USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Rutland > Town annual report of Rutland 1914-23 > Part 24
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Hoyt, Ruland
3 00
Josephson, William
7 00
Kehoe, F. A.
19 50
Kimsisto, Wester
12 00
LaTowne, Della
6 00
Limataine, John
5 50
Mann, Nelson W.
4 21
Marsh, E. D.
9 00
Amount carried forward $291 16
50
Amount brought forward $291 16
Matson, N.
12 50
Matson, Nestor
3 75
Maynard, W. H.
8 50
Moore, Leslie S.
11 54
Miles, Joseph
3 50
Oliver, Chester T.
2 50
Rice, George H.
7 50
Spindler, William
3 00
Taipale, Emil
14 20
Taipale, Nils
8 08
Temple, Irving F.
2 -75
Viner, Douglas
1 60
Viner, Lloyd
5 00
Wales, Albert
3 00
Welch, B. J.
11 00
Welch, J. J.
1 00
Welch, Thomas
7 00
Wheeler, H. Edward
59 40
Willis, G. H.
17 20
Wolfe, Henry L.
4 40
Total expense
$478 58
19
STREET LIGHTS
Appropriation :
For Town of Rutland
$1,160 00
For Rutland Worsted Co.
150 00
$1,310 00
Expended :
Gardner Electric Light Co.
829 74
Rutland Worsted Co.
112 50
942 24
Unexpended
$367 76
51
20
GUIDE BOARDS
Appropriation Expended
$50 00
00 00
Unexpended
$50 00
21
PUBLIC CHARITIES
Appropriation
$1,000 00
Expended (see report Overseer of the Poor)
883 96
Unexpended $116 04
22
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Appropriation $13,500 00
Appropriation, school physician 25 00
Balance General School Fund 499 54
Total available $14,024 54
Expended (see report School Committee) 13,788 25
Two-thirds net expense public buildings 1,315 48
15,103 73
Overdrawn $1,079 19
=
-
4)
55
52
23
TRADE SCHOOL TUITION
Appropriation
$200 00
Com. of Mass. reimbursement
129 10
Total available
$329 10
Expended :
City of Worcester, tuition
135 72
Unexpended
$193 38
24
LIBRARY
Appropriation
$50 00
Unexpended (1920)
43 67
Dog Fund (1920)
324 85
Total available
$418 52
Expended (see report Library Trustees)
330 55
Unexpended
$87 97
25
NEW BOSTON CEMETERY
Appropriation
$15 00
Expended
00 00
Unexpended
$15 00
53
26 MEMORIAL DAY
Appropriation Expended :
Denholm, McKay Co.
$18 00
Prescott, W. J., music
85 50
103 50
Unexpended
$21 50
27 SOLDIERS MEMORIAL
Appropriation
$500 00
Expended (see report Soldiers' Memorial Com.)
525 67
Overdrawn
$25 67
28 FARM BUREAU
Appropriation
$100 00
Expended :
Worcester County Farm Bureau
100 00
29
(See Report of Water Department)
30
DEBTS AND INTEREST
Appropriation $3,500 00
Temporary Loan 32,000 00
Amount carried forward $35,500 00
$125 00
54
Amount brought forward $35,500 00
Interest on Water Loan
247 06
Interest on Taxes
275 25
Amount available $36,022 31
Expended : 1
Commonwealth of Mass., water loan $1,000 00
Worcester Bank & Trust Co., Improved road loan 500 00
Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank, building loan 300 00
Worcester Bank & Trust Co., tempo- rary loan 32,000 00
Total Notes $33,800 00
Interest 1,858 72
Total notes and interest
$35,658 72
Unexpended
$363 59
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES J. CAMPBELL, CHARLES E. CARROLL, J. WARREN MOULTON, Selectmen of Rutland.
AUDITOR'S REPORT
I have examined the accounts of the Selectmen, Treasurer, and Tax Collector of the Town of Rutland for the year 1921, and found them correct.
FRANCIS X. POWERS, Auditor.
55
REPORT OF THE FIRE ENGINEERS
The fire engineers organized with the same officers as last year. We have had several house fires during the past year as follows:
ESTIMATED
COST
Loss
TO TOWN
Jan. 11.
Mrs. O'Connor
$25 00
$2 10
Jan. 24. Mrs. O'Connor
300 00
4 20
Jan. 24. Mrs. Pettigrew
None
3 10
Mar. 22. Mr. E. H. Crosby
None
2 20
June 13. Miss Helen Foley
450 00
11 10
Aug. 13. Julia Ranta
4,400 00
No Call
Oct. 12.
Lucy Cannon
800 00
9 90
Oct. 27.
Minnie Clark
2,000 00
16 00
Dec. 22. George Smith
None
None
Dec. 30. Edwards Club
48,000 00
24 00
We have distributed 15 extinguishers during the year making a total of fifty-four that have been distributed. We have ex- pended for the maintainence of the fire deparment as follows: Gardner Electric Co., lights $8 04
H. E. Wheeler, labor, supplies and carfare
20 16
Nellie I. Griffin, supplies
2 10
R. W. Temple, supplies
1 75
E. D. Marsh, labor and carfare
15 16
C. T. Oliver, janitor and filling exting.
80 08
Rutland Garage, radiator and repairs
59 30
Alsten & Goulding, supplies
2 63
N. E. T. & T. Co.,
20 37
Duncan & Goodell Co., hooks
1 38
Ross Bros., hose
18 81
L. M. Hanff, insurance
27 90
E. D. Marsh, trucking and supplies
11 34
Amount carried forward $269 02
2
9
d
56
Amount brought forward $269 02
N. E. Fire Appliance Co., repairs 7 75
L. H. Harlow, labor 6 00
Motor Equipment Co., tire chains 7 50
Standard Extinguisher Co .. repairs 4 50
E. D. Marsh, coal 74 28
$369 05
In accordance with the vote of the town we have purchased a new fire truck and equipment which proved its worth at the fires of Lucy Cannon and Mrs. Clark which were extinguished with comparitively small loss. We have also dug a cellar under the west end of the fire house and installed a heating plant with the expenses divided as follows:
FIRE TRUCK AND EQUIPMENT
Howe Fire Apparatus Co., truck
$3,310 20
Howe Fire Apparatus Co., parts 11 66
J. M. Hardy, lantern brackets 4 00
H. E. Wheeler, extinguishers
75 00
$3,400 86
HEATING PLANT AND CELLAR
Adams & Powers, sash $7 50
E. A. Cowee Co., cement 24 91
L. H. Harlow, labor 56 00
Hatch & Barnes, window frame and sash
6 15
F. S. Hunt, brick 1 50
G. H. Miles, heating plant
365 00
Smith & Green, lime
11 53
$472 59
57
The fire engineers would recommend the purchase of a ladder truck in the near future. We have the ladders in the fire house and no way to get them to a fire.
Respectfully submitted,
H. E. WHEELER, C. T. OLIVER, PATRICK D. MURPHY, LOUIS M. HANFF, E. D. MARSH,
Engineers.
1
1
58
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR For the Year Ending December 31, 1921
Appropriation
$1,000 00
Fully Supported
No. 1. Charlton Poor Farm Association $234 63
No. 2. Mrs. S. C. Johnson 195 87
Partially Supported
No. 1. City of Worcester, City Hospital 61 27
No. 2. City of Worcester, City Hospital 8 75
No. 3. Dr. W. T. Knowlton
12 00
Charlton Poor Farm Association assessment 34 44
A. K. Gammon Co., book and blanks 2 00
Two-thirds Rutland Mothers' Aid case 396 42
$945 38
Unexpended 54 62
Rutland Mothers' case, total expense $594 63 %
Aid Furnished Cases Having Settlements in Other Places
No. 1. Mothers' Aid 618 94 ~
State case, temporary aid
451 19 ~
Mrs. George Rice, child's board and care 240 00
Kenneth Field 95 00
Due Rutland from State, one-third Mothers' Aid, Rutland case $198 21 2577
$1,998 86 448,83
From State, temporary aid case
451 19
Amount carried forward $649 40
59
Amount brought forward
$649 40
From State, Cambridge case, one-third
206 01
From Cambridge, two-thirds
412 03
From Woburn, child's board
240 00
From Wakefield, child's board
95 00
$1,602 44
Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH E. WARE, MATTHEW J. CULLEN, LOUIS M. HANFF, Overseers of Poor.
Rutland, January 1, 1922.
35
62
38
60
REPORT OF THE CHARLTON POOR FARM ASSOCIATION For the Year Ending December 31, 1921
RECEIPTS
Milk
$2,428 05
Eggs
86 90
Stock
84 44
Inmates' board
5,365 28
Boarders
938 08
Annual assessment
828 35
Balance on hand, 1920
235 67
Lime Firt.
168 00
Miscellaneous
10 00
$10,144 67
EXPENDITURES
Carl M. Wheeler and wife
$1,200 00
Outside labor·
603 09
Inside labor
365 00
Miscellaneous
362 61
Groceries
1,559 35
Meats and provisions
680 36
Hay and grain
562 10
Oil and gasoline
210 05
Tobacco
234 68
Clothing
221 45
Supplies
600 72
Telephone
37 80
Blacksmithing
18 75
Veterinary
25 00
Amount carried forward
$6,680 96
61
Amount brought forward
$6,680 96
Medical attendance
52 15
Drugs
49 38
Machinery
826 80
Stock
125 00
Electricity
53 57
Lime and Fertilizer
424 75
Seed
108 58
Coal
282 47
Pasturing
40 00
Balance on truck
200 00
N. E. M. P. A. dues
10 94
Rent and interest
685 92
$9,540 52
Balance in favor of Association
$604 25
Received and due from towns in the Association for board of inmates :
Ashburnham
$234 63
Boylston
469 26
Brookfield
284 12
Charlton
504 59
East Brookfield
266 13
Holden
71 14
Hubbardston
13 50
Leicester
234 63
Millbury
1,337 71
Princeton
690 38
Rutland
234 63
Sterling
469 16
Westminster
546 40
Paxton
9 00
$5,365 28
62
Total number of weeks for inmates, 1,199 1/7. For boarders, 188 3/7. No inmates from the towns of Auburn, Holland, Hard- wick and Oakham.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM H. PARKMAN, President.
LOUIS M. HANFF, Secretary and Treasurer.
Charlton, January 1, 1922.
63
FINANCIAL REPORT WATER DEPARTMENT
DR.
Gardner Electric Co., power
$1,376 40
Edward Viner, labor 636 38
Town of Holden, taping pipe
6 00
Michael Nihen, labor
27 00
E. D. Marsh, coal
16 25
E. D. Marsh, labor
14 25
Neptune Meter Co., meters and repairs
96 75
H. E. Smith, labor
4 38
W. S. Daley, dipping needle
17 50
Henry Calkins, wood
4 00
Arthur Dodge, labor
14 25
Geo. H. Miles, labor
211 09
Worthing Pump Co., supplies 12 30
Central Supply Co., pipe and fittings
432 78
Pierce, Butler & Pierce Mfg. Corp., supplies
4 15
Graton & Knight, repairs on belt
2 17
Alfred E. Brown, repairs on motor
15 30
W. H. Maynard, labor
9 50
Lloyd Viner, labor
10 50
Geo. H. Miles, paid others
328 71
Waite Hardware Co., tools
24 35
William E. Hunt, labor
66 00
Nellie I. Griffin, supplies
12 55
B. F. Thurman, labor
15 00
B. & M. Railroad, freight
1 31
Commonwealth Public Safety, inspect- ing boiler 5 00
B. F. Marsh, split pipe 20 08
Stewart Boiler Works, retubing boiler
485 00
Interest on Water Loan
247 06
$4,128 25 732 06
3346.19
196
24306 443.66
64
The bill of $485 for retubing boiler was unpaid the first of Jan., 1922, so does not show on Select- men's Report.
CR.
Bills rendered June 1, 1921
$880 67
Bills rendered Dec. 1, 1921 1,020 08
Bill rendered State Sanatorium
2,423 59
Appropriation for Public building
20 00
Appropriation for watering tub
10 00
$4,354 34
Balance in favor of town
$226 09
GEORGE H. MILES,
Superintendent.
65
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation
$50 00
Appropriation, Dog Fund
237 27
Balance from last year
43 67
Total
$330 94
Paid Edna Wheeler, librarian
$180 00
Denholm & McKay Co., books
150 55
$330 55
Balance unexpended
39
Librarian's Report :
On hand January 1, 1921
$5 39
Received from fines and cards
25 99
Received for magazines
33 00
$64 38
Paid for magazines
$27 00
For books
19 25
For incidentals
14 59
Total
$60 84
Balance on hand
3 54
Circulation
8,402
Books given
44
Books purchased
101
Books have been given by Miss Upham, Miss Lillian Dunton, Miss Mills, Mrs. Bates, Mrs. Buss, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Mr. B. W. Potter, and the Division of Public Libraries.
34
66
Magazines have been given by Mr. David Putnam, the Christian Endeavor, Division of Public Libraries, American Humane Society, and the National Geographic Society.
Money for magazines was given by the Eastern Star, the Fire Department, the Woman's Union, the Home Relief Society, and the Grange.
A picture of the coat of arms of the thirteen original states was given to the Library by a friend.
MARY E. MILES, FRANCES P. HANFF, HATTIE S. GRIFFIN, Library Trustees.
BOOKS ADDED LAST YEAR
JUVENILE BOOKS
Burgess Animal Book for Children
Tom Slade on the River
Tom Slade with the Boys Over There
Tom Slade, Boy Scout
Cornelli Sons of Liberty
Isabel Carleton at Home
Heart of Isabel Carleton
Little House in the Woods
Nannie's Happy Childhood
Touchdown and After
Blue Bonnet Debutante
Young Pilgrims
Refugee Rock
Luck of the Mounted
Sergeant Jane
Ransom of Red Chief
Two Boys in Beaver Land
Blue Bonnet of Seven Stars
Burgess Fitzhugh Fitzhugh Fitzhugh
Spyri Dyer Ashmun Ashmun Hunt Field Hunting Richards Herbert Holland Kendall Matlack Mathiew Dugmore Richards
67
Bob Thorpe, Sky Fighter Black Buccaneer
Little Maid of Old Maine Three Base Benson Boy Scout's Book of Campfire Stories Diamond Rock Windy Hill Happy Venture
Tales of Two Bunnies
Founding of a Nation
Brown Wolf and Jack London Stories
Little Lead Soldier
Book of Cowboys
Great Quest
Italian Twins
Airplane Spider
Green Door
High Benton Worker
Luck of Denewood
Kit, Pat and a Few Boys
Happy House
Bishop Meader Curtis Barbour Mathiews Lisle Meigs Price Pyle Gregg Mathiews Franchai Rolt-Wheeler Hawes Perkins Murray Freeman Heyliger Knipe Gilchrist Abbott
ADULT BOOKS
Forty Immortals of Worcester and Its County
Manual for Massachusetts Voter
The Great Impersonation
Luscomb and Boyer Uppenheim Castle
John Senechal's Margaret
An Unconscious Crusader
The Gate of Fulfillment
Williams Ridsdale Ferber
Roast Beef Medium
Sentimental Adventures of Jimmy Bulstrode
Van Vorst Rath
The Scar
Starr Taylor Atkinson
Letters of Susan Hale
Sweet Stranger
Mysterious Rider
Ruck Grey
Good References
New England in France, 1917-1919
iel tin ar be La 10 la bie
ye
es
es
e
68
West Wind Drift Prairie Flowers The Splendid Folly Great Artists and Their Works History of the Yankee Division Unseen Ear The Owl Taxi
Lister's Great Adventure
Valley of Silent Men
Crooked and Narrow Streets of Boston
The Vagrant Duke
Turnpikes of New England
Flood Tide
Silver Sixpence
Three of Hearts
Sister Sue
Paradise Bend
Big Town Round-up
Kingdom Round the Corner
The Tryst
Man from Tall Timber
Poor Man's Rock
House of Dreams Come True
Flag on the Hill-Top
Quicksands of Youth
Other People's Business
Goshen Street
Whitewash
Miss Lulu Bett
Long Dim Trail
Bridge of Kisses
Next Besters
Cow-Country
Wonderland of the East
Joanna Builds a Nest
Bells of St. John
Mollie's Substitute Husband
Mccutcheon Hendryx Pedler Brooks Benwell Lincoln Footner
Bindloss Curwood Thwing Gibbs Wood Bassett Sawyer Ruck Porter White Raine Dawsin Lutz Holmes Sinclair Pedler Earle Hoyt Smith Williams Vachell
Gale Hooker Ruck Ragsdale Bower Kitchin Tompkins Richmond McConn
69
Melwood Mystery Beauty and the Bolshevist Young Citizen's Own Book Rose Dawn Alice Adams Galusha the Magnificent
Keeper of the Door
Greatheart Golden Snare
Lamp of Fate Helen of the Old House
Quire Flaming Forest
Pride of Palomar
Her Father's Daughter
Cap'n Warren's Wards
The Next War
Weaver of Dreams
Modern American Poetry
Now It Can Be Told
John Burroughs, Boy and Man
Beloved Woman
Rilla of Ingleside
Married?
Evasion
Strength of the Pines
Key Note
Tangled Trails
These Young Rebels
Cobweb
Partners of Chance
Year of Delight Snow Blind Long Chance
Custard Cup
Julia Takes a Chance Profiteers
Hay, Jr. Miller Fraser White Tarkington Lincoln Dell Dell Curwood Pedler Wright Rice Curwood Kyne Porter Lincoln Irwin Reed Untermeyer Gibbs Barrus Norris Montgomery Cooke Frothingham Marshall Burnham Raine Sterrett Chamberlain Knibbs Widdemer Burt Kyne Livingston Merrell Oppenheim
70
Snowshoe Trail Quill's Window Obstacle Race Gunsight Pass Danger Trail Red Signal Casey Ryan Laramie Holds the Range
Courage of Marge O'Doone Mile High
Triflers Threshold
To Him That Hath
Youth Triumphant
Enchanted Canyon
The Honor of the Big Snows
Marshall Mccutcheon Dell Raine Curwood Lutz Bower Spearman Curwood Rowland Bartlett Cooke Connor Gibbs Willsie Curwood
71
SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL COMMITTEE
Financial Report
Appropriation Collection
$500 00
73 85
Amount Available
$573 85
Expended :
From Appropriation :
Cowee, E. A., cement
$9 27
Dodge, Arthur, labor 1 00
Highton, Wm. & Sons Co., tablet
241 40
Maynard, W. H., labor
12 00
Nihan, M., labor
2 00
Palladins, Alexander, transp. of stone
225 00
Worcester Brigade Band, music
35 00
From Collection:
525.67
Wheelock, Rev. Alfred, expenses
16 00
Worcester Brigade Band, music
55 00
Unpaid Bill
O'Toole, Robert F. & Co., stonecutters . 42 25
$638 92
Overdrawn
$65 09
Respectfully submitted,
W. A. WHEELER, Chairman MRS. MARK A. PUTNAM, MRS. W. L. SEAGER, C. J. CAMPBELL, J. WARREN MOULTON,
L. M. HANFF, CHARLES E. CARROLL.
72
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE For the Year Ending December 31, 1921
For the attendance by schools and terms, see statistical table in the Superintendent's report.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
13500 25
Town appropriation
$13,500 00
Promotion of health
25 00
73525 157
Balance of State Fund
499 54
1513
$14,024 54 1,079 19
Overdrawn
$15,103 73 13
TOTAL EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING THE SCHOOLS
Salaries of teachers
$8,905 34
Transportation
2,968 35
Supervision
866 42
Books and supplies
585 63
Sundries
294 91
Janitors and fuel North and West Rutland 167 60
Center schools, janitor, fuel, etc. 1,315 48
$15,103 73
SALARIES OF TEACHERS
Channing H. Greene, High School Prin- cipal $1,000 00
Amount carried forward $1,000 00
73
Amount brought forward $1,000 00
Charles H. Kirschbaum, High School Principal 680 00
Mrs. Vera Drury, High School Assistant 275 00
John H. Doyle, High School Assistant 390 00
Mrs. Frances E. Kirschbaum, High School Assistant
480 00
Miss Mildred E. Green, High School Assistant 400 00
Miss Lucy E. Donahue, Center Schools 1,072 38
Miss Catherine Sherry, Center Schools 969 48
Miss Doris L. Prescott, Center Schools
969 48
Miss Anastasia M. Brown, Center Schools 969 48
Miss Edith T. Miles, North Rutland School
168 00
Miss Doris C. Barrie, North Rutland Schools
696 00
Miss Flora A. Jean, West Rutland School 480 00
Miss Florence M. Ramsey, West Rut-
land School 355 52
$8,905 34
TRANSPORTATION
Merrill H. Wheeler
$687 00
Nils Taipole
604 00
Weston R. Upham
417 50
Mrs. H. M. Harris
381 50
Deller Latowne
265 60
Oscar Wendt
237 50
Charles J. Campbell
180 00
Leslie S. Moore
171 25
Clarence E. Prescott
24 00
$2,968 35
74
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
Edward E. Babb & Co.
$186 57
J. L. Hammett Co.
92 02
Ginn & Co.
64 40
Lyons and Carnahan
71 00
Milton Bradley Co.
39 40
Ryan and Buker
40 10
MacMillan and Co.
18 66
D. C. Heath and Co.
15 66
American Book Co.
10 23
Boston Paper Board Co.
8 00
L. E. Knott Apparatus Co.
7 28
David Farquhar
6 49
John C. Dettra & Co.
4 33
Denoyer Geppert Co.
19 79
A. K. Gammon & Co.
2 00
$585 63
SUNDRIES
Chenery Bros. and Walkins, desks and chairs
$262 50
Masury Young and Co., floor oil
9 88
William H. Maynard, labor
12 00
Brewer and Co., disinfectant
6 10
Nellie I. Griffin, broom
60
Freight on supplies
1 58
Davis and Banister, blanks
2 25
$294 91
JANITORS
Earl Santamaw, West Rutland
$47 60
Harold E. Davis, North Rutland
10 50
Albert I. Davis, North Rutland
6 50
$64 60
75
FUEL
Henry W. Calkins, wood
$87 00
George H. Rice, wood
16 00
$103 00
SUPERVISION
James R. Childs, superintendent
$675 00
James R. Child's, travel
106 85
James R. Childs, office supplies, etc.
47 57
C. T. Oliver, attendance officer
10 00
Town of Oakham, tuition
27 00
$866 42
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE N. LAPHAM, WALTER A. WHEELER, LOUIS M. HANFF,
School Committee.
Rutland, January 1, 1922:
76
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Holden, Mass., January 1, 1922.
To the School Committee of Rutland:
This report, presented according to custom, for your con sideration, is the fourth by the present writer and the twenty second in the series since the formation of this union. Although addressed to the School Committee, it is prepared with the hop that all the people of Rutland will be interested in the informa tion presented and will give careful thought to the needs and the welfare of our schools.
THE HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Greene resigned after one year of service to accept position in Vermont. He was untiring in his efforts, and lef with the good wishes of all. Under trying circumstances h devoted himself to the best interests of the school. Mrs. Drur; left in March and we secured Mr. John H. Doyle to finish th year. I am very glad to commend the earnest spirit and resolv with which he took up the work carried on so successfully b; Mrs. Drury. These changes are always injurious to a schoc but seem unavoidable in the smaller towns. I am very glad t say we were able to employ a third teacher this fall, and althoug we had all new teachers the necessary adjustments have bee accomplished without friction. The school spirit is exceller and the attendance record higher. Under Mr. Kirschbaum direction the school made an excellent showing at the Bari track meet. Teachers and pupils are to be congratulated o the new school paper, the first number of which has just appeared The encouragement of athletics and the publication of a scho paper under wise direction will do much to arouse and hol the interest of pupils and of the public in the high school. TE
77
average membership has grown from 20 in 1917 to 34 in 1920, and it was 39 in December, 1921.
THE GRADES
There was but one change in teachers, Miss Florence M. Ramsey taking Miss Jean's place at West Rutland. Miss Ramsey has taken hold of the work with earnestness and fine spirit, and Miss Sherry at the Center has conducted a Home Economics Club among the girls. The following selections from her report indicate the nature of the work done and reflect much credit on the Club Leader. "The 'Out-To-Win' Club, the Rutland branch of the Home Economics Club of Worcester County, was organized in the fifth and sixth grades with a membership of fourteen girls. The entire club chose the sewing project. Helen Wheeler was elected President and Dorothy Mann, Secretary. Meetings were held the second and fourth Fridays of the month. . The girls made thirty garments, darned 146 pairs of stockings and did 1,349 hours of home work. Every girl lived up to the requirements of the Club and received a bronze pin, besides making this a Banner Club. At the exhibit held in May under the auspices of the Grange, Catherine Fritze was awarded first prize, Doris Prescott second prize and Margaret Miles, third prize.
There were eight who entered the high school in the fall, and there should be nearly twice this number next year. Does it pay to go to high school? Boys and girls are asking this question. Parents are asking it about their children. In decid- ing it, we should consider the opinion of those who have been, and of those who employ boys and girls. I quote the following from a pamphlet by T. E. Sanders that we plan to distribute to eighth grade pupils. "Select a hundred high school graduates who are over twenty-five years old, and practically every one of them will be enthusiastic over the worth of a high school course. . There never was a greater demand for high school graduates than at present. Many firms now demand a high school graduation for their employees." The high school
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influence is good, it develops thinking power, promotes health, and pays in dollars and cents.
I have each year mentioned such new legislation as affects the schools and should be familiar to townspeople. This last year a law was passed requiring children between fourteen and sixteen years of age who are employed in private domestic service or on farms to secure a special certificate issued by the superintendent. Another law now requires the teaching in the public schools of "indoor and outdoor games and athletic exercises." The Worcester County Farm Bureau stands ready to assist in carrying out the provisions of this law. Section 53 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws provides that School Committees shall appoint a school nurse as well as a school physician. Two or more towns may employ a nurse jointly or may employ a part-time nurse. In this connection I want to call attention to the suggestion made by our school physician in his last report and recommend that it be carried out, namely that we provide for a thorough physical examination of each child and then supplement the examination with recommenda- tions and follow-up work with the aid of the nurse. A physical record should be kept of each child throughout his school course.
Much is being said and written to-day about the improvement of teachers in service. Excellent opportunities are now offered for self-improvement through professional reading courses, correspondence courses, summer schools and the like. Valuable courses are offered by the Division of University Extension and a plan is being worked out for evaluating such work in terms of school and college credit. Many towns are offering an increase in salary or bonus to teachers who avail themselves of these means for keeping in touch with the best thought and the best practice in their profession. We may have the finest building; and equipment and the schools be unpopular and fail in thei production, if the teachers are not professional in spirit and progressive in thought. The success of the system depends of the individual teacher, and it is gratifying to discover the newly
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aroused interest in education that is demanding better teachers as well as higher salaries. No system, however efficient, can take the place of individual initiative, trained mental faculties, personality and common sense. These the better teacher will have. And as no one is able to "store up" enough professional life, training and enthusiasm while in college or normal school to last through life, the real teacher will keep up her training and broaden her vision by means of wisely chosen reading and study that relate to her work.
Many of the recommendations that have been made from time to time in these reports have been carried out. At North Rut- land we have a new hardwood floor, modern adjustable desks, a new desk for the teacher, new chairs, and the building repaired and painted inside and out. The floors at North and West Rutland have been oiled. The greatest need now is for ad- justable desks at West Rutland and I hope that an appropriation for this purpose may be made this year. We will then have sanitary and adjustable desks in every school. We need a stove jacket at the West school and curtains in both West and North, as well as new blackboards, but these can be taken care of in the regular appropriation. For the new desks an appropriation of $350 will be sufficient.
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