The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-14

of the leading educational lights Of the community. Courtland school has closed It's doors forever. This institu- ton which imparted knowledge to imors than 500 prominent women of the community. during their early years. is no more.
 'sThere seemed to be no need TOT us any. longer" the sweet faced, white haired principal. Miss Mary J. Miner, said to-day commenting on the chauks, p''the school was not paying for itself. The variety and extent or subiects taught necessitated the em- ployment, of . large corps of efficient taanhars and the city did not seem lto ypepond in the number of pupils needed to mako this profitable. Carry ing it on would have meant running into debt4 and 50 I decided to close" { Bow. iflany, of those who attended the brilliant 25th, anniversary celebra- ton Of the school on May IS realizes thatethey were, really, sounding ''taps" Iovar what had SO long bean an in flueuoe for higher education in the clty. AtI that time lit was thought that atssomethinS copldsbe done to give K a penmanent endowment fund, throuxh . plan of obtsfn1ng sunsof1p- tione from, its former pupils. Every one was emthusiastic about the plan but 1t failed in spite of the efforts made in Its behalf.
 M Arsady people are visiting the ] school with an eye to purchasing It's furuishinGs. By August l, all the littla primary tables and chairs, all the bright pictures which decorate the walln. and all the books which i'll the chatrs Will. have been sent their different ways Even the antique lool1ux .dx& desk with it's elaborately | fiRuredsbrass ornaments at which Miss Miner vas Iaccustomed to sit in years Tone by will. be absent from its place. The rooms will be given oyer to sfranrers and never again on winter { dayssor in the.early spring or fall wili | the ,rnurmurins of children in recita- { lion ,gbe carried through them Even the Kifrn of the various classes to the schooi will De returned to the mem hers of the classes and all that will remain of the Courtland school will be tho memory.
 AIore. cave, for her maid, in the b1sildine at s481, ,Courtland street which fr,c. efesf years has housed the school, i 1f3ss Miner told of it's history. In ] s1a midst, of empty desk forms which 1 gDoas silent3y of pupils who would never arain be taught there, among i r,,rsfrres and statuary bearing small ! br,ss plates with the numerals, 12. a soar and the like, the energetic ! princiualSwas . cheerful figure despite fha panrs which it must cost her to I Ssx,> m vrhat. has been so much or ! her lite-
 1fes Miner has been active educa- , tionally in the city for great many { venrs. with the late Miss Frances A. lrnrb1e,' her sco-worker in COurtiand schOol for % long and Q. A. Peck, tl,s principal, she composed the first Z fncuIty of the high school when 1t f vns started in 1876 with about 1e | pupils. Tho classes met in the old ] prospect< street school building Later when tho high school moved to the :; nufldin< which 1t has just vacated cnn ! iconkrcss strelt. she and Miss Marble ] fAuxht there for many years
 ! 0n september 30, 1891, Court1and 1 sca,ool first threw open its doors. IF. Y6.rble and Miss Miner wore as- ]. sfuked in the work as pr1ncfpa1s and 1 teechers by Miss Miners aster. Misz Clara w. Miner, now Mrs. NAtnAn F. Toppinx of New York The school vns then, GituaAed on CoUtiAnd Hdll 1 whence it derived its name and wnere fft remained for seven years At the ,. end of tl,ia period it removed to the iuressnx. sfte of the University club on 1 Golden Hf11 street. This building was at that time one of the most splen- didly equipped schools in the East. But not even to this centrally located I ana school did pupils come lin sufficient numbers to make 1t profitable venture and so ten years i.xer tho school was removed to itl present quarters in the Crescent block.
 It has been the policy of fstlre school to train children frotl their ffth ,bfrthdaw ,tntu they entered college lChildren at any ages between those !years were enrolled asepupils. While I4hsre were many small boys in tho lur4msry Assortment these usuall!
 went to a boys school as they grev
 older and the mao1rity of the pupil twsee s4r19-
 A high standard of scholarship hai
 A1vays been maintained at the schoo
 nnd the certificate privfIedge to al
 ifhs colleges which give that privilege
 len1cyed. During its existence q
 lfeacbers have been employed at thu
 IacfOol. the average number in on'
 yuar being 10. During its day, man.
 veu known speakers have addressed
 4he st,1dentSl of the school, and thu
 pupils themselves have appeared fl
 numerous dramatic entertainment
 both in French and English.
 Since the death of Miss Marble
 five years ago, Miss Miner has con
 dncted the school alone. Last year
 when it was not paying 90 well as
 should, she began to think of gfvin it up and consequently discontinue'
 ali but the class which was to grad
 raafe this year and the primary de
 partment. It was her plan to conduc { q primary school hereafter for smal
 boys and girls, but the plan did no
 I,naeet with the proper response am
 she at last decided to close the schoo
 entirely.
 The school has had a most success
 fu1 career insofar as mfshaps are con
 cerned. It has never had a fire 0
 been threatened with any other mis < fortune.
 In 1895 the lGraduates' association
 was formed of graduates and thre
 years students, known as associated
 This has always continued to be ai
 active organization. meeting month";
 and holding lecture courses durin
 the winter season. Tho Graduates
 association viii continue it's acttvitfe