USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > North Adams > North Adams city directory 1898 > Part 2
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
I. LANGUAGES. - (a) English, with its grammar and litera- ture, and (b) one of the three languages, Latin, French and German.
2. MATHEMATICS. - (a) Arithmetic, (b) the elements of al- gebra, and (c) the elements of plane geometry.
23
NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
3. HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY .- The history and civil government of Massachusetts and the United States, with related geography and so much of English history as is directly contributory to a knowl- edge of United States history.
4. SCIENCE .- (a) Physical geography, (b) physiology and hygi- ene, (c) physics, (d) botany, and (e) chemistry.
5. DRAWING AND MUSIC .- (a) Elementary, mechanical and free- hand drawing, with any one of the topics,-form, color and arrange- ment, and (b) musical notion.
Records of Scholarship.
The importance of a good record in the high school cannot be overestimated. Reasonable allowance in equivalents will be made in case a candidate, for satisfactory reasons, has not taken a study named for examination.
Oral Examinations.
Candidates will be questioned orally either upon some of the foregoing subjects or upon matters of common interest to them and. the school, at the discretion of the examiners. In this interview the object is to gain some impression about the candidates' personal characteristics and their use of language, as well as to give them an opportunity to furnish any evidences ofqualification that might not otherwise become known to their examiners.
Written Examinations.
The written examinations occupy two days in order to lessen the strain on the candidates and allow proper time for the correction of papers. In each subject several questions are submitted, from which the candidate selects the required number.
Groups 1, 2 and 4 are allowed two hours each, groups 3 and 5 one hour each
Times of Examination.
Entrance examinations for candidates wishing to enter in Sep- tember will be held :- the first examination on Thursday and Friday, June 23 and 24 ; the second examination on Tuesday and Wednes- day, September 6 and 7. Candidates are advised to present them-
24
JAMES T. LARKIN'S.
selves at the first examination. New classes will be admitted only at the beginning of the fall term.
General Two Years' Course of Study.
This course is designed primarily for those who aim to teach in public schools below the high school grade.
Three Years' Course.
This course includes the subjects of the two years' course and additional elective studies from the mathematics, science, language, art and psychology. This course will fit graduates for highest grammar grades and departmental teaching.
Kindergarten Course.
This course extends through a minimum of two years and in- cludes such studies of the two years' course as immediately per- tain to kindergarten work, instruction in the history and theory of kindergartens, and practice in teaching.
Special Courses For Teachers.
Teachers of several years of successful experience in teaching, who give evidence of maturity, good scholarship, and of aptness to teach, may, with the consent of the principal and of the board of visitors, select a course, including the course in psychology and pedagogy, and when such course is successfully completed they shall receive certificates for the same.
Expenses
Tuition is free to all who declare their intention to teach in the public schools of Massachusetts. For others the tuition is thirty dollars a year. Text books and supplies are free as in the public schools. State aid to a limited extent may be granted to deserving persons, citizens of Massachusetts, after they have been in attendance for at least one term, provided they do not live in towns where the Normal schools are situated.
North Adams City Charter.
VOTED APRIL 8, 1895. IN FORCE, 1896.
AN ACT
Incorporate the City of North Adams.
( See an Act to Abolish the Board of Public Works of the City of North Adams, and for Other Purposes on Page 141.)
Be it enacted, etc., as follows :
TITLE 1. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
SECTION 1. The inhabitants of the town of North Adams, shall, in case of the acceptance of this act by the voters of the said town as hereinafter provided, continue to be a body politic and corporate, under the name of the city of North Adams ; and as such shall have, exercise and enjoy all rights, immunities, powers and privileges, and shall be subject to all the duties and obligations, now per_ taining to and incumbent upon the said town as a municipal corpor_ ation.
SECTION 2. The administration of all the fiscal, prudential and mu- nicipal affairs of said city, with the government thereof, shall, except the affairs of public schools, be vested in an executive department, which shall consist of one officer, to be called the mayor, and in a legislative department which shall consist of a single body, to be called the city council, the members whereof shall be called coun- cilmen. The executive department shall never exercise any legisla- tive power, and the legislative department shall never exercise any executive power, except as herein otherwise provided.
26
JAMES T. LARKIN'S.
SECTION 3. The territory of said city shall first be divided into seven wards, as hereinafter provided, but said number, upon any subsequent division of said city into new wards, may be increased by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the city coun. cil, passed previous to and in the year of such division .
TITLE 2. ELECTIONS AND MEETINGS.
SECTION 4. The municipal election shall take place annually on the third Tuesday of December, and the municipal year shall begin on the first Monday of January following. All meetings of the citi- zens for municipal purposes shall be called by warrants issued by order of the city council, which shall be in such form and be served and returned in such manner and at such times, as the city council may by ordinance direct.
SECTION 5. At such municipal election the qualified voters shall give in their votes by ballot in the several wards for mayor and councilmen, and for the members of the board of assessors, board of trustees of the public library, and of the school committee then to be elected, and the person receiving the highest number of votes for any office shall be deemed and declared to be elected to such office ; and whenever two or more persons are to be elected to the same office the several persons, up to the number required to be chosen, receiv- ing the highest number of votes shall be deemed and declared to be elected. If it shall appear that there is no choice of mayor, or if the person elected mayor shall refuse to accept the office, or shall die before qualifying, or if vacancy in said office shall occur sub- sequently and more than three months previous to the expiration of the municipal year, the city council shall forthwith cause warrants to be issued for a new election, and the same proceedings shall be had in all respects as hereinbefore provided for the election of mayor and shall be repeated until the election of a mayor is completed. If the full number of members of the city council has not been elected, or if a vacancy in the office of councilman shall occur sub- sequently and more than six months previous to the expiration of the municipal year, the council may forthwith elect some person or persons to fill the vacancy or vacancies until the next annnal municipal election. The board of assessors shall consist of three persons, who shall be elected in a manner provided in section forty- one for the election of trustees of the public library.
SECTION 6. All meetings for the election of national state, county and district officers shall be called by order of the city council, in Le same manner as meetings for municipal elections are called.
27
NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
SECTION 7. The city council may, when not convenient war droom for holding the meetings of the citizens of any ward can be had within the territorial limits of such ward, appoint anl direct, in the warrant for calling any meeting of the citizens of such ward that the meeting be held in some convenient place within the limits of any adjacent ward of the city ; and for such purpose the place so assigned shall be deemed and taken to be a part of the ward for which the election is held.
SECTION 8. General meetings of the citizens qualified to vote may from time to time be held according to the right secured to the people by the constitution of this Commonwealth, and all such meetings may, and upon the request in writing of fifty qualified voters setting forth the purposes thereof, shall be duly called by the city council.
TITLE 3. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT,
SECTION 9. The members of the city council shall consist of twenty-one councilmen at large, who shall be elected by the inhab itants of the city as follows: At the first municipal election held under this act twenty-one members at large of the council shall be elected by the qualified voters of the entire city, seven to serve for the term of three years, seven for the term of two years and seven for the term of one year, beginning with the first Monday in Jan- uary then next ensuing; and thereafter seven members at large of said city council shall be elected in like manner at each annual mu- nicipal election, to serve for the term of three years beginning with the first Monday in January next ensuing, in place of the members at large whose term then expires. At the first municipal election
no voter shall vote for more than five of the councilmen to be elected for each term, that is to say, not more than fifteen in the aggregate on one ballot, and the seven having the highest number of votes for each term shall be declared elected. At all municipal elections sub- sequent to the first election no voter shall vote for more than five of the seven councilmen to be elected at an annual election on one bal- lot, and the seven having the highest number of votes shall be de- clared elected. The councilmen shall hold office for three years, except as herein otherwise provided, beginning with the first Mon- day in January next succeeding their election and until their suc- cessors shall be elected and qualified. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In case an election is held to fill a vacancy or vacancies in the council a voter may vote for the councilmen necessary to fill such vacancies in addition to the number above provided.
SECTION 10. The mayor and the councilmen elect shall annually, on the first Monday in January, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, meet
28
JAMES T. LARKIN'S
and be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duties. The oath shall be administered at their first meeting after the acceptance of this act, by the town clerk, and in subsequent years by the city clerk, or, in his absence, by any justice of the pe ice, and shall be duly certified on the journal of the city council. In case of the absence of the mayor elect on the first Monday in Ja mary, or if a mayor shall not then have been elected, the oath of office may at any time thereafter be administered to him, and at any time thereafter in like manner, the oath of office may be administered to any member of the council who has been previously absent or has been subse- quently elected; and every such oath shall be duly certified as aforesaid
SECTION 11. After the oath has been administered to the council- men present they shall be called to order, at their first organization by the town clerk, and in subsequent years by city clerk, or in case of the absence of the city clerk, by the oldest senior member present. The council shall then proceed to elect one of their own number president of the council by ballot. If no quorum is present an ad- journment shall be taken to a later hour or to the next day, and thereafter the same proceedings shall be had from day to day until a quorum shall be present. If any person receives the votes of a majority of all the members of the council, such person shall be de- clared chosen president thereof. If on the first day on which a quo- rum is present no person receives the votes of such majority, they shall proceed to ballot until some person receives the votes of such majority or an adjournment to the succeeding day is taken, and on such succeeding day a plurality of those voting shall be sufficient for an election. No other business shall be in order until a president is chosen. The president shall be sworn by the town or city clerk, as the case may be, or in case of the absence of the clerk, by any jus- tice of the peace. The council shall then proceed to the choice of a city clerk, in the same manner as above provided for the choice of president. The president may be removed from the presidency of the council and the clerk may be removed from office by the affirma- tive vote of two-thirds of all the members of the council, taken by roll call. The president of the council shall have the same right to vote as any other member thereof .
SECTION 12. The mayor may at any time call a special meeting of the city council, by causing written notification thereof together with a statement of the subjects to be considered thereat, to be de- posited in the postoffice, postpaid, and addressed to the persons to be notified, or left at the usual place of residence of each member of the council, at least twenty-four hours before the time appointed for such meeting.
29
NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
SECTION 13 The city council shall determine the rules of its own proceedings and shall be judge of the election returns and quali- fications of its own members. In case of the absence of the president the council shall choose a president pro tempore. and a plurality of votes cast shall be sufficient for a choice. The council shall sit with open doors, whether in session as a council or as a committee of the whole, and shall cause a journal of its proceedings to be open to public inspection. The vote of the council upon any question shall be taken by roll call when the same is requested by at least three members. A majority of the members of the council shall be re- quired to constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day. The council shall, so far as is not inconsistent with this act, have and exercise all the legislative powers of towns, and have all the powers and be subject to all the liabilities of city councils. and of either branch thereof, under the general laws of the Commonwealth, and it may by ordinance prescribe the manner in which powers shall be exercised. They shall receive no compensa- tion for their services as members of the city council or any com- mittee thereof.
SECTION 14. Neither the city council nor any members of commit- tee thereof shall directly or indirectly take part in the employment of labor, the making of contracts, the purchase of materials or sup- plies. the construction, alteration or repair of any public works, buildings or other property, or the care, custody or management of the same, or in the conduct of any of the executive or administrative business of the city, or in the expenditure of publlc money, except such as may be necessary for the contingent and incidental expenses of the city council, nor in the appointment or removal of any officers, except as herein otherwise provided ; but nothing in this section contained shall affect the powers or duties of the council in relation to state aid to disabled soldiers and sailors and to the families of those killed in the civil war.
SECTION 15. The city council shall in the month of January choose an auditor of accounts, who shall hold office for the term of one year beginning with the first Monday in February next ensuing, and until his successor is chosen and qualified. A majority of the votes of all the members of the council taken by roll call shall be necessary for the choice of the auditor of accounts and he may be removed by the council.
SECTION 16. The city council shall appropriate annually in the months of March and April the amount necessary to meet the expend- itures of the city for the current municipal year. It shall take care that no money is paid from the treasury unless granted or appro-
30
JAMES T. LARKIN'S
priated, and shall secure a just and proper accountability by requir- . ing bonds with sufficient penalties and sureties from all persons en- trusted with the receipt, custody or disbursement of money. It shall as often as once in each year, ten days at least prior to the annual election, cause to be published for the use of the inhabitants a particular account of the receipts and expenditures of said city and a schedule of all city property and of the city debt. Any ap- propriation made by the city council for the erection of a city hall, or for land for a location of such building, shall be subjected to rati- fication by the legal voters of the city voting in their respective pre- cincts at an annual municipal election. The city council may appropriate money from time to time in aid of the North Adams Hospital, and in return for such appropriations and said hospital shall receive persons for the reception of whom the city may erect, establish and maintain a hospital ; but such appropriations shall not exceed in any one year a sum amounting to one-tenth of one per cent. of the valuation of the city for the preceeding year.
SECTION 17. The city council shall have the power within said city to make and establish ordinances and by-laws, and to affix pen- alties as herein and by general law provided, without the sanction of any court or justice thereof : provided, however, that all laws and regulations now in force in the town of North Adams shall, until they shall expire by their limitation or be revised or repealed by the council, remain in force. Complaint for the breach of any ordinance or by-law may be made by the mayor or any head of a department or any resident of the city.
SECTION 18. No vote of the city council granting or bestowing an exclusive franchise of any deseription to any person or corpora- tion shall be valid unless the same shall be approved by a vote of the qualified voters of the city, voting at large in their respective precinets at the annual municipal election.
SECTION 19. The city council shall not authorize the erection of a school-house, or of any addition thereto, nor pass any appropriation for such purpose, until plans for the same has been approved by vote of the school committee, and such approval has been certified in writing to the council by the chairman of said committee.
SECTION 20. The city council shall establish a fire department for said city, to consist of a chief and of such officers and members as the city council by ordinance shall from time to time prescribe ; and said council shall have authority to define their ranks and duties and in general to make such regulations concerning the conduct and gov- ernment of such department, the management of fires and the con-
31
NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
duct of persons attending fires, as they may deem expedient, and may fix such penalties for any violation of such regulations or any of them as are provided for breach of the ordinance of said city. The appointment of all the officers and members of such department shall be vested by the mayer exclusively, who shall have authority to remove from office any officer or member for cause. The chief and officers shall be the firewards of the city.
SECTION 21. The city council shall have power to establish fire limits within the city, and from time to time change or enlarge the- same, and by ordinance they may regulate the construction of all, buildings, erected within said fire limits, stipulating their location,. size and the material of which they shall be constructed, together with such other rules and regulations as shall tend to prevent damage by fire ; Provided, that such rules and regulations shall not be incon- sistent with the laws of this Commonwealth.
SECTION 22. The city council shall establish by ordinance a police department, to consist of a chief of police and such officers and men as it may prescribe, and make regulations for the government of the department. The appointment of all the members of such depart" ment shall be vested in the mayor exclusively, who shall have power to remove any member for cause.
SECTION 23. The city council shall, with the approval of the mayor, have exclusive authority and power to order the laying out, locating anew or discontinuing of all streets and ways and highways within the limits of said city, and to assess the damages sustained by any person thereby, and further, except as herein otherwise provided, to act in all matters relating to such laying out, locating anew, altering or discounting. Any person aggrieved by the assessment of his damages, or other action of the council under this section, shall have the rights and privileges now allowed by law in such cases in appeals from decisions of the selectmen of towns.
SECTION 24. In case any ordinance, order, resolution or vote in- volves the appropriation or expenditure of money to an amount which may exceed two hundred dollars, the laying of an assessment or the granting to a person or corporation of any right in, over or under any street or other public ground of said city, the affirmative votes of a majority of all the members of the city council shall be necessary for its passage. Every such ordinance, order, resolution or vote shall be read twice, with an interval of at least three days between the two readings before being finally passed, and the vote upon its final passage shall be taken by roll call ; provided, however, that upon and after the written recommendation of the mayor, the city council may pass such ordinance, resolution or vote upon the same day, by a two-thirds yea and nay vote.
32
JAMES T. LARKIN'S.
SECTION 25. At any meeting of the city council it shall be in order for any member thereof to give written notice, seconde ! in writing by a majority at least of all the members of the council, of his in- tention to move at the next meeting thereof, occurring within not less than ten days, a resolution that the mayor be removed for offi- cial misconduct or neglect of duty. Such notice shall specify as particularly as possible the acts of misconduct or the instances of neglect of duty complained of, shall be entered at large by the clerk in the minutes of the council, and the clerk shall, within two days serve a copy on the mayor and mail a copy to each of the mem. bers of the council at his residence. At such next meeting of the council the mayor shall have the right to speak in his own defence and to be heard by counsel. The vote on the resolution shall be by roll call. If the resolution fails to receive the affirmative votes of three-fourths of all the members of the council it shall have no effect and shall not be re-introduced during that meeting of the council . If it receive the affirmative votes of three-fourths of all the mem- bers of the council it shall, upon the recording of such vote, take effect, and the office of the mayor shall thereupon become vacant. The council shall thereupon order a warrant for a new election for mayor to be issued, and such further proceedings shall be had as are provided in section five of this act in case of a failure to elect a mayor.
SECTION 26. No member of the city council shall during the term for which he is elected, hold any other office in or under the city government, have the expenditure of any money appropriated by the council, or act as counsel in any matter before the council or any committee thereof ; and no person shall be eligible for appointment to any municipal office established by the council during any muni- cipal year within which he was councilman, until the expiration of the succeeding municipal year.
SECTION 27. Every ordinance, order, resolution or vote of the city council, except such as relates to its own internal affairs, to its own officers or employees, to the election of duties or the auditor of ac- counts and any city clerk, to the removal or the mayor or to the de- claration of a vacancy in the office of mayor, shall be presented to the mayor for his approval, and like proceedings shall be had thereon as are in such case provided by the general laws relating to cities.
TITLE 4. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
SECTION 28. The executive powers of the city shall be vested solely in the mayor, and may be exercised by him either personally or through the several officers and boards of the city in their depart-
33
NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
ments, under, his general supervision and control. In case of a vacancy in any office to which appointment is made by the mayor he may personally perform the duties thereof, but he shall not be entitled to receive any salary or pay attached thereto. The mayor shall hold office for the municipal year beginning with the first Mon- day in January following his election unless sooner removed, and until his successor is elected and qualified.
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.