Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-21
PLAN CENTENNIAL
. OF PUBLIC SCHOOL
sublic Celebration in South Or
ange to Take Place in
January.

8 Those in charge of the public edu-
eational system in South Orange
Village are making ready for the OBJ
servance of the centennial of the
erection of the original Columbia
Schoolhouse, wooden structure,
which stood where the present up-to-
Date brick building bearing that
aame stands. at Academy street and
sputh Orange avenue.
sThe public observance of the lOuth
anniversary of the first public school
house, which is now located in Valley
street near First street, and occupid
as a dwelling and for business pur-
poses, will take place next January,
The Board of dEucation has named
committee consisting of Commits
sloners J. Henry Theberath, James
Marshall, Alfred ). Kinsey. Clifford
w Headley and William D. Gibby to
arrange for the observance.
The present Columbia School eS-
tends the entire block from South Or
ange avenue to First street on Acad-
envy street, and has a faculty num-
bering sixty-three.
Conducted by Association.
Prior to 1914 a school was conducted
n the village by an organization
Known as the Proprietors and Asso-
GATES of the School in South Orange,
n 1914 there We're seventy-three mem
bers of this association. In August
Of that year the association was in
c1rporated and elected seven trus-
tees. The name Columbian was given
10 the school In December the as
ISOLATION decided to build a school,
house, which was accordingly erected
in the ensuing year of wood, two
stories high forty-tive by thirty feet.
zsThis was not a free school, but each
pupil paid tuition, Sl.15 a quarter for
smelling, reading and writing: % cents
for arithmetic and % cents for geog-
raphy. The cost of fireWood was di-
vfded among the pupils, except that
some were exempted because of ina
bility TO pay
zThe school continued through the
twelve months. Teachers were hired
by the quarter, with special mention
that a quarter consisted of thirteen
weeks. The teacher or man, was fire.
quently changed, continuing some
times only one or two quarters, rare
" beyond two or three years, being
paid a certain sum per scholar. and
Summing his own risk as to the num-
Der Of scholars" In 1927 "a compe-
tent woman assistant" history states,
was first employed, the man being
paid S96 for six months and the wom-
an S4S The upper room was used
for religious and other meetings.
Organize school District.
ssrn 1890 the first record of a school
district appears The South Orange
~ e'S we're then a part of the
Fourth School District of Orange.
The district did not conduct the
school, which was still continued by
the association but through the dis
tFict organization the trustees re-
ceived State aid to the amount Of
s27. The record from 1S45 to 1852
IS lacking, but in this period the
I'D association disappeared, the
school district became No 6, of Clin-
ton township, and assumed full
charge of the school. 1t was not a
free school even at that time.
Part of the expense was paid out
IF the public none, and the remain
der was assessed against the "em-
pioyers." In 1856 the tax was so
cents per term upon each scholar.
Rhis tax disappeared in 1861, and
Hereafter the school became a free
school.
THE original association decided the
HAcademy Building to the school
district IN 1858. During the war the
upper room was used as a drill room
tor a military company called the
Guards.
There are no known records of the
school from 1870 to 1877. During that
time the district changed from No.
6 EClinton Township to No. % South
Orange Township. and included the
school in the Borough of Vailsburg,
now the Vailsburg section of this
9iiy
In 1887 free text books and supplies
were first adopted, the High School
Was established and graduated it's
first class in 1883. \ year later the
lot which then separated the school
from Academy street was
purchased. Manual training was in
troduced in 1880 and in 1891 the High
School course was extended to four
years.
In 1894 the school district was
to cover the town Of South
Orange, embracing the Maplewood
and Hilton schools. Till 1893 these
schools We're conducted independent /
ly of each o Their. In 1898 Mr.. Nc /
Andrew was made superintendent of
all schools and they were brought
under one administration. In 1898 a
brick addition to Columbia School
was erected at a cost of $4,000.
Henry w. Foster, the present SD
perintendent, was named in 1900,
Since then the school district has
crown with much rapidity. Columbia
School was twice enlarged since Mr..
Foster assumed charge, and new
schools have been erected in Maple
wood and Hilton. a third building is
now in the course of construction in
academy street, near the dividing
line of South Orange Village and
South Orange Township.