USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Connellsville > Centennial history of the borough of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, 1806-1906 > Part 10
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
After Mr. Espey, J. V. Porter was elected princi- pal in 18:5, serving two years; A. Freeman in 1877; Frank Frye in 1878; M. L. Baer in 1879, serving until 1884. In June 1881, it was decided to consolidate rooms Nos. 11 and 12, "making the consolidated room the principal's room," one of the teachers being "assigned to that room as assistant principal." This was the beginning of the present high school. On January 10, 1882, the Board accepted a recommendation of the principal, Mr. Baer, to "have a graduating class every year" and to "adopt a course of study for each class." Accordingly, a class of six grad- uated in May, 1882. Five young women and one young man composed the class. The commencement exercises con- sisted of music, essays and recitations, and were held in Newmyer's Opera House. This, the first of our Connells- ville school commencements, was an interesting and signi- ficant event in the educational history of the Borough. The total enrollment for 1882 was 849; the average attendance
145
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
530. This showed advancement since 1811 when Oliver Sproul taught 38 scholars in the old log school house on that same hill, and since 1821 when Dennis O'Keefe taught 30.
The treasurer's report for 1882 showed receipts for school purposes to the amount of $6,932.07 that year, which was in striking contrast with the financial statement of 1848 which informs us that the tax duplicate for that year amounted to $490.83. The State appropriation for 1882 amounted to $824.50 ; in 1835 it was $88.1712, and that was for Borough and township together.
THE UNION SCHOOL HOUSE MOVED.
The cutting down of Fairview avenue ( formerly Grave street) and the cutting through of Pittsburgh street created a doubt as to the safety of the Union school house. In the summer of 1885, the subject occupied the attention of the Board as well as the public, in general. After considerable discussion and a variety of suggestions as to the best plan to be pursued, correspondence was opened with H. Felt- man & Co., house movers, Chicago, Ill., which resulted in a contract with that firm, decided upon by the Board, May 6, 1886, for the removal of the building to the east end of the school lots. The contract was to the effect that the Board would "build the foundation and pay for the excava- tion under the school house," while Feltman & Co., would remove the building to the new foundation, doing it for $2,500. A bond for $15,000 was given by the firm for the safety of the building. Work began at once. On June 11, 1886, the Board decided that the schools should be opened the first Monday in September, "provided building would be ready and to continue from such commencement during eight months." But when the first Monday in September came, the building was far from being ready. Steam heat- ing had been contracted for, but the apparatus had not yet been installed; many repairs to the building were needed and the Chicago firm had not yet entirely fulfilled its con-
-
146
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
tract. At their meeting of October 29, 1886, the directors reconsidered the action of June 11th, and decided that the school term should begin the first Monday of November and continue seven months. This led to a somewhat sensational event known as "the teachers' strike." The Board met Tuesday, November 2nd, and a delegation of teachers met with it. The committee, for such the ladies were, presented a paper protesting in the name of the teachers elected in June, against the reduction of the school term from eight months to seven. The directors declined to reverse their action. The principal and seven of the teachers refused to sign the articles of agreement unless the term was made eight months, and it was resolved by the Board to dismiss all those who refused to sign the articles, and to serve a legal notice upon them that they would no longer be allowed to act as teachers, and others would be employed in their stead.
November 9, 1886, the Board proceeded to an election to fill the vacancies created by "the strike." L. M. Herrington was chosen principal instead of Miss M. Agnes MacKay (now Mrs. Mullin, of Minnesota), who had been elected in 1884 as the successor of M. L. Baer. The other vacancies were filled, and, to use a hackneyed phrase, "the incident closed."
THE SECOND WARD BUILDING.
On the 13th of April, 1887, the Board decided to build a brick school house on lots recently purchased at a cost of $2,200, lying on Highland avenue and Grant street in the Second Ward. It was felt that the crowded condition of the schools required a comparatively large building. Ac- cordingly an eight roomed house was determined upon, the cost of erection not to exceed $16,000. It was decided to issue bonds for $20,000 bearing interest at five per cent. The action of the Board was energetically opposed by many of the people. A meeting, held in Newmyer's Opera House, protested against a building so large and costly, and when
147
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
a new Board went into office June 6, 1887, the action of the former Board was reversed and a brick building of four rooms was contracted for. The new building was begun in September, 1887, was finished January 3, 1888, was furnished during the spring and summer of that year, and opened September 3, 1888.
The accommodations continued inadequate. Rooms were rented, among which were one from Conrad Hoop on Snyder street, from November, 1889, until June '91; one from E. W. Horner on Pittsburgh street in '91; one in the Weihe hall, one in Odd Fellows' hall and one in the Kurtz building-all three in '93. On the 30th of August, 1894, the Board adopted a resolution to erect a house, con- taining eight rooms, "said building to be erected on lot in Fourth Ward now owned by School Board." In other words, the building was to stand where the three story building (now known as "the old building") had originally stood-the corner of Pittsburg street and Fairview avenue. And thus
THE PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
came into existence. The grounds had been graded, and a retaining wall had been built. Plans were adopted, Sep- tember 25, 1894. The contract was soon afterward made. A modern building of handsome appearance, substantially built of brick, and well-appointed was completed in the summer of 1895, and was thrown open for school purposes the first Monday of September of that year. It was a two-story building and the High School occupied the second story.
The erection of a building in the Third Ward was dis- cussed in Board meetings as early as March, 1891, perhaps earlier. In 1893, it was agreed upon to purchase grounds if a suitable location could be obtained, but it was not until 1900 that the Third Ward School House was secured. In that year, a two-story building, of buff brick, of good archi- tectural design, with eight rooms was erected on Tenth street, at the head of Peach.
148
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
Still another building was projected in 1905 to be lo- cated in the Fourth Ward. It was completed September 1, 1906, and is situated on the South Side on the east side of Race street, some distance south of Patterson avenue. It is of grey brick, graceful in its proportions and imposing in its appearance, and contains 12 rooms.
As to the cost of the various school buildings erected in the Borough, we have only partial knowledge. We know nothing of the cost of the old log school house, though it may safely be asserted that it was little. Rev. Alexander Clark, D.D., editor of the "School-day Vis- itor," described a similar structure in which his father had taught, and said that it was built in a day and cost thirty- two dollars. Nor do we know what "the three little brick houses" cost. The three story Union school building cost about $15,000, and its removal in 1886 cost about $5,000. The Second Ward building cost about $14,000, the High School building about $17,000, the Third Ward building about $14,000, and it is estimated that $50,000 will be expended on the construction and equipment of the new building in the Fourth Ward.
We have already mentioned the principals from Samuel A. Espey, first principal, to L. M. Herrington, who served from November, 1886, until June, 1887. The following names complete the list to the present time : Jacob I. Humbert, (1887-1890) ; John S. Christy, (1890- 1893) ; William G. Gans, (1893-1897), and James P. Wylie, the present principal, who took charge of our schools in 1897.
The study of vocal music was introduced into the schools in 189?, and, with some periods of intermission, has continued to this time. Alexander B. Morton is the present teacher.
Attendance or truant officers have been employed, in compliance with the Act of Assembly of July 11, 1901, to look after and, if necessary, "arrest and apprehend" truants and others who fail to attend school within the period of compulsory attendance.
E
FEE
-
Porter
THE FOURTH WARD SCHOOL
150
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
Flags were occasionally unfurled over the schools be- fore the Act of July 2, 1895. On the 4th of July, 1876, the Centennial Fourth, the Stars and Stripes waved from early morning from the belfry of the Union school house. On Christmas afternoon, 1888, a memorable scene took place in Newmyer's Opera House. It was the presentation of two large and beautiful flags by the Junior Order of American Mechanics to the school board to be placed upon the two buildings of that time, one on the Union building and one on the Second Ward building. The directors and other representatives of the schools occupied the platform, and an interested audience filled the house to its utmost limits. Speeches of presentation and acceptance were de- livered, and other appropriate exercises, musical and lit- erary, were held.
The celebration of Columbus Day, October 21, 1892, was another lesson in patriotism. It was held on the Fourth Ward School grounds. The building was lavishly decor- ated with flags and streamers. A platform stood on the grounds. A multitude of happy school children, in holiday attire, carrying flags and flowers, filled the enclosure, while a great throng of people stood in the streets. Short addresses were made. Patriotic selections were recited, and patriotic songs were sung by the children, their multitudinous voices. lifted up in clear, silvery tones and ringing far out over the surrounding streets. Love of the flag, love of the prin- ciples which it represents and of the land over which it floats is a cardinal virtue, and we may well be thankful for the work of our common schools in nourishing this noble sentiment.
A literary society was organized in the high school in the autumn of 1884. Three years later, the work of the society was made part of the school curriculum. The so- ciety was the outgrowth of the "Public Fridays" of earlier years. Two societies are now in existence.
The wisdom of the Board in assuming a share in the financial support of the Carnegie Free Library has been
151
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
clearly demonstrated. The scholars make generous and in- creasing use of the library and in various ways, the educa- tional value of the institution is beyond question.
At the close of the last school year, May, 1906, there were 34 schools, with 34 teachers, one assistant teacher and one music teacher. The schools were open nine months, with an enrollment of 1,430, and an average attendance of 1,263. The graduating class numbered 16, of whom 12 were young women and 4 were young men.
The treasurer's report, April 2, 1906, showed a balance in the building fund of $38,392.14; in the sinking fund $4,512.66 ; in the library fund $1,482.01, and in the general fund $8,363.09.
The school tax duplicate for 1906-7 is $33,621.15.
The present Board of Directors, organized the first Monday of June, 1906, is composed of the following per- sons : Eugene T. Norton, president ; Robert Welsh, secre- tary ; Thomas Holt, treasurer ; E. C. Higbee, Dr. H. F. At- kinson, Dr. M. B. Shupe, W. S. Schenck and John L. Gans. The Board on being organized took action making the high school a separate and independent institution in accord- ance with the State law, and, with a view to increasing its efficiency, enlarged the curriculum and lengthened the course from three years to four. Prof. W. S. Deffenbaugh was elected principal of the high school, and Prof. J. P. Wylie was re-elected principal of the Ward schools. Action was also taken encouraging and urging candidates for the teaching profession to secure a normal school education.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
Connellsville has had a goodly number of private or select schools, and inany of these have been well attended. In 1826, D. S. Knox, afterward widely known as the cashier of the Monongahela Bank in Brownsville, taught a select school on the east side of Peach street, below Meadow alley, and later a school on or near the northwest corner of Main street and Mountain alley.
152
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
In later times, Revs. Messrs. Sutton and Rupert opened schools in various parts of the Borough. A man of Irish birth "kept school" on Water street. It was a common thing for him to fall asleep in school hours, often with his head resting upon the desk, while the pupils made good use of their liberty, and often when he awoke, he found that they had pinned placards upon his back or even tied him to his chair. Many excellent teachers conducted private schools from time to time. Among these was Corbin A. Gilbert who had a school in the Clayton house in the '50s. There was probably no discourtesy intended to him by the boy of poetic gifts who composed a stanza which was frequently and gleefully quoted by his schoolmates. The stanza was as follows:
"Gilbert's pigs were in the pen, They only get out now and then ; But when they get out they run all about, And eat up all John Cowp's sour krout."
Another select school was taught at a later date by Miss Margaret M. Bell, who had been a teacher in the Third Ward public schools, Allegheny. Miss Bell, now living in Braddock, was a faithful, judicious, pains-taking teacher. She was deeply interested in her pupils, loved her work and was quite successful in it. During her stay here, she taught in a room on the northwest corner of Pittsburgh and Main streets, and in the old Odd Fellows' Hall, as also in New Haven.
Several parochial or church schools are in existence in Connellsville and New Haven, chief among which, in point of the number both of teachers and scholars, is the school of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Con- nellsville. In addition, kindergartens, night schools, summer normals, and business colleges have been opened at various times.
NEW HAVEN SCHOOLS.
The intimate relations existing between Connellsville and New Haven fully justify us in giving an account of
153
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
the schools in our sister Borough across the Yough.
The earliest school of which any record is found was a school taught in 1815 by Mrs. Sarah McIlvaine in her own home on Front street. New Haven in that year had only two streets built upon, and little more than a hundred inhabitants. Pupils from the Connellsville side of the river were in Mrs. McIlvaine's school, among them some mem- bers of Zachariah Connell's family. Soon after this date, a Mr. Ellis opened a school on the second floor of a house on Second street. In 1818, Stephen Smith, who lived in the country and worked part of the time in Robinson's mill on Possum Run, taught in a house on Front street, owned at the time by Caleb Squibb. The next year, Robert Wright, who afterward became a physician, taught in the Squibb house. In 1821, Jarvis F. Hanks taught in a house on the river bank near the Gregg mill. In 1823, Oliver Sproul, who both before and after this date taught in Con- nellsville, taught in New Haven on Trader's alley, near Front street. Stewart H. Whitehill taught in Stephen Fair- child's house, corner Second street and Trader's alley. Mr. Whitehill, who afterward went west and died there, was a man of scholarly attainments and occasionally delivered lec- tures to the young people of Connellsville and New Haven on historical and other subjects. He is said to have taught in 1829 and the early '30s. A Mr. Pearsoll was another teacher of that period. His school was held in an abandoned wareroom on the river bank.
A few years later, Flavius Josephus C. Worrell taught in a one-story brick school house on Third street, a short distance north of the present South West Pennsylvania rail- road trestle. The house had been built by subscription, was somewhat enlarged in 1847 or '48, served as a school for many years, then as a dwelling and was removed only a few years ago. Mr. Worrell was an intelligent and enterpris- ing teacher. Of genial and cultivated manners himself, he included lessons in politeness and courtesy in the school curriculum. There are citizens of New Haven who have
154
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
been accustomed to speak of the old Third Street school as. the "Green Level Seminary." That name was facetiously. bestowed upon the school by Mr. Worrell during his con- nection with it, in allusion to the open fields or commons at that time surrounding it. Mr. Worrell came from New Jersey and, after his school engagement here, returned to that State.
Dunbar township, which then and for years afterward included New Haven, promptly accepted the common school law of 1834. "The public school system was inaugurated in 1835, and May 22nd of that year the school appropriation apportioned to Dunbar was $113.3314 from the State and $225.6612 from the county." It was not until New Haven became a Borough in 186? that a school building was erected at public expense within the Borough limits. The directors of the township schools had erected, in about the year 1848, a one-story frame building just outside the present Bor- ough. This was used for a considerable time as a school, attended by the youth of the village, and was known gen- erally as the "White school house," to distinguish it from the little red school house on Third street. It is still stand- ing and has long been occupied as a dwelling. It is on the river bank, directly across the street or lane from the foun- dry of the Connellsville Manufacturing and Mine Supply Company by which it is now owned.
Since 1835 there have been many teachers both of pub- lic and private schools in New Haven. Marlin D. Dimick taught in 1840, Mrs. Robert Dougan in 1845, Daniel Forry in 1846. Mr. Forry went as a lieutenant to the Mexican war, and died at Vera Cruz. Rev. Kensey Johns Stewart, rector of the Episcopal Church, New Haven, taught an acad- emy in the Third street school in 1847, had an addition made to the building, had pupils from Greensburg and other points at a distance, and employed persons of thorough education for assistants. Mr. Stewart did much for the cause of education in this and in other communities. He was born in New Castle, Delaware, March 12, 1817, graduated from
THE OLD WHITE SCHOOL HOUSE NOW A DWELLING
THE SEVENTH STREET SCHOOL
THE THIRD STREET SCHOOL
156
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa., in the Class of 1837, held a number of important pastoral charges, published sev- eral volumes on historical and other subjects, received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Washington and Lee University in 1880, and spent his closing years in Richmond, Va., where he died June 10, 1902.
Mr. John Bolton, already spoken of as a teacher in Connellsville, had a select school in the White school, New Haven, and also taught in the Third street public school.
In 1857, Rev. James Black, D.D., pastor at that time of the Connellsville Presbyterian church, opened a select school in the McIlvaine hall, northwest corner of Main and Front streets. The course of study included the classics and the higher mathematics, and the school was well pat- ronized. Dr. Black resigned his pastoral charge in the spring of 1860, and devoted the remaining years of his life to the work of teaching. He was the first president of the Pennsylvania College for Women in Pittsburgh, and a pro- fessor first in Washington and Jefferson College, Penn., and then in Wooster University, Ohio. He died in Wooster, December 23, 1890, aged 65 years.
C. C. Baugh, in 1859, Miss Margaret Bell, in 1860 and Pollard Morgan, in 1861, taught select schools in the McIlvaine hall. Mr. Morgan was a theological stu- dent, a candidate for the Presbyterian ministry. Soon after leaving New Haven, however, he became a Roman Catholic, went to the City of Rome, and in course of time entered the priesthood.
Rev. Timothy O'Connell, rector of the Episcopal Church, taught a select school in the hall in 1875. He was an Irish Canadian and is said to have been a relative of Daniel O'Connell, the great Irish orator and statesman. An- other teacher was Joseph Moreland, for many years past a leading attorney in Morgantown. The New Haven school district was established June 1, 1868, the year after the Bor- ough's permanent organization. It thus became independent of the township. The first Board of directors was com-
157
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
posed of S. G. Smutz, president; I. V. Rhodes, secretary ;. S. S. Myers, treasurer, Hugh Cameron, George Nichol and J. M. Lytle. The salaries of teachers amounted the first year to $320.
When that part of the town, lying west of Fourth street, was taken into the Borough (the Ashmun-Torrence Addition) a two-story frame school building, erected by the township Board in the '70s, was made the property of the New Haven Board and has continued to be occupied as a school. It is known as the Seventh street school house. It was. enlarged some years ago, and now has six rooms.
In 1882, the two-story brick house, with four rooms, was built on Third street, one block south of Main street. The following persons have served as principals of the New Haven schools since the opening of this two-story brick building: J. W. Sleesman, J. K. Rush, John S. Christy,. Lee S. Smith, J. M. Murtland, W. D. McGinniss, L. B. Brownfield, J. S. McKee, B. T. Frazee and H. G. May. Mr. May, the present incumbent, took charge of the schools in 1903. There are ten schools and ten teachers, with a term of eight months. The enrollment for the school year ending the last of April, 1906, was 405, and the average attendance 375. The school tax duplicate for 1906-7 is $6,063.71. The Board of directors consists of the following persons: Dr. G. W. Gallagher, president; Charles H. Balsley, secretary ;. Lutellus L. Herbert, Aaron Fornwalt, Kell Long and Henry Rhodes.
The new suburb of New Haven, Greenwood, has a school house of four rooms, built by the township of Dun- bar in 1905. It is of brick and is two storied; it is thor- oughly modern in its equipment and is "beautiful for situa- tion," commanding a view of mountain and valley.
Connellsville township has five school buildings-the Narrows with two rooms, the Germany Hill ( Broadford) with one room, Rock Ridge with two, the Washington with two, the Gibson or South Connellsville with eight. In addi- tion to these, the township has schools in three rented rooms
158
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
in South Connellsville, making eleven schools in all. The schools are under the care of a township superintendent. There is also a township High School, held in the Gibson building, from which a class of six graduated in 1906.
This review of our local school history discloses the fact that our people have not been indifferent to the welfare of the young, and it may be asserted that, with the passing of the years, the value of intelligence has been increasingly recognized and appreciated. The State has been generous in the aid it has extended to our common schools. It illus- trates both the growth of our population and the growth of State liberality to note the fact that the State appropria- tion of $75,000 in 1835 has risen to $5,500,000 in 1906, of which amount Fayette county is to receive $98,771.33.
In 1880, Connellsville received $777 from the State; in 1906 she received $6,263.06. In 1880, New Haven received $102.85 from the State; in 1906 she received $1,570.74. The amount raised by taxation has been large, also, as our tax duplicates from year to year show, but no money has been better spent. It has been a most profitable investment. As a safeguard of free institutions the school ranks only second in importance to the church. "Liberty is not the child of ignorance;" and in no nation on the face of the earth is it so overwhelmingly important as in ours that there should be general intelligence, education of all the people in body, mind and heart. Washington, in his farewell address, gave counsel which Americans ought never to forget,-"Pro- mote," said he, "as an object of prime importance, institu- tions for the general diffusion of knowledge;" and James Monroe laid down a doctrine equal in value to his more famous "Monroe doctrine": "Let us by all wise and con- stitutional measures promote intelligence among the people as the best means of preserving our liberties." Honored, then, be the name of every man or woman who, from the days of our old log school house down, has faithfully tried to make our community wiser, brighter and better !
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.