The Board of Trustees took an office in the Forrest Building, on Fourth Street, making it their headquarters. At a meeting held there on December 10th, two committees were appointed:—one on "Grounds, buildings and improvements," consisting of Mr. Wanamaker, chairman, Mr. Longstreth and Mr. Brooks; the other on "Finance," consisting of Mr. Coffin, chairman, Mr. Ludwig and Mr. Townsend. Mr. Baird, as president of the Board was ex-officio a member of both committees. The preliminary work was pushed forward. In spite of wintry conditions and the exactions of the holiday season, the first consideration was to choose a suitable suburban site. The founder's natural preference for Bucks County, his birthplace, and long dear to him by many associations, was held in abeyance to the judgment of the Trustees. From the first he sought to give them an absolutely free hand, whether in large things or small. He had picked his men, and he felt that he could safely put on their shoulders the burden of management. Some of the Trustees doubted the wisdom of placing the School in the country. Mr. Baird particularly favored a city location. But all deferred to the feeling of the donor. As soon as the school scheme became known in a general way, they were, of course, beset with offers of country estates, and something like two hundred possible sites eventually came under discussion.
The first actual trip of inspection occurred toward the end of January, when Isaiah Williamson accompanied the Trustees in a special train, to examine the old Sharon Farm in Bucks County. They were shown every courtesy by officials of the Newtown Railroad and local representatives. The farm was seen to be admirable in many ways, but its distance of a mile or so from the railroad operated against it in the final choice. Williamson, though physically feeble and needing to be assisted in and out of the car, was mentally as bright and companionable as ever, and responded quickly to any humorous remark. He especially enjoyed meeting some old friends in the country whom he had not seen for forty or fifty years.
In the next two or three weeks several other trips of inspection were made by members of the Board, notwithstanding their many pressing business cares; for they were resolved to make no mistakes.
On the 25th of February, 1889, Williamson made another trip with the Trustees—this time to Delaware County, to inspect the Armstrong Farm. But it was not until Friday, March 1, only six days before his death, that an inspection was made of the properties near Media, which several of the Trustees had seen before, and which were subsequently chosen. On that trip all the Trustees were present except Mr. Baird and Mr. Wanamaker. Mr. Williamson had provided for a special train and accompanied the party, who drove over farms in carriages. It was evident that the site pleased the founder; but about all that he said, in his non-talkative way, was: "The place is very nice."
Isaiah Williamson had been for years peculiarly susceptible to cold. It is not at all improbable that the effort of this winter trip was too great, and that it had much to do with his sudden illness and death six days later. The last thing that he spoke of before sinking into final unconsciousness was the Media site, expressing to H. C. Townsend his approval of the Trustees in practically agreeing upon it the preceding day, and bidding Mr. Townsend: "Be sure and get from the railroad company a distinct statement and guarantee in writing of the privileges they propose to grant in connection with the school."
This was his last business act, and almost his last word, spoken smilingly, and eminently characteristic—the ruling passion strong in death.
How unexpected and sudden was Williamson's illness may be seen from a letter which Mr. Ludwig wrote to him on Monday of that week, regarding the option on the Media property:
Philada., March 4/89.
"My dear Mr. Williamson:
The Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 12 o'clock, noon; and it is very desirable that you should be present, and get your views as to the propriety of purchasing the property near Media, which, we visited, with you, on Friday last. As our option to take the property will expire in a few days, and cannot be extended any further, it is highly important that prompt action be taken, or lose the opportunity of buying it.
Hoping you will be able to attend the meeting, I remain,
On the Monday when this letter was written, Williamson was at his office on Bank Street, and there in the afternoon he suffered from several fainting attacks. He was taken to his boarding house, and was unconscious all day Tuesday; he revived somewhat on Wednesday, and gave that last injunction to Townsend; and on Thursday morning at four o'clock (March 7, 1889) he quietly passed away.
The Trustees had virtually decided for the Media property at the Tuesday meeting; and having the further sanction of the founder's dying words, they took action at once. Before March had closed they were in possession of signed papers necessary to secure the several parts of the site since occupied by the school buildings.
To understand the value, work and usefulness of The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, a visit to the plant and a glance at the history of the past nineteen years is the best educator. One will find abundant evidence of the founder's wisdom and farsightedness; of the practical value of the apprentice system established in the school, as an offset in some degree to the lapse of the old apprentice system. The eminent success of its graduates and the constant demand for their services in the world of work prove the thoroughness and excellence of the education the schools afford, largely due to the President, John M. Shrigley, who has been in charge of the school from the first.[1] He was chosen as one of the secretaries of the Board of Trustees before Mr. Williamson's death, and took an active part in the search made for a suitable site; he was elected to the school presidency later in that year, and was closely identified with all the work of laying out the grounds and erecting the buildings; he has been at the head of the management of the School in all the particulars of arranging its curriculum, selecting instructors and helpers, and providing for the study and work of the students, and their physical, mental and moral development from the beginning to this time.
A visitor to the school today may take a train on the West Chester branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad to "Williamson School Station," established on the school grounds soon after their purchase, in 1889.
Possibly the president, or one of the officers of the school, would meet him at the station and first take the visitor over the two hundred and eleven acres to give him a general view of the grounds bounded by the State Road (or Baltimore Pike) on the north, and Penn's Grove Road on the south. The original tract purchased by the Board of Trustees—and for which they received the deeds May 17, 1889, at a cost of $46,489.80—consisted mainly of the homesteads of Hiram Schofield, the brothers John and Jesse Hibberd, and Caspar W. Grey. This purchase included several smaller lots bought from other landholders, in order to make the school property virtually square.
Like everyone else the visitor would quickly concede that it is a beautiful spot—this gently rolling country with its springs and water courses, its broad pastures, its woodland acres of old oaks and chestnuts, its distant views of fertile farms, thriving towns—natural beauties enhanced by wise and not overdone landscape gardening, winding macadamized drives, and an artistic as well as convenient grouping of the various school buildings. The great reservoir at the highest point of the grounds—some 380 feet above Delaware tidewater—would be noticed. Fed from native springs, it furnishes a strong flow of water, by gravity, through pipes to the buildings standing on somewhat lower levels.
The stranger is shown around through these school buildings. He is taken into one of the eight or ten cottages where the young men live, each cottage having its large living room and its sleeping accommodations for twenty-four students, aside from the family in charge. While the cottages, like all the buildings, are simple and plain architecturally, they are thoroughly convenient and homelike.
All these students take their meals in the common dining hall in the main building. After a glance at the power-house and laundry, the electric light building and other minor features of the school plant, a visit would be paid to the three different shops where more than two hundred picked young men spend specified hours of each day in learning and practicing trades they have elected to learn. Every new student spends six months in the wood-working department before entering upon the course of his chosen trade. These trades are classified in three principal divisions: woodworking, including carpentering, pattern and cabinet making, house finishing, the construction of roofs, doorways and the like; building, including the mixing of mortar and cement, the laying of stone and brick, the setting of ranges, furnaces and boilers, laying tiles and the building of arches and tunnels; and machinery, including the use of tools and appliances, accurate bench work, steam fitting, steam and electrical engineering, and practical training in how to run steam and electrical engines or plants. The students are encouraged to make original designs in many instances, and to work out their own drawings. Thus the graduate goes forth thoroughly versed in the latest and best methods of his particular trade, as well as trained to manual dexterity through long practice.
Coming at length to the main (or Administration) building, of three stories, built of granite quarried on the grounds, here are found the offices and committee rooms; the dining hall, or "commons," for all the students; the library, with its volumes; a number of class and recitation rooms where the students pursue their regular three-years' course in such studies as arithmetic, algebra and geometry, physical and political geography, English literature, history and civil government, physical science, chemistry, physiology and hygiene, elocution and vocal music, mechanical and free-hand drawing; and on the second floor the large assembly hall, where simple chapel services are held every morning, lectures and entertainments given from time to time, and commencements celebrated.
The tablet to Isaiah Williamson's memory, and the spot where he is buried in the entrance corridor, would be pointed out, as well as his portrait, his gold watch, and other souvenirs of his life's history.
This Administration building was completed in October, 1891, and for convenience and usability has well stood the test of all the subsequent years. Soon after the purchase of the land, in 1889, Mr. Wanamaker, Chairman of the Building Committee, requested several Philadelphia architects to submit plans, all to be equally compensated whether their work was accepted or not. Of that group, the architects eventually chosen were Furness, Evans & Company. Their final plans for the Administration building, the shops, and two or three of the cottages were largely based on suggestions and drawings offered by Mr. Baird, then President of the Board of Trustees, as the result not only of his long practical experience but of special investigation by Mr. Longstreth and himself of other schools at the time. Carrying out the founder's idea, Mr. Baird sought to avoid unnecessary ornamentation, to secure simplicity of construction, and the most perfect adaptation possible to the work to be carried on. In these ideas the Board heartily concurred. As granite of an excellent quality had been found on the school tract, it was decided to use that to a large extent, and quarries were opened.
Ground was broken on the first of May, 1890. In the presence of several of the Trustees, architects and contractors, Mr. H. C. Townsend turned over the first earth with a shovel, since kept among the school's trophies. A large force of men was soon put at work excavating, under the contractor, P. E. Jeferis, of West Chester. President Shrigley and Lieutenant Robert Crawford (for several years the enthusiastic and popular Superintendent of the School) gave the building their constant personal attention. On Saturday afternoon, November 8th, the corner-stone was laid, the Board of Trustees being represented by Messrs. Townsend, Longstreth, Brooks and Catherwood. A copper box in the stone contained a historical sketch of the School, and copies of the plans, the Will and the Deed of Trust, the names and photographs of all the Trustees, and numerous writings and newspapers bearing upon the history of the enterprise. After Mr. Townsend and Mr. Longstreth had placed the stone in position, and the latter had made a few appropriate remarks regarding Isaiah Williamson and his purpose, the masons cemented the stone in place, and the visitors inspected the grounds and such of the buildings as were then in process of erection.
A year later, in October, 1891, the building was completed and ready for occupancy. Long before that time there had been many applications for admission to the School. Of these, seventy-two young men, in ages from fifteen to eighteen, had successfully passed the entrance examinations, had been enrolled, and since September, had been engaged in regular study and work. The other buildings at this time completed, or nearly so, were the engine and boiler house, Shop No. 1, the Superintendent's residence, and three cottages.
The formal opening of the School occurred on the 31st of October. A special train from Broad Street carried a distinguished company of guests. They assembled in the auditorium of the Administration building. Samuel B. Huey, one of the Trustees, presided, and prayer was offered by B. B. Comegys. The President of the Board, H. C. Townsend, gave a long, carefully prepared and interesting address, in which he touched upon the history of education in Pennsylvania, and especially of trade schools; the idea of the Williamson School as developed by the donor before his death, and the methods of governing the Trustees; the life and character of Isaiah Williamson from long and intimate acquaintance; and an appropriate appeal to the young men beginning the work of the School's first class. Other addresses were made by Professor George F. Baker, of the University of Pennsylvania, and by John Wanamaker, the latter paying a personal tribute of love to Isaiah Williamson and making it very clear that this was an historic day in more ways than one. Following the exercises the guests inspected the new buildings with great satisfaction.
The first commencement occurred on the 2d of April, 1894. Again a special train brought a large company of prominent people, including the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania and the Mayor of Philadelphia. Of the Trustees, Messrs. Brooks, Catherwood, Longstreth, Townsend and Wanamaker were present. Gathered in the decorated auditorium, Mr. Wanamaker presided, and made the welcoming address, after the opening prayer by the Rev. Dr. H. Clay Trumbull. Addresses were also made by Governor Pattison, Mayor Stuart, Stacy Reeves, president of the Builders' Exchange, and by two members of the graduating class. Prizes and diplomas were distributed to the fifty-nine graduates, whose average age was nineteen.
This was the forerunner of a series of brilliant commencements, honored by the presence of eminent men representative of all circles of the professions, commerce and trade. At the second commencment, in 1895, Governor Hastings made the principal address, dwelling upon the history of education in Pennsylvania; followed by J. Howard Wilson, president of the Jackson-Sharp Company, of Wilmington, who, among other things, said that the graduates of the School could always find positions in his shops. Addresses in similar vein were made by D. M. Anderson, president of the Bricklayers' Protective Association, and George Watson, ex-president of the Master Builders' Exchange. At the third commencement, 1896, the addresses were given by three members of the graduating class, Louis H. Coxe, Lyndon H. Wheeler, and Harry Barton. The attendance was very large in 1897, at the graduation of the fourth class. Mr. Brooks presided, and Mr. Wanamaker made an address in which he said, in urging upon the students to be worthy of their election, that Isaiah Williamson, if he knew, would never be satisfied to have a thousand dollars of his money spent upon a ten-cent boy, which seems to have been wrought into the fundamental work of the School. Among the many distinguished guests present was Jacob Tome, who had recently given more than a million of dollars to establish a similar school at Port Deposit, Maryland. At the fifth commencement (1898), Hampton L. Carson was the speaker of the occasion. The next year, the sixth commencement, 1899, Isaac H. Clothier, of the Board of Trustees, made the address, among other things taking occasion to say that "when the history of this School comes to be written, two names will be associated side by side—the founder and the father, Isaiah V. Williamson; the organizer, the godfather, Edward Longstreth." Again President Shrigley reported the constantly increasing demand for the services of the graduates, a point particularly emphasized some years later at the tenth commencement, by John M. Dodge, president of the Link Belt Engineering Works, of Philadelphia, who said: "Our firm has employed in the past several graduates of the Williamson School, and about the only mistake in the transaction we can now discover is that we did not take more of them." This expressed the general attitude in trade circles. At that time, President Shrigley again reported that it was impossible to supply the demand for graduates; that the first hesitation to employ them had long since passed away, and for years the graduates had usually been engaged before they received their diplomas.
Many letters from graduates are on file, telling of their successes and expressing gratitude to the School and its founder, such as the following from a machinist: "I am getting along nicely, making $100 per month, and expect an advance soon. I never can thank the Williamson School enough for its helping hand. I fully realize that it was the moulding and making of my life and character. Such institutions are scarce in our land, and one appreciates the good done by ours."
- ↑ President Shrigley retired April 1, 1912, and was succeeded by Mr. Harry S. Bitting. On April 1, 1922, Mr. James A. Pratt became the third president.