music in the State Normal School, Trenton. He has five children living, two of whom are teach- ing -- Mary B. Clayton, in the High School, New Brunswick, and Ada Brace, at Chews Landing, in this county.

Some years ago he was urgently pressed to take charge of the West Jersey Academy, Bridgeton. He has received invitations to take the pastoral charge of several churches in South Jersey and Pennsylvania, but has declined them all, feeling that his work was in Camden County and in the quiet and beautiful little village of Blackwood.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PRESS.

THE press in America is one of the most potent factors in the education of the masses, and its power and influence cannot be over- estimated. The number of journals pub- lished in this country to-day is simply wonder- ful, and they circulate throughout the length and breadth of the land. The im- provements in use in the art of printing now, in comparison to the time Benjamin Franklin started his historic journal in Philadelphia, is one of the wonders of this age of civiliza- tion and enlightenment.

If it were possible to give in this chapter

the number of individual copies of news- papers, of all kinds, taken and read by the en- tire population of Camden City and County, very few readers would credit the statement. There are editors now living in Camden who remember when there were but four or five papers published in West Jersey south of Burlington ; there are now a hundred or more. The proximity of Camden to the city of Philadelphia, and the circulation of the jour- nals of that city in Camden and vicinity, doubtless prevented the establishment of papers here before 1820. The influential Philadelphia journals, for many years past, have each had correspondents in Camden County, who regularly have collected and prepared the local news of the day, and their interesting communications can be found in the files of those papers. The city and county of Camden, since the date of the establish- ment of the first paper here, have been well supplied with local journals, some of which have had a phenomenal existence and others a checkered history. There are those which have been, and still are, enter- prising and influential journals, ably edited, vigorous exponents of public opinion, and. neat in typographical appearance. In the succeeding pages of this chapter it is de- signed to give an accurate history of journal- ism in the county, together with a few prefa- tory notes relating to early newspapers of the vicinity.

The first newspaper published in West Jersey, south of Burlington, was the Bridgeton Argus, of which James D. Westcott was edi- tor and proprietor. It was started in 1794, continued two years, and, by a change of name, was published by John Westcott, a brother of the proprietor of the Argus, until 1805. Peter Hay, in 1815, started, at Bridgeton, the Washington Whig, the second paper in West Jersey. It was the organ of the Jefferson Democrats. It was a prosper- ous journal, but, after many changes of own- ership, ceased publication in 1837. In 1818

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

John A. Crane established, at Woodbury, the Gloucester Farmer. This was the third paper in West Jersey. He continued to publish at that place until 1820, when he re- moved presses and material to Camden, and thus it became the first paper ever issued in Camden County. The files of this paper are in the possession of Samuel H. Grey, Esq., whose father, the veteran editor, in 1819, commenced, at Woodbury, the publi- cation of the Village Record, and soon there- after removed to Camden, and there pur- chased, of John A. Crane, the Gloucester Farmer.

Samuel Ellis, a well-known school-teacher of his day, on December 29, 1824, began, in Camden, the publication of the American Star and Rural Record. This office was on the west side of Front Street, between Cooper and Plum (Arch). This luminary, under the control of Master Ellis, did not shine very brilliantly, and, after continuing it two years, he sold it to Israel Porter and J. Wollo- hon, who had been apprentices in the same office. The new proprietors changed the name to the Camden Mail, and the office was moved to the southwest corner of Second Street and Market. Dr. John R. Sickler after- wards bought it, and moved the office to the " west side of Second Street, above Taylor's Avenue." Dr. Sickler disposed of the paper to a Mr. Ham, and he, on April 2, 1834, sold it to Philip J. Grey, Esq. The print- ing-office was then at the southwest corner of Second and Arch ; price of sheet, two dollars per year. In September, 1834, the of- fice was removed to a building near Toy's Ferry, and, on September 3, 1835, the name West Jerseyman was adopted. It was then next to the largest paper in West Jersey, and, under the management of Mr. Grey, was an influential and popular journal. The name of this successful exponent of public opinion, under the ownership of Judge Grey, was changed to the West Jerseyman. It was ably edited and obtained a large circulation.

It was enlarged at different times. The com- plete files of the Mail and the West Jersey- man were carefully preserved and are now owned by Samuel H. Grey, Esq., of Cam- den, through whose kindness and courtesy the use of them was allowed the author in the preparation of this history and from which much valuable information relating to Camden County was obtained.

PHILIP JAMES GREY, EsQ., was the second son of Martin and Eliza Derham Grey aud was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1798. His father, participating in the political move- ments then agitating Dublin, was obliged to seek safety in flight, and came to this country in the early part of this century. Dying suddenly in 1804, his estate was lost in an unfortunate business enterprise in which he had invested it, and his widow was left in very straitened circumstances. Philip J. Grey, the subject of this sketch, was, at the instance of the late Matthew Carey, Esq., placed in the establishment of Mr. Maccul- loch, a printer and bookseller, with whom he remained until he had grown to manhood. Upon the death of Mr. Macculloch, who had bequeathed to him a sum sufficient to pur- chase an outfit for a printing-office, Mr. Grey removed from Philadelphia in the summer of 1819 to Woodbury, N. J., where he estab- lished himself in the printing business as ed- itor and publisher of the Columbian Herald, the first number of which was published Sep- temher 23, 1819. He continued at Wood- bury, where, in 1824, he was postmaster, taking a prominent part in public affairs until 1830, when he removed to Blackwood- town and entered into business with John C. Smallwood, late of Woodbury. From Black- woodtown he went, at the instance of his friends, Hon. Samuel L. Southard and Gen- eral Zachariah Rossell, to Trenton, where he established a Whig newspaper, The Union. Leaving Trenton, Mr. Grey entered into the business of bookselling and publishing in Philadelphia. While so engaged he caused

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to be reported and afterward published the proceedings in the case of De Cou vs. Hen- drickson, which involved the settlement of the property rights of the Society of Friends, then at difference among themselves upon the orthodoxy of the teachings of Elias Hicks. Returning to his earlier employment, Mr. Grey came to Camden in 1833, where he bought the Camden Mail and published it until March, 1849, when the paper was en- larged and its name changed to The West Jerseyman, under which title it was published by Mr. Grey until January 1, 1860, when he retired from journalism. The Camden Daily was published by Mr. Grey from January 4, 1858, to March 6, 1858, wben its publication was discontinued for lack of public support.

Mr. Grey was a man of marked individu- ality, independence and firmness of character. He was of a generous, enthusiastic and sympa- thetic nature, and for many years he was a prominent and influential man in Southern New Jersey. In his political opinions he was a Whig. After the defeat of General Scott, in 1852, and the consequent disinte- gration of the Whig party, Mr. Grey identi- fied himself with those who opposed the ex- tension of slavery into the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska. He was a leader and became at an early period actively interested in the formation of the Republican party. The first meeting in Camden of those in sym- pathy with that organization was held at his residence, No. 709 Market Street. He held at different times several important and re- sponsible offices. He was secretary of the New Jersey Senate and for many years col- lector of the port of Camden. For fifteen years he was one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Camden County, and during a large part of that time the presiding judge. He was for a long period a vestry- man, and at the time of his death a warden of St. Paul's parish, Camden. He was twice married,-first at Woodbury, in 1822, to Rachel, daughter of Jacob Glover, Esq., for-

merly surrogate of Gloucester County. Af- ter the death of his first wife he married, in 1834, Sarah Woolston, daughter of Isaac Stephens, Esq. His surviving children are two sons-Samuel H. Grey, Esq., of Camn- den, and Martin P. Grey, Esq., of Salem, N. J .- and two daughters,-Mary G. Grey and Anne Grey. He died at his residence, No. 709 Market Street, Camden, on the morning of January 8, 1875, in the seventy- seventh year of his age.

About 1830 Josiah Harrison, of Camden City, issued a small sheet called the Republi- can, which was continued by him for several years, after which time Franklin Ferguson became its proprietor.

In 1840 a new paper made its appearance, called the American Eagle. It was published by Charles D. Hineline, who had his office in a frame building on Bridge Avenue, next to Elwell's Hotel. This building was after- wards removed. Mr. Hineline connected with him in its publication Henry Curts, and afterwards sold out his interest to a man by the name of Bossee, and went to the West. Bossee sold his interest to Mr. Curts, who was quite a facetious writer. The paper, which was the organ of the American party, was eventually changed to the Phoenix and after a checkered history ceased publication.

The Camden Journal, a vigorous organ of the American party, was established and conducted by David W. Belisle, who after- ward became mayor of Atlantic City. It was continued for quite a time. Mr. Belisle became the New Jersey correspondent of the Public Ledger of Philadelphia, and after a long career as a journalist died in Camden during the year 1886.

The New Republic, a weekly journal, Re- publican in politics, was started in 1866 by Henry L. Bonsall and James M. Scovel. It soon gained influence and popularity and secured a large circulation, being ably edited and neat in typographical appearance. Mr. Scovel, at the expiration of nine years, re-

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tired from the paper. Henry L. Bonsall and T. M. K. Lee, Jr., continued its publication until a joint-stock company, composed of H. L. Bonsall, George W. Gilbert, John S. Lee, T. M. K. Lee, Jr. and James Warrington took charge of it. Eventually the paper came into the possession of Bonsall & Carse, soon after which the senior proprietor retired to start the Daily Post. John H. Fort was the last owner of the New Republic.

The Argus was a Sunday paper, owned and edited by John H. Fort.

The Jersey Blue was an interesting family newspaper, and was started about 1858 by Charles N. Pine, who continued its publication for several years, and its editor afterward be- came connected with the Philadelphia Day and subsequently the Record. He was an able journalist.

THE WEST JERSEY PRESS is the sole sur- vivor of several newspaper enterprises started in Camden since 1820, and is the legitimate offspring of the Camden Mail, and subse- quently of the West Jerseyman, both of which were the property of the late Philip J. Grey, the former being first published in the city April 7, 1834.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 49

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220