Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-06-04
Berry's Boys and GIRLS.

sixty years ago Thomas Berry, school
teacher, opened the first public school in
Batter. in ths little tavern building tba
stood on what is now Miss Sarah McQais-
tion's lot, adjoining Boos store.
\ few months afterwards probably the
next summer, the little brick school house
was britt il the lot on Jefferson St, and
the school removed 10 it.
Here from about 1887 to 1851 (nobody
seems to be positive as to the exact date
OF beginning) Nj. Berry held forth, often
having from 100 to l2O scholars. zig and
! little, in that one small room, to teach
and discipline
! These scholars grew to be men and wo-
/ man and scattered over the continent; tn-
majority Of them are now il their graves;
a half century has rolled bg, and on Satur-
day last those who are yet above ground,
held the most unique and remarkable re
union, ever held in Butler.
Henry Heineman aud l. P. Walker took
hold OF the n 4tter some months So, and
theig Inquiries led them TO believe that
about l25 ofthe boys and girls who at
ended Berry's school, during the thirteen
years he taught here, were yet living;
they sent GU: that many notices of he
proposed meeting. and received. 81 re-
sponses
Saturday last, May 30, 1896, was fixed
upon as the day Of meeting, and that after
noon they began assembling in the old
-rInal .
toE -ds 3 o'clock, and then fifty eight
men and women present, answered 10
their names.
Those present with the ages Of some o..
the men atiached, were as follows:
Mrs. Louisa Creighton, nee RoeSsing,
Pi.tsbuIg, Mrs. Lena MeCleary, nee Ewalt,
Magic Pa Miss Belle Purris, Butler; Miss
Maggie Conley. Freeport, Mrs, Levi
Logan, nee Mosier, Jefferson Centre Pa.
Mrs. Lizzie Brown, nee Williams, Magic;
Miss Belle White of B1tler; Geo II Dosoh,
Pittsburg, 72l: Geo. " BARLEY. Chieora,
Pa, -; Nelson AcCandless, Butler, -
VIM Colbert, Butler, II; JOS McNair,
Pittsburg, go; Sol. Mccullough, Batter,
p.5 " IL LifSlt4s pAAIf4f b1y NJ l. mcJOI-
lough, Butler, 60; Tom McNar, Butler,
81; J. P Walker, Butler, 60, John McQ-
Smith, Butler, 68; Henry Heneman,
Butler, GS; " J DIckey, Moniteau, Pa 60
Walter Graham, Butler, 64; J y Pollock,
Butler So; James Spencer, Pittsburg, S.
J Harvey Miller, Butler, 81; VIM Nc
Cirnes. Imperial Pa, 81; Simpson McQuis
ton, Bellefonte. Pa. 65; John Dosch.
Kittanning, 6S; Wallace McQuistion. So
J B Aechling, 5S, James Hughes, 50. Geo.
Knittle, 56, Geo W Ziegler, So, Alex
Borland 50, W o Campbell, Sewickly.
Pa ; Cooper Mckee, J Q A Kennedy,
Phillip Wiesner, Samuel Miller. John
Miller, Henry Korn, AlGlenn, W F Miller.
Harvey Colbert, Samuel Borland, W A
Lowry, JAS Hughes, Jno b McNair,
Pittsburg; W Conley Freeport; Arthur
Turner, Samuel Purvis, Benz. Graham,
James Bredin, S 6 Hughes, Is W Bredln,
Franklin; J 8 Henry; Chas Duffy; G NJ
| Zimmerman, and A G Morrison
The meeting was called to order by II
c. Heineman, and prayer was offered by
| Jos. McNair.
Heineman then welcomed the boys and
girls OF 80 years ago, said this was not an
experience, but recollection meeting;
and asked to- ten minute speeches, the
the ladies to begin.
But the ladies would not respond, and
Walter Graham led off with an account of
the first public school of Butler and spoke
Of the tremendous growth of the system
| since then.
Jos. McNair told of the old school dayg
how the rod was used, of Butch McCuth-
con and his apples, of Jim Sweeuey'g
speech, and other iNcidents, and praised
Mr. Berry.
Tom McNair led the "schoop in sing
ing "ocotlauds Burning but nobody
risked the Bin Boom Bells
Chas Daily, took up small bible lying
on the table, and said It was the one the
scholars had presented to Mr.. Berry on
the last day he held school there, March
IS. 1851 The book was handed to Mr
Berry by Margaret Stewart. 1t is yet
"NaA BApoVA fbh anu NOutdlu5 Gli iub names
OF the scholars present that day, g. in
nomber Charley also told of some hum
orous experiences OF his school days
Rev. W. o. Campbell, who was one of
the youngest men there (55) hoped that
the old school house wOald be saved as a
precious memento, told OF the advent of
steel pens and of their first appearance in
Butler lat Tom Stehle's storel of his hay
ing to pull the :uumbly peg with his teeth
etc.
Judge Bfedin praised Mr.. Berry as
teacher and discipliuariQn; remarks were
also made by John McNair, J. q. A. Ken.
nhdy W. A. Lo WY, and an essay by Miss
Belle White was read
Letters of regret and memory from
Felix c. Negley Of Pittsburg; James Bcr-
land OF Oakland, Cal; JEFF J. Mechling of
Butte Valley, Cal; Mrs. Ella Heyman
Bnrkbart of Mltonva.e. Kansas, and
others were read
committee was appointed to memo
rializo the Butler School Board in the in
tereSt Of tho old building-it must stand
and 1t was resolved to hold another 10
union in the near future. the time to be
fixed by the President and Secretary,
Messrs Hsiueman aud Walker.
There was general talk and then tie
| reunion was closed by singing the doxol-
ogy and benediction by Rev. Campbell.
When Mr. Berry left Butler he won't to
Lawrence Co. where be was elected Coun-
ty Superintendent. He died about thirty
years ago, but his widow is SAID to be vet
living ear New Castle.
Closing out Trimmed Hats re-