USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Rutland > Town annual report of Rutland 1900-13 > Part 9
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E. E. Lawrence, labor setting new pump, 19 00
E. E. Lawrence, drawing coal, 91 48
E. E. Lawrence, repairing boiler, putting in tubing and grate, 9 50
E. E. Lawrence, fixing leaks in main, 40 50
F. J. Tucker, labor setting pump, 6 15
C. R. Bartlett, drawing coal, 6 00
C. R. Bartlett, labor setting pump, 5 25
C. R. Bartlett, drawing pump aud pipe, 5 00
C. R. Bartlett. drawing stone, cement and sand, 4 00
G. F. Goldthwaite, digging trench, 217 85
E. E. Lawrence, digging trench and piping, 45 67
C. R. Bartlett, trenching and piping, 8 50
F. J. Tucker, digging trench, 44 10
L. A. Taylor, digging trench, 50 95
C. R. Bartlett, laying out water lines and drawing pipe, 4 00
Walworth Mfg. Co., service pipe, fixtures, 392 02
39
Paid Michael Loughman, iron work, $11 10
Wilson & Holden, lime and cement, 12 35
Knowles Steam Pump Co., for Dean pump, 858 20 Charles Richardson & Co., paint for stand pipe, 30 60
American Express Co., 55
E. E. Lawrence, cement and brick, 4 75
$3,925 57
DR.
Received from State Sanitorium, water rent for year ending Jan 1, 1902, $1,000 00
Received and due for water rent for year end- ing January 1, 1902, 647 24
Received and due for service connections for year ending January 1, 1902, 79 11
Received from State Sanitorium, for service piping to old Nihin house, as per agree- ment, 150 00
Received from " Rutland Cottages," for service piping, as per agreement, 75 00
Received from L. A. Taylor, reimbursment on account of repairing leaks, 36 75
Received from M. Loughman, for coal, 8 08
Received from State Sanitorium, toward new pump, 450 00
$2,446 18
Leaving a balance against the Water Department of
$1,497 33
MAINTENANCE OF WATER DEPARTMENT.
CR.
Paid interest on Water Loan, to Jan. 1, 1902, $1,026 86 for coal, 468 00
for freight on coal, 113 17
for drawing coal,
97 48
for wood, 22 50
for oil, 13 01
40
Paid for packing and supplies at pumping station, $12 02 Wm. Allen & Sons, repairs on boiler, 35 72
Cunningham Iron Co., repairs on boiler, 25 23
E. E. Lawrence, labor on boiler, 9 50
Knowles Steam Pump Co., for valve springs for pump, 1 50
for inspection of boiler, 2 00
for engineer's services, pumping and fiiring, 360 32
$2,187 31
DR.
Received from State Sanitorium, water rent to
January 1, 1902, one year, $1,000 00
Received and due from patrons for water rent, to January 1, 1902, one year, 647 00
Received and due from patrons for service con- nections, to January 1, 1902, one year, 79 11
Received from M. Loughman, for coal, 8 08
Due from Town, on acct. of 18 hydrants $25.00, 450 00
Dne from Town, on acct. of supplying 2 water- ing places, 10 00
Due from Town, on acct. of supplying Public Building with water, 20 00
Value of coal and wood on hand in excess of that reported January 1, 1901, 75 00
$2,289 19
Leaving a balance in favor of the Water Department of $101 88
In conclusion, I desire to caution the patrons again upon the unnecessary use or waste of water, and to protect the pipes from frost in exposed places, and to pay promptly the water rent before January first of each year.
Respectfully submitted,
C. R. BARTLETT,
Superintendent.
Kutland, March 1, 1902.
41
AUDITOR'S REPORT.
I hereby certify that I have examined the accounts and vouch- ers of the Selectmen, Town Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and Superintendent of Water Department, for the year ending March 1, 1902, and for last year, as instructed by vote of the Town, and that I find the same correct.
HOBERT D. SMITH, Auditor .
Rutland, March 1, 1902.
42
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
Of the Town of Rutland, for the Year Ending March 1. 1902.
FELLOW CITIZENS :-
We respectfully submit the following report :
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Population of the Town, according to the United States ('ensus of 1900, 1,834
Number of persons in Town between five and fifteen years of age, as per School Census of September 1,1901, 234
Number of pupils enrolled since September 1, 1901,
266
Average membership for the year,
210.9
Average attendance for the year,
184.9
Per cent. of attendance, 87.6
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Appropriations :
For teachers' salaries,
$2,400 00
For conveyance of pupils,
850 00
For School Supervision,
250 00
For fuel,
275 00
Raised by taxation,
$3,775 00
Amounts received from
State Board of Charity, tuition of boys, $ 16 00
Lyman School, tuition of boys, 139 20
City of Boston, tuition of boys, 86 75
Town of Oakham, tuition, 43 50
State, on account of Superintendent's salary, 250 00
$535 45
Transferred from State School Fund account,
375 54
Total,
$4,685 99
43
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers' salaries,
$2,407 50
Books and supplies,
254 97
Conveyance of pupils,
799 80
Supervision,
400 00
Tuition, Town of Barre,
10 00
Janitors,
267 59
Fuel,
415 70
Sundries,
34 94
Bills approved for support of Schools,
$4,590 50
Repairs and furnishings,
95 49
Total,
$4,685 99
BILLS APPROVED. TEACHERS' SALARIES.
Frank P'. Ayer,
$505 50
Edith I. Brown,
307 50
Jennie R. Burnham,
340 50
Louise R. Livermore,
210 00
Annie M, Jenness,
210 00
Lucy M. Grant,
264 00
Grace E. Damon,
272 00
Helen H. Jacques,
120 00
Jennie B. Haskell,
120 00
Ruth E. Butterfield,
48 00
Mabel E. Dickinson, drawing teacher,
10 00
$2,407 50
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
Ginn & Co.,
$67 88
Allen & Bacon,
12 81
J. L. Hammett & Co,,
69 53
E. E. Babb & Co.,
19
H. J. Jones,
10 72
Werner School Book Co.,
40 12
Gaylord Bros.,
1 25
Esterbrook Steel Pen Mfg.Co.,
3 93
Houghton, Miflin & Co.,
2 35
44
Suffolk Ink Co.,
75
Silver, Burdett & Co.,
24 60
Leavenworth & Green,
20 00
H. H. Jacques, Jennie R. Burnham,
34
50
$254 97
CONVEYANCE OF PUPILS.
Dellar Laton, last year,
$37 50
Charles A. Stone,
79 00
Joel Stone,
75 00
Michael Gleason,
15 00
Michael Gleason, last year,
15 00
W. F. Reed,
26 00
Warren G. Wales,
181 50
Stephen P. Allen,
158 00
W. R. Upham,
52 00
W. A. Hunter,
147 00
Mrs. K. E. Myers,
13 80
$799 80
SUPERVISION
H. J. Jones Superintendent, (13 months)
$325 00
E. W. Ward, committee,
32 50
W. A. Hunter, committee,
27 50
George S. Putnam, census enumerator,
15 00
$400 00
TUITION.
Town of Barre,
$10 00
$100 0
JANITORS.
Roland C. Prescott, Center School,
$252 84
For West and North Rutland,
14 75
$267 59
FUEL.
For Center Schools,
$105 70
For North Rutland,
10 00
415 70
Sundries,
$34 94
Total for Support,
$4,590 50
45
REPAIRS AND FURNISHINGS.
L. M. Hanff, contract for repairs at North Rut- land Schoolhouse, $79 50
L. M. Hanff, extra repairs at North Rutland Schoolhouse, 7 19
F. S. Hunt, lumber for North Rutland School- house, 4 30
Allen-Thompson-Whitney Co., chairs for North and West Rutland Schools, 4 50
$95 49 ,
$4,685 99
STATE SCHOOL FUND ACCOUNT.
1902.
January 25, Received from the State School Fund for sup- port of Schools, $738 08
1902.
March 1, Transferred to General Account, $375 54
March 1, Balance on hand, 362 54
$738 08
APPROPRIATIONS.
The Committee recommend that the Town provide for the sup- port of the Schools as follows :
RAISE AND APPROPRIATE.
For teachers' salaries, $2,500 00
For conveyance of pupils, 1,000 00
For supervision, 250 00
$3,750 00
AVAILABLE BY LAW FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES.
The income received from the State School Fund.
Money received by the Town for tuition.
Amount due from the State on account of Superintendent's salary.
It will be necessary to maintain the High School for thirty-six weeks during the year, to entitle the Town to its share of the income from the State School Fund.
46
SCHOOL CENSUS.
Mr. George S. Putnam was appointed enumerator and the fol- lowing is his report :
Number of boys between the ages of five and fifteen, 127
Number of girls between the ages of five and fifteen, 107
234
Number of boys between the ages of seven and fourteen, 88
Number of girls between the ages of seven and fourteen, 70
158
VACCINATION.
On account of the spread of small pox throughout different parts of the Country, and its appearance in our own Town, the Committee has directed the following law be enforced :
REVISED LAWS, CHAPTER 44.
" SECTION 6. A child who has not been vaccinated shall not be admitted to a public school except upon presentation of a certi- ficate signed by a regular practising physician that he is not a fit subject for vaccination. A child who is a member of a housenold in which a person is ill with small pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or measles, or of a household exposed to such contagion from another household as aforesaid, shall not attend any public school during such illness or until the teacher of the school has been furnished with a certificate from the Board of Health of the city or town, or from the attending physician of such person, stating that, in a case of small pox, diphtheria or scarlet fever at least two weeks, and in a case of measles, at least three days, have elapsed since the recovery, removal or death of such person, and that danger of conveying such disease by such child has passed."
ROLL OF HONOR.
The following pupils were neither absent nor tardy for the number of terms specified :
CENTER SCHOOL. One term : Harvey Crosby, Lillian Goldtli- waite, Harold Fay, Eddie Hanff, Alice McGann, Bessie Ward, Lucy Wheeler, Ernest O'Connor, Percy Nourse, David Hanff, Willie
47
Hunt, Hazel Hanff, Alice Hunt, Bertha Hunt, Laura Miles, Etta . Bemis, Lucie Taylor, Jas. Jellison, Richard Zago, Louise Maynard, Belle Fay, Bernice Hunt, Henry McCulloch, Myrna Miles, Tennie Reed, Frank Maynard, John R. Clark.
Two terms : Susie O'Connor, Mida Wentworth, Rhetta Miles, Winnie Rich, Jeannette Ward, Albert Wales, Annie Welch, Esther Wheeler.
Three terms: Georgia Rich.
NORTH SCHOOL. One term : John Moulton.
WEST SCHOOL. One term; John Babbitt, Julia Sweeney. Jas. Dunn.
IN MEMORIAM.
May 29. Patriotic exercises were held in the Town Hall that showed the loyalty of the pupils, and their respect to the memory of the Nation's dead.
September 19. Schools closed in honor to the memory of our lamented President, William McKinley. Memorial services in the Town Hall.
IN CONCLUSION.
We appreciate the services and efficient work of our Superin- tendent, Mr. Jones, and his report will be found to cover the gener- al work of the Schools.
W. A. HUNTER, DR. D. P. BUTLER. . School E. W. WARD, Committee
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Superintendent of Schools
FOR
The Central Worcester District.
TOWNS: Holden, Oakham, Paxton, Rutland, Worcester County, Mass. March, 1902.
THE CENTRAL WORCESTER DISTRICT.
The district was formed July 16, 1900. The services and salary of the superintendent are shared as follows: Holden, five-tenths; Oakham, two-tenths; Paxton, one-tenth, and Rut- land, two-tenths. The superintendent's year begins Aug. 1. Thirty-two teachers are employed, in thirty schools. The chairman of the joint committee is Walter A. Hunter of Rut- land, and the secretary is Mrs. Marion E. Warren of Holden. The names of the members of the various committees, with the expiration of their respective terms, are shown below:
HOLDEN: James S. Holden, chairman, 1903; Mrs. Marion E. Warren, secretary, 1904; Walter T. Howe, 1904; Frank J. Knowlton, 1902; Mrs. H. H. Holden, 1902; Mrs. G. S. Graham, 1903.
OAKHAM: Jesse Allen, chairman and secretary, 1903; H. W. Lincoln, 1904; Mrs. Minnie L. Woodis, 1902.
PAXTON: Lewis S. Clapp, chairman, 1905; Mrs. E. P. Keep, secretary, 1903; Mrs. C. F. Flint, 1904.
RUTLAND: Walter T. Hunter, chairman, 1902; E. W. Ward, secretary, 1903; Dr. David T. Butler, Jr., 1904.
ANNUAL REPORT.
To the School Committees of Holden, Oakham, Paxton and Rut- land:
The second annual report of the superintendent of schools for the Central Worcester District is herewith respectfully submitted.
"A republic's chief business is education." The work of the public school has become a most important phase of our "chief business," and must therefore command the interest of every good citizen. The following pages contain a brief account of some of the things done or planned in our schools during the year. Matters concerning the district as a whole are first pre- sented, and later those regarding the particular towns. I trust that all who may have read thus far may continue the read- ing to the end.
ATTENDANCE.
Regular and punctual attendance on the part of pupils is es- sential to the attainment of the ends of the schools. The laws of the Commonwealth require such attendance of all children between the ages of seven and fourteen, necessary absence only being excused.
The "per cent. of attendance" in the "Statistical Tables" which follow, and in the "Summary" here inserted, indicates the number of days of school attendance actually secured out of each hundred days due from the average membership. The per cent. in all the towns but Holden is slightly increased over
4
SUMMARY OF ATTENDANCE.
HOLDEN.
OAKHAM.
PAXTON.
RUTLAND.
Total.
No. enrolled since September 1, 1901,
535
101
68
266
970
Average membership for year,
460.5
81.8
63.0
210.9
816.2
Average attendance for year,
414.5
76.5
54.6
184.9
730.5
Per cent. of attendance for year,
90.0
93.5
86.6
87.6
89.4
.
Per cent. of attendance for last year,
91.8
92.8
82.3
86.4
88.3
that of last year, but only Oakham exceeds the average for the state, which is 92. The average for the district, 89.4, means that more than one-tenth of the school time and expenditures was lost to those for whom the schools are provided. The loss by absence is really much greater than the per cent. indicates, as a pupil still suffers on account of his absence after he re- turns to school, through his inability to do the work which his classmates have done in his absence. If the teacher gives the irregular pupil special assistance in recovering his losses, it is often at the expense of the pupils who have been regular, so that others are losers as well as the delinquent. State Super- intendent Schaeffer of Pennsylvania has calculated from the comparative earnings during a life time of an educated and an uneducated person that a child's school time, properly em- ployed, is worth about ten dollars per day. Computed on this basis, the losses we suffer are enormous.
An examination of the registers will show that a large pro- portion of the absences are charged to a small proportion of the pupils. The large majority of parents exercise due care in the matter, and their children are fairly regular in attendance. It is the minority that the compulsory attendance law is de- signed to reach. It is plain that prosecution under the law will be necessary in some cases to remedy the difficulty. I have the names of about thirty parents who "have failed for five day sessions or ten half-day sessions within a period of
5
STATISTICAL TABLES.
HOLDEN.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
TERMS. 1901-'02.
No. Weeks
in Term.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent.
Per cent.
for Year.
No. Cases of
Tardiness.
High School,
A. K. Learned, Prin., Lily E. Gunderson,
Spring. Fall. Winter
12 16
39.0 48.2
36.6 45.2
94.0 93.9
18
Assistant,
11
48.8
46.0
94.1
94.0
2
Sadie G. Dexter,
Spring, Fall,
12
23.9
22 2
92.9
42
Center Grammar,
Alma M. Atwell,
Winter,
8
29.0
24.0
82.7
88.8
11
Margery A. Rice,
Spring, Fall,
16
40.3
35.7
88.5
Winter,
8
36.6
30.1
82.2
85.2
111 35
Jefferson Higher,
66
66
Winter,
8
19.0
17.5
92.5
93.4
18
Clara K. Bascom,
Spring, Fall,
16
35.9
33.0
91.7
Winte ,
8
30.8
25.6
82.9
89.5
61 15
Jefferson, Room 3,
Florence G. Holden, Elizabeth Hoxie,
Spring, Fall,
16
38.1
35.3
92.0
40
Winter,
8
36.6
32.0
89.3
91.1
24
Jefferson, Room 2,
Esther C. Hendricks, 16
66
Winter,
8
37.7
32.3
85.5
91.1
15
Jefferson, Room 1,
Esther C. Hendricks, Mary L. Gove, 66
6.
Winter
8
24.9
17.8
75.1
85.0
8 4
Chaffin,
Florence L. Johnson, 66 66
Spring, Fall,
12
26.1
25.0
96.0
1
Grammar,
60
Winter,
8
34.8
30.8
88.4
92.4
1
Spring,
12
29.1
26.5
91.1
5
Fall,
16
25.6
23.6
94.4
6
Winter,
8
27.5
19.0
72.2
85.9
5
Quinapoxet,
G. Georgiana Gibbs, Effalene H. King, Alice Frye,
Spring, Fall,
12
14.6
13.9
95.2
0
31
Winter,
8
29.4
24.2
81.9
90.1
40
Quinapoxet,
Jennie M. Childs, Lillian A. Warner, .6
Spring, Fall.
16
26.7
24.8
92.5
49
Winter,
8
25.5
19.8
77.6
88.3
32
North Woods,
66
66
Winter,
8
15.9
15.4
96.5
96.1
13
Spring, Fall,
12
19.0
17.4
91.6
6
Springdale,
15
Winter,
8
14.0
8.0
59.0
79.5
4
Dawson,
Catherine E. Crowe,
Spring, Fall,
12
23.0
21.3
92.0
9
Winter,
7
19.1
17.7
92.0
92.0
11
1
Sadie I. Packard,
12
22.4
22.3
99.7
1
South,
66
66
Spring, Fall, Winter,
16
21.2
21.0
98.9
4
8
20.8
19.9
95.8
98.1
16
66
66
Spring, Fall,
12
22.0
21.1
93.0
34
16
19.0
17.9
94.7
41
12
23.7
22.3
93.9
7
Jefferson, Room 4,
Grace F. Mulcahy,
Spring, Fall,
12
30.0
28.3
95.4
22
16
38.8
35.9
92.6
21
Spring, Fall,
12
38.5
34.9
91.6
24
16
27.7
23.7
88.4
93.3
3
Chaffin, Primary,
Grammar,
Primary,
Margaret G. Fleming, Spring,
12
17.7
16.6
94.5
4
Fall,
16
16.2
15.8
97.5
5
A. Florence Kirby,
66
16
19.0
14.6
88.0
92.0
3
66
16
16.4
15.2
94.9
15
12
33.7
32.0
92.1
45
12
48.1
44.3
85.0
68
Center Primary,
Edward B. Jones, Prin M. Bessie Tidd, 66
12
52.5
45.0
30.0
91.0
42
16
33.0
28.9
27.0
93.2
16
32.2
30.0
Mabel C. Reid, 66
66
66
10
of Attendance.
60
16
6
PAXTON.
SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
TERMS. 1901-'02.
No. Weeks
in Term.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent.
Per cent.
for Year.
No. Cases of
Tardiness.
Grammar,
Mary H. Dow, Rachel U. Cornwell,
Spring, Fall, Winter,
12 13
14.9 17.0
13.0 14.8
87.3 87.4 82.8
85.8
80
Intermediate,
. .
Winter,
9
23.5
19.6
83.8
88.2
63
Primary,
Rena Chadwick, Lulu M. Baker, .4
Spring, Fall,
13
9
23.9
20.1
84.2
86.0
28
RUTLAND.
High School,
Frank P. Ayer, Prin., Spring, Edith Brown,
12 12
15.8 33.9 31.2
14.9 32.4 26.1
89.4 96.1 83.3
89.6
52
Jennie B. Burnham,
Spring, Fall,
12
48.9
44.1
90.0
29
Winter,
9
44.4
36.2
81.3
87.1
84
Center
Jennie B. Haskell, Louise Livermore,
Spring, Fall,
12
36.5
32.9
89.0
58
Winter,
9
38.6
31.1
79.1
86.0
98
Center Primary
Helen H. Jacques, Annie M. Jenness,
Spring, Fal ..
12
44.8
38.8
86.0
36
Winter,
9
31.6
26.5
69.0
79.6
50
Grace E. Damon,
Spring, Fall,
12
28.3
24.6
87.0
75
Winter,
10
28.4
21.3
75.0
81.9
46
Spring, Fall.
12
30.0
28.1
93.6
32
Winter,
9
31.0
29.0
91.0
93.5
9
OAKHAM.
Center Grammar,
6.
Fall, Winter,
11
18.0 15.2 16.9
17.5 14.6 15 8
97.6 96.4 93.6
95.8
21
Minnie M. Mellen,
Spring, Fall,
10
21.5
20.7
95.7
18
Center Primary,
0
Winter,
11
20.2
19.4
96.3
95.7
0
Coldbrook,
Lena R. Edmands,
Winter,
11
13.6
11.5
84.0
91.6
6
Spring, Fall,
10
14.7
13.2
87.0
3
South,
Alice Dwelley, Julia M. Barnard, Mrs. Minnie Woodis,
Winter,
11
15.9
14.0
87.0
88.0
3
West,
Julia M. Barnard, Althea Russell, ..
Spring, Fall,
11
15.7
14.8
94.0
0
Winter,
11
17.0
15.8
93.0
94.0
15
S
12
39.9
36.0
90.2
18
Center Grammar,
M. Alice Converse,
Spring, Fall,
12
23.1
20.5
88.9
40
13
20.8
19.2
92.0
20
12
26.4 24.1
22.8
86.4
29
21.1
87.5
2
Winter,
Fall. Winter,
9
12
32.0
28.9
90.0
30
Intermediate,
P
12
59.4
52.5
84.0
44
12
32.6
27.3
83.6
18
North Rutland,
West Rutland.
Lucy M. Grant, ..
12
26.0
25.0
96.0
0
66
..
Spring, Fall,
13
13.5
13.2
97.6
1
10
12.8
12.0
93.3
5
11
16.8
15.2
90.0
2
10
13.7
13.0
95.0
10
Florence E. Bothwell, Spring,
10
12
13
11
11
20.0
19.0
95.3
14 17
Assistant,
36 70
9
15.6
12.9
of Attendance.
Alice Flitcroft, ..
1
six months" to cause their children to attend school as the statute requires. Such parents, on conviction, are liable to a fine of "not more than twenty dollars." One father is ap- parently liable to such fine twice during the past year for each of five children.
The school authorities are permitted to excuse cases of nec- essary absence, and the responsibility of determining the necessity is placed upon them alone. The school authorities are therefore legally entitled to know the reason for the ab- sence. The teachers are instructed to ascertain as promptly as possible the reason of each absence, and to make a record on the register as to whether it is excused or unexcused. Ill- ness, extreme inclemency of the weather, and a few other rea- sons are accepted as valid. Absence on account of work re- quired by the parent is the kind which the law specially aims to prevent, and therefore is usually unexcused.
The truant officers of a town are often at a distance, and it is sometimes impossible to report to them promptly cases need- ing their attention. Teachers will be instructed to use all dili- gence in accounting for absences, and to call on the officers when it is necessary. A blank for the teacher's report will be furnished, and also for the officer's report of his investigations. The truant officers usually find that the parent, not the child, is the blameworthy party, though a few voluntary truants have been found.
The "Summary" shows that Oakham has the highest aver- age per cent. of attendance, as last year. A glance through the tables will show the comparative regularity of the differ- ent schools. The South school, in Holden, still has the best record of any in the district, and its per cent., 98.1, is higher than that of last year. The teacher has been many years in this school, and there has been developed in the neighborhood an ideal public sentiment on the matter of attendance. The children go to their business as regularly as older persons go to theirs, and the parents are as interested in getting the chil- dren to school as in getting the milk to the market.
It will be seen that there are several schools which are not far behind Miss Packard's. With the co-operation of children,
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teachers, parents, committees, and of truant officers when re- quired, it is hoped that the number of such schools may be largely increased.
Emphasis is placed on this subject as a matter of business. We wish to have the towns receive in school benefits what they pay for. But more important than this is the moral value to the child of the training into habits of regularity and promptness which school attendance involves. Such habits are the foundation of success in any sphere of life.
THE BUSINESS VIEW OF SCHOOL WORK.
In my report of last year I presented some ideas on the school regarded as a business enterprise. The article was honored by a reprint in The Journal of Education. Dr. N. C. Schaeffer, superintendent of public instruction in Penn- sylvania, presents another phase of this subject in such an impressive manner that I wish to bring his view to the at- tention of our citizens. Superintendent Schaeffer writes:
Assuming that an ignorant man has work three hundred days in a year and earns a dollar and a half a day (certainly a liberal estimate), he can in forty years earn $18,000. The work of an educated man is paid by the month or the year, seldom by the day. Assuming that an educated man earns $1000 a year (a low average estimate), we see that in forty years his earnings will amount to $40,000. The difference of $22,000 should be credited to the years spent in getting an education. Dividing this amount by the days necessary to get a good education, say twelve years of nine months each, or eleven years of 200 days each, we get as the value of a day properly improved at school a sum equal to ten dollars. * * * *
The figures do not appear incredible to those who are familiar with the well-known calculation of United States Commissioner Harris, who com- pares the average earnings of every man, woman and child in the United States (average school life equal to four years of two hundred days each) with the average earnings in the State of Massachusetts (where the aver- age school life is seven years of two hundred days each) and finds an ex- cess of earnings which amounts for the entire population of that Common- wealth to the magnificent sum of two hundred and fifty million dollars annually.
If a boy has not made a mistake in selecting his parents, that is, if he has been born with a sound mind in a sound body, if he grows up in a good home and enjoys the tuition of good teachers for the time above spec- ified, which, of course, includes a good high school course, the calculation that a boy's time at school is worth ten dollars a day will not be found
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far wrong. If to the high school course he adds college and professional courses, a simple calculation will show that the time properly improved in study is worth double, if not many times, this amount. If, on the other hand, he abridges his school days by irregular attendance or by ab- sence either at the beginning or end of the term, he inevitably diminishes the value of the days on which he attends school. In other words, the value of school days is enhanced by regular attendance, by the length and thoroughness of the course of study pursued, whilst their value in future earning power is diminished by breaks in the attendance, by short terms of school, by poor teaching and by failure to improve the time spent at school. * * *
It is apparent that if a farmer keeps his ten-year-old son at home to do work which is paid for at the rate of a dollar and a half a day, while every day of the boy's time properly spent at school yields ten dollars in future earning capacity, he is really robbing eight and a half dollars from the family estate. Even if this result is two or three times as high as it should be, the foregoing still remains a case of robbing the boy of future earning capacity.
THE WORK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
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