USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > Hatfield Annual Town Report 1860-1890 > Part 25
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66
3 50
Smith & Dwight, coal,
79 07
E. M. Martin, coal,
35 38
Dr. C. M. Barton, cash for drawing coal,
5 04
H. G. Moore, cash for fuel, 8 35
A. L. Strong, wood, 3 00
Lawrence Powers, sawing wood,
2 00
Frank A. Cutter, sawing wood,
2 50
Geo. E. Barton,
2 50
Geo. W. Carleton, services as janitor,
2 00
$ 2,114 94
2
10
MUSIC IN SCHOOLS.
Mrs. D. E. Shattuck, teaching,
$162 00
S. E. Bridgman & Co., books, 36 16
H. G. Moore, cash for books,
1 00
$ 199 16
SCHOOL BOOKS.
S. E. Bridgman & Co.,
$293 66
D. Appleton & Co., 6 34
$ 300 00
HIGHWAYS.
SOUTH CENTER DISTRICT.
D. W. Wells, surveyor,
$31 42
John Kiley, labor,
15 30
Sanford S. Sanderson,
1 25
Nicholas Powers,
1 87
James Mullins,
2 50
Robert McGrath,
1 87
D. W. Wells, men and team,
11 60
Thomas Nolan,
1 87
Jacob Carl,
9 03
Chas. K. Morton,
14 81
Frederick Pease,
9 37
Patrick Boyle,
4 25
D. P. Morton,
9 75
E. S. Warner,
5 68
Mrs. Nancy D. Billings,
5 75
John Vollenger,
4 75
F. H. Bardwell,
9 62
John Steele,
1 25
John Powers,
2 50
J. S. Wells,
7 99
John McHugh,
3 11
Michael O'Dea,
1 25
Henry Steingline,
2 50
11
Edwin Burt,
$4 50
C. L. & R. H. Cowles,
9 40
David Billings,
9 00
Wm. P. Allis, labor and lumber,
5 05
Mark Kiley,
3 75
Adam Doppman,
1 25
S. G. Hubbard,
7 00
Roswell Billings,
1 25
Elisha Hubbard, labor and earth,
5 75
$ 206 29
NORTH CENTER DISTRICT,
Frederick Carl surveyor,
Edwin Brainard,
$3 25
John O'Neil,
1 25
John B. Ryan,
2 25
John Karin,
1 25
Wm. P. Allis, labor and lumber,
6 90
Marble Hamill,
4 00
Geo. W. Smith,
1 62
James Breor,
10 60
-
A. M. Peck,
1 02
Edward Proulx,
9 00
Levi L. Pease,
8 25
Wm. H. Dickinson,
19 50
- $ 69 79
HILL DISTRICT,
Patrick Mullanny, surveyor,
$78 89
Patrick Mullanny, labor with horse,
11 45
John McGrath, labor,
12 0℃
Anthony Allair,
1 87
David Fitzgerald,
2 00
Joseph Baker,
7 50
James Porter,
12 00
E. S. Warner,
4 50
Michael Larkin,
9 99
.
.
12
Wm. M. Jones,
$18 80
H. Shumway,
27 00:
Robert McGrath, 1 87
Alfred Breor,
9 75
Henry Goodchild,
1 50
Moses Kingsley,
5 52
L. S. Dyer,
3 00
Thaddeus Graves, labor and earth,
19 50
J. D. Porter,
12 10
Thos. Whalen,
1 87
A. H. Graves,
22 24
Samuel P. Billings,
4 52
John Gendron,
3 22
Moses E. Warner,
13 62
Nelson Allair,
2 25
Chas. E. Kingsley,
63
John T. Fitch,
9 00
M. N. Hubbard,
1 25
$ 297 84 -
WEST HATFIELD DISTRICT.
Peter Saffer, surveyor,
$50 31
E. S. Strong,
9 75
George Dennis,
1 25
Frank Newman,
3 13
Philip Carl,
1 63
Joseph S. Newman,
17 62
Henry Dwight,
3 00
Lawrence Doppman,
1 15
J. A. Cutter,
3 75
$ 91 69
WEST FARMS DISTRICT.
Albert H. Marsh, surveyor,
$22 50
Leander Cooley, labor,
15 62
Belden Brothers,
5 50
Eurotas Morton,
6 05
L. E. Bartlett,
1 62
13
David Powers,
$10 61
O. S. Graves,
2 25
H. G. Moore,
8 12
H. H. Field,
8 88
A. S. Jones & Sons,
12 65
E. F. Cooley,
4 50
C. D. Bartlett,
4 25
C. W. Marsh,
3 25
$ 105 75
WEST BROOK DISTRICT.
Henry R. Graves, surveyor,
29 34
L. S. Crafts, labor,
10 60
W. S. Briggs,
4 27
Dwight Morton,
1 88
Michael Clancy,
3 25
Horace Waite,
2 33
C. W. Wolfram,
4 50
John Fitzgibbons,
4 50
Morris Fitzgibbons,
1 25
George Englehart,
1 25
$ 63 17
BRIDGES.
George Vollinger,
$1 50
Patrick Boyle, Jr.,
3 25
George Saffer,
2 75
John Maxwell, lumber,
326 14
James Mullins, labor,
19 62
Lawrence Vollenger,
2 59
J. H. Howard, spikes,
5 07
Patrick Boyle,
2 50
Mrs. Lucy L. Morton, lumber,
5 40
Patrick Mullanny,
9 00
Fred Clevy,
10 50
Nicholas Powers,
2 50
C. W. White,
17 00
B. P. Dole,
5 00
14
Joseph Baker,
$5 75
Champion B. Dickinson, lumber,
63 12
George Dennis,
3 75
John Sheehan,
11 25
Peter Statter,
4 00
P. Doppman,
8 00
Joseph Statter,
3 90
John Boyle,
2 07
James Porter,
6 50
S. W. Kingsley,
3 10
Chas. K. Morton, labor and lumber,
27 50
Wm. M. Jones, labor,
9 00
Joseph S. Newman, labor,
15 28
Joseph S. Newman, stone,
2 00
George Bitner, labor,
2 25
John Kiley,
10 00
H. Shumway, drawing plank;
2 00
John E. Doane, labor and lumber,
2 50
F. G. Bardwell, "
12 49
Michael O'Dea,
66
2 25
John Chandler, 66
4 38
Peter Saffer, 66
28 25
Edmund Powers, “
1 25
Chas. Carson, 66
1 56
N. Day & Bros., lumber,
36 20
F. W. Prince, labor,
3 00
E. M. Martin, spikes,
60
D. J. Wright, 66
70
Eurotas Morton, labor and lumber,
25 71
S. G. Hubbard,
4 50
E. S. Strong, 66
4 88
$ 720 57
SPECIAL REPAIRS, HIGHWAYS.
Samuel Snell, drain pipe,
45 50
Chas. E. Clapp, grate for drain,
2 25
J. A. Sullivan, cement,
1 50
Michael O'Dea, labor,
3 75
15
John Kiley, labor,
$5 75
Conn. River R. R. freight on drain pipe,
3 85
John Sheehan, labor,
5 00
Mary L. Hubbard, earth,
12 00
George C. Marsh, labor and earth,
10 00
Belden Bros.,
13 50
Michael Larkin,
1 00
Wells W. Ayer & Co., powder and fuse,
1 70
Eurotas Morton,
3 37
$ 109 17
HIGHWAYS, WEST HATFIELD, (SPECIAL REPAIRS).
Peter Saffer, labor,
$14 38
Lawrence Vollenger,
2 50
John Steele,
2 50
John Batzold,
3 13
A. L. Strong,
6 50
Frank Newman,
2 88
William Carson,
1 50
Peter Statter,
3 00
Charles Carson, ·
2 50
John Vollenger,
6 50
Philip Carl,
10 00
John Chandler,
4 00
E. S. Strong,
3 25
Joseph Newman,
12 25
John Steingline,
2 50
Edmund Powers,
9 00
Lawrence Doppman,
6 50
$ 92 89
STATE AID.
Mrs. U. B. Graves,
$12 00
Mrs. Minerva Anderson,
52 00
Mrs. Elizabeth Covill,
48 00
- $ 112 00
16
SCHOOL HOUSE REPAIRS, WEST HATFIELD.
C. N. Harlow & Co., $395 58
O. D. Case & Co., seats, 122 31
A. L. Strong, cash for freight, 3 46
$ 521 35
SCHOOL HOUSE REPAIRS AND SUPPLIES.
J. H. Howard supplies,
$10 99
Mrs. John Ryan, cleaning,
15 00
D. Appleton & Co., supplies,
5 40
Milton Bradley Co.,
2 70
J. W. Kingsley, repairs,
6 50
L. J. Powers, 66
26 04
Wm. Daugherty, repairs,
4 40
John E. Doane, repairs,
1 00
C. N. Harlow & Co., blackboards,
12 69
E. M. Martin, supplies,
15
John Springer, 66
2 54
H. G. Moore, cash for supplies,
2 45
Dr. C. M. Barton, supplies,
21 49
W. L. Smith & Co., desk,
12 00
J. R. & R. W. Sackett, chairs,
12 60
Mrs. T. Porter, cleaning,
1 00
$ 136 95
SALARIES OF TOWN OFFICERS.
E. F. Billings, serving warrants etc., $12 00
E. F. Billings, Assessor,
61 23
Henry R. Graves,
59 37
John T. Fitch, 59 13
W. D. Billings, Town Clerk, 50 00
W. D. Billings, Registrar of voters, 25 00
Samuel P. Billings, Registrar of voters,
12 50
Dr. C. M. Barton, School Committee,
50 00
D. W. Wells, Elector, 10 00
Wm. Barnes, Constable, 5 00
17
Chas. K. Morton, Selectman 1884,
$125 00
Eurotas Morton, 66 66
58 00
R. P. Smith, 66 66
50 00
William C. Dickinson, Treasurer, 50 00
Charles L Graves, Tax Collector,
150 00
$ 777 23
LIBRARY.
E. F. Billings, salary as librarian and cash,
$25 10
E. F. Billings, cash for cleaning, 2 25
Henry Childs, binding books,
38 00
W. P. Allis, drawing wood,
1 00
Philos Doane, sawing wood,
50
R. M. Woods, cash for books, 7 50 $ 74 35
- -
MEMORIAL DAY EXPENSES.
D. W. Wells, for committee,
$50 00
MISCELLANEOUS ACCOUNTS.
Wade, Warner & Co., printing town reports and license ballots, $43 50
Chas. K. Morton, expense to Boston, 9 00
A. M. Peck, labor in cemetery, 12 75
Gazette Printing Co., order book, 3 79
S. W. Kingsley, repairs road scraper, 1 25
L. S. Crafts, care of water trough,
5 00
W. D. Billings, cash for blank books, 6 50
H. Shumway, express on books,
3 30
Wm. Daugherty, painting guide boards, 3 50
R. B. Davis & Son, trimming hearse,
43 14
A. M. Peck, returning deaths, 5 50
A. M. Peck, taking hearse to Northampton, 1 00
W. R. Kinsman, headstones for soldiers' graves, 30 00
E. C. Davis, one-half cost surveying Whately line and record, 20 00
E. C. Davis, taking level Main street,
5 00
3
18
E. C. Davis, one-half cost re-setting stone North- ampton line, $2 50
S. E. Bridgman & Co., blank books and station- ery, 5 88
W. G. Bassett, legal services and consultation, 11 00
W. G. Bassett, cash for term fees Everett case, 15 00 Morris Fitzgibbons, building water trough, 5 00
N. T. Abells, mowing cemetery West Hatfield, 1 00 Town of Whately, one-half cost line stone, 4 75
Charles K. Morton, labor and expenses running town line, 4 37
Chas. K. Morton, postage, etc., 3 25
Wm. D. Billings, obtaining, copying and record- ing births, marriage and deaths, 23 35
Wm. D. Billings, postage and stationery, 1 38
E. F. Billings, expenses to Boston to the hearing before the Board of Appeal in tax case, 12 00
WV. C. Dickinson, cash for bounties, 47 40 $ 330 10
Respectfully Submitted,
CHAS. K. MORTON, EUROTAS MORTON,
Selectmen of
RICHARD P. SMITH, Hatfield.
I have examined the accounts of the Selectmen for the year ending March 1st, 1886, and have found them correct, with proper vouchers on file for all warrants drawn amounting to eight thou- sand one hundred twenty-five dollars and four cents ($8,125.04) . Of this amount there are orders for ten hundred eighty-five dol- lars and seventy-nine cents ($1085.79), which have not been pre- sented to the Treasurer for payment.
C. S. SHATTUCK, Auditor.
HATFIELD, Mass., March 6, 1886.
19
Appropriations for 1885.
Highways and Bridges, $750 00
Highways and bridges, special repairs,
500 00
Highways repairs road Pantry,
100 00
Repairs School-house Pantry,
500 00
Enforcement license law,
100 00
Schools,
1,950 00
School Books,
300 00
Schools, Music,
225 00
Poor,
1,200 00
Contingencies,
500 00
Town Officers,
900 00
Town Debt,
1,000 00
Memorial Day,
50 00
Public Library,
200 00
Interest,
200 00
Headstones for soldiers' graves,
50 00
$ 8,525 00
Jury List Reported by the Selectmen.
MICHAEL LARKIN,
J. E. PORTER, THOS. M. DEA,
CHAS. E. HUBBARD,
ALPHEUS COWLES,
DANIEL W. WELLS,
JOSEPH S. WELLS,
CHAS. L. COWLES,
PETER SAFFER,
PHILIP CARL,
JOHN E. DOANE,
PATRICK MULLANNY,
EUGENE I. MORTON, CHARLES L. WARNER, ALBERT H. WEBBER.
Treasurer's Report.
WM. C. DICKINSON, TREASURER, IN ACCOUNT WITH THE TOWN OF HATFIELD.
DR.
To balance from old account, $489 23
To cash rec'd from C. L. Graves, collector,
$1,293 49
A. L. Strong,
66
8,622 18
National Bank Tax,
1,385 85
Corporation Tax,
322 70
Income of School Fund,
216 80
State Aid,
152 00
Dog Fund,
77 32
Town of Hadley, for ferry
boat,
41 25
City of Northampton,
tuition,
27 00
Support of state paupers,
temporary,
20 00
J. T. Fitch, overpay as As- sessor, 12 00
Rent of Town Hall.
10 00
Support of State paupers,
7 80
22
D. W. Wells, from memorial day appropriation, $6 50 County 1-2 cost line stone, 3 75 A. M. Peck, sale of burial lots, 1 00
-___ $12,199 64
TO CASH RECEIVED FROM LOANS.
State Treasurer, 3 7-8 per cent.,
$1,500 00
3 3-4
1,500 00
66 4 1-4 66 66
1,000 00
$ 4,000 00
CASH RECEIVED FROM TEMPORARY LOANS.
Hampshire Savings Bank, 4 1-2 per cent., 500 00
$17,188 87
CR.
By cash paid Selectmen's orders,
$7,039 25
Old orders, 1884-85, 266 88
66 66
1883-84,
50 00
County Tax,
1,492 15
State Tax,
900 00
Interest on notes,
272 31
Insurance,
200 00
-- $10,220 59
BY CASH PAID ON LOANS,
State Treasurer,
$1,500 00
66 66
1,500 00
Hampshire Savings Bank,
1,000 00
66 66 66
1,000 00
$5,000 00
CASH PAID ON TEMPORARY LOANS.
Hampshire Savings Bank, 500 00
Balance in Treasury,
$1,468 28
$17,188 87
23
IN ACCOUNT WITH C. L. GRAVES, COLLECTOR. Dr.
To Cash received, Order of abatement,
$1,293 49 44 57 -
$ 1,338 06
Cr.
By Balance from old account,
$1,304 10
Interest on Taxes,
33 96
$ 1,338 06
IN ACCOUNT WITH A. L. STRONG, COLLECTOR.
Dr.
To Cash received,
$8,622 18
Discount on Taxes,
236 31 42 40
Balance uncollected Taxes,
$ 8,900 89 496 96
$9,397 85
C'r.
By Assessors' Warrant,
$9,378 36
Interest on Taxes,
19 49
$ 9,397 85
SUMMARY.
State Treasurer's Note, due April 7, 1886, $1,500 00
66
June 1, 1886, 1,500 00
Hampshire Savings Bank Note, 1,000 00
Outstanding Orders,
$ 4000 00 1,085 79
Cash in Treasury, Uncollected Taxes,
$5,085 79 $1,468 28 496 96
-
-
Orders of abatement,
24
Due from State and military aid, $112 00 City of Northampton, Smith Char- ties tax, 123 53 Town of Wenham, support of Mrs. Dodge, 90 90 Tuition Northampton and Whately scholars, 36 00
Balance against the Town,
$ 2,327 67
$2,758 12
WM. C. DICKINSON, Treasurer.
I have this day examined the books and vouchers of the Treasurer, and found them correct.
C. S. SHATTUCK, Auditor.
HATFIELD, Mass., March 6, 1886.
Town Clerk's Report.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Hatfield :
GENTLEMEN :- Herewith I present to you my annual report. The vital statistics are as follows :
BIRTHS BY MONTHS.
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES
January,
2
2
February,
6
4
2
March,
4
2
2
May,
4
3
1
June,
2
1
1
July,
3
3
August,
3
1
2
September,
1
1
October,
3
1
2
November,
3
1
2
December,
1
1
Total,
32
17
15
PARENTAGE.
Native born, 20; Foreign born, 6. Foreign born father and native born mother, 3. Foreign born mother and native born father, 3.
4
26
Birth rate for five previous years :
1880. 1881.
1882.
1884.
37
33
24
1883. 27 33
MARRIAGES BY MONTHS.
January,
1
April,
2
May,
.
1
June,
1
September,
1
October,
2
November,
.
1
Total,
9
First marriage of both parties,
6
Second marriage of both parties,
2
Third marriage of male, first of female,
1
Age youngest bridegroom,
22 years. 74
Age youngest bride,
19
Age oldest bride,
62
66
Of the whole number married there were :
Under 20 years of age,
1 female.
Between 20 and 30 years of age,
4 males, 4 females.
30 and 40 66
2
66
1
50 and 60 66
1
66
2 66
60 and 70 66 66
.
2
66 66
1
Of the persons married, 6 couples were native born
1 couple were foreign born.
1 couple male foreign born, female native ..
1 couple male native born, female foreign No. of marriage certificates issued from this office, 8.
.
.
9
Age oldest bridegroom,
27
Marriages for the five previous years :
1880.
11
1881. 12
1882.
6
17
10
DEATHS BY MONTHS.
January,
1
February,
·
.
March,
.
1
April,
1
May,
1
June,
1
July,
7
August,
4
September,
2
October,
2
November,
2
December,
1
Total,
24
Males.
Females. 4
20
30
40
2
40
50 66
2
1
66
50
60
3
66
60
70
1
1
66
,80
90
66
1
1
13
11
The oldest persons deceased were one male, 86 years, and one female 89 years old.
Of the number deceased, 16 were native, and 8 foreign born. Death rate for the five previous years :
1880. 26
1881. 23
1882. 25
1883.
1884.
29
22
Under 5 years of age, Between 5 and 10 years of age,
5
1
30 66
1
1
70
80
1883.
1884.
1
28
Causes of death classified according to the nomenclature adopted by the State Board of Registration : ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Typhoid Fever, 1
1
Intermittent Fever,
Metria, 1
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES.
Phthisis, (Consumption of Lungs),
4
LOCAL DISEASES.
Peritonitis,
1
Disease of Heart,
1
Disease of Spleen,
1
Pneumonia,
2
DEVELOPMENTAL DISEASES.
Atrophy and Debility,
1
Malformation,
1
Infantile Debility,
3
Stillborn,
2
Old Age,
3
VIOLENT DEATHS.
Drowning,
1
Suicide, (Drowning),
1
24
STATEMENT OF THE DOG TAX ACCOUNT.
W. D. BILLINGS, Town Clerk, in account with the Town of Hatfield :
Dr.
To cash received from Dec 1, 1884, to Dec. 1, 1885, for license of 46 dogs, (males) at $2 each, $92 00
29
To cash received for license of 2 dogs, (fe- males) at $5 each,
$10 00
$102 00
Less Clerk's fees, 48 at 20 cents each,
9 60
$92 40
Cr.
By cash paid Lewis Warner, County Treasurer,
$92 40
Amount paid the County Treasurer on this account for the five preceding years :
1880. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884.
$77.40. $59.40. $63.00. $80.40. $72.00.
There have been recorded in the Town Clerk's office during the year, forty mortgages of personal property, 5 assignments of wages ; all other papers 2.
Respectfully submitted,
W. D. BILLINGS, Town Clerk.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Fellow Citizens :
The schools have been maintained thirty-six weeks the last year at an aggregate cost, including the expense for music and books, of about $2650.
The number of persons in town May 1, 1885, between the ages of five and fifteen years was 262, between the ages of eight and fourteen years was 167. The number of pupils in the schools some part of the year, that is, the entire membership, was 268. The average membership was 211, and the average attendance was 182. Comparing the enumeration (262), with the entire membership, (268), the numbers are nearly equal, that is, about as many persons were in our schools at least for one day, as were found in the enumeration, May 1. Comparing the average mem- bership (211) with the entire membership (263) and it appears that quite a large number of pupils attend school only a part of the year. Comparing the average attendance, (182), with the av- erage membership (211), and a great loss appears from the occa- sional absences, the irregular attendance, but this comparison by no means expresses the loss from this source.
Every teacher understands the injury inflicted upon a school by this occasional absence. When the absentee returns, if he is
.
32
to retain his place in his class, extra labor must be bestowed up- on him, and the class must wait for him till he has recovered his lost ground, or advance more slowly, and lose their time little by little. The subjects are so related oftentimes that his lack of knowledge of one makes it impossible for him to comprehend the next. The experience of years has suggested to teachers no · way of overcoming the evil of absenteeism. In this town they have been unable to secure more regular attendance, and out of school study, or extra work in school has not succeeded in fitting their absentees to proceed with their classes. Indeed, the high pressure under which our schools are now run, makes it more and more difficult to recover the ground lost. To assist those pupils, who, from absence at the beginning of the term, or from irregu- lar attendance, or from frequent dismissals before the close of the sessions, or those who from any cause, need more time and assistance from the teachers, in order that they may not lose their places in their classes, the committee propose, for the coming spring term, to dismiss regular attendants at 3 p. m., instead of 4 . as now, and give the hour from 3 to 4 to those who specially need help. Regular school hours will be as now from 9 to 12, and from 1 to 4. Any or all classes will be expected to remain till 4 at the discretion of the teachers. All absentees will attend the hour from 3 to 4 in all cases, until they are prepared to go on profitably with their classes, and those not entering the school at the beginning of the term, may be assisted at this hour to join existing classes, and any others needing special assistance.
The town maintains eight schools, and the average number of pupils to a school is twenty-six and a fraction. The loss from non-membership is 57 out of 268, and from non-attendance is 29 out of 211, a loss greater than the average for three schools, a loss of more than 37 1-2 per cent, or in dollars and cents, of $1000. This is as real a loss as an investment in Massachusetts Central railway stock, or in many of the gold and silver mines. It is none the less a loss because the town can continue and must. continue to make appropriations for the support of its schools. The loss from non-membership cannot be prevented by legal measures, for the compulsory law requires only two-thirds of the persons included in the enumeration to attend school at all, and
33
that two-thirds for only five-ninths of the time our schools are kept. We therefore bespeak the moral force of all friends of education and of the entire community, that motives may be brought to bear upon parents and guardians, to secure the at- tendance of their wards in our schools the entire year. Perhaps the child's need of an education, and the father's obligation to accept it for his child when freely offered, may secure his pres_ ence in the school, and possibly the need of a dinner or of help upon the farm may be more pressing, certainly less remote, than the need of the multiplication table in the far off future.
The loss arising from irregular attendance and dismissals is more nearly within the reach of the school committee. They have the control of the schools, and therefore when a pupil comes into a school, he passes out from under the authority of the parent and becomes subject to another. Therefore the parent cannot demand that his child shall be dismissed before the end of the session. He may ask it as a favor, as he could ask that his boy be released for an hour if he was employed in a store or a factory, and the request would doubtless be granted. But if that request came so often as to seriously interfere with the work on hand, the request would be refused.
If a pupil is absent from school it can be assumed that he is a truant, and the truant officer be sent after him. If the parent claims that he kept the child at home, and that he purposes to do that at his pleasure, and to send him back into school at his con- venience, the committee can shut the child out of school for the injury his irregular attendance is inflicting, and leave the law to deal with the father for not sending his child to school as the law requires.
But, of course, no committee wishes to resort to legal meas- ures; they wish to secure the good sought by moral means. So we bespeak the help of parents in this respect, and we beg of them not to forget that
" Little drops of water, little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and the solid land;"
that the constant accretion of dust makes the mole-hill, and if the process be long enough continued, the mole hill becomes a
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mountain, and so the occasional absences of all the children in all the schools for the whole year make an aggregate perfectly appalling.
It has been the purpose of your Committee to secure natural methods of teaching and reasonable discipline. We say natural methods, for committing to memory and reciting definitions which one does not understand, and blindly following rules which one does not comprehend, is unnatural and unprofitable. We say reasonable discipline, for a discipline without much reason, simply by a force pressing down from without, may secure order in the school-room, and orderly deportment in the school-yard, in the teacher's presence, but it never does and never can secure that self control essential to good citizenship. Unless there be something welling up from within which shall give control, there will be disturbance at public meetings, rudeness at the street corners, and boisterousness at unseasonable hours of the night. But while the effort has been to secure the best of instruction and perfect discipline, the success has been only partial. In some schools the instruction and the discipline have been excellent. In others the instruction has been excellent, but the government not all that was desirable, while in still others neither the teaching nor the discipline has been entirely satisfactory.
If we are asked why we do not employ the best of teachers in all our schools, the reason is obvious. We cannot offer induce ments sufficient to secure trained and experienced teachers from abroad. Experience is essential to a good teacher, but if a young lady has not taught, how can she obtain that experience, if no one employs her ? Her want of experience is not her fault, but her misfortune, and must continue to be till some one is coura- geous enough to give her a trial. Normal Schools have done much to secure correct methods of teaching, and to establish right principles of government, but perplexities will arise in a school of thirty or forty children gathered from almost any vil- lage, that were never thought of in an experimental or a practice class in a Normal School.
For a similar reason, lack of sufficient inducement to remain, we are in danger of losing some of our best teachers. They
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have served their apprenticeship, have gained their experience have achieved success, and have established a reputation. They have availed themselves of all the means of improvement within their reach, and have become excellent teachers, and becoming known, some superintendent of schools, or a member of a school- board, with the offer of a better salary, invites them to "come up higher." Against this there is neither law nor gospel-the one reads "thou shalt not muzzle the ox ;" the other, " The work- man is worthy of his meat."
But we may lose them from other than pecuniary considera- tions. In large towns or cities they may find a grade of school more to their taste, or greater social or educational advantages or they may think a change desirable to develop the best that is in them, and to prevent their falling into ruts. If from any cause they leave us, the schools must be supplied with teachers of less experience, perhaps with none. If teachers without experience are employed they will be but apprentices, and should be satisfied with the pay of an apprentice, and the town should accept the work of an apprentice. To demand the work of a journeyman or of a master builder, under such circumstances would be an injustice.
Instruction in Music has been given by a special teacher, and her work has been supplemented by the regular teachers. The 4 report upon that subject is inserted in this report.
REPORT OF THE MUSIC TEACHER.
To the School Committee :
I have given instruction to each school one-half hour per week during the school year. The singing has been conducted between my lessons, by the teachers.
The Tonic-Sol-Fa System has been before the younger child- ren, while Music Readers have been used by the Primary and Grammar Schools.
Thorough work in time, tune, enunciation and expression, has been the aim.
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