Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-28


Inspired by an address made before
1t on March 8, 1879. by Professor Al
fred Colin, the Board of Trade of
Newark appointed a committee to
investigate the possibilities of estab-
fishing a school for industrial educa-
ton. This committee consisted of I.
B. Peddie, w. F. Dodge and w. II.
Kirk, and after their report was sub
mitted nothing further seems to have
been done until February g. 1881, when
another committee was appointed to
visit the Legislature at Trenton in the
interests of a bill for the establish
ment of technical schools in New
Jersey.
This bill, which is known as the
Industrial education bill" was
passed on March "a, 1881. making 1t
possible to organize the Newark
Technical School. BY the provisions
of the statute the citizens were re-
quired to subscribe from $4,000 to
IS. 600 In support of the school in or
der to secure an equal amount from
the State 1t was not until March,
1884. that $4,000 was subscribed.
INDUSTRIAL EuucdtfoHb
Industrial education then being in
its infancy. it was with some hesi-
fancy that funds were forthcoming to
launch the experiment. Finally sub
scriptions We're received to the
amount of $1,000, of which the city
gave but $500 These subscriptions
were annual for FIVE years, as this
was considered sufficient length Of
time to demonstrate the practicable
ity of such school,
The first board of trustees was APP
pointed by Governor Leon Albeit
and consisted of DR.. William NJ. Bar
ringer, DR.. Charles X. Imbrie, of Jer-
sey City: Edward Goeller, Augustus
F. r. Martin, Edward Weston,
George H. Phillips and James F. Com
nelly. DR. Imbrie. not being identi-
fed with interests in this city and
considering his appointment incon-
sistent, resigned in November. 1884,
and was succeeded by Moses Bige-
low.
With the funds in hand the board
of trustees rented the building at p
West Park street and proceeded in
search of a competent man in whom
the responsibility of organizing and
establishing the school could be
vested.
Director Cotton Chosen.
DR.. Barringer as secretary Of the
board found this a task of no small
magnitude, and after considerable Ia
Dor. his work as well as that of the
board was crowned with success in
the selection of a director" as he
was to be known. in the person of
Charles A. Cotton. at that time pro-
lessor of chemistry and mineraiogy
in the Rose Polytechnic Institute at
Terre Haute, Ind.
Director Cotton took charge of the
school on December Is, 1884, and the
board of trustees and DR.. Barringer
deserve great commentator for the
wisdom exhibited in the selection of
so able and self-sacrificing man as
our director to fill the position which
required so strong and tireless a
worker as he has shown himself to
be.
On February s. 1885, the school was
opened with lightweight students
and three instructors, including the
director The admission requirements
were very low at first, in order to
test the quality and mental calibre of
the applicants, but II was soon found
that even then there were many who
had to be refused admission on ac-
count of their inability to pass the
entrance examinations.
AS there were but few evening
schools at that time where the neees-
sary preparation could be obtained,
preparatory class was organized in
October, 1856, TO enter which class
no examination was required. Here
the students began with elementary
arithmetic and were advanced to take
up the first-year work Of the regular
course AS mathematics is the foun-
dalton Of all technical education. the
school has ever laid great stress on
this portion of the work.
Curriculum Gains Breadth.
The curriculum as laid out at that
time. and which was designed TO
cover those subjects which are most
essential in industrial life- has re-