USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hanover > Historical sketch of the town of Hanover, Mass., with family genealogies, 1853 > Part 8
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84
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
pastor, took charge of the Society, and his services, we believe, have been acceptable and profitable.
This Society, though small, is highly respectable in its charac- ter ; its members are zealous ; and the earnestness with which they have engaged in the cause of religion, is worthy of all praise. Its officers, have been men of excellent standing in the community; and to their energy, is doubtless to be attributed much of the So- ciety's success. The present Deacons,-Col. John Collamore, of South Scituate, and John Brooks, of Hanover, (the former of whom was long and favorably known as one of the Board of County Commissioners, ) have long held the office which they now sustain, and are men never weary in well doing.
CHAPTER VI.
EDUCATION.
ON PUBLIC
LIBRAR
" From education as the leading cause, The public character its color draws ; Thence the prevailing manners take their cast, Extravagant or sober, loose or chaste." COWPER.
Early laws for the support of education - Our Common School System - School- masters - Schools established in Hanover - Mr. Fitzgerald - Joseph Cushing- Luke Stetson - Sketch from 1750 to 1810 - Table of appropriations - Academy, Mr. Chaddock's - Removal to the Four Corners-Second building- New Edi- ? fice, built in 1852- Proprietors.
Very early in the history of the Plymouth Colony, it was " pro- posed by the Court unto the severall Townshipes of this Jurisdic- tion as a thinge they ought to take into theire serious considera- tion That some course may be taken that in every towne there may be a Scoolmaster sett up to traine up children to reading and writing ; "1 and in 1677, we read, that " Forasmuch as the main- tainance of good literature doth much tend to the advancement of the weale and flourishing estate of societies and Republiques- This Court doth therefor order ; That in whatsoever township in this Govrment consisting of fifty families or upwards ; any meet man shall be obtained to teach a Gramer Scoole such townshipp shall allow at least twelve pounds in currant marchantable pay to be raised by rate on all the Inhabitants of such Towne, and those that have the more emediate benefitt thereof by theere Childrens good and general good shall make up the resedue necessarie to maintain the same, and that the profitts ariseing of the Cape Fishing, heretofore ordered to maintaine a Gramer Scoole in this Collonie, be destributed to such Townes as have such Gramer Scooles for the maintainance thereof ; not exceeding five pounds per annum to any such Towne, unless the Court Treasurer or
1 Laws, p. 143.
86
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
other apointed to manage that affaire see good cause to adde therunto to any respective Towne not exceeding five pounds more pr anum ; and further this Court orders that every such Towne as consists of seaventy families or upwards and hath not a gramer scoole therein shall allow and pay unto the next towne which hath such Gramar scoole kept up amongst them, the sum of five pounds p annum in current merchantable pay, to be levied on the Inhab- itants of such defective townes by rate, and gathered and deliv- ered by the Constables of such Townes as by warrant from any Majestrate of this Jurisdiction shalbe required." 1
In 1672, it was ordered, that " every County Town shall have and maintain a Latine School; which if they do and the Master ( be ) judged by the major part of the ministers of the County a Person capable to bring up Youth fitt for the Colledge ; then such Town for their encouragement shall have one third part annually of the money raised on the account of the Cape Fishery, &c." 2 Those who enjoyed the benefit of this school, by sending their children, were "to pay three pence a week for Writing and Reading, and six pence a week for a Schollar after he comes to his Grammar;" and every such schoolmaster was " to be capable to teach to Write and Cypher," and was "to receive children after they are fit to begin in their Psalter," &c.3
This was the foundation of our justly celebrated system of MAS- SACHUSETTS COMMON SCHOOL INSTRUCTION ; - and from this policy, the people have never departed. One of the bright spots in our history is, that through all reverses of fortune, and in all times of danger and peril, the education of the young has always been properly attended to. It is this that has given success to our enterprise, prosperity to our commerce, and stability to our institutions.
In early days, we are told, " the only schoolmasters were the clergy of the towns, who exercised this office in many instances in addition to the arduous duties of their peculiar avocation. Youths were received into their families to receive a preparation for col- lege, and over the whole body of the younger portion of the in- habitants they extended their care." 4
1 Colony Laws, p. 185. 3 Colony Laws, p. 300.
2 Ibid, p. 300.
4 Winsor's Duxbuy, p. 71.
1
87
ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMON SCHOOLS.
Many of the first settlers of Scituate, according to Deane, 1 were men of intelligence and education. " It was an object of high emulation," he remarks, " as well as of religious principle with the early Congregational Churches, to be supplied with a thoroughly educated ministry ; and such, without exception, were those pastors who, having been silenced in England, came hither to minister to the little flocks in the wilderness : nay, men of edu- cation and talents were selected for the subordinate offices in the Churches. Professional school-masters were few, and there was no publick provision for their remuneration. Not only the pastors, but other men of learning must have given instruc- tions, and almost gratuitously, in their own houses. It is known that Mr. Chauncy prepared his own sons, and others, for college, and also several young men for the ministry, between 1640 and 1650. Mr. Witherell had been a Grammar school-master by pro- fession, before leaving England, and many proofs are left of his skill in the languages."
By the enactment of the Colony Laws, to which we have re- ferred, school-teachers, as a class, were encouraged ; and many men, of learning, and virtue, attached themselves to this pro- fession.
In the Act incorporating the Town of Hanover, the customary stipulation, of the establishment and support of a school was in- serted ; and accordingly, March 2, 1727-8, it was " voted to keep a school this year at three places, where the selectmen shall think best ; " and £27 10s. old tenor, were assessed for its support. Who the teacher was at this time, does not appear. The school was kept in private houses, and those of Joseph Cornish, and John Bailey, were used for the purpose.
1729, May 29, it was " voted to have a school at or near the meeting-house."
1730, April 17, a standing school was voted, " at or near the meeting house ; " and May 18, provisions were made for building a school house of wood. This first school house stood near the centre of the town, and tradition says it was opposite the present gun-house.
1734, May 14, RICHARD FITZGERALD was voted "school- master ; " and he continued to teach in the town until his death,
1 Hist. Scituate, p. 92.
88
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
in 1746. From whence Mr. F. originated, I have been unable to learn. He seems to have been a man of talent, well skilled in the languages, especially the Latin, and to have taught with good success.
He was an instructor in Scituate, before his settlement in Hanover, and had the honor of preparing for the University the Hon. William Cushing, LL. D., who graduated at Harvard College, in 1751, and was educated for the bar under the care of the celebrated Jeremy Gridley, of Boston, for many years Attorney General of the Province of Massachusetts.1 We consider the town highly favored, in securing the services of so valuable a man, early in their municipal career ; and under his judicious training, many were reared, who afterwards became distinguished, in the Town and the State.
1746, March 16, a moveable school voted, "to be kept the first three months at the school-house by the meeting-house ; the next three, at or near the house of John Studley ( who lived near the Four Corners ) ; the third term at or near the house of David Jenkins ( probably in the Salmond District,) ; and the last term, at or near the house of Isaac Hatch, (in the Westerly part of the town, or what is now the King Street District. ) "
1748, June 27, a moveable school voted, to be kept from De- cember 16, to March 16, at the new school house near Silvanus Wing's ( on Circuit Street,) ; from October 1, to December 16, at or near the dwelling house of Benjamin Stetson, the residents of that quarter to provide the place ; from August 1, to October 1, at or near William Dwelley's, the residents of that quarter to provide the place ; and the remainder of the year at the school- house by the meeting-house. October 31, £6 10s. were voted to John Barker, for boarding the school-master in 1747, and £4 10s. to Silvanus Wing, and £6, to John House, for the like pur- pose.
1750, A moving school voted for this year. Nov. 27th, Voted to Margaret Fitzgerald 18s. 8d, " for boarding JOSEPH CUSHING school master, last winter." This is the first time Mr. Cushing's name appears on the records, as a teacher ; and he continued to serve the town in that capacity, a part of the time, for several years. He is the gentleman, who afterwards became distin-
1 Deane's Scituate, 256-7.
89
SCHOOLS, 1752, TO 1774.
guished in the history of the State, and whose services we shall sketch in our Chapter on the Revolution.
1752. LUKE STETSON, is named as one of the masters for this year ; bills of board, for twenty-six weeks, being audited and al- lowed, and his own bill of services ; and he continued to teach for several years. Mr. Stetson was a native of Hanover; and he, with Mr. Cushing, were both, probably, pupils of Mr. Fitz- gerald, and received from him valuable aid, qualifying them for the posts they held.
It would seem, from our records, that a school was taught throughout the year, both summer and winter. The attendance of girls, was greatest in the summer season; that of boys, in the winter; many being kept at home, by their parents, a portion of the time, to assist in the labors of the farm. In this respect, boys in the city then, and always have, enjoyed advantages far superior to those in our country towns.
1763. The selectmen were authorised to hire a school-master for one year, " to keep the school in each quarter of the town, three months at a place."
1772, March 9. A committee was chosen to divide the town into four quarters, and to determine where each school-house should stand ; and] they reported, "First, that the school-house by the meeting-house, in the middle quarter, so called, stands as con- veniently to accommodate said quarter as we can place it. Second, the school-house in the East quarter is equally convenient in location. Thirdly, in the North quarter, or on Curtis Street, we recommend the removal of the house Northward, between the dwelling houses of Joseph Bates and Caleb Sylvester. Fourthly, in the Westerly quarter we recommend either the removal of the present school-house to a spot of plain ground between the dwell- ing-houses of Isaac Hatch and Stephen Randall, or the erection of an additional house between the dwelling-houses of Eliab and Ben- jamin Studley, the time to be equally divided between said two school-houses."
1773, October 26. Voted to Isaiah Josselynn £3 15s., for keeping school one month, from December 9, 1772, to January 16, 1773.
1774. March 14. £11 were voted to support a Grammar school
7
90
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
this year. Also, " voted to give the old school-house by the meet- ing-house, to the middle quarter of the Town, they repairing the same, or building a new one on the same spot."
1777, May 19. The Selectmen instructed to provide a school for the town as usual.
1778, March 20. Voted to postpone the school till October next.
1781, April 2. £600 in continental bills, voted for the use of a school ; and October 29, the selectmen were instructed to " hire a school-master as soon as may be."
1784, March 15. The selectmen were instructed to hire a grammar school-master for three months ; and Mr. THOMAS, is named as one of the teachers for this year. At the same meeting, Joseph Brooks, Joseph Ramsdell, Jr., Robert L. Eells, and Timo- thy Robbins, with the three selectmen, were chosen to divide the town into four quarters ; and it was voted " that one quarter shall not send their children into another school." For some years be- fore this, it had been a custom, with those parents most anxious for the instruction of their children, to keep them at school as much as possible ; and hence they travelled from quarter to quarter, as the school was moved, to enjoy this advantage. Complaints having been made against this course, by the above vote it was stopped.
1800, January 6. The School money to be divided into four parts, " according to the number of scholars in each quarter of the town."
1801, April 6. A Committee chosen to number the scholars in each school district.
1802, March 8. A Committee of two from each district chosen to report how the money should be divided in the several districts, and they recommended to district the town anew, and divide the money equally in the districts, and their report was accepted.
1804. Capt. Daniel Barstow, Calvin Bailey, Snow Curtis, Robert Eells, Elisha Barrell, Jr., Joshua Mann, and Clement Bates, were chosen to divide the school money ; - from which it appears that there were then seven districts in the town.
1808. The school districts were numbered as follows : - The Meeting-house District, No. 1; Broad Oak District, No. 2; Up- per Forge District, No. 3; Drinkwater District, No. 4; Beech
91
SCHOOLS 1812 TO 1837.
Woods District, No. 5; Curtis Street District, No. 6 ; Snappet District, No. 7. The Curtis street District was divided in 1831- 2, the Southerly part being called No 8; and this is the number into which the town is now divided.
1812. The three selectmen, and the three ministers were chosen a School Committee. Petitions were presented this year for aid to the small districts, and the town voted that " no district should draw a larger sum than $105, nor any less than $45, or in that proportion according to the sum raised."
1819, March 8. A School Committee was chosen, consisting of " the three selectmen, and all the ministers in the town, together with Ebenezer Curtis, John B. Barstow, Robert Salmon, Caleb Whiting, Elisha Barrell, Jr., and Elijah Wing." November 1 :- This Committee was discharged, and a new one chosen, consisting of Rev. John Butler, Rev. Calvin Wolcott, Rev. Seth Chapin, Aaron Hobart, Esq., and Dr. Joshua Studley.
1822, November 4. The Committee chosen to divide the school money were instructed to make out a list of the scholars from four to sixteen years of age, with the names of their parents or guar- dians.
1827. A general Committee of seven chosen, and seven per- sons as a prudential Committee, one for each district.
1836. Voted to divide the school money, one half on the dis- tricts, and the other half on the scholars ; and this course, with but few exceptions, has been pursued to the present time.
1837. Voted to apply $200 of the surplus revenue to schools this year.
We have no means at hand, for ascertaining the names of the school books used in the town one hundred years ago. From our oldest citizens we learn that the Psalter, the New England Primer, and the Testament, were the principal reading books in their · school days, and the Young Man's Companion, and Pike's were the most common Arithmetics. There was one spelling book before Noah Webster's ; this last was introduced nearly seventy years ago. There was also a small Geography used in some of the schools. Text books were not so numerous as now.
Among the female teachers " Ma'am Mann," as she is called, was one of the most celebrated, and taught, in Hanover and Scit- uate, seventy years ago. Girls carried their " samplers " to be
92
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
wrought, and their " knitting and sewing." It sometimes taxed the patience of our worthy pedagogues severely, to have little misses come up and ask questions about their knitting. Luke Stetson, it is said, told one of his pupils to " widen,-widen,"- until she had knit her stocking " as wide as a meal bag."
Considerable improvement has been made of late in our school- houses. The old, dilapidated structures, which were visible in all the districts a few years since, are gradually giving way to more commodious and tasteful edifices. The houses in Districts No. 2, 3, and 4, are quite neat. In 1847, the question of the town's purchasing the existing school houses, and erecting new ones in the several districts, began to be agitated, and eventually the course was adopted, and is now being carried out.
The following table exhibits the amount appropriated for the support of schools at different periods.
1728.
Old Tenor.
£27 10s.
1782-'91. 1792-'93.
In Silver. 66
1729-'35.
66
50 00s.
1798-1802.
66
£60 00s. 75 00s. $300 00 450
1738-'40.
66
60 00s.
1802-'03.
66
66
550 00
1743-'45.
100 00s.
1806-'32.
66
600 00
1747.
145 00s.
1833-'38.
66
800 00
1762.
In Silver.
26 13s
1838-'47.
66
1200 00
1770-'77.
66
27 16s.8d 1849-'50.
66
1250 00
1779.
In Bills. 66
200 00s.
1851-'52.
66
1300 00
1781.
600 00s.
From the foregoing table, it appears that the amount, appro- priated by the Town for the support of Schools, has been doubled within the last 20 years. This fact, we think, speaks well for our citizens, and shows a commendable interest in the cause of Edu- cation.
Our schools, we think, will not suffer in comparison with those of equal size in the neighboring towns. A desire is felt to procure good teachers, and to pay them liberally for their services. We hope this interest, in so vital a cause, will continue to increase ; and that the amount appropriated, will keep pace with the wants of our children, and the ability of the people.
1736.
66
55 00s.
1741-'42.
80 00s.
1804-'05.
1000 00
1763-'69.
30 13s.
1848.
93
ACADEMY.
ACADEMY.
BOSTON FUBLIC LIBRAR
In 1792, the State of Massachusetts encouraged the establish- ment of Academies within its limits, by grants of tracts of land in the District of Maine. In consequence of these grants, many such institutions sprung into existence, and contributed greatly to aid the cause of education, by giving more thorough instruction in the different branches taught in the public schools. In 1798, the attention of the citizens of Hanover was turned to this subject, and March 7, a Committee was appointed to draw up a petition to the General Court, probably for an Act of Incorporation. We hear no more of the matter, however, until after the settlement of Rev. Calvin Chaddock, in 1806, and he, having been for some years preceptor of an Academy in Rochester, Massachusetts, which he built at his own expense, and where, in the short space of six years, nearly 1300 different pupils were taught by him, soon took measures for establishing one in Hanover; and so well was he seconded in his efforts, that before 1808, a building was erected for that purpose, and was ready for occupancy. It stood on the common, a little West of the Centre Meeting House, and was two stories high, of fair proportions, neatly painted, furnished with venetian blinds, and crowned with a cupola and bell. A res- pectable number of pupils of both sexes attended the school, from
94
HISTORY OF HANOVER
towns both of Plymouth and Norfolk counties. Beside the com- mon English branches, instruction was given in the Latin and Greek languages, the higher mathematics, navigation, surveying, &c .; and in the female department, under the charge of Mrs. C., considerable attention was given to embroidery, and painting in water colors ; and all the pupils took part in weekly declamations, on Wednesday afternoons, in the hall above the school-room. Many young men were fitted for college here, some of whom were subsequently distinguished for eminence in their professions ; and of the " honorable women not a few," Mrs. Almira Little Torrey, is named, as one " whose amiable disposition, high intelligence, and devoted piety, have embalmed her memory in the hearts of a numerous circle of friends ; and who, by means of her interesting and published memoirs, being dead, yet speaketh."1
" The venerable founder of Hanover Academy," says Mr. A., " will not be forgotten, either by those 'who sat at his feet,' as pupils, or were his hearers as a preacher of the Gospel." The town has reason to remember him with gratitude, for his patient and earnest eforts for the improvement of the young.
This school continued in a flourishing condition, throughout the period of the settlement of Mr. C .; but soon after his departure, it began visibly to decline, and was finally suspended for a season. The first Sabbath School was held in this building, during the ministry of Mr. Chapin,-the Assembly's Catechism being the in- struction book placed in the children's hands. At length, about the year 1822, the building was sold, moved to the Four Corners, and is now occupied as a store, and shoe-manufactory, by Mr. Stephen Josselynn.
The second Academy, was erected in 1828, and stood on Broadway, not far from the Episcopal Church. It was built, in shares of $25 each, at an expense of about $1200; - the Trustees were Incorporated in 1829; and the names of the ori- ginal shareholders were, Alexander Wood, Esq., Capt. Haviland Torrey, Joseph Eells, Ephraim Stetson, Dr. Ezekiel D. Cushing, Rev. Calvin Wolcott, Sarah Gardner, Robert Eells, Asaph Magoun, Horace Collamore, Esq., Gen. A. W. Oldham, Capt. Tilden Crooker, Benjamin C. Pratt, Ethan A. Stetson, Capt.
1 Letter of Lucius Alden.
95
NEW ACADEMY.
William Josselynn, Eli Stetson, Joseph S. Bates, Horatio Cushing, Esq., Isaac Magoun, Col. John B. Barstow, Capt. Thomas Water- man, Capt. Nathaniel Barstow, John C. Stockbridge, George Bai- ley, Dr. Joshua Studley, Justus Whiting, Thomas Damon, Ben- jamin Mann, Esq., Lemuel Dwelley, Samuel Tolman, Jr., Elias W. Pratt, Luther Howland, James'Waterman, Samuel Waterman, Samuel Stetson, Elias Magoun, John Barstow, Esq., Albert Clapp, and John Wilder.
The preceptors at this Academy, from its erection in 1828, were, Zephaniah Bass, 1828 ; Horace H. Rolfe, 1829; Rev. Cyrus Holmes, 1830 ; Ethan Allen, 1830 ; Rev. Calvin Wolcott, 1831; John P. Washburn, 1832 ; Dr. Ira Warren, 1833 ; Thomas F. White, 1834, and 1835 ; Herman Bourn, 1837 ; Josiah Ful- ler, 1838, and 1839 ; and Rev. Cyrus Holmes, 1840, to the year previous to his death.
Since then, the Instructors have been Charles Hitchcock, who taught two terms; George Wolcott, who taught one term; and M. P. McLauthlin, Esq., the present Principal. There have been female teachers connected with the Academy, a portion of the time ; and the number of pupils, in 1832, was 56 ; in 1833, 31 ; and in 1834, 66.
In 1843, the Dorcas Society held meetings in the upper hall, and the Episcopal Society also held evening prayer meetings in the hall, once a week, during the same year.
Finally, in 1851, the friends of Education in the vicinity, think- ing a better building was needed, endeavored to raise, in shares of $25, each, a sum sufficient for that purpose ; and in a short time $2,750 were subscribed, including a liberal donation of $1,000 from Mr. Samuel Salmond, to which was added $375 received for the old house ; and the present beautiful edifice, which stands a few rods south of the old one, was built at an expense of about $3,500, including the bell, which was a gift from Miss Salmond, - and tras dedicated, by appropriate services, March 2, 1852 ; the address being delivered by Rev. E. Porter Dyer, of Hingham, the invo- catory prayer by Rev. A. G. Duncan, the dedicatory prayer by Rev. Samuel Cutler, and hymns, composed by Miss Lucy S. Delano, Rev. E. Porter Dyer, and Rev. A. G. Duncan, being sung, under the direction of Mr. Benjamin Frost.
Other impromptu addresses were delivered, by Rev. H. D.
96
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
Walker, of East Abington, Rev. Mr. White, of North Abington, Rev. W. N. Slason, of Hanover, and M. P. McLauthlin, the Principal of the Academy.
The board of Trustees consists of Rev. Samuel Cutler, Presi- dent, Alfred C. Garratt, M. D., Secretary, Rev. Abel G. Dun- can, Samuel Salmond, Seth Barker, Elijah Barstow, Treasurer, and M. Parris McLauthlin, ex officio. *
Mr. McLauthlin has had charge of the Academy for a few years past, and his services have given general satisfaction, and have been attended with a good degree of success. The institution has no fund invested for its support, but its income is derived from
* Proprietors of Hanover Academy with the number of shares owned by each in 1852. Par value $25 per share. Erected 1851-52. Dedicated March 2, 1852.
shares.
Samuel Salmond, Hanover, 42
Sam'I Tolman, Jr., South Scituate, 1
Robert Sylvester,
7
Lemuel C. Waterman, So. Scit. 1
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