USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Chelmsford Book Y 1841-1852 > Part 1
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Chelmsford, Mass
( 18/1 ) Refresh of the Corrsetter concerning the Iidamage sustained for the Lachs x (ana ( 60) - The commetter That was appointed at a persones meeting & take measures to recover dimage, of the Jack's & Canal Company is towell for flowing out the road through i. Hiedlung Village, hace attended to that duty and suckout the follow? reports
Offener Gommettes, immediately after there of hoursmment Called on the fileten the the agents for shed Company, and after representing to them in the half of the town, the damages sustained by the town in Consequence of a dan being thrown acrofilters rewasok reuse be said Company, he replied, Which he had lately been appointed agents the company, and that he had had no appartient. Ho know any thing about the rest of the road; that he would aftend to it and make ingen, And I gamine there and is it appeared you have That the water floured in consequence of the dam so as to ingiere the road, that he was welling, and the company was willing to pray all seasonality damages without j'aithe translate - the did come and can. the road a. has the water nas low, and he said that he could not See how the road would be injured by the 1 rever, therefore he could not activit ... y damages untill he was Bornthe Satisfied the then requested us to notify how where the water was high that he might the leather satisfy herself- therefore, where not having
aniny great yarshet you that time till the last winter, your committee waited till ' hat terme, a. and then called on the agent for Said Company, now i Boot/and he came up and examined the road, and he said he would not admit, that the road was confirmed in the least in consequence of the dam.
rent contine
Sure that time we have taken considerable jovens to ascertain what evidence we could procure in favour of the town, and we have come to the conclusion that the town has a good claim against the company, and that there can sufficient vi -Never be procured by the town to support an action i have also taken counsel on the subject, he gave his of ion that the town has a claim Ra good Plain against the company Pour consulter, therefore if the town are determined & pursue their claim against the Company, ask for further instructions, otherwise to the dischanged From further service .. Il which is respectfully submitted Chelmsford April 5 /8H - Alphous Spalding Joseph Bowers 2 Committe Accepted . April 5th 1841 Therebeich Spalding)
Reports Of the committee on the Alms house
The committee appointed ut the last town Meeting to examine the alamo-house, in order to as- - Certain what care se it may be necessary to pursue in relation thereto, having attended to that duty report as follows-
On examination they found the outside of the I use in a much better condition than was an- tici; ade-The walls on the beachside having her recently shingled & the clapboards on the front * ends in tolerably good condition- The roof they found to be comfortably light having been newly shingles within a few years, with the exception of a part of the front side, which As may probably the necessary to repair in the Concise of Hor 5 years The timbers of She harrt, so far as could be uscertained, were I und to be sound and food, with the exception of the beach side will & a pack of that of one www. -
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The free site of the house, they found to be is grate different state fra the order one. the apartments a The ground floor, the found to be tolerably comfortable & convenient,- with the exception of the northeasterly room or rooms- But on ascending the stairs, your committee were ettruck with astonishment at the calculation, or rather, Yas it seemed to them'a want of @ low lation manifested in the construction of this story. IF op ficared to have been comm need without are design and ended without azzy execution - They found, in the back part of This story, 3 small rooms which had been formed b raising uto, or add of another story to this part of the house, apparently within a few years: These rooms were 1
entirely without any inside finish creeping a single board partitions dividing the apartments, and no provision for warring either - They also found the South easterly Chandler divided into two apartment) with no means of warming acher On entering the anclas inspection,
Southewesterly cha ... ben thea pacand a half lifeand not be called a fire place in which wood might be Placed. The room in other reshears in a comfortable condition _ There are in all six a partements in This story, with no possible means of warning but One and that very indifferentiy - Que due reflection
taking into consideration all the circumstances in. Connexions the condition of the fame- the house & other buildings your committee can not recommend, at this Denne, either the building of a new house or any very expensive repairs on the old: They theich, what, by plassering the northeasterly rom on the Granted q'la Cover head, & putting in a stove - and plassering i've 3 back chambers, and making . Jome alterations in the southeast chamber, and pushing in stores in both the front chambers, with a few other breathing repairs, the house may be rendered tolerably compostable x convenient ser several years. "They have estimated the expense of these
repairs here recommended at about 100, dollars
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Jit se ule be chung it advisable to put in the mere vive on the beachside a cisteren excel it would probably
The saving in full should these alterations & repairs 'is made would, in 2 years canal, if not exceed the externe here estimated on Recreoduche submitted in Fift hard E. F. Helester Commutter
- Accepted . April 5 x/+1 Recorded in, b. Thelesser Town Olur -
The port of the School committee 18+0-T- In conformity to the laws of this wormmon acalst, The School Commeter make the following Reports. To five as expediente would seem to wassant formidler ceiling Serverestances and Customer usage admit, you Committee have undervowed to discharge then duties, the hast year with fidelity & effectives. Ineed They have the pleasure of expressing then belief that their labour, have not been wholly invani. Hi the one or two exceptions Then Feel gratified in being able to say, that the several districts thave been more fortunate in selecting the services of faithful, competent teachers and the schools generally have lecen axone prosperous = by conducted the past year than in any other which has fallen under the cognizance of the Committee. And it is still further gratifying to say, that, in no instance have the committee, as such, been called u from to settle any difficulties acuming in any of the Schools driving the year first closed, which on alluding to past Events is truly a subject of thankful recurrence.
It has been customary, in making these annual reports, to particularise each district to pour
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rat excellencies and defects in each school, and in some instances, to draw comparisons between the Schools. But we feel at liberty, this year to depart in some meas. zure from this custom, and shall leave a majority of The schools with the foregoing general remarks, Justin, however, will not admit of orce thus dispensing with all. There are two districts, no. 6, K10.] in which The money appropriated for the summer teren in one, AHOJ and the winter term in the other, has been but little better than thrown away. Itthough The cause of the failure in these districts may be attributed, in a great measure, to local mismanagement, yet, your committer will not aterifst to exante themselves from participating in a share of the blame They freely admit, that they were not sufficiently cantions in the examination & approval of the teachers in these districts, and, although wircums tankes night the named in extenuation of their fault, still it was a
fault. There are three or your other so book's which Cannot be passed over without further notice. The winter schools in districts no.1, 3, x 7, fand diet. not delivery on the past of one of the committee forbid, another might be added) have, we think, been more prosperousle, conducted and made greater proficiency than any other in the town; but we will not attempt to designate which of these has been the most so, should a comparison be made however, between all the schools, during the year, the patin perhaps, would belong to the,I, though No, 3, x 7, might contest this award with a very good grace. These verwachs would have been withheld, head not some of these schools, more especially the winter school in district No. 1, received a pretty dever las = tigation from the committee last year. During the year, two school House have undergone thorough & efficient repairs. There are yet others which need repairs, and two at least, which if they should be purified by fire they would suffer little lafs, as what is truly valuable might
es retained len gathering up the ashes . we refer to 120. 5, 2 6. Is the committee have no other suggestions tomake relative to School Houses, than what has already there made in former reports, and, as there has been no ciseur- Rial variation in The manner of conducting the Schools the part year from the immediately preceding 3 ans, they cannot think it necessary or useful 20 foralong this report by entering into any fenther de= tails concerning there subjects. But, as the present Board has declined serving this year, having already served longer than in their afinion, was prudent or desirable for any one board to serve in succession) they feel more at liberty, and consequently art the privilege to make a few remarks on the nature and effect of our present school laws ... this not pressured that an individual can be found, even among the most strenuous advocates of are present school system who suppose that the system itself; perfect, that the laws are not susceptible of amend- = ment, or that in all their provisions they are caleu. directly - lated to aid the cause they were intended to forter- If there are any such, your committer are decidedly not of that number . There are don processors in That Low, which was the human of humanity, we wonter hope what an occasion you there enforcement might waren . cristi and even if it should crest, it is very
-charter to one of the coversive provisions, relation to the purchase of books. But we have not the least. hesitantes in criprepping our juli conviction, of the benevolent intention of those who enacted the laws And from experience, une as fully believe that if the law was suffered, peaceality & theenfully to go into operation, it's saludans & benevolent effects, would be fully, commensurate with the intention. of its fromers- that we may have an opportunity to render a reason for one ofrenian, let us examin
a few of the provisions of the law & somme of the obje - troms urged against it. The IC. See, of the DS. what. of the Revised Ixatutes maken, it obligatory on towns To "Cheage a Schod committee of 3. 5.00 } persons, " he shall have the general charge and see beriss tendances of all the publié de hoots in derule town" , And The 13. Ser. , vinerides that this committee "I have require full & satisfactory wonders of the good moral "harwater of all instructions, who may be employed in the schoots, and Shall ascertain by personal examination, their literary quantifications & capacity for The Government of Schools" So there anything wrong, any thing arbitrary, or successive of the rights of any individual in these requisition? Can it be detrimental to the Lahab- isants of any town of school destruct, that the instructor of their children should be required to be persons of good moral character, or the capable of teaching & sourning them with aptidrede a propriety ?- Er vation are not there requisitions first what the importance of the subject requires that they should be? It is admitted by all, that , so far as instructers are concerned, this is all right, butikes objected, what, to oblige towns to choose a down committee is crporing on Them a useless leearthen word expense is the Prudential committee, it is said, can discharge all the duties of the town's committer with equal skill x satisfaction without the attendant expense. It is freely admitted that the Prudential comunitter have the same means of judging or the moral character of teachers that the Town's committee have; but can it be said that they have, generally the same means of asoustaining the literary qualifications & capacity for governing and managers, over schools, & advising & assisting the teachers ? If it may be said that there are individuals to be found in most of the districts who are thus capable, are there such in all? dead if there are, is it reasonable suppose That they would always or even generally be elected or serve as Committee? Heaven and exprecum both answer 220.
Another clause of this lawand one with the commenter of this town have never in well to any
·into just effect francis that the town's committee shall direct what books shall is used in the schools. This again is a listed to an account of the expense it with incen tiy multiplying school books and causing Their too frequent change. Nowe the moments refers You will dissous to any candid wind, that this is Erwetter what this prévision in directes calculated to enredes, and was designed to prevent. Take away the Provisions, and the duke of deleting x ordering what Kind of books shall be used in the schools, must, of recessites, devalue either on the teacher or the Parent This fact on the teacher, over passes are opened a left of the mercy of the whims, the caprices, the early attack= ments and usage of every new new tyro who easters our School rooms: loved it left to Parents, we shall be as many different kinds of books, or nearly, so, as there are different scholars to carry them. So that, to say nothing of the advantages desired by having a uniformity of books throughout the town, and The great ristes we new of having every speises of seclusion = Im ushered into our schools; we shall be gamers even on the score of expense by having this provision strictly enforced -
Another crying evil contained in the school Law is said for creste in the provisions recovering register, to ist heph in all the Vancan.
of the teachers time which it occupies that might de obrenoise unplayed in gering useful instruction how often have the committee teren as ku with wetting confidence in the utter improperbility, of their being able to give un satisfactory insim: is what pratiche use can it be to keep a regarder ?- Without taking the trouble to enumerate the na ou different Kinds of useful information that are alfred up a wiseused Throughout ever part of the Idade Aimargin the medium of Registers, we will next intended with warming antes one single feet, Thise school Registers have brought the light
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one of the most prominent evils which exist in our schools, and one which has exerted from fine cam immemorial & which would have remained undiscovered, or but partially revolu probably for years, if not centuries without them and or some other similar contrivance. they have disclosed the astounding fact that, even in this town a little more than one fourth part of the money raised for the Support of schools is annually tost, actually shown award, and has been so for years. It is found by consulting these registers that the average attendance of the scholars in all the schools is a fraction lefs Than 3/4 of the whole number of scholars belonging To the schools, which shows that a fraction more show A part of the time allowed for the cultivation of The minds of our children, & consequently, the same proportional part of the school money is squandered away by the irregular attendance of the scholars, of we extend there enquiries to other down through the Shake we find that the proportion materially increases and in the whole taken collectively, it exceeds one Third. For out of a little more than H77 thousand dollars raised for the support of schools in the state more than "200 thousand dollars are annually cliccaly Thrown away by a voluntary a banderasment of privileges" But this enormous work of money is but an a few in the scale, when weighed against the offortune die, neglected which can neuss les secrets. e Von à l'his The extent of the evil; whenever any scholar cornerofse Frilly absent, himself from school, or is commepurity delared by his parents, not only in so much of his trine last, and, fast it regard, han/30 much of the school money is last, but the whole school Suffers by" , intervention in the arrangement and Fragrets of the clafre,. It is confident ly hafer that the good citizen, of this town will profet by there disclosures, - that they will double their dilligener in sein that their children do not play the Arvest, or they, themselves delain them without good and Suficient reasons. Then, may not we
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in Der tren anh, are when no benefits derived from school Registers ?-
Is there sections of the law her hastily glances it contains nearly all the provisions, mostly objected to in this place, we will no longer traffals nos a patin in is the extracts. It was not the design of the Committee to enter into a critical examination of the school law, but only to render a reason for their ammon, Je is considered that the law need, any caleoured defence. All that is required is, that it be generally understood, and the prejudices of the people So far saddened as to allow of it's going fairly a pracably into effect.
That this Town hus rewind deux little benefit, haratively speaking, from the services of the School Commetter in readily granted; and it is as cary to afright The reason, as it is to admit the fact, whatever allowance may be made, and anghh to be made for want of capacity, your committer will not allow any want of integrity of intention on them park weather can it be fairly said that it is owing to any defert in the Law. For it is a well known fact that, although a large maginity of the inhabitants of this town are willing x wen desivers that the law shows be carried into full effect, yet an account of the very violent opposition of others it has been in= = haftble to do so. And it is this opposition, violent a vindication opposition which has abridge,. and greatly abridged the amount of good which otherwise might have emanated from the services of the committee - It hus lain like an inclues on all their endeavours, and a stamped x polsied all there exertions. It has created and diffused an influence ichit has extended, & been seen and felt, where charity obliger us to believe it was never intended it should have found its way. It has entered an school rooms, And your committee regret to say, yet the truth ought and must be told, that many, Prines when they have been examining the
Ht hoods, it has been as easy to designate the children. those parents who are opposed to the law, as it would have teen, had their foreheads teens labelled in roman capitals. And could those who have created & fostered this influ. France, This feeling, only have seen is withering effects as the commetter have seen it, they would, They, HEmust have reported sted that they had not been lefs vindistin in them ofposition, and more freudent & guarded in their conversation. Diet they but reflect, that, instead of inflicting a my punishment on the framers of the law, or those offunded to execute it, it was wind, everliving, evenprogressive mind, they were warping, binding, benwanting want stultifying, The minds of our own children 200, they would pause and schudden -
In order to prevent any misapplication of these remarks, we berg leave to say in conclusion, that it is not the oppo- - sition to the law a lesbrantley considered of which we compan lent of its virulence, it's vindictivenets. It is not the opinions entertained, but the manner of mani- = testing and promulgating those opinions .- The right to hold a express opinions on all subjects, on every suitable occasion is inherent to all. - And it is through the exercise of this right that the Committee have availed themselves of this of porter= - mity of this breifly expressing their e pinion. The shutfully submitted for Gris Salami, School Committe E.Ji Webster of thehansford April 5th 18H1. In Town meeting read & accepted.
Voted. That the committee cause the same to be printed and a cafry to be furnished to each family in town
thecorded by I. E.F. Weles du Jawn Perts
Human- 16my 3d/stal
To either of the carstables of the town of thelovesford - greeting Id. In the name of the Commonwealth of Heapsachusetts Lid, you are hereby directed to notify, & were the Linhab. I. J. = it wants of said town qualified by the constitution to vote in Elections to week of the centre theking House in said town on Monday The third day of - Hay next at- two O clock Pull, to bring in this vores for two county, commissioners, being inhabitants of different- town in said County, and also for me special Commissione, all more ballot_ And you are likewise directed to notify, the said Inhabitants qualified to vale in town offers to mel- at the same time & place to act on the following articles to witin
Ist To choose a laderation.
Od To hear the reports of any, committees that may have been appointed and act- cheron -
Hereof fail not, and make are return of this warranty with your doing, thereau ts ouselves at or before the time of holding said meeting- Given under our hands & seals this seventeenth day of civil D. 18+1.
E.F Webster ? Selection Amos Carlton) ok Dean Holt 3 te helenspord Huntereff) } Town of Chelmsford Feber, DAith 18H1n una secuist to the foregoing wareand I have notified the Leshabitants of themustard to meet at the Rice, place & for purposes therein extrefred bay parting up copies thereof by me attested/ at the centre meeting house, at thedlese Meeting house, & also at Gratis Tavern all in said (Thelawford, so that the James may stand over two Sableaths at least, previous to the time of holdning said Meeting John gray Constable of
herrand buy &. I livelentes Town click
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Touse of Chicken ford 16 3 18H/. The Fun hade the ts of said low qualified to are for is Representation to the general Court, met at the centre .
1 ble et p house , said down & brought in there votes for two County Commissioners & a Special Commetion. En for the country of Middlesex. The whothe number of persons who brought in the' votes was ascentamed by, antig the whole number of separate ballots. And the whole new teen of votes for County Com- mifriomurs was fifty Find the whole number of votes was sorted, counted recorded, and declaration thereof made in open town Meeting and were as follows to within Leonard M. Parker of Shirley fifty vokes Seth Davis of Seroton fifty vores The whole number of votes for Special Commegian -er was fifty. and The whole number was sortie, counted, recorded a declaration therest made in opera town meeting & were as follows to wit.
Geo. W. Wike of Stoneham fifty wake, E. F. Welester Somos Carlton } 2 Selectmen of Lean Hoto & Chelmsford. After reading the warrant at the foregoing meeting, objection being made to the legal= city of the notice the constable having regler= - Led to hast the warrant in all the places si Elfeed in the votes of the town! it was moved, X voted That the Selectmen proceed & open the Ball, x. receive the votes
The Polls were then opened & the forging proceedings had
HI,
"Town ( Heating)
to the warrant the Inhabitants of said town, qualifie To vote in town affairs a frembled as the centre Making House & proceeded as follows to with: ~
E.F. Welecker Hadesatan
Read The report of the committee on the selection of a fim of land for a place of burial in the morcherly fort of the town
Voted to accept the report-
Voted That the Selectrium be instructed to view the several hices of land reported by the committee aforca and make a selection of one of them a report at the next town meeting in
Voted To dissolve the making.
E.F. Webster Mod: Ruarard by, E.F. Welester J. Click -
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(the part of the committee on the north Buying ground -_ De un committee have a Headed to the duty afsigned Then relative to a burying ground at South Chelmsford Q report as follows In the opinion of 1,pur committee a piece of land owned by William , Adams bags situace south- casserly of the borgh Chartronsfand ellecting house, in the most closable, C'est u pour application to 11the delans de de Atives do sett. Of our commither have a vainiand another file, owned by
His Juck, side ate worthwerverty of said elleeten house, 1 on the Grolow coast, to acres of the me Has Jack will sell to the four you two hundred dollars with the agreement, on the part of the town, to make & support is just be around the Juice - your committee have examined and other inever acerned by with Benjamin Blood, literate casterte. of said collecting house, on the dowell road, and ad 'sinin, land of, oft Samuel to hood, are cose & a taip, the Bread with Fell to the town at one hundred dollars a acre, , fred Should the town desire two waves, which, in the opinions of your committee is descriable, M. Good will sell half an were at the same rate, but with the agreement on the past of the down to make & keep a good fence around the Jaime the northerter side of which is fenced, and with be kept fenced be the Share Road corporation- Your committee know of no other friend of land Suitable for a banning ground that can be obtained They therefore report, that, in their a finion the Siteormen should be appointed to make a Selection from said prices of taxes, establish the bounds & take a deed
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