History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 128

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 128

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But the influence of the cities and larger towns be- gau to be felt, where the cumbersome machinery of the system above described had been abandoned, and a simple system introduced of schools conducted under the sole charge of one committee, and graded by classes so far as practicable. In 1859 the town abandoned the election of a prudential committee, and added three members to the school committee, which, again increased in 1868, became a committee of nine, one-third elected each year. For atime care

was taken that, at least, one member of the nine should be chosen from the residents of each district, in order to maintain the proper equilibrium of school influence throughout the town. The districts, too, at first, held their meetings, as before, to nominate the candidate for election from their district. But it proved inconvenient always to maintain this rule, and deviations from it were more and more allowed, till the rule had at last become obsolete. Then it began to be felt that a committee of nine persons was larger than could be needed for a small town, and that the sehoo! business could be done more conveniently and no less efficiently by a board of a smaller number. The town about 1880 had reduced the number to three, one member to be elected aunually, and this arrangement, proving entirely satisfactory, has pre- vailed to the present time.

The division of the school money among the dis- tricts was at first made by vote of the town, and seems to have been based on the number of families or scholars in the district. But the rule was varied, sometimes equal amounts being assigned to all the districts. Once the Centre District was allowed to count as one and one-half. Later the division was left to the judgment of the superintending school committee, and this committee appears to have re- covered from the town gradually a recognition of the rights which the law really gave them.

Feeling that the burden upon scholars of purchas- ing school-books had become excessive, in order to reduce the price, in 1882 the town appropriated $300 to be used in purchasing a supply to be sold without profit for cash. This plan was pursued successfully two years, when the law requiring towns to furnish school-books free to their scholars went into effect. The supply on hand was then turned over to the new use. Books and supplies are now purchased as needed, and are issued by the agent of the town upon the requisition of the school-teachers.

Iu the spring of 1889, taking advantage of the new law, a union with the town of Hopkinton was effected and a superintendent of schools was chosen for the two towns, who has now completed one year of suc- cessful service.

The locating of schools which pre-supposed a divi- sion of the town into districts was done by the com- mittee on schools appointed at the second town-meet- ing held on April 8, 1846.

The limits of the district having been determined, to find the actual spot for the location of the school- house, measurements were made to decide as to its geographical centre, and the house was built at a point on the road nearest that centre. There were originally seven districts, reduced to six when the school-house in District No. 3 was erected. Five new school-honses were built very early, and they stand to- day in their original locations, though in three of them no schools now assemble. The school in the

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Centre District, otherwise called District No. 1, was kept in the chapel, a two-story brick building, which stood on the site of the town-hall, but more to the front. Only the firet story in this building was fitted with school furniture, and regularly occupied for school purposes. There were seats for about fifty scholars. Overflow schools were sometimes kept in the hall above and in other buildings in the village. Before 1850 the number of pupils attending the Cen- tre School had become double that in District 6. Be- tween these two schools there were many contests in spelling occurring on winter evenings. The schools in the other districts were smaller, particularly in Nos. 2 and 4. After 1855 the attendance in the out- lying schools began to decrease, a tendency which has not been checked even to the present time. The result has been seen in the closing of the schools in Districts 2, 3 and 5, though the last-named school was also weakened by the cutting off of a portion of the district by the flowage from " Dam 2." In the north- erly part of the territory of District 3, in 1887, a new school-house was built to accommodate the children from the new village at Chattanooga Mills.

Meantime a great change has been going on in the centre of the town. It was early found that the school accommodations were insufficient, that something more than one school-room in the Chapel building was needed. It was also believed that there were now scholars enough in this district to put in success- ful operation the graded system, which had proved beneficial in the cities and larger towns. At a meet- ing of the town held in 1855, it was decided to erect a town building, upon the first floor of which provi- sion should be made for the schools in the centre of the town. Four school-rooms of a size to seat fifty pupils each were provided and furnished in a sub- stantial and, for the time, superior manner. The schools in this district then began anew under the graded system. From 1856 for two years a high school was taught by H. F. Allen, and about 1863 portions of the tuitions of scholars attending the pri- vate school of Warden Reynolds were paid for a year or two by the town. With these exceptions it was not attempted to carry scholars beyond the grade of the grammar-school, requiring those who desired to pur- sue more advanced studies either to go out of town for the needed instruction or to obtain it in the occa- sional private schools which were taught on the tui- tion plan.

HIGH SCHOOL .- In 1867 the number of scholars having increased, to meet the general desire, as well as to keep abreast with neighboring towns, it was again voted to organize a high school, though the number of resident families was not sufficient to com- pel the town to take such action. From the date of its final establishment there has been no interruption to the high school. At first the services of but one teacher were required. Later, when the number of scholars had increased, an assistant was furnished,

and now for many years two teachers have devoted their time to the school, and, if short periods at the change of teachers be excepted, with almost uniformly satisfactory results. The principal, at least, has always had the preparation afforded by a college course of study ; the assistant now employed is a col- lege graduate. So successfully has this school been conducted, that very few scholars have gone away to other schools, even for acquiring the necessary pre- paration for college or the higher technical schools. Following is a list of the principals of the high school, with dates and periods of teaching :

J. O. Norris, 55 weeks, from June, 1867 ; H. E. Mar- rion, 8 weeks, from September, 1868; Francis Savage, 27 weeks, from January, 1869 ; H. E. Bartlett, 40 weeks, from September, 1869; J. A. Page, 13 weeks, from September. 1870 ; A. S. Roe, 187 weeks, from January, 1871; J. B. Messervey, 40 weeks, from September, 1875; A. J. George, 240 weeks, from September, 1876 ; W. H. Thompson, 40 weeks, from September, 1882; F. E. Whittemore, 120 weeks, from September, 1883; E. H. Alger, 13 weeks, from September, 1886; C. W. Ayer, 4 weeks, from January, 1887; H. A. Blood, 63 weeks, from February, 1887; Walter Moores, 80 wecks, from September, 1888.

OTHER SCHOOLS .- The grammar school, though belonging to the series of graded schools in the Cen- tre District, has been open to pupils from all parts of the town, who have chosen to attend. This school has always been the special care of the committee, and none but teachers of sterling character and large experience have been employed, The appointments of teachers to the lower grades, and in the mixed schools, have usually been made from the graduates of the high school, or of one of the State normal schools. It has been the practice of the committee to retain good teachers, advancing them in grade and pay, and marriage of a female teacher has not worked a forfeiture of her position. The schools have suf- fered at times from the excursions of marauding sup- erintendents from larger places, but the offer of high- er wages has not always proved a sufficient lure. Teachers have usually preferred to keep their present assured positions, though they get less money. An exception, however, must be allowed in the case of the high school principals, who have as a rule left at the end of from two to six years for better positions, as the town though liberal in all school matters, neces- sarily sets a limit to salaries. Contrary to the tenden - cy in the outlying districts, the number of scholars in the centre of the town has always been increasing. Before 1870 the four rooms in the town hall building. with the addition of one of the ante-rooms up-stairs, could not be made to seat all the scholars. A room was fitted up in Adams Block, at the corner of Rail- road and Alden streets, providing for about forty of the smallest scholars. This arrangement not proving permanent, as no other quarters could be secured, the school committee, with the consent of the selectmen,

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put up and furnished the small school building now standing east of the town hall. Still the rooms were crowded, the number of pupils running up as high as seventy-five in the lowest grade. In 1871 eighty rods of land were bought on South Main Street, and the four-room school-house now occupied was erected aud furnished at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. This relieved the pressure, furnishing accommoda- tions sufficient to the present time. More recently the conviction gained ground that the rooms in the town hall building did not meet the modern require- ments of school-rooms, and that some of them were needed for other purposes; as a result, in 1889 the town voted to erect an appropriate school building on their lot of land, situated on Central Street, lately bought for the purpose, and are now engaged in put- ting up a building which will accommodate the high and grammar schools, and one other school.

Until about the year 1855 there were only two sessions or terms of the schools, consisting usually of twelve weeks each. The summer term begau in May, a female teacher being employed, and none but the smaller scholars attending. The principal school was in the winter term, commencing the first Mon- day after Thanksgiving. A male teacher was em- ployed, and, as all the large boys and girls in the district attended, the strong qualities of the teacher were sure to be tested. Soon after the year above named, female teachers only began to be employed, and the number of weeks of schooling was increased. For many years the schools below the high school were kept thirty weeks annually, the time being divided into three equal terms. Recently, two to five weeks have been added to the length of the school year. The high school year has always been forty weeks. With the change from male to female teachers in the winter, the attendance of grown-up boys and girls in the district schools fell away. It may, however, be said that those who, under the early custom, would have attended school in the winter, but now remained at home, were few, for most of this class, about this time adopting the new fashions of living, went into the boot-shops, or, going away from home, struck out for themselves. But looking back and comparing the palmy days of the district school with those of later times, it cannot but be observed that a certain amount of sturdiness has been subtracted from the outlying districts, and its substitute for the people of those districts must be found, if at all, in the growth and culture afforded by the high school now convening in the centre of the town.

Two TEACHERS .- It is impossible to refer to each of the long line of teachers who have toiled in this town ; but going back a cousiderable period, a pass- ing reference may be made to one or two who have left a specially lasting impression by virtue of their personal influence. Under the old district adminis- tration the names of L. H. Cobb and Samuel Upton

will occur to the minds of residents who have now passed middle life. Upton taught in the Centre District for two or three winters, conducting a large school with very great ability. He was at the time taking his course in Dartmouth College. He after- wards became a lawyer, and is now a judge in the highest court in New Hampshire, his native State. Cobb was also a Dartmouth student, a classmate of Upton, and preceded him in school work in Ashlaud. Cobb taught five winters in District No. 6, taking the school through the period of its greatest strength. There were then in that school fifty scholars, of ages varying from four to twenty-one. His administra- tion was severe but just, and truly inspiring. So much interested in his work was he, that, in addition to his regular duties, he aided his scholars in forming a lyceum, the meetings of which were held weekly during the winter terms of several years. About everything of an intellectual order within the capac- ity of the scholars was planned and executed at these meetings. There was always a debate, with the reg- ular array of disputants, after the manner of lyceums in those days. There was a " paper," upon the prep- aration of which much time had been spent ; there was declamation, music, everything but a play. To add to the interest, other schools were invited to par- ticipate in the exercises, the final wind-up usually being a good-natured combat in spelling. At these meetings lectures were sometimes given by Cobb, Upton and others, including Sanborn Teuney, then the Park's Corner teacher, afterwards the professor in natural science. The result of all this fervor, breath- ing intellectual life into No. 6, was the awakening of aspirations among the youth of that district. Two of the boys at least who participated in the debates of that lyceum have, as men, made their mark : E. F. Dewing, after the war, judge of the District Court in New Orleans, and afterwards, for years, to the time of his decease, a prominent lawyer in a neighboring town, and Rev. J. E. Twitchell, D.D., for many years a successful pastor of prominent city churches, aud now located in New Haven, Conn.

LIBRARIES,-The earliest known library kept for use within the territorial limits of this town was the collection of books, principally novels, purchased and owned by Ephraim Bigelow. He lived on the place occupied by the late W. D. Cole in the easterly part of the town. From about 1815 for twenty-five years people came from all directions, within a radius of five miles, to take out books, paying for their use at the rate of two cents a week. When the school library was provided for the Park's Corner District in Fram- ingham, this collection was carried over to that point and placed in the care of George Fay, who also had charge of the school library.

About the year 1830, Matthew Metcalf, Elias Na- son and Andrew Allard went to Boston together and bought one hundred and fifty volumes, paying two hundred dollars, and placed them in the couuting-

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

room of the cotton factory for general circulation. The selection was made mostly by Mr. Nason, who was then teaching school in the village. This library was in use about ten years, when the books were sold to the families interested in them. The original con- tributions were from one to five dollars, and no charge was made for the use of the books. About 1840 the State had a series of books prepared under the supervision of the Board of Education, which were furnished upon payment, to those towns that desired to introduce them. These books treated upon scientific and historieal subjects, and were bound in a uniform style. Fifty or more volumes were placed in each of the school-rooms in Framingham and Hop- kinton and were issued to the households in the dis- tricts. Much interest was manifested in this move- ment, and the books were eagerly read ; but no new hooks were added, so the interest gradually fell away. The library belonging to what is now the Centre District is supposed to have been seattered and lost. Twenty volumes, originally in the district now comprising the westerly part of the town, are still in existence and in a fair state of preservation.

Shortly before the war a few persons clubbing to- gether bought about fifty volumes, mostly histories and biographies, and placed them in the office of the shoe-shop of C. H. Tilton, in charge of George H. Ellis as librarian. The subscribers had free use of the books ; other persons were allowed to take them out upon payment of a fee. After about one year the club suspended and divided the books among the members.

In the year 1859, with money raised by subscription, the Agricultural Library (so-called from the prevail- ing character of the books) was purchased and put into general circulation. This was the first effort made, after the incorporation of the town, to furnish a free library. It would appear from the books of the librarian still preserved, that there were upwards of 125 volumes in this library. The principal patronage came from the farmers, but nearly all the families in town, at one time or another, appear to have taken out books. No additions were made and the books gradually disappeared. Mr. S. W. Wiggins, the libra- rian, at whose store the library was kept, still had in his possession at the establishment of the present Public Library, eight volumes, which he placed in that collection.

A period of twenty years now followed, in which discouraging views prevailed, and the untoward end of the Agricultural Library was cited by way of illus- tration, forgetting that to attain success other books than those on farming are needed, as well as frequent reinforcements by the addition of new books. But that the towns-people desired to read, if only books of the right kind conkl be furnished, was shown all through this period by the patronage given to private circulating libraries.

First came to town one Uriah Pollard in 1870,

bringing 500 fresh volumes, mostly novels and histor- ies, and putting them in eireulation at a charge of two cents a day. This library was kept in the store of Horace Yeaton, in a building since burned. For two or three years this venture proved profitable to the owner, as the circulation was large. The period of popularity was prolonged by the addition from time to time of a few new volumes. After the interest had fallen off the library was sold.

Next, a club of a dozen persons was formed, and fifty dollars raised, by which a small library was pur- chased, to be kept at the drug-store of Billings & Ox- ley. This movement lasted a year, at the end of which time the books were sold by auction to the sub- scribers.

Then followed other circulating libraries, each in turn having its day. Mrs. Franklin Moulton pur- chased a small library of interesting books, which she kept at her residence on Railroad Street. W. T. IIill selected about 200 volumes, mostly novels, covering and labeling them neatly, and keeping them several years at his printing-office. Still later, S. A. Davis, profiting by the example of others who had turned an honest penny in the business, placed a library of about three hundred volumes in his periodical store on Railroad Street. This, like the libraries which preceded it, was composed of popular works, and was largely patronized until the opening of the Public Library. He still retains his books and loans them as they are called for.

In parallel movement with the libraries there have been circulations of books and magazines owned by clubs, which, after having gone the rounds, would be divided or sold at auction among the members. There have been few, if any, years in the history of the town when one or more clubs of this character have not been in the field.

At least one special etl'ort has been made to furnish the public with the free use of magazines and papers. E. P. Tenney during his pastorate with the Congre- gational Church, raised funds by solicitation, hired a room in the then post office building and had it fur- nished for a general reading-room. This room was kept open one year, day and evening, with, however, but a small attendance of readers.

Even after the partly successful experiment with the Agricultural Library before referred to, there were those who believed that a free public library, if properly managed, could be made to succeed, and furthermore that the interests of the town demanded that an effort should be made to establish such a library. In the spring of 1871 A. S. Roe, then principal of the high school, now master of the Worcester high school, made strenuous efforts to awaken an interest in the subject; some of the eitizens, at his request, met at the town hall building and dis- cussed the question. It was thought that one thou- sand dollars would be needed to start a public library with prospect of success. Mr. Roe drew up a sub-

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seription paper and commenced its circulation. Alvah Metcalf, Henry Cutler and a few others put down liberal sums; but when two hundred and fifty dollars had been subscribed, it was found that the limit to which the people woukl then go had been reached. Many persons, when approached, proved to be unwill- ing to contribute, giving as a reason that the time had not yet come for a public library. The town, it was said, was struggling under a large war debt, and the consequent heavy taxes, and was suffering under the general depression in values and incomes, which had overtaken the whole land at that time. So the sub- ject was reluctantly dropped.

PUBLIC LIBRARY .- The condition of the town's finances annually improved. Year by year some part of the debt was paid. In 1880 the opinion began to be entertained that the time had come for the estab- lishment of a free public library. It was in the spring of that year that G. T. Higley, having requested the insertion of an article upon the subject in the warrant for the annnal town-meeting, made a motion at that meeting, which was carried, that such a library be es- tablished by the town under the provisions of the statute law. This proved to be a beginning. A com- mittee, consisting of G. T. Higley, W. F. Ellis, S. S. Baker, Adrian Foote, Elias Grout and Paul Stevens, were chosen to carry this vote into effect. No action was taken till the succeeding fall. At that time the committee, having called to their aid many of the cit- izens, planned a series of entertainments which after- wards took place, with the effect of raising the needed funds, and at the same time awakening a general in- terest in the subject. In this movement the churches and other publie organizations participated. All the population, exceptions, if any, being very few, took an active personal interest. The funds obtained from entertainments were more than doubled by cash sub- scriptions, which immediately followed, the whole secured sum amounting to nearly one thousand dol- lars. With this eight hundred volumes were pur- chased, which became at once a working nucleus. The town voted to assign the dog tax to the library, and this, with two hundred dollars appropriated an- nually to the present time, has now served to collect a library of nearly three thousand volumes. The selec- tions of books have been made by the trustees, princi- pally through their secretary, who has made it a strict duty to study the subject. Books that have become standard are easily found. To acquire a knowledge of new books, the notices which appear in the literary columns of the papers and in periodicals devoted to the subject are studied, and from notes taken the pur- chasing lists are made. Books asked for by persons using the library, especially by teachers and students, are bought if no valid reason exists for excluding them. This process of selection has been found to work satisfactorily, as only the best books and those that are wanted are admitted. All ages, and classes, and dwellers in all parts of the town use the library.

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In it the schools find aid in their work, special priv- ileges being granted in the use of the books to teachers and students. A board of six trustees chosen by the town, one-third annually, conduet the library. A printed catalogue has been prepared for home use, supplementary slips being added after each new pur- chase. Although the books are freely entrusted to the care of young persons to be taken to their homes, after nine years' constant use, not half a dozeu vol- umes have been lost, or were unaccounted for at the last annual examination of the library. The system in use, of fines, of charging upon personal cards, and of requiring each applicant for a book to fill out a slip to be left with the librarian, absolutely protects the library from all loss or damage, except the ordinary wear and tear.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 128

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278