Up to March 8th, 1861, when Phillipsburg became an incorporated town, our school system was divided into two school districts, the Second and Fourth were known as Ihrie District, NO. 10; the First and Third Wards as Phillipsburg, No. 11.  After the incorporation they were changed to Districts No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, and so remained until February 2nd, 1869, when they were consolidated, with Joseph D. Smith as County Superintendent, and divided into the First, Second and Third Sections, later called wards, and commissioners appointed.  In 1875 the Second Ward was divided into the Second and Fourth Wards.  The first school building erected was the Ihrie School house in 1815, about 300 yards south of the present Carpenter building.  The expense was paid by subscription.  The first teacher in this building was Mr. Cohen, and the last H. P. Marsdon.  The building was demolished in 1854.

        From 1833 to 1838 Miss Eliza Davis taught in a stone building in the part of the town known as the First and Third Wards.  This building or rom was later occupied by the Warren Democrat.  Another instructor was Miss Jane Weller, who taught in the basement of the building now owned by the Phillipsburg Horse Car Railroad Co.

        In 1843 a one-story brick building was erected at a cost of $500 for the First and Third Wards.  The lot was purchased of Hon. Charles Sitgreaves.  In the First Ward about the same time the three-story brick building now occupied by Mr. George Reading was built and used until 1852.  In 1851 a building was erected on the corner of Brainard and Hudson streets, at a cost of $3,500.  In ---- this building was torn down and in its place the handsome Sitgreaves building stands.

        In 1854 a building was erected on Sitgreaves street at a cost of $1,914, and is still in use.

        In 1869 the Freeman building, then known as the "High School" or "Crystal Palace," was erected at a cost of over $46,000.

        In 1871 the "Howell," the first frame building, was built for the accommodation of the northern part of the First Ward.  This structure cost over $4,000.

        In 1874 the Andover Engine House was used for school purposes in the Fourth Ward, and destroyed by fire September 13th, 1875.

        In 1869 rooms were leased of Mr. M. M. Fisk on Main and Stockton streets, and of Mr. M. Fogarty, on Mercer street.

        In 1846 Hon. Charles Sitgreaves was made Town Superintendent for one year.

        The school enrollment is recorded as follows:  In 1838, 126 pupils; in 1852, 235; in 1866, 500; in 1869, 1,124; in 1872, 1641; in 1875, 1,728.

        Present conditions and facilities:
            No. of teachers, 58.
            No. of buildings, 10.
            No. of scholars enrolled, 2,100.
            Value of school property, $220,000.
            Division of grades, Primary, Secondary, INtermediate, Grammar and High School.
            Supervisors of Drawing, Music, Manual Training and Sewing.
            Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Lewis O. Beers.

       Phillipsburg's first fire department was the Warren Fire Company, which was organized in 1864.  The company's first officers were:  President, Isaac H. Hartpence; Vice President, Philip R. Hagerman; Secretary, Joseph McLaughlin; Assistant Secretary, Thomas Lomason; Foreman of Hose, Charles Nixon; Assistant Foreman of Hose, James Cripps; Foreman of Engine, B. VanFossen; Assistant Foreman of Engine, J. Merrick; Representatives, Jacob Basset, Samuel S. Schwick and George Creveling; Librarian, Henry C. Beers; Janitor, G. H. Lerch.  The company had a membership of thirty-seven.

        The Warren House stood along the Central Railroad on the south side of the Columbia Hotel, on South Main street.  The building was torn down years ago.  The company's last president was Charles Nixon.  There are still three members living of the original Warren Fire Company, viz:  C. ("Jack") Schooley, Jacob ("Jakey") Wildener and Charles R. Phillips.

        The Andover Engine Company was organized in the lower part of the town, now the Fourth Ward, about 1867.  Of this company little can be learned at the present time, save that its quarters were in the same building now occupied by the Jersey Hose Company, on South Main street.  Later it was burned out and remained a wreck until it was rebuilt for the Jersey Hose Company.
 

        Organized on December 16, 1883, and was for several years conducted by the exempt members of the Centennial Engine Company.  Its first officers were:  G. W. Wilhelm, President; L. T. Brant, Vice President; A. J. Clifton, Secretary; W. A. Ashmore, Treasurer.
 

        This Association was organized May 30, 1879.  Its officers were:  Frank B. Heckman, President; Silas Hulsizer, Vice President; W. A. Ashmore, Treasurer; Allen J. Clifton, Secretary.
 

CENTENNIAL FIRE COMPANY, NO. 1

        Organized January 26, 1876, with the following officers:  George W. Wilhelm, President; Jere. J. Lockhart, Thomas L. Titus, Vice Presidents; Allen J. Clifton, Secretary; Benjamin B. Sweazy, Foreman; W. A. Ashmore, Treasurer; Lewis T. Brant, Engineer; A. Franklin Shedd, First Assistant Engineer.
 

        Was organized February 8, 1887.  The first officers elected were:  Bartholomew Coleman, President; F. A. McCorkell, Vice President; Thomas Castles, Secretary; J. H. Firth, Treasurer; William Dingler, Foreman; John Miller, Assistant Foreman.

        This company was organized on April 15, 1887.  Its first officers were:  Matthew E. Connell, President; Irvin Walter, Vice President; Arthur Kase, Secretary; John Pursel, Treasurer.

        This company was incorporated May 31, 1887, with the following officers:  J. H. Griffith, President; J. C. Perdoe, Vice President; William H. Mann, Secretary; Daniel Young, Steward; Charles Montgomery, Foreman; Reding Stiner, Assistant Foreman.

LINCOLN ENGINE CO. NO. 2

        Organized February 12, 1909, with the following officers:  Thomas Kearney, President; John Donovan, Vice President; George L. Shillinger, Treasurer; William Kisselbach, Secretary; William Potts, Foreman; John Chalmers, Assistant Chief.

        This company was organized January 29, 1908, with the following officers:  Charles A. McGowan, President; E. J. Warne, Vice President; E. N. Wood, Recording Secretary; Theo. Stamets, Financial Secretary; M. James Gibney, Treasurer; Edward Bloom, Assistant Chief; Harry Hulshizer, Foreman; William Osborne, Assistant Foreman.

        Phillipsburg, N. J. Lodge, No. 395, B. P. O. Elks, began in a modest manner and with a small membership.  The Lodge was instituted in the Masonic rooms, this city, on the evening of November 26th, 1897, by J. H. Fort, District Deputy, Grand Exalted Ruler, of Camden, N.J., assisted by members of the Order from Trenton and Camden, N.J., and STroudsburg, Pa.  Charter members will never forget that night.  A banquet was served at "Hotel Columbia," this city.  After the banquet charter members and visitors marched in a body to our home, No. 412 South Main street, which we still occupy, where another feast was prepared, to which we did justice; speech making then followed.

        The installation and banquet of 1897 is history, and now only remains a pleasant memory in the minds of those present.

        The first officers of the lodge, who were installed on the night of the organization, who held their positions for one year, were:

John Eilenberg, Exalted Ruler.
Hon. Jacob B. Smith, Esteemed Leading Knight.
Hon. Jos. H. Firth, Esteemed Loyal Knight.
R. B. Carhart, Esteemed Lecturing Knight.
S. W. Hunt, Secretary.
Adam Martin,Treasurer.
A. W. Mutchler, Esquire.
L. A. Fisher, Tiler.
W. F. Carty, Chaplain.
D. E. Ritter, Inner Guard.
Trustees, Hon. Dr. Isaac Barber, one year; Chas. B. Sharp, two years; John Kern, three years.

        Charter Members, Geo. R. Johnson, Jos. L. Morgan, Whitfield Barber, Jr., W. H. Fisk, W. K. Stone, Harry Cane, E. O. Correll, Ellsworth Smith, Wm. J. Leslie, Floyd Smith, C. E. Griffin, B. Frank Fox, Jas. H. Callan, E. J. Mackay, Bernard Flynn, Chas. A. Gischel, Frank D. Bishop, Dr. Wm. Kline, Y. C. Pilgrim, Eldridge Barber, Hon. Johnston Cornish, G. W. Shoeffler, Hon. C. F. Staats, P. F. Hagerty, W. Floyd Mutchler, F. M. Duckworth.

Past Exalted Rulers--
John Eilenberg--elected November 26th, 1897.
John Eilenberg--elected April 1st, 1898.
F. M. Duckworth--elected April 1st, 1899.
F. M. Duckworth--elected April 1st, 1900.
Wm. J. Leslie--elected April 1st, 1901.
Stewart P. Stone--elected April 1st, 1902.
F. M. Duckworth--elected August 15th, 1902.
Chas. B. Sharp--elected April 1st, 1903.
E. D. Pursel--elected April 1st, 1904.
Oscar W. Shafer--elected April 1st, 1905.
Thos. L. Murphy--elected April 1st, 1906.
Harry E. Stone--elected April 1st, 1907.
Jesse H. Rubert--elected April 1st, 1908.
Jesse H. Rubert--elected April 1st, 1909.
Lewis A. Fisher--elected April 1st, 1910.
Present Exalted Ruler--John B. Sliker--elected April 1st, 1911.

        The order does not profess to be a religious teacher; it does possess the elements of true religion, a belief in the Supreme Being.  It is not a political teacher, but enjoins upon all its members the principles of good government, loyalty to rulers and the obeyance of laws.  It does, however, profess to be a teacher of morality, dealing with the members as moral and social beings, encourages industry and the development of business enterprises, contributes to the relief of the distressed, encourages domestic fidelity, honor in all dealing with mankind, justice and charity to all and the full and harmonious development of every moral, social and intellectual faculty that God has given.  The social features connected with the order serve to bind them closer together.