USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1852-1874 > Part 20
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[R. S. Chap. 23 $1.
The town of Randolph, so far as your committee have any knowledge upon the subject, has ever been willing to appropriate for school purposes all the money that judiciously expended, may be necessary to thoroughly prepare its youth to fill well any sta- tion in life, to which in the natural course of events they may be called ; and this the town is required to do in the discharge of its duties to itself and to the common country, by the laws of self-
40
preservation as well as by statute provisions. With this liberality pn the part of the town, your committee conceive that their chief doty would be neglected, if all and every part of the money so ap- puopriated, did not most effectually aid in the accomplishment of thre desired object.
As our public schools are conducted at the present time, we cannot resist the conviction, that our children do not receive the full benefit of the money set apart for their education. The fatal defect in the present system is, that with the exception of the pri- mary scholars, our children are necessarily exposed to the great evil of having strange teachers placed over them twice every year; in the sunimer when their winter teacher leaves them, and in the winter upon being dismissed from their summer school ; and this too when to them, and consequently to the town, a change is most disastrous. In the education of our youth, nothing is more vitally important than competent, permanent teachers. To teach with any degree of success, the instructor must thoroughly under- stand his pupil, so as to enter into the very mind of the scholar, with all the ardor of a man determined to develop a man. To learn pleasantly and completely, the child must first learn the teacher, become accustomed to his ways and manners, and bound to liim by every tie of respect and love, and thus be able to open to him unreservedly his whole mind, and to yield to him implicit obedience. Just so much time as is consumed in thus preparing the way for instruction is wasted every year, and with it is wasted the money, which under a different system our children would re- ceive the benefit of. Can the town afford thus to waste the time of its children and the means for their instruction ? Three weeks at least, are occupied at the commencement of the summer and winter terms of our schools, in each of the ten districts, before the mutual relations of teacher and pupil can be so established, as to render the schools in any considerable degree profitable to the scholar. This also involves a pecuniary loss to the town of nearly forty dollars a year in each district, or four hundred dollars in all. If this was simply a loss of so much money to the town, the state- ment might find no place in this report. Its great importance to us is, that it is a wrong inflicted by the system we complain of, upon our children.
Again, under this system it is impossible to procure the services of such competent teachers as might be induced to instruct our youth, by a fair degree of certainty of permanent employment ; such as have selected teaching as a life profession, and have by well directed efforts prepared themselves for their vocation.
Other qualifications than mere intellectual attainments, are necessary to constitute a good teacher ; and if perchance these may
41
be found, combined with the requisite knowledge, as your com- mittee are happy to state, is in a great degree the case with the teachers of the past winter, yet the town may not always be so fortunate in its contracts with young men, leaving our different colleges for a short time to teach a country school for pleasure or pecuniary profit.
School teaching is a profession, as much so as the three ack- nowledged ones, and requires as much as the others, a peculiar preparation other than a collegiate education ; and of that profes- sion, with the means and disposition of the town, we should have the best. Further, your committee have found in their examina- tions of the schools during the past year, that at times the attend- ance in the grammar department of some of our schools, has been quite small ; upon some days there being no more than eleven or twelve scholars present. This occurring, as it does too often, eith- er through the fault of the parent or child, discourages and disheart- ens the teacher, and to a great extent paralyzes his efforts. The learned Secretary of the Board of Education in his last Annual Report well says,-" A common district school ought to contain twenty pupils at least, and it will be much more profitable when it contains from thirty to fifty. This evil, arising from the paucity of scholars in the daily attendance upon school, can be remedied only by such an arrangement of the schools, as by enlarging the num- ber of scholars under one teacher, to diminish the effect upon the master and school of the occasional absences.
Fully impressed with the correctness of these views, your com- mittee would recommend that the present system be amended ; and that the town employ three permanent male teachers, with such female assistants as may from time to time be deemed neces- sary. One to be located in district No. 10 for the accommodation of that section of the town. Que in district No. 8 for the accom- modation of those most convenient to the school house in that dis- trict, and one in East Randolph for the accommodation of that portion of the town. This arrangement will, your committee have no doubt, furnish ample accommodations, and by far superior advantages, to the children of the town. Many now attend our Grammar Schools, who could most profitably remain in the pri- mary department, and to too great an extent, our primary schools are converted into mere nurseries. If children under five years of age are admitted into our schools, it will become necessary for the town to employ females other than as teachers. By excluding this class of infant children from our schools, and thus permitting them to remain under the much more profitable guardianship of parents, who suffer them thus young to attend school, under a mis- taken sense of duty, a larger number of older children can be in-
42
structed by the teachers in our primary departments, who are am- ply qualified to discharge to the utmost, every duty the town can thus impose upon them. These children as they become quali- fied, can, at the commencement of each terrn be promoted to the Grammar schools, and there remain under a permanent teacher, until they graduate into the world, prepared for it. Thus an ever present incentive to exertion and noble striving is furnished to our youth ; and who can over estimate its effect ? Your committee deem the present a favorable time to inaugerate this change, as it will require no additional outlay for new buildings ; and the build- ings which the town will necessarily erect for the accommodation of the youth of East Randolph under any system, can be con- structed with reference to the proposed change.
What can be opposed to the many patent advantages of this change ? The objection on account of the increase of distance to be traveled is of no force. Here in Randolph, parents consider it a privilege for their children to attend the Stetson High School, though by so doing, the young aspirant for learning is obliged to travel a greater distance than any will be forced to travel, under the system proposed by your committee. The Secretary of the Board of Education in his last report says, " it is within my own knowledge that youth of both sexes who live three and in a few cases, four miles from a High School in one of the country towns, are regular and punctual in their attendance."
" When we speak of schools for children of five or eight years " continues the secretary, " we cannot contemplate' a daily walk, morning and evening, of four, three, or even two miles ; but a walk of a mile or a mile and a half is not unreasonable." The Principal of the High School at Springfield mentions those of his pupils who were not absent or tardy once during the year, as liv- ing more than a mile from school. Are the children of our neigh- boring towns more hardy, or bolder in their efforts to become men and women than the youth of Randolph? With but one or two exceptions, none of our children will be obliged to travel more than two miles, to receive their instruction from a competent per- manent teacher, while a large proportion live within a mile of their respective school houses. Even if it should become necessary for the town under the proposed system, to appropriate a larger sum for school purposes than it has heretofore been accustomed to do, still this consideration sinks into insignificance, when we consider the great benefits anticipated from the proposed change ; but when we compare the school expenses during the last year under the present system, with the estimated expenses under the propos- ed alteration, it will be seen that the difference will not amount
43
to a sum larger than is, as we have before seen, wasted by continued changes of teachers.
Under the present system, there will be needed for the ensuing summer term, five and one half months, twenty-one female, and one male teacher, at an expense of $2700,00. For the winter term three and one-half months, twelve female and ten male teachers at an expense of $2520,00 ; expense of fires and care of houses (by estimation) $500 ; total amount required under present sys- tem $5720,00. Under the system proposed an appropriation of $6000 will be amply sufficient to enable your committee to furnish the town with three first class schools, equal to any of the academies in our neighboring towns, accessible by every child of suitable age in town, with the addition of a male teacher for the winter term in South Randolph ; and the same number of schools as we now have for the younger scholars ; and this sum includes also the expense of warming our school houses. With this appro- priation, Randolph will still be behind her sister towns of the com- monwealth, and very far behind the towns in our own county. The appropriation last year, amounted to about $4,34 for scholars over five and under fifteen years of age. -
The appropriation asked for, would allow $5,39 to every scholar between the same ages.
The average appropriation throughout the Commonwealth for the year 1858 amounted to $6,04 per scholar ; while the average appropriation in Norfolk county the same year amounted to $7,91 per scholar ; and yet our town in point of wealth, ranks among the first in the county ; what is there peculiar in our wealth, that we cannot afford to appropriate as much of it for the education of children as do our sister towns ?
But however liberal the town, however perfect the school sys- tem ; and competent our teachers may be, our efforts in behalf of our youth cannot be crowned with complete success, unless the in- structor is assisted by the hearty co-operation of the parent. That the teacher inay the most thoroughly perform his mission, nothing is of greater importance than that there should be perfect harmony between him and the parent. During his school days, the child has two homes-the school house and the paternal roof; and the influences of each must tend to the same result ; for one will de- stroy the other, exactly to the extent of their antagonism. How more absolutely can the parent render nugatory the best efforts of the town for the improvement of his cliild, than by unintelligent fault finding and grumbling about some imaginary imperfection of the teacher ? A wise parent, loving his children, will never speak in their presence disrespectfully of the teacher. The committee are answerable for his acts while in the performance of his duties, and to them all complaints should be addressed. Home influence is as potent for good as for evil ; by its exertion let parents aid the
44
teacher to gain the esteem and love of his pupils; let them im- press their children with the paramount importance of attending school regularly and punctually ; converse with them by the even- ing fireside, or as they stand beside them at the work-bench con- cerning their lessons in school ; lighten their labors by kindly as- sistance, and encourage them by well timed commendations ; and as the school hour approaches dismiss them to their school-home, clean, bright, cheerful and self-confident. Can a doubt be enter- tertained that a child so cared for, will be other than, in every true sense of the word, a man ?
The law requires that our children should be taught by the in- structor, among other things, good manners. This peculiarly re- quires the assistance of home influence. Precepts at school must be vitalized by examples at home. The parent might well think his child abused, were he punished at school, for the use of the pro- fane and vulgar words which he learned from his own lips at home. And the child might well ask, " Why should I receive reproof from a stranger, for doing that which my own father commends ?" When this practice is confined by the parent to his own fireside, the evil to the community spreads perhaps less rapidly ; but what shall we say of a parent who, in the presence of any part of the school, will indulge in the use of such words.
Parents do not appear to be sensible how important it is that their children should attend school continuously and punctually. If a child is detained at home a day, or even a half of a day each week he loses his place in school. Can it be expected his class will wait till he overtakes them, and thus all lose the same amount of time ? Is the teacher expected to come to his aid by bestowing upon him additional time? The teacher's time should be, and will be, divided equally among all his pupils. As the in- evitable consequence of his absence from school, the child having no position while there, becomes dispirited and disheartened, his les- sons grow more and more difficult, and his studies more and more distasteful, and thus his school days are worried away, and man- hood finds him a mere boy.
Parents, if such are the evil consequences attendant upon ab- sence from school a few days, what benefit can you possibly con- ceive your child will derive from our free schools, when one-fourth of his time is spent at home ?
There are children in town who have been prompt and punctual in their attendance at school to a remarkable degree ; not being ab- sent or tardy once during the entire year, except through sickness or unavoidable accident. Such may be easily recognized by the visitor upon our schools, by the bright happy expression of their countenances, their eagerness and quickness to learn, the accuracy of their recitations, and the respect shown them by their school- mates. As easily to be distinguished also, is the scholar detained
45
too often at home. On the other hand, there are many scholars whose names are on the school registers, who do not attend school sufficiently often to save their parents or guardians from a legal prosecution.
" Every person who shall have any child under his control be- tween the ages of eight and fourteen years, shall send such child to some public school within the town or city within which he re- sides, during at least twelve weeks ; if the public school within such town or city, shall be so long kept, in each and every year during which such child shall be under his control, six weeks of which shall be consecutive."
" Every person who shall violate the provisions of the first sec- tion of this act, shall forfeit to the use of such town or city a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, to be recovered by complaint or indictment." [Laws of 1852, chap. 140, §§ 1, 2.
Your committee have noticed that delinquencies of this charac- ter, are by no means most frequent among the poorer portion of our population. On the contrary, the children of such, in many in- stances have been the most steady and punctual in their school at- tendance. Indeed, your committee very much doubt if, with the duty imposed by law upon the town to furnish books &c., the par- ent being unable, there is a single father or guardian in town so poor as to be shielded from the penalty of neglected statute duty.
Your Committee are aware that the law seeks to some extent a remedy of this evil through the vigilance of the school committee ; but the law further provides that the committee shall receive a reasonable compensation for their services ; and a wise regard for economy would seem to suggest a more prudent enforcement of this admirable law, through the agency of a truant officer to be ap- pointed by the town.
Your committee, however, are very happy to call the attention of the town, to the existence of a law which enlists into this ser- vice some who, from motives of delicacy or under modesty, have heretofore abstained from an active interference with the scholars and schools of our town ; and who will be pleased to learn that the law removes all such restraints upon the exercise of a most natural desire, to see that our youth are reaping the advantages of our common schools.
" It shall be the duty of resident ministers of the gospel, the selectmen and the school committee, to exert their influence and use their best endeavors that the youth of their town shall regularly attend the school established for their instruction."
[R. S. Chap, 23, $8.
46
These views and recommendations are respectfully submitted by your committee, trusting the town will see their importance; and that such action will be taken thereon, as a just appreciation of our high responsibility to the present and future may de mand.
A. LORING CUSHING, ORAMEL WHITE, School Committee WILLIAM P. FIELD, of Randolph.
STETSON SCHOOL FUND.
The Trustees present to the town their Annual Report, embracing the receipts and disbursements of the current year, and state that they have, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen (as required by the terms of the do- nation of the Hon. Amasa Stetson), sold fifty shares of the Bank Stock held last year, and reinvested in other institutions, as will be more fully seen by reference to their accouut. They have been induced to make the change from a desire to have the fund invested in Banks of the highest reputation and best known to the citizens of the town; and although the price paid has been more than could be wished, yet they feel assured the income has been increased by the operation. The Fund as now held consists of stock as follows:
10 shares Grocers' Bank,
Boston, (of very little value,) par value, $1000
10 66 Shawmut Bank,
66
66
1000
10 Webster Bank,
66
66
66
1000
10 Eliot Bank,
66
66
1000
10
66 Hide and Leather Bank,
66
66
1000
10 66 Shoe & Leather Dealers' Bank, "
66
66
1000
10
Exchange Bank,
66
66
1000
20 66 Boston Bank,
5
66 Boylston Bank,
5
Tremont Bank,
66
500
10 Mattapan Bank,
Dorchester,
66
66
1000
10
66 Randolph Bank,
Randolph,
66
66
1000
Nominally Eleven Thousand Dollars, but worth in the market six hundred dollars more than that sum, exclusive of the Grocers' Stock. They have, in addition, cash on hand, as per account, Two Hundred Twelve and 52-100
1000
66
500
48
Dollars, ($212.52). The School continues under the charge of Mr. A, O, Leavitt, and has been fully attended through the year, averaging nearly fifty boys,
ISAAC TOWER, THOS. WHITE JR., Trustees, DANIEL HOWABD
Randolph, March 14, 1859,
The subscribers having examined the statement of the Trustees of the Stetson School Fund, find certificates of stock in the hands of their Secretary as reported by said Trustees. They also report that the cash balance on hand is Two Hundred Twelve and 52-100 Dollars, They further certify that the sale of fifty shares Bank stock and the reinvestments have been made upon cone sultation with them, and by their approbation,
HORATIO B. ALDEN JR. > Selectmen JACOB WHITCOMB, of LEMUEL S, WHITCOMB, Randolph, H Randolph, March 14, 1859,
The Board of Trustees in account with the Stetson School Fund.
Cr.
Dr.
1858. March 8, "To balance of last year's account,
$678,59
April 7,
Granite Bank six months' dividend,
Mch. 24, By paying N. English for sawing wood, 27, April 22, " Eben'r Alden, for team and gravel, " T. H. Brodrick, bill of repairs, &c., June 15, " A. O. Leavitt's salary 187.50, sundries 7.05,
.75 5.10 10.50 194.55 .75 1.
" Timothy Martin, for labor,
" National Bank, .66
66
" Webster Bank,
" W.m. Cole, Jr., for scholars' ride,
26.50
.Eliot. Bank, 66
35.
" Isaac Tower, for banner,
2.50
" Bank of Commere, "
40.
July 16,
" Charles L. Thayer, for care of room, ".P. A. Wales, for pump,
5.28 23.
" Mattapan Bank, .6.
66
40.
" Randolph Bank,
50. -
365.
Dec. 18, Oct. 4,
" 'Timothy Martin, cutting wood &c.,
4.
" 10 shares National Bank sold,
" 10 shares Bank of North America sold,
1015.
Nov. 6,
" S. P. Brown, for advertisement,
1.
49
189.
" 10 shares Bank of Commerce sold,
1016.50
-5049.
'59.Jan 29,
" A. O. Leavitt's salary,
" six months' rent of Randolph Bank,
50.
" A. O. Leavitt's bill of sundries,
" Webster Bank, six months' divldend,
35.
" C. I. Thayer, care of room,
" Eliot Bank, 35.
31,
" S. P. Brown, printing,
8.
" Shawmut Bank, . « 30.
March 2,
" Hiram Jones, bill of wood,
" Mattapan Bank. « .
.6
40.
" T. H. Brodrick, bill of repairs and labor,
14,
" Trustees and Secretary,
190.
" 10 sh's Hide & Leather B'k, bo't Oct. 13, 1000.
" six months' rent of Randolph Bank to'Apr.'1,
50.
" 10 " Shoe & Lea'r Dealers' B'k, do., 1200. " 20 " Boston B'k, (par $50) bo't Dec 18,;1210.
" one year's rent of Randolph Reading Room, 24. 100.
."" one year's rent of Town for armory,
" 10 " Exchange Bank, bo't Feb. 9, 1270.
" interest on temporary loans, 157.80
319.50
" 5 " Tremont Bank, bo't March 12, 585.
212.52
Balance,
$6983.89
$6983.89
Randolph, March 14, 1859.
SETH TURNER, Secretary.
5.27 187.50 1.
Sept. 29, Oct. 12,
May 29, [ " 10 shares Merchants' Bank sold,
1027.50 997.50
" R. W. Turner's bill of sundries,
3.08
" 10 shares Granite Bank sold, 992.50
" A. O. Leavitt's salary, 187.50, sundries 1.50,
" Charles L. Thayer, for care of room,
5.25
35.68 7.91 20.
" Randolph Bank, " 66
50.
1859. Feb. 1, 25, March 4,
" 5 " Boylston Bank, bo't Dec. 24, 576.25
1-5841.25
" Rent of Hall to sundry persons during the year,
$30. 30. 35. 35. 35. 35.
1858.
" Bank of North America'six months div., " Merchant's Bank, six months' dividend,
3.
" S. P. Brown, advertising,
" Shawmut Bank, .
" A. O. Leavitt's salary,
187.50 5.
" C. L. Thayer, for care of room,
TOWN MEETING WARRANT.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, SS.
To Ezekiel French, or either of the Constables of the Town of Randolph, in said County, GREETING.
You are hereby directed and required to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town of Randolph, qualified to vote in Town affairs, to meet in Stetson Hall, in said Randolph, on MONDAY the fourth day of April next, at nine o'clock in the forenoon-it being the Annual meeting of said Town- then and there to act on the following articles, vız :
First. To choose a moderator.
Second. To choose all necessary town officers, and also a Trustee of Stetson High School Fund.
Third. To see if the town will build a new School House, or repair and enlarge the old house in so called District No. 9, East Randolph, and raise money to defray the expense of the same.
Fourth. To see if the town will enlarge the School House in so called District No. 2, East Randolph, and raise money to defray the expense of the same.
Fifth. To see if the town will purchase the land on which the School House in so called District No. 5 now stands.
Sixth. To see if the town will pay Terence Dargan, fif- teen dollars for land purchased by School Committee for so called District No. 8.
Seventh. To raise such sums of money as may be thought proper for the support of schools the ensuing year, and ap- propriate the same.
Eighth. To raise such sums of money as may be necessary for the repair of High ways the ensuing year, and direct how the same shall be expended.
Ninth. To see if the town will instruct their Selectmen to take the necessary steps for the location and building of a piece of Road from Union street to South street, through land
51
formerly owned by Dr. Ebenezer Alden, as petitioned for by H. C. Alden and others.
Tenth. To see what course the Town will take the ensu- ing year in reference to Engines and Engine Companies.
Eleventh. To decide upon the amount of money that may be required to defray town expenses the coming year, and to raise the same.
Twelfth. To see if the town will accept the list of Jurors prepared and revised by the Selectmen and posted as required by law.
Thirteenth. To see if the town will authorize the Treas- urer to borrow money in anticipation of taxes.
Fourteenth. To hear reports of and choose such commit- tees as may be necessary.
Fifteenth. To act upon any other business which may legal- ly come before said meeting.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attes- ted copies thereof at the three principal places of Public Re- ligious worship in said Town, and by publishing the same in the Randolph Transcript, nine days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
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