▁the ▁ 9 0 0 - year ▁le ase ▁were ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁town ▁authorities . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" school ▁at ▁the ▁cross ro ads ", ▁although ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Cong reg ational ▁church ▁for ▁their ▁children ' s ▁Sunday - school ▁classes . ▁The ▁school ' s ▁early ▁association ▁with ▁religion ▁was ▁strong . ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁it ▁was ▁agreed ▁that ▁no ▁school ▁master ▁should ▁be ▁appointed ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁" prom ise ▁to ▁pray ▁in ▁the ▁school ▁each ▁day . ▁ ▁The ▁red ▁br icks ▁The ▁br icks ▁that ▁gave ▁their ▁name ▁to ▁this ▁school ▁building ▁were ▁sh ipped ▁via ▁ox en ▁from ▁Boston . ▁This ▁school ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁older , ▁wooden ▁school house ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 3 . ▁By ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁Mort imer ▁Bla ke ▁was ▁running ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁building ▁that ▁was ▁prov ing ▁so ▁popular ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁overflow ing ▁despite ▁the ▁charges ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁to ▁ 3 5 ▁c ents ▁per ▁week . ▁They ▁had ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁less ons ▁to ▁larger ▁prem ises . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁the ▁church ▁stopped ▁having ▁Sunday ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁building . ▁ ▁The ▁administration ▁attempted ▁to ▁shut ▁down ▁the ▁school ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁costs , ▁but ▁the ▁town spe ople ▁r al lied ▁behind ▁it . ▁The ▁school ▁again ▁almost ▁closed ▁in