Report of the city of Somerville 1906, Part 10

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1906 > Part 10


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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3,948 16


134


ANNUAL REPORTS.


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid as follows:


City Note No. 595


$100,000 00


City Note No. 596


100,000 00


City Note No. 597


100,000 00


City Note No. 598


50,000 00


City Note No. 602


50,000 00


City Note No. 604


50,000 00


City Note No. 607


25,000 00


City Note No. 605


100,000 00


City Note No. 599


50,000 00


City Note No. 600


25,000 00


City Note No. 601


50,000 00


City Note No. 606


25,000 00


City Note No. 617


15,000 00


$740,000 00


Balance to credit of account, 1907


350,000 00


$1,090,000 00


Water Loan Interest.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income, amount appropriated


$3,935 00


DEPIT.


Coupons maturing April 1, 1906 :- $67,000, six months, 4 per cent.


$1,340 00


Coupons maturing July 1, 1906 :-


$25,000, six months, 4 per cent.


500 00


$10,000, six months, 51/2 per cent.


275 00


Coupons maturing October 1, 1906 :-


$67,000, six months, 4 per cent.


1,340 00


Coupons maturing January 1, 1907:


$24,000, six months, 4 per cent. .


480 00


$3,935 00


Water Maintenance.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income, amount appropriated


$25,000 00


Water Works Extension, amount transferred . 4,733 94


$20,733 94


Excess and Deficiency account, balance transferred .


1,787 18


$27,946 76


Receipts :-


Cash, received of sundry persons, costs $45 00


Sundry persons, pipe, fittings, etc. . .


2,860 36


2,905 36


Stock and labor billed other departments :- Public Buildings Maintenance, City Build- ings account, labor . $11 14


Amounts carried forward . $11 14


$30,852 12


135


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


Amounts brought forward


$11 14


$30,852 12


Highways, Watering Streets account, labor, 178 06


Highways, Paving Broadway,. Bow and Summer Streets account, labor .


10 00


Highways Maintenance account, pipe .


15 45


Water Works Extension account, stock


14,104 84


Highways Construction account, labor


30 00


.


14,349 49


$45,201 61


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid laborers . .


$15,131 87


Frank E. Merrill, salary as water com- missioner .


2,300 00


disbursements


32 34


Edward M. Shedd, inspector


212 50


Charles E. Childs, inspector


774 00


Lillian F. Leavitt, assistant


780 00


Laura E. Peavey, assistant


600 00


Marcella F. Kendall, clerical services


133 33


Florence H. Plimpton, clerical services .


110 67


Agnes F. Kennard, clerical services


64 00


American Express Co., expressing .


11 34


Philip Aberle, stamps


305 00


The Albert Griffiths Saw Co., sharpen- ing tools .


70


Frank F. Armstrong, barrels .


3 00


Town of Arlington, pipe


240 85


Boston & Maine Railroad. freight


47 03


Branan, Dow & Co., fittings


550 42


Boston Elevated Railway Co., car tickets,


25 00


Charles Booth, wood .


12 25


H. E. Bowman, services


·


4 75


D. J. Bennett, harness repairs .


132 10


W. S. Burbank & Co., sawdust


1 50


Harold L. Bond & Co., packing


14 05


William B. Brown, sharpening tools


2 00


Builders' Iron Foundry, castings


63 50


Barber Asphalt Paving Co., paving .


12 01


Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., hose


11 00


Boston Gear Works, tool .


5 00


Louis A. Bacon, felt


16 25


Chadwick-Boston Lead Co., pipe


2,473 84


Chapman Valve Mfg. Co., valves


160 44


S. H. Couch Co., telephones


8 00


Coffin Valve Co., glands


8 40


A. B. Comins, express


5 00


William R. Conrad, pipe inspection


41 96


Carter's Ink Co., ink .


1 13


City of Cambridge, casting


18 75


Chandler & Farquhar Co., tools


32 27


Crosby Steam Gage & Valve Co., charts,


4 00


James Doran, sharpening tools


5 00


Derby Desk Co., chair


8 00


Davenport-Brown Co., lumber


2 94


Davis & Farnum Mfg. Co., water post top


8 12


Amount carried forward .


$24,374 31


.


.


·


.


·


-


136


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amount brought forward


$24,374 31


Julian D'Este Co., fittings . 18 18


Edison Electric Illuminating Co., power service 1 00


The Elliott Co., stencil fittings and re- pairs 52 35


F. W. Farrar, repairing water gage 2 00


J. H. Fannon, repairing concrete 7 00


The Fairbanks Co., valves


46 29


Fire & Water Engineering, subscription,


3 00


Fresh Pond Ice Co., ice .


85 06


Gilman Express Co., expressing


8 62


Thomas Groom & Co., stationery


116 20


George W. Gale Lumber Co., lumber


22 78


Glines & Co., expressing


4 65


F. W. Gilbert, rubber boots


9 75


W. A. Greenough & Co., directory


4 00


Globe Gas Light Co., gasolene


17 25


Gifford Wood Co., steel


4 30


George E. Gilchrist Co., fittings


20 80


George A. Hibbard, stamps


40 00


Hersey Mfg. Co., meters, etc.


166 28


The Hale & Mayhew Co., repairing wagons


57 20


Henry C. Hunt Co., strips


1 80


Thomas Hollis Co., anodyne


2 00


Irland Pipe Wrench Co., wrench


1 50


Ideal Supply Co., soil pipe, etc.


6 53


Patrick Keating, overtime


19 13


Lord & Webster, hay


191 79


G. W. Ladd, horseshoeing


38 65


Lead Lined Iron Pipe Co., fittings


744 21


Cyril J. Larravee, lumber .


171 23


T. E. Littlefield, lumber


11 34


C. W. Lerned & Co., disinfectant


10 00


T. G. Marston & Co., valves


32 10


W. G. Martin, sharpening tools


4 00


H. Mueller Mfg. Co., fittings


498 86


Thomas McNeill, expenses


15 00


Wesley A. Maynard, printing


16 50


Neptune Meter Co., meters


705 38


New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., service


224 01


New England Oil Co., oil .


11 00


Norwood Engineering Co., hydrant, etc.,


300 79


National Paint & Varnish Co., paint


26 04


National Meter Co., meters


80 50


Osgood & Witherly, castings


199 32


Edward O'Brien, horseshoeing


104 25


Fulton O'Brion, hay, etc.


199 42


Outlook Envelope Co., envelopes


27 60


W. E. Plumer & Co., hardware


117 25


Proctor Brothers, oats


395 45


C. H. Paine, powders


5 00


Rensselaer Mfg. Co., valves


317 20


J. B. Rufer, horseshocing .


27 25


J. E. Richardson, services .


14 00


Richards & Co., lead .


455 04


Somerville Journal Co., printing


374 75


Amount carried forward


$30,409 91


.


137


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


Amount brought forward


$30,409 91


Somerville Iron Foundry, castings .


384 55


Shepard & Harding, hay


17 54


E. S. Sparrow & Co., spade


75


Sprague & Hathaway Co., frame


4 30


Smith-Premier Typewriter Co., repairs


1 00


Sumner & Gerald, fittings


28 80


Standard Oil Co., oil .


9 45


Star Brass Mfg. Co., repairing gage


2 75


Standard Cordage Co., packing


1 70


Sanborn Map Co., correcting map .


10 00


S. H. Lewis, loam and sod


32 85


Thomson Meter Co., meters


2,591 12


Tufts & Sons, oats


128 63


Thorpe's Express, expressing


50


Union Water Meter Co., meters


2,609 50


Underhill Hardware Co., hardware .


132 10


C. L. Underhill, repairs


201 20


United Copper Foundry Co.,


234 07


Henry R. Worthington, meters


1,593 70


Waldo Brothers, cement


77 58


Walworth Mfg. Co., fittings


217 27


R. Woodman Mfg. & Supply Co., wire .


19 25


S. Ward Co., stationery


32 76


R. D. Wood & Co., hydrants


335 17


A. J. Wilkinson & Co .. tools


19 18


Warren Foundry & Machine Co., pipe and castings


4,718 67


William J. Wiley, paint


1 30


Frederick B. Witherly, tools


6 80


H. A. Winship, bag


2 00


Willie C. Young, repairing lathe


16 78


$43,845 28


Sewers Construction account, pipe, etc.


170 60


Sewers Maintenance account, constructing chambers


180 26


Highways Maintenance account, construct- ing driveway .


1,005 47


$45,201 61


Water Service Assessments.


CREDIT.


Receipts :-


Cash, received of sundry persons, cost of services laid


$3,929 80


Transferred to Water Works Extension account


3,929 80


Water Works, Abatements on Water Charges.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income, amount appropriated


$1,000 00


Water Works Income, amount transferred .


443 00


Water Works Income, appropriation returned .


$1,443 00


1,000 00


$443 00


Union Glass Co., lantern globes


4 10


1.38


ANNUAL REPORTS.


DEBIT.


Cash, paid sundry persons, money refunded


$443 0C


Water Works Extension.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income, amount appropriated


$20,000 00 Water Service Assessments account, amount transferred, 3,929 80


$23,929 80


Water Maintenance account, balance transferred


4,733 94


$19,195 86


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid laborers .


$4,193 23


Bartholomew Burke, contract labor


273 40


Boston Elevated Railway Co.,


labor


$115 00


(Cash)


115 00


Richard Falvey, contract lahor 200 46


H. G. Lamburn, contract labor


423 93


$5,091 02


Water Maintenance account:


pipe stock


5,467 95


meter stock .


5,704 17


service stock .


2,932 72


$19,195 86


Water Works Income.


CREDIT.


Metered Water Charges, last quarter 1906 uncollected . $26,272 58


Receipts :-


Commonwealth of Massachusetts, proportion of water re- ceipts, 1906 · Water Works, Abatements on Water Charges, amount transferred


800 30


Cash, received of sundry water takers . $200,590 76


448 10


Total income, sales of water .


200,142 66


$228,215 54


DEBIT.


Water Maintenance account, amount ap- propriated


$25,000 00


Fire Department, amount appr . propriated


24,500 00


Reduction of Funded Debt, Sewer Loan Bonds, amount appropriated · Reduction of Funded Debt, Water Loan Bonds, amount appropriated 6,000 00


18,000 00


Water Loan Interest, amount appropriated, Sewer Loan Interest, amount appropriated,


3,935 00


8,827 50


Amount carried forward .


$86,262 50


1,000 00


Less abatements


·


139


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


$86,262 50


Amount brought forward . Water Works Extension account, amount appropriated 20,000 00 · · Sewers Maintenance account, amount ap- propriated 12,000 00


Abatements on . Water Water Works,


1,000 00


Charges, amount appropriated . Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Metro- politan Water Assessment 97,160 08


Reduction of Funded Debt account, balance transferred


10,792 96


Moths, amount transferred


1,000 00


$228,215 54


Table D. - Balances December 31, 1906.


Cash


$92,876 74


Assessors


171 31


City Messenger


8 49


City Solicitor


114 67


City Treasurer .


343 47


Contagious Disease Hospital, Department Accounts


2,329 24


Election Expenses, Pay of Election Offi- cers


19 00


Fire Department


651 77


Health Department


3,175 42


Health Department, Collection of Ashes and Offal


4,641 06


Highway Betterment Assessments


2,990 95


Moths


913 35


Highways, Watering Streets


5 33


Metered Water Charges


26,272 58


Police


5,262 08


Public Buildings Maintenance :-


City Buildings


1,996 70


Janitors' Salaries .


1,149 57


Schoolhouses


4,639 54


Public Library Isaac Pitman Fund, Invest- ment


5,314 58


Public Property


5,144,662 92


Real Estate Liens


2,340 61


School Contingent


2,540 91


School Teachers' Salaries


741 21


Sealer of Weights and Measures


38 65


Sewer Assessments


3,958 46


Sidewalk Assessments


5,543 82


Soldiers' Relief


279 00


State of Massachusetts


19,760 96


Support of Poor, City Home


398 47


Taxes


250,038 94


City Auditor


.


$19 63


City Clerk


42


City Engineer


.


886 87


Contingent Fund


Amounts carried forward ,


$5,583,179 80


$1,385 52


.


Suppression of Gypsy


and Brown-tail


·


.


478 60


Suppression of Gypsy and Brown-tail


140


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amounts brought forward .


$5,583,179 80 $1,385 52


Coupons Unpaid


22,175 00


Election Expenses :-


City Clerk


306 63


Commissioner of Public Buildings


16 05


Registrars of Voters


253 67


Electrical Department


1,241 63


Executive Department


99 29


Funded Debt


1,464,500 00


Grade Crossings


373 51


Health Department :-


Contagious Disease Hospital


5,392 55


Medical Inspection in Public Schools


8 31


Highways Construction


2,879 89


Highways Maintenance .


1,926 60


Highways, Paving Broadway, Bow and Summer Streets .


688 04


Inspection of Buildings


6 53


Interest


6,628 21


Military Aid


111 50


Overplus on Tax Sales


118 13


Overlay and Abatement


9,008 11


Printing and Stationery .


393 91


Property and Debt Balance .


3,680,162 92


Public Buildings Construction, Luther V. Bell School Fire Escapes


59 30


Public Buildings Maintenance, Fire Department


1,070 14


Public Grounds


37


Public Library


16 98


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund, Art


4,251 66


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund, Poetry


1,062 92


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Art


158 36


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Poetry


79 83


Reduction of Funded Debt


18,593 35


Sewers Construction


3,454 11


Sewers Maintenance


75 68


Street Lights


2,444 79


Sundry Persons


524 21


Support of Poor, Miscellaneous


1,685 12


Temporary Loans


350,000 00


Water Maintenance


1,787 18


$5,583,179 80


$5,583,179 80


Electrical Department,


Underground Construction . 239 80


141


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


APPROVAL OF TREASURER'S REPORT.


In Committee on Finance, February 23, 1907. To the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-


Gentlemen,-The committee on finance, to which was referred the report of the treasurer and collector of taxes for the year 1906, reports that the examination has been made as called for by section 7 of chapter 4 of the Revised Ordinances of 1900.


The cash account has been verified by actual count of the cash on hand, and the balances shown to be in the banks of deposit have been confirmed by the officers of the banks.


The report of the expert accountant, Edwin L. Pride, who made the examination of the books to January 1, 1907, verifies the accounts of the treasurer and collector, and the committee recommends that the report be accepted and printed in the annual reports of 1906.


(Signed)


LEONARD W. COLE, J. FRANK MIXER, DAVID C. THEALL, THOS. W. SUTHERLAND. C. S. MCFARLAND, DAVID BERGLIND,


Committee


on


Finance.


In Board of Aldermen, February 28, 1907. Accepted.


HOWARD E. WEMYSS, Assistant City Clerk.


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


School Committee Rooms, January 3, 1907.


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. SOUTHWORTHI,


Secretary of School Board.


-


LATIN SCHOOL.


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1906.


FREDERICK A. P. FISKE, GEORGE E. WHITAKER,


Chairman


Vice-Chairman


Members.


EX-OFFICIIS


Term expires January.


CHARLES A. GRIMMONS, Mayor, 72 Thurston street.


1907


SIDNEY B. KEENE, Pres. Board of Aldermen, 56 Fellsway West. 1907


WARD ONE.


WILLIAM W. KENNARD,


15 Hathorn street. 1907


DR. HENRY F. CURTIS,


145 Perkins street. 1908


WARD TWO.


JOHN H. O'NEIL,


44 Oak street. 1907


DANIEL H. BRADLEY,


19 Concord avenue. 1908


WARD THREE.


WILBUR S. CLARKE,


40 Vinal avenue. 1907


GEORGE E. WHITAKER,


75 Walnut street. 1908


WARD FOUR.


WILLIAM P. JONES, 13-A Maple avenue. 1907


CHARLES A. KIRKPATRICK, JR.,


27 Sewall street. 1908


WARD FIVE.


J. WALTER SANBORN,


183 Central street. 1907


HENRY H. FOLSOM,


103 Central street. 1908


WARD SIX.


CHARLES H. HOOD,


2 Benton road. 1907


FREDERICK A. P. FISKE,


44 Cherry street. 1908


WARD SEVEN.


MRS. HENRIETTA B. H. ATTWOOD, 12 Park avenue. 1907


DR. GEORGE C. MAHONEY, 97 College avenue. 1908


Superintendent of Schools.


GORDON A. SOUTHWORTH.


Office: City Hall Annex, Highland avenue. Residence: 40 Greenville street.


The Superintendent's office will be open on school days from 8 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, 75 Benton road.


Mary A. Clark, Superintendent's clerk, 42 Highland avenue.


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1906.


High Schools .- Sanborn, Mahoney, Curtis, O'Neil, Clarke, Kirkpatrick, Fiske.


District I .- Kennard, Curtis, Jones.


PRESCOTT, HANSCOM, DAVIS, BENNETT.


District II .- O'Neil, Bradley, Clarke.


KNAPP, PERRY, BAXTER.


District III .- Clarke, Whitaker, Bradley.


POPE, BELL, CUMMINGS.


District IV .- Jones, Kirkpatrick, Grimmons.


EDGERLY, GLINES.


District V .- Sanborn, Folsom, Keene.


FORSTER, BINGHAM.


District VI .- Hood, Fiske, Folsom.


CARR, MORSE, PROCTOR, DURELL, BURNS, BROWN.


District VII .- Mrs. Attwood, Mahoney, Hood.


HIGHLAND, HODGKINS, LINCOLN, LOWE.


Additional School Accommodations .- Hood, Sanborn, Curtis, Bradley, Whitaker, Jones, Mahoney, Grimmons, Keene. Evening Schools .- Whitaker, Fiske, Folsom.


Finance .- Bradley, Kennard, Jones, Grimmons, Keene.


Industrial Education .- Curtis, Mrs. Attwood, Clarke.


Music .- Mrs. Attwood, Hood, O'Neil.


Private Schools .- Kirkpatrick, O'Neil, Mahoney.


Repairs of School Buildings .- Mahoney, Kennard, Folsom.


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


Salaries .- Fiske, Sanborn, Whitaker. Supplies .- Clarke, Bradley, Sanborn.


Text-Books and Courses of Study .- Jones, Whitaker, Kennard, Bradley, Folsom, Hood, Mrs. Attwood.


Vacation Schools .- Kennard, Jones, Kirkpatrick ..


Note .- The member first named is chairman.


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


To the School Committee of Somerville :-


I have the honor to submit the thirty-fifth annual report of the superintendent of schools, being the fourteenth that the present incumbent of the office has made. While according to custom this report may be adopted as the report which the statute requires the committee to make annually to their fellow- citizens, it should be understood that no one is responsible for what it contains except the superintendent himself. In its gen- eral arrangement the usual order of topics will be followed, and there is first presented a


Summary of Statistics.


United States census, 1890,


40,117


State census, 1895


52,200


United States census, 1900.


61,643


State census, 1905


69,272


Children between five and fifteen years of age, October,


1905, by school census ..


11,969


Children between five and fifteen years of age, October,


1906, by school census


12,068


Increase


99


2 .- SCHOOL BUILDINGS.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


Number of school buildings


26


26


0


Number of classrooms ....


269


279


10


Valuation of school property


$1,395,000


3 .- TEACHERS.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


In high schools.


48


54


6


In grammar schools.


153


158


5


In primary schools.


99


99


0


In kindergartens.


8


8


0


Total in elementary


schools.


260


265


5


Special


7


7


0


Total


315


326


11


4 .- ATTENDANCE FOR. YEAR.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


Entire enrollment for the year.


14,296


14.551


255


Average number belonging.


11,543


11,762


219


Average number attending.


10,897


11,070


173


Per cent. of daily attendance.


94.4


04.1


-0.3


High school graduates ..


211


208


-3


Grammar school graduates


606


640


36


146


ANNUAL REPORTS.


5 .- ATTENDANCE IN DECEMBER.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


Whole number attending.


13,882


14,096


214


In private schools


1,764


1,748


-16


In public schools.


12,118


12,348


230


In high schools ..


1,361


1,480


119


In elementary schools.


10,562


10,664


102


In kindergarten.


195


204


9


In first grade.


1,581


1,526


-55


In second grade


1,456


1,473


17


In third grade.


1,336


1,352


16


In fourth grade.


1,274


1.292


18


In fifth grade.


1.189


1.240


51


In sixth grade.


1,152


1,109


43


In seventh grade


967


1,003


36


In eighth grade.


917


872


-45


In ninth grade.


690


797


107


6 .- COST OF SCHOOL MAINTENANCE.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


Salaries of teachers


$254,697.12


$260,796.46


$6,099.34


Salaries of officers.


4.900.00


5,400.00


500.00


Cost of books and supplies


20,136.82


22,589.08


2,452.26


Cost of light.


4,344.95


2,874.75


-- 1,470.20


Cost of janitors' services.


21.949.25


23,143.32


1,194.07


Cost of fuel.


15,166.43


14,161.92


-1,004.51


Telephones


482.26


380.24


-- 102.02


Total cost of day and evening schools


321,676.83


329,345.77


7,668.94°


Per capita cost.


27.87


28.00


0.13


Cost of high school instruc-


tion


57,011.15


59,729.50


2,718.35


Per capita cost ..


45.79


43.82


-1.97


7 .- MISCELLANEOUS.


1905.


1906.


Increase.


Paid for new school


buildings


$51,987.40


$38,457.32


-$13,530.08


Repairs and permanent improvements


8,305.48


11,950.85


3,645.37


Total school expendi-


tures


381,969.71


379,753.94


-2,215.77


Valuation of city. ...... 59,146,600.00 Number of dollars spent


60,371,500.00


1,224,900.00


to maintain schools


out of every $1,000 of valuation ...


5.44


5.46


0.02


Number of dollars spent


for all school pur-


poses out of every


$1,000 of valuation ..


6.46


6.29


-0.17


The School Year. The schools have been in session 895 hours on 179 days of the year, ten and one-fifth per cent. of the entire time. The theoretical year of forty weeks has been short- ened by the loss of six sessions for stormy weather and thirty- six sessions for holidays and other causes, a total of twenty-one


147


SCHOOL. DEPARTMENT.


clays. Aside from these, and the customary prevalence of chil- dren's diseases in primary grades, there have been no serious interruptions of any sort in the work of the schools. There has been the general hearty co-operation of teachers, parents, and pupils, without which the best results are impossible. Of course there has been here and there a little friction, but much less than the difficulty of keeping 12,000 children constantly occupied and headed in the right direction would lead us to expect.


School Population. The increase in the school population of the city is approximately shown by the comparatively useless annual school census which the statutes require. The greatest pains have been taken to secure exact returns, but comparisons with the more reliable reports from the schools show unmistak- able inaccuracies.


The following table shows the results of the census takers' canvass.


1906.


1905.


Change.


Ward 1


1,974


1.929


+-45


66


2,569


2,536


-133


3


1,148


1,100


+48


4


986


1,012


-- 56


66


1,908


1,911


-3


6


1,979


1,972


+7


7


1,504


1,479


+25


Total


12,068


11,969


+99


There appears to have been a gain of ninety-nine children between five and fifteen, the ages covered by the census, as com- pared with last year. The more accurate basis of comparison, the school registration December 15, shows 12,348 children of all ages in the schools, in contrast with 12,118 at the same date in 1905, an increase of 230.


We estimate the general population of the city.in three ways,-(1) on the basis of poll-tax payers, (2) on school census returns, and (3) on school registration December 15,-as fol- lows :-


1. On basis of poll-tax payers 72,189


2. On basis of census returns .. 69,849


3. On basis of school registration. 70,588


Average of the three 70,875


It is probable that this average indicates the present popu- lation of the city fairly well.


During 1906 a general effort has been made throughout the Commonwealth by state and municipal authorities to secure a rigid enforcement of the school attendance laws, to suppress illegal child labor, and ensure the presence in school of every minor until he had passed his fourteenth birthday. Even with the utmost vigilance some will escape official attention. The


148


ANNUAL REPORTS.


seemingly superfluous requirement of exacting a reading and writing certificate from every minor employee, even when his literacy is conspicuous, does not accomplish the object.


Our city receives its constantly-increasing share of the immigrants that flock to our hospitable shores. Unless edu- cated they are a menace to our institutions, and no pains should be spared to secure for both young and old among them such education and training as shall fit them for intelligent and loyal citizenship. Until illiterates have passed the age of sixteen, they must attend day schools, and evening schools till they have reached the age of twenty-one. The most of them welcome their opportunities, but not a few indifferent ones elude the vigi- lance of the authorities.


Age and schooling certificates are required by employees from all minors under sixteen, attested by oath and signature of parent and signature of the superintendent of schools.


We have issued these certificates as follows :--


In 1905. 329 In 1906 387


These children left the grammar school for work, from


Grade VI ..... 56 Grade VII. .. 62 Grade VIII ... 61


This number is somewhat larger than usual, owing probably to prosperous business conditions. It is indirectly a public mis- fortune that these 400 boys and girls cannot be retained in school long enough at least to complete the grammar school course. Another year added to the compulsory school age would mean much to these children.


School Attendance. There have been enrolled in the schools in 1906 14,551 different pupils of all ages. A portion of these have attended only a part of the year.


One thousand two hundred and forty entered Grade I. in September.


Three hundred and twenty-three dropped out during the year to go to work.


Three hundred and seventy-four left school after graduation.


One thousand two hundred and fifty-nine have moved into the city and entered the schools during the year.


A certain number have been quarantined for a portion of the time on account of contagious diseases.


The average membership of the schools for the year has been 11,762, an increase of 219 for the year.


Five and nine-tenths per cent. of this number have been absent all the time mainly on account of illness, but too fre- quently for unsatisfactory reasons. Including all pupils who are dropped out from the average number belonging, on account of quarantine rules, it is probable that there is a continual absence of about eight per cent. of the membership of the schools. This is, of course, a loss of eight per cent. in the cost of school main-


149


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


tenance, a matter of $25,000 a year. Not all this loss is prevent- able. It is probable that the installation of a system of medical inspection will materially reduce absences from sickness in the long run, and in this way will doubtless save to the city practi- cally the cost of its maintenance.


Next in value to the man that can carry a "message to Garcia" is the one that invariably meets all his business engage- ments promptly without the loss of time. Among the virtues that teachers seek to make habitual is this one of unvarying punctuality. Hence the constant struggle to keep the tardi- nesses of pupils down to a minimum. Teachers have been rather less successful this year in doing this than heretofore, the number of tardinesses having increased from 3,746 in 1905 to 4,046 in 1906. This shows that out of every 946 opportunities, each child has been tardy once. More than one-half of these delinquencies are chargeable to little children in the lowest four grades, and generally result from the indifference of parents or untoward home conditions.




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