USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Report of the selectmen of the town of South Scituate 1854-1868 > Part 22
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ARTICLES TO BE INSERTED IN THE MARCH MEETING WARRANT.
1. To choose a Moderator.
2. To hear the report of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor.
3. To hear the report of the Town Treasurer.
4. To hear the report of the Selectmen on Guideboards.
5. To choose Selectmen, Assessors, Overseers of the Poor, and all other necessary Town Officers.
6. In what manner will the Town repair the Highways the ensuing year ?
7. What sum of money will the Town raise for the repair of Highways, and direct where, and in what manner the same shall be expended ?
8. Will the Town authorize the Prudential Committee to employ the School Teachers ?
3
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9. In what manner and time shall the Taxes be collected the ensuing year ?
10. Will the Town authorize the Treasurer to hire money in anticipation of taxes ?
11. Will the Town accept the list of Jurors as prepared by the Selectmen ?
12. Will the Town cause the report of the Selectmen, Treasurer and Overseers of the Poor to be published in Febru- ary next ?
13. What sums of money will the Town raise to pay State and Town aid to families of Volunteers, to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen ?
14. To make allowance to Town creditors.
15. To hear the report of any Committee heretofore chosen.
16. What compensation will the Town allow for removing snow ?
Citizens desiring any other clause inserted are requested to report the same to the Selectmen on or before Feb. 24.
Rights to take fish in North River will be sold at public auction at the adjournment of the aforesaid meeting.
SAMUEL TOLMAN, JR., Selectmen JOHN CLAPP, of
LIBA LITCHFIELD, South Scituate.
ASSESSORS' DEPARTMENT.
True value of taxable real and personal estate in 1863, $847,857 00
True value of same in 1864, 711,398 00
Decrease on account of Corporation stocks, 136,459 00
Total tax for State, County, and Towu purposes, including highway tax, 10,607 25
Rate of taxation, one and one-sixth on one hun-
dred dollars.
Highway tax, eighteen cents on one hundred dol-
lars.
Number of polls,
379
66 dwelling houses,
368
66 horses, 185
cows,
269
sheep, 202
66 acres of land, 12,275
SAMUEL TOLMAN, JR., Assessors JOHN CLAPP, of
LIBA LITCHFIELD, South Scituate.
TREASURER'S REPORT TO FEBRUARY 1, 1865.
DR. E. T. FOGG, TREASURER, IN ACCOUNT WITH THE TOWN OF SOUTH SCITUATE. CR.
Balance due the town, March 5, 1864,
$79 58
Cash paid on selectmen's orders and allowances,
$17,223 83
Outstanding taxes of 1862 and 1863,
391 38
.. notes and interest,
2,397 62
Assessment of 1864,
9,356 08
Scituate tax,
9 63
Cash on notes given by Treasurer,
10,425 00
County tax,
921 67
Sale of school books,
117 36
State tax,
2,664 00
fish rights,
9 50
deposited with State Treasurer,
1,125 00
uniforms,
13 84
Cash of Elijah Coleman, .
6 00
5 00
for use of scraper,
50
of J. E. Stoddard for coffin and shroud,
8 00
dog licenses,
31 50
of State for recruiting,
315 00
dividend on insurance,
29 10
State aid reimbursed,
3,600 00
use of Town hall,
3 00
State school fund,
75 90
sale of Town flats,
36 50
blank books,
2 50
corporation tax refunded,
1,305 43
Cash on hand.
235 76
$25,811 17
$25,811 17
EBENEZER T. FOGG, Treasurer.
219 75
discount prompt payment of taxes,
Taxes outstanding,
1,013 91
town of Hingham for schooling,
$25,575 41
20
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR
OF THE
TOWN OF SOUTH SCITUATE,
FROM FEB. 1, 1864, TO FEB. 1, 1865.
ALMSHOUSE EXPENSES.
DR.
24 qts. vinegar,
$1 36
Crackers and bread,
5 44
24 lbs. saleratus,
2 85
77 galls. molasses,
64 52
Milk,
1 32
34 lbs. tea,
32 92
5 galls. oil,
4 55
172₺ bu. corn and meal,
286 11
Apples,
6 30
98& lbs. butter,
51 08
Lime,
1 59
15 bu. rye,
26 09
Scraps,
7 00
19₺ lbs. cheese,
3 68
602 lbs. fish,
5 20
Fresh fish and lobsters,
23 61
Salt,
6 48
254 lbs. sugar,
38 93
Beef purchased in Boston,
18 75
Spices,
3 86
Scythes and snath,
2 95
9 bbls. flour,
96 12
22
25 lbs. tobacco, $19 00
Gustavus Jones, one shoat,
25 30
Roland Turner, sundry articles to almshouse,
8 79
J. E. Corthell, meat at sundry times, 550 pounds beef,
6 89
68 75
Pierce & Bro., three pair blankets,
20 25
Joseph Merrett, 2d, sundry jobs blacksmithing,
10 74
Seth Thomas, one shoat,
15 00
Roland Turner, ten yds. cotton cloth, four pr. socks, two spools cotton, 7 48
John Clapp, 332 lbs. beef,
28 22
J. Torrey, for soap, 8 44
Ansell G. Groce, one cow,
52 50
Chas. D. Bishop, repairing shoes,
11 58
Martin Cushing, for ploughing,
4 00
Liba Litchfield, 320 lbs. salt hay,
1 98
J. E. Corthell, beef and tallow,
4 20
Chas. Jacobs, fifty-two lbs. pork,
10 92
Walter Foster, 2d, 31 yds. cloth, $13.21, 132 yds. print, $3.01 16 22
Two and one-quarter bushels beans,
6 40
Edwin Studley, 81 lbs. pork,
20 37
Richmond Farrar, two pigs,
31 00
Snow Bryant, expressing,
62
Horace Robbins, whetting saws, etc.,
75
Chas. Cottle, 100 lbs. shorts,
2 80
Dr. Brownell, medical attendance to Jan. 1, 16 00
Standing wood, 33 00
Geo. Beasly, twelve months almshouse keeper, 216 85
Articles on hand, Feb. 1, 1864, 345 50
Pedlar's supplies, 9 40
Crackers, medicines, nails, starch, cream tartar, brooms,
lanterns, lamps, and other sundries 39 08
$1,809 35
J. E. Corthell, beef at sundry times, 76 61
23
ARTICLES SOLD BY KEEPER OF ALMSHOUSE.
Candles,
$00 45
Horse let,
12 03
Eggs,
12 67
Use of farm wagon, 25
Grease,
1 30
Rags,
95
Dinners,
4 50
Pork,
2 50
Soap,
26
Beef,
1 37
Milk,
67
Barrels,
1 00
Putting up travellers,
6 25
Cabbage,
51
Potatoes,
9 80
Lime,
1 00
Lard,
11 63
Board of Mr. Ellms,
Hide,
4 86
and use of horse,
4 50
Hens,
5 25
Chickens,
37 40
$119 35
Beans,
20
ARTICLES ON HAND AT ALMSHOUSE.
CR.
1 horse,
$50 00
1 cow,
60 00
20 fowls,
15 00
3 tons Eng. hay,
90 00
¿ ton fresh hay,
4 00
3 cords hard wood,
18 00
2 cords pine wood,
10 00
2 bush. beans,
6 00
1 bbl. coal,
2 80
400 lbs. salt pork,
90 00
70 bush. potatoes,
60 00
6 galls. soap,
75
175 lbs. hams,
43 00
2 qts. molasses,
56
350 lbs. beef,
45 50
2 lbs. tea,
2 25
1 box salt,
40
25 lbs. candles,
5 50
¿ bush. rye meal,
1 00
9 lbs. tobacco,
6 50
3 lbs. sugar,
84
14 lbs. soap,
2 00
¿ barrel flour,
3 25
2 pigs,
90 00
30 lbs. lard,
9 50
Cabbages,
2 50
Snuff,
1 00
Parsnips,
3 00
Spices,
1 30
2 lbs. butter,
1 20
2 brooms,
68
1 bush. apples,
2 00
10 lbs. sausages,
2 00
65 galls. cider,
9 00
24
1 ton salt hay,
$10 00
5 bush. grain,
$10 00
1 bbl. beets,
2 00
60 bls. grease, 3 00
Turnips,
3 00
$506 73
RECAPITULATION.
Articles sold from almshouse,
$119 35
on hand, Feb. 1, 1865, 506 73
Board of D. and J. Damon 52 weeks, at $1.98 per week,
201 44
Board of 9 3-4 paupers, at $1.98.3,
981 83
$1,809 35
It will be remembered that the almshouse keeper, as last year, in addition to his services as such, has performed the duty of undertaker and liquor agent.
ASSISTANCE RENDERED OUT OF ALMSHOUSE.
Marcia Witherell,
$21 50
Robert Lincoln, 21 74
James Patterson's family while sick of smallpox, in- cluding Dr. Downs' bill for medical attendance, $35.00, '
42 50
Thomas Stoddard,
13 50
Nathaniel S. Sylvester,
5 00
Sarah Totman,
41 50
Mrs. Damon,
73 20
Mrs. Brooker,
3 00
Albert N. Clapp,
99 00
Joseph Harvey,
6 00
Charles S. Litchfield,
5 50
Due for board of Nancy Page,
30 00
יו of J. A. Bowker,
5 00
$367 44
SAMUEL TOLMAN, Jr., LIBA LITCHFIELD,
Overseers of the Poor. JOHN CLAPP.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
SOUTH SCITUATE.
1866-67.
BOSTON : J. E. FARWELL AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. 37 CONGRESS STREET. 1867.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
SOUTH SCITUATE,
1866-67.
BOSTON: J. E. FARWELL AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. 37 CONGRESS STREET. 1867.
REPORT.
SINCE the last annual Report of your Committee, a consider- able change has been effected in our school system. At the annual meeting in March, '66 the Town saw fit to abolish the District system, which had been so long established in town, and to which we had been so long accustomed, that many op- posed the municipal system as prejudicial to the interests of the schools. But we were not forsaking a well-tried and satisfac- tory system for an untried and experimental one. On the contrary, the municipal system has been faithfully tried in a large number of towns in this state, and such has been its suc- cess that the legislation of the state is now so directed as to cause the adoption of the municipal system throughout the state at no very distant period. Having scarcely more than inaugu- rated the new system, the advantages which we hope will ac- crue to the town by pursuing its new policy, have not been fully realized, yet, in the matter of equal opportunities for attending school, we think there has been a decided improvement. Un- der the old system the length of school depended, in part, upon the population of the district, and the amount of wages that a teacher could be obtained for ; such ought not to be the case. Because a person happens to reside in a thinly populated dis- trict, it is not just to say that his children shall not have as many weeks schooling as those who live in more populous districts ; paying the same rate of taxation as others, he can fairly claim equal benefits. Acting upon this principle, we
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have endeavored to give every scholar in town an opportunity to attend school nine and one-half months, which is a month more than the average length of schools for the previous year. We did hope that a less frequent change of teachers than had been the custom might have been secured, but we were doomed to disappointment. For instance, in the spring, notwithstanding the Committee were desirous of retaining most of the former teachers, it was found necessary to procure four new ones ; again, at the close of the summer terms, from resignations and other causes, six vacancies were to be filled. Only one school has enjoyed the services of the same teacher throughout the year, while one other has been favored with the services of three different teachers ; and thus, while we have desired to secure good teachers and keep them, we have been prevented by circumstances entirely beyond our control, and such as are not likely to arise again for a number of years. We say that we are desirous of retaining good teachers when we get them ; and this leads us to that which is so often a point in school committees' reports, - the advantage of retaining teach- ers. So often has this been urged, that it would seem there ought to be no necessity of repeating it ; still, if common report can be relied upon, there are many who desire that a male teacher should be employed in our larger districts during the winter term.
If any scholars are inclined to be unruly, perhaps a male teacher might be able to enforce obedience more readily than a female, but we very much doubt whether they would succeed in obtaining any better discipline ; and as our schools embrace all ages, there is an advantage in the employment of females, in- asmuch as the sensitive, susceptible, quick-responsive nature of woman is brought to control and guide the earlier stages of the child's progress, and for the discipline of a few refractory scholars, we believe a better way may be found than to displace a tried and faithful teacher for an untried and doubtful one. These considerations naturally lead us to inquire, " How shall
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a teacher's authority be maintained ?" Perhaps, this question can be best answered by alluding to a few things that tend to impair that authority. And first, the unfavorable comments that are often publicly made upon teachers, even before they have commenced their work. No sooner is it known who is to keep the ensuing term of school, than a general criticism of the teacher and all his ancestors is commenced ; every generation within the memory of the oldest inhabitant is closely scanned, and anything tending to cast a stain upon his character is eagerly seized and duly reported to the wondering ears of those less favored with a knowledge of past events. Surely, it may be reasonably supposed, that in selecting and employing teachers, the Committee will cautiously enquire with regard to the char- acter of the person employed and his adaptedness to the situa- tion to be filled. It is but fair to suppose that the Committee are not indifferent to the interests of the schools ; that they de- sire only the welfare of your children, and it is the duty and interest of parents, and of the whole community, to give confi- dence and support to the teachers employed for this purpose ; at least, until they have been faithfully tried and found want- ing. Why then do we (carelessly, perhaps,) impair a teacher's usefulness, in the very commencement of his work, by ill-timed and unnecessary. criticisms ?
Again, the teacher should not be censured in the presence of his pupils. This has been often repeated in reports, but there are still those (if we may judge by their actions,) who deem it a privilege and a duty thus to do. We would not deny the right of justly criticising a teacher, but we would have it done at a proper time, in a proper place, and in such a manner as to be conducive of good to all parties concerned ; but we do not believe the additional want of respect induced in the mind of a child, by hearing. his parent speak lightly or contemptuously of even a poor teacher, will be of benefit to him, but will induce him to treat others with less respect. Much can be learned from even a poor teacher, if the parents will only lend their sympa- thies and co-operation.
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Instead of this, however, it seems as if the first requirement of a teacher that opposes the wishes, hinders the self-indulgence, or demands the close application of a scholar, is looked upon as unreasonable, not only by the child, but, in many cases, by the parent. Harmony between the parties concerned, the order of the school and the success of the teacher's best endeavors, are then interrupted, if not destroyed. Even the self-sacrifice and personal inconvenience of the teacher, for the benefit of a negli- gent scholar, in order that he may not fall behind his class, may, it is often thought, be rightfully interfered with. If a child is kept after school for the performance of a neglected task, - which the teacher has undoubted right to require, - some sup- pose that he may be summoned home by his parents. If any severe measures be adopted to increase the industry of a negli- gent scholar, or stimulate the flagging ambition of a capable one, to subdue violent impulses, or to quiet nervous restlessness, and complaint be heard at home, immediately the mode and motive of the teacher are freely discussed ; the authority of the teacher is weakened ; feelings of respect are changed, and future con- nection between teacher and scholar, if not sundered, is rendered unpleasant and comparatively useless. If such is the result, it is but just then to ask, that teachers may be allowed to carry out their own modes of teaching and discipline, subject only to the committee ; and if they err, as they often may (for they are fallible), the remedy is in the hands of the parents, through the committee, to relieve their children from its continued effect. If you are wronged by a wrong to your child, let not a hasty ex- pression of your feelings or purposes occasion injury to the order and discipline of the school, but seek at once a calm inves- tigation of the matter through the proper channel, and in the only satisfactory way.
The teacher who has made teaching his study must be sup- posed to understand the value of different modes and methods better than those who have given the matter no attention ; yet many seem to regard it as perfectly justifiable - as evidence of
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superior wisdom or parental affection - to annoy and dis- hearten a teacher by continual expressions of their individual opinion of what is proper and desirable in the instruction and dis- cipline of their children at school; or by the frequent charge that this is done which they and their children dislike, and that which they approve and desire, is left undone ; or by apparently assuming that the teacher has no special authority paramount to theirs, and which should be submitted to ; no personal rights to be respected no sensibilities to be kindly treated, unless in per- fect unison with the parents' opinions or gratifying to the parents' feelings. Under such circumstances, how little confidence will the children feel in their teacher ! How wearisome, nay, how ineffectual, the teacher's best endeavors to complete the work he is bound to perform !
You parents who feel almost distracted with the noise of two or three children, declare them to be positive torments, and express yourselves so glad when they are off, at school, so that you can enjoy a few moments' quietness ; do you ever think generously of her who is shut up with forty or fifty just such torments, not her own, for whom she cannot feel a mother's affection if she would ? Do you ever think that she is tired ? Do you ever think that she is human, like yourself, and may feel inclined to scold or even strike as you yourself may have done that very morning ? Do you feel that she is laboring for the welfare of those who are dear to you as life itself, and will you not aid her in the little good she may be doing them for their future welfare, and thus your own future welfare, by all the means that you possess ? But, says some one, " She is paid for her work." Paid for her work ? So is a painter, and would you follow him in his work on inanimate things, marring and dis- figuring every stroke, so that he or some one else must needs repair the injury or leave it marred forever ? How much more care then should you exercise with the work of one who is deal- ing with animate and immortal materials.
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Paid for her labor ! Paid for developing the immortal mind ! The value of such labor cannot be reckoned in dollars and cents ; they ought not to be spoken of in comparison. We would that parents would appreciate the work that a teacher has before her. In the words of another, " She who in the public school starts the young mind on its career of endless gathering, may, perhaps, be permitted· to determine whether it shall surge, with tumul- tuous passions, or pass to its immortal life in tides of peace and usefulness. Wisely to discharge this office is a work of deep design, of trembling care, of trustful gentleness." The work is full of immensity, and while we seek teachers that shall feel the grandeur of their calling, we earnestly entreat the parent to beware lest they throw stumbling blocks in the way, or care- lessly disfigure the child's mind for life both here and hereafter, when by kindly giving their sympathy and co-operation to the teacher both can work for the same end in perfect harmony. Every true teacher craves the help and support of the parents, and your coldness and perhaps prejudice, reproduced in your children, often constitutes a weight that a sensitive nature cannot bear ; for this reason, they fail to accomplish the high aim they had set for themselves, and leave their position in despondency, suffering the chagrin and discouragement of failure, when they did not fail. The truth is, that parents must surrender personal opinions and wishes to the judgment and experience of the teacher, if they would have their children derive the most benefit from the opportunity and means of education ; and if their free and generous sympathy is given to the teacher and an earnest desire manifested to sustain her authority, we think it would soon be found that the most unruly child would quietly submit ; and the substitution of a male teacher in the winter season, be an unnecessary change.
Another hinderance to the advancement of our schools may be found in the difficulty of so classifying them as to give a teacher, even an approximation to a reasonable length of time for hearing
.
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recitations. In a town so thinly populated as ours, a gradation of schools into Primary and Grammar Departments is impossible ; but as they are now, they do not seem to do the work that many think ought to be performed by public schools ; and many parents, at much inconvenience and extra expense, send their children to private schools either in their own vicinity or at a distance, to pursue the same studies that ought to be taught in the public schools. We do not object to private schools in their place ; but we insist that they should not thrive by the needless failure of our public schools. The only practical plan by which an im- provement in this respect can be made, is to establish one school in town for the benefit of the older scholars, call it a High School or not as you please. If enough of the older scholars, possessed of equal qualifications, were taken from the several schools, so as to make a school of forty or more scholars, the several teachers would be relieved of from four to eight recitations each day, and those too that demand a large share of their time. The smaller classes could then be attended to more frequently. Under the present arrangement, if the Primer class recites twice in the day, it is all that can be expected. Sometime during the first hour of each session, the little ones are called up and ten, or if the class is large, possibly fifteen minutes are devoted to their instruction ; the remaining two and a half hours of each session, the little child, not yet sufficiently developed to under- stand how to study books, is forced to remain unnaturally inactive, or else lay up stores of future trouble for the teacher by observing and practising the roguish or malicious tricks, more or less com- mon in every school.
The establishment of such a school, then, would benefit the existing schools by giving the teacher an opportunity of keeping the pupils out of mischief by more constant employment, and of so interesting and instructing the little children, that the school hour shall not be a disagreeable time, but one hailed with delight as affording both pleasure and profit. It would also prove a
1
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benefit by the desire it would impart to all to become members of it. In 1839, the Committee of Grafton said, " We have no doubt that the existence of a High School, with such requisitions of admittances as have been adopted, would exercise the happiest influence on the district schools, and would raise their character at once. A motive to thoroughness and completeness in study would be presented, such as has never before existed."
In 1866, they say, " The results have fully verified their opinion. Never was there a time when there were so many anxious to secure the needed qualifications, that they may gain admission to the High School. And never was there a time since its establishment, when so large a proportion of its scholars have come from the out-districts of the town, as at present." Such is the result of twenty-seven years experience. Might we not profit by their example.
Our schools to-day are not below the standard of former years. In many respects they are steadily advancing. In the matter of attendance, some of the schools have made a great improve- ment. Many of the teachers have succeeded in inducing their scholars to believe that there is no great advance in knowledge, unless the subject considered is thoroughly understood before leaving it; and as a consequence, a manifest improvement is noticed in increased ability of the scholar to comprehend and explain any question that may be proposed, concerning any of his studies. The statistics of the schools will be found in the annexed table, to which we would invite your attention.
We firmly believe that the cause of education is progressing. Most of us can look back to a time when the school system was not so efficient as at present. If then, this is a time of superior advantages, let us teach our youth, to wisely improve them ; teach them due respect and obedience to those who are placed in authority over them, and then if we can find means to im- prove the present system, to make our schools still more efficient, let us put our hand to the work, and rest not till we have ac-
11
complished all what is within our power, for the better develop- ment of those tender and susceptible, yet immortal, minds that are ever rising to fill our places, and crowding us onward toward the regions of eternity.
DAVID B. FORD, JAMES SOUTHWORTH, School Committee. FRANKLIN JACOBS,
TABLE.
School. No. of
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
months.
School in
Length of
month.
Wages per
registered
Scholars
No. of
attendance
Average
attendance
Per cent of
years.
years.
Over 15
term.
during
Not absent
nor tardy.
absent
Neither
nesses.
of tardi-
teachers.
rec'd by
aration.
and prep-
Cost of fuel
Summer Schools,
1
Helen Willson.
21
.. ... .....
.
22 00
53
33.79
2
3
2
13
1
99
121 00
3
Mary C. Tolman.
26 00
43
33.40
1
2
19
2
65
143 00
4
Eliza H. Corthell.
18 00
28
23.22
1
1
.72
1
23
1
48
110 00
6
Esther S. Magoun.
20 00
27
22.
.81-
1
3
8
2
80
110 00
7
Lydia Sylvester
30 00
58
45.74
.79-
1
1
38
66
165 00
Total.
38%
$160 00
300
225.80
*. 76-
7
7
11
131
7
485
$ 880 00
1
Caroline E. Boyden . ......
32
$30 00
43
30.67
.71+
1
1
17
79
105 00
$ 32 52
2
L. Frances Gardner.
4
28 00
39
32.29
.83-
1
2
17
107
112 00
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