USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Winchendon > History of the town of Winchendon (Worcester County, Mass.) from the grant of Ipswich Canada, in 1735, to the present time > Part 12
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" The town of Winchendon Dr., to me for Boarding the school Dame, Mrs. Down, four weeks, at three shillings per week, £0, 12, 0, 0."
On the 7th of March, 1774, £7, 6s. was devoted to schooling, " partly rents, and partly money not used last year." At the same time, " voted, to choose a committee to divide the town into districts
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for schooling. Chose Daniel Goodridge, Moses Hale, William Whit- ney, John Boynton and Seth Oaks."
SECTION 1 .- THE FIRST DISTRICTS.
The committee made a report dated March 17, 1774, which was accepted by the town. This action did not constitute legal districts, in the modern acceptance of the term, but merely divided the town into sections for school purposes, the town still having full care of the schools. It will be interesting to know where the population was loca- ted at the opening of the Revolution. The report here follows.
" We the subscribers, being chosen by the town of Winchendon, legally assembled on the seventh day of March- 1774, -a committee to appoint places for school houses to be set up in order for schools to be kept in said town, have agreed upon the following places which appear to us to [be ] most convenient for said purposes.
For the southwest part of the town we have agreed to have a school house upon the road between Potato brook and Joseph Wilder's [now Luke Wil- der's] house, if the town shall think proper. [Never built.]
For the southeast part of the town we think proper to have a school house on the new county road about half a mile south of Wm. Whitney's, as near the south side of the first brook south of said Whitney's as the land will allow of. [This section was afterwards sec off to Gardner. ]
For the east part of the town, we think the most convenient place for a school house is in the great road by Mr. Dudley Perley's. [That is, on the old road from the Centre to Ashburnham. ]
For the north part of the town, it appears to us that the most convenient place for a school house to be set up is on the county road near where the road turns out that leads by Mr. John Boynton's to Rindge. [John Boyn- ton lived on the place at the north part of the town, now owned by Capt. E. Murdock, Jr.]
For the west part of the town, we think best to have the school house erected on the county road that leads to Royalston, near the mouth of fly road, so called. [Just beyond what has since been known as the Caswell place, west of Miller's river and where the road comes in from Bullardville. ]
Winchendon, March 17, 1774."
The Centre already had a school. It was several years before all the sections of the town were supplied with school houses. Schools were kept in private houses, cooper's shops, and wherever room could
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be found. It will be seen that no provision was made for children in the Village, Waterville or Spring Village. The simple fact was that there were scarcely any inhabitants near the river, between the Mo- nomonauk and New Boston ; where we now find not far from four-fifths of our scholars. The next year the sum granted was the rent of the school lands, besides £5 given by the county ; in 1776, £ 20 were de- voted to schooling. A new step was taken in 1777. The appropria- tion was enlarged to £30, and a committee was appointed " to see af- ter schooling," viz : Dea. Moses Hale, David Goodridge, Daniel Good- ridge, Peter Joslin, Ebe'r. Howe. This was the first school commit- tee, as far as can be ascertained. Their duties were mainly those af- terwards assigned to the prudential committees chosen by the districts. The examination of teachers and schools generally was done by the clergy, as officers of the town. The school committee of 1778, were Ebenezer Howe, Lt. Joseph Boynton, Lt. Amos Merriam, Dea. Hale, John Day, each one belonging to a separate district. This year £100 were voted for schooling ; of which £7, 6s were to be derived from rent of land. Money had already begun to depreciate. On the 9th of September, the question came up again in regard to dividing the town into districts, but nothing was done. In 1779, £400 were granted to be employed in schooling. This was paper money. It was voted, " that the school money for this year be equally divided into six parts. The following committee was chosen, viz : Capt. John Boynton, Capt. Seth Oaks, Dea. Moses Hale, William Whitney, Abel Wilder and James McElwain, to agree on six places to have a school kept in this town where it will best accommodate the inhabitants." Then chose Capt. Joseph Bacon, Dea. Moses Hale, Abel Wilder, Capt. John Boynton, Phillips Sweetzer and James McElwain, "to see that the school money is properly laid out." In other words, they were the prudential committee of the town. This action was taken at the March meeting. The committee immediately reported in relation to districts, as follows, thus showing that no school houses had yet been erected.
" The committee on locating school houses reported that " it appears to us that it is most convenient to have the school houses erected in the following places, namely, one on the Meeting House Common ; one about 20 rods south of the brook which runs across the road between Mr. Phillips Sweet- zer and Mr. Jeremiah Stuart, [not far from the trotting park, now No. 10,
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or Tallow hill school, ] one at the corner of the road between Bill Hancock's and David Stoddard's, [now No. 7, and part of No. 8,] one just on the causey by Jonathan Stimpson's, [now No. 5, or Estey school house ;] one just over the brook on the road from David Goodridge to Lieut. Joseph. Boynton, [just northeast of the house of Mr. Jonas Nutting, towards Mr. James Murdock's ;] the other on the county road towards Westminster, on the east district lot, No. 2." [Now in Gardner. ]
The next vote indicates the cause of still farther delay in building the houses, viz : derangement of the currency. It was in these words : " Voted, that the town will not take the present currency for the rents on those school and ministerial lands wherein the lease mentions law- ful money of Great Britain."
At the annual meeting, March 9, 1780, it was voted " that a school- master be hired to keep school nine months in a year." Also, that " the nine months' schooling be equally divided into six parts, to be kept in the several places agreed upon by the town." The schools were probably kept in private houses. At a meeting, October 13, the largest nominal appropriation for schools was made that is upon record, viz: £2300, worth perhaps $100. At the March meeting in 1781, the school money " was equally divided between the several schools." The following provision was made: "Six months of writing school in each quarter, and the remainder of the money to be laid out in a wo- man's school, (if it appears to be the desire of the quarter,) in such places as will best accommodate the whole of said squadron, and when no woman's school is desired, the whole to be laid out in a man's school." It was then voted to build school houses in " the several places agreed upon by the town."
But voting is not building. The subject came up again at the ad- journed meeting, March 22, when it was " Voted to have a school house built in the centre of the town 20 feet square." The " others to be 18 feet square." Then the vote to build school houses was re- considered. It was next voted to give " liberty to each squadron or school district, or any particular persons, to build school houses on the spots agreed upon by the town, and that those persons who build said houses, shall hold them as their own property until such time as the town shall see fit to purchase them of the proprietors for the town's use." After this comes the rather inconsistent vote "to build six school
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houses this present year." A committee was also appointed to see to the building of school houses, viz : Samuel Prentice, James McEl- wain, Phillips Sweetzer, Edward Withington, Francis Bridge, Joseph Bacon. These men represented districts Nos. 1, 7, 10, 3, 5, as they have been arranged for many years past. Bacon was in the Gardner section. It was then voted " that those squadrons who get the school houses done the cheapest, have so much money laid out in schooling more than their quota of school money, as to make them equal to the highest priced houses." Now it would seem as if the children would soon be accommodated with school houses, but " there's many a slip," &c. At the meeting on the 3d of April, it was " voted to postpone the building of school houses until next year." The burdens of the war pressed too heavily upon them to admit their doing anything which was not absolutely necessary. The appropriation for schooling was £40.
In 1782, March 4, the town granted £36, or £6 to each squadron, for schooling. The term " squadron," seems to have come into use in the Revolution ; that is, in its application to districts or sections of the town. On the 19th of March, the old vote was renewed to " build the school houses the present year," but on the following 11th of 'April, this vote was reconsidered. On the 28th of May, it was " voted that the committee chosen last March to provide schooling the present year, be a committee to divide the pay of the town into six equal parts, both as to polls and estates, for the purpose of building school houses. No action was taken the next year, and nothing in the year fol- lowing which led to results. The school money was £40. In 1785, March 14, the town voted to have a " Grammar school for the year en- suing," and granted £50 for schooling. The same sum was voted next year, including the rent of the school land. At the same time, March 7, 1786, the town " chose a committee of nine to take up and consider whether the town will build school houses in the several parts of the town as now divided," viz : Benjamin Kidder, Ahimaaz Sherwin, Paul Raymond, Samuel Crosby, Esq., Dea. Moses Hale, Samuel Prentice, Phillips Sweetzer, Daniel Hubbard and Joseph Boynton.
SECTION 2 .- THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSES.
This committee reported on the 3d of April, 1786, " that there be no alteration in the school squadrons, nor in the several places hereto- fore agreed upon for school houses. Also, we beg leave to report as
HISTORY OF WISCHENDET.
our opinion, that it wil be best for the town to mise a sum of money to be appropriated to the building school houses, in the places already agreed on, or in such other place or places as the squirtos more intimate- ly concerned agree apon. Also that the money granted, shal be irided into five equal parts, and a committee man or men be chosen in each squadron to have the oversight of the work, who scal give each one as equal a chance as may be in finding materiais and doing the work." I: was then voted " to build,sir school houses in the town of Wichen- don," and " to set the school houses in the several places befire so- pointech, except the south part." Three burirei idlars were granted for the purpose, and a committee of twelve " to see to the building of the school houses." These are their names : Abel Wider, Bezjamis Brown, Edward Wichington, Joseph Boynton, Philips Sweetrer. Da- vid Poor. Daniel Hubbard, Bil Hancock, William Wsimey, Paul Ray- mond. Dea. Moses Hale and Isaac Prooghry. The houses were erected in accordance with these voces, and were located as follows : moe in the Centre, near the house of John Woodbury, soi was of brick : another in the eastern district, near the present site. perhaps to the same spor : anochor in what was known as the did sinti diswiet near the Bigelow place : another in the southern seetion, near the Poor man. just west of the stream. This was burned. Then the house wis loca- ted on the east side of the stream, about a rod east of the Jica Pour house, now occupied by Mr. Carter ; anocher in the north west, ec the road between Levi Parks' and the Royalswoo road, near the moving par'k : and the sixth in the northern part of the town, near Daniel Bors- ton's house, between his house and John Boynamn's
The appropriation for 1789 was about $200. or 260 : for 1:30. £72. At the March meeting, 1791, it was voted that - each diswies shall school out their proportion of money within a year after the grams is made, or forfeit it." The sum granted for schevis, for several years to come was $240 : 8450, increasing towards che ciuse of the Neo- tury. At a meeting November 7. 1791. £150 were granted for build- ing and repairing school houses in the town. Chose Moses Hale, Jies Burr and James McElwain, a committee for the purpose. At a mee :- · ing held a fortnight later, this vore was reconsidered, and 450 grac :- ed. On the Ist of August, 1792. it was rored mo more the school house to the east line of the Common.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
SECTION 3 .- SECOND ARRANGEMENT OF DISTRICTS.
The increase of population made it important, in a few years, to increase the number of school houses. Some of the children were under the necessity of going long distances to reach their school. New wants must be met by new arrangements. Accordingly, at a meeting held May 6, 1793, the town " chose a committee of seven persons to make a new arrangement of school districts in the town. Chose one in each district, and the seventh by ballot. Dea. Samuel Prentice rep- resented No. 10 in recent times, that is, the northwest part of the town ; Benjamin Wilder, No. 1; David Goodridge, No. 3, or the north district ; Peter Robinson, No. 6 formerly, near the Bigelow place ; Dea. Moses Hale, the east district in recent times, No. 5 ; and Da- vid Hubbard, No. 7. William Whitney was chosen by ballot, and acted as chairman. At a meeting June 3, the following report was offered and accepted :
" That there be one school house on the Royalston road near the line be- tween the Rev. Joseph Brown's land and Mr. Abner Curtice ; [never built, ] 2, that there be one do. on Fitzwilliam road, near the north line of Capt. Paul Boynton's land, on the east side of said road, [between the Village and Henry Keith's ; 3, one do. on the Rindge road near the line between Lt. Joseph Boynton and Mr. James Payson ; 4, one do. on the road leading to Ashburnham, on the easterly side of the long causey near Mr. Jere'h Lord's land, where it now stands; 5, one do. on the county road leading through Gardner, near where the road comes from Mr. David Smith's into said road, where the school house now stands; 6, one do. on the Templeton road near Mr. Eliphalet Goodridge's, where the school house in No. 7, now stands ; [af- terwards moved to its present location] 7, one do. near Mr. Peter Russell's, where the frame now stands ; [near Miss Sylvia Howard's] 8, one do. on the road leading from Mr. Jere'h Stuart's to Mr. Francis Goodhue, where the school house now stands [near the trotting park. ]"
After hearing the report, it was voted " to build the school houses in the several districts agreed upon." A committee of eight was cho- sen to draw a plan of the houses, and to propose ways and means to build them : viz, Benjamin Hall, Esq., Capt. Paul Boynton, Lt. Joseph Boynton, Dea. Moses Hale, David Smith, Paul Raymond, Jr., Eben- ezer Sherwin and Jeremiah Stuart.
This committee reported on the third of September that " each dis- trict build their own school houses. Granted £243 including £50
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
lately granted to build and repair school houses, said sum to be divided to each district, according to their pay. This looked like work, and accordingly a building committee was chosen, viz : Phinehas Whitney, No. 1; Lieut. Joseph Boynton, north district ; Ezra Hyde, the house on the Fitzwilliam road ; Jeremiah Stuart, for the northwest ; Jesse Ellis, for the southwest ; Daniel Hubbard, No. 7, or the south ; Peter Robinson for the old 6th, near the Bigelow place ; and Moses Hale for the eastern district. It was then voted that " the middle or centre district have liberty to set their school house where they think best." It was placed near the present house of Mr. John Woodbury. A com- mittee was chosen to view the situation of the southwest district, and determine upon the spot on which said house ought to stand. Thomas Graton, or Greaton, Jeremiah Stuart and Benjamin Hall were the com- mittee, and they reported subsequently in favor of the old site, though preferring another if the roads were convenient for it. On the 6th of January, 1794, the Assessors were directed to commit the school house tax to the collector ; and he was to receive school house committee or- ders in discharge of said tax. The assessors and school house com- mittee were directed to meet and make a division of the money grant- ed to build school houses according to the school districts and their pay, and the non-residents' pay to be divided by the assessors and commit- tee according to their best discretion. On the 5th of May, it was vo- ted " that the school houses should be finished on or before the first day of January next." May 28, the north district was allowed to " apply the money granted to it for schooling last year to building their school house." The southwest district was allowed, by vote passed March 7, 1797, " to place its school house where they please exclusive of cost to the town." It was probably placed near the south side of the Denison pond, near the house of Miss Sylvia Howard.
SECTION 4 .- STATE OF EDUCATION.
The history of education in the town will be arrested at this point, for the purpose of bringing forward other parts of the work. This, however, is the natural period for a division of the narrative, since the . opening of the present century was really the beginning of a new era in the cause of. popular education. Before turning to a new subject, it may be well to take a passage from the manuscript of Dr. Whiton, since his recollections embraced a portion of the period under review. He
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· HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
says : " I wish I had been able to ascertain when the first school house was built ; it was probably prior to 1770, it being, at my earliest rec- ollections, a rough, ricketty affair, of diminutive size, standing a little west of Dea. Cutter's present dwelling." This was the northwest cor- ner of the Common. The Records give no information in regard to the building of this first school-house. It was probably erected before the Revolution, though not long previous to that event. School-hous- es in those days were generally " rough," and they soon became " rick- ctty," taking on rapidly the marks of age. They were without paint, and so felt all the changes of the seasons, and yielded to the gnawings of the tooth of time. Dr. W. continues : " In the earliest schools, the only books to be found were the old New England Primer, small in size but rich in value ; Dilworth's Spelling Book and the Psalter, including Psalms and Proverbs, or the Testament. I do not think the schools in Winchendon ever exhibited the primitive simplicity of some places where the scholars learned to write on white birch bark for lack of pa- per, and were taught in rotation a week each, by all the men who could read; some of whom would cut but a sorry figure as instructors. Schools here were a grade above this. About 1790 a decided advancement was made in school books. Perry's Spelling Book superseded Dil- worth's ; Pike's Arithmetic was introduced, afterwards superseded by Adams'; Webster's Third Part came into use as a reading book, fol- lowed not long after by the American Preceptor. The study of Eng- lish Grammar began to be thought of, Alexander's Grammar finding its way into the schools. Not the least attention was given to Geog- raphy till 1795, when a small abridgement of Morse's Geography began to be called for. These books held possession of the schools for many years, till better and more modern compilations expelled them. It was scarce known that such sciences as Chemistry, Natural Philosophy, Botany, Rhetoric, Physiology or Algebra were in existence ; of their introduction into Primary schools, no one at that day dreamed. To read, spell and write decently, and acquire enough of Arithmetic for the transaction of ordinary business, was all the young aspired to. The medical pupils of Dr. Israel Whiton, of whom there was a considerable number, aided to furnish a supply of teachers of the winter schools. The schools were however, as good as the means and circumstances of the town, in those days, allowed ; and if they were not what could be wished, still they effected a large amount of good."
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
CHAPTER X. - HIGHWAYS AND BY-WAYS.
" Ods whips and spurs ! A road fit for a king Winds through these woods :- that is, a king of knaves. The farmer's white-oak cart jolts over rocks, Logs, stumps ; the springless wagon sinks in mud While on the way to mill. The traveler, Bewildered by the crooks, and thick-leaved shade, Lists to the forest sounds, and dreads the sight Of the fierce wild beast, or well-armed foot-pad,- Perchance of stealthy Indian on his tramp. It seems the very hatching place of theft And murder .- A change comes o'er the scenery. See the long row of horses and their freight,- Men, mothers, children, on their way to church. The squirrel chirrups on the trees; the tuneful birds Fill all the air with song; a solemn hymn Breaks forth from human lips, and all the aisles Are vocal with their melody."
OLD SCOUT.
Roads while they mark the condition and progress of civilization, fur- nish great facilities for general improvement. The history of a town, no more than of a nation, cannot be complete, without some account of its means of inter-communication. Macaulay, who more than any oth- er historian, exhibits every phase of a people's life, enters into exceed- ingly interesting details concerning the roads of England. We are sur- prised to learn that the great lines of travel were in a wretched condi- tion far along into the last century, while the cross roads were almost impassable. In our own country good roads were very uncommon till several years after the Revolution. Indeed, the art of road making was not understood, among us, till very recently. At first the people followed Indian trails; then they marked bridle-paths by cutting or blazing trees ; next they cut cart roads, removing the largest stones and stumps, and roots, so that oxen, and perhaps steady horses, could
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
move a load without shaking vehicle and contents to pieces. By de- grees came highways on which prudent drivers could venture to travel, by using proper vigilance. The next step in progress was the turn- pike, built by a corporation, and deriving its support from travelers who paid their fare at gates swung across the road at suitable intervals -say, six or eight miles apart. These were a great advance, in com- parison with the old roads, but in time the people became educated up to the point where they were willing to tax themselves to pay for free roads that should be better than the turnpikes. Such has been the course of things in the eastern States. We read of western towns, where one can take his start in an avenue, which soon changes into a street, that diminishes to a road, then dwindles into a cart-path, and finally vanishes in a squirrel track up a tree. With us avenues come last, but well-built roads are demanded by an advancing public senti- ment. A county Commissioner remarked a few years since, that a team could draw twice as much from any part of the county to the Court House in the same time, as the same team could have drawn twenty- five years before ; so great had been the improvement in the roads.
SECTION 1 .- THE FIRST ROADS.
The first Proprietors of Ipswich Canada found their way to these wilds, by trails and bridle-paths, either through Westminster and what is now Gardner, or through Dorchester Canada, now Ashburnham. Lunenburg and Leominster were settled sometime before the towns at the west of them, and travelers found their way hither by either route. It is probable however, that the northern road was most frequented. Ashburnham was settled about the time our fathers came here, and thus a way was opened to our eastern border. Before this time, the towns in the valley of the Connecticut had become quite populous, and it was necessary to have lines of travel from the valley of the Nashua to the great river. This explains the vote of the Proprietors in a meeting held on the 27th of October, 1737, which was in these words : " That there be a road cut from Earlington as near as may be to the Meeting- House Lott, at the charge of the Proprietors." For a long time, it was impossible to find the location of Earlington. Mr. Hyde, who was aged enough to remember several years into the last century, says in a note on the 79th page of his History, that he " has not yet discov-
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HISTORY OF WISCHENDOS.
ered what place is meant by Earlington." The supposition was that it was some parish or precinct in one of the lower towns, as Linen- burg, Leominster or Lancaster, through which the travel would zat- urally take its course in coming to this region. On inquiring at the State House for Earlington, the antiquarians in the Secretary's ofice confessed themselves ignorant of that locality. However, in the Iniex of Plans, Grants, &c., it was found that a part of Northdeli had been granted to Major Joseph Willard, - being a large strip on the north and east sides of the town-with the name of Earlington. This dis- corery made the design of the Proprietors evident. It was mowbring the travel between the settlements east and west through this pisce. A far-sighted project, never yet fully realized. In after times a canal was surveyed from the Hudson to Boston, through Winchendon Village. and stil later a railroad, but neither have been transformed from pro- jects to facts. It is to be hoped that the time is not far distant when one of the great lines of railway travel from the seaboard to the west- ern part of the State, and so on to the Great West. wil pass through our principal Village. But to return from our digression : The next meeting of the Proprietors was on the 3d of November, Then it was voted " that six pounds be paid and allowed out of the treasury to such proprietor as shall ca: an Horse-way from Bariington road to the Meet- ing House Lott."
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