The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 98

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 98

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THE SCHOOL MONEY.

"1st .- He shall receive for a speller or reader, 3 guilders a quarter, and for a winter, 4 guilders, for the day school. In the evening 4 guilders for a speller or reader and 5 guilders for a writer, per quarter.

"2nd .- The residue of his salary shall be 400 guilders in wheat (or wampum value), delivered at Brooklyn Ferry, with the dwelling, pasturage and meadow, appertaining to the school.

" Done and agreed upon in consistory under the inspection of the honorable constable and overseers this 8th day of October, 1682. Signed by Casper Van Zuren and the con- sistory.

"I agree to the above articles and promise to obey them. "JOHANNES VAN ECKKELEN."

Teachers of the present day, if required to discharge all these duties, would not regard their positions as sine- cures.

When, however, early in the beginning of the seven- teenth century, the tide of immigration set toward this shore from the British Islands, education received a new impulse, slight indeed, yet indicative of progress. As the population of New Amsterdam and the sur- rounding towns became more cosmopolitan, there arose a Babel of languages ; English, Welsh, Irish, Scotch and Dutch were spoken ; until, in the opinion of Smith, the historian of the colony, the language was "hope- lessly corrupt." Even in the New England colonies there was no uniform standard ; with scarcely an cx- ception, the schools were illy conducted, and the few competent instructors were secured only by those families whose hereditary wealth enabled them to secure the best advantages for their children. The Dutch, meanwhile, fought vigorously against the in- roads which the English language and customs were making upon their own ; and, determined to keep at least one sample on hand of the real pure old stock, the consistory of the Dutch Reformed Church of New York, as late as 1755, sent to Holland and imported from thence a genuine Dutch school-master and chor- ister, John Nicholas Whelp, by name, who served them until his death, eighteen years after. Sad to relate, however (and perhaps it hastened his death even be- fore the close of his career), the English language was introduced into his school as a separate branch of study; and his successor, in 1773, was especially directed to instruct the scholars in the English as well as in the Dutch tongue.

Our Brooklyn ancestors, being removed from imme- diate contact with New York city-for there were no regular running steam ferry-boats in that day, and no city railroad lines offering commutation to school chil- dren-probably did not keep up with the advance of their metropolitan neighbor in educational matters. Things went on in pretty much the same old jog-trot fashion, and the Dutch, pure and undefiled, was spoken by teacher and pupil, and the catechism of the reformed church was held in high esteem.

The Dawn of a Higher Education .-- Toward the middle of the seventeenth century, however, even the darkness of these rustic parts, Kings and Queens counties, began to dissipate before the illuming rays of a brighter and better educational dawn. The old news- papers reveal more than can be learned elsewhere of the schools of this period.

1749. July 3. "Notice is hereby given that at New York Ferry, upon Nassau Island, is carefully taught reading, writing, vulgar and decimal arithmetic, the extraction of the square and cube root, navigation, and surveying. French and Spanish taught and translated, and sufficient security given to keep all writing secret, by John Clark, Philomath ; where there is likewise boarding for youth."-N. Y. Post Boy.

1758. April 17. "Wanted, a person qualified to teach Dutch and English, both reading and writing. Any such person, inclining to keep school, may meet with good en- couragement by applying to Philip Nagle and Englebert Lott, at Flatbush. And, also, wanted such another person for the New Lotts ; but, if this last be well qualified to teach reading and writing only, he may have good encouragement by applying to John Vanderveer and Johannes Lott, living in the aforesaid precinct of Flatbush."-N. Y. Post Boy.

1763. March 31. Jacob Sebring, of Red Hook, and Aris Remsen, owner of the old mill at the Wallabout, and John Rapelye, the rich old loyalist, who owned nearly the whole of the fourth and fifth wards of the present city, advertised that they had "hired Punderson Austin, A.B., of Yale Col- lege, to teach Greek and Latin at the Ferry, Brooklyn.

1773. January 4. The Flatbush Grammar School is adver- tised as kept by John Copp, where Latin and Greek are taught, it being particularly mentioned that "boarders have the advantage of being taught geography in the winter evenings, with many other useful particulars that frequently occur to the teacher."

The orthodox Dutchmen of that town, however, were not to be distanced by any new teacher with his Latin and Greek and the other dimly-hinted-at " useful par- ticulars that frequently occur to the teacher." And, during the following summer, they advertised for "a school-master who is capable of teaching the English and Dutch languages," carefully adding as an "N. B. It will be of advantage to him if he is capable of serv- ing as clerk to the Dutch church."

Schools During the Revolutionary War .- But shortly the revolutionary war broke out, and during its seven years duration, the iron heel of mili- tary occupation was held upon New York and Long Island ; while the peculiar excitements and exigencies of war times pretty effectually closed the schools and

411

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

caused the writing-copy and spelling-book to be ex- changed for the more practical exercise of the manual of arms. Of course, the existing schools kept in opera- tion, as well as the exigencies of the times would per- mit ; but there is sufficient evidence to show that, as a rule, the rising generation mostly ran wild during the revolutionary war.

Educational Revival after the Revolutionary War .- When, however, after the evacuation of New York and Long Island by the British forces, the people began to look around them, to revive their former in- dustries, and to provide for those important interests of government, religion, and education, upon which rested the hopes of their new and dearly-purchased liberties, Long Island was certainly not behind any other portion of the State in her attention to the edu- cational wants of the people. At Easthampton, in 1784, was established the Clinton Academy, which was chartered in 1787, being the first institution of the kind incorporated by the regents of the University of the State of New York. Erasmus Hall, at Flatbush, was erected in 1786, its charter bearing the same date as that of the Easthampton Academy ; and, in 1791, Union Hall was erected at Jamaica, being the sixth chartered in the State. The first public exhibition of Erasmus Hall, at Flatbush, was held on the 27th of September, 1787; and the scene was graced by the presence of the Governor of the State, several mem- bers of the Assembly, and a large concourse of promi- nent gentlemen of the vicinity. Walter Minto, LL.D., described as "a mathematician who has traveled in Europe," was then principal ; but was soon called to occupy the mathematical chair at Princeton College, where he died in 1791.

In March, 1791, the following advertisement appeared in the newspapers : -

" Education-lately established in Brooklyn, an academy in which the Greek and Latin languages, with the higher branches of literature, are taught by Isaac W. Crane; and spelling, reading, and writing elegantly, the English lan- guage and grammar, arithmetic, and the art of Book- keeping, by Henry Davis. The healthful situation of the village, its vicinity to New York, the cheap rate of genteel board, and, above all, the sobriety and learning of the teachers, recommend this academy to the public. The moral and mental culture of the pupil is inspected by the Rev. Elijah D. Rattoon and by George Powers, John Van Nos- trand, Nehemiah Allen, John Cornell, and John Doughty, Jr., trustees."

The suggestive allusion to the sobriety of the teach- ers, although having a curious sound now-a-days, was perhaps not without its influence upon the parents of that day, who might be anxiously seeking a good school to which they could send their children. Mr. HEN- RY ONDERDONK, Jr., himself an old Long Island teacher, says: "Our teachers were usually from the old country, too fond of strong drink, and kept blue Monday. Some had their bottle hid in their desk, and imbibed at pleas-

ure. Their forte was figures, and they were generally better arithmeticians than the New England teachers who superseded them."

The subject of public instruction continued to be agi- tated in the public prints and the pulpit; and the atten- tion of the legislature was repeatedly called, by the gov- ernor's messages, to the paramount importance of hav- ing a regular school system throughout the State. Finally, in 1795, that body passed " an act for the en- couragement of schools ;" and with it an appropriation of $50,000 per annum, for five years, "for the purpose of encouraging and maintaining schools in the several cities and towns in this State, in which children of the inhabitants residing in this State shall be in- structed in the English language, or be taught English grammar, arithmetic, mathematics, and such other branches of knowledge as are most use- ful and necessary to complete a good English educa- tion." Public attention, about the same time, was also called, by the operations of the Manumission Society, of which Governor Jay was president, to the propriety of furnishing the blacks with the elements of education, a measure in which, as will be seen, Kings County subsequently took an active part. In 1798, New York city had a Teachers' Association ; in 1805 was incorpo- rated the Free School Society of the City of New York ; which, owing its origin to the untiring efforts of the Female Association for the Relief of the Poor, ultimate- ly became the Public School Society of the City of New York. In 1805, also, the Common School fund of the State was established.

Early Educational Advantages, and Meth- ods .- Brooklyn and the Kings County towns were, as might be expected, considerably behind their metropol- itan neighbor in educational progress ; yet it cannot be denied that there was progress. But the schools of that day were far different from what they now are. The circle of knowledge usually taught was confined mostly to the "three R's, Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic." Yet, even this had its advantage; for, where the range of studies was so limited, they could hardly be otherwise than well taught and well learned. "The great book of the day," says Mr. ONDERDONK, "was Dilworth's spelling-book, which kept its ground till after the revolution, when Noah Webster's supplanted it. Dilworth was a teacher at Wopping, England, in 1740, and the author of several school-books. His arithmetic held its ground longer than his spelling-book, but was supplanted by Daboll, after a thirty years' struggle. Reading-books were more varied. After the easy lessons of the spelling-books had been mastered, then came the Psalter, Testament and Bible. In some schools were the Child's Instructor, the Young Gentleman's and Lady's Monitor, etc., then the American Preceptor ; and latterly, Murray's Intro- duction, English Reader and Sequel. When the New England teachers canc, elocution was attempted, and the Columbian Orator was used as a text-book. Writ-

412

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

ing was well attended to ; and it was a good, legible round hand. The labor of making pens from quills (for stecl pens were unknown), was not inconsiderable ; nor had the writing-books been ruled with blue ink as at present. Hence the industrious teacher was at his desk every morning, a half hour or so before the formal opening of the school, to mend and make pens, rule the writing-books with a leaden plummet, and set copies. The art of teaching the English grammar was but little understood in those days. Navigation was taught in the common schools, for many of the young men in those days went to sea; some as sailors, some as supercargoes ; some studied medicine and established themselves in the West Indies till they had acquired a fortune, when they returned and settled in their native place. Therefore navigation was a favorite study. Surveying, also, was not neglected. Latterly, geography was taught after a fashion, almost without maps. Guthrie and Salmon were text-books ; superseded finally by Morse. In common schools Dwight's geography, by question and answer were used. Some of the books used in the academies before 1800 were Blair's Rhetoric, Stone's Euclid, Mar- tin's Trigonometry, Warden's Mathematics, etc."

But, to return. When, in 1805, the Public School Society of New York was formed and the public school was established in that city, there were those in Brook- lyn who were watching the experiment with intelligent and hopeful eyes. When New York's second public school-house was established, in 1811, the watchful vil- lagers, perhaps, took heart to talk up the matter of free education in Brooklyn. And though they met with much opposition, especially from those who feared an ncrease of taxes, yet they so far succeeded, that, about i1813, they secured the election of three school trustees, viz., Andrew Mercien, John Seaman, and Robert Snow; to whose patient but preserving labors Brooklyn owes the commencement of her public schools. They gave their services to the work gratuitously, visiting every house in order to examine for themselves the condition of the children and invite the parents ; and although the village paid school taxes for three years, yet, during that time, their endeavors to overcome the opposition to the free education plan was unavailing. Early in 1816, measures were at length adopted, at a public meeting of the villagers, for organizing a public school to be taught on the Lancasterian plan, and the sum of $2,000 was appropriated for the purpose, payable by a tax on the inhabitants of the district. On the 1st of May, 1816, public notice was given by the trustees (above named), that on the ensuing Monday (6th), a school for District No. 1 would be opened on the lower floor of Mr. Thomas Kirk's printing office, in Adams, near Sands street, which would accommodate from thirty-five to forty chil- dren, at $1.50 per quarter, including everything neces- sary for instruction; but no colored children would be admitted until the completion of the new building which it had been resolved to erect. Two days after (on

May 3d), a public meeting was held at Tommy Lang- don's at which the three trustees were deposed from of- fice, because they had proposed to divide the tax in such a way that it should be paid in two years, and that upon cach tax-payer should be levied an average assessment of five dollars. The trustees appointed to fill their places, were: Benjamin Smith, John Harmer, and Jacob Patch- en. On the 6th of May, however, the district school, then, and subsequently known as No. 1, was opened; there be- ing, at that time, five hundred and fifty-two children in the district who did not attend school. Judge John Dikeman, one of the most highly respected residents, was the first teacher of this school, which commenced opera- tion on the first day with seventy-three scholars ; and a two-story frame edifice was erected, as soon as possible, on the corner of Concord and Adams streets, the subse- quent site of Public School No. 1.

This district, in 1821, comprised the whole of the then village of Brooklyn, having one thousand two hun- dred and eighty children between five and fifteen years, of which only one hundred and eighty-eight had re- ceived instruction, at an expense to the public of $454, half of which came from the town. In 1823, the town received from the State its portion ($413.13) of the ap- propriation for common schools. In 1824, upwards of two hundred children were taught in the school of the district, the price of tuition being not above $4 per an- num, and from that amount to nothing, according to the abilities of the parent. One thousand one hundred and fifty-seven out of one thousand six hundred and seven children in the district (between five and ten years of age) attended the public or private schools. The school was continued on the Lancasterian plan un- til about 1836. In this system, thus named after its inventor, Joseph Lancaster, of England, the seats and tables were arranged in the centre of the school-room, leaving a passage clear around the outside ; on the walls hung stiff cards or pasteboards, containing the lessons; so that the class, standing in a semi-circle, could learn to read and spell from the same card. The tables were divided into partitions or shallow boxes, filled with sand, and occupying the spaces in front of each scholar. The child was taught the letters and to make them, by drawing them in the sand with a stick, cut sharp at one end and flat at the other, so that light and heavy lines could be made without having to re- trace them. The sand was smoothed over, with a rule of exactly the same width as the partition; and the lines to rule the sand were made by little pegs in the ruler, on the other side, which was used after the sand had been smoothed. After learning to trace the letters in the sand, the scholars were given slates and pencils, af- terwards pens and ink. Monitors from the higher classes were assigned classes to teach; being changed frequently, so that teaching might not occupy too much of their time, to the detriment of their own studies. Musical instruction was introduced into this school in

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EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

1836, by the late lamented Theodore Dwight, who served as a volunteer teacher, and the first words ever sung in a Brooklyn public school, were by the scholars of this school, in the song commencing,

Softly now the light of day, Steals upon my sight away, etc.

Early Private Schools .- Of private schools, be- tween 1800 and 1816, there had been no lack. Of such, probably, was the following, thus advertised in May, 1802: "The Brooklyn school is now open, where are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and book-keeping; also, if required, Greek, Latin, History and Belle-Lettres. Trustees: John Doughty, Robert Hodges, John Vandewater, John Dcan, and Dr. George A. Clussman." In 1809, there was in the place, George Hamilton's select school, where "students were taught to make their own pens." Hamilton was shortly suc- ceeded by one John Gibbons, at the same place, who kept an "academy for both sexes," where the various branches of education were taught "on unerring princi- ples." Mrs. Gibbons, also, undertook to aid her hus- band by instructing little girls in spelling, reading, sewing and marking; and an evening school for young men was proposed by Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons, and "N. B. good pronunciation." In the next year, 1810, Brook- lyn seems to have been still better supplied with private schools. One Whitney kept school opposite the Post Office; Mr. John Mabon taught the Brooklyn Select Academy, of which the trustees were Joshua Sands, S. Sackett, and HI. I. Feltus; and Platt Kenneday's scholars were advertised to hold an exhibition on Christmas Eve, at Benjamin Smith's old inn. But of all these, and their successors, and their name is legion-Evan Beynon, Samuel Seabury, John Swinburne, and other notable instructors-there is not the space to recite their histories, or to celebrate their praises.

In 1813, an enterprise originated which ultimately resulted in the establishment of the first Public School. A number of charitable ladics (Mrs. Sands, Mrs. On- derdonk, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Moffat, Mrs. Ireland, and others), formed an organization and established a school known as the Loisian Seminary, named after Lois, the grandmother of Timothy the Apostle, and by whom he was instructed in the first principles of the Christian Religion.

It was an association for the free instruction of poor children in reading, writing, arithmetic, knitting and sewing.

It was governed by a Board of five Trustees, who solicited donations of books, and of cash for the rent and ordinary expenses of the school; and the tuition was given by young ladies of the village, who volunteered for the purpose. The school continued on this plan for some years. Some of the teachers married, others tired of their duties; and, finally, a lady was engaged to teach at a salary, agreeably to a suggestion of Mr. Andrew Mercein, whereby the school was converted into a Pub- lic School under existing law. The last teacher of the Loisian School was Mrs. Abrams, wife of an old-time undertaker of St. Ann's Church.

But, here we trench upon the limits of the admirable sketch of The History of Public Education in the City of Brooklyn, prepared by our esteemed friend, TUNIS G. BERGEN, Esq., President of the Board of Education of the city, which will be found in a later portion of this work.

The local historians of the several towns represented in this History, have given ample information concern- ing the schools of their respective towns; see Flatlands, p. 75; Flatbush, p. 249; Gravesend, p. 173; Bushwick, p. 276; New Utrecht, p. 265, and New Lots, p. 314. See also, Index, for many incidental items relating to educational matters.

HISTORY

OF THE

MEDICAL PROFESSION

OF KINGS COUNTY,

1644-1822.

Frank B. Green. Md BY

OF BROOKLYN.

THE TERRIBLE INDIAN WAR of 1643-44, which devastated and very nearly extinguished the rising settlements of the New Netherlands, under Kieft's ill-starred management, was virtu- ally ended, in July, 1644, by the arrival of the ship "Blue Cock" from Curacoa. The 130 soldiers which she brought-and which Petrus Stuyvesant, then governor of that island, had been glad to get rid of, as having no use for them, and fearing a threatened famine- added strength and confidence to the sorely pressed colonists. And, availing themselves of the breathing spell thus afforded them, attempts were made to establish a permanent peace with their savage neighbors.

In this vessel, also, probably, came a surgeon, PAULUS VAN DER BEECK, of Bremen, who had served in the West India Company's ships, and at its station at Curacoa. He was, probably, the second medical man in the colony, Hans Kierstede, also one of the W. I. Co.'s surgeons, having settled in New Amsterdam as early as 1638. A pushing man, shrewd and "with an eye to the main chance," was the ex-ship-surgeon; for, in Oc- tober of the same year, some three months from the date of his arrival, he married Mary Thomas or Baddie, who had already been the wife, successively, of Willem Arianse Bennett and of Jacob Verden. Her first hus- band, Bennett, was one of the first settlers in the present limits of the City of Brooklyn, having, with Jacques Bentyn, in 1636, purchased (STILES' Brooklyn, i. 52) a large tract of land which he had cultivated, and on which he built (about at the intersection of the present Third avenue and Twenty-eighth street) a home. He was killed by the Indians at the beginning of hostilities, his buildings burned, and his stock stolen or destroyed. In 1644, however, peace being made with the Indians, the settlers gradually returned to their ruined farms. The widow and her new husband soon returned again to Long Island, and Bennett's deserted farm was cultivated, and buildings erected

upon it by Surgeon Van Der Beeck, who took up his residence there, probably, before 1653; for in that year he, with others, was chosen by the neighbors to repre- sent them in a convention and as a delegate to Director Stuyvesant. This convention framed a petition, strongly worded, insisting with sturdy Dutch determination on their rights, as citizens, to have a voice in the govern- ment of the province.

In a sparsely populated colony, among settlers who, from the necessity of the case, must be rugged with health, but little call existed for medical skill. Every man became uot alone his own doctor, but each was virtually a "jack of all trades;" no one pursued one avocation to the exclusion of others. So with Paulus Van Der Beeck; we read of him as "Mr. Paulis, surgeon and farmer." Danger seemed to have no terror for him, for he lived far from the protecting walls of the fort. Like a shrewd man, he cast his eye upon the public crib, and for many years fed at it. In 1656 he was collector or farmer of the revenues; 1661-'62 finds him farming out the Excise and Tenths on Long Island; at the same time he was ferry-master. He prospered and grew rich. In 1675 he was assessed on £133 10s., and there were only nine citizens with higher rates. In 1676, he is rated £140, an acre of land passing at £1 wampum values ; and, in a previous year-1657-the church having fallen behind in the dominie's salary, Van Der Beeck is rated as "in easy circumstances and well off," and taxed ten florins. But one break did occur in a life seemingly so full of success. In 1663, his step-sons, the children of Bennet, petitioned for a re-possession of their patrimony; and, by the order of the Director- General and Council, Sheriff Hegeman put them in con- trol of part of the land.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 98

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114