Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 27

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 27

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In 1838 $160,000 were added from the annual revenue of the United States deposit fund to the amount to be apportioned among the various school districts. In the following year the number of districts in the State was 10,583. The increase in the number of districts from time to time is shown as follows : 1798, 1,352 districts; 1816, about 5,000 ; 1820, 5,763 ; 1825, 7,642 ; 1830, 8,872 ; 1835, 9,865.

On the 4th of February, 1839, John C. Spencer was appointed sec- retary of state and superintendent of common schools, and he con- tinued in the office until 1842. He advocated several changes in the system, the most important being, perhaps, the county supervision of schools by regular visitors. These visitors reported to the superin- tendent, and one of the results of their early reports was the plan of appointing county superintendents, which went into effect in April, 1843, and resulted in a great improvement in the general character of the schools. The office was abolished March 13, 1847, during which period the following held the office in Oneida county : Elon Comstock, Julius C. Thorn, Hosea Clark, Stephen Moulton, William S. Wetmore.

In his annual message of 1844 Governor Bouck treated largely the school question, stating among other things the following :

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The substitution of a single officer, charged with the supervision of the schools of each town, for the board of commissioners and inspectors formerly existing, in con- nection with the supervisory and appellate powers of the several county superintend- ents, as defined by the law of the last session, seems to have met with the general approbation and concurrence of the people.

Samuel S Young was secretary of state and superintendent of schools from February, 1842, to February, 1845, when he was succeeded by Nathaniel S. Benton, who continued until 1847, when the new Consti- tution was in effect.

The subject of Teachers's Institutes was first brought forward in the Tompkins County Teachers' Association in the fall of 1842, and the first institute was held in Ithaca April 4, 1843 ; they soon became a powerful auxiliary in elevating the teacher's profession.

A persistent and nearly successful attempt was made to engraft upon the new Constitution of 1846 a free school system for the State. The section under which it was to be accomplished was the following :

The Legislature shall provide for the free education and instruction of every child of the State in the common schools, now established, or which shall hereafter be established therein.

This section was adopted by a vote of 57 to 53, and a provision was then added directing the Legislature to provide for raising the necessary taxes in the districts to carry out the plan. The convention then ad- journed for dinner. After reassembling the school article was referred, on resolution, to a committee of one with instructions to strike out the the last two sections relating to free schools. This was done and the provision for the establishment of free schools was defeated.

On the 13th of November, 1847, the Legislature passed an act abol- ishing the office of county superintendent of common schools, direct- ing appeals authorized to be made by law to be made to the state superintendent, and the annual reports of the town superintendents to be made to the county clerk. This measure was adopted largely in response to populor clamor, and was in many respects temporarily disastrous to the welfare of the schools. Reports of town superintend- ents were often superficial and incomplete, while they were " wholly in- capable of supplying the place in the system which had been assigned to the higher class of officers."

On the 15th of December, 1847, the various statutes relating to com-

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mon schools were consolidated into one act, with such amendments as seemed expedient ; town superintendents were to hold their office two years ; the library law was modified so that library money in any dis- trict might be used for teachers' wages, with the consent of the state superintendent, provided the number of volumes in the library had reached a certain proportion to the number of children, etc.

Christopher Morgan was state superintendent of schools and secretary of state from 1847 to 1851, when he was succeeded by Henry S. Randall, who held the office until 1853. In the message to the Legis lature of 1849 Governor Fish expressed his belief " that the restoration of the office of county superintendent would be productive of good to the school system." He recommended two measures, either of which would improve the situation :

First. The repeal of chap. 358, laws of 1847, restoring the office of county superin- tendent, and making it elective by the people.

Second. The election of a superintendent in every Assembly district, except in the city of New York, and the cities which now have, or shall hereafter have, a city superintendent, or board of education, to manage their school affairs.

The superintendent then reviewed the situation as to the problem of free schools which was before the people. On the 26th of March, 1849, the Legislature passed the " Act establishing Free Schools throughout the State." For its provisions in detail the reader must be referred to the statutes. Oneida county gave a majority in favor of the act of 4,595, with 2,91 1 against it. The practical application of this system met with wide spread and intense opposition from the first, and it soon became apparent that a demand for its repeal would have to be met. At the annual election in the fall of 1850, therefore, the people voted upon the question of its repeal, and the majority in favor of repeal was 46,874, in forty-two of the fifty-nine counties of the State; in the remaining seventeen counties the majority against repeal was 71,912, leaving a majority of 25,088 against repeal. Thus the beneficent free school system was permanently established. The majority in favor of repeal in Oneida county was 897.

The number of districts in the State reported in 1850 was 11,397, and the number of children taught was 735,188. The number of dis- tricts in 1895 was 11, 121.

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In 1860 there were in Oneida county 412 districts. There are now (1895-6) 371 districts.

In 1856 the provision of the law of 1851 appropriating annually $800,000 was repealed and a tax of three quarters of a mill on the dollar of real and personal property substituted for payment of teachers' wages, and the rate bill was continued ; the school commissioners to be elected by the Boards of Supervisors.

A law was passed in 1853 providing for union free schools, authoriz- ing the inhabitants of two or more districts to elect trustees and levy a tax on the property in the united districts for the payment of teachers' wages and other expenses.

The general school law was revised in 1864, and in 1867 the rate bill was abolished and a tax of one and a quarter mills on the dollar of valua- tion substituted.

The earliest attempt at establishing schools after the settlers began to locate was made in Whitestown, as early as 1785-86, on the east side of Sauquoit Creek, in the neighborhood occupied by the Wetmore and Leavenworth families. Schools were opened in Westmoreland about 1793, and in Rome at least as early as 1800. They were also in ex- istence in Utica some time before the commencement of the present century, probably 1790. The earliest buildings were of logs, with an immense fireplace and stone chimney at one side or end, and the seats were made of slabs, into the rounded sides of which legs were inserted, two at one end and one at the other, in holes bored with a two-inch augur. Unfortunately the records of these primitive schools are almost totally lost, but such as are preserved are set forth in the several town histories herein.

Hamilton Oneida Academy .- This was the earliest important educa- tional movement in Oneida county and one of the earliest in the State west of Albany. Samuel Kirkland was the founder, and it was the out- growth of his desire to educate the Indians under his missionary care. He conceived his educational plan as early as 1790 and in 1792 had matured it so far as to include in his project a system of primary schools for native children and an academy for English youth and a selected number of older Indian boys. Three of the primary schools were established and continued several years. It was his intention to place

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his academy near what was then the boundary between the white set- tlement and the Indian lands, and his plans received general approval. The charter for the academy was obtained in 1793, and having received valuable aid from Alexander Hamilton, the name " Hamilton Oneida Academy," was adopted for the institution. Following is the preamble to the charter :

Whereas, Samuel Kirkland, Jonas Platt, Eli Bristoll, Erastus Clark, Joel Bristoll, Sewall Hopkins, James Dean, and Michael Meyers, by an instrument in writing, under their hands and seals, bearing date the 12th day of November, in the year of our Lord 1792, after stating, among other things, that they are founders and benefactors of a certain Academy in Whitestown, contiguous to the Oneida Nation of Indians, in the county of Herkimer, in the State aforesaid, who have contributed more than one-half in the value of the real and personal property and estate collected and appointed for the use and benefit of said Academy, did make application to us, the said Regents, that the said Academy might be incorporated, and become subject to the visitation of us and our successors, and that we would signify our approbation that Alexander Hamilton, John Lansing, Egbert Benson, Dan Bradley, Eli Bristoll, Erastus Clark, James Dean, Moses Foot, Thomas R. Gold, Sewall Hopkins, Michael Myers, Jonas Platt, Jedediah Sanger, John Sargeant, Timothy Tuttle, and Samuel Wells, named in the said application. and their successors, might be a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of the Trustees of Hamilton Oneida Academy.

In April, 1793, a subscription paper was put in circulation, headed by gifts from Mr. Kirkland of 300 acres of land on lease "the product to be applied towards the support of an able instructor," ten pounds in money and fifteen days' work. Other contributions, very liberal for the times, were made, the money amounting to nearly 170 pounds. The site chosen for the academy was about midway between the present "South College " on the campus and the chapel. The corner stone was laid by Baron Steuben in July, 1794, and the frame raised in due time. Failure to collect the necessary means caused a cessation of the work for nearly two years, and it was feared the project would have to be abandoned. But the zealous missionary never lost faith, and by unremitting efforts and the aid of others in collecting funds, enough was secured to inclose the building, Early in 1798 a large room in the south end of the second story and two smaller rooms on the first floor were finished and the two chimneys in front were built. After further reverses and delays, the building was finally completed. It was three stories high and 90 by 38 feet in size. Mr. Kirkland had the privilege

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of seeing the institution opened and work in progress, under able in- structors.

In the year previous to the opening of the school Mr. Kirkland brought from Oneida several of the most promising Indian boys, clothed them like the white boys, committed part of them to the care of Eli Bristol and provided for the rest of them in his own family. They did not take readily to the restraints of civilized life and by the end of the year it was necessary to let them go back to their former haunts

In 1797 Rev. John Niles, a graduate of Yale, took charge of the academy as the first principal. After three years ill health forced him to retire from the position. Rev. James Murdock, afterwards an emi- inent professor in several colleges, was associated with Mr. Niles one year. Rev. Robert Porter, also a Yale graduate, became principal of the academy in September, 1801, and retained four years. Seth Nor- ton, brother of Rev. Dr. Norton, assumed the position in the fall of 1805, and excepting one year, held the place until 1812, when the in- stitution was raised to the rank of college and he was appointed pro - fessor of languages.

In order to obtain a charter for Hamilton College, as the successor of the academy just described, and to obtain a grant from the Legislature of $50,000 for its endowment, it was necessary to raise by subscription another $50,000. This task was undertaken by Rev. Caleb Alexander, and through his energetic labor a sum was raised which, with the value of the academy property, was equal to $52,844.64. The charter was granted May 22, 1812. The trustees immediately completed the un finished portion of the academy and put the property in good condition. The first faculty chosen were as follows :

Rev. Azel Backus, D. D., of Bethlehem, Conn., as president ; Rev. Seth Norton, professor of languages ; Josiah Noyes, M. D., professor of chemistry; and Theodore Strong, tutor. The doors of the college were opened for students October 24, 1812, and regular recitations commenced on the Ist of November following. Dr. Backus was inaugurated pres- ident December 3, 1812, in the Congregational church at Clinton. He died after four years of service, December 28, 1816 His successor was

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Rev. Henry Davis, D. D., an alumnus of Yale College. He had been professor of languages in Union College, and at the time of his election here was president of Middlebury College, and had also been recently elected president of Yale, to succeed the eminent Timothy Dwight. He deliberately preferred Hamilton and was installed as president in the fall of 1817 and continued in his office sixteen years. He died at Clinton March 7, 1852, at the age of eighty. two years. He was succeeded in the presidency of the college by Rev. Sereno E. Dwight, D. D., a son of Timothy Dwight, who, owing to ill health, resigned after two years' service. Rev. Joseph Penney, D. D., a graduate of Dublin University, was elected in the fall of 1835 and resigned in 1839, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. Simeon North, D. D., then professor of languages in the college. During Dr. North's term of office of eighteen years, the affairs of the institution prospered greatly At the time of his inauguration the treasury was almost empty, but it was soon replenished, the number of students increased, new buildings were erected and new professor- ships created.

President North was succeeded in 1858 by the Rev. Samuel Ware Fisher, D. D., then of Cincinnati, and a graduate of Yale. He was distinguished as an eloquent preacher, and he continued in office to July, 1866. He was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel Gilman Brown, D. D., LL. D, a graduate and professor of Dartmouth. This urbane and scholarly man served the college until 1881, when he retired to a res- idence in Utica, where he died in November, 1885. During his admin- istration were erected the president's house, and the new Library Hall. The Rev. Henry Darling, D. D., LL. D., became president in 1881 and died in office in April, 1891. Under his term the numbers of the classes largely increased. North College and the Cabinet were rebuilt and en- larged, and under the generosity of Horace B. Silliman, LL. D., of Cohoes, the college received its beautiful and complete Y. M. C. A. building.

" Old Middle" was remodeled in 1891 into a noble modern gym- nasium. This work was liberally provided for by Messrs. Arthur W. Soper, M. S., of New York, and Alexander C. Soper ('67) and James P. Soper, of Chicago, as a memorial of their father, the late Albert Soper, of Chicago.

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The second story of the building, in one hall, is used for a track- room and for the practice cage of the baseball battery. The third story, which includes under its truss roof the former fourth story, is the Gym- nasium proper. The building is lighted with gas, well warmed, and thoroughly equipped. There is a physical director, who is also a phy- sician, and is competent to prescribe proper exercises for each student.

As a memorial of the late John Newton Beach, jr., sometime a mem - ber of the Class of '94, a beautiful arbor was last year built by his father, John Newton Beach ('62) of Brooklyn. It is a most attractive structure, of native rough-hewn limestone, ceiled with Georgia pine in natural finish, and cedar shingled. The interior walls, window seats, and walls, are all of stone. The seats are of oak timber. The structure measures 20 by 18 feet and spans the walk, at the head of "Sophomore Hill," and about five rods above the site of the old arbor, commanding picturesque glimpses of valley and hill.

At considerable expense the Hamilton College waterworks system has just been installed, providing in the main buildings suitable con- veniences and with the utmost sanitary care. The Gymnasium is now furnished with adequate bathing facilities. Help against fire is assured by an ample two and a half inch stream of eighty-five pounds pressure. Excellent fire apparatus has just been presented by John M. Butler, A. M. ('48) of Utica.

The site of the college is exceptionally fine The air is pure and dry, and the prespect is one of great natural charm.

The college stands upon a broad plateau, three hundred feet above the valley and nine hundred feet above the sea, the hills rising high in the background to still wider prospects. It faces the sunrise and over- looks the beautiful valleys of the Oriskany and the Mohawk, and the noble ranges of hills beyond.

The harmonious landscape, the retired elevation, and the historic scene, furnish an environment of ideal fitness for the training of large thought and high purpose.

The campus occupies a portion of the original government grant to Samuel Kirkland, which lay a little west of the Line of Property, fixed November 5, 1768, by treaty at Fort Stanwix between Sir William John- son and the Six Nations. The intersection of the highway (at the mid-

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dle of "Freshmen Hill ") by this treaty line is marked by an enchiseled stone erected by the Class of '87.

An examination of the catalogue of 1895 shows the names of seven- teen professors in actual service. The departments are various and thoroughly equipped.

The new Latin scientific course allows large expansion in the study of the laboratory sciences. The Library is steadily growing under an- nual appropriations and friendly gifts and already includes 34.000 vol- umes and 13,000 pamphlets. The Litchfield Observatory, so long under the directorship of the late Dr. C. H. F. Peters, has won world- wide celebrity for the college. Forty-eight asteroids were discovered here, and other original and still more important work has been done.

A consultation of the triennial catalogue will show the line of distin- guished and able men who have been graduated at Hamilton, or who have served in its faculty, and upon the Board of Trustees. Its classi- cal graduates number 2, 180. Of these 845 have entered the ministry ; 530 the law ; 350 teaching, 113 medicine, 75 journalism. The gradu- ates have always been in demand as keen, practical, and honorable men.

The present freshman class ('99) numbers fifty-nine men.

The president is Melancthon Woolsey Stryker,1 who was elected in August, 1892, succeeding Professor Edward North, who was appointed acting president April 20, 1891, after the death of President Darling. Professor North, since his election in 1843, has given instruction in the Greek language and literature to fifty-two successive classes. He is widely known in the educational world and is a member of a large number of prominent historical and scientific societies.

' Melancthon Woolsey Stryker was born at Vernon, Oneida county, January 2, 1851. His father was Isaac Pierson Stryker, then pastor of the Vernon Presbyterian church; his mother, Alida Livingston Woolsey, daughter of Com. Mel. T. Woolsey, U. S. N., and granddaughter of Mel. Lloyd Woolsey, an officer in the Continental army. He was the second child of seven and the eldest son. He prepared for college at the Rome Academy, and entered Hamilton with the Class of '70 in July, 1866. He graduated in 1822, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1870. Ordained by Presbytery of Cayuga May, 1876, as pastor of Calvary church, Auburn ('76-'78), pas- tor at Ithaca 1878 1883; at Holyoke, Mass., 1883-85; and of Fourth church, Chicago, Ills., 1885-1892. Called to be the ninth president of Hamilton College, August, 1892, entering upon his duties in November, and inaugurated January, 1893. He received the degree of D.D. from both Hamilton and Lafayette in 1889, and LL. D. from Lafayette in 1892. He is the editor of various hymn books -chiefly of Church Song (1890). He has published two volumes of verse, Miriam (1888), and

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Hamilton has never been wealthy and is not now, but it may well be questioned whether for the size of the investment-the "plant "- any other college has rivaled the quality of its product. Its roots strike deep into the history of Oneida county and the State of New York. The whole central region of the State is rightly proud of this venerable, persistent and thorough school. The roll of its statesmen, publicists, orators, financiers, editors, authors, pastors and professors is long and lengthening.

Clinton Grammar School .- In 1813, one year after the Hamilton Oneida Academy had been made a college, the friends of education in Clinton made an effort to raise $3,000 with which to erect a new acad- emy. This effort failed, but in 1815 a stock company was organized, the members of which were to own the proposed academy property and receive whatever dividends might accrue from the rent of buildings and grounds. When the necessary amount had been subscribed the build- ing was erected, 40 by 26 feet in size and two stories high, on a site given by David Comstock in exchange for four shares of stock. The building was of brick and in later years was considerably improved.

In 1858 Prof. Benjamin W. Dwight opened Dwight's Rural High School, and which was conducted by him with great success until 1863, when he retired from its management to devote himself to literary work. Under his charge the Rural High school enjoyed a reputation second to none in the State. His father, Dr. Benjamin Woolsey Dwight, was treasurer of Hamilton College for nineteen years until his death, May 18, 1850.

After Hamilton Oneida Academy was closed, and before Hamilton College was opened, a classical school was taught by Rev. Comfort Williams, assisted by Moses Bristol, in the second story of the building since occupied by Judge Williams as a law office, and was moved the following year to a building on College street, and taught by Willian Groves. The next year it was reopened in its original place, and taught by George Bristol. Among the pupils of this year were Mark Hopkins

Lattermath (1895); also Essay on the Dies Irae, with versions 1892); the Letter of James the Just (1895), Hamilton, Lincoln and other Addresses (1896), and numerous articles, and sermons. He married, September, 1876. Elizabeth, daughter of the late Rev. Simon S. Goss, of Auburn, N. Y. The children of this marriage are Goss Livingston, Alida, Robert MeBurney (born and died 1853), Lloyd Paul, and Evelyn.

BENJAMIN W. DWIGHT.

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(since president of Williams College), Charles Avery and Horace Bogue. In the fall of 1816 Rev. Joel Bradley assumed charge of the school, in the new brick building on the " Flats." He was succeeded in a year or two by Rev. William R. Weeks.

The female department of this school was probably organized in 1817, with Mary Hayes as the first teacher. In the fall of 1820 Mr. Weeks resigned and was succeeded by Clark Avery, who in September, 1822, was followed by Orlando Kirtland. In 1825 Isaac Wilmarth accepted the post and was succeeded about a year later by Joseph S. Bosworth, who continued two years. In 1828 the school was placed under the care of the Board of Regents. The principals succeeding Mr. Bosworth have been :

Noah Cushman, Leicester A. Sawyer, Salmon Strong, John C. Underwood (late United States district judge for Eastern Virginia), Mr. Hickok, Joseph W. Hubbard, Henry Kendall (since a secretary of the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian church), Erastus C. Williams, Edward S. Lacey, Edward North (now of Hamilton College), Edward P. Powell, Henry P. Bristol, Gilbert Wilcoxen, Ambrose P. Kelsey, and Rev. Isaac O. Best.

In 1866 the grammar school and the high school were incorporated together, the high school building having been burned. This school had formerly been known as the Rural High School, and later it be- came the Clinton Military Academy.

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 27

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co. Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612