USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 25
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The committee then ballotted and decided that $25 go to the female branch of the Woodend school. As Alonzo Lewis was then in charge, while Miss Annie W. Stone had been in charge a part of the year, it was decided that he should have $15 and she $10. Then they voted the $20 go to Mr. Jeremiah Sanborn of the Gravesend school, and the $15 to Mr. Ezra Willard, instructor of the school near the westerly end of the Com- mon. A week later the committee had obtained an attested copy of the proceedings of the town, finding there had been a misunderstanding, so they then voted to reconsider their former votes. After considering the matter another week, they came together and voted that if the town had appropriated the $60, they would have awarded it as aforesaid.
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The division of the Woodend school into a school for males and an- other for females was not made permanent. On March 20, 1826 the com- mittee voted that "the school in Ward No. 2 be so divided that the more advanced pupils of both sexes be placed under the care of a male teacher, and the younger pupils be entrusted to the charge of a female."
Quite a number of the old towns about us maintained separate boys' and girls' schools for years. Conservative Boston still continues certain High and Grammar schools for boys and others for girls. If that is the best way, why not pattern the new schools after them? If it is not the best way, why not change them?
Perhaps the old schools over-emphasized the distinction of sex, thereby arousing unnatural self-consciousness. In many schools each sex must enter by its own side of the school yard, through its own door, up its own stairway, into its own coat room, and occupy its own side of the classroom. Today 50 per cent. of these artificial barriers have been removed and with good results.
November 20, 1837, a statistical reply to an official inquiry by Hon. Horace Mann, Secretary of the State Board of Education, contained the following statement: "There are seven males and four females who practice school keeping as a regular employment". In 1850 there were 9 male and 34 female teachers, with 3379 pupils; in 1863 there were 6 male and 53 female teachers, and 4332 pupils ; in 1920 there were 43 male and 375 female teachers, with 13,297 pupils.
The various districts originally spoken of as the First Parish, North Parish, and West Parish, and sometimes referred to as precincts, had been divided into school wards by 1810. The records of 1812 indi- cate six such divisions, their arrangement of numbers being chronological rather than geographical. "Ward Number One" was the old first parish, its school being located at the westerly end of the Common. The second ward was that of the Friends' school and it had the peculiarity, that, territorially, it existed wherever in Lynn there chanced to be a Quaker family sending a child to that school. Ward three was Woodend, of which district the Ingalls school is the present center. The fourth ward was at the easterly end of the Common. Gravesend, now called Glenmere, was Ward five, and Ward six was Swampscott.
In those years the school money was divided into proportion to the count of school population between the ages of five and fourteen. The figures below are for 1816:
The 1st ward contained 215 "subjects", allowance $418
" 2nd "
133
"
317
" 3rd
200
"
380
" 4th ,
167
360
" 5th ",
76
",
170
"
6th
" 40
125
West of General's Hill 41 " West District 85
Total subjects 872
Nahant 40
John Lindsey (children at home) 5
$1900
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This designation of pupils as "subjects", the usual custom of that time, seems to us in this day of long-established democracy as suggesting a period of despotic rule. Were those schools autocracies, and how far are the teachers autocratic today? Certainly schools have changed since those "good old days." And Lynn has been growing as well as changing. In 1818 the town voted $60 to assist in the erection of a schoolhouse in Nahant, and a stone building was erected there to serve as school and library, several hundred volumes being donated by gentlemen from Bos- ton. Other sections of the town had grown to need new schools and, in 1821 the school wards were increased to eight and rearranged in con- secutive order :
Ward 6 or Swampscott became Ward 1. Ward 3 or Woodend be- came Ward 2. Ward 5 or Gravesend became Ward 3. Ward 2, the Friends' district, became Ward 4. Ward 4, at the easterly end of the Common, became Ward 5. Ward 1, the westerly end of the Common, became Ward 6. What was known as the West District became Ward 7. Nahant was Ward 8.
Lynn no longer has Nahant, save in the forefront of her city seal, so there is no Ward 8. Dye House Village, where a small school be- gan to be kept about 1830, has become the populous suburb known as Wyoma, taking on the number one that Swampscott used to have. Woodend and Gravesend have interchanged their numbers, two and three. Otherwise there has been practically no alteration in the numbering, and the modern city wards stand as the school wards were arranged a century ago.
Before 1835 very few pupils remained in the public schools after reaching the age of thirteen years, for the education provided was most elementary, meager and unsatisfactory. Throughout New England pri- vate academies began to multiply, and children were sent to them if they wished a higher education and could pay the charges. There was a growing demand that public higher schools should be established, avail- able for all. In 1820 the Lynn School Committee asked that a "perpetual grammar school" be provided as required by the law of the State. In 1821 the town evaded this law by calling one of its schools a "gram- mar school" and removing the younger children to another building. The intent of the law had been a "Latin and Greek grammar school", but in 1826 a special committee reported that such a school must wait because "expenditures ought to be regulated by the most rigid rules of economy till the town exonerates herself of debts."
These debts seem never to have been cleared, and in 1838 the School Committee stated: "Your committee further report that it is highly ex- pedient that the town comply with the letter of the statute which pro- vides that a High School be established in every town containing four thousand inhabitants. This provision has been too long and unwisely avoided, the cause of popular education suffers for the want of such a
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school more than from any other cause whatever." But still for another dozen years the expenditures continued "to be regulated by the most rigid rules of economy" before such a school was provided and the law obeyed.
And during this half century of so-called economy, Lynn depended upon a private school, the old Lynn Academy, for the education of her more wealthy families. It began its existence, April 5, 1805, with Wil- liam Ballard as its preceptor, and, in spite of many difficulties, it was continued till the Lynn High School took its place.
The late George H. Martin, Lynn's able educational leader, has com- piled an interesting paper upon the old Lynn Academy, which was given before the Lynn Historical Society. He tells how the promoters of the academy leased their land of the old First Parish and built the house and were incorporated by the General Court. The preceptors were continually beginners, just out of college, who would stay a year or a term, and then move on to something more remunerative. A part of the time there were pupils enough to permit employing a preceptress to teach the girls. At one time Alonzo Lewis was a pupil and later the pre- ceptor of the academy, before beginning his public school teaching.
In 1832 a new act of incorporation was obtained and the school be- came more prosperous. In 1835 Jacob Batchelder became its preceptor and Priscilla Titcomb the preceptress, remaining in charge till the High School was established, Mr. Batchelder becoming the first High School principal, and Miss Titcomb soon followed him as assistant. Principal or Preceptor Batchelder was known as "Master Jacob", to distinguish him from his brother, "Master John", principal of the grammar schools of Wards 5 and 6. The old academy building, shorn of its belfry and guild- ed eagle, was moved to the corner of Western avenue and Center street, where it served as a paint shop. It used to stand on the site now known as 170 South Common street.
In 1850 Lynn became a city, and its first High School building was erected. "Master Jacob" had already organized his new school, begin- ning the first year of the Lynn High School on May 28, 1849, occupying a room in the basement of the school building "in Franklin street." But on January 8, 1851, the school was removed to the "elegant structure erected for its accommodation on the south side of City Square."
We begin our school years in September rather than in May, but that was before the day of the long summer vacation. Perhaps we need to be told that this new city's newly named "City Square" was later re- named "Highland Square", while the newest Lynners must be informed that after the boys came home from the World War, "Highland Square" became "McGloin Square." But the old wooden High School building, that "elegant structure", looked out upon these changes with hardly any change of its own countenance. You may see on the side of the building just where it grew longer, changing from five windows to seven, and
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your imagination readily restores the ventilator that used to adorn the middle of the roof.
That High School had three classes, junior, middle and senior. The pupil mortality was even greater than now, and of 47 who entered the first class, only 15 graduated three years later. Those preparing for col- lege or so-desiring might remain longer for additional work. The cata- logue of 1852 states there were then in the school, "Gentlemen 54, and Ladies 100, Total 154", while the catalogue of 1857 gives, "Ladies 99, Gentlemen 61, Total 160", a gain of only 6 in five years. Henry Lum- mus, A.B., was now principal, "Master Jacob" having accepted a better position at the head of the Salem Classical High School.
The early catalogues are embellished with a picture of the school, its rolling lawn occupied by a group of small boys busy with tops or marbles, while a group of girls were tossing a ball and rolling a hoop. The later catalogue reveals two scars where these groups have been erased as too juvenile in dress and sports to accompany the "gentlemen" and "ladies" listed within.
When ten classes had passed through the school we find the total graduates numbered "162 ladies and 58 gentlemen," total 220. This public high school had its rivals. The old Lynn Academy was no more, but in its place arose the "English and Classical School and Mercantile and Art Academy." It existed from 1864 to 1872 and seems to have had considerable patronage under Principal S. P. Boynton.
The old building remained in use for forty years before another was built. The school had then long outgrown its shell, so that classes of its pupils were housed all over the city wherever vacant rooms could be obtained. The new school alongside the old one on Highland square was dedicated June 17, 1892, President Eliot of Harvard University be- ing the principal speaker. Until 1911 the Classical High School, under Principal Eugene D. Russell, occupied the first floor, while the English High School, under Principal Charles S. Jackson, had the rest of the building, later much enlarged from time to time.
The new Classical building was completed in 1911 and Principal Russell moved his school into it, remaining its head until his death. That school gained a fine reputation for the quality of its work, as shown by the standing of the children it fitted for college. Both schools are now crowded to their capacity, the English housing more than 1800 pupils and obliged to have a part of the freshman class come in the afternoon for lack of space.
The direct oversight of the schools was originally in charge of the selectmen, excepting as now and then the annual town meeting voted that some special committee have charge for a year. About the close of the eighteenth century we have seen that a duly authorized school committee had come into legal authority. They tried various experiments from year to year, dividing the duties between the ward or prudential
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committees and the visiting or supervising committees. Adequate super- vision by competent officials serving gratuitously was most difficult to obtain, and the problem was never solved satisfactorily until they learned to employ an expert professional educator as the Superintendent of Schools. Lynn has had a succession of three superintendents in charge of her schools, and a glance over the changing conditions makes us re- alize that a great deal of progress has been made through their forty years of service.
Orsamus B. Bruce was Lynn's first superintendent, called from teach- ing in Binghamton, N. Y., in 1879. Then the school superintendent was a frequent visitor in every schoolroom and his genial, kindly presence made his sunny greeting of, "Good morning, children," certain of a happy response of, "Good morning, Mr. Bruce." Looking back, one could wish the School Committee had left more authority in the hands of their super- intendent, allowing him to make Lynn schools all that he so earnestly de- sired. He remained in office until 1901 and a citizen of Lynn until his death. His oil portrait in the Public Library is an excellent likeness, placed there by the pupils and teachers of the schools in token of their affection and esteem.
Superintendent Frank J. Peaslee succeeded Superintendent Bruce and continued in the office until 1915, when Charles S. Jackson, the pres- ent superintendent, was elected to the position. Mr. Peaslee came to the office at a time when the rapid growth of the city and its changes in educational conditions demanded of him the fullest measure of executive attention. He did not shirk the responsibilities of his position and was always loyal to the teachers in their best efforts in the cause of public education. Good progress was made by the schools during his term.
Charles S. Jackson was well known as an educator at the time of his election to the superintendency, having already served twenty-five years as principal of the Lynn English High School. In that quarter century he saw his school grow under his hands from 135 pupils to 1101 and the faculty increase from 4 teachers to 36. His administration having al- ways been marked by progressiveness and tact, inspiring harmonious co- operation on the part of teachers and a loyal school spirit on the part of pupils, the School Committee promoted him to the higher position. Never have the duties of the office been more trying than during these years of his service, and the patient perseverance with which he has faced the most disheartening situations, during and since the World War, merits the highest appreciation of every one.
The bookkeeping and other clerical work of the school department becomes more extensive every year, demanding efficient handling of the school funds at City Hall if the schools are to make good returns to the city for nearly a million dollars annually expended. Fortunately for Lynn, Ernest J. Stevens, an experienced educator of more than ordinary executive force, is in charge of this work, filling the double
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office of assistant superintendent and secretary of the School Board to the great assistance of the committee, the superintendent and the teachers.
General Lander Post No. 5, of the Grand Army of the Republic, has maintained most intimate relations with Lynn schools for years. Just before Memorial Day, delegations in blue uniform, wearing the G. A. R. bronze button, always visited every school, telling the boys and girls of the stirring times when they marched away in defence of the Union. Together the pupils sang "America" and the "Star Spangled Banner" and joined in the salute: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all." Who can measure the good Post 5 has done by these impressive object lessons ?
The ranks of Post 5 have grown thin, but the Sons of Veterans, the Spanish War Veterans, and the American Legion are marching beside them and assisting in perpetuating their Memorial Day observances. The Stars and Stripes float above every schoolhouse and adorn every school- room, and the love of flag and country is the great lesson every school must have its classes 100 per cent. perfect in. The loyalty of our boys in the World War just ended proves that this teaching has not been in vain. They faced their duty nobly, they were brave and efficient, and Lynn was proud of their record.
All through the schools was a united effort to "help win the war." The children bought war stamps and Liberty bonds to help finance Uncle Sam, they joined the Red Cross and spent their time and money to send help to our soldiers and the sufferers over seas. They forgot the play- ground and often neglected their lessons in their zeal to do more. Knit- ting, that had become a lost art, was revived again, and, as our great grandmothers would knit along the road while bringing home the cows from pasture, so some of our teachers and pupils found they could knit sweaters and comforters and stockings while carrying on their class reci- tations.
Little primary girls learned to knit at school and then went home and taught their mothers ; the boys learned to knit and stayed in from re- cess to finish another sweater for the soldiers. Some schools organized to roll bandages and make other hospital supplies by the thousands, and garments for the orphan children of France and Belgium. Wool and other materials soared in price, but it must be bought. So the children had cake sales, candy sales, junk sales, and the classes got up original "shows" after school with home talent and ten cents admission, or larger evening affair in the school halls or the home parlors and dooryards.
To give to the soldiers with your own hands the sweaters those hands had made, each with the name and address of the maker pinned to it and asking the soldier to write a letter from camp, then to march be- side your soldier through the streets to the depot asking him to bring
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you home the Kaiser's mustache when the war was over, and to wave goodbye to your soldier as the train pulled out, those were experiences never to be forgotten.
America is the leading nation of the world in popular government. If we are to endure we must have public schools in which our future voters, growing up together, shall learn to stand shoulder to shoulder in unselfish allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, unitedly upholding the spirit of liberty, justice and equal rights, of which our flag is the emblem. Lynn's schools are earnestly alive to this great work. Our city has be- come the home of thousands of foreign immigrants, desirous of liberty, but strange to our language and ways.
In our schools their children, coming, in multitudes of various races, are learning by precept and example the great principles of social or- ganization and equality upon which America's success has been built. These foreign children are rivaling those of native stock, not only in their successful scholarship, but in their loyal allegiance to this land of free- dom. In their homes their fathers and mothers, speaking foreign tongues, are working and sacrificing to give their children an American educa- tion, and the children are bringing home to these parents from their schools the spirit of that sane democracy for which America stands in the progress of the world. The great aim of the schools is the educa- tion of the children, but there is a valuable by-product in the influences the children carry to the parents, which must be reckoned in when we compute the dividends upon the public school investment. Lynn's best investment is in her schools and she cannot afford to have them anything but the best.
Lynn's senior high schools have their Alumni Associations, leading a more or less prosperous and helpful existence. The Parent-Teacher Associations have taken root in certain schools, the Lincoln and Shepard having especially enthusiastic organizations. Four associations of gram- mar school graduates have had noteworthy records of success, viz: Master King's Schoolboys, Master Chase's Schoolboys, Master Brickett's Schoolgirls, and the Cobbet School Associates.
Samuel W. King was the Ward Four schoolmaster from 1846 to 1857, having taught previously in Danvers, his home being in South Dan- vers or what is now Peabody. The Master King Schoolboy Association originally set the pace for the other organizations. Holding their re- unions each summer, they would go to Nahant for a fish dinner, reviving good fellowship, playing the old games, and doing honor to their old master as they exchanged reminiscences of their schooldays.
Henry L. Chase was also a Ward Four master and for more than a quarter century graduated boys and girls who have since become leading citizens of Lynn. His old schoolboys still maintain their annual reunions with enthusiasm. Their favorite ball game, "Run-around-tally", ante- dates the modern national game. It is played with a soft ball and a
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"barn-door bat", and they get the runner "out" by hitting him with the ball as he runs between bases. They kept score by notching their tal- lies on a stick with a jack-knife.
These boys come to their reunions with pockets full of marbles, or, lacking marbles, with a supply of sweet fern cigars or of "belly-achers" to trade for marbles. "Belly-achers" were a favorite mixture of cinna- mon, sugar and flour, put up in a folded paper like a doctor's powder and swallowed dry. The boys always used to include on their outings their old truant officer, "Bobby" Newhall, although they always elect a truant officer from their own number, to assist their "Principal" in main- taining discipline. The principal calls their school to order or to din- ner by ringing the same cracked handbell that Master Chase used in the old schoolyard,-the "cowbell", appropriately engraved and highly prized.
Lynn's only feminine organization of this kind does honor to the memory of Master Leonard P. Brickett, whose term of service coincided very nearly with that of Master Chase. The schoolgirls have held more frequent meetings at their various homes, finding no less enjoyment in these social assemblies than do the boys.
The Cobbet Schoolboys hold annual reunions similar to the others described, but are so organized as to include the boys who attended the Ward Five school, under various masters. It is well supported and has contributed in various ways to the old school, one of their gifts being the drinking fountain erected in the yard to the memory of Sidney In- galls Breed, a well loved Cobbet janitor of many years of service. At the Whiting school is an indoor fountain with a tablet inscribing it to the memory of Master Chase, presented by his old boys.
It would be hard to find any old fogy so conservative as to wish to return to the earliest Lynn schools, with nothing but "Readin, Ritin, and Rithmetic" in their primitive simplicity. Those were the times of which Alonzo Lewis said that "spelling went wholly by fancy." But in the past two centuries how the glorified "Three R's" have multiplied into the numerous studies that throng the modern school curriculum!
Spelling became standardized and took its place as a regular study, so that "spelling matches" and "spelling bees" divided honors with the old-fashioned singing school as a popular diversion. Geography and history, starting in a very simple way, have grown into beauty and rich- ness undreamed of a generation ago. English Grammar dawned big above the educational horizon, but, like many another popular favorite, has suffered a decline. Not unlike other New England communities, Lynn has been a constant battleground between progressive and reaction- ary educational forces, victories and defeats lying thick along the years, as new leaders, new studies, new methods and new fads have entered the fray.
The music fad may serve as an illustration, strongly opposed as "ornamental rather than useful, a hopeless waste of time for all but a
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few gifted pupils." In 1851 it was placed upon the list of studies and $100 voted to pay Charles A. Adams for teaching it one term. Next term he was paid $150, but in 1852 the committee voted to dispense with the teaching of music in the schools. In 1855 it was ruled that "Teachers shall pay such attention to singing as circumstances will permit, and so far as practicable, intersperse singing among the other exercises of their schools." In 1868 the course of study directed that all schools below the high school should have singing five minutes and physical culture three minutes, twice each session. When at last James Edward Aborn became the regular singing master, driving in his buggy from school to school, year in and year out, singing came to stay, and there was no study or teacher more enjoyed by the boys and girls.
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