USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 44
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The "Franklin Library" of Stow's Square, was formed March 28, 1816, with Moses Waters, Constant Bosworth, Be- riah Nickelson, Charles Sigourney and Allen Briggs, trustees. The first num- ber of associates was thirty-three, and they began with over $100 subscriptions. After many years this library was, it is believed, divided among its shareholders.
The Academy Library has since about 1856, received annually all the public documents published by Congress, hav- ing been placed upon the list for distribu- tion by the Hon. Preston King. After
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
the death of Mr. Bostwick, his library, numbering about five hundred volumes, was transferred to the academy in ac- cordance with his will. The Mystic So- ciety in the academy has a small and well selected library separate from that belonging to the institution.
The "Lowville Circulating Library " was organized under the general act May 12, 1875, having De Witt C. West, Amos V. Smiley, George W. Fowler, V. Lan- sing Waters, Francis K. Leonard and H. Prescott Chambers, as first trustees. The person who had previously been most active in this measure, was Mrs. Francis K. Leonard, through whose zealous efforts funds were raised, and books were procured. About 900 vol- umes belonging to this Association were transferred to the care of the Y. M. C. A. in the fall of 1881.
The Young Men's Christian Associa- tion was organized in May, 1880. The first officers of the Association were as follows: President, Franklin H. Hough; Vice-President, Henry C. Beebe ; Secre- tary, George H. Richter; Treasurer, J. Carroll House. This Association has since maintained a room for meetings, and a course of lectures in the winter months. It has charge of the library above mentioned, and has a free reading room in connection.
LOWVILLE ACADEMY.
EMY We have al- ACA ready noticed the efforts made LLE VERITAS in the summer of MOT Seal. 1805, by the citi- zens of Lowville to secure the county seat. A subscrip- tion was drawn up for a building that might serve as a meeting house or any other public purpose, as also for an academy, and though not expressed, there is not much doubt but that it was designed to offer it for a court house.
It will be of interest to our readers to read the heading of the subscription list upon which the first academy was un- dertaken, which was as follows :-
SUBSCRIPTION FOR FIRST ACADEMY.
"Whereas, It is contemplated to build a house and set it on the spot where T. Smith's house now stands which may serve for a meeting house for religious worship, or any other public meeting, as also for an academy,-the house to be 38 feet wide and 52 feet long, to be built the ensuing summer, the expense of which is estimated at $2,000.
"Now, we, the subscribers do cove- nant and promise, that considering the whole expense of said house as divided into eighty shares or parts, we will pay in proportion to the shares set against our respective names to the persons who shall have the care of erecting the said building, who shall be the five persons who subscribe the greatest number of shares and they shall be and are hereby fully authorized to contract for and erect said house upon the faith of our subscription. And it shall be the duty of the five persons as before named, to take of the said subscribers such articles as in their judgment are wanted for such house at their fair cash value, and in case such subscriber or subscribers do not furnish such articles, or there is a disagreement in the price thereof, then it shall be the duty of the said five per- sons to wait on the subscribers who shall either pay the amount of their sub- scriptions in cash (or in wheat or oats at their current cash price to be delivered at the store of Mr. Leonard, Eager or Card, within three months after so called upon,) and the said five persons are hereby fully authorized to sue for and collect said sums as aforesaid and to apply the avails of the same to the ob- ject of this subscription. The said five persons to charge nothing for their time or trouble and to account to the sub- scribers for the expenditure of the money raised hereby at the end of one year.
The first shareholders were Nicholas Low, 10 shares; Silas Stow, 6; Jonathan Rogers and Daniel Kelley, each 4; James
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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
H. and Stephen Leonard, Daniel Gould, Asa Newton, Ira Stephens, David Cof- feen, Luke Winchell, Rufus Stephens, William Card, Jr., Garret Boshart, each 2; and Ezekiel Thrall, Gad Lane, Fortu- natus Bassett, Fortunatus Eager, Daniel Williams, Jonathan Bush, David Cobb, John Spafford, Isaac Perry, Christopher P. Bennett, Thaddeus Smith, Ebenezer Hill, Elijah Woolworth, Morris S. Miller, Joseph Newton, Billa Davenport, Abner Rice, Ziba Cowen, Calvin Merrill, John Shull, Samuel Van Atta, Jacob Boshart, Adam F. Snell, Charles Davenport and Elisha Stephens, each I share. These were soon increased by Isaac W. Bost- wick, Wellman & Foot, Asa Brayton, John Smith, Benjamin Hillman, Jona- than Ball, Reuben Chase, Charles New- comb, Robert Nickels, Ozem Bush, Galen Richmond, Joel Mix, Francis Murphy and David Hillman.
One term of the court of Oyer and Terminer was held at this place, before the completion of the public buildings at Martinsburgh, at which Judge Am- brose Spencer of the Supreme Court presided. The decision of the non- resident commission for locating the county seat was, however, sustained, or rather, the attempts made to re- verse it were defeated, and the people of Lowville wisely determined to devote the premises to academic uses. The ed- ifice was of wood, thirty-eight by fifty- two feet, two stories high, and stood on the site of the present stone church in Lowville village, at the head of its prin- cipal street. It will be seen that the proposed cost was $2,000, in shares of $25, and that the five persons highest on the list were to form a building commit- tee. Subscriptions in produce or other articles than cash were to be used or sold to the best advantage, and the com- mittee were to report to the subscribers at the end of one year. The site was given by Silas Stow, January 9, 1807,
and the building when finished was used many years for public worship. A char- ter was applied for March 4, 1808, and granted by the Regents of the Univer- sity March 21, 1808, in the words fol- lowing :-
CHARTER OF LOWVILLE ACADEMY.
" The Regents of the University of the State of New York :
"To all to whom these presents shall or may come, greeting :
"Whereas, Nicholas Low, by his attor- ney, Isaac W. Bostwick, Silas Stow, by his attorney, Isaac W. Bostwick, Dan- iel Kelley, James H., and Stephen Leon- ard, Isaac W. Bostwick, Christopher P. Bennett, David Cobb, Manly Wellman, Jonathan Rogers, Joseph A. Northrup, Elijah Buck, Anson Foot, William Wallis, James Cadwell, Zebina Lane, William Card, Jr., Jonathan Bush, Robert Mc- Dowell, Asa Newton, Isaac Clinton, Thaddeus Smith, Paul Abbott, Hosea Lane and Rufus Stephens, by an instru- ment under their hands in writing and seals bearing date the fourth day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, after stating that they had contributed more than one- half in value of the real and personal property and estate, collected and ap- propriated for the use and benefit of the academy erected at the town of Low- ville, in the county of Lewis, did make application to us the said Regents, that the said academy might be incorporated and become subject to the visitation of us and our successors, and that Jona- than Rogers, Daniel Kelley, James H. Leonard, Isaac W. Bostwick, William Card, Jr., Benjamin Hillman, John Duffy, Jonathan Collins, James Murdock, Lew- is Graves, Moss Kent, Lemuel Dickin- son and Manly Wellman, might be trus- tees of the said academy by the name of Lowville Academy. Know ye, that we the said Regents, having inquired into the allegations contained in the instru- ment aforesaid, and found the same to be true, and that a proper building for said academy hath been erected, and finished and paid for, and that funds have been obtained and well secured producing an annual net income of at
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
least one hundred dollars, and conceiv- ing the said academy calculated for the promotion of literature. Do by these presents, pursuant to the statutes in such cases made and provided, signify our approbation of the incorporation of the said Jonathan Rogers, Daniel Kelley, James H. Leonard, Isaac W. Bostwick, William Card, Jr., Benjamin Hillman, John Duffy, Jonathan Collins, James Murdock, Lewis Graves, Moss Kent, Lemuel Dickinson and Manly Wellman, by the name of The Trustees of Low- ville Academy, being the name men- tioned in and by said request in writing on condition that the principal or estate producing the said income shall never be diminished or otherwise appropriated, and that the said income shall be ap- plied only to the maintenance or salaries of the professors or tutors of the acade- my.
[L. S.]
In testimony whereof we caused our common seal to be hereunto affixed, the twen- ty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord one thous- and eight hundred and eight. DANIEL D. TOMPKINS, Chancellor.
By command of the Chancellor,
FR. BLOODGOOD, Secretary."*
In 1807, the Rev. Isaac Clinton was induced to remove from Southwick, Massachusetts, and began a classical school in the academic building before the charter was procured. He was em- ployed as the first principal, and (with the exception of one year, beginning in November, 1813), continued in this of- fice till 1817, at the same time serving as pastor of the Presbyterian church.
It will be remembered that this was the first, and for quite a number of years, the only academy in Northern New York. There was nothing south- ward until coming to Fairfield or Clin- ton, and to the north ward nothing what- ever until we came to Montreal. In the
early years of the academy, young men came from a great distance to enjoy its advantages, and were anxious to get the worth of their money. Some were seek- ing to qualify for the learned profes- sions, and not a few earned by their own efforts the means to sustain themselves while in attendance.
It may be of interest to present the names of those forming the classes of the first year, which for convenience we arrange alphabetically by sexes :-
Males. Females.
Babbett, Roswell.
Bent, Eliza.
Burk, John.
Coffeen, Lucy.
Church, Elisur. Coffeen, Olive.
Eames, Kittridge.
Doty, Diana.
Farris, John.
Glasgow, Maria.
Forward, Hervey.
Hooker, Abigal.
Henry, Harvey.
Johnson, Aurelia.
Lane, Betsey.
Kelley, Thomas M.
Murdock, Harriet.
Kent, George.
Murphy, Catharine.
Livingston, John.
Murphy, Peggy.
Murphy, John.
Murphy, Sally.
Perkins, John.
Pearce, Athalina.
Sherman, Horatio.
Rodgers, Jemima.
Sweet, Charles.
Root, Sophia.
Tuttle, Dennis.
Spafford, Sophronia.
White, John.
Stevens, Julia.
Stevens, Pamelia.
Four of these first students, Mr. John- son, of Depauville, Kittridge Eames, of Rutland, Harvey Henry, of Lowville, and Horace Henry, of Carthage, attend- ed the semi-centennial celebration of the academy in 1858.
Mr. Clinton's first engagement was for two years, at $200 a year. The institu- tion started off under the trustees, with the most encouraging prospects, and we notice in their records of 1809, that a resolution was passed that two of their number should in rotation visit the academy every week, under a penalty of one dollar for each neglect. Had this rule been maintained till the present day, there can be no doubt but that there would be a considerable larger sum on the account of forfeit-moneys. They on
* Recorded in the office of Secretary of State, Deed 37, p I.
Henry, Horace.
Johnson, Stephen.
Livingston, Harriet.
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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
many occasions appointed committees to confer with the principal upon the welfare and progress of the institution, and the records all along through the early years show the anxiety with which they watched the growth of the germ that they had planted, in order that it might become a tree of knowledge in their midst, beautiful in its proportions, refreshing in its shade, and grateful in its fruits.
In order to give the institution a dis- tinct character as a place for instruction in the higher branches of learning, they began at first to require a preliminary examination, and admitted none but those who could read, spell and write, and in the fall of the first year they opened a preparatory school, which was continued till 1812. It has since been done, but not continuously for many years together. The first primary school was taught by Amos T. Loomis.
The growing pastoral duties of Mr. Clinton at length made it necessary for him to resign. In fact, his services were not continuous, from the beginning till their end, as they were interrupted in 1813-'14, by the employment of Russell Parrish as principal about one year.
Upon the final resignation of Mr. Clinton, Stephen W. Taylor, then freshly graduated from Hamilton College, was brought to the notice of the trustees, probably through the agency of John W. Martin, of Martinsburgh, who had been his college associates ..
Mr. Taylor was then twenty-seven years of age, and of the Baptist denomi- nation. We are not aware that he had taught elsewhere before coming to Low- ville, but he evinced marked ability in this position, and his services did much to increase the prosperity of the institu- tion. His first engagement for one year having expired, he was engaged April 3, 1818, for the period of six years.
These early years of service were ren-
dered by Mr. Taylor in the first wooden academy at the north end of State street. But beside its use as a church it was found too small for an increasing school, and although a two-story building, its galleries were all that the upper story afforded in the way of accommodations. Under Mr. Taylor's advice, several rooms were divided off in the upper story, and arrangements were made for making a better use of the main story.
Whether from the experience of his first years at Lowville, or from other sources, it may not now be known, but Mr. Taylor had devised a system of edu- cation, which did not work well in prac- tice, and under which, when applied to this academy, the institution dwindled down, and threatened, if continued, to run out altogether. This plan can best be learned from his own hand, as submitted to the trustees March 24, 1824, and which they adopted under his ad- vice. The members of the Board at- tending and adopting this project were Isaac W. Bostwick, Joseph A. Northrup, Paul Abbott, Sylvester Miller, Charles Dayan, James H. Leonard and Russell Parrish.
"Proposal from S. W. Taylor .- That the by-laws be so framed as to make the principal in authority with his pupils the same as he ought to be in affection to them as a father to his children. That the Trustees appoint a committee to se- lect books.
"To be but one vacation in a year. That the trustees purchase a suitable lot and erect two buildings, viz : an academy and a boarding house. That the acade- my be large enough for 100 students, and that it be built on a new plan, which is supposed to retain every important modification of the best plans hitherto in use to involve no considerable incon- venience in its peculiarities and to com- prehend moreover all the appropriate advantages produced by so locating the students during the hours of study, that though secluded from each other they are placed under the immediate inspec-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
tion of the instructor. The boarding house, likewise, should be large enough to accommodate 80 boarders; there should be a separate table for every six or eight boarders, and the dining-room should be made similar to that in which the students are located to study ; that. those seated at one table be so situated as not to see those at another, and still that they may be as easily served as if they were all sitting at the same table. There should also be a bed-room for each boarder, the parents or guardians of the children to supply them with beds and bedding ; all boys not over the age of fifteen at the time of entering the school inust board at this public boarding house so long as they attend the school; also all the young ladies, excepting, however those boys and young ladies who can board with their parents or guardians by whom they are supported. Said buildings to be finished by the ist of September, 1825, they must cost about $6,500, the academy being of brick, the boarding house of wood. That the principal have the superintendence of these two buildings; that he regulate the boarding house as his own and that he be authorized to charge each student $5 per quarter for tuition, 75 cents for room rent in the academy and that the principal receive for his salary the amount of said bills for tuition and room rent, together with the money which may be drawn annually from the Regents. That whenever any student is known to have injured any property belonging to the corporation he shall be at the ex- pense of repairing the damage which he may have occasioned, but if either of the academic buildings be damaged by the students and it be not known who in particular was the author, the expense of repairing such damage be sustained by an equal tax upon each student oc- cupying the building injured. That the principal on his part hire and pay the assistant teachers, collect the bills of tuition, room rent and contingencies at his own expense; that he also be at the expense of warming and lighting the room in which the students are located for study ; that he superintend the re- pairing of damages done by students, and that he with the aid of the trustees, cause all necessary repairs to be made
except of those considerable losses oc- casioned by fire and such other causes as he cannot be reasonably expected to control. There should be a committee from the board of trustees annually to inspect the academic buildings.
" It can be hardly necessary to give the reasons in detail for each requisition mentioned. It is easy to perceive the general results. The students from their locations and circumstances must be sub- ject to put restraint and be most likely to form good habits of study, manners and morals.
" A school of this kind would have a definite and strongly marked character ; consequently those who might wish to place their children at the institution could know what to expect, they could know to whom they must look for what they desire should be done for their children, and if not done they could know who to blame.
" The trustees not being threatened with a burden of debts imposed upon them by the mismanagement of the prin- cipal and not being perplexed with the minor concerns of the school, might be left more free to exert themselves in promoting its general welfare.
" The principal should be impelled to the discharge of his duties, both by every moral motive which can operate upon the mind of a man placed in one of the most responsible of stations and by ne- cessity too.
" Knowing that if he was not faithful to the public he must literally starve, yet by means of the unity of the plan, the harmony and energy of action to be expected from assistants chosen and re- movable by himself and especially by means of the counsel and influence of the trustees and his own constant and ut- most exertions, he might hope to gain for himself competent support and satis- fy the expectations of friends and bene- factors.
" On such conditions gentlemen, if it please God, I would most cheerfully teach in your academy for any term not exceeding twenty years, provided you assure me within six months, that you will give me employment.
Very respectfully yours,
STEPHEN. W. TAYLOR. "Lowville, 17 Nov., 1823."
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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
The foregoing was accepted, and Mr. Taylor continued as principal of the institution on the terms above stated for the term of twenty years, to commence immediately after the expiration of this present engagement with the Board.
A vote of thanks was passed to Perley Keyes, Richard Goodell, and Caleb Lyon, for the support of the application to the Legislature.
A short time after the above plan was proposed, a contract was made with Mr. Taylor to conduct the school for twenty years; a plan was drawn by Philip Hook- er, of Albany, under the eye of the prin- cipal, and was approved late in 1824. The arrangement as applied to academic buildings, was patented by S. W. Tay- lor and John W. Martin, of Martins- burgh, April 16, 1825, and consisted in placing the pupils in small separate cells open on one side, so that every one, both on the main floor and in the gallery, was under the eye of the teacher at his stand, while no one could see any other of the students. The building was erected on a site of four acres purchased from Ela Collins, paid for by Mr. Low and given for academic purposes to the trustees, but in doing this, he reserved a right of possession, by taking a mortgage with- out interest so long as the institution remained devoted to its original object.
This " patent-right academy " was a twelve-sided brick edifice-what in science would be called a "dodecahedral prism "-two stories high, above a high stone basement, and was surmounted by an attic story of wood and tin-covered dome, from the center of which arose a cupola for the bell. There was a win- dow on each side, in each story, except at the front doorway. Around the attic was a promenade, whose deck floor formed the roof of the outer portion of the main building. An immense twelve- sided column of timber in the center sup- ported the attic and roof. The building
was 70 feet in diameter between its par- allel walls, and cost $8,200. The build- ing contract was awarded December 13, 1824 to Russell Hills, Oliver Bingham, and Luke Wilder. The basement was 8 feet high, and the main story 10 feet un- der the galleries, and 13 feet above them. The attic was 10 feet high, and was used as the ladies department. It was dedi- cated January 12, 1826, and it is recorded that Palmer Townsend acted as Marshal of the day, and that the exercises con- sisted of singing, under the direction of Rufus W. Chambers, prayers by the Rev. Isaac Clinton, and the Rev. Mr. Sowden, an address by Ela Collins, on behalf of the trustees, and another ad- dress by Stephen W. Taylor. It was opened for students, on the second Tues- day of January, 1826. Board was fixed at a dollar a week, and tuition, room rent, fuel and candles, at five dollars and seventy-five cents per quarter.
The new academic building proved a failure from the beginning. It was found that every noise in the main room was repeated in unpleasant echoes from the walls. The lower cells were in win- ter too cold, and those in the galleries were too warm. The furnaces in the basement were ill constructed, and in- sufficient. But most of all it was soon found that students of advanced age would not subject themselves to the espionage to which they were exposed- and finally the foundations of the build- ing proved defective, and the walls soon required support by the bracing of strong timbers from without. It became un- safe, and in 1836, it became necessary to take it down. But long ere this, Mr. Taylor had become sensitive upon the failure of his plan and resigned. Two or three of his successors tried to occupy the premises, but without satisfaction to themselves, or profit to their students.
It has been said that the plan resembled that of some convict prison in Europe,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
although the patentees may not have been aware of the fact at the time they secured their patent and while it might have done for a prison was wholly out of place in an academy. So far as isolation and espionage were concerned, this plan was put in practice, in the school room. It was intended to apply to the dining tables, which were to be put under strict observation from a central point, but this feature was not we believe, put in practice at this academy.
The lesson of experience learned from this failure, may be stated as follows :-
" That incessant vigilance, however proper in Prison Discipline, is not well adapted to Academic Instruction."
It might make boys of men, but never would make men of boys.
The ground plan of the main story, and of the attic, are shown in the follow- ing engraving :-
bb. Stairs to this stand and stage.
c. Stairs from the stand to the recita- tion room.
d. Recitation room sixteen feet square, with an entrance from each hall.
ee. Rooms opening into the halls. That on the right was used as a library, and the one on the left as the recitation room of an assistant teacher.
f. g. g. Halls.
h. h. Stairs to the gallery.
i. i. Depressed aisles, in front of the student's boxes. Around the margin of . this aisle were six twelve-sided pillars supporting the gallery, which extended thus far into the room.
j. j. j. Circular seats for recitation of large classes. Each cell was furnished with a desk and chair.
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