A Brief History of York County, Part 5

Author: Powell, George R.
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 78


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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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From 1833 to 1840 York was a separate district with Daniel Durkee as judge. In 1835 York and Adams were sep- arated from the Second Judicial District of the Court of Com- mon Pleas and they formed the nineteenth, which title York County still bears. Judge Durkee, who had been judge of the District Court, which then ceased to exist, was appointed judge of the nineteenth district and presided over all the courts of York and Adams counties until 1845, when he was suc- ceeded by Judge Irwin, who resigned, and Judge Durkee suc- ceeded him until 1851. Of the associate judges who served on the bench with Durkee, Judge Barnitz, of York, held the po- sition twenty-seven years, and Judge John L. Hinkle, of Han- over, twenty-three years.


Robert J. Fisher, son of George Fisher, a leading member of the Dauphin County bar, was chosen judge in 1851, under the provisions of the revised constitution of 1838, which made the office elective. He was re-elected in 1861 and again in 1871, and served in all the long period of thirty years.


. In the revised constitution of 1873 the office of associate judge, not learned in the law, was abolished in counties form- ing a separate district. Counties having 40,000 inhabitants were to constitute separate districts. York county having 76,000 itself became the nineteenth district. The last of the associate judges were John Moore, of Fairview, whose term expired in 1875, and Valentine Trout, of Chanceford, whose term expired in 1878.


By act of April 12, 1875, York County was given an addi- tional law judge, and Pere L. Wickes was elected to the posi- tion. At the general election in 1881, John Gibson was chosen to succeed Judge Fisher, and Judge Wickes, by seniority of commission, was made president judge, serving until 1886, when James W. Latimer was elected additional law judge. John W. Bittenger was elected to succeed Judge Gibson, and


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Present Court House


W. F. Bay Stewart to succeed James W. Latimer in 1896. Nevin M. Wanner was chosen his successor in 1906.


U. S. Senators and Representatives in Congress.


Three United States Senators were born in York County -James Ross, in Peachbottom Township; John Rowan, in Hopewell, and Matthew Stanley Quay, in Dillsburg.


Colonel Thomas Hartley, of York, was chosen a member of the First Congress, and served in all twelve years in that. body. John Stewart, of York, who succeeded him, was elected in 1801, and served two terms. James Kelley, a native of the lower end of the county, and a member of the York bar, served from 1805 to 1809. Dr. William Crawford, a graduate of the University of Edinburg in the classical course and in medi- cine, a physician in the Marsh Creek settlement, was a mem- ber from 1809 to 1817; representing York county four of those . years. Hugh Glasgow, of Peachbottom, for twelve years an associate judge, was a member from 1813 to 1817, as a Demo- . crat, when he was succeeded by Jacob Spangler, of York, a Federalist, who resigned in 1818, when his successor, Jacob Hostetter, the noted old-time clockmaker of Hanover, was elected by the Democrats. James Mitchell, of Warrington, served from December, 1821, to March, 1826, and then moved to the West. Dr. Adam King, of York, for many years one of the proprietors of the York Gazette, served as a Democrat from December 4, 1827, to March 4, 1832, when he was suc- ceeded by George A. Barnitz, a follower of Henry Clay, and for twenty years the leader of the York bar, who served one term. Colonel Henry Logan, of Carroll Township, was elected as a Democrat in 1834 and re-elected in 1836. Dr. James Gerry, of Shrewsbury, .was elected in 1838, and re- elected in 1840. Dr. Henry Nes, who succeeded as an inde- pendent candidate in 1842, was elected as a Whig in 1844 and 1848 and served till 1850. During his term he was one of the attending physicians to John Quincy Adams, who was stricken with apoplexy, while making a speech in Congress. William H. Kurtz, of York, served as a Democrat from December, 1851, to March, 1855.


For several terms in succession York County was repre- sented by Lemmuel Todd and John A. Ahl, of Cumberland ; B. F. Junkin and Joseph Bailey, of Perry, until 1864, when Adam J. Glossbrenner, another part proprietor of the York Gazette, was elected and served two terms. Richard J. Hal- deman, of Cumberland, succeeded in 1870; John A. Magee, of Perry, in 1872; Colonel Levi Maish, of York, in 1874; Frank E. Beltzhoover, of Cumberland, in 1878; William A. Duncan, of Adams, in 1882, who died soon after his second election, and was succeeded by Dr. John Swope, of Adams County, in


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January, 1885. The members elected since Dr. Swope in order were Colonel Maish, F. E. Beltzhoover, James A. Stahle, George J. Benner, Edward D. Ziegler, Robert J. Lewis, and Daniel F. Lafean.


First Public Roads, Canal, Railroad, Banks and Newspapers.


The first public road laid out west of the Susquehanna, under Penn's government, was authorized by the courts at Lancaster in 1739, ten years before York county was formed. It extended from Wright's Ferry through the present sites of York and Hanover to the Monocacy settlement, near Fred- erick, Maryland, a distance of thirty-five miles from the point of starting. It soon became an important line of travel from the east to the south and the southwest. This route was taken by General Wayne in 1781, when he marched with his forces from York to Yorktown, Virginia, to the surrender of Corn- wallis. It was also the route over which the British and Hes- sian prisoners were removed during the Revolution to West- ern Maryland and Virginia. President Washington passed over it in 1791 on his way from Mt. Vernon to Philadelphia, and Generals Wayne and St. Clair in 1791 and 1792 on their way to quell the Indians in the Ohio valley. During the war of 1812 when the British captured Washington and threat- ened Baltimore, immense teams of wagons, conveying cotton from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, used this route on their way to Philadelphia and New York. The war with England prevented trade with the south being carried on by water ..


A road was laid out to the Conewago settlement at Han- over in 1736, by authority of the Maryland courts.


A company was chartered by the state in 1791 to con- struct a canal around the Conewago falls at York Haven in order to improve the navigation of the Susquehanna. Among the fifteen directors empowered by the state to build and operate the canal, were Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution ; David Rittenhouse, the first great American as- tronomer; Dr. William Smith, Tench Francis and Alexander James Dallas, all of Philadelphia.


The company received state aid to the amount of $20,000 and the canal, one mile in length and forty feet wide, was com- pleted in 1795 at a cost of $102,000. It was the first import- . ant step in developing the internal improvements of the state and was the first canal built in the middle and southern states. The canal was opened to public use with imposing ceremonies November 22, 1797. Thomas Mifflin, the first governor of the state, and the state legislature came up from Lancaster, then the state capital, on horseback, and crossed the river in flat boats. Governor Mifflin made a speech on that occasion.


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The Baltimore and Susquehanna railroad, now part of the Northern Central Railway, was started in Baltimore in 1830 and completed to Owing's mills in 1832. It did not reach York until August, 1838. A line was completed from York to Wrightsville in 1840, and at Columbia joined the state road to Philadelphia. The line from York to Harrisburg was fin- ished in 1850.


The telegraph was first put into operation from Baltimore to York in 1850, only six years after its invention by Morse. The same year lines were extended to Harrisburg and to Co- lumbia. The first telegraph line to Hanover was built in 1858.


J. K. Gross in 1882 first put the telephone on the exchange system into effective use in York county. W. Latimer Small put up the first wire in the county, from his residence to the Codorus mills.


The York bank, founded in 1814, was the only financial institution in York until 1835, when the York County bank was founded. The Hanover Saving Fund society was found- ed in 1835.


The printing press was brought to York county during the Revolution when Continental Congress, in 1777, while sit- ting in York, ordered the press of Hall & Sellers, of Philadel- phia, to be removed to York. On this press many public documents were published, likewise much Continental money. The "Pennsylvania Gazette," a weekly paper founded by Franklin in Philadelphia, was also published in York during 1777-78. The first paper started in York was the Pennsyl- vania Chronicle and Weekly Advertiser, in 1787. It lasted only two years and was succeeded by the Pennsylvania Her- ald, the files of which are now in the Historical Society of York county.


The Davis Engine.


In 1831 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company offered a premium of $4,000 "for the most approved and $3,500 for the engine which shall be adjudged the next best." There were four competitors for these premiums, among them Davis & Gardner, of York, Pa., to whom was awarded the first pre- mium. Their first locomotive was named the "York" and was built in their shops at the corner of King and Newberry Streets, and shipped to Baltimore on wagons. They after- ward built two locomotives in York named respectively the "Atlantic" and the "Indian Chief." The latter was afterwards christened the "Traveler." "No authentic drawing or other representation on any of these engines," says the noted me- chanical engineer, M. N. Forney, in the Railroad Gazette for 1903, "has ever been known to be extant until a short time ago, when the York County Historical Society discovered a seal of


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the Borough of York County," of which an engraving is given herewith. This seal was engraved by William Wagner, of York, at some time between the years 1831 and 1835. The name P. Davis on the boiler is engraved on the seal and indi- cates that the people of York were then proud of the achieve- ment of one of their citizens, as they well might be, for he in- vented and built at York the first locomotive burning anthra- cite coal that was put into successful operation. Phineas Davis in 1833 moved to Baltimore, where he became superin- tendent of the shops of Ross Winans, of that city. He was killed accidentally in 1835 while running one of his locomo-


THE


BOROUGH


YORK


INCORPORATED


1787


tives over the B. & O. road between Baltimore and Ellicott Mills.


Big Floods.


The flood of 1817 caused great destruction of property in York and throughout the county. A remarkable downpour of rain fell for several hours and the Codorus became a roaring torrent nearly half a mile wide, rolling through streets of York like a mighty river.


The most destructive flood in the history of the county occurred on the night of June 25 and the morning of June 26, 1884. The rain began to fall early in the evening of the 25th, gradually increasing in amount, and it continued one pelter- ing, pouring stream of rain as if the floodgates of Heaven had


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been opened, until 3 A. M. During the night the astonishing amount of twelve inches of rain had fallen in various points in York County.


The Codorus and Conewago and other streams in the county swelling up to the size of raging, rushing, roaring rivers. A careful estimate made by the writer soon after the flood credits. the amount of 130,000,000 tons of rainfall in the territory drained by the Codorus. Most of this water passed through York, widening the stream on Market Street from beyond Newberry Street nearly to the York National Bank, and increased its depth twenty-five feet. The entire destruc- tion of property in the city and county was about $700,000. The county commissioners, Messrs. Haines, Keefer and Bentz, were required to expend $91,000 for the erection of twenty-one bridges, that had been taken away in the county.


One Hundredth Anniversary.


The centennial of our existence as a nation was celebrated amid great enthusiasm in York, July 4, 1876. There was a grand paean of all the bells in town from midnight till one o'clock A. M. Then followed huge bonfires and a brilliant display of fireworks and the roar of guns and cannons. The streets were rife with people and at daybreak music filled the air. The town in general was handsomely decorated but the fire companies excelled all precedents by a tasteful and ele- gant display of ornamentation. At 6 A. M. a vast concourse of people witnessed the raising of a large and elegant Ameri- can flag on a pole erected in Centre Square. In the forenoon a parade of military companies, firemen and various orders, in all, 5,000 men, passed through the leading streets escorted by many bands discoursing patriotic music. Captain Frank Geise was chief marshal and his aids were Major H. S. Mc- Nair, George W. Heiges, John Blackford, Horace Keesey.


Following the parade were commemorative exercises in Centre Square, on the site where Congress met during the Revolution. Rev. Dr. Lochman delivered the opening prayer, the Hadyn quartette sang "A Hundred Years Ago." Fitz James Evans read the Declaration of Independence and Hon. John Gibson read an historical sketch of York County. In the evening the people again assembled in Centre Square and listened to a grand chorus led by Prof. Gipe, the reading of a poem "One Hundredth Birthday" by E. Norman Gunnison, and an oration by George W. McElroy. A splendid exhibi- tion of fireworks on the fair grounds ended the day's celebra- tion.


York was founded in 1741 by Thomas and Richard Penn. It became the seat of justice in 1749, when York County was organized. During the Revolution the population was about


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1600. It was incorporated as the Borough of York in 1787. and was chartered by the State of Pennsylvania as the City of York in 1887. It was never officially known as "Yorktown." even though this name was applied to it frequently during the Revolution and as late as 1800. The population of York in 1790 was 2,076; 1800, 2,503 ; 1810, 3,201 ; 1830, 3,545 ; 1830, 4,- 772 ; 1840, 5,840 ; 1850, 6,963 ; 1860, 8,605; 1870, 11,103: 1880, 13,971 ; 1890, 20,793; 1900, 33.708. The estimated population of the city and its suburbs in 1906 is 43,000.


Hanover was founded in 1763 by Colonel Richard McAl- lister, who commanded a regiment of troops in the Revolution. The town was incorporated in 1815. Its population in 1820 was 946 ; in 1860, 1,630; 1900, 5,302. The population in 1906, including the villages adjoining the borough is about 8,000.


Wrightsville is situated on historic ground. While Con- gress was in session at Philadelphia, and a permanent seat of government was being discussed, either the east side of the river at Columbia or the west side at Wrightsville was desig- nated as a suitable place for the capital of the United States. At one time in the discussion, there were strong indications that the bill would pass both houses of Congress and the place known as Wright's Ferry would become the seat of the United States government. About the same time, at the direction of Senator Maclay, of Pennsylvania, a territory ten miles square with York as the centre, was surveyed for the purpose of pre- senting a bill to Congress to make York the capital of the United States. Washington was made the seat of government in 1801. Wrightsville was founded in 1811, and incorporated as a borough in 1834.


Among the older towns in York County are Lewisberry, founded in 1798; Newberrytown in 1791; Dillsburg in 1800; Dover in 1764; Shrewsbury, originally called Strasburg, in 1800; Stewartstown in 1814; Loganville in 1820; Glen Rock, 1837 ; Manchester Borough in 1815; York Haven in 1810; Jef- ferson in 1812; Franklintown in 1813; Wellsville in 1843; New Market in 1807 ; Goldsboro in 1850.


There are a number of towns in the county that are of recent origin. Through the energy of the citizens and the business and manufacturing enterprises in these towns, they have grown rapidly in population. Among these are Red Lion, Dallastown, Spring Grove, Delta, Mt. Wolf, Yorkana, Yoe Borough, Jacobus, Hellam, East Prospect, Windsor and Emigsville. Some of the other centres of population are Weiglestown, Davidsburg, Kralltown, Rossville, Round Town, New Holland, Pleasureville, Alpine, Fawn Grove, Cross Roads, Gatchelville, Seven Valley, Railroad Borough, New Park, New Freedom, West Bangor, Siddonsburg, Airville, Strinestown, Big Mount, Yocumtown, Baughmansville.


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York Borough Centennial.


An event of special interest and importance was the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of York, cele- brated September 24 and 25, 1887, with imposing ceremonies. On that occasion 30,000 visitors were in attendance. The town was filled with people. Public buildings, stores and pri- vate houses were decorated with flags, evergreens and bunt- ing and the anniversary day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannon. During the forenoon 3,000 school children marched in procession through the principal streets. The boys wore uniform caps and the girls were dressed in white. They were reviewed from a stand in Centre Square by Governor James A. Beaver, who at the close of the parade delivered an address. He was followed by Deputy Su- perintendent of Schools Henry Houch and Prof. W. H. Shelly. Five hundred young ladies on a large platform sang several patriotic selections. During the noon hour the chimes of Trinity church played the national airs as well as sacred music.


In the afternoon there was a parade of the military, the Grand Army of the Republic, the firemen and secret orders. In all there were 2,000 men in line, while thirty bands and drum corps furnished the music. Colonel Levi Maish was chief marshal. His aids were Major Ruhl, Captains Fahs, Greene- walt and Reynolds, Dr. Mckinnon, Thornton Hendrickson, Daniel Fishel, Stephen Wilson and Augustus Flury. After the parade the governor held a reception in the opera house and in the evening there was a brilliant display of fireworks on the public Common. The succeeding day there was an im- mense parade of Odd Fellows, Red Men, American Mechanics and a long succession of floats representing business houses and manufacturing establishments followed by an illustration of farming as it was conducted 100 years ago and today. When the parade was ended Hon. Chauncey F. Black deliv- ered an eloquent oration in the opera house, and then Judge Gibson read an excellent historical sketch of the town. The exercises closed by a grand chorus singing "A Hundred Years Ago," and "A Hundred Years to Come."


Sesqui-Centennial of York County.


The celebration in 1899, of the Sesqui-Centennial, or the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the erection of York County, was one of the most interesting events in the history of York. The plan originated with the York Board of Trade, and at a meeting of citizens held May 13, 1899, a general com- mittee was appointed, composed of Milton B. Gibson, Presi- dent ; George S. Billmeyer, Treasurer; Houston E. Landis, Secretary ; and M. L. Van Baman, Isaac Rudisill, J. Frank


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Court of Honor


Gable, S. M. Manifold, Captain W. H. Lanius, Grier Hersh, John Garrety, H. E. Powell, Dr. E. T. Jeffers, H. C. Niles, R. F. Gibson, George W. Gross, and William A. Froelich. This committee decided to hold a four days' demonstration in the City of York on September 3, 4, 5 and 6. The ceremonies opened with a meeting held in the auditorium of the York High School on Sunday, September 3, presided over by Rev. H. E. Niles, D. D., when the religious history of the county was discussed by Rev. James Drummond and Rev. W. S. Freas, D. D.


The celebration was formally inaugurated in an address of welcome .by M. B. Gibson, chairman of the General Com- mittee, on the morning of September 4, at the York Opera House. The purpose of this meeting was to listen to an his- torical review of the city and county. Dr. E. T. Jeffers, Presi- dent of the York Collegiate Institute, presided. Addresses were delivered relating to the three classes of people who com- posed the original settlers of York. Hon. John W. Bittenger spoke of the Germans; Robert C. Bair, of the Scotch-Irish ; and George R. Prowell, of the Friends or Quakers. This part of the exercises was followed by an address on the early his- tory of York by H. C. Niles, and an original poem by William M. Gamble. In the afternoon of the same day the people wit- nessed an impressive pageant composed of nearly 5,000 school children, marching to a flag raising in honor of the dedication of the magnificent High School which had just been com- pleted. Addresses were delivered by Hon. E. D. Ziegler, member of Congress from York County; Charles H. Stall- man, President of the School Board, and Captain Frank Geise, Mayor of York.


The greatest concourse of people ever assembled in York, possibly not less than 100,000, witnessed the industrial parade on the second day of the celebration. This included one hun- dred and sixty-eight floats, besides the large number of men representing the industrial establishments and large corpora-' tions. The civic parade of the succeeding day was no less imposing, about one hundred and twenty-five companies and secret organizations of various kinds being in line. The peo- ple of York, particularly those who had assumed the arduous task of preparing for the four days' demonstration, could justly congratulate themselves upon the successful outcome of their labors.


Education in York County.


The early Quakers who took up the fertile lands within the present area of York County, beginning as early as 1735, established schools for the education of their children. The Scotch-Irish who by nature were an educating people, also


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.


"منشى


Birdseye View From Royal Engine House Tower


brought the church and school with them. Church schools similar to those established in Scotland during the latter part of the seventeenth century were connected with the early Presbyterian churches of York County.


The first German churches in this county had parochial schools, yet no systematic effort was made to improve the schools among the Germans in Pennsylvania until 1751, when Michael Schlatter was sent to this country on that mission and did excellent work. A plan was laid by some noblemen of Europe, for the instruction of the Germans and their descend- ants in Pennsylvania; consequently through the efforts of Rev. Muhlenberg on the part of the Lutherans and Rev. Schlatter on the part of the German Reformed people, paroch- ial schools were very early established in this county. These schools continued till about 1830. In addition to these paroch- ial schools, private schools were established in places remote from churches or meeting houses.


The York County Academy is the oldest chartered insti- tution, of learning, west of the Susquehanna River. It was founded in the year 1787. Among its first Board of Trustees were Colonel Thomas Hartley and General Henry Miller, dis- tinguished soldiers of the Revolution. The institution was founded by Rev. John Campbell, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, of York. Thaddeus Stevens, the great American statesman, and Daniel Kirkwood, the noted astronomer, at one time were instructors at this school. George W. Ruby was principal of the Academy for a quarter of a century. Stephen Boyer served the same length of time. Principals of a later date have been George W. Gross, David H. Gardner, E. E. Wentworth and James H. Crowell.


Act of 1834.


The act of 1834 establishing our present system of public schools caused an exciting discussion in the legislature. Its final passage was considered a triumph by its advocates .. This act was passed and signed through the influence of George Wolf, then governor of Pennsylvania, and Thaddeus Stevens, who represented Adams County in the State Legis- lature. It was entitled "an act to establish a general system of education by common schools."


A convention of delegates assembled in York on Tuesday, November 4, 1834. Jacob Dietz was president and Daniel Small, secretary. "Will this convention accept the provisions of the school law as passed in April of this year, and shall a tax be laid for the expenditures of each district?" was brought up for consideration.


The following named persons voted in the affirmative, in the order given: Samuel Prowell, representing Fairview ;


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Luther H. Skinner, Hanover; Jacob Emmitt, South Ward, York; Godlove Kane, North Ward, York; James H. Smith, Chanceford ; Robert Gebby, Lower Chanceford ; John Living- stone, Peachbottom.


The other townships of the county accepted the system during the succeeding ten years.


County Superintendency.


During the first twenty years after the establishment of the public school system in Pennsylvania, there was no gen- eral supervision of schools. An act was passed in 1854 creat- ing the office of county superintendent. Jacob Kirk, of Fair- view Township, was the first person who filled that office in York County. He served one year, and then resigned. G. Christopher Stair, of York, was appointed his successor and after filling the position for fifteen months, resigned on ac- count of ill health. Dr. A. R. Blair, of York, was appointed to complete the term and was elected in 1857 for a term of three years. He was re-elected in 1860, and in 1862 he re- signed to become a surgeon in the United States army. Dan- iel M. Ettinger, of York, was appointed to complete the term. Samuel B. Heiges, of Dillsburg, was elected in 1863 and re- elected in 1866. Stephen G. Boyd, principal of the schools of Wrightsville, was elected in 1869. He was succeeded by Wil- liam H. Kain, of West Manchester Township, a recent gradu- ate of Pennsylvania College. He served two terms and was succeeded in 1878 by David G. Williams, who was twice re- elected. In 1887, H. C. Brenneman, of Warrington Township, then principal of the York High School, was elected and re- elected in 1890. During the last year of his second term the state school law went into effect providing free text books. David H. Gardner, principal of the Wrightsville schools, and for many years connected with the York County Normal School, was elected in 1893. He was three times re-elected, serving in all twelve years. Charles W. Stine, principal of the public schools of Dallastown, was elected to the office of county superintendent in 1905. .


In 1855, the first county superintendent reported 279 schools in York County, conducted under the act which estab- lished the public schools. The official report of 1905 recorded 523 teachers in the county, and 156 in the city of York.


The public schools of York County have gradually im- proved since the introduction of the system in 1834. Origi- nally plain and unpretentious school buildings were used. During the past thirty years the advancement has been so successful as to command the admiration of all persons inter- ested in public education. Some splendid school buildings have been erected in all the townships of the county, and high


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school buildings of modern architecture have been built within the past few years in Hanover, Spring Grove, Delta and Dills- burg .. A township high school is kept up at Glenville, in Co- dorus Township.


The number of pupils enrolled for the year 1906 is 20,000.


The Schools of York.


The City of York is noted for its superior educational ad- vantages, and large commodious public school buildings and excellent private institutions of learning. Soon after the town was founded there were parochial schools connected with all the churches. Bartholomew Moul, one of the first settlers. taught the school belonging to Christ's Lutheran church and Ludwig Kraft had charge of the school connected with Zion Reformed church. For nearly a century thereafter the boys and girls of the town of York obtained their education in pri- vate or church schools.


The first public school buildings owned by the town were erected in 1838. From 1854 to 1871 the York schools were under the supervision of the county superintendent. In 1871, William H. Shelley was chosen the first borough superintend- ent. With the aid and advice of an active and efficient Board of Education, of which Dr. Samuel J. Rouse was secretary, he soon established a graded system of schools and founded the High School. During this period, many of the old school buildings were replaced by new ones, which were fitted up with modern school furniture. The erection of school build- ings has been continued with commendable activity, and at present (1906) there are twenty-seven school buildings con- taining all the modern improvements of school architecture and equipments. The aggregate valuation of the school prop- erty in York for 1906 is $740,000. The valuation of school property in 1876 was $125,000.


In 1898, the School Board purchased a site facing Penn Park and upon it erected for the City High School a building of modern architecture. It is one of the most imposing build- ings of its kind in this country, costing $170,000. The large auditorium has a seating capacity of 1,600 persons. B. F. Willis, of York, was the architect. C. B. Pennypacker has been principal of the High School since 1903. The number of teachers in all the public schools is 157; the number of pu- pils enrolled for 1906 is 6,500. A. Wanner has been super- intendent of schools since 1890.


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HELLA


School Children in Penn Park


Questions on the Text


The answers to the following questions will be found in the preceding pages.


I. What were the names of the three original counties in Pennsylvania, and when were they organized?


2. When was York County laid out, what did it include, and what was its area and population when first organized ?


3. When was York County divided, and what is its pres- ent area ?


4. What was the population of York County in 1783, in 1860, and in 1900?


5. When was the town of York laid out?


6. How many people then lived in York County?


7. What is the highest point in York County?


8. What is the elevation of York, Hanover, Wrights- ville and Red Lion?


9. When and where was the first township laid out, the first canal built and the first railroad constructed in York County ?


IO. What three nationalities first settled in York Coun- ty, and from what countries did they originally come?


II. When and where were the first houses for religious worship built, and by what denomination?


12. When and where did the first troops of York County join the army under Washington? Tell something about this company.


13. Name some of the noted soldiers from York County who served in the Revolution.


14. Name some battles in which York County troops participated, in the Revolution.


15. When did Continental Congress remove to York?


16. Name some of the noted men who served in Con- gress at York.


17. Who was the first president of Congress at York?


18. . What great victory gave rise to the First National Thanksgiving Proclamation ?


19. Under what circumstances did Samuel Adams make a great speech at York?


20. Where was Washington and his army when Con- gress was in session at York?


21. For what purpose did Baron Steuben come to York?


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22. Tell something about the United States Treasury Building at York, and Archibald McLean, its owner.


23. What can you tell about the Conway Cabal?


24 Tell something about York County in the War


of 1812. 25. Tell what you can of the Confederate occupation of York in 1863.


26. Where did Early's troops go when they left York?


27. What two companies from York County first entered the Union army ?


28. Tell something about Washington's visit to York.


29. Give an account of Lafayette's visit to York.


30. When was the act of the legislature passed estab- lishing the present school system of Pennsylvania?


3I. How many Court Houses have there been at York? 32. Tell something about the locomotive made by Phineas Davis.


33. Tell something about the first stone house in York County. 34. Name four creeks in York County, and tell where they flow. 35: Bound York County.


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Questions on Current History


The following is a list of questions, prepared at the sug- gestion of the County Superintendent, for use in examination of teachers :


I. What can you say of the recovery and recent burial of the remains of John Paul Jones?


2. What was the treaty of Portsmouth, and between what nations was it made?


3. What countries of Europe, recently one nation, are now separate kingdoms?


4. Name the present rulers of England, Germany, Rus- sia and Italy.


5. What is wireless telegraphy, and who invented it?


6. Name the different kinds of vessels in the American navy.


7. What were the causes and what were the results of the recent war between Russia and Japan?


8. What is the Hague Tribunal, and for what purpose was it originated ?


9. What may be considered the main objects of the re- cent treaty, signed between England and Japan?


IO. Who is the speaker of the fifty-ninth Congress and what are his principal duties?


II. Describe the projected Panama Canal and show its advantages when completed.


I2. What recent possessions have been acquired by the United States, and how are they governed?


13. Name the cabinet officers of President Roosevelt.


14. What can you say of the new capitol at Harrisburg?


I 5. How many judges compose the United States Su- preme Court? Who is the present Chief Justice of this Court? 16. Name some of the noted generals of the army now living.


17. Name some of the marriages that have taken place in the White House at Washington.


18. What can you tell about the proposed law relating to railroad rebates ?


19. What territories were designated for admission into the Union by Statehood Bill presented to the fifty-ninth Con- gress?


20. What are the causes of difficulties between the coal miners and operators ?


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21. Name five of the leading railroads in the United States. What is meant by abolishing railroad rebates?


22. What does Walter Wellman propose to accomplish in his airship?


23. What are the arguments in favor of the Income Tax Law?


24. Tell what you know about the recent volcanic erup- tion of Mt. Vesuvius.


25. Describe the recent earthquake in California.


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