History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

196 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
centre district school was successfully conducted
by a young man, Henry Wilson, wlio became an
educator in a wider si^here. In 1852 the town
established a high school, approjniating §1,000 for
its support. This school has enjoyed able teachers
and trained capable pupils; but it never had a
suitable domicile till the spring of 1S78, wlien it
occupied the new and attractive building on East
Central Street. Abner Rice was its first principal,
serving ten years. Mr. F. 0. Baston is the present
incumbent. Judge Bacon, one of the committee
at the starting of the high school, gave a fitting
address at the dedication of the new edifice, March
23, 1878. Some of our graduates take a college
course, Harvard being usually their clioice ; but
more follow some handicraft of industry or skilled
labor. There are three grammar sciiools, and the
last enumeration of children of the school age was
seventeen hundred.
We may just name the Sawin Academy, crowning
Sherborn's central hill, since it originated and
is endowed by the legacy of Miss Martha Sawin of
South Natick. That institution realized from her
estate $40,000.
William Biglow (now spelled Bigelow) should
be mentioned liere. He graduated the second scholar
at Harvard, 1794; was $BK poet in 1799. He
studied theology with Rev. Mr. Thayer of Lancas-
ter, and preached some in prominent pulpits, but
never settled as a pastor. He carried on a success-
ful school in Salem, and was master of the Boston
Latin school, from 1805 to 1814. In later years
one infirmity marred his power. He was an easy
writer. He published his history of Natick in 1830.
He wrote also a history of Sherborn, and was a
frequent contributor to the papers and magazines.
He died in 1844, and rests witli his generation in
the old cemetery at South Natick.
Tjiterary and scientific associations and free
libraries also do an educational work among the
]H(i])lc. Til IS.'i5 Ihirteeu young men formed the
Natick JJebatiug Society. Most of its members
have siione in after-life, — Austin Bacon, the in-
defatigable anti(|uanan: .Tndire J. W. liacon; YA\-
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