No principle was more deeply engraved upon the heart of the Hollander than that "the church and the school must be maintained;" a principle of the soundest wisdom, and of the most practical utility. For, without education, morality and religion, there can be no foundation for social order and prosperity. These are the great safeguards of the community, and where these are fostered and encouraged, we have reason to expect not only intelligence and virtue, but a due respect to the laws of the land, and to all the rights and privileges of those who are associated in any one community. Accordingly, the early Dutch settlers in Flatbush, imbued with the principle which has just been mentioned, soon after their settlement, took measures for the education of their children, and the maintenance of suitable schools. Among the first records of the town, we find notice of the employment of a schoolmaster. Much care seems to have been taken, not only in the selection, but in the agreements formed with the teachers of their children. The first schoolmaster of whom we have any knowledge, was Adrian Hegeman. He was one of the original proprietors of the town, and was the owner of the farm lying immediately north of the property now in the tenure of Mr. Isaac Cortelyou. He was the ancestor of the widow of the late Peter Lefferts, and probably of the whole family of Hegemans, now living. He was engaged as schoolmaster from 1659, to 1671.

From the records of the town, it appears that the schoolmaster acted as Town Clerk, and as the rates of tuition were low, previously to the American revolution, the offices of sexton, and "Foresinger," or chorister, of the church, were conferred upon him, with a view to increase his emoluments. He received all interment fees, for infants and adults, according to a scale of established prices, and for his services as chorister, he was paid an annual salary by the Consistory of the church. The chorister, in addition to his duty of taking the lead in setting and singing the Psalms and Hymns, was also required to ring the bell for all public services, to read the commandments at the commencement of the morning worship, and the Apostles creed, in the afternoon. These latter services were all performed in the Dutch language, and uniformly continued so until about the year 1790, at the time when Mr. Gabriel Ellison, the first English schoolmaster left the village.

The following is a list of the schoolmasters of the town of Flatbush, from the year 1659, to the year 1802, when the village school was removed into the Academy.