The History of Orange County New York

by Unknown

In connection with his school work, Mr. Webb was also one of the proprietors and editorial writers of the Democrat and Whig, a local paper published in Goshen, and continued his connection with that paper until the time of his death, which occurred in 1855. As an editorial writer for a political paper, he was so fair and impartial that he frequently became the trusted friend and adviser of both sides of a political controversy and his judgment had great weight on all political questions. As a teacher, as a man of affairs in both the social and political world, as a Christian gentleman, interested in every good work in the community in which he lived and as an exemplar of true living and Christian manhood, he was a worthy example of what the teacher should be in any community.

Various other teachers as principals and instructors carried on the work of this school until well on in the second half of the nineteenth century, when, like most of the other private academies, it was replaced by the public school.

Whatever the facts may be concerning the priority of the establishment of Clinton Academy and the Farmers' Hall, there seems to be no doubt that the Montgomery Academy, another Orange County institution, incorporated in 1792, was the fourth of these schools in the State.

The progressive character of the people of our county is shown by this fact, that two of the first four academies of the State should have been founded by them. The subscription list for the Montgomery Academy is dated in 1787 and was probably circulated and signed at that time. The village of Montgomery was only a small hamlet in a farming community. The people were, not wealthy, but they were in earnest in their determination to secure for their children the advantages of a good school.

Two hundred and seventy-seven names appear on the list, almost all of them heads of families, residing within eight or ten miles of the village. The amounts were small individually, but the sum obtained was sufficient for the modest beginning which they were to make. The trustees appointed by the subscribers, to take charge of the undertaking, were thirteen in number and were generally the most prominent and intelligent men of the section.

The story of how these farmers helped themselves to what they wanted in school accommodations is told by both Eager and Ruttenber in their histories of Orange County. This story illustrates so well the method of the founding of these schools in rural communities throughout the State that I quote from Ruttenber the story, entire:

"The trustees purchased a frame, already put up, several miles distant, as they could get it for some small sum, made a frolic to which the farmers came with their teams and carted it down to the village. This was but the work of a day, in these patriotic and freewill times. So, at very little expense, the building was entirely put up and finished.

"The teacher they wished to employ (the Rev. Alexander Miller, of New Jersey), was married, had a family and a horse and could not come unless the family and the horse could be accommodated. So, the trustees redoubled their exertions, built a kitchen adjoining the academy, put up a stable and permitted the Reverend Mr. Miller to live on the ground floor. They tendered him 80 pounds for the first year, and, after that, all he could make. This offer was accepted and the Reverend Mr. Miller became the first principal of the new institution. The tuition fees paid by the pupils varied from 2 L. to 5 L. a year, according to the subjects studied." The pound in New York currency was $2.50."

The old building was used about twenty years and was then replaced by a substantial brick building, in which the old academy maintained its existence for many years, after most of the private schools had been absorbed by the public school system. In 1891, after more than a hundred years of existence as a private school, it became the academic department of the Montgomery public schools.

The Newburgh Academy was projected by the Reverend Mr. Spierin, pastor of the Episcopal church. After some delay a building was erected and a school opened "for the instruction of youth in the Greek and Latin languages and in other branches of literature." The peculiar relation of this school to the Church of England and its control by the trustees of the Glebe, seem to have been a source of trouble. In 1804, a public meeting of the inhabitants of the original patent was held and nine trustees were elected "to take charge of the school in the academy." The new trustees evidently did take charge, for the school was incorporated under the University of the State of New York in 1806 as "The Newburgh Academy." This school had a long and successful career. Many of its teachers were men of learning and ability and the school enjoyed a reputation second to none in this section of the State. It is impossible to give its full history or to name all of its teachers. Mr. Ruttenber mentions Samuel Nicholson as principal in 1799, James Larrimore in 1802 and a long line of successors. The academy continued its work as a private school until the special act establishing the free schools of Newburgh was passed in 1852, when it became a part of the public school system of the village.