USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 31
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1879-80 .- State appropriation, $2,342.61; town, $3,405; receipts, $7,882.33; valuation, $21,350. Enrolled, 933; average attendance, 542. At that time there were seven graded and thirteen ungraded schools in the town, and fifteen school houses.
In 1884 steps were taken for establishing a high school, which was opened in 1886. During the year 1884-5 a school house was built in Olneyville (district No. 1) ; the house in district No. 7 was enlarged. In 1888-9 a new house was built in district No. 15. At this time a new building with larger accommodations for the high school was greatly needed. The State appropriation for 1889-90 was $3,405.89 ; town, $10,475; receipts, $28,060.87; valuation, $41,600. Enrolled, 1,714; average attendance, 920. There were at that time seventeen graded and thirteen ungraded schools, employing an average of thirty- two teachers. In 1890-91 three evening schools were maintained ; one at Olneyville, one at Thornton, and onc at Merino. In that year was built the high school building, now occupied as a primary school, on account of the annexation of a considerable portion of the town to the City of Providence. In the following year a four-room building was erccted in thic consolidated district (the Thornton and the Viall dis- tricts). In 1893 a school house was built in the Merino district, con- taining four rooms, and occupied in September. A new brick school house in the Plain Farm district was first occupied in February, 1894. These figures are eloquent of the rapid development of educational facilities in this town in recent years.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2,496.41; town, $8,000; receipts, $11,-
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645.96; valuation, $29,750; number of school houses, twelve, contain- ing 732 seats. Enrolled, 822; average attendance, 514. Average number of teachers, twenty-one. Only one evening school is now maintained.
Pawtucket and North Providence .- A historian of Pawtucket in writing of illiteracy in large manufacturing centers, says in substance : "The reasons why the village population of Rhode Island have not been adequately reached by public schools is only because the methods pursued have not been in agreement with the circumstances of the case. The average poverty, indifference of parents, and self-interest of manufacturers, have conspired to produce the average illiteracy in factory centers".1 This was written, doubtless, in a spirit of apology for whatever conditions of average illiteracy that have existed in Pawtucket during the greater part of its existence as a manufacturing community.
Through changes in the growth of the population a change of bound- ary lines was made on March 1, 1882, and Pawtucket, Mass., was set off from Seekonk, including the northwest corner of the former town along the river and around the falls; the remainder retained the old town name. The town of Pawtucket, Mass., continued until 1862; on March 1, of that year, Pawtucket on the east side of the river became a Rhode Island town, through a change in boundary, which gave up to Massachusetts a part of the city of Fall River, and on May 1, 1874, was joined with the community on the west side of the river to consti- tute what became the city of Pawtucket. At the same time that part of Seekonk transferred to Rhode Island became East Providence. When the town of North Providence was created, in 1765, out of the old town of Providence, the west side of the village of Pawtucket was the most populous place in the new town.
The first school taught in Pawtucket was probably a Sunday school ; but that public benefactor, Samuel Slater, originated secular schools as early as 1791, in which the children working in the mills were in- structed in the rudiments of knowledge. In 1796 the firm of Almy, Brown & Slater were paying the expenses of such a school, some of the teachers being students in Brown University. The beneficial and humanitarian results thus obtained were appreciated by other mill owners, who adopted a similar course for their workers. About the year 1793 what was long known as the red school house was erected on the site of the city hall by contributions made by residents on both sides of the river. In that house the first regular day school was
1History of Pawtucket, Robert Grieve, pp. 184-5.
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taught, and the building was open also for Sunday school. This was in all essentials a private institution, and other similar schools soon followed.
An academy was founded in 1824, on Pleasant street, on the west side, in which year Eliphas Fay taught, and later Rev. George Taft, then rector of St. Paul's church. On the east side another academy was built in 1828, and previous to that date a brick school house was built on that side on the site of the old town hall. In that building the town meetings were held from 1828 to 1845.
In the report of the school committee of Pawtucket for 1872-73 is found slight historical mention of the schools of the town. It is there stated that in the year 1828 (the year in which the town was incor- porated) the sum of $350 was appropriated by the town for support of schools; this sum was reduced to $300 the next year and so con- tinued through several successive years, varying only slightly until 1839. In that year $500 were appropriated, but "there was not a school house in the town deserving of the name. The old brick school house on School street was then in existence, but it was illy-deserving the name of a school-house". It was learned in that year by a curious investigator that the air space given to each criminal in the Massachu- setts State prison exceeded that enjoyed by the children in the town schools, and that the money appropriated for schools was less than one dollar for each scholar registered. When this state of things was reported in open town meeting, the community was startled, and in 1840, as a consequence, the school money appropriated by the town was doubled in quantity ; in that and the following years two good school houses were erected, the schools in them graded, and competent teachers employed. From that time forward appropriations were liberal. About 1855 a high school was established, which was main- tained in high excellence, and between that date and the year of the report (1872) three additional school houses were erected. The State appropriation for that year was $2,237.01, and town, $6,500; the total expenditures were about $9,000.
The first school of a public character in Pawtucket was taught in the "red school house", which was built about 1793 with funds raised by subscriptions from citizens on both sides of the river. The old school building remained in use for that purpose many years. There were private schools in carly ycars, one of which became widely known for its excellence. This was the so-called Jones school, which was opened about 1832 by Mary D. and Emily D. Jones, in thic family dwelling on Main street, opposite the foot of Park Place. The school
JONES SCHOOL HOUSE, FORMERLY STANDING ON MAIN STREET, PAWTUCKET.
THE FORMER HOME OF "SAM PATCH", THE ATHLETE AND JUMPER, WHO LOST HIS LIFE JUMPING AT GENESEE FALLS, ROCHESTER, N. Y. THE HOUSE WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN ERECTED IN 1677. IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1879.
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had at times as many as seventy pupils, and continued many years. The building was demolished in 1879.
Under the school law of 1828, for the first time in its history the town of North Providence voted, on April 16 of that year, to "raise not to exceed $600" forthesupport of public schools. The sum actually raised for this purpose was $350, while in 1829 only $300 was raised. (See school reports, 1873, p. 99.) From this time until 1839 there was not very much change in general school conditions in the town. In 1829 there were four schools besides the academy, and the share of money received from the State was $382.96. In the year 1832 the number of schools was eight, and the number of scholars 400; in that year the town appropriated $574. There were then ten private schools in the town. In 1839 the cost of maintaining the town schools was $1,215.38, the town voting $500. There were only a few very poor school houses. During the succeeding decade the number of houses was doubled, and in 1841 two good buildings were erected and the schools graded.
The first report made by the school committee of North Providence, after the reorganization under the law of 1845, was for the year 1848. On May 9, of that year, Joseph T. Sisson, who had been appointed by the school committee to make a thorough inspection of the town schools, reported to the committee the conditions in ten districts. Two of these, Nos. 1 and 2, were in the village of Pawtucket and both had grammar departments. A new school house was found in district No. 4, while that in district No. 6 was reported as "a miserable old shell", in which was taught a large school. Most of the ten schools were taught by women. The total school fund for 1848 was $3,272.42. In the report of 1850-51 the districts in this town were designated as follows: District No. 1, High street, Pawtucket, and district No. 2, Church Hill, Pawtucket; district No. 3, Wenscott; No. 4, near White's; No. 5, Centerdale; No. 6, Triptown; No. 7, Fruit Hill; No. 8, near Olneyville; No. 9, East Turnpike; No. 10, Smith's Hill. The school fund of that year was $5,357.50. In a general way these conditions were maintained until the city of Pawtucket was erected in April, 1885.
The State appropriation for schools in 1850 was $1,376.01; town, $2,500; total receipts, $4,184.99. Expended on school houses, $150. The number of districts remained at ten, with ten school houses. The registration was 1,356, and the average attendance, 919; number of teachers, twenty-six.
At the close of that decade, in 1860, the State appropriation was
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$2,246.10; town, $4,500; total receipts, $7,013.10. The registration for the winter term was 1,544, and the average attendance, 1,119; number of teachers, fourteen.
For the year 1871-2, after the lapse of another decade, the report shows that there were still ten districts in the town. The State appro- priation was $7,367.03 ; town, $15,000; receipts, $24,037.29. Enrolled, 2,226; average attendance, 1,601. There were then being taught thirty-nine schools. The first evening school was opened in Pawtucket in 1870, and in 1871-2 there were four, which were largely attended.
At the end of another decade, in 1879-80, the State appropriation was (excluding Pawtucket) $502.40 ; town, $1,100 ; receipts, $2,325.14; valuation, $5,925. The school property consisted of three houses. Enrolled, 327; average attendance, 171. There were four schools, two of which were graded, and three districts. In 1885 a new school house was built in the Centerdale district, at a cost of over $4,000.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $1,364.09; town, $3,200; receipts, $9,755.51; valuation, $16,000. Enrolled, 481; average attendance, 267. At this time there were nine graded schools taught in the four school houses. A new house was built this year at Woodville, and in 1894 another was added at Mayville.
1899 .- State appropriation, $1,993.72; town, $5,200; receipts, $7,632.80. Valuation, $30,000. Expended on sites and buildings, $474.15 ; on libraries, $180. Enrolled, 589; average attendance, 338. Total number of teachers, fifteen ; number of buildings, five.
Continuing the history of the Pawtucket schools from 1873-4, their rapid development is shown by comparative statistics. In the year named the State appropriation was $4,758.35; town appropriation, $22,000. The school property was valued at $41,500. The schools consisted of one high school (opened about 1855), two grammar schools, three intermediate schools, and two evening schools. The number of teachers employed was nine.
At the end of that decade (1879-80) the total receipts had arisen to $34,674.70. There were eighteen school buildings owned by the vil- lage, which were valued at $175,281. There were forty graded and five ungraded schools, taught by fifty-four teachers, and the registra- tion numbered 2,357, besides 428 scholars who attended the Catholic schools. There was a call upon the committee for economy. Two of the added school houses were erected in 1878-9, and two new evening schools were opened the same winter. Two other houses were built in 1876-7, and two in 1874-5. In this year the committee recom- mended the purchase of the High street Baptist church property for
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school purposes. The recommendation was carried out and the build- ing was remodeled for the high school. In this year began the erec- tion of new school houses, $20,000 being appropriated for the purpose.
In 1889-90 the total receipts had advanced to $164,990.81, and the attendance to 3,849, with 820 attending Catholic schools. There were taught seventy-nine graded schools, by 102 teachers. The city owned twenty-four school buildings. Decided progress was made during this decade in various directions. In the winter of 1882-3 an evening school for mechanical drawing was opened, which was well attended. Two new school houses were built in 1883-4, one situated on Broadway costing over $10,000. A statement issued in 1886 showed the number of graduates of the high school beginning with the establishment in 1875 of the regular graduation course. In 1878 there were five; 1879, three; 1880, seven; 1881, ten; 1882, sixteen; 1883, four; 1884, four- teen ; 1885, eight ; 1886, nineteen. The Middle Street house was built in 1886-7, containing four rooms, at a cost of $22,000; the Garden Street house at a cost of $25,000, and the Cherry Street house was in course of erection, at a cost of $25,000. These extensive additions brought the valuation of school property up to $285,057. In 1888 the Hancock Street house was built at a cost of $25,000; the house on Pidge avenue, costing $10,000, and the Wairing Street building was in process of erection. A kindergarten was added to the school sys- tem in 1888-9, with twenty-nine children in attendance.
1899 .- State appropriation, $8,828.16; town, $110,800; receipts, $174,712.01. District tax, mainly for sites and buildings, $52,000. Valuation, $523,196. Number of school buildings, twenty-six. All the schools, thirty-nine in number, are graded. Total number of teachers, 140. These figures indicate remarkable growth in the Paw- tucket schools in the last ten years. A training school was established prior to 1890, and in 1892-3 a school for Armenians was opened. In 1891-2 the new house on Grove street was occupied ; the training school was given accommodations in this building. A new kindergarten was opened and a teacher of physical training employed. The greatest improvement of recent years was the completion, in 1895-6, of the new high school building at a cost of $80,000, with $25,000 for the site. It is a splendid structure containing ten rooms-library, assembly hall, three laboratories, gymnasium, recitation rooms, etc., with all modern conveniences. The enrollment for the high school for this year is 275. The present number of evening schools is seven, with a registration of 797.
Following is a list of school superintendents of Pawtucket: 1871-3,
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B. Carpenter; 1873-5, Dr. R. E. Bishop; 1875-84, Andrew Jencks ; 1884-7, Alvin F. Pease; 1887-9, Fred Sherman ; 1889-92, Henry Max- son ; 1892-96, Gilman C. Fisher ; 1896-99, Henry D. Hervey.
Scituate .- The first school report for this town covered the year 1847. Under the act of 1828 a school committee was appointed for this town, one of whose acts was to divide the large town into twelve districts, each two miles square; this arrangement was not generally satisfactory, the school houses not being so situated as to properly accommodate the respective districts. Another committee, subsequent- ly appointed, made a new division as it existed many years. The num- ber of scholars registered in the town in 1846-7 was 797, and in the following year it was 840. At the time of this report there were seventeen districts in the town, and several of them had recently built new school houses or thoroughly repaired the old ones.
In 1850 the State appropriation was $1,348.42; town, $321.06; receipts, $1,874.44. In that year there was expended on school houses, $827. There were seventeen districts and one unorganized. Enroll- ment, 741; average attendance, 476; number of teachers employed, twenty-six.
In 1860 the State appropriation was $1,765.08; town, $900; receipts, $4,137.45. There was expended on school houses, $184. Enrollment, 817; average attendance, 528; number of teachers, twenty-one.
1870-71 .- State appropriation, $2,737.36; town, $1,800; receipts, $5,637.92. Enrollment, 540, winter term; average attendance, 389. There were then nineteen school districts and the houses were reported in excellent condition. An evening school was opened in 1873-4, but it was unsuccessful. Two years later a small appropriation was made, and in 1877-8 three were conducted with a fair attendance; the next year another was added.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $2,284.81; town, $2,348.62; receipts, $5,410.47; valuation, $14,300. Enrolled, 646; average attendance, 375. There were then four graded and seventeen ungraded schools, and the average number of teachers was twenty-one. There were nineteen school houses and two evening schools were open. During the succeeding decade the school houses began to get dilapidated, and in 1887 the report stated that the schools were not making satisfactory progress.
1899-90. State appropriation, $2,208.35; town, $2,600; receipts, $10,364.36 ; valuation, $16,700. Enrolled, 594; average attendance, 319. There were four graded and sixteen ungraded schools, taught by an average of twenty-seven teachers.
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1899 .- State appropriation, $2,079.08; town, $4,000; receipts, $6,994.79; valuation, $15,200. The town has eighteen school houses containing 952 seats. Enrolled, 621; average attendance, 344. Aver- age number of teachers, twenty.
Smithfield, North Smithfield and Lincoln .- The first census taken in Smithfield gave the number of inhabitants as 450; that was in the year 1748. Under the school law of 1800 the following action is re- corded : "Smithfield shall cause to be established, and kept every year, so many free schools as shall be equivalent to three such schools six months in the year". There were at that time in what is now Smithfield five public school houses, in some of which the schools were free. The school act of 1800, as before stated, was repealed in 1803. Under the act of 1828 free schools were established in the town in 1830, and the local school interests in all directions were advanced under that act and the one of 1839. In 1840 the school population of the town was 3,311, and there were nineteen districts in the town; most of these were organized in 1845 under the act passed the previous year. In the year 1845 there were ten teachers' institutes held in Smithfield and much enthusiasm was manifested. In June, 1847, the first school committee report from the town was made, it being the second one ever made in any form upon the subject of free schools. The State appro- priation of that year was $2,175, and of the town, $2,500; the whole expenditure was $5,292.16. About $1,100 were donated for libraries, and the aggregate expended for school houses and repairs was $6,005; five new school houses were built during the preceding year, and fifty- four different schools were taught. The number of scholars regis- tered was 2,012. In 1848 some of the schools of the town were graded. Ten years later, in 1856, the State appropriation was $4,126.19, and from the town, $4,500; at that time there were thirty-five districts and forty-four schools. In 1860 the State appropriation was $4,119.29; town, $4,500; total receipts, $11,434.49. Enrolled, 2,444; average attendance, 1,902. The number of teachers then employed was forty- seven.
1870 .- The State appropriation was $6,944.04; town, $19,000. In this year the old town of Smithfield was divided, the new towns of North Smithfield and Lincoln being set off. This change left the old town with only ten districts, with the local names of Allenville, Still- water, Wionkhiege, Evans, Spragueville, Georgiaville, Angell, Dexter, Greenville, and Woonasquatucket. A school census taken in 1871 showed that Lincoln had then 2,715 children between five and fifteen years of age; North Smithfield, 826, and "Woonsocket set off" (a
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small area added to the town of Woonsocket), 985. "In 1869 and 1870 Smithfield held the post of honor in the school system of this State, having appropriated the highest per cent. on its valuation, having employed successful teachers, and attained to a high degree of profi- ciency in the studies pursued".1 In 1874 a joint district was formed from Smithfield and North Smithfield, consolidating the old Andrews district as it existed before the town division. In 1874 a new school house was built in district No. 5 at a cost of $4,000, and three others were put in repair. A new house was built in No. 9 at a cost of $9,000. Enrolled that year, 539 ; average attendance, 283. The school property was valued at $21,300. Twelve teachers were employed.
Coming down to the close of that decade, it is found that the State appropriation was $1,494.78; town, $2,700; valuation, $20,300. En- rolled, 554; average attendance, 302. Meanwhile in 1876-7 districts Nos. 3 of Smithfield and 12 of Lincoln were consolidated.
1890 .- State appropriation, $1,820.02; town, $2,650; total receipts, $5,749.66. Enrolled, 534; average attendance, 272.
1899 .- State appropriation, $1,572.92; town, $3,500; receipts, $7,013.02; valuation, $23,700; number of school houses, nine; total number of teachers, fourteen. Enrolled, 440; average attendance, 237.
Of the districts remaining in the town of Smithfield after the division, Allenville was the oldest in which a house was set aside for school purposes; there was a school house in the district about 1776. The next one was known as the Barnes school, which was taught in the first decade of this century. In 1820 Philip Allen, once governor of this State, built a cotton mill here, and from him the district takes its name. He built, also, a school house, the use of which he gave to the people. The later school house was built in 1849. Georgiaville dis- trict was formerly a part of No. 1, until about 1815. In 1820 a school was opened in a stone building near the river, then owned by Samuel A. Nightingale. In 1827 Mr. Nightingale built a larger building for week-day school and Sunday services. The later school house was built in 1850; it was raised and a story added in 1873. Angell dis- triet was an original district in 1766 and had a public school house. The later building was erected in 1832. In Dexter district, also, one of the very early schools was taught. A school house was erected in 1816. There was a public school house in Stillwater district in 1776. In 1830 another school house was built, which was in use until 1874,
1Sketch of Smithfield schools, Hist. of Pub. Instruction in R. I. (Stockwell), p. 421.
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when a new one was erected. Wionkhiege district was organized as early as 1816, but had no house for public school until 1856. Evans district was formed as early as 1806, and schools for a number of years were taught in private dwellings and elsewhere. A private school house was in use for the first in 1830, which was purchased by the district in 1872. Spragueville district was formerly a part of Evans district, the division having been made in 1840; a school was taught in the territory of the district as early as 1808. A school house was erect- ed in Spragueville about 1844. Greenville district had the earliest school in this town, according to the record; a public school house stood in 1750 on the site of the later building. An account of Greene academy will be found on another page.
The statistics of schools in North Smithfield in 1871-2, immediately following the erection of the town, show that the State appropriation was $1,438.69; town, $2,500; there was received from the old town, $511.55. There were then fourteen districts in the new town, and an average attendance of 254, withi ten teachers employed.
1879-80 .- After the lapse of a decade of its existence the State appropriation had increased to $1,447.97; town, $2,600; receipts, $4,355.62 ; valuation, $14,300. Enrolled, 548, average attendance, 319. There were eleven schools, six of which were graded, and twelve teach- ers were employed. In 1884-5 the first evening school was opened, and in 1887-8 a new school house was built in district No. 3.
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