USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1856-1880 > Part 19
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Beans
2
4 00
4 00
Potatoes.
66
250
200 00
150
150 00
50 00
Rye.
66
100
100 00
100 00
Beef.
barrels,
1
17 00
17 00
Pork
66
4
80 00
1}
30 00
50 00
Cider
66
1
6 00
2
11 00
5 00
Apples
2
6 00
1
6 00
Soap.
boxes,
2
8 00
3
18 00
10 00
Ham
. pounds,
300
42 00
200
30 00
12 00
Beef
66
75
7 50
50
5 00
2 50
Lard.
66
200
30 00
60
9 00
21 00
Tallow
66
50
7 00
30
4 00
3 00
Butter
66
60
24 00
65
29 00
5 00
Euglish hay
tons,
20
500 00
16
416 00
84 00
Salt hay and black-
grass
66
15
225 00
14
210 00
15 00
Corn fodder.
66
23
20 00
20 00
Thatch
13
117 00
21
189 00
72 00
Straw
2
40 00
2
40 00
60 00
Rowen
3
60 00
5 00
5 00
Pickles
9 00
10 00
1 00
Cabbages.
$2091 50
$1587 00
$98 00
$602 50
8
8 00
8 00
Roots
Increase. Decrease.
$150 00
406 00
20
280 00
126 00
Salt hay, market
29
29
INVENTORY OF PROPERTY AT THE FARM, STOCK, ETC.
1873.
1874.
No.
Value.
No.
Value.
Increase. Decrease.
Oxen
4
450 00
5
525 00
75 00
Cows
15
600 00
15
600 00
Heifers
2
60 00
60 00
Calves.
3
36 00
36 00
Yearlings
4
80 00
80 00
Bull.
1
40 00
1
40 00
Horses
2
430 00
2
430 00
Sheep
7
63 00
17
153 00
90 00
Fat hogs
2
54 00
54 00
Shoats
6
121 00
4
80 00
41 00
Fowls.
60
30 00
65
32 50
2 50
Turkeys
4
8 00
7
14 00
6 00
Horse wagon.
1
190 00
1
190 00
Sleigh .
1
40 00
2
170 00
Ox Carts.
2
100 00
2
100 00
Mowing machine and harness,
1
124 00
1
124 00
Plows .
7
88 00
7 88 00
Cultivator
1
5 00
1 5 00
Harrow
1
7 00
2
21 00
14 00
Ox sled.
1
15 00
1
15 00
Cords of wood.
25
175 00
30
210 00
35 00
Tons of coal
6
48 00
8 64 00
16 00
Groceries
80 00
95 00
15 00
Cloth.
27 00
35 00
8 00
Furniture and bedding
231 00
275 00
44 00
Stoves.
110 00
110 00
Sewing Machine
1
40 00
1 40 00
Winnowing mill.
1
8 00
1 8 00
Wheel rake
1
35 00
1
35 00
Tools, etc.
150 00
150 00
Hay tedder
75 00
75 00
$3496 00
$3918 50
$499 50
$77 00
-
1 40 00
Ox wagons.
2
170 00
30
EXPENSE AND INCOME FOR THE YEAR 1873.
EXPENSES.
Amount paid for Schools,
$7,276 77
" Current Expenses,
2,212 65
Fees and Salaries,
1,891 70
66
Fire Department,
1,510 16
Poor,
964 50
66 Highways,
6,472 13
66 Abatements,
272 38
66
66 Discount,
742 88
66
66 Interest on Town notes,
1,490 68
. 66 Expense of Farm,
1,764 60
Balance (being income beyond expense),
664 28
-$25,292 73
INCOME.
Amount raised for Current Expenses,
$20,668 35
of income of Town House, 135 50
66 discount on County Tax, 18 41
66 Commonwealth School Fund, 203 12
66 Corporation and Bank Tax,
3,424 54
received of County Treasurer for dog
licenses,
213 16
Amount received for Gravel pit,
225 00
old hose,
60 00
66
Concert Licenses,
12 00
A. Holmes' estate,
40 00
66
from gravel,
60 00
66
" Turkey Shore Pasture, 4 00
66 66
" use of Lock-up, 9 50
' income of Hay Scales,
135 74
66
66
" Railing,
5 00
66
66
" interest on Taxes, 66 Deposits,
37 27
66
66
16 58
66
for Oil Barrels, 6 80
66
66
from Z. Cushing, for fence,
17 76
-$25,292 73
- -
31 JONATHAN SARGENT, TREASURER & COLLECTOR.
DR.
To cash on hand March 1, 1873,
$129 22
" uncollected taxes 1872,
551 71
" State tax committed to him,
3,015 00
" County tax
1,841 00
" Town
66
19,450 00
" Overlayings,
1,195 12
" addition of taxes,
23 23
" discount on County tax,
18 41
" Commonwealth School Fund,
203 12
reimbursement State Aid,
2,700 00
66
Corporation Tax, 2,027 35
66 Bank Tax,
1,397 19
" Money hired on Town notes,
7,900 00
" Dog Licenses,
213 16
" Income of Town House,
135 50
" Cash for board of Jacob Leatherland,
104 00
66
old Hose,
60 00
66
66 from A. Holmes' estate,
40 00
66
66 Eastern R. R., for damage by fire, 20 00
66
66 gravel, 60 00
66
66
for rent Turkey Shore Pasture,
4 00
66
66
for use of Lockup,
9 50
66
66
from Haverhill,
45 00
66
Rockport,
36 11
Groveland,
41 50
Salem,
51 87
66
66
North Andover,
18 22
66
Newburyport,
123 81
D. Bradstreet,
24 30
income of Hay Scales,
135 74
66
66
old Railing,
5 00
66
interest on Taxes,
37 27
66 Deposits,
16 58
66
for oil barrels,
6 80
"
State Aid refunded,
17 47
66 sales from Farm,
1,005 88
- $42,917 82
66 Gravel Pit,
225 00
66
Concert Licenses,
12 00
66
Z. Cushing, for building wall, 17 76
66
66
66
66
66
6
32
CR.
By orders drawn by the Selectmen, 66 for State Aid,
$23,873 62
2,708 00
" Abatements,
272 38
" Discount on taxes,
742 88
" Principal paid on Town notes,
8,254 00
" Interest 66 66
1,490 68
" State Tax,
3,015 00
" County Tax,
1,841 00
" Valuation book,
14 06
" Uncollected taxes,
562 10
" Cash on hand March 1, 1874,
142 10
$42,917 82
TOWN OF IPSWICH, IN BALANCE OF ALL ACCOUNTS. DR.
To notes payable, $21,106 00
" Interest due and not paid,
131 25
" Balance in favor of the Town, 26,178 02
$47,415 27
CR.
By cash in hands of Treasurer, $ 29 82
" Uncollected taxes, 562 10
" Amount due from State on State Aid, 3,048 00
66
Salem, 39 12
' Rockport, 36 11
33
1
To Amount due from Westford,
48 62
" Farm,
16,000 00
" Personal property at farm, 5,506 50
" Town House and safes, 2,350 00
" Engines, apparatus and houses,
5,000 00
" Furniture and scales at Town House,
100 00
" Woodland at Linebrook,
Common Fields,
65 00
" Turkey Shore pasture,
100 00
" Gravel pit near S. Peatfield's,
80 00
66
near Grammar School House,
100 00
66 J. C. Carlisle's,
150 00
66 66
Hayfield's bridge,
25 00
66
66 Candlewood,
50 00
" Hay scales,
800 00
" Pounds,
100 00
" School Houses,.
12,500 00
--- $47,415 27
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. SAYWARD, Selectmen ALONZO B. FELLOWS, of
EDWARD G. HULL, Ipswich.
We the undersigned have examined the books of the several departments and find them correct, and all moneys paid out properly vouched for.
LUTHER WAIT, HENRY P. ORDWAY, Auditors. THOMAS H. LORD,
5
100 00
on Mount Pleasant,
500 00
W. J. Tarr's,
125 00
34
ESSEX, SS. TO EITHER OF THE CONSTABLES OF THE TOWN OF GREETING.
IPSWICH, IN SAID COUNTY :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are here- by required to notify and warn the legal voters of said town to meet at the town house on Tuesday, the twenty-fourth day of March, cur- rent, at nine o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to act upon the following articles, to wit :
ARTICLE 1. To choose a moderator.
ART. 2. To choose all necessary town officers and grant them such pay for their services as the town may think proper.
ART. 3. To raise money for the support of the high and common schools.
ART. 4. To raise money for the highways and determine the manner of apportioning the same.
ART. 5. To raise such sums of money as may be necessary to defray all town charges for the ensuing year.
ART. 6. To see what compensation shall be allowed the engine men the ensuing year.
ART. 7. To see what discount, if any, shall be allowed to those persons who pay their taxes before the prescribed time of payment.
ART. 8. So see if the town will authorize the treasurer to hire money in anticipation of taxes.
ART. 9. To see if the town will authorize the treasurer to renew notes that are now due.
ART. 10. To see if the town will accept the list of jurors as pre- pared and posted by the selectmen.
ART. 11. To see if the the town will authorize the selectmen to sell the gravel pit near the high school house.
ART. 12. To hear the report of committees and act thereon.
ART. 13. To see if the town will compensate Constable James F. Butler for services in arresting Marshall Dorman and Jeremiah Sullivan for burglaries committed in Ipswich.
ART. 14. To see what action the town will take in reference to widening the road from the house of William H. Kinsman to the Hamilton line, as ordered by the county commissioners on petition of IsaacKnowlton and others, and appropriating money for the same.
ART. 15. To see what action the town will take in reference to straightening the Boxford road, as ordered by the county commis- sioners on petition of John D. Cross and others, and appropriating money for the same.
35
ART. 16. To see what action the town will take in relation to building reservoirs, or any other way to provide water in case of fire, and appropriating money for the same.
ART. 17. To see what action the town will take in reference to protecting the clam flats, and taking clams therefrom during the summer.
ART. 18. To see what action the town will take in regard to build- ing a town house, and appropriating money for the same.
And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by publishing the same once in the Ipswich Chronicle, and posting up attested copies of the same at each of the meeting-houses, town house, and at the school house in the North North district, four days at least before the time of said meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands this sixteenth day of March, A. D. 1874.
CHARLES A. SAYWARD, ALONZO B. FELLOWS, Selectmen of Ipswich. EDWARD G. HULL,
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF IPSWICH,
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1874.
IPSWICH :
PRESS OF THE IPSWICH CHRONICLE.
1874.
REPORT.
In conformity with custom and the requirements of law the School Committee of the town of Ipswich respectfully submit the following report :-
Assessors are required by law to ascertain each year the number of persons between the ages of 5 and 15 years who reside within their towns and cities on the first day of May ; and on or before the first days of July following, report the same to the school commit- tee. The number of such persons returned to the school committee was five hundred and eighteen. The number returned to the school committee in 1872 was five hundred and sixty,-a falling off of 42 in one year :- a state of things which the committee can hardly real- ize or account for. Of the 518 thus returned 508 are enrolled in the school registers. This record is almost too good to be true ; but if true, the school committee and the citizens generally have good reason to congratulate themselves in having a record so good.
The committee feel relieved this year from the necessity of writ- ing a dissertation on the evils of truancy and absenteeism, which they have felt the necessity of doing for many years heretofore.
But independent of the above fact, the school committee have great pleasure in being able to say that there has been a great im- provement in regard to punctual attendance, especially in the schools in she middle of the town. In the North, South and Cen- tral schools there were 21 scholars who were not absent from school during the past year; 42 were not absent during the winter term ; and 45 were absent but one day during the year. The record though very gratifying to us, we hope will be better another year.
Two things are requisite to make the education of the people complete : good schools and good attendance. Good schools will
4
not suffice without attendance, nor will good attendance avail with- out good schools. To secure these two things is the problem of ed- ucation.
The school committee are happy to have no occasion to discuss, pro or con, the subject of corporal punishment; no extreme cases of its use having come to their knowledge. Little if any is now used in any of our schools. It is very evident that where the discipline is of a mild and conciliatory character, calculated to beget recipro- cal love between the teacher and the scholar, the interest in study and good behavior is far stronger and better, and the school-room becomes to the scholar a happy place. "As in water face answer- eth face, so the heart of man to man." The true discipline of the school-room is neither in the rod, nor in checks with loss of credits, but in the power of the teacher to enlist the love of the pupil and incite the desire of knowledge. A quiet moral power reigning in the school-room is far better than coercive measures. Its influence is more happy, effective and permanent. True wisdom and skill in school government consists in the prevention rather than punish- ment of offences, interesting and occupying pupils, cultivating the better feelings of their nature-truthfulness, generosity, kindness and self-respect. Refined manners, winning tones and an earnest spirit will exert a peculiar sway even upon the rudest and most un- mannerly youth. There is a silent power in the very face of a teacher beaming with love for his pupils and enthusiastic in his no- ble work.
At no previous period in their history have our schools generally done better than during the past year. We have no unpleasant disturbances or bickerings to report, and we express our satisfaction in the good order, wholesome discipline, and cheerful obedience to rules, which generally prevail ; and also the kindly relations that exist between teacher and pupil. No school can succeed without order, but there is no order like that which comes from the cheerful co-operation of consenting minds. Those schools, therefore, are the most orderly where the teacher unites kindness with firmness, and appeals to reason, with reliance and authority. "Iron sharpeneth iron : so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
Education is a progressive science, and it is hardly safe to assume that perfection has been reached in any of its departments. Great improvements have taken place in our schools during the last fifty years in the direction of discipline, methods of teaching, and the idea of education itself.
5
Primary schools are often called the lowest grade of schools, but they are by no means the least important, for in them are laid the foundation for all future growth in scholarship. The teacher who has at command the best system, and the skill to use the best ap- pliances, will best succeed in shaping the intellectual development of the child. Knowledge cannot be poured into a child's mind like fluid from one vessel into another. The pupil is not a passive recipient, but an active, voluntary agent. It is the teacher's duty to propose and present knowledge to the pupil in such a manner that the mind of the pupil can appropriate and assimilate it to its own mental nourishment and growth.
Children on the play-ground will learn in a very short time the intricacies of a game,-where to stand, when to run, what to say, how to count, and what are the laws and ethics of the game,-the whole requiring more intellectual effort than to learn two alphabets. Now, why is this ? The reason is, that for the one there is desire ; curiosity is awakened and an interest excited; while against the other there is repugnance. Perhaps the best way of inspiring a young child with a desiring of learning to read, is, to read to him, at proper intervals, some interesting story, perfectly intelligible, yet as full of suggestions as of communication. Care should be taken, however, to leave off before the ardor of curiosity cools. A keen desire of learning is better than all external opportunities, because it will find or make opportunities, and then improve them.
" The thirst that from the soul doth rise, Demands a drink divine."
During the first two years of a child's life, he perceives, thinks and acquires something of a store of ideas without any reference to words or letters ; after this, a wonderful faculty of language begins to develop itself. Oral instruction is another useful and successful way to excite an interest and create a desire for knowledge. Wise teachers have always used it to a greater or less extent ; and although our teachers have no training school easily accessible, yet a teacher of earnest purpose might soon become proficient and ex- pert in giving instruction in this way. One short daily exercise of ten or fifteen minutes given by a teacher whose mind is well stored with useful information, would be of great benefit to the pupils. The topics brought up might, and should, take a great range, but they should be of a practical character, useful, interesting, and adapted to the capacity of the scholar; subjects prompted by the
6
incidents and circumstances of daily occurrence, whether relating to manners, morals, or some branch of natural history or science ; they should also be suggestive so as to awaken an interest in study. It would also be a great benefit to the teacher, "for he that water- eth shall be watered also himself." This topic leads us to speak of " object teaching," which is only another name for the right method of teaching every branch of elementary education. It is the natu- ral method aiming always to teach things and ideas in connection with words which are but signs of things and ideas. Children are busy observers of natural objects, and have many questions to ask about them ; but inquisitive observation is too often repressed in- stead of being encouraged and guided. The chief reason for this unnatural course is, that most parents and teachers think they are not in possession of the information which is needed for the guid- ance of children, or they excuse themselves for want of time.
The volume of nature is ever wide open, inviting all her children to read her ample and instructive pages ;- which if read aright, point " through nature up to nature's God." Every leaf and flower, every stone and shell, every mountain and valley, no less than the starry firmament over our heads, shows the handiwork of the great Creator. A study of these things must tend to elevate and expand the mind and purify the heart. The prince and the peasant have here one common text-book. All are invited to consider the "lilies" of the field and learn wisdom of the "ant." A flower, a leaf, a shell, a feather, a blade of grass, might each of them furnish a topic for any skillful teacher to awaken the young mind, call out its pow- ers and fix the attention, excite the curiosity, and lead to habits of thought, enquiry and observation. It would also break up the dull routine of the school-room and excite a lively interest in everything around him.
Shall all this be overlooked ? Would not this be as profitable and interesting and useful, and be attended with as happy results, as to require the child to repeat 5-8 of 32 are 10-6 of how many fifths of 20 ?
Reading and spelling form the first steps in a course of educa- tion, being the foundation upon which the superstructure of all fu- ture attainments in knowledge must stand. The ability to read well is a useful and valuable accomplishment. It is the key which unlocks the door of the vast store-house of the world's literature. Much time, pains and skill are required in the early steps of in- struction to guard against bad habits of enunciation and pronuncia-
7
tion. The example of the teacher is all-important in infusing into the pupil the spirit and grace of good reading. Children insensibly imitate, and if a teacher is particular about e nunciation and empha- sis we shall have more of that full, round and distinct tone of voice, with that natural ease and intonation essential to the proper utter- ance of the sentiments of an author. No piece can be well read which is not understood. Schools should be drilled upon the mean- ing of words, shades of thought and historical or other allusions. A child thus taught does not read with the eye and voice merely, but with the understanding also. Nothing is more difficult to eradicate, or more injurious to the mind, than the too common habit of read- ing as if the words were the most meaningless things in the world. The scholar should be taught that w ords represent ideas, and every word expresses some shade of thought.
Justice requires us to add, that the reading at the annual exami- nation was generally good ;- the girls, more especially, excelling in emphasis and expression. This we attribute; in part, to their taste for music, which tends to give flexibility to the voice as well as train the ear to proper modulation and expression.
With regard to spelling, our schools should aim at perfection, if such a thing be possible, with the peculiarities of our lan- guage. The eye should become so familiar with the form of words as readily to detect mis takes from their unusual appearance. This can only be accomplished by writing words from dictation. Oral instruction alone can never make a good speller. We think the spelling in our schools at the examination a little above the average of past years.
Geography receives a full share of the time and attention of our scholars and with quite satisfactory results. The study of geogra- phy should commence with one's own locality, town county and state, thence branching out to other portions of our county, and so on. Learning or memorizing names is not learning geogra- phy. A child may give a correct answer to many questions asked from the book and yet not have a correct idea of the thing he is talking about. A class in geography could not fail to be interested in studying the topography or geography of all that can be seen from the top of one of our hills. The sight of the distant hills, mountains and valleys, rivers, ponds, and ocean, would impress upon the mind of the pupil that these names meant something, and ever after the name and the object would be inseparable. It is not un- common to hear a scholar, when asked what is latitude ? give the
8
answer for longitude and vice versa; and so of meridians and paral- Iels, showing conclusively that the pupil has not a correct idea of the terms or things, or showing a vicious habit of speaking without thinking. Map drawing should always accompany the study of geography, this would fix the outlines and boundaries of every state and country as it is taken up. Every portion of the earth has a custom of its own as every letter of the alphabet has a shape of its own. In one of our schools there were shown some very good spec- imens of map drawing which exhibited good taste and skill.
Grammar, or language, the first, the last and the servant of all other studies, is more successfully taught in our common schools at the present time than we have ever known it before. The subject is made more intelligible to the comprehension of the scholar. The importance of a good command of language cannot be over estima- ted ; we might say of language as we say of knowledge, it is power. It is a life-long study. The ability to write it and speak it in the best possible manner is worthy the ambition of the most lofty intel- lect. The easy, natural and elegant use of it with the pen or the tongue gives to its possessor a power which cannot be measured or weighed by any other faculty of man. Let all our youth be fired with ambition to acquire a good knowledge of the English lan- guage. Although language is but the dress of thought it gives power and force and pathos to the conceptions of the mind. It may soothe or sting, exalt or cast down, comfort or chide, its power can be measured only by man's ability to use it.
Under the head of practical branches, we assign a high place to penmanship, considering a good hand writing valuable either to the student or business man. In some of our schools the writing books were very neat, and the writing good, exhibiting care and pains- taking. In some of the schools, we think sufficient attention is not paid to the proper manner of holding the pen and the position of the book, and the imitation of the copy. Two or three lines written with extreme care daily would eventually secure the desired result. There is a method of leading the pupil by successive steps to the skillful use of the pen. Writing is a mechanical operation, and to most scholars a pleasing exercise and relieves the mind from the weariness of continued mental application. Experience shows that those children write better with the same instruction who devote a part of the time to drawing; skill in both require the discipline of the eye and the hand.
When teachers can sing, or when the larger scholars of the school
9
are prepared to lead in this exercise, the practice of singing two or three times a day has a pleasant, renovating, and beneficial influ- ence upon the school. It is practiced to some extent in some of our schools, and should be encouraged. If the teacher understands mu- sic and can give instruction in it, and can play some instrument, say a flute, violin, or organ, he is in possession of a power of great value in governing the school, if skillfully and judiciously used. We should like to have all our teachers competent to teach music. Music and elocution are twin sisters and should go together; one helps the other. Music is not, as some suppose, a mere luxury, but a necessity ; its germ is implanted in every human soul. Every thing about us is vocal with music. The birds sing their matins and their vespers by our windows, and there is an answering chord in every human soul. Let all our children be taught to sing, "Sing when life's cares and sorrows press," sing as they " Climb the rug- ged hill of life," sing as they go down the "other side," sing as they near the "shining shore." " Let all the people sing."
An assistant teacher was employed in the high school during the past year with very gratifying success, and it is the desire of the school committee that the town appropriate the same sum that was raised last year for this purpose.
The amount of money raised last year for the support of common schools, was
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