Massachusetts towns are required to create public schools.

[6/14-BGL] General Court requires towns with at least 100 families to create grammar schools to educate children “to read and understand the principles of religion and the capital lawes of the country.” The law places responsibility for supervising the schools in “no existing body of officials,” but the town’s selectmen subsequently serve as the unofficial Boston school committee. The law does authorize fines for parents who are delinquent in teaching their children at home. The first compulsory education law in the British Colonies, it is reinforced by stronger laws in 1647* and 1789.*