Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-16
DONE in PHILADELPHIA

Sunday schools are now so common that their
existence is taken matter of course, ana
yet only 100 years back they were 80 much
a novelty that they were being studied else
where, especially in England, with a view to
introducing thom into this country
And when It had been decided to Introduce
them here the movement that was organized
to support them had It's home in Philadelphia.
Now the connection between the Ledger
Building and this movement is simply this
that the American Sunday School Union, hav-
ing been formed, made the ancient building
then on this site It's headquarters, and remained
here until about 80 years ago. 1t removed to
its new building on Chestnut street. near
Twelfth, from which location 1t again removed
only few years ago still further westward.
But the site was historic even before that
day In the new view of the group of buildings
on Independence Square, which emSellished the
Columbian Magazine in 1890, there Will be seen
in the foreground isolated structure named
the Academy. Unfortunately 1t Is only tho
rear OF the structure that is presented to u.s.
but It Is sufficient to give us an Idea OF the
character Of building which was first erected
on this lot
This building was erected for the then new
Academy Of the Episcopal Church. Just about
the time the forfeiture of the chsster Of the ola
College and Academy of Philadelphia was ac-
complished which, as It turned out, was a good
thing for all concerned, for that institution
raised Its head again as the University or
Pennsylvania.
The Episcopal Academy, which still thrlves
after moro than century OF useful service
In the cause OF education, was organized In
1856. The Rev. John Andrews was appointed
its first principal and in 1887 the institution
received its charter and also n grant of lo'VoO
acres of land from tho State.
It's first homo was Fourth street, below
Market, but this provided little than a
makeshlft, and arrangements were begun for
tho erection of the building on Chestnut street,
west of sixth. Tho site of this structure Is
covered by the Washington Building, 612 and
GA The building was still unfinished In 17Ss
when the Academy moved into It's new home.
But while the Fourth street house was too
modest, this was found to be too eX-
pensive, and 1t was sold in 17s1
Subsequently it became hotel. and suffered
severely from the fire that destroyed Ricketts
Circus at the corner Of Sixth and Chestnut
streets in December, 1893 Oeller's Hotel, as the
house was known. the finest hotel In the
city. Those historic banquets of the French
sympathizers, who wore the tricolor cockade
and tried to sing the 'Marseillaise" In French
as they waved liberty caps in honor of Citizen
Genet, were held here.
Taneyrand himself while in the city, is said
to have stopped there, and the celebrated Doctor
Prestley honored these affairs by his presence.
In those days the doctor resided for time on
Market street, west of Sixth There is a long
story to tell about Oellers Hotel itself, but
this is about Sunday schools
1t was quite a long time afterward that the
American Sunday School Union to this
site. The interim filled by the building
being used for various purposes, part of the
time as a boarding house.
When the nineteenth century opened, strange
as it may appear, there not Sunday school
in the modern sense in this country. There had
been such schools in England since Robert
Raikes a Gloucester, England, printer opened
one in this city, and set example for the
entire Christian world.
Raikes' idea took hold. for he seems to have
been one of the first to have not only seen
the connection between neglect and ignorance
and crime, but to have put forth plan by
which this might be remedIed This plan was
put into operation in Gloucester in 1882; by
degrees the idea spread all over England, Lon
don having introduced this form of instruction
in 1855.
In these first schools effort made TO
teach the children something more than piety
and correct conduct it also sought to give
them rudlmentary education 1t should be
remembered that what call public schools
were still a long way Off and those children
whose parents could not pay for their education
got none. Our public school system is
less than a century old
What seems to have been the first Sunday
school established in this city was organized
In 1911 by Robert May who had received his
knowledge in q Sunday school in London. May
left tho country in 1872 but the seed took root.
1t was not that the idea was not regarded
as a good that 1t did not take hold more
quickly but there the expense attached 10
it that had to be borne. In order TO assist
those Sunday schools that needed H. and at
the same time TO supply proper literature for
them. the Philadelphia Sunday and Adult School
Union formed in 1871 New York had a
similar union, and finally, in 1923, It was pro-
posed that a national union should be estab-
lshed
This the beginning Of tho American Sun
day School Union, which was formed that
year, and was constituted in lS2L It was de-
oided that Philadelphia was most centrally To-
Gated for the headquarters Of the organization,
and this became its home. Three years later
the property now 62 and Gi Chestnut street
was purchased ana the union established here
Ten years later it had the titles Of 500 of its
own publications on its catalogue.
am not sure of what constitutes a historic
site, but l ann inclined to the belief that this
has some claim TO the distinction.
GRANVILLE.
THE IDEALIST