Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/630

 514 THE HISTORY OF BAREINGTON. Short, Noel Mathewson, Mary and Nancy Bosworth, Henry Smith, Albert Bowen, William H. Smith, John Kelley, and others of like spirit, who can trace their higher success in life to the association. It held monthly meetings for literary and social purposes, which were productive of great good, not only to the membership, but in their influence on the community. The records of the society, which should be preserved in the town archives, show a noble determination on the part of these young people to improve "the present unhappy state of society in this town " ; " to cause a greater degree of unity to prevail," and to cultivate " desires for lit- erary pursuits among the youth in this community." This was the beginning of the better and best days of our town history, and testimony is here borne to the nobility of char- acter of the young men and women of Barrington, who at this darkest period in its history saw and welcomed the dawning light "of the good day coming." By the efforts of the society, land was purchased, and a building called religious uses. The motto of the society, which was placed over the door of the hall, is preserved in the collection of the Barrington Antiquarian Society. The golden words were '' Live to Learn, and Learn to Live." After twenty years of valuable work the society decided, as other agencies had arisen to take its place and work, to sell its property and invest the money in land for a ceme- tery, and the chapel was sold to the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad Corporation, to be used as a railroad station at Barrington Centre. In 1863 the society, which was in- corporated as " The Barrington Mutual Improvement Asso- ciation " in 1836, was reincorporated as "The Proprietors of the Forest Chapel Cemetery." The cemetery at Nayatt is the property of this corporation, and within its sacred en- closure rest the mortal parts of many of the early members.
 * ' Forest Chapel " was erected for social, educational, and