USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history of ancient Windsor, Connecticut > Part 40
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The next year the town of Windsor voted £20 a year for a school.
But the town was enlarging, quite a settlement had sprung up on the east side of the Great River (now East and South Windsor), and they also had children to educate. So in April, 1698, we find the town agreeing to hire a schoolmaster; and school was to be be kept three months on the east side of the
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Great River, and nine months on the west side, half on the north and half on the south side of the Rivulet; each quarter of the town to provide a suitable school-house without any charge to the town. The master to receive £20, " besides that which is given of gift-money." The Committee were Lft. Hayden and Lft. Mat- thew Allyn. They made (April, 1698) the following contract: " Agreed with Mr. Samuel Wolcott to keep a reading, and writing, and cyphering, and grammer school for one full year, to begin on the twelfth day of this month [July]; to take none but such as are entered in spelling. His salary is to be thirty- five pounds in country pay or two-thirds of so much in money. The school is to be kept at the several places agreed on by the DANIEL HAYDEN, Selectmen. townsmen.
MATTHEW ALLYN. S SAMUEL WOLCOTT.
II.
1700-1859.1
WEST OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
In the year 1700, the town of Windsor was represented by its worthy minister, the Rev. SAMUEL MATHER, at that memorable gathering of clergymen who established Yale College. Deeply imbued as they were with the importance of their undertaking, and with a prophetic assurance of its ultimate success, they could not then have foreseen the immense influence which it was, in less than two centuries, to obtain; nor the position it now holds as the crown of Connecticut's educational system.
About the commencement of the last century (1701), the com- mon school system of Connecticut embraced the following par- ticulars:
1. An obligation on every parent and guardian of children, "not to suffer so much barbarism in any of their families as to have a single child or apprentice unable to read the holy word of God, and the good laws of the colony," and also "to bring them up to some lawful calling or employment," under a pe- nalty for each offence.
1 After 1702, the control of school matters became gradually vested in the ecclesiastical societies or parishes - and we shall therefore treat the history of the Windsor schools under their separate parochial divisions. The history of Poquonnoc and Wintonbury parishes, in the absence of any official re- cords, can not be written.
57
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2. A tax of forty shillings on every thousand pounds of the lists of estates, was collected in every town with the annual state tax, and payable proportionably to those towns only which should keep their schools according to law.
3. A common school in every town having over 70 families, kept throughout the year, and in every town with less than 70 families, kept for at least six months in the year.
4. A grammar school in each of the four head county towns to fit youth for college, two of which grammar schools must be free. . 5. A collegiate school, toward which the general court made an annual appropriation of £120.
6. Provision for the religious instruction of the Indians.
The school therefore embraced every family and town, all classes of children and youth, and all the then recognized grades of schools. There were no select or sectarian schools to classify society at the roots, but all children were regarded with equal favor, and all brought under the assimilating influence of early school associations, and similar school privileges. Here was the foundation laid, not only for universal education, but for a practical, political and social equality, which has never been surpassed in the history of any other state."1
April 14, 1707. " It was voted that the inhabitants on the north side of the Rivulet shall have liberty to set up a school- house on the meeting-house green upon their own charges for the benefit of learning to the town in general."
" Also [the] same liberty granted to the inhabitants on the south side the Rivulet."
This house stood, if we mistake not, in front of the meeting- house, about opposite to Dr. Wilson's present residence.
In 1708, the legislature enacted that the constables should deliver the "40s upon the £1000 of the list," to the committee for the schools in such towns where the committee are, or in defect
1 We have here quoted the language of Hon. Henry Barnard of Hartford, Ct., formerly superintendent of public instruction in this state; to whose admirable digest of the History of Common Schools in Connecticut, pub- lished in the American Journal of Education for 1858, we acknowledge our indebtedness. We may also be permitted, in this connection, to express our obligations to him for the many personal favors he has shown us during the prosecution of our work.
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of such officers, to the selectmen. This is the first intimation we have of a school committee.
In December, 1711, it was ordered by the town of Windsor that there shall be "a constant school kept in the town."
In 1712, it was ordered " that all the parishes which are already made, or shall hereafter bc made by this Assembly, shall have to the bringing up of their children and maintainance of a school in some fixed place within the bounds of their parish, the forty shillings in every thousand pounds arising in the list of estates within said parish." This is the first recognition of parish or ecclesiastical authority in school matters. Although by this act, the parishes were simply made school districts, and subordinate to the towns, yet in course of time they usurpcd the place of the latter. After this date the history of the Windsor schools is mainly to be found in the records of the " Ecclesiast- ical Society of Windsor."
February 3, 1712-13. The school Committee chosen were Col. Matthew Allyn, Capt. Abraham Phelps and Daniel Whitc.1
Also voted to give Mr. Ebenezer Fitch £10 money, out of this Society, to encourage him in the work of the school for the space of five years annually or per annum."
At the next annual meeting, February 14, 1713-14, " it was then also proposed, whether Mr. Fitch's salary (annually ) shall be made up by, or out of the Society, exempting the children that shall go to school, and this shall continue for the space of seven years. Voted in the affirmative." His salary was fixed at £38 per annum, and he was to keep school eleven months in the year. The next year, February, 1714-15, it was resolved " to grant Mr. Ebenezer Fitch's, Jr., petition, viz: that the rent of the school lands as let to Mr. Eleazur Gaylord, during the time of his keeping of school here, shall be paid to hiim, the said Fitch."
January 31, 1715-16. The school committee were empow- ered to " raise by way of rate £4 to be disposed of for the
1 Up to the year 1717, towns of seventy families had been obliged to keep a school for eleven months, but at that time the same obligations were imposed on parishes or societies having that number of families. Parishes having less number of families were required to maintain school for six months. The householders in the parish were empowered to lay taxes for support of schools, to appoint collector, and transact business relating to the same. They were also to choose annually a clerk, and a school committee of three "able and discreet" persons.
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schooling of Poquonnoc people's children." The same amount was granted the succeeding year.
The first schoolmistress named on the records, was Sarah Stiles, in 1717; and the next year it was voted that the " schools shall be kept by women [in] the summer until October."
December 30, 1718. "Our neighbors at Poquonnoc" were allowed to improve toward their own schooling, all they paid towards it in the County tax."
Mr. Ebenezer Fitch was released from the charge of the Windsor school in December, 1719.
The next year, December, 1720, "it was voted that this Society will keep schools in a manner following for two years next coming, viz, a fixed school on the north side, and also on the south side of the Little River, the months of November, Decem- ber, January, February, and March, by two good schoolmasters to teach our children Reading, Writing and Ciphering, and the rest of the months improve women to instruct children in Reading, provided the General Assembly do allow and accept, in lieu of the eleven months now stated by law, and that our Deputies be desired to pray the Assembly to allow of it, and thereupon have our school money as other towns and societies have."
Their application to the assembly was, however, refused.
January, 1720-1, the school committee were empowered to lease the school lands for 14 years.
And in December, the committee voted to raise money in the society for maintaining school the next year, in conjunction with the county money, to which project Mr. Matthew Alleyn, Jr., entered a cantion.
In December, 1722, £30 was raised on the society list for schooling ; and the town voted to divide the school money according to the lists of estates on each side of the Rivulet, and to apply to the assembly for a division into two school societies. Their petition was presented in the May following, but was opposed by a remonstrance from 23 persons, who alleged, that:
Ist. "One school at two houses, as heretofore, is preferred. 2d. One master can teach all the scholars. 3d. Multiplication of schools will increase expense. 4th. New school houses will have to be built. 5th. It will open a door for the multiplication of school societies."
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A petition, however, signed by 61 persons, was presented in May 1723, and, by an act of the same session, Windsor was divided into two school districts, one on the north and the other on the south side of the Rivulet.
1722-23. Mr. Henry Allyn was schoolmaster.
1731. John Allyn was schoolmaster for ten weeks.
1735. Job Loomis.
1735. Also Mrs. Deborah Moore, Widow Esther Eggleston, Ennice Marshall, Grace Rowel, schoolmistresses.
December, 1742. " Voted that there be but one school kept on south side of Rivulet this winter.
Voted, that said school shall be kept at the school-house near Col. Allyn's, till last of March, and then to have women's school set up."
December, 1743. The school lands were ordered to be leased for 999 years.
Also the inhabitants of Pine Meadows (Windsor Locks) were allowed to use their own portion of school money.
1759. One school and master, to be kept half the year toward the south end, and half the year toward the north end of the First Society.
1760. A school was established in Jeremey's Lane.
1762. A school was established at Moses Barber's house. Also one at Mill Hill, for four months, and one "at the lower end " of the society.
1768. It was decided " to drop either of the said schools, if they have not fifteen scholars or more in a general way."
1773. The society was divided into Three Districts. The North District was to take in John Roberts and all Cook's Hill. The South District, was to extend from the south end of the society up to Joseph Loomis's. The Middle District included the remain- der of the society.
1784. The three districts into which the society was divided, were as follows: North District, "all north of Widow Mary Roberts and her house, and Cook's Hill (or Boston, so called) as far as Amos Filley, Theophilus Cook, and Dudley Drake's. South District, from Jerijah Loomis', all south to Hartford Line and Pipestave Swamp. The balance of the society formed the Middle District.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
1797. Windsor, north of the Little River, was divided into the following school districts: Ist. From Suffield line, south through Pine Meadow (Windsor Locks) to the brook next north of Gaylord Denslow's house. 2d. Thence south to the brook near Jacob Osborn's house, including David and Jesse Thrall. 3d. South to the south of Taylor Chapman's home lot, including Eliakim and Samuel Mather. 4th. Thence to Windsor Little River.
This year was noticeable in the Educational history of Wind- sor, for the union which took place between the Ist and 4th eccle- siastical societies, which henceforth became the First Society of Windsor. As has been stated in the previous chapter, one of the main features of the union compact between the two socie- ties was the erection of an academy south of the Little River, on Broad Street Green.
This academy was built mostly by subscription in 1798. November 25th, 1798, the Union School, as it was termed, was "ordered to be set up on June next, and kept till the interest of the school money loaned to the society be expended." In 1802, it was " voted, that the committee be empowered to exclude any scholar that shall not carry his share of wood for use of the said school." Also voted, "that if any scholar should do any thing to the school-house, they shall make it good, or be ex- cluded from said school, after a reasonable time being allowed for the damage to be made good."
This academy at one time enjoyed a high and wide-spread reputation, and is recollected with pleasure and pride by very many who now occupy prominent and responsible positions in life.
" In about 1845, the old building had become much out of repair, and those living at a distance, with some others near by, made an attempt to annihilate the school by petitioning the legislature to dissolve the contract as far as the school was concerned, and divide up the fund among the districts. Two hearings were had before the legislature, and one trial before the superior court, and all decided in favor of the school. In 1853, a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for building a new house, if the means could be raised in that
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'manner. After canvassing the society, with a great deal of hard work, it was found that about $1500 was all that could be raised. Mr. Henry Halsey, who was chairman of the com- mittee, with the hope that some of the early recipients of this school, who had gone abroad and been successful in business, might have some sympathy for the old school, wrote to them, asking for their donation. The following gentlemen responded to the call: Hon. E. D. Morgan, N. Y .; Gen. F. E. Mather, N. Y .; H. B. Loomis, Esq., N. Y .; Hon. James Hooker, Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; the sons of the late Levi Hayden, Charleston, S. C., and N. Y .; Hon. James C. Loomis, Bridgeport, Conn .; Wm. S. Pier- son, Jun., Esq., Sandusky, Ohio; R. G. and F. A. Drake, Esqs., Hartford, Conn., and Columbia, S. C. With this aid, and re- newals of subscriptions and the avails of the sale of the old house, 1 the requisite sum was raised, the new academy built and finished, and the school started in 1854, clear of debt. Its dimensions are 46 by 28 feet, with 26 feet posts, and its cost, including ground, outhouses, fences, school-room furniture, etc., etc., was $2,878.89.
The School Fund.
This possibly may have commenced with the legacy of JOHN FITCH, in 1675. It was certainly increased by the legacy of Lt. JOSEPH STILES, who lived just north of the present Judge Ellsworth place, and whose intended bride was drowned shortly before the wedding day. He consequently remained single, and his house, during his life time, was a pleasant resort for all the young people of the neighborhood, and at his death he left a liberal bequest for the benefit of the schools of his native town.
Sgt. ABRAHAM PHELPS, who died in 1728, was the next who bequeathed a generous legacy for the same purpose. After him Capt. BENONI BISSELL, who died in 1761, left another gift to the school. His monument, yet standing in the old cemetery, was "Erected by the First Society of Windsor in Grateful Remem- brance of his generous Gift for the support of their school."
1 The old academy building was moved off the ground, and is now (with the addition of an under story of brick) occupied as a boarding-house by the operatives in the Sequasson Factory.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
The present amount of the school fund of the First Society in Windsor, amounts to $2,080.1
EAST OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
Second Society, or East, now South Windsor.
The first mention of schools on the east side of the Connecti- cut River, was the town vote of April, 1698, already referred to in the former part of this chapter.
About 1700, however, the educational interests of the town east of the river, seem to have passed into the hands of the society there under Mr. Edwards.
On their records, under date of December 15, 1702, it was " voted, also, that there shall be a school, and divided as it was last year; voted, also, that the committee chosen shall provide a man to keep school."
In 1708, 1s and 8d was paid to John Stoughton "for keeping school one day," and in May of the same year, "Mr. Roger Wolcott was chosen to make application to the Honorable General Court to be holden at Hartford, this present month: that we the above said inhabitants on east side may have the school money out of the country rate which is paid by our- selves every year. We desire that it may be improved among ourselves for the benefit of our children, that they may learn to read and write; and that it may be confirmed to us by the Hon- orable Court, annually.
" Voted, also, that Mr. Roger Wolcott should be paid for his time waiting at said court, and also for what money said Mr. Wolcott shall pay out for the petition."
December, 1712. Voted, " that the school money should be divided into three parts," one above Scantic River, another from there to Sgt. Joseph Newberry's Brook, and the third from there to Hartford Line.
Provision was also made for masters and school houses.
1 We do not understand whether the money derived from the sale of the Western Lands in 1720, formed a part of the above school fund. This matter will be found more distinctly treated of in another portion of this work, en- titled Windsor Colonies.
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January 28th, 1717-18. "Voted, that we will raise money to add to the country money that is granted by the Court." " Voted that we will raise so much money that will, with the Country's allowance, amount to £30 for a school. Joseph Rockwell, Sgt Daniel Bissell and Joseph Phelps to hire a schoolmaster."
" Voted, that Capt. Thomas Stoughton, Samuel Rockwell and Lt. Samuel Bancroft should be visitors to see the well ordering of the school."
December 1718, it was voted that schools should be kept in two places.
December, 1791. A similar vote is recorded. One of the schools to be located below, and the other above the meeting- house.
December, 1721-22. A similar vote for three schools. One to be "near this place" (probably the meeting-house), another half-way between there and the lower end ; the third half-way between " this place," and Ephraim Bancroft's house.
December, 1722. School to be kept as before in three places, and " the farmers of Bissell's Farm [Wapping ?] to have their part."
January 28 1722-3. "We will raise so much money to support a school among us with what the country allows to make the sum of £37 to hire a schoolmaster to keep a grammar school till December next."
February, 1723-4. "Voted, that we will keep a reading, and writing school all this year."
December, 1724. Schools in six places, one below Podunk Brook, second at a "place called Bissell's Farms," third, at Great Marsh and the other three from Podunk Brook north, equally divided in length.
In January 1726-7. £4 was voted to the farmers at Bissell's Farms, for the encouragement of a school among them.
1740. It was voted to add £70 to the country school money. Also to employ masters in the winter, and school dames in summer.
December, 1741. "Capt John Ellsworth, Joseph Loomis, and Roger Wolcott, Jr., were chosen a committee to take care of the money given for the several towns lately laid out in the Western land, to be disposed of, and improved for the support of Schooling in the several towns and parishes of the Colony, as mentioned in the Act, passed in May, Anno Dom, 1741, by the General Court, or Assembly."
December, 1742. Schools were created in four places: one 58
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between Hartford line and Newberry's Brook; second, from there to Scantic River ; third, to a centre line between Scantic and the north line of the town; and fourth, from the said line to the north end.
In 1742, Windsor received from the colony, as a school fund, £146 12s, of which the Second Society's share was £84 3s. 9d.
December, 1749, it was voted that "those families that live ort at Hockanum, viz. Robert White, Charles Thrall, Joseph Hawkins, David Smith, Joseph Stedman, Jr., Stephen Stedman, and John Searles," should have their own school money.
In 1750, it was resolved to add £200 to the country school fund for schooling.
From this date to that of the separation of the towns, in 1768, we have no record.
Scantic Parish, now East Windsor.
From Mr. Roe's history1 we glean the following outline of the school history of this portion of Ancient Windsor.
The first amount raised by tax for schooling was twenty pounds, while the salary paid to Rev. Mr. Potwine was sixty pounds. This was in 1753-4-5.
The first school-houses appear to have been erected in Main Street, of which there were two, probably erected at nearly the same time. The first regular districting of the whole parish took place in 1766. A committee consisting of Ebenezer Bliss, David Skinner and Lemuel Stoughton, was appointed for that purpose, and their report is dated 27th February, 1766. The substance of it, so far as can be gathered from the instrument on record, is as follows:
" That there shall be four schools, viz:
Ist. On the west side of Scantic River. to comprehend all north of the meeting-house, west of said river to a mile and a half from Great River.
2d. East of Scantic, to comprehend all cast of said river, south of the centre line and west of the land called Seques- tered Land.
3d. To comprehend all east of Scantic River, north to Enfield.
1 " The Ecclesiastical History of East Windsor," before alluded to.
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4tlı. To comprehend all west of Scantic River, and south of the meeting-house, a mile and a half from the Great River."
Those who understand the bounds of the parish, will be able to estimate, from these data, the distances which their ancestors, when children, had to travel through storms and cold to the places where the rudiments of education must be obtained; to some of them, at least, it was a practical illustration of " know- ledge being obtained under difficulties."
The teachers must also have their share of patience and industry, and been willing to do much for small pay - for at this period, thirty pounds was all the money raised for the sup- port of schools, and that was paid in grain - wheat 4s, rye 3s, and Indian corn 2s per bushel.
In December, 1771, a new district was set off cast of Scantic, viz .:
"Voted, To make a district of schooling of the south-east corner of the society, extending north of Ketch Brook, to include Simeon Barber and Roger Loomis, and extending west to the east end of the three mile lots, including Jerijah Bissell who lives on the east end of said lots, and to extend east and south to the bounds of the society."
Thus matters remained until 1781 - when a committee was appointed to rearrange all the districts as they thought best and report to the society. On the 31st December, 1781, the committee made report.
After dividing the parish into six districts - three on the east of Scantic and three on the west - and running the several boundaries, they close as follows:
" All which is submitted to your ) Wishing you better wisdom by your most the blessing
obedient humble servants, of peace.
AARON BISSELL, AMASA LOOMIS, Committee. THOMAS FOSTER,
The above report was accepted with the following alterations, viz .:
" That Samuel Bartlett be set and belong to the school dis- trict north of the highway between Israel Stiles and said Bart- lett -- and that John Bartlett be set and belong to the south district of schools west of Scantic River in the woods - and that William Bartlett, now living at Scantic Mills, belong to the school district east of Scantic River, as reported."
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
At a meeting of the North Society, held in December, 1789, a petition was presented from the inhabitants of Warehouse Point to be set off as a distinct school district. The petition was granted and the bounds defined as follows:
" Beginning at the north-west corner bounds of East Windsor, when running South along the line of Connecticut River to the south side of a lot of land lately owned by Timothy Thrall, then east by the south line of said land within forty rods of the Coventry road, then north the same distance from said road to Enfield line, then west to the first-mentioned bounds."
In December, 1793, at a meeting of the society, it was
" Voted, That the south-east district of schooling commonly called Ketch-Mill district be divided, and the Ketch-Brook as it runs through said district be a dividing line of said district."
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