Worcester County, Massachusetts - Chapter 66, 1889

Schools And Library

Immediately on the incorporation of the district, attention was given to the interests of education. At the second town-meeting, September 21, 1772, a committee was appointed to " Squadron " the district for school purposes. In November, the same year, they report their work making seven " Squadrons,'' some of which were very small. In 1785 the second and third were united, making six, and in 1793 the fifth and sixth were united, making five squadrons. But this last union, putting Adam's Corner, Northbridge Hill and what is now Whitinsville into one squadron, proved unsatisfactory, and in 1790 James Fletcher and others, in what is now Whitinsville, received permission to be a district by themselves, and to build their own school-house and not to be taxed for the building of any other school-house. The next year a similar privilege was granted to the families in the vicinity of the Quaker Meeting-House, on the same conditions. The same year five families at Riverdale were made a district. In 1802 another district was founded, including the families at Prentice's Corner and on the northeast side of the meadow. In 1832 we find eight districts, which continued, with occasional changes of families near the border lines, until the district system was abolished and the town system adopted in 1867.

At the first the schools were kept in private houses and in the meeting-house. There is evidence that a school-house stood on the hill on the east side of the road, north of the burying-ground. But it does not seem to have been in use at the time of the incorporation of the district. It is not until 1791 that the building of school-houses was agitated. That year an article was put into the warrant to see if the town would build a house in each district; but it was passed over in the meeting. In 1795 it was voted to build a house in each district, and a committee was appointed for the purpose. But the next year the article to grant and raise money to build schoolhouses in the town of Northbridge was dismissed, from which it is manifest the work was not yet begun. And at the next meeting, the same year, they refused to appoint a committee to set the school-houses in each district. It is evident that the dissatisfaction with the new squadrons had something to do with this delay, as the same year James Fletcher and five others were made a new squadron if they would build their own school-house, and the next year the same action was taken for six families near the Quaker Meeting-House. At the meeting in June, 1796, a committee was appointed to instruct the committees appointed the previous year to build school-houses and to order them to set them in the most convenient place and to say how big each school-house shall be. From the absence of any further reference to schoolhouses in the records and from the recollections of persons recently living, we judge that the schoolhouses were built in most of the districts soon after this, as on the Hill in 1797. Yet it is manifest that not in all, very soon, as in 1807 a vote is passed " to allow district No. 7 to build a school-house if they please," and as late as 1810 there is a petition from certain families to be set back to the " Winter district" until suitable school-houses have been built in the districts to which they had been assigned. The whole town was taxed for building these houses, those of two districts being exempted who were to build their own houses. Also the lands of non-resident owners were taxed for the same purpose.

The school-houses then erected sufficed until the district system was abandoned in 1867, except that another had to be erected to meet the demands of the increased population of Whitinsville, and it had to be twice enlarged until it had six rooms. After the adoption of the town system new houses were built for all the schools, save at Adam's Corner, where the house was thoroughly repaired. A new two-story house was built in Whitinsville in 1869, and enlarged for two more schools in 1872. In 1878 another large school-house was built in Whitinsville for four schools ; and now measures are being taken to erect a large brick school-house in the centre of this village for the high and grammar schools and for primary schools, thus providing twelve schoolrooms in Whitinsville.

Until 1865, the town had had only the district schools, including all grades, and in Whitinsville the grades of Primary, Intermediate and Grammar. In the annual report of that year, the committee pleaded earnestly for a High School, which the State laws required of every town having five hundred families, this town having five hundred and fifty ; and a vote was passed to establish a High School. This was done at once, and the school was located in Whitinsville, and has been maintained ever since, doing good work and accomplishing all that could be reasonably expected, giving those who are unable to go out of town for education the opportunity to pursue their studies several years longer than formerly. The committee the same year urged the lengthening the terms of school, which had heretofore been only six months, with a private school kept in some of the districts. Their recommendation was adopted the next year, and since that time the schools have been kept between nine and ten months.

In the beginning the care of the schools devolved on tlie selectmen. In 1799 an article was put in the warrant for the March meeting, "To see if the town will choose a committy to regulate the school districts," but it was voted " not to choose a school committy.'' But in 1805 it was voted "to choose a school committee of five ; " the change was not acceptable, and a committee was not chosen again until 1810, and from 1813 to 1819 none were chosen. From 1820 the school committee has been chosen every year. In 1826 "it was voted to allow Dr. Crane fifty cents each visit and to visit each winterschool twice." At the same meeting a school committee of eight was chosen, one for each district. The next year "it was voted to comply with the requisitions of the law in choosing a school committee," and three were chosen, and it was " voted each District be allowed to choose their own prudential committeemen, agreeable to usual custom." The innovation of the previous year, in having the prudential committee of the districts chosen by the town, was not acceptable. But the next year, 1828, the town again chose the prudential committees of the districts and continued to do so until 1862, when the choice reverted to the districts again, where it remained until the district system was abolished in 1867. In 1828, Mr. Adolphus Spring and Dr. Crane were a visiting committee to supplement the work of the prudential committee. Dr. Crane received twelve dollars for his visits. From this time for several years the town's committee are spoken of as " visitors." Previous to 1858 the whole committee was chosen each year ; this made possible, and sometimes actual, an entire change of persons in the board in a single year, and might bring in a board none of whose members had had any experience in the care of schools. This brevity and uncertainty of tenure was unfriendly to the adoption and carrying out any plans of school-work which extended over years, and was a hinderance to that progress which was needed. In 1858 the plan was changed, and each member now serves three years, and two new ones are chosen each year, and thus there is a continuity of service, and the benefit of experience is secured. There has been for many years an earnest endeavor to increase the efficiency of the schools. A new and powerful impulse was received in this progress about 1847. In 1843 the committee, of which Rev. Lewis F. Clark was chairman, made a very plain report as to the deficiencies in the schools and in the school-houses, and calling for progress. Their report was printed, and it was evidently pondered ; we see a slow increase in appropriations for several years, until 1847, when a very large increase of almost fifty per cent, was made, and since this time there has been great advance, and the town has been ready for any expense needed for the success of the schools. In 1843 the town was very near the lowest in the State for the amount appropriated per scholar, there being but forty-three out of three hundred and seven that raised less ; now there are but sixty-nine that raise more. In 1852 the appropriation was $2.96 per each child of school age; now it is $11.20. As a result of this interest and these efforts the schools are doing good work, for which every parent and every citizen may be thankful. Much of this gain has been due to the untiring efforts of Dr. Rouse R. Clarke, who was first chosen a member of the committee in 1852, and served the town almost without interruption until his death, February 2, 1888. For many years he was acting superintendent, though unwilling to be called such. He brought to the work great love for the cause of education, a high estimate of its importance, a large measure of common sense, a friendliness to new ideas, with an unwillingness to undervalue the old methods, and great faithfulness in the care of the schools. When the new school-house was completed on Cross Street, in Whitinsville, the following vote passed unanimously in the town-meeting April 7, 1879 : " Resolved, that in recognition of the longcontinued and eminent services of Dr. R. R. Clarke on the Board of School Committees, his constant and zealous efforts to advance the interests of our schools, whereby they have been raised to the present high standard, it is hereby ordered that the new schoolhouse on Cross Street shall be designated and known as the ' Clarke School,' " and the following resolutions were passed at the town-meeting, April 2, 1888, after his decease :

Heeolved, Tlmt we, the citizens. of Northbridge, desire to place upon the record our high appreciation of the services of the late Dr. liouse K. Clarke, in behalf of our public schools.

For almost thirty yeara his best thought and most earnest efforts were devoted to their interests. - During all this time it was his greatest ambition to do all in his power. Believing that the stability and freedom of our civil and religious institutions depend upon the education and morality of the people, he entered upon bis Jife-work wilh a sincere desire to serve his geuoratioD by doing what he could to advance the interests of education in our midst.

For all these years he has si)ared no expense of time or effort to accomplish this. We believe the present success of our schools is largely due to bis untiring devotion to their welfare. We cannot express too strongly our high appreciation of his valuable services and the deep sorrow we fed for our great loss.

Rt^solved, That the clerk be directed to enter these resolutions upon the Records of the Town, and forward a copy thereof to the family of the deceased.

The Whitinsville Social Library. - At a meeting of the citizens of Whitinsville, held December 10, 1844, to take into consideration the eslablishment of a Social Library, P. Whitin, Esq., was called to the chair. It was stated that the sum of one hundred dollars was left as a legacy, by Miss Sarah Fletcher, to be appropriated to such a Library whenever it should be thought best to establish one; and that this sum, with the interest on the same, was now available. Voted that we consider it expedient to establish such a Library at the present time. Voted, To choose a committee of three to draft a constitution, and present it at a future meeting. L. F. Clark, Horace Annsby and Leander Gorton were appointed on this committee.

The constitution presented by this committee, with some amendments, was adopted December 17th, and the society was organized under the name of " The Whitinsville Social Library." Signatures were obtained to the constitution, and December 24th the officers were chosen with Rev. L. F. Clark president.

By February, 1845, eighty-six subscribers had become members of the association by payment of one dollar as initiation fee and signing the constitution, which imposed an annual assessment of one dollar. Two hundred and fifty books had been purchased, and arrangements made for loaning them. This is the origin of the Social Library.

The association hecame incorporated April 14, 1858, under the provisions of the forty-first chapter of the Revised Statutes of Massachusetts.

The library was for many years kept in " the chapel" of the Congregational Society, and was used by subscribers, and a few others, as the teachers, to whom its privileges were extended by the association. But when better and permanent accommodations were provided in the Memorial Building, in 187(3, it was determined to offer its privileges to all the inhabitants of the town on certain conditions, and the following vote was passed by the association :

To make tbe Library free to the Inhabitants of the Town of Northbridge, sul'ject to such Rulea and Regnlationa as the Association or Corporation may adopt, upon condition that the Town shall annually appropriate and pay to the treasurer of the Corporation for the maintainauce and support of said Library a sum not less than Three Ilundred Dollars. The Library ceasing to be free to the inhabitants of said town when the Town ceases to make the above mentioned annual appropriation for its maintainance and support.

The town accepted the proposition of the association at its annual meeting in March, and has since made annual appropriations for the support of the library. The needed changes in the constitution and by-laws were made, and the library is still under the control of the association, of which any citizen of Northbridge may become a member by payment of one dollar annually, or a life member by payment of ten dollars, and signing the constitution. At the

Rev. L. F. Clark was re-elected president every year but two, until his death, in 1870. Dr. R. R. Clarke was chosen to succeed him, and re-elected annually until his death, in 1888, when Geo. A. Annsby was chosen, and is now president. From the small beginning with two hundred and fifty volumes, the library has grown apace, and, as we learn from the annual report made February 13, 1888, contains 4,507 volumes. The number who took books the last year was 418, and the number of volumes circulated was 6,875.