Samuel P. Moulthrop papers

Samuel P. Moulthrop was born in Michigan ca. 1847 and moved with his parents to Elba, New York as a child. Moulthrop pursued his education at the Cary Collegiate Institute during the 1866- 1867 academic year. Afterward, Moulthrop accepted a teaching position in Genesee County, New York where he taught until 1875. During his early teaching career, Moulthrop developed a passion for thinking about the school as space and learning environment. He also tested his theories about the relationship of calisthenics to a child's ability to concentrate and remain in good health. Moulthrop married Mary Raymond in 1873. In 1876 their son was born and Moulthrop accepted a position as the principal of the Western House of Refuge and moved his family from Genesee County to Rochester, New York. The school's curriculum continued to evolve and introduce vocational courses. By 1886, the school's name has changed to reflect the expanding curriculum and was called the New York State Industrial School. In 1888, Moulthrop became the principal of Washington Grammar School, Number 26 in Rochester. In addition to his teaching career, Moulthrop volunteered and ran a Y.M.C.A. camp, organized youth hiking trips, and tree planting events. By 1905 the classes and levels of education offered at the Washington Grammar School had expanded dramatically to include night classes and nurse training courses. At that time Moulthrop implemented his adjustable and removable desk manufactured by Rochester furniture company, Langslow- Fowler. These new desks allowed children and adult learners alike to study in a comfortable space. Samuel P. Moulthrop died in February 1932.