The Relation of Sir William Johnson to Education
By Archibald D. Anderson


In these days when we are so proud of our American School System and especially that of our own state where free education is not only within reach of every child but is compulsory, it is hard to realize insofar as the age of civilization is concerned, it was only a comparatively few years ago when free education was an unknown luxury and it was only the children of the well to do citizens who could expect an opportunity for education.
Although public schools were started in New York City (then New Amsterdam) by the Dutch as early as 1633 and later extended to other Dutch settlements including Beverwyck (now Albany) and still later to other villages including Schenectady – these were not free schools as tuitions were paid by all who could do so and they were under the jurisdiction of the Dutch Reformed Church, which examined and licensed the teachers. After the Dutch rule ceased and the English took over the government of the Colony even this school system ceased to exist and public education was discouraged instead of being encouraged. So when in 1763 Sir William Johnson opened a free school at Johnstown it was without question the first absolutely free non-sectarian school in the Province of New York and probably the first on the continent.
This first school was not the little red school house we would expect but was painted yellow – an oblong framed, gable roofed building at the corner of William and Main Streets, the latter street then known as New Sacandaga Street. The front gable end faced William Street, and in front of the school were the whipping post and stocks for the punishment of those citizens who had violated some provision of the penal law. The first teacher was an Irishman by the name of Edward Wall, whose limits were very elemental – probably a primary knowledge of the three R’s. He depended a great deal on the stick to put his education across, but one of his pet subjects was teaching his pupils “manners.” Sims, the historian, relates that he exacted the utmost deference from the pupils. Any of them wishing to leave the house must come before the master and execute a bow, accompanied by a backward wave of the right hand and a backward scrape of the right foot on the floor, saying at the same time, “Please, master, may I go out?” On returning the child had to repeat the bowing and scraping and say “Thank you, Sir.” Personally, I think some of this teacher’s methods would not come amiss in our present day schools.
Sir William planned the idea of the Johnstown Academy which, due to his death and the Revolutionary War, was not built until later and was accepted by the Regents of the State University January 1st, 1794.
Sir William was also greatly interested in the education of the young Indians. He sent many of them, including Joseph Brant and his own half-Indian son, William of Canajoharie, to Doctor Wheelock’s Indian School at Lebanon, Connecticut. Some of these Indians in turn became teachers in their own schools; among the most prominent of these was Philip Jonathan who established an Indian School at Canajoharie Castle.
Sir William’s interest in education probably arose from several reasons. One of these may have arisen from the account given by Historian August Beale, who states that in early life William Johnson’s people wished him to take up either the Army or Navy as a career, but he decided to become a lawyer instead and was sent to the Academy at Newry but was expelled in the middle of his third year because he did not allow the moderator to chastise him. In addition to expulsion he was taken before a magistrate and fined seven guineas for aggravated assault against the schoolmaster.
In all probability his main idea was the progressive, one that educated Indians and whites alike would be more understanding and, therefore, make better citizens in building up a new land.
His attempt to have Doctor Wheelock’s Indian School moved from Lebanon, Connecticut to Johnstown was a demonstration of how anxious he was to bring higher education to the Indians of this valley. If he had lived he might have succeeded – and today we would be hearing the class cheers on the athletic fields of the Johnstown Indians instead of those of the Dartmouth Indians of Hanover, New Hampshire to which place the school eventually moved and where it has become one of the leading colleges of the East.
Sir William’s interest in education was not alone centered in the Mohawk Valley, but extended throughout the colonies. On March 20,1770 he was made a trustee of Queen’s College, which we know today as Rutgers College, he having been a heavy contributor in the starting of that college. He also contributed freely and encouraged otherwise, King’s College of New York City, which has grown to become one of the great universities of the world – Columbia University.
On November 18th, 1771 he wrote to the Rev. William Andrews commending him on the opening of an Academy at Schenectady and promising his support.
He encouraged authors in their work, among whom was James Adair of Savannah, Georgia, whose book “Manners, Customs and History of the Southern Indians” intending to prove their descent from the Hebrews was dedicated to Sir William Johnson. He entertained and encouraged in every way men such as Professor Peter Kalm, the Swedish naturalist, who visited Sir William both at Fort Johnson and Johnson Hall.
He wrote many papers himself particularly on Indian customs and affairs and for this was made a member of the American Philosophical Society in January 1769 and later was made a member of the Royal Philosophical Society of London, and for his scientific experiments he was made a member of the “Society for the Preservation of Arts in America.”
At the time of his death he had accumulated a library of over two thousand books, which was one of the largest in the Colonies, and the trend of his reading can best be understood by some of the titles which included “Mathematical Elements of Natural Philosophy Confirmed by Experiments” and “An Introduction to Sir Isaac Newton’s Philosophy” also microscopes and other scientific instruments and believe it or not, there is documentary proof of the fact that in his laboratory at Johnson Hall, he carried on experiments including electricity, for in 1765 he had his New York agent by the name of Darlington secure him an electrical apparatus for this purpose.
He also was a subscriber to the London newspapers and the magazines of the day which although limited in number were not given over to the Love Sobs and Confessions of most of our present day so-called magazines.
In this brief time allotted me I have attempted to show that in addition to the pioneer spirit of business, diplomacy, agricultural pursuits and other lines of endeavor, Sir William was not alone a pioneer in concentrated education in the Mohawk Valley but in all America – not alone wishing to educate himself and his children, but endeavoring to put the light of education in the hands of white men and reedmen, rich man and poor man alike – the basis of real Democracy and of real American; and although his loyalty to his king and his government cannot be questioned, he also wished to do everything in his power to assist and encourage what our great President aptly calls “The Forgotten Man.”
In these talks I am endeavoring to bring out the accomplishments of a great man – so many years neglected – I hold no brief from anyone in doing so – and I have documentary proof of facts given, but am in hopes that enough people will hear my voice and take the trouble of bringing to the attention of others the fact that in our Mohawk Valley we had the most progressive pioneer spirit of his day.