History of the Town of Fitchburg Rufus Torey 1836


(I read ahead and could not resist.  Please indulge me.  The
story is in the year 1764 or thereabouts.  The good citizens
of Fitchburg have just agreed to build a meeting house piece
meal.  No big loans for them.  One step at a time as the
resources become available.  From the bottom of page 67---)

They thought it best to build no more at a time than they
could pay for, and to humble themselves a little, as they
arranged themselves on temporary seats around their preacher
-- and so proceed with the work of building as their means
allowed.  Such a couse was preferable to that which is
sometimes adopted in these latter days (Rufus Torry wrote in
1836) of erecting a splendid edifice at once, contracting a
large debt to pay for it, and then to be able barely to pay,
year after year, the interest, and perhaps a small portion
of the principal.

Although the people of Fitchburg thus early manifested a
proper spirit in supporting the public institutions of
religion, and doing other things for the prosperity of the
town, it must be acknoledged that they did not exhibit that
zeal in the cause of education which its importance
demanded, and which might be reasonabley expected from them.
During the first year of its incorporation, it does not
appear that there was any school in the town.  In 1765, it
was voted that two schools should be kept in the town during
the ensuing winter, and the sum of three pounds ($10) was
appropriated to this purpose.  Mr. John Fitch and
Dea. Kendall Boutelle, who lived in the northern and
southern extremities of the town, were exemped from any
portion of this tax, and had permission to establish schools
amoung themselves.  How much benefit to the town was derived
from two schools, each draining from the treasury the palty
sum of five dollars for the pay of the teacher and all
incidental expenses, I cannot pretend to say.  Incidental
expenses, however, were but trifling.  There were no
school-houses in the town; but the dwelling-houses of
individuals, who had vacant rooms that would answer for this
purpose, were freely offered for the public good.  A school
was "kepy" for some time in Wm. Chadwick's "corn-barn" The
"master" boarded in the several families of the district,
which bore the burthen or honor of his presense, for a
stated number of weeks, in rotation.  The people also
furnished fuel gratuitously; and it is probable that the
teacher received nearly the whole amount of the money raised
by the town.

In the succeeding year a more magnanimous dispostion was
manifested.  The sum of 8 pounds ($26.66) was voted for the
support of the schools -- and this was the standing sum
appropriated for the purpose for a considerable number of
years.  During the same time they were paying to their
minister annually the sum of $200 or $300 (in addition to
his 30 cords of wood) -- eight times the amount which they
paid for the education of their children.  At the present
time, the amount of money paid by the people for
instruction, is just about equal to that paid to all the
ministers in the town.  It is but just to add that, previous
to the incorporation of Fitchburg, Lunenburg appropriated a
handsome sum to purposes of education.

[Before Fitchburg was set off, two more school-houses had
been built in the precincts of Lunenburg, and the people of
what was afterwards Fitchburg paid their proportion of the
tax for the support of schools.  It would be injustice to
many persons not to mention the exertions which they made in
their individual capacity, for the education of their
children.  Many private or subscription schools were opened
-- some with very competent teachers.  The children received
three-fourths of their instruction in this way.  This is
quite a palliation for the conduct of the town in its
corporate capacity.]

There were some peculiarities exhibited in the conduct of
the fathers of this town, which savored strongly of their
puritan origin.  They were not so tolerant in all their
notions as their children have become, and according to
their sense of propriety and duty they maintained a strict
watch over all things pertaining to the moral and spiritual
welfare of the good people of the town.  In these days of
modern degeneracy, their inquisitorial proceedings would
have excited no small degree of indignation, and their
prying committees would have met with many a severe rebuff.

(to be continued)

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