Birdseye views of Hopedale in 1888. The Chapel Street School is numbered 13. No. 12 was a boarding house called the Hopedale House. A later addition and other changes gave it its present appearance. One of Hopedale's three octagon houses at that time is to the right of the Hopedale House. Another boarding house in this picture is the Park House (11) at the corner of Freedom and Dutcher streets. It must have had another name at that time, because the park wasn't established until 1901. Draper shops can be seen in the lower right corner. At that time, there were still houses along Hopedale Street. They were moved a few years later as more shops were needed for the expanding Draper business. Click here for a larger version of the views above. |
Hopedale History May 15, 2017 No. 324 Hopedale Schools - 1886, Part 2 Hopedale in May
In the past two weeks, additions have been made to the following pages on hope1842.com: The Gannett Family (Photos of the four Gannett brothers in uniform in the 1940s.) Deaths <><><><><><><><><><> The Gaslight Co. was incorporated in 1854. It has a capital of $80,000 or more, and has several miles of pipes, extending even to the upper machine-shop at Hopedale. The Milford Water Co. has been organized under a special act of the General Court, This Water Co. originated in a Reservoir Co. formed in June 1880, for the benefit of Charles River mill- owners, and to protect Milford against loss by fire. Subsequent changes developed it into its present importance. Adin Ballou, History of Milford, 1882 James Rooney fractured his right wrist by a blow from the crank of his auto, which he was trying to start in Hopedale Saturday, and was attended by Dr. F.H. Lally. Milford Gazette, 1926 <><><><><><><><><><> Hopedale Schools, 1886, Part 2 Of the four teachers in our schools during the spring term, two lived in Milford and were elected to positions in that town; another went to Worcester, leaving but one to return to us in the fall. The vacancies were filled by the election of three graduates of the Framingham Normal School. The large number in the lower primary room necessitated the appointment of an assistant, making, with the two in the high school, seven teachers in the town. For the high school, we secured a graduate of Wellesley College as principal, and one of our own residents, a graduate of Greenfield Academy, as assistant. We feel assured that all are doing good work and that the expectations of the committee will be realized in their success. Two years ago the local press was greatly exercised over the addition to our building, (the Chapel Street School) whereby we secured an increase of two rooms. And yet we should have occupied all the rooms last term had we not been obliged to use one for the high school. The upper grammar room has three grades with thirty-eight scholars, and the lower primary the same number of grades with sixty-six scholars; both of these should be reduced to two grades, thereby avoiding the confusion of two recitations conducted at once, and giving more time to the individual scholars. To obtain this room will involve having an addition to the present structure or erecting a new school house. In many respects the latter will be preferable. It can be built without disturbing the schools. It can be so constructed as to allow for further enlargement when called for. It can be used for the high school at first and upper grammar grades later, should the lower schools need further division. By securing the lot in the rear of the present building there will be room for this on the corner of Dutcher and Chapel streets, and at the same time provide and ample playground. A few scholars living in the extreme northern part of the town have been received in the Milford schools, near their homes, and we have taken and equal number of Milford pupils as an offset. We recommend an appropriation of forty-eight hundred dollars for the coming year, and that a separate appropriation of four hundred dollars be made for use as provided by the acts of 1869, chap. 132: "Any town in the Commonwealth may raise by taxation or otherwise, and appropriate money to be expended by the school committee in their discretion, in providing for the conveyance of pupils to and from the public schools." The law in regard to free text books and supplies admits of no evasion and involves a large outlay by the towns. Some of the books will last several years, while others, drawing and writing books for instance, must be replaced often. In view of the fact that we had nothing at all for the high school and that the allowance was very small in the other schools, our expense in this direction has been quite large. It will be much less the coming year. We have also found a scarcity of maps and similar materials for school work. A beginning has been made in this direction, and if a little is added each year the equipment will soon be satisfactory. For the high school, however, there is still opportunity to add in the way of apparatus of all kinds. Donations will be very acceptable, and it is hoped some of our public spirited citizens may render their names immortal by furnishing the means to obtain as good practical aids as are possessed by others. To Mr. J. B. Renshaw of Hartford, Ct., and to Mr. W. J. Gordon of Cleveland, Ohio, the school is indebted for a fine stellar tellurian, a pair of astronomical maps and a pair of twelve-inch globes; to the Dutcher Temple Co. for moulding tables for geographical work, and to the teachers of the high school for a fine steel engraving. Report of the School Committee, Albert W. Ham, Anna M. Bancroft, Frank J. Dutcher, 1886. Hopedale Schools History Ezine Menu HOME . |