18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



for all the higher needs of those who might be in their em- 

 ploy. When they purchased their first bales of cotton, they 

 purchased also a large library of choice books, and placed 

 them in their counting-room for the free use of those who 

 should do the labor of turning that cotton into cloth. They 

 encouraged the formation of a literary society, and one was 

 formed that took the name of Rumford Institute. The com- 

 pany then erected the hall in which we are gathered, for the 

 use of the institute, made over to it their library, and grant- 

 ed it the use of the hall upon condition that it would expend 

 a certain sum of money annually to enlarge the library. And 

 here the members met to engage in discussions and to con- 

 duct other literary exercises ; and here, under their auspices, 

 courses of public lectures were given, season after season, by 

 the ablest men of the time. This institute, if not the first, 

 was nearly the first, in this country that maintained a library, 

 conducted literary exercises, and supported a course of lec- 

 tures yearly. And now, after more than fifty years since its 

 formation, it still exists, and maintains its annual course of 

 public lectures and entertainments. 



They also provided amply for the education of the children 

 of those whom they might employ; for they built the first 

 schoolhouse erected in this part of the town, placed the name 

 of the teacher upon the pay-roll of the corporation, and made 

 the school free to all. And even after the town took charge 

 of the schools located here, they provided a schoolhouse, free 

 of expense to the public, for many years. 



They also built the first church erected in this section of 

 Waltham, to meet the spiritual needs of their operatives. 

 The company let the pews and collected the rents, and 

 placed the minister's name upon its pay-roll ; and his salary 

 was regularly paid by its treasurer. 



In addition to these great public benefits, the company 

 reserved from sale this tract of land which is now our public 

 common, and of which our citizens are justly proud; and 

 b}'' this generous forecast they provided for the pleasure, the 

 refinement, and health of the community. 



Waltham, therefore, owes very much of its growth, its in- 

 telligence, its industry, its public spirit, and its character for 

 quiet self-reliance, to the Boston Manufacturing Company. 

 And we can but pray that the spirit which animated the men 



