1850 - 1900

1853  Hanover has 18 districts.

Tunis School has been operating for 31 years. Franklin Pierce of NH is elected President

1854  Tunis Teacher: Ephraim Withington.  Florence Nightingale and nurses are in Crimea.

1855 An act abolished the 18 school districts to make the town a single district.

1856 The town report states” All the schools out of the village are small and diminishing. This results from the fact that the population of the town is diminishing – especially in rural districts. It is worthy of consideration whether a consolidation of rural districts should be attempted.” After inspecting Tunis School, the Superintending School Committee reports “We kept our eye on one young lad but soon discovered two more, further advanced in the practice, if not the theory of impudence, and were obliged to devote most of our time to them.”

1858  First Trans-Atlantic telegraph

1860  Snow and road conditions occasionally prevented Superintending School Committee from reaching the schools on the east side of Moose Mountain for inspections. Abraham Lincoln elected President

1861  Tunis School has been in operation for 39 years. Civil War begins

1863  Tunis had 26 students Homestead Act.

1865  Civil War ends

1868  14th Amendment passes

1869  After inspecting Tunis School, the Superintending School Committee reports the the teacher “Miss T. is not wanting in energy or fidelity, but a little more calmness would be an improvement”. First continental railroad.

1870  Tunis has 33 students

1871  Tunis Teacher:  Laura Tilton

Summer Term for 8 weeks at cost of $20. 

Students: Frank Withington, Angie Howe, Martha Eastman.

Fighting with Apache’s in west

1876 St. Thomas Episcopal Church erected and large brick school built on Allen Street ; gas street lights in place.Telephone patented

Custer’s Last Stand

1879  Electric Light invented

1883 Etna is referred to as Mill Village until 1884.

The Bema and Rollins Chapel constructed.  Brooklyn Bridge completed

1886  Statue of Liberty dedicated

1887  Superintending School Committee and Prudential Committees were abolished. Town School Board was established. School system was re-organized into 11 schools and Tunis School became #9.

1888 Historic March blizzard.  Jack the Ripper murders in London

1889  Mark Twain first published. Eiffel Tower built.

1890 State law required the furnishing of text books, out of tax moneys, to all scholars. Photos were taken of North Neighborhood (Hanover Center and Ferson) and Hanover Center schoolchildren in front of their schoolhouses. Battle of Wounded Knee

1892 First telephone is in Dartmouth Bookstore.

Original Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital constructed, completed in 1893. Tunis School in operation for 70 years. Diesel engine patented

Ellis Island becomes chief immigration station in US

1896  First modern Olympic Games are held in Athens, Greece

1898  US enters Spanish American War


© Keith Quinton 2015