George Washington Elementary School

The GEORGE WASHINGTON SCHOOL in Camden's Cramer Hill section as seen above and to this day was built in 1907 on the same site as the George Washington School had stood. The original School had been built by the Town of Stockton prior to the 1899 merger with Camden had had thus come under the auspices of the Camden Board of Education.

The annexation of Stockton, in April 1899, brought eight new schools into the Camden school system. They were:

James G. Blaine School, Third (now 30th) and Green Streets.

George Washington School, Fourth (now 27th) and Cambridge Streets.

Abraham Lincoln School, 28th Street and River Road (now Avenue);

Rosedale School, 3rd Street and Westfield Avenue;

Benjamin Harrison School, State (now Marlton Avenue) and High Streets;

James A. Garfield School, 29th and Master (now Cramer) Streets;

William McKinley School, 35th and Benson Streets;

Catto School, 30th and Erie (now Saunders) Streets.

Camden now had two schools named for Lincoln, one in East Camden and one on Kaighn Avenue. The commission changed the name of the Lincoln School on Kaighn Avenue to the Claudius W Bradshaw School, in memory of the former Democratic Mayor, who recently died. The wisdom of the name change, however, was "questioned by many sections, because Mr. Bradshaw had never been identified with the public schools."

Daisy Y. Ferber was named as principal of the was named by the Camden Board of Education to be the principal of the George Washington School on Cambridge Street.

In January 1904 the Claudius W. Bradshaw School on Kaighn Avenue was renamed the Abraham Lincoln School, and the Lincoln School on River Road was renamed the Benjamin C. Beideman School. Benjamin C. Beideman (1837-1898) lived in Beideman station in East Camden, He was one of the best-known men in Camden County. He worked tirelessly for his church, and was held in high regard by much of Stockton Township, which comprised what is known today as East Camden and Cramer Hill.

Daisy Ferber remained principal of the Washington School until 1907, when she became the first principal of the newly-built H.B. Wilson School at South 9th and Florence Streets. The Washington School was simultaneuosly being rebuilt on the same site on Cambridge Street. It was ready for occupancy on February 3, 1908. Charlotte V. Dover, who had been principal at the Benjamin C. Beideman School since 1899 was named as principal of the rebuilt Washington School.

On November 5, 1936 Mrs. Calvin W. Chambers and Mrs. Baker, President of the Washington School PTA, told the board that the Washington School, whose capacity was 400 students, needed more rooms. They insisted that a new school was only part of a much larger picture. The Washington School was almost 300 students over capacity, because the board closed and demolished the Blaine School in June 1932, and then closed the Beideman School in June 1935, without replacing them. Although four additional rooms opened in the basement of the Washington School, for kindergarten classes, in space previously used by the manual training and domestic science classes, they really had not contributed to easing the overcrowding, and special classes did not end until 4:30 P.M. She requested that the board reopen the Beideman School and the four classrooms on the first floor used for grades one through three. This action was not taken, and the board awarded Moore House Wrecking Co. the bid to raze the Beideman School, for $180 in December of 1936.

The Washington School was slated to be rebuilt in the early 2000s as part of a massive state-wide project to upgrade schools. Mismanagement, primarily at the state level, caused this project to be cancelled. Now in its 100th year of use, the Washington School continues to serve the children of Cramer Hill.

Camden Courier-Post * December 28, 2008
Principal ends 40 years in Camden school system By JOSEPH GIDJUNIS Courier-Post Staff The Cat in the Hat greeted parents and students at George Washington Elementary School for the final time last week. The lovable Dr. Seuss character, with the red and white top hat and giant red bow tie, is regular character played by the school Principal Malcolm Adler. It has been an annual staple at the school since Adler arrived there in 1996. But on the final day before the winter holiday, he shared a sad piece of news. It was his last day. After 40 years of service, and 13 superintendents later, Adler, who turned 63 on Saturday, would no longer call Camden City Schools his second home. Some parents, especially those who have become attached to Adler had difficulty accepting the news. It was challenging to take a 6-foot-4-inch man with a 2-foot tail flapping in the wind seriously, but the news was true. A new acting principal takes over when students return for class Jan. 5. The new principal is expected to be Lana Murray, an administrator at Wiggins Elementary, Adler said. The city school board will make an official decision at its January meeting. Alex Gonzalez, a mother with a son, Jaden, 6, at the school, started crying after digesting the words Adler told her. "He was a very good principal. He was like the best. He interacts with the kids really (well)," said Gonzalez, who also had a daughter, a sister and nephew attend school under Adler. "Not every principal is that caring and understanding. He sits and talks with you. He puts the kids first." Before the ice had melted from the sidewalks, Adler hit the streets, greeting parents and students on his final day. He got dozens of hugs, coffee and plenty of baked goodies between telling his students and parents in English and Spanish, that it was his last day. "We have the best teachers in the city here," Adler said. "I'll miss the kids, staff, parents and community." Adler, a Philadelphia native, started in Camden as a special education teacher at the former Cooper Grant Elementary School in 1968 at an annual salary of $6,200. He had to pay for half of his health benefits on top of that. After his first year, he was promoted to a supervisor, and seven years later, he started taking on more administrative roles. He became an acting vice principal at multiple schools before taking over as principal at Whittier Elementary School in 1988. During his tenure, he transformed the school, making it much more community-centric. In his first year, he organized the first reunion of the elementary school that had 650 alumni return. He lined up public officials, the mayor, and even the campaign manager of the Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign, to speak. While he was transforming the school and the community, he also served as president of the Federation of School Administrators chapter in Camden. "I created a monster. A good monster," Adler said. In 1996, he was transferred to George Washington Elementary School, and initially, he wasn't pleased. "How could they do this to me? I was devastated. Whittier was everything to me," Adler said. "But I took what I was doing at Whittier, and I brought it here." His staff raves about him. "He is so professional. He's fair. He's evenhanded. He really is excellent," said Myra Slachetka, the school's special education supervisor. "He went from someone who took a small classroom of students and united them into a community. Then he took a community and united them around the (school). He's involved this whole community in this school." Adler is credited with getting a trucking company to donate winter coats to his more than 300 students, getting flowers donated to brighten the lobby of the building and finding free after school child care for needy families. Adler's one wish for the district is that the state sends more money for new schools. Four years ago, George Washington, at more than a century old, was on a priority list slated for reconstruction. A location was chosen, a design was created but the funding fell through. Students in his school have no auditorium. They have to walk to Veterans Middle School, he said. Students also don't have a gymnasium either, but that doesn't remove the school from its physical education obligations. A rumbling vibrated from the third floor. For gym class, students run past tables, book shelves and teachers trying to prepare students for state testing. It's all the school can provide its children. Ironically, they run past a hand-drawn poster encouraging students not to run in the hallways to stay safe. "One thing I would like to have is a new school. If that school had been built, I would be here until I was 90," Adler said. Adler, who lives in Pennsauken, said he's still going to remain in education and visit the school. He's already been approved to mentor new principals by the state, and he's working with one now in Cherry Hill. Reach Joseph Gidjunis at (856) 486-2604 or jgidjunis@gannett.com Additional Facts IF YOU GO Malcolm Adler's retirement party will be at 6:15 p.m. March 13 at Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford. RSVP by Feb. 25. A $40 donation is requested. Make checks payable to: Friends of Malcolm N. Adler, The Retirement Committee, Washington School, 1033 Cambridge St., Camden 08105.

Camden's George Washington Elementary School Principal Malcolm Adler's last day of classes was December 23, after 40 years in Camden City Schools. Every year as principal, he dresses as Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat and greets children as they are dropped off for school, December 23, 2008. His son, Brian, right, stopped by to surprise him at his office.