USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1918 > Part 2
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Orlan F. Chase. .
25 00
Paul D. Manning and H. N. Lougee
25 00
$150 00
HENRY D. MOWRY, HERBERT N. LOUGEE, ORLAN F. CHASE,
Overseers of the Poor.
January 29, 1919.
The accounts of the Overseers of the Poor have been exam- ined and found to be correct.
WM. FRANKLIN HALL, C. P. A.,
By A. 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, 1919.
The Agent charges himself with amounts due the town Jan- uary 1, 1918. as follows :
Notes due the Town $1,850 00
Accrued interest 99 11
Deposited Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. and interest
19,627 66
Cash in hands of Agent.
4 75
Liberty Bond and interest .
25,126 00
$46,707 52
1918
January 1 Cash in hands of Agent. $4 75
March 1 John C. F. Bates, principal . . . 25 00
66 interest . . . .
1 75
April 25 R. I. H. Trust Co., interest. .
137 42
May 16 Interest on Liberty Bond ....
500 00
August 1 William H. Evans, interest ...
24 00
5 Frank Duval, interest ... . .
25 50
Oct. 25 R. I. H. Trust Co., interest. . 405 84
Nov. 30 Interest on Liberty Bond 500 00
33
Dec. 31 R. I. H. Trust Co., interest. . $153 38 Interest on Liberty Bond, No- vember 15 to January . 127 77
$1,905 41
1918
Agent has paid out as follows :
March 1 Discharge of mortgage. $ 25
April 25 R. I. H. Trust Co
137 42
May 17 Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co
526 75
Oct. 25 R. I. H. Trust Co.
405 84
Dec. 2 Dep. R. I. H. Trust Co.
549 50
31 R. I. H. Trust Co.
153 38
31
Interest on Liberty Bond
127 77
Cash on hand
4 50
$1,905 41
NOTES DUE THE TOWN, JANUARY 1, 1918.
Maker of Note
Paid by
Principal
Interest
Salina Casey
Ordeal Casey
$500 00
$30 00
Frank Duval
300 00
18 00
Frank Duval
125 00
7 50
David and Amos Lunn
David Lunn
500 00
65 33
Edward M. Southwick
Wm. H. Evans
400 00
8 78
$1,825 00
$129 61
RECAPITULATION.
Cash in hands of Agent and Bond $25,004 50
Cash received during year
76 25
Interest received R. I. H. Trust Co
696 64
Liberty Bond
1,000 00
due on Liberty Bond .
127 77
$26,905 16
Cash paid out during the year :
Deposited R. I. H. Trust Co.
$1,076 25
Interest deposited R. I. H. Trust Co
696 64
Bond and interest .
25,127 77
Cash in hands of Agent
4 50
$26,905 16
34
Notes due the town $1,825 00
Accrued interest on notes
129 61
Deposited R. I. H. Trust Co . . . 21,400 55
Liberty Bonds and interest to date
25,127 77
Cash in hands of Agent
4 50
Less Agent care due
$48,487 43 75 00
$48,412 43
Value of Devise January 1, 1918
46,707 52
Net gain for the year
$1,704 91
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIE R. WALLIS, Agent.
35
Report of Tax Collector TO JANUARY 1st, FOR YEAR 1918.
The Assessors, for the year 1918, committed to me on the 16th day of September the Collector's book, with warrant to collect and pay over to the Treasurer of said Town of Douglas, the sum of .... $19,200 80 December 18th, extra assessment. 72 63
Total
$19,273 43
I have collected and paid over to the Treasurer of said Town in cash and abatements and interest .... 18,601 68
Leaving a balance uncollected January 1st
$671 75
I have collected since January 1st and paid to Treasurer in cash and interest .
515 08
Leaving a balance February 10, 1919 of
$156 67
Interest collected to January 1st .
$6 22
66 66 from Jan. 1st to Feb. 10th .. 6 55
Total
$12 77
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK E. JONES, Collector.
36
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT For the Year 1918.
The following is the report of the Tree Warden :
March, June and August, W. E. Carpenter, 23} hours at 40 cents per hour . .... $9 40 March, June and August, W. E. Carpenter, 27 hours at 45 cents per hour . . ... 12 15
March, June and August, W. E. Carpenter,
team, 12} hours at 20 cents per hour . 2 50
March, June and August, W. L. Carpenter, 9 hours at 40 cents per hour 3 60
$27 65
Received of Town Treasurer
27 50
Due $ 15
W. E. CARPENTER,
Tree Warden.
37
REPORT OF
Road Commissioner.
WORK ON HIGHWAYS.
G. H. Dudley, 474 hours at 40c $189 60
1 horse, 290 hours at 20c. 58 00
2 horses, 116 hours at 40c 46 40
William H. Dudley, 366 hours at 35c. 2 horses, 382 hours at 40c. 152 80
128 10
Charlie Dudley, 4 hours at 35c
1 40
A. L. Chase, 404 hours at 35c
141 40
W. Pecto, 16 hours at 35c.
5 60
Philip Manning, 8 hours at 35c.
2 80
2 horses, 8 hours at 40c
20
Paul Manning, 37 loads of gravel at 5c
1 85
A. P. Dudley, 270 hours at 35c.
90 50
2 horses, 270 hours at 40c 108 00
William Buxton. 38 loads of gravel at 5c
90
Henry Parker, 16 hours at 35c.
5 60
Wm. L. Church, 19 loads of gravel at 5c 95
Adams Express 46
Wm. L. Church, railing bridge .
3 50
Major Benson, 52 loads of gravel at 5c.
2 60
Henry Chase, 42 loads of gravel at 5c
2 10
Leon Chase, 16 hours at 35c.
5 60
Henry Chase, 8 hours at 35c .
2 80
Henry Johnson, 8 hours at 35c 2 80
A. B. Simmons, 3 hours at 35c.
1 05
George South, 14 loads of gravel at 5c.
70
38
Wm. Jillson, 16 loads of gravel at 5c. $
80
W. H. Parker, 14 loads of gravel at 5c. 70
Elmer Chase, 16 hours at 35c 5 60
Ernest Lunn, 24 hours at 35c. 8 40
H. A. Peters, 108 hours at 35c. .
1 horse, 44 hours at 20c 8 80
2 horses, 60 hours at 40c. 24 00
C. Bordeau, 108 hours at 35c. 2 horses, 562 hours at 40c. 26 60
37 80
F. Slater, 862 hours at 35c 30 272
33 95
2 horses, 97 hours at 40c.
38 80
Elmer Kenyon, 97 hours at 35c
33 95
George Snow, 84 hours at 35c
29 40
Charles Maynard, 50 loads of gravel at 5c
2 50
Willie Kenyon, 9 hours at 35c 3 15
18 20
$1,300 43
Discrepancy .
77
$1,301 20
G. H. Dudley, 102 hours at 45c $45 90
2 horses, 71 hours at 40c. 28 40
1 horse, 49 hours at 20c 9 80
Wm. H. Dudley, 86 hours at 37}c. 32 25
80 hours at 40c 32 00
A. P. Dudley, 53 hours at 372c 19 87₺
2 horses, 53 hours at 40c 26 20
A. L. Chase, 75 hours at 372c 28 12
Ernest Lunn, 22 hours at 37{c
8 25
Wm. Chase, 56 hours at 37₺c
21 00
W. Riley, 35 hours at 37₺c. 13 122
Herbert Moore, repairing road scraper
7 00
Dyer supply .
3 16
W. Eldredge, 8 hours at 37}c
3 00
John Friey, 28 hours at 372c
10 50
St. Henett, 48 hours at 37₺c
18 00
Will Jillson, 50 chestnut posts. 15 00
40
Henry Chase, 8 hours at 37₺c
3 00
Henry Gamble, 24 hours at 37{c 9 00
C. W. Goulet, repairing tools
4 95
Wm. Buxton, 8 loads of gravel at 5c
37 80
Roy Kenyon, 97 hours at 35c
Frank Dudley, 52 hours at 35c
39
Frank Jones, 25 loads of gravel at 5c $ 1 25
Frank Young, 20 loads of gravel at 5c. 1 00
Roy Kenyon, 48 hours at 37¿c. 18 00
2 horses, 48 hours at 40c 19 50
Wm. Kenyon, 27 hours at 37₺c 10 12}
George Snow, 46 hours at 37₺c
17 25
Elmer Henyon, 21 hours at 37¿c 7 25%
Charles Maynard, 10 loads of gravel at 5c.
50
$408 76
Feb. 4
$1 00
. 4 27 80
Oct. 7 Mrs. Gove. 25 00
Dec. 2 B. Faldwick 64 90
Jan. 6 J. W. Wixtead
23 93
Dyar Machine Co 15 75
158 38
$567 14
REPORT OF STONE ROAD.
G. H. Dudley, 223 hours at 40c $89 20
2 horses, 64 hours at 40c. 25 60
1 horse, 26 hours at 20c. 5 20
Wm. H. Dudley, 236 hours at 35c. 82 772
2 horses, 2492 hours at 40c 99 80
A. P. Dudley, 123 hours at 35c 43 05
2 horses, 123 hours at 40c 49 20
A. L. Chase, 281} hours at 35c. 98 52₺
Wm. Buxton, 110 loads of gravel at 5c 5 50
Mrs. Thayer, 5 loads of gravel at 5c 25
Henry Parker, 16 hours at 35c 5 60
W. Peats, 16 hours at 35c. 5 60
$510 30
EAST DOUGLAS TO UXBRIDGE STATE ROAD.
G. H. Dudley, 34 hours at 45c. $15 30
2 horses, 151 hours at 40c 60 40
1 horse, 34 hours at 20c 6 80
Wm. H. Dudley, 151 hours at 37{c. 56 623
2 horses, 171 hours at 40c 68 40
40
A. L. Chase, 162 hours at 37¿c $60 75
Ernest Lunn, 143 hours at 37{c. . 53 622
Wm. Eldredge, 156 hours at 372c 58 50
W. Riley, 143 hours at 373c. 53 623
St. Henett, 125 hours at 37₺c 46 873
14 62₺
John Friey, 24 hours at 37}c. 9 00
Herbert R. Moore, sharpening tools 3 85
: 90
W. R. Wallis, tools.
7 83
80 loads of gravel at 5c 4 00
$538 70
REPORT OF NEW STATE ROAD.
G. H. Dudley, 70 hours at 45c $31 50
2 horses, 52 hours at 40c. 20 80
1 horse, 70 hours at 20c. 14 00
Wm. H. Dudley, 52 hours at 373c 19 50
2 horses, 36 hours at 40c. 14 40
Ernest Lunn, 94 hours at 37₺c
9 00
John Friey, 56 hours at 37¿c
21 00
St. Henett, 92 hours at 372c.
34 50
A. P. Dudley, 92 hours at 37₺c 34 50
2 horses, 92 hours at 40c. 36 80
A. L. Chase, 56 hours at 37¿c.
21 00
Wm. Eldredge, 56 hours at 37₺c
21 00
W. Riley, 84 hours at 373c
31 50
Town farm man, 7 hours at 37gc 2 horses, 7 hours at 40c.
2 80
Signet, 160 loads of gravel at 5c.
8 00
W. Lemire, roller, man, 5 days at $6.00
30 00
Hayward Woolen Co., coal 11 00
W. R. Wallis, tools
7 00
$370 92
Error
76
$371 68
A. P. Dudley, 39 hours at 37gc. 2 horses, 39 hours at 40c 15 60
L. Buffum, 29 loads of gravel at 10c
2 623
41
DOUGLAS TO EAST DOUGLAS STATE ROAD.
G. H. Dudley, 158 hours at 45c. $53 10
2 horses, 181 hours at 40c. 72 40
1 horse, 104 hours at 20c 20 80
Wm. H. Dudley, 195 hours at 37zc. 73 12를
2 horses, 186 hours at 40c. 74 40
A. P. Dudley, 87 hours at 37¿c. . . 2 horses, 87 hours at 40c. 34 60
32 622
A. L. Chase, 169 hours at 37{c
63 37₺
Ernest Lunn, 160 hours at 37{c
60 00
M. Chase, 24 hours at 37¿c
9 00
Wm. Eldridge, 50 hours at 37₺c
18 75
W. Riley, 65 hours at 37{c
24 37}
John Friey, 48 hours at 37₺c
18 00
St. Henett, 58 hours at 37₺c.
21 75
Town farm man, 47 hours at 372c.
17 62
2 horses, 47 hours at 40c 18 80
Ralph Dudley, 56 hours at 37₺c 21 00
2 horses, 56 hours at 40c 22 40.
Philip Manning, 64 hours at 37¿c. .
24 00
W. E. Schuster, 4 men, 32 hours at 372c
3 15
W. Lemier, roller, man, 16} days at $6.00
99 00
Henry Parker, 24 hours at 37₺c 2 horses, 24 hours at 40c .
9 60
Hayward Woolen Co., coal 30 72
W. R. Wallis, tools. 7 00
Michael Murphy, state, men, 40 hours at 50c 20 00
Leon Childs, state, men, 45 hours at 50c. 22 50
James Morrison, state, men, 45 hours at 50c 22 50
22 50
W. N. Sirburt, state man, 45 hours at 50c. 22 50
Henry Ripley, state man, 41 hours at 50c 20 50
John Curley, truck. 60 08
$1,075 50
NORTH MAIN STREET STATE ROAD.
G. H. Dudley, 52 hours at 45c. $23 40
2 horses, 52 hours at 40c 20 80
1 horse, 12 hours at 20c. 2 40
2 horses, 64 hours at 40c 12 00
25 60
Wm. Buxton, 63 loads of gravel at 5c
9 00
John Jackson, state man, 45 hours at 50c.
42
Wm. H. Dudley, 52 hours at 37¿c ... $19 50
2 horses, 52 hours at 40c 20 80
A. L. Chase, 52 hours at 37¿c
19 50
W. Riley, 28 hours at 37¿c.
10 50
John Friey, 8 hours at 37¿c
3 00
St. Henett, 48 hours at 37¿c.
18 00
A. P. Dudley, 8 hours at 37₺c.
3 00
2 horses, 8 hours at 40c
3 20
Henry Gambel, 32 hours at 37₺c
12 00
O. H. Wade, 8 hours at 372c
3 00
$159 10
G. H. DUDLEY, Road Commissioner.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
and Superintendent of Schools
OF THE
TOWN OF DOUGLAS
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1918
GLAS
S
16
INCORP
D
WHITINSVILLE, MASS. : PRESS OF EAGLE PRINTING CO. 1919.
2
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CHARLES J. BATCHELLER Term expires March, 1919
WILLIE MANAHAN
66 March, 1919
FRANK H. BIRD ..
66 March, 1920
HARRY L. STOCKWELL,
66
March, 1920
GILBERT W. ROWLEY
66 March, 1921
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS
66 66 March, 1921
SUPERINTENDING COMMITTEE.
GILBERT W. ROWLEY, Chairman
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS, Secretary
FRANK H. BIRD
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
C. I. JUDKINS
PURCHASING AGENT
CHARLES J. BATCHELLER
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
ALEX. R. JOHNSTON. C. L. JUDKINS.
3
SCHOOL CALENDAR
HIGH SCHOOL.
Winter term-Jan. 6, 1919 to March 28, 1919, 12 weeks. Spring term-April 7, 1919 to June 27, 1919, 12 weeks.
Fall term-Sept. 2, 1919 to Dec. 19, 1919, 16 weeks. Winter term-Dec. 29, 1919 to March 26, 1920, 13 weeks. Spring term-April 5, 1920 to June 18, 1920, 11 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess-Nov. 27 to Dec. 1. Christmas vacation-Dec. 20 to Dec. 29. Spring vacation-March 27 to April 5.
GRADES.
Winter term-Jan. 6, 1919 to March 28, 1919, 12 weeks. Spring term-April 7, 1919 to June 27, 1919, 12 weeks.
Fall term-Sept. 8, 1919 to Dec. 19, 1919, 15 weeks. Winter term-Jan. 5, 1920 to March 26, 1920, 12 weeks.
Spring term-April 5, 1920 to June 18, 1920, 11 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess-Nov. 27, to Dec. 1. Christmas vacation- Dec. 20 to Jan. 5. Spring vacation-March 27 to April 5.
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, 1918 :
Changes in the teaching force have taken place as usual. Mr. Peltier, our Principal for two years, decided to leave the profes- sion, as other lines of endeavor are paylng so very much more than that of teaching. We offered him $1,500.00, a great deal more than we had ever paid our Principals in the past, but could not induce him to stay. Miss Eckstrom, the assistant, left us in January because of ill health and Miss Mooney was secured as a substitute teacher until the end of the school year in June.
We opened the 1918-1919 school year in September with Mr. Clarence W. Holmes as principal and Miss Pearl Andrews as assistant. Miss Vera Simons, now Mrs. Daniels, who replaced Miss Carver, resigned in the seventh and eighth grades in the spring, was reelected and the seventh and eighth grades included in the High School. Miss Louise Twohig of the fourth grade re- signed and Miss Deborah O'Connor of Worcester was elected to fill her place. Miss Mollie Kelly was transferred from Douglas Center to take the first grade, Miss Owen having decided not to return. Miss Edith Anderson of North Uxbridge was secured to fill the vacancy at Douglas Center. Miss Julia Healey of Whitins- ville replaced Miss Foley, resigned, of West Douglas. Miss Gladys Norton of Worcester was secured for South Douglas as Miss Whit- comb married in the summer and left town.
Miss Florence Putnam of Dodge is our music teacher and Miss Rowena L. Brown of Leominster is our drawing teacher, Miss Loomis marrying in November and resigning.
5
Regarding our High School we were not at all sure that it would be wise to open in September because of so few pupils who were certain to return. We took a census of those pupils who were likely to return and found that only one could be counted on for the senior year, while there would be none for the junior year. Fifteen would likely be the most for the first two years.
Considering the possibility that the Northbridge High School, at Whitinsville, would take them at an average cost of tuition throughout the state and adding adequate transportation charges, we figured that we could save some money with the assistance of the State by transporting the whole school. We went so far as to inquire of the School Committee and the School Superintendent of Northbridge if they would take our pupils up to twenty. For one reason and another, one being that our pupils might possibly take too much of the teachers' time, which properly should be spent with Northbridge pupils, the Northbridge Committee did not give us a prompt answer and fearing to wait too long and risk losing our chance to get a teacher we contracted with Mr. Holmes of Hope Valley, R. I., to take charge of our High School for the 1918-1919 year. The advice of a member of the State Board of Education also influenced us not to close our High School. He advised us that if we had no higher classes of study than our grades in town, the pupils finishing the grades would be more likely to consider their school days over at that point and have no ambition to go further. He further advised that we con- solidate our seventh and eighth grades with the first and second year of our High School, making what is known as a Junior High School, thereby having three teachers to do the work instead of two. The lone senior pupil we could very likely enter in some neigh- boring town school. This advice was taken and we are now oper- ating a Junior High School, the third and fourth year pupils being transported to Whitinsville. The parents of three other pupils, besides those of our previously lone senior, decided that they would like their children to continue at home if they could com- plete their High School education at Whitinsville. These parents had believed that our school has not the facilities to do as much for their children as some of the larger High Schools, and until they knew of our plan to send our third and fourth year pupils to Whitinsville, were planning to send their children away to school at their own expense. The members of the Committee are not altogether satisfied that the facts will justify that belief and at this time are not at all sure the present arrangement will be carried through another year. We believe that pupils who want to learn can study and learn just as well here in East Doug- las as they can in Whitinsville or any other place.
6
We have added domestic science to our High School course and hope to see it become a valuable asset and an attraction.
This year we have found it necessary to overrun our appro- priations. Our expenditures have totalled $15,552.02 compared with $13,082.29 for the year 1917. The Commitee estimate that expenditures for 1919 will be over $16,000.00. Steadily increasing salaries of teachers with an unexpectedly big repair account are responsible. Higher salaries for teachers have certainly been due a long time and have at last arrived. Beginning the First of January, 1919, the minimum salary we can pay a teacher by State law is $550.00 per year. Repairs to school property cost us the past year $1,940.07 instead of the usual $500.00 or $600.00. This extra expense was necessary because of the very poor condition of the slate on the East Douglas brick school building and repairs to the chimneys.
The four rooms on the second floor of the East Douglas building were renovated the past summer. These rooms had not been touched for some years and needed attention badly.
For other details of the school year we refer to the reports of Superintendent, High School Principal and Supervisors of Music and Drawing, also to the report of the School Physician.
GILBERT W. ROWLEY,
Chairman Superintending Committee.
7
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Total amount appropriated by Town
$11,500 00
Total amount received from State
2,344 64
Received for tuition
42 00
Books credit
2 42
Town fund
56 48
Unexpended balance last year
1,363 57
$15,309 11
Total amount expended from January 1, 1918, to De- cember 31, 1918
15,552 02
Overdrawn
$242 91
ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES.
Teachers' salaries
$8,006 12
Superintendent's salary
840 00
Janitors
1,140 48
Fuel
1,114 63
General expense .
412 79
Books and supplies
819 43
Repairs .. .
1,940 07
Transportation
1,228 50
Physician
50 00
.
$15,552 02
S
Appropriations are asked for as follows :
General expenses, including Superintendent's salary, expenses of school committee and enforcement of the law $700 00
Expenses of instruction, including teachers' salaries, text books and supplies, and night school, also miscellaneous expenses in connection with the schools 9,000 00
Expenses of operating school plants, including jan- itors' salaries, fuel, and miscellaneous expenses in connection with operating school plants 2,200 00 Maintenance, repairs, etc., of school buildings 600 00
Auxiliary agencies, including health and transportation 1,500 00
Miscellaneous expenses (sundries) 500 00
$14,500 00
GILBERT W. ROWLEY, WILLIAM T. LOOMIS, FRANK H. BIRD,
Superintending Committee.
9
REPORT OF THE
Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of Douglas :
I herewith submit my fourth annual report of the schools of Douglas, it being the seventeenth in the series of superintendents' reports of this district.
Although the schools have been seriously interfered with dur- ing the year by various children's diseases, unusually inclement weather, and especially by the influenza epidemic, which necessi- tated the loss of four weeks' time, yet the attendance on the whole has been above the average, and the work good.
The most notable event during the year has been the abolish- ing of the regular four years' high school, and the establishing of a Junior High School. This was strongly recommened by the State Board of Education, and in view of the constantly decreasing membership of high school pupils, it seemed desirable.
The school as now constituted includes what were formerly the seventh and eighth grades and the freshmen and sophomores of the former high school. The one senior, and the three pupils of the junior class are now being sent to the Whitinsville high school, one-half of the tuition and transportation being paid by the state. The Junior High School has a membership of over fifty pupils and the studies are in part those of the grammar and the high school. Thus far the change has worked well, and more improvement still is confidently expected.
There has been no greater improvement in the Douglas schools, in my opinion, than the longed for introduction of
IO
domestic science, which went into effect with the opening of the schools in September. Sewing is taught to the girls of the seventh grade and cooking to those of the eighth, ninth and tenth grades. All girls of the school with one exception take this subject, and all are very enthusiastic. A visit to the cooking classes will con. vince anyone of this fact.
Already commendable results have been accomplished, and the outlook for the rest of the year is correspondingly bright.
Recently hot lunches have been prepared and served by the girls of the cooking class to the twenty to twenty-five pupils of the schools who bring their dinners. A small amount sufficient only to pay for the cost of the materials used is charged. Thus the health and comfort of the children are being contributed to.
It is planned to have the boys of the school devote the same amount of time to manual training as is. given by the girls to domestic science. At present, however, there is no suitable room available for this purpose. Consequently the greater part of the manual training periods has been given to mechanical drawing, in which the boys have become much interested. Nearly all wood- working should be preceded and accompanied by working draw- ings. Therefore, though there has been no actual bench work as yet, the time has not been wasted.
The greatest problem to be worked out is where the work in manual training is to be carried on.
If the upper part of the high school building could be finished off, making two good-sized rooms for domestic science and man- ual training, the problem would be solved. This plan, however, would involve quite an outlay of money, and this has not seemed to meet with universal favor. To take the classes to the unused part of the engine house on Cottage street, would mean a great loss of time, as well as some danger from too sudden changes in temperature in winter weather. A suitable workshop could be erected in the school yard, but in this case the heating problem comes in, as well as the expense of building.
If the town decides in the near future to erect a new town hall, and probably it is as well able financially to build now as it ever will be, the entire problem is satisfactorily and completely solved, as the present town hall could be utilized for a schoolroom for one of the grades, thus releasing for manual training one of the rooms now occupied by the grades in the brick building. Let us hope that this desirable outcome will be brought about.
Up to December 31, 1918, the pupils of the Douglas schools had purchased and own Thrift and War Stamps to an amount exceeding five thousand dollars, and at the time of the publication of the war savings stamp statistics of the schools in June, Douglas
[I
ranked third of the 286 municipalities reporting, in the value of the stamps owned per capita by pupils in the public schools. Since then the amount of stamps owned has doubled and the number of pupils owning them has increased from 46 to 63% .
The number of pupils in each school holding stamps and their value is as follows :-
Junior High School,
35 pupils 26 16
value
$1521 75 288 00
East Douglas, grade 6,
66
5,
27
66
66
2322 65
66
66
4,
40
66
161 75
66
66
66
2, 1a,
24 8
66
66
46 00
60
1b, 3
66
75
Douglas Ctr.,
66
4-7,
9
66
66
104 75
66
66
66
1-3, 16
66
66
205 50
So. Douglas, mixed,
2
66
8 00
West 6.
66
8
66
66
10 00
Total,
226
$5112 90
Besides this the pupils of the schools of the town of Douglas own Liberty Bonds to the value of $8750.
Who shall say that the pupils of our schools have not con- tributed towards winning the great world war?
Too many labor certificates have been issued to pupils desir- ing to go to work. In some cases it is necessary that pupils should leave school, but in a majority of cases it is a mistake. Statistics show that pupils have been leaving school for the past year at an alarming rate,-in some towns at an increase of 100% . Now the disastrous results are becoming apparent, and state and national efforts are being made for a back-to-school drive.
It was proved in our school report of last year that an educa- tion pays financially as well as in other ways, and that a boy or girl who leaves school before completing the course is losing mon- ey not making it. A bill is now before the Legislature which re- quires that the eighth grade be completed instead of the fourth as now, and which raises the school age to sixteen.
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