USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1911-1915 > Part 12
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44,135 32
Director Bureau Statistics, certification town notes, 21 00
Salary School Superintendent, reimbursed, 451 39
,
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-54-
DUXBURY CEMETERY TRUST FUND ACCOUNT
Dividend
Balance
Total
Paid
Balance
Mary Simmons,
$51.64
$2.06
$53.70
$3.00
$50.70
Henry W. Hathaway,
1132.68
45.74
1178.42
53.00
1125.42
John Porter,
128.34
5.16
133.50
3.00
130.50
Hambleton E. Smith,
129.70
5.22
134.92
3.00
131.92
John Bradford,
119.68
4.82
124.50
22.00
102.50
Lydia W. Chandler,
120.31
4.84
125.15
3.00
122.15
Susan B. Nickerson,
170.21
6.86
177.07
5.00
172.07
Ferdinand Emerson,
126.20
5.08
131.28
3.00
128.28
Thomas C. Powers,
105.90
4.26
110.16
2.00
108.16
John Thomas,
112.34
4.52
116.86
3.00
113.86
Zilpha S. Soule,
103.69
4.16
107.85
3.00
104.85
Latham Fund,
532.10
24.19
556.29
15.00
541.29
Joshua Weston,
110.34
4.44
114.78
114.78
Zeruah Soule,
112.27
4.52
116.79
3.00
113.70
Josiah S. Battis,
112.39
4.52
116.91
3.00
113.91
Lydia A. Bates,
131.00
5.28
136.28
3.00
133.28
Judah Harlow,
113.66
4.56
118.22
3.00
115.22
Lot Soule,
108.86
4.38
113.24
3.00
110.24
Henrietta Chandler,
138.52
5.58
144.10
144.10
Jairus Magoun,
182.08
7.34
189.42
3.00
186.42
Deborah C. Hunt,
56.90
2.28
59.18
1.00
58.18
Josephus Dawes,
106.04
4.28
110.32
3.00
107.32
Rebecca T. Holmes,
111.26
4.48
115.74
2.00
113.74
Louis M. Bailey,
108.12
4.36
112.48
3.00
109.48
Joseph A. Sampson,
103.03
4.16
107.19
3.00
104.19
Briggs Gullifer,
105.60
4.24
109.84
3.00
106.84
Luther S. Chandler,
106.88
4.30
111.18
3.00
108.18
Morton Bradford,
103.44
4.16
107.60
3.00
104.60
Robert A. Southworth,
100.94
4.04
104.98
3.00
101.98
Dr. E. Jeanette Gooding,
107.88
4.34
112.22
3.00
109.22
Alexander Wadsworth,
205.36
8.28
213.64
3.00
210.64
Mrs. Nathan Delano,
52.86
2.10
54.96
2.00
52.96
Joseph and Ann Wadsworth,
119.49
4.80
124.29
1.00
123.29
Augustus Sampson,
110.74
4.44
115.18
14.00
101.18
William Prior,
214.08
8.64
222.72
10.00
212.72
Eden S. Sampson,
100.16
4.04
104.20
4.00
100.20
George H. Bailey,
113.72
4.56
118.28
118.28
Parker Jones,
104.28
4.20
108.48
3.00
105.48
Zenas Winsor,
103.20
4.16
107.36
3.00
104.36
James Cooper,
50.54
2.02
52.56
1.00
51.56
George T. Sampson,
104.12
4.20
108.32
2.00
106.32
William H. Winsor,
77.02
3.10
80.12
1.00
79.12
Henry Delano,
102.00
4.12
106.12
3.00
103.12
Cushman and Bryant,
202.00
8.16
210.16
6.00
204.16
George Soule,
100.00
1.00
101.00
101.00
Ellison and Howes,
200.00
2.00
202.00
202.00
· Totals
$7747.61
$305.67
$8053.28
$247.00
$7806.28
Nutter and Brown,
103.64
4.16
107.80
3.00
104.80
Joseph B. Emerson,
563.12
22.74
585.86
20.00
565.86
Harrison G. Weston,
54.72
2.18
56.90
2.00
54.90
106.86
4.28
111.14
3.00
108.14
Henry C. Tanner,
107.70
4.32
112.02
3.00
109.02
Bradford Weston,
Jan. 1, 1912
for Care
Jan. 1, '13
GEORGE H. STEARNS, Treasurer.
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THE WILLIAM PENN HARDING LIBRARY FUND
January, 1912, deposit, Plymouth Five
Cents Savings Bank, $1,000 00
July, 1912, dividened, 50 80
$1,050 80
July 10, 1912, paid Treasurer Duxbury Free Library,
50 80
$1,000 00
January, 1913, dividend,
20 00
$1,020 00
GEORGE H. STEARNS,
Town Treasurer.
MARRIAGES RECORDED IN THE TOWN OF DUXBURY DURING THE YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 1912
February 4. At Brookline, Daniel B. Wadsworth of Dux- bury, and Maude A. Ward of Boston, by Rev. W. W. Iliffe.
February 28. At Marshfield, Albert E. Beaman of Duxbury, and Bessie L. Ferguson of Mornton, N. B., by Rev. George L. Mason.
March 15. At Portland, Me., Kendall W. Blanchard of Dux- bury, and Florence J. Cushing of Green Harbor, by Rev. M. Joseph Twomey.
April 7. At Duxbury, Arthur C. Greene and Mary E. Park- er, both of Duxbury, by Rev. H. A. Schuder.
April 17. At Duxbury, Ernest Wadsworth and Nellie H. Sampson, both of Duxbury, by Rev. Andrew Hahn.
May 7. At Plymouth, Hugh Ross and Susan G. Johnson, both of Duxbury, by Rev. Allen Jacobs.
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June 5. At Duxbury, Lemuel H. Wyman and Ethel L. Sweetser, both of Duxbury, by Rev. Henry B. Mason. June 29. At Duxbury, James S. Stone and Dorothy Coburn, both of Boston, by Rev. Paul Revere Frothingham.
July 28. At Duxbury, Robert H. Stewart and Catherine I. Ryder, both of Duxbury, by Rev. Andrew Hahn.
August 9. At Duxbury, George Ambrose of North Ferris- burg, Vt., and Rose Lewis of Frankfort, Me., by Rev. H. A. Schuder.
August 14. At Duxbury, William H. Wolff of Durham, N. H., and Charlotte A. Tower of Duxbury, by Rev. Richard T. Loring.
August 28. At Duxbury, Fred G. Paulding and Lenora Parkman, both of Duxbury, by Rev. J. C. Osgood.
September 7. At Duxbury, Louis W. Layton of Chicago, Ill., and Gertrude B. Hill of Duxbury, by Rev. Richard T. Lor- ing.
October 28. At Duxbury, Wendell B. Phillips and Rebecca Ford, both of Duxbury, by Rev. S. S. Robins.
November 17. At Duxbury, Fred S. Ransom and Marion R. Howes, both of Kingston, by Rev. H. A. Schuder.
December 3. At Kingston, George W. Simmons and Alice E. Doughty, both of Duxbury, by Rev. H. S. Kilbone.
December 25. At Marshfield, Leslie C. Turner of Duxbury and Ethel M. Porter of Marshfield, by Rev. Charles H. Peck.
December 29. At Duxbury, Ivan W. Cole of Kingston and Ruth E. Loring of Duxbury, by Rev. Andrew Hahn.
·
BIRTHS RECORDED IN DUXBURY DURING THE
YEAR 1912.
Date
Name
Parents Names.
Maiden Name of Mother
Jan.
2
Mosher
William St. C. and Elizabeth J.
Arthur F. and Ethel F.
Benavente
15
Osgood
Ernest W. and Marion W.
LeMory Fournier
Feb.
8
Francis Louis Mckeown
James E. and Lena
Arseneault
Edwin Belknap
Lewis B. and Lulu M.
Freeman
Marion White
Leon W. and Florence A.
Broughton
9
Marie Evanne Santerre
Dominique P. and Philomene M.
Joubert
Charlotte Burgess Edwards
Charles S. and Emma W.
Alden
Burncss Stanwood Hall
Everett L. and Helena F.
Studley
May
3
Ruth May Jones
Earl F. and Bernice H.
Randall
June
9
Mabel June Bennett
Arthur C. and Grace M.
Soule
11
Ruth Schuder
Harry A. and Eva E.
Marshall
Donald Delano Walker
Percy L. and Grace M.
Delano
7
Helen Elizabeth Washburn
John R. and Ruth G.
Briggs
July
12
Cushing
Claude C. and Clara A.
Freeman
1.3
Florence Martin
Henry and Emma
Filion
Aug.
19
Butler
William H. and Fannie O.
McNaught
Sept.
2
Walter Obin
Edwin and Delorez
LaPoint
4
Robert Lawrence McAuliffe
Edwin L. and Edith R.
Whiting
Harriet Evangeline Bates
Chester W. and Mabel R.
White
29
Margaret Andrews Atwood
Fred T. and Jennie M.
Hodge
Oct.
18
George Franklin White
Henry F. and Emma F.
Randall
Judson B. and Lena M.
Maloney
Nov.
17
John J. and Priscilla M.
Alden
Dec.
3
Stapleton
William E. and Helen
Hayes
4
Reynolds
Harvey J. and Cora E.
Delano
7
Beaman
Albert E. and Bessie L.
Ferguson
21
Walker
Alphcus H. and Anna N.
Belknap
28
Englehard
Benjamin and Mary C.
4
Barriault
. John and -
Redmond
11
Robert J. Means
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8
Bennett
Jule and Eva
Burke
John and Edith
Appolonio
3
0
18
Peter and -
Burroughs
27
31
Lillian Luccania Freeman Edwards
21
24
Mar.
31
31
26
DEATHS REGISTERED IN DUXBURY IN 1912.
Date
Name
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Parents Names
Jan.
9
Martin Simmons
88
4
21
Arterio selerosis
Feb.
1
Ethan A. Powers
3
2
24
Convulsions
Nathan and Bessie Cleary Arthur F. and Ethel F. Benavente
66
7
George W. King
63
2
27
Diabetes
Nathan and Johanna Vaughn - and -
12
Ella Maye
57
2
2
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Alden and Mehitable Doane
16
William Gordon
69
9
13
C'arcinoma of stomach
James and Grace Devlin
Mar.
4
Mary E. Sherman (Atwell)
72
26
Cerebral embolism
Samuel and Sylvia Churchill
12
Deborah Cushing (Sampson)
73
6
6
Acute nephritis
Warren and Ruth Diekerman
7
Walter H. Holmes
57
1
14
Chronie diffuse nephritis
John and Johan Randall
11
Maria T. Peterson (Peterson)
67
6
10
Broneho pneumonia
23
Hulda Nilson (Pearson)
44
8
26
Chronic bronchitis
May
18
Ella I. Norwood (Seaver)
68
3
4
Heart disease
June 66
10
Charles C. Bradford
51
1
19
14
Ruth Sehnder
71
1
1
Arterio-sclerosis
1
George P. Cushman
it
8
13
16
Mary J. Clisby (Cleveland)
35
1 21
Heart disease
25
Zilpha J. Hathaway (Allyn)
64
6
13
Caneer of stomaeli
3
Hamilton Wadsworth
1
1
Acute laryngitis
5
John Barriault
1
G
Malnutrition
6
Samuel S. Hamlin
61
3
23
Carcinoma of face
8
William F. Holmes, Jr.
47
5
26
Tuberculosis of lungs and throat
14
Luther W. Sherman
75
8
6
('orebral embolism
19
Richard B. Soule
2
1
3
Castro-entero-colitis
Sept.
3
Albert J. Linscott
64
8
13
Cancer of liver and stomach
2
4
6
Strychnine poisoning
25
William Beadle
71
3
5
('erebral hemorrhage
72 7
17
Myodcarditis
Oet.
15
Lydia C. Bills (Dutton)
63
11
20
Cancer of intestine
Nov.
2
52
7
10
Mitral regurgitation
5
84
1
6
Careinoma of bladder
17
59
4
1
Chronie interstitial nephritis
James and Jane Weston
23
Sally H. Sampson (Loudon)
91
6
25
Arterio-selerosis
Harvey D. and Sally B. Winsor
Dee.
10
Louisa A. Clark
75
1
6
Myocarditis
Charles and Mary E. George and Lucy Stewart
29
Welthea C. Powers (Hewes)
82
9
23
Broneho-pneumonia
31
Olive M. Douglas (Berry)
52
7 23
Pellagra
Daniel and Esther Willie
13
George A. Delano
62
2
7
C'adiae embolism
Charles and Polly Woodward
Apr.
6
Charles W. Hunt
78
0
7
Chronic cystitis
Seth C. and Catherine K. Beale Nilson and Caysa Erickson Luther T. and Benjamin F. and Betsy Buss
10
Maria. T. Martin (Marden)
Bartlett and Lonise Seott
4
Acute indigestion
Hamy A. and Eva E. Marshall
16
Winslow HI. Ransom
Harvey and Margaret Maglussin
George and Judith Weston - and
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John and Betsy P. Driscoll Ahira and Olive Wadsworth John B, and Lydia Henly William H. and Susan E. Matson William F. and Cornelia Holly Unther and Augusta Baker
Gny L. and Ada M. Wetherbee Moses K. and Mary Hibbard Austin and Susan Noyes Nathan and Bessie Cleary John and Mary Brown
19
Lillian M. Powers
Hiram and Lydia Wadsworth
27
Sarah A. Soule (Bryant)
James S. and Esther Carr Jerome and Susan A. Bradford
Avery and Huldah Stetson
Carcinoma
Willard and Lydia Goodwin
17
William J. Wright
66
4
44
C'erobral hemorrhage
31
Bertha N. Edlefson (Norwood)
48
10
12
Corebral hemorrhage
Pulmonary phthisis
July
Hypostatie pneumonia
--
Ang. 66
5
Robert J. Means
24
Pneumonia
Martin and Rebecca Thomas
Hattie W. Cushing (Chandler) Sammel S. Richards Elbridge J. Weston
-
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BURIALS FROM OUT OF TOWN Names of those who died out of town and were brought to Duxbury for burial during the year ending Dec. 31, 1912.
Date of Death
Name
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
1
Place of Death
Feb.
26
Mercy M. Delano
80
3 26
Arterio-sclerosis
Plymouth
Feb.
29
Philip B. Smith
79
2
12
Valvular heart disease
Boston
Mar.
15
Winslow Stetson
87
9
2
Chronic nephritis
Plymouth
Mar.
18
Caroline M. S. Frazar
88
6
16
Sclerosis of coronary arteries
Boston
Mar.
19
Edgar F. Delano
61
6
-
Everett
Apr.
28
Alice H. Chandler
62
1
16
Cerebral apoplexy
Whitefield, N. H.
May
8
Hattie A. Briggs
73
11
13
Organic heart disease
Whitman
May
12
Theodore L. Pike
91
9
30
Bronchitis
Winthrop
May
23
Frances J. Drew
56
4
29
Chronic diffuse nephritis
Kingston
May
1
Ruth A. Bradford
79
10
2
Bronchial pneumonia
Plymouth
Aug.
5
Lydia A. Prior
72
6
Myocarditis
Winthrop
Oct.
22
Eliphas Prior
74
8
3
Apoplexy
Brookline
Nov.
16
Mary A. Gardner
72
3
21
Plymouth
Nov.
23
Hannah C. Symines
51
4
28
Cancer of breast
Brookline
Nov.
25
Judith S. Loring
92
3
225
Endocarditis
Boston
Nov.
28
Charles R. M. Pratt
80
-
Cerebral hemorrhage
Dec.
4
Adelaide E. Stowell
66
-
-
Chronic heart disease
Taunton
Dec.
19
Emma J. Doane
53
-
-
Nephritis
Boston
-59-
Aug.
Henry J. Ellis
2
7
27
Cholera infantunı
Sept.
Woburn
Oct.
29
Willard Y. Gross
S2
6
22
Cerebral hemorrhage
Pembroke
Dementia and fractured hip
Watertown
28
Emma S. Childs
33
Pernicious anaemia
Natural causes
Boston
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ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
Town of Duxbury
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31
1912
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Albert M. Goulding, term expires,
1915
Andraw Hahn, term expires,
1914
Joshua B. Weston, term expires, 1913
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
William E. Chaffin, Egypt.
Superintendent's office hours by appointment.
TEACHERS FOR 1912-1913.
Name, School, Post Office Address, and Salary.
Alton H. Hartford, Partridge Academy and Duxbury High School, Duxbury, $1,100.
Margaret Bowers, Partridge Academy and Duxbury High School, Duxbury, $700.
Eda Tarbox, Partridge Academy and Duxbury High School, Duxbury, $450.
Ellen W. Downey, Village Grammar, $600.
Edith W. Simpson, Tarkiln Grammar, Bryantville, R. F. D., $600.
Elizabeth A. Hastings, Village Grammar, Duxbury, $450.
Mary A. Doherty, Tarkiln Grammar, Bryantville, R. F. D., $450.
Blanche W. Simmons, South Duxbury, Millbrook, $400.
Mrs. Mary L. Devereaux, Point, Duxbury, $425.
Sadie E. Paulding, Millbrook, Duxbury, $425.
Abbie Baker, Ashdod, West Duxbury, $375.
Marion Wheelock, North Duxbury, North Duxbury, $375.
Clara H. Glover, Island Creek, South Duxbury, $350.
Olive Gladys Elliott, Village Grammar, South Duxbury, P. O. Box No. 23, $300.
Harriet J. Ford, teacher of drawing, Millbrook, $200.
Pansy E. Bartlett, teacher of music, Marshfield, $200.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The report of the School Committee of the Town of Duxbury, is herewith submitted, also the reports of the Superintendent of Schools, Principal of Partridge Academy and Duxbury High School, Teachers of Drawing and Music.
Not many changes have been made in our teachers this year, which is a decided gain for the schools. Constant changes among the teachers hurt the schools, and to keep good teachers is al- ways to the advantage of the town.
Miss Eda Tarbox was elected to fill the vacancy caused by Miss Dalton's resignation. Miss Olive Gladys Elliott was appointed as an assistant to Miss Hastings of the Village Grammar school. At the June meeting the teachers were granted a small increase in salary.
Mr. John F. Low resigned from the board in August and Joshua B. Weston was chosen by the Selectmen and school com- mittee to complete his term.
Extensive repairs have been made on the school buildings, and they are now in the best of condition.
The Committee would like to call attention of the parents to the last part of the report of 1911 and to still urge the parents to co-operate with the teachers in every way, also to see that the scholars take better care of their books. Drinking tanks have been placed in all the schools except those having running water.
Mrs. Stoddard's place as instructor of music, has been very ably filled by Miss Pansy Bartlett, of Marshfield.
The average membership of the schools as taken from the Superintendent's report, is two hundred and sixty seven, average cost to the Town per scholar, $45.44.
Total membership, three hundred and four, average cost to the Town per scholar, $39.91.
On account of increased valuation of the Town of Duxbury, the schools will lose the School fund, and the Committee would respectfully ask for an appropriation of $11,000.
-64-
FINANCIAL REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Unexpended balance,
$422 76
Appropriation, $11,000 00
Dividend, Dog Fund, 392 31
Massachusetts School Fund,
832 11
Tuition and transportation of State Children, 107 50
Reimbursement from State,
451 39
City of Boston, transportation of children, 13 50
Sale of books,
2 16
Refund from graduation exercises,
12 50
$13,234 23
Expenditures-
High School instruction,
$2,130 00
Grammar and Primary instruction,
4,332 00
Drawing,
200 00
Music,
200 00
Transportation,
1,184 65
Fuel,
726 13
Janitor service,
460 34
Supervision,
101 44
Book agent,
50 00
Census,
35 00
Insurance on buildings,
210 00
New grounds,
61 69
Superintendent,
566 60
Superintendent's expenses,
6 50
Books, stationery and supplies,
624 32
Maintainance,
1,180 36
Town of Kingston, tuition,
2 50
Sundries, etc.,
34 36
Miscellaneous,
21 97
$12,127 86
Unexpended balance,
1,106 37
$13,234 23
-65-
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT OF MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL FUND FOR THE YEAR 1912
Separated from complete financial report.
Received from State,
$832 11
Expenditures :--- High School instruction, 389 11
Grammar School instruction,
143 00
$832 11
ALBERT M. GOULDING, ANDREW HAHN, 1
JOSHUA B. WESTON,
School Committee.
DUXBURY FIVE
-66-
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Winter Term.
Partridge Academy opens January 1, closes March 21. East Side schools open January 1, close March 21.
West Side schools open January 1, close March 21.
Spring Term.
Partridge Academy opens March 31, closes June 20. East Side schools open March 31, close June 13.
West Side schools open March 31, close June 20.
Fall Term.
Partridge Academy opens September 2, closes December 19. East Side schools open September 15, close December 19. West Side schools open September 22, close December 19. Winter term begins December 30.
Holidays.
Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day following.
-67-
DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS, FALL OF 1912.
NUMBER IN GRADE
SCHOOL
123
456
7 8
Freshmen
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Room totals
Academy
13
8 9 9 39
Village, Grades 7, 8
14 11 .
25
Village; Grades 5, 6
19:28
47
Tarkiln Grammar
8 312
23
Tarkiln Primary
5 5
4
6 2
22
Millbrook
9
5
5
4
23
Point
6
2 3
3
14
South Duxbury
6
4
8
6 .
24
Island Creek
6
2
1
4
6
19
Ashdod .
4
3 3
1
6
1.
18
North Duxbury
6 7 2
4
1
20
Enrollmentbygrades 42 28 26 28 34 37 17 23 13
8 9 9274
EYE AND EAR TESTS
Whole number of pupils examined, 280
Number found defective in sight, 26
Number found defective in hearing, 10
Number of parents notified, 26
11
-
1
1
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the School Board-
Gentlemen-In accordance with your regulations I herewith submit for your consideration my fourth annual report of the schools.
Statistics.
Number of schools. 11
Number of pupils enrolled in the schools, 304
Number enrolled over 15 years of age, 37
Number enrolled between 5 and 15 years of age, 267
Number enrolled between 7 and 14 years of age, 207
Average membership of all the schools, 261
Average attendance, 242.98
Percentage of attendance, 93.09
Number of boys completing the grammar school course, 8
Number of girls completing the grammar school course, 13
Number of new teachers, 1
Number of women teachers, 12
Number of teachers who have been graduated from college, 3
Number of teachers who have graduated from Normal School, 3 Aggregate of months all the schools have been kept during the school year, 99.7
Average number of months the schools have been kept, 9
Number of regular teachers in Academy, 3
Number of different pupils in Academy during the year, 36
Number of pupils admitted to freshman class, Sept. 1911, 14 Number graduated June 1912, 6
The report of the last year showed a decrease in school popu- lation. This year's report shows an increase, which though slight, more than makes up for the loss shown last year. The West Side of the town shows more gain than the East Side.
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Below is given a list of the schools arranged according to their percentage of attendance for the year :
North Duxbury Primary,
97.24
Village Grammar, grades 7 and 8,
95.76
South Duxbury Primary,
95.00
Point Primary,
95.00
Island Creek Primary,
94.66
Academy,
94.59
Ashdod Primary,
93.60
Millbrook Primary,
92.00
Tarkiln Grammar,
91.62
Village Grammar, grades 5 and 6,
91.17
Tarkiln Primary,
90.11
The above list shows a decided improvement over a similar list in the report of last year. Our percentage of attendance is now above the average for the State, and is the highest to be found for any year on record at the office.
It is pleasing to be able to record this substantial improvement in attendance. It is also evident that special attraction is still needed in this matter in some of the schools.
The overcrowded condition at the Village Grammar school, mentioned last year, is gradually righting itself. The indications now are that there will not be so many pupils in any one room again for several years at least.
Since the report of last year there has been but one change to record in the teaching force. At the close of the school year in June, Miss Belle Dalton resigned her position in the Academy. Miss Eda B. Tarbox, a graduate of Boston University, was elect- ed to fill the vacancy thus caused. The teachers without excep- tion, are doing conscientious work, and the schools are in good condition. As to how good this condition is when compared with the best schools of past years, and with city schools of the present, the following will give some idea :
Throughout New England it has been frequently said by those wishing to criticise the present school system, that the schools of the present do not give so thorough instruction in the so-called essential branches, as did the schools of some generations ago. These critics giving as a reason that much time is now spent on non-essentials at the expense of the more important studies. Un- til within the past few years it has been difficult to refute this ar- gument on account of lack of any specific evidence.
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Some years ago a set of examination questions was found in Springfield, Mass., that was given to the ninth grade of the Springfield schools in 1846. The papers containing the pupils' answers to the questions were also found. These tests were given again in Springfield in 1905 and the same method of marking the answers was observed. The limits of this report will not admit of giving the comparative results in each of the tests. The aver- ages attained by the pupils in 1905 were far better in all of the tests than were those of the pupils in 1846. Perhaps the most important test was that in arithmetic. The average percentage attained in arithmetic by the ninth grade in Springfield in 1846 was 29.4, in 1905 in the same city the ninth grade attained an average percentage of 65.5 on the same questions and the same method of marking.
The identical test given in arithmetic in the Springfield schools in 1846 and again in 1905, was given to the eighth grade in the Duxbury Village Grammar School the last week of the fall term and the same method of marking the answers was ob- served. The average percentage attained by the class was 73.9, although the test was given to the grade below the grade tested in Springfield. This test would have been given to the eighth grade at Tarkiln had the school not been closed on account of scarlet fever. The two schools are doing practically the same work and there is every reason to believe that the school at Tar- kiln would do about the same with the test as did the Village Grammar.
The fact that Duxbury did much better in this test in arith- metic than did one of the best school systems in New England, either in 1846 or in 1905, might lead one to think that we are devoting an undue amount of time to this subject. Such, how- ever, is not the case. The eighth grade devotes but 25 minutes per day to recitation in arithmetic. This is the greatest amount of time devoted to the subject in any grade. Most of the lower grades have but fifteen minutes to give to arithmetic.
In the report of last year it was stated that we were awaiting a course of studies for country schools, then in preparation by the State Board of Education. That course has been received, copies have been distributed to the teachers and one teacher's meeting has been devoted to a discussion concerning the work laid out in it for the first six grades. Other meetings will be devoted to the same subject in the near future. This course is
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comprised in eight pamphlets and contains suggestions for work in many more subjects than the number of pamphlets would in- dicate. It is permeated throughout with the best educational thought of the day, and our teachers will do well to make an in- tensive study of the ideas, suggestions and projects it contains.
While it is conservative to say that considering our limitations, the schools of Duxbury are doing excellent work in the time- honored branches, it should be our aim to improve our standard in this work and at the same time do more work than heretofore in the rudiments of the practical sciences and practical arts re- ferred to in the new course of studies.
Practically all of the pupils of the first six grades are housed in one-room buildings so widely separated that departmental teach- ing is out of the question, consequently if the work of the schools is to conform to the spirit of the State course of studies, it will be necessary for our teachers to prepare themselves to teach pro- jects they never have been taught, and to teach some of the com- mon branches in ways other than they have been taught. I am sure our teachers can do this and feel that the future is full of promise.
The excellent repair in which the school buildings are kept is a credit to the Town and bears evidence of the thoughtful care of the School Board. The pupils should be taught to take pride in keeping the school buildings, out buildings and grounds in as cleanly and attractive condition as possible.
In closing I wish to express my appreciation of the state of harmony existing in every branch of the school department. It is an important factor concerning the welfare of the schools.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM E. CHAFFIN,
Superintendent of Schools.
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SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. W. E. Chaffin, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir :- The first term of music in the Duxbury schools has seemed very short, as the lessons in singing did not begin until after the middle of October. However, the teachers and pupils have worked hard and some of the schools have progressed quite rapidly.
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