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ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF
Middleboro, Mass.
R
OUTH
COUNT
GH
INCORPORATED
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1920
C. A. HACK & SON, INC., PRINTERS, TAUNTON, MASS.
-
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF
Middleboro, Mass.
LEE
ORO
YOUTH KA
COUNTY
G
MASS
H
INCORPORATED
FOR THE
Year Ending. December 31, 1920
3
TOWN OFFICERS, 1920. Town Clerk.
ALBERT A. THOMAS Term expires 1921
Treasurer and Collector. ALBERT A. THOMAS. Selectmen.
EDWARD H. CROMWELL BOURNE WOOD ERNEST R. STEWART
Term expires 1921
Term expires 1922
Term expires 1923
Assessors.
ALLERTON THOMPSON BENJAMIN C. SHAW CHARLES N. WARREN
Term expires 1921
Term expires 1922
Term expires 1923
Overseers of the Poor.
ALLERTON THOMPSON CHARLES M. THATCHER WILLIAM M. HASKINS
Term expires 1921
Term expires 1922
Term expires 1923
School Committee.
GEORGE W. STETSON
Term expires 1921
THEODORE N. WOOD
Term expires 1921
E. T. PEIRCE JENKS
Term expires 1922
MRS. ADELIA C. RICHARDS
ALLAN R. THATCHER
GRANVILLE E. TILLSON
Superintendent of Schools. CHARLES H. BATES. Municipal Light Board.
HARLAS L. CUSHMAN CORNELIUS H. LEONARD WILLAIM A. ANDREWS
Term expires 1921
Term expires 1922 Term expires 1923
Board of Health.
DR. LEONARD A. BAKER CHARLES W. CLARK FRANK S. THOMAS JOHN H. WHEELER
Term expires 1921 Term expires 1922 Term expires 1923
Health Officer and Agent of Board
Term expires 1922
Term expires 1923 Term expires 1923
4
Superintendent of Streets. WATSON W. BAKER. Registrars of Voters:
LORENZO WOOD WILLIAM J. COUGHLIN
Term expires 1921
WALTER M. CHIPMAN
Term expires 1922 Term expires 1923
Trustees of the Public Library.
HENRY W. SEARS
Term expires 1921
GEORGE E. DOANE
Term expires 1921
KENELM WINSLOW
Term expires 1921
ALLAN R. THATCHER
Term expires 1922
EDWARD S. HATHAWAY
Term expires 1922
Term expires 1922
THEODORE N. WOOD WALTER L. BEALS WALTER SAMPSON NATHAN WASHBURN
Term expires 1923
Term expires 1923
Term expires 1923
Constables.
WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN
FRANK W. HASTAY G. LOUIS HATHAWAY
GEORGE H. MORSE FRED C. SPARROW BENJAMIN C. SHAW
CHARLES M. THATCHER ICHABOD B. THOMAS
Fish Wardens.
BOURNE WOOD ERNEST R. STEWART EDWARD H. CROMWELL. Tree Warden Auditor
LUTHER S. BAILEY WILLIAM W. BRACKETT
Moth Superintendent. JOHN J. FOWLER, JR.
Forest Warden. JOHN J. FOWLER, JR.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
Middleboro, Mass.
for the
YEAR 1920
MOUTH
COUNTY
O
OFICIO
*
POR
INCO
D./669
C. A. HACK & SON, INC. TAUNTON, MASS. 1921
7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ORGANIZATION, 1920-1921.
GEORGE W. STETSON, Chairman.
CHARLES H. BATES, Secretary
MEMBERS, 1920.
Term
Expires
Tel. No.
GEORGE W. STETSON, 118 So. Main St.,
1921
10-W.
THEODORE N. WOOD, 15 School St.,
1921
31-W.
*E. T. PEIRCE JENKS, 26 No. Main St.,
KENDRICK H. WASHBURN, 70 So. Main St. 1921
ADELIA C. RICHARDS, 86 Pearl St.,
1922
213-M.
JOHN V. SULLIVAN, 114 So. Main St.,
1923
131-R.
ALLAN R. THATCHER, 1 Webster St.,
1923
105-M.
*Resigned Sept. 2, 1920.
+Elected to fill vacancy Nov. 2, 1920.
MEMBERS, 1921.
Term Expires
Tel. No. .
KENDRICK H. WASHBURN, 70 So. Main St.,
1922
72-R.
ADELIA C. RICHARDS, 86 Pearl St.,
1922
213-M.
JOHN V. SULLIVAN, 114 So. Main St.,
1923
134-R.
ALLAN R. THATCHER, 1 Webster St.,
1923
105-M.
GEORGE W. STETSON, 118 So. Main St.,
1924
10-W.
LORENZO WOOD, Plymouth St.,
1924
311-W.
72-R.
8
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
CHARLES H. BATES, 14 Reland Street.
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.
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.
REGULAR MEETINGS, 1921.
Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, June 30, Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.
SUB-COMMITTEES, DEC. 1920.
High, Thomastown, and Wappanucket Schools, GEORGE W. STETSON. School Street, Fall Brook and Purchade Schools, THEODORE N. WOOD. Forest Street, Soule and Thompsonville Schools, JOHN V. SULLIVAN. West Side, Plymouth Street and Pleasant Street Schools, ADELIA C. RICHARDS. Town House, Rock and South Middleboro Schools, ALLAN R. THATCHER. Union Street, Green and Waterville Schools, KENDRICK H. WASHBURN.
9
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN. DR. JAMES H. BURKHEAD, 11 Peirce Street. Telephone Residence, 536-R. Office 536-W.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER. SAMUEL S. LOVELL, 210 Centre Street. Telephone, 122-W. JANITORS OF CENTRAL BUILDINGS.
High School, CHARLES H. GOODWIN, Forest St. Extension. Union Street and Town House Schools, HOMER CASWELL, 14 Pearl Street.
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.
Jan. 6, 1921.
Voted :- That the reports of the Secretary of the School Board, Superintendent of Schools, Principal of the High School, Supervisors of Drawing, 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., Jan. 6, 1921.
To the Citizens of Middleboro:
The following financial report of the School Committee is respectfully submitted :
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
CURRENT EXPENSES.
DR.
Appropriation, 1920.
Salaries
$54,550.00
Janitors
3,700.00
Fuel
3,500.00
Books, Supplies and Printing
3,300.00
Sundries
1,250.00
Tuition,
325.00
Rent of Town House Rooms
500.00
Evening School
100.00
Water Supply
350.00
Salary of School Committee
150.00
Salary of School Physician
300.00
$68,025.00
Balance, 1919
$155.14
Less estimated income
$68,180.14 7,285.00
$60,895.14
11
Town of Lakeville, tuition
$1,036.13
Plympton, tuition
1,917.38
" Rochester, tuition
486.25.
66
" Freetown, tuition
71.88
66
" Halifax, tuition
75.00
City of Boston, tuition
106.50
State Treasurer, tuition
174.18
State Treasurer, reimbursement
472.75
F. N. Whitman, error
6.27
C. H. Bates, error and sundries
130.83
Peirce Trustees, Commercial Course,
3,300.00
Allowance from Contingent Fund
748.42
$8,525.59
Total income
$69,420.73
CR.
Salaries
$55,644.14
Janitors
3,864.43
Fuel
4,593.18
Books, Supplies and Printing
3,561.85
Sundries
1,530.89
Rent
500.00
Water Supply
385.73
Tuition
501.69
Evening School
96.00
School Committee
150.00
School Physician
300.00
$71,127.91
Deficit
$1,707.18
Note :- The large deficit is partly due to the increase in the expenditure for fuel of $1,093.18 over the amount appro- priated and of the increase in salaries of $1,690.14 over the amount appropriated. The deficit would have been $905.00 less if Lakeville had paid a tuition bill for that amount for Lakeville pupils attending the High School for the term ending Dec. 23, 1920. This bill will be credited under the 1921 estimates.
The committee on Appropriations transferred $1,768.05 from the Contingent Fund so that a credit of $748.42 appears in the Current Expense Account, $879.16 in the Transporta- tion Account and $140.47 in the Repair Account.
12
TRANSPORTATION.
DR.
Appropriation Deficit, 1919.
$4,600.00 106.26
Allowance from Contingent Fund
$4,493.74 879.16
$5,372.90
CR.
Expended
$5,372.90
REPAIRS.
DR.
Appropriation
$2,500.00
Deficit, 1919
168.52
Allowance from Contingent Fund
$2,331.48 140.47
CR.
Expended
$2,471.95
SUMMARY.
Whole amount available for school purposes Total expenditures
$77,265.58
78,972.76
Deficit
$1,707.18.
DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES.
INSTRUCTION.
High School Central Elementary Schools 22,692.21
$16,375.50
Suburban Schools
11,670.60
$50,748.31
$2,471.95
13
JANITORS.
High School Central Elementary Schools Suburban Schools
$710.00
2,306.68
847.75
$3,864.43
Note :- The amount for carrying on the work of super- vision other than the expense for regular teachers is at the present time $5,325.00, divided as follows:
Superintendent, $2,900; Supervisors, $1,875; School Phy- sician, $300; School Committee, $150; School Attendance Officer, $50; Clerical Assistance, $50.
FUEL.
T. D. Creedon, wood
$100.50
L. O. Atwood, wood
227.33
Augustus Pratt Farm, wood
24.75
B. C. Shaw, wood
56.00
G. R. Sampson, wood
127.75
George A. Deane, wood
36.75
Albert Deane, wood
33.50
L. C. Decker, wood
8.00
T. C. Savery, wood
80.88
Everett Bowen, wood
18.00
Joseph B. Thomas, wood
74.00
George A. Shurtleff, wood
17.00
Elmer F. Shaw, wood
18.00
Washburn & Soule, wood
96.00
E. H. Gammons, sawing wood
9.00
Roy M. Huntley, wood
91.00
James L. Jenney, coal
3,574.72
$4,593.18
Note :- There were approximately 245 tons of coal cost- ing from $11 a ton earlier in the year to $14.25 a ton when the bins were filled in June. If the coal had not been pur- chased till in the fall the price would have been $17.50 a ton. There were approximately 98 cords of wood purchased with prices ranging from $7 to $12 a cord.
14
BOOKS, SUPPLIES AND PRINTING.
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies
$2,100.81
D. F. Munroe, supplies 6.08
Oliver Ditson Co., music
11.98
Rand, McNally Co., books
12.90
Milton, Bradley Co., books
19.15
Ginn & Co., books
140.50
R. W. Grant, books
27.75
American Book Co., books
307.68
H. L. Thatcher Co., printing
125.79
C. A. Hack & Son, printing
43.47
E. Anthony & Sons, printing
35.00
J. F. Mccluskey, supplies
40.00
J. L. Hammett & Co., supplies
17.28
P. M. Keith, pens
35.45
A. N. Palmer Co., supplies
108.50
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, supplies
122.93
David Farquhar, binding books
91.50
B. H. Sanborn & Co., books
17.46
Remington Typewriter Co., supplies
12.00
Brockton Typewriter Co., supplies
38.00
Dowling School Supply Co., supplies
10.10
Silver, Burdett & Co., books
88.80
Middleboro Gazette, printing
5.25
C. C. Bichard & Co., music
18.44
Ryan & Baker, map
5.92
D. C. Heath & Co., books
121.38
$3,561.85
Note :- Expenditures amounting to over $400 for 7 type- writers for the Commercial Department of the High School do not appear in the above account as the bill was paid by the Peirce Trustees.
SUNDRIES. 1
J. C. Boynton & Son, sundries
$2.23
N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephones
96.94
Middleboro Gas & Electric Plant, lights
238.55
M. L. Hinkley, repairing clock
1.00
Richard O. Tripp, sundries
1.75
3.46
Nemaskett Press, printing
4.27
Underwood Typewriting Co., supplies
15
George E. Doane, sundries
83.64
A. R. Owens, carting ashes
72.89
C. V. Farnum, repairing pianos
4.50
Town of Middleboro, carting leaves and ashes
10.00
Jesse F. Morse, disinfectants
10.65
American Railway Ex. Co., express
12.21
Foster Tinkham, sundries
9.00
The Music Shop, tuning piano
5.00
E. F. Tinkham, repairing clocks
6.00
Laura J. Lincoln, sundries
3.90
Irene E. Alger, monitor service
17.00
H. T. Clark, carting wood
8.00
R. M. Bassett, sundries
7.00
Remington Typewriter Co., sundries
11.12
Chas. H. Bates, traveling expenses
48.70
F. A. Holbrook, cost of school barge
75.00
Eleanor A. Barden, monitor service
16.00
Walter Sampson, traveling expenses
36.44
Reed's Disinfecting Co., disinfectant
8.40
Ralph B. Low, monitor service
17.40
Carrie L. Jones, taking school census
93.75
T. W. Pierce Co., sundries
18.86
H. I. Dadmun Co., sundries
12.08
T. S. Phinney, cleaning suburban buildings
145.64
S. S. Lovell, salary of attendance officer
52.50
George W. Perkins, sharpening lawn mowers
3.00
A. A. Thomas, salary making out certificates
50.00
F. N. Whitman, sundries
68.27
L. O. Tillson, sundries
12.77
Martin Diploma Co., engrossing diplomas
15.75
E. N. Seavey, engrossing certificates
10.30
Chemo Oil Co., oil
154.00
Alfred Foote, inspecting boilers
6.00
William Egger, sundries
9.25
Alex. Eaton, express
6.85
Lucas & Thomas, sundries
. 73
A. R. Glidden & Son, sundries
1.02
F. J. Corsini, cleaning West Side cesspool
26.00
Ernest Sukeforth, work at West Side
2.50
Nellie B. Sawyer, sundries
1.20
Thomas Bros., sundries
.98
Cyclone Brush Co., sundries
22.95
Bryant & Soule, sundries
1.75
Middleboro Water Dept., sundries
11.42
$1,530.89
16
TRANSPORTATION. SCHOOL TEAMS.
Pleasant Street School
F. A. Holbrook
$298.00
Oscar G. Mostrom
50.00
Norman McDermid
291.00
W. H. Johnson
318.00
Lauchlin Davis
53.00
$1,010.00
School Street School
George C. Davison
$329.00
Charles H. Livermore
179.00
$508.00
South Middleboro School
M. P. Azevedo
$485.25
E. A. Sisson
467.75
$953.00
Thomastown School
Walter A. Shaw
$499.00
Wappanucket School
C. W. Barrows
$504.00
Thompsonville School
Sam Isabel $96.00
West Side School
Mary S. Gomes
$59.46
W. B. Munroe
10.15
$69.61
South Middleboro School
Joseph Rais
$4.00
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
Winter term
$361.75
Spring term 266.40 463.61
Fall term
$1,091.76
17
TOWN HOUSE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
First term
$4.60
6.60
Second term Third term Fourth term
10.64
61.38
Fifth term
51.38
$134.60
SCHOOL STREET SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
First term
$86.20
Second term
106.41
Third term
84.54
Fourth term
117.98
Fifth term
107.80
$502.93
Note :- There are 7 school teams carrying in all 74 pupils, one additional team being put in use last September.
There are at the present time 45 High School pupils, 28 School Street pupils and 16 Town House pupils being paid transportation. Two families are paid one dollar a school day for transporting their own children.
REPAIRS.
C. F. Gay, labor at Forest Street and West Side- Schools $5.62
W. W. Card, labor on fence West Side School 4.50
Thomas & Benn, labor and material at School
Street School, No. Middleboro and West Side Shools. 173.81 Maxim Motor Co., welding seat irons 3.71
Sears Lumber Co., material Pleasant Street, Plymouth Street, West Side Schools
21.20
Burpee Crowell, labor
2.00
T. G. Matthews, labor at Rock Schools
14.56
Lloyd Perkins, labor and material West Side School, High School, Forest Street School, Union Street School 248.37
J. N. Shaw, labor and material at Rock School, South Middleboro School, Fall Brook School 639.40
E. R. Braley, repairs at Wappanucket School 1.50
C. H. Ryder, labor at South Middleboro School 1.50
John J. Pearson, labor and material at Plymouth Street School 43.93
18
R. M. Bassett, labor and material Union Street, School Street and West Side Schools 43.71
T. W. Pierce Co., material 35.02
Town of Middleboro, construction work at West Side School 186.96
Lyman H. Osborne, labor Pleasant Street School 4.05
F. N. Whitman, material West Side School 34.26
M. H. Kelley, labor at High School
2.00
J. A. Washburn, labor 2.00
Zenas E. Phinney, labor 56.35
F. A. Johnson, labor and material at School Street School, South Middleboro School, Fall Brook School, Rock School 713.11
Elliott W. Harlow, labor and material, fence, Union Street School 146.45
Alfino Faietti, labor and material at School Street School 44.42
T. F. Boucher, labor and material West Side School 43.32
$2,471.95
19
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
1919-1920.
Appropriation 1919
1920
Expenditures
1919
1920
Salaries
$37,225.00
$37,650.43 $55,644.14
Janitors .
3,200. 00
$3,700.00
3,087.01
3,864.43
Fuel
3,800.00
3,500.00
4,013.78
4,593.18
Books and Sup. 2,800.00
3,300.00
1,924.68
3,561.85
Sundries
1,000.00
1,250.00
1,404.81
1,530.89
Rent
500.00
500.00
500.00
500.00
Water supply
375.00
350.00
354.00
385.73
Tuition
250.00
325.00
545.50
501.67
School committee 150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
School physician 300.00
300.00
300.00
300.00
Transportation
3,300.00
4,600.00
3,899.09
5,372.90
Repairs
2,800.00
2,500.00
2,973.55
2,471.95
Evening school
100.00
100.00
96.00
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. BATES,
Secretary of School Board.
-
20
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Middleboro, Mass., Jan. 6, 1921.
To the School Board :-
I respectfully submit my annual report of the condition and needs of the schools, together with a reference to the activities which have been a part of school work.
ATTENDANCE.
For the year ending in June, 1919, there were enrolled 1,437 pupils, while for 1920 there were 1528 pupils, a gain of 91 pupils.
Of this number for 1919, 61 were non-resident pupils, and for 1920, 63 were non-resident pupils, so that the gain of 91 pupils represents the increase in our schools of pupils living in town.
There is a growing enrollment which calls for consideration for more adequate school accommodations in the near future and this gain of 91 pupils is confined to the central elemen- tary schools, as the school enrollment of the Suburban schools is decreasing while the High School enrollment for 1920 was 5 less than in 1919.
The average membership has increased from 1,335 in 1919 to 1,367 in 1920, and the average daily attendance from 1,213 in 1919 to 1,285 in 1920.
The attendance throughout the year has been commenda- ble, although during the winter term on account of the con- dition of the roads due to a number of blizzards some of the suburban schools were closed for several days and the atten- dance in many of the others interfered with.
The schools and the homes are co-operating in an excellent manner in the matter of attendance and thus helping to secure a greater efficiency and a higher standard.
21
HIGH SCHOOL.
A recent survey of the High School contains data which should be of interest to the citizens of the town, and because the general public has so little knowledge of the school and the plan of carrying on the work, a brief review of the survey is here given :
The total membership at the present time is 221, of whom 98 are boys and 123 girls. Of this number 49 are non-resi- dent pupils living in Lakeville, Rochester, Plympton and Freetown.
As the town receives in tuition $100 a year for each non- resident pupil, this year, if they all continue as members, will yield $4,900, nearly one-third of the amount paid for instruction in the school. By classes the freshmen num- ber 87, the sophomore 58, the juniors 39 and the seniors 37.
Of the 35 graduates of last year 11 are continuing their schooling-2 in colleges, 7 in Normal Schools and 2 in other schools.
The session of the school is from 8.15 to 1.15 with two recesses of 10 minutes each.
The recitation work is divided into 6 periods of 45 min- utes each.
There are 50 classes in all ranging in number of pupils from 3 to 46.
There are three courses of study: Classical, English-Latin and English.
If a pupil fails in more than one subject he is required to repeat the subjects.
Four units of work are required for promotion to the sophomore class, 8 units to the junior class and 12 units to the senior class.
(A unit represents a year's work in any subject.)
Seventy per cent is required as a passing mark, but for certification to higher institutions 80 per cent is required.
There are 40 teachers' meeting held during the year, averaging 30 minutes.
Teachers are required to file with the principal monthly a specific report of the work covered for that time.
Pupils taking the different studies are English 187, Physics 31, Botany 46, Physiology 46, Astronomy 17, Geo- logy 17, History 130, Algebra 91, Geometry 61, Solid Geom- etry 7, Higher Algebra 7, Latin 97, Greek 7, French 55, Spanish 9, Music 204, Drawing 60, Bookkeeping 41, Pen- manship 22, Typewriting 50, Stenography 46 and Commercial Arithmetic 22.
22
The commercial subjects are taken only by members of the two upper classes, and at present of the 76 members of these two classes 47 are taking such studies: 23 juniors and 21 seniors, with three other pupils taking one or more such studies.
There are two commercial teachers.
Twenty-five typewriters are in use.
The expense incurred in salaries of these two teachers as well as the expense for typewriters has been met by the Peirce trustees ever since the introduction of these branches into the High School.
There are ten teachers in the full teaching force with special teachers in music and drawing.
The school has a reference library of 150 volumes.
Three of the teachers have been connected with the school for over 20 years, the principal now completing his thirty- first year. To the faithful services of these three teachers is due in a large measure the high standing of the school.
Intensive team work has always been a characteristic of the school and the loyalty of the working force to the ideals for which the school stands has been exceptionally high.
Accuracy, thoroughness, honesty, intensive interest and strict fidelity to every task, with firm discipline have marked the upward progress to a high educational standard. The certificate of the principal has for years admitted the grad- uates to all higher institutions of learning that admit by certificate and with a very few exceptions, those students have fully upheld, by their standing the high reputation it has had as an exceptionally fine preparatory school.
The State Board of Education has placed the school in "Class A," thus meeting the standard set by the state for successful accomplishments. The town is to be congratu- lated on the character of the school, the personnel of the teaching body and the satisfactory dividends it is receiving from its annual investment.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
Although this topic has been given a place in the report of the Superintendent of Schools for several years it seems that the time is ripe for the consideration of the erection of such a building. By adopting the plan of having the new building for only the three upper grades in the High School a smaller building would meet the needs of the school and the cost of building the same would be less than the building originally planned. Another building will soon be needed
23
for the central grades and it seems the best policy to erect a new High School building, thus leaving the present High, School building for the elementary grades. Steps to bond the town for the erection of such a building should be taken at once.
CENTRAL SCHOOLS.
The most important problem that confronts us in the central schools as I have mentioned is need of more school accommodations. While the West Side section is taken care of for the present many of the schools in the immediate centre are too large. At present we have out of 16 of those schools ten of them having an enrollment from 45 to 53 pupils each, with an outlook that next year these rooms, will be more crowded. As has been stated our enrollment this past year was 91 more than the previous year and these pupils are in our central elementary schools. The present year we have been obliged to place the first grade in Union Street and the first grade in Forest Street Schools on the half-time plan to accommodate the large enrollment in each of those schools. The enlargement of the Union Street School building would permit the first grade to have a full-time day and provide room for 15 more pupils in the upper rear room. Even if this is done it looks now as if it might be necessary to provide a portable building next year for the Forest Street School, if nothing is done about a new High School building. I see no other solution for accommodating the central elementary grades than providing additional school room. I repeat what I have so often said that in my judgment the best solution of the problem is a new High School building and the sooner it can come the better for the schools.
A brief survey of the housing situation in the central elementary schools shows the following conditions:
At the West Side there are now six rooms with a total seating capacity of 252. There are enrolled at the present time 216 pupils. Next year if the entering grade is as large as the grade this year there will be an enrollment of 250 pupils. In two years if this increase continues it will be necessary again to transfer the upper grades to the Town House and School Street Schools provided there is any room for them.
At Forest Street there are 106 pupils, 58 in one room and. 48 in the other.
At Union Street every seat is taken and extra seats have been placed in one room. The total number is 181. Grade 1 has 50, Grade 2 47, Grade 3 53, and Grade 5 31, in the small room. Grade 8 in the Town House School numbers 79.
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In the School Street there are 392, in rooms as follows: 43, 47, 48, 48, 45, 43, 38, 40, 42.
It is evident that it would have been impossible to have housed the upper grade pupils in these schools if the West Side portable had not taken care of 65 who would have to have been transferred to these two schools, if the West Side portable had not been purchased. With such large schools there have come these results:
Less opportunity for individual attention, a lowering of standard, a larger number of repeaters, a greater tax on the physical energies of the teachers, and a harder task to main- tain discipline and concentrative work.
In the matter of repeaters one school reports that 25 per cent. will not be fitted for promotion in June. Where schools average more than 35 pupils to a room such results are sure to follow.
It is a question if these things cannot be improved whether, if room' were obtainable it would not be a practical plan to segregate immature pupils and misfits into a school where special attention could be given them. Such a plan is work- ing out successfully in many places.
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