USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 40
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The road on the west side of Eastwood cemetery was accepted in 1870, in place of the old road from the Emerson place, northeast to the old county road.
The town in 1871 accepted the road from the Shoeshank mill to the Lunenburg road, eighteen hundred feet in length, and appropriated $1,000. The road at Babel hill was greatly improved.
In March, 1877, the lane extending from South Lancaster street, westward to the road leading by the house of Jonas Goss, was widened into a road, and accepted by the town. At the April meeting a road was authorized from the road near the house of Levi P. Wood, jr., across his farm to the road that goes by the Shaker families to Shirley village.
The last action of the town in the matter of road making, was at a special meeting in September, 1878, when it was voted to open a way from the Lunenburg road to Little Spec- tacle pond. This road is on the Shakers' land, and is bound- ed on the south by the fence of E. W. Divoll. The design of the road is to give easy approach to the beautiful little lake. If now a public or private way could be opened to the larger and more beautiful lake,- Spectacle pond -one of the love- liest spots in the whole region, would be made accessible to the public.
500
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
This closes the history of the opening, altering and repair- ing of roads in the town during the term of two hundred and thirty-five years. The condition of the roads, at the present time, which, as a whole, are unsurpassed if not unequalled by those of any town in the county, is mainly due to two facts. The first is a full treasury, augmented by the residence of Nathaniel Thayer, whose legal domicile and paternal home are here ; and the second is the industry, fidelity and skill of Calvin Holman, who for many years has had the care of the highways.
BRIDGES.
It has already been noted that a change in the building of bridges was effected not long after the opening of the century. In the course of time, as the bridges needed replacing, they were laid on stone abutments, and thus were rendered per- manent, except as the wood-work decayed. The next, and perhaps most important change, was brought about by the sub- stitution of iron for wooden bridges. Before coming to this point in our history, it is in order to note the various repairs or reconstruction of bridges between 1842 and the new "age of iron."
The expense for bridges in 1843, was $1,082.23, including $663.45 for the Lancaster mills bridge.
No great expense was incurred in repairing bridges for ten or twelve years ; but in 1855 the sum of $409.56 was laid out in improving the Sprague bridge. It was also voted to repair the bridge at Carter's mills.
In 1867 John Bennett, J. W. Barnes and Joel W. Phelps were chosen a committee to repair bridges. The amount ex- pended by them has not been found. From this time until 1870 there were small sums spent from year to year on the large and small bridges, but no great charge was incurred.
The new policy in relation to bridges was inaugurated in 1870, when, at the March meeting, the sum of $4,000 was
501
NEW IRON BRIDGES.
raised for building the Atherton bridge. In the autumn of 1869 a great flood was sent whirling down the river, (caused by the heavy rains of that season, which broke away the dam of the Ashburnham reservoir, ) and then swept away many of the dams and mills upon the stream. There was also a great flood in the early spring of the year 1870 which made the intervale a broad and rapid river. However, the old bridges in Lancaster stood firm, though the approaches to them were partly washed away.
March 6, 1871, a vote was passed to rebuild the Center and Ponakin bridges, using iron instead of wood, with heavy planking of Southern pine. The committee were George A. Parker, Calvin Holman and John Cunningham. The money raised at the meeting amounted to $27,000, besides state and county tax. The appropriation for the bridges was $12,000. The two bridges cost $12,386.60. Of this sum, the Center bridge took $6,405.39, and Ponakin bridge $5,981.21. The location of Center bridge was changed by moving the western abutment up stream. The distance between the abutments was also increased so that a larger volume of water can flow through than formerly.
At a meeting on the first of April, action was had in refer- ence to the rebuilding of the Sprague bridge. It was to be an iron bridge. The span was to be increased, and the dry bridge filled. The work was done in the next year. Increasing the span made it necessary to relay the abutments. The road on the south side was raised several feet, and all passage of water stopped except under the bridgeway. The span is so large that no flood of which there is any remembrance would ex- ceed its capacity. The next year, June 17, 1872, the select- men were directed to rebuild the bridge at North Lancaster. It was to be of iron, and constructed in the course of the year. This made two bridges in 1872 as in the year previous. By this time five of the eight bridges over the Nashua, includ- ing both branches, were finished. The cost of the last two was as follows. For the Sprague bridge, $6,968.39. For the
502
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
North Lancaster bridge, $3,989.22. The iron railing near Sprague bridge cost $670.88, in 1873.
The railing of the approaches to the Center bridge was moved to correspond to the new location. The selectmen were authorized to put up iron railing on both sides of the Sprague bridge.
The bridge at Carter's mills, and the turnpike bridge, so called, needed repair, whereupon the town voted, March 2, 1874, to replace them both with iron structures. The select- men were charged with the work, which was done vigorously, at an expense of $2,430.20 for the former, and $3,538.50 for the latter.
This completed the work of rebuilding all the large bridges which wholly belong to the town. The bridge at Still River is partly in the town of Harvard. By an arrangement between the towns, an iron bridge was erected there, in 1875, at the joint expense of the towns. Lancaster paid $1,808.04 as its proportion.
TOWN OFFICERS.
The chief officers of the town during the last period were as follows. The town clerks were John G. Thurston, from 1843 to 1853 ; William F. Woods, 1853, died in office ; Fran- cis F. Hussey, from 1853 to 1856, with the exception that L. S. Burbank was clerk pro tem., at a single meeting in 1855 ; J. L. S. Thompson, from 1856 to the present time, with the exception of William A. Kilbourn, clerk in the year 1874. Without disparagement to former incumbents of the office, it may be said that the Records for the last twenty years are a model in respect to arrangement, orthography, legibility and accuracy.
The treasurers of the town have been Nathaniel Rand, 1843 ; Anthony Lane from 1844 to 1858 ; except in 1855 when John Bennett held the office; John M. Washburn from 1858 to 1862 ; C. A. Pollard from 1862 to 1865 ; George W. Howe from 1866 to 1871; Solon Wilder in 1871; Henry C. Ken-
503
TOWN OFFICERS.
drick in 1872, 1873 and 1874; and Solon Wilder from 1874 to the present year.
The following have served the town in the office of represen- tative in the general court. Jacob Fisher in 1844; Joel Wil- der, 2d, in 1845 ; Joel Wilder in 1846 ; Ezra Sawyer in 1847, 1848. In 1849, after repeated trials, no choice was made. An- thony Lane in 1850, 1851 ; John G. Thurston in 1852, 1853 and 1855. Francis F. Husscy in 1854 ; James Childs in 1856. Since 1856 Lancaster has been joined with other towns in the election of representative, and has supplied the district with a successful candidate occasionally. Dr. J. L. S. Thompson was chosen in 1859, 1860 and 1862; George W. Howe in 1864 ; Jacob Fisher in 1868 ; George A. Parker in 1869, 1870 and 1871. Since the last date the town had only a fractional part of a representative furnished by other towns, till 1878, when Samuel R. Damon was elected.
MODERATORS.
SELECTMEN.
ASSESSORS.
1843, Solon Whiting.
1844, Jacob Fisher.
1845, Jacob Fisher.
Warren Davis, N. Bur- ditt, Geo. Howard. Nathan Burditt. Chas. Humphrey, J. Bennett C. Humphrey. N. Bur- ditt, John Bennett. Charles Humphrey, J. Bennett, E. Sawyer. Same Selectmen.
S. Nourse, Fordyce Nourse, Levi Farwell. Anthony Lane, H. Wil- der, Ezra Sawyer. Same Assessors.
1846, Jacob Fisher, James G. Carter.
1847, Jas. G. Carter, Luke Bigelow.
1848, Solon Whiting.
Anthony Lane, Henry Wilder. Levi Greene. Levi Greene, S. Whi- ting. John Bennett. Luke Bigelow, Thomas B. Warren, A. Knight. Re-elected.
1849, Solon Whiting.
1850, Rev. B. Whitte- more.
1851, B. Whittemore, G. R. M. Withington. 1852, B. Whittemore. 1853, W. S. Thurston.
John M. Washburn, L. Greene, S. Carter. John M. Washburn, T. Wellington, S. Carter John M. Washburn, J. Wilder, L. Farwell. Joel Wilder, Levi Far- well, Solon Whiting. Re-elected.
Thomas B. Warren, S. Thurston, J. Bennett. Silas Thurston, George Howard, W. Davis. Re-elected.
1854, J. M. Washburn. 1855, W. S. Thurston.
Joel Wilder, J. Thurs- ton, James Childs. Re-elected. Wilder S. Thurston, J Moore, L. L. Farwell
Stedman Nourse, E. Fuller, C. Wyman.
504
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
MODERATORS.
SELECTMEN.
ASSESSORS.
1856, G. R. M. With- ington. 1857, Solon Whiting, Wright Cummings. 1858, J. M. Washburn.
1859, Solon Whiting.
Joel Wilder, J Childs, George W. Howe. Re-elected.
W. Davis. Joel W. Wil- der. C. J. Wilder. Re-elected.
Joel W. Phelps. C. J. Wilder, L. L. Farwell. Re-elected.
1860, Solon Whiting.
1861, Solon Whiting.
1862, Geo. W. Howe.
J. Moore. J. Buttrick, G. W. Howe.
G. W. Howe, J But- trick, S. R. Merrick. Re-elected.
W. Davis, S. Nourse, Charles Safford . W. Davis, Sewall Day, Jeremiah Moore.
1865, Solon Whiting
J. Buttrick, S. R. Mer- rick, L. L. Farwell. Re-elected.
S. Day, C. J. Wilder, Stedman Nourse. Re-elected. S Day, W. Davis, Ben- jamin B. Otis.
1868,
Q Whitney.
S. R. Merrick. C. Hol- man. C. W. Burbank. C. Holman. L L. Far- well, S. H. Turner.
1869, L. L. Farwell.
1870, G. W. Howe.
1871, L. L. Farwell.
C. Holman, L. L. Far- well, S. H. Turner. Calvin Holman. G. W. Howe, J. Buttrick. C. Holman, L. L. Far- well, S. Day. Re-elected.
W. Davis. S. Nourse, Charles J. Wilder. Sewall Day, S. Nourse, Charles T. Fletcher. S. Day, John Bennett, J. Moore. Re-elected.
1872, W. H. McNeil. 1873, G. W. Howe. 1874, W. H. McNeil.
1875, G. W. Howe.
1876, W. A. Kilbourn, Caleb T. Symmes.
* S. R. Damon, Sewall Day, A. J. Bancroft.
66 John Bennett. J. Moore, Andrew J. Bancroft. J. Bennett, A. J. Ban- croft. F. A. Willard. A. J. Bancroft, F. H. Willard, H. D. Hum- phrey.
1877, W. H. McNeil.
1878, W. H. McNeil.
E Houghton. C. Hol- man, A. J. Bancroft. E. Houghton. A. J Ban- croft. F. H. Willard.
A. J. Bancroft. Francis H. Willard, J. Moore. A. J. Bancroft. F. H. Willard. J. Bennett.
J. M. Washburn, G. W. Howe. B. S. Phelps.
G. W. Howe, Barney S. Phelps, J. M. Wash- burn.
G W. Howe, Barney S. Phelps. S H Turner. James Childs. J. Moore, Warren Davis.
S. Whiting, C. J. Wil- der, L. L. Farwell. W. Davis. Solon Whi- ting, Silas Thurston. Re-elected.
1863, Soion Whiting. 1864, Solon Whiting.
1866, Q. Whitney. 1867, ney.
Quincy Whit-
C. Holman, J. Bennett, S. R. Damon. Re-elected.
* Messrs. Damon and Day resigned, and Edward Houghton and Frederick A. Willard were chosen.
505
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
In the year 1843 there were thirteen school districts in the town. The tenth and eleventh were in the part now belong- ing to Clinton. South Lancaster having been separated from George hill was numbered twelve. The old sixth district, whose school-house was some rods north of the house of S. R. Damon was divided, and all living on the road from the old Gen. John Whiting place to Sprague bridge and around to the house of Charles L. Wilder, were constituted the thir- teenth district. The school money was divided as follows.
No. 1,
$100 |No. 5,*
$
No. 9, 10,
$103
" 2,
39
6,
103
163
" 3,
100
7,
103
11,
100
" 4,
105
" 8,
100
12,
163
No. 13, or Center,
$115.
The school committee were directed to print five hundred copies of their annual report.
This was the era of school libraries, when each district was expected to have its little library of interesting and useful books. Many can still remember how the choice collection of books-the family library, and works of that sort-went from house to house through all the families of the district. Sometimes the districts exchanged libraries so far as the books differed, and thus extended the circulation of a wholesome literature. In 1844, the town directed that each district should receive fifteen dollars to be expended in the purchase of books. There was a district librarian, and a regular time for receiving and returning the volumes. The sum of $1,400 was raised for schooling. The town passed a vote of thanks to Rev. E. H. Sears for the " very able " report of the school committee, and ordered the printing of five hundred copies. The next year the appropriation was raised to $1,600, and the money from the state fund was divided equally among the districts.
* Amount not given.
506
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
ยท Nothing occurred in relation to the schools worthy of spe- cial note for several years. In 1847 there were some who fav- ored the selection of teachers by the superintending com- mittee, but the town voted that the selection should be left with the prudential committee, subject to the approval of the former, after examination. The appropriation was raised to $2,000.
The next year witnessed a great advance in the appropria- tion, when the sum of $3,200 was devoted to schooling. An unsuccessful effort was made to abolish the second and eighth districts. Each district was to have one school. In districts where there were more than fifty scholars, as the average at- tendance, there was to be a " separate school, or part of a school." The money was to be " divided as there were schools or parts of a school " in a district.
It was in this year that the first move was made, so far as appears in the Records, to set up what is now definitely called a high school in this town. It was connected with the effort to abolish one or two of the smaller districts. It seems from a communication published in the Boston Courier, that great excitement prevailed in the town because the school commit- tee had in their report "recommended the abolishing of two district schools, and in place thereof, a high tax to support high schools, which were to be placed at a very inconvenient distance from the doomed districts." The subject was freely discussed in town meeting, April 10, 1848, when the follow- ing remarks were made by Samuel Rugg, a man of great sense and ingenuity. The reporter states that he differed from Mr. Rugg on the main question, but " took particular pains to note correctly the words which flowed from the venerable gentle- man's mouth." He sent the report of the speech " on account of the originality of its ideas, and the rich expressions con- tained therein." The report is inserted here as a fine illus- tration of what has often been seen and heard in town meet- ings in every generation of New England history.
507
SPEECH OF SAMUEL RUGG.
" What can be more important for us, when we meet to- gether, than to devise ways and means for the training up of our children in the way they should go? It is for our indi- vidual, social and national prosperity. We ought to keep the fountain of sovereignty as pure as possible, and teach the young idea how to shoot. On this question I claim a priv- ilege to speak and act, being the oldest man in the house, and not only born in this town, but my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, I believe,- for the town clerk has told me (from the access he has had to the old records) that my name was among the first settlers of the town. Were my living descendants here present, I should have the pleasure of voting with my grandchildren on this important question.
" Elderly people are apt to be tenacious of their ancient landmarks, rights and privileges, habits and customs, and they do not like to give up their old school districts. How were our fathers and their children qualified to do much of anything? They gained their independence, rights and lib- erties. We have had self-taught men. Gen. Joseph B. Varnum, I believe, never went through college, but went to congress, and was speaker of the house. I will mention a man of this town, who, when living, was about my age. When young he had little or no chance of schooling, but he im- proved daylight, candle-light and torch-light in his studies, to acquire an education, and after he came to this town, he received a justice's commission, and went to general court repeatedly. He told me that when on committees, they would put it on him to cast up accounts, as he was expert in figures ; he was a ready and good penman, correct speller, and used good language ; he was qualified for business, and did a good deal of it. That man's name was Jacob Fisher, senior. He was a self-taught man, and I would give more for one self- taught man, than I would for twenty educated things.
" The convention that framed our federal constitution were not all college-learnt men. Yet they were as wise and patri- otic an assembly of sages as ever adorned a convention hall ..
508
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
I would raise money enough to qualify every male child for business men, and even functionaries, and also for govern- ing the plough handles with as much skill and pleasure as did Cincinnatus, the Roman general. But there appears to be a high fever at the present day for building Babels, and we are called upon to establish high schools to learn the con- founded languages. I have heard it predicted that the high schools would take place in this town in five years ! If any should say that there would be a tall educating ladder erected, and our children sent up to the moon, and there kiss the old man, I would not gainsay him. If such a tour could be ef- fected, and return made with intelligence how to prevent the potato-rot, it would be a valuable acquisition.
" The wise man has told us that man is grass ; we find by observation that one species of vegetation will take the place of another, and we hope that there will be wheat enough brought into Lancaster to root out all the tares.
" It has been a question in my mind whether I invented a blessing or a curse to the country, when I set up the power loom, and wove thirty yards of good shirting cloth from yarn spun in Clintonville. It was done by turning a crank, as it was calculated to go by water. This was done about thirty-nine years ago. That loom has become the mother of villages, and one entire city; [Lowell] and is in exercise for giving laws to Lancaster and the country.
" If I had the money which I might have made by that in- vention, I would give money to every town in the state to educate their children in the outside districts. I will stop, for I do not expect to gain our point by a multitude of words, nor to lose it by long speeches."
The high school plan was defeated, for the time, but was renewed successfully the next year. Mr. Rugg was right in one main point, which was that the children living in remote parts of the town, had rights equal to those whose homes were nearer the center. And it is now the well-established policy to educate all the children without regard to district
509
TWO HIGH SCHOOLS.
limits, and ability to pay taxes, and to enable them to have schools of equal length and value throughout the town.
At the March meeting, 1849, John H. Shaw, Esq., moved that it was " expedient, proper, and highly desirable that there should be one or more schools of a higher order" than those then existing. He also moved that " two such public schools should be established." The prudential committee men of the town were to locate the two schools. The cause of this move- ment was the growth of Clintonville, where the population was fast increasing. Capt. Shaw lived in the Center, (in the house now occupied by Mr. Royce, ) and his plan contempla- ted a school in Clintonville and another in the Center, to ac- commodate, as far as possible, the youth of the whole town.
The whole subject was referred to a committee, who report- ed on the seventh of May. The majority were in favor of two high schools. They were opposed to building two school- houses, but advised hiring a room in the academy for the school in the Center, and in the chapel for that in Clinton- ville. The minority reported in opposition to the whole pro- ject, as both schools would be south of the center of the town. The subject was discussed throughout the town, and on the eleventh of June, it was voted to have two high schools. The first was to be kept in Clintonville, ten months in the year, and the second in the Center for the same length of time. The sum of $1,500 was raised for these schools. At the same time $2,700 was devoted to the district schools. This amount - $4,200, - exceeded all former appropriations. It was fixed that thirty-five scholars should make a school. To No. 2, the sum of $75 was accorded. From the whole amount raised for district schools, districts 1, 3, 4 and 7 were each to receive $50, in addition to their quota.
The town of Clinton having been incorporated in the winter of 1850, two districts, Nos. 10 and 11, were taken out of our list. In consequence, No. 12 [New Boston] was changed to No. 10, and No. 13 [Center] was changed to No. 11, which numbers they still retain. The high school in the Center was discontinued.
510
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
In 1851 an important change was effected. On motion of Charles Humphrey, it was voted to abolish the school dis- tricts ; appraise the school-houses, and pay the avails to the inhabitants of each district in proportion to their tax. The school committee were authorized to select as well as exam- ine school teachers. The sum of $1,500 was raised, with the provision that the superintending committee should divide the money according to their discretion. This action was au- thorized by recent legislation, and was one of the most be- neficent and equalizing changes ever made in relation to public education. Before this time the children in the lar- ger districts had enjoyed the advantage of longer terms, and sometimes of better teachers than those in districts less popu- lous. By degrees it has come to pass that all the schools are in session an equal length of time, and the teachers are distribu- ted more judiciously than they could be possibly, under the old system. At the same time the school numbered six was abolished, and the children sent to Nos. 5 and 11.
The brick school-house for No. 7, [George hill] was built in 1852, costing about $800. The sum of $1,600 was raised for schools, and $200 for a public singing-school, free to all inhabitants of the town. At the April meeting measures were taken for building the house for No. 9 school. Sted- man Nourse, John Bennett and Thomas B. Warren were the building committee. The school committee were joined to the building committee for the purpose of locating the house. Half an acre of land was allotted to the school. With rare sagacity the town chose Rev. Messrs. Packard, Bartol and Whittemore a committee to design a plan. The house was not to cost more than $1,000. That house is still by far the best specimen of school architecture in the town. It was well built, and makes a very pleasant appearance.
This year the town voted that the prudential committees should engage the teachers, subject to the approval of the su- perintending committee, and that the former should make re- pairs under the superintendence of the latter.
511
PURCHASE OF THE ACADEMY.
At the fall meeting, November 2, a vote was passed that the building committee for No. 9, should erect a school-house for No. 2. This house was also well built, of sound lumber, and is still in good repair. However, the work was not done till next year, when, April 4, the town voted that No. 2 should be provided with a school-house " as soon as may be."
At the same meeting, 1853, John M. Washburn, Charles L. Wilder and Matthew F. Woods were chosen a commit- tee to build a school-house for No. 10, [South Lancaster ; ] $2,000 were appropriated, and the committee were directed to obtain forty rods of land in addition to that already be- longing to the school. The land cost $200, but the owner would not give a deed, and it will revert to the heirs when- ever the town ceases to occupy it for school purposes. The land in Nos. 2 and 7 belongs to the town.
Matters of considerable interest came before the town in 1854. There was some talk of enlarging and repairing No. 6 school-house ; of building a new house for No. 8, and of moving the house of school No. 3 to a spot on the new cross road, where the brick school-house now stands in the beau- tiful and fragrant pine grove. The last two plans were ef- fected in due time.
September 9, a committee was chosen to see if the academy could be purchased for a school-house for No. 11. Septem- ber 23, the report came that the academy could not be bought. On the tenth of October the committee were directed to in- quire if the academy could be hired by the town for the term of ten years. The committee reported, the same day, that the proprietors would " lease the lower room of the academy to the town for five, seven or ten years, for sixty dollars per annum, and make such repairs as the town shall direct, with twelve and a half per cent. on additional repairs." The town was to provide stoves and seats.
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