Then and Now: Merrimack Mills’ New Block and LHS

Lowell’s New Block boardinghouse stood on Dutton Street for over 120 years before it fell to mid-century ‘progress’ in 1966.

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Lowell High’s Entrance Exam in 1865 – Difficult Questions and High Expectations

High school entrance exams during the Civil War era were hard, really.  For arithmetic, 14-year-olds in Lowell, Massachusetts were asked to calculate the diameter of a cannon ball weighing 250 pounds, if the diameter of a 128-pound ball was 8 inches.  In grammar, they were asked for the plurals of Mr. Smith, Miss Smith, and […]

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