USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > History of Athol, Massachusetts > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
Nathaniel Richardson was elected to the school committee for the majority felt that the minority should be represented in this great enterprise. But Mr. Richardson would have nothing to do with it. Upon his declination, Sylvanus E. Twichell, then proprietor of the Pequoig House, was elected but he likewise declined, which left the committee made up entirely of resi- dents of the upper village.
So intense was the bitterness existing in town that Abner Smith and Ozi Kendall each refused to enter their eligible daughters in the school "away uptown" and sent them to. Greenfield.
In this first high school building for thirty-six years Athol boys and girls attended classes. I recall most vividly how the school looked and some of the experiences in my early life. There were the two grammar school rooms on the first floor with Harlan P. Townsend presiding over the lower grade and Ellen M. Bigelow guiding the higher one. I see the winding; stairway, the only entrance to the second floor; the small reci- tation room in the front of the building and the large main room in the rear; the double desks carved with the names of many of the sons of Athol including my own; the boys on the: east side and the girls on the west side of the room; the coal: stove near the entrance and the wood burning "barrel" stove in the northwest corner of the room; the kerosene lamps used; semi-occasionally for evening meetings; the principal's desk at the south end of the room on a raised platform. From this platform the desk was removed on Friday afternoons and we stood more alone than on a desert isle as we rendered our declamations.
67
HISTORY OF ATHOL
More than any other person it fell upon Rev. John F. Norton to organize the high school and lay out its program. Pastor of the Evangelical Congregational Church from 1852 to 1867 and a member of the school committee seven years during that period, he began his duties in 1856. Working with him were Rev. Nathaniel H. Martin and Dr. George D. Colony. When the high school building was approaching com- pletion, Mr. Norton visited the District Schools to inquire for likely students. Of those far enough advanced to warrant admission to the new school, he asked a few questions and thus passed upon the applicants.
The Town had appropriated the munificent sum of $600 for the entire maintenance of the school so the committee could not pay a very extravagant salary and were consequently hampered in their choice of an instructor. A pioneer effort then, the school had not the momentum of a going concern.
George A. Wheeler was engaged as the first principal, and was expected to follow the course of study laid cut by Rev. Norton. After six weeks' effort it became evident that the job was too large for the new instructor and at the request of the Committee, Mr. Wheeler resigned.
Then came a long line of successors.
Farwell F. Fay of New Salem succeeded Mr. Wheeler as the second principal of the school. Mr. Fay is best remembered here because of his military record, for he went out from here in 1862 as Captain of Co. E, 2d Massachusetts Infantry, in which Company so many Athol men saw service in the War of the Rebellion. Subsequently he practiced law here and in Boston.
Succeeding Mr. Fay, Mr. D. D. Leavitt of Grantham, New Hampshire conducted the school in a most satisfactory man- ner, three terms in all. He called some of the more advanced scholars to his aid as assistants. One of these was Dr. James Oliver, who served as assistant in our school for several terms. The reports of that period state, "The Vocal Music of the High School under the direction of Mr. James Oliver has been ex- cellent." Dr. Oliver on Alumni occasions used to speak of himself as the most invited man present for he was not only a former teacher of the school, but a former student, the hus- band of a former student, a member of the School Committee, a former School Superintendent, and a parent and grandparent of members of our Association.
For two terms succeeding Mr. Leavitt's service the school was taught by Mr. Horace Toothaker of Holden, Maine. His
68
EDUCATION
assistant, Hon. Henry H. Sprague, was well known to many of us. His long career in Boston as a member of the Legislature and President of the Senate gave him a state wide reputation. He was one of the sons of Athol of whom we were justly proud.
Following Mr. Toothaker, who is most pleasantly spoken ot by students of those days, came George B. Towle, who taught the school three terms in 1859 and 1860. He was not em- inently successful in his work and failed of reappointment by the Committee.
Miss Sarah Ann Lewis, who passed away in 1937 over ninety years of age, enjoyed telling about the school curriculum of her day. There were no separate classes and each scholar was allowed a wide choice in the subjects studied. Increased popu- larity seemed to result if the student stressed the subjects in which the principal was most proficient. When Miss Lewis was first in the school the teacher was George B. Towle whose great interest was botany. She with the others majored in that subject and roamed the fields and woods for specimens. Then came A. J. Lathrop and L. S. Burbank each with a special interest in languages. Miss Lewis and the others then studied Latin and French.
Andrew J. Lathrop who came to the school in the fall of 1860 was a native of Boston and a graduate of Harvard Col- lege, Class of 1859. Previous to coming to Athol he had taught in New Salem Academy for a time. After four terms' service he retired to accept a position in Westboro, Massachusetts. For many years he was the Librarian at Waltham, Mass. He was a success as an instructor but his service with us was in those stirring days at the outbreak of the Civil War when the public mind was much agitated by National Affairs and he failed somewhat in his management of the school.
Succeeding Mr. Lathrop came Mr. L. S. Burbank, a man of more mature years who had taught a select school in Athol previous to the organization of the High School. At the out- break of the rebellion he was teaching in the South but his sympathy with the Northern cause made his removal impera- tive. With his experience and ability he proved a marked success as an instructor although enlistments in the army and the general upheaval caused by the war diminished the school membership to some extent. Mr. Burbank taught longer than any of his predecessors as he remained here two full years. At the close of his sixth term he had an unfortunate experience with some of the scholars which resulted in the school's clos-
69
HISTORY OF ATHOL
ing a week before the end of the term. Almond Smith and Charlie Bassett were concerned in this difficulty.
Francis E. Tower of Petersham succeeded Mr. Burbank and taught here during the spring term of 1864. His service was satisfactory to all but the appropriated $500 for the high school that year did not warrant paying the salary he could command elsewhere, and after one term he was reluctantly allowed to depart.
Dr. J. P. Lynde, Chairman of the School Committee in 1864- 67, was Superintendent of Schools in 1870, '71 and '72. |
---
DR. JAMES P. LYNDE 1828 - 1890
remember many incidents in Dr. Lynde's long and useful career in Athol but mose vividly as Moderator of our Town meetings. Sereno E. Fay, once a teacher in Athol schools, was associated with Dr. Lynde in 1864-65 on the school board. For three years Edwin Ellis was a member also. These men had the problem of maintaining a High School during the days of in- flated war prices at the latter end of the Civil War with the princely sum of $500 public money.
Succeeding Mr. Tower as principal and sole instructor came H. E. Morse of Chelmsford, but he failed in his management
70
EDUCATION
and was dismissed at the end of the term. Dr. Lynde then induced Mr. H. F. Lane of Templeton to take charge. He had taught in Templeton for eight years and was able to restore order here and carry the work along to the general satisfaction of all until the last week of the second term of his teaching when he was thought to have been too severe in dealing with Edgar A. Smith, a pupil, and his resignation was demanded.
Mr. Joel D. Miller came as teacher in the autumn of 1865. A native of Athol and a former student here, he was graduated from Williams College in 1864. The town appropriation had been increased so that there was $856 available for the main- tenance of the High School which allowed the Committee to allot $80 per month as the teacher's salary. Mr. Miller had much with which to contend for the school had become dis- organized and unpopular in the community. When he left a year and a half after beginning his duties he had done much to restore the school in the eyes of the community. Had Mr. Miller chosen to remain here he undoubtedly could have retained his position for many years, but he felt the call to the ministry and therefore in the early months of 1867 resigned as teacher to become pastor of the Baptist Church at West Royalton. After a short pastorate he removed to Leominster where he entered journalistic work. In later years as a member of both branches of the Legislature and as a member of the State Board of Education, Rev. Miller rendered valuable ser- vice.
Then came another series of unfortunate incidents. Oscar H. Stearns occupied the position as teacher for a few weeks and then on the advice of prominent citizens and the commit- tee suddenly left town, promising never to come back to Athol.
In swift succession came H. Brown of Quincy who served for a time but did not prove to be the man needed; A. L. Gleason with but little if any better results; Stephen A. Snow who also failed to improve conditions materially; then Joseph F. Fielden who came very highly recommended and succeeded in better- ing conditions somewhat. But he soon became discouraged and retired from the position. Soon after he was ordained into the Baptist Ministry and for many years was a success as a minister. I knew of him as pastor at Winchendon and later at Littleton, Mass. Next in line, Mr. F. W. Bardwell, remained one term during which he succeeded in materially improving conditions.
Sanford B. Cook of Petersham taught the entire school year of 1869-70 receiving for his work $810. Many in town re-
71
HISTORY OF ATHOL.
member this kindly gentleman and his quiet effective ways of handling what had come to be considered a most difficult school. Sitting calmly at his desk incessantly chewing his cud of tobacco, he proved a distinct success as Principal. Mr. Cook died in his native Petersham on November 24, 1903. His daughter, Mrs. Mabel Cook Coolidge, performed a distinct service to her native town of Petersham by writing a compre- hensive history of it, published in 1948.
During the years of 1865 to 1870 there had been much criticism of the work of the School Committee in managing the schools. It was in March, 1868 that the town abolished the old district system and placed all the schools under full control of its school committee. Dr. James P. Lynde was chosen Superintendent for a time and when criticism of his activities became intolerable to him he resigned and was suc- ceeded by. Dr. Oliver who after a few months removed from town for a time. Then it was decided to pay a substantial salary for a superintendent and Dr. Lynde was elected to that position at a salary of $450 per year.(22) Under his direction Mr. Fred F. Foster of Weare, New Hampshire succeeded Mr. Cook. At this time the Main Street building was remodelled into four rooms and the first floor of the High School divided so as to accommodate two schools.
A man of small stature and nervous temperament, Mr. Foster proved equal to the task both of instructor and discipli- narian and the school prospered under him. After two years' service, he resigned to accept a more lucrative position and was succeeded by Mr. A. W. Bachelor of Boston who resigned after four terms to accept a position with larger salary attached to it at Danvers.
At that particular time members of the School Board were elected yearly with no assurance of re-election at the end of the year. Henry A. Stearns was one who served in 1873. He was an accountant, quite a substantial man, who had two daughters. With Mr. Bachelor's cooperation, Mr. Stearns and those of the committee reorganized the high school and put it on a different basis. A regular course of study was adopted and arrangements made to have each scholar receive a diploma at the completion of the course.
Thus during Mr. Bachelor's administration, with regular periods of graduation, was the founding of our Alumni Asso- ciation made possible. Municipal appropriations were at this
(22) See Appendix 6 for list of Superintendents.
72
EDUCATION
time sufficiently increased so that an assistant could again be employed and from his administration begins the period from which more than one instructor has been regularly employed. Mr. Bachelor in his declining years lived in Melrose, Massa- chusetts.
George A. Black of Gardner was the first of the continuity of Assistants. He is spoken of as a good scholar and possessing a faculty to impart instruction. He served one term in 1873 and was succeeded by Emma L. Pierce of Royalston.
Following Mr. Bachelor as Principal came George C. Pratt of Boston who served two terms and was in turn succeeded by Virgil M. Howard of Deerfield, who served two years, acting in the dual capacity of Superintendent of Schools and Principal of the High School. He was a native of Ware and a graduate of Yale College, Class of 1851. He had been principal of New Salem Academy for four years, of Barre High School a year, and Deerfield Academy for fifteen years before coming to Athol.
Annie E. Knapp, afterwards Mrs. Fred H. Cheney, came as Assistant in 1874 and served the town three years. With Mr. Howard giving much of his time to the other schools, her duties were especially arduous.
A general upheaval in the affairs of the schools occurred in 1876. None of the school committee was re-elected. Hav- ing brought the cost of the schools up to the stupendous sum of $8,768, overdrawing the appropriation by $1600 the Com- mittee was accordingly rebuked. There was a near riot over this extravagance. The new committee, pledged to keep with- in its appropriation of $6500, was compelled to dispense with the services of a Superintendent. In the general house cleaning Mr. Howard left town and Ellory A. Baldwin of Upton was en- gagsd to fill the position. A graduate of Amherst College, Class of 1877, he stayed a year before resigning to study for the ministry. In a short time, however, he abandoned theology for mechanics and devoted the remainder of his life to mechanical pursuits. He died in Upton, Massachusetts on March 17, 1907.
Until now no formal graduation exercises had been held. As one person expressed it, when the course was completed, the students simply stopped their learning and got out. In 1876 the first graduation exercises were held and from that time the active Alumni Association dates. The actual organ- ization of this association occurred on November 12, 1879
73
HISTORY OF ATHOL
when the classes of 1876, '77, '78, and '79 elected John Gately as President and Fannie Carruth as Secretary. For the reunion of 1953 something over thirty-eight hundred notices were mailed to members, widely scattered and pursuing diversified occupations. Annually since the first one in Starr Hall on March 25, 1880, Alumni reunions have been held.
In 1920 the Alumni Association promoted the organiza- tion of a Student Loan Fund called Athol High School Scholar- ship Association. At various times donations have been made to this fund by graduating classes and individuals thus provid- ing it with sufficient funds to make all student loans applied for and approved by its directorate.
William G. Lord has served as President since its organiza- tion and Mrs. Bernice P. Stone served as Secretary until her death in 1951, being succeeded by Miss Margery Tyler; three men have served as Treasurer, Winfield H. Brock, Webb R. Avery and the present treasurer, Edward J. Herd.
Late in 1938 this association became trustee under the will of Lizzie J. Stearns of a small endowment given in remem- brance of the school official long ago, and to be known as the Henry A. Stearns Scholarship Fund. The income from this fund is awarded annually to the then graduate whom the prin- cipal of the school designates as having attained the highest degree of scholarship and is the most worthy.
Sidney P. Smith came to the school for three years, 1877-80. He was a graduate of Amherst College, Class of 1874 and as an instructor was a success. In later years as our leading At- torney-at-Law, Representative in the Legislature, State Senator and nearly successful candidate for Congress, he became the best known man in our community.
Hon. Lewis Parkhurst who succeeded Mr. Smith as Principal remained here a full year. Nothing but words of praise have come to me regarding Mr. Parkhurst's activities while here. In later years he was eminently successful as a publisher, being connected with Ginn & Company of Boston. He was a liberal contributor to Dartmouth College, his Alma Mater, and re- flected credit upon his Senatorial District which he represented most ably on Beacon Hill. His death occurred on March 28, 1949.
Ellen M. Bigelow was a teacher here for over fifty years. When the high school opened she was teaching on Pleasant Street and from her school several students entered the High
74
EDUCATION
School. For many years she taught the Advanced Grammar Grade in the High School Building where she prepared all the scholars who entered the High School. A wonderful instructor and a strict disciplinarian she was probably the most successful school teacher Athol ever employed. The town perpetuates her memory by the Ellen M. Bigelow School built in 1911. Some five years before the town had a most serious argument about
ELLEN M. BIGELOW 1836 - 1911
the site for this building. Finally it was voted to buy the west half of the Catholic Church lot. Four years elapsed before an- other corner of the old Drury Park was purchased for $4000 and preparations made to erect the school upon the site of the basement where the Roman Catholics had worshipped for many years.
When school funds ran low in 1881 Miss Bigelow was en- gaged to give part of her time to the High School as Assistant to Mr. Parkhurst and thus is listed as one of the instructors of the Athol High School. This arrangement continued through the three terms when his successor, Benjamin F. Brown, taught the school. Mr. Brown was a native of Lowell, Vermont, and a graduate of Amherst College, Class of 1874. Previous to coming to Athol he had taught in Fitchburg for seven years.
75
HISTORY OF ATHOL
His service here for six terms was satisfactory and the school committee reluctantly parted with his services when he left to become principal of the High School at Montpelier, Ver- mont. At one time he was the principal of Gibson Academy of Boston, and in the later years of his life was engaged in the manufacturing business in Fitchburg, where he died February 21, 1922.
Kate L. Tower served as assistant from 1882 to 1887. By her kindly ways she won the affections of all and I would add my personal tribute to her as a teacher, for I remember the many ways in which she taught me to think for myself and to reason out a problem. As Mrs. Kate Tower Pinney she spent the evening of her life most pleasantly in Pasadena, California, beloved there as she was here, and passed away on December 24, 1939.
Lewis Mclellan Jackson came to the school as principal in the fall of 1883 and continued until the close of the spring term in 1886, when being mortally certain that he would not be reappointed he resigned his position. Mr. Jackson possessed many of the qualifications of an excellent teacher but his temper was eventually his undoing. As I look back upon those days I realize that our school at times would have tried the patience of a saint and so am inclined to cover with the mantle of charity certain incidents that I thought in those days I could never forgive and certainly have never forgotten.
William H. Terrill taught here in 1887, '88, and '89. I re- member Mr. Terrill as a man of a rather weak personality, fairly efficient as a teacher and possessing to a great extent the qualities of forbearance and long suffering which his predecessor had lacked. His long prayers at the opening of the day's session were both a subject of jest and of dread by the students.
Elizabeth Bridgeford who became an assistant in September, 1887 remained until the close of the spring term in 1889. She had a most difficult position to fill as successor to the much beloved Kate Tower, but she was equal to the occasion and proved a most satisfactory teacher. As Mrs. Festus Amsden she was well known to many.
William J. Rushmore taught six terms comprising the years 1890 and 1891. As an instructor he was a success but in the matter of discipline he was eminently successful. At the end of two years he resigned to accept a more lucrative position at Ware. As far as I can learn he is now in the real estate busi- ness in California.
76
ATHOL HIGH SCHOOL, 1886
6.0
HISTORY OF ATHOL
From September, 1891 to June, 1893 George M. Strout was principal for six terms. An excellent teacher, he was unable to do his best work because of building conditions. During his administration the old building was removed to its present location and school held there for a time. Then came the open- ing of the new building in September, 1892 with Rev. A. E. Winship giving the address of dedication. With this opening came a change in the management of school affairs. The number of the School Committee was increased from three to six and all salaries connected with the office abolished. A superintendent was engaged to supervise the schools and a new era in our school history began. Before things had become adjusted Mr. Strout received a more attractive offer at Cohoes, New York, and he resigned his position to remove there. Be- fore his death on May 19, 1945 he resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts with his wife, who was Miss Mary Lang, a former assistant in our school.
The "new" High School building erected in 1891 and 1892 at a cost of $25,000 was the culmination of a program of
EL
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING 1895 -
school building which began in 1889 with the erection of the present Main Street building. It was freely predicted at the High School dedication on Labor Day, 1892 that none then
78
EDUCATION
living would see this building obsolete or inadequate for the needs of Athol, but alas how we err when we attempt to prophesy!
The Alumni Association celebrated Columbus Day, which was not then a public holiday, in 1892 by presenting to the school a dozen memorials from the various classes then form- ing our Association. These memorials, some of them showing the marks of time, are still in the building and with subsequent additions serve as reminders of us who passed that way in the years which are gone.
Flora E. Kendall of Leominster, who became Superintendent of Schools in the general upheaval, began her duties in 1893. Nearly twenty years had elapsed since Athol last had a Super- intendent of Schools and there was much adjusting of affairs before the system was running smoothly, but Miss Kendall proved equal to the task. When she retired from the position in June, 1897 she had our schools well organized with an ex- cellent standing throughout the state. Recognizing the need for business training, a Commercial Course was added to the High School curriculum at this time.
Early in 1894 the town was much agitated over the doings of the School Committee. Being short of school rooms, they rented space in the Academy of Music and opened two schools there. Then it developed that because of these schools, no liquor license could be granted to the Pequoig House. Oblig- ingly the school committee closed the schools for a few days, the license was granted by the Selectmen, and the schools were promptly reopened.
This subterfuge was scathingly denounced by "Indignation" writing for the Chronicle, and the action of the town officials equally strongly defended by "Fair Play" writing for the Trans- script. Before another year rolled around the Lake Park School had been built and the use of the Academy rooms discontinued. The public never knew who these two anonymous writers were, but after nearly three score years we can see no harm in dis- closing their identity. "Indignation" was my Mother, Mary B. Lord, and "Fair Play" was Henry M. Humphrey.
F. C. Avery may be rated I think as the most beloved of any of our High School principals. When he took charge of the school there were seventy-six scholars enrolled and when he departed for other fields of labor, there were one hundred and seventy on the rolls. His first year he had two assistants and his last year, five.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.