USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 39
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·When common schools were first established, it was left optional with the towns to support them by taxation, or by
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rate-bill,* to be paid by those sending children. The grammar schools were, in all cases, to be sustained by the towns.
For many years after the settlement of the country, the course of study in our common schools was very limited. It embraced little more than reading, writing and the ele- ments of arithmetic, in teaching which the schoolmaster frequently used no book, but wrote the examples to be solved upon the slates of the pupils. Spelling was not considered of sufficient importance to be made a study, and the orthog- raphy of the day was as various as the fancy of the writers. The use of capitals was also left to the taste of the writers, and the old records show the pages profusely dotted with them. In printing these records verbatim et literatim, any modern font of type would soon be wanting in capitals, as the printers of the "Annals" of this history can testify.
The study of geography and grammar was not considered necessary for any but those designing to obtain a liberal edu- cation with a view to professional life. For the sons of toil, to be able to read and write, and perhaps cypher a little, was thought to be enough ; consequently common schools were in most of the towns maintained but a small part of the year ; frequently only three or four months.
The condition of the schools at the beginning of the last century was evidently not what the fathers had expected it would be, nor what it would have been had the laws pertaining to the education of the young been faithfully enforced.
It is evident from the records of the times that the descendants of the fathers, of the third and fourth genera- tions, had greatly declined in both intelligence and piety. Reasons for the deterioration may be found in part in the exhausting cares incident to the construction of homes and the defense of them against hostile Indians, and in the labor required to subdue the forest and obtain a livelihood.
These cares and labors would to a great extent engross thought and energy, and enlist in the service the aid of
*See Records of Massachusetts, Vol. IL.,Jp. 203.
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children old enough to lend a helping hand. Such devotion to seeular affairs would naturally be attended by a waning interest in those of a more spiritual nature.
And then, teachers of the requisite qualifications were by no means equal in number to the demand. The records of some of the towns show that in responding to a legal pre- sentment for delinquency in the matter of schools, the im- practiceability of obtaining a teacher was given as an excuse for failure in conforming to the requirements of law. That the delinquency was common, if not general, appears from the action of the general court in passing, in 1701, an addi- tional act in relation to schools and schoolmasters. In the preamble to this aet it is said : " The wholesome and neces- sary Law [see requirements of law of 1642 as given on pre- ceding page] was shamefully neglected by divers towns, and the penalty thereof not required, tending greatly to the nourishment of ignorance and irreligion, whereof grievous complaint is made." It was at this time that the penalty for the non-observance of the law was increased to twenty pounds.
In 1718 the general court increased the penalty for failure to observe the laws, especially those with reference to gram- mar schools, to thirty pounds for towns containing one hundred and fifty families, and to forty pounds for those containing two hundred families.
It was in December of this year that the organization of this town was effected by the choice of the proper officers. Between thirty and forty families had settled within its lim- its. These came from Salem, Newbury and other towns in the vicinity of Boston, and undoubtedly represented the average intelligence of those towns, but the fact that among them not less than sixteen make their mark upon the treas- urer's book, and quite a number of the other signatures can with difficulty be made out, shows how wide-spread and common was the delinquency complained of by the general court, as it respects providing the required means of instrue- tion for the children.
When we consider that the early settlers of this town had had only the most limited advantages of schools, and some
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of them none at all, we are not surprised that so little inter- est was at first manifested in education. There is no men- tion of a school until 1725, and then only in connection with a proposed sale of the school land-two hundred acres - which had been given by the proprietors in accordance with the conditions of the grant of the general court confirming the purchase of the township from the Indians.
The children may have had instruction in private schools, but no action seems to have been taken by the town in the matter of the establishment of a public school previously to 1730, when it was voted that a school should be kept for four months in four places, at the discretion of the selectmen, one month in a place .*
In 1731 it was voted that there should be school dames.
No record can be found of an appropriation for the sup- port of a school until 1732.t The name of John Smith appears upon the treasurer's book as the schoolmaster for this year. The school was kept at the house of Mr. John Gibbs, who was paid fifteen shillings for its use. About this time the town was presented at the court for failure to employ a schoolmaster as the law required, and a fine was imposed, notwithstanding the remonstrance of Dea. Percival Hall, Robert Goddard, John Stockwell and John Bound, who appeared in behalf of the town as defendants in the case.
Nathaniel Goodwin, Daniel Greenwood and Jonathan Marsh are each paid in 1733 for keeping school one month. John Smith is also paid for teaching; time not specified. In 1734 he was called "ye town's schoolmaster," and seems to be the only one employed for 1734 and 1735.
In February 1736, Solomon Holman is paid for " going to Newbury for Mr. Parker Morse to keep school."
Mr. Morse seems to have been the schoolmaster for this year. He was succeeded by a Mr. Paige in 1737, and he by Daniel Wilkins. That the school was a "moving one"
* See Annals, 1830.
t For the amount appropriated this and each succeeding year to 1876, see "School Tax," Part VI.
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(see Annals, 1733) is evident from the bill paid by the town for board of the teacher, which bill included " keeping his horse."
That the requirements of law were not yet conformed to by the town, appears from the fact that in March 1738, Samuel Chase is paid for the money he had " expended and paid to git of the presentment for want of a school."
A committee was appointed in 1735 to see how many school-houses were wanted, but no action was taken in the matter.
In March 1740, the town voted that there be six places or squadrons where the school should be kept, provided that each squadron do build a school-house in each particular place upon their own cost or charge, or find some other house to keep the school. The places are designated.
In the May meeting of the same year in which the above action was taken, the committee of the last year for procur- ing a schoolmaster were instructed to find a master, and direct where the school should be kept. There had been only one public school as yet in town.
After Daniel Wilkins, we find as teachers the names of Timothy Brown, Josiah Chase, Edward Gerl, Ebenezer Dagget, Jr., and Jacob Green.
In March 1745, the town vote that the school shall be kept in each parish according to the tax paid by each, and that each parish have liberty to send to either school.
A committee was chosen in the autumn of this year to give deeds to purchasers of the school lands-the sale of which had been ordered-and it was voted that the inter- est of the proceeds should be forever applied for the benefit of schools in the town.
In March 1751, a committee was appointed to decide where the school shall be kept in each parish. This com- mittee reported at the May meeting, but their report was not accepted.
It is evident that at this date the schools were still kept at private houses.
In 1752 the selectmen are instructed to provide a school- master. The successor of Jacob Green seems to have been
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Stephen Minot. The name of Samuel Trask also occurs, then Stephen Minot again, who was succeeded by Thomas Brown, and he by James McPherson.
In 1755, '56 and '57 Asaph Rice, Thomas Rice, Willard Wheeler and Willis Hall were employed as teachers.
In March 1761, permission was given by vote of the town to "set a school-house on the highway near to Mr. Jeptha Putnam's."
Mr. Putnam lived upon the place now owned by Asa P. Dodge.
The people in that part of the town were to build the house.
In 1766 a committee was again raised to divide the town into districts, and at the same time a proposition to build school-houses was defeated. There were at this date sev- eral schools maintained for three or four months during the year, and provision was also made for summer schools.
In 1768 one-fifth of the amount raised was to be expended for " paying school dames" for summer schools.
In 1773 the town was regularly divided into school dis- tricts, fourteen in number, and the boundaries of each are recorded.
A proposition to make the schools free was defeated, by which action it would seem that the patrons were expected to pay in part for their support. We find no evidence that a grammar school was regularly maintained at this time. The only reference to teachers of such a school that the records contain, is found in a vote passed at a town meeting in which the report of the committee dividing the town into districts was accepted, to the effect that, " no schoolmaster employed in keeping school in any particular squadron of this town -grammar schoolmasters excepted -shall instruct any scholars sent to them from other squadrons." The districts, as laid out by the committee, were not regularly numbered, but were known by the name of some prominent resident, as Captain John Putnam's district, Colonel Sib- ley's district, etc. The teachers were generally males ; a lady's name appears only occasionally upon the treasurer's book as teacher for a few weeks in the summer. During the
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excitement preceding and consequent upon the revolution- ary struggle, comparatively little interest was taken in the schools. About the usual amount of money was however appropriated for their support year by year, except 1775, when nothing was granted. In 1781 the town was re-divided. The number of districts reported was fifteen.
In 1790 a committee was appointed to " new-district the school districts of the town, or make such alterations in them as they may think proper." This committee was also instructed to report what sum of money may be needed for building more school-houses.
At a subsequent meeting they reported that in their opinion the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars would be required, and recommended the appropriation of such an amount.
The report was accepted, and a committee of twenty-five appointed to make such changes in the districts as may be expedient, and to designate places for the school-houses in those districts which have failed to agree upon a suitable site. The above action was reconsidered at a meeting in November, and nothing farther done in the matter.
The treasurer's book contains no order for the payment of a grammar schoolmaster, regularly employed as such, previ- ously to 1793.
Persons might have been, and probably were, delegated to give instruction to any who might wish to pursue the studies which were then considered as belonging to such a school. There were very few of this class of pupils before the time above mentioned. Joseph Hall, son of Rev. Dr. David, is the first and only one who seems to have been appointed grammar schoolmaster, and authorized to present his bills as such. His first bill was in 1794, for teaching grammar school in 1793, £4, 8s. 2d, and as his bill varied from year to year, it is evident that his salary depended upon the number of his scholars. About this time summer schools, for terms of four or six weeks, were established in most of the districts. The winter schools were kept from eight to ten weeks, and taught exclusively by male teachers. The course of study had been somewhat advanced. Spelling
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and geography had been introduced, and were by many con- sidered important branches of study ; good hand-writing and a more extended knowledge of arithmetic were also encour- aged. Each district employed its own teacher, and had the general supervision of its schools. The only official visits made the schools at this time were those of the minister of the parish, for the purpose of catechising the children. A more liberal appropriation was made for their support, and they were taught for longer terms, both summer and winter.
A desire for advantages the common schools and the gram- mar school, as taught by Mr. Hall, did not furnish, began to find expression in the establishment of private schools. Among the first of these were those taught in 1806 by Miss Mary T. Morse in the south parish, and Miss Caroline M. Warren in the north parish.
Miss Morse's school was for young ladies only, in which instruction was given in "Reading, writing, orthography, and English grammar ; also plain sewing, marking, working muslin and embroidery ; also drawing and painting in water colors and filigree work." Miss Warren's school was open to youth of both sexes, and " instruction was given in reading, writing, orthography and English grammar, rhetoric, logic, and English composition ; also arithmetic, geometry, geography, astronomy and the Latin language." Young ladies were likewise instructed in the ornamental branches. In 1811 Miss Thayer advertises in the Massachusetts Spy her " Boarding school for young ladies," in which she promises superior advantages for the pursuit of the several branches of literature and the fine arts." Miss T. was an accom- plished teacher, and her school was well patronized. These private schools had much influence in stimulating parents whose children could not have their advantages to desire means for the improvement of the public schools, and we find the town making larger appropriations for them. Teachers of higher attainments were sought for, and addi- tional studies were introduced. But there was no regular . system of instruction, and the text-books were such as families might chance to have or the teacher might choose to recommend.
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The committees chosen by the districts controlled their own schools in their own way, and not infrequently rival parties existed, whose petty jealousies and opposition, when defeated, to whatever the successful one might do, operated disastrously upon the school and sometimes caused its sus- pension.
Many of the towns in the commonwealth had built the school-houses, assumed the supervision of the schools, and appointed committees to provide teachers, designate text- books, prescribe a regular course of study, and visit the schools.
The improvement in the schools in these towns was so marked that it was deemed desirable the plan of supervision adopted should be introduced in all the towns of the com- monwealth, so in 1826 an act was passed by the legislature " providing for the further instruction of youth," in which every town was required to make choice of three or more persons of requisite qualifications to take the general super- intendance of the schools, examine teachers, designate text- books, compel the attendance upon schools of all children of a suitable age, etc. This town chose committees as required by law, but many of the districts were not cor- dial in their support of the measures they recommended, and the harmonious blending of the town and the district system was found to be a difficult matter.
In 1828 there was a new division of the town into twelve school districts. The feeling that the town committees assumed authority over the schools which did not belong to them, is manifest in the following action of the town, as recorded in the proceedings of the March meeting, 1832.
" The attention of the meeting being called to the choice of a school committee, after general discussion it was voted to choose three persons for this committee who shall examine teachers and visit the several schools with the prudential committees, when invited by said prudential committee ; and when thus invited, shall, on performing said duty, be paid a reasonable sum for their services, their .accounts being audited by the selectmen, by each district who shall thus invite them, out of the portion of money said districts draw from the treasury."
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It is impossible to give a history of the many private schools that were established in town after 1811, as no records were kept, and the "oldest inhabitants" can impart little information.
A few of these schools, however, are remembered, and worthy of particular mention. One of them, called " Sutton High School," was established by Rev. George A. Willard, in 1835, in the hall of the brick mansion built by Mr. James Freeland, afterward removed to West Sutton and continued several years. Mr. Willard was a superior teacher, as several of his former pupils now resident in town can testify. Mr. Willard was succeeded by Charles A. Peabody.
During the autumn of 1850, Mr. Newell Wedge was induced to open a select school in Wilkinsonville, through the solicitation of Dea. John McClellan, Rev. L. B. Good- win, Seth Hartwell, William Newton, William Hall, Asa Woodbury, Horatio Slocomb, Mr. Cowan, Hon. William R. Hill, Joshua Armsby and others.
In the spring of 1851 this school, which was in successful operation, was suddenly and unexpectedly closed, in conse- quence of the hall in which it was held being fitted up for tenements. It was, however, resumed and kept at different places-at the bank room, and at Saundersville through the liberality of Mr. Esek Saunders, who gave the use of his school-house for the purpose. Mr. Wedge also taught in his own house, and several terms in a building near by, fitted up for his school ; also in the school-house at the centre, and the new school-house at Wilkinsonville. The number of his pupils varied from thirty, the first term, to sixty at the end of the third year, at which time he was assisted by Mrs. S. E. Wedge.
In the autumn of 1869 he again taught a select school in the school-house at Wilkinsonville, with sixty-three pupils, twenty-six of whom were over fifteen years of age. Of those who have been under the instruction of Mr. Wedge, more than seventy are known to have engaged in teaching, many of whom were eminent in their profession. One taught in the normal school of Rhode Island, one in the normal school of Westfield, and two are now teaching in the public schools
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of Worcester. Two, while attending his school, volunteered for the defense of their country in the war of the rebellion. Many others who had been his pupils entered the army. Two served in the signal corps ; five became captains. One has represented this town in the legislature.
Mr. Henry J. Crippen, who was a pupil of Mr. Wedge in his school at Grafton, taught a private school at the cen- ter. He was a graduate of Dartmouth college.
Mr. A. W. Putnam was also a successful teacher in our public schools, and also in private schools.
In 1849 a committee was appointed to make a revision of the school districts, if upon examination it should be deemed expedient. This committee reported a revision in 1850, which report was accepted in part, and as a whole in 1851. The number of districts reported was thirteen, and their boundaries as then defined are substantially those of the dis- tricts of the town at the present time. The appropriation made by the town from year to year for the support of its schools has upon the whole been liberal, but the equitable division of the money has been a matter of difficulty, from the fact that the wages paid teachers have been determined by the prudential committees, and those paying the highest have insisted upon the same number of school weeks as those paying the least wages. The school committee were powerless in the matter, as the town by vote placed the em- ployment of teachers in the hands of the prudential commit- tees. An attempt to secure something like uniformity was made by the introduction in the town meeting of March 1850, of the following resolution :
" Resolved, that the money raised and appropriated for the support of schools be subject to the order of the selectmen, and be divided among the several school districts in such a manner as that each district shall have a school or schools of equal length. No male teacher shall receive from the public funds more than twenty-two dollars per month, and no female teacher more than ten dollars per month, exclusive of board. If a female be employed in the winter where there is no male teacher, she may receive fifteen dollars per month."
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This resolution was adopted, but at the next May meeting the vote adopting it was reconsidered, and the following order made with reference to the division of the school money : "One-third equally among the districts, the other two-thirds by the number of families in the several school districts."
This method of dividing the money was, after several years' trial, found to be defective in its working, and aban- doned. Another plan, and one which still prevails, was adopted, by which the school committee were instructed to divide the money as follows : "One-third equally among the districts, one-third upon the average attendance in each dis- triet, and one-third at the discretion of the committee."
From 1800 to 1876 the town raised $113,511. If to this we add the amount received from the State since the estab- lishment of the school fund, the interest on the Cole legacy, and the dog money, we shall have an aggregate of not less than $125,000. This is a large sum for a rural township like this to expend upon its schools, and ought to have placed them in an efficient condition to afford instruction in all the common branches of study, and also furnish facilities for the prosecution of the higher branches taught in gram- mar schools.
But the common schools of the town have not been in the past what they should have been, nor are they to-day what they ought to be, in view of the generous appropriations made for their support.
There are causes for their inefficiency, and these will be, and ought to be, without prejudice, investigated.
This town has by a large majority of its voters continued to favor the district system, and placed the employment of the teachers of its schools in the hands of its prudential com- mittees. In reference to the wisdom of this plan there are honest differences, and many of the earnest friends of our common schools think it the best that can be devised.
If it is better than the town system, the schools of this and the few towns in the State which adhere to it should surpass in excellence all others. We find the schools in those towns in the most efficient state in which teachers only
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of superior qualifications are employed, and retained as long as possible in the same place.
In a few of the schools of this town the best of teachers have been employed, and in some instances retained for many successive terms, and these schools will compare favorably with those of any town, but in many cases teach- ers with no fitness for their work have been engaged, and not infrequently a new one for each term. Schools cannot prosper under such management, and the wonder is not that they are no better, but no worse.
In searching for the causes of the present condition of our schools, we shall also find that the town committee have sometimes been incompetent, and sometimes when compe- tent derelict in duty. Many who have been upon this com- mittee have possessed all the requisite qualifications, and been deserving of high commendation for their " work's sake," but it is at the same time true that others have been men of no special fitness. These have sometimes allowed teachers to remain who should have been promptly dismissed, either from inability to judge of their qualifications, or fear of offending some of their political constituents. The office has been altogether too much a political one, and held not infrequently by men whose only recommendation was loyalty to party. Such have taken little interest in the schools-visited them only occasionally, and then disgusted both teachers and pupils by talking politics when there was any one to converse with, and closing the scene with a "few remarks," suggestive only of the fact that the speaker had nothing to say. The office of school committee should be wholly removed from party politics, and filled by those who know what education is, and the best means of securing its advantages-by those only who have time for the faithful discharge of the duties involved.
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