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

488 HISTORY OF DORCHESTER.
Pole should go on in keeping school until another
master be provided." In 1667, the same committee
were empowered " to agree with such a man as they
shall judge meet, not exceeding ~40 a year." Mr.
Pole continued with them, at the desire of the town,
till another could be obtained, a school-master having long "been endeavored after." In 1669,9 "Sir
Atherton" succeeded him.
In addition to Mr. Pole's services as a schoolmaster, it may be mentioned that "he was Clerk
of ye Writs & Register of Births, Deaths & Marriages in Dorchester about 10 years." (For further
particulars of William Pole, see ante, p. 96.) The
inscription, from the top of the entablature over his
tomb, is there given. The following is from underneath, at the head of the grave.
" Here lieth buried ye body of
Mr. William Poole aged 81 years
who died ye 25th of February in
ye yere 1674."
At the foot, a coat of arms of the family is engraved in outline.
During Mr. Pole's administration (in 1665), the
town voted, that " the new impression of Mr. Mather's catechism should be paid for out of the town
rate; and so the books to become the town's "-the
said work to be disposed of, to each family, according to the direction of the Elders, with the Selectmen and Deacon Capen. The town paid Anthony
Fisher ~4 10s. for printing the catechism. Where