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

566 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1795.
School-Committee In Marcli 1795, a committee was instructed
Appointed. -^q " I'eport a plan of education comporting
with the law & calculated to diffuse a gen-
eral and equal instruction of children throughout the
town." At a subsequent meeting this committee reported
that they had concluded not to recommend a system of
education, but suggested the establishment of a schoolcommittee
consisting of the selectmen and four other per-
sons, who should be authorized to control all educational
matters in the town. They reported —
:
'
' That it shall be the Duty of the School Committee to provide In-
structors, to apportion the Scholars to the different Schools, to determine
on School hours, to alter if they see fit the time and manner of
instructing Grirls, and in general, to inspect & regulate the Schools
according to their best discretion. Provided, however, that it shall not
be in the discretion of the Committee to violate any law respecting
Schools, nor to expend a greater Sum annually than the said 820 Dol-
lars. And that the Town may know the situation of their Schools, the
Committee shall report at the March meeting annually a general Statement
of the Schools, setting forth the number of Scholars in each the
Branches of learning taught in each, and the Sum given to each
Instructor."
This report was accepted, and Samuel Henshaw, Capt.
Ebenezer Lane, Mr. Solomon Stoddard Jr. , and Dr. Ebenezer
Hunt, were appointed members of the school-committee.
Undoubtedly the arrangement for a school-committee,
made a few years previous, had been discontinued. This
at any rate was the first provision made for an annual
school report. No allusion to such a report has been found
upon the records. It is possible that it consisted of a ver-
bal statement made at the appointed time.
Monument to Major A movement was made this year towards
Hawiey. erecting a monument to the memory of
Major Hawiey. It was high time the town
should show in some way its respect for the distinguished
citizen who had so freely given such a large portion of his
estate to the municipality. But no very great sentiment
of generosity towards the memory of its benefactor pre-
vailed in town at that time, for a committee appointed to
consider the matter, reported that in '
' their opinion Mr.
Joseph Clarke, his principal Heir, will erect one." There