The Development of School Support in Colonial Massachusetts

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 edition. Excerpt: ...two and a half mile limit are rated whether attending school or not; and that all children shall either at home or at school be taught to read and write. This method of rating all estates for one-half the school charges and combining with this a compulsory tuition charge whether children were in attendance or not was a long step toward complete support by taxation alone. Taxation of those who lived at such a distance that their younger children could have no advantage of the school was no doubt influential in bringing about the moving school and later the school district. In 1691, it was decided that a return be made to the method of '51, that is, a fixed charge on each boy between 4 and 14 and the remainder to be raised on estates.38 This continued until 1694 when the following resolution was passed: It being then proposed to the town whither the one half part of the Salary for the maintinance of the Schoole Shall be upon the parents or Ibid., Vol. V., 164. masters of Such male childrn as live within three miles of the meeting house or there abouts of the agg of seuen years & under twelve years old for this present assessment. This was voted in the afermative. It being further proposed to the Town whither the other half part of the above mentioned sum shall be levied upon estates only and no part of it upon heads this was also voted in the afirmative. Later in the same year it was: Also proposed to the Town whither thay will raise maintinance for the Schoole only upon persons and estates of the inhabitants. this was voted in the affirmative. As there are no records showing a change from this method. of support by general taxation we may conclude that from 1694 on, the children of...