84 



number to twenty-three. The inequality of school advantages, poor 

 quality of school-houses and conveniences, and other considerations 

 led to the abolition of the district system in 1849, at which time 

 there were 1672 children between the ages of five and fifteen years, 

 and the annual expenses of the schools were $5,562.25. In 1850 

 the town assumed in its corporate capacity, the sole management of 

 the schools, and has continued it to the present. It involved a large 

 outlay for new school-houses, but it secured uniformity of instruc- 

 tion in all parts of the town, better teachers, and man} 7 " other advan- 

 tages. The school expenses, exclusive of cost of buildings, were in 

 1850, $6,086.19; in 1860, $13,267.50 ; in 1870, $40,510.07 ; and 

 for the present year are estimated at $54,695. In 1860 the whole 

 number of children in attendance was 2081 ; in 1870 the whole num- 

 ber registered was 3205 ; and in 1876 the estimated number is 3500. 

 The schools of Gloucester now occupy twenty-four different build- 

 ings, two being rented, and the remainder the property of the city*. 

 One High School with six teachers, six Grammar Schools with thir- 

 ty-one teachers, twelve Primaries with thirty-four teachers, and four 

 Mixed Schools, in which both Grammar and Primary studies are 

 taught, with six teachers, make a total of sevent} T -seven teachers 

 constantly employed during the school year of forty weeks. A teach- 

 er of Drawing and a teacher of Music are also constantly employed. 

 Two or more additional schools are also kept during the winter, for 

 the accommodation of a large number of boys who are engaged in 

 the fisheries in other portions of the year. Winter evening instruc- 

 tion in Free-Hand and Mechanical Drawing is also given to adults. 

 The care of the schools is confided to a Committee, consisting of the 

 Mayor, and nine persons elected by the citizens at large. The su- 

 pervision of the school work is delegated to a Superintendent, elect- 

 ed by the committee. John W. Allard, A. M., the present Superin- 

 tendent, was elected in 1873. 



CHURCHES. 



The early Religious Societies in Gloucester were denominated, as 

 was the custom throughout the State, Parishes, and were accurately 

 defined as to their territorial boundaries. No such distinctions now 

 exist, but one Society now retaining its original Parish name, and 

 therefore in speaking of the present Religious Societies in the city, 

 they will, with this one exception, be classified by sects in the order 

 of their age. The original parishes were all of the Orthodox Con- 

 gregation nl order. 



