History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

150 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
In 1827 the examination of teachers was made
by the state, to devolve on an inspecting committee
specially qualified for tiie purpose ; before this
time it had fallen to tlie minister or tiie selectmen
to decide on the fitness of candidates.
In 1826 an academy was established by indi-
vidual enterprise, to secure a liigher grade of in-
struction tlian that given in the district schools
two years later Silas Gates and his son Abraham
gave a joint donation of $2,000, and in recogni-
tion of their generosity the name of the insti-
tution was changed to the Gates Academy. It
flourished for several years, but afterwards de-
clined, and in 18.33 its condition seemed hopeless.
In that year Mr. 0. W. Albee took charge of it,
and gradually raised it to a iiigher position than
it had ever before occupied. He was undoubtedly
the most influential and popular teacher the town
has had. He was a man of wide and liberal sym-
pathies, public spirited, efficient in his profession,
able in the school-house at once to secure the most
submissive attention and the warmest aff'ection.
To this day his old scholars regard his memory
with almost filial tenderness, and celebrate it by
annual reunions.
Mr. Albee taught until 1849, when the academy
was merged in the high school. It had long
been felt that proprietary or semi-private uistitu-
tions of this kind reacted unfavorably on the free-
school system, — citizens being reluctant to vote
ample town appropriations when they were pri-
vately supporting academies. It was decided, Avith
the consent of the representatives of Silas Gates
and his son, to transfer the endowment to the town
for free-scliool education. The policy was abun-
dantly justified by the increased appropriations
and quickened interest in the cause.
Tiie appropriation for 1810 was $1,000, the
number of scholars being 651 between the ages of
four and sixteen; for 1850 it was $1,300, the
number of scholars (643) being somewhat less ; for
1860 it was S:',,ss-;, r,.,- S::!i .rl,nl:n> of from five
to fifteen \ en I- ; Imi' is; II II u;i- SI c, ,-,11(1, the num-
ber of scholars Ijrin- l,s?7, ,\| ih.j present time
there are tiiirty-i'our schools and tliirty-eiglit teachers,
five being male and tliirty-threc female; num-
ber of children between five and fifteiMi (May, 1878),
2,127 ;
increase over 1877, one hundred and ninetv-
one. Tiiere are eleven school buildings: onft liigli
female tcarhrrs ; and twenty-five primary sclKK)is,
;
employing twenty-five female teachers. The town
appropriation for 1878 was $ 18,500. The cost of
instruction per scholar is about $ 8.50.
Marlborough originally included the tract of
land now called Westborough, Northborough,
Southborough, and Hudson. Westborough, with
what afterwards became Northborough, was incor-
porated in 1717. Southborough was set oft' in
1727. At the June meeting the mother town
agreed to further the petition of the inhabitants of
Stony Brook for incorporation to the General Court.
Hudson was incorporated in 1866.
The population of Marlborough in 1660 was
about 55, rising to 210 in the ensuing ten years,
remaining stationai-y for the next ten years, and
increasing considerably mitil 1700, when there
were 530 inhabitants ; fifty years later there were
1,000; in 1800 there were 1,635. From this
date, for forty years, there was a gain of only 500.
From that time, owing mainly to the establishment
of shoe-factories, the population has rapidly in-
creased. In 1850 there were 2,941, in 1860, 5,910,
the population being doubled in ten years. In
1870 it reached 7,885, although in the preceding
decade Hudson had been set off. The highest
pohit was gained in 1872, when there were 8,941
persons. Since then the number of inhabitants
has slightly varied from year to year.
Owing to the imperfection of the records, it is im-
possible to give a complete statement of the valuation
of the town until very recent times. From
1771 to 1820 the number of polls slowly increased
from 323 to 434 ; the number of houses, from 169
to 254. In 1830 there were 454 polls and 288
liouses; the real estate was valued at S485,805 ;
personal estate at $121,451. In 1840 there were
559 polls and 325 liouses; the real estate was
$623,807; personal estate, $155,951.
In 1850 the number of polls was 834 ; of houses
458 ; value of real estate, $ 948,931 ; of personal
estate, $ 286,506. In 1878 the number of polls
was 2,182 ; number of dwellings, 1,376 ; total
valuation, $3,451,365.
The industries of the town, until within forty-five
years, were confined to agriculture and the supply of
local needs. In 1837, 103,000 pairs of shoes were
made, valued at $ 41,200 ; seventy-five males and the
same number of females were employed in their pro-
duction. There were two tanneries, employing seven
scliool, having a principal and two assistaiils ; eight
grammar scliools, employing two male and eight
liands ; two manufactories of cliairs and cabinet
ware, employing four hands. 7,500 straw bonnets
were manufactured, valued at $10,850.