Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-10-16
ADAM KsT8ARr. JR., FIRST PRssTDENr
OF fBH SCHOOL BOARD
0osng Over the Musty Volumes OF LsDcas,er's
EARLY Educational Hissory-Men who
Are Dead and Did Much For the
Cause Of the Schools

At meeting of the Lancaster school board
held February 7, 1856, the following action
YVES taken, a. recorded in the minutes of the
board:
ION motion of DIR. Atlee:
.Resotped That the president of the board
draw up report of the history of the com
mon schools OF the city of Lancaster from
their commencement to the present time TOR
the purpose OF having the same published,
which was amended on motion of Mr.. Fem
to add Judge Hayes and DIR. Atlee to the
committee, which amendment was adopted,
and the resolution as amended agreed to-"
have carefully looked over the minutes
OF the board for the purpose of finding the
report of the above named committee, but
can find nothing Of it on record. l have also
interrogated many old members of the board
and others In regard to the matter, but none
OF them have any recollection of the COM
mittee having ever performed the duty as
signed them. This is unfortunate, as no
three men engaged In pushing forward the
cause OF common school education from ISIS
to 1856 were better qualified to write the his
tory ofthe common schools in this city than
the gentlemen named. Brief sketches of the
rise and progress of the schools have been
published from time to time in the news
papers, the most elaborate of which was pre-
pared by VIM. Riddle, in lSSO, but it falls far
short of being such history of the schools a.
is desirable.
1t is not my purpose to attempt to supply
what others have failed to give u.s. but it has
occurred to me that brief biographical
sketches OF the officers OF the school board
with Incidental reference to the work per-
formed under their several administrations
might be OF interest to readers OF the INTEL
LIaENCER, and might perhaps induce some
0snff 10 f.lrx lx.~I.l
become the historian of our local schools
shall content myself in the present paper
with briefly sketching the lives of the earliest
OF the presidents OF the board of school direc.
tors.
THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT,
Adam Reigart jr,, the first president OF the
Lancaster school board, under the common
school law OF 1884, was born in Lancaster in
f65, and died the Sd OF May, 1874, aged 10
years. He was throughout his long life an
exemplary, useful and enterprising citizen,
and took an active part in public affairs. He
was the founder OF Keigart's old wine store
was an active member of the Union fire com
pany from l70l TO the time of his death. He
took an active interest in the cause of educa.
ton. lie was appointed by the court of COM
mon pleas one Of the school directors of this
city, under the act oil assembly of 1922, and
was one OF the incorporators OF the Lancaster
County Academy, in 1877, which afterwards
became connected with the Frank lin college
When Lancaster city accepted the common
schoo! system in June, 1858, twelve addi-
tional directors we're elected and added to
the twelve members constituting the old
board. When the joint board met TO organ
ize on June IA, 1888, Adam Reigart who mad
Deen Tor sixteen years a member of the old
board, was elected president by reclamation.
On the 21th OF the same month ne sent TO the
board the following letter of declination
LANCASTER, June u, 1885.
Gentlemen Il lind myself unequal to the
duties oil the digDitied office you have been
pleased to confer on me- and must beg leave
respectfully TO resign it,
The president of the public schools of the
city, now about to be remodeled and extend
ed, should bring to their supervision a CON
slant ana energetic attention, that | fear at
three score years and ten, cannot give. The
subject Is too important and the consequen-
ces too interesting To permit me to assume
the place, with the apprehension of being
unable adequately to hi il.
Connected as have been with the cause
OF education from the origin of our schools,
De assured that approaching age brings with
IL lew more poignant regrets than that occa.
stoned by the separation which mus. soon
take place. Deeply alive to the benefits that
must result to the moral, social and literary
character OF our city, from the success OF the
present effort, lament sincerely that / can
not labor with you and do for the rising gen
GRAFTON what my own wishes prompt, and
to require
But retire from the post have held MANY
years with the consoling reflection that the
puoiic mlnd Is now thoroughly awakened to
the importance of mental culture Tor the
young, and that in the organization of our
schools my place will be far better and more
efficiently filled than it has been.
In taking leave OF the board permit me to
assure esch OF you OF my high regard, and to
offer my best wishes for the prosperity of
the great cause in which you are engaged.
am with great respect your friend,
- ADAM REIGART.
The letter of Mr.. Reigart having been read,
Or. John l.. Atlee offered the following
resolution
Resotued, That the resignation of Mr..
Reigart be accepted, that his letter of resip.
nation Dc entered at length on the minutes,
and that committee of three be appointed |
to carry to the late president the high sense
wnich the members of this board entertain of |
the services which he has heretofore render. |
cd TO the cause OF education. |
The resolution was unanimously adopted |
ana Dr. Atlee, q. Hager, and Geo. IL. King |
were appointed said committee.
Mr.. Reigart lived for six years after retir-
ing from the board his death occurring on the
80 Of May, 1874, The Lancaster ISTELLI.
following notice OF his death, written by the
tnen editor, Col. John W. Forney:
FoRNEY ON REIGART.
O-~>~t 80 sAAAS WY oh luuIbudy ldSt, the sd |
d May, Adam Reigart esq, in the 10th year |
Df his aga
The death OF such man is a public loss.
The envy, hatred, malice, and all the evil
passions OF the world are forgotten when the
OF the emblemished purity and |
nc iong ana useful services public and pri-
vstss OF such man, are revived. 1t il rare |
snsI euiogy alter death is SO true. or that the
Eepetltion OF mans virtues i'm life is 90 inst
- IN the present case. 1t will be- seen ybst
sns respected subject OF this notice uvad q"
~ nonorsble old age, and vet duriny oil bi
son9 NE, II may be said of hinl thai ,i,araih
no never had an enemy. A man If bian any |
sorupuious integrity he so exoelIad r. anu n
xs.cnAIko OF MS public duties that he reta,naS |
sor many years some of the most resnoasihIa
uusts IN me gilt OF his fellow citizens
JAIN, oignihed and pleasing. he navar =, |
seouou 10 tne performance OF his oiIicisI o,Ii |
Qatl0ns; but "bore himself so meekIyn ao
De,0me universal favorite. He was q 49,,
honorable man, and there were few Who Az |
more IN quiet and unobtrusiye manner to |
xeleve their fellow-men. Mr.. Reigart was
~ reality gentleman of the old school and
vee contemporary with the early history and
Ne early men OF Lancaster. He was chIst
ourgess OF the thorough Of Lancaster for more
t1an ~ years; president OF the Office of DIs
oo1nt and Deposit from its establishment In
~. w ITS rsinoyalsiu 1913; president of the
kNn.iin college, OF the board OF common
oot oirectors, OF the Conestoga Navigation
e0mpanys Of the Lancaster and Susnuehanna
'asnpake road, and Of the Union Fne com