The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-15
NEW YORK'S OLDEST SCHOOL.
where the Dutch boys ana Girls Conned
their Lessons ESQ Ycnrs Ago.

ming back in single wing to the rear OF tho
two lots on which 1t Is built. The edlfco is Of
common brick. and has mover been painted.
There arc two double and ono triple window
to each story. with scmi-circuar top sashes.
The roof is slopng as II in memory Of tho
heavy SHOWS that n century ago would have
broken down any ordinary fiat house top. Over
the door Of this building Is white plate in tho
form Of u shield. bearing tho following:
School OF the Collegiate Ref Prot Dutch Church Of
the City of New York Founded A. D. 1888. Erected
A. d. 1860
This house Is the homo Of by far the Oldest
continuous school in New York or in the Union.
1t is now In its 25Oth year. and will soon ccle-
brato its quarter millennium. Though little
spoken OF in tho busy city. tho old Dutch school
is by no means forgotten. II was founded In
the spring Of 1888. the year in which Woutor
Won Twillcr came over as Governor of New
Amsterdam. When special charter Of :" Free
dom and exemptions" was granted to tho
PATRONS by the West India Company. tho set
tiers were not only obliged to satisfy the In
dams for lands which they might take. but
were to make prompt provision for the support
OF minister and schoomaster. Nearly all
the settlers OF New Amsterdam were. rs is well
known. Calyinistics, and education was. next
to faith in the Synod OF bort.
In the roll Of officers Of the West India COM
pany for service in New Amsterdam for 1888
we lind Eyerardas Bogadus , namad rs as mnI1
master. This Adam of American Instructors
gathered a few boys and began school. using
After six years Of good service he went to licns-
selaerwyck and Jan Corneilesen became his
n school house. but the colonistS wcro too poor
and nothing came of it,, Whenever school"
is spoken OF in the early Dutch history OF this
city. reference is made solely to the official
public school supported by the apihoritief and
WE'RE ape By The
Company From the first organization OF tho
in the hands Of the deacons Of one or more OF
the Reformed Dutch churches. Under tho
Dutch Government no one could teach private
Oorneiissen having died or resigned. William
Veskens was appointed schoolmaster in 1850.
de Ia Montague. who, held the school in the old
City Hall, at the head Of Coenties slip. In 1863
Gov. Stuyyesant then relinquished to the burgo-
masters the revenue coming from excise H.
of 1t the salaries of two ministers one school
master. and one dog whipper." ButneXt Year
masters had paid only the dog whipper Under
the new city Government the schoolniaster
visitor Of tho sick.
In 1855 Hannanus Van Hobooken was APP
pointed ln t me nth successive schoolnaster In
population Of about l. 900; and 100 houses In
this aeeommdons were
sixth scilooimqstor in 1861. Two years before
q Latin, school had been undertaken, by DR..
Alexander Carous Curtus II native Of Lithua-
MIA He was not successful.
In 1864 n radical change came over the for
tunes OF New Amsterdam. 1t became an Eng
But English rule did not materially Interfere
trouble BY ming and l%prisoppIns PresoyIerio
ereak KIN pp eertain sshoo s. on Long island
During these early years Of English rule the
no noW G snd II is f
school was occasionally closed for short terIns;.
e Of to S
In i72G .Barent De Forest was the. schooInlas-
ter; In l743 second or branch school was ss-
seaehe9 H T tSans %nsenen Reps
ner 81 nd He
ehorstcar. for the old and new churches resign
In 174s when the cherished school wasLlx
years old. house was built-nnd also a, s4N
Sea 's noW ExeSanss pase f 20 and
Here the school pursued its quiet useful wEj
f In nsM n On
shman Daniel ne Pratt who BECAME sS;Ha ssloot
Church He Ind Twelve free e scholars H and his
yearly pay was fl2 los. and = one load Of wood.
ha Sk Seoas we lo5 over from
Holland 9 as s !h and chorster in the
Up to about this p3Hrod although liyins in an
language Of staitoders and bsrsomas,srs
But 4 was inevitable, that this eIcpsiyeness
Of their ancestors Yet it was not unit IT'S.
consented TO the innovation. In that year Peter
Van SteenburEh, who had been II successful
pedagogue at Flntbush. was engaged as sue
cessor to Wclp. Thereafter reading and writing
We're taught in both languages. as was the caso
for many years after the War Of Independence.
schools
English language were established, parity by
the Society for the propqgation Of the Gospel.
The wel-known Rev. William Vesey csiab-
lished schoo eNprrssl, Tor colored persons.
tabshed on he knGs farm.
cH Whit it hs ETn Ges o pie The Gyrom tho
17S3-the Dutch school was closed. and tho
same may be aid OF all other schools and near
was not forgotten. Four days before the sign
ing Of the treaty Of pepce and eleven weeks be-
or Van Sicenburgh was solicited by the Com
sistory 70 reopen the school which was done.
low Dutch s"oo The Old scho 1I'' rose err rom
seven years snmber in full strength and PROS
which shows that the benefits OF the school
Were. as its supporters always designed. con-
lined to th3sr WHO could not afford 10 pay for
believe. was the providing of each schoa with
u, suit of clothes collections being made in tho
collection was in the North Dutch Church. md
amounted 70 SIG. In 1871 Stanton Latham
succeeded Van Stccnhursh teacher Tho
next year, tho first female tcncher was appoint
cd-E2abcth Ten Eyck She continued about
eighteen years, when the Interrogation OF the
lancasterHn system excluded her: but she
was for thirty yenrs lonGcrcmplo ed in making
clothing for tho girls of the school.
In 1904 the number of pupils were limited to
sixty, and En@Ish grammar was first taken
up as n study In 1908 the deacons gave way
as rulers of the school to Il Board of Trustees
and that form OF government still continues.
In 1909. Jan. !, tho Lancastcran system OF
teaching was INTRODUCED and tho number Of
scholars increased from seventy-two to ono
hundred, In December Latham resigned and
james FORESTER was appointed teacher in
which capacity he served nearly thiity-thrco
years. Under his care the old schoo! was tho
pride OF Its supporters. After his death in
1872. Henry Webb Dunshco Wus chosen prnci-
pal teacher. which office he still holds after
forty years sclN ice.
For The first thirty years of its existence, tho
school was supported 10y the West India Com-
pany or the huich Colonial Government. After
the CHANGE to English Goyorumcnt its SUPPORT
came Us il docs upw. for the greater part from
COLLECTIONS taken W in the Reformed Dutch
churches. Ii has also n fund of II few thousand
dollars made ~ ir9m gifts and ieGncies., For
mOrr than Il hundred years this school was
wandering around tho lower pnrt of tho city