Randolph town reports 1852-1874, Part 28

Author:
Publication date: 1852
Publisher: Town of Randolph
Number of Pages: 1302

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ide ; and from servitude to death." " You are court, jury, judge, accusers, witnesses, and all " said Coddington. Mr. Wil- son seemed beside himself as the sad work proceeded. " I would carry fire in one hand," said he, " and fagots in the other, to burn all the Quakers in the world." " Hang them " he cried, "or else"-and with a significant gesture he passed his hand across his throat.

Remarks made at the consecration of " Mount Wollaston Cemetery " i :: Quincy, by Dr. William S. Pattee of that town Nov. 1, 1855. " This land was originally a part of Mount Wollaston and a grant to the town of Braintree (now Quincy) about 200 years ago. by the noble, generous, and high minded William Coddington, a name deserving ever to be remembered by the inhabitants of this place. Mr. Coddington on account of religious persecution was obliged to sacrifice his large proper- ty in Boston, and improvements at Braintree, and with a num- ber of others, removed to the State of Rhode Island.

There when the people incorporated themselves a body po- litic, they chose him to be their chief ruler, and continued to elect him annually to be their governor for seven consecutive years."

The following Summons is to be found in the First Volume of the Records of Massachusetts, for the years 1637-8.

"THE FORME OF THE SUMMONS OR WARRANTS."

" Whereas you have desired and obtained license to remove yourselves and yor families out of this jurisdiction and for that information hath bene given to the Court that yor intent is onely to withdraw yorselves for a season, that you may avoyed the censure of the Court in some things wch may be obiected against you, the Court doth therefore order that you may depart according to the license given you.

" of Mount Wollastons -~ Randoll-Henry and John Johnson, Mr. Coddington's men; of Newberry, Mr. Nico; Eaton : of Salem, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman, Thom : One, and Stewkely Waskote, are to appear also, if they bee not removed before the next Court.

" Mr. Willi: Coddington. Mr. John Coggeshall, Goo : Wil-

liam Baulston, Edward Hutchinson, Samuel Wilbore, John Por- tor, John Compton, Henry Bull, Philip Shearman, Willi : Free- borne and Richard Carder, these having license to dept. sumons is to go out for them to appear (if they bec not gone before) at the next Court, the third month, to answer such things as shall be objected."-Vol. I p. 223.

Traditional from Col. Minot Thayer of Braintree : "after Mr. Coddington had received his order to depart from Boston and before his departure, he passed inuch of his time at ' Mount Wollaston,' particularly his Sabbaths, and on one Sabbath day, while he was exhoring with some of the people there, the Tithing-men arrested him, and imprisoned hin for the day, and fined him-and, while in prison, he resolved, to make a donation. for the education of the youth. of that place', that they might understand his religious views, better than the representation and willingness was of their fathers to understand them."

Mr. Coddington, after he went to Rhode Island, appointed at different times, three persons, for the sale of portions of his real estate, two of whom were residents of Boston, by name of Ting and Wright the other was Chesbrough of Braintree. His grant of land at Mount Wollaston (now Quincy ) is situated between the Quincy farm and Greenleaf farm, the boundary lines of which, at this late day, can very easily be found.

The Quincy poor farm, and Cemetery before referred to, as well as the salt marsh which is owned by the town of Randolph, are within the limits of the Coddington grant.

The first and earliest record in the books of the town of Braintree bears date 1640, and is entitled " THE SCHOOL FUND." The following is an extract : " It is covenanted be- tween the town of Braintree and Richard Right, that the said Richard Right shall put the town of Braintree* in full possession of one hundred and - acres, more or less, of lands lying at the - formerly called Mr. Coddington's neck. In consider- ation of all the said land the said town of Braintree hath given sa'd Richard Right ninety-eight pounds, - shillings and eight pence."

*The original owner of the town of Braintree was an Indian by name of " Wampatuck."

The following was copied from the Randolph town records :

1805. " Voted, Sam'l Bass, Seth Turner, Jr., and Lieut. Nathl. Niles be a Committee to find what land belongs to the town in Quincy or elsewhere." Also,

" Voted, To impower the Committee who were chosen to find what land in Quincy or elsewhere belonged to the town, to sell any they might find, and the treasurer to give deed or deeds of the same."

1810. " Chose Seth Turner, Esq., to unite with Committees from Braintree and Quincy to find the old town books, being records of the former town of Braintree, and deposit said books in the possession of some trusty person."

1811. Voted, " That the income of the salt meadow in Quincy the year ensuing, together with $60, beng interest due from John Spear, shall both be appropriated for schooling in addition to the five hundred dollars raised, as appears above."

Also, " Voted to collect Seth and John Spear's note of $1000, to pay the assessment on State Bank shares."

1813. Voted " income of town land in Quincy, interest ou John and Seth Spear's note, and interest at State Bank, &c . &c., for schooling."

1814. Voted " to pay the soldiers $18 per month, including the sum received from General Government." Also, voted that all notes due from individuals be collected within 45 days, ex- clusive of Bank property.

1815. Voted " to raise $500 this year for schooling. includ- ing the income of land in Quincy and Bank stock."

1831. Voted " to raise one thousand dollars, including the " School Fund "

At the formation of the Randolph Bank, the State Bank Stock was sold by vote of the town, and the proceeds were in- vested in Randolph Bank Stock, which is supposed to be a part of the Coddington donation, or " School Fund," and the salt marsh in Quincy the remainder.

1839. Voted to raise nineteen hundred dollars for support (! schools, including the "Coddington Fund."

In the school appropriations of the town of Randolph, the names " Cotten," "Cottens," "Cotting," "Cottinton," and " Codington," are all of the same import, and, undoubtedly the origin of them all is Coddington.

Your Committee, at this period of the task imposed on him, feels that the advances already made by him in the cause, are sufficiently convincing to him of one truth which is this, that the material facts sought for in regard to Mr. Coddington and his donation cannot be obtained.

Ever persevering in the research as your Committee has been, in hopes of finding something to aid in healing a wound of in- justice, forced on a great benefactor, while in Boston, and also, to more fully express a gratitude for the benificent aid, rendered by him, in a donation for the education of the youth of the common schools, of the towns of Braintree, Quincy, and Ran- dolph, from their earliest history and settlement to the present time-he very reluctantly, for want of facts, which have not come within his reach, responds to the call of the town. But, such information as was received, during his repeated efforts, is now presented to you, as he received it.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.

ELEAZER BEAL, Committee.

Randolph, February 18, 1861.

THE ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Superintending School Committee

OF THE

TOWN OF RANDOLPH,

FOR THE

YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1861.

RANDOLPH : SAMUEL P. BROWN, PRINTER. 1861.

THE ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Superintending School Committee

OF THE

TOWN OF RANDOLPH,

FOR THE

YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1861.

RANDOLPH : SAMUEL P. BROWN, PRINTER. 1861.

MAY 1 4 1963

SCHOOL REPORT.

The Superintending School Committe of Randolph, respectfully submit to the town, the following Report, upon the condition of its schools during the year ending, March 1, 1861 : For the convenience of designating the schools in the various parts of the town, the old district numbers are retained, though the old district system was abolished in this town several years ago.

There have been twenty-two schools in the town- besides the Stetson School-which have been located as follows : One in Dis. No. 1, near Dr. Ephraim Wales's ; two in Dis. No. 2, on Plymouth street ; two in Dis. No. 3, at West Corners ; two in Dis. No. 4, in South Ran- dolph ; one in Dis. No. 5, on North street; two in Dis. No. 6, at Tower Hill; one in Dis. No. 7, near the De- pot ; five in Dis. No. 8, or Centre District ; three-with the High School-in Dis. No. 9, or East Randolph ; and three in Dis No. 10, or near Baptist Meeting House.

DISTRICT NO. I.

The school in this district has been a mixed school, and has been under the care of Miss Annie M. Thayer. During the year it has advanced steadily in improve- ment, and at the closing examination the pupils exhib- ited that they had been carefully and thoroughly in- structed in their various studies. The greatest number in attendance during the year has been sixty-eight, with an average of only fifty-four. The attention of parents in this district is especially called to the more prompt at- tendance of their children at school, as not only the wel- fare of the scholar, but also of the school, in great mea- sure, depends upon the promptitude in attendance. But it is gratifying to know that while the register is marred with the too frequent marks of absentees, there have been some who have neither been absent or tardy during a term, and some not for the entire year, and the names of such will appear at the end of the report.

DISTRICT NO. II.

During the summer term there was but one school in this district, but the very large number in attendance and the smallness of the school room convinced us that it would be best to establish an intermediate school in the district, and a room near the school house was obtained for the use of the primary scholars, and Mrs. Mary P. Wilde was employed to take charge of them. This school numbered thirty-nine, with an average of about thirty-two, which, considering the season and the ages of the scholars, is a fair attendance, and the man- agement of the school has been entirely satisfactory.

The mixed school during the summer and the inter- mediate during the winter, were under the care of Miss M. J. Wright. During the summer there were in all seventy-seven scholars, averaging about sixty-six, and notwithstanding the inconvenience of a crowded school room and the multitude of classes, the scholars made great improvement in their studies, and the school- bating some apparent confusion from the lack of suf- ficient room for the scholars-always exhibited a studi- ous and decorous demeanor. Grading the school reliev- ed it of its inconveniences and contributed to the more rapid improvement of the pupils.

DISTRICT NO. III.

The primary school in this district has been under the care of Miss Mary J. White. The whole number that have attended during the year is sixty, and the av- erage attendance a little less than fifty. The school has in all respects been well and successfully conducted.

The intermediate department has been under the in- struction of Miss Rachel A. Thayer, who taught it the previous year. This department has been small, num- bering thirty-two in the summer term and thirty-five in the winter, with an average attendance of about thirty. It may be thought that with a capable teacher, a small school affords better privileges to the pupils than a large one, but a small school is usually lacking in one impor- tant element, enthusiasm. Teachers will perform the duties of teaching more satisfactorily to themselves and others, too, when in a large school than in a small one. Notwithstanding the lack of energy and enthusi- asm manifested in this school, the progress made was very good and the examination satisfactory.

DISTRICT NO. IV.

There was a good deal of solicitude felt by the Com- mittee at the beginning of the year, in relation to the schools in this district, from the fact that there had been more or less difficulty in the schools there for several years past, and a special effort was made to select teach- ers of energy and ability for the place, and Miss Celinda Belcher was appointed to take charge of the primary and Miss Maria L. Pool of the intermediate department.

The primary has numbered in all forty-six, with an average of thirty-eight, and has been very successfully conducted.

The intermediate school at the beginning of the sea- son presented a remarkably promising aspect, and had all the parents of the district seconded the faithful efforts of the teacher, no scholar in the school could scarcely have failed to make great improvement. But there were a few in the district who attempted to interfere with the managment and discipline of the school, which was being judiciously conducted, and they succeeded in depriving their own children of the advantages they might other- wise have enjoyed, but to no greater extent was the wel- fare of the school interfered with, and the examinations were highly satisfactory ; reading, grammar and arithme- tic were especially good : the only deficiency was that of spelling in one or two classes, and this may not prove to have been really a deficiency. Greatest number in at- tendance forty-four, average attendance thirty-six.

DISTRICT NO. V.

The condition of the schools out of the centre of the town are constantly varying; one year large and in high

standing, and another perhaps small and backward. The latter had been the condition for a few years past, with the school on North street, but for the past year its condition has been improving and it now stands high as a mixed school in its attendance, deportment and schol- arship. During the year it has been under the care of Miss Caroline R. Veazie, and the school has made great progress in every branch, but especially in reading, spell- ing and writing. The whole number in attendance during the year has been fifty, with an average of about forty-three.

DISTRICT NO. VI.

The two schools in this district have both been highly successful during the past year. The primary has been under the care of Miss Ella O. Tower, and it would be difficult to find a primary school presenting so many at- tractive features as this. The largest number has been sixty-five, and the average attendance fifty-seven; and the neat and tidy appearance of the scholars and their quiet and beautiful deportment are worthy of all praise. One great secret of success in the school has been doubt- less owing to avoiding all tediuum in the exercises by frequent singing and performance of the positions. Sing- ing in the primary schools, judiciously conducted, is found to be an excellent exercise.

The intermediate department has been under the in- struction of Miss Isadore Arnold, who had the charge of the school the previous year. The deportment of the school has been invariably good and the improvement of the scholars constant and highly satisfactory.

DISTRICT NO. VII.

This school has been under the charge of Miss Emilie J. Pratt, and has been successfully conducted. The greatest number in attendance sixty, with an average of fifty-one. There are several scholars in this district whose energy and ambition for improvement have not yet been aroused, and in the teacher's Register the sig- nificant word "indifference" is placed opposite those names in explanation of absence or lack of promptitude in attendance ; can it be that the parents of those schol- ars are "indifferent" too in relation to the improvement of their children? Let them well consider that indiffer- ence now, while so great advantages are held out to them to place their children in a condition to make themselves respectable may be fatal to their future prosperity and doom them to spend their days amid the lower grades of society.

DISTRICT NO. VIII.

In this district have been five schools, and in all, four hundred and nine scholars, and when it is considered that the building, though nearly new, was built to accommo- date only about two hundred and fifty or three hundred, and not on a very liberal scale, even at that, it can easily be conceived that the condition of the several schools num- bering so many in such a building, with little or no ven- tilation except what is obtained through the open win- dows-a most unfortunate deficiency-must be anything but comfortable. There is not only a sad lack of room in the building, but a great lack out of it, too, without appropriating the streets for play-ground. The larger boys are tolerably well provided for, but the girls and

smaller scholars, if confined to their yard would be hud- dled together like sheep in a slaughter pen.

The primary department including those mostly under six years of age, has numbered in all eighty-eight, and has been admirably well managed by Miss Hannah F. Thayer, with an average in the summer and fall of over seventy, during the winter about forty.

The first intermediate, under Miss H. Maria Roel, who has had charge of the school for several years, has numbered in all one hundred and nine, averaging ninety, and considering the disadvantages under which the teacher has labored, with so great a number huddled together in a room only large enough for about sixty, the school has made excellent progress. The reading and spelling were very good indeed.

The second intermediate still retains the valuable ser- vices of Miss Sarah E. Shankland, and, though number- ing in all one hundred and fourteen, averaging one hun- dred and four, still, by dint of great labor, combined with peculiar skill and management the school has made re- markable progress. The reading and spelling, exercises in mental arithmetic, especially in the multiplication ta- ble, even to the twenties, and in geography were all re- markably good.

For these three schools some arrangement must be made the coming year to accommodate part of the schol- ars out of the building, as the number in the primary will probably be increased from thirty to fifty, as more than that was the increase last year over the previous year, and the room where this school is kept will not conveniently accommodate over sixty, and being "un- derground," or in the basement, the floor of which is mostly from three to six feet lower than the surface of

the ground around the room, is unsuitable for even a small school, and much more so for so large a one, for, beside being underground it has no means of venti- lation.

The grammar department has been under the charge of Mr. Edmund Cottle, who has also a general supervis- ion of all the scholars in and around the building during school hours; associated with him in the care of the grammar department is Miss Harriet A. Belcher. The department has numbered ninety-eight, the highest num- ber any one term, and the average attendance during the year has been about ninety. This department has occu- pied the two upper rooms of the building and was for- merly two separate schools, but it has been found most profitable to unite the two, so that the scholars in each room have pursued the same studies, some reciting to Mr. Cottle and others to Miss Belcher, at the same time.

We feel that too much can searcely be said in praise of this school. The deportment of the scholars, the qui- et and earnest tone that has pervaded the school room, the prompt and excellent recitations, has given the school a character of which the patrons and friends may feel proud. The introduction of the study of the latin gram- mar into this school has had an excellent effect as it is found to be a study admirably adapted to the education of scholars in this department and the Committee are happy to acknowledge the efforts of Rev. Henry E. Dwight in arousing in the minds of the scholars an inter- est in this study, and for his interest in the cause of ed- ucation generally, in town.

We are convinced that it would be found for the profit of the more advanced scholars of other districts in this part of the town to attend this grammar school instead of

the intermediate schools of their several districts, as those teachers have to divide their time between the classes of an intermediate and those of a grammar school, while at this school there are two teachers whose duties are mostly with the more advanced classes of a grammar school, and as the study of the latin grammar or algebra cannot be introduced into intermediate schools with profit, all such as wish to pursue those studies will be under the necessity of attending the grammar school here. It would be found perhaps most central to have the grammar school 'in District No. 10, but the numbers and character of the scholars in this District render it necessary to have a male teacher here, and the distance is but about half a mile more to any one.

DISTRICT NO. IX.

There have been two schools beside the High School, in this district. The primary department has been un- der the charge of Miss Mary H. French, and has been in every respect, a most excellent school. Reading and spelling have been faithfully and successfully taught, nor in fact, has any thing been neglected ; and the deport- ment of the scholars has always been pleasing. The whole number has been seventy, and the average about fifty-five.

The intermediate school was again favored with the services of Miss Lucinda F. Reed, till the close of the second week of the winter term, when her own ill health and sickness in her father's family, caused her to leave the school, which had for several years been so successfully under her instruction ; and so long as any of those who have been under her instruction shall live,

her memory will doubtless continue to be cherished amid the pleasantest recollections of their youth.

It was no easy matter to obtain another who was ca- pable of taking charge of the school, after Miss Reed ; but fortunately Miss Abbie P. Blake, of New Hampshire, was procured, who continued the school to the close, in the same prosperous condition, and the examination was one of those pleasant events which but seldom happen. The recitations in grammar and arithmetic were excel- lent, and there were several very excellent readers in the school, and the exercises at the examination were en- livened with singing, which was most admirably per- formed by the scholars.

DISTRICT NO. X.

At the opening of the season, two schools were com- menced here, but it was soon found necessary to intro- duce a third, as the primary school room is capable of accommodating but between fifty and sixty scholars, and many of those remaining were more suitable to the pri- mary than intermediate department, and the third school was composed of the most advanced class of the primary school and the lower classes of the intermediate.

The primary department, during the year, has been under the care of Miss Jennie B. Spear, who was the teacher of the previous year, and the school has been most satisfactorily conducted. The whole number of scholars after the establishment of the third school-a first intermediate-has been forty-seven, the average during the year, thirty-four. This small, close, unventi- lated school room has been injurious to both teacher and pupils, who ought especially to be furnished with pure air during school hours.

The only means of remedying the evil, as it seems to us, is to remove the partition between this and the first intermediate room, which is another room of the same character with the primary. In this way, a large and excellent room would be provided for the primary school, similar to the upper school room, and the two together would accommodate the scholars of the district, much better than at present, provided some ten or twelve scholars, whose studies required a grammar school teacher, could be induced to attend the grammar school, which circumstances make it necessary to be established at District No. 8. There are many advantages in having a large number of scholars pursuing the same studies associated in the same school. There is greater interest and emulation in a large school, if rightly managed, and the scholars have greater means of improvement. We think that any scholars in this part of the town, sufficiently advanced to enter the grammar school, which is open to all who are qualified, commit a great error by remaining in the intermediate school of their own district.

The first intermediate school was placed under the care of Miss Jennie Odell. The whole number of schol- ars has been thirty-eight, with an average of thirty. The deportment of the school has been invariably good, and has always presented the appearance of quiet indus- try, and the examinations of the school have made it evi- dent that the pupils have been thoroughly instructed in the branches pursued in this school.

The second intermediate or grammar school,-as it has necessarily been part of both,-has been under the charge of Miss Laura A. Odell, and owing to the union of intermediate and grammar scholars in the same

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Randolph town reports 1852-1874, Part 28

Author: Publication date: 1852 Publisher: Town of Randolph Number of Pages: 1302

Author:
Publication date: 1852
Publisher: Town of Randolph
Number of Pages: 1302