“That the said Barnet shall erect a House on the Land where Mr. Ezekiel Cheever Lately dwelt, of forty foot Long Twenty foot wide and Twenty foot stud with four foot Rise in the Roof, to make a cellar floor under one half of S’d house and to build a Kitchen of Sixteen foot in Length and twelve foot in breadth with a Chamber therein, and to Lay the floors flush through out the maine house and to make three paire of Stayers in y’e main house and one paire in the Kitchen and to Inclose s’d house and to do and complete all carpenters worke and to find all timber boards clapboards nayles glass and Glaziers worke and Iron worke and to make one Cellar door and to finde one Lock for the Outer door of said House, and also to make the Casements for S’d house, and perform S’d worke and to finish S’d building by the first day of August next.  In consideration whereof the Selectmen do agree that the S’d Capt.  Barnet shall have the Old Timber boards Iron worke and glass of the Old house now Standing on S’d Land and to pay unto him the Sum of one hundred and thirty pounds money, that is to say forty pounds down in hand and the rest as the worke goes on.”

Then follows the agreement for the “masons’ worke” in all its details.  Later on, in March, 1702, there is some discussion as to how far back from the street the house should be placed.  But in June of that year the house is up, for the worthy dignities order that “Capt.  John Barnard do provide a Raysing Dinner for the Raysing the Schoolmasters House at the Charge of the town not exceeding the Sum of Three pounds.”  This was done, for later they order the “noat for three pounds, expended by him for a dinner at Raysing the Schoolmasters House,” be paid him.

After Mr. Cheever’s house had received all this painstaking attention of the town, it was voted that the selectmen should see that a new schoolhouse be built for him in the place of the old one; this to be done with the advice of Mr. Cheever.  The particulars of this work are given in as much detail, and are interesting to show the style of schoolhouse at that day.  They are as follows, in the “Selectmen’s Minutes, under July 24, 1704":—­

“Agreed w’th M’r John Barnerd as followeth, he to build a new School House of forty foot Long Twenty five foot wide and Eleven foot Stud, with eight windows below and five in the Roofe, with wooden Casements to the eight Windows, to Lay the lower floor with Sleepers & double boards So far as needful, and the Chamber floor with Single boards, to board below the plate inside & inside and out, to Clapboard the Outside and Shingle the Roof, to make a place to hang the Bell in, to make a paire of Staires up to the Chamber, and from thence a Ladder to the bell, to make one door next the Street, and a petition Cross the house below, and to make three rows of benches for the boyes on each Side of the room, to find all Timber, boards, Clapboards shingles nayles hinges.  In consideration whereof