Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 19

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194

USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 19

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SALT DISCOVERY .- In the year 1890 a company was incorporated in Ithaca for the purpose of boring a well in the hope of striking gas. The work was begun and completed to the depth of more than 3,000 feet in December of the year named. At a depth of 700 fect a vein of mineral water was struck; and at about 1,800 feet a vein of rock salt was encountered which proved to be about 300 fcet thick. The boring was continued but without reaching the hoped for gas. About $5,000 were expended in the attempt.

Another well was finished a little south of the city in 1892, under direction of Jesse Johnson, from which is taken now an excellent min- cral water, the health giving qualitics of which have been quite thoroughly tested and with good results. The depth reached is about 600 feet, and veins of the water were struck at 360, 420, 480, and 555 feet. The combined qualities of the water are said to closely resemble those of the Hathorn spring at Saratoga. The water is on sale at drug stores. The cost of the experiment was about $1,500.

THE DE WITT GUARD .- The De Witt Guard, also known as Company A, Fiftieth Regiment of the National Guard of the State of New York, was organized in 1851 and the first regular meeting held December 31 of that year. Philip J. Partenheimer was chosen captain and held that position ten years. On the 2d of June, 1861, the company tendered its services to the general government. This offer was repeated June 17, 1863 On the 25th of April, 1864, the third offer was made, and on the

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28th of August the offer was accepted and the company detailed for one hundred days' service at Elmira. On the 2d of September the company left for Elmira and the same afternoon was mustered into the service of the United States, with the following officers in command: Charles F. Blood, captain; Levi Kenney, first lieutenant; Joseph Esty, jr., second lieutenant; John C. Hazen, orderly; Calvin C. Greenly, second sergeant; Edwin M. Finch, third sergeant; Henry A. St. John, fourth sergeant; Barnum R. Williams, first corporal; Uri Clark, second corp- oral; John C. Gauntlett, third corporal; Alfred Brooks, fourth corporal. The company was mustered out of service on the 2d of December, 1864. The roll of the company shows that 202 persons joined the organization. Of thesc eighty-two served cither in the army or the navy during the war; eighty-eight did not, and twenty-nine names appear of whom no knowledge can be obtained. The company was always a self-support- ing organization, receiving nothing beyond arms from the State, and had raised and expended for company purposes from members up to 1866, $2,720.56. The company is not now in existence.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- As an introduction to a description of the schools of Ithaca, it will prove interesting to make some extracts from the writings of W. T. Eddy on the subject. After mentioning the building of the academy in 1818, he says:

The School District No. 16 hired the lower part of the building for its school. The building was of wood and stood afterwards at the back and east of the later academy. I had previously been to school in rooms on Aurora street, kept by Hannah Eddy; but our first teachers were Mr. Heacock and Miss Lydia Hibbard, afterwards Mrs. Smith, in the academy building. Miss Lydia Hibbard was a person of such amiable disposition that of all of the children she taught (and they were many) there is not one but looks back to her with love and affection.

After describing some of the pranks of the scholars and the early methods of punishment, Mr. Eddy continues :

Wait T. Huntington was our next teacher; then A. H. Shaw, who was afterwards a member of the Legislature. After Mr. Shaw came Mr. Griswold, but I never went to him, having been promoted to the upper part of the building under Mr. Phinney, who was principal of the academy.

The schools of Ithaca were for a long period conducted on the Lan- casterian system, as they were in most localities. This system de- veloped from the old common schools. Early in the period during which the Lancasterian system was in vogue here and between 1827 and 1832, a Mr. Hulin was the principal teacher, and was succeeded by

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Isaac Day. In 1838 he was followed by William P. Pew, who raised the Ithaca school from a very ordinary standard to a high degree of efficiency and attendance. During his period of teaching (about fifteen years) he raised the attendance (the population increasing largely, of course, in that time) from only 125 to over 1,100. Graded schools were established in place of the former system in 1853-4. Mr. Pew was succeeded by M. R. Barnard, who was long principal of the graded school here.

In the year 1854 W. R. Humphrey read in the central school build- ing in Ithaca a trustees' report which embodied a good deal of valuable historical material relative to the early schools of the village. From that paper we draw liberally. The first meeting in the old school dis- trict was held at the first school house in 1816, and Luther Gere was chosen chairman and George W. Phillips secretary. The school house stood on the academy grounds and was an old red building. When this school house was erected or who was prominently connected with its erection, is not prominently known. It was destroyed by a mob or a mass meeting which probably gathered for that purpose. At the meeting above alluded to, David Woodcock, John C. Hayt and William R. Collins were appointed trustees for the year 1816, and Arthur John- son, clerk. The meeting resolved to raise $30 by tax, "for the purpose of furnishing wood and other necessary repairs to the school house."

At a subsequent meeting held that year at the house of E. Andrews, "for the purpose of taking into consideration measures to build a school house," Luther Gere was chosen chairman. It was there resolved to rescind the resolution of the first meeting, and it was resolved "That we build a school house this fall;" also, "Resolved that there be a committee appointed of those that belong to the lodge [Fidelity Lodge] for the purpose of assisting in building said school house."

In pursuance of this resolution Luther Gere, C. B. Drake and Ira Tillotson were appointed the committee in reference to the lodge, and Luther Gere, Ira Tillotson and D. Bates a committee to secure a site. The meeting then adjourned two weeks. On the 21st of September they again met, and the committee on site reported that they had agreed to build the school house on the southeast end of the public square (the present High School Square), "joining the southwest corner of W. Mandeville's lot." Mr. Tillotson's proposed plan was adopted, and the committee authorized to build accordingly, provided the lodge would pay the committee $250 that year and $250 whenever

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the lodge saw proper, to finish the upper part of the building. Al- though the adjournment of that meeting was for three months, there is no record of another until November 17, 1817, when one was held at the Columbian Inn, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of building a school house." Archer Green was chairman of this meeting, and Ira Beers secretary. It was then resolved to raise $75 towards a new building, but this amount was raised at the same meeting to $300. Adjournment was taken for three months, but again it was September 28, 1818, before the next meeting was held. With Luther Gere in the chair it was resolved to provide a room immediately in which to continue the school, and the mecting was adjourned to re- convene on the 2d of October following. On that day it was "Resolved, that this district unite with the inhabitants in building a school house with an academy." This was the first feeble germ of the old and his-

toric academy. It was moved and seconded that G. Benjamin, J. Johnson, and David Ayres be a committee to circulate subscription papers for the object in view, and that David Woodcock and J. Collier be a committee to draft the subscription. It does not appear that the soliciting committee met with the most abundant success; money was very scarce in those days, even with men who were in successful busi- ness or perhaps owned much property.

Another meeting was held at the Columbian Inn on the 12th of Oc- tober, at which James Nichols, Otis Eddy and Ebenezer Mack were elected trustees, and Benjamin Drake, collector; David Ayres, clerk; and Luther Gere, David Woodcock and William Linn were appointed a committee to correspond with General Simeon De Witt respecting a a site for a school house.

At a meeting on the 23d of October it was resolved to lay a tax of $400 for building a school house, and "Archer Green, David Wood- cock and Luther Gere were made a building committee for the academy."

On the 8th January, 1819, a special meeting was held in the district school room of the academy building (which was then so far progressed as to make it possible to use that room), and Mr. Eddy made a report of the cost of building the academy, which was accepted; Mr. Drake reported on the condition of collections on the $300 tax of 1817, which was not so satisfactory, a large part of it remaining uncollected.

At a meeting held February 5, 1819, it "was moved and seconded and carried that the trustecs be authorized to negotiate with the lodge

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respecting certain lumber and make such arrangement as they think proper."

At a meeting held February 21, 1820, Mr. Lyons, the teacher, at his own request and on motion of Mr. Woodcock, was given leave to give up the school. It was also unanimously resolved "That the present trustees of this district be and are hereby authorized to exonerate from the payment of the wages of the teachers of the district school, for the present and the last quarter, all such poor persons within the district as they shall think proper, and to collect the whole of such wages from all such other persons as shall not so be exonerated."

At a meeting on January 19, 1821, Charles Humphrey in the chair, Charles W. Conner, David Woodcock and Nathan Herrick were chosen trustees. A. D. W. Bruyn acted as clerk, and David Ayres was chosen collector. On the 30th of May, 1821, it was resolved to raise $167 to pay Otis Eddy arrearages in building the school house. February 7, 1822, it was voted " That the members of the district now present pro- ceed to nominate some person as an instructor for the ensuing season ; whereupon W. T. Huntington was nominated by a large majority."

In October, 1822, the St. John's Episcopal Society was given the privilege of occupying the west room of the lower floor of the academy "for the space of four years." Previous to this time the Methodists and the Presbyterians had been given privileges to hold services in the school building.

On the 13th of May, 1825, David Woodcock, Luther Gere and Stephen Mack were appointed a committee on the part of the district to confer with the trustees of the academy in reference to the title to the build- ing used by the academy and the common school; and also to negotiate with the academy in reference to a sale of the building. The commit- tee reported that they considered two schools in the same building as incompatible with each other; that the district had paid $632.63 towards the academy; that Mr. Eddy had a claim for building of $886.57, half of which he was willing to relinquish, provided he could get the other half, which, in the opinion of the committee, was a fair and liberal proposition. The committee finally recommended that the district sell their interest in the academy building, provided the academy paid the district the amount the district had expended on the building, which was agreed to. On the 11th of October, 1825, the trustees were ordered to build a new school building as soon as practicable. In September following, at a meeting held at Jesse Grant's coffee house, $600 were

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voted to be appropriated towards the payment for the lot on the corner of Mill and Geneva streets, and also for the new school house. The building was finally finished, and the first annual meeting held therein on the 9th of October, 1827. This was the site of the later Lancasterian school, taught long by Wm. P. Pew, as before stated.

The school prospered in that building until 1840, when the increased number of pupils made it necessary to provide greater accommodations; the building was accordingly enlarged to double its first capacity. The enlarged structure was used until 1852, when steps were taken to build the structure which was in use until 1874, as noted further on.

In Mr. Humphrey's paper he pays tribute to the high character and unselfish labors of the men whose names have been given here in the cause of education at a period when it was most difficult to carry out their plans. He says that in 1852-3 there were in the district about 2,000 children entitled to a seat in that school; the building contained seats for 1,000 scholars, and the school was divided into three depart- ments-primary, intermediate and higher. The trustees in 1853 were W. R. Humphrey, Douglass Boardman and A. Spencer. The dedica- tion of the new school house took place in January, 1854.

Returning now to our account of the old academy, we find that Rev. Samuel Phinney was the first principal after the separation of the acad- emy from the district school; he began in January, 1826, and continued until 1829. Since that time the principals were John P. Hendrick, began in May, 1829; William A. Irving, May, 1831; James F. Cogswell, September, 1838; William S. Burt, September, 1839; James Thomp- son, April, 1843; Samuel D. Carr, July, 1846; Samuel G. Williams, July, 1859; Wesley C. Ginn, August, 1869.

The presidents of the Board of Trustees were as follows: Rev. Will- iam Wisner, elected April, 1825; Daniel L. Bishop, December, 1827; Henry Ackley, 1848; Augustus Sherrill, 1850; Nathan T. Williams, May, 1854; Henry S. Walbridge, May, 1858; Douglass Boardman, October, 1868.

The academy was generally prosperous, and acquired an extended and honorable reputation, but it was considerably crippled for financial aid. This was rendered more onerous through a large number of per- petual scholarships which had been sold to tide over periods of special embarrassment. These were extinguished in 1839, by purchase, under the management of William Andrus, who was long its faithful treasurer.

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In 1840 the brick extension of some fifty or sixty feet long, was erected. Under the financial direction of Mr. Andrus for about thirty-five years the institution accumulated a fund of about $10,000, the interest of which, since the establishment of the new school system in 1874, has been appropriated to the Cornell Library, for the purchase of books.

The annual catalogue of the academy for 1840 gives the following as the teachers: William S. Burt, principal; William G. Mitchell, Alfred Stebbins, Miss Aurelia Matson, Miss Amanda Stebbins. In the class- ical and higher English department there were in that year sixty-five male students and one hundred females; primary department, thirty- nine males and fifty-nine females. Among the male names are many who have since become prominent in business and official life; among these are the late Edward S. Esty, Francis, Joseph, Rufus, Wm. E. and Warren L. King, Ferdinand and Henry Partenheimer, Francis M. Finch, and many others. The catalogue states that board can be obtained at the " Academy Boarding House " at $1.50 per week. A perusal of the various catalogues since that time to 1874 will reveal the fact that many of the leading men of Ithaca have been educated, or partially educated, in or connected with the old academy.

Under the act of April 4, 1874, the schools of Ithaca were incorpo- rated by the following persons: Douglass Boardman, Benjamin F. Taber, John L. Whiton, William L. Bostwick, Rufus Bates, John Gauntlett, Francis M. Finch, Peter B. Crandall, Joseph C. King, H. D. Donnelly, Marcus Lyon and E. S. Esty.

On the date just mentioned the schools consisted of the academy, the central school, and a school at Fall Creek in an old building of little value.

Under the new union free school system the old academy became the property of the village and all the schools passed under the control of a board of commissioners and a superintendent. The first board of 1875 were: E. S. Esty, Francis M. Finch, Marcus Lyon, Joseph C. King, Frederick K. Andrus, Francis O'Connor, Peter B. Crandall, John L. Whiton, William L. Bostwick, Benjamin F. Taber, John Gauntlett, Henry D. Donnelly. The first officers were E. S. Esty, president; John Strowbridge, secretary; Charles A. Hart, treasurer ; H. H. Moore, collector. The first principal of the High School was Fox Holden, who continued to 1880. He was succeeded by D. O. Barto, who continued until 1893, with the exception of two years, during which he was absent by resignation on account of the illness of his wife. He was succeeded by F. D. Boynton, the present principal.

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In August, 1875, L. C. Foster was ehosen superintendent of sehools and has held the office without interruption since. In this most respon- sible station Mr. Foster has succeeded in placing the sehools of Ithaca upon a high level, while his entire devotion to the duties of his office, his eonstant study to keep abreast or ahead of the time in educational affairs, give him the entire confidence of the community.

With the incoming of the new system, the commissioners at once began improvements in the school buildings. The first of these im- provements was the erection of the West Hill School at a eost of about $16,000, with the lot; this building was commenced in 1874. In 1829 the Fall Creek Building was erected at a cost of about $10,000. Then followed an expenditure of about $4,000 on the Central Building. In 1881-82 the East Hill Building was erected at a cost of about $12,000, with the lot; but the greatest improvement in educational facilities, and one that reflects honor upon the city, is the present beautiful and com- modious High School Building, which was erected on the site of the old academy in 1884, at a cost of over $55,000. In 1893 an annex was built containing accommodations for about 200 scholars, at a cost of $15,000. This building is admirably adapted to its purposes, and embodies all the latest improvements for the suceessful teaching of students, their healthfulness and convenience.

The Board of Education for 1893-94 is as follows: Albert H. Esty, John J. Glenzer, Franklin C. Cornell, Arthur B. Brooks, Roger B. Will- iams, Henry A. St. John, Benjamin F. Taber, Albert M. Hull, Charles M. Williams, E. Kirk Johnson, Elias Treman, Cornelius Leary.

Officers: Roger B. Williams, president; Luther C. Foster, superin- tendent and secretary; Isaac C. Andrews, treasurer.

Faulty: Frank D. Boynton, A. B., principal, mathematics; Harriet W. Thompson, preeeptress, German, French, literature; Belle Sher- man, A.B., natural and physical sciences, history of England, Greece and Rome; Myra L. Spaulding, English; Nettie Baucus, American history, civil government, and instructor of Teachers' Training Class; Lottie A. Foster, Ph. B., Latin; Bertha P. Reed, Greek and mathe- matics; Hollis E. Dann, principal of the commercial department and instructor of vocal music.

The annual report of the superintendent of schools mad : in October, 1893, shows some interesting facts and statistics. The sehool population in 1891 was 2,763, against 3,000 in 1893. The number registered in all

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the schools in 1891 was 1,947; in 1893 it was 2,010. The number of days' attendance in 1891, 286,531; in 1893, 292,323. The average daily absence fell from 96 in 1891, to 88 in 1893. The total cost per pupil for all ordinary expenses in 1891 was $17.99; in 1893 it was $17.71. In 1891 there were 176 non-resident pupils; in 1893 there were 191. The receipts for tuition in 1891 were $2, 723.20; in 1893 they were $3,493.88. The gross sum for teachers' salaries in 1893 was $21,110. The total receipts for the year were $38,272.26; the disbursements were within about $600 of this sum, over $10,000 of which was for buildings and sites. The schools of Ithaca are now conducted upon a high plane and with the best results. The High School is fast becoming a very impor- tant factor in the preparation of scholars for Cornell University. President R. B. Williams says in his report :

The schools of Ithaca hold a proud position in the State and are looked upon as models by many of our neighbors. Our duty is to so support and conduct them that they may never recede from this position, but continually advance. to the growing honor of our city and to the advantage of our children. The high position that they now occupy is largely due to the ability of our superintendent and his superb corps of instructors. Our policy should ever be to obtain and retain such talent, and while expecting the highest grade of ability and service, we should not overlook the fact that it is worthy of liberal compensation.

CORNELL LIBRARY .- Various efforts of little importance in their re- sults were made to establish libraries in Ithaca long before the benefi- cent act of Mr. Cornell. There was a "Methodist Theological and Historical Library Association " in 1821, and " The Ithaca Methodist Literary Society " in 1826, and the "New Jerusalem Church Library " in 1831; but, as would be inferred, the collections of books made by these organizations were small and soon dispersed.

By an act of the Legislature passed April 5, 1864, the Cornell Library Association was incorporated. Under this act Ezra Cornell caused to be erccted the commodious and handsome brick structure on the corner of Seneca and Tioga streets, costing with Mr. Cornell's donation of books, at the date of dedication, over $65,000.

This building, denominated the Cornell Library, besides the library and reading rooms, contains a fine hall for public exercises and other excellent rooms for business purposes, whose rental was designed to sustain the library free of cost to patrons. It has more than accom- plished this purpose, the receipts proving sufficient to pay expenses and add yearly many volumes to the library.

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Under the will of the late John Rumsey the library received a legacy of about $11, 400.

· The use of the academy fund of $10,000 has for several years past enabled the trustees to increase the yearly acquisitions to a total of about 600 volumes. There are now upon the shelves over 11,000 vol- umes, many of them very rare and valuable.

With few necessary exceptions the books of this library circulate free within the limits of Tompkins county to all the inhabitants thereof who comply with the few conditions imposed to secure their proper use and prompt return.

The library was appropriately dedicated on the evening of December 20, 1866.

Officers of Library for 1894: A. B. Cornell, president; Wm. R. Humphrey, vice-president; R. B. Williams, secretary; D. F. Finch, treasurer; S. H. Synnott, librarian.

Trustees: F. C. Cornell, Albert H. Esty, D. F. Finch, C. J. Rumsey, R. B. Williams, Wm. R. Humphrey. Ex-officio Trustees: Mayor of the city, superintendent of schools, chief engineer of fire department, chairman of the Board of Tompkins County Supervisors, and pastors of the established churches of Ithaca.

CHURCHES.

The first regular religious organization in Ithaca was the Presbyterian society, organized January 24, 1804, by Rev. Jedediah Chapman, a missionary from the General Assembly. The society then numbered thirteen members, and was named " The South Presbyterian Church in Ulysses." On the minutes of the Presbytery it was called " Ulysses Second Church," and was so called until the name of Ithaca was applied to it. The young church went under charge of the Oneida Presbytery, and on the organization of the Presbytery of Geneva in 1805 was assigned to that body. In August, 1816, it was transferred to the Pres bytery of Cayuga, and on the formation of the Presbytery of Ithaca was assigned to that. From 1805 to 1816 Rev. Gerritt Mandeville served the church, and was succeeded by Rev. William Wisner. The services were then held in the old school house near the academy; in the fol- lowing summer a barn was used that stood on the pastor's lot, and soon afterward a loft in a building owned by Levi Leonard. After preach- ing one ycar as stated supply Mr. Wisner was installed pastor in Feb-

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ruary, 1814, and the following year the services were transferred to the new church in the park. In 1825 the congregation had become suf- ficiently large to need more room and the church was accordingly enlarged; the number of members was then 263. In the fall and winter of 1826, 220 persons were added to the church, and in January, 1831, 224 others were enrolled. In April of that year Dr. Wisner was, at his own request, dismissed from the charge. At that time the church had nearly 800 members. Succeeding pastors of the church have been Rev. William Page, one year; Alfred E. Campbell, 1832-34; John W. Mc- Cullough, 1834-38; Dr. Wisner, who had returned to Ithaca, 1838-48, when his health failed; Se den T. Haynes, 1849-50; Wm. N. McHarg, 1850-54; T. Dwight Hunt, to 1860; David Torrey, D.D., March, 1860; Theodore F. White, November 1, 1865, to 1842; M. W. Stryker, and the present incumbent, Rev. A. S. Fiske.

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Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 19

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194