EARLY SCHOOLING
In the early days if a town had more than 50 families then by law the town had to had to have a public school to teach writing and reading. Up to 1750 Rochester was able to ignore this law because of indian hostilities. In 1750 the indian was not a threat anymore so Rochester voted at a town meeting to start schooling the children.     In 1751 the first public schooling started in Rochester. The school lasted for 16 weeks and the first  teacher (school master) was named John Forst. Forst was paid a salary of 15 pounds and boarded with a different family each month (this family received 30 cents a week from the city). The early school had a fireplace in the front of the classroom. The children in the front of the class got really hot while the children at the back of the classroom were really cold. Discipline of the school children was enforced by the teacher flogging the students. One of the earlier teachers was named Mr.Tanner and he was known as the best 'flogger' in the area even so he had only one arm. Many New Hampshire children in the 1700's were educated by studying a book titled the New England Primer.  The children would learn to read by studying New England Primer ryhmes such as these: In Adam's fall we sinned all. Thy life do mend, God's book attend Nighingales sing In the time of spring. Time cuts down all, Both great and small. The Moon gives light In the time of night. The idle fool Is whipped at school