Hopedale History
    November 1, 2009
    No. 143
    Home School Ad

                                                    
    About six months ago I mentioned that it looked like there was going to be a problem with my Hopedale
    website. GeoCities was the web host and Yahoo owns it. Yahoo decided to close GeoCities. If you have a
    paid site, nothing to worry about, they said. I worried anyway, but decided to wait and see. They closed it a
    few days ago. I followed their instructions, signed up for a Yahoo site and am still waiting for the new site to
    become active. They said it might take as much as 72 hours. It’s past that now. I had a few links with this
    story and for Hopedale in October but have removed them since they wouldn’t work. If it turns out that it will
    be taking a lot of time to get the site back together, I may stop sending these Hopedale stories for a while
    and devote the time to the website.

    Here’s a question from a woman looking into old records from the Union Church. What is a boundary bag?
    Lots of them were made there by the Ladies’ Aid Society years ago. From what I’ve been able to find, it
    seems that they were a type of duffle bag and I suppose they were given to people entering the service, but if
    anyone can give me any more on this, I’ll pass it along. Also, was the Union Church one of the many
    buildings in town heated with steam from Drapers?

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                                                                         The Home School

    In the earliest days of the Hopedale Community, the members wanted their own school and one was built on
    what is now Hopedale Street, between Freedom and Chapel streets. Actually it was their school on weekdays
    and their chapel on Sundays. Adin Ballou and other members, however, had more ambitions ideas. They
    wanted a boarding school too, and in 1854 one was established. It was housed in what later became the
    American Legion home at the corner of Depot and Hopedale streets, now the site of the police station. Some
    years ago, after the Legion disbanded, the house was bought by the Mallard family, moved and attached to
    their home behind the post office. The school was first operated by Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Bloom, but later
    taken over by Ballou’s daughter, Abbie, and her husband, William S. Heywood. Here’s an ad from the
    Community newspaper, The Practical Christian, printed at the beginning of the Heywood era at the school.

                                                                    Hopedale
                                                                Home School

                                                                For Children and Youth of both Sexes

                                                                                    William S. Heywood
                                                                                      Abbie S. Heywood
                                                                                             Principals

    This School established in 1854 by M.L. and S. L. Bloom, under whose superintendence it has been until
    the present time, will hereafter be conducted by the subscribers, who hope, with their attainments and past
    experience as Teachers, to prove themselves worthy of the confidence and patronage of their friends and the
    public generally. It is located in the pleasant and quiet Village of Hopedale, Milford, Mass., within two hours’
    ride of Boston, Worcester and Providence.

    The Design of this School is to educate in the highest and best sense of the term, and thereby so far fit
    those who may attend it for any useful and truly honorable calling among men, as its purpose and facilities
    will allow. Its course of study will be mainly elective, reference being had to the qualification, tastes and
    intended pursuit in life of the pupil. Thoroughness rather than extent – quality rather than quantity will be
    carefully regarded.

    Particular attention will be given to the social, moral and religious influence exerted at all times upon those
    who may avail themselves of the privileges hereby offered them. They will be trained to reverence truth,
    justice and mercy – to love God, as the Universal Father, and man as the common brother – to observe the
    divine principles and practical duties of Christianity.

    Physical health and comfort, so often neglected in Educational Institutions, will receive proper care. Caution
    and preventatives for the well, and suitable helps and restoratives for the sick, will be faithfully administered.

    The discipline of the School is intended to be strict and impartial, but kind and parental. The pupils are to be
    received and treated as members of the family, and expected to be subject to wholesome family government.

    Parents and Guardians desirous of finding a pleasant and comfortable HOME for their children or wards
    while prosecuting their studies, where they will be well cared for, and kindly treated – where they will be
    removed from the evils and temptations of common society, and from the corrupting power of prevailing
    wickedness – where they will be nurtured in virtue, humanity and pure religion, will find here an unusually
    favorable opportunity of realizing their wishes.

    No pupils taken under seven years of age.

                                                                              EXPENSES

    For Tuition in common English branches, board and care, including washing, mending, &c., per Quarter of
    ten weeks.     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     $40.00

    For Tuition in higher English and Select Branches, Languages, Painting, Music, &c., an extra but reasonable
    charge will be made.

    Text books, Reference Books and Stationery, requisite for the School, furnished without additional cost.
    A Normal Department for those purposing to teach is contemplated.

    A limited number of Day Scholars can be accommodated, subject to special arrangement.

    The next (Summer) Term will commence on the Third Thursday (15th) of May.

    For further information and particulars, see large Circular – to be obtained by addressing either of the
    Principals, Hopedale, Milford, Mass.

          WILLIAM S. HEYWOOD
          ABBIE S. HEYWOOD
          April 15, 1856

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    Published in the Practical Christian, the
    newspaper of the Hopedale Community.