USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1916 > Part 3
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GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Middle- ton qualified to vote in election and town affairs, to meet at the Town Hall in said Town on
Monday, the Sixth day of March, next
at 5.45 A. M. for the following purposes, viz :
To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
To choose by ballot the following town officers for the ensuing year, viz :
Town Clerk, three Selectmen, one Assessor for three years, one Overseer of the Poor for three years, one School Commit- tee for three years, Highway Surveyor, two Trustees of Flint Public Library for three years, Constable, Treasurer, Tax Col- lector, Auditor, three Fence Viewers, Tree Warden, Superin-
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62
TOWN WARRANT
tendent of Burials, Janitor for Town Hall, one Water Com- missioner for three years, one Trustee of the David Cummings Fund for three years.
Also on the same ballot to give their votes "Yes" or "No" in answer to the following question : Shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this Town.
The polls will be open at 5.45 A. M. and may be closed at 3 P. M.
You are hereby required to notify and warn said qualified voters to meet at an adjourned meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday, March 8th, 1916, at 7.30 o'clock, P. M. for the following purposes, viz :
ARTICLE 1. To choose such other Town officers as are required to be chosen annually.
ARTICLE 2. To see what action the Town will take in regard to defraying Town expenses the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 3. To see what action the Town will take in regard to enforcing the liquor law.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to require the Highway Surveyors to provide a suitable quantity of sand and use the same on the sidewalks when covered with ice.
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TOWN WARRANT
ARTICLE 5. To see what action the Town will take in regard to compensation of Tax Collector.
ARTICLE 6. To see what action the Town will take in regard to compensation for fire work.
ARTICLE 7. To see what action the Town will take in regard to letting the Town Hall.
ARTICLE 8. To see what measures the Town will adopt for the removal of snow from the sidewalks.
ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year.
ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will authorize the Col- lector to use all means of collecting the taxes which the Town Treasurer when appointed may use.
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money to extend lines, and light streets, or to take any action thereon.
ARTICLE 12. By request of A. F. Henderson, to see what action the Town will take in regard to appropriating money for the support of the Flint Public Library for the ensuing year.
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TOWN WARRANT
ARTICLE 13. By petition of Albert C. Buxton and ten others, to see what action the Town will take in regard to extending the electric lights from North Main Street, through Essex and School Streets.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof, one at Town Hall, one at the Center Post Office and one at Mrs Tessier's store in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting. Here- of 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 aforesaid.
Given under our hands this 15th day of February, A. D. 1916.
H. K. RICHARDSON MAURICE E. TYLER JAMES W. OGDEN
Selectmen of Middleton.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE Town of Middleton
For the Year Ending January 1, 1916
Knowledge
Os Power
USETTS ..
o
UNDED
SALEM MILO A. NEWHALL & CO., PRINTERS
1916
Report of the School Committee
Middleton, Mass., January 1, 1916. To the Citizens of the Town of Middleton :
The Annual Report of the School Committee is as follows :
General
The usual high standard of the Middleton School has been maintained in every way during the past year. All depart- ments are working in harmony and the work of the scholars refects this most desirable condition.
Superintendent
The Committee desires at this time to again testify to their appreciation of the work of Mr. Harvey R. Williams, the Superintendent of Schools of the district in which this town is located. It should again be stated that we are indeed for- tunate to be able, through the wise assistance of the Common- wealth, to receive the benefit of the services of a man of the high grade of Mr. Williams in this important position.
Teachers
The personel of the Corps of Teachers has remained unchanged throughout the year and this fact alone is contrib- utory to the success of the school to as large a degree as any other one element. To have good teachers and to be fortunate enough to retain them is a condition which not many Towns can claim and which they all desire. This applies to the Prin- cipal, to the grade teachers and also to the teachers of music, drawing and sewing.
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SCHOOL REPORT
School Savings Bank
The School Savings Bank which was instituted in the School about a year ago has proven a gratifying success. It is carried out under the supervision of the officers of the Salem Savings Bank of Salem, in which institution the savings of the children are deposited; and by the use of methods approved by the Massachusetts State Bank Commissioner. The facts and figures giving the amounts the children have saved are found in the report of the Principal of the School which is submitted herewith.
School Building and Grounds
During the past year the School Building has been painted on the inside and the roof has been re-shingled and some of the timbers in the north east portion of the building which had decayed have been renewed. The building will need painting on the outside during the coming year and some changes in the boys' toilet room must be made to comply with the requirements of the State Inspector of Buildings. The appropriations asked for in the Finance Committee's report have been based on these contemplated improvements.
The cess pools for the disposal of sewage which have for years given great trouble by their inadequacy to the task of taking care of the sewage and consequent overflowing have been put in efficient condition by the construction of a new cess pool with a connecting drainage trench. This work was done upon the advice and under the instruction of a competent sanitary engineer and the Committee hopes that the matter has been settled for all time.
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SCHOOL REPORT
Safety Against Fire
The disastrous and fatal fire in a Peabody school has prob- ably led all to think somewhat of what the conditions are that obtain in our building.
Your committee has always felt that the arrangements of the rooms, corridors and stairways of our building was partic- ularly safe. The furnaces are located in the basement far from the stairways. There are no places for the accumulation of waste material beneath either stairway. One staircase, in fact, has no cellar under it and possesses all of the advantages and none of the disadvantages of an outside fire escape. We have however had the building inspected by the State Inspector of Buildings and we were pleased to find his views coincided with ours.
The Committee wishes to assure the citizens of Middleton that it will spare nothing in the determination to have the building at all times in a safe condition.
Frequent fire drills are held by the teachers and we be- lieve that in no event could a fatal fire occur.
It may be interesting to the people, particularly to the parents of the school children, to know that when the State Inspector called at the school he caused the principal to sound an alarm of fire on the fire alarm gong of the school and in forty-five seconds after the alarm was sounded every child was out of the building. There was no warning of any nature given to either teachers or scholars.
The foregoing report is respectfully submitted.
FRANK S. PERKINS, ANSEL P. TYLER, GEORGE W. EWING School Committee.
Superintendent's Report
To the School Committee,
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to present herewith for your considera- tion my sixth annual report of the Middleton Schools.
One of the factors that makes for a high standard of efficiency in any school system is a permanent teaching corps. With the same teachers in charge at the beginning of a new school year, there is no loss of time and work in getting acquainted with the children, in learning the course of study and becoming acquainted with the general conditions in the school and in the community. In this respect Middleton has been most fortunate. The present corps of teachers are hold- ing the work of the schools at a very high standard of efficien- cy, and the Town should certainly see to it that no small con- sideration is allowed to deprive the schools of their valuable services.
While the work in the traditional subjects of the course of study is as strong, if not stronger, than ever, the work in the practical arts is attracting more than passing attention from people both in and outside of the Town. The exhibition of this work held in the spring of 1915 was certainly as good, if it was not the best, ever shown in a town of the size of Middleton. One of the remarkable things about this work as it is carried on here is the fact that it costs the Town a very small amount of money. Aside from the small sum paid the teacher of sewing, all this splendid work of the schools has cost the Town not more than $50.00 at the most for the five years it has been in operation.
Another year, however, will bring a new problem. The
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SCHOOL REPORT
large number of boys in the seventh and eighth grades will practically prohibit the possibility of carrying on the wood working to any extent of value to the boys unless some provi- sion is made for more room for this part of the work. It would be a very great loss to the boys if this work had to be given up and we hope that some way may be found that will make it unnecessary to do so.
There are also two other very urgent needs of the schools. The first is new adjustable seats and desks for the primary room. With two grades in the room it is impossible to seat the children so that all will have seats of the right size and height. This is a very important consideration for the health of the children. Too high desks or seats or both have a very bad effect on the physical condition of the children and only adjustable seats and desks will relieve the possibility of such effects.
In the second place, electric lights are a very insistent need. The lighting of all the rooms of this building is defec- tive and insufficient for the size of the rooms. School rooms to be properly lighted should have one-fifth as much lighting surface as there is floor space in the rooms. This calls for about 200 square feet of windows for each room in the Middleton building. As a matter of fact, however, there is much less than 100 sq. feet of lighting surface for each room. There are many days in cloudy weather and in the winter months when this lack of sufficient light causes a very great strain upon the eyes of the children. In fact, there are times when work has to be suspended altogether. Again, with the conditions that exist in the basement of the building, it is quite unsafe for the janitor to have to carry a kerosene light. In the interest, then, of safety, convenience and economy, and the health of the children, these matters should receive serious consideration at the coming town meeting.
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SCHOOL REPORT
A new activity introduced into the schools since our last report was made is the Schools Savings Sytsem. This plan was explained and put into operation by Captain Perkins of the School Committee. At the present time the pupils have in the banks on books $165.00 and there is on hand about $50.00 more to be placed to their credit later on. In addition to the lessons in saving that all the children learn, the eighth grade pupils have much practical work in arithmetic and book- keeping. These pupils are the bank officials and keep all the accounts. They are now able to make a trial balance without an error, which they were not able to do when they began.
Attention is called to the appendix of this report which shows the results of some of the other work of the schools. Through the interest and efforts of the Middleton Grange the home gardens were more successful than ever before as were other activities encouraged by the school and the Grange. The Topsfield Fair prizes that came to the school and to the chil- dren amounted to over $40.00. These outside activities make the work of the schools of vastly greater value to the children than they ever were, or could be, when only "books" were studied and no connection was made between these books and the life of the community. I believe the time has come when we could well afford to give credit toward graduation for the activities that the Middleton children are carrying on so suc- cessfully outside of the schools.
Following are the reports of the Music and Drawing super- visors which are submitted as a part of this report, also the appendix which contains some very interesting facts concern- ing the schools and their work.
In closing this report I wish to commend the hearty inter- est that the people of Middleton have always shown in the schools, and to express my appreciation of the kindly spirit
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SCHOOL REPORT
always in evidence in the work of the School Committee, the teachers and the children.
Respectfully submitted,
HARVEY R. WILLIAMS, Superintendent of Schools.
January 15, 1916.
Report of Music Teacher
Topsfield, Mass., January 8, 1916. To the Superintendent of Schools, Middleton, Mass.
Dear Sir :
It is with pleasure that I submit my report of my work in the Middleton schools. I am glad to note the continued earn- estness and enthusiasm on the part of the teachers and pupils.
More time has been given to time motions; and to the knowledge of notes, rests, bars, and musical symbols. In- dividual work has been encouraged : also singing phrases by imitation, thus training the ear. Written work has been given, and some transposition.
Conditions change with the advancing grades. The diffi- culties which beset the beginners have disappeared but perhaps more serious troubles may face us. New pupils may have come in untrained in the work of previous grades perhaps : and there is great unevenness of ability. Self consciousness
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SCHOOL REPORT
has asserted itself, and a feeling of restraint limits the pupil's efforts. Interest and enthusiasm must be aroused and main- tained. Hence many ways and devices must be applied to gain the desired results. Vocal drills and breathing exercises have been given in all the grades to secure flexibilty of voice and breath control. Particular attention is given to clear enuncia- tion, song interpretation and quality of tone.
It is my earnest desire that parents and friends will visit the music classes often. This means encouragement to pupils and teachers. The results of the year's work have been most gratifying.
I wish to extend my appreciation to the Superintendent and School Committee for their helpfulnesss and to the teachers for their faithful co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
GENIE FULLER KIMBALL,
Supervisor.
January 7, 1916.
Report of Drawing Teacher
Mr. H. R. Williams,
Superintendent of Schools :
I have the pleasure of submitting my second annual report as teacher of drawing in the Town of Middleton.
11
SCHOOL REPORT
An instructor is able to give only a statement of the sub- ject matter that has been taught and of the work that has been accomplished in the school room, but the real results of the training involved in the course of study is discernible by parents, teachers, and those who are watching their growth and development from day to day.
No change has been made in the work excepting in the upper grades, where there is less water color painting being taught and in its place is taken up the study of color harmony for direct daily application in design, dress and home decora- tion. The free-hand drawing is confined to pencil sketching, as a means of expression. I believe that at times everyone feels handicapped by not being able to make rapidly a repre- sentation or plan in order to demonstrate some explanation and that this ability should be developed as far as possible dur- ing the elementary school years.
Making the plans and constructing the problems is be- coming a very important part of the school work. In the primary grades the objects are used to illustrate stories and historical and geographical subjects. In the grammar grades, where the children are better able to measure and plan and to use their hands with more skill, articles, which the children may use both in school and at home are made. Naturally whenever better materials are provided, the subjects produced are more durable and useful. Doing this sort of work fur- nishes an incentive to the children. In many cases they have expressed a desire to reproduce articles and have been per- fectly willing to pay for the cost of the materials.
It is hoped that the children will return to their homes with the ability to adapt their means to the ends both in their homely tasks and in their amusements ; to construct objects and toys for their own use, thus serving a dual purpose, by keeping
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SCHOOL REPORT
the children interested in pleasant and profitable occupations and by conserving materials at hand ; to increase and appre- ciate the beauty in their surroundings.
I take this opportunity to thank the teachers for their interest and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted, PAULA LANG CLOUGH, Supervisor of Drawing.
1
APPENDIX
Calendar for 1916-1917
March 24, 1916. Spring vacation begins. 12 WEEKS IN THE TERM.
April 3, 1916. Spring term begins.
June 16, 1916. Schools close for the summer vacation.
11 WEEKS IN THE TERM.
SUMMER VACATION.
September 11, 1916. Fall term opens.
November 29, at noon to December 4, Thanksgiving recess. December 4, 1916. Schools open.
December 22, 1916. Schools close for Christmas vacation. 15 WEEKS IN THE TERM.
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SCHOOL REPORT
January 2, 1917. Winter term begins. March 23, 1917. Spring vacation. 12 WEEKS IN THE TERM.
Topsfield Fair Prizes
SCHOOLS
Basketry, 1st prize $2 00
Penmanship, 2nd prize
3 00
Drawing, 2nd prize
2 00
Total, $7 00
CHILDREN'S PRIZES
Bird Houses : Benjamin Evans, first ; Roy Osborne, second ; Thurston Jackson, third; Alfred Kitchen, fourth ; Albert Berry, fourth. Flint Corn : Raymond Bradstreet, first prize. Cantaloupe : Benjamin Evans, second prize. Turnips : Benja- min Evans, second prize. Green Mountain Potatoes : Roy Osborne, first prze. Beans: John Gage, first prize. Cabbage : Benjamin Evans, second prize. Vegetables furnished the home: Archie Jones, first prize. Vegetables furnished cus- tomers : Archie Jones, first prize. Dahlias : Callie Douglas, third prize. Nasturtiums : Anne Sanford, second prize. White Bread : Ruth Howe, third prize. Wheat Bread : Mary Whiting, first prize. Pot of Beans : Pearl Jones, second prize. Canned Fruit, : Pearl Jones, first prize. Mary Whiting,
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SCHOOL REPORT
second prize. Jellie : Pearl Jones, third prize. Preserves : Isabelle Durkee, first prize. Apron : Isabelle Durkee, second prize. Poultry : Raymond Bradstreet, Serena Russell, Stewart Barnaby, Roger Peabody, Ethel Kelley. Gratuities : Otis Evans, Guy Evans, Ruth Howe.
Penmanship Record 1914-1915
Grades VII and VIII
DIPLOMAS
Serena Russell
Raymond P. Eaton
Nellie A. Hudon
Grace E. MacDonald
Anna M. Porter
Raymond O. McKenney
Marion Peabody
Guy E. Evans
Lucy L. Ritchie
Olive F. Rowley
Marguerite G. Kelley
Aldine C. Gardner
Pearl M. Jones
IMPROVEMENT CERTIFICATES
Mildred L. Porter
Mary L. Whiting
Ethel C. Kelley Mildred Norton
Margaret A. Guss
J. Roy Osborne Isabelle Durkee
PROGRESS PINS
Anna M. Porter
Margaret A. Guss
Frank Q. Currier
Albert R. Berry
Benjamin I. Evans
Raymond C. Eaton
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SCHOOL REPORT
BUTTONS
Anna M. Porter
Roger P. Boomhover
Margaret A. Guss Vergie H. Jackson Thurston Jackson
Grades V and VI
IMPROVEMENT CERTIFICATES Elva G. Rogers
PROGRESS PINS
Edward Bryer Eunice Russell Margaret Sylvester Noel Hudon
Donald Henderson Callie Douglas
Gertrude Rowell Paul Richardson
Porter Durkee
BUTTONS
Joseph Leary
Esmond Hilton
Mildred Smith
Alfred Godbout
Geraldine Smith
Anne Sanford
Mina Godbout
Dean Hosmer
Yvonne Godbout
Clifford Clark Jennie Stevens
Ruth Howe
Roger Peabody Jane Kelley
Pauline Wilson
Harold Somers
Clarence Osgood
Mabelle Hudon
Clarence Richardson
Guinevere Smith
Frederick Maynard
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SCHOOL REPORT
ROLL OF HONOR
Figures indicate the number of terms pupils have not been absent and stars indicate that they have not been tardy for the same time.
Grades I and II
*Harold E. Tyler 2
*Harold K. Smith 2
* Ernest Gould 1
*George W. Peterson 1
* Albert Roberts 1
* Henrietta Smith 1
Grades III and IV
* Howard Hood 2
*William Roberts 3
*Elliott Rowell 3
* Ida Douglass 3
Lillian Hatch 3
Frieda Hurlburt 2
* Fidelia Hudon 1 Margaret McCall 2
*Ruth Soper 1
*Ralph Somers 1
* Helen Tibbetts 1
Grades V and VI
*Porter Durkee 1
* Dean Hosmer 3
*Clarence Richardson 1 John Reilly 1
*Yvonne Godbout 2
*Anne Sanford 2
*Clifford Clark 1
*Donald Henderson 1
*Milton Evans 1
*Noel Hudon 3
Roger Peabody 1
* Mina Godbout 1
*Eunice Russell 1
* Bernard Bent 1
* Alfred Godbout 2
*Clarence Osgood 1
1
* Mary Wilson 1 Richard Green 1
* Mildred Jackson 1
*Seaver MacDonald 1
*Earl Robinson 1
*Joseph Russell 2
* Bertha Grady 1
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SCHOOL REPORT
Frederick Maynard 1 *Callie Douglass 2
*Gertrude Russell 2
*Grant Morrison 1
*Margaret Sylvester 1
*Pauline Wilson 1
* Harold Somers 1
Grades VII and VIII
*Isabelle Durkee 3
* Aldine C. Gardner 3
* Anna M. Porter 2
*Frank Q. Currier 1
*J. Roy Osborne 3
* Margaret Guss 1
*Ethel Kelley 1
* Marguerite Kelley 1 *Mary L. Whiting 1
Results of Eye and Ear Tests
Whole number of pupils enrolled 140
Number found defective in eyesight 9
Number found defective in hearing 3
Number of parents or guardians notified 12
School Census, September, 1915
Number between 5 and 7 years of age
Boys,
26
Girls
9
Total,
35
* Marion Peabody 3
*Serena P. Russell 1
* Raymond P. Eaton 3
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SCHOOL REPORT
Number between 7 and 14 years of age
Boys
63
Girls 28
Total 91
Number between 14 and 16 years of age
Boys
10
Girls
17
27
Total census
153
Illiterates over 16 years of age 1
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SCHOOL REPORT
Graduation Exercises of the Class of 1915
Middleton Grammar School
Piano Solo, "Awakening of the Lion" March, "Brownies"
Aldene C. Gardner Aldene C. Gardner Raymond C. Eaton
"The Red Scarf" Bass solo Contralto solo, Raymond McKenney, Guy E. Evans J. Roy Osborne, Donald A. Henderson, Paul Richardson Benjamin I. Evans, Albert R. Berry, Clifford Clark
Prayer Rev. Kingsley F. Norris
Composition, "Legends of Massachusetts" "Mrs. Brown's Troubles"
Anna M. Porter Pearl M. Jones
"Tubal Cain"
"June"
"Indian Names"
"Hobbies"
"A Greyport Legend"
"Is the Turtle a Fish?"
Guy E. Evans Chorus Marion Peabody Frank Q. Currier Marguerite G. Kelley Roger P. Boomhover Chorus
"Barcarolle" "Moonlight"
"Spartacus to the Gladiators"
Raymond C. Eaton Lucy L. Ritchie
"The Concert Rehearsal"
"The Flag of Our Country" Raymond O. McKenney
Original Dialogue Grace E. MacDonald, Olive F. Rowley
"Jack and Jill" Secretary's Report
Selected Chorus Nellie A. Hudon
Presentation of Class Gift Aldene C. Gardner
Presentation of Class of 1915 Supt. H. R. Williams
Presentation of diplomas
Frank S. Perkins, Chairman of the School Committee "Soldier's Chorus" Chorus Mrs. Genie Fuller Kimball, Supervisor of Music
Pianist-Aldene C. Gardner Class Motto, "Forward, as occasion offers"
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SCHOOL REPORT
Graduates
Roger Philip Boomhover
Frank Quincy Currier
Raymond Carrol Eaton
Guy Edward Evans
Aldene Cushing Gardner
Nellie Adeline Hudon
Pearl Marion Jones
Marguerite Gertrude Kelley
Grace Elna MacDonald
Raymond Oliver McKenney
Marion Peabody
Anna May Porter
Lucy Louisa Ritchie
Olive Frances Rowley
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SCHOOL REPORT
Pupils in the Danvers High School
Eleanor Boomhover Ethel Fuller
SENIORS
Frank Johnson Myrtle Peabody
JUNIORS
Edward Dwyer Alice Richardson
Ruby Richardson Helen Smith
Ruth Tyler
SOPHMORES
Raymond Bradstreet Evlyn Brown Gladys Currier Myrtle Perkins
Archie Jones Marion MacDonald Alfred Perkins George Webber
FRESHMAN
Roger Boomhover Lloyd Higgins Pearl Jones Gertrude Kelley
Grace MacDonald Raymond McKenney Muriel Merritt Anna Porter
Helen Webber
Pupils in the Agricultural
Arthur Fuller Theodore Currier Guy Evans Roland Bousley Anna Clements
Stuart Barnabee Frederick Currier Joseph Bousley Lucinda Bousley Elena Rice
Mary Bent
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS, YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1915
Schools
Length of
Year
Number·
Enrolled
Boys
Enrolled
Girls
Enrolled
Average
Average
Attendance
Percent of
Attendance
Number under
Number between
5 and 7 years
Number between
7 and 14 years
Number between
14 and 16 years
Number over 16 years
Primary
M. D. 9-3
35
26
9
30.4 35.3
26.9
0
29
6
0
0
Intermediate
9-3
35
22
13
33.5
0
0
35
0
0
9-3
45
26
19
40.6
38.3
94.2
0
0
44
0
1
Second Grammar First Grammar
9-3
29
11
18
28.3
27.3
96.3
0
0
14
14
1
Average and Totals
144
85
59
33.7
31.5
93.4
0
29
99
14
2
TEACHERS' DIRECTORY, JANUARY, 1916
NAMES
SCHOOLS
APPOINTED
GRADES
SALARY
EDUCATED
C. Alice Manning Caroline Knight
1st Gram. Prin. 2nd 66
1912
V-VI
507
Salem Normal
Fannie C. Hinkley
Intermediate Primary
1914
III-IV
507
Salem Normal
Elizabeth Henderson
1913
I-II
507
Salem Normal
Genie F. Kimball
Music
1912
150
Holyoke
Paula L. Clough
Drawing
1914
80
Normal Art, Boston
B. Gertrude Hayward
Sewing
1914
VII-VIII
$624
Somerville High
1902
Membership
88.2 94.9
5 years
FLIN
MIDOLETINN
PUBLIC:
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