USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > Hatfield Annual Town Report 1891-1911 > Part 15
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Cash paid to Town Treasurer,
$2,730 00
H. N. Hunt, Sup't, for col- lecting water rates, 92 33
for labor, 63 50
for labor and repairs, 98 25
M. J. Drummond & Co., for special castings, 29 73
Norwood Engineering Co. for Sidewalk Boxes, 24 60
Chapman Valve Mf'g Co. for Hydrants, 39 42
W. H. Riley & Co., Stand Pipe, 11 49
Gazette Printing Co., Bill Heads, 5 00
: Freight on castings, 1 12
$3,095 44
24
25
We now have 243 connections with the works and 76 hydrants for protection from fire.
E. B. DICKINSON, D. W. WELLS, C. L. WARNER, Water Commissioners.
Hatfield, March 1, 1901.
I have examined the books and accounts of the Treasurer of the Board of Water Commissioners and find them correct.
C. L. GRAVES, Auditor.
Hatfield, March 6, 1901.
4
Collector's Report.
J. S. Wells, Collector, in Account with the Town of Hatfield.
DR.
To uncollected taxes, 1898, $152 04
Interest on same, 7 11
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer, April 5, 1899, $159 15
DR.
To uncollected taxes, 1899,
$1,397 69
Interest on same, 14 48
$1,412 17
CR.
March 17, 1900. By cash paid Treasurer, $544 83
May 7, 1900. By cash paid Treasurer 288 90
March 5, 1901. By cash paid Treasurer, 578 44
- $1,412 17
DR.
To Assessors' Warrant for col'n, 1900, $15,297 44
Interest collected, 47 63
$15,345 07
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer, $13,606 26
Discount on taxes, 173 41
Uncollected taxes,
1,565 40
--- $15,345 07
26
Assessors' Report.
Total value of Assessed Estate,
$1,093,341
Value of Assessed Real Estate, $851,415
Value of Assessed Personal Estate, 241,926
Buildings, $407,173
Land, 444,242 .
Number of Residents assessed on property,
325
Non- "
90
Total number of persons,
415
assessed on Poll Tax only, 285
542
Number of horses assessed,
COWS
334
sheep
11
swine
25
fowls
1,360
neat cattle other than cows assessed,
125
dwelling houses, 282
all other buildings, 684
Total amount committed to the Tax Collector for collec- tion is as follows :
State Tax,
$ 585 00
County Tax,
1,916 46
Town Grant (which includes $1,000 of the $4,000 voted by the town for bridge and fill near Kingsley's),
12,440 00
Overlayings,
343 98
Total,
$15,285 44
27
male polls assessed,
528
28
Assessors' estimate of Bank and Corporation Tax assessed by the State, $1,200 00
Rate of tax per $1,000, 13 00
Value of property exempt from taxation under Chapter 11, Section 5, Public Statutes :
Literary institutions, $65,432 00
Church property,
24,000 00
Assets of the town as reported to the Tax Commissioners by the Assessors :
School Houses,
$15,000 00
Other public buildings,
12,000 00
Cemeteries,
1,000 00
Water Works,
F
50,000 00
Fire Apparatus,
1,500 00
Sinking Fund (Water),
3,000 00
$82,500 00
Liabilities of the town as reported to the Tax Commis- sioner by the Assessors :
Water Works,
$47,000 00
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM D. BILLINGS, LEWIS H. KINGSLEY, JOHN VOLLINGER,
Assessors of Hatfield.
..
-2
Town Clerk's Report,
The vital statistics for the Town of Hatfield, for the year 1900, are as follows :
BIRTHS BY MONTHS,
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES.
January,
2
2
0
February,
4 *** 12
2
March,
3
1
2
April,
1
1
May,
2
1
1 4.
June,
3
1
July,
7
4
31.17
August,
3
3
September,
7
4
3 .* **
October,
1
1
.. 0 .....
November,
2
1
r
December,
1
0
Total,
36
21
4 : 15
BIRTHPLACE OF PARENTS ........
FATHER MOTHER.
Born in the United States, 18
18
Poland,
12
12
Ireland,
1 ..
2 ... ;
Germany, 1 1
-
-
29
30
FATHER.
MOTHER.
Born in Sweden,
1
1
Hungary,
1
2
India,
0
1
Nova Scotia,
1
0
Canada,
1
1
36
36
BIRTHS FOR THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
19
34
27
28
37
MARRIAGES BY MONTHS.
NO.
January,
1
February,
3
April,
1
May,
3
July,
2
September,
1
October,
2
November,
5
December,
2
-
Total,
20
First marriage of both parties, 16.
First marriage of brides, 20.
Second marriage of grooms, 4.
The oldest and youngest grooms were 63 and 22 years of age respectively.
The oldest and youngest brides were 40 and 18 years of age respectively. :
31
Average age of grooms, 31 years. brides, 25 Number of certificates issued from this office, 20.
BIRTHPLACE OF PERSONS MARRIED.
GROOM.
BRIDE.
Born in United States,
13
12
Poland,
5
5
Ireland,
1
0
Nova Scotia,
1
0
Canada,
0
1
Bohemia,
0
1
Scotland,
0
1
.
-
20
20
MARRIAGES FOR FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
13
12
14
15
20
DEATHS BY MONTHS.
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES.
January,
6
3
3
April,
6
1
5
May,
4
3
1
June,
1
0
1
July,
3
2
1
August,
3
1
2
September,
1
0
1
October,
3
2
1
November,
2
1
1
December,
2
1
1
-
Total,
31
14
17
32
·NO:
Under 1 year of age,
8
2
Between 1 and 5 years,
5 " 10 "
1
0
1
10 : 20/
20 " 30
3
0
3
30 " 40
3
2
1
40
50
1
0
1
50 " 60
1
0
1
60
70
4
1
3
70 " 80
3
1
2
80 " 90
3
1
2
-
-
-
31
14
17
Age of oldest person deceased (female), 83 years, 10 months.
BIRTHPLACE OF PERSONS DECEASED.
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES.
Born in United States,
26
11
15
Ireland,
3
2
1
Germany,
1
0
1
Poland,
1
1
0
31
14
17
¢
DEATHS FOR THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
17
18.
23
19
26
2
2
MALES. - 6
FEMALES.
-
-
33 CAUSES OF DEATH,
Classified according to the nomenclature adopted by the State Board of Registration.
ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Rheumatism,
1
Whooping Cough,
1
Typhoid Fever,
1
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES.
Phthisis (Consumption Lungs),
1
Hydrocephalus (Tubercular Meningitis),
1
LOCAL DISEASES.
Pneumonia,
6
Paralysis,
2
Disease Heart,
3
Nephritis,
3
Septicaemia,
1
Jaundice,
1
Tumor of Oesophagus,
1
DEVELOPMENTAL DISEASES.
Stillborn,
b
Infantile Debility,
1
VIOLENT DEATHS.
Burns,
2
Drowning,
1
-
31
5
34
NAMES OF PERSONS DECEASED.
Mrs. Martha E. Bliss,
Nancy D. Billings,
Minnie C. Temple,
Ellen M. Hamel,
Charles Potter,
Elizabeth A. Boyle,
Joseph Deinlein,
Marie M. Superba,
Rachel W. Kingsley,
Sarah E. Sanderson,
Emma J. Casten,
James Clancy,
Thomas Sheehan,
Lewis H. Casten,
Emeline E. Shattuck,
Luda F. Warner,
Antoine Bistroski, William Merrick.
DOG LICENSES.
The number of dogs licensed during the year ending No- vember 30, 1900, with the receipts and settlement of the ac- count with the County Treasurer, is as follows :
103 male dogs at $2 each,
$206 00
4 female dogs at $5 each,
20 00
$226 00
Less fees, 107 dogs, at 20 cents each,
21 40
$204 60
Amount paid County Treasurer, $204 60
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
153 00
167 40
169 00
129 00 286 60
Respectfully submitted,
Miss Mary Wheeler,
Elizabeth Douyard, Joseph Carl,
Paul A. Labbe,
John Leary, Fred. L. Mosier,
Miss Emily Waite,
Eunice E. Cook,
for the five previous years :
WILLIAM D. BILLINGS, Town Clerk.
Report of Sinking Fund Commissioners.
We have the following amounts deposited to the credit of the Sinking Fund :
$1,162 88
Amherst Savings Bank,
Northampton Institution for Savings,
1,061 70
Nonotuck Savings Bank,
1,040 56
First National Bank, Northampton,
632 76
Total,
$3,897 90
M. J. RYAN, R. M. WOODS, E. S. WARNER, Sinking Fund Commissioners.
I have this day examined the vouchers of the Sinking Fund Commissioners and found them correct.
C. L. GRAVES, Auditor.
Hatfield, March 2, 1901.
35
Report of the Public Library.
Last year the town appropriated $300 for the support of the library. There have been more books taken out this year than last, and more demand for new books, which we are unable to get for the'want of more money. The circulation has been about 200 books a week. We have bought about 200 books the past year. The library is open every Saturday from 3 to 5 P. M., and 7 to 9 P. M.
J. H. SANDERSON, Librarian. MARIAN BILLINGS, Assistant.
R. M. WOODS, MRS. C. K. MORTON, J. H. SANDERSON, Trustees.
36
Report of Engineers.
Board of Selectmen, Hatfield, Mass.,
H. S. HUBBARD, Esq., Chairman.
Gentlemen :- Complying with your recent request, we have made examinations and taken levels on the streets and submit the following report, suggestions and estimates of cost of sewers in your town.
The plan and profile furnished herewith, show proposed sewers on Main, Elm and Maple streets, with outlets through "The Old Ferry Road" and the "Old Bridge Road," and for the part of Elm street known as "The Hill," with an outlet into Mill River at a point some 1200 feet below the bridge, and are to be taken as forming a part of this report, as certain places thereon are here referred to.
These streets, Main, Maple and Elm, appear to be the ones in which there is the greatest immediate need of sewers, but the grades and size of the sewers recommended for these streets are such that as demand arises for sewers on other streets, they will be a part of a complete sewer system for the whole village.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
North Main Street :
Beginning at a point about 600 feet northerly of the cor- ner of Main and School streets, at "A" on map, a sewer run-
37
38
ning northerly to and through the "Old Ferry Road" of the following sizes :
800 feet of 8 inch pipe.
800 60 10
800 rx 12
86 500
15
to Connecticut River at the point marked "B" on map.
South Main Street :
Beginning again at the point "A" on the map, a sewer running southerly to the lower end of the street and thence easterly, through "The Old Bridge Road" to the outlet at Connecticut river, of the following sizes :
800 feet of 8 inch pipe, 800 66 " 10
800
12
900 66 15
to "C" at lower end of street.
2000
20 " to outlet at "E."
Easterly end of Elm street :
1000 feet of 8 inch pipe, 100 ** 12 8% to point "C"' on main sewer.
Also from the westerly end of this sewer a drain, 600 feet of 8 inch pipe discharging toward Mill River to carry off the surface water collecting in the low place between Main street and Mill river.
This may not be looked upon as an immediate necessity, but this water must not be turned through the sewer in Elm street and the "Old Bridge Road," unless these sewers are largely increased in size.
39
Maple Street ;
700 feet of 8 inch pipe to the junction with Elm St. line.
Elm Street (the Hill) :
Beginning at a point near the house of Nelson Allaire thence extending easterly:
1000 feet of 8 inch pipe. 750 66 12 " 1450 66
to a point near Mill river.
1200 " 18 " following the general course of Mill river to the outlet at "H."
This comprises the list of sewers for which calculations have been made and all these sewers are calculated for both surface water and house sewage.
The low ground between Main street and Connecticut river can best be drained by a pipe following approximately the ditch as now opened for this use. This pipe would be for surface water only.
On most of the other streets the surface water should be kept separate from the house sewage, the latter being led by the most convenient route to connect with some of the above described sewers and the surface water conducted by pipes and ditches to the natural water courses.
This matter of disposing of surface water, in the part of the village west of Main street and north of Elm by separate drains is imperative unless the size and cost of the above described sewers be greatly increased.
Believing that the existing drains and sewers are of im- perfect construction and inadequate size we should make no attempt to utilize them as a part of the proposed system.
40
GRADES AND DEPTH OF CUTS.
Main street is nearly. level, there being but 4.2 feet difference the highest and lowest points.
The grades for the sewers on both ends of Main street, for the easterly end of Elm street and for Maple street we have established at 2 feet per 1000 feet or about 212 inches per 100 feet.
This will make the maximum and average cuts about as follows :
MAXIMUM.
AVERAGE.
North Main street,
10.50 feet,
7.50 feet.
South Main street,
8.60
7.00
Bridge road,
12.50
9.00
Maple street,
8.50
66
7.00
East Elm street,
8.20
6.00
On Elm street, " The Hill," the grade varies from 4 to 6 per 1000. The maximum cut is 8.20 feet and the average 6.00 feet.
HIGH WATER.
The comparative elevation of Main street at various points and the high and low water marks of Connecticut river are as follows :
Upper end of Main street,
97.60
Corner of Main and School streets,
97.40
Corner of Maple and Elm streets, 94.20
High water mark, 1862,
95.51
1868,
94.55
1894,
93.28
Average low water in Connecticut river, 72.00
41
Comparison of these figures will show that the flood of 1862 was only two feet and one inch lower than the surface of Main street from the corner of School to the upper end of the street, and had the cellars of the houses been connected by sewer to the river at that time they would have been nearly filled by back water.
We therefore recommend that when the sewers are built there be no connections or openings into the sewer below the level of the first floor of the various houses connected ; or if such connections are deemed necessary, that they be provided with suitable shut-offs to prevent the flooding of the cellars by a back flow of the sewer in times of high water in the river.
ESTIMATE OF COST.
8 inch pipe laid, including Ys,
$ .35 per foot
10
.40
6 .
12
.50
66
15
.65
18
66
.80
20
1.00
Man-holes and catch-basins, including branch from sewer, each $35. Enough can also be saved from this figure to put in one flushing man-hole at the upper end of each branch of the sewer.
North Main street to river :
800 feet of 8 inch pipe, at 35 cents, $280 00
800 10 40
320 00
800 12
50
400 00
500 15
66
65 325 00
23 man-holes and catch-basins, at $35, 805 00
Total cost for sewer in North Main street, $2,130 00
6
42
South Main street and to the river :
800 feet of 8 inch pipe, at 35 cents,
$280 00
800 10 40
320 00
800 12
50
400 00
900 15
65 66 585 00
2000 66 20
$1,
2,000 00
32 man-holes and catch-basins at $35, 1,120 00
Total cost of sewer in South Main street, $4,705 00
Easterly end of Elm St., discharging into South Main St. sewer:
1000 feet of 8 inch pipe, at 35 cents, $350 00
100 " 12 50 .“ 50 00
4 man-holes and catch-basins at $35, 140 00
Total cost of sewer in East Elm street,
$540 00
Easterly end of Elm street drain toward Mill river :
600 feet of 8 inch pipe, at 35 cents, $210 00
One catch-basin at $25, 25 00
Total cost of East Elm street drain, $235 00
Maple street discharging into East Elm street sewer :
700 feet of 8 inch pipe at 35 cents, $245 00
4 catch-basins and man-holes at $35, 140 00
Total cost of sewer in Maple street, $385 00
Elm Street, "The Hill," discharging into Mill river :
1000 feet of 8 inch pipe, at 35 cents, $350 00
750 12 50 66 375 00
1450 15 65 942 50
1200 18 66 80 960 00
30 catch-basins and man-holes at $35, 1,050 00
Total cost of sewer in Elm street, $3,677 50
43
RECAPITULATION.
North Main street,
$2,130 00
South Main street,
4,705 00
East Elm street, sewer,
540 00
East Elm street, drain,
235 00
Maple street,
385 00
West Elm street, "The Hill,"
3,677 50
Total,
$11,672 50
Respectfully submitted,
E. C. & C. E. DAVIS, Engineers. Northampton, Mass., Feb. 15, 1900.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1901.
Report of School Committee.
To the Citizens of Hatfield :
We submit to you our doings for the fiscal year ending March 8, 1901.
As our superintendent has reported to you the workings of the schools, we will therefore give only a summary of the department of expenditures. We found just before the fall term commenced that the stoves in West Hatfield and West Brook schoolhouses were unfit for use, making an expenditure of $200 imperative. North Hatfield and West Brook school- houses were also painted and calcemined on the inside, a fence was built on two sides of the schoolyard at the center and a water closet and two slate blackboards put into the Hill school building.
The school books have been placed in a room in the Town Hall and bookcases provided for them, making an unlooked for expense.
HENRY S. HUBBARD, MRS. OSCAR BELDEN, FRANK J. SAFFER, School Committee.
47
48
SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Katherine Day,
teaching school, $224 80
Susan Casey;
272 00
Margaret Allaire,
327 00
Mary J. Breor,
66
328 00
Mary E. Breor,
60
66
274 50
Elizebeth Gilson,
66
274 50
Alice Davidson,
82 50
Carrie Warner,
268 20
Louisa Billings,
66
66
178.50
Rita L. Briggs,
40 00
Joseph Leviter, janitor,
23 00
Claude H. Hubbard,
22 00
Mrs. F. J. Saffer,
janitor and sweeping, 64 00
Eddie Murphy,
janitor,
3 00
Katherine Day,
1 50
John H. Hubbard,
4 00
Thomas D. Brennan,
2 72
Ula Graves,
sweeping,
11 50
Anna Day,
11 50
Mary Coffey,
4 50
Nellie Murphy,
1 25
Bridget A. Brennan,
4 40
John Ademet,, sawing wood, 1 25
H. S. Hubbard, sawing wood, drawing coal, 3 15 F. J. Saffer, 66
6 50
Mrs. Oscar Belden, drawing coal and wood, 11 50 A. L. Strong, wood, 13 50
Kimball & Cary, for coal, 120 53
Boston & Maine Railroad, freight on coal,
68 66
F. G. Bardwell, for wood, 10 00
G. H. Danforth, for coal, 41 55
Helen Harris,
sweeping,
4 40
John Brennan, janitor, 8 24
49
Carlton Harris,
janitor,
$4 68
Rupert Graves,
sweeping,
2 00
Mary E. Breor, .
4 00
Joseph Leviter;
janitor,
9.00
Nellie Murphy,
5 00 :
- $2,737 33
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
C. M. Barton,
$48 00
Wm. A. Reed, 400 00
$480 00
TUITION SMITH ACADEMY.
R. M. Woods, treasurer, $500 00
MUSIC IN SCHOOLS.
Thomas Charmbury, $150 00
DRAWING IN SCHOOLS.
Clara Fay, teacher,
$46 40
Mrs. L. H. Kingsley, 26 50
$72 90
SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
S. E. Bridgman, $ 28 45
Silver Berdett & Co.,
11 16
American Book Co.,
25 83
Ginn & Company,
18 85
J. L. Hammett Co.,
125 52
Milton Bradley Co.,
6 48
Maynard Merrill Co.,
91
H. S. Hubbard, paid expressage,
2 51
C. M. Barton,
4 10
manilla paper,
1 48
7
50
Boston & Maine Railroad, freight,
$ 50
Allyn & Bascom, publishers, 94
George S. Perry & Co.,
· 7 05
Carroll W. Clark, 11 90
Thorp Martin Company,
1 20
Public School Printing Co.,
1 98
$248 36 -
SCHOOLHOUSE REPAIRS.
F. J. Saffer, ordinary repairs, $ 10 75
66 66 fence, Center School yard, 38 62
A. L. Strong, lumber, " 79 16
M. H. Burke, painting fence, Center School yard,
18 86
M. J. Ryan, nails, etc.,
5 05
Shumway & Riley, plumbing, Hill School,
161 00
Merrick Lumber Co., lumber, 66
28 96
Harry N. Hunt, labor,
24 27
John Maynard, laying brick, 66
9 50
Matthews & Gleason, 66 66
3 00
H. S. Hubbard, man and team,
4 00
Shumway & Riley, ordinary repairs,
51 02
stoves and repairs, 234 43
O. D. Case & Co., slate blackboards, 17 29
Boston & Maine Railroad, freight on blackboards, 1 19
, M. C. Howard, painting, N. Hatfield and West Brook, 68 42 Edgar P. Lyman, labor, 2 15
H. S. Hubbard,
1 25
Harry N. Hunt, 7 38
$766 30
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
NAMES.
WHERE FITTED.
SCHOOL.
TIME.
PAY.
Margaret Allair .
Westfield Normal School Smith Academy
Center Grammar®
The Year.
$327 00
Mary E. Breor
·
.
.
.
Smith Academy
31 weeks.
224 80
Susan Casey .
Bridgewater Normal School
West Brook North Hatfield W. Hatfield Prim.
The Year.
272 00
Elizabeth Gilson
Two terms.
192 00
One term.
82 50
Louisa Billings .
Smith Academy
Two terms.
178 50
Carrie Warner
Prim.
One term. 5 weeks.
77 00
Rita L. Briggs
.
Teacher of Music
The Year.
150 00
Clara Fay
-
" Drawing
72 90
COMMITTEE :
HENRY S. HUBBARD,
MRS. OSCAR BELDEN, FRANK J. SAFFER.
WILLIAM A. REED, Superintendent.
51
.
Hill Grammar Hill Primary Center Primary -
274 50
Alice Davidson
One term. Two terms.
82 50
Carrie Warner
191 20
Katharine Day,
.
.
West Brook
40 00
Thomas Charmbury
Gram.
328 00
Mary J. Breor
1
ENROLLMENT, ATTENDANCE, ETC.
Center
Grammar
Center
Primary
Hill
Grammar
Hill
Primary
W. H.
Grammar
W. Brook
N. Hatfield
.W. H.
Primary
No. of Pupils between 5 and 15 years
25
53
I7
33
18
24
20
28
-
7
14
19
35
9
I7
18
20
I5
17
26
53
17
33
18
24
22
25
Average Membership Attendance .
22.8
43.16
13.98 .30
17.2
18.3
13.5
24.2
No. of Pupil's over 15 years under 5 66
I
O
O
O
O
O
2
O
O
O
O
0
O
O
O
0
Per cent. of Attendance
90.5
92.I
97.07
87.22 86
19.8
89.2
No. Weeks of School
36
36
36
36
36
36
35
36
52
25.2
46.86
11.54 31.4
15.2
2.1.02
I5
24.46
enrolled
Report of the Superintendent.
To the School Committee of Hatfield ::
I have the honor of submitting my first annual report as Superintendent of the Hatfield schools, which is the seventh report of a superintendent.
Not having assumed the active duties of the office in all parts of the district until September, 1900, it has been diffi- cult to satisfy the numerous and pressing demands made upon the office from the various quarters in the district.
ATTENDANCE.
. In the matter of attendance, a most deplorable condition of affairs exists, as will be evident from a perusal of "Attend- ance Table C," appended herewith. This table records 3900 cases of half day absences, 255 tardy marks, and 187 instances of dismissal by request of parents. These are the totals for only five months of school, or 100 school days. Further- more, pupils are not sent to school promptly at the opening of the fall term, and they are withdrawn from school before the end of the spring term to work at home. Considering that the above record was made by only 212 pupils in the schools, it is unfair to expect the teachers to adequately fulfill the requirements of a course of study.
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Under such conditions anything like proper grading is impossible. Not only do the absentees suffer loss, but those faithful pupils, also, who are regular in attendance, are re- tarded in their progress by being held back for the others to catch up, since it is expedient that the teachers avoid forming extra classes or grades.
Regular attendance is absolutely necessary to that sus- tained interest which alone can result in an orderly and cons- tant progression in pursuance of a given plan of work. Without regular and prompt attendance our schools cannot accomplish their mission, which is to equip the future citizen with a foundation knowledge and training that will facilitate his further development along the lines indicated by his special talents, and that will assist him ultimately in finding his proper business or social sphere in the community.
The new school laws explicitly and imperatively direct school committees and school officers to enforce its provisions in regard to requiring the attendance (except for illness) of all children between seven and fourteen years of age, on every school day throughout the entire year; and written excuses for absence are required in every case. Children under six- teen must have a "work certificate," signed by the Com- mittee or Superintendent, before going to work.
Report cards, recording attendance, scholarship and deportment of each pupil, will be sent home at the end of each month. It is hoped that by means of these cards parents will be led to take a deeper interest in all that pertains to the improvement of the schools, and that they may be induced to visit the schools more frequently, to become personally acquainted with the teachers and their work.
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"PARENTS' DAY."
There should be a special day each year when parents are invited to inspect the regular work of the schools, and teachers should accumulate full sets of papers illustrating the work of pupils, with this end in view.
COURSES OF STUDY.
The general instructions already given to teachers should indicate the line of work they are to pursue. When time permits, the outlines given will be worked out in detail and more precise directions given as to topics and principles to be taught.
ARITHMETIC.
A change of text books in arithmetic is desirable. I would advocate less work in numbers, and more drill in read- ing, or language, in the first two years of school. Much of the number work with which a child of five or six years is tormented and harrassed is worse than a waste of time, for the little that he does learn about arithmetic in grade I. is acquir- ed with strained effort on his part and through infinite pa- tience on that of the teacher, since the mind of the pupil is not yet sufficiently mature to readily grasp the puzzling dif- ficulties of the subject.
LANGUAGE.
The time taken from number work could be most ad- vantageously occupied in teaching the child to read, since
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language is the first and most necessary mode of expression which the child must acquire in order to enable him to express his thoughts, and to enable him to pursue intelligently the subsequent subjects of arithmetic, geography, history, etc., in the higher grades.
More thorough drill in phonics in all grades, and "word drills" preceding each reading lesson in the primary grades, will produce better results in reading.
Thorough drill is important in English composition and social forms, and the habit of using the dictionary (which should be supplied to pupils above grade IV, to be used in connection with spelling, composition and reading) should be early inculcated.
CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS.
In the 63d annual Report of the State Board of Educa- tion, the Secretary dwells at length upon the growing tenden- cy toward consolidation, where there are small schools in out- lying districts.
Hatfield has at present five school buildings containing eight schools, numbering 212 pupils. The plans for consoli- dation urged by my predecessor in this office are well worthy of consideration. In the Center and Hill schools there are 123 pupils in 16 classes. In West Hatfield there are 43 pu- pils in eight classes. In North Hatfield there are 23 pupils in four classes ; and in West Brook there are 23 pupils in seven classes. In other words, to accommodate 212 pupils in eight grades, we are obliged to divide them into 35 classes.
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