USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Berkley > Town annual report of Berkley 1854-1892 > Part 5
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17 13
George Cummings,
11 72
Joseph T. Cummings,
9 68
Jason Cummings,
15 29
Jason Cummings Jr.,
2 00
Barzillia Crane Estate,
12 08
Nathan G. Case,
11 98
Charles Cory,
19 70
Stephen Corey,
12 50
Thomas G. Chase,
2 42
George W. Cummings,
2 53
Andrew H. Covell,
3 84
19
Charles E. Clark.
34 41
Charles E. Clark Jr.,
2 00
John J. Clark,
2 00
Francis P. Clark,
2 00
James Clark,
2 00
Benj. Crane Estate,
3 15
Peter L. Chace,
42 14
Thomas H. Chace,
2 00
Benj. F. Chase,
22 63
Henry W Clark,
12 25
Henry D. Clark,
2 00
Israel Chase,
9 51
Benj. F. Cheney,
7 21
Wm. Caswell,
22 33
Daniel Caswell,
2 00
George M. Cole,
2 00
Samuel H. Cudworth,
12 19
Calvin T. Crane,
29 57
John Cushing,
11 45
Abbie Chaffee,
3 15
Samuel N. Crane,
2 00
Wm. A. Chamberlain,
5 15
Mrs. E. R. Clark,
4 47
John F. Cushing,
2 00
James Covel.
2 00
James Darvell,
2 00
Vernon L. Dean,
2 00
Hercules Dean,
27 78
Thomas C. Dean,
26 79
Thomas B. Dean,
2 00
Miles S. Dean,
18 13
Albert E. Dean,
2 00
Thomas F. Dean,
25 26
Ebenezer Dean,
27 89
Charles A. Davis,
14 61
Esther D. Dillingham,
22 58
S. P. D. Dillingham,
6 30
James D. Dillingham,
2 32
John Q. Dillingham,
44 69
Silas Downing,
6 62
Henry J. Dyer,
8 83
Herbert A. Dean,
110 47
Roland B. Eaton,
19 38
Theodore H. Eaton,
2 00
Joseph R. Ellsbree,
21 49
Jeremiah R. Ellsbree,
2 00
Wm. K. Evans,
16 18
20
Oliver E. French,
22 96
Charles W. Farmer,
18 81
Emily Farmer,
12 34
James O. French,
9 09
Mary B. French,
6 62
George W. Felch,
2 00
Timothy E. French.
8 04
Christopher P. French,
16 18
Philip H. Fletcher,
67 21
Louis P. Fletcher,
2 00
John Gidmark,
2 00
Lewis Green,
4 94
Allen Gray,
15 92
Alexander T. Gray,
3 32
John Grinnell,
18 23
George L. Hammond,
15 24
Wm. B. Haskins,
53 61
Joseph P. Haskins Estate,
23 10
Shadrach Hathaway,
13 29
Enoch S. Hathaway,
3 21
Enoch Hathaway Estate,
1 58
Benj. Hathaway Estate,
5 25
Henry Hathaway,
15 60
Rebecca G. Hathaway,
22 26
David Hoxie,
30 51
Edward B. Hathaway,
2 00
Otis Haskell,
3 05
Wm. H. Haskell,
2 00
James A. Haskell.
2 00
Cyrus Hathaway,
14 97
Charles A. Hathaway,
2 79
John Harmon,
8 51
Sarah J. Hathaway,
2 10
Albert Hathaway,
3 95
Rowena Hathaway widow,
53
Cyrus Haskins, Jr.,
2 53
Cyrus Haskins Estate,
8 82
Augustus R. Haines,
6 20
James Hathaway Estate,
7 41
Bradford G. Hathaway,
16 48
Henry A. Haines,
2 00
Michael Harrington,
2 00
Peter Hathaway Estate,
19 95
George F. Howard,
2 00
George A. Harmon,
2 00
Russel Haskins,
2 00
21
Freeman D. Harmon,
2 00
Elam R. Haskins,
14 13
Benj. S. Haskins,
10 56
Stephen Hathaway,
20 43
Catherine Harrington,
7 88
.Julius C. Haskins,
23 74
Cornelius Harrington,
4 10
Jacob C. Haskins,
2 06
Charles R. Haskins,
2 53
Lydia G. Haskins.
20 34
Wm. W. Haskins,
2 00
Fanny Haskins' Heirs,
9 19
Sarah J. Hoard's Heirs,
9 45
Isaac N. Horton,
5 84
John T. Haskins,
2 00
Wm. W. Hathaway,
2 00
Benj. C. Hallett,
2 00
Charles Hathaway,
2 00
Arthur Jones,
2 53
Giles L. Leach,
42 80
Obediah Lawton,
16 45
Wm. F. Lincoln,
2 00
Simeon W. Luther,
2 79
Benj. Luther,
22 58
Margaret Luther,
9 45
Frank S. Macomber,
5 16
James H. Macomber,
6 73
Enocli Macomber,
11 14
Horace Macomber,
3 58
Frederick Macomber,
2 00
Bradford W. Macomber,
1 05
Gideon H. Myrick,
19 12
John W. Meack,
8 20
Sarah C. Myrick, widow,
21 00
Sarah C. Myrick, guardian,
5 52
Ebenezer Macomber.
16 55
George W. Macomber,
36 02
Macomber & Manchester,
16 02
Geo. R. Macomber,
2 00
. Pardon H. Manchester,
2 00
James Maguire,
21 98
John F. McDonald,
2 00
Samuel Norcut,
6 73
Geo. A. Norcut,
3 05
Silas Norcut,
12 77
Bernard Norcut,
9 99
22
Betsey Newhall, widow,
1 32
Francis Newhall,
25 27
Walter D. Nichols,
43 96
John H. Nichols,
2 27
Frank H. Nichols,
2 00
Albert Pitts,
111 88
Thomas Poole,
2 00
Walter H. Phillips,
2 16
Samuel W. Phillips,
6 29
Benj. Paull,
13 34
James F. Phillips,
12 00
Andrew N. Pierce's heirs
7 02
Darius Phillips estate,
17 60
Jeremiah W. Pierce,
95
Samuel S Pierce,
5 73
Shepherd Phillips,
4 89
Alfred Pierce.
14 08
Franklin Phillips,
11 67
Charles F. Phillips,
2 42
F. A. Paull's estate,
23 10
Charles F. Paull,
2 00
James W. Paull,
2 00
Thomas P. Paull,
2 00
Paull Bros.,
27 67
David Pierce's heirs,
4 20
Elkanah Pierce,
50 99
Wm. H. Pierce,
71 41
Wm. H. Pierce, Guar.,
3 15
Joshua Padelford,
2 00
Azariah Petty,
2 00
George Pierce estate,
16 28
Abishai Pittsley,
2 00
John A. Read,
15 65
Asa W. Read,
6 73
John F. Richmond,
13 93
David K. Richmond,
2 16
Mrs. Stephen C. Ramsdell,
53
Apollos B. Read,
2 00
Salmond Richmond heirs,
12 08
Wm. H. Smith,
9 83
Sinai Seekell,
2 10
Thomas P. Staples,
6 30
Daniel D. Strange,
27 47
Noah H Strange,
2 00
George P. Strange,
7 21
Philip A. Strange,
2 00
Maria J. Strange,
2 00
23
David T. Strange,
21 85
Thomas Strange estate,
38 85
Elam Staples,
7 10
Charles F. Staples,
2 00
Darius Sanford,
7 41
Charles A. Shaw,
7 37
David F. Strange,
3 58
Joseph Staples,
14 30
Isaac Seymour,
26 79
Thomas H. Seekell,
24 63
Alfred R. Street,
.2 00
John S. Staples,
24 21
Seth F. Staples,
1.9 60
Timothy Staples,
20 38
Henry Shove,
9 77
Wm. Simms,
25 37
Wm. G. Simms,
2 00
John Smith,
2 00
Wm. D. Seymour,
2 00
Charles Stokes
2 00
Geo. L. Turcott.
2 00
Leander Terry,
20 39
Jonathan W Thrasher,
31 57
Charles O. Thrasher,
2 00
Charles F. Thrasher,
2 00
Benj. H. Thrasher,
6 73
John H. Thrasher,
10 04
Noah D. Thrasher,
13 41
Edward J. Thomas.
2 00
George E. Thomas,
2 00
John T. Townsend,
15 35
Nath'l G. Townsend,
18 28
Thomas Terry,
10 94
Joseph W. Terry.
2 00
Edward E. Terry,
2 00
Eliphalet Terry,
2 00
Thomas J. Tew's estate,
10 77
Cherles H. Thomas,
2 00
Gustavus Tripp,
7 25
Cassius E. Viall,
19 07
. Amanda Wilbur,
2 10
George W. Westgate,
12 88
George H. Westgate,
5 95
Eli Wordell,
2 16
James B. Westgate,
16 39
Charles F. Westgate,
2 00
Dean P. Westgate,
18 86
24
George E. Westgate,
2 00
Elijah Wilbur,
11 19
Bildad Williams,
5 42
George F. Wilbur,
31 41
Charles H. Williams,
2 00
Seth E. Williams,
12 50
Caroline Williams wid.,
4 73
James E. Westgate,
5 42
Andrew Waters,
10 82
John S. Willis,
17 50
James Wade,
24 90
Charles M. Wade,
2 00
Wm. Whitmore heirs,
8 93
Charles S. White,
15 34
Carlos C. Wellman,
2 00
Theodore Wilbur,
3 47
Cong. Society,
6 30
NON-RESIDENTS.
TAUNTON.
Nathan Clark,
$13.65
John Seekell estate,
7.88
George Seekell,
2.89
James H. Wade,
12.08
William Morse,
9.72
J. Frank Dean,
19.53
Charles F. Johnson,
5.78
Edward P. Macomber,
2.63
David C. Dean,
4.62
James P. Dean,
3.15
Charles W. Padelford,
.32
Alvin T. Pierce,
1.58
Rufus Macomber,
48.52
William Burt,
3.15
Benjamin Burt,
4.20
Samuei B. Chase,
7.35
Anthony & Cushman,
6.83
David W. Dean,
7.88
Jacob Eldridge,
1.05
Israel French,
2.37
George A. Field and others,
15.75
John Godfrey estate,
.53
Nelson Goff,
.53
Enoch Goff,
.79
Staples & Godfrey,
3.68
Sylvia Hathaway,
.79
Enoch Hathaway estate,
,79
George Hart,
.53
25
John W. Hart,
5.78
Edward O. Hart,
6 83
James E. Uart,
1.84
Lysander Hart,
1.84
Henry B. Macomber,
4.20
Samuel W. Macomber,
6.30
William F. Macomber,
.53
Stephen Pierce,
.27
Oliver A. Pierce,
1.05
William Price,
7.35
Isaac Fish,
4.20
Staples & Phillips,
10.50
David Padelford,
1.84
James Paull,
5.25
Elias Phillips estate,
3.15
Bernard Quigley estate,
2.10
Sinal Williams and others
3.68
Alpheus Sanford's estate,
3.31
John E Sanford,
2.10
Abraham Shores,
6.99
Lloyd Williams estate,
3.15
George Williams,
8.40
Marshall Williams,
1.58
James Wetherell,
5.78
Francis K. Williams,
27.30
House and lot,
8.93
A. White & Co.,
7.35
A. L. Bliss,
29.30
Jacob Phillips,
3.68
George S. Clark,
.27
Job Hamer,
3.68
Oliver Soper's heirs.
.53
James Gillespie,
1.05
Mary Haskins,
.79
William W. French,
2.10
Elkanah Hathaway,
11.55
Louis Bragg,
4.73
Jason Pittsly,
1.84
Charles D. White,
1.58
Roby Hardman,
1.32
Alexander H. Williams,
.27
Marshall Bragg,
2 63
FREETOWN.
Daniel H. Cudworth,
.21
William H. Cudworth,
.32
Hathaway & Evans.
2.63
Charles E. Hathaway,
2.63
Jonathan Gurney,
.84
Thomas G. Nichols,
2.52
Nichols & Sampson,
4 73
James Winslow,
1 58
Ambrose B Winslow,
64
4
26
Apollos Webster,
20 74
John D Wilson,
2 63
Joseph D Hathaway.
10 24
Mrs John W Pickens,
16 80
Charles II Briggs,
1 32
LAKEVILLE.
Clothier Allen estate,
5 25
John Allen.
64
John F Allen,
5 78
Ebenezer Crane,
12 60
Jireh Winslow estate,
20 37
William Canedy,
1 58
Job Pierce,
27
James Pierce.
2 63
Ethan E Pierce,
2 31
Amelia Paull,
2 10
Enos Pierce,
27
Susin Strowbridge,
4 73
Henry C Pickens,
5 25
Cyrus O Elmes,
5 25
Charles Farmer,
84
Jeremiah Murphy,
4 73
James. P Pierce
3 31
Abram Pierce estate,
1 05
NEW BEDFORD.
Daniel K Andros estate,
18 38
Charles D Burt,
53
Caroline Morse,
4 73
Samuei H Whitmore,
14 70
Samuel B Hamlin,
2 32
WESTPORT POINT.
R Macomber and H Brightman,
23 63
PORTSMOUTH, R. I.
Abbie J Chase,
4 20
William Seekell,
1 05
Jane Renches,
3 15
Frank D Chester,
11 93
Joseph W Puffer.
7 62
Malachi H Haskins,
8 93
Clarissa Porter,
4 20
George W Crowningshield,
5 78
Calvin T Dean.
4 20
Bathsheba Goff,
2 63
DIGHTON.
Shove & Perry,
7 35
Charles N Simmons.
7 88
Noble S Simmons estate,
6 83
Charles E Whitmarsh,
63
PROVIDENCE, R. I.
27
FALL RIVER.
Edmund Chase and others, Caroline Dean, William B. Durfee,
12 60
53
73 50
INDIANA.
Jonathan Crane,
1 58
CAMBRIDGEPORT.
John Crane,
21 53
ARIZONA.
C. G. W. French,
53
BRIGHTON, MASS.
Ambrose Hathaway,
5 25
RAYNHAM.
2 10
ENGLAND.
A. J. Roberts,
3 68
REHOBOTH.
Wm. W. Blanding,
11 55
BOSTON.
George W. Pierce,
3 15
JAMAICA PLAIN.
Ellen Anderson.
3 15
B. C. F. & N. B. R. R., New Bedford division, 42 00
VERMONT.
Sumner Thompson, 5 25
Enoch Sanford,
SCHOOL REPORT.
The School Committee of the town of Berkley herewith most respectfully submit their annual report.
The whole number of scholars attending our schools appears to be 158; average membership 118; average attendance 98; over 15 years of age 28; between the ages of 8 and 14, 83. The per cent. of attendance is only 83, which although very small is a slight improvement upon the attendance of last year. The whole number of persons in town on the first day of May last, between the ages of 5 and 15 years was 150; whole number between the ages of 8 and 14 years was 94, as returned to us by the Asses- sors of the town. Of the 150 returned as above, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, only 132 appear to have attended school. Thus 12 per cent. have not put in an appearance at all. Whose children are they? What circumstances can excuse this great neglect?
There has been (with one exception of a week,) eight and one half months school in all of the school houses in town, a length unprecedented in the history of the town of Berkley. We feel very grateful to
29
the town for supplying us with the means of thus lengthening the schools.
The school houses are as a whole in far better condition and more suited and better adapted to the needs of both teachers and scholars, than ever since the incorporation of the town in 1735, when there were no school houses in town and but one teacher, "Master Gavin", who taught in different parts of the town at stated times in such buildings as could be secured for the purpose. The school house No. 1, (Common) needs to be newly floored, reseated and changed to conform to the general plan of the new school buildings in town. We would also call the attention of the town to the school building at Myricksville. It will soon need very expensive re- pairs. Would it not be worth an effort on the part of the town to sell it at some price and build a house more suited to the needs of the school and far more economical to the town?
We feel justified in saying, according to the knowledge which we possess, that there has been no retrogression in the character of our schools as a whole, and in some schools a very marked advance- ment.
But length of schools, good and attractive school houses, competent and devoted teachers alone will not secure the best result. Home influence in the right direction is indispensible. Children should go to school charged with the importance, yes, necessity, of obedience and industry, of good behavior and of diligence. Then much of the trials and perplexities
30
of the teacher's life would be turned into joy and enthusiasm. The importance of a loving teacher consists greatly in the training of pupils and teach- ing the how to obtain knowledge. Teach them to think, to reason, to compare, to comprehend. Then they will be prepared with much or little acquired knowledge to gain more and more during their whole lives. For whatever aids may facilitate the acquire- ment of what we call education, but little can be accomplished without the earnest efforts of the pupil. Whatever other important factors are supplied, if home influence and personal effort on the part of pupil be wanting, the product can never be highly satisfactory.
In regard to the studies pursued in our schools, without disparaging any study, we would impress upon the teachers the paramount importance of reading, writing and spelling. Said a venerable and seccessful teacher in a school in which the writer was a small boy, "It should be written over the door of your school room, that the reading lesson is the most important lesson." We fully endorse the sen- timent. "Understandest thou what thou readest," is as pertinent, as important a question now as eighteen centuries ago. Whoever can read well, whoever is master of emphasis, inflection, pauses, in short whoever can read so as to convey the thoughts, ideas and conceptions of the subject read perfectly to a hearer, possesses a key to a fountain of knowledge almost inexhaustible.
31
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the clergymen of the town for the interest manifested by them in the schools. One of them, himself once a teacher, knows how necessary the "Aarons and Hurs" are to sustain the courage, the enthusiasm of the teach- er. In the name of the town we thank them, and express the hope that their efforts and interest in the future will not be abated. It has been said in a former report (some ten years since) that the first two clergymen of the town, who together occupied the pulpit for some three-fourths of a century, ex- erted a more powerful and beneficial influence in this town out of their pulpits than in them, although both of them were very able exponents of Christian- ity from their stand-points. Christianity, civiliza- tion, intelligence, enlightenment, and humanity, are inseparably connected. We all agree, then, that the proper training and education of our children and youth are of the first importance, not only in regard to the life that is, but of the life beyond the bounds of time. Let us, then, endeavor to discharge that duty according to the light which we have within us.
No. of School.
TEACHERS' NAMES.
No. of Term.
Whole No. Average | Average Mem- attend- ance. Scholars bership.
Length of Term in Mos.
Teach'rs' wages per Mo.
Over 15 years of age.
Under 5 years of age.
14 years of age.
Bet.8and Per cent. Amount rec'd by tendance teachers. of at-
86
( JULIA R. BURT,
1
19
17
143
25
$$28.
1
1
66
3
22
21
18
50.
1
23
21
18
25
20.
0
0
16
86
50.
2
ANNIE P. MOORE,
3
28
232
18
3.5
32.
1
0
18
80
112.
ALFRED R. STREET,
1
14
10%
63
2.5
28.
1
0
7
63
70.
HANNAH T. TURNER,
2
16
14
122
28.
2
0
9
90
70.
CAROLINE L. HOLLIS,
3
17
16
144
35
32.
0
1
7
66
50.
LIZZIE D. FRENCH,
2
13
13
12
4
SOPHIA P. DILLINGHAM,
3
15
153
13%
35
32.
3
0
10
85
112.
20.
0
1
4
100
1
7
6 10010 5
16$
13
25
20.
1
0
13
86
50.
ANNIE F. CUMMINGS,
2
21
20
133
25
20.
1
0
13
68
50.
6
NANCY J. PHILLIPS,
3
29
24
175
25
28.
1
1
10
86
1
21
24}
2
31
27
25
7
32.
1
0
12
71
244.
3
26
18}
13
34
'Teachers' wages,
79.00
Rec'd from State Fund,
214.88
Wood and cutting,
25.81
Dog Tax Fund,
69.07
Building fires,
25.30
Scholars,
5.75
This table of Statistics we trust speaks for itself.
WALTER D. NICHOLS, BENJAMIN F. COOMBS, THOMAS P. PAULL,
School Com. of
Berkley.
2
22
21
18
2.5
20.
0
0
14
86
ANNIE M. BOWERS,
2
21
20%
19
2.5
28.
2
0
19
0
19
86
$252.
32.
0
2
1
9
89
112.
1
12
9
6
28.
1
0
8
92
70.
ANNIE B. WILBUR,
20.
0
1
4
92
184.
5
66
3
9
41
32
24.
1
0
6
74
1
-
112.
32.
4
0
12
73
PHILIP C. PORTER,
21
28.
1
1
12
92
$1588.00
Town Grant,
$1450.00
5
2
7
19
471 ELIZABETH M. JOHNSON,
3
20.
0
11
80
32
6
TREASURER'S
REPORT,
For Year Ending Feb. 16, 1891,
TOGETHER WITH A
LIST OF TAXES
FOR 1890-91
OF THE
Town's of & Berkley.
TAUNTON, MASS .: PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF C. H. BUFFINGTON, 1891.
42
ANNUAL REPORT.
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Berkley :- The undersigned, School Committee of Berkley, herewith submit their Annual Report of Schools for the year end- ing March 2, 1891 :
COMMITTEE WORK.
Your committee organized on March 20, 1890, by the selection of James Darius Dillingham as Chairman, and Calvin T. Crane as Secretary. The care of school property was apportioned as follows :- To J. D. Dillingham, the Dis- trict Nos. 4, 6 and 7 schools ; to C. T. Crane, the District Nos. 1 and 2 schools; and to R. H. Babbitt, the District Nos. 3 and 5 schools. Wm. H. Crane, Chas. Corey and Chas. F. Paull, were appointed Truant officers, and their reports are appended hereto. At a subsequent meeting William G. Simons was appointed School house Agent in District No. 7, to have the care and letting of Academy Hall, etc. Teacher's certificates have been properly issued ; labels regulating the use of school property have been printed and pasted in all the books. The introduction of report cards into our schools has greatly improved their efficiency and raised in a marked degree the standard of scholarship. Printed instructions carefully prepared for use of our teachers have very considerably diminished the expense of immediate supervision. The more careful use of school property by pupils has been repeatedly em- phasized, resulting in a marked decrease in the number and nature of injuries to school furniture. In the selec- tion of teachers every reasonable effort has been made by your committee to secure the services of efficient and suc- cessful teachers, but there are always people ready to re- commend "so-called " teachers to an unsuspecting school board. All the schools have been properly visited, and Chairman Dillingham has several times visited all the schools to carefully inspect their workings and advise with
43
ANNUAL REPORT.
the several teachers as to the best methods of instruction. Called to a more extensive field of labor, he has been obliged to resign, and a copy of his resignation may be found appended hereto. The study of manners has also been introduced into all our schools.
OUR TEACHERS.
During the past year Berkley has lost in Miss Sarah Crane, a teacher of over forty consecutive years of suc- cessful experience in the school room. In District No. 1 Miss Julia R. Burt has been doing superior school work ; Miss M. T. Virgin has accomplished very successful re- sults in District No. 4. In general it may be said there has been much to praise and little to criticise in the work of our teachers of the current year.
OUR SCHOOLS.
The schools of Berkley are equal, if not superior, to those of the neighboring towns. Our three terms of school have amounted to thirty-three weeks. Behind the closed doors of the school room the teacher is doing a work of the most far-reaching consequences as to the pupil's future success, and the welfare of society. Itis therefore our duty, as parents and public-spirited citi- zens, to zealously promote all school interests by giving our fullest sympathy and encouragement to the teachers and school board in the grand work of education, and also by frequent visitations of our schools for the purpose of seeing with our own eyes and hearing with our own ears the actual work of the school room.
OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Our school buildings are in a fair condition, but several must be repainted soon. District No, 4's out- building should be remodelled. Our school buildings ought to be insured. A careful examination of Town
44
ANNUAL REPORT.
Records failed to show any vote of the town as to "shade trees " or any appropriation therefor, and so your commit- tee were legally stopped from further action on the mat- ter. Few towns of our population and resources in Mas- sachusetts can boast of more convenient school buildings, or more modern furniture.
EDUCATION OF TO-DAY.
The teacher must not convert the pupil into a walk- ing encyclopedia : for education is not measured by pages, nor confined to books. All the forces surrounding us from infancy up are educating us : some for good, and some for evil. The more attractive the agencies, the more satifac- tory will be the results. Education, to-day, aims at the practical, and seeks to fit the pupil for the practical walks of life. More school-apparatus and books of reference are demanded, as well as more scientific teaching. The days of " keeping school " are over. Teaching now is elevated to a profession, equal in dignity to that of law, medicine and theology. Let us as citizens put forth every effort to make our schools successful. Let us, as parents, encourage perfect sympathy between teacher and child, and stimu- late our children to make the most of their golden oppor- tunities for mental development. If our children lay the foundations of their mental structures firm and broad their success in life is guaranteed, for genuine education is only another name for opportunity.
THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
Country schools are very apt to suffer from the in- different instruction of persons deficient in education and experience. Our best educated and most experienced teachers are attracted by higher salaries, and hence our schools yearly become training schools for city schools, and our teachers leave us just when they are best quali-
45
ANNUAL REPORT.
fied to do most satisfactory work. The census of 1890 shows a marked decrease in Berkley's population and wealth, and should the next ten years witness the same decrease, then the future of our schools becomes a vital question to the tax-payer. One of the essential elements entering into a town's prosperity is a good school ; hence the improvement of our schools is now an all-important problem.
I. SHORTER TERMS AND HIGHER WAGES.
It is possible to pay higher wages to our teachers, and shorten the length of the terms. Such a course would not diminish the number of our schools; nor would it insure better teachers and schools.
Only the experienced superintendent, in these days of cheap diplomas and wholesale recommendation, can secure the professional teachers who will build up our schools.
II. CONSOLIDATION AND GRADATION.
Our schools could be consolidated by vote of the town, and then graded, involving a special appropriation for the conveyance of children. Geographically consid- ered, our school houses can not be located so as to make this plan feasible. The closing up of several of our school houses, and the disposition of the same would also foster local strife, harmful to the best interests of the town. Still Berkley needs fewer schools, and those graded.
III. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
A superintendent of sound education, and profession- al experience would greatly improve our schools. Better teachers would be secured ; more modern methods of teaching introduced. Under his direct and watchful su- pervision the teachers would do more earnest, thorough and practical work and their mistakes would be corrected,
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ANNUAL REPORT.
and their methods improved. Now our schools have a committee of three, but then one man would be account- able, and responsibility could be readily fixed.
Chapter 431, of Legislative Acts of 1888, provides that two or more towns, each having a value under $2,500,- 000, and together containing not less than thirty and not more than fifty schools, may unite and employ a superin- tendent of schools, to be annually chosen by the school committee of the union district assembled in joint conven- tion, and that they "shall determine the amount of ser- vice to be performed by him " in each town, and appor- tion the amount to be paid by each town to him for ser- vices.
If the several towns will unitedly pay to the superin- tendent of schools $750, the state will pay $1000, one-half of which goes towards his salary, and the other half to be distributed according to average attendance among the several towns for payment of their teachers. If unsatis- factory this arrangement may be discontinued at end of year. District superintendency of schools has already re- ceived the hearty approval of educators and teachers, and the stamp of popular favor. The services of a superin- tendent of schools, one day each week in Berkley, would be well worth the additional expenditure of $50 to $75 which would be required to comply with the provisions of this act. Without making any formal recommendations, we leave the matter in your hands, confident of the wis- dom of your decision.
CONCLUSION.
Every cent spent on our public schools is well spent. Long after we have passed away our children will grate- fully remember our services in their behalf. If we leave a good education to our children we have furnished them
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with a valuable opportunity for self-advancement, and if they fail to use it, not we, but they are at fault. As in the past, may our schools of the future be an ornament to our town.
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