Laying of the Cornerstone of Pelham's New High School in 1909, Now Known as Siwanoy Elementary School

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Not long after the turn of the Twentieth Century, the population of the Town of Pelham began to explode.  In 1900, the population of the Town was 1,571.  In 1905, the population had reached 1,841.  By 1910, the population had grown to 2,998 -- nearly doubling over a ten-year period.  With the expanded population came expanded needs for young scholars in the Town. 

Pelham, however, did not have its own high school.  The Pelham public school system offered only eight grades of study.  It sent its young scholars who wished to continue their education to the high schools of other communities such as Mount Vernon and New Rochelle.  The time was ripe.  The need was great.  The citizens of Pelham and their Board of Education stepped up and created the "Pelham High School, and Siwanoy Grammar School."  The school building they built we know today as Siwanoy Elementary School located at 489 Siwanoy Place in the Village of Pelham Manor.

Undated Postcard View of Pelham High School with Notation: "Pelham

High School, Pelham, N.Y."  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

I have written rather extensively before about the history of Pelham's new high school and grade school opened in 1911.  See Mon., Mar. 10, 2014:  Dedication of Pelham's New High School in 1911, Now Known as Siwanoy Elementary School.  Today's Historic Pelham article, however, focuses on the laying of the cornerstone in 1909.

The cornerstone of the new High School was laid on Saturday, October 23, 1909 during an elaborate and well-attended ceremony centered around placing a copper box time capsule to be opened by future generations of Pelhamites.

The ceremony was attended by Town, Village, and School Board officials as well as citizens and students of all three grade schools in Town:  the old Prospect Hill School (a predecessor to today's Prospect Hill Elementary School), the old Pelham Heights School (a predecessor to today's Colonial Elementary School), and the old Hutchinson School (a predecessor to today's Hutchinson Elementary School) began with a prayer led by the Reverend Lewis G. Leary, Ph. D., Pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church.  The school children of Pelham next offered a song and were led by Hutchinson School Principal Isaac C. Hill.  School Board President Robert A. Holmes then introduced Judge Charles G. F. Wahle who delivered the keynote address.  (Seventeen years later Judge Wahle delivered a similar address and helped lay the cornerstone of the new Colonial Elementary School in 1926.)

Luckily, The Daily Argus of Mount Vernon printed the substance of Judge Wahle's keynote address that day.  He outlined briefly the history of educating young scholars in New York from the days of New Amsterdam to the present.  He then turned to the ceremonial copper box time capsule to be placed in the cornerstone.  Significantly, he listed in his remarks the contents of the time capsule.  They are:

"Statistics of the fire department, of the town of Pelham, of the villages of Pelham Manor, North Pelham, and Pelham, of St. Catherine's [sic] Church, the Church of the Redeemer, Huguenot Memorial Church, Congregational Church, the Mothers Club of Pelham, the Pelham Village Club, the police departments of the three villages, copies of the by-laws of the board of education of the Union Free School District, of the town of Pelham, reports and school census of the board of education, the contract for the building, copies of current local papers, copies of current New York papers, copies of New York papers containing accounts of the Hudson-Fulton celebration, Masonic statistics, coins, stamps and copy of the program of exercises."

Upon the laying of the cornerstone, the young students and the audience sang "America."  The ceremony then ended with a benediction by Reverend Leary.

Deep within the cornerstone of today's Siwanoy Elementary School is a blackened copper box that continues to contain these relics of a forward-looking day nearly 110 years ago when much of Pelham gathered to celebrate education and its young people.  God only knows when that box will be opened and its contents unveiled.

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"FRONT ELEVATION

SCHOOL HOUSE.  DISTRICT NUMBER 1 OF THE

TOWN OF PELHAM, N.Y."

Source:  CORNER STONE FOR NEW SCHOOL IN TOWN OF

PELHAM, IS LAID, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 26, 1909,

p. 11, cols. 1-2.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

"CORNER STONE FOR NEW SCHOOL IN TOWN OF PELHAM, IS LAID.
-----

Pelham Manor, Oct. 26 -- With impressive and interesting exercises the corner stone of the high school building was laid Saturday afternoon the presence of a large gathering of people and pupils from the three schools of the town.  An instructive and inspiring address was delivered by Judge Wahle.

The exercises opened with prayer by the Rev. Lewis G. Leary, Ph. D., after which there was a song by the pupils of the public schools in charge of Principal I. C. Hill.  President Robert A. Holmes, of the board of education, then introduced Judge Wahle.

After referring to the early customs of laying corner stones for institutions Judge Wahle said in part:  'so we have come here this afternoon with our children to set this corner stone realizing the fact that this the corner stone of the public school is the corner stone of our nation.  The beginnings of the free common school reach back to the earliest Colonial times.  In New England, at least, the predominant motive for promoting education was religious rather than political.  The elementary school of that period quickly merged into the academy or secondary school, where the promising lads were prepared for college.  However, the idea, that the early education should be free and in considerable degree compulsory upon all, found early expression.

'The general court of Massachusetts in 1642 enjoined upon town authorities the duty of seeing that all children acquired at least the rudiments of an education.  The order even went so far as to require the removal of children from those parents who persisted in bringing up their offspring in ignorance.  The selectmen of every town were further required to have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors, to see that none of them shall suffer so much barbarism in any of their families, as not to endeavor to teach, by themselves or others, their children and apprentices, so much learning as may enable them perfectly to reach the English tongue and obtain a knowledge of the capital laws; upon penalty of 20 shillings for each neglect therein.  In 1635 Boston made public provision for the support of a school.  In 1638 New Haven set up a school under Ezekiel Cheever, who was paid out of the common stock of the town.  Rhode Island established a public school at Newport in 1640 and Providence one, 20 years later.  In 1633 the first Dutch school master arrived at Manhattan.  By 1650 the 800 inhabitants of New Amsterdam paid their schoolmasters regularly from the public treasury.  The pay was doubtless meagre enough, but the principle of free public education was in active operation.

More or less rudimentary beginnings of public education are found in the older colonies as in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas.  In the South, however, the free school idea was not so hospitably received as in New England and in New York.  An oft quoted expression by Governor Berkeley of Virginia may be cited.  When the English commissioners of foreign plantations asked what course was taken in Virginia for instructing the people in the Christian religion, Governor Berkeley replied:  'the same that is taken in England out of towns, every man according to his ability of instructing his children'  He also added:  'I thank God there are no free schools or printing presses, and I hope that we shall not have them, these three hundred years, for learning has brought disobedience and heresy and sects into the world and printing has divulged them and libels against the best of governments; God keep us from both.  So far as Virginia and the remainder of the South was concerned good Governor Berkeley had his wish for it was not until after the Civil War that that section of the United States was supplied with anything like a system of free public schools.

'I mention these facts because you can draw the dividing line between those parts of the country where the public schools were first started in this country and that part where the public schools were not tolerated.

'So we come to this ceremony today.  The box which you see there will vanish.  We are told that in ancient days when the important ceremonies of laying corner stones were held, molten gold and silver were poured upon the boxes containing the valuable records and votive offerings.  So we place in this box our votive offering.  But what you put in their will some day vanish.  The papers will rot; the bronze will tarnish and the gold and silver will blacken.  Future nations will not be able to read what is in there.  But that which we plant in the hearts of our children that to which we make them inheritance, future fathers and mothers yet unborn, that will have its influence in the centuries to come.'

The laying of the corner stone then occurred and Clerk Kneeland S. Durham placed in the opening in the rock the copper box, the inventory of the contents being as follows:  Statistics of the fire department, of the town of Pelham, of the villages of Pelham Manor, North Pelham, and Pelham, of St. Catherine's [sic] Church, the Church of the Redeemer, Huguenot Memorial Church, Congregational Church, the Mothers Club of Pelham, the Pelham Village Club, the police departments of the three villages, copies of the by-laws of the board of education of the Union Free School District, of the town of Pelham, reports and school census of the board of education, the contract for the building, copies of current local papers, copies of current New York papers, copies of New York papers containing accounts of the Hudson-Fulton celebration, Masonic statistics, coins, stamps and copy of the program of exercises.

Following the laying of the corner stone the school pupils and audience sang 'America,' after which the benediction was pronounced by Rev. Leary.

The new high and graded school building will be one of the most attractive structures of its kind in Westchester county when completed.  It will stand on high ground overlooking Witherbee avenue and will be reached by a sloping walk from the street on either side of which will be a beautiful lawn.  The building will be 115 feet long and 60 feet 6 inches in width; two and a half stories high and will contain nine class rooms and an assembly hall which will seat several hundred people.  The main entrance for the public will face the street and there will be entrances for the school children on either side.  The building will be of stone foundation, brick and the roof will be slate with two cupolas.  The structure will be graced with large attractive windows, the upper portions of which will be oval, providing plenty of light for the scholars.

On the platform Saturday were Robert A. Holms, the president of the board of education; Judge Wahle the speaker of the day; the Rev. Mr. Leary, James F. Secor, School Trustee Willard P. Brown; School Trustee Henry L. Rupert; School Trustee H. Elliott Coe; Clerk, Durham and Contractor Dominick Smith, who is erecting the building.

The building committee is composed as follows:  James F. Secor, chairman; Trustees Holmes, Francis, Rupert and Seymour.  The board of education is as follows:  Robert F. Holmes, President; James F. Secor, Lewis W. Francis, Willard P. Brown, Walter A. Seymour, Hugh Herndon, Henry L. Rupert, H. Elliott Coe, Charles T. Johnston."

Source:  CORNER STONE FOR NEW SCHOOL IN TOWN OF PELHAM, IS LAID, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 26, 1909, p. 11, cols. 1-2.

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Pelham Voted in 1908 to Build its First Public High School, Now Known as Siwanoy Elementary School

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Not long after the turn of the Twentieth Century, the population of the Town of Pelham began to explode.  In 1900, the population of the Town was 1,571.  In 1905, the population had reached 1,841.  By 1910, the population had grown to 2,998 -- nearly doubling over a ten-year period.  With the expanded population came expanded needs for facilities to service young scholars in the Town. 

Pelham, however, did not have its own public high school.  The Pelham public school system offered only eight grades of study.  Pelham sent its young scholars who wished to continue their education to the high schools of other communities such as Mount Vernon and New Rochelle. 

The time was ripe.  The need was great.  The citizens of Pelham and their Board of Education stepped up and created the "Pelham High School, and Siwanoy Grammar School."  The new facility was dedicated in 1911.  The school building they built we know today as Siwanoy Elementary School located at 489 Siwanoy Place in the Village of Pelham Manor.

Undated Postcard View of "Pelham High School, Pelham, N.Y."

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

The decision to build a new school, including how to pay for it and where to locate it, was not easy.  Moreover, when the process began, it was not even clear that the building would be dedicated as a high school.  Rather, Pelham Manor and Pelham Heights parents were furious that their elementary schools were overcrowded and outdated and wanted something done about it.  I have written before about the process of opening the new school we now know as Siwanoy Elementary School.  See Mon., Mar. 10, 2014:  Dedication of Pelham's New High School in 1911, Now Known as Siwanoy Elementary School.

A series of events pushed the matter to the fore in 1908.  First, of course, was serious overcrowding in Pelham Manor and Pelham Heights schools (see Mar. 10, 2014 article cited above).  Second, earlier in the year, on Wednesday, March 11, 1908, a terrible fire in an old wooden public school house in North Collinwood, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland) killed nearly 170 young school children.  The terrible tragedy attracted attention throughout the nation and was even referenced during the debates in Pelham about the need to build a new school and close the old wooden schoolhouse in Pelham Heights.  Pelham parents considered the old Pelham Heights school building to be a firetrap.

In addition, once the School Board began considering the need to build a new school building, it realized that it might actually save some money (in annual operating expenses) by building a structure that could house not only elementary students, but also high school students.  Because Pelham had no high school at the time, Pelham students who wanted to continue their studies after the eighth grade had to attend high schools in Mount Vernon or New Rochelle.  The Pelham school district had to make expensive tuition payments to such high schools for each student who chose to attend.  In 1908, the School Board was projecting that the expense would continue to grow as an additional ten students each year were projected to attend high school.

To make matters more pressing, in 1908, Mount Vernon High School announced that it no longer had the capacity to accept any additional high school students from Pelham.  This meant that future Pelham high schoolers would have to attend New Rochelle High School -- a much less convenient and more distant school for most Pelham families

On the evening of August 4, 1908, the Pelham school district held its annual meeting.  Three school board trustee positions were up for election and there was a plan to offer a resolution authorizing the board to spend $66,000 to build a new schoolhouse in Pelham Manor.  The turnout was massive.  Over three hundred voters attended the meeting.

After the election of three new trustees, attendees began a debate regarding whether to build a new schoolhouse and, if so, whether it should be located where today's Siwanoy Elementary School stands.  The debate focused on the fact that the site had frontage on Pelhamdale Avenue where trolley cars passed throughout the day and night.  Parents felt the trolley cars presented an unreasonable danger to school children.  Proponents of the plan argued that they "did not think that because it was located on the trolley line should cause the parents much concern, that it would be possible to locate a school for the two villages where the children would not have to cross the tracks and that the school would be five feet above the road, and that the grounds would be fenced in and that the children could be made to leave the school by the back door and in that way have plenty of time to give vent to some of their enthusiasm so they would not rush across the tracks."

Former Congressman Benjamin L. Fairchild opposed the site selected by the School Board.  He was in favor of a site for an elementary school bounded by Highbrook, Witherbee and Monterey Avenues.  If, however, the School Board decided to include a high school in the building, he favored a location bounded by Pelham Street on the north and east, and Manor Lane on the north and west.  In an effort to block the School Board's proposal, Fairchild proposed a resolution providing, among other things, as follows: 

"Resolved, that it is the sense of this meeting that a site for a school building be selected which shall not abut upon any street containing a trolley line and that the matter of a school site for a combination school for Pelham Heights and Pelham Manor is hereby referred back to the school board, with the request that they arrange either for the site bounded by Highbrook and Witherbee avenues on the west and by Monterey avenue on the south and east, or the site bounded by Pelham street on the east and Manor lane on the north and west."

The resolution was adopted by a large majority in attendance at the meeting.  A procedural battle, however, promptly broke out over how the resolution was presented and whether a previous resolution could be decided.  Based on the procedural issue, the meeting was abruptly adjourned to the consternation of many attendees.  No School Board vote was held on whether to purchase the property and build a new schoolhouse.

Throughout autumn of that year, the School Board continued its efforts to build some consensus on buying property and building a schoolhouse where today's Siwanoy School is located.  Finally, on November 13, 1908, the School Board called a special meeting to vote on the matters.

This time only half as many voters attended the meeting (barely more than 150).  After members of the School Board made a presentation on the financials that would underlie the purchase and construction of the school at the site the Board favored, a new safety issue arose.

At that time, the tracks of the New York, Westchester & Boston Railway had not been laid.  For years there had been debate and competing proposals to run two different railroad lines through Pelham -- one through a portion of Pelham Manor and another through the Village of North Pelham.  One early proposal provided that a rail line would enter Pelham Manor near today's Iden Avenue and cut across to New Rochelle passing right by the site selected by the School Board for the new school.  There was extensive discussion over the fact that the early proposal to build a line through Pelham Manor had been all but abandoned and that the only railroad likely to be built in the near future would pass through North Pelham.  The School Board promised to require, if a railroad passed nearby, the construction of a massive fence that could not be climbed by the school children to keep them away from the tracks.  

That night a proposition to authorize the School Board to purchase a site for a new school was passed by a vote of 105 to 53.  A separate proposition to build a new school building passed by a vote of 102 to 49.  The purchase of the site and the erection of the school were expected to cost $70,000 requiring issuance of bonds.

Less than a week later at a regular meeting of the School Board, a local engineer reported that he had obtained formal confirmation that no railroad line would be built through Pelham Manor -- only the New York, Westchester & Boston Railway through North Pelham.  The die was cast.  Within a short time, the School Board went through with its plans to buy the site, build the new structure and open both an elementary school and high school in the new building.

To assuage parental concerns over the trolley cars on Pelhamdale Avenue, however, the School Board decided to place the school far back from the roadway.  Once the school opened, students were also dismissed from the back of the school on the side away from Pelhamdale Avenue so young students would not run giddily into the path of a trolley car as they departed school each day.
 
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Below is the text of a number of newspaper articles that form the basis of today's Historic Pelham article.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"EXCITEMENT AT PELHAM ELECTION
-----

North Pelham, Aug. 5.  --  The most exciting school meeting that has been witnessed in this town in twenty years, was held last night in the Pelham Heights schoolhouse.  The fact that three new trustees were to be elected and a resolution authorizing the board of education to expend $66,000 for the erection of a new school house in Pelham Manor brought out over 300 voters.  North Pelham, with the assistance of some of the voters of Pelham and Pelham Manor, so controlled the meeting, that they easily elected their nominees, H. Elliott Coe and C. T. Johnson.  A total of 316 votes was cast of which number Mr. Coe received 158 votes; C. T. Johnson, 93, and Seth T. Lyman, 65.  Hugh Herndon was unanimously elected to succeed Willis E. Bacheller.

The resolution to purchase land in Pelham Manor and erect a new school building to cost $66,000, caused considerable discussion, and Ben L. Fairchild presented a resolution, a substitution for the original resolution, which referred the original resolution back to the board.  This resolution was adopted by a large majority and means that the erection of a new school building will be considered at another meeting.  

At the conclusion of the meeting a number of the friends of George Bowden, one of the outgoing trustees, from North Pelham, tendered him a reception in Pelham hall [the main building of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls on the Esplanade], where Mr. Bowden was given a vote of thanks for his efforts in behalf of his constituents.  Mr. Bowden would not allow his name to be used again for re-election, owing to pressure of business.

The meeting was called to order at 8:30 o'clock by President James F. Secor, who acted as chairman.  The secretary of the meeting was Kneeland S. Durham, clerk of the board; Peter Vander Roest and Jacob A. Heisser were appointed tellers.

After the minutes of the last annual meeting were read and approved, the annual budget which called for the expenditure of $18,030 for school purposes, was adopted, each item being voted on separately.  Then came the election of three trustees in place of Willis E. Bacheller, of Pelham Heights; George Bowden and Seth T. Lyman, or North Pelham.

Five nominations were made, as follows:  North Pelham H. Elliott Coe, nominated by Mr. Smith, seconded by Eugene Lyon; Henry Kavanagh, nominated by Mr. O'Donnell, seconded by John Cottrell; Charles T. Johnson, nominated by David Lyon, seconded by John Cottrell; Seth T. Lyman, nominated by Lewis W. Francis, seconded by John T. Logan.  Pelham Heights, Hugh Herndon, nominated by W. L. Jaques, Jr., seconded by Elbert H. Kingsland.

On motion of Robert A. Holmes, the secretary was instructed to cast one ballot for the election of Hugh Herndon, of Pelham Heights.

The meeting then proceeded to ballot for the election of the two trustees in place of George Bowden and Seth T. Lyman.  Henry Kavanagh declined to allow his name to be used.  His action left H. Elliott Coe, Charles T. Johnson and Seth T. Lyman.  After the ballots had been cast and the votes counted, the tellers announced the result of the election as follows:  H. Elliott Coe, 158; C. T. Johnson, 93; Seth T. Lyman, 65.  Mr. Coe and Mr. Johnson were declared elected trustees, amid applause.

While the ballots were being counted and after the result was announced, the meeting discussed the advisability of erecting a new school building for Pelham and Pelham Manor.  Trustee Henry L. Rupert said in part:

'It takes sometimes a public calamity to awaken the public conscience.  I have in mind that terrible catastrophe in that Ohio town last winter when scores of school children perished in the flames.  We have in this locality a school house that is a perfect tinder box.  A spark of fire would ignite that building so quick that the escape of many of the school children from that place would be an impossibility.  Many children would be burned to death and we need a new school in Pelham Manor.'

He said that the Mount Vernon board had informed this board that it could take no more children from Pelham.  Mr. Rupert said that this action meant that the Pelham children would have to attend the New Rochelle high school which he said was not easily accessible, that the location selected by the board was central and that the board was practicing economy in the matter of the erection of the new school.

After Clerk Durham read the resolution relating to the purchase of land in Pelham Manor, Trustee Robert A. Holmes said that it would be next to criminal for the board of education to attempt at present to sell either the land in Pelham and Pelham Manor on which the present school buildings are located on account of the inactivity of the real estate market.  It would be much better to wait until later in the year; that the location selected by the board for the new school was the best and most available one in the vicinity.  He did not think that because it was located on the trolley line should cause the parents much concern, that it would be possible to locate a school for the two villages where the children would not have to cross the tracks and that the school would be five feet above the road, and that the grounds would be fenced in and that the children could be made to leave the school by the back door and in that way have plenty of time to give vent to some of their enthusiasm so they would not rush across the tracks.

One of the property owners wanted to know what objection was to the present site in Pelham Heights.  Trustee Holmes replied that the site was not centrally located; not easily accessible that it was not fair to ask the Pelham Manor residents to send their children so far and that it was not healthy.  The board had lost one of its best teachers because of ill health caused by the poor location.

Trustee Lewis W. Francis then presented facts showing that by expending $66,000 for the purchase of land and the erection of the new school, the district would save $856 a year.  He said that the fact might seem ridiculous on the face of it but it was nevertheless so.

Ben L. Fairchild said that he was in favor of a new school for Pelham Manor, but was opposed to the site on the ground that the lives of children would be constantly endangered by the trolley cars.  The parents of a number of the scholars had spoken to him about these dangers.  He was in favor of a site bounded by Highbrook, Witherbee and Monterey avenues, for the equal benefit of Pelham and Pelham Manor scholars, but if the board was contemplating installing of a high school department, he said he was in favor of a location bounded by Pelham street on the north and east, and Manor lane on the north and west.  By such an arrangement there would be a direct line of communication with the North Pelham school, and the school would be centrally located for all three villages.

The following resolution was then presented by Mr. Fairchild and adopted by a large majority:  'Resolved, that it is the sense of this meeting that a site for a school building be selected which shall not abut upon any street containing a trolley line and that the matter of a school site for a combination school for Pelham Heights and Pelham Manor is hereby referred back to the school board, with the request that they arrange either for the site bounded by Highbrook and Witherbee avenues on the west and by Monterey avenue on the south and east, or the site bounded by Pelham street on the east and Manor lane on the north and west.

'Be it further resolved, that the school board be requested in the event that they decide in favor of the last above mentioned site to also ascertain what arrangements can be made to lay out and continue a street westerly from Manor lane to Wolf's lane or to the Esplanade in the vicinity of the connection of Wolf's lane and the Esplanade.

'Be it further resolved that the school board be requested, when they have arranged for either one of the two foregoing sites to call a special meeting in accordance with law for the purpose of taking action upon such a site.'

Trustee Rupert after the resolution was read, and President Secor ruled that it could be voted on, demanded that a vote by ayes and noes be taken.  This vote was first given viva voce.  But Mr. Rupert said that he wanted the response of each voter present, individually.  This was done and it was twenty minutes before the task was completed.

Then President Secor started to ask for a vote on the original resolution, when he was informed by Mr. Fairchild that there was no need of doing this, in view of the fact that the resolution which had just been passed was a substitution for the original resolution.  Trustee Rupert said that he understood that it was an amendment and that for that reason he had demanded a vote in the manner that he did.  Mr. Fairchild said that it was not an amendment.  In spite of Mr. Fairchild's declaration, there were those in the room who were certain that he presented the resolution to the meeting as an amendment.

As the resolution which Mr. Fairchild presented was a substitution, no action could be taken on the original resolution and the meeting adjourned before the voters had hardly realized what had taken place."

Source:  EXCITEMENT AT PELHAM ELECTION, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 5, 1908, p. 3, cols. 3-4.  

"BUILD NEW SCHOOL IN PELHAM NOW
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North Pelham, Nov. 14.  --  By overwhelming majorities, the propositions to purchase land and to erect a new school building in Pelham Manor for the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor, were passed at a special school meeting last night, in the Pelham Heights schoolhouse.  The proposition to purchase a site was passed by a vote of 105 to 53, while that to build a new school building went through by a vote of 102 to 49.  The purchase of the site and the erection of the school will cost $70,000.

The meeting was called to order by President Robert A. Holmes, of the board of education, who said in part:  'All we want is a square deal in this matter.  The laws of nature take no account of such artificial lines as political boundaries.  It is just as necessary for the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor to have a new school, as it is for the village of North Pelham.  We cannot afford to have better facilities for one section of the town than another.  We are asking for good facilities here, as North Pelham has been enjoying for a number of years.

'The financial end of this question should be the least of all to be considered.  So far as the board of education is able to figure, the present plan should reduce expenses in the town.  This idea has been under consideration for two years, and has been discussed at public meetings in the three schools in the town.'

Trustee Lewis W. Francis gave some figures showing how the erection of the new school would be less expensive than the present plan.  He said that at the present time there were six teachers in the two schools of Pelham and Pelham Manor, which are paid in salaries $4,500 a year.  According to the proposed plan in the consolidated school, there would be employed eight teachers, who would be paid salaries amounting to $6,400.  The interest on the bond issue is now $520.  It would be the same under the other plan.  The interest on the addition to the Pelham Manor school would be $800 a year.  The interest on the new plan would be $2,600.  The town is now paying for high school tuition $3,300, and the high school scholars are gaining at the rate of ten a year.

John Butler, of Pelham Heights, said that too much attention was being paid in the country to higher education.  He favored a plan of manual training and vocational training and moved that a committee be appointed to take the matter p, but his motion was not seconded.

It was then moved by John F. Fairchild that the board of education be authorized to issue bonds for $45,000 for the purpose of purchasing a plot of land as designated in proposition No. 4.  Trustee James F. Secor moved to amend the resolution by substituting in place of it, proposition No. 2.  

Just previous to the putting of this motion, Mr. Heath wanted to know if the tracks of the New York, Westchester and Boston railroad would not pass near the site.  Mr. Fairchild then gave some history of the New York, Port Chester and Boston, and the New York, Westchester and Boston railroads.  He said, that according to the original plan of the latter, the road would enter Pelham Manor through the Iden property and go through the business section of New Rochelle, while the Port Chester road would go through Mount Vernon about where the Columbus avenue station is located and then through North Pelham, by the way of Third street, into the sparsely built section of Westchester road were operating under a franchise granted some years ago, while the Port Chester road was operating under a new franchise.  The two roads fought each other.  Then the New Haven road bought out the control of both roads.

Mr. Fairchild further said that the route of the Westchester road had been practically abandoned as far as he could learn from an unofficial source.  He continued, 'I doubt if the railroad would ever be constructed along the route of the New York and Westchester railroad in Pelham Manor.  The site for the new school in either proposition 2 or 4, is about in the center of the town.  It is about as near geographically as it could be.  It is equally accessible to all parties.  To my mind, the purchase of the entire block is the best thing for the town.'

In answer to other questions by Mr. Heath, Mr. Fairchild said that the center of the Westchester road would be about 100 feet from the nearest point of the school plot.  Mr. Heath seemed to think that such a site would be dangerous for the children.  Mr. Secor said that Mr. Heath could depend on the village of Pelham Manor to see to it that the Westchester road would construct its tracks in such a way that the children would be protected and would be in no danger at all.  

'The children can climb the fences.' Mr. Heath said.

'Well, we will make them build a fence so high that they won't be able to climb it,' Mr. Secor said.  (Laughter).

Charles Gillette said that he happened to be a member of the village board of Pelham Manor when the trustees granted a franchise to the Westchester road to go through the village ,that the village trustees were assured that the cut would be sufficiently and properly protected.  He said that the chances of the road going through the village of Pelham Manor were now remote, indeed.'

Then the vote was taken, as stated above."

Source:  BUILD NEW SCHOOL IN PELHAM NOW, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Nov. 14, 1908, p. 3, col. 2.  

"NO ROUTE THROUGH PELHAM
-----

That the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway has abandoned its proposed route through the village of Pelham Manor is certain, according to statements made by Engineer Fairchild [i.e., John F. Fairchild] at the school meeting in Pelham Friday night.

The question was brought up if the proposed route of the New York, Westchester and Boston railroad would not interfere with the location of the new school.  It was shown that since the New Haven road had purchased both the Port Chester and Westchester roads, that the proposed route of the Westchester would in all probability be abandoned.  This information was the first of its kind that has come to the notice of the public, and was somewhat surprising in nature, in view of the fact that it was only two years ago that the village trustees of Pelham Manor had granted a franchise to the Westchester to construct its road through the village.  

Mr. Fairchild said that in his opinion the New Haven road would not operate its road at all along the route as proposed by the Westchester through Pelham Manor, but that it would follow a route near that planned by the Port Chester road.  The road would not extend farther north than the North Columbus avenue station, Mount Vernon.  The nearest point of the new road to Pelham Manor will be at Sixth street and Fulton avenue, Mount Vernon.  The road will then continue on north near the water tower and then to White Plains.  The New Rochelle branch will extend through the village of North Pelham, about where the houses formerly occupied and owned by Dominick Smith now stand."

Source:  NO ROUTE THROUGH PELHAM, New Rochelle Pioneer, Nov. 21, 1908, Vol. 50, No. 34, p. 3, col. 4.  

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Excerpts of January 8, 1889 Remarks Dedicating a New School Building in Pelhamville

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In 1910, The Daily Argus of Mount Vernon, New York published an important history of the schools of Pelhamville.  Included in the article were discussions of the early records of the Pelham Union Free School District No. 1 as well as excerpts of January 8, 1889 remarks delivered at the dedication of the new school house in Pelhamville that replaced the original "Little Red School House" on the site of today's Hutchinson School.  The brief article provides a wealth of information about the early history of Pelham schools and is quoted in its entirety below, followed by a citation to its source.

 

Supervising Principal Isaac C. Hill.

"THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF PELHAM; HOW IT HAS ADVANCED; THE PROGRESS MADE AND MANY ADVANTAGES OFFERED NOW.
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North Pelham, Reb. [sic] 9.—The development of the school system in Pelham during the past fifty years has been as pronounced as the growth of the town itself.  When one considers that in I860, there was only one school in the town and that was located on Prospect Hill, Pelham Manor, while now there are three schools and a modern high school building is in the course of construction which will be occupied in September, an idea of the progress that has been made may be had.

The name of Supervising Principal, I.C. Hill is closely linked with the history of the schools of the town.  Mr. Hill has been teaching here for the past 33 years and became principal of the North Pelham school on January 7, 1878, succeeding Principal Clark.  Three years ago, he was promoted to the position of supervising principal.  Mr. Hill recalls well when he began to teach In the old Prospect Hill school In Pelham Manor. He was then a young man and says that he had under him pupils who were even older than he.  Some days he would have as many as fifteen pupils and then on other days, he says, "I would look up and down the street to see if anybody waa coming."  Mr. Hill was at the head of this school three months and then became principal of the North Pelham grammar school.

When Mr. Hill first came to the town of Pelham there were not more than fifty pupils attending the two schools in North Pelham and in Pelham Manor.  Now there is the following enrollment in the three schools:  North Pelham, 162; Pelham Heights, 60; Pelham Manor, 61.  It will thus be seen that there are 263 pupils in the three schools, while there are 50 boys and girls attending high schools and other educational Institutions outside of the town.   When the high school building [NOTE:  this is a reference to Siwanoy]  is completed, these scholars will come back to Pelham, making the total enrollment over 300.  It was on Monday, January 8. 1889, that the present school building in North Pelham was dedicated.  On that occasion. William Allen Smith, president of the board of education, delivered the address and told about the inception and the growth of the school system In the village of North Pelham.  The following are excerpts from this address, showing the history of the North Pelham school. 

"This has been a Union Free School district beyond the memory of the oldest Inhabitant.  Three years ago, the board of education attempted to find the record of the meeting at which It was voted by the inhabitants to form such a district The record is missing, no copy of it could be found either in the archives of the town, the county or the state.  But the fact that the district has for thirty years been recognized as a Union Free School district is conclusively established and there is no question of the legality of the constitution district.  The full records now well preserved for future reference, reach back nearly 23 years, beginning February 26, 1866.  The earliest known document relating to the history of the district is the deed of the lot of ground on which we stand today.

"This deed is dated November 19,1860, and it from Lewis C. Piatt, of White Plains, Henry Marsden, of Brooklyn, trustees of Pelhamville Village Association to William S. Coffey, William S. McClellan, James Hinman, John M. Lockwood, Edward A. Campbell and J. W. Tavina, the board of education of school district No. 1 of the town of Pelham; and the consideration was one dollar for the lot of land, 250 by 150 feet, on which the present edifice stands.

"It was a barren rock on which nothing but ideas would grow.  The old building or rather the main part of it, was erected in the following year, 1861.  This small building filled the needs of the locality until 1873, when on April 14, a committee of the board of education was appointed to consider building an addition for a primary department, but the contract for this addition was not awarded until March 29, 1875, and the addition was built by Henry Engle, the following summer.  Twelve years elapsed and Pelhamville again needed larger school accommodations.  December 20, 1887, the board of education, after hearing reports of committees and making a thorough investigation, decided that the old building was inadequate to the growing needs of the locality. 

"A special meeting of the voters of the district was called and was held at the Prospect Hill school house May 8, 1888, at which the appropritation of $6,000 was voted for the erection of a new school building at Pelhamville.  A building committee was appointed May 15, 1888, and the result of their labors is before us today.  The people of the district, expecially the residents of Pelhamville, are to be congratulated on the completion of this beautiful and convenient edifice standing like a city on a hill which cannot be hid; a masterpiece of architectural symmetry and adaptation.  The thanks of all are due to the untiring labors of the building committee, consisting of Robert C. Black, E. H. Gurney and Henry N. Babcock."

In his address, the speaker went on to name those who had taught in the North Pelham school and continued:  "The school was opened in September, 1861, with Miss Lillian McClellan as its first teacher.  She remained two years and was followed by Watson E. Knox, Amos Towle and Mr. Gore.  Orin Baxter was the fifth teacher, he was transferred to the Prospect Hill school in February, 1867, and was succeeded by Edward Gallagher, who resigned January 28, 1869.  The minutes show that on February 8, 1869, 'a teacher by the name of Mr. Bartlette was engaged at $700 per year, as long as he suits the board of education.  October 27, 1869, we find that Jared Barhite was the teacher of the school; he resigned February 23, 1870, and received a vote of thanks from the board for the 'moral improvement of the children under his charge.'  March 9, 1870, a committee of the board was appointed to furnish a teacher for Pelhamville school.  An appointment was evidently made, as we find that the teachers of both schools resigned July 27, 1870.  November 21, 1879, a free night school was established with F. A. Lafferty as teacher.  This continued through February, 1871.  Mr. Lafferty was appointed teacher of the school in October, 1871, and in November again began a night class in addition to the day school, which continued 100 nights.  Mrs. Agnes Lafferty was at the same time appointed assistant teacher.  October 5, 1872, Chales J. Carlisle was appointed teacher, and April 15, L. Reynolds; he resigned November 10, 1873, and was succeeded by Thomas Clark, who taught the school until his resignation, December 31, 1877.  I. C. Hill, who had previously taught the Prospect Hill school, was then appointed.  Mr. Hill took charge January 7, 1878, and we are thus adding to our other exercises the celebration of Mr. Hill's tenth anniversary.  The recent assistant teachers have been:  Miss S. H. Sparks, appointed February, 1876; Miss E. Case, appointed February, 1877; Miss Katie Donon, appointed October, 1878; Miss Addie Case, appointed October, 1883; Miss Case resigned, September 1888, and has been succeeded by Miss Julit L. Wilson."

From this address it will be seen that Mr. Hill has been in charge of the North Pelham school thirty-three years, and whereas he only had one assistant after he took charge, he now has the following assistants:  Misses Anna E. Risley, F. Hazel Curtis, Anna A. Coleman, Elizabeth J. McCormick, Marion J. Raynes and Mrs. C. M. Barker, who has charge of the kindergarten department.

Ten years ago, the present attractive brick school house in Pelham Heights was built.  It contains four rooms, two on each floor.  The principal of the school is Miss Clara E. Beaudray and her assistants are:  Miss Edith Granger, Miss Alice B. Cozine, while Miss M. B. Tripp has charge of the kindergarten work.

The Pelham Manor school has three rooms, one upstairs and two downstairs and does not meet the present needs.  The principal is Miss Charlotte M. Lamson and her assistants are Miss Edith Turner and Miss N. M. Evans.

The new high school is now in the course of construction in Pelham Manor, and it will be a graded school for Pelham Manor, and Pelham Heights will also have a high school section.  The cornerstone of this building was laid last November and the address was delivered by Judge G. F. C. Wahle."

Source:  THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF PELHAM, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 9, 1910, p. 14, cols. 4-5.

 

Architectural Rendering of the Original Siwanoy School,

a High School and Grammar School.

Source:  THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF PELHAM,

The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY],

Feb. 9, 1910, p. 14, cols. 4-5.



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Successful Appeal of Order Dividing the Union Free School District No. 1, Town of Pelham, Into Two School Districts in 1916

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In 1916, a group of Pelham taxpayers appealed an order by School Superintendent Samuel J. Preston that divided Pelham's school district into two districts, leaving the Village of North Pelham in a school district by itself.  The order resulted from a "lack of harmony" between parents of high school students who attended the Siwanoy high school from Pelham Manor and parents of those who attended the high school from North Pelham. 

Sectionalism long has been part of the history of the Town of Pelham.  This little skirmish in the war between the Village of Pelham Manor and the Village of North Pelham is oddly reminiscent of the 19th century political and tax-based battles between the "fishermen" of City Island in the Town of Pelham and the "mainlanders" of Pelham Manor and Pelhamville.  With the annexation of City Island by New York City in the mid-1890s, the "mainlanders" turned upon each other in analogous, sectional skirmishes.

The School Superintendent's order eventually was reversed.  Below is a report of the decision reversing that order.

"Education Department . . . . .

In the Matter of the Appeal from an Order Dividing UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1, Town of Pelham, and Forming a New District out of a Part of the Territory Thereof.

Case No. 345

(Decided December 5, 1916)

The interests of the children of the entire district are the State's first concern and on this basis under the facts here shown the appeal herein is sustained.

Union free school district No. 1, town of Pelham, Westchester county, as now constituted, included that town and includes the villages of North Pelham, Pelham and Pelham Manor.  Samuel J. Preston, the district superintendent of schools of the first supervisory district of Westchester county, made an order to take effect April 5, 1916, dividing the district so as to leave the village of North Pelham a district by itself.  Appellants are residents and tax payers of union free school district No. 1, town of Pelham, and appeal upon the ground that the order is against the educational interests of the old district.  There is no proof or suggestion of proof that the children of Pelham and Pelham Manor will receive additional opportunities by the creation of the new district.  The change also creates other disadvantages.  Appeal sustained.

Harry A. Anderson, attorney for appellants.
Albert R. Palmer, attorney for respondent.

FINLEY, Commissioner.--Union free school district No. 1, town of Pelham, Westchester county, comprises all of such town and embraces within its limits the incorporated villages of North Pelham, Pelham and Pelham Manor.  Samuel J. Preston, district superintendent of schools of the first supervisory district of Westchester county, executed an order, dated March 8, 1916, to take effect April 5, 1916, dividing such union free school district and forming out of a portion of the territory thereof a new district to be known as school district No. 2, town of Pelham.  Such new district, as so established, was to include substantially all of the territory within the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor, leaving the village of North Pelham as a district by itself.  The order directed that the bonded indebtedness of the district and the value of the school property be apportioned equitably between the two districts.

The appellants are residents and taxpayers of union free school district No. 1, town of Pelham, four of them residing in the village of North Pelham, two in the village of Pelham and one in the village of Pelham Manor.  Their appeal is based upon the grounds, among others, that the order is opposed to the educational interests of the district as constituted before such order was executed and that it discriminates against and is unjust to the taxpayers and residents of the village of North Pelham.  Many of the residents of the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor are against the attempted division of the district, it being insisted forcibly upon the argument that if a vote of all the qualified electors of such villages were taken upon the question it would appear that a majority were in favor of retaining the existing district.  But notwithstanding the apparent diversity of opinion among the residents of such villages as to the advisability of a division of the district, it is obvious that the real controversy is between the residents of such villages who favor the establishment [Page 617 / Page 618] of a new district and the residents of North Pelham who oppose the change. 

A determination of the issues raised on the appeal necessitates a consideration of the local situation.  As has already been noted, union free school district No. 1 comprises all the town of Pelham so that for tax and other purposes the town is the school unit.  The district lies between the cities of Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, and borders upon the city of New York.  It is almost entirely a residential community, the greater portion of the inhabitants having business in the city of New York.  The population of the district according to the last State census is 4,470, of which North Pelham has 1,900, Pelham 1,090 and Pelham Manor 1,480.  There are two grammar or elementary schools and a high school maintained in the district, viz., the Hutchinson school at North Pelham, and the Siwanoy and high school at Pelham Manor.  There were 621 pupils registered in attendance at such schools during the school year ending in June, 1915, of which 311 attended the Hutchinson school, 224 the Siwanoy school and 86 the high school.  More than one-half of the pupils in the high school reside in the village of North Pelham, and of the graduates from such school during the past three years a majority were from North Pelham.  The assessed valuation of the taxable property in North Pelham is $1,621,423, of that in Pelham, $1,819,180, and of that in Pelham Manor, $3,371,754.  By dividing the district as proposed in the order, the North Pelham district would have a valuation of $1,621,423, while that of the new district would have a valuation of $1,621,423, while that of the new district would be $5,190,934.

Ordinarily the presumption would be in favor of the reasonableness and educational propriety of an order of a district superintendent dividing a district and establishing a new district out of the territory thereof.  The order appealed from contravenes the established policy of the Department, which has the general support of authorities in school administration and has been sustained by legislative enactment, in respect to the elimination of duplication of school control when feasible, and the concentration of the teaching and supervision forces so that school facilities may be organized more economically and advantageously for the benefit of as many pupils as may avail themselves conveniently of such [Page 618 / Page 619] facilities.  In view of the circumstance it must appear that the conditions under which the order was executed are such as to render it impossible to maintain the schools of the district under one management without affecting injuriously the educational welfare and interests of the children of the district.

There is no proof, or suggestion of proof, adduced by those favoring the division that the children of the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor will receive additional or improved educational opportunities or advantages by the establishment of a new district, or that they will be able to attend school with less difficulty or inconvenience if the change is made.  The Siwanoy school and the high school are in the village of Pelham Manor, conveniently accessible to the children in the new district, and the division is not contemplated with a view of changing the location or increasing the facilities of such schools.  The only obvious effect of the division will be to deprive the pupils in North Pelham of the privilege of attending the high school in Pelham Manor, which has been erected and maintained by the aid of the taxpayers of North Pelham so that their children may have the advantage of secondary instruction within their own district.  The loss thus occasioned may be supplied only by the establishment and maintenance of a high school in connection with the elementary school now maintained in that village.  The effect would be to have two small high schools, each with forty or less pupils, in place of the present comparatively strong high school.  Such a change would result in a substantial weakening of the local school organization and materially lessen the school advantages of more than a majority of the children of the community.  The proposed division of the district will not improve school conditions.  The interests of the children of the entire district are the State's first concern, and in this view of the situation it seems clear that the 'educational interests of the community' described in the respondent's order do not require the organization of a new district out of the territory of the present district.

It may not be doubted that the district superintendent acted in good faith and for what seemed to him to be for the benefit of all concerned, in ordering the organization of  a new district.  [Page 619 / Page 620] There was evident lack of harmony between the patrons of the school residing at Pelham Manor and those at North Pelham.  The respondent states in part explanation of his position.  'Sectionalism does exist.  It is not a theory, but a condition.  It may be regretted, but the fact remains.  Independent investigation has established this fact to my entire satisfaction, etc.'

The proof adduced, the arguments and assertions of interested parties, the briefs of attorneys, and communications on file in this Department disclose forcefully enough that there was conflict between the two sections of the district, based presumably on differences of social conditions and environment.  It is unnecessary to comment upon this aspect of the case other than to note its influence upon the district superintendent.  He conceived it of sufficient importance to justify the summary separation of the contending localities, and his views of the situation are entitled to respectful consideration.  I am unable, however, after careful and thoughtful consideration, to come to his conclusion. 

Half the children and one-quarter of the taxable property are left by the order in the North Pelham district, while three-quarters of the wealth of the district is chargeable with the education of the remainder of the children of the district.  This adjustment imposes an inequitable financial burden upon the portion of the district having smaller resources and greater obligations.  The individual wealth of the residents of Pelham and Pelham Manor is far greater than that of the residents of North Pelham.  None of the former have been heard to say that they are not willing that the children of their North Pelham neighbors should share equally with their own in the superior school facilities and advantages which their greater wealth will enable them to provide.  They could not expect the district superintendent or the Commissioner of Education to sustain a contention that the district should be divided for the reason that they desired to afford their children certain educational advantages or opportunities which were not suitable for other children in the district.  Such a contention strikes at the basis of our public school system, which demands that our schools be free, with equal privileges, to all.  [Page 620 / Page 621]

The district as it now exists has sufficient financial resources to furnish exceptional school facilities and appropriate instruction, whether vocational or otherwise, to all children in the district, regardless of their environment or their social status.  If conflicting notions as to the needs of the children of the district result in sectionalism and dissension, retarding school development and seriously injuring the educational interests of the children of the district, the Department, in the exercise of its supervisory control of the schools of the district, will endeavor by appropriate action to bring about a settlement of the controversies.  But lack of harmony or incompatibility between sections of a district ought not to be regarded as a justification for a separation of the contending portions, especially if it appears, as in this case, that a majority of the children of the district may be deprived by the division of substantial educational privileges.

'The appeal is sustained.

It is hereby ordered that the order executed on March 8, 1916, by Samuel J. Preston, district superintendent of schools of the first supervisory district of Westchester county, organizing a new school district to be known as school district No. 2, town of Pelham in such county, out of a portion of the territory of union free school district No. 1 of such town, be and the same hereby is set aside and declared of no effect."

Source:  Department Reports of the State of New York Containing the Decisions, Opinions and Rulings of the State Officers, Departments, Boards and Commissions and Messages of the Governor, Vol. 9, pp. 616-21 (Albany, NY:  J.B. Lyon Co. 1916).

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