USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1918 > Part 9
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The road on Oak Hill Avenue, from Briggs Corner to Handy Street, is nearly all double track and it would seem wise to take up nearly all of the second track, leaving only a short siding, and relaying the end of the line from the southerly side of Oak Hill Avenue to the northerly side, thus doing away with a dangerous street crossing.
A. B. C. STREET RAILWAY SCHEDULE. NUMBER OF PASSENGERS
Month
Number of Fares
School Tickets 2,088
Total
September
12,433
14,521
October
11,433
401
11,834
November
12,669
2,096
14,765
December
15,204
1,477
16,681
Totals
51,739
6,062
57,801
EXPENDITURES, 1918-Public Works Department
Appropriation
Charges to Dec. 31
Balances
General Administration
Salaries
$4,324.00
$4,325.96
Engineering
2,136.00
1,371.00
Engineering Supplies
250.00
211.16
Autos, etc. .
300.00
518.19
Office supplies and incidentals.
990.00
1,045.85
$8,000.00
$7,472.16
$527.84
Water Maintenance
Main Line
$6,500.00
$349.10
Services
2,000.00
1,676.17
New Meters
3,300.00
3,615.30
Pumping Station
8,000.00
12,761.17
Maintenance Pay Roll
6,500.00
12,070.73
Teams and Autos.
1,500.00
1,386.66
Shop and Barn.
700.00
874.48
Insurance
850.00
923.30
Tools and Equipment.
350.00
1,524.40
Maintenance Material
300.00
966.08
Thawing
2,071.24
Incidentals
453.99
Additional
9,700.00
$38,672.62
$1,027.38
$39,700.00
Highway Maintenance
General Street Expenses
$39,800.00
Insurance
200.00
New Streets
5,000.00
$45,000.00
$45,194.42
Overdraw 194.42
ANNUAL REPORT
109
EXPENDITURES, 1918-(Continued)
Sidewalks and Curbing
Appropriation $1,500.00 239.78
Charges to Dec. 31
Balance
$1,739.78
$1,739.78
Dust Layer and Tar.
10,000.00
10,000.00
Signs, Clock and Numbering.
125.00
113.46
$11.54
Drainage
3,500.00
3,489.44
10.56
Union Street
5,000.00
Material sold Gardner St.
309.12
5,309.12
259.18
5,049.94
Sewer Maintenance
Filter Beds Maintenance.
$1,600.00
$1,744.78
Repair and care of sewers.
200.00
132.37
Additional
100.00
$1,900.00
1,877.15
22.85
Lighting
Contract
$19,440.00
19,191.66
$248.34
New Lights
310.00
168.00
19,359.66
142.00
390.34
$19,750.00
Totals
$135,023.90
$128,177.87
$6,846.03
110
ANNUAL REPORT
111
ANNUAL REPORT
In conclusion, I desire to express my appreciation to His Honor, the Mayor, the members of the Municipal Council, and other City Officials, for courtesies and assistance extended to me during the past year and to the employees of the various departments who have loyally stood by me during the past year notwithstanding the higher rate of pay which they have obtained elsewhere; and also to their faithfulness during the freeze up period of last winter when they worked long and hard to relieve the serious situation. Especial men- tion should be made of the engineers at the Pumping Station, when during the freeze up period there were fifty-nine (59) days when the pumps were run continuously for twenty-four hours. This they did without extra compensation. While this is perhaps hardly fair treat- ment to the men, it shows their loyalty and their services should be duly appreciated by all the citizens of the city.
Respectfully submitted,
H. J. GOODALE, Superintendent Public Works.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
School Committee
ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS For the Year Ending December 31 1918
115
ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1918
Walter J. Newman,
Edwin F. Thayer,
Mrs. Mary C. Ford,
Mrs. Florence B. Theobold,
Thomas G. Sadler,
Walter A. Briggs,
Benjamin P. King,
Mrs. Emily L. Richardson,
Dr. Reginald P. Dakin,
177 Pine St. Telephone 710-M
17 Mechanics St. 1919
Telephone 468-M
Tyler St. 1919
Telephone 717-W
250 County St. 1920
Telephone 172-M
South Attleboro 1920
Telephone Pawt. 336-W
5 Third St. 1920
Telephone 619-R
17 First St. 1921
Telephone 764-W
13 Maple St. 1921
Telephone 354-W
32 John St. 1921
Telephone: Residence 713-W
Telephone: Office 279-J
ORGANIZATION
Benjamin P. King. . Chairman
Dr. Reginald P. Dakin. . Secretary
Benjamin P. King. Representative before Municipal Council
STANDING COMMITTEES
Teachers and Course of Study
Mr. King, Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Theobald, Mrs. Ford, Mr. Thayer.
Text-Books and Supplies
Dr. Dakin, Mrs. Ford, 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. Ford, Dr. Dakin, Mr. Briggs.
Term Expires January 1919
116
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.
INDEPENDENT EVENING INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL Advisory Committee S. M. Einstein, E. L. Gowen, W. L. King, J. H. Harmstone.
ATTLEBORO HIGH SCHOOL-STATE AIDED VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT
Advisory Committee
S. Slocomb, J. Finberg, J. E. Anderson, T. K. Bliss,
Dr. Emory Holman, W. H. Saart
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Lewis A. Fales, 22 Mechanics St. . Telephone 238-J Office, Sanford Street School. . Telephone 64R
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, Wed- nesday and Friday; 7 to 8 Monday evening.
Alice I. Wetherell, Secretary . 32 Sanford St. Telephone 347-J.
Gladys M. Johnson, Asst. Secretary. 166 Lindsey St. Telephone 452-R.
School Physicians
Dr. Wilfred E. Rounseville 40 Bank St. Telephone 320.
Dr. Jesse W. Battershall. 18 North Main St. Telephone 284.
School Nurse
Genevieve Bowman. 44 Dean St.
Attendance Officer
Warren Parker, 9 Grove St. Telephone 175-M
Sanford Street School Office
Office hours on school days: 8:30-9 A. M. daily. 3:30-5:00 P. M., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
School Calendar
Fall term. Sept. 3 to Dec. 20, 1918 Winter term. . Dec. 30, 1918 to April 11, 1919 Spring term. . April 21, 1919 to June 27, 1919 Fall term begins. .Sept. 2, 1919
117
ANNUAL REPORT
School Sessions
High School-One session, from 8:15 to 1:40, with a recess of twenty minutes.
Bank Street-One session, from 8:15 to 1:15.
Grammar and Primary Schools-Morning session from 9 to 11:45. Afternoon session from 1:30 to 3:45, from beginning of spring term to Nov. 1; 1:15 to 3:30 from Nov. 1 to March 1. Grade 1 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. Afternoon session for all grades unless the signal is repeated at 12:15 or 12:30.
11:15 A. M. One session. Grades I to III will close for the day at 12M. 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 $132,900.00
Cr.
By net expenditures for support of schools. 132,637.03 By amounts paid for supplies, use of High School Hall, etc. 180.25
By balance 82.72
$132,900.00
GROSS EXPENDITURES
High School
Elementary Schools
General Account
Evening School
Total
General Control
Agent
$406.81
Clerks
1491.00
Telephones
231.65
Census enumerator
100.00
$2,392.36
School reports
88.00
Office expenses
74.90
Superintendence including Attendance Officer
Superintendent
2,638.54
Attendance Officer
715.45
4,053,73
Office expense, fuel, etc.
580.95
Expenses out of town.
118.79
Expense of Instruction
Teachers
$19,085.56
$60,473.52
$324.50
Supervisors
2,856.54
Books
598.17
1,142.47
10.56
88,432.02
Supplies
1,361.02
1,829.68
4.80
Cooking
184.71
342.13
115.87
Sewing
39.99
Care of organs.
5.00
57.50
Operating School Plant
Janitors
2,537.84
8,632.11
31.50
Fuel
1,859.75
8,740.91
Water
78.30
650.63
118
ANNUAL REPORT
Manual training
.
GROSS EXPENDITURES-Continued
High School
Elementary Schools
General Account
Evening School
Total
Janitors' supplies, etc.
92.34
395.52
Lights-Gas
62.64
Electricity
134.50
109.31
52.50
Power
171.10
28.10
Towels
36.53
134.47
23,748.05
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs
757.74
4,179.21
Furniture
62.00
20.00
Care of grounds
5.26
1.80
Flags
14.09
86.20
5,126.30
Auxiliary Agencies
Health
1,110.50
Transportation
4,506.00
5,616.50
Miscellaneous
Tuition
151.15
Benevolence
67.01
Graduations
130.88
91.00
Sundries
11.50
76.71
47.10
Express
3.13
32.18
Fire Insurance
1,413.50
1,424.16
3,448.32
$28,885.05
$93,020.04
$10,413.13
$499.06
$132,817.28
.
ANNUAL REPORT
119
120
ANNUAL REPORT
ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1919 Compared with Expenditures for 1918
Appropriated 1918
Expended 1918
Estimated Increase or 1919
Decrease
General Control
1. School Committee-
Agent
$410.00
$406.81
$425.00
$18.19
Clerks
1,610.00
1,491.00
1,820.00
329.00
Office expenses
50.00
74.90
50.00
-24.90
Reports
100.00
88.00
100.00
12.00
Telephones
230.00
231.65
230.00
-1.65
Census
100.00
100.00
150.00
50.00
$2,500.00
$2,392.36
$2,775.00
$382.64
2. Superintendence-
Superintendent
$2,500.00
$2,638.54
$2,700.00
$61.46
Attendance
Officer
700.00
715.45
750.00
34.55
Office expenses, fuel, etc.
200.00
418.45
225.00
-193.45
Expenses out
of
town
100.00
118.79
125.00
6.21
Automobile
200.00
162.50
300.00
137.50
$3,700.00
$4,053.73
$4,100.00
$46.27
Instruction
Teachers' salaries .. $83,300.00
$82,415.62
$93,667.00
$11,251.38
Text-books, supplies
and care of or- gans
4,500.00
4,993.84
4,800.00
-193.84
Domestic science ...
300.00
184.71
200.00
15.29
Manual training and sewing
300.00
497.99
400.00
-97.99
$88,400.00
$88,092.16
$99,067.00
$10,974.84
Operating School Plant
Janitors
$11,090.00
$11,169.95
$11,427.00
$257.05
Fuel
10,600.00
10,600.66
10,890.00
289.34
Water
600.00
728.93
700.00
-28.93
Janitors'
supplies,
et.c.
500.00
487.86
500.00
12.14
Power
300.00
171.10
200.00
28.90
Lights
300.00
306.45
300.00
-6.45
Towels
160.00
171.00
170.00
-1.00
$23,550.00
$23,635.95
$24,187.00
$551.05
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs
$4,500.00
$4,936.95
$6,000.00
$1,063.05
Furniture
250.00
82.00
250.00
168.00
Flags
50.00
100.29
100.00
-. 29
Care of grounds ...
50.00
7.06
50.00
42.94
$4,850.00
$5,126.30
$6,400.00
$1,273.70
121
ANNUAL REPORT
Auxiliary Agencies
Health-
School Physicians
$400.00
$400.00
$500.00
$100.00
School Nurse. . . .
750.00
710.50
900.00
189.50
Transportation
..
4,450.00
4,506.00
4,925.00
419.00
$5,600.00
$5,616.50
$6,325.00
$708.50
Miscellaneous
Tuition
$50.00
$151.15
$50.00
-$101.15
Benevolence
67.01
-67.01
Graduations
150.00
221.88
200.00
-21.88
Insurance
2,965.00
2,837.66
1,361.00
-1,476.66
Express
35.00
35.31
35.00
-. 31
Sundries
100.00
88,21
100.00
11,79
$3,300.00
$3,401.22
$1,746.00
$1,655.22
Evening Schools
$1,000.00
$499.06
$1,000.00
$500.94
$132,900.00
$132,817.28
$145,600.00
$12,782.72
SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR 1919 Compared with Expenditures for 1918
Appropriated 1918
Expended 1918
Estimated Increase or
1919
Decrease
General Control
1. School Committee. .
$2,500.00
$2,392.36
$2,775.00
$382.64
2. Superintendence
3,700.00
4,053.73
4,100.00
46.27
Instruction
88,400.00
88,092.16
99,067.00
10,974.84
Operating School Plant
23,500.00
23,635.95
24,187.00
551.05
Maintaining School Plant
4,850.00
5,126.30
6,400.00
1,273.70
Auxiliary Agencies
5,600.00
5,616.50
6,325.00
708.50
Miscellaneous
3,300.00
3,401.22
1,746.00
-1,655.22
Evening Schools
1,000.00
499.06
1,000.00
500.94
To be appropriated . .
$132,900.00
$132,817.28
$145,600.00
$12,782.72 $145,600.00
122
ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE SHOWING EXPENDITURES
For the Public Schools for the past three years with estimate for 1919
1916
1917
1918
Estimate 1919
General Control
School Committee. .
$2,306.82
$2,046.38
$2,392.36
$2,775.00
Superintendence
3,401.06
3,606.01
4,053.73
4,100.00
Instruction
76,691.93
80,602.80
88,092.16
99,067.00
Operating School Plant
19,237.78
22,801.85
23,635.95
24,187.00
Maintaining School Plant
7,481.61
5,144.88
5,126.30
6,400.00
Auxiliary Agencies.
3,429.00
4,455.00
5,616.50
6,325.00
Miscellaneous
502.05
1,162.91
3,401.22
1,746.00
Evening Schools.
1,199.08
913.73
499.06
1,000.00
Vacation Schools.
321.86
$114,571.19
$120,733.56
$132,817.28 $145,600.00
Increase over previous
year
$9,276.41
$6,162.37
$12,083.72
$12,782.72
INDEPENDENT EVENING INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Appropriation
$150.00
March 4, 1918, By final payment on lathe.
150.00
ATTLEBORO HIGH SCHOOL-STATE AIDED VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT
Dr.
Appropriation
$1,200.00
Cr.
Instructor's salary
625.00
Shelter for market
202.19
Printing
49.92
Miscellaneous
43.50
$920.61
Balance
279.39
$1,200.00
Amount due from State
$416.67
Net expense to City.
503.94
Balance
279.39
$1,200.00
123
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the School Committee
The School Committee herewith present their annual report. While there are many pleasant things connected with the school de- partment there appear from time to time perplexities that are diffi- cult of solution. At the opening of the schools in September the out- look appeared favorable and gave the Committee courage, but as time went on trouble began to appear. Several teachers resigned their positions and left for other towns and cities with promise of more salary. These vacancies had to be filled and Mr. Fales, the super- intendent, had a difficult problem to settle in filling them, both as to fitness and salary. We were badly handicapped by the influenza that appeared in our midst to such an extent that it became necessary to close the schools several weeks, which has broken into the system to the extent that it is hard to tell what the net results will be.
Mr. Peterson, the principal of the High School, has proven to be the right man for the place and is doing excellent work notwithstanding the many handicaps that surround him.
The same or worse conditions exist as to the cost of books, paper, the general supplies and fuel exceeding the figures of the last year. We were able to procure what appears to be a sufficient supply of various kinds of fuel, coal, coke and wood to carry us through but at increased cost.
Very little in the line of repairs has been done because of the great cost of material and labor, and many things that should have been done were laid over until 1919, hoping for a larger appropriation. We have a plant costing more than $500,000. Several of the buildings are old and need immediate attention inside and out, which will re- quire an extra expenditure to make the necessary repairs, and we feel compelled to ask for an increased appropriation.
Mr. Fales, the superintendent, has a carefully prepared report in detail which all should carefully read. There you will find what the Committee are doing, the cost, and the needs of 1919. To keep up the Attleboro school standard, after a careful review of the situation, we find it necessary to ask for an increased appropriation over last year. an appropriation of $145,600.
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN P. KING, Chairman For the Committee.
124
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Attleboro:
I submit herewith my fourteenth annual report as Superintendent of Schools, this being the thirty-fifth in the series of superintendents' reports. The attendance statistics are for the school year from September, 1917, to June, 1918, the financial statistics are for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1918.'
STATISTICS
I
Population, Census, 1915. 18,480
11-School Census
Number of children between 5 and 7.
671
Number of children between 7 and 14.
2,465
Number of children between 14 and 16.
439
Total
3,575
III-Attendance
Statistics for the school year from September 3, 1917 to June 28, 1918:
Number of different pupils enrolled .
3,202
Average daily membership.
2,882
Average daily attendance.
2,712
Per cent of attendance.
94
Table showing the average membership and per cent of attendance for the last ten years:
Average membership
Gain over previous year
Per cent. of attendance
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
1915-1916
2,742
73
94
1916-1917
2,770
28
94
1917-1918
2,882
112
94
Fall Term, 1918
Average membership ยท
Per cent. of attendance
September
2,995
93
October
November
2,957
92
December
2,998
93
125
ANNUAL REPORT
In my report of last year I called attention to the fact that between December, 1914, and December, 1918, the number of pupils in the schools had increased 239-enough to fill six rooms-that 30% of the pupils in the elementary schools were in rooms averaging 44 pupils to a room, and that good work was impossible until relief could be af- forded by additional accommodations. Of course, no attempt was made on account of the war to provide new school buildings. The situation in the schools to-day is much worse than it was last year. The membership for December, 1918, is 81 more than it was in Decem- ber, 1917. There are 320 more than in December, 1914, or enough to fill an eight-room building. Last year 18 rooms had an enrollment of more than 40 pupils, 30% of the pupils in the elementary grades being in rooms averaging 44 pupils to a room. This year 23 rooms have more than 40 pupils each. Of 2,617 pupils in the elementary grades, 1,045 or 40% are in rooms averaging 45 pupils each. The need of addi- tional accommodations must be apparent to all, and the longer the delay in providing the necessary buildings the greater will be the cost.
The rooms most crowded are located in schools as follows:
Sanford Street
Richardson
Grade VII- 43 pupils
Grade VII-46
Tiffany Grade IV -45
VII-44
VI -42
III-46
VI-46
V -49
VI -47
IV -47
Hebronville
V -45
IV -46
Grades V, IV-46
V -45
IV -48
Bliss
Dodgeville
IV -50
Grade VII-41
Grade II -45
II -43
V -46 IV -46
Washington Grades II, I-46
Pleasant Street
Grades III, JI-43
A school in the Pleasant Street section would relieve the Sanford Street School and provide for the increasing number of pupils in that section. An addition to the Bliss School would take care of the pupils now attending the Richardson and Sanford Street schools who belong in that district. A two-room portable building would provide for these pupils for the present. At the Washington School an additional room is needed at once. To relieve the crowded conditions in the primary room some pupils of the first grade are being furnished transportation on the cars to South Attleboro. This is a bad arrangement and should be discontinued as soon as possible. Plans should be made to com- plete the building by the addition of the four rooms originally planned for the building. If this addition cannot be provided for at once, a two-room portable building should be purchased to provide for present needs.
It might be well also in connection with the question of new school accommodations to consider the advisability of erecting a new building on the site of the old high school building on Bank Street, now occupied by the eighth grade, large enough to accommodate the seventh grades in the center of the city, organizing the school on the same basis that the eighth grade is now organized with some depart- mental work, and establishing in fact a junior high school. The original high school building was erected in 1882 and two additions have been made, the last being in 1903 when four class rooms and two laboratories were added. There is much space that was needed for the high school that cannot be used economically in a grade
126
ANNUAL REPORT
school. The heating and ventilating in the old part of the building have never been satisfactory and extensive alterations would be necessary to utilize the waste space and satisfy the legal requirements of heating and ventilating. The cost would be large and the building would still be old. A new building for these grades would relieve the three large schools in the center of the city, would be wise both in point of economy and efficiency, would be in line educationally with the recent movement to organize these grades into junior high schools, and would be a progressive step in the organization of the school sys- tem. In any discussion involving the erection of a new building the advantages and disadvantages of this plan should receive considera- tion.
IV-School Buildings
Number of school buildings, September, 1918.
20
Number of school rooms (High School 25, grades 78) 103
Number of school rooms in use.
94
V-Teachers
Total number of teachers and supervisors now employed 103
Number of teachers in High School.
19
Number of teachers in grades I-VIII. 74
Number of teachers in kindergarten.
2
Number of teachers for individual instruction. 4
4
There have been constant changes in the teaching force through- out the year as is shown by the following list:
Resignations
Date
Teacher
School
Resigned to teach in
Jan. 5 Mary L. Baxter
Hebronville
Jan. 18 Katherine Maier
Washington
Medford Passaic
Feb. 25 Harriet E. Whiting
Bliss
Brockton
Apr. 15 Vera H. Sherwood
Pleasant St.
May 10 Grace E. Moulton
Bliss
May 13
Alice M. Balentine
Bliss
May 13 Edna S. Evans
Tiffany
Salem Normal
June 15 Bessie M. Banyea
High
Pawtucket
June 28
Lida H. Marrs
High
June 28
G. Charles Marsden
High
June 28
Elizabeth S. Burnett
Tiffany
July 8
Mildred P. Masse
High
Melrose
July 20
Ursula Bessom
Richardson
Lynn
Aug. 7 Florence E. Tarleton
Bliss
Aug. 28 Grace M. Thompson
High
Haverhill
Sept. 23
Clara J. Currie
Sanford St.
Melrose
Sept. 24
Marjorie A. Thayer
High
Oct. 6
Ernest W. Pratt Daisy A. Howe
High
Oct. 15
High Washington
Nov. 2
Catherina Slaiger
Nov. 4 Ethel C. Taylor
Washington
Pawtucket
Nov. 5 Mildred McFadden
Sanford St.
Newton
Nov. 13 Edith G. Johnson
Plat
Nov. 26 Helen L. Johnson
Briggs Corner
May 31 Marian R. Tule June 1 Edith Loveitt
Richardson
Wellesley
Bank St.
Panama
Number of special teachers and supervisors.
127
ANNUAL REPORT
Leave of Absence
Date
Teacher
School
July 14 Helen N. Davies
Bliss
July
14 Marjorie E. Davies
Bank St.
Sept.
3 William F. Eastwood High
Deaths
Oct.
9 Annie L. Williams
Richardson
Dec. 16 Corzella Spencer High
Thirty-one new teachers have been employed during the year. Thirteen resigned to accept positions paying better salaries, five to be married, two to enter military service, and six to take up other lines of work.
During the years 1917 and 1918 it has been necessary to employ fifty-four teachers, which means that more than half of the teaching force has changed in these two years. The effect of these changes upon the work of the schools can be easily understood. The constant changing of teachers, together with the crowded conditions in so many rooms, cannot fail to affect adversely the work of the schools. It is to be hoped, now that the war for world peace is happily ended, that with more adequate salaries for teachers, there will be fewer changes among the teachers, and that the schools will do better work than has been possible during the past two years.
VI-Cost of Instruction
Valuation of the City of Attleboro, 1918 $20,913,225.00
Total raised by taxation. 420,171.21
Total raised for the support of schools. 132,900.00
Total net expenditure for support of schools excluding evening school 132,137.97 Average membership of day schools, September, 1917 to June, 1918 2,882
Amount expended per pupil based on average member- ship 45.85
Cost of books and supplies per pupil based on average membership 1.97
High School
Total amount expended for High School including High School share of general expense. $29,488.97 398
Average membership of High School, 1917-1918.
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership ... 74.09 Cost of books and supplies per pupil. 6.26
Elementary Schools
Total amount expended for elementary schools.
$102,649.00 Average membership of elementary schools for the year 1917-1918
2,484
Cost per pupil, based on average membership. 41.32
Cost of books and supplies per pupil. 1.28
128
ANNUAL REPORT
Transportation
One of the most vexing questions in this department is the matter of transportation. Years ago certain limits were established beyond which pupils were furnished transportation. As the city has grown these limits have been the standard for determining whether pupils should receive transportation or not. Attempts to change these limits have met with urgent remonstrances on the part of the parents whose children were affected. At present we are transporting 190 pupils on electric cars and are maintaining five barges. The pupils riding on the cars are well provided for but some of the barges are now too small to accommodate all who should ride and some of them are unsuitable. I believe pupils riding in barges two or three miles to school should be carefully protected from the weather and should be given the best accommodation possible. If necessary, I believe the city should own the school barges, that they should be light, dry, clean, of ample size and well equipped, and that the contract for carry- ing pupils should include proper care of the barge by the contractor. This is a matter that should receive immediate attention.
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