the same is true of the roads in the south-west and north-west parts of the town. Convenience for the time being, was—perhaps unavoidably- the rule of location and discontinuance.

In 1772 the town voted that both the westerly and easterly (i. e. from Chestnut Plain as a base line) cross roads be laid out three rods wide. And where not otherwise specified, this is believed to be the uniform width.

The road from Chestnut Plain near the old meeting-house, south-easterly through "Egypt " to Hatfield, does not appear to have been accepted as a highway by either Hatfield or Whately, though it was the convenient and the traveled way, from the earliest settlement of the territory.

Christian Lane, and the road over Mount Esther, as already stated, were reserved lots, ten rods wide, and were in a continuous line. The Lane was a "bridle path" in 1756, and a rough log "causeway" in 1761, and Mill river was then crossed by a fordway. In 1773 the town voted to build a foot bridge over the Mill river Swamp, near the house of Dea. Simeon Wait (the J. C. Loomis place). Originally the Lane extended only to the Straits. The road from Bartlett's corner to Canterbury, north of the cemetery, was laid in 1820.

From Chestnut Plain westerly, the road as first traveled, followed nearly the line of the reserved lot, varying only to escape "the Gutter," and to get an easier ascent up the hill. That part from the foot of Mt. Esther through land of Ensign Elisha Allis to Abraham Turner's barn on Poplar hill" was laid out in 1773. From the foot of Mt. Esther to the Chestnut Plain street, the location has been several times changed. In 1786 the town voted to establish the alterations in the highway from Whately meeting-house to Conway - beginning four rods south of the brook, and running through the north-east part of Jonathan Allis's land, on the old road, etc., and to the old road near the foot of the hill near Dea. Samuel Wells's house in Conway. In 1801, record is made of a new location from Chestnut Plain road on Levi Morton's north line to the old road near the Pound. West Lane, as it now runs was laid out in 1819.

Probably the Hatfield authorities had no thought of a new town when they marked off the Commons, and reserved the lots for highways. But the intersection of those reserved highway

lots determined where the central village of the new town should be. And this line from Bartlett's corner to Poplar Hill was the natural location for a road. Great Swamp could not be so readily crossed at any other point; and the ascent of the hills was most feasible here. This was the earliest opened of any of the cross roads, and was the most important, as it furnished a convenient way for the Canterbury and Straits people, on the one hand, and the West street families on the other, to get to meeting on the Sabbath, and to town meeting.

After ready access to the meeting-house had been obtained, the next important care was to secure a convenient way to mill. Taylor's mills, which best accommodated many families, were over the line in Deerfield, and consequently the road up Indian hill is not noticed on our Records. Belding's mills at West Brook were accessible from the Straits by means of the road on the Hatfield side of the line running west, near where the present road runs, and so across West Brook bridge. There appears to have been a way to these mills, from Chestnut Plain street, northerly of the J. B. Morton place, before 1768. A committee was appointed in 1772, to view a road to the mills; and another committee for the same purpose in 1776. What they severally recommended is not known. In 1777 a close road three rods wide was laid from Spruce hill road, at Nathan Wait's corner, over Stony hill to the mills, and thence to Chestnut Plain street. This was made an open road in 1779. The part from the mills eastward was discontinued, and a road laid from West Brook bridge to the mills in 1788. The Stony hill road was discontinued in 1830, and one opened from the foot of Chestnut mountain down the valley.

Roads for general convenience were established early. In 1776 a committee was appointed to view a road from Poplar hill road, beginning seven rods north of West Brook bridge, and running south-westerly to Dry Hill; and another committee to view a road running north-westerly from Poplar hill road, beginning at the north end of Noah Field's land, to Conway line. This last was laid out the next year. In 1779 the town voted, "That the road which leads from the Straits to Nathaniel Coleman's be an open road, with this restriction, that Benj.. Scott, Jr. shall keep a good gate at Deerfield road; another on

Hopewell hill one month; another the whole of the year at the south side of his land in Hopewell." Mention is made Jan. 8, 1778, of a road laid across land of Abial Bragg and Oliver Graves. In 1779, a road was laid to Joseph Nash's, and the next year from Joseph Nash's to Conway line. In 1780, the road east of Ebenezer Scott's land was discontinued. In 1783 a road was laid from Asa Sanderson's westerly to Williamsburg line. In 1785 a close road three rods wide was laid out from the River road, at a point eight rods north of Joshua Beldin's house to the Connecticut River, and near the same time Mr. B. opened a ferry across the river. A way was also laid out this year from Poplar hill road by the Elijah Sanderson place to Moses Munson's mill. A road was laid out the same year, from the road running west from John Smith's, northerly to Poplar hill road near Peter Train's house.

Of the roads laid in comparatively modern times, one from Chestnut Plain to the Island, between lands of Capt. Henry Stiles and Lt. John White, was established in 1810.

The highway from Dea. James Smith's mills down the valley by Capt. Seth Bardwell's, was laid out in 1824.

The road from the foot of Spruce hill, south-westerly to the Hiram Smith place, was laid out in 1834.

The road to South Deerfield from Gutter bridge, through Great Swamp was established in 1835; and the next year the way leading from the lane north, was re-located, and near the Swamp moved to the west.

The foregoing is an imperfect sketch of the highways of Whately. Some roads were established and opened, of which no record can be found; in some cases the town ordered the survey and location of a road, and afterwards reconsidered its action; but in the mean time the road had been actually opened to travel. Thus the Records fail to furnish data for a complete history of our private and publie highways.

These details may seem to be of trivial importance. But they were vital questions in their day. Individual and district prosperity hinged on the establishment or refusal to locate a road; on the adoption of this or that line; and whether it was an open or a close way. And these details have in themselves a certain

historic value. There is always a reason for locating a road. The reason may lie at the beginning or the end of the line: it may be a personal, or it may be a public reason; the reason may be apparent, or it may be concealed. And a careful study of the subject never fails to educe some valuable facts, illustrative of sectional and general interests; illustrative of wise forethought, or foolish afterthought. The name of a road is expressive, like the name of a town, or the baptismal name of a person. The direction of a road indicates the course of settlement, or the opening of a new industry, or outlet of a trade. And the general history of its highways, is the history, in outline, of the rise, and progress, and decay, of the industrial pursuits of a

town.

CHAPTER X.

EDUCATION.

As the early action of this town on matters pertaining to education had reference only to the town's own interests, and was influenced by the varying circumstances of local growth and prosperity, this chapter is necessarily made up largely of votes and incidents, often apparently trivial. But these incidents and votes are worth preserving; because while they reveal the sentiments and plans of each succeeding generation, and the conflicting interests of different sections, they also show that the public free school system is the one best adapted to our state of society, and best answers the demands of a growing people and a free government. Its flexibility is an advantage. Its voluntary character is an advantage. Its dependence on an annual vote of the citizens is an advantage. Even the suspension of the schools for a year, in case of great emergency, has its compensations; for then the father and mother are made to realize their personal responsibility for their children's welfare; and are led to put forth efforts and make sacrifices which directly and indirectly promote true education, and which furnish an illustration of life's exigencies which benefits both parent and child.

To know the world is as important as to know books. To acquire the habit of observing and thinking, and putting forth the energies to master difficulties, is as much a part of school duty as to recite lessons. The Puritan fathers had a broad and true conception of what education is; and among the earliest Acts passed, was one requiring the selectmen of towns to see to it that parents and masters train up their children "in learning, and labor, and other employments which may be profitable to the commonwealth." For the learning, and habits of industry,