USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 10
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HON. T. B. READ.
السـ
SCHOOL HOUSE, WAYNE VILLAGE.
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XOXOLAE
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95
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
At first the school districts had no territorial limits. Families liv- ing in the vicinity of each other were voted into a school district by themselves. The school was held in private houses in winter and often in barns in summer.
THE MILLS DISTRICT, OR WAYNE VILLAGE.
This was the fifth district formed, and was known as the fifth school district till the year 1807, when it was changed to the first district. "A legal meeting was called and $150 raised to build a school house in said first district." This was the second school house built in town and the first school district tax. Joseph Lam- son, John Morrison and Samuel Buswell were chosen a district committee. The house was located near where Dr. Chenery now lives. It was occupied for school purposes till the year 1833, when the brick house was built on the present school house lot. This
building cost 8506.16.
In its pristine days, this house was, no doubt, a great improvement on the old one. The writer taught several terms of school in it in its last years. He has many pleas- ant recollections of his pupils, but regarded the old brick school house as a poor work shop in which to mould the plastic minds of youth. It was the target for many a shot from the siege guns of committee men, but finally went down under the urgent demands for better school accommodations on the part of all concerned.
In the year 1873, the district purchased the Free Baptist meeting house, and re-modeled it into a school house. In order to show the size of the schools as well as the size of the families in "ye olden times" some of the returns of the early school agents are given :
To the Selectmen of Wayne :
The following is the number of scholars in the first district on the first day of last May, belonging in families as given below :
Joseph Lamson, 4 Jesse Bishop, 3 Cyrus Foss, 3
Samuel Buswell, 5 Samuel Felch, 2 John Brown, 4
Braddock Weeks, 4 Abisha Sturtevant, 7
Ebenezer Besse. 1
Aaron Frost, 6 Ephraim Maxim, 5 Hannah Howe, 4
Moses Wing. 5 Ebenezer Wing, 1 Daniel Smith, S
Jonah Brown, 3 Richard Gower, 3 Collins Lovejoy, 3
William Churchill, 1 Thomas Brigham, 1 Roger Stinchfield, Jr.,5
Mark P. Stinchfield, 2 Total,
William Thompson, 4
Alphens Wing, 1
91
MAY 1, 1809.
MOSES WING, JR., Agent.
96
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
Their proportion of school money that year was $45.41. The agent made the following certificate to the selectmen of Wayne :
"WAYNE, AUG. 22, 1809.
This may certify that Miss Hannah Brown has kept school in the first district fifteen weeks at 10 shillings per week-$25."
In 1811, the number of scholars was 99. School money, $51.97.
In 1854, the number of scholars was 104. Wages per month in summer $7, and in winter $26. Length of school in weeks ; sum- mer 12, winter 11.
THE NORRIS DISTRICT-NO. 2.
This was the second school district formed. The first school house was located near where Iliram Norris now lives. The next house was built about the year 1830. It stood a short distance south of the present site, on the opposite side of the road. It was a plain structure without outside adornment, and was never painted. In 1873, the inhabitants of this district supplied a long felt want by building a comfortable and convenient school house. In 1811, Woodin Norris as school agent made the following return to the selectmen :
Woodin Norris has 8 scholars,
Sylvanus Hammond has 3 Josiah Norris 66
Moses Frost
8
Seth Billington 2 66 John Stevens 66 1 Isaac Billington 2 Samuel Frost 3
Ephraim Norris 4
Seth Billington
4
Nathan Norris 6
Nathaniel Billington 5
Samuel Maxim 6
Samuel Richards 66 3
G
Total, 61
Their proportion of school money was $32.02.
An early teacher, on his register, describes the apparatus as fol- lows : "One blackboard, 4 feet by 3 ; superficial contents 12 feet. A piece of chalk as large as a hen's egg. A piece of sponge as large as a man's fist. Two or three birch sticks used to make the pupils more attentive to study-an excellent remedy for bad memo- ries. A water pail and dipper. A fire poker 3 feet long, black at one end-these constitute the apparatus in school house, District No. 2."
97
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
THE DEXTER DISTRICT.
This was the first school district formed. In 1807, it was changed to No. 3. Mention has already been made of the first school house here. A second house was built near the present site. This was a, proverbial "red school house." In 1836, this district raised $87.56 "'to build a new school house or repair the old one." Geo. W. Fairbanks, in his diary dated Sept. 19, 1836, says : "Moved and underpinned the school house. The old house was repaired. The present house was built by Silas E. True in 1853. It was located a short distance west of the Sylvester brook, on the north side of the road. It was dedicated with appropriate exercises, Dec. 15, 1853. This site proving unsatisfactory, it was moved, April 26, 1870, to the spot where it now stands. The first teacher in this house was Lyman E. Richardson. Afterward he was a soldier in the civil war and killed at the first battle of Bull Run. An early school agent made the following return to the selectinen :
John Bowles has 2 scholars. John Lewis, . 3 Ellis Sweet, 4
Isaac Dexter “ 3 Reuben Besse, Jr., 6
William Bowles, 1
Amasa Dexter " 1 Asa Lawrence, 4 Constant Dexter, 4 John Frost, 3 66
66 Reuben Besse,3d, 6 Widow Sturtevant, 5
Enoch Swift 4
6 . Jabez Besse, 2d, 6 Widow Perry, 3
Noah Chandler 6. Job Fuller,
2 James Crocker, 1 Zachariah Perry, 9
Total,
DISTRICT NO. 4.
On the town records, year 1807, is the following: "Voted that the money due the fourth school district be appropriated to build a school house in said district, provided that said district has six months private school this summer at their own expense." Whether or not they had the six months private school that summer the record does not state, but it does show that "Maj. Thomas Atkin- son drew their proportion of school money, $36.96, to build a school house." The house was located on the opposite side of the road and a few rods south of the gate which used to lead up to Capt. Daniel True's farm buildings. In 1822 this district "raised the sum of $80 to repair their school house," and Nov. 23, 1826, "voted to raise $74 to repair school house, to be paid in corn or grain, if paid by the middle of next Feb. ; after that cash." The corn or grain was to be delivered at Alpheus Lane's. This house was moved first to the corner near where Chas. Maxim now lives, and later to near
7
98
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
the present site. The present house was built about 1863. "In 1809, Thos. Atkinson made return of the scholars in the fourth district belonging in families as follows :
Thomas Atkinson, 8 Samuel Spear, 5
Nathan Handy, 2
Ashael Chandler, 5 Frances Cumner, 1 William Raymond, 5
Moses Bean, 2 Gamaliel Sturtevant, 7
Maltiah Raymond. 2
Nathaniel Bean, 1 John Smith, 6 Solomon Raymond, 1
Peter Fisher, 6 Samuel Dinsmore, 3
Total, 54"
NORTHI WAYNE DISTRICT.
This was known as the third school district till 1807, when it was changed to the fifth. The schools here were held in private houses till the year 1811. In the town clerk's book is the following record : "Aug. 5, 1811, Voted $50 of the money raised the last year for schools be appropriated towards building a school house in the fifth school district in said town, the money so appropriated to be deducted from the proportion of money belonging to said district." The house was located a short distance west of R. E. Morrill's dwelling house. It was an old style, square building with a "hopper roof." The only paint it ever had was put on by the fingers of time. On either side of an open space, the floor rose on an inclined plane which was occupied by rows of seats. If any unlucky urchin dropped an apple or acorn he was trying to eat against the rule, down it was sure to roll to the spare floor in front of the teacher, to the great amuse- ment of all the other pupils. The boys sat on one side, the girls on the other, and we may suppose that sly glances were interchanged when the teacher's back was turned. On cold days in winter, the immense fire place that would take in a cord wood stick in length, had to be worked for all it was worth. Pupils who stood by the fire to warm their feet, held their books before their faces to keep off the burning heat. This building was used for schools and re- ligious meetings till the year 1835, when a brick house, 20 feet by 28, was built near the site of the present school building. It cost the district the sum of $264.32. In 1845 an addition was built at an expense of $60. This house was found inadequate to the needs of the rapidly increasing population of the village, and they nobly resolved to build a new house. At a legal meeting held Dec. 23, 1854, the sum of twelve hundred dollars was raised for this purpose. H. S. Nickerson, S. W. Frost, J. F. Jennings and Wm. Knight
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NORTH WAYNE SCHOOL HOUSE.
99
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
were the building committee. Francis Knight was the builder. The building was a fine school house, two stories high, neat, commodious and convenient in all its arrangements. It stands, to-day, an honor to those who planned and executed the enterprise. An interesting programme was carried out at the dedication. The address was by Dr. H. P. Torsey of Kent's Hill. The writer recalls with pleas- ure the many pleasant terms he taught here and holds in grateful remembrance both his scholars and their parents. In a school report made soon after the new house was built I find the following : "This school now occupies the front rank among the schools of the town and the district is reaping a rich reward for the sagacity and liberality sown in the past."
In 1811, Rev. Comfort C. Smith returned to the selectmen the following as the "amount of scholars in the fifth district."
Jonathan Noreross, 8 5
Moses White,
John White,
1
Comfort C. Smith,
2
Amos Knight, 9
Nathaniel Jennings, 10
Nathan Lovejoy,
3
John Walton,
7
Nathaniel Adkins, 2
John Stevens, 8
Nathaniel Blackwell, 5
William Buswell,
6
Sylvanus Blackwell, 3
William Walton,
7
Jacob Judkins,
5
Widow Canwell, 5
Benjamin Tibbetts, 5
Esther Readen,
3
Total,
84
In 1854, the number of scholars in this district was 151. The wages, paid same year, $8 per month in the summer, and $23 in the winter.
THE WING DISTRICT.
This was the sixth district formed. Its limits were fixed by vote of the town, in 1806, as follows : "Beginning at Simeon Wing's south line by the pond, thence running west northwest to the east line of Leeds, thence by said line of Leeds to Fayette line, thence
105078
100
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
by Fayette line till it strikes William Walton's line. thence by William Walton's land and Nathaniel Jennings' to Wing's pond, thence by said pond to the first mentioned bounds." The first school house in this district stood near the present site. It was similar to the first school house at North Wayne only it had a square roof. It was built in 1808. The amount of the tax assessed for this building was $152.25.
The second school house in this district was built in the year 1836. At a legal meeting, "Voted to build a brick school house of the fol- lowing dimensions, viz : length twenty-four feet, breadth eighteen feet, height seven and one-half feet between joints. Set on good underpinning stone, laid on a good foundation. The bricks to be good merchantable weather bricks. A good square roof, boarded with good boards and shingled with good shingles. Seven sixteen- light windows in the walls. A good outer door with good stone door stool. Good window shutters to the windows hung with iron hinges and hasped. The inside to be finished according to a plan exhibited by Jason Wing with good pine timber. An open stove and pipe. Stove to be set on sheet iron sufficient to secure the floor and house. The underpinning to be 15 inches wide and 9 inches thick. The house to be finished by the first day of December, 1836, and to the acceptance of the committee for $259 and the old school house." It was built by Jason Wing and according to his itemized account cost him $295.95. This house, with some changes in the arrangement of the seats and a small outside addition for an entry, stood for forty-two years. In the district clerk's book, under date, April 1, 1878, we find the following record : "Voted : To raise the sum of nine hundred and twenty-five dollars to buy an addition to to the school house lot of land, to do the necessary grading and stone work, to build a school house and to pay incidental expenses." W. E. True, J. M. Wing and S. T. Bishop were the Building Com- mittee. The house was thoroughly built by W. H. Roberts. It is seated with modern seats and furnished with natural slate black boards, and is in all respects an "up-to-date" and well equipped school house. In 1806, the number of scholars returned by the District Agent was 33. In 1809, David Manter, district agent, returned the number, 51. We found in the office of the selectmen the fol- lowing :
101
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
"To the Selectmen of the Town of Wayne :
GENTLEMEN : The following is the number of scholars in the sixth district on the first day of last May belonging to families as given below, viz :
Allen Wing has 5
William Frost " 6
Noah Frost 2
Job Billington 6
William Thompson .6 5
David Manter “ 8
Jabez Besse 3d
4 5
Isaac Billington, Jr. " 1
John Walton 7
Simeon Wing . 4
William Wing .4 7
Aaron Wing
“4 8
Total, 64
Given under my hand,
WM. WING, 2 District
- Committee.
WAYNE, DEC. 14, 1814."
In 1810, the number returned was 82.
BEECHI HILL DISTRICT.
In 1810, Beech Hill was "voted into a school district, to come as far east as Bear Brook-to be known as the seventh school district." Samuel Felch was chosen agent. The first school house was built in 1813. It stood a short distance west of where F. W. Small now lives on the same side of the road. In 1847, this district was divided and the school house moved to a site a few rods west of the II. J. Ridley house. In 1849, the seventh district built a new school house, locating it in the corner beyond the grave yard below A. P. Wing's. This building was burned about 1873. In 1874, districts seven and nine were re-united. In 1875, a good and convenient school house was built. It is pleasantly located on the side of the hill east of the residence of W. H. Roberts. It cost including the lot $1,000. In the Supervisor's report that year I find the following : "School commenced Dec. 27th ; visited it on New Year's day ; recall no little incident of my whole life affording me more pleasure than seeing these scholars who had suffered so much in the old building, so com- fortably and pleasantly situated in the new one; wished them a
102
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
happy new year and many successful terms in their new and pleasant school room ; reminded them that it should be their pride and pleasure as well as duty to keep it from defacement."
In 1823, Love Roberts as district agent returned the scholars in the seventh school district belonging in families as follows :
"Love Roberts, 6
George Foss, 2
Lemuel Bryant, 4
Daniel Libby, 3
Samuel Gould, 7
William Burgess, 3
Benjamin Burgess, 2
Samuel Felch,
4
Elisha Burgess, 6
Obed Wing,
2
William Churchill, 1
Jesse Bishop,
Gustavns Foss, 2
Dennis Jenkins,
7
Matthias Ridley 2d, 1
William Gott, 7
Daniel Ridley, 5 .
Hamilton Jenkins,
2
Matthias Ridley, 3
John Berry,
4
Jacob Maxim,
6
Robert Erskine,
5
Seth Maxim,
5
William Morey,
2
Joshua Graves,
5
Edmund Phillips,
5
Mrs. Frost,
2
Edmund Besse,
2
Total,
110 scholars."
THE CHANDLER DISTRICT.
At the annual meeting in the year 1821, it was voted "To set off all that part of the town of Wayne lying east of Wilson pond and south of Black's Bridge, so called, into a school district by itself." The school house was near John Lowell's. Noah Chandler returned the number of scholars, year 1821, to be 19, belonging in families as follows :
John Frost, 6
Levi Frost, 2
Noah Chandler,
5
Sophronia Chandler, 5
Warren White, 1
Total,
19
This was known as the eighth school district till the year 1850, when it was set off to Winthrop.
THE GORDON DISTRICT, OR NO. 9.
In the year 1830, the south part of district No. 2 was set off into a district by itself. "The dividing line to be as follows : on the
103
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
north line of Nathaniel Billington's lot from pond to pond." The school house was located about half a mile north of the south line of the town, and a short distance north of the site of the Gordon house, on the west side of the road. Jairus Manwell made the fol- lowing return of the number of scholars in the Gordon district, Sept. 22, 1830 :
Jairus Manwell, 2
George Gordon, 7
Jonathan Gordon, 6
Joseph Pettengill, 4
John Richards, 3
John Stevens, 6
Nathaniel Billington 1
Jonathan Besse, 5
Abisha Sturtevant, 1
John Sturtevant, 3
Richard Frost, 2
Total,
40
In 1854, Aurelia A. Dexter taught this school. Wages $1 per week. Length of term, 12 weeks. Whole number of pupils, 28. "Her first school gave promise of success, well adapted to teach the young," were the words of the visiting committee. In 1859, this district was discontinned.
DISTRICT NO. 10.
In the year 1830, it was "voted to locate the following families into a school district, viz : Lemuel Bryant, Edmund Besse, George Foss, Alexander Foss, Edmund Phillips, Daniel True, Warren Crocker and William Morey." This was known as district No. 10. Daniel True was the first agent. The school house stood near the present site. It was burned July 4, 1881. The school was held in private houses for three years, when the present house was fitted up for the school. Annie M. Barker taught the first term in this build- ing and received the plandit "Well done." The number of scholars in 1838 was 26, and in 1884, 14. One of the first teachers in this district was Tillotson Lovejoy, who taught two months at $9 per month.
DISTRICT NO. 11.
At the annual meeting in the year 1847 it was voted, "To set off William Burgess, Eben Libby, Obed Wing, Jonathan Bishop, Jesse Bishop, Jesse Bishop, Jr., Asa Foss, Benjamin Durell, Elijah Gott, Jared Knapp, Hamilton Jenkins, Hamilton Ridley, Wm. Erskine, Robert Erskine, Richard Berry, Loring Roberts, Nathan Bishop and William Gott, together with their estates, including non-resident
101
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
lands belonging to Stephen Boothby and Isaac Stinebfield, from district No. 7, into a district by themselves to be known as dis- triet No. 11."
In 1848, it was "voted to receive Wm. Gott, Rufus Lincoln, William Lincoln, Stephen Boothby and William Boothby inhabitants of school district No. S, in the town of Leeds, with their estates in- to school district No. 11, in the town of Wayne."
"Voted to receive John Carver, John Stinchfield, Isaac Stinch- field and Patience Knapp, inhabitants of school district No. 10, in Leeds into school district No. 11, in the town of Wayne."
The school house was moved from district No. 7 and located a short distance west of the H. J. Ridley house, as before stated. It was quite thoroughly repaired. Richard Berry, Hamilton Jenkins and Isaae Stinchfield were the repairing committee. A large and interesting school was maintained here for many years.
In 1860, the number of this district was changed to 9 owing to the discontinuance of the district formerly known as No. 9. At the annual town meeting in 1875, it was voted "To disconnect the inhabitants of Wayne, residents of school district No. 9, together with their estates, from the inhabitants of Leeds heretofore connect- ed with said school district and to annex them with their estates to school district No. 7 in said town of Wayne." The last term of school in the famous old school house which had been in use for more than sixty years. was taught by Miss Mary E. Jennings, one of Wayne's energetie and successful teachers. In reporting the school the supervisor says : "With this term we bade good-bye to the old school house, and could not help indulging in the reflection that if the old school house could be transmuted into solid gold and divided among those who were educated beneath its humble roof, it would not and could not do them so much good as the knowledge they there obtained."
DISTRICT NO. 12.
At the annual town meeting in the year 1848, it was voted "To set off Benj. B. Bourn, Moses Bean, Elias Berry, John Cumner, Ephraim S. Smith, Robert Handy, Bradbury Sylvester, William Cumner, James S. Thompson, together with their estates, also the non-resident lands of Henry Atkinson, Samuel Carson, Lincoln Curtis, Benj. Gardiner, Edward Jones, Benj. L. Lombard, Martin Macomber, Wm. Macomber and Benj. Palmer from school district No. 4 into a district by themselves." A building was moved from
105
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
North Wayne and fitted up for a school house. It stood on the site of the present house. Not meeting the wants of the district, "a good, new school house" was built in 1854. It cost $307. The first teacher in the new house was Mrs. Ann O. Thomas of Winthrop, who taught many terms here with much acceptance. When the district known for many years as No 8 was set off to Winthrop in 1850, the number 12 was changed to 8, by which this district has since been known.
APPROPRIATIONS.
At the first annual town meeting of which there is any record, the sum of $100 was raised for the support of schools. This amount was raised annually till 1804, when it was increased to $150. In 1805 the appropriation was $250 ; in 1806, $300 ; in 1810, $400; in 1821, $530. These annnal appropriations show an interest in schools and a willingness to contribute to their support. There was little wealth among the early settlers and many were the calls for money. The roads cost the town large sums, and the appropriations for schools must be considered generous, considering their scanty means. We know nothing of want, necessity and privations as these were felt in Wayne a hundred years ago. In 1870, the sum raised for schools was $1,194, the amount received from the State was $26.04, making the available sum $1,220.04. The State aid now furnished schools is a great benelit to the cause of education in Maine. In 1897, the total amount available for all school expenses amounted to nearly $2,000. The citizens of Wayne have always taken a keen interest in the schools, and the annual appropriations have shown a liberality of which the town may well be proud.
SUPERVISION.
A list of the school officers is given in another place. A school committee was chosen at the first annual town meeting of which there is a record. A member of this committee was chosen for each school district in town. The next year, acting on the principle that "three heads are better than one," three members of the committee were chosen for each district. In 1803. Joseph Lamson, Moses Wing and Ebenezer Besse were chosen a select committee to "visit the schools and license school masters and school mistresses." Since that date, the schools of Wayne have been under the supervision of either a school committee or a school supervisor, chosen by the town for that purpose. At what date the committee began to make
106
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
annual written reports cannot be ascertained. Only a few of such reports were found in the "archives" of the town. These early reports were carefully prepared, and show that the school interests were closely watched. They give a life-like view of the work done in the schools and are replete with good counsel to agents, parents and the community. In one place we find attention called to the opposition to letting the school "slide." The town "voted that school children be prohibited from sliding down hill in the high- ways, under penalty of $5 for each offense."
In 1855, the first printed report of the school committee ap- peared. It was written by Rev. Carlton Parker. In it attention is called to the elements of a good school as follows : "The elements essential to a good school are three : A competent teacher, dutiful scholars, and parents ready to co-operate with the teacher and pupils to obtain the desired results. When these three elements, properly combined, meet in the school room, the result cannot be doubtful- there will be a good school."
In 1864 the second printed school report was issued by vote of the town. Twenty terms of school are reported, and the number of scholars in attendance was nearly 400. In 1884 the school board recommended establishing a free high school in each of our villages, and this action was taken by the town. Every year since these schools have been held ten weeks in each village in the autumn season and often a spring term has been sustained in one of the villages. These schools have been productive of great good to the canse of education in the town. In the report for 1898, the super- intendent says : "Onr course is on a par with the English and classi- cal courses in most high schools and academies, and in two or three years should be so extended as to fit for college."
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