master and usher, which was revoked in three years. Each Latin scholar paid 5s. a quarter, and each English scholar 2s. 6d. a quarter.

1746, May 24.-Mr. Nutting had £140, paper currency, and Mr. Gerrish £40 a quarter. Such money then passed at 37s. for an oz. of silver.

1752, March 9.-After the first of May, all boys who go to the Grammar school, must study Latin as well as read, write, and cipher. Each of them was to pay 6s. a quarter. Abijah Hart chosen to assist Mr. Gale, and begin May 4, at £40 salary.

1764, May 16.-Order for $50 to be drawn from the Treasury to pay for learning the poorest children to read at women's schools.

English school are empowered to ex-
Persons are appointed to inquire how

1767, March 9.-A committee of the pend the same sum for a like purpose. many such children have been instructed by female teachers, within three years, with an expectation of being paid by the town. Mr. Goodale is to have £13 6s. 8d. quarterly from the town, and 6s. from each of his scholars.

1770, Dec. 6.-Town schools to begin in the morning at 7 o'clock in summer, and 8 o'clock in winter; at 1 o'clock all the year round, and leave off at 5 o'clock in summer and 4 in winter. Vacations at general election, commencement day, and rest of that week, fasts, thanksgivings, trainings, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Among the regulations of the town for their instructors, is one on the subject of punishing scholars, which has always perplexed teachers, committees, and parents. It judiciously observes of each master and his pupils, 'that when he is obliged to correct them, he do it calmly and endeavor to make such correction dreaded more on account of the shame, than the pain attending it.'

1771, Feb. 12.-Widow Abigail Fowler, a noted 'school dame,' finished her earthly labors. She was in her 68th year, and began to teach children before she was 18, and continued so to do till her decease, with the exception of a few years after she was married.

1772, July.-Charles Shimmin advertises to instruct children and youth in the rudiments of English, with book-keeping, geography, astronomy, etc. The next December, besides his proposal to keep an evening school, he offers the free instruction of geometry, for an hour each day, to all who will punctually attend, 'demonstrating the propositions with the greatest perspicuity, chiefly by a new and easy method of reasoning by proportional quantities.' This gentleman died in Boston, 1789, æt. 40, eminent as a teacher.

1773, April 20th.—Mr. Norris, one of the town instructors, advertises to commence a school for young ladies, beginning at the hours of 11 and 5 o'clock, where they will learn to write and cipher.

27th.--Elizabeth Gaudin opened a school yesterday in Derby street, to instruct young ladies in plain sewing, marking tent and Irish stitch. She also proposes to take some misses as boarders.

June 7.-The boys, of indigent families, who attend the masters' schools, but are not fitted, are to be placed under the care of female teachers, with other children of like condition, so that the whole expense shall not exceed £30.

Dec. 18.-Mr. Steward will teach, at the Grammar school-house, from Jan. 1 to April 1, six poor youths the mariner's art, and as many indigent lads to write and cipher, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. Paid out of Brown donation.

THE ORIGINAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL OF NEW ENGLAND.

THE FREE TOWN SCHOOL OF DORCHESTER.*

THE first Town School established in Dorchester, in May, 1639, was a Grammar School for instruction in "English, Latin, and other tongues," and was supported out of an endowment in the lands of Thompson's Island granted by the General Court to the inhabitants of the town of Dorchester, on the 4th of March, 1634–5. The occupants of these lands were assessed by the Town in 1639 a certain proportionate "rent" (20 pounds) towards the maintenance of a (not a free) school. This "rent of 20 pounds yearly," was not collected from all the inhabitants of the town, but only from the proprietors of this Island, and was to be paid "to such a schoolmaster as shall undertake to teach · english, latine, and other tongues, and also writing;" and the seven (select) men were to decide from time to time whether "the maydes shall be taught with the boys or not." It appears from the records of the time, that "such girls as can read in the Psalter," were for the first time allowed to attend a Grammar School in 1784, "from the 1st of June to the first of October." Owing to a difficulty in collecting the rents, a voluntary agreement was made in 1641 by certain inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester "whose names are hereunto subscribed," "for themselves and their heirs," by which their interest in Thompson Island was conveyed to the town for the maintenance of a free school for instructing children and youth in good literature and learning." To this school other donations were made by the General Court and by individuals. In 1659, the Court donates to the Dorchester people 1000 acres of land "where they can find it according to law," in consideration of a loss of title by the town to the Island, by which the town school was endangered. In 1655, John Clap gave by will a house and land "for the maintenance of the ministry and a school in Dorchester for ever," out of which the town realized $13,590. In 1673, John Howard donated £20, and in 1674 Christopher Gilson devised "the residue of his property after paying his debts, to the free school of Dorchester in perpetuity." In 1701, Gov. Stoughton, and in 1797, Hon. James Bowdoin, made liberal donations to the school. In the early history of this school, as of the original "free school," the teacher was paid, beyond the avails of the eudowment, a certain sum by each pupil, which was not unfrequently paid in produce. Mr. Ichabod Wisner, received either for rent or tuition, "4 bushels of Indian Corn from Mr. Patten, 2 of Ensigne Foster, and peas of Arthur Brecke." The custom also prevailed in Dorchester of paying part of the expense of the school, by assessing the cost of fuel on "them who send their children to schoole." In 1688, it was provided that those who send to the school shall bring for each child a load of wood," "and those who bring it in log-wood are to cut it after it come to the school-hous." In 1710, the parents could commute by "paying two shillings and sixpence in money, to be delivered to the school

• See chapter on Schools by Mr. A. B. Trask, in the History of the Town of Dorchester, 1859.

master within one month after the 29th of September annually, or their children to have no privilege of the fire." This is certainly not a free school according to our modern notions. In 1713 the commutation was increased to three shillings and sixpence. In 1731, a writing school was voted for the south end.

The following rules and orders, concerning the original Town School of Dorchester were drawn up by the wardens of the school, and confirmed by the major part of the inhabitants in 1645, when the school was first opened:

RULES FOR THE ORDERING OF THE TOWN SCHOOL OF DORCHESTER IN 1645. "First. It is ordered that three able and sufficient men of the plantation shall be chosen to be wardens or overseers of the school, who shall have the charge, oversight and ordering thereof, and of all things concerning the same in such manner as is hereafter expressed, and shall continue in their office and place for term of their lives respectively, unless by reason of any of them removing his habitation out of the town, or for any other weighty reason, the inhabitants shall see cause to elect and choose others in their room, in which cases and upon the death of any of the same wardens, the inhabitants shall make a new election and choice of others. And Mr. Haward, Deacon Wiswall, Mr. Atherton are elected to be the first wardens or overseers.

"Secondly. The said wardens shall have full power to dispose of the school stock, whether the same be in land or otherwise, both such as is already in being and such as may by any good means hereafter be added; and shall collect and receive the rents, issues and profits arising and growing of and from the said stock. And the said rents, issues and profits shall employ and lay out only for the best behoof and advantage of the said school, and the furtherance of learning thereby, and shall give a faithful and true account of their receipts and disbursements so often as they shall be thereunto required by the inhabitants or the major part of them.

Thirdly. The said wardens shall take care and do their utmost and best endeavor that the said school may from time to time be supplied with an able and sufficient schoolmaster who nevertheless is not to be admitted into the place of schoolmaster without the general consent of the inhabitants or the major part of them.

Fourthly. So often as the said school shall be supplied with a schoolmaster so provided and admitted as aforesaid, the wardens shall from time to time pay or cause to be paid unto the said schoolmaster such wages out of the rents, issues and profits of the school stock as shall of right come due to be paid.

Fifthly. The said wardens shall from time to time see that the school-house be kept in good and sufficient repair, the charges of which reparation shall be defrayed and paid out of such rents, issues and profits of that school stock if there be sufficient, or else of such rents as shall arise and grow in the time of the vacancy of the schoolmaster if there be any such-and in defect of such vacancy the wardens shall repair to the 7 [select] men of the town for the time being, who shall have power to tax the town with such sum or sums as shall be requested for the repairing of the school-house as aforesaid.

Sixthly. The said wardens shall take care that every year at or before the end of the 9th month there be brought to the school-house twelve sufficient cart or wain loads of wood for fuel, to be for the use of the schoolmaster and the scholars in winter, the cost and charge of which said wood to be borne by the scholars for the time being who shall be taxed for the purpose at the discretion of the said wardens.

Lastly. The said wardens shall take care that the schoolmaster for the time being do faithfully perform his duty in his place, as a schoolmaster ought to do, as well in other things as in these which are hereafter expressed, viz:—

1st. That the schoolmaster shall diligently attend his school, and do his utmost endeavor for benefiting his scholars according to his best discretion, with- ` out unnecessarily absenting himself to the prejudice of his scholars and hindering their learning.

2dly. That from the beginning of the first month until the end of the seventh, he shall every day begin to teach at seven of the clock in the morning and dismiss his scholars at five in the afternoon. And for the other five months, that

is, from the beginning of the eighth month until the end of the twelfth month he shall every day begin at eight of the clock in the morning, and [end] at four in the afternoon.

3dly. Every day in the year the usual time of dismissing at noon shall be at eleven, and to begin again at one, except that

4thly. Every second day in the week he shall call his scholars together between twelve and one of the clock to examine them what they have learned on the sabbath day preceding, at which time also he shall take notice of any misdemeanor or outrage that any of his scholars shall have committed on the sabbath, to the end that at some convenient time due admonition and correction may be administered by him according as the nature and quality of the offense shall require, at which said examination any of the elders or other inhabitants that please may be present, to behold his religious care herein, and to give their countenance and approbation of the same.

5thly. He shall equally and impartially receive and instruct such as shall be sent and committed to him for that end, whether their parents be poor or rich, not refusing any who have right and interest in the school.

6thly. Such as shall be committed to him he shall diligently instruct, as they shall be able to learn, both in humane learning and good literature, and likewise in point of good manners and dutiful behavior towards all, especially their superiors as they shall have occasion to be in their presence, whether by meeting them in the street or otherwise.

7thly. Every day of the week at two of the clock in the afternoon, he shall catechise his scholars in the principles of Christian religion, either in some catechism which the wardens shall provide and present, or in defect thereof in some other.

Sthly. And because all man's endeavors without the blessing of God must needs be fruitless and unsuccessful, therefore it is to be a chief part of the schoolmaster's religious care to commend his scholars and his labors amongst them unto God by prayer morning and evening, taking care that his scholars do reverently attend during the same.

9thly. And because the rod of correction is an ordinance of God necessary sometimes to be dispensed unto children, but such as may easily be abused by overmuch severity and rigor on the one hand, or by overmuch indulgence and lenity on the other, it is therefore ordered and agreed that the schoolmaster for the time being shall have full power to minister correction to all or any of his scholars without respect of persons, according to the nature and quality of the offense shall require; whereto all his scholars must be duly subject; and no parent or other of the inhabitants shall hinder or go about to hinder the master therein: nevertheless if any parent or other shall think there is just cause of complaint against the master for too much severity such shall have liberty friendly and lovingly to expostulate with the master about the same; and if they shall not attain to satisfaction, the matter is then to be referred to the wardens, who shall impartially judge betwixt the master and such complainants. And if it shall appear to them that any parent shall make causeless complaint against the master in this behalf, and shall persist in and continue so doing, in such case the wardens shall have power to discharge the master of the care and charge of the children of such parents. But if the thing complained of be true, and that the master have indeed been guilty of ministering excessive correction, and shall appear to them to continue therein, notwithstanding that they have advised him otherwise, in such case, as also in the case of too much lenity or any other great neglect of duty in his case persisted in, it shall be in the power of the wardens to call the inhabitants together to consider whether it were not meet to discharge the master of his place, that so some other more desirable may be provided. And because it is difficult, if not impossible, to give particular rules that shall reach all cases which may fall out, therefore, for a conclusion, it is ordered and agreed in general, that, where particular rules are wanting, there it shall be a part of the office and duty of the wardens to order and dispose of all things that concern the school, in such sort as in their wisdom and discretion they shall judge most conducible for the glory of God and the training up of the children of the town in religion, learning, and civility:-And these orders to be continued till the major part of the town shall see cause to alter any part thereof."

Mr. Trask, in his chapter on "Schools," makes the following remarks on the school-houses, school-books, and teachers of Dorchester:

In 1694, the town, after voting in 1674 to repair the school-house by clabording or shingling the roofe, and fitting up with seats, and a lock and key, voted to erect near the meeting-house a new building 20 feet long and 19 feet wide, with a chamber floor, one pair of stairs, and a chimney. Dr. Harris says-" the smooth face of a large rock made the principal part of the north end and formed the back of the fireplace." Of a school-house standing in 1759, an old scholar says "The school-room was nearly square. On three sides of the house a seat was attached, for the boys to sit on, in front of which, at a proper distance, was the place to write and lay their books while studying. This flat desk or form was made of sufficient width to accommodate them with another range of seats on the inside, so that the boys would write and study facing each other. There was a shelf, also, running round the house on three sides, on which the books were laid when not in use. The boys of the inner seat, coming to the school, through mud and snow, as they often did, by stepping on their own seat to the place on which they wrote, had access to their books on the shelves. One of the earliest books used in our schools was the old fashioned, blue-covered, New England Primer, so well known to us, which has passed through such a variety of editions-the undisputed standard of orthodoxy in the days of our fathers. There was another book, however, which may have been, to some extent, its antecedent. A single leaf of coarse paper, with the alphabet and Lord's prayer printed on it, was fastened firmly, with glue, or some other similar substance, on a thin piece of board, and covered over with horn, to keep it from soiling. A book thus manufactured was called a "horn-book," and was "used for teaching children their letters." Not unlikely it may have had priority to the primer in the Dorchester dame schools. It was a requisite of admission into the grammar school, that the child should be able to read correctly in the primer. Previously to 1665, Richard Mather's catechism* was in use. In that year, the town voted to distribute a "new impression" of the book among the families in town. In relation to the books and classes in the old school, near Meeting-house Hill, a century ago, Dea. Humphreys states that there were three classifications. The lowest was called "the Psalter class," next "the Testament class," then "the Bible class." The latter were required to read about two chapters at the commencement and close of the school, spell words contained in those chapters, and write and cypher. From the year 1759 to 1767, when he left the school, he saw no other English books" there, he says, except those that have been mentioned, "till about the last two years, we had Dilworth's spelling-book and Hodder's arithmetic."

Of the seventy teachers whose names have been found connected with the Dorchester schools, during the time above mentioned-nearly a century and three quarters-fifty-three, or three-fourths of the whole number, graduated at Harvard College. Another obtained his education at that College, but did not receive a degree, though he subsequently fulfilled, faithfully, the duties of a minister, both in a clerical and in a political capacity. Of the remaining seventeen in the list, two graduated at Cambridge University, in England, two at Brown University, R. I., and one at Dartmouth College. Thirty-one of these school-masters, or nearly one half, were ordained ministers, the most of them subsequent to their teaching school.

The following is the title-page of a copy of this rare book in the possession of J. W. Thornton, Esq., Boston. Mass.

A CATECHISME or, | The Grounds and Principles of Christian Religion, set forth by way of Question and Answer | Wherein the summe of the Doctrine of Religion is comprised, familiarly opened, and clearly confirmed from the Holy Scriptures. | By RICHARD MATHER, Teacher to the Church at Dorchester in New England.

Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me | in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 1, 13.

When for the time ye ought to be Teachers, ye have need that | one teach you again the first principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such as have need of Milke, and not of strong meat. Heb. 5, 12.

London. Printed for John Rothwell, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Sunne and Fountaine in Paul's Church yard neer the little | North-gate. 1650.