USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1880 > Part 3
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Largest daily circulation, Feb. 22, 1879. 452
Smallest June 10, 1879. 19
The number of cards issued during the year, 527; making a total of 2385 since the adoption of the slip system.
Number of postal card notices sent delinquents. . 151
Number of books recovered by personal application. 9
Number of books not returned, 3. Lydia Jones, 372 F., has left town ; resides in Conn. John Powers, Mendon road, 767 F., taken out July 19, 1879, Delia Mclaughlin, West street, 733 F., taken out May 3, 1879.
The volume reported in last town report as not returned, was recovered early in the library year.
49
48
During the year 4 volumes were stolen by a professional book thief, who is now serving a year's sentence in the House of Correc- tion, for the same offence in Clinton. The 4 volumes were recover- ed by the prompt assistance of Sheriff A. B. R. Sprague and Chief of Police Washburn of Worcester, to whom our special thanks are given.
There has been collected for fines, $61.71 ; and for catalogues, $5.70. The number of actual readers in the reading-room has been kept since March 1st, 1879, 289 days, amounting to 9053, an average of over 31 daily.
The number of books added during the year is 138; by pur- chase, 126 ; by donation, 6; bv binding Magazines and Patent Office reports, 6. The books donated were from U. S. Treasury Department, 1; Surgeon Gen. Barnes, 1; Massachusetts State documents, 4. I give below a statement showing classification, growth, size and use of our library, which I trust may be of inter- est.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
NATH'L. F. BLAKE, LIBRARIAN.
Milford, Feb. 13, 1880.
No. in cata- logue, 1879.
Additions.
Total No. of
volumes.
No. of vols.
issued in '78.
No. of vols.
issued in '79.
A.
History .
362
7
369
945
800
B.
Biography ..
542
20
562
916
913
C. Oratory, Politics and Law
514
5
519
88
100
D. Travels. ..
452
11
463
1765
1703
E. Science.
614
20
634
887
801
F. Fiction .
1331
31
1362
20117
18955
G.
Miscellaneous
574
12
586
1357
2255
H. Religion .
322
322
235
156
I.
Poetry. .
259
11
270
530
537
J. Juvenile .
477
21
498
9446
8270
Total.
5447
138
5585
36306 .
34490
Per cent. of Fiction and Juvenile in 1878, .81} nearly.
1879, a little less than . 79.
TREASURER'S REPORT OF MILFORD TOWN LIBRARY.
DR.
Cash from last report ...
800 00
E C Claflin, town appropriation ...
one-half dog tax .. 248 51
61 71
Librarian for fines ...
. 5 70
66
catalogues .
3 33
old papers .
2 42
66
books lost.
$1315 06
CR.
$300 00
Librarian
76 75
Care of reading room .
200 00
Rent of rooms ...
57 00
Insurance .
138 60
Gas . .
20 76
Coal.
15 50
Printing
36 68
Binding .
68 90
Papers and magazines .
144 48
Books .
3 00
Express ..
10 95
Stationery and incidentals
6 00
Blocks. .
2 00
Index Book.
9 35
Matting. ..
19 52
Covering Paper. .
205 57
Balance in treasury .
$1315 06
J. ALLEN RICE, Treasurer.
4
.
..
.
.
.
.
..
Accession during the year. .. No. of vols., as per catalogue Circulation . .
.. .
$193 39
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF VERNON GROVE CEMETERY,
For the year ending February 15, 1880.
We have given deeds of six lots, for which we have received sixty-four dollars. .
There have been fifty-two interments in the cemetery during the year.
The treasurer submits the following report :
DR.
To cash paid treasurer .. $45 01
66 for dressing .
6 00
" , for plants . . 1 95
for labor.
. 10 25
66
Bartlett & Ellis, repairs 2 55
$65 76
CR.
By cash received sale of lots. .
64 00
interest from W B Dyer estate.
9 00
66
Eunice Albee .estate. .
6.00
Theron Holbrook estate
6 00
$85 00
Balance in treasury. . $19 24
W. I. BRADBURY, SECRETARY.
W. IRVING BRADBURY, {
Term expires March, 1880. H. C. SKINNER,
JOHN M. WOOD, }
J. ALLEN FAY, Term expires March, 1881.
LEONARD FAIRBANKS,
ISAAC N. CROSBY, Term expires March, 1882. 45
REPORT OF THE PARK COMMITTEE.
At the last annual town meeting the undersigned were elected a committee to have, in conjunction with the Board of Selectmen, the care and supervision of the town park, and to make report of their doings to the town, Pursuant to the above vote, we submit the following :
The town appropriated $100 to be expended in replacing the trees previously set upon the park, and which had died, and in planting trees in the grove as should be found necessary. The committee have procured and planted 112 trees, of different varie- ties, at a gross cost of $99.75, leaving a balance of 25 cents of the appropriation unexpended.
The trees procured and planted were principally maples of dif- ferent varieties, elms and lindens. About 60 were needed to fill the gaps in the rows, and the balance were set in the grove. The parties from whom the trees were purchased will furnish six more the coming spring free of cost, to replace any that did not grow.
By careful preservation of the trees now growing, and the preservation and use of the seedlings that from year to year spring up in the grove, the committee believe no further expenditure of any great amount will be necessary. A small outlay from . time to time may be wise to procure trees for ornamental grouping, etc., but the amount which should be expended in this direction will be small.
As is well known, two ancient drains, or water courses, enter the park from the north side, and the water flowing therefrom, to- gether with the overflow from the spring, is carried through open ditches, or soaks into the ground, at the lower or east side of the park.
The committee earnestly recommend that suitable covered drains be constructed connecting with the drain built by the town, near the land of A. W. Keene, to carry off the water, and that the scrapings and refuse of the streets be used to grade up the low
.
+
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places, and make even and uniform the surface of the ground ; ar for that purpose, we ask an appropriation of $200. This being a complished, little else remains to be done, except to take eare what we have and let nature do the rest. A taste for landseap gardening and park deeoration in eities and towns, is rapidly gait ing and extending among our people, and cities and towns that d not take measures to provide themselves with suitable parks an commons, are behind the times. By the public spirit and liberali of our older citizens, we have a park which, with eare and judieior improvement, can be made equal, or superior, to any one owned b a town of the size of ours in the State, and it simply remains f us of the present day to carry on the good work begun 15 year ago. A reasonable outlay from year to year to make our town a tractive and enjoyable, is money well expended, and will earn f us the gratitude of future generations ; and a park such as our properly preserved and fostered, will be a continual source of prid and enjoyment to the people of Milford.
Respectfully submitted.
DWIGHT RUSSELL, ) Z. C. FIELD, H. E. FALES,
Park Committee.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE
TOWN OF MILFORD.
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1879-80.
MILFORD, MASS. Cook and Sons, Steam Job Printers, Journal Office, 1880.
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
MATTHEW CALLANAN, ) deadCHARLES A. DEWEY,
Term expires 1880.
dead GEORGE W. JOHNSON,
dun ZIBEON C. FIELD,
Term expires 1881.
dead CHARLES J. THOMPSON, Acad GEORGE G. PARKER,
Term expires 1882.
dear JOHN W. ALLARD,
Superintendent of Schools.
REPORT.
The School Committee submit the following report.
The appropriations made for the support of our schools the past year were as follows :
For salaries of teachers. $16500 00
salary of Superintendent . . 1200 00
expenses of evening school . 500 00 .
care of schoolhouses. 1000 00 .
fuel . 1000 00 .
repairs 1000 00
incidentals.
750 00
received from dog tax . 311 74
received from school fund. 220 35
$22,482 09
The expenses of the year have been :
Salaries of teachers. $15984 50
Salary of Superintendent. . 1266 66
Care of houses. . . 958 01
Fuel . 973 29
Repairs . 1005 08
Evening school 443 99
Incidentals
1197 20
$21.828 73
During the past year, a change has been made in the important office of Superintendent of our schools ; and your Committee deem- ed themselves highly fortunate last summer in securing the services of one so well qualified to discharge the duties of the office as Mr. John W. Allard. Possessed of those qualities of head and heart es- sential to success in such a position, he has had a large share of practical experience as a teacher in High schools, and elsewhere, and has served as School Superintendent in other towns for a con- siderable number of years, in an acceptable manner. He has now been with us, acting in that capacity, for two terms, and your Com- mittee feel entirely satisfied with the work he has done in supervis- ing our schools.
We believe in the great importance, or rather the necessity, of a good Superintendent in a town like Milford, in order to maintain
4
the due effieieney of our sehools. Some of our citizens indeed think it is incurring a needless expense to hire a Superintendent to do the work formerly done by the committee ; but we look at this matter in a very different light, and we are united in regarding this expen- diture as an an eminently judicious one. Considering the large sum of more than twenty thousand dollars annually spent in the eduea- tion of our children in the publie schools, it is surely of the first im- portance that this money should be expended to the best advantage. An able and impartial Superintendent ean do much to aid the Com- mittee in seleeting suitable teachers for our schools, and in promot- ing those who are worthy of promotion, in case an opportunity oe- curs. And our teachers should be instrueted by him as to the best modes of maintaining good order and diseipline, of imparting knowl- edge to those under their care, and of awakening and stimulating their interest in their studies. There is an immense deal of money wasted in this country every year, from the want of this very thing -suitable supervision of our common schools.
In order to seeure competent supervision, to proeure and retain the serviees of a suitable Superintendent, there must be a reasona- bly adequate salary attached to the office. And so we regretted to see the annual appropriation for this purpose cut down from fifteen hundred to twelve hundred dollars. We eannot think this good economy on the part of the town, and desire specially to call the attention of our fellow-citizens to the expedieney of inereasing this appropriation.
While we thought this reduetion unwise, we have seen fit to re- duee the salary of the Principal of the High school to $1500, and the salaries of three Principals of our Grammar sehools to $600 each.
Although we are well aware that this town cannot afford to be extravagant in any direction, we do feel that the edueation of the common people is essential to the prosperity of the State, and in- deed to the very existence of the Republic. We feel that what is worth doing, is worth doing well, and that the community should willingly pay whatever may be necessary to maintain in all their in- tegrity those great pillars upon which rests the whole fabric of our national liberties. Let not the citizens of Milford, then, be dispos- ed to economise too elosely, as they appropriate money for the ser- vices of those engaged in that most important work of training up our boys and girls to become useful members of society :
After due deliberation, your Committee recommend the follow- ing appropriations for the coming year :
For salaries of teachers. .
salary of Superintendent.
.$16,500 00
eare of schoolhouses.
1,500 00
fuel . .
1,000 00
1,000 00
5
repairs . ..
ineidentals . 1,000 00
evening school. 500 00
$22,500 00
C. A. DEWEY, Chairman.
d. A. C. J. THOMPSON, Seeretary. bad.G. W. JOHNSON, Z. C. FIELD, M. CALLANAN, FindG. G. PARKER.
PAID FOR TEACHING.
Silas W Hale.men ... $1497 50
Clara M Howard. ........... 585 00
Anna M Baneroft .. 487 50
87 50
Lillie B Godfrey .
281 25
Mary A Parkhurst. .
xMrs Jennie A Whiting. ........ 616 00
114 00
X Sarah C Belcher . .
330 00
Ada A Skinner. A.d .....
616 00
X Helen S Eames. de pal.
342 00
Alice B Chapin . . .
306 00
Mary F Devine . .. . . .
306 00
Eva R Draper. ........
216 00 400 00 342 00
Y Edward Day . . Carra V Saddler ...........
306 00
YLilla B Cook. . Mary F Aylward. R.o. Minnie L Mann. ......
306 00
396 00
X Carrie L Harris .. Kate E Martin. E.d.v.ovde
396 00 396 00
306 00 Jennie M Russell .......
306 00
Susan E Inman. ..
306 00
Faustina M Knight. ........ .. .€
342 00
Delia C Gleason ...
306 00
Kate Chapin.
306 00
X Julia M Barry . . Anna L Adams ......... .
306 00
Annie E Sheldon. .. .......
306 00
S Eldora Sheldon . . . .
294 00
Maggie L Murphy .. ... o.d.
306 00
306 00
Susan E Broderiek . ..
.. .
.
.
. .... .
.
.
.
.
.
.
306 00
Maggie F Madden lenta.
..
Mary J Kelley. ......
306 00
.
Ellen A Moriarty . ......
1,000 00
.
7
Hannah M Broderick. 204 00
Mary E. Cochran. .... .. ... ..
Sarah F Burns. menmed /- 301 75
306 00
Mary J Kelley, 2d ............... 306 00
Ann Augusta Cay. maaned. 306 00 .
Jennie L Goodrich. ? married
306
00
X Amanda C Scammell .......... 204 00
Julia E Connolly. .
102 00
Eva E Norcross ...
396 00 Kate A Wallace .... .... ..
306 00 Emilie T Hart . 13 ....
306
00
XFlora M Knowlton ..
204 00
X Eva W Cook.
102 00
yMallie F Gleason .
204 00
$15,984 50
Unexpended ..
515 50
$16,500 00
Appropriation. .
$16,500
SUPERINTENDENT.
John W Simonds.
$666 66
John W Allard ..
600 00
$1266 66
Appropriation .
$1200 00
Exceeded appropriation . 66 66
$1266 00
CARE OF SCHOOL HOUSES.
Silas W Hale ..
$ 97 50
William Kelley.
150 35
William Cochrane.
33 33
Patrick Donahue.
87 33
Ira Wight ..
121 50
John Burke.
36 00
George W Walker.
12 00
Wallace Stimpson
24 00
Carrie L Harris
18 00
A A Cay ....
18 00
A O Cheney.
6 00
Amanda C Scammell
12 00
Julia E Connolly ..
6 00
Hannah M Broderick .
12 00
Eva E Norcross .
18 00
Frank Morrill.
108 00
Kate A Wallace. 18 00
. 18 00
Emilie T Hart.
Flora M Knowlton . 12 00
6 00
Eva W Cook .. .
54 00
Mary Milan. . . . .
18 00
Patrick Madden .
36 00
John Brannon .
Susan R Broderick. 18 00
18 00
Mary J Kelley, 2d .
$958 01
Unexpended .
41 99
$1000 00
Appropriation for care, $1000.
PAID FOR REPAIRS.
Field & Crosby, lumber for various repairs. $ 88 41
27 43
John W. Simonds, cash paid for repairs.
E. M. Noyes, repairs at sundry school houses. . 48 43
Gaylon Davis, shingling Braggville and West st. school houses .
173 00
Eldredge & Beattey, sundry repairs.
4 92
J. E. Batten, carting desks, &c. ..
Jas. Bergin, repairs at High school, So. Grammar, Plains, City, &c. .
95 97
Jas. Bergen, Shingling Bear Hill school house.
8 59
. Bartlett & Ellis, repairs to doors, &c ... do do of stoves, &c., &c .. . .
6 05
Geo. H. Kendall, do
at Claflin school ..
42 26
T. E. Morse, glazing, &c ...
69 78
J. W. Harris, repairs of stoves, &c ..
14 74 .
Sidney W. Pierce, repairs at High school and Braggville N. England Furnishing Co., desks at High school ....
80 00
$952 45
52 63
Charged by the town for grading school yards. ..
...
$1,005 08
Appropriation for repairs ...
$5 08
Exceeded the appropriation ...
PAID FOR FUEL.
Barney & Son, for wood, delivered in spring .. 0 28
do 66 " . contracted for in the summer, 83 83
262 90
Field & Crosby, " coal, delv. in spring . ... 66 " contracted for in June. . ·
581 78
do
·
.
.. .
.
.
.
.
. .
.
1,000 00
.
37 12
119 73
136 02
A Oreanna Cheney ... married 102 00 .
. .
6
9
E. H. Hildreth, shavings .. 4 50
$973 29
Unexpended
26 71
$1,000 00
Appropriation for fuel. . $1,000
PAID FOR EVENING SCHOOL.
B H Montague, janitor. . $ 10 50
Chas. J Thompson, teacher, spring 1879. 143 75
do winter 1879-80. 225 00
do 66 for cash paid blackboard, &c. 11 74
13 00
Charged by town for gas.
40 00
$443 99
Unexpended ..
56 01
$500 00
Appropriation for Evening School, $500.
John W Simonds, cash paid for rent of office, 1878, books for indigent pupils, desk books, and sundry school supplies. ..
$163 92
John W Simonds, cash paid for books and furniture in Superintendent's office. . 267 77
John W Simonds, sundries for school use. .
158 75
Thomas Donahue, truant officer. ..
20 00
Thomas Quirk, use of well at Plains.
5 00
John Gleason, Hoboken .
3 00
Richmond Stone,
No. Purchase, 2 yrs ..
8 00
John Madden, 66
West street.
5 00
Timothy Wallace, 66
Bear Hill .
5 00
O B Parkhurst 66
Old Town House.
5 00
G O Hatch, Hopedale .. . 5 00
George W Stacy, printing, ink and stationery. 36 74
George G Parker, rent of Superintendent's office. 45 00
Cook & Sons, printing and notices. 33 00
George E. Stacy, for services as secretary . 25 00
J W Harris, sundry supplies ... 46 01
66 furnace and pipe for High school .. 237 00
H E Morgan, chemicals for High school ...
3 43
13 05
Milford Gas Light company, gas at High school .. . R C Eldridge, repairing clocks . .
1 75
C W Wilcox,
3 00
A S Tuttle, school supplies.
6 15
John Gaffeney, labor .. 4 00
D B Jenks, stove pipe and labor. 7 33
Jolin W Allard, for cash paid for books for teachers' desks and indigent pupils . .
89 30
$1197 20
84 89
Unexpended .
$1282 09
Appropriation by vote of town. $750 00
State fund for schools. 311 74
One-half the dog tax.
220 35
$1282 09
Whole amount appropriated by vote of the town for
$21,950 00 schools. ..
Amount of State fund and one-half dog tax.
532 09
Total appropriations . . $22,482 09 Total amount of expenditures. 21,828 73
Field & Crosby, coal . .
Within the total appropriation .
$653 36
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11
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
GENTLEMEN OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
In compliance with your regulations, I respectfully submit my first annual report, which is also the third of the consecutive series of annual reports made by the Superintendents of the schools of Milford.
Your schools have nearly completed the work of another year ; it is my present duty to record the results. The history of any year does not often differ materially from that of the preceding, except in those perfected changes which spring from steady growth and healthy development. The noblest growth of a State comes by a slow but constant development of all its resources. A compre- hensive system of free schools, which is a main and essential elc- ment in the prosperity of the State, cannot form an exception to this law.
All our citizens are interested in learning how public money is expended and what results are sought from the expenditure. It is my purpose to show clearly to the town, which has so willingly fur- nished the means requisite for the support of the schools-our edu- cational resources, the system under which our schools are man- aged, the work which they have accomplished during the year, the deficiencies and obstacles now lying in the path of progress, and the steps necessary to avoid these deficiencies and surmount these ob- stacles.
When I entered upon the duties of the Superintendent of Mil- ford schools, in September last, all the teachers had been assigned, the promotion lists had been made, and were on file in this office, the schools had been fully organized, and one-third of the school year had passed. It was my first duty to inform myself thoroughly in regard to the wants and condition of each school. A single visit, however long, could not give the needed information. Schools must be visited on many different days, and at different hours, to observe the varied phases of their work. First impressions, though lasting, arc not always just. In several instances I have been forced by subsequent visits to modify materially, or completely change, opinions which had been based on secondary evidence or previous visits.
The general heads of "inspection," which embraces instruction and "examination," include the most important duties of a Super- intendent. An English writer says :
"By 'inspection ' is meant the process of seeing a school at work in the course of its ordinary routine; noting how it is instructed, warmed, ventilated, furnished and supplied with apparatus and materials; how its journals, registers and other records are kept; what is the course of edu- cation, physical, intellectual and moral, which it supplies to its scholars; whether it is conducted on the most approved system of economizing time and labor; what is the order of discipline; what the relations of the scholars are to the teachers and to each other; how the teachers give their lessons, and how, in all respects, they are qualified to perform, and do per- form, their duties.
By 'examination ' is meant the testing, by written and oral question- ing of the scholars, whether the results of instruction given the school are satisfactory."
While seeking to combine in my work the most essential things embraced under the above general heads, the duties of inspection have seemed the more important even to the present month. Ex- amination, especially oral questioning, will be more searching and extended during the coming term.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
The schools of this town occupy two brick and eighteen wood- en buildings. The care and expense of keeping twenty school- houses with their furniture, out-buildings, and inclosures in proper repair, must annually be great. If needed repairs are not made in due season, the schools often suffer, and the final expense is doubled. A committee having ample funds can in two or three years save hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars, by acting promptly on the weekly reports of the Superintendent.
I understand that several extensive but unexpected alterations and repairs were made early in the year. Many minor, and some important, ones are now necessary. The South Grammar, Park Grammar, North Grammar, Old Town House, Fountain street, and perhaps other buildings, should receive early attention.
A change of the partitions in the upper room at the Town House would give another good school room, and perhaps enable you to dispense with one teacher in some less populous neighbor- hood.
In all New England towns, great improvements have been made recently in the condition of the school buildings and grounds. Nearly all your school premises, with a few notable exceptions, have suitable out-buildings and are inclosed with substantial fences.
The first requisite of a good school is, in truth, a good teacher. Yet all parents recognize the helping influences of pleasant home- surroundings upon their children. A due regard for a healthy and pure culture of the children at school, demands that all the material circumstances of their education and sports should be clean, pleas- ant and salutary. The school yards, and not the streets or neigh-
1
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boring premises, are the proper places for the children to enjoy rest and recreation during the recesses and intermissions. These grounds should be spacious, well-graded, enclosed with neat and strong fences and adorned with shade trees wherever these will not seriously interfere with the children's play. The South Grammar, the Park and the High School well illustrate these principles. The grounds of the North Grammar ( Plains) school should be drained and enlarged ; those of the Claflin, your finest school building, should be fenced.
SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION.
Thirteen Primary schools, six Grammar schools, with their sev- enteen different rooms, eight Mixed or District schools, one Evening school, and one High school, have been taught during the year. FORTY-TWO teachers have been employed eaclı term.
Under the old system, I am informed that pupils of average ability remained in the Primary and Intermediate grades-both be- ing now classed as Primary-from three to five years, then lingered in the Grammar schools from five to seven years, and then the sur- vivors entered upon a High school course of four years. Last year's report states that "the dreadful slowness which prevailed in the methods of promotion has been removed." Under the present sys- tem, which was devised last year, the average primary pupils can reach the Grammar schools after four years of easy work, and the Grammar school children will be well prepared for the High school at the end of another four years.
Many children can complete the Primary course in two or three years ; but, as a general rule, it will be the safer and wiser plan for the pupil to occupy all of the allotted time in accomplishing the work of the several grades.
In hundreds of Western towns and cities, and in scores of New England towns, the Grammar school course is well completed, ac- cording to the four years' plan which you have indorsed.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
Before reporting upon the Primary, Grammar and High schools, I wish to consider some great hindrances to educational progress. Irregular attendance, next to poor teaching, is the greatest obstacle to the success of the schools in this State ; these are often intimately connected as canse and effect. Over-crowded school rooms, especi- ally for the Primary grades, are discouraging and ruinous in their effects upon teachers and pupils. These topics, except attendance, will be discussed under the head of "Primary Schools."
A Superintenden is expected "to exert his personal influence to secure general and regular attendance in the public schools." Hence it has been my aim, not merely to bring within, but also to keep within the school rooms, as many as possible of the children of Milford. Of necessity, there must be many instances of absence and lateness. Harsh and injudicious attempts to reduce these be-
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