Connecticut western news., 1886-08-11
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST II, 1886.
HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE
 SCHOOLS OF SALLSB URY.

SCHOOLS OF SALLSB URY
 Tho Address Delivered by Mrs Sara h
 Hutchinson Clark at the Salisbury
 TeacherS' Reunion at Twin
 Lakes, July .s, 1ss6.
 In attempting to prepare a paper up on subject so vast as the Historical Record of the Schools of our town, D I feel that am undertaking that, to which I cannot do justice. In writing of events which have become matters of history, we necessarily depend for in- formation upon records made by those who were themselves participants in the events. Such being the case, after be- ing solicited to write upon the above mentioned subject, and wishing to as- certain the earliest date when the word school was mentioned in connection with Salisbury, went to the town hall and was so fortunate as to find an old, leathern covered book entitled Records of Salisbury, book No. l." and to said book am indebted for some facts which I shall cite.
 We all know that, although Salisbury was an integral part of N. H. colony until May 11th, 1732, when 1t received its charter, it was until that date un- known and unnamed, when the commis- sioners decided to meet at the extreme eastern side of the town, baptized 1t in the Housatonic river. and named 1t Sal isbury, for its fair English cousin who lived on the other side of the great water. As part of the colony, our town was nearly 100 years old then. At the October session of the Assembly, then called ''The General Court" in the year 1737 the lands of Salisbury were ordered to be sold at Hartford. The lands were divided into 25 rights; one of these rights was appropriated to the first settled minister; one for the use of the ministry forever, and one for the support of the schools. The ministerial and school lands were leased upon long terms of years and fund created for the partial support of the gospel and schools. Such is the origin of the ministerial and school funds of this town.
 It may be matter of some interest to know where the lots designated for school support were located. In April 1739 lot for school right of 100 acres, with an addition of acres and AS rods for sizing was surveyed and laid out in the vicinity q judge from the records) of the residence of MT s. Robbins at Lakeville; and second of 20 acres in October 1739 bordering on the south side of Wononpacook. Another division of 75 acres was drawn September 23rd, 1741, for school right very near where we are today assembled, and presume 1t is safe to say that these charming pie nic grounds, which, for beauty of situa- tion and surroundings cannot be excell- ed, are 8 part of said lot. l think that our colonial ancestors had pretty clear perception of cause and effect when they said, ssIt being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the scriptures, as in former times by keeping them in an un- known tongue, so in these latter times by persuading men from the use of tongues, and, that learning may not be buried in the grave of our forefathers in church and commonwealth-it Is there fore ordered by this court and authority thereof, that every township, within this jurisdiction, after the Lord hath increased them to the number of 50 u point one within their town to teach all such children as shall resort to him, to write and read; whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children or by the inhabitants in general.
 The first annual meeting was held October 20, 1741 ,and under date of June 23rd, 1743, I find the following "Whereas vote was called for to see If we should get school-master to keep school for us one year; voted in ye affirm ative; and 1t Is also voted that we shall choose a committee to take care of ye school, and get school-master to keep school for us ye time aforesaid; further more that Thomas Newcomb, Benjamin White and Samuel Bellows shall be 8 committee to take care of said school and further that ye aforesaid school shall be kept five months inWeatogue, and four months at or near the house of Cornelius Knickerbocker, and three months at or near the house of John Smith," At meeting on December 12 1743, it was voted: ''that we shall build log house, for ye use of ye school IT this town near the house of Cornelius Butcher in Weatogue; ye school house to be IS feet square and seven feet from floor to hoor-and 1t Is also voted tha we shall build log house for ye use O ye school in the town on the northeas corner of lot of land that Thoma. Newcomb purchased of Thomas Lamb said lot was the first lot that was laiG out in the first division; the house tt be IT feet long, Is feet wide and sever feet from floor to floor" August 18th 1744, vote was recorded to the effect ssthat the committee are impowered tt make demand for the money due to y school of this town from ye several mer that have given votes for ye same, ,and l necessary, to sue for recovering ye sam' in law" So 1t would seem that teacher then had some trouble to get their jus dues. In January, 1744, 1t was voted ssthat the interest money from ye tow1 be divided according to ye quantity o1 ye children in ye several parts of y town" I would say in passing that th' first school in this town was in the dis trict then, as now, known as Weatogue and the first school-master was Rober Walu; but his services were confined tt the Dutch population in Weatogue. Dl Wilson or Williams was the first teacher employed under the authority of the town. So we see that even before tht settlement of minister school wa. established.
 In 1743 committee of five was ap pointed to lease the lands on the schoo right for 8 term of 999 years, taking security for the avails. The fund thu: raised, composes part of the present school fund. Before leaving this sub ject I will speak of other sources from which the revenue Is derived whicl maintains our district schools. Tax ation and tuition fees were resorted to from the first. The early records show that though town guaranteed the teachers salary yet, it was expected that a considerable part. if not the whole, would be collected by tuition