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85-637: In 1794, just four years after the first circulating library was established in Massachusetts, the First Church and Parish in Dedham organized a social library. The minister, Jason Haven , kept the books in his house and they were only circulated on Mondays. The books were eventually moved to the vestry of the church, and circulation was moved to Sundays. On the November 24, 1854, a social library

170-490: A building fund. This amount was increased by the accumulation of the funds. The final cost of the building was as follows: cost of land, $ 4,975.14, grading and fencing, $ 587.44, building and furniture, $ 29,873.17, total, $ 35,385.75. This building was constructed in the French Romanesque style of Dedham pink granite laid up with random ashlar work in quarry facings and trimmings of red sandstone. The main entrance

255-444: A church based on Christian love, but also one that had requirements for membership. In order to achieve a "further union", they determined the church must "convey unto us all the ordinances of Christ's instituted worship, both because it is the command of God... and because the spiritual condition of every Christian is such as stand in need of all instituted ordinances for the repair of the spirit." The group would meet for worship under

340-497: A gift of the same amount from John Bullard. In April 1886, a lot of 19,101 square feet in size was purchased for $ 2,000 on the corner of Church and Norfolk Streets; the ground was broken on October 13. Previously, the lot was home to a large white house and an orchard. At a meeting of the trustees held September 22, it was voted to add $ 4,000 from the general fund to the Bullard and Shuttleworth legacies which were given specially for

425-775: A joint meeting of the Library Trustees and the Finance Committee. The first was to combine the Oakdale and East Dedham branch libraries and move them to a renovated garage at the Endicott Estate . The second proposal was to build a new building on the East Street side of the Estate grounds to house the combined branch libraries and to make the main library on Church Street a branch. It was noted that

510-420: A large room directly over the porch, used by the trustees. The reading hall was an open timbered room twenty one feet high with arched trusses and an apsidal end and a frieze of high windows. Opposite the main entrance into this room was an open hooded fireplace, above which was a marble plane for an inscription. This design was typical of Van Brunt's libraries, which often had a sequence of public rooms integrating

595-430: A large tree in the forest, believed to be near the site of the current church. It took months of discussions before a church covenant could be agreed upon and drafted. The group established thirteen principles, written in a question and answer format, that established the doctrine of the church. In the summer of 1638, Allen, by common consent, was asked to organize a church and chose Wheelock as his assistant. Once

680-487: A member of the church. Servants and masters, young and old, rich and poor alike all joined the church. Non-members were not discriminated against as seen by several men being elected selectmen before they were accepted as members of the church. While in early years nearly every resident of the town was a member of the church, membership gradually slowed until only eight new members were admitted from 1653 to 1657. None joined between 1657 and 1662 or from 1668 to 1671, when

765-467: A number of children's programs, a presentation on floral arraignments, and a presentation on Dedham Pottery . The Centennial closed with the opening of the Endicott Branch. The annual circulation of the library was about 28,000 volumes in 1899, nearly one third of which went through the delivery stations in the upper grades of the grammar schools in charge of the teachers. This effort to connect

850-408: A strong desire had been felt by many members of the association and others interested in the usefulness of the library that free privileges should be granted to the people of the town. This was found not to be feasible owing to insufficient funds. There was such a demand for this change that an effort was made to raise money for the support of a public library. A successful fair was held by the ladies of

935-424: A sum not exceeding one dollar on each of its ratable polls. At a meeting of the trustees held in November, it was voted to open a free public library and reading room at the earliest practicable date. The Dedham Library Association was deeply interested in this movement and, at a special meeting held on November 17, unanimously voted to transfer the entire property of the association to the public library to remain in

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1020-469: A teaching officer in the church of what is today Hampton, New Hampshire , and Carter to the pulpit in Woburn, Massachusetts . Ezekiel Holliman , on the other hand, recognized that as a religious liberal that he was not going to be welcome in town and so moved to Rhode Island with Roger Williams . While it was of the utmost importance for the founders, "founding a church was more difficult than founding

1105-422: A teen center, but supported a library. Town Meeting debated the competing proposals for more than three hours, and ultimately rejected both in 1971. Though they had initially supported it, at Town Meeting the Finance Committee changed their recommendation from supporting the proposal to recommending indefinite postponement. As a result, the garage continued to be used for storage. At the 1972 Annual Town Meeting,

1190-400: A time, persons not members were admitted on payment of a fixed sum annually. The directors were able, at a moderate cost, to furnish the patrons with the best reading matter to be secured. The interest in the library as well as the number of readers increased from year to year and its influence upon the social and intellectual improvement of the town was marked. For some time previous to 1870,

1275-401: A town." Meetings were held late in 1637 and were open to "all the inhabitants who affected church communion... lovingly to discourse and consult together [on] such questions as might further tend to establish a peaceable and comfortable civil society and prepare for spiritual communion." On the fifth day of every week they would meet in a different home and would discuss any issues "as he felt

1360-453: A week to hear sermons and lectures in practical piety whether or not they were members. By 1648, 70% of the men and many of their wives, and in some cases the wives only, had become members of the Church. There were about 70 members in 1651, including 75% of homeowners. Between the years of 1644 and 1653, 80% of children born in town were baptized, indicating that at least one parent was

1445-634: Is a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Dedham, Massachusetts . It was the 14th church established in Massachusetts. The current minister, Rev. Rali M. Weaver, was called in March 2007, settled in July, and is the first female minister to this congregation. Dedham was first settled in 1635 and incorporated in 1636 . On July 18, 1637, the Town voted to admit a group of very religious men that would radically change

1530-671: The Association soon after this in which people of all parts of the town were actively interested and which resulted in raising $ 4,000 as a fund for the new library. Several persons had petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for an act of incorporation, which was passed March 24, 1871 and accepted April 27, 1871. This act incorporated Waldo Colburn , Thomas L. Wakefield, Edward Stimson, Edmund Quincy, William Chickering, Erastus Worthington , Alfred Hewins, Henry 0. Hildreth , and their associates and successors by

1615-566: The Christian Religion. We unite ourselves together for the purpose of obeying the precepts and honoring the institutions of the religion which we profess. We covenant and agree with each other to live together as a band of Christian brethren; to give and receive counsel and reproof with meekness and candor; to submit with a Christian temper to the discipline which the Gospel authorizes the church to administer; and diligently to seek after

1700-516: The Endicott Estate had room for adequate parking, and was close to Dedham High School , Dedham Junior High School, the Avery, Capen, Greenlodge, and Oakdale Schools , as well as St. Mary's School . Its central location also made it accessible to many pedestrians without having to cross a major road. The Finance Committee's recommendation to Town Meeting was to appropriate $ 61,000 to convert

1785-455: The Endicott branch. By 1970, the rented spaces in Oakdale and East Dedham were in "deplorable" condition and, because they were leased to the Town, they could not be expanded. Though they each cost $ 16,000 to operate, they were not adequately serving the public and were described as "money down the drain." Problems at the main library included a lack of parking, not enough room for books, and

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1870-590: The General Court, the trustees transferred the entire property of the library to the town. On the same date the town voted to accept the gift of the franchise library and property, real and personal, of the Dedham Public Library upon the condition that the town would forever maintain the same as a free public library. At that time, nine trustees were elected by ballot: three for three years, three for two years, and three for one year. Previous to

1955-472: The Library Trustees made a new pitch for two of the Estate's 26 acres, including the garage. This time, Town Meeting appropriated $ 68,000 to convert the garage to a branch library. The final cost was $ 71,000. The Planning Board rejected the Library Trustee's first proposal for a parking plan when Marie-Louise Kehoe changed her vote. The vote delayed the awarding of the contract for the renovation of

2040-423: The Town sent Eleazer Lusher to Boston to purchase one six bells left to the Town of Boston in the will of Thomas Cromwell, a privateer operating under a commission from Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick . Francis Chickering put up £5.12 to pay for the bell, but was not quickly repaid. Lusher also arraigned for Daniel Pond to construct a frame to hang the bell from the north end of the meetinghouse, but Pond

2125-415: The Town voted to construct a meetinghouse that was 36' by 20' and to be built using trees from Wigwam Plain. It was originally planned to be constructed on High Street, near the present day border with Westwood , but those who lived on East Street argued that it should be built more centrally. In July it was ordered to be built on an acre of land at the eastern end of Joseph Kingsbury's lot and Kingsbury

2210-472: The Watertown church and Francis Austin cited personal "offenses and distastes" but, having been satisfactory addressed, Alleyn gained approval to proceed. Two of the 10 were not found acceptable to be founders. Joseph Kingsbury, who was "stiff and unhumbled," went into a "distempered, passionate flying out upon one of the company" during his questioning. After that, Kinsbury and Thomas Morse, members of

2295-409: The approval of any outside body to gather a church, they wrote to the governor seeking an explanation. He confirmed that there was no intent to adbridge their liberties and that gathering a church in the manner they proposed was not unlawful. Finally, on November 8, 1638, two years after the incorporation of the town and one year after the first church meetings were held, the covenant was signed and

2380-533: The ashamed looks on the faces of those gathered and how uncomfortable many were. Seeing the success the Anglican Church down the street had renting out land , First Church began renting out lots around the meetinghouse. A notice appeared in the Columbian Minerva on January 6, 1801: A number of House Lots in Dedham will be leased for 999 years at public vendue on the premmises, on Monday

2465-411: The back of the meetinghouse. The next month, a vote was taken to re-shingle the building and to fix its three doors. Pond built an additional gallery in 1659. In 1665, the walls were clapboarded and permanent seats were installed in the east gallery. Until a separate schoolhouse was completed, the meetinghouse also served as a classroom. The roof of the east gallery also served as a storehouse for

2550-484: The care control and custody of the said Dedham Public Library so long as the same shall be kept and maintained as a free library for the use of the proprietors of this library wherever resident as well as for the inhabitants of Dedham. An additional condition was that the public library must assume and pay all the debts and liabilities of the Library Association. This gift amounted to 2,977 volumes and formed

2635-420: The church was gathered. Guests from other towns were invited for the event as they sought the "advice and counsel of the churches" and the "countenance and encouragement of the magistrates." At the first service, Wheelock began with a prayer and then Allen spoke to the assembly. Each of the eight members then made a public profession of faith. Allen then asked the invited church elders to confer and address

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2720-402: The collection boxes as congregants filed before them to drop in money for the poor. The magistrates and "chief gentleman" went first, followed by the elders and male members of the congregation. Then came single people, widows, and women without their husbands. Though Allen's salary was donated freely by members and non-members alike his salary was never in arrears, showing the esteem in which

2805-474: The congregation on what they had observed. Rev. Mr. Mathers of Dorchester then spoke to say that they saw nothing objectionable and closed with "a most loving exhortation." The church elders then extended the right hand of fellowship to the new congregation. On the Sunday after Allen's ordination, he informed the congregation that any children of church members who had not yet been baptized could receive it on

2890-422: The course of the town's history. Led by John Allin , they included Michael Metcalf , Thomas Wight, Robert Hinsdale , Eleazer Lusher , Timothy Dalton, and Allin's brother-in-law, Thomas Fisher. Dalton was invited to settle in "civil condition," but it was made clear he was not going to be made the town's minister over Allin. He and Thomas Carter quickly sold their land holdings and left town, Dalton to become

2975-473: The courthouse could not accommodate the crowds, and so it was moved to the meetinghouse. Votes were taken in 1805 and 1807 to expand the meetinghouse, but nothing came from either effort. When Alvan Lamson first preached there in 1818, he said it was "little changed, except by the hand of time and of neglect... It was the most antiquated-looking structure, I thought, I had ever seen." Hannah Shuttleworth Too Many Requests If you report this error to

3060-541: The courts met in the meetinghouse until the Norfolk County Courthouse could be built. In the winter they had to move to the Ames Tavern , however, because the meetinghouse lacked a fireplace or other heating system. It was at a signing school in this meetinghouse that Jason Fairbanks would meet Elizabeth Fales, the woman he was convicted of murdering. Interest was so great in the trial that

3145-469: The doctrinal base was agreed upon, 10 men were selected by John Allin , assisted by Ralph Wheelock , to seek out the "pillars" or "living stones" upon which the congregation would be based. They began to meet separately and decided six of their own number—Allin, Wheelock, John Luson, John Frary, Eleazer Lusher , and Robert Hinsdale—were suitable to form the church. The group began to meet separately and, one by one, beginning with Allen, they would leave

3230-423: The dog tax. The running expenses of the library were paid from the town appropriation and books and periodicals were bought from the annual income of the funds which amounted to about $ 550. The average yearly increase was about 235 volumes. Soon after the death of Hannah Shuttleworth on February 22, 1886, the first steps were taken to erect a new library building. This was made possible by her legacy of $ 10,000 and

3315-450: The entire community. The group of eight were led by Allin, and the church membership was essentially only members of his party until 1640. The group sent letters to other churches and to magistrates informing them of their intention to form a church. The Great and General Court responded by saying that no church should be gathered without the advice of other churches and the consent of the government. As they did not believe they needed

3400-409: The entry, book delivery, and reading rooms. The stacks were perpendicular to the main building. The woodwork of the interior of the building was brown ash and the plaster surfaces were treated with color and border lines. The interior of the stack was painted white. The system of heating was by indirect radiation in the main portion of the building and by direct radiation in the book stack. The building

3485-401: The existent record ends. By 1663, nearly half the men in town were not members, and this number grew as more second generation Dedhamites came of age. The decline was so apparent across the colony by 1660 that a future could be seen when a minority of residents were members, as happened in Dedham by 1670 It was worried that the third generation, if they were born without a single parent who

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3570-421: The following Sunday. John and Hannah Dwight brought their daughters, Mary and Sarah, and they became the first people to be baptized in the church. Communion was distributed on the Sunday after that. Widows who cared for the meetinghouse were church officers. Deacons began being elected in 1650 with Henry Chickering and Nathan Aldus the first men elected to the role. Their role was to sing psalms and to hold

3655-503: The garage into a library. Eight firms had bid on the work. Construction began on October 11, 1972. The contract required construction to be complete within 120 days. The architect was Finegold and Bullis. It was designed to hold up to 15,000 books, more than could be held at the Oakdale and East Dedham branches combined. Trustee chairman Sophia S. Johnson cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the library on February 11, 1973. A crowd of 2,000 people lined up outside in frigid weather to visit during

3740-569: The income of this was to be used for the purchase of books. Among the special gifts to this collection may be mentioned the following: Henry 0. Hildreth gave several hundred volumes at different times. Ebenezer Wright gave a bequest of 170 volumes relating mostly to agriculture and horticulture. Dr. George E. Hatton made a bequest of 154 volumes and some pamphlets. In 1880, William Ames gave 416 volumes. Dr. Henry P. Quincy in 1886 gave 342 volumes. John Bullard donated an Encyclopædia Britannica. Many other important gifts were made by persons interested in

3825-553: The librarian control of the public area of the building. The wing of the building was constructed as a fire proof book stack, the shelving of which accommodated 28,800 volumes. The first ever use of a metal stack system was probably Van Brunt design of the Statehouse Library in Topeka, Kansas in 1883. Dedham's was designed three years later. Between the delivery room and the book stack was a round tower which gave access to

3910-711: The library also received the following gifts: Albert W. Nickerson , $ 5,000, Joseph W. Clark, $ 1,000, George A. Nickerson, $ 1,000, Stephen M. Weld, $ 500, Henry P. Quincy $ 200, A. Ward Lamson, $ 100, and John R. Bullard, $ 469.49. There were book deposits at the Capen and Riverdale Schools in the 1900s. They were phased out in 1970, and their collections were given to the Dedham Public Schools . A reading room and circulating library in Oakdale Square opened on November 6, 1903. It closed on April 15, 1972, when it

3995-544: The library and the whole number added to the generous donation of the Dedham Library Association to the end of 1888 amounted to about 3,000 volumes. Gifts in money were received as follows: from the ladies fair $ 4,000, bequest of Charles Bullard in 1871, $ 3,000, from Joseph W. Clark in 1872, $ 411, bequest of Dr. Danforth P. Wright in 1874, $ 1,000, bequest of Dr. George Hatton in 1876, $ 1,000, legacy of John Bullard of New York in 1882, $ 10,000. In early years

4080-417: The library more intimately with the work of the Dedham Public Schools widened its service and made it a stronger factor in the education of the children. This system helped to fill a need long felt of some intelligent oversight of the reading by young people. Through the interest of the superintendent of schools, Roderick W. Hine, the whole plan has been developed and successfully carried out. A list of books

4165-443: The minister to gain admittance. By 1793, the minister would propose a new member and, if no objection was raised within two weeks, they would be admitted. Women could be members of the church but could not vote in the church meeting. The first covenant was signed the day the church was gathered, November 8, 1638. New covenants were later adopted on May 23, 1683, March 4, 1742, in 1767, and on April 11, 1793. The 1793 covenant

4250-425: The minister's salary if they lived more than five miles from the meetinghouse. Those who chose to do so could begin attending another church in another town. In May 1721, Town Meeting refused to allow an outlying section of town to hire their own minister, prompting that group to seek to break away as the town of Walpole . The Clapboard Trees section of town had more liberal religious views than did those in either

4335-435: The most pious men interviewed all who sought admission to the church. To become a member, a candidate must "pour out heart and soul in public confession" and subject every innermost desire to the scrutiny of their peers. Those who did not meet the requirements could not join the church, nor receive communion, be baptized, or become an officer of the church. Once the church was established, residents would gather several times

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4420-418: The name of the Dedham Public Library and Reading Room. It also gave them power to hold in trust real and personal estate in value not exceeding $ 100,000 exclusive of books, papers, and works of art. The act stated that so long as said corporation shall allow the inhabitants of Dedham free access to its library and reading room under reasonable regulations, the town may annually appropriate and pay said corporation

4505-608: The need to improve services. There were recent renovations that created more space for books in the basement at the main library, but it still was not enough. At the October 1969 Town Meeting, a seven member committee was formed to study the future needs of the library. They made their final report in January 1971. In October 1970, the Dedham Library Future Needs Committee made two proposals to

4590-460: The need, all 'humbly and with a teachable heart not with any mind of cavilling or contradicting.'" After they became acquainted with one another, they asked if "they, as a collection of Christian strangers in the wilderness, have any right to assemble with the intention of establishing a church?" Their understanding of the Bible led them to believe that they did, and so they continued to establish

4675-469: The nine car garage into a library. They also recommended that Town Meeting not adopt a competing article from the Youth Commission that would have turned the garage into a youth center at a cost of $ 16,000. The Finance Committee argued that it was a prudent move to consolidate the other branches, and that a library would serve all age groups within the town. Neighbors of the Estate also objected to

4760-701: The ninth day of February next at one of the clock PM, being laid out upon the land belonging to the Rev Mr Haven's Church near the Court House and Meeting House. The soil is good, the situation excellent for mechanics and such as wish to live retired in a pleasant village on the banks of the Charles River." Among those who rented land were Deacon Martin Marsh , who built the Norfolk House , and

4845-449: The nucleus of the new library. On February 24, 1872, the library and reading room were opened to the public in rooms hired for the purpose in a building on the corner of High and Court streets above Thomas J. Baker's grocery store. There were 3,557 volumes on the shelves and some of the principal periodicals and newspapers on the tables. From year to year, the town appropriated on an average about $ 1,000. Of this sum, about $ 700 represented

4930-401: The original ten, agreed at the end of the discussions to suspend their candidacies for the time being. Anthony Fisher took some time to "see and be humbled" for the "pride and height of his spirit," but he was eventually accepted. Some further questions arose that could not be answered, however, and so his acceptance was rescinded. The eight men then submitted themselves to a conference of

5015-409: The original village or South Dedham. After a deadlocked Town Meeting could not resolve the squabbling between the various parts of town, the General Court first put them in the second precinct with South Dedham, and then in the first precinct with the village. This did not satisfy many of them, however, and in 1735 they hired their own minister along with some likeminded residents of the village. This

5100-483: The other members of the community held him. In the 1670s, as the Utopian spirit of the community waned, it became necessary to impose a tax to ensure the minister was paid. Prior to Jason Haven becoming minister, the church had very infrequently enforced a provision requiring anyone who had sex before marriage to confess the sin before the entire congregation. The first records of such confessions took place during

5185-400: The other privileges of church membership, including communion. Allen endorsed the measure but the congregation rejected it, striving for a pure church of saints. Initially, a public profession of faith was officially required to join the church, though in practice it was not always enforced. By 1742 a person might, at their own discretion, make either a public profession or a private one to

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5270-402: The owners of the competing Phoenix Hotel . By 1818, it was bringing in about $ 800 a year. At first, only "visible saints" were pure enough to become members. A public confession of faith was required, as was a life of holiness. It was not good enough just to have been baptized, because then " papists , heretics , and many visible atheists that are baptized must be received." A group of

5355-477: The pastorate of Samuel Dexter , and they were rare. Such confessions increased dramatically during Haven's term, however. During his first 25 years there were 25 such confessions, of which 14 came during the years 1771 to 1781. In 1781, he preached a sermon condemning fornication and the then-common practice of women sleeping with men who professed their intention to marry. The sermon was so long and memorable that decades later, in 1827, congregants still remembered

5440-439: The project and contributed much to its success. The library was opened to the public on February 1, 1855, in a house next to the insurance building where Judge Ezra Wilkinson formerly had an office. Dr. Samuel Adams, a dentist, was the first librarian and lived in the same building. By the payment of $ 5, a person became a shareholder and member of the Association and was obliged to pay a varying sum annually toward its support. After

5525-425: The pulpit sat elders and the deacons, with the communion table between them. Men sat on one side, women and girls on the other, with the boys up front. An addition was ordered to be built in 1646, but the construction proceeded so slowly that town records quickly saw residents complaining. Also in 1648, the Town voted to plaster the interior but the work was never completed. In 1653, residents attempted to complete

5610-441: The room so that the others could elect or reject them. They decided that six of their own number-- John Allen , Ralph Wheelock , John Luson, John Fray, Eleazer Lusher , and Robert Hinsdale —were suitable to form the church. John Hunting , who was new to the town, was also deemed acceptable. One of the original ten, Edward Alleyn , was considered a borderline case. Timothy Dalton had questions about Alleyn's activities in

5695-422: The specified time and returned to the library in the same basket. With this improvement in the circulation of books sprang up a new interest in a better selection of reading for the young. Charles Bullard, from whom the first bequest came, changed the provision in his will just before his death on July 29, 1871, so that the public library should receive $ 3,000 in the place of $ 2,000 for the Library Association. Only

5780-566: The subsequent open house. The Story Pit in what used to be the garage's old boiler room was particularly popular. The walls were painted with reds and yellows, and the bookshelves were blue. A group of Campfire Girls provided refreshments and a clarinet quartet from the High School played music. The Botany Club at the Junior High School provided plants. Among the first visitors was Maryanne Lewis . On April 1, 1889, by act of

5865-499: The town voted to erect a new meetinghouse in 1762. Carpenters began to frame it in May, and Rev. Jason Haven gave a eulogy to the old meetinghouse on June 6. The old meetinghouse was pulled down the next day, requiring Haven to preach to a congregation gathered on his front lawn on June 20. It took four days to frame the new meetinghouse, which was complete on July 1. The town fired its cannon three times in celebration. The first sermon

5950-471: The town's supply of gunpowder following a 1653 vote. A referendum to build a new meetinghouse, held on February 3, 1673, was conducted with voters casting a piece of white corn if they were in favor and a piece of red corn if they were opposed. The vote was nearly unanimous in favor. The new meetinghouse was erected on June 16, 1673. As the Samuel Dexter House went up across the street,

6035-591: The transfer, the same system was in operation but the town had no representation on the board. The presidents of the Library Association were John Gardner one year, Edmund Quincy five years, Carlos Slafter nine years, John Cox, Jr. three years, Carlos Slafter one year during which time the gift was made to the public library in 1871. From 1871 to 1889 the officers were Alfred Hewins, president, Henry 0. Hildreth, clerk, and Henry W. Richards, treasurer. When John R. Bullard declined reelection in April 1898, Hon. Winslow Warren

6120-512: The will of God, and carefully endeavor to obey all His commandments. As the town grew and residents began moving to outlying areas, the town was divided into parishes and precincts. Parishes could hire their own ministers and teachers while precincts could do that and elect their own tax assessors and militia officers. In 1717, the Town Meeting voted, in what was the first ever concession to outlying areas, to exempt residents from paying

6205-446: The work by inviting all residents to come together for a plastering party, but the effort was unsuccessful. The plastering was not completed until 1657. Joshua Fisher agreed to shingle the meetinghouse on January 17, 1651-2 and to have it done by June 24, 1652, in return for £15 but was ultimately paid £20. A vote to purchase a bell was made in 1648, but a bell was not hung until February 1652. A year prior, on February 2, 1651,

6290-438: Was a member, could not even be baptized. The number of infant baptisms in the church fell by half during this period, from 80% to 40%. To resolve the problem, an assembly of ministers from throughout Massachusetts endorsed a " half-way covenant " in 1657 and then again at a church synod in 1662. It allowed parents who were baptized but not members of the church to present their own children for baptism; however, they were denied

6375-509: Was an act of dubious legality and the General Court once again stepped in, this time to grant them status as the third precinct and, with it, the right to establish their own church. The General Court also allowed more liberal minded members of conservative churches to attend the more liberal churches in town, and to apply their taxes to pay for them. Almost immediately after arriving, the group began holding prayer meetings and worship services under various trees around town. On January 1, 1638,

6460-404: Was by a wide arch opening on a porch from which through a vestibule access is obtained to a square entrance hall. From this hall, a wide arch opens opposite the porch into the reading hall and another on the right into the delivery room. Back of the delivery room and at the right of the reading hall from which it was divided by a glass screen partition was the librarian's room, so placed as to give

6545-537: Was combined with the East Dedham branch to become the Endicott branch. In January 1896, the Library opened a reading room in East Dedham. The success of the reading room in East Dedham prompted the trustees to establish a full circulating branch in the neighborhood, complete with a reference section. It opened on April 12, 1907 and closed on January 26, 1973 when it was consolidated with the Oakdale branch to become

6630-533: Was elected as chairman of the board. After retiring from his position as a custodian at Dedham High School , Shad Araby was elected as a trustee. In 2020, all five trustees resigned from their positions, saying they did not feel supported by the Town. 42°14′52″N 71°10′34″W  /  42.2478°N 71.1762°W  / 42.2478; -71.1762 First Church and Parish in Dedham The First Church and Parish in Dedham

6715-483: Was given another acre of land in return. In August 1638, John Hayward and Nicholas Phillips were hired to gather thatch for the roof. Thomas Fisher also worked on the building, but died before his work was completed. In November, the Town began debating how much to pay his widow for the work that he did. It is unclear when the building was finished, but presumably was not complete before that November meeting. The pews were 4.5 feet wide and 5 feet deep. In front of

6800-421: Was given inside in the new church on July 20. It stood 60' long by 45' wide, with two stairways leading to the gallery. Haven personally laid out the high backed pews which were separated from the high pulpit by stairs and doors. Samuel Dexter , the former minister's son, donated a clock that only tolled on the hour, which made it unlikely to interrupt a sermon. When Norfolk County was established in 1792,

6885-504: Was much broader than those that preceded it. Jason Haven, the minister at the time, expressed the prevailing belief in the church that all should be permitted to "enjoy the right of his private opinion provided he doth not break in upon the rights of others." The new covenant allowed anyone who declared himself to be a Christian to be admitted as a member. A committee including Haven and Aaron Fuller were appointed to draft this new standard for admitting members. We profess our belief in

6970-469: Was not paid immediately for his work either. As a result of the bell being hung, the Town no longer needed to pay Ralph Day to beat a drum announcing the start of meetings. The bell was rung not only to announce the start of public meetings, but also to alert residents of a fire, to announce a death, and to signal the start of church services. Pond was also hired in December 1651 to add two windows to

7055-522: Was opened to the public on November 22, 1888. A children's room was established in 1916. When the Dedham station was demolished in 1951, the stones were used to build an addition to the library. This became the children's wing, which opened in 1952. With the addition, the main entrance moved from Norfolk Street to Church Street. For the 100th anniversary in 1972, the Library hosted a number of lectures and readings, including those by Howard Mumford Jones , William Alfred , and Anne Sexton . There were also

7140-613: Was organized in Dedham under the general laws by the name of the Dedham Library Association. The impetus for the founding the Library Association was Carlos Slafter , who made the first suggestion, and Dr. Joseph P. Paine. The pair raised $ 1,300. A circulating library belonging to Elbridge G. Robinson, editor of the Norfolk Democrat , was purchased for about $ 200. In addition to these, many new books were bought at an expense of about $ 1,000. Three gentlemen, Edmund Quincy, Edward L. Keyes, and M.B. Inches, became actively interested in

7225-400: Was prepared by the superintendent and a committee of the teachers and typewritten copies having the shelf numbers were placed in the various schools. A special library card was printed for the use of scholars in drawing books, the cards were sent to the library. The books were then sent to the school in a basket at little or no expense. The books were then distributed and kept in the homes during

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