USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Town annual report of Quincy 1850-1864 > Part 7
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Number of enrolled Militiamen in 1854, 1002 ; in 1855, 1253.
Hancock Light Guards .- A. B. Packard, Captain ; W. S. Glover, 1st Lieutenant ; Wm. Nash, 2d Lieutenant ; F. Curtis, 3d Lieutenant ; T. H. Newcomb, 4th Lieutenant. Sergeants-E. A. Spear, T. Churchill, J. F. Burrell, J. B. . Bass, F. A. Lapham. Corporals-C. B. Pickering, C. Holms, R. M. Huckins, C. W. Carver. Musicians-Geo. Pope, A. Turner.
Quincy Lyceum .- President-A. Thompson ; Vice Pre- sident-J. B. Bass ; Secretary-F. A. Walker; Treasurer -F. Curtis ; Directors-B. Bass, S. Morse, Jr., W. W. Baxter.
Adams Literary Association .- President-Henry Bar- ker.
Banks, -Quincy Stone .- J. Brigham, President; J. C. Randal, Cashier. Mt. Wollaston-C. F. Adams, President ; L. Congdon, Cashier.
Number of Polls, 1548; number of voters, 950 ; vote for Governor at last election, H. J. Gardner, 367 ; E. D. Beach, 180; Julius Rockwell, 80; S. H. Walley, 27.
32
AN ABSTRACT
OF THE
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, INTENTIONS OF MARRIAGE, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS,
Made in the Town of Quincy during the year 1855.
1
BIRTHS.
Whole number registered,
208
Males,
123
Females,
85
Foreign Párentage,
114
Native, 94
Of the native parentage 8 were of parents both of whom were born in Quincy. 12 were of fathers born in Quincy. 15 were of mothers born in Quincy.
OF THE FOREIGN PARENTAGE.
95 were of Irish parentage,
6 English
3 66 Scotch
9 British Prov. parentage,
1 was of Welch
7 have died during the year. 4 males and 3 females. To the population of the town in 1855 the average was 1 birth to every 28 inhabitants.
INTENTIONS OF MARRIAGE.
Whole number of certicfiates of intentions of marriage issued, 53
Number where both parties were residents in Quincy, 33 Number where the males were of Quincy, and the females of other towns, 13 Number where the females were of Quincy and the males of other towns, 7
33
MARRIAGES.
Whole number of marriages registered
23 were of native citizens.
9 were foreign.
4 were of parties, 1 foreign and native.
Of the native marriages 11 were residents of Quincy, both parties. 2 males of Quincy, females of some other town. 4 females of Quincy, males of other towns. 4 of the males were natives of Quincy, and 6 of the females.
Of the foreign marriages 2 were residents in Quincy, both parties.
Of the whole number 4 of the males were second mar- riages. All others were first marriage.
Note. The marriages of Roman Catholic citizens are usually solemnized at the place of residence of the Roman Catholic clergyman, therefore the decrease of marriages in Quincy arises from that cause.
Of males, 1 was under 20
66 14 were between 20 and 25
13
25
30
6
30
40
2
40
50
Of females, 16 "
13 «
6 4
66
1 «
30
40
None were over 50 nor under 16 years of age.
DEATHS.
Number of deaths registered, 133; 87 were born in this country, 54 of whom were born in Quincy ; 22 were born in Ireland ; 1 in Cape Breton ; 1 in Nova Scotia ; 1 in Eng- land, and 21 birthplace unknown.
23 were under 1
years of age,
20
between 1 and 5
5
10
8
66
10
20
..
66
66
2
40
50
6
66
50
60
11
60
70
66
66
66
3
66
15
20
30
18
30
40
5
36
16 20 25
20
25
30
34
7 were between 70 and 80 years of age, 8 80 “ 90 "
12 age not given.
Their Diseases were : -
Accidental,
1 Dropsy on the Brain, 1
Congestion of Brain,
1 Drowned,
3
Consumption,
26 Heart Complaint,
1
Disease of the Heart,
2 Infantile,
3
Fevers,
9 Lung Complaint,
2
Fit,
1
Inflammation,
3
Cholera Morbus,
2 Liver Complaint,
1
Complication of Diseases,
1
Old Age,
8
Canker,
1
Palsy,
1
Cancer,
1
Not stated, (mostly For- eign), 47
Dyspepsia,
1
Diarrhea,
10
Dysentery,
4
Total,
133
Dropsy,
3
The foregoing arranged by months, are as follows, viz. :
Births.
Marriages.
Deaths.
January,
12
2
5
February,
19
3
11
March,
13
1
15
April,
18
5
6
May,
20
2
9
June,
15
2
11
July,
16
4
14
August,
14
2
18
September,
14
2
11
October,
16
8
14
November,
22
2
12
December,
19
3
7
,
208
36
133
Excess of Births registered over Deaths registered 75.
NOTE .- The following item of expense should be added to the account of the South School District : Paid Miss Alden,
$75 00
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF QUINCY,
MARCH 3, 1856.
-
BOSTON: MOORE & CROSBY, PRINTERS, No. 1 Water Street. 1856.
--- ----
- -
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF QUINCY,
MARCH 3, 1856.
BOSTON: MOORE & CROSBY, PRINTERS, No. 1 Water Street. 1856.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF QUINCY,
MARCH 3,1856.
BOSTON: MOORE & CROSBY, PRINTERS, No. 1 Water Street. 1856.
REPORT.
THE growth of the town, taken in connection with the impulse given to the system of public instruction all over the Common- wealth, is found not to be without its effect on the duties of your School Committee. Instead of occasional labors, from time to time, by the sacrifice of a few hours at intervals of three months, properly to fulfill the requisitions of the statutes demands months. There are now eighteen schools in this town, each of which must be visited quarterly by the whole Committee, and monthly by some one of the members. The quarterly visits, if made as they should be, would absorb at least sixty days - the monthly visits, about twelve more of each Committee-man. In addition to which is the duty of consultation, of preliminary examinations both of teachers and scholars, of general supervision, and of con- ference with the heads of the respective schools, and occasionally with parents.
Such is an exact statement of what the school system in Quincy now requires, to keep it up with the movement of the times. The Committee have endeavored to do their duty so far as they could, but they do not claim to have performed it in full. No committee has yet done so. Nor will it do so, until it is selected by the town from persons not so absorbed by their private business as to have little time at command, or else in greater numbers among whom to subdivide the work. Besides this, the town needs on the Committee one or two members who should continue from year to year as the executive agents of the board. This is most important in the case of the Secretary. It would be useful in that of the Chairman. By such an arrange-
4
ment much time and labor would be saved, and a uniformi and evenness of system would be gained. If, by common co sent, the choice of these persons could be taken out of the sphe of politics, and only such individuals selected as would faithful apply their time to the labors required, much good would found to result from it. Your Committee are the more led venture upon submitting these views from the fact that the can be no suspicion of any desire on their part to continue ther selves in authority by it.
Before reviewing the progress of the schools, one other r mark may be hazarded on the general authority of the Cor mittee. If the town selects suitable men, it will be much bett for the schools that the power to engage the teachers be vest in them, than that it should be assigned to other persons in tl respective Districts. This power it is not particularly pleasa to exercise, but it is one which ought to be lodged in the san hands that direct the instruction afterwards. Nothing els insures uniformity and stability to the system. Particularly it advisable when changes are liable so often to take place they now do from resignations of teachers. Every substitution when operated under a divided responsibility, is apt to resu unsatisfactorily all round. This conclusion, it is believed, now admitted to be sound by all the best friends of education who have had any experience of the school system of this Con monwealth. It is almost needless to add in this case, as in th earlier suggestion, that the Committee can have no idea, i making it, of enlarging the limits of their own authority.
The practice heretofore customary of spreading out in fu the details of attendance at the several schools, is found occupy so much unnecessary space in print, that the Con mittee have preferred this year to consolidate the whole retur in a single table, and to attach it to the end of the report. I this table, it will be easy to see at a glance the condition of eac separate school ; and there is the additional advantage of bein able to compare it at once with that of every other. Bearin this reference in mind, the Committee will now call the attentio
5
of the citizens at once to the result of their observations during the year.
And first, they will consider the
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
At the commencement of the year the Committee found the primary school at the West District, containing 149 scholars, with an average attendance of 111, crowded into a room in the new building designed to accommodate but 84. Their first care was to correct this mistake by dividing the numbers. A conve- nient room was soon finished in the basement, to which one-half of the scholars were removed, and put in the charge of Miss S. A. A. Beale, who had been engaged by the Prudential Committee some time before, to assist Miss Belcher in the upper room. The advantage of this change was soon felt. This school has been steadily advancing through the year, and is now in a pros- perous condition. Of that portion which remained up stairs, the Committee cannot speak quite so favorably. Although the whole number was divided equally at first, this equality did not long continue. No provision having been made for a proportionate distribution of new comers, and each of these being left to select as he pleased, the consequence was, that the upper school received the greater number, as well as those whom it was the most diffi- cult to incorporate into it, without lowering its standard. To obviate this difficulty in future, some division by geographical limits, like that which has been adopted with success in the South and Centre Districts, will become necessary. It is no more than reasonable that the effect of such a disturbing cause should be equally shared by both the schools, or an adequate dif- ference be made in estimating the labor of the teachers. It should certainly be considered in any comparison of the schools for the past year.
For a large portion of the year the school under the charge of Miss Veazie in the South District, containing a hundred scholars,
6
with an average attendance of seventy, was crowded into a room scarcely fit for half the number. On the last day of ber, it was removed to the new house, and an apartment nished for eighty pupils, assigned to it. But it soon app that even this enlarged accommodation would not prove ade for the numbers that came in. It became necessary to reli by advancing a portion of the scholars to the Intermediat partment, which was accordingly done. Notwithstanding difficulties naturally arising from these changes, Miss Veaz managed to conduct her large school - larger than any tha been kept in the town, with the exception, perhaps, of that at one time in the West District - with credit to herself a the satisfaction of the Committee. The other primary sch the South District remains under the care of Mrs. Burrell, whilst she regulates it on a system peculiarly her own, oper haps, to objection in theory, is sure to bring out in pract class every year which will compare favorably with the grade in any other part of the town.
The centre primary school, kept by Miss Dodge, has beer idly improving throughout the year. It will now compare with other schools of the same class in the different districts
The other school, of this grade, has hitherto been carrie under great disadvantages. At the first visitation, the sch were found huddled in a corner of the Lyceum room, i Town Hall, as usual, ill assorted and ill disciplined, the 1 onės very backward, the smaller, quite noisy. At the clo the first term, the Committee were glad to perceive signs o cided improvement. Since then the pupils have been ren to a more suitable apartment, where the efforts of the te will be made under more favorable circumstances. She is tled to especial commendation for the patience with whic has labored to overcome obstacles that might have discoura person of much wider experience.
At Quincy Point, the primary school was kept during the and second terms by Miss Smith, who had previously acqu herself well in the intermediate department. After her res
7
tion it was placed in the care of Miss Packard, by whom its pre- vious good character has been maintained.
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
In the West District the school of this grade has heretofore suffered from the necessity of relieving the crowded state of the school below, by bringing up into it scholars without much re- gard to their qualifications. Such a course was rendered unne- cessary the moment that provision was made, early in the season, by a subdivision of the primary school, for all of the young children. As a consequence, no advancement was made during the year, to either of the higher schools. By this means an op- portunity has been furnished to the teacher of the intermediate school to place it more nearly on a footing of equality with those of the same grade elsewhere in the town. And it is gratifying to report that, with the aid and co-operation of the parents, given to the faithful labors of the teacher, that opportunity has been well improved.
In the South District, the character of the school was kept up by Miss Alden, as it had been last year, so long as she remained. But her resignation at the close of the spring term, led to the necessity of a substitution, which for a time had its customary effect in deranging the discipline. It was, however, recovering from this, when Miss Frye, the new teacher, tempted by the offer of a more lucrative situation, likewise resigned. Miss Wilson is now the person who has the school in charge.
In the Centre District, Miss L. E. Hall, the person selected as teacher at the beginning of the year, proving unable to control it, soon resigned. Miss Small then took it in charge, and her efforts in restoring order and in advancing the studies of the scholars, ever since, have been very satisfactory.
A resignation likewise took place in the school at Quincy Point, in the course of the year. The change was not, however,
8
attended with any material injury to its standing, which been good.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
The Grammar Schools in the West and South Districts tinue under the care of the teachers who have conducted so successfully for the last five years. The good name w they have sustained, and the continued support which the te ers have received from the inhabitants of the Districts, are evidences of their ability and faithfulness. Both schools we good condition at the commencement of the year. The 1 received twenty recruits from that below ; the former ha been hard pressed last year in the attempt to relieve the ] school, has gone on this year without any change. No sch have entered the High School from the West District this and as this is the only district in the town of which the same be said, it should be taken into the account in comparing school with others of the same grade.
The school in the Centre District was much deranged change of teachers during the last year ; it had hardly recor itself, when at the commencement of this year it was pl in the hands of Mr. Paine. In addition to this, the g had been reduced by the transfer of many of the la scholars to the High School. During the first half of the it advanced but little, but latterly an improvement has noticed, and there is reason to think that the school is making fair progress.
The Grammar School at the Point was very much reduce . character at the commencement of the year, by taking number of the best scholars for the High School, and brin up a large class from below. Mr. Murdock has labored ha restore it, and he has been eminently successful. It is bel that the school was never in a better condition than at prese
The school in the North District was during the first ha the year in a very bad state. Mr. McKendry was re-engage
9
the Prudential Committee, and continued through the spring and a part of the fall term. Receiving no support from a con- siderable portion of the people of the district, he became satisfied that he was laboring in vain, and resigned. He was succeeded by Mr. Forbush, under whose care the school has rapidly improved. Confidence has been restored, as is evident from the fact that the average attendance has increased from twenty-six in the spring term, to forty-two in the winter term. Although there have been many days during the winter when it was very difficult for many of the scholars to reach the school-house, there are five connected with the school who have been present every day, and twenty who have not been tardy. This shows a commendable spirit on the part of the school, which, with the industry and per- severance of the teacher, will soon insure for it a high char- acter.
The school in the East District is in a very flourishing condi- tion. The Committee of last year, acting upon the principle that a good female is better than an inferior male teacher, and believing that this school could be managed by a woman as well in winter as in summer, placed the school under the care of Miss Beal. She conducted it successfully for a time, but being called elsewhere before the close of the winter term, the school was left for several weeks without a teacher.
At the commencement of the spring term it was taken in charge by Miss Woodbridge, who has managed it through the year with the most satisfactory results. We do not hesitate to say that the experiment has been fairly tried, and has been eminently success- ful. The school has during the year numbered about thirty pupils, including three under five years of age, and an equal number over fifteen. To do justice to all, in a school with such diversity of character, has required most patient and devoted labor on the part of the teacher, and the proficiency of the younger, as well as of the older pupils, is sufficient evidence of the entire faith- fulness with which she has performed the task assigned her. At the commencement of the fall term, four pupils from this school applied for admission to the High School, all of whom
2
10
passed a satisfactory examination. These are the first that } ever applied from that district, and by their example a c mendable ambition has been awakened among the hig classes ; and we doubt not, that at future examinations, school will furnish its full share of successful applicants.
From this review of the whole movement, it will be obser that a very great change has been made in the instructors du the year. Of sixteen persons who had the charge of the var district schools at the beginning of the year, but four remain. Fifteen new teachers have been under the supervi of the Committee during their term of service, six of whom never before taught a school. This is a difficulty which growing more and more serious with every year. It renders labors of the Committee much greater than formerly, whil furnishes less and less prospect of permanence even in the favorable result.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
This school has gone 'on through the year without mate interruption, and with its usual success. Its effects are becon more and more perceptible, in stimulating the young wit greater desire for learning. It is with satisfaction the C mittee have it to report that one of the pupils was fortu enough to be selected by the Board of Education to enjoy scholarship assigned to this district during the last year - that he is now pursuing his studies at Harvard College wi prospect of honor to himself and credit to the town. Ano scholar prepared himself to enter one of the colleges at the w He was accordingly admitted to Antioch College, under the of the Hon. Horace Mann, and he was at the last accounts suing his studies with equal credit. There are now several are studying for the same end. And the probability is g that, with proper confidence in the maintenance of the stand of education in the school, there will always be more or
11
pupils anxious to avail themselves of its advantages to fit them for an extended sphere of usefulness.
During the past year the labors of the teacher and of his assistant have been unintermitted, to make good the condition spoken of. But a drawback has been experienced from a cause over which they had no control. At the beginning of the year a large class offered themselves for admission, whom the Com- mittee were reluctant to reject, yet whom they determined, with some hesitation, to admit. Experience has shown that they were not sufficiently matured in mind or in qualifications to go on with the higher studies required in the school. This error may be avoided another year by raising the standard for admission at the examination. Another improvement would be to confine more strictly the period of admission so as to make it annual in- stead of twice a year. The first would, in the opinion of the Com- mittee, be the best for the school, and likewise for the grammar schools which supply the pupils.
Some difficulty having been experienced in continuing the study of geography on a suitable scale, a set of maps was ob- tained for the use of the school. It is not yet, however, placed upon a satisfactory footing. Some revision of the text books used may be advisable, as those which have been adopted are found rather too difficult for the age of the scholars. All these things are matters for the exercise of a wise discretion in the Superintending Committee. Owing to the removal from the town of the individual in the Committee to whose care this school was especially assigned, and to the substitution of another whose engagements were such as to render him able to attend to the duty very imperfectly, the school has not enjoyed the share of supervision during the year which its importance demands. It is quite fortunate that no serious disadvantage has actually fol- lowed from it.
12
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
The new edifice in the West District proves to be well ada to the wants of the respective schools, with but a single ex tion. In the lower rooms, which are long and narrow, the of the teacher is placed at the end, instead of the side, of apartment. The inconvenience in removing a portion of scholars much further from the teacher than the remainder, in the greater movement to and fro in the exercises, is obv: The observation of this defect led to some suggestions to Selectmen by which the same error has been avoided in the rangement of the desks in the two houses erected this y The expense will be so trifling in comparison with the advant to be gained, that the Committee feel justified in recommend that an alteration should be made in the West School-house. is with pleasure that they remark the care which has been ta to preserve this building undefaced, and the neatness that vades the grounds and fences around it. During the yea fine set of maps has been provided by the citizens of the dis for the use of the grammar school, which furnishes still ano proof of the interest taken by them in the institution that i form their children for active life. This building is now kn by the name of the Willard School ; a well deserved tribute the energy and public spirit of one of the inhabitants of district, who continues to watch with pride over the struct in the erection of which he exercised so useful a supervision.
The house built during the last season in the South Dist is of the same size, and almost on the same plan with tha the west. It was dedicated with appropriate exercises on 31st of October, and has been occupied since that time. grounds around it have been properly graded and well fenc and thus far every thing appertaining to the property has b preserved in fine order, mainly by the voluntary exertions of teacher of the grammar school. This edifice, erected for accommodation of a district, within the geographical limits
13
which the elder and the younger President Adams were born, received, by the desire of the citizens, the name of Adams.
The third new building, designed to accommodate the scholars of the Centre District, was dedicated on the 17th of December, with similar exercises. It was completed in the same style with the others. But it is with great regret the Committee are com- pelled to say that it has not been so fortunate in being preserved free from injury. The furnace was very early tampered with, in such a manner as to make it for a time useless, and other evi- dences of neglect appeared at the last visitation, which are to be regretted. This house, erected within the district, a large por- tion of which once belonged to William Coddington, situated on a street bearing his name, and not far distant from the tract given by him to the town for purposes of education, the income of which has ever since been applied for the benefit of its youth, seemed to be somewhat entitled to become the medium of per- petuating the remembrance in the town of its earliest benefac- tor. But for the unfortunate differences which sprung from matters of religious belief in the earliest days of the colony, Coddington, instead of being driven from here to found a new settlement and become the first Governor of Rhode Island, would have continued where he first intended to settle himself, and would have given this State and this town another honorable name to present as an example for imitation by all later genera- tions of its citizens. He passed on to other lands where he was better valued than in Massachusetts, but not without leaving a record of his good will to those who had no share in offending him. If he, in the day of small things, when parting with the whole of the property he had acquired here, bethought himself to set apart a considerable portion for the advancement of the education of children in this town forever, it would seem then to be no more than a fitting mark of honor to his memory, at this distance of two centuries, to associate his name with one of the permanent institutions which he contributed to found. For these reasons, this is called the Coddington School.
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