USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Westhampton > Town of Westhampton annual report 1896 > Part 1
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19.
WESTHAMPTON, MASS.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
1896.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF
Westhampton, Mass.,
FOR THE
Year ending March Ist, 1896.
EASTHAMPTON, MASS. : PRESS OF JOHN LEITCH, JR. 1896.
Selectmen's Report.
EXPENDITURES ON HIGHWAYS.
SNOW BILLS.
F. J. Hathaway
$ 67
C. H. Bartlett
75
F. E. Holdridge
3 25
T. P. Elwell
6 62
G. A. Witherell
5 16
Charles Connors
5 40
P. A. Connery
7 51
A. T. Edwards
13 95
L. L. Rhodes
2 86
E. A. Bartlett
3 85
A. E. Damon
1 58
H. W. Montague
8 82
E. B. Clapp
13 28
E. J. Hathaway
3 60
H. C. Williams
12 27
H. M. Clapp
15 90
F. A. Bridgman
50
L. W. Clapp
4 68
I. O. Shaw
1 05
A. D. Rice
4 90
W. H. Knight
6 65
4
S. D. Lyman
15 05
M. G. Crandall
2 25
A. L. Snow
3 30
N. A. Kingsley
1 50
W. H. Lyman
19 93
O. W. Bartlett
1 00
T. Slattery
1 00
F. C. Montague
2 95
G. A. Witherell
1 75
Total snow bills,
$171 98
HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.
J. J. Fisher, 1894 20 72
Amariah Elwell
6 56
E. A. Elwell
8 20
G. A. Witherell, 1895
30 15
G. Hathaway
10 50
T. W. Collier
3 75
E. J. Hathaway
1 50
F. J. Hathaway
1 95
Irwin Prentice
46
F. E. Holdridge
15 41
J. J. Fisher
29 30
Charles Connors
35 46
L. A. Howard
37 19
L. W. Clapp
88 19
922 ft. C plank
11 99
1215 ft. H plank
12 05
Spikes
45
George Burt
42 15
Timber
1 50
E. B. Clapp
22 37
A. T. Edwards
47 80
A. D. Rice
8 16
5
B. Stickney 3 75
Levi Burt
10 30
L. W. Clapp 9 90
E. H. Montague
13 17
N. A. Kingsley
7 50
I. O. Shaw
36 74
W. H. Lyman
11 75
S. D. Lyman
56 75
H. L. Dodge
13 12
H. C. Williams
5 62
F. C. Montague
8 20
Timber
-3 90
Orville Flint
1 50
F. E. Holdridge
10 92
J. and W. Curtis
5 00
O. W. Bartlett, plank
96
Lewis A. Howard
2 00
H. W. Montague
5 25
Joseph Hathaway-
3 90
A. J. Griffin 12 00
E. A. Bartlett
7 85
E. B. Clapp
10 00
G. L. Hathaway
1 72
L. A. Howard
19 97
W. H. Lyman
1 50
Plank and timber
5 25
J. D. Norton & Son, Loudville bridge
2 75
A. T. Edwards
20 01
228 ft. lumber
2 96
L. W. Clapp
27 45
F. E. Holdridge 3 00
W. W. Kingsley 50
E. J. Burt
6 50
E. P. Torrey, plank 1 19
A. D. Rice 8 00
6
Joseph Whelan
3 75
Thomas Slattery
2 00
Charles Connors
204 27
I. O. Shaw
7 00
J. Boucher
6 00
L. L. Rhodes
15 40
A. E. Damon
7 00
Joseph Whelan
1 68
Joseph Hathaway
5 02
H. C. Williams
4 10
Plank
1 50
A. D. Rice
12 13
F. A. Bridgman, plank
42
T. P. Elwell
23 06
I. O. Shaw
3 43
Plank and timber
6 25
E. L. Gorham, Breakneck road
6.00
E. J. Burt
2 58
F. C. Montague
7 50
900 ft. C plank 11 70
19 50
Chwles & Childs, 1500 ft. C plank Lumber
2 50
Cowles, 466 ft. H plank
4 66
C. H. Bartlett
3 50
C. N. Loud
2 50
277 ft. plank
4 15
A. T. Edwards
7 98
Orville Flint
1 33
E. H. Montague
1 98
George Knight
60
Henry Payson
2 00
Irwin Prentice
1 00
F. J. Hathaway
2 42
G. L. Hathaway
1 62
7 50
7
W. W. Kingsley
3 00
F. Howard
91
F. E. Holdridgs 83
L. King
5 00
L. W. Clapp, 40 ft. plank
52
G. E. Knight
1 50
Levi Burt 1 50
Total for highways and bridges $973 29
1
.
OVERSEERS OF POOR.
SUPPORT OF POOR.
For William Lawler
Northampton Lunatic Hospital 169 46
" Dora Howard
Worcester Lunatic Hospital
169 46
" Margaret Duggan
F. F. Guilford, board and clothing
145 84
" Mrs. Keating
90 00
" Mrs Slattery
108 00
" Ellen Witherell
A. M. Belden, medical attendance 16 50
" For child of Delia Revit Mrs Morrison, for board
2 50
Total for town poor
$101.61
Fred Leduc (reimbursed by Holyoke)
Dr. F. C. Bruce, medical attendance
55 00
55 00
Charles Berry (reimbursed by Huntington) Dr. F. C. Bruce, medical attendance Mr. A. Morrison (due from Northampton-) V. E. Mitchell, burial expenses
10 00
10 010)
19 00
8
A. C. Cobb, anti-toxine and disinfectants 5 00
F. E. Morey 1 00
25 00
Total expended for poor
Tramps
2 25
2 25 ·
TELEPHONE.
Bill for Jan., Feb. and Mch.,
19 30
Rec'd for use
6 45
12 85
Bill for April, May and June Rec'd for use
7 60
14 00
Bill for July, Aug. and Sept.,
20 45
Rec'd for use
6 50
13 95
Bill for Oct., Nov and Dec.,
20 40
Rec'd for use
5 50
14 90
STREET & WRIGHT FUND.
STATE AID.
48 00
STREET LIGHTS.
F. H. Judd, care street lamps
18 00
66 1 doz. chimneys 1 00
66 oil for street lamps and town hall 6 56
PERAMBULATING TOWN LINES.
A. D. Rice 10 00
L. W. Clapp 6 00
F. C. Montague 2 50
2 00
L. W. Clapp, drawing and setting stone
1 25
21 75
WM. G. BASSETT
Consultation 6 00
Retainer and drawing petition, T. J. Slattery 10 00
55 70
52 00
A. D. Rice, line stone
791 76
21 60
9
Retainer and drawing petition, F. Howard
10 00
Serving petitions 5 00
Clerk Courts entry fees . 6 00
Hearing T. J. Slattery case
15 00
52 00
FIRE PROOF VAULT.
Brown & Bailey, 16,000 brick 96 00
M. L. & M. W. Graves, lime and cement 19 70
Berlin Iron Bridge Co., door
35 25
Berlin Iron Bridge Co., beams
9 00
Berlin Iron Bridge Co., shutters and hinges,
9 50
Merrick Lumber Co., moulding
3 68
Aaron Fisher, roofing 11 50
Aaron Fisher, paint, labor and freight
6 50
L. A. Clark, mason, $3.00 per day
58 33
Munroe Todd, mason, $3.00 per day
39 66
G. E. Knight 19 90
G. E. Knight, boarding masons
16 00
E. J. Burt, tending masons 13 24
G. B. Frisbee, tending masons 19 00
F. C Montague, labor 6 83
F. C. Montague, drawing brick and lime 15 70
17 40
L. W. Clapp, labor
26 98
L. W. Clapp, drawing brick
12 00
L. W. Clapp, car fare and freight
3 95
A. D. Rice 12 08
A. D. Rice, window
1 25
Frank Howard, drawing brick
7 40
E. W. Kingsley
14 00
Cowls & Childs, lumber
4 74
C. N. Loud, lumber
8 24
Levi Burt
2 00
D. S. Bridgman, drawing brick
10
Westhampton Water Co., 2 00
491 83
Sold brick and lumber Total cost of vault
482 13
MISCELLANEOUS.
John Leitch, Jr., printing Reports $29 00
A. W. Brownell, Assessors' Blanks 4 15
Climax Road Machine Co., repairs, road machine 9 50
G. L. Munn, Order Book
3 50
G. E. Knight, care library
20 00
sexton
12 00
16 60 mowing cemetery 6 75
6 50
66 60 care Hall
66 66 glass and setting 1 15
Ida Mae Pollard, Clark Scholarship 5 07
George N. Baker, insurance on school houses
46 00
A. C. Townsend, Dog Fund for library 69 62
A. D. Montague, Thayer Fund for Parish 25 00
A. D. Rice, express 66 tax book 1 35
2 05
F. H. Judd, express, stationery and postage 12 51 66 repairs on Ballot Box 1 00
H. A. Parsons, nails, chimneys and glass, 1 34
N. A. Kingsley, postage and collecting 4 15
A. K. Chapman, repairs 1 08
Westhampton Water Co., water, cemetery 66 tank, four months
5 00
3 36
O. W. Bartlett, attending court 2 30
6 6 66 paid A. J. Fargo 150
Clark Scholarship Fund, Jared Williams 5 00
9 10
11
TOWN OFFICERS.
John Pollard, Ballot Clerk $ 1 50
N. L. Montague, Ballot Clerk 1 50
Levi Burt, Constable
3 00
E. A. Bartlett, Collector
32 64
A. G. Jewett, Auditor
2 00
O. W. Bartlett, Selectman 66 Cattle Inspector 24 50
6 00
A. D. Rice, Selectman 11 36
66 66 Selectmen's Report 2 00
66 Registrar
6 00
66 66 Overseer of Poor 2 00
66
66 Assessor
15 00
F. C. Montagne, Selectman
10 00
60
Assessor
14 50
Overseer of Poor 3 50
66
60 Registrar
3 00
L. W. Clapp, Assessor 13 50
66 66 Selectman 6 50
66 66 Registrar
9 00
F. H. Judd, Salary, Clerk 15 00
60 Scaler 5 00
66 Elector
66 4 00
66 66 66 Registrar 2 00
. 6
66
66
Clerk's Report 5 00
6.
66
66 Office Room 2 00
Recording births, deaths and
marriages 8 90
N. A. Kingsley, Salary Treasurer
25 00
Total Town Officers, $244 40
RECAPITULATION.
Highways
$1,145 27
Poor St&e Aid
794 01
48 00
1
12
Street and Wright Fund
52 00
Telephone
55 70
Street lamps
25 56
Fire Proof Vault
491 83
Miscellaneous
358 23
Taxes, Discount and Interest
698 33
Town Officers
244 40
Total Selectmen's Orders
3,913 33
School Committee's Orders
1,535 96
Total Expenditures
$5,449 29
RESOURCES.
Balance from last year
$ 376 12
Taxes assessed 3,699 37
Receipts of Treasurer from other sources
1,940 96
$6,016 45
Balance March 1, 1896, $567 16.
L. W. CLAPP, Selectmen of
F. C. MONTAGUE,
A. D. RICE, Westhampton
March 4th, 1896.
Having examined and compared the Accounts and Vouchers of the Selectmen and Treasurer for the current year, I find that they agree, and that orders of the Select- men have been paid to the amount of $3,913.33.
A. G. JEWETT, Auditor.
Assessors' Report.
Real Estate Valuation
$188,995 00
Personal Estate Valuation
33,488 00
Total valuation Total tax Tax Levy,
-$222,883 00
3,699 3:
State tax
150 00
County tax
380 05
Schools
1,000 00
School books
100 00
Superintendent of schools
50 00
Snow Bills
200 00
Highways and Bridges
800 00
Support of Poor
500 00
Vault for Town Records
100 00
Town Officers
200 00
Contingencies
150 00
Overlayings
67 32
$3,699 3
L. W. CLAPP, F. C. MONTAGUE, A. D. RICE,
Assessors of Westhampton.
14
List of Jurors.
Fred D. Bridgman,
Theodore P. Elwell,
Willie?W. Kingsley,
Henry M. Clapp, Henry A. Parsons Stephen A. Rust,
Edmund Slattery.
1
Treasurer's Report.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1896.
Dr.
To balance from last year $376 12
To cash from A. G. Jewett, int. on Wright Fund 25 00
66
N. A. Kingsley, int. on Wright Fund 25 00
66 # 6 Oliver Ducharm, Expenses of Delia Rivit 80 00 66 66 T. J. Slattery 81 25
66
66 Hamp. Co. Bank, Scholarship Fund 5 00
46 06 Estate Whiting Street 57 50
46 66 Haydenville Savings Bank on Note 350 00
6. George E. Knight Lumber and Brick 5 50
66 F. C. Montague, Brick 3 60
County Treasurer, Dog Fund, refunded 69 62
6. 6 Town of Chesterfield
1 25
66 Town of Huntington
10 00
86
66 L. W. Clapp, Old Road Machine 10 00
. 4
F. H. Judd, int. on Thayer Fund 31 25
15
‹t
State Treasurer, insane paupers
286 66
‹ ‹
66
66
Tuition School Children 51 30
.
66
66
66
Corporation tax
20 76
66
66
National Bank tax
298 07
יי
66
State aid
60 00
66
66
66
School Fund
469 20
66
Town Assessment
3,699 37
Total
$6,016 45
Cr
By paid Orders of Selectmen
3,913 33
66 66 School Committee
1,535 96
Balance due the Town
567 16
From this balance, due the town, one hundred sev-
en and 50-100 dollars ($107.50), is from the Street, and Wright Fund, which leaves for use of the town, only $459.66.
N. A. KINGSLEY, Treasurer.
March 4, '96.
I find on examination, that the accounts of the Treeasur- er, are correct, that he has paid on orders of the Selectmen, three thousand nine hundred and thirteen and 33-100 dollars ($3,913.33), and on orders of the School Committee, one thousand five hundred and thirty-five and 96-100 dollars ($1,535.96), and to meet a balance due the town of five hun- dred sixty-seven and 16-100 dollars ($567.16), he has on hand in currency two hundred seventeen and 16-100 dollars ($212.16), and that there is due from the collector on Unpaid Taxes $350 00
A. G. JEWETT, Auditor.
‹
Town Clerk's Report.
FOR THE YEAR 1895.1896
BIRTHS RECORDED.
/ Feb. 11, Elmer Charles Williams. Y
2 Mar. 4, Herman Allen Searle.
3 11, Raymond Russell Crandall.v
+/ April 25, Winifred Blanche Howard. v
5 May 15, Eva Mabel Berry.
6 " 20, Erland Seward Townsend.
7 July 1, Margurite Fayhee.
Births recorded in previous years.
1885
'86
'87
'88
'89
'90
'91
'92
'93
10
10
12
8
12
12
15
15
12
MARRIAGES RECORDED. 1895
) Aug. 5, Egbert D. Damon. Susan E. Witherell.
1 Dec. 25, George Amlaw. Agnes M. Holdridge.
Marriages recorded in previous years.
1885
'86
'8%
'88
'89
'90
"91
'92
'93
'94
5
5
4
6
4
3
1
5
5
17
1
DEATHS RECORDED .: 1895
/ Feb. 6, Clara A. Perrot.
2 66
9, La Duc. infant.
3 May 6, Marcia M. Trask.
4 8, Annie Slattery.
5 24, Cordelia T. Clapp.
6
66 29, Myro A. Morrison.
7
66 31, Horace F. Clapp.
8 June 3, Hubert W. Stickney. V
9 16, Herman A. Searle.
10 July 27, Lena G. Shaw.
" Nov. 6, Lewis Howard.
Deaths recorded in previous years.
1885 '86
'87
'88
'89
'90
'91
'92
'93
'94
6
14
5
5
4
5
13 . 12
10
Causes of death. Consumpton, 2; Heart Disease, 2; Pneumonia, 1; Diptheria, 1; Paralysis, 1; Loco Motor Ataxy, 1; Anemia, 1; Teething, 1; Still Born, 1.
Mortgages of Personal Property recorded, 4.
DOGS LICENSED.
F. P. Elwell,
Mar. 25
J. Hathaway, 2, May 6 66 6
F. Howard, Apr. 13 C. T. Williams, 2,
H. L. Dodge, 13 H. Haunton, " 18
E. A. Bartlett, 6
25 H. M. Clapp, ".25
A. D. Mor tague, Jr., 66
27
Mrs. M. C. Pelton, . 28
A. L. Snow, 66
27 H. Hathaway, June 1
A. S. Bridgman, 66
29 A. E. Damon,
C. O. Connors, 60
30
F. J. Pomeroy. 66
8
P. Connors, 66
30
F. H. Judd, 66
14
S. A. Rust,
30
E. P. Lyman,
66
19
Geo. Coleman,
May
1 W. J. Lyman,
21
Irving Prentice, 66
1 M. K. Parsons, Aug. 1
18
L. W. Clapp,
66
2
M. G. Crandall, 6€
16
F. H. Judd, 2,
2
G. Tower,
66
20
W. J. Anderson,
66
2 F. R. Howard,
21
D. Courtney,
66
3 E. W. Payson,
66
24
P. Gagnon,
66
4
A. E. Howard,
Sept.
3
Levi Burt,
66
6 M. J. Slattery,
66
27
N. L. Montague,
66
W. H. Lyman,
66
28
C. H. Morey,
66
S
J. H. Kingsley,
Oct.
1
S, D. Lyman,
66
13
John Gravelin,
66
1
FINANCIAL ACCOUNT.
Rec'd for 31 dog licenses to June 1, at $2,
$62 00
Rec'd for 16 dog licenses to Dec. 1, at $2,
32 00
Rec'd for 1 dog license to Dec. 1, at $5,
5 00
$99 00
Less fees 48 at 20 cents each,
9 60
Due County,
$89 40
CONTRA.
By County Treasurer's receipt, June 1, $55 80
By County Treasurer's receipt, Dec. 2, 33 60
Amount paid to County, $89 40
Amount returned from County, 69 62
Respectfully submitted, F. H. JUDD, Town Clerk.
Westhampton, March 2nd, 1896.
Having examined the accounts of F. H. Judd, Esq., Town Clerk, for the year ending March 1st, '96, I find them correct, with vouchers for all sums paid, and credit for sums received.
A. G. JEWETT, Auditor.
27
A. D. Rice,
6 John Devine,
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF WESTHAMPTON.
STATEMENT OF SCHOOLS, TEACHERS EMPLOYED, WAGES, ETC.
CENTER SCHOOL.
Miss Mary L. Raeder, Miss Myra E. Kingsley.
No. of pupils enrolled
24
Average membership
20
Average attendance
19
No. of pupils over 15 years
2
No. of pupils under 5 years
()
No. of pupils between 8 and 14
15
No. of weeks school
32
Wages paid Teacher
$245 00
20
Water Co.,
5 00
Fuel
6 38
Cleaning schoolhouse
3 50
Making fires etc. in 1894
3 00
Making fires etc. in 1895
5 00
Orville Flint, repairs
1 50
C. N. Loud
3 00
Lock, glass, etc.,
1 65
The Clark Scholarship Prize for the one who reads and spells the best at the close of the winter term, was given to Jared Williams.
Not absent or tardy during the year: Ellen J. Doherty, Alfred and Dana Pelton.
Your committee have thought it best to unite the North East with this school, and made arrangements with Mr. Kingsley to bring the pupils and teacher together, thus sav- ing the town the expense of a separate conveyance, and have been well pleased with the result, not in expense alone, but also in the spirit of emulation which is thereby incited in the minds of the pupils and the opportunity which it has given to the teacher to develop more largely this spirit among her pupils.
The provision which the State has made, whereby the Tuition is paid for any pupil who may desire to attend a high school, has in a measure relieved the towns of the necessity of providing a school in town for such pupils. Yet your com- mittee feel confident that the advantages which a good gram- inar school would give to our children would be beyond mon- ey value, and we hope, and expect, that the time is not far distant when such a school will be provided by the town and every family, where there are children, will consider it a great privilege to send their children to it.
Since the close of the winter term a beautiful picture, en- titled "The Landing of the Pilgrims," has been received from a former teacher, Miss M. L. Raeder.
21
SOUTH SCHOOL. Cora P. Harwood, Mary Whelan.
No. of pupils enrolled
18
Average membership
Average attendance
13.8 12
No. of pupils over 15 years
1
No. of pupils under 5 years
0
No. of pupils between 8 and 14
11
No. of weeks school
32
Wages paid Teacher
$192 00
Fuel, 1894-95
10 00
Fuel, 1895-96
11 00
Repairs 3 35
Cleaning schoolhouse
2 00
Making fires 5 00
Twenty-one pupils were enrolled in this school at the be- ginning of the year, while only three were present at the close of winter term. This irregular attendance is very in- jurious to a school, but may be accounted for, in part at least, by the long distance that many of them have to walk and the age of the pupils, fifteen of the eighteen enrolled being under nine years of age, and the three who were present the last day, Harry Crandall, Casper Connery and Georgie Searle, were only seven and eight years old and had to walk, each of them, a mile or more. Georgie Searle has not been absent or tardy for two terms, and Casper and Harry only absent on account of sickness for a few days, and there are others who would be just as glad to be there every day as these boys, but it would be almost an impossibility for them to do so.
NORTH EAST SCHOOL. Myra E. Kingsley.
No. of pupils enrolled A
Average membership 6.3
22
Average attendance
6
No. of pupils over 15 years
0
No. of pupils under 5 years 0)
No. of pupils between 8 and 14
3
No. of weeks school 12
Wages of Teacher
$72 00
The pupils in this school have attended the center school two terms of the past year. Your committee made arrange- ments with Mr Kingsley to carry them for $2 50 a week, and your committee feel that this money has been well invested, as there would have been but three pupils if we had main- tained a school here.
HILL SCHOOL. .
Emily M. Clapp, Grace L. Chapman.
No. of pupils enrolled 13
Average membership
10
Average attendance
9
No. of pupils over 15 years
2
No. of pupils under 5 years
1
No. of pupils between 8 and 14
9
No. of weeks school
32
Wages paid Teacher
$197 50
Fuel, F. D. Bridgman . 8 00
Oscar Bartlett, sawing wood
1 50
Oscar Bartlett, making fires 4 00
Repairs 2 75
Your committee secured the services of Miss Clapp for the first term of the year, with the expectation of keeping her during the fall and winter term, if a boarding place could be secured nearer the school house, when the walking was bad. Miss Clapp secured a school with much larger pay, and we were consequently unable to keep her.
23
NORTH WEST. Mary Whelan, Nellie M. Ingolsby.
No. of pupils enrolled 9
Average membership
6
Average attendance 5
No. of pupils over 15 years
1 1
No. of pupils under 5 years
0
No. of pupils between 8 and 1}
5
No. of weeks school
32
Wages paid Teacher
$192 00
Fuel
8 00
Repairs
2 50
Both of these teachers have had the advantage of Nor- mal instruction, and although they have not had a long expe- rience in teaching, the help they have received from the Nor- mal, enables them to do excellent work.
Considerable repairs are needed on this school house, and one side of the roof, perhaps both, need shingling.
EXPENSES.
Teachers' Salary and Board
$898 50
Loudville School 147 66
Superintendent 56 00
Fuel
44 SS
Repairs
12 20
Books, Taintor & McAlpine
$16 40
American Book Co.
16 13
S. E. Bridgman & Co.
13 76
Wm. Ware & Co.
7 50
E. H. School Com.
3 75
Lothrop Pub. Co.
9 60
Robert Gair
2 40
Ginn & Co.
5 28
Silver Burdette & Co.
8 95
24
Geo. S. Perry & Co.
4 05
Miscellaneous for reference
6 50- $94 32
Tuition, Flora Kingsley
10 00
Grace Kingsley
10 00
Edith Shaw
10 00
Grace Edwards
26 00
Maurice Whelan
10 00
E. A. Kingsley
50 33
Elsie Bartlett
30 00- $146 33
TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS.
Ira O. Shaw
$50 00
Will Kingsley
40 00
Westhampton Water Co.
5 00
Janitors' services
15 50
Jas. Spear, brooms
6 75
Cleaning school houses
5 50
Express and freight
7 85
Postage and stationery
3 00
F. D. Bridgman
7 65
A. D. Montague, Jr.
'4 00
C. N. Loud, 93 days
23 75-$1,568 89
Less rebate from State
32 93
$1,535 96
The bill has not been received for the balance of the year from Easthampton, and when this tuition is paid, our balance reported as not expended, will be greatly reduced.
RESOURCES.
Town appropriation
$1,000 00
Books Superintendent
100 00
50 00
25
State appropriation Balance from last year
469 20 145 82-$1,765 02
Balance unexpended, $230.06.
A. D. MONTAGUE, JR., F. D. BRIDGMAN, School C. N. LOUD, Committee .
March 4th, '96.
I find on examination, that the Town Treasurer has paid, on orders of the School Committee, $1,535.96 for the year ending March Ist, and that the committee have receipts for the same.
A. G. JEWETT, Auditor.
REPORT
OF THE
School Superintendent.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE:
GENTLEMEN :-
The opportunities offered by the statute of 1895 providing a high school education for pupils of small towns at the ex- pense of the state were quickly accepted by Westhampton. The number of our pupils in the high schools of Northampton and Easthampton is a credit to this town and its people. May that number continue to grow. In this connection the question of increased facilities at the center for preparing pu- pils for high school entrance is peculiarly important. The high schools which can be legally patronized are subject to
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the approval of the state board and, in the constant effort to strengthen their work, will doubtless gradually add to their re- quirements for admission. Already algebra has been added to the requirements of the Northampton high school and as that subject is begun in the ninth grade at Easthampton it will hereafter be expected at the high school there. West- hampton will not be the town to scrimp the outfit of the chil - dren it would send away to school. It is true that with com- petent teachers the requirements can be met in the outside schools. But to do the work required and do it best, both for those who go and those who stay or are to go later, the best and most efficient plan is to have at some convenient place, presumably at the center, a grammar school, for which, as a general rule the other schools maintained should do prepara- tory work. I bespeak for this matter your early and careful consideration.
TEACHERS.
Westhampton schools will continue to suffer so long as there is a lack of funds to be applied to salaries of teachers. At the salaries paid here there is little certainty of securing efficient teachers and less hope of retaining them.
The town has been fortunate in retaining the services of Miss Kingsley and Miss Whelan, whose work at the Center and South schools since September has been a credit to the teachers and of constantly increasing value to the town. So long as native talent of this quality is willing to serve the schools at the salaries paid, the town may consider itself favored .
CONVEYANCE OF PUPILS.
During a good portion of the year all the pupils attending the Hill and South schools could have been comfortably seat- ed and instructed at either one of the school-houses. The ad- vantages would have outweighed the disadvantages of com- bining these schools.
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VERTICAL WRITING.
In many towns and cities of the country vertical writing has been adopted either permanently or as an experiment. In view of these experiments it has seemed unnecessary to make any trial of the system here. So far the evidence tends to show that (1) the vertical system is more easily taught than the slant, (2) is more rapidly learned, (3) because of its like- ness to print is more useful in primary grades, (4) it is more hygienic, (5) the change from slant to vertical is made by schools with little difficulty and slight loss of time. It is the opinion of your superintendent that continued experiments will tend to confirm this evidence, and that the vertical style of writing will presently be in quite general use in schools.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
More attention than formerly has been given during the past year to the subject of civil government. An effort has been made to attach the study to some event that was pass- ing; thus the November election, the assembling of congress and the general court, and the annual town meeting have each furnished live questions to be answered by the pupils. By a continuance and extension of this plan the subject mat- ter of civil government may all be taught in the study of in- stitutions and events with which the child can come into ac- tual contact. So long as children continue to leave school at the age of fourteen or thereabouts such teaching will be neces- sary in the intermediate and grammar years if the schools do their full duty in preparing children for intelligent citi- zenship.
THE HIGHER VALUE.
While it seems natural to place a money value upon edu- cation, while parents may properly demand that in return for taxes or tuition the schools shall equip pupils with the where- withal to earn a living, the nobler truth that there is a value
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in education beyond the money value is bound to press itself home to minds and hearts of all thoughtful people. Boys and girls should become something more than earners of a living. Squirrels earn a living. The boys and girls that are to be the men and women of higher usefulness will be those who can not only earn a living, but who have some tastes for living, who can make proper use of their hours of rest, who can prac- tice the arts of peace in times of peace, who have such clear views of honor and truth that they can point the way to a higher individual and national life. To give the inspiration to this higher life is the noblest mission of the public school. Here the child should make an acquaintance with, and culti- vate a taste for, the great books of the world. Here he should learn to appreciate the world's wonderful music. Here he should learn the language of the world's masterpieces of art. Here, finally, under the influence of the man or the woman of training, of culture, of character, who is his teacher, he should learn the lessons of manners and morals which com- plete the stature of the man the world needs.
Respectfully,
B. CLIFTON DAY.
ARTICLES
IN THE
Warrant for Town Meeting, March 23, 1896.
Article 1 .- To choose a Moderator.
Art. 2 .- To choose all necessary Officers to serve the town the ensuing year.
Art. 3 .- To act on all reports presented at said meeting.
Art. 4 .- To see if the town will accept the Jurors' list pro- posed by the Selectmen.
Art. 5 .- To see if the town change the dates of Annual meeting and Settlement.
Art. 6 .- To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to defend the suit brought against the town by Worthington Hooker.
Art. 7 .- To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary to defray town charges the ensuing year.
Art. 8 .- To take action in regard to the collection of taxes.
Art. 9 .- To see if the town will authorize its Treasurer to borrow money to meet current expenses in anticipation of taxes for the current year.
Art. 10 .- To vote Yes or No on the question, shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town.
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