USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1896 > Part 3
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repair and given them two coats of paint at a cost to the town of $39.50 ; making a total of about $673.00 which was not an- ticipated in the appropriation.
Respectfully submitted,
A. F. JONES.
REPORT OF EDWIN MOORE, AGENT, ON THE DEVISE OF MOSES WALLIS, TO THE TOWN OF DOUGLAS, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1896.
Notes due the town March 1, 1895,
$18,992 46
Accrued interest on same, 1,339 98
Cash in hands of Agent,
1,139 20
$21,471 64
The Agent charges himself with cash on hand and received for interest and principal, as follows :
1895.
Mar. 1. Cash on hand, as above,
$1,139 20
16. Rec'd of Margaret F. Brown,
12 00
27.
Mary A. Reynolds, 15 00
Apr. 4.
Joseph Bassett,
30 00
17.
Allen Buxton,
6 00
29.
Susan V. Thayer,
30 00
May 10.
John Peterson,
309 50
13.
Betsey Emerson,
18 00
21.
Herbert L. Sherman,
30 00
June 7.
Frank Duval,
21 00
6. George C. Allen, Estate,
556 42
Alexander Ritchie,
17 56
8. 29.
Aaron Aldrich,
50 00
Joanna Rawson,
12 00
Gifford M. Bridge, 30 00
July 5.
Betsey A Batcheller,
106 00
18
Aug. 26. Rec'd of Charles S Caswell,
$30 00
30.
Nancy Nole,
21 00
31. William F. Young,
, 00
Sept. 7. 9
William F. Young,
9 00
16. George Roberts.
2 00
19. John H. Gough,
12 00
25. Osca C. Rawson,
24 00
28.
Augustus Willett,
1 50
()ct. 4.
John H. Gough,
24 00
8.
R. T Lesperance,
9 00
25.
John H. Gough,
2 00
26.
P. Alger. part expense of apprais- ing,
25
Nov. 2 & 9.
John H. Gough,
24 00
30.
Louis Terrier.
6 00
Dec. 14.
Eva Maxim,
7 .50
16.
Vashti H. Balcome,
18 00
26.
Frank Duval.
71 00
28.
Amos. G. Yates,
24 00
31.
Frank C. McCormick,
9 00
1896.
12 00
Jan. 15
Lizzie Wixtead,
12 00
30.
Sarah Dufo,
12 00
Feb. 7.
Alex. Ritchie,
207 00
A. F. Brown,
30 00
Alvin H. Brown,
30 00
Zilphia Rawson,
30 00
Harriet C. Caswell,
12 00
Frank S. Morse,
30 00
13.
Mary E. Keith,
9 00
14.
Emma J. Brown,
108 21
15.
Edwin C. Esten,
19 98
17.
S. W. Potter,
6 00
Mary J. Willis,
30 00
18.
Peter Jarvis,
15 00
21.
Wm. F. Young.
10 00
28.
Mary J. Murphy,
230 00
29.
Wm. F. Young,
12 00
60 00
Rebecca Morse,
3 00
John H. Gough,
17 00
24.
Potter M. Bates,
2 00
21.
John D. Darling.
25.
Oscar C. Rawson.
18 00
Chas. H. Littlefield,
49
Feb. 29. Rec'd of W. F. Young,
$6 00
$3,604 12
The Agent has loaned and paid out, as follows :
1895.
Apr. 1. Loaned to Fred R. Caswell, $200 00
25.
Frank E. Wellman, 200 00
30. Paid for recording two mortgages,
20
May 10. discharging mortgage,
25
21.
Loaned Anson Burlingame,
500 00
July 3.
Paid for recording mortgage,
25
11.
Town taxes.
288 26
23.
Loaned George Barnes,
450 00
Aug.17.
Willard Whipple,
450 00
Oct. 12.
Loaned Mary A. Reynolds,
100 00
Paid for recording mortgage,
29 .
26. Loaned Preserved Alger,
100 00
31. Paid for recording two mortgages,
2 18
1896.
Feb. 15.
29. discharging mortgage,
3 00
I. S. Balcome, appraiser,
12 00
Brigham Morse, appraiser,
12 00
Agent for services and expenses,
75 00
Mar. 1. Cash in hands of Agent to balance,
1,205 07
$3,604 12
Notes due the Town March 1, 1896.
Maker of Note.
Paid by
Accrued Int.
Prin.
Aaron Aldrich,
$61 67
$500 00
Joseph T. Arnold,
86 00
400 00
Rufus P. Johnson,
214 33
400 00
S. P. Rawson,
Zilphia M. Rawson, 30 75
500 00
Rebecca Morse,
18 50
300 00
John Vallier,
A. F. Brown,
20 00
500 00
Adolphus F. Brown,
38 00
500 00
James Wixtead,
Lizzie Wixtead,
2 83
200 00
Paid for discharge of mortgage, recording mortgage,
25
1 12
25
Wm. Church, appraiser,
500 00
Alvin H. Brown,
50
O. N. Thurber.
Eliza Williams,
$51 30
$300 00
I. T. Robbins,
F. C. McCormick,
10 50
150 00
Jas. McCormick,
John H. Gough,
70 00
350 00
Joel Glover,
Sarah Dufo,
2 96
200 00
Phoebe Young,
W'm F. Young,
35 66
500 00
Amos A. Humes,
Nancy Nole,
19 83
350 00
Margaret Stearnes,
Mrs. O. C. Emerson,
16 50
300 00
Mary J. Willis,
18 17
500 00
Louise Jarvis,
Peter Jarvis,
8 60
100 00
Micheal Roberts,
Alex. Ritchie,
3 40
87 66
Mitchel Auger,
3 45
300 00
Mary J. Murphy,
20 33
330 00
Phoebe E. Johnson,
C. H. Littlefield,
2 22
333 00
Allen Buxton,
5 60
100 00
Russell M. Peters,
23 00
250 00
Joanna. Rawson,
C. F. Rawson,
9 30
200 60
J. & M. Rivers,
R. T. Lesperance,
444 00
400 00
Amos G. Yates,
6 93
4:0 00
Vashti H. Balcome,
Wellington Balcome,
3 64
125 00
Potter M. Bates,
3 37
150 00
Charles H. Hilton,
24 40
200 00
Margaret F. Brown,
11 33
200 00
Joseph Labeau,
Augustus Willett,
11 00
400 00
Frank Duval,
10 15
300 00
Louis Terrier,
5 00
400 00
Sarah H. Paine
24 50
200 00
Salina Casey,
63 00
500 00
Susan V. Thayer,
25 42
500 00
Daniel S. Buxton,
23 00
200 00
George Roberts,
8 00
150 00
Caleb Hill,
46 90
300 00
John D. Darling,
15 00
300 00
Chas. S. Caswell,
25 00
500 00
Harriet L. Caswell,
10 00
200 00
Mary M. Gough,
10 33
100 00
Caleb Hill,
31 07
200 00
E. M. Southwick,
Gifford M. Bridge,
47 50
500 00
Emma J. Brown,
4 12
150 00
Albert Whipple,
15 10
200 00
Eva Maxim,
1 40
100 00
Peter Jarvis,
5 10
150 00
Frank S. Morse,
37 80
450 00
Mary E. Keith,
1 25
500 00
S. W. Potter,
20
100 00
51
M. A. Reynolds,
$13 83
$250 00
Joseph Bassett,
26 25
500 00
Herbert L. Sherman,
26 00
500 00
James Wixtead,
7 75
100 00
Fred R. Caswell,
11 00
200 00
Frank E. Wellman,
10 17
200 00
Anson Ingraham,
23 25
500 00
George E. Barnes,
16 27
450 00
Willard Whipple,
14 40
450 00
Mary A. Reynolds,
2 30
100 00
Preserved Alger,
2 06
100 00
Oscar C. Rawson,
Louisa M. Dore,
20
200 00
$1,471 89
$19,575 66
Recapitulation.
Notes due the town March 1, 1896,
$19,575 66
Accrued interest,
1,471 89
Cash in hands of Agent,
1,205 07
Value of Devise March 1, 1896,
$22,252 62
Value of Devise March 1, 1895,
21,471 64
Net gain for the year,
$780 98
All of which is respectfully submitted,
EDWIN MOORE, Agent.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF
The Free Public Library.
REPORT OF TREASURER.
1895.
DR
Mar. 1. To cash in town treasury,
$392 62
June 18. rec'd fines and catalogues, 2 10
Sep. 30. fines and catalogues, 5 80
Nov. 29. library entertainment,
128 75
Dec. 18. fines and catalogues,
63
dog fund,
285 94
1896.
Mar. 1. fines and catalogues,
82
$817 66
1895.
CR.
June 18. By paid Mrs. A. L. Buffington. $15 00
30. for books, 236 91
numbering and catalogueing,
1 00
1 08
freight and express on books, rebinding 175 @ 25c. 42 @ 20c.
43 75
8 40
addendas to catalogue,
5 50
record book for librarian,
6 00
Sept. 30.
20 00
Mrs. A. L. Buffington, six month's rent, 50 00
53
Oct. 30. By paid A. J. Thayer, wood, $ 1 50
insurance for three years, 37 50
Dec. 18.
Mrs. A. L. Buffington, 20 00
getting in wood,
25
1896.
Mar. 1. Mrs. A. L. Buffington
20 00
six month's rent,
50 00
oil and broom,
1 22
$518 11
Cash in town treasury,
299 55
$817 66
C. J. BATCHELLER, Treasurer.
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN.
Whole number of books in library,
2,805
Number added during the year,
238
Number issued during the year,
9,163
Average number issued on Wednesday,
146
Average number issued on Saturday evening,
59
Amount of fines for the year,
$10 36
Balance of fines March 1, 1895,
19 98-
30 34
Amount collected for fines,
9 80
Received for sale of catalogues,
55
Paid to treasurer,
$10 35
Amount collected for fines,
9 80
Balance due for fines March 1, 1896.
$20 54
MRS. A. L. BUFFINGTON, Librarian.
Town Clerk's Report.
Births.
Whole number,
35
males,
18
females,
17-
foreign parentage,
20
mixed parentage,
3
American parentage,
12
35
Marriages.
Whole number,
26
Foreign birth,
21
American birth,
31-
52
Resident in Douglas,
20
Resident elsewhere,
32-
52
First marriage,
42
Second marriage,
10-
52
Deaths.
Whole number,
56
males,
31
females,
35-
foreign birth,
10
American birth,
46-
56
55
Number under 1 year, ·
13
between 1 and 5, 5
4
10,
0
10 20,
1
20
30,
5
30
40,
4
40
50,
3
50
60,
3
60
70,
6
70
80,
13
80
90,
3
over
90,
1-
56
Dogs Registered.
Whole number,
156
Males,
146 @@ $2.00
$292 00
Females,
10 @ 5.00
50 00- $342 00
W. H. MEEK, Town Clerk.
· Annual Reports
OF THE
School Committee,
OF THE
Town of Douglas,
FOR YEAR ENDING
March 1, 1896.
PRESS OF ( 'HARLES J. BATCHELLER, EAST DOUGLAS, MASS. 1896.
School Committee.
FRANCISCO BOWEN.
Term expires March 1, 1896 1896
W. H. EMERSON,
A. F. BROWN, 1896
STILLMAN RUSSELL, 1897
H. O. LAMSON, 1897
W. E. CARPENTER,
1897
W. W. BROWN,
1898
C. J. BATCHELLER, 1898
M. M. LUTHER,
1898
The above Committee met March 1895, and organized as follows :
President,-S. RUSSELL. Clerk,-FRANCISCO BOWEN.
W. W. BROWN, Superintending Committee, 3 S. RUSSELL, W. H. EMERSON.
Purchasing Agent .- S. RUSSELL.
Truant Officer,-FRANK F. YOUNG.
Teachers for 1895=6.
F. J. LIBBY,
ADA E. MCMAHON,
LILLIAN G. LINCOLN,
BESSIE M. BATCHELLER,
EUNA L. BUFFINGTON,
MAUD BARRY,
ALICE PENNELL,
ETTA H. JOHNSON, K. LENA WIXTEAD,
EDITH M. ABBOTT, EUNICE E. HADLEY,
LAURA E. BROWN. VIOLA BRIDGES, MARY G. LAWLOR,
LILIA C. STILPHEN.
Statistics.
Whole number of children in town May 1, 1895, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, 412
Whole number attending school during the year, of all ages, 443
Average daily attendance in all the schools,
288
Whole number attending school under 5 yrs. of age,
6
over 15 yrs. between the ages of 8 and 14 years, 286
39
Aggregate of months all the schools have been kept during the year, 127
Average number of months the schools have been kept during the year,
91
Number of female teachers, male teachers, 1
14
Average wages paid female teachers per month,
$33.46
male teachers, 90.00
Appropriations.
Appropriations for public schools by the town, March 1, 1895,
$4,400 00
Repairs of school houses, 300 00
School books and supplies,
500 00
State school fund, 325 60
Town school fund, (interest), 56 48
Received for school books, 3 75
Received for tuition from out of town pupils,
14 00
New books on hand,
180 46
Transporting pupils,
50 00
Balance unexpended last year,
1,073 45- $6,904 74
Expenses of Public Schools.
Teachers' wages for the year,
$4,810 00
Permanent repairs,
148 41
Truant officer,
15 00
Care of rooms,
145 20
Purchasing agent,
25 00
School books and supplies,
480 60
Fuel,
276 93
Transporting pupils,
77 50
Paid superintending committee,
100 00
Taking school census,
7 00
Rent of Central hall for graduating exercises,
10 00
Printing,
13 00
Balance unexpended,
796 10-$6,904 74
5
HIGH SCHOOL.
Teacher,-F. J. LIBBY.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
16
13
13
Wages per week,
$22.50
$22.50
$22.50
Whole number of scholars,
32
25
23
Average attendance,
26
22
20
GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Teacher,-LILLIAN G. LINCOLN.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$12
$12
$12
Whole number of scholars,
34
45
41
Average attendance,
27
40
35
SCHOOL NO. 1.
Teachers, SADA E. MCMAHON, Spring. MAUD BARRY, Fall and Winter.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week.
$9
$9
$9
Whole number of scholars.
15
19
17
Average attendance,
12
15
14
SCHOOL NO. 2.
Teacher,-VIOLA BRIDGES.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
11
12
12
Wages per week,
$7
$7
$7
Whole number of scholars,
15
13
11
Average attendance,
12
12
9
6
SCHOOL NO. 3.
Teacher,-LAURA E. BROWN.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$8
$8
$8
Whole number of scholars,
27
22
23
Average attendance,
19
19
17
SCHOOL NO. 4.
Teachers, S MAUD A. BARRY, Spring. BESSIE M. BATCHELLER, Fall and WINTER.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
1 2
Wages per week,
$8
$8
$8
Whole number of scholars,
10
10
11
Average attendance,
9
8
9
SCHOOL NO. 5.
Teacher, -MARY G. LAWLOR.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
9
12
12
Wages per week,
$7
$7
$7
Whole number of scholars,
9
14
14
Average attendance,
8
12
9
SCHOOL NO. 7.
Teacher, LILIA C. STILPHEN.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$7
$7
$7
Whole number of scholars,
16
15
14
Average attendance,
12
13
12
7
·SCHOOL NO. 8.
Teacher, -ALICE PLNNELI ..
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks.
11
13
12
Wages per week,
$7
57
$7
Whole number of scholars,
12
11
Average attendance,
9
5
SCHOOL NO. 9.
PRIMARY.
Teacher, -EDITH M. ABBOTT.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week.
$8
$8
$8
Whole number of scholars,
36
32
32
Average attendance,
28
25
23
INTERMEDIATE.
Teachers,
( EUNICE HADLEY, Spring. (ADA F. MCMAHON, Fall and Winter.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$10
$9
$9
Whole number of scholars,
43
49
46
Average attendance,
36
43
39
SCHOOL NO. 10.
PRIMARY.
Teacher, -ETTA JOHNSON.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$8
$8
$8
Whole number of scholars,
40
35
29
Average attendance.
25
26
22
8
INTERMEDIATE.
Teacher,-EUNA L. BUFFINGTON.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$9
$9
$9
Whole number of scholars.
31
37
32
Average attendance.
26
29
25
SCHOOL NO. 11. (Engine Hall.)
Teacher,-K. LENA WIXTEAD.
SPRING.
FALL.
WINTER.
Length of school in weeks,
12
12
12
Wages per week,
$9
$9
$9
Whole number of scholars,
18
53
49
Average attendance,
32
45
33
REPORT
OF THE SUPERINTENDING COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1896.
TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF DOUGLAS :
Another year with its opportunities has passed, and again your committee submit their annual report of the condi- tion of the schools. Although every expectation has not been fulfilled, yet we feel assured that much good work and im- provement has been the result of the earnest efforts of our most efficient teachers. To review the incidents of school life in our town for the past year and present the items of interest re- lating thereto, is a task that involves reflections made familiar to the public through the necessary details of previous years, therefore repetitions are virtually unavoidable. It is far from necessary to attack the present theme in a critical spirit, for an easy atonement for past mistakes is to display a practical dis- position to profit by the suggestive recollections of past ex- perience and take a truer aim at ideal progress in school work during the span of the current year. Therefore we shall proceed at once to speak of some of the most important mat- ters pertaining to the past school year and emphasize briefly the principal causes that prevent progress.
ATTENDANCE.
Irregularity in attendance is a great source of hinderance to
10
the best work in schools. The unnecessarily absent or tardy pupil not only wastes his own time but on entering school late he seriously disturbs and hinders the work of every other mem- ber of the school. The loss which he brings upon himself is sufficiently serious, but it is insignificant in comparison with the injury his perversity entails upon his classmates and the waste of the teacher's time and energy in wearisome repetition and review, which retards the progress in the school work to such an extent that we can never expect to reach a high standard under existing conditions. There seems to be a lack of appreciation of our public schools on the part of both the parents and the pupils. Instruction is free, text-books and all supplies are free, therefore such thoughtless indifference on the part of some parents in the education of their children is in- excusable. Irregular school attendance encourages habits of negligence and aimlessness, which will be an incalculable source of evil to the pupil and to the community in after years. The state and town furnish liberally, to all, the means and opportu- nity of obtaining a good common school education, and in re- turn for this we earnestly ask the co-operation of parents to help secure an adequate return for such generous appropria- tions. It may not be out of place at this time to consider the approximate value of wasted school time. The average total loss of each case of tardiness is probably more than ten min- utes, but at the rate of ten minutes the lost time of the 1,633 cases of tardiness recorded in our school registers during the past year are equivalent to a loss of more than 272 hours, or 45 school days. This added to the 8,618 days of absence, which are also found in the registers, makes a total loss of 8,663 days or more than 48 years of school life. The average cost for each pupil in actual attendance the past year has been about $20, and upon this basis the town has expended $960 on these absent and tardy children, for which there is absolutely no return. In consideration of these facts, every parent and friend of education should use every effort to remove this serious evil and help bring our schools up to a higher standard.
11
TRUANCY.
The truant officer has done good and faithful service, and the offenders have escaped the law only by promptly returning to school and settling down to school work. There are many ways in which the spirit of the truant law may be broken. It is only when undue absence assumes a phase of habitual truan- cy that the officer can interfere. When children are nominally in attendance there is no law to compel them to be present at every session, therefore the responsibility rests largely upon the parents who should see that their children are not unnec- essarily absent or tardy. Many cases of tardiness might be avoided if parents were more thoughtful and would plan to have small jobs and errands done earlier in the morning.
DUTIES OF PARENTS.
It is only by co-operation of parents and teachers that the best results in school work can be obtained. It is earnestly hoped that parents will visit schools oftener and see for them- selves what and how their children are being taught and have a pleasant understanding, through social relations with the teacher, whom they trust with the care and training of their children-encourage teachers to a higher degree of efficiency by kindly words of interest, and above all avoid taking the part of a complaining child by indulging in thoughtless and unjust criticism which tends to champion the child's cause against the teacher and destroy her influence for good. This evil does not only retard the progress of the school but it is an incalculable injury to the child. If parents would become better acquainted with the teacher's daily work, by personal visitation, they would be less liable to err in their judgement and be more ready to sympathize with the teacher.
EDUCATION.
The end of education is not simply to acquire a knowledge of facts from text-books. Beyond this are elements of devel- opment and training that are of far greater value-not the
12
ability to perform what somebody else has told us how to do, but the power of making one's natural talents available by means of an educated intelligence to find out for one's self. The body and mind, the faculties of acquisition, and reflection, the power of willing, choosing and feeling are all to be devel- oped together. Moral, physical and industrial training are all essential means of stimulating the best element of an upright character, and none of these should be ignored in the educa- tion of the child. The new branches that are being added to our school curriculum, aim toward this end, and the good re- sults obtained in this line of work should command the hearty support of all friends of education who desire to give to the children a practical education that will prepare them to live a life worth the living for self and for others.
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.
The value of drawing in the school room is indispensible. While it usually receives the consent of the teacher, it does not receive the hearty co-operation necessary to success. Its pur- pose is to cultivate the aesthetic sense of the pupil and to build up in his mind clear and correct concepts as a basis for thinking and doing. There are very few departments of manu- al labor where skill in drawing will not be a practical help in after life. It should be taught in our schools for the purpose of illustrating the incidents of history, geography, literature and science, to give expression to such ideas as can best be conveyed by diagrams or pictorial representations, which in many cases is the only clear avenue to the mind. It leads the child to discover, observe, to think and then express his thoughts by drawing lines on paper. We should teach it not for the sake of art alone, but for the sake of the child, to strengthen observation, accuracy and intelligence. Drawing is a world-wide language for expressing thought by lines, and this important branch of an education should receive more attention.
13
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
Only a little time has been given to gymnastic exercises which the pupils have entered into with enthusiasm, and the good results, especially as a disciplinary means, has proved sufficient to warrant its continuation. Disorder results largely from misdirected energy, and teachers find that physical exer- cises are a legitimate outlet to that energy which should not be checked. Children that are confined in the school room a large part of the time during the year, while they are getting their physical growth, have a tendency to take bent and twisted positions which threatens them with spinal curvature. To counteract this tendency, the Swedish system of gymnastics, judiciously applied, is an admirable means. It also establishes new relations between the will and muscles, and trains the nerve tracts and cells to convey impressions more quickly and accurately, and it promotes habits of orderly, intelligent action. Considering the fact that the muscular mechanism is controlled largely by automatic reflex action through the force of habit, we see the necessity of training the nerves and muscles to right action.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The unfavorable location of the school buildings in East Douglas and vicinity, prevents the adoption of a systematic method of grading to produce economy and efficiency in school work. In our course of study, the work below the high school is divided into three grades, primary, intermediate, and granı- mar, each grade embracing three year's work, excepting in the southern section of East Douglas, where the children of the first year's work have the advantage of kindergarten instruction, reducing the work of primary schools Nos. 3 and 9, to the second and third year's work, while the primary school No. 10 is obliged to labor under the disadvantage of having the three year's work. If the room formerly occupied by the high school
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could be fitted up for the grammar grade, the rooms now oc- cupied by the grammar and primary No. 3, be converted into one room for the kindergarten or first year grade and No. 3 primary removed to 'engine building, a better system of grading in the primary schools could be established and all the children in the vicinity of East Douglas could have the advantage of instruction in the kindergarten school. It is essential that some action be taken that all the children of East Douglas may be accommodated to equal advantages and enjoy comfortable and healthful rooms.
PROMOTION.
Pupils are promoted from grade to grade each year, at the close of the spring term in June, and take their places in the higher grades, at the commencement of the fall term, in Sep- tember. The course of study being adapted to the ability of the average pupil, the majority of our pupils are fairly treated. But experience has proved this system to be unjust to two classes of pupils, those who have more than average ability and are capable of doing more than the amount of work of the school year, and those that are below the average, who practi- cally set the pace to which all others must conform, to the in- jury of the pupils of the first class. The poor pupils are the ones who make complaint ; their parents are the ones who com- plain and make the teacher trouble. Theoretically all pupils of a grade are able to advance in work at the same speed, but practically there will be found a great difference in mental abil- ity. One child can learn faster than another of the same age, as well as one child can run faster than another of the same age, therefore it is not possible to grade our schools under ex- isting accommodations without injury to a large number of the pupils. If the town would erect a school building, centrally located, to accommodate all the children in East Douglas, a better system of gradation could be adopted, that would admit of pupils advancing in their studies according to their ability.
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REMARKS ON THE STATISTICS.
In comparing the table of statistics with that of the previous year's report it will show that the aggregate of months the schools have been in session is 127, which is 1114 months more than the aggregate of the previous year. This is due to the necessity of opening school No. 8, to accommodate the increased number of pupils in that locality, and to keeping the Wallum Pond school in session the full number of weeks during the winter term, which was closed the previous year about the mid- dle of the winter term, owing to severe weather. It would be a matter of economy to the town to transport the pupils from some of the outlying schools, where they would have the advan- tage of better facilities. Such a course would certainly be an advantage to the pupils.
W. W. BROWN, Superintending STILLMAN RUSSELL, School
WM. H. EMERSON, Committee.
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