History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

528 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1780.
A Ropewaik. Rope was also manufactured by Mr. Sliepharcl.
In one part of the building flax was
spun and Duck made, wliile the rest of it was used as a
ropewaik. As many skeins of yarn as were needed for the
rope were attached to hooks fastened to a circular disk.
This was revolved by a man turning a crank, and the cords
or threads were twisted into ropes of the required size.
Ropes were very extensively used in those times. Very little
leather was used in a harness, horses were guided with
ropes, and traces were made of the same material. Cart
ropes were indispensable with the old-fashioned carts and
ladders, and were very common in Northampton. A regular
cart rope was sixty, seventy, or eighty feet long, a burden
for one man to carry, and some skill and experience
were needed to bind a load properly. The rope was put
around the four corners of the load, across its width, and
through its length. Individuals made ropes for themselves
and others, years before Mr. Shephard started his factory,
but he was the first who made them on a large scale.
A New School-House. At tlic Novcmber meeting the town decided
to build a new school-house, and
the committee was instructed to erect it "in the most convenient
Place between the Court-House and Dr. Shephard's
Shop," * and they were to apply to the County Court for
permission to place it there. For building it £200 were
appropriated, and the dimensions were left to the judgment
of the building committee. The materials of the old brick
school-house were to be employed as far as practicable in
building the new one. Apparently there were some persons
who thought that more than one school-house was
needed, for in December a special meeting was called to
reconsider the vote ordering the new school-house, and to
"see if the town will build one or more school houses," but
it was voted not to reconsider the former vote.
A Training Field. On Paucake Plain a field for training the
militia had been established, and at *the
May meeting the question of clearing it was brought before
the town, but it was decided in the negative. An
1 Dr. Shephard's shop was on the corner now occupied by the First National Bank
Building.