USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1907-1912 > Part 9
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ASA P. FRENCH,
Chairman.
Schedule of Securities.
The Turner Fund is invested in: PAR VALUE
5 Boston Elevated Railway bonds . $5,000 00
1 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. bond ... 1,000 00
2 Chicago & West Michigan R'y bonds 2,000 00
1 Old Colony Railroad bond. 1,000 00
1 Western Tel. & Tel. bond. 1,000 00
1 New York Central & Hudson River bond ...
1,000 00
2 Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western R. R. bonds
1,000 00
3 Union Pacific R. R. bonds . 1,500 00
33 Shares pfd. stock Union Pacific R. R. Co .... 3,300 00
The Royal W. Turner legacy is invested in: 10 Old Colony R. R. bonds . 10,000 00
10 Wayne County, Mich., bonds 10,000 00
$36,800 00
45
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
The reports of the Librarian and Treasurer are hereto sub- joined, which show in detail the actual receipts and expen- ditures of the library and the usefulness and results obtained therefrom.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN V. BEAL, President of the Board of Trustees.
Randolph, January 1, 1909.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Trustees of the Turner Library:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My report of the Library and its work for the year 1908 is herewith submitted.
I can scarcely realize that nearly thirty-three years have passed since I assumed the duties of Librarian. That they have been pleasant years is very largely a resultant of two important and very essential conditions, viz: a fondness for and interest in the work; and secondly, the unfailing courtesy and encouragement by your Honorable Board.
Circulating Department.
During the year the Library has been open 274 days. The total circulation of books for home use has been 25,040. The daily average has been 91+.
The largest daily issue was on December 22, when 390 were taken.
46
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
The smallest daily issue was on January 7, when 4 were taken.
The total number of accessioned books for the year has been 561, making the present number of volumes in the Library 21,791.
The number of registered card holders is now 1,690.
Our Library is no exception to the seemingly universal rule that far too much time and expense must be devoted to the Fiction Department, but it is the old, old story ever re- peated; a problem in profit and loss, the satisfactory solu- tion of which seems very difficult.
Reference Department.
It would be a pleasure could I furnish you a full and exhaus- tive report of what has been accomplished here. Suffice it to say, that intelligent and persistent use has been made of the valuable works stored in this room and it is very gratify- ing to know that there is an increasing number of the studious and thoughtful, who are earnest enough and ambitious enough to labor for more permanent improvement. Your Librarian is actively encouraging such investigation and his efforts seem well appreciated.
Reading Room.
For the first full year since the founding of the Library, the Reading Room has become what every well conducted Reading Room should be: a bright, cleanly, cheerful, well appointed room, in short, a quiet and restful place free to all who desire to enjoy and profit by its appointment.
Art Exhibit.
The Library has received and placed on exhibition fifteen collections of photographs, all furnished by the Massachusetts Art Club.
47
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Rise of Sculpture No. 1 .- Rise of Sculpture No. 2-Corot. Jamaica-Famous Pictures No. 2 .- Switzerland No. 1 .- York. Babies in Art-New Brunswick-Mexico-Representative Art. Scotland No. 2 .- Greece No. 3 .- Birds-Hawaii.
Miss Belcher is giving excellent satisfaction and is proving herself a useful and faithful assistant.
Mr. Poole as custodian of the Reading Room is certainly "the right man in the right place."
Again thanking the Trustees for their unfailing kindness and indulgence, 1 remain,
Very respectfully, CHARLES C. FARNHAM, Librarian.
48
1908
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total, 1908
Total, 1907
Number of days open
26
24
25
25
25
26
9
13
25
26
24
26
274
274
Total circulation
2,293
2,289
2,625
2,384
2,180
2,424
757
927
1,767
2,174
2,575
2,845
22,038
Average daily circulation.
88+
97
106
95
87
97
84
71
71
84
107
109
25,040 91+
81-
Date of largest circulation.
Largest circulation
379
228
322
275
281
265
325
140
253
348
340
390
390
336
Date of smallest circulation ....
Jan. 7
Smallest circulation.
4
34
20
25
26
31
41
25
30
30
34
37
4
5
Volumes added.
561
624
Total volumes in library
21,791
21,230
Registered card holders.
1,500
1,690
Fines collected.
$44.00
$47.00
Reading room attendance*
444
224
322
558
788
1,035
886
4,257
* Record began in June.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES C.ĮFARNHAM,
Librarian.
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
49
.
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE TREASURER.
January 1, 1909.
To the Trustees of the Turner Free Library:
In compliance with the requirements of the by-laws, I here- with submit my annual report as Treasurer of Turner Free Library.
RECEIPTS.
Income Turner Fund
$502 00
Income R. W. Turner Fund.
800 00
Rent of Randolph Savings Bank
300 00
Rent, C. Fred Lyons .
250 00
Rent, Ladies' Library Association
15 00
Fines and collections
35 00
Randolph Savings Bank fuel 1907
113 16
Interest bank deposit. 1 26
Interest Boston Elevated bonds .
225 00
Town Randolph insurance 1907
175 00
Balance January 1, 1908.
447 33
$2,863 75
DISBURSEMENTS.
Paid for books
$330 41
Paid for periodicals.
113 38
Paid for book binding 129 57
Salary of Librarian
500 00
Salary of Assistant Librarian
250 00
Salary of Janitor.
137 50
Salary of Custodian
209 00
Electric light and lamps
126 89
Supplies .
22 41
50
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
Express
$12 95
Repairs. 62 65
Cleaning books and fixtures
100 00
Library Art Club
6 00
Fuel . 249 50
Printing 7 00
Rent Safe Deposit box 10 00
Rent Post Office box 2 40
Insurance. 262 50
Balance December 31, 1908
331 59
$2,863 75
The Turner Fund is invested in: EACH
1 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. bond of $1,000
2 Chicago & West Michigan bonds. 1,000
1 Old Colony R. R. bond .
1,000
1 Western Telephone & Telegraph bond of 1,000
1 New York Central & Hudson River R. R. bond of
1,000
2 Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western R. R. bonds of 500
3 Union Pacific bonds of . 500
33 Shares of the preferred stock of the Union Pacific R.R.
The Royal W. Turner Legacy is invested in: EACH
10 Old Colony R. R. bonds of $1,000
10 Wayne County, Michigan, bonds of 1,000
The remaining funds of the Library are represented by: 5 Bonds Boston Elevated R. R. of $1,000 each.
Respectfully submitted,
N. IRVING TOLMAN,
Treasurer.
51
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF RANDOLPH
FOR 1908
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
ROYAL T. MANN, Chairman. REDMOND P. BARRETT, Secretary.
ROYAL T. MANN
Term expires 1909
REDMOND P. BARRETT
Term expires 1910
EDWARD LONG
. Term expires 1911
Trustees of the Stetson School Fund
ROYAL T. MANN, Chairman. FRED M. FRENCH, Secretary.
ROYAL T. MANN .
Term expires 1909
REDMOND P. BARRETT
. Term expires 1910
EDWARD LONG
. Term expires 1911
Superintendent of Schools WATSON C. LEA.
Residence, Holbrook. Telephone, Randolph 48-1.
Office, School Committee Rooms. Tuesday, 3 to 4 o'clock P. M.
Regular meeting of the School Committee last Friday of the month, 7.30 P. M.
School Calendar, 1909-1910
Open 4 January, 1909
Close 2 April
Vacation 2 weeks 13 weeks
Open 20 April (term begins 19 April)
Close 25 June
Summer Vacation 10 weeks
10 weeks
Open 7 September (term begins 6 September)
Close 17 December
Vacation 2 weeks
15 weeks
Open 3 January, 1910
Close 18 March .
Vacation 2 weeks
Open 4 April
Close 24 June .
12 weeks
11 weeks
LEGAL HOLIDAYS in Term Time: 22 February, 1909; 19 April, 1909; 31 May (Monday) 1909; 6 September, 1909; Thanksgiving Day, 1909; 22 February, 1910; 19 April, 1910; 30 May, 1910.
54
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
Report of the School Committee.
To the Citizens of Randolph :
The School Committee make and submit for your consider- ation their annual report for the year ending December 31, 1908.
During the summer vacation much needed repairs were made at the Tower Hill School.
The leaky condition of the roof made it necessary to shingle both sides. Two coats of outside paint were applied to the building, and a new fence was built on three sides of the lot, thus putting the property in better condition than it has been for some years.
At the North Grammar it was found necessary to build a new and much larger porch, to allow the new, outward-swing- ing door more space. A new fence was built on the south side of the lot, an improvement which was much needed.
At the Prescott building two rooms were thoroughly reno- vated.
The long deferred hopes and aspirations of the citizens of the town and its teachers and pupils are about to be real- ized, as the new High School building is now completed and will be ready for occupancy when the spring term opens.
Much new furniture, in addition to what the school already has, will be needed, for which a larger appropriation will be required, for supplies.
55
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
We must also ask for an increase in the appropriation for fuel and care of rooms.
There are outstanding bills, which through delay in correc- tion and re-verification we could not present for payment until after the Town Treasurer and Selectmen had closed their books, and which if paid would leave a very small balance. Therefore we ask that the balance, $387.59, be appropriated to meet unpaid bills of 190S.
The school census, taken in September, 190S, shows the number of children between the ages of five and fifteen to be 721, a gain of 10 over -1907 and an increase of 92 since 1905.
A detailed statement of expenditures and receipts in this department for the year ending December 31, 1908, is annexed to this report.
The Committee ask the town to raise and appropriate the following sums of money to meet the expenses of the school for the year ending December 31, 1909.
For Teaching
$S,400 00
Care of rooms
1,000 00
Fuel .
S50 00
Books and supplies.
1,400 00
Miscellaneous, incidental and general repairs
1,100 00
Transportation of pupils.
400 00
Superintendent of Schools 600 00
School Committee 300 00
Stetson High School
2,600 00
$16,650 00
Less estimate revenue from dog tax, State School Fund and Coddington Fund. $1,100 00
56
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
State, for Superintendent of Schools $300 00
State, for salaries of teachers. . .
200 00
$1,600 00
$15,050 00
Respectfully submitted,
ROYAL T. MANN, R. P. BARRETT, EDWARD LONG, School Committee.
It is with deep regret that we, the colleagues of Mr. Royal T. Mann of the School Board, learn of his decision to retire from office at the close of the present term.
We feel that his many years of service as chairman, his intimate knowledge of school affairs, the deep interest he felt in the welfare of the schools and the zeal which he dis- played in the discharge of duty make his retirement a distinct loss to the school interests of the town.
R. P. BARRETT, EDWARD LONG, School Committee.
EXPENDITURES FOR SCHOOLS, 1908.
For Teaching (38 weeks).
Paid Nelson Freeman $1,000 00
Joseph Belcher. 1,000 00
Katherine A. Kiley 488 00
57
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Paid Ellen P. Henry
$459 87
Hannah F. Hoye.
450 00
Katherine E. Sheridan 437 00
Mary E. Wren .
418 00
Ellen E. Mclaughlin
418 00
Kitty R. Molloy.
418 00
Fannie A. Campbell
418 00
Sarah C. Belcher
418 00
Clara A. Tolman (25 weeks)
275 00
Fanny Devine.
418 00
Ina L. Parlin .
418 00
Katherine J. Riley
418 00
Ellen R. Farrington (13 weeks)
143 00
Clara L. Harlow 156 00
Rose G. Hand
125 00
$7,877 87
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Paid Watson C. Lea
$600 00
FUEL FOR SCHOOLS.
Paid D. B. White, coal. $201 75
B. F. Hayden, coal 218 84
M. E. Leahy, coal. 276 50
Edwin M. Mann, wood
38 25
M. E. Leahy, wood . 34 00
$769 34
58
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
CONVEYING PUPILS.
Paid Old Colony St. Railway
$310 00
W. L. Paul 30 00
$340 00
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
Paid American Book Co. $226 42
Ginn & Co.
219 98
J. L. Hammet Co. 131 28
Remington Typewriter Co.
104 20
Smith Premier Typewriter Co
37 75
Kenny Bros. & Wolkins 90 05
L. E. Knott Appr. Co 72 74
M. A. Atherton 39 00
D. C. Heath Co.
30 52
Silver Burdett Co .
37 54
Houghton Mifflin Co
36 87
E. E. Babb Co.
31 01
Educational Publishing Co
10 00
Carter Rice Co 13 23
Thorpe & Martin
9 61
Milton Bradley Co.
4 89
Adams Cushing & Foster 3 05
O. Ditson Co. 2 05
Allyn & Bacon 2 00
Hunt Pen Co 1 50
14 00
A. B. Dick Co
W. C. Lea, cash paid 14 73
$1,132 42
59
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
CARE OF ROOMS.
Paid John P. Rooney $368 00
S. M. Clark. 184 00
A. S. Frier . 80 00
Wm. H. Carroll. 39 58
Eleanor Holbrook . 43 00
A. W. Alden 6 00
$720 58
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Paid Royal T. Mann
$100 00
R. P. Barrett . 100 00
Edward Long 100 00
$300 00
GENERAL EXPENSE.
Paid Dexter Clark
$1 00
Taunton Lumber Co.
4 49
Standard Printing Co
10 85
Albert E. Perry
1 10
E. A. Perry . 44 48
Wm. Carroll.
8 85
M. E. Leahy
7 00
Timothy Lyons
9 90
Fred M. French, Insurance
22 00
60
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
Paid H. W. Pratt, insurance $25 00
Jos. T. Leahy, insurance 15 00
E. W. Campagna 143 27
John P. Rooney
32 85
Royal T. Mann 5 62
M. K. Hill
22 40
W. E. Sheldon.
12 25
Randolph and Holbrook Electric Light Co.
40 21
F. W. Hayden. .
5 47
P. H. Mclaughlin.
1 88
Nelson Freeman, cash paid
1 00
Joseph Belcher, cash paid
1 12
Ellen R. Farrington .
6 97
Register Publishing Co
4 00
R. E. O'Brien 138 77
Geo. A. Roel .
2 00
C. A. Lyman .
7 50
O. C. Piano Co .- G. Washburn 3 00
Jas. F. Hurley.
94 00
Andrew Hayes 7 50
H. F. Libby 124 78
Geo. F. Taylor 85 63
A. S. Frier . 38 75
Baldwin & Robbin
1 13
D. J. Green Co
2 00
H. C. Dimond
3 50
Wm. McElwain
15 50
W. J. Dobbinson
8 00
Stone & Forsyth 6 25
W. F. Barrett. 20 00
F. J. Donohue . 20 00
E. L. Payne. 20 00
Wm. Dear .. 12 50
Estate C. H. Nichols 28 23
61
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Paid C. F. Lyons
$23 02
Jas. Fardy. 1 50
Eugene Thayer
5 77
C. D. Hill .
1 19
$1,097 23
SUMMARY.
Appropriation (net) .
$13,625 00
Rec'd. City of Boston-Tuition. 19 00
State Board Charity Tuition
156 00
State on acct. Superintendent
500 00
Massachusetts School Fund
868 80
Interest Coddington Fund
64 00
Dog tax.
492 23
Total $15,725 03
EXPENSES.
Paid for Teaching.
$7,877 87
Superintendent.
600 00
Fuel.
769 34
Conveying pupils
340 00
Books and supplies
1,132 42
Care of rooms . 720 58
General expense
1,097 23
School Committee.
300 00
Sec'y. Trustees S. H. S. Fund
2,500 00
Total. $15,337 44
Balance . $387 59
62
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
Stetson School Fund.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
To the Citizens of Randolph:
There has been no change in the investment of this fund since our last annual report. The fund now is invested as follows, the valuation being at par :
4 Shares State National Bank. $400 00
10 Shares Atlantic National Bank. 1,000 00
10 Shares Boylston National Bank 1,000 00
10 Shares Old Boston National Bank 1,000 00
8 Shares Webster & Atlas National Bank 800 00
5 Shares New England National Bank. 500 00
7 Northern Pacific & Great Northern 4% bonds 7,000 00
2 Boston & Maine 4% bonds . 2,000 00
2 American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 4% bonds 2,000 00
Deposit in Randolph Savings Bank 3,312 66
1 Piano in Stetson Hall 200 00
$19,212 66
The Turner Fund is invested in 1 City of Minneapolis, Minn., bond, $1,000.00. The report of the Secretary, Fred M. French, Esq., is hereunto annexed.
Respectfully submitted,
ROYAL T. MANN, R. P. BARRETT, EDWARD LONG, Trustees Stetson School Fund.
63
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Randolph, January 26, 1909.
The undersigned, Selectmen of Randolph, having this day made an examination of the accounts of the Trustees of the Stetson High School Fund for the year 1908, find them correct.
The investments for the fund are as follows, viz:
7 Northern Pacific & Great Northern 4% joint bonds at $1,000. $7,000 00
2 American Telephone & Telegraph 4% bonds at $1,000 2,000 00
2 Boston & Maine R. R. 4% bonds at $1,000 Deposit in Randolph Savings Bank
2,000 00
10 Shares Atlantic National Bank . 3,312 66
1,000 00
10 Shares Old Boston National Bank. 1,000 00
10 Shares Boylston National Bank. 1,000 00
8 Shares Webster & Atlas National Bank 800 00
5 Shares New England National Bank. 500 00
4 Shares State National Bank 400 00
Piano in Stetson Hall 200 00
$19,212 66
We also find in the hands of the Secretary a $1,000 bond of the City of Minneapolis, Minn., the investment for the Turner Fund.
PATRICK H. MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN E. McDONALD, CHARLES H. THAYER,
Selectmen.
64
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
DR.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN ACCOUNT WITH
1908.
To balance of old account
$42 83 2,500 00
town appropriation for the year
bank dividends, Atlantic
$60 00
Webster & Atlas
52 00
Old Boston
50 00
Boylston
40 00
New England
30 00
State
28 00
$260 00
interest on N. P. & G. N. bonds
80 00
interest on Am. Telephone and Telegraph bonds
80 00
interest on Boston & Maine R. R. bonds
80 00
rent of hall for the year
137 00
$3,379 83
66
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
THE STETSON HIGH SCHOOL FUND.
CR.
1908.
By paying F. E. Chapin, salary to Dec. 31
$1,399 92
Nellie M. Stearns, salary to Dec. 31
549 96
Katherine F. Garrity, salary to June 30
332 87
Blanche M. Gavin, salary to Dec. 31
217 09
Mary W. Henderson, salary to June 30
145 20
Gladys S. Jennison, salary to Dec. 31
94 71
Rose G. Hand, musical instructor
75 00
Arthur W. Alden, janitor
112 00
Estate of Charles Doughty, lighting and supplies
99 05
Register Publishing Co., printing
81 00
R. E. O'Brien, labor and material
69 13
C. Fred Lyons, supplies
20 30
Edward A. Perry, labor
22 05
Edwin M. Mann, wood
24 00
M. E. Leahy, coal
35 00
M. E. Leahy, cleaning vault
5 00
Dexter T. Clark, repairing clocks
4 00
George V. Higgins, M. D., services
5 00
George H. Glover, tuning pianos
5 00
Old Colony Piano Co., tuning pianos
5 00
Frank F. Smith, charcoal
12 80
Edson N. Roel, labor
5 80
Trustees and secretary, services
20 00
Balance
39 95
$3,379 83
RANDOLPH, JANUARY 26, 1909.
The undersigned have this day examined the accounts of the secretary of the Stetson School Fund and find the same correct, with proper vouchers for all orders drawn.
PATRICK H. MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN E. McDONALD, CHARLES H. THAYER, Selectmen of Randolph.
67
REPORT
OF THE
Superintendent of Schools
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
Randolph, December 31, 1908.
Gentlemen of the School Committee:
I submit herewith my second annual report, the eighth in the series of superintendents' reports.
SUMMARY FOR YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1908.
Population of Randolph, census of 1905 4,034 Children between the ages of 5 and 15, school census
September, 1908:
Boys. 357
Girls 364
Total 721
Children between the ages of 7 and 14 (period of com- pulsory attendance), school census September, 1908:
Boys 264
Girls 285
Total 549
70
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
Number enrolled in all schools:
Boys.
350
Girls 366
Total 716
Average membership 674
Average attendance 640
Per cent. of attendance based on average membership Number of pupils under 5 years of age 11
95
Number of pupils between 5 and 15
664
Number of pupils between 7 and 14.
474
Number of pupils over 15.
44
Number not absent, tardy or dismissed.
39
Number not absent or tardy (exclusive of preceding item)
12
Number of grade promotions 581
Number of school buildings 6
Number of schools keeping separate registers 16
Number of regular teachers
18
Number of special teachers:
(a) Drawing-1. (b) Music-1. (c) Stenography and Typewriting-1. Total 3
3
Number of teachers who have graduated from college Number of teachers who have graduated from Normal School
5
Number who have attended Normal School without graduating
1
Number of different pupils attending High School dur- ing the year 1907-1908 103
Number graduated from High School in June, 1908: Boys, 3. Girls, 10. Total. 13
Number admitted to High School in September, 1907: Boys, 22. Girls, 28. Total. 50
Number graduated from the eighth grade in June, 1908 55
71
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL ENROLLMENT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
Year ending June 30, 1902. 715
Year ending June 30, 1903. 695
Year ending June 30, 1904. 712
Year ending June 30, 1905 699
Year ending June 30, 1906. 726
Year ending June 30, 1907 729
Year ending June 30, 1908 716
ATTENDANCE.
Attendance, always good, has improved in the past year. With a smaller enrollment for 1908 than for 1907 (716 against 729), we have a larger average attendance-640 against 623.
The average per cent. of attendance for the town for Septem- ber, October and November, 1908, is 97.21, as against 95.81 for the same months in 1907.
72
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
SIGHT AND HEARING TESTS-1908.
The tests have been made by our teachers during the fall term of 1908, in accordance with the law, using the methods and apparatus therein required. The results are indicated in the following table:
TABLE I SUMMARY OF SIGHT AND HEARING TESTS RANDOLPH, 1908-1909
Schools
Number of
pupils enrolled
Number with
defective eyesight
Number with
defective hearing
Number of
parents and guar-
dians notified
Remarks
Stetson High Prescott
118
19
7
24
8.
38
4*
2
3
7
38
2
0
0
6
49
9
0
3
5
50
6
4
10
4.
41
7
0
5
3
43
10
0
9
2
48
2
0
1
1
56
3
0
2
North
7-8
6
5
216
60
22
32
3-4
1-2
1-4
20
1
0
0
Has glasses
West Corner 1-3.
31
2
3
5
Totals
748
125
38
94
10 others wear glasses *3 of these wear glasses These 2 wear glasses Six with glasses
Inspection of these figures shows that about one-quarter of the pupils in the High School have defective sight.
Ten High School pupils have glasses which probably cor- rect the trouble largely, but nineteen others have more or less defective eyes as yet unprovided for. The record of the examination shows that a few of these are very bad, the vision ranging from one-fifth to one twenty-fifth of normal in one or both eyes.
73
Tower Hill
SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Two cases of entire blindness in one eye are reported, whether from accident or from other cause is not stated.
One-sixth of the entire town enrollment is reported as having more or less defective sight, while between five and six per cent. are defective in hearing. This, while serious, is a better showing than that of the state at large in 1906, its averages then being 22.3 per cent. for eyes and 6.3 per cent. for ears (p. 89, Seventy-first Report of Massachusetts Board of Education).
GENERAL RESULTS OF TESTS IN RANDOLPH.
Three annual tests of the eyes and ears of pupils have now been made by our teachers in obedience to the law of 1906, and the records preserved for study and comparison.
Inquiry of the Principals shows that on the whole the par- ents have responded most commendably to the notices of defects. Exact figures are not available, but there seems to be no doubt that much good has been accomplished. Chil- dren have been taken to oculists or to eye and ear dispen- saries or clinics at hospitals in or near Boston. Thus treated, they are now doing their school work successfully, and in bodily comfort. Much still remains to be done. The state report above referred to says:
" Many parents cannot afford to have suitable glasses for their children. Every school committee should deal with this problem in a systematic and business-like way. Ar- rangements should be made with reputable oculists to furnish suitable glasses at a minimum price, and means should be found to pay for them. If the money appropriated for the schools cannot be used for them, private charity should be invoked for the purpose."
74
TOWN OF RANDOLPH.
In conclusion it may be said that we are not likely to over- estimate the importance of caring for the eyes and ears as well as the general health of our children. The conviction is rapidly growing that the development of healthy, vigorous bodies in the rising generation is a matter of gravest public responsibility.
NEW EQUIPMENT.
In order to secure earlier mastery of the mechanics of read- ing, together with better interpretation and expression, the method and apparatus used in the primary schools of New- ton, and widely adopted in New England, have just been placed in our first two grades.
Some new supplementary reading, such as Scudder's "Life of Washington," has been placed in the eighth grade. More is greatly needed. A new and up-to-date series of arithme- tics has been placed in all grades except the first and second. New language books have been selected and will be put in shortly. The course of study in this subject is in process of revision.
SPELLING.
It is often said that the children of today do not spell so well as those who went to school with our fathers and grand- fathers. It is feared, and probably with some reason, that the tendency to crowd the curriculum with new subjects makes for superficial work. Opinions differ on this point, however.
It may be of interest, therefore, to examine carefully the results of a test in spelling which was first given by Mr. Samuel
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Parish, Second Principal of Springfield, Mass., High School, in 1846, to his eighty-five pupils. The papers written by these pupils have been preserved. This same test was given to the one hundred and ten pupils of Stetson High School present on the morning of December 18, 1908. No previous notice or preparation was had. The following table shows the two sets of results :
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