Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 1.djvu/229

 HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN NASHUA.

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��places as aforesaid, and to draw the mon- ey to pay those charges out of the town treasury. Also voted that 140 pounds be voted for payment of the schools as aforesaid."

This seems to he the begining of five districts, as subsequent records direct the selectmen to divide the town into dis- tricts as has been in times past ; — here, also, is the first mention of a school com- mittee.

Soon after this the French war com- menced, and the frontier was constantly exposed to Indian attacks, and for twelve years no mention is made of schools; either there were none, or they were kept at irregular intervals, and without much expense to the town.

41 Oct. 19, 1761. Voted that one hun- dred pounds, new tenor, be raised and assessed on the polls and estates in the town to hire schooling and houses for that end in the several quarters of this town and that the selectmen do it.''

Almost every year from this date more or less money was raised for schools, and we may well suppose that no subsequent year passed without a term of school kept within the town.

The amount of money raised varied from 20 to 200 pounds per year, or more.

It would be very interesting to know the names of the teachers, the salaries re- ceived, their joys, their sorrows; but the grave that covers their bodies conceals also their names and fortunes. Every modern teacher knows their anxieties, their ardent love for those beneath their care.

A little item, bearing date Nov. 3, 1766, states that the account of John Snow for keeping school the previous winter, be- ing £2 8s. lawful money, be allowed.

In 1772 Joseph Dix was school-master, and he continued to teach in town for many years : this year the town refused to raise money for erecting school-houses, and not until 1775 did such a vote pre- vail. Previous to this time a room in some private house served as a school- room. Probably some are now living, in this and other towns, who can remem- ber when they attended school in a neighbor's sitting-room, and the teacher boarding "round." But the men of '75

��thought it better the school should have a " local habitation and a name," and voted that " a school-house be built in each of the several districts, and that eighty pounds be raised for the purpose." The districts referred to here are proba- bly the same divisions indicated hereto- fore. The first school-house erected in town was located near the old burial- ground in the south part of the town, on the hill just north of Spit brook. This was subsequently replaced by another near the site now occupied by the brick building of modern architecture, bearing date of 1841. The records of this district have been well preserved for about sev- enty years. In 1811 Thomas French, Esq., who seems to have been a very prominent man, " bid off the master at $1.30 per week." In 1812 the master was paid, for keeping school eleven weeks and one day, boarding himself, $50.25, or $4.50 per week; and the mistress, for keepiiig fourteen weeks, $14.00, while Thos. French, Esq., received $14.00 for boarding her.

Another school-house of the last cen- tury was situated near the residence ©f Dea. Swallow. This was called the Gas- co district, and here Hon. Amos Kendall, postmaster-general under Gen. Andrew Jackson, received his early education.

A third old school-house was situated south of the old church, and a little north of Mr. Alfred Godfrey's, on the Lowell road. This, too, has long since been re- placed by a neat structure adapted to the wants of the present times.

Near the beginning of the present cen- tury, 1804, Mr. David Wallace taught here, and continued his labors until 1812. A little incident will illustrate his won- derful abilities as a pedagogue : An as- piring youth, after much study, carried the word " spermaceti " to the master for the correct pronunciation. Examin- ing the word very carefully, and with due deliberation, he at length said, " You may call that ' spermaketi.' " Our es- teemed citizen, the late Gen. Hunt, at- tended school here many years, and could well remember his useless endeavors to keep warm on the " Cold Friday " of 1816.

In 1796 the town voted to raise £200

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