USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1908 > Part 7
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7 28
F. O. Whitmarsh
10 85
Cornelius Callahan & Co.
1 43
Curry Oil Co.
30 59
Woodsum Coal Co.
2 25
George E. Fogg
14 75
Day engineer
834 10
Night engineer
99 75
$2,866 92₺
PUMPING STATION (GREAT POND.)
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$55 25
Woodsum Coal Co.
350 87
Gust Lundgren
23 65
Chadburn & Walker
10 23
Eagle Oil & Supply Co.
66 39
Walworth Mfg. Co.
1 04
Curry Oil Co.
7 00
Geo. F. Blake Co. .
1 30
Sumner & Gerald
84
Crosby Steam Gage Co.
5 75
Night engineer
734 60
$1,256 92
SERVICE OUTSIDE STREET LINES.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
658 42}
Chapman Valve Co.
29 54
Walworth Mfg. Co.
122 98
W. F. Bearbeau
12 76
F. G. Pennock
1 00
Tenney Morse & Co.
53 78
The Mueller Mfg. & Supply Co.
221 73
Chadwick Boston Lead Co. 35 76
R. Allen Gage
7.01
Woodsum Coal Co.
4 46
The Anderson Coupling Co.
5 07
Sumner & Gerald
33 33
Julia F Sullivan ·
1 89
142
O. M. Roger . 55
George E. Fogg
15 42
Lumsden & Van Stone
168 07
Edward Shay
11 52
Charles Custance
1 50
W. I. Jordan .
7 85
$1,392 64₺
SERVICE WORK IN THE STREETS.
Pay of men as per pay rolls
$230 11₺
Mueller Mfg. & Supply Co. .
229 11
Chadwick-Boston Lead Co.
76 61
Walworth Mfg. Co.
86 22
W. J. Jordan .
4 80
R. Allen Gage
98
City of Quincy
32 00
James F. Dacey
1 50
George E. Fogg
15 43
Edward Shay
11 52
$688 28}
RENEWED SERVICE IN STREET.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$38 25
R. Allen Gage
70
Chadwick-Boston Lead Co.
42 01
Walworth Mfg. Co.
4 91
$85 87
SERVICE REPAIRS IN STREET.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls 65 37₺ 65 37₺
HYDRANT REPAIRS.
Pay of men as per pay rolls 52 12₺
R. Allen Gage 8 03
Coffin Valve Co.
29 85
Edward Shay
1 70
1
$91 70%
143
MAIN PIPE REPAIRS.
Pay of men as per pay rolls 34 37₺
·
Chadwick-Boston Lead Co. 1 96
R. Allen Gage
3 00
$39 33}
STAND PIPE REPAIRS.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$80 37
Conrad Mischler
519 40
Hodge Boiler Works
213 91
Walworth Mfg. Co.
84 71
F. O. Whitmarsh
7 85
$906 24
MAIN PIPE EXTENSIONS.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$707 05%
R. Allen Gage
85 38
J. E. Sprague
6 47
Rensselaer Mfg. Co.
312 00
Tenny, Morse & Co.
785 65
Vulcan Tool Mfg. Co.
1 98
Walworth Mfg. Co.
14 34
Thomas South
3 32
O. M. Rogers .
1 55
Edward Shay
22 91
C. W. & G. W. Nightingale
3 03
Davis & Farnum
9 11
Chadwick-Boston Lead Co.
18 55
George E. Fogg
5 00
$1,976 34}
STABLE.
George W. Walsh :
$9 00
Thomas J. Cain
124 28
Charles G. Jordan
190 30
Thomas South
46 30
Henry W. Mansfield
103 92
W. I. Jordan .
28 15
Edward Shay
24 80
Charles A. Hobart
3 00
Henry B. Whitman
8 38
$538 13
144
METERS.
Town of Braintree
$3,278 25
J. W. Mulcahey
25 00
R. Allen Gage
59
$3,303 84
SETTING METERS.
Pay of men as per pay rolls
$2 122
W. F. Bourbeau
37 80
O. M. Rogers .
35 10
L. F. Bates
35 75
Meter Appliance Co.
18 00
Waldo Brothers
5 18
City of Somerville
7 50
R. Allen Gage
4 31
$145 76₺
METER REPAIRS.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$65 243
National Meter Co.
91 06
Hersey Mfg. Co. .
1 96
$158 262
READING AND INSPECTION OF METERS.
Pay of men, as per pay rolls
$886 97%
Lucius R. Qualey .
4 60
Braintree Hardware Co.
2 00
$893 57₺
TOOLS.
Thomas South
$2 25
Walworth Mfg. Co.
14 65
Greenwood Mfg. Co.
31 50
Mueller Mfg. and Supply Co.
12 44
H. L. Bond
9 47
R. E. Spinney
1 75
W. H. Cobb
23 56
O. M. Rogers .
1 95
$97 57
145
SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY.
William E. Maybury
$1,275 00 1,275 00
Superintendent's Cash Expenses,
William E. Maybury
$18 05
$18 05
GENERAL SUMMARY.
Maintenance .
$2,338 27
Pumping Station (Little Pond)
2,866 92}
66 66 (Great Pond) 1,256 92
Service Outside Street Lines
1,392 644
Service Work in Streets
688 28}
Renewed Service in the Street
85 87
Service Repairs in Street
65 372
Hydrant Repairs
91 70%
Main Pipe Repairs
39 33}
Stand-pipe Repairs
906 24
Main Pipe Extensions
1,976 34₺
Stable
538 13
Meters
3,303 84
Setting Meters
145 762
Meter Repairs 158 262
Reading and Inspection of Meters
893 57%
Tools
97 57
Superintendent's Salary 1,275 00
Cash Expenses 18 05
$18,138 11
207 orders drawn on the Treasurer
amounting to
$18,138 11
CREDITS.
By order No. 149 overdrawn, and amount refunded to Treasurer 16 16
Operating expenses
.
$18.121 95
146
REPORT OF THE WATER REGISTRAR.
FOR THE YEAR 1908.
Amount of water charged . $20,806 42
" pipes, etc. 1,668 36
Water rates uncollected Jan. 1, 1908
917 52
Pipes, etc., 66 " 1, 1908 411 40
Summons charged .
4 60
$23,808 30
CREDITS.
Collections, water, pipes, etc. $21,847 10
66 summons
4 60
Abatements
186 93
Water rates uncollected Jan. 1, 1909
1,190 15
Pipes, etc.
579 52
$23,808 30
HENRY A. MONK,
Registrar.
147
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Honorable Board of Water Commissioners of the Town of Braintree :-
GENTLEMEN : The Superintendent of the Water Depart- ment respectfully submits his annual report for the year ending December 31st, 1908.
Fifty-five service pipes were laid during the year. Kind of pipe, size and number of feet laid as follows:
FEET.
INCHES
Five-eighths inch lead pipe
649
0
Three-fourths inch galvanized iron pipe
1,306
0
One-inch galvanized iron pipe
1,073
0
Four-inch cast iron pipe
148
8
Total service pipe in system Dec. 31st, 1908, 105,902 feet, 4 inches-20 miles, 302 feet, 4 inches.
EXTENSIONS OF MAINS FOR 1908.
Four-inch pipe in Faxon Street, running
340
0
North from Stetson Street to dead end One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Plain Street running East from dead end to ceme- tery gate and into cemetery
1,285
0
Six-inch pipe in Cedar Street running North from School Street to dead end .
724
0
One and one-fourth-inch galvanized iron pipe in Columbia Terrace running North east from dead end to dead end; this pipe was put in by Mr.Saluatorc Santa- croce, at his expense
620
0
Four-inch-pipe in Hobart Avenue running West from dead end to dead end
564
0
Four-inch pipe in Charles Street running South from Park Street and connecting to dead end
118
6
Six-inch pipe in Park Street running West from Lowell Street to Charles Street .
226
0
148
One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Park Street running West from Charles Street to dead end
86
0
One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Dewey Avenue running South from dead end to dead end
151
0
One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Hobart Street running North from Prospect Street to dead end
92
6
Four-inch pipe in Presidents Road running South from dead end to dead end
109
0
One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Hayward Street running West from dead end to Marrinetta Avenue
78
6
One-inch galvanized iron pipe in Marri- netta Avenue running North from Hayward Street to dead end
198
0
The one-inch pipe on Hayward Street and Marrinetta Avenue was put in by Marchese Pietro at his own expense.
HYDRANT BRANCHES.
FEET.
INCHES.
Six-inch pipe in hydrant branches
16
0
Four-inch pipe in hydrant branches .
30
0
EXTENSION OF MAIN DURING 1908.
One-inch pipe
1,891
0
One and one-fourth-inch pipe
620
0
Four-inch pipe
79
6
Six-inch pipe
950
0
DISTRIBUTION MAINS IN OPERATION. DECEMBER 31, 1908.
FEET. 255
INCHES.
Sixteen-inch pipe
Twelve-inch pipe
12,688
6
Ten-inch pipe
10,502
4
Eight-inch pipe
10,476
0
Six-inch pipe
108,637
9
Four-inch pipe
17,303
10
Two-inch pipe
1 5,621
5
149
One and one-fourth-inch pipe
907
7
One-inch pipe
.
4,330
5
Three-fourth's-inch pipe
904
10)
171,627
S
Thirty-two miles, 2,667 feet, 8 inches.
NUMBER, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF VALVES SET IN CONSTRUCTION DURING 1908.
W. E. MAYBURY, SUPERINTENDENT.
Valve No.
STREET.
LOCATION AND POSITION.
3.11
4"
6"
293 294
Faxon Shaw
On North line of Stetson Street. In 6-inch pipe, 22 feet, 6 inches West of shop of W. G. Jordans, and 15 feet North of wall of Bridge
1
295
Plain, Columbia Ter.
On hydrant branch 3 ft. East of same. On hydrant branch South side.
1 1
297
On South line of Park Street.
1
298
On North line of Hayward Street
1
299
In gutter 2 feet 6 inches South of Service No. 1573 and 26 ft. West from Service Box. 1
1
CONSTRUCTION.
TURN TO OPEN.
BELL OR SPIGOT.
MAKER.
Left. Left.
Bell. T. Handle Plug Cock.
Rensselaer Mfg. Co. Mueller Mfg. Co.
NUMBER, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF HYDRANTS SET IN EXTENSIONS 1908.
Hydrant No.
STREET.
LOCATION AND POSITION.
Nozzle
2 Hose
Length of
Hydrant Branch
213
Faxon. Stetson. Cedar. Hobart Ave.
327 feet North of Stetson Street. Corner of Stetson Street and Faxon St.
1
21 ft. 6in
214
1 8 ft. 6 in.
215
1
7 ft. 6 in.
216
724 feet North of School Street. 564 feet West of hydrant No. 211.
1 8 ft. 6 in.
CONSTRUCTION.
TURN TO OPEN.
BOLTED OR BELL.
FROST CASE.
MAKER.
Left.
Bolted.
No.
Rensselaer Mfg. Co.
Total number of valves in operation Dec. 31, 1908, 299 Total number of hydrants in operation Dec. 31, 1908, 216
VALVE SIZE.
1
296
Charles Marrinetta Ave. Dewey Ave.
PUMPING RECORD FOR 1908.
Gallons at Gallons at Little Pond Great Pond
Total Gallons
Hours at Hours L. Pond G. Pond
Total Hours
Coal at L. P.
Coal at G. P.
Total Coal
Gallons pumped with 100 lbs. of coal
January,
12,132,023
12,132,023
319-00
319-00
56,650
56,650
21,414
February
12,299,534
12,299,534
345-45
345-45
54,481
54,481
22,575
March,
12,560,103
12,560,103
302-10
302-10
54,714
54,714
22,955
April,
12,953,928
12,953,928
312-20
312-20
55,816
55,816
23,208
May,
11,433,481
11,433,481
279-30
279-30
51,623
51,623
22,148
June,
13,278,157
13,278,157
421-45
421-45
57,640
57,640
23,047
July,
9,999,733
4,201,831
14,201,564
370-20
161-25
531-45
41,855
20,820
62,675
22,659
August,
8,314,590
7,423,389
15,737,979
215-20
184-30
399-50
34,043
40,160
74,203
21,209
September,
7,514,866
6,981,879
14,496,745
194-10
180-05
374-45
32,498
36,800
69,298
20,922
October,
6,826,513
5,487,346
12,313,859
172-50
147-50
320-40
30,250
32,200
62,450
19,730
November,
6,441,899
5,358,248
11,800,147
165-40
139-05
304-45
29,875
30,500
60,375
19,544
December,
6,629,695
5,225,822
11,855,517
174-20
138-50
313-10
31,969
29,700
61,669
19,224
TOTAL DAILY AVERAGE
120,384,522 34,678,515 155,063,037 3,273-40
951-45 4,225-25
531,414 190,180 721,594
423,669
11-32
1,971
21,488
Largest Day's pumping July 14, 719,425 gallons. Smallest Day's pumping January 15, 300,015 gallons.
JOHN W. MULCAHY, Engineer.
150
e
151
STREET WATERING.
The Department finds the use of water for street watering in excess of 1907.
South Section
2,184,000 gals.
North Section
.
·
2,562,000
East Section
2,309,400
METERS IN USE DEC. 31, 1908.
Kind and Size
8 "
3."
1"
2"
3"
4"
6"
Total
Crown
40
1
3
2
2
1
1
50
Empire .
1,296
8
3
1,307
Gem
4
4
Worthington
1
1
Hersey
4
1
5
Lambert
1
1
Total
1,301
48
5
3
7 2
1
1
1,368
In the judgment of your Superintendent it would be wise to take up the double line of six-inch pipe on King Hill Road and relay it by twelve-inch pipe, thus reducing the labor on the Great Pond Station machinery.
The Department would also recommend that the chimney at Great Pond Station be extended twenty-five or thirty feet.
Inventory of personal property of the Water Department. amounts to $4,623.66. Detail schedule of which is on file at office.
Respectfully submitted,
W. E. MAYBURY, Superintendent.
·
/
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
TOWN OF BRAINTREE
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1908
PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TOWN
BR
MOL
REE
TA
1640.
S
SSA
-
WILLIAM W. MERRILL, Printer BRAINTREE, MASS. 1909
155
Report of School Committee.
In order that the Report of the School Committee might be in the hands of the Selectmen by January 15th, a special meeting was held on Thursday, January 7, to consider the needs of the department for the ensuing year and to prepare its Annual Budget.
The Superintendent presented a statement of facts and figures concerning the work accomplished in 1908, and the financial needs of 1909.
The Committee unanimously concurred in the findings and recommendations of the Superintendent and voted to accept and adopt his report, and submit the same to the citizens of the Town as the expression of their own conclusions.
The Financial Statement for the fiscal year ending Decem- ber 31, 1908, is herewith submitted:
FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 1908.
Appropriation
Expended
Refund
Unexpended
Balance
Overdrafts
Unexpended Balance
Unpaid Bills
-
Teachers' & Supt's Sal.
Appropriation$24,200.00
School Fund
350.00
Dog Tax
850.88|$25,400.88 $25.346.43
$54.45
Janitors' Salaries
3,040.00
3,040.00
Text Books and Supplies
2,500.00
2,746.92|$176.50
$70.42
Incidentals for Schools
800.00
804.67
6.75
2.08
School House Repairs and Incidentals
1,500.00
1,541.86
30.92
10.94
Fuel
2,200.00
2,219.95
19.95
Conveyance of Pupils
1,700.00
1,862.50
165.00
2.50
Repairs, South West Sch.
500.00
502.03
2.03
Repairs, Jonas Perkins School
300.00
261.51
38.49
Repairs, Monatiquot Sch. Typewriters, Special for
439.00
439.00
Special for Fire Safe- guards
350.00
333.58
16.42
Totals
$39,029.88 $39,398.07
$379.17 $114.32 $103.34
$10.98
$11.50
300.00
299.62
.38
Net
156
The Committee also voted to ask the Town for an appropri- ation of $42,075 for the year 1909 based on the following estimates :
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1909.
Salaries, Teachers and Superintendent (Dog Tax
$27,200 00
and School Fund not included)
Janitors' Salaries .
3,040 00
Text Books and Supplies
2,500 00
Incidentals .
1,000 00
Schoolhouse Repairs and Incidentals
1,500 00
Hire and Care of Outside Rooms
500 00
Fuel
2,300 00
Conveyance of Pupils
1,700 00
Telephones for Jonas Perkins, Penniman and Noah
Torrey Schools .
60 00
Repairs to Walks, Gutters and Grounds:
Monatiquot School
200 00
Jonas Perkins School
200 00
New Desks for High School
1,000 00
Special Repairs:
Penniman School
100 00
South
50 00
South West
50 00
High School
75 00
Pond School
100 00
Sanitary Drinking Fountains;
Jonas Perkins, Penniman, Union and Monati-
quot Schools
500 00
.
.
.
.
$42,075 00
The Committee desire to congratulate the citizens of the Town on the excellent condition of the Public Schools. This is due in large measure to the wise policy that was adopted last year of making generous appropriations which enabled the Committee to carry out many of its long-cherished ideals. We were enabled to retain the services of our efficient Superintend- ent, the Principals of several buildings, and a large proportion of the best teachers in the High, Grammar and Primary Schools
157
of the Town. Instead of losing twenty-six teachers as in the previous year, six only failed to return to their positions. Several declined more lucrative offers because of the goodwill and appreciation of their services expressed by the Town in granting an increase in their salaries.
The esprit de corps exemplified among the teachers of all schools, their hearty and sympathetic co-operation with the plans and policies of the Superintendent and the Committee and the splendid class spirit manifested among the pupils of all grades, have been potent factors in lifting the schools to higher standards of moral and educational excellence.
The increasing attendance and interest in the High School alone, under the wise direction of Principal Shaw and his ex- perienced assistants, prove conclusively that the wisdom of the Town in granting the appropriation for teachers asked for by the Committee, has been amply justified and rewarded.
An increase of male teachers in the High and Grammar Schools for the purpose of emphasizing those qualities that appeal especially to the masculine mind would further increase the value and efficiency of our educational system.
The question of schoolhouse accommodations for the pupils in the second and third precincts is still agitating the Committee and remains a problem to be immediately considered and solved. The matter is more urgent in East Braintree than in Braintree as the overcrowded condition of the Jonas Perkins School demands relief without delay. Pupils are living on the north side of the railroad track in East Braintree in sufficient numbers to fill a new four room building in the primary grades with nearly 150 children, and still leave the Jonas Perkins School with its own complement of scholars and teachers. With a probable register of 210 or 215 students in the High School next year it will be imperative to utilize rooms that are now used for other purposes. In a short time the Monatiquot School must be crowded out to make room for the High School and then the question of a new eight or ten room building for Braintree must be seriously considered.
The only extraordinary repairs that are necessary this year are in the roads and approaches to the schoolhouses where the steep grades should be stone guttered to prevent the disastrous washouts that invariably follow heavy rains.
158
In returning a net unexpended balance to the Town of $10.98 the Committee desire to state that there are no unpaid bills or debts contracted that are not accounted for in its finan- cial statement and that it has continued its established policy of limiting its expenditures to its appropriation.
The Committee would also be glad if the Town could grant appropriations for the continuance of manual training and for the introduction of medical inspection.
Respectfully submitted,
A. M. BROOKS, ALBION C. DRINKWATER,
HERBERT F. KNEELAND,
CARRIE F. LORING,
THOMAS A. WATSON,
C. F. HILL CRATHERN, Chairman.
-
159
Report of Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of Braintree :-
I herewith submit my third annual report, which is the twenty-fourth in the series of Superintendents' reports.
Your Committee has continued to live within its appro- priation, and returns to the Town a total net balance of $10.98. The special repairs, provided for by the Town, have been made, and those buildings are now in good condition. The changes made at the Jonas Perkins and Monatiquot Schools for addi- tional exits in case of fire, seem to be adequate for any emer- gencv.
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
The appropriation for Text Books and Supplies has been carefully expended under a definite policy. New Arithmetics and new Histories have been provided for every child using these books. The Aldine series of readers has been introduced in the primary grades. The schools have been fitted out com- pletely with the primers, first and second readers, charts, and the seatwork so far as published. This method was studied by your superintendent for more than two years, the results in other towns and cities carefully examined, and a trial made in one of our own schools for a year, before the system was finally introduced into our schools. The results already obtained are excellent.
All buildings have been equipped with new maps and globes. New music books and charts have been purchased, as authorized three years ago, so far as the appropriation would allow. At the High School, old and worn text-books have been replaced and those needed for the new courses have been sup- plied.
These changes have made a most decided improvement in the conditions reported last year. However, it must be under- stood that the estimate made at that time was a conservative one, considering the state of the equipment. That estimate,
1
160
moreover, was cut in two, at the request of the Finance Com- mittee, and of this reduced amount, nearly one-half had to be expended for regular supplies, so that finally only one-third of the original amount intended for new books was directly avail- able. This means that a large number of the old text books still remain in the hands of our children. These are long past their usefulness, both as to subject matter and physical condi- tion, and it is most essential that the same amount, which is at the annual rate of only $1.60 per pupil, should be appropriated, if we are to maintain a modern equipment and to continue the efficiency of our schools.
OVERCROWDED ROOMS.
At the opening of the fall term, we found between sixty and seventy children in each of the first three grades at the Jonas Perkins School, and fifty or more in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. This condition was somewhat relieved by finding a room outside for one grade of twenty-five, and using the room thus left vacant for the overflow from the first and second grades, with a permanent teacher, and engaging two assistants for the other crowded rooms. The first grade, of seventy pupils, is not divided, but groups of children still have to use the sloyd room in the basement, and the teachers' cloak room, for recitations. The lower grades are more crowded than they were last year, and this state of affairs has now extended to the intermediate rooms. It is very evident that a new building is necessary in this section and I would urge upon your Committee early action in this matter. Just about one-half of the children in each grade come from across the track, and a five-room build- ing, so planned that other rooms could be added, as required, would meet all present and future needs. With such a building, the older scholars would continue to attend the Jonas Perkins School, while the younger children would be provided for near home, and would not have to cross the railroad track at grade.
At the Union School we found seventy-two pupils in one room, with two grades, the third and fourth. A building near by on Washington Street, formerly used as a factory, was leased and fitted as a schoolroom, a new teacher engaged, and the third grade removed to that building. It should be borne
161
clearly in mind, however, that this is but a temporary expedient, not satisfactory, but the best at present available. Moreover, the eight grades, which should, to secure efficient work and economical management, be gathered under one roof, are now scattered in three buildings. Again, conditions at the Monati- quot Grammar School, in the High School building, are rapidly changing, indicating that an increased attendance, if we are to keep within the law, which the Committee has no option but to recognize and to obey, will render larger quarters indispensable in the very near future. Finally, the High School is already pressed for suitable accommodations, and as we must soon pro- vide for an increased number of scholars, the Grammar Depart- ment will soon be crowded out of that building.
ATTENDANCE.
The efficiency of the schools as a whole has been much im- paired and the advancement of individuals frequently retarded, by an unusual number of unnecessary absences and tardinesses. The most of these are not of such a nature, or of sufficiently frequent occurrence, to call for legal action, but they are none the less serious in their effect. For several years the percentage of attendance in our schools has been from three to four per cent. below the average of the State. This year, efforts have been made by principals and teachers to improve this record. The moral and legal obligations of parents in this matter can not be insisted on too forcibly, and we would most strongly urge their co-operation in securing the regular and punctual attendance of their children, even to the extent of their own personal in- convenience.
PICTURE EXHIBIT.
In January, the Horace K. Turner Company, at the request of the teachers, sent one of their well-known traveling exhibits of pictures to Braintree. A most generous response by friends of the schools netted the sum of $237.51, and this amount was expended in excellent copies of famous pictures, which now adorn our schoolrooms, and have become a permanent source of delight and instruction to our children.
162
WORK OF THE YEAR.
Our efforts in the schools during the past year have been towards a more practical training, and a more helpful interest in the individual. While results along these lines have been recog- nized, perhaps, more definitely in the High School than else- where, yet what has been accomplished there is likewise evident throughout the whole system. We know that there is work to be done in the world, and believe that it is our place to train our boys and girls to do it. The teaching in the grammar schools has been made more definite, with more concentrated drill upon the essentials. Less time is given to those subjects that merely interest, more to those that give power to do well those things that are worth doing. Each child, so far as is possible in a crowded system of grades, has been given the opportunity of accomplishment and advancement according to his ability. Thus, through the interest aroused in practical, self-directed activities, those children who are forced to leave school early, not only lay the solid foundation of character and intelligence, but also are given the inclination, the will and the ability to make a living.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I wish to call your particular attention to one statement in the report of the Principal of the High School. "Our greatest need at the present is for suitable desks. We are now using desks discarded by the grades, and being small and non-ad- justable, they are decidedly unhygienic for growing boys and girls." This is a most serious condition, and one which should be remedied at once.
One year ago last June, our High School closed with a membership of about one hundred and thirty; today we have a membership of two hundred. The aim of the technical course is to give a broad general training and to fit for normal and technical schools and colleges; that of the commercial course, to give a thorough, practical preparation for commercial life, along several lines; and the results so far accomplished seem to justify our expectations.
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