April 28th, 1790
The trustees of the Williamstown Free School advertise the sale of lottery tickets to support construction of a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse will eventually be named West College.
When the funds from Ephraim Williams's estate were transferred to the trustees of the Free School, it was found that the sum, $11,277, was not sufficient to erect a school house. Consequently, the School trustees petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to hold a lottery to aid in funding construction of the building. In 1789, the petition was granted and in 1790, lottery tickets are advertised in such newspapers as the Massachusetts Centinel. Over $3449 was realized in this way.
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