The Development of School Support in Colonial Massachusetts Volume 25 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 Excerpt: ...and A half of the Schoole, and beyond the mile and quarter Shall pay two Shillings Six pence A year for their male children from Seaven years old to twelve years old. "4 that gramer Scholors Shall be rated and pay to the Schoole five Shillings pr head mor then English Scholers that dwell within A mile and a quarter of the Schoole. 31 Ibid., 2o2. ' s that those inhabitants that dwell mor than two miles and A half from the Schoole Shall be freed from all charges by rates upon their childrens heads for the Schools until they Shall receive benifir thereby, and then Shall be rated and pay as those within A mile and quarter: all wayes prouided that such childrin be taken care of, so that they shall be Sufitiantly taught to read and wright. ' 6 that the one halfe of tne Schoole charge Shall be raised upon the heads of the children according to those rules of proportion mentioned above."" The principle of equalization for studies and for distance at the basis of this method is simple and just enough but one of the concrete instances is rather puzzling. Why were those children who lived at the greatest distance obliged when they attended school to pay the same tuition as did those who lived nearest? The only explanation that offers itself, is that on account of the distance and the danger only the older children were able to attend school and that they were "gramer Scholors." So far as the younger children were concerned it was an excellent method to keep them at home. Besides this attempt at equalization two further points should be noted. It is implied in the fifth section that all children except those living beyond the two and a half mile limit are rated whether attending school or not; and that all children shall either at home or at sc...