USA > New York > Steuben County > A history of Steuben County, New York, and its people, Vol. I > Part 45
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"The third school house was built near Canisteo block and probably be- tween it and the Presbyterian church. The first teacher in that house was Rev. Samuel White, followed by James Osborne, Mr. Case, Mary Morris and Pamelia Stephens. Then the late Deacon Mowry Thacher taught three win- ters and was succeeded by John S. Livermore, Dr. Thomas and Orange McCay.
"In 1833 the district purchased land for a school lot running from Broad to Canisteo street for forty dollars and the "little red schoolhouse" was built the same year at an expense of about two hundred dollars. The dimensions of the building were thirty-two by twenty-eight feet, with ten feet posts, and Ira Davenport was the architect. That building stood in the rear of the pres- ent Tribune building and was consumed in the great fire of 1868. The first who taught in it was Washington Cruger, followed by Samuel Porter, H. V. R. Lord, Samuel Street, Hiram Bennett, Hiram Hood, John McAlmont, Mr. Reeves and Rev. Orson B. Clark. Mr. Street taught a number of terms and is perhaps best remembered of any of the earlier "masters" from the fact that most of our older citizens now living attended his school. He was severe in government and feared by the boys, but withal a good teacher, and, as we remember him now, possessed a kind and Christian heart.
"In 1844 the district purchased the Park school and began the erection of what was then thought to be a very nice school house-the best in all this vicinity-and really was for its day and generation commodious and archi- tecturally beautiful. It stood well back on the lot with the gables north and south, and had a fine bell tower and porch in front. The Park was a rough common and was used as a playground. The building was a large story and a half frame structure standing on a high foundation with a broad hall lead- ing through to the back yard. To the left was one large room with one door opening in the center from the hall, with a raised platform and desk for the teacher, the girls on the left and the boys on the right. This room was used for years as schoolroom, town hall, opera house and church, the Rev. Mr. Gris- wold using it for the services of the Episcopal church. In this room many of the older inhabitants finished their common school course. Here were gath- ered Judge Solon O. Thacher, T. Dwight Thacher, Safford M. Thacher, T. Scott Thacher, Colonel Frank B. Doty, Martin and Levi Doty, Emmett and Charley Reynolds, Maxwell Cameron, Scott Belden, Matthew Hale, Russell M. Tuttle, the Prindle boys, the Thachers the Bennetts, the Stephens, the Caldwells, the Morrises, the Browns, the Popples, the Hawleys, all the descendants of the second generation of the settlers of this valley and surrounding hills. The first teacher in that building was the Rev. O. B. Clark, who moved his school into it from the old red school house in February, 1845-he was succeeded by Samuel Street, E. B. Coon, Albert E. Crane, Darius Ford, Myron Hurlbut, Shumway Scott, Horace Bemis, Joel R. Merriman, Redmond D. Stephens, Rob- crt R. Rork, William H. Rogers, Mr. Baker, Erastus Williams and J. H. Strong. Of the above named teachers Samuel Street, Mr. Coon, Mr. Scott, Mr. Stephens and Mr. Bemis are known to have died. Professor Ford is connected with the Elmira Female College as a beloved and honored teacher. Mr. Hurlbut is a respected citizen of Arkport and is very pleasantly remem- bered by the old boys. Mr. Rork resides in Georgia. Mr. Bemis became a lawyer of eminence, a member of the legislature and died a few years since regretted and respected by all-leaving a daughter, Miss Grace Bemis, who is at present one of the teachers in the same school where her honored father taught in his youth. Albert E. Crane is now a wealthy banker in San Fran- cisco. From a private letter received from there recently I am kindly permitted to make this extract: 'Mr. Crane, the teacher of 1846, is living here, a man of sixty-five years of age. He remembers well the older residents of Hornellsville. I think he said he was twenty when he came over the hills from Bath in a stage-coach to teach in Hornellsville. He arrived in the after- noon and put up at Doty tavern. Mr. Crane says he has been back to Hor- nellsville but once since 1848, and that was in 1865, when he stopped off the train and put up at the old Osborne House; and after brushing up he started out to see the town. But everything looked strange to him. It seemed as if the town had moved down the creek. He met Mrs. Bostwick and
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Judge Hawley, but they failed to place him or recognize bim, so he did not force his acquaintance. He then strolled over by the school house and was passing on when he saw Mr. Rufus Tuttle in his yard and went up to him and was readily remembered and went into the house and spent a very pleas- ant evening.' Mr. Crane is pleasantly remembered by his old students. He was a good teacher, bright and capable a graduate of the State Normal school at Albany, then presided over by Professor Page. Mr. Crane was a classmate with the late Hon. Samuel Hallett, who taught the Howard school at the time Mr. Crane taught our school.
"Just before the war the district built a roughi, square, two-story brick building in front of the old schoolhouse and connected it thereto. In the spring of 1862 both were destroyed by fire, and soon after another large brick structure was built, and later the substantial rear portion was added. A few years ago the old front was condemned and taken down and the present elegant structure raised in its place, to the great delight and pride of all; especially the children for whom nothing can ever be too good in that line.
"While Hornellsville has been favored in its school officers, and especially in its present efficient board of education, yet to Irvin W. Near are we more indebted than to any other one man for our present prosperity in that line. He has placed the imprint of his executive ability upon more of the public institutions of Hornellsville than any other one person among us. He was elected school trustee under the old system, and immediately changed our old-fashioned district school into a first class graded school, with an academic department, with a board of education created and protected by special act of legislature. He was ably assisted by Alanson Stephens and others, and es- pecially by the press of Hornellsville, which, however much it may divide on other issues, has always exerted a powerful, united influence in building up our schools.
. "Among the assistant teachers before the war were Mrs. Scott, Flora Bost- wick, Harriet Waldo, Osie Doty (now Mrs. Harvey Prentiss), Miss Soule, Miss Chichester and doubtless others not recollected by me.
"The first trustees of our school were Nathaniel Thacher, George Hornell and Elijah Stephens were elected at the first meeting after the formation of the district, and while this town was part of Canisteo James Taggert, Stephen Coon and Asa Upson were the first school commissioners of this town and were elected in 1821. From tben to 1844 there were forty-four different per- sons elected to the office, and during the same period there were elected twenty-seven inspectors of common schools, the first of whom were A. Ken- nedy, Christopher Hurlbut and George Hornell, Jr., and the last were John K. Hale, Hiram Bennett and William M. Hawley. In 1843 those offices were abolished and the office of town superintendent created, and in 1884 Mowry Thacher was elected to that office, he being the first superintendent of com- mon schools for the town of Hornellsville. He was succeeded by Samuel Olin, Comfort E. Belden, Daniel McCay, Henry A. Patterson and Elon G. Durfey.
"In 1856 that office was abolished and the office of county commissioner, providing for one for each assembly district, was created, and Prof. William S. Hall was elected and succeeded by Rev. Horatio Pattengill.
"There have been many private schools during the period embraced in this article, among which was one at an early day kept by Miss Hannah Wilbur, in the building now occupied by Mr. Kniskern opposite the Rawson factory, one by Miss Harriet Waldo, one over the Drew hat shop on Main street and one by Miss Van Court in the old Mansion House on the site of the present residences of Mrs. Plimpton and Mrs. Schuyler on Main street and Mrs. Helen Thacher in the old tavern. Rachael Bennett once taught a school in the second story of the old Methodist church.
"In August, 1862, Mrs. B. A. McNall, prominently known several years later as Belva Lockwood, organized a young ladies' seminary at the M. E. church. She advertised special attention given to the higher branches and to deportment. She was a successful teacher and remained here several years, interspersing her duties as teacher with those of a writer of the press upon topics relating to the advancement of woman. Miss Mary Dwight taught for several years a good young ladies' school in Union block, Main street. Professor Ford at an early day attempted to establish an academy here and se- cured a site on the hill just west of Thacher's mill and made some preparation to build, but not meeting with sufficient encouragement he abandoned the project and returned to teach in Alfred, and later in Elmira, and thereby Hornellsville lost a noble citizen.
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"Dr. John S. Jamison taught penmanship in the Park school house in the later forties. He is pleasantly remembered as a very gentlemanly, competent teacher and graceful penman.
"St. Ann's parish has maintained an exalted school for many years, and the good, self-sacrificing Sisters of Mercy have conducted a young ladies' academy of great merit, where the higher branches and accomplishments have heen faithfully taught. These schools occupy the magnificent buildings on Erie avenue erected by the parish, with the assistance and under the immediate superintendence of the late Rev. Father James M. Early of blessed memory.
"This brings the record down to the summer of 1862, when I enlisted as a private soldier in the service of my country, and in the barracks in Elmira I first met Captain Prentice, the present efficient principal of our schools, then a young man, destined to make for himself a brilliant name as a hrave soldier and leader of men, but 'peace hath her victories no less renowned than war,' and Professor Prentice, by his careful training of the youth of our city, has demonstrated that in the hands of 'those supremely great the pen is mightier than the sword.'
"Here our record must end, leaving the history of our cherished schools for the last thirty years to be written by other and abler hands than mine. "MILES W. HAWLEY."
In 1873 the village of Hornellsville had so increased in popu- lation that the existing school law was found to be insufficient to meet the needs of the people and to give more authority to the school authorities. To meet the requirements a bill was drafted by the then trustees of the district to encourage education' in the village of Hornellsville and was introduced in the legislature by Hon. Stephen F. Gilbert, the member of assembly in which the village was situated. Thereafter the bill became a law and immediately became operative. Halsey J. Danforth was the first superintendent, with a corps of ten teachers, and he was a most excellent manager and disciplinarian; but. like many others who have and now are occupying a like position, he did not excel in all the branches re- quired to be taught. But the school did not suffer because of this. Miss Elizabeth Bartholomew, the preceptress of the academy, and Miss Martha Alexander, the head of the grammar department, both of superior education and large experience in teaching, more than supplied the shortcomings of the principal. The school was a suc- cess from the start, and at the end of the second year it was in the front rank of the academies of the state. The village had two schoolhouses. One, the Central School building, opposite the park described by Mr. Hawley, containing eight rooms. In this building was located the academic, the grammar and primary departments. The other school building, in the fifth ward, across Crosby creek, was built of brick one story high, about eighteen by twenty-four feet ; "four walls and a ceiling." Here Davis Hendershott, with an as- sistant, taught to the limit mathematics, spelling and polemics.
Now the district has an up-to-date academy or high school building three stories in height, with twenty rooms on the site of the former Park school, as well as the grammar and primary schools, namely, Irving, Columbian, Washington, Bryant and Lincoln. These are all built of brick, heated with steam and lighted with electricity. All have ample play and exercise grounds, adjoining or easily available. The whole number of teachers, not including the superintendent, is seventy-two; of these fifteen are employed in the academy or high school. The yearly attendance averages about two thousand. Dr. Elmer S. Redman is the present efficient superin- tendent. The school now ranks among the first in the state.
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Captain W. R. Prentice, of whom Mr. Hawley .so favorably wrote, was a ripe scholar, a graduate and an honored alumnus of Alfred University, and a teacher of ability, was selected as super- intendent of the Hornell Free Academy and public schools in 1887. He remained there for eleven years, when by reason of failing health and impaired vision, he was compelled to relinquish his charge, sin- cerely regretted by the students and patrons of the school. Many young men, who since have attained distinction and success in pro- fessional and business life, credit Professor Prentice's labors and earnest zeal with their achievements. He was the author of a very creditable and much esteemed school history of the state of New York. Professor Prentice died at Attica, that state, in 1909 Cap- tain Prentice, in 1865, was in command of Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas reef, on the coast of Florida, while infamous rebel con- spirators and Confederate prisoners were there awaiting trial, im- prisonment and execution.
St. Ann's academic school, founded in 1860 by Rev. J. McGlen and chartered by the regents of the University of the State of New York in 1894, is a parochial school under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy. Its course embraces elementary, grammar and junior or first year academic studies; upon completion of this course and graduation the students enter the Hornell High School, usually about three hundred each year. The institution occupies its own buildings on the west side of Erie avenue, and is equipped, warmed and lighted with the latest modern appliances. The school is well governed, well instructed, and has an excellent reputation for every- thing that goes to make a good school. It has eight teachers for regular work, attendance about four hundred.
ACADEMIES AT ADDISON AND HOWARD.
In the year 1847 twelve taxpayers organized themselves into an association called the Addison Academy, purchased five acres of land in a desirable location in the north part of the village of Addison as a site for an academy, and the next summer erected thereon a commodious and well-furnished building for an academy at an ex- pense of $5,000. A flourishing school was begun in the fall of 1849, with sufficient and competent instructors. It was well patron- ized and much thought of by the residents of Addison and adjoin- ing localities. The institution was incorporated by the regents of the university, February 8, 1849. It possessed a small but well-, selected library, some apparatus and a few specimens for the or- ganization of a cabinet of geological specimens and curios. The in- stitution continued in a flourishing condition until the building was wholly destroyed by fire in October, 1856. No attempt was made to rebuild, or to revive the school and its charter became extinct in 1858. Subsequently an association of citizens established a private academy in a brick dwelling house. This school was well supported by the principal people of the town, until the organization of the Union Free School, in connection with the public school system, when the academy ceased to exist.
Shortly after 1852 Professor Reynolds, of Wellsborough, Penn- sylvania, a successful teacher in Tioga county, in that state, a man well known and much esteemed for his learning and educational ability, came to Troupsburg, then quite deficient in schools, and Vol. I-22
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after interviewing persons deemed to be interested in the advance- ment in the education of the older children, was encouraged to open a "select" school. He had just received his bachelor's degree from his college. He proposed to teach all of the elementary English branches; also natural philosophy, physiology, chemistry, astronomy, algebra, surveying, grammar and composition. His announcement was received with curiosity, doubts and ridicule, but he procured a vacant room and went to work. About twenty attended the first week, and when the pupils reported at their homes the many new ideas and strange subjects advanced by the teacher and how interest- ing the school was, the attendance increased beyond all expectations. Before the close of the term, he says, two clergymen, one doctor and several wise gossips, whose down-east education had not slipped away from them, took occasion to display their knowledge. The se- lect school prospered, the quarters were too small, more teachers were needed, and some of the leading and liberal-minded suggested to Mr. Reynolds that an academy building was needed and could be built by the contributions of the people who appreciated the value of a good school. By great effort and tireless exertion a very com- fortable and convenient building was erected upon a pleasant emi- nence above and overlooking the village, and was really a monu- ment to the good efforts, taste, culture and sacrifice of the few, as against the opposition and jeers of the majority-but really for their good and the great benefit of their children, who became. its most determined friends. This academy, though not subject to the visitation of the regents of the university of the state, had a most excellent reputation with like institutions of the county. It never had the individual support of the entire community because of local prejudice. It had an average attendance of sixty students-a large number for an institution of its surroundings and isolation. The academy building and its equipment were destroyed by fire in 1894 and the institution was never revived. From the sacrifices made, benefits derived and animosities engendered resulted the most efficient Troupsburg Union Free School, for whose support all property must contribute and all children of school age must attend. How noble the results of the efforts of Professor Reynolds !
In 1868 Hamilton Marlatt and Orin B. Baxter conceived the . idea of building an academy in the village of Woodhull. Mr. Mar- latt donated the lot, one acre of land in the most conspicuous part of the village, and the academy was built in 1868 by public sub- scription at an expense of $4,000. In 1877 the entire property was conveyed to the school district for a Union Free School building, with an academic department. Professor Jeffreys of New Berlin, New York, was the first principal. He was succeeded by Daniel H. Cobb, of Pennsylvania, who remained for eight years, and he was followed by Emmett Maxson, of Alfred University. The school is in a flourishing condition, attended by students of Woodhull and the outlying towns. The attendance is over two hundred.
The inhabitants of Howard have always manifested a commend- able zeal in promoting the cause of education, and in carrying out that desire an academy called the "Howard Atheneum" was built in 1835 on the northerly side of. the highway passing through the village of Howard. Donald Stuart, a Scotch-Irishman of Philadel- phía, was the first master, as the head teacher was then called. He
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came in 1836. Mr. Stuart was an educated man, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. General William Lilly, who knew him well, says he was a martinet and tyrant. His pupils learned rap- idly, but because of his irascible temperament he became involved in a personal altercation with the brother of one of his pupils, which resulted in his leaving the school. He was last heard of in Texas, before the Mexican war. F. W. Olmstead followed as head master, and after him came John Du Park, who was reputed to be well qualified as a teacher. Socially inclined, the tongues of gossip got busy with scandals, in which he was prominently mentioned, result- ing in his leaving Howard. About 1848, after the school had finally suspended, the building was sold, moved to the opposite side of the main street and became part of a hotel. For many years after the belfry used on the Atheneum was prominent on the tavern house, and elicited many questions which the middle-aged inhabitants were unable satisfactorily to answer. Among the attending students of this school the following are named: William Lilley, A. C. Fuller, Ezra Whitwood, Dr. A. J. Ward, of Madison, Wisconsin, Alfred P. Ferris, of Bath, Joseph Smith, of Dansville, both lawyers, Otis A. Bullard, who painted the celebrated panorama of the city of New York, Judge Olmsted, Miss Broughton and Miss Forrester. In later years Howard has maintained an excellent common school with a high school department.
HAMMONDSPORT AND ROGERSVILLE.
In 1858 a large stone building was built for an academy at Hammondsport. It flourished for a time and bid fair to be a suc- cessful rival of the academy at Prattsburg. J. W. McLaury was principal; he held this position for six years; he was a superior teacher, attractive in manner, much respected and confided in by all classes, and left the impress of his influence, education and char- acter upon the people. He emigrated to Des Moines, Iowa, where it is said he met with success in his chosen vocation until his re- tirement.
About the year 1848 William C. Rogers, the prominent country merchant at Rogersville, in the town of Dansville, agitated the idea of providing the youth of that. vicinity with better advantages for obtaining an education than were then afforded by the district schools of that locality and time. In pursuance of his plan he bought a building that had been used by Dr. Hiram Holliday for a store, and moved it onto the lot afterwards known as the academy lot, where it was changed and remodeled into a school building. In the beginning it was a select school, taught first by Rev. J. Strough, followed by Mr. Bennet and Miss Banister as preceptress, or as- sistant, who later became his wife. The school became in a short time so well attended and prosperous that it was found more room was required. It was deemed advisable to build. An academy was duly organized, a board of trustees was elected and the lot and build- ing were transferred to the corporation. Money was raised, a new building planned and its erection commenced. The select schoolhouse was moved to the rear, and afterwards became the boarding house. The new building, a large three-story structure, eighty by forty-two feet, was on an excellent plan. On the front it had two entrances, the north for the male and the south for the female students. This
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plan was followed through the whole building, with two flights of stairs between and two halls on each floor. On the ground or main floor, occupying all the space between the two halls, were the chapel, a large recitation room, the library, the laboratory and the board- ing hall. The second floor was devoted to the reception room, used as a music room, the rooms of the principal and the preceptress, sev- eral recitation rooms, the bell room, and the dormitories-the last large enough and suitable to accommodate scholars wishing to board themselves. The third floor was composed of dormitories, fif- ten by nine feet, suitably furnished. Crowning the whole structure was the belfry and cupola, where hung the bell that called the stud- ents to chapel, recitations and reviews. Many a "heart went pit-a- pat, many a brow went rub-a-dub, many a brain went whirl-i-gig," at the sound of that bell, for fear the lessons were not properly learned, the task prepared, or of the ordeal to be met. Faithful old bell ! where now are thy warning tones? Where are the brave and ambitious young spirits that responded to your summons for the contest ?
The belfry of this building, like all others, was the attractive place of all students desirous of leaving a record of their names and date of their excursions into this forbidden but enchanted tower; the names, dates and signs were a confusing medley, penciled, painted, cut and scrawled in every vacant space. If preserved, what a tickler of the past !
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