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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