USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1890 > Part 4
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The Lynn and Boston Horse Railroad Co. continue to fur- nish horees when needed.
FIRES AND ALARMS.
April 6. Box 6. Fire over store of Geo. H. Holden & Co., caused by overheated oil stove. Damage slight.
April 11. Alarm from Box 4, calling the Department to
69
REPORT OF ENGINEERS.
the premises of Geo. Newhall in Salem. Fire in barn, and owing to a scarcity of water the building was totally destroyed.
April 14. Box 9. Brush fire on the estate of Leonard Wares. No damage.
Sept. 2. False alarm.
Nov. 26. Responded to a call from Chief Engineer Moody to assist at the Lynn fire. Rendered valuable assistance.
Nov. 27. Again responded to a call from Chief Engineer Moody to assist Honors & Wardwell.
Feb. 8. Box 6. Congregational Church. No fire.
Feb. 20. False alarm, rang in by G. P. Balch.
The Engineers would recommend the permanent location of a new hose reel of similar pattern as the reels purchased last year, and four hundred feet hose to be located on Roy street, also the purchase of six hundred feet new hose to be placed at the engine house, and that an appropriation for the same be made.
We would also recommend the location of a new fire alarm box and hydrant, to be placed at the corner of Hillside Avenue and Cherry Street, and a new fire alarm box at the corner of Orient Street and Lincoln House Court, and that money for the same be appropriated.
As the larger portion of the citizens are aware, the present buildings of the Fire Department are in a bad condition and will necessitate an expenditure of some one hundred and fifty dollars the coming year. The buildings are leaky, the De- partment are crowded for room, and the smallness of the rooms do not allow of but little convenience, therefore the Engineers hope and recommend that the article in the War- rant relative to the building of a new engine house will be adopted. The Engineers have ascertained the price of a lot of land on the Mudge Estate nearly opposite the Town Hall, which we think an excellent location for the proposed new
70
REPORT OF ENGINEERS.
house. If secured the Department would have a down hill start to any alarm. We think this a desirable lot for the Town to secure, as it is centrally located and is the last for sale on the main street. If the citizens do not think it is a proper place for an engine house, it is suitable for any public building. The price is 20 cents per foot.
Respectfully submitted,
C. K. ROBERTS, GEO. P. CAHOON, Engineers. J. P. M. S. PITMAN,
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
Again the year has gone into the way of all its predeces- sors. Old Father Time keeps on with his never ceasing stride, nor halts his step to linger by the wayside. Yet by and from the waysides about us, our milkmen have come and brought to our door the products of their dairies, which cover our Sixth Annual Report for the year ending February 28, 1 890.
No complaint of any nature has been presented as to qual- ity of milk served. We feel full confidence that with the patronage received from our Town, it is the desire of all parties furnishing to present a reliable article. Should any have cause to believe otherwise in the future, we again reiter- ate to all, " Notify the Milk Inspector," when you have cause to suspect an inferior quality is being served.
Amount received for Licences, $11 00 Amount paid Treasurer, $II 00
C. E. HARRIS, Milk Inspector. FEB. 28, 1890.
Report of Superintendent of Cemetery.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
During the year a new pump and platform have been put in. The tomb and iron-work about it, and the gates have been painted. As the cement wall in the rear of the cemetery is in a bad condition, also the platform of the house, I would recommend that an appropriation of $75.00 be made for the repairing of them.
Number of Lots sold at $25 each, . 12
Number of Lots unsold, . 77
Number of Interments, 35
Number of Bodies in Receiving Tomb, . 3
Expenditures for the year, . $300.20.
J. S. BROWN, Supt.
Report of the Street Light Committee.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
In accordance with a vote passed by the Town April 15, 1889, your committee arranged with the Lynn Gas and Electric Company for 10 arc lights for a period of one year.
The delay in carrying out the vote of the Town was occasioned by a dispute between the Light Company, the N. E. Telephone and Telegraph Company and the selectmen concerning the location of poles.
Several hearings were held in the selectmen's room, which developed the position of the Telephone Company. Their representative argued that the present line of poles were not strong enough to admit the addition of an arc light wire, and it was claimed that the induction caused by the light wire would render the telephone service useless to the subscribers. They admitted, however, that a metallic service would over- come this objection to a great extent.
The selectmen were sternly opposed to a duplicate line of unsightly poles in the public thoroughfares, and delayed granting a petition of the Light Company for a location in the streets, with a view no doubt that their non action would result in a compromise between the two contending companies, and as a result, but one line of poles for all con- cerned would be located in our streets.
The petition of the Light Company was finally granted by the selectmen, the line was accordingly constructed and the current turned on to the Swampscott circuit July 13, 1889. The arc lights were located between the Eastern depot and
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REPORT OF STREET LIGHT COMMITTEE.
the hay scales at points where in the judgment of your committee they would best serve the public. By their intro- duction it was presumed that a number of the naphtha lights . would be displaced, but owing to the demand for street lights in our suburban districts the naphtha lights have not materially diminished in number. We have discontinued some 25 nahptha lights on the electric circuit and have placed 13 of the said lights on the following roadways : Mountain Avenue, 10 ; Essex Street, 3.
As regards the naphtha lights your committee feel they are justified by the public in denouncing them as unfit to longer have a place in the streets of our progressive town. It may be true that owing to the political atmosphere closely preceding town meeting (being more in harmony with naphtha lighting) they do as a rule shed more light and present a more cleanly appearance, but at other times their feeble light in connection with the powerful and unpleasant odor eminating from them is unbearable, and we believe justly condemned by the public. Complaints from them have been more frequent during the past year than ever before. We therefore recommend that the naphtha lights be discontinued, believing that it is beneficial to the interests of our town to be well lighted throughout. We further recommend the continuation of the arc lights through Orient Street to the Ocean House (or thereabouts) by an addition of six in all to the present number, three for the Orient Street extension, one in vicinity of Pierce's Hill, one on the Highlands and one near the corner of Essex and Burrill Streets in Upper Swampscott.
We also recommend that 200 incandescent lamps be dis- tributed through the town in place of the 168 naphtha lights now in use, as in our opinion the increase number will not only better serve the public ways that are already lighted, but will light many dark places where street lights have never shone.
We beg leave to suggest that a contract for a term of years
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REPORT OF STREET LIGHT COMMITTEE.
such as the City of Lynn is lighted under, would be well to consider, subject to the same terms. Believing that electricity has become a permanent factor for street lighting, we are favorable to its general adoption in Swampscott.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL F. CROSMAN, CHARLES E. DURGIN, Street E. A. FARNHAM, Light CURTIS V. MERRITT,
IVORY EMMONS, Committee.
WILLIAM F. NORCROSS,
POLICE REPORT FOR 1889-90.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
Whole number of arrests . 15
Drunkenness
9
Malicious mischief I
Insane
2
Assault 3 I5
Disposed of as follows :-
Committed to house of correction for non-payment of fines . 2 Fined and paid . II
Insane asylum
2-15
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
Accidents reported 2
Assisted other officers 3
Buildings found open and secured . 7
Complaints investigated
72
Disturbances suppressed . 6
Dogs killed . 25
Fires extinguished without alarm I Intoxicated persons taken home belonging in Swampscott . IO
Intoxicated persons left at Swampscott depot, non-residents . . 34 Injured and sick persons assisted . 3
Lights furnished for dangerous places 7
Street obstructions removed 2
Stray teams put up
2
77
REPORT OF POLICE.
POLICE IMPLEMENTS.
Helmets
7
Badges
14
Whistles
IO
Pairs handcuffs
8
Twisters
7
Lantern
I
Revolvers
5
Billies
12
Buttons
VALUATION.
Helmets . $15 00
Handcuffs and twisters 26 00
Revolvers and badges
55 00
Billies and whistles
15 50
Lantern and buttons
3 50
REIMBURSED.
Lynn Police Court and Essex County $26 83
Social Club
75
Little, J. L., estate of
2 50
Widger, A. C.
I 00
$31 08
WALLACE WRIGHT, Chief of Police.
Report of Superintendent of Streets.
Number of loads of gravel and stone used on the highways as follows :---
Name of street. No. loads gravel.
Crush stone.
Stone, No. loads.
Humphrey street
1067
23 237
Essex street .
443
Salem street .
II7
.429
Woodbine avenue
II7
Burrill street
55
Pine street
2
Cherry street
7
Highland street
62
Danvers street
24
Orient street
1140
Marshall street
37
Atlantic avenue
38
Redington street
I4
Beach Bluff avenue
IO
King street
7
Number of loads used on sidewalks as follows :-
Essex street sidewalk .
Name.
No. loads gravel.
28
No. loads stone.
Humphrey street sidewalk .
[ 49
46
Burrill street sidewalk
53
Rock avenue sidewalk
2
Blaney street sidewalk
22
Rockland street sidewalk
6
Salem street sidewalk .
12 (removed 70 loads loam).
King street sidewalk
38
Rose street sidewalk
8
Redington street sidewalk .
14
Beach Bluff avenue sidewalk
II3
Boynton street sidewalk
8
Pine street sidewalk
I6
New Ocean street sidewalk
3
Orient street sidewalk .
6
I
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
New sidewalks made as follows :---
Name. No. feet.
Atlantic avenue 382
Salem street . IIO
Humphrey street . II5
Beach Bluff avenue 328
Orient street
50
Paving stone and sand used as follows :-
Name. No. loads stone. No. loads sand.
Burrill street 68
47
Rock avenue 23
23
Beach Bluff avenue
. 35 15
Gutter scrapings removed and used in the following manner :-
Removed from. No. loads.
Used.
No. loads.
Humphrey street 228
Humphrey street .
25
Burrill street
73
Beach road 40
Rockland street . I 2
Essex street 27
Phillips street
9
Orient street
15
Essex street 50
Rose street 5
Pine street 25
Blaney street IO
Blaney street 28
Pine street (backing fence) . 25
Rock avenue
8
Humphrey street (Swamp road)
6
Redington street
7
Woodbine avenue . 25
Beach avenue .
IO
King street 12
Orient street 80
Columbia street
IO
66 30 Pine street (schoolhouse yard) 83 Columbia street 82
Sold
. 229
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
TOWN PROPERTY.
Thirty-two shovels
$16 00
Twenty-two picks
22 00
Four bars 4 00
Two hammers
3 00
Three drag rakes
I 50
Two road rakes .
1 00
Four hoes
2 00
Three mattocks
Road machine
Very respectfully,
JAMES P. M. S. PITMAN.
SCHOOL REPORT.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
The present School Board entered upon its duties with so little previous experience in the conduct of school affairs, that it would be strange indeed if it could now look back and point to a record free from errors. None can be more con- scious of its mistakes than the members themselves. The responsibilities devolving upon the Board have of late years been multiplied by various legislative enactments, and few people realize, till their attention is specially directed thereto, how many details must be performed, in obedience to the peremptory demands of the statutes.
Aside from the errors naturally coupled with inexperience, we believe that the unanimity existing between the members of the Board, a sincere desire to serve the best interests of the town, and a continuous term of service, have been of ad- vantage to our schools, inasmuch as these features admit of the adoption of a definite policy respecting the direction of school work. We believe the results accomplished will com- pare favorably with what has been done in other years, or in other towns. All the schools are now working together as a harmonious whole, the various classes in each grade being occupied with precisely the same work. Thus strength and unity of the whole system are secured.
In the endeavor to promote this plan, the Board has derived invaluable assistance from the services of Mr. G. P. Balch, who, as Principal of the schools in town and Master of the High School, has been untiring in his efforts. He has been ably seconded by the lady teachers, who have cordially
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SCHOOL REPORT.
united in an earnest attempt to secure the best results.
The Board heartily welcomes any suggestion from parents and citizens, with the assurance that it shall receive due con- sideration. It also holds itself amenable to criticism, only hoping that it may be offered kindly and with candor, and not without an effort to obtain due information on the subject criticized. The honest efforts of the teacher or committee should be recognized, even where in wisdom or ability they may fail.
We note with pleasure the limited number of cases where corporal punishment has been necessary to enforce obedience. While the use of the rod is not forbidden, it should be con- fined to those cases where all other means fail, and should stand for flagrant disobedience and insubordination. All known cases of violation of the law of moral purity have been carefully corrected by the Committee. These occurrences, we are pleased to state, have been very few.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
The school premises are for the most part in excellent con- dition. Important changes have been made during the past year, notably that at Redington street. The crying evil of the sanitary arrangements there has been remedied, and the whole neighborhood greatly improved thereby.
At Essex street the health of the children was endangered by insufficient facilities for heating and by furniture not suited to their needs. Both these faults have been corrected ; the latter by new single desks and chairs of suitable size, the former by an additional stove in the cold portion of the room. Sanitary arrangements here, and at the Pine street and Beach schools, have been much improved.
The blackboards in all the class rooms in town were mostly in wretched condition, and were repaired at large ex- pense. The Farms school was painted inside and supplied with new curtains.
Several important matters should be attended to the coming year. A new fence around a large portion of the Pine street lot
83
SCHOOL REPORT.
is imperative. The furniture in the schools taught by Miss Mott, Miss Fernald, Miss Washburn and Miss Gould is wholly unsuitable for the scholars, and should be replaced with new. Much of it is positively dangerous to the children's health. The buildings at Essex street, Redington street, the Beach and the Farms need a coat of paint. The matter of grading should be looked after around some of the buildings. To en- able us to do this, a careful estimate has been made of the amount of money needed, and an itemized report of this estimate has been handed to the selectmen.
The Redington street building is an ill-arranged, badly constructed, poorly ventilated affair, unfit for the accommoda- tion of the large number of scholars here in attendance. Notice has been received from the Inspection Department of the State Police that a better system of ventilation must be provided for one of the schools here. Already enough mon- ey has been expended here in alterations to have erected a new building. The recent acquisition of a portion of the Wiley lot is a step in the right direction. The purchase of the remainder will give to the town a fine square lot, which will afford room for a new, larger and more suitable building. We believe this is a work which must be done in the near future, and the sooner the better for all concerned.
FINANCES.
We are confident that the town has received an equivalent for every dollar expended this year. We have endeavored to purchase all supplies in such manner as to obtain the best prices and discounts possible. A large number of unused and useless books have been returned to various publishers at the highest prices obtainable. Of course, where the town must furnish all the supplies, even the most trivial needed by the scholars, the expense must be large. Our salary item has been necessarily increased by an additional teacher in the High school, a teacher of music and drawing, and by those teachers entitled to more pay by reason of their term of ser-
N
84
SCHOOL REPORT.
vice. This town's proportion of the State educational fund was secured, by attention to the proper requirements. It was forfeited last year owing to neglect of the School Board.
The Committee have been hampered in their work by the amount of time and labor required to unravel the tangle of unpaid bills bequeathed to them by former administrations. A special appropriation of $1,575 was allowed for this purpose, at the March town meeting, but the bills in arrears exceeded this sum by $200, which amount has been paid from the regular appropriation. We are not aware that there is to-day a single unpaid bill of this department. Many old accounts of which the Committee had no knowledge, some of them two years old, have been presented at such a time as to seriously interfere with previous calculations. No bills of this department will in future be honored, unless accompanied by written orders from some member of the Committee.
TEACHERS.
We have been thus far fortunate in having no changes in the corps of teachers during this year, though two additions have been made. A change in the instructor causes a break in the work, and is a direct injury to the school. The increase in the number of pupils in the High School, and the additional duties imposed upon the Principal, have rendered an assistant necessary, and Miss Gertrude L. Drake has been appointed to this position, in which she has been eminently successful. The work of Miss Elizabeth A. Bill, as teacher of music and drawing, is spoken of elsewhere. A definite scale of salaries has been adopted, which will in future govern the prices paid to all our teachers. A suitable exam- ination will be required of applicants for positions as teachers, not necessarily a strictly textual examination, but one which shall determine the applicant's fitness for practical work.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The school now numbers 48 pupils. Six more seats were added this year, as there was not sufficient accommodation for
P
85
SCHOOL REPORT.
those entitled to enter. The school is making excellent pro- gress, and it is only a question of a short time when more room will be required.
PROMOTIONS.
By a rule adopted early this year, pupils who rank 85 per cent. in the regular written and oral work will be promoted without final written examinations in all the schools. This is in accordance with advanced ideas of the best educational authorities, and relieves school life of a large amount of mental and physical. strain. Final examinations will be re- quired of all who fall below this standard. Scholars must repeat the year unless they shall attain 663 per cent. in all their work. Twenty days of absence during the year will prevent promotion and preclude the possibility of making up arrears in studies, except in special cases, for good and suffi- cient reasons, and then only by majority vote of the School Committee.
MUSIC AND DRAWING.
Much has been said in previous years respecting these im- portant features of school work. Little or no attention has been paid to the former, and the Committee have felt that our schools were behind the times in not having regular instruction in this branch. Music serves to brighten the atmosphere and break the monotony of school life. It has a direct refining and ennobling influence on the minds of the pupils, and the practical advantages appear when all familiar with music are able to join in any occasions, sacred or secular, where music plays so important a part. The results achieved in other towns prove the desirability of this feature, and under a competent instructor it can become of incalculable good. We believe we have secured the services of such a teacher in Miss Elizabeth A. Bill. She has come to us highly recom- mended, having an experience of ten or more years in both branches. The efforts of the Committee in this direction
86
SCHOOL REPORT.
have been warmly commended by many of the parents of our school children. Our music teacher commenced her labors here with the opening of the new year, and already in these few weeks much has been accomplished. The scholars are interested and eager to learn, and their advance is such as to be highly gratifying. Miss Bill has also been entrusted with the work of superintending the drawing in the schools, and we look for marked improvement in this respect. The prac- tical results of this study are well understood and recognized, and the ability to illustrate our thoughts with the pencil is an accomplishment which most of us can attain, with practice, under suitable direction.
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
A small spare room has been fitted up at the Redington street building to be used as a supply room. Here the books and supplies are systematically arranged and given out as needed. This important feature has been placed in charge of the Principal.
There were in use and on hand Jan. 1, 1890, the following books and supplies :-
Arithmetic, 518 copies; Geography, 275; History, 162; Dictionaries, 200; Books on English Language, 300; Spelling Books, 290; Physiology, 285; Lippincott's Reading Books, 602; Algebra and Geometry, 37; Latin, Greek and French, 86; Civil Government, 11; Science, 23; Bookkeeping, 18; Shakespere's Plays, 36 vols; Singing Books, 60; Singing Charts, 6; Writing and Drawing Books in use, 800; Writing and Drawing Books not in use, 28 doz. ; Boxes of Models, 8; Slates, 67; Blackboard Erasers, 21 ; Blank Books, 48; Liquid and Dry Measure, 5 sets; Weights, 5 sets; Books of Refer- ence, Large Dictionaries, Books of Poetry, Prose, etc., 200; Supplementary Readers, 578; Maps and Charts, 30; about one term's supply of paper, pens, pencils, etc.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
Pupils are required to attend school twenty weeks annually in two terms of ten consecutive weeks each. Not only must
87
SCHOOL REPORT.
their names be on the register, but they must be in their seats during the time required. The Statutes are very explicit upon this point and in regard to non-attendance. Both intermedi- ate schools have been greatly annoyed by scholars being detained at home for trivial causes, and then bringing excuses. As in many instances the law is not fully understood, it is herewith presented :----
CHILDREN BETWEEN EIGHT AND FOURTEEN YEARS MUST ATTEND SCHOOL.
SECTION I. Every person having under his control a child between the ages of eight and fourteen years shall annually cause such child to attend for at least twenty weeks some public day school in the city or town in which he resides, which time shall be divided so far as the arrangement of school terms will allow into two terms each of ten consecutive weeks; and for every neglect of such duty the person offending shall forfeit to the use of the public schools of such city or town a sum not exceeding twenty dollars; but if the person so neglecting was not able, by reason of poverty, to send such child to school, or if such child has attended for a like period of time a private day school approved by the school committee of such city or town, or is regularly attending a public or private day school known as a half-time school, also approved by them, or if such child has been otherwise furnished for a like period of time with the means of education, or has already acquired the branches of learning taught in the public schools, or if his physical or mental condition is such as to render such attendance inexpedient or impracticable, such penalty shall not be incurred.
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SCHOOL REPORT.
COURSE OF STUDY.
PRIMARY SCHOOL .- FIRST YEAR.
Teach 300 words, read from chart, first half of three First Readers, phonetic analysis.
Spelling .- From the Reading Lessons:
Language .- Copy easy sentences from the board, object lessons from familiar objects, correct errors in the use of language.
Arithmetic .- Numbers from I to 10, fractional parts, roman numerals.
Writing .- With slate and paper.
Drawing .- On slates from solids, clay modelling.
PRIMARY SCHOOL .- SECOND YEAR.
Second half of First Reader, first half of three Second Readers, phonetic analysis.
Spelling .- Oral and written spelling from reading and language lessons.
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