Little Jerusalem - Carr Square OPS

Below I transcribe a news story about a 13 year old girl named Jennie Grossman who learned English in 18 months at the Shields School in the Carr Square neighborhood. The news article is dated in 1903, suggesting she was born approximately 1890. The article also states the family left Russia when she was 8.  I have been unable to find the Grossman family in the 1900 Census in St. Louis. I believe they are in the 1910 census, and if I have the correct family, it states they immigrated in 1899. Other records suggest from Volhynia. They may not have immediately settled in St. Louis. This Jennie Grossman would marry Robert Parkinson, and it doesn’t appear they had any offspring.  *** The St Louis Republic  St. Louis, Missouri  30 Jan 1903 - Page 5    GIRL LEARNS ENGLISH IN 18 MONTHS AND WRITES AN ATTRACTIVE ESSAY Among the bright compositions collected from the various public schools of the city and filed by the Board of Education is one written by ...

I've mentioned Housing Conditions in St. Louis - the report on the St. Louis tenement district published by The Civic League of St. Louis in 1908. This chart appears in the report. Out of 13,223 individuals, 12,728, or 96%, did not have access to a bathtub. The school district came up with a partial solution for the students in 1902. The St Louis Republic  02 Apr 1902, Page 2  SCHOOL CHILDREN MUST BE CLEANLY  In Shields School a Bathroom Has Been Fitted Up for the Benefit of Pupils.  PREVENTS DISEASE SPREADING Superintendent Soldan Claims That the Danger of Contagion Has Been Greatly Reduced by Enforced Bathing.  F. Louis Soldan, Superintendent of Schools, believes that "cleanliness is next to Godliness," and in the Shields school, No. 1119 North Seventh street, baths have been established for the use of the pupils who will be required to bathe at regular intervals during the hot weather.  In the basement of tho school a room about fifty feet long by thir...

Below I transcribe a news story that provides a brief bio of 7 primary school students who were born in foreign countries. Their pictures also appeared.   The St. Louis Republic 27 Feb 1903, Page 7 ALIEN PUPILS AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS QUICKLY ACQUIRE AMERICAN WAYS By a Republic Photographer. FOREIGN PUPILS AT SHIELDS SCHOOL In the upper row, reading from left to right, are: Frank Sierawski, Bessie Soltz and William Bascino. Lower row: Rosie Capes, Tillie Buchman, Maggie Pillotzero and Fannie Laveritz. Though born in countries where conditions are cramped for those who tread the humbler walks of life, little sons of Russia, Poland, etc., are quickly expanding intellectually amid the broad possibilities of their new American home. This is entertainingly demonstrated among the many alien pupils at St. Louis public schools and particularly at the Shields School. Their bright faces tell the progress these little ones have made in acquiring the first essential to real American citizenshi...

The Jewish Voice St. Louis, Missouri June 15, 1906 - Page 7 -- Shields school, about eleven hundred of whose fourteen hundred pupils are Jewish children, will have its closing exercises this Friday morning, at the Jewish Educational Alliance Building, corner Ninth and Carr streets. Following is the June class, the motto of which is that of New St. Louis: "To the Front:" Misses Anna Cohen, Jessie Ellsworth, Ethel Graber, Cecile Kellner, Darothy Liebert, Leah Oxenhandler, Mary Piatt and Harriett Rothman, and Masters Herbert I Berger, Thomas Buchman, Joseph W Johnson, Abe Katz, Louis Lehr, Max Levitt, Ben Mable, Louis Oxenhandler, Walter A. Pearce,  Joseph Roman, Joseph Rothman, John V. Urquhart and Harry Yoffe. Only three of the entire class are non-Jews. Following will be the program this morning: Chorus: Pupils of Rooms 1, 2 and 3 recitation; The Wreck of the Hesperus, Anna Cohen; recitation, Smiting the Rock, Abe Katz; essay, "Some good things of to-day, Joseph Rothman;...

My focus is on the residents of Little Jerusalem in 1900. Newspaper stories mentioning The Eighth Street Yard appear frequently between 1890-1895. But the story of The Eighth Street Yard may be connected to the story of Little Jerusalem. What was the Eighth Street Yard?  St. Louis Globe Democrat, November 14, 1892 The Turbulent Eighth Street Yard. The police of the Third District are constantly annoyed by rows between whites and blacks in what is known as the Eighth Street Yard. This yard, which covers nearly a half block, is situate on Eighth street, between Carr and Biddle. Officers McCrea and Kavanaugh, who patrol the vicinity, are constantly suppressing outbreaks between women and their consorts, and not a week passes unmarked by a cutting or shooting in that neighborhood. Arrests are a daily occurrence. St Louis Post Dispatch, January 6, 1895 People who imagine that policemen have nothing to do but stay up twelve hours should spend a night with a blue-coat on a lively down-tow...

Despite the conditions they lived in, there was candy for the children. Today a newspaper wouldn't have to describe a particular candy confection one of the candy shops introduces.  It should be noted that this is a good 8 years before this candy confection is said to have been invented in New Jersey . So maybe the origin story needs to be rewritten.   The St Louis Republic  St. Louis, Missouri  05 Nov 1900,  Page 7  CANDY SHOPS CUT PRICES.  Commercial War Is Agitating Little Jerusalem.  There is a commercial war on in the neighborhood of Seventh, Carr and Biddle streets. The results, so far, are cheaper confections for the children of Shields School and a complaint to the police.   Michael Novack has a candy store at No. 1127 North Seventh Street. Until seven months ago he had a monopoly of the candy business In the neighborhood; his store overflowed with students, bargains and prosperity. But seven months ago Charles Weismann and his ...