History of Athol, Massachusetts, Part 7

Author: , William G., compiler
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: Athol, Mass
Number of Pages: 756

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HISTORY OF ATHOL

John F. Roache became Principal in September, 1904 and continued until June, 1906. Like some of his predecessors he was not temperamentally fitted to cope with the dispositions of some of the Athol students. The personnel of the School Committee was changed at the 1906 election to some extent with the avowed purpose of making a change in the High School and with the close of the school year, Mr. Roache severed his connection with Athol. As an instructor he was all that should be expected. Had his temperament been some .. what different he might have remained here years longer than he did ..

Mary L. Epps served as Assistant in the school from 1897 to 1905. Efficient as an instructor and beloved as a teacher, she held the position of assistant longer than anyone else has since the school was opened, her eight years of service being the longest of anyone connected with the school except Mr. Avery.

Ernest L. Collins who came in the fall of 1906 and remained here until June, 1910 was successful in every way. He was most reluctantly allowed to depart to accept a position in Quincy to which a much larger salary was attached. He still remains in Quincy, respected there as he was here.

William J. E. MacDougal, principal four years from 1910 to 1914, is now Superintendent of Schools at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Perhaps the most enduring incident connected with his administration was the formation of an Athletic Coun- cil which is still functioning and a great factor in the athletic work of the school. He also established a system of account- ing and auditing for the various classes which is still in force. He is most pleasantly remembered in Athol.

For several years the Committee insisted that they must have some relief from the overcrowded conditions in the High School. They proposed at first that the "Catholic Church" lot be purchased and a new High School building erected there leaving the "old" building for the lower grades, but the town was reluctant to abandon the old location and after much agi- tation it erected the present Riverbend Street building to relieve the congestion in the High School building. As the school grew and conditions again became acute the committee asked the town to enlarge the old building which was done in 1915 by the addition of wings. For this the town voted on January 11, 1915 to expend $50,000.

Meredith G. Williams came to the school in 1914 and re- signed to enter business in 1920. He served here during the

EDUCATION

entire period of the Great War and won the esteem of our people by his effective cooperation during all those strenuous days. Affliction came to him in the closing days of the war in the loss of his wife in the influenza epidemic. His service as principal was the longest of any save Mr. Avery, and that of his successor. He died in Bridgewater May 26, 1953.

Although much additional housing had been provided yet within four years there was not enough adequate space for all the school children. So the town took by eminent domain of E. V. Wilson an acre of land on the east side of Silver Lake Strest for a school house lot, and thereon built the Silver Lake Street School. Within three years the town voted to add two rocms to this school and to the Sanders Street School.

At an acrimonius meeting on February 16, 1920 the town appropriated $105,000 for schools over the protest of the School Committee which insisted they could not wisely use over $98,800. Again in 1931 public opinion was curbed some- what. James H. Macintosh, Chairman of an Investigation Com- mittee, made his report on the proposition for a new high school house. While recognizing the need, the Committee did not recommend any action "at this time."

Nathaniel A. Cutler was chosen as principal in 1920. Quietly and efficiently he carried on his work. He died on June 11, 1941.

Winfield Scott Ward of Woburn, Superintendent of Schools for thirty-four years succeeding Miss Kendall in 1897, was exceeded in length of service by only a few, and the hold he had upon our affections can never be excelled. Kindly, effi- cient, progressive, he was the great architect of our present school system. Two years after his retirement in 1931 this venerable gentleman died at the age of 72.

As Mr. Ward's successor, Leon M. Farrin was Superintendent from August 11, 1931 until he resigned in 1935. At that time George S. Goodell of Mansfield became Superintendent for two years, resigning in April, 1937.

It was during his term of office that the town called a special meeting on November 30, 1936 for the purpose of financing repairs and additions to the present Junior and Senior High School buildings. By 344 to 87 it was voted, with the aid of a federal grant, to raise and appropriate $305,926.80, "and the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and here- by is authorized to borrow the sum of $170,000, and to issue "bonds or notes of the Town therefore."

HISTORY OF ATHOL

J. Williams Beal Sons of 185 Devonshire Street, Boston were the architects, and on February 20, 1937 the plans were accepted by the Building Committee, Rev. Everett E. Jackman, George S. Goodell, and Webb R. Avery. Appointed by the Moderator, four others also served on this Committee, Edwin

W. SCOTT WARD 1861 - 1933

A. Clare, Dr. John H. Meany, Harry M. Butler, and John W. Campbell. The construction work of both buildings raised many problems for the Architect and the Committee as in the remodelling many unforseen matters arose.

As a result of all this work, the Athol High School possesses laboratories for chemistry, physics, and biology. The House- hold Arts Department has a sewing room and equipment for both sewing and cooking. There is a well equipped cafeteria to accommodate two hundred pupils at a time, a combination assembly hall and gymnasium, with shower and locker rooms, and a combination study hall and library.

In the midst of this building program upon the resignation of Mr. Goodell as Superintendent the School Board chose William A. Spooner as his successor. Mr. Spooner had come to the school from Danvers in September 1918 as sub-master and had been a most valued aid to the school principal. He retired

EDUCATION

voluntarily July 1, 1949. In addition to his school duties he had rendered much service in Athol's World War II activities one of these being membership on the War Historical Com- mittee which gathered the data and published the book "Athol in World War II."

After Mr. Cutler's death Donald Dike was at once given charge over the High School as acting principal and as such and later as principal he continued until July 1, 1953 when he voluntarily retired and was succeeded by Joseph E. Yukins of Westboro.

The present Superintendent is Mr. E. Perley Eaton who began his duties on July 1, 1949.

South Athol School

While searching in my historical collection recently | ran across the record book of the old South Athol School district. The record begins December 3, 1805 when the district was No. 16 in New Salem, and is continuous until March 8, 1864. Somewhere about 1808 a division was made and it became district No. 20. Apparently in 1816 the district was again divided as for a time the records are of both district No. 20 and No. 21. In 1837 the whole area was taken from New Salem and annexed to Athol when it was known as district No. 11 of this town, which remained its designation until the school district system was abolished.

Apparently it was the rule to employ a male teacher, but this custom was changed at times as the record reads, "August 25, 1806-Voted to open a woman's school at the School house by the middle of September." Evidently Elizabeth Ray- mond kept the winter school that season for March 4, 1808 she receipts for $17.88 "for teaching school until this date." David Twichell was paid 77 cents for boarding the school mistress and Joel Adams received 7/9d "for boarding Elizabeth Raymond.“

"Voted to hire a school dame to teach the school" was re- corded on October 16, 1810, and Edward Smith "agreed to board the school dame for one dollar per week."

On November 30, 1812 it was "voted to expend the remain- der of the money there is due the District in a Woman's School, or hire a woman to instruct the said school," but evidently the school mistress did not give full satisfaction, for on De- cember 16 this vote was reconsidered and it was "voted instead of hiring a Mrs. to hire a Master to instruct said school."

HISTORY OF ATHOL

To build a new school and to sell the old one was voted January 6, 1825. Appropriations were $102.72 which with the $15.28 received for the old building, made $118.00 avail- able for the new edifice. In 1828 prices had fallen and Joel Adams boarded the master for "78 cents per week" but he soon tired of his bargain and was released from it when James Sanders agreed to board the master for 99 cents per week.

Erastus Deane was the master in 1830 and Eunice L. Curtis kept the summer school. In 1834 two-thirds of the school money ($26.29) was spent for a winter school and one-third ($13.34) for a summer school.

When the change of township and county lines came in 1837 there was a question of authority to call district meet- ing and the selectmen of Athol issued the call. At this meeting it was decreed that "every man get his wood (for the school) according to the scholars." In 1841 the fireplace was aban- doned and a stove bought for the school. Evidently some reactionaries objected to the innovation, but a majority was progressive, for in 1842 it was "voted to support the stove."

Henry Gould kept the school in the winter of 1843-44 and was paid $29.75 for his services. Nathan Thayer boarded him for 92 cents a week. The succeeding winter William A. Perrey was the master.

In 1845 a school census was ordered of all the children in the district over four and under sixteen at the first of May. That year the boarding of the master, Henry P. Stearns of Westminster, was put "up at the lowest bidder" and the con- tract was awarded to James J. Sanderson at $1.08 per week.

That winter Elmira Knight was school mistress, receiving $12 compensation. She was boarded at Joseph J. Parker's, he being "under obligation to fetch and carry the mistress." Other teachers through the years were:

Mary A. Peckham, 1847 Catherine H. Lincoln, 1847 Charlotte Dennis, 1848 Sarah A. Sanderson, 1849 Jane Goddard, 1849 Rebecca Flint, 1851-2 Fanny Kendall, 1851 Sarah Paine, 1852-3 Mary E. Thorpe, 1853 Miss Collins, 1854 Phebe L. Andrews, 1855 Angelina Stratton, 1855 Adeline M. Bigelow, 1856 Harriet A. Stratton, 1857

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Ann Maria Bosworth, 1858 Laura M. Stratton, 1858 Harriet D. Goddard, 1859 Sarah E. Ellinwood, 1862 Helen F. Kendall, 1862

On February 2. 1916 the school house was destroyed by fire but in June of that year it was rebuilt. Today there is no school in South Athol, the building having been sold some fifteen years ago to Morgan Memorial. The pupils from that area are transported by bus to Athol, a distance of some six miles.

State Normal School Agitation

Around the state election time of 1893 the city of Fitchburg and the town of Gardner began urging the State Board of Education to recommend that a state normal school be es- tablished in their respective municipalities. I well remember trying to find out just what started this agitation and was told that some public official had suggested the need of another such school of which there were then five in the State, the latest one being at Worcester which had been put in operation a score of years before.

Almost immediately after Fitchburg's agitation began, the Athol School Committee headed by Charles A. Chapman, its Chairman, called a meeting of Athol citizens and suggested that Athol become a contender for such a school.

This Athol meeting was held in the High School room on November 16, 1893 and the School Board with Hon. Sidney P. Smith added as attorney and advisor were put in charge of Athol's campaign. Closely following Athol in this clamor for recognition came Barre (where the Westfield Normal School was organized by Horace Mann in 1839), Greenfield, Orange, Pittsfield, North Adams, and Winchendon. Dana, Royalston, Enfield and Greenwich all joined forces with Athol and urged our claims by petition.

Athol Board of Trade which had been active for some five years previous to 1891 but was then decidedly dormant, came to life and entered its plea for this town.

Several sites in Athol were proposed for the new school, a section of Lake Park and the property east of the High School being two of them. Mr. Charles W. Woodward offered to donate twenty-five acres of his pasture land west of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and north of the Swan Farm.

HISTORY OF ATHOL

. When the State Board of Education was interviewed re- garding the matter its members stated that when the agitation started it had no intention of recommending any additional normal school facilities but yielding to public clamor they gave a public hearing at the State House on December 21 at which hearing Athol's claim was argued at length. Pittsfield with- drew in favor of North Adams and Winchendon refrained from presenting its claim, the effect being to throw its support to Gardner.

The agitation continued here for a few months but it soon became apparent that our chances were nil and the matter was soon forgotten or at least ceased to be a topic for general con- versation locally. Other places kept up the fight, the result being that before all the agitation died down four new Normal Schools had been established in Massachusetts, nearly doubling these educational facilities in the Bay State. The first of these to open was that at Fitchburg in 1895 followed in 1897 by North Adams in February, Barnstable in September and Lowell in October.

Around 1940 a legislative committee on state expenditures reported that there were far too many normal schools in the state and recommended that some be abolished or consoli- dated, but so great was the objection in the affected areas that nothing was accomplished. If we have today, with a population much larger than in 1894, too many State Teachers' Colleges, it is very apparent that the four schools established as a result of the agitation of 1893-4 in which Athol took an active part were far beyond the needs of the State and came into existence because of a wave of local rivalries and ambitions rather than from real need.

Alumni Association

The Alumni Association, started in 1879, is a strong organ- ization today and at its yearly meetings some three or four hundred attend. This group has an active interest both in the students and the high school building, in town affairs, and in creating public sentiment for the school. It is an incentive to students to carry on through graduation as well as an induce- ment to further study because of the Scholarship Association. Beginning in 1886 the association invited every tenth year to its meetings, all former members of the school, and all under graduates but the increase in number of eligibles has made such gatherings impractical in recent years.

In the earlier years of the association it was only by the earnest efforts of a few (of whom I count Mr. Winfield H.

EDUCATION

Brock the chief) that it carried on. Long years did Addie Smith Balcom, Class of 1878, serve as Secretary being succeeded by Mary A. Holton, Class of 1888 who served fifty-three years eventually declining re-election. Her successor, the present secretary is Miss Ruth M. Streeter, Class of 1916 and one of the teaching staff of the school.

Thus over a period of more than two centuries the town has in good measure fulfilled the educational requirements laid down by the Great and General Court of Boston-"one house lot to be held for the support of schools." Thousands of dollars have been spent on good instruction, equipment, and buildings to the end that our gradutes have become more un- derstanding citizens in this American way of life. To some of us out of school many more than three score years it seems a long time since we climbed the hill, but we appreciate the knowledge gained in the schools which have helped us much in our struggle through life.

CHAPTER VIII AMERICAN REVOLUTION

N the lips of almost every settler of this American Colony were the new words "Loyalist" or "Tory," spoken at first furtively then in open indignation as the case might be. This uneasinesss grew until with loud voice our people proclaimed "taxation without representation" as tyranny.

Was not England pulling the economic purse string a bit too tightly? Just how much oppressive regulation could we, a young nation, assimilate before the breaking point? There was the Sugar Act in 1764, the Stamp Act the following year, the Boston Massacre in 1770, and the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

Slowly these tiresome acts of the Crown and other deep- seated causes stirred our people into open revolution which for eight long years cast the shadow of war over our homes. Yet these birth pains were not without reward for in the end we were free to make an American way of life for ourselves and for our children.

Isolated Athol in the meantime was not too involved with the threat of war. Belatedly in May, 1770 there was granted "six pounds to procure a stock of ammunition for the town" thus complying with a Colonial Act, but a new meeting house seems to have been the all absorbing subject for consideration. It is almost unbelievable that a topic which was so agitating all New England fails of a single mention on either town or church records. Even Petersham, our next neighbor on the south, was in constant turmoil. Her minister was forcibly ejected from his pulipit and ultimately the Loyalists of the town were be- seiged in a dwelling house to which they had fled for refuge. Thereafter they were practically under military surveillance.

Joseph Lee of Concord was an acknowledged Tory at that period, and was eventually held a prisoner in his own house by the Patriots of his town. From his diary I learn that in the earlier days of the uprising against the acts of parliament he came into this area on a journey. First he visited his nephew and namesake, Rev. Joseph Lee of Royalston. Next he so- journed with Dr. Ebenezer Hartshorn in Athol, our first physi- cian since Dr. Lord's removal of whom we have any record. Then

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

he called on Rev. Peter Whitney of Petersham, Col. Timothy Ruggles of Hardwick, and finally upon John Murray, Esq. of Rutland.

History does not reveal any Loyalist leanings on the part of Rev. Lee and only by inference is Dr. Hartshorn implicated, but the others upon whom this Tory emissary called were Loyalists to the extreme. It is significant that when this anti- loyalist agitation was at its height in Massachusetts and most of those accused of holding such views were seeking safety under the protection of the British Army in Boston, Dr. Hart- shorn found Athol's atmosphere inclement and on October 18, 1774 sold his home here, the present Ellinwood Country Club, and removed to Rindge, New Hampshire.

When preparing the soldier's list for our Memorial Building I sought of Albee Smith, once of North Orange, some informa- tion concerning soldiers from that section and was told by him that he had no patriotic ancestry as his local forebears of that period were named Ward "and all the Wards were Tories." Of course that is not literally true for Gen. Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury was the choice of Massachusetts for the Command of the entire Continental Army. It was he who commanded our troops at Bunker Hill and continued in command until Gen. Washington came on from Virginia to take over.

While his son, Ithamar Ward, probably did not come here to reside until near the close of the Revolution, yet he did even- tually settle on Ward Hill, now in Phillipston, then well within the limits of this town. He was for some time the owner of the mills at what we now know as Riceville. Capt. Ward lived and died on his Phillipston farm and there his sons, Artemas and Trowbridge, popularly known as the "bachelor Wards," lived to well within my memory.

But regarding another Ward I can substantiate Albee Smith's statement. One of the very early taverns, described in Chapter XVI, was at about 715 Pleasant Street, and opened for business by Ensign George Cutting in 1754. Cutting's Tavern became famous in this part of the country even after its change in ownership. Eventually in 1770 it was the property of Beriah Ward.

Ward's house soon became more or less notorious as a gath- ering place of the Tories which led the patriotic men of Athol virtually to besiege him. This was easy to do for his inn was well situated on a stage route at a busy crossroads. The well established tradition is that a guard was maintained at all four

HISTORY OF ATHOL

points of the compass around this hostelry, thus hampering if not entirely preventing communication with his associates. Had Mr. Ward lived and continued his loyalist activities we might have more serious consequences to chronicle, but his death on October 23, 1773 seems to have closed the incident.

Regardless of these known activities neither Town nor Church records have any incidents on their pages of the great excitement which abounded in all Massachusetts. They do record continued disagreement over the new meeting house and the disposition of the old one as well as a strenuous oppo- sition to the proposed Templeton West Parish which despite our protests was incorporated in February, 1774. This took out of the jurisdiction of our church and of the town for ecclesi- astical taxation the entire easterly portion of Athol.

The church records tell of the withdrawal of a few to unite with the new Baptist Church just forming in the northerly part of the town and reports at some length a marked division in the church and congregation over the innovation of providing psalm books for the singing instead of having them "deaconed out" two lines at a time as formerly, which led to the resigna- tion of good Deacon David Twichell.

Concerning the burning issues of the day our records are silent but we must not assume that Athol was ignorant or ob- livious of those momentous issues. Tradition tells us that when New England in general agreed to abstain from the use of tea until the obnoxious tax should be removed, Athol housewives almost to a woman complied with this policy and the few weak willed ones who clandestinely brewed an occasional pot of their favorite beverage were soon ferreted out and so held up to public scorn that they thereafter became abstainers.

Since incorporation in 1762 Athol had been entitled to send a representative to the Great and General Court which, until pre-revolution hostilities became acute, exercised much the same function as the legislature of today but neither town nor state records disclose that she availed herself of this privilege for more than a decade.

Boston asked concerted action by the various towns of the Province in November, 1773 but we know of no compliance here. When the Port of Boston was closed by Gen. Gage on June 1, 1774 and word came that our right to self government by town meeting had been abolished by Parliament, then Athol citizens were assembled in what must have been an illegal gathering on July 7 and again on August 25, 1774. They

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

joined with other towns in the Colony voting an embargo of British goods beginning September 1. To this end a Committee of Correspondence was appointed consisting of Dea. Aaron Smith, William Bigelow, Josiah Goddard, Capt. John Haven, Ephrium Stockwell, James Oliver, Abner Graves, James Strat- ton, Jr., and Daniel Lamson. Representatives of this Committee met at Worcester twice in August, 1774 with like Committee- men from other towns in the County. After much debate the following seven articles were adopted; later accepted and ordered on record by the freeholders and other inhabitants of Athol, duly assembled and convened, at an open Town Meet- ing on September 2:

"1-RESOLVED that we bear all true allegiance to His Majesty King George 3rd and that we will to the utmost of our power defend his person, crown, and dignity, and at the same time we disclaim any jurisdiction in the Com- mons of Great Britain over His Majesty's subjects in America.

"2-RESOLVED that the charter of this province is the basis of our allegiance to His Majesty, wherein on his part, the royal faith is plighted to protect and defend us, his American subjects, in the free and full enjoyment of each and every right and liberty enjoyed by his subjects in Great Britain. His American subjects likewise bear him true allegiance.

"3-RESOLVED that we have within ourselves the exclusive right of originating each and every law respecting our- selves, and ought to be on an equal footing with his Majesty's subjects in Great Britain.

"4-RESOLVED that an attempt to vacate said charter by either party without the consent of the other, has a tendency to dissolve the union between Great Britain and this province, to destroy the allegiance we owe to the King, and to set aside the sacred obligations he is under to his subjects here.

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History of Athol, Massachusetts, Part 7

Author: , William G., compiler Publication date: 1953 Publisher: Athol, Mass Number of Pages: 756

Author: , William G., compiler
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: Athol, Mass
Number of Pages: 756