School Plan, Braintree, Massachusetts, 1810
date: label: date made
content: 1810-04-23
notes: label: Description
content: To broaden their political community, Americans worked to make formal education, once the province of elite families, available to a wider population. In Virginia, Thomas Jefferson proposed a statewide system of public schooling to make sure that talented children of poor parents might contribute as citizens of the Commonwealth. In other states, proponents of a participating citizenry also promoted public schooling as essential to the nation. This plan for a school to serve the families of Braintree, Massachusetts, was drawn up in 1810. The plan shows a drawing, including dimensions, and materials required for the front and interior of the school. Also included is a proposal written and signed by Obadiah Thayer, Gideon Thayer, and Asa or Ezra Penniman to employ a building company. The building was estimated to cost $228.00.
label: Description
content: The men mentioned were probably:
label: Description
content: 1. Obadiah Allen Thayer, born Feb 23,1772 in Braintree, the son of Eunice Allen and Noah Thayer. He married an Abigail the daughter of Rachel (Lawrence) and Thaddeus Adams in November 1794. By the time of this drawing in 1810, they had eight children. Abigail Thayer died in 1816 and Obediah Allen Thayer died in 1857.
label: Description
content: 2. Gideon Thayer (3), son of Susanna and Gideon Thayer (2), born August 21, 1763 in Braintree, and died April 23, 1841. He was a Revolutionary War soldier and father of four.
label: Description
content: 3 & 4.There were three Ezra Pennimans in Braintree during this period, but the most likely person associated with this school plan was Ezra Penniman, born 1765 in Braintree, the son of Eunice Thayer and Ezra Penniman (1739-1832) and the brother of Asa Penniman, born August 26, 1774, who died April 25, 1836 in Braintree.
place: label: place made
content: United States: Massachusetts, Braintree
topic: label: used
content: Education
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Education
label: See more items in
content: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Dr. Richard Lodish American School Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2014.0244.003
label: accession number
content: 2014.0244
label: catalog number
content: 2014.0244.003
objectType: label: Object Name
content: drawing, school plan
label: Object Type
content: designs
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ink (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 31.6 cm x 37.8 cm; 12 7/16 in x 14 7/8 in