USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Williamsburg > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Williamsburg 1895-1915 > Part 13
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SEVENTEENTH. - To see if the town will vote to accept of the gift from Mrs. L. D. James of a certain piece of land in the rear of the school house and Town hall, subject to the condi- tions named in the deed of the same.
EIGHTEENTH .- To see if the town will vote to raise and 1 appropriate a sum of money, or take any other action, toward paying the bill (of fifty dollars) presented to the town by Thomas C. Mahar, for services rendered as a member of the committee appointed by the town to secure a reduction of fares on the Street Railway between Williamsburg and . Northampton.
NINETEENTH. - To see if the town will enact a By-Law regarding the driving of cattle through the streets and high- ways of our town.
Treasurer's Report.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last report, $ 1,219 51
Received from Temporary Loans, 10,000 00
Taxes of 1901, 1,676 44
Taxes of 1902, 12,170 17
for schooling of State Wards, 135 50
City of Bos- ton Wards,
342 00
Interest on Deposits,
82 65
Interest on Unpaid Taxes,
10 35
Compensation of Ins. of animals, 14 10
Burial of deceased soldiers,
35 00
Rent of Town Hall,
64 50
Sundry Licenses,
10 00
Income of Collins School
Fund,
636 63
Mass. School
Fund, 526 34
Whiting Street
Fund,
210 00
Supt. of Schools
Fund, 224 16
Refund of Dog Tax,
162 62
State Corporation Tax,
151 59
National Bank Tax,
624 76
State Aid, 1
723 00
Mrs. Margaret McGee
pension,
96 00
5
Received for Mrs. Emily Hill pension, 48 00 from City of Northampton Poor Account, 104 00
Town of Chesterfield Tuition, 31 20
Northampton St. Rail- way Co. for painting bridges, 16 00
G. M. Bradford for sluices on State high- way, 50 00
for Street Railway Tax, 841 67
Support of State pauper,
6 00
Transportation of State pauper, 3 30
Rent of Strong house, 48 00
from Town of Northboro Poor Account, 46 00
$30,309 49 ---
EXPENDITURES.
Total receipts,
*30,309 39
Paid State Tax,
$ 480 00
County Tax,
1,651 67
Temporary Loans,
1,500 00
on orders of School Committee,
7,417 95
for support of poor,
1,868 40
Highways and Bridges,
3,023 43
Contingent account,
1,702 57
Street Lights,
434 24
Soldiers' Relief,
283 54
Fire Department,
205 09
Special Police, 65 00
Haydenville Library,
100 00
Rebuilding Mack Bridge, 200 00
Repairs on Town Hall, 186 63
on State Aid'account, 664 00
6
Paid on Interest account, $ 333 97
Memorial Day Committee, 50 00
Almoners of Whiting Street Fund,
210 00
District Court fees, 82 88
Returns of Vital Statistics,
9 25
Burial of deceased soldiers, 70 00
Penalty for failure to make re- turns under Section 42, Chapter 81, Revised Laws,
11 00
Balance cash on hand, 9,759 87
$30,309 49
COLLINS SCHOOL FUND.
Div. on 20 shares Northampton
National Bank Stock, $200 00
Div. on 20 shares Hampshire Co.
National Bank Stock, 80 00
Div. on 12 shares Mechanic
National Bank Stock, 48 00
Div. on 21 shares First National
Bank of Northampton, 126 00
Div. on 21 shares First National
Bank of Greenfield, 126 00
Interest at Haydenville S. B.,
56 63
$636 63 636 63
Paid School Committee,
SCHOOL ASSETS.
Town appropriation,
$4,200 00
for Superintendent, 380 00
Text Books, 350 00
Repairs, 250 00
Tuition, 180 00
Received from State School Fund,
526 34
Collins School Fund, 636 63
Supt. of Schools Fund, 224 16
7
Received from City of Boston,
342 00
State of Massachusetts, 135 50
Refund of Dog Tax, 162 62 Town of Chesterfield tui- tion, 31 20
$7,418 45
l'aid on orders of School Committee,
$7,417 95
Balance, 50
$7,418 45
TOWN ASSETS.
Remainder in Treasury,
$9,759 87
Due on taxes of 1902
1,588 60
on State aid,
664 00
from City of Northampton, 34 00
66 from State on Insp. of animals, 13 50
from Town of Adams on Guyotte case, 170 06
County of Hampshire for allowance
on Chesterfield road repairs, 100 00
$12,330 03
TOWN LIABILITIES.
Due Worcester North Savings Bank, $10,000 00
" R. F. Burke,
125 00
BALANCE ABOVE LIABILITIES.
2,205 03
-$12,330 03
INTEREST ACCOUNT.
Paid Worcester North Inst. for Savings $304 17
Haydenville Savings Bank, 19 30
Williamsburg Cemetery Association interest on Baker legacy, 10 50
$333 97
Received for interest on deposits, $ 82 65
unpaid taxes, 10 35
Balance, 240 97
$333 97
Town appropriation,
$200 00
8
DOGS.
Whole number Licensed, 108.
Whole number of males, @ $2, 106, $212 00 females @ 5, 2, 10 00
Clerk's fees,
$222 00 21 60
Paid County Treasurer,
$200 40
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY W. HILL, Treasurer.
Town Officers' Report,
For the Year Ending Feb. 1, 1903.
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
To the citizens of Williamsburg:
Your Selectmen, Treasurers, School and other Commit- tees hereby present the report of their doings, for the year ending February 1, 1903.
The last annual report showed our town to have over $2200 of assets above all liabilities. Our this year's report shows a like condition of over $2200 of assets in cash, taxes and other amounts due us above all liabilities.
Our highway expenses have been unusually heavy this year, owing to extra expense on labor expended on the Ches- terfield road to the amount of $684.97, said work being done under order of the County Commissioners, for which they allow $100 reimbursement to the town. We have also been to extra expense this year on repairs of the highway on Main street in Williamsburg village to the amount of $351.23. We felt that this was work that needed much to be done, and we trust it will meet with the approval of the citizens when the same is completed. We have also expended for painting the eleven iron bridges in town $136.02. We have in round num- bers forty-three miles of highways in town (beside State high- way) to keep in repair ; also nineteen bridges.
10
At our last annual meeting it was suggested that the amounts expended by the different surveyors should be given separately. This we have done, as shown by the report giv- ing the distances of each surveyor's section, with the amount expended by each surveyor. Attention is called to the fact that of amount expended by Frank W. Wells $49.61 was for repairs on sidewalk to Williamsburg Cemetery, on Village Hill.
The unusual heavy expense on the Chesterfield road was in consequence of several large sluices put in by direction of the County Commissioners.
The road is now acknowledged to be in better shape than it has been before for thirty years, and is acceptable to the petitioners for the special repairs that have been made.
We have good reason for expecting that the State high- way will be completed to Williamsburg village the coming season.
The following is a list of the appropriations for the year 1902, with the itemized expenditures under each.
ITEMS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Schools,
$4,200 00
Contingent,
800 00
Poor,
1,800 00
Highways,
1,400 00
School Superintendent,
380 00
Text books,
350 00
General repairs on school houses,
250 00
Tuition,
180 00
Soldiers' relief,
150 00
Street lights,
450 00
Fire department,
250 00
Memorial day,
50 00
Interest,
200 00
11
Special police, Public library, Mack bridge, Repairs on town hall,
$ 100 00
100 00
200 00
175 00
-- $11,035 00
HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE EXPENSES.
HIGHWAY SURVEYORS.
Rob Bradley,
Joseph S. Graves,
John O'Neil,
John Ice,
Frank W. Wells,
George A. Thresher,
Fred A. Shumway,
E. P. Hemenway,
Fred L. Guilford,
H. H. Nichols,
Willard Williams,
Myron N. Adams.
Robert Bradley,
team and labor,
$136 35
Myron Adams
66
42 70
H. H. Nichols,
66
66 57
F. L. Guilford,
66
303 60
H. H. Cranson,
18 55
E. P. Hemenway,
61 95
F. W. Wells,
66
90 68
Mari Wells,
96 89
C. R. Damon,
22 75
Fred A. Shumway,
66
91 08
A. L. Towne,
10 50
Byron Loomis,
66
66
38 .15
F. A. Brooks, .
7,00
G. M. Bradford,
66
10 50
C. B. Tower,
6 6
8 00
Geo. A. Thresher,
66
93 55
E. Cyrus Miller,
29 75
Willard Williams,
66
31 90
66
12
Orange Hill,
labor, $ 6 00
John Grace,
3 00
Charles Heath,
5 25
Julius Vachelli,
16 50
Horace Rice, 66
4 50
D. O. Wait,
. .
7 50
H. D. Wait,
9 00
Warren Cass,
15 75
John Cass,
21 00
M. L. Sornborger,
21 25
Joseph Rock,
66
6 00
John Fisher,
19 50
Lewis H. Cranson,
22 05
George Harris,
66
4 50
William Harris,
66
9 75
William O'Brien,
57 32
John Geeser,
66
18 60
Felix Prince,
3 00
William Prince,
4 50
Walter D. Cowing,
3 00
Frank Cowing,
22 25
A. E. Emrick,
1 56
Joseph St. Lawrence,
12 00
Thomas Foran,
4 95
John O'Neil,
5 00
PAINTING BRIDGES.
Garfield Oil Co., for paint,
$25 63
James M. Pierce, 66
18 50
J. Russell & Co.,
3 80
A. G. Cone,
5 00
Brooks Express,
· 80
E. M. Brady, team and labor,
5 25
L. J. Morrissey, labor,
77 04
$136 02
13
REPAIRS ON MAIN STREET, WILLIAMSBURG.
F. A. Brooks, for 734 yards gravel, delivered,
$237 96
H. N. Brewster, for tile, catch basin, etc., 56 20
G. M. Bradford, teaming,
3 00
Daniel Wade, labor,
4 50
F. W. Wells, 10 08
Howard Wells, 66
75
Geo. Brazell,
8 75
Dennis Brazell, ..
4 00
Wm. O'Brien,
12 00
Charles Jones,
2 09
E. C. and E. E. Davis, engineering,
5 90
J. J. Handfield, for iron,
6 00
$351 23
HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE EXPENSES.
J. C. Babineau,
labor
97 91
H. W. Graves,
5 00
S. A. Clark,
1 50
Joseph Brown,
1 72
George Loomis,
6 67
Ernest Rhood,
3 75
N. H. Damon,
7 50
C. S. Damon,
2 50
Graves Brothers,
2 60
John Kinney,
14 67
D. E. Clary,
2 50
Ellsworth Leonard,
15 42
C. A. L. Patch,
22 91
L. C. Graves,
4 00
Joseph S. Graves,
20 25
Thomas Stone,
3 00
Henry S. Kempkis
7 98
James H. Loud,
5 68
John Wade,
6 75
F. Meredith,
2 10
66
14
Thomas Culver,
8 75
William Zaskey, . 6
1 95
Edward Black,
97 41
John Black,
20 83
Adelbert L. Wait,
11 25
Herbert Cheeney,
3 75
William Crow,
4 50
John Ice, 60
28 40
C. H. Church,
3 50
P. J. Kelley,
5 75
L. Dolan,
1 38
Thomas Dolan,
1 00
John Dumbsky,
7 50
Francis Culver,
19 50
A. P. Miller,
66
4 50
Sherwood Miller,
6 75
F. C. Miller,
4 00
John Welch,
66
24 50
James Welch, 66
42 67
A. E. Everett,
10 00
Ernest Kinney,
84
Thomas J. Ryan,
8 34
H. W. Warner,
66
3 00
Wm. H. Warner,
7 00
J. C. Mellen, 66
4 50
A. E. Lawton,
24 70
George Brazell,
18 90
Frank Loomer,
23 63
C: A. Nichols,
2 25
J. P. Davenport,
11 25
SUNDRY BILLS.
F. W. Thayer, nails, etc.,
$ 4 48
E. T. Barrus & Co., 66
14 36
Metcalf & Sheehan,
76
C. F. Norton, Blacksmithing,
2 80
J. J. Handfield, 66
8 03
15
J. H. O'Brien, 50
H. N. Brewster & Co., tile,
6 58
J. A. Sullivan, merchandise, 2 55
Foster Bros.,
15 25
G. M. Bradford, Lumber,
4 45
F. A. Shumway, posts and railing,
12 90
J. Walter Nash, posts and railing,
3 50
A. Tanner, Gravel,
4 85
Thomas Culver,
4 60
E. M. Imswiller,
70
L. Dolan,
25
F. A. Brooks,
4 20
H. G. Hill,
15 15
$105 91
George A. Thresher, Bridge Plank, $238 88
Repairs on State Highway, 80 48
Total, $3,023 43
AVAILABLE FOR HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE EXPENSES
Appropriation,
$1,400 00
Balance Street Railway Tax on hand,
660 52
Street Railway Corporation Tax, 1902, 841 67
66
Excise Tax, 1902, 363 26
66
66 Painting Bridges, 16 00
G. M. Bradford, on ac. of State Road, 50 00
$3,340 45
Appropriation recommended for 1903,
1,400 00
HIGHWAY EXPENSES BY DISTRICTS.
Robert Bradley, Mountain Street and
Haydenville, distance 712 miles
$334 95
Joseph S. Graves,
2
43.75
John O'Neil,
1/2
5 00
John Ice, 4 14
86 45
Myron Adams, 2 . .
17 70
Frank W. Wells,
21/2
317 12
H. H. Nichols,
212 66
94 96
E. P. Hemenway,
4 71 63
16
F. A. Shumway, distance 512 miles 211 83
Geo. A. Thresher, 4 110 30
Willard Williams, 3
132 25
F. L. Guilford. 66
6
684 97
EXPENDITURES UNDER CONTINGENT ACCOUNT.
Paid J. W. Hill,
Auditor,
$
2 50
Byron Loomis, 2 50
H. E. Bradford, Registrar, 5 00
C. A. Phillips,
66
5 00
Emil H. Miller,
7 50
H, W. Hill, 7 00
W. S. Smith,
Ballot Clerk,
5 00
J. W. Hill,
5 00
J. J. Morrissey,
5 00
J. H. O'Brien,
5 00
C. T. Bagnall, blanks,
8 00
H. C. Smith, expenses to Adams on Guyotte case, 4 60
Sanford, Putnam & Co., blank books, 2 80
H. W. Warner, damage to wagon, 5 90
H. G. Hill, street car committee, 20 00
H. C. Smith, 10 00
H. C. Smith, expense taking William Fairfield to Mass. Gen'l Hospital, 13 00
Williamsburg
F. D.
George
Buck's house, 26 men,
5 20
Williamsburg F. D., E. F. Mil- ler's barn, 21 men, 12 60
Williamsburg F. D., H. G. Hill's house, 30 men, 12 00
Haydenville F. D., Daniel Shee- han's barn, 46 men, 18 40
Haydenville F. D., E. F. Miller's
barn, 49 men,
19 60
17
Haydenville F. D., watching fire, 19 men, 15 70
F. A. Brooks, team to Miller's fire, 5 00
H. G. Hill, 66 5 00
G. L. Damon, damage to horse and carriage, 65 00
F. L. Taylor, damage to horse, 51 00
Dewey Williams, care of hall, etc., 45 45
C. A. Pierce & Co., printing reports, 39 56 Gazette Printing Co., printing ballots, 10 00 George O'Brien, labor, 1 25
W. M. Purrington, insurance, 149 74
Emil H. Miller, land damage, 75 00
A. E. Lawton, 10 00
W. M. Cochran & Co., collector's bond, 12 00
Geo. H. Ames, stove,
7 50
R. F. Burke, salary, 125 00
H. H. Nichols, cattle inspector,
27 00
G. M. Bradford, wood for hall,
3 00
Lewis Miller, coal for hall,
3 50
Mary L. Carter, oil for hall,
3 75
H. C. Pomeroy, tree warden, 40 00
M. H. Beals, elector, 10 00
F. W. Wells, care of hearse, 15 00
H. A. Bisbee, constable, 22 30
Postage, expressage, etc.,
34 23
Daniel Sheridan, labor on Strong house, 6 00
Court expenses in Guyotte case, 35 14
H. W. Hill, recording vital sta- tistics, 23 85
W. M. Purrington, services as school committee, 75 00
Rev. John Pierpont, services as school committee, 75 00
18
F. T. Dunleavy, services as school committee, 55 00
H. W. Hill, Town Clerk and Treasurer, 100 00
H. C. Smith, Selectman, Assessor and Overseer of Poor, 125 00
Lawrence Molloy, same,
100 00
Henry S. Leonard, “
100 00
R. F. Burke, sundry abatements, 1901 tax, 50 00
$1,702 57
AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR CONTINGENT ACCOUNT.
Appropriation,
$800 00
National Bank Tax,
624 76
State Corporation Tax,
151 59
Rent of Town Hall,
64 50
From State, for inspection of cattle,
13 50
Sundry License Fees,
10 00
Due on Guyotte case,
35 14
Rent of Strong house,
48 00
$1,747 49
APPROPRIATION RECOMMENDED FOR 1903.
$800 and Bank and State Corporation Taxes.
PAUPER ACCOUNT.
Number of persons aided for the year ending Feb. 1, 1903, 49-12 men, 17 women, 10 boys and 10 girls under 14 years of age. Now being aided, 7 men, 8 women, 2 girls.
EXPENDITURES.
For Mrs. Henry C. Thayer,
$130 44
Mrs. William Keating, deceased,
47 75
19
Mrs. Margaret Moakler, deceased, 84 34
Miss Ellen O'Brien, 91 31
Miss Salome Warner,
132 44
Mrs. Ellen Williams, hospital,
169 46
Miss Cora Tucker, 6
169 47
Mrs. Johanna Smith, Northampton, 42 00
Michael Fahey & family 66
34 00 discharged
Mrs. C. Truheart, Northboro,
46 00 discharged
Mrs. Clara F. Westfield,
21 00 discharged
Mrs. Eviline Trombley and family,
79 50
Mrs. Jane Cowing,
56 44 discharged
Mrs. F. Montgomery and family,
12 00 discharged
James O'Brien and family,
19 79 discharged
Thomas Dehey 66
120 00
Miss Johanna Keating,
48 00
Edmund Fowler,
140 42
James H. Wright,
124 67
James H. Nichols,
134 94
P. Lampreaux, discharged,
37 00
William Navin,
50 00
William Fairfield, deceased,
33 02
Samuel Kingman,
7 00
Thomas Wait,
3 58
Leon Poskosky, State,
3 54
Carl Weston,
30 29
$1,868 40
AVAILABLE FOR PAUPER ACCOUNT.
Appropriation,
$1,800 00
Due from Northampton,
76 00
Due from Northboro,
46 00
Appropriation recommended for 1903,
SOLDIERS' RELIEF.
$ 90 00
Myron Ames, Mrs. Margaret McGee,
134 95
Mrs. Emily L. Hill,
58 60
$1,922 00
1,800 00
$283 54
20
AMOUNT AVAILABLE.
Appropriation,
$150 00
Received from Mrs. McGee, 96 00
" Mrs. Hill, 48 00
$294 00
Appropriation recommended for 1903,
200 00
STREET LIGHTS.
Williamsburg Village
H. E. Wright, Committee
For lighting 50 lamps, 135 nights, 146 25
365 gallons of oil, 45 28
Chimneys, lamps, glass, wicks, etc., 26 83
$218 36
Appropriation, $225 00
Haydenville Village P. J. O'Brien, Committee
For lighting 46 lamps, 140 nights, $140 00
310 gallons of oil, 37 30
Chimneys, lamps, glass, wicks, etc., 38 58
$215 88
Appropriation, $225 00
SPECIAL POLICE.
Paid P. J. O'Brien, $40 00
H. A. Bisbee, 25 00
$65 00
Appropriation, $100.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Paid D. T. Clark for sundries, $ 19 09
J. W. Nash for wood, 6 00
Williamsburg Fire Co. 40 men,
80 00
Haydenville 50 “ 100 00
Appropriation,
$250 00
$205 09
21
MEMORIAL DAY.
Paid for speaker, music, etc., $50 00 Appropriation, 50 00
PUBLIC LIBRARY-HAYDENVILLE.
Paid trustees, $100 00
Appropriation,
$100 00
MACK BRIDGE.
Paid F. Walpole, $200 00
Appropriation, $200 00
SPECIAL TOWN HALL REPAIRS.
Paid Merrick Lumber Co.,
$119 08
G. M. Bradford,
2 25
H. N. Brewster & Co.,
3 15
C. L. Hyde, labor,
13 50
F. E. White, cartage,
3 25
C. H. Church, labor
14 95
J. J. Ball, labor,
10 00
H. A. Bisbee, labor,
20 45
Appropriation,
$186 63 175 00
Report of Library Trustees
For Year Ending Feb. 1, 1903.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Balance on hand from last year, $ 2 78
Town appropriation, 100 00
Total, $102 78
EXPENDED.
W. M. Purrington, insurance, $10 20
C. A. Phillips, librarian's salary, 20 00
C. S. Damon, load of sand, 25
F. W. Warner, labor on fireplace,
1 00
L. E. Warner, fitting library for elec- tric lighting, 20 00
S. E. Bridgman & Co., for books,
38 98
G. M. Bradford, load of wood,
2 25
Book on Volcanoes,
1 50
Sundry expenses, cleaning library, ex- pressage, postage, car fare, boxes, etc., 4 49
Balance on hand,
4 11
Total, $102 78
23
As there has been no general report made of the condition of the library and the work it is doing since the town ac- cepted it as a gift from the citizens of Haydenville, we, the trustees, would submit the following report for the considera- tion of the voters of the town :
BOOKS BELONGING TO LIBRARY.
Fiction,
No. of volumes, 1,009
History,
66
100
Natural History,
66
20
Biography,
60
Literature,
45
Travel and Voyages,
47
War,
20
Social Sciences,
21
Poems,
16
Scientific,
22
Miscellaneous,
72
Total,
1432
Of the above number, 47 were added the past year.
Bound volumes of Government Reports, 100
Pamphlets, 60
Through the kindness of the Hon. T. P. Larkin, we re- ceived over 20 volumes of bound reports and a number of pamphlets, a number of them being valuable documents.
To give the voters an idea of the use the people of Hay- denville make of this library, we give a short report of the librarians:
Average number of books drawn weekly, 100
Number of books drawn during year, 5,200
Number of books lost during year,
3
24
There is hardly a family in the village of Haydenville that do not draw books either regularly or a part of the year, and the school children especially make an extensive use of these books at their disposal, both for assistance in their studies and for recreation.
Your trustees have devoted considerable time during the past year to the work of the library and gaining the above facts, as we feel that even this small library is an important factor for the well being of our village, and would suggest that a somewhat larger appropriation could be used to good advantage.
J. E. BENNETT, T. J. COOGAN, Trustees. A. R. THATCHER,
REVISED LIST OF JURORS, 1903.
Orrin J. Blinn,
H. H. Nichols,
Philip Moran,
Joseph S. Graves,
F. A. Brooks,
D. B. Bradford,
James Mullaley,
Frank Walpole,
James D. Murphy,
Charles L. Hyde,
Joseph Brown, Jr.,
Clinton L. Eddy,
Geo. H. Warner,
Patrick J. Kelley,
Walter H. Leonard,
William H. Warner,
Michael Cusick,
Edward L. Sheehan,
Alvin Lawrence,
Theron L. Barrus,
Don J. Dean,
C. W. Bradley,
Michael E. Riley,
John O'Neil,
John W. Hill,
Arthur D. Damon,
Freebun E. White,
Edwin F. Miller,
R. F. Burke.
Respectfully submitted,
H. C. SMITH, L. MOLLOY, H. S. LEONARD,
Selectmen of Williamsburg.
25
The Committee of the Whiting Street Fund respectfully submit their report for the year ending Feb. 1, 1903.
Cash received from Town Treasurer, $210, which has been distributed as follows :
Sylvanus Hubbard,
$5 00
J. Clark Mellon,
5 00
Mrs. Jane Cowing,
5 00
Maurice Connell,
5 00
J. Ellsworth,
5 00
M. Fenton,
5 00
F. Toran,
5 00
C. Harlow,
5 00
William Mahar,
5 00
Mary O'Neil,
5 00
Frank Sharp,
5 00
M. Macomber,
5 00
Peter Shea,
5 00
Margaret Larkin,
5 00
Thomas Walpole,
5 00
N. Lampneau,
5 00
John Young,
5 00
Alice Phillips,
5 00
John O'Brien,
5 00
Patrick Moakler,
5 00
Mary Demorest,
5 00
5 00
F. Montgomery, Dupline,
5 00
Lewis Guilford,
5 00
John McGowan,
5 00
Mary Sessions,
5 00
Charlotte Damon,
5 00
C. Bogart,
5 00
C. Trueheart,
5 00
Charles Marks,
5 00
Dorcas Chapman,
5 00
Emily Ludden,
5 00
1
26
Mrs. E. W. Richardson,
5 00
Richard Farnsworth,
5 00
Edwin Everett,
5 00
Champion Brown,
5 00
Jennie Forsyth,
5 00
Jennie Warner,
5 00
Miss Addie Alvord,
5 00
Hattie Johnson,
5 00
Minnie Leonard,
5 00
Ellen O'Brien,
5 00
MRS. T. L. BARRUS, GEORGE WARNER, THOS. F. DUMPHY, Almoners Whiting Street Fund.
VITAL STATISTICS.
Number of deaths recorded, 35
Number of births recorded, 36
Number of Marriages recorded, 19
HENRY W. HILL,
Town Clerk.
WILLIAMSBURG, MASS., Feb. 10, 1903.
We, the undersigned, certify that we have examined the accounts of the Selectmen, Town Treasurer and School Com- mittee, and find them correct and properly vouched for to the best of our knowledge and belief.
JOHN W. HILL, BYRON LOOMIS, Auditors.
Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of Williamsburg:
GENTLEMEN-The fourteenth annual report of the Super- intendent of Schools is herewith presented for your considera- tion. Owing to changes made in the school calendar, the year now closing the last of March, it will not be possible to make this as full, in many particulars, as usual. At the close of the present term a supplemental statement will be made, giving the statistics usually included in this. An extended re- port at this time does not seem advisable, as the circum- stances affecting the schools are practically the same as for some time past. The conditions necessary for securing the best work possible and the largest returns for the outlay of time and money were so ably set forth in the report of your late superintendent as to need no repetition. At the beginning of the September term it was found that the village schools were in good condition and doing quite satisfactory work. The teaching, discipline and interest shown gave evidence of able supervision and thoughtful care. They are now uniformly good and profitable to all concerned. The Williamsburg High School is worthy of special mention. The character of the teaching, the deportment and interest in it are such as to merit praise and insure good results. It must be evident to every one acquainted with this school that, not only has there been satisfactory progress in regular work but also that a highly pleasing moral atmosphere has been created which will have a most desirable and lasting effect on the lives of those now attending. When we consider that the town expends less per
28
pupil than any other town of equal valuation in the Common- wealth, it is a matter of surprise and gratification that such educational advantages can be given our children.
It is to be regretted that a like favorable report cannot be made of some of the out schools. They were found to be in- ferior in several respects, and for some reason, much behind in the work generally, the discipline poor and the pupils often unable to apply themselves to their lessons or to comprehend the subjects taught. Considerable improvement is now mani- fest, but the real remedy for these undesirable conditions is the employment of teachers equal in all respects to the best, with successful experience, special training, thorough knowl- edge of the branches taught and exceptional ability for gov- erning such schools. Such instructors cost more, but the re- sults are correspondingly more valuable. In justice to all concerned it should be said that the Mountain Street School is a notable exception. Had not the teacher there, also in Nash Street, been required to do a half more than any teacher could do well, the pupils would be well up to grade. The at- tempt to teach all branches of study from the primer to those in the second year of the High school can but result in injus- tice to the majority. Special attention has been paid to the subject of reading in all schools with good results. For some inexplicable reason the reading of pupils in some of the upper grades is often poor, consequently the abllity to study under- standingly is greatly lessened, it is also found in these same grades that many of the scholars are unable to apply them- selves to their tasks diligently, steadily and with comprehen- sion. Doubtless much of this is due to modern methods of teaching in the lower grades, the pupil from the very nature of the instruction being compelled to rely upon his teacher far too much for his good. It appears, also, that we under- take rather too much in these lower grades; better to teach less and more thoroughly. A special effort on the part of the teachers and superintendent is now being made to so plan the work as to give the child more independence in study and increased ability to apply himself unaided to work.
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As there has been some misunderstanding of the require- ments in the schools it may be well to state some of the rules adopted with your consent. It being self-evident that a knowledge of any subject to be profitable and usable must be complete and connected, the teachers have been instructed to insist upon the completion of work required before giving tests for promotion. All exercises and lessons omitted by reason of absence or for other cause must be made up to the satisfaction of the teacher before such tests can be given. It should be generally understood, also, that you have ruled to admit no pupils under five years of age to the schools, and that any such sent for the purpose of instruction or to be cared for by the teacher should be returned to their homes at once and parents duly notified of this ruling. Children will be admitted to the schools at the commencement of the fall term and at no other time unless they can enter a class already formed without interruption to regular work.
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