Since by tradition and custom the first schools were operated by the churches, it is easy to see why the early township school boards saw no problem with allowing Sunday schools to meet in the one-room school houses. There is evidence that here in New Hanover, Sunday schools, singing schools and other religious functions met in the one-room schools until the early 20th Century.
Following the custom in the Germanic provinces from which they emigrated, the first settlers in this region built parochial schools in the shadows of their churches. Indeed for over a century (1720-1850) here in New Hanover, the two church schools provided the best, and often the only, basic education. The instruction in the “three R’s” was secular, but school also prepared students for church membership by teaching the catechisms, Psalters, chants and songs and, of course, the Bible.
The schools were usually log and included living space for the school masters (“school teacher” being a more modern term). The school masters of the parochial schools were usually well educated and in addition to functioning as the pastor’s adjunct were organist, vorsinger (pronounced “four-singer”), grave digger, sexton, and liturgist, filling in for the often absent, circuit-riding minister. In some places the church member had to be content with occasional services – sometimes months apart – with the school master filling in with emergency baptisms and such.
For families living too far from church schools, there evolved a system of “pay schools” whereby a group of neighbors raised a small school house and hired itinerant teachers who also worked as day laborers. Parents paid a few cents per day to the school master. These schools operated without any supervision whatsoever and were of very uneven quality. Some of these schools were described as “miserable hovels” and the poorly paid teachers had few books or supplies and were sometimes barely literate themselves.
Responding to the need for qualifying and certificating teachers as well as providing better school buildings, the state passed the “Free School Act” in 1834 whereby the state would help to finance and administer “free” public schools and provide qualified teachers. Thus were born the township school districts and the ubiquitous one-room schools throughout the commonwealth. The state also set about erecting the state teachers colleges which have evolved today into the state universities, the closest being Kutztown University.
Because of the close association of early church and school it is easy to see why the one-room schools were designed to resemble mini-churches with a bell and steeple and often a small “gothic arch” window over the door. And it’s easy, too, to see why the school directors saw nothing wrong with allowing Sunday schools to meet in the school buildings.
An entry in the New Hanover Township Schools minute book dated May 19, 1860, and curiously written in German, has been translated below. It is the only record in the book in German which suggests that the writer, secretary Daniel Palsgrove, perhaps considered the subject a local matter, not related to other school business:
“At the same time there were objections made because of preaching in the school houses namely the free school houses. There were demands made by another sect that does not belong to our church to hold preaching in the school houses. Then we thought this could result in quarrels. Then we came to the decision that nothing should be held in the schools except free school, weekly school and Sunday school. This means that no party shall hold anything in the school houses of whatever name it has so that all people shall be on an equal footing. This has not been made from an evil motive, but from a good one. Earlier there was an objection made about the burning of coal and the like and attacked the Directors. All of this moved us to take these steps, since the law gives us the right by order of the Board.”
There is ample evidence, such as the above, that throughout the 19th Century Sunday schools met in the one-room school buildings. These Sunday schools were probably not affiliated with any particular church, but were community organizations.
The Historian is produced by the New Hanover Historical Society. Call Robert Wood at 610-326-4165 with comments.
