USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oakham > Town annual reports of the officials of the town of Oakham, Massachusetts 1880 > Part 1
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REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS,
OF THE
Town of Oakham,
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1880.
WORCESTER : MAYNARD, GOUGH & CO .. BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. No. 28 Foster Street. 1880.
REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF OAKHAM,
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1880.
WORCESTER : MAYNARD, GOUGH & CO., BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, No. 28 Foster Street. MDCCCLXXX.
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN OF OAKHAM, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1880.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Paid Town Clerk for services, $19 70
postage, express and stationery, 4 31 $24 0I
Paid Selectmen for services, 50 00
postage and stationery, , I 40
51 40
Paid Collector of Taxes for services, 30 00
postage and stationery, 6 21
36 21
Paid Treasurer for services, 10 00
Paid Assessors for services,
86 00
Paid School Committee for services,
43 00
Paid Overseers of the Poor, support of paupers and services, 1,027 36
REPAIRING HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.
Paid George Allen,
$36 45
William O. Keep,
46 20
John Robinson,
59 25
William Spear,
54 3C
Edwin N. Hunt,
16 90
Nathan S. Walker,
72 75
Avery C. Bullard,
97 53
Charles A. Ware,
57 65
Cheney Bothwell,
85 00
T. N. Fobes,
IO 77
Henry A. Crawford,
56 00
Herbert E. Brigham,
60 35
John Leyden,
13 50
D. F. Parmenter,
73 20
S. J. Foster,
46 74
4
Paid Charles H. Shedd, J. Waldo Knight, John Mathews,
$45 00 40 90 3 97
876 46
BREAKING OUT ROADS.
Paid George Allen,
12 26
William O. Keep,
16 69
Charles A. Ware,
7 15
Benjamin Nurss,
8 87
H. A. Crawford,
22 28
A. C. Bullard,
8 47
George L. Ripley,
7 90
D. F. Parmenter,
6 40
N. S. Walker,
5 45
John Robinson,
2 85
Charles H. Shedd,
20 61
Lewis N. Haskell,
37 72
S. H. Bullard,
18 16
J. Waldo Knight,
5 70
W. P. Adams.
3º 95
H. E. Brigham,
3 65
215 II
SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid Miss Ada V. Walker, Teacher,
140 00
Flora Crawford,
76 00
Helen E. Dean,
194 00
66 Mary Robinson, 66
80 00
66 Minnie Brooks, 66
148 00
66 Mattie J. Dean, 66
8 00
66 Mary A. Sanborn,
160 00
66 Mr. Leonard P. Lovell, Teacher,
70 00
66
66 Stephen Boyden, 66
62 50
For fuel and care of school houses,
137 95
Books, crayons, erasers, &c.,
6 82
1,083 27
TOWN DEBT.
Paid Charles Adams, Jr., 1,000 00
INTEREST.
Paid Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Charles Adams, Jr., T. N. Fobes,
1,137 50
90 00
35 00
1,262 50
STATE AID.
Paid Eliza Plimpton, 48 00
5
Paid William A. Parmenter,
120 00 $168 00
MILITARY AID, UNDER CHAPTER 252, LAWS 1879.
Paid on account, Daniel Rogers, 20 00
MISCELLANEOUS.
Paid William M. Thompson for care of hall and ringing bell, 35 00
Maynard, Gough & Co. for printing town reports, 20 40
John Mathews for injuries from alleged defect in highways, 50 00
For insurance of Coldbrook School House, 66 Memorial Hall,
13 60
For repairs of South School House, 66 Coldbrook “
5 99
For repairing four School House Stoves,
II OO
" School furniture,
75 82
James Packard for services as sexton,
36 75
County Tax,
326 18
State Tax,
100 00
Discount on Taxes,
299 13
Abatement of Taxes,
215 73
Repairs of buildings on Hall place,
33 50
1,323 26
SETTLEMENT WITH THE TOWN TREASURER.
L. P. LOVELL, TREASURER, DR.
To Balance in Treasury, March 1, 1879,
3,595 08
Cash received for Coal sold,
9900
66 from Town of Petersham,
66
B. P. Clark for Liquor License, 100 00
for Corporation Tax, 3 84
66
National Bank Tax, 23 17
66
State Aid refunded, 46 00
66
Relief of indigent soldiers,
IO 97
66
Burial State paupers,
5 00
66 from Dog Fund, 90 37
40 00
66
from Mass. School Fund,
214 06
66
for Tuition Center District, 20 00
66
School Books sold,
4 50
66
from Town Grant,
6,300 00
County Tax,
326 18
75 13
21 03
Other School Houses, 4 00
5 55
66
for sale West Center School House, Grass on Common, 5 75
66
6
To cash received from State Tax, $100 00
Overlayings, 22 16
66 for Hall Farm Rent, 39 05 66
Interest from delinquent tax payers, 39 55 11,000 23
-CR .-
By paying orders of Selectmen, 7,226 58
Balance in Treasury to new account,
3,773 65 11,000 23
By Balance in favor of School Fund, 66 Contingent Fund, Deficiency in Highway Fund, $3 18
779 31
2,994 34
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE TOWN.
To the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, T. N. Fobes, Charles Adams, Jr.,
17,500 00 500 00 500 00 18,500 00
MOSES O. AYRES, Selectmen AVERY C. BULLARD, of
JOHN B. FAIRBANK, Oakham.
·
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR,
OF THE TOWN OF OAKHAM, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1880.
The Overseers in presenting their Annual Report to the Town, re- spectfully submit the following as the result of their labors in the discharge of the duties of their office during the past year.
Several applications have been made for admission into our family, but the applicants not having the legal qualifications are denied. The fiery darts that have been hurled at the Overseers for their denial of those cases, all have fallen harmless at our feet.
We have one unfortunate member, that has caused us some little trouble ; we were fortunate, as we thought, in securing a place of his choice for board ; for several months all was satisfactory, and there was evidence of both mental and physical improvement-after which a feeling of discontent seemed to prevail, probably in part, through outside influ- ence. While we would recognize the maternal affection, to be just and right, still we feel that under particular circumstances there should be a limit. In this case, the Overseers have been accused of a want of due kindness to the unfortunate poor.
It would be wise, we think, before giving a verdict, to know the facts in the case. As a result, request was made to go and care for himself, which in our judgment was not for the interest of the town or person, and was denied ; but assuming no authority other than his own will, his bark, which had more sail than ballast floated away, where and how far we know not, as it returned without cost to the town, its wanderings was suf- fered, but not by us approved.
During the year, fifteen persons have received full or partial support. They further report that they have received of the town, $1,027 36 Received from the sales of beds, bedding and wearing apparel of deceased paupers, 17 44
Received from the estate of Jesse Liberty, Jr., 5 00
Amount received,
1,049 So
Which we account for as follows :
8
Paid for Sally Foster,
$32 00
Eliza Battease,
60 00
Stephen Chamberlain,
45 15
Lydia Chamberlain,
67 50
Lucy M. Goodale,
156 00
Lucy Robinson,
91 85
Lucius Wood,
117 75 8 15
Lyman P. Crawford,
53 50
Joseph Bro,
6 90
Malinda Woodis, George D. Whitcomb,
5 55
City of Somerville for Patrick Kenney and family,
34 60
Cambridge for Daniel Rogers and family,
26 54
Alanson Prouty, clothing, &c.,
IO 65
Dr. F. E. Brigham, medical attendance, town's poor,
36 30
Davidson Barr for care and support of State paupers, Mrs. C. O. Adams for nursing State paupers,
7 50
James Packard, three coffins for State paupers, coffin for Jesse Liberty, Jr., 10 00
17 00
coffins for Sally Foster and S. Chamberlain,
18 00
E. P. Maynard for opening and closing three graves, A. Lincoln, Rent for Lock-up,
3 00
Wm. S. Crawford, lumber, labor, &c. for Lock-up, 10 05 66 Keeping 54 tramps, 13 50
5 00
Overseers for three journeys and expense to Worcester, (Emmeline Whittemore case,) IO 49
Page Austin for two journeys to Boston, Somerville and Cambridge, 15 05
for searching records at Brandon, Vt., Whittemore, alias Green, alias Parkhurst case,
I 25
Postage and stationery, I IO
30 00
Amount paid, 1,049 80
Received of the town of Petersham for George D. Whitcomb, 5 55
Due from Commonwealth for aid furnished State paupers, 88 18
Yearly expense of support of the poor,
956 II
There will be due, April 1, 1880,
300 00
All which is respectfully submitted,
PAGE AUSTIN, Overseers JOHN ROBINSON. of the
WM. S. CRAWFORD, ) Poor.
58 00
State paupers,
45 25
Overseers' ordinary services,
51 21
Clothing for L. Wood,
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
AGGREGATES OF POLLS, PROPERTY, TAXES, &C., OF THE TOWN OF OAKHAM, AS ASSESSED MAY 1, 1879.
Number of Polls,
230
Valuation of Personal Estate,
$ 62,295
Valuation of Real Estate,
293,941
Amount of property exempt from taxation, belonging to unmarried females, Real Estate,
6,275
The State, County and Town Taxes are made on a scale of one cent and eight mills on a dollar, equal to $18. on $1,000. A poll tax is $1.46.
Amount raised by the town for schools,
$800 00
66
Highways,
800 00
66
Town Debt,
1000 00
Contingent Expenses,
3700 00
County Tax,
326 18
66
State 66
100 00
Overlayings,
22 16
No. of dwelling houses,
IS5
66 horses,
185
66 cows,
451
sheep,
103
Acres of land taxed,
12,970
Minors between 5 and fifteen years of age,
I35
L. P. LOVELL,
Assessors
D. R. DEAN, of
W. PRESCOTT ADAMS, ) Oakham.
OAKHAM BIRTHS, DEATHS & MARRIAGES.
MARRIAGES.
Jan. 28, 1879
John E. Stone to
Mary J. Larabee.
May 28,
Homer A. Adams 66
Katie A. Smith. Martha L. Bradford.
Nov. 20. Charles H. Trowbridge
66 29
Henry W. Bartlett 60
Eliza J. Jenks.
Whole No. 4.
1
10
BIRTHS.
Feb. 9, 1879,
Son to 66
Jerry Mann. J. B. Pion.
6.
16,
28,
Daughter to Son to
Joseph Burneau. Marcus M. Butterfield.
Apr. 19,
Charles S. Woodbury. George H. Wilder.
May 19,
66
23,
Daughter to Son to
June 2.
..
10,
Daughter to Son to 66
J. W. Bemis. Frank Pluff.
30,
Daughter to
William H. Sheen. N. W. Packard. Miles Gaffney.
Sept. 3,
Daughter to
Herbert E. Brigham.
20,
Son to
Nov. 21,
Daughter to
66
23,
Horace M. Green. Amory Poudret. Louis Snay.
Whole No. 24.
DEATHS.
YEARS.
1
MONTHS.
1 DAYS.
Jan.
12,
Nancy F. Burt,
S4
10
0
66
18, 21,
Sally Foster,
97
3
0
22,
Isabella R. Hill,
34
2
13
66
27
Anna H. Keith,
77
6
13
Feb.
9,
Edith B. Clark,
61
4
7
10
Andrew Spooner,
61
3
19
66
14
Stephen Chamberlain,
72
4
0
Mar.
3,
Samuel King,
37
10
19
26.
Mary Ann Harrington,
73
0
13
Apr.
6,
Charles B. Green,
75
8
4
66
11
Georgianna Whitcomb,
0
3
27
May
16,
Anna E. Whitcomb,
37
0
23
June 4.
William Simmons,
23
0
0
4,
James F. Farrall,
28
10
17
July 3,
John Bullard,
36
5
0
66
20.
Constant B. Thrasher,
56
11
3
Aug. 26,
Louisa L. Dwight,
68
1
23
Sept. 15,
Jesse Liberty,
28
2
17
19,
Lucinda K. Jones,
70
3
Oct.
27.
Clarence E. Prescott,
3
8
23
Dec.
1,
Ann A. Packard,
84
8
21
21.
Capt. Sumner Barr,
78
7
23
Whole No. 25.
66
28,
Peter Deusette. John Brinley. James Sheern. Nelson Aldrich. Felix Lemarie. Edgar Cleveland.
15,
28,
July 8,
23,
Daughter to Son to
Aug. 17,
18,
Son to
John Gilboy. William S. Crawford. James Farrall.
Oct. 16,
John Maynard,
28
6
22
66
8,
Austin Goodell,
76
2
13
26,
Israel P. Shedd,
67
25
Dec. 2,
28,
Mar. 17,
SCHOOL REPORT.
The School Committee of Oakham present the following Report for the year ending March Ist, 18So.
-DR .- -
To amount in treasury at last report, $729 15 800
appropriated by the town,
66 received from state school fund,
214 06
66 66 dog tax fund, 90 37
66
tuition, center district, 20
66 coal sold, " 66
9
$1862 58
CR .-
EAST HILL SCHOOL.
By amount paid Miss Ada V. Walker, teaching three terms, 26 weeks, $140. Fuel and care of house, 12.82
SOUTH SCHOOL.
$152.82
By amount paid Miss Flora Crawford, teaching spring and fall terms, 16 weeks, $76.
" " paid Leonard P. Lovell, teaching winter term, 10 weeks, For fuel and care of house,
70. 22.50
168.50
COLDBROOK SCHOOL.
By amount paid Miss Helen Dean, teaching three terms, 26 weeks, $194.
12
For fuel and care of house,
$18.25
212.25
WEST SCHOOL.
By amount paid Miss Mary Robinson, teaching spring and fall terms, 16 weeks,
$80.
66 66 Stephen Boyden, teaching winter term, 10 weeks, 62.50 14.
Fuel and care of house,
CENTER SCHOOL.
By amt. paid Miss Minnie L. Brooks, teaching 3 terms, 26 weeks, $148.
66
Mattie J. Dean, assistant, one term, 8 8.
Mary A. Sanborn, teaching 2 terms 20 160.
60 " for fuel and care of house, 61.38
377.38
Paid for books crayons, erasers, brooms, &c., $6.82 coal sold, 9.
15.82
Total expense of schools chargeable to school fund, $1,083.27 Balance in treasury belonging to school fund, 779.31
There have been two terms of eight weeks each, and one term of ten weeks in all the schools of the town, except in the center district, where the two schools were combined for the spring term, and the fall term of school No I was extended two weeks, making in this school two terms of ten weeks each. To meet the expense of the two additional weeks of this school, a tuition of one dollar per scholar was charged, and twenty dollars collected.
The attendance in the several schools has been as follows :
EAST HILL SCHOOL.
Miss Ada V. Walker, teacher, Spring, fall and winter terms.
Spring term, Whole No. of scholars, II. Average attendance, 9.
Fall 60
66 15,
12 I-2
Winter 66
13, IO I-2
SOUTH SCHOOL.
Spring and fall terms, Miss Flora Crawford, teacher. Winter term, Mr. Leonard P. Lovell, teacher.
Spring term, Whole No of Scholars, 13,
Average attendance, 10
17 I-2 Fall 66
66 20,
Winter
66
18
21,.
156.50
13
COLDBROOK SCHOOL.
Spring, fall and winter terms, Miss Helen Dean, teacher.
Spring term, Whole No. of scholars, 25, Average attendance, 20 1-2
Fall
22,
20
Winter
66
66
27, 66 25
WEST SCHOOL.
Spring and fall terms, Miss Mary Robinson, teacher. Winter term, Mr. Stephen Boyden, teacher.
Spring term, Whole No. of Scholars, 24,
Average attendance, 18 I-2
Fall 66 66 24,
66 18 I-2
Winter “
66
25, 66
19 1-2
CENTER SCHOOL.
Spring term, Miss Minnie Brooks, teacher; Miss Mattie Dean, assistant. Whole number of scholars, 46, Average attendance, 43 I-2
CENTER SCHOOL, No. I.
Fall and winter terms, Miss Mary A. Sanborn, teacher. Fall term, Whole No. of Scholars, 23,
Average attendance, 21 I-4
Winter “ 66 66 29,
26 I-2
CENTER SCHOOL, No. 2.
Fall and winter terms, Miss Minnie Brooks, teacher. Fall term, Whole No. of Scholars, 34, Average attendance, 31 I-2
3I, 66 Winter “ 66
27
The attendance in all the schools was :
In the spring term, whole No. 119, 66 Fall
Average, 101 I-2
138,
I2I I-4
Winter “ 66 148,
66 126 1-4
The number of children in town May Ist, 1879, as ascertained by the assessors, was 135.
The committee have caused repairs to be made on the south school house to the amount of $21 03, and on the Coldbrook house to the amount of $5 99, and on the other houses to the amount of $4. They have also expended $11. in the repair of school-house stoves.
Further repairs are needed, and they suggest an appropriation for that purpose, of fifty dollars.
For the support of schools the coming year, they recommend an appropriation of seven hundred and fifty dollars.
14
The following By-Laws respecting truancy were duly adopted by the town, Dec. 24, 1879.
TRUANT LAWS.
ARTICLE I. The town of Oakham hereby avails itself of the several provisions of the Statutes of this Commonwealth, now in force, relating to habitual truants and absentees from school, and in pursuance of au- thority conferred thereby, adopts the following By-Laws.
ARTICLE 2. All children between the ages of seven and fifteen years, residing in said town, and who may be found wandering about in the streets or public places of said town, having no lawful occupation or bus- iness, not attending school, and growing up in ignorance, shall be com- mitted to the State Primary School at Monson, for confinement, instruction and discipline.
ARTICLE 3. Two or more truant officers shall be appointed annually, whose duty it shall be to inquire into all the violations of the truant laws, and of the law relating to compulsory education, and to do all the acts required of them by the laws of the Commonwealth.
ARTICLE 4. It shall be the duty of every truant officer to notify the truant or absentee from school, also, his parent or guardian, of the offense committed and of the penalty therefor, and if the truant officer can obtain satisfactory pledges for the restraint and reformation of the child, he may at his discretion forbear to prosecute, so long as such pledges are faith- fully kept.
ARTICLE 5. It shall be the duty of the School Committee, the teachers of the public schools and the citizens generally, to aid the truant officers as far as possible in the discharge of their duties.
ARTICLE 6. It shall be the duty of the truant officers to keep a full record of all their official acts, and make an annual report thereof, to the School Committee, who shall publish the same with their own report.
ARTICLE 7. Nothing in these By-Laws shall be so construed as to alter or impair the obligation and duty of teachers to enforce punctuality and regularity of attendance, and to preserve good order and discipline.
ROLL OF HONOR.
Names of those scholars neither absent nor tardy, unexcused by the Committee.
EAST HILL SCHOOL.
Three terms,
-
-
John Keep. -
One term,
Fred Hapgood,
Fred Keep.
SOUTH SCHOOL.
Two terms,
Kate Woodis, Bessie Weld.
One term,
Jennie Bemis, May Parker, Gertie Parker,
Rosa Parker, Walter Parker, Frank Morgan.
WEST SCHOOL.
1
-
Lena Adams.
Three terms, Two terms,
Katie White,
Maggie Gaffney.
One term,
Jane Leydon, Annie Gaffney, John Gaffney,
James F. Gaffney, James P. Gaffney, Patsie White.
COLDBROOK SCHOOL.
Three terms,
Josie Butterfield, Mary Butterfield, Fannie Kimball, Sophronia Kimball, John H. Butterfield.
Frank Holt.
One term,
Edith Bruce, Alice Holt, Katie Monroe,
Florence Needham, Walter J. Bruce, Charles Monroe, Harry B. Parker, Harry N. Prescott.
CENTER SCHOOL.
Three terms,
Carrie V. Bartlett, Cora M. Crawford, Mattie J. Dean, Bertha Lovell, Lillian Robinson, Jesse Robinson.
Two terms,
Dora Sargeant, Elsie Sargeant,
Katie Sheern,
Minnie Speare, Lilla Spooner, Fannie Thompson,
D. Oscar Lovell, Winfield Ayres,
Frank Davis,
Newton Green, John Sheern.
One term, Florence Caldwell, Jessie Davis,
Angie Stone,
Etta Stone,
Ella Sheern,
Katie Reese,
Nellie Keyes,
Daisy Mellen,
Mabel Gleason,
Sarah Butler,
Nellie Davis,
Ellen Haskell,
Mary Maynard,
Lizzie Sheern, Florence Sargent,
Harry Caldwell,
Frank Holden, William Liberty,
Stephen Lincoln,
George Morse,
George Parker,
Eugene Reed.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN B. FAIRBANK, LEONARD P. LOVELL, JESSE ALLEN,
School Committee.
Two terms,
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