Submitted by the Bedford Historical Society
Bedford’s Act of Incorporation required that within three years the town shall “provide a school to instruct their youth in writing and reading”.
In1732-33 the only school was the meetinghouse and the minister was the instructor. After 1733 schools were held about town in private homes, were taught by townspeople and were known as “moving schools”. In 1742 a dwelling of Benjamin Kidder (who owned Fitch Tavern) was converted into a schoolhouse, and it became the Center School. For the next 15 years Center School operated for a few weeks during the winter, and “moving” schools functioned for the rest of the year. The Job Lane house and Michael Bacon house are both believed to have been used as ‘moving schools”.
After 1758 a writing school opened for four months each year in the center, while reading was the focus of the schools in homes in the four quarters of town. In 1806 the Second School House was built on the Common by Captain Ebenezer Clark next to the Meetinghouse. It served the town until 1826, when a larger schoolhouse was needed. The Second School House can still be seen at 56 Spring Street, where it was moved by Joshua Page.
This photo is brought to you courtesy of the Bedford Historical Society. The Society was created in 1893 and exists today to preserve Bedford’s history. Learn more about the Society at its web page, www.bedfordmahistory.org or on its Facebook page. Visit the Historical Society in its archives in the Bedford Police Station. Contact the Society by email at [email protected] or call 781-275-7276 for hours or directions.
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