USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Narrative history of South Scituate-Norwell, Massachusetts > Part 8
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > Narrative history of South Scituate-Norwell, Massachusetts > Part 8
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Herbert E. Robbins
Walter E. Damon
William F. Bates
Henry J. Tolman
Charles H. Waterman
Edward A. Bowker
Harry T. Fogg
Arthur H. Damon
Henry C. Ford
Elliott W. Crowell
Frank H. Wright
Ernest H. Sparrell
James H. Barnard
Fred W. Phillips
Board of Investment Frank H. Wright, Chairman
William F. Bates
Charles H. Waterman
Henry C. Ford Henry J. Tolman
Auditing Committee
William F. Bates James H. Barnard
Elliott W. Crowell
Treasurer Herbert E. Robbins
105
CHAPTER XVI
LIBRARIES
PACK in 1871 Rev. William H. Fish, the minister of the First Parish Church of South Scituate, learned while corresponding with Josiah L. James of Chicago, a friend he had made while teaching in the Middle West, and a native of this town, that Mr. James was desirous of doing something to benefit his old home town, that would be a memorial to his people, who were among the very early settlers and who had always been identified with the Parish, and very prominent in town affairs.
It was finally arranged that he would give a substantial sum to establish a library, if the parish and townspeople would also contribute. This was done and the building was erected and was dedicated, May 1, 1874.
Mr. Fish was the first Librarian and worked as faith- fully to build up a successful library as he had toward helping to create it.
While it is owned and controlled by the First Parish being under the direct charge of a committee chosen at the Annual Parish meeting, it has been a free library for all the townspeople since 1902 and the Town of Norwell has for some years made a small yearly appropriation to- wards its maintenance.
Today there are more than five thousand volumes on the shelves and a fund for the purchase of books and general upkeep of over $15,000.
The present officers are : Librarian, Marion G. Merritt ; library committee, Joseph F. Merritt, chairman; Mary L. F. Power, treasurer; Marion G. Merritt, secretary ; Edwin S. Parker, Rev. Alfred J. Wilson; Library hours, Monday,
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JAMES LIBRARY BUILDING
erected 1874. Both the building and the library which it contains, owe their existence to the impetus given to the free library movement by Josiah L. James of Chicago, a native of South Scituate. (Cut loaned by Miss Carrie M. Ford)
LIBRARIES
7 to 8 p. m. Wednesdays 6 to 8 p. m. Saturdays 2 to 4, 6 to 8 p. m. Not open on holidays.
The building also has a hall and supper room which have served the parish and community at large for social and educational purposes for sixty-three years. The as- sociations connected with it are very pleasant memories in the minds of many of the old and middle aged people as well as of the younger generations who are enjoying it today.
William J. Leonard Memorial Library
This library, first known as the "Ridge Hill Library," was established in 1920. Its name was changed in 1937. Seventeen years previous to 1937 some of the people of that section banded together and raised funds to establish a library. A building was purchased and located on the school house lot at District Number One. At the annual town meeting the voters were asked to appropriate $50.00 and to choose a board of two trustees to have charge of the library. It was understood the library was to be- come the property of the town. This was done, Mr. Wil- liam J. Leonard and Mr. William O. Prouty were chosen trustees. Mr. Alfred H. Prouty was later added. The trustees were to be chosen, one for three, one for two and the other for one year, and after that one was to be chosen every year.
At one time the upper room of the school house was used, but it was later needed for school purposes and the books were moved back to the library building. Each year the town appropriates fifty dollars for general ex- penses and books. Gifts have been received from the State and other sources. The first year the library had four hundred and fifty volumes and reported that forty per cent of these were in circulation at all times.
The trustees at present are Mrs. Pauline W. Leonard, William O. Prouty and Alfred H. Prouty.
Library hours, Wednesday 2:30 to 4:30 and from 7 to 8 p. m. Librarian, Thomas H. Cann.
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CHAPTER XVII HALLS
Fogg's Hall
ITWO incidents during 1884 made a great change in the aspect of the "Hill." The burning of the town hall in the morning of April 18, and the burning of Fogg's store and the bank building in the early evening of Octo- ber 3. The consequent building of a new town hall, near the center of the town and the establishment of a new hall, when the store building was rebuilt.
Mr. Ebenezer T. Fogg commenced to rebuild, on the old site, a building to house his store and the South Scit- uate Savings Bank. Seeing the need of a hall in this part of the town, as the small hall connected with the James Library was not suited for a gathering of more than one hundred people, he finished off the upper story of the new building for this purpose.
It was known for years as Fogg's Hall, and was used until a short time after the bank acquired possession of the building in 1921, when they closed it to the public.
For three generations it was the gathering place for most of the social activities and the older residents re- member with pleasure the dramatic clubs, dances, socials and dancing schools, that each generation held in its time.
It was the lodge room for the Grange and the Chevaliers of Pythias, when these were active organizations in town. The Parish always used it for entertainments, fairs and Christmas exercises that could not be readily staged at the Library Hall, and the young Ladies Union and the North River Boat Club, two very active organizations, held dances and entertainments here.
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M
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CUSHING MEMORIAL TOWN HALL
Gift to the town of Miss Florence M. Cushing, in memory of her father, Hayward Peirce Cushing, and her uncle, Nathan Cushing. Dedicated Nov. 7, 1936 ( Photograph by Ralph H. Coleman)
HALLS
It also did duty for the occasional revival meetings of various denominations as well as for the itinerant show- men who came to town. The recollections that centered about it were pleasant and far reaching, and it was with real regret that people watched it being dismantled when the bank building was remodeled in 1934-35.
Cushing Memorial Town Hall, 1936
Norwell's new town hall is the fulfilment of a pro- vision of the will of Miss Florence M. Cushing, who wish- ed to give to the town a building or monument which should be a memorial to her father and to her uncle, Hay- ward Peirce Cushing and Nathan Cushing, representative members of a family which for more than two centuries has been influential in the afairs of Scituate, South Scit- uate, and Norwell. In addition to a large hall with a stage, for town meetings, lectures, entertainments, and other public meetings, the fireproof building contains a smaller hall for other community purposes, a polling place, Selectmen's Offices, and a vault for the safe-keeping of town records.
On learning that the trustees in charge of the fund were ready to go ahead with building if the town would furnish the location, at the meeting of October 21, 1935, it was voted to remove the old infirmary building and use the lot at the corner of Main and Central streets for the site of the new building. Also to authorize the selectmen to accept it, when completed, in the name of the town. Work was commenced on January 1, 1936. The building was completed and dedicated, November 2, 1936. The town now enjoys one of the largest benefactions that any town in this section has ever received.
PROGRAM OF DEDICATION November 2, 1936
Invocation Selections
Rev. Alfred J. Wilson High School Glee Club
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ยท
HISTORY OF SOUTH SCITUATE- NORWELL
Retrospections Norwell Historical Society
Mrs. Mary L. F. Power, Joseph F. Merritt
Presentation of Keys By William J. Underwood, Trustee Acceptance
By Clifton S. Deane, Chairman Board of Selectmen Entertainment Features
By Kenneth Burnside, Esther Whiting, a male quartette, consisting of W. Clarke Atwater, Schuyler Dillon, A. Ralph Gordon, and James F. MacDonald and the Norwell High School Glee Club.
Singing of "America"
Music by American Legion Orchestra Selectmen of Norwell, 1936 Clifton S. Deane, Chairman
Herbert A. Lincoln Ralph H. Coleman
110
CHAPTER XVIII SCHOOLS
W THEN the town was set apart from Scituate in 1849 there were nine school districts within the borders of the new town. The school houses were the property of the several districts and were held by them until 1866 when it was voted to abolish the old system, and apprais- ers were appointed preparatory to taking over of the buildings by the town.
A school committee was chosen at the first town meet- ing, who had the general supervision over the studies and running of the schools but there was also a prudential committee consisting of one member from each school district who had the hiring of the teachers.
After a very short time District No. 9 was discontinued and a little later District No. 8 was merged with No. 7, the building standing near the top of Delano Hill being sold and moved to Assinippi. The building on Common Street near the Cushing Waterman place was sold and later became the property of Luther Howland, who moved it to present location on River Street, which M. Little purchased in 1867. For a time after it ceased to be used as a school house it was used for a hall while on its old location and was generally referred to as Union Hall. The building that is the present Community house was purchased in 1860 and moved to the location where it was enlarged and used as both grammar and primary school for many years. It was originally the William Stetson house.
The school house at No. 1, The West End, was original- ly built in the '50's. It was later raised to accommodate a grammar grade. Its first location was on the north-
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HISTORY OF SOUTH SCITUATE-NORWELL
erly side of Washington Street-about half way between the establishment of the Accord Chemical Co. and the home of Mrs. William J. Leonard.
District No. 2 was built in 1876. It is a two story building and accommodated an advanced grammar school upstairs. This was taught by Franklin Jacobs. The old building which formerly stood on this location was moved further up Main Street where it was used as a store and owned by Mr. Alpheus Damon.
District No. 5 at the "Hill" was raised and a story ad- ded to accommodate two schools, the work being authoriz- ed at the April meeting in 1882, the cost not to exceed $1300 and to be done during the summer vacation. The committee in charge were Alpheus Thomas, Richard Briggs, Henry F. Ford, Charles A. Litchfield, Willard Torrey, David W. Turner and Henry A. Turner.
District No. 3 which originally sat nearly opposite Manus Perry's house on Grove Street was later moved to a loca- tion on the corner of Grove and School Streets. It was abandoned, sold and moved away in 1919.
The school at No. 4 first located on the north side of Summer Street, about fifty rods north of Central Street was sold and moved to Scituate and another building erected on Central Street in the '50s. This building was discontinued and sold at the time the schools were cen- tralized.
The school house at No. 6 was located just across the way from the old cemetery on Main street a few rods east of Bridge Street. An earlier school in this district was located between the Arthur L. Power and Walter Johnson places. This building was moved to Central Street where it was converted into a dwelling house which is now own- ed by Miss Polly Manson. A new school was built, but was later discontinued and the building was moved to Parker Street where it was remodeled in 1923 and is now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Harry G. Pinson. The lot reverted to Mr. James H. Barnard, he being the owner of the estate from which it was originally taken.
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SCHOOLS
Many of the old school house lots were held by the town only while used for school purposes, they having no title to them.
In early days there was a school house situated on Cir- cuit Street, on what is now the De-Stefano property about half-way between Main Street and Henry Here- deen's homestead. This was discontinued in 1857. It was District No. 9 and the location, White Oak Plain. Lot sold in 1889.
In 1871 the first agitation for a high school was noticed. A committee was appointed by the town to consider the expediency of establishing a high school or devise some way to promote the efficiency of the schools. This year the town made a larger appropriation than usual for use of schools viz., $4000.
At the March meeting in 1876 the town voted to build a new town hall in the center of the town to be so con- structed as to accommodate a high school. A committee was chosen with instructions to ascertain the whole facts relative to establishing a high school in the center and to furnish the town with the information of the probable cost, when finished to report at a subsequent meeting.
At the April meeting, the committee reported and it was voted to accept their report and chose Willard Torrey, George H. Torrey, Ezekiel Vinal, Richard Briggs and Franklin Jacobs to build the building. It was also voted to authorize the treasurer to hire $6500 for this purpose.
At a meeting May 29 of the same year the whole mat- ter was reconsidered and the committee discharged. Several other attempts were made, but without success.
At the meeting in March 1879 the school committee were instructed not to pay any teachers over eight dollars a week.
No definite action was taken until 1887 when the town chose a committee to confer with the school committee re- lative to establishing a high school and report at next annual meeting.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH SCITUATE - NORWELL
At the meeting in 1888 the committee reported and their recommendation was adopted, namely that a High School be established in No. 2 School House to commence at the usual time of fall term in September. This was done, the school opening with Mr. Edward J. Cox as principal. The first class graduated July 1, 1891.
No sooner was the High School established than its re- moval to the town hall was agitated. In 1889-1890 and 1892 there were articles in the warrant to this end.
On March 23, 1896, at an adjourned meeting it was voted to move the High School into the Town Hall build- ing and to appropriate $300 for transportation of schol- ars to the High School to be apportioned on the mileage basis. This was the real beginning of the transportation system. The Selectmen were chosen a committee to carry this vote into effect and an appropriation was made to make the necessary arrangements in the building.
In 1919 it was voted that a committee of seven includ- ing the school committee be appointed to look into the question of a central school building and report at the next annual meeting-Committee, Horace T. Fogg, Miss Florence Cushing, Mr. John H. Gutterson, Mr. Benjamin Loring, Mrs. Albert L. Sylvester, Mrs. John H. Sparrell.
Voted to sell building and lot at No. 4.
Voted to sell building at No. 6 to be moved.
In 1922 it was voted to build a central school house along the lines recommended by a committee and $40,000 was appropriated for this purpose. It was voted to raise this sum by serial notes extending over a period of not more than twenty years.
In 1925 $500 was appropriated to purchase additional land around the Central School.
It was voted to appropriate the bonus refund received from the State for grading a playground for the Central School under the direction of the School Committee. $368.14-amount not used but was reappropriated in 1927.
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SCHOOLS
During 1932 extensive repairs were made on District No. 1. In 1927, the town now having a suitable high school, voted not to accept the legacy under the will of Leaffy B. Miller, but suitable recognition was made of her generous action and her interest in the school child- ren of the town.
In 1933 and 1934 extensive repairs and renovations were made on District No. 5 through funds secured from the Civil Works Administration.
In October 1935 it was voted to raise and appropriate a sum of money to finance the construction of High School addition and improved heating system and di- rect the selectmen to accept in behalf of the town a Fed- eral grant of money, pursuant to Emergency Relief Ap- propriation of 1935; and authorize a committee to con- struct said project and contract with respect thereto, and authorize the treasurer, with the approval of the select- men to borrow such sums of money as may be necessary to meet any appropriation made; or take any action rela- tive thereto.
A building committee was appointed and arrangements were being made to carry the above into effect.
On December 20 the High School and Town Hall caught fire and was a total loss.
A town meeting was called for January 6, 1936, to make the preliminary arrangements for rebuilding. At this meeting the following votes were passed :
Voted not to ask for an extension of the P. W. A. grant for use on its new building. That the new building be built by funds raised by the town.
A building committee consisting of J. Lyman Wads- worth, chairman; A. R. Gordon, Charles H. Pike, Wil- liam D. Jacobs, Mrs. Gertrude Dyer, Benjamin Loring, Mrs. Nellie L. Sparrell.
They were instructed to bring in plans for a building that would be fireproof with the others.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH SCITUATE - NORWELL
$100 was appropriated to enable the building commit- tee to inspect buildings of a type suitable to needs.
A vote of thanks was extended to old committee for their services in connection with the old extension.
The High School received at various times a fine collec- tion of Indian relics from Mr. Joseph C. Otis which were destroyed in the fire; a flag staff from Mr. John H. Gut- terson; and an addition of several acres to the playground from Mr. Albert L. Sylvester.
At the Annual Meeting in March 1936, it was voted by a unanimous vote of those present and voting, that there be raised and appropriated the sum of $130,000 for the purpose of acquiring land for and the construction of and originally equipping and furnishing a school building and to meet such appropriations there be transferred from available funds represented by insurance money received on account of the loss by fire of the high school and town hall the sum of $40,000, and the treasurer with the appro- val of the selectmen be authorized to borrow under au- thority of Chapter 44 General Laws the sum of $50,000 and may also borrow $40,000 under the authority of Chap- ter 63 Acts of 1936, and issue bonds or notes of the town therefor payable in such manner that the whole loan be paid within twenty years or such earlier dates as the treasurer and selectmen may determine.
A location was acquired a little west of the old location on the south side of the street. The services of Mr. Ralph H. Doane were secured as architect and contract for building given to Irving P. Rocheford. The plumb- ing to George Beach of Norwell. Work began on the pro- Ject May 15, 1936, and the building was completed May 8, 1937.
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CHAPTER XIX STAGE COACH DAYS
IN these times when it is so easy for the people living in the lower towns of the South Shore to travel back and forth to Boston, and when so many are making the trip daily, for business or pleasure, it is hard to realize the dif- ficulties, the time it took and the hardships that the folks of one hundred years, and even fifty years ago, experienc- ed in making the same trip. In the very early days it was either by horse-back or packet, but early in the nin- teenth century stage lines were quite generally establish- ed and for many years they were the chief means of pas- senger transportation, gradually diminishing as the rail- ways extended, and then only acting as short line feed- ers, until with the coming of the automobile they finally ceased to exist.
In 1810 Leonard and Woodward of Plymouth ran a line of coaches from Sandwich on the Cape, through Plymouth, Kingston, Duxbury, Pembroke, Hanover, Scituate, Hing- ham, Weymouth and Quincy to Boston. One of the eat- ing places on the route was Leonard's tavern in Scituate, the "Old Half Way House." The route followed the Brain- tree and Weymouth turnpike which was built in 1803. The fare from Scituate to Boston was $1.25; from Boston to Plymouth $2.50.
Early in the 40's J. Sprague familiarly known as "Jake" ran a stage line from Duxbury through Marshfield and Scituate, the part which was later set off as South Scit- uate to Hingham connecting with the steamboat. He was a bluff and jovial man and many stories are told of him. It was his custom to stop at John Nash's to change horses. He was an old time driver and very particular.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH SCITUATE - NORWELL
Mr. Benjamin Foster, who later followed the same line of business, said that as a boy he used to help change the horses and that Mr. Sprague would carefully gather the lead lines in his hands and if there was a single twist in them would bawl out. "Augers in those reins Ben."
A receipt signed by Mr. Sprague and in the possession of the writer shows that the fare between Hingham and South Scituate was 371/2 cents.
Another coach which frequently stopped at Mr. Nash's to water the horses was a private one, the carriage of the Hon. Daniel Webster of Marshfield, United States Senator. While the horses were being cared for Mr. Webster would discuss politics with the proprietor and any bystanders. Mr. Seth Foster often told how Mr. Webster handed him a silver quarter in payment for trivial service. That was unheard of wealth for a boy in those days and Mr. Foster bemoaned the fact that he did not save it as a souvenir.
Following Mr. Sprague, Reuben Gardner ran a stage over the same route and in 1854 Seth Foster of South Scituate succeeded him and ran a stage thru Assinippi and West Scituate to Hingham connecting with the boat in summer and the train in winter until 1875 when he sold out to Allen Wright of West Scituate who ran it several years and was succeeded by William Collamore who ran to Rockland. Mr. Foster also ran stages to North Marsh- field, to Hanover and to Greenbush. The Greenbush route he continued to drive until 1902, being in the stage business 48 years and carrying the mail 43 years. George S. Hatch purchased the Greenbush route and after a short time it was motorized.
Before the Civil War, Mr. Foster had built by the Ab- bott-Downing Company of Concord, N. H., a sixteen pas- senger coach. For years this company was the best in that line in the country and coaches built by them could be told from those built by any other company as far as they could be seen or heard. They were said to never wear out and a sixteen passenger coach could and fre-
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STAGE COACH DAYS
quently did, carry nearer fifty. There was a special rat- tle or "talk" to the axles so that they could be distinguish- ed by the sound for a long distance. Mr. Foster used his until he gave up the Hingham route when he sold it to William P. Nason of Rockland, who for many years used it as a "Tally Ho" and the older people can remem- er the trips to Brockton Fair and Nantasket before the days of the electrics.
Parsons Bowker of South Scituate also ran a stage to Hingham over Mount Blue for several years.
Harvey Bates and son Lorenzo ran a stage through Scituate Center and Beechwood to Hingham for a time. Later Lorenzo drove for Mr. Foster for many years on the Greenbush route.
Frank Dyer ran a stage and express from "Church Hill" to Greenbush through Bryant's Corner carrying the Mount Blue mail for a number of years. When many lo- cal expressmen were forced off the railroad he became the agent of the N. Y., & B. Des. Ex. Co.
James Litchfield ran from Summer street to Cohasset.
In the earlier days along with the stage coach went the baggage wagon. This was a four horse dead axle, cover- ed wagon which carried freight. These wagons were common all over the country in the 30's. In the Central and Southern states the type used were known as "Cones- togas," but in this particular section they were simply baggage wagons. The lines from Plymouth and points on the "Cape" ran through Hanover Four Corners, by the Half Way House, through Weymouth to Boston. On some of the lines horses were changed at "Brimstone Cor- ner," on others at the Howard House, Hanover, the same as on the stage lines. In the later days spring wagons came into use. These wagons were much slower than the stages, the horses seldom going faster than a walk and much of the travel was done in the night.
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CHAPTER XX
HOTELS, INNS AND TAVERNS
OF the very early taverns, the first that there is any record of is "Bisby's." According to Deane, Elisha Bisby kept a tavern about the time of the Indian War of 1676 on the knoll just north of Union Bridge. He was the son of Elisha, who settled at this place in 1644 and maintained a ferry where the bridge is now located.
He also says that Capt. Caleb Torrey built and carried on a tavern on what is now Central street, just above the home of Ernest H. Sparrell. He was the son of Josiah Torrey, who, with two others, lost his life by an explosion of gunpowder in 1693. He, as the custodian of the town's supply of powder, was drying it on the roof of a shed when it exploded and burned the house, killing the three people, one a child. This place stood across the way from the present Sparrell residence.
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