History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 48

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

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It is not known that there was a schoolhouse built in Wilkes-Barre prior to 1780, yet there was a school taught here prior to that. The first building stood on the east side of the public square, and later one was built on the plains near the Cortright residence. The third building was on Dr. Covell's farm, near the pres- ent railroad depot. The earliest teachers remembered were Godlove N. Lutyens, a German university graduate. In 1802 Asher Miner was a teacher, mixing this diversion with his early experiences as publisher and editor. Prior to 1806 select schools had been successfully taught. Mr. Parmaly had opened a school in the old stillhouse on Main street. Another was on East Union street, by William Wright. This continued a prosperous school until the time of Mr. Wright's death, 1816. Mrs. Jabez Fish had a juvenile school, taught only in the summer. This was on the river bank at the lower end of the commons. It is said the chief purpose of her old-fashioned Puritan school was to teach the Westminster Catechism from the John Rogers Primer.

The constitution of 1790 required provision to be made for the education of paupers or those too poor to educate themselves, and a list of this class of children was required by law to be made. The law was nearly a complete failure, as but few parents ever consented to put their children on the lists. During ten years in the entire county there was but $3,500 called for, and in Wilkes-Barre there were no paupers, it seems. Very much to the credit of the parents, some of whom were poor indeed.

In 1864 there were but three schoolhouses, all one-story buildings, in the then borough, now city of Wilkes-Barre, and at these there were but 187 scholars in attendance, and this in a borough with a population at that time of from 6,000 to 7,000. In 1865 George B. Kulp was elected a school director, as were also Hon. Daniel L. Rhone, now president judge of the orphans' court of this county, and the late Rev. George D. Miles, of the Episcopal church. During that year, prin- cipally through the efforts of these three, the present large Washington school building was erected. In 1866 Ex-Gov. Henry M. Hoyt and Ex-Atty .- Gen. Henry W. Palmer became members of the board. This twain, seconding the progressive policy of the aforementioned trio, the handsome Franklin school building was soon in course of erection, and before the close of the year it was completed and ready

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for occupancy. The number of scholars had now increased to 676, and at the con- clusion of Mr. Kulp's directorship this number had augmented to 1,716. The Conyngham school was also built during Mr. Kulp's membership in the board, which covered a period of twelve years' continuous service, ending in 1876.

This seems to have been the period-the turning point, so to speak-in the high- way of education of the splendid system of schools in Wilkes-Barre, and the credit therefore is due the gentlemen named above. And while it perhaps is not exactly proper to say that any one did more than another of these gentlemen, yet the truth is Mr. Kulp was the oldest member of them, and he was first in the breach, or in other words, had commenced the struggle, and in the nick of time was backed by these men, and, pulling together, they were strong enough to beat down opposition.

The first public school in Wyoming valley was taught in Pittston. John Jen- kins is known to have taught a school near the Ravine colliery for several winters prior to 1781. In 1810 a schoolhouse was built not far from the up-town brick schoolhouse, but on the opposite side of Main street. It was used for religious meetings, and was furnished with a loft and elevated pulpit.

March 21, 1810, " at a meeting of the subscribers for building a schoolhouse near Jedediah Collins'," William Slocum presided, and John Phillips, William Slocum and Nathaniel Giddings were elected a committee to buy or lease a lot from said Collins and have a schoolhouse built. They sold the building contract by auction, at $215, to Miner Searle.

An early school was taught by Mrs. Blakely Hall on "The Green," a portion of the present borough between the Lehigh Valley depot and Main street. This build- ing was purchased by the railroad company and used for a depot until it was dis- placed by their present depot building.

The early school-teachers in what is now Franklin township were Amarilla New- berry, Ambrose Fuller, Miss Harris, William Calkins, George Ochmig, Susan Far- ver (Mrs. Daniel Lee), Henry Osborne, James Dickinson, Mr. Herring. The school building was erected in 1815, and was where now the village of Orange stands.

The settlers of Plymouth, early recognizing the importance of education, estab- lished schools as soon as the country became quiet after the Revolution. Two schoolhouses were built, one near the common field and the other near Ransom's creek. Jonah Rogers was one of the first teachers and commenced teaching about 1800. A Mr. Hamilton taught in the lower schoolhouse in 1806, followed by one Hazleton. The old academy was built in 1815. The early teachers in this build- ing were Jonah Rogers, Thomas Patterson, Dr. Thomas Sweet and Charles C. Cur- tis. "The languages were first taught in the old academy as early as 1829, by Benjamin M. Nyce. Nyce and Patterson taught three or four years, and then Mr. Seivers, the last teacher who taught the dead languages in the old academy. A school was established in a building which stood nearly opposite the residence of George Snyder, in Larksville, as early as 1825. This was afterward removed to the location of the present schoolhouse. Schools were kept seven months.

The old academy is still used, and a fine brick building has been erected in the west end of the borough.

The first schoolhouse in Nanticoke was built of logs, before 1820, on the site of the old Union church, in the east part of the borough. The first teacher was ' Eliphalet Buckley, and in 1820 Silas Alexander was the teacher. Among the men who sent children to Alexander's school were Col. Washington Lee, James S. Lee, Isaac Ripple, John Mills and Thomas Bennett.

The first schoolhouse in Hazleton was built by the Hazleton Coal company in 1837. It was a frame building, and stood on the northwest corner of Church and Green streets. Miss Fannie Blackman was the first teacher, and among her imme- diate successors were N. D. Cortright and Isaac H. Baldwin. In 1843 Lewis Ketchum, afterward a member of the California senate, took charge of the school.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

He was succeeded in 1845 by his brother, H. H. Ketchum. Previous to this and for some time afterward the school was kept open part of the year by private sub- scription. The first building for a private school was erected by A. Pardee in 1847. This school was kept about two years. The building stood on the south side of Broad street, between Wyoming and Laurel.

The first public schoolhouse stood on the northeast corner of Cedar street and Spruce alley. In August, 1853, the schoolhouse on the corner of Church and Green streets was burned, when the store on the southeast corner of Broad and Wyoming streets was rented for school purposes. The two-story brick school building on the north side of Green, between Church and Laurel streets, was opened in February, 1855, with Abel Marcy as principal. This was the first graded school in Luzerne county. While Mr. Marcy was principal four teachers were employed, and after 1866 the length of the school term was eight months. Mr. M. was elected superintendent of the county in 1860.

In the spring of 1857 the borough elected the first school board. In 1859 C. L. Rynearson was elected principal of the schools and five teachers employed, and the school term increased to ten months. A noted Irishman, William Brandon, who was generally called "Priest " Brandon, as he sometimes preached previous to 1800, was one of the teachers.

The people of a neighborhood united and formed a school district (frequently pronounced " deestric "), and with a little help from the land set apart by the township, selected committees to attend to the schools and hire the teachers. These built the schoolhouses and ran the entire affair.

In Black Creek township the first school was in the old Rittenhouse first log cabin, converted into such after he had built a better residence. It was burned, and then a school near where the brown church now stands was built. Mr. Tripp was the first teacher.

The first schoolhouse in Dallas township (now in Dallas borough) was erected in 1816, built of hewn logs by William Honeywell, Philip Shaver, William Hunt and John Honeywell.

In the year 1800 there was a log schoolhouse in Exeter that stood near George Miller's, and Josiah Beach was teacher and then John McMillen. In the latter part of the other century Exeter township voted a tax to support a short winter school. For fifteen years after the free school act of 1833, Exeter continued to support its schools by taxes. The first school in Sturmerville was in a log school- house in 1819, Rachel Goodwin was an early teacher.

The pioneer schoolhouse in Plains was built in 1818, on the road between Johnson's and Miner's gristmills. It was of round logs, and was well ventilated. The first teacher was Sylvester Dieth, an eccentric Yankee and a good teacher. The old log schoolhouse was used summers till 1824 or 1825, when the school was kept in Mr. Parsons' house until 1829; then the little white schoolhouse was built. This was a frame building, 20x24 feet, lathed and plastered, and was at that time the best schoolhouse in this part of the country. Asahel P. Gridley, a graduate of the seminary at Cazenovia, N. Y., was the first teacher. This building served until 1869, when a two-story house, 22x40 feet, was built.

Something of the school efforts here fifty years ago as they relate to much earlier school efforts are given in a communication by G. H. R. Plumb, to a recent issue of the Historical Record. Mr. Miner had published a letter in which he urgently appealed to the people not to let the "old academy" the Wilkes-Barre Female academy, go down forever. The fact of the publication of this appeal became in time the only authentic assertion that at one time in the long ago they had a female seminary bere; another was the "Wyoming seminary," also for females. The latter was for a long time conducted by the Misses Perry. Here were two female and one male seminary, reared by the people so long ago that their posterity finally

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

reached the degree of indifference to the subject as to allow all to go to decay. Dr. Thomas W. Miner's letter is dated April 20, 1836, published in the Republican Farmer, John Atherholt, printer. He asks, after telling something of its past glories: "Shall we let it go?" He appeals strongly for them to sustain an institu- tion "our fathers reared." He enumerates among its foster children a Scott, Mallery, Greenough, Dyer, Denison, Beaumont, Joseph and Joel Jones and C. Miner.

An old prospectus states: " The department of education will be under the direction of Miss F. M. Woodworth. The seminary is delightfully situated on the banks of the Susquehanna."

Of the schools in Newport township it is said that as early as 1803 there was a schoolhouse on the Middle road opposite the cemetery. There is no record of any of the early teachers, aud no one now living can remember them. January 3, 1806, it was voted that the interest of the public moneys for the three years past be appro- priated to the benefit of the schools. Six trustees were appointed to divide the township into three school districts. The committee reported Jannary 6, 1806, that the north division had fifty-one children; the south division seventy-two, and the west division thirty-four. Schools were then established in each division.

Wyoming Seminary .- This well known and justly popular institution of learn- ing, located in the classic valley of Wyoming, has a history well worthy of note. It was started in 1807 as the Wilkes-Barre academy, and in a few years the name changed to its present form.

The friends of education in the old Oneida Methodist Episcopal conference, after establishing on a broad and permanent basis a seminary at Cazenovia, N. Y., in the northern portion of their territory, determinedly entertained the project over fifty years ago, of providing for the increasing educational demands of the southern por- tion of the work. With a commendable foresight they devised measures for the erection of an institution of learning in northeastern Pennsylvania. At the session of the Oneida conference, held in Wilkes-Barre, August 9, 1843, the matter was fully discussed, and the necessary preliminary steps taken by the appointment of David Holmes, Jr., Lucian S. Bennett, Thomas Myers, Madison F. Myers, Lord Butler, Sharp D. Lewis and Silas Comfort as " trustees of a contemplated seminary of learning, to be located either in Wilkes-Barre or Kingston," according to the amount of subscription obtained in each place within a given time. Kingston, pro- viding the largest subscription, was the chosen locality. At the first meeting of the board of trustees David Holmes was elected president, Silas Comfort, secretary, and Madison F. Myers, treasurer. The first building, a brick structure of three stories, 37x70, was erected and opened for students in 1844. The size of the chapel was 24x29; recitation room, 13x29, and room for primary department, 20x29, with some twenty rooms in all for students; cost of the building about $5,000. Such was the beginning of this educational enterprise-one building, two teachers, and fifty scholars. The trustees secured as their first principal Rev. Reuben Nelson, A. M., then a young man, but who afterward abundantly demonstrated his fitness to inaugurate aud carry forward such an enterprise to a successful consummation. Under such leadership, seconded by the energetic co-operation of a noble- minded and self-denying board of trustees and a corps of efficient teachers, the institution attained a popularity and influence second to none of its class in the land.

In half a dozen years after the erection of the first edifice, such was the patron- age obtained that an additional building was demanded. In the spirit of an unself- ish liberality, the late William Swetland volunteered to erect the projected addi- tional building at his own expense. The second building was named by the trus- tees Swetland hall, in memory of the respected donor. At the same time, Hon. Ziba Bennett contributed $1,000 as a foundation for a library. This was thereafter called, in honor of the donor, the Bennett library.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

In the early spring of 1853 additional facilities were deemed essential, and the building of a wing or wings to the main building was contemplated, with a view to afford accommodation to a larger number of students. On March 15, 1853, the seminary buildings were burned. While the brick and stone and ashes were yet warm the trustees, with undaunted heroism, in their meeting on the day of the fire resolved that a committee of three be appointed to draw plans and specifications for the rebuilding of the seminary. This showed the stuff these men were made of. Again did the tried friend of the cause, William Swetland, come to the rescue, and he nobly undertook, at his own expense, the work of rebuilding and enlarging Swet- land hall. Through the liberality of Payne Pettebone, George Swetland, A. Y. Smith, and Isaac C. Shoemaker, a third building was erected about the same time, to which the name Union hall was given. Thus, through fire and disaster larger and better buildings were erected, and the three blocks, ".Wyoming seminary" in the center, with "Swetland Hall" on the left and "Union Hall " on the right, stood a noble monument to the energy and liberality of the men of Wyoming valley.

In a few years afterward the ladies' boarding hall was destroyed by fire. Then a fierce tornado swept over the place and unroofed the building. Then a flood did more or less damage to the seminary property. Yet with heroic spirit the board of trustees measured up to every exigency, so that repeated difficulties have been over- come, financial embarrassments removed, and the whole machinery kept moving without intermission and without a jar.

The Civil war seemed for a brief period to interfere with the wonted success of the institution. Yet even with this temporary drawback the trustees projected other plans for the success of the school. A commercial department was added in 1863; Prof. W. S. Smyth, afterward principal of Cazenovia seminary, was secured to take charge of the commercial college, and under his efficient supervision it proved a decided success. Prof. L. L. Sprague was the head of this department for many years, and under his management it developed into an institution equal to the best schools of the kind in the country.

At the close of the war it was found that the enlargement of the seminary was absolutely required. The three buildings had already been united by the addition of wings, yet this did not meet the demand for room. In the year 1866 it was determined to erect a memorial building, to be named "Centenary hall." This was com- menced in 1867 and completed in 1868, at a cost of about $25,000. The buildings are all under one roof, three and four stories high, with 350 feet frontage.

The edifice, as a whole, is an ornament to the valley, and an honor to the country and the church. There are ample accommodations for 175 boarding students and 250 day scholars.

At the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church held in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1872, Rev. Dr. Nelson, after serving as principal for a period of nearly thirty years, during which time he developed his skill as an educator and financier; was elected senior book agent at New York, and resigned his position as principal. He was succeeded by Rev. D. Copeland, A. M., president of the Female college of Hills- boro, Ohio, a gentleman whose literary tastes and attainments, acknowledged abilities and extended experience as an educator, rendered him pre-eminently fitted for the important and responsible position of principal of an institution of this grade. Never was the institution more successful than now. The course of study is most thorough and elevated. The curriculum will compare favorably with that of the highest institutions of its class. This time honored and deservedly popular institution receives its full share of patronage, and under its present efficient management is destined to exert a still more potent influence in the education of the youth of our land.

Thesystem of instruction adopted is thorough, and designed to prepare the students for the active duties of life or for a course of professional or collegiate study.

Hendrick w. Search

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

There are nine departments of study provided, and eight courses of study are arranged in order to meet the various wants of students: The common English course, course in literature and science, classical course, college preparatory course, musical course, vocal and instrumental, and commercial course. As an evidence of the high grade of scholarship of young men prepared here for college, to-day they stand among the first at the best colleges in the country. Many leading men now distinguished in church and state have been educated in this seminary, including Hon. W. W. Ketcham, Gov. H. M. Hoyt, Hon. H. W. Palmer and Hon. H. B. Payne, Rev. L. C. Floyd and Rev. P. Krohn, and that fine pulpit orator, Rev. W. P. Abbott, of New York.

The Old Wilkes-Barre Academy .- An article appeared in the Historical Record in 1886 from "C. E. L.," of Carbondale, in which he makes some pleasant refer- ences to the long ago which are historical, summarized as follows:

The writer of the article referred to went back to a period less than fifty years ago, and says: "I saw no reference to the old ' yellow academy," which, to me and doubtless to others who remember it, is attended with more ancient, and there- fore hallowed, associations. At the time I entered it the old building was in a dilapi- dated condition through extreme age and bad usage by the scholars, one of whom had made two or three unsuccessful attempts to end its existence by conflagration. The structure was one of four public buildings which then occupied the square, viz. : The courthouse, 'fire proof' (in which the county offices were located), the Methodist Episcopal church and the academy. Running through the square at right angles were Main and Market streets; on the latter a long gable-end building, with roof supported by pillars, constituted the public market house. All these buildings were of a style of architecture peculiar to the Pennsylvania Dutch towns of that period, and beyond the power of any imagination to describe, though I can see them now clearly in my mind's eye. The schools taught in the academy were excellent for the time, and, as I have said, many eminent men were fully prepared for college within its uncouth walls. The names of the teachers I can not recall, except the principal, Deacon Sylvester Dana, a graduate of Yale, and a most excellent preceptor. With great kindness of heart and much patience, he was yet very thorough and severe. The discipline of his school was maintained at all hazards, and woe to the scholar who disputed his authority. His mode of punishment was the rawhide, a plentiful sup- ply of which was always kept at Mr. Anheiser's store on the west side of the square. I remember on one occasion going to the store for one which Mr. Dana used to chas- tise the late Judge Waller. Among the names of those who were attending the academy are J. Butler Conyngham, Frank Butler, Charles Collins, C. P. Waller, George G. Waller, Sam McCarragher, S. H. Lynch, Tom Smith, Bob Wright, Ed Butler, Charley Chapman, W. L. Conyngham and Jonathan Bulkeley. The latter had an experience at one time with the deacon's rawhide which resulted in the indictment of the teacher. A number of the pupils were summoned as witnesses before the grand jury, and I well remember how awestricken we were as, one by one, we appeared in the august presence of the jurymen to give our testimony. But the case was settled before it came to trial, and Jonathan ceased to be a member of the school.

"According to my recollection the old building was demolished in 1839, and for two or three years the school was kept in a part of the old Morgan hotel, on River street. A brick building of more modern pretensions and appointments was erected on the old site, and that gave place, with the other buildings on the square, to the present courthouse."

After the erection of the new courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, in the year 1804, the old building, which had been removed to a point a few feet west of the present courthouse, was converted into an academy. It was incorporated under the style and title of the Wilkes-Barre academy, and was the first institution of learning,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

superior to the common log schoolhouse, in Luzerne county. The first teacher or principal was the Rev. Thayer, who was followed by Mr. Finney. Mr. Finney was succeeded by Garrick Mallery in 1809. The trustees requested Dr. Dwight, of Yale college, to send them an active, intelligent and competent teacher and gradu- ate. The Doctor sent them Mr. Mallery, under whose superintendence the school advanced to considerable eminence. Greek, Latin, the mathematics and all the higher English branches were taught here. Soon the institution became very popu- lar, and students from abroad came in such numbers that the trustees, by the advice of Mr. Mallery, engaged Andrew Beaumont as assistant. Mr. Beaumont was then an active, intelligent young man, just arrived in the valley. Messrs. Mallery and Beaumont were succeeded by Joel and Joseph H. Jones. Then followed Wood- bridge, Baldwin, Granger, Orton, Miner, Talcott, Ulmann, Hubbard and Dana. Finally, the old edifice was sold to H. F. Lamb, who removed a portion of it to his lot in Franklin street, where it was used in the erection of a dwelling. Such was the end of the first courthouse and academy in Luzerne county. In 1842 a new brick academy was erected on the site of the old one, and a high school prospered there for several years under the tuition of Owen and Jackson, but eventually dwindled to a common day school. In 1858 the building was sold to E. B. Harvey, who removed and converted it into a residence on Union street.

Some of the teachers and students of the Wilkes-Barre academy, who have risen to eminence in the world, are the following:

Garrick Mallery was a president judge of the State courts and one of the first lawyers in the nation. Andrew Beaumont was a statesman, who ably represented his constituents in the State legislature and in congress, and who held important trusts under the federal government. Daniel Ulmann, an eminent lawyer in New York; a candidate for the office of governor of that great State. Joel Jones, a president judge and a prominent lawyer in Philadelphia. H. B. Wright, an able lawyer, and repre- sentated this district in congress. B. A. Bidlack also represented this district in congress, and afterward became the United States minister at the capital of New Granada, where he died. Luther Kidder was a lawyer of note and a president judge. George W. Woodward, was one of the supreme judges of Pennsylvania. Dr. S. D. Gross, professor of surgery in the Jefferson Medical college in Philadelphia. Ovid F. Johnson, a brilliant lawyer and the attorney-general of this State. Samuel Bowman was the acting bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in Pennsylvania. J. S. Hart, the eminent principal of the Philadelphia high school. There were also Zebulon Butler, D. D., of Mississippi, and George Catlin, a celebrated painter. E. W. Morgan was major of the Eleventh United States regiment of infantry during the Mexican war and then principal of the military school at Newport, Ky. Maj. A. H. Bowman, of the United States army, and Lieut. J. C. Beaumont, of the United States navy, were also pupils in this academy.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 48

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532