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

[36] reclaimed from there disorders by you, that they may be proceeded with as ye law in yt case directs.

Frothingham, against the year 1679, says: ‘The ministers complained in their sermons of the general decay of schools, and an effort was made to restore them.’ This may explain our next extract from the records.

March 10, 1678-9. ‘At a general meeting of the Inhabitants it was put to a voat to ye inhabitants of this Town whether they would make a free School in this Town by allowing £ 50 per annum in or as money & a convenient house for a schoolmaster who is to teach Lattin, writing, siphering, & to perfect children in reading English. It was passed with a general voat by ye holding up of their hands, as Attests James Russell, Recorder.’ The seventh of April following ‘it was agreed with Mr. Samuel Phips to keepe the Free Schole of this Towneon the terms as was voted at the Towne Meeting (in March), wch is for the Yeare ensuing wch yr begins the 14th of this Instant Aprill. Per John Newell, Recorder.’

March 6, 1681-2. ‘It was agreed with Luke Perkins to inspect ye Youth at the meeting house in time of Worship for this yeare ensuing, for which he is to have £ 3 for this yeare, one-half money & the other halfe Towne pay, provided he be careful in his office.’ It thus appears that the fathers were tired of doing police duty on the Sabbath, and were glad to hire a substitute for about a shilling per week! Perhaps the most interesting item that the records furnish us at this time is the account of the building of a new school building, which, as far as we know, was the second schoolhouse erected in Charlestown. 30 March, 1681-2. ‘Then agreed with the brothers Nathaniel & Samuel Frothingham that they build a sufficient frame for a schoole of 20 ft. square & 8 foot studd within joints with a flatish Roofe and a Turret on it for the bell, and likewise a mantle-tree of 12 foot long, & to raise sd frame by 17th of May next, and to furnish all the carpenter worke about it by the middle of June next. And the Selectmen doth promise to finde them with boards, shingls, and nayls, and to pay them for sd worke thirteen pounds, one-half money. Attest Jno. Newell, Recorder,’