Early School in Easton/Howard Neighborhood It’s February and the time of year when Easton’s young people are always hopeful of a snow day. Nowadays they usually know about the snow day the evening before and can comfortably sleep in, not having to wait to hear if the fire whistle blows (2-2-2) early in the morning, like I did when I was young. But that was no hardship at all compared to the conditions in the first Easton schools. Imagine a time when there was no easy transportation to schools, schools were organized by neighborhood, and conditions were rough. At the very back of a simple black binder called Easton in Pictures, I found an account entitled “Reminiscences” written by Edwin D Howard. In his account Edwin describes what it was like to go to school in the Howard neighborhood, that remote part of town, in the years shortly after 1793, when the first official neighborhood school was built by subscription. (The first Howards moved to Easton sometime after 1733 and Howard Street was first laid out in 1753.) Built approximately 20 to 25 feet in length and about 15 feet in width, the school was very rustic by modern standards. Unpainted walls, six small high windows. Seats were built along the walls on three sides. Desks were in front of the seats with another row of seats for the youngest students in front of those. A one room schoolhouse. Many members of the Howard family rest here in the Howard Family Cemetery on Prospect Street. Edwin, our author, remembers stories told by his parents about what it was like to go to school there in the early years. They spoke of a schoolmaster who sat with a rod in his hand that was long enough to reach any student. Conditions were crude in many ways inside the building. There was a brick fireplace at one end, never a stove, and although nearby farmers supplied wood, the male students were responsible to cut it up and make the fire. If more wood was needed during the day, a boy was sent from his lessons outside into the cold to gather more. The winter term could be quite uncomfortable and according to Edwin, “On very cold days in winter, about one-half of the scholars would be standing in a semi-circle around the fire at one time, and when they had warmed themselves a little would give their places to the other half who were shivering in their seats.” How many of us would have been eager scholars under those conditions? Edwin describes that on his own first day of school (sometime in the 1830’s) an older student was threatened by the teacher so disturbingly (according to Edwin) that when Edwin went home for lunch he begged to be able to stay home. He was allowed and didn’t return until the following winter term when a new teacher appeared. According to Chaffin the winter term was more likely to include the older ‘rougher’ boys because in the warmer weather they were busy working on the farm or laboring at other outside work. The first schoolmasters were men as it was thought only men could maintain discipline over the bigger boys. When women were first allowed to teach, it was during the summer term. It wasn’t until close to 1845 that women were 'tried out' in the winter term. According to Chaffin the women were met with "decided success". Edwin writes, “I sometimes wonder how we managed to learn as much as we did, under the circumstances, in this house,” but goes on to say that the Howard school compared well with other schools in town and that the Hon. Oliver Ames Jr. once deemed the school “No. 1 in town.” This first Howard neighborhood school was closed in 1845 and another was built across the street. That building is now a private residence. Second official Howard Neighborhood School. 1845-1926. Easton Historical Society.
Once the high school opened in North Easton students from the Howard neighborhood could take advantage of the opportunity if, "they walked two-and-one-half miles to the train depot at Easton Center and then took the train to North Easton." (Ed Hands, Easton's Neighborhoods). Of course, hardship is all relative to one’s own time in history. But I admire those who went out on those cold winter mornings to better themselves. Anne Wooster Drury [email protected]
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Upcoming: Our Open House on Sunday, February 25th will feature Recipes and Cookbooks. Our cookbooks date from 1875, with a special replica from 1796. Please bring a family cookbook or recipe with you and share! IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, A STORY BEHIND THE SCHOONER OLIVER AMES Thank you to Duncan Oliver and the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth for sharing their research and their February 2024 newsletter from which much of this information comes. “When Noah Webster Morgan was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1845, he likely never dreamed he would someday be master of his own ship, plying the coasts of New England.” (February Newsletter, Old Yarmouth Historical Society) That ship would be the schooner Oliver Ames, named after Oliver Ames, the Easton resident and Governor of Massachusetts. In the late 1850’s Noah Webster Morgan was a half-black teenage boy fearful of being sold into slavery to pay off his dead Scottish father’s debts. His two sisters had already been.sold. Fortunately, Noah, then living in Back Creek, North Carolina, was rescued, along with his brother and a cousin, and taken north to freedom by Quaker Dr. Nathan B. Hill. Along the journey Dr. Hill was offered money if he would sell the boys but he refused the offer. They were taken first to New York, where they got on a steamer to Fall River, eventually landing in Bass River on Cape Cod. During the voyage they had been locked in a stateroom for their own safety and were very nearly discovered. Noah and his brother were taken in by Quaker David B. Akin, of Yarmouth, who had met Dr. Hill in North Carolina, and had from the first, agreed to help. In Yarmouth they were taught to read and write, at some point entering the South Yarmouth Grammar School where they did quite well, especially Noah. David Akins home in Bass River. (Old Yarmouth Historical Society) Noah enlisted in the army when the Civil War broke out, then in 1864, he joined the navy out of New Bedford. He learned seamanship skills and returned to Yarmouth in 1866. By 1881 he was named master of the William H. Rowe and living in New Bedford. He became part owner of another schooner in 1889 and in 1895 became the managing owner of the Oliver Ames. He became half owner of the Oliver Ames in 1909 along with his son David. In 1910 he was forced to sell his share due to financial difficulties. 50 Pleasant Street, Bass River. Noah and his family lived here at one time. (Old Yarmouth Historical Society) In 1888 the schooner, Governor Oliver Ames, was both the first 5 masted schooner and the largest cargo ship in the world. It was built in Waldoboro, Maine, by the Atlantic shipping company from Somerset, MA and named for the then Governor of Massachusetts Oliver Ames. On its first voyage it almost sank due to high winds. It sailed for about a decade, free of incident, carrying lumber and later coal. On December 13, 1909, loaded up with railroad ties and destined for New York (sailing from Georgia), it met its fate off the shores of Cape Hatteras. Thirteen of the fourteen crew succumbed after a great storm hit the vessel. This was reported by Joseph Speering of New York, the sole surviving crewman. Noah Webster Morgan may have been favored by luck in the long run, as he was not present on that last voyage. Noah died in 1924 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in New Bedford. His story is a success story, and what a great connection to Easton! Picture of the schooner Oliver Ames on display at the Railroad Station, North Easton, MA.
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February 2025
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