The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-05
THE NEW DAY SCHOOL
Interesting Dedicatory Exer-
cises at Fremont.
CHAPTER OF HISTORY.
now the work Of Education Has Pro-
Eressed in seattle's Northern
suburb-Old Building.

was dedicated yesterday afternoon with
appropriate exercises. The weather was
perfect, and the attendance of parents of
the pupils and Others interested in the
school was large. The programme began
py march to the new school, where the
exercises were held in the open air in
'front.' of the building. The pupils sang a
farewell to the old school and q greeting
to the new, of which the first verse was as
follows:
Good by old, school-rooms, you won't do,
We have no further use for you,
Your narrow walls and noisy floor
Will echo to our feet no more,
Good bye, old school-rooms, you won't do.
The rest of the programme was as fol.
lows:
Introduction Of President Of the Day Day . -1
Address Of Welcome ..................... .
80. President Of the Day D. 4. Spencer
Delivery Of Keys. BY Architect John Parkinson
Acceptance and Delivery to Principal:
Acceptance by Principal Of B. +. Day "a; school
History OF Fremont Schools T. W. Proseh
Recitation.aour Flag, Miss f E P.r key
song-"Three Cheers for the Red, White and
:. Blue" and raising of the flag .....
Ausic.---- ..--.....--.--.---..... --.----...bano
Superintendent Barnard's speech was in
his usual felicitous style. After an ap-
propriate anecdote he made few earnest
remarks and then introduced Mr.. Spencer.
The latter made happy address to the
children, urging them to keep high ideals
before them in their work. Mr.. Burwell
spoke of the responsibility which lay upon
the school board, the citizens of Fremont,
the teachers and the pupils themselves
After. Professor Storey had accepted the
keys Mr.. Prosch read the following his
tory:
The history of Fremonfs public schools does
not cover protxcted period Fremont as this
part or the city of Seattle is commonly known,
had no existence whatever four years ago. On
the Sth OF May, 1885, f. C. Kilbourne, as attor-
ney in fact Tor Edward and Carrie Blewett, filed
q plat OF the Denny q Hoyt addition to the city
OF Semitic, and shortly thereafter began the sale
OF lots. The plat took in the greater part of
what has since been included in the town OF
Fremont, and its fling was the initial step in
the creation of a new and promising, and now
important, community. The Blewetts were
residents Of the town Of Fremont, in Dodge
county, Neb. and in compliment 10 them the
name was adopted here. Those were days of
change, improvement and growth. The people
came. and came rapidly. Their wants in the
way of homes. streets, schools. churches, ETC..
had all to be supplied, In fact. q finished town
made where there was nothing but woods,
swamps and hills. The prospect would have
been disheartening to any but courageous, de-
termined people, inspired with faith in them
selves and in the grand country about them.
Within year town had sprung up, and land
had advanced in value more than 1000 per cent.
1t soon became apparent that that great institu-
ton of the American people, the common school,
must be introduced. Agitation of the question
resulted in the establishment of school district
No. Sc, February !, 1889. George NJ Boman,
Isaac Burlingame and N. Densmore were ap.
pointed directors, and William Ashworth clerk.
The board he'd its first meeting on the 9th of
February, to devise ways and means to institute
and maintain school, Mr.. Boman promised to
pay the teachers first months salary Mr.. Bur-
lingame undertook to secure seats and black
boards, and Mr.. Densmore to raise such other
money as might be required. The house Of
Mrs. Gale was taken at sl2 Q month, and Mrs.
Gertrude Wheeler was engaged to teach at $40 a
month. The school was opened on the 25th
Of March, 1889. with thirty-fve pupils, which
number was increased within fortnight to
sixty-seven. Mrs Nutter was then employed ut
$50 month to assist Mrs. Wheeler, taking tho
younger children into her charge. The term
continued twelve weeks, ending on June a.
Including salaries of teachers, rent, furniture,
stationery, fuel and all else the costs aggregated
the small sum of $2s4s0. The financial manage
ment OF the school appears to have been su-
perior Not only were all the bills paid promptly
and in full, but surplus Of 32294l was left to
the school officers OF the following year. 1t 10
interesting to see how this money was obtained
The records, from which this narrative Is chiefly
taken, inform us that cash subscriptions
amounted to sl7S.5O; that the apportionment Of
public money yielded sl1l.16; while S224 SIS were
the net results OF a ball and supper,
For sOme reason or other the school was not
reopened in 1889 until the 18th Of December. The
people became FESTIVE at the delay In response
to the popular demand the directors finally
leased the Nichols building; Mr.. B. F. Day at
that time offering to pay 800 for the first three
months rent. James Brady was engaged az
teacher at SEQ a month, and Miss Agnes NJ God
dard at $50 month. Mr. Brady was dismissed
for cause after five months trial, and Miss God
dard succeeded him. Miss Goddard has con-
tinued in the Fremont and Seattle schools to
this day, and the Nichols building has been
used ever since, but probably will be no more.
During the last school year, under the old
order of things, Mr.. T. P. Storey was employed
as principal and Miss Mabel Parker as assistant.
Miss Parker's health became impaired and she
Resigned, soon after succumbing to the disease
which had attacked her Mrs Alice Carter sue
ceedsd Miss Parker For the first time janitor
was used at s. u week, aud the faithful clerk
was paid s25 for his years work. The schools
30 CfoWutu tAAt IL was necessary 10 ex-
clude children under years of age, and in ad-
dition to secure another person to assist the two
teachers. At the close Of the term the board ex-
pressed its confidence in the teachers by
electing them for another year.
The school census OF 1889 developed popula-
ton In Fremont of l47 children between the
ages oi and II years. Eighty.three children
were enrolled in the schools, and fifty four was
the average daily attendance. The year follow
ing there were 2is children between and 81, of
whom l5s were enrolled in the schools, the aver
age daily attendance being %. school was
taught 10 days; tho receipts were 81 ,2s6 40 and
the expenditures sl,0Il.6e. The year after, end
ing June 80, 1891, the district was reduced In
area, but Notwithstanding this considerable
progress was made School was kept going ten
months, more help was employed, better wsgss
were paid aud the enrolment of public schools
reached 200 The enrolment OF the present
year has already reached 252 pupils, and will 20
higher Five teachers have been employed
Mr. 7. p. storey, the principal; Miss Agnes NJ.
Goddard, Mrs Alice A. Garter, Mrs. Mary F.