History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 137

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706

USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 137

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

655

HISTORY OF BROCKTON.

Again, the grammar-school did not suit all the peo- ple in the parish ; for. Nov. 14, 1796, we find a meet- ing called " To see if some more advantageous method cannot be devised for the improvement of the Gram- mar-School." at which it was " voted to postpone the subject to the next March meeting."

March 9, 1797. " Voted to choose a committee of one from each school District, to make some alteration in the Grammar-School Districts, and report at next fall meeting." Daniel Howard, Esq., Issachar Snell, Esq., Waldo Hayward, Capt. Lemuel Packard, Moses Cary, Capt. Zebedee Snell, Capt. Jesse Perkins, Jere- miah Thayer. Jr., Barnabas Curtis, Daniel Manley, Jr., were the committee who made the following re- port. Nov. 13, 1797 :

" The committee appointed to report a plan for keeping the Grammar-School have agreed upon the following mode, namely : ' Firat, That Said School shall not he kept in a dwelling- house. Second. That Said School he kept in each English district through the parish, provided they Shall build School- Honses and fit them with seats in the same manner the School- house near the meeting-house is, and otherwise convenient in the judgment of the Selectmen for the time heing, and find sufficiency of Fire wood. Third, In case any district shall not comply with the foregoing conditions, the school is to he keept in the next Distrect according to their turn. The school shall be keept first in Issachar Enell's, 2d in Jesse Perkins', 3d Jona- than Cary's, 4th Amzi Brett's, 5th William Shaw's, 6th Ichabod Edson's, ith Charles Snell's, 8th Ephraim Cole's, 9th Daniel Manly's, 10th Capt. Zehedee Snell's,-all of which is Submitted to the parish for consideration and acceptance.

"The above report was accepted and agreed to by the Parish. " A trew record.

" DANIEL CARY, Parish Clerk."

Previous to the organization of the town, in 1821, the North Parish had the charge of the school funds which were set apart by the town to them, and the precinct committee were the committee when no others were chosen especially for that purpose. The amount was assessed upon the inhabitants according to their valuation. We find no systematic account of the amount appropriated yearly or the manner in which it was spent, but presume it was well expended. The schools were usually from six to eight weeks in a year, and we should judge the people would make the most of their time. We have found occasionally separate amounts additional to that voted by the town to be assessed by the parish, as, March 16, 1795, " Voted £15 for English Schooling." Also, Feb. 27, 1798, " Voted to raise two hundred dollars for the use of schooling." This above vote was reconsidered Aug. 19, 1798. The precinct voted sums only when an extra outlay had been made or a school-house built. The first appropriations are from 1821 to 1825, inclu- sive, when the sum of six hundred and twenty-five dollars was voted. Early the next year (1826) the

State passed a general law placing the entire care and superintendence of the public schools in a town in the hands of a committee, which consisted of threc, five, or seven persons, whose duty it was to examine into the qualifications of teachers, and to visit the several schools at the commencement and closing of them. Their duty was to provide books for those that fail to provide for themselves, under certain rules, and also to determine what books should be used in the schools.

School Committee of the Town .- The following is a list of the school committee from 1827 to 1864, inclusive, together with the years of their election :

Eliah Whitman, 1827, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, '46, '47.

Linus Howard, 1827, '29, '30, '31.

Dr. Nathan Perry, 1827.

Rev. D. Huntingdon, 1828, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, '45, '46, '47.

Dr. John S. Crafts, 1828, '29, '30.

Rev. John Goldshury, 1828.

Heman Packard, 1829, '30, '31, '31, '33, '34.

Albert Smith, 1829, '35, '38, '39. Jesse Perkins, 1829, '30, '31, '32, '33, '36, '37, 39.

Jahez Kingman, 1830.

Erastus Wales, 1832, '33.

Lucius Kingman, 1834, '35.

Ziheon Shaw, 1834, '35, '36, '37.

Joseph A. Rainsford, 1836, '37.

Isaac Eames, 1838.

Josiah W. Kingman, 1838.

Rev. John Dwight, 1838.

Rev. Paul Couch, 1838, '39, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, '45, '46, '47, '48, '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '56, '57, '58.

Rev. A. S. Dudley, 1845.

Adoniram Bisbee, 1848, '49, '50, '51, 52.

Rev. William Whiting, 1848, '49, '50.

Henry A. Ford, 1851, '52, '56, '57, '58, '59, '60, '61.

Rev. Henry Baylies, 1853, '54.

Rev. A. B. Wheeler, 1854, '55.

Rev. Warren Goddard, 1853.

George T. Ryder, 1855. Charles C. Bixhy, 1855.

Rev. Charles L. Mills, 1856, '57, '58, '59, '60.

Elbridge G. Ames, 1859, '60, '61; '62, '63.

Galen E. Pratt, 1860, '61, '62, '63.

Rev. Charles W. Wood, 1862, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67, '68, '69, '70, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77.

Augustus T. Jones, 1864, '65, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80.

Rev. F. A. Crafts, 1864, '65, '66, '67.

Rev. J. L. Stone, 1866, '67, '68.

Jonathan White, 1867, '68, '69, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84.

Jonas R. Perkins, 1867, '68.

Rev. E. C. Mitchell, 1868.

Rev. I. M. Atwood, 1869, '70, '71.

Henry A. Ford, 1870, '71, '72.

Darius Howard, 1870, '71, '72.

Ira Copeland, 1870, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75.

Charles R. Ford, 1870, '71, '72, '73, '74.

Charles D. Brigham, 1870, '71.

Ellis Packard, 1870, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75.

Albert Keith, 1870, '71, '72.

656

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

Loring W. Puffer, 1874.

Enos II. Roynolds, 1874, '75, '76, '77, '78.

S. Franklin Packard, 1874, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84.

Alfred Laws, 1874, '75, '76.

Cyrus F. Copeland, 1874, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84.

Baalis Sanford, Jr., 1875, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84. John J. Whipple, 1875, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83.

Edward Crocker, 1876, '77, '78.

H. N. P. Hubbard, 1877, '78, '79.

Rev. Henry E. Goddard, 1877, '78, '79.

Charles W. Sumner, 1875, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81.

De Witt Clinton Packard, 1879, '80, '81, '82.

Patrick Gilmore, 1880, '81, '82.

Lizzie A. Kingman, elected in joint convention for three years, but declined serving.

Martha J. Farwell, 1882, '83, '84.

Samuel L. Beals, 1882.

David S. Cowell, 1882, '83, '84.

Arthur E. Kenrick, 1882, '83, '84.

Hon. Ziba C. Keith, ex officio, 1882, '84 (mayor).

Hon. Henry H. Packard, ex officio, 1883 (mayor).

William A. Sanford, 1883, '84.

William Rankin, 1883, '84.

Annual Appropriations for Schools .- This com- mittee was also required to make an annual report of the number of schools, scholars, amount appropriated, and such other details as was deemed of interest to the secretary of the commonwealth. From these reports (now on file in his office) from North Bridgewater we find the following reports, which we publish to exhibit at a glance the condition of the schools at different dates :

Year.

Number of Scholars.

Amount appropriated.

Number of Schools.

1827

425

$800

1828.

425

800

1829

550

800

1830

580

800

1831

593

800

1832

569

800

1833

669

800

1834.

650

1000

1835

657

1000

1836

676

1000

We see by the above returns that prior to the year 1837 the amount annually appropriated for the sup- port of the public schools in the town did not increase in proportion to the increase in the number of schol- ars. During this year a change was made in the laws regulating the schools throughout the common- wealth by the organization of the Board of Education in June, 1837, and by which all the school committees in the several towns were required to make a detailed report to them annually of the condition of the schools in their respective towns, which report was either to be read in open town-meeting or printed for circulation among the inhabitants. The effect of these reports has been of universal advantage to the commonwealth, as by this system the experience of

each town is laid open to the others, so that they may be benefited by another's experience. By it the sev- eral portions of the State are brought ncarer each other, causing a spirit of emulation to pervade the community. It is this that has given the Old Bay State a name worthy of being handed down to future generations, and has made her so celebrated for her educational advantages.

The returns above named were usually made in March or April, and presented to the town for their approval. Below we present the reader with a copy of the returns from 1838, the year following the or- ganization of the board, to the year 1882, inclusive :

Year.

No. Schools.

Amount appro- priated by Taxation.

Number of Scholars be- tween 4 and 16.

1838.

$1000.00

704

1839

1188.83

717

1840.

1200.00

701

1841

1500.00

678

1842.

1500.00

713

1843

1500.00

739

1844.

1761.56

799

1845.

1926.20

800

1846

1926.20

800

1847

1630.00

790

No. Scholars between 5 and 15.

1850.

$2000.00

802

1851.

2,000.00

867

1852

-16

2,600.00

905

1853

2,600.00

979

1854

3,000.00

1043

1855

3,000.00

1124

1856

3,500.00

1135

1857

3,500.00

1135

1858.

3,500.00

1191

1859

3,500.00

1174

1860

3,500.00

1177

1861.

3,500.00

1263

1862

3,500.00

1271

1863.

3,500.00

1343

1864

4,500.00

1302

1865

7,000.00

1525

1866 1867

8,000.00

1530

1868

10,000.00

1537

1869

10,000.00

1446

1870

14,250.00

1589

1871

15,250.00

1710

1872

16,500.00

1647

1873.

17,500.00

1820

1874

21,500.00

1918

1875.

21,599.00

1970

1876

22,975.00

1941

1877

25,821.00

2140

1878

26,025.00

2045

1879

24,740.00

2107

1880

22,700.00

2267

1881

23,750.00

2457

1882

27,023.00

2564

NOTE .- The reports in the several towns being made in the early part of the year, the figures opposite the dates above are, in fact, the record of the preceding year, as, in 1838, the return being for the year ending in March, it would be the record for 1837, and so on to the end of the list.

For eight years previous to 1864 the town of North Bridgewater (now Brockton) did not expend as much money per scholar as most of the towns in the State.

tł

1848

1630.00

817

1849

2000.00

891

7,900.00

1525

657

HISTORY OF BROCKTON.

In that year the people, with a commendable spirit. added one thousand dollars to their appropriation, making it four thousand five hundred dollars, which sum was divided among the several districts through the town ; also another appropriation of twelve hun- dred dollars for high-school purposes, making a total of five thousand seven hundred dollars for schools. To show how the town has been in past times, we will present to the reader a few figures for 1863, with an appropriation of three thousand five hundred dollars. There were in the commonwealth three hundred and thirty-three towns. Of this number, three hundred and six towns paid more for each scholar between the ages of five and fifteen than this town, while there are but twenty-six towns that did not pay as much. There were

Four that paid one dollar and over.

Fifty-one that paid two dollars and over.

Ninety-nine that paid three dollars and a fraction.

Ninety-two that paid four dollars and a fraction.

Thirty-six that paid five dollars and a fraction.

Nineteen that paid six dollars and a fraction. Ten that paid seven dollars and a fraction. Eleven that paid eight dollars and a fraction. Four that paid nine dollars and a fraction. One that paid ten dollars and a fraction. One that paid twelve dollars and a fraction. Two that paid fourteen dollars and a fraction.

One that paid nineteen dollars and a fraction, the highest town in the State.

North Bridgewater paid $2.606 per scholar.

East Bridgewater paid $3.369 per scholar.

West Bridgewater paid $3.518 per scholar. Bridgewater paid $3.597 per scholar.

In comparison with the other towns in Plymouth County, while this town stood second in point of pop- ulation, fifth in valuation, fourth in the number of her schools, yet she paid the smallest sum per scholar of any town in the county. At that time the public sentiment began to change in regard to the import- ance of keeping up the schools, and the additional sum appropriated in 1864 gave a new impulse to the cause of popular education. Sept. 5, 1864, a new high school was opened in the building formerly oc- cupied by Mr. S. D. Hunt for school purposes. Thc school at the end of the first year gave promise of success.

During the first settlement of the North Parish there was but one school district, and that included the entire parish. Only one teacher was required, and that was usually the minister of the parish, or some person sufficiently " larned" to teach the young to " Read, Wright, and Sifer," which at that time was all that was deemed necessary for common busi- ness pursuits, except those intending to enter some professional calling.

As the different portions of the precinct became settled, movable schools were held in private dwellings, mechanic shops, and corn-houses, or such places as could be best and most easily procured. The minds of the people were occupied in agricultural pursuits, clearing land, and providing for the support of their families, and such other matters as were necessary for subsistence. They were like all people in new places : they had not an abundance of money or means to do with, as at the present day, and he was lucky who could be spared from labor long enough to get even six weeks' schooling in a year.

New School Districts .- In 1751 the people saw the necessity of a division of the school funds, and, for the purpose of dividing the time equally and accommo- dating all portions of the precinct, voted to divide the parish into three school districts, or " Ricks." Again, in 1784, the parish was divided into four districts, or " Ricks," and the school was kept in the two westerly districts, which were west of the present Main Street, the first year, and the two easterly districts to have it the next year. Again, in 1795, the two northerly dis- tricts were divided into three districts, making five in the parish. In 1794 a system of choosing a district " committee man" to look after the schools in the several districts was adopted, which served to give new interest in school matters. In 1797 a committee of one from each district were appointed to rearrange the " keeping of the School." This committee re- ported against keeping schools in private houses, and in favor of having schools kept in order around the town, provided each district would furnish a school- house and find fuel. Various changes were made in the division of the territory till 1865, when there were fourteen school districts in the town.

No. 1, or "Centre." -- The first house erected in this district was near the old church ; the next was situ- ated just south of the present hotel and on the spot where Kingman's brick block now stands. The third was located on School Street, east of the hotel and near the present new house. The present build- ing was erected in 1847, and is a neat, roomy build- ing, two stories in height, with a cupola and bell, and is painted white, with green blinds, and inclosed with a substantial fence. Now used for a high school.

No. 2, or " Howard."-This district comprised the northerly portion of the town, near Stoughton line. The first house erected in this part of the town was built previous to 1795, and was removed in 1860 to give place for a new and larger edifice. The next building was erected during the years 1860 and 1861, under the direction of Lucien B. Keith, Charles S. Johnson, Nahum Battles, Willard How-

658

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

ard, and Henry Howard as building committee, and who were the trustees in behalf of the district. The building was fifty by thirty-three feet, with twenty- three feet posts. The contractor and master-builder was John F. Beal, of Stoughton, who performed his part in a faithful and workmanlike manner. The school-room is thirty-five by forty-two feet, with seats for eighty seholars, which are of the modern style, furnished by Mr. W. G. Shattuck, of Boston. Around the outside of the room were seats for sixty scholars more. The rooms were well furnished with blackboards. There was a large room in the second story, well adapted for publie gatherings of any kind, furnished with settecs. There was also a retiring- room in the house, fifteen feet square, with seats for those wishing to remain during intermission. In the entry was a large amount of wardrobe hooks and iron sinks for the use of the pupils. The arrangement of the house was excellent, and the interior, as well as exterior, appearance refleets great credit upon the building committee. The house was dedicated March 20, 1861, with the following exercises: Voluntary ; invocation, by Rev. N. B. Blanchard ; singing, by the children ; remarks, by Galen E. Pratt, of the school committee ; address, by Mr. Farwell, the teacher at at that time; finale, singing, under the direction of Robert Sumner, of Stoughton.

No. 3, " West Shares or Northwest Bridgewater" (now " Broekton Heights") .- This distriet was pro- vided with a small, neat sehool-house, situated upon the road leading from the Centre Village to Stoughton. It consisted of a one-story building, painted white, with green blinds.

No. 4, "Tilden."-This building was situated on the Boston and Taunton Turnpike, and near the road leading from Easton to North Bridgewater Village, and near to the shoe manufactory of H. T. Marshall ; it was a small building, similar to that at the West Shares.

No. 5, the " Ames" District .- Situated on the road leading to Easton from the Centre Village, and near the residence of the late Dr. Fiske Ames.

No. 6, or "Campello" District .- The first sehool- house in this village was one of the first in the town ; was erected previous to 1784. This was sold at auetion, and removed by Maj. Nathan Hayward to the north part of the town in 1842, and a new one erected by Bela Keith, twenty-cight by eighteen feet, at an expense of about five hundred dollars, oue story in height, painted white. In 1854 this house was raised, and one story added, and in 1862 a new house was built by Otis Cobb, costing four hundred and fifty dollars, situated south of the old building. These

two buildings have long sinee given place to one large and more commodious building.

No. 7, or "Copeland."-There have been three houses in this distriet. The first was built about 1800. A neat and tidy house was ereeted in 1852: one-story building, painted and blinded, and was an ornament to that portion of the town, when compared to the old red school-house of aneient days. This distriet is situated about one mile east from the village of Campello, on the east side of Salisbury River, and the bounds of which extend to the West Bridgewater line.

No. 8, or " Shaw's."-This distriet was one of the early formed, the old house being built previous to 1794. The next house was ereeted in 1843, costing about five hundred dollars, one story high and painted ; located on or near the same spot that the old house stood, which is near to what is called "Shaw's Cor- ner."

No. 9, or "Cary Hill."-This is one of the oldest districts in town, a house having been built previous to 1794. It was situated in the northeast part of the town, upon a high spot of land called " Cary Hill." First house burned in March, 1840; rebuilt by Mar- cus Paekard, in July, same year, costing four hun- dred and twenty-five dollars.

No. 10, the " Field District."-The school in this was situated on a prominent height of land, on the south side of Prospect Street, between the houses of John Field and the late Joseph Brett. They have a new house erected within a short time.

No. 11, or " Sprague's."-This portion of the town has had two school-houses. The first was built about 1800; the sceond was built in 1852, under the eare of Chandler Sprague, Esq., and was a neat, two-story building, with a eupola containing a bell, the whole painted white, with green blinds, and was located in a very sightly position on a prominent street.

No. 12, or " North Wing."-This is a compara- tively new distriet. It was formed of a portion of the Centre Distriet, being set apart from them in 1846. At first a large, two-story house was erected, but of late it has inereased in numbers to such an extent that in a few years a second house was erected for the primary department, and both became well filled with pupils.

No. 13, or " South Wing."-This, like the North Wing Distriet, is also a new distriet, they having been sct off by themselves at the same time the Centre was divided, and the North Wing taken from them in 1846. A new school-house was erected near the residence of Mr. Sumner A. Hayward, on the east side of Main Street, and has quite a large school.

659

No. 14. or " Snow's."-This district comprises the territory between West Shares and Tilden Districts. The house was situated near the First Methodist Church, on the turnpike, and has been erected but a few years.

This brings the subject of schools down to the year 1866, when, by vote of the town, held May 5, 1866,

they " voted to abolish the District System." Since that time the schools have been under the immediate control and direction of the school committee chosen by the town and city. The several committee-men are selected as special for particular schools.

The following is a table of attendance on the dif- ferent schools for the year 1883:

TABLE OF ATTENDANCE.

SPRING TERM.

SUMMER TERM.

TEACHERS.

GRADE.

Number Enrolled.

Attend-

ance.

diness.

Number

Absent nor Tardy.

Number Enrolled.

Attend-

ance.

diness.

Absent nor Tardy.

E. Parker, Jr., principal

W. E. Perry, sub-master

High School.

106

101

.95

149

146

98.1

S. J. Pettee, Ist asst.

M. E. Poore, 2d asst.

W. T. Copeland.

Ist Grammar.

33.7

.92

36.7

.93

J. F. Lewis

1st Grammar.

.97

.93

L. F. Elliott

Ist Grammar.

54.33

.92

.95

M. S. Donaldson.

Ist Grammar.

14.5

.93

G. C. Howard.

Ist Grammar.

.94

.95

M. A. Goodrich

Ist Grammar.

,32

31 .

.97

.95

E. F. Gove ...

Ist Grammar.

.93

.81

E. A. Parker.

2d Grammar.

32.6

.90

40.2

.95

H. F. Greenleaf.

2d Grammar.

.92

.94

G. Calef.

2d Grammar.

.94

.88

L. A. Kingman

2d Grammar.

.87

.92

A. L. Bnrke.

2d Grammar.

.89

.94

H. M. Packard

3d Grammar.

46.8

.90

50.1

.93

R. A. Brett

3d Grammar.

51.6

.93

51.3

.91

A. N. Thompson.

3d Grammar.

.97

50.4

.94

A. A. Averill.

Intermediate.

47.3

.88

50.6

.93

L. A. Cpham

Intermediate.

.92

.89

E. F. Wilkes

Intermediate.

50.7

.92

50.4

.93

I. M. Rogers

Intermediate.

.95

38.7

.95

G. A. Rogers

Intermediate.

51.4

90.8

50.6

93.4

E. Wood.

Intermediate.

43.5

.79

.82

G. P. Wilder

Intermediate.

.83

J. A. Barry

Intermediate.

40.6

.89

47.5

.93

P. A. Brown

Intermediate.

.90

.92

J. F. Otis.

Intermediate.

.91

E. A. Porter

Ist Primary.

.86

.92

L. E. Prescott ..

Ist Primary.

.92

50.9

.94

M. B. Pratt

Ist Primary.

.97

62.5

.88

L. H. Fnller.

1st Primary.

.90

.93

E. C. Blanchard.

1st Primary.

.88

.84

E. Beaman.

2d Primary.

.91

.9]

A. L. Kendall

2d Primary.

.90

55.8

.94

L. W. Kingman

2d Primary.

.92

M. M. Allen.

2d Primary.

.85

.89

A. F. Lawson

2d Primary.

.91

.93

J. A. Wiswell ..

2dl Primary.

47.1

.87

44.5

.82

J. A. Mann ..

2d Primary.

52.2

.79

56.6

.80

M. A. Brigham

2d Primary.

45.5

.84

.86

E. M. Kendall.

2d Primary.

.68

.81

A. M. Poyntz ...

2d Primary.

51,8

.83

49.9

.84

E. Manley

2d Primary.

54.1

.86

.91

M. E. Hannigan

2d Primary.

.91

.92

S. G. Thomas

2d Primary.

61.5

.79

134

.73

218

A. F. Packard.

2d Primary.

.87

.90

E. R. Packard.

2d Primary.

.81

.76

M. Pratt.

2d Primary.

.88

.87

W. H. Crocker }

Ungraded.

.83

111

52.9

.89

E. M. Elliott.

Ungraded.

38.3

.56

M. I. Estes.

Ungraded.

.91

' 36

32.7

.96

B. A. Perry.

Ungraded.

.84

...

27.6

.91

neither

Average

Per cent. of Attend-

Number Cases Tar-

neither

Average

Per cent. of Attend-

Number Cases Tar-

Number

48.6

50.6

49.8

E. Rankin

HISTORY OF BROCKTON.

660

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

ESTIMATED VALUE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY, JANU- ARY 1, 1882.

SCHOOLS.

School Lot.

Buildings.

Furniture. Apparatus.

Cary

$100

$500

$100

$16

Shaw

100

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 137

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1706

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706