CHAPTER XVII.

SCHOOLS.

IN 1647, when New Hampshire was a British Province, a law in relation to public schools was enacted, of which the following is a part:

It is ordered that every township in the jurisdiction, after the Lord has increased them to the number of fifty householders, shall then forthwith appoint one within their town to teach all children as shall resort to him to write and read, whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children; or by the inhabitants in general, by way of supply, as the major part of those that ordered the prudentials of the town shall appoint, provided those that send their children be not oppressed by paying much more than they can have them taught for in other towns.

And it is further ordered that when any town shall increase to the number of one hundred families or householders, they shall set up a grammar school, the master, thereof, being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the University; provided, that if any town neglect the performance hereof, above one year, that every such town shall pay £5 to the next school, till they shall perform this order.

In 1719, an act was passed which provided that every town within this province having the number of fifty householders or upwards, shall be constantly provided with a schoolmaster to teach children and youth to read and write. And when any town or towns shall have the number of one hundred families or householders, there shall be a grammar school set up and kept in every such town, and by some discreet person of good conversation, well instructed in the tongues, shall be procured to be the master thereof; and every such schoolmaster to be suitably encouraged and paid by the inhabitants.

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When the proprietors of old Chester surveyed and laid out the town, they reserved lots in the several divisions for the support of public schools; but the schools were not established in the first settlement until 1737, about fourteen years after the charter was obtained. In that year, it was voted to raise thirty pounds to hire a schoolmaster. Before that date, some of the children were taught at private houses. In 1738, twenty pounds were raised for the support ot schools, and in 1740, it was voted that there should be a school maintained in the town that year throughout; partly by schoolmasters and partly by school dames, as the selectmen should judge best.

In 1748, the first settlement was made in Candia. This settlement remained a parish of old Chester for a period of fifteen years. During a part of that time, two or three schools were maintained in the parish by the town of Chester.

In the selectmen's accounts in Chester, in 1757, the following item appeared:

"Paid to Charming Fare (the first name of Candia) £26 for schooling." Samuel Mooers, who had previously moved from Chester to Candia, was a school teacher at the latter place in 1757, and he was probably the first school teacher - in the town.

In 1763, Candia became an independent township. At the annual town meeting in Chester, in 1763, soon after Candia, then sometimes called Charming Fare, was incorporated, it was voted:

That it be left with the selectmen to inquire into and see how much is justly due to Charming Fare, so called, for their proportion of the school money raised in this town for three years past, and if they have not had their share then to deliver the same to them, provided they lay out the same for schooling among themselves; and also all the other parts of the town that have not had their proportion of the schooling, nor money as above mentioned, shall be considered, and have their proportion on the same conditions.

THE FIRST SCHOOL.

Soon after the town of Candia was organized, measures