The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 81

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

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501

THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

tabled by the adoption of a motion of Mr. Morris, "that it is inexpedient to enact any further laws on the subject," which conclusion, however, was only a temporary palliative to the opposition, which lasted as long as the barbarous practice en- dured.

On motion of Thomas McKeen, Richard Fetters addressed the board, in 1861, on the propriety of selling Sixth and Plum lot and building at Fifth and Plum. This is the last minute found relating to Richard Fetters, who, next to Dr. Mulford and the members of the first board, was the oldest friend of popular education.

Dr. Ridge, in the spirit of inquiry, improvement and innovation which characterized his efforts in the cause of education, succeeded, in 1862, in having the pantographic plan of teaching intro- duced into some of the city schools. It appears from the records of 1863 that the election for offi- cers of the board was not contested with the same degree of interest which has marked subsequent elections. Dr. Ridge and Dr. Birdsell having been nominated for president, on motion of Dr. Ridge, Dr. Birdsell was elected by acclamation, Mr. Cas- sady continuing as secretary, and Mr. Sides suc- ceeding Thomas A. Wilson as treasurer. James M. Scovel seems to have exercised a potent influ- ence in changing the location of the Genge School, then in course of construction, to the centre of the lot at Sixth, Market and Arch. Severns & Ward were the contractors for this second building, which, in its day, was considered a model school structure, as was the Kaighn School, which, at the suggestion of Dr. Middleton, the oldest school in the city, became one of the best-lighted and most thoroughly ventilated of the modernized buildings. The number of school children had increased to 4773,-North Ward, 1318; Middle Ward, 1545; South Ward, 1910,-South Ward then, as since, having been more mindful of the divine injunction.

William Fewsmith entered the board at this pe- riod, and ever after, until his resignation, took an active and intelligent part in its deliberations. Afterward, in assuming and discharging the duties of the first superintendency of the same, he methodized and systematized the working of the daily growing to be more complicated machinery, until the present admirable system was more nearly perfected.

The Genge School building being finished, the di- visions of the Berkley Street School were removed to it, that building vacated and the schools con- solidated, while an examination was ordered for teachers to take charge of the new divisions. The

teachers selected were E. A. Singer, principal ; as- sistants, Sidney L. Anderson, Sallie G. Rudderow, C. Callett, Ellie E. Fenton and Jennie James. In the Girls' Department: Sallie Walker, principal ; Kate L. Rudderow, Louisa Ash, Sallie T. Brown, Edith Heany and Rachel Brevoort. A Teachers' Association was in operation at this period, which developed into a Teachers' Institute. A general increase in the inadequate salaries of teachers was made at this time. In 1866 the organization was effected by the choice of Thomas G. Rowand, M.D., as president, and the continuance of the other officers, changes in these positions being rarely made. Night-schools were first established in December of this year; yet, although all the ap- pliances needed were furnished, they seem to have been but indifferently successful. Edwin A. Stevens, of Hoboken, N. J., having donated the lot on which the new Middle Ward School was built in 1867, it was therefore called the "Stevens School." The donation of this lot was the last of. ficial act of Mr. Stevens prior to his departure for Europe, from which he never returned. William B. Mulford was the contractor for the erection of this elegaut school building, with fifteen divisions, affording rooms for the General Book Depository, the meeting-room of the board and the sessions of the Normal Class.

On the completion of the Stevens School, in 1868, the Plum and Elm Street rooms were vacated, the scholars transferred, and W. L. Sayre was ap- pointed principal of the boys' department, and Hope Anthony of the girls' department of the new school; C. Henry Kain taking the principalship of the North Ward Boys', and Kate L. Rudderow of the Girls' School ; while N. J. Morrison and Miss E. J. Peddie were respectively appointed to the South Ward School. The South Ward Colored School was placed in charge of D. G. Harris, and in 1869 an additional colored school was estab- lished at Third Street and Mount Vernon.

April, 1870, Dr. J. M. Ridge was elected presi- dent, and Dr. Alexander Mccray superintendent, the other officers being re-elected.

The census of school children was reported by Thomas McDowell to be five thousand two hun- dred and ninety-one, and to provide for the pres- sure, a house on Cooper Street and a portion of the Baptist Church, Fourth and Mount Vernon, were rented for primary purposes. The salaries of the three male principals were fixed at fifteen hundred dollars, and of the three female principals at seven hundred and fifty dollars each.

The State Teachers' Association meeting in Cam- den in 1871, Mayor Charles Cox, Rudolphus

502

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Bingham and Heury B. Wilson were appointed to welcome the educators of the State.

A revision of the Camden City Charter at this time annexed the suburbs of Newton township, dividing the city into eight wards and giving two members to the board from euch ward.

The propriety of teaching the elements of mu- sie beenme so apparent in 1872 that Mr. England, from the Special Committee on Music, report- ed in favor of the employment of E. F. Batch- ofor and the use of pantographic charts in the ox- emplitication of the Wilbehu Hulda System, which continued three years. In the fall of the year C Henry Kain succeeded Mr. Sayre as principal of Stevens School ; William 11, Samuel was assigned to Gongo School, Horatio Draper to Liberty and Geoffrey Buckwalter to Central Avenue, the nowor touchers then, as since, taking the lower schools and making their way up to the higher grado schools as vacancies occurred.

The school-house for colored children on Mount Vornon Stroot was finished and the Third and Mount Vernon school abandonod. William 11. F. Armstend was appointed principal, and Henry Boyer placed in charge of the Ferry Road Colored School-these two schools providing amplo accout- modation for all the colored children in the city.

The Cooper School was built by the board in 1874, with Samuel Monroe as contractor, at a cost of thirty thousand nine hundred and soventy- three dollars. It is pronounced one of the finest school buildings in the State, and was dedicated in the presence of the State and county superin- tendents and other dignitarios, Walt Whitman reading the dedication poem, and addresses being delivered by the State, county and city superintend- ents, President Rittenhouse, Principal Samuels, J. M. Cassady and Controller Milligan, of Phila- delphia. The following is Walt Whitman's poom :

" AN OLD MAN'S THOUGHT OF BeHOOL,

An old man's thought of school :

An old men, gathering youthful memories and blooms, that youth Itself ennnot.

New only do I know you ! .

() fir aurora alios ! " morning dow upon the grown !

And those I won-those sparkling ayer, Those stores of myrtle menubig -- those young Ilvos, Bulleing, equipping, like a foot of ships immortal whips ! Hoon la call out over the measuretens sons, On the Hou's voyage.

Only a lot of boys and girls ? Only the tiresome spelling, writing, ofphoring classon? Only a Pullle School ?

Ah more-Infinitely more ;

(As George Fox rals'd his warning ery, 'Is it this pllo of briek nud morter-those dond floors, windows, falls-you call the church ?

Why this is not the church at all-the Church is living, ever living Sonle,')

Amt yon Amerlen,

Cast you the real reckoning for your procent ?

The lights and claudewa of your future-good or evil ? "To girlhood, boyhood look -the Teacher and the School."

April, 1874, the now board organized with David Rittenhouse, president ; J. 1. De La Cour, trong- urer ; William O. Figner, secretary ; 11. L. Hon- wall, superintendent. This opened another now ora in the operations of the board in the regulation of the educational system; the old law, empower- ing the members of the board to furnish supplies, etc., having been repealed, and all personal monetary interests being removed from its mom- horship.

The number of teachers was sovouty-four; the number of scholars three thousand eight hundred und nineteen, The school census roported over eight thousand children of school ago, showing that about one-half the school population was then engaged in work or pursuits disqualifying them from publie tuition, except as they are further provided for by a dozon excellent parochial and private schools. Evidence of the thoroughnos of the instruction in the schools is furnished in an examination roport of this period, in which it is shown that nearly all the candidates for teachers' certificates were pupils of the grammar schooly, and while the requirements for qualitication wore in no senso lowered, more than twenty of those pupils in the first division passed creditably.

Mr. Kain, who afterwards became a member of the board, resigned in September, 1874, to take the Northwest Grammar School, Philadelphia; Mr. Buck walter was transferred to Stevone School, thonee to Cooper, exchanging places with Mr. Sammel ; and Philip Crossman appointed to Con- Iral Avenue, Mr. Fry going to the Liberty School, The Legislature, in 1875, gave authority to the board to borrow fifty thousand dollars ; three brown stone two-story school-houses were built in the lower section of the city,-in the Eighth Ward the John W. Mickto School, and in the Fifth the Irane W. Mulford School and the Richard Fetters School, each named after worthy citizens of Cam- don who years ago took an active interest in the educational welfare of the city. There buildings were erected by the contractor, M. E. Harden, # former member of the board, and are a credit to the foresight and intelligence of John II, Dialogue, who was instrumental in their construction. One of the nequisitions to the board for a single torm, at this period, was Willing Curtiss, from the First Ward.

503

THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

The Centennial year euergized educators, as it did everybody and everything else. The State superintendent having notified the schools that an educational exhibit would be expected from New Jersey, Camden contributed her quota to an aggregate officially pronounced in most respects equal, and in several particulars superior, to the exhibits of other States and countries. James M. Cassady was the Centennial president, and J. L. De La Cour, son of the first treasurer, succeeded to the treasury so long guarded by the father. In 1877, B. Frank Sutton became president, William T. Bailey treasurer, Charles W. Knight remaining secretary, having succeeded William C. Figner. The Stevens Primary School, built during the Centennial year, is an admirable structure. The old Kaighn School-house, under the supervision of Messrs. Dialogue, Davis, Pierce, Middleton and Perkins, was remodeled in 1876 and made a most desirable school building, the work being done by E. Allen Ward.

After several unsuccessful' attempts to set up the new adjunct to the system, the Normal Class was finally established this year through the agency of Messrs. Middleton, Cassady and Pierce, con- mittee on teachers-Philip Cressman being ap- pointed principal, and Charles K. Middleton filling the vacancy in the Mickle School occasioned by the transfer. The Normal Class was originally de- signed as a preparatory school for teachers, to sup- plement the policy of the board in selecting can- didates from its own schools. In June, 1878, its first class was graduated. For some time previous to this period the school census had increased to more than ten thousand, and the matter of provid- ing accommodations excited attention, being prin- cipally urged by Messrs. Currie and Middleton, of the First District, and lots for a new school-house were secured. Temporary accommodation was af- forded through rented rooms and the adoption of a half-day session.

At the expiration of the school year of 1878, William H. Samuel, following the example of Messrs. Bartine, Boyer, Sayre, Kain, Singer and other efficient Camden principals, resigned the principalship of the Stevens School to take a school in the Thirty-first Section, Philadelphia, when George E. Fry was promoted to the Stevens School and E. F. Way was appointed to the Liberty School. At the next meeting of the board the tirst formal visit of Philadelphia school officials took place, when addresses of mutual congratula- tion were delivered.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 1879 .- For the history of the public schools of Camden since

1879, acknowledgments are due Geo. E. Fry, the efficient principal of the Second School District of Camden.

The important items of interest relating to the schools for the year 1879 are as follows : Officers of the school board elected-B. Frank Sutton, presi- dent ; Charles W. Knight, secretary ; William T. Bailey, treasurer; Henry L. Bonsall, superin- tendent. Drawing and theory of teaching were added to the branches required for teachers' ex- aminations. Westlake's Spellers, Steel's Physics and Kellogg's Language Lesson Books were adopted for use in the schools. The teachers' committee was composed of Dr. M. F. Middleton, James M. Cassady, J. C. De La Cour and D. B. Litzenberg. The tax rate for school purposes was four and one- half mills. The crowded primary schools were given two classes of pupils, each class attending school one-half of the day ; July 7th, the contract for constructing the Northeast School building corner of Seventh and Vine Streets, was awarded to Joseph Butcher for eleven thousand three hundred and forty-eight dollars; the building committee were Charles F. Curry, Joseph B. Fox, John H. Dialogue and Davis B. Litzenberg; school popula- tion in September was eleven thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight; Buckwalter's Speller's were adopted for use in the schools.

In January, 1880, the Northeast School building. at Seventh and Vine Streets, was finished and accepted by the board, and in February, Miss Mary Burrough was appointed principal. In March the hoard passed a resolution granting third-class certificates to all teachers who held fourth class certificates, and had taught five years.

In April Mr. B. F. Sutton retired from the presidency of the board, which was then reorgan- ized by the election of Charles F. Curry to that office, and the choice of Charles W. Knight and W. F. Bailey, respectively, as secretary and treas- urer. H. L. Bonsall was elected city superintendent. In July a contract was let to Win. T. Mead for building an addition of four rooms to the Liberty School building, at Spruce and Eighth Streets, making it a twelve-room building. The amount of contract was five thousand seven hundred dollars.

In 1881 the first incident worthy of note was the appointment of Messrs. Sutton, Davis, Cassady, Fox and Middleton, of the board, as a committee to wait on the Legislature in the interest of the public schools of the city. On April 4th there was a spirited contest between Messrs. Sutton and Curry for the presidency, and the former was elected upon the forty-seventh ballot. The former secretary and treasurer were re-elected. In De-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

cember the first action was taken toward the introduction of sewing in the schools.

In 1882-March-Mr. J. B. Fox was elected president, and the former secretary and treasurer of the board were re-elected. In June of this year the total number of children of school age was reported as twelve thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight. On August 21st, Wm. H. F. Armstead, principal of the Mt. Vernon Colored School, re- signed his position and was succeeded by Wm. F. Powell.

In March, 1883, the board organized with Davis B. Litzenberg, president; Charles B. Capewell, secretary ; and Wm. Calhoun, treasurer. Martin V. Bergen was elected city superintendent and T. J. Middleton, solicitor. The teachers' committee having for years past felt the importance of giving the principals a better opportunity for superintend- ing the various departments in their district, often discussed the matter, but came to no definite con- clusion until the meeting in April, when a member of the committee presented a resolution making the male principals of the grammar schools district principals and appointing an "auxiliary" in each district to assist the district principal. The resolu- tion received favorable comment from other prominent members of the teachers' committee, and was adopted by the board without a dissenting voice, and the plan having now been in successful operation over three years, has proved to be one of the best moves made by the board to improve the system of instruction in our public schools. Martin V. Bergen, city superintendent, in his report in May, as a summary of the reports from the district prin- cipals-viz .: Geoffrey Buckwalter, First District; Geo. E. Fry, Second District ; Horatio Draper Third District; Edwin F. Way, Fourth District ; Chas. K. Middleton, Fifth District; and Wm. F. Powell, Sixth District,-reported enrolled six thou- sand and forty scholars, with an average attendance of three thousand nine hundred and ninety. Mr. Bergen, in his report, urged the board to make some provision whereby the colored teachers could receive instruction and receive the same advantages as white teachers. Mr. Bergen also expressed his satisfaction with the good condition of the schools and the efficiency of the teachers. The following were the first auxiliaries appointed under the new system : First District, Clara Shivers ; Second District, Laura B. Munyan ; Third District, Rosa Flanegin ; Fourth District, May L. Shivers ; Fifth District, Belle E. Forbes; Sixth District, Bella Douglass. During the summer vacation Miss Helen Smith, a faithful and devoted teacher, died after a very brief illness.

In January, 1884, the superintendent reported the total enrollment, as furnished him by the district principals, six thousand six hundred and forty seven and average attendance of five thousand and twenty-six.

In January, 1884, there were enrolled in the evening schools for colored applicants one hundred and thirty-five scholars, with an average attendance of eighty-two.

At this meeting the John W. Mickle and Mount Vernon Schools were raised to the grade of gram- mar schools. At the meeting in October, 1884, the advisory committee of the First District re- ported on the necessity of making provision for more school accommodation in that district, owing to the overcrowded condition of the schools. It was ordered that the members of the First Dis- trict, as a committee, investigate the matter of se- curing a suitable site for a school building north of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad and to ascertain the probable cost of a new building. A great change was also made in the text-books this year. The total enrollment, as reported by City Superintendent Martin V. Bergen, was seven thousand two hundred and eighty. A scholars' library was started in the Second District with forty-five volumes, and through the efforts of teachers and pupils it has been increased to ninety-eight volumes. . In November, 1884, a night-school of five divisions for boys was opened in E. A. Stevens School, under the principal- ship of George E. Fry ; also in the Kaighn School ; one of two divisions for girls, under the principalship of Miss Anna Farrell and super- vised by District Principal H. Draper.

March 16, 1885, the new board organized with Maurice A. Rogers, president; Charles B. Cape- well, secretary ; William Calhoun, treasurer ; Harry L. Bonsall, superintendent ; and Timothy J. Middleton, solicitor.

A careful and thorough revision of the limita- tions of studies was effected during the summer by city superintendent and district principals, and adopted by the board. A more thorough course of instruction was thus provided and the education of the children made more practical. The entire number of children of school age, as reported by the census-takers June, 1885, was 14,973. The total appropriation for school pur- poses for the school year beginning April, 1884, was ninety-seven thousand four hundred dollars, and for the year beginning April, 1885, it was one hundred and seven thousand two hundred dollars, which latter sum included ten thousand dollars to be used in the building of the school-

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

house at Broadway and Clinton Streets. During the summer of 1885 the Cooper School building was so badly damaged by the cyclone that it cost two thousand four hundred and seventy-seven dollars to put it in proper repair.

Night-schools were opened by the board in the winter of 1885-86 for three months, in First, Second, Third and Sixth Districts, and placed in charge of the respective district principals. The attendance throughout the term was good aud great interest was manifested.

The new board for 1886-87 organized March 15, 1886, with James R. Carson, president; W. H. Snyder, secretary; W. A. Calhoun, treasurer ; Martin V. Bergen, city superintendent; and J. Eugene Troth, solicitor. The new school-house Broadway and Clinton Streets is being built by John C. Rogers, for twenty-five thousand nine hundred dollars. The building will be sixty by ninety feet, and contain twelve school-rooms, and on the third floor a board-room and two committee- rooms.

June 8, 1886, City Superintendent Bergen re- ported having visited all the schools and found them in a good condition. The reports from district principals ahowed a total enrollment of 6498 pupils, with an average attendance of 4561.

On September 6, 1886, the board re-graded the teachers' salaries.

Through the efforts of the district principals, aided by their assistants and the female principals and the support of the Board of Education, the old plan of holding quarterly and semi-annual examinations of pupils for promotion has given place to the superior and more acceptable plan of monthly examinations, stimulating the pupils to exertion and diligence throughout every part of the term.

The Camden school system is on an excellent basis ; the city being divided into six districts, with an average of about thirteen hundred pupils to a district and one grammar school in each, all other buildings feeding the grammar school; conse- quently, as the population increases and more school-houses are built, the grammar schools must become stronger and better.

The evening schools, a partial failure several years ago, have, during the last few years, through the determined efforts of the district principals, assisted by the janitors and assistants and warmly supported by the board, proved a grand success and have afforded very fine facilities for those who cannot attend day-achool.

The steady advancement made in the Camden school system is another strong evidence of the

importance of employing, as far as possible, princi- pals and teachers who make teaching a life pro- fession, and therefore throw their energy into the work of doing the best for the education of the children.

Among the oldest educators in point of time are Messrs. Horatio Draper, Geoffrey Buckwalter and George E. Fry among the males; and the Misses Harriet King, Anita Wright, M. Jennie Wood, Sallie T. Brown, Louisa Ash, Jennie James, Sidney L. Anderson, Sallie E. Hall, Mary L. Mis- kelly, Edith G. Heany, Minnie Titus, Nellie Or- cutt, Belle Mayberry, Anna Wood, Mary M. Reeve and Anna Farrell among the ladies.

The full membership of the Board of Education for the year 1886, is as follows: Stanley Muschamp, James R. Carson, Thomas W. Beattie, Irvine C. Beatty, George W. Ealer, Charles S. Ackley, Wil- liam Ireton, William A. Husted, George G. Bun- dick, Ellis W. Woolverton, A. S. N. Cowan, James L. Johnson, Edward S. Matlack, Edward A. Mar- tin, William Drake, James Ware, Jr.

THE NEWTON JUVENILE DEBATING SOCIETY was organized January 24, 1807, by a number of young men of Camden and its vicinity, and was quite a flourishing society, particularly notable as showing the tone of popular feeling and taste among the young men of the time. James Cooper was the first president and Joseph Mickle secre- tary and treasurer. The original members were Isaac Z. Collings, John Hinchman, Samuel Hen- dry, Mason Ward, Jacob Evaul, George Stokes, Joseph Thackara, John Brown, James Cooper, Joseph Mickle, Samuel Eastlack, Samuel Sloan, Isaac Stokes, Thomas Doughten, Joseph Cooper, Thomas Thackara, David Henry, Jr., John Sloau, Samuel Knight, Samuel Blackwood, Jonathan Knight, Samuel Bartou and Isaac Comly.

The object of the society was to discuss questions brought before them, and the president was au- thorized to issue tickets of admission to the debates to persons not members. The society assembled at Newton Meeting School-house, Sloan's School- house and at convenient places in and near the then small village of Camden quite regularly for a little over a year, and the society then passed out of existence. It seems to have been the pioneer of a large number of debating and literary societies, lyceums, etc., of varying degrees of ex- cellence, but all quite ephemeral.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 81

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