USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1862-1879 > Part 25
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
JOHN E. CUTTER, Overseers JOHN CONANT, of
ELISHA H. CUTLER, Poor.
Acton, April 1st, 1875.
25| Plates, 25 Knives and Forks, 1 37
$50 81
$2920 23 1974 59
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT FOR 1874,
Births in Acton in 1874.
No. Date of Birth. Name of Child. Parents' Names.
1. Feb. 1, Irving Elna Smith, son of Allen G. and Georgiana Smithi.
2. 20, Sumner Merle Teele, son of Wm. H. and Mary E. Teele.
.. 22, Jerry Bradley, son of Dennis and Hannah Bradley.
4. March 10, Walter Franklin Randall, son of John W. and Sophia 1. Randall.
5.
.. 18, Joseph Lloyd Morris, son of Richard and Ann Morris.
6.
.. 20, Mabel Emma Abbott, daughter of John W. and Mary Abbott.
7.
.. 26, William Cooper, son of Levi and Annie Cooper.
S. April 12, Grace Gertrude Knowlton, daughter of George W. and Angie H. Knowlton.
9. June 9, Ernest Morton Littlefield, son of Nahum and M. Addie Little- field.
" 13, Edward Hollis Robinson, son of Charles and Persis V. Robin SOI.
.. 22. Mary Louisa Calder, daughter of Thomas and Maria C'alder. July 7, Forrest Eli Pickens, son of Gilman F. and Almeda A. Pickens. . . 15, Richard Morris Davis, son of John and Elizabeth Davis. Ang. 8, a son to Carrie A. Gardner.
11, Lonis Augustine James Foley, son of Patrick and Elizabeth M. Foley.
.. 17, Daniel Herbert Trainor, son of Hugh and Hannah Trainor.
.. 20,Albert Raymond Currie, son of Neil and Mary Elizabeth Currie. 28, Elma Gertrude Stone, daughter of Charles B. and Marietta C. . Stone.
Sept. 2, Oscar Alvin Nelson, son of Oscar and Mary Ann Nelson. 7, Martha Mary Morris, daughter James and Margaret Morris. 8, Addie Louise Guilford, daughter of Samuel A. and Nellie M. Guilford.
". 9, Lizzie Agnes Manion, daughter of Thomas and Mary A. Manion. 10, Lulu Mary Lawrence, daughter of James R. and Abbie F. Lawrence.
.. 14, John Edward O'Neil, son of Patrick and Hannah O'Neil.
.. 19, Michael Edward Ryan, son of John and Catharine Ryan. 23, Olive Genevra Barker, daughter of Henry and Louisa M. Barker.
" 23. Harvey Putnam Tuttle, son of Abram and Martha A Tuttle. Oct. 1, Perley Walcott Richardson, son of Henry W. and M. Hattie Richardson.
66 6, George Irving Harris, son of Geo. H. and Angenette Harris.
7, Willie Edward Tuttle, son of Horace 2d and Arethusa M. Tuttle.
.. 7, Bernard Ainsworth Preston, son of Herbert E. and Sophia E. Preston.
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
..
14
32. Oct. 14, Frederic Win. Wilson, son of Robert and Mary Ann Wilson. 22, Allen Brooks Parker, son of Edwin C. and Hannah H. Parker.
.. 24, Fred Linwood Robbins, son of Elbridge J. and Ellen M. Rob- bins.
35. 27, Thomas Albert Voysey Rhodes, son of Win. H. and Mary Jane Rhodes.
36. Nov. 1, Albertha May Greer, daughter of William J. and Elizabeth Greer.
37. .. 11, James Rockwood Dunn, son of Waldo G. and Fannie M. Dunn.
38. 66 18, Sarah L. Jones, daughter of Lowell A. and Sarah A. Jones.
39. .. 17, Charles Leon Decoster, son of Geo. H. and Lucy A. Decoster.
40. .' 30, Carrie May Gilmore, daughter of Walter A. and Emma A. Gilmore.
41. Dec. 13, Albert Brooks Butterfield, son of Francis and Annie Maria Butterfield.
42.
17, Evie Blanchie Fletcher. daughter of Aaron S. and Sarah T. Fletcher.
433. 21, Hugh Henry Coulter, son of Hugh and Matilda Coulter.
44. 24, Emma Jane Hart, daughter of Arthur A. and Harriet P. Hart. 1873. May 14, Guy Elwood Currie, son of Neil and Mary Elizabeth Curric.
1872. Sept. 15, Anna Calista Parker, daughter of Edwin C. and Hannah HI. Parker.
Marriages Recorded in Acton in 1St1,
Names of Parties. 0. Date of Marriage.
1. Jan. 1. Stephen R. Corliss and Miss Hannah D. Wooster, both of Acton.
2. 15, Mr. Moses E. Taylor and Miss Clara Tuttle, both of Acton.
" 15, Mr. Samuel P. Brackett. of Stow, and Miss Clara A. Chaffin. of Acton.
1. .. Mr. Henry C. Jones, of Boston, and Miss Lydia A. Sawyer. of Maynard.
5. Feb. 23, Mr. Levi B. Gould, of Wilton, Me .. and Miss Mary P. Abbott, of Carlisle.
6. April 1, Mr. Lyman C. Taylor and Miss Addie Tuttle. both of Acton.
5, Mr. James I. Mills and Miss Mary M. Jones, both of Acton.
12, Mr. John Byam, of Chelmsford, and Miss Marietta Rouillard,. of Acton.
9. 12, Mr. Charles Waldo Hanscom and Miss Susie L. Freeman, both of Acton.
10. May 13, Mr. Henry H. Hanscom, of Acton, and Miss Josephine Tuttle. of Sterling.
11. June 20, Mr. Levi W. Stevens and Miss Annie E. Hall, both of Acton. 12. Oct. 17, Mr. John W. Heald, of Carlisle, and Miss Mary A. Parker, of Westford.
13. Nov. 19, Mr. Jason S. Brown and Miss Ellen O. Huntley, both of Lowell.
14. " 25, Mr. Geo. W. Rand, Jr., and Miss Sarah E. Ingham, both of Concord.
15. 26, Mr. George Rouillard and Miss Emma Rettie Dunnells, both- of Acton.
16. Dec. 16, Mr. J. Trescott Dinsmore, of Framingham, and Miss Esther A .: Hapgood, of Acton.
17. 20, Mr. James A. Symonds, of Acton, and Miss Flora C. Harlow .. of Lowell.
15
Deaths in Acton in 1874.
No. Date of Death.
Name and Age.
1. Jan. 10, Miss Nellie S. Wilder, aged 15 years, 6 months, 16 days.
.. 10, Miss Carrie W. Faulkner, aged 38 years, 16 days.
.. 26, Mr. John F. Blood, aged 61 years, 3 months, 8 days.
4. 5. 6. 7.
.. 28. Mr. Silas Taylor, aged 80 years, 7 months, 1 day. Feb. 9. H. Gertrude Withington, aged 11 years, 5 months. 18 days. . . 10, Mr. Nathaniel Hapgood, aged 89 years, 11 months. March 1, Nathan HI. Stone, aged 35 years, 4 months, 25 days.
6. Miss Ida R. Estabrook, aged 19 years. 24 days.
9.
. . 15, Mrs. Fannie R. Wheeler, wife of James W. Wheeler, aged 60 years, 2 months, 10 days.
10.
11.
. . 19, Irving W. Flagg, son of Isaac W. and Emma Flagg, aged 1 year, 3 months, 2 days. April 7. Mrs. Betsey C. Sawyer, wife of George W. Sawyer, aged 53 years, 3 months, 23 days.
7. Mrs. Hannah W. Mace, aged 73 years.
12. 13.
..
13, Willian, son of Levi and Annie Cooper, aged 18 days.
24, Mr. Richard Morris, aged 24 years, 5 months. May 1, Mrs. Susanna L. Spencer, aged &2 years, 8 months, 18 days.
14. 15. 16. 4, Miss Harriet J. Reed, aged 35 years, 6 months, 3 days.
. . 4, Mrs. Joanna Moulton, widow of Mr. Richard Moulton, aged 64 years, 17 days.
4. Mary Augusta Davis, daughter of Wm. B. and S. Maria Davis, aged 4 years, 4 months. 12 days.
25. 26. 27.
.. 10. Mr. Johw D. Whitney, aged 70 years. 7 months, 5 days.
.. 11, Mr. Eunice Weston, widow of Stephen Weston, aged 82 years, 2 months, 25 days.
.. 24. Grace Evelyn Robbins, daughter of Elbridge J. and Ellen M. Robbins, aged 1 year, 11 months.
.. 24. Mrs. Lydia AA. Farrar, wife of Mr. Henry Farrar, aged 38. years, 6 months.
20. Oct .. S. Mrs. Anna E. Stevens, wife of Mr. Levi W. Stevens, aged 36 years, 3 months, 20 days.
· 2% Mrs. Hannah Wright, wife of Mr. AAlmon Wright, aged 77 years, 9 months.
30. 31. Nov. 6. Leander V. N. Tuttle, son of Luke and S. Sophia Tuttle, aged 2 years. 7 months, 25 days.
82.
.. 20. Sarah L., daughter of Lowell A. aud Sarah A. Jones, aged 2 days. Dee. 3, Mr. Frank F. Hayward, aged 22 years, 7 months, 13 days.
:34. 35.
.. 4. Mr. Josiah C. Mason, aged 54 years, 4 months.
15, Mrs. Eleanor Phelan, aged 51 years, 7 months.
36. 21. Mr. Simon Hapgood. aged 86 years, 11 months, 21 days.
$7.
22. Mrs. Mary JJ. Palmer, aged 36 years. 1 month, 15 days.
17. 18. .. 19. June 24, Mr. Jonathan Strong. aged 70 years. 11 months, 15 days. July 3, Mrs. Eliza Kinsley. wife of Mir. Richard Kinsley, aged 45 . 28. Mr -. Elizabeth D. Blanchard, wife of Mr. Simon Blanchard, aged 63 years. years. 20. 21. 22. Aug. 5. Mr. George Robbins, aged 90 year -. 23. Ang. 30, Mrs. Ann F. Chaffin, wife of Mr. Samuel Chaffin, aged 66 vears. 24. Sept. 4. Emory S. Preston, sou of Herbert E. and Ennna S. Preston. aged 1 year, 3 months, 4 days.
28.
16
Names of Persons having Dogs Licensed in 1874.
Name of Owner.
No.
Name of Owner.
NO -
Francis Hosmer,
1.
D. H. Farrar,
1.
John. Conant,
1.
J. W. Abbott,
1.
Willie F. Richardson,
1 ..
W. W. Wooster. 1.
Silas Conant, Jr.
1.
Francis Pratt,
1.
Elnathan Jones,
1.
Henry Shapley,
1.
Varnum Tuttle, 1.
E. D. Lothrop,
1.
Tuttles, Jones & Wetherbee, 3.
A. Bulette,
1.
H. Waldo Tuttle,
1.
Lewis Beck,
2.
Thos. P. Yarter,
1.
J. Fletcher & Sons.,
1.
George Conant,
1.
N. C. Reed,
1.
George V. Mead,
1.
J. R. Bassett,
1.
Alfred Sawyer,
1.
L. R. Forbush,
1.
A. & O. W. Mead.
1.
J. E. Harris,
1.
Geo. C. Wright,
1.
Edwin Tarbell,
1.
Luther Conant, 1.
.J. E. Reed,
1.
A. B. Brown, 1.
Joseph Reed,
1.
Elwyn H. Whitcomb,
1.
Daniel Tuttle,
1
S. M. Osgood & Co.,
1.
Francis Robbins,
1.
Levi Houghton,
1.
Allen Smith,
1.
O. E. Preston,
1.
Frank Houghton,
1.
W. A. Gilmore,
1.
S. Taylor Fletcher,
1.
Horace Tuttle,
1.
Theo. Karcher,
1.
W. II. Faulkner,
1.
John Daley, fem.,
1.
Willard A. Davis,
1.
Chas. Morris,
1.
Henry Potter,
1.
John Grimes,
1.
Moses Taylor,
1.
D. C. Cutler,
1.
E. F. Fuller,
1.
H. A. Barker,
1.
Augustus Fletcher, J. C. Keyes,
1.
Chas. Wheeler,
1.
Daniel Wetherbee,
1.
E. Robbins,
1.
Isaac W. Flagg,
1.
Calvin Harris, 1.
1.
Geo. E. Priest,
1.
Robert Fiske,
1.
A. S. Fletcher,
1.
Geo. W. Livermore,
fem. 1.
A. J. Fletcher,
1.
Martin Whitney,
1.
A. C. Handley,
1.
D. H. Knights,
1.
Frank Marshall,
1.
A. L. Tuttle,
1.
Geo. C. Conant,
1.
Henry Haynes,
1.
Horace Tuttle, 2d.,
1.
Josiah Piper,
1.
J. R. Daniels,
1
W. E. Wood, 1.
E. J. Robbins,
fem.,
1.
Henry Smith, 1.
L. N. Fletcher,
1 ..
Neil Currie,
1.
Total, 84 males, 4 females.
8%
46
91
1.
J. W. Randall,
1.
D. J. Wetherbee,
1.
J. W. Charter, 1.
Daniel Harris,
1.
J. A. Piper,
U. A. Snell, fem .. 1.
Taylor Bros., 1.
THE ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF ACTON,
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1874-5.
ACTON : ACTON PATRIOT JOB PRINT. 1875.
م
REPORT.
TO THE CITIZENS OF ACTON :
In accordance with the requirements of the statutes and a time honored custom your School Committee, having discharged their du- ties to the best of their ability, beg leave to submit, for your consider- ation, the following report :-
We trust that we have been fully impressed with the importance of the charge committed to our care, and have labored very earnestly to · keep up and, if possible. improve the standard of excellence in our schools. But in looking over the school history of the past year it seems to us that we have been called to encounter even more than the usual number of obstacles.
During the past year we have been obliged to make several changes in our corps of teachers. and, though we have been very fortunate in our selections, as a general thing, every teacher has to gain some experience in any school in order to secure the highest degree of suc- cess. We consider it very important to the best interests of our schools to continue a good teacher several consecutive terms in the same school.
Moreover, during the past school year our schools have been more broken up by sickness than is usually the case. This has been espe- cially true of the schools during the past Winter. On account of the prevalence of the scarlet fever and other forms of disease three of the large schools closed in the midst of the term, so that a large number of our scholars have suffered a very serious loss of school advantages. But, while this is a fact to be regretted, we feel that our gratitude is due to an overruling Providence who has averted from us the calam- ity of a general epidemic which might have proved fatal to many children whose faces will brighten our school rooms in coming terms. It is sad for us to feel that, as it is, the presence of some scholars will be missed, and we sympathize very deeply with their afflicted [homes.
4
During the past year we have had one public examination in all the schools, and two in those schools which were not terminated or greatly disturbed by sickness. These examinations have been well attended, and, as a general thing, highly creditable to the educational work of the town. We are more and more convinced that these public examinations are excellent, both for teachers and scholars, and "'we think it may be well to have them more frequently in the future than in the past. We have been pleased to notice the evident interest taken in the schools by the people of the several districts during the past year, as evidenced by the large attendance upon several of the public examinations. We think, too, that the people have been very careful and just in their criticisms, and thus have done much to aid both teachers and committee in their efforts to promote the interest of the schools. We hope that a similar course may be pursued in the future, so that, as during the past year, all will work together for the success of this highly important work.
The success of the schools during the past year has been affected by causes beyond our control, but the past year's experience has suggest- ed to us certain points where it may be possible for us, as a town, to secure better conditions of success in the future, and it is that the citizens of the town generally may view the matter from our stand- point that we make suggestions with reference to the following points.
Town Appropriation for Schools.
We are aware that it is necessary for the town to raise large sums of money for other purposes, and it is with diffidence that we put forward the claim of our schools ; but we feel that we should not be faithful to our charge unless we made known their real wants. Good teachers command as high wages now as they did five years ago, and the expense of heating and caring for our school houses is so much greater now than when the old school houses were used that there are not sufficient funds for school terms of suitable length, even with the addition which has been already made to the town appropriation for these purposes. The vacations of school are now too long for the best good of the scholars. The vacations are so long that they go far towards dissipating the impressions made upon the scholars' minds during the sessions of school, and the school houses are so comforta- ble and large that it would be far better, both for the health and the morals of our scholars, to spend more weeks in the school-room and
less in the stores and streets. The possibility of a large number of school weeks during the year will enable us more casily to retain the services of good teachers, at the same cost per month. as it will in- crease their yearly income, and employ their time when otherwise they would be obliged to be unemployed. An additional appropria- tion of two hundred and fifty dollars would be very useful in pro- moting the good of our schools and we hope that our citizens may see their way clear to increase their appropriation that amount.
Importance of Every Term of School to Scholars.
One very serious obstacles in the way of the satisfactory progress of many of our scholars is the fact that they are uniformly absent from school one term or more every year. The usual excuse for the ab- sence of these scholars is the supposed need of their work at home. In some cases it is no doubt the fact, that there is an apparent need of the sacrifice of a higher for a lower advantage, but we believe it to be usually the case that if the parents duly appreciated the importance of a thorough education, as the best inheritance which they can bestow upon their children-if they realized the need of this as their children will realize it in coming years-we feel very sure that they would so arrange it that their scholars should not be detained from school by work a term or a day.
_A child of twelve or fourteen years of age can do but little manual labor, consistently with his health and the development of a strong con- stitution, while he can gain as much real advantage from study at that time as at the age of eighteen, hence it is very poor economy to keep scholars of such an age from school. It may be that the terms can be arranged to better accommodate the scholars which are usually kept at home for the above reason by bringing a large number of weeks of school into the time intervening between Nov. 1st and April or May 1st. As it is, the evil complained of is to be lamented, and is appar- ently increasing in some localities.
Male or Female Teachers.
The question has been asked several times during the past year, would not male teachers conduct our large winter schools to better ad- vantage than female teachers ? To this question we have uniformly given a negative answer, for these reasons :
1st. To employ male teachers we would be obliged to shorten our winter terms, which are now too short nearly one-third, or shorten the
6
other terms enough to make out the extra money required for the employment of a male teacher.
2nd. It is very difficult to find good male teachers that are willing to take charge of our common schools. Permanent situations are open to such teachers in a higher grade of schools. The male teach- ers who usually apply for our schools are students in search of a little experience in teaching, and a little money for the further prosecution of their studies, and more frequently than otherwise secure both at the expense of their scholars.
3d. It is very important that we should be able to secure good teachers several consecutive terms, but. if we get into the way of em- ploying male teachers in the winter. it will be very sure to result in a change of teachers in these schools twice in a year and the best teach- ers will seek situations where they can hope for steady employment, so that, as it seems to us. the good of the schools will be imperiled throughout the year.
As to the management of unruly scholars, we believe that a female teacher, experienced in the control of scholars, will succeed far better than a male teacher without any such experience; the former teacher may or may not have as much physical strength as the latter; that, as we look upon it, makes little difference. The brute force as the princi- pal factor in the government of schools is out of date. It is now
generally understood that the same forces should control scholars in school which will control them in society, viz., a due regard for right- ful authority and the dignity of law, as such, and, when advanced scholars can not be controlled by these means, it seems to us that they ought to be turned over to their parents for punishment or dismissed from school.
Text Books.
During the past year we have nearly completed the change in Read- ing books which was recommended in our last report. The good re- sults of the change have more than equalled our expectations. To make the series of Readers uniform, it is necessary that the 6th Readers should be changed in two of the largest schools. Beyond this we would recommend no change in text books the coming year.
Primary Schools.
These schools have been as successful during the past year as at any previous time, so far as we have been able to discover. But we have
7
thought it possible that Object Teaching may be employed more largely in this grade of school than heretofore. This method of teaching is now very largely employed by educators in the instruction of young scholars, with excellent results. This method is now employed by most of our teachers to some extent, and it may be that there is room for still further improvement in the same direction. In one of our schools it has been the practice to dismiss the younger scholars earlier than the regular time, and, so far as we know, the practice has not been attended with any bad results. It may be that fewer hours of confine- ment to the school rooms will be better for our younger scholars gen- erally.
These, Fellow Citizens, are some of the suggestions which we would present to you for the improvement of our schools. In order that these suggestions may be carried out, your approval and co-oporation are necessary to a greater or less extent, and we hope that neither will be withheld. Our most valuable possessions, as a town, are our children, and the most important interest we are called to provide for is to be found in our schools. We trust that they will receive at your hands the care and support which are their due.
Passing from a consideration of the condition and wants of our school system, taken as a whole, we would now invite you to a brief review of the different schools. We will consider the schools in the order determined by the attendance of scholars in each district, men- tioning first the schools in the districts having the largest attend- ance.
South Grammnar.
This school had the same teacher throughout the year. Miss M. _ 1. Edwards. Miss E. is a teacher of ripe experience, is dignified in her bearing as a teacher, and has other elements essential to success in the government of a school ; and in this school ought to have bad the highest degree of success. As it was, we think the highest usefulness of the school was somewhat impaired by the conduct of a very few scholars, to whom some previous remarks in this report fitly apply. . On account of sickness there was no public examination in the Winter term. The examination at the close of the fall term was very satis- factory, as much so, on the whole, as any that we have attended in this school.
8
South Primmary.
This school, also, had the same teacher, Miss S. L. Burr, through out the year. Miss B. made herself at home in the school-room and manifested a good degree of skill in the difficult work of interesting and instructing young scholars. She seemed to possess the respect and love of her pupils to a marked degrec. The examination at the close of the Fall term, proved that the scholars had made good progress during the term. The school was terminated so suddenly in the winter that there was no examination. From what we are able. to learn, Miss B.'s work in the school was creditable to her ability as a teacher and satisfactory to the Committee.
West Grammar.
This school had the same teacher through the whole year, Miss A. H. Allen. Miss A. taught, this school the last term of last year, and was referred to as a teacher in our last report, so that no mention of her qualities is called for in this place We will simply say that Miss A.'s work in this school, during the past year, has but confirmed us in our impression of her fitness for the work of teaching. Not only has this school made excellent progress in knowledge, but. so far as we know, there has been a most harmonious state of feeling between teacher and scholars, which promises much for the success of this school in the future. The examination at the end of the Fall term was highly creditable to teacher and scholars. The Winter term was so broken up by sickness that there was no public examination : but the Committee took the opportunity to make a private examination into the progress of the school and satisfied themselves that it was as good as they reasonably could expect, under the circumstances.
West Primary.
The Spring term of this school was taught by Miss A. E. Hall. whose name, as a teacher,has appeared in several reports of this Com- mittee, and always associated with words of praise. Miss H.'s work this term was fully equal to that of any other term. Her whole heart was in her work, and she found her reward in the highest de- grec of success and in the most grateful love of her pupils, who, no doubt, will cherish her memory always.
The Fall and Winter terms were taught by Miss A. O. Hopkin s. a teacher of ripe experience, who proved herself well adapted to the work devoted to her care. As a teacher, she is well versed in expe-
9
dients for exciting the thought and holding the attention of young scholars. On account of the apparent danger of the scarlet fever this school ended in the midst of the Winter term, so that it had but one public examination during the year. the one at the end of the Fall term. which was quite satisfactory.
Center Grammar.
The Spring and Fall terms of this school were taught by Miss J. S. Bartlett, the teacher who taught the school during the whole of last year, and who was noticed fully in our last report. We will simply say that the school during these terms was very small-almost unaccountably so-but that the scholars who attended the school made good advancement in real mental discipline.
The Winter term was taught by Mr. C. P. Searle of Amherst Col- lege. Mr. Searle was well recommended to the Committee, as a scholar and a gentleman, and so far as we know possessedl these qual- ities, but was without experience in the management of a public school and failed to exhibit any natural talent for such a work. It should be said, however, that the school was the largest and consisted of the oldest scholars of any in our town, and would have been a dif- ficult school for even an experienced teacher. The Committee would have secured an experienced female teacher for the school had he found it possible for him to do so and gratify the manifest wishes of the majority of the scholars and people of the district. When their desires became known to him, it was so near the time for the school to begin that it was impossible for him to do otherwise than he did. It should be said in justice to the scholars that they generally did their utmost to save the school from being a failure, and that, on the whole .. considering everything, it had a fair degree of success.
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.