USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1881 > Part 5
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366 81
Chadwick Lead Works, "
48 97
Boston Belting Co., rubber rings,
etc., 27 00
Somerville Iron Foundry, clamps, 7 86
Hill & Langtry, washers, 6 52
Howe & Flint, pipe, etc.,
4 49
Joseph N. Gibbs, powder, etc.,
2 25
J. C. Warren, teaming,
3 00
J. A. Cummings & Co., printing, 3 00
J. O. Hayden & Co., 66
1 50
$2,040 65
WATER MAINTENANCE, credit balance transferred, 1,018 93
$3,059 58
WATER SERVICE ASSESSMENTS.
Credit.
CASH, received of sundry persons for water services, $2,307 29
BALANCE, to debit in account of 1882, 836 83
$3,144 12
Debit.
BALANCE, from 1880, $413 80
WATER SERVICES, service pipes laid in 1881, 2,730 32
$3,144 12
97
Table D.
BALANCES DEC. 31, 1881.
$14,321 76
Cash,
Excess and Deficiency,
$9,067 54
Funded Debt,
1,585,000 00
Highway Betterment Assessments, 1,945 26
49 62
Overlay and Abatement,
Overplus on Tax Sales,
67 00
Property and Debt Balance,
430,000 00
Public Park,
351 32
Public-Park Betterment Assess-
ments, 786 91
Public Property,
1,155,000 00
Real-Estate Liens,
2.007 30
Sewer Assessments,
7,470 26
Sidewalk Assessments,
1,534 58
State of Massachusetts, - Indi-
gent Soldiers and Sailors, 1,004 00
State of Massachusetts, - State Aid, 4,655 50
Sundry Persons, 1,047 60
Taxes,
166,020 68
Temporary Loans,
190,000 00
Water Service Assessments,
836 83
$1,785,583 08
$1,785,583 08
7
REPORT
OF
COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING FUNDS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, FEB. 8, 1882.
Received and ordered to be printed in the Annual Report of 1881. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, FEB. 8, 1882. Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING FUNDS, Jan. 31, 1882.
To the Honorable the Mayor and the City Council of the City of Somerville : GENTLEMEN, -The undersigned present herewith their sixth annual report as Commissioners of the Sinking Funds of this city. The amount of the funds Jan. 25, 1881, as per report of that date, was, $253,764 95
The increase during the year 1881 was, -
Contribution by the city, for the year, 45,525 00
Interest on city bonds in sinking fund, 12,772 50
Interest on deposits in banks, 201 14
Total sinking funds at this date, $312,263 59
Invested as follows : -
In bonds of the city of Somerville, $264,500, at 5 per cent, and $44,500, at 52 per cent, Deposited in banks and drawing interest, 3,263 59
$309,000 00
$312,263 59
Respectfully submitted,
NATHAN TUFTS, JOHN A. HUGHES, HENRY F. WOODS,
Commissioners.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
CITY OF SOMERVILLE,
FOR THE
YEAR 1881.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN SCHOOL COMMITTEE, Dec. 31, 1881.
The Superintendent submitted his annual report, which was read and accepted. It was voted that the committee adopt the report now sub- mitted by the Superintendent of the Public Schools, and present it to their fellow-citizens as the report of the School Committee for the year 1881.
J. H. DAVIS, Secretary.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Feb. 14, 1882.
Referred the report to the Committee on Printing, to be printed in the Annual Reports of 1881. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 16, 1882.
Referred the report to the Committee on Printing, to be printed in the Annual Reports of 1881, in concurrence.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1881.
HON. JOHN A. CUMMINGS, Mayor, ex officio.
MARK F. BURNS, Esq., President of Common Council, ex officio.
WARD ONE.
JOHN H. BUTLER .
Term expires Dec. 31, 1881.
HENRY M. MOORE
66
66 1882.
HORACE C. WHITE, M. D.
1883.
WARD TWO.
OREN S. KNAPP
Term expires Dec. 31, 1881.
ALPHONZO H. CARVILL, M. D.
66
66 1882.
REV. ALBERT E. WINSHIP
66
66 1883.
WARD THREE.
HENRY F. WOODS
Term expires Dec. 31, 1881.
NORMAN W. BINGHAM
66 1882.
QUINCY E. DICKERMAN
WARD FOUR.
HENRY C. BUCK
Term expires Dec. 31, 1881.
PROF. BENJ. G. BROWN
66
66 1882.
REV. CHAS. M. SMITH, D. D.
66
1883.
Chairman, HON. J. A. CUMMINGS.
Superintendent and Secretary, J. H. DAVIS.
1883.
STANDING COMMITTEES, 1881.
On the High School, MESSRS. BROWN, WOODS, SMITH, BINGHAM, WINSHIP, WHITE.
On Schools in East Somerville District, MESSRS. BUTLER, MOORE, WHITE, BURNS. On Schools in Prospect Hill District, MESSRS. CARVILL, KNAPP, WINSHIP.
On Schools in Winter Hill District, MESSRS. BINGHAM, WOODS, DICKERMAN.
On Schools in Spring Hill District, MESSRS. SMITH, BROWN, BUCK. On Schools in West Somerville, MESSRS. BUCK, BROWN, SMITH.
On Evening Schools, MESSRS. CARVILL, BUCK, BURNS. On Examination of Teachers, MESSRS. BUTLER, KNAPP, SMITH.
On Text-Books, MESSRS. BUTLER, BROWN, DICKERMAN, CARVILL, WINSHIP.
On Repairs, Furniture, Heating Apparatus, MESSRS. MOORE, CARVILL, BINGHAM, BUCK, BURNS. On School Supplies, MESSRS. WOODS, WHITE. On Fuel, MESSRS. BUCK, BINGHAM.
On Music, MESSRS. BINGHAM, BROWN, DICKERMAN, WHITE.
On Finance, MESSRS. MOORE, KNAPP. On Drawing and Penmanship, MESSRS. DICKERMAN, WOODS, CARVILL, BUTLER. On Salaries, MESSRS. KNAPP, SMITH, WOODS, MOORE, BUCK, WINSHIP.
On Examination of First Class, MESSRS. KNAPP, SMITH. On Examination of Second Class, MESSRS. BUTLER, WOODS.
On Examination of Third Class, MESSRS. MOORE, WINSHIP. On Examination of Fourth Class, MESSRS. BROWN, CARVILL. On Examination of Fifth Class, MESSRS. BINGHAM, WHITE. On Examination of Sixth Class, MESSRS. DICKERMAN, BUCK, BURNS.
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1882.
HON. JOHN A. CUMMINGS, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio. ALBION A. PERRY, President of Common Council, ex officio.
WARD ONE.
HENRY M. MOORE
Term expires 1882.
HORACE C. WHITE, M. D.
1883.
JOHN H. BUTLER .
1884.
WARD TWO.
ALPHONZO H. CARVILL, M. D.
Term expires 1882.
REV. A. E. WINSHIP
1883.
OREN S. KNAPP
66 1884.
WARD THREE.
NORMAN W. BINGHAM
Term expires 1882.
Q. E. DICKERMAN
66
1883.
HENRY F. WOODS
1884.
WARD FOUR.
PROF. BENJ. G. BROWN
Term expires 1882.
REV. C. M. SMITH, D. D.
66
1883.
MISS HARRIET M. PITMAN
1884.
J. H. DAVIS, Superintendent and Secretary.
STANDING COMMITTEES, 1882.
On the High School, MESSRS. BROWN, SMITH, BINGHAM, WINSHIP, WHITE, DICKERMAN.
On Schools in East Somerville District, MESSRS. WHITE, [MOORE, BUTLER. On Schools in Prospect Hill District, MESSRS. WINSHIP, KNAPP, CARVILL.
On Schools in Winter Hill District, MESSRS. DICKERMAN, WOODS, BINGHAM, PERRY.
On Schools in Spring Hill District, MESSRS. SMITH, BROWN, MISS PITMAN.
On Schools in West Somerville, MESSRS. BROWN, SMITH, MISS PITMAN.
On Evening Schools, MESSRS. WINSHIP, WHITE, PERRY.
On Examination of Teachers, MESSRS. KNAPP, BUTLER, SMITH, MISS PITMAN.
'On Text-Books, MESSRS. WHITE, KNAPP, BINGHAM, MISS PITMAN.
On Repairs, Furniture, Heating Apparatus, MESSRS. MOORE, CARVILL, PERRY, BROWN.
On School Supplies, MESSRS. WOODS, BUTLER. On Fuel, MESSRS. CARVILL, PERRY.
On Music, MISS PITMAN, MESSRS. BINGHAM, CARVILL, WHITE.
On Finance, MESSRS. KNAPP, MOORE.
On Drawing and Penmanship, MESSRS. BUTLER, WOODS, CARVILL, DICKERMAN.
On Salaries, MESSRS. BUTLER, SMITH, WOODS, MOORE, WINSHIP, KNAPP.
On Examination of First Class, MESSRS. SMITH, KNAPP.
On Examination of Second Class, MESSRS. BUTLER, WOODS. On Examination of Third Class, REV. A. E. WINSHIP, MISS PITMAN.
On Examination of Fourth Class, MESSRS. MOORE, BROWN. On Examination of Fifth Class, MESSRS. BINGHAM, WHITE, CARVILL.
On Examination of Sixth Class, MESSRS. PERRY, DICKERMAN, MISS PITMAN.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of Somerville :
GENTLEMEN, - In compliance with the requirements of your regulations, I respectfully present the following report of the public schools of the city, for the year 1881.
POPULATION AND VALUATION.
Population of the city, United States census, 1880 24,985
Valuation of the city, May 1, 1881
$22,569,100
Personal estate
$2,213,000
Real estate
$20,356,100
Estimated value of school property
$344,432
SCHOOL POPULATION.
Whole number of persons in the city between five and fifteen years of age, on the first day of May last, 4,204.
In Ward One
1,294
66 Two .
1,354
Three
732
66 Four
824
No material changes in the general structure or arrangement of the schools have been effected or required during the year ; but modifications of specific methods of instruction, revisions of the course of study, and various changes in the minor details of school work, are frequently occurring.
110
EXPENDITURES FROM JAN. 1, 1881, TO JAN. 1, 1882. BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
Repairs, insurance, rent of school-
rooms
$7,287 79
Fuel .
3,797 07
$11,084 86
BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Teachers' salaries
$62,136 15
Superintendent's salary
1,800 00
Janitors' salaries
3,247 00
Truant officers' salaries
75 00
Water
563 00
Gas .
193 00
Books
565 00
Printing
250 00
Writing books ·
385 00
Stationery and other school supplies
830 00
Miscellaneous
1,231 90
71,276 05
Total expenditures
$82,360 91
RECEIPTS.
Tuition of non-resident pupils
$110 00
Rent of school halls .
622 50
732 50
Net expenditures
$81,628 41
SCHOOLS.
At the beginning of the school year in September, two grammar schools were discontinued in Prospect Hill district, and one gram- mar school was organized in West Somerville district. Previous to the beginning of the present school year, the first and second classes of the Forster School had occupied the same school-room. In September, a separate room was assigned to each of those classes, causing an increase of one school in the Forster School- House.
Whole number of schools
·
82
High School
1
Grammar schools
46
Primary schools
.
.
35
.
.
.
·
111
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
Forster School-House. - During the summer vacation, two school- rooms were constructed in the hall of the Forster School-House. That building now contains ten school-rooms, all of which are occupied by schools.
Lincoln School-House. - In the long vacation, the Lincoln School- House, which contains four school-rooms, was moved from Elm Street to its present location on Clarendon Hill.
Previous to the erection of that building, in 1866, a school-house located at the foot of Walnut Hill, and containing a single school- room, afforded sufficient school accommodations for the section of the city situated west of Willow Avenue.
The Lincoln School-House was first occupied in March, 1867. It then contained two schools. A third school was added in 1871, and a fourth in 1872.
Highland School-House. - This building, located at the corner of Highland Avenue and Grove Street, West Somerville, was begun in October, 1880, and completed in September, 1881. It was con- structed under the supervision of the Committee on Public Prop- erty, consisting of Aldermen E. C. Clark and G. T. Burnham, and Councilmen W. E. Shedd, J. F. Wellington, and A. A. Perry.
The building has a frontage of seventy-three feet on Highland Avenue, and a depth of seventy-eight feet. It is two stories high, exclusive of the basement. Each of the two stories has four school- rooms, twenty-eight feet by thirty-two feet, and thirteen feet high in the clear. Adjacent to each school-room is a spacious dressing- room for the pupils and a room for the teacher. Each dressing- room communicates with its school-room and also with the corridor, and serves as a passageway for pupils in entering and leaving their school-room. The corridors are twelve feet wide, and extend from the front to the rear of the building. The stairways are large, light, and of easy grade.
The basement is eleven feet high, and is light and airy. It con- tains water-closets, a room for fuel, and four play-rooms, corre- sponding in size to the school-rooms, for the use of pupils in stormy weather. The walls and partitions are of brick. The ex-
112
terior walls are faced with pressed brick and are ornamented with freestone belt courses, window caps, and sills. The inside finish is ash, with Southern pine for floors, platforms, and stairs.
The plans and specifications were furnished by Samuel D. Kelley, Esq., of this city. The contractors were L. P. Soule, Esq., for the masonry, and W. B. Stinson, Esq., for the carpentry. The building is heated by four of Magee's portable furnaces, one in each play-room. These were furnished by J. A. Durell, Esq. The furniture for teachers and pupils was manufactured by A. G. Whitcomb, Esq.
The schools, eight in number, first occupied the building on Monday, Sept. 12.
Cost of the building,
$26,366 28
" lot, 23,260 feet,
4,186 80
66 grading,
276 27
60 heating apparatus,
976 90
66 furniture, 626 37
Total cost,
$32,432 62
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
All parts of the city are now well supplied with convenient school accommodations, with the exception of East Somerville district. The necessities of that section of the city, which were minutely specified in the report of last year, have become still more urgent in consequence of the constant increase of population.
The lot of land on Cross Street, on which the Edgerly School- House is located, contains 26,480 feet, and is ample for the con- venience of a large number of pupils. That building, which will soon be surrounded by a dense population, now contains four school-rooms, and is well arranged for enlargement. An increase of its capacity by the addition of four or six school-rooms would meet the present demand and the probable need of several years to come.
113
TABLE SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE SEVERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS, THE TIME OF THEIR ERECTION, THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL-ROOMS IN EACH, THE NUMBER OF FEET IN EACH SCHOOL LOT, AND THE ESTI- MATED VALUE OF EACH BUILDING, INCLUDING LAND AND FURNITURE.
NAME.
LOCATION.
When erected.
No. feet in lot.
Estimated value.
No. of school- rooms.
High
Highland Avenue .
1871
$44,000
2
Forster.
Sycamore Street ..
..
1866
62,693
41,500
10
Prescott
Pearl Street
1867
21.444
42,000
12
Edgerly
Cross Street
1871
26,428
25,500
4
Luther V. Bell,
Vinal Avenue
1874
22,262
43,000
12
Prospect Hill .
Washington Street
1848
25,313
20,600
6
Brastow
Medford Street.
1861
10,019
6,250
2
Bennett
Joy Street.
1868
20,560
8,300
4
Jackson
Poplar Street
1861
11,212
8,300
4
Webster
Webster Avenue
1868
11,050
8,300
4
Union
Prospect Street
1842*
9,360
2,600
1
Morse
Summer Street
1869
29,109
26,000
6
Beech Street ..
Beech Street
1872+
6,000
4,750
2
Spring Hill
Rear of Harvard St ..
1850
4,991
1,700
1
Franklin .
Somerville Avenue ..
1846
33,017
14,300
4
Harvard . .
Beacon Street
1851
9,810
2,600
1
Highland ..
Highland Avenue.
1880
23,260
32,432
8
Lincoln
Broadway
1866
17,662
11,500
4
Cedar Street ..
Cedar Street
1843
.....
800
2
$344,432
89
* Before.
t Purchased.
TEACHERS.
The following changes have been made in the corps of teachers during the year : -
ELECTED.
Miss Alice T. Couch, teacher in the Forster School.
Miss Harriette H. Winslow, teacher in the Prescott School.
Miss Hattie E. Boardman, assistant in the L. V. Bell School. Miss Alice E. Furber, teacher in the Spring Hill School. Miss Zillah E. Freeman, teacher in the Beech Street School. Miss L. A. Hayward, assistant in the Highland School. Miss Sarah F. Gibbs, teacher in the Highland School.
Miss Alice P. Lord, teacher in the Highland School.
8
..
..
114
TRANSFERRED.
Miss A. A. Roberts, from the Prospect Hill School to the Ben- nett School.
Miss Helen Tincker, from the Bennett School to the L. V. Bell School.
Miss Ada L. Sanborn, from the Webster School to the Prospect Hill School.
Miss Lillian F. Howe, from the Prospect Hill School to the L. V. Bell School.
Miss Anna C. Damon, from the Prospect Hill School to the Jack- son School.
RESIGNED.
Miss Nancy W. Proctor, teacher in the Prescott School. Miss Clara A. Battles, teacher in the L. V. Bell School.
Miss Annie F. Hills, teacher in the Lincoln School.
115
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
SALARIES.
FIRST ELECTED.
High
George L. Baxter .
$2,200
1867
66
Frank M. Hawes
1,500
1879
66
Sarah W. Fox .
1,050
1868
Sarah L. Graves .
850
1865
66
Annette E. Long
850
1864
66
. .
Sarah F. Litchfield
700
1880
Kate W. Cushing ..
700
1880
Forster
John S. Hayes.
1,800
1878
Stella M. King
675
1877
Mary E. Northup
600
1878
Frances M. Guptill .
600
1869
Alice A. Batchelor
575
1877
Nellie M. Whitney
575
1878
66
Martha H. Pennock
550
1873
Leila V. Colby
425
1879
66
Lizzie G. Perry
550
1878
66
Alice T. Couch
550
1881
Prescott.
.
Gordon A. Southworth
1,900
1873
Anna M. Bates
675
1874
V. E. Hapgood.
600
1876
Adelaide Reed
650
1877
66
.
·
.
Frank P. Hudson
600
1877
Abbie A. Anderson
600
1378
Amelia I. Sears
600
1873
Harriette H. Winslow.
350
1881
Catharine T. Brown. ..
575
1868
Clara Taylor
575
1871
Sarah E. Pratt
575
1877
Elgina M. Plummer
550
1877
Emma F. Schuh
550
1874
Augusta M. Cowles
625
1865
66
Harriet N. Sands
575
1864
66
Anna L. Prescott
550
1873
66
Clara M. Bagley
550
1873
Tufts Street
H. V. Hathaway
575
1875
Ada Cowles
550
1875
Luther V. Bell
Robert Bickford
1,700
1879
Hattie E Boardman
625
1881
66
Minnie H. Marden
600
1876
66
Ellen M. Gooding
600
1868
Abbie C. Hunt
600
1873
66
Helen Tincker
600
1872
Lillian F. Howe
600
1876
66
May E. Berry .
425
1880
Fannie A. Wilder
600
1874
66
. . . .
Anna M. Snow
575
1866
66
.....
Lydia J. Page
575
1869
66
Lizzie F. Appleton.
550
1874
66
.... .
Augusta M. Houghton.
550
1877
.
·
·
·
.
·
66
.
.
.
66
.
..
. .
. .
66
....
·
. ..
.
.
..
6 .
.
Edgerly
66
.
116
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. - Continued.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
SALARIES.
FIRST ELECTED.
Prospect Hill
Ada L. Sanborn
$625
1869
Ellen Ledyard
575
1874
Ada I. Howe.
425
1880
66
Charlotte I. Houghton
550
1875
Brastow
Sarah E. Pennock
575
1871
66
Lizzie D. Harding
550
1877
Bennett
Augusta A. Roberts
600
1861
66
Maria Miller.
550
1870
66
Mary B. Currier
550
1873
Jackson
Nora O'Leary
600
1874
66
Maud M. Hobson
350
1879
66
Annie E. McCarty
350
1880
Webster
Annie L. Savage.
550
1873
Union
Isabella M. Prince
550
1876
Morse
Charles C. Hunkins
1,600
1877
Nellie P. Nichols
600
1871
66
Pauline S. Downes
600
1872
66
Clara N. Burgess
600
1880
66
Anna E. Sawyer ..
575
1873
66
Carrie N. Sanderson
425
1880
Beech Street
Mary A. Haley .
575
1868
66
Zillah E. Freeman
350
1881
Spring Hill
Alice E. Furber.
350
1881
Franklin
Jane E. Clark.
625
1873
66
Emeline C. Ruggles.
550
1876
66
Hattie A. Hills.
575
1874
Harvard.
Annie E. Robinson
550
1876
Highland
George E. Nichols
1,500
1877
66
L. A. Hayward
625
1881
66
.
Georgiana Cutter.
600
1873
66
.
. .
Lizzie J. Conwell
575
1873
Sarah F. Gibbs
575
1881
Alice P. Lord
500
1881
66
Sarah E. Pray
550
1878
Lincoln ..
Mary A. Paul.
575
1879
Cedar Street
Alice Simpson .
575
1872
66
Alice M. Porter.
425
1880
Teacher of Music.
S. H. O. Hadley ...
1,000
1868
Whole number of teachers
.
96
Male teachers, 8; female teachers, 88. Number of teachers in the High School .
7
Male teachers, 2 ; female teachers, 5. Number of teachers in the grammar schools Male teachers, 5 ; female teachers, 46. Number of teachers in the primary schools One teacher of vocal music.
51
.
37
.
·
·
.
.
.
·
Anna C. Damon.
550
1879
.
·
Jennie Colburn
600
1875
....
....
.
.
117
PUPILS.
Number of pupils in attendance in January · 4,268
Number of persons in the city between five and fifteen years of age in May last
4,204
Number between eight and fourteen years
2,949
Number of pupils in attendance in December .
4,315
In the High School
248
grammar schools
2,148
primary schools
1,919
Number over fifteen years of age in December
346
Whole number registered during the year
5,271
TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF PUPILS IN EACH OF THE THIRTEEN CLASSES IN DECEMBER, THE AVERAGE AGE OF PUPILS IN EACH CLASS, AND THE PER CENT THAT THE NUMBER IN EACH CLASS IS OF THE NUMBER IN ALL THE CLASSES.
GRADE.
Class.
Boys.
Girls.
Total.
Average age.
Per cent.
High
First
10
25
35
18 yrs. 6 mos.
.81
66
Second ..
15
34
49
17
2
66
1.13
Third .
32
41
73
16
66
5
66
1.69
66
Fourth . .
48
43
91
15
66
5
66
2.11
Grammar
First
78
100
178
14
66
11
4.12
66
Second
101
115
216
13
66
10
66
5.01
66
Third
173
143
316
13
66
1
66
7.32
66
Fourth ..
252
188
440
12
66
3
16
10.20
66
Fifth
279
195
474
11
66
2
66
10.99
66
. ....
Sixth .
303
221
524
10
66
0
66
12.14
Primary
First
286
214
500
8
66
8
66
11.59
Second ..
370
268
638
7
66
6
14.79
66
Third.
453
328
781
6
3
66
18.10
Total
2,400
1,915
4,315
·
100.00
. .
. ....
118
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN THE SEVERAL DISTRICTS.
DISTRICTS.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Grammar Schools.
Primary Schools.
Total.
Number of pupils in December.
Winter Hill
Forster
6
4
10
478
Cedar Street
1
1
2
105
Prescott
9
3
12
650
Edgerly
1
3
4
226
Tnfts Street.
...
2
2
87
Prospect Hill
Luther V. Bell
10
2
12
652
66
....
Prospect Hill.
2
3
5
234
66
...
Brastow
1
1
2
97
66
....
Jackson.
1
3
4
203
66
.. ..
Webster
....
1
1
57
Union
....
1
1
50
66
......
Beech Street
1
1
2
106
66
.....
Spring Hill
1
1
45
Franklin
2
1
3
142
66
Harvard
....
1
1
64
West Somerville .
Highland
5
3
8
355
66
·
Lincoln
1
1
2
91
Total
46
35
81
4,067
ATTENDANCE.
Average whole number in all the schools for the year ·
4,064.0
High School .
237.0
Grammar schools .
2,082.5
Primary schools
1,744.5
Average attendance in all the schools for the year .
3,793.7
High School .
225.3
Grammar schools
1,978.2
Primary schools
1,590.2
Per cent of attendance in all the schools for the year
93.3
High School
95.1
Grammar schools .
94.9
Primary schools .
91.9
Number of tardinesses in all the schools for the year 2,136
High School . 84
. .
Morse.
5
1
6
267
... .
Bennett
1
2
3
158
Spring Hill
....
......
East Somerville. 60
119
Grammar schools .
768
Primary schools
1,284
Number of dismissals in all the schools for the year
2,212
High School . 422
Grammar schools .
· . .
. 884
Primary schools
906
School attendance is a subject of much importance, and demands more than a passing notice. Our records pertaining to it reveal annually much that is interesting and encouraging, and much also to occasion regret and unpleasant apprehension.
We will briefly consider those topics which are intimately con- nected with this general subject.
Punctuality. - The regulations of the School Board regard tar- diness, without sufficient cause, a misdemeanor, and it is treated accordingly. In all the schools tardiness is constantly diminishing, and in many of them it has almost entirely disappeared. Pupils are rarely seen outside of the school buildings after the time for the schools to begin. Great saving of time is secured to a school when every member of it is regularly in his place, and ready for work at the opening of the exercises. The habit of punctuality thus fostered will be of incalculable benefit to pupils in all their subsequent years.
In dealing with tardiness, however, as with all other evils con- nected with the schools, the constant exercise of judgment and dis- cretion is demanded. In our efforts to diminish this evil, we must wisely employ means that are perfectly legitimate and will be sal- utary in their consequences. The special danger is that in our en- deavor to rectify a given error, we create or magnify others still more objectionable. Our aim should ever be to secure the constant attendance at school of the largest number of pupils possible ; if, therefore, the penalty for tardiness is such as to induce non-attend- ance or truancy, a comparatively small evil is exchanged for one of far greater magnitude. The careful attention of teachers to this subject is respectfully but earnestly solicited.
Regularity of Attendance. - When all the unavoidable causes which continually exist to prevent constant attendance are con-
120
sidered, the bigh per cent of attendance which is maintained by pupils belonging to the schools is gratifying, and in the main, satis- factory. During a series of years, the ratio of the average daily attendance to the average whole number belonging to the schools has been as follows : In the High School, 97.2 per cent; in the grammar schools, 94.6 per cent; in the primary schools, 91.2 per cent ; in all the schools, 93.3 per cent.
It should be observed, however, that these results are obtained by finding the ratio of the average daily attendance to the average whole number actually belonging to the schools ; whereas the per cent of attendance of all persons in the city, of school age, is obtained by finding the ratio of the average daily attendance of pupils between the ages of five and fifteen years to the whole num- ber of persons in the city between those ages. Such a computation gives a per cent of attendance of 82.2, and a loss from non-attend- ance of 17.8 per cent.
Non-Attendance. - A part of this non-attendance is accounted for satisfactorily by the absence of pupils on account of their own sickness, the presence of contagious diseases in their homes, or other unavoidable causes. Another part is caused by absence for reasons insufficient and inexcusable. The largest part, however, arises from the permanent withdrawal of pupils from the schools before the completion of the grammar-school course. The table on page 117 shows that more than two thirds of all the pupils in the grammar schools are members of the three lower classes, and that comparatively few leave school permanently before the work of the fourth class is completed ; but it represents also a lament- able decline in numbers in the three upper classes. The third class contains only about sixty per cent, the second forty per cent, and the first thirty-three per cent of the number they would contain, provided all pupils remained in school until the completion of the grammar-school course. At present, we graduate less than thirty per cent of all pupils who enter the grammar schools.
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