The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

480 HISTORY OF DORCHESTERo
the matter within proper limits, it was found necessary to condense.
It may be well, in the outset, to mention the remarkable fact, that of the seventy teachers whose
names have been found connected with the Dorchester schools, during the time above mentioned -
nearly a century and three quarters-fifty-three, or
three-fourths of the whole number, graduated at
Harvard College. Another obtained his education
at that College, but, for reasons hereafter to be mentioned, did not receive a degree, though he subsequently fulfilled, faithfully, the duties of a minister,
both in a clerical and in a political capacity.
Of the remaining seventeen in the list, two graduated at Cambridge University, in England, two at
Brown University, R. I., and one at Dartmouth College. Thirty-one of these school-masters, or nearly
one half, were ordained ministers, the most of them
subsequent to their teaching school. It is probable
not a few of the number were assisted in their studies for the ministry by their respective pastors,
Mather, Flint, Danforth, Bowman, Everett and
Harris.
Dr. Harris mentions the name of " Mr. Conant"
as a teacher of the school in 1638. We find no
other authority for this statement.
REV. THOMAS WATERHOUSE is the pioneer teacher
on the records of our town. He was born about
the year 1600; was a graduate of Cambridge University, in England; taught in Dorchester in the
year 1639, but soon after returned to England, and