Report of the city of Somerville 1907, Part 10

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 548


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1907 > Part 10


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Balance to credit of account, 1908


380,000 00


$1,255,000 00


Water Loan Interest.


CREDIT. Water Works Income, amount appropriated


$3,200 00


DEBIT.


Coupons maturing April 1, 1907 :-


$31,000, six months, 4 per cent


$620 00


Coupons maturing July 1, 1907 :-


$24,000, six months, 4 per cent


480 00


Coupons maturing October 1, 1907 :-


$31,000, six months, 4 per cent


620 00


Coupons maturing January 1, 1908 :-


$12,000, six months, 4 per cent


240 00


$1,960 00


Registered Bonds :-


Interest due April 1, 1907 .


$620 00


Interest due October 1,


1907


620 00


1,240 00


$3,200 00


Water Maintenance.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income, amount appropriated $25,000 00


Water Works Extension account, balance transferred 5,721 75


$30,721 75


Receipts : ---


Cash, received of sundry persons, costs $50 00


Sundry persons, pipe, fittings, etc. .


5,157 58


5,207 58


Stock and labor billed other departments :- Highways, Maintenance account, couplings Public Buildings Construction, Incinerator account, repairing leak, etc.


5 99


Public Grounds account, labor


62 74


Support of Poor, City Home account, repairs ·


58 07


Public Buildings Maintenance, City Build- ings account, shut-off


2 65


Public Buildings Maintenance, School- houses, shut-off Water Works Extension account, stock . Highways, Watering Streets account, maintaining post Sewers, Construction account, water pipe .


2 68


12,812 05


186 07


14 00


13,146 34


$49,075 67


.


.


$2 09


136


ANNUAL REPORTS.


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid laborers


.


.


$17,571 77


Frank E. Merrill, salary as water


2,300 00


commissioner disbursements


41 92


Charles E. Childs, inspector disbursements


2 50


Lillian E. Leavitt, assistant


900 00


Laura E. Peavey, assistant


700 00


Marcella F. Kendall, clerical services


120 00


Marion L. Morrison, clerical services


.


80 00


Eva V. Tukey, clerical services


40 00


Philip Allen, stamps


429 00


American Express Co., expressing 14 24


39 52


Charles Booth, wood


42 00


Boston & Maine Railroad Co., freight, D. J. Bennett, harness repairs


231 15


Boston Elevated Railw'y Co., car tickets,


35 00


F. S. Blanchard & Co., year book .


2 00


Braman, Dow, & Co., pipe, etc.


872 61


Harold L. Bond Co., tools


48 96


Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., hose


6 37


Gorham W. Burnham, claim


7 25


W. B. Brown & Co., repairs


10 50


Boston Decorative Plant Co., decora- tions


2 50


Boston & Albany Railroad Co., labor,


1 76


Barber Asphalt Paving Co., renewing pavement


3 26


Chapman Valve Mfg. Co., valves


114 51


Chandler & Farquhar Co., tools


10 88


Chadwick, Boston Lead Co., pipe


670 73


Coffin Valve Co., valves


122 50


Hannah W. Crowley, claim


5 00


Nathan Condon, claim


88 40


City of Cambridge, pipe


39 02


George W. Clark, claim


136 55


Isaac Coffin Co., packing


2 60


J. A. Durell, labor


1 20


Julian D'Este Co., castings


164 29


G. M. Davis & Son, mason work


130 95


Harry F. R. Dolan, claim


100 00


Davis & Farnum Mfg. Co., water posts,


75 52


Davenport-Brown Co., lumber


1 00


Eastern Salt Co., salt


6 80


Electric Goods Mfg. Co., wiring, etc.,


16 28


Edson Mfg. Co., tools


22 54


The Elliott Co., stencil supplies


14 40


Eastern Anto Exchange, tire


10 00


Fred W. Farrar, repairing clock


5 00


William E. Foss, professional services,


25 00


The Fairbanks Co., discs


38 02


William H. Field, machinery


30 70


Fresh Pond Ice Co., ice


89 40


Fisk Rubber Co., vulcanizing


2 50


Amount carried forward


$27,009 17


.


.


·


647 07


J. M. Andrews & Son, stock and labor,


936 00


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT. 132


Amount brought forward


$27,009 17


Fire & Water Engineering Co., sub- scription


3 00


O. T. Gould, repairing clock


5 00


Glines & Co., expressing


45


Globe Gas Light Co., gasolene


20 30


Gilman Express Co., expressing


7 55


F. W. Gilbert, boots


18 00


W. A. Greenough & Co., directory


4 00


Thomas Groom & Co., office supplies


130 00


Leona Goron, claim


15 00


George E. Grover, claim


75 00


Garlock Packing Co., packing


94


Hersey Mfg. Co., meters


110 45


Hill, Clarke, & Co., tool


18 00


Hale & Mayhew Co., repairing wagon,


7 80


William S. Howe, cups


. 58


Charles R. Hildred, expressing


3 80


Henry C. Hunt Co., leather


1 00


Fred M. Hutchinson, expenses


10 90


Hill & Holt, tire, etc.


24 92


Jim Hodder & Bros., decorations


1 70


Ideal Supply Co., pipe


64


Jordan Marsh Co., decorations


8 55


Cyril J. Larivee, lumber


50 65


Library Bureau, cabinet and cards


93 06


George W. Ladd, horseshoeing, etc.,


69 30


Elias Lathrop, hoof ointment


4 00


Edwin Leavitt, services


21 00


Lord & Webster, hay and straw


391 62


Lead Lined Iron Pipe Co., pipe


1,113 90


T. E. Littlefield, lumber


19 85


Ludlow Valve Co., valves


75 60


Mead, Morrison Mfg. Co., tank


50 00


Walter Macleod & Co., burner


19 60


William G. Martin, sharpening tools


1 20


Duncan McDonald, claim


100 00


Thomas McNeill, expenses


7 82


A. E. Morrison Co., fittings


83 40


H. Mueller Mfg. Co., fittings


352 55


Martin & Wood, sharpening tools


1 70


New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., service


223 97


Neptune Meter Co., meters


450 00


New England Oil Co., oil


57 52


National Mfg. Co., moisteners


1 00


National Meter Co., meter parts


41 02


New England Towel Supply Co., use of towels


3 60


Edward O'Brien, horseshoeing


100 13


Fulton O'Brion, oats


131 69


Outlook Envelope Co., envelopes


33 41


Proctor Bros., hay and oats


267 63


William E. Plumer & Co., hardware, George G. Page Box Co., boxes


35 00


W. E. Plummer, claim


3 50


C. H. Paine, powders


5 00


Perrins, Seamans Co., lanterns


23 00


James H. Roberts & Co., shaft and pulley .


7 99


Amount carried forward .


? $31,374 44


56 93


-


138


1 ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amount brought forward


$31,374 44


Russell & Co., lemons


7 16


J. E. Richardson, veterinary services 5 00


Rensselaer Mfg. Co., valves


428 61


A. G. Renner, expressing


4 50


Richards & Co., lead


534 33


Richardson & Clement, tools


33 99


John B. Rufer, horseshoeing


24 00


Somerville Journal Co., printing


322 35


Smith-Premier Typewriter Co., repairs,


1 10


Somerville Iron Foundry, castings


457 42


E. S. Sparrow & Co., hardware


38 05


Standard Brazing Co., labor


5 50


Simpson Bros. Corporation, paving


520 80


Thomson Meter Co., meters


3,278 94


Nathan Tufts & Sons, oats


156 00


John A. Taylor, carriage


100 00


L. H. Truesdell & Co., cards


2 00


Thorpe's Express, expressing


1 50


Charles L. Underhill, repairing tools,


268 00


Underhill Hardware Co., hardware


117 67


Union Water Meter Co., meters


1,704 66


W. H. Vinton, washers


5 00


Winter-hill Ice Co., ice


65 94


Samuel Ward Co., office supplies


31 33


Walworth Mfg. Co., fittings


69 36


Henry R. Worthington, meters


1,433 46


A. J. Wilkinson & Co., tools, etc.


201 14


Frank B. Witherley, tools


11 72


R. D. Wood & Co., pipe, etc.


7,242 81


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


10 50


William J. Wiley, paint


90


Waldo Bros., pipe, etc.


156 66


Frederick B. Witherley, castings


83 78


Yawman, Erbe Mfg. Co., cards


2 25


$48,700 87


Sewers, Maintenance account, labor and stock ·


115 04


Highways, Maintenance account, labor and materials 252 76


Highways, Paved Gutters and Crossings account, blocks ·


7 00


$49,075 67


Water Service Assessments,


CREDIT.


Receipts :-


Cash, received of sundry persons, cost of services laid Support of Poor, City Home account, assessment .


$3,144 78


45 83


Public Buildings Construction, Incinerator account, as- sessment


64 27


$3,254 88


Transferred to Water Works Extension account


3,254 88


139


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


Water Works, Abatements on Water Charges.


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid sundry persons, money refunded $552 46 343 96


Metered Water Charges, abatements


$896 42


Transferred to debit of Water Works Income account


896 42


Water Works Extension.


CREDIT.


Water Works Income account, amount appropriated


$20,000 00


Water Service Assessments account, amount transferred,


3,254 88


$23,254 88


Amounts transferred and unused :- Water Maintenance account, amount


transferred


$5,721 75


Water Works Income account, balance transferred


494 13


6,215 88


-


$17,039 00


Receipts :-


Highways, Watering Streets account, water posts


337 84


$17,376 84


DEBIT. (Expenditures.)


Cash, paid laborers


$2,968 34


Bartholomew Burke, contract labor


455 55


Timothy F. Crimmings, contract labor,


219 87


Daniel A. Dorey, contract labor


845 91


Richard Falvey, contract labor


75 12


$4,564 79


Water Maintenance account, stock


12,812 05


$17,376 84


Water Works Income.


CREDIT.


Metered Water Charges, last quarter 1907 uncollected, Receipts :-


Cash, received of sundry water takers Less amount credited in 1908


$202,725 19


1 90


Less abatements


896 42


201,826 87


Total income, sales of water Water Works Extension account, balance transferred


$226,001 63


494 13


$226,495 76


$24,174 76


$202,723 29


140


ANNUAL REPORTS.


1


DEBIT.


Water Maintenance account, amount ap-


propriated


$25,000 00 30,000 00


Reduction of Funded Debt, Water Loan Bonds, amount appropriated


7,000 00


Water Loan Interest, amount appropriated, Sewer Loan Interest, amount appropriated, Water Works Extension account, amount appropriated .


9,137 50


Sewers Maintenance account, amount ap- propriated ·


12,000 00


Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Metro- politan Water Assessment


106,334 61


Reduction of Funded Debt account, balance transferred


13,823 65


$226,495 76


Table D .- Balances December 31, 1907.


Cash


$92,109 26


Assessors


463 49


City Cerk


127 32


City Messenger


73 55


Clerk of Committees and Departments


301 85


Election Expenses, Pay of Election Officers,


98 00


Electrical Department


686 32


Fire Department


409 58


Grade Crossings


169 80


Health :-


Health Department


78 69


Collection of Ashes and Offal


8,042 75


Medical Inspection in Public Schools


5 82


Highway Betterment Assessments


1,363 81


Highways :-


Construction


1,922 51


Maintenance


618 83


Watering Streets


418 04


Metered Water Charges


24,174 76


Police


475 91


Public Buildings Construction :--- Heating Plant in Charles School


G. Pope


948 69


Incinerator


622 02


Public Buildings Maintenance :-


278 99


Fire Department


209 08


Janitors' Salaries


414 60


Schoolhouses


3,811 47


Public Grounds


23 44


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund,


In-


vestment Account


5,314 58


School Contingent


2,335 32


Sealer of Weights and Measures


22 25


Sewer Assessments


2,376 59


Sewers, Construction


369 01


Sewers, Maintenance


81 39


Amount carried forward


$150,306 92


.


.


.


·


.


City Buildings


Real Estate Liens


1,959 20


Fire Department, amount appropriated


3,200 00


20,000 00


APPENDIX TO TREASURER AND COLLECTOR'S REPORT. 141


Amount brought forward


$150,306 92


Sidewalk Assessments


6,948 77


Sidewalks, Construction


1,036 83 47 71


Soldiers' Relief


181 69


State of Massachusetts


20,281 13


Support of Poor, City Home


709 11


Suppression of Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths,


71


Taxes


308,826 36


City Auditor


$20 58


City Engineer


1 12


City Solicitor


8 41


City Treasurer


501 36


Contingent Fund


247 17


Coupons


19,927 50


Election Expenses :---- City Clerk


109 37


Commissioner of Public Buildings Registrars of Voters


13 90


Electrical Department, Underground Construction Executive Department


89 98


Fire Department, Additional Apparatus


84 55


Health Department, Contagious Disease Hospital Highways :-


1,935 00


Paved Gutters and Crossings


573 71


Shade Trees


13 19


Inspection of Buildings


52 12


Interest


684 30


Military Aid


171 50


Overlay and Abatement


4,505 81


Overplus on Tax Sales


118 13


Printing and Stationery


129 78


Public Buildings Construction :-


Addition to Benjamin G. Brown School


8,333 88


Addition to Sanford Hanscom School


5,510 47


Bath House


3,000 00


Luther V. Bell School Fire Escapes


31 62


Vault, City Hall


432 19


Public Library


06


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


89 51


Public Library, Isaac Pitman Fund, Income, Poetry Reduction of Funded Debt


24,823 65


Soldiers' Monument


19,950 00


Street Lights


9,000 00


Sundry Persons


530 71


Support of Poor, Miscellaneous


774 29


Temporary Loans


380,000 00


:


$488,339 23


$188,339 23


3 70


1,292 17


.


Sidewalks, Maintenance


64 92


142


ANNUAL REPORTS.


APPROVAL OF TREASURER'S REPORT.


In Committee on Finance, February 26, 1908. To the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.


Gentlemen :- The committee on finance presents the report of Edwin L. Pride, expert accountant, as its report as an audit of the books and accounts of the City Treasurer, and recommends that the report of the treasurer be printed in the annual reports of 1907.


Respectfully submitted,


LEONARD W. COLE, CHARLES A. BURNS, DAVID BERGLIND, EDWARD H. KINGMAN, GEORGE A. LORD, GEORGE W. HARVEY, CHARLES W. ELDRIDGE,


Committee


on


Finance.


In Board of Aldermen, February 27, 1908. Accepted.


FREDERIC W. COOK, Clerk.


1


-


BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL.


1


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


School Committee Rooms, January 3, 1908.


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, 1907.


FREDERICK A. P. FISKE,


Chairman


J. WALTER SANBORN,


Vice-Chairman


Members.


EX-OFFICIIS. Term expires January.


CHARLES A. GRIMMONS, Mayor, 72 Thurston street.


1908


LEONARD W. COLE, Pres. Board of Aldermen, 5 Homer Square. 1908


WARD ONE.


DR. HENRY F. CURTIS,


145 Perkins street. 1908


ELMER H. SPAULDING,


44 Tufts street. 1909


WARD TWO.


DANIEL H. BRADLEY,


19 Concord avenue. 1908


THOMAS M. CLANCY,


52 Springfield street. 1909


WARD THREE.


GEORGE E. WHITAKER,


75 Walnut street. 1908


WILBUR S. CLARKE,


40 Vinal avenue. 1909


WARD FOUR.


CHARLES A. KIRKPATRICK, JR., 27 Sewall street. 1908


GEORGE W. FOSTER,


7 Evergreen avenue. 1909


WARD FIVE.


HENRY H. FOLSOM,


103 Central street. 1908


J. WALTER SANBORN,


183 Central street. 1909


WARD SIX.


FREDERICK A. P. FISKE,


44 Cherry street. 1908


LEON M. CONWELL,


1 Harvard place. 1909


WARD SEVEN.


DR. GEORGE C. MAHONEY,


97 College avenue. 1908


MRS. HENRIETTA B. H. ATTWOOD, 12 Park avenue. 1909


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; honse telephone, 12.


Cora S. Fitch, Superintendent's clerk, 15 Pleasant avenue.


Mary A. Clark, clerk, 42 Highland avenue.


4


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1907.


High Schools .- Sanborn, Mahoney, Curtis, Clancy, Clarke, Foster. Conwell.


District I .- Curtis, Spaulding, Foster.


PRESCOTT, HANSCOM, DAVIS, BENNETT.


District II .- Bradley, Clancy, Clarke. KNAPP, PERRY, BAXTER.


District III .- Whitaker, Clarke, Curtis,


POPE, BELL, CUMMINGS.


District IV .- Kirkpatrick, Foster, Cole.


EDGERLY, GLINES.


District V .- Folsom, Sanborn, Kirkpatrick. FORSTER, BINGHAM.


District VI .- Fiske, Conwell, Folsom.


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


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


HIGHLAND, HODGKINS, LINCOLN, LOWE.


Additional School Accommodations .- Mahoney, Sanborn, Curtis, Clancy, Clarke, Kirkpatrick, Conwell, Grimmons, Cole. Evening Schools .- Folsom, Whitaker, Fiske.


Finance .- Kirkpatrick, Spaulding, Conwell, Grimmons, Cole. Industrial Education .-- Foster, Clarke, Mrs. Attwood.


Medical Inspection .- Curtis, Clancy, Mahoney. Music .- Mrs. Attwood, Curtis, Bradley.


Private Schools .- Clancy, Spaulding, Kirkpatrick.


Repairs of School Buildings .- Spaulding, Foster, Folsom,


Rules and Regulations .- Bradley, Folsom, Fiske. Salaries .- Fiske, Whitaker, Sanborn. Supplies .- Clarke, Bradley, Sanborn.


Text-Books and Courses of Study .- Whitaker, Spaulding, Bradley, Kirkpatrick, Folsom, Fiske, Mrs. Attwood. Vacation Schools .- Conwell, Foster, Mahoney.


Note .- The member first named is chairman,


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


To the School Committee of Somerville :-


The thirty-sixth annual report of the Superintendent of Schools, the fifteenth prepared by the present incumbent, is re- spectfully submitted. Assuming that the usual custom will be followed and this report be made the report of the School Com- mittee which the law requires them to make to their fellow- citizens, some matters are presented that would be omitted and others more fully treated than would be the case if the School Board alone were interested. The order of the last few years has been maintained, the first thing presented being a


Summary of Statistics.


Population, United States census, 1890


40,117


Population, State census, 1895.


52,200


Population, United States census. 1900 61,643


Population, State census, 1905.


69,272


Children between five and fifteen years of age, October,


1906, by school census.


12,068


Children between five and fifteen years of age, October, 1907, by school census


12.298


Increase


230


2 .- SCHOOL BUILDINGS.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


Number of school buildings


26


26


0


Number of classrooms ..


270


279


0


Valuation of school property.


$1,425,009


3 .- TEACHERS.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


In high schools


54


57


3


In grammar schools.


158


161


3


In primary schools.


8


8


0


Total in elementary schools


265


268


3


Cadet teachers


0


3


3


Special


326


337


11


Total


4. - ATTENDANCE FOR YEAR.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


y


Entire enrollment for the year.


14,551


14,802


251


Average number belonging.


11,762


11.909


147


Average number attending.


11,070


11,166


96


Per cent. of daily attendance.


94.1


93.8


-0.3


High school graduates ..


208


223


15


Grammar school graduates


640


725


85


7


9


2


09


In kindergartens.


14ª


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


5,-ATTENDANCE IN DECEMBER.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


Whole number attending.


14,096


14,223


127


In private schools.


1,748


1,735


-13


In public schools.


12,348


12,488


140


In high schools.


1,480


1,584


104


In elementary schools


10,664


10,710


46


In kindergarten


204


194


-10


In first grade.


1,526


1,532


6


In second grade.


1,473


1,384


-89


In third grade.


1,352


1,375


23


In fourth grade.


1,292


1,337


45


In fifth grade.


1,240


1,239


-1


In sixth grade.


1,109


1,201


92


In seventh- grade.


1,003


1,022


19


In eighth grade.


872


831


-41


In ninth grade.


797


789


-8


6 .- COST OF SCHOOL MAINTENANCE.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


Salaries of teachers


.$260,796.46


$267,607.11


$6,810.65


Salaries of officers.


5,400.00


5,500.00


100.00


Cost of books and supplies.


22,589.08


24,317.33


1,728.25


Cost of light ..


2,874.75


3,760.08


885.33


Cost of janitors' services.


23,143.32


23,999.00


855.68


Cost of fuel.


14,161.92


15,235.48


1,073.56


Telephones


380.24


433.07


52.83


Total cost of day and evening schools


329,345.77


340,852.07


11,506.30


Per capita cost.


28.00


28.62


0.62


Cost of high school instruc- tion


59,729.50


64,731.50


5,002.00


Per capita cost.


43.82


44.07


0.25


7 .- MISCELLANEOUS.


1906.


1907.


Increase.


Paid


for new school


buildings


$38,457.32


$31,804.34


-$6,652.98


Repairs and permanent improvements


11,950.85


18,007.85


6,057.00


Total school expendi-


tures


379,753.94


390,664.26


10,910.32


Valuation of city


...


.60,371,500.00


61,527,750.00


1,156,250.00


Number of dollars spent


to. maintain schools out of every $1,000 of valuation ..


5.46


5.54


0.08


Number of dollars spent


for all school pur- poses out of every $1,000 of valuation ..


6.29


6.35


0.06


Length of the School Year. Theoretically all our schools are in session for forty weeks, or 200 days, one two-hundredth of a teacher's pay being deducted for a lost day. This year our schools have been in session thirty-five and three-tenths weeks. The average length of our school year for the last decade is


148


ANNUAL REPORTS.


thirty-six weeks, three days. The work of 1907 has been inter- rupted by five and one-half holidays, twelve sessions lost through excessive cold, extreme heat, or severe storms, four and one-half days by the extension of vacations here and there, and one day by a teachers' convention. If we reduce this loss still further by six per cent. of absences by pupils, we find that more than one-sixth of the forty-week year has been subtracted, that is, we realize dividends on only eighty-three per cent. of our stock. This is a serious loss, and of course reduces the efficiency of the schools by so much. The summer vacation is constantly en- croaching on the September end of the year. The vacationists, however, constitute only a small minority of school attendants. A week would be gained by beginning the school year on the Wednesday following Labor Day. Three days and often four would be added to the school year by changing the Rules so that those weeks should be vacation weeks in which Christmas, Washington's Birthday, and Patriots' Day occur. No more reason exists for making New Year's Day a school holiday than for making it a legal holiday. Moreover, more than a day is really lost by a holiday that comes in term time. It affects the work of the day before and of the following day.


It is a question whether the application of the no-school signal may not be limited in general to the four lower grades of pupils. Most grammar and high school students can reach school without suffering save in a very exceptional storm. There is much in habit when it comes to facing ordinary weather conditions. If the changes in the Rules suggested should be made, the schools would actually be in session thirty-eight and one-half weeks in 1908 and 1909, as against the yearly average of thirty-six and one-half weeks, a gain of two weeks of school work each year. The chief objection to the plan is connected with the restriction of the application of the no-school signal. Nevertheless, as a longer year with fewer interruptions is desir- able, I recommend the plan to your consideration.


School Population. It is impossible to make an errorless registration of all children in the city between five and fifteen years of age. A special effort, however, has been made this year to do this, the enumerators sparing no pains in their work. The result is as follows :-


1907.


1906.


Change.


Ward 1


2,008


1,974


+34


2


2,607


2,569


+38


66


3


-53


66


4


1,001


986


+15


66


5


1,910


1,908


+2


"


6


2,054


1,979


+75


7


1,623


1.504


+119


Total


12,298


12,068


+230


1,095


1,148


149


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


The census shows 12,298 children between five and fifteen years of age in the city, a gain of 230 since last year, one-half of which has been made in Ward Seven. At the same time, the registration in public and private schools was 12,615, a gain of 336 as compared with last year. The school registration is cor- rect and reliable.


In October there were 313 children five or six years of age who were not attending school. kept at home by the choice of parents. Thirty children of the compulsory school age, be- tween seven and fourteen, were permanently at home on account of ill-health. One hundred and three children fourteen years of age, that is, just above the compulsory requirement, were found to be at work. These children should be in school, but are set at work by parents, under stress of poverty in most cases.


On December 15 there were 12,488 children in the public schools and 1,735 in private schools, a total of 14,223.


Based on the number of children in the city as compared with the number in 1905, the present population of Somerville appears to be very nearly 72,000, one-fifth of whom are at the present time members of public or private schools.


School Attendance. The attendance at the public schools during the year is as follows :-


Whole number enrolled in 1907, 14,802. Of these there have attended only a part of the year, 2,893.


Entered Grade I. in September, 1,210. Graduated, 948.


Dropped out during the year to go to work, 321.


The remainder, 414, are transient pupils who have been in the schools only a part of the year, entering from other cities or towns, or removing from the city during the year.


The average membership of the schools has been 11,909, an increase of 147 for the year.


Six and one-fifth per cent. of these have been absent from the schools all the time, chiefly on account of sickness and the enforcement of quarantine rules, leaving an average daily at- tendance of 11,166, an increase of ninety-seven.


While the general effect of medical inspection in the schools will be to increase regularity of attendance, during this first year it is probable that the strict enforcement of the rules has in- creased absence. We look for improvement in this direction during the coming year.


There have been 4,162 cases of tardiness and 2,541 instances of dismissal in 1907. This sounds like a large number, but when we reflect that it means that every child has come late to school once out of 907 chances, or once in two and one-half years, or that he leaves his work before he ought to once in 1,486 times, or once in four years, the numbers take on new proportions.


Teachers are anxious, sometimes unwisely anxious, to se- cure punctuality and regularity of attendance, not only on ac-


150


ANNUAL REPORTS.


count of the loss of time involved, but because they have to do with certain important elements of character. Parents often mistake their motives, and sometimes fail to co-operate as they might.


There have been 314 cases of the use of the rod during the year. This means that every twentieth schoolboy in Somerville has been punished once in 1907. There are some of our citizens who have suffered from juvenile depredations of one. sort or another, who feel that an occasional chastisement of some of the remaining nineteen would not be wholly a miscarriage of justice. There is a constant effort on the part of teachers to govern by moral power alone. The number that succeed is growing larger year by year, but while human nature continues perverse and parental control constantly grows weaker, there must of ne- cessity be an occasional resort to force, the sentimentalists to the contrary notwithstanding. With hardly an exception, punishment is calmly and judicially administered. Hardly any complaints have been received during the year of undue harsh- ness on the part of teachers, but repeated instances of parental abuse of children have come to our notice. Teachers are to be congratulated on their methods of government and on the suc- cess that attends them.




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