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��Windham, JV. H.
��WINDHAM, N. H— Chapter 5.
By Hon. Leonard A. Morrison, Author of " History of the Morrison Family'
AND "History of Windham, N. H."
��SCHOOLS.
The first settlers were a thinking people, lovers of intelligence, and promoters of education. Many of them had received a good rudimen- tary education before coming to America. No sooner had they plant- ed themselves here and erected their log-houses, than schools were estab- lished and fostered with jealous care. But the early residents were poor, and the struggle was long and hard before they made "the wilderness blossom as the rose." That the first settlers had education enough for the duties of life is evident from the records now extant ; and that their children also received a respectable education is equall}' evident.
Four common schools were sup- ported in Londonderry in 1727, of which Windham was then a part. Of the earliest schools in town there is no record ; the receding years have borne away all specific knowl- edge of them. The first school of which there is any account was in 1766, and James Aiken was the teacher. He taught a singing-school evenings, and a day school for the children. Nicholas Sauce, a dis- charged British soldier, in 1760, of the French and Indian war, after that date, taught for a long time. He was a cruel teacher, as was the custom of those days, yet his schol- ars owed him a debt of gratitude for the instruction they received from him. In 1770 there is mention of one "John Smith, school-master."
��"Master McKeen " was the next teacher in order, and taught about the year 1776. He was a man of fine acquirements and ripe scholar- ship ; but his mind was not on his calling, and if he chanced to see a squirrel by the road side, he would stop and catch that squirrel if it took " all summer."
The school-houses were rude af- fairs and often unfit for school pur- poses, and in summer the schools were often kept in barns, and many times in private houses in the winter. Family schools were much in vogue. Parents would teach their children, or the eldest child would be installed as teacher of the younger ones. There was great eagerness for learn- ing, and many ways were devised to scatter seeds of instruction, which would germinate and grow into the beautiful tree of knowledge laden with glorious fruit.- The Capt. Na- thaniel Hemphill's large family of eighteen children were educated in their own family school.
Among the early teachers may be mentioned Robert Dinsmoor (the "Rustic bard"), Samuel Campbell, Samuel Armor, Susan Stuart, Robert Malcolm Morison, Peter Patterson, Andrew Mack, Margaret Hamilton, the beautiful, the beloved, and the lamented, and Jose|)h Greeley, John Nesmith, and John Park ; also, Persis Thorn, afterwards the accomplished wife of the late Gov. John Bell, and mother of ex- Gov. Charles H. Bell.
It was formerly the custom for the
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