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 6
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First, For the instruction of thirty poor children in the Low Dutch or English language, as above stated, in reading, writing, and arithmetic, the fourth part of which shall be paid every three months, £60.
* Con. Min. i. 126.
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HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
Second, Firewood for one year; £8.
Third, Books, paper, ink, quills, &c., for one year, £5.
Fourth, For taking care of and cleaning the Consistory and catechising-chamber, and the making of fires and lighting when required, £8.
N. B. The wood and candles for the same shall be fur- nished by the deacons.
Fifth, For your encouragement, you shall have a dwelling- house and garden free, and also a good room for the school.
Sixth, It shall be allowed to you to instruct as many other children as may offer themselves to you, but not beyond the number of thirty, and also to keep an evening school.
"This, our agreement with you, shall, according to your request, be for one year, reckoning from the 1st day of June next. If then it shall not be agreeable to you to continue longer our schoolmaster, you shall be obligated to give notice to Consistory three months before the expiration of your labors, that they may during that time provide another teacher; and if then the Consistory should be satisfied with your instruction and service, and be desirous that you should longer continue our schoolmaster, further stipulations may then be made. We hope the above offer will meet with your approbation. Wishing you and your family all pros- perity and blessing, we remain, with great respect,
In the name, and by the order, of the Consistory,
Your servants, ARCH. LAIDLIE, P.t. Pres., JACOB DURYEE, GERRIT RAPELYE,* ABRAHAM P. LOTT,t DIRCK BRINCKERHOFF."
This call, which was accepted by Mr. Van Steenburgh, was dated March 20, 1773.
On the 6th of August following, the newly-built school-
* Member Com. Coun. for three years. Val. Man. 1850, 220.
+ Member Com. Coun. for eight years. Val. Man. 1850, 221.
# Member Com. Coun. for five years. Val. Man. 1850, 220
73
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
house was ready for the reception of school-children, and Mr. Van Steenburgh entered upon his duties.
For three years, in the midst of intense public excitement, the school continued its operations under Mr. Van Steen- burgh, when, by force of uncontrollable circumstances, it was obliged to disband.
Opposition to those measures which eventually led to a rupture with the mother-country was nowhere more strongly manifested than in New-York. Here the Provincial Con- gress met, (1765,) and passed the famous Declaration of Rights. Here the stamped paper had been destroyed, and the Lieutenant-Governor hung in effigy, (1765.) The As- sembly had refused to provide quarters and provisions for such troops as England wished to march into the colony, (1767 ;) and on the arrival of a cargo of tea, (1773, the year of Van Steenburgh's appointment,) the "Sons of Liberty," a formidable organization, destroyed it. These, and other like measures, when the crisis arrived, led to the early subjuga- , tion of the city, which, as the head-quarters of the British army, was under martial law. Many of the citizens fled to neighboring places. All the churches and schools were closed, and naught was heard save the accidents of war.
RECAPITULATION.
The disseveration of the Dutch Church from the Colonial Government, the absence of Consistorial records, and there being no newspapers as yet established, the information respecting the school for several years after the capitulation is necessarily very limited ; but, identified with the Dutch Church as an institution of long-cherished inheritance, she could not dispense with it, without the violation of princi- ples and feelings totally incompatible with her constitution
74
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
and aims. The testimony of its existence by the Roman Catholic, Dongan, and by some of the Episcopal governors, who strenuously promoted the extension of their own de- nominational peculiarities, so much so as to call for decided action on the part of Consistory, when attempts were made under the guise of authority, even in the face of chartered privileges, to suppress or control it, is not only strongly inferential, but of a decidedly positive character.
1665 .- Evert Pietersen, who was appointed in 1661, con- tinued to teach at least one year after the capitulation.
1705 .- Upon the existence of a vacancy, Lord Cornbury claimed the right of appointing the schoolmaster, notwith- standing the clause in the incorporation-act of William III., (1696,) reserving this right to the ministers and Consistory. This claim led to a meeting of the Great Consistory, who determined to preserve their chartered privileges inviolate.
1726 .- Barent De Foreest, schoolmaster.
1743 .- Huybert Van Wagenen, previously appointed, kept the school, corner of Marketfield and Broad streets, (1746.) He was the chorister for the Old and New Churches, alternately. Resigned, 1749.
The population having extended "far up. town," the dea- cons opened a school in Cortlandt street, of which Abraham Delanoy was appointed teacher. He commenced with ten scholars, receiving from Consistory, in quarterly payments, the amount of money and firewood which Mr. Van Wagenen received for the same number. The catechetical instruction in the Garden Street Church was attended to by Mr. Van Wagenen, and in the Middle Church by Mr. Delanoy.
1748 .- The first school and dwelling-house for the teacher were built in Garden street, opposite the church.
1749, April 1 .- Daniel Bratt, schoolmaster and chorister. in the Middle Church. He had twelve free scholars, six in
75
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
reading and six in writing, for which he received £12 10s., and a load of wood for each scholar, annually, half nut and half oak. For his services as chorister, he received £12 10s. and fees for entering baptisms. Removed by Consistory in 1755.
1751 .-- Adrian Van Dersman, visitor of the sick and cate- chiser; removed by Consistory previous to 1767.
1755 .- John Nicholas Welp was called from Holland, as schoolmaster and chorister in the Old Church. He had twenty scholars, and a salary of £80, and the use of dwelling- house. Deceased in 1773.
1767 .- Complaint made to the Governor by certain par- ties respecting the management of the school, and the intro- duction therein of the English language ; which complaint was dismissed.
1773 .- Peter Van Steenburgh succeeds Mr. Welp. Read- ing, writing, and arithmetic taught in both languages. The school and dwelling-house rebuilt; the Consistory-chamber and catechising-room occupying the second floor. Number of pupils, thirty. Salary, same as Mr. Welp's. He had the privilege of receiving thirty pay scholars, and of teaching evening school. On the arrival of the British army, in 1776, the school disbanded. We have now lost sight of the Krank-besoecker, the Voorsanger, and the Voorleser.
ADDITIONAL FACTS
CONNECTED WITH EDUCATION IN NEW-YORK, WHILE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENGLISH.
1673 .- The Latin school, established by the Dutch in 1659, and which was so successful under the management of Ægidius Luyck, was sustained by the English authorities
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HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
for eight years, when it was closed. In 1673, Luyck was appointed a Schepen.
1676 .- M. Hilyar taught a school.
1702 -A free grammar school was founded, and built on the King's farm.
1704 .- William Vesey, Episcopal missionary, opened a catechising school for blacks.
1705 .- A. Clarke a schoolmaster.
1710 .- The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts appointed William Huddlestone, the first schoolmaster of the Episcopal Church school. The names and dates of the appointment of his successors were as fol- lows : 1723, Thomas Huddlestone, son of the above; 1731, Thomas Noxon ; 1741, Mr. Hildreth ; 1777, Mr. Amos Bull. Rev. William Morris is rector of the school at present. It is, located at the corner of Varick and Canal streets. It has received from Trinity Church over $60,000, in money and real estate, which is now very valuable. It was known as the Episcopal "Charity School" from 1748 to 1826 ; sub- sequently, as the New-York Protestant Episcopal Public School ; and since 1845, as the Trinity School.
1732 .- The first free school was established by law, for teaching the Latin and Greek, and practical branches of mathe- matics. Mr. Alexander Malcolm, of Aberdeen, was appointed Principal, at £40 per annum. He remained seven years.
1748 .- Cornelius Lynch taught writing, arithmetic, vulgar and decimal fractions, navigation, gauging, surveying, dialling, mensuration, and merchants' accounts, in Stone street.
George Gordon taught book-keeping, next the French Church.
1749 .- Benjamin Leigh, Broad street, near the Long Bridge ; Thomas Evans, shoemaker, near the new dock, read- ing, writing, and arithmetic.
77
FROM 1664 TO 1776.
1750 .- By the Governor's permission, a benefit was given the Episcopal school, at the theatre in Nassau street.
Charles Dutens, teacher of French, and jeweller, in a long advertisement, full of self-conceit and egotism, and bounti- fully interlarded with Latin phrases, proclaimed that he taught a school, " for the use of young ladies and gentlemen, whose love of learning might incline them to take lessons from him in French, at his house, on Broad street, near the Long Bridge, where he also makes and vends finger and ear-rings, solitaires, stay-hooks and lockets, and sets diamonds, rubies, and other stones. Science and virtue are two sisters, which the most part of the New-York ladies possess," &c.
1752 .- Thomas Allen, near Alderman Cortlandt's.
Robert Leith, Wall street.
July 6, 40 boys and 12 girls, Episcopal charity scholars, were present at the consecration of St. George's Chapel.
1753 .- John Lewis, Broad street, near Long Bridge.
1757. - Richard R. Smith, Nicholas Barrington, and Thomas Clark, taught private schools in Maiden Lane.
Edward Willetts, day and night school, Broadway.
First notice of charity sermon at Trinity Church. Collec- tion taken to clothe the children, and suitable anthem sung.
1762 .- Thomas Jackson, Latin and Greek, head of New street, opposite Presbyterian Church.
William Clajon, teacher of French, Beaver street.
1772 .- Episcopal school-house, built near and for St. Paul's Church.
1773 .- Thomas Byerly opens an English grammar-school.
1777 .- Charity sermon at St. George's Chapel. Fifty-six boys and thirty girls ; reading, writing, and arithmetic taught, and needle-work to the girls. Mr. Wood, teacher.
Vanbombeler was the last schoolmaster who taught in the Dutch language exclusively, about the year 1785.
78
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
CHAPTER IV.
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH, FROM 1783 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
DURING the Revolutionary War, New-York was the head- quarters of the British power in America, and here the most important schemes for operations against the patriots were planned and put in motion. The municipal government was overthrown, martial law prevailed, and the business of the city degenerated almost into the narrow operations of suttling. Many of the residents left the city, and their deserted houses were taken possession of by the officers of the army and the refugee loyalists. Barracks and entrenchments were erected from Corlaer's Hook, and on the line of Chambers street to the North river. Five thousand American prisoners were confined in the jails, sugar-houses, and dissenting churches of the city. For about two months, several hundred prison- ers were huddled together in the Middle Dutch Church, when they were removed, and it was converted into a riding- school. The North Church contained eight hundred prison- ers ; it having been floored over from gallery to gallery. The mahogany pulpit was carefully removed, sent to London, and placed in a chapel there; the pews were used for fuel. A theatre was established; tennis-courts and other kinds of amusements were introduced ; and for seven years the city remained a prey to the licentiousness of strong and idle detachments of a well-provided army. To add to these evils, in July, 1776, four hundred and ninety-three houses, located between Whitehall slip and Cortlandt street, and from the
79
FROM 1783 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
North to the East rivers, were consumed by fire, Trinity and the Lutheran Church falling a prey; and again, in August, 1778, three hundred houses were consumed in the neighborhood of Coenties slip. " There were no public moneyed or charitable institutions ; no banks or insurance offices; all church services were suspended; education was entirely neg- lected, and the schools and college closed."* On the cessa- tion of hostilities, the scattered inhabitants gradually returned ; but the evils of war were protracted long beyond its duration ; and the impoverished inhabitants as well as the municipal government suffered for many years from the disastrous con- sequences of British occupation.
Yet, notwithstanding this sad and calamitous state of affairs, both public and private, on the reorganization of Consistory, while the interiors of the churches were still in a dilapidated condition, it was
"Resolved, That Mr. Peter Van Steenburgh, who was the public schoolmaster of this congregation at the commence- ment of the war, and is again returned to this city, shall be considered as bound by his former call, and shall have per- mission to dwell in the school-house, and open his school in the large room built for that purpose."}
This resolution is dated September 7th, 1783, but four days subsequent to the signing of the treaty of peace at Paris. Thus, while the British still remained in possession of the city, the school was reorganized; the evacuation not taking place till the 25th of November following.
1784, March 22d .- "It was ordered that the number of children to be educated by Mr. Van Steenburgh, as charity scholars, shall be restricted to ten."
This is the first use of the term "charity." The school,
* Lossing's Field-Book of the Revolution, 835, 836, 865. Valentine's Man. Com. Coun. 1852, p. 435 et seq.
+ Consist. Rec., anno 1783, p. 3.
¿ Ibid, anno 1784, p. 16.
80
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
from the date of its establishment, up to the passage of the last resolution, was designated as the Public, Free, or Low Dutch School. Subsequent to the war, there being no pub- lic provision for the education of youth, schools were estab- lished in connection with the different religious denominations. These depended for their support upon the voluntary contri- butions of church members. The Episcopal Charity School, known as such since 1748, had received many valuable lega- cies from individuals in that communion, and was materially aided by the large annual collections of the Episcopal churches. These facts led to the adoption of the term "charity" by the various schools organized, as, in that day of general poverty, some such movement was necessary in order to work effectually on the sympathies of the people ; but, like every thing adopted upon the principle of availability, in the end it proved most disastrous to the well-being of those very in- stitutions for whose pecuniary interests its use was originally introduced. The Episcopal school subsequently discarded the term, and became a chartered institution under a new and less repulsive title. Our own school, dearly loved and cherished from principle, though laboring for many years under the disadvantages arising from the use, under the sanction of custom, of the obnoxious term, still exists, though it cannot be denied that its usefulness, from this cause, in days that are past, was seriously impaired.
The term charity may be as appropriately applied to Sabbath-schools or to our common schools as to church schools ; yet who is there that would advocate the application of this term to them ? No! It may answer for other lati- tudes; but there is that in it so repugnant to the republican spirit of our people and institutions, that where used injudi- ciously and unnecessarily in connection with any institution, it so wounds those fine and correct sensibilities of our nature
81
FROM 1783 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
that even the necessitous are led to keep aloof from it, lest they may be pointed at by the finger of derision.
The church schools that sprung into existence towards the close of the last century have long since ceased to exist.
The period succeeding protracted war has ever constituted the dark days of religion and literature; and such was the crippled condition of the Collegiate Church at this time, that it was with difficulty the school was sustained. As yet, no fund had been instituted for its support, nor had collections been made for it in the churches ; and as Mr. Van Steen- burgh was privileged to have thirty pay scholars, exclusive of those educated by the Church, a proposition was made for renting the school-house and attached dwelling to him, on condition that he would teach such children as the Consistory might send him, at the same rate per quarter for tuition as he received from his other scholars.
An arrangement to this effect was consequently entered into with Mr. Van Steenburgh, Consistory furnishing him with twelve scholars .* The result, however, was far from satisfactory.
The Church felt that she was not performing her full duty towards her children. This institution was her time-honored legacy ; she had long realized the important blessings flow- ing from it, and she could not relinquish it, nor her jurisdic- tion over it, without coming short of imperative obligations to her youth.
Impelled by a recurring sense of her responsibilities to her youth, and actuated by a regard to her future interests, spe- cial efforts were made for a thorough reorganization of the school.
To effect this, a committee of Consistory, consisting of
* Con. Rec. Leg. G. 87. 4*
82
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
Messrs. John Stagg, William Hardenbrook, Elias Nexsen, Nicholas Anthony, and Leonard Bleecker, was appointed. This was in December, 1788. The arrangement with Mr. Van Steenburgh, which had been existing for three years, was revoked. A new engagement was entered into with him, to commence in May following, whereby he was to educate thirty free scholars, for which he was to receive from Consistory £35 per annum .*
In April, 1789, the above Committee reported to Consis- tory certain regulations respecting the school, which were unanimously adopted, "subject, however, to such alterations as the Consistory shall hereafter judge necessary to be made."
The first of these was, "That the free school shall always be considered as depending for its existence and support on the Consistory, and as such be subject to the direction and control of the whole Board."
The school, replaced under the jurisdiction of the Board of Deacons as a standing committee, was to be visited by the whole Consistory quarterly ; viz. : in the first week after every administration of the Lord's Supper ; and provision was made for the attendance of the children on divine service. The remaining regulations, relating mainly and specifically to the internal management of the school, were substantially the same as those now in force in the institution.t
In the fall of this year, so far as can be ascertained from the Church records, commenced the practice of providing each scholar with a full suit of clothing, collections being made in the Collegiate Church for that express purpose. The first sermon upon this subject was preached in the North
* Con. Rec. Leg. G. 146, 147. + Con. Rec. Leg. G. 154 et seq.
83
FROM 1783 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
Church, December 17, services commencing at 5} P. M .* The sum contributed by the congregation amounted to $216 05, the most of which was expended by the deacons for the object contemplated.
The year following, 1790, collections were taken in the Old, New, and North Churches, and " the Consistory rejoiced in finding themselves enabled, by the generous donations of the congregations, to increase the number of scholars, and resolved unanimously to admit twenty more children in the school on the Ist of February next."
For a number of years, the liberality of the Collegiate · Church in this cause was proverbial, the donations in one- instance amounting to $753 ; but of late, from the operation of various causes, the collections have materially diminished. Notwithstanding this, the trustees of the institution, with an humble and firm reliance upon Divine Providence, have never
* A public journal of that day, in publishing the notice for this ser- mon, adds the following :
"Institutions of this kind, which afford to poor children the means of education, and prepare them for usefulness in Church or State, appear of all charities the most laudable. Several denominations of this city have accordingly turned their attention to them. The Re- formed Dutch Church had, before the war, a charity school, which, during this year, they have been able to revive. They have at present thirty scholars, who are instructed in such branches of learn- ing as will qualify them to be good members of society. The school is visited monthly by the deacons, and quarterly by Consistory ; and whenever the scholars have made such proficiency as is judged neces- sary, their places are supplied by others. This church depend for the clothing and tuition of the children wholly upon charitable donations, and they trust that their endeavors will be countenanced by the pub- lic."" Vide "New-York Journal and Weekly Register," December 17, 1789.
+ Con. Rec. Leg. G: 195.
84
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL,
yet been coerced to say to any of the necessitous committed to their charge, "Be ye clothed."
Since the year 1842, when Miss Campbell was appointed to supervise the girls' department, a portion of time in each week has been devoted to the improvement of the girls in sewing; and since the school has occupied the present build- ing, which affords admirable accommodations for the pur- pose, all the girls' dresses, having been cut and fitted by Miss Parker, the present Principal, have been made up under her direction by the girls themselves, thus not only effecting a saving of expense to the school, but affording to her pupils . an opportunity of qualifying themselves in that branch, a . competent knowledge of which is so essential an element in domestic economy.
1791 .- From the establishment of the school in 1633, the schoolmasters had, with but one or two exceptions, acted as choristers ; and in order to preserve this peculiarity, Mr. Stanton Latham, who had been clerk in the North Church from Octo- ber, 1789, was appointed in January, 1790, to supersede Mr. Van Steenburgh ; but the change did not actually take place till May 1, 1791. On the 11th of January of this year, a committee, appointed to confer with Mr. Latham, made a report to Consistory, and produced a written proposal, signed by Mr. Latham, in which he offered to teach fifty scholars for seven shillings per quarter. After some delibera- tion, it was resolved to accept the offer; and Mr. Latham was accordingly appointed to be the schoolmaster of the school under the patronage of this Consistory, and to commence in that duty Ist May next, on which day " he is to take posses- sion of the house in which Mr. Van Steenburgh now lives, and occupy as much of the same as Mr. Van Steenburgh now occupies, which house, and the aforesaid sum of seven shil-
.
85
FROM 1783 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
lings per quarter for fifty scholars, shall be the whole of his salary as schoolmaster.
"Resolved, further, that this Consistory have a high sense of the abilities, assiduity, and faithfulness which Mr. Van Steen- burgh has for many years exerted in the school which has been under his care, and excepting for the particular reason which respected Mr. Latham as a singing-master in the con- gregation, would have been loth to part with him.
"Resolved, further, that a copy of this minute be made and given to Mr. Van Steenburgh, which will be at the same time a notification that Mr. Latham is to take possession of the house in which Mr. Van Steenburgh now lives, 1st May next."*
November 27, a collection was taken for the school in the Garden Street Church in the afternoon, and in the Middle Church in the evening, where the children were in attend- ance, and sung a hymnt suited to the occasion.
1792, January 5 .- Dr. Livingston, Messrs. Houghtenburgh, Oothout Wilson, Gilbers, and Sickels, were appointed a com- mittee of Consistory to digest a plan for the most successful promotion of the interests of the school.
February 2 .- The above Committee reported as follows :
" In order as far as possible to extend the benefit of this institution, and to secure to the boys admitted into the school the permanent advantages of the instruction there received, they conceive it proper that it be an indispensable condition of the admission of boys in future, that their parents or guardians do previously, by bond, engage themselves to bind
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