Smyrna times., 1930-09-10
SMYRNA FIFTY YEARS AGO AS
REVAMPED FROM OUR FILES
ITEMS ABOUT SMYRNA FROM
SMYRNA TIMES, SEPT. 8, 1880
Notes of Marriages, Deaths, Real
Estate Deals and Matters of In
terest of Half Century Ago

Estate Deals and Matters of In
terest of Half Century Ago
(The Smyrna Times has started
TO look back over its files and tell
what happened around the correspond
ing date of this ISSUE a half century
ago: We hope to make this a regular
weekly feature. If it does nothing else,
it will call to mind people and events
of that day that should be interesting
to the present generation. We hope
our readers will find it interesting and
that it will make the Times more eag-
erly sought asd read-Editor.)
We are pleased to learn that
the Smyrna Seminary opened
on Monday morning under much
more favorable auspices than
any former session. Several
Of the scholars who have gradual
ed from the public schools have
very properly entered this, and
the surrounding country should
furnish a good quota of pupils.
Miss Janvier has charge of the
advanced classes, Mrs. RAYMOND
the primary, and Miss Lord, mu-
sic and modern languages. - (This
private school or Seminary, was
located for while in the SMYRNA
Town Hall, where the Library or
Legion Headquarters now is and
later in the building now the resi-
dence of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank T.
Evans on Mt. Vernon Street. The
old Smyrna Seminary that many
Of our older citizens knew, burned
down in the Spring of 1876. It
stood at the corner of Commerce
and East streets in the lot now
adjoining Wright's Lumber Yard,
Immediately back of the residence
of Harry P. Shapley. Before it
became The Smyrna Seminary it
was known as the Quaker Meet
ing House, erected about 1859. 1t
was first used as a Seminary in
1868. The late DR.. ]. z. Clawson
was the last principal of the Sem
mary and the picture published
with this sketch was drawn ~
him from memory for the semi
centennial issue of The Smyrna
Times in 1904. There was no pic
ture in existence of this old Sem
mary as it was before the DAYS of
photography. During the Civil
War this old building was used as
soldiers barracks. The late Prof.
James H. Groves, who preceded
Or. Clawson as principal, became
the first superintendent of Della
ware State Schools under our
splendid Public School system.
Ed
The Schools. Monday morning
the time for opening the public
school was as warm as any time
for which the school vacated, but
the children, especially the small
er ones, were on hand ready to
sweat it out, and looking bright
and smiling at the prospect. At
No. 5 the schools Of Mr. Rosin and
Miss Parrott were assembled in
the room of the former to meet
the Commissioners, George II.
George w. Taylor, and
Or. D. T. Smithers who were join
ed shortly afterwards by Supt. 1
Groves and the local editor. The
white floors and new point gave
the room cheerful aspect and
everything looked like business
even though the mercury was
nearly running over the top Of the /
thermometer. Colonel Royinand 7
had the floor and was giving the
children some fatherly advice, re- I
them that they had had f.
a longer vacation by several days I
than the schools in most other (
places and counselling them how
they can make good scholars and
eventually good men and women.
Professor Groves also in an adj
dress of some ten minutes COM
mended the children for their
promptness and cheerful sur
roundings and congratulated
them on their faithful teachers
and school commissioners who
were ever mindful of their COM
fort and success. Mr.. Taylor fol-
lowed in some good advice espec-
ially urging punctuality. Profes-
sor Groves offered prizes to the
three best pupils in mental arith-
metic, and Colonel Raymond to
the best scholars in each of His
tory and Geography. The Pri-
mary school of this District, un-
der the care of Mrs. Smithers, was
found to be full of rudimentary
some of them being
initiated on that morning. They
were patted on the head in the
way of encouraging speeches by
the speakers named above, and
the teacher complimented on the
neatness of the room. Prizes were
also offered to those who would |
excel in spelling and reading, and /
the commissioners generally Of
fered to make the amend honor
able in gift to Miss Ida Phil |
lips who only lacked one word in
securing the prize at the last |
examination. The fol-