MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - SCHOOL HISTORY ---------------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885 EDUCATIONAL - page 62 In 1784 the town voted a liberal expenditure for educational purposes, and in that year also the town was divided into four school districts; but it was not until 1795 that a school-house was erected in "Derryfield." This primitive education institution was built by private subscription and was located upon what was then known as the Falls road, in the read of the present residence of Hon. David Cross. This house was purchased by the town in 1798, and it was also voted that year to erect two additional ones. In 1809 the town was redistricted and a school-house built at the Centre. The school district system, which was originated in 1773, continued until 1868, when the city assumed control of the schools. The first teachers were,--1791, Jonathan Rand; 1792, Edward Blodget, Stephen Potter and Frederick Hastings; 1793, William White and Peter Severens; 1794, John Tufts and Peter Severens; 1795, John M. Laughlin; 1797, 1797 and 1798, Samuel Moor, Jr.; 1799, Samuel Moor Jr. and Mathew Reed. Mr. Rand was the first teacher in town of whom any record can be found. The wages paid were from eight to twelve dollars a month. The highest sum paid per month from 1791 to 1801, as appears from the selectmen's book, was "to Samuel Moor Jr., twelve dollars for keeping school in the lower district one month." The school property now owned by the city is valued at over three hundred thousand dollars, and consists of a High School building, on Beech Street, valued at forty-five thousand dollars, and numerous others. HIGH SCHOOL.--The High School was first kept in the old building now standing on the corner of Lowell and Chestnut Streets. The house was erected in 1841 at a cost of three thousand dollars, and was used for a district school, with David P. Perkins as the first master. Some five or six years later it was changed to a High School, and in 1867 it was moved to its present location, on Beech Street, the new building having been erected to meet the demand for better accommodations for the school. FRANKLIN STREET SCHOOLS--The school formerly called the South Grammar School was originally kept in a chapel on Concord STreet, from which it was moved, in 1847, to the brick building on Park Street, built for its use. Ten years later it was transferred to its present location on the corner of Franklin and Pleasant Streets. This building and lot are valued at eighteen thousand dollars. SPRING STREET SCHOOLS.--A school was begun in 1848 in the brick building on Spring Street, and then called the North Grammar. Moses T. Brown was its first principal. LINCOLN STREET SCHOOLS--Under the name of the East Grammar, a school was begun in 1867, in the new High School house, with two divisions, gathered from the North and South Grammar Schools. In the fall of 1868 another division was added, and in the spring of 1869 it was moved to the old High School building, where a first division was added and a master was appointed. In 1871 a new house was built for its accomodation on the corner of Lincoln and Merrimack streets, worth fifty thousand dollars where it is now located. ASH STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOLS--In 1874 a fine building was erected on the corner of Ash and Bridge Streets to meet the growing demand for school facilities, and a grammar school was established, composed of pupils residing in the northeastern section of the city. The building is a fine specimen of school architecture, and is valued at fifty-eight thousand dollars. MAIN STREET SCHOOLS, WEST MANCHESTER.-- With the annexation of Piscataquog village, in 1853, the grammar school came under the care of the city. It was kept in the Centre building until 1874, when it was removed to its present location, on Main Street. An addition was made to the building in 1882 for the accomodation of the considerable increase in pupils. WEBSTER STREET SCHOOLS, WEST MANCHESTER.--During the year 1882 a handsome school building was erected on Webster Street, between Elm and Chestnut, at a cost of seventeen thousand dollars. It is designed for scholars residing at the north end of the city. Two schools are already located there. There are other schools located on Blodgett, Bridge, Lowell, Manchester, Merrimack and Beech Streets; also on South Main Street and School Street, West Manchester. The largest of these is located at Bakersville. The school building was erected in 1883 at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. Others are: No. 1, Stark District; No. 2, Amoskeag; No. 3, Bakersville; No. 4, Goffe's Falls; No. 5, Harvey District; No. 6, Webster's Mills; No. 7, Hallsville; No. 8, Youngsville; No. 9, Mosquito Pond. CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS--Mount St. Mary's Academy, corner Union and Laurel Streets, is under the control of the Sisters of Mercy. This is a boarding-school for young ladies. It has been in existence for twenty-five years, and has an average attendance of sixty pupils. The course of studies, embracing five years, includes all the branches of a useful and Christian education. Young ladies of all religious denominations are received, and interference with their religious convictions is scrupulously avoided. The present superior is Rev. Mother Frances Leeson. The school for boys in Park Street, taught by twelve Sisters of Mercy; Rev. Thos. Corcoran, principal. Number of scholars, about four hundred. St. Joseph's School for boys, corner of Lowell and Beach streets, taught by six Sisters of Mercy. Number of pupils, two hundred and fifty. St. Josehp's School for girls, corner Lowell and Pine Streets, taught by six Sisters of mercy. Number of pupils, two hundred and fifty. The schools of St. Joseph's parish are under the immediate supervision of the right reverend bishop. St. Agnes' School for girls, corner Union and Spruce Streets, taught by seven Sisters of Mercy. Number of scholars, three hundred. St. Augustine's School for boys and girls, East Spruce Street, taught by Sisters of Jesus and Mary. Number of pupils, five hundred. St. Mary's School for boys and girls, connected with St. Mary's Church, West Manchester. This school has just been erected, and will be under the control of the Sisters of Providence. It will accomodate four hundred pupils. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS--St. Patrick's Home and Hospital, Hanover Street, conducted by the Sisters of Mercy. Number of orphans, sixty; patients in hospital, fifteen. St. Patrick's Home for Aged Women, Hanover Street, managed by the Sisters of Mercy. Number of inmates, fifteen. GERMAN SCHOOL--The first German School-house in the State of New Hampshire was dedicated here in 1884. It is located at the corner of Third and Ferry Streets, and is of brick, thirty-two by forty-eight in size, and two stories in height, with a flat roof. Over the main entrance, on Third Street, are two tablets of polished granite, bearing in gilt letters of German text the words, "Deutsch Schule" and the year of erection, "1884." The German School Society, to which this convenient and comfortable little edifice owes its existence, was organized August 22, 1875, mainly through the efforts of members of the Turnverein. THE STATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL--The movement which resulted in the establishment of this institution was started in 1855, when the Legislature passed an act authorizing the Governor, and Countil to appoint a board of three commissioners, empowered to buy a tract of land and erect buildings thereon, to provide a "house of reformation for juvenile and female offenders against the laws." The commissioners-- The Hon. Frederick Smyth, of Manchester, the Hon. Matthew Harvey, of Concord, and Hosea Eaton, of New Ipswich--were appointed that year, and selected, as the site for the house proposed, the farm which was once the home of General JOhn Stark, two miles north of the city hall, on the east bank of the Merrimack River, containing about two hundred acres. The price paid was ten thousand dollars, and another piece of ten acres was bought soon after for a thousand dollars more. The building was commenced in the spring of 1856, finished in the autumn of 1857 and furnished in the spring of 1858. Its cost was thirty-four thousand dollars; the total cost of building and land was forty-five thousand dollars. The house was dedicated on the 12th of May, 1858, and occupied at that time, when the first superintendent, Brooks Shattuck, was appointed. He was succeeded, on the 20th of April, 1866 by Isaac H. Jones. Upon his departure Edward Ingham was elected, the 17th of May 1870. The present superintendent, John C. Ray, was appointed on the 2d day of July 1874. The institution is now known as the State Industrial school, and is under the management of a board of seven trustees, by whom the superintendent is chosen, and who are appointed by the Governor and Council. A fire, on the 20th of December 1865, nearly destroyed the building, and the children were temporarily kept in the buildings known as the "Stark house" and "Gamble house," which had stood near by since the early settlement of the town. During their residence in it the "Stark house" was set on fire and consumed. As soon as possible after the fire the old school building was repaired and the inmates returned to it. The institution is in annual receipt of interest from the legacies of James McKeen Wilkins, of Manchester, and Moody Kent, of Pembroke, which amount to eight thousand and three thousand dollars respectively; also the income from Miss Louise Penhallow's bequest of one thousand dollars, to be expended for a library. (end)