Connecticut western news., 1886-08-11


 each town in this colony shall annually pay 40 shiIlings for every e10OO in their respective county lists and proportion ably for lesser sums towards the main tenance of the school-master where the same is levied, and if this is not suffi- cient, then the lack shall be made up, one-half by the inhabitants of such town and the other half by the parents or masters of the children that go to the school" This law remained in force as above stated till 1920.
 It is doubtless safe to presume that not one in this intelligent assemblage of teachers and friends here today, igno- rant of the origin and disposition of the Connecticut school fund; but as 1t has in the past, and still continues to figure so largely in our financial interest, I will speak of it. We, as scholars all learned of the "Connecticut Reserve ;'' how our state chanced to own land in what is now Ohio, etc., but by way of re- freshing our memories let us glance at the facts again. The charter as given by Charles IT. for the Connecticut col ony, covered not only the present limits New Jersey and aH lying west of New
 
 and AZ deg. 2 min. extending to the Pacific ocean, but the parts of New York and New Jersey had been includ- ed in a former grant given by the same king so could not be claimed by Connec- ticut. After much controversy relative to titles, and it being deemed inexpedi- ent to attempt to control this narrow strip of land but 70 miles from north to south and extending through A deg. of longitude or nearly 5000 miles west ward to the Pacific; when the general assembly met in 17S6 it authorized the delegates from this state in Congress to convey to the United States all the lands belonging to Connecticut lying west of line parallel to and 120 miles from the western line of Pennsylvania. In Octo- Der of the same year the legislature passed the following act, entitled an act establishing funds for the support of the ministry and schools of education; 1; 'sBe 1t enacted that the monies arising from the sale of the territory belonging to this state lying west of Pennsylvania be, and the same is hereby established a perpetual fund, the interest whereof is granted and shall be appropriated to the use and benefit of the several eccle- siastical societies, churches, or congre gations of all denominations in this state to be by them applied to the support of their respective ministers or preachers of the gospel and schools of education under such rules and regulations as shall be adopted by this, or somefuture session of the general assembly," This act created the Connecticut school fund and committee was appointed to dis pose of the lands, but not allowed to consumate contracts for sale which would aggregate less than $1,O00,0OO, and no payment to extend beyond ten years. Within six months the commit tee reported that the whole land had been sold 1a 36 parcels for sum of S1,200,0OO, payable in five years. So you readily see that we derive nice, snug, little income from what was our western property.
 During the last year the proportion for this town of the interest from the school fund, slightly increased from some other sources, gave the sum of 6,O31.51 which was expended in Sails bury for educational purposes.
 By way of contract with the sum just mentioned let us take 8 backward glance to the time when Salisbury was young and took it's iniative step in edu- cation. I regret that I can find no re- cord of the salary paid to the first teacher in this town. The first minister received g40, somewhat less than S200. I find under date of 1643 that Hartford, then the richest town in Connecti- cut, in its town meeting agreed to give MT Andrews, "for his pains in teaching the children one year from the 25th of March next 916." Just think of 1t for a moment; to teach a whole year for less than S70. Don't we wish that we could have taught in those days and amassed snug little fortunes from the savings over and above all necessary expenses? It is extremely doubtful if we could have boarded at frst-class hotel or in nice, private family at from $5 to $6 per week and had the luxury of coal fire in our rooms besides. however, those were not the days of silks, satins, velvets and broadcloth. As a rule, a low price presupposes an inferior article still we ladies who commenced teach ing at time when S1. 25 or trife more, per week was considered fair wages, and we did not expect any abiding place but boarded around the district, we will no t | pretty good work.
 Relative to school officers. first mention of school committee was in had been appointed, the selectmen per expressly provided for such an appoint ment and 1t has continued the office since, there being but this difference between Men and nou, that formerly the school committee acted for the entire town, now each district elects it's own.
 School visitors were appointed in 1799 under the following act: "Be it enacted, that each society shall appoint suitable number of persons, not exceeding nine, of competent skill in letters, to be over seers or visitors of all schools in such society, whose duty it shall be in any of their meetings to examine the instruct ors, and to displace such as may be found deficient in any requisite qualifi- cation, or who will not conform to the regulations by them adopted, to superintend and direct the instruction of the youth in letters, religion, morals and manners; to appoint at their discre- tion public exercises for the youth; to visit the schools twice at least during each season for schooling, at which wis. itations two or more of them shall be present, and particularly to direct the daily reading of the Bible by such of the youth as are capable of 1t, and the weekly instruction in some catechism by them approved and to recommend that the master conclude the services o1 each day with prayer" The latter part of above act was repealed about ISIS So we see by the above that the reig ious clement prevailed largely during the early part of this century. I have heard my parents, in speaking of theil youthful school-days, tell of the ire quent visit of the minister and deacon l whnr fhn r.acifa lions from fha natan h. srr