committee was chosen to inquire "if it be expedient for girls to attend the master's school." The committee wisely recommended the affirmative; whereupon, at the next townmeeting, it was voted "that girls have liberty to attend the master-school during three summer months."

"June 20, 1794: Voted that females attend the masterschool separately, from the 1st of May to the 1st of October,. four hours each day; and that the boys attend four hours each day, Thursday and Saturday afternoons being vacations." No one was admitted under seven years of age, nor unless he could read and spell. Woman; as the first instructor of man, needs a double portion of culture; and, when we starve the mother, we curse the cradle.

The course of study was, for the most part, meagre and impoverishing. The healthy curiosity of the mind was fed on the dryest husks of grammar, arithmetic, spelling, and reading. Whatever could be turned to pecuniary gain was the great object in the selection of studies. Webster's Spelling-book, American Preceptor, Young Lady's Accidence, Pike's Arithmetic, and Morse's Geography, were the mines out of which pupils were commanded to dig the golden ores of all useful knowledge. The books were made with very slight apprehension of a child's mode of thought. They seemed to take for granted that the pupil knew the very things they proposed to teach him. They abounded with rules, without giving any instruction concerning the principles out of which the rules rose. It was somewhat like lecturing on optics to the blind, or on music to the deaf.

May 5, 1795: On this day, the town voted to build a brick schoolhouse behind the meeting-house. They agreed "to give William Woodbridge two hundred and twenty pounds, with the old schoolhouse, to build it." This house consisted of one large room, sufficient for sixty or seventy children, and was arranged after the newest models, and furnished with green blinds. On the north side sat the girls, and on the south the boys, constantly tempting each other to laugh and play.

March 1, 1802: "Voted that the Royal' donation be appropriated to pay the schooling of poor children, as last year.'

May 6, 1805: Voted to procure a lot for a schoolhouse near Gravelly Bridge. Voted "to choose a committee to look out a piece of land at the west end of the town, procure materials (for a schoolhouse), and report their doings at March meeting."

March 7, 1807: Voted to enlarge the schoolhouse, and dig a well. After this was done, the girls and boys were taught in separate rooms. Until this time there had been .but one public free school in the town; and this was all that was then deemed necessary. It was taught by an accomplished master through the year. After this time, two schools were not too many, and the town cheerfully sustained them. No provision had been made for what are now called " primary schools;" and therefore every parent was obliged to pay for the schooling of his children until they had reached the age of seven, when they could lawfully enter the grammar school. So late as 1813, children under seven years of age were, by vote, prohibited from entering the grammar schools.

The "dame schools," or, as they were often called, the "marm schools," were numerous. Some vestal dames, whom it would not be profanation to call "sacred," and who never seemed young to their pupils, continued, through many years, to teach the young their first steps on the high and perilous ladder of learning. With what fidelity they administered the accustomed kisses, alphabet, and birch, some of us can never forget. Twelve cents per week, paid on each Monday morning, secured to each pupil an abundance of motherly care, useful knowledge, and salutary discipline. Our town rejoiced in a "Marm Betty." After all, these schools were more important to society than the march of armies or the sailing of fleets; for they laid well the first foundation-stones of that immortal edifice, human character.

Since 1799, a law had existed in the town, pledging it to pay for the instruction of poor children at the dame schools.

Whittling seems native to New England boys. March 7, 1808, the town voted to repair the seats and benches in the schoolhouse.

In 1817, female teachers for the female department were preferred. They taught through six months only. In 1818, when Medford had two hundred and two families, the expenses of the schools were as follows:

Master for one year, at $20 per month.

Board for the same, at $3 per week.

Master four months, at $20 per month

Board for the same, at $3 per week.

Three female teachers twenty-five weeks each, at $4
Rent for schoolhouses for female schools

$240

156

80

52

300

45

$873

April 7, 1823: Voted to build a new schoolhouse "on the front line of the burying-place."

Nov. 1, 1824: Voted to divide the town into two districts, to be called Eastern and Western; and the $1,200, voted this year for the support of the schools, was to be divided equally between the districts. In 1825, the number of children in Medford, under fourteen years of age, was 525; and the thickening of population in new places made it necessary to multiply schoolhouses, and scatter them over the whole territory.

1829: Voted to build a schoolhouse, of wood, in the west part of the town. This was placed on the Woburn Road, on land bought of Jonathan Brooks, Esq. In 1831, it was removed and placed near the alms-house, on land belonging to the town.

1833: Voted to build a schoolhouse in the eastern district, the cost not to exceed four hundred dollars.

The primary schools were taught by females, but not continued through the winter.

66

March 3, 1834: Voted that the school-committee be directed so to arrange the town-schools that the girls shall enjoy equal privileges therein with the boys throughout the year. This tardy justice to the female sex was not peculiar to Medford; and we are now amazed that Anglo-Saxon men, living in a free commonwealth and professing the Christian religion, should have needed two hundred years to convince them that girls have an equal right with boys to all physical, intellectual, and moral development.

The new interest awakened in the cause of elementary instruction, by the friends of common schools, produced its effects readily in Medford; and, in 1835, the town chose a committee "to inquire how proper education might be more extensively and effectually promoted in the town." In this year a new schoolhouse was ordered, — the land and building to cost eight hundred dollars.

March 2, 1835: The town appointed a committee to "inquire into the best methods of conducting public schools."

This vote shows that the efforts of the school-reformers of previous years had not been lost on Medford. Among these early friends of a better system was a talented son of Medford, Mr. William Channing Woodbridge, who received from his father a knowledge and love of school-teaching, and who, as editor of the "Annals of Education," labored suc

cessfully for the great cause. His "Modern School Geography and Atlas" are proofs of his ability and enthusiasm ; and we deeply regret that all our efforts to learn more of his history and labors have been so unsuccessful. He is an honorary member of the Geographical Societies of Paris, Frankfort, and Berlin.

If another son of Medford has labored long and spent much for common schools, is it necessary that it should be noticed in this history? The writer of this has maintained, that, under the circumstances, it is not necessary; but he has at last been syllogized into the belief, that what was publicly done by a son of Medford towards the "educationrevival" of 1835-7 belongs to the history of the town, and cannot be omitted without violating the rule followed in all other cases in town histories. Silenced rather than convinced,. he yields to the wishes of those he has no right to disregard; and, omitting all details, he consents only to the republication of a letter which first appeared in the Plymouth newspaper, Oct. 4, 1845, and was copied in the "Common School Journal." The introductory remarks of the editor will sufficiently explain the facts.

"MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS.

"The communications in our former numbers, respecting the Bridgewater Normal School and the late annual address before the pupils, have induced a friend of Mr. Brooks to write him, and ask about his first movements in the Old Colony. He reluctantly yielded to write an account; but, as it connects itself so closely with the cause of education in our Commonwealth, we think our readers may be glad to see it.- Old Colony Memorial.

"BOSTON, Sept. 2, 1845.

"My dear Sir, -You ask me to print my address delivered at Bridgewater before the Normal School. I thank you for the compliment implied in such a request; but, my friend, the time has passed for such a necessity. Our battle with ignorance and prejudice has been fought in the Old Colony, and the victory is ours; and there had better not be any parade of the old soldiers quite yet. Some educational antiquary, in his pardonable weakness, may show my lectures fifty years hence, as they sometimes show old cannon. They are fast growing into the sear and yellow leaf: so pray excuse

me.

"You ask about the educational movements in the Old Colony with which I was connected. The story is very short, and to most persons must be very uninteresting.

"While in Europe, in 1833, I became interested in the Prussian system of education. I sought every occasion to enlarge my

knowledge of its nature and action. A good opportunity came to me without my seeking it. The King of Prussia had sent Dr. Julius, of Hamburg, to this country, for the purpose of collecting information concerning our prisons, hospitals, schools, &c. I happened to meet the doctor in a literary party in London, and he asked me to become his room-mate on board ship. I did so, and for forty-one days was with him listening to his descriptions of German and Prussian systems of instruction. I was resolved to attempt the introduction of several parts of the system into the United States. I formed my plan, and commenced operations by a public announcement, and an address at Hingham. I found some who understood and appreciated my views, and I worked on with a new convert's zeal. In 1835, I wrote and published; but few read, and fewer still felt any interest. I was considered a dreamer, who wished to fill our republican commonwealth with monarchial institutions. There were some amusing caricatures of me published, to ridicule my labors. These did me more good than harm. I worked with precious few encouragements. I occupied Thanksgiving Day of 1835 in advocating, in a public address, my plan for Normal Schools. I took my stand upon this Prussian maxim, 'As is the teacher, so is the school.' Ihought the whole philosophy was summed up in that single phrase; and I think so still. I accordingly wrote all my lectures with reference to the establishment of Normal Schools. I now began to lecture before lyceums and conventions, and had many stormy debates, and a wonderful scarcity of compliments. The noise and dust of battle began at last to bring many to the comitia, until we got quite a respectable campus martius. I thought there was one place where I could rely on intelligence and patriotism; and there I resolved to go. I accordingly published in the newspapers, that a convention would be gathered at Plymouth, in court-week, to discuss the expediency of establishing a Normal School in the Old Colony.' The friends of common schools assembled, and a private room held us all! But soon the truth spread; and my friends in Hingham and Plymouth came up generously to the work. We felt that the two great ideas of the church and the schoolhouse, which our Pilgrim Fathers brought to this shore, were to be carried out, and ever trusted in God they would.

"But this narrative is growing too long. In a few words, then, let me add, that I found conventions to be the best missionaries of the truth; and I gathered them in Plymouth, Duxbury, New Bedford, Bridgewater, Kingston, Hanover, Hanson, &c. The Old Colony was ready to take the lead; and we began with petitions and memorials to the Legislature, all recommending the establishment of Normal Schools. How many hundred pages I wrote on this subject, during 1834-6, I dare not say. It was the subject of my thoughts and prayers. The wisdom of the Prussian scheme recommended itself to the reflecting; and, as I had studied it, I was