USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Walpole > A history of Walpole, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 48
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DISTRICT #11 RIVER ROAD: In 1781 the River Road including the Atkinson Farm (#233) to Westmoreland line was set off as a school district, but what came of it we don't know. In 1796 the River Road was again set off, the east line being east of Hugh Dunshee's (#241) to the Westmore- land line.
In 1806 the district included on the east John Martin and Jacob Lock (area of #277); Nathan Fairbank; Nathaniel Cross; Hugh Dunshee to the river.
In 1822 Moses Burt gave a quit claim deed for a school lot on the west side of the highway somewhat south of his house, 34 feet on the highway, 20 feet deep "to set a school house upon and for no other purpose".
This was not one of the larger schools, nor a very satisfactory one, although there were times when it pulled itself up a bit. Enrollment grew progressively smaller, the last school being kept 1898.
In 1901 it was sold at auction to Waldo Burt for $20. When Ida Burt sold the farm she reserved the school house and lot, moved the school house farther south and converted it into a dwelling (#244).
DISTRICT #12 DREWSVILLE: In 1806 the committee reporting on the bound-
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aries of the various school districts recommended that "Capt. Jonas Fairbanks and sons, Joseph Jones, John Cheney, Pearl Parker, Jonathan Royce Jr. and Elijah Burroughs ought to have their own money, if they choose it, provided they lay it out for schooling." In 1811 they were set off as a district.
In 1836 the people in #12 filed a petition to have the school house located, since Thomas Drew refused to sell them the land they wanted. A hearing was held at the tavern of Hope Lathrop, and a piece of Drew's land (north side of road as on 1858 map) set aside for the purpose, for $10, to revert to the owner according to statute when no longer used as a school house.
This was the first school house of which we have found a record. It was replaced in 1873 with a new school house on the south side of the street east of the Common.
This was a very large school in the 1850's with 60 scholars, but it dwindled to a sixth of that number. There was often a lack of serious effort in this school and it came in for considerable criticism from the committee.
The school was continued until the new school was built in Walpole Village, the last session 1949.
DISTRICT #13 CHRISTIAN HOLLOW: This district was set off 1817. In 1818 for $5 William Robinson gave to the district a quit claim deed for "land on which the school house now stands ... also with convenient yard between Turnpike and said school house. . .
In 1876 this was replaced with a new school, a little red school house which stood in the pasture (#344) across the brook and east of the sugar house by the gate to the pasture, the lot enclosed by a stonewall. This building became so dilapidated that school was discontinued 1886-1895, the pupils being taken to #8 on Carpenter Hill.
This was not a large school, in the 1850's up to 28 scholars, decreasing thereafter. In December 1875 there was great turmoil in Christian Hollow over the dismissal of Edward A. Watkins as teacher. Later he was rehired. In the spring of 1876 they voted to build a new school house. There was considerable criticism because of the location and because they used the old furniture in their new school. The new school was on the south side of the road east of the parsonage (#343).
School was last held here 1934 and the building was sold in 1958 to Jesse Pickering who moved it to the north side of the highway on Wat- kins Hill (#336).
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DISTRICT #14 ROUTE 12: This district was the last to be set off (1839) and it continued until the new school was built in Walpole Village, the last session 1949.
August 3, 1839, the inhabitants of #14, set off from the north part of #1 and the south part of #2, met at the home of Isaac Bellows. They raised $250 to build a schoolhouse on the west side of the road north of the brook.
It became dilapidated and was replaced with a new building in 1882. There was considerable delay in the building and during the process school was kept in a room at George Angier's house. The dis- trict took land by eminent domain from the Hooper property, 80 sq. rods for $125, in the point between the roads at the top of the hill. It was purchased by the Darlings and made into an eating establishment, called the Blackboard (1960). Since then the land has been purchased by the State for the replacement of Route 12 and the buildings moved to the west side of Route 12.
This was not a large school, having about 22 scholars in the 1850's and holding fairly even, full to capacity its last years.
SUPERVISION AND UNION
As organized for many years there was a Superintending School Com- mittee whose duty it was to visit each school twice each term, approve textbooks, examine prospective teachers (usually May and November) and make an annual report (begun about 1814) to the town and the state (Law in 1876). The committees seem to have been conscientious, and many of the reports are frank to a fault.
Many times they were unable to make their second visit, on the final day of the term, because of lack of information as to the date, or in- clement weather including insurmountable snowdrifts.
Each district had its Prudential Committee, usually one person, but in some cases up to three. These committees were elected in their own districts and it was their duty to provide a teacher, approved by the Superintending School Committee, and suitable school houses with furnishings and fuel.
The districts were supported for many years by a base sum per school ($75, 1883 $85 suggested) plus a stated amount per scholar.
Changing textbooks more than twice a year was prohibited by law. One report extols the advantages of changing reading books more fre- quently than others because the pupils became too familiar with the pieces and lost interest. This report recommended a change every eight
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or ten years (1880). Until 1891 (new law for free textbooks 1889) pupils provided their own books, and they liked to use what they had in the family, the consequent diversity creating a real problem for the teacher. At North Walpole one of the problems was that up to three pupils had to share one book.
It was customary to hire a teacher for one term at a time. Usually a woman was considered competent to handle the summer schools, but many districts felt that in winter they needed male teachers to cope with the larger boys. Many of these teachers were from Dartmouth College.
The lot of the Superintending Committee was not easy. In 1874 they had two feuds on their hands-in #10 where certain parties opposed John L. Houghton as teacher and he withdrew to keep the peace; and in #2 where Mr. Monroe, a leading citizen of North Walpole, had some difficulty with the teacher. However, the parents wanted Mr. McIntire there and stood by him.
In 1874 a committee was appointed to report on a "Town System" and redistricting, but the hostility was so great that no work was done. Through the succeeding years school committees favored consolidation of outlying districts to obtain more education for the money expended. The real break came in 1885-6 with the passage of a new law.
The school district system had been established at the same time as the early settlement and had attained a firm foothold. The school dis- trict, by itself, approached pure democracy, and the old red school house had long been cherished as the bulwark of our American govern- ment.
The new era began with the abolition of the old district lines and a new numbering. This was found to be so confusing that the old numbers were reinstated after the first year. However, consolidation had begun. Pupils from the smaller schools were taken to larger schools: #7 to #6; #11 to #9; #13 closed because of the poor building and the pupils taken to #8. This was the beginning of transportation of school children at public expense.
For some districts this meant two weeks less of schooling per year than formerly, but for the smaller districts it meant a longer year. They were all now on 26 weeks, still short of the 34 weeks in the village. By 1888-9 it was up to 30 weeks, then slipped back to 29 weeks. The change was not easy, and for several years there were grave misgivings. It was difficult for the districts to give over all control to the town district, and for the town district it was a period of groping and experimentation.
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The following taken from Walpole Gazette Thursday, March 31, 1892 gives some idea of the turmoil:
"It has come to be universally admitted that upon no subject is a New England town so quickly stirred or so keenly alive as upon matters pertaining to the welfare of its public schools. ... A slight innovation often precipitates a fight that endures for years, and any proposition involving considerable change or increased taxation is cer- tain to array public sentiment in opposing lines.
"It is, however, simple justice to the parties in the Walpole controversy, to state that, if up to date any personal vindictiveness enters into the contention, it is the rare exception rather than the rule. The fight will doubtless be persistent and final on the question involved, but there are indications that it will be like the tilts of lawyers who make a great show of roasting each other in court and then meet in the evening for a friendly game of cards.
"But it will be no tame affair. Plenty of as sharp practice as the law will admit will be used, and there is no lack of conviction, courage and intelligence on either side. It will be fought out by votes, and, not improbably, by ultimate decisions of the courts, and so many minor questions will arise that it may grow into one of the liveliest skirmishes over school affairs that ever engaged the conflicting interest of a New Hampshire community.
"The situation is a peculiar one. Walpole Village has long had a union district under the Somersworth Act and maintains a high school. The matter of proximity of North Walpole to Bellows Falls and its excellent schools have made the interests of the two villages very diverse. The farming section around Walpole Village has, ge- ographically, a community of interest with the village.
"Right here the fact that each village has a Democratic majority of course brings to bear the influence of friendly party affiliation between the two villages. The ma- jority outside the villages is Republican.
"The division of property is stated on good authority to be substantially this: Town, $1,500,000; Walpole Village, $500,000; farmers, $600,000; North Walpole, $400,000.
"Religiously, Walpole Village and the farming section are much like most New England towns where there is little or no manufacturing, and North Walpole is much like the average manufacturing village of this section. Protestantism predominates in one, Catholicism in the other. It is inevitable that there should be wide diversity of opinion touching public matters in a town so peculiarly divided financially, politically and religiously.
"Many citizens have held that the union district and the town district should unite. The act of the last legislature providing that the town district should, in case of such union being effected, assume the support of the high school originated in Walpole union district. The bill was so drafted as to make a vote of the union district sufficient to effect the union with the town district, but it was so amended as to require a vote by both the union and the town districts. With the continuance of the high school assured, the union district voted almost unanimously January 15 to unite with the town district. At its annual meeting, the town district voted almost unanimously not to unite with the union district. It is assumed that the farmers and people of North Walpole were afraid, wisely or unwisely, that the burden of the high school would more than offset the gain of participation in the large funds of the union district.
"Over 200 voters from North Walpole went to the annual school meeting at the
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town hall in Walpole village by special train from Bellows Falls. Under the general article in the statutes relating to building, repairing, etc., a resolution was introduced providing for a new school house at North Walpole at a cost not to exceed $10,000. The debate was heated and exciting, and the town district killed the resolution by a majority of 20 votes. The term of Henry C. Rawson on the school board expired at this meeting. Mr. Rawson was an efficient member and approved for his integrity even by his enemies, but a movement was on foot to make a north end man his successor. Mr. Rawson resides about halfway between the two villages. Henry E. Putnam of Drewsville and Thomas J. Gould of North Walpole were put forward as candidates. By the failure in preparing ballots to insert the initial of Mr. Putnam's middle name, he was defeated by a plurality of only one, 14 votes being cast for "Henry Putnam".
"The election of Mr. Gould, added to the previous election of James H. Brown, gave North Walpole a majority of the school board.
"Although Mr. Wellington, the third member of the board objected, Mr. Gould and Mr. Brown proceeded to call a special meeting April 2 at the schoolhouse in North Walpole to act upon the following matters: to raise $10,000 for erecting a new school at North Walpole and to choose committees and agents for this project; to see if the district will vote to receive District #1.
"The union school district is an interested spectator, feeling fortunate not to have been voted into the affair, taking the precaution to get from the clerk a certified copy of the vote. The farmers feel that it was a mistake not to have taken in the union district, since it would help to defeat the extravagant demands of North Walpole. They strenuously object to a meeting being held at North Walpole in violation of all precedent in a place too small, with no adequate provision for stabling horses. They agree that North Walpole needs improved facilities, but consider the present proposal extravagant. They feel that most of the North Walpole people who would benefit from this improvement pay only a poll tax. They resent the fact that the proposition was not plainly stated in the article in the warrant, but was brought in under a general article. At North Walpole some think it would have been to their advantage to have had the union district voted in because they feel that the union district would have divided on the issue while others agree with the farmers. They feel that their present school, an old wooden building on the hill, is inaccessible, insufficient in size and un- comfortable. The room over the engine house is equally bad, a disease breeder because of its proximity to the closet. Those who can afford it send their children to Bellows Falls. There are 240 children whose parents cannot afford to do this. An adequate school would cost $10,000.
"Mr. Albert Nims, a wealthy inhabitant of North Walpole, sides with the farmers. He considers $3500 sufficient, that there is no need to ape Bellows Falls. It is not safe for the farmers with horses to drive here for a meeting in a village so cut up by rail- roads. There isn't room here to stable half a dozen horses while the farmers attend a meeting. He offered to contribute $500 to make a better schoolhouse when the present one was built. He has fitted up the room over the engine house and charges only $50 rent instead of the $75 the district was paying for a basement room.
"At the school meeting held at North Walpole April 2 there was a good attendance, many going up on the noon train and returning by special train about 6 P.M. There was a 46 vote majority against adjourning the meeting to the town hall two weeks later. They then adjourned to the church basement where, after the train had left with the voters from the south end, a vote was taken, 176 in favor, none against building the
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$10,000 schoolhouse. The total attendance was 513. (It took four hours to count the vote on adjournment.) Committees went to work immediately on construction of the new school.
"The matter was taken to court where a ruling was handed down that Mr. Putnam was legally elected to the school board, and therefore the meeting held at North Wal- pole was not a legal meeting.
"Another meeting May 17 at Town Hall was called for 9 A.M., Kiniry from North Walpole as moderator. North Walpole people arrived on the 8:54 train. Meeting was opened at 9:10, motion to adjourn was rushed through while people were arriving, passed 182-124. There were yells as north end people started for the depot to catch the 9:20 train north. George B. Williams was chosen moderator and the meeting continued. Votes passed at the meeting at North Walpole April 2 were annulled almost unani- mously. $6,000 was voted for a new school; G. B. Williams, Lucius Wellington and H. E. Putnam the committee."
Another meeting was held May 26, and again June 2 at which the suggestion was made they have school meetings every two weeks for entertainment of summer visitors. The June 11 meeting settled the question satisfactorily to all.
District #1 (Village) had remained a separate district under the Somers- worth Act. In 1898 Town and Village Districts were united under the provisions of Chapter 64, Law of 1891. The School Board was enlarged to six members. On the first board were Elisha A. Keep, Henry E. Put- nam, Frank Wright Pratt, Joseph Corcoran, Charles H. Barnes, John W. Cahalane. They reported:
"The schools of the town present the familiar problems of all towns of its class, of a decreasing rural population and the necessity of centralization to obtain a sufficient number of scholars for the operation of successful schools. It therefore seemed best to bring the scholars of divisions 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11 to Walpole Village. This has greatly improved all the schools and given a much better opportunity to scholars coming in than otherwise could have been, and we believe is the best economy and will obtain the best results for all concerned.
"It has increased the scholars of Walpole village from a total of about 65 last year to about 100 this year. This has enabled the board to regrade the entire system, and establish a regular grammar department, under the high school, which has long been needed and which has been a signal success under the present able and efficient teacher. As now graded, the entire course covers twelve years of regular school work: three in the primary, three in the intermediate, two in the grammar and four in the high, .which, if well sustained in the future, ought to give as good results as can be obtained in any of the towns of the region, and when thoroughly adjusted, to be able to adequately prepare for college, or give a sound and practical academic training. ...
"The schools at North Walpole which are rapidly increasing in number and effi- ciency, have also been reclassified and graded, mainly along the lines of the course of study of Bellows Falls.
"The board was petitioned to make an arrangement with the Bellows Falls high school, for the schooling, at the expense of the district, of such pupils of North
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Walpole, as were able to attend, in place of attempting to convey them to Walpole high school. This matter, however, was laid before the district before action, at a spe- cial meeting, when it was voted to make such an arrangement, as being cheaper for the town than to allow them the mileage rate to Walpole, or attempt to convey them.
"Quite a sum of money has been expended in permanent improvements at North Walpole, in a heating and ventilating system, running water and sanitary arrangements, which health as well as convenience urgently demanded. ... This places the equip- ment at North Walpole in fairly good condition; but the rapid increase will before long require larger accommodations and more teachers, there being 67 children now enrolled in one room, under one teacher, and the hallway of the main building utilized as a recitation room besides."
Mr. Cahalane, not being able to agree with the rest of the school board, gave his own report, having to do primarily with North Walpole. He felt that the crowded condition could be remedied with one additional room if children under school age were not allowed to attend. It was his opinion that although supposed to be helpful, the children who most needed tuition paid to Bellows Falls were unable to take advantage of the new plan because they had to go to work. He added "I would advise a return to the system of three members of the school board, and the employment of a superintendent, either in conjunction with a neighbor- ing town, or alone, as better results would be obtained and a more equitable system would prevail throughout the town."
1900-1960
The all-pervading theme through the reports for these years is im- provement of educational opportunity, a striving after the best which can be bought with the available resources.
At the beginning of this period the old three year high school course was expanded to four years to meet state approval. There were nine grades, three in a room. There were 35 pupils in the high school, 140 in the grades. At North Walpole there were twelve school rooms available with nine occupied.
In 1903 Walpole united with other towns (Westmoreland, Langdon) to hire a superintendent of schools. In more recent years the Supervisory Unions have been set up by the state. The towns in the Union pay a proportionate share of the expense of the union and the state contributes to the salary of the superintendent out of the funds from the per capita tax (levied on the districts according to the number of pupils, really an equalization, an advantage to the poorer districts).
Transportation of school children had begun when district schools
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were closed. In 1903 the superintendent (Supt. Record) suggested that, "in contracting for conveyance another year, written contracts be made specifying the price paid, route, kind of carriage to be used, and the degree of supervision or control to be exercised by the driver. . . . " And in 1904 "The larger number of pupils made it necessary to add another team at the beginning of the fall term, making five now employed.
"It would seem to be expedient for the district to own part if not all of the carriages used for conveyance."
Then in 1911 Mr. Record reported "At the opening of schools in Sep- tember I was able to place at your disposal three barges for the trans- portation of the school children. I believe these new vehicles have im- proved the service, at least I have received fewer compaints than in the past. . . . "
In 1903 mileage and conveyance cost $424.50, in 1959 $6650.00. Since 1947 the district has owned its own school buses. In 1954 there were four buses, three of which were making four trips daily.
In 1905 the high school course was revised to provide two full four year courses, one of which was a college preparatory course (listed Town Report 1905 p. 37).
At this time there were eight sources of revenue for the support of schools: 1) School money required by law to be raised by the town; 2) Literary fund, the annual income from certain taxes divided by the state among the towns on the basis of the number of pupils (Literary fund established June 29, 1821, for endowing "a college for instruction in the higher branches of science and literature," consists of proceeds of 1.5% tax on capital stock of banks in the state. In one year amounted to $4,770.37); 3) Dog tax, whatever was left over after paying dog damage; 4) Additional local taxation; 5) Equalization fund-$18,750 annually dis- tributed in direct ratio to the number of children and in inverse ratio to equalized valuation; 6) Tuition rebates; 7) One half of superintendent's salary; 8) Endowment funds. (See T.R. 1908 pp. 36-7.) Walpole was receiving all but #6 and #8, in 1907 from the state $932.74 and toward the superintendent's salary $275.
In 1909 trade courses were suggested. As a result domestic science and agricultural courses were established and in 1913 manual training.
Also in 1913 there began to be more serious concern for the physical well-being of the children, beginning of eye testing and physical exami- nations which have continued and expanded through the years, first under the district nurse, later the supervisory union nurse.
Walpole had for years shown an interest in sports, particularly base-
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ball. In 1914 the high school had baseball and track teams. During the 1920's interest in basketball increased. The Town Hall was used for prac- tice by both boys and girls. Usually the sport was self-supporting, but in 1930 rent for the town hall put it in the red. In 1952 they began playing touch football, 1958 soccer.
By 1916 there was inadequate space for manual training at the high school and another building was erected, funds provided by contributions ($700) and taxation, about an equal amount.
By 1917 the school population had so increased that there were now two grades per teacher per room; in 1918 the 7th and 8th grades became a junior high school. In North Walpole this system was adopted in 1927.
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