[
378]
says
Dr. Holmes, in 1800, ‘are applied, according to the instruction of the will of the donor, to the maintenance of five resident Bachelors of Arts at Harvard College, and the other fourth “ to the
Master of Cambridge Grammar School, in consideration of his instructing in grammar learning five boys nominated by the
President and Fellows of Harvard College, and the
Minister of
Cambridge for the time being,” who are, by the will, “ Visitors of said School.”
’
1 Some of the subsequent changes in the management of the ‘Hopkins Fund’ are described in the Report of the School Committee of 1869:—
We sometimes hear complaints that our High School is essentially a classical school.
This we deny; it should, however, be remembered that it ought to be really more than a High School under our statutes.
In 1839, the Legislature authorized “ the trustees of the charity of Edward Hopkins,” who was the second governor of the Connecticut colony, “to establish in the town of Cambridge a classical school, the main object of which shall be to prepare boys for admission to Harvard University,” and “ to apply one fourth part of the net income of their funds to the support of said school.”
This school was accordingly established.2 It was provided, however, in the act above referred to, that at any time thereafter, when the school should “ cease to be supported in said town, the trustees shall annually pay over the said fourth part of the net income of their funds to the treasurer of the town of Cambridge, on condition that the said town of Cambridge shall provide and maintain a school, and perform and comply with the other duties and provisions contained in the next section of this act.”
The next section is as follows: “ The town of Cambridge shall annually apply so much of said income as may at any time hereafter be paid to the treasurer thereof, in pursuance of the preceding section, to the instruction of nine boys in the learning requisite for admission to Harvard University; the said instruction to be furnished in a public school in said town, the instructor of which shall be at all times competent to give such instruction; and said town shall, so long as said income shall continue to be paid, receive into said school, and admit to all the benefits, privileges, and advantages thereof, free of expense, any number of boys not exceeding nine at any time, who, being properly qualified, shall be selected and presented for admission thereto, by the President and Fellows of Harvard College, and the Minister ”
