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

January 21 following, this committee ‘made return that they had agreed with Mr. Thomas Tufts to keep sd school for one year to perfect Children in Reading & to Learn them to write & Cipher, and to Teach them Gramer, for £ 40 per annum, & to begin his work the last day of June.’

At the next May meeting (1704) £ 28 was voted ‘for the schoolmaster to make up his Sallery to £ 40.’

We have not attempted to verify the account of Thomas Tufts, to be found in Brook's History of Medford, and Wyman's Charlestown Genealogies. He graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1701. While there he received £ 40 per year, by the terms of his grandfather's will. (This was as good as teaching school!) He was the son of Peter Tufts, Jr., (styled ‘Capt. Peter’). His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Lynde. He was born in Medford, March 31, 1683, and married for his first wife, his cousin, Mary Lynde. She died September 3, 1718, and the following January 29 he married Emma, daughter of Captain Samuel Phipps. Thomas Tufts died December 26, 1733. Wyman records the births of his children.

December 25, 1704, it would appear that the school was again without a teacher, for it was ‘voted that the Selectmen be a committee to provide a Gramer Schoolmaster for the Town forthwith as soon as possible.’ Accordingly, on the 29th they enlisted the services of Samuel Heymond, Esq., Capt. Samuel Phipps, and Mr. Joseph Whittemore, ‘who are to enquire of Mr. Battle and the fellows of the College concerning Mr. Wissell, whether he was a fitt man to be a schoolmaster for this town.’ These gentlemen reported, January 10, 1705, ‘that all gave incoridgment & declare their opinion that as to Mr. Wissell's Learning & other qualifications he was a fitt person for sd work.’ This report was accepted, and these three gentlemen, along with Mr. Ebenezer Austin as a fourth, were authorized, any two of them, to treat with Mr. Wissell for a term of six months.