John Tileston's School, BOSTON, 1778-1789 : 1761-1766. Also, his Diary from i-j6i to rj66. BY D. C. COLESWORTHY. " What now appear to be only trifles, in after years will become important facts." WILLIAM GOOLD. BOSTON : ANTIQUARIAN BOOK STORE. 1887. ' WILLIAM BLAKE TRASK, A MODEST, UNASSUMING CITIZEN, A COURTEOUS, CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN, WHOSE PERSEVERING RESEARCHES AND UNWEARIED LABORS IN THE ANTIQUARIAN FIELD HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF PLEASURE AND PROFIT TO THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE PURITANS, OUR EXCELLENT FRIEND FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF A CENTURY, THIS LITTLE WORK IS RESPECTFULLY AND GRATE- FULLY DEDICATED. INTRODUCTION. The people of New England owe a large debt of gratitude to her noble army of faithful and efficient teachers many of whom, to instruct themselves and their children, have labored through a long series of years in patience and with persever- ance, receiving in many instances but few words of encouragement, and a meager remuneration. As a concise introduction to the account of one who labored probably longer than any other individual in his vocation in New England, I have given a chapter on the early schools of Boston. One cannot fail to notice the great improvement that has been made in the mode of teaching during the past two centuries, and the excellent facilities now afforded for the cultivation of the mind and the elevation of the affec- tions. Undoubtedly the schools of New England, and especially the schools of Bos- ton,' come the nearest to perfection of any in this country or the world. The most 6 INTRODUCTION. capable teachers are secured, whilst no narrow policy warps the judgment of our committees, prompting them to withhold any reasonable amount of money that can be judiciously expended in the advance- ment of the cause of education, or in the moral improvement of the rising genera- tion. I have added short sketches of a few New England teachers who spent a large portion of their lives in preparing our children and youth for lives of prosperity and usefulness, whose names deserve to be held *in grateful and perpetual remem- brance. INDEX. Adams, John, 34. Burrill, Susan, 32. Adams, Mr., 39. Buxton, Me., 25. Alle.i, Mr., 73. Byfield Parish, 22. Appleton, John, 27. Atlantic and St. Law- Capen, 47. rence Railroad Com- Carter, Mr., 39, 79. pany, 24. Carter, Nathaniel H., 23. Cartwright, Capt., 74. Bagley, John, 24. Central Church, 21. Baker, 47. Charlestown, 19. BaLard, 74. Chase, Aquila, 31. Barret, Deacon, 79. Chase, Caleb, 24, 31. Barret, Samuel, 76, 77. Chase, Wm. D., 32. Beckett, Sylvester B., 27. Cheever, Ezekiel, 19. Bingham, Caleb, 37, 39. Cheever, Ira, 21. Blanchard, Caleb, 76. Checkley, Mr., 77, 78. Boroughs, Capt., 78. Chelsea, 21. Boston, 19,38,41,43,47. Chester, N. H., 31. Bostonians, 39, 40, 48. Chichester, N. H., 28. Boston Latin School, 30. Clark, Daniel, 25. Bowen, Penuel, 78. Cobbitt, 47. Boyd, 47. Coffin, C, 73. Bradford, Mass., 31. Coffin, Charles, 34. Bright, Mrs., 68. Coffin, Eliza, 73. 8 INDEX. Coffin, Lydia, 34. Coffin, Mary Barrett, 34. Cogswell, William, 24. Colesworthy, D. C, 27. Colesworthy, Daniel P., 42, 47. Collins, 47. Commencement, 41. Coney, Daniel, 69. Contribution money, 80. Cotton Hill, 14. Crowell's lot, 14. Cummings, Alex., 75. Cummings, Sumner, 24. Cushman, Bezaleel, 23. Cutter, Edward F., 24. Cutter, William, 25. Darracott, William, 75. Dartmouth College, 31. Day of fasting, 72. De Cheserau, 74. Dere Island, 13. Diary from 1 761 to 1766-71. Dickey, Capt., 77. Dorchester, 16, 33. Doubt, Dr. Nyott, 76. Doubt, Mrs., 78. Dow, Neal, 24. Draper, Mr., 74. Dummer Academy, 22. Duren, Charles, 26. Duren, E. F., 26. Dwight, Wm. T., 32. Early Schools in Bos- ton, 13. Eell, Sarah, 68. Election, 41. Eliot school-house, 17. Empress of Russia, 71. English grammar, 40. Europe, 24. Evening school, 71. Everett, Edward, 36, 45. Exchange street, 43. Exeter, N. H., 23. Faneuil Hall, 44. Field, Mary, 36. First Parish Church, 25. Fowles, Rebekah, 33. Fox, Edward, 26, 27. Gardner, Francis, 30. Genealogical Register, 24. Governor and Council, 43. Granary burial ground, 35. Grant, Anna, 79. INDEX. Greenleaf, Stephen, 75, Jenkin, Capt, 76. 76. Jewett, Jedediah, 27, 29. Haines, Edward P., 27. Hamlin, Cyrus, 29. Hampton, N. H., 31. Harrod, Benj., 68. Harvard College, 22, 30. Hebron, Me., 23. Hicks, Hezekiah, 15. Hicks, Zachariah, 34. High School, Portland, 25. High Street Church, 29. Holbrook, Abia, 16. Holmes, Nathaniel, 68. Holyoke, Samuel, 16. Howard, Joseph, 25. Hutchinsons, 17. Hutchinson, Edward, 14. Hutchinson, Thomas, 14. Illsley, Silas, 26. Independence, 41. Ingersoll, Elizabeth, 68. Ingraham, 47. Ipswich, 19. Jackson, Henry, 28. Jackson, Timothy, 69. Kendall, Amos, 23. King of Spain, 72. King, Rufus, 22. Langdon, Mr., 79. Laughton, John, 79. Leach, Mrs., 77. Leache, Mr., 75, 79. Leverett, T., 78. Libby, Joseph, 25. Lloyd, Dr., 77. Longfellow, Henry W., 24. Longfellow, Stephen, 22, 24. Lothrop, Ellen, 21. Lovell, John, 16. Lovell, James, 16. Love, Susan, 14. Maine, 47. Maine Congregational Conference, 26. Malcom, Mr., 78. Marblehead, 21. Martinico, 72. Massachusetts, 33. 10 INDEX. Massachusetts Charita- ble Society, 36. Mather, Cotton, 20. Merrill, James, 27. Middlebury College, 29. Moncton, Gen., 72. Motley, John Lothrop, 30. Moody, Franklin C, 27. Moody, Samuel, 22. Morrison, John H., 30. Mountfort, 47. Neats, Samuel, 79. New England, 14, 19, 21, 30, 34, 37- New Haven, 19. New North Church, 80. New York, 32. North Bennet Street, 17 North Grammar School, 1 6. North School, 15. North Writing School, 15,34,37- Old South Church, 43. Old State House, 43. Page, Thaddeus, 36. Parents and guardians of private scholars, 68. Parker, Joel, 24. Parsons, Theophilus, 22. Patten, Stephen, 38. Payson, Edward, 26. Perkins, Jn'o, 72. Phillips Academy, 31. Phillips, Wendell, 30. Pittman, 47. Portland, 25, 28, 29, 31, 47- Portland Academy, 24. Portmorte, Philemon, 13. Portsmouth, 28, 31. Preble, Edward, 22, 24. Prince, Mr., 71. Prince, Hugh, 32. Prince Street, 35. Proctor, John, 15, 16. Proctor, Master, 75. Prophecies, 20. Queen Street School, 15. Roxbury, 43. Salem, 21. Saltonstall, Mary, 68. INDEX. II Scholars from 1761 to 1765,49. Scholars from 1778 to 1789, 55. Shattuck, George C, 30. Shaw, Jason, 26. Shepley, Ether, 24. Shippard, William, 68. Shurtleff, Roswell, 31. Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., 30. Sigourney, Capt., 72. Smith, 47. Smith, Henry B., 26. Southack, Capt., 15. South Boston, 16. South End, 42. Southgate, Horatio, 26. South Grammar School, 1 6. South Writing School, 15, 16. Stackpole, Charles A., 26, 27. State of Maine, 47. Stevens, Mad'm, 73. Strong, Caleb, 22. Stuart, the celebrated, 44. Symonds, Mr., 74. Tansur singers, 74. Third Parish Church, 26, 32. Thomas, Elias, Jr., 79. Thomson, Mr., 20. Tileston, Hannah, 33. Tileston, John, 16. Tileston, Timothy, 33. Tucker, Phil., 69. Vernon, Capt., 74, 75. Vermont, 26. Vinal, John, 16. Wainwright, Mr., 14. Walpole, N. H., 30. Washington, George, 41, 42. Washington Street, 42. Waterville College, 26. Webber, Mr., 79. Webb, Mr., 76. Webb, Nathan, 36. Webb, Sophia, 36. Whitmore, Maj.-Gen., 7i. Willard, President, 22. Williams, 47. 12 INDEX. Will, Mr., 74. Writing School, Queen Winslow, Albert, 32. Street, 16. Wiswall, Peleg, 16. York, Me., 22. EARLY SCHOOLS IN BOSTON. THE first settlers of Boston, as soon as they opened a house for public worship, commenced looking after the education of their children. As early as April 13, 1634, at a meeting called by the inhabitants of the town, "it was gen'ally agreed upon, that our brother, Philemon Portmorte, shall be entreated to become schoole-master for the teaching and nourtering children with us." January 10, 1642, " Dere Island" was ordered to be improved for the mainte- nance of a Free School for the Town. In the year 1647 a law was enacted, by the General Court held in Boston, for the establishment of Public Schools throughout the province. One reason given by our wise fathers for the education of the young was, that " Satan " had a 14 MASTER TILESTON. " strong hold of ignorance," and the estab- lishment of schools and general instruction would tend to counteract the influence of that "ould deluder." This legislative enactment was undoubtedly the first law of a similar import in New England. In March, 1652, the town provided for the enlargement of the " skoole house." March, 1696, it was voted in town- meeting to build a house for a writing school at Cotton Hill, "adjoining the ould schoole house." In 1717, a school-house was located upon the Common, " adjoining to Crowell's lott, over against Mr. Wainwright's." March n, 1718, at a town meeting, Thomas and Edward Hutchinson offered to build a school-house at their own ex- pense, for a free writing school at the north part of the town, and it was voted that part of the land bought of Mrs. Susan Love be taken for that purpose. At a town meeting, September 28, 1720, a committee was appointed " to consider about erecting a spinning school for the EARLY SCHOOLS IN BOSTON. I 5 instruction of the children in town," and the committee recommended the building of a house for this purpose " in the waste land before Captain Southack's." In 1739 there were five public schools in Boston, in which nearly 600 pupils were taught. In the South School there were 1 20 scholars; in the North School, 60; in the North Writing School, 280; in Queen Street School, 73 ; in the South Writing School, 62. In May, 1749, the number of scholars had increased to 705, and in 1757 to 741. In 1743, Zachariah Hicks, usher in John Proctor's writing school, who had a salary of 150 pounds, petitioned for an increase of pay, and 30 pounds were added. The committee, appointed by the select- men to visit the public schools in March, 1758, was accompanied by the representa- tives of the town, overseers of the poor, and by several clergymen and physicians. They reported that the " Schools were all in good order." They found in the North Writing School 220 scholars ; in the 1 6 MASTER TILESTON. North Grammar School, 36 ; in the South Writing School, 240 ; in the South Gram- mar School, 115; in the Writing School in Queen Street, 230. Total, 841 scholars. At this period there were also several private schools taught in town. In 1764, the town voted to pay the following sums to the teachers : John Tileston, of the North Grammar School, 100 pounds ; Peleg Wiswall, of the same school, 100 pounds ; Abia Holbrook, of the Writing School on the Common, 100 pounds, and John Vinal, his assistant, 50 pounds ; John Lovell, of the South School, 120 pounds; and James Lovell 60 pounds, and John Vinal 50 pounds, ushers in the same school ; John Proctor, of the Writing School in Queen Street, 100 pounds, and Samuel Holyoke, of the same school, 80 pounds. By a legislative act in 1804, when a portion of Dorchester, now South Boston, was annexed to Boston, it was stipulated that the proprietors of the land, among other assignments, should set apart a lot EARLY SCHOOLS IN BOSTON. I/ on which a school-house should be erected, at some future period. The school-house, where Mr. Tileston taught, was a small building on North Bennet Street, where the Eliot school- house now stands. This is the lot given to the town by the Hutchinsons. From the commencement of the present century the Boston schools have continued to improve, so that now they are equal, if not superior, to any schools in the country. The best educated and most conscientious teachers are employed, and no small amount of money is yearly expended in various channels by efficient committees, to secure important results. Whatever has a ten- dency to advance the pupils and elevate the schools, is made available in every pos- sible direction. It is questionable if in any large city of the Union as much rigid care is observed to educate the young and to prepare them for the varied duties of life. The schools of Boston are distin- guished as model institutions, and the youth who are trained in them, being thor- 1 8 MASTER TILESTON. oughly prepared for any department in sci- ence or trade, find no difficulty in securing desirable positions ; the fact of their gradu- ation being a guarantee of their fitness, and the best recommendation they could offer. Many of our successful merchants, our statesmen, philosophers, and clergymen, have graduated from the Boston schools, and are now exerting a wide and salutary influence, not only in New England, but wherever civilization and religion have a dominance. That our schools may con- tinue to flourish and send forth streams to elevate and bless our common country and the world at large, should be the prayer of every moralist and every Christian. EARLY TEACHERS. EZEKIEL CHEEVER. EZEKIEL CHEEVER was born in London, January 25, 1614, and in 1637, at the age of twenty-three years, he came to New England, landing in Boston. In the fall of the same year we find him in New Haven, where, in 1638, he commenced teaching a public school, and where he continued his labors for about a dozen years. In 1650 Mr. Cheever removed to Ipswich, Massachusetts, taking charge of a free school. After teaching eleven years in this place, and making his school " fa- mous in all the country," he removed to Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1661, to take charge of a free town school that had been established in the place. After labor- ing nine years in Charlestown, he removed to Boston, January 6, 1670, where, not- 2O MASTER TILESTON. withstanding his age, he continued to teach the " Free Schoole" for a period of thirty- eight years. When he took charge of this school " it was agreed and ordered," by the committee, " that Ezechiell Cheevers should be installed in the free schoole as head master thereof : likewise that Mr. Thomson should be invited to be an assist- ant to Mr. Cheevers in his worke in the schoole." It was also agreed " that the said Mr. Cheevers should be allowed sixty pounds p. an. for his service in the schoole, out of the towne rates, and the pos- session and use of y e schoole house." Mr. Cheever was the author of one or two school books and a volume of three short essays on the Prophecies. He died August 21, 1708, aged ninety-four years, after having taught school for seventy years. Cotton Mather preached a sermon on the death of Mr. Cheever, a copy of which lies before me. " He Dy'd, Longing for Death," the good Doctor remarks. At the close of his sermon, Mr. Mather gives a quaint poem entitled, EARLY TEACHERS. 21 GRATITUDINIS ERGO. The master was " Praised and Lov'd of Well-instructed Youth," and, '.' All the Eight parts of Speech he taught to them, They now Employ to Trumpet his esteem." To " proclaim to Posterity " the worth of so excellent a man, we are told that " Ink is too vile a Liquor ; Liquid Gold Should fill the Pen, by which such things are told." Mr. Cheever was twice married. His first wife, a New Haven woman, died in 1649. His second wife, Ellen Lothrop, of Salem, died in 1706. He left several children whose posterity are numerous throughout New England. The late Ira Cheever, deacon of the Central Church in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and for many years a teacher in Salem, Marblehead, and Bos- ton, was a descendant of Master Cheever. 22 MASTER TILESTON. SAMUEL MOODY. SAMUEL MOODY, for thirty years Pre- ceptor of Dummer Academy at Newbury, Byfield Parish, Massachusetts, was born in York, Maine, in 1725 ; and was a son of Rev. Joseph Moody. He graduated at Harvard College in 1 746, and taught school in his native town until he was called to take charge of the Academy. Mr. Moody was a thorough Greek and Latin scholar, and prepared for college many a student who became celebrated in after life. Among his pupils in York and Newbury were President Willard, of Harvard ; Caleb Strong, Governor of Massachusetts; Ed- ward Preble, the distinguished Commo- dore; Judge Stephen Longfellow, grand- father of the poet ; Theophilus Parsons, and Rufus King. Mr. Moody was a remarkably faithful in- structor, and labored indefatigably to im- press upon the minds of his scholars their duties to each other and to their Creator. He was exemplary in the discharge of every EARLY TEACHERS. 23 duty, and prompt in all his engagements. He died in Exeter, New Hampshire, De- cember 14, 1795, aged seventy years. BEZALEEL CUSHMAN. BEZALEEL CUSHMAN, a native of Hebron, Maine, was born September 14, 1785. His father was one of the first settlers of the town. Naturally a studious boy, at the age of sixteen years he had acquired a good knowledge of the common rudiments of education, and was thought competent to teach a district school, which he did to the satisfaction of the committee; but feeling the need of a more thorough educa- tion, he prepared himself for college, and entered Dartmouth, supporting himself by teaching during his vacations. Mr. Cushman graduated in 1811, in a class, several of whom became celebrated. Among others, Amos Kendall, Postmas- ter-General ; Nathaniel H. Carter, whose 24 MASTER TILESTON. letters from Europe, several years ago, at- tracted no little attention, and which in 1825 were published in two octavo vol- umes ; Caleb Chase, for several years a teacher in Portland and other places ; William Cogswell, D. D., first editor of the GenedKogical Register ; Chief-Justice Joel Parker and Ether Shepley, LL.D. In 1815 Mr. Cushman took charge of the Portland Academy, and for twenty- six years continued in the faithful perform- ance of his duties. Among his pupils were Stephen Longfellow, Jr., Henry W. Longfellow, Edward Cutter, Edward Preble, Sumner Cummings, Neal Dow, and our venerable friend, John Bagley, of Portland. The latter two only are living. In 1841 Mr. Cushman relinquished his duties as teacher, and obtained through the influence of his former pupils, a situation as Surveyor of the Port of Portland, which position he retained for the space of ten years. He was subsequently clerk of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad Company. EARLY TEACHERS. 2$ A conscientious, upright, Christian gen- tleman, for a long period Mr. Cushman was one of the deacons of the First Parish Church in Portland. He died June 21, 1857, aged seventy-one years and nine months. JOSEPH LIBBY. JOSEPH LIBBY was born in Buxton, Maine, December 13, 1793. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, but seriously injuring himself while at work, he was not able to continue his laborious employment, and commenced a course of study preparatory to a collegiate education. He entered Bow- doin, and graduated in 1821, in the class which contained among others William Cutter, Daniel Clark and Joseph Howard. Soon after leaving college Mr. Libby was chosen principal of the High School in Portland, which had just been established, where he continued a faithful and efficient 26 MASTER TILESTON. teacher for nearly thirty years, preparing scores of young men for entering college, and for various duties in life. The writer was one of his pupils in 1824. Among our school-mates at this period were Bishop Horatio Southgate ; Edward Payson, son of the distinguished divine, and the author of several entertaining works ; Charles A. Stackpole, an able writer and ready speaker ; Rev. Silas Ilsley, a Baptist clergyman ; Professor Henry B. Smith, a distinguished theologian ; Deacon E. F. Duren, the indefatigable scribe of the Maine Congregational Conference; Judge Edward Fox, one of the ablest lawyers that Maine has produced ; Charles Duren, now settled over a Congregational church in Vermont ; Jason Shaw, who entered Waterville College and died while an undergraduate; and several others who have been more or less distinguished. For more than a third of a century Mr. Libby was a deacon in the Third Par- ish Church, and for as long a period he was superintendent of the Sabbath-school EARLY TEACHERS. 2/ connected with the parish. Always ready to speak in public, he took an active part in the conference meetings, and his seat was seldom vacant. In 1850 Mr. Libby resigned his position as principal of the high school ; at which time a large number of his former pupils assembled, and made arrangements for a public meeting, to present to their faithful teacher some memorial of their respect and love. A committee was chosen for this purpose, consisting of the following : Jedediah Jew- ett, Charles A. Stackpole, Edward Fox, John Appleton, D. C. Colesworthy, Ed- ward P. Haines, Franklin C. Moody, Syl- vester B. Beckett, and James Merrill; all of whom, with the exception of Charles A. Stackpole and the writer, after a period of thirty-five years, have passed away. Accordingly in August the old pupils convened and presented to Mr. Libby a beautiful silver pitcher. John Appleton, then a member of Congress, made an appropriate address, which was happily 28 MASTER TILESTON. responded to by Mr. Libby. It was an interesting occasion to all concerned. Mr. Libby died August 27, 1871, aged seventy- seven years. HENRY JACKSON. HENRY JACKSON was born in Chichester, New Hampshire, August i, 1783. For several years he taught school in various towns in his native State, until 1811, when he was called to teach in Portsmouth. There he remained, faithful in the discharge of his duties, until 1824, when the school committee of Portland induced him to re- move to that town and take charge of one of the principal schools in the place. He continued his labors for the space of twenty- six years, when in 1850, on the 22d day of August, he died at the age of sixty- seven years. In the winter of 1828 Mr. Jackson taught an evening school for young trades- EARLY TEACHERS. 2Q men and apprentices, where we had the pleasure of being numbered among his pupils. Cyrus Hamlin, LL.D., the distin- guished missionary, and now President of Middlebury College, was also one of the scholars. On one occasion Mr. Jackson gave out the subject of profane swearing as an essay for the pupils to write upon. A committee was appointed to decide to whom the prize should be awarded, and it fell to Cyrus Hamlin. Mr. Jackson for several years was a member of the Third Parish Church. At the formation of the High Street Church in 1831, he was set off with the writer and several others, to help form the new society, where he continued an active and useful member until the day of his death. Kind, genial, and intelligent, Mr. Jack- son secured the love and affection, not only of his pupils, but of scores of friends who sadly grieved when he departed. Mr. Jackson was the author of an arithmetic that was used for many years in the schools of Portland. 3