USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 27
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At the beginning of the year 1906, Mr. C. S. Lyman resigned his position. At the town meeting of that year there was much discussion and criticism of the expense of supervision, and the school committee was instructed by the voters to secure some one at less cost. In compliance with this, the committee on April 11th held a special meeting, at which was discussed the advisability of joining with the town of Merrimac and forming a union superintendency. It was voted not to enter such an agreement. On April 23d Mr. Charles E. Fish, then superintendent of schools in Manchester on part-time, was secured to act as superinten- dent in Amesbury three days per week. Mr. Fish severed his relations in June, 1915, and was immediately followed by Burr F. Jones. The other occupants of this position have been Edmund K. Arnold to Decem- ber 1st, 1912; L. Thomas Hopkins, to October 1st, 1921; and Justin O. Wellman to date.
Up to March 25th, 1907, it had been customary for a member of the school board to act as secretary. At this time the superintendent of schools was elected secretary, at additional compensation of $50. This method has continued to the present time, with the exception that when Mr. Arnold came as superintendent the additional compensation for this work was abolished.
At the regular town meeting held in March, 1914, it was voted to
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reduce the number of school committee members from nine to seven, and one new member was elected in place of the three whose terms expired. It was found later, however, that this was in conflict with the State law, which requires the number three or a multiple of three. At the next an- nual town meeting in 1915 it was voted to reduce the board to six, which number has remained to the present time.
After years of discussion and favorable recommendation on the part of the school committee, drawing was the first special subject to be intro- duced in the schools in the fall of 1895. This was placed in the hands of a special teacher, Miss Gertrude Smith. In September, 1902, music was added, under the direction of Mrs. Harriet J. Bartlett, who has continued until the present time. This same year Mr. Forrest Brown, principal of the high school, stated in his report that he had collected a few benches and some tools and started the nucleus of a course in manual training for the high school. In the spring of 1909 the school committee voted to introduce sewing, cooking and manual training in the elementary schools, and instruction was begun in September.
In compliance with Chapter 502, Acts of 1906, the school committee appointed Dr. Herman Cooper school physician, and he began his duties in September, 1906. On April 14, 1914, the first school nurse was em- ployed upon recommendation of Dr. Leslie, the school physician, owing to an epidemic of scarlet fever. She was employed jointly by the school committee and the board of health, one-half the salary being paid by each. Miss MacBurnie resigned her position early in April, 1915, and on May 11th, Miss Viola Sperry was elected to succeed her. At this time the joint relationship between the board of health and the school committee was severed, and Miss Sperry was employed solely by the latter. On June 8th, 1915, the office of attendance officer was combined with that of school nurse, and this arrangement continued until September, 1920, when these offices were separated. The school nurse then devoted her entire time to health work, including regular instruction in physiology and hygiene. The attendance work was taken care of by a man on half- time.
In 1910 Superintendent Charles I. Fish recommended in his report that the committee introduce special work in physical education. Noth- ing was done along this line, however, until September, 1920, when a course was organized for all the schools of the town and placed in the hands of a special supervisor.
The first evening school was opened March 9, 1891, and continued to January 22, 1892. Mr. A. E. Tuttle was in charge, with two assistant teachers. There were enrolled 162 pupils, and the subjects of book- keeping, grammar, mechanical drawing, arithmetic, reading, spelling and penmanship were taught. The following year the number increased to 210 pupils, six new teachers were added, and the subject of mechanical drawing was eliminated. Owing to criticisms of the cost of operation,
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during the year 1893-4, the teaching force was reduced to seven with larger classes. The total expense was $10 per night. The following year, owing to lack of funds, the term was shortened to ten weeks, and in the school report of 1895 the committee recommended a special appro- priation for the maintenance of this school. As this was not granted at the town meeting in 1896, the school was discontinued.
The next movement in this direction was when the school committee recommended in 1898 that evening instruction in English be offered to foreign-born adults who did not have a command of the language. Noth- ing came from this recommendation. In 1919 the Massachusetts Legis- lature passed an act providing that towns maintaining Americaniza- tion classes for adults would receive one-half the cost of operation, pro- vided this act was accepted by the school committee and the school ap- proved by the Commissioner of Education. Under this law the school committee established Americanization classes in the French Parochial School. One hundred pupils were enrolled and instruction was offered in English, arithmetic, writing and citizenship; six teachers were em- ployed. The success of this seemed to warrant further expansion. In September, 1920, a half-time director was appointed, and on November 6th the work was conducted in the new high school building and ex- panded so as to include English and citizenship for adults, instruction in the common branches for illiterate minors who had not graduated from the sixth grade, and other subjects, such as sewing and cooking, shorthand, typewriting, bookeeping, and mechanical drawing. The school was in session twenty-four weeks and employed sixteen teachers. Gradua- tion exercises were held and certificates presented.
Salisbury Schools-Thomas Bradbury appears of record as having been the first school teacher in Salisbury. The date of building the first schoolhouse is not to be found at this time. Private houses were largely used for many years. Schools moved from one neighborhood to an- other. This locality was among the number reported to the General Court as delinquent, in that the parents did not see the necessity of sending their children to school. The law in 1692 was "that every town within the Province having fifty Householders or upwards shall be constantly provided with a School Master to Teach Children and Youth to Read and Write, and when any such town or Towns have a number of one hun- dred families or Householders there shall also be a Grammar school sett up in every Town, and some discreet person of good conversation, Well Instructed in the Tongues, procured to teach such school." The penalty for not living up to this law was a fine of from ten to twenty pounds ster- ling.
The first schoolhouse in Salisbury was erected at the Point by sub- scription in 1793. Seth Clark and Hon. Caleb Cushing were among the scholars who attended this humble school. Coming down to modern days, it may be not without profit to note a few facts gleaned from the school
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reports of 1920: Paid for teachers' salary, $8,682; salary of principal, $1,110; transportation of pupils, by street railway, $3,020. The cost of fuel was $507; books and supplies, $675; total membership, 288; average attendance, 235; number of graduates, seventeen. The contrast of school days in pioneer times and now, when children may ride to and from school in all times of the year, by street cars propelled by electricity, is great. It is doubtful whether the rising youth fully appreciate these ad- vantages bestowed upon them by modern facilities and methods.
Andover Schools-It hardly seems possible that in a community so long a seat of learning, with its Theological Seminary and the Abbot and Phillips schools for boys and girls, should have had as first settlers such a band of hardy men and women who left their impress on the future generations, and yet they themselves without learning. As a rule, the men could read and write, and had a fair understanding of the simple rules in mathematics, but beyond these they had little education; their wives had still less, and yet these women were leaders in their society ; they could not in many instances read and write, but made their cross when their signature was required. The first teachers were also the first ministers, and under them lads were trained for Harvard College. The coming of Governor Bradstreet and his family to this town doubtless helped create a thirst for more knowledge. As early as 1678 the town sent to Harvard a contribution of twelve bushels of corn as a "compli- ment for ye new building of ye college," this showing the interest they took in the endeavor to do better by their sons than had been done for them by their parents.
The law of 1647, requiring every township having fifty families to support a school, and every township having one hundred families to sup- port at least two grammar schools, was not regarded in Andover until 1701, when it was voted that "a convenient schoolhouse be erected at ye parting of ye ways, by Joseph Wilson's, to be twenty foot long and six- teen foot wide." Suitable school teachers were scarce, and the pay was small ; college graduates were in demand for the ministry. But the town was better off than others, for within her midst was the son of Gover- nor Bradstreet, Dudley Bradstreet, who in 1704 became master of the first grammar school in town. In regular succession he was followed by forty-one others, in eighty-seven years. Regular schools were not estab- lished in the town's outskirts until 1755. At first the schools were of a low grade, teaching little save reading, writing and arithmetic. In win- ter they were taught by men and in the summer months by women. In 1795 Andover was divided into twelve school districts, in each of which a school was supposed to be maintained eight months each year. Taxes were levied, as now, to support these schools. The boys were supposed to need the rod as well as "book-learning", and they usually received it, too. The long ferule and the birch were a necessity with the master, as much as his arithmetic and reader.
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Coming down to the present time, it may be said that the common schools of Andover are fully abreast with those in other parts of New England, if not in some ways superior. The school report for Decem- ber, 1920, says that the appropriation that year for schools in Andover was $92,000. It is indeed fortunate for the residents of Andover that the town has so many superior schools; for after leaving the excellent high school, the pupil has a choice of two or three up-to-date institutions in which to complete a modern education, and that without great expense. Andover has sent forth to the world its thousands of brilliant men and women, who have commanded recognition in the busy walks of men, from one coast to the other.
The total membership of the schools in 1920 was 1,350. The schools included were the High school, Stowe, John Dove, S. C. Jackson, Indian Ridge, Bradlee, Richardson, West Center, North, Bailey and Osgood.
Hamilton Schools-From incorporation to the present, the schools in the town of Hamilton have been up to standard. Four ungraded schools were supported from the first organization of this town, designated the North, East, South and West districts. Until 1827 the school committee consisted of eight members, chosen annually. Later it was cut down to five members, and in 1857 the Legislature fixed the number at three. Down to 1844, the minister or pastor of the church was chosen chairman of the board or town committee. In 1850 the average wages paid to fe- male teachers was $9.75 a month, and to male teachers $30 a month. The school committee visited the schools at least twice each year and made a very "wise" inspection of methods and discipline, after which they repaired to some member's house, and there had a liberal feast, and compared notes on what each thought of the teacher and the pupils, the building, and school matters in general. These visits were (to the com- mittee) a real pleasure as well as official duty.
Coming down to the present, the number of enrollments in this town in 1920 was 371, boys 166, and girls 205. The buildings are of a stand- ard Massachusetts quality, and kept in good repair. The salaries run from $2,400 for the principal to the grades that usually receive about $1,000. The high school assistants run from $1,100 to $1,400 per school year. Of the high school students, the Seniors numbered 14; Juniors, 14; Sophomores, 22; Freshmen, 32. Of these eighty-two, thirty-six are enrolled in the commercial course.
Boxford Schools-The earliest public school in the town of Boxford was taught in 1701 by Captain John Peabody, the town clerk. Schools were held at private houses in various parts of the town for many years. About 1738 the town was divided into districts, and a schoolhouse was provided in each district. In 1796 new buildings took the place of the first schoolhouses. Many years ago, a second lot of schoolhouses was provided, and in many sections of the town still another set have been demanded and procured. In 1886 the town contained six districts and
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the average attendance was one hundred and twenty. Up to that date, Boxford had thirty-five graduates from colleges-sixteen of Harvard, fourteen of Dartmouth, two of Yale, and one each of Amherst, Brown and Union colleges, all having been natives of Boxford. Since then many more have been added to the graduate list.
The school reports for 1920 give facts as follows: Paid for teachers, $3,660; music teacher, $275; high school transportation, $985; grade transportation, $1,169; fuel, $484; the total of all expenses was placed at $9,887. The teachers in 1920-21 were Ada Clapp, Palmer School, on a salary of $1,000; Esther Perley, Wood School, salary $800; Jeane F. Sanborn, Morse Grammar School, salary $1,200; Catherine McInnes, Morse Primary School, salary $1,200.
Groveland Schools-The first reference to schools in Groveland was in 1701, when it was voted "that the selectmen provide a school accord- ing to their discretion, and that they should assess the town for the ex- penses of the same." But it should be remembered that not until after the Revolution was the free school system thought of as being the stan- dard, for private and select schools mostly prevailed. The people felt the need of better educational facilities, otherwise there would not have been the demand for the founding of Harvard College, in which teachers. might be trained and developed to instruct in the schools of the New England States. The first common school committee was appointed in 1795, consisting of Nathaniel Thurston, James Kimball, Nathan Burbank and Seth Jewett.
This county, with many others, did not take kindly to the free public school system for many years. It rather delighted in select schools and academies of religious or sectarian polity. Bradford took a leading part in this role, and in 1803 it was voted and agreed that a building should be erected for an academy, and subscriptions were raised to meet the expenses. In three months the building was finished and an academy was opened. The first principal was Samuel Walker of Haverhill, with Hannah Swan as preceptress. (For further history see later details in this work).
In 1886 there were ten public schools in this town, the high school having a membership of twenty-eight. For the year named, $4,200 was appropriated for teachers. The 1920 school reports for Groveland show that out of a population of 2,650, there were enrolled 502 pupils in the public schools. The average attendance for 1920 was 401; assessed val- uation of personal and real property, $1,610,000. Tax rate per thousand, $30. Cost of schools in 1920, $28,418. Cost per pupil, $65.48. Aver- age wages paid teachers, females, from $100 to $120 per month; male teachers, from $170 to $200 per month. Number of teachers, eighteen. The report also shows a table of percentages as follows: The 1920 school dollar was expended thus: Instruction, 62 per cent; repairs and renewal of property, 131/2 per cent .; care of building, 6 per cent .; text-
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books, 51/2 per cent. ; fuel, 8 per cent. ; supervision, 2 4-5 per cent. ; health, nine-tenths of one per cent .; incidentals, one-half of one per cent .; ad- ministration, eight-tenths per cent.
Haverhill Schools-The first schoolmaster noted in Haverhill his- tory was in 1661, when Thomas Nasse taught the school for £10 from the town and what he might collect from outsiders. He was still teaching in Haverhill in 1673. Before 1670, schools had been kept in private houses, but that year an order was passed and executed to this effect: "As near the meeting-house that now is as may be, which may be con- venient for the teaching of a public school in & for the service of a watch- house, & for the entertainment for such persons on the Sabbath days, at noon, as may desire to repair thither, & shall not repair between the forenoon & afternoon exercises to, their own dwellings, which house is to be erected upon that which is now the town's common land, or reserved for public use." The building was erected, and Thomas Nasse engaged as master, at not to exceed £10 from the town and whatever he might collect from patrons of his school. For a while this worked well, but eventually the school was a dismal failure, and the master had to resort to law in order to obtain his salary, small though it was. Haverhill had more than once been brought up before the court for not supporting a school, and had been fined, after which the selectmen "got busy," and engaged a competent teacher and agreed to pay him £34 for the school year. Soon the Indian wars came on, and schools were left out of the public mind, here as was the case in adjoining towns. In November, 1705, the General Court made an order exempting all towns of less than two hundred families from keeping grammar school for three years, on account of the Indian difficulties. In 1827 the Haverhill Academy was dedicated and flourished many years until superseded by the excel- lent high school.
From old school records, it has been learned that in 1886 the schools of Haverhill were in a highly satisfactory condition. In June, 1885, a superintendent had been elected, and this officer proved of great value. The cost of these schools, under this plan, and just before, was as follows: In 1884, $66,600; cost per pupil, $22.79; in 1885 the cost was $20.32 per pupil ; in 1887 it had been reduced to $18.40 per pupil. Albert L. Bart- lett was elected in February, 1888, to serve as superintendent.
Coming down to modern days, it may be said that the condition of public schools in Haverhill was never better than in 1921, the date of this writing. But in this connection, let the reader note what was brought out in an article on the schools of the city of Haverhill in 1919, two years ago:
The public school system includes one high school, a center ninth grade, twenty-two elementary buildings and eight rural schools. The various buildings are now valued at one million dollars. Other school structures have been planned within the last year or two. The high
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school building is a beautiful and commodious structure, equipped with all that modern days require. There is an auditorium holding more than one thousand persons. The gymnasium is surpassed by few in the State. This school building cost $400,000. Interested citizens have provided one of the finest athletic fields in the country. The grandstand will accom- modate five thousand people. Excellent school lunches are provided daily in the high and central ninth-grade buildings. Ventilation, temperature, general morals and other things affecting the welfare of children are carefully regulated. There is also a night school for such as cannot at- tend days, especially the foreign element.
Ipswich Schools-It has often been repeated by writers that the Plymouth Colony had only one University man, the Elder Brewster, while the Massachusetts Bay Colony was noted for its men of wealth, social position and education. In this respect Ipswich was a representative town, not one whit behind the metropolis in mental and educational influ- ence and ability. A grammar school was established ("set up", as they called it then) in Ipswich in 1636, and the first teacher was Lionel Chute. It was begun two years after the incorporation of the town, which did not make sufficient appropriations, and in a short time the school was aban- doned. In January, 1650, the town granted to Robert Paine, Mr. Wil- liam Paine, Major Denison and Mr. Bartholomew in trust "for the use of schools all that neck beyond Chebacco river and the rest of the ground up to Gloucester line adjoining to it." Soon after, the land was leased to John Cogswell, his heirs and assigns, for the space of one thousand years, at an annual rental of fourteen pounds. The tenants began to build on this land, and as early as 1723 a part of the present village of Essex was built on the same; the rent continues to be paid annually. The object of all this was the establishment of an endowed school. In 1652, Robert Paine bought a house and two acres of land for the use of the school- master, at his own expense. In 1650 John Cross "secured" on his farm near Rowley a perpetual annuity of ten shillings towards a free school in town. The first master in this school was Ezekiel Cheever, who taught ten years, and moved to Boston, and there became teacher in the Boston Latin school. Six years after the opening of the Ipswich school, the town had six pupils in Harvard College. The town agreed April, 1714, to make the Grammar School for the present year "absolutely free for all scholars belonging to the town."
It should be remembered that there were free schools long before the town had districts. It was not until after 1800 that districts were formed in Ipswich by metes and bounds. The prudential committees and system was abolished in April, 1869, when the district property was appraised and purchased by the town. Early in the eighties free text- books came into general use in this State. The practice of teaching the Catechism in the schools was continued until 1826.
In 1920 the enrollment of scholars in the town of Ipswich was 1,219; increase in ten-year period, 344. The history of the select, incorporated
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and common schools of this town, with the passing of more than two centuries, interesting as it is, of course is all too long to appear in a gen- eral work of this character.
Middleton Schools-In 1786 this town had but one schoolhouse, and that stood by the side of the church, and was moved to Danvers in 1810 by John Fuller. At one time there were three schools located on the east side, on the north road, in the village in the center. The old Paper Mill Village also maintained a school for a time, the town paying a part of the expenses, while the company paid the remainder. There was a library established here forty years after the first library was opened in Phila- delphia. There is still a good public library in the town, a history of which appears elsewhere in this work. As the decades have run into scores of years, the schools here have kept pace with the general ad- vancement, and the free common school means vastly more than it did a hundred or more years ago.
The present standing is excellent. The distribution of pupils for the year 1920-21 is as follows: First grade, 18; 2d grade, 16; 3d grade, 16; 4th grade, 17; 5th grade, 13; 6th grade, 17; 7th grade, 15; 8th grade, 12. The total number of pupils was one hundred and twenty-four.
The school committee at present consists of Arthur E. Curtis, Mrs. Ruth Hastings, George E. Gifford. The following graduated in 1920: Raymond Irving Berry, Catherine Mary Green, Howard Henry Hood, Freida Helen Hurlbert, Peter Felix Jankoski, Dorotha Gertrude Lee, Seaver Lorne MacDonald, Dorothy Amelia Merry, Guy Loren Morrison, Lillian Gertrude Richardson, William Roberts, Mary Genevieve Wilson. The class motto was "Work and Win."
Saugus Schools-What was known as West Parish of this town very early felt the need of good public schools, and the people were not slow in securing such for their children. Until 1775 schools were held around from one private house to another, then a small one-story building was erected in the center of the town, on the southeast end of the burying ground. This rude school house served until 1811, when it was sold for sixty-three dollars to Richard Shute, who converted it into an addition to his house, where 'he kept groceries for sale. The next building was used many years, and turned into a shoe factory by William W. Board- man. The old Rock schoolhouse was built in 1806, in the south part of town. This is now the part known as East Saugus. As far back as 1886, the State educational statistics show Saugus to have been eighth in rank among the thirty-five towns and cities in Essex county. At that date there was a total scholarship of 524. North Saugus had 26; Center Saugus, 175; Cliftondale, 167; East Saugus, 128; and Oaklandvale, 28.
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