Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 2.

‘[p. 3] publick house.’ Thus one citizen, at least, had previous to the year 1691 given some thought to the establishment of a school, though there is no evidence that the town ever took any action upon the matter.

There were at this time only twenty eight names on the tax list, so a school was not compulsory. Nothing further appears about a school for nearly eighteen years, the meeting-house question probably filling the minds and emptying the pockets of the people so that there was no chance for school or school-house. The meeting-house, the agitation for which was here begun, was completed in 1696; but no mention is made of a school till 1719, when, as before mentioned, the number of householders probably necessitated action.

July 10, 1719, in the warrant calling a town meeting for the 15th was an article ‘to consider what may be proper to be Don in order to Setting up a writing school in Sd Town.’ The voters assembled on the 15th and adjourned to the 20th, without coming to a vote on the matter, though we can scarcely believe that so important and really revolutionary a matter did not receive full discussion on the 15th. But on the 20th it was ‘put to vote whether the Town will have some meet person to keep a writing school in ye Town for three or four months in ye winter season,’ and passed; and next, ‘Att sd meeting putt to vote whether the Town will choose a Commity of five men to treet with some meet person or persons to keep a writing school in the town as aformentioned.’ Capt Tufts, Capt Ebenezer Brooks, Lieut. Stephen Hall, Ensign Stephen Francis, and Mr. John Willis were chosen, and two more, Deacon Whitmore and Jonathan Tufts, were afterward added, making this first school committee seven in number. The committee took time enough to give the subject careful consideration, for not until November 13 was the warrant issued for a town-meeting to hear the report of this committee. The voters assembled Nov. 30, 1719, but the committee had evidently come to no agreement,