USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Kutztown > The centennial history of Kutztown, Pennsylvania : celebrating the centennial of the incorporation of the borough, 1815-1915 > Part 17
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cipal, R. M. Rentschler ; Assistant Principal, H. B. Yoder; Eighth Grade, C. F. Levan ; Seventh Grade, Laura I. Keck; Sixth Grade, Helen S. Seidel ; Fifth Grade, Esther L. Schmehl; Fourth Grade, Arline R. Smith ; Third Grade, Mabel R. Levan ; Sec- ond Grade, Katharine Y. Ruth ; First Grade, Myrtle W. Steffy; and Superintendent of Music, Geo. W. Fichthorn. The salaries range from $105.00 to $55.00. Term, nine months.
It is worthy of note that the following persons, at one time or another teachers, were in a subsequent period of their lives elected to the position of school director : John Humbert, Allen W. Fritch, Allen S. Hottenstein, James H. Marx, D. L. Wartz- enluft, C. I. G. Christman, G. C. Bordner, H. A. Fister, and Geo. A. Schlenker.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
During the second quarter of the nine- teenth century there were a number of pri- vate schools opened and conducted, for a longer or shorter time, in Kutztown. The aspirations of the people of the community for higher education were not satisfied by what the parochial or the public school supplied. Of several of these schools very little is known.
Hon. William S. Ermentrout is said to have conducted a private school in the bor- ough, but no further information than this has been elicited by diligent inquiry.
In 1847 Prof. G. Dering Wolff "opened a select school at the solicitation of a num- ber of citizens. It was numerously attended and served its purpose for a number of years."1
MASON'S "PAY SCHOOL"
For some fifteen years, approximately from 1835 to 1850, a certain "Professor ( William' ?) Mason conducted a "Pay School" in Kutztown. The school occu- pied, for the whole or a part of the time, an old weatherboarded log building which stood on West Main street, on the site now occupied by the fine home of Mr. John Gonser. The house was the home of Paul Hilbert (deceased October, 1876), father- in-law to Dr. Charles H. Wanner. The floor is described as being of rough oak boards, badly warped. The room was heat- ed by a heavy cylindrical wood stove. One authority avers that the school was not conducted continuously in this building, but was moved from place to place, first to
1 Montgomery, "History of Berks County," p. 865.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
James Dietrich's, near the first location, and later successively to Samuel Snyder's house ( where C. W. Snyder has his photo. graph gallery), and to Joshua Bieber's store building-in each of the last three places one year each. Another, still living, authority says that during its last year or years it was housed in the old "Swan Inn" ( Wan- ner-Hoch-Gross house.) These discrepan- cies are, apparently, inexplicable at pres- ent.
Mason is described as being " a very dis- tinguished looking man." He was accus- tomed to take a morning walk along the road leading to Lyons. Some country chil- dren coming to town one morning met him at the Coffeetown quarry as he was on one of his pedestrian trips. They were school
the school, giving instruction in art needle- work, so that the introduction of the man- ual arts into Kutztown schools is not so recent as has been supposed. Mrs. Helena Bichl, (then Helena Kutz) now resident at West Main and Schoedler streets, was a pupil in Mason's School, taking lessons in this art work from Mrs. Mason. The ac- companying illustration is from a photo- graph of a large and remarkably well exe- cuted, especially for a girl of eleven years, sampler made under the. direction of Mrs. Mason. The sampler shows, with evi- dent accuracy of detail, the old St. John's Union Church and the Franklin Academy just across White Oak street. So far as known it is the only contemporary picture showing these two buildings. It is accur-
Aelena Kutz her
work In theirA year
1942
88
SAMPLER WORKED BY MRS. HELENA BIEHL WHEN A PUPIL, IN FRANKLIN ACADEMY (Showing the Old Union Church and the Franklin Academy )
children attending the parochial ( ?) school. "We were afraid of him because he seemed so gay and stylish and spoke English, while we spoke German only." ( Mrs. Wynne).
He is said to have been an excellent teach- er. He had a library and sold books-pos- sibly acted as colporteur. Mrs. Wynne, (then Elizabeth Neff), remembers having secured a book of Bible biographies from him.
He married a "lady from Pricetown, 'for money' as the gossips said." The marriage occurred soon after Mason came to town. The pair had two sons, the elder thirteen or fourteen years of age when the family left Kutztown. There was also a daugh- ter. Mrs. Mason assisted her husband in
ate even to the number of panes of glass in the windows.
Other pupils in Mason's School were: Mrs Joshua Merkel, ( then Matilda Kemp), mother of Mrs. John DeTurk ; Mrs. Michael ( then Ca'harine Ortt) ; her brother, Mr. Tames Ortt, a veteran school teacher of Toner Milford township, Lehigh county ; Tohn D. De'sher ( father of Henry K. Deish- er ) : and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Butz.
Other than his wife, Mr. Mason had no assistants. The school, especially after the opening of Franklin Academy and because of the competition with that institution. was not a financial success, and so, about 1850, Mr. Mason left Kutztown, going to Tus- caloosa, Alabama, where he was reported
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
to have secured the principalship of a school or schools, at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars.
THE FRANKLIN ACADEMY
At the west corner of the intersection of Walnut and White Oak streets stands a building of peculiar interest to the stu- dent of Kutztown history who is, also, in- terested in matters educational. It is a plain, low, frame, weatherboarded building, with windows set with small panes of glass after the fashion of the olden time. At present it is the home of Miss Mary Miller. Around this humble building cluster num- erous associations. For some 15 to 20 years it was the home of a school of higher in- struction which rendered great service to the community and which, though it was at
THE FRANKLIN ACADEMY
last compelled to close its doors, was the indirect predecessor of the splendid Normal School which is now the glory of Kutztown and all this section.
Franklin Academy was opened in the year 1835. It was established to gratify the wish of many of the people resident in this vicinage for a more extensive secular education than was supplied by the church school. It was founded by a number of citizens who organized themselves into an "Academy Club" association. There were eighteen persons in the club. Of these, the names of the following were given by af aged friend whose memory failed to recall the names of the others: Arnold (a Tew),1 "Captain" Daniel Bieber, George Bieber,
John Bieber, Biehl, Jacob Esser,
(the hatter ), David Fister, Graeff, Jacob Heffner, "King" David B. Kutz, "Butcher" Levan, Henry Neff, and "Squire" Wanner.
Alexander Ramsey, who was teaching in the parochial school, was called thence to be the first teacher of the new school which, during the first year of its existence. was conducted in the stone house of Israel Ben- ner, the jeweler of the town, on the east side of White Oak street, about midway between the alley and Walnut street. In the academy were taught, besides the rudi- mentary branches, "geography, history, composition, declamation, book-keeping, geometry, surveying, etc."
Ermentrout remarks upon this school that "Thus was drawn in this section the first line of separation between secular and re- ligious education, and the first attempt made to withdraw from the clergy the sole direc- tion of the schools." (p. 42).
The school was so much of a success that its patrons determined to erect a building for its occupancy. This, the wooden build- ing referred to, was erected during the year 1825-26. Here Ermentrout (p. 42) may be followed further. "From an advertise- ment in 'The Neutralist,' August 21, 1836, by Daniel Bieber, Secretary of the Associa- tion, we learn that, in order to furnish bet- ter accommodations, the Association had just erected a new building which would be opened for students on the following September I ; that the number of students was limited to thirty-three; that no pupil would be received for a less time than six months ; and that the terms for this period were ten dollars.
"In order to draw the annual appropria- tion of four hundred dollars which the State offered to an academy that had on its roll twenty-five students, the Franklin [ Academy ] was incorporated in 1838. Its first trustees were Daniel B. Kutz, Daniel Bieber. Col. John Wanner, David Kutz, Dr. C. L. Schlemm, David Deisher, and Henry Heffner. Among its teachers were Alex. Ramsey, Rev. Charles Lukens, Messrs. Murphy, Wanner, Kohler, Hill, Bitler, Sal- ter. and Woodbury.'
Whether these are named in order of suc- cession is not known. The name of Wolf has been given as that of one of the teachers. Whether this was George D. Wolff. mentioned above as having a private school or whether Wolff's school there men- tioned was really the Franklin Academy, is uncertain.
1 He conducted a store where the Shankweiler Brothers now do business.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
Some details as to several of these teach- ers have been gleaned from an elderly friend who retains some memory of them. The Rev. Charles Lukens was from New Eng- land and is characterized as a "grand teach- er." Timothy Murphy was "an Irishman with considerable of a brogue," but he was "an excellent teacher." He had a wife and three children. After teaching several years he found the income insufficient for his sup- port and quit the school, leaving the town.
Finally, as interest in the public schools increased, the support given to the academy decreased, it was not possible to retain or secure teachers, and the school was about to pass out of existence. It had an excellent library, we are informed, and this was of great value to the students and to the community. Among the pupils who, at- tending the academy, became prominent in the town later in life were: John G. Wink. Angustus Wink, J. Daniel Wanner, Joel B. Wanner, and Jonas Hoch. The latter gentleman used to recount to his children some amusing incidents relative to a teacher whom he had by the name of Bragg. Whether the latter was a teacher in the academy or in the old parochial school can- not now be determined.
FAIRVIEW SEMINARY
The Rev. J. Sassaman Herman, pastor of the St. John's Reformed Church, was greatly interested in the social welfare of the community and in education as neces - sary for the same. Franklin Academy hav- ing closed its doors and the public school failing to provide for more than elementary education, Rev. Mr. Herman conceived the idea of starting a school of higher educa- tion in his large house just west of town.
With this idea in mind, Pastor Herman, attending the meeting of the Synod of his denomination (probably in the autumn of 1858 or 1859), met there the Rev. Dr. E. V. Gerhart, (from 1855 to 1866, President of Franklin and Marshall College, Lancas- ter : subsequently Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology in the Reformed Theological Seminary at Mercersburg and later at Lancaster). To Doctor Gerhart Mr. Herman communicated his purpose and succeeded in enlisting his interest and co-operation in carrying out the scheme. Asked to recommend a teacher, Doctor Ger- hart suggested the name of a young man, Henry R. Nicks, who. born in the Palatinate on the Rhine, had. after coming to Amer- ica in 1842 and attending school as onnor- tunity afforded. graduated from Franklin and Marshall College and afterward had taught successfully in the Preparatory De-
partment of that institution. Doctor Ger- hart then took up the matter with Mr. Nicks with the result that the latter accepted the proposal of Pastor Herman.
Mr. Nicks came to Kutztown and, on the 15th of November, 1860, opened the school in Herman's house. The name "Fairview Seminary" was adopted as the title of the new institution, the title being suggested as will be narrated in the story of "Fairview Cemetery," on another page. From the school the house, long the home of Col. T. D. Fister, received its well known designa- tion of "Fairview Mansion." With Mr. Nicks were associated, as assistant teach- ers, John Humbert, Esq. and Harry Weand. Five pupils reported the first day. One
REV. E. V. GERHART, D. D.
of these was Nathan C. Schaeffer, now the illustrious Superintendent of Public Instruc tion of the State of Pennsylvania. The, second dav a sixth pupil was enrolled, and by the end of the week nine pupils were in attendance. The school grew slowly but surely, and a firm foundation was laid for the institutions that succeeded this one. Early in 1863 Pastor Herman sold the prop- erty to Egidius Butz. Mr. Nicks was con sequently obliged to vacate the house and "Fairview Seminary," after an existence of three years, closed its doors.
KUTZTOWN SEMINARY
The school was not, however, really closed. when Professor Nicks left "Fair- view Mansion." Possibly he intended giv- ing up the work in Kutztown, but again
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
credit must be given to Doctor Gerhart for encouraging the young teacher. It is on record that letters passed between the two during this period. As a result of the en- couragement thus received Professor Nicks re-opened his school in August, 1863, un- der the name of "Kutztown Seminary," in a room on the upper floor of the old brick public school house ( now the Leibovitz shirt factory), in the room toward Normal ave- nue. Here until July, 1864, the school was conducted with renewed vigor and, appar- ently, gratifying success. A. S. Hottenstein. who was, later, the first superintendent of the Model School of the Keystone State Normal, served as assistant to Professor Nicks during the spring of 1864. Among the pupils attending the Kutztown Semin- ary were: Nathan C. Schaeffer, Walter B. Bieber, Elton S. Bieber, Aaron Mander- bach, Cyrus Wanner, Zach. T. Hoch, and Zach. T. Miller.
MAXATAWNY SEMINARY
When, in the spring of 1863, it became apparent that the Herman house would have to be vacated, Mr. Nicks was much dis- couraged, and wrote to Doctor Gerhart ask- ing help in securing another position. Doc- tor Gerhart replied urging him to keep on at Kutztown, promising himself to visit the people and to help in raising money for a new building. This letter of Doctor Ger- hart was probably written on Saturday. April 25, 1863, as is inferred from a record in Doctor Gerhart's diary. Then, on Fri- day, May I, he came to Kutztown, spend- ing the evening with Herman and Nicks, · on Saturday visiting the people of the com- munity for the purpose of interesting them in the project of putting Mr. Nicks' school on a permanent basis. But, in the interests of historical accuracy in a matter so im- portant as this which led within a year or two to the founding of the Normal School, it is well to put on record here the original story as it is found in Dr. Gerhart's diary, recently consulted for this purpose by the Rev. Dr. George W. Richards, Professor of Church History in the Seminary at Lan- caster.
EXTRACT FROM DIARY OF DR. E. V. GERHART
"[ Monday ], May 4th, [1863]. On Fri- day | May I| go to Kutztown, where I spend Saturday and Sunday .- Friday Eng1 vis2 Rev. Herman & the "School." Satur- day | May 2] read and write in A. M. P. M. vis2 a no3 of families in county & town, conferring with them in regard to perm-
anent establishment of Mr. Nicks School. Wrote to Eliza & Geo. Noll.
"Sunday [May 3] P* Isa. 53 :6 at Fleetwood for Rev. Gromlys, Lutheran, and assist in adm6 H. Com. Dine & return to Kutztown and P+ at 21% P. M. on 2 Cor. 13 : 3. Sup with Dr. Wanner.
"Monday [ May 4], confer with Mr. Nicks, vis2 Rev. Herman. Draw up papers for joint Stock Co. Return home by 6."
These first days of May were pregnant with results for this community. In a re- cent letter from Dr. N. C. Schaeffer, this reminiscence of Doctor Gerhart's visit is given :
"I remember the visit. He and Mr. Nieks visited by father's home. | David Schaef- fer's in Maxatawny, some distance east of Kutztown ]. I opened the gate for them. We were in the barn threshing grain. I wore a black hat that resembled the head gear of an archbishop. But such things did not bother me in my boyhood.
"The first subscription, of $500, was made by Jacob Sunday, the grandfather of Pierce [ and Jacob ] Kemp. This encouraged Mr. Nicks so much that he continued to raise the money after Doctor Gerhart's return to Lancaster.'
From time to time, as records in Doctor Gerhart's diary show, Nicks received let- ters from his Lancaster friend. At last he succeeded in raising $5,700 dollars, in hund- red dollar shares. Of these he took four himself. Five acres of land, at $275.00 per acre, were purchased and on this ground was erected a building, fifty feet by forty, which later became the eastern wing of the Keystone State Normal School. Into this building, to which was given the name of "Maxatawny Seminary," the school was moved in September, 1864.
On the building, planned to cost some- what less, $6,500 was expended. Ermen- trout says that Doctor Gerhart mapped out the plan of the building. The school pros- pered. Professor Nicks had as his chief assistant, Professor Samuel Transeau, a graduate of Franklin and Marshall Col- lege, later City Superintendent of the Public Schools of Williamsport, Pa. In the spring of 1865, Prof. John S. Ermentrout, then Superintendent of the Public Schools of
1Evening. 2Visit.
3 Number.
4 Preach.
"Rev. B. E. Kramlich.
៛ Administering.
7Holy Communion.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
Berks Co., taught a class of young people intent on becoming teachers. About that time Superintendent Ermentrout conceived the idea of converting the school into the Normal School of the Third District, if State recognition could be secured. The project had been broached before but untit Professor Nicks had made a success of his school there was little likelihood of the realization of the idea. Professor Nicks allowed himself to agree to the scheme, for scheme it now seems to have been, a scheme which, when the new school was recognized by the State, deprived him of the expected fruits of his labors, since Mr. Ermentrout succeeded in winning the principalship of the Normal School while Mr. Nicks was accorded a subordinate position.
That this was an ill requital of the lat- ter's efforts is evidenced by papers yet ex- tant which prove conclusively that both con- tributors to the erection of the building and Mr. Nicks himself expected him to be- come the owner. Nicks held an option on the property, by the terms of the original subscription which read:
"The said share-holders, each and every one of them, agree to transfer their stocks or any of them to the said H. R. Nicks at their par value, at any time he, the said H. R. Nicks, re- quests them or any of them to do so, and as soon as the said H. R. Nicks shall have purchased all the stocks or shares from the shareholders, the title of the said premises shall be made to him, the said H. R. Nicks, by good and lawful deed of conveyance, and he, the said H. R. Nicks, shall become the sole proprietor and owner of the said premises and establishment."
During the year of the existence of Max-
atawny Seminary proper, and the year in which, as the proposed Keystone State Nor- mal School it waited for recognition, in- deed for some time thereafter, Professor Nicks paid interest, at six per cent., on the stocks that he did not personally own. As an instance, on April 6th, 1866, he was given a receipt for $28 "interest on stocks of Maxatawny Seminary for August Ist, 1865, to April Ist, 1866," signed by Jacob Sunday, the first contributor.
But the control of the school was taken from him, to his own great disappointment and to the great indignation of some of his ardent friends and supporters.
But, by and by, the controversy subsided, Nicks took a subordinate place, gave up, unwillingly, no doubt, his claims, worked awhile in the new Normal, and finally left to become President of Palatinate College, Myerstown. While there he became a licensed clergyman of the Reformed Church.
Whatever the merits of the claims of the parties to the controversy that attended the founding of the Normal School, and it now seems certain that Professor Nicks was not fairly treated, it is yet true that, without doubt, his loss was the gain of the com- munity in the years from then to now, for it is hardly probable that, had he fully suc- ceeded in his plans, there would be today the magnificent school that crowning Nor- mal Hill, celebrates its semi-centennial this vear. Certainly, though he did not intend it to be so, Prof. H. R. Nicks must be ac- corded the honor of being the most active among the founders of the Keystone State Normal School, the story of which imme- diately follows.
OLD ( FIRST) BUILDINGS OF KEYSTONE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF KUTZTOWN
KEYSTONE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
The history of the Keystone State Nor- mal School is vitally connected with that of the private schools which preceded it, a history told in some detail in the last pre- ceding pages. A few additional details are here added, with perhaps a few repetitions. Prof. H. R. Nicks was the first and princi- pal teacher of Fairview Seminary. He op- ened the school with five pupils: Erastus Bast, O. C. Herman, Jefferson C. Hoch, Nathan C. Schaeffer (later for sixteen years principal of the Keystone State Normal School and, since 1893, Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Pennsyl- vania ), and Miss Clara Wanner.1
OLD ( FIRST ) BUILDINGS OF KEYSTONE STATE NORMAL
The school prospered under Professor Nicks ; by April, 1801, he had forty-one pupils on the roll and in the spring of 1863 there were eighty-five. In the fall of 1863, as has been narrated, the school was moved to Kutztown and conducted, in a room of the public school, under the name of Kutz- town Academy. The school continued to prosper. During 1863 and 1864, throughi the influence of Professor Nicks, five acres of land were purchased, where part of the Normal buildings now stand, and on that tract was begun the erection of a larger brick building. Into this structure, which cost $6,500 and which, occupying part of the site of the present Boys' Dormitories, became later the northeastern wing of the Keystone State Normal School, in the fall of 1864, Kutztown Academy was moved and there conducted under the new name of Maxatawny Seminary. Professor Nicks continued as principal, associated with him- self, in the fall of 1865, the Rev. Samuel Transeau, as assistant, who remained with the school till 1867, removing in 1873 to Williamsport, where for a number of years he served as City Superintendent of Public Schools.
As early as 1857 the location of the State Normal School of the third district, com- posed of the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Schuylkill, was discussed. In that year, in an address delivered at Reading, the
Hon. H. H. Schwartz, then Superintendent of Schools of Lehigh County, advocated the claims of Kutztown as the most suitable site for the proposed institution. In 1862 the Rev. B. E. Kramlich suggested that Professor Nicks' "Fairview Seminary" be converted into a State Normal. The Rev. John S. Ermentrout, Superintendent of the Berks County Public Schools, favored Ham- burg as a better location. Professor Nicks, however, was the individual who worked hardest and did most, accomplishing what others merely talked about. In 1863 he entered into correspondence with the Hon. Thomas H. Burrowes, State Superintend- ent, in order to ascertain what steps were to be taken to secure recognition of the school as a State Normal School. In the spring of 1865 a number of public school teachers were gathered into Maxatawny Seminary and there given formal pedagogical instruc- tion by County Superintendent Ermentrout. When the success of Maxatawny Seminary had been assured, Professor Nicks proceed- ed to interest the community in the greater project. As the direct result of his ad- vocacy of the measure and his own sacrifice of time and money an organization was ef- fected in the summer of 1865 and funds were speedily subscribed for the erection of two additional buildings, a central build- ing and a wing on the northwest, similar to the Maxatawny Seminary building which, after the erection of the two new edifices formed the northeast wing of the completed structure, the whole representing a frontage of 240 feet, "with boarding accommodations for 300 and school accommodations for 400 students." The cornerstone of this struc- ture was laid September 17, 1865, by Sup- erintendent Ermentrout. In the corner- stone "were deposited, among other things, the Bible and the Apostles' Creed."1
Addresses on this occasion were delivered by Hon. J. Lawrence Getz, William Rosen- thal, Esq., Daniel Eermentrout, Esq., Llew- ellyn Wanner, Esq., and Prof. Albert N. Raub. The building, erected by Messrs. Garst and Mast, of the city of Reading, was completed within a year at a cost of about $40,000.2
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