USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1862-1879 > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
"Entering either of these schools at certain hours in each session, we find the children happily employed in assorting these cards or worsted, according to shape or color, in forming words or short sentences with letters, laying sticks iu piles of certain numbers and according to given lengths, making various figures with the colored cards from designs drawn by the teacher on the black-board, or even designing themselves.
"Much good has already resulted, but the resources of this kind of material are very great, and more attention should be given to such occupation.
"It remains for teachers to develop the matter by careful thought. Even in the use of such material harm may be done.
" Instruction as to form, size, color, length, &c., should be exact. Nothing should be used carelessly, and the children should not be allowed to do any thing with this material at will, until they have had definite instruction as to its uses."
If our teachers in these schools will visit the best schools of the same grade in other towns, they will undoubtedly find many ways of using such material as it will be the pleasure of the committee to furnish.
GENERAL REMARKS.
We would say, in conclusion, that we consider our schools satisfactory in most respects, yet there are some faults, -
112
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
faults which we believe to be common to most schools in this vicinity.
We realize the fact that our schools must conform pretty closely to public opinion, right or wrong.
It will be practically impossible to ever raise them much above this standard, nor, from the nature of things, will they fall below it.
Now, it is true that public opinion is sometimes fallible, and reaches conclusions which are wrong, and this result in school matters is disastrous.
We believe it is wrong now in certain conclusions which it has adopted, and which some prominent educators have assisted in establishing.
One of these wrong conclusions, a very important one, requires that pupils should be put through their school course somehow, with very little exertion of their own.
There has been an impression prevalent for a long time, that if every thing were made plainer and simpler to pupils, and more time were spent in teaching, instead of studying, there would be a vast gain in educational results.
The practical result of this has been to make parrot-like imitators of pupils, instead of independent thinkers and reasoners.
They lose all courage to undertake any thing requiring careful thought and demanding mental exertion, but become expert machines, running rapidly and splendidly in the ruts where they have been taught, and good for but little else- where.
It is our conviction that many pupils suffer from too much teaching. We believe in retaining the old meaning of the verb to teach, viz. : to guide, to show, and would not confound it with "to do," "to bear," or "to suffer ;" and teacher is with us still a leader, a guide,-not a porter, as his occupation, according to some, would make him.
We would not destroy that beautiful figure of speech,
113
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
where the teacher is the shepherd, who carries the feeble lambs, by representing him as carrying the whole flock.
We concur so fully in the sentiments of the following, that we have quoted it from the School Report of Concord for last year.
"Now, it seems as if the whole tendency of our times, the whole advice of our educational men and journals, the great desire of parents, was to take out of education any thing which looks like hard work; to enable our children to get an education vicariously, by somebody else's work and study. If a study comes hard to a child, straightway father or mother must petition that he give up that special study. The com- mittees and guardians of youth are warned that a few hours' study (an amazingly few hours' study, in most cases !), five days in the week, two-thirds of the year, is making a complete wreck of the constitutions of all our boys and girls. Perhaps so ! For ourselves, we believe the exact contrary. We believe that any reasonable amount of study, any amount which is required by the school committees of Massachusetts towns, is a positive advantage to health. At any rate we would not give much for that education which does not involve some systematic hard work on the part of the pupils as well as teachers. It will not make the kind of men and women which we need to grapple with the hard realities and the knotty problems of actual life."
We have already spoken of the attendance and tardiness, but we again call attention to the facts presented in the table of statistics, which follows.
The present number of pupils in school is nearly 100 less than the total number who have belonged during the year.
This seems very large to us, and we are obliged to conclude that there must be quite a number of children who do not attend school, who should do so, according to legal requirements.
114
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The number of absences is very large, more so than last year, but that has already been accounted for. The average attendance is less than last year, on account of the same causes.
The most important matter is tardiness, and here it will be seen that less than one-tenth of the pupils have caused about one-half the tardiness.
This is to a great extent true in regard to absence, if the Primary and Mixed schools are left out of account.
The pupils here are so young that more absence must occur, and on that account we have not considered it.
We recommend that "A Roll of Honor," containing the names of all pupils who have not been absent or tardy during the year, should be printed, as a part of the next Annual Report.
No financial report is presented, as the Selectmen's re- port contains every thing. It is sufficient to say that our expenditures have been within the appropriations.
Respectfully submitted.
J. O. NORRIS,
For the Committee.
TABULAR VIEW.
SCHOOLS.
No. admit- ted in Sept. and since.
Present No.
Total No. absences, 1-2 days.
Per cent. of attend- ance.
Total No. Tardinesses.
Average age, February 1, 1875.
No. pupils absent sev- eral times.
Total absences of such pupils.
No. pupils tardy several times.
Total tardi- ness of such Pupils.
High,
First Class
7
36
95.6
1
17
9
2
22
00
00
Second **
11
10
47
96
2
17
1
1
41
00
00
Third
25
24
62
97.7
12
16
4
3
35
00
00
Fourth “
43
35
196
95
25
16
1
16
195
00
00
First Grammar
61
55
309
94
12
14
9
10
191
00
00
Second
51
47
63)
93.8
31
13
3
23
532
3
14
Third
54
52
657
93.3
54
12
6
20
481
1
Times.
(Miss Porter)
52
46
473
94.5
36
12
11
13
320
Lynde Street Intermediate
14
40
1018
85
60
10
1
27
800
2
17
Centre
..
36
34
6:20
92.5
175
10
7
19
507
13
152
Vinton
55
49
813
88
34
10
9
23
674
1
6
Lynde
Primary
65
55
2418
161
7
8
78
Centre Primary
72
69
1848
74
73
2-
1
00
100
Vinton Street Primary
61
52
1449
82.5
57
3
17
Upham
Mixed
41
34
520
84.7
147
9
8
9
6.0
Green
51
38
1412
76.7
155
8
8
16
98
Highland Mixed .
53
42
2129
70.3
105
9 9
6
44
785
689
14,642
87.7
1143
170
3798
62
505
-
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
115
§ Many
yrs. mos.
REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS OF MELROSE,
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1876. 1
BOSTON : BABB & STEPHENS, 79 WATER STREET. 1876.
CONTENTS.
Report of Selectmen 5
The Board of Health 20
Report and Award of County Commissioners
26
Of the Town Clerk 35
Rules and Orders for Government of Town-Meetings
38
Report of Fire Engineers
41
The Cemetery Committee
43
Appropriations, 1875
46
Financial Statement :
Expenses of Public Schools 48
School Contingent
51
Highway Fund
53
Fire Department
55
Support of Poor .
58
Water Fund .
62
Contingent Expenses .
63
Wyoming Cemetery, - State Aid
66
Town Hall
67
Insurance - Street Lights - Drainage 68
Police - Grade Plans - Centre School-House .
69
Town Hall Building Fund . 69 .
. Town Officers - Health Department . 70
Case of Howard vs. Town, - Boardman Claim . .
71
Additional Street Lamps - Armory - Newhall Building . .
72
Public Library - Interest - Expenses .
73
Valuation of Real and Personal Property
74
Statement of Town Debt
75
Aggregate of Expenditures and Receipts, and Present Standing of Accounts 76
Report of Assessors
79
Report of the Town Treasurer
81
Statement of the Town Debt - Bonds
82
Sinking Fund
84
George Newhall, Treasurer, in acc't with Town of Melrose, 86-87 Collector's Report . 88 Report of the Water Commissioners 89 .
Superintendent's Report 96
Report of the Trustees of Public Library
· 105
Report of the School Committee .
117
.
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1875-6.
Town Clerk. JOHN LARRABEE.
Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor.
WALTER BABB.
H. G. FIELDS.
GEO. A. MANSFIELD.
Treasurer. GEORGE NEWHALL.
Collector. ANSEL B. PIERCE.
Assessors.
CHAS. H. EDMONDS.
J. C. CURRIER.
GEO. W. FARNSWORTH.
Water Commissioners.
JOSEPH D. WILDE
Term expires 1878.
JOSEPH R. SIMONDS
66 1877.
W. IRVING ELLIS
66 1876.
School Committee.
GEORGE F. STONE
Term expires 1878.
MRS. A. V. LYNDE
1878.
W. IRVING ELLIS
1877.
MRS. J. C. CURRIER
66 1877.
S. A. RANLETT
1876.
MISS PHOEBE A. NORRIS
66 66 1876.
Highway Surveyors.
JAMES MARSHALL. GEORGE P. FULLER.
L. T. FREEMAN.
Engineers of the Fire Department.
CHIEF. J. G. EMERSON.
CLERK. J. M. THOMAS.
R. W. CHANDLER.
4
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1875-6.
Trustees of the Public Library.
FREDERIC KIDDER. E. H. GOSS. C. C. BARRY .. HANNAH LYNDE. ADDIE A. NICHOLS.
Constables.
A. B. PIERCE. H. B. NEWHALL. JOSEPH HOLBROOK.
H. C. RICHARDSON. MOSES BRIGGS.
Auditors.
E. H. GOSS. JOHN R. NORTON.
Committee on Cemeteries.
GEO. NEWHALL. JOHN LARRABEE. . N. HOWARD.
Measurers of Wood and Bark and Weighers of Hay and Coal. S. E. BENSON. WM. E. FULLER.
Surveyor of Lumber. D. H. WALKER.
Fence Viewers.
M. L. RAY. N. HOWARD.
Sealer of Weights and Measures. JAMES LAMBERT.
Lock-up Keeper. H. G. FIELDS.
Police Officers.
ANSEL B. PIERCE.
JOSEPH HOLBROOK.
.
HENRY B. NEWHALL.
J. D. LITTLEFIELD.
NATH'L HOWARD. H. C. RICHARDSON. SUMNER F. BARRETT. EDWARD H. YOUNG.
A. L. SYMONDS.
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
FELLOW-CITIZENS :
In presenting this, our annual report, it is not our design to enter largely into the various matters which during the year have come before our Board (to do this would fill a volume much larger than the one we present), but we have rather endeavored to cull such matters of general interest and present them under appropriate heads, as might other- wise be overlooked.
We ask your careful persual of every item in the following report, for every citizen should know how his money has been expended and for what purpose. We have endeavored faithfully to perform all the trusts confided to us, and feel that the facts will warrant the statement that we have not labored in vain.
HIGHWAYS.
The same apportionment of territory was assigned to each of the surveyors as last year ; and although there is always a demand upon the surveyors for work upon special localities, we believe that as much has been done as the appropriation would admit of, and that it has been placed where the greatest amount of benefit could be derived by all our citizens.
STREET LIGHTS.
The contract for lighting was continued the past year by the N. E. Gas Light Co., of Boston, for the amount of the appropriation. Mr. F. A. Brown, the manager, always cour-
2
6
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
teous in his relations to his patrons, has never failed to per- form his full contract, and has ever seconded any suggestion looking to the care of the lamps or the manner of lighting.
There is always a call for additional street lights, and we would recommend a small appropriation for this purpose.
ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTS.
During the year seven new posts have been located as follows : -
Vinton Street, opposite Perkins Street,
Elm Street, opposite Avon Street,
Cleveland Street, opposite Baxter Street,
Foster Street, opposite Trenton Street,
Winthrop Street, Elm Street, near Green Street,
Emerson Street, corner Bellevue Avenue,
Making, with seventy-seven previously in use, eighty-four in all. Most of the posts have been painted during the summer, and otherwise made as serviceable as possible.
PERAMBULATION.
In conformity to the statute, your selectmen met the selectmen of Saugus in the month of September, 1875, and perambulated the town lines between Saugus and Melrose, and found the monuments correct and properly located and marked.
Early in October we met the selectmen of Stoneham, and went over the lines between Melrose and Stoneham, and found the monuments after no little search, they being in some cases more than a mile apart. Deeming that there should be additional monuments, we provided for their loca- tion, which will appear more fully by the joint report on file in the town clerk's office.
7
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
POOR.
The duties of almoners of public charity are rendered exceedingly delicate and laborious when performed with a reasonable degree of care and fidelity. With complicated pauper laws, which have always been a fruitful source of litigation, and have been made none the less so by recent enactments, together with the amount of research to be ex- pended in the examination of distant city and town records, in order to ascertain the settlements of those who do not properly belong to us, involves an amount of labor and anxiety not easily understood but by those who have had experience in such service.
However generous may be our feelings towards the unfor- tunate, we are obliged to exercise the most rigid scrutiny in order to ascertain the truth of representations of appli- cants, thus often subjecting ourselves to the charge of mean- ness or of being harsh and unfeeling, when we are but pro- tecting the worthy from the impositions of the idle and dissolute, who seek to crowd them out, and thus the means which were intended to minister to the wants of the unfor- tunate be made to foster indolence and encourage thriftless- ness.
The year closes upon this class of our citizens with the same gloomy outlook with which it commenced. The con- tinued decline of business activity, together with the general financial reverses, have been most severely felt by the work- ing classes. We are sorry to report so many, heretofore able to make a living, who have been obliged to succumb to the pressure of circumstances and call for relief, or see their families suffer from positive want.
We find that their numbers are steadily increasing, which is owing not only to the stagnation of trade, but to a legisla- tion, the practical workings of which has been to settle
8
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
nearly all the State paupers upon the various cities and towns where they happen to reside. We ventured to predict in our last annual report that such would be the final result, but did not anticipate so speedy a fulfilment of our proph- ecy; for we find that the operation of the new settlement law has been (since its passage May 28, 1874) to double the number of those to be legally provided for by this town. We have made strenuous efforts to provide work for those who were able-bodied, and have succeeded in many cases, which, with the considerable amounts disbursed by the various Christian charities of the town, have helped to alle- viate the sufferings of many, and reduce the amount that must otherwise have been disbursed in this department.
The entire number for whom more or less provision has been made during the past year has been ninety-seven, which is more than ever appeared before in Melrose. Of this num- ber, eighty-seven have legal pauper settlements in this town, against forty-six as reported on the previous year. Twelve persons have received full support for the whole or a part of the year, against eight the preceding year. There were two hundred and forty-two tramps lodged in the station-house during the year at a mere nominal cost, which previous to the construction of the lock-up was $1 per head. This small number, as compared with many other towns, has been caused by the resolve of the Board not to feed them only in exceptional cases. We have found that a species of tele- graphic communication is kept up between these fellows, by which they post each other on the accommodations and bills of fare of the respective towns through which they travel, so that they may systematize and lay their plans beforehand to make a flying visit and partake of the hospitalities of every town they choose in the Commonwealth. We have, therefore, concluded that spreading an open table to invite such men to swarm upon us is not the best form of charity.
9
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
The extra expense of the Harris family has been caused by a long-protracted sickness, by which two have died. So far as we can see, the numbers of our paupers must increase for the coming year, which will call for our most charitable consideration, in order to prevent still greater suffering among the worthy poor.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Few towns in our Commonwealth can boast of a better organized department than our own, composed of men temperate in habits, brave and reliable in danger. We sleep soundly, feeling that in any emergency we are comparatively safe ; but the events of the late conflagration on Main and Essex Streets show that we are unable to cope with so formi- dable an adversary, and had it not been for the help received from steam fire-engines from Malden and Stoneham we should have suffered much more severely. There are many build- ings in our town, where, if a fire should once get a fair start, our department would be unable to cope with it successfully, not for want of pluck, but purely for want of a head of water.
We feel that it is only a question of time when we must be in possession of a steam fire-engine ; but being strongly impressed with the spirit of retrenchment, which all should feel, we merely make the above suggestion, without any recommendation, leaving the subject for our citizens to reflect upon, not doubting that in due time we shall feel that an " ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
LAW-SUITS.
On the 7th of January the case of " William J. Farnsworth vs. the Town of Melrose " was reached in the Superior Court.
This case, as is well known, is one where Mr. Farnsworth sought to recover the sum of $552 for services as one of the
10
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
Board of Selectmen for 1873-74. He claimed that he per- formed extraordinary services which entitled him to extra pay. The town having instructed us to defend the suit, we employed Hon. Charles R. Train and S. F. Keyes, Esq., to defend the suit.
Under the instructions of the Court, and by consent of our counsel, the jury returned a verdict for Mr. Farnsworth, for actual cash expenses, in the sum of $57, being about one fifth of the sum which we had previously offered him to settle the same.
Immediately following the above was reached the case of "Nelson Cochrane vs. Town of Melrose."
This was the case where Mr. Cochrane sued to recover for services as one of the Building Committee of the new Town House. In this case Col. F. S. Hesseltine very ably man- aged the defence, which was successful ; for the jury, under instructions from the Court, returned a verdict for the town.
Thus have ended two cases, and the town has reason to congratulate itself upon the results, for if a different result had been reached, the door would have been opened for an in- definite amount of bills which we should have been liable to pay.
MALDEN VS. MELROSE.
On the 15th of February, present year, a writ was served upon us, returnable the second Monday in March, at Lowell, to compel us to support two paupers now in the Malden Poorhouse, named respectively George and Ezra Waitt. Believing that we were in no way responsible for them or their support, we most positively refused the generous invi- tation to adopt them, hence this suit. We employed Col. Hesseltine to look up the law and facts in the case, and he having given the matter a thorough investigation, advises a defence of the suit.
11
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
TOWN CLOCK.
On the 7th of September Mr. Daniel Russell, our es- teemed fellow-citizen, waited upon our Board, and stated that in his opinion our town-hall building looked incomplete without a clock in the belfry, and that while he did not wish to be understood as making the offer from any personal motive, still if we would accept it, he should be pleased to donate to the town the best clock that is made in this country. We at once accepted his very liberal offer, and he immediately ordered to be placed in the tower one of Howard's largest and best of clocks. No expense was spared, and everything in connection with it was done with a view not only to beauty but also to durability. We feel in behalf of our citizens to return thanks to Mr. Russell for his timely gift, knowing that as often as it strikes the fleeting hours with its deep tones, the memory of our people is called to the liberality of the donor, and in the language of the poet they say, -
" There is a prayer of simple art, 'That from the tongue the readiest slips, That springs spontaneous from the heart And breaks in blessing on the lips, - Bless you! "
ARMORY RENT.
By a vote of the town, a lease for Armory for Battery C, Second Battalion, Light Artillery, was executed with H. A. Leonard, for the term of five years, at a rent of $600 per annum. This lease was approved by the Military Committee and by the adjutant-general, who agreed, on the part of the State, to refund this amount. When our treasurer made the settlement for the past year, he was surprised to find that only $484 had been allowed by the State. In explanation the adjutant-general informs us that his appropriation was short, and that he was obliged to make a reduction in the
12
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
same ratio upon every armory in the State. He expressed regret that necessity compelled him to adopt this course, but assured us that we had fared no worse than our neighbors.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
The law requires that returns for rent of armories must be made up and presented previous to Dec. 1 of each year. During the sickness of our former treasurer, the returns for 1872 were not presented within the specified time, conse- quently the authorities refused to pay $300, the sum due for that year.
On the 12th of January we drew up a petition to the Legislature, then in session, asking for the reimbursement of this sum. Mr. E. H. Goss, our representative, presented the same, and had it referred. At the hearing before the committee our town clerk, Mr. Larrabee, explained the whole matter, and what seemed to us a simple matter of jus- tice came near being defeated. Mr. Goss watched it very carefully, however, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that the money is now doing good service in the hands of our town treasurer.
TOWN HALL BUILDING.
During the past year the hall has not been let so much as it probably would have been if the times had been more prosperous.
So far we have looked to the letting of the hall to furnish funds to pay all the running expenses of the building (if we except two or three items of minor importance). It seems to us that this is not right ; either we should have an appro- priation sufficient to meet deficiencies, or else the various occupants of the offices within the building should pay a small rent, sufficient to keep this fund unimpaired, and it
13
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
should be paid from their several appropriations to the credit of the Town Hall Fund.
At the commencement of the year we appeared before the Finance Committee, and asked for a small appropriation to enable us to meet the running expenses of the building. This they declined to recommend, thinking, perhaps, that the rent from the hall would be sufficient. A glance at the financial statement of this account will show that either the plan suggested above must be adopted, or an annual appro- priation made to cover deficiencies.
Last summer we had the cellar that was left by the removal of the Newhall building filled, and the ground in the rear of building properly graded.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
Very early in March, 1875, we were summoned to appear before the county commissioners, to show cause why we should not be assessed for the building and maintenance of the bridge across Mystic River, at Somerville. Most of the cities and towns were represented at this hearing by able counsel, and the hearing was full and complete. Deeming it inexpedient to employ counsel, we appeared as the represen- tatives of the town, and presented what to us seemed satis- factory reasons why we should not be assessed, and had the satisfaction of finding that in the making up of the final award our views had been sustained by the commissioners and . no damages assessed upon our town.
PETITION OF ADMINISTRATOR OF DYER ESTATE.
In the month of May, 1875, we received the following notice : -
To the Honorable the County Commissioners of the County of Middlesex,
Respectfully represents George W. Phillips, of Saugus, in the County of Essex, administrator of the estate of David Dyer, late of Everett,
14
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.