Report of the city of Somerville 1915, Part 5

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 478


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1915 > Part 5


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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156,048 64


Metropolitan and Other Assessments.


Metropolitan park assessment . $37,981 64 Metropolitan sewer assessment 70,682 61 Wellington bridge assessment .


2,456 70 Charles River Basin assessment 6,217 31 Grade crossing assessment . 15,664 93


1,283 87


Abatement of smoke nuisance assessment


285 51


Fire prevention assessment


608 59


Auditing municipal accounts as- sessment


1,486 58


136,667 74


County of Middlesex.


County tax, 1915


. $79,840 71 79,840 71


Carried forward


.


.


$3,277,089 48


$218,642 21


Alewife Brook assessment


80


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Brought forward


$3,277,089 48 $218,642 21


Cash Refunds.


Taxes


$476 50


Special assessments


34 00


National bank tax refunded


4 03


Water rates


188 83


703 36


Private Trust.


Redemption of Tax Titles.


Sundry persons, redemption of


tax titles .


. $1,423 21


1,423 21


Total expenditures


$3,279,216 05


$218,642 21


REPORT OF THE CITY TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES.


Somerville, Mass., January 28, 1916.


To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :---


Gentlemen: The undersigned presents herewith a report of the cash receipts and disbursements of the city for the year 1915 together with a statement of the balances, and of the tax and assessment accounts, temporary loans and treas- ury department.


I have made the report in this form in order to avoid as far as possible any duplication of the figures which will ap- pear in the auditor's report.


Receipts.


Balance from 1914


$109,020 40


Taxes, 1912 .


$12 00


Taxes, 1912, credited overlay and abatement 2 25


$14 25


Taxes, 1913 $522 54


Taxes, 1913, credited overlay and


abatement 5 72


528 26


Taxes, 1914 $335,799 51


Taxes, 1914, credited overlay and abatement 38 03


335,837 54


Taxes, 1915


1,399,927 48


Moth assessments, 1915


2,622 40


Street sprinkling assessments, 1915


27,569 25


Highway betterment assessments, 1914


10,449 85


Highway betterment assessments, 1915


3,399 21


Sidewalk assessments, 1913


1,384 37


Sidewalk assessments, 1914


14,064 76


Sewer assessments, 1913


95 95


Sewer assessments, 1914


2,095 43


Sewer assessments, 1915


619 63


Metered water charges, 1914


20,859 44


Commonwealth of Massachusetts


(Sol-


diers' benefits, 1914)


15,212 00


Grade crossings, Auditor's and adjustment


3,436 74


Estimated revenue account


384,485 59


Temporary loans .


1,156,000 00


Bonds :


Issue January 1


102,000 00


Issue April 1


100,000 00


Issue July 1


38,000 00


Premium on bonds :


Issue January 1 293 76


Issue April 1 163 00


Issue July 1 448 02


Interest on bonds: Issue January 1


963 33


Amounts carried forward .


$3,620,470 26


$109.020 40


11th Report


82


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amounts brought forward .


$3,620,470 26


$109,020 40


Issue April 1 555 56


Issue July 1 291 33


General appropriations (refunds)


1,402 69


Loan appropriations


4,800 50


Trust Funds (Public) :-


School, S. Newton Cutler


230 00


Library, S. Newton Cutler.


45 98


Library, Martha R. Hunt, art


114 01


Library, Martha R. Hunt, books


494 51


Library, Isaac Pitman, art


180 70


Library, Isaac Pitman, poetry


45 18


Library, Frances A. Wilder, children's de- partment


8 24


Trust Funds (Private) :-


1.423 21


Service transfers, January and February :


1,388 10


$3,631.450 27


$3,740,470 67


Payments.


Taxes 1913, refunds


$158 40


Taxes 1914. refunds


92 95


Taxes 1914, refunds (Overlay and Abatement account)


94 95


Taxes 1915, refunds


130 20


Suppression of inoths, 1915, refunds


34 00


Refunds water charges


13 78


Estimated revenue, refunds


179 08


Grade crossings .


2,672 45


Real estate liens


33 35


Court judgments


59 75


Temporary loans


1,121,000 00


Commonwealth of Massachusetts (including Metro- politan water assessment)


403,497 72


County of Middlesex


79,840 71


General expenses


1.385,148 75


Reduction of funded debt


205,500 00


Interest


92,629 49


Loan appropriations


204,958 34


Trust Funds (Public) :-


School, S. Newton Cutler .


60 00


Library, Martha R. Hunt, art


55 40


Library. Martha R. Hunt, books


362 32


Library, Isaac Pitman, art


68 61


Library, Isaac Pitman, poetry


26 09


Trust Funds (Private) :-


Redemption of tax liens


1,423 21


Cash advances to C. C. Folsom, agent


1,200 00


$3,499,239 55


Cash in office .


$2,357 69


Deposits in banks


.


.


238,873 43


241,231 12


$3,740,470 67


.


.


Redemption of tax liens


83


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES.


Balances-Debit.


Cash on hand and in banks


$241,231 12


Cash advances, C. C. Folsom, agent


1,200 00


Taxes 1912


2 00


Taxes 1913


233 64


Taxes 1914


2,361 14


Taxes 1915


323,680 97


Street sprinkling assessments, 1915


8,212 30


Moth assessments, 1915


838 75


Highway betterment assessments, 1914


383 75


Highway betterment assessments, 1915


18,837 15


Sidewalk. assessments, 1914


1,555 28


Sidewalk assessments, 1915


14,687 44


Sewer assessments, 1914


683 60


Sewer assessments, 1915


766 80


Metered water charges


20,468 87


Commonwealth of Massachusetts (advances)


15,348 50


Grade crossings (advances)


3,428 42


Real estate liens


33 35


Trust Funds, Investment :-


School


5,000 00


Library


20,414 58


Net funded debt


1,650,500 00


$2,329,867 66


Balances-Credit.


Overlay and Abatement, 1912 and prior years


$56 39


Overlay and Abatement, 1913 and prior years


6,081 66


Overlay and Abatement, 1914 and prior years


5,524 65


Overlay and Abatement, 1915 and prior years


10,168 05


Reserve Supplementary Warrants, 1915 .


5,009 61


Temporary loans


500,000 00


Loan appropriations .


95,899 50


Trust Funds, Income :--


489 50


Library, S. Newton Cutler


75 88


Library, Martha R. Hunt (part of principal)


702 77


Library, Martha R. Hunt, art .


103 50


Library, Martha R. Hunt, books


181 35


Library, Isaac Pitman, art


147 67


Library, Isaac Fitman, poetry


37 39


Library, Frances A. Wilder, children's fund


11 92


Premium on bonds


904 78


Accrued interest on bonds


291 33


Sundry persons .


127 11


Excess and deficiency


28,140 02


Trust Funds, School (principal)


5,000 CO


Trust Funds, Library (principal)


20,414 58


Funded debt


1,650,500 00


$2.329,867 66


Taxes, 1912.


Balance from 1914, uncollected .


$56 00


Cash received


$12 00


Abatements .


42 00


Forward to 1916 account


2 00


$56 00


$56 00


.


.


.


.


School, S. Newton Cutler


84


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Taxes, 1913.


Balance from 1914, uncollected .


$1,029 52


Cash refunds


158 40


Charges ·


5 96


Cash received


$522 54


Abatements .


437 70


Forward to 1916 account


233 64


$1,193 88


$1,193 88


Taxes, 1914.


Balance from 1914, uncollected .


$342,983 21


Cash refunds


92 95


Cash received


$335,799 51


Abatements .


4,915 51


Forward to 1916 account


2,361 14


$343,076 16


$343,076 16


Taxes, 1915.


Tax levy, as per assessors' warrant


$1,727,135 85


Supplementary warrants


5,089 90


Cash refunds


130 20


Cash received


$1,399,927 48


Abatements .


8,747 50


Forward to 1916 account


323,680 97


$1,732,355 95


$1,732,355 95


Street Sprinkling Assessments, 1915.


Amount of assessors" warrant .


$35,806 10


Cash received


$27,569 25


Abatements .


24 55


Forward to 1916 account


8,212 30


$35,806 10


$35,806 10


Moth Assessments, 1915.


Amount of assessors' warrant .


$3,527 15


Cash refunds


34 00


Cash received


$2,622 40


Abatements .


.


100 00


Forward to 1916 account


838 75


$3,561 15


$3,561 15


Overlay and Abatement, 1912 and prior years.


Balance from 1914


$96 14


Cash received


2 25


Abatements .


$42 00


Forward to 1916 account


56 39


$98 39


$98 39


85


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES.


Overlay and Abatement, 1913.


Balance from 1914


$6,507 68


Cash received


5 72


By charges to Taxes of 1913


5 96


Abatements .


$437 70


Forward to 1916 account


6,081 66


$6,519 36


$6,519 36


Overlay and Abatement, 1914.


Balance from 1914


$10,497 08


Cash received


05


Cash refund


37 98


Abatements


$4,915 51


Cash refunds


94 95


Forward to 1916 account


5,524 65


$10,535 11


$10,535 11


Overlay and Abatement, 1915.


Amount appropriated in taxes .


$18,835 26


Abatements .


$8,667 21


Forward to 1916 account


10,168 05


$18,835 26


$18,835 26


Reserve, Supplementary Assessments, 1915.


Supplementary assessment No. 1


$164 00


Supplementary assessment No. 2


4,925 90


Abatements" .


$80 29


Forward to 1916 account


5,009 61


$5,089 90


$5,089 90


Highway Betterment Assessments, 1914.


Balance from 1914


$10,833 60


Cash received


$10,449 85


Forward to 1916 account


383 75


$10,833 60


$10,833 60


Highway Betterment Assessments, 1915.


Assessments levied


$22,236 36


Cash received .


$3,399 21


Forward to 1916 account


18,837 15


$22,236 36


$22,236 36


Sidewalk Assessments, 1912.


Balance from 1914


$6 81


$6 81


Abatement .


.


.


$6 81


$6 81


.


.


86


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Sidewalk Assessments, 1913.


Balance from 1914


$1,384 37


Cash received


·


$1,384 37


$1,384 37


$1,384 37


Sidewalk Assessments, 1914.


Balance from 1914


$15,620 04


Cash received


$14,064 76


Forward to 1916 account


1,555 28


$15,620 04


$15,620 04


Sidewalk Assessments, 1915.


Assessments levied


$14,687 44


Forward to 1916 account


$14,687 44


$14,687 44


$14,687 44


Sewer Assessments, 1913.


Balance from 1914


$95 95


Cash received ·


$95 95


$95 95


$95 95


Sewer Assessments, 1914.


Balance from 1914


$2,779 03


$2,095 43


Forward to 1916 account


683 60


$2,779 03


$2,779 03


Sewer Assessments, 1915.


Assessments levied


$1,386 43


Cash received


.


.


$619 63


Forward to 1916 account


766 80


$1,386 43


$1,386 43


WATER RECEIPTS. On Account of Commitments, 1915.


Metered rates


$145,311 99


Annual rates


59,289 85


Additional rates


2,128 53


Maintenance


3,551 98


Service assessments


4,111 23


Extension


1,540 01


$215,933 59


Cash received


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES.


87


TEMPORARY LOANS. In Anticipation of Taxes.


$465,000 00


Borrowed by authority of the Board of Aldermen on notes of the city as follows :-


City Notes Nos. 280-283, 261 days, 3.10%


$100,000 00


City Notes Nos. 284-298, 252 days, 3.10%


100,000 00


City Notes Nos. 299-310, 254 days, 3.10%


100,000 00


City Notes Nos. 311-334, 240 days,


3.10% 200,000 00


City Notes Nos. 335-336, 233 days,


3.00%


16,000 00


City Note No. 337 203 days,


3.00%


25,000 00


City Notes Nos. 338-345, 231 days,


3.00%


115,000 00


City Notes Nos. 346-365, 302 days,


3.52%


150,000 00


City Notes Nos. 366-373, 285 days,


3.393%


100,000 00


City Notes Nos. 374-375, 321 days,


3.438%


100,000 00


City Note No. 376


1 year,


3.25%


75,000 00


City Notes Nos. 377-379, 144 days,


2.15%


75,000 00


1,156,000 00


Paid notes maturing 1915


1,121,000 00


Maturing in 1916


$500,000 00


TREASURY DEPARTMENT. Appropriations and Expenditures.


$14,000 00


By transfer from City Home account


160 00


Expenditures.


Joseph S. Pike, salary as city treasurer .


$3,000 00


Postage and disbursements


12 60


Charles L. Ellis, salary as deputy collector Car fares


19 90


Beulah M. Peirce, first assistant


1,000 00


Louise B. McLaughlin, second assistant .


780 00


Florence M. Grow, third assistant .


700 00


Marion C. Kendall, fourth assistant Winnifred P. Briggs, fifth assistant


57 30


Lilla A. Johnson, clerical services


519 33


May G. Canfield, clerical services


484 00


Lillian C. Scriven, clerical services .


402 50


Alice M. Coleman, clerical services .


348 92


Edna M. Coolidge, clerical services . Ruth A. Cambridge, clerical services Marion W. Parker, clerical services Pauline B. Ray, clerical services


214 67


26 67


40 00


Reta E. Myers, clerical services


6 67


Beulah C. Church, clerical services .


19 33


Elizabeth P. Larabee, clerical services


15 99


Edith F. Moore, clerical services


10 66


Theodore H. Locke, services


8 00


American Surety Company of N. Y., bonds of treasurer and deputy collector .


230 00


Amount carried forward


.


. $10,014 61


.


1,500 00


Appropriation


$1,621,000 00


$14,160 00


606 07


12 00


Balance from 1914


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amount brought forward .


$10,014 61


Somerville Post Office, postage


1,849 67


Louise B. Mclaughlin, postage


20 00


Fred E. Hanley, revenue stamps


10 00


John F. Biggs & Co., printing .


9 45


J. L. Fairbanks & Co., printing


113 50


A. L. Haskell, printing


121 19


Perry Print Shop, printing


18 00


Somerville Journal Co., printing


676 60


Somerville Publishing Co., printing


62 00


Turner & Co., envelopes


168 64


Thomas Groom & Co., stationery


229 33


Hobbs & Warren, stationery


43


Carter's Ink Co., supplies .


13 16


Sampson & Murdock Co., directory


6 50


W. A. Greenough & Co., directories


9 00


Burroughs Adding Machine Co., repairing


11 35


B. F. Cummins Co., repairing receipting machine


9 63


Martin & Wood, repairing


50


Morris-Ireland Safe Co., repairing locks


7 00


Munson Supply Co., speed keys


7 00


Remington Typewriter Co., supplies


85 40


Yale & Towne Mfg. Co., cleaning time lock


15 00


Thomas Leighton, Jr., recording


127 81


N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone


131 52


Boston News Bureau, subscription .


12 00


American Express Co., expressage


87


Somerville National Bank, clearing house charges


7 96


Old Colony Trust Co., insurance and registering . Clearing house charge


12


John F. Scannell, committing prisoner


4 95


Herbert C. Jackson, ideal moistener


1 50


Howard Lowell & Son, carriage hire


26 00


Hill-Michie Co., auto hire


9 00


Walter H. Snow & Son, lunch


2 40


H. F. Maynard, lunch


3 07


Gridley Lunch Co., lunch


9 10


Total expenditures


$13,949 71


Balance unexpended to Excess and Deficiency


account


210 29


$14,160 00


Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH S. PIKE, City Treasurer.


10 20


Globe Stamp Works, stamps and repairing


5 25


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


School Committee Rooms, December 27, 1915.


Ordered, that the annual report of the Superintendent be adopted as the annual report of the Board of School Com- mittee, it being understood that such adoption does not com- mit 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.


CHARLES S. CLARK, Secretary of School Board.


1


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1915.


GEORGE E. WHITAKER


Chairman


CLARENCE W. WILLIAMS


Vice-Chairman


Members.


EX-OFFICIIS. Term expires January.


ZEBEDEE E. CLIFF, Mayor, 29 Powder House terrace 1916


WILLIAM P. FRENCH, President Board of Aldermen,


13 Thorndike street 1916


WARD ONE.


MRS. MARY G. WHITING,


Hotel Wadsworth 1916


THOMAS A. KELLEY,


39 Pennsylvania avenue 1917


WARD TWO.


DANIEL H. BRADLEY,


19 Concord avenue 1916


CHRISTOPHER J. MULDOON, JR.


88 Concord avenue 1917


WARD THREE.


GEORGE E. WHITAKER,


75 Walnut street 1916


ALBERT C. ASHTON,


33 Columbus avenue 1917


WARD FOUR.


HARRY A. STONE,


FRANK H. HOLMES,


HARRY M. STOODLEY,


283 Highland avenue 1916


MRS. JULIA R. ALDRICH,


262 School street 1917


WARD SIX.


34 Benton road 1916


170 Summer street 1917


WARD SEVEN.


205 Morrison avenue 1916


94 College avenue 1917


Superintendent of Schools. CHARLES S. CLARK.


Office: City Hall Annex, Highland avenue. Residence: 75 Munroe 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. Superintendent's office force :- Justin W. Lovett, 29 Cambria street. Mary A. Clark, 42 Highland avenue. Mildred A. Merrill, 26 Cambria street.


1


HERBERT CHOLERTON,


254 Broadway 1916


22 Walter street 1917


WARD FIVE.


GUY E. HEALEY,


MRS. MARY R. BREWER,


CLARENCE W. WILLIAMS,


STANDING COMMITTEES, 1915.


Note .- The member first named is chairman.


High School-Bradley, Cholerton, Kelley, Ashton, Holmes, Stood- ley, Mrs. Brewer.


District I .- Mrs. Whiting, Kelley, Muldoon. PRESCOTT, HANSCOM, BENNETT.


District II .- Bradley, Muldoon, Kelley. KNAPP, PERRY, BAXTER.


District III .- Whitaker, Ashton, Mrs. Whiting. POPE, BELL, CUMMINGS.


District IV .- Stone, Holmes, Mrs. Aldrich. EDGERLY, GLINES.


District V .- Stoodley, Mrs. Aldrich, Stone. FORSTER, BINGHAM.


District VI .- Healey, Mrs. Brewer, Stoodley. CARR, MORSE, PROCTOR, DURELL, BURNS, BROWN.


District VII .- Williams, Cholerton, Healey.


HIGHLAND, HODGKINS, CUTLER, LOWE.


Finance .- Ashton, Bradley, Kelley, Stone, Stoodley, Healey, Wil- liams, Cliff, French.


Text-books and Courses of Study .- Healey, Cholerton, Mrs. Whit- ing, Muldoon, Whitaker, Stone, Mrs. Aldrich.


Industrial Education .- Williams, Ashton, Mrs. Whiting, Bradley, Holmes, Stoodley, Healey.


School Accommodations .- Stone, Williams, Mrs. Whiting, Mul- doon, Ashton, Mrs. Aldrich, Mrs. Brewer, Cliff, French.


Teachers .- Cholerton, Bradley, Whitaker, Stone, Mrs. Brewer. Playgrounds and School Hygiene .- Mrs. Whiting, Mrs. Brewer, Muldoon, Holmes, Mrs. Aldrich.


Rules and Regulations .- Kelley, Healey, Whitaker.


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


To the School Committee of Somerville :-


I have the honor to submit to you the report of the con- dition of the schools which your rules require the Superin- tendent to prepare and present annually in the month of December. This will be the forty-fourth annual report of the School Committee, if, following the usual custom, you adopt it as the annual report which is required by statute. I have prepared a table of statistics to show facts of attend- ance and promotion of pupils and the cost of school main- tenance. As these involve many details, they are placed to- gether in an appendix to this report in connection with cor- responding data from other years. These tables cover a wide range of information concerning the schools of the present day and afford an excellent basis for comparison with the condition in the schools in former days. As it is too much to expect that newspapers will print these sta- tistical details they can be shown to the public only in the copies which are printed for distribution. These are given to any who apply for them at the office of the Superintend- ent of Schools, since it is desirable that the information about the schools should be as abundant as possible. As a means to this end these reports will be a great help to citi- zens who will take the pains to get and read them. I also submit a report descriptive of the work and conditions of the schools. For the main part this is based on the facts of the school year ended June 30, as the school year is the natural unit in school affairs. As, however, the School Com- mittee is organized anew each year and has for its term the municipal year it is necessary to make reference also to matters which, though belonging to the school year to be ended June 30, 1916, are nevertheless a part of the work of the present School Committee. In this way only can the facts of your term be stated.


93


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


Organization Facts.


At the beginning it may be well to state some facts con- cerning the organization of the schools during the last school year. The total number of pupils enrolled was 14,505, a gain of 573. The per cent. of attendance for all schools was 94.5, a gain of three-tenths per cent. The length of the school year was 36 weeks 3 days, a loss of two days. The number of teachers employed June, 1915, was 395, an increase of 21. The amount paid for salaries of teachers was $349,981.08, an increase of $19,026.10; for salaries of officers $7,600, a decrease of $32.05. The cost of books and sup- plies was $29,388.73, an increase of $2,545.92. The total cost of schools, including expenditures under control of the Board of Aldermen, was $443,977.69, an increase of $18,812.51.


Grammar school graduates for 1915 were 784, an in- crease of 43. Of these 619 entered the High School, an in- crease of 32. The number of High School graduates for 1915 was 311, the largest in the history of the school. This was an increase of 15 over last year. Of this number 56 en- tered higher institutions, 35 going to colleges and 21 to the Institute of f. Technology, in all & less than last year. Twenty-four entered Normal Schools, an increase of 8. Of the High School graduates for 1915, 139 were graduated from the Commercial Course. Thus the High School course had a direct aim for 219 of the 311 graduates. The number of classrooms in use in June, 1915, was 308, two more than last year. There were in June, 1915, part-time classes as follows: One first-year class at the Prescott; two first-year and two second-year classes at the Hanscom; and two first- year classes at the Glines.


These figures show a normal condition in the several parts of the school undertaking. The enrollment is the largest since the dropping out of school of five-year-old children as a result of raising the age for admission of be- ginners to six years. The increase in enrollment is the larg- est which has been shown for a dozen years and nearly equal to any recorded since 1886. Since that date, with few ex- ceptions, the annual enrollment has grown steadily by in- crements varying from one to six hundred. Thus, growth, steady rather than spasmodic, has characterized the schools . during all these years. No signs of a check in that growth are now visible. On the contrary, it is probable that growth may be expected for some time to come.


Although the increased enrollment last year was about equal to the annual enrollment of the Knapp or Cutler Schools for the preceding year, no new accommodations were provided for it. Two more rooms were opened in the


94


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Lincoln School in September, 1914, and have been occupied ever since. As a consequence of the failure to provide more accommodations, part-time classes were made necessary in several schools. These persist to the present time. How- ever, two additions to school buildings have been provided for during the present municipal year and one of them, fin- ished last September, added six rooms to the Cutler School Building.


The cost of maintenance of the schools increased $18,812, which is a ratio of increase closely corresponding to the ratio of increase in enrollment. The increase in the amount spent for salaries of teachers was due in part to the employing of twenty-one additional teachers to meet the growth in en- rollment of pupils, and in part to increases in the salaries of teachers who had not reached the maximum of their schedules.


The twenty-one additional teachers were distributed last June as follows: High School, 3; grade schools, including + cadets and 1 special teacher, 15; Boys' Vocational School, 2; and Girls' Vocational School, 1.


There were graduated from the grammar schools more pupils last year than in any other year except one. The num- ber entering the High School was the largest of the enter- ing classes in the history of the school. Of the 311 graduated from the High School, 80 went to higher institutions, 139 were trained for clerical work, and the rest went to work, probably, but we have no definite records on that matter. These 311 graduates of the High School have received the best educational advantages the city has had to give. Eighty have been trained to go to higher institutions. So far as ac- commodations are concerned, all the graduates could have been trained to go to higher institutions. Two hundred thirty-one of them preferred to do something else. Thus we know definitely about the eighty graduates who went to higher institutions and something, not much, of the other two hundred thirty-one.


If we are asked the question: "Who are the 311 who were graduated from the Somerville High School in 1915?" the answer is that they are the survivors of the class which began its educational course thirteen years ago. In Septem- ber, 1902, there were enrolled in the first grades of the city 1,585 pupils. The course then provided for all pupils led logi- cally to the doors of colleges or other higher institutions. Of a certainty, not all pupils were expected to go to college but the educational way was made plain for all to do so, and no other was then plainly in sight. This provision was made in the sincere belief that it was in the interest of higher edu- cation, and consequently in the interest of all pupils. What


95


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


happened to the 1902 beginners? We see that eighty went to higher institutions; 231 others were graduated from the High School; 298 more entered the High School in 1911 but were not graduated; 196 more were graduated from the grammar schools that year but did not enter the High School, and 780 disappeared from school before reaching grammar school graduation. From these citations it will be seen that the majority of those who started upon the course jumped the track along the line and that only a small minority reached the college destination. In respect to the persever- ance of pupils along the course the record of our schools is exceptionally good. Our pupils stay in school longer than the average time, a fact which is complimentary to the homes, to the pupils, and to the schools, but after that is duly and fully admitted, the fact remains that the majority of the pupils go out into the world without specific training for use- fulness and many of them are lost to the view of the schools as soon as they are discharged from its doors. Such being in the main the facts about the class which entered our schools thirteen years ago, the question is pertinent whether this program of educational opportunities will suffice for the children who will enter them as beginners this year.


The schools were in session 1833 days, a little more than one-half of 365 days. The school day in the elementary schools is 43 hours ; in the High School 54 hours. Stated in another way children are in school less than one-fourth of a day, one-half of the days of the year. It is safe to say that this time is insufficient to enable the schools to give the serv- ice to society which they ought to yield in order to meet the needs of the present day. Like most other elements of school control the length of the school day and the length of the school year were determined in reference to conditions which have largely disappeared and with the purpose of . reaching ends which now form only a fraction of the results which the schools are urged to reach. While the other ele- ments persist in their former provision, such as schoolhouses with limited facilities for varied activities, inadequate play facilities, and the rigid discipline of book subjects, it is not desirable to lengthen materially the school term or day. It may even be desirable to cut off a few days in September on account of the heat of the early part of that month. But it should be frankly recognized that such conditions are due to a necessity which ought not to be allowed to persist, if the schools are to be expected to render their maximum social service.




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