USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > Downingtown > History of Downingtown, Chester County, Pa > Part 6
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The following named gentlemen appeared, and were enrolled as members of the convention: From the Chester County Cabi- net of Natural Science-Dr. William Darlington, Joshua Hoopes, Dr. Wilmer Worthington, John Rutter, Esq. Chester County Athenaeum-John Hall, William Darlington, Esq .; William P. Townsend. Delegates appointed by a meeting of citizens of West Chester-Francis James, William Williamson, Dr. John B. Brinton, Thomas S. Bell, Ziba Pyle, Dr. Isaac Thomas, Townsend Haines, Henry Fleming. Mechanicsburg Mutual Im- provement Society-J. D. Rupp, G. Bobb. School Directors of East Caln-Joshua Hunt, Charles Downing. Bucks County Educa- tion Society, also, Newtown Lyceum-Lemuel H. Parsons, James Kelly, Wm. H. Johnson. York Association of Teachers-E. F. Bleck. York Lyceum-David B. Prince. West Bradford Board- ing School-Cheyney Hannum. Young Gentlemen's Institution at Lititz, Lancaster County-John Beck. Montgomery County Cabinet of Science-Jonathan Roberts, Esq. ; Maurice Richard- son, Alan W. Corson. Philadelphia Lyceum of Teachers-Dr. J. M. Keagy, Rev. N. Dodge, Josiah Holbrook, J. H. Brown, Vic- tor Value, John Simmons. East Bradford Boarding School- Joseph C. Strode, Robert Guy. Pennsylvania Association of
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Monitorial Teachers-Dr. Wright. Thomas Eastinan, J. M. Cole- man, and twenty-one volunteer delegates.
Adjourned till 2 o'clock, P. M.
Tuesday after10011.
The Convention met at 2 o'clock.
Mr. Holbrook, upon request, stated the general objects of the convention. He said there are in the United States about 60 colleges, not far from 500 academies, institutions owned and con- ducted by private individuals, number not known : about 50,000 common schools, many infant schools, and another class of vol- untary or social institutions, viz., lyceums; of these there are about two or three thousand. These are connected with many of our academies and colleges, most of them have libraries, which are read with great eagerness, perhaps about 1000 times as much as the former libraries of colleges. Lyceums give the schools a character of greater efficiency, and make the children more tract- able and diligent. A system of co-operation is produced; each pupil recognizes himself as possessing all the means of self-cul- tivation, and of producing a kindred action between mind and mind-each one exerts an influence upon and receives benefit from his neighbor. These institutions have a social character. Many of our institutions are anti-social ; they build up a partition wall ; students do not make their Greek and Latin lessons a subject of fireside conversation. But these are social institutions ; in them are taken up matters of daily occurrence-the philosophy of things is spoken of without formality. Their operations and re- sults are social-they will form the table talk of the youth. There is a National lyceum, 15 or 16 State lyceums, over 100 county lyceums, 3000 village lyceums, and a great number in academies and schools.
Mr. Neville said the fathers of the republic planted the tree of liberty ; we are assembled here to plant the tree of knowledge. Association is our motto. "United we stand, divided we fall." This convention may be hailed with something of the same emo- tion that would attend the discovery of a reservoir of cool water in an African desert. Mr. N. read an able address on the advan- tage of an association of teachers, upon the orthodox principles of education ; it would promote the independence of teachers, by leading to the adoption of settled rules of conduct, etc.
Judge Darlington requested to know whether the meeting had any other object than the formation of an association of teachers?
Mr. Holbrook replied, that one object of the meeting had in view is to bring the hands of teachers together, that they may strengthen each other; another object it, to induce parents and the friends of education to work with them; to strengthen their
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hands and encourage their hearts. How is this object to be ef- fected? It is proposed to have a State, or Eastern and Western Society, auxiliary to which there will be county, township, neigh- borhood and school societies. The object of this convention, then, is to organize an Eastern District or a State Lyceum.
The Committee of Arrangements reported the following resolutions, which were adopted :
Resolved, That it is expedient to form a State Lyceum, which shall be composed of teachers and the friends of education throughout the State, subject to the rules and regulations here- after to be established.
Resolved, That the following gentlemen be a committee to form a Constitution for the proper government of said Lyceum, viz. : Dr. William Darlington, Josiah Holbrook, David Town- send, Esq. : Dr. J. M. Keagy and William H. Johnson.
Resolved, That this Convention recommend the formation of county lyceums throughout the State, as auxiliary to the State or parent society.
At the session on Wednesday afternoon, August 19, Dr. Dar- lington, from the committee appointed to prepare a Constitution for a State lyceum made report, which was accepted, considered by section, and adopted, as follows:
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS of the PENNSYLVANIA LYCEUM.
Article 1. This Association shall be called "The Pennsylvania Lyceum."
2. The objects of the Society shall be the advancement of education throughout the State, especially through the medium of Schools and Ly- ceums, and to co-operate with other Lyceums in the diffusion of useful knowledge.
3. The members of the Society shall consist of Delegates from the sev- eral County Lyceums and kindred institutions in the State, each of which shall have a right to send five delegates. but any member of a County Lyceum, or any kindred institution, may participate in the discussions and other exercises of the Society, without having the privilege of voting.
4. The officers of the Lyceum shall be a President, five Vice-Presidents, a Recording and a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer and nine Cura- tors, to be appointed by ballot annually.
5. The Lyceum shall hold an annual meeting to receive reports from the several County and other auxiliary Lyceums, upon the objects of their association; to hear discussions, addresses and lectures; and to devise and adopt measures to introduce a uniform and improved system of Education throughout the State.
6. Special meetings may be called by the President, upon the request of ten or more members, or of a County Lyceum, stating the object of such call; of which notice shall be given in five or more newspapers in the State, or in such way as may be provided by the by-laws, at least six weeks before said meetings shall be held.
7. All apparatus, books and specimens belonging to the Lyceum shall
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be under the care of the Curators; who shall be the Executive Committee and general agents of Society.
8. This Convention may be altered or amended, at any regular meeting, by a vote of two-thirds, provided the members present shall not be less than fifteen.
BY-LAWS.
Article 1. The time and place of meeting of the Lyceum shall be fixed at each previous meeting.
2. The rules and orders of the Lyceum shall be in accordance with parliamentary usages.
The appointed nominating committee reporting, the conven- tion proceeded to ballot for officers. The following gentlemen were declared to be unanimously elected, viz .: President, Jona- than Roberts, Montgomery County; vice presidents, Dr. J. M. Keagy, Philadelphia: John Beck, Lancaster County; Jacob Weaver, Cumberland ; John H. Gorden, Bucks; Jonathan Gause, Chester : Corresponding Secretary, John Simmons, Philadel- phia ; Recording Secretary, E. F. Bleck, York ; treasurer, Rev. N. Dodge, Philadelphia; Curators, Victor Value, J. H. Brown and Thomas D. James, Philadelphia : Joshua Hoopes, Chester ; Sam- uel Cross, Dauphin ; J. D. Rupp, Cumberland ; Lemuel H. Per- sons, Bucks ; John F. Hay, Carlisle ; N. R. Smith, Pittsburg.
The LYCEUM was immediately organized, and proceeded to business.
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted, viz. :
Resolved, That the cultivation of the generous, benevolent and other moral faculties of children ought to be considered the foundation work of education, both in schools and families.
Resolved, That the only effectual mode of cultivating moral faculties is by practical exercise of them in acts of kindness and generosity.
Resolved, That natural history, or the study of minerals, plants and animals, are peculiarly appropriate as an elementary study for children, and that it greatly accelerates their progress in spelling, reading, writing, geog- raphy. arithmetic and all other branches usually taught in schools.
Resolved, That cabinets of natural and artificial productions for the use of Lyceums and schools and families, collected by young people generally, are eminently calculated to promote useful knowledge, prevent vice and produce elevation of intellectual and moral character in individuals and na- tions, and that such cabinets may be easily obtained.
Resolved, That a general system of exchanges in specimens of nature and art by schools and Lyceums in all parts of the country would be well calculated for the diffusion of useful knowledge to strengthen the bonds of our National Union, and for the promotion of universal education.
Resolved, That practical geometry, embracing drawing and mensuration, is of the first importance as a fundamental branch of common practical edu- cation, and that it furnishes exercises peculiarly appropriate and agreeable to young children.
Resolved, That it is of fundamental importance to secure the influence and aid of females in the promotion of intelligence and sound morals, and that all ladies engaged or interested in teaching ought to be invited to be- come members of Lyceums that are or may be formed throughout the State.
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Resolved. That the organization of County Lyceums ought to be selected as the first step to be taken towards accomplishing the purposes of the State society, and that township, neighborhood, school and family Lyceums are appropriate and important objects to be aimed at by said county so- cieties.
Resolved, That it be a prominent and immediate object of the officers and members of the State Lyceum of Pennsylvania to encourage and aid the furnishing of schools and Lyceums in counties, townships, neighbor- hoods, schools and families with cabinets of natural and artificial produc- tions.
Resolved. That the "Chester County Cabinet of Natural Science," and all similar county institutions which are now organized in the State, be re- quested to act as County Lyceums, and immediately to take such measures towards the formation of district cabinets as they, may deem expedient.
Resolved. That ladies who are friendly to the cause of education be respectfully invited to attend the meetings of the Pennsylvania Lyceum, whenever or wherever held.
Resolved, That the Board of Officers of this Lyceum.be instructed to procure or recommend at their discretion an agent or agents to act in be- half of the Society.
Resolved, That it would be highly gratifying to this Lyceum if Messrs. J. Holbrook and Rupp would consent to enter into an agreement with the Executive Committee to act as agents for the establishment of Lyceums and the promotion of popular education throughout the State during such time as shall by them be found practicable.
Resolved, That the Publication Committee of the Convention be also constituted a Publication Committee for the Lyceum.
Resolved, That the cordial thanks of the Lyceum be presented to Mr. Josiah Holbrook, of Boston, for his indefatigable and highly successful efforts in promoting the cause of education.
The Lyceum having concluded its business, adjourned to meet at York, on the second Tuesday in August, 1836.
It will be observed that two of the most distinguished citi- zens of Downingtown, viz., Charles Downing and Joshua Hunt, were members of this convention, and by their presence signified their interest in the purposes of the meeting. The community of Downingtown was always heedful of educational interests, not- withstanding some remarks that were made by a former County Superintendent of Chester County, who wound up his final report upon matters and things in the county with an allusion to the locality of our sketch. The difficulty always has been and exists to-day of New England blood and training understanding Penn- sylvania manners and methods. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes speaks of our people being of neutral tint, and while we are ad- mittedly surveyors of all sides of a question, we are not purvey- ors of a final judgment and an inflexible conclusion. The open mind is always superior to the judgment of the uninformed.
Issachar Price was born in Gallagherville, Chester County, March 7th, 1827. He died in West Bradford Township, August 29th, 1880. His father, who bore the same name, has been for years a storekeeper in Downingtown, and the son was fairly well
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4
THE LANCASTER PIKE BRIDGE, BUILT IN 1802.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR, LENOX AND TILDIN FOUNDATIONS
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educated, his chief instructor being Jonathan Gause, to whom Issachar dedicated a book of verses, entitled, "School Day Rhymes," published in 1856. Issachar had also contributed sev- . eral excellent poems to the Chester County newspapers of his day. He attended school at Joshua Hoopes' School, in Downing- town, and he had an excellent solid English education of that time. He sang of the Brandywine thus :
NO. IV.
"Sweet stream, the music calls me forth In even's dewy time; I come to learn thy mellow pslams, Oh, singing Brandywine.
Thou bringest down the balm of flowers From meadows bright and green, Where flashing wings of joyous birds In sunny colors gleam.
Thou bringest on thy silver waves The murmur of the groves, Where summer birds sing thrillingly Their sweet celestial loves.
Thou barest on those dulcet airs And every pleasant voice, Till e'en this dull, cold heart of mine Leaps up at thy rejoice."
Issachar Price had a keen realization of the beauties of "Soli- tude," a well-known resort just south of Downingtown, along the banks of the Brandywine, and in the first poem in his little book, he thus addresses Dr. J. Stuart Leech :
Come, come, my friend, to yon sequestered grove, Where many a bird doth sing its summer love, And lie outstretched within the shadows cool, And learn a wholesome task rom Nature's hallowed school.
The page is open under every tree, Broad as the heavens unobscured and free; And while the breath of summer floats along, Our souls expanding there may learn somewhat of song.
How dear the pleasure of a quiet hour, Beside some stream where blooms the woodland flower- Unseen by men and unannoyed, alone, A devotee at Nature's ever silent throne !
Come to that grove along the Brandywine; Come, while the Summer glories in her prime; While every breeze is laden down with tune From the soft voices, born of happy May and June.
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And thus Issachar Price sang of the "Chester Valley in Winter" :5
I climb the hills in winter; My path is in the snow; I see the Chester alley Lie broad and white below; Ah, what a change! it sleeps no more In Summer's golden glow.
The cosy farm house glistens; Its walls are white as snow; And puffing locomotives Are steaming to and fro; The steed of commerce heeds no storms
Nor feels the Summer's glow.
The young usurpers triumph Along the snowy vale; The lonely turnpike murmurs Upon the wintry gale, It sorrows for its vanished wains --
It seems I hear the wail.
How swiftly time is passing With courtesies uncouth! That age and death are coming It is a fact in sooth: But thou, oh vale, art always young- Thou hast eternal youth!
Oh, charming Chester Valley, I love thec all the while, Thy beauties ever woo me. My lonely hours beguile; I love thee in thy rohes of snow Or when thy lilies smile.
It appears that there was a dancing class in Downingtown, and all the young ladies and gentlemen in society were its mem- bers, and our poet Issachar Price printed and published a letter of comment and advice to its members. It was received at the time with considerable interest, and all Downingtown laughted at its cleverness. In 1824 Robert S. Coffin, better known by the appel- lation of "The Boston Bard," visited Downingtown, and was charmed with the scenery along the Brandywine, and the hospi- tality of the people of the village. Of course, he had to write a poem on the Brandywine, which inspiring stream has awakened the gift of expression in every poet of America who has ever seen it.
Zebulon Thomas' daughter opened a boarding school for girls in Downingtown, in the summer of 1837, and Miss Priscilla
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Thomas, one of the ladies engaged in promoting the enterprise, furnishes the following references to it :
"Mary B. Thomas and Sisters' Boarding School for Girls was opened in Downingtown in the summer of 183? and continued till 18:2. The number of boarding scholars was limited at twenty ; the day class was never a large one, but in those forty years many pupils from the neighborhood. attended the school.
The course of study included, beside the usual branches of an English education instruction in Drawing, and in the Latin and French Languages, and in Music. German was taught by a native of Germany. As years went by efforts were continuously made to keep the course of study abreast with the ever-rising educational demands, but, while the daily routine was exact, it was always kept in mind that the aim should not be credit marks but the cutivation of a real interest in intellectual pursuits. To forward this end a taste for what is best in our literature was carefully fostered.
In those days our town presented a pleasant usual aspect and the beauties of the surrounding country became well known to teachers and pupils in frequent excursions which gave to all healthful exercise while the students of Botan gathered material for their herbals.
It must be remembered that those were the days of home- schools, when battledore and the game of graces were prized as outdoor exercises, and even in the later years of the institution croquet was in vogue.
Colleges for women were but beginning, offering high privi- leges to those intellectually ambitious, such privileges as can be given by none but richly endowed institutions."
Jesse Kersey, born in York, Pennsylvania, came to Down- ingtown early in the 19th century, and distinguished himself as a speaker among the Society of Friends, and in 1828 delivered twelve (12) lectures before the Downingtown Society for the acquisition and promotion of natural knowledge, which lectures were printed and distributed throughout the community. At that time Thomsonianism had somewhat impressed the com- munity, and there was a number of simple remedies embraced within an appendix to these lectures. In 1834 the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad was opened for public travel through Downington, and on April 15th, 1835, Norristown and the Val- ley Railroad was incorporated. They constructed a railroad from some point on the Philadelphia and Columbia road, east of Brandywine Creek, to a point on the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Road. This enterprise was never completed, but in 1850 the Chester Valley Railroad was incorporated, reviving a former charter, and completed the road twenty-two (22) miles
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in length from Downingtown to Bridgeport. Montgomery Coun- tv. In 1854, the East Brandywine and Waynesburg road was incorporated for the construction of a railroad from Downing- town to Waynesburg, now Honeybrook. This road was com- pleted and opened to public travel, and has been in operation ever since that time. Downingtown continued its usual course of development.
People began to discuss the location of the Horse Shoe Road. Folks argued about the beginnings of roads and bridges in Downingtown. The Ringwalt family had come in from New Holland, in Lancaster County. Doctor Wills, Dr. Leech gave zest and spice to the literary ambition of the community. Down- ingtown was tired of being shackled to East Caln and a move- ment began for the incorporation of the village into a borough. Every newspaper in Downingtown had ceased to exist. Every printing office had passed out of business. The population within the district proposed to become a borough was about seven hundred (:00) in number.
The literary society organized in the carly forties had flour- ished, blossomed and in a few years had ceased to exist. The Hunts, Edges, the Downings, Hoopes and many others, includ- ing Dr. Leech, Thomas S. Ingram, Dr. Wills, Henry Eicholtz, Richard Wells, had been its active members and its firm sup- porters.
As I look back across the eighteenth and nineteenth centu- ries, there is no town in Pennsylvania having more charming retrospect than that of Downingtown. Space does not permit me to discuss the olden time much further. As Charles Dickens observed, "The interesting writer must always leave something for the imagination." John Quincy Adams remarks, "Posterity delights in details." Thomas Carlyle observed, "After a century of struggling humanity, discussion of cause and effects brings on ethical hysteria." I now pass to the last half-century of Down- ingtown.
Chapter 6
Incorporation of the Borough-The Petition-The Ac- tion of the Court-Downingtown and the Civil War.
In January, 1859, the following petition was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Chester County, and the papers following the petition describe the action taken thereon.
The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the Village of Down- ingtown and the territory adjoining thereto as hereinafter described. Being a majority of the Freeholders residing therein, in the County of Chester and State of Pennsylvania.
Respectfully ask of your Honorable Court, that the said village of Downingtown and the territory adjoining thereto, all in the township of East Caln, included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning in the middle of the Downingtown, Ephrata and Harrisburg turnpike in a line of lands of Joseph Baugh and Allen W. Wills, Esq., thence through lands of Joseph Baugh north fifty-three degrees and fifteen minutes east, to a line of lands of Samuel Ringwalt, seventy-four perches and eight- tenths; thence the same course, through lands of the said Samuel Ring- walt, eighteen perches and five-tenths to a walnut tree; thence north eighty degrees and thirty minutes east through land of the said Samuel Ringwalt to a lime stone, a corner of lands of Samuel Ringwalt, Joseph Baugh, Charles Downing and the heirs of William Downing, deceased, fifty-two perches and six tenths; thence along the line of lands of the heirs of Will- iam Downing, deceased, and Charles Downing north eighty-eight degrees and thirty minutes east, sixty-four perches and four-tenths to a lime stone; thence the same course through lands of the said heirs of William Down- ing, deceased, thirteen perches and one-tenth to a corner of lands of James Humphrey and the said heirs of William Downing, deceased, in the Brandy- wine Creek; thence the same course along the line of lands of the said heirs of William Downing, deceased, and James Humphrey, twenty-six perches to a corner in a line of lands of Samuel J. Downing; thence the same course, through lands of Samuel J. Downing, forty-two perches to a line of lands of Theresa M. Downing; thence the same course through lands of the said Theresa M. Downing, crossing the Lion Road, one hundred and seventy- eight perches to a line of lands of Hannah Downing; thence the same course through land of Hannah Downing seventeen perches to a stake (making in the aggregate three hundred and forty and five-tenths); thence through land of the said Hannah Downing south two degrees and thirty minutes east, thirteen perches and thirty-six hundredths to a lime stone on the north side of the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike road, and in a line of lands of Samuel Ringwalt and Lydia Palmatier; thence the same course, along the line of Samuel Ringwalt and Lydia Palmatier thirty-five perches and nine-
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tenths of a perch to a corner of Benjamin Martin's land; thence the same course along the line of the said Samuel Ringwalt and Benjamin Martin land forty-seven and a half perches to a marble stone, a corner of David Shelmire's land: thence the same course along the line of David Shelmire and Benjamin Martin land sixty-two perches to-a corner of land of John Fisler, deceased; thence the same course along the line of the said John Fisler, deceased, and Benjamin land, thirty-two and a half perches to a cor- ner of land of Joshua B. Sharpless; thence the same course along the line of land of said John Fisler, deceased, and Joshua Sharpless, thirteen and three-quarters of a perch, a corner of land of the aforesaid Joshua B. Sharpless; thence the same course along the line of lands of David Shel- mire and Joshua B. Sharpless, twenty-nine perches and eight-tenths to the middle of the Pennsylvania Railroad and a corner of land of William B. Evans: thence the same course along the line of lands of the said William P. Evans and Joshua B. Sharpless eleven perches to the north side of the Boot road: thence along the north side thereof south eighty-eight degrees and thirty minutes west, one hundred and eighteen perches to a stake; thence south two degrees east, three perches to a stake on the south side of the said Boot road, thence along the south side thereof south eighty- eight degrees and thirty minutes west, one hundred and twenty perches to the middle of another public road, leading from Downingtown to West Chester: thence through land of Henry Hoopes south fifty degrees west one hundred and sixty-six perches to a stump in the West Bradford Town- ship line and a corner of the said Henry Hoopes and James Harbison's land; thence along the said West Bradford Township line, south seventy-five de- gress west, one hundred and eleven perches to a stone, a corner of lands of Dr. John P. Edge and William B. Hoopes; thence along the line of lands of the said Dr. John P. Edge and William B. Hoopes north two degrees and thirty minutes west, forty-one perches and two-tenths to a post, a corner of Stephen Blatchford's land; thence the same course along the line of land of the said William B. Hoopes and Stephen Blatchford, forty perches and eight-tenths to a point near two hickory trees; thence the same course through land of the said William B. Hoopes one hundred and six perches and three tenths to a line of lands of the said William B. Hoopes and the aforesaid Allen W. Wills, Esq .; thence the same course through land of the said Allen W. Wills, Esq., one hundred and twenty-four and a half perches to the place of beginning. Containing about seven hundred and sixty acres of land, "Run to the magnet bearing, variation of the compass, four degrees and thirty minutes west" a plot or draft, whereof is hereto annexed, shall be erected into and incorporated as a borough to be called the Borough of Downingtown in accordance with the Acts of General Assembly of the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania in such case made and provided.
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