USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Sketches of Boston, past and present, and of some places in its vicinity > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
The changes, great as they are, that have occurred in our school system, are marked by peculiar eras. Previous to the year 1789, boys ouly were taught in the public schools, of which six were in existence. Thirty-one
1
234
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
years before this, in May, 1753, there were only five schools, and the whole number of pupils at them was only S41. The number now belonging to the public schools of the city, is shown by the actual returns to be no less than the vast multitude of 21,870! In the year mentioned, 1758, an examination was held, by the Selectmen appointed for the purpose, which must have been a great affair, and conducted with becoming dignity, judging from the record of their Report. They took with them "the Hon. John Osborn, Richard Bill, Jacob Wendell, Andrew Oliver, Stephen Sewall, John Erving, Robert Hooper, Esquires, the gentlemen Representa. tives of the town, the gentlemen Overseers of the Poor, the Rev. Minis- ters of the town, Mr. T'reasury Gray, Joshua Winslow, Richard Dana, James Boulincau, Stephen Greenleaf, Esquires, Dr. William Clarke, and Mr. John Buddock " ; - and yet, with all this great array of Royal Hon- orables, Esquires, Gentlemen, Overseers, Reverends, Doctors, and Plain Misters, the Educational Committee give the result of their labors by simply telling us that they "found in the South Grammar School 115 scholars; in the South Writing School 210; in the Writing School in Queene Street 230; in the North Grammar School 336; in the North Writing School 220; all in very good order !" A capital Report that, and a lucid idea it gives us of the state of instruction a hundred years ago ! Perhaps "good order " did not mean in those days what it does now; but if so, it can hardly be wondered at that the little fellows were still, and fixed to their seats, at seeing some thirty pairs of knee-buckles, breeches, and long hose come parading into the school-houses, "all in a row, with their ruffled wristbands, cocked hats, powdered wigs, and spec- tacles, to say nothing of parsons' gowns and doctors' saddle-bags." Veri- ly, it must have been a rare sight to look at !
In those days the extent of instruction was in the branches of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, if we except Latin, which was taught in two schools, one in School Street, and one nearly upon the spot now occupied by the Eliot School in Bennet Street .. But in the year 1769, the people waked up to the necessity of improvement, and measures were taken in town meeting, " for instructing both sexes, and reforming the present sys- tem." It was determined that there should be one school only, in which the rudiments of the Latin and Greek Language's should be taught, and that there should be one Writing and one Reading School at the South, at the Centre, and at the North parts of the town; that in the Writing Schools children of both sexes should be taught Writing, and also Arith- metic in the various branches usually taught in the town schools, includ. ing vulgar and decimal fractions : that in the Reading Schools, "the chil- dren of both sexes be taught to Spell, Accent, and Read both prose and verse, and also be instructed in English Grammar and Composition."
This, with the appointment of a School Committee, was the first ap- proach to any thing like a system, and yet three years after, at the first
1
0
1
235
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
meeting of the School Committee, opposition to the improvements was to be met, and violent prejudices combatted. A petition to the town was referred to the Committee, and the School Masters were invited to meet the petitioners, who were represented by Mr. Sweetser, and others. The Masters accordingly attended the Committee, -a general conversation ensued on the subject of the petition, Mr. Sweetser and Deacon Bailey stated their objections to the present system, which they thought par- ticularly injurious to the lads destined to business, which required a read- iness in Arithmetic ; they wished that such lads might spend the whole of their last year in Writing and Arithmetic, instead of dividing the time between those objects and reading. The Masters were severally questioned on the advantage of the existing plan of education, and unani- mously gave their opinion in favor of it, - explained their mode of teach- ing, -and the Writing Masters were fully of opinion that the boys made as great proficiency in Writing and Arithmetic, as under the old mode, and that the time devoted to Arithmetic was fully sufficient to qualify any youth for the cominon business of a counting-house. Upon the whole, it appeared that the reformed system had produced the great advantage of giving education to a great number of females, without depriving the boys of their share of the Master's attention.
Thus was the system established, and the school-house in Pleasant Street, occupied by Mr. Ticknor, became the South Reading School ; and the school-house in West Street, occupied by Mr. Vinal, the South Writ- ing School; a building was hired for the Centre Reading School, and the school-house in Tremont Street, occupied by Mr. Carter, became the Cen. tre Writing School ; the building in Middle Street, occupied by Mr. Che- ney, was retained as the North Reading School ; and the school-house in Love Lane, at which Mr. Tileston taught, was continued as the North Writing School. The North Latin School, contiguous to the last, was given up, and the school-house in School Street, occupied by Mr. Hunt. became the School for instruction in the Latin and Greek Languages. The location of these houses is by no means an uninteresting matter. Mr. Ticknor's was nearly on the spot where the Brimmer now stands. in Com- mon Street ; Mr. Vinal's was near where the Adams now is; Mr. Carter's was a wooden continuation of Scollay's building, which nearly reached across the street, to Rev. S. K. Lothrop's house ; Mr. Cheney's in Middle Street, now Hanover, opened where Parkman place now is, and " Love Lane " has since taken old Father Tileston's name ; the old North Latin School stood where the Eliot now is, and on its discontinuance the last two houses, almost contiguous, were united. Mr. Hunt's School was on the site of the Horticultural Hall; and the room for the Centre Reading School was in an old wooden building that stood nearly opposite the latter, in the present yard of the City Hall.
A good story is told of the Boston boys who attended the School that
230
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
was kept in West street, during the Revolution. In November, 1776, the General Court ordered four brass cannon to be purchased for the use of the artillery companies in Boston. Two of these guns were kept in a gun- house that stood opposite the Mall, at the corner of West street. The school-house was the next building, and a yard inclosed with a high fence was common to both. Major Paddock, who then commanded the com- pany, having been heard to express his intention of surrendering these guns to the British army, a few individuals resolved to secure for the country a property which belonged to it, and which, in the emergency of the times, had an importance very disproportionate to its intrinsic value.
Having concerted their plan, the party passed through the school-house into the gun-house, and were able to open the doors which were upon the yard, by a small crevice, through which they raised the bar that secured them. The moment for the execution of the project was that of the roll- call, when the sentinel, who was stationed at one door of the building, would be less likely to hear their operations.
The guns were taken off their carriages, carried into the school-room, and placed in a large box under the master's desk, in which wood was kept. Immediately after the roll call, a lieutenant and sergeant came into the gun-house to look at the cannon, previously to removing them. A young man who had assisted in their removal, remained by the building, and fol- lowed the officer in, as an innocent spectator. When the carriages were found without the guns, the sergeant exclaimed, "By G-, they 're gone! I'll be d-d if these fellows won't steal the teeth out of your head, while you're keeping guard." They then began to search the building for them, and afterwards the yard; and when they came to the gate that opened into the street, the officers observed that they could not have passed that way. because a cobweb across the opening was not broken. They next went into the school-house, which they examined all over, ex. cept the box, on which the master placed his foot, which was laine; and the officer, with true courtesy, on that account excused him from rising. Several boys were present, but not one lisped a word. The British officers soon went back to the gun-house, and gave up the pursuit in vexation. The guns remained in that box for a fortnight, and many of the boys were acquainted with the fact, but not one of them betrayed the secret. At the end of that time, the person who had withdrawn them, came in the even- ing with a large trunk on a wheelbarrow ; the guns were put into it and carried up to a blacksmith's shop at the South end, and there deposited under the coal. After lying there for a while, they were put into a boat in the night, and safely transported within the American lines.
In locating a Reading and a Writing School in each section of the town, the Committee had done something towards meeting the wants of the peo- ple, it being quite natural that the children would attend the school near- est their places of residence. But no local limits were assigned to the sev-
237
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
eral schools, discontents and preferences grew up, and many pupils were to be found in all the schools, who came from the most remote parts of the town. North end children went to the South end Schools, the South end to the North, both to the Centre, and the Centre children wandered off to each of the other sections, according as they liked masters, while children living in the immediate vicinity of a school were often excluded there- froin, or subjected to great inconvenience in their attendance. Further than this, the schools were, in a great degree, distinct from each other, each of the Writing Schools being composed of children from the several Reading Schools, and each of the Reading Schools was made up of chil- dren from the various Writing Schools. In many instances children at- tended the Reading Schools without going to a Writing School, and vice versa. This brought about great inequality as to numbers, some masters having more than four hundred pupils, while others never counted two ; and the attendance often varied from 100 to 260.
The evil consequent upon so much looseness of arrangement became so great, that in 1819, when the Boylston School was established, Peter O. Thatcher, Benjamin Russell, and Samuel Dorr, were appointed a Commit- tee upon districting the town and further systematizing the schools. These gentlemen, all now deceased, entered upon the work, and originated what has ever since, with slight variation, been our school system. They reported that it would " improve the order of the schools if each should be considered as consisting of two divisions; one for Writing and Arithme- tic, and the other for Reading, and the other branches of an English edu- cation; that when a child entered one of these divisions he should be con- sidered a member of, and be required to attend upon, the other; that the masters of both should have a concurrent jurisdiction over all the pupils in respect to discipline and instruction, - both divisions being accommo- dated with separate rooms in the same building." This plan was pleasing to the Committee, and the erection of the Boylston school-house, and the creation of a new Writing School in Franklin Hall, over the Reading School in Nassau street, made it so convenient to adopt it, that it was com- menced, and has so continued until the present day, with such variations as have been noted under the different schools. It was by this Committee, and at the same time, that the "Franklin " School was named, and Mr. Webb of the Centre was transferred to the new Writing School, who la. bored in conjunction with Mr. Payson of the Reading School. Mr. Snell- ing's Writing School in the Latin School House, School street, was discon- tinued, and he took Mr. Webb's place in Mason street, where Mr. Haskell was Master of the Grammar School. The West Schools, under Messrs. Perkins and Holt, in Hawkins street, became one, as well as the North schools in Bennet street, under Messrs. Crosby and Tileston, and Masters were elected to the Boylston Schools, on Fort Hill, thus making five schools each with two departments and two masters.
1
233
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The system worked well, with only such accidental frictions as are con- sequent upon all similar arrangements, and for twenty years brought about good results. In 1830, however, strong efforts were made for " reform" and change, and with partial success ; but very much of bitter feeling and strong partisan prejudice was excited among members of the Committee. The changes, such as they were, did not work well, however, from what. ever cause, and in a few years the schools were all again organized upon the plan of 1819, and so continued till the memorable " campaigns " of 1846-47, following in the blaze of the battle between the "Thirty.One," and the Honorable Secretary of the Board of Education. Changes again occurred, noted under the respective schools, and whatever practical good or evil may result from either old or new plans, it is no doubt true, that so much harmony of feeling, confidence, and good will between committees and teachers, and esprit du corps among the teachers themselves, never existed as at the present time.
The establishment of the boy's High School in 1821, was another pro- gressive step in popular education, and its complete success not only sat- isfied the most sanguine expectations of its friends and promoters, but at length gave an impulse to a similar provision for the girls of the city. The Rev. John Pierpont, for many years a most active member of the School Board, took a lively interest in this matter, and in 1825 the project was carried into operation. An appropriation was made for it by the City Council, it was located in an upper room of the Derne Street school-house, under the charge of that accomplished teacher, the late Ebenezer Bailey, Esq., - but it did not meet with that warm sympathy and determined zeal necessary to overcome all the impediments in the way of its complete success, and after two or three years it was finally abandoned.
The Institution of the Franklin Medals took place in the year 1792, and have since been one of the most interesting, and we sincerely believe, useful features in the schools. These are of silver, six in number, presented on the day of the annual exhibition, to the most deserving pupils, - " gen- eral scholarship taken into consideration," - in each of the respective boys' schools, that is full or nearly full They originated from the follow. ing clause of the will of Dr. Franklin, who died April 17, 1790 : -
" I was born in Boston, New England, and owe my first instructions in literature to the free grammar schools established there. I therefore give one hundred pounds sterling to my executors, to be by them, the survivors or survivor of them, paid over to the managers or directors of the free schools in my native town of Boston, to be by them, or those person or persons, who shall have the superintendence and management of the said schools, put out to interest, and so continued at interest for ever, which in- terest annually shall be laid out in silver medals, and given as honorary rewards annually by the directors of the said free schools, for the encour- agement of scholarship in the said schools belonging to the said town, in
=
239
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
such manner as to the discretion of the selectmen of the said town shall seem meet."
This donation has been successfully applied. The fund now (1848) amounts to $1,000, which is invested in five per cent. city stock. The interest is annually appropriated for purchasing medals, which are distrib- uted in the schools.
A little more than two years after Franklin's decease, this gift became available, and a Committee, consisting of William Tudor, Esq., Rev. Mr. Clarke, and Mr. Charles Bulfinch, was appointed "to ascertain the ex- pense of procuring medals to carry into effect the intention of the late Dr. Franklin, in his donation." The Committee reported in the matter, awarding twenty-one medals, - three to the Latin, three to each of the Graminar, and three to each of the Writing Schools. That report has been the basis of apportionment from that time to this, although the fund amounts to but $ 1,000 vested in five per cent. city stock, yielding only $ 50 per annum, while the cost of the 6S Franklin Medals for 184S, amounts to $ 136, - thus leaving more than one half the "Franklin " Medals to be paid for out of the city treasury. We have thought it worth while to have a fac-simile of the original Medal engraved, from the draw- ing on record. On one side is an open book, surmounted by two pens crossed, encircled by the words "The Gift of Franklin." In June, 1795, it was determined that the device on those designed for the Latin Gram- mar School should be a " pile of books, the words - Detur digniori - inscribed on the same side."
The Gift of FRANKLIN
Adjudged by the School Committee as A Reward of Merit to John Collins Warren. 1792
The old dies have been worn out, and renewed two or three times, and the appearance of the Medals somewhat changed. William Savage, one of the original recipients, lost his, it having been stolen from his house, and he petitioned to the city for a new one in 1820, which was readily granted. On the reverse of the original Medal, were the words found in the fac- simile.
00
1
210
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The inscription on the reverse of the Latin Medals differed slightly from the others. It ran "Franklin's Donation adjudged by the School Committee of the town of Boston, to A. B."
We have inserted the name of Dr. Warren, because it stands as the very first on the record, he being then a pupil of the Latin School. We know not how the venerable man regards this distinction among other honors of nis brilliant and successful career, but we have heard it said that the Hon. James Savage has, not very remotely, remarked, that " he looked upon the day he took a Franklin Medal as the proudest of his life." The Boston Almanac for the year 1849, from which these materials are taken, contains the names of the first Medal Scholars in each school.
Through some means, - certainly not by the authority of the phraseol- ogy in the will, -- the custom has been perpetuated of giving these med- als to boys only. When Franklin went to the schools, to be sure, only boys attended upon them; but this makes no law against bestowing his medals upon female pupils. To remedy this inconsistency, the School Committee, in 1821, voted to give an equal number to the girls, calling them " City Medals." In the progress of educational discussion, how- ever, strong ground has been taken against all such motives to emulation, and by some of our most judicious educators, - although we think mis- takenly, -and in 1847 they were refused to the girls, the boys receiving them only because no power existed to annul Franklin's will. In 1848, however, a reaction took place, mainly through the commendable zeal of Mr. Joseph M. Wightman, and the City Medals have been restored, and it is hoped may be continued. In addition to the medals to the first class, six handsorne diplomas of merit are now awarded to each of the three lower classes in all the schools, - so far as it is known, with happy and healthful influences.
Specific names to the schools did not exist previous to the year 1821, if we except the Franklin and the Boylston. It was ordered in 1819, "that the School now located in Nassau street, take the name of 'Franklin,' in honor of the benefactor of the Schools," and the Schools on Fort Hill were known as the "Boylston Schools" from their commencement in 1813. The others were known by the localities, till the year above men- tioned, 1821, when a Committee, appointed for the express purpose, reported that "the propriety and expediency of giving specific names cannot be doubted," and recommended that thereafter the school in Ben- net street be called the "Eliot,"- that in Hawkins street, the " May- hew," - that in Mason street, the "Adams," -the "Franklin " and " Boylston " be so continued, - and that in School street be named the " Latin " School. The other Schools have been named as they were insti- tuted, a custom having obtained of taking the names of the Mayors as far they will go. The names of Mr. Davis and Mr. Armstrong, are the only ones of the Mayors not so honored, - but doubtless they will yet be.
-----
T
----
241
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The vast progress that has been made in the system of instruction, and the character of the schools, has been fully equalled in the improvement of the school-houses. To those who remember the small rooms, the incon- venient forins, and the torturing benches of the old schools, the present noble buildings, and spacious, convenient, and finely-furnished rooms are a perfect luxury. But the greatest of all the improvements in this partic- ular, have reference to ventilation. This is a new feature in their excel- lence, added within the last two years, - and probably there are not twen- ty public buildings in the world that can equal them in this respect. For- merly the rooms in these school-houses, like most other school-rooms throughout the country, were warmed in winter by close stoves, without any means of ingress or egress of air, except through the doors or windows, and the same air with which the school started in the morning, was liable to remain in the school-room till night, circulating only through the lungs of the scholars, and over the surface of the hot iron stove. The well- known school-house odor was perceptible to a visitant before he crossed the threshold of the outer doors. These evils are now completely reme- died in Boston, and the public school-rooms, both in winter and summer, are now at all times supplied with a wholesome atmosphere of an agree- able temperature.
The mode of ventilation adopted for the winter season, consists, first, in admitting a large quantity of moderately warmed air into the room, either through a furnace, or through a stove constructed on the principle of a fur- nace; and, secondly, in discharging an equal quantity of air from the room through ventilators. The warmed air is introduced at one extremity of the room, and the place of discharge of air is at the opposite extremity. Hence all the air admitted into the room passes over the whole area, and escapes after it has been used in the respiration of the scholars. The ventiducts that take off the foul air extend from the flooring of the room through the ceiling, and through the roof of the building, where they are surmounted by ventilators. In cach ventiduct there are two apertures to receive the air from the room, one at the flooring, and one at the ceiling.
The improvement to our schools, both moral and physical, consequent on their ventilation, can hardly be too highly appreciated, and it is but just that, in this connection, credit should be bestowed upon those to whom we are indebted for it. Mr. Combe, in one of his lectures in this city, about the year 1813, urged this subject upon his bearers, and a writer in the " Teacher of Health " took his text from him, and urged some pointed facts. This article attracted the attention of a member of the School Committee, Mr. F. Emerson, who caused it to be printed and cir- culated in some public rooms, especially badly ventilated, and some im- provements ensued. From that time increased attention has been given to the subject ; Mr. Emerson has invented and perfected an improved ven- tilator, whose utility is only surpassed by its extreme simplicity. Its pe-
0
212
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
culiar top may be seen extending from the roof of the Mayhew School, as well as several others in the engravings. It was not till the year 1847, that appropriations were made by the City Council, to ventilate the school. rooms, and to the scientific and efficient services of Dr. Henry G. Clark of the School Committee are we mainly obligated for the successful issue of this vast improvement. Dr. Clark's reports, and records of experiments, are documents of infinite value, and the health and comfort of thousands of children, in all coming time, will be largely indebted to his philanthro- py, together with that of the other gentlemen who have cooperated with him.
It remains to notice but one new feature in our educational system, and that is the election of a superintendent of all the Public Schools in the City. The creation of such an office began to be urged as important about eight years since, and was warmly discussed, meeting as strong op- position as any measure ever proposed. It is not necessary here to de. tail any of the arguments upon either side, which were frequently brought forward both in the Board of School Committee and the Common Council, until the Committee of 1851 formally voted that such an office would be advantageous to the scholars, and applied to the Council for an appropria. tion of $ 2,500 for the salary of such an officer.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.