Clara Stewart Burrough was born in December of 1869 to William and Sarah H. “Sallie” Burrough. Her early years were spent in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ, where William Burrough had a farm. By 1880, the family had relocated to Camden, where William Burrough began a business as a milk dealer. They settled at 622 North 2nd Street, the corner of North 2nd and Main Street, in North Camden, with Clara’s younger brother, Joseph Burrough. Clara Burrough and her parents were residing at 605 North 2nd Street in Camden by the 1900 census, and she remained there until at least 1920. She was a longtime neighbor of Dr. Howard F. Palm at 614 North 2nd and lived near “Pop” Daly’s saloon at North 2nd, Main, and Vine Streets, although it’s unlikely she frequented the establishment. She likely did business with cobbler Tom Homan at 526 North 2nd Street, just a few doors away from her home.
Clara Burrough commenced her teaching career at Cooper School before being transferred to the Richard Fetters School at Third and Mount Vernon Streets. There, she briefly served as principal and successfully managed the education of children from diverse backgrounds who spoke little or no English. In November 1894, she became a teacher at Camden Manual Training and High School, located at 125 Federal Street. By 1900, she was appointed principal of the high school, which had relocated to a new building on Haddon Avenue at Newton Avenue. With the opening of the new Camden High School in 1918, Clara Burrough became its first principal, while the former Camden Manual Training and High School building was converted for use as Junior High School No. 1.
In February 1933, Clara Burrough was hospitalized, and she did not return home until June of that year, announcing her retirement from the Camden public school system. On June 22, 1933, during Camden High School’s commencement exercises, it was announced that Junior High School No. 1 would be renamed Clara S. Burrough Junior High School in appreciation of her dedicated service. Sadly, Clara S. Burrough passed away unexpectedly at her home in Haddonfield the very next day.
Among the teachers who served at Camden High School under Clara Burrough’s leadership was Lucy Dean Wilson, who also retired at the end of the 1933 term. Clara Burrough was succeeded as principal of Camden High by Carleton R. Hopkins, who held the post until his retirement in 1956.
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Clara S. Burrough
Clara Stewart Burrough was born in December of 1869 to William and Sarah H. “Sallie” Burrough. Her early years were spent in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ, where William Burrough had a farm. By 1880, the family had relocated to Camden, where William Burrough began a business as a milk dealer. They settled at…
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Principals Fete Retiring Members
Camden Courier-Post – June 16, 1933 Association Gives Banquet and Entertainment for 8 at Hotel Here Eight retiring school principals were honored last night at a banquet in the junior ballroom of Hotel Walt Whitman by the Camden Principals’ Association. Amid decorations of roses and spring flowers these teachers, who have served the city from…
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