USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881 > Part 26
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The South Milford District had an original schoolhouse of very humble pretensions, which stood at the south-west corner of the graveyard, on the spot now occupied by the Warfield lots and monuments, or thereabouts. I have been unable to find any record or aged person to tell me the date of its erection. I can only guess at 1790, perhaps a little earlier, or a little later. But its next successor, ten rods farther south, was built in 1813 or 1814, probably in 1814. My friend Joseph Albee remembered so much distinctly ; also that Samnel Penniman, Saml. Warfield, sen., and Joel Howard were the building committee ; that Zuriel Howard took the contract
205
OTHER NEW SCHOOLHOUSES.
of construction for three hundred dollars ; and that Nahum Legg taught the first winter school therein, 1814-15. I have not found the proper confirmatory records, but have no doubts.
When District No. 1 (which included most of Milford Centre, so called) was divided, in 1829, the easterly portion retained the numerical designation, and was known for many ensuing years as the First School District. The westerly portion was designated as No. 7, and held the ancient schoolhouse that stood a little northerly of the George Howe place, - the same that had been formerly moved thither from near the junction of Congress and Spruce Sts. No. 1 forth- with built a new house on Main St., on the Plain, nearly opposite the Amasa Parkhurst place. It cost a fraction over four hundred and sixty-six dollars. I taught the first school ever kept in it, during the winter months of 1829-30. It ultimately became too small to ac- commodate the increase of scholars, was superseded by more ample houses in the vicinity between 1859 and '71, and then sold. It was converted into a dwelling-house, and still stands not far from its former site.
District No. 8, " Deer Brook," set off in 1836, kept its first school in John Hero's shop. It built its little edifice in 1837. April 17, 1837, " Voted to build a new schoolhouse seventeen by fifteen feet, eight-feet posts, either brick or wood." Alexander Cheney, Moses Adams, and John Hero, building committee. Nine rods of land bought for ten dollars, of John Hero. The house was considerably improved a few years later. Total cost, about three hundred dollars.
The Silver Hill Schoolhouse was erected by the district then called No. 8, in 1841. Rufus Thayer, William W. Legg, and Augustus Thayer, building committee. Land deeded by Rufus Thayer, solely for school purposes, Nov. 23, 1841. Total cost, five hundred and fifty dollars.
District No. 10, formerly the northern section of No. 7, inherited the old schoolhouse, before twice mentioned as standing a little northerly of the George Howe place on Purchase St. It sold this relic of antiquity for a small sum to Gershom Twitchell in 1841, who removed it to a part of the old Twitchell estate on Congress St., fitted it up for a domicil, and therein ended his days. The same year, 1841, the District built what is called the Fountain St. Schoolhouse, at the cost of six hundred and five dollars. This house is still in use.
District No. 3, which, by the arrangement of 1841, was largely constituted of the former No. 7, this same year purchased the edifice known as the academy, for the sum of nine hundred and fifty dollars.
206
HISTORY OF MILFORD.
This afforded accommodations for two schools, one in the lower and the other in the upper story. It served the district for several years, till superseded by more desirable structures. Also the same year District No. 2, created under that year's districting arrangement, by combining portions of the former Nos. 1 and 7, erected a two-story schoolhouse near the Brick Church. This cost the District over fif- teen hundred dollars. How much over, I could not readily ascertain ; perhaps considerable, as it was appraised at fifteen hundred dollars when it passed over into town possession in 1854.
I believe no more schoolhouses were built by the districts ; but they continued to keep their respective houses in repair, at greater or less expense, till the spring of 1854. Then, as hereinbefore stated, the districts were abolished as corporate bodies, and the town took pos- session of all their property. I herewith present a copy of the select- men's
SCHOOLHOUSE APPRAISAL.
" The following is the appraisal of the several Schoolhouses in the town of Milford, as appraised by us the subscribers, agreeable to a vote of said town passed on the third day of April, 1854.
"Old No. 1, near wid. [Amasa] Parkhurst's . $450
No. 2, near Brick Church . 1,500
No. 3, Old Academy . . 1,500
No. 4, near Obed Daniels's 375
No. 5, Bear Hill. 375
No. 6, South Milford .
150
No. 7, City .
400
No. 8, Silver Hill 516
No. 9, No. Purchase 550
No. 10, [Fountain St.] near Crosby's 500
No. 11, [Deer Brook] Wild Cat
275
" A. J. SUMNER, OBED DANIELS, ZIBA THAYER, Selectmen of Milford.
" MILFORD, May 10, 1854."
The total of this appraisal seems to be $6,591. No. 12, Hopedale, owned no schoolhouse. It hired the old Schoolhouse Chapel, so called, for some years. The law provided that the inhabitants of the several districts should receive back their equitable dues out of this appraisal in subsequent abatements of their taxes ; and thus matters were soon satisfactorily adjusted.
Next in order comes the establishment of the High School, and the erection of its edifice. The town had for some time been under legal obligation to set up this school ; and the foremost friends of education
207
THE HIGH SCHOOL ESTABLISHED, ETC.
(among whom Gen. Orison Underwood deserves mention) were anx- ious to see it accomplished. But the dread of expense, and the diffi- culty of securing equitable advantages to the outlying portions of our population, very much embarrassed the proposition. There were many conflicting opinions on the subject. At length, on the 18th Sept., 1848, the town appointed a committee to consider and report what was expedient to be done. This committee consisted of Adin Ballou, Preston Pond, J. Whitman, jun., George W. Stacy, and A. J. Sum- ner. We gave the matter a very careful and thorough consideration, agreed on all essential points, and finally made our report, Nov. 13, 1848. The town accepted our work with much favor, passed a vote of thanks, and ordered six hundred copies of the report to be printed. The movement went forward thenceforth to its consummation, with only some unpleasant friction of opinion about the location. A fine site was ere long selected, and a respectable house erected, with a much more liberal outfit than its early movers had dared to anticipate. The establishment was finished and in running order early in Novem- ber, 1850. The building and appurtenances, aside from the land purchased for site, cost about $5,790, if I have correctly noted the figures of the selectmen's annual report.
The schoolhouses erected since the abolition of corporate districts are the following : -
1. In South Milford, north of the cemetery, 1855 ; wood, one story, twenty-eight feet by forty, and twelve feet posts, with chairs for fifty- six scholars, and ten or fifteen more if necessary ; work done by Lowell Fales. The site, abont three-fourths of an acre, cost $60.12, and the house, underpinning and all, $1,491. All its conveniences modern and ample. The former house was sold to Joseph Albee for $125, and converted into a dwelling. It occupies precisely its old position.
2. The Grammar Schoolhouse, near junction of Fruit and Main Sts. ; brick walls, voted to be thirty-nine feet by seventy, two stories high, with four co-equal rooms ; built in 1858; a very commodious and substantial edifice. Cost $4,577.43 ; and its furnishings, $735.71.
3. Primary Schoolhouse in Hoboken, so called, alias Danielsville ; built 1858, of one story, wood. The cost of this building with its site, if I understand the selectmen's annual report for 1858-59, was $1,060.37.
4. Primary Schoolhonse in the southerly section of Bear-Hill dis- trict ; built 1859, of wood, one story, in the Whitney neighborhood. Cost of site, building, etc., a little over $800.
5. Primary Schoolhouse in the northerly section of Bear-Hill dis-
208
HISTORY OF MILFORD.
trict, known as Braggville; built 1859, of wood, one story, on the west side of E. Main St. Cost somewhat over $1,000.
6. North Grammar Schoolhouse on the Plain, in the neighborhood at one time called Jonesville ; completed and dedicated, May, 1860; built of wood, about the same size as the South Grammar Schoolhouse, corner of Fruit and Main Sts., capacious and convenient. Cost of site, building, etc., about $6,000.
7. Primary Schoolhouse on West St., in the neighborhood known as Whistly Beer ; built 1860-61, of wood, one story high, with two good-sized rooms. Cost of site, building, etc., $2,000.
8. Grammar Schoolhouse on Walnut St .; erected in 1864, of wood, large and commodions, substantial and convenient. Exact total cost of site, building, fixtures, and furniture, $10,355.08.
9. Grammar Schoolhouse in North Milford, alias North Purchase ; erected also in 1864, of wood, planned with reference to a second story when needed ; a neat, attractive structure, of ample dimensions for the time being. Exact cost of site, edifice, fixtures, and furni- ture, $2,607.13.
10. Primary Schoolhouse on Chapin St., sometimes called the Sandbank House, was completed early in 1867. It was built of wood, one story, with two ample rooms for primaries ; and, with its site, furniture, etc., cost in round numbers, about $5,000.
11. The Hopedale Grammar and Primary Schoolhouse was com- pleted and opened early in 1868. It is of wood, one story, with dimensions affording accommodations for both a grammar and a pri- mary school. Cost of site, construction, fixtures, etc., $5,000.
12. Primary Schoolhouse on the Plain, close by the North Grammar edifice. It was built of wood, a two-story structure, of ample dimen- sions, and deemed an improvement on preceding models ; was com- pleted in 1870, at a total cost of about $4,550.03.
13. The Claflin Primary Schoolhouse, a stately and commodious edifice, was mainly constructed in 1870, but not ready for use till the spring term of 1871. The School Committee, in their annual report for 1870-71, thus speak of it: " At the April meeting [1870], the Town also appropriated $10,000 toward the erection of a large school- house on ground owned by the Town, lying near the Milford and Woonsocket R.R. Depot. The Building Committee contracted with Mr. James Bergin for an edifice as large on the ground as the Central Grammar Schools, to be furnished with a French roof, affording room for six schools, those on the upper floor to be of upper and not pri- mary grades. The contract was to be completed before the close of February. The total cost of the edifice, including the furniture and
209
SCHOOL MONEYS AND MANAGEMENT.
laying-out of the grounds, will be $15,137.50. It already presents itself to the public as a thing not only of use, but beauty, while its cost, in view of its capacity, is moderate indeed. At the beginning of the coming spring term, Primary Schools Nos. 3 and 8 will be removed from the old academy to the new house, and such new schools opened as necessity may demand." This was done in 1871, and the old academy-building sold to the highest bidder. The pur- chaser removed it from the parish common to Green St., and adapted it to private uses. This brings the history of our public school- houses down to the present time.
SCHOOL MONEYS AND MANAGEMENT.
Our town, at its incorporation, was entitled to its proportion of Mendon school-money, which was derived from the sale of common- lands, originally devoted to school purposes when the lots of the town-seat were laid out. That proportion was according to valuation of taxable estates ; but its exact amount I have striven in vain to ascertain. Either it was so mixed up in the settlements with other moneys as to be indistinguishable, or I overlooked it in my exami- nations of those documents. I am sure, however, that it was com- paratively small. Nor do I clearly understand from the records what became of it. My impression is, that most of it was dissipated in the fluctuations of paper money. Whatever of it was saved doubt- less enured to the benefit of the feeble district schools ; being inter- mingled with the annual appropriations made for schooling. The mother-town, for many years previous to our separation from it, had eleven school districts, four of which were on our territory. Com- paratively small annual amounts were raised for schooling, and these were distributed among the districts according to what they sever- ally paid of the school-tax. I infer that our selectmen followed this rule from 1780 to 1800. Oct. 20, of the last-named year, the Town " voted to divide the school money in said town equally unto each district," being then eight in number. The next year the same vote was repeated, with a restriction that "the scholars be confined to their own districts for schooling." This rule of dividing the school- money continued in practice till 1835 ; then it was changed so as to give one-half equally to the districts, and the other half pro rata to the scholars. At the same time the prudential committees were re- quired to render, in a return, the number of scholars in their several districts between the ages of three years and twenty-one. When it was found that the small new district in " Wild Cat " neighborhood, alias "Deer Brook," must be set off, a proviso was added to the recent
210
HISTORY OF MILFORD.
rule ; viz., " that no district shall draw more than twenty-three cents, nor none less than fourteen cents, to a scholar between said ages, on each hundred dollars appropriated ; and any district not having a suffi- cient number to entitle it to an equal share of one-half of said money shall draw in proportion [that] the number of persons between said ages bears to said extremes, and to the said persons in the other dis- tricts." This passed May 9, 1836, and the new district came in on condition of accepting its proportion of money under the proviso. No very important modifications of this rule followed till the more populous district schools began to be graded, nor, indeed, till after the districts were abolished, in 1854. Since then the General School Com- mittee have from year to year endeavored to make the distribution of moneys as equitable as the difficult nature of the case allowed ; always, I believe, favoring as much as they reasonably conld the frontier and smaller schools.
THE MONEYS AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION
have consisted chiefly of specific annual appropriations by the Town ; but in 1834 the legislature established the Massachusetts School Fund in permanency, never to exceed one million dollars. This fund was created out of revenues derived partly from the sale of public lands in Maine, and partly from the payment of military claims on the United States for Massachusetts services. A considerable portion of the income of this fund has been annually distributed among the cities and towns of the Commonwealth for the benefit of common schools, in the ratio of the number of their respective children from five to fifteen years of age ; i.e., on condition of compliance with cer- tain legal requirements. Milford has been drawing its due proportion of this income from year to year since the State began to disburse it. This, however, though helpful and acceptable, has constituted but a comparatively small portion of our school money.
The first apportionment of the State school fund, as noted on our treasurer's books, was, -
For the year ending March 5, 1836
$42 32
Ten years later
1846
95 74
1856
272 17
1866
583 75
1876
468 25
1881
303 11
The moneys raised by the town for schooling youth, since its incor- poration, from year to year, are as follows (in dollars and cents) : -
211
SCHOOL MONEYS ANNUALLY RAISED.
In 1780 (almost worthless paper currency)
. $3,333 33}
1781 (silver) .
66 673
1782 to '89 (good currency)
100 00
1790, '91, and '92 .
133 33
1793 to '96
200 00
1796 ·
233 33
1797 to 1804 .
266 67 300 00
1805 to '11
400 00
1825
500 00
1826, '27, and '28 .
400 00
1829, '30, '31, and '32
500 00
1833
600 00
1834 and '35
700 00
1836 to '40 .
800 00
1841, '42, and '43 .
1,000 00
1844 and '45
1,200 00
1846
2,000 00
1847, '48, and '49 .
1,400 00
1850
1,500 00
1851 (for both district and high schools) 1852 66 ¥
. 3,700 00
1853 to '58
=
. 4,500 00
1859
¥
6,000 00
1860
66
7,000 00
1861
66
66
(war-time)
. 6,000 00
1863
. 8,500 00
1864 and '65
",
10,000 00
1866
. 14,000 00
1867,'68, and '69 4
66
15,000 00
1870
16,000 00
1871 to 1877
66
66
. 18,000 00
1878
66
¥
. 16,000 00
1879
66
· 16,000 00
1880
66
"
. 16,500 00
·
It should be understood that the foregoing annual appropriations were made exclusively to pay teachers, though formerly in part per- haps to keep schoolrooms suitably warmed, etc., for the comfort of their occupants. For building, repairing, and taking care of school- houses, or otherwise providing schoolrooms, and for various inci- dental expenses relating to the management of school affairs, specific appropriations have been made, either in former times by the cor- porate districts, or latterly by the Town. For the items grouped under the term "incidental expenses," I notice that in recent years the
. 8,500 00
1862
¥
4,500 00
1811 to '24
212
HISTORY OF MILFORD.
Town has made an annual appropriation of between two and three thousand dollars. I have not deemed it necessary to ascertain and present the annual expenditures of the Town falling under this head of Incidentals for Schools. They first arose in connection with the High School in 1850, and grew rapidly after the Town assumed the responsibility of running all the schools, on the abolition of school districts in 1854. For some years they were paid out of general appropriations for town charges. Afterwards specific appropriations for school incidentals were annually made. This sort of appropri- ation is now made to cover care of schoolhouses, fuel, superintendent's salary, and almost every thing but the erection of schoolhouses and payment of teachers. The total school appropriations for 1880 were over twenty-two thousand dollars.
In former days, the summer schools were taught by females, and the winter terms by males. A gradual revolution has given female teachers a large predominance in the whole field of instruction. This demonstrates a salutary development of intellectual, moral, and social progress. The old-time compensation of teachers was comparatively meagre, and has undergone a marked improvement. Half a century ago, female teachers got from one to two dollars per week and board ; the latter being struck off in district meeting to the lowest bidder at a low figure, -say fifty cents and upwards per week. The com- pensation of male teachers, at the same date, ranged all the way from three to seven dollars per week, and board from one to two dollars. Still earlier, the principal families in a district, by agreement, boarded the teacher gratis to lengthen out the school, each keeping bim or her a certain number of days. This was called " boarding round," and was generally well enjoyed by all parties. Meantime, firewood, the only fuel of those days, was either landed at the schoolhouse gratis, in gross condition, and worked into burning order - often a pretty coarse order - by the large school-lads during recess, or vendued in district meeting to the lowest bidder at from one to two dollars per cord, ready for the fire. But those antique economies have passed away, and during the last ten years the compensation of teachers has been three to ten fold in advance of the old prices (perhaps none too large), and most other school expenditures in proportion.
The number of educable children iu town at various periods, as defined by law, -i.e., children and youth between three and sixteen years of age, or, according to a later prescription, between five and fifteen years old, -is as follows. They began to be enumerated care- fully, I think, in 1835, or thereabouts. If we could trace them back- ward from that period to 1780, their number must seem fractionally small.
213
MILFORD COMPARED WITH OTHER TOWNS.
In 1835 it was
255, or thereabouts.
1845
578
1855
1,330
1865 66
2,262
1875
. 2,219
I find in printed reports of the school committee which have come under my examination some interesting statements, showing the com- parative expenditures of the town for schooling with those of other towns in the Commonwealth, and the ratio per scholar, which I will briefly quote. In the report for 1848-49 the committee say : " We are far behind many towns in this Commonwealth. There are two hun- dred and ten towns which raise more for each person between four and sixteen years of age than this town. The town of Brookline stands first on the list, which raises $852, while we raise but $211; and, while the average of schooling throughout the State is seven months nine- teen days for each district, it is here but five months two days." In their report for the year ending March 1, 1854, the committee say : " The facilities for public education in Milford are greater than in most towns of the Commonwealth, and the town has only to continue its present liberal policy towards the schools to make them equal to those of any town." "Six years ago, the utmost length of our pub- lic schools in a year was from fourteen to twenty weeks; now it is from six to eleven months. For the liberality of her school appro- priations, as compared with her valuation, Milford stands among the first towns in the State ; very few, if any, surpass us. From the base of the pyramid she has rapidly ascended over her less enter- prising sisters to be the crowning stone." The report for 1861-62 closes thus : " In conclusion, the committee are pleased to be able to report that the schools of Milford are progressing with sure and steady course to a condition of proficiency which shall make them the pride of the inhabitants, and monuments of the foresight and liberal- ity of this generation." The report for 1862-63 opens with the fol- lowing : "The town appropriated for schools, at its annual meeting in March, 1862, $6,000. The number of children in town, between the ages of five and fifteen years, is 2,048; thus allowing the sum of $2.929 to each. For 1859-60 the town appropriated $4.155 to each child between the ages of five and fifteen years ; and even then there were in the State one hundred and eighty-one towns which appro- priated more for each child than Milford, and twenty-eight in the county of Worcester." "Two hundred and fourteen towns in the State appropriated, for the year 1860-61, $4.00 or upwards for cach child between the ages of five and fifteen years. In order to allow
214
HISTORY OF MILFORD.
that sum in this town the coming year, it will require an appropri- ation of about $8,500. This is the sum we, as a committee, feel bound to recommend." It was granted accordingly ; and the subse- quent annual appropriations grew larger for many ensuing years, whereof most of the succeeding reports spoke in congratulatory terms. That of 1869-70 says : "Your committee would congratulate you on the present prosperous condition of your schools. Throughout the town, almost without exception, the schools are in better condi- tion, with respect to modes of instruction, discipline, advancement in studies, in fact, in all that goes to make profitable and efficient schools, than those of the committee who have been longest on the board remember to have observed before." The more recent reports are generally commendatory and cheerful.
Our town started with four school districts, a few improvised tene- ment school-rooms, uncouthly furnished, and half a dozen imperfectly qualified and poorly-paid teachers. Behold now its amplitude of commodious educational edifices, its forty-odd schools of all grades, from the high downward, and its host of accomplished teachers, all reputably supported by liberal appropriations. In its infancy, it deemed it burdensome to raise $66.67 for schooling. In its maturity, it ungrudgingly raises $22,000.
Perhaps there are some who might be interested in a full list of our Milford teachers' names, from 1780 down to the present ; but, even if I could ascertain them all, my space would probably be better occu- pied. I shall therefore present only those of the high school, who have officiated since its establishment as principals and assistants.
SUCCESSION FROM THE COMMENCEMENT, NOV. 12, 1850.
PRINCIPALS.
ASSISTANTS.
Rev. Elias Nason, to 1852.
S. Adelaide Scott.
Alfred W. Pike, to 1853.
Sylvester J. Sawyer.
Kate K. Barker.
M. J. Dyer. Caroline M. Baker.
66 to 1856.
Grove P. Jenks, to 1857.
J. R. Draper, to 1858.
A. J. Gove.
Charles J. White, to 1860.
D. B. Sanborn, to 1861. Ruel B. Clarke, to 1862.
66 66 1862.
66 = to 1865.
1865.
Two assistants now.
Frank A. Hill, =
1865.
Ellen M. Patrick.
66 .6
Sarah E. Cole. 66 Mary E. Torrey. Martha Cotton. Lucy S. Lord.
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