USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 37
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Prof. Samuel S. Greene, of Brown University, succeeded Mr. Kings- bury as president of the institute in 1856, and held the office four years. The successive presidents since 1860 have been as follows : John J. Ladd, William A. Mowry, Thomas W. Bicknell, Noble W. De- Munn, James T. Edwards, Albert J. Manchester, Merrick Lyon, Isaac F. Cady and David W. Hoyt.
After the retirement of Mr. Barnard and the succession of Mr. Potter to the office of commissioner of schools, the Rhode Island Educational Magazine was started under the auspices of the institute and continued two years. In 1855 a third educational publication, called the Rhode Island Schoolmaster, was founded, which, in 1860, was made the official organ of the institute, and a board of editors was appointed. This mutual connection continued until 1874, when the
375
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
institute voted to unite with other New England States in founding the New England Journal of Education, and to transfer to it the good will of the Schoolmaster. These several publications served as a medium for the circulation of a large quantity of material that was very valuable in the promotion of the best interests of education.
A condition of membership in the institute at the time of its organi- zation was the payment of a fee, the amount of which was left optional with the individual; this provision was repealed in 1853, but the con- sequent abandonment of all distinction between members and those who were not, proved unsatisfactory, and in January, 1872, the con- stitution was amended making membership dependent upon the pay- ment of one dollar by men and fifty cents by women.
A capable writer on educational subjects,1 in 1875-6, made the following observations on the work of the Institute down to that date :
"Any sketch of the Institute would be incomplete without reference to the influence of the annual and subsidiary meetings of the Institute in multiplying friends to the cause of popular education, and in strengthening its hold upon the public mind. This is made evident by the increased attendance upon its meetings, as well as by the high character of the citizens who extended to them their cordial support. This has been a more distinctly marked feature within the last four- teen years. Up to that time, with few exceptions, and those were even- ings when a popular speaker from abroad addressed the Institute, the vestry of a church had furnished all needed accommodations. But year by year the circle of interest widened until in 1870 it became necessary to transfer the annual meetings to Roger Williams Hall, capa- ble of seating sixteen hundred people. A single year demonstrated that even this Hall was of too limited dimensions, and in 1872, for this reason, the evening exercises were held in Music Hall, the largest audi- ence room in Providence, if not in the State. The annual meetings of subsequent years, held in this latter hall, have been pre-eminently distinguished for numbers and enthusiasm. Such gatherings of teach- ers and the friends of education were never before seen in Rhode Island, if indeed, in any part of the United States. At the evening sessions, each year, not less than three thousand persons have been present.
"In reviewing the work of the Institute a glance at the records of more than one hundred meetings, held in various parts of the State shows that the Institute not only commenced its labors with the advo- cacy of a Normal School, but has led public opinion in every movement originated for the improvement of the public school system. It early encouraged the formation of Town and District Libraries, the intro-
1Thomas B. Stockwell, Hist. of Public Education in Rhode Island, pp. 126-7.
376
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
duction of Music into the public schools as an important element of culture, the establishing of a Board of Education, 'by the aid of which the public schools would be safe from the influences of politics and the evils of sectarian prejudices', and the opening of Evening Schools in our manufacturing villages, to meet an imperative want of the operative population. The lecturers included many of the ablest edu- cators in our country, while the range of topics considered at these meetings evinced a breadth of view not elsewhere surpassed, and touched upon every point vital to the advancement of our schools."
Normal School .- The Rhode Island Normal School, to which some brief reference has already been made, was one of the educational projects that early claimed the attention of Henry Barnard, as well as of other friends of education. One of the purposes planned by his first school act, it will be remembered, was "to establish one thoroughly organized normal school in the State, where teachers and such as pro- pose to teach may become acquainted with the most approved and successful methods of arranging the studies and conducting the disci- pline and instruction of the public school". The Rhode Island Insti- tute of Public Instruction, also, made the establishment of such a school one of its early purposes. In the school act of 1845 a normal school was authorized, but the object was not consummated, as no appropriation was made for it. In 1850, when there was a reorganiza- tion of Brown University, the opening of a normal department was announced, or a so-called professorship of didactics, to the chair of which Samuel S. Greene was appointed. While this was a step in the right direction, the department did not meet the popular demand, and a change was made on October 24, 1852, when the Normal School was opened by Professor Greene as a private institution. Hc had three assistants, one of whom was Dana P. Colburn. The first normal classes were held in the old Providence High School building, which later became the home of the Normal School. Professor Greene con- tinued his school until 1854, previous to which date the school com- mittec adopted the following resolution :
"Resolved, That, in the opinion of this committee, the time has arrived when a normal school for the education of teachers should be added to our system of public instruction, and that it be recommended to the city council to establish such a school, either separately, for the exclusive benefit of the city, or in connection with the government of the State of Rhode Island, for the joint benefit of the city and the State, as in their wisdom they may decm best."
In the spring of 1854, when Professor Greene had become fully
377
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
occupied with his duties in the university, Dana P. Colburn was chosen principal of the Normal School at a salary of $1,200, and the institution continued in a very prosperous and encouraging condition. Among the instructors and lecturers are found the names of many of the university professors and leading citizens of Providence and other places.
In 1857 there arose a general feeling in favor of removing the school to some other point. Many towns made propositions for its location, but the preference finally fell to Bristol, where the Congregational society had recently erected a new church, and several of the proprie- tors of the former one offered to surrender all of their interest in the property to the school. A committee was appointed to make arrange- ments for the change. The church building stood on Bradford street, and the committee purchased of Allen T. Usher a lot of land on the north side of that street for $2,067.50, moved the building upon it, and fitted the upper part for the school. It was divided into four rooms, bringing the total cost of the change up to $2,496.65. In May, 1858, the rooms were placed in charge of the school committee and the be- fore-named committee was discharged. In 1857 the General Assembly passed an act legally removing the school to Bristol. Dana P. Colburn served as principal until his death, in December, 1859, two years after the removal, and was succeeded by Joshua Kendall, who was elected chairman of the school committee of Bristol in 1862.
The removal of the school to Bristol seems to have been a mistake, and the wonder is at the present day that it ever could have received the advocacy of prominent friends of the institution. Its growth was checked, and in 1865, at the close of the spring term, the school was closed five weeks. In July the trustees suspended it indefinitely. A long period of suspense and futile effort followed ; an act was passed by the Assembly in 1866 to provide instruction in the special prepara- tion of teachers for their profession. About 150 were accordingly trained in the Providence Conference Seminary in East Greenwich and in the Lapham Institute, at an expense to the State of nearly $2,500. But there was still an insufficiency of good teachers, and the need of a normal school was just as imperative as ever and yearly becoming more necessary. Down to 1865 Arthur Sumner had served as assistant teacher with Mr. Colburn, and between 1855 and 1865, the female assistants were Misses Harriet W. Goodwin, E. T. Brown, A. F. Saunders, Ellen R. Luther, and Ellen G. LeGro.
Plans were advanced during several years for the re-establishment of the Normal School, and finally, on March 14, 1871, an act of incor-
378
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
poration was passed by the General Assembly, and appointing as trus- tees of the institution the Board of Education of Providence and the commissioner of public schools. An appropriation of $10,000 was made, and the opening exercises of the school were held on September 6 of that year in Normal Hall, which was formerly the High Street Congregational church, Providence. J. C. Greenough, A. B., was chosen principal, with Miss S. C. Bancroft, first assistant, and Miss M. L. Jewett, second assistant. At the beginning 150 applications were made by students and certificates were given to 106; before the end of that year the number of students was 115, of whom only eight were men.
At the May session of the Legislature in 1877 an appropriation of $10,000 was made for the school with which to provide it with a permanent home. For this purpose the old high school building, erected in 1843 on the corner of Waterman and Benefit streets, was purchased by the State, an addition built on its rear thirty-two by forty-two feet in size, in which were constructed a laboratory, a men's dressing room, etc., a study hall provided on the third floor, more per- fect ventilating arrangements introduced, etc. Prof. J. C. Greenough was then principal, but he resigned in 1882 and was succeeded by Dr. Thomas J. Morgan. In the school year of 1883-4 several needed im- provements were made in the building; the office and reception room were refitted, cases for books and minerals built, electric bells and programme clock introduced, and additions made to the library.
The school increased in attendance as its value became more appar- ent, and about 1891 the need of a more commodious structure was noticed in the reports. In 1892 a commission was appointed to pro- cure a site for a new building and superintend its construction. In the following year the commission purchased all of the land within the bounds of Francis, Gaspee, Promenade, Park and Lincoln streets. Plans were drawn by architects Martin & Hall, of Providence, and a contract for erecting the new building was let to Nathan B. Horton & Son, of Providence, on May 1, 1895.
The building was dedicated on September 7, 1898, with appropriate ceremonies. The prayer was made by Rev. E. C. Bass, and was fol- lowed by the opening address by Gov. Elisha Dyer. The building committee then made their report. A dedication prayer was offered by Rev. Charles J. White, which was followed by an address by W. T. Harris, LL. D. The benediction was pronounced by Rev. H. W. Rugg.
This building and grounds is one of the best in the United States for its purpose. It includes in its plan all of the most approved archi-
379
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
tectural principles as applied to school buildings, and is equipped with every convenience for effective teaching and study, and to promote the health and comfort of its inmates. Its recent completion renders a detailed description of it unnecessary in these pages. For its out- ward appearance the reader is referred to the illustration on another page.
The number of students in the normal school from year to year since the figures previously given, is as follows :
1872-3
156
1874-5
80
1876-7
143
1878
145
1879
134
1880
136
1881
159
1882
124
1883
160
1884
160
1885
153
1886
150
1887
159
1888
180
1889
200 203
1891
214
1892
191
1893
199
1894
196
1895
1896
251
1897
218
1898
247
1899
247
1890
Dr Morgan continued at the head of the school until 1889, when he was succeeded by Prof. George A. Littlefield. He was followed in 1892 by Prof. W. E. Wilson, who continued in the position until 1899, when he was succeeded by Prof. Fred Gowing.
Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts .- Through the provisions of the land grant act of Congress of 1863, the State of Rhode Island came into possession of land scrip to the amount of 30,000 acres of government land, the act giving each State that amount for each senator and representative in Congress. This land was to be sold by the several States and the proceeds invested, and the annual
380
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
income "inviolably appropriated by each State which may take and claim the benefit of this act, to the endowment, support and mainte- nance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to Agricul- ture and Mechanic Arts, in such manner as the Legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life."
On the 2d of March, 1887, what is known as the Hatch act was passed, appropriating $15,000 annually to each State, for the purpose of establishing an Agricultural Experiment Station in connection with an Agricultural College or School.
Long before the acceptance of this land scrip by Rhode Island there had existed a sentiment in the State that her young men were deprived of instruction in agriculture and mechanic arts to a greater degree than those of other States, where colleges of this character had been established. This sentiment crystallized in a determination to have the Hatch agricultural experiment station connected with a regular agricultural institution. In pursuance of this determination the Rhode Island State Agricultural School was established through the provisions of Chapter 706 of the public laws, passed May 23, 1888. On August 30, 1890, the so-called new Morrill bill was passed by Con- gress, appropriating for the further support of agricultural and me- chanical colleges a sum beginning with $15,000, and increasing at the rate of $1,000 annually until the appropriation reached $25,000. In order to give the Rhode Island school already founded the benefit of this appropriation, the chapter above mentioned was amended so as to incorporate the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. On the 19th of April, 1894, the State Legislature passed an act authorizing the State treasurer to pay to the corporation of Brown University $40,000, in consideration of the transfer to the State of the proceeds of the original land grant of 1863 and withdraw its suit for the Morrill fund from the United States Supreme Court.
Suitable buildings were erected on a hillside in Kingston, where a station of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad is estab- lished. Besides College Hall, a dormitory building was erected, which was burned on January 27, 1895. It was replaced by a fine granite building, called Davis Hall, which was ready for use in October of that year. The number of graduates in 1899 was 236.
The State Legislature, at the January session of 1897, made an ap-
381
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
propriation to the college for the erection of a large three story stone building, the basement of which is used for instruction in photography and physics, with a large room for electrical engineering. On the second floor are recitation rooms, chapel, library and reading room, and a young women's study room. The third floor contains a large hall for drill and gymnasium purposes, and assemblies. This building was given the name Lippitt Hall.
The growth and usefulness of this institution were marked from the very first ; modern out-buildings have been built, new courses of study added, the faculty increased in number, until at the present time it is one of the foremost of the similar schools of the country. John Hosea Washburn, Ph. D., has occupied the position of president and pro- fessor of agricultural chemistry from the first, and with him are now associated a faculty of about twenty-five accomplished educators in the various departments. There are five courses of study leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, besides short special courses. The courses offered to men are also open to women, thus greatly extending the benefits of the college. The reader will find the details of courses of study and all other matters connected with the institution in the annual reports.
What is known as the Lippitt prize is the sum of $100 offered by Ex-Gov. Charles Warren Lippitt; it is divided into two parts-the first of $60 and the second of $40, which are awarded to the best writ- ten and delivered essays on the history of Rhode Island in the Revolu- tion.
Rhode Island School of Design .- This institution began operations under a charter dated January, 1877, and continued several years in a small way, but with encouraging prospects. The number of students was not large, but they made satisfactory progress and most of them found employment with large manufacturers upon the strength of the attainments acquired in the school. From about the year 1883 (in which there were 229 students) the prosperity of the institution was more marked. After occupying leased rooms about ten years the authorities and friends of the school felt that it was entitled to a per- manent home of its own. The subject was discussed in 1889, 1890 and 1891, and finally its most liberal friend and supporter, Jesse Metcalf, came forward and provided means for the erection of the commodious and handsome structure on Waterman street, which was ready for occupancy at the opening of the October term of 1892. Mr. Metcalf had repeatedly shown his generosity to the school previous to this times, as also had Stephen Metcalf and Mrs. Gustav Radeke. The
382
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
basement of the building comprises a large hall, a room thirty-two by thirty-four feet in size opening from it, the latter divided by a sash partition for modeling and wood carving; the janitor's room and the staircase. The first floor is devoted to a museum and office and the main public entrance. The second floor is occupied by the mechanical department; and the third is devoted to free hand drawing. The museum comprises three separate exhibition rooms. An exhibition was given in November, 1893. The new building was dedicated Octo- ber 24, 1893, with appropriate exercises, including an address by James Macallister, and speeches by Governor Brown, President An- drews of Brown University, and Bishop Clark. A large addition was subsequently made to the building.
The annual report states that all of the graduating class of 1888 had obtained good positions; indeed this has been the case in almost every year from the beginning. The department of design is in close touch with various manufacturers, to the great advantage of the school, and prizes offered by the Association of Manufacturing Jewelers, by the Rhode Island State Fair Association, and for textile designing have been productive of excellent work. The faculty, at the head of which Warren S. Locke remained until the close of 1900, numbers fifteen. The number of students from year to year is shown in the following figures :
1884
251
1885
226
1886
284
227 1887
1888
208
1889
212
1890
283
1891
315
1892
343
1893
370
1894
346
1895
417
1896
431
1897
422
1898
446
1899
456
1900
508
Rhode Island Institute for the Deaf .- The State has under its care several institutions that constitute a part of the system of public education. One of these is the Rhode Island Institute for the Deaf,
383
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
which was first opened on April 2, 1877, with five pupils, whose parents were responsible for a petition to the General Assembly for aid in educating their children. An appropriation was made for the purpose, and the school was located at first in the school house at the corner of Benefit and Halsey streets, in Providence, the conditional use of a room having been granted for the purpose. The school is in charge of a board of eleven trustees, of which the governor and lieutenant-gover- nor are members ex officio. The school was subsequently removed to a building on the corner of Fountain and Beverly streets and placed in a building owned by the city and leased to the State free of rent. This was occupied until 1895, when it occupied a special building on the corner of East avenue and Cypress street, the site of which was purchased for the purpose. In 1898 additional land was acquired and the building was extended so as to supply accommodations for fifty boys and thirty-five girls. In 1893 it was first given the title of Institute and was placed in charge of trustees ; in the same year it was opened as a boarding school.
When the school was opened any child over four years of age in the State was admitted free of charges, provided the parents sub- scribed to a certain form of application. Pupils were to be admitted from other States at an annual charge of $100. Joseph W. Homer was the first principal of the school, and was succeeded in 1882 by Katharine H. Austin. She was succeeded in 1885 by Anna M. Black, who filled the position until 1889, when the present incumbent, Laura De L. Richards was chosen. She is at the present time assisted by ten teachers, with two attendants, an assistant attendant and the janitor.
The number of pupils from year to year is shown in the following statement :
1879
13
1880
28
1881
29
1882
33
1883
33
1884
30
1885
32
1886
32
1887
37
1888
34
1889
31
1890
41
1891
43
1892
43
384
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
1893
58
1894
57
1895
52
1896
62
1897
63
1898
68
1899
75
The annual appropriation for the Institute is now $19,000.
Miscellaneous Schools .- Of the very many educational institutions in a measure outside of the public school system, many of them of a strictly private character, there are now in existence twenty-eight ; twenty of these are in Providence and four in Newport, leaving only four in all of the remainder of the State, according to the school re- ports for the year 1899. The oldest and most famous of these schools is the Friends School, which has been noticed as founded in Provi- dence in 1784. The total enrollment in this school for 1899 was 242 and twenty teachers are regularly employed. East Greenwich Acad- emy, opened in 1804, is still in existence, and is the only one of the many old academies that survive.
In Providence, Scholfield's Commercial College was founded in 1846, and the Bryant & Stratton Business College in 1863; both of these institutions have given valuable business training to thousands of young men and women from a wide extent of territory. The Eng- lish and Classical School, Providence, elsewhere described, was opened in 1864, and Mrs. Marsh's Select School, of Newport, in 1867. Mrs. E. C. M. Flagg's private school in East Providence, and one taught by Fanny W. Morse, were both established in 1872; the latter employs three teachers. Froebel School, Providence, was founded in 1876, and had seven teachers and an enrollment of sixty-two in 1899. The South Kingstown High School was established in 1880 at Peacedale, and enrolled 109 students in 1899; Stepping Stone Kindergarten, also at Peacedale, is taught by Anna Schliepstein, and had in that year fifty- one pupils. Cole's Private School, Pawtucket, was founded by Charles A. Cole, A. M., in 1881, and enrolled eighty-one students in 1899.
The remaining private schools, all established within the last twenty years, are Miss Abby F. Holden's private school, 1878 ; St. John's Kin- dergarten, 1886; Miss Hannah E. Waterman's private school, Provi- dence, 1887; Miss Charlotte B. Brown's Kindergarten, Providence, 1887; Lincoln School, Providence, by Ednah G. Bowen and Margaret Gilman, 1888 ; Miss Mary C. Wheeler's school, Providence, 1890; Miss
385
GROWTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Mary A. Sayer's school, Newport, 1891; St. George's School, Newport, by John B. Diman, A. M., 1896; Hope Nursery Kindergarten, Provi- dence, 1896; the Misses Bronson's Home and Day School, Providence, 1897; Lynn School of Oratory, Providence, by Mary Eleanor Lynn, 1897; Newport Business College, by A. M. Steed, 1898.
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