USA > New Jersey > The history of New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time : including a brief historical account of the first discoveries and settlement of the country, Vol. II > Part 25
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The General and suite, and Governor, with his staff, were then invited to partake of a collation, after which he was escorted by the procession as far as the Seminary on his way to Trenton.
. The Committee of Arrangements from Trenton, with a corps of cavalry, met the General to escort him to the capital. He was accompanied by the Governor and suite, and followed by a train of citizens on horseback and in carriages. The General rode in an open barouche, drawn by four white horses.
The infantry and other military assembled at Trenton, con- sisting of light infantry and cavalry from the counties of Hun- terdon, Somerset, Burlington, and Gloucester, under the com- mand of General Vliet, were paraded near the boundary-line of the Corporation, to receive the General upon his arrival, and were reviewed by him, after which a procession was formed which proceeded to the city; and its arrival at the head of Warren street was announced by the firing of cannon and ring- ing of bells. The bells continued to ring until the procession arrived at the State House. The procession moved down Warren street, across the lower bridge, and down Bloomsbury
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street until it came to Market street ; up Market street to Mill Hill and the upper bridge into Green street; up Green street to Perry; down Perry to Warren, down Warren to Second until it came to the State House yard. The military then opened to the right and left, and General Lafayette and suite, preceded by the Committee of Arragements, the Governor and suite, passed through. The Committee then opened to the right and left, and the General and Governor, with their suites, passed under the arch erected at the State House gate, and was received by a choir of young ladies, who greeted the General with an ode composed for the occasion.
There were at that time twenty-four States, and in imitation of the reception given to General Washington at the Assanpink, in 1789, Lafayette was received in the same way. The ladies strewed flowers before him, as a symbol of their respect for so noble a chieftain, who had left his native land, his kindred and wealth, had crossed the Atlantic, and landed on a foreign shore, and had devoted the better part of his life to aid those who had no claims upon him by nationality, or ties of kindred, but purely for love of the cause the country was struggling to maintain. This disinterested devotion to our cause, endeared him to the people, and Lafayette was eminently entitled to receive the de- votions, nay, even the homage of a grateful people, and this homage was cheerfully accorded.
The following ladies participated in singing the ode upon this occasion :
Rebecca Forman, afterwards Mrs. John B. Anderson ; Jane Ryno, afterwards Mrs. Butler ; Emeline Fisher, afterwards Mrs. Baldwin; Elizabeth Raymond, afterwards Mrs. Benjamin S. Disbrow; Ruth Chambers, afterwards Mrs. Wiliiam R. McKean; Henrietta Chambers, afterwards Mrs. Aaron H. Vancleve ; Frances Chambers, afterwards Mrs. William Ashmore ; Susan Baker, afterwards Mrs. Joseph Mount; Mary Baker, afterwards Mrs. William Boswell, Mary Mershon ; Susan Fisher, afterwards Mrs. Beach Vanderpool ; Mary Wright, afterwards Mrs. Horace Smith ;, Julia Ann Hamilton, Sarah Wright, Julia Smith, Eliza- beth Smith, Elizabeth Smick, afterwards Mrs. George Phillips; Louisiana Wilson, Mary Wilson, Mary Ann Cain.
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The following was the ode written for the occasion :
LAFAYETTE. Tune-COLUMBIA.
In the prowess of action and splendor of thought, Here he cherished and cheered while he vanquished and fought;
Left his own beloved country and bright blushing bride, In our battles to bleed and our councils to guide. Oh ! let then, while a blast shall blow over the wave, Or a drop of pure blood warm the breast of the brave;
Splendid haloes of gratitude, never to set, E'er radiate the name of beloved Lafayette.
O'er the waves' wide expanse, and the earth's spreading shor Let the cannon of gratitude, blaze as they roar !
Hark our heights and our islands, our dingles and dales, From their blue mountain-tops to their river laved vales, The bright deeds of the brave, wreathed in glory proclaim As with pæns of praise, sounds the trumpet of fame ; While on bright beryl thrones, angels, pleased, smiling set, And hear, rapt, loud acclaimings greet loved Lafayette !
After the singing the ode and strewing the flowers, the Gen- eral was escorted into the assembly room by the Governor, fol- lowed by the Committee of Arrangements, the General's suite, the Governor's suite, and other military officers. He was then formally received by the Mayor and Common Council, convened for the occasion, when the following address was delivered by the Mayor, Robert McNeely, Esq .:
"Sir :- The citizens of Trenton most cordially and affection- ately bid you welcome among them.
" To receive, upon this spot, where your friend, our illustrious Washington, raised the first successful barrier against the rebel- lious tide of oppression, which in the eventful period of seventy- six, was rolling over our country ; the hero who, in the succeed- ing stages of our revolutionary struggle, acted so conspicuous a part, and contributed so essentially to its glorious termination, cannot fail to awaken the most agreeable sensations.
" Next to our beloved Washington, there is no name entwined with deeper interest in the hearts of Jerseymen than LAFAYETTE. None which they will transmit to their posterity, encircled with a wreath of nobler praise, or embalmed with the incense of
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purer love, than that of the interesting stranger who embarked his life and fortune upon the tempestuous ocean of our revolu- tion, and who fought at Brandywine, at Monmouth, and at Yorktown, to procure for Americans those blessings you now see them so fully, and we trust so gratefully enjoy.
"The aged veteran, who partook with you the fatigues and dangers of the camp-the march and battle-hails your return to the land of your youthful exploits, with sentiments of frater- nal love-a love cemented by the blood you mutually shed, and the toils you mutually endured in the glorious contest.
" The present generation, too young to share with you in the conflict, look to you with feelings of filial love and veneration ; from their infancy, they have been taught to unite your name with the fathers of our country, and they doubt not that your heart still beats with the same warm affection to this people, as when in the attitude of the youthful warrior, you slung your shield before our infant republic.
" Our grateful delights in rearing this day to you, sir, a CIVIC ARCH, rendered to us deeply interesting by being the same which five and thirty years ago, served to evince our attach- ment to our beloved and revered Washington ; but all, sir, that you see or hear, can but inadequately convey the warmth of those feelings by which the citizens of this place are actuated towards you, and the joy it affords them to receive you as their guest."
To which the General returned a feeling and appropriate answer.
He was ... en conducted by the Mayor and Common Council, attended by the Committee of Arrangements, and escorted by the military to the Trenton House, where lodgings had been provided for him, and where a sumptuous dinner was served up, at which were the General and suite, Mayor and Common Council, and a large number of officers and citizens.
In the evening, the General attended a handsome entertain- ment, ordered by the Society of the Cincinnati, at the City Tavern, where he spent the evening with his brother officers of the Revolutionary army.
The day was uncommonly fine ; an immense number of spec-
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tators thronged the town from all parts of the adjacent country. A spacious arch was thrown across the head of Warren street, and one near the intersection of Second street, handsomely decorated with laurel, evergreens, and flowers appended in fes- toons. Over the front gate of the State House yard, where the General entered, the old arch was placed, which in 1789 was erected in honor of General Washington, by the citizens of Trenton, as he passed on to New York to take upon himself the office of first President of the United States, Congress being then convened there. In the evening the arches in Warren street were handsomely illuminated.
The following day, being Sunday, he attended worship at the First Presbyterian Church, and on Monday he crossed the Dela- ware river to Morrisville, where the Pennsylvania troops were in waiting to escort him to Philadelphia.
He was here met by Governor Shultze, who, in his address of welcome, extended to the General a cordial invitation to make that Commonwealth his future home.
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CHAPTER XXX.
1683-1876.
Education in New Jersey in advance of any other State in Ame- rica-College of New Jersey incorporated-Theological Semi- nary-Rutgers College at New Brunswick-Public Schools- New Jersey Historical Society-Normal, Model, and Farnam Schools-State Board of Education-Normal School Boarding House Association-Riparian rights.
F ROM a history published in 1870 by J. R. Sypher and E. A. Apgar, State Superintendent of Public Schools of New Jersey, and designed for common schools, academies, colleges, etc., from which we have been permitted to make extracts, we learn that,
" The history of educational efforts in this State begins with the date of the earliest English settlements. There are no records of schools established by the Dutch settlers at Bergen, or by the Swedes on the east bank of the Delaware. The Swedes west of the river opened schools soon after their arrival there, and the same is true of the Dutch on Manhattan Island. It is, therefore, reasonable to suppose that the families settled in New Jersey also provided for the education of their children.
"The Presbyterians and Congregationalists, who were the earliest immigrants under the English authority, came to the province bringing preachers and school-teachers with them. By the side of the log church the primitive school-house was erected ; and schools, supervised and supported by the church authorities, were established in the early settlements of Eliza- beth, Newark, Middletown, Freehold, Shrewsbury, Piscataway, Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, and other places in East Jersey.
The pioneers in West Jersey were Quakers. Education was part of the religion of these people. To them school-houses were scarcely second in importance, and were usually placed under the same roof with their place of worship. Fenwick's Settlement, at Salem, opened a school soon after its establish-
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ment, and maintains it without interruption to the present day.
"The settlement at Burlington exhibited a wonderful degree of progress, both in the appreciation of learning and in the knowledge of the best plan for the support of public schools. In 1683 an island in the Delaware, opposite the town, was set apart for educational purposes, and the revenues derived from the rent or sale of the lands were reserved for the support of schools for the education of the children in the adjoining settle- ments. This was certainly the first school-fund established in the province ; and it is doubtful whether any other settlement in America was, in this respect, in advance of Burlington.
"As early as 1667 George Fox advised his brethren in New Jersey to establish boarding-schools, 'that young men of genius, in low circumstances, may be furnished with means to procure requisite education.' The Shackelwell School, which was opened about this time, was established 'for the teaching of whatsoever things were civil and useful in creation.'"*
The earliest public action taken in school matters was in No- vember, 1676, when the people of Newark resolved to procure teachers to instruct the children. From this time the people of Newark never failed to give attention to schools.
"The General Assembly of East New Jersey, in session at Perth Amboy, in 1693, passed an ' Act for the establishment of schoolmasters in the Province, for the cultivation of learning and good manners, and for the good and benefit of mankind, which hath hitherto been much neglected within this Province.' This act authorized the inhabitants of any town to elect three or more school commissioners, whose duty it was to employ and fix the 'rate for the salary and maintaining of a schoolmaster within said town.' The majority of the people might compel the minority to pay their share of the teachers' salaries. If any person refused to pay his proportion, the commissioners had authority to levy upon and sell his goods or property for the payment thereof. This was a complete recognition of the prin- ciple of taxing property for the support of public schools, which at the time was up to the most advanced legislation in America.
* History of New Jersey, 1870, pages 205, 206, 207.
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"In 1695 this act was amended, providing that three men should be chosen annually in each separate town, to have 'power to appoint and agree with a schoolmaster, and to nominate and appoint the most convenient place or places where the schools shall be kept from time to time, that, as near as may be, the whole inhabitants may have the benefit thereof.' Under the operation of this law, schools were established in all parts of the Province, wherever a majority of the inhabitants desired them.
"The College of New Jersey was incorporated in the year 1746. In 1756 it was permanently established at Princeton. This Institution at an early period of its history attained an honorable position among the best colleges of America, and has ever maintained a high reputation. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States founded a Theo- logical Seminary at Princeton in 1811, which has long been celebrated for the extent and liberality of its teachings.
"Rutgers College was chartered by King George III., of England, in 1770, under the name of Queen's College, and was established at New Brunswick. The name was changed by the State Legislature in 1825, in honor of Henry Rutgers, one of its most liberal benefactors. The institution is controlled by the Reformed Dutch Church. The Theological College of this denomination, the first theological school established in America, is also at New Brunswick, founded in 1771."*
On the Ioth of December, 1778, an act was passed, entitled " An act for the encouragement of education," the preamble to which is:
"Whereas, Since the commencement of the present war with Great Britain, the instruction and improvement of youth, so essential to the prosperity of every community, hath been greatly interrupted, and in many parts totally prevented by the necessity of subjecting instructors, as well as scholars, to military duty; and whereas, it hath ever been the wise policy of well-regulated governments to embrace every favorable opportunity of extend- ing encouragement to the means of education."
* History of New Jersey, 1870, pages 207, 208.
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It then enacts, that every master or teacher of a public school, wherein common school learning was taught in any village, town or neighborhood, or any part of this State, who was actually and bona fide employed in that calling and had under his care and tuition any number of scholars or pupils not less than fifteen, was entitled to exemption from actual service in the militia, by producing to the justices of the county where he was employed, in any of their sessions, proper testimonials of his moral character, and a certificate from some one justice of the peace of the county, of his having taken the oath of allegiance and abjuration prescribed in an act entitled "An act for the security of the Government of the State of New Jersey."
"In 1816, the Legislature passed an act creating a public fund for the support of free schools in the State. This act directed the State Treasurer to invest the sum of fifteen thousand dollars in United States bonds, bearing six per cent. interest, as a per- manent school fund. In 1817 it was enacted that all dividends which may hereafter be received on the shares of this State in the capital stock of the Cumberland Bank, and on the shares of the State in the Newark Turnpike Company; on moneys to be received on the sale of the house and lot belonging to this State in the city of Jersey City, and one-tenth of all moneys hereafter to be raised by tax for the use of the State, are hereby set apart and appropriated for the purpose of creating a fund for the sup- port of free schools.
"In 1818, the Governor, the Vice-President of Council, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Attorney-General, and the Secretary of State, were 'appointed trustees for the control and management of the fund for the support of free schools.' The whole amount of the fund was then increased to the sum of $113,238.78.
"A law was passed in 1820, authorizing the inhabitants of any township to raise by taxation money for the education of the children of the poor."*
On the 3d of March, 1828, an act was passed, empowering the inhabitants at their annual town meetings, to vote, grant,
* History of New Jersey, 1870, page 208.
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and raise, in the same manner as other moneys for town pur -. poses are authorized to be raised, such sums of money as the majority of said meeting shall agree upon, to be expended under the direction of the town committee, in each township, for the erection and repairing of one or more public school-houses, or for the establishment of free schools and their support. At these town meetings, the Presidents of the meetings were directed to read to the people the act of 1820, and also that of 1828.
"A 'Central Committee' on education, was appointed by a Convention held at Trenton in 1828, to canvass the State and collect statistics from every county. In the several counties, Committees were also appointed, as well as in a majority of the townships, to aid the Central Committee. The reports from these committees show that many schools had been established in all parts of the State, but more than one-third of the children in the State were reported to be without schooling of any kind. Many of the County reports contain evidence that the leading men in the State thoroughly understood the true basis of a public-school system.
"The chairman of the Committee for Essex County said : 'I very much wish that some plan of improvement may be attempted to raise the tone of feeling respecting our common schools. I have thought of no better plan than to establish a high school for the sole purpose of educating young men for teachers. Let them be taught in this school not only the common branches required to be taught in common schools, but let them be in- structed and properly disciplined in the best mode of commu- nicating ideas to the young mind. They should learn to govern themselves, and to govern their schools without a rod or without a cross word. Let all government be effected by mild and pleasing persuasion, that shall so win the affections of every child that he will feel most pleasure when he pleases his teacher most.'
" The proposition to establish a normal school at that early period was in advance of public action on that subject anywhere in America, and evinced a just appreciation of the wants of a successful system of public instruction.
"In 1829 the Legislature first began to make annual appro-
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priations for the support of common schools. In that year twenty thousand dollars were apportioned to the several counties in pro- portion to the amount of taxes paid by the inhabitants. This act also provided for the election of school committees in each township. The committees were authorized to divide the town- ships into convenient school districts, to examine and license teachers, and to call annually district meetings.
" At these meetings three trustees were chosen every year, to determine how many months the schools should be kept open, to provide suitable school-houses, to prepare a list of children in the district between the ages of four and sixteen years, and to send a copy of the list to the township committee. The public money was divided among the districts in each township in pro- portion to the number of children reported in the official lists.
"The school committees were required to visit and inspect the schools at least once in every six months, and to make a report of the condition of the schools in the township. This report was read at the annual town meeting, and was then sent to the Governor to be laid before the Legislature. Though this act was amended in 1830 and 1831, no important changes were made during a period of ten years. In the latter year the town- ships were authorized to raise such additional sum or sums of money as they may deem proper, and to authorize, order, and direct the collector of the townships to draw on the county col- lector for the same. The several townships were empowered at their annual town meetings to apply the sum received from the State to schooling the indigent poor children of said township, should they elect to do so.
"In 1838 the inhabitants of each township were recommended to raise by taxation or otherwise, money for school purposes. This act also authorized the trustees to use the State appropria- tion exclusively for the education of the poor. The most im- portant change made from the old law was the provision that the public money which had been paid to the trustees of the districts should now be paid to the several schools in the town- ships, whether they were public, private, or parochial. This change was made in obedience to the demands of the religious denominations in the State. Schools had been established by
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churches and meetings in all parts of the State, and the friends of these demanded, and finally obtained, part of the annual ap- propriation from the public treasury. The money was therefore distributed among all schools in proportion to the number of children taught.
"In 1838 there was a general movement throughout the State to remodel the school system. Public meetings were held, and the present system was denounced as pauper schools, and a State convention assembled at Trenton on the 16th of January. This convention declared that the school laws were defective and ought to be repealed. It recommended the appointment of a State Superintendent of Common Schools, and to abolish en- tirely the public or pauper schools, and appointed a committee, of which Rev. George W. Doane, Bishop of New Jersey, was chairman, to issue an address to the people.
"The address of the committee reviewed the condition of public education in the State, recommended proper changes in the school system, and said to the inhabitants, 'Tax yourselves for the support of common schools, and you will never be in danger of taxation from a foreign power. You will need less taxation for the support of pauperism and the punishment of crime. Look to your school-houses. See that they are conve- nient of access, that they are comfortable, that they are neat and tasteful. Look to the teachers. See that they are taught them- selves and apt to teach-men that fear God and love their coun- try. See that they are well accommodated, well treated, well remunerated. Respect them and they will respect themselves, and your children will respect them. Look well to the scholars. Remember you are to grow old among them. Remember you are to die and leave your country in their hands.'
"The Legislature, instructed by the action of the people, passed an act in 1838 that increased the annual appropriation to thirty thousand dollars, authorized each township to raise by taxation a sum equal to double the portion received from the State, reestablished the district system of distributing the public money, created a Board of Examiners for each county, with authority to issue county certificates to competent teachers, fixed the age for admission at five years, allowed the use of public
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money for the erection of buildings, the purchase of fuel, furni- ture, and books, and the payment of teachers, and granted to schools already established by any religious societies a fair pro- portion of the public fund.
" The constitution adopted in 1844 declared that 'it shall not be competent for the Legislature to borrow, appropriate, or use the school fund, or any part thereof, under any pretence what- ever, for any other purpose than for the support of public schools for the equal benefit of all the people.'*
" A supplementary act passed by the Legislature in April, 1845, authorized the State trustees of the school fund to appoint a superintendent of public schools for the Counties of Essex and Passaic. Other counties might come under the provisions of the law by resolution of the Board of Freeholders. The Superin- tendent was required to visit the schools and to make an annual report to the Legislature. He received three dollars a day for the time given to the work. The jurisdiction of the Superin- tendent was extended over the whole State in 1846.t
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