USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1909 > Part 18
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1.087
.984
.920
.828
.757
.757
.796
.804
.825
.806
.862
. 841
1.061
1.097
1.126
1.016
1.014
1.037
1.037
.960
.802
..
....
...
66
9
.704
.579
.498
.445
.440
.433
.497
.461
.518
.485
.485
.468
.569
.614
.679
. 731
. 702
10
.350
.369
.349
.333
.386
.370
.388
.367
.374
.369
.459
.501
.546
.588
. 621
....
...
....
....
....
..
66
12
.248
.312
.261
12
245
.212
.226
. 226
.241
.249
.287
.246
.282
.270
.293
.305
.337
....
....
....
....
..
...
....
....
..
66
13
.220
.271
.237
13
.206
.180
. 207
.209
.224
.208
.251
. 228
.245
.243
.269
.273
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
Grad.
.195
. 248
.200
* Graduated from Ninth Grade.
11 years, 1894-1904, the entering class was 85.4 per cent. of mean of grades 1-5 inclusive.
PROPORTION BETWEEN GIRLS AND BOY'S IN ATTENDANCE.
(Girls equal 100.) Figures are per cent. Boys.
MEANS.
Year Attend'g
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1886 to 1897
1898 to 1909
1886 to 1909
Kinder- garten.
1
137
136
135
125
122
127
118
114
111
115
113
111
116
111
114
108
110
113
108
114
105
102
113
108
1
110
116
3
133
116
124
119
114
120
117
104
101
106
103
109
104
98
105
101
106
113
101
100
111
10€
97
100
2
114
104
109
4
132
133
103
115
112
114
119
99
100
106
92
111
108
104
102
102
102
112
109
100
100
109
112
98
4
111
105
108
5
129
129
114
113
116
119
106
97
102
101
93
115
95
98
103
102
107
110
112
103
102
107
115
5
113
106
110
6
118
144
122
121
107
126
115
100
117
105
84
97
94
84
86
91
102
9-1
90
91
95
100
103
10-
96
99
106
96
101
8
84
102
82
103
92
105
94
98
108
78
82
87
89
80
84
91
83
82
83
85
85
102
99
90
8
93
88
90
9
93
81
94
80
90
77
97
88
90
96
77
73
72
96
83
82
73
71
83
84
79
90
96
9
86
82
84
10
92
66
51
80
68
60
53
81
68
91
74
68
66
80
74
87
79
88
69
73
71
85
78
91
10
71
78
74
11
56
68
77
59
65
52
52
44
72
54
76
85
63
59
72
63
87
71
74
69
69
72
80
70
11
63
71
67
12
57
44
67
83
45
63
42
47
37
60
56
79
49
56
57
64
58
76
68
76
67
59
65
79
12
57
65
61
13
36
66
35
66
97
32
63
35
59
38
61
46
72
50
47
57
57
53
79
64
73
63
55
61
13
53
61
57
.944
.941
.928
.946
.875
.885
.903
.938
.966
.947
1.071
1.062
1.099
1.186
1.156
1.161
1.076
1.106
1.157
1.113
1.057
66
6
.820
1.038
.917
.831
.690
.705
. 661
.764
. 726
. 754
.716
.758
. 755
.875
.924
.939
.952
.981
.961
.726
.551
.540
.523
.612
.587
.636
.627
.617
.628
.705
.815
.859
.858
.813
.792
.754
...
..
....
....
....
Pro.
.473
.659
.535
11
·288
.277
.278
.260
.279
.288
.324
.290
.333
.315
.385
.393
.423
.465
....
..
...
...
..
..
Grad.
.182
.158
.182
.186
.192
.190
.220
.203
.224
.215
.248
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
8
.605
807
.682
.531
.483
.471
.466
.526
.481
.543
.531
.514
.498
.591
.661
.746
.777
. 695
..
....
....
66
10
.366
.543
.425
11
.294
416
.329
.736
.942
.822
8
.504
1.136
1.033
4
5
6
7
7
9
*Pro.
...
....
110
105
103
110
11
106
110
110
119
127
131
122
116
121
102
110
112
107
98
98
97
104
109
106
104
132
93
94
92
100
92
8
102
98
70
99
106
109
107
133
89
80
101
10
111
99
100
107
G
111
100
100
7
110
115
124
109
118
112
88
102
94
92
86
101
96
94
96
99
114
108
Kinder- garten.
87
93
.974
.978
1.008
8
1909
1.305
.908
12
134
.936
٦
234
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
TABLE C. - DECREASE OF MEMBERSHIP.
Proportion between number entering each year and the member- ship of the same class in succeeding grades :-
MEANS ONLY.
1886 to 1895.
1896 to 1909.
1886 to 1909.
Grade
1
1.344
1.391
1.372
66
3
.908
1.136
1.033
66
5
.884
1.087
.984
6
.820
1.038
.917
6
7
.736
.942
.822
66
8
.605
.807
.682
66
9
.504
.704
.579
10
.366
.543
.425
11
.294
.416
.329
66
12
,248
.312
.261
66
13
.220
.271
.237
Grammar Graduates
.473
.659
.535
High Graduates.
.195
.248
.200
RATIO OF THE SEXES.
Comparison of girls and boys in attendance in several grades. These figures give the per cent. which the boys bear to the girls :-
MEANS.
1886 to 1897.
1898 to 1909.
1886 to 1909.
Grade 1
2
3
4
5
113
106
110
66
6
111
100
106
106
96
101
66
8
93
88
90
9
86
82
84
10
71
78
74
66
11
63
71
67
12
57
65
61
13
.
.
53
61
57
66
2
.978
1.180
1.092
4
.927
1.159
1.024
Kindergarten
87%
102%
98%
122
110
116
115
106
110
114
104
109
111
105
108
7
.
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
·
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
·
.
.
.
·
.
.
.
.
.
. .
.
·
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
·
·
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
66
66
238
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE D .- DIAGRAM.
Normal
3 4
5 6 7 8 9 2 10 11 12 13 G
Diagram showing ratio between membership and number entering. The normal line represents the number entering. The diagram is the mean result of years 1886-1909.
239
TABLE E. - DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS BY AGES, OCTOBER 1, 1909.
AGE.
GRADE.
Total.
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Per cent. Above Normal Age.
1
29
999
368
89
18
00
3
3
1
4
..
1,522
37
2.4
2
·
27
722
423
132
38
10
3
51
3.8
3.
..
27
563
441
198
60
20
8
4
1
1,322
93
7.0
4
39
495
396
228
83
36
14
3
1
1,295
137
10.5
5.
2
44
430
356
214
122
52
12
2
1
1,235
67
5.4
6.
1
50
380
365
222
122
36
7
1,183
165
14.0
8.
.. .
....
....
2
44
322
337
198
82
13
2
1
1,001
98
9.8
9. .
....
....
. .
. .
4
36
246
232
161
42
6
1
· ...
728
49
6.7
Total.
29
1,026
1,119
1,158
1;517
1,049
956
986
1,010
978
579
281
63
8
1
1
10,761
841
7.8
Under Normal grade ...
18
46
73
109
156
149
120
63
8
1
1
841
Per cent. under Normal grade ..
1.2
4.4
7.6
11.0
9.6
16.0
25.7
42.7
100
100
100
100
7.1
-
7.
..
3
59
342
333
239
107
30
1,120
144
12.9
...
1,355
Above Normal Age.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
240
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE F .- Distribution of Pupils, 14 but Not 15, October 1, 1909.
NUMBER OF GRADE
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Total
Latin ..
. .
:
. .
.
79
20
1
100
English .
144
40
2
186
Prescott ..
13
. .
. .
. .
. .
Davis.
Bennett.
1
2
Baxter.
. .
..
3
11
24
22
. .
Perry .
1
Pope .
.
1
2
13
14
12
.
.
. .
..
. .
. .
..
Glines.
28
Forster
. .
..
.
5
9
S
18
..
40
Carr. .
1
1
1
1
12
27
1"
. .
1
Durell
. .
. .
. .
. .
..
. .
. .
..
. .
. .
. .
6
8
1:2
. .
26
Highland
. .
·
1
2
1
S
17
20
. .
. .
49
Lincoln
. .
. .
..
..
..
..
. .
. .
. .
Lowe.
..
. .
. .
. .
..
. .
..
Total by grades P. C. by
1 .001
.003
.014
.041
.122
198 .226
232 . 265
223 . 255
60 .068
3 .003
875 .99S
TABLE G .- A COURSE IN MANUAL TRAINING FOR SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADES AND ITS AIM.
A definite course of graded models is herein outlined to be followed generally. The purpose of this course is to supply additional hand work, to train the pupil in the use of tools, to develop power of obser- vation, habit of orderly procedure and precision, and the ability to do the thing undertaken. While these are general aims, a particular aim is to arouse and develop the creative power of the child. To this end he may be encouraged to make other models suggested by this course, while he is held to the careful doing of whatever herein is undertaken.
TOOLS.
The tools to be used may be classified in two groups: (a) for the teacher, (b) for the pupil.
Group A.
Group B.
Pencil.
Block plane.
Pencil.
Rule.
Hammer. Rule.
Try square.
Bench hook.
Try square.
Knife.
Oil stone.
Knife.
Back saw.
Oil can.
Hammer (3 to each set).
..
34
Hanscom
2
. . :51 ::: 1 5 .. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
..
. .
. .
Knapp.
42
Bell.
43
Cummings
Edgerly
6
42.2
23
7
..
. .
39
Bingham
. .
14
13
16
13
. .
59
Proctor
1
..
..
. .
.
..
Brown.
51
Hodgkins.
. .
. .
3
12
36
107
·
·
. .
.
2
6
14
19
. .
.
1
1
1
15
23
57
Morse
2
Burns.
:26
.
6
12
33
. .
The knife to be furnished by the pupil and to be in the nature of a strong jackknife.
For use in connection with these sets a suitable number of pencil compasses will be placed in each building.
Each building will have one permanent set (a), while set (b) will be transferred as called for by schedule.
3
. .
. .
. .
. .
3
60
1
51
12
..
9
:
2
241
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
STOCK SHEET. (Seventh Grade.)
The material for the present year will be given partly prepared, as the opportunity for getting out such stock in the schoolroom is very limited.
Kind and Size.
Model.
Stock.
1. Plant stick. 1-2 in. white pine
2. Penholder
1-2 in.
3. Crumb knife.
1-4 in. gum wood
4. Peggy
7-8 in. whitewood
5. Peggy bat.
3-8 in.
6. Windmill 66
1-2 in. 66
66
13 in. x 3-4 in. 10 in. x 5-8 in. 8 1-2 in. x 5 1-4 in.
7. Crumb tray 66
1-3 in.
1-8 in.
66
7 1-2 in. x 2 in.
66
66
1-4 in.
18 in. x 1 1-2 in.
8. Bracket
3-16 in. basswood
9. Envelope rack. 66
..
66
66
5-16 in. 5-16 in.
12 1-2 in. x 2 1-2 in.
9 3-4 in. x 5 1-4 in.
STOCK SHEET. (Sixth Grade.)
The material for the present year will be given partly prepared, as the opportunity for getting out such stock in the schoolroom is very limited.
Model.
Stock.
1. Ruler
3-16 in. basswood
12 in. x 1 1-4 in.
2. Key tag. 3-16. in.
3. Seed label. 3-8 in. white pine
4. Key rack. 3-8 in. whitewood
7 in. x 2 in.
5. Calendar board. 1-4 in. gum wood 6. Yarn winder 1-8 in. cherry
3 1-4 in. x 3 in. 4 in. x 21-2 in.
7. Door button.
7-8 in. white pine
3 1-2 in. x 1 3-4 in.
8. Paper knife
1-2 in.
66
2 1-2 in. x 11-8 in.
6 in. x 3-4 in.
1-8 in.
Size. ¡
3 1-2 in. x 13-8 in.
5 1-16 in. x 1 1-2 in.
7 1-2 in. x 5-8 in.
9. Stamp box
5-8 in.
1-8 in. 66 66
2 1-2 in. x 13-8 in.
board form 9 11-16 in. x 3 5-16 in.
5-16 in. white pine 66
Size. 12 in. x 3-4 in. :
7 in. x 5-8 in. 12 in. x 1 7-8 in. 4 in. x 1 in. 16 in. x 1 3-4 in.
.1-2 in. gum wood
242
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE H .- Number of Books in Use in the City, December, 1909.
SCHOOL.
Arithmetics.
Geographies.
Dictionaries.
Histories.
Language.
Music.
Spellers.
Physiology.
Reading
Books.
Miscellaneous.
Charts and
Maps.
Total.
Prescott .
515
475
358
308
468 204
776 502
642
95
2,941
593 498
13
3,734
Davis.
101
105
51
0
50
200
156
31
891
117
8
1,710
Bennett .
375
173
56
17
182
521
272
57
1,862
186
7
3,708
Baxter
607,
124
111
25
103
253
269
28
1,516
28
11
2,677
Knapp
985
603
435
588
611
917
638
181
2,564
1,433
61
9,016
Perry .
142
193
101
48
150
361
292
32
1,168
189
18
2,694
Pope
587
408
390
395
447
724
541
163
2,460
875
33
7,023
Bell
476
400
383
291
452
607
497
149
1,386
161
23
4,825
Cummings
225
73
2
0
46
190
150
31
982
214
6
1,919
Edgerly
830
328
402
379
563
866
683
217
3,513
433
14
8,228
Glines
448
475
368
281
409
807
633
85
1,713
551
19
5,789
Forster
1,177
643
550
556
679
1,189
853
128
4,957
548
50
11,330
Bingham
663
392
401
242
505
873
712
125
1,825
843
50
6,631
Carr
699
638
506
416
572
915
831
109
3,484
263
38
8,471
Morse
913
526
403
504
483
1,043
822
203
3,312
1,070
31
9,310
Proctor
269
158
169
85
279
462
458
25
2,188
157
8
4,258
Durell
170
0
4
0
46
207
150
29
923
312
7
1,848
Burns .
505
110
146
143
209
537
362
36
2,113
729
19
4,909
Brown
401
263
256
161
305
575
481
125
1,812
201
23
4,603
Highland
890
519
602
396
650
872
637
75
2,276
1,425
34
8,376
Hodgkins
652
548
477
391
540
880
695
153
3,046
243
36
7,661
Lincoln .
2
29
2
0
1
174
193
4
1,501
261
0
2,167
Lowe .
51
109
7
0
51
362
289
28
1,379
332
2
2,610
Total
11,513
7,472
6,287
5,276
8,005
14,813 11,604 2,139
51,386 11,662
553
130,710
English.
French.
German.
Latin.
History and
Civics.
Greek.
Mathematics.
Science.
Commercial.
Elocution.
Miscellaneous
Latin English
1,982 3,725
966 2,969
1,151 1,091
1,968
765 2,500
500
756 1,366
202 882
1,112
1,073
422 1,149
8,712 17,043
Total ..
5,707
3,935
2,242
3,144
3,265
500
2,122
1,084
1,112
1,073
1,571
25,755
42
7,213
Hanscom
228
180
107
50
348
30
1,574
1,176
....
243
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
- TABLE I. - Somerville High School Athletic Association. Treasurer's Report. JULY 1, 1908, to JUNE 30, 1909.
Harry L. Jones, Treasurer.
Receipts.
Expenses.
Balance
$110.18
Football
$1,793.19
Football
2,598.04
Hockey
47.64
Baseball
390.99
Basket ball
167.01
Basket ball
53.30
Baseball
1,017.45
Treasurer
100.00
$3,152.51
$3,125.29
Balance June 30, 1909. 27.22
Treasurer's Report. 1909.
Receipts.
Expenses.
Balance
$27.22
Football :-
Supplies
$806.17
Manager's expenses .. 16.89
Coaching
375.00
Field
178.64
Labor at field.
135.73
(Secret practice and
games, etc.)
Telephone
34.23
Printing
83.42
Traveling expenses.
45.85
Advertising .
10.10
Medical attendance and supplies
88.64
League dues
10.00
Express
4.20
Postage
30.82
Miscellaneous expenses,
5.00
Treasurer's expenses .. .
84.95
$1,909.64
Balance December 31, 1909.
$3,004.31
Football
4,801.23
Membership, 1908-1909.
85.50
$4,913.95
244
ANNUAL REPORTS.
MONEY EXPENDED AT BROADWAY FIELD BY THE SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION FOR STANDS, LABOR, MATERIAL, ETC.
1904.
1905.
*Stands
$1,000.00
*Stands
$452.53
Labor
17.52
Labor
30.00
Insurance
30.00
Insurance
30.00
Settees
15.50
Settees
15.00
Numbering stands . .
15.90
Numbering stands
19.85
Signs
13.15
Signs
13.80
Miscellaneous expenses .. . 9.00
Miscellaneous expenses. 11.00
$1,101.07
$572.18
1906.
1907.
*Stands
$421.95
*Maintenance of field.
$143.80
Labor
79.50
Labor
30.00
Insurance
30.00
Insurance
30.00
Numbering stands
14.10
Numbering stands.
18.78
Settees
5.00
Signs
6.85
Signs
....
$229.43
$560.05
1908.
1909.
*Maintenance of field.
$132.00
*Maintenance of field ....
$171.40
Labor
79.25
*Labor, Everett and R. M. T. S. . ..
180.20
Signs
1.30
Extra labor, secret prac- tice for games, etc ....
135.73
Numbering seats
21.60
Signs
7.70
Settees
6.00
Miscellaneous
expenses. .
8.00
-
$530.63
1904
$1,101.07
190
...
572.18
1906
560.05
1907
...
229.43
1908
235.25
1909
.... 530.63
$3,228.61
FOOTBALL STATISTICS, SEASON OF 1909, 12 GAMES.
Attendance
.
24,497 $11,346.10
Police
$443.00
Field
245.00
Officials
410.00
Printing
151.50
Supplies
128.75
Miscellaneous expenses.
364.27
Visiting teams, receipts and expenses.
4,802.35
Somerville's receipts.
4,801.23
Total
$11,346.10
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..
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.
. .
.
.
...
·
.
.
.
. ...
.
.
.
*Paid City of Somerville.
..
9.50
Miscellaneous expenses. .
2.50
$235.25
Numbering stands.
20.20
. ..
..
Gross receipts
.
215
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
TABLE J .- Amendments to the Rules of the School Committee. MADE SINCE THE PRINTING OF THE LAST ANNUAL REPORT.
Section 130 of the Rules was amended to read as fol- lows :-
Kindergartens may be established and maintained by the Board whenever it is deemed wise.
Adopted May 24, 1909.
Section 58 was amended by substituting the sum of $1,350 for the sum of $1,300 as the maximum salary of the truant officer, he to furnish and maintain his own team.
Adopted November 29, 1909.
The following was substituted for Section 116 :-
There shall be twenty-five minutes of recess in the high schools at such time as the head master shall choose.
In elementary schools there shall be a recess of ten min- utes midway of the morning session.
In the first three grades of the elementary schools there shall be a recess of seven minutes midway of the afternoon session. This recess may be allowed in other grades of ele- mentary schools by the principal.
Pupils shall not be required to take an open-air recess in inclement weather.
No pupil shall be deprived of any portion of the regular recess of his class.
Adopted November 29, 1909.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
OF THE SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1909.
Trustees.
EDWARD C. BOOTH, M. D. JOHN B. VIALL. J. FRANK WELLINGTON. FREDERICK W. PARKER.
THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D. WILLIAM L. BARBER. REV. CHARLES L. NOYES, D. D. FREDERICK W. HAMILTON, D. D.
WILLIAM H. BURGESS.
Officers.
EDWARD C. BOOTH, M. D. SAM WALTER FOSS
President
·
·
Secretary
Committees.
Building and Grounds - Viall, Wellington, and Noyes. Administration - Wellington, Parker, and Durell.
Books and Catalogues -- Booth, Viall, Noyes, Durell, Barber, and Hamilton. Finance - Parker, Barber, and Burgess.
Librarian. SAM WALTER Foss.
Assistant Librarian. FLORENCE D. HURTER.
Cataloguer. ESTHER M. MAYHEW.
Assistant Cataloguer. EDITH B. HAYES.
Children's Librarian. ANNA L. STONE.
School Librarian. MARY S. WOODMAN.
Reference and Art Librarian.
MABEL E. BUNKER.
247
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BESSIE L. DUDDY. ALICE W. SEARS. FLORENCE M. BARBER.
CECIL M. BARLOW. WILLIAM E. BAGSTER.
Assistants. A. MYRTLE MERRILL. RUBY G. WHITE. LOUISE THIERY.
Attendants.
EDGAR L. KAULA. HARRY BENSON.
Janitor. CHARLES A. SOUTHWICK.
WEST SOMERVILLE BRANCH.
Branch Librarian. NELLIE M. WHIPPLE.
Assistants. ETHEL M. NUTE.
BESSIE S. COBB. ANNIE M. CURRIE.
Attendant. RONALD MOORE.
Janitor. JOHN J. KILTY,
PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCOUNT.
Receipts and Expenditures for 1909.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
.
$16,000 00
Dog tax
3,796 11
West Somerville Branch
19 92
Somerville Y. M. C. A.
2 21
Fines, etc.
768 50
Total
$20,586 74
Books and periodicals
$6,809 35
Binding
1,631 84
Cards
105 00
Printing
608 40
Stationery
70 42
Salaries
9,959 24
Agencies
587 55
Express
315 34
Postage
39 00
Telephone
42 71
Supplies
107 35
Binders
78 40
A. L. A. membership
5 00
Repairs
27 95
Insurance
7 50
Disbursements
35 00
Sundries
60 48
Stereographs
16 86
Ice
19 35
Total
$20,586 74
West Somerville Branch.
CREDIT. .
Appropriation
$2,500 00
Fines, etc.
133 27
Total
$2,633 27
Books and periodicals
$1,354 62
Binding
214 91
Cards
19 43
Printing
16 90
Stationery
24 54
Salaries
855 52
Express
35 30
Telephone
14 23
Supplies
37 32
Binders
53 50
Ice
5 00
Frame
2 00
Total
$2,633 27
DEBIT.
DEBIT.
249
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Isaac Pitman Art Fund.
CREDIT.
Balance from 1908
$115 62
Interest July 31, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. .
80 00
Interest December 31, American Telphone & Telegraph Co.
80 00
Interest accruing on deposits December 31
20 40
Total
$296 02
DEBIT.
Books and pictures purchased in 1909
$168 75
Balance carried to 1910 .
127 27
Total
$296 02
Isaac Pitman Poetry Fund.
CREDIT.
Balance from 1908
$44 29
Interest July 31, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. .
20 00
Interest December 31, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. ·
20 00
Interest accruing on deposits December 31
5 10
Total
$89 39
DEBIT.
Books purchased in 1909
$55 13
Balance carried to 1910 .
34 26
Total
$89 39
Frances A. Wilder Fund,
CREDIT.
Interest accruing on deposit of $100
$4 40
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-The thirty-seventh annual report of the trus- tees of the public library is herewith respectfully submitted.
.The report of the librarian is grouped with this more gen- eral and cursory report, and to the former your honorable body is referred for a detailed and statistical statement of the opera- tion of the library for the year.
The affairs of the library are in a healthy condition, and the institution is enjoying in an enviable degree the confidence and good will of the people of Somerville.
The year has been a uniformly prosperous one, and has been unusually marked by the completion and opening of the West Somerville branch library building, which was mentioned as being in course of erection at the time of our last report.
Although three' flourishing agencies at the northwesterly part of the city have been discontinued in consequence of the establishment of the branch, the new institution has enabled the library to offer its opportunities more effectively to the people at large, and to those of West Somerville, in particular, as is shown by the considerable increase in the circulation.
The circulation of the three agencies,-the West Somer- ville, the Teele-square, and the Highland,-was 23,477 books for the six months of 1908 corresponding to the six months of 1909, in which the new branch circulated 54,534. The natural increase in business which these three agencies would have shown, had they been continued and the branch not built, is partly offset by a deduction which should be made in the figures of the Highland agency, which drew probably from one-quarter to one-half of its borrowers from territory that the branch draws little or nothing from. Therefore it is safe to say that the circulation of books in the West Somerville district is con- siderably more than doubled by the establishment of the new library.
The cataloguing department has been crowded with busi- ness during the year, as it has done the same character of work in preparing for circulation the books of the branch as it has done for the main library.
The children's department at the main library has naturally been somewhat less attended since the establishment of the branch, but with the children's work done at the latter institu- tion. the results have exceeded those of any year since the es- tablishment of the department.
251
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The bills for binding have been increasing so alarmingly in the last few years, with the increase in circulation, that it is with satisfaction that we can report a substantial reduction in this item. This reduction has been brought about by the set- ting up of a simple and inexpensive binding plant within the library building, which has been efficiently operated by one of our assistants, Miss Sears. The origin and work of the new feature are fully described in the librarian's report. By this arrangement we have been able at moderate cost to utilize many books previously used for circulating-library purposes, and thus come nearer supplying the great demand of our readers for recent fiction. For the modern, up-to-date metro- politan library, from the nature of its patrons and the character of its business, which is confined almost exclusively to fiction, is particularly sensitive to the waning popularity of the season's novels, and proceeds early to unload its surplus copies, whereas the vogue of the new novel is much longer at a public library.
The branch library was opened to the public on May 27, in charge of a branch librarian, Miss Nellie M. Whipple, and two assistants, on a schedule of fifty-two hours per week,-the hours being from one to nine o'clock P. M. on five secular days of the week, and from nine o'clock A. M. to nine o'clock P. M. on Saturday. From the beginning the new branch has been patronized beyond the expectations of the most sanguine. The circulation on a more than 100,000 basis is larger than that of the parent library when Mr. Hayes became librarian in 1893.
It is a matter of congratulation to the trustees that a re- cent inventory taken of the 6,000 and odd books at the branch disclosed the loss of only six, and this while the public has had at all times free access to the shelves.
An investigation into the geographical distribution of the patrons of the new branch and the characteristics of the terri- tory tributary to it may prove of interest. In regard to the location of the city's libraries, it may be remarked that the cen- tral library is situated on a main avenue between the city hall and the two high school buildings, nearly in the geographical centre of the city, which at this point is upwards of a mile and three-quarters in width. The West Somerville branch building is situated a mile and a half northwesterly from the main library on the line of the city's long axis, near the business centre of West Somerville, somewhat beyond a point where the city nar- rows to a width of less than three-quarters of a mile and con- tinues for seven-eighths of a mile at substantially the same width. This district is succeeded by a strip of land near the debouching of Alewife brook into the Mystic river, now to a considerable extent under improvement as a part of the park system of Greater Boston,-a little more than half a mile long and a little less than a quarter of a mile wide, soon to be partly available for residential purposes, but as yet hardly built upon.
252
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The entire region tributary to the branch is a comparatively new one, and is occupied by a fairly homogeneous community of enterprising people. It was not without good library privi- lege before the establishment of the branch, as there were then three agencies in the district,-the West Somerville agency near the new branch; the Teele-square agency near the half- mile circle on the northwesterly side; and the Highland agency, also on the half-mile circle to the southeast, in the general direction of the main library. A circle drawn around the branch as a centre, with a radius of a quarter of a mile, comes close to the Cambridge line. The half-mile circle cuts into Medford on the northeast, embracing eight acres of that city's territory, and on the southwest extends into Cambridge some 600 feet westerly of Massachusetts avenue, and returns to Som- erville nearly a mile from where it entered, encircling ninety- seven acres of that city's lands. The area of a circle of a quarter-mile radius is 125 acres. The greater part of this is thickly settled, probably as much so as it will be for a long time to come. The population is upwards of 4,075 on a basis of four persons to a household. The patrons of the branch within this area number approximately 1,480, 864 being new card holders, who had never used the main library, and 615 who had been borrowers at the main library, but wished to avail themselves of the privileges of the branch when it was opened. The area contained between the quarter and the half-mile circle is 377 acres, 271 of which are within Somerville territory. The population of this area by a similar estimation to the above is 8,700. It contains a park of four and a half acres and about fifty-nine acres of Tufts College grounds. Some twenty-five acres of this last tract is now being opened for settlement, about one-half of it being already built upon. Otherwise this larger circular area is nearly as thickly settled as the smaller. The
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