JOHN W. MICKLE SCHOOL &
ANNEX
South Sixth Street & Van Hook Street
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| The John W. Mickle School - Built in 1875 |
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| The Mickle School Annex - 1925 |
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The John W. Mickle school opened in the spring of 1876, with Phillip Cressman as its first principal. Designed by Camden architect Stephen Decatur Button, it was identical to the Richard Fetters School and the Isaac Mulford School which were built on opposite corners at South 3rd and Walnut Streets. Although the original Mickle School building is gone, victim of a March, 1971 fire, as is the Mulford School building, Fetters is still standing and in use in 2007, a testament to its design and construction. The Mickle School Annex was opened in 1925 in response to Camden's growing school age population. It was designed by the Camden architectural firm of Edwards and Green, headed by partners Byron Edwards and Alfred Green. In time the original building was taken down. The Annex was converted in the 1990s as the Creative Arts High School, and is still in use as such in 2007. The school was named after Captain John W. Mickle, one of Camden's leading citizens. He was the brother-in-law of Dr. Isaac S. Mulford and an uncle of Isaac W. Mickle, who was active in Camden's drive to establish public schools. He had been a sea captain, however, in 1823, the year after Isaac Mickle was born in an "old stone farm house on the river bank just below Jasper Street, Captain Mickle gave up his sea-faring life to raise young Isaac, whose father had died of tuberculosis. Captain Mickle founded the Camden and Philadelphia Steamboat Ferry Company in 1836, was Secretary and Treasurer of the Camden and Amboy Railroad, a principal holder in the Camden Water Works, and other business interests, and owed a great deal of land in and around Camden. In June of 1843 then-President John Tyler traveled from Washington to Boston to dedicate the Bunker Hill Monument. When the citizens of Camden learned he was traveling through their town, they arranged for a public reception in the Camden Garden. Captain Mickle welcomed the President on behalf of the township. This was the first reception given a President of the United States since George Washington visited, when Philadelphia was the seat of government. Captain Mickle led the fight that created Camden County. A staunch Democrat, he and his allies convinced the state Legislature, which was Democratic, to pass, on March 13, 1844, the act separating it from old Gloucester County. The new county was, of course, named after Camden, which was to serve as the county seat until a permanent one could be selected through an election. Captain Mickle and John K. Cowperthwait were Camden's first County Freeholders. On April 18, 1861, a week after the firing on Fort Sumter, a large meeting was held in the Camden Court House, which was presided over by John W. Mickle, "whose Democracy was only exceeded by his patriotism." He spoke briefly and ardently on the rebellious act against Fort Sumter by South Carolina, and ended his speech with the words, "That flag has got to go up." Nearly one-fifth of Camden's population participated in the struggle to save the Union. |
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Camden
Evening Courier November 27, 1900 Walter
Wilson - Mt.
Vernon School |
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| Mrs.
Elvin - Central
School - May
Rogers - Ella Cooper - Lincoln
School - Helen
Bowyer Fetters School - Mulford School - Nellie Tullis - Edith Anderson |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 10, 1910 |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 26, 1932 |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 22, 1933 |
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44 WILL GRADUATE AT MICKLE
SCHOOL Forty-four pupils ·of the Mickle School, Sixth and Van Hook Streets, will graduate from the B-A grade at commencement exercises to be held In the school auditorium at 11 a. m. today. The class is comprised of 23 girls and 21 boys. They will enter Hatch Junior High School in November. Those promoted are as follows: Helen Wasiluk, Ellen Turner, Sophia Bandaruk, Herbert Backskas, Catherine Clements, Andrew Christy, Eleanor Cloud, Americk DiGiacoma, Olga Evfimenko, Frank DiGiacoma, Marie Faiola, Richard DiGiacoma, Mary Flacco, Armond Driscoll, Roslyn Hait, Wallace Durszynski, Stephany Harris, Charles Flacco, Teresa Hisbacker, Russell Hunter, Elsie Hickman, Frank Kozak, Olga Kolody, Gilbert Krown, Elva Krown, Paul Krueger, Blanche Markiewicz, Anthony Mammoci, Catherine Melniczak, Howard Mason, Helen Pasco, Edward Mathews, Dorothy Prader, Alfred Narducci, Helen Pukas, John Patrick, Margaret Raditch, Stephen Pipito, Freda Rosen, Walter Ramick, Mary Russo, Dominick Venella, Carmella Sparano and Michael Volishyn. . |
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Camden Courier-Post - February 1, 1938 |
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2 AT MICKLE SCHOOL WIN LEGION MEDALS Mary Begich and Raymond Kline, members of the 8A graduating class at Mickle School, Sixth and Van Hook Streets, were honored as recipients of American Legion Award medals at graduation exercises. The exercises were conducted by Mark G. Messinger, principal of the school. Commander John Henderson, of the Post Office American Legion Post, presented the awards. Mary Begich had the additional honor of possessing a perfect report for the past school term. Members of the class are: Mary Begich, Pauline Berkeschuk, Elsie Bock, Doris Bonaker, Palmina Delphidio, Betty Fine, Dorothy Goncheroff, Grace Lauria, Teresa Mascio, Milda Melfi, Filomena Parisi, Marian Van Stine, Elizabeth Vitale, Mary Vitale, Vera Waters; Ernest Anthony, Stanley Bezich, James Brandemarte, Martin Di Carlontonio, Carmen Di Gracomo, George Gordon, Raymond Kline, Michael Macorsky, Michael, Mekich, Vedice Romond, Louis Severance, Samuel Shute, Joseph Sohocki and Leonard Sonnenberg. |
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Camden Courier-Post November 6, 1947 |
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Philadelphia Inquirer -1951 |
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10 SCHOOLS REPRESENTED The schools represent eight public arid one parochial school in. Camden and the Pennsauken Township Junior High School. The Camden county competition is part of the annual marbles tournament sponsored by The Inquirer. Champions were developed yesterday at the Pennsauken School, which registered a total of 41 boys and eight girls in its first years competition. Robert Barroway, 11, of 5303 Sherwood Terrace, and Vera Polk,12, of 3466 Gladwyn Avenue, both seventh-grade Pennsauken students, captured the titles. Camden school champions are Albert Colsey, 12, of 2807 Cleveland Avenue; and Iola Brooks, 13, of 2728 Garfield Avenue, of the Harry C. Sharp School, 32nd Street and Hayes Avenue; James Twyman, 13, of 807 Chestnut Street, winner at Whittier School, 8th and Chestnut Streets; Michael Marto, 14, of 215 Sewell Street; of the Cramer Junior High School, 29th and Mickle Streets; Alfred Medley, 13, of 1177 Lawrence Street, of the Powell School, 10th and Linden Streets. CHAMP'S BROTHER WINS Also, Nicholas Martell, 13, of 1041 North 31st Street, brother of last year's Camden champion, and Arlene Fallon, 13, of 811 North 28th Street, both of Veterans' Memorial Junior High School, 26th Street and Hayes Avenue; Ronald Rowan, 51 North Street, champion of the Holy Name Parochial School, 5th and Vine Streets, competing ·for the first time this year; Ann Coles, 13, of 697 Van Hook Street, girl winner at the Mickle School, 6th and Van Hook Streets, and Stephen Trout, 14, of 305 Beideman Avenue, representing the Davis School, 34th and Cramer Streets. Other Camden school winners announced earlier included Paul Palla, 11, of 1087 New Merrimac Road, of the Yorkship School, and Robert Hudson, 11, of 2123 Van Buren Street, boy winner at the Mickle School. Runners-up who will be alternates at the district playoffs include Yorkship School, Jerry Hunt, 13, of 3150 Colorado Road; Mickle School, John Jones, 14, of 673 Central Avenue and Brenda Bates, 10, of 569 Ferry Avenue; Sharp School, William Wagner, 12, of 1107 Lois Avenue and Jean Martell, 12, of 1041 North 31st Street; Pennsauken, Adrian Mencer, 14, of 4311 Union Avenue, Delair, and Lorraine Brucks, 13, of 2228 Sherman Avenue, Pennsauken Also Whittier School, Edward DeGrilla, 14, of 732 Chestnut Street; Davis School, Robert Kerby, 13; Holy Name School, Samuel Montanez. 13, of 621 Cedar Street; Powell School, Sterling Davis, 13, of 323 North 11th Street, and Veterans School. Herbert Betts, 14, of 1155 Bergen Street and Judith Arensberg, 13, of 2730 Garfield Avenue. |
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March 7, 1971 |
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