92 History of Hingham. 



1799. " Voted to have one stove in one of the school-houses and the 

 selectmen procure it." 



1800. "Voted that the article which respects procuring stoves for the 

 schools be left to the judgment of the School Committee." 



1806. "Voted that the Selectmen and School Committee be a com- 

 mittee to look into the expediency of removing the stoves in school- 

 houses and report at April meeting." 



The report was as follows : — 



" Your committee appointed to look into the expediency of removing 

 the stoves in the schoolhouses, report as follows, that they would recom- 

 mend the use of dry hard wood and the use of an iron dish of water on 

 the stoves. And would further recommend to the Instructors to pay 

 attention to their fires in stoves and see they are not kindled too early in 

 the morning, and admit of fresh air from the upper sashes of the windows." 



Report agreed to. 



From the fact that a change in the school system was insisted 

 upon, it must not be assumed that public opinion in Hingham 

 differed from that of other towns in Massachusetts. Undoubt- 

 edly evils which attracted attention here existed as well else- 

 where ; and fortunately for the cause of education, the law of 182G, 

 before alluded to, made some changes a necessity. That law was 

 the first to require towns to elect a School Committee who should 

 have "the general charge and superintendence of the public 

 schools." The members of the committee were to be satisfied 

 with the character and qualifications of the teachers, to visit the 

 schools at stated times for the purposes of examination, of seeing 

 to the proper supply of schoolbooks, and of acquainting them- 

 selves with the regulation and discipline. They were to direct 

 and determine the books to be used, which were paid for by the 

 parents unless the town assessors were of opinion that any par- 

 ents were not able to pay for them, in which case a part or 

 the whole of the cost of the same might be abated. A penalty 

 was imposed upon towns neglecting to elect a School Committee. 

 The committee were required to report annually to the Secre- 

 tary of the Commonwealth the cost of the schools, the number of 

 scholars, and other facts, according to blanks furnished for the 

 purpose. 



This law also allowed towns to form within their limits school 

 districts ; and the " district system " was in existence in many 

 towns. The district system was never adopted by Hingham, be 

 it said to her credit, so that there is no necessity of entering upon 

 any discussion of this iniquitous feature of the Massachusetts plan. 

 Fortunately, the laws of the Commonwealth have now abolished 

 it. Horace Mann said of it in 1847 : " I consider the law of 1789, 

 the germ of which may be found in the Province Law of 8 Geo. 

 I., ch. 1 (Anc. Ch., p. 666), authorizing towns to divide themselves 

 into districts, the most unfortunate law on the subject of com- 

 mon schools ever enacted in the State." 



