Cultural Life hist204 sp08

History 204 Sp 08 | Political Life | Cultural Life | Economic Life

Culture and Society in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1876

In the year 1876, Carlisle was known not as a place of industry, but as a place for homes. It was still very much a frontier, but the people who lived there had an enormous amount of allegiance to their town. With its water supplied with pure limestone from the reservoir on Conodoguniut Creek, the people of Carlisle were able to enjoy life without the bangs and booms of many factories.

Carlisle in the year 1876 was booming with education. There were private schools, colleges, normal schools, and most popularly, common schools. Common schools were schools for families that could not afford an education for their children. As a result children between the years of five and twelve were required to go to government funded schools, or common schools. In 1879, there were twenty common schools in Carlisle with 1,003 students attending. Of those 1,003 students, 481 were male and 522 were female. It is very curious to note that more females than males attended common schools in Carlisle, something that was uncommon in the rest of the nation.

In regards to transportation, Carlisle was very conveniently well connected. In 1837, a railroad was built down High Street, much to many citizen’s dismay. Also, the Carlisle, Hanover, and Baltimore turnpikes run through Carlisle, leaving easy access in and out of the town.

Newspapers were very popular in 1876 and were the only source besides word of mouth for citizens in Carlisle to receive news about what is going on with the rest of the world. In the year 1876, there were four newspapers circulating Carlisle. Those newspapers were The Carlisle Herald, The Volunteer, The Sentinel, and The Carlisle Semi-Weekly Mirror. All of these newspapers provided different perspectives to politics and happenings around the world.

With a population of around 7,000, there was no wonder that there were so many churches in Carlisle in 1876. In fact there were 15 churches: 2 Methodist, 2 Presbyterian, 2 Lutheran, 1 Episcopal, 1 German Reformed, 1 Roman Catholic, 1 Evangelical Association, 1 Church of God, 3 African Churches, and lastly 1 Mission Church. This wide representation of churches shows that there was a lot of religious activity in Carlisle in 1876. In 1876, the Methodist Episcopal Church located on Pitt Street and High Street was torn down and in honor of the centennial, the Centennial Church was built in its place. This also signifies the town’s allegiance not only to their religion but to their country as well.

Masculinity as Reflected by Dickinson Students

By 1876 a muscular male had replaced the eighteenth-century ideal of manliness of suitable stances and expressions. The Civil war changed the way masculinity was perceived and the way it was expressed. Athletics and a primitive demeanor shaped the way America viewed masculinity and the role suitable for men. For Dickinson College students in 1876 fraternity constitutions, orations and popular magazines such as Harpers dictated their role as rising men in American society.

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German Immigration's Affect on Art

At the centennial, many people of German ancestry had well established ties to America. Most were not immigrants themselves, but instead were second, third, or even fourth generation Americans. Still, the German American community retained strong ties to their German heritage. German Fraktur, or highly decorative reords like baptismal or marriage certificates, is one exaple of such Cultural maintainence. Though Fraktur did change when Germans immigrated, it is still a prime example of culture melding which incorporated both German and American identity.

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The Depictions of Women in Carlisle, 1876

1876 was a transitional year for women. Although the Civil War itself did not change the status of women, the fast developing industry and its demands changed women’s roles from purely that of a housekeeper and mother to a factory worker, housekeeper, and mother. This changing perspective traveled quickly from city to city, but failed to reach small towns like Carlisle in 1876. In Carlisle, women were still dainty figures who were helpless except to bear children. Newspapers such as the American Volunteer reflect the opinion people had of women in 1876.

To learn more click: Margurite Berard