A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 63

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930

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One record of social intercourse which often developed strong friendships may well be mentioned. The Rev. C. L. Ayer, father of the Rev. Edward P. Ayer, recently of Mansfield, was in 1863 living in Voluntown. It was Febru- ary 17th that the following entry was made: "Went to Plainfield with Dr. Ben- net as delegate. * * Scribe of Council. Twelve churches represented. Dinner at Mr. Eaton's, whose house formerly was a hotel, on the corner of Main street and Providence and Norwich turnpike. Gave charge to Mr. Jeremiah Aldrich, now of River Point, and formerly of Plainfield. Home with Brother Ayer to Voluntown, and addressed thirty of his people in the evening. Sat up with him and talked till 11:30. Mr. Ayer married in Sprague (Hanover So- ciety) a granddaughter of Deacon Huntington. Has four children living." The youngest at that time was Edward Perkins, who followed his father in the ministry, and who has been a pastor in the Mansfield Center Church, where his father went from Voluntown this same year, his installation taking place on December 16, 1863.

One of the long pastorates was that of the Rev. Anson S. Atwood at Mans- field Center, extending from 1819 to 1862, when he was dismissed at his own request.

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On the day of Mr. Ayer's installation in Mansfield, Mr. Willard rose at 6:45, having retired at 12:20 P. M. "Clear, coolish. Went at nine o'clock with Deacon Cushman and wife to Mansfield. Rev. Messrs. F. Williams, G. Soule, E. F. Brooks, L. H. Barber, Joseph Ayer, J. W. Salter, present. Called at Esquire Zalmon Storrs, who remembers all the ministers save one since the formation of the church in 1710; seven in all, including Mr. Ayer. Dined at Brother R. Porter Barrows' with Messrs. Salter, Appleton, Griggs, wife and sister. Preached in p. m. from Acts. Home at 6:20. Lecture extemporaneous (mid-week) meeting. Thirty present."

The following list of ministers is given as attending a ministers' meeting in Doctor Bond's study, January, 1853: Rev. Messrs. Bond, Gulliver (at whose invitation they had come), Arms, Tallman, Dickinson, Gridley, Tuttle, Bush, Hazen, Learned, Willard, McEwen, Aitchinson, Dunning, Salter, Robinson, Shipman, while Clift, Ayer and Hyde, who were at the next meeting, may have been those who brought the number to twenty, as is the record.

Fifteen years later, February 11, 1868, Mr. Willard's last year in Willi- mantic, at a ministers' meeting in Greenville, another list of twenty is given : Arms, Stanton, Field, Willcox, Haskell, Tracy, Muzzy, Dane, J. S. Moore, Gil- man, J. R. Avery, J. Avery, S. Hine, Shipman, Northrop, Tuck, Couch, Willard, and Baptist and Methodist brothers, Benedict and Hopley.

The need of a new church building pressed almost from the first of Mr. Wil- lard's pastorate. Once the house was enlarged before 1849. The necessity for more room was constantly apparent. It was the 6th of April, 1853, that Gen. Lloyd E. Baldwin, a well-known contractor of that day, in a conversation at the depot, said he thought the people would try to build a new meeting house in two years.

The fund gradually accumulated until it reached $1,500. Then, under date of February 18, 1867, is this record: "Met Building Committee at Deacon Cushman's. No apparent hope of a new house of worship. Can the old one be enlarged ? I hope so, if nothing better can be done."

Monday, September 16, 1867, in company with Calvin Robinson and George Cunningham, the proposed site for the new church was visited. This was fol- lowed that evening by a society's meeting which lasted nearly four hours with- out any marked result. But on September 23, 1867, a week later, the Ecclesi- astical Society voted to accept Mr. T. W. Cunningham's gift of 100 square feet of land; and to purchase another 100 square feet adjoining on the east ; and 200 by 75 feet adjoining it on the north, making a rectangular plot 200 feet on Valley Street and 175 on Cunningham Avenue, for a site of church and par- sonage.

January 27, 1868, a society's meeting was held until 10 o'clock in the eve- ning to talk about the new church. January 28th, meeting of the finance com- mittee in the evening at Deacon Cushman's. February 28th, the pastor at- tended a meeting of the society in the evening at which he "said little!" Cal- vin Robinson, John Tracy and William C. Jillson were appointed a committee to procure a new plan not to exceed in cost of building $20,000. Meeting voted to dissolve!

Much time and thought were given to the Sunday school. The constitution adopted May 4, 1853, made clear that it was not an independent organization, but a child of the church. Through the Sunday school it was possible to have very friendly relations with the young people.

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A record says that the idea of a Sabbath school concert was taken from Weymouth, Mass., where Mr. Willard had spent a Sunday not long before. The first Sabbath school concert in his ministry was held on Sunday, September 27, 1857, at 6 o'clock. The children recited texts of Scripture; and two sang- Louisa Campbell and Delia Tracy. One hundred were present.

The officers of the Sabbath school were chosen with care, and were inter- ested in performing their duties. In 1860 these officers were superintendents : Dr. O. B. Lyman, Mrs. S. G. Willard; assistant superintendents, Joseph Rollinson, Mrs. H. G. Lyon; librarian and treasurer, Joseph. A. Watson; assistant librarian and secretary, Henry B. Gates. Eight years later the superintendents were Deacon N. A. Stearns, Mrs. J. E. Cushman; assistant superintendents, Deacon H. B. Gates, Miss Martha E. Kimbel; librarian and treasurer, Mr. A. B. Carpenter ; secretary, Dr. J. B. Flint.

Mr. Willard knew his young people and they felt free to go to him for ad- vice at any time. Sometimes it was one alone; or two sisters, or two friends who sought him out for a quiet talk. Or, the caller might be a young boy who wished to know what book to buy for his first lessons in Latin. Before leaving home, it was their custom to talk with him, and often a letter of introduction opened a church home in the distant town or city.

To place good reading in as many families as possible was considered by Mr. Willard as a fundamental part of his work. To this end, there were Sunday school books and papers for the members of the school each Sunday. Two of the papers were The Child at Home and The Child's Paper. Occasionally copies of these came with highly colored pictures which added to their ex- ternal attractiveness, especially when the flag, with its red, white and blue, borne by Young America, became so realistic as to be treasured in the memory of "the child." Publications of the American Tract Society were obtained regularly each year and were passed on. One record says, "Left little picture books for Martha, Nancy, Robert, and a penny for Maggy."

It was not only religious reading in which Mr. Willard tried to interest his people. He recognized that healthful progress and development must always be united with intelligence, and that this could be gained most readily through acquaintance with the best literature, whatever the line of study might be. His own daily reading included, whenever possible, some classic literature, or other writing of merit.

During the winter of 1851-52, three lectures were delivered before the Lyceum (gratuitously). The first one on December 24, 1851, was given by Hon. Horace Greeley ; topic, "Causes of Failure in Business." From November 15, 1852, to February 18, 1853, "A Spontaneous Course" (also gratuitously) included seven lectures given by available home talent. Among the names we find Dr. William A. Bennett, topic, "Our Country"; Joel R. Arnold, Esq., topic, "Equanimity"; Wm. L. Weaver, topic, "The Past"; Samuel G. Willard (Rev.), topic "Oliver Cromwell."

"During the winter of 1853-1854 the Bee-hive hummed steadily and strongly, by which the Library and its Association were founded. There were no public literary lectures that season. The Philosophical Society, however, met weekly in private, and was well attended." Some of the programs at the society meetings included the following: Doctor Lyman read "Heat Is Life"; Mr. Warner read "An Early History (geological) of the World"; "Woman's Vol. I-33

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Rights," read by Esquire Arnold; and after Doctor Lyman's reading Mr. Wil- lard spoke extemporaneously.

For the winter of 1854 Mr. Willard and Doctor Hill were the committee to arrange for a course of lectures one in two weeks, having been appointed by the Philosophical Society. These were given, also, without charge, by Willi- mantic ministers and laymen of the different denominations-a fine illustration of community cooperation. The Methodist minister, Rev. George W. Rogers, gave an interesting lecture on "The Elizabethan Age of English Literature"; Henry A. Balcom talked about "Music"; Dr. John Hill took for his topic, "Disease, Its Causes and Modes of Cure." The Windham Episcopal rector, Rev. Sanford J. Horton, had for his subject "Manhood." Mr. Willard chose "Self-Education"; while the topics for the last two in March were not an- nounced beforehand. One of the talks was by a Baptist minister, Rev. Ed- ward Bell.

The lectures given during the winter of 1855-56 varied from the preceding in having lecturers from other places; and an admission fee charged. The price of admission was 15 cents per night; 50 cents for the course. Hon. John P. Hale came from New Hampshire; Rev. John Pierpont from Massachusetts ; Rev. Joseph P. Thompson from New York; and Theodore Parker from Boston. Rev. Francis T. Russel, Rev. John P. Gulliver, S. Dryden Phelps, D. D., and Elihu Burritt complete the list of speakers. During these days of uncertain futures it is interesting to note that Doctor Gulliver's subject was "Russia and the Czar Nicholas."

In April, 1855, a call to the library rooms is noted, and there are several other references to its existence during the following years. The constitution, by-laws and catalogue of the Willimantic Library were printed at the Journal office in 1865; and the date of organization given as January, 1865. Article I reads in part : "The undersigned have associated, and do hereby associate our- selves together under the name of 'The Willimantic Library Association,' for the purpose of receiving from the late association, organized under the same name, their library; to procure the repair of such of the books of the same as require it; and to purchase, hold, and circulate, under such regulations as may hereafter be agreed upon, other books; the whole to form a library for the use .. of the inhabitants of the Borough of Willimantic and its vicinity, according to the rules to be adopted." The catalogue has a list of 860 books.

Very soon after Mr. Willard went to Willimantic, he became a member of the School Board, and nearly all of the time he was one of the school visitors. To him was given, usually, the duties of the secretary, and he had much of the responsibility connected with writing the annual report. Such an acknowl- edged leader in the educational world as the late Daniel Coit Gilman, president of Johns Hopkins, but earlier secretary of the State Board of Education, ex- pressed his approval of his methods and of the printed report.

December 29, 1856, Mr. Willard wrote to Mr. Philbrick, who had charge of the common schools for the state, in regard to a district school library. The Child remembers that about 1866 the children of the First District were author- ized by the teacher, Miss Martha E. Kimbel, to carry out a suggestion made by Mr. Willard and collected from their neighbors money enough to buy a "Web- ster's Unabridged Dictionary," which proved fully as interesting as many a library book to the children, who were given access to it very freely, and

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reveled in its many pictures. Much effort was made to have the residents of the town realize that the library was for their use and best interests.

From the ungraded schools to the well ordered system of graded schools, high school and normal school, now existing in Willimantic, is a long step. One illustration of the growing interest in educational matters may be seen by the memoranda concerning an institute held in Willimantic for several days begin- ning Monday, October 30, 1854. The record for that day is: "Heard Hon. Mr. lecture in the evening. Smooth, keen, but train of thought somewhat indistinct." Tuesday, October 31, "Went to Institute an -hour or more. Brother Porter Barrows, Rev. J. F. Dickinson and Mr. George Sherwood, of New Milford took tea; the two latter spent the night. Rev. Mr. Dickinson lec- tured to an interested audience. Adjourned at nine o'clock."

Thursday, November 2d: "Fine day. Institute progressed well. One hun- dred teachers. Four at dinner, Mr. Sherwood having left, and four at tea : Messrs. Russel, Stearns, Barrows and May. Dr. Comings lectured in the A. M .; Professor Russel much of the remaining morning and afternoon; and Professor Philbrick and Russel in the evening. C. gets out to the Institute, also. Dunton lectured on penmanship in the evening."

Saturday, November 4th : "Rose at 5:40. Clear. Professor Jackson left at eight." One other item under date of Monday following, November 6th, reads : "Went with Mr. Lee to Mansfield, and ate dinner at Mr. Atwood's. Examined teachers, six, and passed five in the evening. Hard to reject any, but duty to scholars requires it. The rejected one had taught eight or nine winters and would have passed for an ordinary district. Returned home at 11 o'clock."

In 1856, a list of teachers examined for the different districts gives these names : Ephraim Rood Williams, Joseph M. Eldridge, J. Hartford Tingley, Miss L. S. W. Robbins, Emily N. Weaver, Adelaide Bingham, Charles N. Palmer, Stowell L. Burnham, Helen C. Leitchfield, John F. Abbot, Arthur S. Winchester, Henry W. Avery, Delia N. Barrows. A little later there is a memorandum of the North Windham School, Porter B. Peck, teacher; Sumner Lincoln, committee. Forty-three pupils; library case, in good taste. Library has just come.

The first Board of School Visitors was chosen in 1856. At that time Scot- land was included in the list of school districts; Messrs. Sanford J. Horton, .J. H. Carpenter, T. Tallman ; term expired in 1859. Messrs. Henry A. Wal- cott, O. B. Lyman and E. Barstow ; term expired in 1858. Messrs. G. I. Stearns, Willard and Bromley; term expired in 1857. Acting school visitors 1856-57, Messrs. Stearns and Willard.

On May 9, 1857, Mr. Tracy called for Mr. Willard's signature to a petition to the Legislature to have Scotland set off as a town. There seems to have been little delay, for we read: May 28, 1861, "The bill erecting Scotland into a new town was passed by the Legislature unanimously to-day."

Educational advances were not made without opposition. The report of the school visitors read at the town meeting October 6, 1856, and printed by vote of the town, reveals some interesting facts connected with this transition period. The committee, after calling attention to the new school law, chapter 3, sec. 2, comments as follows: The law makes it the "duty of the town to dissolve any district having less than twelve children between the ages of four and sixteen." "Whenever there are one hundred children of suitable age to attend school, residing in one village, it is evident that they ought not all to be in one room

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and under the care of one teacher; and it is equally evident that if a division is to be made, it should be made according to the ages and studies of the chil- dren-according as they are more or less advanced, rather than according to the part of the village in which they happen to live. A division by the former method makes a graded school. Such a school is needed in the Center District, and it was for this purpose that the District was formed. Here are 118 scholars. Last winter the division was local, and in the two schools there were fifty dif- ferent classes and exercises. Of course, the teachers were obliged to hurry from one exercise to another, and perform a great diversity of labors, from teaching A. B, C's, up to the highest class in Grammar and History.

"In such school the smaller children are very apt to be neglected, and there were thirty-seven in these schools in the Alphabet, or only learning to read and spell. Let the same schools be graded, and each teacher will have only one-half as many classes; consequently, can spend double the time with each in ex- plaining the lessons. Thus it appears that by such a division, twice as much actual effectual service is obtained from the same teachers for the same money. The district committee in his report to us writes, 'The great want of this dis-

trict is a graded school. * Grading schools is but applying the same principle to the business of teaching that we apply to all other departments of business. * We regret that so much opposition has been made to a graded school, and believe that much of it exists because the object sought is misunderstood or unappreciated. *

* The stereotyped objection to any improvement is, that "things are well enough as they are." * * *

So when chimneys for dwelling houses and glass windows were introduced, the same objection was raised. * What was good enough for their fathers was good enough for them.' .

"It is true that all things which are new are not improvements.

Old wine is better than new, but the same is not true of old printing presses, nor of old school houses, or of old methods of teaching. We believe the people of the Center District will yet see eye to eye on this subject, and that they will soon provide suitable accommodations for a graded school. Reference is made to the fact that there must be pure air if there is to be 'mental vigor and bodily health.' Yet Charles Northend, Esq., says 'The number of well ven- tilated barns in the state of Connecticut will far exceed the number of well ventilated school houses.' " -

The lack of uniformity in the text books is mentioned, although progress had been made toward that end. . Three votes passed by the board are mentioned : One, passed October 15, 1857, provided that the Bible should be used as a daily text book for reading; another, on April 1, 1865, stated that the acting visitors could not change the text books adopted by the board; the third vote, that any change made by the teachers in school books used would result in their cer- tificates being annulled.

In the 1857 report, from which extracts have been made, the average sal- ary "paid male teachers in the winter was $28.00 per month * * * paid female teachers in the summer $13.00 per month." And this was an increase over previous years. In Willimantic the men were paid $45 per month, in the First and Second districts-whether winter or summer, the women teachers received an average salary of $16 per month; and the women assistants, $7, as an average each month-in the three districts.

In the Willimantic report, the intermediate department in the First District

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was especially mentioned for record of punctuality; while the primary depart- ment in the Second District was entitled to the tardy banner. That department alone reported "792 tardy marks in 28 weeks!" The committee, in suggesting an improvement, placed much of the responsibility upon the parents. Besides the usual topics considered in a report, the question is asked: "Why should such studies as History, Physiology, Natural Philosophy, and Algebra-not to name others-be so commonly neglected, while Geography monopolizes so much time ?"

Another paragraph in this report of 1857 is of interest as a matter of his- tory and progress. It reads: "The new law has abolished the school Societies, which have long been regarded as useless appendages, and a positive detriment to the schools of this state, to which they were peculiar. They were not a part of the original educational system under which the schools of Connecticut be- came so famous, but were introduced in 1795; since which time our schools, as compared with those of several other states, have sadly degenerated. The new law restores the care of the schools directly to the several towns and to Visitors chosen by them."

Evening schools may seem to some of us a part of our more recent school system. But in this report (1857) we read: "Willimantic greatly needs an evening school in winter for the accommodation of those young persons who are unable to attend the day schools. The cost would not be very great, but, at all events, the advantage to our youth and to the village would exceed it one hun- dred fold."

Still another subject in this report is of great importance, that of a high school. Early in the spring of 1857, an effort was made to unite the First and Second districts, according to the law then existing. The chief aim was to se- cure a center school, one grade above the first department, which could have been done at a very moderate cost. Owing to an alleged informality in warn- ing the town meeting, but more especially to "the mesmeric influence of General Apathy," the plan was defeated.

In the Willimantic Journal, August 23, 1856, are notices of two private schools outside of the village, but near by. One is an eight-inch advertisement of the school in South Windham, J. C. Fitch, principal, called Pine Grove Sem- inary. The rates were "For Board and Tuition, exclusive of Washing, per year, $200." The other is a brief article written for the Journal, giving some account of the public examination at the close of the summer term at the family school of Rev. Mr. Horton, Episcopal clergyman at Windham Centre. The occasion proved the worth of the school where "regard is paid not only to the intellectual but to the moral and religious education," and Mr. Horton and his school are wished "continued and increasing success .. "

Sometimes children were taught at home, owing to the crowded condition of the schools. The private school was a necessity. Miss Elizabeth Conant, Miss Rose Dimmock, and Miss Mary E. Cushman were some of the young people who taught school in the vestry of the Baptist Church, or of the Methodist or the Congregational Church. Miss Conant opened her "School for Juveniles" in the Baptist vestry in the late autumn or early winter of 1863. It was early in May, 1862, that E. M. Cushman received permission for his daughter Mary to use the lecture room of the Congregational Church for school purposes. Mr. Wil- lard's son was one of the pupils, beginning to attend this school, which opened on May 12, 1862. Miss Cushman's brother, Frederick D. Cushman, was

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also one of the pupils. He is now the only member of the family left; a suc- cessful business man in Yonkers, N. Y., deacon of the Baptist Church of the Redeemer. Miss Cushman was not strong enough physically to continue her work very long; but there is this record of her success, under date of June 30, 1862: "Spent twenty minutes or more in Mary Cushman's school. She has a pleasant method with her pupils. Ten all told." Although still a girl, Miss . Cushman's musical ability was quite marked. The Child remembers an occa- sional visit to these schools, as a guest of the older girls. The Loomer lumber yard on Center Street was near enough to the Baptist vestry school to offer a playground full of many possibilities, minus any thought of danger. Once dur- ing the lesson period, according to the custom, a pupil asked if he might pass a drink of water to the other children. It is remembered that one boy asserted that he drank six cupfuls, causing the water-carrier to cross the room twice that number of times before the next thirsty child had his turn. Evidently the individual cup played a very unimportant part in those days !

Entry, October 31, 1863: "Mr. Alford (Giles H.) called with Mr. D. P. Cor- bin to talk over arrangements for private school" (presumably Mr. Corbin's "Institute" in Franklin Hall).

Miss Dimmock was teaching in February, 1865. But on March 20th of that year the new Natchaug schoolhouse being ready for use, the children of the private school with the children of the district previously having been assem- bled in the Methodist Church vestry for enumeration were passed into the pub- lic school according to their grades.

The dedication of this new building had occurred on Friday, the 17th of March, three days earlier. Mr. Willard, who had watched the progress of the building with great interest, was asked to preside at the dedication exercises, which took place at 3 o'clock that afternoon. Rev. G. P. Brewster of the Meth- odist Church led in prayer. The musical part of the program was in charge of W. C. Jillson, H. L. Hall, John D. Wheeler, Deacon Stearns, Deacon Gates, and George Cunningham, with Delia Chipman, Ida Tracy and others. Mr. Charles Northend, Mr. F. F. Barrows of Hartford, W. L. Weaver, Rev. E. D. Bentley (Baptist), Rev. G. P. Brewster, and Professor Camp, spoke either in the afternoon or 'evening. Full attendance. Good time. Mr. Powell was the prin- cipal until the end of the year. Then D. P. Corbin began his work as principal on August 28th. Miss Elvira Lincoln had charge of the second department and Miss Mary Hewitt of the third. * * * Even at the present time, bell ringing is not associated with real hard work in the mind of a boy. So when Samuel P. Willard agreed to perform that daily duty, he held an enviable po- sition among his young friends. The Child remembers the room in which the bell rope was run, when inspecting the new schoolhouse in the days of its con- struction. A member of the party passing through that room in some way fell over an unseen box, and the sound of the fall reproduced as. an echo through the empty room, and the feeling of alarm connected with the unexpected hap- pening is real today.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 63

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930