Community Corner
Forty Third Week, Sunday's "Medfield Historical Minute"
A little something to read and learn to give you a little break during this time of boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus Crisis.
A Medfield Historical Minute...
This "Medfield Historical Minute" is brought to you by town historian Richard DeSorgher.
A little something to read and learn to give you a little break during this time of boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus Crisis. A different "Medfield Historical Minute" will appear each day during the Crisis.
"In 1670 seven of the most prominent townspeople in Medfield were chosen to seat the persons in the meetinghouse. This custom of seating the people in the meetinghouse prevailed in all the New England towns for many years. All the seats were ranked in dignity and the people in the towns were ranked according to age, wealth and general standing. Those of high rank were assigned to seats of corresponding rank in the meetinghouse. Any person sitting in a place other than what he was assigned was fined, with the tithing man collecting the fine. Children never sat with their parents but were seated together with a tithing man to keep them in order. He used a tithing rod (a long pole), which he also used to keep the people awake."