Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/193

REV. ,10HN MYLKS, SCHOOLMASTER. 149 Latin, Greek and Hebrew, also to read English and to write, and that at a salary of ^40 per annum in currant country pay, which passeth from man to man, be duly paid from time to time, and at all times hereafter to the schoolmaster thereof, and Mr. John Myles. the present pastor of the Church here assembling, be the schoolmaster, during the said pastor's life and from and after his decease that the school and salary thereto belonging during their respective natural lives; pro- vided, nevertheless, that the said school and forty pounds salary aforesaid shall be continued to the said John Myles, and to the said successive pastors for and during such time as he or they, and every one of them shall be contented to take their ministerial maintenance by weekly contribution and no longer. "It is further ordered that said school shall be only free to such children whose parents pay any rates towards the said school, and to none other, and that the schoolmaster and successive schoolmasters thereof for the time being shall have liberty to take in any other scholars they think fit, to be educated there, and every scholar at first entrance shall pay twelve pence in silver towards buying of books for the said school." The proprietors of Swansea had made some provision for education in setting apart certain lots, the use or income of which was for the benefit of the school. The same pro- vision was made by the town in 1672, when such lots were laid out with the privilege of the second rank. By the act of Swansea, 1673, the pastor, Rev. John Myles, was made schoolmaster for life at a salary of forty pounds a year. This caused trouble, for some of the people understood that the salary was for his services as pastor and schoolmas- ter, while others considered it as payment for his school work, but not for his pastoral labors. The discussion was ended by the following order of the town, passed May 19, 1673 : "Whereas there hath been a former order concluded con- cerning the maintenance of a free school, and to give encour- agement to the ministry of the church, since which time