The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-03-28
state ZatD.
AN ACT to provide for the Instruction Of
Youth.

assembled, and 5y the authority Of the same,
That each town or district within this Com
mouwealth, containing fifty families, or
house holders, shall be provided with
teacher, or teachers, of good morals, to in
struct children in photography, reading,
writing, English grammar, geography, a.
rithmetic, and good behavior, for such term
of time as shall be equivalent to six months
for one school in each year: and every
town or district containing one hundred
families or house holders, shall be provided
with such teacher or teachers, for such
term of fine as shall be equivalent to
twelve months, for one school in each wear:
and every town or district containing one
hundred and fifty families or house holders,
shall be provided Withsuch teacher or teach
ers, as shall be equivalent to eighteen
months, for one school in each year. And
every city. town, or district, containing
Gve hundred families or house holders,
shall be provided with such teacher or
teachers, for such term of time as shall
be equiVdl ut 70 tWcnty-four months,
for one school IN a year, and shall also
be provided with master Of good NOR
ais, competent to instruct, in addition
to the branches of learning aforesaid, the
History Of the United States, book keep
ing by single entry, geometry, surveying,
and algebra, and shall employ such master
to instruct school, in such city, town or
district, for the benefit of all the inhabi-
tarts thereof, at least ten months in each
year, exclusive Of vacations, IN such con-
vement place, or alternately at such places,
in such city, town or district, as the said ia
habltants, at their meeting in March or A
prlI annually, shall determine; and in eve
ry city, or town, containing four thousand
inhabitants, such masters shall be compe-
tent to instruct in addition to sll the fore
gong branches, the Latin and Greek lam
guages, history, rhetoric and logic.
SEC. 2. Be 1t further enacted, That the
several towns and districts in this Common
wealth be, and they hereby are authorized
AM empowered, in town meetings to be
called for that purpose, to determine and
define the limits of school districts within
their towns and districts respectively: Pro-
vided that nothing contained in this act shall
be so construed, as to prevent any town from
carrying into effect the provision Of this act
IN ther corporate capacity, and not in school
districts, if said town shall so determine.
SEC. 3. Be ii further enacted, That it
shall be, and it hereby is made the duty of
the President, Professors, and Tutors Of
the University at Cambridge, and of the
several Colleges in this Commonwealth,
Preceptors, and Teachers Of Academies,
! and all other instructors of Youth, TO take
dlllgent care, and to exert their best en-
beavers, to impress on the minds Of chill
dren and youth committed to their care and
instruction, the principles Of piety, justice,
and sacreG regard to truth, love to their
| country, humanity and universal beneyo-
lence, sobriety, industry and frugality
chastity, moderation and temperance, and
those other virtues which are the ornament
Of human society, and the basis upon which
the Republican Constitution is founded
And it shall be the duty of such Instruc-
tors, to endeavor to lead those under their
care, as their ages and capacity will admit,
into particular understanding of the ten.
dency Of the above mentioned virtues, to
( preserve and perfect Republican Consti-
tuition, and to secure the blessings of liber-
ty, as well as to promote their future hap
-piness, and the tendency of the opposite
vices to slavery and ruin. And it shall be
! the duty of the resident Ministers of the
Gospel, the Selectmen and School Commit
tees in the several towns in this Common
wealth, to exercise their influence, and use
their best endeavors, that the youth of their
respective towns and districts, do regularly
attend the schools established and support
ed as aforesaid, for their instruction.
SEC. 4. BE 1t further enacted, That the
several towns in this Commonwealth are
hereby authorized, empowered and direct
ed, at their annual meetings, for the choice
OF town officers, or at any regular meeting
called for that purpose, to vote and raise
such sums of money for the support of the
schools aforesaid, as they shall judge nee
essary for that purpose, which sums so vot
ed to be raised, shall be assessed and col
lected in like manner as other town taxes
are by law assessed and collected
SEC. 5. BE II further enacted, That eacl
town in this Commonwealth SHALL at the
annual meeting thereof for the choice o
town officers, choose. by written or printed
ballots, School Committee, consisting o
three, five or seven persons, who shall have
the general charge and superintendent 0
all the public schools in said town, which
are supported at the expense thereof
PT0uded, That any town, containing fou
thousand inhabitants, and upwards, may
choose an additional number, not exceed
ing five and it shall be the duty of sale
Committee to require full and satisfactory
evidence of the good moral character O
all instructors who may be employed in the
several schools in said town, and to satisfy
| themselves, by personal examination, OF
otherwise, of their literary qualifications
ana capacity for the government ofschools
and no instructor shall be entitled to re-
| an l
vice in the instruction of any of the schools
aforesaid, without first obtaining from said
Committee a certificate of his or her quail
itications as aforesaid and it shall further
more be the duty of said Committee to de-
termine the number and qualifications of
the scholars, to be admitted into the school
kept for the use Of the whole town as alore-
said; to visit such school at least quarter