USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 42
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1768. l'oted, that each squadron keep a woman's school 16 weeks in the year, and £25 is granted for this purpose. l'oted, that each squadron have the liberty to employ men instead of women to keep the schools above exprest, so long as their money will hold. Mr. "James Parker, H. U. 1763, was one of the school masters this year.
1769. No women's schools were kept this year ; but each squad- ron was allowed to expend £4 for writing schools.
407
Town Schools.
The Salem End school-house was rebuilt ; was made 16 feet square ; and was placed near Benj. Mixer's house, about 40 rods S. of the house of J. H. Temple.
June 4, 1770. l'oted to have one grammar school, to be kept in the several school-houses six months, beginning in October ; and also a writing school for the same time. Voted that Dr. Ebenezer Hem- enway open a grammar school at his own house the other 6 months ; and that there shall be 16 weeks woman's school kept in each school- house at the same time. Maj. John Farrar and Thomas Temple were appointed a committee "to provide a grammar master." £30 lawful money was granted for the support of the grammar and writing schools. This arrangement continued for 3 or 4 years.
May 18, 1774. The committee appointed on the several School Divisions and their Houses, report : 1. That there be a school-house near Silas Winch's, - taking easterly as far down the road as Samuel Dadmun's and Walker's, thence to Timothy Pike's, Phinehas Gibbs', Nathan Winch's and Joseph Winch's, thence to Capt. Gibbs' and Jona. Winch's, and down east to take Benj. Eaton's. 2. A house built between Mr. Childs' and the crotch of the road near Mr. Trow- bridge's, taking Capt. Gates, Mr. Brinley and Micah Gibbs, and thence to Southborough line. 3. To erect a house between Dr. Hemenway's and Charles Dougherty's ; easterly taking Samuel An- gier, Dea. Morse, and thence to Stoney brook. 4. To unite Salem End with the Common, and move the school-house by Benj. Mixer's and set it between John Clayes' and John Parker's, including easterly Richard Fiske, thence to Ebenr Singletary's, Daniel Dadmun's and to Wm Ballard's. 5. To move the house near Jesse Haven's up the road to near Mr. Adams', including northerly Thomas Bent, the wid. Mellen, thence easterly down to Dea. Haven's and Isaac Hav- en's. 6. To erect a house on the north side of the way leading from Samuel How's to the wid. Learned's near the corner ; taking westerly Jesse Eames, and easterly to Joseph Sanger's. 7. The Centre and East school houses to remain as now. The report was accepted. The eight school districts thus established, remained sub- stantially unaltered, till modern times. The cost of the removals and new houses was £126. 17. 4. 2. The town voted to have 12 weeks women's schools kept in each district, in the summer season ; and 4 months grammar school, and 6 months with two writing masters kept in the winter or dead season of the year. Writing masters were paid £5 per annum ; and 6s. per week was allowed for boarding a gram- mar master, and 5s. for a writing master. Joseph Nichols was writing master from 1771 to 1778, and school master, 1779, So. Jonas Clark was writing master 1772 to 76. John Mixer Jr. was writing master
408
History of Framingham.
1775, and 77. Dr. Samuel Cooley was school master 1774. John Jones was writing master, and Mr. Mann (probably James, H. U. 1776) school master in 1780. Elisha Frost was school master in 1781, and for many years thereafter. Daniel Stone Jr., Jona. Maynard (H. U. 1775), John Trowbridge, Samuel Bullard, Micah Stone, and Hiram Walker were teachers here before 1792.
May 10, 1790. "l'oted, that a school-house be built in one of the two districts where a school-house has been burnt ; and lots to be cast by the committee men in those districts, which district it shall be."
"The committee appointed by the town to take into consideration the expediency of dividing the town into school districts agreeable to a law passed June A.D. 1789, Report : that the district lines be here- after the same that they have been for several years last past, refer- ence being had to the town book for ascertaining said lines."
" l'oted, that there be one writing school kept 12 months each year, as follows : in the district including Stone's mills, 8 weeks; in the north district, 7 weeks ; in the southeast district, 512 weeks ; in Salem End district, 8 weeks, 2 weeks of which to be kept on the Common, if the inhabitants there provide a house for the purpose; in the remaining 4 districts, 6 weeks each. And no scholar shall be sent out of one district to another, without the consent of such district. That a grammar master be immediately engaged for 12 months, and keep school as follows: one month in each of the districts ; and no scholar to be sent from one district to another, except those that study English grammar, or the Greek and Latin languages. The remaining 4 months the grammar school to be kept in the Centre." £70 was granted for the support of schools.
April 2, 1792. " l'oted to have 96 weeks women's schools; 48 weeks grammar school; and 68 weeks writing school, proportioned as they were last year.
In 1794, a new school-house was built on the Common, and the district lines established as follows : "Beginning as far east as the house where old Simon Pratt lived, then to John Pratt's, Daniel Tombs' and Wm Ballard's ; then up the River as far as Abner John- son's ; then to John Parker's, Jonas Newton's, Asa Claflin's, and Thomas Richards', and all within these limits."
1795. Apportionment of school money.
North West ward
53 scholars
£8.
II. 6. o.
North
66
84
66
13. II. IO. O.
East
93
66
15. o. II. 2.
Centre 66
97
15. 13. IO. O.
West
66
66
5I
8. 5. 2.
.
409
Town Schools.
Salem End ward
61 scholars
£9. 17. 2. 3.
Common
45
66
7. 5.
7. 2.
South 66
82
66
I3. 5. 4. 2.
South East
52
8. 8.
3. I.
Brick School-Houses. Before 1793, a brick house was built in the Centre district. It stood just within the Common, at the southwest corner of Mrs. Bean's house-lot. In 1793, the old wooden house in Salem End district was sold, and a brick house built, near the site of Dr. Parker's farm-house. In 1798, a similar house was built in the North district. It stood at the foot of the hill East of Brackett's store. Brick houses were built as follows: In the Northwest ward, in 1804 ; in the East ward in 1811 ; it stood across the road from the Henry Richardson house: in the Southeast district, on the corner northeast from Charles J. Power's, in 1812: in the West district (No. 6,) on the site of the present house, in 1813 : in the South dis- trict, Park's Corner, in 1814. In 1816, a new brick house was built in the Centre district. It stood just south of the Town Hall. In 1817, a new brick house, on the site of the present one, was built in Salem End; and the next year a new one was built on the Common. A new district was formed at Rice's End and a brick school-house built near Micajah Rice's in 1818. These brick houses were all con- structed on nearly the same pattern, 28 x 26, or 32 X 30 feet, with entry way on the short side for storing wood, and a capacious fire-place and chimney. The inside furnishing was substantially alike. A pulpit- desk, 6 x4 feet, and 5 feet high, was placed between the first and second windows on the right of the fire-place. The open box under the desk, was handy to stow away the smaller idlers, one at a time, where they were in easy reach of the master's foot, as he sat perched on his high stool. And if the culprit, wearied of his isolation, ven- tured to peep at the outsiders, and thus provoke a snicker from a sympathizing mate, a whack of the master's "ruler" would cause a sudden disappearance of the head, and furnish its owner business for the next fifteen minutes, in rubbing the sore spot. The main body of seats occupied three-fifths of the room opposite the fire-place. They were set on a rising slope, in four or five rows, with double desks. The girls' side was the half nearest the master's desk. The most popular seats were the two inside rows, where only a two-feet alley separated the girls' and boys' sides.
In 1836, the Saxonville district was divided, and a new house built near Luther Eaton's, known as No. II. In 1837, Salem End was divided and a new house built near Eben Claflin's, known as No. 12. In 1840, a new district, No. 13, was constituted of the families living
410
History of Framingham.
west of Cutler's mills. The last two districts, and the Common, were set to Ashland in 1846.
The school districts held their annual meetings for the transaction of business, and chose a clerk who kept a record of the doings of the meetings. The prudential committees, who were nominated by the district at the annual meeting, had charge of the school-houses, pro- vided wood, hired school dames, and drew their respective propor- tions of school money out of the town treasury. Later, they hired school masters as well as dames. By the rules adopted by the town in 1800 [see below], the power and duties of prudential committees were much extended. In more modern times the state law made the hiring of teachers the duty of the school committee. But in this town, the two committees commonly acted in harmony, and thus the preferences of each district were carried out.
The district system was abolished by vote of the town in 1866.
School Committees. In early times, the business of providing a school master, or writing master, or school dames, was intrusted to special committees, or to the selectmen. When the town was divided into districts, prudential committees were chosen in each ward. In 1798, the town " voted to choose a committee of five persons, to inspect and regulate the schools, viz. Jona. Maynard Esq., Capt. Peter Clayes, Capt. John Trowbridge, Capt. Samuel Frost and Lieut. John Jones. In 1799, the committee consisted of Messrs. Maynard, Trowbridge, Eli Bullard Esq., Elisha Frost and Ebenr Eaton. But the duties of the committee were not clearly defined, and the relation of this com- mittee to the prudential committees was matter of doubt. And in 1800, Capt. John Trowbridge, Dea. Thomas Buckminster, Col. David Brewer, John Fiske, Ebenr Eaton, James Clayes, Elisha Frost, Esq. Maynard and Esq. Bullard were appointed a committee to draw up by-laws for regulating the schools. Their report was as follows: "I. That the committee-man of each school district be directed to visit the school the week after it opens, to consult with the teacher whether the scholars are furnished with books suited to the stage of learning in which they are. - And if any scholar is destitute of a book, whose parents are unable to furnish him with the same, said committee-man be directed to furnish him, and bring in his account to the town for payment ; but if any scholar be destitute of a book whose parents are able to furnish the same, and shall continue with- out a book for one week after being visited as aforesaid, said child shall be excluded from the school until properly furnished.
2. That it be the duty of the district committee-man to notify the chairman of the Visiting Committee, of the time when the school
4II
Town Schools.
will close, in order that said Committee may regulate their visits accordingly.
3. That the Visiting Committee be desired to visit the women's schools, to see that the first rudiments of reading and spelling are properly taught.
4. That it be recommended to the inhabitants not to send any scholar to the writing schools but those who can read words of two syllables by spelling the same.
5. That each master of a writing school furnish himself with a Bible, and that he read a portion thereof himself, or cause the same to be read in his school at least once a day.
6. That no work be allowed to be done in women's schools, except the art of Lettering. [This meant working the alphabet, or moral proverbs, with the needle, on "Samplers," which were then, and continued to be for the next quarter of a century, the pride of the girls]
7. That the committee-man of each district be directed to see that the foregoing articles be carried into effect."
In 1801, the town granted $600 for the support of schools ; and voted "that $175 of the same be equally divided between the nine districts : that two-fifths of the whole sum be apportioned for the women's schools, and three-fifths for the master's schools: that no master or mistress be admitted to teach a school without first obtain- ing the certificates required by law : and that no scholar be admitted into a master's school unless they are capable of being classed."
By vote of the town in 1802, it was made the duty of the school committee to examine school masters and mistresses, and to visit the several schools.
1805. School committee, Elisha Frost, Ebenr Eaton and Wm Buckminster.
The number of the superintending committee varied from 3 to 9, and they served without pay. In 1833, through the influence of O. S. Keith Esq., a man of culture, common sense, thorough knowl- edge of schools, and devotion to the interests of common school education - seconded by Rev. Charles Train - the town voted to reduce the number to three, and to pay each man $1 per day for his services. This was afterwards increased to $2 per day. The com- mittee this year were Rev. Charles Train, O. S. Keith Esq. and J. J. Marshall. In 1867, on the abolition of the office of prudential com- mittee-man, the school committee was enlarged to twelve. And in 1871, a superintendent of schools was appointed, on whom was de- volved the supervision of the several schools, his compensation being a fixed salary. In 1881, the number of the school committee was reduced to six.
412
History of Framingham.
Other changes. In the March warrant for 1825, under an article " To see if the town will elect to be provided with a teacher or teach- ers well qualified to instruct youth in Orthography, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, English Grammar, Geography and good behavior, instead of a teacher or teachers instructed in the Latin and Greek Lan- guages," a committee, viz. Josiah Adams Esq., Wm Buckminster Esq., Maj. Benj. Wheeler, Rufus Brewer, and Doctor Simon Whitney, was appointed, who, after due consideration, reported in favor of such a change. "And, in order to comply with the requisitions of Law, it will in that case be necessary that all the schooling of the above description (which in the opinion of your committee does not include the schools taught by females) should amount to the term of twenty- four months in each year. And lest the town should be subjected to a fine, by expending too much of the money granted, in women's schools, it is thought necessary that the town should direct the several districts on that subject: And your committee are of opinion that they should be required to appropriate their respective shares of the money granted, in each year, to the support of such schools as the law requires, as follows, to wit :
The Centre District, No. I, not less than twelve weeks
The Sanger District, No. 2, not less than nine weeks
The Baptist District, No. 3, not less than ten weeks
The Common District, No. 4, not less than eight weeks The Salem End District, No. 5, not less than nine weeks The West District, No. 6, not less than nine weeks The Trowbridge District, No. 7, not less than ten weeks
The Brackett District, No. 8, not less than ten weeks
The Stones' District, No. 9, not less than twelve weeks
The Rice District, No. 10, not less than nine weeks
And it is recommended to grant, for the present year, the sum of $1100 for the support of schools, to be divided among the districts, as follows: one-third part equally between the districts; and the remaining two-thirds by the poll. This is thought to be the least sum that will enable the districts to keep the term assigned them for masters' schools, and to keep also summer schools of sufficient dura- tion, which your committee consider of equal importance.
Your committee recommend to the town to pass the following votes, viz. I. That no scholar shall be allowed to attend a woman's school under the age of four years, unless the district shall vote other- wise. 2. That no scholar shall be allowed to attend a master's school under the age of five years, unless the district shall vote other- wise. 3. That no scholar shall be allowed to write at any school, under the age of ten years, unless the district shall determine other-
413
Town Schools.
wise. 4. That if any district committee-man shall employ any master or mistress who shall not obtain a certificate of his or her qualifications, according to law, he shall be holden to pay them him- self, without any reimbursement from the town Treasury.
For the committee, Josiah Adams."
This report was accepted, and the several recommendations carried into effect. In 1827, the town voted, "that the vote passed in 1825, specifying the number of weeks' schooling to be kept in each district by a master, be abolished ; and that each school district be at liberty to expend their proportion of money granted for schooling, as they think proper."
In those days, the winter schools were always in charge of male teachers, sometimes undergraduates, who took this method to obtain means to pay college expenses ; but they were largely our own boys who were educated at the Academy. The names of Warren Nixon, Elias Temple, John J. Marshall, C. F. W. Parkhurst, Benj. Homer, Benj. A. Edwards, Albert G. Gibbs, James W. Brown, Elias Grout, Andrew Coolidge, Charles S. Whitmore and others, are readily re- called, as teachers of good repute. This plan continued in all our districts till 1848. In 1849, the innovation was made of employing females to teach the winter school in districts No. 1, and 5. The school committee this year were Carleton Parker, B. G. Northrop and Jona. Aldrich. Other districts soon came into the arrangement, so that in 1855, the change was complete, except in No. 8, where Charles S. Whitmore continued to teach for the winter terms of 1855 and '56.
The Schools Graded. The first attempt to introduce anything like gradation, depending on age or scholarship, into our schools, was made in 1831, when in the Centre and at Saxonville, the districts voted to have a fall term of eleven weeks, to be in charge of a female, where all the children in the district under 10 years, might attend ; and all over 10 might go to the regular winter school. The move- ment proved a success. The number of pupils in the fall, at the Cen- tre was 65, in the Winter 63 ; at Saxonville, the numbers respectively were 40 and 66. When the Town Hall was erected in 1834, the lower story was divided into two large and convenient school rooms, and two departments of the school permanently established. The divis- ion of the Saxonville territory into two districts obviated the difficulty of too many scholars, for a time ; but eventually both these districts organized two departments.
The systematic grading of the schools in the Centre, at Saxonville, and at South Framingham, grew up with the necessities of each case.
The grammar school at Saxonville was organized in 1856; at the Centre in 1857 ; at South Framingham in 1869.
414
History of Framingham.
The high schools were established earlier. The one at Saxonville was opened in 1852. It was kept in one of the rooms under the Town Hall there, till 1857, when the new school-house was erected. The high school at the Centre was established in the fall of 1852. As stated in a previous chapter, it was the legal successor of the Framingham Academy, and was kept in the Academy building till 1857, when the present school-house was built.
The grading of the schools was completed, and a regular course of study for the Centre high school, comprising four years, was inaugu- rated in 1865, by the committee, consisting of Rev. J. H. Temple, Rev. S. D. Robbins and Rev. Geo. E. Hill. The same course, modi- fied by circumstances, was introduced into the Saxonville high school. The school committee in their annual report for this year, say: " All the schools of the town are now pursuing a uniform, simple and effective system of study ; a system which is not a mere theory, nor a forced growth ; but one that has silently and slowly taken shape, to meet the actual wants and the condition of our schools. There is uniformity of text books in all the schools of the town ; and all the scholars are doing the same work, in the same way. The mixed schools in the outer districts, have each its own classification, and a uniform grade. The village schools are graded by a common stand- ard : and all of like capacity are working up in the use of the same text books towards the high schools."
Terms. In the earlier times, the school was kept at one or another place, throughout the year, except at " the busiest season," i.e. mid- summer. In more modern times, the plan of summer and winter terms was inaugurated, and continued, with exceptions, till 1854, when the school year was divided into three terms, spring, fall and winter, with a long vacation in the summer.
Town Grants to Schools. The following table shows the number of children of school age in town, the amount of money granted for the support of schools, and the cost per capita, at different dates. No return of the number of school children, before 1795, nor between 1801 and 1834, has been found.
Date.
No. Scholars.
Appropriation.
Per Scholar.
1795.
618
£100
3S. 2d. 3f.
1798.
649
$500
77 cts.
1801.
655
$600
93 cts.
1818.
$900
1831.
$1,100
1834.
802
$1,300
$1.60
1839.
786
$2,000
2.56
1845.
1030
$2,500
2.42
415
Graduates.
Date.
No. Scholars.
Appropriation.
Per Scholar.
1850.
798
$3,000
$3.76
1857.
853
$6,000
7.00
1862.
858
$5,500
6.40
1867.
900
$6,500
7.22
1872.
803
$14,000
17.43
1877.
977
$15,550
15.91
1882.
990
$18,500
18.68
GRADUATES. - The following is a list, substantially complete, of persons, natives or residents of Framingham, who have received a collegiate education : -
Phinehas Hemenway, H. U. 1730, Cong. min., Townsend, Mass.
David Goddard, H. U. 1731, Cong. min., Leicester, Mass.
Elias Haven, H. U. 1733, Cong. min., Franklin, Mass.
John Swift, H. U. 1733, Cong. min., Acton, Mass.
Nathan Haven, H. U. 1737, died.
Joseph Buckminster, H. U. 1739, Cong. min., Rutland, Mass. Amariah Frost, H. U. 1740, Cong. min., Milford, Mass.
John Mellen, H. U. 1741, Cong. min., Sterling, Mass.
John Wilson, H. U. 1741, physician, Hopkinton, Mass. Ebenezer Winchester, H. U. 1744, physician. Samuel Haven, H. U. 1749, Cong. min., Portsmouth, N. H. Jason Haven, H. U. 1754, Cong. min., Dedham, Mass. Moses Hemenway, H. U. 1755, Cong. min., Wells, Me. John Haven, H. U. 1757, teacher, Fram., Greenland, N. H. Eliab Stone, H. U. 1758, Cong. min., Reading, Mass. Moses Adams, H. U. 1771, Cong. min., Acton, Mass.
John Reed, Y. C. 1772, Cong. min., West Bridgewater, Mass., D.D., M. C. 1794, 6 years.
Solomon Reed, Y. C. 1775, Cong. min., Petersham, Mass.
Jonathan Maynard, H. U. 1775, justice of peace, Fram. Samuel Reed, Y. C. 1777, Cong. min., Warwick, Mass. Moses Haven, H. U. 1782, died.
Timothy Reed, D. C. 1782, lawyer, W. Bridgewater, Mass. Jacob Haven, H. U. 1785, Cong. min., Croydon, N. H. Joseph Bixby, H. U. 1791, died.
Daniel Stone, H. U. 1791, physician, Sharon, Mass.
Samuel Temple, D. C. 1792, teacher, author, Dorchester, Mass.
Joseph Locke, D. C. 1797, lawyer, Billerica, Mass.
John B. Fiske, D. C. 1798, lawyer, New York.
William Ballard, H. U. 1799, physician, Framingham.
416
History of Framingham.
Moses M. Fiske, D. C. 1802, teacher, Nashville, Tenn. John Brewer, H. U. 1804, physician, Philadelphia. Jones Buckminster, H. U. 1804, teacher, -, Tenn. William Haven, B. U. 1809, died.
William Eaton, W. C. 1810, Cong. min., Fitchburg, Mass. John L. Parkhurst, B. U. 1812, Cong. min., Standish, Me. Dana Clayes, Mid. C. 1815, Cong. min., Meredin, N. H. Joseph Bennett, H. U. 1818, Cong. min., Woburn, Mass. Jeremy Parkhurst, Y. C. 1819, physician, Philadelphia. Edward Frost, H. U. 1822, physician, Wayland, Mass. Increase S. Wheeler, H. U. 1826, merchant, Framingham. John T. Kittredge, A. C. 1828, physician, Framingham. Joshua T. Eaton, Y. C. 1830, Episc. clerg., Ohio and N. Y. Peter Parker, Y. C. 1831, missionary to China, minister plenipoten- tiary, etc.
Elbridge Bradbury, A. C. 1831, Cong. min., Sandisfield, Mass. Abner B. Wheeler, H. U. 1831, physician, Boston, Mass. Arthur S. Train, B. U. 1833, Bapt. min., Haverhill, Mass. Josiah Abbott, Y. C., 1835, physician, Hollis, N. H.
Wm J. Buckminster, H. U. 1835, editor, Boston, Mass. Edward Stone, B. U. 1835, Unit. min., Norridgewock, Me. Edward Brewer, H. U. 1836, farmer.
Oliver J. Fiske, B. U. 1837, Bapt. min., Tennessee.
Charles R. Train, B. U. 1837, lawyer, M. C., Boston, Mass. Charles P. Johnson, A. C. 1839, lecturer, New York.
James W. Brown, W. C. 1840, teacher, Framingham.
Benj. A. Edwards, B. U. 1841, Bapt. min., Bolton, Mass. Horace D. Walker, Y. C. 1841, Cong. min., Abington, Mass.
Addison Ballard, W. C. 1842, Presb. min., Prof. Lafayette Coll. Easton, Pa., D. D.
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