USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oakham > Town annual report of the officials of Oakham, Massachusetts 1876 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02976 4112
Gc 974.402 0a44 1876-78 Oakham ( Mass. )
Annual report of the town officials of Oakham,
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
€-
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1. 1876.
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY TYLER & SEAGRAVE, 442 MAIN STREET, Spy Job Office, opposite City Hall.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270)
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Report of the Seleetmen of Oakham for the year ending March 1st, 1876 :
TOWN CLERK.
Paid Jesse Allen for services, $17 65
COLLECTOR.
Paid L. P. Lovell for services, 35 00
do journey to Barre, 2 00
do do Worcester, 4 00
do recording deeds and affidavits 9 80-$50 80
TREASURER.
Paid L. P. Lovell for services,
10 00
do stationery, postage and express, 4 79-$14 79 SELECTMEN.
Paid Seleetmen for services, 45 00
do perambulating town lines, 1 50
M. O. Ayres for superintending Hall farm 5 00 for postage and stationery, 55- $52 05
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Paid Overseers of the Poor, 81221 07
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Paid School Committee, for services,
$99 50 1.
BREAKING ROADS.
Paid George Allen, 28 00
Michael Gaffney,
6 00
Patrick Gaffney,
35 00
H. W. Lincoln, 7 50
Wm. E. Keep,
30 15
D. M. Parker,
7 40
David H. Nye,
23 35
Daniel Town,
11 15
Page Austin,
32 00
.A. C. Bullard,
7 40
L. N. Haskell,
35 45
4
Paid C. G. Parmenter, 2 60
George Stone,
11 00
Henry A. Crawford,
20
Thomas M. Dwelly,
2 80
Mark Haskell,
13 40
S. H. Bullard,
24 50
John Robinson,
10 60
Mirick Presho,
2 20
Isaac W. Pratt,
4 50 -- $300 20
REPAIRING HIGHWAYS.
Paid D. M. Parker,
82 05
A. C. Bullard,
77 17
Thomas M. Dwelly,
50 55
Wm. P. Dwelly,
41 00
Page Austin,
63 00
John Mathews,
60 00
T. A. Morgan,
85 00
L. N. Haskell,
67 00
John Robinson,
74 30
Patrick Gaffney,
38 00
George W. Stone,
52 35
Daniel Town,
56 00
Michael Gaffney,
63 85
Mark Haskell,
70 05
C. J. Macomber,
2 60
D. H. Nyc,
73 70 -- $956 62
SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid for West School, 258 41
Coldbrook School,
172 82
Centre do
569 65
South
180 45
East do
169 50
repairs and furniture for school hs.
17 58-$1368 41
1
STATE AID.
Paid Daniel Town, guardian,
12 00
David Lovell, do
52 00-$64 00
TOWN DEBT.
Paid Almira B. Clapp, 500 00
Adin Bullard, 445 00
Dolly II. Maynard,
240 00
Richardson, Hill & Co., note and inter- est, temporary loan, 1000 00
Perley Ayres, 97 00-$2282 00
5
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
Paid counsel fees in Hall ease, 316 19
A. Spooner, Agent in Hall case, 10 00
costs of court, do
49 43
State Treasurer, interest, 1137 50
Charles Adams, do
210 00
Wm. S. Spear, do
30 00
Perley Ayres, do
36 15
M. O. Ayres,
do
45 50
T. N. Fobes,
do
65 00
Dolly H. Maynard
do
34 00
Adin Bullard,
do
53 40
Almira B. Clapp, do
29 75
John Robinson, do 17 50
Insurance on Memorial Hall, 148 25
do P. Hall buildings,
6 25
Tyler & Seagrave for printing,
30 04
J. Paekard, serviees as sexton,
17 50
Settees for Memorial Hall,
218 73
Wm. M. Thompson, care of hall and ringing bell,
38 00
County tax,
509 42
State tax.
620 00
Corporation tax,
2 45
for deeds of Hall farm,
309 48
Discount on taxes, 400 33-$4334 87
SETTLEMENT WITH THE TREASURER. L. P. LOVELL, &C.
To balance in Treasury Mareh 1, 1875, 2902 05
Caslı, 6 12
Cash borrowed of Richardson, Hill & Co., 970 00
do for books sold, 11 51
dọ State Aid refunded,
172 00
do for National Bank tax,
25 36
do Corporation tax,
35 53
rent of Hall farm above taxes for 1876,
7 50
. Cash for grass on common,
2 50
do Dog fund, 153 45
do from Massachusetts School Fund,
229 28
do from town of Rutland for tuition of children of Otis Chickering,
Town grant, 15 00
7400 00
State tax.
620 00
County tax,
509 42
Tax for school houses,
2635 00
6
To Overlayings on all taxes, Re-assessment of tax on Hall estate,
138 90 278 58
$16112 20
Cr. By paying Selectmen's orders, 10761 96 amount refunded to school dis- tricts by order of Assessors, 2293 25-13055 21
Balance in treasury, $3056 99
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE TOWN.
To John Robinson, 250 00
Charles Adams,
2500 00
Estate of Alice Adams, 500 00
M. O. Ayres, 650 00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
17500 00
Timothy N. Fobes,
1000 00
Perley Ayres,
419 00
William S. Spear,
500 00
-$23,3119 00
M. O. AYRES, Selectmen
D. M. PARKER, of Oakham.
H. W. LINCOLN, )
T
-
Report of Overseers of Poor.
Report of the Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Oakham for the year ending March 1st 1876 :
The Overscers of the Poor respectfully submit their annual report, and present the following as the result of their labors during the year now closing :
The whole number of persons having a legal pauper settle- ment in town at the commencement of the year, and have had full support, is six.
The whole number who have a legal settlement and have re- ceived partial support, or temporary relief, is twelve, making the whole number who have received full and partial support, eighteen.
They further report that they have received of the town, Received of Edward P. Maynard, 11 25
$1221 07
Whole amount of receipts. $1232 32
which they account for as follows :
Paid Susan M. Thresher for Lucy Robinson 110 00
for Lucy M. Goodale, 169 00
Steplien Chamberlain and wife, 73 86
Freeman Severy, 79 50 432 36
William P. Dwelly for Freeman Severy, 129 71
There will be due Dr. Shannon for medical attendatree on Freeman Severy. (27 00.)
Paid Elijah S. Carter for Lydia Chamberlain,
75 00
Maria Burbank for Eliza Battise, 60 00
Thomas J. Chamberlain for Sally Foster, 79 50 do do Stephen Chamberlain, 43 75 123 2% Dexter Knight for Arathusa Knight, 52 00
Alanson Prouty for Malinda Woodis and clothing for the poor, 55 01
City of Springfield for Lyman P. Crawford and family, 99 94
for Aliec A. Perkins and child, 51 77
for keeping 41 tramps, 30 75
1
S
Wm. O. Keep for Stephen Stone, 6 12
Dr. Shannon for medical attendance, 68 50
Nathan S. Walker, wood for Malinda Woodis, 7 00
John Robinson for burying Sophia Chamberlain, 2 00
Horace Wilbur, shoes for Lydia Chamberlain,
2 00
Mrs. E. S. Carter and S. M. Thresher, sewing, Page Austin for services, 10 00
6 90
John Robinson do 10 00
Nathan S. Walker, do
10 00 30 00
$1232 32
Paid previous to April 1, 1875,
552 75
since
April 1, 1875, 679 57
- $1232 32
There will be due April 1, 1876, $500.
Name and age of persons who have been fully supported by the town during the year :
Reg. No. Names.
Age.
No. 1.
Sally Foster,
95 years.
6. Eliza Battise, 83 do
7. Stephen Chamberlain, do
8. Lucy Robinson, do
10.
Lucy M. Goodale,
30 do
16.
Freeman Severy, do
Name and age of persons who have received partial support :
Reg. No. Names. Age.
No. 2. Arathusa Knight, 84 years.
12. Malinda Woodis, 83 do
13. Lydia Chamberlain, 31 do
15.
Alice A. Perkins -
do
9. Lyman P. Crawford, at Springfield, Mass. 62 do
do
18. Hannah Kenney, do do
40
do
19. Patrick Kenney, do do
17 do
20. Elizabeth Kenney, do do
15
do
21. Anna Kenney, do do
13 do
Jolm Kenney, . do
do
8 do
PAGE AUSTIN,
Overseers JOHN ROBINSON, of
NATHAN S. WALKER, ) Poor.
1
17. Patrick Kenney, Somerville, Mass. 43
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1877.
---------------
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY TYLER & SEAGRAVE, 442 MAIN STREET, Spy Job Office, opposite City Hall.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1877.
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY TYLER & SEAGRAVE, 442 MAIN STREET, Spy Job Office, opposite City Hall.
:
١٠٤
-
Selectmen's Report.
Report of the Selectmen of the town of Oakham for the year ending March 1st, 1877 :
TOWN CLERK.
Paid Town Clerk,
$21 55
SELECTMEN.
Paid Selectmen for services,
51 00
for stationery and postage,
96-
$51 96
COLLECTOR.
Paid Collector for services,
$35 00
TREASURER.
Paid Treasurer for services,
10 00
for printing, express, postage and
stationery,
13 08-$23 08
ASSESSORS.
Paid Assessors for services to Mar. 1, 1876, 198 00 do printing valuation, 88 39
express, postage and stationery,
3 66
Assessors for services to Mar. 1, 1877, 80 00-$370 05
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Paid Overseers of the Poor,
$1339 69
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Paid School Committee for services, 90 50
Paid School Committee for repairs on school houses and furniture for samc, 171 33 -- $261 83 BREAKING ROADS.
Paid Patrick Gaffney,
2 40
Charles M. Wood,
4 25
David Logan, 7 45
Page Austin, 2 85
David H. Nye, 4 93-$61 88
4
REPAIRING HIGHWAYS.
Paid D. M. Parker, 74 02
C. M. Wood,
50 00
John Matthews,
62. 05
Page Austin,
40 85
David Logan,
59 59
H. W. Lincoln,
54 43
T. A. Morgan,
90 00
L. N. Haskell,
67 00
D. H. Nye,
73 10
Wm. P. Dwelly,
61 57
A. C. Bullard,
42 42
J. P. Morse,
63 13
Benjamin Nurss,
39 75
Mark Haskell,
80 72
Z. L. Winslow,
37 50 -- $896 13
Paid D. M. Parker for repairing bridge near
Clark's mill, 5 95
Paid D. M. Parker for repairing culvert near Coldbrook,
39 00-$44 95
SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid for West School, 301 87
East School,
169 00
South School,
170 00
Coldbrook School,
177 00
Centre Schools,
515 60
making fires and crayons,
21 00-$1354 47
TOWN DEBT.
Paid Richardson, Hill & Co., (temporary
loan,)
1000 00
M. O. Ayres,
250 00
Perley Ayres,
19 00
Wm. S. Spear, (temporary loan,)
100 00
Charles Adams, Jr.,
500 00
Jolm Robinson,
250 00-$2119 00
INTEREST.
Paid T. N. Fobes, 65 00
W. S. Spear,
33 00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
1137 50
Perley Ayres,
34 67
D. Lovell,
1 50
M. O. Ayres,
32 17
Charles Adams, Jr.,
192 50
Jolm Robinson,
17 70-$1514 04
5
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
Paid Wm. M. Thompson, care of hall and ringing bell, 35 00
Wm. S. Crawford for guide boards, 6 00
Charles Brimblecom for counsel fees, 5 00
George F. Verry 66 66
75 00
Tyler & Seagrave for printing, 21 80
County tax,
242 51
State tax, 360 00
for repairs on barn at the Hall place, 4 00
for desk to Town Hall,
12 89
for three chairs for Selectmen's office, 4 13
Discount on taxes, 384 22
Insurance on East School House, 9 75
James Packard for services as Sexton, 16 00
for plank to well on Common, 90
for State Aid, 80 00
Abatement of taxes,
177 26
for stove for Selectmen's office,
7 85-$1442 31
SETTLEMENT WITH THE TREASURER.
L. P. LOVELL, Treasurer,
DR.
To balance in Treasury March 1, 1876,
3056 99
Cash borrowed of Richardson, Hill & Co.,
978 33
" W. S. Spear,
100 00
State Aid refunded,
Cash from salc of East Centre School House, do coal for High School,
5 35
do
Corporation tax,
32 48
do National Bank,
23 7
do salc of grass,
4 75
do Dog fund,
112 61
do
Massachusetts School fund,
224 87
do sale of North School House,
45 20
do old school house desks,
1 50
do interest on unpaid taxes,
57 23
do sale of South-west School House,
13 00
do Hall cstatc above taxes,
15 92
Town grant,
7434 83
State tax,
360 00
County tax,
242 51
Overlayings on taxes,
43 30
$12,899 15
96 00
50 50
6
CREDIT.
By paying Selectmen's orders, $9535 94
Balance in Treasury, $3363 21
Balance in favor of school account, 483 01
highway, 3 87
interest, 20 79-$517 67
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE TOWN.
To Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 17500 00
Wm. S. Spear,
500 00
Perley Ayres, 400 00
T. N. Fobes, 1000 00
Charles Adams, Jr.,
2500 00
M. O. Ayres,
400 00
$22,300 00
M. O. AYRES, -
H. W. LINCOLN, S :
of Oakham.
Selectmen D. M. PARKER, .
-
Report of Overseers of Poor.
The Board of Overseers of the Poor for the year ending March 1, 1877, respectfully submit the following report :
During the year now closing, seven persons have received full support, and sixteen partial support or temporary relief. Total number receiving full and partial support, is twenty- three. During the year, one death has occurred, viz : Arathusa Knight died August 14, aged 84 years.
They further report that they have received of the town, $1339 69
which they account for as follows :
Paid full support for the following persons :
Paid for Sally Foster, $82 75, aged 96 years. 84
Eliza Battease, 60 00,
Lucy Robinson,
110 00, 49
Lucy M. Goodale, 169 00, 31
Freeman Severy,
142 00, 45
Stephen Chamberlain, 87 50, 69
Lydia Chamberlain, 67 75,
32
$719 00
. The following families and persons have received aid during the year :
Paid J. G. Shannon for medical attendance in family of Geo. E. Reed, 57 50
John W. Adams for assistance render- ed in the family of Geo. E. Reed, 58 00 Sundry persons for provisions, cloth- ing, &c., for Geo. E. Reed, 73 20- $188 70
J. G. Shannon for medical attendance from Oct. 1, 1875 to Oct. 1, 1876,
101 75
for the family of Patrick Kenny, Arathusa Knight, 52 00
80 59
Melinda Woodis, 19
83 tramps, 62 25
clothing,
31 74
8
Paid for medicine, postage and stationery for 1875 and 6, Overseers for services,
3 22
1 25
30 00
$1339 69
Amount paid out, There will be due April 1, 1877, $400. All of which is respectfully submitted.
PAGE AUSTIN, JOHN ROBINSON,
Overseers of
NATHAN S. WALKER,
Poor.
:
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
Aggregates of Polls, Property, Taxes, &c., of the Town of Oakham, as assessed May 1, 1876.
Number of polls, 243
Valuation of personal estate,
861,706 00
Valuation of real estate, 294,515 00
Amount of property exempted from taxation, belonging to unmarried females.
Valuation of personal estate,
$475 00
Valuation of real estate, 9,300 00
The State, County and Town taxes are made on a scale of two cents, one mill and four-tenths on a dollar, equal to $21.40 on $1000.
A poll tax is $2.
Amount raised by the town for interest,
฿1,534 83
Common Schools,
1,000 00
Highways,
900 00
Town Debt,
1,000 00
Contingent expenses,
3,000 00
County tax,
242 51
State tax,
360 00
Overlayings,
43 30
Total assessment,
฿8,080 64
Number of dwelling houses,
185
horses,
192
COWS,
429
sheep,
91
acres of land taxed,
12,750
minors between five and fifteen years,
153
men liable to do military duty,
101
dogs,
65
MARK HASKELL,
Assessors WM. S. CRAWFORD, of
HENRY P. AUSTIN, Oakham.
1876.
Births, Deaths and Marriages in Oakham.
BIRTHS.
1876. Jan. 5th. Son to Peter White.
Mar. 11th. Son to Honoro Beaule.
Mar. 19th. Son to John Bartlett.
Mar. 28th. Daughter to Joseph S. Bruce.
Apr. 22d. Son to Alfred M. Woodis.
May 15th. . Son to Albert C. Stearns.
May 25th. Daughter to Samuel King.
June 9th.
Son to Joseph Topp.
July 14th. Daughter to Myron J. Kennen.
Aug. 6th. Son to James K. Clark.
Aug. 12th.
Daughter to Cheney Bothwell.
Sept. 9th.
Son to Frank Boyd.
Sept. 30th.
Son to Rogene F. Parker.
Nov. 7th.
Son to Albert H. Matthews.
Nov. 15th. Daughter to William H. Holman. Dec. 11tlı. Daughter to William O. Warren.
Total, 16.
DEATHS.
Jan. 5th, 1876. David P. Walker, 22 yrs., 6 mos., 3 ds.
May 27th,
James C. Gray, 34 yrs., 12 ds.
June 5th,
Charles S. Clark, 68 yrs., 2 mos., 24 ds.
Aug. 14th,
Arathusa Knight, 84 yrs., 8 mos., 16 ds.
Sept. 29th, Mary Shedd, 61 yrs., 1 mo., 14 ds.
Oct. 5th,
George B. Garfield, 26 yrs., 11 mos.
Dec. 30th,
Melissa C. Presho, 83 yrs., 1 mo., 17 ds.
Total, 7.
MARRIAGES.
Feb. 16th, 1876. Fred M. Luce to Lizzie Duffy.
Mar. 25th, James F. Farrall to Alice Perkins. .
June 1st,
James F. Pettengill to Ella Kendall.
June 5th, Samuel K. Trow to Charlotte E. Ross.
Dec. 21st, Allston B. Collier to Mary M. Thomas. Dec. 25th, John P. Day to Mary D. Whitney. Total, 6.
A truc copy : Attest : JESSE ALLEN, Town Clerk.
1
SCHOOL REPORT.
The School Committee of Oakham present to the town the following report :
In account as follows :
DR.
Sum left from last year,
$600 00
Appropriated by the town,
900 00
From State School Fund,
224 87
Returned from Dog Tax,
112 61
Total,
$1837 48
CR. EAST HILL SCHOOL.
By cash paid Mary Robinson for teaching summer term,
$54 00
L. P. Lovell for teaching winter term, 96 00
C. M. Wood, two cords wood, 10 00
Martin Maynard, two cords wood,
9 00 .
$169 00
SOUTH SCHOOL.
. By cash paid Jessie Morgan for teaching summer term, $60 00
H. W. Lincoln for teaching winter term,
100 00
C. O. Adams, two cords wood, 10 00
$ 70 00
WEST SCHOOL.
By cash paid Minnie L. Brooks, teaching summer term,
60 00
H. A. Crawford, teaching winter term, 05 00
John Leyden, three cords wood,
17 87
$182 87
12
COLDBROOK SCHOOL.
By cash paid Ada V. Walker, teaching spring term, 48 00 Ada V. Walker, teaching fall term, 48 00
C. B. Perry, teaching winter term, 70 00
John Walker, two cords wood, .
11 00
$177 00
CENTER SCHOOL, NO. I.
By cash paid Louise K. Ruggles, teaching summer term, $90 00
Louise K. Ruggles, teaching winter term,
120 00
$210 00
CENTER SCHOOL, NO. II.
By cash paid Rosa J. Bullard, teaching summer term, Rosa J. Bullard, teaching winter term, coal,
84 00
56 25
$112 25
By cash paid tending fires and furnace,
$22 50
10 boxes crayons,
2 50
broom and pails,
1 84
By cash paid H. A. Crawford, 1875-6, teaching winter term, Lizzie J. Bullard, 1875-6, teaching winter term,
84 00
Total expense,
$1350 96
Balance,
$486 52
The town also appropriated for repairs $100.
Expended as follows :
EAST HILL SCHOOL HOUSE.
Cash paid James Packard, $32 00
1-2 M. shingles,
2 50
4 3-4 M. shingles,
22 50
1
337 feet boards,
6 94
C
C. M. Wood, labor,
10 99
S
Austin Adams, labor,
7 35
55 lbs. nails,
3 05
lead and oil,
5 98
01
varnish and putty,
1 80
a1
one barrel lime,
3 00
W. O. Keep, drawing sand, &c.,
3 50
1
1
119 00
:
$72 00
13
' Cash paid, door and trimmings, 4 40
clapboards,
6 30
sash and lights,
60
George N. Briggs,
50
stove pipe,
72
curtains and fixtures,
87
hair for plaster,
1 20-$124 20
WEST SCHOOL HOUSE.
Cash paid James Packard, glass, putty and labor, $2 40
A. J. Holden, lime, nails, &c., 3 10 -- $5 50
COLDBROOK SCHOOL HOUSE.
Cash paid 4 1-2 M. shingles, $18 87
H. A. Crawford, labor, 6 20
A. C. Stearns,
1 17
25 lbs. nails,
1 25- -$27 49
Center repairs, 1 50
Total for repairs, $158 69
We have made an exchange of spelling books at an expense of $27- $7.20 worth of new books on hand.
We think our schools have been more than usually successful during the past year. We do not know that it will be useful to the teachers, or to the people to particularize, in regard to every school.
The harmony and good feeling existing have been marked, and high- ly gratifying to us. Excellent order has been maintained in nearly every school.
" The success of our public schools depends largely upon the co-op- eration of parent and teacher, and the adjustment of right relations be tween the home and the school. The school-room is but a secondary home, and the teacher, from the time the pupil leaves home till he re- turns, assumes the place of the parent ; and with the child and to- wards the teacher, should go the parent's sympathy and kindly co- operation, in the great work of training the child, and educating it into something beautiful and manly in spirit and character. Schools, socie- ty, government, churches, almshouses and prisons are but a reflection and outgrowth of the home." Will parents think of this ; and in view of these truths, and in remembrance of the effort each has made to aid and encourage the teacher of his or her own children, decide as to the measure of success he has a right to claim for them. We think few parents realize how much good they may do by frequent visits to
14
the school. We will copy a few lines from a Report of the Committee , of Wilbraham, which will show the views of others beside ourselves. They say : " It is a real help in their education. It cultivates con- fidence. It tends to punctuality and studiousness. It induces good conduct. Where schools are frequently visited by parents and friends, the children feel under a certain wholesome restraint, while at the same time they learn to throw off that painful bashfulness, which is such a drawback in later life, if not early overcome ; and in the pres- ence of others beside teacher and companions, they come to acquire an ease and freedom of expression and manner, which are so much more to be desired than that awkwardness and boorishness which are no part of a good education."
If in many cases this is impracticable we can do much by encourag- ing our children to bring home their books, hear them read over their lessons, talk about them, and thus make them feel that we have a real interest in their studies.
i Were the visits made or the lessons examined at home, in many cases, parents would become aware of a fact which has occasioned your committee much anxiety, and which we do not hesitate to say is an evil : namely, the use of text-books that are beyond the ability of the pupil to comprehend.
This is most manifest in the use of reading books. The whole mat- ter is most aptly illustrated by a story in a late paper, which reads as follows :
" A boy once got a little flute. He was very fond of music, and wanted his father to teach him how to play. So his father just taught him how to blow the finte, and for a long time he would not let him do anything else but just blow thic flute so long every day.
Then he wrote him out one tunc to learn, and then another, till he had six. The boy thought he had learned these and could take some- thing else ; but his father kept him at these six tunes, playing them over and over for many weeks. The boy became very tired of them- He thought his father was keeping him back. He thought he could play those six tunes just as well as he could ever learn to play them. It was only wasting time to be doing the same thing over and over again. But his father every day would tell him how to do this thing, and that thing a little differently, how to make sounds clear and pure ; how to move his fingers properly ; how to change from one sort of a tune to another ; and so the boy was learning all the time, and did not know it. What made him more uneasy, another hoy had begun to learn about the same time, and could play twenty or thirty pieces.
15
"One day our boy complained to his father, 'Here I have been all these months, and only know six tunes.' His father replied, 'You have not learned many tunes, but you have learned to play the flute well, and that is better than learning tunes. Now you can leave your six pieces, and play just what you like.' So the boy took up a music- book, and was surprised to find that he could play anything he turned to, and play it well. He could even play the other boy's pieces a great deal better than the boy himself. While he had been drilling on those six tedious tunes, he had become master of the flute." So we must learn to do thorough work, before we can expect any reward, and if we want to advance, we must take pains with what we are now doing, and be sure to do it well.
With regard to repairs on school-houses, we have to say : The East Hill school-house has been repaired, and is now pleasant and comfort- able. We have also shingled one side of the Coldbrook house, which we did not expect to do when we asked for the appropriation last year. It had already been too long delayed. The West and South school- houses need considerable repairing. We therefore ask for an appro- priation of one hundred ($100) dollars, and purpose to repair the West school-house the coming year.
Number of children between the ages of 5 and 15 in town, May 1, 1876, was 156.
Whole number in all our schools during the past year was in sum- mer 133. Average, 119. In winter, 167. Average, 140.
These figures will give about 10 per cent. less in summer. 16 per cent. in winter.
ROLL OF HONOR.
Names of those who have been neither absent nor tardy :
EAST HILL SCHOOL.
Two terms-Freddie Keep, Jolinny H. Keep. One term-Rosa Topp, Clement Topp, Peter Topp, Pliny D. Wood, Hattie Henry, Willie A. Keep.
SOUTHI SCHOOL.
Two terms-Harry B. Stoddard. Onc term-Addie E. Dean, Lucy E. Morgan, Katic M. Woodis, Nellic E. Bothwell, Jennie E. Bemis, Bessie S. Weld.
WEST BRICK SCHOOL.
One term-Annic M. Gaffney, Katie White, Thomas P. White Frank Winslow, Elmer Allen, James Leyden.
16
COLDBROOK SCHOOL.
One term-W. H. Foskett, Emma L. Coleman, Ida B. Coleman, Mary L. Butterfield, H. G. Stearns, H. L. Coleman, Geo. H. Craw- ford.
CENTER, NO. I.
Two terms-Lillie Crawford, Mattie Dean, Emma Robinson, Al- fred Morse. One term-Alice Ayres, Jennie Lincoln, Florence Sar- gent, Frank Ayres, Jennie Mandall, Mary Robinson, Myrtie Wilbur, Winnie Ayres, Henry Babbitt, Willie Fuller, Walter Robinson.
CENTER, NO. 11.
Two terms-Nellie A. Davis, Fannie M. Thompson, Mary E. May- nard, Chester G. Loring, Frank E. Burt, D. Oscar Lovell. One term- Elsie Sargent, Myrtie Wilbur, Mary L. Wilbur, Lilla B. Spooner, Sarah E. Butler, Lizzie Sheern, Katie Sheern, Lillian E. Robinson, Willie H. Lincoln, Frank Davis.
H. W. LINCOLN, L. P. LOVELL, School Committee. L. E. MORTON,
-
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1878.
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY TYLER & SEAGRAVE. 442 MAIN STREET .. Spy Job Office, opposite City Hall.
4.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1878.
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY TYLER & SEAGRAVE, 442 MAIN STREET, Spy Job Office, opposite City Hall.
·
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Report of the Selectmen of the Town of Oakham for the year ending March 1, 1878:
TOWN CLERK.
Paid Town Clerk, $23 25
SELECTMEN.
Paid Selectmen for services, $51 00
for postage, express and stationery, 1 54
voters' register,
80
counsel fees,
11 00-$64 34
COLLECTOR.
Paid L. P. Lovell for services, for postage and stationery, searching records, printing tax bills,
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