Framingham State University - Dial Yearbook (Framingham, MA)

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11 Records of the Original Model School THERE are certain books in the possession of the School which contain the records of the original Model School as it was called in the be- ginning. These books were presented to the School in IS94 by Nathaniel T. Allen who was principal of the Model School in l848, when the Nor- mal School was at West Newton. On the very first pages of book No. I, is found a record of attendance. This record was opened May 4, l84O. At the top of the page are headings as follows: Time of Entranceg Names: Lessons: Absent, Late, Conduct: Re- marks: Time of Leaving. No record is here made of the ages of pupils. This record of attendance was carried out for two years in this book, l840-l84l. There were enrolled the first term twenty-seven pupils. We wonder if this record is the beginning of the modern school regis- ter. Sometimes, one thinks, as he hears the teacher of today complaining of bad boys, that all bad, indolent, lazy boys came tumbling along into this generation: and to hear the industrialists talk, one must believe that the manual training that the old-time boys got at home on the farm or other- wise, cured them all of all idle and vicious tendencies. But when we read against a boy's name indolent, but sometimes interested and quite capa- ble, of another Idle boy and cares nothing about learning, and of still another, Very inattentive to what is told him -our faith is shaken, and we are led to believe. that human nature is the same in all generations. The evident custom was, in the management of the Model School, to have a superintendent with assistants, for the records open as follows:- The term commenced this day, May 4, l840, with twenty-seven pu- pils. The forenoon was occupied in examining several new scholars, making remarks, and assigning lessonsg afternoon as usual. The superintendent for this month is Miss L. A. Stowe, assistants Misses Spurrell, Rogers, Wood- man and' Pennell. This record is signed I-I. Peirce, Mother Peirce. I take down my Catalogue of Teachers and Alumnae, and find under the caption- The first class includes all who were honorably graduated previously to May 1841 -the following entry- Lydia A. Stowe, Dedham. En- tered July 8, 1839: left March 24, l84l .H lVlrs. Robert Adams, Fall River and the names of all the assistants to Miss Stowe may be found in the honored list of the immortal first class. While Miss Stowe was the superintendent, under the records of May 25, it is stated that the school was visited by the Hon. Horace Mann, and after it is found this rather pathetic entry, The children have not been as orderly as I wish. What live children ever were as orderly as I wish.

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10 On descending the hill it occurs to me that once more I can cross Wiggly Bridge. What delight it is! Pass over half way-for if you get that far you are safe-and then tetter up and down. Why was there any need of our wasting time in gymnasium classes trying to perform numerous graceless movements much to the dismay of our teacher, when we could go to Wiggly? Grace ?-my friends always compared me to a crow on a telephone wire. Balance?-not one movement we were taught is omitted if you do it correctly. Good exercise?-just go over to the other side and see how you feel. Shaky?-Oh, no! The sensations are the same as in former years and I feel just as nervous and uncertain as I ever did. Wiggly reminds me of Gordon's Bridge and there I must go, for how often we used to lean on the railing and look over into the dark and swiftly moving Sudbury. The same flowers are appearing there and per- haps it may be the same family of frogs as of yore, that are peeping and singing to me from their home over in the rushes. Yonder at the bend of the stream two little heads appear. Yes, I do believe the little water people know I have come back again and wish me to see them. The birds sing their merriest song as if to keep me there, and willingly would I stay but that I wish to walk along the Willow Road e'er I must depart. Who of us did not love the Willow Road? just now the trees are budding and over all appears that green halo, which blends so well with the gray of the bark. Tiny flowerets are peeping up along the roadside, which remind me to look in the old secluded corners where I always could find my earliest favorites. Then I come to the frog pool. Big frogs, little frogs and medium sized frogs are singing to their heart's content, and I can not resist the temptation of doing as I used to do. So I find a small stone and throw it into the pool, and where all had been singing before, now silence reigns. I wait, as I did years ago, for I know the frogs, and in a minute one old bull-frog croaks and then, one by one, big frogs, little frogs and medium sized frogs begin to sing. And so I could wander on and on but the sun is setting and I must turn homeward. E. F. li-111 Howe Can We Leave? Oh, l-lowe can we part from here, We grow to love it, Moore and Moore, Since underneath its sheltering Roof, We much have learned beside book lore. As Elder does this Young class grow- We'll study more and Reid, And though, perhaps, we may Doolittle, 'Twill be our best in thought and deed. L. K. P.

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12 , But her good heart must have recovered its wonted beat when, after the school had been visited by two gentlemen, she wrote, The scholars have behaved very well, with the very underlined. The records are absorbing from page to page. They are written for the most part, in the fine hand which obtained in those days, and for the greater part of the superintendent. We find quite frequently a record made by Mother Peirce, and, occasionally, one made in the bold masculine hand of Father Peirce. Space forbids the copying of much from the rec- ords. Under July 24th, note the date, are found many items of interest. It says-- 0wing.to the unpleasantness of the weather several scholars were absent. School visited by Mr. Tillinghast, teacher of mathe- matics in the Normal School at Barre. Afternoon session closed at two o'clock that the teachers might have an opportunity to attend the ex- amination of the district school taught by Miss Stodder. As far as can be determined, school was in session on Saturday, and six days in the week: at least for the first year. And school was in session for the year until August 7th. Under date of Sept. I4, i840 we read, W-lihis day a new term commences. In one entry made by Father Peirce in which he gives an account of the examination of the Model School, the kind of an examination the older people can remember, he closes with this remark- The Normalites at- tended. Almost the last entry in this book was made by Father Peirce at the opening of the fall term, Sept. I4, l84l . It is as follows: School opened at l-4 of 9 A. M. Present 29 pupils. After re- ligious exercises, made some remarks to the pupils appropriate to the com- mencement of a term. Spent the remainder of the forenoon assigning les- sons and hearing recitations. P. M. school came together at l-2 past l. Attended to writing and reading. But there was a Training in the neigh- borhood and the children were indulged with an early dismission. Order and recitation of qualified character, much like what' is common at the be- ginning of a new term. C. Peirce. H. W. P YQ. Aix 7' ig-A gb' A V 61 fi Q 721, ' 551