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 3.2,13. 
 
 Imprint. 
 
 IB — 47372-2 OPO 
 
KEPORT 
 
 rO THE 
 
 CITY COUNCIL or PROVIDENCE, 
 
 PRESENTED JUNE 1, 1846, 
 
 BY THEIR COMMITTEE, APPOINTED SEPTEMBER 3d, 1838, ^ TO SUPE RINTEND 
 THE ERECTION OP 
 
 SCHOOL HOUSES; J 
 
 ON THE RE-ORGANIZATfbN OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
 
 \ 
 
 
 PROVIDENCE: 
 
 ?R1NTED BY KNOWLES AND VOSE. 
 
 18 46. 
 
J- 
 
 I 
 
 ■ 
 

 
 t*^" 
 
 REPORT. 
 
 To the City Council of the City of Providence. 
 
 The undersigned, members of a Joint Committee, appointed 
 by the Cily Council, in the year 1838, to contract for. and su- 
 perintend the building of the public school houses then ordered 
 to be erected, respectfully submit the following Report : — 
 
 Presuming that a portion of the present members of the City 
 Council are not familiar with the proceedings which led to the 
 appointment of this Committee, the undersigned have deemed 
 it proper briefly to refer to these proceedings, before entering 
 into a detail of the manner in which they have discharged 
 their duties, which continued through several successive years. 
 On the ninth day of April, 1838, an Ordinance was passed by 
 the City Council, providing for a re-organization of the Public 
 Schools of the City ; and on the fourth day of June following, 
 Messrs. Thomas R. Holden and Joseph Cady, of the Board of 
 Aldermen, and Messrs. Edward P. Knowles, Henry Anthony, 
 Amherst Everett, John L. Hughes, David Andrews, and Erastus 
 F. Knowlton, of the Common Council, were appointed by the 
 City Council a Joint Committee to make investigations rela- 
 tive to the alterations and improvements which were required 
 on the school houses and estates then occupied ; and to ascer- 
 tain what other lots and buildings would be necessary to carry 
 out the provisions of the Ordinance. 
 
 L-iJ 
 
I 
 
 That Committee were instructed to report by bill, to embrace, 
 as nearly as might be, an estimate of the amount of the expen- 
 diture required for the department of Primary and Grammar 
 Schools, and of the High School. They were also empower- 
 ed to cause a set of school house drawings to be made to ac- 
 company their Report. 
 
 Tims instructed, your Committee entered upon the discharge 
 of their duties. In the course of a month they completed 
 their survey, and made a Report, fully describing the condition 
 of the several school houses and estates, and recommending 
 the erection of new School Houses in all the school districts in 
 the City. They did not, at that time, make any report upon 
 the other branch of the subject referred to them ; but requested 
 permission to raise a sub-committee from their number, to visit 
 the Public Schools in Boston, Salem, Lowell and New Bed- 
 ford, to examine the construction of School Houses, and the 
 style and arrangements of seats and desks, in order that they 
 might be enabled to recommend a set of plans for School 
 Houses, embracing the most important improvements which 
 had been made in school house architecture. 
 
 That request was granted, and their sub-committee visited 
 Boston, Salem and Lowell, and examined the construction of 
 the ].ublic school houses in those cities, and made a full report, 
 which was presented to the City Council in connection with 
 the Report of the whole Committee, recommending the style 
 and size of the buildings for" the Grammar Schools, and also 
 for the Primary Schools. Both these Reports were accepted, 
 and were ordered to be printed for the information of the 
 citizens. 
 
 AccomiJanyiiig these Reports, the Committee submitted a 
 draft of certain Resolutions which, after much discussion and 
 some modifications were adopted and passed by the City Coun- 
 cil on the third day of September, 1S38, as follows : 
 
 I,'fsoh-"f Tliat Mossrs. Edward P. Knowlcs., Henry An- 
 thony, Amherst Everett, John L. Hughes, David Andrews, 
 and Erastus F. Know) ton, from the Common Council, and 
 Messrs. Thomas R. Holden, and Joseph Cady, from the Board 
 
of Aldermen, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee 
 to cause such of the present School Houses to be removed or 
 taken down, and such new School Houses to be erected and 
 furnished, as may be necessary to carry into full operation the 
 Ordinance entitled " An Ordinance in relation to the Public 
 Schools," passed on the 9th of April, 1838, and in conformity 
 to the Report of a Joint Committee, this day made and receiv- 
 ed, whenever the locations of such new School Houses shall 
 be designated by the School Committee ; and also to make and 
 enter into, in the name of the City, all necessary contracts for 
 materials and labor for said buildings. 
 
 Resolved, That said Committee be and they are hereby au- 
 thorized and empowered to cause any of such new School 
 Houses to be erected on any lands now belonging to the City, 
 which the School Committee may designate ; and also to pur- 
 chase, for the use of the City, any other lands for said purpose 
 which, they, together with the School Committee, may deem 
 advisable ; and also to sell, in the name of the City, any of the 
 present School Houses and estates which they may deem ad- 
 visable to sell, and which can be legally sold ; and in case of 
 any such sale or sales, the City Treasurer for the time being, 
 is hereby authorized and directed, under the direction of said 
 Committee, to execute good and sufficient deeds conveying all 
 the right, title and interest of the City in any land or lands so 
 sold. 
 
 Resolved, That said Committee be and they are hereby au- 
 thorized and empowered to raise by loan or loans, for the use 
 of the City, a sum or sums of money sufficient for carrying 
 these Resolutions into full effect, not exceeding forty thousand 
 dollars in the whole, at such rates of interest as they may deem 
 advisable, not exceeding five per cent, per annum, the principal 
 to be paid at such times as they may deem advisable, not how- 
 ever at shorter periods than one third in ten years, one third in 
 twenty years, and one third in thirty years ; the interest to be 
 paid annually. 
 
 We insert these Resolutions, in order to show how extensive 
 were the powers and duties of the Commitee ; and also to show 
 that they have not, in any one case, either transcended their 
 powers, or neglected to discharge their duties as faithfully as 
 the circumstances would permit. 
 
 Soon after the appointment of the Committee, they met for 
 organization ; and Thomas R. Holden was chosen Chairman, 
 2 
 
■I, 
 
 and Amherst Everett, Secretary. Tlie whole Committee was 
 divided into sub-committees, and a particular portion of the 
 work reciuiring immediate attention, was assigned to each sub- 
 committee. 
 
 Subsequently thereto, David Andrews and Amherst Everett 
 resigned tlieir appointment as members of the Committee ; 
 and Seth Padelford was appointed in place of David Andrews, 
 and was also appointed Secretary, in place of Amherst Everett. 
 A full record of the proceedings of the General Committee has 
 been kept, and is herewith submitted for examination. 
 
 From this record, some idea of the time and labor devoted by 
 the Committee, may be gathered. They held twenty-nine 
 meetings for business, besides almost an e(|ual number of in- 
 formal meetings for consultation, of which no record was made. 
 
 At an early meeting, the Chairman, Thomas R. Holden, was 
 appointed Auditor of all accounts made by the Committee; 
 and the Secretary was not authorized to draw any orders on 
 the City Treasurer for the payment of any bill which had not 
 been examined and signed by the Auditor. An accurate ac- 
 count of all moneys expended by the Committee has been 
 kept, and is herewith submitted for examination. 
 
 The Committee, having visited Boston, Salem, Lowell, and 
 Charlestown, accompanied by an £u:chitect, for the purpose of 
 examining the public school houses in these places, obtained 
 drawings of the latest improvements which had been made in 
 the construction of school houses. They also caused a full set 
 of drawings to be made, exhibiting the exterior and interior of 
 a house for a Primary School, and also of a house for a Gram- 
 mar School. To these drawings were appended full and mi- 
 nute specifications of the size, the materials, and the style of 
 the work recpiired. 
 
 The Committee then advertised for proposals for building 
 the new School Houses according to the plans and specifica- 
 tions exhibited ; and after an examination of the different pro- 
 posals submitted to them, it appeared that Messrs. Tallman & 
 Bucklin had offered the lowest terms. Consequently contracts 
 
were made with them for the erection of three Primary School 
 Houses, at twelve hundred and fifty dollars each ; and of five 
 Grammar School Houses at seven thousand five hundred dol- 
 lars each ; all to be completed and furnished ready for the re- 
 ception of the schools. 
 
 Messrs. Andrews &, Palmer erected the School House in the 
 Third Ward for Messrs. Tallman &> Bucklin, at the same price 
 which the latter received ; viz. f 7,500. 
 
 These School Houses were all to be built in the best man- 
 ner ; and no work was to be paid for until it had been examin- 
 ed and approved by persons agreed upon by the contracting 
 parties. They were all completed in the early part of the 
 year 1840, and were examined and approved. 
 
 In the course of the next year, (1841,) the Grammar School 
 House in the Second Ward was built by Messrs. J. H. & E. 
 Martin & Co. ; and the East street and the Transit street Pri- 
 mary School Houses by Messrs. Bushee & Carpenter. 
 
 In the following year, (1842,) the Committee having caused 
 to be made a full set of drawings and specifications for the 
 High School building, advertised for proposals for erecting the 
 same. They received six proposals; the highest being ,f 18,- 
 100, and the lowest $14,975. Messrs. Andrews & Palmer 
 having presented the lowest terms, according to the specifica- 
 tions, a contract was made with them, and that building was 
 completed the next year. 
 
 The Primary School House, on Federal street, was built 
 the same year by Messrs. Tallman <fc Bucklin. 
 
 It is important to state here, that the Committee found it 
 necessary, in the progress of building several of the School 
 Houses, to make slight alterations in the contracts, in order to 
 render the Houses better suited to the wants and conveniences 
 of the schools. The plan for the arrangement of the seats 
 and desks in all the Grammar Schools was changed ; which 
 besides rendering the rooms more convenient, will accommo- 
 date about thirty pupils more in each school. 
 
 This arrangement was attended with some additional ex- 
 
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8 
 
 pense. It was found necessary to make several alterations in 
 the original plans of the High School. One was to carry up 
 the walls one foot higher than specified ; another, to place 
 granite blocks in front of tlie building instead of grass banks; 
 because the space left between the walls of the building and 
 the street was too narrow to admit of a grass bank. Several 
 other alterations were made with the approbation of the Com- 
 mittee ; all of which enhanced the value of the buildings, and 
 of course somewhat increased their expense. 
 
 The Committee felt that they ought not to leave these es- 
 tates as finished, without setting trees around them ; and ac- 
 cordingly they caused about one hundred and fifty trees to be 
 set in and around the School House lots, most of which are 
 now growing well. 
 
 Having completed their Report relating to the erection of the 
 buildings, the Committee have prepared, and here insert, an 
 account, showing the amount of all monies expended by them, 
 and the cost of each School House estate. 
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE COST OF SCHOOL HOUSES, &c. 
 
 HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. 
 
 For lots on Benefit, Angell and Water- 
 man streets, of Mrs. Sarah Thomp- 
 son, 5,600 00 
 
 Andrews & Palmer's bills for building, 
 
 &c. 15,984 79 
 
 Samuel Lewis's bill for curb stone, 66 42 
 
 H. Mumford's bill grading, labor, (fcc. 21 66—21,672 87 
 
9 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE IN FIRST WARD. 
 
 For lots adjoining old School House 
 
 lots to Thomas L. Halsey, Esq. 1,737 23 
 
 Tallman & Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house, &c. 7,980 31 
 
 Daniel A. Sweet, bill of curb stone, 67 75 
 
 " " " stone steps, 38 50 
 
 John Barney, bill for work done, 45 20 
 
 F. P. Durfee, bill for stone, 27 00 
 
 S. R. Weeden, bill of stone for well, 6 50 
 
 Ingalls & Gushing, bill of furnace, 
 fixtures, &c. 198 83 
 
 Pardon Clark, bill for painting fences, 
 &c. 138 55 
 
 Thomas Sekell, bill re-building fur- 
 nace, &c. Ill 76 
 
 Nathan Simmons, bill of labor and ma- 
 terials for fences, 88 91 
 
 Increase Sumner, bill carting gravel, 
 &c. 43 08—10,483 62 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE IN SECOND WARD. 
 
 For lots on the corner of Angell and 
 
 Prospect street, to Richard Carrique, 900 00 
 
 Richard & Rufus Waterman, 1,900 00 
 
 J. H. & E. Martin, and Sekell & Mum- 
 ford, bills for building house, &c. 8,130 02 
 
 Ingalls <fc Gushing, for furnace, fix- 
 tures, &.C. 100 84 
 
 S. B. Gushing, bill for surveying, &c. 12 50 
 
 Thomas Sekell, bill for grading lot, 77 89—11,121 25 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE IN THIRD WARD. 
 
 For lot on Arnold and Brook street, of 
 
 John Whipple, Esq. 840 00 
 
 Andrews & Palmer, bill for building 
 
 house, &c, 8,152 50 
 
10 
 
 George H. Peck, bill for filling in ; 
 
 earth, «fcc. 198 60 
 
 Daniel A. Sweet, bill for curb stone, 50 54 
 
 J. Morgan, bill of stone for bank wall, 10 25 
 
 A. Ellis, for taking down bell and put- 
 
 ing up do. 2 96 
 
 John A. Townsend, bill for painting 
 
 fences, «fcc. 123 11 
 
 Ingalls & Gushing, bill of furnace, 
 
 fixtures, 6lc. 138 38 
 
 H. W. Bradford, bill of lime for point- 
 ing well, 2 00 
 
 John Barney, bill for laying stone wall, 27 51 
 
 D. Gallagher, bill for stoning well, 13 33 
 
 Thomas Sekell, bill for re-building 
 
 furnace, &c. Ill 76 9,670 94 
 
 [This House was left unpainted, and of course about $150 
 should be added to its cost, in order that it may be fairly com- 
 pared with the others.] 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE IN TOURTH WARD. 
 
 For lot on Fountain street, to Pardon 
 
 Taber, 1,000 00 
 
 For do. do. E. Tourtellott, 547 40 
 
 For do. do. Thomas Brown, 500 00 
 Tallman &. Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house, &c. 7,945 70 
 Increase Sumner, bill for filling in 
 
 gravel, &c, 119 98 
 
 Daniel A. Sweet, bill of curb stone, 92 75 
 
 Massa Bassett, bill of labor paid, (kc. 11 72 
 
 Shaw »fc Gray, bill for painting fences, 104 00 
 Ingalls &/ Gushing, bill for furnace, 
 
 fixtures, (kc. 163 47 
 Thomas Sekell, bill for re-building 
 
 furnace, 11176—10,596 78 
 
1,287 00 
 
 418 00 
 
 8,085 92 
 
 123 00 
 
 60 00 
 
 9 85 
 
 142 64 
 
 205 14 
 
 3 75 
 
 11 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE in FIFTH WARD. 
 
 For lot on Elm street to. Pardon Clark, 
 For do. do. H. Bassett, 
 Tallman «fc Bucklin, bill of building 
 
 house, &c. 
 C. B. Manchester, bill for filling in 
 
 gravel, &c. 
 S. H. Andrews, bill for digging well, &c. 
 Daniel A. Sweet, bill for curb stone. 
 Pardon Clark, bill for painting fences 
 Ingalls & Cushing, bill for furnace and 
 
 fixtures. 
 Increase Sumner, bill for carting gravel, 
 Thomas Sekell, bill for re-building 
 
 furnace, &c. Ill 76—10,447 06 
 
 GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOUSE IN SIXTH WARD. 
 
 For lots on Summer and Pond street of 
 
 Joseph K. and Amey Angell, 650 00 
 
 Tallman &• Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house, &c. 8,121 49 
 
 Andrews & Gilmore, bill for gravelling 
 
 cellar, 11 77 
 
 E. A. Durfee, bill of stone; and laying 
 the same in bank wall and foun- 
 tain ; also, a cap stone, 262 08 
 
 John Everton, bill for filling in lot with 
 
 gravel, 909 00 
 
 Massa Bassett, bill for labor paid, &c. 11 72 
 
 Daniel A. Sweet, bill of curb stone, 103 92 
 
 Ingalls & Cushing, bill for furnace 
 
 and fixtures, 167 90 
 
 Thomas Sekell, bill re-building fur- 
 nace, 111 77 
 
 Chace »S6 Penno's bill, for painting fences, 95 23 
 
 bill, 14 86—10,459 74 
 
12 
 
 P&IMARY SCHOOL HOUSE IN FIEST WARD. 
 
 Lot leased of the Commissioners of the 
 Dexter Donation Fund, 
 
 Tallman & Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house, &c. 1,277 70 
 
 N. G. Helme in relinquishment of his 
 
 lease of said lot, 25 00 
 
 Pardon Clark, bill for painting fences. 179 80 
 
 Increase Sumner, bill for carting grav- 
 el, &c. 29 83 1,512 33 
 
 PRIMAJIY SCHOOL HOUSE IN THIRD WARD, ON TRANSIT STREET. 
 
 Bushee &. Carpenter, bill for building 
 School House on old School House 
 
 lot, 1,584 40 
 
 Increase Sumner, bill for carting grav- 
 el, &c. 12 50 1,596 90 
 
 PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSE IN THIRD WARD, ON EAST STREET. 
 
 For lot of Williams Thayer 425 00 
 Bushee & Carpenter, bill for building 
 
 house, &c. 1,200 00 
 
 do. do. do. fence 229 16 
 John A. Rowland, bill for cylinder 
 
 stove, (fee. 33 81 
 J. A. Townsend, bill for painting fence, 
 
 &c. 54 00 1,941 97 
 
 PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSE IN SIXTH WARD. 
 
 For lot of S. Rawson, on Federal 
 
 street, 1,000 00 
 
 Tallman «fe Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house complete, 1,850 00 ^2,850 00 
 
13 
 
 PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSE IN SIXTH WARD, ON KNIGHT STREET. 
 
 For lot of Tristam Burges, on Knight 
 street, 
 
 Tollman &- Bucklin, bill for building 
 house. &c. 
 
 John Everston, bill for filling in grav- 
 el, &c. 
 
 Chace & Penno, bill for painting fen- 
 ces, &c. 
 
 250 00 
 1,277 19 
 32 00 
 45 35 1,604 54 
 
 PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSE IN SIXTH WARD, IN OLNEYVILLE. 
 
 For lot of Asa Bosworth, 225 00 
 Tallman & Bucklin, bill for building 
 
 house, 1,297 72 
 
 Jarvis Hopkins, bill for filling in gravel, 90 00 
 
 Chace & Penno, bill for painting fences, 75 16 1,687 88 
 
 SUNDRY CHARGES, NOT DIVIDED AMONG THE ESTATES, VIZ : 
 
 Examining titles, surveys, &c. 88 13 
 
 Lightning Rods for Primary School 
 
 houses, 
 Furniture, 
 
 Protecting old School Houses, 
 Trees, and setting the same, 
 Fences, not included in contracts. 
 Superintendence, and other work not 
 
 included in contracts, 
 
 Received for old School Houses, 
 
 Drawn from the City Treasury, $100,060 92 
 
 This Committee cannot willingly close their Report, with- 
 out referring to a few points of more general interest. Public 
 opinion on the subject of Schools and School Houses has 
 greatly changed since their labors were commenced. At that 
 time, many good men honestly disapproved of the plan of fur- 
 3 
 
 258 57 
 
 
 53 00 
 
 
 11 86 
 
 
 228 79 
 
 
 2,350 88 
 
 
 1,874 31- 
 
 -4,865 64 
 
 $100,411 42 
 350 50 
 
I 
 
 
 14 
 
 nishing so good, and consequently, so expensive, a system of 
 public instruction. 
 
 By a very natural transition, a part of this oppositicn to, and 
 dislike of, the public school system, was transferred to the 
 Committee who were charged with carrying its provisions, for 
 buildings, into effect ; and the Committee were much bhimed 
 for causing so large, so durable, and of course, so expensive, 
 buildings to be erected for the acccmmcdation vi the schools. 
 
 They acted according to the best of their judgment at the 
 time, and believe that the course they pursued on this subject 
 has been fully approved by a very large majority of the citi- 
 zens. They are of opinion that if the question were to come 
 before the public again, still larger, more durable and more or- 
 namental buildings would be ordered, rather than a cheaper 
 and less permanent class of houses. 
 
 Although the sum above shown to have been expended for 
 School Houses, is really very large, yet it is confidently be- 
 lieved to have been a very good investment for the City, con- 
 sidered in a pecuniary point of view alone. The school sys- 
 tem has very justly been regarded "as an alleviation of one of 
 the heaviest burdens put upon the middling and poorer classes 
 iti the community." And although tlie increase of taxation, 
 which was immediately required by so great a change in our 
 system, may have been a cause of some complaint to the own- 
 ers of real estate, ytt we have no doubt that a careful ex- 
 amination of the whole subject will lead to the conviction, that 
 all the money which has thus been paid by that class of our 
 citizens, has been returned with increase. 
 
 In the course of this Rejiort, reference has been made to the 
 changes which were caused by the resignation of some mem- 
 bers of the Committee and the election of others. 
 
 The Committee cannot take their final leave of this subject 
 without referring, in the most respectful manner, to one of their 
 associates suddenly removed from them in the midst of his la- 
 bors and usefulness. 
 
 In the death of Erastus F. Knowlton, Esq., the Commit- 
 
16 
 
 tee was deprived of one of its most valuable members, the 
 cause of education of an ardent friend, and the community of 
 an excellent citizen. 
 
 John L. Hughes, Esq., who was an active and efficient mem- 
 ber of the Committee, and whose unwearied exertions for the 
 improvement of the Public Schools will long be remembered, 
 has removed from this City, and now resides in the City of 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, by 
 
 THOMAS R. HOLDEN, Chairman. 
 
 EDWARD P. KNOWLES, 
 
 JOSEPH CADY, 
 
 HENRY ANTHONY, 
 
 SETH PADELFORD, Secretary. 
 
 City of Providence. 
 
 I7i City Council, May 11, 1846. 
 
 Resolved, That the arduous and gratuitous labors of Thomas 
 R. Holden and Joseph Cady, late Aldermen ; and of Edward P. 
 Knovvles, Henry Anthony, Amherst Everett, John L. Hughes, 
 David Andrews, and Seth Padelford, late of the Common Coun- 
 cil, and of Erastus F. Knowlton, deceased, late of the Common 
 Council, who constituted the Committee of the City Coun- 
 cil, under whose supervision and direction, the commodious, 
 permanent and tasteful buildings for Public Schools in the City 
 of Providence, from the years 1838 to 1844, were erected, de- 
 serve a grateful public acknowledgement ; to render which, 
 the City Council hereby direct this expression thereof to be re- 
 corded upon their Journal, and to be printed together with the 
 Report of said Joint Committee. 
 
 Resolved, That the Report of said Joint Committee to su- 
 perintend the building of Public School Houses, &c., made to 
 this City Council, March 9, 1846, be referred to said Commit- 
 
 _i»^ii I ■»■'»»' 
 
16 
 
 tee, together with the Mayor and Clerk of the Common Coun- 
 cil ; after the same lias been revised by said Committee, to 
 cause two thousand copies thereof to be printed in form and 
 style like the City Ordinances, and to be distributed for public 
 use. 
 
 A true copy : Attest, 
 
 ALBERT PABODIE, City Clerk. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 029 452 385 6