Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-12-22

Notable Gift OF a Public School
There is in course of erection at New
field, Gloucester County, a modern
eight school building, located on
a twenty acre tract.
The building and grounds were be-
queaihed to the town by Mary Hill
Edgarton as a memorial to her hus-
band, General Warren P. Edgarton.
Mrs. Edgarton died about a year ago,
leaving to the town of Newfield for
public school purposes nearly the en-
tire estate accumulated by the General
in his lifetime. Her executor is direct
ed by the will to sell Der ewels, aud all
other property not designated for pub
lie uses, to provide funds for the erec-
ton OF the memorial school, which
will be called the Warren P. Edgarton
School. The cost is estimated at
10000.
This building will contain six large
classrooms, an assembly hall rs by 25
lcCt9 q tChCACl6 lOOlIs anu q " IA
which will be placed the choicest of
the relics from the Edgarton home.
The building which will be modern in
every particular, is being erected under
the direction of Mr. Anthony M. Hirst,
executor, a lifelong friend of General
Edgarton.
The Edgarton homestead, a mile
from abe town in Franklin Township,
with extensive farm lands and a wood
ed tract adjoining, is also given ao a
site for q second school, when the pop
ulation in hat section of the township
increases sufficiently to warrant its
erection.
General Edgarton was a native of
Massachusetts,, and in the Civil War
served on the staff of General Philip
Il. Sheridan. He married Mary Els
tella Hill, of Franklin Falls, New
Hampshire. They had no children,
but they both had a fondness for young
people, and their beautiful homestead
was a Paradise for the little folks whom
they frequently entertained. His af-
fiction for children and his connection
with educational affairs in early life
caused the General to express a desire
that any of his estate that might be
left after the death of his wife should
be devoted to promoting local school
interests.
By his will, however, Mrs. Edgarton
was made his sole beneficiary with
freedom to dispose of his estate as she
saw fit. So carefully did she cherish
the wishes Of her husband that she
served a loyal stewardship over his
estate and declined to use any Of the
revenue, W for personal purposes.
AT the time of her death, ten years
after that of her husband, asubstantial
memorial fund had been accumulated
in addition to the original estate.
1t is ex pected that the building will
be completed within a few months.
When it is finished the school and the
land will be formally presented to the
people of Newfield. There are no CON
ditions attached to the gift, except
that none of the land can be sold.
In Mrs. Edgarton's will is the follow
ing:
sit was the re4uestof General Edgar
ton that at my death what still remain
ed of his hard-worked-for property
should be used for a public school
where every child, of whatever creed or
race, might receive instruction"
A list of the gifts that have been
made to the schools of the State would
be a long one, but this is M of the
most notable that have been received of
late.
People of means will more and more
realize that the public school affords a
good opportunity for gifts. 1t is al en-
during institution. 1t works for the
betterment OF both the individual and
the state. All the needs of the schools,
even In our wealthiest communities, are
rarely met, and with our changing
social conditions needs are constantly
increasing.-From the New jersey
Education Bulletin, published at Tren-
ton by the State Board of Education.