Report of the city of Somerville 1884, Part 7

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 364


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1884 > Part 7


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Charles Maguire, horseshoeing 63 00


J. Leland, wheelwright-work 11 25


Charles Holmes & Son, plumbing


75


S. T. Kirkpatrick, carpenter-work 1 50


F. R. Cutter, repairing clock


2 50


Sewers account, repairs


59 72


Barker & Tibbetts, expressing


19 60


W. J. London, 1 95


J. C. Warren, teaming .


19 00


John Manning, 6 94


Cambridge Gas-light Company, gas


26 23


City of Boston, water-rates . 22 41


A. & E. Burton, brush 75


Philip McGovern, compensation for damages . 60 00


L. Morrison, compensation for damages, 30 00


A. A. Green, 66 9 75


$15,448 25


Excess and deficiency, balance to credit of


account . 292 30 .


$15,740 55


WATERING STREETS.


CREDIT.


Appropriations, amount assessed $3,000 00


Cash, received from sundry persons, as their propor- tional part of the cost of watering . 3,790 30


Amount carried forward


$6,790 30


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


127


Amount brought forward .


$6,790 30


DEBIT.


Cash, paid Christopher Burke, watering $384 60


T. F. Crimmings,


403 20


Charles-river Street Railroad Company, watering (1883) 153 00


J. F. Elkins, watering


415 60


Martin Gill, 66


386 00


John Hickey, 66


379 60


George F. McKenna, watering


438 80


John McCauley, 66


369 60


John Welch,


404 60


A. M. Prescott,


460 40


Boston Belting Company, hose 23 51


John T. Ayer, lumber .


23 78


H. W. Raymond, hardware .


53 94


Lemuel Baxter & Son, leather


1 43


Seward Dodge, blacksmithing


325 07


F. Dooris, 66


19 30


George H. Dodd, 66


3 15


J. Leland, wheelwright-work


2 50


J. A. Durell, repairs 48 50


Howe & Flint, " 1 65


W. J. Slade & Son, tank-work 70 00


Water-service account, stand-pipes, etc. 90 30


Highways account, watering, etc. 125 83


J. O. Hayden & Co., advertising 12 00


City of Boston, water . . 2,190 82


$6,787 18


Excess and deficiency, balance to credit of account 3 12


$6,790 30


WATER-LOAN INTEREST.


CREDIT.


Cash, received of city of Boston, return on water-rates : ---


128


ANNUAL REPORTS.


1883, 40 per cent on $6,219 65 . . $2,487 86


1884, 15


20,000 00 .


. 3,000 00


20 66 " 10,000 00 . . 2,000 00


66


25


" 10,000 00 .


. 2,500 00


66


30 " " 10,000 00 . . 3,000 00


40


66 " 17,745 23 . . 7,098 09


$20,085 95


DEBIT.


Cash, paid interest on water-loan bonds : -


$1,000, nine months at 5 per cent


$37 50


229,000, one year " 5 . 11,450 00


70,000, one " “ 52 . 3,850 00


20,000, one " " 6 66 . 1,200 00


15,000, six months " 6₺ 66


. 487 50


$17,025 00


Excess and deficiency, balance to credit of


account


. 3,060 95


$20,085 95


129


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


TABLE D.


BALANCES DEC. 31, 1884.


Cash


$13,071 33


Excess and deficiency


$13,758 46


Funded debt


.


. 1,585,000 00


Hanover Fire-insurance Company


3,000 00


Lincoln Schoolhouse


2,966 87


Overlay and abatement


6,045 37


Overplus on tax-sales


102 13


Property and debt balance


384,809 04


Public property


1,200,190 96


Public-library building


2,090 69


Public library


25 00


Real-estate liens


73 58


State of Massachusetts, State aid ·


indigent sol-


diers and sail-


ors


472 00


Sidewalk assessments


917 27


Sewer assessments


10,109 35


Sundry persons


1,473 94


Schoolhouse on Tufts Street


2,773 11


Schoolhouse on School Street


1,288 88


Temporary loans


175,000 00


Taxes ·


173,652 11


Water-service assessments .


654 81


$1,790,524 45 $1,790,524 45


.


3,574 00


REPORT


OF THE


COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING-FUNDS.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Feb. 11, 1885. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.


Concurred in.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 11, 1885.


DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.


REPORT


OF THE


COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING-FUNDS.


IN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING-FUNDS, Jan. 26, 1885.


To the Honorable the Mayor and the City Council of the City of Somer- ville.


GENTLEMEN, - The undersigned present herewith the ninth annual report of the condition of the sinking-funds of the city : -


The amount of the funds, Jan. 1, 1884, as per the eighth annual report was . $438,133 19 The increase during the year 1884 was : -


Contribution by the city for the year 45,525 00


Interest on investments in city bonds, $389,000 one year, and $1,000 nine


months, at 5 per cent, and $44,500 one year at 52 per cent


$21,935 00


Interest on deposits in banks


.


259 33


22,194 33


Total sinking-funds, Jan. 1, 1885 . $505,852 52


Invested as follows : -


In bonds of the city of Somerville, $459,500 at 5 per cent, and $44,500 at 52 per cent . $504,000 00 Deposited in banks, and drawing interest 1,852 52


$505,852 52


134


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The several sinking-funds are : -


City-loan maturity of 1885 .


$53,698 79


66 66 " 1895 . 387,001 73


Sewer-loan maturity of 1896


10,518 00


51,982 00


Water-loan maturity of 1905 66 " 1906


1,432 00


66 66 " 1907


1,220 00


$505,852 52


Respectfully submitted.


NATHAN TUFTS, HENRY F. WOODS, Commissioners. E. D. CONANT,


REPORT


OF


THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN SCHOOL COMMITTEE, Dec. 21, 1884.


The superintendent submitted his annual report, which was read and ac- cepted. It was voted that the committee adopt the report now submitted by the Superintendent of the Public Schools, and present it to their fellow-citizens as the report of the school committee for the year 1884.


J. H. DAVIS, Secretary.


IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Jan. 28, 1885.


Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.


Concurred in.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 28, 1885.


DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.


BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1884.


HON. JOHN A. CUMMINGS, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio.


JOSIAH B. MAYHEW, President of Common Council, ex officio.


WARD ONE.


JOHN H. BUTLER


Term expires 1884


HENRY M. MOORE


HORACE C. WHITE, M.D.


66


66 1886


WARD TWO.


OREN S. KNAPP


Term expires 1884


REV. GEORGE W. DURELL


66


1885


MRS. CORNELIA B. SKINNER


66


66 1886


WARD THREE.


HENRY F. WOODS


Term expires 1884


NORMAN W. BINGHAM


66 1885


QUINCY E. DICKERMAN


1886


WARD FOUR.


Term expires 1884


PROFESSOR BENJAMIN G. BROWN


66 1885


HORACE P. MAKECHNIE, M.D. .


1886


MARTIN W. CARR


1885


J. H. DAVIS, Superintendent and Secretary.


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1884.


High School. MESSRS. WHITE, BROWN, DURELL, BINGHAM, BUTLER, DICKERMAN.


East Somerville Schools. MESSRS. WHITE, MOORE, BUTLER. Prospect-hill Schools. MESSRS. KNAPP, DURELL; MRS. SKINNER. Winter-hill Schools. MESSRS. BINGHAM, WOODS, DICKERMAN, MAYHEW. Spring-hill Schools. MESSRS. CARR, BROWN, MAKECHNIE. West Somerville Schools. MESSRS. BROWN, MAKECHNIE, CARR. Evening Schools. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, MOORE; MRS. SKINNER. Examination of Teachers. MESSRS. BROWN, BUTLER, MAKECHNIE. Text-Books. MESSRS. DURELL, BINGHAM, KNAPP, WHITE, CARR. Repairs and Heating-Apparatus. MESSRS. MOORE, KNAPP, MAYHEW, CARR. School-Supplies. MESSRS. WOODS, CARR. Fuel. MESSRS. MAYHEW, DURELL, MAKECHNIE. Music. MESSRS. DURELL, BINGHAM; MRS. SKINNER.


Finance. MESSRS. KNAPP, MOORE.


Drawing and Penmanship. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, WOODS, BUTLER.


Salaries. MESSRS. KNAPP, BUTLER, WOODS, MOORE, CARR. Approval of Private Schools. MESSRS. BUTLER, KNAPP, BINGHAM, MAKECHNIE. Examination of First Class. MESSRS. BROWN, MOORE. Examination of Second Class. MESSRS. WHITE, DURELL.


Examination of Third Class. MESSRS. BINGHAM, CARR. Examination of Fourth Class. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, MAYHEW. Examination of Fifth Class. MESSRS. MAKECHNIE, KNAPP. Examination of Sixth Class. MESSRS. BUTLER, WOODS; MRS. SKINNER.


BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1885.


HON. MARK F. BURNS, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio.


HERBERT C. HALL, President of the Common Council, ex officio.


WARD ONE.


HENRY M. MOORE


Term expires 1885


HORACE C. WHITE, M.D.


1886


JOHN H. BUTLER


1887


WARD TWO.


REV. GEORGE W. DURELL


Term expires 1885


MRS. CORNELIA B. SKINNER


1886


CHARLES I. SHEPARD


1887


WARD THREE.


NORMAN W. BINGHAM


Term expires 1885


Q. E. DICKERMAN


1886


WILLIAM P. HILL


1887


WARD FOUR.


PROFESSOR BENJAMIN G. BROWN.


Term expires 1885


H. P. MAKECHNIE, M.D.


1886


MARTIN W. CARR


1887


J. H. DAVIS, Superintendent and Secretary.


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1885.


High School. MESSRS. WHITE, BROWN, DURELL, BINGHAM, BUTLER, DICKERMAN.


East Somerville Schools. MESSRS. MOORE, BUTLER, WHITE. Prospect-hill Schools. REV. MR. DURELL, MRS. SKINNER, MR. SHEPARD. Winter-hill Schools. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, HILL, BINGHAM. Spring-hill Schools. MESSRS. CARR, MAKECHNIE, HALL. West Somerville Schools. MESSRS. MAKECHNIE, CARR, BROWN. Evening Schools. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, MOORE, BROWN; MRS. SKINNER.


Examination of Teachers. MESSRS. BROWN, BUTLER, MAKECHNIE. Text-Books. MESSRS. BINGHAM, DURELL, WHITE, CARR, BUTLER. Repairs and Heating-Apparatus. MESSRS. MOORE, SHEPARD, CARR, HALL. School-Supplies. MESSRS. CARR, HALL. Fuel. MESSRS. HALL, DURELL, MAKECHNIE.


Music. MESSRS. DURELL, BINGHAM; MRS. SKINNER. Finance. MESSRS. MOORE, CARR. Drawing and Penmanship. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, BUTLER, SHEPARD.


Salaries. MESSRS. BUTLER, MOORE, CARR, BROWN, DURELL. Approval of Private Schools. MESSRS. MAKECHNIE, BINGHAM, BUTLER, SHEPARD. Examination of First Class. MESSRS. DURELL, WHITE, MAKECHNIE, BINGHAM.


Examination of Second Class. MESSRS. BROWN, MOORE. Examination of Third Class. MESSRS. DICKERMAN, CARR. Examination of Fourth Class. MESSRS. BUTLER, HILL. Examination of Fifth Class. MRS. SKINNER, MR. HALL. Examination of Sixth Class. MESSRS. MAKECHNIE, SHEPARD.


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


To the School Committee of Somerville.


IN accordance with your instructions, the following report is re- spectfully submitted.


Our fellow-citizens have a rightful claim upon us for all the infor- mation we can communicate in regard to the management, advance- ment, and standing of the schools which they have placed under our supervision. Hence, in what follows, we have endeavored to be as explicit as the proper brevity of a school report will warrant.


In relation to the educational interests of our city, the year just closing has been one of marked prosperity. All the agencies usually employed to promote the education of the young have been in suc- cessful operation, and apparent results bear a favorable comparison with those of former years. Since, however, there is no standard whereby moral influences can be measured, and the full value of edu- cation, to its possessor, is above computation, it is apparent that the real work accomplished by the schools cannot be estimated and reported.


SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.


Population of the city, United States census, 1880


24,985


Population of the city in May, 1882, as ascertained by the truant-officer .


25,725


Estimated population at the present time


30,000


Number of persons in the city between five and fifteen


years of age, on the first day of May last


6,032


In Ward One


1,736


Two


2,023


Three .


1,108


66 Four .


1,165


Increase for the year


554


Number between eight and fourteen years .


3,577


142


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Valuation of the city, May 1, 1884


$24,331,100


Real estate


$22,587,700


Personal estate


. 1,743,400


Rate of taxation


.0166


Estimated value of school property


$376,325


EXPENDITURES FROM JAN. 1, 1884, TO JAN. 1, 1885.


BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


Salaries of teachers and superintendent $74,512 77


Janitors' salaries


. 3,489 83


Truant-officers' salaries


350 00


Water


689 34


Gas .


63 44


Text-books


7,325 00


Writing-books .


390 00


Drawing-books .


525 00


Printing .


249 60


Stationery and other supplies . 1,785 00


Miscellaneous


.


1,229 68


Total expenditures .


$90,609 66


RECEIPTS.


Tuition of non-resident pupils


217 50


Net expenditures .


$90,392 16


.


.


SCHOOLS.


SCHOOL SESSIONS. - Previous to the present year, there were a morning session of the grammar and primary schools each school- day, and an afternoon session each school-day except Wednesday and Saturday. In accordance with the wishes of a large majority of the citizens, the rule pertaining to school sessions was changed in January last. Since that time, the grammar and the primary schools have had a morning session and an afternoon session each school- day except Saturday.


ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS. - Nine new schools have been established during the year, - one grammar school in Winter Hill district, two grammar schools in East Somerville district, two grammar schools


143


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


and two primary schools in Prospect Hill district, and one grammar school and one primary school in West Somerville district.


Since September, the additional school in Winter Hill district has occupied the wardroom in the Forster School-house. Two schools in Prospect Hill district have been accommodated in buildings located on Somerville Avenue.


The first and second classes of the Highland School occupied the same school-room previous to the present school-year ; but, at the be- ginning of this year, the second class required a separate room. To provide for it, the ninth class was transferred from the Highland School-house to rooms in Clarendon Block, and placed under the instruction of two teachers.


The three schools that had occupied the Lincoln School-house are accommodated in buildings situated on Holland Street.


HALF-TIME SCHOOLS. - In consequence of inadequate accommoda- tions, it has been necessary to restrict the attendance of pupils of four primary schools, in East Somerville district, to one session a day, since the beginning of the school-year in September last, thus making two school-rooms suffice for four schools. Two of these schools have been in attendance each morning session, and the remaining two each afternoon session, alternating each succeeding month. The teachers of the four schools have been constantly employed, two in each school-room ; consequently, the restricted pupils have received the same amount of instruction in the one session each day that they would have received in two sessions with one teacher, and have sus- tained comparatively small loss by this arrangement.


Two of these schools, and the school which has been accommo- dated in a hired room on Tufts Street, will be transferred to the new building situated on that street.


The constant increase in the number of schools and pupils since the organization of Somerville, in 1842, is shown by the following exhibit : -


1842 : number of schools,


6 ; number of pupils,


1854 :


20;


66


66


66


66


2,511


1872 :


66


66


66


59;


66


66


66 2,932


1875 : 66


66


66


77;


66


66


66 3,685


1879 :


66


66


66


84;


66


66 4,500


1882 :


66


66


66


89;


66


5,102


1884 :


66


66


101;


66


66


6,032


293 931


1869 :


66


66


48 ;


1


144


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The average annual increase in the number of schools for forty-two years has been 2.26 ; for the last twelve years, 3.5; and for the last four years, 4.75.


Whole number of schools at the present time . · 102


high school .


1


grammar schools . · 56


primary


. 45


Increase for the year


.


9


SCHOOL-HOUSES.


REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS. - The janitor's apartments have been removed from the basement of the Forster School-house, and a ward- room has been prepared in their place. A new steam-boiler has been placed in the basement of the Prescott School-house. The water-closets, which were constructed in the basement of the High- land School-house, have been removed. The walls and ceilings of many school-rooms have been renovated, and the outside of the Beech-Street School-house has been painted. Closets have been pro- vided in the several school buildings for the safe keeping of books and school supplies.


Our thanks are due to the committee on public property, and to Col. Walker, Superintendent of Public Buildings, for their prompt attention to the numerous and ever-recurring wants of the schools, and for the care and labor bestowed upon the several school buildings.


NEW BUILDINGS. - Two wooden buildings, each containing four school-rooms, have been constructed within the year, - one on Tufts Street in Ward One, and the other on School Street in Ward Two.


At the beginning of the winter term, Jan. 5th, four schools will occupy the building on Tufts Street, and three the building on School Street.


THE LINCOLN SCHOOL-HOUSE, constructed on Elm Street in 1866, and moved to Clarendon Hill in 1881, was destroyed by fire Oct. 22d.


145


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


TABLE SHOWING THE LOCATION, DATE OF ERECTION, ESTIMATED VALUE, AND CAPACITY OF THE SEVERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS.


NAME.


LOCATION.


When erected.


No. of feet in


lot.


Estimated


value.


No. of school- rooms.


High


Highland Avenue


1871


-


$44,000


4


Forster


·


Sycamore Street


1866


32,693


41,500


12


Prescott


Pearl Street


1867


21,444


42,000


12


Edgerly


Cross Street


.


1871


26,428


43,100


8


Davis


Tufts Street


1884


29,584


-


4


Luther V. Bell .


Vinal Avenue .


1874


22,262


43,000


12


Prospect Hill


Washington Street


1848


25,313


20,600


6


Cummings


School Street


1884


11,300


-


4


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


(Before


1842


9,360


2,600


1


Morse


Summer Street


(Purchased


1872


6,000


4,750


2


Spring Hill


Rear of Harvard Street .


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


33,000


8


Cedar Street


Cedar Street


1843


-


800


2


$000,000


102


ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS.


At the close of last year, there were in the city three vacant school- rooms, and one school was occupying a hired room on Tufts Street. During the year, two buildings, containing eight school-rooms, have been constructed ; and one building of four school-rooms has been destroyed by fire. The increase in our school population has created the necessity for the establishment of ten new schools. At the begin- ning of the next term of the schools, Jan. 5, there will be two vacant school-rooms, five schools in hired school-rooms, one school in the basement of the Forster School-house, and one in a very unsuitable room in the basement of the Morse School-house.


In the near future, additional primary-school accommodations will be required in the eastern section of Ward One, the southern section of Ward Two, the western section of Ward Three, and the central section of Ward Four.


In addition to the building now in process of construction, to sup- ply the place of the Lincoln School-house, two new buildings of the capacity of those which have been constructed this year will be required next year, - one to be located on or near Lowell Street, and


.


1869


29,109


26,000


7


Beech Street


Beech Street


.


146


ANNUAL REPORTS.


north of the Lowell Railroad ; the other, near the intersection of Summer Street and Willow Avenue.


Early in the coming spring, a room will be required for the accom- modation of a school which must be formed to relieve the primary schools in the Bennett and Jackson school-houses ; and another, for the relief of the primary schools in the Beech Street and Spring Hill school-houses.


ADDITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. - Each succeeding year, the neces- sity for a re-adjustment of the school districts, and the establishment of an additional grammar-school centre, becomes more urgent. When the Lincoln Grammar School was established, in 1867, there were thirty-four schools, five school districts, and five grammar masters. Since that time, the number of schools has increased threefold ; but no addition has been made to the number of districts, and the num- ber of grammar masters remains the same. There are as many schools in Prospect Hill district alone, at the present time, as there were in the entire city seventeen years ago; and the number of schools in the two districts comprising the south-eastern section of the city is greater than the whole number in the city in 1872, when the first city government was inaugurated.


Were the population of the city equally distributed over its territory, five school districts and five grammar masters would be sufficient for our one hundred and one grammar and primary schools. Twenty schools to a district are not excessive. The best arrangement yet devised for convenience and efficiency, is a district containing twelve grammar schools, under the supervision of a grammar master, and accommodated in one building centrally located, and nine primary schools situated near the homes of the pupils. That number of schools will furnish, ordinarily, a first class of about fifty pupils for the princi- pal and his assistant, - a number that can be well instructed in one room. Any increase of that number detracts seriously from the advantages which pupils should receive during the year in which they are members of the first class, - the most important year, doubtless, of their entire public-school course.


As our districts are now constituted, fifty-nine and one-half per cent of the pupils in our public schools reside in two of the five school districts, and thirty-six per cent in one of them. The number of pupils in the first class of the grammar schools in each of the several districts varies from thirty to eighty-six.


147


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND PUPILS IN THE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.


DISTRICTS.


No. of Schools.


No. of Teachers.


No. of Pupils.


No. in First Class.


Average No. to a School.


Prospect Hill


·


35


36


1,687


86


49


East Somerville


23


24


1,079


57


47


Spring Hill


15


16


664


30


41


West Somerville


14


15


636


38


45


Winter Hill


14


15


618


35


44


Total


101


106


4,684


246


46.37


TEACHERS.


Nine teachers have resigned during the year, and twenty-two have been elected. Of the latter number, four were teaching as substitutes at the beginning of the year, nine were elected for the new schools, and nine to fill vacancies caused by resignations.


ELECTED.


Mr. Henry C. Parker, principal of the Morse School.


Miss Stella Hall, teacher in the Morse School.


Miss Agnes L. Adams, teacher in the Forster School.


Miss Lizzie F. Clement, teacher in the Forster School. Miss Mary L. Lewis, teacher in the Prescott School.


Miss Fannie F. Fuller, teacher in the Edgerly School.


Miss Frances J. Emerson, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School. Miss Elvira Morrill, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School. Miss Annie Coffin, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School. Miss Nellie M. Richardson, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School. Miss Lucy E. Clark, teacher in the Prospect Hill School. Miss Helen M. Dodge, teacher in the Brastow School. Miss Hattie A. Cheney, teacher in the Bennett School.


Miss Annie E. Crimmings, teacher in the Jackson School.


Miss Mary L. Longfellow, principal of the Webster School.


Miss Helen M. Meade, teacher in the Beech Street School. Miss Emma J. Rowley, teacher in the Spring Hill School. Miss Alice E. Gage, teacher in the Highland School. Miss Hallie M. Hood, teacher in the Clarendon Hall School.


Miss Susie A. Mattoon, teacher in the Lincoln School.


Miss Nora F. Byard, teacher in the Forster School.


Miss Lena G. Allen, teacher in the Jackson School.


148


ANNUAL REPORTS.


RESIGNED.


Mr. Frank F. Murdock, principal of the Morse School. Miss Corinne Harrison, teacher in the Morse School. Miss Harriet A. Holbrook, teacher in the Morse School. Miss Mary E. Wild, teacher in the Forster School.


Miss Alice T. Couch, teacher in the Forster School. Miss Alice E. Furber, teacher in the Spring Hill School. Miss Lillian F. Howe, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School.


Miss Lizzie D. Harding, teacher in the Brastow School.


Miss Nellie M. Richardson, teacher in the Luther V. Bell School.


The teachers who have resigned were doing successful work in their respective places. Mr. Murdock, the very efficient and highly esteemed principal of the Morse School, resigned at the close of the school year to accept a position as teacher in the State normal school at Bridgewater. Mr. Parker, who succeeded Mr. Murdock, has taught several years, in different parts of the State, with marked success. He has an excellent record, and is taking high rank among our teachers.


Being fully persuaded that we can confer no greater blessing upon our pupils than to place over them teachers of superior merit, we endeavor to exercise great caution in our selections and labor to pro- cure the best talent that our inducements will secure. The frequency of resignations, however, and the demands of new schools, render the maintenance of a high standard of excellence in our teaching force a difficult task. Forty-five teachers have been elected within the last two years, and sixty-eight within the last three years.


Teachers sustain a most intimate and vital relation to their work. Their schools bear the impress of their characters, and become un- erring exponents of their ability and efficiency. The standing of the schools of any community is a sure index of the character of the teachers who conduct them : hence the necessity for the exercise of extreme care in their selection and appointment.


In promoting the education of the young, commodious school- rooms, suitable text-books and apparatus, and ample supplies are important and desirable auxiliaries ; but zealous, conscientious, intel- ligent, experienced teachers are indispensable requisites. President Garfield, in referring to an eminent and highly honored teacher, made the following enthusiastic declaration : "I would rather spend four years with him in a shanty, than the same period surrounded by the best appliances of the German universities."




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