USA > New York > Dutchess County > History of education in Dutchess County > Part 3
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the Board of Regents, and intended to combine the functions of that board with those of the State Superintendent of Pub- lic Instruction. Andrew Sloan Draper became the first school commissioner.
With all these early laws and acts for the encourage- ment of free schools in New York State, it is surprising to find that there were no completely free schools until 1867. This is the year the "odious" rate bills were abolished.
The Board of Regents in New York State, as well as many other state officials, from time to time, urged the sup- port of free public schools, for elementary education. How- ever, it was 229 years after the first Dutch schools existed, that it was finally written into the laws of the state. There were many different reasons for this long delay. Social, eco- nomic, and political reasons accounted for some of it, but it was caused, mainly, by minor differences in religious beliefs. Then too, the delay may in part be attributed to the divided changing plans for the supervision of common school dis- tricts.
The defeat of the Referendum of 1851 discouraged many supporters of free schools, but they were still confident that this idea would become a reality. With the creation of the State Department of Public Instruction in 1854, things looked brighter. Superintendent Victor Rice fought a vig- orous campaign to make the schools free, and in 1867 such a law was enacted, an expression of enlightened public opin- ion. This final victory might well have been aided by the 1853 passage of the Union Free School Act. This act could technically be called the birth of the state's system of free, public, high schools. The most decisive act by the people occurred in 1894, when the people of the state "enjoined the legislature to provide for a system of free common schools wherein all the children of this state may be educated."11
New York State, for more than seventy-five years, has been greatly interested in the education of its young people. New York pioneered in training kindergarten teachers, when in 1872, the first such training schools were founded in New York City. In 1893 and 1910, laws were passed providing local boards of education to establish free kindergartens for four and five year old children. The follow-
11 Education in New York State, op. cit., 50
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ing thirty years brought a rapid growth of kindergartens throughout New York State. In 1938 a Regents inquiry recommended state aid for kindergartens and included them as an integral part of elementary education.
The programs of the early common schools in this state were left to chance and to the whims and fancies of the teachers. The greatest part of the schools in the state, attended by over half of the children in the state, were of the one-room variety. Their sessions lasted only about twenty weeks, or just long enough to receive state money. The programs of these schools lacked specific direction, but it is apparent that "readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic" was strongly emphasized. The teaching techniques included drill and the "hickory stick."
The State Department of Public Instruction became concerned over the fact that the common school program was left entirely to the discretion of the boards of education, trustees and teachers.
While the compulsory education law of 1874 stated that those who cared for children should cause them to be instructed in spelling, reading, writing, English grammar and arithmetic, nowhere in the law was there a specific di- rective that schools must teach these subjects.12
At the request of the State Superintendent of Public In- struction, a revised, compulsory, education statute was added by the legislature requiring all children to attend schools in which at least the common school branches of reading, spell- ing, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and geography were taught.
Following the enactment of the education laws of 1894, the Department began to revise the first State Course of Study.
The brief outlines prepared by the school commission- ers were now expanded to thirty-eight pages and a teachers' manual was included. This new course covered work for grades one through nine, and the "General Lessons" includ- ed simple elements of vocal music. nature study and liter- ature, as well as drawing and the basic skills.13
Later this course of study was again revised following the creation of the new State Education Department.
Issued in 1905 and entitled "Course of Study and Syllabus for Elementary Schools," this program set forth syllabuses for English and reading, literature, grammar,
12 Ibid, 53
13 Ibid, 53.
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spelling, and writing; arithmetic; geography; American history; drawing and manual training; physiology; nature study and agriculture.11
In 1928 the Division of Child Development and Parent Education was established in the State Education Depart- ment for the purpose of helping to bring the state's program into line with the latest and best information on child growth and learning. The State Education Department, in 1933 issued the Prospectus for Rural Teachers Handbook. This reflected the changes in thinking that had resulted from the influence of the Child Development Movement and other forces working for improved elementary educational programs.
This bulletin suggested that the traditional subject matter curriculum, which had been the state program from 1890 on, be developed in five broad areas. These were (1) the Language Arts, (2) the Social Studies, (3) The Arts, (4) Science and (5) Mathematics. 15
The Division of Elementary Education was created in 1938. These different bureaus, all working together, have been responsible for many changes in curriculum that have been effected in recent years.
Elementary education in the past half century has shown great progress, but there are still many problems that must be met if progress is to continue. The most outstanding of these is the problem of overcrowding. It is difficult, if not impossible, to run a truly modern program in a school where class size is away above what it should be, or where limited sessions or half-day sessions allow the teacher little time for proper teaching of anything but the basic skills. There is also the problem of getting enough qualified teachers, as each year several of the older teachers are retiring, and many of the students who are graduating from teachers' colleges to- day are taking employment in higher salaried non-teaching positions. The problem of overcrowding in many parts of the country is being met. New and improved schools are constantly being constructed due to the demand of a growing population.
Briefly, the history of secondary education in New York State falls into periods which contained three different types of schools: the Latin grammar school of the Dutch and English colonial periods; the academy, with its emphasis
14 Ibid, 53.
15 Ibid, 54.
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on classical education; and finally, the public high school. Our present system of public high schools can be traced to the old system of academies, which began before the end of the eighteenth century, and continued through most of the nineteenth century. "From the incorporation of Erasmus Hall Academy by the Regents in 1787 down to the 1880's, some four hundred different academies were recognized by the Regents and by the Legislature."16 These academies were not only the main source of a general education, but were also a training ground for college, and, for a considerable period, were the main source centers of teachers for the common schools.
These academies were fundamentally private in na- ture, but were subject to inspection and approval by the Re- gents. Although the programs of these academies were broadened as time went on, two departments generally pre- vailed, Classical and English. The Latin or Classical de- partment emphasized Latin, Greek, geography and history, with science and mathematics being added later. The main purpose of this department, aside from cultural values, was to train young men for college. The English department emphasized English, French, reading, writing, arithmetic, bookkeeping, and elocution, and was primarily designed for students not wanting to go to college.
From 1787 to 1817, the growth in number of acad- emies was slow. By the end of 1817 there were only forty scattered throughout the state. As the demands for second- ary education grew, so did the number of academies. With increased interest in education beyond the common school, several attempts were made to extend the common school program upward. Finally, in 1853, the Legislature author- ized the union free school districts to add what were known as academical departments.17
In 1867 instruction in the academic departments of union free schools was made tuition-free. As the public high schools increased in number, there was a similar de- cline in the number of academies. Actually, many of the old academies became public high schools. In a period of about ten years, the public high schools outgrew the acade-
16 Ibid, 56.
17 Ibid, 58.
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RULES
OY THE
WALLKILL ACADEMY
I. No immoral or unseemly conduct can be tolerated.
II. The Teachers must be treated with respect, and all their just and reasonable orders promptly obeyed.
III. The Pupils must behave towards each other in a becoming and scholar-like manner.
IV. They must perform all the prescribed exer- cises with care and due despatch.
V. They must attend assiduously to the pro: ceedings during recitation.
VI. When they are not engaged in reciting, they must study attentively and without intermission.
VII. They must be clean in their person, attend punctually and go directly to their seats on com- ing'in.
VIII. They must sit in a proper posture, abstain from all noise and unnecessary movements, and never leave their seats without permission, to be obtained by holding up the right hand.
IX. They cannot go out during recitation, ex- cept in cases of peculiar urgency.
X. They must carefully abstain from injuring or disfiguring any property connected with the li- stitution.
...... ....
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mies, both in number of institutions and in number of pupils enrolled.
In the beginning, the public high school lacked the prestige of the academy. The college preparatory type of program was emphasized. When public high schools were accepted, they tended to become more independent of the colleges, and offered a more liberal education. In this way, they met the needs of those planning to go to college, as well as those persons whose formal education would end at high school.
Enrollments in public high schools increased steadily until World War I. "The data concerning the education of our youth in service during that critical war period empha- sized the need for the improved education of all."18 Between 1915 and 1925, New York State's high school population doubled, with more and more students remaining in school until graduation. In 1925 approximately 25% remained un- til they graduated four years later, while in 1950, more than 50% of those who entered high school remained to graduate. 19
During this period, many significant changes took place in secondary school philosophy and practice. The State Vocational Law was passed in 1918, and the Federal Smith-Hughes Act was passed in 1917,20 which made voca- tional education an integral part of a broad secondary school program. Offerings such as practical arts, trade and tech- nical courses, music, additional modern languages, etc., all based on the needs of boys and girls in high school and the needs of modern society, have been included in the high school program in the past thirty years. This enriched, sec- ondary program has been extended downward to include the seventh and eighth grades of the traditional eight-year ele- mentary school. This downward movement to the seventh and eighth grades is now called the Junior High School. Al- though this movement was comparatively new only thirty years ago, junior high school programs now constitute the prevailing type of program for the majority of pupils in
18 Ibid, 58.
19 This is based on figures in Education in New York State, 58.
20 Smith-Hughes Act - 1917 - A Federal Act permitting Congress to appropriate money annually to send to the states, to be used to teach one or more of the following in high school: Agriculture, Home Eco- nomics, and Industrial Arts.
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grades seven, eight, and nine throughout most of New York State.
The amended central school law was passed in 1924, and started a new era in rural education. The groundwork was laid for the organization of school districts, so that every child might live in a school district which provided broad op- portunities in high school education as well as in the three R's.
Since 1924, the Central School District has had power- ['ul influence on attitudes toward education in rural areas. From the beginning, central school districts have been com- munity school districts based on a geographical area within which people associate for common undertakings.
Opportunities for youth in the secondary program of the central school have been more comprehensive than those furnished by the union free school, which they replaced. "The virtue of wider participation of people in the formulation of po.icy and the expansion of the tax base to support the cen- trai school program cannot be denied."21 The central school law provided the opportunity for small neighboring high :chools to join together to provide "a high school program better than an individual district could provide."2" Many of New York State's central school districts have been or- ganized in areas where two or more high schools previously operated.
No history of secondary education in New York State would be complete without reference to Regents examina- tions. This unique system of examinations in New York State was started in 1878. These examinations have influ- ensed the character of the educational program and have raised the standards of instruction.""
As the functions of the high school have broadened in scope, and as the curriculum has become more liberalized and better adapted to the needs of present-day youth and society, the examinations likewise have been broadened in secpe and constitute an integral part of New York State's program of secondary education."!
Fifty years have brought about a new philosophy and new objectives in New York's secondary education. At the turn of the century, college training was all important. As
21 Education in New York State, op. cit., 59
:" lbid, 59.
23 Ibid. 60.
24 Ibid, 60.
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high schools became more popular, and more students were remaining in school for longer periods of time, the scope of the high school program was not only college preparation, "but preparation for life after leaving school in terms of vo- cational, avocational and cultural training with emphasis on alert and competent citizenship."25
A TYPICAL SCHOOLHOUSE OF THE 1700's
25 Ibid, 59.
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CHAPTER THREE
EDUCATION IN DUTCHESS COUNTY : 1716-1843
Having covered briefly the history of educational de- velopment in America and New York State as a whole, we now come to its specific development in Dutchess County. A short background of the county's history and location is, perhaps, in order before we take up the story of its educa- tional development.
Dutchess County is situated in the southeastern por- tion of New York State along the banks of the Hudson River. November 1, 1683, the Province of New York was divided into twelve counties, of which Dutchess was one. Its boundaries were "from the bounds of the County of West- chester on the south side of the Highlands, along the east side as far as Roeliff's Jansen's Kill and east into the woods twenty miles."1 These twelve original counties were created by the English shortly after they took control of New Neth- erlands.
Present day Dutchess County contains some 816 square miles," and is bounded on the South by Putnam County and on the North by Columbia County. Before reaching its pres- ent state, however, the county went through many changes.
Probably the first white man to see Dutchess was Henry Hudson as he passed by in the Half Moon in 1609. In this period the land was inhabited by Indians, some of whom were not overly friendly.
During the period New Netherlands was being de- veloped on Manhattan Island, Dutchess was just land to the North, unexplored and untouched by the Dutch. As a mat- ter of fact, during the entire Dutch period, Dutchess re- mained Indian, under the domain of two tribes : the Wappin- gers in the South and West, and the Mahikans in the North and East.
Doubtless the Dutch fished its shores while the Indians
1 Isaac Huntting, History of Little Nine Partners, 1897, Vol. 1, 3.
2 The World Almanac, New York World Telegram and Sun, 1956, 292.
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and an occasional white trapper entered its upland for furs. But in the half-century there is no record of Dutch residents, or even of Dutch travel through its trails."
It is believed that even as late as 1683, when the county was formed, the territory contained no white settlers, with the possible exception of some adventurous traders. How- ever, soon after 1683, "land grabbing" was inaugurated, and the lands of Dutchess County were speedily taken by men of influence or capital.+ Robert Livingston took the initial step in his manor of Livingston, which was followed in Dutchess County by eight other patents such as Rombout, Schuyler, and others. These patents were granted under the Colonial Governors.
Among the first settlers to come and work on these patents were "refugees,"5 who migrated into Dutchess from New Netherlands ; other settlers included the French Hugue- nots and Walloons, the Scots and Irish as well as French from Canada. There were also some Scandinavians, Portu- guese, and English. The English came mostly from New England, first settling on Long Island, and then moving to Westchester and gradually working their way into Dutch- ess. These English were mostly Quakers and Baptists.
Most of the River counties were settled before Dutch- ess. Ulster was the first between New York and Albany, and, at the time Westchester, Orange and Ulster were settled, no white settler lived in Dutchess. On October 18, 1701, Dutch- ess County was provisionally annexed to Ulster County. The only known inhabitants at that time were some settlers in the territory now called Putnam County." Dutchess was first represented separately in a general assembly in 1713.7 In 1717, Livingston Manor was taken off and annexed to Albany County, and Putnam was taken off in 1812.8 In the early 1700's after Dutchess was annexed to Ulster, a delega- tion of at least ten or more persons was sent from Ulster to view the land of Dutchess. On their return they reported the land worthless, and not fit for habitation by man."
Henry Noble MacCracken, Old Dutchess Forever, 1956, 5.
4 Isaac Huntting, op. cit., 3.
5 Refugees meaning persons who desired to get away from British control on Manhattan Island.
6 Huntting, I, op. cit., 4.
7 Henry D. B. Bailey, Local Tales and Historical Sketches, 1874, 293.
Ibid, 293.
9 Henry Noble MacCracken, op. cit., 14.
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Some of the first permanent settlers in Dutchess came from the New York area, which they left because of political reorganization in many towns on Long Island and in West- chester County by the British.
Most of them settled in central Dutchess and became the leaders of its levellers and rebels, and its Revolutionary officers. The family leaders transmitted to their children a love of liberty that could not be extinguished.10
It was not until 1694 that Dutchess was really explored. This was done by a Boston parson, Reverend Benjamin Wads- worth, while on a mission to Albany to conclude a treaty with the Iroquois. Reverend Wadsworth and his party first saw Dutchess "somewhere below Ancram."
On our left a hideous high mountain; it had but little wood. It seemed to be a continued rock. Passing by a long pond (Indian Lake?), they came to Ten Mile River, which was not deep, but had a very strong bottom.11
Reverend Wadsworth also encountered many marshy places, which bogged his horse and made travel slow and perilous. He described his trip through Dutchess as "very woody, rocky, mountainous, swampy, and extreme bad rid- ing."12 It was these reasons that had kept the Dutch from exploring the land for eighty years.
There seems to have been some confusion over the correct spelling of the name of the county. Should there be a "T" or not? Actually the county was named after the Duch- ess of York, but because of its association with the Dutch, a "T" was included. However, to further complicate the mat- ter, "Samuel Johnson in his Dictionary defined DUTCHESS as 'the lady of a duke,' and DUTCHY as 'the domain of a duke.' "13 In the beginning of the nineteenth century both spellings were allowed for a short time, then the present spelling was accepted.
The first communities in the county were the towns of Rhynbeck and Fish-Kill, and the entire population was ex- ceedingly small. The county was primarily an agricultural region until the turn of the twentieth century. Since 1900, it has gradually become industrial. At present only about one-tenth of the population is engaged in farming.14
10 Ibid, 14.
11 Ibid, 14.
12 Ibid, 22.
13 Ibid, 25.
14 World Almanac, op. cit., 222, indicates the population of Dutchess County, 1950 census at 136,781.
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Dutchess County's population has increased consider- ably in the past fifteen years with the development and ex- pansion of the International Business Machines plant and other industrial firms. Today many of the old farm lands are now housing developments, and the county in general is much different from the "marshy land," "not fit for habita- tion of man" that it was in the 1700's. As the county grew so did the educational system which today is much different from the 1700's as will be noted in the following pages.
In the early 1700's Dutchess County was sparsely set- tled, and by 1714 the total population numbered only 445.15 Obviously there were no large communities; just trading posts along the dirt trails that cut through the woods. To a hill near one of these trails in the northwestern part of Dutchess, came thirty families from West Bank (near Ger- mantown) in 1716. The new settlers all spoke the German language fluently. They cleared the land near the hill and built crudely constructed log houses. Higher on the hill, they erected another structure, the church, which was their center of civic and community life.
Occasionally one would see an Indian in the woods, probably trying to decide whether or not to be friendly with the new settlers. These newcomers were German, and their church was called St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Some were Calvinists, some Lutheran, but they were all united by a common language. They were all interested in educating their children and in teaching them the German language, which they continued to do for the next hundred years.
A short time after the church was built, Kings High- way was put through from New York to Albany. At a much later date, another road was constructed to intersect Kings Highway about one quarter of a mile below the church. To- day this area is the Route 9-9G intersection near Red Hook, and the church stood approximately where the cemetery now stands on Route 9.
It is believed that this log church also served as the school. If that is true, then this is the earliest recorded school in Dutchess County. "This area is sometimes called
15 Henry D. B. Bailey, op. cit., 297
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Wey's Crossing, and used to be known as Pinks Corners and later as Monterey."16
There are differences of opinion concerning the first schools and churches in Dutchess County. However, one thing seems to be certain, and that is, that education began in Dutchess County in the Rhinebeck-Red Hook area.17
Since the first schools revolved around the church, early church groups should be commented upon. The first preaching in Dutchess County was probably by Reformed Dutch Missionaries, unless it was, as some historians assert, by the Missionaries of the Moravian Church to the Indians of Pine Plains, or Chicomico, as it was called. Reports in- dicate that Dutch preachers were in Dutchess County in the mid 1600's. In 1645 Domani Backerus of New York is supposed to have visited the "settlements" of Dutchess Coun- ty. However reports indicate there were no settlers here, let alone a settlement. 18
The Reformed Dutch Church of Dutchess County was formed in Poughkeepsie in 1716 by Reverend Peter Vas of Kingston, who, in the same year, organized the Reformed Dutch Church of Fishkill. "Probably they were the first churches organized in Dutchess County."19 This leads to confusion for it makes no allowance for the church in Rhine- beck.20
The first towns to be settled in the county were Fish- kill and Rhinebeck, probably because of the development of
16 Dutchess County Yearbook, Dutchess County Historical Society, Vol. 40, 1955, 33.
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