342 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



taken from the most indigent classes of the community, and 

 shall receive a good common school education, and be instructed 

 in the art and science of agriculture, or in some mechanic art 

 in the shops attached to the premises. . . . Fourthly, the 

 establishment shall be designated and called Smith's Agricul- 

 tural School.^ 



Provision was also made for the care and management of 

 the matter by the choosing annually l)y ballot in legal town 

 meeting of tliree inhabitants of said Northampton, one of 

 whom at least should be a practical husbandman, and one a 

 mechanic, who were to report in writing annually to said 

 town. 



State Reform School. 



This school is located at Westborough, Worcester County, 

 and was established by Acts of 1847, chapter 165. It was 

 opened for the admission of members Nov. 1, 1848. The 

 object of the school is declared to be "for the instruction, 

 employment and reformation of juvenile offenders." The 

 boys are also to be instructed in some regular course of 

 labor, either mechanical, manufacturing, agricultural or 

 horticultural, or a combination of them, as shall be best 

 suited to their age and strength, disposition and capacity.^ 



At a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, held 

 May 12, 1853, Simon Brown, Harvey Dodge, B. V. French, 

 Edward Hitchcock, J. R. Lawton, J. H. W. Page, John 

 W. Proctor, Joseph Smith, Seth Sprague and Marshall P. 

 Wilder were constituted a committee to confer with the 

 Governor, and consider and report whether any, and if so 

 what, aid might conveniently be afforded by the State to the 

 Board of Agriculture to facilitate experiments in scientific 

 cultivation of the soil by the use of the lands connected with 

 the State Reform School at Westborough. 



This committee made a favoralile report to the Board on 

 November 16 following, which report was accepted, and a 

 committee was chosen to confer with a committee of the 

 trustees of the said school and to aid them with regard to 



' From Hampshire Gazette, Nov. 17, 1891. 



^ The Massachusetts System of Common Schools. Tenth Annual Report of 

 the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, 1849, pp. 143, 145. 



