The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-06
FIRST SwCHOOLMASTER
He Was Eng1ebert Steen-
huysen. and Taught
in This City.
BIS SCHOOL ESTABLISHED IN 1859
1t is Located on the Present Site
OF Public School No. H.
Interesting Facts.

An excellent article on Education in
New Jersey" is to be found IN the New
Jersey Hand Book" just issued by the
New Jersey State Board of Agriculture.
The paper has been prepared by J. Brog-
nard Bats, the Deputy State Superiu-
tendent, aud Is the most comprehensive
article OF the kind that has ever been
written:
Tie records concerning the schools of
New Jersey during the early days of its
existence as a COLONY are very lneaSer
but 1t is probable that the hrst school
master In the State, certainly the first in
the eastern part of the State. was Eagle
bert Steenhuyseu. He taught in what
was then known as thu Clown of Ber-
gen." which is now q part of Jersey City,
The school was established 10 1862.
~Steenhuysen was also II minister. and on
Sundays he preached in the same build
lug in which on other DAYS he Taught the
parents of those who did 80 much to
make our State whas IL Is today-the
pride OF ullits sons.
the site on which tais first school
house was erected is still used for school
purposes. aud from tuSt humble begin
ming has grown the building known as
Public School No. IL. with It's corps of
twenty-one teachers aud its accommodate
lions for 900 pup Is.
TDis school was supported by a tax f,
and was the cause OF litigation In 1872 /,
some residents of outlying districts re-
fusiuu to pay their purtiou of the tax
Until compelled by the courts, on the
ground thne the school was too far re-
moved 10 % of any Deuefit to them.
About ten years later the first school
was established IN Newark. This school
was maintained by inscriptions, aud
tue rwas authorized TO charge
tuition fees for the children of residents
who had not subscribed to the support of
tie school.
Other schools were established in East
Jersey about this persiod, among the
being those &C Woodbridge. Perth
Amboy. EiizabethtowG. Freenold aud
PiscHta way.
FIRST CHooL IN WEST JERSEY.
The fist school established ia West
Jersey uf which there Is anY record WAS
al Burlington in 1858. The iucums de-
rived from the revenues of au island III
the Delaware. opposite the town. We're
set apart to detray the expenses OF the
school The fluid thus established is
still in existence. and the income APP
propriatea for public school purposes.
The first legislation relative 10 schools
was n 1888. when au act was passed
authorizing the Inhabitants to establish
schools and maintain the satne by Taxa
tion.
In lS17 the Legislature enacted a law
creating IL school fuuu. the outcome from
which WAS 10 be devoted exclusively to
school purposes rnis fund was under
control of the Governor. the Vice Presi-
dent Of the Council. the Speaker of the
Assembly, the Attorney General aud the
Secretary of State.
Certain United States bonds, bank
stocks n other securities were set
apart for tue fund In 1871 the moneys
received from the sale and rental of
lands under water owned by the State,
were made u part of the fund. The
school fund Is now under the control OF
the Trustees OF the Fund for The Sup
port of Free Schools" the board bsing
composed of the Governor, Attorney Geu-
erai, Secretary of State. Comptroller.
President of the Senate and Speaker of
the Assembly.
lu 1920 The Legislature authorized the
several townships to levy a lax Ior the
education OF sncn sp0or children as are
paupers belonging to said township, aud
the chiIdTei OF such poor pAreuIs. resi-
dent IN said township. as are or snail be.
III the judgment OF said committee, uh-
able TO Daf toe schooling the same"
This law remained Ia force for some
years, being amended from time TO time,
and in such a manner as 10 provide for
free schools for such time ~ the m sney g
received from the school fuad III from
local taxation would permit aud allow
tuition fees for The remainder OF the year,
but it was not until 1871 that leg Station
was had pr1vidiag for :. State s:hool TAI.
IL making the schools absolutely free
to all the children IN the State.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Under our present law IhcIe IL a Sta e
Board Of Elucatiol. consisting OF Inc
trustees OF the ScnooI F1nd AND one
member IRON each Congressional ds-
trict. appointed by the Governor aui coz
hrmed by the Senate for u term OF i've
Years.
This Board appoints the County Super
iDten,tents of schools; makes rules and
regulations for carrying into effect the
Scuool law; decides appeals from the
decisions OF The State Superintendent,
and has control Of the Stale Normal
School and the Sch COL for Deaf-mutes.
The State superintendent is appointed
by The Governor u Is confirmed by tue
Senate. His term OF offlcs is three years.
lie has general oversight of tue schools,
aud decides appeals from the decisions OF
the County Superintendeuts. He is. ex