3. New dwelling houses erected, and by whom, and old ones demolished, and the location of each. 4. The changes which have taken place in the owners of real estate, especially dwelling, and other important houses, exhibiting the names of the parties, the date of transfer, and price; and the variation in value generally of such property. 5.-Uncommon proceedings of the town, their origin, nature, and effects. 6. An account of the nature and effect among the people of the methods of supporting schools, the poor, the roads, and other corporate affairs of the town. The number of legal voters, polls, poor, the amount of valuation, and taxes; and statistical views of specific appropriations to different objects, exhibiting the increase or diminution. 7.-The state of the common schools, division of public money among the several districts; names and compensation of teachers, male and female, time kept, number of scholars, ages, books, progress of improvement, &c.; the same of the academies, private schools, and sabbath schools. 8.-Notices of graduates of the different colleges belonging to the town. 9.-The formation and history of Lyceums, and other associations for mutual improvement, for temperance, charity, freemasonry, religion, &c. 10.-State and progress of public libraries, with notices of additions. 11.-Military companies, names of officers, date of commission or discharge, number of men enrolled in each, and state of public opinion in regard to the militia. 12.-The invention, or introduction of new machinery or improvements in agriculture, or the mechanic arts; the effect they produce; and the discontinuance of any in present use; specifying what they are and by whom made, and the amount and value of different articles manufactured. made and carefully kept, they can contain the mere proceedings only of the associations, or individuals, to which they relate. Such proceedings seldom let us into the minutia which move the springs of human society; and hence are but very imperfect guides to one who describes the past for the benefit of the future.-To supply this want, I would propose the following method, to be observed as circumstances may require, for preserving an account of the current events of the times. Let some suitable individual in every town, be requested, at the close of every year, to compile an annual retrospect of the events that have taken place during the past year. This might be easily done by his keeping a memorandum book, in which the events, as they from time to time occur, shall be recorded, classified under appropriate heads or subjects. Where a Lyceum or other similar association exists, it might be appropriately assigned to one of the members; in other cases to a professional or other intelligent gentleman; or it might be undertaken voluntarily and privately. The objects of notice and enquiry to such an individual might embrace the following and perhaps other particulars. 1.-The names of town officers, and individuals in town who hold offices in the county, state, or elsewhere, with the date of their election or appointment; and the principles in the policy of the town, state or nation, which influenced their election or appointment. -- 2. The names and occupation of those who have commenced or discontinued business as professional men, merchants, mechanics, manufacturers, innholders, &c. and the date of such change. The introduction of new, and the removal of old inhabitants, specifying their location, name, and date. 3. New dwelling houses erected, and by whom, and old ones demolished, and the location of each. 4.-The changes which have taken place in the owners of real estate, especially dwelling, and other important houses, exhibiting the names of the parties, the date of transfer, and price; and the variation in value generally of such property. 5.-Uncommon proceedings of the town, their origin, nature, and effects. 6.—An account of the nature and effect among the people of the methods of supporting schools, the poor, the roads, and other corporate affairs of the town.--The number of legal voters, polls, poor, the amount of valuation, and taxes; and statistical views of specific appropriations to different objects, exhibiting the increase or diminution. 7.-The state of the common schools, division of public money among the several districts; names and compensation of teachers, male and female, time kept, number of scholars, ages, books, progress of improvement, &c.; the same of the academies, private schools, and sabbath schools. 8.-Notices of graduates of the different colleges belonging to the town. 9.-The formation and history of Lyceums, and other associations for mutual improvement, for temperance, charity, freemasonry, religion, &c. 10.-State and progress of public libraries, with notices of additions. 11. Military companies, names of officers, date of commission or discharge, number of men enrolled in each, and state of public opinion in regard to the militia. 12.-The invention, or introduction of new machinery or improvements in agriculture, or the mechanic arts; the effect they produce; and the discontinuance of any in present use; specifying what they are and by whom made, and the amount and value of different articles manufactured. 13. A view of the agricultural productions of the year, with particular notices of such as are remarkable, by whom raised, and the process of cultivation; the appearance of blight or causes by which crops were injured; comparative views of the consumption of its own and foreign productions; the state of trade, and sources of wealth. 14.-Peculiar facts in natural history, such as the appearance of wild animals, or the management of domestic ones, birds, insects, fish, &c. 15.-The discovery of new minerals or the progress in working those already known, and by whom. 16. The provision against fire made by the the town or voluntary association; with an account of the fires, specifying the date, names of the sufferers, amount of losses, and causes. - 17. The state of political parties, and, if any changes have taken place, the causes which have mainly produced them; exhibiting the names of individuals who have been prominent actors. 18.-Remarks on prevalent modes and changes of dress, progress of temperance and habits of living. - 19. The marriages and place of settlement of the parties, the number of births and deaths, giving the name, date, age, and disease of each of the latter, including minute biographical notices of influential members of society, or those extremely aged. 20.-Anecdotes of remarkable individuals; and accounts of singular phenomena. 21. The prevalence of health or sickness, including notices of remarkable cases or accidents, and the apparent causes. 22.-Thermometrical observations on the weather, remarkable effects of electricity, storms, heat, cold, &c. 23.-The ecclesiastical affairs of the town, the changes, if any, which have taken place in the different sects, and the causes of such changes, the number of additions, dismissions, baptisms, and deaths. 24. All other facts which have an influence on the inhabitants of the town or district, or the current, progressive character of the times. Some of these subjects would, undoubtedly be passed over, and others require but slight notice. All should be treated with candor, faithfulness, and uncompromising impartiality, and adherence to truth. The compiler should anticipate the wants of future historians, and exhibit his facts without prejudice, so that he who shall draw from him as the original source, may become a cotemporary with the facts, and give all the knowledge which posterity has a right or ought to know. In some instances such notices might embrace more than one year. Were they compiled properly, in relation to each town or district, read before some of the inhabitants for correction if necessary, or made as the private memoranda of the compiler with a view to public use, safely preserved, and placed where they might be examined by some future historian, they would be to him and the public of inestimable value, beside affording an interest at the time they were compiled. This being an age of great events, it seems to be a debt due to posterity, that we should transmit a record of those "small causes" from which these " great events" arise. And I am induced to offer these suggestions under the conviction that they might be practically observed, and, where observed, would exhibit more accurate views of the progress of society than could otherwise be obtained. LEMUEL SHATTUCK. Concord, Mass. July 22, 1831. |