Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-22
AN OLD ACADEMY,
1t Flourlshed Before Washington
Cut the Cherry Tree.

Cut the Cherry Tree.
The Oldest Educational Institution In
Delaware, and One OF Good Reputc--
Interesting History of Newark Academy
Special Correspondence Gazette and journal
NEWARK. Sept. l7,--lt is fact little
known and less appreciated that the Acad-
envy of Newark is not only the oldest edu
cational institution in the State, but of its
kind the oldest in the country, having
been established when George Washing
tons young head was inilamed with
desire to put on his first new boots, and
filed with the seed Of filial disobedience
which later manifested itself in the cherry
tree incident of American history. When
the immortal George was about 10 years
| old the Academy of Newark was well
established as good Presbyterian school,
and it is the common belief that if Georges
father had sent him here, as he contem-
| plated, the cutting down of the cherry tree
might have been wholly avoided. But, If
| there is cause for regret on this hand,
| there is even more discomfort in the re-
Election that he might have imbbed the
| spirit of the school, which was then
| thoroughly calvanstic hut none of these
things occurred, and Delaware school
| has not the imperishable honor of having
been the tutelary father of the father of
! his country" This little DEPRESSION, how
ever, is meant merely to emphasize the
antiquity Of this institution as being con
temporancous i'll its early history with the
boyhood of Washington.
The academy of the present day is
vastly different in spirit and purpose from
| what it was intended to be by its founders.
| II was started distinctiyely as a Scotch
| Presbyterian divinity and classical
school and if it has fallen from
| grace in this respect it is not the
fault of the founders and governors but
rN Itn off ,Nf hn La
| spirit in education as in everything else.
| Never the-lcss the institution for years
| illlei 4 most important place in the educa-
tional system of the State and seems GER
| tain to make good name for itself under
the principalship of the Rev. DIR. James u.
Shanks,, a Presbyterian clergyman Of
| Philadelphia who has Just been elected rs
head master. The following interesting
facts were recently CLEANED from some old
history of the academy.
| This institution su famous in the latter
| part of the last century, had its origin in a
| school opened in l7il by the Rev. Francis
| Allison, pastor of the New London Church.
| some years previous to this date the synod
| Of Ihiladalphia representing at that time
| the Presbyterian Church Of America, was
| impressed with the need of suitable
| school for educating and preparing young
| men for the ministry. In 1850 the synod
determined to found n seminary and a
| committee was selected to go to England
| and solicited money for the purpose. The
| war between England and Spain for time
! interrupted the project but il was revived
| III LAS and the next year the school or
| gani2el by Mr., Allison was alOptel by the
| synod rs its own and il was ordered that
AL persons might send their children and
have them instructed gratis in the Lam
guagcs. philosophy and divinity, thcschool
| to be supported for the present by yearly
contributions from the congregations Of
| the synod
From this arrangement originated an
| academy. the first Of its kind in this conn
try, and the alma mater of many Of the
| leading men OF the period. Dr. Allison
| continued principal until 1852, when he
| was elected to the chair Of philosophy III
the Philadelphia Academy, now the mi
versity Of Pennsylvania. Ills successor,
the Rev. Alexander Mcdowell, then
| moved the school to Elktnn where il re.
| manned short time. lii 1867 the school
| was located IN Newark and two years later
Thomas and Richard Penn granted a
! charter to the academy ms AN Institution of
learning Several years later DR.. William
son and DR.. Ewing were sent 10 England
to secure funds for the institution. They
were successful in their undertaking mud
the generous donations of the Penns and
Others enabled them to erect substantial
buildings and form the basis of the present
| tlllOWlntlt. III !tll the trustees received
from Morgan Edwards a gift of seven acrrg
Of land in Newark, and Tie school WIS in
active operation until tie latter pnrt ii
1717 when on account If the revolutionary
war. then raging, it was closed and 81 re-.
NAMED until 1850. During this pefi0d the
building was used for Inc manufaclIrjne
of shoes for the Continental army. nndrT
Washington. DESPITE the losses iiirnrrej
during the war there was i'm the trrasnrv
in l7s5 about 300. From lIpf 10 17gfl
the school was not successful; but under \
change of principal il was again nrns.
porous.
The intention of ORGANIZING n coIle,,c l.,
Newark eliminated In Is3j md Nrwarl.
Academy was merged into N"warl, MING
Delaware COLLEGE, In lsi7 rhe a%a5n,, .
property was decided to the coIirrs AMI tIs
schools were united. When M IsGt ,,e
college received money from tho ,,rmar,I
government il had ii become M ' n,,ri.
cultural and non.sectariau r,,IIrpe ami ~
this reason the schnVis were se,',rnteJ
The surviving trustees Hon Wiii,,rG in
and William Il. Eend h Is,,, ein',ai r. !,
new board az trustees. If whom 6rlv r,m
are now alive. namely C,porTc 1; ff,,n.
49, - u NIT WTEL, lHN'H =. M4rPhey and
tIUSSingpr, j. Wilkins t'mcb lbr II e. NJ