History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 36

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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There is a break in the record from July, 1840, to April 5, 1841, but it appears that Henry Booth, a graduate of Yale College, succeeded Mr. Pinkham as president. The value of his services is attested by the following resolution, adopted by the trustees April 5, 1841:

Resolved, That the trustees of the Wellsboro Academy regret that the ill health of Mr. Henry Booth compels him to leave the institution; that during the time he has been with us he has by his gentlemanly deportment and ability as a teacher, deservedly se- cured the esteem of all with whom he has associated.

This resolution was not simply an unmeaning compliment. Mr. Booth was a man of very superior mind. He afterwards studied law; entered into practice in Towanda; removed thence to Chicago; served as a circuit judge, and was for many years dean of the faculty of the Union College of Law, of that city. He married Ellen Morris, a daughter of Samuel W. Morris, making the third principal of the Academy to find a wife in Wellsboro, James Lowrey having married another daughter of Judge Morris and Josiah Emery a daughter of John Beecher.

July 12, 1841, Charles Miner was unanimously elected principal of the Academy to succeed Mr. Booth, at a salary of $500, and continued principal either fifteen or eighteen months. It was in the fall or winter of his second year that the Academy took fire, and had it not been for the most strenuous efforts and plenty of snow, it would have been entirely consumed. The damages were settled at $175, and paid by the Tioga County Mutual Insurance Company.

May 4, 1842, the trustees authorized the employment of an assistant teacher "for the present term," the salary to be $25. During the spring and summer of 1843 the Academy was undergoing repairs and was not occupied. In the fall of that year Henry B. Rockwell was employed to teach six months at a salary of $250. His term, which began October 23, was afterward extended to one year.

January 29, 1844, Stephen F. Wilson was employed as an assistant in the Academy for one term, "at the price and sum of $52, if employed the whole time; but if not employed but one half of the time, then the price to be $10 per month."

At a trustees' meeting, May 17, 1844, on motion of Judge Morris, the president was authorized to employ Miss Margaret Dennis as principal of the female depart- ment, at $3.50 a week. Mr. Nash, then stationed at Towanda, was invited to take charge of the Academy at the close of Mr. Rockwell's term, but declined. August 14, 1844, George R. Barker was employed as an assistant to Mr. Rockwell, at $17 per month. At the close of Mr. Rockwell's year, the trustees adopted the following:

Resolved, unanimously, That the trustees of the Wellsboro Academy in parting with Henry B. Rockwell, the principal of the institution for the past year, cannot do it without tendering to him the expression of their kindest feelings for the singular ability with which he has managed the school, for the high reputation it has obtained through his instrumentality, and the universal satisfaction he has given to all with whom he has

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been connected. In whatever walks of life he may hereafter be found, they most cheer- fully wish him success, and commend him to the confidence of all with whom he may be associated.

Resolved, That the above be entered on the records of the institution, and a copy duly certified be handed to Mr. Rockwell.

Mr. Rockwell was an excellent teacher and a strict disciplinarian. He never spoiled a child by sparing the rod.

At the election of trustees April 7, 1845, James P. Magill, editor of the Eagle, and John C. Knox, afterward associate justice of the Supreme Court, and attorney general of the State were candidates. There were forty-nine votes; but on counting out the votes they found fifty-one-twenty-six for Magill and twenty-five for Knox, and not knowing any other way of getting out of the difficulty the election board returned Mr. Magill as elected. The following is taken from the minutes:

May 5, 1845, trustees met; present Morris, Kimball, Emery and Nichols. John C. Knox and James P. Magill each appeared and presented their claims as trustees of the Wellsboro Academy.

On motion, the returns of the election of trustees were read, by which it ap- peared that J. P. Magill had twenty-six votes and John C. Knox twenty-five votes. Mr. Knox presented a certificate from the judges, dated April 21, 1845, stating as follows:

We, the undersigned, judges and clerk, certify that an election held at the house of B. S. Sayre, in Wellsboro, Monday, the 7th of April, A. D. 1845, for a trustee of Wells- boro Academy, there were forty-nine legal votes given; that on counting the ballots it appeared that James P. Magill had twenty-six and John C. Knox twenty-five-in all fifty-one; and John C. Knox having produced to us satisfactory evidence that a majority of the whole number of legal votes given were cast for him, as appears by the certificate hereunto annexed, we therefore certify accordingly.

A. P. CONE,

Clerk.

L. CLEAVELAND, ABEL STRAIT, Judges.

Then follows a certificate signed by twenty-five persons, certifying that they voted for John C. Knox. The report then continues:

On motion, Resolved, That Samuel W. Morris and Josiah Emery be a committee to investigate and report on the late Academy election.

The meeting adjourned to five o'clock p. m., when the following report was received from the committeee, Messrs. Morris and Emery:

The committee to whom was referred the late election of trustee report that they have investigated the same as fully as the time allowed would permit, and find that the said election was conducted without any regard to the requirements of the by-laws, and is therefore void and of no effect. They, therefore, recommend the adoption of the fol- lowing resolution:

Resolved, That an election be held at the house of B. S. Sayre, in Wellsboro, on Saturday, the 17th instant, between the hours of 1 and 6 p. m., of which the secretary is required to give general notice.

The election was held at the appointed time. Both the old candidates were dropped and Joseph W. Guernsey was elected, receiving all but one vote.

Emerson J. Hamilton succeeded Mr. Rockwell in the fall of 1844, and taught,

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WELLSBORO (CONTINUED).

till the spring of 1849, nearly five years. Mr. Hamilton and his wife were decidedly among the most successful teachers the Wellsboro Academy ever had. The school under their principalship was more popular and flourishing than under any other teachers. It is true they began under very favorable circumstances. Mr. Rockwell had brought the school under very rigid discipline by his physical mode of govern- ment, and had beaten into the pupils a sense of the beauty of good behavior, the necessity of hard study, and a realization of the value of good recitations as a protec- tion against the hard knocks of school life. And the pupils were thus eminently prepared for an entirely new mode of governing a set of boys and girls at school. It did not take them long to understand the practical difference between physical government and moral government; to know the difference between fear and enforced respect, and love with involuntary respect.

Mr. Hamilton's school became at once very popular. The principal and his wife, who was at the head of the female department, inspired at once respect, confi- dence and affection, and all over the country are now men and women who look back to the time they were students under the Hamiltons as among the happiest years of their lives. Some of the results of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton's teaching may be thus referred to as a part of the history of the old Academy.

At a meeting of the trustees, July 31, 1845, an appropriation of $100 was made for the purchase of philosophical apparatus. Further appropriations were made, as the final cost of the apparatus was nearly $300, so willing were the trustees to. encourage not only the teachers but the pupils.

On November 18, 1845, the board adopted a resolution that a catalogue of the students of the Academy for the last year should be published. This was the first catalogue authorized since the foundation of the school, and there are men to-day who would pay three times a reasonable price for a copy, as a souvenir of the pleasant days spent within the walls of the institution. On the same day a resolution was adopted requesting the treasurer to prepare and present to the next meeting "a full and complete statement of all bonds and mortgages in his hands, with the amount due thereon," also to procure a book "in which individual debtor's accounts and all further payments" should be kept. This resolution revealed the fact that no finan- cial account prior to 1840 could be found. The date of the beginning of the treasurer's term was changed to the beginning of the year, and Benjamin B. Smith chosen for the ensuing year. The president-Judge Morris-was requested to invite Rev. Mr. Breck, Rev. Mr. Calkins, Rev. Mr. Cochran, William Garretson, Dr. Say- nisch and Dr. Parkhurst to visit the Academy at the closing exercises of the quarter and by their presence encourage the pupils.

In April, 1846, William Bache, Jr., was elected a trustee, his father, who had served for many years on the board, having died in 1844. In this year an addition was built to the back of the Academy, the contract being taken by Messrs. Sturrock & Culver for $380. Under date of August 2, 1847, the record contains the following:

Trustees met; present Bache, Donaldson and Nichols. James Lowrey was ap- pointed trustee to fill the place of S. W. Morris, deceased. James Lowrey elected presi- dent, L. I. Nichols secretary, and B. B. Smith treasurer.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton appear to have terminated their connection with the Academy in March, 1849. Their influence on society in Wellsboro and on the

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

students under their charge, was all-powerful and far-reaching, and although nearly half a century has passed since their departure from the school, their names are still held in grateful remembrance.

H. W. Thorp, the next principal, remained but a short time, and was succeeded in 1850 by Andrew Upson, who taught about a year and a half, his successor being Samuel C. Hosford, who remained two years. Then followed Mr. Reynolds, John B. Cassoday, who taught a few weeks, and John A. Broadhead, whose stay was also short.

The minute book of the trustees shows the following entry under date of Decem- ber 12, 1857:

Mr. S. B. Elliott presented a plan for the proposed new Academy, which the Board accepted, and on motion of R. G. White, Mr. Elliott was employed to prepare building plans and specifications for the proposed new Academy at the price of $50 for the whole.

During the years 1857-58 a strong desire was manifested to build a new and a better Academy building on a new and a better site, and the employment of Mr. Elliott to prepare plans and specifications had that end in view. The movement, however, met with strong opposition on the part of a number of citizens. The plans and specifications were made out and the matter agitated until 1859, when it was dropped, Mr. Elliott in the meantime having been paid the $50 promised him.

The following appears in the minute book of the trustees under date of January 18, 1859:

At a meeting of the trustees of the Wellsboro Academy at the store of C. & J. L. ; Robinson, it was resolved that the paper marked A, purporting to be the assignment of the interest that the respective members of the order of the Sons of Temperance had in the funds of said society to the trustees of the Wellsboro Academy, be placed on file as part of the proceedings and action of said board.

On motion, it was further resolved that the vouchers in the hands of J. F. Donaldson, assigned by said paper marked A, be placed in the hands of the treasurer of the said Academy, and that a statement of the names of the persons against whom the claims are, the amount, etc., be also placed on file.

At a meeting held March 30, 1859, the treasurer, Benjamin B. Smith, was instructed "to collect the balance of interest now due on bonds and judgments in favor of the Academy;" also "the balance due on subscriptions for repairing the Academy." At this meeting, also, Mr. Donaldson handed over the vouchers for the claims assigned by the Sons of Temperance, and a full statement of the same was entered on the record. The principal amounted to $513.49. On this various pay- ments had been made, but not enough to cover the interest. At the time of the assignment the fund assigned could not have been less than $575; but whatever the amount was it went finally into the Wellsboro common school fund.

Mr. Broadhead's successor as principal was L. R. Burlingame, who took charge in the winter or spring of 1858 and remained until the fall of 1859. He was a good teacher, but, like some of his predecessors, was a strong believer in the use of the birch.

On January 21, 1860, the number of school terms was changed to three of fourteen weeks each, and M. N. Allen was employed as teacher and continued till September, 1863, when he resigned.

Mara Roberto

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WELLSBORO (CONTINUED).

In February, 1861, John N. Bache was elected treasurer in place of Mr. Smith, who had served continuously since January, 1846.

Judson Allen, a brother of M. N. Allen, finished the term, in which his brother had taught two weeks, September 22, 1863. The next teacher was Benjamin Eglin, a graduate of Yale College, and highly recommended by Mr. Cobourn, the state school superintendent. He commenced November 30, 1863, and taught two terms, receiving $40 per term and the avails of tuition. He was succeeded by John B. Grier, A. B., of Danville, who was elected president in 1864. Mr. Grier taught two terms of fourteen weeks.each, and three weeks on a third term, and resigned May 25, 1865. The secretary was at once authorized to employ a new principal and to put the Academy in full repair, which was done. The fall term opened September 7, with the following faculty: Rev. D. D. Van Allen, A. B., principal; Miss S. A. Van Allen, preceptress; Miss Fannie J. Holland, vice-preceptress; Mrs. Mary Bryden, teacher of drawing and painting; Mrs. Juliet Sherwood and Miss H. W. Todd, teachers of vocal and instrumental music. Although their names appear on the catalogue, it is due to Mrs. Bryden, Mrs. Sherwood and Miss Todd to say that they were only nominally connected with the Academy, permitting their names to be used as a matter of courtesy, but teaching at their own homes, independent of Mr. Van Allen.

In May, 1866, the trustees adopted resolutions complimenting Professor Van Allen and his assistants on their success in conducting the school and expressing an earnest desire that they remain another year.

In October, 1867, F. D. Hodgson took charge as principal, remaining one year, when he was succeeded by William A. Stone, now a member of Congress from Alle- gheny county. He taught two terms. In September, 1869, a contract was made with Mr. Hunt to teach during the ensuing year. He remained two terms and then engaged in preaching. This closed the Academy. For forty-five years, with the exception of a few brief interruptions, it had been maintained as a classical school, numbering among its principals many men afterwards notable as educators, lawyers, ministers and public officials. Its influence, always for good, still endures. It did much, not only for the intellectual life of Wellsboro, but for its moral betterment. It passed away only when the spirit in favor of a higher education, which it had fostered and strengthened, took a new direction and devoted itself to the better upbuilding of the common schools of the borough, which, as at present conducted, fill the place it occupied for nearly half a century.

On November 21, 1871, Josiah Emery resigned as president of the board of trustees and John R. Bowen was elected to fill the vacancy.

In his reminiscences of the Academy Mr. Emery informs us that after the adop- tion of the common school system it soon became apparent that it would be a difficult matter to sustain an Academy in such a village as Wellsboro without a very large fund on the interest of which to draw, and a high standard of instruction, especially when the common schools are so well managed as they are in Wellsboro. Long previous to 1870 the subject of uniting with the common school system and establishing a first- class High School, under the joint direction of the directors and trustees, had been suggested; but this project was deemed injudicious as well as impracticable, and it was finally decided by the trustees that the best thing that could be done was to

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transfer, under certain conditions, the whole Academy fund, together with the Academy building and land, to the Wellsboro school district, to be made the founda- tion of a High School wholly under the control of the directors. A bill was accord- ingly drawn and presented to the legislature at the session of 1870, and it passed finally April 6 of that year.

It authorized the transfer, by assignment or delivery, of "all articles of personal property, including moneys, bills, notes, mortgages, judgments, or other evidences of debt due and belonging to said Wellsboro Academy, to the school district of said borough of Wellsboro, and to transfer by deed of quit claim or other sufficient conveyance all real estate belonging to said Wellsboro Academy to the said school district." It also provided that all the property, money, bonds, etc., should be used "to defray current expenses of the schools in said district," and that the "real estate shall not be disposed of, or principal reduced, except for the erection of new or the enlargement of the present graded or union school buildings."

It was furthermore provided that upon the conveyance of the property it "shall be the duty of the school directors to provide one or more additional departments in the school in which the higher English branches, mathematics and the lan- guages may be taught, and provide a competent teacher therefor." The directors were also authorized, "at their option," to admit into the school pupils who may reside outside the limits of the district and charge therefor such rates of tuition as they may adopt.

The last meeting of the board of trustees was held in the First National Bank, of Wellsboro, October 23, 1877. There were present J. R. Bowen, president; Wil- liam Bache, treasurer; H. W. Williams, secretary, and J. L. Robinson. At this meeting the following preamble and resolution were adopted unanimously:

Whereas, The school district of Wellsboro has complied with the provisions of the Act of Assembly relating to the organization of a graded school in said borough, by the erection of a suitable building and the employment of a sufficient number of competent teachers for the instruction of the pupils, so as to be entitled to a conveyance of the real estate held and owned by the said Wellsboro Academy, therefore,

Resolved, That the president and secretary be directed to execute and deliver to the school district of Wellsboro a deed by which the title of the said Wellsboro Academy to the lot and buildings owned and lately occupied by them as and for an Academy shall be released and quit-claimed by the said Wellsboro Academy to the said school district of Wellsboro; and that said deed be further attested by its execution by such of the trustees as are still resident in the county.

Resolved, That the secretary be authorized and directed to deliver the books and papers in his hands to the school directors of said borough for safe keeping whenever the deed shall be delivered and the property of said Academy transferred to the said school district.

Adjourned to meet on call of the chair.

H. W. WILLIAMS, Secretary.

It will be remembered that in 1817 the Wellsboro Academy secured from the State an appropriation of $2,000, which was to "be placed in some productive fund or funds, and the increase thereof applied in aid of other resources, to compensate a teacher or teachers of said Academy." The Academy fund was also increased by some $500, a donation from the Sons of Temperance, making in all at least $2,500. This sum was loaned out to different parties, in larger or smaller sums, from $600 down

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WELLSBORO (CONTINUED).

as low as $10. It was frequently changing hands, being paid in and re-loaned; and yet from 1817, when the $2,000 were received from the State, to May 19, 1873, when the Academy funds were paid over to the Wellsboro school district, not one cent was ever lost or squandered. "All loans," Mr. Bache, the treasurer, afterwards said, "were fully paid; nothing was lost, from the beginning down," a period of fifty-six years. This speaks well for the administration of the fund committed to the trustees for the benefit of the school. But this is not all. The fund, including the Sons of Temperance fund, was increased to $3,252, and, adding the avails of the sale of the Academy building and lot, to $3,852, which have been received from the Academy by the school district. The transfer was a judicious act on the part of the trustees and was generally approved by the people.

The old Academy accomplished great good in its time and did much in mould- ing the character, both moral and intellectual, of its pupils. It exercised a strong influence over those who passed through its portals, and was not only beneficial to the people in whose midst it was located, but to those of the surrounding country. The healthy influence which it wielded is plainly seen to this day in the cultured and vigorous men and women who are now the old and the middle-aged; and all will recur with pride to the memories of the old Academy on the hill.

In 1881 the Academy and lot were purchased by Rev. John C. McDermott and the building was remodeled and turned into a Catholic church. It is still used by that denomination.

COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM ADOPTED.

The common school law of Pennsylvania, approved April 1, 1834, among other things, provided for the election, on the third Friday in September, 1834, of school directors in the various townships of the different counties, and that the directors should meet in their respective townships and boroughs within ten days after their election, and organize in the manner set forth in the provisions of the act. It was also provided that on the first Tuesday in November, a convention composed of the county commissioners and one delegate from each township and borough school board should meet at the court house in each county, to decide whether or not a tax should be levied for the maintenance and support of public schools in the several townships and the amount of money to be thus raised, etc.

In compliance with the provisions of this law, an election was held in the several townships and boroughs of Tioga county and school directors elected, and their names reported to the court of quarter sessions. In Wellsboro the following named directors were elected: Ellis M. Bodine, John F. Donaldson, Jonah Brewster, David Caldwell, Levi I. Nichols and Josiah Emery. In casting lots for the length of their respective terms, Messrs. Nichols and Emery drew the short term, lasting until the next February, when they were both elected for a full term of three years. At a meeting held in March, 1835, Mr. Bodine was elected president, and Mr. Nichols secretary of the board.

On Tuesday, November 5, 1834, the county convention, provided for in the law, met in the court house in Wellsboro, and was composed of Amariah Hammond, Chauncey Alford and George Knox, county commissioners, and the following dele- gates from the various township school boards: Brookfield, Jonathan Bonney;

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Chatham, Henry Eaton; Charleston, Cyrus Dartt; Covington township, Avery Gillett; Covington borough, John Gray; Deerfield, James Knox; Farmington, Jonathan Sorber; Jackson, Norman Wells; Lawrence, Buel Baldwin; Liberty, John Levegood; Mansfield, William B. Mann; Middlebury, Israel P. Kinney; Morris, Charles Duffy; Rutland, Peter Backer; Shippen, George Huyler; Sullivan, David Hazzard; Tioga, Joseph W. Guernsey; Union, Charles O. Spencer; Westfield, Samuel Baker; Wellsboro, Josiah Emery. Delmar and Elkland were not repre- sented. The former, however, was so closely identified with the interests of Wells- boro that it might be called an integral part thereof.

The convention organized by electing those old pioneer teachers and friends of education, Chauncey Alford, president, and Josiah Emery, secretary. It was a memorable meeting, because its action was to mark the beginning of a new epoch in the educational affairs of Tioga county. The question of levying a tax for the support of the common schools of the county was decided in the affirmative by the unanimous vote of the twenty township delegates and the three county commis- sioners. Out of this number sixteen voted for raising $3,000 and seven for various other sums. The vote, therefore, authorized $3,000 to be levied and collected. This was the first apportionment of money made by Tioga county for the beginning of the common schools. By comparing this sum with the amount of school tax laid for 1895-$88,657.20- we are enabled to judge of the progress made in education in sixty years.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 36

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454