OUR

CHAPTER XI.

SCHOOLS.

UR fathers were positively religious. The church and provisions for sustaining the gospel ministry received their first attention. Next came the education of the children and youth. So deeply were they impressed with the importance of education, for the best good of their children, and for the future well-being of the community and country they were building up around them, that this subject never failed to receive earnest consideration. In the public deliberations of the town, as appears from our records, the discussions regarding schools were of more frequent occurrence, and awakened a deeper interest than any other topic, except the church.

At first the privileges were very limited, by reason of the poverty of the people and the wide separation of families, and yet the opportunities of education, even then, fairly met the needs of the town.

A full and continuous narrative of the beginning and progress of the public and private schools of Milton through its long life of two hundred and twenty-five years would only suffice to meet the demands of this important subject on the historian; while we are confined to single facts and individual cases scattered here and there through the years of the past, and are compelled to rest on general statements.

It would also be of the deepest interest to reproduce here a full roll of the noble men and women who have been engaged as teachers during the lapse of these centuries. We are able to present a perfect list of all our teachers for the last forty years, but when we go deeper into the past it is possible to glean only here and there a name from the multitudes who have disappeared. Our knowledge extends far enough, however, to make it evident that eminent and learned men and women have been among those whom we claim as Milton teachers.

SCHOOL LOT.

In the year 1670 the town of Milton petitioned the "fathers and brethren" of Dorchester for a tract of the common land

lying in Stoughton, for the benefit of the Milton schools. In 1706 the land was granted, and the "School Lot" of one hundred and fifty acres, situated in Stoughton, was set off to Milton. This proved to be a tract of unproductive land, yielding but slight income to the schools, and after holding it for seventyfive years it was sold by the town in 1782.

March 12th 1781 Edward H. Robbins, Capt. James Boies and Capt. Josiah Vose were chosen a committee with full power to sell the town's school lot, so called, lying in Stoughton, and to give a good deed or deeds to the purchasers in the name and behalf of the town.

GLIMPSES OF EARLIEST SCHOOLS.

Among the earliest records relating to schools we find the following:

March 4, 1669 Insign Ebenezer Tucker was chose scoole master for the west end of the town to teach children and youth to reed and write and he excepted the same. Thomas Vose was chosen scoole master for the East end of the town to teach children and youth to write, he excepting the

same.

1702 May 25 The Select Men did indent and agree with Insign Ebenezer Clap to keep a writing school from this time till the public Town Meeting next March, and if but few came at any time, he does engage to sett them copies, but if at any time so many as 7 or 8 or more do come together, he will attend them and instruct them, and the said select men do Ingage in behalf of the town that he shall be paid for his so doing one penny for every copy in quarto, he bringing his account to the Select men.

THOMAS VOSE, Clark.

1711, March 10. "It was voted that there should be a school-house built."

The presumption is that this vote was not carried into effect, as seven years later two school-houses were built, at such points as would seem to accommodate all the people.

Milton the 17 December 1711 the Select men agreed with Mr Pamiter of Brautry to kepe scoole in Milton to instruct the children and youth to Read and Wright, and to begin the 18 of December Ensueing the date hereof and to continue to the 18 of March next ensuing, and for his so doing he is to have ten shillings per week for soporting himself unless he can be Dyated for less than four shillings per weke, then the said Pamiter is to abato so much of the ten shillings a week for his Dyat— and if he be wanting at any time, then he is to abate proporcionable out of his wages. Entered by me EPHRAIM TUCKER, Town Clerk.

SCHOOL-HOUSES.

I can learn of only one school in Milton before the opening

of the eighteenth century which could be called a town school. Without doubt there were small schools in families and neighborhoods, kept in private houses, of which there was no record.

March 17, 1718. It was voted that there shall be two school-houses built for the use of the town. It was voted that the school-house that is to be built for the east end of the town, shall be built as near the Smiths Shop as may be with conveniency. Except land may be had be low Samuel Swifts house to sit it on. It was voted that the school-house that is to be built for the west end of the town shall be set on the land of Manassch Tucker, near Mr. Higby's old house. It was voted that the School-houses that are to be built shall be 18 feet in length and 14 ft in width and six ft between joints. [At a subsequent meeting the same year these dimensions were changed to 20 ft. in length and 14 ft. in breadth.] It was voted that there shall be two committys to take care that the school-houses be built. Sirgant Whit Samuel Swift and John Badcock were chosen a comity to take care that the school-hous in the East end of the town be built. Lieut. Uos, Benjamin ffenno and Ebenezer Tucker were chose a comity to take care that the school-hous in the West End of the town be built. It was voted that the timber to build the school-houses shall be cut in the Church land, with Mr Thacher's consent. It was voted that the select men shall agree with Mr John Kinsley or som other to keep school al the year.

May 19. It was voted that the claw-boards and shingles that were provided to cover our meeting-house and not used shall be improved to cover our school-houses.

Up to this time it is supposed there had been but one schoolhouse in Milton, located near the head of Churchill's lane. This, perhaps, was the first meeting-house utilized as a schoolhouse after the building of the second meeting-house on the Robert Vose lot in 1671. The "smith's shop" was not far from this point on Milton Hill, and the new school-house was to be near the shop, unless land could be obtained below the house of Samuel Swift, which stood in the rear of Mr. Dudley's barn. Judge Sewall, in the account of the funeral of Rev. Peter Thacher, Dec. 22, 1727, says: "From thence went directly to the Hill, where is the smith's shop."

The school-house at the west end of the town was on Brush Hill, a little south of the house of Mr. William M. Ferry, quite near Brush Hill road.

Schools had been kept in both extremities of the town, but in such places as could be procured for the purpose, as appears from the following record:

June 1712. Voted that there shall be a school kept in the East & West ends of the town as they shall agree about the place wher, and to be kept in equal shares one end with the other, and the charg to be provided by the

town.

Again, in 1713:

Voted that there shall be a school master for the two winter quarters and proportioned as may be most convenient for the instruction of the youth of the town. Ephraim Tucker was appointed school master the same day.

PERIOD OF WARS.

At this time there were one hundred and seventy tax-payers, with a population of about five hundred. These two schools sufficed to meet the needs of the town for fifty years. During this period the inhabitants were involved in the French and Indian wars, affecting the remotest dependencies of England and France. The New England colonies took up the quarrel against the French settlement with all the carnestness of a personal conflict, knowing that France was bent on their conquest. Milton contributed her full quota, and sent some of her best men on the expeditions planned for these protracted campaigns. But little time or money was left for home interests or improvements, only sufficient to meet the bare necessities of the town and the family.

In 1763 a treaty was ratified at Paris that put an end to the intercolonial wars, and thence the course of history leads from bloody conflicts to peaceful pursuits.

NEW PROGRESS.

The population of Milton had increased to seven hundred and fifty, prosperity had returned, and the thoughts of the people were turned to their own home interests.

Three school-houses were built about this time, as appears from the records:

May 16, 1768. Voted to accept the report of the committee for school affairs so far as to build two school-houses: viz. one on Mr Isaac How's land opposite the burying place twenty feet by twenty-four; for this a tract of land was conveyed to the Town by Isaac How May 13, 1769; the other on Widow Patience Vose's land where formerly stood a blacksmiths shop.

Voted to build a school-house in that part of the town called Scott's Woods sixteen by twenty. Voted to choose committees to build the school-houses. 1st for the east end of the town Mr Josiah How, Mr William Badcock and Mr Daniel Vose: 2d for the West End of the town, Ebenezer Tucker, Capt. Lemuel Bent, Lieut. Samuel Davenport: 3d for Scott's Woods Stephen Miller Esq. Deacon Benjamin Wadsworth and Mr. Joseph Houghton. Voted that the committee to build the school house at the west end of the town have power to move thirty rods from the abovementioned spot in case they can have a piece of land given sufficient for the purpose. Voted that the Committees chosen to build the school houses let them out to such persons as will build them the cheapest, on Monday the 30th day of this instant May at three oclock in the afternoon at the house

of Mr William Badcock inn-holder in Milton. Voted that Grammar schools be kept in two of the above said houses.

School wood to be found in the following manner: cach schollar at his or her entering one foot of wood, or one shilling and four pence L. money in cash between the first of November, and the last of April. Recorded by AMARIAH BLAKE Town Clerk.

The school-house for the east end of the town stood on the west side of Churchill's lane, opposite the cemetery, on the Hunt estate, a short distance north of the barn. This was burned down eleven years after it was built, as we learn from the following record:

March 1. 1779

Voted to build a school house in the east end of the Town near the Liberty Pole similar to the one burned down opposite the burying ground.

March 24 1783 It was voted to rebuild the school house lately burned near the burying ground.

There is no record of its being rebuilt.

The house at the west end stood on a knoll, now covered with cedars, on the west side of Canton avenue, north of the house of the late John D. Bradlee. Subsequently this old schoolhouse was moved to Brush Hill turnpike, near "Davenport's Pond," and was occupied by Josiah Cotton and his family, the faithful servants of Isaac Davenport, and for many years the only colored family in Milton.

The Scott's Woods school-house stood at the end of a lane nearly opposite Harland street and the residence of Mr. Kennedy. It was moved in 1852, and is now the dwellinghouse of Luther A. Ford.

Thus, at this early period there were five school-houses located in the different points of the town, and affording opportunities for attending school, as to distance, nearly as good as now enjoyed.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

In 1785 the town was divided into school districts or wards.

Oct. 3, 1785 The East end of the town to form one district; the meeting house being the Center: north west Mr Thachers farm so called, and Mr Shepards; South East from the Meeting house to Braintree line:

Second District from Mr Boises to Pauls Bridge [Mattapan & Brush Hill]. Third District from Mr Stephen Clapps to Mr William Davenport's [From Meeting house to Canton line]. Fourth District — from Mr Reeds to Mr Seth Cranes including the farm which Mr Gay lives on [from Reeds Lane to Canton line- Scotts Woods.]

Voted that the Grammar School shall be kept six months at the east end of the town; three months on Brush Hill and three months in Middle