History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 133

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 133

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The first school building was erected at the " Cen- tre " on the land of and near the residence of the late Rev. Seth Chandler. It was, like all school-houses of that time, a small and unpretentious edifice of one story, " about twenty feet square," single boarded with rough boards, without inside ceiling, but was furnished with a cellar, to which access was gained by a trap-door in the centre of the room. In one corner of the apartment stood a huge fire-place, built of rough stones, and surmounted by a chimney of the same material. The room was furnished with a few seats made of rough planks, and with writing benches made of boards over which a plane never passed. To facilitate the means of supporting a school for a few weeks each year, it was customary to reut the building to the pedagogue or school-marm as a tenement, in part payment for his or her service in " teaching the young ideas how to shoot."

This school was taught by one Dame Nutting. Of her, Rev. Seth Chandler, in his " History of Shirley," writes : "Such was the obesity of this female official, that she might have stood beside Falstaff himself without losing aught by the comparison. To supply, therefore, the defect of an unwieldy person she kept herself provided with a stick-some five or six feet long-with which she reduced her urchin crew to a state of subjection while seated in her chair-throne, from which she seldom moved."

Hand-bells and gongs had not then been invented and this worthy dame summoned her pupils from re- cess by a vigorous beating of the outside of the build- ing with the stick. She used to keep order iu the

school, and the summons was usually obeyed, for the present ideas in regard to corporal punishment had not then been entertained.

For a few years this building was large enough to accommodate all the scholars desiring to attend school ; but soon it was found necessary to provide additional facilities, and accordingly the town was divided into three districts, -- the North, the Centre and the South. The Centre occupied the school- house already built and the other districts were obliged to hold their schools in private houses. The school in the North District was held in the house known as the Reuben Hartwell place, near the pres- ent North School-house, while the Southern District held theirs in different houses, as circumstances al- lowed. School buildings were erected in each of these districts before the close of the century, the building being of a character such as the times would permit.

The present North School occupies the site of the first building erected in that district. The building was subjected to alterations two or three times, and in 1844 was removed and the present building erected. The old building was afterwards used as a blacksmith shop.

The Centre School-house was located on the Com- mon, quite near the present location of the First Par- ish Church. The school-house in the South District was located upon the opposite side of the road from John Park's house. Later on it was converted into a dwelling-house. Later on the town was re-divided, it being thought necessary to have six districts, and these were named as follows: Middle, South-Middie, South, North, East and Southeast.

Buildings for school purposes were erected by each of these districts and they were located on or very near the sites of the present structures.

There was also a Seventh District, or the Shaker School ; this was located among the Shakers, who fur- nished the room, which was fitted up with their ac- customed neatness.

Up to the year 1843 it had been the custom of the several districts to furnish at their own ex- pense the school buildings for the use of the schol- ars within the limits ; but as many of the districts were small and the number of children few, the build- ings erected were of a cheap character and not snit- able for the purpose intended, so that in the year mentioned the town voted to " assume the buildings at a fair appraisement," and later they were all re- built and in some instances the buildings were for the times quite expensive structures.

At the time the town became the owner of the school buildings, they were all numbered to comply with a law of the Commonwealth, and some of them continue to be so designated at this time.

In 1846 District No. 3 was divided, thus forming what is now knowu as No. 8. The present school buildings, with the exception of those in Districts No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8, have been built since 1855.

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The new buildings were all constructed on a new and improved plan, and furnished with patent desks, and were well adapted to meet the requirements of the schools; but while they are large enough to ac- commodate all the pupils of the present day, they yet lack many of the appliances needful for the more modern system of teaching. All these buildings, with one exception, are single-story structures and built of brick. The grammar-school, which is situ- ated in Shirley Village, is a two-story structure also of brick, and contains two rooms, one of which-the upper-is occupied by the grammar-school, and the other by the primary. This school-house has been lately much improved by the addition of a furnace for heating purposes and various other repairs.

This town, although a small one, has, within the last quarter of a century, expended nearly twenty- five thousand dollars on its school-houses, and greatly increased the appropriations for the support of the schools, while the number attending the schools has not materially increased. The annual cost of the schools at the present time is about three thousand dollars.

For several years the schools were in session for a period of twenty-four weeks during each year, and later on this was increased to thirty weeks, divided into three terms of ten weeks each. The terms of the schools have, from time to time, been lengthened by private subscription, and for a few years a select school was held for three months in the fall of the year in the basement of the town-hall, which was well adapted for the purpose, being large and well ventilated. In 1853 this school was provided with ar apparatus for illustrating physical science, fur- nished by the subscriptions of several of the liberal citizens.

At the present time the school year is divided into three terms of three months each.

Under the present administration of the schools there are but five of the school buildings in use for school purposes,-the Centre or No. 1, the Grammar or No. 3, the East or No. 5, the North or No. 6, and the Intermediate or No. 7. The average number at- tending school is from 250 to 270, of all ages from five to sixteen.

As in all country towns, these pupils are scattered over a wide range of territory, and in years past it has not been possible to grade most of the schools as well and carefully as was desired. The village schools, three in number,-the grammar, interme- diate and primary,-situated as they are in that part of the town the most thickly settled, are for this rea- son more carefully graded than the other schools of the town. These schools, for the last two years, have been under the charge of teachers who are graduates of the Normal Schools.

Normal graduates are employed in the other schools in the town with one exception. The advancement in the several schools by reason of this change has

been very satisfactory, and the work accomplished by the introduction and working out by these normal graduates of new methods and advanced ideas has heen all that could be reasonably expected, showing conclusively the wisdom of the change and the desi- rability of obtaining for the schools the best possible aids to education.

Under this present system of teaching, music has been introduced into the schools in a small way, and it is the intention of the School Committee to more thoroughly introduce it in the near future.

In the fall of 1889 the Shaker School, so called, was discontinued. The committee, after carefully considering the question, decided that insomuch as the Shaker fraternity were unwilling to either send their children to the village schools for instruction or to admit of any number of pupils from outside their families attending-the committee, owing to the crowded condition of some of the other schools, desi- ring to send a number of scholars there-they could not rightfully continue the school. It was held by many that the school was sectarian, and therefore, under the existing law of the Commonwealth, could not be supported by the town.

The town has been the recipient of two bequests for the benefit of the schools, the first of which was from the Hon. Leonard M. Parker, a native of the town and a man prominent in the affairs of the State.

In 1856, at a town-meeting convened August 4th, the town voted to accept his bequest, which the following extract from his will will explain: " I give and be- queath to the inhabitants of the town of Shirley, afore- said, the sum of four thousand dollars, to constitute a fund for the endowment and support of a high school for the benefit of all the youth of the town," the same to be placed under the superintendence and direction of a board of six trustees named in the will, this board to consist of five, when reduced to that number by death or otherwise ; arrangement was also made whereby the vacancies occurring on this board from time to time should be filled.

This fund was, according to the implied request of the donor, placed in the hands of Dr. James O. Parker, as treasurer, by the trustees of the fund. Dr. Parker entered upon the discharge of his duties July 12, 1856, and continued in the office antil 1872, when his name was dropped on account of the aroused suspicions on the part of the town and the trustees of the fund, and Rev. Seth Chandler was appointed in his place.

The fund at this time amounted to $ 8151.52. Of this sum Dr. Parker paid over to his successor, in the office of treasurer, at the beginning of the fiscal year, June 30, 1873, the sum of $3654.67, leaving in his hands a balance of $4496.85, which sum he repeatedly prom- ised to pay, but his promises were never fulfilled. Frequent demands were made by the treasurer of the fund upon him, but to no purpose, and at length the town appointed a committee to collect from the ex-

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treasurer the sum due the fund, then amounting to over $7500,-after a tedious litigation it was decided that, owing to the poverty of the defaulting treasurer, the amount could not be recovered.

The fund remaining in the hands of the trustees after paying the costs of litigation was found to be so small that little could be done towards carrying out the plans of the donor; accordingly a compromise was proposed between the town and the residuary legatees of the estate of Hon. L. M. Parker, "by which the re- mainder of the funds might be used for any legitimate town purposes," but by reason of the disagreement of counsel the case is still before the court in an unset- tled condition. The amount of the fund at the pres- ent time, 1890, is about $6000.

The second of these legacies was that of Mrs. Sarah P. Longley, who died in 1889. Both Mrs. Longley and her husband, the late Israel Longley, were greatly interested in the public schools in the village, and the fund created by her will be a fitting monument of her generosity, and the names of Mr. and Mrs. Longley will long be kindly cherished by the grateful scholars of the village school.

The following is an extract of her will : "I give and bequeath to the town of Shirley the sum of six thousand dollars in trust to keep the same invested in safe securities, and I order, will and direct that the said town shall pay the income or interest of four thousand dollars towards the support of the union or high school, and the income or interest of two thou- sand dollars towards the support of the primary and intermediate schools, all of which schools are now situated in Shirley village. The principal, six thou- sand ($6000), to be invested by itself and called the ' Israel Longley School Fund.'"

Thus the town has two funds aggregating some twelve thousand dollars, the income of which shall be a last benefit to the schools, and the funds will stand as lasting monuments of the generosity and public spiritedness of the donors.

In 1842 five out of the seven school districts availed themselves of the State appropriation offered in that year-on condition that as much more should be added by a town tax or private subscription, and pro- cured the "School Library," published under the di- rection and superintendence of the Massachusetts Board of Education.

These libraries are now a thing of the past, they having been so much neglected by the people that their existence, if in fact they do now exist, is no doubt forgotten.

The number of persons from this town who have received a college education is small, owing, doubtless, to the limited population, the pecuniary inability of parents to give their sons a public education, and the general inclination of the young men to engage in mechanical pursuits. Among the number may be men- tioned General Daniel Parker, a graduate of Dart- mouth, class of 1801. He was a classmate of Daniel

Webster. He for years was judge advocate of the Third Division of Massachusettsmilitia-afterwards he was appointed by President Madison adjutant and inspector-general of the army with the rank of briga- dier-general. He died in 1846.

Leonard M. Parker, a brother of Daniel, was also a graduate of Dartmouth in the class of 1808. In 1812 he was appointed army judge advocate. In 1816 he was elected to the House of Representatives from Charlestown, where, on his admission to the bar in 1811, he began the practice of his profession. Soon after lie was chosen to the Senate, and continued to be elected to either the Senate or House until 1830, when he was appointed naval officer for the port of Boston and Charlestown. After the expiration of his term he removed back to Shirley and he was immediately re- turned to the House, and until 1850 was actively en- gaged in both branches of the State government.

Mr. Parker was active in town affairs, serving both on the Board of Selectmen and School Committee.

He was active, too, in church work, being a member of the First Parish Society.

While in the State Senate in 1826-27, he was a leader in the struggle which resulted in making Warren Bridge a free bridge and opening "a free passage from Boston to the country,"-a most import- ant and warmly contested movement. And when in the early history of the anti slavery agitation, in 1837, the national House of Representatives adopted the resolution overthrowing the right of petition upon the subject of slavery, in the battle against which John Quincy Adams, then a member of that House, bore so prominent and noble a part, Mr. Parker, as chairman of the committee to which a memorial upon the matter was referred in the State Legislature, prepared and reported a series of resolutions, of which the following are a part :

" Resolved, That Congress does possess the constitutional power to abolish slavery within the District of Columbia.

" Resolved, That the foundation principles of our political institutions, the honor of our country, and the peace of all, demand the solemn con- sideration by Congress of the wisdom and effects of exercising the power aforesaid.

" Resolved, That the right of petition, and free discussion in regard to all matters within the constitutional powers of Congress, ought to be held sacred ; and any attempt to impair or abridge it should he met with devoted firmness." .

This, so far as we have been able to learn, was the first report of resolutions in any form to the Legisla- ture, or to any Legislature in the country, "asserting the right of Congress to abolish slavery in the Dis- trict of Columbia, and making upon that body a solemn demand to consider the wisdom and the effects of the exercise of that power."

One other name is worthy of mention here, though not a college graduate-Oliver Holden. He was born in Shirley, September 18, 1765. Trained to the trade of a carpenter, his musical gifts led him in time from that employment to that of a teacher and composer of music. He was the author and compiler of several musical works which had large sale and became widely

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popular. But " what most distinguished him, and that for which he will be the longest known and remem- bered is the composition of that divine tune ' Corona- tion.' "

PUBLIC LIBRARY .- The first library of a public character of which we have record was known as the "Social Library." It was established about 1790 by the associated effort of a few prominent families, under the lead of the first minister of the town, Rev. Phinehas Whitney. It numbered somewhat over one hundred volumes at the beginning, and was increased from year to year by such additions as circumstances would permit. We are told that "not a work of fic- tion was on its shelves,-nothing of an ephemeral character,-but standard history, geography and natural science." It was esteemed a valuable collec- tion at the time, but passed from service with the generation with which it started.

In 1839 another movement for a library was made by a few ladies of the First Congregational Society. An association was formed for its maintenance, and it was supported by a membership fee, initiatory and annual. It numbers about seven hundred volumes.

During the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Norcross, of the Orthodox Church, at his suggestion and by his aid, a reading circle was formed. Books for reading were purchased as members desired, and passed from one to another on a system of mutual ownership and ex- change. Somewhat more than one hundred volumes were gathered in this way, and in 1884 they were offered to the town on certain specified conditions, to be made the basis or beginning of a Public Library. The town consented to the conditions and accepted the offer, and elected a board of trustees. It also made an appropriation for the purchase of new books, and continues this practice annually. The appropri- ation for the present year is three hundred dollars. The trustees perform the duties of librarian, and render all service free. The library now contains about eleven hundred volumes, and arrangements are in progress for the opening of a reading-room in con- nection with it.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY .- At the time the dis- trict was organized, the nearest place of public wor ship was in the parent town, Groton, a distance of from three to nine miles. The roads were but rough pathways through the woods, and the only passage across the river was by a narrow foot-bridge, or by fording. The travel was on foot or horse-back, and yet, with this distance and its difficulties, those who were in health and able to make the journey were seldom absent from church. The need of religious privileges at a nearer and more convenient point was deeply felt, and was one of the reasons for the sep- aration and incorporation of the district, and an early movement was made to secure the same. At a legal meeting held six months after its organization, the second article in the warrant was: "To see if the town will hire any preaching this spring."

" Passed in the negative " is the record of the action at this time. But soon another effort was made, and with better success. " At a legal meeting begun and held at the house of Mr. Jonathan Gould, in sd dis- trict of Shirley, it was voted to raise Ten Pound, lawful money, to hire preaching." This was in the first year of the district's incorporation. In the same year steps were taken toward building a house of worship. A meeting was held October 24th at the house of Robert Henry, and adjourned thence to the spot which had been selected for the meeting-house. A slight change was determined in the location and recorded as follows: "Voted to move the meeting- house place from where the committee stated it, abont thirty poles west to a white oak tree and heap of stones." " Voted that William Simonds, Jerahmeel Powers and Samuel Walker be a committee to move the meeting-honse." By which was meant, make the change in location and move such material as had been brought to the place. The people were invited to labor on the house and grounds, and were to be al- lowed "four shillings a day for a man, and one shil- ling a day for a pair of oxen." In November the site was prepared and the frame erected. "It stood nearly opposite the location of the present Centre School-house." The covering, laying the floors and finishing proceeded slowly. On December 26th the district voted "to raise £16, to provide building ma- terials." The house was completed late in the follow- ing spring, or in the early summer, and was a rough structure, ceiled on the outside and without pews or seats. These, however, were furnished within a few years, the first being built by the town at the right of the pulpit for the minister's family, and the custom adopted of seating the house according to the dignity of the people, the largest tax-payer being considered first, the men sitting at the right of the broad aisle, and their wives having the same position on the left.

At a meeting held a few weeks before its comple- tion, it was " voted to hire three months' preaching." And, on November 29th, it was "voted te have six weeks' preaching this winter." The expense of maintaining religious services appears to have borne heavily, and during the following year, 1755, we have no account of any being held. But at the meeting of the Colonial Legislature in September, a petition was presented, which reads as follows :

" Province of the Massachusetts Bag.

"To His Honour Spencer Phips, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor aud Commander-in-chief of said Province; to the Honorable, His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives, io General Court assembled at Boston, September 24th, 1755.

"The petition of John Whitney, James Patterson and Jonas Longley, a committee duly appointed by the District of Shirley, humbly sbeweth, that the said District is small, and many of them poor ; but the great distances they lived from the Public Meeting-House io Groton, obliged them to get off from said towo, in order to receive privileges among themselves ; altho' we have been set off more than three years, we have. not been able to settle a minister, tho' we have built a small House for the publick worship of God, and have hired preaching part of the time since we were set off ; and so it is, that there is now about one-third of our Ratable Polls are inlisted in his Majesty's Service ; but we being

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

desirous to settle a Minister among ourselves (but think ourselves not able without some further assistance than to raise our Estates, and what Polls we have), and there being several Hundred Acres of unimproved Lands lying within our District, which is made much in value for our improvements ; so that we humbly pray your Honour and Honours, to enable the said District of Shirley to assess all the unimproved Lands lying within said District, for three years next coming, at two Pence per Acre, to enable us io settling of a Minister, and other necessary charges in said District ; and to assess and collect the same in such way and manner as your Honours shall see meet ; as in duty bound shall ever pray.

" JAMES PATTERSON, " JOHN WHITNEY."

Upon this petition the following order was issued :

" In the House of Representatives, Sept. 26, 1755.

" Read and ordered, that the Petitioners serve the Non-resident and other Proprietors of the unimproved Lands in the District of Shirley with this Petition, by inserting the substance thereof in one of the publick Prints three weeks successively, that they show cause (if any they have), on the second Friday of the next setting of this Court, why the prayer should not be granted.

" Sent up for concurrence. -

" T. HUDDARD, Speaker.

"In Council, Sept. 26, 1755. Read and concur'd.

"THOMAS CLARKE, Dep. Sec'y.

" Copy examined. Per THOMAS CLARKE, Dep. Sec'y."

This was printed in the Boston Gazette or Country Journal October 6, 1755.

Soon after the completion of the meeting-house it was decided to have a settled ministry, and a com- mittee was appointed to attend to the matter and to seek advice of neighboring ministers in the discharge of this duty. A day of fasting and prayer was ap- pointed and observed-June 18, 1755-"that they might have divine guidance in a matter of such great moment."

In February of the following year an invitation was extended to Mr. Goodhue, from Hollis, N. H., who had been supplying the pulpit for some six or seven months. He accepted, on condition " that a mile of territory from the town of Lunenburg could be an- nexed to Shirley." This territory would give a more regular form to the town and assist its interests, and was, therefore, desired by it. A petition for it was sent to the "Great and General Court," at Boston, but was not granted, and Mr. Goodhue was not settled. Another invitation was given to him two years later, but de- clined.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 133

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034