Middletown transcript., 1895-07-13
OUR INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.
Origin and History of the Middletown

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Origin and History of the Middleton
Public Schools and the Academy.
The history of community is general
fairly recorded in the records of its school
and churches. In making some researc
in the educational interests of this CON
munity, few facts have been found tht
may prove of interest and profit to thos
who care to know something of the annal
of the neighborhood.
The first school house known to be bull
in this place was on the farm of DR.. Jaco
Peterson, now the property of Mrs. William
Green. In ITO DR.. Peterson caused to b
erected little log school house in th
heart of the woods, near his residence, 70
the instruction Of his children and those Q
his neighbors who would avail themselve
of the opportunity afforded. The site o
this first institution of learning was ais
the same afterwards occupied by the COLI
Free School," the white-washed schoo
house that stood down the lane, erected il
1880. Its historic-not classic-walls nigh
tell a wonderful story, for they witnessed
scenes that are not recorded in any of tn
ancient and time-worn documents. Tha
school house on the green! There are I
few fragrant memories associated with it
history. But not many pleasant recollec
tions of the school masters, whose qualifi
cations were doubtless gauged by theil
ability to WELD the birch. The schoo
house still stands, but not on its origina
site; it is doing duty now as a granery Of
barn on Mr.. Charles Roberts suburban
farm, and the Shirt Factory stands in it!
place. The old Free School as an institu
ton of learning passed away in 1875, wher
districts No. 60 and No. "a were united, an6
by an agreement between the School Com
missioners of the districts and the Trus
tees of the Academy, it was arranged tc
use the Academy building for Public
School purposes, the district to pay 8
nominal sum for its use, and the Trustees
to keep the property in good order and
equipped for the work required in graded
| school.
The Academy dates its origin to little
earlier period than the Free School. 1t was
built in 1926 from the proceeds of lot.
terry scheme which was sold for $4,000
the lottery being authorized by the Assem-.
bly,.
The first Board of Trustees was COM
posed of Richard Mansfield, John Eddows
John CHM, William Fl. Crawford, Arnold
Naudain and their successors. Two other
trustees were added to the Board in 1929,
when Richard Lockwood and Joseph B.
CHM were chosen. The contract to build
an Academy two stories high, with two
rooms on each floor, and hall ten feet
wide in the centre, with cellar under the
whole; to be built of the best material, and
in a plain but substantial manner was
awarded Henry Little for five thousand
dollars, six acres of ground having
already been purchased from Outten Davis,
which was increased to eight by dona-
ton of two acres from William II. Craw-
ford, who by the way, was descendent of
the Peterson, who built the first school
house in the community.
The building, which was in imitation of
white marble, was completed and school
opened October 18th, 1927, with Rev.
Joseph Wilson, Principal and Miss Isabella
Anderson teacher of the "female and pri-
mary department. The school continued
with but brief interval, for nearly fifty
years. The various principals, of whom
there were at least twenty, were in almost
every instance men of high scholarship,
and the Academy was well patronized not
only by the immediate neighborhood, but
by those in the ada cent sections, and the
tuition of the pupils aggregated fair
salary for the Principal. Among the
pedagogues whose names are familiar to
this generation are Primrose, Hitchcock
Mcdowell, Sanders, Macbeth, Halloway,
Newman, Wood Hicks, and Jones. Sum-
ner Stevens was the last principal of the
Academy; it was during his term that the
Academy gave place to the Public Schools
of which he was the first Principal. He
was followed by Prof. A. s. Wright, who
resigned in 1884 and was succeeded by
Prof. Burrows who only remained a few
months, and Prof. Sloppy filled the Prin-
cipars Office for one year. Prof. Tharp
was elected Principal in 1885 and for seven
years filled the position very &C
ceptably.
The Academy building has been inn
proved and enlarged several times, so that
now the cupola and the bell are the only
outward semblance of the original struc-
ture. In 1865 commodious dining room
and kitchen were added at the rear, and in
1872 the brick addition on the north side
was built, John Morrison being given the
contract for 81 4,700.
Of the original tract owned by the trus-
tees, which embraced the whole of Cass
street and adjacent lots, the old ''curved
roof house" ON Main street is now all that
is in their possession, the Board having
sold the lots off for building sites. They
have however number of lots on Craw-
ford and Lake streets, which were pur-
chased from the Fenimore estate, but there
are no dwellings on any of them excepting
that on North Broad Street, the South side
of the double dwelling opposite the
Academy, being Academy property.
Dr. T. II. Gilpin, treasurer Of the Board,
has recently had plot drawn of the prop
erty, and after much careful searching of
titles and deeds, has been able to locate and
describe the various lots. The Trustees,
being at but little expense, as school prop
fiaco INF 70 "
ing treasury, from which the various needs |
of the schools, in the way of furniture and |
other appliances are supplied, and the |
Board will doubtless take pride and pleas
ure in having the schools equipped equally |
well with any in the State.
The present Board of Trustees consist of |
Ex-Governor John P. Cochran, President; |
Capt. Samuel Pennington, Secretary; DIR. |
Thomas II. Gilpin, Treasurer, Henry Davis,
R. 7. Cochran, II. A. Nowland and g. M.
Reynolds. Three of the trustees are ap-
bu the Drosidapf fo raproSopf ha |