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During the early settlement of this district the children attended school in the building located on Adams Street near Common Street. The building here shown at the right of the photo is now situated on Canal Street near the City Farm, and was originally built for the school house and located on Adams Street as above mentioned. It was built to accommodate the scholars of the North District as it was organized in 1809. The town records tell us that the North District was to begin at and include Captain Beale’s dwelling house (now the residence of Mr. Fred B. Rice) [.c 1929] on Adams Street and run to the Milton line. And the town voted that year the sum of $14.00 for the support of this school. This appropriation was increased to $60.00 in the year 1830, when the number of pupils in this district was organized out of the old North and a part of the South District.
In June 1838 the town voted to build a schoolhouse 36’ x 30’, to be located in the West district. The building was completed and occupied that fall.
One of the Granite monuments erected in 1838 by order of the School Committee. The letters indicating the Centre District, South District and on the reverse side from that marked C.D., is West District. This monument is situated at the junction of Adams and Whitwell Streets. The boundaries of the district coming to a point at this corner.
Stephen Morse Jr., Teacher of Grammar School in 1850.
In 1868 Mr. E.H. Doble purchased this building and built an addition to the structure and converted it into a store and it has been used for this purpose by him and later by his sons until very recently.
Mr. E.H. Doble in the early [18]60s made arrangements to maintain a branch of the Quincy Post Office in his store, which was then in the building still located on the Northerly corner of Copeland and Cross Streets. In 1868 Mr. Doble having purchased the old school building, removed his store and post office to this building. In December, 1873 [he] received the appointment of Postmaster and continued here as such until October, 1885.
The method of handling the mail of those days was through a receptacle called a revolving drum which stood upright upon the counter. This drum was octagonal in shape, and was divided into sections approximately 3 inches wide and 5 inches in height, and each section or box as it was called was labeled with the holders name; he being charged a rental of 75 c[ents] per quarter for its use. The person seeking his mail would revolve the drum until the box bearing his name was brought to view together with the contents. He would then call on the postmaster for his mail.
In [ ] the old drums were discarded and in their place stationary boxes were built in flush with the face of the counter. These boxes were later superceded by the modern lock box during the latter part of the term of Mr.Doble.
In 1885 Mr. John E. Burns received the appointment as postmaster and removed the office to the Southerly Store Farmers Block [on] Copeland St. where he continued until 1890 when William Nutting was appointed in his place. Mr. Nutting maintained the office in the same place a few months, when he resigned and [on] December. 6, 1890 Mr. Francis E. Kimball received the appointment and removed the office to his building located at [ ] Cemetery Street.
Mr. Kimball died June 12, 1893, and his daughter Miss Ella Kimball was appointed as his successor. October 6, 1894 free postal delivery was established in West Quincy and Station A, as the West Quincy office was called, became a money order, registered letter office and was maintained for the sale of stamps etc, no mail being handled here.
In 1895 Mr. Stephen Little, the present incumbent, was appointed clerk and removed the office to his store at 110-112 Copeland St, where it has since remained. [as of 1929]
The office being designated as “Sub Station No. 1”.
The office now known as Boston Sub Station 149.
The building occupied as a post office by Mr. Kimball was torn down in [ ]. .
The Willard School house erected in 1854 at a cost of $6,063.23, and in March, 1855 was opened with an attendance of 130 pupils. The building was erected under the superintendence of Solomon Willard, [and] the School Committee report says “the basement is divided into two separate compartments, one for the exclusive use of the girls, the other for the boys. The lower story of the building is occupied by the Primary and Intermediate schools, and each are of ample capacity for 84 scholars. The upper story for the grammar school consists of one large room of about 42 feet square and is now provided with ninety seats, a sufficient number for the present wants of the school, leaving unoccupied space for twenty additional seats. There is connected with the grammar school a fine recitation room about 20 feet square.
The next year, owing to the increase in the number of scholars, it was found necessary to finish a room in the basement to accommodate the primary grade.
Mr. Seth Dewing Jr. was the first principal of the grammar school, at a salary of $500.00 per annum.
Miss S.A. Beale was teacher in the First Primary. Miss Emiline A. Newcomb was teacher in the 2nd Primary. Miss E.J. Ayer was teacher in the Intermediate. In 1859 it was found necessary to establish a third Primary School and Miss Thayer was selected to teach the new class.
In 1860, the School Committee recommended an addition be built to the Willard School house to accommodate the over crowded condition of the Primary classes.
In 1861 the third primary class was removed to the West Quincy School house which was hired at a rental of $90 per annum and the committee report[s] that another school is imperatively demanded in this district, and in 1862 established a new primary class and Miss Mary McGrath was selected as the teacher
In 1866 [the] town voted to reestablish the mixed primary school in the West district North of Buntin’s Quarry. As near as I have ascertained this school occupied the building on Rail Street now occupied as a dwelling by Mr. Duane.
