Discourse delivered before the New Hampshire Historical Society by Nathaniel Bouton (1833):

[page 12-13] These laws [from 1693, 1714, 1719 and 1721] continued in force till the adoption of the Constitution. How far they were obeyed, and what advance was made, in these respects, in education , are matters of curious and interesting inquiry.

It must then be recollected, that during the period under review, the settlements in New Hampshire were greatly multiplied. Instead of 4 towns fringing the eastern border of the State, about 170 were incorporated, and a sparse population spread over the interior. It was also a period of uncommon danger, distress and commotion. Under the tyranny of Cranfield and Andros, the minds of the people were chafed, and insurrections arose. The 'decennium luctuosum' ten years war with the French and Indians, in the reign of William the third, was the most terrible and bloody, ever before experienced; next, the controversy with Allen and his heirs, agitated the Province; wars succeeded wars, at Cape Breton and Canada; the whole extent of our frontiers was a scene of depredation and carnage; controversies run high with Massachusetts respecting boundaries; the heirs of Mason revived and prosecuted their claims; lands westward on Connecticut river, were matter of violent debate; and finally the Revolution came on, which for the time engrossed and swallowed up all other interests.

Yet in these troublous time, the laws respecting education were as much as possible enforced. Grand Jurors were sworn to present all breaches of law and the want of schools in particular. When frontier towns petitioned for exemption from obligation to maintain a Grammar School, the indulgence was granted only on condition 'that they should keep a school for reading, writing and arithmetic, to which all towns of 50 families were obliged.' But, as there were less than fifty families in a large portion of the towns and the inhabitants exceedingly scattered, schools were greatly neglected. Many children were taught all that they ever knew of reading and writing at home.

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