be admitted at ten years of age, and continue four years; three
reading and three writing schools, one of each at the north, the
centre, and the south part of the town, into which candidates
were admitted at seven years of age, and might continue fill six-
teen. Boys might attend all the year round; girls, from the
20th of April to the 20th of October.

The selectmen, and twelve other persons, annually elected in
town meeting by ballot, were authorized to superintend the
schools; to appoint masters and ushers, and fix their salaries;
to visit the schools once every quarter, by sub-committees, and
exercise all the powers the selectmen had done under the colo-
nial government. Votes were, subsequently, annually passed by
the town, confirming the above authority, and occasionally
enlarging and strengthening it.

The school committee was organized by this arrangement
in 1790, and its records, which commence in 1792, have been
regularly continued. ¹

At this period there were only seven town schools, denomi-
nated the Latin Grammar, the North Reading, the North Writ-
ing, the South Reading, the South Writing, the Centre Reading,
and the Centre Writing Schools.

Their number was increased by the erection of the Mayhew
School, at West Boston, in 1803; of the Hawes, at South Boston,
in 1811; and of the Smith, for colored children, in 1812.

The inability of the poorer classes to qualify their children for
admission to the common schools, led the town, in 1818, to
sanction the establishment of primary schools, for the education
of children between four and seven years of age.

For their management, the school committee were authorized,
annually, to appoint three inhabitants in each ward, whose duty
it was to provide instruction for children between the above-
mentioned ages, and apportion the expenses among the several
schools.

In 1818, the Boylston School was authorized, and a school-
house erected in 1819.

In 1820, an English classical school was established, having

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