History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

twenty-five were males and eleven females. The
class of 1866, nine in number, were all females.
Various private schools have been tauglit in
Newton in diti'erent parts of the town, as well in
its earlier as its later history. In 1765 Charles
Pelham of Boston opened a private school in the
house formerly owned by the Rev. John CJotton,
in Newton Centre. Judge Abraham Fuller at a
still earlier date had a private grammar school, and
in his will he left a bequest of £300 to the town
of Newton, as the foundation of an academy to be
known as the Fuller Academy, to promote higher
education. The amount was left to be paid by his
executors, and did not come into the possession
of the town till after the death of his son-in-law.
General Hull, whose affairs became embarrassed,
and he was unable during his lifetime to pay the
bequest. After his decease a piece of land was
conveyed by his heirs to tlie town in settlement of
the claim, and the Fuller Academy was erected at
West Newton, on Washington Street. After a few
years the building was sold, and became tlie seat
of the first normal school for young ladies in
Massachusetts, which had been previously located
for a brief period in the town of Lexington. It
has since become the classical school of the ilessrs.
Allen.
Mrs. Susannah Rowson opened a female academy
and boarding-school at Newton Corner, in the
brick portion of tiie building since known as the
Nonantum House, in the early part of the present
century. She was the daughter of a British officer,
a woman of many accomplishments, and an author
of considerable reputation. Her school was at-
tended by young ladies from remote states in the
Union and from the West India Islands. She
tauglit also, either before or afterwards, in Med-
ford, Roxbury, and Boston. Many items of her
personal history are preserved in her novel entitled
Rebecca, which, under fictitious names, is a record
of actual events and occurrences in the days of the
American Revolution. She is said to have been
a very courtly woman, and paid special attention
to the carriage and manners of her pupils.
Mr. Seth Davis was a teacher of high and de-
served reputation in West Newton, where he taught
first in the public school, and afterwards in a
private academy of his own. Many who subse-
quently became distinguished men in Newton and
elsewhere were among his pupils, and his teaching
in higher branches was altogether in advance of
the teaching of the period. It is said that the
231
Rev. Mr. Greenough on one occasion expostulated
with him for instructing his pupils in astronomy,
— a favorite study of the venerable master; but
with a natural genius for teaching, great capacity,
and keen conscientiousness, he endeavored to give
his pupils the highest and best in his power. The
influence of Mr. Davis as an enterprising citizen
has been highly beneficial to the town. Most of
the trees wliich adorn the streets of West Newton
were set out by him. The large ehn in front of
the old tavern-house, so called, was set out by
John Barber, who gave to the town the land im-
proved for the West Parish Burial-Ground, and
was the first male tenant of it. A woman who had
died of small-pox had preceded him. After Mr.
Davis relinquished teaching in West Newton, on
account of the pressure of other duties, his daughter,
Miss Harriet L. Davis, took up the work, and
was a most successful teacher until she was compelled
by failing health to dismiss her school. Her
father gave instruction to her pupils on certain
days of the week in astronomy, geology, etc., and
when she was laid~ aside by sickness, lie continued
the school for several weeks, hoping for her res-
toration.
Under the influence of a newly awakened educa-
tional zeal, the first normal school for the instruc-
tion of female teachers was commenced in Lexing-
ton, Massachusetts, and afterwards removed, under
the auspices of that great educator and philanthro-
pist, the Hon. Horace Mann, then residing in
West Newton, on Walnut Street, to the village of
his abode. It was his favorite plan to keep the
school under his constant supervision. The school
found its home in the building of the Fuller Academy,
which was bought for that purpose. The
Rev. Cyrus Pierce, called generally Father Pierce,
was the first teacher. A model school was estab-
lished in the immediate vicinity in coiuiection witli
the normal school, where the pupils of tiie latter
had opportunity by personal teaching to put to
practical use the instruction they received. This
school, afterwards under the care of Mr. Eben
Stearns, continued for a few years to have its seat
in West Newton, where it was a most successful
enterprise. It was removed afterwards to Fram-
ingham.
The late Marshall S. Rice, Esq., for twentyseven
years the town-clerk of Newton, and holdmg
office when the town obtained incorporation as the
city of Newton, came into Newton Centre, in
1824., and established a jirivate school for boys, in