USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1915 > Part 9
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E. Side, cor. Mendon Road. L 3
E. Side, cor. Collins St L 3
E. Side, cor. Turner St. L2
Water St.
N. Side, opp. Kilby St C 3
N. Side, 100' E. of Bungay River 3
Water Works Yard.
Extension from King St. 400' E. of 1st St. C 3
N. Side, cor. North Main St. . . M 2
N. Side, 900' W. of North Main St. C 3
N. Side, 6,008' E. of Mechanics St. L 2
N. Side, opp. Mechanics St. L 2
N. Side, opp. Thacher St. L 3
S. Side, at Pumping Station. 1.2
N. Side, 700' W. of Pumping Station. 1. 2
N. Side, 1,100' E. of Newport Ave. 1.2
N. Side, 900' E. of Newport Ave. C 3
S. Side, 400' of Newport Ave. . L 3
S. Side, 2,008' E. of Newport Ave. L 2
S. Side, at Newport Ave. L3
West Carpenter St.
S. Side, cor. Cross St .. L 3
S. Side, 100' E. of Central St C 3
Wilmarth St.
S. Side, 800' E. of Park St. C 3
S. Side, 1,608' E. of Park St. C 2
Wolfenden St . N. Side, cor. Robert St L 4
SEWER DEPARTMENT.
The new system is in very good condition, and so far is meeting the expectation of the Sewer Committee and Engineer, who designed and con- structed the system. The dead ends of the system have been flushed and one stoppage cleared, and the filter fields cleaned twice. One hundred and forty-three connections, serving one hundred fifty-three buildings, have been added this year. No additional lateral sewers have been built this year.
Total length of all Sewers, sizes 6" to 30" 30.2 miles
Total connections to Jan. 1, 1915, 701. Buildings served, 851
Connections laid during 1915, 145 153
Total connections Jan 1, 1916, 844
1004
SURFACE DRAINS.
Surface Drains have been built as follows: Wall Street, from River Bridge to County Street, with three catch basins on County Street; Dean Street from near Foster Street to Perrin Street. This was an 8" pipe which was inadequate to take care of the two basins at the junction of Dean and Perrin Streets, and was relaid with 12" pipe. One new Catch Basin on Perrin Street, opposite Dean Street, was built. Cummings Park Drain. The filling in, early in the year, of the swamp at the junction of Park and Emory Streets necessitated that a drain be built to take care of the surface
West St
112
ANNUAL REPORT
water, which gathers on Park Street at its junction with Davis Ave. This was accomplished by building a drain from the junction of Forest and Emory Streets, where a drain already existed, along Emory Street to Torrey Street, through Torrey Street and across the Park to opposite Davis Ave., where two Catch Basins were constructed.
CATCH BASINS.
Catch Basins have been built as follows:
Junction of North Main and Sanford. 2
66 Bank and Sanford. 2
66 66 Park and Bank. 2
Pleasant St. near Attleboro Ice Co 2
Pleasant St. at Peck St
2
North Ave
1
Pine St. at Pearl St.
1
Park St. at Railroad Arch.
1
Mechanics St. at River Bridge
2
Dennis St. near County St
1
Newport Ave.
1
County St. at Wall St.
3
Park St. at Davis Ave.
2
Fifth St
9
Total 31
PARK AT THE JUNCTION OF PARK STEEET AND EMORY STREET.
The portion of swamp near the junction of Park Street and Emory Street, which was cut off from its natural outlet by the new location of Park Street, has been filled in and the nuisance of the stagnant pool of water, which stood there at all times, has been abated at the request of the Health Officer, and has greatly improved the appearance as well as the sanitary condition of this locality.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE SEWER DEPARTMENT DECEMBER 31, 1915.
Appropriation for Maintenance.
$2,875.00
Expenditures:
Filter Fields, supplies
$37.99
Filter Fields, labor
1,436.62
Inspection .
113.80
Flushing, labor.
116.00
Insurance.
169.95
Salaries, Supt. Jan. and Feb
100.00
Office Assistance.
198.00
Office and Engineering supplies.
200.71
Taxes to Seekonk
24.00
Incidentals.
23.61
Stock.
331.33
Water for flushing.
100.00
2,852.01
$22.99
113
ANNUAL REPORT
Appropriation for Construction
$3,921.80
Expenditures:
Labor on Drains and Park
$2,422.89
Labor on Connections.
156.99
Manholes and Catch Basins.
267.60
Pipe, Fittings and Cement.
1,055.12
Incidentals.
13.64
$3,916.24
$5.56
Unexpended Balance December 31, 1915
$28.55
STREET LIGHTING.
The following is a list of the number and kind of street lights in use January 1, 1916:
Kind
Number
Candlepower
Arc.
21
1200 Sunset to 1 A. M.
Arc.
5
1200 (1 A. M. to daylight).
Incandescent
45
250 Sunset to 1 A. M.
104
100
66
788
60
66
20
40
Under R. R. Arches all night lights.
COST PER LIGHT.
Arc.
21
@ $70.00 per year.
Arc.
5
@ $38.50 per year.
Incandescent
45
250 Candlepower, @ $30.00 per year
104
100
@
23.00 6 66
66
20
40
66
@
20.00 66 66
Appropriation
$18,200.00
Expenditures 18,143.16
Unexpended Balance December 31, 1915. $56.84
In conclusion, I desire to express my appreciation to His Honor, the Mayor, the Municipal Council and City Officials for courtesies and assis -. tance rendered in this my first year of service with them. To the employees of this Department, I also extend my thanks for their cooperation.
Respectfully submitted,
H. J. GOODALE,
Superintendent of Public Works.
@
16.00
66
788
60
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS
For the Year Ending December 31
1915
117
ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE 1915-1916
Walter J. Newman,
Edwin F. Thayer,
Mrs. Susie M. Pearse,
Mrs. Florence B. Theobald,
Thomas G. Sadler,
Walter A. Briggs,
Benjamin P. King,
Mrs. Emily L. Richardson,
Dr. Reginald P. Dakin,
177 Pine St.
Term Expires Jan. 1916
Telephone 710-M
17 Mechanics St. 1916
Telephone 154-Y
24 Dean St. 1916
250 County St. 1917
Telephone 172-M
South Attleboro. 1917
Telephone Pawt. 336-W
1 Cliff St. 1917
Telephone 619-R
17 First St. 1918
Telephone 153-W
13 Maple St. 1918
Telephone 354-W
32 John St. 1918
Telephone: Office 279-J
Telephone: Residence 713-W
ORGANIZATION
Benjamin P. King Dr. Reginald P. Dakin Benjamin P. King
Chairman Secretary
Representative before Municipal Council
STANDING COMMITTEES Teachers and Course of Study Mr. King, Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Theobald, Dr. Dakin, Mr. Thayer.
Text-books and Supplies
Dr. Dakin, Mrs. Pearse, Mrs. Theobald, Mr. Newman, Mr. Briggs.
Incidentals and Repairs Mr. King, Mr. Newman, Mr. Sadler, Mr. Thayer, Mr. Briggs.
Visiting Schools Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Theobald, Mrs. Pearse, Dr. Dakin, Mr. Briggs.
INDEPENDENT EVENING INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
S. M. Einstein,
Advisory Committee F. L. Gowen, W. L. King.
H. D. Lincoln, J. H. Harmstone
118
ANNUAL REPORT
Regular Meetings, first and third Mondays of each month at 7:45 o'clock P. M.
Bills may be approved at each meeting of the Committee. All bills to be acted on must be submitted in duplicate, approved by the chairman of the sub-committee contracting the same, and be in the hands of the Clerk of the Committee, Superintendent's office, on the Saturday preceding the meeting.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Lewis A. Fales, 22 Mechanics St. Telephone 238-J
Office, Sanford Street School, Telephone 64-R
The Superintendent's office is open on school days from 8:30 to 12:30, and from 1:30 to 5; Saturday from 9 to 12. The Superintendent's office hours on school days are from 8:30 to 9: 4 to 5 Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 7 to 8 Monday evening.
Superintendent's Clerks
Alice I. Wetherell, 32 Sanford St.
Telephone 347-J
Myrtle F. Goodwin, Telephone 325-M
141 North Main St.
School Physician
Dr. Wilfred E. Rounseville, 40 Bank St.
Telephone 320
Attendance Officer
Warren Parker, 9 Grove St., Telephone 175-M
Office,
Sanford Street School
Office hours on school days: 8:30-9:00 A. M. daily. 3:30-5:00 P. M., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
School Calendar-1915 -- 1916
Fall term, Winter term, Spring term, Summer term, Fall term begins, Sept. 5, 1916
Sept. 7 to Dec. 24, 1915 Jan. 3, to Feb. 25. 1916 Mar. 6 to Apr. 28, 1916 May 8 to June 23, 1916
SCHOOL, SESSIONS
High School-One session, from 8:15 to 1, with a recess of fifteen minutes. Grammar and Primary Schools -- Morning session from 9 to 11:45. After- noon session from 1:30 to 3:45, from beginning of spring term to Nov. 1; 1:15 to 3:30 from Nov. 1, to close of winter term. Grade I closes fifteen minutes earlier than the other grades.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
Four Double Strokes on the Fire Alarm 2-2-2-2. 7:15 A. M. No session for the High School.
8:00 A. M. No morning session for all grades below the High School.
8:15 A. M. No morning session for the first, second and third grades. After session for all grades unless the signal is repeated at 12:15 or 12:30.
119
ANNUAL REPORT
11:15 A. M. One session. Grades I to III will close for the day at 12 M. All higher grades then in session will close for the day at 1 P.M.
12:15 P. M. No afternoon session for all grades below the High School.
12:30 P. M. No afternoon session for the first, second and third grades.
6:50 P. M. No session for the evening schools.
The signal will be given at 8 A. M. and 12:15 P. M. only in very severe weather.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Dr.
To appropriations.
$105,930.00
To transfer from account of Independent Evening Industrial School to cover charges belonging to that account, etc. .
65.56
Total gross receipts
$105,995.56
Cr.
By net expenditures.
$105,294.78
By amount paid City Collector. 589.42
By amount paid for transportation State Minor Wards, reimbursed by the State. By amount paid on account of Independent Evening Industrial School . By amount paid on account of Inauguration By balance.
22.25
61.06
4.50
23.55
$105,995.56
-
NET EXPENDITURES
High School
|Elementary Schools| General Account | Evening Schools | Vacation Schools
Total
General Control
Agent ..
$328.26
Clerks.
1,282.00
Telephones.
235.41
Census enumerator.
75.00
School reports .
88.00
Office expense. .
100.14
Superintendence including Attendance Officer
Superintendent ..
2,400.00
Attendance Officer.
650.00
Office expense, fuel, etc
269.27
Expenses out of town
100.56
Expense of Instruction
Teachers.
$14,389.39
$50,109.09
$895.75
$228.00
Supervisors
555.30
1,303.61
ยท 12.92
Supplies.
1,125.12
1,406.73
19.12
75.49
Manual training
252.89
80.16
72,670.86
Sewing . . .
13.88
Care of organs.
6.00
49.75
Operating School Plant
Janitors.
1,797.00
7,790.08
75.10
Fuel.
855.60
5,265.55
Water.
79.67
529.12
17,697.21
Janitors' supplies etc .
120.63
477.43
Lights-Gas.
40.70
51.60
Electricity
69.76 205.10
67.22
123.83
Power ..
54.80
Towels. .
11.92
82.10
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs. . .
769.74
3,815.29
Furniture.
578.06
7.58
Care of grounds.
27.43
28.33
Flags. . . .
.75
34.50
Auxiliary Agencies
Health.
400.00
Transportation
3,175.13
Miscellaneous
Truant School
26.43
Benevolence.
283.39
Graduations.
45.60
72.71
Sundries.
30.94
60.58
6.00
561.26
Express.
7.61
28.00
$20,969.21
$74,758.26
$8,076.30
$1,187.52
$303.49
$105,294.78
.
$2,108.81
.
3,419.83
2,147.66
Books. ..
5,261.68
3,575.13
121
ANNUAL REPORT
ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1916
Estimated 1915
Net Expenditures 1915
Estimated 1916
Increase over 1915
General Control
1. School Committee-
Agent.
$310.00
$328.26
$425.00
$96.74
Clerks.
1,330.00
1,282.00
1,319.00
37.00
Office expenses. .
50.00
100.14
50.00
-50.14
Reports.
70.00
88.00
100.00
12.00
Telephones
238.00
235.41
232.00
-3.41
Census
75.00
75.00
100.00
25.00
$2,073.00
$2,108.81
$2,226.00
$117.19
2. Superintendence
including
Attendance Officer-
Superintendent. .
$2,400.00
$2,400.00
$2,400.00
Attendance Offi-
cer.
650.00
650.00
700.00
50.00
Office expenses,
fuel, etc.
135.00
269.27
200.00
-69.27
Expenses out of
town
85.00
100.56
90.00
-10.56
$3,270.00
$3,419.83
$3,390.00
$-29.83
Instruction
Teachers' salaries,
$66,800.00
$66,646.14
$73,082.00
$6,435.85
Text-books, sup-
plies and care
3,750.00
4,360.62
3,850.00
-510.62
Cooking.
85.89
300.00
214.11
Manual. training
350.00
346.93
350.00
3.07
$70,900.00
$71,439.58
$77,582.00
$6,142.42
Operating School Plant
Janitors
$9,865.00
$9,587.08
$9,715.00
$127.92
Fuel
6,235.00
6,121.15
6,400.00
278.85
Water.
650.00
608.79
650.00
41.21
Janitor's Supplies
450.00
598.06
450.00
-148.06
Power
225.00
205.10
225.00
19.90
Lights
275.00
229.28
250.00
20.72
Towels
150.00
94.02
110.00
15.98
$17,850.00
$17,443.48
$17,800.00
$356.52
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs .
$4,500.00
$4,585.03
$5,000.00
$414.97
Furniture
250.00
585.64
250.00
-335.64
Flags.
35.00
35.25
50.00
14.75
Care of grounds.
50.00
55.76
200.00
144.24
$4,835.00
$5,261.68
$5,500.00
$238.32
.
of organs .... .
. .
and sewing . . .
122
ANNUAL REPORT
Auxiliary Agencies
Health-School
Physician .. . . ..
$400.00
$400.00
$400.00
School Nurse. .
600.00
600.00
Transportation. .
3,627.00
3,175.13
3,388.00
212.87
$4,027.00
$3,575.13
$4,388.00
$812.87
Miscellaneous
Truant School.
$50.00
$26.43
$50.00
$23.57
Benevolence .
300.00
283.39
300.00
16.61
Graduations
125.00
118.31
125.00
6.69
Sundries.
100.00
91.52
100.00
8.48
Express
50.00
35.61
50.00
14.39
$625.00
$555.26
$625.00
$69.74
Evening Schools .. .
$1,450.00
$1,187.52
$1,450.00
$262.48
Vacation Schools. .
300.00
303.49
450:00
146.51
$105,330.00
$105,294.78
$113,411.00
$8,116.22
SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR 1916
Estimated 1915
Net Expenditures 1915
Estimated 1916
Increase over 1915
General Control
1. School Committee
$2,073.00
$2,108.81
$2,226.00
$117.19
2. Superintendence . .
3,270.00
3,419.83
3,390.00
-29.83
Instruction.
70,900.00
71,439.58
77,582.00
6,142.42
Operating School
Plant ..
17,850.00
17,443.48
17,800.00
356.52
Maintaining School Plant.
4,835.00
5,261.68
5,500.00
238.32
Auxiliary Agencies.
4,027.00
3,575.13
4,388.00
812.87
Miscellaneous .
625.00
555.26
625.00
69.74
Evening Schools
1,450.00
1,187.52
1,450.00
262.48
Vacation Schools . .
300.00
303.49
450.00
146.51
$105,330.00
$105,294.78
$113,411.00
$8,116.22 $113,411.00
To be appropriated. . .
INDEPENDENT EVENING INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Dr.
Appropriation.
$500.00
Cr.
Total expenditures.
471.60
Balance
28.40
$500.00
123
ANNUAL REPORT
Amount due from State
$204.77
Tuition due
20.00
Total due
$224.77
Net expense to City
246.83
Balance
28.40
$500.00
Expenditures Itemized.
City of Attleboro, General School Account, for lights etc.
$38.00
City of Attleboro, cabinet from Grant Brothers.
23.06
Brownell Hardware Company, files, mills, etc
6.19
L. Z. Carpenter Company, charcoal.
84
George L. Claflin Co., steel .
3.91
E. A. Eddy Machinery Company, shaper and screw press .
108.50
Grant Brothers, varnishing cabinet .
4.50
Starkweather & Williams Co., drawing paper and cards.
3.50
Sun Publishing Company, posters
2.75
Teachers' Pay Roll .
280.00
J. S. White Company, grey iron castings. ..
.35
$471.60
Balance
28.40
$500.00
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1915.
To the Honorable H. E. Sweet, Mayor:
We have come to another mile-stone in our School Department history and we pause for a time to review the doings of the past year and at the same time venture to look into the future. There being no change made in the personnei of the Committee, the organization was perfected along the same lines as the previous year, Benjamin P. King, chairman, and Dr. Reg- inald P. Dakin, secretary, and began the work of 1915.
There have been no radical changes made. The usual changes in the teaching force have occurred and new teachers have been selected to fill the vacancies, and the work has gone on. We have been obliged to accept the resignation of Mr. Eaton, the High School principal, who has gone to other fields. Another principal has been selected, Mr. W. B. Alexander from Greenfield, Mass., who has taken up the work, and from present indications we feel that we have been fortunate in our selection.
The Bank Street Grammar School has proved a success and we feel no mistake was made in establishing the same. The establishment of the High School in its new home has given us needed room to prevent over crowding in the lower grades. We therefore have no needs for an additional building at this time. The school population, however, is growing, and it will not be long before a new building will be necessary. We have two unfinished rooms in the J. O. Tiffany School, Thacher Street, which we will have to complete and furnish this year, which from estimates made will probably cost about $2700.
124
ANNUAL REPORT
The Committee have been obliged to do more than the usual amount of repairs this year. Four of the school buildings have been painted and many things done along the general lines of repairs. A steel ceiling has been put into the basement of the Richardson School which has disposed of a troublesome matter of long standing. The heating apparatus in the various houses was found to be in very good condition and only the usual cleaning and looking over, was needed, thereby the expenses along that line were comparatively small.
The repairs for the coming year are likely to be larger, to properly do what should be done. We see the need of two new furnaces, three or four buildings painted and various other things, as we go through the different houses, and we feel that to do the work we must ask for $5000. This does not appear to be a large amount to keep in proper repair a system that is rated in the City Inventory at $570,700.
The settlement of the boundary line on the westerly side of the Farmers School lot is a troublesome matter, and we have proceeded with caution by having a thorough survey made by our City Engineer. Though the matter is not yet determined, we hope for an early settlement. When the time comes, a bank wall will have to be erected to hold said line, which will proba- bly cost from $500 to $600, which should be done by a special appropriation.
The Committee have in their legislation tried to do their best in main- taining the high standard which the department has previously occupied. As the City grows, it calls for a large amount of work and planning and money to keep things moving in right lines. Since the Peabody disaster the School Departments throughout the State have become very much interested as to their own conditions. While we have had for a long time the fire drills in our schools, each school house fire tends to awaken every one interested. So far as that matter goes with this department, we feel that we are well up to the standard along those lines. The State of Massachusetts has taken up the fire prevention question in dead earnest and through the State Inspec- tor of Buildings, is making a thorough survey of school buildings. Such is the case in our City. Within a short time the inspector for this district visited Attleboro and together with the chairman and superintendent, made an inspection of the larger school houses, and several changes were ordered to be made for the safety of the children. We have taken the matter up, got estimates of the cost to carry out these orders, which we find will be about $1,500.
The Superintendent of Schools has prepared a detailed report of the year's work, containing facts and figures, and all interested in our schools (and who is not?) should give this report a careful and thoughtful reading.
To maintain our school system at its present high standard requires a large sum of money. Much time has been spent in working out the budget, and as a result we feel that we must ask for $113,400.
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN P. KING, Chairman, REGINALD P. DAKIN, Secretary, EDWIN F. THAYER, EMILY L. RICHARDSON, FLORENCE B. THEOBALD, SUSIE M. PEARSE, WALTER J. NEWMAN, THOMAS G. SADLER, WALTER A. BRIGGS.
School Committee.
125
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Attleboro:
I submit herewith my eleventh report as Superintendent of Schools, it being the thirty-second in the series of superintendents' reports. The at- tendance statistics are for the school year from September 1914 to June 1915; the financial statistics are for the calendar year 1915.
STATISTICS
I
Population of Attleboro, census 1915
18,840
II-School Census
Boys
Girls
Total
Number of children between 5 and 7
324
346
670
Number of children between
7 and 14
1,155
1,075
2,230
Number of children between 14 and 16.
194
168
362
Total
1,673
1,589
3,262
III-Attendance
Attendance statistics for the school year from September 8, 1914 to June 25, 1915:
Number of different pupils enrolled .
2,884
Average membership.
2,669
Average attendance
2,535
Per cent. of attendance.
95
Table showing average membership and per cent. of attendance for the last ten years:
Average membership
Gain over previous year
Per cent of attendance
1904-1905.
2,070
25
93
1905-1906
2,086
16
92
1906-1907
2,109
23
93
1907-1908.
2,207
98
93
1908 -- 1909
2,351
144
94
1909-1910
2,213
-138
93
1910-1911
2,317
104
93
1911-1912
2,302
15
95
1912-1913
2,407
105
95
1913-1914
2,586
179
95
1914-1915
2,669
83
95
Fall Term, 1915
September
2,828
97
October
2,836
96
November.
2,827
95
December
2,781
95
Average
2,818
96
126
ANNUAL REPORT
The average membership of the schools for September 1915 shows an increase of 137 over the membership for September 1914. Last year the gain was about 100. In spite of industrial conditions, the schools continue to grow at the rate of two or three rooms a year. The increased attendance at the High School necessitated the hiring of two additional teachers after schools opened in September, and the crowded conditions in the Bank Street School, eighth grade, made necessary the opening of another room.
The six rooms at the Tiffany School hardly accommodate the pupils, it being necessary in September to transfer several pupils to the Capron School. The two rooms left unfinished in this building should be finished and furnished during the summer, and plans made to open them, if needed, in September 1916.
IV-School Buildings
Number of school buildings September, 1915. 20
Number of school rooms (High School 25, grades 77). 102
Number of school rooms in use. 91
V-Teachers
Total number of teachers and supervisors now employed. 97
Number of teachers in High School. 17
Number of teachers in grades I-VIII. 71
Number of teachers in kindergarten
2
Number of teachers for individual instruction 3
Number of special teachers and supervisors
4
VI-Cost of Tuition
Valuation of the City of Attleboro, 1915
$22,344,695.00
Total raised by taxation.
442,013.18
Total raised by taxation for support of schools
105,330.00
Total net expenditures for support of schools, excluding vacation and evening schools
103,803. 77
Average membership of day schools from September 1914 to June 1915.
2,669
Amount expended per pupil, based on average membership.
38.89
Cost of books and supplies per pupil based on average membership 1.80
High School
Total amount expended for High School including High School share of general expense.
21,915.08
Average membership of High School for year 1914-1915. 343
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership. 63.89
Cost of books and supplies per pupil 5.65
Elementary Schools
Total amount expended for elementary schools $81,888.69
Average membership of elementary schools for the year 1914-1915
2,326
Total cost per pupil, based on average membership. 35.21
Cost of books and supplies per pupil 1.23
127
ANNUAL REPORT
The question is often asked why the cost of maintaining the schools has increased so much faster than the number of pupils. Why does it cost so much more per pupil than it did a few years ago? The Report of the State Board of Edifcation shows that the expenditure per pupil in the State has increased at the rate of about one dollar per year for the last ten years. The high cost of living affects the schools just as it affects the family.We pay more for what we get.
The principal cause for this increase in cost, however, is due to the gen- eral increase in teachers' salaries. The tendency every where has been for teachers' salaries to advance. And they must advance still more if the teaching profession is to attract to it the bright mind, keen intellect and high character which the teachers' calling demands, in competition with other less responsible and more lucrative kinds of employment. The teacher's life is not an easy one, as only teachers know, and greater inducements must be offered if the standard is to be kept high.
Salaries in Attleboro compare favorably with salaries in other cities of the same size, yet we lost a number of superior teachers last year because other places offered higher salaries. Good teachers should be kept as long as possible. Their services should be worth as much to Attleboro as to any other city, and I believe Attleboro is willing to pay the price. In 1912, the maximum for assistants in the High School was fixed at $850; teachers in grades VII and VIII, $700; and teachers in grades I to VI, $650. These salaries should be increased at least $50, even if it were possible to grant only $25 this year. If all teachers now receiving the maximum were granted this increase, the total cost would be about $1,250. I earnestly hope that some action along this line may be taken.
The average cost per pupil for each child in the average membership of the schools of the State has increased about one dollar a year for the last ten years, as I have said. The following table shows that the average cost per pupil in Attleboro has not increased quite so fast as the average cost per pupil for the State.
TABLE showing average cost per pupil in the State and in Attleboro for the last ten years, according to State Reports.
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