USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1898 > Part 14
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I am persuaded that the normal growth of the library is being seriously checked by this condition of affairs. Many people have emphatically expressed their reluctance to come to the library at all on account of the crowd, the delay, and the vexation to which they are subjected. In view of all this, it seems to me that an addition of considerable size should be made to the library. This addition should make possible a greatly enlarged delivery room, a good packing room, a much larger children's room, an art room, an enlarged " Americana " room, several small rooms for private study, another stack room as large as our present one, and a moderate-sized public hall, to be used for lectures on educational subjects, to be given not only under the auspices of the library, but by the various local literary and educational clubs to whom the trustees may see fit to grant such privileges. The need of these increased facilities is so apparent, and so necessary to the progressive development of the library, that we cannot too urgently ask for a special appropriation, sufficient to make the accommodations needed.
SYMMETRICAL DEVELOPMENT.
During the past few months a considerable attempt has been made toward a symmetrical development of the library. A
274
ANNUAL REPORTS.
librarian should be especially cautious in allowing his own personal tastes to influence him unduly in the purchase of books. And it is very doubtful if any one's taste is catholic and comprehensive enough to render him competent to select the books for a general public library. Competent specialists in the various departments of human thought should be called in to assist him. This policy has been adopted during the past few months, and will be even more thoroughly carried out in the future. Great credit is due, among others, for important advice in their respective lines of research, to Prof. A. E. Dol- bear and to Prof. G. T. Harmon of Tufts College. The library owes a great debt to many of the clergymen of the city, most of whom have shown the best of good will towards the library, and have offered it many valuable suggestions. The teachers of the city, coming as they do in direct contact with youthful minds, are better qualified to know the needs of these minds than any other class of people ; and it is no exaggeration to say that the services of the teachers have been invaluable.
In our desire to keep the library up to a well-rounded sym- metry, it must not be forgotten that our efforts must be continuous. The most symmetrical library in the world will not stay symmetrical for a period of twelve months. Truth grows old more rapidly than it once did; or, rather, “Time makes ancient truth uncouth " more quickly than in previous generations. Most books written on electricity ten years ago are made worthless by subsequent discoveries. Books on geol- ogy, on chemistry, on physics, on political economy or sociology, which were written ten years ago, are not much more accurate for the users of to-day than a calendar, an almanac, or a diary written for ten years ago. There has been a quickening of human thought, even during the lifetime of men still young, such as the history of the race has never known before. Pro- fessor Wallace holds that there has been greater progress during the present century than during all the centuries that have preceded it. So there has perhaps been as great progress during the past decade as during the nine previous decades of the century. If this is so, a book ten years old along any line of investigation is antiquated and largely obsolete. Such books
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 275
are valuable historically, as they show the views held by men at the time they were written ; but if we give them out with the implied inference that they express absolute truth, we are guilty of the propagation of outworn errors. Consequently, I believe a much larger sum of money than has hitherto been spent for such a purpose should be expended each year in buy- ing books that embody the very latest results of modern study. When thought travels by express we should not try to keep abreast of it by stage. It is the business of a public library to keep abreast of it ; and it ought to spare no expense in pur- chasing the right conveyance to do so.
In our efforts toward a symmetrical development of the library, I do not believe we should confine our endeavors exclusively to the accumulation of books. In towns where there are no museums the library should be the natural recep- tacle for the accumulation of all that is illustrative of art, science and research of all kinds, especially of such collections as possess a local interest. If there is no observatory in town, no local benefactor with astronomical tastes should be deterred from presenting his city a telescope. The library, in the absence of other institutions, is the guardian of all such gifts. It does not exceed its mission if it gathers within its walls all that is educative in all departments of human thought ; and it is a matter of little moment whether that thought is embodied in a book, a statue, a picture, a reconstructed fossil, a model of a locomotive, an electric battery, or a scientific chart.
BUSINESS PRINCIPLES AS APPLIED TO THE LIBRARY.
If I may be pardoned a somewhat radical suggestion, but one in which I thoroughly believe, I would recommend that the library should make special direct efforts to increase the volume of its business just as all successful business houses do. The time has long since passed by when any private business can even exist if it simply establishes itself and waits for the people to come to it. The church, without a missionary spirit, is as tepid as the old church of Laodicea. The public schools are missionary to the extent that they are compulsory. The
276
ANNUAL REPORTS.
public library is coming more and more to be an adjunct of the public schools, and while I would not, of course, advocate the making of the use of the library compulsory, I would suggest that its privileges be respectfully offered to every family in the city. The library should not wait complacently for the people to come to it : it should go to the people. The way to reach men is to go where they are. It is not enough for us to say, "The doors of the library are open, all who will can come." All who WILL NOT are the ones we most desire. The people who are fond of books will come, and we gladly welcome them. But a judicious fisher of men does not angle for the fish that are already caught. It is the people who are not fond of books that we desire to reach. The public library has done a great work, but it has only faintly begun, as yet, to realize the mag- nitude of its mission. It should not rest satisfied until it has made the reading of books as general as the reading of news- papers. To this end I believe that every family in Somerville should be offered a library card. If the library is a good thing, and we most potently believe it is, why should we not offer this good thing to men and women who are too careless to learn this truth for themselves. If we should offer a card to every family in Somerville and to every member of every fam- ily that, according to our rules, are now entitled to cards, it would be the dawning of a new intellectual day to thousands in this community. If the undertaking is of too great a magni- tude to be carried into immediate effect, I would like to see it tried as an experiment in some single precinct of the city. Let a door-to-door canvass be made in some such precinct, and our regular application blanks be left with all eligible persons who desire them. A trial of this method could thus be made in a comparatively small section, which would give us data to enable us to determine concerning the practicability for a larger application. I earnestly recommend this experimental trial.
THE LIBRARY AS AN INSPIRATIONAL FORCE.
Perhaps sufficient attention is paid to making the library a highly organized and smoothly working machine. It should be, of course, a machine, and the more delicately adjusted its parts
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 277
may be, the better. But a machine does not exist simply for the sake of running smoothly. If it runs smoothly and gives out no product, it is simply a mechanical sarcasm. A library has no especial reason for self felicitation because it gives out a large number of books. It may give out a very large number of books, and still do more harm than good. The great question is : Is it grinding out a product of enlightened citizenship? Is it transforming the community into intellectual, thoughtful, better-equipped, more roundly developed men and women? If it is not, its activities are useless contortions, and the tax-payers have a right to protest against its further existence. If it does not do all this, how shall we abide the thunder of their righteous wrath ? The library probably cannot make all its visitors appreciative of the great master minds and the lords of thought whose works are on its shelves. But if it does not, in the aggregate, raise the standard of literary taste in the community ; if it does not help to train up a generation of lovers of good books ; in short, if it does not make men wiser and better, then the noise of its complicated machinery is an ironic laugh, far from musical for us to hear. Every effort has been made during the past year to make the library an uplifting and an inspira- tional agency. We have tried to get into the hearts of the young through the pathway of human sympathy. We have tried to create an atmosphere of welcome. The tomb-like still- ness and death-like hush that sometimes prevail in libraries have not been encouraged. The young people and all others whom we could help have been encouraged in every way to seek personal interviews with the librarian and all other members of the staff; and suggestions along the lines of each one's aptitudes have been offered to the extent of our limitations. By personal interviews we have tried to draw out the dawning perceptions of the young and help them to help themselves in the building up of a well-rounded intellectual equipment. We trust that, as a result of our sowing, a sturdier crop of mental and moral men will grow upon these hillsides.
CONCLUSION.
It would not be right to close this report without testifying to the faithfulness and cheerfulness with which all the members
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
of the library staff have performed their duties. Their work is done at times under many vexations and annoyances, but it is always done with patience ; and no complaint of discourtesy on the part of a single member of the staff has ever been brought to my notice. Their work has been done with thoroughness ; and what is more important, if possible, with graciousness and a real love for the work itself.
For the very generous co-operation of your Board, for your willingness to grant all powers within your gift toward the furtherance of the progress and efficiency of the library, I cannot be too grateful.
Respectfully submitted, SAM WALTER FOSS, Librarian.
١
REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 25, 1899.
Referred to Committee on Printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 26, 1899.
Referred to Committee on Printing, to be printed in the annual reports, in concurrence.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS, CITY HALL, January 2, 1899.
TO THE HONORABLE, THE MAYOR, AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
Gentlemen : - I herewith submit my third annual report for the year ending December 31, 1898.
During the year 68 inspections of electric light and power- wiring of buildings have been made, many of which necessi- tated several calls where alterations were deemed necessary for safety.
An ordinance was approved December 24, 1897, requiring all persons wiring buildings or making any changes in wires already in use to notify the Superintendent of Electric Lines, that he may be given opportunity to inspect such work, and providing that the Electric Light Company shall not connect any building to their service without written permission from him. By this means all wiring must pass his inspection and approval before any current is furnished.
This department has put in service the electric lights in the English High School. Many changes had to be made in the wiring, and some 30 lights were added. All repairs of electric apparatus in public schools and buildings have been made by this department, the committee on public buildings paying for stock alone.
The fire-alarm system is in excellent condition, having been thoroughly rebuilt and inspected since the storm of January 31, which completely crippled this branch of the service, 15 boxes and 5 gongs being burnt out and several miles of wire and poles blown down. During the year 7 new boxes have been added, located as follows : 218, Skehan and Hanson streets ; 219, Oak and Houghton streets; 336, Bartlett and Medford streets; 337, City Stables; 426, Lowell and Albion
284
ANNUAL REPORTS.
streets ; 428, Morrison and Clifton streets ; 446, Chester and Orchard streets.
Ladder 2 and Hose 2 have been equipped with electric lights, the work having been done by this department. All fire department stations are now so equipped that on the first blow of the fire alarm the house is instantly lighted. The cen- tral fire station has been provided with carbon lightning arresters, which reduce the danger of burn-outs from thunder storms to a great extent.
The fire-alarm system now comprises 7 tower bell-strikers, 26 gongs, 7 visual indicators, 18 tappers, 6 relays, 86 boxes, and 320 cells storage battery. In addition to this there are 34 tappers on open circuit, 260 cells battery, and about 12 miles of wire. These tappers are used to notify the call men of the fire department, both in connection with the bell alarm and on a still alarm.
This department has the care of about 90 miles of wire, including fire alarm, police, and telephone wires.
The local telephone service has been equipped with new transmitters and receivers, without additional cost to the city, and is giving excellent service.
I would recommend the purchase of more fire-alarm boxes, as our city is growing very fast and new territory is being con- stantly built up. We should also have another circuit to West Somerville, as the present circuits are fast becoming over- loaded, and in case of a break too much territory is left uncov- ered. I would also recommend the purchase of a suitable wagon for this department, in which we may carry our ladders and other appliances for emergency service, as we are often called to look after broken wires of all kinds, including high tension and trolley wires, and by removing them from the street, lessen the liability of accidents. The wagon at present in use is wholly unfitted for such service and is a constant source of danger to the men who use it.
I would also strongly urge the necessity of placing the wires underground, which necessity was clearly demonstrated by the storm of last February. The cost of replacing poles and wires at that time, to say nothing of the danger to the city
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LIGHTS. 285
from fires, would have paid for several miles of underground service.
The police signal system has received the usual careful attention and is in good order. During the year a new register was purchased and two boxes have been added. Much of the old outside wire has been replaced by new, as it was found neces- sary from time to time. The lines are in fairly good condition, but during the coming year more old wire should be replaced by new, to give the best service.
STREET LIGHTING.
During the year 117 Welsbach lights have been added, both gas and naphtha. They have given general satisfaction, and many streets and places which were without light have been lighted by them. By using these lights we were enabled to move several arc lights to locations where they can be used to better advantage. There still remain many streets unlighted, which should receive attention during the coming year. Most of these can be satisfactorily lighted by either Welsbach or 32- candle power incandescent lights, at an expense of $30 each light, per year.
The locations of many arc lights have been changed, where it was thought the service could be improved by so doing.
The Electric Light Company has been quite prompt in replac- ing faulty lamps and has kept its lights up to a fairly good standard. The Superintendent will gladly receive reports from any citizens of lamps not burning as they should, and will take steps to have the trouble remedied at once.
In closing, I wish to express my thanks to His Honor, the Mayor, and the members of the city council for consideration shown this department the past year ; also to the chief engineer of the fire department for assistance rendered during the storm of January 31, with which we were enabled to. get our circuits in working order very quickly ; also to the chief of police for courtesy shown this department during the year.
Yours respectfully, EDWARD BACKUS,
Superintendent of Electric Lines and Lights.
-
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 25, 1899.
Referred to Committee on Printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 26, 1899.
Referred to Committee on Printing, to be printed in the annual reports in concurrence.
CHAS. S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
1
SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS, January 10, 1899.
TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF SOMERVILLE.
Gentlemen : - At a meeting of the Board of School Committee held December 30, 1898, it was
Ordered, That the Annual Report of the Superintendent be adopted as the Annual Report of the Board of School Committee, it being understood that such adoption does not commit the Board to the opinions or recommendations made therein ; that the same be referred to the City Council, with a request to incorporate it in the annual reports ; and that 1,000 copies be printed in separate form.
Respectfully, G. A. SOUTHWORTH, Sec'y of School Board.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1898.
HON. ALBION A. PERRY, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio. FRANCIS M. WILSON, President of the Common Council, Vice-Chairman, ex officio.
MEMBERS.
WARD ONE. Term expires January
GEORGE S. POOLE,
SANFORD HANSCOM,
S. NEWTON CUTLER,
46 Mt. Vernon street. 1899
1 Webster street. 1900
28 Flint street. 1901
WARD TWO.
HERBERT A. CHAPIN,
JAMES F. BEARD,
ALVAH B. DEARBORN,
41 Walnut street. 1899
17 Prospect Hill avenue. 1900
34 Bow street. 1901
WARD THREE.
QUINCY E. DICKERMAN, 85 Central street. 1899
GEORGE W. W. WHITING, 280 Broadway. 1900
FRANK H. HARDISON, 192 Central street. 1901
WARD FOUR.
GILES W. BRYANT,
MARTIN W. CARR,
GEORGE A. MILES,
296 Elm street. 1899
74 Craigie street. 1900
249 Elm street. 1901
STANDING COMMITTEES, 1898.
ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL .- Dickerman, Poole, Carr, Hanscom, Chapin.
LATIN HIGH SCHOOL .- Hardison, Beard, Dearborn, Cutler, Bryant.
EAST SOMERVILLE DISTRICT .- Hanscom, Cutler, Poole.
PROSPECT HILL DISTRICT .- Dearborn, Beard, Chapin.
WINTER HILL DISTRICT .- Whiting, Hardison, Dickerman, Perry, Wilson.
SPRING HILL DISTRICT .- Carr, Miles, Bryant.
WEST SOMERVILLE DISTRICT :- Miles, Carr, Bryant.
ADDITIONAL SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS .- Perry, Poole, Dear- born, Miles.
EVENING SCHOOLS .- Dearborn, Dickerman, Bryant, Hanscom. FINANCE .- Poole, Carr, Wilson, Beard.
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION .- Cutler, Dickerman, Chapin, Carr. MUSIC .- Chapin, Whiting, Cutler, Miles.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS .- Whiting, Miles, Dearborn, Poole.
REPAIRS .- Carr, Whiting, Poole, Dearborn.
RULES AND REGULATIONS .- Miles, Chapin, Whiting, Cutler. SALARIES .- Bryant, Beard, Hanscom, Hardison.
SUPPLIES .- Beard, Bryant, Hardison, Poole.
TEXT-BOOKS AND COURSE OF STUDY .- Hanscom, Hardison, Chapin, Cutler, Beard, Miles, Bryant, Dickerman.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1899.
HON. GEORGE O. PROCTOR, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio. CHARLES A. GRIMMONS, President of the Common Council, Vice-Chairman, ex officio.
MEMBERS.
WARD ONE. Term expires January
SANFORD HANSCOM,
1 Webster street. 1900
S. NEWTON CUTLER,
28 Flint street. 1901
GEORGE S. POOLE,
46 Mt. Vernon street. 1902
WARD TWO.
JAMES F. BEARD,
17 Prospect Hill avenue. 1900
ALVAH B. DEARBORN,
34 Bow street. 1901
FRED W. GILBERT,
101 School street. 1902
WARD
THREE.
280 Broadway. 1900
192 Central street. 1901
85 Central street. 1902
WARD FOUR.
MARTIN W. CARR, '
74 Craigie street. 1900
GEORGE A. MILES,
249 Elm street. 1901
MRS. HENRIETTA B. H. ATTWOOD,
18 Herbert street. 1902
The Board holds its regular meetings on the last Monday evening of each month at 8 o'clock.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. GORDON A. SOUTHWORTH.
Office : City Hall Annex, Highland avenue.
Residence : 40 Greenville street.
The Superintendent's office will be open from 8 to 12 and from 1.30 to 5 ; Saturdays, 8.30 to 10. His office hours are 4 to 5 on school days and 8 to 9 on Saturdays.
Office telephone, 234-2 ; house telephone, 12.
ELEANOR L. HANNAY, Superintendent's clerk.
GEO. W. W. WHITING,
FRANK H. HARDISON,
Q. E. DICKERMAN,
STANDING COMMITTEES, 1899.
ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL .- Carr, Hanscom, Dickerman, Poole, Gilbert.
LATIN HIGH SCHOOL .- Beard, Dearborn, Cutler, Hardison, Miles.
EAST SOMERVILLE DISTRICT .- Cutler, Poole, Hanscom. PROSPECT HILL DISTRICT .- Beard, Dearborn, Gilbert.
WINTER HILL DISTRICT .- Hardison, Dickerman, Whiting, Grimmons.
SPRING HILL DISTRICT .- Carr, Miles, Mrs. Attwood, Proctor. WEST SOMERVILLE DISTRICT .- Miles, Carr, Mrs. Attwood.
ADDITIONAL SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS .- Proctor, Hanscom, Beard, Hardison.
EVENING SCHOOLS. - Miles, Dickerman, Hanscom, Dearborn. FINANCE .- Gilbert, Poole, Miles, Grimmons.
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION .- Dickerman, Carr, Cutler, Gilbert. MUSIC .- Whiting, Cutler, Gilbert, Mrs. Attwood. PRIVATE SCHOOLS .- Mrs. Attwood, Whiting, Poole, Gilbert. REPAIRS .- Dearborn, Whiting, Poole, Mrs. Attwood. RULES AND REGULATIONS .- Cutler, Whiting, Miles, Beard. SALARIES .- Hanscom, Beard, Hardison, Carr. SUPPLIES .- Poole, Dickerman, Carr, Dearborn.
TEXT-BOOKS AND COURSE OF STUDY .- Hardison, Dearborn, Cutler, Beard, Miles, Dickerman, Hanscom, Mrs. Attwood.
CONTENTS OF REPORT.
.1. Summary of Statistics
PAGE. 299
2. Cost of Schools 301
3. Salaries now paid 304
4. Cost of Supplies 305
5. Per capita Cost of Maintenance
306
6. Retrenchment 307
7. School Accommodations 310 314 Carr School 317
Relative Cost of large and small Schools Recommendations
318
8. School Attendance
9. Discipline
10. High Schools
11. Teachers 327 330
12 Kindergartens
13. Evening Schools 331
14. Public Library and Schools 332 333 15. Physical Training 336
16. Athletics
17. Penmanship 337
18. Drawing 339 341
19. Apportionment of School Time
20. Grading and Promotions
342
21. Manual Training 346
22. The Outlook 349
363
23. Organization of Schools. Appendix I
24. Drawing School Regulations 372
25. Teachers' Association and Meetings. Appendix I 375
26. Statistical Tables. Appendix II 383
27. Rules and Regulations of the Schools. Appendix III. 431
28. Attendance and Truancy. State Laws. Appendix III. 476
319 321 322
-
E
MARTIN W. CARR SCHOOLHOUSE.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR 1898.
TO THE BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
The twenty-seventh annual report of the Superintendent of Schools for the year ending December 31, 1898, is respectfully submitted, being the sixth of the present incumbent of the office, and the fifty-sixth of the school department of the municipality.
Attention is called to the following exhibit, which shows at a glance the salient facts of attendance and expenditure :
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Population of Somerville
1897. 56,000
1898. 57,500
School population, May 1
9,113
9,845
Children attending school in De- cember .
10,464
11,091
Attending private schools in De- cember
1,386
1,454
Attending public schools in De- cember
9,078
9,637
Attending high schools in De-
cember
877
871
Attending grammar and primary schools in December
8,201
8,766
300
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Entire enrollment for year
.
11,293
11,577
Average number belonging
8,589
9,085
Average number attending . ·
8,144
8,636
Per cent. of daily attendance
94.8
95.1
Number of school buildings
25
25
Valuation of school property
$953,800.00
$1,023,441.00
Number of classrooms
197
203
Number of teachers in December
.
249
252
Salaries of teachers
$175,514.92
$184,543.71
Salaries of officers
4,706.71
4,700.00
Cost of books and supplies
14,815.49
14,985.59
Cost of water and light
1,920.32
2,074.94
Cost of janitors' services
16,250.61
17,392.60
Cost of fuel .
10,064.67
9,766.83
Total cost of day and evening schools
223,272.72
233,463.67
Cost for each pupil in average membership . · .
26.00
25.70
Cost for each high school pupil
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