USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1907 > Part 11
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263
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
general introduction of water and sewerage in our city and the rebuilding of miles of macadamized roads. I have seen new sidewalks built from one end of the city to the other. I have seen new school houses built and others remodelled. All these and many more milestones are splendid monu- ments on the march of our progress. In view of all our advantages and blessings the spirit of contentment should reign supreme.
Although satisfaction is not warranted by the existing conditions, discouragement or even indifference would be fatal. Armed with courage and vigilance, we stand as mem- bers of one brotherhood to work side by side for the best interests of our city.
Let the great responsibility given to us be an incentive and stimulus to persevere. Let us stand firmer when the fight goes hard, and act fearlessly and steadfastly according to the dictates of our conscience. Let us hope that by so doing our management of these noble duties will be a tribute to our personal integrity and a credit to the city we serve- our beloved Newburyport.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
City Government, 1907 3
Detailed Account of Receipts and Expenditures :
Abatement of Taxes 65
Aldermen and Council
68
Anna Jaques Hospital 67
Ashes and Rubbish.
67
Assessors
70
Bridges and Culverts
71
Board of Health (Miscellaneous)
73
Board of Health (Supervision and Labor)
76
Bromfield Fund
73
City Auditor
79
City Bonds
84
City Clerk.
79
City Clocks
82
City Hall
77
City Messenger
82
City Treasurer and Collector
81
Cemeteries (Improvements)
83
Cemeteries (Supervision)
83
County of Essex.
77
Elections
85
Fire Department (Fuel)
86
Fire Department (Miscellaneous) 88
Fire Department (Supervision)
91
265
266
ANNUAL REPORTS
Detailed Account of Receipts and Expenditures:
Fire Department (Lighting Engine Houses) 91
Fire Department (Salaries) 92
Fire Alarm (Miscellaneous) 93
Fire Alarm (Supervision of Wires) 94
Garbage and Disposal
95
Harbor Master
95
Highways (Maintenance)
96
Highways (Repairs)
98
Incidental Department.
100
Ice and Snow.
101
Interest Department
100
Inspector of Provisions
102
Inspector of Weights and Measures 103
Inspection of Plumbing
104
Income Account.
105
Law Department.
106
Lighting Streets
107
License Commission
107
Mayor's Office.
108
Memorial Day
108
Parks ..
109
Police ( Supervision)
IIO
Police ( Salaries ).
III
Police ( Station )
II2
Police ( Miscellaneous).
I13
Police (Lighting ).
I14
Poor Department.
115
Public Landings and Other City Property
I20
Public Library.
I2I
Preservation of Trees
123
Rent of Sheds.
124
Schools.
125
Military Aid.
138
Schools (Buildings)
132
Schools (Lighting) 134
Sewers (Construction) 135
INDEX 267
Detailed Account of Receipts and Expenditures :
Sewers (Maintenance) 136
Soldiers' Relief. 139
Simpson Fund. 141
Salaries of City Officers 142
Watering Streets (Operating)
140
Ward Six Engine House
141
Jury List. 237
Mayor's Inaugural Address, 1907.
17
Mayor's Inaugural Address, 1908. 253
Mayors of Newburyport. 15
Meetings
6
Reports :
Board of Assessors 149
Board of Health 153
City Marshal. 159
City Physician
177
City Clerk.
179
City Solicitor
187
Directors of the Public Library .
197
Overseers of the Poor
191
Superintendent of Highways and Sewers. 165
Water Commissioners 225
City Auditor 33
Collector of Taxes 57
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
BY THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE
CITY OF NEWBURYPORT,
MASSACHUSETTS.
FOR THE YEAR
1907.
NEWBURYPORT, MASS. NEWS PUBLISHING CO., PRINTERS, 1908.
At the meeting of the School committee, held December 30th. the report of the Superintendent of Schools was accepted and adopted as the report of the Board.
EDGAR L. WILLARD, Secretary.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT-1907.
Hon. Albert F. Hunt, (Mayor), . Chairman
Ernest W. Bliss Vice Chairman
Ward I-Ernest W. Bliss, 10 Allen street Term expires 1909
George Plumer Merrill, 16 Tremont street 66 66 1908
Ward 2-Prentiss H. Reed, 55 Lime street 66 66
1909
Charles W. Bailey, 62 Prospect street 66 66
1908
Ward 3-Arthur P. Brown, 118 Mt. Vernon street,
Boston 66
66 1909
John F. Young, 9 Fruit street 66
1908
Ward 4-Charles F. Johnson, 45 Washington street "
66
1909
Clarence C. Day, 21 Titcomb street 66
66
1908
Ward 5-William F. Lunt, 128 High street 66
66
1909
Grosvenor T. Bood, 232 High street 66
66
1908
Ward 6-William R. Usher, 30 Broad street 66
1909
Paul A. Merrill, 24 Tyng street 66
66 1908
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND SECRETARY.
Edgar L. Willard Office at City Hall
TRUANT OFFICER.
Joshua L. Chase Office with the Superintendent
3
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT-(Continued)
SUB-COMMITTEES-1907
High School-George Plumer Merrill, Chairman; C. C. Day, W. R. Usher,.J. F. Young, P. H. Reed.
Grammar Schools-Prentiss H. Reed, Chairman; W. R. Usher, G. T. Blood, C. F. Johnson, A. P. Brown.
Training and Primary Schools-Paul A. Merrill, Chairman; G. P. Merrill, C. W. Bailey, J. F. Young, W. F. Lunt.
Text Books and Supplies-Charles W. Bailey, Chairman; G. P. Merrill, W. R. Usher.
Rules and Regulations-Ernest W. Bliss, Chairman; C. C. Day, A. P. Brown.
Evening Schools-John F. Young, Chairman; G. P. Merrill, C. C. Day.
Prudential Committee-Arthur P. Brown, Chairman; C. F. Johnson, G. T. Blood.
Salaries-Grosvenor T. Blood, Chairman; W. F. Lunt, C. F. John- son.
Janitors and Buildings-Clarence C. Day, Chairman; P. A. Merrill, P. H. Reed.
Drawing and Music-William R. Usher, Chairman; C. W. Bailey, W. F. Lunt.
Cooking and Sewing-William F. Lunt, Chairman; C. F. Johnson, P. A. Merrill.
4
SCHOOL DIRECTORY AND CALENDAR.
School Committee Room-City Hall.
Office of the Superintendent-City Hall.
Regular Meetings of the Board-The last Monday evening of each month except July and August, at eight o'clock.
Superintendent's Office Hours, Wednesdays, 9 to 10 a. m. Other School days, 4 to 5 p. m.
School Year-Begins the Tuesday following Labor Day.
Vacations and Holidays-Saturdays, Thanksgiving Day and the two following days, Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, from Christmas to New Year, inclusive, one week beginning the first Monday in April, and nine-weeks from the Friday preceding the Fourth of July.
5
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation
$42,000 00
Putnam Trustees
1,200 00
Brown Fund 675 00
Newbury, Tuition 130 00
Rowley, Tuition 508 40
Salisbury, Tuition 191 00
State, Tuition
104 50
Miscellaneous Tuition
80 00
Sale of Books
7 4I
From Other Departments
73 59
Total Receipts $44,969 90
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries
$37,639 37
Supplies
3,749 96
Fuel
3,447 82
From Other Departments
78 08
Balance on Hand
54 67
Total
$44.969 90
Total Expenditures for 1907 .$44,914 23
CURRENT EXPENSES OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
High School.
Teachers' Salaries $8,132 50
Janitor
750 00
Fuel
824 08
Supplies
1,179 17 $10,885 75
6
7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Currier School.
Teachers' Salaries
2,760 58
Janitor
179 13
Fuel
202 91
Supplies
238 84 3,381 46
Jackman School.
Teachers' Salaries 5,185 45
Janitor
500 00
Fuel
627 17
Supplies
553 61 6,866 23
Kelley School.
Teachers' Salaries
2,990 62
Janitor
262 99
Fuel
266 73
Supplies
305 95 3,826 29
Ward Room School.
Teacher's Salary
450 00
Janitor
48 19
Fuel
19 81
Supplies
58 87 576 87
Bromfield Street School.
Teachers' Salaries
1,453 67
Janitor
120 00
Fuel
146 75
Supplies
163 85 1,884 27
Curtis School.
Teachers' Salaries
1,590 00
Janitor
179 12
Fuel
277 66
Supplies
192 71 2,239 49
8
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
T
Davenport School.
Teachers' Salaries 1,581 00
Janitor
200 00
Fuel
368 94
Supplies
161 07
2,311 OI
Johnson School.
Teachers' Salaries
1,562 75
Janitor
120 00
Fuel
105 43
Supplies
160 83
1,949 0I
Purchase Street School.
Teacher's Salary
325 00
Janitor
40 00
Fuel
12 00
Supplies
45 10
422 10
Temple Street School.
Teachers' Salaries
770 00
Janitor
120 00
Fuel
II3 82
Supplies
II4 34
1,118 16
Training School.
Teachers' Salaries
1,464 00
Janitor
262 00
Fuel
266 73
Supplies
2II 27
2,204 00
Moultonville School.
Teachers' Salaries
973 58
Janitor
75 00
Fuel
69 16
Supplies
76 13
1,193 87
Storey Avenue School.
Teacher's Salary
382 50
Janitor
54 00
Fuel
45 20
Supplies
30 45 512 15
9
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Plum Island School.
Teacher's Salary
360 94
Rent of cottage
100 00
Fuel
10 00
Supplies
7 50 480 69
Evening School.
Teachers' Salaries
453 00
Janitor
67 00
Fuel
53 30
623 30
Cooking and Sewing School.
Teacher's Salary
530 00
Janitor
46 67
Fuel
15 75
Transportation
25 00
Supplies
100 02
717 42
Total
$41,192 07
Other salaries and supplies not included in the above statement
3,722 16
$44,914 23
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee :
Gentlemen :- While I shall review briefly the usual top- ics of the annual report, I wish to give special attention to two or three subjects which seem to me to be vital at this time.
The changes in the teaching force are more or less fa- miliar to you. Owing to the resignations of Miss Norris and Mr. Peabody, the department in English has two new in- structors in the High School. Miss Ethel V. Z. Sullivan with a year of experience came to us from the Zanesville, Ohio, High School, and Miss Marjorie I. Noyes, a native of Byfield, a graduate of our own High School, and with a year of suc- cessful experience in Reeds Ferry, New Hampshire, was se- lected to fill the second vacancy.
In the Latin department, Miss Laura R. Sherman, with one year of work in the Providence Classical High School, was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss May.
During the summer, Mr. Fisher asked to be released from his contract with the Board owing to his appointment to a position in the High School of Commerce in Boston.
For this position in our commercial department, Miss Mabel L. Hayes was selected after a large list of applicants had been thoroughly investigated.
The Committee at its September meeting voted that an assistant be employed in the commercial department, and
II
12
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
elected Miss Annie M. Chase to that position. Twelve regu- lar instructors now constitute the faculty of the High School. an increase of one over former years.
Early in the year the Committee authorized the employ- ment of an additional teacher in the Jackman School as an assistant to the Master. After much searching about, Miss Inez G. Kilton of South Acton was selected to fill this import- ant position.
The resignation of Miss Colby in the sixth grade in this school made a new teacher necessary there, and Miss Flor- ence Carleton of Danvers was appointed.
In the Currier School Miss Gertrude L. Barrett was chosen to fill the position in grade eight made vacant by the resignation of Miss Urquhart.
At the Davenport School, Miss Pritchard was trans- ferred from grade one to grade two, formerly taught by Miss Small, and Anne J. Dixon, a recent graduate of the Training School has been given charge of grade one.
In the Curtis School Miss Clarissa E. Hathaway was elected to fill the position in grade three, made vacant by the resignation of Miss Badger.
Both teachers of the Temple Street School resigned at the close of the year. Miss Mary A. Doyle, formerly of the Purchase Street School was elected to the principalship of this school, and Miss Ella Robinson was given the position in grades one and two.
The position in the Purchase Street School was filled by the election of Miss Elizabeth M. Roaf, also a recent gradu- ate of the Training School.
At the Johnson School, the fourth of the five members of the class of last February in the Training School, Miss
13
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Ruth W. Brown, was made principal of the building in the place of Miss Dodge who resigned at the close of the year.
Miss Gravestein closed a year of work as special teacher of drawing, and the regular supervisor, Miss Florence M. Murphy, has returned to work after a prolonged illness.
The only schools not affected by the changes in the teaching force during the year, are the Kelley, Ward Room and Broomfield Street.
Fourteen teachers, or twenty-five per cent. of the en- tire force have been affected by these changes.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS.
Early last year the teachers of the city organized what has since been termed the Newburyport Teachers' Associa- tion. This body of teachers have held monthly meetings since its inception beginning each year in October and hold- ing its last meeting in May.
During the year 1906-1907 these meetings were ad- dressed by your Superintendent and by such speakers as Principal J. A. Pitman of the Salem Normal School, Super- intendent George E. Gay of Haverhill, Miss Anne Withing- ton of this city, and Mr. Charles C. Haines, Master of the Lewis School in Boston.
The topics under discussion have been such as the gen- eral public are deeply concerned with. It has, therefore, been a source of keen disappointment to the officers of the association, that the public has not taken advantage of the opportunity which these meetings have afforded. Last year our meetings were held at 4.30, generally on Fridays. As the fundamental purpose of the association was to get in touch with the public on matters pertaining to the schools, it has been thought wise to hold the meetings in the even-
-
I4
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
ing. One meeting December 13th, was held at eight o'clock in the High School Hall. The address was by Charles H. Morse, Secretary of the State Commission on Industrial Ed- ucation. His topic was Industrial Education. In spite of the fact that the lecturer could speak with the authority of one in his position, and in spite of the live topic with which he had to deal, not more than fifty persons outside of the teachers attended.
You as a Committee may work, your Superintendent may do his utmost, the teachers in the schools may toil faith- fully year after year, but unless the public sentiment of this city can be aroused to such an extent that it will demand the very best for its schools, the schools will never be what they might be, nor what they ought to be.
Here are some of the incidents of the last year and a half which have made contributions toward inferior or in- terrupted work in the schools.
First-Johnson School opened Sept. 17th, 1906, instead of September 4th. Two weeks of the best part of the school year lost to the pupils, because someone did not compel a contractor to complete his work on time. Two weeks with one hundred and forty children on the street who should have been in school. Nearly one hundred dollars paid to teachers who could not render an equivalent to the city.
Second-A similar experience in the Bromfield Street School this year, though only half as long. Again because no one saw to it that contracts should be lived up to and made good.
Third-A school dismissed because the floor in the entry had broken through and endangered the lives of the children.
Fourth-The same school dismissed because a rain storm had made the school room untenable through broken win- dows and a poor and leaky roof.
15
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Fifth-Sanitary conditions in at least one building which allow noxious and poisonous gases to spread into every part of the building.
These are some of the things which have been allowed and for which the public alone is responsible.
It is to get the public interested in the schools primarily that these lectures have been planned. We believe that the public alone is responsible for the knobless doors, broken windows, leaky roofs, as well as broken contracts and poor sanitaries.
The entire list of these lectures as far as have been ar- ranged for, follows :
Nov. 12. 4 p. m .- The Individual Will and Education, Prof H. H. Horne, Dartmouth.
Dec. 13 .- Industrial Education, Charles H. Morse, Secretary State Commission on Industrial Education.
Jan. 10 .- Fundamentals in School Work, Payson Smith, State Superintendent of Instruction, Maine.
Feb. 13 .- Critical Periods in School Life, Prof. John M. Tyler, Amherst.
Mar. 12 .- Subject to be announced, Prof. W. R. Hart, Amherst Agricultural College.
Apr. 16 .- French Influence Upon American Education, Rev. G. W. Tupper, Boston University.
Beside these meetings of the teachers. grade meetings have been held each month for each grade. At these meet- ings which have always been conducted by your superinten- dent the course of study has been taken up and the work of the different studies discussed.
These meetings have been specially beneficial in the opportunity they gave for comparing notes, and getting into closer touch with each others' work.
16
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SCHOOL GARDEN WORK.
Some interest and even enthusiasm has been aroused in school gardens during the last year. All of the schools ex- cept the High have done something along this line. Some have been more successful than others. But the leaven is working and more may be expected another year. As re- sults of some of this work many schools are showing better kept yards and surroundings than ever before. The most striking improvement is noticed at the Jackman School where the whole yard was graded and the bounds as well as the banking around the building have been turfed,-all at the expense of money raised by the pupils.
Late in the spring the City Improvement Association of- fered three prizes to schools having the neatest surroundings. These prizes were awarded at the High School graduation as follows :
First .- Fifteen dollars jointly to the Kelley and Training School.
Second .- Five dollars to the Johnson School.
Third .- Five dollars to the Davenport School.
PRESENT NEEDS.
The present needs of the schools in this city are along four main lines. So it seems to the writer.
First-a livelier and more effective interest on the part of the general public in the work of the schools.
Second-increased salaries for the teachers.
Third-better buildings and better equipment, and Fourth-the introduction of industrial work.
As to the first need, much has already been said in speaking of the public meetings of the teachers' association. As water cannot rise above its own level, so the schools of
17
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
this city will not and can not rise above what the citizens de- mand that they shall. So long as the public is satisfied with underpaid teachers, poorly constructed, poor lighted and poorly ventilated schoolhouses, we will doubtless have them, and with them we will also have twenty per cent. of our chil- dren possessing defective eyesight, and hundreds with con- stitutions so weakened that they easily become victims of contagious diseases.
Increase of salaries has already been voted by this Com- mittee, but as yet it has not been made operative in a single case.
It is unfair to expect even the teachers whose homes are in the city to remain satisfied with the old schedule of salaries where the cost of living has advanced so materially. Some one must pay the difference. In these cases it is always the parents. Still more unfair is it to expect teachers who come here from other communities, to pay three-fourths of their salaries for board alone. The average wages paid to the women teachers in Newburyport is less than ten dollars per week. Some of these same teachers pay as high as sev- en dollars a week for board.
The smallness of salaries here is still more evident when we attempt to secure a teacher from out of town. It is next to impossible to tempt a good teacher to come here with the best we have to offer. When we do secure a good teacher from out of town who is willing to come here to get expe- rience, we lose her when she has obtained that experience, to a city or town that pays more. We ask a teacher to sign a contract to stay a year, and by so doing sometimes cause her financial loss.
A superintendent recently visited one of our schools and offered the teacher one hundred and fifty dollars more than
18
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
the maximum which she was receiving. She felt morally bound by her contract to remain here and therefore refused the offer. Is it right? Is it justice to that teacher not to recognize her worth and her financial loss by refusing to raise her salary ?
There is much said since our recent city election regard- ing retrenchment. It is to be hoped, however, that this pol- icy will not make itself felt in the appropriation for the school department. More money ought to be at hand for the expenses of the schools for the coming year than was available this year. Not one cent less than forty-five thou- sand dollars will be enough. An appropriation larger than that of last year should be secured as the income from other sources will not be as great. To the mind of the writer it would be false economy for the City Government to ask us to do with less.
Mention has already been made of the condition of some of the buildings.
There is great need that such buildings as we now pos- sess be put into better condition. The High School, the Jackman and the Davenport buildings show that some care has been taken of them in the past. All others bear on them. in them and around them. the almost ineffaceable stamp of neglect.
Beside the need that the buildings now in use be made better, there is also the need of some new ones.
The upper portion of the city is still poorly accommo- dated in the upper grades. The ten-room building proposed a year ago for Ward Six should be pushed until it is a reality. How to furnish accommodations for grades five and six above State street this year has been a serious problem. The coming year it will be grades five, six and seven.
19
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The needs of the Training School along this line are evident to anyone familiar with the school and its difficulties. More room is needed for the recitation work of the pupil teachers. This coupled with the fact that the grammar rooms above are crowded makes some sort of change in the Kelley building almost imperative.
Four rooms, two below and two above, built directly in the rear of the present building would relieve the present sit- uation. This would give two additional rooms for the use of the grammar grades on the second floor, and two much needed rooms below for the Training School. Should any- one doubt the need of relief in the case of the latter, he is respectfully urged to visit the building and notice the diffi- culties under which both principal and pupil teachers labor in conducting recitations in the ante-rooms, all four of which are used for this purpose.
This relief, however, would only be temporary. The whole Kelley building ought to be given up for the use of the grammar grades. If this could be done there would be no need of using the Ward Room as a school, and the present crowding of the grammar grades in the schools above State street would be done away with. This plan, however, leaves the Training School without a home. To provide for this it would be feasible to enlarge the Temple Street building by erecting an addition in the rear so that the entire building would form a letter T. By so doing four modern school- rooms, four recitation rooms and office for the principal would be provided. The objection which might be raised to this plan -the presence of the Barton shoe factory-will not be valid long as that is to be torn down and dwellings put up in its place. With our salaries as low as they are, the Train- ing School is our only salvation. If it is to be continued we
20
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
should therefore do everything we can to make it the best of its kind. By giving it a separate building with four well lighted and commodious rooms and other facilities which it needs but which it now lacks, we would do much for primary education in this city.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
To introduce the fourth topic as one of the needs of the schools, the following letter is submitted, which was received :
October 4th, 1907. Mr. Edgar L. Willard, Supt. of Schools, Newburyport, Mass. Dear Sir :-
At a meeting of the Cambridge School Board held last even- ing the following vote was unanimously adopted:
Ordered, That the Massachusetts Commission on Industrial Education be, and it hereby is requested to establish one or more Industrial Evening Schools, as provided for in Chapter 505 of the Acts of 1906, in Machine Shop Practice, Forging, Pattern Making, Mechanical and Freehand Drawing, Sewing, Dressmaking, Milli- nery and Domestic Science, or such of the above named schools as to the said Commission seems best.
Such schools to be established in whole or in part in the build- ings of the Rindge Manual Training School or in the English High School building, or in both, and to be managed by said Com- mission through this Committee.
This vote will entitle the City of Cambridge to a state grant of one-half the cost of maintenance of these schools.
Your city is entitled to a state subsidy should it vote to co- operate with this Commission in the management of its evening industrial courses.
Very truly yours, CHARLES H. MORSE,
Secretary and Executive Officer.
21
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
This letter illustrates what our own Commonwealth is doing and trying to do to further the interests of industrial education within its border. The first steps have already been taken toward the establishment of day industrial schools in different parts of the State. Half the cost of maintaining these schools is to be borne by the State while practically the control is left to the local committees.
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