a school in the "westerly part of Dedham." Eleazer Ellis and Nathaniel Chickering were appointed to see that the money was properly expended. The first schoolhouse was probably in existence at this time. The precinct made the repairs to the the building, although owned by individuals, as Timothy Ellis was paid "7s. 4d." for mending the windows in 1758. In 1738 one eighth of the appropriation for schools in Dedham was given to the Springfield Precinct, amounting to ten pounds. An equal appropriation was made in 1743. Little is known of the early schoolmasters, as their names are not given in the parish records. They were probably for the most part Harvard students, many of whom were capable of impressing their personality on the lives of their pupils. In this age of progress, when we have come to recognize the worth. and work of woman, it is gratifying to know that the first woman teacher paid by the town of Dedham for teaching was Miss Mary Green, who taught in the Springfield Precinct in 1757. The first teacher of whom we have any record was William Symmes. Closing his engagement here, he became a tutor at Harvard College. Mr. Symmes taught here during the winter of 1754-55.

The New England primer, which was in universal use at this time, may be contrasted with our beautifully illustrated and graded primers of to-day. It is thus described by George H. Martin, who has made the early schools of Massachusetts a careful study. It began with the alphabet, large and small, the vowels and consonants, and combinations of these. Then followed lists of words for spelling,- first of two syllables, then

of three, then of four, then of five, ending with "abomination," "justification," etc. Then followed some moral injunctions: "Pray to God," "Hate Lies"; then some Bible questions and answers, "Who was the first man?" then selections from the Proverbs, arranged alphabetically, "A wise son," etc.; then the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, Watts's Cradle Hymn; then miscellaneous hymns, "Now I lay me," etc. Proper names of men and women for spelling followed; then Agur's Prayer, "Give me neither poverty nor riches"; last, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, socalled.

Each edition had a series of cuts illustrating prominent Bible scenes, each with a couplet condensing the narrative, as :

"In Adam's fall

We sinned all."

The practical selections and pictures varied in different editions. The front picture in some was a child repeating his evening prayer at his mother's knee, in others several children standing before the mother, while still another represented a school,-a dame school.

Arithmetic, the English language, and orthography were made compulsory studies in 1789. Geography was not made a required study until 1827.

As a disciplinary study arithmetic was made very prominent in the early schools. The solutions of problems were carefully written out in blank-books. Some carefully preserved manuscript copies show great ability in solving intricate problems, fine penmanship, and a degree of neatness which it would be hard to excel.

The "Rule of Three" was made very prominent. Among the different subjects were "Fellowship,' Barter," "Tare," and "Tret." Girls were not expected to cipher much beyond the four fundamental rules. Many rules were given in the arithmetic of this period, but no reasons for any of the processes. The pupils followed their rules, and performed their problems as if by magic. A new era in teaching was introduced in the publication of Warren Colburn's "First Lessons," which called for the exercise of reason in solving problems. In 1761 the parish had completed its meetinghouse, and was now anxious to gain better school facilities by placing the schoolhouse in a more central position. The warrant for the March meeting in 1761 contained an article to see if the precinct would move the schoolhouse to a more convenient place, near the meeting-house. In case the proprietors refused to allow the schoolhouse to be moved, the precinct was to consider the proposition to build a new schoolhouse and to choose a committee for the same. Some of the proprietors refused to give their consent, and at the March meeting in 1762 it was voted to build a new schoolhouse next to the meeting-house. There seems to have been some difficulty in locating the building, as the spot was not designated; and at the annual March meeting in 1763 the precinct was asked to locate the spot, and at an adjourned meeting held March 21, 1763, it voted to build a new schoolhouse opposite to "ye north side of ye meeting-house." The schoolhouse was built on a lot of land four rods square, which was given for the purpose by Dea. Joshua Ellis, who thus defines the bounds: "The southerly line of ye said

square to bound south on the highway that leads by the north side of the meeting-house."

Daniel Chickering, Asa Mason, and Jonathan Whiting, Jr., were chosen a committee to prepare material and gain authority from the General Court to build a schoolhouse. Col. John Jones, Daniel Chickering, and Hezekiah Allen, Jr., were chosen a committee to arrange with the town of Dedham for the proportion of school money which belonged to the Springfield Precinct, and to appropriate the sum towards the building of a new schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was completed and accepted by the precinct January 20, 1764. It cost £54, 6s., 4d.

In 1766 it was voted to divide the school money, the different sections of the precinct to draw their proportional part. The precinct seems to have been divided into four distinct districts,- the Center, the East, the West, and the Southwest. This division into school districts was some years in advance of State legislation, which sanctioned such a division in 1789, but did not give the school district the power to tax until 1800. In this year districts were authorized to hold meetings, to choose a clerk to decide upon schoolhouse sites, to raise money by taxation, to pay for land and building, furnishing, or repairing schoolhouses. In 1817 the school district was made a corporation, and in 1827 was required to choose a prudential committee, who had the care of school property in the district and the selection and employment of the teacher. The school district now became a political institution and worthy of careful consideration in the study of civil government.

The teacher, although employed by the prudential