USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > Hatfield Annual Town Report 1891-1911 > Part 21
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NO.
FATHER
MOTHER
Born in the United States,
16
16
15
Poland,
25
25
25
Germany,
1
1
1
Hungarr,
3
3
3
Ireland,
1
1
0
Bohemia,
0
0
1
Canada,
1
1
2
Total,
47
47
47
·
- 39 -
BIRTHS FOR THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
28
37
36
46
49
MARRIAGES BY MONTHS. 4
January,
3
February,
2
April
2
May,
3
June,
4
July,
2
August,
2
October,
2
November,
2
December,
2
Total,
24
First marriage of both parties,
20
Second
1
groom 1st bride,
2
bride 1st groom,
1
-
24
The oldest and youngest grooms were 36 and 19 years of age respectively.
The oldest and youngest brides were 33 and 18 years of age respectively.
NO.
- 40 -
BIRTHPLACE OF PERSONS MARRIED.
GROOM
BRIDE
Born in the United States,
16
13
Poland,
8
8
Ireland,
0
2
Germany,
0
1
Total,
24
24
MARRIAGES FOR THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
15
20.
20
28
21
DEATHS BY MONTHS.
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES.
January,
3
0
3
February,
2
1
1
March,
4
3
1
April,
3
1
2
May,
4
1
3
June,
1
0
1
August,
3
2
1
September,
1
1
0
October,
1
1
0
November,
2
2
0
Total,
24
12
12
.
AGE.
NO.
MALE.
FEMALE.
Under 1 year of age,
12
6
6
Between 1 and 5 years,
1
1
0
5 " 10
0
0
0
10 " 20
1
1
0
20 " 30
2
2
0
30 " 40 66
1
1
0
1
,
- 41 -
AGE.
NO.
MALE.
FEMALE.
40 “ 50
0
0
0
50 " 60
1
1
0
60 “ 70
2
1
1
70 " 80
0
0
0
80 " 90
4
1
3
-
-
Total,
24
13
11
Age of the oldest person deceased (male) 86 years 9 months.
BIRTHPLACE OF PERSONS DECEASED.
NO.
MALES.
FEMALES.
Born in the United States,
19
9
10
Poland,
1
1
0
Hungary,
1
0
Ireland,
2
1
1
Germany,
1
0
1
-
-
24
12
12
DEATHS FOR THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS.
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
18
26
31
33
28
CAUSES OF DEATH.
Classified according to the nomenclature adopted by the State Board of Registration.
ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Diphtheria,
1
Malarial Fever,
1
CONSTIUTIONAL DISEASES.
Phthisis (Consumption of Lungs,)
4
.
1
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LOCAL DISEASES.
Pneumonia,
2
Convulsions,
3
Brights Disease,
1
Apoplexy,
1
Jaundice,
1
Gastric Catarrh,
1
Epilepsy,
2
Disease Brain,
1
DEVELOPMENTAL DISEASE.
Old Age,
1
Infantile Debility,
2
Stillborn,
2
VIOLENT DEATHS.
Gun Shot Wound, accidental,
1
Total, 24
NAMES OF PERSONS DECEASED.
Mrs. Mary P. Steele,
Mrs. Sophia Miller,
Mrs. Harriet B. Strong,
Eva Kelvy,
Jonathan D. Warner,
Miss Mary Ryan,
Infant L. H. Kingsley,
Clinton White,
Alfred Lamountain,
Nellie Wilk,
Bramislaw Cervisky,
Infant Leland H. Wight,
Alfred E. Harris,
Anthony Anjanski,
Ina Winter, Robert Billings Howard,
Mrs. Fannie S. Briggs,
Mrs. Eliza P. Cleveland,
Daniel Hodul, Mrs. Margaret H. Breor, Helen M. Nolan, Infant David J. McGrath, John B. Ryan, . John Waskiewic.
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DOG LICENSES.
The number of dogs licensed during the year ending November 30, 1903, with the receipts and settlement of the account with the County Treasurer, is as follows :
97 male dogs at $2.00 each,
$194 00
2 female dogs at $5.00 each, 10 00
2 transferred,
$204 00
Less fees 101 dogs at 20 cents each, 20 20
Amount paid County Treasurer June 1 and Dec. 1, 183 80
Amount received for dog licenses for the five previous years.
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
$129.00
$286.00
$204.00
$221.00
$211.00
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM D. BILLINGS, Town Clerk.
- 44 -
Report of Sinking Fund Commissioners.
We have the following amounts deposited to the credit of the Sinking Fund :
Amherst Savings Bank,
$1,309 52
Northampton Institution for Savings, ·
1,183 91
Haydenville Savings Bank, 1,062 62
Nonotuck Savings"Bank,
931 32
Florence Savings Bank,
587 19
Town of Hatfield Water Bond,
1,000 00
C. B. & Q. Railroad Co., Bond,
1,000 00
$7,074 56
M. J. RYAN, R. M. WOODS, E. S. WARNER,
Sinking Fund Commissioners.
I have this day examined the accounts of the Sinking Fund Commissioners and find them as reported.
E. B. DICKINSON, Auditor.
Hatfield, March 2, 1904.
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
NAMES.
WHERE FITTED.
SCHOOL.
TIME.
PAY.
Margaret A. Allair
·
·
Westfield Normal School|Hill Grammar
The Year.
$360 00
Mary J. Breor
Smith Academy
Center Grammar W. Hatfield Gram Prim
-
360 00
Katherine Day
.
.
S. A., Tapley Normal Stonington High Smith Academy
324 00
Carrie H. Warner and Montague
Hatfield Primary Center Primary West Brook
324 00
Mary E. Breor
324 00
Mary A. Lyman
Northampton High
15 Weeks
135 00
Mary C. Pollard
Farmington, Me., Nor.
19
99 00
Nora M. Connery . Thomas Charmbury
Easthampton High
The Year.
288 00
Teacher of Music Drawing
150 00
Sepha N. Kingsley
125 00
.
-- 45 -
COMMITTEE : ·
HENRY S. HUBBARD.
SAMUEL H. FIELD.
JOHN J. BATZOLD.
W. H. CUMMINGS, Superintendent.
·
.
.
North Hatfield All schools -
324 00
Elizabeth Gilson
.
ENROLLMENT, ATTENDANCE, ETC.
Center
Grammar
Center
Primary
Hill
Grammar
Hill
Primary
W. H.
Grammar
W. H.
Primary
W. Brook
N. Hatfield
No. of Pupils between 5 and 15 years
33
39
25
44
18
26 .
27
21
- enrolled .
7 "14
33
27
18
31
18
18
25
I5
Average Membership Attendance .
31.2
39.91
27.04
41.08
16.91
24.12
22.62
20.23
27.I
35.36
23.90
37.01
15.26
20.06
22.21
18.75
Per cent. of Attendance
89.I
88.55
87.8
89.36
89
84
97.28
92.5
No. of Pupils over 15 years
O
O
5
O
o
O
O
O
under 5
O
2
O
O
O
0
O
O
No. Weeks of School
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
- 46 -
.
.
Superintendent's Report.
To the School Board of Hatfield,
Gentlemen:
Your superintendent herewith presents his third annual report of the schools under your charge.
I do not intend to make a long report this year, but .
hope to focus the attention of the people, from whom the appropriations must come, on a few topics of unusual im- portance.
The first to which I call attention is that of
GRADING.
An improvement in grading was gained in the upper grades of the Hill and Center schools about a year ago where- by each class and consequently each pupil received double the amount of instruction because, althongh each teacher had as many pupils as before, she now has only half as many grades or classes.
The same changes and combinations should be made in the four lower grades of the same buildings.
At present Miss Warner at the Center school has charge of the first, second, third and fourth grades. Miss Breor at the Hill school has charge of a first, a second, a third and a fourth grade. There are pupils enough to fill two rooms, about 40 in each room, but the waste consists in the fact that
- 48-
each one of the two teachers has pupils of the same grade. If the pupils of the same grade in the two schools were com- bined, one teacher could teach them as well as two. If you bring together the pupils of each or the several grades in the two schools, though you have the same pupils, you still have only four grades, each grade representing a different year of their entrance into school.
Instead of dividing this company of pupils vertically, so to speak, that is by drawing an imaginary line through the village-all above the line attending the Center school, and all below, the Hill school, make a horizontal division-that is, a division by grades, placing all the pupils in the village of the first and second grades in one school, those of the third and fourth in the other ..
When we remember that two grades, or even one, if it be large, involves work enough if they be taught well, to tax the time and strength of one teacher to the utmost, it must be apparent that the work of teaching four grades is too much for one teacher to do well. Under the arrangement proposed above, each teacher would have about the same number of pupils as at present, but only half as many grade; consequent- ly, she could give twice as much time to each class, a much- needed improvement, as the teachers will testify.
This then is the advantage sought-better training for the children. Of course it will make a greater distance for some to travel, but we feel that this disadvantage will be more than offset by the advantages gained.
Before taking up the subject of grading in other parts of the town, let us recall a few important facts that must be kept in mind in order to understand the subject well.
- 49-
1st: The amount of work for the teacher depends not so much on the number of pupils, within certain limits, as on the number of grades or classes.
2nd: It is no more work to teach a class of twelve, than one of two pupils.
3rd: It is twice as much work to teach a school of fifteen pupils, for instance, in four grades, as to teach twice as many in two grades, because in the former case there are twice as many classes, although the classes may be smaller.
· 4th. The best results are secured when each grade or class is instructed separately in each one of the subjects taught. This means on the average about eight recitations daily for each grade.
In view of these facts I wish to ask for some relief for the two one-room schools in the north part of the town, as well as the two already discussed. .
At the West Brook and West Farm schools there may be as many as eight grades in each room. As a matter of fact . there are one or two grades less than eight just now because it has happened that for one or two years in the last eight years there have been no pupils to enter. But eight full grades are more likely than less, as a rule.
Imagine a teacher trying to teach fifty or sixty classes in a day of six hours. Sheis undertaking an impos- sibility-rather, I should say, she does not undertake such an impossibility, she is compelled to combine grades, a re- grettable necessity, because it is not fair to any grade, the work being too difficult for some and too easy for others.
There are over thirty pupils in the West Brook school. and twenty at the West Farms. The number of pupils is not objectionable, it is the great number of grades that con- fuses the work and makes it altogether unsatisfactory. I
-50-
have tried to show how four grades are too many for one teacher to teach well. If this be true what shall be said of eight grades! In all other schools in town the eight grades are divided between two or more teachers. Therefore it is clear that the children in these two schools are not having a fair chance with the other pupils in town. Although the teachers are being overworked trying to teach eight grades, yet it is not so much for the teachers as for the pupils we are desirous of better conditions. Is there any remedy? We might provide two teachers for each school as we have done in the other schools but I suggest the following as the more feasible and economical.
Send all the pupils above the sixth grade to the grammar school in the village where there are the seventh and eighth grades only and the room not crowded.
Last summer the parents at the West Farms generously consented to pay one fare for the conveyance of their children by electric cars to the grammar school. I should hope they would be willing to do the same again.
The pupils in West Brook who live farthest from the electric cars might need to be conveyed to them by team.
I trust that next year pupils can be conveyed for one fare that is 5c for one round trip, or 25c per week. Should the schedule of the electric cars be no more reliable than it has been the past winter the conveying would have to be done by team during the winter. But this has been an unusually se- vere winter, and in another year the company will doubtless have arrangements so perfected that a better service can be expected.
There would be four pupils from West Brook and five from West Farms above the sixth grade.
-51-
A word in regard to the expense of the changes proposed :
The change in the village involves little children whose ages range from about five to nine years. Such children should not be required to walk too far and should be provided with the means of conveyance at public expense. This year there are fourteen such children north of the center school, or the street that passes it, who would attend the Hill School under the plan proposed, and two south of the Hill school who would attend the Center school-sixteen in all, at such distance as would seem to warrant the payment of their fare on the trolley car. If fare should be paid for these children it ought to be paid also for those in the north part of the town in grades below Smith Academy if it should be demanded. All told there would be twenty pupils at 25c a week for 36 weeks in the year, or a total expense of $180 a year. This must be regarded as an estimate, for the number of pupils would vary from year to year, though not greatly.
By a statute enacted recently Hatfield is one of the towns that, beginning with next year, will receive annually $300, more or less, of state aid in addition to the amount she has · been accustomed to receive. This sum may be used at the discretion of the School Committee to improve the schools in any particular, except that it cannot be used for the erection or repair of buildings. This extra aid is given on certain conditions, one of which is that the amount raised for school purposes shall not be less than previously. Thus this $300 is an extra aid to the town to meet new expenses that may be incurred in raising the standard of the schools. To pay for the conveyance of pupils is one of the objects contemplated by the statute. Thus this additional expense may be met without any extra tax on the people.
- 52 -
If these changes for better grading could be made, I feel that it is one of the greatest improvements that could be made in our schools.
The people of Hatfield have shown a commendable spirit in their attitude toward everything that means real advance- ment. I submit the above proposition to them, confident that it,will at least receive a careful and intelligent consider- ation.
NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS.
"Beautiful school grounds and attractive school rooms are recognized as important elements in the essential education of children. The heart of a child is touched by truth and beauty everywhere, and is quickly alive with new life, in- spired by the purity and refinement of its environment." I quote the above from a prominent educator, the State Supt. of Education of Vermont, Hon. W. E. Ranger, instead of saying again what I have said in each one of my former re- ports in regard to the great importance of clean, orderly, re- fining surroundings for our children.
In this connection I desire to urge the necessity of new or renewed water closets at West Hatfield, West Brook and the Center schools and their proper care by competent jani- tors. This is a most imperative need.
Much has been done by the pupils under the leadership of the teachers in the way of beautifying the school rooms. We expect more of this kind of work will be done and that it will extend to the school grounds.
ATTENDANCE.
The attendance during the winter term has not been good. But this is not the fault of the teachers nor of the pu-
.
- 53 -
pils in most cases. The severity of the winter and the fact that the pupils knew that the rooms might be very cold when they reached them or even closed because they could not be adequately heated, have been the cause of many absences. But storm windows and an extra stove have corrected these unfavorable conditions at West Hatfield. Storm windows alone have done much for West Brook and the new furnaces at the Hill school make the temperature at those rooms all that could be desired, and are evidently adequate for the most ex- treme cold or windy weather.
Probably there is need of new heating facilities at the. Center school. Probably a man with his mature judgement and longer experience could get better results from the fur- naces now in use, but the school rooms ought to be provided with heating facilities that would be equal to extreme con- ditions.
The success of school room work depends so much on the efficiency of the janitor, I think it would be profitable for the town to make a larger appropriation for janitors' wages so that the School Committee could secure better janitor service. The most capable lads we have in school are not equal alone to manage well a coal heater of any kind. But the School Com- mittee have been obliged to employ young lads because the public seems to expect that this branch of service shall cost next to nothing, and it is also a popular impression that any boy can keep a fire well enough for a school room, though he is not considered competent to take sole charge of any fire at home.
I feel sure that if the people realize that such conditions are a menace not only to the comfort but also to the health of pupils and teachers, the necessary appropriations will be forthcoming.
-54 -
THE SCHOOL EXHIBIT.
The school exhibit was so well received last year and proved such a strong stimulus to the pupils that we think it well to repeat it again this year, but this year it will be held in Hatfield if a suitable place can be found for it.
The work in drawing is naturally and unavoidably more conspicuous than anything else. But it is not the purpose of anyone to make this subject the principal one in the exhibit. It may seem so because every piece is in plain sight, but we only wish to place it on a par with the other work of' the ex- hibit.
Every other line of work except the few that cannot be shown in writing is on exhibition but is less easily seen. If visitors will take the pains to examine the work on the tables they will be able to see what the pupils can do in other branches of school work.
We feel sure, from personal observation, that the exhibit idea stimulates the children to greater effort in many ways, but chiefly in neatness, carefulness and thoroughness.
The work in English received an impetus from the prizes given by Dr. Smith last year for the best original stories. In each school in the two towns there was a large group of pu- pils working for several weeks to produce their best in Eng- lish composition.
Spelling, penmanship, capitalization, punctuation, etc. were the mechanical side of the effort and were given due em- phasis. Originality, naturalness, ease and clearness of ex- pression were required and to quite a gratifying extent secured, as was evident from the stories offered.
The same prizes are offered this year by Rev. R. M. Woods. The same effort is being made by the pupils of Had-
..
- 55 --
ley and Hatfield throughout the present year. With the longer effort we may expect even better results.
Your superintendent thinks he can state with confidence that the schools of the town are making advancement. No more, however, than should be made, for there is advance- ment and improvement in every department of life, and if the schools of a town do not advance their standards every year, that town is sure to fall behind the procession.
In this connection I would put on record a word of ap- preciation of the earnest and efficient work of our faithful corps of teachers, without whose fidelity and conscientious service everything else would be of but little avail.
The cordial support received from the School Board has helped to make my work in Hatfield very pleasant. For the work in singing and drawing I refer you to the reports of the supervisors in those subjects.
Respectfully submitted,
W. H. CUMMINGS.
Vocal Music.
Mr. W. H. Cummings, Superintendent of Schools :
DEAR SIR : - I herewith hand you a brief report of my. work as Supervisor of Music in our schools during the past year, and I am pleased to say there has been improvement in my department in many ways.
With regard to the pupil's attitude toward the individual system of singing there are no I "cants," indeed, most of the pupils are proud of their ability to stand and sing alone.
The teachers have taken great interest in the work and I think even some of them have been quickened in their interest and musical ability.
The introduction of new music readers into the school was a wise and necessary move, and in behalf of the teachers and scholars I thank the school board for granting our request.
The time is rapidly approaching when it will be unpop- ular not to sing, or to read and understand music.
In the past few years educational methods have been marked by great and important changes, and music has secured a place in the curriculum as a requisite and its in- fluence on the mind and character is appreciated. In its power to stimulate the physical, mental and moral sides of our natures it stands pre-eminent.
Thanking you and the grade teachers for your hearty support and interest, I am yours sincerely,
THOMAS CHARMBURY.
·
- 57 -
Mr. W. H. Cummings, Superintendent of Schools : .
DEAR SIR : - I herewith present my third annual report of the drawing work in the schools of Hatfield. Much pro- gress has been made in the work this year and I wish to thank the teachers whose help has made this possible.
There has not been much change in the general outline of work but an attempt is being made this winter to empha- size the pencil work in all of the grades. In the upper grades pencil shading has been introduced and some very creditable work is being done along this line.
A matter which I wish to speak about is the decoration of our school rooms. The teaching of drawing should lead to an appreciation of good pictures, just as reading leads to an appreciation of good literature. To bring this about, we onght to have good pictures on the walls of our school rooms. In some of the schools the pupils have brought the money and bought pictures for their rooms. I wish this might be done in more schools.
At our exhibition of school work last spring, combining results from the eighteen schools of Hadley and Hatfield, the distinction between old methods and the modern way of put- ting in tangible form what the pupil has learned was made fully apparent. The use of drawing seemed to permeate the whole curriculum. That is the attitude of the learner would tend to an illustrated expression of what the mind conceived in Science, Mathematics, Literature, as well as Art. This in distinction from the old method of reciting by rate and rules of the text book. Such an universal use of drawing would
- 58 --
seem to put it in the front as a means of natural expression. Learning to use knowledge by talking, writing, or drawing is the substance of education.
Respectfully yours,
L. N. KINGSLEY.
Hatfield, March 2, 1904.
TO SCHOOL COMMITTEES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
"The entire income of the school fund is distributed to the towns whose valuations do not exceed $2,500,000.
This will give to towns which raise an amount by taxa- tion for schools not less than that heretofore raised, approxi- mately double the amount they have previously received, depending upon the yearly income of the fund which was less this year than was anticipated.
While the payment by the State of two dollars a week extra to teachers of exceptional ability is discontinued, the additional amount these towns receive will enable them to continue the increase, and the agents of the Board will give ad- vice as to teachers worthy to receive such increase upon the request of school committee or superintendents. The excellent results of the past warrant the continuance of this incentive to good teachers.
- 59 -
PURPOSE OF THE LAW.
The purpose of the law is improvement of the schools not a reduction of local taxation.
The amount of money received from the State yearly will depend upon the valuation of a town, the tax rate, and the ratio of the appropriation for support of the public schools to the total appropriations for town expenses.
MONEY EXPENDED - RETURNS MADE.
"The sums received by any town under the provisions of this act shall be held by the town treasurer and shall be ex- pended only for expenses in maintenance of the public schools authorized by the school committee, in accordance with existing laws; and it shall be the duty of the treasure r to keep a sep- arate account of all sums so received and expended, and the school committee shall make an annual report to the state board of education, of the amount received during the year, the amount expended and the purpose for which such expen- ditures have been made. And whenever it appears that, in the opinion of the state board of education, the sums paid to any town have not been used in whole or in part in accordance with the provisions of this section, or that they have not been held and accounted for separately, or that the report thereof herein required has not been made, the commissioners of the school fund are hereby authorized to withhold, as they may deem advisable, the whole or any part of the future allowances otherwise falling to such town under the provisions of this act."
- 60 -
SUPERVISION OF SCHOOLS.
The greatest value of district supervision of schools to the towns can be realized only by the employment of the most competent persons to fill the important office of superintendent. When the services of such a person have been secured much liberty should be given to him in the selection of teachers and in the direction of their work, and he should be held cor- respondingly responsible for results.
CONDITION OF SCHOOL HOUSES.
The condition of school houses as to light, heat, ventila- tion and cleanliness, and the arrangement of out houses as to proper location for the use of the sexes and to secure sanitary conditions must receive special and frequent attention from the school committee and superintendent.
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