Page 12 - 1983 Wardlaw Hartridge

The Nineteen
Hundreds
At the turn of the century, life did not change much from what it had been. There was obvious male domi­ nance, as only men had the rights and votes, so women started an equal rights movement that peaked in the next decade. Ordinary people, like the Vanderbilt family and the Rockefellers, were able to build up their fortunes. Without as much governmental re­ striction, American men from both ru­ ral and urban lifestyles sought their
fortunes, and many found them. Citizens from other countries, hear­ ing of fortunes to be made, emigrated to America. During the early I900's, over nine million people came to Amer­ ica. As the migrant workers arrived, the urban population shot up, and liv­ ing conditions became worse. The gov­ ernment had to step in again to stop the emerging American cities from
smothering themselves.
The turn of the century also was a
time of discoveries. Robert Peary be­ came the first man to see the North Pole, while Orville and Wilbur Wright learned to fly. Meanwhile, the Packard car became a true luxury. With all that the American people did, it was Presi­ dent Theodore Roosevelt who helped the nation turn the century and learn to manage to survive into the future.
(continued from page 6)
ments were exclusively for young ladies. Those who com­ pleted the college preparatory course were admitted to Wellesley College without further examination upon receiv­ ing the certificate of the school.
Miss Scribner and Miss Green, principals of the Young Ladies’Seminary on LaGrande Avenue, announced that they would not continue their school after June graduation.
The well-known finishing school had been in existance for fifteen years under the management of Miss Scribner and Miss Newton, and had been patronized by many of the best families in Plainfield.
Military drill was added to the curriculum in the spring of 1891 and Leal wrote, "The Principal desires to bring to the special notice of ail patrons of the School the opportunity offered to their sons of gaining a better physical develop­ ment through military drill Instruction and rifles were furnished by the Principal, and it is his deliberate opinion that no better form of exercise can be found for the boys of the school."
The school had no gymnasium, although the boys some­ times made use of the YMCA, which was then at the corner of Front Street and W atchung Avenue.
By 1895, the majority of Leal graduates were going to Harvard, Yale and Princeton, with others spread among Cornell. Boston Technology, Lehigh, McGill, Trinity, Wil­ liams, Columbia and Stevens Institute of Technology.
An addition, opened in 1896 allowed Leal to offer a junior department for boys eight and olden the main school took boys at 13. That junior school was designed to satisfy Leal graduates whose sons were now ready to be properly edu­ cated.
Leal pointed to the importance of a good grounding at a younger age. "Habits of study are then formed and founda­ tions laid which made preparation for College more easy and success more certain, or. on the other than, make any
1900 Leal Baseball Team
Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Wardlaw sit on Mr. Leal's right in 1912 photograph of Leal School facul­
ty-
(continued to page 9)
Boarding Dept of The Hartridge School
The drugstore with soda fountain was a pure­ ly American creation, a combination of phar­ macy and quick, informal eatery. Above: the interior of Collins Pharmacy at Islip, Long Island, in 1900. This period also saw the inven­ tion of the Automat, a self-service restaurant with coin-in-the-slot machines. The drug­ store itself diversified yet further to make a whole range of goods available under one roof, until the modern drugstore is hardly distinguishable from a supermarket.
After buying the good will of the Leal School in 1916, Charles Digby Wardlaw established the school at 1038 Park Ave., the site shown above. After 1938 this building housed the Wardlaw Nursery School.