New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-04
THE OLDEST PUBLIC SCHOOL.
A NEW BUILDING SOON TO REPLACE III.

THE HISTORY OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. 1.-THE
| TEACHERS WHO HAVE PRESIDED OVER IT.
The scholars in Grammar School No. 2, in
| Henry-st., near Rutgers, said farewell to the
old school building on Friday. All the furni-
| ture will be removed to the Sailors Exchange, in
Cherry-st. few blocks away. which the Board OF
| Education has leased and IS now fitting up tempo
rarily for school purposes The old building will
be torn down, with several adjoining
houses, and within two years
modern schoolhouse will fill its place.
Grammar School No. 2 is one Of the Oldest land
marks of the public school system. As its number
indicates it is the second public school that was
built in New-York, and i, was completed and ocsu-
pied for school purposes in November 1911. AL
though 1t has been frequently changed and en-
| larged since the body of the old building is still
standing and the additions have been built around
| it, The brick front has n sturdy. old-fashIOned ex
| preston, halfway between a church and public
hall. II is of BRICK four stories high, with tall
| front stoop for It's main entrance. The interior
| shows aye more than the outside walls The cell
| ings are cracked, and ths woodwork dingy. not
withstanding innumerable coats Of paint that have
been applied In sevcnty-fve years nearly quarter
| of a million of children have shaken the walls with
their shouts and stampings. When the question of
a new building came to be considered, it was de-
ever, should be all torn away and replaced by
an entirely new structure. Principal Haggerty es-
| t1mates that at least $4,000 girls and boys have
been graduated by the old school.
The changes that have been going on in the city
for three-quarters of century have had little effect
on the appearance, not only of the school. but Of
the neighbOrhoOd. If the shades of Lindley Muir
ray and GoOld Brown, who were active spirits
among the first schools of the city, were to walk
through Henry Rutgers sts today and not
go beyond them, they would not think
New-York differed greatly from the New
York of fifty years ago. They would see the
same respect abe rOvs of houses on either side OF
the streets little crowded, but Just as neat
and clean, and they would bear nothing of the din
and roar of the greater New-York. But the people
who live in the houses thev would find an en-
tirely different race from the old Quakers and
Knickerbockers most Of them are occupied by
Jewish or German families. If they went up to
the roof Of the school house they would few
blocks away Essex and adjoining streets tall
| and dlngy-lookiDg tenement houses that would
make them wonder, and almost within a stones
throw tho web-liko span of the Brooklyn Bridge
would open their eyes in amazement In 1911
New-York society centred around Henry.
Rutgers and Roosevelt SITS. and Chatham Square.
The Beekmans, tie Rutgers. the Irlmbles and the
CroSbys were among the progressive men of
school bad been built on the site now occupied by
| the >tadts Zettng building in Park Row. and had
| become overcrowded. An offer was made by Col
onel Henry Rutgers one of The trustees of the Pub
lie School Society, to give two lots for q
school house i'll Henry-st. The offer was accepted;
the Legislature gave $4 900 toward the new build
ing and the work was begun. The school of
brick, containing two stories and basement There
was no attempt at ornament in the structuro the
stone lintels at the windows and the inscrp-
non in stone over the entrance Public School
No. q" we're the only relief to the plain walls he
dimensions eighty feet bv forty. There were
| accommodations for 500 scholars. When completed,
the building cost $4,000 1t was opened
with forty-seven scholars. aud III two weeks the
number reached 1877. John Missing was the first
principal and teacher, and the school enlarged
lie had assistants. he teacher aud his family
occupied the first floor and had the use of portion
| of the cellar. School was held on the second floor
The number OF scholars steadily increased, and IN
few years there were over three hundred. Some of
the teachers rooms had then 10 be taken, and In
S21 the whole building was gwen no for school
purposes. Boys and glrs were separated. and as
the girls were numerous they occupied the
first floor and Rebecca Leggett was made the brst
female teacher
he inst change in the building was made in
1872, , when IT was . enlarged but the next
feet were taken off from the front OF the
building. 1t continued IN this shape until 1894,
when the increase III pupils made general change
necessary A large part of the building was torn
down and the school rebuilt with four stories, at
present 1t was then the largest school in New
York and for many years held the reputation of
beng the model school. Within thirty years the
building has been still further enlarged by adding
wings 10 tne 'front.' anu Ddck ~ cdcn sue me HfSI
principal and teacher John MISSING. remained
until $50, aud was succeeded by Nathan &. Hart.
In 1S2J Thomas Macy became the principal and.
in 1892 A. V. Stout He became banker and
gave way to William Belden in 1888.
Mr. Belden remained sixteen years, and went
into the banking business with his predecessor.
Henry Riddle then became the principal for seven
wears. until IN 1856 lie was made supernt endent
of the city schools, and was succeeded III School
No. 2 by William Henderson. In 1867 Mr. Hen
derson resigned and his place was flied by Francis
Jos, PHI HaggeTty, who has conducted the school
for nineteen years and is still III charge. There
now thee depart nenis: the boys grammar depart
ment under Mr.. HaPgcrty, AID the girls grammar
department under Miss NJ Moshcr. III cacA of
which there are 300 pupils, and the primary de-
partment of boys ana girls numbering LOCO The
primary department Is conducted by Miss Sarah
COnklIn, who is one OF the oldest teachers in New
York and stI among the IN )st healthy and
active. She began TO teach in the school when Mr..
Belden was the principal ana rs tie direct successor
of Miss Leggett the first female teacher The school
has now q corps OF fifty teachers.
The plans of the new building have not yet been
decided upon, but the structure VIII cover the
tire space including the newly purchased property,
and II is expected that Henry-st VIII again have
the model New-YOTk school. Instead of 4OxSO
feet, the size of the original school, the new one
will be 125X1O0 feet and five stories high. HE
workneu will begin tearing down the old structure
soon and the trustees are ANXIOUS 10 If any
records were placed under the corner stone. A his
tory Of the school will be put under the corner
stone of the lew building when 1t is laid.
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GOyEkNOh HILES DEGREE.