USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1917 > Part 2
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Amount due from State . $744 13
3I
COST OF POOR AT ALMSHOUSE THIS YEAR.
Inmates at almshouse, January 1, 1918.
NO.
AGE
WEEKS
DAYS
1
88
52
2
4:2
52
3
65
52
4
62
26
5
5
62
26
13
6
6:2
52
7
72
11
8
60
11
284
18
Cost per week.
$4 43
THE OVERSEERS HAVE RECEIVED FOR THEIR SERVICES.
Henry D. Mowry.
$100 00
Paul D. Manning .
25 00
Orlan F. Chase .
25 00
$150 00
HENRY D. MOWRY, PAUL D. MANNING, ORLAN F. CHASE,
Overseers of the Poor.
January 17, 1918.
The accounts of the Overseers of the Poor have been exam- ined and receipts and disbursements are properly recorded.
WM. FRANKLIN HALL, C. P. A., Per Arthur T. Byrnes.
32
Report of Willie R. Wallis, Agent
ON THE
DEVISE OF MOSES WALLIS To the Town of Douglas For the Year Ending January 1, 1918.
The Agent charges himself with amounts due the town Jan- uary 1, 1917. as follows :
Notes due the town
$2,225 00
Accrued interest
135 86
Deposited Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. and interest . 42,640 68
Cash in hands of Agent
6 00
- $45,007 54
1917
Jan. 1 Cash in hands of Agent $6 00
Feb. 17 Ordeal Casey, Int. 28 30
Frank Duval, 46 75
March 1 John C. F. Bates, on Prin 25 00
66 66 1 25
Int.
25
16 Dave Lunn, Int
30 00
24 John C. F. Bates, Prin 25 00
66 66 6 Int. 38
April 25 R. I. H. Trust Co., Int. 536 88
66 66 66
33
June 1 Agnes Govin, Int.
$15 45
Prin
300 00
Int 7 50
30 John C. F. Bates, Prin 25 00
Int ..
75
Aug.
10 W. H. Evans, Int ..
24 00
Oct.
25
R. I. H. Trust Co., Int .. .
872 58
26
66
" for Liberty
Bond. .
25,000 00
Dec.
22 Ordeal Casey, Int .
30 00
31 R. I. H. Trust Co., Int .
154 14
Int. due on Bond, Nov. 15 to Jan. 1. .
126 00
$27,255 23
1917
Agent paid out as follows :
April 25 Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co., Int.
$536 88
June 5 Care of Devise, 10 mo., 1916 62 50
Deposited R. I. H. Trust Co.
423 38
Oct.
25
Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co., Int.
872 58
26
Liberty 4% Bond .
25,000 00
Dec.
31 Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co., Int.
154 14
Int. due on Liberty Bond
126 00
Care of Devise, 1917 . 75 00
Cash in hands of Agent .
4 75
$27,255 23
NOTES DUE THE TOWN JANUARY 1, 1918.
Maker of Note
Paid by
Principal
Interest
Salina Casey
Ordeal Casey
$500 00
Potter M. Bates
John C. F. Bates
25 00
$1 50
Frank Duval
300 00
18 00
Frank Duval
125 00
7 50
David and Amnos Lunn
David Lunn
500 00
63 33
Edward M. Southwick
Wm. H. Evans
400 00
8 78
$1,850 00
$99 11
34
RECAPITULATION.
Cash in hands of Agent . $6 00
Cash received during the year 25,559 63
Interest received R. I. H. Trust Co 1,563 60
$27,129 23
Cash paid out during the year :
Deposited R. I. H. Trust Co .. $423 38
Int. deposited R. I. H. Trust Co .. 1,563 60
Care of Devise, 1 year, 10 months
137 50
Cash in hands of Agent. 4 75
Liberty Bond 25,000 00
$27,129 23
Notes due the town . $1,850 00
Accrued interest on notes .
99 11
Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co. and int. to date
19,627 66
Cash in hands of Agent. ..
4 75
Liberty Bond and interest 25,126 00
$46,707 52
Value of Devise January 1, 1917
44,945 04
Net gain for the year
$1,762 48
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIE R. WALLIS, Agent.
35
Report of Tax Collector
TO JANUARY 1st, FOR YEAR 1917.
The Assessors, for the year 1917, committed to me on the 17th day of September, 1917, the Collec- tor's book with warrants to collect and pay over to the Treasurer of said Town of Douglas the sum of .. Oct. 4th, sidewalk assessment.
$22,538 13 720 92
Total . .
$23,259 05
I have collected and paid over to Treasurer of said Town in cash . . .
22,291 89
Leaving a balance uncollected January 1st $967 16
Since January 1st, additional assessments 26 00
$993 16
I have collected since January 1st and paid to Treasurer in cash and abatements .
839 12
Leaving a balance February 25th of $154 04
Interest collected to date .
$12 43
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK E. JONES, Collector.
36
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT For the Year 1917.
The following is a report of the work done on the town trees :
W. E. Carpenter, 208} hours. $69 78
W. E. Carpenter, team, 59 hours 11 47
W. L. Carpenter, 117 hours 35 09
F. Foster, 44 hours. . 13 20
R. Carpenter, 3 hours 45
$129 99
SUPPLIES.
H. R. More, bolts, rods, etc .. $2 48
W. R. Wallis, rope and lumber . 4 80
W. E. Jones, repairs of saws and tar
1 45
$8 73
$138 72
Received for damaged tree
$1 50
$137 22
W. E. CARPENTER, Tree Warden.
37
REPORT OF
Road Commissioner.
W. W. Buxton, 766 hours at 35c $268 10
1 horse on cart, 408 hours at 155/8℃ 63 75
1 horse on cart, 369 hours at 183c 68 19
2 horses on cart, 16 hours at 373c. 6 00
Philip Manning, 465 hours at 25c. 116 25
2 horses on cart, 176 hours at 314c 55 00
2 horses on cart, 293 hours at 372c 109 88
Ralph Dudley, 2 horses on cart, 171 hours at 314c. . 53 43
W. H. Parker, 2 horses on cart, 194 hours at 371c. . 72 75
44 68
F. J. Kenyon, 2 horses on cart, 143 hours at 314c. .
10 76
1 horse, 5 hours at 15c
75
2 horses on cart, 104 hours at 37₺c
39 00
Orlan Chase, 2 horses on cart, 54 hours at 314c 16 87
1 horse on cart, 4 hours at 155/8c.
623
Henry Peters, 2 horses on cart, 62 hours at 31}c 1 horse, 31 hours at 153c.
4 85
Palmer Converse, 1 horse 8 hours at 152c
1 25
Myron Chase, 1 horse 31 hours at 18&c
5 81
John Dobbier, 1 horse 3 hours at 18ąc
57
Harold Freeman, 32 hours at 25c.
8 00
George Moore, 54 hours at 25c
13 50
George Church, 5 hours at 25c 1 25
Orlan Chase, 58 hours at 25c. 14 50
14 25
Henry Chase, 80 hours at 25c.
20 00
Myron Chase, 197 hours at 25c
49 25
Elwin Chase, 412 hours at 25c
1 13
Henry A. Peters, 89 hours at 25c.
22 25
John Delaney, 708 hours at 25c 177 25
John Folloni, 64 hours at 25c
16 00
Leon Chase, 57 hours at 25c
19 38
3 horses on scraper, 19 hours at 562
38
Levi Holt, 10 hours at 25c .. $ 2 50
Charles Dudley, 100 hours at 25c 25 00
Frank Kenyon, 288 hours at 25c 72 00
Elmer Kenyon, 63 hours at 20c 12 60
Sumner Stowe, 228 hours at 25c 57 00
Palmer Converse, 8 hours at 25c 2 00
Clifford Lunn, 60 hours at 25c
15 00
George Koslak, 257 hours at 25c.
64 25
Ham John, 364 hours at 25c.
91 00
Wallace Freeman, 16 hours at 20c
3 20
Ernest Gerard, 194 hours at 25c
48 50
John St. Andrews, 10 hours at 25c
2 50
Joe Horton, 283 hours at 25c
70 75
Jim Mculley, 146 hours at 25c
36 50
George Chandler, 87 hours at 25c
21 75
C. Bordeau, 20 hours at 25c.
5 00
L. Stratton, 54 hours at 25c
13 50
J. Forgit, 16 hours at 25c
4 00
Emil Rein, 4 hours at 25c. .
1 00
Sam Seagreaves, 52 hours at 25c.
1 38
John Dalbeies, 3 hours at 25c
75
William Balcom, 9 hours at 40c
3 60
Charles Maynard, 35 loads of gravel at 5c per load. .
1 75
Mr. Green, 63 66
66
66
3 15
Walter Thompson, 22 66
6
66
66
1 10
Mrs. Thayer, 19 66
95
Mary Chapman. . .
4 45
A. B. Simmons, 72 loads of gravel at 5c per load .
3 60
George South, 37
66
66
66
66
. .
3 25
W. H. Parker,
16 66
66
66
66
. .
80
L. Buffum,
38 66
66
10c
. .
66
66
5c
66
50
Walter Carpenter, 47
66
66
10c
66
4 70
Mr. Brown,
26
66
5c
66
1 30
Frank Young,
28
66
66
1 40
W. W. Buxton,
22
66
66
66
66
1 10
Mr. Guertin,
30
66
1 50
W. W. Buxton,
26 66
66
66
66
1 30
C. E. Wallis, railing for Oxford road, 525 ft. at 2c ft. 41 posts at 20c per post
8 20
Walter Carpenter, 55 ft. railing at 1c per ft.
55
W. H. Parker, 18 ft. plank at 2¿c per ft
45
Orlan Chase, 24 ft. plank at 2¿c per ft
60
W. W. Buxton, 29 hours at 35c.
10 15
66
1 85
Paul D. Manning, 65 66
3 80
Charles Church, 10
. .
.
. .
. .
. .
. .
10 50
66
66
39
1 horse 10 hours at 18c Joe Horton, 32 hours at 25c 8 00
$1 871
Dan Dudley, sharpening tools.
2 60
$1,928 49
STONE ROADS.
W. W. Buxton. 515 hours at 35c $180 25
2 horses, 64 hours at 373c 24 00
1 horse, 263 hours at 155/gc. 41 09
1 horse, 249 hours at 18¿c 46 69
Philip Manning, 2 horses on cart, 244 hours at 314c
76 25
2 horses on cart. 32 hours at 373c
12 00
Ralph Dudley, 2 horses on cart, 140 hours at 31}c. . 1 56
43 74
H. Jarvis, 2 horses on cart, 5 hours at 314c 2 50
Guilford Dudley, 2 horses on cart, 8 hours at 314c .
Palmer Converse, 2 horses on cart, 5 hours at 31}c. . 1 56
Harold Freeman, 26 hours at 25c 6 50
George Moore, 5 hours at 25c. 1 25
Arthur Morse, 5 hours at 25c 1 25
Henry Jarvis, 5 hours at 25c 1 25
William Smith. 5 hours at 25c
1 25
Edward Cook, 12 hours at 25c
3 00
Joe Mack, 33 hours at 25c
8 25
Albert Foster, 68 hours at 25c
17 00
Louis Titus, 8 hours at 25c
2 00
Phillip Manning, 284 hours at 25c
71 00
John Delaney, 287 hours at 25c
71 75
John Folloni. 63 hours at 25c
15 75
Ernest Labelle. 142 hours at 25c
35 50
Clifford Lunn. 77 hours at 25c
19 25
Guilford Dudley. & hours at 25c
2 00
Emil Rein, 60 hours at 25c
15 00
Ham John, 32 hours at 25c
> 00
Joe Horton, 88 hours at 25c
22 00
Wallace Freeman, 3 hours at 20c
60
Raymond Barton, 16 hours at 25c
4 00
Myron Chase, 64 hours at 25c. 16 00
Mr. Stowe, 32 hours at 25c × 00
$760 24
40
SAND FOR OILING STONE ROAD.
William Buxton, 101 loads at 5c per load $5 05
Fuller Jones, 59 loads at 5c per load . . . 2 95
William Buxton, 57 loads gravel at 5c per load 2 85
$10 85
SNOW ROADS.
W. W. Buxton, 8 hours at 35c $2 80
2 horses, 8 hours at 371c 3 00
Harry Dudley, 2 hours at 25c. 50
2 horses, 2 hours at 371c
75
Ernest Gerard, 8 hours at 25c
2 00
2 horses, (W. H. Parker's), 8 hours at 372c 3 00
$12 05
WILLIAM W. BUXTON, Road Commissioner.
SNOW ROADS.
Henry Jarvis , 70} hours
$21 15
2 horses, 70₺ hours 21 15
Louis Titus, 23 hours. . 4 60
Willie Eldrigch, 25 hours
5 00
Henry Peters, 303 hours
6 10
2 horses, 24 hours 7 20
Wallace Freeman, 16 hours
3 20
W. S. Jillson, 8 hours.
1 60
Putnam Dudley, 8 hours
1 60
2 horses, 8 hours 2 40
Gardner Southwick, 20 hours
4 00
James Lacey, 27 hours
5 40
David Heminway, 10 hours
2 00
David Lamoureaux, 2 hours
40
Joseph Auger, 3 hours
60
G. H. Dudley, 23 hours
4 60
41
W. H. Dudley, 35 hours 7 00
2 horses, 35 hours 10 50
P. J. Manning, 7 hours 1 40
Alphonso Chase, 7 hours
1 40
Frank Putnam, 63 hours
1 30
J. Bolivar, 62 hours
1 30
Charles Dudley, 25 hours .
5 00
Ernest Lunn, 6 hours
1 20
Palmer Converse, 56 hours
11 20
1 horse, 43 hours
5 38
Arthur Morse, 20 hours
4 00
Kenneth Parker, 8 hours
1 60
Everett Ballou, 6 hours
1 20
Dell Ward, 4 hours
80
F. J. Kenyon, 14 hours
2 80
2 horses, 14 hours
4 20
Mr. Stowe, 14 hours .
2 80
O. F. Chase, 11} hours
2 30
2 horses, 112 hours
3 45
Leon Chase, 93 hours.
1 90
LeRoy Converse, 2 hours
40
Henry Chase, 2 hours
40
Joe Moore, 10 hours
3 80
George Vallier, 12 hours
2 40
J. Frieswick, 11 hours
2 20
Levi Holt, 62 hours
1 30
Palmer Converse, 2 horses, 9 hours 2 70
$174 93
HENRY JARVIS, Road Commissioner.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
and Superintendent of Schools OF THE
TOWN OF DOUGLAS
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1917
S
16
INCORP
WHITINSVILLE, MASS .: PRESS OF EAGLE PRINTING CO. 1918.
2
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
MRS. W. E. SCHUSTER Term expires March, 1918 GILBERT W. ROWLEY 66 March, 1918
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS
March, 1918
CHARLES J. BATCHELLER 66 66 March, 1919
WILLIE MANAHAN 66
66 March, 1919
FRANK H. BIRD. 66 March, 1920
HARRY L. STOCKWELL. 66
66 March, 1920
SUPERINTENDING COMMITTEE.
MRS. W. E. SCHUSTER, Chairman
GILBERT W. ROWLEY, Secretary
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
C. L. JUDKINS
PURCHASING AGENT CHARLES J. BATCHELLER
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
ALEX. R. JOHNSON, C. L. JUDKINS
3
SCHOOL CALENDAR.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Winter term-Jan. 7, 1918 to March 29, 1918, 12 weeks. Spring term -- April 8, 1918 to June 28, 1918, 12 weeks.
Fall term-Sept. 3, 1918 to Dec. 20, 1918, 16 weeks. Winter term -- Dec. 30, 1918 to March 28, 1919, 13 weeks. Spring term-April 8, 1919 to June 20, 1919, 11 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess-Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. Christmas vacation-Dec. 21 to Dec. 30.
Spring vacation -- March 29 to April 7.
GRADES.
Winter term-Jan, 7, 1918 to March 22, 1918, 11 weeks. Spring term-April 8, 1918 to June 21, 1918, 11 weeks.
Fall term -- Sept. 9, 1918 to Dec. 20, 1918, 15 weeks. Winter term -- Jan. 5, 1919 to March 28, 1919, 12 weeks. Spring term-April 7, 1919 to June 20, 1919, 11 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess -- Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. Christmas vacation -- Dec. 21 to Jan. 6.
Spring vacation -- March 29 to April 7.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL.
Three blasts of the whistle at 7.45 A. M. indicate "no-school" for the morning session.
The same signal at 11.45 A. M. signifies "no school" for the afternoon session.
The "no school" signal does not apply to the high school.
4
Report of the SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The School Committee submit the following report for the year ending December 31, 1917 :
In the high school, Mr. Peltier is with us a second year as Principal. As Miss Felton insisted on going to a larger school, Miss Eckstrom of Worcester was engaged to assist Mr. Peltier.
In September we decided by advice of Mr. Judkins to do away with the ninth grade. Mr. Judkins claims that the pupils can do the grade work required as well in eight years as in nine. The work has been gradually adjusted toward this end in the last school year.
Miss Pauline Carver was transferred from the fifth grade to take charge of the seventh and eighth grades. Miss Holland of Whitinsville was secured for the fifth grade. Miss Buffington, being relieved of the seventh, has now the sixth grade only. Miss Owen of Whitinsville was secured for the first grade. Miss Foley of Worcester was appointed for the West Douglas school.
We had decided to close the South Douglas school and trans- port the very few pupils in that district to Douglas Center. We had arranged for the transportation a few weeks before school opened in September, when so strong a protest was made by cer- tain parents and property owners in the district that the commit- tee threw over their plan and securing Miss Whitcomb, a resident of the district, and a graduate of our own high school as teacher, opened the school as usual.
5
It will be noted that expenditures have increased considerably the past year. Salaries and wages have been chiefly responsible. Books, paper and supplies of all sorts have also cost much more than formerly. Fuel prices are higher but we consider ourselves very fortunate in that we can report our coal bins as well filled at the opening of our school year.
Only necessary repairs were made the past summer. Steel ceilings for the second floor of the East Douglas building would be a great improvement. The roof and chimneys will need re- pairs the coming year.
Attention is called to the report of our Superintendent, espe- cially the statistical division, also the reports of our high school Principal, Music Supervisor and Drawing Instructor.
GILBERT W. ROWLEY,
Secretary Superintending Committee.
6
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Total amount appropriated by Town .. . . $11,000 00
Total amount received from State . 2,458 65
Received from Town of Sutton for tuition 90 00
Town fund 56 48
Unexpended balance last year 840 73
$14,445 86
Total amount expended from Jan. 1, 1917 to Decem- ber 31, 1917.
$13,082 29
Unexpended balance
$1,363 57
ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES.
Teachers' salaries . $7,687 00
Superintendent's salary
776 00
Janitors
904 05
Fuel . .
1,179 09
General expense
285 52
Books and supplies
624 77
Repairs
234 96
Transportation
1,340 90
Physician 50 00
$13,082 29
7
Appropriations are asked for as follows :
General expenses, including Superintendent's salary, expenses of school committee and enforcement of the law
$600 00
Expenses of instruction, including teachers' salaries, text books and supplies, and night school, also miscellaneous expenses in connection with the schools 6,700 00
Expenses of operating school plants, including janitors' salaries, fuel, and miscellaneous expenses in con- nection with operating school plants 2,000 00
Maintenance, repairs, etc., of school buildings 600 00
Auxiliary agencies, including health and transportation 1,400 00
Miscellaneous expenses (sundries)
200 00
$11,500 00
MRS. W. E. SCHUSTER, GILBERT W. ROWLEY, WILLIAM T. LOOMIS,
Superintending Committee.
8
REPORT OF THE Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of Douglas :
I herewith submit my third annual report of the schools of Douglas, it being the seventeenth in the series of superintendents' reports of this district.
COST OF THE SCHOOLS.
On account of the increased cost of nearly every item con- nected with the schools, and the raise in salaries which we have felt justified in granting to our teachers, the expenditure for educa- tional support for the past year in Douglas has been greater than ever before. Yet this cost is worth the while, provided we are get- ting an adequate return. I believe we are getting this return in the improved quality of citizenship which is in process of develop- ment in the boys and girls of our schools, who will hereafter fulfil their part in carrying on the affairs of this great republic.
A still larger appropriation for school support next year will be required, but we cannot afford to handicap the work of the schools at this time by a policy of retrenchment. If England, while engaged in a life and death struggle in the greatest war which the world has ever seen, can appropriate more money for schools than ever before, surely we, who are not weighed down by as heavy a yoke, can do as much. The protection of democracy by the right training of youth is of the utmost importance, and we should put forth every effort to carry on the work of the schools at the highest possible efficiency.
9
COMPARATIVE COST OF THE SCHOOLS.
Advanced sheets of the annual report of the State Board of Education just sent out show the following facts about the cost of the schools :
Total Expenditure Teachers' Salaries for support per pu- pil in average mem- bership.
Text-books per pupil in aver- per pupil in age member- ship.
average membership.
Elementary schools, Douglas. . . $28 99
$16 03
$ 83
Elementary schools, State.
33 78
19 72
87
High school, Douglas
125 50
95 74
3 15
High schools, state .
74 18
55 94
2 04
Douglas ranks as the 275th town, out of a total of the 354 towns in the state, in the amount expended per pupil for its ele- mentary schools, and as the 13th town in the amount expended per pupil for high school support.
INCREASE IN TEACHERS' SALARIES.
A study of the statistics of teachers' salaries given in a bul- letin issued by the State Board of Education in 1917 shows how the salaries paid to Douglas teachers compare with those of other towns. The following figures are given for nearby towns of about the same population as Douglas :
Town
Population
High School Principal $1000
High School Assistants
Grade Teachers 8-9 1-6
Upton
2036
$425
$396 432
$360
Sutton
2829
900
500
402
Charlton
2213
900
500
432
370
Rutland .
1895
1100
450
391
360
Hopkinton
2475
1000
675
520
445
Shrewsbury
2794
1200
650
554
443
Holden
4405
1300
583
530
416
Douglas
2179
900
600
532
422
Since the above statistics were published the salaries of teachers in the Douglas schools have been twice increased,-about two dollars a week in general,-and the school year lengthened for all grades two weeks, making the average now paid to Douglas teachers, for high school principal, $1180 ; high school assistant, $600 ; grades 7-8, $608; grades 1-6. $486.
It is probable that salaries in some of the other towns given above may also have been increased in the same proportion, but even in this case it is seen that Douglas teachers are paid consid- erably more than the average in towns of about the same size.
10
The following table shows how teachers' salaries in Douglas compare with those which were paid in 1917 in towns of about double the population :--
Grade Teachers
Town
Population
High School Principal
High School Teachers
8-9
1-6
Franklin
6440
$1400
$650
$575
$551
Spencer . . .
5994
1400
700
570
532
Northbridge
9254
1600
710
665
570
Westboro.
5925
1300
750
633
600
Walpole .
5490
1300
688
625
613
Millbury
3547
1700
550
410
408
Oxford
3476
1425
600
437
Warren
4268
1450
600
468
Hopedale
2663
1750
700
576
Blackstone
3678
1075
725
580
480
Grafton
6250
1750
650
456
457
Uxbridge
4921
1500
780
572
398
Douglas
2179
1180
600
608
486
THE MONEY VALUE OF AN EDUCATION.
So few of the pupils who complete the work of the elementary grades in Douglas enter the high school, and so many pupils leave school to go to work, it may be well to call to the attention of parents and pupils some facts regarding the money value of an education.
Statistics taken from the last national census show that uned- ucated laborers earn on an average $500 a year for forty years, or a total of $20,000. High school graduates earn on an average $1000 a year, or a total in 40 years of $40,000. To prepare for and complete the work of the high school requires 12 years of school life of 180 days each, or a total of 2160 days. Therefore if 2160 days spent in school bring in $20,000, then each day spent in school is worth $9.02. That is, the boy who stays out of school to earn less than $9 a day is losing money, not making it.
These figures are somewhat less in the case of girls, but the relative wages are the same.
The statistics referred to above also showed that factory workers, who had received a technical education, earned $43,000 in the same time that laborers earned $10,500.
That education increases productive power is evidenced by the fact that Massachusetts gives her citizens on the average seven years' schooling, the United States as a whole 4.4 years', and Tennessee 3 years. Massachusetts citizens produce in nor-
II
mal times per capita $455 per year, citizens of the United States produce per capita $332 per year, and those of Tennessee $174 per year.
Recently wages have greatly advanced, and there is a strong temptation for parents to allow their children to leave school on account of the money they can earn. This is certainly a "penny wise and pound foolish" proceeding, as the present high wages are but a temporary condition and after the war is over economic affairs will quickly return to their normal state. It will then be too late to take advantage of what the schools have to offer.
NOT UP-TO-GRADE PUPILS.
A study of existing conditions in the schools of Douglas and of other towns shows that the greater part of pupils who are not up to grade are such on account of their not understanding the English language sufficiently well to get the meaning of the printed page in the various subjects studied. Hence these pupils do poor work, and advance but slowly in all subjects of study-language, arithmetic, geography. history, etc.
These pupils are for the most part of foreign parentage, and use English as a medium of intercourse for the five hours spent in school, and some other language, or dialect, during a large part of the time spent out of school. In many cases the parents could use the English language to a great extent in the home, if they would, in conversation with their children, and the general use of this tongue there would be of mutual benefit to the children and parents alike.
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
A bill has just been introduced into the legislature by the State Board of Education, which bids fair to become a law, pro- viding for the appointment before September 1, 1918, of a director of physical education and two assistants, one of whom shall be a woman, to take charge of physical education in all public schools in the state. These directors will outline courses in physical education for all grades including the high schools. They will co-operate with the various communities in extending knowledge of the principles of physical training, and in providing adequate facilities for recreation and exercise through gymnasiums, play- grounds, summer camps and similar means.
All towns will be required to introduce this course in their public schools, rural and urban, and the time given to it in the
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elementary schools shall not be less than two hours, and in the high schools, not less than three hours, a week. At the discretion of the local school committee this time may be added to the present school day.
ATTENDANCE.
There has been a great improvement in the attendance in the schools in general for the past year, the per cent. being over 2.6 higher than for the previous year. The record for punctuality has been slightly lower, but on the whole is creditable. While the greater number of our schools are to be congratulated on their fine showing in both attendance and punctuality, a few schools have nothing to be proud of in this respect, and it is the poor record of these few schools which lowers what would otherwise be an excep- tionally high record. Parents of children in these schools and their teachers should make strenuous efforts to have the children cultivate the commendable habit of punctnality-a habit which may make all the difference between their success and failure in life.
IMPROVEMENTS.
During the past year the ninth grade has been abolished, which change has not seemed to affect the scholarship of the class entering the high school, the school year has been lengthened to thirty-eight weeks, the supervisors of music and drawing have given instruction in their subjects once a week instead of every two weeks as formerly, and an excellent series of text-books in physi- ology -- the O'Shea and Kellogg texts -- has been introduced in the four upper grades.
These improvements complete the list of all recommenda- tions made by the superintendent during the past three years, and every recommendation except one -- that for the introduction of domestic science and manual training-has been adopted by you.
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