Bridgeton pioneer., 1892-10-27
BANK ST. PUBLIC SCHOOL.
A Sketcn of the Ola school ana
Its Promotion.

Its Promotion.
Previous TO the adoption of the new
Constitution of the State Of New Jer-
sey. there was no provision for the free
education of the children, but with its
adoption in 1914, the Legislature has
provided g for the maintenance and
support of thorough and efaeien
system of free public schools for the
instruction of all the children of the
State between the ages of five and
eighteen years"
At that time, that part of the town
on the east side OF the Cohansey was
known as the township of Bridgeton,
while that portion west of the Cohan-
sey was the township of Cohansey, al
though both were embraced in one
post off1ce-Bridgeton. The two town
ships were united and incorporated as
the city of Bridgeton in 1865
1t is with the public schools OF
Bridgeton township, or properly
speaking, the Bank Street school, we
have to deal.
Gen. Ebenezer Elmer, father of the
late Judge L. Q. G. Elmer, devised by a
will at his death in 1S43, that the inter-
est of $1,000 of his estate, be applied
annually for the tuition of poor child
rem of the village of Bridgeton, with
out regard to denomination or color,
in the elements of English literature"
This fund by decree of o. 8. Halsted,
Chancellor of the State of New Jersey,
1947, was ordered turned over to ''the
Trustees of the First School District in
the township of Bridgeton.
The first attempt at the establish
ment of a public school in Bridgeton,
was in the year 1S47, when an act was
passed by the New Jersey Legislature,
That it shall be the duty of the Su-
perintendent of public schools to be
elected in the township of Bridgeton,
to set off one district in such township
with the following boundaries: be-
ginning at the mouth of Stone bridge
run thence up the township line to
the old Burlington Road; thence
along the same southwardly to the
line of Fairfield township; thence
along the township line to the place of
beginning, which shall be known and
continued hereafter as the first school
district, of said township" Stone
Bridgeton Run la the small stream
which divides the city of Bridgeton
from the township of Deerfield.
Lewis Mcbride, father of ex-Sheriff
Mcbride, of our city, was elected
Town Superintendent, and proceeded
at once to set off the school district
as prescribed by law.
On the first Monday in April, 1S47,
the taxable Inhabitants of the above
district met at the hotel of Edmund
Davis and elected the following gentle
men as trustees: DR.. Ephraim Buck,
Lucius @. G. Elmer, Samuel Harris,
Ephraim E. Sheppard and Richard F.
Barracliff.
The trustees organized on April 10th,
with the following officers: DR..
Ephraim Buck, President, and L. @.
G. Elmer, Secretary. A site for a
school was purchased from Ephraim
Holmes and wife, on the east side of
Bank street, adjoining Harmony
Academy, for $3.50. The lot ran back
about two-thirds of the way to Walnut
street, but the remainder was pur
chased OF Henry B. Lupton for $3.50.
Plans for school building were
agreed upon and the contract for the
erection of the same was awarded to
Dayton b. Whitaker, for 81, ,43S 63. The
heating, seating, pump, trees, out
buildings, etc., increased the total cost
to 81, 151.53.
The school was opened on Monday,
January 10Th, 1s4S. The total number
Of school children according to the
census at this time was SIG.
The first teachers were: Principal,
Samuel G. Miller; Principal of Female
School Margaretta @. Little; 1st Assis-
tant, Miss Mary E. Nieukirk; I'd Assis-
tant, Miss Sarah H. Buck. The Trus-
tees attended the opening of the
school in body. Prayer was offered
and addresses were made. The schol-
ars present were boys, 104; girls, ia
MIR. Miller and Miss Nieukirk were as
signed to the boys department, on the
first floor; while Miss Little and Miss
Buck had charge of the girls on the
second floor.
In order to secure admission to the
school children must have been actual
residents of the township for three
months. Not more than two children
from one family were allowed to at
tend school ut the same time. Parents
OF colored children were authorized to
send their children between the ages
Of 5 and 16 years to such pay school
as won receive them, and the Board
agreed 10 pay reasonable school bills