New Britain herald., 1929-10-05

ed by the smaller children. some by
 the sons and daughters of the social
 ly elite and some by young gentle
 men and young ladies desiring high
 CT education.
 l The first continuous private school was opened in 1913 and it's first 1 teacher was Miss Almira Hart who ' afterwards became the distinguished 1 authoress, Mrs. Almira H. Lincoln | Phelps. In 1928, another school was started in the old house of one of i New Britain's first clergymen, Dr. 1 Smalley on East Main street.
 But probably the most interesting i of the private schools historically ! speaking. was the one conducted by l Elijah Burritt older brother of Elihu l Burritt, on Main street near the pre- sent site of the Palace theatre. Elihu 1 l}urritt himself, attended this school for some time.
 Tuition in the private schools was SG to sS per quarter and board was
 S3 per week! The subjects taught ranged all the way from mathematics and history for the boys and young men. down to A B C's for the young children. In the private schools con-
 duCted for young ladies, the subjects
 were even more varied. The ac-
 compllshments of their young lady
 graduates may best be observed in
 the following copy of an advertise
 Nf
 Two young ladies would like situa-
 lions as teachers in q healthy local ity or in an institution or family provided the remuneration is ample The English branches. music on piano or guitar, Latin, German. French, with leather work and wax flowers will be taught Grecian oil. water color, Oriental, antique, mon- ochromatic. polychromatic and enamel painting and pencil drawing in the best style!"
 It would seem that for so small a community-the population in the early part of the last century num- bered from 1000 to 200O-there were schools in plenty but New Britain early showed it's interest in higher education. Although public high schools did not appear until the mid de of the century-New Britain building the third one in the State in 1S50-"academies" where small tuition rates were charged, flourish ed long before that. Indeed. it is recorded that in the period from 1890 to 1925, no less than 10000 young people-many of them from outside of the State-were often assembled in the academies of Con- nectcut.
 Up until 1928. New Britain chill dren probably attended Berlin Ac- ademy which was established in 1902, But in 1928. the first New Britain Academy-a two story frame building-was erected near the meet ing-house. It fourished successfully for many years. Indeed, in 1888. it sent four graduates-all New Brit ain young men-to Yale University.
 Another century is well under way. With each year. greater facilities for education are offered the children of New Britain. But the splendid in stitutions of the twentieth century, remote az they seem from the crude little school of one hundred years ago, are securely built on the founda- ton then laid down. It is a chal- lengc and an inspiration to call to mind q quotation from the old Morse's geogra phy memorized years ago. by that other generation: "A thrift for learning prevails among all ranks of people in the State. In no part of the world is the education of all ranks of people more attended to than in Connecticut