Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER VH. SCHOOL HISTORY OF LOWELL. District Schools—High School —Edson —Washington — Bartlett — Adams— Franklin — Moody—Green — Manu — Colburn— Varnum—Intermediate— Evening—Carney Medals—Superintendence, etc. Before the manufacturing companies began their operations here, the eastern school district of Chelmsford contained two common district schools, one near the pound on the old Chelmsford road, and the other near Pawtucket Falls. In 1824, the Merrimack Company, at their own expense, established a school for the children of their operatives, and placed it under the supervision of Eev. Theodore Edson, their minister. This school—the germ of the present Bartlett School—was kept in the lower story of the building then occupied by the Merrimack Eeligious Society. Colburn's "First Lessons," and his "Sequel" were introduced here, though much denounced and opposed by those who did not understand them. In the following year, the opposition to Colburn's books abated, the school being then in charge of Joel Lewis, who had been a pupil of Colburn, and understood the use of his books. In 1826, the new-born town of Lowell was divided into six school districts ; and one thousand dollars was appropriated for the support of schools during that year. The school for the first district was that which the Merrimack Company had founded ; that for the second district stood near where the Hospital now stands ; that for the third, near the Pound ; that for the fourth, near Bale's Mills ; that for the fifth—the germ of the present Edson School—near the site of the Free Chapel; that for the sixth, near the south corner of Central and Kurd streets. As population multiplied, other schools were opened, but the number of districts remained unchanged until 1832, when the district system termina...