USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Fitzwilliam > The history of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, from 1752-1887 > Part 27
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Schooling in the
Year.
1843-4. ..
320
431
218
1844-5. .
361
161
200
452
239
213
488
222
1845-6.
332
139
193
469
253
216
220
1846-7 ...
345
148
397
428
219
209
231
1847-8. .
355
157
228
410
220
190
244
1848-9 ..
370
163
207
447
238
209
212
1849-50 ...
332
140
192
443
229
214
219
1850-1 ....
335
143
192
400
206
194
217
1851-2.
261
113
148
386
203
183
419
204
1852-3.
284
115
169
396'
210
186
422
23:
1855-6. .
283
432
20.
1856-7.
268
109
159
366
200
166
441
220
1857-8.
275
356
394
200
1858-9. ..
256
343
373
211
1859-60. ..
267
354
405
198
1860-1. . ..
256
314
325
193
1861-2. ...
246
333
366
208
1862-3 ..
253
327
371
202
1863-4.
250
377
406
203
1864-5.
255
353
398
206
1865-6.
377
235
1866-7.
380
220
1867-8.
290
357
383
225
1868-9. ..
256
325
336
205
1869-70. ..
247
304
317
227
1870-1 ..
246
290
327
225
1871-2.
216
206
297
196
1872-3 ..
222
261
282
201
1873-4
208
298
331
204
1874-5.
235
281
319
242
1875-6.
. .
225
269
241
. .
. .
Number of
Different Scholars
in the Year.
328
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
TABLE I .- (Continued.)
Summer Schools.
Winter Schools.
Total Number of Scholars.
Boys.
Girls.
Total Number of Scholars.
Boys.
Girls.
Total Number of
Different Scholars
Number of Weeks" Schooling in the Year.
1876-7. ...
228
277
244
1877-8. . .
218
259
266
1878-9. . .
219
235
275
1879-80. . .
215
251
277
265
1880-1. . ..
199
228
299
1SS1-2.
209
221
260
1882-3.
200
89
111
236
129
107
251
1883-4.
214
98
116
269
142
127
262
1884-5. .
236
117
119
273
143
130
269
264
1885-6.
234
114
120
262
135
127
250
1886-7.
238
117
121
247
129
118
240
TABLE II.
1844-5.
1852-3.
1864-5.
1884-5.
Number of different schol- ars attending school in the year
488
422
398
269
Of which were boys.
girls.
228
200
186
128
Whole number attending in summer
361
284
255
236
Average attendance in sum- mer.
312
235
230
216
Whole number attending in winter
452
396
353
273
Average attendance in win- ter
366
341
297
250
Amount required by law to be raised for support of schools . .
$504.00 8577.20
Amount actually raised .
800.00,1,000.00
$1,000; $2,000
141
260
212
in the Year.
329
SCHOOL STATISTICS CONTINUED.
TABLE II .- (Continued.)
1844-5.
1852-3.
1864-5.
1884-5.
Amount of Literary Fund. Amount for each scholar ... Terms taught by male teach- ers
$50.19 1.76.
$66.72 $99.96 $130.05
2.52
2.76
8.17
5
4
1
6
Terms taught by female teachers.
20
20
23
21
Average wages per month, including board, male
teachers.
$25.20
$28.50 $50.00 $37.67
Average wages per month, including board, female teachers.
11.10
14.00
19.68
29.14
Number of visits by citizens before final examinations at summer schools.
275
402
257
At winter schools
177
476
262
It will be seen that while the number of scholars belonging in the town and attending school has considerably diminished, the amount of money expended upon the schools has greatly increased. The result of the larger appropriations has been to command the services of more efficient and better educated teachers, and to add considerably to the length of the schools. It will be particularly noticed that much the larger advance has been made in the wages paid to female teachers.
In a few cases a high school has been maintained in the autumn, with varying success, and nearly every year some of the youth of the town have attended academies and high schools in other places. During these years a large amount of private instruction has been given by those well qualified to teach ; but ever since the settlement of the town, the chief reliance has been placed upon the common schools in the in- tellectual training of the children and youth.
The printed annual School Reports for the last forty years contain a great amount of valuable information respecting the
330
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
school education of children, and youth in general, and the condition of each district school in particular. The sugges- tions found in them relative to the increased efficiency of the schools are mostly of much praetieal importance, and show that, as the years have been coming and going, the intellectual training of the young of Fitzwilliam has not been overlooked.
LITERARY FUND.
The Literary Fund, to which allusion has been made, is de- rived from an annual tax of one half of one per cent on the amount of the actual capital stock of banking corporations in this State, also from a tax of one per cent on deposits in sav- ings-banks by non-resident depositors, or depositors whose resi- dence is unknown, and also from the proceeds of the sale of the State lands in the northern portion of the State.
The Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer for the time being, constitute a Board of Commissioners to man- age said Literary Fund.
The law provides that the State Treasurer shall assign and distribute, annually in June, the Literary Fund among the several towns and places, according to the number of scholars of such towns and places, not less than five years of age, who shall, by the last Report of the School Committee of the sev- eral towns and places returned to the Superintendent of Pub- lie Instruction, appear to have attended the distriet common schools in such towns and places for a term not less than two weeks within that year.
The money so received by any town or place shall be ap- plied to the maintenance of common schools or to other pur- poses of education, in addition to the sums required to be raised by law, and in such manner as the town shall direct ; but no district in which no school shall be kept during the year shall receive any part of said money. See Chapter XCIV., Gen- eral Laws of New Hampshire.
All money arising from the taxation of dogs remaining in the treasury of any town or city of this State on the first day of April, which has not been ordered to be paid for damages done by dogs to domestic animals, shall be applied to the sup-
331
FITZWILLIAM COMMON-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
port of schools. Section 1S, Chapter CXV., General Laws of New Hampshire.
THE FITZWILLIAM COMMON-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
From a printed circular issued by A. S. Kendall, President, and Stephen Batcheller, Secretary, and addressed to the in- habitants of this town we learn that for some years the county of Cheshire among the counties, and the town of Fitzwilliam among its towns, were regarded " as the banner county and town in New Hampshire in matters pertaining to common sehools." It should be known, however, that this high posi- tion had not been gained solely, perhaps not chiefly, by large appropriations for educational purposes, or by the employment of the most competent teachers, or, again, beeanse the schools of this town had been favored with a wiser and more energetic superintendence than most of its neighbors enjoyed. These had all done much to raise the standard of edneation here, but, after all, the secret of the success was plainly to be found in the prevailing sentiment of the people generally, their in- terest in their schools and determination to make them as effi- cient as possible.
As early as October 25th, 1842, measures were adopted for the organization of what was known, for many years, as " The Fitzwilliam Common School Association," and on November Sth of that year the organization of this society was perfected, Rev. J. H. Sayward, Dr. S. Cummings, and Daniel Spauld- ing, Esq., reporting the form of a constitution for that pur- pose.
The object aimed at is stated to have been " to increase the interest in and to improve and perfect our common schools." The original constitution as slightly amended from time to time was signed by one hundred and eighty-eight persons of both sexes, with the name of Rev. John Sabin at the head of the list, and these names embrace those of the most active and energetic of the people of Fitzwilliam at that period. The plan proposed and successfully as well as generally carried out during the years that followed, was to hold, each year, a series of evening meetings in the several school districts, at which
332
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
papers should be read, lectures given, and discussions engaged in relative to all the matters appertaining to the common schools. The meeting was usually held while the school in the district was in session.
The officers of the organization were a president, a viee- president, a secretary and treasurer, three councillors, and in each district two coadjutors-one of each sex. At the first election, the persons whose names follow were chosen : Daniel Spaulding, President ; Joseph A. Penniman, Vice-President ; John P. Sabin, Secretary and Treasurer ; Rev. Messrs. John Sabin, James H. Sayward, and Joseph Storer, Councillors.
District. Coadjutors.
1. John Damon, Mrs. Lurena Gregory.
2. Joshua T. Collins, Mrs. David Fullam.
3. Nelson Howe, Miss Zerviah Waite.
4. George N. Olmsted, Mrs. George W. Simonds.
5. Silas Cummings, Miss M. E. Spaulding. Calvin J. Parker, Miss Sarah B. Richardson.
6. James Corey, Mrs. Jonathan Whittemore.
7. Levi Harris, Mrs. William D. Locke.
8. Lewis Taft, Miss Olive R. Feleh.
9. Ilenry H. Wheeler, Miss Tryphena Collins.
10. Thomas Sweetser, Miss Maria Blodgett.
11. Benjamin Heywood, Mrs. Daniel White.
12. Rufus Foster, Miss Emeline Worcester.
The duties of these officers will be easily understood with the exception of the last-named, the coadjutors. These persons were appointed to arrange in each district for a full attendance at the meetings as they should occur, to see that the school- houses should be properly warmed and lighted for the same, and to do everything possible to make each meeting successful, while, later, it was made a part of their duty to inquire into the condition of poor families within the bonnds of their re- spective districts, and to report the facts to the Association, that assistance might be rendered, if deemed necessary and expedient. The list of coadjutors often, perhaps always, in-
333
PROCEEDINGS OF THE C. S. ASSOCIATION.
cluded the names of the Prudential Committees of the several districts.
This Fitzwilliam Common School Association soon became an important member of the Cheshire County Common School Association, which was in active service for many years. The Fitzwilliam Association was the first town association formed in the State, and it is believed that no other town association in the State or country had so long an active and continuous ex- istence. The lectures and discussions took a wide range at the meetings, but all were made to bear either directly or indi- reetly upon common-school education, with a view to correct the prevailing evils in the system and to raise the standard as high as possible. Such men as Revs: Messrs. Sabin, Brown, and Herrick, Amos A. Parker, Esq., J. S. Adams, John J. Allen, Jr., Dexter Whittemore, Samuel Kendall, Dr. Silas Cummings, Daniel Spaulding, and others equally interested took an active part in all these proceedings.
At the opening of the Association year, September 28th, 1846, the following appointment of lecturers was made, and the lectures thus provided for seem to have been given regu- larly and promptly :
District No. 1. Rev. D. Stowell, Parental Duties.
2. Daniel Spaulding, Esq., Power of Attention.
3. Henry Cummings, Reading and Spelling.
4. Samuel Kendall, Studies in School.
66 5. John J. Allen, Jr., Music in Schools.
66
7. Charles Cummings, Compositions.
66
8. Amos A. Parker, Esq., Punctuality and Con- stant Attendance.
66
9. Rev. Horace Herrick, Moral Culture.
66 66 10. Dr. Silas Cummings, Physical Culture.
" 11. Rev. John S. Brown, Intellectual Culture.
12. Jonathan S. Adams, School Discipline.
The directors or councillors in making the appointments for each year, as a matter of course introduced new lecturers and subjects for discussion, and October 25th, 1847, provision was made to have papers upon common-school education pre-
334
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
sented at each district meeting by two ladies. The first ap- pointment of these was as follows :
No. 1. Mrs. S. Kendall, Miss Ellen M. Allen.
2. Miss M. B. Alexander, Miss Nancy S. Carter.
3. Miss Lucy Newton, Miss Miranda S. Parker.
4. Miss Jane E. Reed, Miss Nancy A. Harris.
66 5. Mrs. C. C. Carter, Miss Esther E. Buckminster.
7. Miss M. B. Wilder, Miss Eliza J. Newton.
66 8. Miss J. A. Spaulding, Miss Ellen Hill.
66 9. Miss O. R. Felch, Mrs. C. M. Willard.
10. Miss Eliza Whittemore, Mrs. J. S. Brown.
11. Mrs. Joel Whittemore, Miss S. A. Thompson.
66
12. Mrs. F. Kendall, Mrs. D. Stowell.
The records from this time forward show that the scholars of the several districts were active in preparing for the district meetings, in the way of furnishing agreeable music for the same and school papers to be read by teacher or scholars. The essays by the ladies introduced a new and attractive feature, and the meetings were sustained through the season with great interest. And this plan of operations, an outline of which has here been given, was adopted substantially and carried out from year to year. New names appear from time to time upon the lists of writers and speakers. In nearly or quite every district, a school paper, with a significant name, as, The Youth's Friend, The Evening Star, was carefully prepared by the sehiolars and read by the teacher or by one or more of the pupils, and much was done in this way to maintain the interest of the meetings. The paper presented in District No. 5, January 6th, 1853, was read by three of the pupils, viz., IIannah A. Adams, Abbie H. Kimball, and Cynthia Whitte- more. It was entitled The School Gleaner, and consisted of thirty-one articles from the higher and twelve from the primary department, but the whole was read in forty-eight minutes.
Commencing with the autumn of 1853 the work of the Fitz- ยท william Common School Association was continued, but under the name of "The Association for Educational Purposes in Fitzwilliam." A new constitution was adopted, but its fea-
335
ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
tures were not unlike those of its predecessor, though in its range it may have been possibly a little wider. More and more the pupils in the several schools contributed to the in- terest and value of the district meetings by their papers and music, while the older members of the Association, both male and female, furnished their lectures and essays upon a great variety of practical matters appertaining to culture and train- ing in the home and the school.
The officers for the year 1858-59 were John Forristall, President : Charles Reed, Vice-president : Joel Whittemore, Secretary ; Charles HI. Woods, Editor ; Dr. S. Cummings, Philip D. Angier and Chaney Davis, Jr., Directors. The meetings (often weekly), seem to have been maintained with a good degree of interest through the entire period of the Civil War, fifty, seventy, seventy-five, one hundred and six, and two hundred and ten being present on different occasions. In this connection it will be remembered that only a few of the school- honses in town have proper accommodations for over fifty scholars. November 6th, 1865, a printed schedule for the season was distributed, signed by Joel Whittemore, President, and Amos J. Blake, Secretary, giving the time and place of the meetings, the names of the speakers, etc.
During all the earlier years of this Association's active work, the lectures were given by the appointees in person, and all the appointments were made in town, but after the change of its name and constitution in 1853, substitute lecturers were accepted, and occasionally a lecturer was obtained from out of town.
The last meeting of the Association of which record was made, was held February Sth, 1867, at the elose of which it was voted to discontinne the meetings of the Association for the winter. No reason is given why they were not re- sumed.
So many and such large gatherings in all parts of the town, sustained through the period of twenty-five years by the best educated and most prominent people of the place, must have done for the cause of common school education what could not have been effected by any other means whatever.
336
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
THE FITZWILLIAM LYCEUM.
Forty or fifty years ago this Lyceum had a prominent place in the affairs of this town, which it never obtained in most of the New England communities.
In his historical lecture, given in 1836, Rev. John Sabin speaks of its operations and influence approvingly :
It was formed, he says, a number of years ago, and has proceeded ac- cording to its design, not, however, exciting all the interest that was hoped. A little more than a year ago (it was) reformned and organized as at present. Its object, improvement, mental and mora! ; and it may have done more good than for which it has credit in disciplining mind and turning attention to subjects of importance in particular. There are people enough with us and of a suitable age to make the Lyceum prosperous and useful. It is to be regretted that not more of our youth come in, this season, take an active part and with interest, by written pieces, if they do not like to talk.
Every school-teacher should be found here, and all that have any idea of cultivating their own minds, and the minds of others.
This Association held weekly meetings in the village school- house during the colder season of the year. The audiences attending were usually large, often filling the house to its fullest capacity, and it was noticeable that the interest in the meetings continued nnabated year after year. Aside from the great amount of valuable information gained through this in- stitution, it obviously quickened the intellects of all concerned, and did much to train the debaters to think upon their feet. The Lyceum continued in active existence for some years after the formation of the Common School Association, when from the increasing popularity of the latter society, the meetings of the former were discontinued.
Some years before the formation of the Lyceum, an associa- tion called " The Minervan Society" was organized here, with the object of promoting a literary taste and general culture among its members, but the amount of success achieved by it cannot be stated, nor is it known when or for what reason it . was suspended.
THE FARMERS' AND MECHANICS' CLUB.
This organization was formed late in the year 1869, and has had a more or less active existence to the present time. By
R
PHOTO-GRAVURE CO., NI Y.
1. VILLAGE FROM THE PINNACLE-2. FROM JAFFREY ROAD
337
FARMERS' AND MECHANICS' CLUB.
its original constitution the subjects for investigation at its meetings were required to be such as had a bearing on agri- culture, horticulture, or mechanics, but this rule was afterward changed so as to allow the consideration of any subject of general interest. Under the wider range of subjects, the con- dition of the schools was discussed ; intellectual, physical, and moral enlture, and cognate topics were urged upon the atten- tion of the people ; electricity, the telegraph, and kindred sub- jeets of a scientific nature were considered, while protection and free trade, village improvements and other matters of a practical nature were not neglected. Occasionally the services of a lecturer from out of town have been obtained, but gener- ally the club has relied upon its own members to render its gatherings interesting and instructive.
Besides these associations, to which particular reference has been made, others of a somewhat similar character have from time to time been formed, sometimes to fill a vacancy, some- times to furnish entertainment of a greater variety or of a more social character, and sometimes, perhaps, by way of oppo- sition. Some of these may have continued for two or three seasons, but generally the interest in them was brief.
It will be noticed that, with the exception of a few brief in- terruptions, the town has had some kind of a literary society for over sixty years. It may well be doubted whether there is another town in New England of the size of Fitzwilliam that has supported a society of this character for so many years, with so little interruption, and with such continned in- terest during the entire period.
MUSICAL TALENT AND CULTURE.
An account of the educational resources and progress of Fitzwilliam can hardly be faithful and satisfactory without a brief reference to these matters.
It is not claiming too much for this place to say that few of the country towns of New England have been more distin- guished during the last fifty years for the cultivation of music, both vocal and instrumental. No one will pretend that the
22
338
[HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
singing in the old meeting-honse on the hill near the cemetery was anything to boast of, when the chorister was not always selected because of his superior musical taste and acquirements. If tradition is not greatly in fault, some of the scenes enacted there, professedly to praise Jehovah in sacred song, partook more of the ludicrous than of the devotional. Choirs would not join in sustaining the music of the sanctuary under an in- competent or even an unpopular leader a hundred years ago any more readily than they will to-day, as some of the ancient choristers learned to their sorrow, * while but little can be said in favor of the general style and execution of church music in those days except that it was hearty. It was no worse here than elsewhere.
But within the last fifty years a great change for the better has taken place, and this has been especially marked in Fitz- william. The people of this town might be divided and sub- divided ecclesiastically and politically, but when they came to the matter of music all their differences vanished, and they were ready to act as a unit. In all the later years musical concerts have been a favorite recreation and entertainment. Especially was this the case some fifteen years ago, when a serics of annual musical conventions in this place greatly in- terested all the lovers of music, and, it may be added, the peo- ple generally. In some of these conventions much valuable assistance was rendered by musicians from abroad, but in gen- eral the chief reliance for success was placed upon home talent. During the sessions of the conventions many popular concerts were given before large and interested andiences, and not a lit- tle was accomplished in the way of forming and correcting thie musical taste of the community.
A good organ or pianoforte was on all these occasions a positive necessity, and it seemed to all most concerned vastly better to own such an instrument than to continue to borrow. This conviction led to the choice of a committee consisting of Messrs. P. S. Batcheller, John Whittemore, and A. R. Gleason,
* For a long time choristers were chosen by the town, and party spirit was not unknown in the early days. Some appointments were made in this line which the choir would not accept, when the leader sometimes attempted "the service of song " with no following.
339
FITZWILLIAM MUSICAL ASSOCIATION.
to consider the whole subject and act upon it as circumstances might seem to dictate.
Their report, presented June Sth, 1870, from which extraets will here be given, will furnish all the information needed re- speeting the success of this enterprise.
To the Fitzwilliam Musical Association.
Your Committee, chosen to select and purchase a Piano Forte for the Town Hall in Fitzwilliam, have, according to their best judgment, at- tended to the duty assigned them, and would respectfully ask leave at this time to submit the following Report :
You will pardon the Committee if they advert to some circumstances connected with the purchase of the Piano not legitimately belonging to a report of this kind. It may not be generally known that, a few years since, the ladies of our village feeling the need of a Piano for the Town Hall held a series of entertainments consisting of Charades, Tableaux, etc. By this and other means they collected some $45. This money was placed at interest, and amounts now to $55, and may properly be considered the first money raised for the Piano, the nucleus around which, after these years of patient waiting, have been gathered funds sufficient to nearly complete what they so nobly commenced.
Since this first effort, nothing in aid of the enterprise was done until Jan. 1870, when at the suggestion of our citizens interested in Music an " Old Folks' Concert" was given, the avails of which were given to the purchase of a Piano. The Concert was, in every respect, a decided sue- cess. The music was well rendered and the audience the largest ever convened on any similar occasion in town.
Following the Coneert, two Dramatic entertainments were given at our own Hall and one at East Jaffrey. The expense attending the getting up of these last entertainments was so heavy that the net proceeds were not so remunerative as could have been desired, still by them an addi- tion of over $50 was made to the Piano fund.
That the instrument might be owned by some responsible body, it was deemed best to organize a permanent Musical Association, under the laws of New Hampshire provided for such cases.
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