Sketch of "Old No. 3," a Famous Old Grammar School
in Greenwich Village

By William S. Eddy

In 1800 there were three ways open to the children
of New York City by which to procure an education,
by means of schools maintained by the different religious
denominations, private schools and charity schools, but
as all combined were inadequate to meet the demands
made upon them, certain prominent citizens organized
The Free School Society of New York in 1805, with
De Witt Clinton, then Mayor of the City and afterwards
Governor of New York, as President, and in May, 1806,
it established Free School No. i and on November 13th,
1811, it opened Free School No. 2 in Henry Street.

Early in 1818 the Trustees of The Free School Society
saw the importance of establishing a school in the north¬
western part of the City and having received information
that a room in the building corner of Grove and Hudson
Streets could be procured from the City for school pur¬
poses, appointed a committee consisting of Thomas C.
Taylor, Najah Taylor and John R. Murray, to make ap¬
plication for the premises, and if found suitable, to pre¬
pare them for the reception of pupils. On May ist it
reported that arrangements had been made and Shepherd
Johnson, who had been trained in Free School No. i,
was appointed teacher at a salary of $500 per year. He
was the pioneer of a large number of teachers who were
trained under the direction of the Society and he con¬
tinued in its employ until 1825.

Grammar School No. 3 was therefore opened on May
25th, 1818, with 51 pupils. It increased in numbers so
rapidly that at the meeting of the Board held on June
23rd, it reported that 216 scholars had been admitted with
a regular attendance of over 200.   The room not being

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