USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1896 > Part 13
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There has been added this year, as per vote of the town, one hose wagon in Ward 5 and ladder truck in Ward 2. We have now on hand not in use two hose reels and two ladder trucks, which I think the Board could dispose of at fair prices if the town consents. We have about ten thousand feet of hose.
258
The hose room in the house in Ward 1 has been sheathed, also both rooms in the house in Ward 5. In Ward 3 the house was in a dangerous condition, the flooring and sills being decayed and three hundred dollars had to be expended there, and in Ward 1 the same trouble was found in the hose tower and the repairs there were quite expensive ; with these repairs the houses are now in fine condition. I think the time has now arrived when a new house with modern conveniences should be located as a central station in a convenient place, so as to cover Wards 2 and 3 and perhaps Ward 1.
FIRE ALARM.
The Board has engaged the services of Henry L. Humphrey as Superintendent of Fire Alarm, at a salary of two hundred dol- lars a year, which, from his knowledge of the business, we con- sider a very moderate sum. Mr. Humphrey is thorough in his work and has the interest of the department at heart. Five new boxes have been added this year, one being at May's Corner. This branch of the department has been remodelled somewhat in certain places, the wire having been changed from the lower to the upper arms.
A fire circuit repeater and protector board have been put in, which makes this branch of the service in good condition and is giving very little trouble now. The telephone poles have been set a good many years, and many of them are in bad condition and will have to be replaced by new ones. The town should reserve two feet at the top of all new poles set for fire alarm purposes.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
To meet the expenses of the Fire Department for the ensuing year, we would recommend the following appropriations : Salaries of Firemen, Stewards, Engineers, and Superintendent of Fire Alarm, $2,600; Fire and Supplies for Engine Houses, $1,600. The forest fires this year have been very expensive, and we would ask for two hundred dollars for that purpose. Total, $5,400.
259
Before closing I wish to extend my thanks to the members of the Fire Department for the prompt manner in which they have performed their duties at fires, and also for the courtesy which they have always shown me. To the other members of the Board my thanks for their earnest co-operation in all matters of business. Also to your honorable Board for the courtesy extended to me and members of the Board whenever we have had occasion to meet this year.
Respectfully submitted,
OTIS CUSHING, Chief.
FIRES.
Number of alarms for the year, 26 :- Ward 1, 1; Ward 2, 9; Ward 3, 9; Ward 4, 2; Ward 5, 5. Most of which were for slight fires.
Value of property destroyed :-
Buildings
$1,000 00
Contents
700 00
Total
.
$1,700 00
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WEYMOUTH,
1896.
WEYMOUTH, MASS. : WEYMOUTH AND BRAINTREE PUBLISHNG 00. 1897.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1896.
Chairman - WILLIAM A. DRAKE. MEMBERS. WARD ONE.
WILLIAM A. DRAKE WILLIAM HYDE .
.
North Weymouth. Weymouth.
JOSEPH CHASE, JR.
WARD Two.
East Weymouth.
JAMES H. FLINT
WARD THREE.
Weymouth.
WARD FOUR.
BRADFORD HAWES (Lovell's Corner),
East Weymouth.
HENRY A. THOMAS
WARD FIVE.
South Weymouth.
I. M. NORCROSS, Secretary and Superintendent of Schools. P. O. WEYMOUTH CENTER, MASS.
OFFICE HOURS.
At Bicknell School on Tuesdays. At South High School on Wednesdays. At North High School on Thursdays. 'From 3.30 to 4.00, from the first of November to the first of February, and from 4.00 to 4.30, at other times of the school year.
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.
Regular meetings of the board: second Friday of each month except July and August.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Teachers.
WILLIAM A. DRAKE, JAMES H. FLINT. WILLIAM HYDE.
Text Books.
BRADFORD HAWES. JAMES H. FLINT. WILLIAM HYDE.
Supplies.
HENRY A. THOMAS.
Repairs.
BRADFORD HAWES.
JOSEPH CHASE, JR.
H. A. THOMAS.
Fuel. JOSEPH CHASE, JR. WILLIAM HYDE.
-
WILLIAM A. DRAKE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Citizens of the Town of Weymouth :-
Your School Committee, in accordance with the statutes of the Commonwealth, respectfully submit this, their Annual Report, together with the report of the Superintendent of Schools, for the year ending December 31st, 1896.
FINANCIAL.
The sum appropriated at the last Annual Town Meeting, for the support of schools, was as follows :-
From April 1st, 1896, to April 1st, 1897
$41,375 00
One-half of the dog license tax
524 61
Alewife Fund
252 00
Tuition from non-resident pupils
42 50
Total .
$42,194 11
Amount appropriated to liquidate deficiencies of past years 5,032 65
Amount on hand January 1st, 1896, for the support of schools to April, 1st, 1896 5,599 14
Total
$52,825 99
Expenditures from Jan. 1st, 1896, to Jan. 1st, 1897 :
$30,053 47
Salaries of teachers
Salary of superintendent
1,800 00
Supplies and text books
2,913 04
Transportation of pupils to April 1st, 1896
365 87
Miscellaneous
334 18
Incidentals (water rates)
281 11
Fuel, janitors and cleaning ·
4,629 01
-
6
Repairs
2,732 98 Truant officers
46 75
Total . $43,156 41 Leaving a balance for the support of schools,
from January 1st, 1897, to April 1st, 1897, of $9,669 49 The School Committee have successfully used every means at their command to have all bills against the school department rendered and paid before the beginning of another year.
The amount of fuel in the school houses averages enough to complete the cold season. There are enough supplies on hand for all requirements to April 1st of the ensuing year.
The janitors have all been paid and there are funds enough in the Town Treasury to meet the usual expenses for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The estimates for the ensuing year, submitted by the Finance Committee and approved by the Board, are as follows :-
Salaries of teachers
$29,800 00
Salary of superintendent
1.800 00
Janitors, fuel and cleaning
: 4,600 00
Text books and supplies
3,000 00
Repairs
2,200 00
Miscellaneous expenses
350 00
Truant officers
150 00
Water rates and incidentals .
300 00
Total
$42,200 00
This sum can be reduced by one-half
of the dog license tax $524 61
Alewife fund .
252 00
Tuition of non-resident pupils .
42 50
Total
$819 11
Leaving a balance to be raised by
taxation of
$41,380 89
It is the unanimous opinion of the school committee that the appropriation should be fully as large, if not larger than last year.
7
It has been only by the strictest economy and leaving much undone that should have been accomplished, that we have been enabled to keep our expenditures within the appropriations and not repeat the error of carrying bills over into another year for want of funds to pay them, which must be the inevitable result of insufficient appro- priations to meet the ordinary and regular expenses of mainten- ance.
If the efficiency of our teaching force is to be maintained it is of the utmost importance that the amount appropriated for teachers' salaries be as large as is at present required. While other large towns and cities are offering better inducements than we can for competent teachers, the natural result must be that our corps of instructors will continue to be constantly drawn upon for the best we have. „It is with teaching as with any other business, the best workman gets the largest pay, and the employer receives as a return just about what he pays for.
Six years ago Weymouth paid the smallest salaries, to female teachers, of any city or town of 10,000 inhabitants in this state, with only one exception. During this period, nearly all of the towns, approximating this number of inhabitants, have increased the rate of compensation paid to lady teachers and this town has gradually kept pace with this advancement but our increase has - been so small that any considerable reduction would relegate this town to the foot of the list.
As nearly all of our expenditures are governed by actual neces- sity or are required by law, it is generally admitted that the only chance for curtailment is either salaries or repairs of school build- ings. In the consideration of this question, it would be well to remember that Weymouth has, at present, twenty school houses that, with possibly two or at the most three exceptions, are buildings poorly adapted to the requirements of our schools. Many of them are old and somewhat dilapidated requiring constant repairs to keep them in a suitable condition for pupils to remain in during school hours, without danger to their health. Certainly they are not a credit to the town and only by the most careful oversight are some of them made habitable. It would be the extreme of false ecomony to follow a more penurious policy than has been the habit of the school board during the past year in the expenditure for repairs.
8
For a more detailed enumeration of the expenditures on the school houses, we refer the reader to the Selectmen's financial report.
TRANSPORTATION.
The town at the last annual town meeting appropriated $2,400 for the transportation of those pupils 'who reside at a distance from the schools which they are expected to attend. Under authority granted by this vote, your committee have furnished tickets on the various lines of street railways to pupils residing on the streets that are supplied by these roads, and have furnished transportation by barges from Bradley's Neck to North Wey- mouth, Summer street and the town house to Ward III. There has been expended $1,787 90
Leaving a balance on hand of 612 10
It will cost about $360 to pay the expense of conveyance to April 1, 1897, leaving an unexpended balance of about $250. We would recommend that this sum be re-appropriated, and that $1,900 be raised and appropriated for the conveyance of pupils for the ensuing year.
The committee still retain Mr. Irving M. Norcross as superin- tendent of schools. He has been connected with our schools, in his official capacity so many years, and is so well known to our citizens, that words of commendation are unnecessary.
We believe that the standard of excellency that has always characterized our schools has not only been well maintained, but has been advanced as rapidly as is consistent with the best inter- ests of our pupils and the town.
We would request a careful perusal of Mr. Norcross' report, and the following appendix, which we print herewith, for a more detailed statement of school room work.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM A. DRAKE, WILLIAM HYDE, JOSEPH CHASE, JR., JAMES H. FLINT, BRADFORD HAWES, HENRY A. THOMAS.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of Weymouth :
GENTLEMEN : I have the honor to present for your considera- tion the following statistics and recommendations as my seventh annual report :
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Population, state census 1895
.
11,291
Increase from 1890 to 1895 .
408
Valuation of town, 1896
$6,740,185 00
Value of school property
. 141,650 00
Value of books, apparatus, etc. (estimated) . 5,250 00
Current school expenses (including repairs) . 43,156 41 .
SCHOOL POPULATION.
Number of children between five and fifteen (school
census, May, 1896
. 1.874
Number of children between five and fifteen (school census, May, 1895
1,778
Gain . ·
96
Pupils distributed by wards as follows :-
May, 1896. May, 1895.
Gain. Loss.
Ward 1
215
213
2
Ward 2
·
674
636
38
Ward 3
·
.
409
390
19
Ward 4
264
235
29
Ward 5
312
304
8
Total
1874
1778
96
10
PUPILS IN SCHOOL.
The following tables are based upon the school registers for the year ending June 26, 1896 :-
Number of pupils enrolled in all schools (excluding duplicate enrollments)
2,291
Average membership
1,974
Average per cent. of attendance
94
Number of pupils sixteen years or over .
75
Number of pupils fifteen years or over .
179
Number of pupils between six and sixteen
1,920
Number of pupils under eight
625
Number of pupils between eight and fourteen
1,421
Number of pupils belonging Jan. 1, 1896
1,952
Number of pupils belonging June 25, 1896
1,971
Number of pupils not absent for the year
163
Number of truants (reported)
53
Number of visits by members of school committee .
157
Number of visits by superintendent (reported)
770
Number of visits by music teacher
1,018
Number of visits by citizens and friends
6,982
Number of instances of tardiness .
.
1,275
Number of dismissals
4,983
SCHOOLS.
Number of high schools
2
Number of grammar school classes
22
Number of primary school classes .
14
Number of mixed grammar and primary classes
11
Number of school rooms in use
.
53
TEACHERS.
Teachers in high schools, male 3; female 4 .
7
Teachers in grammar grades, male 5; female 16
21
Teachers in mixed grammar and primary, female
12
Teachers in primary, female
14
Special teachers
1
Superintendent
1
Total number ·
56
.
.
.
.
11
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
LOCALITIES.
Buildings.
Rooms.
Teachers.
Pupils.
Pupils per
Teacher.
Pupils per Room.
Weymouth High
1
4
4
147
36.75
36.75
South Weymouth High.
1
3
3
68
22.6
22.6
North Weymouth
3
6
6
238
39.6
39.6
Weymouth Landing
3
11
11
483
44.
44.
East Weymouth
4
15
15
772
51.5
51.5
Ward IV .
4
6
6
241
40.
40.
South Weymouth.
4
8
8
342
42.7
42.7
20
53
53
2,291
43.2
43.2
TRUANCY.
Taken from the reports of the truant officers :- Number of investigations from Jan. 1, 1896, to Jan.
1,1897 ·
150
Number of pupils out of school because of poor clothing
15
Number out by consent of parents
70
Number of truants
53
Number of truants caught and returned to school
12
Number of second offense truants .
6
Number of third offense truants
0
Number of arrests for truancy .
0
Number sent to truant school ·
0
-
1
12
In presenting the statistics of the schools the same general plan is followed year after year in order to facilitate comparison. Such statistics point out certain facts concerning our schools and rep- resent in some measure the degree of interest that the parents, teachers, and pupils take in the administration of the schools, but there are features of our work too exalted and noble to be ade- quately set forth by figures or represented by words.
It is gratifying to report a large number of visits by parents and friends of the schools. These visits encourage the pupils, stimulate the teachers to better effort, and create a stronger bond of sympathy between parents and teachers. I earnestly urge parents to visit the schools during the regular every day work in order to notice the improvement in methods of instruction, and observe the better feeling that now exists between pupils and teachers.
The total number of pupils enrolled for the year was 2291. This represents an increase of 20 over last year and is the largest number ever reported. As all duplicate enrollments are excluded these figures represent the actual number of different pupils who attended school in Weymouth last year long enough to have their names appear on the school registers.
The per cent. of attendance (94 per cent. for the town) is as large and the number of tardinesses (1275) as small as we should expect to attain because of the scattered condition of our school population. Over 160 pupils, whose names are given in the Roll of Honor were neither absent nor tardy for the entire year.
The following tables give the highest and lowest records of at- tendance and punctuality for the year. No allowance is made for the size or grade of the several schools :
ATTENDANCE.
HIGHEST.
LOWEST.
SOUTH HIGH 98.4%
PRATT, grades I-V 87 %
BATES, grades VIII IX 98
% POND, grades I-V 87%
BATES, grades VII-VIII 97 %
JEFFERSON, grade
HOWE, grades III-IV 97 %
sub-1 87%
ATHENS, grades VII-IX 97
WASHINGTON, grade
FRANKLIN grade VIII 97 %
sub-1 ·
88 %
FRANKLIN grade VII 97
%
ADAMS, grades I-IV . 89 %
13
TARDINESS.
BEST RECORD.
BATES, grades VII-VIII 2 cases NORTH HIGH . 112 cases LINCOLN, grade I 3 cases HUNT, grade IX 111 cases
JEFFERSON, grades I-II 3 cases
ADAMS, grades I-IV 85 cases
FRANKLIN, grade VIII 4 cases PRATT, grades I-V 60 cases
BICKNELL, grades IV- VII 4 cases
POOREST RECORD.
HOLBROOK, grades I-V 49 cases
CHANGES OF TEACHERS.
During the calendar year 1896 twelve teachers retired from our teaching force. Of this number two left because of poor health, one to prepare for other work, three to get married and six to accept better positions in other places.
Since January, 1897, two more teachers have accepted better positions in other places. Thus our schools continue to be train- ing schools for cities and towns that pay larger salaries than we can pay. We are not, however, wholly losers from this draft upon us year after year, for the hope of advancement always inspires teachers to better effort, and improvements in one school are felt by all the others to a greater or less extent.
Two of the teachers who resigned during the past year have given the schools valuable service for over three years. It is safe to say that for the past two years these gentlemen have been worth to the town much more than they have received for their services. A small increase in their salaries would have retained them for some time. Such an increase, I believe, would have been wisdom on the part of the committee.
I cannot refrain from again advancing the same opinion that was given in my school report of 1892. If it were possible to make teachers' salaries depend upon intelligent and inspiring teaching rather than upon length of service, the efficiency of our schools would be increased immeasurably. This change, if made, would not necessarily increase the total amount now paid for sal- aries of teachers.
The following is a complete list of the changes of teachers for the year :-
14
RETIRED.
Date.
Name.
School.
Jan., 1896,
Louise G. White,
Hunt,
Feb.,
Susie B. Litchfield,
March, 66 Annie H. Weston,
June, Charles F. Abbott,
June, A. L. Saben,
North High,
Principal. Assistant. V.
June, 66 Mary C. Hunt,
June, Albert S. Ames,
June, 66 Mary C. Spencer,
Hunt, Washington, Washington, South High,
Principal. II.
Aug., 66
Ruth N. Tower,
Oct., 66 Chester H. Wilbar,
Bates,
Nov.,
Mary K. Tibbits,
Hunt,
Dec.,
66 Lizzie E. Tirrell,
Jefferson,
Principal.
TRANSFERRED.
Date.
Name.
From.
Washington,
To. Washington,
Sept., 1896, Margaret A. Dee,
Grade I. Grade II.
APPOINTED.
Date.
Name.
School.
Hunt,
Feb., Lizzie G. Hyland,
March, 66 M. Maud Vanston,
July,
Edmund J. Bugbee,
Principal.
July,
Henry S. Hall,
Aug., 66 Edwin Sampson,
Aug., 66 Antoinette Pond,
Hunt, Washington, South High,
I. Assistant.
Oct., 66 Frank L. Titcomb,
Bates, Hunt,
Principal. VIII.
Nov.,
Luther Hatch,
Dec.,
66
Arthur B. Bennett,
Jefferson,
Grade. VII.
Jan., 1896,
Mary C. Rogers,
Washington, Athens, North High, Washington, North High,
Sub. I.
I and II.
Principal. Assistant. V.
Sept., Jessie E. Barber,
Sept., 66 Helen L. Irons,
Principal.
Grade. VII.
Washington, Athens, North High,
Sub. I. I and II.
Assistant. Principal. VIII.
15
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
REG. 12. No child belonging to a household in which small-pox, varioloid, membranous croup, diptheria, scarlet fever, measles, or other contagious disease dangerous to the public health exists, or whose residence has a common entrance with such household, shall be allowed to attend any public school until the expiration of two weeks after the death, recovery or removal of such sick person; and every such child shall be required to present to the teacher of the school a certificate from the attending physician or member of the Board of Health, stating that he is free from contagion, and that the requirements of this regulation have been complied with.
The above section is taken from the regulations of the Board of Health of Weymouth. Its aim is to protect the children in the public schools and to prevent the spread of disease through that channel. It is a wise provision and its observance has many times prevented an epidemic of children's diseases. Parents should heartily co-operate with the teachers in carrying out the pro- visions of the law and thereby assist in preventing the spread of children's diseases in the schools. If physicians were more prompt in reporting, and the Board of Health had better facilities for communicating with school authorities the spirit of the Regul- ation could be better observed.
The duty of the teachers is plain. They must not allow a child belonging to a family in which any contagious disease exists to at- tend school, and they must require every such child on returning to school to bring a health certificate signed by a physician or member of the Board of Health. The belief on the part of the teacher that the child is all right, or the statement from the parent to that effect is not sufficient to cover the requirements of the regu- lation.
In order that no expense need be incurred by the parents in complying with the law, the School Committee furnish the follow- ing blank certificates :
THIS CERTIFIES That in my opinion.
is free from contagion, and that the requirements of the above regulation have been complied with.
.. . .
Attending Physician.
Member of Board of Health.
. . .
16
When a physician is employed his signature is expected, but in case no physician is called the signature of a member of the Board of Health is required.
Notice the special Instructions to teachers in regard to Conta- gious Diseases in Appendix IV.
STORM SIGNALS.
When the new fire alarm system was introduced into our town the school committee felt that the vexed question of Signal for no School was solved. But the fire alarm system has proved very little better than the old way except in expense. The signals now given can be heard in scarcely more than one-half of the town. On several occasions during the past winter the schools at the Landing, South Weymouth, and other parts of the town have continued in session on very stormy days because the storm signal was not heard. Of course this creates a great amount of dissat- isfaction, and frequent complaints are entered beeause of the un- necessary exposure of the small children to the storms. If we have a storm signal at all it should be extensive enough to benefit the children of the whole town. I do not know as this is pos- sible, but it seems to me if connections were made with the whistles of the factories of M. C. Dizer & Co., Torrey, Curtis & Tirrell, J. W. Hart & Co., and H. B. Reed & Co., that the service would be very satisfactory.
MANUAL TRAINING.
My firm belief that our school system lacks something that can be supplied only by the introduction of manual training is my ex- cuse for again bringing this matter to the attention of the school committee and citizens of Weymouth. From an educational standpoint, hand training is a necessary adjunct to the public school, because it secures training which cannot be secured by ob- servation or study of text books. It provides for the dull boy a chance to gain mental development by the assistance of his hands, develops the perceptive faculties of all children, and is a strong factor in forming habits of perseverance and accuracy.
17
No pupils stand more in need of such training than ours, for we are a community of hand laborers, and our children should be given opportunities for mental development along lines fitted to their possibilities.
I strongly recommend that the boys of grades V, VI and VII, and the girls of grade VII be given instruction in the Sloyd system of manual training; and that the girls of grades V and VI be given instruction in plain sewing. These grades include about 570 pupils, who would receive training in these lines for one hour each week. The most economical plan to carry out this recommendation would be to provide one Sloyd shop with 25 benches for use of all the pupils. The first cost to fit up the shop would be about $400 ($15 per bench. ) The yearly expense would be about $500 for transportation, $100 for rent, $30 for janitor's service, $50 for heating, $100 for material, and $500 for instruc- tors ; total $1280. For instruction in sewing the expense would be very light, possibly $40 for material and $100 for instruction. (The instruction in this department would, I believe, be assumed by some of our enterprising "Ladies' Clubs.")
If my estimates are correct, it will be seen that the total yearly expense of introducing into our schools these two important lines of training would be inside of $1,500. How much longer shall we delay the introduction of these important subjects that are so rapidly becoming a prominent part of public instruction in all of the more progressive communities of our country ?
HIGH SCHOOLS.
The number of pupils in the high schools has increased from 177 in 1889 to 251 in 1897. As the educational requirements have in- creased year by year to meet the demands of the higher institutions of learning, this increase in the number of pupils in the high schools shows a commendable educational spirit. About 75% of the grammar school graduates go to the high schools, and many of the high school graduates enter higher institutions of learning. Our schools are now, or have recently been, represented in Bridge- water and Framingham normal schools, the Institute of Tech- nology, Amherst, Dartmouth, Smith, Wellesley, Harvard and
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