Official reports of the town of Wayland 1915-1916, Part 13

Author: Wayland (Mass.)
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Printed at the Middlesex Freeman Office
Number of Pages: 432


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1915-1916 > Part 13


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


Walter T. Corcoran, Spraying, 6 days


15.00


Frank Latour, Spraying, 4 days


10.00


Howard Sherman, Inspection


4.00


John L. Corcoran, Inspection and Expenses


7.00


July 5,


W. S. Lovell, Mosquito Oil


3.90


Edward Corcoran, Labor 2.50


Frank Latour, Labor


2.50


John L. Corcoran, Salary


25.00


John L. Corcoran, Labor


4.00


August 2,


Howard E. Sherman, Fumigation


4.00


Howard E. Sherman, Telephone 1.00


Warren Lawrence, Auto Hire


1.50


Doherty's Garage, Auto Hire


3.50


105


REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH


September 6,


Howard E. Sherman, Inspection


2.00


John L. Corcoran, Inspection and Telephone 6.00


3.00


F. J. Bigwood & Son, Inspection and stamp October 4,


Benjamin Grover, Printing 2.00


John L. Corcoran, Inspection and Labor 6.00


November 1,


Howard E. Sherman, Inspection


8.00


Waldo L. Lawrence, Inspection


4.00


John L. Corcoran, Inspection and Labor December 20,


10.00


C. B. Dodge Co., Disinfecting Candles


9.00


JOHN L. CORCORAN


Secretary.


106


TOWN OF WAYLAND


Overseers of the Poor


The Overseers of the Poor during the past year visited their charges, both at Worcester and outside and submit the following Report :


Receipts :


Balance


Appropriation


$9.93 2,000.00


Reimbursements


141.85


$2,151.78


Expenditures


Balance


$67.81


At Franciscan Home, Worcester


Board and Clothing


$619.68


Having a settlement in Wayland and residing there


454.24


Having Settlement in Wayland and re- siding elsewhere


439.77


Residing in Wayland with Settlement elsewhere


269.28


State of Massachusetts


14.50


Medical Attendance


74.00


Marlboro Hospital


20.00


Legal Expenses


74.50


Salaries for 1915


110.00


Expenses


8.00


Total Expenses


$2,083.97


Respectfully submitted, THOMAS W. FROST, Chairman HOWARD C. HAYNES, Clerk


2,083.97


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


AND THE


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


OF THE


P


ORATED


N


LA


ND."


1635


FOUNDED


EAST SUDBURY 178


¥183


TOWN OF WAYLAND


FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1916


NATICK, MASS. PRESS OF NATICK BULLETIN 1917


108


TOWN OF WAYLAND


SCHOOL OFFICERS 1916


COMMITTEE


Philip S. Ide, Chairman, Wayland Term expires 1917 Term expires 1918


George F. Poutasse, Secretary, Wayland


Ernest E. Sparks, Cochituate Term expires 1919


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


Frank H. Benedict, Cochituate


ATTENDANCE OFFICERS


J. Charles Vincent, Wayland. Henry G. Dudley, Cochituate.


SCHOOL PHYSICIAN W. H. Sylvester, M. D., Natick.


109


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Report of the School Committee


To the Citizens of Wayland :


When considering the questions of Town administration we should bear in mind the ever shrinking purchasing power of the dollar, making it necessary to spend more dollars each year if the present standard is to be maintained, or a higher one established in any department.


Wayland cannot afford to let its schools go backward. The law demands that seven years of each child's life shall be spent in the school room, custom and the demands of business keep them so occupied ten or more years. The parents should de- mand that these years be well spent. The quality of a school is exactly equal to the quality of the teaching staff, and the only way to keep a good teaching staff is to pay the teachers as well as they can hope to be paid any where. The demand by the teachers for increased salaries is State wide and must be thoughtfully considered.


In this connection it is interesting to note that among the 353 towns of Massachusetts, Wayland ranks Fifty-Ninth in valuation per pupil and One Hundred Eighty Sixth in the amount of money raised annually for educational purposes so that we are not spending more money than the average town on our schools but rather a little less.


During the summer vacation the Wayland Schoolhouse was turned over to a special committee appointed to provide it with adequate fire protection. The building had been sweep- ingly condemned by the District Police as might be expected


110


TOWN OF WAYLAND


in the case of a public building twenty years old.


The orders of the District Police have been carried out to the letter. New heating and ventilating equipment of the best quality and modern sanataries of approved type have been in- stalled. Changes have been made in the building to promote the safety and best interests of the scholars. It is believed that we now have a building that will meet the requirements of the town for many years to come.


· Your Committee recommends an appropriation for var- nishing the interior wood work and for painting the walls and ceilings of the rooms. It is over twelve years since any work of that sort, worth mentioning, has been done, and then it was at the expense of one of our generous fellow townsmen. The outside rooms to the basement should be roofed over as a measure of safety and comfort for the children.


Transportation is the bogy of school administration be- cause, of its increasing cost, its many troublesome phases, dif- ficult of adjustment. Is it any comfort to know that Way- land meets this problem as well as the average town and more economically than many? This State spent for transportation the sum of $400,000 last year, or 14% of all the money raised for rural schools. Wayland's streets are many and long. The school children are widely scattered. Yet the schools are open every day, the average attendance is high, and the health re- ports are very good. Can any one ask for more?


Your Committee asks your co-operation and help, a little forbearance now and then, and patience always in this troublesome matter that is governed by many conditions that are beyond our control.


Your Committee feels that the growth and improvement in the Wayland schools the last five years is not fully appre- ciated. We recommend that everyone read the reports of the Superintendent of Schools and the Principal of the High School. It will be seen thereby that the Wayland Schools are


111


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


giving more efficient service each year and are capable now of giving any boy or girl as good a primary and high school edu- cation as can be given in any school anywhere.


Respectfully submitted, GEORGE F. POUTASSE, ERNEST E. SPARKS, PHILIP S. IDE,


School Committee.


112


TOWN OF WAYLAND


Financial Statement 1916


SALARIES OF TEACHERS


W. Herbert Moore


$1,450.00


Elizabeth G. Hodge


525.00


Hazel A. Irwin


718.75


Eleanor C. Berg


24.00


Florence E. Arnold


150.00


M. Gladys Ferguson


437.50


Sarah H. Dow


243.75


Russell E. Tupper


968.75


Ethel M. Hamilton


650.00


Julia F. Hastings


609.37


G. Priscilla Harriman


312.50


Jane C. Noel


196.87


Mabel C. Whitten


609.37


Sarah F. Caldwell


559.37


Sylvia E. Prescott


600.00


Helena M. Coleman


518.75


Marie L. Leach


559.37


Janet M. McNamara


550.00


William B. Hazelton


437.50


Earle S. Russell


225.00


Agnes E. Boland


200.00 $10,545.85


SALARY OF SUPERINTENDENT


Frank H. Benedict $833.32 $833.32


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


113


SALARIES OF JANITORS


J. Charles Vincent Henry G. Dudley


$506.19 500.00 $1,006.19


SALARIES OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Philip S. Ide


$50.00


George F. Poutasse, Secretary


60.00


Ernest E. Sparks


50.00


$160.00


TRANSPORTATION


Alexander Sauer


$740.00


Thomas Hynes


460.00


J. Fred Wheeler


294.00


Thomas Ward


317.00


Alexander Holmes


357.00


Frank Bigwood and Son


240.00


Middlesex & Boston Street Railway Co.


742.50


$3,163.00


SUPPLIES


Edward E. Babb & Co.


$454.72


The Macmillan Co.


46.04


Ginn & Co.


55.05


American Book Co.


38.19


Lyons & Carnahan


4.69


Charles E. Merrill Co.


6.37


D. C. Heath & Co.


74.88


The Fiske Corporation


1.62


The Suburban Press


3.25


Manifold Manufacturing Co.


7.50


The Educatonal Associates J. L. Hammett Co.


1.00


The Geo. T. Johnson Co.


9.50


Wright & Potter Printing Co.


1.86


C. C. Birchard & Co.


9.23


.99


114


TOWN OF WAYLAND


Chandler & Barber Co. 67.50


Wayland Construction Co. 2.48


Wadsworth, Howland & Co.


.70


F. W. Martin Co. .95


T. Weld Frost


11.15


Yawman & Erbe Mfg. Co.


3.39


Oliver Ditson Co.


5.03


Houghton, Mifflin Co.


9.89


Murphy & Robson


87.53


T . E. Knott Apparatus Co. 11.63


Milton Bradley & Co.


2.50


H. I. Dallman Co. 5.76


I. A. Lupien 3.15 $926.55


FUEL-LIGHT-POWER


Robinson & Jones Co.


$356.75


The Edison Electric Illuminating Com-


pany of Boston


35.50


William S. Lovell


114.00


A. W. Atwood


380.97


J. W. Doon & Son


1.11


$888.33


REPAIRS


Rudolph Nettle


$ 3.13


Union Lumber Co.


1.65


J. C. Massie


20.00


T. Weld Frost


65.32


Remington Typewriter Co.


4.40


William M. Hayward


13.02


F. J. Barnard & Co.


21.44


D. J. Foley


16.97


Framingham Construction Co.


6.75


M. Shain


3.50


American Radiator Co.


.34


S. A. Barry


17.44


115


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Howard C. Haynes


64.78


The Fiske Corporation


32.92


$271.66


INCIDENTALS


Remington Typewriter Co.


$ 3.85


Russell E. Tupper


.50


Henry G. Dudley


18.00


Charles R. Cole


1.25


Howe & Co.


2.60


J. C. Vincent


27.00


Middlesex County


78.00


I. A. Lupien


27.80


Town of Sudbury


4.50


Wayland Water Board


45.00


A. W. Atwood


43.03


Louisa A. Nicholass


21.55


The Geo. T. Johnson Co.


20.00


Amercan Water Supply Co.


8.00


American Seating Co.


15.75


E. W. Jennison


1.20


William S. Lovell


49.23


Fred C. Beane


3.55


F. W. Martin Company


13.50


Agnes E. Boland


12.00


The Suburban Press


46.50


The Fiske Corporation


32.80


Ethel M. Hamilton


2.25


Colby & Co.


1.38


Cochituate Grange


12.35


W. Herbert Moore


8.53


Frank H. Benedict


21.09


Standard Plate Glass Company


1.18


George F. Marston


4.45


Oscar Belmore


15.00


Wayland Construction Co.


13.66


116


TOWN OF WAYLAND


W. B. Hazelton 1.80


F. J. Bigwood & Son


1.50


$558.80


RECEIPTS


Town Grant


$17,000.00


Tuition-Natick


23.25


Tuition-Boston


16,50


One Half Dog Fund


175.23


State-Tuition and Transportation


653.75


Account of Superintendent


625.00


Donation Fund


8.00


Sale of Paper and Books


1.97 $18,503.70


RECAPITULATION


Salaries of Teachers


$10,545.85


Salary of Superintendent


833.32


Salaries of Janitors


1,006.19


Salaries of School Committee


160.00


Transportation


3,163.00


Supplies


926.55


Fuel-Light-Power


888.33


Repairs


271.66


Incidentals


558.80 $18,353.70


Balance to Credit of School Department VOCATIONAL TUITION


$150.00


* Balance to the Credit of School Department Paid the City of Newton-Vocational Tuition 150.00


$150.00


The Vocational Tuition has been paid from the funds of the School De- partment in anticipation of re-imburse- ment from the State.


.


.


117


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


Report of the Superintendent of Schools


To the School Committee :


Gentlemen :- I take pleasure in presenting for your con- sideration at this time my seventh annual report. It is the nineteenth in the series.


Each year there has been recorded in the annual report of the superintendent of schools for at least five successive years a section relative to the heating plant, the ventilating system, and the sanitaries in the Wayland Building, together with a fire protection anxiety. Each year the statement grew more insistent as to the need. The needs of the boys and girls attending school in this building have been constantly be- fore the School Committee. There is great pleasure in re- cording in these annals the fact that the undesirable conditions no longer exist, that a deed of much moment in the educationa' life of the town has been accomplished.


There has come to the Wayland school building extensive remodelling and repairing. That loathsome, never should have been, worn out sanitary system is a thing of the past. Every parent should take a refreshing breath of satisfaction that a constant daily source of danger to the health of the children has been removed from the school building. The modern new sanitaries should indeed bring joy to all.


The rats, their filth and mischief, are gone too, as the building no longer offers them a safe retreat.


Instead of cold or over heated rooms and vicious venti- lation, we now have rooms well ventilated and heated. While


118


TOWN OF WAYLAND


we have as yet had no severe weather to test the capacity OI the heating plant there is practically no danger of being in error if the statement is made that the heating plant is hand- somely adequate.


The children seem properly protected from fire hazard. Effective fire drills are possible and have been carefully worked out. The building is vacated in good form when using both exits in less than fifty seconds as a rule. In sending them all from one of the entrances the time is of necessity longer. There is very little likelihood of there being an exigency so severe and sudden as to require the use of one exit for empty- ing of the building. Since there is this possibility, improbable as it may seem, the fire drills will embody both forms of leav- ing the building.


Thus far I have spoken of the changes in the building that have dealt with the comfort, health, and safety of the children. There is one other result worthy of record.


The item worthy of elaboration and explanation is in the improved quarters of the high school. The high school now has four adequate recitation rooms, a typewriting room of proper size, which is so placed and furnished as to have all the machines under supervision of a teacher at all times. The rooms are so arranged and the means of egress and ingress such that the classes are enabled to pass with a minimum loss of time, no confusion, and under constant supervision. Hence there is better order in the school and the teachers are taxed far less to maintain control than heretofore. Furthermore, the hall which was too large for a recitation room, no longer offers an exhaustive hour to a teacher and a poor recitation- both expensive school liabilities.


On the other hand we do not have the once very pleasant small hall, used occasionally in the past, but for two years unusable on account of the fire hazard-unusable for enter- tainments until a considerable outlay for fire protection should


119


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


be made. If the advantages on the side of retaining the hall are balanced with the positive advantages to the school by di- verting the hall space to the needs of the school the balance sheet will show an accruing good to the school that will exceed in goodly measure the community value of the hall.


Laboratory work is now done in a room distinctly for this purpose. In a school wherein the Master has as many duties and cares and as many recitation periods as the small school demands there is much to be gained in having a room for laboratory work in which before and after school prepara- tions may be made without the apparatus being disturbed by other classes, or causing disturbances to them.


The efficiency of the high school has been greatly increas- ed through the remodelling and repairing of the building.


As a matter of fire protection as well as of school man- agement the placing of the Manual Training room in the base- ment is a decided gain over the attic quarters. The schools are no longer disturbed by the classes passing through halls and corridors and the noise is much lessened-entirely removed from the high school-lessened for the grades.


The manual training classes, I am pleased to note, have assisted in the remodelling of the building to the extent of do- ing the necessary cementing preparatory for the floor laying in the manual training room, have laid the floor, and have taken the benches from the old room and set them up in the new room. They are now engaged in constructing suitable closets. An examination will bring forth the fact that the work is well done. The boys have received a very practical lesson. We could do better by the boys were more such lessons possible.


The walls and ceilings of the class rooms and corridors need refinishing and the wood work revarnishing. There is need of twenty-five or thirty desks. The desk need is not new. One of the small rooms should be fitted up for serving lunches. Then Wayland would posses a modern building, properly


120


TOWN OF WAYLAND


equipped, modernly heated and ventilated, well lighted, indeed very satisfactory as a workshop and school home.


The forward look as to expenditures for education is worthy of note. All school supplies have advanced in price extensively. some papers having doubled in value.


Although special efforts are being made to prevent waste and although much study is given as to curtailing the use of school supplies without lessening the efficiency of the work, the annual cost of books and other supplies will be, has been greatly increased, without any increase in the amount of con- sumption. The salaries of teachers in the grades, especially, need to be advanced in order to maintain a salary level that will attract a teaching staff as efficient as at present. Trans- portation is costing much more the current year than last year and there seems to be no way of curtailing in this direction. We have received $603.15 for tuition and transportation of State and City wards and tuition from the town of Natick. This will be less for the next fiscal year. It seems therefore almost imperative to ask for a larger appropriaton than here- tofore, for general expenses.


One year ago the Cochituate Sewing Department Fund had a balance of $30.97. By your direction one sewing machine and three cutting tables were purchased. The ac- count follows :


Dec. 31,1915, Balance on Hand $30.97


Jan. 31, 1916. Cash-Singer Sewing Machine $23.04


Feb. 12, Cash, Three Cutting Tables 6.08 29.12


Dec. 31, 1916 Balance


$1.85


There was on deposit one year ago with the Natick Five Cents Savings Bank the sum of $98.36, known as the High School Piano Fund. The high school needed a piano so much that the students gave a second entertainment to increase the funds. Soon after it was my pleasure to send to several ot


121


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


our citizens a statement of our needs and efforts and I asked for such consideration as each recipient might give the need. The response was both immediate and generous, mnost gratify- ing in spirit. We were soon in possession of a Mehlin up- right piano, shipped directly to us from the factory, which proved so satisfactory that it was purchased. We are much pleased with the piano.


It is a pleasure to place on record the sources from which funds for the piano have been received.


The high school students, assisted by Miss Boland, Mrs. Sarah Snow, Mrs Edna Marston, and teachers gave the pro- ceeds of two entertainments. Seven Cochituate ladies contri- buted the proceeds of a whist conducted by them. Cochituate Grange gave the use of their hall. The public generously supported these entertainments. The following gave cash con- tributions-Frank H. Benedict, W. Herbert Moore, Class of 1913. Class of 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard S. Draper, Mr. Charles A. Phipps, Mr. Wallace S. Draper, Mr E. F. Greene, Mr. Benjamin Whitney and Miss Whitney, Charles W. Dean, Mrs. Jane Patterson, Mr. A. I. Hadley, Dr. W. H. Seward, Jr., Mr H. E. Carson, Mr W. H. Hunting, Mr Francis Shaw. and the Social Union.


Through the good offices of Mrs. Jessica Henderson the interest of Mr. F. C. Henderson of the F. C. Henderson Com- pany were enlisted so that a personal contribution was made by Mr. Henderson after the liberal school discount had been granted.


There is now the sum of $15 to be paid F. H. Benedict who advanced this sum as the purchasing arrangements were made on a cash basis.


You will note that I have included in this report a table or chart showing the distributon of the children of the gram- mar and high schools in accordance to age and grade. The


122


TOWN OF WAYLAND


Chart is the result of the study of our conditions in respect to retardation. The heavy line indicates the number of children who are in classes or grades that have progressed yearly since entering school, provded that such children entered school at the age limit required in Wayand, five yeears. Some of the causes of retardation are-not entering at the normal age, absences, illness, low vitality, changes in the place of residence, natural slowness in developement, poor vision, defective hear- ing.


Since children normally and naturally vary in their physi- cal and mental developement, roughly speaking, within the limits of three years, those children listed in the second oblique column to the right of the heavy line need cause no anxiety as they are developing at their own individual rate. Thereafter the children need our constant care and the interest of the home to spur them into greater effort.


In comparing charts in other school systems showing the age and grade progress the varying practices as to the age re- quired to enter school and the number of grades in the sys- tem should be carefully considered. Otherwise an erroneous idea of our own conditions will be obtained.


In the process of investigating the retardation question as found in the Wayland schools the organization of our schools on a nine and four grade basis has been studied also with much care. An eight and four grade basis is becoming more and more the practice in the towns and cities of the State and quite largely the established practice without Massachusetts while in many localities there has come into being the Junior High School, or six and six plan. We are also hearing of the estab- lishment of the six, three and three plan in connection with the Junior high school. Our building accommodations are such that years must elapse and much growth in school population take place before the Junior High school shall find a place in our school administration. The placing of the elementary


123


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


schools on an eight grade basis commends itself with some measure of certainty.


The four teachers at the Center have nine groups of children to handle and nearly as many children as do the six teachers of the Cochituate school. The children enter the first grade at ages varying from five to six and a half years. Hence the first grade teacher yearly meets a class of much varied maturity. The children of the Center come long dis- tances in many cases and for the most part by barge and car so that the first three years there are many absences. These children are obliged to leave the school at the closing hour and the noon hour is abbreviated to a mere recess and lunch period. Hence there is very little time for individual work to overcome losses from absence or for making a grade in case the child entered later in life than the larger part of the class.


In view of the facts stated it is my pleasure to recommend that a change be made in the administration of the schools, that we change from a thirteen grade system to a twelve grade system, four grades in the high school and eight years in the elementary schools, the meantime making the entrance age five years eight months September first for the Wayland school. At Cochituate we may profitably maintain a subprimary grade, the entrance age beng four years eight months. The Cochit- uate organization will then continue as at present, the Way- land organization will be such as to improve the work.


We should then have our schools organized in accord with the modern trend in school management. The center children for the most part will be one year older when transportation begins. The center teachers will have two grades to a room, older children to work with in the first grade, and therefore accomplish more than at present. There will be more time for individual work as the time of the teachers will be dis- tributed among eight groups of children rather than nine.


This recommendation is in my opinion of prime impor-


124


TOWN OF WAYLAND


tance and should receive your careful consideration.


Your attention is especially directed to the School Phy- sician's report. Much more extensive work has been done by Dr. Sylvester than has been done for some years. The com- pensation is not a consideration with him except in part ap- parently.


Through the benevolence of Mrs Jessica Henderson the members of the Junior and Senior classes entered a contest that involved the preparation of a theme. The topic given for a subject was "How to Secure Permanent Peace." Two cash prizes were offered as an incentive for making the efforts of the contestants vigorous and interesting. Mr. George G. Bogren was awarded the first prize. Mr. George M. Burke was awarded the second prize.


The last word will never be said to parents I fear in regard to attendance. The boys and girls of the upper grades and of the high school should be made to understand that their school work is their first business, that their school ap- pointments are as important as are all business appointments, that registration in school means they have agreed to perform the work set by the teachers as solemnly as they will ever agree to perform any piece of work. The habit of keeping appointments will be fostered thereby. The habit of keeping an agreement as to the accomplishing of a piece of work will be in process of formation. The immediate result will be better school work.


Respectfully submitted, FRANK H. BENEDICT


125


REPORT OF PRINCIPAL OF HIGH SCHOOL


Report of Principal of High School


Mr. Frank H. Benedict, Superintendent of Schools :- Dear Sir :-


My sixth annual report of the Wayland High School is herewith presented for your consideration.


The installation of the new heating plant and re-arrange- ment of rooms brings much satisfaction to those in close re- lation with the work of this school. Our citizens should feel glad that the old worn out plant and its attendant unhealthful conditions no longer exist. !




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.