Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-10-30
THE CITY SCHOOL FATHERS.
rBs FfFrB PRssIDESr or rms Ian
CASTER sU8ouL RoasD
George NJ steinmsn- ESentiui career nj the
Head OF the Local Educational system
The Defeat Of the kncrt to Intro
duoe scripture IN the schools.

duoe scripture in the schools.
George NJ. Steinmau, the hlh president Of |
the school board. was born July IL, isis, and |
died April ., ISSL lie WAS educated in Bur |
linstou, y, j., aud AT the age OF eighteen |
went into business with his father, J. L.
Steinmsn, who had long been successful |
hard ware merchant and who WAS one OF the |
original members OF the school board. When |
the elder Stenman retired from business in
lsla George NJ. continued the business, first
in his own name, aud subsequently a.
younger members we're added Ia the hrn,
under the tirm name of George NJ. Steiumau
4 Co He greatly increased the business
which at the time of his death WAS perhaps
larger than that OF any other mercantile house
in the city.
Mr.. Steinmau entered tue school board on
the 22d OF March, ISL lie was elected presl.
dent OF the board on the 10th of May, lS46
and was reelected from year to year for nine
successive years, a longer term than any OF
his predecessors had held Uilce
Mr.. Steiuman's presidency WAS not only
longer than that OF any Of his predecessors
but WAS All eventtul epoch in school matters.
In lS4I one Ot the oue-story brick school
houses ON North Mulberry street near Orange
was built, and in ISIS the other. In 1919 the
union with Franklin college, iwhereby sd-
yauCed pupils in the public schools were
given instruction in the college, dis
solved. and a boys high school established.
In lSSO two one story brick school houses
| were built ON East Lemon street. aud two on
South Mulberry near Vine. A free night
school for boys was also established, and in
lS5l night school tor girls. In l>12 two
one-story brick school houses were built en-
West Chestnut street between Mulberry aud
Charlotte aud two on East Orange street,
~
to the South Duke street and West Vine
| street school houses; eminent teachers were
| secured for the high sChOOls-smong others
| Rev. Crumbach, Prof Davis and DR.. r. f..
| Higbee; courses of lectures were delivered (;
| new rules tor the government OF the schools
| were adopted, the special school law of lS5O
and the general school law of lS54 were en-
acted 10y the legislature and gave rise to
| much discussion, which will be mentioned
| more fully hereafter.
| SCRIPTURES IN THE SCHOOLS.
On the -lst OF ofSeptember, I>I7, Rev. Samuel
| Bowman, u. D., who had been a member of
| the board frum lis earliest organization,
offered a resolution that pasteboard cards
containing the Lords prayer be hung ON the
| walls OF the primary schools, and cards con-
| tanning the ten commandments and the
| Apostles creed be hung on the walls of the
secondary schools and that pupils be re-
| Quired 10 commit them tD memory aud at
least once week reCite them to their teachers.
| The proposition led to a long discussion
that was continued from month to month
| when it was adopted DsCe ember Il, by a vote
| OF ten to eight At the meeting following
| Secretary zimmerman asked for instructions
as to what version of the Lords prayer, COM
msndments and creed should be procured.
Rev. Bowman moved that the matter be left
to the book committee (Which At that time
was composed Of clergymsul. The motion
was defeated by a tic vote, and the matter
| again postponed.
| On the 18th of February, ISIS, Rev. Bow.
man renewed his proposition, and Hon.
Thomas II. Burruwes proposed a substitute
| to the effect that the Bible containing the Old
| and New Testament be adopted as a text book
| in the schools, parents or guardians having
the right to select any version they pleased
| and that If parents or guardians object TO any
| version Of the scriptures his child or ward
| shall not be required to use any version
| thereof.
The consideration OF tue subject was post
| poned to Feb - then the whole subject was
indefinitely postponed by vote OF l5 yeas tC
IL nays. The deleat OF the measure was a
| sore disappointment 10 the Clergymen in t be
| board, and al the meeting following Reys
| Bowman, keyeS, Mooney and Urie resigned.
POLITICS IL THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Another matter that created some excite
ment and Ill feeling in the board during
| Gen. Steinman's presidency, occurred some
years later. In ls54 the American party, or
Know-Nothiugs, a, they we're called organ.
lied lodge in this city. Up to this time
| there had never been any party nomination.
for school directors, and the vote cast at the
| election of directors seldom reached hun.
| dred, but at the election held in May lS5t
the hnow-Nothlugs quietly went to the poll:
and cast nearly 200 votes, electing three o
their members aud defeating +. J. Krsmph,
Charles Gillespie and Henry A. Wade
| hramph snd Gillespie being OF foreign birth
and both Wade and Gillespie being Catholics