The Penn's Grove record., 1916-07-14
SCHOOL HOUSE GONE
Ground Broken For The Fine New
Brick Building

The Cove school house was moved
from its foundation last week and
ground was broken for a fine new brick
school house on Tuesday to
date the children in DUPONT Villages.
While the better and happier things
come with the progress of this electric
age-and has com with smokeless pow
der speed in Upper Penns Neck town
ship in the past eighteen months, yet
the happy memories of childhood days
are associated with the old drab school
house which has stood amid the prim-
: eyal oak and gum trees for the past 81
years.
LAFAYETTE SEMINARY.
The first Cove school house was erect
ed in 1884, for religious as well as school
purposes, because the nearest churches
were at Perkintown and Church Land
ing. On September l. 1884. Sarah Pit
man conveyed to Thomas Flanagan
Lawrence. James Denny, Hudson A.
Springer and John Summerill. Jr.. trus-
tees of Lafayette Seminary of Upper
Penns Neck, for 50. and to their success
sors in office. for the use OF the Lafay-
cite Seminary Association. a triangular
piece of land, containing fifty-two perch.
more or less" Sarah Pitman signed be-
fore job Bevis, commissioner of deeds.
The nearest school house was the
School House Green which stood on the
line between the Bevis farm and Harvey
Pedricks. 1t was erected about 1876.
Wiley School is about as old. There was
no Wrights. Central nor Penns Grove
school.
Marquis Lafayette. when a young man.
came from France and Joined Washing
tons staff in the Colonial army. He
was a leader of the party in France
which fought to establish a republic.
In 1924 he visited America and Con-
gress gave him 100000 and a township
of land. Some natives here. citizens.
saw him in Philadelphia His death
in 1881. about the time. this land was
bought led the citizens to name the
school Lafayette Seminary" in honor
of the famous Frenchman who helped
our forefathers gain theirs liberty.
Thomas Flanagan was the father of
our aged townsmen, Charles &. Flani-
gan, Thomas Jefferson Flanagan and
Joseph Guest Flanagan. He owned and
lived on the farm where Carney Point
postoffice stands and the surrounding viii
lage miscalled Riverview. Andrew Law
"ence was the grandfather of our towns
zen Daniel Nanneman Lawrence and
William G. Lawrence. lie lived at
Georgetown crossroads.
Hudson A. Springer was the grand
father of our townsmen Alfred Spring
tr and Hudson Springer Titus. James
Denny was a shipbuilder at the Cove
where many craft were made to float.
A. yraS tho fotbap of nur famous ctaarn-
boat captain, Samuel NJ. Denny. John
Summerill. Jr.. was a storekeeper at the
Cove. the father of the late John and
Joseph c. Summerill.
All these had large families of chill
.dren, except John Summeril who was
not then married, but had been a school
teacher, was a justice of the peace and
public leader. His store was not only
the place for discussion of politics, fish
ing and farming topics, but was the
place FOR a library of standard books,
much better than any library in Upper
Penns Neck today.
In the winter of 1896 a famous reviv-
al took place in the Cove school house
and led to the organization of Emman-
uel Church in 1915. Among the con-
verts were Robert and Francis p. Walk
er, who kept a tavern at the Cove, for
their mother. Catherine Helms. for
whom the settlement was called Helms
Cove for many years. Her first hus-
band was Michael Walker and her sec
ond John Diver. William F. Walker is
a grandson of Michael Walker.
Before this revival it was a common
occurrence for Il Sunday pastime to
drink apple jack and race horses on the
Cove Lane. The morning after the CON
version of the Walker brothers, the
leading church men at the Cove gath
cred around the tavern sign post to cut
it down. Daniel Vanneman, who lived
in a house which stood in the yard
where Josiah Summerill now lives, sug-
gested that the sign post be not cut
down, but dug up so it would not
sprout again. His suggestion was car
ried out and the Cove has not had a
tavern since 1896. 1t was in the brick
house where Charles II. Summerill now
lives.
The first school house was torn down
about 1878 to make way for the one
Just moved. 1t will be moved up the
road towards Georgetown to a plot Of
ground near the woods and will be used
for public meetings. After this year it
will be used for election purposes.
As we saw the AK go into the old oak
in the middle of the school ground last
Tuesday we felt like saying:
.'Woodman. spare that tree.
n Touch not ii single bow.
In youth it sheltered me
And I'll protect it now"
The memories of happy school days
playing town ball. fox and geese, sling
tail. running sand through tree roots
for an imaginary mill. catching tadpoles
and bullfrogs are now dreams which re-
vernerate in old age with pleasant rec
objections.
In those days the boys. girls and
grown persons could walk from one 10
four miles to school and religious SER
-. L,t III ranst uill nnt % nnlngS