Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 1.

At another meeting, held on November 30, the same year, the town voted to have a school kept in the house of Thomas Willis, the ensuing winter, and a committee of three men, consisting of Engn Jno. Bradshaw, Capt. Ebenezer Brooks, and Mr. John Willis, was chosen to agree with some suitable person to keep a writing and reading school in town three or four months the ensuing winter, and to make return of their doings to the town at the next town meeting. We note in the action at this meeting that the people have diminished the size of their committee, have enlarged the curriculum of their school to include reading, have settled on a place where the school shall be kept, and instructed their committee to go ahead and to report their doings. Evidently they are in earnest and mean to have a school kept next winter.

At a meeting held December 11 of the same year, 1719, this committee reported the name of Mr. Henry Davison for schoolmaster for three months, and the town voted to pay him £ 3 and his board. Whether Mr. Davison was to board round or not the vote does not specify. The money was to be raised by levy on the inhabitants, provided it was not furnished by voluntary subscription. A committee of six men was chosen to find out whether Mr. Davison would accept the town's offer, and Thomas Tufts and Ebenezer Brooks were chosen to collect the above subscription in case it could be collected.

At a meeting held Feb. 22, 1720, the town voted to choose a committee of five men to select a site for a school-house to accommodate the whole town, and to report at the next meeting in March. This committee consisted of Capt. Peter Tufts, Dea. John Whitmore, Capt. Ebenezer Brooks, Mr. John Willis, and Mr. John Richardson, but no report of their doings appears on