The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-02-27


The items published in THE NEWS
from time TO time about the many
historical sites and buildings in and
about Mount Holly, and the desirable
| ity Of having them properly marked
by suitable tablets, have excited con-
siderable interest. Several citizens
have taken up the matter and move
ment will probably be started in a
short time to secure funds for that pur-
pose. Many of the places of historic
interest mentioned in THE NEWS last
week are owned by private individuals
and it has been thought that the public
spirit of their owners might safely be
relied upon to cause them to do their
part in the movement to have every
place of historic value properly located
and marked. If the proposed tablet
is to be paid for by public subscrip-
ton, it was considered proper to select
for the purpose some building intimate
ly connected with the town through
out its history, and one which was, in
the fullest possible sense, a public
building, preferably owned by an Or
ganization. 1t was decided that prob
ably there was no building in
Mount Holly Of such general public
interest as the old school house on
Brainard street, miscalled the brain
ard school house, from an erroneous
idea which prevailed at one time that
it was built by John Brainard. In
this building the free public school
system of Mount Holly had its begin
ming, and its history, from the date of
the purchase of the land on which it
stands, to the present day, is matter
of record and absolutely authentic.
1t has been suggested that this building
would be the most suitable one to.
mark as beginning, and estimates
are being prepared for handsome
bronze tablet bearing a brief history Of
the old school. AS soon as the cost is
definitely known, the matter will be
presented to the patriotic orders Of the
town and the public generally, and
there is no doubt that sufficient funds
will be secured.
A history of the old building, from
the pen OF the late Barclay White, was
published in THE NEWS at the time Of
the celebration Of the Tooth anniver
sary of the organization Of the Mount
Holly Female Benevolent Society, the
present owner Of the structure, in 1914.
The following facts. reprinted from
that article. are Of especial interest at
this time;
On June %, 1853, twenty-one citizens
of Northampton, whose names were
published In the article referred to
above. formed an organization for the
purpose of educating the youth Of the
town. Five trustees were chosen
Henry Paxson, John Morrow. Alex
ander Ross, John Clark and John Hat
power to purchase land
and erect school house thereon. On
81, 1853, the trustees pur-
chased the present site from John
Brock. of Chester, paying therefor
eight pounds ten shillings proclama-
ton money. The school house was
built Immediately. The property
passed into the hands of the Female |
Society, upon its organiza-
ton January rs, 1914. and school
was opened with eight or ten pupils.
There are many other matters OF in
terest connected with the old building |
that do not properly come within the
scope of this article. THE News is
heartily in favor OF the idea OF placing |
. memorial tablet on this ancient and |
historic structure. and hopes that the |
will be successful, and that |
i will be continued until every historic
place in Mount Holly bears its appro-
pirate mark.