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ANNUAL REPORT
of the
TOWN OFFICERS of
Middleboro, Mass.
for the
YEAR 1916
R
OUTH
COUNT
GH
INCORPORATED
Press of C. A. Hack & Son, Inc. Taunton, Massachusetts 1917
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
TOWN OFFICERS
of
Middleboro, Mass.
for the
YEAR 1916
C
2
OUTH A6
.COUNTY
LASS
GH
INCORPORATE
D.1669
Press of C. A. Hack & Son, Inc. Taunton, Massachusetts 1917
3
TOWN OFFICERS 1916.
Town Clerk.
ALBERT A. THOMAS Term expires 1918
Treasurer and Collector. ALBERT A. THOMAS.
Selectmen.
HENRY B. SCHLUETER
Term expires 1917
EDWARD H. CROMWELL BOURNE WOOD
Term expires 1918 Term expires 1919
Overseers of the Poor.
EDWIN F. WITHAM
WILLIAM M. HASKINS
ALLERTON THOMPSON
CHARLES M. THATCHER
Resigned July 1916 Term expires 1917 Term expires 1918 Term expires 1919
School Committee.
GRANVILLE E. TILLSON JOHN V. SULLIVAN GEORGE W. STETSON
THEODORE N. WOOD
REGINALD W. DRAKE
E. T. PEIRCE JENKS
Term expires 1917
Term expires 1917
Term expires 1918
I erm expires 1918
Term expires 1919 Term expires 1919
Superintendent of Schools. .
CHARLES H. BATES.
4
Municipal Light Board.
WILLIAM A. ANDREWS HARLAS L. CUSHMAN
BURTON DINSMORE
Term expires 1918 Term expires 1919
Board of Health.
JOHN J. PEARSON
Term expires 1917
DR. FRANCIS A. ROBINSON
JOHN H. WHEELER
Term expires 1918 Term expires 1919
Superintendent of Streets. WILLIAM H. CONNOR.
Registrars of Voters.
WALTER M. CHIPMAN Term expires 1917
LORENZO WOOD
WILLIAM J. COUGHLIN
Term expires 1918 Term expires 1919
Trustees of the Public Library.
WALTER SAMPSON Term expires 1917
*WARREN H. SOUTHWORTH
Term expires 1917
NATHAN WASHBURN Term expires 1917
HENRY W. SEARS
Term expires 1918
*DAVID G. PRATT
Term expires 1918
KENELM WINSLOW
Term expires 1918
ALLAN R. THATCHER
Term expires 1919
EDWARD S. HATHAWAY
Term expires 1919
THEODORE N. WOOD
Term expires 1919
Constables. F. HERBERT BATCHELDER WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN FRANK W. HASTAY G. LOUIS HATHAWAY GEORGE H. MORSE
FRED C. SPARROW
CHARLES M. THATCHER ICHABOD B. THOMAS
Fish Wardens.
BOURNE WOOD EDWARD H. CROMWELL HENRY B. SCHLUETER.
Tree Warden Auditor
LUTHER S. BAILEY WILLIAM W. BRACKETT
Moth Superintendent. LINAM CHUTE.
*Deceased.
Term expires 1917
ANNUAL REPORT
of the .
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1
of
Town of Middleboro, Mass.
for the
YEAR 1916
7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ORGANIZATION, 1916-1917.
GRANVILLE E. TILLSON, Chairman.
CHARLES H. BATES, Secretary.
MEMBERS.
Term Expires
GRANVILLE E. TILLSON, 141 So. Main St., 1917
JOHN V. SULLIVAN, 114 So. Main St., 1917
GEORGE W. STETSON, 118 So. Main St., 1918
THEODORE N. WOOD, 15 School St., 1918
E. T. PIERCE JENKS, 26 No. Main St., 1919
REGINALD W. DRAKE, 45 Pierce St., 1919
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
CHARLES H. BATES, 25 East Grove St.
Telephone 81-W. Office, Room 7, Town Hall. Telephone 81-R.
Office Hours, School Days: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4 to 5 P. M., Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 to 9 A. M.
8
Regular meetings of the School Board are held in Room 7, Town Hall, on the first Thursday of each month, excepting July and August, at 7.30 P. M.
All bills against the School Department should be sent to the Secretary's office not later than the Wednesday pre- ceding the first Thursday of each month.
MEETINGS 1917-1918.
1917.
Jan. 4, Feb. 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, June 28, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Dec. 27.
1918.
Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, June 27.
SUB-COMMITTEES.
Thomastown, South Middleboro, Rock and Highland Schools, GRANVILLE E. TILLSON. School Street, Fall Brook and Purchade Schools, THEODORE N. WOOD.
High, Green and Waterville Schools,
E. T. PIERCE JENKS.
Union Street, Town House and Wappanucket Schools, GEORGE W. STETSON. Forest Street, Pleasant Street and Plymouth Street Schools, REGINALD W. DRAKE. West Side, Soule and Thompsonville Schools, JOHN V. SULLIVAN.
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
DR. JAMES H. BURKHEAD, 11 Pierce Street.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER.
SAMUEL S. LOVELL,
210 Centre Street.
9
JANITORS OF CENTRAL BUILDINGS.
High School, CHARLES H.GOODWIN, Forest St.Extension. Union Street and Town House Schools, S. EDWARD MATT- HEWS, 7 School St.
School Street School, THOMAS S. PHINNEY, 24 Pearl St. Forest Street School, MARTIN HANLEY, 85 Oak Street. West Side School, SAMUEL S. LOVELL, 210 Centre Street.
TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO.
In School Committee.
Feb. 7, 1917.
Voted :- That the reports of the Secretary of the Board, Superintendent of Schools, Principal of the High School, Supervisors of Manual Arts, Music, and Penmanship, School Physician, and School Attendance Officer be accepted and presented to the town by the School Board.
CHARLES H. BATES,
Secretary.
-
/
10
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Middleboro, Mass, Feb. 1, 1917.
To the Citizens of Middleboro ;-
The following financial report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1916, is respectfully submitted :-
FINANCIAL STATEMENT. CURRENT EXPENDITURES.
DR.
Appropriation, 1916.
Salaries
$32,200.00
Janitors
2,600.00
Fuel
2,100.00
Books, Supplies and Printing
2,400.00
Tuition
52.00
Rent
500.00
Water Supply '
250.00
Sundries
850.00
-
$40,952.00
Less Estimated Income
$4,802.00
$36,150.00
Balance 1915
$1,085.10
Town of Lakeville, tuition
$1,786.13
66
Raynham, tuition
13.20
" Halifax, tuition
55.00
66
" Plympton, tuition
242.18
" Rochester, tuition
110.00
11
City of Boston, City Wards, tuition 117.25
State Treasurer, State Wards, tuition, 815.10
Pierce Trustees, Commercial Course 1,185.00 Incidentals 4.25
$4,328.11
$41,563.21
CR.
Salaries
$32,227.65
Janitors
2,538.25
Fuel
2,100.54
Books, Supplies and Printing
2,585.74
Tuition
50.00
Rent
500.00
Water Supply
239.60
Sundries
1,113.24
$41,355.02
1
Balance
$208.19
SCHOOL COMMITTEE SALARIES.
DR.
Appropriation
$150.00
CR.
Granville E. Tillson
$25.00
E. T. Pierce Jenks
25.00
George W. Stetson
25.00
Theodore N. Wood
25.00
Reginald W. Drake
25.00
John V. Sullivan
25.00
$150.00
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
DR.
Appropriation
$300.00
CR.
Dr. J. H. Burkhead
$300.00
12
TRANSPORTATION.
DR.
Appropriation Balance 1915
$3,200.00 95.53
$3,295.53
CR.
Expended
$3,054.19
Balance
$241.34
REPAIRS.
DR.
Appropriation Balance 1915
$1,675.00 27.57
$1,702.57
CR.
Expended
Deficit
$2,102.72 400.15
SUMMARY.
Whole amount available for school purposes
Total expenditures
Balance 1916
$49.38
DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES INSTRUCTION.
Central Schools.
High School
$8,901.25
Town House School
1,440.00
Union Street School
2,315.00
School Street School
5,600.00
Forest Street School
1,147.00
West Side School
2,363.00
Student Teachers
43.66
$21,809.91
$41,011.31 46,961.93
13
Suburban Schools.
Pleasant Street School
$519.00
Plymouth Street School
519.00
Purchade School
499.00
Thompsonville School
499.00
Soule School
499.00
Waterville School
499.00
Green School
585.00
Fall Brook School
532.75
Thomastown School
499.00
Rock School
585.00
South Middleboro School
519.00
Highland School
499.00
Wappanucket School
499.00
$6,752.75
SUPERVISORS.
Manual Arts
$600.00
Music
600.00
High School Athletics
65.00
Stamp Saving System
50.00
$1,315.00
JANITORS.
Central Schools.
High School
$550.00
Town House and Union Street School
420.00
School Street School
600.00
Forest Street School
180.00
West Side School
240.00
$1,990.00
Suburban Schools.
Pleasant Street School
$66.25
Plymouth Street School
70.00
Purchade School
58.50
Thompsonville School
26.25
Soule School
38.50
Waterville School
26.25
14
Fall Brook School
35.00
South Middleboro School
35.00
Rock School
52.50
Highland School
35.00
Green School
35.00
Thomastown School
35.00
Wappanucket School
35.00
$548.25
FUEL.
Central Schools.
James L. Jenney, coal
$1,682.74
B. C. Shaw, wood
21.00
$1,703.74
Suburban Schools.
J. E. Cushman, wood
$7.00
Jas. L. Jenny, wood and coal
79.70
Bryant & Soule, coal
14.25
J. H. Thomas, wood
38.32
T. C. Savery, wood
87.38
L. M. Fuller, wood
36.00
T. D. Creedon, wood
25.00
L. C. Decker, wood
56.50
C. N. Atwood & Son, wood
52.65
$396.80
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies
$1,442.10
J. L. Hammett Co., books and supplies
314.28
D. C. Heath & Co., books
109.46
Milton Bradley & Co., supplies
29.08
J. F. Mccluskey, supplies
23.10
Ginn & Co., books
99.36
American Book Co., books
44.19
A. N. Palmer Co., books
45.88
Silver, Burdett & Co., books
35.12
J. F. Boucher, supplies
1.80
B. H. Sanborn Co., books
22.50
B. F. Munroe Co., supplies
5.47
Chas. E. Merrill Co., books
13.32
15
Kinney Bros. & Wolkins, supplies
14.11
F. J. Barnard Co., rebinding books 14.42
Remington Typewriter Co., typewriter
20.00
Allyn & Bacon, books
21.12
Harry E. Rodgers, supplies
5.80
David Farquhar, rebinding books
62.00
Levi L. Crane, pens
11.40
Wadsworth, Howland Co., supplies
13.29
C. C. Burchard Co., music books
24.34
Union Paste Co., supplies
.60
Scott, Foresman Co., books
.90
$2,373.64
PRINTING.
H. L. Thatcher & Co.,
$128.10
Lorenzo Wood
68.00
C. A. Hack & Son, reports
16.00
$212.10
SUNDRIES.
Middleboro Gas & Electric Plant, lights
$70.46
Whitcomb & Owens, cartage
7.52
Chester A. Parker, water for Fall Brook School
5.00
H. B. Wentworth, piano rental and sundries
37.75
T. W. Pierce Co., sundries
16.06
F. N. Whitman, sundries
38.00
Adams Express Co., express
20.39
Maxim Motor Co., sundries
1.00
E. F. Tinkham, clocks
13.50
George E. Doane, sundries
44.83
Lucas & Thomas, dustbane
2.25
R. M. Bassett, sundries
4.23
N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone rentals
90.47
E. H. Blake, keys
6.84
A. C. Crossboom & Co., sundries
.75
T. G. Sisson, cartage and freight
32.91
Charles F. Anderson, sundries
2.40
C. N. Atwood & Son, sundries
1.80
W. L. Soule, curtains and chairs
12.40
L. O. Tillson, sundries for High School
29.97
John R. McGrady, carting ashes, etc.
9.00
16
Henry Howe, sundries
3.66
Eleanor A. Barden, monitor service
20.00
Clara C. Wood, cash paid
.80
Alta E. Battles, cash paid
.90
J. C. Boynton & Son, sundries
.30
P. H. Pierce Co., sundries
3.20
T. S. Phinney, cleaning suburban buildings
70.15
T. S. Westgate, water for Rock School
5.00
Somerville Brush Co., sundries
12.33
Walter Sampson, sundries High School
6.08
Louise H. Scott, filling in certificates
3.75
F. W. Martin Co., engrossing diplomas
7.75
Standard Oil Co., oil
20.70
M. L. Hinkley, clock
5.25
T. I. Dadmun Co., brushes
3.06
C. L. Hathaway & Co., brushes
.85
Remington Typewriter Co., repairs
3.55
Percy B. Bragdon, inspecting boilers
4.00
Lloyd Perkins, sundries
271.19
W. C. Thomas, sundries
1.75
Town of Middleboro, sundries
57.00
T. G. Matthews, sundries
4.65
Eagle Express Co., express
1.20
Alger Paper Box Co., sundries
5.00
J. T. Carver, sundries
2.63
Union Publishing Co., directory
2.00
Zenas E. Phinney, sundries
38.13
Sears Lumber Co., supplies
3.92
Thomas & Benn, supplies
20.65
Middleboro Board of Health, desk
15.00
C. W. Maxim, fire extinguishers, Union Street
23.99
S. S. Lovell, salary truant officer, sundries
47.23
$1,113.24
TRANSPORTATION.
SCHOOL TEAMS.
Pleasant Street School
Arthur F. Staffin
$376.50
Emila Van Steenburgh
43.75
Samuel Chuckran
68.75
$489.00
17
Thompsonville School David N. Wetherbee Thomastown School Eben A. Shaw Walter A. Shaw
$211.25
$232.00
84.00
$316.00
South Middleboro School M. P. Azervedo
$339.75
Wappanucket School Clement W. Barrows
$422.50
$1,778.50
SUPERVISORS.
Grace G. Pierce
$125.00
Mary L. Cook
7.55
$132.55
WEST SIDE SCHOOL.
Mary Gomes
$39.25
W. B. Munroe
16.10
$55.35
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
Winter term
$260.19
Spring term
267.36
Fall term
320.09
$847.64
TOWN HOUSE SCHOOL.
Winter term
$114.32
Spring term
111.73
$226.05
School Street School
$14.10
REPAIRS.
Sears Lumber Co., material Union Street, School Street $275.85
Lloyd Perkins, labor Union Street, Soule, West Side 343.18
1
18
R. M. Bassett, labor School Street
6.40
Thomas & Benn, labor West Side, School Street
158.63
D. T. Weston, labor Thomastown
2.00
Josiah T. Carver, labor
. 60
Elliott W. Harlow, labor High School
197.20
Martin F. Jefferson, labor Highland School
1.00
T. F. Boucher, labor Union Street
261.22
Zenas E. Phinney, labor Union Street
127.35
C. H. Ryder, labor So. Middleboro School
37.00
C. F. Gay, labor, West Side School
4.24
George E. Doane, material
32.16
T. G. Matthews, labor at Soule
12.32
F. C. Sparrow, labor Union Street School
22.00
C. H. Shaw, labor
5.11
T. S. Phinney, labor, suburban buildings
19.82
John V. Sullivan, cash paid for labor
2.65
T. W. Pierce Co., material
2.60
F. A. Johnson, labor, High School, School Street
544.89
Town of Middleboro, labor, High School
46.50
$2,102.72
The estimated expenses for 1917 are $49,926.00, divided
as follows:
Salaries
$34,100.00
Care of buildings
2,750.00
Fuel
2,400.00
Books, supplies and printing
3,000.00
Sundries
900.00
Insurance
1,026.00
Water supply
250.00
Tuition, Bridgewater
50.00
School physician
300.00
School committee
150.00
Rent of Town House rooms
500.00
Transportation
3,000.00
Repairs
1,500.00
$49,926.00
The total amount to be appropriated to meet this esti- mated cost will be $43,475.00. This is $2,000 more than the appropriation of 1916 and $1475 more than the appro- priation of 1915. The total appropriation in 1915 was $42,000.00, and in 1916, $41,475.00.
COMPARATIVE EXPENSE TABLE.
1906-1916
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
Instruction, Superintendence, Care
of Buildings, and Fuel
$24,393.14
$26,679.59
$27,646.07
$28,100.74 $30,036.61
$32,194.06
$33,461.45
$33,099.37
$35,214.85
$35,270.36
$36,866.44
Books and Supplies
1,667.42
1,665.61
1,506.53
1,822.54
1,730.06
1,966.81
1,852.74
2,135.62
3,285.90
2,223.75
2,373.64
Printing
208.40
173.77
212.32
157.27
175.77
184.34
192.25
174.21
204.02
181.46
212.10
Sundries
589.64
470.45
631.71
601.26
836.54
710.12
678.59
672.40
970.59
856.50
1,113.24
Transportation to High School
765.12
511.59
542.60
595.30
617.10
580.45
473.65
558.55
605.80
783.56
847.64
Transportation to Elementary Schools 1,375.18
1,398.54
1,369.85
1,496.25
975.21
1,188.25
1,207.55
1,774.25
2,487.30
2,487.38
2,064.00
Repairs
1,558.44
1,025.80
1,007.82
1,526.09
1,050.27
1,052.06
1,755.51
3,181.99
1,968.39
1,679.07
2,102.72
Insurance
648.00
648.00
Rent
300.00
300.00
364.00
396.00
630.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
300.00
500.00
500.00
F
20
The following comparative table shows the appropriation and expenditures for 1916, together with the estimates for · 1917 :
Appropriation, Expenditures, Estimates
1916
1916
1917
Salaries
$32,200.00
$32,227.65
$34,100.00
Care of buildings
2,600.00
2,538.25
2,650.00
Fuel
2,100.00
2,100.54
2,400.00
Books, supplies and printing
2,400.00
2,585.74
3,000.00
Sundries
850.00
1,113.24
1,000.00
Rent
500.00
500.00
500.00
Water supply
250.00
239.60
250.00
School committee
150.00
150.00
150.00
School physician
300.00
300.00
300.00
Tuition
52.00
50.00
50.00
Transportation
3,200.00
3,054.19
3,000.00
Repairs
1,675.00
2,102.72
1,500.00
Insurance
1,026.00
The estimated income from tuition and Pierce trustees for the present year is $6,451.00.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. BATES,
Secretary of School Board.
21
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
THIRTY-SECOND IN THE SERIES.
Middleboro, Mass., Feb. 1, 1917.
To the School Board ;-
In accordance with your regulations I present the fol- lowing report on the present condition and needs of the schools.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The matter of increased and better school accommoda- tions has occupied só much of the report of the Superin- tendent in years past that it does not seem necessary to give much space to its further consideration. It is well, however, to state that at a special town meeting in June it was voted to appropriate $100,000 for the erection of a new high school building, and a committee was appointed to carry the vote into effect.
An architect was selected, plans approved, and bids called for the erection of the building. Owing to the con- ditions in the building market caused by increased cost of material since the time of the meeting, when the bids were opened it was found that the lowest bid was so greatly in excess of the appropriation, the committee did not deem it best to continue the effort to secure a building within the appropriation and decided rather than to alter the plans of the building (which were what the school should have) to a smaller building inadequate for future growth, to report the whole matter back to the town at the annual March meeting for further instruction .. As this building is more a necessity now than before and as the work of the High School is being seriously curtailed and rendered less efficient in the present quarters, it is earnestly hoped that a new building may soon be erected. I am of the belief that the proposed site for this new building may be open to serious objections, and that a mistake may be made if it is not loca- ted on a site where there will be sufficient land for an athletic
22
field and an addition in the future of a school gymnasium. The open space about the present building in the opinion of many should remain as it is, for with nearly 300 pupils on one side of the proposed building in the old building and 200 or more on the other side in the Union Street building, with opening and closing of schools and recesses at different times, there may result a condition not wholly satisfactory.
UNION STREET BUILDING.
The Union Street building has been a subject of some agitation the past year owing to an idea that conditions in the building were not conducive to the best interests of the pupils in the way of its sanitary arrangements.
Last spring the toilets in the basement were overhauled and placed in excellent condition.
At the special town meeting in June, $475 were appro- priated for repairs. During the summer vacation new floors were laid in all the rooms, the walls were painted, ceilings kalsomined, furniture varnished and every thing placed in excellent condition. No building in town presented a neater appearance. Oct. 11 a fire between the partitions damaged the building, with a loss estimated at $500.
It broke out just after the opening of the morning session. The teachers are to be commended for their coolness in the situation in getting their pupils out of the building in an orderly manner and avoiding that dread of all school-house fires-a panic. It was a good illustration of the great worth of the fire-drill training.
After a consideration of the matter as to the repairs to be made the Pierce trustees offered to finance the cost of repairs in the building and to install a heating and a ventilating system.
The building has been restored to as good a condition as before the fire, and an excellent heating and ventilating system installed. The toilets and corridors are heated and 14 radiators distributed over the building insure comfor- table rooms in the coldest weather. Electric lights have been placed in the basement and each teacher's desk is also thus equipped.
The building today is as well heated and ventilated as any public building in town and the sanitary arrangements are of the best. The state inspector pronounces the work of heating and ventilating to be as good a type of work of its kind that has ever come under his observation. The
23
conditions at this building as to exits in case of fire, sani- tation, heating ventilation and lighting have the approval of the state inspector which cannot be said of some of our other buildings. Over $3,000 have been expended on this building since last August, and the action of the Pierce trus- tees in financing this expenditure has given the town a school building that meets modern requirements.
As this building has been placed in a condition for a permanent school building, in order to make it capable of relieving congestion in the grades I would recommend that at the coming summer vacation the two small rooms in the rear be enlarged to accommodate schools of 45 pupils each, where now the seating capacity is only 27 in each room. As the heating and ventilating system was installed with this in view no change in this respect would be required.
ATTENDANCE.
Probably in no one year in the history of the schools of the town have so many different schools been affected by school closure for so many different causes as during the year 1916.
Early in January a destructive fire in the Town House closed the ninth grade in this building for one week. Arrange- ments were then made to shorten the session of the High School and place this grade in the High School building for a short session in the afternoon from 1 to 4.30. This plan was followed for nearly two months. The regular work was curtailed and the work of the supervisors discontinued during that time. In the spring the Pleasant Street School was closed by the order of the Board of Health for a period of two weeks, owing to an epidemic of chicken-pox.
On May 29 the four schools in the Union Street building were closed by order of the Board of Health for the remain- der of the school year and all books, charts, etc., to the value of over $200 were destroyed by the Board of Health, owing. to two cases of diphtheria in the building.
The opening of the fall term of the High School was delayed three weeks and of all the other schools four weeks, owing to an epidemic of infantile paralysis in different sec- tions of the State. The local Board of Health took this action as a precaution against the disease. The Union Street Schools had been in session but 7 days when a fire, Oct. 11, between the partition of the rooms caused the building to be closed for repairs. To house these grades it was arranged
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to have the two grades at the Forest Street building attend a morning session and the two lower, Union Street grades to occupy the same rooms in the afternoon. The two grades in the Town House were placed on a one-session plan from 8.15 to 12.30, and the two upper grades at the Union Street School occupied the same rooms in the afternoon from 1 to 4.30.
This plan was in operation from Oct. 16 to Jan. 15 when the Union Street building was occupied once more and the seven schools resumed their former schedule. To add to the situation during this period those schools on half-time at the Forest Street School were closed for two weeks by order of the Board of Health, owing to a case of infantile paralysis in the family of one of the pupils attending school in that building. By doing away with the short terms and extending the school year to June 29 practically the length of the school year will be the same for all the elementary schools, excepting those occupying Forest Street at the time of the last closure, as scheduled in the School calendar. The High School year will number 38 weeks as compared with 39 the year before.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The commercial department in this school has been placed on a good working basis, and I feel justified in saying that better results can be expected. The addition of another teacher was needed and when better facilities are provided the department will be stronger.
The English work needs a larger teaching force, and an assistant should be secured for the science department. The need of more adequate quarters is more apparent each year.
The school ranks high in its preparatory work for higher institutions of learning and with enlarged facilities oppor- tunity will be given for the introduction of other courses.
The teachers are faithful and earnest and give much outside time each afternoon to individual instruction. The greatest addition to the cause of education in Middleboro will be a new High School building.
CENTRAL SCHOOLS.
The plan of conducting the work in these schools at the present time is the same as last year. The segregation plan, however, of the ninth grades in the Town House has
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been discontinued and the work carried on as it was before the adoption of that place, excepting that departmental work is still carried on in the ninth grade. The Town House rooms are now used for a school composed of seventh and eighth pupils and the work is carried on by the departmental plan, under the instruction of two teachers. I would recom- mend that next year a change be made in the School Street building whereby two rooms may be used by ninth grade pupils only and that the ninth grade pupils from the Subur- ban Schools be a part of this grade, forming two ninth grades, and that the work be carried on under the departmental plan in the same way as it has been carried on up to this year in the Town House School. The success of the plan in the Town House School needs no argument.
If the Union Street building is enlarged a plan of grading can be arranged to take care of the central grades next year. I feel that we are getting good results in these grades, although many of the schools are too large. I commend the principals, the teachers, and the supervisors for their faithful and painstaking efforts.
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.
The total enrollment in the suburban schools is growing smaller. This year the November enrollment, with the ninth grade in the suburban schools, numbered only 395 pupils against 396 ladst year with nearly all the ninth grade pupils in the Town House School. The yearly enrollment with nearly all the ninth grade pupils in the Town House School for the past two years was 458 and 437 respectively.
The November enrollment for the last six years can be seen by the following data:
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