Education. 95 



annua] Town Meeting in March ; one day at the annual April Meet- 

 ing, and one day at the General Election ; also four days at the election 

 of the Instructors of the Annual schools, and two days at the election of 

 the Instructors of the Semi-annual schools. 



" The studies pursued in the male schools shall be Orthography, Read- 

 ing, Writing, English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, History of the 

 United States, Book-keeping by single entry, Geometry, Surveying, and 

 Algebra. 



" The Instructors of the female schools shall teach Orthography, Read- 

 ing, Writing, English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, and Needle-work." 



There were numerous other regulations concerning morality 

 and discipline. 



School districts to regulate the attendance of scholars at the 

 several schools were adopted, and these have been practically 

 unchanged to the present time. 



The education of the girls was the principal feature of the 

 second period. The same is true of the third period, beginning in 

 1828, though in a greater degree. Now for the first time many 

 of the female schools were kept all the year, and the time was 

 fast approaching when girls should have privileges of education 

 on an equality with boys. The only difference at this time was 

 that girls could not go to the masters' schools until they were ten 

 years of age, while boys could attend them at seven. The times 

 were not yet ripe for perfect equality, but it is gratifying to know 

 that public opinion was preparing to recognize women as the 

 intellectual peers of men. 



A better equalization of the schools, so far as the number of 

 pupils was concerned, must also be mentioned as a distinguishing 

 characteristic of this period. 



The system thus established continued in favor with the School 

 Committee and the town until 1841 without change. The schools 

 kept pace with the demands of the time. The need of a better 

 organization of the educational interests of the Commonwealth 

 brought about, in 1837 (Acts of 1837, chap. 241), the establish- 

 ment of the Board of Education, " to the end that all children in 

 this Commonwealth, who depend upon common schools for in- 

 struction, may have the best education which these schools can 

 be made to impart." 



Interest in the cause of education was active throughout the 

 State ; and, as in all times of her history, Hingham was mindful 

 of the needs of her children. 



In 1841 a modification of the system was adopted, by which the 

 "female schools" in various parts of the town were more carefully 

 graded, and in that year we find for the first time " Primary 

 Schools" established in the West, North, and Middle Districts, 

 and the North District of the South Ward, for the benefit of the 

 youngest children, — the female schools still existing, however, 

 and designated as the " elder " schools in the School Committee's 

 records. 



