USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 33
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1D. G. Allen in Hist. of Public Education in R. I. (Stockwell), p. 392.
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was added soon afterward. In 1832 there were twelve public and eight private schools in the town. For the year 1829-30 the State appropriated $378.84; the number of scholars under sixteen years of age was 1,184. In 1846, under the new law, the number of districts was fifteen; number of children between four and sixteen years old, 449. In 1850 the State appropriation for the town amounted to $933.59; the town raised for schools, $225; the total receipts were $1,610.72. There were then seven organized districts and the same number not organized. Enrollment, 609; average attendance, 454; number of teachers, seventeen. At the close of that decade, in 1860, the State appropriation was $1,255.60 ; town, $450; receipts, $2,482.91. Enrolled, 556; average attendance, 382.
1871-2 .- At this time there were reported fourteen school houses in the town, eight of which were large and convenient. The State appro- priation was $1,915.79 ; town the same ; receipts, $5,890.06. Enrolled, 466; average attendance, 346. Fifteen schools were taught in the winter. In 1872-3, $650 were expended in improving the school house in district No. 5, and smaller repairs were made in district No. 13. In 1874-5 a new school building was erected to take the place of the old Washington Academy, which was burned ; for this purpose an appro- priation of $11,500 was made. A school house was built also in dis- trict No. 6 (Boston Neck). Another was voted for in district No. 8 (Swampton). In 1877-8 the house in district No. 15 was extensively repaired and improved.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $1,812.51; town, $2,600; receipts, $6,573.79 ; valuation, $25,650. Enrolled, 704 ; average attendance, 436.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $2,412.55; town, $3,725; receipts, $8,208.11; valuation, $36,550. Enrolled, 735; average attendance, 466. There were then eleven graded and nine ungraded schools in the town, and the need of a high school was urged in the report. In 1890- 91 the town appropriation was increased by $5,000 and general im- provement in the school property was begun. A new building was erected in LaFayette district.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2,240.40; town, $6,667.05; receipts, $14,123.65. Valuation, $43,250. Number of school houses, sixteen, containing 952 seats. Enrolled, 853 ; average attendance, 586. Aver- age number of teachers, twenty-four.
South Kingstown .- This large town was a part of North Kingstown until 1722. It has already been stated in connection with North Kingstown that at the beginning of the present century there was not a school house in that town (then including South Kingstown), other
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than Washington Academy, founded in 1800. Under the law of 1828 the town was divided into districts, and in 1832 there were twelve public and four private schools in the town.
The report for 1850 gives the amount of the State appropriation for the year as $1,350.27 ; town, $325; receipts, $2,329.55. Enrolled, 819; average attendance, 588. There were then twenty school districts organized and one unorganized. The lapse of the decade showed very little change. The State appropriation for 1860 was $1,777.75; town, $481; receipts, $2,945.04. Enrolled, 748; average attendance, 534.
In 1869-70 the report gives the State appropriation, $3,129.64 ; town, $1,564.82; receipts, $5,491.09. Enrolled, 593; average attendance, 453 in the winter term. There were twenty-one districts, twenty schools and twenty teachers. In 1871-2 a new district was formed at the south end (Boston Neck) and numbered 22. In 1873-4 the need of a high school was expressed and Rowland G. Hazard offered to donate a site, build a house and equip it for a high school, if the necessary funds be provided to pay teachers. A special committee was appoint- ed to take the matter into consideration. A meeting was held Sep- tember 10, 1875, at which a resolution adopted in the previous June favoring the undertaking was discussed; it was rescinded at the Sep- tember town meeting. Another was adopted that the board of trustees be authorized to use $5,000 from the Robinson fund with which to purchase land and build a high-school house. The trustees reported on September 10 that the necessary subscriptions to add to the above amount could not be obtained. The undertaking was therefore de- layed until 1880-81, when, through the liberality of Mr. Hazard and the use of the fund left by Edward M. Robinson, a high school was es- tablished. The State appropriation for 1879-80 was $2,533.47; town, $2,740.47 ; receipts, $7,601.10; valuation, $11,400. Enrolled, 977; average attendance, 672. There were eleven graded and seventeen ungraded schools. In 1882-3 new school houses were built in district No. 3, costing $3,000, and in No. 5, costing $2,600.
1889-90 .- The report for this year notices an increase of interest in the high school. The State appropriation was $2,542.97; town, $3,091.57; receipts, $13,612.25; valuation, $22,950. Enrolled, 880; average attendance, 535. There were nine graded and fourteen un- graded schools.
1899 .- State appropriation, $2,606.31; town, $5,206.31; receipts, $11,320.67; valuation, $25,550; number of school houses, seventeen, with 1,015 seats. Enrolled, 938; average attendance, 603; average number of teachers, twenty-seven.
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Richmond .- This town, originally a part of Westerly, and next a part of Charlestown, was erected in 1747. "The early schools of this town were probably of a similar character to those in other towns, owned by proprietors, and supported by tuition collected for schol- ars".1 It is known thata school house was built in what became district No. 7, in 1806, by Amos Lillibridge, George Perry, David Kenyon, and Sprague Kenyon. There school was taught intermittently until about 1825, when the building was burned. In 1806, also, Caleb Barber built a stone school house near his dwelling, which was called Barber's Academy ; school was taught there a number of years. Within a few years after these buildings were erected Judge William James built a school house in what became district No. 8; it was subsequently moved to Tifft's Hill and used until 1838, when a new school house for that district was erected. A school house called Clark's school house was built about 1812, near Stanton's Corners, district No. 15, and about the same time another was erected in district No. 13. In 1826 a school house was built in district No. 9, which was called the Bell school house. Shortly after the passage of the free school act in 1828 this house became the property of the district. Under this act the town was divided into twelve districts, and three more were added by later subdivisions. In the several districts school houses were erected as follows: No. 1 in 1839; abandoned in 1859 and a new one erected ; district divided in 1865, and a house built in the new district. No. 2 in 1836; stone house built by R. G. Hazard in 1845, bought by the district in 1871; made a joint district with No. 5 of Charlestown in 1850. No. 4, in 1844; district divided in 1867 and a house built in the new No. 15; in 1868 a new house built in place of the old one in district No. 3. No. 4 became joint district, in 1838, with No. 17, South Kingstown; house in that town. Nos. 5 and 6, in 1836. No. 7, in 1837 ; burned in 1862 and new one built in 1864. No. 9, Hopkinton joined with this district in 1838, and in 1870 a new Hopkinton district also joined with it. No. 8, in 1837. Nos. 10 and 11, in 1837; aban- doned in 1869, and another erected. No. 13, in 1842; moved and en- larged in 1851, and district joined with 3 and 4 of Exeter.
For the year 1850 the town received from the State $491.16; from the town, $120; the total receipts were $1,301.89. The enrollment in that year was 330, and the average attendance, 247. There were then thirteen districts and eleven teachers were employed. During the succeeding decade the schools increased considerably in attendance.
1N. K. Church, school superintendent, 1875, in Hist. of Public Education in R. I. (Stockwell), p. 404.
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The State appropriation for 1860 was $923.48; the town, $300; total receipts, $1,811.36. There was expended on school houses in that year, $756.49. Enrolled, 388; average attendance, 252, and thirteen teachers.
1869-70 .- State appropriation, $1,751.22; town, $950; receipts, $3,142.21. Enrolled, 413; average attendance, 314. There were fif- teen districts and the same number of schools, taught by sixteen teachers; these figures are for the winter term. In 1871-2 in district No. 2 a school house was built in connection with the old one, the latter being refitted, at a cost of $3,159.27. In 1873-4 the house in district No. 8 was repaired and refitted. In 1875-6 evening schools were opened at Carolina and Wyoming.
1879-80 .- State appropriation, $1,383.25; town, $1,408.25; receipts, $3,422.93 ; valuation of school property, $15,100. There were fourteen school houses and the average number of teachers was twenty-two. Enrolled, 440; average attendance, 275. In 1883-4 a school house was built in district No. 13 (Arcadia) on an acre of ground donated by David L. Aldrich.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $1,932.17; town, $2,100; receipts, $4,661.54; valuation, $16,375. Enrolled, 444; average attendance, 223. There were then four graded and eleven ungraded schools.
1899 .- State appropriation, $1,792.02; town, $2,267.42; receipts, $5,139.70; valuation, $13,975. Number of school houses, thirteen, with 535 seats. Enrolled, 321; average attendance, 191. Average number of teachers, thirteen.
Westerly .- The early history of education in this town is mostly lost in the past. There are traditions of a "Master Slauterry", his first name Thomas, an Irishman of good qualifications for that time, who taught in the last century. There was the old red school house, which stood on the site of the Episcopal church in Westerly village ; religious meetings were held in it before a church edifice was erected. In 1814 a small academy was built near the center of the village, where Charles P. Otis was the first teacher, continuing with marked success during ten years. In 1832 the town had eleven public schools and eight of a private character. In 1839 the school expenditures were $598.68. In 1849 there was received from the State, $453.99; from the town, $1,393.01 ; the aggregate number of scholars was 504, and the attend- ance 359.
1850 .- The State appropriation was $635.58; town, $200; receipts, $1,656.29. Registered, 542 ;. average attendance, 412. There were then ten organized districts, and thirteen teachers.
22
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1860 .- State appropriation, $1,168.47; town, $331.64; receipts, $1,594.15. Registered, 425; average attendance, 370. During the succeeding decade a remarkable impulse was given to the cause of education in this town. In 1869-70 the State appropriation was $2,135.10; town, $1,100.30; receipts (inclusive of a district tax of $53,168.65), $56,590.05. There were now fourteen districts, seventeen schools and the same number of teachers. The registration was 786, and the average attendance in the winter term, 609. There was ex- pended on school houses nearly all of the district tax fund before mentioned. In the following year the sum of $20,000 was expended on permanent improvements and a like sum in the next year. The
OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, WESTERLY.
number of schools was in the mean time increased to twenty-three. In 1872-3 the houses in districts Nos. 3 and 10 were condemned, and measures adopted for their rebuilding. A district tax of $25,000 was levied for the purpose and they were soon completed. Over $10,000 were expended on permanent improvements in 1873-4. In that year an evening school was opened. In 1874-5 a district tax of $13,000 was levied and about $3,000 expended on buildings. The valuation of school property had now reached $110,000. In 1875 the house in district No. 9 was burned. The State appropriation for 1879-80 was $2,216.03; town, $2,700; receipts, $17,989.19, including a district tax of $11,776.97. Enrolled, 1,142; average attendance, 874. There were fifteen graded and eleven ungraded schools. In 1886-7 a new primary school house was built and four rooms added to the Pleasant street
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school building. The house in district No. 9 was remodeled and others repaired.
1889-90 .- State appropriation, $3,329.90; town, $4,000; receipts, $26,487.04, including a district tax of $14,609.88. Enrolled, 1,562; average attendance, 1,007. There were twenty-two graded and eleven ungraded schools.
1899 .- State appropriation, $3,106.33; town, $6,800, and a district tax of $23,110.80 ; receipts, $36,311.57; valuation, $101,150. Number of school houses, sixteen, with 1,572 seats. Enrolled, 1,661; average attendance, 1,233; average number of teachers, forty-eight. The reg- istration in the high school was 160. One evening school has been maintained for a number of years.
Narragansett .- The first report for this town is for the year 1888-89, which gives the value of the school property as $205. The State ap- propriated that year, $551.40; the town, $801.40; the receipts were $3,225.21. Enrolled, 191; average attendance, 131. At the close of that year, in 1890-91, there was little change from these figures. The Ladies' Improvement Society, of Narragansett Pier, raised $1,000, which was devoted to improving the school building and grounds. In 1899 the State appropriated $911.85 ; town, $1,819.73 ; receipts, $3,215 .- 14. Enrolled, 248; average attendance, 169. There are now five school houses in the town, with a valuation of $13,500.
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The annual report of Commissioner Stockwell for the year 1899 closes a period of service by him in that position of twenty-five years, and he takes occasion to make note of the fact and refer to some of the more important measures adopted during that period for advanc- ing educational facilities of the State and general improvement of the school system. He refers first to the great importance of the law abolishing the rate bill, passed in 1869, under Mr. Barnard's admin- istration. In 1875 a law was enacted providing for granting State aid to free libraries, and the control of the matter placed in the hands of the State Board of Education; the commissioner acts as secretary. Under this legislation the number of libraries has increased from seven to forty-nine. In 1878, after prolonged effort on the part of ardent friends of education, a law was passed establishing a yearly census of school children, from five to fifteen years of age inclusive; this law has proved to be of great benefit. This became more fully apparent upon the enactment of the compulsory law of 1883, for reasons that may be inferred.
The enactment in 1880 of the law making provision for annual
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distribution of aid from the State among cities and towns for the purchase of school apparatus and books of reference has been of inestimable benefit. In 1884 a bill was introduced in the Legislature providing for an addition of $30,000 to the amount annually appro- priated for public schools, making the total $120,000. At the same time another bill was brought forward changing both the plan of dividing this money among towns, and also the apportionment of the money in each town among the districts. Of the results of this legis- lation the commissioner reports as follows :
"Heretofore the school district formed one basis of the division, which proved to be quite an inequitable factor on account of the vary- ing size of the districts. Again, in many towns and all the cities there was no such thing as a school district. By the new law the 'school' was made the unit, instead of the district, and by trial a definite num- ber was found by means of which the new division gave to those towns of similar circumstances very nearly the same amount of money, ren- dering the distribution as nearly equal as it could be made. At the same time the school committees were instructed to so divide the whole money at their disposal that each school which was maintained should have for its support at least $180.00, that sum being deemed as small as could maintain any school for six months, the minimum time fixed by law.
"By these means quite an additional amount of money was dis- tributed among the smaller towns, and thus enough was secured for each district to enable it to continue a fairly good school for the re- quired time."
Other features of progress of the quarter-century are: giving the power to elect school superintendents to the school committees-1884; the making text books and supplies free-1893; the introduction in 1884 of the study of hygiene and physiology with special reference to the effects of stimulants and narcotics-the only study ever prescribed by law to be taught in all the schools ; the law of 1892 calling upon all private schools to register with the secretary of State Board of Educa- tion, and make annual returns to him; the founding of the several institutions that have been noticed in preceding pages ; the passage of the factory inspection act of 1894, and other more recent legislation.
The latest important measure in school legislation, and one that is probably destined to affect the whole educational system of the State, was the passage in 1898 of Chapter 544, in response to a resolution of of the previous ycar, calling upon the State Board of Education to investigate into the educational conditions, particularly in the rural districts, and report thereon, with suggestions for improvements. The
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report was forthcoming in due time and was a complete exposition of the prevailing conditions, and also named these five points as needing immediate attention: The consolidation of small and weak schools, and the development of the graded school; the determination of the qualification of teachers of the State by one central and thoroughly competent authority ; trained or skilled supervision over all schools; recognition of high schools as a component part of the public school system; and, extension of State aid. Chapter 544 was the final out- come of this movement, under which all of these five points, excepting the third, were provided for and an appropriation of $20,000 made to carry them into effect. The results thus far attained under the law have been most satisfactory and give promise of further benefit in the future.
UNIVERSITY GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND BROWN UNIVERSITY.
In the spring of 1764 Rev. James Manning settled in the town of Warren and opened a Latin school, in which it was his high purpose to fit students for college. In the same year Brown University was formally incorporated under the auspices of the Baptist denomina- tion, as an institution "in which education might be promoted and superior learning obtained, free from any sectarian tests". James Manning was endowed with all the natural and acquired qualifications for an educator of the first rank. He had graduated in 1762 from the College of New Jersey at Princeton, and arrived in Newport, R. I., in July, 1763. It was through his personal influence, supplemented by that of Rev. Morgan Edwards, that the charter of what became Brown University was obtained.
In the latter part of 1764 Mr. Manning was chosen pastor of a church which he had founded in Warren, and thither took his family in that year. His first act tending towards the establishment of a college was the opening of a Latin school. When the college was sub- sequently removed from Warren to Providence (1770), it was appar- ent that the Latin school should follow it in order to efficiently carry out the plans of its founder. Accordingly the change was made in 1770, the school occupying one part of the brick school house which has been so frequently mentioned in earlier pages of this chapter, while the college occupied the other part. In 1772 the school was removed to a room on the lower floor of the college building. On July 10 of that year the following appeared in the Gazette :
"Whereas several gentlemen have requested me to take and educate
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their sons, this may inform them, and others disposed to put their children under my care, that the Latin School is now removed, and set up in the College edifice ; where proper attention shall be given, by a master duly qualified, and those found to be the most effectual methods to obtain a competent knowledge of Grammar, steadily pursued. At the same time, Spelling, Reading, and speaking English with pro- priety, will be particularly attended to. Any who choose their sons should board in commons, may be accommodated at the same rate with the students, six shillings per week being the price. And I flatter myself that such attention will be paid to their learning and morals, as will entirely satisfy all who may send their children. All books for the school, as well as the classical authors read in College, may be had, at the lowest rate, of the subscriber.
"Providence, July 10, 1772.
JAMES MANNING."
The presidency of the college, with its attendant early struggles, demanded all the energies of Mr. Manning, and he placed the Latin school, as far as he consistently could, under the care of others. He wrote, on May 20, 1773, to Rev. John Ryland, Northampton, England, as follows : "I have a Latin School under my care, taught by one of our graduates, of about twenty boys". The graduate he mentions was Rev. Ebenezer David, well known as an excellent teacher ; he probably continued in charge of the school until the beginning of the Revolu- tionary war. The following appeared in a number of the Gazette under date of March 22, 1776 :
"A Grammar School was opened in the school-room within the College edifice on Monday the 11th instant, in which the same mode of teaching the Learned Languages is pursued, which has given such great satisfaction to the inhabitants of this town. The scholars are also instructed in Spelling, Reading and Speaking the English lan- guage with propriety, as well as in Writing and Arithmetic, such part of their time as their parents or guardians direct."
William Wilkinson, a former student in the Latin school and a graduate of the university in the class that entercd in 1774, took the school in 1786 and continued at its head eleven years. He was a most efficient master, and during his administration many students who afterwards rosc to eminence were under his instruction. In con- nection with his office of principal, he served as librarian of the col- lege, occupying with his family rooms in the college building. He died in May, 1852, at the great age of ninety-two years.
In 1786 Mr. Wilkinson announced to the public that by the advice of the school committee, he would remove the school to the brick school house, and had associated with himself Asa Learned as an English
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instructor. On September 4, 1794, the following vote was passed by the university corporation :
"Voted, That the President use his influence to establish a grammar school in this town, as an appendage to the college, to be under the immediate visitation of the President and the general inspection of the town's school committee, and that the President also procure a suitable master for such school."
The school accordingly was moved back to the college building, and a record shows that in 1803 it was in charge of Jeremiah Chaplin, and occupied the northwest corner room of the college building.
The college corporation on September 7, 1809, voted as follows :
"Voted, That a suitable building in which to keep a Grammar School, be erected on the college lands, provided a sum sufficient to defray the expense of erecting said building can be raised by subscrip- tion; that said school be under the management and control of the President of the College ; and that Thomas P. Ives, Moses Lippitt, and Thomas Lloyd Halsey, Esqrs., be a committee to raise said sum and cause said building to be erected ; and that they erect the same on the west line of the Steward's garden.
"Voted, That the President be authorized to procure a Master to teach the Grammar School ordered at this meeting, and that if a suffi- cient sum be not raised from the scholars to pay the salary of the Master, the deficiency be paid out of the funds of the University."
The committee named collected the sum of $1,500, from 118 per- sons, most of whom were citizens of Providence, and a brick building twenty-four by thirty-three feet in size was erected opposite the site of the Mansion House on College street.1 During many years after this building was finished in 1810, the upper story was used for med- ical lectures that were then given in connection with the university. The university catalogues from 1808 to 1824, contain the names of preceptors of the school in connection with the names of the president and faculty of the university. It is believed that during the succeed- ing twenty years there were interruptions in the school, but to what extent is not known. In 1837 Benjamin H. Rhodes, afterwards libra- rian of Redwood Library in Newport, took charge of the school and continued two years; he was succeeded by Joseph S. Pitman for a short period. In 1843 Elbridge Smith, who had been a tutor in the college, assumed charge for two years, and Henry S. Frieze was asso- ciated with him in 1844. When Mr. Smith left the school in 1845 his
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