USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > History of Concord, New Hampshire, from the original grant in seventeen hundred and twenty-five to the opening of the twentieth century, Volume II > Part 55
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Five traveling military lodges were granted dispensation by the grand lodge: Star Spangled Banner, with the Second regiment ; Hughes, with the Fifth ; Loyal, with the Eleventh; Comrades', with the Fourteenth, and Citizen-Soldiers', with the Sixteenth. The dis- pensation of the first-named was dated June 17, 1861, the organiza- tion taking place in Concord. The last meeting convened at Point Lookout, April 5, 1864. The lodge raised forty-three candidates to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Hughes lodge held its first recorded meeting at Bladensburg, Md., November 22, 1861, and its last March 24, 1864. Its dispensation (November 1) was recognized by Maryland's grand master. It conferred the M. M. degree on twenty-nine. This lodge constructed a modest building for its meet- ings at Point Lookout, in which work J. E. Larkin was very active. These two lodges contained many Concord men. The most distin- guished initiate, Carroll D. Wright, the eminent statistician, was entered
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by Comrades' lodge. In these lodge meetings, field officers found themselves outranked by a staff or line man in the chair, and even a non-commissioned officer or private might be in control in not infre- quent circumstances. The records and papers are deposited with the grand secretary, who also has some few relics.
Among the events occurring during the encampment of the First was the searching of the persons of Governor Berry, Woodbridge Odlin, George G. Fogg, and Asa McFarland, for tonic fluids. The inquirer's zeal had full forgiveness, on the instant, from these staid men ; indeed, outspoken commendation when the event was ended, their guilelessness established, and their names made known. Their ardent spirits were not of the kind which could be bottled. A citi- zen caught selling fiery beverages through a hole under the fence of Camp Union, was urgently constrained to wait a while, until he could be properly tagged and furnished with companions for a ceremonial tour of the camp's interior; thence, through the Gulley, the band rendering its ample tribute to his worth in the sweet strains of the Rogue's March, as far as Depot square. After these grand honors, their recipient was left to further distinguished consideration, such as could best be rendered by the swarm of men and boys which this rare function had called together. When the Twelfth left town, a member of Captain Durell's company was found to be in bad repair, owing to festive excesses on the night preceding. The convivial comrade was restored to a relatively normal state by immersion in the Gulley horse trough and enabled to proceed with his wiser fel- lows. While Camp Gilmore was in its worst days, a woman entered the headquarters office and asked permission to see her son, who was ยท to be torn from her on the morrow, perhaps for years, perhaps forever. More urgent business made the officer in charge request a brief delay and the occupancy of a chair by the doting mother. Upon his disen- gagement, a trickle on the floor and an aroma was observed by the host of the occasion. An inquiry into the sources of this distillation revealed large receptivity on the part of the son and equal forethought by the mother. Twenty-four canteens of balm dangled from three hoop-skirts. Flasks of " the same " were bestowed in her hose, and rubber bags, one somewhat collapsed and the other distended, rounded out her contour. Several civilians, one a woman, caught in like attempts at illicit importation, were drummed out in due and ancient form from this camp. March 18, 1864, two persons were thus prom- inently brought to the notice of our public, on Main street. Charles E. Thompson, who furnished large quantities of milk, vegetables, etc., said that the protective tariff on wet goods was so high that he was offered immense prices for even a modest flask of the nerve food so consumingly desired.
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CHAPTER XXXIV.
SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
JOHN C. ORDWAY.
" In that old garden of the yesterday The seeds were sown that stirred and woke And sprang into the growing, fresh to-day."
When the Puritan settlers of New England laid the foundations of our republic, the system of free schools which they instituted was made one of the corner-stones. While a determination to secure for themselves entire religious freedom was the first motive which induced the coming of these builders of the nation, but little less significant was that other desire to educate their children under more favorable conditions than those prevailing in their former home, and in a purer moral atmosphere than that by which they had been sur- rounded during their exile in Holland. The latter they declared, on the authority of early historians, to be a place of great immorality, where the young were not held in proper restraint, and where every attempt on the part of godly parents to improve and properly direct the moral training of their own children, was sure to bring upon them the reproach and censure of their unsympathetic neighbors. This intensified their longing and hastened their decision to seek a home where they could not only assert the right of self-government, but also establish, with a reasonable hope of perpetuating, an unhin- dered form of religious worship, and educate their children under methods of their own choosing. The adverse conditions under which their advent was made, and the no less discouraging years which immediately followed, hindered for a time, but did not pre- vent, the ultimate consummation of their first formed plans. The home secured, the little primitive church was established and the school begun in due time. One of the first recorded acts of the little colony, after completing its organization, was to direct the selectmen to have a vigilant eye over their brethren, and to sec that the chil- dren were taught as much learning as would enable them to read easily the English language and properly understand the laws.
Almost a century had elapsed between the early settlement of Massachusetts Bay and that of this town-a period in which the inflow of immigration had been large and constant. The population of the colonies had greatly increased. There was a constant spread-
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ing out, a pushing farther and farther into the wilderness. Consid- erable progress had been made in all directions of usefulness, and the advantages of Harvard college, since it was established in 1638, had greatly increased the number and efficiency of teachers. The settlement of this town was in many respects a duplicate of others of this period, particularly in the provisions made for formal organization.
In the division of lands among the original proprietors of the town, one of the one hundred and three shares or portions was reserved " for the use of the school forever." This reservation was not exceptional, but was made in all, or nearly all, of the grants for townships by both Massachusetts and the Masonian proprictors of New Hampshire.
The first school meeting in the new settlement was held in the meeting-house on Wednesday, March 31, 1731, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and this time of the year first selected for a school meet- ing has been closely followed, with but little deviation, to the present day. It was an adjournment of the annual meeting of the grantees, held two days before, and was called for the sole purpose of making provision for the opening of a school. The action resulting was business-like and to the point. The record is as follows :
Voted. That ten pounds be levied on the grantees for to be laid out for the instruction of the children in reading &c.
Voted. That the school shall be kept in two of the most con- venient parts of the township.
Voted. That Mr. Ebenezer Eastman and Mr. Timothy Clement be a committee to lease out the six acre lot belonging to the school to David Barker for the term of four years from the date hereof.
Voted. To adjourn to the 13th day of May next at ten o'clock in the forenoon.
Henry Rolfe officiated as moderator, and Benjamin Rolfe served as clerk.
This appropriation of ten pounds (perhaps fifteen dollars) led without doubt to the opening shortly afterward of the first frce pub- lic school in the settlement.
No schoolhouse had as yet been provided, and this first school was, perhaps, kept in the little church, but more likely held in some unused room that could be spared for the purpose in one of the rude houses belonging to the settlers.
Records, if any were ever kept of the early schools, cannot be found. The most diligent search for trustworthy information is poorly rewarded, and the consequent lack of material renders it quite impossible to restore fully the quaint picture of those early days. While the faithful town clerk made careful record of the
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names of all the petty town officers, including those of fence-viewers and hogreeves, whose official duties could have been neither arduous nor important, as but little fence had been built or even thought of, and hogs, by vote of the town, were for many years permitted to go at large, the names of less than a half dozen teachers are to be found upon the records of the town in all those vanished years. While the election of the former in annual town-meeting, and the appointment of the latter by the selectmen, may be a sufficient explanation for the omission, it is nonc the less unfortunate and to be greatly regretted. The name of the first female teacher employed has not been preserved, even in misty and unreliable tradition; but in the library of the New Hampshire Historieal society, rich in treasures of antiquity, among a collection of school books, carefully preserved relics of the early days, may be found a teachers' text-book, "The Compleat English Schollar. By E. Young Schoolmaster in London. 1704." This old book bears upon the fly-leaf the autograph of the owner, " Hannah Abbot-Her Book," and underneath this super- scription appears the name of a later owner, in 1740. Hannah Abbot was a daughter of Thomas Abbot, one of the early settlers, and was born in Andover, Mass., September 10, 1700. She came to Concord about 1730, of suitable age for a teacher, united with the church in 1736, escaped the perils of matrimony, and died ten years later, 1746. She was from a scholarly family, the Abbots of Ando- ver, and her death is the first one recorded in the Andover rec- ords as occurring at Rumford, as above mentioned,-which would indicate that she was a person of some consequence. These facts, taken together, lead to the belief that Hannah Abbot may have been one of the earliest and perhaps the first female teacher in town, although further verification has been found impossible.
There were, in 1731-'32, upwards of eighty little houses or plaees of abode in the settlement, the most of which were occupied by their owners, many of whom had brought their families with them. Con- spicuous among the names of the children in these first schools must have been those of Abbot, Ayer, Bradley, Eastman, Hoit, Rolfe, Vir- gin, and others, many of which are still prevalent in this vicinity.
If the first school was kept in two places, in compliance with the town's vote, it is probable that one was in some dwelling-house at or ncar the north end of Main street, and the other at the opposite end of the town, one following the other in point of time, and the same teacher presiding over both schools.
At the annual town-meeting held in March, 1732-'33, under an artiele in the warrant "to see whether the town or inhabitants will allow anything towards the defreying of school charges for the time
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
past and to come for the year ensuing," proving that a school had been kept the past year,-the town voted " two hundred pounds for ye defreying of necessary charges," a part of which probably covered the deficit of the past year, and made some provision for the imme- diate future ; however that may have been, another meeting was held in December following, at which it was voted, "that there should be sixteen pounds drawn out of the town treasury for to pay a school for this present winter and spring following." That the people, cven in these very early days of the town's history, were very much alive to the needs of the boy or girl without means, is evidenced by a further vote passed at the same meeting, that " the selectmen shall find books for the use of the inhabitants and freeholders of this town or plantation on the town's cost so far as they shall think necessary." The next year, March 11, 1733-'34, it was " voted that the selectmen be impowered to provide a school so far as the money shall go," and again, in December, " That about one hundred and ten pounds be raised on the poles and lands within this township for defraying the ministerial and school charge and the other necessary charges of the town." March 11, 1734-'35, " voted that the selectmen shall let out the school right (rent the lands belonging to the school) for the year ensuing to the highest bidders, or as they shall think best for the most advantage of the town; " and a nearly similar vote, covering this purpose, was continued from year to year for almost half a cen- tury ; the rentals received being paid into the town treasury and probably applied to the support of schools. In September of the same year a further sum of about sixty-two pounds was voted "for schooling and building part of a bridge over Sun-Cook river," and Deacon John Merrill and James Abbot or either of them were desired and cmpowered to hire a man to keep a school in this town four months the next winter and spring." The usual appropriations for general town purposes, including the school, were made each of the three years following, and a vote passed in 1739 "that the school shall be kept from the 20th of October (1739) to the 20th of April (1740)."
James Scales was the first male teacher whose name is to be found upon the Proprietors' records. He was a native of Boxford, Mass., graduated from Harvard college in 1733, and came to this town two . or three years later. He married Susanna Hovey of Topsfield, Mass., September, 1736, united with the church in Rumford, July 3, 1737, and in the same month was given liberty " to build a pew in one half of the hindermost seat at the west end of the meeting-house that is next the window." He had three children born during his residence here, John, 1737, Joseph, 1740, and Stephen, 1741. He is under-
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stood to have been a very acceptable teacher and a diligent student as well, employing his leisure hours in the study of theology, giving some attention also to the acquirement of a knowledge of law and medicine. He removed to Canterbury in 1742, where he was licensed to preach in 1743. He served as town clerk there for several years and as a justice of the peace, and also enlisted in a company to go in pursuit of hostile Indians in 1746, after the massacre in this town. He was in Canterbury as late as 1754, afterward removing to Hop- kinton, where he was settled as pastor of the Congregational society in 1757. No house of worship had been erected at that time, and the ordination was solemnized in 1 " Putney's Fort." He continued in the ministry until about 1770, after which he practised law in a small way until about the time of his death, July 31, 1776.
In 1742, the number of school children having considerably in- creased, and the people tiring of further dependence upon private houses for school purposes, determined upon the erection of a temple of learning, and, at a meeting held March 31, it was voted "That Edward Abbot, Dea. John Merrill and Nathaniel Abbot be a commit- tee to take care and build a schoolhouse for this town as they shall in their judgment think best, the said house is to be built between the Widow Barker's Barn and the Brook by the Clay Pits." Three hundred pounds were voted to be raised for building the schoolhouse and defraying the other annual expenses of the town. The " clay pits " were in the ravine running parallel with, and a few rods south of, the present Pitman street, the brook which formerly ran through this hollow crossing Main street a few rods north of Montgomery street near the present site of Lyster's market. The locality was long and familiarly known to older inhabitants as " Smoky Hollow," probably so named from the smoky brick-kilns formerly located there ; but the Widow Barker's barn, alas! its fame, even as a landmark, must have been but transitory. Its precise location is unknown, but it is thought to have stood on land within what is now the state house yard, and the schoolhouse was probably built a little north and on or near the present site of the opera house. Mr. Isaac Shute, born 1775, said in his eightieth year, "I remember distinctly when there was but one schoolhouse in the main village, and that was near what is now the state house yard."
A brief description of this first school building in the new settle- ment will afford opportunity for comparison with the structures of to-day. It was probably constructed of lumber grown near by, perhaps sawed from trees which had been felled on the lot to make room for the intended structure. It was about cighteen feet
1 Lord's History of Hopkinton.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
square, covered with a hip roof, the four sides of which sloped from a central point. Like others built in the early years, it was sure to have been heavily timbered, and was, no doubt, boarded without and within with rough boards. The nails were of wrought iron hammered into shape by the village smith. The rafters were left exposed, a custom then in vogue and renewed in later days. Long, hand-shaved shingles were used, held in place with wooden pins. It was provided with the customary fireplace, made large enough for the use of wood without sawing. The requisites for a good school in those days were only three,-" a convenient place, a good teacher, and plenty of fuel." The specifications for the building of sehoolhouses, even at a much later period, were neither complex nor tedious in detail,-" 24 ft. long, 18 ft. wide, 8 ft. stud, and furnished so as may be convenient." The furniture consisted of the usual table for the teacher, and rough seats or benches of varying heights for the pupils. The boys were seated on one side of the room and the girls on the other, an invaria- ble custom prevailing for more than a century. The workmanship of the building both outside and in, was rough, with nothing in the way of embellishment. The completed structure was primitive in every respect, but later on the boys made up for any deficiencies in wood carving with decorations both striking and profuse. No starry flag floated o'er the roof, as in these later days, to inspire the youth- ful mind with patriotic impulse, but underneath it, it is safe to say, flagellations took place in after years with woeful frequency, in which, no doubt, hurried glimpses of the heavenly constellation were occa- sionally revealed to turbulent offenders.
In 1743 the usual appropriation was made in the spring and the new building occupied, but in 1744 Indians from Canada, instigated by the French, who were at war with England and her colonies, be- came more troublesome than ever before. In the winter season the intense cold and deep snow rendered it impossible for the Indians to undertake long marches, so the inhabitants felt more secure from molestation, and the master's school suffered little or no interrup- tion, but with the opening of spring danger became imminent, and the attendance of pupils from a distance was extremely hazardous. While those living near were anxious to continue the school, those farther away objected to being taxed for its support while wholly -unable to avail themselves of its advantages,-so that, seemingly by way of compromise, the town voted, "That such persons as shall incline to hire a schoolmistress at their own cost may have leave to keep the sehool in the school-house until the town shall have occa- sion for such house." It was a year of overwhelming apprehension and dread. Another town-meeting was held in September, at which
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the town voted to raise seventy-five pounds for the support of the minister and for the purchase of a town stock of ammunition, but no provision was made for the school.
The year 1745 was not unlike the two preceding years. The usual town-meeting was held in March for the transaction of the usual town business and " to consider what to do relating to a school," but no provision was made for the latter. Some relief from danger was experienced, however, from the raising of two small companies of scouts for the defense of the town, while Massachusetts sent another small detachment of militia for the same purpose. In consequence of this increased feeling of security a small appropriation for the winter school was made in November.
March 31, 1746, another small appropriation, seven pounds ten shillings, was " voted to be raised for schooling," but it is doubt- ful if any school was kept. The Indians were hovering near, and attacks were constantly feared. The massacre on the Hopkinton road occurred August 11 of this year. Additional garrisons were com- pleted, making six in all, and many families left their homes and put up in small buildings within the forts for temporary occupancy. Many of the young children, particularly those living in out-of-the- way localities, received their only school instruction during this period from their parents while living in these temporary abodes. Jonathan Eastman, born in Concord, 1746,-who lived on the east side of the river, near the old garrison house of his grandfather, Captain Eben- ezer Eastman,-told Dr. Bouton, in 1833, that his parents taught him to read when they lived in the fort, and that he learned to write on birch bark.
November 30, 1747, a town-meeting was held to provide such a sum of money as shall be thought best for the support of a school, and also " to vote whether or no the inhabitants on the east side of the Merrimack river shall be discharged from defraying any part of the charge that shall be raised for the hireing said school ; " but the first proposition being put to vote, it was negatived, the town thus declining to make any provision for the school of that year. In October of the next year, 1748, appropriations for the school were resumed, two hundred pounds, old tenor, being voted for maintaining the school and paying the other expenses of the town.
The records of the town's proceedings were abruptly suspended, March 29, 1749, and were not resumed until January 21, 1766, when the town began a new existence, under the name of the Parish of Concord, by an act of incorporation from the state of New Hamp- shire, obtained the preceding year. During this period of seventeen years of litigation (covering the controversy with the town of Bow,
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
described in the narrative history), the town, though reduced to a parish, probably maintained its school much of the time, by voluntary contributions and by a tax " levied without the usual forms' of law but in most cases cheerfully paid."
The next year following the suspension of the records, 1750, it appears by documents which have been preserved,1 that Benjamin Rolfe, in behalf of the inhabitants, presented a memorial to Governor Wentworth, praying for the incorporation of the town, with the right to assess taxes and such other privileges as other towns enjoyed, without which their condition would be deplorable. One of the special reasons urged was that " Our public school will of course fail, and our youth thereby be deprived in a great measure of the means of learning, which we apprehend to be of a very bad consequence. Our schoolmaster, who is a gentleman of a liberal education, and well recommended to us, and lately moved his family from Andover to Rumford, on account of his keeping school for us, will be greatly damaged and disappointed." This teacher appears to have been Joseph Holt, born in Andover, Mass., 1718, and graduated from Harvard college in 1739. Returning to Andover, he taught the grammar school in that town for ten successive years, 1739-'49, with great acceptance, after which he came here with his family. He had a daughter Dolly, born here in 1751, who married Benjamin Farnum. Mr. Holt is thought to have taught our schools several years, but returned to Massachusetts prior to 1758, in which year he served for a few months in an expedition to Canada.
In 1766, the town contained about seven hundred inhabitants widely scattered, of whom probably one hundred and fifty or two hundred were children of school age, as the proportionate number of children was much larger then than now ; and at the annual meeting in March the town voted that the school should be kept in four places, viz .: " On the easterly side of the river such a part of the year as their rates for the school shall come to of the polls and estates that lay to the northward of Sugar Ball. Also at a place that will best accomodate those persons that live upon Contoocook road north- ward of Nathan Colby's and those persons that live westward of said road, such a part of the year as their rates will pay. Also at a place that will best accomodate those persons that live upon Hopkinton road, westerly of Theodore Stevens' and westerly of Turkey river such a part of the year as their rates will pay, and the remainder of the year it shall be kept in the town street about the middle way from Capt. Chandler's to Lot Colby's." Captain Chandler lived on what is now Penacook street at the north end of the town street, and
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