Deptford Institute Free Library

"Deptford Institute Free Library is the outgrowth of a Friends' school. Before the Revolutionary war, a number of Friends of Deptford township, realizing the importance of education and the poor opportunities then existing for obtaining it, formed the Deptford Free School Society to carry out their plans for the establishment of a school. In 1773 one- fourth of an acre of land was bought, on which the present building, known as the Deptford Institute, now stands. In time more land was added and the property was held in trust for the maintenance of the school. Although the trustees were to be Friends, the pupils were not limited to any religious sect.

This institution was kept up until a satisfactory school of the kind originally intended was no longer possible, owing to the excellent public schools which had been opened. Feeling that the property should still be used for educational purposes, the Society decided upon a free library and reading-room. In 1892 the city of Woodbury was made trustee of the building and $5,000 realized from the sale of the land which was to be invested for the use of the library. The articles' of trust provided that a free library, reading-room and museum be opened on the first floor of the building. A course of free lectures were also to be given each year. The city was to provide a librarian and keep the building comfortable and in repair.

In November, 1894, the library was opened, a large proportion of the books having been given by the Woodbury Library Company. Since that time the library has been steadily growing, and a new reading and reference-room has been opened. An effort is being made to serve the interests of the people by placing before them the best literature and leading the children to an appreciation of the standard writers." (Public Library Commission of New Jersey)

The Institute's first Librarian was Mary L. Whitall (of Revolutionary family fame). She served as librarian from 1894 to 1897. She left to become Cataloguer for the Free Library of Philadelphia.

http://tinyurl.com/krkjyr8

To read more about the building's original purpose, the Friends' Schoolhouse, its first headmaster/teacher, and his prominent Colonial-era artist son visit: http://preservewoodbury.blogspot.com/2013/02/jeremiah-paul-jr-and-sr-artist-and.html



American Library Association, PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE NINETEENTH GENERAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, PA. June 21-25 1897. (1900).

Public Library Commission of New Jersey, Hand-book of the Public Library Commission of New Jersey: Libraries and Library Laws of the State (p. 90). (1901). Trenton: MacCrellish & Quigley.

Jeremiah Paul Jr and Sr: Artist and Schoolmaster

Jeremiah Paul - George Washington Leaving His Family Oil on Canvas, Circa 1800

Modern day Woodbury is fast becoming a destination for the arts. It's also not surprising to find in Woodbury's past, which dates back to the 1680's, some very interesting ties to the early arts in Colonial America. Here's a brief account of the Woodbury born artist Jeremiah Paul Jr. and his Quaker schoolmaster father.

 

The first schoolhouse in Woodbury was known as the Deptford Institute. The building later became the public library and currently houses City Hall. It was built in 1774 after the formation of the Deptford Free School Society in 1773, a group of prominent Society of Friends. Located on Delaware Street, it was open to all denominations on the condition of payment of tuition and adherence to the school’s rules, as laid down by the controlling Society of Friends. The first teacher was a Quaker by the name of Jeremiah Paul (Krauss, 2008). By 1784, ten years after its formation, the schoolhouse boasted 130 students and Paul, "with no jar or dissatisfaction from either side" left for a more lucrative position and moved to Philadelphia, PA (Rhoads & Lewis, 1862).

circa 1901

Jeremiah Paul's son, Jeremiah Paul Jr., was born circa 1761 in Woodbury, presumably before the family moved to Philadelphia. Later in life, Jeremiah Jr. was trained under  artist Charles Willson Peale and went on to become a fairly respected portraiture artist. He was also a member of the Columbianum Art Academy formed in 1794 in Philadelphia. The Columbianum Art Academy, although short lived, has the prestige of having organized the first major public art exhibition in the United States. Later Paul Jr. with other Philadelphia artists formed the Pratt, Ritter, and Co. to "undertake all manners of commissions, from the paintings of portraits, signs, and fire buckets to japanning and the execution of coffin plates" (Marter, 2011). See below for some more examples of his work:

Jeremiah Paul - Portrait of Maria van Buren, wearing a bonnet, 1810

Jeremiah Paul - Portrait of a Gentleman, 1800

Jeremiah Paul - Tench Coxe 1755-1824

Jeremiah Paul - Lady in White Shawl, circa 1805

 Jeremiah Paul - Four Children in a Courtyard, 1795
Philadelphia Museum of Art 

_____________________

Krauss, J. (2008). History of Woodbury city public schools. Retrieved from http://www.woodburysch.com/district/WPShistory.php

Marter, J. (2011). The Grove encyclopedia of American art, volume 1. Oxford University Press.

Rhoads, S., & Lewis, E. (1862). Friends' review: A religious, literary and miscellaneous journal. (Vol. 15, p. 739). Philadelphia, PA: Merrhiew & Thompson. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=djUrAAAAYAAJ&vq=woodbury&source=gbs_navlinks_s

 

Above image of Deptford Institute from: Hand-book of the Public Library Commission of New Jersey: Libraries and Library Laws of the State, November 1, 1901