USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1910-1915 > Part 7
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Professor Hart had formed potato and corn clubs all over the state. Our children were glad to join these clubs, and were especially successful in growing potatoes. In September we had an exhibit of the products at the school house, and I gave several prizes to those who had the best collections. William C. Peirce, Jr., of Grade VII stated on his card, "I received two pounds of seed potatoes and got from them 102 pounds of potatoes." Some of these potatoes were baked by the cooking class and found to be mealy and palatable. The pupils also grew in their home gardens other kinds of vegetables and flowers, some of the former were used in the cooking department.
We believe this home garden work is of great value to the children. We hope it will stimulate a love for flow- ers and plants and a desire to grow better and more
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perfect ones each year. They will gain a knowledge of the habits and needs of plants and what enemies to guard against which will be of great value to them if they ever own and cultivate land of their own.
Health of School hildren.
"There is a physical basis of citizenship, as there is a physical basis of life. Given the sound body, we have nowadays small fear for a sound mind. * If mental dullness be due to imperfect ears, the remedy lies in medical treatment of those organs, not in education of the brain. If lack of initiative or energy proceeds from defective aeration of the blood due to adenoids blocking the air tides in the windpipe, then the remedy lies not in better teaching but in a simple surgical opera- tion." -Prof. W. T. Sedgewick.
The truth of such statements is strongly influencing teachers and school officials, and great efforts are being made throughout the country to so improve the health of the children that they can get the full benefit of the school instruction and develop into wiser and more efficient citizens. We are improving the sanitary con- ditions of buildings, and endeavoring to guard and im- prove the children's health in every way within our power.
The Lincoln School is now supplied with drinking fountains, and the common drinking cup has been abol- ished.
Dr. Wood carefully examines each pupil at least once a year, gives advice about caring for the body and sends cards home, which inform the parents of physical de- fects which need immediate attention. He has advised many pupils to go to the dentist and have their teeth attended to. He has talked with the older children about taking good positions while sitting and standing.
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New books on physiology and hygiene of a very practi- cal nature have been placed in the school. These are read and studied during the winter months. We try to make the lessons so practical that the pupils will form more healthful habits themselves and gradually extend the influence of this education to their homes and so render them more sanitary.
If parents could only realize to what extent physical defects may retard the child's progress, they would do all in their power to provide their children with healthy bodies.
The Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools, New York City, 1909, refers to the study of 7,608 school children as follows :--
"Number of Years Necessary for Defective and Non- Defective Children to Complete the Eight Grades:
Kinds of Defects Time for Eight Grades.
No defects .. 8 years
Defective vision 8 years
Defective teeth.
.8.5 years
Defective breathing 8.6 years
Hypertrophied tonsils .8.7 years
Adenoids . 9.1 years
Enlarged glands 9.2 years
If these figures are substantially significant for all of New York City school children, their educational and econonic import is great. According to the data, the child with seriously defective teeth requires half a year more than a non-defective child to complete the eight grades. About one-half of the children have seriously defective teeth. The handicap imposed by defective breathing means six-tenths of a year. About one child in seven has defective breathing. The child with hyper- trophied tonsils takes about seven-tenths of a year more than he should. About one child in every four has hy-
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pertrophied tonsils. The extra time required by the child with adenoids is about one and one-tenth years. About one child in eight has adenoids. The pupil with enlarged glands requires one and two tenths years extra. Nearly half of the children have enlarged glands."
On January 18th the fire alarm at the Lincoln School was rung from the basement. The children passed out of the front door quickly and orderly, the last one getting out in 40 seconds after the alarm sounded. They ran around the building, entered the basement doors and were in their seats again inside of three minutes. There need be no fear of loss of life in case of fire in that building.
I have just placed a copy of Cabot's Ethics for Child- dren on each teacher's desk, and feel sure this book will be a great aid in teaching morals and manners.
In closing, I wish to thank the Committee for their continued confidence in our work, and the teachers for their constant efforts to train the children for good citizenship.
Respectfully submitted,
C. S. LYMAN, Superintendent of Schools.
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REPORT OF THE SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
In a brief report on the physical welfare of the school children, it is a pleasure to note the good hygenic con- ditions under which the work is done and the generally fine health of the children themselves. There has been no outbreak of infectious disease, a few cases of whooping cough being the nearest approach to it.
The annual examination of all the children shows 148 examined; 80 with defective teeth, 36 with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, 22 with pediculosis and 23 with faulty posture.
While these findings correspond pretty closely with those of other years and places they do not express the great improvement that has taken place. The first in- spection showed that these conditions prevailed through- out the schools. Now the upper grades are almost free from defective teeth and large tonsils. Thanks to the intelligent response of parent and pupil these defects have been remedied. In the entering and lower grades this does not hold true and here plenty of recruits are found to keep the number up to the usual percentage.
In this connection it is worthy of note that arrange- ments have been completed for the gratuitious care of any child who is unable to meet the expense of private treatment.
In the upper grades, however, are found certain de- fects which may be characterized as developmental. These are put down under the heading of posture and are found in the stooping shoulders, flat chest, curved spine, prominent hip, etc. The examination, a superficial one, discovered a goodly number, induced no doubt by the
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tendency of children to do the same thing in the same way, always to stand on the same foot, to lean on the same elbow, to carry weights on the same arm, to sit and stand in a stooping position. All these are bad habits, influenced by several factors it may be, but if persisted in while the child is growing and the bones plastic may assume a permanent shape. Fortunately in most cases the all round activity and exercise is sufficient to correct this. Nevertheless there are several who need corrective exercise. Much has been done by suggestion and advice. Still more can be accomplished by intelligent instruction and supervision of the exercise and play of the children.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY A. WOOD, School Physician.
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ROLL OF HONOR.
The following pupils have been neither absent nor tardy for the time designated :-
For One Year.
Olen A. Jensen.
Redmond Hartwell.
Olgar Jensen. Ethel Rocks.
Raymond Langille.
For Two Terms.
Emma Flemming.
Gertrude O. Morrison.
Grace L. Bamforth.
Sara Clark.
Albert Coffee.
Edna Weatherbee.
Majorie Doherty.
Belva Gallant.
For One Term.
Chas. N. Bamforth.
Margaret Collins.
Irving Flemming.
Fred. A. Rocks.
M. Elizabeth Weir.
Mary Diamond.
Bertha Bowles.
William Bowles.
Edward Boyce.
Evelyn Cousins.
Alice Crowley.
Doris Farrar.
Thomas Giles.
Margaret Hutton.
James Plumer.
Robert Wier.
Howard Bamforth.
Warren Rice.
Elizabeth Connors.
Leonard Crowley.
Joseph Eaton.
Waldo Foley.
Harold Moulton.
Emily Robus.
Frank Ryan.
Grace Thomas.
Francis Corrigan.
Marie Connors.
Gladys Weatherbee.
Richard Nelson.
Rothwell MacRae.
For One Term.
Elizabeth Hutton.
Andrew Weir.
Reynold Bowles. William Weir.
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SCHOOL CALENDAR.
.
Winter term begins January 2, 1911, ends March 24; twelve weeks.
Spring term begins April 3, ends June 16; eleven weeks.
Fall term begins September 5, ends December 15; fifteen weeks.
Winter term begins January 1, 1912, ends March 22; twelve weeks.
Spring term begins April 1, ends June 14; eleven weeks.
Recess from Wednesday before Thanksgiving to Monday following.
Holidays: Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Mem- orial Day, Columbus Day.
Length of school year, 38 weeks.
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STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1909-10.
Number of children in Town, September, 1910,
between 5 and 15 years :- boys, 82; girls, 78; total 160
Number of children in Town, September, 1909 158
Number of children in Town, September, 1910,
between 7 and 14 years :- boys, 71; girls, 64; total 135
Enrollment for the year, ending June, 1910 141
Number between 5 and 15 years of age 136
Number over 15 years of age
5
Number between 7 and 14 years of age 117
Number attending Concord High School 18
Number attending Lexington and Weston High Schools 2
Number of regular teachers employed
5
Number of special teachers employed 3
Number of teachers who have graduated from normal schools 5
From Training School
1
Illiterate minors in Town over 14 years of age 0
Total number registered in Lincoln schools during the year ending June, 1910 151
Number of pupils sent to High School from Lincoln 20
Total number receiving instruction at Town
expense 171
ATTENDANCE TABLE FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1910.
School
Teachers.
Enrollment for State Report.
Enrollment-Boys.
Enrollment-Girls.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Percent. of
Attendance. Pupils between
5 and 15 years of age.
Pupils between
7 and 14 years of age.
Pupils over
15 years of age.
Tardiness.
Visits, including Superin'dent's visits.
Lincoln Grammar Grades VII-VIII
Carrie B. Chapin
29
14
15
26.2 24.392.7 24
20
5
57
61
Grades V-VI
Elizabeth Smith Harriet Marshall
34
22
12
31.7
29.392.5
34
33
0
28
67
Grades III-IV
Annie C. Buck
34
16
18
31.3
28.490.8
34
34
0
34
96
Grades I-II
Hattie B. Heath
22
12
10
18.5
16.289.8
22
9
0
16
81
South Primary. Grades I-II-III
Stella V. Sanborn
22
10
12
20.6
18.891.3
22
21
0
58
100
Total
*141
74
67
127.3 117.0 91.9 136
117
5
193
405
*In addition to this number 10 pupils were enrolled, who came from other towns in the State, making a total of 151 pupils in the Lincoln schools during the year.
148
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WARRANT.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To James T. Laird, or any other Constable of the Town of Lincoln, in said County:
GREETING:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabit- ants of the Town of Lincoln, duly qualified to vote in Town affairs, to assemble in Bemis Hall, on Monday, March sixth, at 1 o'clock P.M., to act on the following articles, viz .:
ARTICLE 1. To choose a moderator.
ART. 2. To hear and act upon the reports of Town Officers, Committees, Commissioners, and Trustees.
ART. 3. To choose all necessary Town Officers, Com- mittees, Commissioners and Trustees for the ensuing year.
ART. 4. To appropriate money for necessary and expedient purposes of the Town, and enact anything in relation to the same.
ART. 5. To give in their votes by ballot in answer to the question: "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this Town?" The check list shall be used as provided by Section 5, Chapter 100 of the Public Statutes.
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ART. 6. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 7. To determine the compensation of the Col- lector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 8. To see if the Town will authorize the Treas- urer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow dur- ing the municipal year, beginning February first, 1910, in anticipation of the collection of taxes of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the Current ex- penses of the Town, but not exceeding the total tax levy for the said year, giving the notes of the Town in payment thereof, payable in one year from the dates thereof. All debts incurred under authority of this vote shall be paid from taxes of the present municipal year.
ART. 9. To see if the Town will choose a Committee on Claims under the provisions of Section 3 of Article 9 of the By-Laws.
ART. 10. To see if the Town will appoint a committee to prosecute persons for selling intoxicating liquors in the Town, and appropriate money for the same.
ART. 11. To see what action the Town will take with reference to the old schoolhouse in the center of the Town.
ART. 12. To see if the Town will continue the Special Committee appointed at the Special Town Meeting of September, 1908, to act in an advisory capacity to the Tree Warden, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 13. To see what action, if any, the Town will take with reference to the order of the County Commis- sioners on "Lee's Bridge."
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ART. 14. To see if the Town will extend the water pipe from the corner near L. E. Brooks along the Cam- bridge Turnpike to a point opposite the house of Eugene Jose, and make appropriation for the same.
ART. 15. To see if the Town will extend the water pipe from its present terminus opposite the place formerly known as the Mayer's Farm to a point opposite the house of David Farquhar and make an appropriation for the same.
And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in each of the Post Offices and one of the churches or some other public place, seven days at least before the day appointed for such meeting, and to make seasonable return thereof with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk.
HEREOF FAIL NOT.
Dated at Lincoln, this twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred an eleven.
CHARLES S. SMITH, C. LEE TODD, ROBERT D. DONALDSON, Selectmen of Lincoln.
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By- Laws of the Town of Lincoln.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
At the Superior Court, within and for the County of Middlesex, Anno Domini, 1897,
The following By-Laws of the Town of Lincoln, in said County, are presented to this Court for approval, to wit :-
"ARTICLE I.
TOWN MEETINGS.
Section 1. The annual town meeting shall be held on the first Monday of March in each year.
Sect. 2. Notice of every town meeting shall be given by posting copies of the warrant calling the same, attested by the officer making service thereof, in each of the post-offices within the town, and in one of the churches, or one other public place, within the town, not less than seven days be- fore the day appointed for such meeting. But when, in the judgment of the selectmen, the interests of the town require a meeting to be held without giving so long a notice, a meeting may be called by posting attested copies of the warrant in the places above mentioned, and by leaving a printed copy thereof at each dwelling-house within the town, at least three days before the time appointed for the meeting; provided that in such cases the selectmen shall certify that, in their opinion, the interests of the town re- quire that a town meeting be called upon a notice of less than seven days, which certificate shall be made upon, or at- tached to, the original warrant, and shall be served as a part thereof.
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ARTICLE II.
FINANCES.
Section 1. The financial year shall commence with the first day of February and end with the thirty-first day of January annually.
Sect. 2. The town treasurer shall have the custody of all funds belonging to the town except sinking funds, trust funds and funds for which other provision is made by law; and he shall pay no money from the treasury except upon a draft signed by a majority of the selectmen, stating the ac- count to which the same is chargeable. Such draft shall be sufficient authority to the treasurer to pay the same, and the payment thereof shall discharge him from all liability on account of the money so paid.
Sect. 3. The water commissioners and all other boards, committees and officers shall, on the first day of each month. pay to the town treasurer all sums collected by them th month previous to the custody of which the treasurer is entitled.
Sect. 4. A majority of the water commissioners, school committee, or of any board, or committee, and any officer having charge of the expenditure of an appropriation, shall approve in writing all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls properly chargeable to such appropriation, and shall trans- mit the same with his or their approval to the selectmen. All other accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls shall be ex- amined by the selectmen and, if proper, shall be approved by them. The selectmen shall label all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls which have been approved either by themselves or by the other officers before mentioned, and shall keep a record thereof in a book kept for the purpose, stating the persons to whom payable, the amounts and dates thereof, and the funds, or appropriations, from which the same are payable.
Sect. 5. Drafts signed by a majority of the selectmen, stating the accounts to which the same are chargeable,
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shall be drawn upon the treasurer for the payment of all sums by law payable from the treasury to the common- wealth or county, final judgments of courts, bonds. '( and scrip of the town and interest thereon and money pay- able to the commissioners of the sinking fund and to the trustees of the public library; and also for the payment of all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls which have been approved in the manner provided in the previous section Such drafts shall not be negotiated, but shall be trans mitted by the selectmen directly to the treasurer accom- panied by the approved bills or other documents for the settlement of which the drafts are drawn.
Sect. 6. The treasurer shall file and safely keep all ap proved and receipted accounts, claims, bills, and pay-rolls. and all vouchers, cancelled bonds, notes scrip, and other «vidences of indebtedness of the town which have been paid from the treasury.
Sect. 7. No draft shall be drawn by the selectmen un- less there is sufficient appropriation to pay the same, except for sums by law payable to the commonwealth or county. final judgments of courts, bonds, notes and scrip of the town and interest thereon, and money payable to the com missioners of the sinking fund.
Sect. 8. The selectmen and treasurer respectively shal' make a record, in a book kept for the purpose, of each ap propriation, with a list of the drafts drawn against such appropriation, and shall make a record of all bonds, notes, serip or other evidence of indebtedness of the town, signed r counterzigned by them.
Sect. 9. When the bills contracted or approved by any board, committee, or officer have exhausted the entire ap- propriation for such board, committee or officer, they sha !! incur no further expenditure, except in cases where expenditure may be required by law; and it shall be the duty of each board, committee or officer before the close of the financial year to approve all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls chargeable to their appropriation. During the in-
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terval between the thirty-first day of January in each year and the time of making the next annual appropriations, the selectmen, school committee and water commissioners, in order to meet the liabilities of their several dpartments, incurred in the carrying on of the work entrusted to them, shall have authority to make expenditures and payments from the treasury from any available funds therein, and the same shall be charged against the next annual appropria- tion. Such expenditure and liability incurred for any pur- pose shall not exceed one-fourth the entire amount appro- priated for that purpose in the previous year.
Sect. 10. Unless the town shall expressly otherwise vote, no extension of water pipes shall be made unless be- fore the work of construction is begun one or more of the persons whom it is proposed to supply with water by means of such extension, shall file with the town clerk a bond with sureties satisfactory to the water commissioners, condi- tioned to pay to the town for five years next following the completion of such extension and the letting of water into the same, a sum sufficient, together with the net annual in- come from such extension, to amount annually to five per centum of the total cost thereof.
ARTICLE III.
TOWN SEAL.
Section 1. The design of the town seal shall be: a circle, in the border the words "Lincoln. Incorporated in 1746 as a precinct : in 1754 as a Town;" in the center, a shield, in the chief or upper part of which on a cross, gules, a fleur- de-lis, gold, from the old seal of Lincoln, England, and in the base of the shield a view of the present town hall; crest, the old chestnut tree standing upon the common in Lincoln; in saltire two shepherd's crooks; the device thereof being as follows:
157
Sect. 2. All deeds and other legal documents made, given or entered into by the town requiring a seal shall be sealed with the town seal, and signed in behalf of the town by a majority of the selectmen.
Sect. 3. The town clerk shall have the custody of the town seal.
ARTICLE IV.
RECORDS.
Section 1. The town clerk shall record in full in a boo] kept for the purpose all written contracts, deeds and other instruments to which the town is a party except such in- struments as may by law be recorded in the Registry of Deeds; and it shall be the duty of any board or officer exe- cuting or receiving such written contract, or other instru- ment, to deliver the same forthwith to the town clerk for the purpose of record. It shall be the duty of the town clerk to see that all conveyances of real estate to the town are properly recorded in the Registry of Deeds.
Sect. 2. The town clerk shall keep a file of ___ town re- ports, reports of all committees chosen by the tow." and all original documents relating to the affairs of the tow. which may come into his possession.
ARTICLE V. BOOKS.
Section 1. Books, records and laws received by the town from the commonwealth shall be deposited in the public library building.
Sect. 2. It shall be the duty of the town officer by whom any book mentioned in the preceding section is received, to cause the same to be at once deposited in the public library building.
Sect. 3. Such books may be used by the inhabitants of the town within such building, and may be taken therefrom upon written receipt to the librarian for a period not ex- ceeding one day at any one time for use in any town meet- ing, or by or before any committee or official of the town.
158
ARTICLE VI.
SUITS AND CONTROVERSIES.
Section 1. The selectmen may compromise claims and suits to which the town is a party, provided that they shall act upon the advice of counsel when the amount claimed by ur against the town exceeds $200.00.
Sect. 2. The selectmen shall have. unless it is otherwise voted by the town, full authority as agents of the town to institute and prosecute suits or other proceedings in the name of the town before any tribunal, to appear and repre- sent or defend the town before any tribunal in all suits and other proceedings against the town or in which the town has an interest, to employ counsel for the purpose aforesaid and for other purposes when it may be expedient to do so. and to take all necessary and proper measures for the pro- tection of the interests and rights of the town.
Sect. 3. If the town shall, at any meeting called for the purpose, choose, a committee on claims, such committee shall have and exercise exclusively all the powers and duties conferred upon the selectmen by the two preceding sections.
ARTICLE VII.
REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS BY THE TOWN.
Section 1. The annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees shall be prepared in form suitable for printing on or before the tenth day of February in each year. The selectmen shall cause such reports to be printed and distributed to the legal voters of the town seven days at least before the annual meeting.
Sect. 2. The selectmen shall cause to be printed and bound each year with the annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees, a copy of the records of the town meetings during the preceding year; a statement of all devises, bequests and donations to the town during the
159
preceding year; a list of all laws of the commonwealth ac- cepted by the town during the year; all by-laws adopted by the town since the preceding annual report; copies of the laying out, alteration, locating anew or discontinuance of any highway or townway within the limits of the town dur- ing the preceding year; and a statement of all outstanding bonds, notes and obligations of the town for the payment of money.
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