USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1903 > Part 8
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4.50
Silver Burdette & Co., text books, 90.19
Standard Printing Co., envel-
opes, 3.50
214
ANNUAL REPORT.
C. A. Watrous, book covers, .... 5.31
Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict,
typewriter and furnishings, 56.95
L. Taylor, freight and cartage, II.4I March 2d.
A. W. Hall Scientific Co., endi-
meter, 2,00
Holden Book Cover Co., book covers, 15.00
F. E. Perry Co., ink, 2.50
Smith Premier Typewriter Co., rent of machine, 3.75
April 6th.
Silver Burdette & Co., books, . . 6.94
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 163.84
Providence Telephone Co., rent, 6.25
Smith Premier Typewriter Co., rent of machines, 3.75
T. E. Perrin & Son, cartage, .. .25
May 4th.
Attleboro Fire Department,
cartage, 5.70
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 339.40
C. A. Watrous, book covers, .. 14.13
Adams, Cushing & Foster, ink wells, 1.65
Geo. L. Claflin & Co., chemicals, 2.50
215
ANNUAL REPORT.
A. W. Hall Scientific Co., physical supplies, 12.15
Silver, Burdette & Co., text books, 16.98
Holden Book Cover Co., book covers, 6.25
June Ist.
Silver, Burdette & Co., books, 2.33
A. B. Warren, chemical sup- plies, 5.55
Attleboro Press, printing, 11.00
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 18.22
L. Taylor, freight and cartage, 9.27
J. L. Hammet Co., rubber bands, 1.25 July 5th.
W. D. Gilpatric, High School sundries, 1.90
Daniel W. Hoff, lettering
diplomas, 28.75
Smith Premier Typewriter Co., rent of machines, 3.75
, D. C. Heath & Co., books, ... August 3d.
.75
Providence Telephone Co., rent, 12.50
September 7th.
W. P. Kelly, express, 2.75
L. Taylor, freight and cartage, 14.10
David Farquhar, books, 33.94
Ginn & Co., books, 65.58
216
ANNUAL REPORT.
E. E. Babb & Co., books and
supplies, . 409.32
Silver, Burdette & Co., books and supplies, 54.07
Simpson's pharmacy, chemicals, 11.36
Typewriter Exchange, tables, . . 17.50
F. H. Perry Co., ink, 2.50
Thompson, Brown & Co., books, IO2.II
Allyn & Bacon, books, ·
61.18
A. H. Sweet & Co., boxes, .... 5.25
Sun Publishing Co., printing, .. 26.50
Providence Telephone Co., toll service, .85
Standard Printing Co., station-
ery, 8.00
October 5th.
Remington Typewriter Co.,
typewriters,
160.00
Remington Typewriter Co.,
typewriters, rent, 3.75
Smith Premier Typewriter Co.,
typewriters, 125.62
L. Taylor, cartage, .50
D. C. Heath & Co., books, II.67
Ginn & Co., books, 10.08
Allyn & Bacon, books, 6.25
Ackerman & Co., books, 43.75
American Book Co., books, ... 267.64 E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 68.73
217
ANNUAL REPORT.
C. A. Watrous, book covers, .. 31.25
G. L. Claflin & Co., rubber tub- ing, 3.22
November 2d.
T. E. Perrin & Son, cartage, .. 10.50
Attleboro Press, printing, .... 23.25
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 67.36
Silver, Burdette & Co., books and supplies, 20.19
B. P. King, salary, Text Books and Supplies Committee, .. 25.00
L. Taylor, cartage,
1.6I
December 7th.
C. S. Bush & Co., chemicals, .. 4.74
Remington Typewriter Co., rib-
bons, 3.50
Sun Publishing Co., printing, .. 5.00
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies, .. 5.67
F. H. Perry Co., ink, 2.50
Silver, Burdette & Co., books, . . 6.90
January 4th.
L. Taylor, cartage, 10.36
Standard Printing Co., printing, 14.75
C. S. Bush, chemicals, . . 10.28
Smith Premier Typewriter Co., rent of machines, II.25
Derby Desk Co., chairs, 16.25
B. P. King, car fare and ex- penses, 2.65
218
ANNUAL REPORT.
Remington Typewriter Co., rent
of machines, 3.50
Remington Typewriter Co.,
typewriter,
68.12
Fire Department,
Attleboro,
cartage, 4.35
E. E. Babb & Co., books and supplies, 156.39
Balance, 2.75
$3,545.00
TRANSPORTATION.
Dr.
To appropriation, $1,500.00
Cr. $1,500.00
By bills approved as follows :
February 2d.
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed and Ide neighborhood, $ 30.00
Norton & Taunton Street Rail- way Co., car fares, 25.00
March 2d.
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed &
Ide, 30.00
April 6th.
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed & Ide, 30.00
219
ANNUAL REPORT.
T. E. Perrin & Son, Bear
Swamp, 108.00
W. H. Garner, Dodgeville, 5.50
May 4th.
Norton & Taunton Street Rail-
way Co., car fares, 25.00
June Ist.
S. Cole, Fisherville, 84.00
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed Ide, 30.00
Norton & Taunton Street Rail- way Co., car fares, 25.25
July 6th.
S. Cole, Fisherville, 108.00
T. E. Perrin & Son, Bear Swamp, I08.00
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed & Ide, 60.00
August 3d.
W. H. Garner, Dodgeville, . ... October 5th.
6.25
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed & Ide, 30.00
Bristol County Street Railway Co., car fares, 75.00
Norton & Taunton Street Rail- way Co., car fares, 25.00
November 2d.
Norton & Taunton Street Rail-
way Co., car fares, 25.00
220
ANNUAL REPORT.
WVm. C. Richardson, Reed &
Ide, 30.00
G. R. Field, Perryville, 72.00
December 7th.
WV. H. Garner, car fares, 6.90
G. R. Field, Perryville, . 36.00
Wm. H. Coupe, South Attle-
boro, 4.30
E. A. Washburn, South Attle
boro, 5.70
WVm. C. Richardson, Reed & Ide, 30.00
Norton & Taunton Street Rail- way Co., car fares, 25.00
January 4th.
Seneca Cole, Fisherville, 144.00
Wm. C. Richardson, Reed &
Ide, 30.00
Granville R. Field, Perryville, . . 36.00
T. E. Perrin & Son, Bear Swamp,
146.50
W. H. Garner, Dodgeville, 4.50
Balance,
99.10
$1,500.00
BENEVOLENCE.
Dr.
To appropriaiton, $100.00
$100.00
221
ANNUAL REPORT.
Cr.
By bills approved as follows :
February 2d.
John McCaffrey, shoes for
indigent families, $ 5.00
March 2d.
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent
families, 10.95
A. M. Everett, shoes for indigent families, 9.00
John McCaffrey, shoes for
indigent families, 10.00
April 6th.
San Souci Shoe Store, shoes for indigent families, 4.75
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families, 5.15
Enterprise Shoe Store, shoes for indigent families, . 4.00
San Souci Shoe Store, shoes for indigent families, 3.16
Enterprise Shoe Store, shoes for indigent families, .
5.00
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families, 5.25
July 6th.
P. J. Cooney, shoes for in- digent families, 1.50
222
ANNUAL REPORT.
October 5th.
Enterprise Shoe Store, shoes
for indigent families, . . .. 2.25
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families, 2.00
November 2d.
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families, 4.75
December 7th.
Enterprise Shoe Store, shoes
for indigent families, . .
5.75
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families, 5.50
January 4th.
P. J. Cooney, shoes for indigent families. 6.50
Balance, 9.49
$100.00*
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Dr.
To appropriation, $1,000.00
Cr. $1,000.00.
By bills approved as follows :
October 5th.
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies, .... 24.16
Sun Publishing Co., printing, ..
8.25
.
223
ANNUAL REPORT.
November 2d.
Teachers' pay roll to October 23d, 226.50
Frost & Adams Co., supplies, 11.50
Janitors' pay roll, 5 weeks, .... 15.00
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies, .... 36.39
Anthony Cowell & Co., chairs, 60.00
December 7th.
Teachers' pay roll for November, 211.80
Janitors' pay roll for November, 12.00 January 4th.
J. L. Tobitt & Co., labor and material, 60.92
Warren Parker, truant officer, 29.16
Janitors' pay roll for December, 9.00
H. Marion Lillibridge, car fare, 3.40
Wm. P. Kelly, services as Super- intendent, 100.00
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies, .... 20.67
Teachers' pay roll for December, 168.25
Balance, 3.00
$1,000.00
Attleboro, Mass. December 31st, 1903.
To the School Committee of the town of Attleboro,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board :-
The Committee to whom was entrusted the building of the extension to the High School beg leave to submit the following report :
224
ANNUAL REPORT.
Early in the season bids were called for which result- ed in the letting of the main contract to Malcolm Currie of this town for the sum of $11, 180.00 and the heating and ventilating to the Magee Furnace Co. of Boston for the sum of $1,839.00, the same being from the plans of Chas. E. Brigham, architect, of Boston, and he was engaged to oversee the construction of the building.
The contract called for the building to be finished September Ist, and it was so nearly completed that school opened there on September 10th, only a few minor details. over which Mr. Currie had no control remaining un- finished.
Cash Account.
Dr.
March Ist.
To appropriation, $15,000.00
Cr. $15,000.00
By bills approved as follows : May 4th.
Advertising for bids, $ 5.18
June Ist.
Chas. E. Brigham, architect, .. 325.00
July 15th.
Malcolm Currie, first payment
on contract, 3,500.00
August 3d.
Chas. E. Brigham, architect, .. 100.00
Magee Furnace Co., first pay- ment, 40%, 735.60
1
CHARLES E. BLISS,
For the Last Nine Years Chairman of School Committee of the Town of Attleborough.
225
ANNUAL REPORT.
August 13th.
Malcolm Currie, second pay-
ment,
3,500.00
September 7th.
Malcolm Currie, third payment, 2,000.00
Malcolm Currie, extras, 40.04
Geo. J. Kelly, insurance, 67.50
Chas. E. Bliss, labor and ma- terial, 23.40
L. Taylor, cartage, 15.65
Derby Desk Co., furniture,. 338.25
John Eden, ash pit, 45.00
Chandler Adjustable Desk Co., furniture, 370.92
October 5th.
Malcolm Currie, fourth payment, 1,000.00
Magee Furnace Co., second pay-
ment, 735.60
French & Brownell, supplies,. .
20.00
Burdette & Williams, hardware (Currie), 123.75
J. L. Tobitt & Co., curtains,
etc., 107.9I
Malcolm Currie, extras, 78.56
December 7th.
Malcolm Currie, fifth payment, 1,000.00
Chas. E. Brigham, architect, .. 200.00
Frost & Adams, furniture, .... 44.77
Magee Furnace Co., extras, .... 40.56
T 8
226
ANNUAL REPORT.
Karl Hyde, surveying, 1.50
James Kelly, curbing, 25.90
S. Sylvester, setting curbing,. . 6.20
January 4th.
E. O. Dexter, labor, 1.58
Malcolm Currie, balance of con-
tract, 55.00
Chas. A. Brigham, balance, . 25.00
Magee Furnace Co., balance of contract, 367.80
Balance, 99.33
$15,000.00
CHAS. E. BLISS,
W. J. NEWMAN,
B. P. KING,
T. W. WILLIAMS,
Building Committee.
RECAPITULATION.
Receipts.
Educational, $46,898.46
Incidentals and repairs, 5,007.63
Text books and supplies, 3.545.00
Transportation,
1,500.00
Benevolence, 100.00
Evening schools, 1,000.00
High School extension,
15,000.00
$73,051.09
.
227
ANNUAL REPORT.
Expenditures.
Educational, . $46,305.87
Incidental and repairs,
5,006.67
Text books and supplies,
3,542.27
Transportation,
1,400.90
Benevolence,
90.51
Evening schools,
997.00
High School extension,
14,900.67
Total,
$72,243.89
Balances,
807.20
$73,051.09 Examined January 26th, 1904, and found correct. BYRON R. HILL, BENJAMIN F. LINDSEY, FRED L. LeBARON,
Auditors.
To the Citizens of Attleborough :-
The School Committee hereby respectfully request your consideration of the following report regarding the schools for the year ending December 31, 1903.
The detailed report of the financial affairs and the manner in which the appropriations have been used is given, and your attention is called to it, as from it you may learn of the various needs which have to be provided fcr, to obtain any degree of success in our school work.
228
ANNUAL REPORT.
There have been no radical changes in our school work during the year and only such changes among our teachers as we were obliged to make for reasons beyond our control.
The scholars at Hebronville are in excess of the ca- pacity of our school building and one of the schools has been continued in Moran Hall at an expense for rent of $125.00 per year. The school at Briggs Corner has been somewhat relieved of its over-crowded state by trans- ferring the seventh and eighth grades to the center schools.
Perry School has been discontinued and the few scholars there are carried to school at Briggs Corner, and by some changes of stairs, thus enlarging the assistant's room, they have been accommodated. If the scholars at Briggs Corner continue to increase as they have recently, either considerable enlargement of present rooms or a new building will be needed.
The town appropriated the sum of fifteen thousand dollars for enlargement of the High School building, and placed the matter in the hands of the School Committee. Through a sub-committee the work was carried through during the summer vacation and school commenced with only a loss of two days' time. We think it not only ample for present needs and for some time to come but think the whole appearance of the building greatly im- proved and trust many of our citizens will take the time to inspect the inner arrangement and see how much it has been improved. The balance left of appropriation is ninety-nine dollars and thirty-three cents.
229
ANNUAL REPORT.
Our scholars continue to increase at the rate of more than a full school a year (65) and we hope they will continue, for it is an evidence of the growth and pros- perity of our town. But such growth will necessitate the building of new school buildings in the near future, though we trust we can wait a year or more.
We earnestly request that you give the reports of the Superintendent, Principals of the Grammar and High Schools and the Supervisors of Music and Drawing, care- ful consideration and thus see for what we have been striving to attain during the year, some of the Committee having visited all of our schools. We desire as a Com- mittee to express our appreciation of the excellent work of our Superintendent and corps of teachers; their work has been done in a faithful, conscientions way that we cannot too highly approve and we trust will be appre- ciated by the citizens of the town.
From January to January we have carefully con- sidered every expense and not a bill has been contracted which we did not think was essential for the benefit of the schools. Much thought, time, and work has been given without expense to the town, and we are pleased to be able to say that we have kept within the appro- priations made for the school year.
Our recommendations for appropriations for 1904 are as follows :
Educational, $45,000.00
Text books and supplies,
3,500.00
Incidentals and repairs,
5,000.00
230
ANNUAL REPORT.
Transportation,
1.500.00
Benevolence,
100.00
Evening schools,
1,000.00
$56,100.00
Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. E. BLISS, Chairman ;
WALTER J. NEWMAN, Secretary ;
WM. H. GARNER,
BENJAMIN P. KING,
LENORA P. BEERS,
GEORGE K. ROBERTS,
THOMAS W. WILLIAMS,
EMILY L. RICHARDSON,
FLORENCE B. THEOBALD.
School Committee.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of Attleborough :-
I have the honor to submit my fifth annual report as Superintendent of Schools, the twenty-first in the series. of such reports.
Teachers.
During the four years and a half of my superintend- ency, one hundred and forty-nine different teachers, not counting substitutes, have been employed, of whom sixty-four are now teaching here. Of the eighty-five who have left our employ during this period, forty resigned to obtain higher salaries in other places. Twenty-eight
231
ANNUAL REPORT.
gave up teaching at least temporarily for various reasons, among which were ill health, marriage, further study, to enter other occupations, or to attend to home duties. Seventeen were not re-elected.
During the calendar year 1903, we lost twenty teachers, as compared with twenty-two in 1902. Thirteen of these left for better positions.
These statistics show that from the nature of things nothing like a permanent teaching force can be expected here, since the changes are due to so many causes. The recent raising of salaries has resulted not so much in holding good teachers as in commanding better teachers than we formerly could to fill their places. It is better to have good teachers for a little while than to have poor teachers for a long while. Serious as is the problem presented by the instability of the corps, it is nothing compared with that which exists in places where home talent is em- ployed exclusively, and poor teachers are retained solely by the influence of friends.
Attleboro should be congratulated on the fact that it has the best teachers to be had for the money, no matter where they come from, and that poor teachers, after being given a reasonable time in which to improve, are replaced by better ones. It gives me pleasure to say that local teachers retain their positions through merit alone, and that many of them, if they chose to give up the comforts of their homes for a boarding house in Boston, could easily give satisfaction in the best schools of the metropolitan district.
232
ANNUAL REPORT.
The salary schedule now in operation makes the maximum salary of primary teachers $20.00 less than that of those who teach the slightly older children of intermediate and grammar grades. The distinction is utterly illogical. Those who lay the foundation of learn- ing ought not to be rated below the rest.
The educational and professional qualifications of our teachers are gradually increasing. Four years ago only 57.5 per cent. had prepared themselves by either a normal school or college training. Last year-the school year ending June, 1903-the proportion of those with extended preparation rose above all previous records. to 76.7 per cent.
One reason for the recent improvement of our schools may be found here. The National Educational Association met in Boston in July. Twenty-two Attle- boro teachers joined the Association and paid the membership fee in advance of the meeting, while several more joined after the opening of the Convention. This. is a good record.
Six years ago the teachers of the two Attleboros. organized the Teachers' Social Union to promote a better social and intellectual life among its members. The. aims of the organization have been fully realized. Twenty-five lectures and addresses, many of them open to the public, have been heard on a great variety of topics ; ten receptions have been held in the homes of prominent citizens besides others in school houses; and the pleasant custom of an annual banquet begun. The:
233
ANNUAL REPORT.
value of this organization in fostering a spirit of unity in our scattered teaching force, and in welcoming the strangers who come to us every year, is fully appreciated by the Superintendent. The people's desire to know the teachers and the work of the schools is indicated by the club receptions to teachers, and by the calls upon the Super- intendent for addresses. The cordial sympathy existing within the School Department finds expression in the receptions which the School Committee tender the teachers, and those which the teachers tender each other. These circumstances are noteworthy as we consider the causes of our prosperity and award the credit for it.
Industrial Education.
Manual work is growing in favor among those teach- ers who follow the best light of present times. The reflective systems of teaching are found to be incomplete. The cry now is to send the whole boy to school, his hands as well as his head.
Some public spirited women gave us a few dollars last year with which to make a beginning. No one was fully satisfied with the results, and yet those results so impressed the donors with the wisdom of the idea that they increased their offering in order to continue the demonstration for another year.
We selected a few school rooms in the center of town for the trial. No special teacher was employed, but the drawing teacher assumed general direction, and
234
ANNUAL REPORT.
the regular teachers devoted about an hour a week to the subject.
Each child was asked to make something which he considered useful at home. He was to plan it by his own thought, adorn it according to his own taste, and make it with his own hands. The children responded with alacrity because they felt that here was work to do that was the real thing.
The teacher watched this self activity, pointing out the errors in the plans, the barbarisms in the ornament, the faults in the structure. While the articles were pretty and interesting when done, the educational value lay not in the product but in the process, a process which re-inforced thought by action, and dignified action by thought.
The thoughts of these children bore fruit in action and their acts, because thoughtful, were worth while What more does the world require of a man ?
Evening Schools.
The third season of the Free Public Evening Schools began September 29, 1903, and continued thirty-six even- ings, closing December 17, 1903. The following statistics show something of their scope :
235
ANNUAL REPORT.
Bank Street.
Hebron- Dodge- Torral ville.
Total
ville.
1903.
1902.
Number of different pupils enrolled,
.177
82
69
328
343
Average attendance per
evening,
82.5 42.3 35
I60
169
Per cent. of attendance to enrollment,
47% 52% 51% 49% 49.2%
Whole number of teachers employed, 7
5
4 I6
15
Number of illiterate minors
enrolled,
52 46 16 II4 II3
No attempt was made to open a school at South Attleboro owing to the failure of two previous attempts.
The large classes who are taught to read and write in the English language come with great regularity, the few who are careless being promptly looked up by the truant officer. The more advanced classes are thronged at the first of the season and thinned at the last, owing to the lack of serious purpose on the part of many. We cannot furnish the serious purpose, but we can decline to enrol those of this class who are unwilling to furnish a tangible guarantee that they intend to remain through- out the term, and I recommend this course for the future.
236
ANNUAL REPORT.
Growth of the Schools.
Though there is no need of a new building this year, it is necessary to keep before the public the fact that the present school accommodations will soon be out- grown. For three years the annual increase in pupils has been about sixty-five a year, and at present all the school rooms and one hired room besides are occupied. The average number of pupils to a room during the fall term of 1903 was forty. Wherever the number exceeds that, as is the case in twenty-one rooms in the center of the town, the evils of over-crowding begin to be felt.
When one looks at the long list of new buildings erected within a decade and considers that these repre- sent an expenditure of over $96,000.00, all but about $46,000.00 of which has been provided for, there is nothing to be said but praise for a town which has so nobly done its duty to the schools.
237
ANNUAL REPORT.
Table Showing Ten Years' Growth.
Year.
Pupil members.
Annual gain.
No. of teachers.
Schools built.
Rooms ga ned.
1894,
1,260
56
39
1895,
1,368
108
42
1896,
1,567
199
44
Capron, 2
Hebronvillet
2
Dodgevillet
I
1897,
1,532
-35
49
1898,
1,607
75
52
Pleasant street, Briggs Cornert
I
1899,
1,646
39
53
Dodgeville,
I
1900,
1,834
188
58
Richardson.
8
South Attleborot
I
Farmers 2
Hebronville (hired)
I
'01-'02
1,934
65
66
Robinson. I
'02-'03
2,009
66
65
Hight
6
(Fall'03) (2,092)
(67*) (64)
Total gains, 796 26
3I
*Gain over fall '02. Full years counted in determin- ing gains.
¡Buildings enlarged.
60
I90I,
1,869
35
Carpenter street, 2
Turner street, 2
I
238
ANNUAL REPORT.
Gifts to the Schools.
During the year the friends of the schools have brought forward their gifts as usual. The Trustees of the Richardson School Fund have expended almost one thousand dollars for various objects, including a large part of the drawing teacher's salary, reference books in the Public Library, scientific apparatus, cabinets, and reference books for the school libraries.
The teachers and pupils have secured through the art exhibitions three hundred and thirty-five dollars, worth of pictures and casts for school room decoration.
The first year of school has been brightened for nearly every child in town because of the gifts and loans of organs as follows :
To the Capron School, Mrs. Frederick M. Whitney ; to the Farmers School, Mrs. W. C. White ; to the Pleasant Street School, Miss Florence Macdonald; to the Carpen- ter Street School, Mrs. Stanley Walden; to the Richard- son School, Mrs. W. S. Eldredge; to the South Attleboro School, Mrs. S. A. Robinson; to the Robinson School, The Bethany Chapel Association.
The Ladies' Afternoon Whist Club gave one hundred dollars to continue the industrial work, thus showing increased confidence in its value, and a desire to make its value apparent to others.
Mrs. J. O. Tiffany, Mr. J. L. Sweet, Mr. E. D. Guild have given valuable pictures, the Women's Relief Corps have replenished the indoor silk flags in several schools, Miss Lucy Sweet has distributed Humane
239
ANNUAL REPORT.
Society Calendars. The graduating class gave a hand- some piece of sculpture to the Sanford Street School.
The Trustees of the Richards Fund at South Attle- boro have added a select library in a neat case to that school.
The money value of these gifts is approximately fourteen hundred dollars, and the thanks of the town are due to the donors.
Home and School.
Various are the devices employed to foster a closer relation between home and school. Our latest one has met with the favor af all concerned and merits a brief notice.
The report to the parent on the child's school life has been made more personal and direct by dropping the use of symbols, whether letters or figures, and by using plain English instead. No comment is made on matters that are satisfactory, but all dificiencies are explained as fully as circumstances permit.
Not only do teachers report more explicitly to the parents, but at the beginning of the school year, parents are now requested to report to the teacher on a few sub- jects pertaining to the child's welfare. The tone of the inquiry can best be judged from the following note which accompanies it :
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