1 In 1851, the State of New Jersey authorized the incorporation of school districts. Land was purchased to build schools, and in 1857 the public school system of Princeton Borough was incorporated. In 1858, this building was the Witherspoon School for Colored Children located on the corner of Witherspoon and Maclean Streets.

This was during the time of slavery when many of the students who came from southern states to go to Princeton University were served by the parents of some of the children who attended the school for Colored children. One slave who was owned by the Stockton family was Betsey Stockton. She traveled to the Sandwich Island, Hawaii where she did missionary work. When she returned to Princeton, one of her services to the Colored community was to teach at Witherspoon School for Colored Children. It is believed that she started teaching Colored students formally as early as 1848 in a house or church located on Witherspoon Street. In the early 1900’s, Paul Robeson was a student at this school during his primary years.

Many Colored people moved to Princeton to work as servants or service help at the University. As a result of the increase in the population, the school on the corner of Witherspoon and Maclean Streets was inadequate to house the increased number of students. Before a new school building could be built, the Board of Education had to get an approval from voters to purchase a new location for a school.

On February 20,1908 a new site was purchased on Quarry Street and the old school was used for several events. The rationale for building another school to educate Colored students was that the 600-700 Negro residents lived in the Witherspoon area. The new Witherspoon School educated students from both Princeton Borough and Township because the feeling, at that time, was that the needs of the Colored students were better served by separate schools. Even though the new school was located on Quarry Street, it was still referred to as, “Witherspoon School” and the school paper was called the “Witherspoon Herald”. In later years the paper was called the "Witherspoon Press".

By the 1937-38 school year, Witherspoon School had become inadequate in size and construction. It was built for about 200 students and now the enrollment was about 300. Because of the Depression, there was not enough money to pay for an addition. Also the teachers had not received a raise for several years.

On April 26, 1938, the Colored community, along with the N.A.A.C.P., insisted on better facilities for Witherspoon School. After many meetings with the borough and township officials, they agreed to proceed with the renovations in September 1938.

During the 1938-39 school year, while construction was being done, classes were held for the students at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church and the Elks Lodge building on the corner of John and Maclean Streets. This building is currently the Masonic Lodge building. On December 7,1939, approximately 450 people attended the Dedication program in the new combination Gymnasium and Auditorium. The “new” Witherspoon School continued to serve Colored children with a Colored principal, faculty, secretary, and custodian.

By 1947, the New Jersey Constitution ruled school segregation as unconstitutional. A plan was followed to establish the Nassau Street School, which enrolled White students, as the elementary school, grades kindergarten to fifth, and the Witherspoon School as the junior high school for all students who lived in the borough because the newer facilities were conductive to departmental classes.

During the 1947-48 school year, there were exchange assemblies between Nassau Street and Witherspoon Schools with students and faculty. On April 6, 1948, the Board of Education announced that the complete integration of the elementary schools in the borough was scheduled to begin September 1948. This was known as "The Princeton Plan."

6 Witherspoon School- now the Princeton Nursing Home

7 The Princeton Nursery School, located on Leigh Avenue was started in 1929 by Margaret Matthews who saw the need in the Princeton Community for a nursery school for children whose mothers had to work. She, along with a group of Princeton women, formed a board of managers and with contributions from friends and Mrs. Matthews' husband, Reverend Paul Matthews, the nursery school was established. Jean Riley taught at the school for 18 years before becoming the director for 27 years. She retired in 2000.

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