Selectmen, and they are empowered to introduce Mr. Recompense Wadsworth as a Schoolmaster at the North, and to allow him £60. p. one year." After this gentleman, Mr. Thomas Robie was invited, in 1719, but did not accept, and the town, after voting to wait no longer, resolved, "that Mr. Peleg Wiswall be by the Selectmen invited to take the charge as Master of the Free Gramer School at ye North." Ten years after this it is recorded, that, "Inasmuch as the Gramer School at the North End of the Towne of which Mr. Peleg Wiswall is the Master is much Increased in the number of the Schollers, and that no Usher is allowed to assist him in his School: Voted, that there be an addition of forty Pounds to the said Mr. Wiswall's salary." By this vote his compensation was rendered equal to that which had been assigned to Mr. Williams in the Grammar School at the South.

Mr. Wiswall graduated at Harvard College 1702, and died in 1767, at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. Ephraim Langdon, who graduated 1752, was for several years assistant master, while Mr. Wiswall was laboring under the infirmities of age. He died in 1764 or 1765. In 1768 Mr. Samuel Hunt was introduced to the charge of this school and continued in it till 1776; when he was appointed master of the South Latin School. Mr. Nathan Davies succeeded Mr. Hunt in the North Latin School. He was a worthy man and an accomplished scholar, but too meek and diffident to govern boys. He continued till the new system of education was established in 1790, when this school was abolished.

But let us return to the South Latin School, which is that in which we are particularly interested, and which, since the year 1790, has been the only Public Latin School in Boston. Mr. Nathaniel Williams, who graduated at Harvard College, 1693, succeeded Mr. Cheever. Mr. Williams was ordained an evangelist for one of the West India islands, 1698; but, as the climate proved unfriendly to his constitution, he returned soon after to his native town. In 1708 he was appointed master of this, as Mr. Prince calls it, "the principal school of the British colonies, if not in all America," and continued in the charge of it till 1734. When in the West Indies, Mr. Williams applied himself to the study of medicine, and after his return to Boston entered into practice as a physician. When he took charge of the Latin School he was persuaded by his friends, who had employed him, not to relinquish his profession. He continued, therefore, to practise as a physician in many families; and after he relinquished the school on account of his infirmities, he past the remainder of his days in the practice of medicine. "He was called," says his biographer, "the beloved physician,' and was so agreeable in his manners, that when he entered the chambers of the sick, his voice and countenance did

good like medicine.' Amidst the multiplicity of his duties as instructer, and physician, in extensive practice, he never left the ministerial work." He resigned his office in 1734. He died, January 15th, 1738, at the age of sixty-three years. The celebrated Jeremy Gridley was for a time assistant to Mr. Williams; but in 1730, being about to commence the career in which he afterwards became so distinguished, he left the school; and was succeeded by Mr. John Lovell, who in 1734 was promoted to the office of head master. Mr. Lovell was graduated at Harvard College in 1728; two years before his appointment to the place of assistant to Mr. Williams. After his promotion he continued to discharge the duties of that important station for nearly forty-two years with great skill and fidelity.* When Boston was evacuated by the British troops, in March, 1776, Mr Lovell retired with the loyalists to Halifax, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Most of our distinguished scholars and men of eminence in church and state, at that time, had been under his tuition. That Mr. Lovell was an excellent critic and accomplished classical scholar, we have abundant testimony. The following extract from a eulogy on the late Judge Minot, contains a very delicate and pleasing tribute to his memory; which is the more valuable, as coming from a pupil whose pre-eminent talents and virtues have long rendered him the delight of his friends and society; and whose taste and learning shed a lustre on the name of his venerated in

structer.

"In the ninth year of his age he was admitted into the South Latin School in Boston, at that time under the care of Mr. Lovell, a gentleman of classical knowledge and exquisite taste. As I was

always convinced that this eminent instructer had a large share in forming the character of my friend, I enjoy a melancholy satisfaction in mentioning his name, and in paying the tribute of grateful respect to his memory."

Mr. Lovell usually passed the two vacations, one of which was at Election, and the other at Commencement, with a fishing party, at Spot Pond, in Stoneham. "And," says his pupil already quoted, "the boys heard with glee that he and the gentlemen who accompanied him passed their time pleasantly in telling funny stories and laughing very loudly."

There was a dwelling house and an extensive garden furnished by the town for Mr. Lovell. The house was situated in Schoolstreet, nearly in front of the new Court-house; and the garden extended back towards Court-street, about as far as the spot where the jail now stands. This garden was cultivated for Mr.

Lovell in the best manner, free of all expense, by the assistance of the best boys in the school; who, as a reward of merit, were permitted to work in it. The same good boys were also indulged with the high privilege of sawing his wood and bottling his cider, and of laughing as much as they pleased while performing these delightful offices.

The first Latin School-house was situated in the burying ground of King's Chapel; nearly opposite to the present school-house; and was removed, in 1748, at the expense of the proprietors of that church, for their own accommodation. "April 4th, 1748, the church petitioned the town for a grant of forty-four feet of land east of the old Chapel; and proposed to give the town a lot of land at the upper end of a lane or passage fronting the present schoolhouse, and to erect thereon a new school-house of like dimensions with the present,"*&c. Mr. Lovell was unfriendly to the views of the church, and threw obstacles in the way. Nevertheless, on "April 18th, 1748, the town agreed to grant to King's Chapel a piece of land, to enlarge and rebuild; and to take down the old Latin Grammar School-house, at a tumultuous meeting, voting by written yeas and nays. Yeas 205; nays 197."*

After much vexation and expense, the proprietors of King's Chapel built a school-house on the spot where the present one stands; a part of the western wall of which is incorporated with the present building.

Mr. Nathaniel Gardner, who left school in 1735, and college in 1739, was afterwards assistant in it. Mr. Gardner was a fine scholar, a poet, and a wit.

The late Mr. James Lovell was afterwards assistant to his father for many years. He also kept a private school for writing and ciphering from eleven to twelve, and from five to six in the afternoon. Mr. James Lovell claims the merit of being the first public instructer in Boston, who introduced an easy and compendious method of teaching arithmetic.

After Mr. Lovell left Boston in 1776, the school was shut for a short time; but before the year had expired, Mr. Samuel Hunt was appointed his successor, and taken from the North Latin School. Mr Hunt continued at the head of the school till 1805; and was then succeeded by Mr. William Biglow; who left the school in 1814.

[In May, 1814, the charge of the Latin school was committed to Mr. Benjamin A. Gould; under whose able management it still continues.

* Records of King's Chapel.

There were at that time, but about thirty-two or three scholars. Among the causes which operated to make the school an object of more importance to the instructer, and consequently of more value to the public, was the raising of the salary, at the time mentioned, to double what it had ever been before. The salary, regularly so called, was one thousand dollars; but, for some years, a grant of two hundred dollars had been annually made in addition. It was, at the time of Mr. Gould's appointment, raised to two thousand dollars. This consideration we think an important one in reference to other institutions of a similar nature; as there is generally no disposition to make the salaries of instructers a sufficient object to individuals who have good prospects in either of the learned professions; and as the highly satisfactory result of the experiment made in the Latin school of Boston, evinces that liberality to teachers is gain to the community. Editor.]

In 1814, some measures were adopted by the school committee to give an additional impulse to this school, and to render it better fitted to meet the wants of the community than it then was. At that time the school had a principal and one assistant, with about thirty-five scholars. Among the most important changes which then took place was a regulation that boys should be admitted but once a year, according to the ancient usage of this school, to prevent thereby the continual interruption of classes; that no boy should be allowed to be absent, except in case of sickness, or some domestic calamity; that no certificate, or apology should in any case be received for tardiness, but that whoever should come after the hour, should be deprived of his seat for that half day, and bring from his parent or guardian a satisfactory excuse for absence, before he could be again admitted to his place. This salutary regulation was adopted from a conviction that it is better for an individual to lose a half day's instruction, than that the school should be interrupted after the exercises have commenced These and other judicious regulations, together with the personal exertions and high-minded policy pursued by the school committee, gradually restored the confidence of the community to the school. In August of 1814, thirty boys were admitted. In the August following, fifty; and in 1816, sixty were admitted. As none were in the mean time deemed fit to enter College, the number had so increased as to render an additional room and assistant necessary. The reading school was therefore removed from the middle story of the school-house, and the room appropriated to the use of the Latin school, which had hitherto been confined to the upper floor As the number of scholars continued to increase yearly, additional instructers and additional rooms were provided as occasion required

It was found expedient likewise to appoint a sub-master, whose salary should be higher, and whose situation should be more permanent than that of the assistants.

The whole school-house in School-street, is now appropriated to this school. The last catalogue contains two hundred and twenty five scholars.

SCHOOL FUND FOR THE SEVERAL STATES.

[The measure recommended in the subjoined Report is one of vast national importance: its results will probably affect, in the most favorable manner, not the actual state of education merely, but the condition and character of our whole population. That a deep interest in this subject will be felt throughout the country we have no doubt; and we earnestly hope that the proposed Act will be unanimously and speedily passed. We have transferred to our pages the whole Report; as we think this course is due equally to the value of that document itself, to a full exhibition of the progress of the public mind with regard to education, and to the satisfaction of our readers, who we have no doubt are desirous of possessing all the information on such subjects which it is in our power to furnish.]

In the House of Representatives, February 24, 1826, Mr. Strong, from the Committee on the Public Lands, to which the subject had been referred, made the following

REPORT.

The Committee on the Public lands, to whom was referred the resolution of December 21st, 1825, instructing them 'to inquire into the expediency of appropriating a portion of the nett annual proceeds of the sales and entries of the public lands exclusively for the support of Common Schools, and of apportioning the same among the several States, in proportion to the representation of each in the House of Representatives,' report: THAT the subject referred to the consideration of the committee is manifestly of great interest. It has directly in view the improvement of the minds and morals of the present generation, and of generations to come. It contemplates giving additional stability to the government, and drawing round the republic new and stronger