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CHAPTER X

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

We have already stated that Northborough from the date of its incorporation has been actively interested in education. It provided a "schoolmaster" for the instruction of its children in the first year of its existence as an incorporated town. It has continued such instruction, gradually increasing its scope, until the present time. But in addition to the schools provided at public expense the town has had several private schools which have given it a wide reputation. The first of these private institutions was known as

THE NORTHBOROUGH SEMINARY

The leaders of public thought in the early days of this community must have had the subject of education very much at heart; for simultaneously with the building of the four schoolhouses in 1780, certain public-spirited men organized a private school, and subscribed generously of their means for its housing, as the following table will show:

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The house was built at a total cost of £95 11s. 1d. We have thought it worth while to record these figures for several reasons: Northborough built four schoolhouses that year. The country was in the midst of the Revolution, and there was more or less uncertainty as to how it would terminate; and it

was entailing heavy expenses upon the people, as war always does. Yet, the people of this small town voluntarily assumed the extra financial burden of a private school. It shows at least, the value they placed upon education.

A few of the records of the proprietors of the Seminary are extant from which we copy the following obligation one assumed when he purchased a share in the Seminary:

"I, the subscriber, having purchased a share (or shares as the case may be) in the Seminary in Northborough of A.B., do promise and engage to pay one-(two or three as the case may be) thirty-fifth part of all the cost that shall hereafter arise in repairing the house and keeping the school which shall be kept in the same, and that I will be subject to, and govern myself by, the Rules and Regulations of the Proprietors, for the due performance of which I do pledge my honour to the Proprietors of sd Seminary, as witness my hand."

A bit of internal evidence in the above obligation enables us to conclude that the stock in the Seminary was divided into thirty-five equal shares.

There is a record to the effect that on May 5, 1784, Thaddeus Fay sold two of his shares, one to Isaac Howe, the other to Holloway Taylor; which would seem to indicate that the Seminary was flourishing at that date. How long it flourished we do not know: but the following receipts shed a little light on the question:

"NORTHBOROUGH, April 14, 1790. "I have received of Capt. Samuel Wood Eight Pounds Two Shillings in full in behalf of a school began at Northborough Seminary, April 8, 1788, for three months.

"SAMUEL BRIGHAM."

And on July 12, 1790, the following:

"Received of Samuel Wood Three Pounds Twelve shillings in full for Boarding Master Samuel Brigham three months from April 8, 1788.

"Rec'd payment,

"DANIEL BRIGHAM.”

This is the latest data concerning the Seminary that we have been able to find. If the school ended at this time, it would appear that Samuel Brigham was its last teacher. James Hart was its first teacher, and he continued as such from its commencement in 1780 till 1785.

The Seminary was located on the plot of ground at the junction of Pleasant Street and the Boylston road, directly in

front of the house now owned by Miss Ellen Williams. The Town Records for April 2, 1805, contain this item: "Voted that the proprietors of the Seminary may remove it from off of the town land when they shall think best; or they may let it stand where it is, to be used for a schoolhouse."

We learn from other sources that at about this time (1807) the building was sold to Altomont Rice (father of the late Professor John Minot Rice), and was moved by him to a piece of land at the corner of Whitney Street and Rice Avenue, and converted into a dwelling-house. It is still in existence, forming the rear central portion of Linden Cottage, the present home of Miss Caroline Caswell.

THE ALLEN HOME SCHOOL

Rev. Joseph Allen, D.D., was born in Medfield, Mass., in 1790. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1811, studied theology under the famous Professor Henry Ware (and others who shortly afterwards organized the Harvard Divinity School), and in 1816 settled in Northborough where he remained until his death in 1873. Dr. Allen was immensely interested in education; and as chairman of the School Board for half a century he made the schools of Northborough famous throughout the state.

In 1834 he organized a private school of his own. He began by taking ten boys into his family. The venture was successful beyond his hopes, and within a short time he found it necessary to enlarge his already large house. This school, known far and near as "The Allen School" was continued for many years. Many boys who afterwards became famous in many walks of life were educated there. Even at this late date there is hardly a year that passes when some former student does not return to Northborough with his wife or children to point out to them the scene of his early school days. The Allen School and the Valentine School (to be spoken of later) were for a third of a century important institutions in the life of this community, and did more, perhaps, than anything else to make Northborough known throughout the state.

One fact in connection with the Allen School is of special historical interest. From June, 1836 to March, 1837, the boys of this school published a paper known as The Meteor, all the mechanical, and part of the intellectual work of which was done by the boys themselves, the whole being under the supervision of Dr. Allen. Editorials and contributions were solicited from many older people who discussed questions of interest to the community, and some of wider interest-chief among the

latter being the slavery question, which at that time was beginning to be discussed vigorously throughout the country.

The most important contribution which this little paper made to the history of the town was the naming of Mt. Assabet. It will be remembered that up to this time (1836) the beautiful hill in the center of our town had borne the name "Liquor Hill." Agitation for changing that name originated in The Meteor, and was carried on with such success that on July 4, 1836, the name was changed to "Mt. Assabet," the name it has since borne.*

The Meteor was the first paper ever published in Northborough.

NOTE. Among the pupils of the "Allen Home School" who afterwards became famous may be mentioned Webster Wells, for many years professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Robert S. Peabody, of the firm of Peabody & Stearns, one of the leading architectural firms of the country; Mr. Coolidge, headmaster of St. Mark's School, Southborough; and Adolph Low, a famous importing merchant of New York City, cousin of Mayor Seth Low's father.

THE VALENTINE SCHOOL

Another private school that brought fame to Northborough was the "Valentine Boarding School." This was widely known throughout eastern Massachusetts. It was kept by Elmer Valentine, father of Walter Valentine who still lives on the Valentine farm in the west part of the town.

Elmer Valentine was born in Hopkinton, in 1795. His people moved to Northborough when he was a small boy and lived on the Dana Rice farm, near Straw Hollow. He was educated in the public schools of Northborough; privately, by Rev. Dr. Allen; and at the Framingham Academy. Making teaching his profession, he taught for some time in the schools of this town. Later, he opened a private school in Boston where he had as pupils many boys who afterwards became famous, among whom were Rev. S. F. Smith, author of our national anthem, "America"; Charles Sumner, who so ably represented our state in the United States Senate at a time when that august body was composed of intellectual giants; George Sumner, brother to Charles; and the Hon. Gardner Colby, for whom Colby College was named; Fanny Fern, the well-known authoress, and sister of N. P. Willis; and Mrs. Harrison Gray Otis, said to be the handsomest woman in Boston.

In 1837 (probably) he gave up his Boston school and opened one in Northborough. That was the year of the great "panic.'

*The story of this interesting occasion is told under "Mt. Assabet."!

Whether that had anything to do with Mr. Valentine's change of location does not appear. For a while he lived on South Street, and conducted his school in the vestry of the Baptist Church (not the present church, but the original one which is now a tenement house at the corner of School and Summer Streets). The next year, 1838, he established himself in the west part of the town, on what is now the Walter Valentine farm. There the school was continued until 1865.

Mr. Valentine was a very successful teacher, but he is remembered particularly for his beautiful penmanship. The few specimens of it which are still extant look like copperplate engraving. The writer met an elderly gentleman in New Hampshire last summer who, when he learned that he lived in Northborough said, "Northborough? I used to live in Northborough. I was a pupil at Elmer Valentine's school. Mr. Valentine was a fine penman and he made fine penmen of his pupils. I could write a good deal better then than I can now."

Apropos of Mr. Valentine's talent in this direction the following testimonials from early Boston newspapers are interesting. The Boston Evening Gazette said: "We have seen a very beautiful specimen of penmanship done by Mr. Elmer Valentine, which is highly creditable to his taste and talents. We know he has been very successful with the youth entrusted to his care, and several of the first writing masters in the country derived their instruction at his school."

And the Bunker Hill Aurora said: "Mr. Valentine has lately published a new edition of his "System of Penmanship," which has heretofore sustained a high rank, with several additional copies of medium and running hand. From this gentleman's long experience and well-known ability as a teacher of this art, we have no doubt that those who may put themselves under his instruction will be amply compensated for their expense of time and money."

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