Central School
Central School’s origins go back to the earliest days of public education in Camden. The school drew its name from the fact that it was in the Middle Ward, one of the three wards in Camden prior to the 1871 Charter going into place, the others being the North and South Wards.
Camden’s Board of Education in 1877 decided to replace the old school, which stood at South 4th Street and Hartman Street (present-day Clinton Street) with a new building, using the same plans by local architect Stephen Decatur Button that were employed in building the Fetters, Mulford and Mickle Schools. The new school opened in October of 1877.
The neighborhood saw a huge influx of people during the next forty years, many of them immigrants from Italy. Overcrowding was recognized as a problem, and the lack of a kindergarten in particular was a source of worry to parents and civic-minded people in the city.
In mid-1923 the Board of Education decided to build an addition to Central School. This plan was abandoned in September, as it was thought the property was too small and that the addition as planned might make things worse instead of better. The Board subsequently purchased the then 63 year-old Second Presbyterian Church, which stood in the adjacent block to the Central School, on the southeast corner of South 4th & Benson Streets, for $3,500. The church was renamed Central School Annex and was ready for students on November 30, 1925.
Neither building was fireproof, and both were far below standards for either safety or education. In 1934 using the 0–1000 Strayer-Englhardt Score Card for rating schools, the Annex scored a 287, so inferior that the school should have been abandoned. The old Central School was even worse, with a score of 246, lowest in the city. This however, was at the height of the depression, and there simply was no money, and the schools remained open. Both were still in use as late as 1959. Not until the ill-fated Bergen-Lanning School was built in the 1960s was it possible for the Central School and Annex to be abandoned. By 1965 the old Central school building had been razed.
While the old school building is long gone, the church which housed the Central School Annex during five decades remains and has returned to its original function. As of July 2006 the old annex was the home of the New Mickle Baptist Church.
Central School Annex
The Second Presbyterian Church as it appeared in an 1886 illustration (top) and in a later postcard view — it became the Central School Annex in 1925
Janitors’ Heads Go Off
Camden Evening Courier —
School Commission Declares Them Negligent of Duty — Other School Matters.
The heads of three janitors were chopped off by the Commission of Public Instruction last night growing out of complaints that they were not doing their duty. The men were Walter W. Wilson, of the Mt. Vernon School; William Munson, of the Sumner School, and Harry Vansant, of the Mickle School. Albert Holland, Raymond Lawson, and Albert James were appointed in their places. William C. Reeve, was also appointed janitor of East End Kindergarten.
A communication was received from the Teachers’ committee, recommending that Miss Florence Tourtelot be allowed the privilege of remaining as auxiliary at the North East School, instead of taking a regular teacher’s position. This necessitated a number of changes as follows: Mrs. Elvin will remain in the Boys’ Central School. Miss May Rogers is assigned to first grade Central School. Miss Ella Clopper is assigned to second grade Lincoln School. Miss Helen Bowyer is assigned to Fetters and Mulford Schools as auxiliary. Miss Nellie Tullis was placed on the eligible list and Miss Edith Anderson was appointed kindergartner on the East Side.
The schools will close for the Christmas holidays on December 21st and remain closed until after New Year’s Day.
The treasurer’s report showed a balance of $67,897.95.
Teacher’s ‘Hunch’ O.K. as Pupil Takes $6
Camden Courier-Post —
Rafael Petito, 10, of 237 Pine Street, started out to have a good time with $6 belonging to his teacher, but wound up in the Detention Home because the teacher proved to be a good detective. Yesterday Police Judge Pancoast sent him back to the Detention Home after hearing the teacher, Jane Baker, 203 East Clinton Avenue, Oaklyn, tell how she found Rafael in a movie theatre Tuesday night.
The boy is a pupil in Miss Baker’s class at the Central School, Fourth and Washington Streets, and didn’t return for the afternoon session Tuesday. Miss Baker’s $6 was in a purse in her desk which she missed at noon. Miss Baker had a “hunch” her pupil might be located in a movie show and sure enough that’s where Petito was found. She turned him over to the police.
Retiring Teachers Given a Dinner
Camden Courier-Post —
Three Veterans of Central School Receive Gifts at Walt Whitman Event
Miss Mary V. Yerkes (left) and Miss Harriette E. Taylor — Central School teachers honored at a dinner just prior to their retirement
Three veteran teachers of the Central School, Fourth and Clinton Streets, who will retire this month were dinner guests last night of the faculty at Hotel Walt Whitman.
Those retiring are Miss Daisy Y. Furber, principal, and Miss Mary V. Yerkes and Miss Harriette G. Taylor. Twenty-two teachers gathered in their honor in the Whitman room and they enjoyed games and the presentation of gifts and the dinner.
Miss Kathryn Wieand was toastmistress and presented a fitted suitcase to Miss Furber, a jeweled pin to Miss Yerkes and a cameo pin to Miss Taylor on behalf of the teachers.
Toasts were offered by Miss K.E. MacGeorge, Miss M.R. Klein, Miss R. Bonne and Miss Mary MacDonald.
Other teachers attending were: Miss M. Rinard, Miss M. Mountford, Miss A. Halbert, Miss I.L. Gaudelli, Miss J. Calio, Miss C. Melson, Miss S. Harrison, Miss R. Berry, Miss H. MacDonald, Miss G. Davis, Miss J. Baker, Miss M. Williams, Miss M. Nicholson and Miss A. Selby.
Principals Fete Retiring Members
Camden Courier-Post —
Association Gives Banquet and Entertainment for 8 at Hotel Here
Eight retiring school principals were honored last night at a banquet in the junior ballroom of Hotel Walt Whitman by the Camden Principals’ Association.
Amid decorations of roses and spring flowers these teachers, who have served the city from 35 to 40 years, heard words of praise from their schoolmates and superiors.
They are Miss Daisy Furber, Central School; Mrs. Margaret Thomson, Northeast; Miss Minerva Stackhouse, Davis; Miss Bessie Snyder, McKinley; Miss Clara S. Burrough, Camden High; Miss Helen Wescott, Mulford; Miss Loretta Ireland, Cooper; Miss Charlotte V. Dover, Washington.
Harry Showalter, president of the association, presided. Eighty guests represented the entire school system of 38 institutions. Showalter, Dr. Leon N. Neulen, superintendent of schools, and Dr. James E. Bryan, retired superintendent, joined in paying tribute to the retiring principals as having set a high example for Camden’s school system.
The male teachers serenaded the women instructors and vice versa with song. At the closing the teachers joined hands at the suggestion of Dr. Bryan and sang “Auld Lang Syne.”
New Mickle Baptist Church
The former Central School Annex — originally the Second Presbyterian Church — as the New Mickle Baptist Church, July 2006