New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17

behind IT, in East Fourth-st.. the Dry Dock
Savings Bank now in the Bowery. The bank, Ike
the school, was patronlzed mostly by peope con-
nected with the shpbuildng industry.
The Public School Society early turned its atten-
ton to this part OF the city and in 1898 established
Public School No. d. at No. 7S Ffth-st. -Four lots
were purchased. and the present school building
was erected on 1t. Several wings have been added
to it, but the original first schoohouse stands IN
tact 80 that the school boast OF having the old
est pubc-school building in the city The lots are
100 feet deep and the original schoolhouse. fifty
feet wide. was placed in the middle. leaving a
playground % feet wide each side Wings have
been added the building. so that the entire front
and rear OF the pot Of ground Is covered leaving
only the space each side for playground
The first principal OF the school Abraham X.
Van Week who served from 1893 to 1870 when he
succeeded by Nathan Perry Beers, who has
been principal from 1850 10 this day. Although az
tended by purely American children in its early
days. Grammar School No Is is attended mostly by
children OF German parertage. mingled with small
percentage Of Irish and Italians This was the hrst
school in which corporal punishment was abolished
Nearly fourteen years before the Board OF Educa-
ton abolished whipping in the public schools Mr.
Beers voluntarily did away with the rod and re-
lied moral suas!on." He became unpopular
with his fellow teachers in consequence. but 1t
demonstrated satisfactorily all that the toughest
class OF pupils could be controlled without the rod.
The experiment tried under
ditons in the OH Fifth-st. school. the boys
an unusually daring set. and had to be held With
a strong hand. Mr.. Beers had not been principal Of
the school many years when one morning, he called
all his teachers together. and told them that he
was tired of being whipping machine and II he
could not conduct the school without the rod 10
was going into some other business. Some Of the
teachers predicted that the experiment would prove
a II tried, however, ana mas Dren sue
ccssful.
This part OF the city so thoroughly given up
20 shipbuilding interests that when new ship vas
70 b. launched II impossible - keep the boys
school. The entire population turned ont IN honor
OF the occasion and all other business was sJs-
pended and the day given up 10 merry making.
Some well-known men Of this city nave been grad
uatei from the old Fifth-st. school. Many OF ne
graduates went 10 tle VAR. and won distinction On
the field OF battle.
Grammar School No. - is now in a good neghoor-
hood. surrounded by a better class OF homes thau
Is usually the lot of East Side public schools. The
building is well lighted and ventilated. in spite of
the fact that il Is an old-fashioned building. More
room is needed however and the classroons are,
too crowded. The light in the primary department
is poor on dark days. ana admittance is denied 10
children for want OF room. There is little prospect
OF the population diminishing in this part OF the
city. 80 that increased accommodations are mpera-
tive The trustees Of the school have applied for
additional lot on the east side OF the building FOR
of the school should also be purchased for
playground and the grante-block paved street n
front Of the school should be asphalted. The
tees OF the school are Samuel D. Levy. Samuel
Schumacher. Patrick J. McCue. George Mundorf
and William \. Graham.