USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > Part 60
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In 1819 the commissioners of Allegheny County petitioned the Legislature for the enactment of a law "authorizing them to choose and contract with teachers for the education of the poor gratuitously, within the city of Pittsburg and one mile from the limits thereof, and to erect one or more public schools for that purpose within the same limits." No action seems to have been taken by the Legislature at that time in response to this petition; but on March 31, 1821, the Legislature authorized the County Commissioners to select and employ capable and discreet teachers for the education of poor children gratuitously, and required the assessors to report the names of such poor chil- dren. This law firmly established in this county poor schools for the exclusive and gratuitous instruction of poor children, and empowered the Court of Quarter Sessions to adopt all necessary rules and methods to carry the same into effect. The act further provided that the County Commissioners should appoint five citizens to visit and report from time to time on the condition of such schools.
On March 29, 1824, another act was passed, providing more effectually for the education of the poor gratuitously and "for laying the foundation of a general system of education throughout the Commonwealth." This law was a long stride in the cause of education, but became so unpopular, owing, no doubt, to the system of taxation connected therewith, that on February 20, 1826, it
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
was repealed. The law provided that three men, to be called school men, should be appointed in every township, ward and borough, whose duty should be to perform whatever was necessary to place the poor schools on a sub- stantial and permanent basis; and provided further that the question should be submitted to the voters whether such schools, with the additional taxation connected therewith, should be established or not. If such a question was voted upon here, it was unquestionably lost; at any rate, as above stated, the law was repealed. However, the action of the Legislature and the extensive advertise- ment given to an advanced school system were not without their effect upon the people of the State in subsequent attempts to establish a school system. By the act of February 19, 1828, it was provided that:
"Whereas, It has been satisfactorily ascertained that the existing mode of educating the poor gratuitously in the city of Pittsburg has been very oppressive on the county of Allegheny, without contributing equivalent advantages to the community ; and whereas, it is believed that the introduction of the Lancasterian system of education in the county of Allegheny would effect an economical reform as well as an important improvement in the mode of instruction; there- fore, Be it enacted, etc., that the Commissioners of Allegheny County be authorized to build, or procure, a suitable building for the purpose of educating the children directed to be taught at the public expense within the city of Pittsburg; and also to furnish the same for the accommodation of such children."
The law further provided for the employment of teachers for the introduc- tion of the Lancasterian system; for the appointment of nine citizens of the city as a board of examiners of teachers; for the admission of poor children upon application; for the payment of contractors of the school buildings; and for all necessary books, stationery and other supplies. All action was made subject to the approval of the majority of the County Commissioners and the grand jury of the county, and such approval was required to be filed with the prothonotary of the county. By reason of the fact that the law provided that all action should be approved by the officers stated, and as such approval was never filed in Pittsburg, the law, of course, failed, and was wholly inoperative. All these attempts to improve the schools of the State were more or less crude and imperfect, but the question was thoroughly discussed in all the cities, and in the end all such attempts were beneficial, though they met with the ficrcest opposition from the principals of private schools, and from persons who opposed the system of taxation necessarily included therein. In 1828 the education of the poor cost Allegheny County $468.814 (a). This expenditure was regarded as burdensome.
Another attempt was made in 1829 to establish a law for the education of children generally throughout the State and to permit people to form school districts, erect buildings, elect officers, employ teachers, and otherwise provide for conducting such schools. But this law was hampered so that it failed to accomplish the design intended. The friends of education were resolute, and were determined to secure the enactment in this State, as in neighboring States, of a common school law, and, accordingly, in February, 1831, another school bill was introduced and discussed in the Legislature. Some years prior to this, the first independent school district in the State was established in Northern Liberties, near Philadelphia, and in 1822 the second was established at Lancaster. The law of 1828 made Pittsburg another independent school district.
On October 23, 1830, a county convention of teachers was held in Pittsburg to consider the expediency of adopting a plan for increasing the efficiency of teachers without increasing expenses or loss of time in going to school; improv-
(a) Gazette, February 27, 1829.
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
ing the methods of communicating instruction; raising the standard of educa- tion, and interesting the public to a greater degree. Louis Atwood was called to the chair, and J. A. Mckay appointed secretary. M. W. Miller, A. C. Miller and J. A. McKay were appointed a committee to prepare a plan for consideration and a form for a township constitution. The plan recommended the formation of township and county associations, their adoption of new books, methods, and other efficient action. On December 18, 1830, a meeting of the teachers of the county, held at the Courthouse, effected a thorough reorganization of the County Association, and adopted resolutions as to the necessity of mutual assistance and cooperation. Of the meeting Thomas Malin was chairman and John Winter secretary. At this time associations similar to this were formed in all parts of the county. Townships, boroughs and wards were at last fully alive to the importance of a common school system. Such meetings were held in Plum, Wilkins and other townships.
In 1831 a law was passed providing for the establishment of a permanent school fund for the State. The Secretary of State, Auditor-General and Secre- tary of the Land Office were constituted commissioners of the fund to be raised under this law. The source of the fund was as follows: First, money due for unpatented land secured by mortgage or lien for purchase money; second, moneys for applications, warrants, patents, etc .; third, fees in the land office; fourth, proceeds of a tax throughout the State of one mill on the dollar. It was provided that as fast as interest accumulated it should be added to the principal until the annual interest should amount to $100,000, after which such interest should be distributed to the school districts throughout the State.
At last, in 1834, after many years of patient warfare, the friends of educa- tion succeeded in securing the passage of the famous common school law, which became the basis of the magnificent schools of the present day. Thaddeus Stevens was the "father" of the law; only one member of the House voted against it. The law was entitled, "An act to establish a general system of education by common schools," and was approved April 1, 1834. The law provided that each county in the State should form a school division, and that every ward, township and borough should form a school district. The sheriff of each county was required to give notice of the election of the necessary school officers, and, accordingly, William Leckey, sheriff, called for such elec- tions in the four wards of Pittsburg; in the Monongahela region; in Northern Liberties, at the Town House in Lawrenceville; in Birmingham, at the house of Robert Campbell in Allegheny-all to be held on the third Friday of Septem- ber, 1834. The law provided that six directors should be elected in each school district; that the County Commissioners and one delegate from each board of directors in the county should meet semi-annually to consider the condition of the county schools, and to decide whether a tax should be levied for the support of the same, and if so to apportion the just amounts among the several districts; that such tax should be a part of the county expenses, but in no case to be more than double the amount each district should receive from the State fund; that any district whose delegate should vote against such a tax should receive no portion of the State fund; that directors should build neces- sary schoolhouses, employ teachers, etc. The law provided that $75,000 should be appropriated for the year 1835, and annually thereafter, to be distributed among the accepting districts of the State. The treasurer and the auditor of Allegheny County were made county treasurer and county auditor of the school fund.
At the first school delegate meeting, held on the first Tuesday in Novem- ber, 1834, it was determined to levy a tax for school purposes of $6,500 in all of Allegheny County. The County Commissioners, under the law, levied a
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
one-mill tax upon the assessed valuation of the city, which was $4,419,135. The tax amounted to $4,419.13 in Pittsburg, whercas, under the apportionment of the delegates, the amount required from this city was only $1,552.45, leaving $2,866.68 raised in Pittsburg to be devoted to the benefit of schools in other parts of the county. This disparity was denounced vehemently by the enemies of the common school system residing here. It was a notable example, they claimed, of the injustice of the law. The plan of taxing the people of Pitts- burg for the benefit of the people residing in remote parts of the county was denounced in the severest language; but, despite opposition, the school author- ities proceeded with great unanimity to carry into effect the provisions of the law. As if to add still further to the rage of the cnemies of the common school system, the school tax in the city in 1835 was raised to two mills on the dollar. It was stated by the enemies of the system, in 1835, that under this proceeding the school tax in Pittsburg "would amount to the enormous sum of $13,300.' Not only the enemies of the school system found fault with it, but the local newspapers and many of the friends of the system likewise called attention later to what seemed to be the manifest injustice of the law. The Gazette said: "If this injustice in taxing the city nearly $3,000 for the support of township school districts arises from a defect in the school law, it should be amended and made to conform to the just principle of taxation-make those pay who get the value" (b). All or nearly all looked at it from a mercenary point of view. At public meetings held in the four wards on June 28, 1834, strong speeches were made in favor of carrying into effect the provisions of the bill. Committees were appointed to nominate, at an adjourned meeting, six persons in each ward to serve as directors after having been elected in the approaching Septem- ber, as provided by law. The elcctions of school directors were held at the following places: South Ward, at William Alexander's; North Ward, at Allen Brown's; West Ward, at George Beale's; East Ward, at J. Wallace's. The following directors were elected: South Ward, Richard Biddle, Trevanion B. Dallas, John P. Bakewell, George Cochran, Andrew Fleming and George D. Bruce; North Ward, Abishai Way, George Grant, Stephen Colwell, Z. W. Remington, Benjamin Darlington and Oliver Metcalf; West Ward, W. H. Denny, H. D. Sellers, John McKec, James S. Craft, John Sheriff and W. W. Fetterman; East Ward, Walter Forward, Thomas Fairman, W. H. Lowrie, Dr. James R. Speer, John Arthurs and Benjamin Bakewell. In looking at this array of names one is led to inquire whether it was possible to secure the election of men of greater prominence, force of character and education than those mentioned above. Surely it was determined to place the cause of educa- tion here both in the hands of its friends and in the hands of the ablest men of this community. The people had struggled too long to secure the passage of the common school law to permit it now to fall into the hands of its enemies. It was said at this time by the friends of education, concerning the previous educational law, that in all its features it was "anti-republican, and conveyed a direct insult to the poor by dispensing that as a charity which is the right of all" (c).
During the summer of 1834 the new school law was thoroughly discussed in all parts of the State, but nowhere with greater intensity of feeling than in this community. Its enemies brought evcry argument possible to bear against it, while its frends combated with equal directness and force every objection offered. As a whole, this community favorcd the law. The old newspapers are full of accounts of mectings held in all parts of the county to discuss its measures. Late in 1834, when it had been definitely settled here that the new
(b) Gazette, February 7, 1837.
(c) Writer in Gazette of June 27, 1834.
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
law would be put into effect, preparations were made in all school districts to either rent or erect the necessary buildings, and competent teachers in more than one instance were advertised for in the newspapers. In several of the districts it was thought proper to instruct the boys and girls separately. Many other important questions arose and were settled as the years rolled round.
On November 14, 1834, the delegates from the several wards, townships and boroughs of the county, in a meeting held in Pittsburg for the purpose, adopted by a unanimous vote the provisions of the Education Bill, and pro- vided for an appropriation sufficient to entitle the county to claim the aid con- ditionally proffered by the Commonwealth. It was recommended at this meet- ing that a two-mill tax be levied and that male and female children be instructed in separate schools. Benjamin Bakewell, H. D. Sellers, Richard Biddle and Stephen Colwell were appointed a committee to prepare and report a system of school education, to be submitted to a joint meeting of the city board of directors. On December 3, 1834, this joint meeting was held in the hall of the Young Men's Society to hear the report of the committee. The report rec- ommended that, considering the large number of children and the small amount of fund, the improved Lancasterian system, then in successful operation in the city and county of Philadelphia, presented. the only practicable plan; that the directors of the city should continue to work in harmony in order to secure the best results from the Education Bill; that the location of the schools should be under the authority of the joint board; that the establishment of a model school, advanced beyond the primary grade, would be advisable, and that the erection of one or more suitable buildings was indispensable (d). "The law is in force and would be unanimously approved were it not that many of our citizens believe that the addition of the school taxes in addition to those for our State improvements would prove oppressive" (e).
In December, 1834, Mr. Lawrence introduced a resolution in the Legis- lature that the senators and representatives of this State in Congress be instructed to favor the passage of a law to distribute the proceeds of the sale of public lands among the several States, for purposes of education, etc. The resolution was laid upon the table. More than 500 adults of Pittsburg in December, 1834, could neither read nor write (f). In December, 1834, a large number of petitions from all portions of the State were received by the Legislature, praying for the repeal of the school law. In 1835 the Legislature made several important changes and improvements in the original act. At this time petitions, signed by an aggregate of 2,084 persons, were sent to the General Assembly, praying for the repeal, or a modification, of the school law; while 2,575 remonstrated against such repeal. Many who signed for the repeal either made their marks or wrote their names very illegibly. In May, 1835, Benjamin Bakewell, presi- dent of the joint board of directors, called for applications from competent male and female teachers, to instruct under the Lancasterian or monitorial system. They were requested to state the wages wanted. A splendid welcome was given Thaddeus Stevens on his visit here, July 4, 1835, by the friends of the common-school system. A high school with a tract of arable land adjacent where labor could be performed, was proposed at this time. In 1835 Allegheny County drew from the State school fund $3,017.35.
School Districts.
East Ward
South Ward.
State Appropriation. $231.96 160.92
Received from Local Tax. $2,182.00 1,495. 74
Total School Fund for 1835. $2,413.96 1,656.66
(d) Gazette, December II, 1834.
(f) Gazette, December 20, 1834.
(e) Gazette, December 15, 1834.
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
State
School Districts.
Appropriation.
Received from Total School Local Tax. Fund for 1835.
West Ward
$ 154.56
$2,853.00
$3,007.56
North Ward
173.14
1,796.00
1,969.14
Allegheny . .
270.23
582.17
852.40
Northern Liberties
149.97
323.II
473.08
Birmingham
36.93
79.00
115.93
Lawrenceville.
31.48
67.82
99.30
Pitt Township.
153.00
329.71
482.71
For the school year beginning June, 1836, the county received from the State fund, including the bonus from the Pennsylvania Bank of the United States, the sum of $7,664.14. At a convention of the common schools of the county, held in Pittsburg in 1836, every district in the county, except Bir- mingham, was represented by delegates. It was unanimously decided by the convention to vote as a school tax double the amount received from the State, to wit: $15.328.28. This sum, added to the amount above, gives the total school fund of the county for the year 1836-7-$22,992.42. During this year the schools were in a flourishing condition.
The success of the law, after it had once been put in operation, was a source of astonishment to the friends as well as to the enemies of the system. In 1836 it was enacted that four years should be the lowest school age, and that the school year should consist of not less than six months. From time to time laws were passed increasing the amount of the school fund of the State, and improving in many important particulars the educational system. In 1837 the county apportionment for county schools amounted to $27,722.4I. About this time a law was passed appropriating to each university in the State, under certain restrictions, for the period of ten years, the sum of $1,000.
The first school in the Second, or South, Ward was opened September II, 1835, in the old carpet factory building near the corner of Smithfield and Water streets; the second building was the old chair factory at Cherry and Third avenues. The first building erected for school purposes in this ward was built in 1841, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Ross Street. In the Third (East) Ward the first building was erected in 1836 and stood at the corner of Cherry Alley and Diamond Street. The first school in the Fourth (North) Ward was opened in 1835 in a dilapidated building at the corner of Duquesne Way and Seventh Street. It was removed in 1838 to a new build- ing near Penn Avenue. The first school in the First (West) Ward was opened in an old building which stood on Ferry Street, and the first school in the Fifth (Northern Liberties) Ward was held in the old Phoenix Cotton Factory.
The act of April 3, 1837, appropriated $500,000 to be distributed to the common schools of the State. In 1837 Thomas H. Burroughs, superintendent of the common schools of the State, accompanied by Governor Joseph Ritner, visited Pittsburg, and while here settled many important questions which had arisen concerning the provisions of the school law. In November, 1837, a convention of common school officials met in Pittsburg and appointed Rev. Dr. Presley, Dr. George D. Bruce and Benjamin P. Hartshorn a committee to examine and compare Emerson's and Russell's series of readers and other schoolbooks, and report which should be adopted. The committee favored the selection of Emerson's readers, spelling-book and first part arithmetic, Keefe's new arithmetic and Russell's histories. At an adjourned meeting, held Decem- ber 7th, the use of these books was recommended in all public schools of the city and county. The common school appropriation from the State fund for the school year commencing the first Monday in June, 1838, was as follows: East
532
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
Ward, $863.64; North Ward, $429.88; West Ward, $586.56; South Ward, $342.48; Allegheny Borough, $714.74; Birmingham, $100.99; Northern Lib- erties, or Fifth Ward, $422.II; Lawrenceville, $92.58. By doubling each of these amounts, and adding the results thereto, the school fund of each district may be ascertained (g).
The law provided that the State fund due to non-accepting districts should be allowed to accumulate until a certain fixed time in the future, in order to give such districts an opportunity of accepting the benefits of the act; and in case such date was reached before the law had been accepted, the option was still further extended, so that in the end each district received its accumulated apportionment
It must not be supposed that the schools of the decade of the forties were crude and inefficient. On the contrary, they were well conducted, had com- petent teachers, and thorough discipline and method secured from the scholars the highest degree of advancement. In many particulars the advanced methods of the present day were foreshadowed by the teachers in the public schools of that period. The importance of object lessons and of adapting instruction to the degree of mental maturity secured the earnest, practical consideration of both parents and teachers. By 1848 the system had become so generally adopted throughout the State that an act was passed requiring all school dis- tricts, whether they had accepted the law or not, to be so considered, and further requiring them to levy the necessary tax in order to obtain their pro rata share of the State school fund. Late in the decade of the forties the old schoolhouses, which had been rented or built ten or twelve years previously in nearly all the districts, were in such a dilapidated condition as to necessitate the erection of new buildings, and accordingly, in nearly all the wards of Pittsburg and Allegheny and in the surrounding boroughs, new structures were erected, many of them large, comfortable and commodious brick structures. In case the school districts had not sufficient funds to erect such buildings, it was provided by law that they could borrow to a limited extent for that pur- pose. By June, 1848, the whole number of school districts in the State was 1,306; accepting districts, 1,102; number of schools, 7,845; number of scholars, males, 197,984; number of scholars, females, 162,621; number of teachers, males, 6,065; number of teachers, females, 3,031; average number of scholars in each school, 44; average number of months taught, 4.245; received for school purposes, $508,696.51; State appropriation, $193,035.75. After the great fire of 1845 the school tax in the burned district, and, in fact, all other tax, was for a time suspended, but the tax on personal property therein was increased.
The teachers of the county, from the commencement of the common school system, maintained a county teachers' association, and annually held conven- tions, where educational matters of all descriptions were discussed and various methods of instruction under improved ideas were exemplified. On occasions of this character it was customary to listen to lectures upon educational topics by prominent instructors. In 1847 the officers of the County Teachers' Asso- ciation were Dr. Dyer president, Louis Bradley and Daniel Holmes vice-presi- dents, L. H. Eaton treasurer, and H. Williams secretary. At the meeting held in November, 1847, Professor Kelley illustrated a new method of teaching arithmetic, and Professor Dyer lectured on "Improvements in Educational Methods." At this time the Association was reorganized and new by-laws and an amended constitution were adopted. In 1848 A. G. Rhinehart was president, and among those present at the annual convention were Messrs. Eaton, Bryan, Whittier, Smith, Kelley, Livingston, Stevens, Kerr, Schoon-
(g) Gazette, February 23, 1838.
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
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