husbandry or some other trade profitable for themselves and the commonwealth, if they will not nor can not train them up in learning, to fit them for higher employments, and if any of the selectmen, after admonition by them given to such masters of families, shall find them still negligent of their duty, in the particulars aforementioned, whereby children and servants become rude, stubborn and unruly, the said selectmen, with the help of two magistrates, shall take such children or apprentices from them, and place them with some masters for years, boys until they come to twenty-one, and girls to eighteen years of age complete, which will more strictly look unto and force them to submit unto government, according to the rules of this order, if by fair means and former instructions they will not be drawn unto it. The following enactments constitute sections 14 and 15 of the capital laws:

SECTION 14. If any child or children above sixteen years old and of sufficient understanding, shall curse or smite their natural father or mother, he or they shall be put to death; unless it can be sufficiently testified, that the parents have been very unchristianly negligent in the education of such children, or so provoke them by extreme and cruel correction that they have been forced thereunto to preserve themselves from death or maiming.

SECTION 15. If any man has a stubborn, or rebellious son of sufficient understanding and years, viz, sixteen years of age, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that where they have chastized him, he will not hearken unto them; then may his father or mother being his natural parents lay hold on him and bring him to the magistrates assembled in court, and testify unto them that their son is stubborn, and rebellious, and will not obey their voice and chastisement, but lives in sundry notorious crimes, such a son shall be put to death.

SCHOOLS.

It being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in former times, keeping them in an unknown tongue, so in these latter times, by persuading them from the use of tongues, so that at least, the true sense and meaning of the original might be clouded with falso glosses of saint seeming deceivers; and that learning may not be buried in the grave of our forefathers, in church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting our endeavors:

It is therefore ordered by this court and authority thereof, That every township within this jurisdiction, after the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty householders, shall then forthwith appoint one within their town to teach all such, 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 who order the prudentials of the town, shall appoint; provided, that those who send their children be not oppressed by paying more than they can have them taught for in other towns.

And it is further ordered, That where any town shall increase to the number of one hundred families, or householders, they shall set up a grammar school, the masters thereof being able to instruct youths, so far as they may be fitted, for the university, and if any town neglect the performance hereof above one year, then every such town shall pay five pounds per annum, to the next such school, till they shall perform this order.

The proposition concerning the maintenance of scholars at Cambridge, made by the commissioners, is confirmed.

And it is ordered, That two men shall be appointed in every town within this jurisdiction, who shall demand what every family will give, and the same to be gathered and brought into some room, in March; and this to continue yearly, as it shall be considered by the commissioners.

II.

New Haven dates from 1638, and there is evidence showing the existence of a school in the colony in the following year. On the 25th of the twelfth month, 1641, the general court adopted the following order:

It is ordered, That a free school be set up in this town, and our pastor, Mr. Davenport, together with the magistrates, shall consider what yearly allowance is meet to be given to it out of the common stock of the town, and also what rules and orders are meet to be observed in and about the same.

The following order relates to a public grammar school that was established in New Haven two or three years later, and placed under the charge of Ezekiel Cheever:

For the better training up of youth in this town, that through God's blessing they may be fitted for public service hereafter in church or Commonwealth, it is ordered that a free school be set up, and the magistrates, with the teaching elders, are entreated to consider what rules and orders are meet to be observed, and what allowance may be convenient for the schoolmaster's care and pains, which shall be paid out of the town's stock.

General court, in November, 1644, adopted the first of a series of orders in relation to aiding such children as should show the requisite talent, but whose parents were not able to support them at the college at Cambridge:

The proposition for the relief of poor scholars at the college at Cambridge was fully approved of, and thereunto it was ordered that Joshua Atwater and William Davis shall receive of everyone in this plantation whose heart is willing to contribute thereunto a peck of wheat, or the value of it.

The following entry, made under the date of November 8, 1652, is but one of many similar entries that could be quoted from the public. records of the colony:

The governor informed the court that the cause of calling this meeting is about a schoolmaster, to let them know what he hath done in it. He hath written a letter to one Mr. Bower, who is a schoolmaster at Plymouth, and desires to come into these parts to live, and another letter to one Rev. Mr. Landson, a scholar, who he hears will take that employment upon him. How they will succeed he knows not but now Mr. Janes has come to town, and is willing to come hither again if he may have encouragement; what course had been taken to get one he was acquainted with, and if either of them come he must be entertained; but he said, if another come, he should be willing to teach boys and girls to read and write if the town thought fit, and Mr. Janes being now present confirmed it.

The town generally was willing to encourage Mr. Janes his coming, and would allow him at least ten pounds a year out of the treasury, and the rest he might take of the parents of the children he teacheth by the quarter, as he did before, to make up a comfortable maintenance; and many of the town thought there would be need of two schoolmasters-for if a Latin schoolmaster come, it is feared he will be discouraged if many English scholars come to him. Mr. Janes, seeing the town's willingness for his coming again, acknowledged their love, and desired them to proceed no further in it at this time, for he was sure he shall get free where he is, and if he do, he doubt it will not be before winter. Therefore no more was done at it at present.

The town was informed that there is some motion again on foot concerning the setting up of a college here at New Haven, which, if attained, will in all likelihood

prove very beneficial to this place, but now is only propounded to know the town's mind, and whether they are willing to further the work by bearing a meet proportion of charge if the jurisdiction upon the proposal thereof shall see cause to carry it on. No man objected, but all seemed willing, provided that the pay which they can raise here will do it.

Governor Eaton's code of 1655, drawn up at a time when the colony contained but seven towns, has a provision in relation to the education of children that may be prefaced with a remark or two. Dr. Barnard says that Theophilus Eaton and John Davenport have the credit of establishing in New Haven, before it ceased to be an independent colony, a system of public instruction at that time without a parallel in any part of the world, and not surpassed in its universal application to all classes, rich and poor, at any period in the subsequent history of the State. The main motor force that acted in producing this result, as well as in producing similar results in, Massachusetts, appears upon the surface. It is the principle of religion. Says Mr. John Fiske:

The Puritan theory of life lay at the bottom of the whole system of popular education in New England. According to this theory, it was absolutely essential that everyone should be taught from early childhood to read and understand the Bible. So much instruction as this was assumed to be a sacred duty which the community owed to every child born within its jurisdiction.'

CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

This is the provision in question:

Whereas too many parents and masters, either through an over tender respect to their own occasions and business, or not duly considering the good of their children and apprentices, have too much neglected duty in their education while they are young and capable of learning;

It is ordered, That the deputies for the particular court in each plantation within this jurisdiction for the time being, or where there are no such deputies the constable or other officer or officers in public trust, shall from time to time have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors within the limits of the said plantation; that all parents and masters do duly endeavor, either by their own ability and labor, or by employing such schoolmaster or other helps and means as the plantation doth afford or the family may conveniently provide, that all their children and apprentices, as they grow capable, may through God's blessing attain at least so much as to be able duly to read the Scriptures and other good and profitable printed books in the English tongue, being their native language, and in some competent measure to understand the main grounds and principles of the Christian religion necessary to salvation, and to give a due answer to such plain and ordinary questions as may by the said deputies, officer, or officers, be propounded concerning the same. And when such deputies, or officers, whether by information or examination, shall find any parent or master, one or more, negligent, he or they shall first give warning. and if thereupon due reformation follow, if the said parents or masters shall thenceforth seriously and constantly apply themselves to their duty in manner before expressed, the former neglect may be passed by; but if not, then the said deputies and other officer or officers shall, three months after such warning, present each such negligent person or persons to the next plantation court, where such delinquent, upon proof, shall be fined ten shillings to the plantation, to be levied as other fines. And if in any plantation there be no such court kept for the present, in such case

The Beginnings of New England, p. 151.

the constable, or other officer or officers, warning such person or persons, before the freemen or so many of them as upon notice shall meet together and proving the neglect after the warning, shall have the power to levy the fine as aforesaid. But if in three months after that there be no due care taken and continued for the education of such children or apprentices as aforesaid, the delinquent (without any further private warning) shall be proceeded against as before, but the fine doubled. And, lastly, if, after the said warning and fines paid or levied, the said deputies, officer, or officers, shall still find a continuauce of the former negligence, if it be not obstinacy, so that such children or servants may be in danger to grow barbarous, rude, and stubborn through ignorance, they shall give due and seasonable notice that every such parent and master be summoned to the next court of magistrates, who are to proceed as they find cause, either to a greater fine, taking security for due conformity to the scope and intent of this law, or may take such children or apprentices from such parents and masters, and place them for years-boys till they come to the age of one and twenty, and girls till they come to the age of eighteen years, with such others who shall better educate and govern them, both for the public conveniency and for the particular good of the said children or apprentices.

III.

The union of the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven, or perhaps it would be better to say the absorption of New Haven by Connecticut, was consummated under the charter of 1662. The Connecticut code was now extended over the united colonies, including its educational provisions. In 1672 a new clause took the place of the old ones relating to the college at Cambridge and the town and grammar schools. At this time the colony consisted of four counties, and the general court voted to each of the four county towns forever 600 acres of land, to be improved in the best manner that may be for the benefit of a grammar school in said county towns, and to no other use or end whatever. This is the new clause:

And it is further ordered, That in every county there shall be set up and kept a grammar school for the use of the county, the master thereof being able to instruct youths so far as they may be fitted for college.

At the May session of the court, 1677, a new order was adopted, as follows:

Whereas in the law, title Schools, it is ordered that every county town shall keep and maintain a Latin school in the said town, which is not fully attended to in some places, to move, excite, and stir up to the attendance of so wholesome an order;

It is ordered by this court, That if any county town shall neglect to keep a Latin school according to order, there shall be paid a fine of ten pounds by the said county towns to the next town in that county that will engage and keep a Latin school in it, and so ten pounds annually till they shall come up to the attendance of this order; the grand jury to make presentment of the breach of this order to the county court of all such breaches as they shall find after September next.

It is also ordered by this court, Where schools are to be kept in any town, whether it be county town or otherwise, which shall be necessary to the maintaining the charge of such schools, it shall be raised upon the inhabitants by way of rate, except any town shall agree to some other way to raise the maintenance of him they shall employ in the aforesaid works, any order to the contrary notwithstanding.

And at the same time it was ordered that any town that shall neglect to keep a school above three months in the year shall forfeit £5 for every

defect, which said fine shall be paid toward the Latin school in their county. All breaches of this order to be taken notice of and presented by the grand jury at every county court. In the following year the general court recommended

To the county court of Fairfield, to grant unto the inhabitants of Paquanake so much out of their county revenue by customs, fines, etc., so much as their rate shall come to, toward the maintenance of a grammar school at Fairfield, and also this court doth recommend it to the said court of Fairfield to improve so much of their county revenues as they can spare besides for the settlement and encouragement of a grammar school there.

In 1690 the court endeavored to raise two of the four county grammar schools to a higher level, and to make them wholly free. The school revenue given by particular persons is supposed to refer to the Hopkins legacy which occupies an important place in the educational history of the colony.

This court, considering the necessity and advantage of good literature, do order and appoint that there shall be two good free schools kept and maintained in this colony for the schooling of all such children as shall come there after they can distinctly read the psalter, to be taught reading, writing, arithmetic, the Latin and English languages-the one at Hartford and the other at New Haven-the masters whereof shall be chosen by the magistrates and ministers of the said counties, and shall be inspected and displaced by them if they sec cause. Each master is to receive sixty pounds, thirty pounds of which is to be paid out of the county treasury and the other thirty out of the school revenue given by particular persons or to be given for this use so far as it will extend, and the rest to be paid by the respective towns of Hartford and New Haven.

Strenuous attempts were made to enforce a sufficient provision for schools. In 1677 it was ordered:

If any county town shall neglect to keep a Latin school according to order, there shall be paid a fine of ten pounds by the said county town to the next town in the county that will keep a Latin school in it.

In 1678 it was ordered:

That every town, when the Lord shall have increased their families to thirty in number, shall have and maintain a school to teach children to read and write, on the penalty expressed in the former law.

In 1690 it was enacted as follows:

This court observing that notwithstanding the former orders made for the education of children and servants, there are many persons unable to read the English tongue, and thereby unable to read the Holy Word of God and the good laws of the colony, and it is hereby ordained that all parents and masters shall cause their children and servants, as they are capable, to read distinctly the English tongue, and that the grand jury men in each town do once in the year, at least, visit each family they suspect to neglect this order, and satisfy themselves that all children under age, and servants in such suspected families, can read well the English tongue, or in good procedure to learn the same or not, and if they find such children or servants not taught as their years are capable of, they shall return the names of the parents or masters of the said children to the next county court, when said parents or masters shall be fined twenty shillings for each child or servant whose teaching is thus neglected according to this order. After the order of 1690, unless it shall