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THIRTIETH
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
TOWN OF FRANKLIN,
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1888.
FRANKLIN : SENTINEL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1888.
THIRTIETH
ANNUAL REPORT V
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
TOWN OF FRANKLIN,
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1888.
FRANKLIN : SENTINEL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1888.
Town Officers Elected FOR THE MUNICIPAL. YEAR 1887-8.
Selectmen. DANIEL C. COTTON, HENRY 2. JENKS, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD.
Town Clerk. CLARENCE E. GRIFFIN.
Treasurer. *JAMES M. FREEMAN, HENRY R. JENKS.
Assessors.
ASA A. FLETCHER, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD, SABIN HUBBARD).
Overseers of the Poor.
WARREN H. BRIGHT, GEORGE E. EMERSON, SABIN HUBBARD.
Collector. WILLIAM E. NASON.
School Committee.
SALMON W. SQUIRE, GEORGE B. DORR, GEORGE KING.
Constables,
LEWIS R. WHITAKER, WILLIAM E. NASON, TIMOTHY C. PACKARD.
Fence Viewers. CLARENCE E. GRIFFIN, JASON TOWER. NATHAN C. NYE.
Field Drivers. JAMES M. FREEMAN, HENRY EARLE,
LEWIS R. WHITAKER.
Auditor. GEORGE W. WIGGIN.
Pound Keeper. GEORGE B. PECK.
*Resigned
Appointees FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 1887-8.
Engineers of the Fire Department. GEORGE E. EMERSON, BRADLEY ROCKWOOD, DAVID W. CORSON, LAWRENCE MORRISSEY, FREDERICK A. ROGERS, Auctioneers.
WILLIAM E. NASON, LEWIS R. WHITAKER, HORACE S. MORSE, DAVID W. CORSON.
Surveyors of Lumber.
OTIS F. METCALF, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD.
JOHN CANNEY, LUCIUS W. DANIELS,
FRANK W. SMITH, JOS. M. WHITING, 2nd.
Measurers of Wood and Bark.
WILLIAM ROCKWOOD, JOSEPH WADSWORTH,
J. COLLINS JACOBS, HENRY R. JENKS,
HORACE S. MORSE, ALBERT H. HILL.
Measurers of Grain.
FRANK D. METCALF, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD·
JOSEPH WADSWORTH, O. S. STETSON,
Weighers of Coal and Hay.
JOSEPH W. HEATON, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD. JOSEPH WADSWORTH, WILLIAM MANN, J. COLLINS JACOBS, JOHN W. RICHARDSON,
Sealer of Weights and Measures. CLARENCE E. GRIFFIN.
Board of Registration. VINCENT LAFORME, NATHAN C. NYE, JAS. R. HAWKES, CLARENCE E. GRIFFIN.
Night Police. SILAS W. NICKERSON. Special Policemen.
AARON R. MORSE, ALBERT W. NEWELL, WILLIAM H. HOWE.
HUBBARD M. BULLOCK,
CHARLES BADGER, JOHN G. CUNNINGHAM,
E. J. ROCKWOOD, STEPHEN C. TAFT, JOSEPH SMITH,
J. W. RICHARDSON, DAVID W. CORSON, ROBERT DAVIDSON, JOS. T. HUTCHINSON, C. S. MERRILL.
Report of the School Committee,
FOR THE YEAR 1887-8.
We think the aim of our report should be not only to give the general and definite work of the year, and the results flow- ing therefrom, but also to add such thoughts and suggestions as we believe will conduce to the future prosperity and pro- gress of our schools ; and we would have it understood in the commencement of our report that we do not measure progress alone by the number of problems solved in Algebra, or in the felicity of expression in composition, but in every principle of every-day life that goes to make up the true man or woman. Is temperance a cardinal virtue, we would have this thought so impressed upon every scholar's mind that it should become a part of his being. Is faith in God necessary to man's highest earthly good, we impress the thought by reading daily a lesson from His word (without note or comment). Is prayer helpful to man in his efforts for trueness of life, our scholars are taught its importance by hearing, or joining with, the teacher every morning in that prayer of prayers taught by our Lord. We know it is quite common for clergymen of all denominations to speak of the common school as an irreligious institution. If by this expression they mean unsectarian we try to make the schools of Franklin irreligious, while at the same time we do try to cultivate a reverence for spiritual life, or divine things, by the daily reading of the Bible, and coming nearer to Gol in the use of what is called the Lord's Prayer. In brief, on this point, while we deny any and all creeds a place in our instruc- tions, we take those of every faith and creed, hoping to add to their faith virtue, and that general intelligence and mental fit- ness which shall help them in every domain in life, whether in the material or spiritual.
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These thoughts lead us naturally to the consideration of what is termed a new study in our schools: that is, Scientific Tem- perance Principles. We are sorry to believe, as a general rule, it is the most superficially taught of any of the studies in our schools. Not that our teachers are any of them averse to temperance ; but the popular arguments, in times past, against the use of alcohol as a beverage in any form have been more exclusively confined to moral and physical results as seen upon the surface of men's lives, without entering into the real life (or, rather death) caused by it through the crucial of science. Therefore, scientific facts seem dull, and more beyond the comprehension of their pupils ; so, in their love of temperance, and for their pupils, they will ask for something a little easier ; for something a little more popular, that the child can understand. Just as though a long string of glitter- ing generalities were of more worth to a child than a few scien- tific facts founded on the nature of alcohol and the constituent properties of the physical being called man. To illustrate : We might string together all the moral and physical evils visi- ble and hurl them in one mighty avalanche against the moder- ate drinker's faith, that when he is weak and cold that a good dram of the ardent would make him both stronger and warm- er. Doesn't he know. hasn't he tried it? Still, if he could lift the veil and let in the light of science and see the results of that dram upon the increased heart throbs, and the unnatural flow of the blood to the surface, he would know the end there- of was wasted strength and increased coldness. We ask, therefore, without regard to the number of pages a pupil may learn, or the number of oral lessons our teachers may be able to impress upon the minds of the younger pupils, that all shall be in the light of science as pertains to hygiene and physiol- ogy of the human body, with all its complexity of physical, mental and moral being.
Truancy, absenteeism, and certificates of age and school at- tendance. Perhaps, in the whole range of school duties and school supervision these three points cause more care and per- plexity than all others combined. First, as to truancy : It would seem to the uninitiated that our school laws are suffi-
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ciently definite and complete to meet every want that might possibly arise in this department of school supervision. But when we try the practical application of some of them, in the light of compulsory education for the truant, it is evident there is a failure somewhere, either in the law and its want of spe- cial instructions, or else in the judgment of those whose duty it is to carry out its provisions. Were we the only committee in the dark on this subject, we would concede that the beam was alone in our eyes ; but when the majority of those having this matter in charge refuse to act at all, or tread lightly at least, for the want of more light. We can only meet this growing evil with the light and means placed in our hands for its suppression. But we do not believe our truant laws are the best we could have, especially if we are seeking the education of the truant. In brief, we do not think the town's almshouse the most suitable place that could be devised for the education and discipline of the truant child. We have, in two cases, applied this remedy, and unless we are very much deceived the result has been a decided check, throughout the town, of this common evil. With these results before us we shall probably take the same course in future cases of truancy till such time as the town shall unite with other towns in a petition to the County Commissioners for a more suitable place for these town and county offenders. We recommend the town to take this step at its earliest convenience.
Absenteeism. This evil has been one of the worst foes to steady progress in our schools with which we have had to con- tend. In times past we have plead with the scholar and pa- rent, with every persuasive power at our command, to make school attendance a business when once enrolled as scholars. We have tried to portray the great advantages of constant at- tendance, and the evils resulting from an opposite course, as best we could ; and yet we have found several families that were as deaf to our entreaties, and their own best interests, as we were liberal in our interpretation of the law of compulsory attendance. To illustrate : If a child had attended school 100 days within the year, even though he had been eight months in getting the required time, we let it pass without particular re-
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gard to the regularity of that attendance ; and some parents have had so little interest in the school life of their children as to allow them a week's vacation in the middle of a school term, for a visiting excursion, because they could make it up next term. In brief, the smallest excuse was sufficient to create another week's absence at any time. Therefore, the present year we have tried to live nearer to the letter of the law. That is, if a child had attended school 115 days and yet had been so irregularly as not to have made two terms of ten con- secutive weeks each, we still demanded his attendance ; first, because he had not complied with the letter of the law ; second- ly, because we believe ten weeks' regular attendance each, in two terms is better for the scholar than 25 weeks interspersed through three terms of 36 weeks duration. Believing that our course has been beneficial to all concerned we intend to pursue the even tenor of our way in this matter, not accepting in any instance anything short of the 20 full weeks.
The same rule has been applied to the granting of certifi- cates in the last half of the year for mill and other purposes of labor, and will be continued till the proposed new law (which is more stringent) takes the place of the present.
We had thought of saying several things as pertaining to the certification of the age, and school attendance of the child, but want of space forbids. We will only say in conclusion that we feel compelled to ask of all strangers moving into town, and thinking they may desire at any time a certificate from the School Committee, to first obtain from the Town Clerk a record of the child's birth, or a baptismal certificate, and no child under 12 years of age will be furnished with a school cer- tificate ; and no child between the ages of 12 and 14 years, un- less they have fully complied with statute limitations. There is a provision in the law of ten consecutive weeks attendance ; that is, provided the terms of school are so arranged that they may do it. With our 12 weeks' system, if a child attends the whole term and eight full weeks in the following, without any break, we consider it the full equivalent under the proviso and grant a certificate.
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We know these may seem small matters to many on which to spend so many words, but the use and abuse of the privi- leges we now have under the law is agitating the State from its center to its circumference, and it has spent thousands of dol- lars through a special committee in investigating the workings of the present law, and to devise some means to strengthen its weak points. This investigation may well repay its cost if it does nothing more than to arouse half-dead school officers to the faithful execution of the laws now given us.
We now turn our attention to improvements and repairs. We have added nothing by way of special improvement the present year, except the seating and furnishing of the Arlington Street Schoolhouse. We have painted the High School building, 'Latic Schoolhouse, and made general re- pairs throughout the town. The general condition of our houses is good ; slight repairs needed on several. but nothing of a costly character, except the shingling of the house at South Franklin, and perhaps the 'Latic. We shall not need as large an appropriation for repairs as was granted for the present year. For new schoolhouses we have no recommend- ations to make ; although we can not fail to see that our High School house, being one of the first built in all this section, suffers in comparison with the High School buildings of the surrounding towns, both in beauty of style and convenience. In every other department (except the Grammar School) we have ample accommodations for all. In calling your attention to the Grammar School, we must say, legally, we are bound to employ an assistant teacher; and more, that in the near future it will probably crowd the High School from its present seating to more pretentious surroundings which shall greet it through your good taste and liberal appropriations. The low- er department houses, while not all in outward finish and form that the artist's eye would desire, are admirably adapted through location and comfort in their interior arrangements for the best possible progress of the pupils. Especially is this true of the two Nason Street houses and the Arlington Street house, if we abate a little difference of opinion in the location of the latter. However much we may differ in this
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respect the difference is more than compensated in the fact that we are enabled to so grade our Primary Schools as to get the best possible results for the labor and money expended.
We turn, now, to school work in the schoolroom, and the results of our labors in this department of school supervision. We have made but one material change during the year, that in singing. The State requires that it shall be taught in our schools. Previous to this year we have done the best we could in this direction through the efforts of the teacher of the school ; but no claim was made to scientific teaching except in the Un- ionville School. Here Mrs. E. K. Ray, for two or three years without fee or reward, has kindly taught the fundamentals, or elements of singing. The results of her teaching were such as to convince us that it would pay to have our singing reduced to a science. Acting upon that conviction we have engaged the services of Mrs. L. T. Hosmer as a special teacher of sing- ing. Mrs. H. came to us well recommended, and so far as we are capable of judging, she has done and is still doing an ex- cellent work. Like other studies it requires time, labor and money that time and labor must be deducted from the sum to- tal allowed for all the studies. Yet, should your appropria- tions warrant us in so doing we shall continue the services of Mrs. Hosmer, or some one qualified to take her position. With this exception we have the same studies, and in the ma- jority of cases, the same teachers as last year. Therefore, the only change that we could reasonably expect for the better would arise from the experience and closer observation of teachers and committee. In some respects we think there has been an improvement upon the preceding year. Still, we have met with some change in teachers. Long tried and valued teachers have resigned and we have been called to fill their places with younger material, or with us untried teachers. It is too soon yet to decide whether the new will make good the places of those who have left us. It takes time and a knowl- edge of the peculiar characteristics of teacher and scholar be- fore they are prepared to do their best work. The same is true in the supervision of the school and teacher. All teach- ers are not cast in the same mould of thought and sensitive-
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ness. The advice or criticism which would be an inspiration to the highest endeavor to some would produce in another only discouragement and mortification. To the one it is safe to confide your every thought of the good work. he is doing and it will only stimulate to nobler efforts. To another of a differ- ent mould it would be like a cold bath to every aspiration ex- cept his vanity and self conceit. We are not fully prepared, therefore to say what will be the final result of these changes. We believe, however, that all are working for good results. We do not consider it necessary to the progress of our schools, or the better development of those having them in charge, that we make a public display through our report of the minutiæ personal in the teacher's methods or trials, unless they are new and worthy of general adoption, or so justly reprehensible as to deserve public condemnation. Therefore, we give only sta- tistics with the assurance that had anything occurred in the administration of any teacher of unusual importance to the public it would be found in the statistical report of his or her school.
Our report of the respective schools will be based on the school year, instead of the fiscal. The school year has not closed yet, all contracts with teachers as to time and salary are settled, and we report in part prospectively :
HIGH SCHOOL.
The first term was taught by Mrs. M. A. Wiggin, assisted by Mrs. A. W. Jefferson. Length of school, 14 weeks. Salary of Principal, $100 per month ; of Assistant, $36 per month. At the close of the term both Mrs. Wiggin and Mrs. Jefferson resigned, much to the regret of the Committee and School. The second and third terms taught by T. W. White, Principal, and Edna Bright, Assistant. Salary of Principal, after three months, $100 per month ; for the first three, $90 per month ; salary of Assistant, $36 per month. Length of second term, 12 weeks; of the third term, 14 weeks. Total, 40 weeks. Total teachers' wages, $1,330.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
The first term was taught by Samuel W. Clark. Length of
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term, 14 weeks. Salary, $60 per month. The second and third terms taught by Frances E. King. Length of the second term, 12 weeks; salary. $44 per month. Length of third term, 13 weeks; salary, $48 per month. Total, $498. Total, 39 weeks.
SUB-GRAMMAR, No. 1.
The first term was taught by Frances E. King. Length of term, 12 weeks ; salary, $40 per month. Miss King was elect- ed to the Grammar School, and Miss Martha E. Davis was elected to fill the vacancy caused through her promotion. The second and third terms taught by Martha E. Davis. Length of each term, 12 weeks. Salary, $40 per month. Total teachers' wages, $360. Total, 36 weeks.
SUB-GRAMMAR, No. 2.
Taught the entire year by Henry E. Ruggles. Length of school, three terms of 12 weeks each. Salary, $40 per month. Total, $360.
INTERMEDIATE, No. 1.
Ella G. Daniels, teacher for the year. It was divided into three terms of 12 weeks each. Length of school, 36 weeks. Salary, $40 per month. Total teacher's salary, $360.
INTERMEDIATE No. 2.
Emilie Albee has taught this school for the year, excepting three or four weeks' substituting by Mrs. Harris while Miss Albee was sick. The school has had three terms of 12 weeks each. Teacher's wages, $40 per month. Total salary, $360. Number of weeks, 36.
GRADED PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE.
This school is composed of the second class overflow schol- ars from the Intermediate Schools, and first-class Primary liv- ing south of the railroad. We are more than pleased with the advanced possibilities of progress afforded by this grade school, not for itself alone, but for the lower Primary. Teacher, Delia M. Bailey. It has had but two terms of 12 weeks each.
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Salary, $36 per month. Total length of school, 24 weeks. Total wages of teacher, $216.
PRIMARY, No. 1.
Louisa A. Metcalf, Teacher. Three terms of 12 weeks each. Salary, $36 per month. Total salary, $324.
PRIMARY, No. 2.
Teacher, A. Daisy Dorr. Length of school, 36 weeks. Salary, $36 per month. Total, $324.
PRIMARY, No. 3.
Teacher, Susie E. Young. Length of school, $36 weeks. Salary, $36 per month. Total, $324.
PRIMARY, No. 4.
Teacher, Isabel M. Reilly. Length of school, 36 weeks. This school is made up of what is usually termed the first and second classes of Nos. 4 and 5, and is a good demonstration of the utility of grading Primary Schools, where density of population will permit. Salary, $36 per month. Total, $324.
PRIMARY, No. 5.
Nellie J. Cleary, Teacher. Length of school, 36 weeks. This school is composed of all the pupils in Nos. 4 and 5, under the grade of second class. By uniting like elements of the two schools in one, it gives the teacher nearly twice the opportunity to reach individual peculiarities that existed when all these grades were found in both schools. Salary, $36 per month. Total, $324.
PRIMARY, No. 6.
Teacher, Mary H. Blaisdell. Length of school, 36 weeks. This school, like No. 5, is composed of what are usually de- nominated infant, or lower, classes, reaching one grade higher than No. 5, to meet the grade in the graded Primary and In- termediate. Salary, $36 per month. Total, $324.
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CITY MILLS SCHOOL.
Teacher of the first term, Julia A. Stockbridge. Length of term, 12 weeks. Salary, $32 per month. The second and third terms of 12 weeks each. Teacher, Hattie Gay. Sala- ry, $32 per month. Total, $288.
POPULATIC SCHOOL.
Teacher for the first term, Wesley Selleck. Length of term, 12 weeks. Salary, $36 per month. The second and third terms, Henry M. Howard, Teacher. Salary of the sec- ond term, $34 per month ; of the third term, $36 per month. Total, $318.
NORTHWEST SCHOOL.
Teacher of the first term, Delia M. Bailey. Length of term, 12 weeks. Salary, $32 per month. The second term was commenced by Miss Dodge. After a trial of six weeks she felt unequal to the work before her and resigned. We en- gaged Jennie B. Haslam to finish the term. Salary, $34 per month. Third term, Jennie B. Haslam, Teacher. Length of term, 12 weeks. Salary, $34 per month. Total, $310.
UNIONVILLE SCHOOL.
The first and second terms were taught by Mary E. Sawyer. At the close of the second term she resigned and Clara M. Craig was elected to the position. Length of school, 36 weeks. Salary of teacher, $36 per month. Total, $324.
SOUTH FRANKLIN.
Teacher, Ella G. Crooks, for the first term of 12 weeks. Salary, $32 per month. The second and third terms of 12 weeks each, Julia A. Stockbridge, Teacher. Total salary, $288.
MOUNT SCHOOL.
Teacher for the year, Mary J. Burr. Length of school, 36 weeks. Salary, $32 per month. Total, $288.
Teacher of singing, Mrs. L. T. Hosmer. Total salary,. $168.
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Teachers' wages for the current year, $7,214. Care of Schoolhouses, $464.
Number of scholars between the ages of 5 and 15, on the Ist day of May, 930; between 8 and 14, 583.
For expenditures for the fiscal year we refer you to the Auditor's report.
Respectfully submitted.
S. W. SQUIRE, GEO. B. DORR. GEORGE KING.
School Committ. e.
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Report of the Overseers of the Poor.
In accordance with the custom of former years we now pre- sent to you our annual report of the pauper department for the year 1887. While hoping to please all we realize that it is a very difficult task. One person, with large sympathy and a knowledge of but one side of the case, complains of the Board, charging them that they fail to perform their whole duty ; while another, with an eye to the tax levy, charges them with an excess of liberality, and that the town funds are disbursed too generously, or to unworthy persons ; but if our citizens generally would make personal investigation of reported cases or have an interview with some one of the Overseers of the Poor, they would obtain a much more correct idea of what ought to be done, or what had been done.
OUTSIDE POOR.
The total number of persons having applied for and received aid during the year is 98. Of these 38 have legal pauper set- tlements in other towns, and 33 were State paupers. The ex- pense of the latter has been unusually large, owing to severe cases of sickness; as these occurred so near the last of the year many of the bills have not yet been collected, there being now due us from the State, $214.43.
ALMSHOUSE.
This department during the year has been under the manage- ment of Mr. and Mrs. George Peck, and we have every rea- son to be gratified at the excellent results of their management. The poor have been kindly cared for, and we find the clothing and bedding in most excellent order. The farm has not only
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been managed with an eye to improvement, but has also been very profitable to the town. The buildings are in very good repair inside, but we strongly recommend a sufficient appro- priation for shingling and painting the house, which ought to be done the coming season.
G. E. EMERSON, W. H. BRIGHT, SABIN HUBBARD,
Overseers of Poor.
INMATES AT ALMSHOUSE.
AGE.
TIME.
George Daniels,
45
52 weeks
Levi L. Fisher,
78
52
Orin Adams,
77
52
Daniel Green,
82
52
James W. McPherson,
74
52
Charles A. Clark,
74
52
Pliny Cook,
86
52
Alonzo T. Eddy,
54
12
Wm. Chisom,
13
4
Delmer Sally,
13
4
384 weeks
Amount of property appraised by Overseers, January 30, 1888, $2,338.20.
G. E. EMERSON, Chairman Overseers of Poor.
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Report of Engineers of Fire Department.
TO THE VOTERS OF FRANKLIN :
We would submit the following report: Loss by fire the past year has been very light, only one alarm, Sept. 5, 1887, for fire in small building in rear of G. S. Hosie's residence on Cottage Street ; loss about $50. Fire department responded promptly.
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