USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Town annual report of Quincy 1875 > Part 5
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The power of the town is confined to requiring the com- mittee to appoint. It is therefore the duty of the committee to select and fix the salary of the superintendent.
The appointment of a superintendent of schools in Quincy is obviously only a question of time. As the. committee
6
pointed out in their last report, the natural growth of the town will very soon render some uniform, steady, minute, and scientific supervision a necessity ; the only question is whether that time has come. And after a careful survey of the ground the committee unanimously concur in advising the people of Quincy to provide forthwith for a superintendent of their public schools. The first expense will somewhat exceed the usual outlay for the pay of the school committee. It is probable that it might be necessary to pay a salary of two thousand dollars a year, or thereabouts, to obtain such services as this town would require. But it cannot be doubted that if a really fit and competent man for that office can be secured at that price it will prove a very economical outlay for the town in more than one way.
We therefore recommend the adoption of the following vote : -
" The school committee are hereby required to appoint a su- perintendent of schools, and a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be needed, is hereby ap- propriated for that purpose."
It is proper to add that the sum of money above mentioned is not included in our estimate of incidental expenses for the ensuing year, which we deem requisite whether the vote proposed is adopted or not.
CRANE SCHOOL.
A reference to former reports of the school committee of the town will show that for many years the condition of the little school at Germantown has been steadily unsatisfactory. Isolated and small, classification was impossible, emulation unfelt, and enthusiasm absurd. Ten pupils ranged from the primer to the proper studies of a High School, The most conscientious teacher soon lost hope and energy in such
7
surroundings. For years committee after committee have striven in vain to afford a remedy. During the past summer the teacher, who has been laboring there for a considerable period, declared her intention of resigning in despair. The committee, profoundly dissatisfied with the backwardness and lethargy of the school, were unable to assign the fault either to the teacher or to the pupils. At the same time it became evident that the school building was unfit for occupation during another winter without extensive repairs. It was indeed shamefully dilapidated, decayed and dirty. Com- petent mechanics, after careful survey, estimated the expense of necessary repairs to be at least five hundred dollars. Besides this extraordinary outlay, the regular expense in salary, care of house and fuel, incurred to maintain this school of ten scholars, was five hundred and sixty dollars a year. And yet this large expense availed those ten scholars but little or nothing. The committee therefore determined to try by experiment whether or not at one and the same time in this department the outlay might be reduced and the returns increased. They ascertained that they could con- tract for the transportation of all the school children in that school district to the Coddington School for about four hundred and twenty dollars yearly, and they thought it probable that when there they would be aroused and stimu- lated by the transfer to a large graded school. The result has fully justified their anticipations. The whole number upon the register of the old Crane School was twelve, and of these the average number in attendance was never more than ten. Now seventeen are daily transported to the Codding- ton School from the same territory ; and so great has been their interest that the attendance among them has been almost absolutely perfect. Meanwhile, both from the reports of teachers and from personal observation, the committee are thoroughly satisfied that they are making a progress in
1
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their studies which they never had approached at Ger- mantown. For these reasons the committee think it decidedly for the interest of the town, and clearly beneficial for the pupils concerned, that the present experiment should be prolonged for at least a year more. They are persuaded that this policy will approve its wisdom to those who are now most doubtful if it can be fairly tried. The day of small, ungraded, remote, and isolated schools in a town like Quincy has passed away. Only absolute necessity can now justify it. Even if the plan we recommend was as much more costly as it is really less costly than the old one, we should not hesitate to urge its acceptance as decidedly the cheaper and better.
ATTENDANCE.
The committee would call attention particularly to the statistics of attendance, which present an approximately accurate view of the difficulties under which teachers labor on account of the irregularity of a considerable number of pupils. This is a subject which has often compelled the anxious solicitude of the committee, and upon which they have frequently expressed their earnest wishes. The active co- operation of parents is once more invoked to see to it that no ordinary obstacle be allowed to prevent the daily punctual at- tendance of pupils in their places at school.
By an act of the Legislature of 1874, the duty of ascertain- ing and recording the number of children between the ages of five and fifteen years, belonging in the town on the first day of May, has been assigned to the school committee. It has been found exceedingly difficult to obtain precisely exact returns upon that head. Partly from carelessness, and partly . from ignorance or suspicion, these statistics have been un-
9
reliable. Every citizen is, however, directly interested in obtaining a full and accurate record, inasmuch as our distrib- utive share of the school fund in part depends upon it. It is therefore earnestly hoped that all parents and guardians will assist the investigations of the committee so far as they are able.
USE OF HOUSES FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES.
Since the completion of the new school-houses at Wollaston Heights and Atlantic, several applications have been made to the committee for permission to use rooms in those build - ings for religious purposes upon Sundays. If the question had been one entirely new, the committee would have felt unable to comply with such requests without a specific authority so to do from the town. In their view the public school-houses can only be regarded as property entrusted to their care by the town, for a limited and specific use. That use is for school purposes only. However, a custom sprung from the needs of certain peculiar districts, and the meri- torious nature of the intended use, had become familiar in this and other towns, of permitting a considerable extension of the rigid limits of law in some cases. Under these circum- tances the committee did not feel willing to decide definitely that they would in no case allow the use of the school build- ings by persons other than the teachers and pupils of the town. They thought it best to follow, for the present, the precedents of the past, and to continue a customary indulgence until they could obtain the decision of the town in regard to the matter. Meanwhile they considered themselves bound in common prudence to require all applicants for such accommodation to insure the town against all danger from fire during their occupation, and also to give ample security against any other damage which might befall the public property while in their hands. If the town desires to put a stop to the usage it will
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pass an order to that effect, which will be promptly enforced by the committee. If, on the contrary, a continuance of the privilege is thought best, some definite regulation should be prescribed for the security of the public property.
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES.
In consequence of a considerable amount of unpaid liability incurred in the new school-houses and grounds at Wollaston Heights and Atlantic, which by inadvertence had not been presented and paid in the year in which provision had been made for it, an unforeseen burden fell upon the incidental fund of this year.
A further heavy expenditure upon this account became necessary in consequence of the overcrowding of the only room at the Washington School which was available for a Primary School. The numbers of Miss Souther's school having reached nearly ninety, some immediate action became im- perative. After a careful survey and consideration it seemed to be clearly the most economical and effectual relief to raise the entire building one story, and by that means to attain, at a reasonable expense, accommodation likely to suffice for some years to come. This course was accordingly adopted, and the result has satisfied the committee of the wisdom of their action.
This large outlay, however, combined with the unexpected arrears of a former year which had been supposed to have been paid, rendered it necessary to ask a further appropriation of money from the town. The sum of twenty-five hundred dollars was accordingly voted at a special town meeting, held in September last, to meet these extraordinary expenses.
The appropriation asked for now is required by the fact that some extensive repairs have become necessary to preserve the school buildings in the south and west parts of the town, as well as to complete the grading and fencing of the school lots in the northern district.
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For some years past the Adams, the High, and the old portion of the Willard school-houses have leaked excessively. Efforts have been made from time to time, by patching, to protect the property ; but a careful survey disclosed the fact that the slating of those roofs had been done so parsimoniously that no amount of patching can make them tight. The slates are put on so far apart, and the rows lap so little over each other, that nothing but a thorough stripping and relaying with more slate to the yard will ever make a good job of them. The committee therefore include the estimate made by skil- ful roofers as necessary to re-cover these roofs. This work is absolutely requisite for the preservation of the buildings. For this and other purposes usually included under the head of incidental expenses, the sum of six thousand dollars will be required for the ensuing year.
It has been usual in this town to ask for a specific appro- priation for salaries of teachers separately. But the statute of last year requires the school committee to return upon oath the sum raised by the town for the following purposes jointly, viz. : " for wages and board of teachers, fuel for the schools, and care of the fires and school-rooms." They therefore deem it desirable in future that all these items should be included in the appropriation usually made for teachers' salaries. In respect to the last-named item of salaries it should be said that an increase of expenditure over the last year's estimate will be necessary for the coming year.
The changes since our last report include a new Primary School at the Point, which was absolutely necessary ; a new school at Atlantic, which has been greatly needed for some time and can now be no longer postponed, and probably still another Primary School at West Quincy. The discon- tinuance of the Germantown school, if approved, will, how- ever, reduce the unavoidable increase in our staff of teachers to two only.
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The committee therefore recommend that "for wages and board of teachers, fuel for the schools, and care of the fires and school-rooms," the sum of twenty-six thousand and five hundred dollars be appropriated.
J. Q. ADAMS, ASA WELLINGTON, C. L. BADGER, C. F. ADAMS, JR. WILLIAM B. DUGGAN, JAMES H. SLADE.
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TEACHERS.
The following is a list of teachers employed during the school year : -
HIGH SCHOOL.
Mr. H. A. Keith, Principal ; Mis Sarah L. Barnes, Assistant.
CODDINGTON SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Mr. H. B. Brown, succeeded by Mr. J. H. Wardwell, Principal ; Miss Carrie P. Barnes, Assistant.
Intermediate. - Miss Mary E. Dinegan.
Primary No. 1. - Miss Lizzie E. Morse.
Primary No. 2. - Miss Julia E. Underwood.
Primary No. 3 .- Miss Florence B. Howland, succeeded by Miss Lizzie B. French, succeeded by Miss Stella M. Stinchfield, transferred.
ADAMS SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Mr. Seth Dewing, Jr., Principal ; Miss Hattie F. Thayer, Assistant.
Intermediate. - Miss Emily A. Dinegan, succeeded by Miss Minnie Palmer.
Primary No. 1. - Miss M. L. Flint.
Primary No. 2. - Miss Eliza C. Sheahan.
Primary No. 3. - Miss L. Annie Williams.
WILLARD SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Mr. S. C. Higgins, Principal ; Miss Minna Marden, Assistant.
Intermediate. - Miss Martha A. Veazie, succeeded by Mrs. M. T. Dewing.
Primary No. 1. - Miss Emeline A. Newcomb.
Primary No. 2. - Miss Ada E. Locke.
Primary No. 3. - Miss M. L. Pierce.
Primary No. 4. - Miss M. A. Spear.
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WASHINGTON SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Mr. Isaac F. Hall, Principal ; Miss E. A. Bos- worth, Assistant.
Intermediate. - Miss Mary Marden.
Primary No. 1. - Miss Angie S. Amsbury.
Primary No. 2. - Miss S. Addie Souther.
Primary No. 3. - Miss Alice S. Reed.
QUINCY SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Mr. Lewis F. Hobbs.
Primary No. 1. - Miss Elgina M. Plummer.
Primary No. 2. - Miss Lizzie A. Flint.
CRANE SCHOOL.
Mixed. - Miss Stella M. Stinchfield, transferred to Coddington Primary No. 3.
WOLLASTON SCHOOLS.
Grammar. - Miss Harriet H. Morse.
Intermediate. - Mrs. Lydia L. Follett.
Primary. - Miss Mary C. Averill.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Whole number of pupils admitted to the High School during the year is 23.
FINANCIAL.
Sum raised by the town for the sup- port of schools during the school year of 1874, including only sala- ries of teachers, fuel for the schools, and the care of the fires and school-rooms, $24,000 00
State Fund,
384 41
Coddington Fund,
75 00
Amount of appropriation for above purposes,
$24,459 41
Carried forward, $24.459 41
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Brought forward, $24,459 41
Expenses of teaching, $20,303 79
Expenses of fuel, 1,464 95
Expenses of care of fires and school-
rooms, 1,735 23
Amount expended,
$23,503 97
Less than appropriation,
$955 44
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES.
Amount of appropriation for current year,
$6,000 00
Expended,
3,885 68
Less than appropriation,
$2,114 32
ESTIMATED EXPENSES OF SCHOOLS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 1875.
For salaries of teachers, fuel and
care of fires and school-rooms, $25,000 00
For incidental expenses, 6,000 00
$31,000 00
Amount,
And your committee herewith respectfully recommend the above appropriations.
SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR 1873-4.
Number of children in Quincy between the ages of five and fifteen years, May 1, 1873, as per Assesors' enumeration,
1,620
· Number of children in Quincy between the ages of five and fifteen years, May 1, 1873, as per Assessors' enumeration,
1,487
Decrease,
133
Number of schools,
29
Number of pupils in all the schools,
1,687
Increase from last year,
117
Average attendance in all the schools,
1,217
Percentage of attendance,
72+
Number of teachers, 34
16
Classification of Schools.
No. of Teachers.
High School,
1
2
Grammar Schools,
6
10
Intermediate Schools,
5
5
Primary Schools,
16
16
Mixed,
1
1
-
-
29
34
HIGH SCHOOL.
Number of teachers,
2
Number of pupils,
77
Decrease from last year,
8
Average attendance,
45+
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
Number of schools,
6
Number of teachers,
10
Number of pupils,
524
Increase from last year,
139
Average number of pupils in each school,
67+
Total average attendance,
322
Average attendance in each school,
54
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
Number of schools,
5
Number of teachers,
5
Number of pupils,
416
Increase from last year,
199
Average number of pupils in each school,
47
Total average attendance,
235
Average attendance in each school,
39
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
Number of schools,
16
Number of teachers,
16
Number of pupils,
1,333
Increase from last year,
470
Average number of pupils in each school,
54
Total average attendance, 862
Average attendance in each school,
41
17
MIXED SCHOOL.
Number of schools,
Number of teachers, Number of pupils,
1
1
17
Decrease from last year,
3
Average attendance,
31
·
-
GENERAL TABLE.
NAME OF SCHOOLS.
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
Whole Number. Ist Term.
Average Attendance Ist Term.
Whole Number 2d 'Term.
Average Attendance 2d Term.
2d Term. Per Cent. Per Cent. Ist Term.
Whole No. Days School during the year.
IIIGHI SCHOOL.
Mr. H. A. Keith, Principal ...... Miss Sarah L. Barnes, Assistant
53
44
54
47
89
93
201
ADAMS SCHOOLS.
Mr. Seth Dewing, Jr., Principal Miss Hattie F. Thayer, Assistant
92
68
90
74
72
82
197
Grammar .
Miss Emily A. Dinegan, succeeded by Miss Minnie Palmer ... ...
52
38
49
37
73
75
197
Intermediate
5
·
.
Miss M. L. Flint. ....
63
50
62
54
79
87
199
Primary, No. 2.
Miss Eliza C. Sheahan
66
50
61
48
76
78
197
Primary, No. 3. ..
Miss L. Annie Williams
89
48
52
36
54
70
195
CODDINGTON SCHOOLS.
Grammar
Mr. H. B. Brown, succeeded by Mr. J. H Wardwell, Principal Miss Carrie P Barnes, Assistant
77
59
80
68
77
85
201
Intermediate
Miss Mary E. Dinegan
41
34
50
41
83
82
201
Primary, No. 1 ..
Miss Lizzie E. Morse
42
33
37
29
79
79
201
Primary, No. 2 .
Miss Julia E. Underwood .
($ 7
42
56
41
63
73
201
Primary, No. 3.
{ Miss Florence B. Howland, suc-) ceeded by Miss Lizzie B. French, succeeded by Miss Stella M. Stinchifield .
42
32
44
33
76
75
93
WILLARD SCHOOLS.
Mr. S. C. Higgins, Principal .... ~
Grammar
Miss Minna Marden, Assistant ..
78
55
84
75
73
88 . -
196
18
Primary, No. 1 .
..
.
.
19
QUINCY SCHOOLS.
Mr. Lewis F. Hobbs, Principal ....
43
30
58
39
70
67
197
Grammar
Miss Elgina M. Plmnmer, transferred
44
25
50
38
57
76
198
Primary, No. 1.
..
Miss Lizzie A. Flint
78
36
45
48
75
198
Primary, No. 2.
WOLLASTON SCHOOLS.
Miss Harriet II. Morse.
38
31
37
31
82
84
203
Grammar . .
Mrs. Lydia L. Follett .
29
28
39
35
87
87
125
Intermediate
Miss Mary C. Averill ..
52
"38
32
25
73
78
203
Primary . .
CRANE SCHOOL - Mixed
Miss Stella M. Stinchfield ..
17
13
. .
77
.
102
·
Miss M. 1 .. Pierce
45
34
43
24
75
56
194
Primary, No. 4.
Miss M. A Spear
.
WASHINGTON SCHOOLS.
Miss I. F. Hall Principal ... . .. ?
77
62
58
48
72
83
190
Grammar
Miss E. A. Bosworth, Assistant .. S
42
37
47
43
88
91
190
Intermediate
Miss Mary Marden ..
38
28
31
27
74
87
199
Primary, No. 1.
Miss A. S. Amsbury . .
74
45
51
41
61
80
197
Primary, No. 2.
Miss Alice S. Reed ..
. .
. .
47
35
..
75
83
Primary, No. 3 ... ...
Miss Martha A. Veazie, succeeded
65
47
56
49
73
88
194
Intermedi ite .
by Mrs. M. T. Dewing . . .. ....
S
51
39
53
43
76
78
194
Primary, No. 1
.
Miss E. A. Newcomb. . .
52
38
58
45
81
78
194
Primary, No. 2.
Miss Ada E. Locke ..
.. .
.
63
55
55
45
87
82
194
Primary, No. 3. .
Miss S. Addie Souther
.
. ..
.
.
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