Charlemont — Educational Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.       It appears that the proprietors did not make any appropriation for public schools, and that the town did not take action for their support until 1770. At the March meeting in that year, £9 were voted to be divided among the three districts,—the upper, the lower, and the hill. In 1773, £5 were raised for the school at the upper end of the town, £4 for the lower school, and £5½ for the hill school.       In 1778, £34 were to be laid out for schooling; as follows: £12 on the hill, £10 at the west end of the town, £8 at the cast end, and £4 on the south side of the river. The school rights in public lands were ordered to be sold.       In 1822, Calvin Hawks, Sylvester Maxwell, and William B. Bates were appointed to inspect schools and examine teachers.       In 1878, the school committee, D. A. Veber, L. B. Rice, and C. P. C. Miner, reported that the number of children between five and fifteen years was 129; over fifteen years, 53; of all ages in school, 186; the average attendance, 133. There were eight schools in town, taught fifty-four and a half weeks, and for their support $1666.47 were expended.       About 1845 an academy was built at the village of Charlemont by a stock company, in which a select school was taught several years. The house was a two-story frame, and basement, and stood north of the Mayhew Block. For a number of years it was unoccupied, and was finally destroyed by fire. The bell which formerly belonged to it is now in use on the public-school building. | Previous Page | Contents | Next Page | | Charlemont Page | History of the CT Valley in Mass. | | Franklin County | Western Mass History & Genealogy | These pages are © Laurel O'Donnell, 2005, all rights reserved and cannot be reproduced in any format without permission This page was last updated on 15 Jul 2005