History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 42

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Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 42
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 42

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

gentlemen conducted it until May 9, 1882, when it passed into the hands of Wolfe & McClelland, the former assuming editorial charge. Prof. Wolfe had been a teacher for several years, and resigned his position in the Cumberland Valley State Normal School to take full charge of the Chronicle. It is ably managed and circulates among a good, thrifty class of people.

Valley Sentinel. - [See account of this newspaper under "Press of Car- lisle."]

THE PRESS OF MECHANICSBURG.

The first newspaper published in Mechanicsburg was called The Microcosm. It began in 1835 under the foster-care of Di. Jacob Weaver, but yielded up its small-world spirit in a short time. The School Visitor, published a short time afterward by A. F. Cox, soon shared a similar fate. In due course of time (1843 or 1844) The Independent Press appeared under the direction of Mr. Sprigman. Its spirit was independent but its body was dependent on bread and butter, and hence its early decease.

In 1853 or 1854 the Mechanicsburg Gleaner was founded by John B. Flynn. It was issued with considerable regularity till 1856, when it was sold to Samuel Fernall, who, in turn, disposed of it, in 1858, to W. E. Mclaughlin. He changed the name of the paper to Weekly Gazetle. After a time he sold his interest to David J. Carmany, foreman of the office, who made some marked improvements, and changed the title to The Cumberland Valley Journal. He conducted it in the interest of the g. o. p. till January, 1871, when, owing to ill health, he sold the establishment to Joseph Ritner, grandson of the old governor of like name.

In March, 1868, a paper was started by a joint-stock company, and called The Valley Democrat. Capt. T. F. Singiser was chosen editor and publisher. In December, 1870, the Democrat was purchased by R. H. Thomas and E. C. Gardner, the latter having a third interest and acting as local editor. By them the name was changed to The Valley Independent. In September, 1872, Mr. Thomas purchased the Cumberland Valley Journal and consolidated it with his paper, naming the product The Independent Journal, by which title it is still known, and under which it advocates non-partisan, independent senti- ments.

In 1873 Mr. Thomas purchased of Mr. Gardner his interest in the news- paper business, and then sold an interest to Maj. H. C. Deming, of Harris- burg. In January, 1874, Messrs. Thomas and Deming established The Farmer's Friend and Grange Advocate, a paper devoted to the interests of the Patrons of Husbandry in the Middle States. It soon secured a large circulation, and is now the oldest grange paper in the United States. In 1878 Mr. Deming sold his interest to Mr. Thomas, who continued to be its editor aud publisher.

The Saturday Journal was established in October, 1878, by R. H. Thomas, Jr. It began and has continued as a Republican paper during political cam- paigns, but ordinarily is a newsy society paper.

Journalism in Mechanicsburg has suffered many reverses, newspaper men having suffered the following losses, as shown by the books: Mr. Flynn, $3,000; Messrs. Fernall and MeLaughliu, $2.000; Mr. Singiser, $5,000; Mr. Car- many, $4,500; Mr. Ritner, $3,500; R. H. Thomas, before securing a good foot- hold $8,000.

About 1873, a paper called The Republican was started, but six months' ter- restrial existence satisfied its desire for life. In June, 1877, J. J. Miller and J. N. Young, started the Semi- Weekly Ledger, a Republican journal. After the first year A. J. Houck was received as a partner, rice Young retired. The paper was changed to a weekly, but finally disappeared from the scene of earthly conflict.

DA Moon.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Other ephemeral publications have issued from Mechanicsburg, but their names being legion, can not be recalled. At present the entire field is held by R. H. Thomas, proprietor of a mammoth publishing house, which has been developed by pluck and perseverance.

THE PRESS OF NEWVILLE.

The first effort to establish a newspaper in Newville, was made by a Mr. Baxter in 1843. by the transfer of The Central Engine from Newburg. The experiment proving unsuccessful. the enterprise continued but a few months. The next effort was made in 1558, when J. M. Miller began, in company with John C. Wagner, the publication of The Star of the Valley, a non-partisan weekly, which January I, ISS5. J. C. Fosnot bought, his son, George B. McC., conducting same for one year, when Mr. Fosnot united it with the Enterprise, under name of Star and Enterprise, the double paper achieving a rare success.

In December, 1874, the Fosnot Bros. brought from Oakville. where it had been established in May, 1871, a paper known as The Enterprise, commenced by J. C. Fosnot, which was amalgamated with The Star of the Valley.

About 1558, The Weekly Native was started by J. J. Herron; but its fail- ure to secure a proper patronage gave it a permanent leave of absence from the field journalism.

In May, 1582, John W. Strohm began the publication of the Plainfield Times, at Plainfield. this county, which, in November, ISS5, he removed to Newville, and called The Newville Times, having a large circulation. In Au- gust, ISS3, Mr. Strohm started a matrimonial paper, called Cupid's Corner, which has proved a profitable venture.

THE PRESS OF MOUNT HOLLY.

Mount Holly has a paper known as the Mountain Echo, R. M. Earley, editor, publisher and proprietor.

CHAPTER XI.

EDUCATIONAL-LEGAL HISTORY-EARLY SCHOOLS-DICKINSON COLLEGE-METZ- GAR FEMALE INSTITUTE-INDIAN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL-CUMBERLAND VAL- LEV STATE NORMAL SCHOOL-TEACHERS' INSTITUTE-COUNTY SUPERINTEND- ENTS.

LEGAL HISTORY.

THE history of education in Pennsylvania may be said to date from the

TI beginning of Penn's colony on the banks of the Delaware.

In the first plan of government drawn up by Penn, in 1652, provision was made for the "governor and provincial council to erect and order all public schools, and reward the authors of useful sciences and landable inventions in said provinces."

In the year following a school for the education of the young was founded by enactment of the provincial council; and, to further the design, it elected one Enoch Flower to conduct the school work. The branches taught were "reading, writing, and the casting of accounts." This was the first school established within the present boundaries of Pennsylvania.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

In 1698 a school was organized by the Society of Friends in Philadelphia, in which all children and servants might be taught, and provision was made "for the instruction of the poor, gratis." Several charters were granted this school by Penn, the final one in 1711, extending the privileges and rights so as to form, in reality, a public school, the first in Pennsylvania.

The work thus begun was aided by private contributions, and it was as late as April, 1776, that the first school law was adopted, which provided that a "school or schools shall be established by the Legislature for the convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters paid by the public as will enable them to instruct youth at low prices," and which set apart 60,000 acres of land as a permanent endowment for said schools, the income from said land to be invested, and the said schools to be conducted by the Legisla- ture as their discretion might dictate.

Thus it will be seen that the educational interest was left wholly at the mercy of men who had little, if any, experience in educational matters, and who were occupied with weightier affairs than the fostering of a young school system.

Even with State aid the schools were neglected, and had to be nourished by the bounty of benevolent persons who contributed to the support of the struggling interest. In 1788 a subscription of something near £40, signed by the leading citizens and containing the following agreement, was taken in Cumberland County: "WHEREAS, a number of children in the borough of Carlisle, from the extreme indigence of their parents, are brought up in the greatest ignorance; and, whereas, these people laboring under the unfortunate condition of slavery, are, from circumstances, generally debarred from acquir- ing a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and the principles of morality; the subscribers being of the opinion that a free school and Sunday evening school, under proper regulations, would tend to the advancement of knowledge and of good order in society, agree to pay the sums annexed to their names for one year for the above benevolent purposes," etc., which may serve as an illustra- tion of the dependence upon personal aid.

But an advance was made by the Constitution of 1790, which stated that "the Legislature should, as conveniently as might be, provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the State, in such manner that the poor might be taught gratis." The same provision occurred in the law of 1809, which required the assessors to obtain the names of all children residing in their districts, between the ages of five and twelve years, whose parents were too poor to pay for their schooling, and to furnish each teacher a list of these names. It then became the teacher's duty to instruct all such children as applied for instruction, and to present the county commissioners with his account for the tuition of these same children. This drawing of distinction between rich and poor aroused violent opposition among the opponents of the measure, who termed it the "pauper system." The whole number of chil- dren entered in these schools during the year 1833, the last in which this law was in force, was only 17,467, and the expenditure, in their behalf, $48,466.25.

In 1834 a free school system was introduced throughout the whole State, which continues, with certain modifications and amendments, to be the school law of Pennsylvania. There were many opponents to the law, and, as its ac- ceptance was made optional with each district, the first year in which the new law was in operation only ninety-three districts out of 900 were reported as having adopted it. The report of the State superintendent shows that in Cumberland County, in 1834, thirteen districts accepted, three rejected, and one not reported-certainly a good record, considering the general opposition where in the State.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

In Carlisle, however, during the following year, there was "no school in operation -fund inadequate, and deemed prudent by the directors not to com- mence at present."

EARLY SCHOOLS.

As the first school had been started under Quaker control, the German set tlers who subsequently entered the valley were compelled to submit their edu- eational affairs largely to the schoolmaster who opened the private school. As n general rule, the school was conducted by the minister of the village church, and the building used was also devoted to religious worship. Many of the earliest schools were even eondneted in barns, and very good schools they were thought, too. The early teachers in Shippensburg were Andrew Gibson, John Chambers, Jacob Steinman, John Morrison, Michael Hubbley, Robert Me- Kean and Dr. Kernan. the latter's school being of a higher grade than the others. A seleet school was opened by two ladies named Mary Russell and Elizabeth Anderson, in 1824, which became very popular, and which contin- ned, under the charge of Miss Eliza Russell, until the free school system was introduced, when it was closed, the proprietors taking charge of the district school.

In Carlisle Samnel Tate, Capt. Smith, Mrs. Shaw, and others not known of by the writer were the early teachers.

About the year 1509 a Methodist minister by the name of Boden condueted a school in Silver Spring Township, but he was shortly succeeded by a young Hessian named Henry De Lipkey, who, having been buffetted about by the fickle goddess, became soured on humanity, and dealt many a stroke upon the backs of refractory urchins. John Stevenson, Michael Boor, Arthur Moore, Adam Longsdorf and William Jameson, the latter said to have been a fine mathematician, were also known among the early teachers in the township.

A church, erected by general contribution, was used as a school in Allen Township, and was presided over by a Mr. McGlanghlin, William Kline, John Foster, James Methlin and Solomon Tate. Other carly teachers in the town- ship were Messrs. Bausman, Durborrow and Pittinger.

According to "Sypher's History of Pennsylvania," the first school of a higher grade was a classical school opened in Carlisle about the year 1760. It was in charge of one Robert Mckinley, and continued until the war of the Revolution, when both principal and students enlisted in the patriot army.

Another classical school was in operation in Carlisle in the year 1781. It was at first a " grammar school," but was enlarged and chartered as an acad- emy.

An institution known as the Carlisle Institute was opened in 1831, which acquired a large patronage. The date of its discontinuance is not known.

In Newburg. Hopewell Township, a school ealled " Hopewell Academy " was opened in 1812 by Mr. John Cooper, a linguist of no mean reputation, and numbered among its patrons such eminent men as Dr. Alfred Nevin. H. M. Watts, once United States minister to Austria. the Rev. Dr. Samuel Me- Coskry, and others of equal prominence. This institution was maintained un- til 1532, when the founder removed to Shippensburg.

Two classical schools were opened in Newville-one in 1832, by Joseph Casey, and the other in 1843, by Mr. French. The latter changed owners many times, and was finally converted into Big Spring Academy, under the charge of W. R. Linn and Rev. Robert MeCaehran, in whose hands it perished.

About the year IS40 a select school was opened in Mechanicsburg by F. L. Gillelen, and was continued by him with much success until 1853, when it was

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

purchased by Rev. Joseph S. Loose, A. M. He immediately removed it to a better building, and termed it the Cumberland Valley Institute. This in- stitution existed until recently, its various owners having been Mr. I. D. Rupp, Messrs. Lippincott, Mullin & Reese, Rev. O. Ege, and his son, A. Ege, A. M.

Irving Female College, at Irvington (East Mechanicsburg), was founded as a seminary for ladies by Solomon P. Gorgas, and was chartered as a col- lege in 1857. It was conducted by Rev. A. G. Marlatt until his death in 1865, when Rev. T. P. Ege was elected. It was located in a comely brick building, capable of accommodating forty boarding, in addition to the day pupils.

Dr. R. Lowry Sibbet, a graduate of Pennsylvania College, commenced a private school in Centerville, Penn Township, in 1856. It was conducted by him for three sessions, during which he instructed in the Greek and Latin lan- guages, higher mathematics and natural sciences. Dr. Sibbet severed his con- nection with this school, and was succeeded by Rev. George Hays and Mr. E. M. Hays, after which the school was discontinued.

Sometime abont 1848 a classical school was opened in New Kingston by Mr. A. W. Lily, a graduate of Pennsylvania College. His successor, Rev. J. H. Cupp, did not continue long in the enterprise, and it was abandoned in 1850.

An institution called White Hall Academy, was opened in East Penns- borough Township in 1851, by Mr. David Denlinger, under whose charge it was operated until 1867, when it was changed to a Soldiers' Orphan School. It was then purchased by Capt. J. A. Moore and Mr. F. S. Dunn, and was conducted without change until 1875, when Messrs. Amos Smith and John Dunn took charge. Capt. Moore is the present able and popular principal.

In 1860 the Episcopal Church founded a seminary for young ladies, called the Mary Institute, in Carlisle. The principals have been Rev. Francis J. Clerc, Rev. William C. Leverett and Mary W. Dunbar. It has been dis- continued for some time.

In 1858, the Sunny Side Female Seminary was opened in Newburg, with Mrs. Caroline Williams as principal. She married Rev. Daniel Will- iams, a few years after, and under his charge the school perished.

The Shippensburg Collegiate Institute, a reorganization of an old aca- demy, was opened in Shippensburg, with Rev. James Colder as principal. He was succeeded by Dr. R. L. Sibbet (who retired to engage in the study of medicine), Rev. J. Y. Brown, -Vaughan and Miss McKeehan.

DICKINSON COLLEGE.

The difficulties experienced by the early settlers of the Cumberland Valley in securing a liberal education for their sons, who had formerly been sent either to England or to the academies located in Philadelphia and in more remote places, led them to contemplate the establishment of an institution to combine all the advantages of the existing schools with that of being of much easier ac- cess. With this end in view, the friends of the movement secured a charter for a college in the borough of Carlisle, in which it says that "in memory of the great and important services rendered to his country by His Excellency, John Dickinson, Esq., president of the supreme executive council, and in com- memoration of his very liberal donation to the institution, the said college shall be forever hereafter called and known by the name of Dickinson College." It was placed under the control of a board composed of forty trustees. The sup- port was to be derived from the Presbyterian Church directly, and also from all friends of education who deemed fit to make donations.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Prominent among the founders and first trustees, wero John Dickinson, first governor of Pennsylvania and first president of the board of trustees, and Dr. Benjamin Rush. of Philadelphia. The first meeting of the board was held in 1753, and in the following year a faculty was chosen, consisting of Rev. Charles Nisbett. D. D., of Montrose, Scotland, us president, und James Ross, author of the well-known Ross Latin Grammar, as professor of the Greek and Latin languages.

After much hesitation and correspondence, Dr. Nisbett was induced to ae- cept the position offered, and arrived at Carlisle on July 4, 1785, being wel- comed with the sound of eannon and bells. The following day saw the open- ing of the college in a small building, between Pomfret Street and Liberty Alley.

With such a beginning. the school grew rapidly into prominence, and was only retarded by the insufficiency of the funds. Strenuous efforts to increase the income were made by the friends of the institution, and in 1791 they suc- ceeded in securing an appropriation from the Assembly of $7.500, which. with an additional donation of $3,000 given in 1798, served to place it upon a tirm basis.

In 1502, when a new building had been completed on the new grounds purchased in 1708, and when everything was prepared for the reception of students, a spark carried by the wind from an ash pile far away, kindled a fire which destroyed nearly everything. Before the smoke had blown away, a new subscription list was in eirculation, and on Angust 3, 1803, the first stone of the new building planned by the public architect at Washington, Mr. Latrobe, was laid.

The college was inspired with a new vigor, and for a number of years con- tinued with increasing influence and prosperity. But troubles arose which led to a change in the controlling influence in 1533. The Baltimore Conference of the Methodist. Episcopal Church, learning of the difficulties into which the in- stitution had entered, made proposals to a committee of the board of trustees, and a final agreement was made by which the college and all connected with it passed into the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Now the school revived. New departments were added, and the old ones strengthened, until Dickinson College was placed in the front rank of institu- tion for higher education. The following are the departments of study main- tained: (1) Moral science, (2) ancient languages and literature; (3) pure mathe- maties; (4) philosophy and English literature, including history and constitu- tional law, (5) physies and mixed mathematies, and the application of calculus to natural philosophy, astronomy and mechanics; (6) chemistry, and its appli- cation to agriculture and the arts; (7) physical geography. natural history, mineralogy and geology; (S) modern languages; (9) civil and mining engineer- ing and metallurgy.

Those who wish to obtain the collegiate degrees are required to devote the earlier part of their course to the study of the classics and the pure mathemat- ics, but during the latter half, the student is granted more freedom, and if he desires to complete any of the special courses provided. he has the liberty to do so, at the same time retaining his right to the degree of B. A. upon grad- uation equally with those who have remained in the regular classical course.

The institution is well provided with all apparatus for the elucidation of the principles of physical science: the libraries number about 28,000 volumes, many of them very rare and valuable; the permanent endowment exceeds $170, - 000; and a valuable property, which is not productive at present, but which will add materially to the income of the school in the near future.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Within the last few years the course has been opened to the ladies, so that now students of both sexes have equal privileges.

The Tome Scientific Building, a long, handsome, fire-proof structure, of native limestone, with trimmings of gray stone, brought from the Cleveland quarries, facing on Louther Street, was finished in 1885, a donation of Col. Robert Tome, of Port Deposit, Md., from whom it derives its name. The last and most beautiful building added to the college in the near past is the Bosler Memorial Hall, a pressed brick building, with handsomely carved brown stone ornamentation, meant principally to contain the college library; begun in 1885 and finished in the succeeding year. It is a donation from the widow of the late James W. Bosler, of Carlisle.

Among the graduates of Dickinson College many have held responsible and honorable positions. One has been President of the United States, one has been Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of United States, one Justice of the Supreme Court, one Governor of a State, two United States Senators, ten Rep- resentatives in Congress, two district judges, three justices of the State Supreme Court, eleven presidents and sixteen professors of colleges, one bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and sixty-eight ministers of the Gospel.

The following is a table of the officers and presidents of Dickinson College, with the periods of their service:

Presidents of Board of Trustees .- John Dickinson, LL.D., 1783-1808; Rev. John King, D.D., 1808-1808; James Armstrong, 1808-24; John B. Gibson, LL. D., 1824-29; Andrew Carothers, 1829-33.

Since 1833, the president of the college has been, ex officio, president of the board of trustees.

Secretaries. - Rev. William Linn, D.D., 1783-84; Thomas Duncan, 1784- 92; Thomas Creigh, 1792-96; James Duncan, 1796-1806; Alex. P. Lyon, 1806-08; Andrew Carothers, 1808-14; Isaac B. Parker, 1814-20; James Hamilton, 1820-24; Frederick Watts, LL. D., 1824-28; Rev. S. A. MoCosk- ry, D.D., 1828-31; William Biddle, 1831-33; James W. Marshall, 1850-54; Rev. Otis H. Tiffany, D. D., 1854-57; James W. Marshall, 1857-58; Rev. William L. Boswell, 1858-65; John K. Stayman, 1865-68; Charles F. Himes, 1868 --.

Treasurers. - Samuel Laird, 1784-90; Samuel'Postlethwaite, 1790-98; John Montgomery, 1798-1808; John Miller, 1808-21; And. McDowell, 1821-33; John J. Myers, M. D., 1833-41; William D. Seymour, 1841-54; James W. Marshall, 1854-61; Samuel D. Hellman, 1861-68; John K. Stayman, 1868; Charles F. Himes, 1868-82; J. W. Smiley, 1882-85; Henry C. Whitney, 1885 -.

Librarians .- James Ross, 1784-92; William Thomson, 1792-1804; John Borland, 1804-05; John Hays, 1805-09; Henry R. Wilson, 1809-13; Joseph Shaw, 1813-15; Gerard E. Stack, 1815-16; Joseph Spencer, 1822-30; Charles D. Cleveland, 1830-32; Robert Emory, 1834-40; John McClintock, 1840-48; James W. Marshall, 1848-60; William L. Boswell, 1860-65, John K. Stayman, 1865-70; Henry M. Harman, 1870-

College Presidents. --- Charles Nisbett, D. D., 1785-1804; Robert Davidson, D.D., 1804-09; Jeremiah Atwater, D.D., 1809-15; John McKnight, D.D., 1815-16; John Mitchell Mason, D.D., 1821-24; William Neill, D.D., 1824- 29; Samuel Blanchard Howe, D. D., 1830-31; John Price Durbin, D.D., 1833-45; Robert Emory, D.D., 1845-48; Jesse Truesdell Peck, D.D., 1848- 52; Charles Collins, D.D., 1852-60; Herman Merrills Johnson, D.D., 1860- 68; Robert Lawrenson Dashiell, D. D., 1868-72; James Andrew McCauley, D.D., LL. D., the present efficient and scholarly president.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

MEIZGAR FEMALE INSTITUTE.

The Metzgar Female Insitute, occupying a beautiful and commodious brick structure, surrounded by pleasant shade trees and a rich variety of flowers, is one of the attractions of Carlisle, and reflects great honor upon the memory of the man whose funds supplied it, Mr. Metzgar, an honored member of the Cumberland County bar. It has attained a position among the educational institutions of the county, as is shown by its constantly increasing attendance. It was erected some tive or six years ago.

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Author: Publication date: Publisher: W. Taylor Number of Pages: 1280

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280