HISTORY OF LOWXLL. 105

whether the town would authorize a loan of 820,000 to defray
the expense of buying land and building two large school
houses^ with the view of consolidating all the public schools
of the town in two large schools, and thus superseding the
District system altogether. The whole body of corporation
influence, with Kirk Boott to wield it at his imperial will,
was brought to bear against the proposed reform ; and not a
few of the old settlers also clung with fond tenacity to their
" deestrict " schools. So formidable was this opposition, that,
although the local clergy and all the most intelligent friends
of education strongly favored the innovation, only one man
was found with courage enough to advocate it in town meet-
ing. Single handed and alone, Theodore Edson met Kirk Boott
and his allies breast to breast ; not hesitating

"To beard the lion in his den,
The Douglass in his hall."

During a protracted and tumultuous debate, Edson held his
ground unflinchingly, and finally carried his point by twelve
majority. Chafing under their defeat, the adherents of the old
system called another town meeting on the nineteenth of the
same month, when another debate ensued, more tumultuous
and more decisive than the last. Two new champions — John
P. Eobinson and Luther Lawrence — entered the list with
Boott ; but Edson stood alone as before, and when the vote
was taken, carried his point by thirty-eight majority, — con-
vincing his opponents that it would be folly to renew the fight.
