History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

318 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX: COUXTY.
t be established in all towns numbering five hundred
families. But the grave factor of economy entered
into a consideration of the subject. The town liad
already e.xpended large sums for scliool-buildiugs,
and was unwilling to make any further consider-
able outlay ;
but, finally becomhig convinced of the
necessity of the demand, April 7, 1851, they ordered
the erection of the present city hall building, a plahi
structure, but sufficiently adapted to the wants of the
school for the following twenty years. The corner-
stone was laid September 9, and the building dedi-
cated with appropriate exercises on the 3Sthof April,
1852. It was designed for one hundred pujrils.
On the following Monday the school was opened,
under the charge of Mr. Robert Bickford. Sixty-six
pupils were received under a lower grade of scholar-
ship than was deemed fitting for such a scliool,
and in August twenty-two more were admitted on
a sliglitly higher standard. One principal and one
assistant were employed till 1854 ; after this time,
till 1858, there were generally two assistants. All
the instructors having resigned in 1858, a ncM'
principal was appointed, and a sub-master to take
because it was believed that the institution did not
exhibit results proportionate to the amount of money
expended upon it. This was due in part to the
constant changes in teachers and board of school
committee, and in part to the general apathy of the
community.
In 1859 Mr. H. H. Babcockwas appointed principal,
and the course of study was revised. Under
the new organization the first regular graduation
took ])lace in 1862. The school at once became
more successful, and at the resignation of Mr.
Babcock, in 1867, it was in the first rank of the
high schools of the commonwealth. Mr. G. L.
Baxter succeeded Mr. Babcock, and under his man-
agement tiie school retains its high degree of effi-
ciency, and contains a larger number of jnipils than
is usual in ])r