Report of the city of Somerville 1902, Part 12

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 518


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1902 > Part 12


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28 22


Sewer Department


86


Public Grounds


30 49


Glen-street Addition


800 00


Land on Prospect Hill


131 60


Public Library


93 55


Isaac Pitman Fund, Art


4,000 00


Isaac Pitman Fund, Poetry


1,000 00


Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Art


16 56


Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Poetry


48 63


Reduction of Funded Debt


12,147 99


Sealer of Weights and Measures


85 81


Sewers Construction


4,288 29


Maintenance


4 23


Street Lights


514 53


Support of Poor, Miscellaneous


359 09


Sundry Persons


474 21


Temporary Loans


.


340,000 00


$4,033,405 22


$4,033,405 22


.


TRIAL BALANCE AND BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR 1902.


ACCOUNTS.


TOTAL DEDITS.


TOTAL CREDITS.


CASH RECEIVED.


CASH PAID.


Debit.


Credit.


Debit.


Credit.


Debit.


Credit.


Assessors


$0,836 55


$10,050 00


$213 45


$213 45


City Auditor


700 75


725 00


24 25


24 25


City Clerk


7,804 04


3,096 95


202 01


202 01


1,746 05


7,894 94


City Engineer


12,413 93


12,449 00


35 07


35 07


540 00


12,413 93


City Messenger


1,909 15


2,000 00


85


85


1,999 15


City Solicitor


2,152 93


2,350 00


107 07


197 07


50 00


2,152 93


City Treasurer


14,282 14


15,378 07


1,090 53


1,008 53


8,344 01


14,282 14


Clerk of Committees and Departments


4,009 10


4,100 00


00 00


00 90


4,000 10


Contagious Disease Hospital


641 37


841 37


79 85


79 85


588 34


54,904 82


54,994 82


Coupons Unpaid


57,792 50


83,735 00


25,942 50


Election Expenses :


City Clerk


648 87


700 00


51 13


51 13


058 03


700 00


41 07


41 07


658 93


. Registrars of Voters


1,550 58


1,500 00


Electrical Department


7,294 04


7.555 90


200 98


200 00


55 00


7,294 04


Executive Department


3,733 50


3,800 00


00 50


66 50


Fire Department


63,031 19


03,232 10


200 91


200 91


502 10


Funded Debt


150,000 00


1,030,000 00


1,477,000 00


175,000 00


Health Department


50,410 40


55,711 44


699 02


Highway Betterment Assessments


7,445 77


2,367 04


Highways :-


Boston Avenue Bridge


706 80


706 88


Construction


27,446 13


23,121 68


4,324 45


4,324 45


3,221 96


25,510 13


Construct on Munroe Street and Stone Avenue Extension


6,539 34


6.296 06


242 38


242 38


Maintenance


81,402 04


83,17 85


1,770 81


1,770 81


109 83


100 03 1,228 00


24,251 39


Paving Cross Street .


1,900 80


1,900 80


316 80


316 80


Removal Brown-tail Moths


6,092 07


3,961 08


252 68


500 00


204 54


204 54


230 06


17,770 28


Interest


68,787 69


67,136 22


1,051 47


1,651 47


15,003 17


Joseph F. Wilson Memorial


2,375 00


232 50


232 50


14,303 00 14,189 92


2,180 58


Metered Water Charges


27.707 99


13,578 07


4,589 97


4,589 97


19 20


269 95


Police


66,530 65


72,575 40


8,044 75


0,044 75


5,779 51 32 33


35 43


Printing and Stationery


3,079 01


3,200 00


120 99


120 09


3,079 01


Property and Debt Balance


175,000 00


2,300 384 98


2,125,384 98


Prospect Hill Park


18,587 10


18,588 50


1 31


1 34


3,088 50


18,587 16


City Hall Annex Improvement


655 02


655 02


055 02


City Hall Portico


1,500 00


1,500 00


1,332 32


Morse School Sanitary Improvement


2,000 00


2,000 00


1,859 00


Schoolhouse in Ward One


35,004 50


25,895 52


290 93


35,503 40


Schoolhouse in Ward Seven


0,801 45 7 $2


7 82


Public Buildings Maintenance : -


280 00


700 00


420 00


280 00


City Hall


3,308 10


3,500 00


131 90


3,388 10


City Hall Annex


939 03


750 00


189 03


189 03


939 03


Fire Department


5,808 61


3,800 00


1,808 61


1,808 61


5,808 61 372 16


Highways .


100 52


542 00


351 48


351 48


190 52


Police


2,025 15


4,000 00


1,074 85


1,074 85 28 22


21 78


Public Library


4,177 59


3,504 00


873 59


673 59


4 00


4,177 59


Schoolhouses


47,043 16


45,573 00


1,470 16


1,470 10


73 00


47,043 16


Sewer Department


49 14


50 00


86


88


49 14


Support of Poor


871 41


500 00


371 41


371 41 33 95


30 49


1,212 00


10,681 51


Athletic Apparatus


11 45


11 45


11 45


Athletic Field in Ward Seven Glen Street Addition


800 00


800 00


800 00


Land on Prospect Hill


17,288 70


17,420 30


131 80


131 60


Public Library


18,589 79


18,883 34


03 55


93 55


3,962 59


17.148 78 18,589 79


Addition


1,320 35


1,320 35


4,000 00


4,000 00 1,000 00


160 00 40 00


162 35 3, 12


Isaac Pitman Fund, Investment


5.000 00


5,000 00 3,602,384 08


Reduction of Funded Debt


142,000 00


154.147 90


12,147 99


12,147 99


3,284 75


Renewal of Funded Debt


17,000 00


17.000 00


2,140 00


3,938 06


School Contingent


24,185 75


21,177 50


3,008 25


177 50


School Teachers' Salaries


220,410 47


223,000 00


1,410 47


3,008 25 1,410 47


85 81


5,061 79


4,288 29


35,419 89 10,691 37


Sidewalks, Construction


35,899 00


34,173 01


1,525 09


3,170 79


7,483 10 315 00


Soldiers' Relief


17.981 05


16,151 48


1,829 59


1,820 59


151 40


17,981 05


Somerville Hospital


5,000 00


5.000 00


State Aid


13,410 50


13,410 50


25 00 54 00


62,539 47


Sundry Persons


143 94


618 15 7,208 81


187 83


187 83


359 09


6,851 45


28,067 04


Temporary Loans


710,000 00


1,050,000 00


Water Loan Interest


6,700 00


6,700 00


Water Maintenance


55,015 88


55,015 88


Water Service Assessments


3,575 80


3.575 80


225 70


Water Works Extension


24,275 80


24,275 80


Cash .


2,174,101 60


2,140,023 98


27,177 02


27,177 02


$10,194,427 73


$10,194,427 73


$4,033,405 22


$4,033,405 22


$28,207 88


$20,195 91 §2,101 77


$402,722 56 §2,101 77


$404,824 33


$2,174,101 00


$2,174,101 80


$28,207 08


$404,324 33


Excess and Deficiency .


Assets and Liabilities


Public Property


Funded Debt


1,477,000 00 2,125,384 98


$4,033,405 22


$4,033,405 22


" Balance, 1901. § Balance.


$28,207 88 402,722 50 3,002,384 98


$20,105 91 404,824 33


Property and Debt Balance


410 00


410 00


221,887 20


221,887 20


200,087 33


26 43 24,185 75 229,410 47 1,382 65


Sealer of Weights and Measures


1,382 65


1,468 40


Sewer Assessments


6,701 70


1,039 91


5,061 79


Sewers, Construction .


35,472 55


39,760 84


Sewers, Maintenance


10,601 37


10,005 60


Sidewalk Assessments


21.996 72


15,702 70


6,294 02


6,294 02 1,525 09


189 92 195 60 15,702 70 483 81 18 00


33.074 81


Sidewalks, Maintenance Soldiers' Burials .


315 00


315 00


5,000 00


Street Lights


02 539 47


03,054 00


514 53 474 21


514 53


474 21


180 84


135 99


Support of Poor, City Home


7,396 6.4


2,SOS 81


7,390 64


Miscellaneous


28,607 04


29.026 13


Taxes .


1,306,978 77


995,115 51


311,803 20


311,863 26


340,000 00


074,907 71 850,000 00


610,000 00


Isaac Pitman Fund, Poetry


1.000 00


1,000 00


Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Art


178 91


10 56 48 83


16 56 48 03


Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Poetry


162 35 37 12


85 75


Public Property .


3,602,334 98


Real Estate Liens


6,078 96


3,938 96


127 84


127 84


142 00 800 00


2,025 15


Public Grounds


21 73


50 00


28 22


871 41


Water Department


133 95


100 00


33 95


133 95


Public Grounds .


10,681 51


10,712 00


30 49


3,240 05


3,246 05


3,246 05


Land for Park Purposes


240 30


240 30


24,515 05


7,801 45


Shed at City Home .


4,673 35


4,754 50


80 65


80 65


5-1 50


4,073 85


Military Aid


1,221 00


988 50


38 00


Massachusetts, Commonwealth of


212,002 01


198,389 01


14,189 92


13,443 57


Overlay and Abatement


18,788 97


14,199 00


Overplus on Tax Sales


118 13


118 13


118 13


66,530 65


Powder-House Boulevard


35 43


35 43


212 46


2,130 09


2,130 09


448 85


8,092 07 252 68


Watering Streets


17,770 28


17,565 74


247 32


247 32


Inspection of Buildings


29,008 33


20,226 00


0,382 27


109 83


Paved Gutters and Crossings


9,382 27


29,100 16


0,539 34 81.100 84


Middlesex Avenue Bridge


109 63


Paving Davis Square


Paving Washington Street


219 40


212 48


3,508 49 54,994 82 57,792 50


Commissioner of Public Buildings Pay of Election Officers


1,604 00


1,600 00


$4 00 59 58


$4 00 59 58


1,804 00


Steam Fire Alarm Whistle


500 00


500 00


500 00


3,733 50


899 02 5,078 73


2,898 98 2,367 04


159,000 00 56,410 46


$5,078 73


700 88


$25,042 50


048 87


Contingent Fund


4,308 49


4,388 34


BALANCES.


EXCESS AND DEFICIENCY.


ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.


*$24,333 00


$9,838 55


700 75


Isaac Pitman Fund, Art


4,000 00


4,288 20 4 23


4 23


9,194 79


6,018 00


3,170 79


359 09


340,000 00


12,535 88 3,575 50


47,021 90


Water Works, Abatements on Water Charges Water Works Income


16.139 92 27,177 82


Health Department


372 16


500 00


2,375 00


2,375 00


2,375 00


1,221 00 98,163 16


Public Buildings Construction : -


34,310 50


290 93 24,515 05


Armory


420 00 131 00


Shade Trees


17,107 69


14,303 00


1,559 58


03.031 19


County of Middlesex


5,000 00


2,140 00


85 81


SGS 46 1,587 25


13,410 50


4


159


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


APPROVAL OF TREASURER'S REPORT.


In Committee on Finance, January 30, 1903. To the Board of Aldermen of Somerville :-


The Committee on Finance, to which was referred the report of the Treasurer and Collector of Taxes for the year 1902, reports that, in con- junction with the Auditor, it has examined and audited the books and ac- counts of the Treasurer and Collector of Taxes for the year ending De- cember 31, 1902, and in the manner prescribed by Section 7 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Ordinances of 1900.


In connection with this examination, a careful comparison has been made of the books of the City Auditor, and with the financial statements received from the several committees, boards, and officers of the city, ac- countable for the use of the city funds. The cash account has been veri- fied by actual count of the cash on hand, and the balances shown to be in the banks of deposit have been confirmed by the officials of the banks.


The committee further reports, as a result of the examination, that no errors were discovered in the accounts and books of the Treasurer and Collector, and recommend that his report be accepted and printed in the Annual Reports of 1902.


JOSEPH S. PIKE, WARREN C. DAGGETT,


Committee


FRANK A. NOYES, EDWIN N. SIMONDS, on


RALPH A. LANDERS,


HORACE A. BELCHER,


CHARLES S. GILMAN, L


Finance.


In Board of Aldermen, February 12, 1903. Accepted.


GEORGE I. VINCENT, City Clerk.


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


School Committee Rooms, December 26, 1902.


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 it be incorporated in the reports of the City Officers ; and that 1,000 copies be printed separately.


G. A. SOUTHWORTH, Secretary of School Board.


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1902.


S. NEWTON CUTLER, GEORGE A. MILES,


Chairman


Vice-Chairman


Members.


WARD ONE.


Term expires January.


46 Mt. Vernon street. 1903


28 Flint street. 1904


WARD TWO.


273 Washington street. 1903


JOHN H. O'NEIL,


44 Oak street. 1904


WARD THREE.


41 Putnam street. 1903


GEORGE E. WHITAKER,


75 Walnut street. 1904


WARD FOUR.


13-A Maple avenue. 1903


GEORGE W. W. WHITING,


282 Broadway. 1904


WARD FIVE.


183 Central street. 1903


QUINCY E. DICKERMAN,


85 Central street. 1904


WARD SIX.


FRED M. CARR,


12 Westwood road. 1903


FREDERICK A. P. FISKE,


44 Cherry street. 1904


WARD SEVEN.


HENRIETTA B. H. ATTWOOD, GEORGE A. MILES,


18 Herbert street. 1903


249 Elm street. 1904


The Committee holds its regular meetings on the last Monday even- ing of each month, except July, August, and December, at 8.15 o'clock. The last meeting of the year is held on the Friday next preceding the first Monday of January.


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 to 10. His office hours are from 4 to 5 on school days and 8 to 9 on Saturdays.


Office telephone, 314; house telephone, 12.


Cora S. Fitch, Superintendent's clerk, 273 Medford street.


GEORGE S. POOLE, S. NEWTON CUTLER,


EDWARD J. FLYNN,


DANA W. BENNETT,


WILLIAM P. JONES,


J. WALTER SANBORN,


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1902.


High Schools .- Miles, Cutler, Flynn, Bennett, Whiting, Sanborn, Carr. LATIN, ENGLISH.


District (or Ward) I .- Poole, Cutler.


PRESCOTT, HANSCOM, DAVIS, BENNETT.


District (or Ward) II .- Flynn, O'Neil.


KNAPP, PERRY, BAXTER.


District (or Ward) III .- Bennett, Whitaker. POPE, PROSPECT HILL, BELL, CUMMINGS.


District (or Ward) IV .- Jones, Whiting.


EDGERLY, GLINES.


District (or Ward) V .- Sanborn, Dickerman. FORSTER, BINGHAM.


District (or Ward) VI .- Carr, Fiske.


CARR, MORSE, DURELL, BURNS, BROWN.


District (or Ward) VII .- Mrs. Attwood, Miles. HIGHLAND, HODGKINS, LINCOLN.


Additional School Accommodations .- Cutler, O'Neil, Bennett, Jones, Sanborn, Carr, Miles.


Evening Schools .- Dickerman, Bennett, Fiske.


Finance .- Flynn, Poole, Bennett.


Industrial Education .- Carr, O'Neil, Mrs. Attwood.


Music .- Mrs. Attwood, Whitaker, Dickerman.


Private Schools .- Whiting, Flynn, Carr.


Repairs of School Buildings .- O'Neil, Whitaker, Jones.


Rules and Regulations .- Jones, O'Neil, Fiske.


Salaries .- Poole, Whiting, Sanborn.


Supplies .- Sanborn, Poole, Miles.


Text-Books and Courses of Study .- Fiske, Cutler, Flynn, Whitaker, Jones, Dickerman, Mrs. Attwood.


FIRST SCHOOL BOARD OF SOMERVILLE UNDER THE SECOND CHARTER, 1900.


F. A. P. FISKE. MRS. ATTWOOD. G. A. MILES. G. A. SOUTHWORTH. G. S. POOLE. E. J. FLYNN. J. H. O'NEIL ..


JAIRUS MANN. JAMES F. BEARD. S. NEWTON CUTLER. L. H. SNOW.


M. W. CARR. J. W. SANBORN. Q. E. DICKERMAN. W. P. JONES. G. W. W. WHITING. A. B. DEARBORN.


D). W. BENNETT.


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


To the School Committee of Somerville :-


The thirty-first year of the educational life of our city has been a prosperous one, free from any unusual interruptions and distractions that would tend to interfere with the progress and efficiency of the work of the schools.


In considering the year's record, your attention is first of all invited to the following


Summary of Statistics


arranged for ready reference and comparison with that of last year :--


1. - POPULATION OF SOMERVILLE.


United States census, 1890


40,117


State census, 1895. .


.52,200


United States census, 1900.


61,643


Estimated population, 1902


.65,273


Children between five and fifteen, Census returns, 1901 .. 10,715


66


66 66


66


1902. 11,203 488


Increase


2. - SCHOOL BUILDINGS.


1901.


1902.


Increase.


Number of school buildings


25


24


-1


Number of classrooms ....


230


232


2


Valuation of school property.


$1,180,047 $1,237,496


$57,449


3. - TEACHERS.


1901.


1902.


Increase.


In high schools.


44


45


1


In grammar schools.


132


143


11


In primary schools.


92


89


-3


In kindergartens


8


8


0


Total in elementary schools.


232


240


8


Special


7


7


0


Total


283


292


9


4 .- ATTENDANCE FOR YEAR.


1901.


1902.


Increase.


Entire enrollment for the year


12,499


13,116


617


Average number belonging


9,991


10,402


411


Average number attending.


9,350


9,733


383


Per cent. of daily attendance.


93.6


93.5


0.1


High school graduates.


153


164


11


Grammar school graduates


497


497


0


164


ANNUAL REPORTS.


5. - ATTENDANCE IN DECEMBER.


1901.


1902.


Increase.


Whole number attending


12,296


12,648


352


In private schools


1,653


1,679


26


In public schools


10,643


10,969


326


In high schools.


1,071


1,148


77


In elementary schools


9,381


9,264


243


In kindergarten.


191


197


6


In first grade.


1,502


1,585


83


In second grade


1,322


1,266


-56


In third grade.


1,256


1,232


-24


In fourth grade.


1,174


1,205


31


In fifth grade.


1,096


1,183


87


In sixth grade.


1,038


1,021


-17


In seventh grade.


826


932


106


In eighth grade.


616


687


71


In ninth grade.


542


513


-29


6. - COST OF SCHOOL MAINTENANCE.


1901.


1902.


Salaries of teachers


$221,740.00


$229,410.00


Salaries of officers


4,816.00


4,800.00


-16.00


Cost of books and supplies


18,707.00


19,386.00


679.00


Cost of light.


1,731.00


1,803.00


72.00


Cost of janitors' services


20,078.00


20,859.00


781.00


Cost of fuel.


13,723.00


10,489.00


-3,234.00


Total cost of day and evening schools


280,796.00


286,747.00


5,951.00


Per capita cost.


28.10


27.57


-0.53


Cost of high school


instruc-


tion


47,710.00


50,078.00


2,368.00


Per capita cost.


47.71


46.63


-1.08


7. - MISCELLANEOUS.


1901.


1902.


Increase.


Paid


for new school


buildings


$49,203.00


$56,501.00


$7,298.00


Repairs and


permanent


improvements


11,000.00


13,079.00


2,079.00


Total


school expendi-


tures


340,999.00


356,327.00


Valuation of city .


.53,924,200.00


55,485,370.00


15,328.00 1,561,170.00


Per cent. of valuation spent to maintain


schools


0.521


0.517


-0.004


Per cent. of valuation


spent for all


school


purposes.


0.632


0.642


0.010


.


.


·


·


.


.


·


.


.


.


Increase. $7,670.00


.


School Buildings. The most notable improvement of the year in our school accommodations is the completion of a new, modern, twelve-room schoolhouse in the southerly part of Ward 1. It is located in the centre of a populous district, whose resi- dents demand for the necessarily short school life of their chil- dren the best the city can furnish in the way of both school architecture and instruction. The needs of the district have heretofore been approximately met in two primitive buildings,


165


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


erected,-one, forty years ago, and the other, thirty-four,-when Somerville was a town of less than 10,000 inhabitants. The older of these buildings was demolished to make way for the new structure. The other remains on a commodious lot, available, after thorough renovation, as a branch library and reading room, or as a centre for a social settlement under charge of some one of our philanthropic women's clubs or other organizations.


The completion of the new building has also enabled us to dispense with the old Prospect Hill schoolhouse, which has been used by six generations of school children. Somerville was a town of 4,000 people in 1852, when this building was erected to accommodate the Prospect Hill Grammar School, which had outgrown its modest quarters, in what is now Central Square. Two rooms only were at first provided, an addition of four rooms being made in 1865. It was the only grammar school building in its section of the city until 1874. Many of our fore- most citizens recall with pleasure their early school life within its walls under the instruction of sturdy teachers, the memories of two of whom will ever be kept green in the names borne by two of our prominent schools. While this building will never again be needed for regular school purposes, it may be remod- elled and repaired, and used in part for manual training and cooking schools, and in part as a club-house for boys, who greatly need rooms for reading, exercise, and recreation as sub- stitutes for other places of rendezvous whose influences are far too likely to be injurious.


The new building is of three stories, plain, but substantial in its architecture, and modern in every particular. It contains twelve well-lighted, well-ventilated rooms, besides those for the use of teachers and for the storage of supplies. Toilet rooms for children are provided in the basement, and on the first and second floors. It is, of course, steam-heated by direct and indi- rect radiation. It is ventilated by the gravity system, each child being furnished with thirty cubic feet of air per minute.


The cost of the building is as follows :-


Additional land purchased. $1,295.34


Construction and furnishings 47,459.30


Total


.$48,754.64


On recommendation of the School Committee, the Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to give to the school the name of a gentleman long and closely identified with the educational and financial interests of the town and city. It was therefore named the Clark Bennett School.


Clark Bennett was born in Londonderry, Vt., November 3, 1810. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Groton, Mass. His grandfather, David, early joined the Continental Army, and served in the siege of Boston. Mr. Bennett was the eldest son of nine children.


When he was twenty-one years old, he settled in Somerville, then Charlestown, where for twenty-five years he successfully carried on the


166


ANNUAL REPORTS.


brick business, then a leading industry of the town. Later he followed the insurance business.


Mr. Bennett's actions on all public matters requiring his attention were controlled by a conscientious desire to do right, as well as a full knowledge of the requirements, present and future, of our growing city. The abatement of the Miller's River nuisance, the inauguration of an excellent sewerage system, more especially for West Somerville, the widening and grading of Somerville avenue, and the construction of the public park, all bear witness to his unremitting efforts to place Somer- ville on a par with her sister cities.


The record of Mr. Bennett's official service includes eleven years on the School Committee, a part of the time its chairman, the town treasurership, and three years' service on the Board of Aldermen.


Mr. Bennett died January 6, 1882.


The Bennett School was named in his honor by vote of the School Board April 8, 1868, and the new school which replaced it was called the Clark Bennett School by vote of the Board of Aldermen January 1, 1902.


Somerville now has twenty-four school buildings, modern in structure, well heated and ventilated, and fairly well adapted to school purposes. Some of the older buildings are still poorly lighted and much need additional windows. One, the Davis, should at once be thoroughly renovated, especially as to its sani- taries. Three buildings, the English, Hodgkins, and Carr, would be greatly improved by having their walls tinted. It is pleasing to record the fact that our school buildings are being gradually adorned with pictures and other works of art, which are silently, but effectively, developing and stimulating in the children a love for the beautiful. Dingy, discolored walls do not invite decorations. In this connection, we are pleased to ac- knowledge the gift of one hundred dollars from Mr. George L. Baxter for the adornment of the school which bears his honored name, and the gift of twenty-five dollars from one of our leading women's clubs for the purchase of pictures for the Bennett School. Two schools, the Perry and the Brown, have been pro- vided with pianos through the energy and enterprise of their principals and teachers in securing funds by means of public entertainments.


Additional Accommodations. A Somerville School Report would not be recognized if it did not contain an urgent demand for more schoolhouses. Such omission would show that the growth of the city, so rapid and continuous since its incorpora- tion, had come to an end. Of this there are no present indica- tions. Indeed, judging from all the data available, the increase of population has been greater in 1902 than in any other year of the last five. There are 350 pupils more in the public schools to-day than there were one year ago. There are 861 children now on half-time, and 125 more that are occupying unsuitable rooms. Here, in round numbers, are a thousand children with- out suitable accommodations for a full school day. To place them under normal school conditions requires at once sixteen schoolrooms. Eight of these are in process of construction. The other eight are yet to be planned and provided for. More-


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over, the high schools are struggling with plethoric conditions that greatly interfere with the efficiency of their work. This is the general situation, the importance of which justifies a more detailed statement.


High Schools. The state of affairs at the English School is identical with that of last year. The membership is the same. Two hundred pupils more than the building can ac- commodate are crowded into lecture hall, laboratories, store- rooms, and corridors. Even clothes closets are utilized as recita- tion rooms. All departments are cramped for room and their efficiency thus diminished. Desirable extensions of courses are prevented, and the possibilities of the school remain unrealized.


In the Latin School there has been an increase of fifty-four pupils, and each year aggravates the untoward conditions. The full time of eleven instructors,-including the Head Master, who should be given opportunity for supervision,-has been em- ployed. This compels the use of the basement as a recitation room, and exhausts all the teaching facilities in the building. And it does more, for it gives thirty-three pupils to every teacher, where the normal class unit in every well-regulated high school is only twenty-five. The Physics Department still uses the same undesirable quarters below ground, and classes and teachers are still compelled to use two afternoons each week in order to ac- complish the required work. The school has reached the limit of its growth in the present building, and its usefulness is greatly impaired by its constrained and deficient accommodations. It is greatly to the credit of the teaching force in each school that their efforts in overcoming the many obstacles in their way are so successful.


The problem is serious and urgent and demands an imme- ciate solution. As to the pressing needs all interested are in hearty agreement. There has been full discussion of the various schemes of relief. One plan after another has been set aside as not feasible or as inadequate, and the conviction has grown to be nearly unanimous that there is but one thing to be done.


This is .- the adoption of a large, comprehensive, harmoni- ous plan that shall provide not only for the present exigency, but for all probable requirements for a reasonable future. Such a plan involves (1) the construction of a building for the Latin School just east of the present one that shall be the counterpart of the present English building; (2) an addition to the northeast part of the English schoolhouse that shall increase its capacity one-third ; and (3) a building for the common use of both schools that shall connect the two buildings and contain an adequate as- sembly hall, science laboratories, drawing-rooms, a gymnasium, and whatever else may be needed to perfect a model plant for high school purposes.




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