USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 28
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1Hist. Bristol Schools, in Hist. of Public Education in R. I. (Stockwell), p. 288.
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Dennis S. Gushee beeame teacher in the grammar sehool, in the lower part of the academy. The accommodations there were insufficient and in 1837 the sehool was removed to the brick sehool house, which was again altered, Mr. Gushee not being a believer in the Lancasterian system. His sehool was ealled the Seleet school until 1848, when one more advanced took that name and the one taught by him was ealled the Grammar school. The report for the year ending April, 1838, shows that there was an average attendance in the grammar school of 240. In 1840, Capt. James De Wolf presented the town with the academy building, which was more or less improved and used until 1873. In 1853 the North distriet was divided by the ereation of the Northeast district. In 1848 three school houses were built, one each for primary schools in the North and the South districts, and one in the Northeast distriet. In 1849 a superintendent of sehools was first elected in this town, and Thomas Shepard was chosen. The high school was established in 1848, with forty-five students selected from the other sehools. William E. Jillson was the first principal. The school at first occupied the lower part of the academy, which building was enlarged in 1852 and the school moved up stairs.
In 1851 a school for colored children was opened and in 1853 a see- ond grammar school was established. Evening sehools were first opened in the fall of 1871, one eaeh for boys and girls. In that year steps were taken which resulted in the ereetion on the Common of a three-story briek sehool building, at a cost of $40,000, which was first occupied in August, 1873, by the high school, the three grammar sehools, three intermediate schools, and the advaneed primary sehool.
The school report for this town for 1850 shows that the State appro- priation was $1,146.06; town, $2,217.56; receipts, $3,913.62. Nearly all of this sum was expended about that time for new buildings, or repairs. Enrolled, 588; average attendanee, 510. There were eleven teachers employed.
1860 .- State appropriation, $1,275.16; town, $3,637.39; receipts, $5,581.88. Expended on houses, $354.27. Enrolled, 715; average attendanec, 674. Teachers employed, seventeen.
1871-2 .- State appropriation, $1,806.53; town, $7,091.75; receipts, $9,850. Enrolled, 737; average attendance, 572 in the winter terni. There were then open fourteen sehools employing seventeen teachers. In this year $500 were appropriated for night schools, and two were sueeessfully eondueted. This sum was inereased $100 for the same purpose in the following year, and the Byfield school house was ereeted at a eost of $45,000. In 1876-7 a building was ereeted for the ae- eommodation of the Rogers free library.
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1879-80 .- State appropriation, $2,065.92 ; town, $7,477.20; receipts, $10,942.47; valuation of school property, $61,100. Enrolled, 1,107; average attendance, 711. There were now thirteen graded and two ungraded schools taught, and two evening schools; attendance in the latter was gradually declining in number.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $2,882.94; town, $8,908.40; receipts, $3,370.03; valuation, $65,000. Enrolled, 980; average attendance, 746. There were then fifteen graded and three ungraded schools, and the average number of teachers employed was twenty-four. In 1892-3 drawing was introduced in the schools and in the following year physical training was taught.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2,794.12; town, $12,000; receipts, $16,332.04 ; valuation, $85,000; number of buildings, seven, containing 1,044 seats. Enrolled, 1,109; average attendance, 784. Average number of teachers, twenty-seven.
Warren .- Authentic history of such private schools as existed in this town previous to 1828 is difficult to obtain. As described in later pages of this chapter, the town has the honor of having been the home of the University Grammar School, founded in 1764, and the scene of the first Commencement of Brown University in 1769. In the will of Nicholas Campbell, who died July 21, 1829, at the great age of ninety- seven years, was a bequest to the effect that "the residue of my estate shall be by my Executors placed in some public funds, the interest thereof to be appropriated to the schooling of indigent children, both male and female, of the town of Warren, and for other charitable pur- poses". This fund amounted to about $5,000, the avails of which have been mainly devoted to the payment of tuition of scholars in private schools in different parts of the town. No public education was provided for in this town prior to 1828, when free schools were established, and no school houses were erected or provided at the ex- pense of the town until 1842. Previous to that date, both in the vil- lage and the rural districts, the schools were taught in buildings hired by the town. In 1832 there were four public schools and nine private schools in the town. The appropriation by the town in support of schools in 1828 was $325; in 1838 it was $360, which sum was not in- creased until 1844, when it was made $650. In 1842 the town pur- chased the lower story of the Masonic Hall building in Warren village, which had been erected by the Masonic fraternity and an academic association, and there an excellent school was opened. At the town meeting of 1844 there was voted an appropriation of $600 for the erection of two school houses, one in the East and one in the North
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district. On the 7th of April, 1847, the town voted $10,000 for the erection of a school building in the West district; this resulted in the building of a fine and commodious brick structure, which was dedi- cated September 11, 1848. In this building an excellent high school was established and is now maintained. Isaac F. Cady was appointed the first principal, and held the position many years.
The statistics of the schools for 1850 are: State appropriation, $641.13; town, $1,000; receipts, $1,851.46. Enrolled, 297; average attendance, 226. There were then employed eight teachers. During the ensuing decade there was only slight change in the school condi- tions of the town.
In 1860 the State appropriation was $699.89; town, $2,500; receipts, $3,324.45. Enrolled, 385; average attendance, 296. The number of schools was increased and twelve teachers were employed.
1869-70 .- State appropriation, $1,197.95; town $2,500; receipts, $5,180.71. Enrollment, 349; average attendance, 273. In 1870, after twenty years of faithful and efficient service as principal of the high school, Isaac F. Cady resigned. A fine school building was erected that year in the Miller district, and dedicated October 15, 1871. A graded school was opened therein, with three departments. At about the same time the school house in the East district was removed to a more convenient site. In the winter of 1871-2 music was introduced as one of the school studies, and two evening schools were opened. In 1875-6 a school house was built in the South district and an addition made to the one in the North district.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $1,520.60; town, $3,800; receipts, $6,847.94. Enrolled, 524; average attendance, 360. During the pre- ceding decade there was very little change in educational conditions in the town. Larger accommodations were called for, but it was not until 1891-2 that money was appropriated for the purpose to the amount of $6,000.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $2,087.26; town, $5,500; receipts, $8,872.76. Enrolled, 735; average attendance, 408. There were then seven graded and three ungraded schools, employing fourteen teachers. The valuation of school property was $29,000.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2.003.32; town, $8,600; receipts, $11,439.78; valuation, $27,500. Number of school houses, seven, with 688 seats. Enrolled, 732; average attendance, 493. Total number of teachers, nineteen. New and improved school houses are greatly need- ed in this town at the present time, as stated in the last reports.
Coventry .- The town of Coventry was formerly a part of Warwick,
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from which it was set off in 1741. The first school houses within Cov- entry territory were built about 1760; one of these was situated at the foot of Waterman's Hill, another near Spring Lake, and a third on the main road leading from Washington over Harkney Hill. Aaron, Israel, and Ichabod Bowen, brothers, Richard Waterman, Joseph Mat- teson, and Caleb Vaughn, jr., were prominent in efforts to improve educational facilities in the town in early years. Two men, named respectively Crocker and Knox, natives of Ireland, taught an early school at Bowen's Hill, and Lemuel Spaulding taught in different school houses early in the present century. James Mathewson was another pioneer teacher at what is known as Whaley Hollow. At the date of the establishment of free schools, in 1828, there were nearly as many schools in the town as at any later date. All of the school houses built previous to 1846 were held in shares by proprietors. When the reforms of 1845-6 were introduced the school committee divided the town into eighteen districts; four of these had then recent- ly built new school houses ; six of them did not yet own school houses. The report for 1846-7 shows the total appropriation from town and State to have been $1,317.50; number of scholars registered, 1,205. The report for 1860 gives the State appropriation as $699.48; town appropriation, $841; total receipts, $2,715.08. There was expended in that year $260.55 on school houses. Enrolled, 634; average attend- ance, 414; number of teachers, nineteen.
1870-71 .- State appropriation, $2,548.38; town, $2,000; receipts, $4,675.94. Enrolled, 452; average attendance, 301; twenty-five teach- ers. The school houses were reported in good condition. An evening school was opened in the winter of 1873-4 at Quidneck. During that decade many of the schools were gradually graded. In 1878-9 a school house was built in district No. 9, and the one in No. 10 was wholly remodeled.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $2,212.55; town, $2,578.89 ; receipts, $7,112.84; valuation of school property, $19,200. Enrolled, 762; average attendance, 497. There were then eight graded and fourteen ungraded schools, and the average number of teachers was twenty-two. In this year a school house was built in district No. 4 (Rice City), and the one in No. 11 ( Coventry Center) was enlarged.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $2,703.92; town, $3,650; receipts, $7,488.79 ; valuation, $16,775. Enrolled, 690; average attendance, 353. There were then eight graded and thirteen ungraded schools, the average number of teachers was twenty-one. There has been very little change in the schools in the town in recent years.
19
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2,487.65; town, $4,202.74; receipts, $9,854.85 ; valuation, $19,925 ; number of school houses, eighteen, con- taining 862 seats. Enrolled, 771; average attendance, 452. Average number of teachers, twenty-three.
East Greenwich .- Almost nothing is on record regarding the schools of this town during a century after it was settled. They were, doubt- less, of the same general character as those noticed in other towns. One George Anderson Casey was an early teacher, whose memory was long kept alive among old residents. Kent Academy was founded in 1802, as described in another part of this chapter. Under the law of May 27, 1828, a school committee of six members was chosen, and their first report states that they had divided the town into five districts, but had not attempted to locate school houses, "hoping that the inhab- itants would relieve them from that duty". The town received from the State fund that year $181. In 1829 schools were taught in all of the five districts. Measures were adopted towards building school houses, which extended over several years, until August, 1833, when the committee reported that it would cost $1,300 to build school houses in the five districts; four of these were contracted to be built on or before October 1, 1834; the fifth one was erected the next year in district No. 1. At a town meeting, held August 8, 1846, it was voted among other proceedings that all school funds, from whatever source, be divided equally among the districts; the amount appropriated by the town that year was $112.50. A town meeting was held October 31, 1849, to make arrangements for use of the bequest from Mary Max- well, amounting to about $2,400; it was voted to keep the principal intact and that the interest be devoted to support of schools, particu- larly for the education of poor children. Dr. James H. Eldredge was trustee of this fund until 1874. Under the new law of 1845, pro- ceedings took place in all of the districts tending to better organiza- tion. In 1848 arrangements were made for opening a second school in district No. 1, and ten years later the old academy building was purchased by this district, moved to a better site and repaired for school purposes. The school house in district No. 2 was burned in 1855 and a new one erected. The school house in district No. 3 was thoroughly repaired in 1875. The house in district No. 4 was burned in January, 1865, and a new one erected the same year. In April, 1855, the house in district No. 5 was deeded to the district by the town.
The report of the school committee for 1850 gives the State appro- priation as $465.18; the town fund, $150, and the total receipts, $704 .- 18. The registration was 356 and the average attendance, 242. There
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were ten teachers employed. The report stated that there were five districts-one district organized and four unorganized. These figures were considerably increased at the close of that decade, when the State appropriation was $739.12; the town, $400; receipts, $1,495.39. Registration, 408; average attendance, 297. Only eight teachers were employed. These conditions continued with little change many years.
1869-70 .- State appropriation, $1,240.10; town, $620; receipts, $2,492.68. Enrolled, 358; average attendance, 222. The number of teachers was reduced to four in 1871-2, the attendance remaining about the same. In that year a free library was established. In 1872 an evening school was opened, beginning in December. The report for 1874-5 gives the number of schools as four graded and four un- graded, and the number of school houses as five. There was no even- ing school that year. In 1877-8 a school house was built in district No. 1, and the need of a high school was urged in the report. The other school houses were in somewhat dilapidated condition.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $1,025.76; town, $1,230; receipts, $2,692.11. Enrolled, 557; average attendance, 310. There were at that time five of the schools graded.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $1,636.16; town, $1,686.16; receipts, $3,777.79 ; valuation, $13,475. Enrolled, 395; average attendance, 236. Another graded school was added to the former number during the preceding decade and the average number of teachers employed was now ten. Six school houses were owned by the town. In 1891-2 the library was the recipient of a liberal bequest from Dr. Charles J. Thurston. In 1893-4 the first diplomas were awarded in the grammar school, and about $4,000 were expended on the school building in the village (district No. 1), and it was dedicated March 31. In 1897-8 a new primary building was erected for this district at a cost of $7,500.
1899 .- State appropriation, $1,980.67; town, $3,192.60; receipts, $21,466.98; valuation, $27,800; number of school houses, seven, con- taining 612 seats. Enrolled, 595; average attendance, 396. The total number of teachers employed is sixteen.
West Greenwich .- This town was set off from East Greenwich in 1741. One of the earliest schools of which there is present knowledge was kept in 1790 at what was known as Kit's Corners; but there were no school houses until after that date. After the passage of the act of 1828 the town was divided into twelve districts, at which time there were eleven schools in the town. In 1832 there were the same num- ber, with five private schools.
The report for 1860 shows that the town received from the State in
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that year, $791.02; town, $162.35; receipts were $1,626.43. Registra- tion, 291; average attendance, 196. There were then twelve teachers employed, and eleven schools.
1871-2 .- State appropriation, $1,089.60; town, the same; receipts, $3,208.68. Enrolled, 171; average attendance, 117 in the winter term, showing a decrease during the decade. In 1873-4 a new house was built in district No. 7; No. 8 still had no school house, but one was built in 1877-8, at a cost of $575.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $1,032.05; town, $1,007.05; receipts, $2,612.66 ; valuation, $3,915. Enrolled, 241; average attendance, 133. The number of schools was twelve, all ungraded, and kept in twelve houses.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $1,433.95 ; town, $1,458.95; receipts, $3,399.06 ; valuation, $4,800. Enrolled, 219; average attendance, 123. Other conditions were unchanged.
1899 .- State appropriation, $1,321.84; town, $1,392.99; receipts, $2,886.03; valuation, $2,575; number of school houses, twelve. En- rolled, 155; average attendance, 88.
Warwick .- As far as known the first school house built in what is known as Old Warwick was in 1716; it was used both for school and meeting purposes. How long it was in use cannot now be told, but another one was erected before the close of that century in the same district. Among the early teachers were Joseph Carder, Charles Morris, Thomas Lippitt, and Ephraim Arnold. In 1798 a school. house was built about a mile east of the site of Crompton village, which was supported by a tuition tax; this school sufficed for all of the inhabitants in that part of the town. The building was occupied for a school until about 1830. Among the early teachers there were James Pollard, Bennet Holden, Lucy Glover, Oliver Johnson, and a Miss Pond. In 1803 a school building was erected in the village of Centerville, in which religious meetings also were held. Joseph B. Pettis was the first teacher there, and other early masters were Samuel Greene, Sabin Lewis, and Oliver Johnson. In May of that year the Warwick Educational Society was incorporated with nineteen charter members. As early as 1818 schools were taught in Phenix in private houses and leased rooms. Miss Amy Gorton, Elisha W. Baker, and a Mr. Austin were among the early teachers. The first building erected in that village for school purposes was built by the "Lippitt and Phenix Sabbath School Society", in 1827. Samuel Briggs, and Peter D. Healy taught there in early years. This building was sold to the district in 1847 for $800. A school house was built in Natick in 1850,
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at a cost of over $2,000, and William B. Spencer, Rev. Arthur A. Ross, Rev. Jonathan Brayton, Alanson Holley, E. M. Tappan, and E. M. Hopkins were among the early teachers at that place. A school house was built in the Arctic district in 1875. In 1828 the town was divided into eleven districts, and Crompton district was set off from Center- ville and Coweset in 1830; since that date Pontiac, River Point, Cen- tral, Hill's Grove, and Arctic districts have been set off from other districts. In 1845 a new school house was built in Crompton district at a cost of $3,000 including the lot; this building was burned in 1867 and the present one erected on the site. In 1829-30, according to the report, there were 763 scholars in attendance, and the money expended for schools amounted to $908.50. The report for 1847, accompanying Mr. Barnard's report, shows that the average attendance was 890; the whole number registered, 1,245; appropriated by the State, $1,556.44 ; by the town, $500; registration tax, $203.13. The report of 1850 gives the State appropriations as $2,178.99; town, $650; total receipts, $3,116.43. Enrolled, 1,205; average attendance, 806. There were then fifteen districts in the town and twenty-three teachers were employed.
1860 .- State appropriation, $2,338.76; town, $1,500; receipts, $4,271.76. Enrolled, 1,284; average attendance, 934.
1871-2 .- The lapse of another decade shows considerable growth in the schools of the town. The State appropriation was $4,102.82; town, $3,500; receipts, $9,468.65. Enrolled, 1,740; average attendance, 1,184. In this school year the boundaries of districts Nos. 3, 6, 13, and 16 were somewhat changed to better accommodate the inhabitants.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $4,150.84; town, $5,000; receipts, $13,231.99 ; valuation, $29,100. Enrolled, 1,822; average attendance, 1,086. In 1872-3 a tax was laid to raise $2,200 for building a school house in district No. 3. It was also voted in that year to open an evening school in addition to the four then in operation; the first of these was opened in the previous year. As the school attendance increased there were loud complaints of lack of accommodations and the poor character of the school houses. The subject of having a high school was also agitated at this time. In 1881-2 a school house was built in district No. 2 (Spring Green) and dedicated November 8, 1881. In 1885-6 one was built in district No. 1 (Pawtuxet), at a cost of $6,000; another in No. 7 (Phenix), costing $8,000, and another in No. 14. Nearly $50,000 were expended on school buildings within two years, giving the town facilities that were wholly satisfactory. In 1887-8 a house was built for district No. 6 (Natick), costing $5,500, and one in No. 8 (Centerville).
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1889-900 .- State appropriation, $5,962.94; town, $1,100; receipts, $32,832.87; valuation, $84,725. Enrolled, 2,687; average attendance, 1,320. There were now thirty-three graded and seven ungraded schools, taught by an average number of teachers of forty. More and better evening schools were demanded. In 1891-2 a school house was built in district No. 1 (Pawtuxet), in place of one burned August 3, 1891. In 1893-4 a house was built for district No. 18 (Norwood).
1899 .- State appropriation, $6,819.80; town $23,300; receipts, $41,690.85 ; valuation, $87,925 ; number of school houses, twenty, with 3,125 seats. Total number of teachers employed, sixty-eight. En- rolled, 3,691; average attendance, 2,249.
Jamestown .- This town had its share of early private schools, of which no records were kept and little is now known of them. It is a tradition that somewhere in the town a stone school house was built before the beginning of the present century ; but the first one of which anything positive is known was erected in December, 1802. At about the end of the first quarter of the century there were only three school houses in the town, and one of these subsequently went out of use, there being only two in 1832 and for many years thereafter. In the year 1846 the State appropriation was $66.33; the town, $24.57.
In 1850 the State appropriation was $92.90; the town fund, $23; total receipts, $289.16. The registration was only fifty-eight, and the average attendance, forty-eight. Two teachers were employed.
In 1860 the State appropriation was $145; town, $23; receipts, $344.75. Enrolled, twenty-one ; average attendance, eighteen. There has been very little change since in the schools of the town.
1871-2 .- State appropriation, $254.50; town, $128; receipts, $523 .- 79. Enrolled, forty-three; average attendance in the winter term, twenty-seven.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $228.74; town, $250; receipts, $544.21; valuation, $1,700. Enrolled, eighty-four; average attend- ance, forty-three.
1889-90 .- In the decade closing with this year a grammar school was established and a new house built, making three in the town. State appropriation, $409.48; town, $625; receipts, $1,119.33; valua- tion, $3,250. Enrolled, eighty; average attendance, forty-three; two of the three schools were graded.
1899 .- State appropriation, $420.93; town, $2,025; receipts, $2,- 768.0 ; valuation, $10,400. Enrolled, 151; average attendance, ninety- four; number of teachers, eight.
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Little Compton .- In this town eight schools were taught in the winter of 1828, and most of them were open in the summer. In 1844 there were nine districts and a school in each. The State appropriated in that year, $323.21; the town, $41.29; the registration was 285 and the average attendance 200. In 1850 the State appropriation was $452.50 ; town, $120; receipts, $1,500. Enrolled, 337; average attend- ance, 212. In this year the number of organized districts was nine and one unorganized. From this date forward during many years there was a slow decline in school attendance. In 1860 the State appropriation was $745.48 ; town, $300; receipts, $1,579.01. Enrolled, 277; average attendance, 222.
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