Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-10-23
TnE CITY SCHOOL FATHERS.
fnn1s WORTHLESS VINO DiD nUos
ZOE 0CR sCBooI STATEN
use. Bsnuei n. Dsis. who Was tho second
Prssasns es the Lancaster school Board.
sna Haccessots Hon. John Msihiot
ana mr.. Robert Moderwen.

VIVDtl0kt VI tuU LS0NHstSE SCnOOl DO0ru. ne
was elected June 22 1888, to sili the vacancy
caueed BY Mr.. Reigsrt's resignation, and ne
usrvsd - presldent until May 10, 1899. Judge
fDde was born In Chester county, Jnly Is,
1173; reprcsented Mercer and Vensngr
oSunties In the legislature from 1907 to 1918
was lieutenant colonel OF militia in the war OF
l8l2l4; removed to Lancaster 1874; was ap-
pointed associate Judge Of the Lancaster
county courts In 1919; was an active director
Of the Lancaster county schools under the act
Of assembly OF 1922; was incorporation OF the
Lancaster county academy under the act OF
1S27, and waa one OF the original directors
under the common school law when 1t was
accepted by Lancaster city I'm 1888.
During Judge Dale's presidency of the
school board much important school work
WAS done The common school system was
formally accepted by the city; the board was
reorgsnized TO conform to existing laws the
first school tax levy (s3,oO0l was made rules
for the government OF the board aud of the
schools (inapy of which are yet In force)
were formulated; the schools operated by the
old board, (the " Lsncasteriau" school al
Prince and Chestnut, and the Academy" on
Lime street near Orange) became 80 crowded
with pupils thathew free schools had to be
opened in the Trinity Lutheran, Morsvian,
Reformed, Episcopal, Presbyterian vestry
and session rooms. The schools were graded
and orderwas brought out OF chaos 10y Judge
Dale and the noble band of directors who a..
sisted him. Judge Dale died September l,
1872
1t was on the 10th OF August 1893, under
Judge Dale's presidency, that the first public
school teachers (sixteen in number) were
elected, and 1t may be mentioned as a remark
able circumstance that one of them, Miss
Maria F. Gill, is yet teacher in the employ
of the board, having taught continuously tor
aperiod of forty. eight years
The leading members of the board under
Judge Dale's presidency were John +. Stein.
man, Dr. John l.. Atlee, Rev. Samuel Bow
man. Mayor Mathiot Judge A. l.. Hayes
Christian Keller, and Capt John X. Findiay,
secretary, to whose tinely Y kept record we are
indebted for many of the facts herein recited
To John +. Steinman belongs the credit of
first having suggested the establishment OF a
high school. On the lst of August, 1888, he
offered the following resolution
"ResolUed, That it is the sense Of this
board that high school should he estab-
lished as soon after the common schools are
In operation as may be practicable"
To MIR. Steinman also belongs the credit OF
proposing the abolition OF the Lancssteriau
81 stem OF teaching and the adoption OF more
modern and sy steBatic methods.
HON. JOHN MATHIOT.
John Mathiot, the third president of the
school board, was born in Lancaster in 1856
In 1918 he was elected sheriff OF Lancaster
county. After his term OF Office expired he
opened a scrivening Office in Lancaster He
was elected an alderman of the Citv and
served in that capacity many years. In 1891
the city councils elected him mayor of the
city, and he was reelected annually fOf
eleven years, and held the office AT the time
of bis death, January 22d, 1913. Mayor
Mathiot was member OF the school board
from its organization in 1888, and was electec
president OF the board May 10, 1899, and
served until January %, 1913, when he died
During his presidency the schools were
greatly advanced, and the grade OF instIuc
tion raised; new branches were Introduces.
new teachers employed, and great care eXsr
cised in the examination OF applicants. The
lot OF ground on which the South Duk,
street schools stand was purchased in lsil
for Sl,050, and three of the five school houses
were built at a cost OF 81 0s7.4l, and occupied
for school purposes after being furnished a.
considerable expense, and measures for
erecting two more school houses on South
Duke strest were Inaugura'eI, The BOYS
high school WAS organized ana William +.
Mackey chosen principal.
teachers association was organized
rules for the government of the board anr
the schools were revised, printed and dIstr
buted gratutously not only to directors anc
teachers but to every patron of the schools
When President Matblot died, January %
lSi3, Especial meeting OF the board was ca leo
the following day to make preparation a.
attend the funeral. John ". FoTney pro
posed the following resolutions which wer,
unanimously adopted :
Resotved That the members of this b0arB
have heard with unieigned regret OF the
death of John Mathiot, esq , mayor OF this
city, and president OF this board and tha
we consider the loss OF such Il man, so a.
teemed for his virtues and so valuable for hi,
public spirit and official integrity, public
calamity.
Resofred, That We sincerely condole with
the afflicted family OF the deceased IN this
dispensation of Divine Providence.
"a hn
badge of mourning on the left arm for thirty
days
ResOlUed, That the several schools be closed
tomorrow afternoon in order to permit the
teachers to attend the funeral.
Resotced, That when this board sdIourrs
1t adiourns to meet tomorrow afternoon q
2I O'Clock TO attend the funeral.
John w. Forney, then editor OF the Ian.
caster lNTELLIGENCER, in announcing the
death OF Mayor MathlOt turned the column
rules OF the paper and wrote an obituary no
tice In which after paying a high tribute t.
the memory OF deceased, he prints the TesO-
lutiohs OF respect adopted by the city coun-
clls the board OF aldermen, the school board.
and the Lancaster bar. The bar meeting was
presided over by Hon. a. l.. Hayes, and the
resolutions OF confidence passed were framed
by VIM. Jenkins, ]. Il. Montgomery, Real
Frazer, George Ford and 5 Humes Porter
Mayor Mathiors funeral took place on
Tuesday afternoon, January "A, ana was at
tended by the city councils and all the city
ofncers, school directors, teachers, the bench.
bar, and county officers, clergy, beneficial so.
cieties and citizens generally.
ROBERT MODERwELL.
Robert Moderwell, the fourth president OF
the Lancaster school board, was born in Ian
caster, March &C. 1906, and died January 70,
1863 On quitting school young ModerwelI
entered the store of his uncle, VIM. Kirk
patrick, on North Queen street, where the
Grape hotel now stands, and when Mr.. Kirk
patrick relinqutshed business about 1880 he
was succeeded at the same stand by the firm
OF Robert Moderwell IL Patterson Andrews
In lS32 Mr.. Moderwell engaged in the com
mission business on the southeast corner OF
North Queen and Orange. On the 2Oth OF
February, 1894, he married Anna Bschman
daughter Oi John Bachman, who at thai
time was propIi tor OF the Black Horse hotel
which occupied the site OF the present post.
office (Kepler's building), About the lime
the state opened the Philadelphia & Colun.
bia railroad, 1866, (now the Pennsylyani,
railroad,) Mr.. Moderwell engaged in the
freight business between Lancaster and Phil
adelphia, his office being on East Chestnut
street, east of the "North American hotel"
the site of which is now occupied by the
Hester house. He subsequently built the
large three story brick building on North
Queen street above Chestnut, (nOw used as =
freight depot by the Pennsylvania railroad
aud occupied II as family residence from
lSi5 until the time of his death In 1850
Mr.. ModerwelPs first appearance In the
school beard was ON May 9, 1871, at which
time he became a member ex-o1iicio by yir.
tue OF his being president of select council
On the 18th OF October, 1872 he was chOssI
Mt l..a art nf. "A.