HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855.
Charles Brooks, Ed.

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 “education-revival” 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