USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1876-1883 > Part 9
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The Department labors under a great disadvantage in having the engine house situated so far from the centre of the village. The engineers and firemen are all of one opinion, that it would be of great advantage to the Town to buy or lease a piece of land and move the building nearer the centre of the village.
The property of the Department is the same as last year.
We have contracted a few small bills for repairs, which we shall present to the Town at the April meeting as Credit Bills.
The Town appropriated $200, at the last April meeting, for
29
the pay of the firemen. But as their pay is not due until the 1st of May next, the amount has not been drawn.
We would respectfully ask the Town for an appropriation large enough to buy or lease a piece of land nearer the village, move the building, and furnish it in a manner suitable for oc- cupancy. In its present unfinished condition it is impossible to make it comfortable for the firemen to hold their meetings.
CHARLES W. DASCOMB, DANIEL W. RICKER, for the
Fire Engineers
RALPH BENT, Clerk, Town of Wayland.
Wayland, Feb. 1, 1880.
SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER WORKS REPORT.
TO THE BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS :-
Gentlemen : I herewith submit my first annual report as Superintendent of the Wayland Water Works.
The number of services April 5, 1879, (the date of my ap- pointment,) was forty-eight (48), supplying 41 dwellings, 4 stables, 3 shoe factories, 1 engine house, 1 school house.
There are at this date eighty-seven (87) services, supplying 78 dwellings, 110 families, 12 stables, 28 garden hose, 4 shoe factories, 1 school house, 1 engine house, 2 stores, 1 barber shop, 1 market, 1 boarding house.
There are at this date 5319 feet of service pipe laid, varying in size from 3-4 inch to 2 inches. Of this amount the Town has paid for 1,697 feet, 6 inches, and the individual water tak- ers for 3,621 feet, 6 inches.
I have caused the brush that has been lying in the reservoir for the past year to be removed, the wood that was in it pay- ing for the work.
The reservoir remained full of water until the first week in July. It fell about twelve (12) inches between that time and the storm that occurred about the 20th of August ; from which time it would have remained full if it had not been drawn off for the purpose of clearing the brush from the reservoir.
There are two sources of supply for the reservoir (beside the natural drainage), one being from the brook starting under the hill back of the Perkins"farm," so called, and the other -
31
source being the brook having for its fountain head the Joseph Rice spring. By experiments, under the direction of Prof. A. Fteley, of the Boston Water Works, I find that for a period of over five (5) weeks this brook alone flows into the reservoir about twenty-three thousand (23,000) gallons of water daily, and this in a dry season.
This water all comes from the Joseph Rice spring and a few smaller springs between that and the pond. This is some 4,000 or 5,000 gallons a day more than the estimated amount of wa- ter now used by the village. I am confident that if the water remains good during the coming summer, so that it will not have to be used so freely in flushing the pipes as was done last summer, the water will run over the waste-way at the reservoir every day during the year.
RALPH BENT, Superintendent.
Wayland, Feb. 1, 1880.
NOTE .- The above report, containing important information not embodied else- where, is incorporated with the other documents, though not required by any formal authority. AUDITOR.
WATER COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.
In compliance with the rules adopted by the Town, the Water Commissioners herewith present their annual report :-
The Board was organized, after the annual meeting, by the election of A. B. Lyon as president, and Wm. H. Bent as secretary and treasurer. At a subsequent meeting of the Board, Ralph Bent was elected superintendent.
Claims for land damages have been made by Thomas J. Damon, Cyrus Lee and Henry F. Lee, that remain unadjusted.
The ability of our hydrant service to contend with fires well advanced has not been tested, but your Commissioners have no fears on that score, as there has always been an abundant sup- ply of water. There has been no trouble from freezing of pipes, either service or main.
On the 7th of April there was a public test of our street hydrants, by the Fire Department, to determine their efficieney in fires, and show to our citizens the means we now possess to ward off extensive conflagrations. This trial test was satisfac- tory. The Department has been called out but twice to fires, on the line of our main pipes, and the damage by fire has been very small.
The Town is probably not aware of the value of our hydrant service to the village of Cochituate ; it is certainly equal to one- half the interest on the Water Bonds, and we think our citizens will endorse this opinion.
The Commissioners do not ask that the hydrants should be
33
put into the account to be charged to the Fire Department, and then credited to the Water Works, although most towns have adopted that method to show how well their works paid. We wish the tax-payers to feel that for whatever small sum they may pay as interest, they are receiving a full equivalent.
Among the expenditures in building Water Works, are the cost of the reservoir, the construction of gate house, the furn- ishing of machinery for pumping in case of extensive fires, and the putting in of main and distributing pipes. The Town has made this outlay to supply the village of Cochituate with wa- ter for fire and domestic purposes ; now let the people use their best efforts to supply themselves with water, that the Town may the sooner get a return for the investment.
The number of services put in the past year was not as large as we expected, owing to some trouble with the water during a short time in the summer, which was investigated by Profs. Nichols and Fteley, whose reports are in the hands of the Water Commissioners.
The accompanying report of the Treasurer will exhibit our financial operations.
A. B. LYON, WM. H. BENT, Water H. B. BRAMAN,
Commissioners.
Wayland, Feb 1, 1880.
34
TREASURER'S REPORT.
RECEIPTS.
Amount received from Town Treasurer for maintenance of Water Works, April 1, 1879, $200 00
Amount appropriated at April meeting for maintenance of Water works, 500 00
Amount received for water rates from Jan. 1, 1879, to Jan. 1, 1880, 939 93
Amount received for putting in service pipes from Jan.
1, 1879 to Jan. 1, 1880, 643 47
EXPENDITURES.
Paid interest, $10 75
Knapp & Weeks for putting in service pipes, 640 00
H. B. Braman & Co., for desk, 14 00
Wm. Jessop, for trenching, 1 80
Thos. Connor, for work on hydrants, 1 87
Howe & Co., for expressing stand pipes, 4 45
66 66 2 15
J. M. Moore, office rent from Oct. 1, 1878, to April 1, 1879, 30 00
J. M. Moore, for stationery, 1 85
- -31 85
Cook & Sons, for printing bill heads, &c., 23 00 Winkley, Throp & Dresser, for Water Works books, 36 00
H. W. Blaisdell, bal. due on engineer- ing account, 53 35
Joseph Nutter, for labor on Water Works, 9 00
Walworth Mfg. Co., stand pipes, 109 20
tapping mach. 125 00
234 20
Howe & Co., for expressing, 1 50
Thomas Connor, work on reservoir, 9 00
Amounts carried forward,
$1,072 92 $2,283 40
35
Amounts brought forward,
$1,072 92 $2,283 40 Chas. Fairbank, repairing highway around hydrants, 11 50
J. M. Moore, office rent from April 1st to August 1st, 1879, 20 00
Prof. W. R. Nichols, visit to Water Works, making report and chemical examination of water, 47 50
Harris Bros., putting in service pipe, 424 53
Davis & Farnum Manfg. Co., 44 12
Wm. Hapgood, work on reservoir, 9 00
Walworth Manfg. Co.,
51 42
A. Fteley, examination and report on Water Works, 25 00
Cook & Sons, printing,
3 00
Cash paid to Town Treasurer, $440 76
133 65
574 41
$2,283 40 $2,283 40 WM. H. BENT, Treasurer.
Wayland, Feb. 1, 1880.
WAYLAND WATER WORKS SINKING FUND.
COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. DR.
Amount received from Town Treasurer, $500 00
Interest received on Gov. bond from Apr. 1st, 1879, to Jan. 1st, 1880, CR.
15 00
Amount invested in U. S. Gov. four per ct. bond, $500 00
Interest on bond invested in Natick
Five Cent Savings Bank,
15 00
$515 00
$515 00
A. B. LYON,
1
Commissioners
H. B. BRAMAN, § of Sinking Fund.
Wayland, Feb. 1, 1880.
LIBRARY COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
It gives us pleasure to be able to report the still increasing prosperity of the Library. Since occupying its new, commo- dious and pleasant apartments, it seems to have attracted a greater degree of attention and awakened an increased interest in itself as an institution whose benificent influence cannot be fully estimated.
STATISTICS.
Whole number of volumes in the library, 7881
Accessions the past year by purchase, 66
184
" presentation, 157
66 66 exchange, 16
Volumes bound and Transferred from pamphlet department, 38
Returned after several years' absence,
1
Total additions during the year,
396
Number volumes bound and repaired,
141
66 pamphlets presented,
61
66 volumes issued during the last 47 weeks, 12,368
66
66 66 66 48 weeks of the previous year, 9,731
BOOKS.
John Adams, Brighton, 1 vols.
Bureau of Education, Washington, 1 L. Maria Child, Wayland, 1
C. H. Campbell, 1 Hon. Wm. Claflin, Newton, 3 Ella E. Draper, Wayland, 1
J. S. Draper, 6
Horace Heard, 66
1 Sarah E. Heard, 66 4 6. Blanche Heard, 4 "
66 F. F. Heard, Esq., Boston, 1 " Sarah A. Morse, Wayland, 6 « T. A. Merrill, 1 "
38
Dr. C.H. Boodey, Wayland 1 vol.
Edw. A. Peirce, 2 " Dr.T. W. Parsons, Boston, 4 "
F.J. Parker, Esq., Newton 1 " E. Smith, Esq., Dorches- ter,
Smithsonian Institute,
Washington, 1 vols. Harriet S. Wyman, Way- land, 29 «
Martha B. Wight, Way-
land,
5 "
Wayland Book Club,
10 “
PAMPHLETS.
E. Smith, Esq., Dorchester, 11
3
Patent Office, 1
1 City of Boston, 12
.
" Taunton,
1
1
« " Worcester,
1
Prof. E. J. Young, Cambridge, H. S. Sears, Weston, 1
1
" Milford, 1
" Watertown,
1
Sarah A. Morse, Wayland, 1
16
Town of Waltham, 1
J. P. Snow, 2
" Lancaster, 1
Wayland Book Club, (Har- per's Weekly,)
52
" Brookline,
1
Goodnow Library, Sudbury,
1
GEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS.
Pieces.
Pieces.
Chas. B. Heard, Wayland
86
Andrew S. Morse, Wayland, 3
Edw. A. Peirce,
42
Wm. Dudley,
3
Jas. S. Draper, 66
56
Isabella Wight, 1
Abel Heard,
1
Mrs. C. H. Rice,
2
Elijah Perry, Esq., So. Natick,
1
INDIAN RELICS.
Chas. B. Heard, Wayland,
14
Evinson Stone,
1
Augustus Dudley, "
1
Abel Heard,
1
Joseph Rice, 66
7
J. S. Draper,
66
6
Robert Erwin,
6
COINS.
Joseph A. Roby, Wayland,
7 | J. S. Draper, 66 12
REVOLUTIONARY RELICS.
J. S. Draper, Wayland,
1 |
Cobden Club, 2
F. J. Parker, Esq., Newton, Dr. B. F. Clark, Charlestown, E. Perry, Esq., So. Natick, 1 J. J. Knox, Washington, Hon. E. Hudson, Lexington, 1
Town of Natick, 1
City of Newton, 1
J. S. Draper, Wayland,
" Andover,
1
39
WORKS OF ART.
Mrs. E. A. G. Heard of Wayland,-Life-size engraved portrait [framed] of John Greenleaf Whittier.
H. B. Braman of Wayland,-Life-size engraved portrait [framed] of Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Roby of Wayland,-Life-size engraved portraits [framed] of William Cullen Bryant, James Russell Low- ell, and Henry Wordsworth Longfellow.
Mr. H. B. Braman has deposited 25 copies of bound volumes of Town Hall dedication exercises for distribution to public libraries.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
The thanks of the Committee are hereby expressed to the several persons who have so liberally responded to the sugges- tions of the Librarian's report of last year in regard to making the library more attractive as well as more valuable. A good beginning has been made in the collection of "Indian Relics," minerals and other specimens, which have been examined with interest and satisfaction by many visitors. The portraits of five of the distinguished American poets, which have been received by donation, will most worthily adorn the walls of the library
room. Special thanks are due to Mr. Geo. A. Leach for his efficient services, gratuitously rendered, as distributing agent in the village of Cochituate during the past year.
USES AND ABUSES.
It is to be expected that a book which is in almost constant circulation will in the course of several months show marks of age and service, even with good treatment. The law of decay is written upon the book as upon all other things. But if all the patrons of the library will see that books charged to their names are used with proper care, there will be a greater degree of satisfaction and quite a saving of expense. The responsi- bility for the safe-keeping and good treatment of the book is with the person against whom it is charged, until its return.
40
The book comes to us as a friend (old or new,) to cheer a lonely hour, to impart comfort, instruction and entertainment, and to give inspiration for a nobler and better life. It comes laden with choice treasures for the mind and heart of the reader, treasures coined from the experience and research of wise and gifted souls. It greets us with a smiling face, rejoic- ing in the happiness it hopes to impart. It is always ready when we are, to commence with us, to open to us its treasures and to impart to us revelations of wisdom and knowledge. Surely, its friendly ministries, so freely offered, should always secure for itself the most tender regard, the most respectful and honorable treatment. Books have open secrets to tell about the treatment they receive in their round of visits. Hear what this one says : "I had been entertaining the lady of the house for an hour, when she left me with open page downward upon a chair. Soon the baby, sitting near by on the floor, seized me, and after trying in vain to devour me, began a series of vigorous gymnastic exercises with me, much to his own de- light. but to my own dismay. So here I am, battered, and bruised, and soiled." Listen to another's experience : "I was so interesting that the man could not stop to wash his hands after blacking his boots or harnessing the horse before he must see what I had to say. Which he enjoyed the more, I do not know, myself or his pipe, for we both seemed to share alike and together his attentions. So here I am, painted and per- fumed." Still another : "I went where book-marks are scarce. Whenever the lady stopped reading, she would deliberately turn down the leaf to mark the place. And when she took me up again, I was put to tortures by being opened so wide that my covers were compelled to meet, and I was always held in that way, turned inside out, while she was reading. No wonder that my back is broken and my joints are loosened."
So these messengers of peace, leaving their companions on their nice, clean shelves, go out bright and sweet and comely ; and return, after a month's friendly visit, with drooping wings ,
41
delapidated and demoralized. These are exceptional cases, it is true. We wish to be able to report that all the books tell the story of good usage and careful treatment by those who enjoy their friendly visits.
SELECTIONS FOR READING.
What we read is of more consequence than how much we read. We hope all our books are good. But there are degrees of excellence. Some would be uninteresting and unprofitable for one, yet interesting and profitable for another. It is not the office of this report to classify and make recommendations for selections. Yet it may be of some service just to indicate a few of what we deem among the best selections from the . more recent, and so less known, additions :-
No.
Froissart's Historical Sketches, (for boys and young people,)
5,357
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains,
5,344
His Majesty, Myself,
683
A Fools Errand, by One of the Fools,
5,328
Boys at Chequassett,
5,291
Breathings after the Better Life,
5,622
The Geological Story, by Dana,
6,344
Dress Reform,
6,341
Development of English Literature,
5,691
Analysis of the English Language,
6,356
Flower and Star,
1,375
French People,
5,378
Fall of Damascus,
5,392
Flowers of the Sky,
5,297
Wonders of the Moon,
6,345
Goethe and Schiller,
5,367
German Literature,
5,311
Jimmy's Cruise in the Pinafore,
5,295
Life of Wm. C. Bryant,
5,275
Letters from a Cat, (for the little folks,)
5,354
Light of Asia,
5,331
History of England, (for little folks,)
6,337
Home Memories,
1,332
How to Observe,
1,354
Heat,
1,365
.
42
The Waldenses.
5,617
History of Rome, (for young folks,)
5,379
Hope Mills,
5,341
The English Reformation,
5,394
Essays from N. A. Review,
5,396
Arnold's Essays,
5,380
Eyebright,
5,323
Cæsar, by Froude,
5,313
Christianity and Heathenism,
5,358
Civil Service In Great Britain,
5,319
Ocean Currents,
5,627
An Earnest Trifler,
5,298
Amongst Machines,
5,337
Art in America,
5,433
Wit and Humor,
5,374
Three Proverb Stories,
5,294
Thoughts That Breathe, [Stanley)
5,333
The Nineteenth Century,
5,342
Science Simplified,
6,350
Lectures on Sound,
[5,651
Story of Liberty,
5,429
American Authors,
5,619
Sealed Orders,
5,334
The Professor,
5,365
Primitive Manners and Customs,
5,348
Primitive Culture,
5,334-5
Antiquities of North America,
5,318
Our Daughters,
5,624
Our New Crusade,
5,620
My Mother,
1,335
McLeod of Dare,
5,388
Memoir of Motley,
5,280
Through the Dark Continent,
5,307-8
McCauley, by Trevelyan,
4,911
Mycenæ.
5,408
Naturalist's Library,
5,528-69
· Young Mrs. Jardine,
5,339
My Desire,
5,353
WANTS.
(a) WANTED .- Attention to the amended By-Law requir- ing all books to be returned to the Library for inspection by the Committee the first day of January of each year.
43
(6) A cabinet for the reception of relics, mineral and other specimens, curiosities, etc.
(c) Gifts of portraits or busts of eminent men and women, and other works of art.
d) An appropriation of three hundred and fifty dollars, in addition to one-half the Dog License money, for the support of the Library the coming year.
T. A. MERRILL, Chairman, E. A. PEIRCE, Secretary, MISS MARY E. REEVES, Library
MRS. ANNA M. BENT,
Committee.
MRS. ANNA M. LOVEJOY, J. S. DRAPER, Librarian,
Wayland. Feb. 1, 1880.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WAYLAND,
R
ATED
L
1635.
FOUNDED'
EAST SUDBURY 17
1835
FROM
FEB. 1ST, 1879, TO FEB. 1ST, 1880.
REPORT.
The South Grammar School has continued under the care of Mr. E. F. Adams, the instructor of last year.
This school, in past years, has been in rather an unorgan- ized condition. We are happy to state that now, through the persistent and energetic efforts of Mr. Adams, it is quite thor- oughly graded and will compare favorably with the Grammar Schools in the surrounding towns.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 54; average attendance, 49
66
Fall 47 ;
66 66 43
66 .
Winter 47.
The Lokerville School has continued the past year under the instruction of Miss Nellie R. Rice. This is one of the best schools in Town. The good order of the scholars, and their progress, will testify to the zeal and efficiency of the teacher.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 37; average attendance, 32
66 66 Fall 34;
66 32
Winter 31.
The First Primary School has been taught this year by Miss Gracie C. Langmaid. Although Miss Langmaid has taught but a short time, she has been a most successful teacher. The discipline she has maintained has really been remarkable, con- sidering that her school is so overcrowded. In our opinion, the school should be divided at once, as 70 little children are altogether too many for one teacher to instruct. Owing to the scarlet fever being in Miss Langmaid's family, the winter term was cut short three weeks.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 64; average attendance, 56
66
Fall
70 ;
66 63
66 66 66 Winter 70 ; 66 55
48
The teacher of the Second Primary is Miss Anna E. Merrill. Miss Merrill is one of our old teachers, and she has fully main- tained her established reputation.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 36 ; average attendance, 33
66 Fall 66 32; 66 30
66 66 Winter
The Intermediate School has been taught by Miss Clara E. Nichols. We are pleased to notice that this school has rapidly improved during the past year. Miss Nichols is very capable in imparting instruction, and the proficiency of her pupils am- ply prove this.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 29; average attendance, 25
Summer " 23; 21
The Centre Grammar School has been in charge of Mr. S. A. Holton, the faithful and efficient teacher of the past four years, and is in an excellent condition. We are sorry that some of the larger boys chose to deprive themselves of the ad- vantages of this school rather than submit to its discipline.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 42; average attendance, 36
. .
Fall
Winter
30; 34.
27
The Rutter School has been taught by Miss C. M. Lee sev- enteen successive terms ; she applies her well-tried methods with a patience and perseverance which secures the best results. The interest manifested by the parents in this school, proves that a teacher is sometimes honored in her own district.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 28; average attendance, 23
Fall
24;
66 66 Winter 31.
The Thomas School, under the care of Miss L. M. Norton, has made very commendable progress the past year. We doubt if any teacher, for many years, has more fully satisfied the desires of all persons connected with the school.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term
66 Fall
; average attendance, ,
6 Winter 18.
49 .
In the Centre Primary School, Mrs. E. Wheeler has been the teacher. The experience of the past year has confirmed us in our opinion that in this school we have the right teacher in the right place. The school is in a prosperous condition. At the commencement of the Fall term, Miss Perry taught very acceptably for four weeks.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 36 ; average attendance, 32
Fall
37 ;
66
Winter 33.
32
The North School is very small, and most of the scholars quite young. Miss Morse has been faithful in her labors for the good of her pupils, and the progress has been constant and satisfactory through the year.
Whole No. Scholars, Spring term, 18; average attendance, 11
60 66 Fall
10
14; 66
66
Winter 14.
As a whole, we think the schools have been a success. The Committee take pride in their general efficient state, and can- not too strongly urge upon our citizens the necessity of hearty co-operation with the Committce, in all points, to sustain them in first-rate condition. There have been, as always will be the case, instances where the pupils have not received such benefit from the schools as they ought. There have been cases of an- tagonism, on the part of some scholars, to the teacher ; and when such cases were investigated by the Committee, it was found that the fault did not lay with the teacher. There have also been instances where the Committee have felt that the home influence over the child was a hindrance rather than a help ; and in this connection, we ask the earnest help of parents. Habits of subordination and study not only lighten the burdens of the teacher and help the progress of the pupil, but also last after the pupil leaves the school and enters upon the active duties of life. The old-time custom of helping the scholars at home, of encouraging and assisting, of explaining and render- ing tasks pleasant, is also earnestly urged upon the consideration
50
of parents. Lack of interest among parents is an enemy to schools ; and while many parents take an interest in aiding their children, we think we are right when we say the majority do not. It is your money we are expending, and your children we are trying to benefit, and we cannot too emphatically ask your aid. Tardiness is another great evil, although we think our schools are doing as well as the average. Tardiness is often chargable to parents, and by a little co-operation on their part it can be reduced to a minimum. It is unnecessary to state that absences are a source of injury both to the school and the scholar, and we cannot too strongly urge parents to allow nothing but sickness to prevent their children's constant attend- ance.
The reduced appropriation for last year has been hardly suf- ficient for the needs of the schools. In consequence, the number of weeks of the schools have been reduced to thirty-one instead of thirty-four, as in previous years. The Committee have en- deavored to keep within the appropriation, by practicing rigid economy in all expenses. We would recommend that the sum of $4,000 be appropriated for the support of schools (including only the teachers' salaries, care of buildings and fuel) for the ensuing year.
CHAS. H. BOODEY,
E. A. PEIRCE, School L. FLANDERS, Committee.
Wayland, Feb. 1, 1880.
AUDITOR'S REPORT.
The foregoing accounts of the several officers of the Town have been examined, and are approved as properly vouched and correctly cast.
There appears to have been a very general effort to conform to the situation indicated last year, by applying rules of econ- omy. Some of the departments show a marked degree of diminution in their expenditures.
It would have been gratifying if arrangements of the School Committee with the Teachers had been made, whereby their wages should have been reduced to correspond with the officers of the Town and the laboring citizens. Such a course is rec- ommended and urged as just and equitable, as well as desirable on economic grounds.
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