USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Warwick > Warwick, Massachusetts; biography of a town, 1763-1963 > Part 19
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
The State Board of Education succeeded in obtaining the passage of an act by the legislature in 1888 creating school unions composed of several rural towns. The administration of the schools was to be placed in the hands of a single superintendent for all the towns in the union. The salary of the superintendent was to be prorated among the towns, but any increase over the salary then paid by the town was to be reimbursed by the state.
Warwick voted to join a union composed of Northfield, Ley- den and Gill in 1895. This was a most drastic advance in educa- tion in the rural towns. In theory the local school committee still remained supreme over the superintendent but actually the latter, with the increased financial aid now received from the state, received little opposition from local authorities. Within six years all of the outlying district schools had been closed and the pupils were transported to the center school in the village which had been enlarged to three rooms.
In the school report of 1901 the report to the State Board of Education by the agent of that Board states in part:
Six years ago Warwick maintained nine schools twenty four weeks per year ... Teachers' wages in the eight outside schools were $5.00 per week, in the center school $6.00 per week.
Now all the pupils are in three rooms of one modern well lighted, heated, ventilated building pleasantly situated in the center of the town. The school has three teachers, normal
222
school graduates of exceptional ability, average wages $9.00 per week, school year thirty-six weeks. Schools are graded, three classes in a room.
The town has in six years lengthened the school year fifty per cent., increased the wages of the teachers seventy-five per- cent, employed special teachers of music and drawing, without materially increasing the school tax of the town. A large increase in the amount of money received from the State has been of great benefit to the schools.
Three years later the school in Brush Valley was reopened and it continued to function until 1931. The three-room school in the center of the town held sessions in only two rooms in 1913 when the number of pupils had dropped to 53.
School matters proceeded smoothly with but slight changes until 1929. Then early one winter morning the townspeople were awakened and told that the center school was burning. The building was a complete loss. The town hall was converted into classrooms and used while a new two-room school was built. The building committee consisted of the three selectmen: Lee J. Dres- ser, chairman, Carl G. Stange, Frank W. Webster; the school committee: Julia Green, Edith P. Lincoln, Etta M. T. Bass. An excellent building was provided on the site of the old one at a cost of $14,000.
The new school dedicated in 1930 was considered to represent the most advanced school architecture of that day. Each of the two rooms accommodated four grades, and the total enrollment was only 54 pupils. This enrollment was to increase rapidly in the following years, partially caused by the closing of the Brush Valley school in 1931. It reached 86 in 1937. This meant that each teacher taught an average of 43 pupils divided into four grades. The town was fortunate indeed to have the services of Miss Abbie Cutting, who acted as principal from 1930 to 1941. Many of her pupils remember with gratitude the devoted labors of this teacher. Rarely did any other teacher remain more than one year under this heavy load of work.
Surely the school of 1940 bore little resemblance to the dis- trict schools still remembered with nostalgia by many who had
223
attended them in the "good old days." There were a great many of the townspeople who were skeptical of the claims of those who told them that the advanced educational facilities now available to the youth better prepared them to earn a livelihood. The trouble was in the fact that, having received the education, most of them left town.
Each advance in education had been preceded by a promise from the State to reimburse the town for most of the additional cost involved. Thus convinced that they were getting a bargain the town would accept the offer. Despite the reimbursement received from the State the cost of education had climbed con- stantly and although in theory the school committee still was powerful, in practice the control of the schools had gradually slipped away. Superintendent Linville Robbins, about to retire after 15 years of service, pointed out the true situation in his annual report in 1940.
Robert N. Taylor succeeded Mr. Robbins as superintendent in 1941, and three years later the town authorized a committee to study the possibility of adding a third teacher or sending the seventh and eighth grades elsewhere for their education. They reported a year later and recommended another committee to study the cost of an addition to the present school. The commit- tee reported against the immediate erection of an addition, feel- ing that the cost of labor and materials might decrease. They recommended that the town transform the dining room in the basement of the town hall into a temporary classroom to solve the problem for the present. The report was accepted and it was voted further that an architect be hired to draw up plans for a one-room addition to the schoolhouse. Ralph Holbrook, Lee J. Dresser, Charles A. Morse, Bendick Knudtson and Ralph W. Witherell were appointed a committee to undertake this task. The same group also was authorized to spend $12,000 to remodel the town hall by installing a water system, modern plumbing facilities, and oil heater, and to make the necessary alterations for the temporary schoolroom.
Warwick was only one of the towns in School Union #22 that was faced with overcrowded schools or antiquated buildings.
224
(top) Center School (bottom) Pioneer Valley Regional School
WARWICK FIRE DEPT
M
--
-
-
(top) Firehouse (bottom) Town Garage
The State, recognizing the fact that this problem was common among many rural communities, urged the town to build regional schools for older grades or high schools. It was argued that larger high schools centrally located in a union of towns could provide larger and better educational facilities and a wider choice of subjects. The State School Building Assistance Commission was set up and financial aid was promised to help the towns pay the cost of new school construction.
F. Sumner Turner had succeeded Superintendent Taylor in 1948 and he now proposed that the towns of Union #22, Bern- ardston, Northfield, Gill, Leyden and Warwick, study the situ- ation and make recommendations as to the feasibility of a Regional Junior and Senior High School for the towns. As a result Warwick so voted and the Moderator appointed Fred Har- ris, Albert H. Stoddard and Mrs. Adele Gillespie to represent the town in a Union committee. The other towns took the same action and pending their report the plans for a one-room addi- tion to the Warwick School then in preparation were shelved. Already the opinion was growing that if the proposed Junior and Senior High School was not built, the Warwick Center School should be increased to four rooms, and not three, and a teacher provided for each two grades.
The report of the joint committee of the towns was submit- ted to the voters on November 16, 1950 for their action. How- ever their recommendation that a Regional Junior-Senior High School be built at an estimated cost of $1,000,000, of which 65 percent was to be paid by the State, was defeated by several of the towns. Warwick voters opposed it by a vote of 71 to 37.
The Warwick School Building Committee was now instructed by vote of the town July 20, 1951 to have plans for a two-room addition prepared. Mr. Holbrook withdrew as chairman and Ralph W. Witherell replaced him as chairman, while Archie J. Fellows became a member of the committee. After a great amount of work had been performed, the legality of the com- mittee was challenged. As a result the town confirmed it but added the members of the School Committee, Frederick W. Har- ris, Albert H. Stoddard and Adele T. Gillespie.
225
When the plans had been completed and the estimated cost of $83,500 for the addition made, it was found to exceed the original estimate considerably. Submitted to the town May 11, 1953, after several open hearings had been held, opposition defeated the proposal. A motion was made and voted to place a maximum cost of $65,000 on the addition and alterations, and a new committee was elected. Many of the old committee declined to serve and the new committee consisting of George D. Shepardson, Jr., chairman, Gordon S. Anderson, Charles A. Morse, Lee J. Dresser and Ralph Holbrook attempted the task. After many meetings with the architect and John Marshall, director of the State School Building Assistance Commission, economies were made that reduced the cost to about $69,000.
But before this result could be submitted to the town, the pro- posal to build a Regional Junior-Senior High School was revived by the towns of Bernardston and Northfield. On December 14, 1953 a special town meeting was held to act on the report of this committee. A second article asked consideration for another study for the proposed regional school. This article, acted upon first and favorably, resulted in the Moderator's choosing Albert H. Stoddard, John N. Durkee and Ralph Holbrook to meet with a committee from Bernardston and Northfield. Later Mrs. Emily Benoit replaced Holbrook. Robert P. Barnes of Northfield was chairman of this committee and Ralph F. Holbrook vice-chair- man. The plans for the two-room addition were then suspended.
The report of the Regional School District planning board was presented to the town May 25, 1954, and the Regional School District was approved. Northfield and Bernardston also voted favorably, and a building committee was appointed by the three town moderators to choose a site and hire an architect to draw the plans. Emily L. Benoit, Albert H. Stoddard and John N. Durkee represented Warwick on the committee, headed by Wen- dell E. Streeter of Bernardston as chairman and Albert H. Stod- dard of Warwick as vice-chairman.
Now that the town was to send its seventh and eighth grade pupils to Pioneer Valley Regional School, as it was named, the necessity of a two-room addition to the Center School was
226
removed and the plans were scrapped. The local School Build- ing Committte, now consisting of George D. Shepardson, Jr., Gordon S. Anderson, Emerson Maynard, Adele Gillespie and Charles A. Morse, was instructed to hire an architect to draw plans for a one-room addition. In July, 1955 the town appropri- ated $38,121.93 for the cost of the addition. The new addition was ready for use in March, 1956 and the use of the dining room in the town hall as a classroom finally came to a belated end.
When the plans for the Pioneer Valley Regional School were completed, it was found that the cost of building and equipping the school would be $1,440,000. Warwick approved the borrow- ing of the necessary money by a vote of 38 to 11. The building was occupied at the opening of school in September, 1957, though still not completely finished. It was dedicated September 7, 1958. George M. Leonard former principal of Northfield High School, was chosen as principal.
And thus the school problem has been settled, we trust for many years. The town fought and wrestled with the subject for ten years. Many nerves were frayed, tempers lost and persons offended, but in the end the vast majority must feel that the best solution was reached.
18 FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
THE FIRST STEP toward providing a library for the use of the inhabitants of Warwick was taken by the women of the town in 1815 under the guidance of the Reverend Preserved Smith. This was a private library and, because none of its records have been preserved, the only knowledge we have comes from a des- cription written by Deacon Hervey Barber in 1874. He obtained his information from some of the surviving members at that time.
Apparently the organization was open to all women who agreed to pay 25 cents annually, the money to be used to pur- chase books. Meetings were held at the center schoolhouse and rules adopted necessary for the furtherance of their object. Some
227
1
of the members prominent in the movement were Patience Ban- croft, Martha Leland, Martha Leonard, Mrs. Brown (wife of the doctor), Mrs. Preserved Smith, Mrs. Amory Gale, Mrs. J. T. Sanger, Sophronia Cobb, Experience Wheelock, Mrs. Elijah Fisk, Mrs. Abner Goodell, Sarah Pomeroy, Tryphena Goldsbury, Mrs. David Ball, Mrs. Jonathan Blake, Jr., Nancy Bangs, Betsey Fay and Mrs. Samuel Blake.
A library of about 75 books was accumulated, most of them classics of the day especially chosen to interest women readers. The association continued until 1842 when it was voted to unite with the Social Library which had been formed two years pre- viously when the Lyceum had dissolved.
In 1822 a number of the town's leading citizens assembled at the tavern of Samuel Fay for the purpose of organizing a society to be called the Warwick Branch of the Massachusetts Peace Society. The preamble to the volume of records they left to us states the purpose of the organization which followed the close of the war with England, as follows:
In the year 1815 a large number of the respectable citizens of Boston being strongly impressed by a consideration of the manifold crimes and tremendous calamities of public war; and regarding the custom as barbarous, destructive and in opposi- tion to the design and spirit of the Gospel formed themselves into a society by the name of the Massachusetts Peace Society for the purpose of reforming the Public Sentiment on that subject; and in pursuance of their object the Executive Com- mittee of that Society proposed a plan for the admission of branch societies to be formed throughout the Commonwealth. In pursuance of this plan and in conformity to the dictates of reason and conscience the inhabitants of the town of Warwick met and proceeded agreeable with the records which follow . . .
The constitution adopted by the society then follows. It elaborated on the preceding theme at considerable length and includes these words of optimism: "We have no distrust of the ultimate and complete triumph of peace on earth and good will toward men. The period is undoubtedly remote yet its approach is certain for it is the cause of God, of Christ, and of humanity."
228
The names of the 34 members were all those of leading citizens of Warwick.
The minutes of the society record only the actions taken at the annual meetings and a statement submitted by the executive com- mittee at that time. These yearly reports at first have an opti- mistic tone as the cause seemed to make progress in Massachusetts and in England. Soon however pessimism and bitterness begin to creep in when it becomes evident that no real interest can be aroused as the bitter memories of war fade away.
The only public programs sponsored by the society consisted of a Christmas Eve service held at the meeting house. This con- sisted of a special musical program by the choir and an address by a speaker of note. Cobb relates that these affairs were excel- lent and well attended.
Each member paid a yearly assessment of one dollar to be used to buy books and periodicals endorsed by the parent society. These were placed in the hands of William Cobb who was elected treasurer and librarian.
After seven years the membership had dropped and the parent society in Boston recommended that the society dissolve. Appar- ently the Warwick members decided to broaden the scope of their activities in order to be able to interest more people. The old sociey was disbanded but immediately reorganized as the Warwick Association for the Promotion of Peace and Useful Knowledge. The library was continued, but the books that were purchased covered a wider variety of subjects.
A year later, in 1830, many of the leading citizens led, as usual, by Reverend Preserved Smith decided to promote a more active society to be called the Warwick Lyceum "to improve the members in useful knowledge and to effect this object they will hold meetings for discussions, dissertations or other exercises which shall be thought expedient." Membership dues were 25 cents for males and 121/2 cents for females and boys under 15 years of age. Meetings were usually held twice a month from October 1 to May 1 at the Center schoolhouse.
The program usually opened with a lecture by an able speaker on some subject of general interest. This would be followed by a
229
prearranged debate on an important question of the day. These debates, conducted under established rules, were very popular, although at times the enthusiasm would get out of control and on several occasions threatened to break up the society. The ques- tions debated are very enlightening in that they reveal the issues that were prominent in that day, and the decisions voted as to which side was victorious show the general opinions held by the majority. Many of the questions argued are still before us today. We find that the question of abolishing capital punishment and the question of electing the President of our country by popular vote were agitated then and are still with us today.
In 1838 the question "Which is the most to be dreaded, the effects of slavery in the South or a separation of the Union" proved to be so vehemently debated that the discussion was con- tinued through three meetings before the vote was finally taken that slavery was more to be dreaded.
Questions on party politics and religious issues were forbidden in the constitution, but in spite of this they would occasionally creep into the discussions. Colonel Lemuel Wheelock attempted to have the constitution amended to include these questions, but he failed. However another protracted debate over the question "Ought the present Legislature to sustain the new law regulating the sale of ardent spirits?" proved to be too hot a question. After four meetings were consumed the vote finally taken was 21 to 16 against the law to prohibit the sale of ardent spirits. The names of those voting for or against were recorded in the minutes of the meeting, and it is evident that the Lyceum was seriously damaged over the dissension caused by this debate. The enforce- ment of this law was considered a disaster by the retailers of ardent spirits and their supporters while the temperance advocates were supporting the law. William Cobb as secretary of the Ly- ceum makes the following comment about the debate:
The foregoing subject of debate having produced a great degree of excitement which led to personal reflections not admissable by the constitution of this Lyceum it was motioned by William E. Russell that the members return to the former method of conducting' debates - and the motion was carried in the affirmative.
230
It is apparent that the participants had not been restricted to the panel of three speakers on each side. The public was allowed to express their opinions at length and this caused the debates to drag on through several sessions.
We can only surmise (the records do not state) that the intense feeling generated by this debate caused the Lyceum to be dis- solved two months later, in March, 1840. But before this step was taken the library inherited from the Society for the Promotion of Peace and Useful Knowledge and expanded by the Lyceum had to be disposed of in some way. As a result it was proposed to create the Warwick Social Library.
A meeting of this organization was held on January 9, 1840, with Jonathan Blake, Esq. as moderator and Amory Mayo as clerk. A committee consisting of Reverend P. Smith, Joseph Stevens and Abijah Eddy were given the task of drafting a constitution. This called for a clerk, a librarian who was also treasurer, and three trustees to be elected annually. Any person could become a member by paying one dollar and an annual tax of 50 cents. Each member could take out only one book at a time for a period of six weeks. A fine of six cents was charged for overdue books and a like sum for every succeeding six weeks.
William Cobb who had served as librarian and treasurer in the preceding societies continued to act in this capacity, and the library was kept in his store. Two years later Reverend Smith, acting as agent for the Lady's Library, proposed to unite the two libraries if the annual tax would be reduced to 25 cents. This proposal was accepted, but from the financial statements we judge that the combined membership did not exceed 20 persons.
No records have been preserved from 1849 to 1869, but Her- vey Barber states in his historical sketch of the library in 1874 that Cobb continued the library as long as he was able to attend to the duties of his office. He died in 1853, having served as librarian over 30 years. There had been no regular library organization for three or four years but books were taken from time to time. After Cobb's death the trustees chose Quartus M. Morgan as the librarian and the books were removed to his home. He continued to serve until 1869, when the Lyceum which had been reorganized in 1855 decided to rejuvenate the library.
231
Samuel Spooner was the moving spirit behind the project and he was authorized to appoint a committee to canvas the town and solicit one dollar subscriptions as membership fee in the reor- ganized library. He appointed Doctor S. P. French, Mary Pierce, Fannie Russell, Nellie Conant, Maria Stevens, Miss Bass, Har- wood Proctor and Henry Jillson for this task. Over 60 dollars was raised entitling each donor to one share in the library.
Doctor French, Reverend W. A. Willard, Reverend John Goldsbury, Maria Stevens, and Emily Manning were chosen as the first trustees, Arlon Atherton was elected treasurer and Doc- tor French librarian. The name was now changed to the War- wick Library Association. A Fair and supper were held to raise money and from these proceeds and the money solicited books were purchased. These activities stimulated the interest of the entire town, and the natural outcome was a growing belief that the library should be a town institution whose benefits should be available to all.
As a result the town voted on November 8, 1870 to appro- priate $100 for a Public Library. On January 9, 1871 the proprietors of the library association met and voted to "surrender the library to the town provided the town would accept the same and make a yearly appropriation for its support." This offer was accepted and five trustees were elected to administer the library which consisted of 460 books.
The first trustees elected were Reverend John Goldsbury, chairman, Doctor Samuel French, Hervey Barber, Jesse Bridge and William Taylor. Doctor French continued as librarian at a salary of $25 a year and served until he removed from town in 1879. The library was located in the house which was owned by Nahum Jones, now the Metcalf Memorial Chapel.
Nahum Jones succeeded Reverend Goldsbury on the board in 1872 and soon became chairman, treasurer, and its most influ- ential member for many years.
Through purchases and gifts the library books increased to 1357 volumes in six years. One of the most generous of its bene- factors was the Honorable Jefferson Bancroft, a native son, and then the mayor of the city of Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1877 he
232
offered a fund of $500 to the support of the library in memory of his father on condition that the town continue to appropriate at least $100 annually.
Clara Jones, daughter of Nahum Jones, succeeded Doctor French as librarian. The same year (1880) William Howard, a summer resident, bequeathed his house which stood just south of the Baptist Church to the town. The library was now moved to this house together with the town offices. Here it remained until the town hall was built in 1894, when it was moved into the room designed for it, now used by the Board of Assessors.
With the aid of two legacies each of $100 left by Alexander Blake and Samuel W. Spooner the library now held 3156 vol- umes. Doctor Joseph Draper, a native son and for many years the superintendent of the Brattleboro Retreat who died in 1892, left a fund of $500 to the library, the interest to be used to buy books on agriculture and biography. In 1895 the library received a fund of $500 from Mrs. Martha Clapp of Dorchester, the granddaughter of Jonathan Blake, Esq., and with its new quarters in the town hall its circulation now reached 3254. Despite the fact that the population of Warwick had steadily decreased, the circulation of library books had constantly increased and the importance of the library was recognized by most.
Perhaps much of the credit should be given to Miss Clara Jones, the librarian who served from 1880 to 1914. She had cared for her parents in their old age, and her greatest interest outside her home was her office in the library. She succeeded her father as treasurer and trustee, and after his death in 1903 she continued to live with her mother in the old home. After suffering the loss of an arm she was no longer able to serve as librarian but she remained on the board of trustees until 1919.
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.