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

562 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1793.
to more pay because they had a larger number of students
under their care. And then the admission of the other sex
must have opened the way to the cultivation of the graces
and amenities of social life. Both of these items were
referred to "the discretion of the selectmen."
Dancing and Dancing Dauciug, which in the early years of the
Schools. colony, was considered one of the seven
deadly sins, prohibited in ordinaries by
law, denounced by the clergy, and frowned upon by all
godly people, grew in favor as the country increased in population,
and became quite a popular amusement previous
to the Revolution. In this town from 1760 to 1770, it was
generally practiced by the young people. There was no
regular dancing hall, and balls were not common ; but
dancing was permitted on many occasions. At weddings,
at thanksgiving time, at quiltings, and frequently at the
winding up of a sleigh-ride, the young people indulged in
this amusement when a fiddler could be obtained. Sleighing
parties frequently carried the fiddler with them. ^ Be-
fore the Revolution, Midah, a negro employed in the tannery
of Caleb Strong Sr. , was the principal fiddler in town.
Dancing schools were opened in Boston in 1686, and were
quite common in 1774, but there is no evidence that the
dancing-master invaded Northampton till twenty years
after the latter date. He made his appearance just about
the time the matter of dancing in the school-house came up
in town-meeting. It is barely possible that the action
taken at- this time had reference to the use of the school-
house for a private dancing school. The clerk recorded the
vote as pertaining to '
' dancing in the school house.
First Dancing School. In tliis towu the first dauciug school of
which there is absolute knowledge, was
advertised in the Hampshire Gazette, March 12"', 1794, to
be held in Pomeroy's Hall, so that it is probable that the
selectmen were too discreet to permit the school-house to
1 At the August Court, 1759, Joseph Hawley complained of Ebeuezer Pomeroy^
innkeeper at Hockanum, Hadley, because in the same month of August, he was
guilty of "misrule and disorder in his house, by suffering sundry couples of young
people belonging to Northampton, of the two sexes, to sing and dance and revel in
his house, and there to continue one whole night next following, contrary to law."
"