Historic leaves, volume 2, April, 1903 - January, 1904

The education of the daughters of the community is not mentioned. If they received any instruction in the so-called ‘dame’ or ‘spinning’ schools, it was at their own expense. Private schools also for the boys, as the records we have quoted intimate, received their share of patronage, especially from the well-to-do. Not all the young men of Charlestown who graduated from the college were trained in the town school. The sons of the poor had some slight attention, but the ‘youth,’ the sons of the better class, whether they knew it or not, formed a privileged order in the community. As yet there was no real democratic equality in educational matters, and no free schools in the modern acceptation of the term.

A list of those accredited to Charlestown, who graduated from Harvard College previous to 1701, may prove interesting. (From Bartlett's Address, 1813.)

A personal examination of the town records shows that from the opening of this century, almost without exception thereafter, the inhabitants of Charlestown, in town meeting assembled, discussed the welfare of the school and voted the annual appropriation for the same. Thus they were building, better, perhaps, than they knew, for upon foundations, similarly well laid, has risen, slowly but surely, the magnificent structure of our present school system.

March 1, 1702-3. ‘Voted that the selectmen should provide and agree with a schoolmaster at the Town's charge,’ and May 18, ‘voted for the master's pay what shall be wanting besides that already granted to make up his sallery to £ 40 per annum, viz: £ 30.’ The same day it was ‘voted that Lt. Coll. Joseph Lynd, Samuel Heyman, Esq. & Dea. Joseph Kettell be