USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1852-1874 > Part 47
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$65,653 21 85,800 00 6,868 43
Balance
37
38
STETSON SCHOOL FUND.
The investments of the above fund amount to Ten Thousand and Three Hundred Dollars ($10,300) at their par value, and are as at the date of the last an- nual report, viz :
10 shares Shawmut National Bank,
Boston,
$1,000
10 Webster
66
1,000
10
Elliot
66
1,000
10
66 Hide & Leather National Bank,
66
1,000
10
66 Shoe & Leather,
66
1,800
10
Exchange
66 66
1,000
10
Boylston
66 66
1,000
10
Tremont
1,000
20
66 Old Boston
66
66
1,000
13
66 Randolph
66
1,300
$10,300
The current yearly account herewith presented shows a cash balance of Ten Hundred Thirty-One and 25-100 Dollars ($1031.25) and a large portion of the same will be required to liquidate bills accrued and accruing, which from the organization of the school terms cannot be embraced in the financial year. The Trustees have very little matter to offer to the town in their report be- yond representations so frequently made. They are however happy to say that the attendance upon Stetson School probably averages larger than in any other school of the higher class in town, the mean number being thirty-nine (39). While this attendance is gratifying to the Trustees, they cannot but express their regret that with so large a population, no greater number of quali- fied applicants claim the opportunities offered, fill the rooms to their utmost capacity, and render it incumbent upon them to call into service an assistant teacher, which they will most cheerfully do whenever the exi- gency may arise. The major portion of the pupils has the past year as heretofore consisted of girls, and al-
39
though the Trustees most cheerfully welcome the sex to the School, they would rejoice to see a larger per cent. age of male pupils, convinced as they are that very many of the youth that have since the formation of the school graduated from it, have reflected credit upon them- selves, their teachers, and honored patron. The Trus- tees feel assured that discriminating friends and parents must be gratified with the progress made by the gradu- ating class of the present year and other attending pu- pils. Mr. V. H. Deane continues in charge of the school.
THOMAS WHITE, DANIEL HOWARD, Trustees. JOHN L. FRENCH,
SETH TURNER, Secretary.
RANDOLPH, March 5, 1868.
The subscribers certify that they have examined the account of the "Trustees of the Stetson School Fund" and find the same correct, with the certificates of Bank Stock amounting to Ten Thousand and Three Hundred Dollars ($10,300), and cash Ten Hundred Thirty-One and 25-100 Dollars ($1031,25) in the hands of the Sec- retary, all as shown in the annexed statement.
J. WHITE BELCHER, Selectmen NATH'L HOWARD, of
JACOB WHITCOMB, Randolph.
RANDOLPH, March 5, 1868.
.
Dr.
The Board of Trustees in account with the Stetson School Fund.
Cr.
1867. Feb. April. ..
To balance of cash on hand as per last year's report, " dividend six months, Exchange Nat. Bank, $60
Shoe & Leather .. ..
60
..
... Eliot
50
..
..
..
.
Tremont,
Boylston,
.
60
Apr. 13.
..
.. G. W. Walker & Co., bill sundries, stove, &c. Joseph Jones, advertising,
65 00 3 00
May 1.
..
.. Elmer W. Holmes, "
5 00
$568 00
.. V. H. Deane, liquid slating, blackboards, crayons, ink, books, towels, &c.
30 20
568 00 July 1.
.. six months' salary,
600 00
-
care school room one year, clearing cellar.
6 00
Oct. ..
R. W. Turner, coal,
69 83
75 00
for duster,
2 50
for writing paper for school,
4 25
40
1868. Jan.
" cash of sundry persons for use of the Hall during the year,
Nov. 26.
. J. McMath, setting glass,
3 60
462 00
Geo. Hamilton, sawing wood,
4 50
.. S. Turner, wood,
.. J. L. Brown's bill,
9 00
1868.
Jan. 23.
..
R. W. Turner's bill sundries,
5 95
** 29 .!
.. Randolph Reading Room, rent,
14 66
.. V. H. Deane, bill sundries for school,
33 00
March 4.
Daniel Howard, balance paid Tucker & Co.
..
.. C. Morton, jr.
20 00
Trustees and Secretary for one year's service,
1,738 86
Balance on hand,
1,031 25
$2,770 11
..
.. Estabrook's Express 3 spittoons,
6 75
..
..
Old Boston ..
.
50
70
78-
Oct.
" same Banks as above, respectively
" rent of Randolph National Bank for six months to April 1, 1867,
50 00 Aug.
1.
$2,770 11
11 1867.
$672 11 Feb. 4.
By paying T. E. Wortman's bill for stoves, pipe, labor and material,
..
..
V. H. Deane six months' salary,
$135 39 600 00
Mar. 4.
..
.. " expense cleaning paint, windows, &c.
..
.. J. E. Nash, repairs clock,
10 00 1 25
.. Shawmut
50
50
.. Webster, .
40
..
. Hide & Leather ·
Randolph ..
" rent of Randolph National Bank for six months to April 1. 1868,
..
..
W. H. Smith, for charcoal,
6 00
75 00 300 00
.. Peterson & Alden's bill,
19 28
2 00
14 55
.. J. C. Hayne's bill, music stands for hall,
4 25
2 90
" Town appropriation,
.. 8.
25. 29.
60 00
" rent of Randolph National Bank for six months to October 1, 1867,
41
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
To the Selectmen-Gentlemen :
The Engineers of the Fire Department of Randolph would respectfully report that the expenses of the department for the year have been as follows :
AQUARIUS, No. 1. For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid I. Lovering, steward,
$3 25
E. G. French, horse to fire, 2 00
49 men for services, 245 00 -$250 25
For the Year up to March 2, 1868.
I. Lovering, steward, 15 50
Hunneman & Co., repairs, 7 50
W. H. Warren, repairs, 75
Henry A. Hall, rubber suit, 11 00
Hiram Belcher, drawing engine to fire, 3 00 -$37 75
$288 00
INDEPENDENCE, No. 2. For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid John B. McGrane, 10 months, $17 12
Charles McCarty for wrench,
2 00
66 Alcohol,
1 87
66
66 sign board and painting, 6 00
66 use of stoves and fuel
10 months, 3 00
50 men for services, 250 00
R. C. Taylor, neat's foot oil, 6 00
W. Cartwright, straps and repairs, 1 75
T. E. Wortman, 3 11
Henry A. Hall, rubber suit,
15 00 -$308 35
For the Year up to March 2d, 1868.
John B. McGrane, steward, 19 00
Hunneman & Co., repairs, 29 00
John Shanley, sawing wood, 1 50
4
2 50
ахе,
42
Paid John Loring, suction hose bar, $3 50
R. W. Turner, oil, wicks, &c., 4 31
Charles McCarty, repairs, 2 55
M. W. Baker, globe for lantern,
85
W. Campbell. repairs,
39 50
N. A. Tolman, 1 bbl. coal,
1 25
-$101 46
$409 81
FEARLESS, No. 3. For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid Henry Dodge, steward, $3 75
R. W. Turner, bill, 2 17
50 men for services, 250 00 -$255 92
For the Year up to March 2d, 1868.
S. Wilbur, steward. $16 45
Henry A. Hall, rubber suit. 11 00
M. W. Baker, 2 globes for lanterns, 1 70
" 2 burners, 40
Shelton & Cheever, repairs on suction hose, 103 25
-$132 80
$388 72
RELIEF, No. 4. For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid Ezra Whitcomb, steward, $7 00
36 men for services, 180 00 -$187 00
For the Year up to March 2d, 1868.
Henry A. Hall, rubber suit, $11 00
Thomas West, repairs, 11 45
Ezra Whitcomb, steward, 10 00
Shelton & Cheever, repairs on suction hose, 12 75 -$45 20
$232 20
FIRE KING, NO. 5. For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid W. P. Sullivan, steward, $25 00
G. W. Adams & Co., repairs, 2 25
W. Cartwright, straps and belts, 6 56
R. W. Turner, bill, 15 39
50 men, services, 250 00 -$299 20
43
For the Year up to March 2d, 1868.
Paid W. P. Sullivan, steward, $23 50
W. Campbell, repairs, 8 00
N. A. Tolman, 1 bbl. coal, 1 25
Shelton & Cheever repairs on hose,
44 50
John Long, drawing engine to fires 6 00
E. E. Lothrop, 1 pipe,
20 00
-$103 25
$402 45
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
For the Year ending May 1st, 1867.
Paid Frank Porter, bill, · $3 35
Jacob Niles, land rent for 1862-63, 10 00
Daniel Faxon, rent for 1866, 3 00
Charles Estabrook, express, 6 72 -$23 07
For the Year up to March 2d, 1868.
E. G. French, land rent, $10 00
Daniel Faxon, ".
3 00
Charles McCarty, rent of rooms for No. 2, 34 00
J. L. Brown, setting glass, 2 80
J. B. Thayer, repairs on No. 5 house, 6 75
R. Houghton, stationery and postage, 4 44
Shelton & Cheever, 3 badges, 3 00
“ repairs, 1 50
" 304 feet leading hose, 592 80
M. W. Baker, stoves, funnel, lamps, &c. 62 81 Charles McCarty, lamps, &c .. 7 50
For filling reservoir, 57 65
For building 2 cisterns under engine houses, 71 46
M. M. Alden for seats in No. 3 house, 15 00 Charles Estabrook, express, 7 40
E. W. Holmes, 1 50
For building two engine houses, 1,956 75 -$2,838 36
$2,861 43
44
RECAPITULATION.
1867.
1868.
Aquarius, No. 1,
$250 25
$37 75
$288 00
Independence, No. 2,
308 35
101 46
409 81
Fearless, No. 3,
255 92
132 80
388 72
Relief, No. 4,
187 00
45 20
232 20
Fire King, No. 5,
299 20
103 25
402 45
Miscellaneous,
23 07
2,838 36
2,861 43
$4,582 61
-
During the past year the department has been called out to the following fires :
April 7. Samuel L. White's house and barn on Franklin street. Cause accidental. Insured at Norfolk Mutual office for $900.
May 24 .- Patrick Wren's house on North street; caught from chimney. Insured at Norfolk Mutual Office for $675; damage $460.
June 15 .- Philip Riley, shop on Liberty street. Cause un- known. Loss about $100.
October 30 .- S. S. Mann's barn on North Main street, con- taining about ten tons of English hay. Insured at Weymouth and Braintree Mutual office for $210. Barn not insured ; cause supposed to be incendiary.
December 11 .- Isaac N. and H. M. French's house on Cen- tral street; caught from chimney. Loss $900; insured.
Jan. 14, 1868 .- James G. Hurley's house on Mill street, caught from chimney. Damage small; insured at Norfolk Mu- tual office.
Feb. 11 .- E. Brigg's barn at East Stoughton; the engineers of that place sent to Randolph for assistance. The Fire King and Independence were sent, but their services were not re- quired.
Feb. 16 .- Nathan Freeman's house on Mount Pleasant Square, shed and porch burnt; cause unknown. Damage $748; insured at a Boston office.
Feb. 23 .- E. Tucker & Sons, manufacturing shop at East Stoughton. Assistance being again called for, the Fire King and Relief engines were present, and rendered valuable services.
45
The department at present is as efficient as at any time since its organization, having five Engines. Four of these belong to the town, and one (Fearless No. 3) to individuals in the north- west part of the town, which the town has kept in repair for the past three years, and for which there has been erected a commo- dious house at a cost of about one thousand dollars ( as per vote of town) located near Mr. Josiah Clark's on North Main Street. The Engineers would again strongly recommend the pur- chase of this Engine, if the stockholders will sell their rights in the same at a price not exceeding cost.
The engines are all in good repair, and are manned by com- panies varying from fifty to seventy-five men, who are under good and efficient officers, whose aim it is to know and do their duty. We have purchased three hundred feet of leading hose, and are still in want of more, and would recommend an appro- priation for the same.
We would ask that the town take some action in regard to the house now occupied by the Fire King Co. There must be some extensive repairs made on the present building to make it convenient for a company to occupy, and, taking into considera- tion its present condition, and that it is too small, without a hose tower, and otherwise very inconvenient, we think it would not be economy for the town to make such repairs as would be required. Therefore we would recommend the sale of the pres- ent house and the building of a new one, and the appropriation of the sum of one thousand dollars for the purpose in addition to what may be realized from the sale of the present house.
We would also state that, in accordance with the vote of the town, passed at our last annual meeting, the Engineers have lo- cated and caused to be built a reservoir in front of the town hall, holding twenty-two thousand gallons of water, and from which two engines can play for two hours, or more if necessary, and with sufficient hose could reach fires for quite a distance on North Main, South Main, North, South and Union streets, if occasion should require; the beneficial effects of which have al- ready been felt by those who have had occasion to renew their , policies of insurance. There is also à feeling of safety among those living in the vicinity, who now know that there is a suffi- cient quantity of water that is available at all times.
We have also caused to be constructed under the new houses built for the Independence, No. 2, and Fearless, No. 3, cisterns capable of holding from fifty to seventy-five barrels of water, and which will be of great value if fires occur in their vicinity ; and we recommend that the town renew the vote passed at the last annual meeting in regard to reservoirs.
46
We have leased of Seth Mann, 2d, Esq., a lot of land on West street, on which the house lately built for Independence, No. 2, stands, at a rent of eight dollars a year ; but we think it would be a matter of economy for the town to purchase this land, which was offered us last June for one hundred and thirty dollars.
The engineers would respectfully suggest that a Fire Police of sufficient force be appointed, whose duty it shall be to attend fires and see that the firemen are not obstructed in their work by those who do not belong to the department; also to see that buildings on fire, and those in the immediate vicinity, are not entered except by those legally authorized, and to take charge of all articles removed from such buildings; and also to prevent pilfering and stealing at fires ; and that the said Police shall receive for their services the same pay as firemen.
We would state that in our estimation it will be necessary to raise the following sum to carry out the recommendations made in the foregoing report.
For the purchase of new hose and Fearless Engine, $900 00
New house for Fire King, 1,000 00
Repairs and incidental expenses, 850 00
Pay of Engine men, 1,250 00
$4,000 00
Respectfully submitted,
A. W. WHITCOMB, Chief Engineer.
ABIAL HOWARD, )
W. H. WARREN, Assistant
LEVI WILBUR,
THOMAS WEST, Engineers.
J. B. THAYER,
R. HOUGHTON, Clerk.
Randolph, March 2d, 1868.
C
47
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
FINANCIAL.
The town appropriated for support of schools for the
year $10,000.00
There has been received from other sources as follows :
From the income of the State School Fund for 1867, 472.87
6 66 Coddington 151.50
!! town of North Bridgewater for schooling, 160.00
Rent of school room, East Randolph,
32.50
Total, $10,816.87
The amount expended for support of schools for the year is as follows :
Paid for salaries to teachers,
$7,789.56
care of rooms, &c.,
579.25
fuel, 675.94
appropriation to Stetson School, 300.00
for rent, 250.00
Total,
$9,594.75
The town at the annual meeting omitted to make any appropriation for repairs or furniture. The statute pre- scribes, however, that the School Committee shall pro- vide all things necessary for the comfort of the schol- ars.
It prescribes, concerning books, that if any schol- ar is not furnished by parent or guardian with necessa- ry books, he shall be supplied therewith by the School Committee at the expense of the town. There could be, therefore, no misunderstanding as to our duty. Un- der this head the amount expended during the year is $1,130 11.
48
BUILDINGS AND OTHER SCHOOL PROPERTY.
There is need that some provision be made at the ap- proaching annual meeting, for putting several of the school houses in good condition. School house No. 8 is almost entirely destitute of paint, and should be sur- prised with a new coat, having worn its old one twelve years. A similar remark applies to school house No. 4, and in hardly less degree to the No. 10 building. New fences are needed in many places. To put the fences in good condition would require not less than $200. The attention of the town and of the incoming Commit- tee, is called to an exceedingly dangerous locality with- in the school yard in Dist. No. 7. The town has al- ready suffered heavy loss, and one life has been robbed of usefulness by causes similar to circumstances now existing at the same locality. It is evidently not partic- ularly a safe proceeding to have, in a playground for fifty children, an unguarded perpendicular embankment with twenty feet descent.
It is a common practice of not a few families of chil- dren in the town to appear before every new committee for a new supply of books (at the expense of the town). It has been learned that these books have sometimes a very strange way of disappearing ; probably under the process known as purchase and sale. In view of this und in view of the fact that such a proceeding would be a greater economy as well as a less temptation, it is recommended that hereafter no new books be given to scholars, but that when books are needed by children of indigent or careless parents, they be loaned to them, be- ing in charge of the teacher, the property of the town.
It is proper here to congratulate the town, and more particularly the scholars who attend school in Dist. No. 8, upon the possession of the excellent accommodations furnished by the Prescott School House. Built at much less cost than that of similar structures which have been erected in some towns near us during the year, it is be- lieved, for all the purposes of schools, to be one of the most complete and convenient houses in our vicinity. The two buildings ought now, with proper classification
49
of the schools, to furnish school privileges for all the children in that district.
THE CHANGE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR -
Operates very unfavorably with the schools. The town instructed the committee to close the schools by March 1; the statute requires us to continue the High School until it shall have been taught 40 weeks. Dur- ing the year some schools have suffered interruptions on account of sickness, and at March 1 had not completed their year. Your committee have found it impossible therefore, to comply literally with the vote of the town, and have done what seemed to be best. A greater argu- ment against the present arrangement is this ; by thus closing the schools March 1, while the appropriations for the year are not made until April, the schools can- not avoid a vacation of six or perhaps eight weeks in the very best part of the year. The only way in which the schools beginning in the middle of April can be taught a school year before the succeeding March 1st, is by continuing them through the summer months. In view of this the town should know that in March and April we can get an average attendance of 1050 children, while after the 4th of July the average attend- ance does not exceed 600 ; and further still, a school in the vigorous weather of spring accomplishes more than in the wilting weather of July and August. We dis- tinctly affirm that the argument that by the former ar- rangement the expenditure can not be exhibited has no basis in fact ; that such expenditures can be as fully and almost as easily exhibited under the one system as un- der the other.
ABSENCE.
There are in each district not a few families where the custom for parents to govern the children is revers- ed, and the children govern their parents,-and con- quer in their desire to remain away from school. By the statistical part of the report it will be seen that while the whole number of scholars in the town is 1476 there are only 1282 enrolled as members of the schools,
50
leaving 194 who attend no school. Many of these have occupations which form good excuse. Of the large class, however, who fill the stores and frequent the shops many are growing up to become, first our row- dies, and afterwards our criminals. The rich, the res- pectable, the conservative, owe a duty to the ragged and smart little fellow in the street. Some provision should be made to prevent the growing up of a class of disrep- utable persons to inhabit the future town.
The statute provides that where there is not poverty or other equally good excuse, children between eight and fourteen shall attend school twelve weeks in every yèar ; and, contrary to general opinion, there is a pen- alty provided for non-compliance with the law. Still, the process by which the law can be enforced, is tedious and complicated. It would be better for the town to enact a by-law, as under the statute it can do, and un- der the provision of a rigid system, compel these un- washed, saucy and smart little fellows to take a course of study. There is nothing concerning our schools of greater importance than this ; and to this subject the attention of the town is earnestly invited.
The number of children in the town between the ages of five and fifteen years, as given above, is 1,476. As nearly as can be ascertained by the registers, 194 of this number do not attend any school, and 505 children upon the average are out of school every day. Thus is seen the need of some provision for truancy and absence from school.
TEXT BOOKS.
In general terms, you must not expect your employ- ees to do good work with poor tools. And while it should be held that we ought not to retain in the town a teacher who could not upon necessity teach his or her school without any book, it must still be admitted and. even claimed that good text books well used, and not misused, are an important assistance.
The Committee found at the beginning of the year the same text books that had been thumbed, cut, mark ed and studied by all the generations of boys and girls
51
who have graced or disgraced our school rooms for the last ten years.
Within ten years Napoleon III, Bismarck, and Secre- tary Seward have changed the geography of more than one country. Within a ten years that has witnessed the discovery of an entirely new theory of light, heat, and sound, that has seen the process of reaping wheat with cradles changed to reaping it with horses, and of. sewing with needle and thimble changed to sewing with machine, ought to be found some improvements in the method of teaching. And yet the schools of the town were found with these old fashioned tools of ten years ago.
It would have been, perhaps, too great a burden to effect a change of all the text books in one year, so but a partial change has been made. Hillard's Readers, New Series, are now in use ; and the different books upon grammar which in unknown ways had got them- selves introduced into different PARTS of the town, not one of which was worth its weight in wood for giving to scholars any ability to use language correctly, have been supplanted by a book of as great value as small cost, viz : Kerl's . Grammar. These changes, while they may have given to certain individuals some expense, have been made under a system which, if the whole town be considered, has been an actual economy.
TEACHING.
Teaching is in itself an art; one of the highest arts. The days are past in which it was thought that anybody who had good learning could keep school. It is now as well known that persons of excellent learning some- times make but sorry teachers. " He has good learn- ing : he ought to make a good teacher." Why not put the question in another form: "He understands grammar, he has studied Greek and Latin ; he ought to make a good engineer." There are many who have "'good learning :" there are few who know how to teach.
It is believed that in our schools the teaching has im- proved. The exploded custom in Arithmetic, Gram-
52
mar, Geography and History, of giving the scholar a page for a lesson,-which for all practical and valuable purposes might almost as well have been committed to the stomach as to the memory, -- has nearly disappeared. It is recommended that in the coming year some system be inaugurated by which all teachers shall have illus- trated to them the best methods of teaching every prin- ciple to be taught in either of the schools.
It is hoped that this subject may receive the attention of those who may apply for schools It is quite time to extinguish the idea that any one who can pass a literary examination can teach a school.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS.
The teachers' meetings, begun last year, have been continued. In them have been stated the best known methods of teaching. If now there is in town a teacher who is engaged, not in educating, but in stuffing scholars with Arithmetic and Grammar and Geography, we re- spectfully recommend such to the attention of the in- coming board. Valuable assistance has been rendered in these meetings by gentlemen whose names need not be mentioned here but whose service is gratefully ac- knowledged. The school committee not less willingly commend the interest of all the teachers who have giv- en willing attendance and labored to make the meetings rich in good results for the schools.
THE COURSE OF STUDY
As at present arranged intends that the scholar gradu- ating at a Grammar school shall, beside having a knowl- edge of reading, writing and spelling, be versed in arithmetic, grammar and geography. We are not alone in suggesting the question whether these studies have such eminent importance that all others be neg- lected. This is substantially the same topic as that which is agitating the colleges of England ; which has entered our own university ; which is the prominent thought with almost all who are interested in education- al improvement.
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