A Famous Textbook Writer
A DARTMOUTH GRADUATE OF 1792
A RATHER prominent Dartmouth alumnus in the early years of the nineteenth century was Samuel Temple, A.B. 1792. Mr. Temple, a resident of Massachusetts, after graduation, attained considerable prominence by a number of textbooks which he wrote for children. At this period in our educational system there were surprisingly few books for use in the primary grades and quite often children learned simply the fundamentals which their teachers were able to impart to them without the aid of textbooks. One book in particular, his Child's Assistant inthe Art of Reading, ran through at least seven editions, the dates of publication extending from 1808 to 1816. Two others by Mr. Temple, Primary Reading Booh andArithmetick and Concise Introduction to Practical Arithmetick, also had long press runs at about the same time. These books are still found on the shelves of the Boston Public Library. It is quite evident that the name of Temple must have been familiar in thousands of families in New England which had children growing up and going to school in the early 1800's.
Besides his writing, Mr. Temple studied medicine and practiced as an apothecary in Boston. Four years after his graduation from Dartmouth he married Phebe Mason, of Randolph, Mass., and settled down in Milton, Massachusetts, about six miles from Boston.
MUSICIAN IN COLLEGE DATS
While at college the author was an accomplished flute player, and in his senior year he gave lessons to fellow students and town folk. An old folio of music, found in the Baker Library at Hanover, N. H., reads on the title page: Instructions for the German Flute and underneath, "Samuel Temple's Property—Dartmouth College May the 28th, 1792." The instructions begin by telling how to make a noise on the instrument. Then they proceed with explanations of the scale, musical characters, keys, simple and compound tunes, and accent.
In the list of pieces for beginners to practice may be found: "Friendship," "Death of General Wolfe," "The Scolding Wife," "Hero and Leander," "British Grenadiers," and "The Vicar of Bray."
Samuel Temple was the son of Hananiah and Elizabeth (Learned) Temple; he was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, May 23, 1770. At an early age he moved, with his family, to Orange, Mass., where he lived until the age of eighteen, at which time he matriculated at Dartmouth.
He died in December, 1816, in Milton, Massachusetts, at the age of 45. Mrs. Temple probably moved from Milton with her four sons and four daughters after the death of her husband. There is no notice of their decease in the town records in Milton.
The compiler of the family history was Levi Daniel Temple of Flemington, N. J.
LETTER FROM A DESCENDANT
SAMUEL TEMPLE'S CLASS They Called It Dartmouth University in 1790
SAMUEL TEMPLE In Silhouette
NOTE: These pictures are furnished by H. Temple Nieter of the class of 1931, a great-great-grandson of Samuel Temple. They are the property of Mrs. A. F. Temple of Muskegon, Michigan; a grandson of Samuel Temple is William Franklin Temple of the class of 1877.
