Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I, Part 73

Author: White, Truman C
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] : Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1014


USA > New York > Erie County > Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I > Part 73


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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District No. 52 .- School lot on Barry place near Bird avenue; house of brick, three stories, built in 1895. Valuation, $37,925.


District No. 53 .- School lot on Winslow street corner of Wohlers avenue; house of brick, three stories, built in 1895. Valuation, $48,630.


District No. 54 .- School lot on Main street near Jewett avenue; house of brick, three stories, built in 1895. Valuation, $34,690.


District No. 55 .- School lot on Guilford near Sycamore street; house of brick, three stories, built in 1895. Valuation, $53,600.


District No. 56 .- School lot on Elmwood avenue near Ferry street, house of brick, three stories, built in 1896. Valuation, $54,815.


District No. 57 .- School lot on Sears street near Broadway; house of brick, built in 1897.


Districts No. 58, 59 and 60 .- School houses are now (1897) in process of construc- tion.


Buffalo is heavily bonded for the cost of its system of schools. The original issue was $250,000, under the laws of 1888, the bonds being issued on August 1 of that year and due in 1908. Under chapter 315 of the laws of 1889, an issue of $150,000 was made, payable in 1909. Another equal issue was made under chapter 242 of the laws of 1891, payable in 1912. Under chapter 325 of the laws of 1893, $300,000 was issued, payable in 1914, and under chapter 390 of the laws of 1895, an issue was made of $250,000, payable in 1915; making a total of $1,100,000. This last issue sold at a premium of over $5,000.


The present taxable valuation of school personal property is $13,486,- 550, and of real estate $225, 485, 795. The total expenditures for public schools since 1886 are as follows:


1886.


$516,793.85


1892-93


$805,213.71


1887


512,555.69


1893-94.


940,570.52


1888.


807,000.79


1894-95.


1,229,761.15


1889.


746,529.56


1895-96.


1


1,279,080.98


1890


698,361.10


1896-97. 1,277,085.00


1891-92 (18 mos.). 1,336,915.22


The annual registration since 1885 is as follows :


1885-86


28,372


1891-92 37,524


1886-87


29,434


1892-93


39,579


1887-88


30,351


1893-94 44,713


1888-89


32,251


1894-95


46,665


1889-90


34,662


1895-96


52,157


1890-91


35,576


1896-97 52,705


656


OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


The subject of nationality of pupils in the schools is an interesting and important one, and has a direct bearing upon questions of cosmo- politan character in the population of the city. In deciding the nation- ality of a child, the question is asked, "Where was your father born?" If it is Germany, he is called a German; if in Ireland, Irish; if in the United States, American. A child may be of German descent, yet if his father was born in the United States, he is put down as an Amer- ican. The most noticeable items in the following table are those which show the coming in of the Italian, Polish and Canadian elements, which, a few years ago, were entirely lacking in the public schools of Buffalo:


REGISTRATION.


1882.


1895-96.


Pupils of American Parentage


5,460


23,424


or


44.9 per cent.


German


10,301


16,309


or


31.3


66


Irish


2,633


3,246


or


6.2


Scandinavian


66


1,850


or


3.5


Italian


66


927


or


1.8


Canadian


66


1,709


or


3.3


66 other nationalities


2,293


4,474


or


8.6


20,687


52,157


White


20,574


51,926


or


99.6 per cent.


Colored


113


231


or


0.4


66


218


01


0.4


16 Polish


There are libraries connected with fifty seven of the schools in which there are a total of about 45,000 volumes, valued at about $34,000.


Evening schools in Buffalo were first opened in 1851. They have have been found of great usefulness and the number gradually in- creased until at the present time there are thirteen such schools taught in districts Nos. 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 19, 20, 31, 38, 39, 43 and 44, employing forty four principals and teachers. These schools are maintained at an annual expense of about $11,000. There is also an evening High School, with a principal and eleven male and six female teachers, maintained at an expense of about $3,000.


The kindergarten schools have become an important factor in the educational facilities of the city. The Buffalo Free Kindergarten As- sociation was organized in 1891, and four schools were started under its supervision. In 1892 the Common Council, on recommendation of Superintendent Love, appropriated sufficient money to pay the prin-


657


EDUCATION IN ERIE COUNTY.


cipal teacher, and in 1894 the number of these schools was increased to eight. There are now twelve of these Kindergarten schools con- ducted under the auspices of the association, with a combined regis- tration of about 1,100 pupils, whose average age is four years. The Department of Public Instruction pays the salaries of eight teachers.


The Buffalo Female Academy was the result of an idea originating with Rev. M. La Rue P. Thompson, D. D., then pastor of the First Presbyterian church. An organization was effected in March, 1851, with Samuel F. Pratt, Thomas Farnham, Noah H. Gardner, George W. Tifft, Benjamin Hodge, Aaron Rumsey, James Hollister, Thomas M. Foot, M. D., Charles E. Clarke, Elihu J. Baldwin, Daniel Bowen, Joseph Dart, George B. Walbridge, Stephen G. Austin, and James Mckay as trustees; Messrs. Austin and Mckay soon resigned and Ho- ratio Shumway and Judson Harmon were elected to the vacancies. Samuel F. Pratt was chosen the first president; Elihu J. Baldwin, sec- retary; and Thomas Farnham, treasurer. Mr. Pratt soon resigned and Horatio Shumway was elected to the position. School was opened August 15, 1851, and on the 14th of the following October the institu- tion was incorporated. Through the liberality of Jabez Goodell, Good- ell Hall, on Johnson's Park, was dedicated July 6, 1852, in which year the first graduates, three in number, were sent out. Evergreen Cottage, an historic building erected on Delaware avenue corner of Johnson's Park, by Dr. Ebenezer Johnson, the first mayor of Buffalo, be- came the academy residence. The first principal was Charles E. West, M. D., LL.D., who was succeeded in 1859 by Rev. Albert T. Chester, D. D. ; he was succeeded in 1887 by Mrs. Charles Frederic Hartt. Mrs. Elizabeth A. Forbes had charge of the collegiate department from 1860 to 1885, when Mrs. Hartt succeeded her. Mr. Shumway served as president until 1856; Nathan K. Hall until 1871; Orsamus H. Marshall until 1879: Thomas Farnham until 1883; and Pascal P. Pratt from 1883 to the present time. This is one of the foremost female academies in the State, and has always maintained a high standard in education- al methods. Its average attendance is over 200. Its Alumni Associa- tion, organized in 1876, has become one of the most prominent literary clubs of the city.


The State Normal School in Buffalo was founded in 1870 and the building was finished and accepted on the 7th of September of that year. The local board, consisting of nine members, was appointed on the 14th of September. The board held a meeting and chose


83


658


OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


Henry B. Buckham the first principal. The school was opened on the 13th of September, 1871. It was open only three weeks when the first report was made showing an attendance of sixty-eight students. The members of the first local board were Nathan K. Hall, William H. Greene, Joseph Warren, Thomas F. Rochester, Francis H. Root, Henry Lapp (Clarence), Allen Potter (East Hamburg), Grover Cleveland and Albert H. Tracy. In the year 1872 the State appropriated $6,000 for the institution and a little over $1,600 was expended for books and apparatus. In 1875 the building was repaired and improved at an ex- pense of $5,000. In 1880 the attendance was reported as 259 with five academic students. There were seventeen graduates in that year. The total number of graduates at that time was 185 and 17 academic. The salary list was $14,175. In 1890 the number of graduates was 477 and 46 academic. The salary list in that year was $14,550. In the year 1885 about $1,500 was expended in improving the ground. In 1887 the building was extensively repaired and the Legislature appropriated nearly $26,000 for the erection of a building for a gymnasium, natural science department, etc. The first president of the local board was J. B. Skinner, who died about the time the school opened; he was suc- ceeded by Nathan K. Hall, who held the office until 1874, and was succeeded by Oliver G. Steele. In 1880 Francis H. Root was chosen and was succeeded in 1884 by Thomas F. Rochester. He died in 1887 and Stephen M. Clement was chosen. In 1892 he was succeeded by David F. Day. Henry B. Buckham resigned in 1886 and James M. Cassety was appointed principal. The total graduates in 1896 was 896; attendance 900.


The following is a summary of the educational institutions in Buffalo and Erie county, exclusive of country district and graded schools:


In Buffalo .- One university (University of Buffalo); one State Normal school; two medical colleges (University of Buffalo and Niagara University); one law school (Buffalo Law School, a department of the University of Buffalo, organized in June, 1887, by Hon. Charles Daniels and others); one dental college (University of Buffalo); one college of pharmacy (University of Buffalo); one school of pedagogy (University of Buffalo); two high schools; sixty-two brick and eleven wooden public school buildings; seven advanced private schools; six ordinary and two advanced German Protestant parochial schools; twelve kindergartens; thirty-one ordinary and eight advanced Roman Catholic parochial schools, of which eight are German, four Polish, and one French; eight orphan asylums; and five business schools, including Bryant & Stratton's, established in 1854. There are in the various parochial, private, and orphan schools about 20,000 pupils and 500 teachers.


659


EDUCATION IN ERIE COUNTY.


In Erie county, outside of Buffalo (from the report of the State Su- perintendent of Public Instruction, 1897, covering the school yeer 1895-96):


FIRST DISTRICT.


TOWNS.


No. of districts


school houses.


No. of teachers


employed.


No. of scholars


taught.


Value of


school houses


and sites.


Alden


12


15


454


$14,660


Amherst


17


22


992


25,750


Cheektowaga.


9


18


990


36.100


Clarence


13


25


785


17,615


Grand Island


10


10


225


5,000


Lancaster


10


18


891


21,225


Newstead


13


21


867


23,450


Tonawanda


6


42


1,973


54,150


Totals


90


171


7,207


$197,950


Number of union free school districts, 6.


Number of private schools, 8; scholars, 472.


District libraries, 11,109 volumes; value, $7,191.


Assessed valuation of districts, $22,630,500.


SECOND DISTRICT.


TOWNS.


with No. of districts school houses.


No. of teachers


employed.


No. of scholars


taught.


Value of


and sites.


Aurora


12


25


995


$51,595


East Hamburg


12


15


526


12,135


Eden


12


15


480


7,660


Elma


10


10


393


7,500


Evans


14


21


724


25,800


Hamburg


13


22


872


38,400


Marilla.


9


10


316


6,510


Wales


9


10


270


4,345


West Seneca


8


12


593


12,000


Totals


99


140


5,169


$165,935


Number of union free school districts, 6.


Number of private schools, 8; scholars, 235.


District libraries, 8,040 volumes; value, $1,236.


Assessed valuation of districts, $13,407,579.


!


1


I


1


I


I


1


1


1


1


1


I


I


1


1


1


I


I


1


I


I


I


I


I


school houses


with


660


OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


THIRD DISTRICT.


TOWNS.


No. of districts


school houses.


No. of teachers


employed


No, of scholars


taught.


Value of


school houses


and sites.


Boston


8


8


215


$3,825


Brant


6


7


317


7,800


Colden


10


11


315


5,970


Collins


10


13


497


10,275


Concor


15


29


955


26,050


Holland


11


13


405


9,035


North Collins


11


14


400


7,790


Sardinia


13


14


365


6,055


Totals


84


109


3,469


$76,790


Number of union free school districts, 4.


Number of private schools, 3; scholars, 200.


District libraries, 3,775 volumes; value, $1,976.


Assessed valuation of districts, $7,328,127.


The first election of school commissioners after the change in the law abolishing their appointment by the boards of supervisors was held in November, 1859, the term of office being three years. Following is a list of commissioners for Erie county from that year to the present:


First district (now including the towns of Alden, Amherst, Grand Island, Cheek- towaga, Clarence, Lancaster, Newstead and Tonawanda)-Moses Lane, E, Danforth, Garret K. Lester, David. W. Hershey, Buradore Wiltse, Benjamin F. McNeal, Gar- ret K. Lester, Henry Lapp, Charles A. Young, A. McC. Ball, Ernest Wende, H. K. Fullerton, John J. Lentz, Christopher E. Smith, Irving D. Eckerson.


Second district (including the towns of Aurora, East Hamburg, Eden, Elma, Evans, Hamburg, Marilla, Wales and West Seneca)-Amos Freeman, Byron Pratt, Thomas J. Powers, Ebenezer Holmes, James F. Crocker, George Abbott, George W. Holmes, George Abbott, Charles H. Ide, Leslie W. Bake, Willard F. Russell, James F. Ryther.


Third district (including the towns of Boston, Brant, Concord, Colden, Collins, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia)-Hiram A. Curran, V. Rensselaer Cary, Henry S. Stebbins, Pulaski L. Leggett, S. W. Soule, Russell J. Vaughan, Mark Whiting, John A. Wells, Gurney O. Dillingham, William A. Staffin, Wesley C. Dud- ley, Charles W. Ticknor.


Buffalo-E. S. Hawley, Joseph Warren, Sanford B. Hunt, J. B. Sackett, Henry A. Garvin, John S. Fosdick, Samuel Slade, Thomas Lothrop, J. A. Larned, William S. Rice; after this time the office became that of city superintendent; Chris. G. Fox, James F. Crooker, Henry P. Emerson.


In addition to the public schools in Buffalo and Erie county there are


I


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


F


F


1


with


661


EDUCATION IN ERIE COUNTY.


a large number of parochial and private institutions, especially in the city, which are worthily carrying out the purposes of their founders, and accomplishing a most beneficent work in their respective fields. These are noticed in other pages of this volume and need not be detailed here.


COUNTRY SCHOOLS.


Outside the city of Buffalo in the various towns of the county, there are many union and graded schools which are conducted under modern . methods and by teachers and principals of ability. Brief notes of most of these schools have been gathered for the closing pages of this chapter.


Angola (town of Evans) has a Union School and Academy for the accommodation of which the school building was enlarged in 1894 to nearly double its former capacity ; for this the district was bonded for $6,000. This school was organized in October, 1870, and the academic department was opened in October, 1874. The list of principals is as follows; J. W. Barker, A. A. Weaver, William Fox, G. L. Weeks, E. T. Lockard, W. H. Benedict, Ward Platt, J. H. Selden, M. J. Morse, Robert Bussy, F. W. Hebard, C. W. Vandegrift and Cyrus S. Palmer. The faculty now includes a principal, a preceptress, and five teachers. There is a graded school at North Evans for which a building was erected in 1895. There is an old graded school at Evans Center, with two departments; the building was erected in 1857.


The Farnham village graded school (town of Brant) is in district No. 5; a new building was erected in 1892, being a frame structure of two stories. The school has two departments and two teachers.


East Aurora Union School and Academy is one of the most flourishing educational institutions in the county. Previous to the organization of the Union School, the old academy was conducted under the methods prevailing in former years. The Union School was organized in 1883, with Prof. Howard Lyon, principal. There were at that time four teachers and the registration was about 175. In the follow- ing year the present efficient principal, Charles Goldsmith, was installed. In 1886 there were fourteen teachers and the registration was 625. In 1887 an addition was made to the old building at a cost of $12,000, and in 1896 a second addition was built at a cost of $20,000. At the present time the faculty includes fifteen teachers.


Alden has a Union School, the first board of education for which was elected De- cember 13, 1883, and was composed of Dr. Levinus W. Cornwell (president), Alois Bohner, jr., Dewitt C. Skeel, Joseph E. Ewell (clerk), Benjamin Gifford and George T. Bentley. By the year 1885 the school had nearly doubled in size. . The school building was erected in 1879, at which time a graded school was maintained. The list of principals is as follows: F. W. Lindsley, I. B. Smith, J. C. Shadduck, Joseph A. Hall, John W. Curffey, Charles D. Coon, Wesley C. Dudley, - Flannigan, H. W. Adams, W. A. Torrance and J. P. Abbott. The school was placed under the Regents in 1897; there are now four teachers.


The Union School of North Collins was organized March 20, 1890. The buildings


663


OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


were erected in 1882. The principals have been A. E. Dye, 1890-93; Lewis L. Shove, 1893-96; Frederick L. Gressman to June, 1897; and A. C. Miller. There are four teachers. The school building is now in process of improvement.


The village of Gowanda (town of Collins) maintains an excellent high school on the Cattaraugus county side. Union Free School, district No. 6, at Collins Center, was organized in 1883. The building is a two story frame structure erected about 1885. The first board of education were William A. Johnson, Herbert A. Reynolds, and Matthew Beverly. John Garrett Smith is principal and has two assistants.


Akron Union High School was organized December 18, 1883, and occupied the old brick school house in which a graded school had long been taught. In 1890 a new brick structure was erected near the former one; the old one was burned in 1893. On this site the west part of the present building was erected. The principals have been F. W. Lindsley, George W. Watt and Orson Warren. There are eight grades in the school, and the principal has eight assistants.


A Union School and Academy is conducted at Orchard Park, East Hamburg; it was organized as district No. 6. The academic department was organized in Jan- uary, 1894, at which time the institution was placed under the Regents. The school has three departments, with Allen K. Hoag, principal. The building is a two story frante structure erected about ten years ago. This school stands very high and is a source of pride to the community. Webster's Corners, in East Hamburg, has a graded school, with A. H. Chamberlain, principal.


The old district school in Lancaster village was maintained as such until February 3, 1894. wlien a Union Free School was organized and a board of education elected. An academic department was at once established and in May, 1894, the school was placed under the Regents. The building is a three story brick, with modern im- provements. A good library and a fine collection of physical and scientific apparatus belong to the school. The following persons constituted the first board of education : John O. Garretsee, Dr. John G. Miller, Thomas Leary, Jacob Gottschalk and John Leininger. Twelve teachers are employed, with Burt B. Farnsworth, principal. The first high school class was graduated in June, 1897.


Union school district No. 5, in Sardinia village, was formed by a consolidation of the district at the upper end of the village and the one at the lower end. The school building was erected in 1882 and is well adapted for its purpose. There are two departments in the school and two teachers, with Charles Bernard, principal.


Colden village has a graded school which is taught in a two story frame building erected about 1885. The present principal is Alton Bates.


There is a Union graded school in Wales village, for which a two story frame school building was erected in 1892. The Union district was formed in 1896 by the consolidation of three former districts.


A graded school with three departments and three teachers is maintained in Hol- land village, with Frank B. Wilbur, principal. The school building is a frame two story structure erected about 1887.


A sketch of the Parker Union School and Academy in Clarence has been given in an earlier page; the academy was established about 1841, and efforts were made for about twenty-five years to maintain the institution, but without permanent suc- cess. In 1869 a Union School was organized under the name Clarence Classical Union School, to which the trustees of the academy transferred the building. The


663


EDUCATION IN ERIE COUNTY.


district is a very large one. In 1872 Jared Parker gave liberally towards the proper equipment of the school, and his name was incorporated in the name of the institu- tion ; he also gave land to enlarge the grounds, and finally gave $15,000 for a perma- nent endowment fund, provided the district would raise an equal amount; this was accomplished in 1882. In 1896 the school went under care of the Regents. In 1897 an addition was erected to the building at a cost of $5,000 and an observatory built. After the expiration of Mr. Bissell's term as principal he was succeeded by Herman C. De Groat, 1870-80; John J. Morris, 1880-85; Edward A. Parks, 1885-94; George A. Bolles, 1894-97. Professor Bolles has eleven teachers associated with him.


The territory embraced in the present school system of Tonawanda was organized as Union School district No. 3 about 1866, and the several smaller schools were abandoned upon the completion of the three story brick building on Clinton street in 1870. This building continued to answer the purposes of the entire district until the spring of 1891, when five classes were temporarily provided for elsewhere pending the erection of the two eight-room buildings, the Delaware street and Murray schools, which were finished early in 1893. In 1892 the schools were first placed under a superintendent, and the work of the high school was placed upon a perma- nent basis. Regular courses were then provided, and competent instruction, gener- ous library facilities and laboratory equipment were supplied. Several classes of graduates have already been sent out from this department. The growth in popula- tion and school attendance cannot be better shown than by a comparison of the number of teachers in 1885, which was then eleven, with the present number, thirty- nine. Tonawanda has a school population of 2,250. In place of the old building on Clinton street, before mentioned, and which was burned December 26, 1896, there is now in process of erection a modern and commodious high school building which will provide for 300 pupils in the high school department and for 500 in the grades, with all necessary additional facilities. Its cost will be about $65,000.


In Williamsville village the schools were graded for several years, both the one in the old stone school house (which has been described), and the other in the old academy building. Williamsville Union Free School district No. 3 was organized May 7, 1892, and a board of education elected consisting of Henry W. Dodge (presi- dent), Adam L. Rinewalt, James Chalmers, Demeter Wehrle, Philip J. Snyder, John Hoffman. The principals have been George E. Smith, W. M. Pierce and D. B. Albert, who now has five assistants. The school is under the Regents.


The Union Free School at Eden Center was long a graded school with two, later with three, and finally with four teachers. It was organized as a Union school in the fall of 1895 with four departments and four teachers, and in 1896 was placed under the Regents. In 1897 the old school house was rebuilt, and a branch school is main- tained three miles southeast of the village. Louis E. Boutwell has been principal since 1895, and has three assistants; it is one of the best schools in the county.


In 1849 a large two-story brick school building was erected in Hamburg village, and the school was divided into two departments. This finally proved inadequate and in 1868 the present structure was built, to which an addition was made in 1889. The Union School was organized at that time and the following board of education elected: Rev. A. J. Wilcox, president; S. E. S. H. Nott, secretary; Dr. George Abbott, Dr. G. A. Schmidt, Dr. L. R. Leach, A. C. Calkins, Charles Sigel, Allen K. Dart, Joseph Kronenburg, O. C. Pierce and George Federspiel. The


664


OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE,


school was opened under charge of C. W. Richards and two assistants. Suc- ceeding principals have been Fred H. Dick, Philip A. Lang, Fayette Kelly, Frank H. Briggs, Andrew H. Spencer, Byron H. Heath and T. F. Kane. Besides the principal there are now seven teachers. An academic department is maintained, and there is a free library and reading room connected with the institution. The village of Blasdell, in the town of Hamburg, has a graded school.


The Springville Academy was founded in 1829, at which time the sum of $2,000 was raised for the purpose, one-third to be paid in grain, one-third in live stock, and one-third in cash. A building was completed and the school opened in 1830 with Hiram H. Barney as principal; he was followed by Lorenzo Parsons, 1831-34; Edwin E. Williams, 1834-38; Alexander Hurst, 1842-44; Ephraim C. Hall, 1844-45; Will- iam Mosher, 1845-46; J. W. Earle, 1846-51; Moses Lane, 1851-53; Ezekiel Cutler, 1853-54; Eden Sprout, 1854-55; William S. Aumock, 1855-57; Rev. David Copeland, 1857-59; Rev. C. R. Pomeroy, 1859-65; Rev. William H. Rogers, 1865. In 1865 Archibald Griffith gave the academy $10,000, the interest of which was to be used mainly for the education of orphans and indigent children, and the Legislature authorized the adoption of the name Griffith Institute, which it has ever since borne. The later principals were A. R. Wrightman, 1866-70; Rev. W. W. Rogers, 1870-72; Rev. Mr. McIntyre, 1872-73; J. W. O'Brien, 1873-75; S. W. Eddy, 1875. In 1875 common school districts seven and eight were united as Union school district No. 1, and in 1876 Griffith Institute became a Union free school, but retained its former name. The remaining principals have been S. W. Eddy, 1875-79; George W. Ellis, 1879-82; Elbert W. Griffith, 1882-88; Robert W. Hughes, 1888-98. About 1885 a second brick school building was erected, doubling the original capacity, and in 1894 an old hotel was purchased and used as an annex. Besides the principal there are fourteen assistants; the school has about 500 scholars.




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