The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-03-27


Critehfield now resides, ia the yea
] 1907. There were very few school
houses in the township prior to th'
passing of the school law. Colone
/ Will, from Milford, was a member o
the Legislature at the time the law
was passed and voted for the bill, fol
which act he became verv unpopu
lar, and was advised by bis friends
not to attempt a reelection, as i
would, doubtless, result in bis defeat
The common schools were accepted
the same year the bill was passed
and after the new system went into
effect, n number of new sehool-house:
were built, and the people patronized
the schools pretty generally. The
school system grew more popular
every year, and at present the peo
pie are intelligent, and the school az
rectors succeed 10 filling then
schools with excellent teachers every
year. New Centreville was incor
porated in 1854 A school-house
was built here in 179S, and small
house was annexed to it which sub
served the purpose of temporary
home for the teacher. Mr. Jacot
Weimer resided in the annex, and
taught the school for number Of
wears. Three chool-houses have
been built on the same site, the pres
ent one being completed in 1874. il
contains two large and well-furnish'
ed rooms, and reflects credit upon the
citizens of the borough. The school
has been under the supervision ot
able teachers for q number of years,
and compares creditably with the
other borough schools Of the county
The northern part of Milford was
formed into a new township in 1896
and named Somerset. The township
was settled as early as l760, by Cox,
Sparks, snd Husband The first at
tempt to teach a school was made by
an Irishman by the name of james
Kennedy, who had been bought by
Herman Husband, while at Bslti.
more, for his passage fare across the
ocean. 1t appears that Kennedy had
escaped from q monastery in Ireland.
and knew very little of the outside
world. After "Jamy" had been thor
oughly experimental upon, and il
was found that be was Of no &C
count as laborer, it was decided he
would make q school teacher Ae.
cordingly in Hi, an old, dilapidat
cabin was re-roofed, with clapbOards,
and Kennedy was set to work. The
first object with Kennedy was to in.
culcate in the children, who were so
thoughtlessly entrusted to his care,
the Catholic doctrine In this be
failed He also proved an utter fail
ure as al instructor of the young,
and soon abandoned his school stating
tfst "there was no use trying to
teach children who knew nothing
A sclool-house was built near
where Samuel's church now stands
in I79S, and a school taught in it by
Israel Bailey, in 1904 Mr.. Young
man taught in the same house in
1906, but died before his term closed,
and was inferred in the cemetery at
that place. School-houses were
erected at Casebeer's church and
near Wills church, at an early date,
but the greater number of the early
schools were taught in private
housse. The common schools were
not accepted until 1871, and even
then only by very small majority,
which was obtained by the energetic
efforts of the friends of the common
school cause.
Amcng the most efficient teachers
who taught IN the township prior to
acceptance of the common schools
were Robert Laugbton and Doctor
Patterson.
Since the acceptance Of the system
the schools have generally multiplied
and improved
The town of Somerset was laid out
in 1895, by Peter Ankeny, Adam
Snyder, and Herman Husband, who
were at that time the owners of the
land on which the town now stands
The Courthouse square, and the
Academy square were donated by
Adam Snyder, for the purposes for
which they are now used. About
the year 1912, General Alexander
Ogle, who was the State Senator
from this district, got State appro-
priation of $4,000 to erect a county
academy. The academy was built
the next year, and Mr. Costell, who
was master of German and French,
taught the first session in the new
building. The school was afterwards
taught by Mr.. Blood, who organized
The 6rst Latin class ever taught in
this county Henry l.. HOlbrook,
who was among the best teachers
that it has been the good fortune of
the people of Somerset to employ,
taught in the academy from 1926 to
1883. Colonel John X. Edie, while
engaged in teaching in the academy,
in 1912, introduced the first black
board ever used in this county. The
building is still standing and is .occu-
pied by the common schools.
The first schooi-house in the town
of Somerset was built on the south
western corner of the Lutheran cem-
etery. Here Costell, who was a
Frenchman and a fine scholar, taught
school. The second school building
was erected on the lot on which the
Union school-house now stands, the
lot having been donated by Peter
Ankeny, who was one of the original
proprietors. This old house now
forms part of the carriage msnufae-
turing establishment Of Curtis Koos-
er, on West street.
AT present, there is large two.
story brick building containing four
rooms, on the old school grounds
which, in connection with the aeade.
my, supplies ample room for the six
well-regulated schools of Somerset
A number Of proficient teachers have
had charge of the schools during the
last twenty years, among whom we're
Sylvsrter Colborn, f. J kooser, and
William H. Sanner.
Ia lS47,the western part Of Somer.
set township was formed into a new