USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Greensburg > History of Greensburg (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania) and Greensburg schools > Part 10
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In witness whereof the said William Jack, Esq., have bereto set my hand and seal the 18th day of April, 1803. WM. JACK. [SEAL]. Sealed and delivered in the presence of JOHN MATTHEWS, ROBERT SHIELDS.
Before the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace for Westmoreland County, came William Jack. Esq., the grantor within named. and acknowledged the foregoing grant as his act and deed to be recorded as such. Witness my hand and seal dated as above.
ROBT. DICKEY, [SEAL]. Recorded March 1, 1804. Deed Book Vol. 7, Pages 107 and 108.
Old Greensburg Academy.
Realizing the need of an institution that would furnish a higher and more systematic education than that supplied by the scattered and irregular subscription schools, a movement was inaugurated by leading
citizens of the county for the founding of an academy at Greensburg. The project was presented and met with the en- dorsement of the General As- sembly. Ac- cordingly. an Act was passed and approved by Governor Simon Snyder, March 7, 1810, directing that HON. JACOB TURNEY. there shall be, and hereby is established in the Borongh of Greensburg, in the County of Westmoreland, an academy or public school for the education of youth in usefnl arts, sciences and literature, by the name and style of The Greensburg Academy.'" The trustees named in the Act of incorporation were Judge John Young, John Morrison, John M. Snowden, Rev. William Speer, Thomas McGuire, Dr. James Postlethwait, Dr. David Marchand and
RESIDENCE OF MRS. JACOB TURNEY. Corner Main and East Third Street.
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Thomas Hodge. It was prescribed that none of the trustees should continue in office for a longer term than four years without being re-elected by the people of the county annually, at the general election. on the second Tuesday of October. in the same manner and under the same laws, rules and regula- tions as members of the Legislature are chosen. To deter- mine the tenor of the first trustees' terms the Act set forth
10
.
OLD GREENSBURG ACADEMY. Erceted 1810. Destroyed by fire. 1850.
that they should meet on the first Tuesday of May. after the enactment of the law, and cast lots as to the order of their retirement, to create the necessary vacancies to be supplied at the general elections during the ensuing four years. An appropriation of 82,000 was made from the State treasury, of which sum $1,000 was to be applied to the erection of a suit- able building, if the trustees deemed that course to be the "most advantageous for promoting the object of the said institution, and the remaining $1,000 shall be placed in some safe productive fund or funds, and the income there- of shall be forever applied in aid of other revenues to com- pensate a teacher or teachers in said academy, and there shall be admitted into said academy, in consequence of the aforesaid grant, any number of poor children that may at any time be offered in order to be taught gratis; provided. the number so admitted and taught shall at no time be greater than four, and that none of the said children so admitted shall continne in said academy to be taught gratis, should others apply. longer than two years."
Many prominent residents of the county, but mainly in Greensburg, subscribed to the fund for the purchase of ground, erection of a building and maintenance of the in- stitution. Of the state appropriation $1.000, together with an amount of the moneys arising from individual contributions, sufficient to make an aggregate of $1,989.46, was invested in stock of the Farmers' and Merchants' bank, of Philadelphia. The account of Thomas Hodge. treas-
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urer, showed the receipts from the State, private donations and earnings of the bank stock, from October, 1810, to May, 1814, to be as subjoined :
-
RESIDENCE OF MRS. BARBARA WELTY. North Main Street.
Cash received of William Finley, State Treasurer. being the appropriation made by the Legislatue to the Academy . ... .$2,000.00
Joseph Weigley, Esq., for 14 shares of bank stock
961.10
Henry Wise ...
10.00
Michael P. Cassilly
20.00
Peter Tittle.
2,00
William Friedt.
20 00
George Armstrong.
50.00
John Young, in part.
120.00
John M. Snowden ..
10.00
William S. Graham
20.00
Robert Brown ..
20.00
Mr. Boggs.
5.00
Marmaduke Wilson
2.00
Matthew Jack.
5.00
Six months' dividends on 29 shares of bank stock, at 10 per cent. per annum.
145.00
Nicholas Day, Esq.
20.00
Dr. Postlethwait, 2d installment.
20.00
Henry Isett
20,00
10.00
Arthur Carr ..
20,00
20.00
Sammel Guthrie. Esq ..
5.00
James Bradv. Esq.
8 00
Dr. Jas. Postleibwait, in part.
20 00
=0.00
John B. Alexander.
20 00
10.00
John Kuhns. Esq. ..
30.00
5.00
Walter Forward, Esq.
20 00
5.00
Thomas McGuire ..
20.00
Simon Singer.
10.00
Jobn Wells.
20.00
5.00
Robert Williams (saddler).
10.00
Frederick Macklin
2.00
Simon Drum. Jr.
20.00
Philip Kuhns. .
5.00
John Schaeffer ..
20.00
Robert Williams.
10.00
John Taylor's estate.
2.00
Samuel Denniston
10.00
John Morrison, Esq ..
20.00
Alexander Johnston.
30.00
Jobn Young. Esq ..
150.00
180.00
Samuel Busbfield.
10.00
Total.
$4,384.10
Andrew Allison James Fleming
20.00
John Reed, Esq.
5.00
John Sinan, Ksq.
5.00
David Maclean.
5.00
James Shields .
5.00
Thomas Hodge.
50.00
Joseph Baldridge
10.00
Joseph Weigley, Esq
50.00
Samuel M. Reed ...
Charles Campbell, Esq
Dr. David Marchand.
20.00
William Jack, Esq ..
20 00
John Kirkpatrick ..
John McCune.
James Montgomery, Esq.
Frederick Rohrer, Esq.
Samuel Singer ..
In addition to the above amounts John Christie, Jr., was credited with a contribution of $1, and James Sloan with a donation of $2. This money, however, was refunded, as those gentlemen had intended extending that aid to a theological school, which was in progress in Greensburg. at that time, but the persons who were charged with delivering the same had mistakenly handed it to the treasurer of the Greensburg Academy fund.
After the receipt of a sum sufficient to warrant proceeding with the enter- prise, the trustees purchased a piece of ground, embracing one acre and 149.5 perches, iu Hempfield township, near the borough of Greensburg, from William Best, the consideration being $115. The deed bears date of Decem-
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Judge Young. 40,000 brick, in full of his subscription .
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
2.00
ber 13, 1811, although the purchase was really made over one year before. In defining the boundary of the land in the instrument, the point of beginning is designated as on the "east side of the Puckety road." Mrs. Best was also paid $4 "for signing the deed." The site selected was the
RESIDENCE OF MR. OLIVER P. LONG. Oakland Avenue.
most commanding eminence in proximity to to the borough, being a part of what is now the beautiful public school plot on North Main Street and North Maple Avenue, or Academy Hill. A building (occupying the same location as the present No. 1, or red brick, public school house) of a very substan- tial character, for that period, was erected. It was a plain two-story brick structure, with a like number of windows on both the front (west) and rear sides, and a commodious entrance. Neither door nor window broke the solid walls on the north and south. The first story of the building was divided into four rooms for dwelling purposes. On the second floor were two large school rooms and a small apartment for a teacher's studio.
The first session of the academy opened on June 3, 1811. William Clarke was the preceptor in charge. Beside the higher English branches, he also taught Latin and Greek. His compensation was $60 per annum, with the free use of the dwelling rooms in the building. Although both young men and ladies were accepted as students, the sexes occupied separate school rooms. That regulation prevailed during the entire history of the institution, and extended even to a dividing line on the campus and periods of recess. The one teacher taught in both rooms, which were connected by a large door. Ordinarily there were three terms, of twelve weeks each, in the academy, during the course of a year. They usually began in January, June and October.
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As showing that the attendance was reasonably good, it may be stated that in the summer of 1817, for instance, the number of students was 34 young men and 40 young ladies. The rates of tuition, that generally prevailed, for a term of twelve weeks, were as follows: Classical, $5; English
1
RESIDENCE OF MR. LLOYD B. HUFF. Rose Fountain Park. [ 121 ]
branches, $3. Boarding, with light and fire, in the academy, was $1.50 per week.
Below is a complete list of the teachers employed in the in- stitution from the period of its opening until the destruction of the building by fire :
1811-1812-William Clarke.
1813-William Clarke, James Coe .*
1814 William Heaton.
1815-Joseph McCarrell.
1816-1819-Jonathan Findlay.
1820-Mr. Smith.
1821-1824-Mr. Lucus.
1825-1835-Thomas Will.
1836-1838-James Jones.
1838-Thomas Farnesworth.
1839-Thomas Farnesworth, John Lloyd.
1840-John Lloyd, Rev. B. Ames.
1841-1842-William W. Woodend.
1842-John W. Duff, Wm. W. Woodend.
1843-William W. Woodend.
1844-Thomas J. Keenan, Rev. Sam'l Sherwell.
1845-Rev. Samuel Sherwell.
1846-John Campbell.
1847-1849-Rev. Samuel Sherwell.
1850-Rev. William D. Moore.
*-- Where two persons are named in one year, each taught one or more of the three terms, during that year.
All the teachers were men of scholarly attainments. Mc- Carrell was a graduate of Jefferson college; Thomas Will
of St. Anthony's, Scotland: James Jones, of St. Omer's, France; Thomas Farnesworth, of Union college, New York, and the others of like celebrated educational institutions.
Findlay was a brother of Gov. Wm. Findlay. Nearly all the above teachers subsequently gained distinction in the pulpit or at the bar. Mr. Ames became a noted bishop in the Methodist Episcopal church.
Many of the students, who received a goodly part of their education at the old Greensburg academy, attain- ed high stations in life and reflected honor upon their alma mater. Among them were Gov. William Freame Johnston. United States Senator Edgar Cowan, Hon. Albert G. Marchand, Hon. Augustus Drum, Hon. Thomas Williams. of Allegheny City, Hon. Henry D. Foster. Hon. Jacob Turney, Judge J. M. Burrell, ex- Judge Thomas Mellon, the Pittsburg financier, Hon. Peter G. Shannon. a Judge of the Allegheny county courts and subsequently Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Dakota. Brigadier General Richard C. Drum. of the United States army, together with many others in almost ever walk of life.
Fire completely destroyed the academy building on the night of July 2, 1850. Nothing was left of the structure but a mass of debris and the shattered founda- tion walls. Just how the disastrous outbreak originated was never definitely ascertained. A student of mis- chievous and reckless disposition was suspected by some persons, at the time, of having set the building on fire, but no attempt was ever made to fix the guilt upon him.
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE HON. JAMES C. CLARKE. South Main Street.
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Early Subscription Schools.
It would be impossible to furnish a complete list of the subscription schools that were conducted in Greensburg and vicinity during the period from 1800 to 1837, when the com-
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE MR. Z. P. BIERER. South Pennsylvania Avenue.
mon school system was permanently established. Such schools had a precarious existence and were of irregular tenor. As each teacher acted for himself or herself, and was responsible, in most instances, only to the parents of the pupils, no permanent records were kept of those schools.
They were mainly formed by migratory schoolmasters canvassing the families of the town to secure subscribers for enough pupils to warrant the opening of a school. On some occasions the heads of families would meet at a public house or other designated place, in response to a published call for such a gathering, and determine upon the expediency of procuring a room and employ- ing a teacher to instruct their children. Conferences of that character were convened in this manner, the an- nouncement appearing in the Greensburg and Indiaua Register, February 5, 1814 :
"Parents and others interested in the education of youth, are requested to meet at the house of Abraham Horbach, in this borough, on Monday next, at 10 o'clock, A. M., for the purpose of consulting and fixing on a suitable teacher."
At times, but with no degree of regularity, the Bur- gesses, who were the custodians or trustees of the Bor- ough school house, employed a teacher and put the school in operation. An advertisement, published by those officials in the Greensburg Gazette, April 2, 1819, was as follows :
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"A Teacher Wanted .- A person of respectable character and competent qualifications for teaching the various branches of an English Education, is wanted to take charge of the Borough School in Greensburg. Applications to be made immediately to the Burgesses, trustees of the school."
Although the Borough school house was frequently used as the place of holding the subseription schools, such was not always the case. More desirable and comfortable quar- ters, elsewhere in the town, were procured sometimes by the teachers or parents.
SOME OF THE EARLY TEACHERS.
William Hara, who claimed to have been "a public teacher for a space of ten years," prior to coming to the United States, taught a school in Hempfield township, "near Hanna's Town," in 1799, and for several years thereafter. Youth were "instructed in the following branches of literature, viz: Reading, writing, arithmetick, book-keeping, geography, geometry, logimetry and altimetry, with their application to mensura- tion, surveying, navigation, gauging and dialing." Subsequently Mr. Hara came to Greensburg. He was the teacher of a school in the borough for about five years prior to 1808.
Robert Williams, a young man, whose parents resided in Greensburg, was a schoolmaster in the borough for six or eight years, beginning in 1807.
Ephraim Carpenter opened a school "for the education of youth," in the brick building of James Shields, in the autumn of 1814. Mr. Car- penter also conducted an evening school, during
RESIDENCE OF DAVID A. MILLER, ESQ. Corner Mill and Third Street.
[ 124 ]
the winter of that year, which commenced at 6 o'clock and closed at 9 o'clock.
Mrs. Gill, whose husband was a tailor, "lately arrived from London," taught a private school for the instruction of young ladies, during the winter of 1815-16. and also the spring and summer of the latter year. The course of study
embraced reading, orthography, English grammar, writing (on Jenkins' plan), composition, arithmetic, geometry and painting in India ink and water colors. The tuition was $8 a quarter, and boarding, 830.
George Rohrer was a resident schoolmaster in Greensburg from 1816 to 1820, as was also Gad H. Tower.
Misses de Bartholt opened a school for young ladies, in May, 1820. In addition to the English branches, instruction was also given in music, drawing, painting, and plain and fancy needle- work.
John Armstrong taught mathematics in 1823. R. E. Stoxe conducted a school, with all the Eng- lish studies, in 1824, Edward Geary, Samuel L. Carpenter and D. C. Morris likewise conducted schools, at various times, during those years and also in 1825.
James Goddard was the teacher of a night school, comprising all the English branches, in the autumn and winter of 1826.
William McGowan occupied the Borough school house in the summer of 1827. Besides the ordinary English studies instruction was given in bookkeep- ing and the higher mathematics.
Miss Lydie Biddle was the teacher of a school for smaller children, in a log building on the site of the Methodist church, in 1828 and 1829.
..
RESIDENCE OF DR. E. B. MARSH, West Otterman Street.
[ 125 ]
Robert N. Somerville, a man of acknowledged ability as an educator, but many peculiarities as an individual, was the master of a subscription school in the Borough school house in the summer and winter of 1828 and during several quarters in 1829.
W. G. Torrance taught, in addition to the English branches, surveying and bookkeeping in the Borough school house in 1830 and the spring of 1831. The tuition was 83 a quarter, seventy-two days to constitute a quarter.
Abel R. Corbin opened a subscription school in the Borough school house in the autumn of 1831. All the common English studies were taught. together with rhetoric, algebra, natural philosophy and chemistry.
Peter R. Pearsoll, in the spring of 1830, opened a school, in which the studies were reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, geography, and the German language for those desiring to pursue that study. Mr. Pearsoll likewise gave lessons on the piano and other musical instruments to young ladies and gentlemen at their places of residence. He also conducted sub- scription schools during the five succeeding years, sometimes in the Bor- ough school house and sometimes in rooms elsewhere in the town.
Maurice Scanlon occupied the Borough school house in the autumn and winter of 1832.
John McNevin inaugurated a school, or "seminary," as he designated it, in January, 1833, for the instruction of both young ladies and gentle- men. It was reopened and continued during the spring of that year.
Robert Montgomery was the teacher of both a day and a night school in Greensburg during the winter of 1834.
Lazarus B. MeLain taught a school in the summer of 1836. Instruction was imparted in all the English branches and the higher mathematics.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. Corner Pennsylvania Avenue and West Third Street. First Building, erected 1873; 2d, 1895.
In accord with the law of 1809, which specially provided for "the education of the poor gratis," Westmoreland county made a regular annual expenditure, beginning with 1814. In that year the county paid $64.13 "for schoolmasters for teaching poor children." The sum disbursed, for the purpose
RESIDENCE OF PAUL H. GAITHER, ESQ. West Pittsburg Street
named, was increased from year to year, until 1836, when the largest outlay was made, being $588.44}. Schools having in attendance pupils of that character were commonly re- ferred to as "pauper schools," by persons not in sympathy with the law providing for them. The schools in which the poor children were taught gratis were not conducted as independent or separate schools. Such pupils were reported by the parents to the Assessor, and after the County Commissioners held their appeals, and revised the lists, the Assessor placed a revised list of such children in the hands of the teachers of schools within his township, borough or ward. Teachers were required to receive such children, in- struct them the same as the other pupils, keep a re- cord of the number of days they attended, and make . out an account. under oath, against the county.
In 1816 a Female Sunday School Association oc- cupied the old Greensburg academy, on Sunday mornings, and taught youth of all classes free. Un- lettered adults were also admitted and instructed without cost. The expenses of the Association were met by members paying a certain sum annually, and voluntary contributions.
EARLY SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS.
There were no distinctive book stores in Greens- burg during the first quarter of the present century. While a few books, of a religious or historical char-
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acter, were kept for sale by some of the persons engaged in general merchandising, and at the postoffice, the largest and most varied stocks in the town were vended at the several printing offices. The editors combined the selling and pub- lishing of books with the newspaper business. A list of school books advertised for sale, "either single or by the dozen," at the Greensburgh Gazette office, in 1818, doubtless,
RESIDENCE OF MR. LEOPOLD FURTWANGLER.
Main Street.
[ 128 ]
also represented those used in the families and schools of the borough. The list was as follows :
"Bibles and Testaments. United States Spelling Book. Child's First Spelling Book. Murray's Grammar. Complete Letter-Writer. Also
"The English Reader; or pieces in prose and poetry, select- ed from the best writers; with observations on the principles of good reading. Price 75 cents.
"Introduction to the English Reader; or a selection of pieces in prose and poetry, for the younger class of learn- ers. Price 50 cents.
"The Western Calculator; or a new and comprehensive system of practical Arithmetick, in eight parts .- By J. Stockton, A, M. Price 75 cents.
"A New System of Mercantile Arithmetick; adapted to the commerce of the United States, in its domestic and for- eign relations; with forms of accounts and other writings usually occurring in trade .- By Michael Walsh, A. M. Price 75 cents.
"The Star, a collection of Songs, humorous, sentimental and patriotick-many of them relating to the late war."
Borough School Houses.
As previously stated, the first school house in Greens- burg (then Newtown) was erected about the year 1785. It was built by voluntary contributions of the residents of
the village and vicinity, on land owned by William Jack, Esq. At that early period, it is understood, he donated the lot verbally for the use of a school. After the borough was incorporated, Mr. Jack, on April 18, 1803, executed a deed (shown in full on a preceding page) for the same to The Bur- gesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Greensburg. The
RESIDENCE OF MR. SAMUEL B. FOIGHT. Seminary Avenue.
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site of the log school house was on ground formerly known as "The Commons." but now embraced in the old St. Clair cemetery. It was originally located at that point because of the proximity to an excellent, never-failing spring, a very important consideration in those primitive days. Although the log, or Borough school house, as it was better known, was somewhat remodeled and improved in subsequent years, the main outlines remained the same until April, 1833. The building was then torn down to make way for a brick school house. The latter, a one-story structure, 28x34 feet, was built in the sum- mer of 1833, and occupied during the winter of that year. It was constructed at the expense of the bor- ough, under a contract with, and the supervison of, the Board of Burgesses. The brick, or new Borough school house, was erected on the same site as the old, or log Borough school house. The brick building is still standing, near the spring, in the old St. Clair cemetery. It having been abandoned for school pur- poses, in 1857, the ground and little brick school house passed into the possession of the St. Clair Cemetery Association. Since that time the building has been occupied as a dwelling. The illustration, on page 130, shows the south side of the structure, which was the front when it was used as a school house, although the north side has been made the front since its occupancy as a dwelling.
Common School System.
Citizens of Greensburg favored the principle of free or public schools long before the plan was first attempted nnder
the Act entitled "An Aet to Establish a General System of Education by Common Schools," enacted in 1834. That fact was made manifest by the borough maintaining a school building for thirty years previously, and the Burgesses fre- quently employing a teacher to put the school in operation. Touching the methods or provisions of the law of 1834, however, residents of Greensburg, like those of the county at large, were pretty evenly and firmly divided. As required by the Act referred to. Sheriff Samuel L. Carpenter issued a proclamation for an election on the third Friday of September, 1834, in the various districts of the Westmoreland school division, to determine whether the terms of the new law should be accepted or rejected. Out of the twenty districts in the county, at that time, one- half elected Directors favorable to adopting the pro- visions of the statute. In the borough of Greens- burg the vote was on the negative side by a majority of three. As provided by the Act, a joint meeting of the County Commissioners and one delegate from each school district in the county was held at Greensburg, on the first Tuesday of November fol- lowing the election. Two of the Commissioners and twenty delegates, representing every district, were present. On the question, "Will the meeting agree that a (county) tax for the use of common schools for each district be levied!" the roll call showed eleven yeas and eleven nays. Being decided in the
BOROUGH SCHOOL HOUSE. (Now a Dwelling) Old St. Clair Cemetery. Erected 1833.
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negative the convention adjourned sine die. One of the County Commissioners voted in the affirmative and the other in the negative. The yea votes were cast by the delegates
from the following districts: Allegheny, Derry, Donegal, Fairfield, Ligonier, Loyalhanna, Rostraver and Washington townships, and Youngstown and Ligonier boroughs. After the adjournment of the general meeting the delegates who had voted in favor of a tax con- vened and resolved that the sum of $4,650 be levied for school purposes. It was further re- solved that the meeting of the people of those several districts, as provided by the school law, be held at the usual place of holding elections in those townships and boroughs, on the first Tuesday of the ensuing December, to decide by a majority vote, if they would authorize the levying of a district school tax.
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