It being one chiefe project of that old deluder, Sathan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in former times, keeping them in an unknowne tongue, so in these latter times, by perswading them from the use of tongues, so that at least, the true sence and meaning of the originall might bee clouded with false glosses of saint seeming deceivers; and that learning may not bee buried in the grave of our forefathers in church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting our indeavors:

It is therefore ordered by this Courte and authority thereof, That every towneshipp within this jurisdiction, after that the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty howsholders, shall then forth with appointe one within theire towne, to teach all such children as shall resorte to him, to write and read; whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children, or by the inhabitants in generall, by way of supplye, as the major parte of those who order the prudentials of the towne shall appointe; provided, that those who send theire children, bee not oppressed by paying much more than they can have them taught for in other towns.

And it is further ordered, That where any towne shall increase to the number of one hundred families or howsholders, they shall sett up a grammar schoole, the masters thereof, being able to instruct youths so far as they may bee fitted for the university: and if any towne neglect the performance hereof, above one yeare, then every such towne shall pay five pounds per annum, to the next such schoole, till they shall perform this order.

Public Education in the United States by Ellwood P. Cubberley (1919):

[page 18] The State here, acting again as the servant of the Church, enacted a law for which there were no English precedents. Not only was a school system ordered established . . . but, for the first time among English-speaking people, there was the assertion of the right of the State to require communities to establish and maintain schools, under penalty of a fine if they refused to do so.

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