USA > New York > New York City > History of the school of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church, in the city of New York, from 1633 to the present time > Part 4
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This correspondence establishes Evert Pietersen as the sixth schoolmaster of the Reformed Dutch Church school.
1660-1661. - Governor Stuyvesant's mansion į was erected on a large " bouwery" which the Director-General purchased in or previous to the year 1649. Settlers gradu- ally located in this vicinity, and the plantation, or the " bouwery," became a sort of "stopping-place and the plea- sure-ground of the Manhattans." In the year 1660, arrange- ments were made for conducting divine service here, under
* Doc. Hist. N. Y. iii. 58. + Alb. Rec. iv. 373.
# This building stood east of the Third Avenue, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. The exact situation of Stuyvesant's estate may be found on a map obtained from Cornelius De Witt, Esq., Val. Man. Com. Coun., 1852, 462. The "old pear tree," still standing at the junction of Thirteenth street. and the Third Avenue, was near the Governor's dwelling.
46
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
the following circumstances : Dominie Selyns was this year installed as the first clergyman of the church in Brooklyn, which consisted of 24 members; the population of the vil- lage being 134 persons. The bounds of the Dominie's charge included " the Ferry, the Waal-bogt, and Gujanes." "As the people there were unable of themselves to pay his salary, they petitioned the Council for assistance, and Stuyvesant individually agreed to contribute two hundred and fifty guil- ders, provided Dominie Selyns would preach a sermon on Sunday afternoons at the "Director's bouwery, on the island of Manhattan. To this arrangement the Dominie assented." "Thither the people came also from the city for evening ser- vice."*
The establishment of church service at the bouwery, and the remote distance which the children in its vicinity were from Pietersen's school, at the lower extremity of the island, rendered it necessary to procure a chorister and schoolmaster. Accordingly, we find the following :
"Order in Council .- Present, the Director-General, Petrus Stuyvesant, and the Hon. Johan de Decker.
" Whereas, Harman Van Hoboocken, before schoolmaster and chorister, was removed because another was sent to replace him [Pietersen] by the Lords Directors and the CON- SISTORY, solicits to be employed again in one or other man- ner in the Company's service, so is he engaged as Adelborst, and allowed 10 guilders per month, and 175 g. for board from 27th Oct., 1661.
"Nota: Whereas the aforesaid Harman is a person of irreproachable life and conduct, so shall he be employed on the bouwery of the Director-General as schoolmaster and clerk, [Voorleser,] with this condition, that the Director- General, whenever his service might be wanted for the
* Brod. 680-681.
47
FROM 1633 TO 1664.
Company, as Adelborst, shall replace him by another expert person."* So that from this date, until after the capitula- tion, there were two schools under the care of the Consistory, Pietersen's, at or near Fort Amsterdam, and Van Hoboocken's, on the Bouwery. "The church at New-Amsterdam was now in a flourishing condition under the administration of Megapolen is and Drisius."+
The year following, 1662, the burgomasters petitioned the " noble, great, and respectful Director-General and Council in New-Netherland," to grant a lot of ground in Brewer street,¿ (in the vicinity of Whitehall and Stone streets,) oppo- site the lot of Johannes de Peyster, for a school-house, and also a lot outside the gates for a burying-ground ;" and the Director-General and Council " deem it, for various rea- sons, more proper that the school-house was constructed on a part of the present churchyard,"§ i. e., within the fort.
There is no evidence to support the conclusion that the schoolhouse was built as contemplated.
1664 .- In 1664, Evert Pietersen still remained as the schoolmaster ; || and on the 17th day of March, the Director- General and Council issued an edict, requiring the practice
*Alb. Rec. xix. 383. Governor Fish, in a letter to the author, writes : " I have an impression, although it is but vague and indefinite, that Mr. Stuyvesant pointed out to me the location of the old school, house, as situate on what now is the site of Tompkins Market, about the corner of Sixth street and Hall Place." It is well known that Governor Stuyvesant provided for the education of the colored per- sons on his extensive bouwery, and it is highly probable that Van Hoboocken had them under his instruction.
+ Brod. 681.
¿ Here were several breweries. This was the first street regulated and paved in New-Amsterdam ; hence its present name (Stone street). § Alb. Rec. xx. 39, 40.
N. Am. Rec. v. 428.
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HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
of a custom long known in the fatherland, and productive of good wherever conformed to, but which at the present day, with us, has grown into sad desuetude; to wit, " the public catechising of the children." In view of the beneficial results accruing from it, both to the children and the Church, the immediate revival of this good custom is greatly to be de- sired.
The first civil ordinance in New-Amsterdam enjoining this practice was as follows; and it speaks creditably of the youth-loving and God-loving hearts of its authors :
" Whereas, it is highly necessary and of great consequence that the youth, from their childhood, is well instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and principally in the prin- ciples and fundaments of the Christian religion, in conformity to the lesson of that wise King Solomon, 'Learn the youth the first principles, and as he grows old, he shall then not deviate from it ;' so that in time such men may arise from it, who may be able to serve their country in Church or in State ; which being seriously considered by the Director- General and Council in New-Netherland, as the number of children by God's merciful blessing has considerably increased, they have deemed it necessary, so that such an useful and to our [us] God agreeable concern may be more effectually promoted, to recommend the present schoolmaster, and to command him, so as it is done by this, that they [Pietersen, the Principal, and Van Hoboocken, of the branch school on the Bouwery] on Wednesday, before the beginning of the sermon, with the children intrusted to their care, shall ap- pear in the church to examine, after the close of the sermon, each of them his own scholars, in the presence of the reverend ministers and elders who may there be present, what they,
* The custom, introduced from fatherland, had previously obtained in New-Netherland.
49
FROM 1633 TO . 1664.
in the course of the week, do remember of the Christian com- mands and catechism, and what progress they have made ; after which the children shall be allowed a decent recrea- tion.
" Done in Amsterdam, New-Netherland, this 17th March, 1661; by the Director-General and Council."*
-About three years after this, (12th March, 1664,) an event transpired in England, which was soon to issue in a change in the name, government, and destiny of New-Amsterdam, " which now contained a population of 1500 souls, and wore an air of preat prosperity," notwithstanding the sad reverses it had experienced. On the 12th of March, James II. granted to his brother, Duke of York and Albany, the terri- tory lying between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers including all the possessions of New-Netherland.
In August following, the Duke's squadron, under the command of Colonel Richard Nicolls, consisting of four ships, carrying 94 guns and 450 soldiers, was off New-Amsterdam, opposite to which, just below Brooklyn, was an encampment of volunteers from New-England and the Long Island vil- lages. To resist this force, the city was wholly unprepared ; for although the fort mounted 24 guns, its single wall of earth rendered it by no means invulnerable. It was garri- soned by only 150 soldiers ; and though there were 250 of the citizens able to bear arms, they were not disposed to hazard their lives in a vain resistance. Moreover, "there was scarcely six hundred pounds of serviceable powder in store." Upon the faith of Nicolls' promise to deliver back the city and fort, "in case the difference of the limits of this province be agreed upon betwixt his Majesty of England and the high and mighty States-General," Stuyvesant consented to capitulate upon terms which had been mutually agreed
*Alb. Rec. xxii. 100.
3
3
50
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
upon by commissioners ; and on the morning of the 8th day of September, the Director-General, at the head of the gar- rison, having marched out of Fort Amsterdam with all the honors of war, the British took possession of the city. The name of Fort Amsterdam was immediately changed to Fort James. And though New-Amsterdam became New-York, in name, the ascendency of the Dutch in numbers and cha- racter did not fail to perpetuate that influence which they had originally imparted ; so that even now, after a period of nearly two hundred years, notwithstanding the vicissitudes which the city has experienced, and the present heteroge- neous character of its population, there is not wanting abundant and gratifying evidence of the early presence here of those who brought with them "the liberal ideas, and honest maxims, and homely virtues of their fatherland ; who carried along with them their huge clasped Bibles, and left them heir-looms in their families; who introduced their church and their schools, their Dominies and their schoolmas- ters."
RECAPITULATION.
At the close of Stuyvesant's administration, in consequence of charter provisions, and the efforts of the clergy, " schools existed in almost every town and village"t in New-Nether- land : of this the records furnish abundant evidence. The whole system was but a counterpart of that to which the settlers had been accustomed in their native land. From the material furnished in this chapter, it is evident that education received a considerable degree of attention in New- Amsterdam ; and that there was a public school therein, dispensing education gratuitously, the teachers receiving their appointment and remuneration from the constituted
* Brod. chap. xx. passim.
+ O'Call. N. N. ii. 546.
51
FROM 1633 TO 1664.
authorities, is undoubtedly established. The following is a summary of facts connected therewith :
Adam Roelandsen,* first schoolmaster ; 1633 to 1639.
Efforts made by commonalty to procure suitable accom- modations for the school, 1642, 1647, 1652, 1656, 1662.
Jan Cornelissen, second schoolmaster; - to 1650.
William Vestens, third schoolmaster and Kranck-besoecker ; 1650 to 1655.
Jan De la Montagne, fourth schoolmaster ; in City Tavern, 1652.
Harmanus Van Hoboken, successor to Vestens, fifth school- master; 1655-1664.
Evert Pieterson, sixth schoolmaster ; 1661-1664.
Introduction of catechetical exposition to schools of the last-named schoolmasters ; 1661.
OTHER FACTS CONNECTED WITH EDUCATION IN NEW-
AMSTERDAM DURING THE PERIOD OF THIS CHAPTER.
Previous to 1664, the individuals who had been engaged in teaching school on their own account, under license from the conjoined civic and ecclesiastical authorities, were : Jan Stevensen, Aryaen Jansen, Andries Hudde, Jacob Van Cor- lear, Jan Lubherts, Joost Carelse, Adriaen Van Ilpendam, Juriaense Becker, and Johannes Van Gelaer.t
In addition to the means of education thus afforded by the free church schools, and those taught privately, many of the inhabitants desired the establishment of an academy, Latin, or high school.
Dominie Drisius, when appointed as colleague with Mega- polensis, in 1652, had called the attention of the West India
* The names of all these schoolmasters are found enrolled as mem- bers of the Dutch Church.
+ Alb. and N. Am. Rec.
52
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
Company to this subject; and it is highly probable that the abortive attempt of Montagne, at the City Tavern, was the result.
" The foundation of the first ACADEMY and classical school in the city was based upon the following representation, which was transmitted to Holland, 19th September, 1658, as part of a petition of the burgomasters and schepens to the West India Company.
"It is represented that the youth of this place and the neighborhood are increasing in number gradually, and that most of them can read and write; but that some of the citi- zens and inhabitants would like to send their children to a school the Principal of which understands Latin, but are not able to do so without sending them to New-England ; fur- thermore, they have not the means to hire a Latin school- master, expressly for themselves, from New-England, and therefore they ask that the West India Company will send out a fit person as Latin schoolmaster, not doubting that the number of persons who will send their children to such teacher will from year to year increase, until an academy shall be formed, whereby this place to great splendor will have attained, for which, next to God, the Honorable Com- pany which shall have sent such teacher here shall have laud and praise. For our own part, we shall endeavor to find a fit place in which the schoolmaster shall hold his school."*
In compliance with this petition, the West India Company sent out Dr. Alexander Carolus Curtius, a Latin schoolmaster, from Lithuania. On the 4th of July, 1659, (when about entering upon his duties,) he attended the meeting of the city magistrates, to learn definitely the terms upon which he was to be employed. The burgomasters proposed to give him, out of the city treasury, five hundred guilders annually,
* Pauld. N. Am. 41.
53
FROM 1633 TO 1664.
and tendered him fifty guilders, in part thereof, in advance. He was allowed the use of a house and garden, and was per- mitted to charge, six guilders per quarter for each scholar. He was also privileged to practise medicine. In 1660, he in several instances demanded a beaver,* (valued at eight guild- ers ;) in consequence of which over-charge, his annual salary was withheld.
He likewise lacked the sine qua non for a schoolmaster, and the parents complained of the want of proper discipline among his pupils, " who beat each other, and tore the clothes from each other's backs." He retorted, by stating that " his hands were tied, as some of the parents forbade him punish- ing their children." (The race of such is not extinct.) The result was, the school changed teachers ; Curtius returned to Holland, and the Rev. Ægidius Luyck, who had been acting as tutor to Stuyvesant's sons, became Principal of the High School, 1662. Under his charge, it attained so high a reputation, that children were sent to it from Virginia, Fort Orange and the Delaware, to receive a classical education.t
* The currency of New-Amsterdam was in general composed of the Indian money called wampum or seawant, and of beaver skins. Sea- want consisted of small perforated shells, "loose" or "strung." This was used in trading at the market, the grocer's, or the baker's. Six white or three black seawants, "loose" or " commercial," were valued at one stuyver; i. e., about two cents. The stated value of the " bea- ver" was eight guilders, or about three dollars. When divided into "half beavers," they depreciated in value. Paulding, N. Am. 28.
+ Brod. 656-694; Pauld. N. Am. 42; Alb. and N. Am. Rec. Luyck resided in Whitehall street, near Stone street.
.
54
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
CHAPTER III.
FROM THE CAPITULATION, 1664, TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, 1776 ; EMBRACING A PERIOD OF 112 YEARS.
ALTHOUGH at the Capitulation of New-Amsterdam, the government of the Dutch as a nation ceased, her people, her Church, her school still remained. By the articles of capi- tulation, the Dutch had secured to them "the liberty of their consciences in divine worship and church discipline, with all their accustomed jurisdiction with respect to the poor and orphans."*
It is highly probable that the school of Van Hoboocken, on the Bouwery, was disbanded ; but Evert Pietersen con-' tinued to teach as heretofore, residing near his school, in 1665, in De Brouwer Straat.t
The ecclesiastical organization of the Dutch Reformed Church remaining intact, she still acknowledged the juris- diction of the Classis of Amsterdam. The school continued, as heretofore, under the direct supervision of the deacons ; and being now deprived of all aid from the treasury of the colonial government, its support wholly devolved upon the Consistory ; and the institution had such strong hold on the affections of the Dutch people, that they could not and would not relinquish their jurisdiction over it, even when efforts
* Vide Art. of Capit. in full, O'Call. N. N. ii. 532.
+ Vide Directory of N. Am., Val. Man. Com. Coun., 1850, p. 454. Paulding, N. Am. 109.
55
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
were made to compel them so to do, as will be presently shown.
The English governors, solicitous to produce uniformity in religion and language, encouraged English preachers and schoolmasters to settle in the colony ; and although for many years after the Capitulation, there were comparatively but few Episcopalians in the city, independent of the Government officers and the military, yet the Dutch, with magnanimous spirit, granted them the occupancy of the church in the fort a portion of each Sabbath .*
In the year 1673, England and Holland being then at war, the city surrendered to the Dutch, and Governor Colve, in granting charters to the several towns of Long Island and the Hudson, enjoined, first of all, that the authorities "should take care that the Reformed Christian religion be maintained in conformity to the Synod of Dordrecht." They were also empowered to enact "ordinances for the observance of the Sabbath, erecting churches and schoolhouses, or similar pub- lic works ;"+ but Colve's administration was brief, the pro- vince being ceded to the British by the treaty of November, · 1674.
Subsequently, 1687, Governor Dongan, in his Report to the Committee of Trade on the Province of New-York, states, " Here bee not many of the Church of England. The most prevailing opinion is that of the Dutch Calvinists. It is the endeavour of all Psons here to bring up their children and servants in that opinion which themselves profess."}
During Fletcher's administration, the Assembly passed a law providing for the settlement of ministers of the gospel, to be chosen by the people. The Council added an amend- ment, giving to the Governor the power of approval or rejec-
* Doc. Hist. N. Y. i. 186. + Ib. i. 655, et seq. ¿ Ib. i. 161, et seq.
56
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
tion. The House, composed in the main of those attached to the Church of Holland, refused to concur in the amend- ment, when Fletcher, addressing them in an angry speech prorogued them to the next year .*
The repeated efforts made in behalf of the English Church bore hard at times upon the prospective welfare of that of the Dutch; but tolerant to all, while watchful for herself, she maintained her position, and continued, as from the first, in the enjoyment of her worship and her school.
But, undoubtedly, the greatest severity which the people of the Reformed Dutch Church experienced, was at the hands of Lord Cornbury.
His imprisonment and amercement of two Presbyterian ministers, for preaching without his license, and his breaking up by stringent measures the Dutch schools on Long Island, testify to his misguided zeal.} That he was acting in oppo- sition to the principles and teachings of the Episcopal Church, cannot for a moment be doubted ; the censure attaches to him as an individual.
Of the Dutch Church in New-York maintaining the as- cendency in numbers and influence, he was somewhat wary ; but on the recurrence of a favorable opportunity, he unhesi- tatingly gave them to understand that no Dutch minister or schoolmaster would be allowed to exercise his calling without a special gubernatorial license; and this in direct opposition to the previously-granted charter of incorporation, given by William III. to the Reformed Dutch Church in America, in which is the following concession : "And our will and plea- sure further is, and we do hereby declare that, that the min-
* Hale's U. S. 76.
+ Smith's Hist., published at Philadelphia by Benj. Franklin & D. Hall, MDCCLV. 114. Hardie, 67. Dunlap, ii. Ap. U. 254. Greenleaf's Hist. of Churches in N. Y. 125.
57
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
isters of said Church, for the time being, shall and may, by and with the consent of the elders and deacons of the said Church, for the time being, nominate and appoint a SCHOOL- MASTER and such other under officers as they shall stand in need of."" In view of this right to the jurisdiction of an institution which they considered of vital importance, and to which they were endeared-a right affirmed at the capitula- tion, and subsequently, the Consistory, with a spirit worthy of their high trust, took a decided stand in opposition to the Governor's claims ; as in their records is a minute referring "to the arbitrary measures of Lord Cornbury, who had taken the regulation of schools into his own hands, and claimed the direct appointment of the schoolmaster."
They were now without a teacher, although a nomination had been made and presented by Goulet and Kerfbyl. A committee of the Consistory remonstrated against the Gov- ernor's claim, as being contrary to the provision in the Charter of Governor Fletcher to the Church. This remonstrance was declined. Whereupon the Ruling Consistory, deeming this a matter of great importance, directed a meeting of the Great Consistory on January 16, when it was resolved, "that the members of the Great Consistory should have, with respect to this matter, [the appointment of the schoolmaster,] not merely an advisory, but also a deciding, vote with the Ruling Consistory."+ So that, notwithstanding the Governor's man- datory prohibition, so unjustly and disastrously effectual in other parts of the province, the Dutch in New-York retained their rights, and continued to call and settle their school- masters as heretofore.
The name of the individual appointed to fill the vacancy
* Vide Incorporation Act of Reformed Protestant Dutch Church.
+ Consistorial Minutes, i. 47.
*3
58
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
above alluded to is not known; but subsequently, 1726, the school was under the care of BARENT DE FOREEST .*
The attention of Consistory having been engrossed for some time with other subjects of paramount importance, we find no direct reference to the school in their records, until the year 1743; when commences a series of minutes, from which we are able to furnish a full and uninterrupted chain of interesting facts respecting the size and progress of the school, with a complete list of the schoolmasters up to the present day.
The increasing population had not only rendered necessary the erection, " farther up town," of a second house of worship, but a second school was to be provided for, as the deacons, in their capacity as trustees, informed Consistory "That, for the encouragement of another Dutch school, they had, during this month, [November 21, 1743,] directed Mr. ABRAHAM DE LANOY to present the names of ten (10) children of poor parents (who lived at too great a distance, particularly in winter, to come to the school of Mr. HUYBERT VAN WA- GENENt) to the deacons, in writing; that, after investi- gation of their cases, they may be approved. Mr. De Lanoy, for instructing them according to the rates prescribed by Consistory, shall receive, in quarterly payments, the same amount of money and firewood which Mr. Van Wagenen received for the same number. Mr. Van Wagenen shall attend to the catechetical instruction of the children in the Old Church, [Garden street,] and. Mr. Delanoy in the New Church, [the Middle.] This arrangement was approved by Consistory."}
* Con. Mín.
+ Neither the date of Barent De Foreest's resignation, nor of Mr. Van Wagenen's appointment as schoolmaster, can be now definitely ascertained.
Į Cop. Min. i. 196.
59
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
Accommodations having been secured, the school of Mr. Delanoy went into operation .* While it existed, there was a school to each church; and had the plan been strictly carried out of establishing a school by the side of each Dutch church subsequently erected, is it not reasonable to suppose that it would have proved a source of rejoicing to our denomination at the present day ? May she not awake to a sense of her duty in this respect, when it is too late !
In 1746, Consistory resolved, "That there should be appropriated to Mr. Huybert Van Wagenen, in addition to the sum pledged to him for the instruction of the children in the school,.ten pounds New-York currency, for one year, on condition that he should officiate as chorister alternately in . the Old and New Church, as shall be directed by Consistory. If this should prove satisfactory, the Consistory will take further action."
This was accompanied with resolutions relating to Isaac
* Mr. Abram Brower, who at the time of his death, in 1832, was between eighty and ninety years of age, states that, when a lad, "he went to the Dutch school, to his grandfather, Abraham Delanoye, (a French Huguenot, via Holland,) whose school was in Cortlandt street." (Wat. An. 172.) This being in the vicinity of the Middle, Church, was, in all probability, the school organized by the deacons, as above stated.
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