History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 48

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 48

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Chas. W. Kaeppel, May 23, 1901 George W. Aubrey, July 22, 190I John M. Gardner,* Dec. 5, 1901 Calvin F. Smith, Jan. 27, 1902 Joseph J. Brown, Jan. 28, 1902 Martin H. Leamy, April 15, 1902 Israel C. Becker,* April 15, 1902

April 16, 1895 Daniel W. Sitler, July 15, 1895 Edward J. Fox, Nov. 25, 1895 Orrin Serfass, May 4, 1896 Francis G. Lewis, June 1, 1896 George M. Lutz, Nov. 9, 1896 Harry A. Cyphers, April 27, 1897 Robert S. Taylor, June 7, 1897 F. W. Armstrong,* June 8, 1897 James K. Bowen, July 5, 1897 W. W. Watson, Feb. 7, 1898 J. Thomas Schantz, March 11, 1898 Frederick Wittman. April 11, 1898 George R. Booth,

May 18, 1888 P. A. Wildermuth,* Sept. 6, 1898 W. F. Shepherd,* Sept. 14, 1898 Calvin A. Loos, Nov. 17, 1898 James W. Fox, March 6, 1899 Joseph H. Stofflet, April 17, 1899 Malcolm W. Gross, April 17, 1899 Max S. Erdman, April 17, 1899 Joseph C. Slough. July 5, 1899 O. R. B. Leidv, July 5, 1899 George T. Spang, July 5, 1899 Marcus S. Hottenstein, July 5, 1899 Ira T. Erdman, July 24, 1899 Edwin Sassaman,* July 24, 1899

BENCH AND BAR.

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At the trial in 1907, Wilson Wert represented Camp, and Lawrence H. Rupp represented the estate of William Zimmerman, and the decision was again in favor of William Zimmerman, as had been all previous decisions.

When this case was decided it seemed as if the issue was finally settled, as the records of former titles, which were put in evidence, and the de- cisions of the Supreme Court in favor of the Zimmerman's seemed to settle the question of title forever.

After the trial above mentioned the Zimmer- mans sold their land and the purchasers again became involved in a trespass case with Camp, who refused to allow them to use the land to re- move their crops. After a lengthy law suit a ver- dict was found against Andrew Camp in damages for the loss which the plaintiffs had sustained.

A year or so later Camp again tried to inter- fere with the owners of the adjoining property

as they were cutting along the line of the disputed tract. He fired several shots at them, and was arrested and tried and convicted on several charges, including a charge of aggravated assault and battery with intent to kill. He was sen- tenced to two years imprisonment, but because of ill health and old age, was released upon parole, after serving several months in prison. It is be- lieved that the last chapter of this famous case has been written, and it is certain that no other case in the county ever involved such costly liti- gation, considering the value of the land in dis- pute, nor has any other case ever attracted more attention than was aroused by the cases grow- ing out of the quarrels of these neighbors, which landed them so frequently in court, which dragged out through more than three generations, and survived even the death of the original contend- ing parties.

YE OLD INK HORN

CHAPTER XII.

EDUCATION IN THE COUNTY.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

The settlement of Lehigh county was a part of the general migration of the Germans to the new world during the 18th century, of whom Pennsylvania received by far the largest portion. It is said that there was hardly any illiteracy among them. They came in groups and were often accompanied by a minister and a teacher. Those who settled within the bounds of the county were mostly Palatines and Swiss and were church people, holding religion and education in high esteem. They were, with the exception of several groups of Mennonites and a few Schwenkfeldian families, adherents of the Re- formed or Lutheran confessions. Soon after their arrival and settlement they established places of worship and in due time made provision for the education of their children.

Benjamin Rush in his Account of the Manners of the German Inhabitants, written in 1789, touching on their schools says: "All the different sects among them are particularly attentive to the religious education of their children and to the establishment and support of the Christian re- ligion. For this purpose they settle as much as possible together, and make the erection of a school house and a place of worship the first ob- ject of their care. They commit the education and instruction of their children in a peculiar manner to the ministers and officers of their churches :- hence they grow up with prejudice in favour of public worship and of the obligations of Christianity. Such has been the influence of a pious education among the Germans in Penn- sylvania that in the course of nineteen years only one of them has ever been brought to a place of public shame or punishment."

The early settlers in different parts of the county, soon after their arrival and settlement, established places of religious worship, and in due time also, made provision for the education of their children, for they, no doubt, believed that education made better citizens, and enhanced the ability and usefulness of its possessors. Al- most without exception, the earliest schools were established at churches or places of worship. Frequently the school house preceded the erec- tion of a church, and served the double purpose of church and school. These schools were church schools, so far as instruction was concerned, but

were not directly supported by the church. Each parent who sent children had to pay in propor- tion to the total number of days sent. In most cases the teacher "boarded round," which in those days was no easy task.

Instruction was imparted in reading, writing, and a little arithmetic. In a few instances the course was more extensive. Instruction in the catechism, and the doctrines of the church, with singing, were generally required. These schools were not strictly denominational, but generally admitted the children of other de- nominations. After the population had increased many of these schools were overcrowded, and thus a demand for more schools was created, which were established at other places, and at first held at private houses, until buildings could be erected for their accommodation. School houses were built by communities, and were com- monly constructed of log; were small, had low ceilings, and small windows and few of them. They were defective in everything but ventila- tion. The furniture corresponded with the build- ings. The instruction was in the German lan- guage. The teachers of these first schools were of of foreign birth and educated in Europe. Those at the churches were, generally, the leaders in singing on occasions of religious worship. Nearly all these were competent teachers.

What commenced to do harm to our schools about 1760 was, that many of the principal teach- ers, such as Miller, of Lynn; Roth, of Albany; Michael, and others, left their services as school teachers, and commenced to preach, because the congregations could get no other ministers. Less qualified men were taken as teachers, and the schools lost greatly thereby.

This inaugurated a decline in the require- ments for teachers, which continued for a con- siderable time, until the educating of the chil- dren was considered a secondary thing, and, in consequence, much neglected.

At this period, almost any person that came along, and made some pretensions to education, was employed as teacher. This often brought into the school room persons entirely unfit, moral- ly and mentally, for the position. Nearly all the old schools were noted for the severity in dis- cipline. Some of the teachers were not only severe, but cruel in their punishments.

248

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EDUCATION IN THE COUNTY.

Up to the year 1800, the German language was taught almost exclusively. From the year 1800 to 1820, the English language was gradu- ally but at first very slowly, introduced into the more progressive schools of the southern and central parts of the county. In these schools it was taught in connection with the German. Un- der the head of "English schools," a few excep- tions are mentioned.

In the northern and western parts of the county, English was introduced some years later, and did not find thorough introduction into all the schools of the county, until after the adoption of the common school system by all the districts. In the school report of 1855, the county superin- tendent states: "The approximate proportion studying in English books is seven-eighths, of whom but three-eighths understand the language." Doctor Helfrich writes: "In the beginning of the first decade of the present century, educational matters began to grow better, but only in indi- vidual schools, such as at Lynn, where Salem, and later Frederick Smith ; in Heidelberg, Berg- enmeyer ; in Weissenberg, Busie; at the Ziegel church, Storb and Allenborn were teachers. These were all educated teachers from Europe. They not only taught the common branches, but also instructed in history, natural history and natural philosophy, besides giving religious in- struction. The schools were generally kept dur- ing the winter season, four or five months. The poor, and those living at a distance from the school house, neglected to send their children. The books used in the German schools were the A, B, C book, the Psalter, and the New Testa- ment. But few made use of the law passed for the education of the poor gratis, for too many felt ashamed to send. In this manner ample op- portunity was given for each one to obtain suffi- cient education, yet there were plenty of people who during their youth attended only four or five months school in all. With all this, however, there could be found hardly any person who could not read. All instruction was in the Ger- man language."

ENGLISH SCHOOLS.

The earliest of the English schools, was es- tablished at Egypt, Whitehall township. The school house was built in 1808, and school com- menced in it January 3, 1809, with Jacob Kern, as teacher, who received fourteen dollars per month for his services. This school was kept up regu- larly until 11857.

The English School Society at New Tripoli, Lynn township, organized in the year 1812, built a school house and established an English school.

This house was used for school purposes as late as 1850.

In the year 1816, the Ballietsville English School Society was formed. A school house was erected as follows: "The house is to be built twenty by twenty-four feet, and each of the twenty subscribers to said school house to deliver one short and one long log, by the first day of May next," (1816). This school was continued for a long time.

About forty years ago, John D. Lawall, taught an English school at Schoenersville, in a build- ing specially erected for this purpose.

In 1833, an English school was established in a small house in the yard of David Harlacher, Upper Saucon ; the school was taught by Charles T. Jenkins, an educated man from Montgomery county. It continued very successfully for eight years. These schools did excellent service. They were the means of imparting a good English edu- cation to many of the- principal young men in the communities in which they were located.

SCHOOLS HAVING FUNDS OR ENDOWMENTS.

It appears that at Dillingersville, Lower Mil- ford, a Lutheran congregation was formed as early as 1743, and that soon after a school house was built, and a school established. This con- gregation appointed three of its leading members a committee to select and take up a suitable tract of land for church and school purposes. This committee took up a tract of almost thirty acres of land, a little to the west of the above named village, according to a land warrant dated 1770, which was granted to the committee in trust for the said congregation. The building on this tract was known as the "Upper Milford School House." By an act of assembly the association received permission and authority to sell the property "excepting the burial grounds, and the school house thereon, with two acres of ground adjacent." By the sale completed April 1, 1871, $4,050 were realized. This sum is placed at interest. The annual net receipts, including rents, amount to $250. The act provides "that in no event shall a less sum than $100 be appropriated, in each year for school purposes, exclusive of re- pairing and rebuilding. This sum is to be ex- pended for school, "other and additional to that provided for by the common schools." This with what the township provides gives this sub-district an annual school term of eight or nine months.

At Centreville, near Macungie borough, Low- er Macungie township, a tract of about three acres of land, was donated by John Wetzel and Jane, his wife, for school purposes. It was con- veyed by deed, dated August 21, 1790, to the

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

trustees and their successors. The grant was made for a union school. The school house was built by the community. In January term of court, 1868, permission was granted to sell a part of the property on ground rent reservation, the interest to be paid annually. The annual re- ceipts amount to about $150, which is spent for summer school, in addition to what the common school provides, giving this neighborhood an eight or nine months' term annually.

On the 24th of September, 1790, three men, viz: Andrew Eisenhard, Cornelius Hughes, and John Herman, entered into an agreement and made themselves responsible for the dona- tion of two acres of land-the first named to give one acre, and each of the other two, half an acre -"on the road leading from Trexlertown to Bethlehem, for a school place, and for no other purpose, forever. And we do further promise and agree by these presents, that we will build a house on the said described land, that shall be sufficient for a school house; this we promise to build free, and complete this fall." This school property is located in what is now East Texas, Lower Macungie. The school was undenomi- national. On the 24th of October, 1874, the property was sold and over $3,700 was realized. The annual interest amounts to $226. Part of this is annually expended for summer school. This district has also about nine months school, in consequence of the fund mentioned. In Up- per Macungie, Andrew Miller, donated two acres of land for school purposes. On this tract is erected what is known as Miller's school house. Hon. Solomon Fogel granted one acre of land, on which was erected a double building at Fogels- ville. This building was the first school house in that section that was supplied with a steeple and bell

Frederick Miller, late of Washington town- ship, by his last will, dated January 17, 1854, bequeathed $4,000 to the "common free schools" of the school districts of Heidelberg and Wash- ington townships, Lehigh county, to wit: $2,400 to the district of Washington, and $1,600 to the district of Heidelberg. These amounts were paid to the above named districts by the executors of the deceased, Heidelberg receiving, after vari- ous deductions, $1,506.94, and it is presumed, Washington district in the same proportion. Sam'l J. Kistler, Esq., who furnished the above information stated that this money was used in Heidelberg in building the present school houses. Previous to this, the school houses did not be- long to the township, but were owned by the communities that had erected them.

PROMINENT OLD SCHOOL SITES.

In all probability, the Swamp Church School, in Lower Milford, established about the year 1725, is the oldest in the county. This school was discontinued sometime since. The Schwenk- felders established a school at their meeting house near the line, between Lower Milford and Mont- gomery county, about the year 1734, and con- tinued it until 1840. The Latin and Greek lan- guages were favorite studies and were taught as early as 1775. In Upper Milford, about the years 1735-40, the Mennonites erected a building for school and church purposes. It was built of logs, had a very low ceiling, and small windows. It was divided into two apartments by a swing- ing partition suspended from the ceiling. One division was used for the school and the other for religious meetings, except when the attend- ance, in the latter case, was very large, the par- tition was raised and the two rooms were occu- pied. This was the earliest of its kind in the neighborhood and had a very pleasant location.

A similar building was erected about the same time and by members of the same denomination, in a fine grove, between Coopersburg and Cen- ter Valley, now called "the meeting house." At Dillingersville, referred to above, a school was founded early-long before the revolutionary war. In one of the records it is stated, that John Balthaser Goetz died in the school house and was buried on Easter Monday, A. D. 1759. The house was used for church and school purposes until 1791; since for school only. At Egypt, Whitehall township, a congregation was formed in 1734, and the first church was built in 1764. A school was opened about the same time.

The erection of a school house at Emaus was commenced in September, 1746. On the occasion of the formation of the Moravian congregation at this place, July 30, 1747, Christopher Heyne and Mary Heyne, were appointed overseers of the children, and they entered upon their duties as teachers in September of the same year. The school was conducted with entire success for up- wards of three years. In the year 1750, the school that had been established at Oley, Berks county, was moved to this place and, judging from the number of teachers and assistants ap- pointed, it must have been large. In 1753, it was removed to Bethlehem. Fear of attack by hostile Indians was the cause of its removal.

Lehigh church, in Lower Macungie, was founded in 1750, and the school about the same time. The school at the Heidelberg church is no doubt the oldest in the northeastern part of the county. The church was founded in 1745, and

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EDUCATION IN THE COUNTY.

the school soon after. Two schools, one sup- ported by the Lutheran members, the other by the Reformed members, were kept at this place for some time, but afterwards united and have ever since formed one union school. New Trip- oli, in Lynn, is a very old school site. It is the oldest in the northwestern part of the county. Other old sites are at Unionville, North White- hall, Jacksonville and Lynn.

Of some of the schools in the northern part of the county, Doctor Helfrich states, the first school was the one at New Tripoli where a con- gregation had gathered. The Ziegel church school followed, and a few years later Heidel- berg and Lowhill, the latter, however, at the Weissenberg church. Lowhill had in the earlier period no school but belonged to Weissenberg school district.

The following, from Doctor Balliet, of North Whitehall, may give an idea of the school houses and schools, from 1816 to 1834, and in some in- stances, considerably later. The house described was twenty-four by twenty feet, built of log, had a very low ceiling and small windows, and was plastered inside. Along three walls, inside, were long desks, sloping up toward the wall, with high benches without backs. In the center of the room around a very large stove, on two rows of benches without backs sat the abecedarians and the a-b-abbs. Near the stove, fronting the school, was the teacher's desk, painted red, about five feet high, with a high stool or bench to corre- spond. Behind this were hung on pegs, against the wall the shawls, scarfs, hats and caps. There, too, stood the bucket, with water, often visited by the tired children, not to slake their thirst, but to relieve themselves of the monotony of the school room. Near the bucket were stacks of dinner baskets, the sight of which, an hour be- fore noon, whetted the appetites to the highest pitch. The course of instruction in the English schools embraced reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic. The following were the books used : Comly's Primer and Spelling Book, Murray's Introduction to the English Reader, English Reader and Sequel, Frost's United States His- tory, and Pike's Arithmetic. Grammar and Geog- raphy were seldom, if ever, taught in our schools.

The schoolmaster of those times, in many cases, was no teacher, instructor nor educator ; he was only the master as the title defines it.

Neighbors living around a school house would select the master. These were often what we call "tramps" without education, character, or training. Sometimes one of these characters would elect himself. If he did not suit, parents would not send their children, and thus stop his

salary. The school term was short, seldom ex- ceeding four months in a year.

The day sessions were long. The school was frequently called at eight in the morning and continued till four and a half or five o'clock P. M., with an intermission of an hour at noon. No recess in the half day sessions was granted.

Young America then had "backbone," for what boy or girl of the present day would consent to sit four hours continuous? The German schools, particularly those at the churches, opened in the morning with singing and prayer. This was sel- dom the case with English schools. The exercises in the forenoon consisted in reading twice and spelling once. In the afternoon the same routine was followed. The interval between reading and spelling was spent, by the larger ones, in writing and ciphering at their seats. In the early Ger- man schools the girls were not required to write or cipher. Little or no attention was given to writing by the majority of the masters. All the writing was done with the goose quill; steel and gold pens were then unknown in these parts. The making and mending of pens, consumed much of the teachers' time and patience. The masters in these days were very severe in their school government.

SECOND PERIOD-1834.

At the time when the common school law was passed, in 1834, it met with great and strong opposition by the people. The rich were not willing to pay so heavy a tax for the poor, and even the poor themselves opposed the idea of paying tax. When it was made optional for a township to accept or reject the provision of the act by a vote at the election, many districts voted it down. So strong was the opposition to the law in a few districts, that its friends thought it policy to keep silent. The free school system at first gave no better teachers, but it regulated the lo- cation of school houses, formed new districts, and brought the children into the schools. If a per- son had to pay tax, he wanted the value of his money. The children learned what was to be learned under the old teachers, better ones were not to be had, but more teachers were appointed. Soon, however, young men saw that teaching was a profession, and many devoted themselves more to the cause-sought for education, and the teaching power grew. In this way the schools were gradually improved until the higher and normal schools commenced to educate and prepare better teachers. Since then the improvements are more perceptible.

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The following, taken from school reports, will show the improvements made :

Report of 1855 .- "Of our school houses I scarcely know what to say. If I must be can- did, I will only say they are 'nothing to brag of.' They are either the octagon or square order, with desks attached to the wall and high seats, without distinction where little 'shavers' can neither touch the bottom, or support backs from the opening of school to the time of dismissal, and who are only kept from giving out under such corporal punishment by the magic power of the rod.

"With the exception of a very fine building at Ballietsville, North Whitehall, and several build- ings in the boroughs of Catasauqua and Allen- town, all the school houses in this county agree with the above description."

Report of the year 1877 is as follows :- "Whole number of school houses in the county, one hundred and ninety-seven; constructed of brick, one hundred and thirteen; of stone, fifty- six ; and of wood (frame), twenty-eight. These houses contain two hundred and thirty-nine sepa- rate rooms. The average size of the school houses, in the rural districts is thirty-two by twenty-four and height of ceiling, ten and one- half feet. Those in the boroughs and towns are considerably larger. Since the year 1856 no less than one hundred and seventy school houses, con- taining two hundred and ten rooms, were erected. The entire amount expended during the same period, for building, purchasing grounds, renting, and repairing, is a little over $495,000. The estimated value of school property in Lehigh county, including the city of Allentown, is $700,- 625.25."

SCHOOL FURNITURE.

Report of 1856 .- "Forty-one of the schools are provided with furniture, affording a tolerable degree of comfort and convenience to pupils, though mostly old style. One hundred and two are supplied with furniture entirely unfit for the purpose for which it is designated."

Report of 1858 .- "Furnished with improved furniture thirty-one, fifty-two with that 'good enough' kind, and the remainder or at least many of them, wih material disgraceful to an enlight- ened community."

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 48

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158