USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1896 > Part 6
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Braintree Savings Bank, interest on deposit ·
38 56
Randolph Savings Bank, interest on deposit 2 19
Canton, Ohio, interest on two bonds . .
50 00
$21,555 69
126
Cr.
Amount to credit of Sinking Fund, invested as follows :- To four Fitchburg R. R. bonds of One Thousand Dollars each, dated Jan. 1, 1890, 30 years at 4%, numbers A 4,131 to A 4,134 inclusive of cost . $3,877 11
Ten Braintree Municipal Lighting bonds, dated April 5, 1893, due April 5, 1917, at 4% 10,000 00
One Braintree Municipal Lighting bond, same as above 500 00
Note of Henry L. Dearing, secured by mortgage, dated Jan. 7, 1896, for one year at 42 % 3,500 00 One Canton, Ohio, 5% bond, No. 1,429, due 1911, cost 1,110 84
One Canton, Ohio, 5% bond, No. 693, due 1898, cost 1,041 50
Balance Braintree Savings Bank as per certificate 1,069 97
Balance Randolph Savings Bank as per certificate 431 27
Balance Quincy Savings Bank as per certificate 25 00
$21,555 69
We have examined the accounts and securities of the Treasurer of the Water Loan Sinking Fund of 1887, as shown above, and find ($21,555.69) twenty-one thousand five hundred and fifty-five and 6% dollars to the credit of the said Sinking Fund, being in- vested as shown above.
DANIEL POTTER, L. W. MORRISON, CHAS. G. SHEPPARD, Auditors.
Braintree, Feb. 3, 1897.
127
WATER LOAN OF 1891.
P. D. Holbrook, treasurer, water loan sinking fund, for pay- ment of bonds issued June 1, 1891, and payable June 1, 1921.
Dr.
Dec. 31, 1895. To amount of sink- ing fund $12,898 67
To Town of Braintree, interest on six municipal lighting bonds To H. A. Jones, interest on mortgage 157 50
240 00
To Quincy Savings Bank, inter- est on deposit · To Town of Braintree, appro- priation
7 94
3,000 00
To Town of Braintree, interest on note ·
120 00
To Canton, O., interest on six bonds . .
150 00
$16,574 11
Cr.
Amount to credit of sinking fund, invested as follows : Six Braintree municipal bonds, dated April 5, 1893, due April 5, 1917, at 4 per cent. 6,000 00
Note of Horace A. Jones and Miranda S. Jones, secured by mortgage dated Oct. 4, 1895, for 5 years at 42 per cent. 3,500 00
Six Canton, O., 5 per cent. bonds numbers 1423 to 1428, inclu- sive, due 1911 (cost) 6,665 00
Quincy Savings Bank, as per certifi- cate 409 11
$16,574 11
128
We have examined the accounts and securities of the treasurer of the Water Loan Sinking Fund of 1891, as shown above, and find ($16,574.11), sixteen thousand five hundred seventy-four and dollars to the credit of the said sinking fund, being invested as per statement shown above.
DANIEL POTTER, L. W. MORRISON, CHARLES G. SHEPPARD,
BRAINTREE, Feb. 3, 1897.
Auditors.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
P. D. HOLBROOK, TREASURER OF WATER WORKS.
Dr.
To Balance per Statement Jan. 1, 1896
$1,731 85
To cash received of John V. Scollard, Collector of water rates 14,102 97
To cash received of Town for hydrant service
3,950 00
To cash received of Town of Brain- tree, appropriation for extend- ing water mains
3,000 00
Cash recived of Town of Braintree to pay interest on water bonds . 500 00
Cash received of E. H. Gay & Co., for six bonds of $1,000 each Premium on bonds .
6,000 00
240 00
Accrued interest on bonds
87 33
$29,612 15
Cr.
Cash paid on 151 orders drawn by Water Commissioners ·
$15,213 72
Cash paid for coupons on water bonds 10,000 00
Balance on hand .
$25,213 72
4,398 43
$29,612 15
130
The above accounts of Peter D. Holbrook, Treasurer of the Board of Water Commissioners of Braintree, have been examined and found correct with all vouchers furnished, the balance (4,398.43), forty-three hundred and ninety-eight -43 dollars, be- ing on deposit in the State National and National Exchange banks, Boston, as per statement, certificates being furnished by the cashiers of said banks.
DANIEL POTTER, L. W. MORRISON, CHAS. G. SHEPPARD,
Feb. 2, 1897.
Auditors.
REPORT
OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
BRAINTREE, MASS.
January 1 to December 31, 1896.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
THOMAS A. WATSON, Chairman. Quincy Avenue, East Braintree. Term expires in 1897.
ALBION C. DRINKWATER, Vice-Chairman, Elm Street, Braintree. Term expires in 1898.
MRS. A. M. BROOKS, Franklin Street, South Braintree. Term ex- pires in 1898.
HENRY L. DEARING, M. D., Washington Street, Braintree. Term expires in 1899.
MRS. CARRIE F. LORING, Front Street, East Braintree. Term ex- pires in 1899.
FRANK W. BRETT, M. D., Washington Street, South Braintree. Term expires in 1897.
IRVING W. HORNE, Secretary and Superintendent, Hollis Avenue, Braintree.
Meetings of Committee.
Second Monday of each month at three o'clock, P. M., at the Mona- tiquot building, Washington Street, Braintree.
Office Hours of Superintendent.
MONATIQUOT BUILDING.
Mondays, from 4 to 4.30 P. M.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 to 8.30 A. M.
Fridays, from 11.45 A. M., to 12.15 P. M.
Schools in Session.
1896, Sept. 8 to Dec. 24; 1897, Jan. 4 to March 26; April 5 to June 24; Sept. 7 to Dec. 24.
134
Holidays.
Saturdays, Nov. 26, 27; Feb. 22; April 19; May 30.
Daily School Sessions.
High, 8.30 A. M. to 1.30 P. M.
Other Schools, 9 to 11.45 A. M., and 1.30 to 3.45 P. M.
Storm Signal.
The signal for no session of the public schools will be 3-3-3, sounded twice on the fire alarm at 7.40 A. M. for no forenoon session; at 11.30 A. M. or 12.15 P. M., for no afternoon session.
A storm signal one hour before the appointed time of a committee or a teachers' meeting, is a notice of postponement of the meeting.
Janitors.
Monatiquot Building, E. Alden Belcher, Washington street, Brain- tree.
Jonas Perkins' Building, William Orr, Front street, East Braintree.
Pond Building, Sewall Nye, Central avenue, South Braintree.
Union Building, J. Franklin Bates, Washington street, Braintree.
Middle Street Building, Francis H. Thayer, Middle street, Dana's corner.
Truant Officers.
John Gallivan, Braintree. Sewall Nye, South Braintree. Henry Dugan, Jr., East Braintree.
Tuition of Non-Resident Students:
High School, $1 a week; grades 6 to 9, 75 cents a week; grades 1 to 5, 50 cents a week.
Non-resident students are not admitted to any school without the written permission of the Superintendent.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
BRAINTREE, JAN. 27, 1897.
The year just passed has been one of quiet progress in the schools of Braintree unmarked by little that calls for special mention.
CROWDED SCHOOLS.
The crowded condition of the Monatiquot, Pond and Union grammar and primary schools is a source of anxiety and it is evi- dent that additional room must soon be provided to properly take care of the increasing number of pupils.
RE-OPENING SOUTHWEST SCHOOL.
Temporary relief can be obtained at the Pond school by re-open- ing the school in the Southwest district for the two lower primary grades. This would cost for repairs, furniture; etc., $225 and for running expenses from September to January $250.
We recommend that this be done and that these amounts be appropriated.
HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALSHIP.
Mr. Oliver R. Cook resigned his position as principal of the High School in August. As no candidate presented himself who was entirely satisfactory, we thought best to place Supt. Horne temporarily in charge of the school as principal. With assistance from members of the School Committee in looking after some of the business details of his work as Superintendent, and by em- ploying an assistant to do some of the clerical work, it seemed possible for him to fill that position without neglecting the other schools.
136
Mrs. C. E. French has been engaged to do the clerical work and has been paid at the rate of twenty-five cents per hour for time actually employed. This will amount to about $50 per year, but the $50 heretofore paid Mr. Horne as clerk of the School Committee will offset this.
The plan has worked so well that we decided to continue it for another year, and at our meeting Jan. 25, 1897, elected Mr. Horne principal of the High school for the year at a yearly salary of $600, beginning Jan. 1, 1897, in addition to that paid him as Superintendent, an amount that we consider very small indeed in proportion to the value of his services.
We have satisfied ourselves that his new duties are not prevent- ing due attention on his part to his duties as superintendent and feel that the town is to be congratulated in having a Superinten- dent of its Schools who is willing to assume the duties of both these important offices and able to do the work in the satisfactory manner in which it is now being done.
The combination of the two offices reduces the expense for teachers for 1897, $800.
Mr. Horne refused to accept any compensation for his services as principal for the four months in 1896 as he wished before receiving any pay for the work to have it clearly shown that he could fill both positions in an entirely satisfactory manner.
EXPENDITURES FOR 1896.
The expenditures for support of schools during 1896 have been as follows :
Teachers and Superintendent. (Salary of principal
of High school for six months only)
$14,330 00
Janitors
1,424 07
Text books and supplies
1,730 82
Incidentals for schools .
395 70
Incidentals for school houses
1,034 56
Fuel .
1,234 45
Conveyance of pupils
795 50
Total
.
.
$20,945 10
.
·
.
.
.
137
Appropriations for 1896
$19,600 00
Dog tax and school fund
.
1,100 00
$20,700 00
Over run
245 10
$20,945 10
ESTIMATES for 1897.
Our estimates for the appropriations that will be needed for the proper operation of the schools during 1897 are as follows :-
REGULAR.
Teachers and Superintendent, in addition to dog
tax and school fund
$13,500 00 .
Janitors, including cleaning and care of buildings during summer vacation
1,568 00
Text books and supplies ·
1,700 00
Incidentals for schools . .
400 00
Incidentals for school houses
700 00
Fuel .
1,235 00
Conveyance of pupils
796 00
$19,899 00
EXTRA.
Painting Pond, Union and Monatiquot buildings and repairs . 900 00
Repairs and furniture, South West school 225 00
Operating South West school, four months 250 00
$1,375 00
This estimate is a very close one. We believe every dollar of it will be required for the proper operation of the schools and care of the buildings.
The painting of the Pond, Union and Monatiquot buildings should be postponed no longer, and minor repairs must be made.
.
·
138
COMPARATIVE COST OF OUR SCHOOLS.
We know of no better test of the economy of the present man- agement of the Braintree schools than to compare the expendi- tures for 1896 with the average expenditures for the whole State as given in the report made to the State Legislature, Jan. 20, 1897 by the State Board of Education.
SALARIES OF TEACHERS.
Average monthly salary paid women teachers in
Braintree in 1896 $45 20
Average for same in the State in 1896 50 30
11.3% greater than in Braintree.
Average monthly salary paid men teachers for 1896
in Braintree allowing full year's salary for principal of High school $110 00
Average for same throughout State .
136 03
23.76% greater than in Braintree.
COST PER PUPIL.
Expenditures per pupil in Braintree for all purposes
except repairing and erecting schoolhouses . $21 65
Average expenditures per pupil throughout the State for all purposes except repairing and erecting schoolhouses 24 73
14.2% greater than in Braintree.
Comparison of the cost per pupil in Braintree in 1896 with the cost in 1891.
Total expenditures for Braintree schools in 1896 $20,945 10
Average enrollment of pupils in 1896 967 .
Cost per pupil .
$21 65
Total expenditures for schools in 1891 $15,252 61 .
Average enrollment in 1891 . 697 Cost per pupil $21 88
The cost is 1% less per pupil in 1896 than in 1891 notwith- standing the fact that the new system of heating and ventilating now in use in the school houses requires much more expense for janitors and fuel than the system in use in 1891.
139
PHONETICS.
With a view to a possible improvement in the methods of teach- ing reading and spelling we have had the Pollard Phonetic System under consideration during the year. This is a somewhat com- plicated system of teaching reading and spelling, that will, if adopted, require a complete and radical change in the methods now in use, as well as special instruction for our teachers before they can teach it, so we have felt the need of moving with great care in the matter, especially as the new system is severely criti- cised by nearly all our best educators.
It is being tested in some of the adjacent towns, where we are watching the results with a view to benefitting by their experience and in the meantime are making a somewhat more extensive use of phonics in the schools of the town than heretofore.
MANUAL TRAINING.
The adoption of mannal training as part of our school system is greatly to be desired and we hope to accomplish this soon.
HEATING AND VENTILATING.
The heating and ventilating systems in the school houses have worked very well. The only failure to heat the school rooms properly was on the first cold morning in December, at the Mo- natiquot school, before the double windows had been put on and before the janitor has had sufficient experience with his apparatus.
TRUANCY BY-LAW.
As there have been recent additions to the statutes of the Com- monwealth relating to truancy that require acceptance by a town before it can avail itself of those statutes, it is necessary that an addition be made to the truancy by-law of the town. We recom- mend the adoption of the following :-
The town of Braintree hereby avails itself of the several pro- visions of the statutes of this Commonwealth now in force re- lating to habitual truants, and children between seven and fifteen years of age who may be found wandering about in the streets or public places therein, having no lawful occupation or business,
140
not attending school and growing up in ignorance, and such chil- dren as persistently violate the reasonable rules and regulations of the public schools ; and such children shall, upon conviction thereof, be committed by the court or tribunal to which jurisdic- tion of such offences is given by the statutes of the Common- wealth, to the Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties school at Walpole for confinement, instruction and discipline.
It shall be the duty of the truant officers of the town to keep a full record of all their official acts, and to make an annual report thereof to the School Committee, who shall publish the same with their own report.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
The report of the Superintendent of Schools has been adopted by the School Committee as a part of its report to the town, and is submitted herewith.
THOMAS A. WATSON, CARRIE F. LORING, ANN M. BROOKS, HENRY L. DEARING, ALBION C. DRINKWATER, FRANK W. BRETT.
School Committee.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
To the School Committee of Braintree :
Ladies and Gentlemen,-As secretary of your board and super- intendent of schools, I herewith submit my fifth annual report for the year ending January 1, 1897, which is the twelfth of the series of annual reports of the superintendents.
The administrative organization of the schools is represented on the page preceeding your report. - Ten regular and four special meetings of the committee have been held during the past year. No meetings were held during July and August.
STATISTICS AND ACCOUNTS.
Population of the town, state census, 1895 5,310
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age
in town May 1, 1896 849
Number of children between 8 and 14 years of age in town May 1, 1896 499
Whole number of pupils enrolled for the year ending June 18, 1896 1,124
Whole number of pupils enrolled for the 4 months
ending December 25, 1896 1,106
Whole number of pupils enrolled for the 4 months ending December 20, 1895 1,012
Average membership for 1896 .
967
Average membership for 4 months ending Decem- ber 25, 1896 1,007
92
Percentage of average attendance for 1896 . Number of schools keeping separate registers .
26
142
Number of female teachers
25
Number of male teachers
2
Number of special teachers
1
Monthly pay roll of teachers for December 1896 $1,275 25
Monthly pay roll of teachers for December 1895 1,326 75
Monthly pay roll of janitors for December 1896 135 34
Average monthly wages of females teachers for 1896 45 20
Average monthly wages of female teachers of the State in 1895-6, as per official returns 50 30
Average monthly wages of male teachers for 1896 . 92 63
Average monthly wages of male teachers of the State in 1895-6 as per official returns 136 03
Number of school houses in use (25 class rooms and 1 room in Town House) . 5
Number of school houses not in use (4 class rooms) 4
PAID FOR FUEL. (Requested by vote of the Town. )
JAN. 1, 1896, TO JAN. 1, 1897.
MONATIQUOT SCHOOL, 11 ROOMS AND ASSEMBLY HALL.
Coal
$480 50
Kindlings
.
36 50
$517 00
JONAS PERKINS SCHOOL, 9 ROOMS AND ASSEMBLY HALL.
Coal
$319 50
Kindling's
24 10
$343 60
POND SCHOOL, 4 ROOMS.
Coal
$162 25
Kindlings
.
13 80
$176 05
.
.
.
143
UNION SCHOOL, 4 ROOMS.
Coal
$186 00
Kindlings
·
.
11 80
$197 80
$1,234 45
TEACHERS.
The uniformly pleasant and satisfactory condition of all of the schools during the present school year is largely a result of very few changes in the corps of teachers. The poor condition of the Monatiquot Grammar school, which was a result largely of three important changes of teachers, has undergone a decided improve- ment, and the school is doing excellent work again. The changes in teachers may be seen by comparing the list of teachers given in connection with the tables of membership, etc.
Since last September, Miss Annie F. Mayo of Provincetown, Mass., has been training in the Monatiquot School, without ex- pense to the town.
SCHOOLHOUSES.
During the past year the large assembly halls in the Monatiquot and Jonas Perkins buildings have been supplied with settees, and at the present time measures are being inaugurated to have them provided with arrangements for lighting so that they can be used for evening entertainments and other educational meetings. These school halls can, and should, be made of the greatest educational value to the schools.
An effort was made during the summer vacation to stop the leaking of the roof of the Monatiquot schoolhouse. The roof was patched, extra conductors were put in and the openings in the eaves troughs were filled with cement as a temporary improvement. The defects are not wholly remedied, and further repairs must be made.
Extra desks have been required in the High, Union and Jonas
·
144
Perkins schools, consequent upon their increased membership. Adjustable desks that can be made to fit either the largest or smallest pupils of a class, were supplied.
The flag poles on the Union and Jonas Perkins schoolhouses have been taken from the buildings and repainted.
The membership in the Monatiquot, Pond and Union school- houses has nearly reached the capacity of thesc buildings, and if the rate of increase of the past year continues some immediate means of relief will be necessary. No school can be a good school with more than fifty pupils in one class room, and it would be better if forty were made the limit. Schools deteriorate as the class membership passes beyond this number. To require a teacher to teach a larger class is false economy. The surplus room in the various schools may be determined from the " maximum monthly enrollment" column in the statistics.
It may be possible to prepare the two small rooms on the third floor of the Monatiquot building for class or recitation uses at a small expense.
It seems desirable for many reasons that the kindergarten at South Braintree should be located nearer the Pond school. Perhaps the fire company's hall is the most available place for it.
The new school houses have not been furnished with clocks. The schools would be helped much if the class rooms were sup- plied with good time pieces.
The economical preservation of the clapboards and finish of the Pond, Union and Monatiquot schoolhouses requires that they be painted at the earliest opportunity.
As the schools increase in membership, new desks must be pur- chased, since there are few unused desks in the class rooms at the present time.
JANITORS.
Our new systems of heating and ventilating the school houses require much of the janitors that cannot be appreciated by the public. In the large buildings the janitors are constantly busy during school hours adjusting the heating apparatus to the needs of the various class rooms. They have continual oversight of
145
the proper use of the buildings, and it may not be generally known that they do the work of incidental repairing without extra expense to the town. This is a great advantage in many ways, and especially in the interest of economy, not only in pre- serving what would ultimately require extensive repairs, but in repairing immediately the defects in curtains, door catches, etc. An examination of the schoolhouse accounts for the past few years will show that the expense of incidental repairing has been slight.
The janitors are required to wash the houses twice each year with a disinfecting solution, including the scrubbing of the floors. They are to be highly commended for the cleanly and tidy condi- tion in which the buildings, as a rule, are kept.
Length of service in learning the many needs of the schools and a genial and helpful disposition are considerations of peculiar value in janitors. The uniformly cordial and pleasant relations existing between them and the teachers bear witness to their ex- cellence.
I have spoken at length of these matters because of the radical change in the nature of a janitor's duties since the introduction of our approved sanitary systems, and of the increased require- meuts because of the recent interest in the attractiveness and comfort of the school home. All this is as it should be, because the ethical and æsthetic natures of the children can be improved more effectively by an improved environment than in any other way.
CLASSIFICATION OF PUPILS.
The purpose of our system of determining the location of pupils in the various grades is to keep each pupil in the class or section where the work will be most beneficial to him. To continue a pupil in a class where he cannot do the work in a reasonable man- ner, or where the work does not require him to put forth a reason- able effort, not only does him incalculable harm, but he becomes a very harmful example to his class. Whenever such a condition becomes apparent in the case of any pupil, his interest requires that the transfer to another class be made at once.
146
Since children are subject to considerable variations in develop- ment, no test can definitely reveal future ability. In all cases of doubt a fair trial should be given.
I have required that children should not be transferred to a lower grade hastily at the fancy of the teacher and without reason- able notice to the parents. In some cases the failure of the teacher to have a definite and cordial understanding with the parent concerning the child's real condition, has prevented the successful working of the system.
No idea of reward or punishment should be associated with the classification of pupils and the false pride of parents, teachers or children should not be allowed to determine a pupil's location. The pupil's welfare should be the controlling guide.
TRUANCY.
It is highly desirable that the town adopt a by-law providing for the control of truants, etc., at the earliest opportunity. We are powerless in this matter at the present time, a condition which has resulted from the recent enactment of truancy laws which re- quire this action on the part of the town before their provisions can take effect.
VERTICAL WRITING.
The wisdom of your adoption of vertical writing is attested by the universal approval of it by teachers, pupils and parents. The children can learn to write it in about half of the time required to learn the slanting system and the teachers are required to spend about half as much time in inspecting the written exercises of the pupils. With it the children of the lowest grades write well with pen and ink, and in all grades nearly all of the pupils become neat, legible writers, while with the slanting system the good writer was the exception.
Last September when it became evident that the vertical writing of the Jonas Perkins school was far superior to their slanting writing, the teachers and pupils of the Monatiquot Grammar school, at their request, were permitted to introduce this system
147
into their school. Nearly all of the pupils of the high school, with perfect freedom in choosing, have taken up vertical writing during the present school year.
To indicate how very practical this kind of writing is and that it is no fad of the theorist, I can do no better than to quote from the statement of the manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company.
"Investigation shows that the natural tendency of a rapid pen- man is toward the vertical. I think telegraphers generally-and particularly the higher grades-write the vertical hand.
Telegraphers are the fastest penmen in the world. A good op- erator will not try to regulate the speed of the transmitting opera- tor. He must make his pen record that which is sent over the wire at any speed, and it must be a clear readable copy. To ac- complish this latter desideratum, he is forced to take advantage of every circumstance that will bring ease in writing, and he needs no study of penmanship to arrive at the conclusion that vertical writing is easiest and makes the clearest copy."
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