104 History of Hingham. 



on this hill and removed in 1830. This was " set where the old 

 one now stands " (1806). The " old one " referred to Avas built in 

 1743, and was " erected at the north end of the town where the 

 old one now stands " (1743). That " old one " was built in 1668, 

 " in the place where the old Pound did stand." Also, there is a 

 record of the appointment of a committee by the town in 1769 " to 

 see whether the old house should be repaired or a new one built," 

 and that committee recommended the building " another upon the 

 hill near to where this house now stands." 



That a schoolhouse was standing at an early date is evident 

 from an item in the Selectmen's Records for money paid " for 

 worke done about the schoole house" in 1661-2. The date of its 

 erection, and whether it was built at public expense, cannot be 

 ascertained. 



In 1668 the town " agreed that there should be a schoolhouse 

 built." Many items in the Selectmen's Records show payments 

 in 1668, 1669, and 1670, for work and materials for the school- 

 house. That the house was actually built in 1668 there can be 

 no doubt if we consider the custom of the day ; for one item in 

 the records of that year is for a sum of money paid " for 

 drinks to them that helped to rayse the school house." What 

 became of that building is not known. It served its purpose for 

 seventy-five years, ■ — a worthy record of honest work. In 1743 a 

 new house was built. This continued in use until 1806. 

 In 1769 a committee reported to the town that it was very 

 much out of repair, and that the expense of putting it 

 in proper condition would be fourteen or fifteen pounds ; 

 that it was " too streight for the comfortable reception of 

 the children usually attending this school ; " that it " has always 

 been supposed to contain the Grammar scholars, and conse- 

 quently the inhabitants of the other parts of the town have a 

 right to improve it as such;" and that there was a necessity for its 

 being enlarged. The committee recommended its sale to the 

 "highest bidder," and "that £20 be granted by the town, 

 which, together with the money arising from the sale of the old 

 house " should be used for building a new one, 20 X 22 feet. 



This report was not accepted, but <£10 were granted for the 

 repair of the old house, and in 1770 £6 additional " towards the 

 schoolhouse in the North Parish " were granted ; but in 1771 this 

 last grant of £6 was reconsidered and the town " refused to 

 grant anything additional to what was formerly granted towards 

 the expense of the North School House." 



After the building of a new one in 1806, this house, built in 

 1743, was removed, and now forms the rear part of the store of 

 George Hersey & Co., at West Hingham. 



In 1806 another house was built " where the old one now 

 stands " similar to the one lately built in the South Parish near 

 Wilder's Bridge (1801). 



In 1819 a house for the "female school " was built. This build- 

 ing is the one now occupied by William Lane & Son as a paint 



