USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 2 > Part 25
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church proper is eighty-eight feet long by sixty-four wide. In the rear of the church. communicating with it by an enclosed passage way, is a chapel thirty-eight by fifty-two feet, and an infant class room twenty one by fourteen feet opening into the chapel by folding doors. The corner stone was laid October Gtl, 1863, and the church was dedicated September 6th, 1865. A bell weighing 5,125 pounds, and costing over $3,000. hangs in the tower of the church-the gift of Mr. Samuel J. Whitton. of Cole- raine. The cost of the building was abont $33,000.
After the dismissal of Mr. MeGiffert the pulpit was occupied by Rev. Addison Bullard until April 1st, 1866, when Rev. Washington Gladden was engaged to supply it for one year. On the 28th of Febru- ary, 1867, he accepted an unanimous call to the pastorate of the church. Mr. Gladden is well known as an able preacher and a man of consider- able literary attainments. He remained until 1871, when he resigned to accept the position of one of the editors of the "New York Independent." He has written several books, among them being "From the Hub to the Hudson." He has also been for several years a contributor to the " Cen- tury" and other notable periodicals. Rev. Lewellyn Pratt preached from 1871 to 1876. He was afterward professor of rhetoric in Williams College, and then professor of theology in the Hartford Theological Seminary.
On the 26th of April, 1877, a semi-centennial celebration was held in the Congregational church, at which a memorial sermon was preached by Rev. Lewellyn Pratt in the morning, and a reminiscence meeting was held in the afternoon.
December 11th, 1877, Rev. Theodore J. Manger was installed as pas- tor, and he has filled that position since that time. The installation sermon was preached by Noah Porter, D D., of Yale College. Mr. Mun- ger belongs in the front rank of American preachers ; his style is remark. able for its clearness, beauty, and strength. He has written several books which have attracted wide attention in the United States and in England; notably "On the Threshold," and " The Freedom of Faith."
Episcopal Churches .- The following is a transcript from the register of official acts of the Rev. Gideon Bostwick, rector of St. James. Great Barrington, and missionary of the English Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, from June, 1770, to June, 1793.
" 1783. Adams, Octob'r 2. . Baptized Josiah, Sam'l, Elisha and Mary, sons and d'r of Elias Jones and Elizabeth his wife. Israel, Daniel and Charies, sons of Israel Jones and Alithea his wife.
" This is the first service of this church known to us. It occurred in the year of peace, 1783, certainly a good omen for her future.
" The same clergyman officiated with such frequency as he could at Lanes- borough and Williamstown. At the former the mother parish of this part of Berk- shire was founded, and at the latter the presence of near relatives was an attraction.
".St. John's, North Adams, and St. Mark's, Adams, owe their birth therefore to Lanesborough and Williamstown lying on either side of them.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
" The Rev. Samuel B. Shaw, D.D., rector of St. Luke's, Lanesborough, for many years, cared for such members of this Church as resided in this town. His recorded acts extend from 1831 to 1861 and comprise baptisms, marriages, and funerals.
"In June 1855 Dr. Shaw and Rev. R. J. Parvin, of Pittsfield, held a service in the Methodist church, North Adams. They then requested a young Williams College student (now the Rev. William Tatlock, D. D., of Connecticut) to canvass the place for pledges of support for a missionary. The immediate result was, that several people drove over during the summer to the Sunday afternoon services which Mr. Tatlock was then holding in Williamstown, and in September asked him to hold a service in North Adams. He did so, in the Universalist Church, and had a congre- gation of about one hundred and fifty persons. This service was regularly main- tained until December by Mr. Tatlock.
"On the evening of December 11th, 1855, a meeting was held and a parish or- ganized. Rev Wm. M. Willian was appointed to take charge by the Diocesan Board of Missions. The name of St. John's parish was chosen and adopted.
" The first officers were as follows: Rector, Rev. William M. Willian; senior war- den, General Andrew A. Richmond; junior warden, Wm. P. Brayton; vestrymen, J. O. Tucker, Rob't N. Willian, Wm. Tatlock, G. W. Adams, William W. Pratt and John Lidford.
"After a time the services were held in 'Harmony Hall' instead of the Univer- salist Church. The first Church building was of wood, erected at a cost of $2,900. The present edifice was built on the same site, being completed and consecrated in 1869. It was the personal offering of Mrs. Hiram Sibley of Rochester, N. Y., but formerly of North Adams.
" Separate services were held in the Methodist church, Adams, '60-62, by Rev. Wm. Tatlock, who had meanwhile been ordained, and became rector of St. John's, North Adams. Subsequently a parish was organized there by Rev. Robert Weeks under the name of St. Mark's.
"For years the faithful little band who constituted St. Mark's sojourned in a hired upper room. In 1883 their present beautiful church was completed and occu- pied, since which the parish has grown apace. For the most part the same rector has served the two parishes at the north and south villages respectively .- Now each has sufficient strength and work to employ separate clergymen. Williamstown like- wise has its own pastor, so that there are three clergymen in 1885, each with his proper work, where thirty years ago one young layman, an under graduate of Williams Col- lege, was sowing the seed with such aid as the rectors of Lanesborough and Pittsfield could extend."
The Roman Catholics .- Several Irish families settled in North Adams as early as 1825, but they held no organized religious services until 1848, when Father Edward Cavanaugh, then pastor in Pittsfield, established a mission in that town, and said mass once in three months in some of the Irish houses. The first mass was celebrated in the house of Michael Ryan, in the "Union." The Roman Catholics then numbered about twenty families. Father Patrick Cuddihy succeeded Father Cavanaugh as pas- tor in Pittsfield. and attended the mission in North Adams. The first church was built on Center street about this time. Father Edward H. Purcell succeeded Father Cuddihy in 1860, and Father Charles Lynch was appointed his assistant in the same year. In less than two years the
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Roman Catholic population had so increased that Father Lynch was ap- pointed pastor in North Adams with missions in South Adams, Williams- town, and at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel. From November, 1862, until 1883 Father Lynch labored assiduously for the flock intrusted to his care. He bought a lot of land on Eagle street and began the present church edifice in 1864. The corner stone was laid in the summer of 1867, and the church was completed and dedicated in July, 1869. In the mean- time, seeing the need of providing for the other parts of his parish, he bought the old brick building on College Hill in Williamstown and had it repaired and consecrated for a church. He then bought the old Congregational church in South Adams, moved it to its present site, had it enlarged, remodeled, and dedicated in 1870. At the east end of the tunnel and at the central shaft halls were procured and mass was cele- brated once a month.
A few years afterward, as Father Lynch saw the debt of the church diminishing, he placed in the tower of it a large bell and a set of chimes. In this he was liberally assisted by the manufacturers and citizens of North Adams, one manufacturing company contributing over eight hundred . dollars for that purpose. After the division of the town the parish was divided, and Father Lynch had the satisfaction of announcing to his parishioners that their church was out of debt. He then determined to build a school and convent, and with that intention he bought a much desired lot on the corner of Eagle and Union streets at a cost of 816,000. He tore down the old buildings in that lot and built a large parochial residence in their stead. He then moved the old parish house from Eagle to Union street and built the St. Francis Institute at a cost of about. $40,000. This building contains ten school rooms capable of accommo- dating six hundred children, and a large hall on the . first floor. Father Lynch lived to see this hall completed and hoped to enjoy many years of rest from hard labor and anxiety, but on the 28th of May. 1883. he was stricken with paralysis while preparing to say mass for one of his deceased parishioners. He lingered but two days, but when visited rec- ognized those who visited him. He was fifty-three years old when he died. He had been a priest for twenty-six years, all but five of which were spent in North Adams. Father Lynch was severe in his denounce- ment of crime, but was kind and benevolent in the treatment of his peo- ple. He was cut off in the prime of life, and his untimely death caused universal regret. He was succeeded by Father Charles E. Burke. The English speaking Roman Catholic population in North Adams now num- bers about 3,500 people.
Father E. P. McCort took charge of the parish at South Adams September 12th, 1825, and died there in January. 1880. During his pas- torate he built a parochial residence at a cost of $16,000. He was sie- ceeded by Father Dennis C. Morin.
Blackinton Union Church. - There is no organizal church in Black- inton, but for more than forty years there has been regular preaching
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
there, held at first in a school house and later in a small public hall pro- vided for the purpose by the S. Blackinton Woolen Company. Pro- fessor John Tatlock, of Williams College, preached there for many years and was succeeded by Professor A. L. Perry of the same institution, who occupied the pulpit until the year 1875, when an arrangement was made with the pastors of the Baptist, Methodist, and Congregational churches in North Adams, by which they preach in Blackinton in turn. In 1871 the congregation having become too large for the public hall in which they met, Sanford Blackinton built and presented to the village a hand- some church building, capable of seating 300 persons, at an expense of $10,000. In 1879 he presented the church with a fine pipe organ. While the Christian people in Blackinton are united for church work in their union church they maintain their membership mainly with the churches in North Adams.
French (R. C.) Congregation of North Adams. - The French Cana- dian congregation was established in 1870, by the Rt. Rev. P. T. O'Reilly, bishop of Springfield, who kindly granted the permission asked by the numerous French families in North Adams, of having a pastor of their own nationality. Up to that time the French had wor- shipped with the Irish Catholics of St. Francis' Church. The first pastor of the French church was Rev. Charles Crevier, of the diocese of Mont- real. He took charge of the congregation in January, 1871. At that time there were 200 French families in North Adams, and as there were about 100 French families also in South Adams, Father Crevier found himself at the head of a large congregation and mission.
In 1871, there being no French church, the people rented the old Irish chapel on Center street. After four years this chapel was abandoned for the basement of a new church, which the congregation had com- menced building in a sightly place on East Main Street. The first service attended in this basement was Decemer 25th, 1874.
The financial crisis of 1876 having paralyzed all efforts made to finish the church, the congregation remained with a debt of 824,000. This debt was gradually reduced to $8,000, which is the actual amount on which the church pays interest. There are at present 325 French families in North Adams. As the French population increased rapidly in South Adams a new parish was formed there, and Father Crevier remained with the North Adams congregation.
In 1881 a French benevolent society was established, under the name of St. John Baptist. It has 150 members. This society pays 85.00 a week to any of its members disabled by sickness.
For the last two years a French school has gathered nearly a hundred pupils who, with the English, learn also their mother tongue.
Many of the French have become American citizens by naturaliza- tion. Quite a number have become property holders, and they are happy to look upon North Adams as a home for themselves and their families.
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SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL HOUSES.
On the 31st of December, 1782, it was "voted to raise the sum of three pounds for the support of a grammar school for the year ensuing." On the 17th of August, 1783, the same amount was voted for a grammar school. At the March meeting, 1785, it was "voted that $150 be raised for the support of schools in this town." This allowance was so liberal that it was not all expended; for, at a town meeting April 3d, 1786, it was "voted that the money granted last year for the use of schools and not laid out be appropriated to the same use this year."
The question of school districts then came up and proved a stumb- ling block for many years. At the last named town meeting it was "voted that the selectmen and assessors of the town divide the town into proper districts." But they evidently paid but little attention to this vote for on the 13th of January, 1789, nearly three years afterward, it was "voted that the selectmen divide the town into proper districts." On the 11th of May, 1789, a committee of thirteen was appointed "to advise with the selectmen upon best method to divide the town into school districts." On the 3d of May, 1790, the people getting impatient at the slow movements of so large a body, the " selectmen and committee appointed on division of the town into school districts were instructed immediately to report."
These public servants, however, construed the word "immediately " very liberally, as no record is made of any report until the 9th of May. 1791. It was then " voted to accept the report of the committee appoint- ed to divide the town into school districts agreeable to their plan." At the annual town meeting in 1791, £100 were "raised for the support of free schools," to be paid in produce at certain stipulated prices, and ap- propriated according to the number of children in each district.
On the 1st of April. 1793, it was "voted that the interest of the rent or sale of the school lands in this town be appropriated to the use of schools only." Israel Jones, Elijah Sprague, and Ephraim Whipple were appointed a committee to investigate. They reported nearly £1,000 due, including principal and interest. On the 13th of May, 1793, a com- mittee of three, consisting of Elijah Sprague, Humphrey Tiffany, and Philip Mason were appointed " to prosecute and obtain the town's prop- erty in lands granted to the original proprietors for schools and ministe- rial purposes." This committee was discharged August 22d, 1704. and another was appointed October 3d, 1794. It seems that quite a sum was realized from these lands, for in 1820 the school fund amounted to 84.547 invested in lands, which yielded an annual rent of about $270, which was distributed among the districts according to the number of persons over 21 years of age. The school fund long ago became merged in the gener- al property of the town ; and the appropriations for schools are now raised by direct taxation.
The school books of olden times were poorly adapted for youthful minds. Webster's Spelling Book, the third part, and the New Testa-
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
ment were the principal reading books. These books were so scarce and costly that the pupils loaned them to each other. To purchase them it was necessary to send to Williamstown or Pittsfield. " The Young Man's Companion " was the first arithmetic in which federal currency was used. The earliest mention of federal currency in the town records was in 1793, when it was voted that the collector was to 'be paid three cents on the dol- lar. Prior to this time. in Pike's and all other arithmetics, the old En- glish denominations of pounds, shillings, and pence were used and all ac- counts were so kept. It would puzzle a Yankee at the present day to reckon interest on a note in pounds, shillings, and pence as his great- grandfather did.
Even as late as 1814 the school books in use were limited in number and stilted in character. There were some excellent reading books for high schools, but wholly inappropriate for common schools ; notably the "Columbian Orator," and the "American Preceptor." Many of the bombastic words could scarcely be pronounced, much less understood by the pupils. The other school books were "Moore's Geography," " Fed- eral Currency," "Pike's Arithmetic," and "Murray's Grammar ; " the last two very difficult of comprehension. There were few educated teach- ers. The study of grammar was regarded as a waste of time, and arith- metic was not considered a necessary accomplishment for young ladies.
Most of the scholars of that day finished their schooling at the age of eleven or fourteen years. Those who could work were taken from school young. The male teachers received from eight to twelve dollars per month, and boarded around ; and for such pay many incompetent and ill-natured pedagogues were necessarily hired. It was often the case that the teachers lacked either the mental qualifications for imparting knowledge, or the power of good government, or the general disposition which wins the respect and love of their pupils. There were many worthy exceptions ; but it is nevertheless a fact that corporal punishment was the main reliance of teachers, even of the gentle sex ; and instead of black-boards, "black and blue" spots abounded.
The schools were kept by men about three months in the winter, and by women three or four months in the summer. While their ancestors were allowed but a few mouthfuls, as it were, of education, the young people of to-day can enjoy a full and hearty meal.
The town of North Adams remained one school district until 1841.
A second school house was built on Center street about 1826, and another at the Union, opposite the tannery, about 1831. A school house was built on State street where the " Hoosac Valley News" office now' stands, and the brick school house on Chesnut street was built in 1849.
In 1841 the town of Adams was divided into three school districts, - the Eastern, which used the old school house near the Baptist church ; the Centre District ; and the Western District, for which the school house on State street was built.
In the south village the character of the schools of about this time
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was much the same as in North Adams. They were all ungraded schools of the old type, in which the common branches only were taught, and those but poorly. If reading, writing, and ciphering could be taught, and these at the smallest expense to the community, the people were content. In those times well educated and efficient teachers were scarce. The low wages offered, and the hardships of the pedagogue in boarding around, and the difficulty in properly controling pupils, who could find little inducement to study under the system then in vogue, did not tend to call many capable persons into the teachers' profession.
From 1835 to 1840 the educational interests of the south part of the town were not at so low an ebb as those of the north. This was chiefly due, as Gov. Briggs remarked, to the fact that "a spark of the pilgrim fire had dropped there," referring to the Robinson families and some others of the same stock, who had settled there and kindled an educa- tional flame. But while the public schools of the north part were lan- guishing, two private schools were established, which tended somewhat to supply the lack. A young man by the name of Eastman, possessing means and a philanthropic spirit, built a school house and opened a pri- vate school for young ladies. This was conducted for some time by a Miss Amsden, and afterward by Mary Emerson, until the school was dis- continued through lack of pecuniary support. A boys' school was opened also, in a building where the Wilson House now stands, by Mr. Parsons, and continued till the building of the old Drury Academy. Nathan Drury gave 8500 to provide chemical and philosophical apparatus for Mr. Par- son's school. At about this time the need of better educational facilities began to be felt and discussed. Dr. E. S. Hawkes and Dr. Isaac Hodges interested one Nathan Drury, a well to do farmer of Florida, in the pro- ject of building an academy, and soon afterward, Mr. Drury having been taken fatally ill, shortly before his death he made a will wherein the sum of $3,000 was bequeathed and left in trust for the purpose of founding a school to be known as
Drury Academy .- The following interesting extract from the will is herewith given :
" I give and bequeath and leave in trust Three Thousand Dollars to erect an Academy in the village of North Adams, in the County of Berkshire, to be called Drury Academy, and I constitute and appoint Isaac Hodges to select a suitable piece of ground, buy it and erect a suitable building of Brick or Marble for said Academy with an inscription on marble in some suitable place of my name, the name of the Academy, the time of my decease and such other inscription as he may think proper, and I hereby direct my executor hereafter named to pay to the said Hodges the fore- mentioned sum as he shall want to use it to buy the site and erect said building, which is to be built within three years after my decease. Said Hodges shall associate with himself twelve persons more and be incorporated or apply to be incorporated as the corporation of Drury Academy, and if incorporated by the Legislature they may make By-Laws to govern said institution as they shall think proper and if said asso- ciates do not obtain an act of incorporation, they may make By-Laws to govern
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
themselves and when said corporation or association shall diminish below the num- ber of thirteen by death or removal from the county they shall elect members to fill their places and said Academy and premises shall belong to the association or cor. poration of Drury Academy of North Adams so long as it is used for the instruction of youth in the different branches of literature, but when it shall be neglected to be so used for that purpose for one year it shall become the property of my heirs."
Dated August 6th, 1840.
In accordance with the directions of the will Dr. Hodges selected the following gentlemen as the board of trustees : Josiah Q. Robinson, Thomas Tower. Amasa Bixby, Elihu S. Hawkes, Thomas Robinson, Wil- liam E. Brayton, Alpheus Smith, Edmond B. Penniman, Sanford Black- inton. Harvey Arnold. Stephen B. Brown, and Benjamin Hathaway.
The trustees petitioned the Legislature for an act of incorporation, which was passed March 17th, 1841, and Isaac Hodges, Thomas Robin- son, and William E. Brayton, their associates and successors, were made a corporation by the name of Drury Academy.
The first grounds for the academy were procured and prepared by Dr. E. S. Hawkes. A sharp controversy arose in regard to the location --- some preferring the low land somewhere between Main street and the river -- but it was finally decided to set the beacon on the hill. To afford proper space for the foundation it was found necessary to cut down the hill seventeen feet. The work was done in six weeks at a cost of $400. Thirteen feet below the surface, under the summit, was found a tree about fifteen inches in diameter, imbedded in gravel, showing that the hill was formed by a mighty rush of water from the north, bringing all kinds of rocks and trees with it.
At the first meeting of the trustees, February 15th, 1843, Stephen Brown, Alpheus Smith, and Dr. E. S. Hawkes were appointed a commit- tee to procure a suitable teacher to take charge of the academy. The committee were authorized to give the use of the academy and sufficient lands adjoining the same for the use of the school to the teacher, he keep- ing the same in repair, and the academy building insured to the amount of $2,000. A committee was appointed to draft a code of by-laws for the regulation and government of the academy. April 11th, 1843, the fol- lowing by-laws were reported by the committee and adopted by the board of trustees:
"Art. 1. The government of the seminary is to be vested in the principal teacher for the time being; who shall have power to make such regulations from time to time as he shall deem essential to the welfare of the students under his charge, provided such regulations meet the approbation of the Board of Trustees.
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