The town has always made liberal provision for education, and its schools stand to-day, as they have always stood, among the best.  The public schools have, for several years past, contained between 600 and 700 pupils, and appropriations of $13,000 to $14,000 are made annually for their support.  Besides the public schools there are a number of small private schools, and the Derby Academy, which was established by Mrs. Sarah Derby, who endowed it with funds for its support.  She died in 1790, and the school was opened in 1791, since which time it has continued uninterruptedly to educate many pupils in the town as well as a number from neighboring towns.  The list of graduates contains the names of many who became distinguished in after life.  It is for both males and females, and is managed by a board of trustees.  Its history is one of credit to its founder and to the town.  Mrs. Derby’s first husband, from whom she acquired her property, was Dr. Ezekiel Hersey, of Hingham, well known as the founder of the professorship bearing his name in Harvard College.

Among the other benefactions to the town must be mentioned the Hingham Public Library, opened for the use of the inhabitants, in 1869, through the liberality of the late Hon. Albert Fearing.  By liberal gifts of money from him a building was built and books were purchased.  Large and valuable donations of books were also made by other public-spirited citizens until several thousand volumes were collected together.  The building and its contents were totally destroyed by fire, Jan. 3, 1879.  A more commodious building was immediately erected, and opened to the public April 5, 1880.  Its shelves are well filled with standard literature.  The library is managed by a board of trustees under a deed of trust from Mr. Fearing.

The industries of Hingham are varied, and, from a business point of view, it must be admitted that there has been a considerable decline during the last fifty years.  Although never a manufacturing town, within the usual meaning of that term, there were formerly many small manufactories of various articles, among which may be mentioned buckets, furniture, hatchets, etc.  The mackerel-fishery was also extensively carried on from this port; but that has all disappeared, and Hingham is becoming, more and more every year, a surburban town of residences.  With the increased facilities afforded by railroad and steamboat for daily access to the city of Boston, many of its citizens, whose business is in the city, have their residences in Hingham; and it is also the summer home of many others.  The railroad was opened in 1849, and a steamboat has made regular trips to and from the city during the summer months for the past fifty years.  Downer Landing, the well-known summer resort, with its pleasure-gardens, summer cottages, and hotel, the Rose Standish House, built up through the philanthropy and liberality of the late Mr. Samuel Downer, are within the limits of Hingham.