History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 136

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 136

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In February, 1872, Mr. Wilson received a severe injury by a pistol-shot from the hands of a boy in the school-bouse yard, by which for a time he was disabled. The occurrence arose from a matter of dis- cipline connected with the school. During the time that Mr. Wilson was disabled Mr. Henry Hull took his place as superintendent.

Mr. Wilson had served as superintendent for four years, when he was superseded by the election of W. C. Lyne, the ninth superintendent.

In June, 1874, six boys and nine girls were grad- uated; in June, 1875, there were eight graduates, two boys and six girls.

A new room was needed to accommodate the in- ! creasing number of pupils, when the hall of the school was divided by a partition. This change pre- vented the graduating class from occupying it, and the exercises accordingly took place for the first time in the town hall.

Some preparation was made to exhibit the results of the school work at the Centennial Exhibition at Phila- delphia. The board contributed ten dollars to assist in making the educational display. Mr. Lyne ex- hibited to the board two bound volumes of examina- tion papers for the years 1874-75, to be forwarded to the Exposition. They were approved by the board, and Mr. Lyne was directed to forward them to Phila- delphia, on condition that they should be returned again to the school library. The last condition was not fulfilled. Twenty-five graduates left the school in June, 1876; of these five were boys. The exercises were held in the town hall, which was crowded with an interested and admiring audience.

W. C. Lyne, desirous of entering the field of jour- nalism, offered his resignation, which was accepted, to for five years, and was succeeded by J. W. Gibbons, the tenth superintendent.

The experiment of introducing vocal music was made in the fall of 1876 by electing Prof. M. H. Mc-

In May, 1877, the board purchased from the trus- tees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church the beautiful lot on which their church had stood, on the corner of East Chestnut and Lincoln Streets, for the sum of thirteen hundred dollars cash.

Mr. Gibbons presented to the board the names of eighteen pupils, four boys and fourteen girls, for grad- uation in June, 1878.

Having served as superintendent one year, Mr. Gibbons gave place to W. L. Welsh, an alumnus of · the normal school, Oswego, N. Y., September, 1878.

In order to assist more completely in the manage- ment of the school, and also to systematize the business, the board agreed to meet in monthly sessions. One of the first improvements made this year was the organization of a new division to accommodate the little children in the lower schools, who had only been permitted to come for half the day. While the classes in the higher rooms were too small, the lower rooms were crowded beyond all reason. The organi- zation of a new school served in part to remedy the disadvantage to the smaller children, and to permit them to attend all day.

During Mr. Welch's administration epidemics of measles and of smallpox prevailed in the community. A good deal of fear was felt by timid persons lest the children, by their association together, might be more liable to spread disease, and therefore a great pressure

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of public opinion was brought to bear upon the board to dismiss the school until the danger should be passed. It was felt, on the other hand, that so many children turned loose without anything to do, without the assistance of the systematic government of the school, would be more likely to take disease and to spread it. The board therefore decided not to dismiss the schools, but to require the evidence of vaccina- tion in every case, and to prevent those from infected houses or families from attending school until such time as by the judgment of physicians it was deemed prudent for them to return. By this firm and discreet course panic was allayed and danger prevented.

For forty years the improvements in the schools of the town have been greater, and the term of attend- ance has been longer, than in the country adjacent. There has been therefore a constant struggle by those living outside the borough limits to secure for their children the advantage of the town schools. Scarcely a year has passed that a new schedule of tuition fees has not been framed, and new rules have not been adopted for their collection. At times there have been agreements made between the school directors of the borough and the townships adjoining, but they were of transient operation. The amount of money paid for tuition has rarely if ever been sufficient to justify the arrangement, since the town schools have been so crowded that in many cases the teachers, however competent and willing, have been overtasked by numbers, and have not been able to do justice to their pupils. One of the advantages of residing in the town is the benefit derived from the schools, and a disadvantage is in being compelled to pay the town school tax. To get the advantage without being compelled to bear a corresponding burden is an injus- tice to the citizens of the town.

The growth of the educational spirit of the town may be illustrated by a brief review of the statistics as they refer to taxation. As has already been shown, the tax levy of 1843 for school purposes for the borough was five hundred and eighty-two dollars and thirty cents. In the spring of 1845 a levy of one and one-half mills on the dollar was laid for school pur- poses. As the schools were less than five months in session, and the pay-roll amounted to one hundred and forty-four dollars per month, the sum paid the , $1,792,135. The levy for school purposes was ac- teachers was six hundred and eighty-four dollars. In cordingly made three and a quarter mills for school purposes and one mill for building, the entire levy amounting in full to $8064.59. In the following year the levy was increased one mill for building purposes in the expectation of erecting a new janitor's house in place of the present one, which the Borough Council had ordered to be removed because it encroached on the street. 1849 it was agreed that a tax of three mills be levied for school purposes. The duplicate for that year amounted to four hundred and sixty-nine dollars and twenty-four cents, less the exonerations and commis- sions, so that the sum realized for school purposes was only three hundred and eighty-five dollars and forty-two cents. This with what was received from the State appropriation was the educational fund for the common schools. In 1853 the levy was five mills on the dollar. A growing interest was manifested by the board and the people. The term had been in-

creased to ten months, and better salaries were begin- ning to be paid the teachers. When the subject of building the new school-house was first agitated it was estimated that its cost would not be more than nine thousand dollars, but the more the subject was discussed the more its necessity became apparent, until the board, fully sustained by public sentiment, contracted for a property worth not less than twenty thousand dollars.

In 1855 the rate of taxation was raised to five mills for school purposes and five mills for building, or a tax of ten mills in all for educational purposes ; but, in order to facilitate its collection, it was agreed that one-half should be paid in July and the rest at the end of six months. During the year 1856, in addi- tion to the levy of ten mills, it was agreed by the board to "levy a tax on watches, etc., at the same rate of the State levy." The amount collected on the duplicate of this year was $6012.68. Probably in consideration of the financial disturbances occa- sioned by the war, the tax levy of the year 1862 was reduced to five mills for school purposes and three mills for a building fund. One of the noticeable effects of the building of the new school-house was to prevent a just and reasonable increase of salaries to the teachers. When in war times the price of living was greatly increased and the salaries of other officials generally were augmented, the board refused the petition to add ten per cent. to the salaries of the teachers. It was found in this case, as in many others, that the teachers were taxed more heavily for the erec- tion of a new school building than any other class of citizens in proportion to their means. In 1864 the tax levy was eight mills for school purposes and two mills for building fund. The intention of the board was evidently to postpone the payments on the prin- cipal of the school debt until more auspicious days. Under the circumstances of the country this was wise, and accounts for the fact that the principal of the school debt was not removed until a lapse of about twenty-five years. In 1865 the tax levy was authorized of thirteen mills on the dollar, a higher sum by three mills than had yet been imposed. This rate was continued until 1877, when the valuation of property was readjusted on a cash basis. The taxable property of the borough was estimated that year at

The salaries of teachers for the year 1881 amounted to six thousand three hundred and fifty dollars, in- cluding that of the superintendent, which was eleven hundred and fifty dollars. The lowest sum paid to

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any teacher in the corps was three hundred and fifty dollars, or twenty dollars more than was paid to any one in the corps except the superintendent during the years of the war.

The Washington union school was one of the first union graded schools established in the State. The building, at the time of its erection, was esteemed so highly that it was considered worthy of special men- tion in the "Pennsylvania School Architecture," a book edited by the Hon. Thomas H. Burrows, State superintendent, and published by the State. In this work may be found a sketch of the building, a plan and specifications of its construction. It was visited by a great many persons, some of whom came from long distances to see the house as well as to study the organization of the school. Nearly thirty years have elapsed since it was built, and during that time school architecture has made great progress and improve- ments. But it still may be a question whether the severe simplicity of the Washington school building is not preferable for its purpose than the more elabo- rate and expensively ornamented structures of the present day, especially when it is considered that the money unnecessarily spent upon the house is just so much taken from the teachers of at least one or two generations of school children. Elaborate and costly school buildings do not necessarily make good schools.

After the erection of the building, and the grading of the lot, the superintendent enlisted the whole school in the improvement and adornment of the property. Boys and girls vied with each other in fur- nishing trees and shrubbery and vines. The lot was laid out by the superintendent and worked by the pupils. The school-yard became noted for its beauty, and for the elegance of its roses and other flowers.

Most of the beautiful trees that adorn the school- yard to-day are of the planting of nearly thirty years ago. The influence of that teaching is still seen and felt not only in and about the school, but throughout the community.

In summing up the results of the school work, so ; far as they may be ascertained from the history of the graduates of the classes of the high school, Superin- tendent Welsh furnished the following statements : of thirty males six are clerks, three marble dealers, one hat merchant, one carpenter, one carriage-maker, one grocer, two ministers, one a missionary to India, one reporter, one physician, one lawyer and chief burgess of Washington, one dead, and two unaccounted for.

Of one hundred and thirteen female graduates, thirty are at their homes, seven in school, twenty-three married, twenty-four teachers, six compositors in printing-offices, six clerks, two milliners, one seam- stress, four dead, ten unaccounted for.

generally are following useful occupations and doing credit to themselves and the institution at which they graduated.

In concluding this sketch injustice would be done were we to omit the mention of some who were no less distinguished for the parts they played in the or- ganization and management of the union school than the superintendents and school directors who have already been named. Miss Martha Smith, Miss Sarah Hull, Miss Mary Kaine, Miss Mary Jones, now Mrs. Workman, Mrs. Martha H. Morgan, Miss Ellen Acheson, now Mrs. Brownson, and Mrs. Catherine Sisson were all earnest, efficient teachers, who, in the most trying times in the history of the school, gave valuable assistance in its reorganization. Whatever of honor there is in being one of the founders of a useful institution is theirs as one of the compensa- tions for their painstaking and laborious service.

There were besides these four others who were pupils at the time of the union of the schools, and who were very soon pressed into the service as teachers. The following memorandum is taken from the minutes of the board of Oct. 21, 1853: "On motion, Misses .Elizabeth Warrick and Mary Lindsay, who are now pupils in the high school, are employed as assistants pro tem. to supply the place of first assistant in said school, at five dollars per month each."

This was an experiment, but it proved a signal suc- cess ; it furnished a temporary relief to the superin- tendent, it was a cheap expedient for the board, and it started two girls upon a path which enabled them to be helpful to themselves and others. Miss War- rick afterwards became Mrs. Long, and Miss Lindsay Mrs. Scott.

In September, 1855, the board " Resolved, That an- other division of the school be organized, and that Miss Rebecca Turner be employed as teacher at a salary of ten dollars per month."

Miss Turner was a classmate with Misses Warrick and Lindsay. This experiment was also a success, as it inaugurated the course of one of the most use- ful and successful teachers in the county. Miss Turner is in charge of the high school at the present time.

Miss Ellen Wiley, now Mrs. Donaldson, was also a member of the same class, and was for some time en- four in college, one teacher, three farmers, one agent, gaged as a successful primary teacher in the school.

There have been other teachers and school direc- tors of rare excellence, but we have mentioned only those who were connected with the early history of union school.

At a public school examination held at the Frank- lin school-house on the 21st of December, 1821, Mrs. Katharine Duane Morgan, one of the board of super- intendence, delivered an address, after which she offered the following preamble and resolutions for

It will be seen by the foregoing that the graduates | the encouragement of domestic manufactures, which

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were adopted and subscribed to by Mrs. Morgan and his books to subscribers at the rate of five dollars per one hundred and fifteen other ladies :

" Convinced that the encouragement of Domestic Manufactures is in- dispensable to the substantial interests, the permanent welfare, and the real independence of the United States, and believing that a single act will conduce more towards the accomplishment of those invaluable objects than ten thousand inconclusive professione,

"Therefore, Resolred, That we, the undersigned, will henceforward confine our purchases for the apparel of ourselves and families to arti- cles manufactured within the United States. And not doubting that | these all-important ends may be further promoted, a check given to the destructive extravagance which reigns even in the very poorest of our cabins, and multitudes withheld or converted from vice by the encour- agement of learning and by an extension of support to American manu- factures beyond the walls of our immediate households,

" Therefore, Resolved, That we will employ only such persons to spin, sew, knit, and weave as will clothe themselves and families exclusively in homespun, and appropriate a portion of the money arising from those labors to the education of their children or other relatives."

Mrs. Morgan, in a card dated Jan. 30, 1822, stated that she sent seven quires of the circular containing the above resolutions to different parts of the county, with the request that they be returned to her with as many signatures as possible by the 1st of March, 1822, and for the encouragement of others she states " that Mrs. Ritner, the wife of one of our members of Assembly, this day returned me the circular addressed to her with the names of one hundred and thirteen females subscribed to the resolutions, an evidence at zeal in the great cause of our country." Mrs. Mor- gan sent a copy of the resolutions to ex-President Thomas Jefferson (with whom she was personally ac- quainted) with an account of the movement in this section, to which he sent the following reply :

" MONTICELLO, Jan. 26, 122.

" I have duly received, dear Madam, your favor of the 10th, with the eloquent Circular and Address to your patriotic and fair companions in good works. I well recollect our acquaintance with yourself personally in Washington, valued for your own merit as well as for that of your esteemed father. Your connection too with the family of the late Colo. Morgan is an additional title to my grateful recollections. He first gave us notice of the mad project of that day, which, if suffered to proceed, might have brought afflicting consequences on persons whose subse quent lives have proved their integrity and loyalty to their country.

"The effort which is the subject of your letter is truly laudable, and, if generally followed as an example, or practised as a duty, will change very advantageously the condition of our fellow citizens, & do just honor to those who shall have taken the lead in it. No one has been more sen- sible than myself of the advantage of placing the consumer by the side of the producer, nor more disposed to promote it by example, but these are among the matters which I must now leave to others. Time, which wears all things, does not spare the energies either of body or mind of a presque Octogenaire. While I could, I did what I could, and now ac- quiesce cheerfully in the laws of nature, which, by unfitting us for action, warns us to retire, and leave to the generation of the day the direction of its own affairs. The prayers of an old man are the only contributions left in his power. Mine are offered sincerely for the suc- cess of your patriotic efforts and particularly for your own individual happiness and prosperity.

+. TH. JEFFERSON.

" MRS. KATHARINE DUANE MORGAN.".

annum or three dollars for six months. . .. The li- brary will be open at the house of the subscriber in the borough of Washington every day in the week except Sunday." How long it continued is not known. It is quite possible the books that were sold in 1813 may have been the library of Mr. Baird. On the 20th of December in that year the following adver- tisement, without signature, appeared in the columns of the Washington Reporter : "During the Court week there will be sold a valuable collection of Books. Persons of literary taste from the county will have an opportunity of furnishing themselves at a very low rate. The sale will commence on Monday, the 27th, and continue from day to day until they are disposed of."

On the 19th of February, 1816, the Washington Library Company was organized. John Barrington was chosen treasurer, and Matthew Semple librarian. On the 13th of May, 1816, stockholders were informed that " books will be ready for delivery on Wednesday and Saturday of each week, from half-past three o'clock till half-past five. The Library-room is in the house of Mr. Matthew Semple (librarian) on Main Street, east side, between Beaux and Chestnut Streets." It is not known how long this library con- once of their patriotism and her active and laudable | tinued or what became of it. In the years 1832 and

1833, Archibald Kerr, who lived on Main Street, next below the law-office of Freeman Brady, kept a circu- lating library. In 1846 a Mechanics' Library was es- tablished; Col. William Hopkins was prominent in its organization. The library was kept for a time in the building below Dr. Whittlesey's drug-store, and in the next year was moved to the old Methodist Church parsonage on Beau Street. After a few years it was discontinued, and the last of the books were presented to the Washington Library Association. This last-mentioned society was organized in Novem- ber, 1867. A meeting was held at the house of Mr. D. T. Morgan, and the following officers were elected : A. Wilson, president ; Rev. W. B. Watkins, secretary ; Mrs. V. Harding, treasurer; Miss Martha Grayson, librarian. A committee was appointed to canvass the town for membership, which was placed at three dollars ; this committee reported at the next meeting fifty members and several donations. A room was secured for the library in the Grayson house. On the 7th of December in that year an exhibition of tableaux and music was given under the auspices of the association, from which one hundred and nine dollars was realized. The first purchase of books was made Jan. 20, 1868, and on the 22d the library was formally opened with about one hundred and fifty volumes. A second exhibition was given Feb. 18, 1868, and the sum of $69.92 was realized. At a meet- ing of the executive committee, held June 6, 1868, three hundred and sixteen volumes were reported, a number having been donated. During the year 1868,

Libraries .- The first public library in Washington of which any information is obtained is mentioned by Thomas H. Baird in an advertisement bearing date July 15, 1811, in which he says that he has been in- duced to establish a circulating library. He " will lend | Mr. J. T. Edgar, at various times, donated to the as-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

sociation over three hundred and fifty volumes. An- niversary exercises were held Jan. 1, 1869. A report by the secretary exhibited the following facts : Amount of money received during the year, $524.38; amount expended, $497.58 ; balance on hand, $26.80; number of volumes, over seven hundred; number of sub- scribers, eighty-five.

On the 6th of July, 1869, J. T. Edgar donated one hundred and one volumes to the association, and on the 11th of September, the same year, a donation of books was received from John Gregg, which were a part of the books of the old Mechanics' Library. Additions were made to the library from time to time, and in 1871 there were on the shelves sixteen hundred volumes. The opening of the Citizens' Library in 1871 caused a decline in the association, and it ceased to be an active institution. The books are still in their possession, but are not now let out.

When the erection of a new town hall was first pro- jected, Dr. F. J. Le Moyne, of Washington, offered to donate the sum of ten thousand dollars to found a public library, provided a room or rooms in the build- ing were given for the purpose. The subject was brought before the people, and it was declared by bal- lot that a new town hall should be erected and the offer and terms of Dr. Le Moyne be accepted. The first record in the minutes of the Council concerning the offer of Dr. Le Moyne for the founding of a public library is of a meeting held April 21, 1869, at which Dr. Alfred Creigh, J. Y. Hamilton, and A. C. Morrow were appointed a committee to wait on Dr. Le Moyne and procure from him a written statement of his offer, and the terms on which he would make the donation. At a meeting held April 19, 1869, the committee re- ported, and presented the following communication from Dr. Le Moyne :

" WASHINGTON, PA., April 19, 1869.

" MESSRS. ALFRED CREIGH, J. Y. HAMILTON, AND A. C. MORROW, Com- mittee :

"GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with the request in your communica- tion, dated the 13th inst., I make this formal reply. For many years I have been convinced that this establishment of a Public Library and Reading Room in our Borough would conduce largely to the best inter- ests of our Citizens, especially to our youth. Such a place of resort would afford rational amusement, promote a genial social intercourse, and educate our whole people to a higher standard of useful knowledge. It would tend to withdraw our young men and boys from questionable places of resort during their unoccupied hours, and remove many temptations to the formation of injurious and degrading habits.

" Several years ago, when the erection of a Town Hall was agitated, I made a proposition to donate a sufficient sum of money to lay the foundation for such an Institution. The revival of that erection, which has been authorized and directed by a very large vote of citizens, offers a present opportunity to consummate that cherished idea, which if not now embraced may not soon occur under such favorable circumstances. I therefore now renew that proposition to agree to donate the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) to the Borough of Washington, Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, on the following terms and conditions, viz .:

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 136

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216