Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 4.

[p. 22] confinement of a school-room at the tender age of four years; and it is very questionable whether children admitted to the public schools at four years, will be farther advanced at eight, than those admitted at five. There are some two hundred scholars in the schools between four and eight years of age. Admit none under five, and you reduce that number about one quarter part, and will be able to accommodate the remainder for several years to come.—

With these views, your Committee recommend as a matter of expediency to admit no scholars to the public schools, under five years of age.—