USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1897 > Part 8
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At the close of the counting of the ballots he also an- nounced that 547 ballots had been deposited, that they were all cancelled, and that they were for the following persons, namely :-
GOVERNOR.
John Bascom, Pro. .
5
Thomas C. Brophy, S. L. P. .
5
William Everett, Dem. Nat.
31
George Fred Williams, Dem. .
140
Roger Wolcott, Rep.
348
William Lloyd Garrison .
1
Blanks
17
Total
547
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
Edward A. Buckland, S. L. P. 4
Christopher T. Callahan, Dem.
131
James E. Cotter, Dem. Nat. .
33
W. Murray Crane, Rep. .
340
Willard O. Wylie, Pro. .
11
Torrey E. Wardur .
2
Blanks .
26
Total
547
SECRETARY.
Addison W. Barr, S. L. P.
7
Charles D. Nash, Dem. .
.
.
125
William M. Olin, Rep. . ·
.
.
347
.
.
·
178
Edward Sawtell, Pro. 7
Bernard M. Wolf, D. N. ·
28
Blanks .
33
Total . 547
TREASURER.
George A. Brown, S. L. P. 8
Robert C. Habberley, Pro.
5
Edward P. Shaw, Rep.
321
Horace P. Tobey, D. N.
28
Thomas A. Watson, Dem.
158
Blanks .
27
Total .
547
AUDITOR.
Joseph Ballam, S. L. P. 5
Harry Douglas, D. N. 28 .
John W. Kimball, Rep. .
338
Joseph Henry Sheldon, Dem.
129 .
Herbert M. Small, Pro. .
7
W. D. Trefry
1
Blanks
39
Total .
547
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
Wolcott Hamlin, Pro. 9
William Harrison, S. L. P.
9
Hosea M. Knowlton, Rep.
338
William W. McClench, D. N. .
32
John A. O'Keefe, Dem. .
126
Blanks .
33
.
.
·
C
.
Total . 547 .
179
COUNCILLOR SECOND DISTRICT.
Dana Estes, D. N. . 28
Benjamin S. Lovell, Rep.
345
George O. Wentworth, Dem. . ·
131
Blanks .
43
Total
547
SENATOR FIRST NORFOLK DISTRICT.
Harrison O. Apthorp, D. N. 31
James H. Flint, Rep.
331
Tristam R. Newell, Dem. ·
141
Blanks-
44
Total .
547
REPRESENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT, SIXTH NORFOLK DIS- TRICT.
Martin E. Hawes, Rep. 278
Edward B. Nevin, Rep. . ·
.
.
317
Herbert F. Pierce, Dem. Nat'l
80
John B. Whelan, Dem.
182
Blanks . .
237
Total, .
1,094 ·
COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
James Hewins, Dem. Nat'l, Dem., Rep. . 412
M. F. Drinkwater :
1
Joe Crickmey .
· 2
James Pierson . . .
.
.
Blanks . .
131
Total
547
.
.
·
.
·
180
REGISTER OF DEEDS.
John H. Burdakin, Dem., Dem. Nat'l Rep.
413
Thomas B. Stoddard
·
·
1
M. F. Drinkwater . 1
Blanks
132
Total 547
COUNTY TREASURER.
Charles H. Smith, Dem,, Dem. Nat'l Rep.
415
Ansel O. Clark
1
T. P. Smith
1
Blanks .
130
Total
547
The returns were then signed and sealed, the ballots sealed according to law, and delivered to the Town Clerk, and the check lists sealed and delivered to the proper officer.
Voted that this meeting be dissolved, time four o'clock and five minutes P. M.
A true record .- Attest :
HENRY A. MONK,
Town Clerk.
BRAINTREE, Nov. 12, 1897.
The Town Clerks of Braintree and Weymouth met at the Town House in Braintree at 12 o'clock noon, and opened the returns for Representatives in the General Court for District No. 6, County of Norfolk and found the whole num- ber of ballots were twenty-seven hundred and forty-six.
· ·
·
181
Martin E. Hawes of Weymouth had 1,002
Edward B. Nevin of Weymouth had .
· 1,143
Herbert F. Pierce of Braintree had
187
John B. Whelan of Weymouth had
954
Martin E. Hawes and Edward B. Nevin were declared elected and the necessary certificates signed.
HENRY A. MONK,
Town Clerk of Braintree.
JOHN A. RAYMOND,
Town Clerk of Weymouth.
WARRANT FOR TOWN MEETING.
NORFOLK, SS. To either of the Constables of the Town of Brain- tree, GREETING :-
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Braintree qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at the Town Hall in said Braintree on Wednesday the seventeenth day of November, 1897, at seven and one-half (7.30) o'clock in the evening, to act on the following articles, namely :-
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
ART. 2. To see if the town will vote to extend the water system on Pleasant and Grove streets in accordance with plans made by the Superintendent of Water Works and ap- propriate a sum of money for the same.
ART. 3. To see what action the town will take with ref- . erence to a franchise granted by the Selectmen to the Quincy and Boston Street Railway Co., to lay tracks over the draw- bridge' on Quincy avenue.
182
You are to give notice of this meeting by posting true and attested copies of this warrant in not less than nine public places in this town seven days at least before the time of said meeting and by publishing once in the Braintree Re- porter.
Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk before the time of said meeting.
Given under our hands at Braintree this ninth day of No- vember in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
ANSEL O. CLARK. WM. W. MAYHEW, J. PARKER HAYWARD, Selectmen of Braintree.
NORFOLK, SS.
BRAINTREE, November 10, 1897.
Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the inhab- itants of the town of Braintree herein described to meet at the time and place, and for the purposes within mentioned; by posting up attested copies of this warrant at more than nine public places in said town of Braintree, seven days before the time set for said meeting, and I have caused the said warrant to be published once in the Braintree Reporter before the time set for said meeting.
HORACE FAXON, Constable of Braintree.
A true copy .- Attest :-
HENRY A. MONK,
Toun Clerk.
183
BRAINTREE, November 17, 1897.
In accordance with the foregoing warrant the meeting was called to order at 7.30 o'clock P. M. The warrant was read by the Town Clerk. Mr. A. O. Clark was appointed to check the list and was sworn. Voted that three tellers be appointed to assort and count the votes for Moderator. - Mr. A. C. Drinkwater, P. C. Spring, and A. L. Hobart were appointed and sworn.
ARTICLE 1. Upon ballot with the use of the check list, Mr. C. C. Mellen was chosen Moderator and sworn by the Town Clerk.
Voted that Article 2 be laid on the table and Article 3 be taken up.
ART. 3. Voted to sustain the action of the Selectmen in granting said franchise by a vote of 135 in the affirmative and 108 in the negative.
Mr. John V. Scollard gave notice that at a future meet- ing he should move a reconsideration of the vote just passed.
Voted to adjourn sine die.
A true record-Attest :
HENRY A. MONK, Town Clerk.
JURY LIST.
As made out by the Selectmen Jan. 1, 1898.
NAME. Arnold, Franklin E.
OCCUPATION.
Janitor.
Arnold, Richard L. Clerk.
Provision Dealer.
Arnold, J. Sargent Arnold, Henry F. Farmer.
Bates, Andrew J.
Bank Trustee.
Bates, J. Franklin
Salesman.
Bates, Charles S. Bates, Frank Albert
Plumber.
Belcher, Charles A.
Real Estate.
Bridgham, Stafford S.
Provision Dealer.
Coffey, John H. Connell, James Cuff, William H.
Salesman.
Farmer.
Machinist.
Cummings, Charles B.
Bookkeeper.
Cushing, Cyrus F.
Clerk.
Clapp, Charles W.
Auctioneer.
Currier, William H. Dow, Willard E.
Machinist.
Electrician.
French, Azel R. French, George G.
Fuller, George F.
Clothing Dealer.
Farmer.
Salesman.
Salesman.
185
NAME. Gallivan, Jeremiah F. Gardner, Francis A.
Hobart, Arthur L.
Hobart, Edward W.
Hobart, Adam W. Hale, Edward A. Hollis, William A.
Hall, Elijah C. Hayward, Jonathan P. Harrison, Willlam H.
Hunt, Nathaniel F.
Howland, Walter H.
Harrison, Thomas P.
Knight, Bradford Y. Kelley, Hiram H.
Leatherbee, James D.
Lothrop, Charles M.
Mansfield, Henry W. Mayhew, Will W.
Morgan, Frank H.
Morrison, Ibrahim
Mayhew, William W. Monk, Henry A.
McRae, Augustus
McNabb, James, Jr.
Osgood, George W.
Pennock, Frederick G. Pierson, Edward O. Porter, Elbridge F. Procter, Nehemiah R.
Randall, John F. Richards, Charles G.
OCCUPATION. Shoe Cutter. Bookkeeper.
Electrician.
Trader.
Carpenter.
Railroad Employe. Farmer.
Manufacturer.
Contractor.
Engineer.
Tax Collector.
Salesman. Newspaper Man. :
Carpenter. Leather Dealer.
Clerk.
Railway Conductor.
Grocer.
Clothing Manufacturer. Druggist.
Manufacturer.
Manufacturer.
Town Clerk.
Carpenter.
Farmer.
Manufacturer.
Machinist.
Railroad Employe. Salesman.
Grocer.
Clerk. Clerk.
186
NAME. Sanborn, Richard M. Shaw, Will H.
Sheppard, Charles G. Sullivan, Phillip H.
Stoddard, Edward G.
Stocker, Robert R. Sutton, John H.
OCCUPATION. Plumber. Clothing Manufacturer. Coal Dealer.
Student.
Painter.
Cutter.
Bookkeeper.
Filter Factory.
Stevens, George W.
Bookkeeper.
Smith, Henry R. Shay, Edward
Retired.
Blacksmith.
Thayer, David H. B.
Thomson, Caleb
Tupper, Foster F. Tuttle, G. Henry
Carpenter. Engineer.
Bookkeeper.
Farmer.
Whitcomb, Charles G.
Trader.
Nail Maker.
Civil Engineer.
Wetherbee, George H. Watson, Thomas A.
Expressman. Shoe Worker.
White, Jonathan F. Witherell, Whitefield
Woodsum, Rufus H.
Manufacturer.
1
Shaw, Martin V. B.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
Superintendent of Schools
OF THE
TOWN OF BRAINTREE,
MASS.
For the Year Ending December 31, 1897.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
THOMAS A . WATSON, Chairman, Quincy Avenue, East Braintree. Term expires in 1900.
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.
GEORGE W. STEVENS, Tremont Street, South Braintree. Term ex- pires in 1900.
*Resigned September 23, and William C. Harding, Hollis Avenue, Braintree, was elected to fill the vacancy November 8, at a joint meeting of the School Committee and Board of Selectmen.
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.
1897, Sept. 7 to Dec. 23; 1898, Jan. 3 to April 1; April 11 to June 23 ; Sept. 6 to Dec. 24.
Holidays.
Saturdays, and Nov. 25, 26, 1897; 24, 25, 1898 ; Feb. 22; April 19; May 30 ; June 17.
Daily School Sessions.
High,-8.30 A. M., to 1.30 P. M.
Jonas Perkins,-9 A. M. to 12 M., and 1.30 to 3.30 P. M.
Monatiquot,-9 to 11.50 A. M., and 1.45 to 3.45 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, Braintree.
Jonas Perkins Building, -William Orr, Front Street, East Brain- tree.
Pond Building,-Sewell Nye, Central Avenue, South Braintree.
Union Building,-J. Franklin Bates, Washington Street, Brain- tree.
Middle Street Building,-Francis H. Thayer, Middle Street, Dana's Corner.
South West Building,-Willie P. Reed, Pond Street, South Brain- tree.
Truant Officers.
John Gallivan, Braintree.
Horace F. Hunt, South Braintree.
Henry Duggan, 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, MASS., Feb. 7th, 1898.
At a special meeting of the school committee held this date, the papers written by its individual members on various subjects connected with the administration of the schools and the report of the Superintendent of Schools were read, ap- proved and adopted as a part of its annual report to the town.
Business Methods of the Committee .- Business Course in the High School .- Repairs of Schoolhouses.
In relation to the business methods of the committee I would say that we hold our regular meetings on the second Monday of every month, when all matters pertaining to the schools are brought before the board and fairly and thor- oughly discussed.
It is the custom for the Superintendent to send to each . member, a few days before every meeting, a list of matters which he and members of the committee suggest should be considered and acted upon, thereby giving the members ample opportunity to give the subjects proper attention and thought.
Our system of book-keeping has been very much simpli- fied. Where formerly we were obliged to use day book and ledger without classification both as to departments and schools, we now have the whole in one sheet, thus enabl-
192
ing us to see at a glance dates, items and amounts of invoices, names of creditors, total appropriations by the town for the several departments, and expenditures for each school as far as they can be determined. This, as one can readily see, is less expensive and a great saving of labor.
Every month the clerk sends to each member of the com- miteee a printed form showing the appropriations by the town for the year, also expenditures for each department to date, which enables the committee to keep watch of expend- itures.
The business course of the High School has evidently come to stay, if one can judge by its apparent success.
More than one half of the scholars are taking this course of study, which consists of Arithmetic, English, Penmanship, Book-keeping, Short-hand and Typewriting.
A larger proportion of the graduates of the grammar schools is entering the High School than ever before, which we can safely attribute to the introduction of this course.
The aim of the committee is to bring the High School up to such a standard that a graduate of the business course will be fully qualified to enter a counting room.
At the end of the summer term a sub-committee is ap- pointed to visit each school and see what repairs are necessary. The repairs determined upon are awarded to the responsible parties naming the lowest price for doing the same. The work is done under the supervision of this committee.
A very large part of the appropriations for school-house repairs was expended on the South-west school-house, that being opened for the first time for ten years or more.
Some things that were needed to be done have been put off till another year because of a lack of funds, which is false economy.
GEORGE W. STEVENS.
193
Assistant Teachers Needed. - Manual Training at Jonas Perkins School .- Cooking School .- Toilet Articles. - Jonas Perkins Educational Association .- Its Aims .- Teachers' Reception .- Donations .- Donors.
On account of the increasing demand upon the Principals of the details of administration, and the rapid increase in the number of pupils attending the grammar grades of the Mon- atiquot and Jonas Perkins schools, it is necessary that an assistant be employed in each of those schools for the upper grades.
Last September, without any expense to the town, manual training was established in the grammar grades of the Jonas Perkins school. The interest and ability displayed in this work has been very great. It is very evident that the punc- tuality and excellent attendance of the children connected with this department are due largely to the attractiveness of this special line of study. Work of this kind creates respon- sibility in a child and leads to self reliance and independence. It arouses and develops his creative and inventive faculties and opens avenues to a successful life. It develops the child's power more than any other study, and I would suggest that the system be established in the Monatiquot school.
Another feature in this department of education is the es- tablishment of a free cooking school by one of our public spirited ladies in the east part of the town for the benefit of the children of the public schools of Braintree. This school is held on Saturday from 8.30 A. M. to 12.30 p. M. and is very largely attended.
The furnishing of towels, soap and nail brushes for use in our schools has not only inculcated habits of cleanliness in the children but has been exceedingly advantageous in pre- venting the soiling of text books and school supplies used by the children.
In March, 1897, an educational association was formed in the east part of the town and duly organized with its proper
194
officers. It was voted to adopt the name of the Jonas Perkins School Association, in honor of a man loved and revered by every resident of the town. The object of the organization is to create a greater interest in education by holding occasional instructive public lectures and to aid the Jonas Perkins school in furnishing the building with much needed equipment, viz., the adornment of the walls of the several rooms, the completion of the stage furnishings in the hall and the lighting of the building by electricity. A part of this has been accomplished and the intention of the asso- ciation is to bend its efforts toward other plans which it has in relation to holding public educational meetings, instructive entertainments and beautifying the building and surround- ings.
On the evening of November 9th, 1897, a very successful reception was tendered to the public school teachers of Braintree under the auspices of the Jonas Perkins Associa- tion. The interest displayed by the parents and teachers at this meeting was productive of great good and bore testimony that the association had not over estimated the value of bringing together the home and the school. I would suggest that an occasional meeting of this kind be held in different sections of the town, thereby establishing a better acquaint- ance between. teachers and parents, which will be of great value to our public schools.
The interest taken by our citizens in the public schools is certainly commendable, when we are able to report the fol- lowing donations by them to the different schools during the past year :-
Equipment for lighting Jonas Perkins school $147 75 Equipment for lighting Monatiquot school 153 00 .
Piano for Assembly hall ·
225 00
Rent of piano, Jonas Perkins school ·
45 00
195
*Tools and benches for manual training 425 00
Lumber
30 00
Extra salary of teacher .
40 00
Stage furnishings for Jonas Perkins hall
46 00
Two volumes Frank Leslie's "American Sol- dier in Civil War" .
10 00
Libraries
80 00
Collection of books and papers
3 00
Lecture course in vocal culture
50 00
Christmas festivities
80 00
Cooking school
250 00
Pictures-Original photographs of New Eng- land and New York scenery, portrait of Rev. Jonas Perkins, picture of United States Corps Badges in the Civil War, "Sheep", by Rosa Bonheur and others of estimated value of. 50 00
Total
$1,634 75
*The title to these does not pass to the town until the permanence of manual training as part of our system of education is assured by its es- tablishment in the Monatiquot school.
DONORS.
Mrs. Martha Loud.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Watson.
Mr. A. Granville Bowditch. Mr. Frank Perry. Mr. F. O. Wellington.
Mr. Benjamin J. Loring. Mrs. John Renn. Mrs. Rymarczick. Bessie Loring Miller. Jonas Perkins School Association. Jonas Perkins school. High school.
196
Monatiquot school.
Pupils of the different grades.
The cost of lighting equipment and one half the cost of the piano for the Monatiquot building was paid by the schools from the proceeds of entertainments, as follows :-
High school . $87 18
Jonas Perkins
.
65 00
Piano recital
24 50
High and Monatiquot
45 00
The interest manifested by the teachers, in donations and work in connection with the Christmas festivities, deserve special mention.
CARRIE F. LORING.
School Music .- Systems Under Consideration .- General Work of the High School.
Vocal music now occupies an important place in the school curriculum of nearly every city and town in the country. The plan we have adopted, and undoubtedly the best, is to have daily lessons by the regular teachers. The plan of having a lesson once a week from a special teacher, with no daily drill, gives very unsatisfactory results.
. Most music systems require a drill work of ten minutes in the primary, and from fifteen to twenty in the advanced grades. Children who are drilled daily in well graded exer- cises, for seven or eight years of school life, will naturally become good readers of music.
Teachers should require their pupils to sing softly, and by so doing they secure better tones than when singing with all the strength at their command. We often hear children in the Sunday school scream and shout with a great waste of breath, the teachers having them in charge little realizing
197
the amount of injury done their vocal organs. The system now in use in our schools is somewhat out of date, and it is deemed advisable to change it and adopt one so graded that the regular teacher can do better work. The committee have had under consideration for several months four sys- tems, all well graded, and each marked by some special feature. The first system placed before us was the Natural Course by Ripley and Tapper. It is claimed by the advo- cates of this system that there are two registers in the voice, the thick or chest register, and the thin or head register, and from a physiological standpoint, drilling from a head to a chest register will not strain the vocal organs, and will produce better tone, while starting from the chest register is more likely to injure the voice. The music readers are well filled with songs by the best writers, and the poems selected are from our best authors. The American System by Prof. Friedrich Zuchtmann, was placed on trial for about three months at the Jonas Perkins' School. Among the leading features of the system are teaching the proper way to breathe and the development of the vocal organs. A breath- ing exercise always being given at the commencement of the vocal drill.
The Holt system, by Prof. Holt, of Boston, an improve- ment on the system we now use, has been tested in the Pond school. This system deals largely with perfect, major and minor intervals rather than chords and establishes the most difficult work at the very foundation. Prof. Holt's theory is, if these difficult steps are conquered the more simple steps are easily taken.
The last system placed before us is the Educational course which seems plain and systematic from the presentation of the major scale, through every principle to the completion of the study, in the public schools. It is by Messrs. Mason. Mc Laughlin and Veasie, men of wide experience and knowledge of the best school work.
198
No decision has yet been reached by the committee as to which system is the best to adopt, but in the meantime sing- ing is not being neglected in the schools.
We are pleased to call attention to the marked change in the High school. Nineteen months ago when Supt. Horne was placed temporarily in charge of the school as principal, two important questions were being considered, one, to se- cure the best service possible, and the other to secure that service with the least expense to the town and at the same time have our high school attain to that standard which Mr. Horne has so zealously labored to attain in all the schools. In his management, he has more than met the expectation of the committee. We note with great pleasure the im- provement in discipline, without which no school can be successful, and the energy and enthusiasm shown by both teachers and pupils which warrants us in believing that our High School is fast accomplishing all its most ardent sup- porters can expect. We feel that to-day it will compare favorably with any school of its class in the state. During the past year there have been two changes in the corps of as- sistants. Miss M. Agnes Lane resigned to accept a position near her home. Her place was filled by Grace I. Fox, who remained with us only five weeks, owing to a large increase of salary.
The committee deploring the evils resulting from so many changes and realizing that they must continue so long as the salary paid is so much below that paid in other towns for the work, engaged Miss Celia F. Stacy at a salary of $75 per month. The wisdom of the choice is apparent, as she is doing the best work in her branches that has ever been done in the school.
We congratulate the town that these are the only changes made in the High School as the present corps of teach- ers is of great merit and changes are always a serious de- triment to the interests of the school.
199
Many people are unaware of the difficulties that must be met by teachers in schools of this grade, where the minds of the pupils are more mature and home influence often opposed to that of the school. Habits of the pupils are sometimes so fixed that it requires a very persistent effort on the part of the teacher to overcome them. Patience, study of the in- dividual pupil, fortitude and forbearance are required on the part of teachers of this grade more, perhaps, than is the case in any of the lower grades. ANN M. BROOKS.
Sanitary Condition of School-houses .- Crowded Schools. - Sala- ries .- Educational Association.
Your chairman has suggested that I touch upon the fol- lowing points, viz : impressions of a new member of your board ; the sanitary condition of our school buildings and the importance of the subject ; crowded schools ; salaries of teach- ers, and an educational association for my section of the town.
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