Omaha daily bee., 1890-01-19

tainments. Efforts were made tofollow
a system OF grading, which Mr.. Ken
nedy planned; but in schools like these
were this was found to be impossible.
The year of 1860 was an unlucky one
Tor Omaha schools. The financial
troubles OF the approaching war affected
the city greatly. Public school funds
wore exhausted. Glasses formed at in
teryals by people whose occupations af-
1orded sufficient leisure were again re-
sorted to. Mr.. Kennedy left for the
east, expecting to return soon and re-
sumo his work. but changed his plans
later and did not return for several
years. In that year Samuel d. Beais, a
gentleman who still resides here, came
from the east, rented rooms in the state
house and organized n private school,
which he conducted for nine years. 1t was
extensively advertised as the Omaha
high school and, is mentioned by that
name in the report of w. L. Harvey,
the territorial commissioner, In his re-
port for 1860. This report gives the
number of pupils in all the schools of
the city as 26S. or a fraction owe so per
cent OF the school population.
From 1860 to 1863 there were no
schools in the city, although a few eff
forts were made to establish them. In
1862 a Mr.. Mccarthy, the school direc-
tor from the first ward, made applica-
tion to the city council for permission
to erect u school building on Jefferson
square, which was granted. Rails
ing the bonds for that build
ing, however, was not easy,
and sufficient none could o be
obtained until 1868. Then the first
school building evor owned by tho city
was erected Oh the southwest corner Of
Jefferson square. 1t was a frame build
ing Of medium size, containing at first
under the personal supervision of B. h.
b. Kennedy, and was opened in Sep
TENDER, 1868. 1t was crowded to excess
from the first day. The unhappy teacher
first engaged was utterly unable to con-
crOl the crowd, and was dismissed at
the end OF the first month, A gentle
man was employed whose methods of
discipline appear to have been original
at least. He fashioned q wooden'in-
strument somewhat like a small spade
with a long handle, and with this he
alternately spatted and punched dis
orderly pupils, even at quite q distance
from him. Hisreign lasted but a month,
and he was succeeded by a Mrs. Cooper,
under whose care the school lourisned.
In a very short time, the room was
divid ed, therebyaccomodating a larger
number of pupils and a Mr.. Hutchinson
was employed as principal. The fol-
lowing year, ground was purchased on
Cass street, between Fourteenth and
Fifteenth and the building moved there
where it remained until 1878 when it
was removed to Burt and Twenty-sec-
ond streets and is now used rs n stable.
From this second start, Omaha schools
have progressed steadily.
In 1863 Lincoln'sdecision that Omaha
should be the terminus of the Union Pa
ciic railroad gave a great impetus tOthe
growth OF the city and what had before
been a struggling western village, be-
came an ambitious town. School aC-
commodations, however, were limited,
and, in 1864, the Episcopal church or
ganized a school for young ladies' out on
Saunders street, in what is now known
as the Saratoga district. Its first pupil
was Mrs. Flemon Drake. Pupils who
could not be accommodated in the
public schools were thus afforded an
other chance for home education which
they were not slow TO. grasp.
The school was removed To
Sixteenth and Jones streets in 1867 and
remained there in care OF the Rev. j.
III. Dougherty until 1880. A beautiful
building was then erected on South
Tenth street aud the school removed
thither. 1t is under a board OF fifteen
directors, OF whom the bishop of this