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THIRTY-EIGHTH
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
TOWN OF FRANKLIN,
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1896.
FRANKLIN: SENTINEL PRINT. 1896.
THIRTY-EIGHTH
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
R
TOWN OF FRANKLIN,
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1896.
FRANKLIN : SENTINEL PRINT. 1896.
TOWN OFFICERS ELECTED
For the Municipal Year of 1895-96.
Selectmen :
GEORGE W. WIGGIN, EDGAR K. RAY, EDWIN A. MASON.
Town Clerk : ORESTES T. DOE.
Treasurer : HENRY R. JENKS.
Assessors : WILLIAM E. NASON, JAMES O. CHILSON, WARREN H. BRIGHT.
Auditor : NELSON E. NEWELL.
Collector of Taxes : WILLIAM ROCKWOOD.
4
School Committee :
MARY A. WIGGIN.
Term expires March, 1896
..
. .
1896
66
1897
FRANCES E. KING.
6
6 6
66
1897
FRED P. CHAPMAN.
66
66
1898
Constables :
ANTHONY CONNOR, SILAS W. NICKERSON, LEWIS R. WHITAKER.
Overseers of the Poor : GEORGE E. EMERSON, THADDEUS M. TURNER. SAMUEL Y. REED.
Board of Health : GREGORY A. MARTIN, AMBROSE J. GALLISON, METCALF E. POND. (All declined to serve.)
Fence Viewers :
RODOLPHO M. HANDY, WILTON A. POND, EVERETT S. MESSENGER.
Field Drivers : CHARLES H. WOODBURY, DANIEL W. HALLORAN, FRED H. BARTHOLOMEW.
Pound Keeper : RODOLPHO M. HANDY.
CHARLES KINGSLEY.
J. HERBERT BAKER.
5
OFFICERS APPOINTED.
Superintendent of Streets : EUGENE G. FISHER.
Police :
ANTHONY CONNOR,
SILAS W. NICKERSON.
Special Police :
CHARLES R. GOWEN.
KERVIN R. JEWETT,
JOSEPH T. HUTCHINSON,
WILLIAM E. NASON.
WILTON A. POND,
NATHAN B. ARNOLD,
ALBERT W. NEWELL,
RODOLPHO M. HANDY,
WILLIAM G. CODY,
JAMES P. WOOD,
WM. E. CROWNINSHIELD,
ELMER J. THAYER,
FRED L. DAVIS,
DANIEL W. FISHER.
Surveyors of Lumber : WILLIAM ROCKWOOD, CLARENCE H. WOODWARD, JOHN CANNEY.
Measurers of Wood and Bark :
WILLIAM ROCKWOOD. CLARENCE H. WOODWARD,
THOMAS J. DANIELS, BERNARD R. ROCKWOOD, WILTON A. POND, GEORGE M. WADSWORTH, ALEXANDER M. HAGGART, KERVIN R. JEWETT.
6
Measurers of Grain :
FRANK D. METCALF,
CLARENCE H. WOODWARD,
JAMES F. RAY, WILLIAM ROCKWOOD,
GEORGE M. WADSWORTH, EVERETT S. MESSENGER, NATHAN B. ARNOLD.
Weighers of Coal and Hay :
JOSEPH E. CLARK, JAMES W. MILLER,
GEORGE M. WADSWORTH, JAMES F. RAY,
CLARENCE H. WOODWARD, JESSE D. HOPKINS,
EVERETT S. MESSENGER, NATHAN B. ARNOLD,
KERVIN R. JEWETT. ALEXANDER M. HAGGART.
Sealer of Weights and Measures : THADDEUS M. TURNER.
Inspector of Kerosene Oil : THADDEUS M. TURNER.
Agent for Burial of Soldiers : WALTER M. FISHER. THADDEUS M. TURNER.
Fire Wardens :
WILTON A. POND, CHARLES E. WOODWARD,
THOMAS J. DANIELS. EUGENE D. FISHER, GEORGE M. WADSWORTH.
Auctioneers :
WILLIAM E. NASON, LEWIS R. WHITAKER, DAVID W. CORSON.
Lockup Keeper : ANTHONY CONNOR.
Registrars of Voters :
BRADLEY M. ROCKWOOD.
Term expires May. 1896
JOHN B. COLLINS. NATHAN C. NYE. 66
1897
66
1898
ORESTES T. DOE, Ex-officio Clerk.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions : THOMAS L. MARTIN.
Engineers of Fire Department : LAWRENCE J. MORRISSEY, RUDOLPH SOMMERS,* JOHN G. CUNNINGHAM, WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY,
ROBERT B. STEWART, HERBERT F. MUNROE.
* Declined.
S
REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICERS.
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
The Assessors met and organized March 14, 1895, and made choice of William E. Nason to serve as Chairman and James O. Chilson as Clerk. They have attended to their duties and report as follows :
Valuation of personal property,
$404,400 00
" buildings,
1,458,645 00
" land, 852,370 00
66 " bank stock, 135,130 00
Number of polls, males,
1,316
females,
66
Rate of taxation,
$15 50
County tax,
2,871 67
State tax,
1,800 00
Town grant, less corporation tax.
40,725 23
Number houses.
978
horses,
652
cows.
600
neat cattle,
128
66 swine,
84
66 sheep,
32
9
ABATEMENT OF TAXES.
Daniel Ackley Estate, 1893-94, $12 78
W. H. Bright, 1894, taxed twice, 1 60
Rodolpho M. Handy, personal estate, 1893-94, 4 75
James Scanlan, personal estate, taxed twice. 16
Frank D. Blake, poll, under age, 2 00
Joseph Abbott, personal, overtax,
1 94
R. H. King, poll, feeble, 2 00
James Cotton Estate, real, exempt,
7 75
Dennis Long, personal estate, overcharge,
1 55
S. H. Barrett,
4 65
O. F. Metcalf, 66
31 00
H. W. Thayer, “ 23 25 66
A. D. Thayer, real estate, 20 15
4 80
Emerson F. Warren, 1894, poll, 2 00
Franklin Malt Co., personal estate, 6 50
Wilton A. Pond, real estate, overcharge,
2 17
Alex. T. Bishop, personal estate, 78
$130 83
WILLIAM E. NASON, JAMES O. CHILSON, WARREN H. BRIGHT, Assessors of Franklin.
At the request of the Collector abated for the year 1893 :
Apt, Sidney,
$2 00
Ayres, William,
3 27
Aherns, J., 2 00
2 00
Allen, James, 2 00
Brooks, William M.,
2 34
Bassett, Robert B.,
2 00
Barro, Edward,
2 00
Baxter, William,
2 00
Nancy Metcalf Estate, taxed twice,
Aldrich, Charles, non-resident,
10
Bearshau, Davis,
2 00
Bicknell, George,
2 00
Blake, William E.,
2 00
Blake, Seth,
2 00
Blake, Jeremiah,
2 00
Brock, John,
2 00
Bodge, Rufus R.,
2 00
Bright, Willard,
2 00
Brocher, William,
2 00
Burns, James,
2 00
Bennett, Benjamin K.,
2 00
Clark, Brenton W., non-resident,
2 00
Connors, Dennis, taxed twice,
5 40
Campbell, John,
2 00
Carroll, James, left town June, 1893,
2 00
Carney, James,
2 00
Caswell, C. E. T.,
2 00
Cataldo, Joseph L.,
2 00
Cloise, Peter,
2 00
Cochrane, Leon,
2 00
Coleman, George B., navy,
2 00
Cole, George F.,
2 00
Colburn, George,
2 00
Conlon, James,
2 00
Cook, Collins E.,
2 00
Cook, Fred.,
2 00
Cormier, Philip,
2 00
Cox, James E.,
2 00
Crompton, William,
2 00
Curran, Michael,
2 00
Curry, Andrew H.,
2 00
Christian, Michael,
2 00
Davidson, William, non-resident,
2 00
Daniels, F. B.,
2 00
Darling, Albert,
2 00
Donahue, Daniel,
2 00
Drown, T. A.,
2 00
11
Duford, Wilfred,
2 00
Dwyre, Joseph,
2 00
Eison, George E.,
2 00
Fader, George,
2 00
Farley, David,
2 00
Field, Henry,
2 00
Fiske, Archie G.,
2 00
Fosdick, Gilbert,
2 00
Freeman, John T.,
2 00
Fuller, Edwin,
2 00
George, Peter,
2 00
Gay, Oliver I)., non-resident.
2 00
George, George E.,
2 00
Gimrod, Monsieur,
2 00
Gillaney, James.
2 00
Gilhooley, William, Jr.,
2 00
Goneola, Michael,
2 00
Glenn, John,
2 00
Glenn, Andrew.
2 00
Gordon, Edward,
2 00
Gonauld, Pasga
2 00
Granger, George,
2 00
Graves, Everett,
2 00
Green, Charles E.,
2 00
Green, Edward F.,
2 00
Grignon, Argill,
2 00
Granger, George,
2 00
Hurd, Horace H ..
2 43
Hanson, Isaac,
2 00
Hammond, John,
2 00
Ham, Thomas,
2 00
Happenny, David,
2 00
Harmon, Fred,
2 00
Hartshorn, George K ..
2 00
Hatkins, Daniel,
2 00
Halloran, Michael,
2 00
Heaton, George D.,
2 00
12
Herrion, John,
2 00
Hill, Hermon,
2 00
Hodkins, David,
2 00
Hood, John M., left State July, 1893,
2 00
Honey, J.,
2 00
Howland, Thomas, left State July, 1893,
2 00
Isle, Frank,
2 00
Jenkins, Melville P.,
3 70
Johnson, August,
2 00
Jacock, William,
2 00
Johnson, John,
2 00
Johnson, Jasper D.,
2 00
Johnson, R.,
2 00
Kelly, Thomas,
2 00
Kent, Omer T.,
2 00
King, Hector,
2 00
Knight, Arthur M.,
2 00
Lynch, John,
2 00
Lacey, William,
2 00
Laundry, Frank,
2 00
Laundry, Frank, Jr.,
2 00
Laundry, H.,
2 00
LeClair, Cyril,
2 00
LeClair, Charles, left town June, 1893,
2 00
Leland, Thomas,
2 00
Lorson, Guster,
2 00
Lynch, Robert A.,
2 00
Lyon, Albert,
2 00
Mahon, James, non-resident,
2 00
Manning, William,
2 00
Marooney, Michael,
2 00
Marooney, John,
2 00
Marooney, John,
2 00
Marther, Peter,
2 00
Martin, Joseph,
2 00
Marston, Fred L.,
2 00
Marooney, John H.,
2 00
13
Mayo, Adolph,
2 00
McCarthy, Daniel, .
2 00
McCarthy, Daniel J.,
2 00
McCarthy, Daniel,
2 00
McCloskey, James,
2 00
McConkey, John F.,
2 00
McCarron, Frank,
2 00
McDermott, John,
2 00
McFarland, F. A.,
2 00
Medley, M.,
2 00
Miller, Edward H.,
2 00
Moran, Joseph,
2 00
Morrill, Victor, pauper,
2 00
Mullen, John,
2 00
Morrison, Lincoln,
2 00
Moneypenny, Albert,
2 00
Nash, A. H.,
2 00
O'Brien, Patrick,
2 00
O'Donnell, John,
2 00
O'Donohue, Jerry,
2 00
O'Donohue, Daniel,
2 00
Padley, Raymond,
2 00
Padley, Fred W.,
2 00
Perrigo, -,
2 00
Peck, Whipple,
2 00
Pendergast, William,
2 00
Phillips, David,
2 00
Reynolds, Hugh B.,
5 40
Richardson, E. H.,
3 70
Richards, Moses,
2 85
Roach, Patrick J.,
5 GG
Razee, Amos W.,
2 00
Redpath, John J.,
2 00
Reardon, William,
2 00
Reynolds, Patrick.
2 00
Rhodes, Edson L.,
2 00
Ribero, George F.,
2 00
14
Riccardo, Fiorith,
2 00
Salley, James,
2 00
Sheeley, James,
2 43
Stockbridge, Frank,
2 51
Salisbury, George,
2 00
Seeley, Allen,
2 00
Shea, John,
2 00
Sheery, Daniel,
2 00
Shields, Martin,
2 00
Simmons, Hiram T.,
2 00
Simons, John,
2 00
Skinner, Julius,
2 00
Small, Alfred A.,
2 00
Smith, Asher,
2 00
Smith, Robert,
2 00
Snider, Wesley,
2 00
Snow, George,
2 00
Soar, William,
2 00
Souther, James,
2 00
Stein, George,
2 00
Steele, Joseph,
2 00
Stewart, H. P.,
2 00
Sullivan, Albert E.,
2 00
Sweet, F. W.,
2 00
Sweeney, Frank,
2 00
Ternier, August,
2 00
Thayer, Augustus,
2 00
Thomson, John,
.2 00
Thompson, George W.,
2 00
Tiffany, Charles C.,
2 00
Tingley, Andrew J.,
2 00
Valentine, Augustus,
2 00
Vivaldo, Albert,
2 00
Whitford, John,
2 85
Wilkes, Howard S.,
36 00
Walton, Thomas,
2 00
Welch, David,
2 00
15
White, Thomas S., lived in Wrentham,
2 00
White, J.,
2 00
Wheeler, William B.,
2 00
Whitford, J, C.,
2 00
Willard, E.,
2 00
Wilson, John L.,
2 00
Winslow, Edwin, left for Maine, June, 1893,
2 00
Total,
$454 70
16
REPORT OF LIQUOR OFFICER.
TO THE SELECTMEN OF FRANKLIN :
Since my last report I have sworn out fourteen search warrants, made nine seizures and prosecuted six individuals for illegal keeping. Joseph H. Martin, Peter Parrisau and Joseph Lesard are fleeing from justice. I have made a seizure of liquor from each of the above-named and they left the State before a warrant could be procured.
The case against Edwin P. Blackmar for illegal keeping was taken before Trial Justice Doe and the accused found guilty. He appealed to the Superior Court and was found not guilty. There is another case pending at Dedham against him.
In my report of 1892 I made the statement that when James McParland left town we got rid of one of the worst rumsellers that we ever had in Franklin. He was away some three years, and since his return he has been engaged in the liquor traffic. On January 29, 1896, I arrested James McParland and found four pint bottles of whiskey in his pockets. Went to McParland's house and found sixty-five pint bottles of whiskey. He was taken before Trial Justice Doe and the case continued for a few days; it is not yet settled.
The number of arrests that I have made in the past year is 27: Illegal keeping, 6; drunk, 8; disturbing the peace, 15; assault, 2; violation of Sunday law, 2; selling leased property, 1; larceny, 2 ; malicious mischief, 3 ; breaking and entering, 1; keeping unlicensed dog, 1.
In closing my report I will say I think the enforcement of the liquor law has been beneficial to the town in the past few years.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
SILAS W. NICKERSON,
Constable and Police Officer.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF FRANKLIN
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING JANUARY 31, 1896.
CHARLES KINGSLEY.
Terin expires March, 1896
MARY A. WIGGIN.
66
66
1896
J. HERBERT BAKER.
1897
FRANCES E. KING.
66
1897
FRED P. CHAPMAN.
66
66
1898
ERNEST D. DANIELS, SUPERINTENDENT.
19
Report of School Committee.
TO THE VOTERS AND CITIZENS OF FRANKLIN :
The School Committee this year have been very busy. A number of small matters connected with both school and school buildings had accumulated, which separately amounted to but little, but collectively took a great deal of time and labor. In these small matters it is hard to please the public as a whole, but it has been our aim, as far as we could with- out injury to the interest of the public schools, to carefully consider any complaints, and to comply with every wish of the people that has been presented to the board. It can be easily understood why, in many cases, some are dissatisfied, and they will be just so long as they think that the present generation can be taught the same as children of fifty years ago. Times have changed and our public school system is conducted by a State Board of Education, whose duty it is to plan the best general system and give rules to conduct the same for all the schools in the State ; so if it does not meet the approval of the older generation the local school com- mittee is powerless to help it, even if it so desired.
REPAIRS.
This year there has been a great deal of repairing of all kinds done. We still continue to employ our janitors during their vacations, and, as they are competent men and capable of doing any kind of work, the amount saved by the town in following this custom is worthy of note. We have tried, in one way and another, to have all the school rooms properly ventilated. This has been no easy task in some of the build-
20
ings, but now I think that there can be no just complaint in any room. One of the rooms on Nason street has afforded the most complaint, but I think that has been ventilated suc- cessfully at last.
We have been very fortunate this year with sickness among the teachers, and only with one exception has any teacher been obliged to have a substitute ; but we have not been quite so fortunate with the scholars, having had one mild epidemic of diphtheria. During this epidemic all the schools were carefully watched, and where it was necessary the building was closed. They were then thoroughly cleansed and fumi- gated, so that I do not believe that any of the disease was contracted at the school buildings. But one thing can be said here. and that is, that when any of the school buildings are closed on account of the possibility of contagion the parents should see that their children are kept at home. Any day during the time that the Four Corners building was closed you could see groups of children playing on the grounds. Now disease is as liable to spread in this way as the other, and unless children are kept at home at such a time they may as well be at school.
SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The greatest annoyance that the School Committee have had this year was the refusal of the Selectmen to approve the bill for the salary of Superintendent of Schools and Principal of the High School.
At the annual town meeting it was voted to appropriate $11,500 for the support of teachers, Superintendent, janitors, fuel and transportation, which, with the school fund from the state and the dog tax, to which we are entitled, makes some- thing over $12,000, to be used wholly for teachers, Superin- tendent, janitors, fuel and transportation.
The town at the same meeting also voted that of this "a sum not exceeding $1,500 be paid for both Superintendent of Schools and Principal of the High School." According to the following law, copied from the statutes of the Common-
21
wealth of Massachusetts, the town cannot control in any way the salary of either Superintendent or Principal.
Chap. 44, pages 42 and 43, Salaries and Appropriations :
"The School Committee have the whole power to exam- ine teachers, and no one can legally be a teacher in any pub- lic school until he has received from the School Committee a written certificate of his qualification.
"By this statute the committee has the power, absolutely and unconditionally, to agree upon the salaries of the teach- ers. There is no power given to any other men, or body of men, to contract with the teachers, and this power is given by the statute, and not by the town or city.
"The Legislature has imposed on the committee the duty of seeing to it that the public schools are in a condition and of a character best calculated to advance the improvement and promote the good of the pupils. The character of the schools will depend on the character of the teachers, and the charac- ter of the teachers will depend on the compensation. The power to fix the compensation is chiefly intrusted to the com- mittee for the full, appropriate and the most useful discharge of their duties. This power the Legislature, for the most satisfactory reasons, has expressly given to them. To say that the city is not bound to pay according to the contract of the committee would be in effect to say that the committee had no power to contract. Bachelder vs. City of Salem, 4 Cush., 599.
"The power of the School Committee to fix the compen- sation of the teachers of the schools of a city, and bind the city to pay the same, cannot be controlled by the city council except by voting to close the schools after they have been kept open the time required by law.
"The power given to the School Committee to contract with the teachers necessarily implies and includes the power to determine their salaries. And in so doing they are not restricted to the amount appropriated by the city council.
"The School Committee are an independent body, in- trusted by law with large and important powers and duties ; and although every discretionary power is liable to abuse, against which no perfect safeguards can be provided, yet we are aware of no substantial reason for supposing that the power of fixing teachers' salaries is more liable to abuse by the School Committee than by the City Council. At all events, the interpretation of the law to which we now adhere was adopted many years ago (see Bachelder vs. Salem, 4
22
Cush. 603), and the Legislature has not seen fit to change its provisions." 98 Mass., 587.
Chap. 44, page 48, Superintendent of Public Schools :
"SEC. 43. A city by ordinance, and a town by vote. may require the School Committee annually to appoint a sup- erintendent, who, under the direction and control of said com- mittee shall have the care and supervision of the public schools or the School Committee of any city without such ordinance may appoint a Superintendent by a majority vote of the whole board ; the compensation of the Superintendent shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents for each day of actual ser- vice, and shall be determined by the School Committee, and, in cities without such ordinance, by a majority vote of the whole board ; in every city in which such ordinance is in force or in which a Superintendent is appointed, and in every town in which a superintendent is appointed, and which does not provide otherwise by vote, the School Committee shall receive no compensation."
(These laws were copied from a pamphlet, "The Public Statutes of Massachusetts, relating to Public Instruction, with Annotations and Explanations.")
The Selectmen cannot refuse to approve a bill unless the amount of that bill overdraws the appropriation under which it comes. Any one after carefully reading the above law will see that the town has no right to limit the salaries of any of the teachers or of the Superintendent, so we cannot in any way consider the $1,500 an appropriation, for all the salaries come under the $1,200 and this appropriation is not overdrawn, and there is more than enough to pay the whole $1,800.
I will not say anything concerning the condition of the public schools, for that is well shown in the report of our Superintendent ; but I will say that the schools have never been in a more prosperous condition, especially the High School. which is now for the first time recognized by Dartmouth, Tufts and other colleges as a competent fitting school. Now in the midst of this improvement, would it have been wise to have changed and filled the place of a superior man, who could be retained at a salary of $1,800, with an inferior man, for that is what we would have had to do had we only expended $1,500.
23
Nevertheless, regardless of the law of the Commonwealth, and when it is clear that the salary must be paid, the Selectmen still refuse to approve the bill. To be sure that there was no possible mistake we have a communication from the Attorney General, Hosea M. Knowlton, who says distinctly and without any condition, that the School Committee have sole power to contract for both Principal and Superintendent and bind the town to pay the same.
Our Principal and Superintendent has only drawn one month's salary this year and that was paid without any ques- tion. Since then he has only drawn at the rate of $800 as Principal, being refused the $1,000 as Superintendent. Now this salary must be paid and I hope the public will see to it at once and request the Selectmen to approve a just bill, instead of taking the other course, which will have to be followed if the Selectmen continue to act as they have in the past.
For the School Committee.
CHARLES KINGSLEY,
January 30, 1896.
Chairman.
24
REPORT OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
TO THE PUBLIC :
At the suggestion of the Chairman of the School Com- mittee my third annual report as Superintendent of Schools is addressed directly to the public. In it there will be given as impartial a statement as possible of the exact condition of our schools, some of the questions that confront them to-day and the needs for their future growth.
In general the schools are far better than two years ago. This decision has been reached by careful observation and from the personal report of each teacher. All the teachers at the end of the winter term reported better progress than last year in some, or all, of their classes. One teacher says : "My work is at least six weeks in advance of last year's at this time and is better understood by the pupils. The children who were not promoted are among the best that I have."
"My first grade is far in advance of last year's in every- thing. The second is a little behind in numbers, but in ad- vance in reading, writing and language." A third : "My highest class is further along now (Dec. 10) than my first class was last June." This is a gain of more than half a year. Still another says : "I wish the people of Franklin could re- alize the great improvement the teachers have accomplished in reading."
These uniform reports of progress, when we realize that classes as well as individuals differ greatly in ability, are encouraging.
In the report of last year a detailed statement of the vari- ous studies was given. The methods in the main have been similar this year. Algebra, however, is now begun in the ninth grade by all in the class, and Latin by those desiring it. Arranging certain classes of studies in departments reciting to one teacher was begun in January at the School Street and
25
Horace Mann schools. The advantages are not only economy of time and labor and better instruction, but also making pos- sible to a limited extent a system of promotion as fast as the pupil is able, not yearly, as heretofore.
The changes in the corps of teachers have been fortu- nately few. Miss Katherine Gardner of Boston was elected in June to the sixth grade. Miss Frances Whiting, who had taught successfully in Medway, was appointed to the City Mills, and later Miss Eva Whiting, a student for one year at the Framingham Normal, to the 'Latic school. Each one of these changes has proved successful and wise. At the open- ing of the September term a vacancy was reported at the North West school. Miss Belle Pearson, a trained and suc- cessful teacher, was secured. In January Miss Annie Bright was obliged, on account of continued ill health, to ask for leave of absence.
In order to keep within the appropriation, if possible, granted by the town for transportation, it became necessary last September to change drivers. The best possible arrange- ment was made. From personal interview with each family sending children, your Superintendent learned that the system was uniformly approved.
There has been trouble to find competent janitors in the outlying schools who were willing to work for the meagre salary. In two districts there was no one willing, and for several weeks the teachers were compelled to care for the building. The janitors for these schools deserve more pay, especially since more is required from them.
In buildings containing more than one school the prin- cipal merits a larger salary than the other teachers.
If the same rate of increase continues it will be necessary to open another school for the intermediate grade.
Teachers' meetings have been regularly held once in four weeks for the discussion of educational methods and prin- ciples. Addresses have been given by Superintendent E. E. Sherman of Hopedale and Superintendent J. C. Knowlton of Tewkesbury.
26
The instructors in music and drawing have given special lessons and training to the teachers.
The school yards need repairs and improvement. In many places, at great cost, the town or city is preparing neat and tasteful playgrounds, feeling well assured that she will reap her reward in the future by her citizens giving greater care to their homes. In Franklin, however, the yards are often used as dumping grounds and left in an unsightly con- dition. Our janitors have been able to correct in part this abuse, but cannot do all. The power of good example is contagious. Let one householder begin to adorn and beautify his estate and his neighbor soon follows. Public property should be the best kept and best managed of all. It would be a wise investment for children and parents if the yards at the Horace Mann and School Street schools were improved.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The general aim and purpose of any school is, by devel- oping and training the child's mind, to prepare him for a noble and more intelligent citizenship. If the State was not aided by the school she would not by law comper its main- tenance.
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