USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1875-1876 > Part 4
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UNION INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
MISS S. LIZZIE BURNHAM, Teacher.
The management of this school has continued with Miss Burnham during the year, and with a degree of discipline well adjusted to the grade of the school. Between the nursery-like freedom of the primary, and the comparative strictness of the Grammar, she has exhibited, both at the closing visit of the committee, and at other times, indications of thoroughness and industry, which we take pleasure in commending.
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IRON WORKS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
MISS ANNIE L. BUMPUS AND MRS. SARAH A. HAMMATT, Teachers.
Miss Bumpus, after five years of uninterrupted labor in this school, resigned at the close of the fall term. She left it in a very satisfactory state of discipline. Her faithfulness in the discharge of the duties of her calling merit, as they now receive, the acknowledg- ment and approbation of the committee.
Mrs. Hammatt is an experienced teacher, continuing the work so well and faithfully done by her predecessor. The committee, at the examination, found no room for unfavorable criticism. They commend both the method of teaching and the progress of the school.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
POND PRIMARY.
MISS S. ELLA TORREY has taught in this school several years, and we are pleased to say with very good results. The scholars appear orderly and happy; and, on examination, most of the classes in reading and spelling showed they had made good progress. The class in arithmetic performed practical questions upon the black-board very readily, and all the school joined in the singing exercise as though they appreciated and enjoyed it.
UNION PRIMARY SCHOOL.
MISS M. JOSEPHINE DEARING, Teacher.
This large school of little folks continues under the genial sway and guidance of Miss Dearing.
This is one of the pleasantest places in our official experience - where all is cheerful and happy, and none are large enough to make trouble so serious as to call for the intervention of the authority of the committee.
With all that is pleasing in the way of music and
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charts, blocks, and other infantile " helps to learn," there has been good progress made in the several branches of study found in a primary school.
IRON WORKS PRIMARY SCHOOL. MISS ALICE M. MASON, Teacher.
This is a large and a very interesting school. No pleasanter scene can be witnessed than sixty little chil- dren, from five to nine years of age, yielding an un- conscious obedience to a single will, submissive to a tender authority. Such an appearance this school presented at the examination. The reading, spelling, and arithmetic classes showed careful training. The singing, marching, and other exercises, were very entertaining.
EAST SCHOOL.
MISS VICTORIA P. WILDE, Teacher.
Miss Wilde has taught this school for the past three years, and its present condition illustrates the benefit of continuing a good teacher in the same school. When she took charge of it, a little more than three years ago, various causes had contributed to bring it into a position below the average of the schools in town. Made up of material, some of it good and some indifferent, demoralized by want of proper and efficient discipline, the difficulty had been still farther increased by a frequent change of teachers. But from the time when Miss Wilde first took charge of it to the present, there has been a steady and gratifying improvement. It is now one of the best and most orderly schools in town. During the last term, the large and commo-
65
dious school-room has been filled to its utmost capacity. The examination at its close showed that there had been thoroughness and accuracy of instruction, and that the pupils were not only deeply interested in their studies, but maintained towards their teacher feelings of affection and respect.
MIDDLE STREET SCHOOL.
MISS CHARLOTTE E. ALLEN, Teacher.
This school has now been in charge of Miss Allen two years. Her instruction has been well adapted to the capacities of her pupils, varying, as they do, from five to fifteen years of age. Her efforts have been successfully directed to securing accuracy in the studies pursued in the school. She seems to have the con- fidence and esteem of the parents, and consequently their aid in maintaining the order and discipline so necessary to success in teaching.
SOUTH-EAST SCHOOL.
MISSES ELLEN L. WALLACE AND CUSHING, Teachers.
Miss Wallace taught this school during a part of the summer term. Upon her tendering her resignation, Miss Cushing was selected to take her place, and she has taught the school during the remainder of the . year.
Though the number of scholars attending the school during the year has been small, there has been, in this respect, a marked and gratifying increase over former years; and the average attendance during the last term was greater than during the first term of this
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year. When the school closed, seventeen pupils were in attendance at the examination, against twelve ut the examination last year. The appearance and pro- ficiency of the school, when visited by the committee, have been satisfactory, and show that the teacher has labored faithfully, and that her labors have been crowned with a good degree of success.
SOUTH DISTRICT SCHOOL.
This school has been under the care of Miss Mar- garette E. C. Bannon during the year. Nothing has arisen to detract from the well-earned repute of last year ; steady progress has been made in the various studies, which is satisfactory to the parents and committee. The school building in this district is located so far from any dwelling-house, that it often becomes a lodging place for tramps, and needs frequent repairs. It would be a pecuniary benefit to the town if a remedy for this could be devised.
SOUTH WEST.
Miss Helen A. Williams has taught this school for two years. To say that she never disappoints the expectations of the committee, is expressing in few words the opinion of the Committee, as well as would pages. A few of the scholars of this school are allowed by their parents, or guardians, to be frequently absent ; and such is the marked difference in their progress, that the best we can wish for them is, that this may continue to be so apparent that their parents will be constrained, from a desire of emulation, if from no higher motives, to correct so deleterious a practice.
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WEST SCHOOL.
MISS AVIS A. THAYER, Teacher.
At some period of the history of this school, it may have contained scholars more proficient than any now attending it; but we believe that we are safe in saying that never did there exist a better spirit than now pervades its classes, or a more general satisfaction in regard to its management on the part of all interested in its success.
That it is blessed with a teacher admirably adapted to its needs is very evident. In addition to this com- mendable disposition of the school as a whole, there were some individual cases of improvement so conspic- uous that we feel very much inclined to put their names in print, but we refrain.
Mr. C. E. Whiting of Boston has gratuitously given instruction in singing to some of the schools. He has excited quite an interest in this art, and those who have had the privilege of his instructions have been greatly benefited thereby.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
As the citizens generally are aware, there was, a few weeks since, an attempt to burn the Union School House. This so far succeeded as to cause a damage for which the Insurance Companies allowed the sum of one hundred and twenty-five dollars. We did not expend this money in a complete restoration of the
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portions of the house damaged by the fire, but we plastered up the hole which was made through the wall of the room occupied by the school, and left the rest until we could make the following proposition to the town.
The present Grammar School room is much larger than is necessary, and is very difficult to warm. What we would suggest is, that the upper story of the main building, instead of being, as now, divided into two small rooms and one very large one, be made into two of nearly equal size, either of which would accom- modate as many scholars as ever ought to be gathered in one room, or under one teacher. As the time is not far distant when another school will be needed in this house, we shall be anticipating the expense but very little ; and the sum now necessary for the repair of the nearly useless small rooms would go far toward the proposed improvement.
We would, therefore, ask of the town, that an appro- priation of one hundred and twenty-five dollars, in addition to the unexpended sum received for the insur- ance, be made for this purpose.
Your committee would report in regard to the appropriation of last year, for the improvement of the Union School yard, that the sum of three hundred dol- lars was very nearly expended in draining and grading the yard, placing a line of curb-stone on the Washing- ton Street front, and some necessary repairs of the house.
There is still a considerable amount of gravel needed to finish the grade and to cover mud; and, to prevent trespass on the part of teams, the line of curbing should be extended along the sidewalk on the south side as
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far as the Hook and Ladder house. For this we would recommend a further appropriation of two hundred dollars.
We would also invite the attention of the town to the fact that the house occupied by the Middle Street school needs repairs in the inside, under it, and on the outside. The underpinning and foundations are so defective as to seriously injure and strain the building. Gravel is required to secure the foundations when replaced, and to fill the mud holes in front of the house. We recommend that the sum of one hundred dollars be appropriated for the improvement of the Middle Street School-house and yard.
ALVERDO MASON, N. L. WHITE, NOAH TORREY,
T. H. DEARING,
S. W. HOLLIS,
G. H. ARNOLD,
School Committee. I
ON this centennial year of the Independence of the United States, the committee have thought it appropriate to reprint an appendix to the admirable "Address on the Occasion of Opening the New Town Hall in Braintree, July 29, 1858, by Charles Francis Adams," referring to the early history of the schools of Braintree.
This is the more readily done because copies of that work are becoming rare. Our public library does not contain one.
In this connection, let us inquire what has become of the records of the various school districts. Would it not be desirable to place them in the custody of the town clerk ?
The first schoolmaster employed by the town seems to have been Ben- jamin Tompson, third son of the first minister. He was a physician beside, an occupation not without its value to eke out the scanty subsistence fur- nished by his school. How much that was may be understood from the following vote of the town.
3 March, 1678. " At a public Town Meeting, it was voted, on the affirma- tive, that Mr. Benjamin Tompson, schoolmaster, shall have this year, for his salary, the rent of the town's land made up thirty pounds; and that the town give him a piece of land to put a house on upon the common, to be set out by Joseph Crosby and Christopher Webb, not exceeding an acre and a half or thereabout ; and, in case he leave the town, the land to return to the town, they paying for his building and fencing as it is then worth ; but if he die in the town's service, as schoolmaster, the land to be his heirs' for- ever. It was also agreed that every child should carry in to the school- master half a cord of wood beside the quarter money every year."
The next record we find of Mr. Tompson is many years later. The schoolmaster's occupation seems to have been more of a permanency in that day than it has commonly been of late, even though his dues were not so punctually paid.
" At a public town meeting of the inhabitants of Brantry, as by record the 3d March, 1690, it was voted, on the affirmative, that Mr. Benjamin
5
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Tompson should have ten pounds of country pay allowed out of a town rate for this next year ensuing, besides the town land rent which is now in his hands, in case he keep the school lawfully for this present year (1690) at the country price, corn and all other pay accordingly, and do accept what is now promised upon his good attendance of the youth."
2 March, 1696. "It was voted, by the inhabitants of Brantry convened, that Mr. Benjamin Tompson, having many years kept a grammar school in the said town, should, besides the incomes of the town land and rents thereof, have. ten pounds added by way of salary for keeping the grammar school for the year 1696, he acquitting and fully discharging the town from all former debts and arrearages to this day on that account, excepting what he may or can obtain in any of the rates or constables' hands which is yet due."
It seems, from the following vote, that the first school-house had already become old. But where it was placed, I have found no means of determin- ing. Mr. Whitney, who gathered much from the tradition of his time, says that it was near the meeting-house of that day. This would be a little to the north of the Second Congregational Meeting House, in Quincy, at this day.
22 October, 1697. " Voted, then, that a new school-house should be built in the road between Clement Cox his house and Gregory Belcher's, hard by the white oak tree : the dimensions of the house to be twenty foot long, the width sixteen foot, and seven foot between joints."
Gregory Belcher's was on the land to the castward of the county road, at the foot of Payne's Hill, in Quincy.
A few months later the good people changed their minds, and voted the old school-house good enough to remove to this place. It may naturally be inferred that it was not more spacious than the one ordered to succeed it.
7 March, 1698. " It was then and there voted, that the old school-house should be removed to the place allotted at a former town meeting, October 22, 1697, or on the land of the Frenches, if attainable, or near to the best conveniency."
A year passes over and then comes a new order. The old school-house shall not be removed, but the new one shall be built in the place indicated.
7 March, 1699. " Voted, at the same time, that the town shall have a grammar schoolmaster, as also that the present school-house should not be removed, and that a new one should be built."
The old school-house was not, however, used after the new one was built.
The next record shows that the first change brought on a second. A new teacher, the first in half a century, makes his appearance.
18 August, 1699. " Mr. Nathaniel Eells came to Braintree as their town schoolmaster."
13 May, 1700. "Then voted, that the selectmen in being be appointed and empowered a committee to treat and agree with Mr. Eells (or, if he re- fuse, some other) for a schoolmaster for the year ensuing."
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17 May, 1700. " At a public town meeting, the inhabitants of Braintree, lawfully convened, voted, that for the year ensuing, that is to say, from the 18th of August next ensuing, every scholar shall pay for his entry into the school one shilling, and so successively for every quarter for the whole year, if he shall go more than one quarter, and this shall be a part of the school salary to be paid unto the schoolmaster, and he to give an account of all that come to the selectmen."
Mr. Eells does not seem to have made a lodgment here. For we soon find a new teacher.
6 January, 1701. " Mr. Jeremiah Wise came and began to keep school in Braintree, according to an agreement with the selectmen of said town of Braintree, for thirty pounds one year."
The next provision that we find is both judicious and liberal. Neal, in his History, distinguishes Roxbury and Braintree as noted for their free schools. No doubt the consequence followed that admission was sought from abroad.
26 September, 1701. " First, voted, that the rent of the town lands for- merly paying to the school shall continue as part of the salary ; that the parent or master that shall send any scholar or scholars to said school, shall pay for each scholar to the town treasurer for the support of the school, five shillings a year, and proportionable for any part of it ;
" That any person or persons living out of the town, who shall send any scholar or scholars to the aforesaid school, shall [pay ?] twenty shillings a year to the town treasurer, and proportionable for any part of it ; - provided that any poor persons in this town who shall send any children to said school, and find themselves unable to pay, upon their application to the selectmen, it shall be in their power to abate or remit a part or the whole of the above sum ; -
" That what the rent of the town lands and the head money of the schol- ars shall fall short of the schoolmaster's salary, shall be raised by a town rate, equally proportioned upon the inhabitants of said town."
We now find another teacher.
10 November, 1701. " The selectmen of Braintree did agree with Mr. John Veasey, to keep school in said Braintree for one year, for thirty pounds. The time to begin upon the 10th of November aforesaid."
After all none of the new set suit so well as the old one. Benjamin Tompson is invited to supply the place.
16 May, 1704. " Then voted, by the inhabitants of Braintree, lawfully assembled, that the present selectmen treat and agree with Mr. Benjamin Tompson for an abiding schoolmaster, not exceeding thirty pounds per an- num in or as money, during the time he performs the work until the present law referring to schools be repealed."
The law referred to is probably that passed three years before, which, in consequence of the neglect of divers towns to comply with the old statute
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requiring the establishment of a grammar school, and the employment of a teacher " well instructed in the tongues," had enacted more stringent meas- ures, by penalties and otherwise, to enforce the same.
The following vote applies to the lands conveyed to the town by Codding- ton. It is not unadvisable that later generations should keep it in mind.
24 March, 1707. " Then voted, that the town's school lands that have hitherto been devoted to the use of the school in this town shall lie for the use of the school in this town forever."
Mr. Tompson had disappeared in 1710. He died on the 13th of April, 1714, aged 72 .*
28 November, 1710. " Then voted, that Mr. Adams, the present school- master, be empowered to demand a load of wood of each boy that comes to school this winter."
This provision seems to have proved difficult to enforce. For it is re- peated.
28 December, 1713. " Then voted, that the parents or masters of all chil- dren or servants that go to school, shall forthwith, that is to say, upon their first or next appearance at the school, and so from this day until the first of April next coming, deliver in to the present schoolmaster, for the use of the school at the school-house, three foot of cord wood, to be the proportion for each child or servant for this year."
The following entry appears in the records : -
1 November, 1714. " Then voted, that the money formerly given to this town by Mr. Samuel Veasey, deceased, now in some person's hands, be de- manded and forthwith sued for by the town treasurer, for the use of the town school."
This is followed up by another vote at a later day. It is here placed out of its order, as connected with the preceding.
10 May, 1717. " Then voted, that Deacon Moses Paine, the present town treasurer, should demand (and if need be sue for) the money remaining in Mr. Samuel Marshall's hands (of Boston), which was given by Mr. Samuel Veasey to the free school of this town in and by his last will and testa- ment, - and that according to the tenor of his will."
The records do not inform us what became of this benefaction.
Before this last date, a new and a great step had been taken in the prog- ress of education.
14 May, 1716. " Voted, by the inhabitants of Braintree regularly assem- bled, that there should be a school kept in the south end of this town for
* The following obituary is found in the Record of Deaths :-
Mr. Benjamin Tompson, practitioner of physic for above thirty years, during which time he kept a grammar school in Boston, Charlestown, and Braintree, - hav- ing left behind him a weary world, eight children, and twenty-eight grandchildren, - deceased 13 April, 1714, and lieth buried in Roxbury, aged 72 years.
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one half of the year, each year, yearly, beginning the first day of October, yearly, for reading and writing, besides the present grammar school, and that to be at the charge of the town."
" Then voted, that an house be erected for the accommodating of a gram- mar school in this town, which shall be in some convenient place, as soon as may be, between the North Meeting-house and Mr. Benjamin Webb's land, by the committee hereafter named and appointed, as they should see meet. Against this vote Captain John Mills entered his dissent."
" Then also voted, that a convenient school-house for writing and reading, be built and set up in some convenient place in the south end of this town, near the meeting-house, as soon as may be, and as the committee hereafter named and appointed shall see meet, at the charge of the town."
17 September, 1716. " The Moderator moved to the town, whether the old school-house by Deacon Belcher's should be disposed of as the commit- tee hereafter appointed shall see meet. It passed on the affirmative.
" It was then likewise motioned by the moderator, whether the old school- house near Mr. Benjamin Webb's should be also disposed of as the commit- tee hereafter appointed shall see meet. It passed on the affirmative."
12 May, 1718. " Voted, that the rents of the town's lands be paid in to the town's treasurer, for the support of the grammar school."
The next is the first movement of the schools still farther southward. The peculiar New England device of a movable school, the natural result of a population settling in clusters on a wide surface, here first appears.
28 December, 1718. " Then voted, that the writing and reading school, granted formerly to be kept at the south end of the town, may be removed into more than one place,"
A second school for the whole year is presently established.
7 March, 1720. " The Moderator then proposed whether the reading and writing school should be kept the whole year annually at the south end of the town, for the town. It passed on the affirmative."
As not infrequently happened, there was difficulty about designating the places for the movable school.
17 May, 1720. "It was then also voted, that there shall be a writing or reading school annually for the whole year to be kept in the south precinct, in such place or places as a committee now to be chosen, to join with the major part of the selectmen, Mr. Joseph Crosby, Lt. Samuel Allen and Mr. Ephraim Thayer, shall agree, and to agree with the schoolmaster."
15 May, 1728. "The Moderator then put the question to the town whether the middle precinct in the town should have liberty to move the school now kept in that precinct to two other places, to be kept at each place a third of the year, or half a year at each, if the said precinct see cause ; provided the said precinct will be at the whole charge of such re- moval, the places nominated being one at the south-east corner of the little pond where the ways part, and the other near the house of Nathaniel Wales. And it was voted in the affirmative."
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The following vote begins to show the movement still further southward towards Randolph.
2 November, 1730. " A memorial of the new south precinet was then laid before the town which was presented at the last town-meeting, concern- ing a school there ; and the question being put whether the new south pre- cinet shall have eight pounds paid out of the town's treasury toward sup- porting a school in that precinct yearly until the town take further order, the first year to be understood to commence from March last past ; it passed in the affirmative."
Things went on so for thirty years. It then had become time to fix the sites of the school-houses. The next vote in order is of the 11th of March, 1763 :- -
" Voted, That there be a school-house built in each precinet of said town at the town's expense.
" Voted, That the school-house in the middle precinct be erected on the south-east corner of Mr. Benjamin Hayden's land at the lane leading to Mr. Lemuel Thayer's.
" Voted, That the school-house in the north precinct be erected opposite to the ten mile stake.
" Voted, The south precinct have liberty to provide a place for to erect a school-house."
Such is the history of the rise and progress of public education in the town, until the period of the separation. Considering the paucity of the population and the extent of the surface over which it was spread, the pro- vision seems to have been timely made and quite sufficient for the occasion. Of the progress of the three towns since it would be difficult to give an adequate sketch without swelling the Appendix too much. It will be enough perhaps to give in brief compass a view of the general condition of the sys- tem at this time.
There were attending school in 1874-75, within the original limits of Braintree : -
In Braintree . ·
678
Holbrook . .
.
352
Quincy . ·
1,715
Randolph .
753
3,498
A
No. of Scholars.
Average Attendance.
No. over 15 Years.
No. under 5 Years.
Length of Terms.
Wages per Month.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
HIGH.
46
66
412
622
22
31
0
0
5
5
50
50
POND GRAMMAR ..
45
39
33
33
5
0
0
0
5
5
50
50
POND INTERMEDIATE.
51
49
42
422
0
0
0
0
5
5
36
36
POND PRIMARY . ..
58
50
41
35
0
0
0
0
5
5
36
36
UNION GRAMMAR.
34
30
252
26
0
0
0
0
5
5
44
50
UNION INTERMEDIATE
42
41
34
34
0
0
0°
0
5
5
36
36
UNION PRIMARY .
63
54
44
41
0
0
0
0
5
5
28
32
IRON WORKS GRAMMAR ..
44
37
39
30
0
0
0
0
5
5
50
50
IRON WORKS INTERMEDIATE.
44
42
37
35
0
0
0
0
5
5
36
36
IRON WORKS PRIMARY
70
68
472
562
0
0
2
4
5
5
36
36
EAST .
52
57
40
41
1
2
0
0
5
5
50
50
MIDDLE ..
38
39
262
32
1
1
0
1
5
5
36
36
SOUTH EAST.
17
22
13
174
0
0
0
1
5
5
·
. .
SOUTHI.
25
20
182
162
1
1
0
0
5
5
36
36
SOUTH WEST
23
26
15
20
0
0
0
0
5
5
36
36
WEST
18
21
12
14
2
6
0
0
5
5
36
36
-
$150
$150
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SCHOOLS.
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