USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1875 > Part 9
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also make such by-laws as shall be most conducive to the welfare of such children, and to the good order of such city or town; and shall provide suitable places for the confinement, discipline and instruction of such chil- dren : provided, that said by-laws shall be approved by the superior court or a justice thereof, or by the judge of probate of the county.
SECT. 2. The school committee of the several cities and towns shall appoint and fix the compensation of two or more suitable persons, to be designated as truant officers, who shall, under the direction of said com- mittee, inquire into all cases arising under such by- laws, and shall alone be authorized, in case of violation thereof, to make complaint and carry into execution the judgment thereon, (and may serve all legal processes issued by the courts in pursuance of (this) act, but shall not be entitled to or receive any fees therefor.)
SECT. 3. Any minor convicted under such by-law of being an habitual truant, or of wandering about in the streets or public places of any city or town, having no lawful employment or business, not attending school and growing up in ignorance, shall be committed to any institution of instruc- tion or suitable situation provided for the purpose under the authority of section one, of this act, or by-law, for such time not exceeding two years as the justice or court having jurisdiction may determine. Any minor so committed may, upon proof of amendment, or for other sufficient cause shown upon a hearing of the case, be discharged by such justice or court.
CITY ORDINANCE CONCERNING TRUANTS.
The following Ordinance was passed by the City Council June 8, 1874, and approved by George M. Brooks, Judge of Probate Court :
" The Lowell Institution for the reformation of juvenile offenders, at Lowell, County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, is hereby assigned and provided as the institution of instruction or suitable situation men- tioned in Sect. 3, Chap. XLII, of the General Statutes."
RULE OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Teachers are expected to use all suitable means to prevent truancy and to reclaim truants. When such means prove inadequate. the principal shall report offenders to the truant officer, who shall return them to the school and give suitable warning of the consequences of their offence. Whenever such warning is unheeded and the practice of truancy is still obstinately pursued, offenders shall be considered proper subjects for the disposal of the police court.
141
TEXT-BOOKS.
The following are the General Statutes defining the duty of the School Committee in relation to supplying pupils with text-books :
CHAPTER 38, SECTIONS 28, 30, 31, 32.
SECT. 28. The school committee shall direct what books shall be used in the public schools, and no change shall be made in said books except by the unanimous consent of the whole board, unless the committee con- sists of more than nine, and questions relating to school books are intrusted to a sub-committee In that case, the consent of two-thirds of the whole number of said sub-committee, with the concurrent vote of three-fourths of the whole board, shall be requisite for such change. If any change is made, each pupil then belonging to the public schools, and requiring the substituted book, shall be furnished with the same by the school committee, at the expense of said town.
SECT. 30. If any scholar is not furnished by his parent, master or guardian, with the requisite books he shall be supplied therewith by the school committee at the expense of the town.
SECT. 31. The school committee shall give notice in writing to the assess- ors of the town of the names of the scholars supplied with books under the provisions of the preceding section, of the books so furnished, the prices thereof, and the names of the parents, masters or guardians who ought to have supplied the same. The assessors shall add the price of the books to the next annual tax of such parents, masters or guardians; and the amount so added shall be levied, collected and paid into the town treasury, in the same manner as the town taxes.
SECT. 32. If the assessors are of the opinion that any parent, master or guardian is unable to pay the whole expense of the books so supplied, on his account, they shall omit to add the price of such books, or shall add only a part thereof, to his annual tax, according to their opinion of his ability to pay.
Pursuant to these Statute requirements, the School Committee have adopted the following rule :
CHAP. 1, SECT. 28. Scholars to be supplied with books. Every scholar shall be furnished with all the books used by the class to which he belongs. Whenever parents or guardians neglect to procure suitable books or materials for school use, the several sub-committees, on behalf of the school committee, are authorized to carry out the provisions of the statute on this subject. General Statutes, Chapter 28, Sections 30, 31.
During the last week of March, annually, the several principals shall
142
return to the secretary of this board, a complete list of the books fur- nished in their respective buildings, with the prices thereof, the dates of the purchase of the same, the names of the scholars for whom purchased and the names of their parents or guardians. It shall be the duty of the secretary to furnish the information contained in these returns to the assessors of the city, on or before the first day of April in each year.
The Legislature of 1873 passed the following law :
CHAP. 106, SECT. 1. Any city, by an ordinance of the city council, and any town by legal vote, may authorize the school committee to pur- chase text-books for use in the public schools, said text-books to be the property of the city or town, and to be loaned to pupils under such regu- lations as the school committee may provide.
Several important cities and towns have already availed them- selves of the permission granted them by this law, and are furnish- ing to all the pupils in the public schools text-books at the public expense.
It may not be deemed expedient, at the present time, for Som- erville to follow the example of those places ; but the following considerations are worthy of attention.
If text-books were furnished to all of the pupils free of cost, our public schools would become, in all respects, free schools. Those who are unable to provide themselves with books, would be spared the inconvenience consequent upon the present mode of obtaining them, and the mortification incident to a frequent and public reminder of their poverty. A great saving of expense would fol- low, since the books would be purchased by the city at wholesale prices, and would be used by successive classes until they are worn out. Time would be saved also. Many pupils are now compelled to forego the advantages of entering school promptly at the very beginning of the school year, in consequence of the negli- gence or inability of their parents to provide suitable books. Un- der the present arrangement, the benefactions of the city are fre- quently bestowed upon those who are undeserving of them, and withheld from those who are deserving, but too sensitive to reveal their poverty. Again, our schools are composed largely of children
143
whose parents are permanent residents of the city ; but they contain, also, a large class of transient pupils. This is apparent from the fact that the whole number of different pupils connected with the schools during the year, exceeds the number in attendance at any one time, ten hundred and twelve. It not unfrequently happens that entire families of several children, are supplied with all the books needful for their use at public cost, and after a few weeks, only, leave the city, carrying their books with them. The complications incident to a needful change of text-books, under the present arrangement, would be avoided were they furnished by the city.
The following is an exhibit of the cost, to each pupil, of the books used in the several departments of the schools ; the cost of all the books now in use in the public schools ; and the estimated annual expense to the city, provided all the books were free.
Cost per scholar in the Primary Schools,
$1 50
66
Grammar
12 86
66
66 66 66 High
30 90
66
6 66
for the entire course, 45 26
Cost of all books now in use in our public schools, $12,058 00
Primary Schools,
$1,217 00
Grammar Schools, . 9,254 00
High School, . .
1,587 00
Estimated annual cost based upon the supposition that a set of text-books would last three years, and that two sets of writing-books and drawing-books would be required each year,
. $4,819 00
EVENING SCHOOL.
At a meeting of the School Board, held October 16th, a Commit- tee, consisting of the chairmen of the several local Committees, was appointed to make arrangements for an evening school for all persons over fourteen years of age, who may wish to attend. Ar- rangements having been perfected, the school was opened in the hall on the corner of Washington and Prospect streets, Monday evening, December 6th, and is in successful operation. It contains about one hundred and fifty pupils of both sexes, varying in age from fourteen to thirty years, and is divided into two divisions,- each division meeting three times a week, upon alternate evenings.
The principal of the school is assisted by two male teachers and three female teachers. This comparatively large number of teach- ers is a necessity, since it is impracticable to classify the pupils, and most of the instruction is individual.
The school-room is commodious and pleasant. The pupils are orderly and studious, and evince a strong desire for improvement. We are warranted in anticipating great good from the school to this large number of persons whose circumstances prevent them from availing themselves of other means of instruction,
EXPENDITURES.
BY THE CITY COUNCIL :
Repairs,
$8,355 60
Heating Apparatus,
3,650 26
Furniture,
·
·
1,016 14
Fuel,
5,183 68
Rent,
647 30
Grading,
245 40
Sewers,
275 84
Sidewalks,
278 09
Insurance,
570 00
$20,222 31
BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
Teachers' salaries,
· $62,674 21
Superintendent's salary,
2,500 00
Janitors' salaries,
.
3,101 14
Truant Officer's salary,
194 44
Stationery and other school supplies, .
1,547 00
Printing,
255 30
Books furnished in accordance with
statute requirements,
1,029 71
Water,
575 96
Gas,
279 98
Miscellaneous,
338 65
$72,496 39
Total expenditures,
$92,718 70
.
.
19
CONCLUSION.
By comparing our schools with those of other cities maintaining an advanced position in the cause of popular education, we can form a correct judgment of their relative standing By frequent and careful examinations we can measure and represent, with a good degree of accuracy, the intellectual progress of our pupils, and can assign them their true position in a graduated scale of advancement. But the moral influences of our schools, which we should regard with the deepest solicitude, words and figures are inadequate to represent. These are ineffaceably stamped upon the hearts of our pupils ; and, as surely as any effect follows its cause, their consequences will, sooner or later, appear in the lives and characters of those whose education we are directing. The seed sown, whether good or evil, will germinate, in due time, and yield a harvest after its kind.
It is a great and noble work to cultivate the understanding, to enrich the mind, to elevate a community intellectually, and to pre- pare the young to perform successfully the practical duties of life and to maintain themselves in honest independence ; but the proper cultivation of the affections, the right development of the moral and religious nature, and the preparation of the young to become good citizens and to adorn and bless by their presence and influence the communities in which they may dwell, is a work of transcendent importance. Especially does correct moral culture commend itself to us, whose free institutions and all the blessings accruing there- from, depend for their perpetuity, upon the virtue as well as intel- ligence of our citizens.
Washington, in his farewell address, says : " Of all the dispo- sitions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports." The experience and fate
147
of other nations teach the important lesson-we do well to heed- that intelligence and the material elements of prosperity are insuffi- cient of themselves to insure the perpetuity of a free govern- ment. Other republics have had their brief period of prosperity, succeeded by sudden decline and extinction, because their citizens were destitute of the essential elements of durability. Upon the altars of the most brilliant of them all, was the inscription; " To THE UNKNOWN GOD." President Quincy says : "The great com- prehensive truths, written upon every page of our history, are these : Human happiness has no perfect security but freedom ; freedom none but virtue; virtue none but knowledge; and neither freedom, nor virtue, nor knowledge has any vigor or immortal hope, except in the principles of the Christian faith and in the sanctions of the Christian religion."
Placing ourselves, therefore, upon the broad platform of Chris- tian morality, where all religious denominations are in harmony, and scrupulously guarding against the introduction to our schools of any instruction favorable or adverse to the tenets of any relig- ious sect, we should avail ourselves of every favorable opportunity to inculcate deeper reverence of heart, an ardent love for " what- soever things are true, and honest, and just, and pure, and lovely and of good report ; " and zealously encourage the practice of all those virtues that elevate and adorn humanity. Believing that our public schools are indispensable auxiliaries in securing the general dissemination of intelligence and virtue upon which alone our government can rest securely, we should endeavor to divest them of whatever may excite reasonable prejudice, and should labor most earnestly to give them a character that will attract to them the support and secure for them the commendations of all thought- ful, considerate men.
Respectfully submitted,
J. H. DAVIS, Superintendent of Public Schools.
Decem 31, 1875.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD,
1875.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, March 6, 1876.
Referred to the Committee on Printing with instructions to print the same in the Annual Report of the City, and sent down for concurrence. CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, March 9, 1876.
Concurred in.
SOLOMON DAVIS, Clerk.
IN WATER BOARD, SOMERVILLE, March 3, 1876.
To the City Council :
In compliance with the provisions of an ordinance of the city, the Somerville Mystic Water Board has the honor to submit here- with their
ANNUAL REPORT,
Presenting in detail a statement of the quantity and size of pipe laid, and the number of fire hydrants and stop gates set during the past year ; and also a statement of the progress and condition of the works at the present time.
The new 12-inch main pipe extending from the reservoir on Walnut Hill, through Packard street to Broadway, and the 10-inch pipe through Broadway and Holland street, prove of great service in equalizing the water pressure at West Somerville ; and there is now no complaint from that section of the city of a lack of water, for either domestic use, or the supply of the fire hydrants
Two additional stand pipes for the supply of watering carts have been set the past season, at the request of the committee of the City Council on watering streets.
The total amount of distribution pipe laid in the streets of the city, to December 31, 1875, is 42 miles, 2,339.4 feet ; number of fire hydrants set, 236 ; number of stop gates, 315 ; of which 1 mile, 2,038 feet of pipe, 10 post hydrants and 24 stop gates have been laid and set during the year 1875.
On account of change in grade of streets, 1,903 feet of distribu- tion pipe have been relaid, 8 hydrants reset and 41 service pipes relaid and lowered ; the relaying of 1,768 feet of pipe being caused
152
by the change of grade in Broadway and the streets tributary thereto.
Two hundred and seventy-seven new service pipes have been laid during the year 1875, the aggregate length of which is 11,356 feet, or 2 miles, 796 feet.
Water is now supplied to 2,953 dwelling-houses, 4,231 families, 102 stores and shops, 23 manufactories, 508 stables, and nearly all the public buildings ; being an increase of 367 dwelling-houses,* 895 families, 36 stores, 1 manufactory and 241 stables, for the year 1875.
The water fixtures in use are designated as follows, viz : 4,344 sinks ; 882 taps ; 752 bath-tubs ; 885 wash-hand basins ; 927 pan, 741 self-acting, and 83 hopper, water closets ; 41 private hydrants ; 26 urinals ; 6 fountains, and 491 hand-hose.
There are now vacant nearly 500 houses, stores and stables, of which nine-tenths are dwelling-houses.
The unprecedented and long continued cold weather of the winter of 1874-5, was the cause of much inconvenience to water takers, and materially increased the maintenance account of the past year ; but the Board deemed it their duty to do all in their power to remedy the inconvenience to the citizens of frozen water pipes, and trusts that no serious repetition of the evil will occur, as many service pipes have been lowered, and the street distribu- tion pipes laid this season have been placed at a greater depth than heretofore.
In the month of January, 1875, a communication was received by the City Government of Somerville. from the Mystic Water Board of the Charlestown district of Boston, in relation to the change in water rates for this city; said communication was referred to this Board, which after consultation with the City So- licitor, prepared and submitted to the City Council a report on the
*The great increase during the year, in the number of families supplied with water, is caused by a change (by the Charlestown Water Board) in the system of rating the families who occupy tenement houses.
153
whole subject of the contract between Charlestown and Somerville, showing the unfavorable circumstances under which this city is placed by the annexation of Charlestown to Boston. After giving a detailed statement of the cost of the works, the interest on cost, cost of maintenance, etc., the report concludes as follows :-
"In view of this exhibit it is evidently highly important, if possible, to adopt measures to prevent the continuance of such an increasing demand on the finances of the city. This Board has no power to act in the prem- ises; that authority belongs to the City Council; nevertheless it has given some consideration to the subject, and most respectfully submits the fol- lowing suggestions."
"The inequality of the rights of the respective parties under that con- tract is so manifest, that it is reasonable to believe that the city of Bos- ton, upon a proper presentation of the matter would be willing to consent to such modifications of the contract, as to relieve Somerville from the manifest hardship which she now endures. "
"But should that city upon a proper application from Somerville, de- cline to take any action, and insist upon the present terms of the contract, it may perhaps become necessary for the City Council to consider whether relief cannot be obtained by some other method."
The report above referred to, and quoted from, was accepted, and the recommendations adopted by the City Council, on the 15th of September, 1875 ; and on the 25th of October following, an order was passed by the City Council "authorizing the Somerville Mystic Water Board to make application to the city of Boston for a modification of the contract heretofore entered into between the town of Somerville and the city of Charlestown, dated September 21, 1868."
In conformity to the above order, the Water Board after con- sultation, and a conference with Water Boards of the city of Chel- sea and the town of Everett, who have similar contracts and are equally interested, made an application to the City Council of Boston for a hearing on the subject ; similar applications were made by the Water Boards of Chelsea and Everett.
In answer to our application, a hearing was granted before the Committee on Water, of the Boston City Council, at which this
20
154
Board appeared, and presented to the best of their ability the rea- sons for asking for a modification of the contract.
No answer has yet been received to our application, and the case is still in abeyance, but we trust ere long to be able to submit to the City Council, a modified contract for their consideration.
The works have been under the general superintendence of Mr. Benjamin Almy, who has performed his duty in a satisfactory manner. Mr. Joshua E. Eldredge has also been a valuable man on the works.
The engineering has been under the direction of Mr. Charles D. Elliot, the City Engineer.
You are referred to the report of the Superintendent, herewith presented, containing a tabular statement of the amount of pipe laid, and other work performed during the year 1875, as also an inventory of stock and tools on hand at the workshop.
The cost of the Works is as follows :-
Value December 31, 1874, $307,672 08 Expended during the year 1875, including stock now on hand, 12,398 65
Value of 12 stand pipes, set during the years 1874 and 1875, at the request of the committee on Watering streets, and paid for from the appropri- ation for Miscellaneous Accounts,
977 11
Total, $321,047 84
The Board desires to express their thanks to the Commission- ers, Registrar and Superintendent of the Mystic Water Works. for the continued courtesies extended to them the past year.
C. E. RYMES R. A. VINAL, CUTLER DOWNER, HORACE HASKINS, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM.
STATEMENT SHOWING TOTAL LENGTH OF DISTRIBUTION WATER PIPE LAID IN SOMERVILLE, TO JANUARY 1, 1876.
Feet. 12 Inch.
Feet. 10 Inch.
Feet. 8 Inch.
Feet. 6 Inch.
Feet. 4 Inch.
Fcet. 3 Inch.
Fcet. 2 Inch.
Total Miles and Feet.
Miles.
Feet.
Laid previous to 1875. Laid in 1875
8,542.6
4,144.
28,277.6 86,122.7 80,658.
7,289.5
1,747.
41
301.4
442.
2,819.
3,900.
157.
1
2,038.
Total
8,542.6
4,586.
28,277.6 88,941.7 84,558.
7,446.5
1,747.
42
2,339.4
155
15€
To the Somerville Mystic Water Board :
GENTLEMEN, - My Annual Report as Superintendent of the Somerville Mystic Water Works is respectfully submitted, com- prising all work performed under my care during the past year, and also an inventory of materials on hand December 31,1875.
STREET.
PIPE LAID IN 1875. Size of Pipe laid.
Gates set 1875.
Hydrants set 1875.
Feet. 10 in.
Feet 6 in.
Feet. 4 in.
Feet. 3 in.
8 in
6 in. 4 in
3 in. 6 in. 4 in.
Pipe.
Adams. from Broadway ...
399
13
1
1
5₺
Autumn, at Broadway.
Broadway, west side Medford
1
Broadway, east side Franklin Brastow Av., from Lowell ...
432
1
6%
Boston, north from Monroe
183
Crescent, from Washington to Pearl.
530
1
6
Cedar north side Highland Avenue
1
Cedar, between Clyde Murdock
and
1
Easıman Place.
353
1
Hamlet. . .
1
Highland Avenue from Cedar, east.
442
1
10
London
Montrose, from School ..
S85
1
1
6
Mortimer Place, from Mills to Marshall.
258
1
Mills
-
Franklin opposite Webster ... Otis, from Dana to Wiggles- worth
363
1
Professors Row, west from Packard ..
237
1
10
Pearl, from Mt. Vernon to Crescent
329
1
Pembroke, continued to Syca- more-dead end
94
Quincy, Somerville Avenue 10 Summer
832
2
1
7
School, north from Highland Avenue.
8
482
2*
Wyatts Court, from Concord Avenue. ..
207
1
Willow Avenue, north from Appleton
119
1
Wigglesworth.
7
1
1
7
Williams Court, off Porter ... Washington, east from Dane
988
1
2
22
Total.
442
2,819
3,900
157
3
6
13
2
3
7
80
*One is a blow-off.
157
1
1
. .
1
1
1
Hydrant
157
PIPE RELAID ON ACCOUNT OF CHANGE OF STREET GRADE AND HYDRANTS MOVED ON ACCOUNT OF SAME.
No. of Hydrants.
Broadway,
1250 feet 8 in.
2
Cross Street,
191 " 6 "
2
Glen
60 " 6 "
Cedar 66
60 " 6 "
Rush 66
150
4 "
Wigglesworth St.
75 " 4 "
Autumn
75
3 "
Hadley Court,
42 " 4 "
Prospect Street,
1
Pinckney
1
Beacon 66
1
Evergreen Av.,
1
Total, 1903
8
One hydrant replaced at corner of Broadway and Cedar Street broken by unknown team and ten others replaced being out of order : put in blow-off in School Street near Lowell Railroad bridge. Set two stand pipes for watering streets, one at junction of Elm and Summer Streets and one on Washington Street near Myrtle. Re- paired twenty-one leaks on pipe laid in 1873 and 1874, and eleven on pipe laid previous to 1870, and twenty-six on work guaranteed by Patent Water and Gas Pipe Co., and charged to them as per contract amounting to $193.50. Laid in Public Park from end of pipe from what was formerly Winthrop Street 91 feet 4-inch cement and 156 feet cast-iron pipe into pond with one 4-inch gate.
THAWED OUT 680 FEET STREET MAINS, AS FOLLOWS :-
Merriam Street, 75 feet 4 in.
Hamlet 66
50 " 4 "
Fitchburg
125 66 4 "
Monroe
30 66 6 "
Wigglesworth Street, 20 " 4 .
London 66
120 66 4 .
Summit Avenue,
110
4 16
Mystic 66
60
4 66
Franklin 66
90
Total,
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