USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 44
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
The National Educator was established by Rev. Dr. A. R. Horne, while he was engaged as principal of the Bucks County Normal and Classical School, at. Quakertown, Bucks Co., in April, 1860. The design of the paper was originally to supply a long-felt want in education among the Pennsylvania Germans, namely, to publish an organ for the schools and parents of the German section of the State specially devoted to their interests. The subject of pronunciation, translation, and the use of the English language was disenssed in its columns in such a way as to adapt it to the wants of the young acquiring a knowledge of that language. Their teachers, too, found in its columns suggestions on the best methods of teaching Pennsyl- vania German children. The editor, Dr. Horne, however, removed to Williamsport in 1865, and was elected city superintendent of schools, from which
position he was ealled, in 1872, to become the prin- cipal of the State Normal School, at Kutztown, in Berks County. As his sphere of usefulness and influ- ence was thus enlarged, he also extended the field of his paper's operations, and made it an educational organ, not only for the entire State, but also extended general educational organ for the entire country. Since the editor has made Allentown his home, in 1877, he has changed the journal from a monthly to a semi-monthly, and by personal canvass, and in con- nection with his teachers' institute work in Pennsyl- vania and other States, particularly in the far South, increased the circulation and influence so that the paper now is not only in name, but in reality, a " Na- tional Educator." The paper is printed at the office of Trexler & Hartzell, in Allentown, but the entire editorial and publishing management is in the hands of Dr. A. R. Horne.
Educational-The Public Schools .- Allentown possesses uncommon edneational advantages both in its public schools' and private institutions. It is our purpose to give under this head a full history of the development of each class. During the early years of the settlement it is probable that instruction was given both in the German and English languages, the teachers of the former being residents or visitors from the older towns of the region, while the pioneers of those who gave instruction in the English tongue were from the "Irish settlement" (in what is now ; Allen township, Northampton Co.). The first teacher whose name has been preserved was one Brown, from the Scotch-Irish colony referred to, who taught here previous to 1795. He was succeeded by a Mr. Thatcher, from the same locality, who taught between 1795 and 1800. In 1797 he taught the English lan- guage to the children of three families. " It seems to be generally acknowledged," says Mr. Buehrle, " that the Irish settlement was the home of the carly teachers of Allentown." They were very good instructors of the old class, possessing all the well-known character- isties of the " Irish schoolmaster." Among the earliest. were John Boyd, David Preston, Charles Weaver, and - Ellis. Later there were among the pedagogical celebrities the Eberhards, father and son, and Jolm
1 The history of the public schools is principally derived from the article by Superintendent R. K. Buehrle, In the State School Report of 1877, but considerable additional information of general interest lour been incorporaled with his facts.
1
176
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Ryan. "The schools," says the writer from whom we have just quoted, "were usually kept in rooms rented for the purpose in private houses, and the fur- niture was of the rudest and most primitive kind. There were benches along the wall, with occasionally an inclined board for those who wanted to write. Probably the first house used exclusively for school purposes was Zion's German Reformed Church, con- structed of logs, on the rear of the present lot, and converted from a church into a school-house in 1773. The first school-house, erected as such, was an octagon, with steeple and bell, built by James Wilson for John Ryan, on Church Street opposite the rear end of the lot just mentioned. Both of these have long since disappeared." The carly schools were of the subscription order, continuing usually for a term of three months, the parents or guardians paying at the rate of fifty cents a month. The teacher had entire control of the school, and was responsible to no one. "His moral character and professional qualifications were subject to no examination, and hence men not over temperate, industrious, and moral were some- times found in the schoolmaster's chair. Occasionally their constitutional indolence or late hours over the bottle or the gambling-table affected them so much on the following day as to cause them to fall asleep in the school-room, when the children left the school and enjoyed their accidental holiday in the open air. Among scenes long to be remembered, it is related of John Boyd that when he began to teach he under- stood no German, while all of his pupils were entirely ignorant of English. The course of study embraced lessons in reading, writing, and a little ciphering, and the text-books were the primer, catechism, Testament, and psalter, mostly German, with some English. The usual incentives to study were the rod and the cowskin."
More thoughtful and thorough measures for educa- tion were undertaken as years passed. More schools were taught, and a better class of teachers were en- gaged in giving instruction. A school for girls was opened in 1813. Night-schools were kept by various teachers from 1818 to 1816. Usually they were car- ried on by some of the hard-working class of teachers who also had day-schools. C. L. Arnold had one in 1838, and a number of years prior to that time, in which he received pupils at one dollar each per month. He taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and book-keeping "in the public school near the English Presbyterian Church." The teachers had an organi- zation as early as 1827, called " The Schoolmaster's Synod," the meetings of which were held at " Wor- man's Temple," at the Silver (or Crystal) Spring. In 1829, Zachariah Anselmus was president, and John O. Adams secretary. Some of the churches es- tablished parochial schools. The Allentown Acad- emy was chartered in 1814, and came into active operation in 1827. A ladies' seminary was opened in 1831, and the Allentown Seminary in 1848. Of these
1
institutions and the college, which was the outgrowth of one of them, we shall give the separate histories at length in their proper places. In the mean time, to follow the development of the public schools, we must return to an earlier period.
An act passed in 1824 provided for the instruction of the children of the poor at the expense of the county. In 1828, under the provisions of that aet, the borough of Northampton ( Allentown) and the town- ships of Salisbury and Northampton paid $121.71 and in 1830 the sum of $270.63, for the education of their poor children. In 1833 the borough alone paid $434.77.
The act of 1824 had prepared the people in a great degree for the new school law of 18344, and it was ac- cepted on its first submission to the people. One of the additional means used to influence public opinion and secure a favorable result in the election appears to have been "a numerously attended and influential meeting of the citizens of the borough at the public house of George Wetherhold, Friday evening, Sept. 12, 1834," at which the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :
" WHEREAS, We believe that education contributes to the happiness of man and the welfare of society, and we destre, so lar as is in our power, to improve the moral conditions of the community, and to per- potuate free institutions; therefore,
" Resolved, That we solemnly believe that an act passed at the late session of the Legislature entitled ' an uet,' etc., if put in force will be of advantage to the poor as well as the rich, and we will therefore apply all honorable means at the next election to secure the success of the system."
The efforts of the friends of the new law were she- cessful, and it was adopted in the borough by a vote of one hundred and thirty-seven against one. The first board of school directors consisted of Jacob Mohr, J. S. Gibbons, Esq., George Haberacker, Wil- liam Fry, Alexander Taylor, and George Keiper.
The first public examination and school exercises were held Dec. 11, 1838, an announcement being made in the papers by Christian Pretz, secretary of the board. The forenoon was devoted to the exami- nation of the pupils in their respective rooms, and in the afternoon all assembled at the German Luth- cran Church, where an address on education was de- livered by Charles Davis, Esq., president of the board. Prior to the opening of the schools, Sept. 2, 1839, the directors published a card in which they said they would "make it their especial duty to see to it that on the part of the teachers employed every- thing possible is done to promote the moral and spir- itual education of the pupils entrusted to them, and therefore again ask the active co-operation of the parents and guardians, without which the best system must fail of attaining its object." The next year a " female teacher" was wanted, according to an adver- tisement which appeared in one of the newspapers, and in 1841 we find that three of the six teachers were ladies.
R. E. Wright, as secretary of the board of school
1 .
1
177
THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.
direetors of the Allentown district, announced, Jan. [ 4, 1843, that the following set of books would be used in the schools : Cobb's New Spelling-Book and Juve- nile Readers Nos. 1 and 2 (primary books), the New Testament, Frost's History of the United States, Mitchell's Geographical Reader, Frost's American Speaker ( Reader), Frost's Grammar, Mitchell's Pri- mary School Geography, Keith's Arithmetic, Frost's Exercises in Composition, and Cobb's Abridgment of Walker's Dictionary.
In the year 1849 the first public appeal was made to the directors to appoint a superintendent of schools.
Notwithstanding there were only ten teachers em- ployed, the Lehigh Register, of Sept. 14, 1849, said, "We would suggest the appointment of a general superintendent of the schools. We are far behind the progressive spirit of the times in this important matter. We have no doubt if the directors would move in the matter it would meet the approbation of all the friends of public-school education."
At a meeting of the Lehigh County Association of Teachers, directors and friends of education, Feb. 23, 1851, the following resolutions were adopted, which clearly indicate the then existing need in the public- school system :
" Resolved, That the appointment of district superintendents is wisely recommended, and that the necessity for them is becoming daily more imperative,
" Resolved, That in the opinion of the association much of the incon- peteucy of teachers, at present so general a cause of complaint, would in a great degree be corrected bythe establishment of teachers' semi- maries under the control of district superintendents."
When a county superintendent was to be elected, in 1854, the Allentown school directors, F. E. Samuels, C. H. Martin, Joseph Young, Jonathan Reichard, David Menninger, Jonathan Schwartz, and Nathan Gammer, participated in it.
In the year 1856 the county superintendent re- ported that " among the ten first-class school-houses is that of Lchigh Ward in Allentown;" and con- tinued, "there are thirteen graded schools, well pro- vided with outline maps, globes, orrery, blackboards, geometrical blocks, etc., but in the style and arrange- ment of the seats and desks, they are not equal to some in the rural districts. The directors of the bor- oughs of Allentown and Catasauqua are the most assiduous in their attention to the schools."
The Allentown High School for both sexes was established in 1858, under the charge of R. W. Me- Alpine, " a young gentleman fully competent to the task." This vastly increased the influence of the educational system. In the same year the first school- house built by the board of directors was erected on Turner Street, above Eighth, in what was then known as the North Ward. Previous to this all the schools were kept in buildings erected for other purposes, but purchased by the board and converted into school- houses. The new building at once took rank among the best in the county. In 1859, by a vote of six to 12
two, a separate high school for each sex was estab- lished, and Angustus Armagnac was appointed teacher of the male, and Mrs. Hannah L. Romig of the female high school. Thus the organization of the schools as primary, secondary, grammar, and high was com- plete, but serious difficulties arose in administering the system. There seems to have been no regular time for promotions, and hence we find them made in Sep- tember and January, and in 1861 it was resolved "that three of the scholars attending the male grammar school be examined by the county superintendent, in presence of the president, visiting director of said school, and the secretary, who should be authorized to promote said scholars without reference to the board." A closer approach to perfect system was made in April, 1861, when C. W. Cooper, Esq., offered, and the board passed, the following resolution :
" Resolred, That a committee of three be appointed for the purpose of drafting questions for the different grades, and that the same be pre- sented to each scholar in attendance ilnring the last week of the term, and that the admission of scholars into schools shall be governed in accordance with such examination.".
Among the citizens who interested themselves in the public schools of the period of which we have written, Charles Davis, Esq., held a prominent place. He was appointed as one of the inspectors by the court, and afterwards was president of the school board. He had an able successor in Jonathan Reichard, Esq., who had the honor of snecessfully performing the work of grading the public schools and of being chosen the first president of the Teachers' and Directors' Educa- tional Association, organized in 1852. Tilghman Good, elected county superintendent in 1860, and R. W. MeAlpine, the first teacher of the high school and editor of the Teachers' Journal, which appeared in 1858, also deserve to be mentioned. As active friends of the public schools at this period, as well as pro- moters of higher education, should be mentioned such men as Christian Pretz, R. E. Wright, Esq., Eli J. Saeger, the late Rev. S. K. Brobst, and C. W. Cooper, Esq., to whom may well be applied the term veteran school officer, he having served from 1851 to 1872, with the exception of but a single year, either as county superintendent, school director, or control- ler, besides being one of the founders of Muhlenberg College and of the Seminary, in whose boards of trustees he still holds place.
With the year 1866 began a new era in the educa- tional history of Allentown. The various educational forces having attained their full development, then rapidly asstued their final form. At a special meet- ing of the board of directors of the Allentown school district, in January, 1866, at which Messrs. E. B. Young (president), C. W. Cooper, T. Good, George I. Hagenbuch, Boas Hausman, H. J. Saeger, and J. S. Dillinger were present, was taken the initiatory step in the unanimous passage of the following reso- lution :
.
178
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
" Resolved, That, in the opinion of this board, it is deemed policy to combine all the wards of this city in one school district.
" Resolerd, That Messrs. Saeger, Dillinger, and Cooper be a committee to draft sections covering the suggestions of the board, with power to confer with a committee of the lown councils."
The result of this action was the act of 1866, con- 'stituting the entire borongh (which up to that time had comprised two) one school district, under the control of a board of controllers elected by the board of school directors of each ward, who were elected by the people. In the board of controllers was vested the right and title to all the property and the entire corporate powers of the district, and they were given power to establish schools, erect buildings, adopt text. books and course of study, with rules and regulations, assess and collect taxes, receive and disburse moneys, appoint all teachers of grammar and high schools and a superintendent, and enter into all contracts and agreements on behalf of the district. To the boards of school directors of the different sections was re- served the power to elcet the teachers below the grade of grammar, to admit pupils into and to visit the schools of their respective seetions. These powers being regarded as too limited on the part of the direc- tors, a supplement passed in 1869 granted them the power to participate in the election of city superin- tendent, and a further supplement, passed in 1871, increased the number of controllers from one to two for each section.
The first duty ineumbent on the new board after the adoption of a course of study was the ercetion of a new school-house in the Fifth Ward, the initiatory steps toward which had been taken by the former board of school directors in the purchase of a lot for three thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. The corner-stone of this structure was laid in May, 1867. Although there was considerable opposition mani- fested when the character of the building and its pro- posed cost became generally known, yet the board, united to a man, resolutely continued in its course. That accommodations were indispensably necessary was conceded by all, but the condition of the schools and school-houses was known to few outside of the board. So great was the want of room during the term of 1867 68 that the boys' high school was kept. in a meat-shop eighteen by thirty feet, and the girls' in the session room of the First Presbyterian Church, while from four to six lower grades were provided for in Sunday-school rooms and tenement houses rented for school purposes.
The necessity for providing for regular examina- tions soon became apparent to the board, and they, therefore, in May, 1867, appointed R. K. Buehrle the teacher of the boys' high school, to conduct the exam- inations of all the schools in additions to his duties as teacher. In February, 1868, he was manimously ; appointed city superintendent, which office he held until 1878, being thrice re-elected, twice unanimously. He was as principal ex officio required to devote some of his time to giving instruction in the two high
schools which were combined for that purpose, thus realizing the idea aimed at by a resolution of C. W. Cooper in the board of directors in 1859, and by the Rev. Walker in 1864.
The first high school commencement was held in 1869 in the Presbyterian Church, and the first diplo- mas were awarded to the class of 1874. The classes graduating from 1869 to 1874 subsequently received diplomas also. The effect of having regular annual examinations, and promoting in accordance with pro- ficiency then and there exhibited, was soon seen in greater regularity of attendance and better attention to study. This was especially the case in the higher grades. Teachers, too, were stimulated to greater exertion, now that they saw their work was appre- ciated.
Because of the rapid growth of the city from eight thousand and thirty-seven in 1860 to fourteen thousand and sixty-eight in 1870, it was found neces- sary to erect a new school-house in the Sixth Ward in 1870 and one in the Fourth Ward in 1872; while, on the other hand, the unsafe condition of those in the Second and Third Wards rendered their remod- eling necessary, and the same cause also necessitated the erection of a new building in the First Ward in 1874. Further increase in population made necessary the erection of still another house, the one in the Eighth Ward, on Ninth Street, which was commenced in 1881 and finished in November, 1882, at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. This building has four rooms, and the plan is such that two more can be easily added.
In May, 1878, G. H. Desh was elected superintend- ent in place of Mr. Buehrle, and served until 1881. when the present superintendent, L. B. Landis, was chosen as his successor. Mr. Landis had formerly taught in the Allentown .schools, but had' removed from town and served for several years as superin- tendent of the Hokendaqua schools prior to return- ing here and assuming his advanced position.
The schools are now in a very prosperons condition and of a high standard of excellence. They are in per- feet harmony and accord with the higher educational institutions of the town. The favorable standing of the public high school is attested by the fact that its grad- nates are admitted to Muhlenberg College on very slight examination. The high school, of which the superintendent is ex officio principal, has about one hundred and twenty-five pupils, and the total number in all of the schools (yearly enrollment ) is about three thousand seven hundred. There are for the accom- modation of this large number of scholars ten build- ings, having an aggregate of sixty-seven rooms, Fifty-nine teachers are engaged in the instruction of the children. The following is a full and correct list, and contains the names of some who have been engaged in education here for many years :
High School .- Superintendent, L. B. Landis ; F. D. Raub, Miss A. S. Grammes, Miss Rosa Kessler.
1
,
-
179
THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.
First Ward Building .-- Secondary, W. C. Butz, Miss Annie F. Schwartz; Advanced Primary, 11. Maurice Romig, Miss Minnie Koons; Primary, Miss Emma Scholl, Miss Hattie Bitterling, Miss Ella Rinker, Miss Mary Roth.
Second Wurd Buildings,-Grammar, B. F. Abbott, Miss Lavinia Busse ; Secondary, Morris F. Cawley, Miss Emma Asehbach ; Advanced Primary, Miss A. J. Keek, Miss Leah Fischel; Primary, Miss Ida Hausman, Miss Alice Kichline.
Kichline, Miss Lizzie Steltz.
Fourth Ward Building (Chew Street) .- Grammar, J. W. Rodgers, Miss E. J. Haines ; Secondary, II. S. Moyer, C. HI. Rhoads; AAdvanced Primary, Miss Annie Lind, Miss Annie Saeger; Primary, Miss Emma Weida.
Fourth Ward Building (Turner Street) .- Secondary, Miss Louise Mohr, Miss Emma L. Mills; Advaneed Primary, Miss L. C. Berkemeyer, Miss L. C. Weaver ; Primary, Miss C. C. Christman, Miss L. A. Winters.
Fifth Word Building .- Grammar, G. P. Bates, Miss L. C. Busse; Secondary, William 11. Albright, Miss E. Nonnemacher; Advanced Primary, J. A. Conrad, Miss Alice Shock, Miss Carrie E. Koons; Primary, Miss Mary A. Daubert, Miss Maggie Sykes, Miss L. Virginia Smith, Miss A. E. Young.
Sixth Ward Building .-- Secondary, James F. Gal- lagher, Miss F. A. McCafferty ; Advanced Primary, Miss Emma C. Dunlap, Miss Mary J. McGee; Pri- mary, Miss Bridget Gallagher, Miss Rose A. Crilly.
Eighth Ward Building .- Primary, Miss Sallie Grif- fith, Miss Annie Holmay, Miss Ida M. Knauss.
Following is the course of study in the public schools, of which every branch prescribed (even those marked optional) have been studied since 1867 :
Primary Schools, - Alphabet, orthography, first, second, and third readers, elementary arithmetic, , drawing and writing on slate, oral instruction, in- cluding lessons on form, color, plants, animals, morals, and manners.
Advanced Primary .- Orthography, second, third, and fourth readers, penmanship, elementary arithme- tic, oral geography, drawing on slate, oral instructions (as before), lessons on business forms, letter-writing, etc.
Secondary, First Year .- Orthography, fourth reader, primary geography, arithmetic (mental and written), penmanship, and drawing.
Second Year .- Orthography, fifth reader, common school geography, arithmetic, etc., as above, lessons in ; elementary composition, reviews, abstracts, dictation, letters, business forms, etc., oral instruction in forms 1
of government, races, exports and imports, morals and manners.
(continued), grammar, physiology, history of the United States.
Second Your .- Sixth year, history of the United States, zoology, botany, German, and book-keeping (optional), orthography, grammar, penmanship, draw- ing and arithmetic (continued), declamation and com- position for the entire course.
High School, First Year. - Reading, grammar, arithmetic (continued), algebra, German, general his- tory, book-keeping, and Constitution of the United States for boys, and chemistry for girls.
Second Year .- Rhetoric, English literature, geom-
Third Ward Building .- Secondary, James Webb, Miss Ella Gabriel; Advanced Primary, Miss Clara ! Balliet, Miss Maggie Spatz; Primary, Miss Carrie B. : etry and trigonometry, Latin, Greek (optional for girls), German, geology, chemistry for boys, and the Constitution of the United States for girls.
Third Year .- Rhetoric, Latin, Greek, and German (continued ), physics, astronomy, physical geography, moral philosophy, general review, declamation, and composition during the entire course.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.