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[63]
She left a will, dated September 20, 1754.
The family genealogy says that Mr. Burr became one of the most famous teachers of his time.
For twelve years he was master of the grammar school at Charlestown.
He died while master there, August 7, 1719, and was buried in Fairfield, Ct., where there is a monument to his memory.
It states that he was educated at Cambridge under the famous William Brattle, and died while on a visit to his native place.
We have made our account of this gentleman a somewhat lengthy one, for the reason that his term of service in Charlestown surpassed that of any of his predecessors.
November 19, 1711. ‘The Selectmen ordered the Repairing the schoolhouse with all Necessary Repairations.’
At the meeting of 1712, May 21, we are allowed a little variety. ‘Voted for Schoolmaster's Sallery, viz.: the Gramer School £ 40 and £ 5 to be raised for the payment for some poor children at such women's schools as shall be allowed of by the Selectmen.
Being for such Children whose parents are not able to bring them to school, which shall be determined by Captain Samuel Phipps & Captain Jonathan Dows.’
Or, as Frothingham, page 246, has it: ‘The teacher having requested that regulation might be made About the town school, it was voted That, whereas the school, being thronged with so many small reading children that are not able to spell or read as they ought to do, by reason of which Latin scholars, writers, and cypherers cannot be duly attended & instructed as they ought to be, Captain Samuel Phipps & Mr. Jonathan Dows were chosen inspectors & regulators of that matter.’
May 20, 1713, the master's salary was increased to £ 50, and this was the sum paid for the five years following.
In 1718 and until 1724, or for six years ensuing, his services were valued at £ 60.
In 1713 a new building was erected on the Town Hill, near the old schoolhouse.
Thus building number two did service thirty-one years, the same length of time as its predecessor.
Estimating a schoolhouse of that time as able to withstand the wear and tear of a generation of pupils, we may expect to find this third building yielding to the inevitable about 1745.
Somerville. Historical Society. , 1904.
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