EDUCATIONAL CONDITIONS IN VARIOUS PLACES In New York City. The later Public School Society was incorporated by an act passed April 9, 1805. It was an act incorporating the "society for the establishment of a free school in the city of New York for the education of such poor children as do not belong to or are not provided for by any religious society." The name of this society clearly indicates several things. It indicates that there was no such thing as a public school in our sense-open to the public free of expense-for then these children could have been provided for. It indicates that there were no charity schools open to all poor children. It indicates, too, that there were several schools by the various religious denominations, and open only to the poor of the denomination. It intimates that these charity schools did not provide for all the poor members of the denomination, for the act provided for "such poor children as are not provided for by any regular religious society." It is also intimated that the richer children were provided for by other means, either by tutor at home, or in private schools. In an 1805 Directory,53 it is stated that church schools were supported by the Dutch Reformed, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and Roman Catholic denominations. The Roman Catholic school had the largest number in attendance; one hundred. The school, in connection with the New York Orphan Asylum (the first of its kind established), was not organized until 1806. Sunday Schools were also used to give secular instruction. There was also a special school to give colored children the elements of an education. This school was conducted by the Manumission Society. It was opened in 1787 in Cliff Street and soon numbered one hundred children. Several other schools were organized by the Society later. In Jones' Directory for 1805-06, there are given fifteen thousand names. Those who have any connection with education whatever are grouped under the heading: "Learned professions and public officers." A careful examination of this list shows that there are eighty-six men classed as teachers simply and thirtythree women. Of the women, twelve were widows and five were married. In addition two men are given as "teacher and bookseller," and as "teacher and captain of the city watch," respectively. All the other persons given are indicated as teachers of special subjects; though in the list is found a "junior" and an "assistant" teacher. Of these special teachers there are 3 teachers of language, I of mathematics, 2 of French, 1 of French and music, I of French and English. I of German, I of music, and I merely a teacher in academy. There is also listed 2 writing masters, I teacher of needlework, I teacher of navigation, I philosophical lecturer, I moral and philosophical lecturer, and I professor of music. Examination of the list reveals also the number of certain types of schools. There are given the names of twelve academies or seminaries for young ladies; two boarding schools and one Episcopal academy. The academies were conducted, in the largest number of cases, by married women. There is listed also two drawing academies, one academy of painting and one mercantile academy. In Albany. Albany was the other large city of the State at this time. In the Gazette of 1789, a writer says: "At that period (seven or eight years ago) a competent English teacher was scarcely to be found. We have now an academy which flourishes under the direction of Mr. Merchant." "In 1785 Elihu Goodrich and John Ely opened a school. They taught Greek and Latin for 40s a quarter; grammar, arithmetic and writing for 30s; reading and spelling for 20s. The hours of study were from 6 to 8, and from 9 to 12 in the forenoon, and from 2 to 5 and from 6 to 8 in the afternoon."54 In the Albany Register of November 1, 1799, there is the advertisement of the Trinity School. This school, so the advertisement reads, prepared its pupils for the "University, Navy, Army, or Counting House." In an earlier advertisement printed during the same year, the terms of tuition are given as follows: "The Greek and Latin languages, History, Geography, and the other branches requisite for completing a good classical education, four dollars. Mathematics, three dollars. Spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic, two and a half dollars, but with modern history, geography, or grammar, three dollars." The advertisement concludes with the usual remark: "Diligent attention shall be paid to the improvement of the pupils in good morals and useful learning. Public examination will be held twice a year."55 9956 Albany had its schools for giving fashionable or polite education. Mr. Danglebut, for example, announces in the Albany Register in an advertisement dated September 20, that he will open on October first, his dancing school, "where he will teach music on the Forte Piano, Violin, German Flute, Flageolette and Clarinet." A Mr. Carpenter announces in the same paper the opening of a dancing school. "He flatters himself that by his manner of teaching, his scholars will soon acquire those graceful deportments and easy manners, which are so highly useful in society."" Mr. Carpenter also announces that in compliance with certain solicitations he will open an academy of the French language, provided he secures enough students, and that he will continue to give instruction in private families as usual.58 In Hudson. There was in Hudson as early as 1785 provision for the three types of education regarded as essential in those days: the elementary, the academic and the fashionable or polite. Seventeen hundred and eighty-five is the year of the incorporation of Hudson. At that time there was one school house, a small frame building standing on the country road near the river. Apparently the proprietors regarded this school house as unsatisfactory, for on April 19 of the same year they voted: 66 that a lot 50 x 120 on Diamond Street would be granted to any person or persons, who would build a school house not less than 40 feet by 24, such persons not to receive more than nine per cent. on the cost of the building for the use of it and to have the power to sell it to the corporation at large for their own use whenever they had opportunity so to do and that it should continue to be used for a school house for every description and denomination of people then settled or which should thereafter settle."59 Albany Register, Sept. 6, 1799. Cf. issue of Nov. 1, 1799. Issue of April 8, 1800. Ms. Reprinted in Miller's Historical Sketches of Hudson, p. 12. Beside being used for the main purpose we find in the proprietor's minutes that a Joseph Marshall designed opening a school in the Diamond Street school house, from 5 to 7 o'clock P. M. each day, for the instruction of misses in writing, ciphering, composition, English grammar, and geography." The Hudson Gazette contained two interesting advertisements during the same year. The one is the advertisement of Ambrose Liverpool. He advertised that he would open a seminary "where he would teach all the English branches, also at convenient times the principles of several musical instruments, and that he had several dozen strong English beer to dispose of." The other is the advertisement of M. Robardet, from Connecticut, who advertised that he would open a class for instruction in the polite accomplishments of dancing after the most approved method. Scholars varying in age from seven to fifty are received. In a newspaper of Nov. 26, 1805, one reads, "a school building was erected by the charitable contributions of the benevolent for the benefit of neglected and helpless female children; and a family of twenty-three gathered under the care of a discreet governess were daily instructed in reading, writing and plain work, and in the strict observance of every Christian and moral duty."62 In August, 1810, there was being considered the project to establish a free school on the plan of Joseph Lancaster. As yet it is believed there were no public schools in the city. The society of mechanics had a number of years previously erected a building in Chapel Street, called Mechanics' Hall, and maintained a school out of their funds, but it is presumed that its benefits were confined chiefly to the children of mechanics.63 In Newburg. In the letters patent of Dec. 18, 1719, the town of Newburg was known as Quassing. In the letters patent of March 26, 1752, it was given its present name. These letters vested the lands in two persons named in the document in trust "for the proper use, benefit and behalf of a minister of the church of England as by law established to have the cure of souls of the aforesaid tract of 2,190 acres of land and of a schoolmaster to Ibid., p. 3. 61Ibid., p. 62. Munsell's Annals of Albany, v. 4, p. 332. teach and instruct the children of the aforesaid inhabitants and their successors forever, and to no other use whatever." From the "Account Book of the Glebe," it is known that this school was continuously in existence from 1760 to the Revolution. From the same source it appears that Richard King was the teacher from 1782 to 1790.64 In 1790 the following agreement was made with the Reverend Mr. Sperin: (The Trustees) "Agreed that the Reverend George H. Sperin shall be entitled to receive the whole of the rents and benefits arising from the Glebe lands, while he continues to officiate as minister, and teaching the inhabitants of the German patent on the following terms, viz.: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Geography, History and English Grammar at 12 shillings per quarter; Reading, Writing and Arithmetic at 8 shillings per quarter. "Provided always that no children incapable of studying the above branches shall be admitted or received into the school. "And should a poor child come properly recommended as such, he shall be received into the English school gratis. "And if a youth of strong natural ability of the like description offer, he shall be received into the Classical school, also gratis. "Provided also that should the rents and privileges of the Glebe hereafter become more valuable, that then, in such cases, the terms of teaching the children living in the patent shall be reduced in such manner as to be equivalent to said advantages, so far as may relate towards supporting of a school and as the trustees shall deem proper. 1965 During the same year the Reverend Mr. Sperin advertised in the Goshen Repository, wherein he "informs the public that he proposes opening an academy for the instruction of youth in the Greek and Latin languages and the different other branches of literature, when a sufficient number of pupils shall offer themselves. Boarding, washing, and lodging at 20 pounds per year (or $1 a week), and 5 pounds for tuition." It is significant that those who wished to encourage the enterprise were to send their names to the minister or "to Isaac Belknap and Cadwallader Calden, Trustees of the Glebe Lands at Newburg." In an advertisement in the New York Journal and Patriotic Register 04p. 33. Minutes of the Trustees. Printed in Ruttenher's History of the Town of Newburgh, p. 245. |