USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Record Book 1820-1828 > Part 9
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Do . . 200-
To Bliver Parkhurst
100-
To Moses Parker
Do ..
100-
amounting in all to the sum of $3500-
your committee have ex hen ded the sum of $530.72 for Provisions, repairs, furniture, stock, and other neufsaries for the accommodation of the Poor, having a balance of $ 19. 28 unex hended, They there fore request the Town to direct your bom- mittee to hay said Balance to the overseers of the Poor, and that your Committee be discharged from any further Services - all which is respect- fully submitted.
7
March 3. 1823 -
Jonathan Perham Jack Avann (Committee Josiah Fletcher 5
Recorded by Joel Avans, Town Clerk
(1823) 172
(April Meeting, 1823) Middlesex Js. To Ezekiel Byami one of the Constables of
the town of Chelmsford in said County. -
greeting. you are hereby required in the name of the Commonwea- 1th of Massachusetts to notify and warn the freeholders and Via other mhabitants of said Town , qualifica by the Constitue- Que tion to vote for Representatives, also those qualified by Law to vote for town officers and in Town affairs to afsem. ble at the Muting house in the middle of said Town on Monday the Seventh way of april next at three O clock in the afternoon to act on the following articles viz. 1 To choose a Moderator to govern the sluiting.
2. To give in their votes for a Treasures for the Court of Middlesup.
3 To fill up all vacant town offices.
4 To see in what way the Taxes shall be collected the year insung . 5- To see if the Town will choose a Committee to make the annual Settlement with the Town Treasures.
6 To see if the Town will direct that horses, neat cattle, or other commonable beasts, or any description there of
. Shall not go at large within the linich of said Town without a keeper.
7 To see if the Town will accept of the regulations of by laws made by the overseers of the work house for the government of the same, or act any thing thereon that the Town think proper
8 at the request of Amos Whitney and another, to see of the Town will order the felettmen to cause a State- ment of the expenses of the town for the year flash to be printed for the information of the Inhabitants Thereof. 9 To determine in what the Invoice shall be taken for the present years . Hereof fail not , and make return of this Warrant, with your doings theron write un at or before said time appointed for said Meeting.
:
( Given )
1
E
173
1April Meeting, 18231
Gros under our hands used Seabs at said Chelmsford this twenty first day of March A.D. 1823.
Caleb Abbott Schelmen Nathanice Wright
Recorded by Jael Adams. Town Click Constable's Return Therevis.
Middlesop Ss. Town of helms for, March 23'- A.D. 1823, I'll obedience to the within Warrant Y have posted wh four attested bofices of said warrants vir. one boby at the muting house in the middle of The Town, and one boby at the Baptist Meeting house, who one bony at the fiore of Geht. Phineas whiting and one at the Store of Mr. Lefse Smith i said town for the purposes within mentioned ,
attut. Ezekiel Byam (Constable (Chelmsford,
Recorded by Jack Anams Town Clerk
Middlesao Is. Avril 29th, 1823 This day Benyamin Byam of thelampor in saint laurenty personally appeared and made on the that New south faithfully discharge the Duties of Scaler of Wighto- and Measures in & for said Town oftheloom food for the lement year
Before me Jack Adams Town fler
v
r
Y.
74
April Meeting, 1823
Town of Chelmsford Monday, april 7th. 1823.
At a legal town meeting of the Freeholders and other In habitants of said Town, qualified by the con- stitution to vote for Representatives, and also ofthose qualified by law to vote for Town officers and in Town affairs, holden at the Meeting house is the middle of said Town on Monday the I wenthe day of April A. D. 1823. the Town proceeded as follows, wir. Vous For a Moderator and chose Jonathan Perhan Eine. vou For County Treasurer, and the Votes were for john Kayes, Esy, Thirty four, (34) Voted To excuse James Bowers from siring as a Surveyor of Highways-
Vice For a Surveyor of Highways in the stad of James Bowers, and chose last. Amos Whitney Vold That the Collection of the Taxes for the ensuing ayear be put whe at auction, and struck off to the lowest bidder The Collection of the Faxes for the South End of the Town was hat uh, and struck off to Luther Marshall at two units on a Dollar
The Collection of the Taxes for the North End of The Town was het wh, and Stuck off to Further Marshall at. Three cent and three mills on a Dollar.
voted for a Collection of Taxes and chose Father Marshall. Vous To choose a Committee to make the annual Settlement with The Town Treasurer-
Voted For said Committee and chose Jefe Smith, Jack Adams, and Samuel Stevens Esy! Votul To excuse fisse Smith from serving on said Commette and chose Maps. Nathaniel Howard in his Thead. Voted To allow neat battle and other commonable Beasts to yo at large i said Town the years answery -
1
175
April Meeting. 1823.
Voted To accept and approve of the Regulations and Bylaws made by the Overseers of the work house, and that the same be addepicted
vito That the Solutionen cause a statement of the Expendtienes of the Town for the past que bube printed for the information of the Inhabitants of the Town and each family be permis with one baby
Vw That the assessors apply to each person, and require ham when to give an Invoice of his or her protesty, and require the same to be verified by outh. .. Voter To win the muting
Atrue Ruoro, Alttext. Jack Adams, Town Clerk
The following are Bylaws & Regulation make & The Gversions of the Poor, and adopted x approved of by the Town in legal Town meeting on the Seventh day of Annie A. D. 1823- to wit-
" At a station monthly Muling of the Overseers of the work House of the Tour of Chelmsford on the Sixth way of March 1823, the following orders & Regulations were made and are now presented to the Town for their approbation, viz -
Bye Laws
or Orders and Regulation of Chelmsford work House
See Ist The overseers ofthe Poor shall have the inspection cand government of the work house, with full power
17/
to appoint a Master and needful assistants, and to contract with with them for their wages, who to remove them from sed trust whenever they shall seen it expedient.
Ju ? The said Querseers shall meet The workhouse on the first Saturday in every month, at 2 of the block P. M. ontheir states monthly meeting, to make such or ders and regulations re- Rating to sail house on they shall hedge necessary; one of the oversiers thall visit the work house once a week to of certain of the Master Thenof conforms to the rules and regulation of the said work house -
Whenever arey person liable to be sent to said work house Shall be sent there by an order in writing of one or more of the said Overseers, or by any parties of the Peace on complaint, it shall be the duty of said Master to receive such person into said work house & there Support and coploy durch person agreally to the rules and regulations Therid
4.
The Master of the work house shall keep a Book wherein Shall be entered all orders and regulations made for the gover. ment of said House
The Master of the work house shall have the control and government of all persons confiloyed therise, and shall manage and sunplay them from time to live on the overseers Shall order and direct, and shall keep a Book, wherein the names of all persons receive into said work house, and the time when wecould and dismissed, shall be entered - He shall also keen an account ofthe expenses of saw work hours. and also an account of the produce of the farm attached to the said Workhouse; and also an account of the articles of Product or Manufacture sold, and exhibit the same to the over. signs ofthe Poor, whenever the mente requested.
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6th The Master of the work house shall keep an inventory of the. farming Tools , House hold furniture, beds & bedding, and. other property belonging to the Town
THE.
The Master ofthe workhouse shall have hower to rewance the faithful and industrious, by granting favors & indulgences, but he is at the same time fully con power and authorized
April 1823
177 To punish at his discretion The Sale Stuborn, disorderly and disobedient by nomediale conforcement without any food other than brid and water ... 8th
The Master of the work house shall cause said house and furniture to be kept clear and in good order, and shall cause habit of cleanlings, meatrets and deeney to be strictly observed by all hersom melived into said work house.
gitt. The Master of the work house shall cause the Lord's Day To be strictly observed.
10th
Every person who may be received inthe said work haus. or be a Member thereef must obey the orders & regulations The and the command of the Martin, and will be required by him diligently to work and labor as he shall direct according to age, health and capacity.
11th.
Every person who shall absent himself or herself from the said work house and the appendages thereof and farm there unto belonging, or go without the limits thereof without leav of the Master or shall conceal him or herself from the Master, shan be acmed to be an Sale, stubom of disorderly person and punished accordingly,
12th The use of spirituaus Liquors is strictly prohibited, ex. cept when the Master, Physician, or Querscorso the work. house shall otherwise or elev, and no person shall be allow to have or keep in their ho/ syscon, or bring or receive any Spiritvous liquors into said work house.
1345 The Regulations or Bill of Fare for persons received onto the work House shall be on near on possible as follows.
For Breakfast and Suppen. Hasty pudding and Milk, or Molasses, bread & Milk, or milk porridge, shells, or chocolate, For Dinner on each day in the week, as follows. Sunday - Baked meat& beans, & hrdin pudding - Monday - Boiled Salt Meat & Vigitables. Tuesday- Soup.
Wednesday,- Salt fish and potaton, Thursday - Roast- or baker Meet & Vegetables. Fredag - Sterne beam or peas, with Meat.
april 1823 178 Saturday - Salt fish and potatoes. Provided however that suitable food and neufsares Thall at all times be provided for the sick and infirm according to theimage and condition. John Butterfield Shewhich Spaceing ( Overseers Ephraim Adams Pour
of the -
In Town Meeting april 7th. 1823 -
Voted to accept the above Reports and that the Samme we op proved of as the By Laws of the work House-
Ruraled by Joel Adams Town Clerk Engine Men appointed.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Chelmsford, The Mennmack Man- ufacturing Company, by their urgent represent, That they are foro- preetors of a fire engine in sais Chelmsford, which they are descrous should be employed for the benefit of sace Town; they Therefore request you to appoint a number of suitable persons for Enginemen, agreeable to the Law in such case made and provided
april 24. 1823 Kirk Boot Agent M. M. Co.
On the foregoing request we have appointed the fol. lowing persons Engine. Men to said Engine, vir, Jonathan Burbank, Nathaniel Holmes, William Pearson, Samuel S. Churchill, Amos Pearson, John Boutwill, Such Heaselton, Leonard bushing Stefiken W. Balcom, Stephen Cashing, John Dummer, Simion 6, Sargent, David Hamlet Josefin M. Dodge, Abel Lincoln, Charles Nichols, John J. Trafford, John Clark, Denis Doene, Calvin Fairbanks & William Whall 3 allef said Chelmsford May. 1. 1823, Call Abbott
Slutmen. Nath. Wright
John Shea 1 of
Recorded by Jack Adams, Townfleck
2
May Mulling Warrant 1823
Middle Is. To wether of the Constalles of b hudom for in sauce Greeting.
County
Jeal
you are hereby required in the name of the born- monwealth of Massachusetts to notify und warn the In habitan of said thatmes ford, qualified by the Constitution to vole for Representions; also those qualified by law to vote in Town affairs , to afseriale at the Meeting house is on the middle of sait town on Thursday the first day of Many next at two O clock in the afternoon to out on the following articles, vis .
/ To make choice of some decitable person or persons to representa this Town in The Emeral Court of sail 6 cm- monwealth the ensuing year.
2 1
To choose a moderator.
To hear the report ofthe Committee chosen at the last Townmeeting, to work in what way and mannen the School should be kept in said Town The year ensuing, and out any thing Theron - Heraf fail not and make return This warrant , with your doing Thenow , with one of the Slutmen; at or before said time op pointed for said meeting.
Given under our hands and Seals at said Chelmsford this Eighteenth way of April A.2.1823 Caleb Abbott
Chcem jos,
Recorded by Jael Alum, Towifi
180
Return on the foregoing Warrant
" Middlesex Js. Town of Chemsford Avril. 19. 1823. Pursuant to the within Warrant I have notified and warned the within mentioned In habitants by posting of I attested lopes of said Warrants, vir. one at the Meeting house in the Middle of said Town , one at the Baptist Meeting house, one at the Store of Gapet. Phineas Whiting, and one at the Store fetter. felse Smith, all in said Chelenferden
.
Tuthin Marshall , Constable
Recorded by Jack Awarm. Town fleck
,81
May Meeting , 1823
At a legal Town Meling of the her holders and other Inhabitants ofthe Town of Glennford, qualified bifthe ·Constitution to vite for Representations to the funeral baust, and also ofthose qualified by law to vote in Town affairs, holden at The Meeting house in the Middle of said town on Thursday the first- acing of May A. D. 1823, they hoved as follows. vir.
Voir That The Tour will not eat a Representative, to represent this Town in the General Court of This Common. wealth the present years.
Vote For a moderator to govern the Meeting, and chose Jonathan Parham Enge
Vud To accept this Report of The Committee on The Subject of The Town Schools-
11
Notice That The Town choose a commetter to examine &. inshut the Town Schools, without ox heure to the Town. Vitue For sauce Committee and chose. Rev. Wilkes Allen. fall Adam, Nathaniel Wight. Esgr. Dr. John C. Dalton and Dr. John O. Green.
/
Voted To dis mis the Meeting C
attent Jack Aclam Town Clark
. Report of Committees &c. in 182
In town meeting holder by adjournment on the seventh of April 1823, it was voted to write the fifth article ving to see is what way of marmer the schools shall be hopt in said town the ensu- mg year the To a committee, consisting of one gentleman in each School district; and the following gentlemen were chosen, viny. No. 1. Withes Alen No. 2 Hoseph Fletcher, No.3 Henry Spalding 3 No 4 Thomas Coburn, No. is Joseph Adam, No. 6 Games Robbins, Noy. Stephen Pince No. & Alphous Spalding. No. 9 Charles Blood. V.18 Nathe Howard , and No. 11. Nathaniel Wright.
The Committee, deeply impretied with the importance of the subject referred to their consideration, have bestowed to pon it the most careful attention by examining the statute Law for establishing and maintaining English and Grammar school, enacted in 1789, and the opinion of the Supreme Judicial Count upon the sense and construction of this Law, given in the case of an indictment, found by the grand Jurors of Norfolk con- valy against the inhabitants of the town of Decham for meg lecting to procure and support a grammar schoolmaster, of good morals, and well instructed in the fatin Greek and English language in the year 1816; and are led first of allit. consider the nature and characteristics of a grammar school. It appears on the face of the Habule, that no person can be lawfully employed to each a grammar School, unless he shall have received an education at some college or university, and before entering on the said business, shall produce satisfactory, evidence there of, that is that he has had his education ata college or University; or unif the person so employed, shall produces a certificate from a learned minister, well skille. in the Greek and Latin languages, settled in the town a place where the school is proposed to he kept, or two other such ministers in the vicinity the reef, that they have reason to believe, that he is well qualified to discharge the duties devolved when such school- master and that he is of competent shill in the greek and Latin languages for the said purpose, And he shall also produce a certificate from a settled minister of the town district, havish or place to which such candidate belongs or from the Selectmen of such town or district or
1×3
committee of in the town or district, What to the best of his or their knowledge, he curtains a good moral character chan , acter. This last certifies concerning morals shall not be deemed necessary, Where the verdidate or such whool belongs to the place where the same is proposed if he hept.
2. The next characteristic of a grammar school is, that no youth shall be sent to such grammar schools, undes they shall have turned in some other school or in some other way, to read the English language. By spelling the Jame; or until the delect men'shall direct the grams school master to receive and instruct such youth .-
3. The third characteristic of a grammar school acting to the Supreme judicial court in the case of Dedham alo be referred to, is, that it must be kept in or near the centre of the town for the use and benefit of all the inhabitants not in one, two, or three, districts, the inhabitants of which only are benefited. And if the that it must be kept cas - stantly thro the year with a reasonable allowance ont. for vacations. Thence it appears that no such school as the law denominates a grammar school, has ever been taught in This Town, all having been deficient in some or all the above characteristics .-
But as the subject is important , and has not been, n. indeed is now rightly understood, your committee the it expedient for a better understanding of the law to con into their report the substance of the opinion of the Supreme Judicial Courtin the case of an indictment found against the town of Dedham decided 1818 for me In lecting to procure and support a grammar school - master. The town of Dedham, it is only necessary to remark, had been in the practice of having their school's taught, in a manner similar to that in when the schools in this town have for several years hast been kept. The opinion of the count was given by Judge Wild, and is as follows.
We have taken time for the consideration of this case, not because we thought it entangled with me difficulty; but because we falt unwilling to give a
1
. hasty construction to a statute, which has relation to a subject of general interest and importance; and which the it has been in operation many years, has not been much direnfied in our court of law. And this statute we have bestowed row. siderable attention and we have no remaining doubts asto its construction.
The first section requires among other things, that every town or district, containing 200 families, or householders shall be provided with a grammar school master, of good moral. will instructed in the Latin, Greek and English languages; and shall in addition there to be provided with a school martin or schoolmasters to instruct children in the English lan- quage for such term of time as shall be equivalent totwelve months for each of said school, in each year. The fifth section provides that no person shall be employed as a grammar school-master, unless he shall have received an education at some college, and before en- tering on the busines of said school shall produce satisfactory evidence of having had a college education, or shall produce a certificate of a learned minister or minister that he is of competent skill in the greek. and Latin languages for the said harpose. The words of the statute are expres and the meaning is too obvious to admit of a doubt. No person can be lawfully employed as a school master unlys he first produce the certificates or eviden a required by the statute.
Again to constitute a grammar school within the mean- ing of the statute, it must be duly regulated as to the admission of scholars; and the master must be engaged to teach a school of that descripition.
Again the grammar school required by the statute are to be maintained for the benefit of the whole town; as it is the wire policy of the law to give all The Inhabitants equal privileges for the education of their children in the public schools. Nor is it in the power of the majority to deprive the minority of this privilège. If then the school in three or four district, are to be considered as grammar school and those
'05 in other districts as of another description the whole proceedings of The town have been irregular. and it may well be doubted whether the money of the town can be lawfully appropriated to The support of schools thave instructed - Everyinhal tant of the town her a night to participate, the benefits of both descriptions of schools, and it is not competent for a town To establish a gramar school for one part of the town to the exclusionof The other. The live descriptions of schools are to be considered as distinct and independent of each other. Both must be town schools, and not schools for the benefit of a fart only. The Court are all of opinion that the delingency of the town of Dedham is clearly from.
this care perhaps describes that of three fourths of the town of the Commonwealth.
.It appears then from the statute and opinion of court above recited that two description of of schools are contemplated. The one is purely an English school to be kept, for the better accorrono dation of all the inhabitants of a town, indistrict The other a Grammar or Greek and Latin school in con nection with English, to be kept in or near the centre towns for the benefit of all their inhabitants your Committee are clearly, and unanimous of opinion, that the schools as they have been kep are to be considered merely English schools and the! the committee men in the respective districtiar. at at full liberty to employ such men only for school master's as are qualified by law to teach English schools.
With respect to the division of school money amo .? The several districts, your committee are tensiby that the smaller districts are by their local siter. tion under peculiar disadvantages, for which this feel inadequate to device any remedy and therefor. recommend that each district drow from the treasury
and appropriate to the support of school, the sunish only, which the inhabitants hned respectively hay. That one third part of the money heis drawn be appropr- iated to the support of a female teacher in each district. And where as the town has recently purchased a farm for its use in the maintenance and support of the poor in district No. 5 by which the inhabitants of that district suffer a diminution in the means of suppor- ting their school, it is recommended in order to restore Them to an equality of rights and privileges, that said farm be triped as heretofore paid by the overseem and changed to the establishment as an item of its aulyaus or expenditures.
The committee also in furtherance of the benevolent design of schools and for the more effectiveal operation of a provision in the statute for the inspection of Schools once in six months at least, by the minister or ministers and select men or a committee chosen for that purpose, recommend that a committe of five persons of competent knowledge and skill be annually chosen by ballot to inspect and regu- late the schools, who shall perform they duly im- posed when them by law without expense to the town , and that the said committee for the inspecting and regulating schools make an annual report to the Town in May, of the state & condition of schools, the manner in which they have been taright and you. erned, the number of scholars who have attended school in each district and of each say~
all which is respectfully submitted.
W. Allen, Chrom
Recorded by Jack Adams. Town flirty
Town Meeting, Sept. 15th, 1823 Warranty Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex Js. To Luther Marshall one of the Con statel, of the Town of thelunsford in said bounty, Greeting. I.S. you are required in the name of the Commonwew. aforesacd, to notify and warn the inhabitants of sec? bluemsford, qualified by law, to vote in town affairs to afsemble at the meeting hours in The middle of said Down on Monday the filter with orany of Sefe lemben with ar three a check in the afternoon, to act the following article. vir -
To see what the tour will do with respect to making the road, that has been laid out from Beaver Groo bridge to Bedford, and cut any thing thereon that they may think foropen
Henof fail not, and make nhum of this Warrant wish your doing Therow unite one ofthe Petitiven at an before the time appointed for said Meeting Given under our hands and Souls at sei Chelms the fourth way September A. D. 1823 Caleb Abbott Nathaniel longterm I sanny in
Runded by Jack Adams, Town Clerk.
Officers return
Middlesex Is. Town of Chelmsford September b. 1823. Pursuant to the within Warrant I have Warned the within mentioned whabitants by posting wh 4 attesa Copies of said Warrant, The one at the meeting house in the Middle of said town, one at The Baptist Meetinghouse, one at the Store of haft. Phineas Whiting, and one Store of Mr. Lyse Swith all in said Chucom/ ordg Luther Marshall , Constable of
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