Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-03


 In many parts of New England, for one reason or another, the general in- teTest in education seemed to languish for a period after the first generation passed away. -oerhaps the people found themselves too busy for '1arn- i'm" in the various activities of a new land: perhaps it was difficult to find edud teachers. But until late in bean kept hut Internationally, and ref erences to them are few. In 1700 Nor wich was actually indicted by the grand jury of the county for want of a school to instruct children" The school house was repaired by David Knight and Solomon Tracy and in 1709 1 the town voted to have a school ard Bushnell is again employed.
 In 17f2, it was voted that "a good and sufficient schoolmaster be appoint cd to keep school the whole yeare and from yeare to yeare. one halfe the time in the Te~n Platt, the other l1alfe at the farms. in the several quarters" In lT14, rate of 40s. on thousand pounds issvoted for .ye maintaining of ye sohocltprovided ye schoolers of ye Town Platt pay to ye schoolmaeter what fails in ye sum agreed for, and ye farmers have liberty to send their children free of cost"
 In 1746, the town appointment for schools was as follows:
 School at the Landing Place to be kept months, F days.
 Two schools in the Town Plot, one at each end, 5 1-2 months each.
 School at Plain Hills, 2 months 19 days.
 "sohocl at waweekus Hill, 1 month 10 sQdYc.
 School at Great Plain, ? months IS days.
 School at Wequanuk, months 15 days.
 School on the windham Road, 2 months II days"
 A school mistress received but half the pay of a master, and so was re- quired to teach twice as many weeks.
 No one knows just where these early school houses stood. One of them was "at the east end of the Town Plot. very likely near the Green, and possibly where the old brick building stands, formerly used as a school house. But the names of number of the school teachers have come down to us
 In 1774 an evening school was adver-. tised, to be taught by Thomas Eyre, at the rate of Is. per week for a class numbering at least ten pupils. special attention being given to arithmetic, algebra and geometry. In the same year, at Lathrop'E tavern Jabez Smith was teaching 'Psalmody, the scale. fife and German fute.' Another school master. Jared Bostwick by name, died greatly lamented in August ITS. at the age of 27."
 Even during the stirring days of the Revolution the schools were not neg lected. In 1769 school was conducted in the brick schoolhouse "a few rods north of the courthouse" upon the most extensive plan and liberal con struction,'' flor the reception of al large number of young Gentlemen and Ladies, Lads and Misses: where is taught by experienced Instructors. in the most modern manner, every branch of literature. viz, reading, writing. arithmetic. the learned languages rhetoric, logic. geogra phy, mathe- maticks,' Sc. The pupils were also taught ''the rules of decency, decorum and morality" Tn this school taught Charles White and a AIr Goodrich. The exhibitions of this school were very elaborate. the young people often taking part in theatrical representa- ti0ns Miss Caulkins. in the first edi- ton of her History Of Norwich. de- scribes one such exhibition, when Miss Mary Huntington came upon the stage dressed in green silk brocade, a crown glittering with jewels encircling her brow, and reading Plato to per- scnats Lady Jane Grey whlle young