USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 18
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The Moravians, during their settlement in Oley, erected two dwellings on land donated to them by John de Turck. The first was occupied early in 1745; and the second in 1748, for school purposes. In the latter there was a flourishing boarding-school tion. Conrad Weiser was one of the members of for several years; into which were incorporated the this board, and Rev. Michael Schlatter was appoint- Moravian schools of Germantown and Frederick township.
ed general supervisor. Petitions from Reading and Tulpehocken were addressed to the board in the
LIBRARY
READING
READING FREE LIBRARY-PAGE 210
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OF READING SCHOOL DISTRICT-PAGE 203
55
EDUCATION IN COUNTY
early part of 1755 to secure the benefit of these In 1833, when the State contained about eight contributions so as to establish some of the schools, hundred thousand children, less than twenty-five and Schlatter accordingly organized a school at each thousand attended the common schools-just one in thirty-one, or about three per cent, notwithstand-
of the places named.
But the charity schools proved an. utter failure, ing the offer of education at the public expense. and Schlatter was personally the chief sufferer. But in 1883, the State contained about two million His official position as superintendent rendered him children; and the number attending common schools the main object of popular hatred, though for a was over nine hundred and fifty thousand, nearly time the Lutheran and Reformed ministers had sus- one-half, an increase of sixteen-fold in fifty years. tained him. The German people lost confidence in
The general system, provided by the act of 1834, this undertaking through the denunciations of Chris- is attributable to a society which was organized at topher Sauer, who asserted in his German news- Philadelphia in 1827. The express object of this paper (published at Germantown) that these schools society was general education throughout the State,. were intended to prepare the way for establishing and its efforts, after laboring in this behalf for seven the Church of England in this part of the province, years against bitter opposition, culminated in the and in this way it was believed Schlatter's influ- passage of the act mentioned. In 1835 a great ef- ence was entirely destroyed.
COMMON SCHOOLS .- Various and repeated legis- lative attempts were made toward general educa- tion throughout the State, and they gradually devel- oped a public sentiment in its behalf until finally there was established the compulsory system, pro- vided by the Act of 1849, which was improved by the Act of 1854.
The Constitution of 1776 had provided that "a school or schools shall be established in each county by the Legislature for the convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters paid by the public as may enable them to instruct youth at low prices"; and that of 1790: "The Legislature shall, as soon as conveniently may be, provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the State in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis." This provision continued in the fundamen- tal law of the State unchanged until the new Con- stitution of 1873, when it was modified as follows : "The General Assembly shall provide for the main- tenance and support of a thorough and efficient sys- tem of public schools wherein all the children of this Commonwealth above the age of six years may be educated, and shall appropriate at least one mil- lion dollars each year for that purpose."
Reading
1834
Rockland 1850
Caernarvon
1834
Spring 1850
Robeson
1836
Tulpehocken. 1850
Union
1836
Washington
1850
Womelsdorf
1836
Windsor 1850
Ruscombmanor
1837
Eern, Upper 1851
Colebrookdale
1838
Bernville 1851
Hamburg
1838
Centre
1851
Kutztown
1838
Earl
1851
Marion
1839
Greenwich
1851
Hereford
1845
Longswamp
1851
Alsace
1849
Muhlenberg
1851
Exeter
1849
Ontelaunee
1851
Heidelberg
1849
Penn
1851
Maiden-creek
1849
Perry
1851
Amity
1850
Pike 1851
Bern
1850
Maxatawny
1852
Brecknock.
.1850
Bethel
1854
Cumru
.1850
Richmond
1854
Douglass.
1850
Albany
1855
Heidelberg, Lower. 1850
Jefferson
1855
Heidelberg,
North .. .1850
Tulpehocken, Upper . . 1855
Oley
1850
A great weakness in its early history was the All the districts had accepted the system of 1834 incompetency of teachers. Educated men and wom- before the compulsory provision had gone into ef- en of experience in teaching could not be obtained fect, excepting District township, which held out because duty to themselves and to their families until 1867, refusing in the meantime to accept the obliged them to labor in vocations which afforded State appropriation. The districts subsequently es- better remuneration; and a pronounced opposition, tablished, accepted the system at the time of their on account of burdensome and unjust taxation to erection.
support the system, discouraged those who felt in- Pleasantville was established as a separate district clined to teach. But a greater weakness than in- out of Oley township in 1857.
competent teachers existed. It was the distinctive Altogether the districts in the county number feature of the public schools and of the children sixty-one. attending them, for they were called "pauper In 1854, the schools numbered 362, and the schol- schools," and "pauper scholars," and this made them ars 10,116; in 1884, the schools, 599, and the schol- odious to the very class that was to be principally ars, 26,848; and in 1908, the schools, 855, and the benefited. scholars, 28,340.
fort was made to repeal this act, but it failed. The credit of preserving the system at that time is given to Governor George Wolf and Hon. Thaddeus Stevens.
SYSTEM ACCEPTED BY DISTRICTS .- The following statement shows the year when the several districts of the county accepted the common school system:
56
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
TABULAR STATEMENT FOR SCHOOL YEAR ENDING JUNE 1, 1908
Schools
Teachers
Scholars
Tax and Rate Per Cent
Districts
Whale number
Average number of
months taught
9 00 Number of males 6
co Number of females
Average salary of males
Average salary of females
Number of males
Number of females
Average per cent. of at-
tendance
Cost per month
Number of mills levied
levied for school and
building purposes
Albany
12
7
G
7
4
8
4
48.75
56
57
93
2.01
5
1,924.71
Amity
10
7
5
5
48.00
42.00
151
129
78
2.00
3
2,666.38
Bechtelsville
2.
S
1
1
50.00
50.00
47
31
93
1.71
4.5
724.26
Bern
12
7
6
6
43.33
41.66
169
148
88
2.28
3
3,484.71
Bernville
2
8
2
5
1
50.00
50.00
89
81
95
2.19
3.5
1,652.99
Birdsboro
11
9
3
9
58.34
50.56
236
222
93
2.05
5
8,848.21
Boyertown
9
9
4
56.25
50.00
185
217
94
1.57
6.5
6,926.37
Brecknock
6
7
6
1
6
60.00
42.03
38
102
74
1.62
4
2,808.78
Centre
9
7
7
2
44.28
45.00
148
129
88
1.82
3
2,414.83
Centreport.
1
7
2
7
45.00
45.71
153
136
87
1.SS
3.5
2,460.62
Cumru
26
7
22
4
47.27
45.00
477
547
92
1.53
2.5
10,924.95
Douglass
7
3
5
43.33
40.00
125
105
90
1.86
6
2,445.27
Earl
7
6
8
7
48.75
43.56
306
271
91
1.47
3
5,115.73
Fleetwood
5
9
3
2
60.00
50.00
103
120
93
2.40
5
2,943.41
Greenwich
11
7
5
48.00
43.33
166
154
91
2.22
1
2,914.76
Hamburg
12
9
4
8
56.25
50.00
240
226
96
1.58
5
6,335.55
Heidelberg
10
7.87
4
G
55.00
46.66
141
151
89
2.14
2.5
4,284.44
Heidelberg,
North
5
3
2
50.00
40.00
66
62
90
2.51
3
1,442.03
Heidelberg,
Lower.
21
7.15
12
9
52.32
46.66
322
289
91
2.27
4
8.56S.68
Hereford
7
5
3
50.00
43.33
133
99
88
2.09
3.5
2,045.69
Kutztown
4
9
1
3
60.00
50.00
97
106
95
1.35
2.5
4,229.31
Lenhartsville
S
1
50.00
11
12
90
2.50
2S1.04
Longswamp
11
7
3
8
43.33
43.75
109
157
89
2.28
3.25
3,492.95
Maxatawny
15
7
5
10
48.00
47.00
214
1SS
92
2.19
2.5
4,622.22
Mohnton
7.14
6
1
50.66
50.00
14S
151
90
1.55
7
3,214.36
Mount Penn
3
9
1
55.00
50.00
73
62
96
2.22
4
2.573.51
Oley
13
7.07
12
1
50.42
40.00
234
194
94
1.88
2.5
3,564.31
Ontelaunce
9
7.11
4
5
55.00
44.00
127
131
S.9
1.75
4
2.940.57
Penn
S
7.25
4
51.72
45.17
107
100
93
2.60
4
2,660.58
Perry
12
7.12
8
4
52.50
40.00
180
155
SO
1.32
3.5
4,451.96
Pleasantville, Ind.
1
7
1
50.00
22
27
94
1.09
2
315.27
Reading
331
10
14
317
111.04
52.51
0,593
6,531
90
1.68
4
230,938.60
Richmond
14
7
2
12
40.10
45.00
199
170
82
2.15
3.5
3.844.52
Robeson
17
7
6
11
46.66
46.00
235
214
S6
2.00
4
4,311.48
Rockland
8
7
1
45.71
50.00
140
113
87
1.70
6
2,575.28
Spring
19
7.42
10
9
48.50
40.66
270
243
90
2.28
3.5
6,076.43
Topton
3
S.33
2
1
51.50
50.00
-¿
65
94
1.33
4
1.411.62
Tulpehocken, Upper
8
7
7
1
47.14
40.00
113
97
91
2.11
4
1,977.23
Washington
0
7
6
3
45.00
43.33
125
111
S8
2.08
3
2.196.11
West Leesport
3
8
1
2
50.00
50.00
161
144
00
1.61
5.5 3,575.86
Womelsdorf
6
1
5
85.00
50.00
89
124
93
1.99
6
3,888.49
Wyomissing
3
S
3
52.55
52
65
80
2.72
3.5
3,876.87
855
8.34 304
553
$51.51
$46.25
14.931
14,409
80
$1.97
4.06
$+19,790.28
0
10
53.00
48.00
208
2.25
6.5
7,040.00
Marion
7
3
52.05
40.25
84
S7
91
2.33
2,035.23
Muhlenberg
12
7
5
7
50.00
44.29
276
253
88
1.32
3,290.56
Pike
G
-7
4
45.00
50.00
SE
89
2.22
5
1,401.15
Ruscombmanor
9
7
7
2
47.14
50.00
123
107
90
2.08
5
1,972.25
Tilden
6
7
5
1
50.00
50.00
115
99
00
1.88
4
2,674.70
Tulpehocken
7
9
5
47.78
44.00
179
165
89
2.57
3.5
3,54S.01
Union
9
7
0
44.44
110
119
86
1.45
5
2,121.21
Windsor
5
7
3
2
48.33
40.00
76
90
1.81
2.25
1,058.70
West Reading.
1
8
3
4
55.83
47.50
30
43
90
2.37
6
969.23
7
6
1
50.00
50.00
95
1.77
2.5
1,440.07
Bethel
15
15
47.66
201
182
91
2.55
4.25
4,066.35
District
7
4
42.50
40.00
14
19
93
1.86
3.5
308.13
Colebrookdale
9
86
1.41
4.5
968.00
48.33
96
84
89
2.18
5
1,429.19
Exeter
15
7
50.00
22
24
93
2.87
7
918.42
Bern, Upper
G
7
62
87
2.74
3
amount of tax
Total
6
$3,813.26
Alsace
88
80
88 ,
`1.31
5
1,481.10
47.50
$46.66
162
157
87
Shillington included still with Cumru, not having been erected.
NOTE: State appropriation to districts of county, $139,630.84; of which $64,155.80 to Reading. Total estimated value of school property in county, $2.180,100, and in State, $90, 363,211.
Total receipts in county for school purposes, $728,178; teachers' wages, $375,934; total expenditures, $626,086.
1
16
7.06
Maiden-creek.
7.14
45.00
1,353.78
Caernarvon
1
66
55
$1.99
for school purposes
per month
per month
$46.66
Alsace, Lower
Jefferson
7
4
57
EDUCATION IN COUNTY
LECTURE ON WEISER .- Extracts taken from the expense of the physical exertions of a large proportion compiler's lecture on the "Life of Conrad Weiser," of the people. This has been stimulated to such a degree that it has become burdensome in a very appreciable man- ner. delivered in different parts of the county during 1891, 1892 and 1893, by way of describing the direction and influence of the educational system of the State on the people of Berks county :
A growing inequality in various ways is. more and more apparent, especially in respect to property, money and income, and the influences which they exert; and as this inequality grows on the one hand, extravagance manifests itself on the other, indeed, to such an extent that it is prominent desire, flowing from this inequality, is to profit
The general education of the people of Berks county has been going on continuously from the time of the commonly regarded as necessary to social existence. A first settlements until now. Starting at a time' when a considerable population was settled in all sections of the by the labor of others without mental or physical exer- county, say in 1752 when it was erected as a political tions; and though this is admittedly a great disadvantage organization in the State, and extending over a period against the industrious element of any community it is embracing a century, the education of the people through justified and encouraged without the slightest compunc- the instrumentality of schools was confined to the rudi- tion. A desire growing entirely too common is to fill ments, that is, the ordinary accomplishments which en- an office, exercise municipal power and dispose of public abled them to carry on industrial and social affairs in funds, all of which lead the mind and conscience away from .a just conception of industry and from the real value of money. And another injurious desire, not only a successful manner. It was rather of a practical nature, and therefore more inclined to the useful than the orna- mental. A common education consisted of a general abil- in Berks 'county but elsewhere, is the migration of many industrious people from country districts to populous places where equality, comfort and contentment are not half of what they formerly enjoyed. Decrease of popula-
ity to read, write and cipher, and to talk in the English language reasonably well, and this was regarded as suffi- cient for the ordinary demands of life.
In 1752, schools were scattered in all the sections of tion in townships and increase of it in the cities is a bad the county. There were several in a township, and the indication for the general welfare. Evidently some evil scholars farthest distant were about five miles off. There influence is at work that produces such a result in social was no taxation for school purposes. Each scholar paid affairs. two or more cents a day, according to studies, and the more active than the imaginative. Labor was king, not
This general tendency must be changed. It must be teacher earned about a dollar a day. The buildings were guided into the channel that was occupied naturally be- ordinary structures, built mostly of stone or log. The fore 1854. Labor must be restored to its position as the money expended was made to reach as far as possible. recognized king. The practical must be studied and en- The education obtained was necessarily of a simple nature, couraged in preference to the ornamental; and the devel- so as to be easily acquired. Everything connected with opment of the perceptive faculties must receive a larger it was expressive of economy. This idea stood out very share of consideration than the imaginative. Each one prominently, and it had a good effect upon the manners of us should be so taught as to obtain a proper idea of and habits of the people. The perceptive faculties were industry and to feel the absolute necessity of contributing his share of useful labor in the production of things of education. Labor was regarded as the foundation of ev- real, not speculative value. And industrial affairs should erything, and education only as a means for facilitating be so conducted, or rather they should be permitted to its intelligent direction. Everybody labored-men and boys so regulate themselves without legislation or other inter- at farming and industrial pursuits, women and girls in ference, that the small communities shall have equal op- household affairs. It was labor that produced and im- portunities with populous cities in the race of progress. proved, and economy that multiplied results. Hence the The question may well be asked: Can this be accomp- county grew rapidly. There was little or no waste. No- lished? If so, how is it to be done? tions and practices of this kind prevailed in a general way until about 1854.
I would answer through our schools by teaching branch- es of knowledge that can be utilized by the scholars when
Then a uniform system of education was established they come to act for themselves and that will fit them by the State government and this has prevailed since. for the stations which they may be expected to occupy; It has been encouraged by increasing annual appropria- through a proper conception of the importance of labor tions for school purposes. The enormous amount for the and of local rights, and a uniform desire to co-operate in year 1893 ($6,000,000) shows the people's extraordinary the several affairs of life; and also through lecturing on the spirit of liberality towards general education. In the in- character of men and women who have been useful, just terior districts, the school buildings have not advanced and honorable to the communities in which they lived. much beyond the buildings of 1854, but those of the cities, In this behalf I have selected CONRAD WEISER as a proper even of some of the towns, show a remarkable growth in subject for our consideration. By studying his career size and appearance. By comparison of general results, we shall find for our guidance the useful things of life it will be found that the system of 1854 has inclined in this rather than the ornamental. The former constitute the time more towards the ornamental than the useful. The basis of general association and incline us to co-operate scholars are led to devote too much time and energy to with one another in individual and social affairs; but the information that they do not use, and are not expected latter create a spirit of rivalry and incline us to strike to use in the ordinary associations of life; also to matters out for ourselves regardless of consequences to others. and things that are too much disposed to develop the imaginative faculties rather than the perceptive.
Ornamental education has been to us for some years a proud and presumptuous mistress, but we have come' In this way the love of labor has come to lose its hold to find at last that she has misdirected our efforts and generosity and misled many of us away from the sta- labor is no longer king. The spirit of education has grown tions for which we were adapted by nature and associa-
upon a large proportion of the people, and consequently so much that it is of more consequence than the spirit tion. Through her a great . many persons have drifted of labor. Through it the school children are getting to into unproductiveness, idleness, or restlessness to such be more and more inclined to settle in employments that a degree that it behooves us to stop and see if we cannot are designed to produce or serve things for ornament find what steps must be taken to restore useful industry rather than use, and they are running more towards and produce general contentment. Investigation and re- clerking, soliciting, negotiating and kindred employments flection will lead us to conclude that labor must be sub- which require earnest action of the mind rather than of stituted as master in the place of education as mistress. the body far beyond the natural and equitable demands In this way only can we come to adopt and hold on to of society. And the sustenance of this increasing number the useful and practical, and to transmit our individuality with their numerous magnified wants is obtained at the to future generations.
58
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE OF WEISER LECTURE .- An ural results would be more advantageous to the locality introduction to the compiler's lecture, explanatory of his purpose, was published and distributed with the lecture under the auspices of the Reading Board of Trade in 1893, and the forcibleness and truthful- ness of his remarks at that time, sixteen years ago, will be appreciated by studying the condition of edu- cational, political and industrial affairs at the pres- ent time, in the year 1909. The introduction was as follows :
The tendency of the times for some years has been against the uniform development of the districts that con- stitute larger divisions of territory, as counties and States. Like the draining waters of creeks and rivers into the ocean without artificial impediments-as in the primeval period when mechanical power was not demanded-in- dustries, wealth, and population have been drifting; or rather drained, toward great centers, such as Boston. New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco. It is even to be noticed in inland counties like Berks, Lebanon and Lehigh, for the county-seats are growing so rapidly that they are com- ing to have the major part of assessed property and popu- lation, notwithstanding the area of territory occupied is comparatively limited. Political and social influences are thereby developed in channels leading to personal distinc- tion rather than general welfare. In this way too much power is permitted to settle gradually but surely in certain persons, and their individual judgment is taken as public opinion. This is against the substantial inter- ests and prosperity of the people taken as an organized body.
General education and government have been carried on for many years by a prescribed system for the general advantage of all the inhabitants. The manifest design of this legislation was to build up the parts which con- stitute the whole, on the theory that if the several parts be recognized for intelligence and self government the whole must necessarily be distinguished in these respects. But with all our State and local appropriations for the purposes of education and government, many parts are found to be deteriorating, while only few are improving. This is particularly noticeable in respect to property, pop- ulation and social influence; and in respect to individual- ity, co-operation, confidence and reliability, the average development is not what we have a right to expect in return for the taxes levied and expenditures made. Elect- ors contribute their share of the taxes to enable the several parts or districts to be successfully maintained and devel- oped, but the substantial and uniform local benefits for which the taxes are assented to without complaint are not realized.
Steam and electricity have latterly become so important in the development of industry for the superfluities of life, and capital and speculation have concentrated so largely in metropolitan places, from which they exert a most extraordinary influence over the manners, cus- toms and desires of society, reaching out hundreds if not thousands of miles, that little hope can be entertained of effecting a change by the discussion of local rights in the interior parts of Pennsylvania along the moun- tains, I mean such a change as would give to labor a due proportion of its products in the districts where it is carried on.
The waters rise not in the mountains simply to flow on to the sea without advantage to the people as they pass, nor are men and women intended to establish do- mestic relations in the interior parts of the country sim- ply to permit their offspring to be drawn away to swell the population of great cities, nor are they expected to work and practice rigid economy simply to give the real benefits to financiers and speculators far removed from the seat of industry; but they are designed to serve a more direct purpose in the affairs of mankind. The nat-
if they were not commonly and persistently drawn away by selfish manipulations. A true conception of local rights would greatly modify these manipulations in such a man- ner as to encourage plans and schemes of distribution that would produce a uniform appreciation and development of the general rights, privileges and conveniences of the people. Circumstances, sometimes accidental. but mostly the result of deliberation, may enable a man or body of men to take an unfair advantage over others, whether as neighbors of the same locality, or as fellow citizens of adjoining or distant localities, but in the short span of a life-time this advantage will be found to result eventually in a disad- vantage of some kind, either of a personal or general nature.
Our education being intended for social elevation, and our government for political equality, the former should incline us to be just and fraternal, and the latter in all its departments to be impartial, whatsoever the situation of the several localities. But my historical researches, with a collection of statistics, have brought me to see an opposite social and political tendency; and believing it to be injurious to the general welfare, I was led to study the career of CONRAD WEISER, a most zealous advo- cate of local rights, and to present the result of my re- flections to the people in the form of a lecture. with the hope that thereby public attention would be directed to the rights and demands of the respective parts of Berks county, and that this tendency might be changed in the interest of practical not theoretical political equality, of general not individual industrial power, and of real not imaginary social progress.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTES .- An institute, composed of many of the school teachers of the county, was first held in March, 1851, in the Court-House at Reading, for the purpose of encouraging the general work of education by a discussion of improved methods of teaching, an organization having been effected in January preceding. The meeting was largely attended, and it was very successful. In- stitutes were held for several years in succession and then discontinued.
In 1867, the State Legislature passed an Act of Assembly requiring the county superintendent of common schools "to call upon and invite the teach- ers of the common schools and other institutions of learning in his county to assemble together and or- ganize themselves into a teachers' institute, to be de- voted to the improvement of teachers in the science and art of education, and to continue in session for at least five days." In conformity with the provisions of this law, the county superintendent, Prof. John S. Ermentrout, held a county institute in 1868, at Reading. It was largely attended by teachers front all sections of the county, and great interest was manifested. Since that time, annual institutes have been held with increasing attendance and success.
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