Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/293

 Windkam, N. H.

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��scholars to teach school on New Year's Day, and lock out the teacher. Ou one brigiit New Year's morning the scholars came early, became mas- ters of the castle, and held the fort. Their time of rejoicing was of short duration ; for the succeeding day was one to be remembered to theii" dying hour by some of the scholars. It was a day of trouble, of mental darkness, of sorrow and lamentation. " The quality of mercy " which " droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven" found no lodgment in the teacher's breast. A wild justice reigned triumphant, and those riotous, fun-loving, mis- chief-making boys received a most unmerciful flogging. More than eighty years have gone since then, teacher and pupils have passed away, but the event is still alluded to.

Any account of our educational institutions would be defective which omitted

WILLIAMS ACADEMY.

This academy was the most potent influence ever exerted in town for the higher education of our youth. It was a private institution, origi- nated and taught by Rev. Simon Williams, commencing about 17G8, and terminating only a very short time before his death, in 1793. His scholarship was of the highest order, and was celebrated while in town and previously. Among those whom he prepared for college were Rev. Joseph McKeen, D. D., first presi- dent of Bowdoin college, Rev. Sam- uel Taggart, the distinguished clergy- man and congressman of Coleraine, Mass., Hon. Silas Betton, M. C, Dr. John Parke, editor and physician, Rev. John Goffe, John Dinsmoor, Col. Silas Dinsmoor, the noted In-

��dian agent, whose career was so rom- antic, and the elder Gov. Samuel Dinsmoor.

In the fourth class (1773) graduated at Dartmouth college, nearly one half were fitted for college by Mr. Will- iams. The school often nujnbered from forty to fifty scholars.

At the present time there are seven school-districts, in each of which a new school-house has been built since 1850. The schools are successfully managed and wisely fostered by the citizens.

LIBRARIES.

There was no public library in town previous to 1800. but previous to that date some of our citizens were shareholders in a library in Salem,, and to whom the books thus became accessible. This library was discon- tinued and the books divided among the shareholders, and they became the nucleus of the first public library here, in 1800, and took a more per- manent shape by being incorporated in 1806. This was of inestimable benefit to our citizens, and numbered at one time some 400 volumes. A Sunday-school library was established in 1832. This is kept in the Presby- terian church, and now numbers some 500 volumes.

SCHOOL-DISTRICT LIBRARIES.

In October, 1839, our former fel- low-citizen, John Nesmith, Esq., of Lowell, Mass., since lieutenant- governor of Massachusetts, presented to each school-district a district li- brary of fifty volumes, making in all 350 books, at an expense of $175. These libraries, increased in some cases, exist to-day. It was a gener- ous gift, and was admirably adapted

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