USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 22
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History of Rockingham
voters evidently feeling that the first dimensions were extrav- agant to accommodate the eighty scholars then in the district. The school-house as finally erected is described in the records as follows :
" Description of a school house let out to be built October 5, 1822, to Robert Finlay for $218. The walls of said house and poarch to be made of good merchantable brick. Said house to be built twenty feet wide, and twenty-four feet long. Said poarch six feet square inside, eight feet stud, with two fire places one at each end of the house. Swinglass windows in the body of the house twenty lights in each window two rows of seats on each side of the house Suitable for writing Scholars one ditto for small scholars the floor in the porch to be laid of two inch sound pine or hemlock planks Said rooms to be ceiled overhead and the walls not plastered The house and poarch to be finished by the first day of December next in a plain workman- like manner Suitable to teach school in pay to be made in grain in the month of January next. To be Shingled with good white pine Shingles."
The total expense of the school in this district for the year 1852 was $97.65, made up as follows: "12 weeks school taught by female at 1.25 per week, $15, 12 weeks by male do $39. Cost of board, 36. cost of wood 7.65." The number of scholars in the district in 1853 was fifty-five. The records of the annual school meeting October 8, 1853, show the following action :
" 10 ly Voted to set up the board at auction and the lowest bidder to board the teachers. Alby Buss has the two first weeks at $1.75. Lucius Estabrook 3 and 4, 1.743. Geo. W. Morrison 5, 6, 7, 1.75. Timothy Lovell the remainder 1.90 Raymond Brockway boards the female for $1.25 per week." The number of scholars in 1854 in this district was only twenty four, and the same number in 1856.
The question of heating the school-house was much discussed. Some years the district voted not to furnish wood to heat the building.
At the annual meeting, December 10, 1807, $14 was voted for " getting wood for the support of the school" and it was " voted that each and every person taxed should have the privilege of paying his or her tax or rates in good and merchantable hard wood, cut three feet long and split suitable for the fire in said school house if delivered at said school house by the 10th day of January."
The rate allowed was $1.00 per cord. The teachers usually "boarded round," the board being credited on the taxes in place of so much cash. Under date of November
School Census, 1805-1905 239
II, 1822, the following vote is recorded, "voted that the board of the master and mistress be set at $1.00 per week and that if any man would rather pay the money than board, let him pay it." The records above quoted are typical of those in all the districts of the town.
The system was crude and was often in the control of uneducated men. The conditions have gradually changed and now schools are fewer in number and have developed a much higher grade of efficiency.
The south-middle district, covering the present village of Saxtons River was organized October 11, 1814, at the dwelling-house of Rev. Joseph Elliot. It is the same house now owned by H. A. Stearns in the south part of the village. October 17, 1814, it was voted to unite with district No. 6 in Westminster.
The town records show the following as the number of pupils in the different districts in the year 1805 :
South-East, 26,
Bellows Falls.
South-West,
32, Cambridgeport.
South-Middle 75, Saxtons River.
Marshes, 83, " Rollins Hill," north of Rockingham village.
Pleasant Valley 33,
" Pleasant Valley."
Middle district 87, Rockingham.
Elijah Lovell's 88,
Lawrence Mills.
West-Middle, 62, .
Oliver Willard's 70,
Hugh Orr's, 45,
Gilman's, 28,
Enos Lovell's, 53,
682
The relative number of children in the families of Rock- ingham one hundred years ago can be seen by the fact that the census of 1800 shows the total population of Rockingham as 1,684 with the above number of pupils of school age. In the year 1905, the number of pupils between the ages of five and eighteen was 1,386, the population of the town in 1900 being 5,809. Of the pupils in 1905, 1,095 were located in Bellows Falls, twenty-eight in Cambridgeport, one hundred
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History of Rockingham
and sixty-four in Saxtons River, eleven in Rockingham, and eight in Lawrence Mills.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN BELLOWS FALLS
The first dwellings in Bellows Falls were built upon the meadows just north of the present location of the village, the principal occupations of the inhabitants at that time being farming and fishing. For this reason the first school build- ing was erected a little north of the village of to-day. It was about ten rods southeast of the corner of the cottage houses built a few years since by A. E. Lamb nearly opposite the street leading to Webb terrace from Rockingham road, and nearly the same distance from the main highway.
At this point, the road, previous to the building of the railroad, was about ten rods nearer the river, the school- house being immediately at the side of the road. The exact location of this building is still shown by a depression in the land where the foundation was, and the spot has recently been marked in a temporary manner.
The town records show very little relating to school matters before the control came into the hands of the town, and little care was taken when the change was made to pre- serve the important records of the different districts. All the records previous to those of 1870 of school district No. I, which embraced what is now the village of Bellows Falls, are lost. The first building was probably not used after about 1810, the only knowledge of it having been handed down by tradition, well authenticated, from Quartus Morgan who became a prominent resident as early as 1798, and who owned the land where the building stood.
The next school building in this district was located where the brick Granger block now stands, on the east side of Westminster street, and was erected soon after the beginning of the last century. It was a square, one story, brick build- ing, originally with one, later with two rooms. Its shingled roof came to a peak in the centre from its four sides, sur- mounted by a small cupola, and it was a prominent land-
THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS OF BELLOWS FALLS, 1907.
NO. 4, WELLS STREET. No. 5, NEW HIGH SCHOOL, SCHOOL STREET. No. 2, SCHOOL AND GEORGE STREETS. NO. 3, ATKINSON STREET.
NO. 1, OLD HIGH SCHOOL, CHERRY STREET.
241
Earliest School Buildings
mark as one approached the village from the south on either side of the river. It never possessed a bell. It stood a little back from Westminster street and on higher ground, there being a short flight of steps in front of it leading to its one entrance. After 1830, it was used as a tenement house, and was torn down when Granger block was erected 'in 1855. The next school building was erected in 1830, on the corner of what are now School and Cherry streets, upon the site of the present residence of Mrs. Aaron Arms. This also was of brick, had two rooms only, and took the place of the last mentioned building.
This was used by the district until the fall of 1854, when the first brick high school building was built on the site of the present " Old High School Building No. 1," on Cherry street. On May 1, 1854, the building at the corner of Cherry and School streets was deeded to the Catholic church, but the use of it was retained for school purposes until December 1, 1854. At this time the new building on Cherry street was ready for occupancy ; and the old building was for some years used for a Catholic church.
The first high school building, erected in the summer of 1854, at a cost of $5,000, was destroyed by fire November 27, 1866, and was replaced the next year by the main part of the present structure, costing $17,000. This was first occupied January 1, 1868. Important additions were made to it in 1887 costing $6,000. It was known as the " High School" building until 1896 when the present high school building was erected, and since then it has been known as the " Old High School " building, or " Building No. I."
In 1879, building No. 2, between School street extension and George street, was built, followed in 1884 by No. 3 building near the south end of Atkinson street, and in 1892 by No. 4 on Wells street. These buildings are all of similar construction, each having four school rooms, and each cost about $12,000.
In 1896 the present high school building on the north side of School street was built at an expense of about $60,000,
17
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History of Rockingham
and contains rooms enough to provide for the increasing needs for some years to come. In addition to these regular school buildings, the vestries of the Congregational and Baptist churches have been used at various times by the public schools of the town. After the destruction of the high school building by fire, in 1866, the vestry of the Congregational church and the office now occupied by the editorial depart- ment of the Bellows Falls Times were used for school pur- poses and supplied all the facilities until the March town meeting in 1867, when it was voted not to have any high school until the new building should be completed, which was January 1, 1868.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN SAXTONS RIVER
The first school building in Saxtons River village was located on the north side of Main street, nearly opposite the upper dam, on the grounds of W. B. Glynn's present resi- dence, about half way between where the dwelling stands and the street. It was built of brick, two stories, with one school room in each story. This was taken down about 1849 and a frame building erected in its place. About 1866 the district was united with the neighboring district in West- minster and the "Old Seminary" building secured on the south side of the river, which has since been used. The school-house which was then abandoned was partly used in building Mr. Glynn's residence, and about half of it used in building the structure now occupied by I. A. Farr's meat market.
BELLOWS FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
In 1854 the term " high school " was applied to the highest grade of Bellows Falls schools, a system of grading the pupils then being adopted, but without graduation. First it was "high " and "primary," then an "intermediate " was added, and later a "grammar " school. No regular course of study was laid out until 1872, when the district voted that "the prudential committee be instructed to arrange a system
Erected 1854, Burned November 27, IS66 THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING IN BELLOWS FALLS.
1
2 7
243
High School Graduates
of study as soon as possible for the three schools, high, grammar and intermediate." The same year it was voted to establish a second intermediate. With this crude system the schools were conducted, without graduation, until 1874. In the fall of this year Prof. L. F. Ward of Westminster, who had been a prominent instructor in various seminaries, including the old Saxtons River seminary, was engaged as principal of the high school and he that year arranged the first system of classes. The first class to graduate was that of 1876, and with the exception of 1877 and 1880 classes have gone forth each year with diplomas. The total number of graduates to date is 369.
GRADUATES OF THE BELLOWS FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
1876.
Alice M. Eddy.
Hattie A. Hildreth. Frederick II. Babbitt.
Clement A. Granger.
1878. Emily H. Farr. Mary E. Stuart.
Emeline G. Hadley. Minnie J. Wright.
George H. Babbitt, Jr.
1879.
Annie Merriam. Fred B. Griswold.
Frank H. Chipman.
Elmer E. Eddy.
Mary L. Dow. George I. Whitney.
Katherine A. Diggins. Carrie M. Hutchins. Ida M. Wilson.
1882. Mary C. Gale. Jessie M. Randall. Everett M. Ball.
Maud M. Hapgood. Emily O. Sabin. Orrin H. Carpenter.
1883. Annie M. Titus.
Marcia A. Church. Hattie Titus.
1884. Grace A. Kidder. Carroll A. Moore.
Gertrude L. Morrill. Thomas E. O'Brien.
Fred A. Piper.
Mary A. Barry.
Leora E. Stuart.
1881. Mary L. Guild.
William A. O'Brien.
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History of Rockingham
1885.
Flora E. Clarke.
Myra C. Kingston.
Clara B. Mandigo. William A. Conant.
Annie M. Dow.
Ilattie M. Ladd.
Carrie B. Marble.
Nat A. Wheeler.
1886. Ned S. Alexander.
IS87.
Katherine B. Titus.
Charles B. Underhill.
Lena E. Cooper. Charles E. Whitman.
Mabel D. Capron.
Hattie E. Jenkins.
Lillian Manning. Mabel Turner.
Minnie A. Austin.
Minnie A. Ilackett.
Alma M. Richardson.
Walter C. Smith.
1890.
Nettie M. George. Mary E. Powers. Edgar A. Guild.
Julia C. Morrill. Bertrand Bigelow.
Bertha I. Capron. Mabelle E. Parsons. Charles S. Eddy.
Annie P. Ballou. Mary S. McLeod. J. Homer Bacon.
Alice B. Banks. Gertie B. Spaulding. Nathaniel W. Smith.
Alice B. Cannon. Chauncey C. Adams.
1893.
Lucy M. Ilall. Katherine M. Sullivan. C. Ernest White.
Rosabelle A. Ilatch. Edmond C. Bolles. Louis B. Willson.
Katie M. Carpenter. Gertrude S. Ilayes. Henry E. Bush. Will A. McDonald.
I894.
Fannie M. Chipman. Florence Young. Erwin W. Kelley. Allie C. Moulton.
Ruth C. Gove. George A. Andrews. Alonzo B. Mack. Byron A. Robinson.
Winifred E. Ball. Lura M. Homans. Florence E. Locke.
Mary B. Wales. Ned K. Woods.
Marion P. Davidson.
Edward A. Shuttleworth.
188S.
Eleanor Carruthers.
Alice M. Locke. R. Jeannette McQuaid. Belle Whitman.
Adella M. Clarke. Lura A. Lovell. Alice M. Parkinson.
1889. Annie M. Ball.
Abbie L. Carpenter. Emma L. Shaw.
James F. O'Brien.
Mary J. Flavin. Mary C. Nims. George II. Guild.
IS91.
Cindie B. Dalton. Edgar Carruthers.
Lura A. Perry. Newton D. Clarke.
1892.
Bertha I. Bigelow. Lucy A. Phelps. Bert Underhill.
245
High School Graduates
1895.
Lulu M. Ranville. Daisy Webb. Susie Thompson. Rodney W. Roundy.
Mary W. Worral. Nellie Hartnett.
Emma L. Moore.
Harold A. Hatch.
1896.
Elizabeth B. Butterfield.
Margaret J. Sullivan.
Stella M. Dunham.
Mary A. Read.
Stella H. Webb.
Thomas Shaughnessy.
1897.
Jennie S. Shipman.
Caroline H. Arms.
Charlotte M. Day.
Elizabeth L. Dean.
Bertha A. O'Brien.
Ada L. Williams. Gordon P. Johnson. Ernest T. Dean.
Angie G. Allbee. Genevieve Williams.
Emily L. Gosselin.
Eva M. Weeden.
Kendall Banning. John W. Church. Joseph E. McGreen.
Margaret S. Williams. Bessie E. Lewis.
Ida M. Flavin.
Katherine A. Hennessey. Mary A. McGreen.
Ruth J. Thayer. Patrick H. Hartnett. William B. Barker. Harlen G. Foster. John H. Kiniry.
Annie D. Dodge. Mary W. Roundy. Frederick P. Bailey. Patrick W. Carroll. Frank W. Weeden. John C. Cray. Maurice J. Roche. Morton G. Wiley.
1900. .
Etta M. MacDonald. Helen E. Gibson.
Frederick H. Blossom. John C. Hennessey. Laurie D. Cox.
Ernest E. Griffith. Henry A. Stoddard.
Lula A. Buxton.
Ethel C. Buckman.
Ida A. Isham.
Mabel L. Roundy.
Harry W. Mckinnon.
Alan D. Finlayson.
1 899.
Grace A. Church.
Annie O. Fullerton.
Anna B. Williams.
Lula M. Lewis.
Bertha M. Bacon.
Emma L. Winnewisser. Nelson B. Ober.
James A. Bruce. Selah F. Harriman. Richard F. Barker.
Katherine M. O'Brien.
Carrie E. Daggett.
Jennie B. Ellis.
Blanche A. Webb.
Elizabeth A. Hennessey.
Ella F. Spaulding.
Henry O. King.
Mary A. Keough. Harry N. George. Arthur W. Coolidge.
1898. Emily I. W. Blake.
Lucy J. Barker.
Florence E. Finlayson.
Edith O. Wetherbee.
Francis H. Burr.
Adelbert E. Edson.
Alice C. Frost. Ila G. Smith. Mildred Young. Francis B. Upham.
Harvey F. Chase. James W. Howard.
Lena M. Miller. Clara L. George. J. Ambrose Busby. Emmett R. Smith. Archie E. Beebe. George W. Kiniry. Owen F. Sullivan.
Mary E. Baker. Elizabeth Flavin. Nancy Whitney. Effie M. Clark.
Agnes D. St. Croix.
Willard H. Bacon.
Susan P. Roundy.
Ida M. Young.
Ethel E. Fullerton. Jennie M. Daggett. Edith M. Currier. Dana G. Pierce.
Helen G. Guild.
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History of Rockingham
1901.
Elizabeth F. O'Neill.
Mary L. Wright.
Grace Holland.
Caroline A. Miller.
Ardell B. Carpenter.
Elizabeth F. Willson.
Herbert G. Bancroft.
Lemuel E. Mackinnon.
Helen T. Sanford.
Mary B. Farr.
Nancy M. Ilolland.
Mattie L. Reynolds.
Florence T. Morgan.
Henry A. Shaughnessy. William E. Cray.
Daniel P. Thompson.
Katharine W. Williams. Agnes M. Gast. Mary C. Hughes.
Geneva M. Thayer.
Elizabeth P. Ward.
Mark R. Arnold. John J. Howard.
1902.
Annie L. Benson.
Jessie E. Ryder.
Margaret S. Ryder.
Ina A. Church.
Sara B. Dalton.
Anna C. Hartnett.
Mary F. Higgins.
Harriette A. Kemp.
Margaret G. Sylvester.
William D. Hayes.
Raymond S. Wilbur.
Henry C. Capron.
Archibald L. Mackinnon. Stephen N. Searle.
1903.
Kathryn A. Tully.
Esther E. Meacham.
Mary M. Brosnahan. May F. Hennessey. Walter C. Hadley.
Francis A. McGreen.
Bertha E. Wiggin. Mary M. Barrett. Edith B. Damon.
Charles D. Whitcomb.
Jay L. Livermore. John P. Shea.
1904.
Helen W. Ryder.
Blanche Woodfall. Cora A. Houghton. Veliska F. Exner. May A. Pierce. Timothy J. Shea. Preston H. Hadley, Jr. Ilarry E. MacDonald.
Annie M. Barry. Louise C. Ilay. Ethel Mack. Margaret M. Riley. Lula M. Whitcomb.
William Brown. Felix E. Exner.
Frank E. Shaughnessy.
Bertha Bodine.
Margaret E. Savage.
Mary F. Howard. Katherine II. Sheridan. Julia V. Marlborough. Walter E. Martin. Scott B. Splan.
Mary F. Barrett. Katherine L. Hogan. Grace F. Perry. May E. Hartnett. Grace O. Williams. Jerry J. Morin. Hugh F. O'Brien.
1905.
Helen Deyette. Annie Knowlton. Edith McDonald. Lena L. Sawyer. Francis R. Bolles. Harold H. Cady. Hugh S. Kimball. Lee L. Smalley.
Elizabeth Dickinson. Jennie Krieger. Kathryn E. Petty. Ruth Simonds. Philip P. Brooks. Melvin II. Damon. Ray J. Rand.
Alice M. Weaver.
Marian A. Willson.
Carl F. Northrup. Thomas K. McCaffrey. George W. Upham.
Grace E. Sargeant. Alice A. Sanford.
Madeline Babbitt. Anna M. Farrow. Charles C. Frost. Charles R. McAuliffe. John J. Brosnahan.
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Photo by R. C. Bristol.
BELLOWS FALLS HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 1907.
Rowe Campbell Wales, John Charles Lawlor, Bernard Larkin Riley, Guy Lewis Fifield, Maurice Keefe. Prof. A. E. Tuttle, Ruth Mildred Hadley, Ethel Clara Dowlin, Julia Agnes Butter, Nora Agnes Hogan, Bessie Frances Kemp, Florence Marion Ray, Gladys Helen Blake, Agnes Catherine Shea, Arthur James Sherman.
Marion Lucia Williams, Edna Young Bond, Mary Anna White, Catherine Isabelle McLeod, Marguerite Elizabeth Taylor, William Charles Cray. James Relihan, Anne Helena Mitchell, Gladys Eleanor Kimball, Faith Dulcena Thayer, Susie Etta Willard, Carl Kenneth Bowen.
247
Early School Teachers
1906.
M. Gertrude Blake.
Emma G. Bond.
Annie E. Cleary.
Mary M. Cray.
Jennie M. Farnsworth.
Flora M. Frost.
Edna T. Gibson.
Catherine C. Higgins.
Ethel W. IIill.
Anna Iloward.
Josephine M. Howard.
Mary E. Howard.
Blanche A. Kelley.
Jessie L. O'Brien.
Mae J. O'Brien.
Mabel H. Perry. Ida P. Royce.
Florence G. Pierce. Mary G. Searle.
Charlotte D. Ryder.
James E. Barrett.
Ernest F. Bowen.
Eugene J. Cray.
Morton Downing.
Frank H. Houghton.
Edward J. Howard.
Charles F. McGreen.
Walter E. Parsons.
Herbert R. Pierce.
Guy W. Powers.
John B. Putnam.
Edward C. Rice.
BELLOWS FALLS TEACHERS
Among the teachers of the Bellows Falls schools in early days, still remembered by older inhabitants, was P. B. Good- sell, the first principal of the high school, who taught here from 1854 to 1857. Miss Sarah Hyde, Miss Cutter (Mrs. O. D. Gray), Miss Conant, and Miss Callender were teachers in other grades. A. D. Roe of Springfield, Mass., was principal from 1857 to 1859. Mrs. Roe was then assistant, and in after years published several volumes of poems. When she left here, the pupils presented her with the unique gift of a hair wreath, made from the hair of every scholar in the schools. At this time, Sarah W. Divoll, sister of J. L. Divoll at Rockingham, taught the intermediate and Sarah A. Barker the primary departments. The names of Miss Hor- ton and Miss Willis are also found as teachers during this period.
William II. Johnson, who afterward became a prominent local business man and later resided in New York, was principal in 1859-61, and Mrs. Johnson assistant. Miss Cragin of Ludlow, Miss Divoll, Miss Church, Miss Aldrich, Miss Fisher, and Mrs. Wheeler were among the other teach- ers at about this time.
A. M. Wheeler, later a minister in Salem, Mass., was principal five terms in 1862 and 1863; Mr. Flanders, later a minister in North Tisbury, Mass., one term in the fall of 1863; M. S. Webb, who died in California, five terms in 1864 and 1865; A. B. C. Douglas one term in the fall of
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History of Rockingham
1865 ; Prof. L. F. Ward, who died at his home in West- minster in 1882, four terms in 1866, and 1867. No school was held in the village in the spring and fall of 1867, on account of the destruction of the only school building by fire. Rev. N. Pierce, then pastor of the Baptist church here, and who later went to Michigan and thence to Springfield, Ill., where he died in 1873, was principal during the winter term of 1867-8; Mr. Crawford, who later became a minister in Rutland, Mass., one term in the spring of 1868; Charles G. Allen, later a manufacturer in Barre, Mass., two terms in 1868 and 1869: C. R. Crowell, who later resided in Walpole, N. II., the spring term of 1869; Mark Ward, later engaged in the manufacture of electrical apparatus in Springfield, Mass., spring term of 1870: F. A. Bolles, now for thirty-three years town clerk of Rockingham, the fall term of 1870 ; Alfred S. Hall, now a lawyer in Boston, the winter term of 1870 and 1871 ; Miss Emma Brown, one term in the spring of 1871 : H. L. Cheesman, later a physician of Theresa, N. Y., six terms in 1871-2-3 ; J. S. Chapman, who later moved to Florida, two terms in 1873 and 1874. During Mr. Chapman's principalship of the high school, the names are found of Isabella Perkins as teacher of the grammar school, Miss E. Austin, the intermediate in place of Miss Emily Vilas who was temporarily absent, and Miss Corlew the primary.
In 1874, Prof. L. F. Ward returned here and the system of graduating classes was established. Miss Emily Vilas taught the grammar school at this time, Miss Annie Kidder the intermediate, and Miss Agnes Elmendorf the primary. George A. Brown succeeded Prof. Ward as principal from 1878 to 1881. Mr. Brown later became a lawyer in Bellows Falls and is now well known in that profession in Everett and Boston, Mass. At this time the names are on record of Mrs. Geo. A. Brown as teacher of the grammar school, Mrs. Flanders and Miss Eddy the intermediate, and Miss Elmen- dorf the primary. Herbert D. Ryder, now a lawyer of Bellows Falls and chairman of the school board, was prin-
249
High School Principals and Assistants
cipal from 1881 to 1887. He was followed by O. F. Davis, later principal of Salt Lake Academy at Salt Lake City, Utah, who was principal during the school year of 1887-8. J. C. Simpson, later superintendent of schools of Portsmouth, N. H., now a member of the publishing firm of D. C. Heath & Co., was principal from 1888 to 1892 ; S. S. Wright, 1892 to 1894 ; F. E. Chapin, later of Randolph, Mass., 1894 to 1897; A. B. Crawford, now principal of the Newmarket N. H., High School, 1897 to 1899 ; F. L. Bugbee of Ludlow, Vt., now with Henry Holt & Co. publishers of New York, 1899 and 1900; Marshall W. Downing, now master of the Greek and Latin departments of the Syracuse, N. Y. high school, was here from 1900 to 1903 when he was succeeded by Walter D. Parsons. Mr. Parsons was succeeded in 1904 by A. E. Tuttle, the present principal.
The list of those holding the position of first assistants in the high school is complete only from the year 1863: Miss Flanders, two terms in 1863 and 1864; Miss Stone, the spring term of 1864; Miss Hoyt, the school year of 1864 and 1865 ; Miss Robinson, two terms in 1865 and 1866; Miss Leech, three terms in 1866 and 1867; Miss Prentiss, two terms in 1867 and 1868; Miss Lizzie Clark, the winter term of 1868 and 1869 ; C. F. Eddy, the fall term of 1871 ; F. A. Bolles, the winter term of 1871 and 1872; Miss Burke, two terms in 1872 and 1873; Miss Austin, four terms in 1873 and 1874; Mrs. Joslin, the winter term of 1874 and 1875 ; Miss Leach from 1875 to 1878. Miss Leach was followed in 1878 by Miss Mary A. Barry, now Mrs. A. H. Webb of Brattleboro, who served continuously in that capacity until 1895 with the exception of one term in 1886 which was supplied by Mrs. Swart. Miss Barry was succeeded by Miss Mary Goodrich, who was followed in 1897 by Miss Jessie A. Judd, who still retains the position. .
In 1898, G. W. Cox was appointed superintendent of schools and was the first to devote his entire time to the work. In 1900, Mr. Cox resigned to accept the position of superin- tendent of schools in Ware, Mass., and Everett W. Lord
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History of Rockingham
now assistant commissioner of education of Porto Rico, was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Lord was succeeded by B. E. Merriam, the present superintendent, in 1902.
The latest report of the superintendent of schools shows the present enrollment of scholars in the town of Rocking- ham to be 1, 197. Of this number 155 are in the high school, 813 in the other graded schools in the village of Bellows Falls, 130 in the Saxtons River village schools, and ninety- nine in the rural districts. The last school census shows the number of children between the ages of five and eighteen years to be 1,337, of which 1,044 are in the village of Bellows Falls, 131 in Saxtons River village, and the remain- der in the rural sections of the town.
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