The Early Schools of Bolton

At the very beginning of the 19th century, there was apparently no school in the township. Communities were left on their own to fill the need for schools. The establishment of schools was a private matter. Yet in 1802, the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada passed the law creating the Institution for the Advancement of Science (An Act for the Establishment of Free Schools and the Advancement of Learning in this Province). The purpose of this law was to create a network of public schools that were only English-speaking and Protestant and financed by a tax. At that time, the government's desire was to assimilate Francophones. On the death of James McGill, McGill College was authorized to manage this institution in 1821. The Catholic clergy opposed the creation of a royal school.

It was not until the Schools of Syndicts or Assemblies Act of 1829 that the movement to create primary schools got under way. However, no provision had been made for the staffing of competent teachers, so that some teachers could read but not write and a large number were unable to teach arithmetic (Fernand Ouellet, "L'enseignement Primaire: Responsable des Eglises or State (1801-1836)”). A serious social and political crisis would lead to the 1837-1838 rebellion. School laws in Lower Canada were suspended from 1836 to 1841, until the adoption of the Act of Union in 1840, which would create Catholic and Protestant school boards and a system for collecting school taxes.

Gradually schools will be built from the 1820s. The registers of the year 1831

indicate that there were then only four schools in the Township of Bolton, which at that time included the Outlet Village (now Magog). () From the evidence we have, these schools were at:

1 The Outlet Village;

2 near the Wesleyan Chapel at Thomson 's MAL1S (now Millington);

3 at the South Bolton Corner;

4 and in East Bolton at the corner formed by the road leading north along the Lake and the road leading west to Millington.

School Return for year 1838

A School Return made at "Bolton, Dec. 31, 1838," by John Willey and J„M. Kimball, By that time, there were ten schools districts all with schoolhouses, but the oldest schoolhouse therein was reported to have been built in 1826.  these men stated that their return was 'as correct and full a return on the subjects to which it relates, as we have it in our power to make " And in their letter which accompanied the Return, they wrote: "We would observe that from neglect of the people to preserve the school journals and other papers relating to schools it is impossible to fill out answers to many of the inquiries. - He would beg leave to state Sir that we have solicited the services of Gentlemen better able than ourselves to attend to this busines3, but failing in our endeavours to enlist their services, we have tried to do the best in our power for the encouragement of this very desirable purpose". (Shuffelt, Nicholas Austin the Quaker p.180). The return also stated that the papers had been sent "to Mr. W. S. Dailey who has been absent from this country several years," and that the papers were then forwarded "from Bolton to Potton P. 0ffice." (3) It will be noted that the valuations put on the schoolhouses were seemingly much too high, unless Bolton had some very superior school buildings! Here are extracts from what was reported:

District No. l – East Bolton

Whether the number indicates that this was the first school opened in Bolton is not known but it may have been because the return shows it as having the oldest schoolhouse . Schoolhouse built in l826. It stood on lot l8, range 13; and Wallings Map, pub. l864, shows a schoolhouse on that lot, in the north-west corner formed by the road leading north along the Lake and the road to Millington. It Mas "A good and convenient House" 20 X 24 feet, valued at £37-10 , and in "good comfortable condition." The teacher in April, 1836, was Charles R. Packard who received his education at an Elementary School, Stanstead and at Newbury, Seminary (pres, Newbury, Vt.). In 1838, the teacher was Elizabeth Thompson who was educated in Elementary School, Township of Bolton.

District No. 2 Thompsons Mills

House "situated on lot 19, range 11., which would identify it as being at Thompsons Mills (no Millington), The teacher in April, 1836 was Abel C. Geer, who received his education at the High School, Stanstead, and at the College in Masca (pres, St. Hyacinthe), In 1838, Albert Coolidge, educated in elementary School, Bolton, was the teacher.

District No. 3 The Outlet

Schoolhouse built in 1830-31 but the return states that school was opened here in 1826 "as near as can be ascertained. "Schoolhouse built in l827, cost £50. "A good and convenient framed A good and convenient framed House well-furnished and necessary out buildings." Value shown as £75 It was on lot 6 of range 17 which definitely identifies it as the Outlet, Village schoolhouse, "he teacher in April, 1836 was Gilbert Wallingford, who was educated at the High School, County of Stanstead. In l838, the teacher was Laura Hovey, who was educated at the High School, Hatley.

District No, 4 Coolidge

Opened in 1829. Schoolhouse built in 1830, A good and convenient framed

House" valued at £70, situated on lot 27, range 9 which indicates it to be the "Coolidge School” at the first corner west of Knowlton Landing. The teacher in April  1836 was Samuel Burnham who was educated in elementary school Township of Bolton. School not in operation at time report was made in 1838.

District No, 5 Peasley's Corner

No information given about a schoolhouse and it was reported "not in operation." Included lots 21 in 9, 10, 1l and 12 ranges. Bounded on south by Bay and south line of lotx23, in range ten and 23 in range 9, west by 9th concession line, and north by concession line of the lots, This would include Peasley's Corner. States that district opened in 1832 and that teacher in April, l836 was Mary Ann Boynton.

District No. 6 Brill

Schoolhouse built 1820 (sic) presumably 1830, as Return states, that "organized 1829." "A convenient block House 21 feet square valued at £10 on lot 9 of range 3. This was #t the Brill neighbourhood and Walling' s Map, 1864, shows a schoolhouse on the exact spot where the later Brill Methodist Church was built, In April 1836, Martin Beach, educated in elementary school of the Township of Township of Dunham was the teacher, Return, reported that school was not in operation.

District No 7 Bolton Centre

No information about a schoolhouse, but return states that the district was opened in June l831,;and included lots l6-25 in ranges 6, 7,and 8 which indicates it to be -the Bolton Centre School, In April; 1836, Sally Peasley was the teacher. She was educated in Elementary School, Bolton. In l838, at time of report, that school was not in operation.

District No. 8 Rexford's Corner

In operation Jan, 1827. Schoolhouse built in l829. "A good and comfortable frame House," valued at £62 - 10, on lot 28, range 6, which indicates it to be the school house at Rexford's Corner (now South Bolton). The deed for the land is dated August 20, 1829, under which Errin Rexford, "of Bolton .. yeoman," for the sum of five shillings conveyed to Richard Holland, Nathan Hanson, and Amos Winnet Lay, "all residing in the said Township of Bolton- Gentlemen, three of five trustees, appointed by the Land Holders of Missisquoi Parish or District, .o. at a meeting holden in said Township of Bolton: 30th day of May Last past; for the purpose of erecting a School House and super-

intending the School in said District - a piece of land of 25 rods in superficies being part of lot 28, range 6, Township of Bolton. The northerly Line of the Highway leading to Montreal, commonly called Magog Road; " was the southern boundary of the land. (was. it is reasonably certain ,built in the 1850's to replace this school building of 1829. In April, 1836, the teacher was George C. Dyer, who was educated at Whiteha1l Academy NY No other teacher was mentioned although the school was said in operation n 1838.

District No. 9 Magog

Opened in 1834. Schoolhouse built in 1835, value £53 - 10. "A good and convenient framed House l8 ft. by 24 ft. on lot 9, of range l4. This schoolhouse must have been on the road from Peasley's Corner to the Sherbrooke-Montreal Road, up near the top west side of Lake Memphremagog and the site is now outside Bolton Township. The teacher in 1836 was John S, Merry who was educated in the Elementary Schools of Bolton and Stanstead, of Bolton and Stanstead, Note: Walling’s Map, l864, shows a schoolhouse on lot 13 of range 13 on the west side of the road along the Lake, which is in Township of Bolton.

District No. 10 Magog

Opened in 1831 built in 1830 “A goog and confortable framed House 18 by 20 feet with shed attached, H on lot 3, range l5, which would indicate it to be north-west of Outlet Village, which seems to locate it on the road north of Magog which crosses Castle Brook and goes east to the Cherry River Road, This site is not now in Township of Bolton, Teacher in l836 was Alonzo Hoyt, educated in Elementary / School, Bolton. In 1838, Hannah Currier also educated "At Elementary School in Bolton"