Montgomery's keen interest in education was manifest in th early
history of the city. There were many private institutions prior
to 1854 when the General Assembly of Alabama provided for free
schools. A noteworthy fact in Alabama's first educational project
is that history emphacizes the outstanding qualities of the
teachers and their influence in the community rather than the
intrinsic value of the school buildings and equipment.
Dr.Samuel Patterson, the first teacher in Montgomery,opened a
school in 1818 when he realized that he could not support himself
practicing medicine and that there was a greater demand for a
teacher than for a doctor. The next year Neil Blue, besides being
in charge of the County Jail,"taught the youth of both sexes."
The third teacher in the city was Jonathan Mayhew, who opened a
school in 1821. In 1823 there were two more teachers - Andrew G.
Mays and Comelius Buck. An incident recorded about the latter
indicates a prevailing attitude of the times. On learning that
General LaFayette was to visit Montgomery, Mr. Buck organized a
temporary military company among his male scholars; however,
since the General arrived on the Sabbath, Mr. Buck did not allow
his students to take part in the reception because he felt that a
military turn-out would violate the sanctity of the day.
The Milton Academy was opened in 1828 in the Masonic Hall on
Commerce Street with E. D. Washburn as principal. It is
interesting to note that a lottery had been authorized by the
Legislature of Alabama to raise funds for this Academy.
In 1831 there was the beginning of an improvement in educational
advantages. James Lyon, a highly educated Englishman, opened a
school on the corner of Commerce and Tallapoosa Streets and two
years later Peter Maher, a dublin University graduate, came to
Montgomery to teach after he had been educated for Clerical
Orders in the Catholic Church. The historian Blue relates that
"his estimable and accomplished wife taught a High School for
girls and young ladies."
At about this time A. S. Vigus, alumnus of one of the New England
universities, built a brick school house named Franklin Istitute
on Columbus Street between Perry and Court. Here, besides
teaching, Mr. Vigus fostered scientific interest. He kept a
cabinet of minerals, conducted experiments for his students and
delivered free lectures.
Montgomery Academy was opened in 1841 by Enoch Childs, a graduate
of Yale. He was principal for about six years and was assisted by
his wife and his sister. This Academy, on the corner of
Montgomery and Moulton Streets, was later used as the public
free school building.
The curriculum of early days is described in "The Catalogue and
Circular of the Montgomery Female Institute 1846-47", which
includes the statement by the principal, Reverend J. A. Pelot,
that "no exertion ... will be spared to render... (the) school
equal to expectations of an enlightened community." Among his
teachers were a professor for French, Spanish, and Italian
languages and one for vocal and instrumental music. A Mr.
Pfister practiced the entire school twice a week in singing
without any additional charge. The young ladies also studied
reading and orthography,epistolary writing, geography with map
drawing, mental philosophy, and elocution. Thomas M. Owen
reports in his "Annals of Alabama" tbat a high degree of
intellectual cultivation existed among the preachers of the time.
Outstanding proof of his comment is recorded in the statement,
"Reverend A. A Lipscomb delivered the first lecture before the
Montgomery Lyceum Association. Subject, "American Minds."
Reverend Lipscomb was a well educated Methodist minister who in
1849, founded the Metropolitan Female lnstitute. In the catalog
of l849-50, which lists him as principal with eight teachers, he
reminded the patrons that the school had no rich endowments, no
public resources, and that the burden of the investment in
property and fixtures rested on the principal. Board, including
washing, fuel,and light, for nine months was $130.00; tuition
ranged from $12.50 to$30.00; and extra charges included music at
a fee of $45.00 a year; drawing and painting, $28.50. The
catalog states, "The Aim of the Institution is to form an
intelligent and elevated character in its pupil ... The course of
study is so arranged as to cultivate the art of expressing the
mind, as well as to habits of acquisition." There were 164
students from Montgomery and six neighboring counties and one
young lady from Columbus, Mississippi. They studied Town's
Analysis, Abercrombie's Intellectual Phdosophy, Newman's
Rhetoric, GovemmentoftheUnitedStates, Brocklesby's Meteorology,
Classical Geography, Biblical Evidences, Paradise Lost and Lord's
Lectures.
The pupils wrote themes daily. The success of their compositions
is noted in the Alabama Journal of August 6,1850. "The young
Metropolite ... name of a neat monthly sheet edited by the Young
Ladies of the Metropolitan Institute (is) under the supervision
of Rev. Lipscomb. The number for August which is the initial
number, (is) filled mostly by the literary contributions of the
Young Ladies. The present number is full of spice and
sprightlines of gentle words and kind encouragement and we
bespeak for it a welcome into every family." Although the
Metropolitan Female Institute was destroyed by fire, Reverend
Lipscomb continued his work in the educational field. He accepted
the presidency of Tuskegee Female Institute and then later became
the first Chancellor of the University of Georgia. He was not
only an educator but a writer too. His frequent contributions to
Harper's Magazine and other periodicals werc on religious,
ethical and educational subjects. Another minister, Rev. J. W.
Mear, also operated a school. His advertisement of October l4,
1854, for Mear's English and French Institute stated that he was
assisted by five teachers. He stressed the importance of Latin to
a polite education and said Music would be taught as a science as
well as an art. He felt that the formation of character was the
aim of education; that the passions should be restrained;
obedience to parents, deference to authority, subjugation of will
emphasized; and that reason and religion should control in
everything. These private institutions are the foundations of
the present school system in Montgomery. The coluninist
"Istechulee" writes in the September 2, 1900, issue of the
Montgomery Advertiser regarding some early schools that he
attended,"... the idea seemed to prevail that any kind of house
which would keep off rain was good enough for school purposes ...
the ground was leveled and covered with pine straw. Our books
were few and simple ... if each child had a different kind of
book to read from it made no difference as there was not reading
in classes ... some ofthe best statesmen Alabama has ever had
received all their school education under just such
circumstances..."
This statement and the other records testify that then, as now,
the strength of the schools lay not in the value of physical
equipment but in the ability and inspiration of the teachers.
Published in the Alabama School Journal, Vol. 71, No.
6,
February, 1954, this article was written by Mrs. Margaret Blake
Kirkpatrick, a student at Huntingdon College. Mrs. Kirkpatrick
used source material on file at the Montgomery City-County Public
Library and A1abama Department of Archives and History. Reprinted
courtesy of the Alabama Education Association.