Educational.*
For more than a century the village school has been an institution of the people occupying the present territory of Holyoke. Wherever a few farmers or fishermen had flexed their abode, there they seem to have erected the temples of civilization. These school-houses were located as follows: one near the northeast corner of the town, over the mountain; one on West Street, near the site of the present one; another somewhat south of Craft's tavern, and on the opposite side of Northampton Street; another on the spot now occupied by the Ingleside station platform (Holyoke and Westfield Railroad); another at the south end of Ashley's Pond, and another south of Dwight Street and west of the new Wauregan Mill site. In the latter, Chester W. Chapin taught school about fifty-six years ago, while the venerable Alexander Day and Col. Edwin Ball and some others of our own citizens pursued pedagogics in several of these houses nearly a generation ago. None of these earlier school-houses have successfully withstood the wear and tear of time and use, and their precise location can with difficulty be determined. The records of School District No. 15, West Springfield, are the only records of these ancient schools that have come to our hands, and these do not begin until 1802. This book contains only a very brief account of the annual meetings, though it is continued sixty years, the first entry having been made Nov. 29, 1802, and the last Nov. 24, 1862. This school was located near the site of the present West Street school-house. Many of the items would prove interesting reading to the present denizens of the village. The first runs thus:
Nov. 29, 1802.—"At a school-meeting held at the school-house, Passed the following Votes:
"1st. Choes Mr. Peresh Hitchcock Moderator.
"2d. Caleb Humeston Clerk.
"3d. Voted to give Caleb Humeston 3s. 6d. a week for boarding Miss Sally Clapp three months.
"4th. Voted to give Caleb Humeston 2s. per week for boarding Lovina Humeston for three months.
"5th. Voted that we bring 1/4 cord of wood for each schollar that we send to school in our turns, or pay eight shillings for each cord of wood that the committee shall provide ready-cut fit for the fire.
"6th. Choes Mr. Elisha Ashley committee for the ensuing."
Caleb Humeston was clerk of the first of the meetings above alluded to, and moderator of the last recorded. All these schools seem to have been managed in nearly the same manner. They were neighborhood affairs, doubtless indifferently taught, some of them having a smaller number of pupils than the smallest of our present suburban schools; the burden of their support rested upon, and seems to have been bravely born by, a few persons.
The changes which visited the district school-houses between the two dates given above cannot be given in this brief sketch. Suffice it to say that the Ingleside school-house gave place to one located near the dry bridge, above the old site; the West Street house to one farther west; the West Holyoke house to the Rock Valley house; the Northampton Street house to the one farther north; the one in "the fields" south of Dwight Street to one standing west of the Prentiss Wire Company's mill, where the Upper Level Canal now flows. This topic should not be dismissed without special references to a noteworthy institution known as "The Seminary," built in 1808. The house was a two-story frame structure, 40 feet long by 35 broad, and was located south of Stephen Rand's house. The original proprietor's were Rev. Thomas Rand, the father of Stephen, who owned one-third, Deacon Perez Hitchcock, who owned the larger share of the balance, Caleb Humeston, Austin Goodyear, grandfather of the present one, Noah Woolcott, David Bassett. Only a part of the upper story of the building was finished, and in this Elder Rand, as he was called, successfully conducted his seminary some 24 years, impressing his character and learning upon many who still hold their place and importance among us, and others still whose good name and fame any teacher would be proud to claim as the result of his labors. This incipient college, with one professor, during those years had for its pupils Col. E.H. Ball, Frederick and Annie Street, Charles Ely and Norman Smith, of Tatham; Thaddeus Kent, of West Springfield; Solomon Ashley, of Ashleyville; Rev. Justin Perkins, Missionary in the Nestorians; Rev. Hosea Howard, missionary to Burmah; Dwight Ives, D.D., pastor at Suffield thirty-five years; Rev. Thomas Barrett; David Pease, who lately died in Ashleyville at the age of nearly one hundred years; Rev. Reuben Winchell; Rev. Asahel Chapin, still living in Kansas; Alonzo Lamb; John Cook, of Huntington; Linus Day, lately deceased; Curtis and Quartus El, still living; Bishop Humeston, father of Dr. L.F. Humeston, of this city, and others whose names are worthy of addition to this honorable roll. The lower story of the seminary was used for recitation-room and public worship. But a change came over the old seminary on the removal from town of Elder Rand, and some thirty-four years ago the building was taken down and removed to the spot now occupied by Mr. Timothy Merrick's skating-rink. About this time a change was made in the eastern limit of the Baptist village district. This region was cut off from the Ireland Parish district, and accommodated with a district school in the lower story of the seminary, finished for the purpose.
The seminary prospered under Mr. William Gamwell, who kept it for some time, when it was familiarly known as "Gamwell's school." The school was afterward taught by Messrs. Gardner, Leavitt, Barton, T.W. Wadsworth (1847), Kimball, Pratt, Joseph Darwin Long, son of Dr. Long, of this city, now a lawyer in Illinois, Oscar Ely, Rev. Dr. Chapin Carpenter, for many years pastor of the church in Paris, also editor of the Illustrated Christian Weekly and a hymn-book, now pastor of the Madison Avenue Church in New York City, Chapin Carpenter, of Burmah, and Mr. Bissell, some seventeen years ago. Like those of most high schools and academies of that day, the teachers were frequently changed, and the above list represents far more years than names. Generally, however, the school bore a good and often a high character. Soon after its removal to Baptist Village, the original owners generously relinquished their personal right in the building, and the school was maintained by the district until the growth of the incipient city made a new centre of learning as well as of business. The above brief sketch falls far short of doing to the intelligent and persistent energy with which a small and scattered community maintained schools of excellent merit. A total stranger a few days ago to these facts and the people they concern, I stop this agreeable narrative to record my astonishment at the taste for the better culture manifest in the kind and success of their educational institutions, maintained largely at personal cost, but shared and cherished by nearly all. The old seminary, losing its patronage, was finally sold at auction to Rev. Chapin Carpenter, for the non-payment of a printer's bill, Mr. Carpenter doubtless intending to secure its continuance as a permanent institution. By this time, however, influence and population were drawing all things to the new centre, and Mr. Carpenter gave up the struggle, selling the "seminary," by the hands of the auctioneer, Robert Marsh, to George C. Ewing, of this city. The building was torn down, brought into the village, where its boards may be found to-day, covering the sides of a building near Ewingville. Thus closes the first period in the history of the schools. If the second period, with its ample means and the inspiration of great material prosperity, exhibits equal zeal and proportionate success, the history of Holyoke will be as conspicuous for its educational institutions as for its business success.
The following exhibit shows the condition of the schools of the town of Holyoke at the time of its organization: number of districts, 9; teachers employed, 20,—6 males and 14 females; number of persons between the ages of 5 and 15, 537; number attending school in summer, 294; in winter 328; months taught by males 23 7/8; by females 72 7/8; amount of wages paid to males, $719.50; to females, $1053.59. The appropriation by the town for schools was $1800. The schools increased in numbers and usefulness, and in 1873, the last year of the town organization, the appropriation by the town for schools amounted to $25,350; and the average number of scholars for the year was 738.
The following exhibit from the superintendent's report shows the value of school property, etc., in the year 1878: school-houses, 11 (9 brick, 2 wood); value of lands, $31,559; value of buildings, $75,300; number of sittings 1848; pupils enrolled 1854; value of furniture, $6384; value of books and apparatus, $2067; total valuation, $117,840.
The school committee's report of 1878 shows the number of children enrolled in the public schools 1948; number in the city between the ages of 5 and 15, 3163; and the average attendance, 1403.
Since the incorporation of the city the schools have been in flourishing condition. In the language of the school committee, "the schools are well furnished, liberally provided with educational requisites, and are conducted under a thorough and rigid system of inspection and supervision."
The present organization of the school committee is as follows: Hon. William Whiting, Mayor, Chairman; E.L. Kirtland, Secretary and Superintendent of Schools; at large G.C Ewing, term expires 1880; John Doyle, 1881; Ward 1, William Ruddy, 1880; Ward 2, F. Morrison, 1882; Ward 3, Patrick Herbert, 1880; Ward 4, William Kelly, 1882; Ward 5, Daniel M. Manning, 1881; Ward 6, E.W. Chapin, 1882; Ward 7, E.P. Clark, 1881.
*Contributed.
© Laurel O'Donnell 1997 - 2012, all rights reserved
This is an adaptation of the original publication
This document may be downloaded for personal non-commercial use only
and cannot be reproduced or distributed without permission.
|