In 1850, Elizabeth Ann
Counts Huffmeister donated land to Professor Shadrach David Miles for building an academy
for the education of females. The school was
originally called the
Ownership of the
William McFarland, Robert E.
Barton, and Samuel L. Huffmaster were appointed by the Lodge in February 1867 to procure a
title to the lot upon which the Lodge was situated and were instructed to ascertain if an
extension could be made to the boundary of the lot. They
were to proceed with getting a deed for the proposed extension if one could be obtained at
reasonable terms. Any deed obtained was to be
subject to ratification or rejection by the Lodge. On
April 4, 1867, they presented the Lodge with a deed for the Masonic building and Academy
lot and the extension to the building lot. After
the Lodge accepted the deed, J.M. Bewley, Dr. James Fulton, and Samuel L. Huffmaster were
appointed to have the deed signed and obtain a note that would grant as much time as
possible for payment from the parties making the deed.
The Worshipful Master and Warders signed the note for the Lodge.
In June 1867, the Lodge
approved the action of the Trustees appointed to procure a house suitable for a Male
School after they reported securing the Baptist Church for the scholastic year of 10
months and had elected Rev. Alfred W. Wilson, a member of the Lodge, as the principal of
the school. At the same time, the Lodge
appointed Dr. Michael W. Carriger, William McFarland, Dr. James Fulton, Dr. R.B. Owens,
Curtis Eames, Samuel L. Huffmaster, and Robert M. Barton as Trustees of the Female Academy
for the ensuing year.
On June 24, 1867, the Lodge
left the Masonic Hall in full regalia and proceeded to the Bethel Church to attend the
musical concert given by the young ladies of the Female Academy for the benefit of the
Academy. Earlier that month, the Lodge invited
other neighboring Masonic Lodges to attend the concert.
A few months later, the Lodge agreed to loan Rev. Alfred W. Wilson the
proceeds of the concert to pay for sealing of the school rooms of the Male School provided
that it was returned at the end of the school session.
In August 1867, the Lodge
agreed to pay half tuition for Widow (John B.) Parker’s two smallest children at a
school taught by Mr. Phillips, Mrs. (Shadrack David) Miles’ son, and Mrs. (Wiley B.)
Reed’s son Charlie at the Male School, and Mrs. Parker’s little girl and Brother
D.M. Porter’s little girl at the Female School. This
practice of paying the tuition for the children to the deceased Masonic brethren was
continued as long as the Lodge owned the Academies.
The Lodge agreed to pay
$5.00 each at the end of the session to the Female Academy girl with the greatest
proficiency and the girl having the best deportment in September 1867 in accordance with a
proposal by Rev. Thomas P. Summers, a member of the Lodge.
In May 1868, Rev. Alfred W.
Wilson, Male School Principal of Morristown Male and Female Academies, sent a report to
the Trustees for the school year from August 1867 through May 1868. He reported that the Male Department was opened by
him, as Principal, on the first Monday of August 1867.
During the year, one hundred and sixty-one students had been enrolled. The application and advancement of the pupils had
unusually good and the general deportment, with few exceptions, had been highly
commendable. Although there had been some
cases of discipline, none required the attention of the Board of Trustees. He noted that the heavy outlay for school furniture
and fuel during the long and severe winter had been such that the incidental expenses
exclusive of the seats had been greater than the contingent fees received. He did agree to pay at least fifty dollars soon
after the commencement of the next session. Finally
he invited the Lodge to attend the closing exercises in Regalia on May 23, 1868.
In June 1868, Rev. Thomas P.
Summers, Principal of the Female Department of the Morristown Male and Female Academies,
sent a report to the Trustees for the school year from September 1867 through June 1868. He reported that the Female Department was opened
on September 1, 1867, with the enrollment of one hundred and ten young ladies. The attendance and advancement of the pupils had
been good. Finally he invited the Lodge to
attend the closing exercises in Regalia on June 18, 1868.
During the exercises, it was announced that one of the students had died and
that there would be an intermission to permit the school, in procession, to accompany the
carriage carrying her corpse to her home. The
Masonic Fraternity agreed to join in the school’s procession.
In July 1868, the Lodge
appointed William McFarland, Dr. G.T. Magee, and Dr. R.B. Owens to assist in securing
boarding for the young ladies wishing to attend the next session of the Masonic Female
School. A month later they reported proposals
for boarding six with Mrs. Mary Reed, six with Dr. D. Alexander Neilson, three with Mr.
Sears, eight with Curtis Eames, and four with J.B. Leach.
On December 16,
1881, L.P. Speck and Trustees for Morristown Lodge No. 231 sold the Masonic Female
Academy, Academy property lot, and school furniture to Rev. George H. Cox, President of
the Lutheran Synod, and J.G. Schaidt for $2,000. The
purchase was made to establish a first class female school for the Lutheran Synod. Messrs. Cox and Schaidt signed promissory notes to
make annual payments of one third of the sale price each year beginning January 1, 1883. Each note was made payable to the Worshipful Master
and Wardens of Morristown Lodge No. 231, F. & A.M., or their successors in office. The Academy property lot was bounded on the south
by First North Street, on the north by Third North Street, on the east by an alley between
the property of L.P. Speck and Mrs. Owen, and on the west by Jackson Street.
In January 1883, George H.
and Nannie E. Cox and J.G. and Annie L. Schaidt sold the Female Academy property lot with
the brick house thereon, including all the school furniture, to W.B. Melvin for $2,000. W.B. Melvin assumed payment of the promissory note
due January 1, 1883, to Morristown Lodge No. 231 and agreed to pay the other two
promissory notes to Morristown Lodge No. 231 when due.
In June 1887, W.B. and Mary
O. Melvin sold the Female Academy and its lot to G.B. McCrary, R.L. Gaut, and J.B.
Holloway for $2,000.
In July 1889, John B.
Holloway sold Mrs. Orlena Miller his one third interest in the old Female Academy property
purchased by G.B. McCrary, R.L. Gaut, and him from W.B. and Mary O. Melvin for $1,800.
In June 1891, R.L. and Mary
H. Gaut and J.S. and Orlena Miller sold a portion of the old Female Academy property to
the Morristown Mayor and Alderman for $3,500. The
property was purchased for the purpose of locating, erecting, and maintaining a public
school building.
The Masonic Female Academy
building was torn down in 1892 to make way for the Rose School building.
Joseph
Warshawsky