USA > Vermont > Lamoille County > Johnson > History of the town of Johnson, Vt. 1784-1904 > Part 4
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November 15, 1836, Lamoille County having been formed by the Legislature, an act was passed incorporating the school as the "Lamoille Co. Grammar School," and public lands were granted to- wards its support. Levi B. Vilas was our representative that year. The act was signed by Carlos Coolidge, Speaker of the House, by D. M. Camp, President of the Senate, and Silas Jenison, Governor.
E. M. Toof of St. Albans was the next principal of the school, and we find this advertisement in the Vt. State Paper, published in John- son, May 14, 1839.
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ACADEMY, AS REBUILT IN 1847
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"Lamoille County Grammar School."
Johnson, Vermont.
The principal of this institution has recently made arrangements to receive into his family, in addition to his present number, several boys, to whose mental and moral culture the strictest attention will be paid.
The course of instruction embraces all the branches of a thorough classical, mathematical and polite education.
It will be the aim of the principal to assist the pupil in forming opinions and habits founded in manliness, reason and Christian morality, as well as to develop and strengthen his intellectual powers.
Six hours will be spent, each day, in the public school-room, and the remainder of the time, not necessary for recreation, will be de- voted to private recitations, and other mental exercises.
The charge for each scholar, per year, will be $150, payable half- yearly, in advance. No extra charges except for clothing, books and stationery, which will be furnished according to the direction of parents and guardians, left discretionary with the principal.
No scholar is received for a less time than one year, unless by special agreement.
A short vacation will be allowed the scholars in the month of August, if desired by their parents.
Application may be made to the principal by letter, or otherwise.
References, E. M. Toof, A. B., Principal ; Rev. D. Warren, Rev. Albert Stone, Johnson; Hon. D. P. Noyes, Morristown; Rev. J. Wheeler, D. D., President of the University of Vermont, Burling- ton."
Principals after this were B. J. Tenny, William T. Herrick, C. Adams, Lyman T. Flint and Simeon H. Stevens, who died suddenly, in the midst of a good degree of success. He was succeeded by the Rev. Jason F. Walker, a Methodist clergyman, whose wife was a lady of
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
more than ordinary culture and refinement, and well fitted for the po- sition which she assumed as proprietress of a young ladies' boarding- house. A limited number of young ladies were accommodated with board at the Walker house, (I. L. Pearl's old house, ) and had daily drill in the proprieties of life. Such drill was invaluable to young girls, just entering upon life's stage of action, but, with the proverbial school girls' appetite, they were not properly appreciative of the ceremonies at- tending meals, and were wont to declare that their fare consisted mainly of plates and compliments, so that they were only saved from starvation by the barrel of crackers behind the pantry door !
L. O. Stevens, who followed Mr. Walker, solicited subscriptions for repairing and enlarging the Academy, in 1847, twelve hundred dollars being then raised and expended.
Zebina K. Pangborn was the next principal, under whom the school was the largest in its history, numbering, at one time, 225 pupils, so that the vestry of the Congregational church was used for chapel exercises and many recitations. There followed H. M. Wallace, Reuben C. Benton, Moses P. Parmalee, Joseph Marsh, a son of President Marsh of the University of Vermont, who had charge but a short time, Sam- uel H. Shonyo, who took charge in 1860, continuing two years, Geo. W. Squier, who had also been previously connected with the school, and Miss Almira Benton who had charge during the fall term of 1863. Then came S. H. Pearl, and in the summer of 1866 the building was almost entirely rebuilt, and enlarged to more than double its former size, finished and furnished in a most substantial manner, to meet the increased wants of the school, the means furnished, as before, by the voluntary subscriptions of an enterprising and generous community. Calvin Whiting of the Building Committee had the laboring oar.
The school struggled along, through all these years, with the vary- ing fortunes of similar institutions in the State, sometimes flourishing vigorously, then declining till some new impulse gave it fresh life.
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It accomplished a good work in the community, fitting many for the responsible position of teachers, there being a special "Teachers' Class" in the spring and fall terms. One spring when M. P. Parmelee was principal, there being no hour of the day when all who wished to attend the Teachers' Class were free from recitations so that they could do so, the class met at the Academy at five o'clock in the morn- ing, from about the first of April until the close of the term, the middle of May.
A large number of young men were prepared here for the col- legiate course. The Academy had among its teachers many grad- uates from various colleges, some of whom afterwards attained to honorable positions in other professions. The reputation of the school was such that it was extensively patronized by students from neighboring States, and from the Provinces. .
In February, 1866, the Lamoille Co. Grammar School, having previously surrendered its charter, became a State Normal School un- der an act of a previous Legislature. It began its new career with about 50 students.
Its graduates must now number nearly a thousand, and hundreds of them are filling positions of responsibility and distinction. Among them are the Superintendent of the Industrial School at Vergennes, the Superintendent of the famous Elmira Reformatory, N. Y .; the Superintendent of the Essex Co. Truant School, Lawrence, Mass .; the editor of the Engineering News, N. Y. City; supervisor of music at the State Normal School, Whitewater, Wis .; county superintendent of schools, Omaha, Nebraska; superintendent of Thompson's Island School, Boston Harbor ; mayor of Everett, Mass .; major of ordinance, U. S. Army; teacher of Domestic Science, N. Y. City; foreman of construction, Vermont Marble Co .; and every year adds to the list of useful, honored graduates.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
The Normal teachers since S. H. Pearl have been,
C. D. Mead,
H. S. Perrigo,
W. C. Crippen,
Edward Conant,
A. H. Campbell,
R. A. Waterbury,
W. E. Ranger,
J. L. Alger, and
Edward D. Collins,
whose remarks on the state of the school since he assumed charge, two years ago, follow:
The most important changes made during the past two years may be included under the following headings :
I. EQUIPMENT.
(a) Extension of cabinets at the Normal and Training Schools, for use in keeping records of
I. Students and graduates of the Normal School.
2. The Teachers' Bureau of the Normal School.
3. Pupils' Reports at Graded School.
4. Pupils' work at Graded School.
5. Minerals and Specimens at Graded School.
6. Circulating Library for pupils of Graded School.
7. Magazines and periodicals at the Normal School.
8. Cabinet for science specimens at the Normal School.
9. Normal School Libraries on card catalog system.
(b) Tiffany Industrial Cabinet, for use at both Normal and Graded Schools.
(c) Chickering Concert Grand Piano at Normal School.
(d) Furnace at the Normal School, doing away with four stoves and supplying fresh heated air to the parts of the building not reached by the old furnace.
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(e) The addition to the Normal School Library of about 300 volumes.
(f) The beginning of a small circulating library of good juvenile literature at the Graded School.
II. CURRICULUM.
A thorough revision has been made of the courses of study. The preparatory year has been dropped. The first year's work is made the foundation on which the students are to begin their practice teaching in the second year. The second year's work emphasizes both the professional and cultural sides of the student's training and is the natural outgrowth of the first year's studies. A third year -the Higher Course, so-called-continues the work of each depart- ment of study and gives opportunities never before offered in the State Normal Schools of Vermont to gain a high degree of prepara- tion for teaching. Individual attention can be given to students of the third year, and although it is not expected that the majority of stu- dents will complete this year, it is confidently predicted that the best positions in graded schools in the State will be gained by those who do take it. High School graduates enter, as before, one year in ad- vance of the regular students, and have some further modifications of the course to adapt it to their needs, when their preparation war- rants it.
III. MISCELLANEOUS.
Among the changes which have been welcome are the repairs generously made by the trustees of the Lamoille County Grammar School in laying hard wood floors and replacing dilapidated windows. At the graded school, money raised by the children has been expended in putting the walls in good sanitary condition and in tinting them. Flowers were furnished to the children last year from the geranium
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bed of the Normal School and their bright blossoms made all the school rooms more cheery. Pots were purchased with a balance of money remaining in Miss Palmer's hands. The slight extra expense of giving the grounds of the Normal School attention through the summer makes the lawn a beautifying element in the village instead of an eyesore. It is to be regretted that the splendid opportunity offered by nature at the graded schools cannot be improved.
The character of Normal School work has greatly changed in the last few years. The growth in importance of scientific study has been reflected in our courses for teachers, and the method no less than the matter has been modernized. I feel that no part of a stu- dent's training is more valuable than her laboratory work. The School Garden has been developed, not as a fad, but as sort of an out- door laboratory for botanical and nature study along the utilitarian (vegetable gardening) and esthetic (floral gardening) sides. In music we are attempting to make the work of the school distinctively prac- tical, and we are utilizing our efforts in such ways as the mid-winter and Commencement Concerts and recitals. In connection with our work in English language and literature, the instructors are super- vising the reading of students along historical, biographical, and liter- ary lines; it will be impossible after this year for a student to com- plete her work without having read a considerable amount of the best reading, most helpful in her future work.
Remaining for development are certain lines of work no less desirable than those mentioned ; but enough has been said to indicate that notable progress has been made in the last few years in this in- stitution. The evidences of public recognition of this fact come from outside the State as well as from within. Teachers are accepted on the credentials of the State Normal School where a short time ago they were not accredited.
CHAPTER 7.
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"Little of all we value here, Wakes on the morn of its hundredth year Without feeling and looking rather queer. In short, there's nothing that keeps its youth, So far as I know, but a tree and truth."
-0. W. HOLMES.
ABSTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.
The first town record book is a thin one of coarse paper with a parchment cover, and looking much the worse for its 118 years of wear and tear. Some of the leaves have seen literal "tear," as nearly half of the first three have been eaten away by mice. This ex- planation of their sorry condition is not original with us, and we might have thought them to have been torn by some person who lacked proper regard for the ancient sanctities, but midway in the book we find a leaf, on which a deed had been recorded, mutilated in pre- cisely the same way, and below the deed is written,
"The above Record Was Torn by the mice, And i Have Re-entered What is Torn away."
So there it is, put in at the bottom of the page, in a jumble.
The title page sets forth in large, bold script, quite unlike any that follows in the book,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
"Jown Ledger A or 1st
For the Town of
Johnson State of
Vermont"
Whosoever may have been the hand that penned these words, it has long since turned to dust.
From the fragments that remain of the first leaf we learn that a town meeting was called March the 4th, 1789, that it met and chose officers, among them Aaron Smith and others to lay out roads, and adjourned to the 31st of March.
JONA. McCONNELL, Town Clerk.
At a meeting the first day of August, "Lieut. Thomas McCon- nell, Geo. Gregg and Moses McConnell were chosen a committee to hire a Surveyor and lay out a Burying yard in No. 24." (The ceme- tery on Stearns St., the first one in town).
The town meetings in these earliest years all seem to be at the house of Jonathan McConnell, not far from where the grist mill now stands as he built the first mills at this point. At the September meet- ing in 1789 we read that Noah Smith of Bennington was chosen to represent the town in the General Assembly.
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In these days, when, as a general thing, the "woods are full" of men who are anxious to be sent to the Legislature, it seems strange than an outsider should have been selected, but, as there was no regular Capital of the State until 1805, the Legislature "boarded around" from year to year. That year it was to meet at Benning- ton, a point farther distant from Johnson in actual time and labor of travel, than San Francisco is now. Amongst so few settlers, there was doubtless no one who wanted to go, and Noah Smith was right there on the ground; also, being one of the original proprietors, he could be depended upon to have the interests of the new town at heart.
The next two years Jonathan McConnell was sent as Represen- tative. He was also chosen to attend the Convention at Bennington, Jan. 6th, 1791, "to take into consideration the expediency of joining the Federal Union." So Johnson was one of the 126 towns there rep- resented.
The most of the book is given up to Surveyors' reports and measurements of roads, and to land records. The consideration in the recorded deeds is in "Pounds and Shillings, lawful money." Land was in some cases granted on condition of paying the taxes and living on it several years. What is now Waterville was then Coit's Gore, chartered in 1788 to three men, one of whom, Dr. William Coit, was the first physician in Johnson. The following, from him, is recorded Aug. 13, 1790 :
"William Coit of Colchester, having unoccupied lands in John- son, being desirous of promoting the cultivation and settlement of the same, will give a deed of fifty acres to each settler or occupier who shall go into possession by the first day of June next, and continue to occupy the same by themselves or assigns for the space of 7 years, of at least ten families who will occupy as aforesaid."
Daniel Mills paid for his land "sixty Spanish milled dollars." His deed was entered on file July 15th, 1791. He lived somewhere in the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
vicinity of the lower arch bridge, and in 1790 the town established a ferry near there. It was:
"Voted that Mr. Daniel Mills should have the Farey opeset his house in sd. Johnson so long as he gives good atendance and Have one Peney 1/2 For any Person the sd. Mills careys acrost sd. Farey and one Peney 1/2 For ech Hors and Bagegedge He the sd. Mills shall sweem or Farey."
The September meeting in 1791 was called at the house of Daniel Mills.
Nothing is recorded in this book later than 1792.
The McConnells were evidently prominent men in the settlement. Out of the 23 deeds recorded in the book, they figured, either as buyer or seller, in 16 of them. As far as known, none of their descendants have lived in town for the last thirty years or more.
English money continued to be the lawful standard in all trans- actions up to 1796, and was mentioned more or less up to 1807, when an entire change was made to the "lawful currency of the U. S."
Another trace of the old-country customs is the use of the terms "yeoman" and "gentleman," in the recorded deeds, to designate those who were farmers or otherwise.
Military titles meant a great deal and were almost invariably mentioned in connection with the owner's name. It was "Lieut. Jona. McConnell," "Ensign Samuel Eaton," "Ensign Geo. Gregg," etc.
Johnson was in Chittenden County up to 1797, after that in Franklin Co. till in 1836 it was one of the twelve towns taken to form the new county, Lamoille.
From the close of this first book there seems to be lack of records for two or three years, the first record in Ledger No 2 being of the March meeting at the house of Ralph Ellinwood, (now known as the Foote place.)
"Voted to have a Pound erected. That the sd. Pound should be placed or built as near Moses McConnell's barn as can be convenient. Joshua
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Sanders, Ralph Ellinwood, and Lieut. Geo. Gregg chosen Com. to place a Stake for the Pound."
"That all Sleds that are drawn by Cattle over two years old shall be four feet wide or Pay a fine of Twenty Shillings. Lieut. Geo. Gregg and Ensign John Simons a committee to inspect sleds."
"That the place of holding Town Meetings the present year shall be at the House of Lt. Thomas McConnell."
DANIEL COIT, Town Clerk.
At the September meeting that year 22 votes were cast for Gover- nor.
March meeting 1795.
"Voted that Ralph Ellinwood's House be the place of holding publick meetings the present year."
"Voted that John Prince be a Poundkeeper the present year."
"Voted to raise five Pounds to defray town charges."
At a town meeting held the 22d day of April of that year, Da- vid Erwin, the newly-elected Town Clerk, closes his record thus :
"The above is a true Record from ye originall minets."
There were 26 votes for Governor at the September meeting. List of those taking the Freemen's oath :
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Nathan Atwell Joel Ferry
Henry Eaton Zebulon Norris Robert Wilson
Nathaniel C. Sawyer
1795
Ralph Ellinwood John Prince
Jonah Whipple
Ebenezer Ferry
Lufkin Heath William Chambers
Benjamin Sanders David Foster Ebenezer Brooks William Heath Daniel Redington
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
At March meeting 1796 "Voted John Prince's dwelling house to be the place of publict Town meetings for the year ensuing."
There were 27 votes cast for Thomas Chittenden, Governor, at the September meeting of that year.
March meeting 1797.
"Voted that the Bridge over the north Branch By the mills be kept in repair by the Town at Large, that the Selectmen order Each Surveyor in the Town of Johnson to work on sd. Bridge an Equal proportion according to the List in their Destrict till they do make it sufficiently passiable, and that the Selectmen make a tax and appropriate the same for that purpose." (This bridge was above where the mill-dam is now).
"Voted that the town post should be at Mr. John Prince's for the year ensuing."
At the September meeting there were 35 votes cast for Governor.
September 1798, Ezekiel Cram, David McConnell and Abijah Hawley took the freeman's oath, 37 votes for Governor.
March meeting 1799, elected 13 Petit Jurors and 4 Grand Jurors, the first instance recorded. "Voted that Dr. Larrabee's house be the Town post, and the place for holding meetings the ensuing year."
Thirty-nine votes for Governor in September.
March meeting 1800.
"Elected Geo. Gregg, Aaron Smith and William H. Larrabee a Commit- tee to superintend the clearing and fencing the two burying grounds in John- son. That the Committee aforesaid be empowered to purchase the two pieces of land which are now occupied as burying grounds in sd. Johnson, to wit, The one by McConnell's mills [the old village cemetery] and the other by Wm. Redington's [the Plot cemetery] to contain one acre each in as square a form as may be, and to clear and fence the same as they shall think most convenient."
At a legally warned meeting held December 29th of that year, the voters seemed to "get on their ear," as witness the following business transacted :
"Resolved, That all old surveyors Bills and credit thereon, and all de- mands against the town for work done on the roads upon said Bills that
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have been given out since the settlement of the Town up to the year 1800, shall be considered satisfyed and forever discharged."
"Resolved, that a Vote for a town tax passed at an annual town meet- ing in March 1799 for the purpose of defraying the expense of repairing the mill bridge shall not be revived."
"Resolved also that a demand exhibited against the town by Moses Mc- Connell for the sum of $7.50, shall not be allowed."
This was the way our forefathers took to begin the new century with a clean slate! To that end, it was very fitting that at the March meeting, 1801, it was : ยท
"Voted, that John Griswold, Sam G. Eaton, Jr., and Wm. H. Larrabee be a committee to draft a subscription for the purpose of seeing what sums will be subscribed to support preaching of the Gospel the present year."
At an adjourned meeting in April the question was raised, "Shall the clearing and fencing of the burying grounds be hired by venduing the same to the lowest bidder?" and it passed in the affirmative. Ac- cordingly Mr .. Robert Wilson bid them off, the one by William Red- dington's "to clear and fence for fifteen dollars, and the one by the Mills to clear and fence for ten dollars, and to take his pay in grain."
September 1801, 45 votes cast for Governor.
At a legally warned meeting in April, 1802, it was on motion of Capt. Robert Balch :
"Resolved, That from and after the first day of May next untill the mid- dle of October next following, the owner of every hog that shall be found running at large in the road or Common shall forfeit to the person com- plaining and pay a fine of 75 Cents for each hog so found, together with Costs to be recovered before any Justice of the Peace as in action of Debt.
Provided, that nothing in this Act shall affect any person whose hogs shall accidentally break out of his yard but all such as shall intentionally let them run at large."
"Voted, that the Selectmen be a Committee to divide the town into school districts."
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
Took the freeman's oath : 1800 Moses Balch
1802
Asa Waterman
James Heath
Charles Dugar
Moses Eaton
Stephen D. Cheney 180I
Thomas Waterman
Geo. Westgate
Samuel Waters
Asa Clark
Reuben Morgan
Levi Nichols
Araunah Waterman
John Carter
Asahel Berry
Joel Wheeler
April 8, 1802. "Resolved, That there be a committee of three appointed to determine on a center of this town, and that Sam G. Eaton, Jr., Joel Wheeler and Geo. Gregg be that Committee."
The March meeting 1803 was called at the house lately occupied by William H. Larrabee, and it was there "Voted, that Araunah Wa- terman's shop be the place to hold town meetings for the year ensuing."
At an adjourned meeting in June of that year it was voted to divide the town into five school districts, and the metes and bounds of the same were described. One article in the warning was "To see if the Town will appoint some suitable persons as grave diggers," but this was passed over by vote.
At the September meeting there were about 50 votes for Governor.
On the first Monday in December, a meeting was called "To see if the Town will pass a vote to have the Small pox Brought in to town and Carried on by inoculation or not. '
At the meeting it was "Voted to have the Small Pox Brought into Town." But at the March meeting, 1804, it was "Voted, not to have the Small pox in Town this Spring."
"Voted that Araunah Waterman's dwelling house be the place for holding Town Meetings for the year ensuing."
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It seems that the clearing and fencing of the burying grounds which was provided for three years before had not been carried into effect, so, at a Town meeting called on the 20th of March it was voted, "To procure three different places for burying-yards in Johnson.
Voted to have one burying yard on the South Side of the river lamoil as near to San G. Eaton's as will best Convene the Inhabitants of sd. Town. Then voted to procure half an Acre near to Mr. Waterman's mills for a burying-yard, the same that has heretofore been occupied as such. Then voted to procure one Acre of Land as near to the Center of sd. Town as will best Convene the Inhabitants of sd. Town for a burying-yard. Then voted to exclude the person or persons from all expence in regard to the Burying grounds who have or Shall Deed the Land Gratis for the above purpose to the Town.
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