THE HOPKINS FOUNDATION.

THE HOPKINS SCHOOL AT HADLEY.

[By Sylvester Judd.]

INTRODUCTION.

By his will, made in London, where he died in March, 1657, Gov. Edward Hopkins of Hartford, Connecticut, gave a portion of his estate in New England to Theophilus Eaton, Esq., and Mr. John Davenport of New Haven, and Mr. John Cullick and Mr. William Goodwin of Hartford, to be disposed of by them "to give some encouragement in those foreign plantations for the breeding up of hopeful youths in a way of learning, both at the Grammar School and College, for the public service of the country in future times." He also ordered that £500 more should be made over into the hands of the trustees in six months after the death of his wife.*

Rev. John Davenport of New Haven and Mr. William Goodwin of Hadley, the only surviving trustees, made a distribution of Mr. Hopkins's donation in April, 1664. They gave £400 to the town of Hartford, for a Grammar School; and all the rest was to be equally divided between the towns of New Haven and Hadley, to be improved in maintaining a Grammar School in each; but they provided that £100 of that half which Hadley had should be given to Harvard College. When the money was received, New Haven had £412, Hartford £400, Hadley £308, and Harvard College £100-in all, £1,220. Mrs. Hopkins lived until 1699, and the gift of £500 was obtained, not by the schools of New Haven and Hadley, to which it belonged, but by Harvard College and Cambridge Grammar School, in 1710.

On the 14th of January, 1667, the town made the following grant of land, and on the 14th of March, appointed a committee to let it.

"The town have granted to and for the use of a Grammar School in this town of Hadley, and to be and remain perpetually to and for the use of the said school, the two little meadows, next beyond the brook commonly called the mill brook, and as much upland to be laid to the same as the committee chosen by the town shall in their discretion see meet and needful; provided withal, that it be left to the judgment of said committee that so much of the second meadow shall be excepted from the said grant, as that there may be a feasible and convenient passage for cattle to their feed." Committee chosen: Mr. Clarke, Lt. Smith, Wm. Allis, Nathaniel Dickinson, Sr., and Andrew Warner.-Note on the margin by Peter Tilton: "These two meadows are on the round neck of land; and [the other] the little long meadow that was reserved by the Indians in the first sale and afterwards purchased by itself." These two School Meadows adjoin the Connecticut, and are separated by high upland which becomes narrow in the northern part. On this elevated ridge, the Indians had a fort and burying-place. One meadow is east of the ridge; the other is west of it in a bend of the river, and is greatly enlarged by the encroachment of the river upon Hatfield. Both were estimated at 60 acres in 1682. They now (1847) contain, with the upland, more than 140 acres.

GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

On the 20th of March, 1669, Mr. Goodwin proposed to the town, that he would choose three persons, and the town should choose "two more able and

For biography of Gov. Hopkins, and the proceedings of the Trustees to get possessin of the property, see Barnards Report as Superintendent of Common Schools of Connecticut for 1853, and the American Journal of Education, Vol. iv. 669, where also will be found the Will, and the agreement of Rev. John Davenport and Mr. Goodwin about disbursing the legacy.

pious men;" and that these five, with himself as long as he lived, should have the full dispose and management of the estate given by the trustees of Mr. Hopkins, and of all other estate given by any donor, or that may be given, to the town of Hadley for the promotion of literature and learning; the five persons to remain in the work till death or the Providence of God remove any of them, and then the survivors shall choose others in their place. Mr. Goodwin desired that the school might be called the Hopkins School. On the 26th of March, he informed the town that he had chosen Mr. John Russell, Jr., Lieut. Samuel Smith, and Aaron Cooke; and the town voted as follows:

The town voted their approbation of Mr. Goodwin's choice. The town also voted Nathaniel Dickinson, Sr., and Peter Tilton to join with the three persons before mentioned, as a joint Committee who, together with Mr. Goodwin while he lives, and after his death, shall jointly and together have the ordering and full dispose of the estate or estates given by Mr. Davenport and Mr. Goodwin (as trustees as aforesaid to Mr. Edward Hopkins) to this town of Hadley, or any other estate or estates that are or may be given either by the town itself or any other donor or donors, for the use, benefit, maintenance, and promoting of a Grammar School to and for the use and in this town of Hadley; as also jointly and together to act, do, conclude, execute, and finish anything respecting the premises faithfully and according to their best discretion.

Voted also by the town that as to the five persons before expressed, if any decease or be otherwise disabled through the Providence of God, the rest surviving shall have the sole choice of any other in the room and place of those surceasing, to the full number of five persons, provided they be known, discreet, pious, faithful persons.

Mr. Goodwin, with the consent of the other trustees, built from the Hopkins donation, a grist-mill upon Mill River, a little south of the school lands. No record is found of the year in which the mill was built, nor of any grant by the town of the use of the stream. A house lot for the miller was granted Oct. 16, 1671. Perhaps the mill was built that year. It was burnt by the Indians in September, 1677, with the miller's house, the farm barn, fences, and other property. The trustees of the school declined to rebuild, not having sufficient means, and apprehending danger from the Indians. The town needed a mill, and as Robert Boltwood was not afraid of Indians, a majority of the trustees were induced to dispose of the right belonging to the school to the town for £10; and the town, to encourage Boltwood to build a mill, granted to him the mill-place and the remains of the dam, Nov. 6, 1677, and they granted four acres as a house lot for the miller, June 3, 1678. The mill was rebuilt by Boltwood in 1678 or 1679.

Mr. Russell, always solicitous for the prosperity of the Grammar School, did not consent to the sale of the mill-place and dam; and on the 30th of March, 1680, he presented to the County Court at Northampton, the state of the school, and what had been done by the other trustees, the town, and Boltwood. The Court decided that the sale by the trustees was illegal. "We may not allow so great a wrong." They judged that Goodman Boltwood should be repaid what he had expended, and that the mill should belong to the school.

At the September Court, 1682, the committee of the Hopkins School rendered an account of the school estate. Mr. Goodwin, before his death, received from the Hopkins donation £308, from Thomas Coleman £5, Mr. Westwood £13, and Widow Barnard £2, making £328. He and others expended £172 14s. 4d. for a house for the miller, a barn for the farm, fencing the farm or meadows before and after the war, loss on a house bought by Mr. G., paying a debt of Mr. Hopkins, &c., and the remainder of the £328 was expended in building the mill and dam, repairing, maintaining the schoolmaster, &c.

The school estate that remained consisted of the school meadows, given by the town, estimated at 60 acres; 12 or 14 acres of meadow (5 acres of it in

Northampton meadow), and his dwelling-house and one acre and a half from his home lot, given by Nathaniel Ward; 12 acres of meadow given by John Barnard; and 11% acres of meadow given by Henry Clarke.

The Boltwoods, father and son, were resolute men, and tenacious of their rights, but they did not like contention, and on the 8th of August, 1683, Robert Boltwood agreed to surrender the mill and appurtenances to the school committee, and they were to pay him £138 in grain and pork. They took possession about Nov. 1, 1683. In the year 1684 they found that the town challenged some right to the stream and land, and there were other difficulties, and they refused to consummate the bargain. The committee and Samuel Boltwood (his father Robert died in April, 1684), referred the matter to John Pynchon and John Allis, and in consequence of their decision, March 30, 1685, the mill was delivered up to Samuel Boltwood about May 1, 1685.

Attempts to Limit the Hopkins School to English Studies.

Serious troubles to Mr. Russell and the promoters of the Grammar School next arose from another quarter. As the donation of Mr. Hopkins was almost all dissipated, and the mill was in the hands of Boltwood, and the estate that remained was nearly all given by Hadley and by individuals of that town, the people concluded that the estate might as well be managed by the town for the use of an English School. Some of the most influential men were in favor of this course, especially Peter Tilton, who had resigned his office as trustee, and Samuel Partrigg, who still remained a trustee, and on the 23d of August, 1686, the following votes were adopted by the town:

"Voted by the town that all that estate of houses and lands bequeathed and given by any donor or donors in their last wills and testaments to this town of Hadley, or to a school in said town, or to the promoting and furtherance of learning in said town, as the legacy of Nathaniel Ward, John Barnard, Henry Clarke, gent., they look on said estate and donations to belong nextly to the town to be improved according to the will of the testators; and therefore take it into their hands to manage, order, and dispose to the use of a school in this town of Hadley.-This had a full vote in the affirmative.

Voted by the town that Ens. Nash, Francis Barnard, Neh. Dickinson, Thos. Hovey, and Samuel Barnard are a committee from the town to make demand of the school committee of all the produce, increase and rents of lands and estates abovesaid, and accruing thereto, which are at present in their hands undisposed."

After these votes of the town, four of the school committee, viz., Mr. John Russell, Aaron Cooke, Joseph Kellogg, and Samuel Porter, presented to the County Court at Springfield, Sept. 28, 1686, the declining state of the Grammar School, and complained of some persons in Hadley who obstructed the management of the school. The Court ordered that the lands given by Hadley, and the donations of Hopkins, Ward, Barnard, and Clarke, should be improved for the Grammar School, and not for an English School separate from the Grammar School. Mr. Pynchon sent a copy of the order to Mr. Russell, and wrote to him a letter, dated Oct. 2, 1686, in which he mentioned the difficulties he had to encounter in getting the order passed. The Court was composed of himself, William Clark of Northampton, and Peter Tilton. Mr. Partrigg was present and spoke in favor of Hadley.

"I am heartily sorry, says Mr. Pynchon, that Mr. Partrigg is so cross in the business of the school; nothing will be done as it ought to be till he be removed, which I suppose the President and Council may do. It is too hard for the County Court to do anything. Mr. Tilton, fully falling in with him, is as full and strong in all his notions as Mr. Partrigg himself, and it is wonderful that anything passed. Mr. Clark, though a friend in the business, yet wanted courage.* Mr. Tilton said it would kindle such a flame as would not be quenched. But if to do right, and secure the public welfare, kindle a flame,

* Mr. Clark was in favor of the Grammar School, and at the same time, a frend of Tilton and Partrigg.

the will of the Lord be done.* To get the order passed, I was forced to declare that if Mr. Clark did not assent, I would [give leave to record it myself +]. But he concurred, the order being a little mollified. If Mr. Partrigg will obstruct, it is necessary that he be removed by the President and Council, who must do this business; we are too weak in the county court. I am full for it to leave all with the President, and glad it is like to be in the hands of them who will powerfully order. I pray God the school may stand upon its right basis, and all may run in the old channel."

After the decision of the Court, Sept. 28, 1686, a paper was signed by those in Hadley who adhered to Mr. Russell and the Grammar School, and accepted the order of the Court. The signers were Samuel Gardner, John Ingram, Chileab Smith, John Preston, Joseph Kellogg, Samuel Samuel Porter, Sr., Aaron Cooke, William Marcum, Hezekiah Porter, and widow Mary Goodman. These, with Mr. Russell, made 12 persons in the minority. All the rest seem to have gone for the English School.

Mr. Russell wrote to President Dudley, and he gave his opinion decidedly in favor of the Grammar School. Mr. Pynchon received an order from the President and Council, dated Oct. 21, 1686, requiring him to examine the school affairs at Hadley and report. Mr. Pynchon came to Hadley, Nov. 18, and sent to Northampton for Capt. Aaron Cooke and Mr. Joseph Hawley. He desired a town meeting the next morning, that the town might depute some persons to give an account of the school affairs. A town meeting was ordered at sun a quarter of an hour high the next morning. § Capt. Cooke and Mr. Hawley came over. Mr. Tilton, Mr. Partrigg, and others came as a committee from the town meeting, and were willing to discourse as friends, but not in obedience to the Council's order. The school committee were present and gave their reasons, and the town's committee ¶ read two or three long papers in reply. These things and many more are stated in a letter to the President and Council, dated at Hadley, Nov. 20, 1686, and signed by Pynchon, Cooke, and Hawley. They request that some speedy course may be taken by the Council "for quieting the hot and raised spirit of the people of Hadley."

Grammar School Confirmed.

The letter of Pynchon, Cooke and Hawley to the President and Council had the effect intended, and the following order was issued:

"By the Honorable, the President and Council of his Majesty's Territory and Dominion of New England, in America:

"Upon perusal of the return made by Major Pynchon and the committee for the affair of the Hadley school, the President and Council do order that the committee for Hopkins School be and remain the feofees of the Grammar School in the said town, and that Mr. Partrigg be and is hereby dismissed from any further service in that matter. And that the said committee make report of the present estate of said Mr. Hopkins and other donations to the school (which having been orderly annexed to the Grammar School, are hereby continued to that service), unto the next county court of Hampshire, who are hereby empowered to supply the place of Mr. Partrigg with some other meet person in Hadley. And that the said court do find out and order some method for the payment of Boltwood's expenses upon the mill, that the

Ti is a noble s.ntiment of Pynchon; nearly equivalent to the old Latin, flat, justitia, ruat colum.

+ This s ems to be the me ining, but it is difficult to read this part of the letter.

The d spotic government of President Dudley (soon followed by that of Andros) was d tested by mt people in this part of the co ony, yet some were willing to make use of it, to accompli-n what they consider d to be a go d obj cr. Doubtless the decision of the old Court of As istants would have been similar to that of the President and Council.

§ It must have been a lively time in Hadley, when a town meeting was held at sun a quarter of an hour high in the morni g.

The reas ns why this os are sud

min to support the Grammar School, are preserved. Thy were drawn up by Mr. Rassell, with man, Scrip ure references and quotations.

The town's committee were Mr. Tilton, Mr. Partrigg, Ens. Timothy Nash, Nehemiah Dickinson, Daniel Marsh, and Thomas Hovey.