USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1879 > Part 7
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DISCIPLINE. - To secure good order, which is indispensable to a good school, there must be discipline. The basis of discipline is the right to require and the ability to enforce obedience. When these are recognized, and the will of those in authority is acqui- esced in, there is harmony.
The right of teachers to enforce submission is legalized by the General Statute that places them, while pupils are under their charge, in the position of parents. Communities recognize the right, and when exercised with discretion, it is rarely questioned.
To maintain good discipline in accordance with a prevailing sen- timent adverse to the infliction of corporal punishment, is a prob- lem still in process of solution. On one side- and against the infliction of punishment - stand popular sentiment and the incli- nation and strong desire of those having the schools in charge ; and on the other, what seems to be the ever-recurring necessity for its infliction. Our course is a compromise. We deem it unwise and impracticable to abolish corporal punishment altogether, but it
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is retained as a reserve, to be called to the front only in extreme cases and as a last resort. Even then it is to be used with great discretion.
Teachers who maintain good order without resorting to corporal punishment, or other means equally objectionable, are held in high esteem.
A wise man has said, " If you would control your pupils, control yourself. Provoke them not by petty punishments, by perpetual fault-finding, by continual criticism, by irritating little comments, by changeful moods, by irritation and anger in your own mind." It is said that " The beloved master of Rugby obtained his wonder- ful empire over the hearts of hundreds of rough, daring English boys, because, being the manliest of men. he could fully sympathize with the most boyish of boys ; because, also, he set his foot with terrible earnestness upon evil, first in himself and then in those under him. With faults incident to immaturity he had untiring patience. He expected a boy to be a boy, and while he was the master he was equally the friend."
MORAL CULTURE. - The greatest and noblest work of the public schools is the formation of character, - the proper moral training of the youth composing them.
It is a great and important work to cultivate the intellect, to develop mental power, to furnish the young with the knowledge and the skill that will assist them in the conflict of life and aid them in securing for themselves an honest independence. But when all this is accomplished, our work is but partially and imper- fectly performed if we have neglected the proper moral training of our pupils ; if, in consequence of our instruction, they do not enter upon their life-work with a higher type of manhood, with nobler aims, with greater strength to resist evil, and with a firmer purpose to achieve whatever is noble and true.
We are not in sympathy with the sentiment sometimes expressed, that the cultivation of the intellect is the exclusive province of the public schools. Many events have transpired in our country dur- ing the past few years which indicate great lack of social and civil morality, and weaken our confidence in the opinion so generally entertained, that in the intelligence of the people is to be found the true stability of our free institutions.
Professor Huxley, in commenting upon the dangers which threaten the overthrow of our government, says, " The one condition of
125
success - your sole safeguard - is the moral worth and the intellect- ual clearness of the individual citizen." President Gregory,.of the Illinois Industrial University, says, "The history of nations has over and over again demonstrated the fact that simple intellectual culture, or simple increase of knowledge, will not, in and of itself, make a people moral and upright." He further says, " It is true, that without the moral element in the education of the citizenship of this country, in the common schools, there is no just claim on which our school system can be maintained at public cost."
Each succeeding year strengthens the conviction, long enter- tained, that the first, the paramount duty of every teacher is the proper moral training of his pupils. We deprecate the propaga- tion of any narrow sectarian dogmas in a public school, but we would have our schools permeated with a morality broad as our duties and obligations. This, however, is not to be accom- plished by formal lectures or prosy homilies, but by the pervading presence and influence of a teacher who is quick in observing and wise in improving the ever-recurring opportunities, whose spirit is in full sympathy with his teachings, who is an embodiment of whatever it is desirable that his pupils should become, from whose example will emanate an unconscious but irresistible influence that will leave its impress upon the character of his pupils, and will be manifest in their lives.
We would respectfully solicit the attention of every teacher to the following eloquent words of one amply qualified to impart instruction upon this important subject : " Moral instruction can hardly be made a rigid specialty in common schools, but must be the overwatching spirit, the informing life of all methods of instruction and discipline. Its seat is the soul of the teacher, it must pervade the whole organization of the school. It must travel on with everything else, and its results will be seen in the gradual uplifting of the whole type of school character and conduct, in the raised ideals and the finer aspirations of the community of children. God's way of lighting up the world on a summer morning is to roll the sun over the eastern horizon, and awaken earth and sky and ocean to a glory that transforms creation and leads on the day, through marvellous gradations of shadow and light. The divine method of moral instruction in a common school is that a culti- vated and consecrated man or woman should rise upon it, at nine o'clock in the morning, and lead it through light and shadow, breeze and calm, tempest and tranquillity, to the end. All special
126
methods will flow out of him, as the hours of the day mark the course of the sun through the vault of heaven. In proportion as the teacher is taught of God and abides in the higher life of love, will it be known that moral instruction is the soul of the school."
In closing my twelfth annual report, I wish to express my warmest thanks to you, gentlemen, for your many kindnesses, to the teachers for their uniform and cheerful co-operation, and to the scholars whose respectful and kind greetings I am constantly receiving.
J. H. DAVIS, Superintendent of Public Schools.
DECEMBER 27, 1879.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD.
1879.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Feb. 3, 1880.
Received. Referred to the Committee on Printing, with instructions to print the same in the Annual Report for 1879. Sent down for concur- rence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 3, 1880. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN WATER BOARD, Jan. 14, 1880.
To the City Council of the City of Somerville :
The Somerville Mystic Water Board respectfully submit their annual report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1879, and accompany- ing it the report of the superintendent, embodied in which is a full statement, in detail, of the property of the city in water works, inventory of stock and tools, and the work performed under his direction during the year.
Referring to his report, it will be seen that the total amount of distribution pipe laid in the streets of the city to Dec. 31, 1879, is 44 miles and 4.332 feet.
Number of stop-gates set, 373.
Number of fire hydrants set, 271.
Of these several amounts there have been laid and set, during the year 1879, 3,121 feet of pipe, 3 stop-gates, 2 flush hydrants, and 1 post hydrant.
There have also been laid 81 new service pipes, aggregating in length 5,014 feet, requiring 5,178 feet of trenching. Average cost of each service, $20.81, - an excess over the average cost of the last few years, occasioned by the increased cost of material.
Water is now supplied to 3,515 dwelling-houses, 4,813 families, 162 stores and saloons, 10 churches. 21 offices, halls, and clubs, 27 manufactories, 78 public schools, 584 stables, 271 fire-hydrants, 8 public drinking-fountains, and 40 miscellaneous.
Value of water works, Dec. 31, 1879, $341,000. Details of the expenditures on the construction, maintenance, and service account may be found in the report of the City Treasurer.
In the early part of the year 1879, the special attention of the Board was called by the superintendent, to the decaying condition of the pipe in Cross, Cutter, Franklin, Ellsworth, Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Pleasant Streets. These pipes were laid in 1865 under con- tract with the American Patent Water and Gas Pipe Co., and were warranted for only five years. On examination, their condition was found to be such as demanded early attention, and the Board
9
130
found it necessary to ask a special appropriation that we might relay Mt. Pleasant, Franklin, and Cross Streets.
In Mt. Pleasant Street we have laid 602 feet of six-inch pipe, and in Franklin Street 1,154 feet of eight-inch pipe, using a cast- iron sleeve for the joints, which we believe to be a very great im- provement over the sheet-iron sleeve, in general use, giving greater firmness and solidity to the pipe. and securing a perfect joint.
Cross Street having had considerable expense laid out upon it in repairs, occasioned by several bad breaks that occurred before receiving the appropriation asked for, it, and other business in con- nection with the water works pressing upon us continually, - calls from water-takers on account of the filling up of service pipes, stoppages caused by rusty corporations and gates, breaks in old pipes, and an unusual amount of time required in flushing pipes all through the city, because of the unusual accumulation of matter resulting from the filthy condition of the Mystic water during the last season, - have prevented our relaying that street.
In uncovering the old pipe referred to, we have found that where it was properly covered and lined with good cement. it was well preserved ; and where, as in many instances, it was decayed and worthless, the cement was worthless, being composed largely of sand, or the iron poorly riveted, and offering but little resistance to the pressure upon it. Unfortunately for the city, there is reason to believe that much of the pipe laid in the streets above referred to, and indeed in all the streets where the American Patent Water and Gas Pipe Co. laid four and six inch pipe, will be found in this poor condition, making it necessary for the City Council to grant as large appropriations as may be consistent with the economy that is wisely being practised, that this worthless pipe may, as speedily as possible, be replaced by the superior quality of pipe that is now being made and used by the Board.
The six-inch pipe in Cedar Street, running under the Lowell Rail- road, and thence across the grounds of John O'Connell, which has been a source of trouble and expense during the past three years, burst early in the spring, causing damage to his estate.
The Board decided to lay new pipe a distance of 170 feet, and when removing the old, found it imbedded in muck, and therefore liable to be always out of repair. The new has been laid on a firm foundation, with cast-iron sleeves, and no further trouble is antici- pated.
The two-inch pipe supplying Oakland Avenue gave out in No-
131
vember, depriving about twenty families of water. An examina- tion of the pipe was made, and the joints found to be broken in several places, caused by the settling of an old stone sewer run- ning parallel to it. The Board decided to lay a new six-inch pipe, and also to set a new six-inch hydrant, in connection with it, for the better protection of this locality against fire, and 432 feet of pipe were laid, and a six-inch hydrant was connected with the same, and a six-inch gate leading from Marshall Street.
On account of the building of sewers, 46 feet of six-inch pipe on Walnut Street and 120 feet on Lynde Street were taken up and relaid, the expense of which was charged to the contractors and sewer department.
Repeated petitions have come to the Board, asking to have pipe laid in non-accepted or sparsely occupied streets, which petitions being refused, the Board have suffered much blame. It has been our habit to grant such requests only where the promised income would justify the expense to the city.
Soon after the organization of this Board, a conference was had with his Honor the Mayor, with reference to a modification of the contract made with the city of Charlestown for water, when it be came apparent that his views, and those entertained by the Board and fully expressed in its report of 1878, were not in accord, and that it was his desire to have a special committee of the City Coun- cil make this its special work.
Although the order of July 2, 1878, giving full and discretionary power to the Water Board to act in this matter, seemed to be, and was in our opinion, still laying an obligation on this Board, we yielded to the Mayor's expressed wish, and have taken no action upon this much-vexed question during the year.
This is our answer to the oft-repeated inquiry, " Why does not the Water Board press this question to a settlement ?"
We desire to call attention to the great and growing need of a system of " high service," in connection with our water works, and the demand which we think may with propriety and justice be made on the Boston Water Board for relief.
There are, in our opinion at least, two special reasons why the city government should consider this matter at an early day, and either through its Water Board or by special committee make care- ful inquiry into the best method of meeting the want of a large number of our citizens.
First. The very meagre supply of water afforded those of
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our citizens living on Winter, Spring, and Central Hills, failing to meet their common need, or to offer a reasonable protection against fires ; and ¢
Second. The large territory that would be made available and pay good revenue to the city, were the supply of water in any measure commensurate with the want.
The police have reported thirty-three leaks to this department the past year, thereby saving the city, in many instances, from serious loss, and for the promptness with which they have given us this assistance, we tender them our thanks.
To Mr. Thomas Daley, driver of Hose 1, for valuable assistance rendered on the night when the break occurred on Webster Street, our thanks are also due.
For further information respecting the condition of the water works, we would respectfully refer the City Council to the full and clear report of the superintendent, herewith submitted, whose constant care, day and night, of the city's interests, is deserving of our commendation.
EDWARD FOOTE. EDWIN S. CONANT. A. R. COOLIDGE. MARTIN W. CARR. HERBERT E. HILL.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the Somerville Mystic Water Board :
GENTLEMEN, - The annual report of the Superintendent of the Somerville Mystic Water Works is respectfully submitted, com- prising a statement of all work performed under my direction from Dec. 31, 1878, to Dec. 31, 1879.
Accompanying this report will be found an inventory of the stock, furniture, and tools belonging to the water works.
WATER PIPE LAID, GATES AND HYDRANTS SET, IN 1879.
RIPE
ID.
GATES SET.
LOCATION.
8 in.
6 in.
4 in.
2 in.
6 mn.
4 in.
Hydrants Set.
Belmont Street, north of Summer Street
78
Bond Street, at Heath Street
. .
.
.
.
1
Elm Street, near Morrison Street
118
Irving Street, at Broadway
1
Oakland Avenue, Marshall to School Streets
1
1
Summit Avenue, near Vinal Avenue
52
1
Wallace Street, at Broadway
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
1
118
130
2
1
3
.
.
134
WATER PIPE RELAID.
LOCATION.
8 in.
6 in.
4 in.
2 in.
Austin Street, near Broadway
16
Beacon Street .. .
Boston Street, at Munroe Street
14
Brook Street, at Cross Street
14
Cedar Strect, near Lowell Railroad
170
Cross Street, at Bonair Street .
14
Cutter Street . .
7
Dane Court, at Dane Street
Dover Street, near Herbert Street
1,126
George Street, near Broadway
7
Gilman Street, near Walnut Street
Glen Street, near Webster Street .
Highland Avenue, near Medford Street
120
*Line Street, near Cooney Street Mead Street, at Claremont Street
7
*Mead Street Passageway .
14
14
Mt. Pleasant Street, Broadway to near Perkins St. . Mount Vernon Street, near Broadway .
28
Myrtle Street, near Washington Street Mystie Avenue, near Union Street
14
14
Oakland Avenue, Marshall to School Streets
433
Putnam Street, near Summer Street
7
Somerville Avenue, at Allen Street *Tenney Court, at end
14
7
. * Walnut Street, at Mills Street
46
Walnut Street, near Broadway .
16
Warren Avenue, near Union Square
7
Waverly Street . .
14
Webster Street, Glen to Franklin Street
42
1,147
1,402
288
40
DISTRIBUTION MAINS.
The distribution mains have been extended 248 feet during the year. The wrought-iron and cement pipes laid in Mount Pleasant Street in 1865, Oakland Avenue in 1857, and Franklin Street in 1863-4, and purchased of the city of Charlestown, were in a perishing condition, and have been replaced during the past season by new wrought-iron and cement pipe, with cast-iron clamps at the joints. The two-inch pipe in Oakland Avenue has been replaced by a six-inch pipe.
There are now about forty-five miles of mains laid in the city ; upon this length fifty-one breaks occurred during the past year. These breaks were caused as follows : -
By rust
26
By defective pipe .
14
By settling of earth
8
By picks
9
* Damaged during construction of sewer.
40
Medford Street, near Somerville Avenue Moore Street, near Mcad Street .
602
14
7
Franklin Street, Broadway to Pearl Street
28
135
The pipe in the following streets is in the same condition as mentioned in my last annual report, and in my opinion should be relaid immediately : -
Cross Street, from Pearl Street to Broadway . 1,150 feet. Cutter Street, from Webster Street to Broadway 90
Ellsworth Street, from Cross to Rush Streets 300 “
Mt. Vernon Street, from Perkins Street to Broadway, 600 “
The four-inch pipe in Webster Street, from Franklin to Glen Streets, a distance of four hundred feet, has caused considerable trouble during the year ; three breaks and a number of leaks have been repaired. Wherever examined it has been found in poór condi- tion, and I would recommend the laying of a six-inch pipe in its place.
The Holland Street main, near and south of Elmwood Street, is leaking badly at the joints, caused by the settling of the filled street over a culvert ; considering it unsafe for use, the water has been shut off, and as soon as the weather will permit, it should be repaired.
SERVICE PIPES.
The whole number of services laid for family and other purposes has been 81. Total length of pipe used, 5,014 feet; total length of trenching, 5,178 feet. Average cost of each service was $20.81. Fifty-four breaks have occurred during the past year, and were caused as follows : -
By defective soldering, 8; by broken lead connections, 10; by defective couplings, 6 ; by laying of drains, 14; by freezing, 16.
Twenty-one services were stopped by fish. Seventy-one corpora- tions which had become stopped by rust were retapped. Eight services on yard hydrants were repaired. Sixty-four cast-iron gate- boxes have been substituted for decayed wooden ones.
The old wooden gate-boxes are the cause of much complaint by our citizens ; many are now nearly useless, being much decayed and filled with earth and stones. I would respectfully recommend your Board that all the wooden boxes now in use in the city be removed, and substantial cast-iron boxes placed in their stead.
STAND-PIPES FOR WATERING STREETS.
Seventeen stand-pipes are now in use; repairs have been made at a cost of $44.40. I would recommend that your Board request
136
the Committee on Water to order the setting of four additional stand-pipes, so that the use of the hydrants for such purposes may be discontinued. The hydrants are intended for use in case of fire only, and their use for watering streets renders them unreliable in case of fire.
DRINKING-FOUNTAINS.
There are nine drinking-fountains now in use, five of which are in good repair. The small fountain in Union Square; which was broken by a team, has been repaired, and should be reset early next season. The watering-troughs on Medford Street and Broadway need new feed and waste pipes.
The fountain in Union Square, near the flagstaff, is frequently damaged by teams ; the grade of the square has been raised and the fountain is now too low. The cost of raising and properly repair- ing the fountain would be considerable, and as it is not sufficient in size for this locality, I would recommend its removal and the construction of a new fountain similar to that at Davis Square, at a cost of about $400.
· The repairs upon drinking-fountains for the year amount to $18.64.
STOP-GATES.
Three stop-gates were set, located as follows : --
One six-inch on Bond Street, at Heath Street; one six-inch on Oakland Avenue, at Marshall Street ; and one four-inch on Sum- mit Avenue, near Vinal Avenue, for a blow-off. Three stop-gates were removed, there being no use for them. They were located as follows : one six-inch on Irving Street, at Broadway ; one six-inch on Summer Street, at Cedar Street; and one four-inch on Line Street, at Washington Street.
Repairs upon stop-gates have been made as follows: 18 have been repacked ; 4 have had new spindles; 28 boxes have been replaced, and 6 been raised to the present grade of the street. A large number of boxes are very much decayed, and it will be necessary to change many of them during the coming season. The number of stop-gates now in use is 373.
HYDRANTS.
One post and two flush hydrants have been added this year ; they were located as follows: One six-inch post hydrant on Oakland Avenue, near School Street ; one flush hydrant on Irving Street, at
137
Broadway ; and one flush hydrant on Wallace Street, at Broadway. One hydrant on Mystic Avenue has been removed. Whole number now in use, 271. The amount charged to the Fire Department for repairing hydrants was $159.75.
A complaint has been received from the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department that some of the hydrants are too low, thereby causing delay in connecting the hose, and that on others the post jackets have been so acted upon by the frost that they interfere with the outlets and waste, and are liable to render them useless if opened in the winter.
I have examined the hydrants referred to, and find that these hydrants were originally set at a proper grade, but the street has since been raised, and that the frost jackets were set in clayey soil. As a remedy I would recommend that the hydrants be raised to the proper grade, and that the soil about the frost jackets be removed and replaced by gravel.
BLOW-OFFS.
I desire to call the attention of the Board to the importance of arranging a proper system of blow-offs. During the last season it was necessary to frequently flush the distribution mains on account of the vegetable matter contained in the water; the use of the hydrants for this purpose injures the streets, and the water is wasted.
I would recommend that sixteen blow-offs be constructed, each connected with a sewer; the waste water will then be utilized in flushing the sewers.
SUMMARY OF DISTRIBUTION WATER PIPES LAID IN SOMERVILLE TO JAN. 1, 1880.
Feet.
Feet.
Feet.
Fect.
Feet.
Feet.
Feet.
Feet.
Total Miles and Feet.
12 inch.
10 inch.
8 inch.
6 inch.
4 inch.
3 inch.
21 inch.
2 inch.
Miles.
Feet.
Laid previous to Jan. 1, 1878 .
8,614.6
4,586.0
34,841.6
91,910.7
85,447.0
7,854.5
·
1,388.0
44
2,322.4
Laid in 1878
440.0
986.0
48.0
18.0
270.0
1,762.0
Laid in 1879
551.0
130.0
681.0
Total laid to Jan. 1, 1880 ·
8,614.6
4,586.0
35,281.6
93,447.7
85,625.0
7,872.5
270.0
1,388.0
44
4,765.4
Replaced by larger pipe
, ·
.
433.0
433.0
Total
·
8,614.6
4,586.0
35,281.6
93,447.7
85,625.0
7,872 5
270.0
955.0
44
4,382.4
138
·
139
STOCK ACCOUNT, JAN. 1, 1880.
MATERIALS ON HAND AT COST.
PIPE LINED.
73 feet 12 in. at
$1 00
$73 00
13 " 10 66
80
10 40
420 8 66
55
231 00
602 66 6
66
38
228 76
238
4
66
25
59 50
$602 66
PIPE NOT LINED.
203 feet 10 in. at
$0 50
$101 50
314 ‹‹ 6
18
56 52
84 “ 3
12
10 08
168 10
SLEEVES ON HAND.
6 feet 12 in. at
$0 15
$0 90
15 " 10 66
15
2 25
16 66
8 66
15
2 40
33
6 66
15
4 95
50 66 4 . 6
15
7 50
18 00
GATES ON HAND.
2 4 in. at
$18 00
$36 00
1 3 in. at
13 00
13 00
9 2 in. at
7 00
63 00
112 00
SHEET-IRON BRANCHES LINED.
8 double 4 on 6 branches,
$18 00
2 4 " 4 66
4 20
2 single 6 " 6
66
4 60
2
3 " 4
4 00
1
3 " 6
60
2 10
32 90
Amount carried forward,
$933 66
140
Amount brought forward,
$933 66
CAST-IRON PIPE.
16 feet 8 in , 800 lbs. at
4c. $32 00
15 " 6 in., 500 lbs. at 4 20 00
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