Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-29
VILLAGE DISTRICT.
Capt. c. E. Nash Furnishes Interesting His
torical Sketch Of ii.

Capt. =. E. Nash, chairman of the
board of directors of the village distric.
schools has furnished very interesting
and readable historical sketch of this dis
trict which, coming from him. will bs
read with interest. as the captain is well
INFORMED on school matters and has kent
a record Of the schools for many Years II
is as follows:
The village school district as an organ.
lzation and legal entity was the outcome
OF an effort made in 1912, by the inhabi.
tants OF two certain school districts which
had been formed in the territory of Au-
gusta under the town organization. The
village school district is not corporation
1t is simply consolidation of two of the
original school districts of the town
possessing authority to choose its own
directors and conducti its own affairs nm.
der the general school law of the State
without being subject to interference by
municipal authority. 1t is an instance Of
the survival of popular sovereignty in the
conduct of public schools. The Williams
school district was formed in 1882, by the
consolidation of three districts in the
same manner as the village district was
formed, and under the same act of the
Legislature.
In the year of its incorporation Q79O
the town of Augusta was divided into
eight school districts, two on the east
side Of the river and six on the west side
These eight districts were subsequently
divided and sub-divided as the growth Of
the town proceeded, until finally the
number had increased to twenty seven.
Numbers 3, 4 and s, of the original dis
tricts remained, though much reduced in
size, until the abolition of all the suburban
districts by vote of the city council and
the adoption of the town system, in 1887.
The first effort in the town to establish
school above the primary grade was in
1903, when al association Of citizens built
of brick a grammar school building at the
present corner of Bridge and State streets
bridge street did not then extend wester-
ly of State street.) This building was
first occupied III the spring of 1904 with
Mr.. Chenery as principal. 1t was not
free school The ownership of Il share en-
titled to the schooling of one pupil
Shareholders sometimes let shares to non
owners. The dead languages We're in the
course of study. The building was
burned in 1907, which catastrophe ended
the school. This school had no successor
in the town for twenty-eight years. and
during that period-nearly generation
the district schools occupied alone the field
of educational work within the towns
limits; but the Hallowell Academy, which
was then in full vigor, offered the youth
of Augusta, good facilities for obtaining
an education,-which many of them &C
cepted.
In the year 1888, on motion of various
public spirited citizens who had despaired
Of seeing realized under the then prevail
ing district system. adequate facilities
for impartipg to youth instruction in the
higher branches of education, the Legis-
lature granted ian act further to provide
for the education Of YOUTH which au-
thorzed any school district in Augusta to
elect directors for the management of its
schools and to grade the same as seemed
most expedient. 1t also authorized any
two or more districts to mite and become
as one district for all school purposes
The directors were invested with the
powers of experimenting school commit
tees and district agents combined.
But this act of the Legislature, so i'm
portant to the educational interests of Au
gusta, was not Immediately accepted by
the people of any district. Its friends re-
ceived many rebuffs. The majority of the
people were not ready for it's immediate
adoption, and it rested in desuetude for
nine years. In the meantime, in 1885,
second attempt was made to establish in
hn sob fnd IN In ifyhn
branches of education and to prepare stu
dents for college. The Legislature, on the
7th of February of that year, Incorporated
several citizens under the name of the
Augusta Classical School Association.
Funds were raised by the sale of shares
The site of the original high schoolhouse
(where the William r. Smith Grammar
school building now stands) was pur-
chas cd and brick edifice erected there
on. Its size was 65 by so feet. two stories
high. with pediment front. supported by
four Doric columns of wood facing east
ward. The building and its furnishing
cost $1,000. This school was managed by
a board of directors. The first term in
this building began April Is, 1896, under
the precoptorship of William II. Allen,
president Of Girard College.
and kinsman of the late Edward c. Allen.
Every scholar paid tuition fee of S.
term. 1t was expected that the tuition
fees would be sufficient to maintain the
school, but after a few years of indifferent
financial success. its worthy promoters
closed its doors finally. The influence of
the Halcwell Academy, which was then
an institution of much note, was unfav.
orable to the success of any school OF SINH
lar grade in its near neigh borhood.
In 1912. after nearly decade of agita-
ton and elaboration, two of the Augusta
school districts, numbers and (Which
had originally been one voted to consoli-
date under the provisions of the act of
1888. and adopt the name of the village
school district. The first meeting of the
of the new district was held
in the town house, April 6, 1912. tt e
directors elected were-E $. Tappan' r.
ID. Rice, c. G. Whitney William Pillsury,
John G. Phinney, Moses F.. Hamlen. and
George ". Morton. The directors immc-
diately classified the scholars into one
high, two grammar, and six primary
schools. There were then ga scholars in
the district. There was schoolhouse on
Laurel street and another at the corner
of Grove street and Western avenue (this
was sold in 1851 The district then built
another frame house on Perham street