USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1848-1874 > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
18
Nov. 15,
Reuben S.H.Andrews Lucy Hayden, 27 23
Scituate, 66
Boston, Scituate,
Nov. 22,
Frederic Capen, Jane E. Beal,
36
Stoughton, Scituate,
Stoughton, Scituate,
Boot-manufac- turer.
Nov. 23, 6
John S. Beck, Laura Webb,
29
Boston, Scituate,
Exeter, N.H. Scituate,
Ornamental painter.
Nov. 28, -
Lorenzo Bates, Mary C. Bates,
23
So. Scituate, Scituate,
So. Scituate, Scituate,
Nov. 29,
Albert Clapp, Mary A. Packard,
24
Scituate,
Scituate, E. Bridgewat'r
Dec. 16,
George W. Hodgdon, Nancy A. Clapp,
27
Scituate, 21
Eliot, Me. Scituate,
Mariner.
Dec. 16, 66
William T. Burrows, Rachel M. Litchfield. 21
24
Scituate,
Scituate, 66
Stair-builder.
-
26
Cohasset, Scituate,
Cohasset, Scituate,
Mariner.
Feb. 11,
John Manson, Sarah B. Jenkins,
52
20
19
27
Scituate,
Scituate, 66
Carpenter.
27
23
19
19
24
Butcher.
Farmer.
20
Laborer.
46
Bolter.
Grocer.
19
DEATHS
Registered in the Town of Scituate during the year 1866.
Age.
Birthplace.
Disease.
Years.
Mos.
Days.
Jan. 12, 1866.
George E. Vinal
22
11
5
Scituate,
16, 66
Asa Merritt
73
2
16
20,
Judith Albie.
81
10
18
29,
Maria Ellms
57
1
·
Durham, N.H. Scituate,
Chronic bronchitis. Unknown.
Feb. 3,
Melzar S. Turner ..
57
10
20
So. Scituate,
Erysipelas.
5,
William C. Bowditch .
10
25
Scituate,
Dysentery.
27,
66
George H. Curtis
20
9
15
Consumption.
66
12,
13,
66
Nathaniel P. Jordan. . Charles Ellms
49
8
3
Marshfield,
Heart dis. & dropsy.
66
13,
Charles Clapp.
52
4
28
Typhoid fever.
Apr. 12, 66
Patience G. Brown.
24
7
17
Scituate,
Consumption. 6
19,
Abel Brown
62
S
7
19,
§ Twin children of W. J. Newcomb
96 47
3
23
66
May 3, 66
Emily Bailey.
48
6
27
So. Scituate,
66
15,
66
57
.
20
Scituate,
28,
Francis M. Litchfield .
55
1
2
" 30,
Alvyen Vinal
68
10
26
June 10,
Dennis Ward
65
Charles C. Damon
25 2
15
Ireland, Scituate, 66
Colic. Heart dis. & dropsy. Consumption. Paralysis.
« 23,
66
Judith Ellms
70
8
12
« 23,
66
Margaret Ellms.
66
7
8
Cancer in stomach.
66 29,
Charlotte Curtis
71
3
6
Chronic bronchitis.
Aug. 10
Job F. Bailey
1
1
27
Diarrhea.
« 16,
Hattie B. Merritt
5
1
Cholera-infantum.
" 23,
66
Melissa Slason. ..
2
14
Weymouth,
Infantile.
Sep. 16,
Patrick H. Murphy.
3
11
Scituate,
Cholera-infantum.
Oct. 11,
Joseph W. Bailey.
2
16
66
Nov. 24,
William Young
66
3
14
66
Dec. 9,
66
Deborah Briggs
89
1
19
Consumption. Old age.
" 12,
66
Elizabeth W. K. Stone,
24
1
23
Consumption.
“ 14,
Billings Merritt.
36
2
20 Scituate,
Chronic diarrhea.
Number of Births registered, born in Scituate in 1866 (males 35, females 20),
55
Of parents born in the United States,
44
one born in the United States,
3
66 66 born in foreign countries,
8
Number of Marriages, one or both of the parties resid- ing in Scituate at the time of marriage, 28
Number of deaths in Scituate during the year 1866 (males 18, females 14), 32
Average Age, 43 years, 1 month, and 29 days.
Number of Dogs licensed for the year ending May 1, 1867, 54
JAMES L. MERRITT, TOWN CLERK.
31,
Martha A. Litchfield .. 61
7
11
Benjamin T. Totman .
71
15
Disease of bladder.
Mar. 6,
26,
Priscilla Hayes
73
. .
Dover, N.H.
Palsy.
19,
1
25,
Celia Peaks
Boston,
..
Consumption.
66
July 16,
5,
Hannah C. Clapp
60
S
22
Scituate,
1
Infantile. 6 Old age.
Lucy Ellms .
·
66
. .
Date of Death.
NAMES.
Consumption. Softening of brain.
1
FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
FOR 1866-7. .
SCHOOL REPORT.
GENTLEMEN OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, - The following brief report of the condition of the public schools is hereby submitted, through you, to the town.
A superintendent is not intrusted with the management of the schools in his own right, but, under the law, always as the agent of the school committee, with whom remain all the pow- ers given them by the statutes. They confide to him, for the time, the general care and supervision of the schools. He visits them, notes their condition, encourages a unity of action, advises, criticises, and compares, all for the committee. Par- ties feeling aggrieved can appeal to the committee, who may approve, modify, or wholly reverse his decisions, as the facts in the case may seem to require.
With this understanding of the provisions of the law, and with the support of a committee to whom I felt free to apply at all times for advice, I ventured again to accept this unmer- ited indication of your confidence, not being unmindful of its many duties and grave responsibilities.
The committee, at the annual meeting, re-elected Rev. Alex- ander J. Sessions to the chair ; and the offices of secretary and superintendent were united in one person. As the town neglected to choose agents, it was voted, -
1. That the members of the Committee perform all the duties of prudential agent in their respective districts ; keeping a correct account of all expenditures, auditing and approving all proper bills except those of teachers, and reporting the same to the superintendent at least two weeks before the close of the winter term.
24
2. That the schools be kept forty weeks, closing Feb. 21; and that the salary of primary teachers be $200 for that time. In case of a failure to complete the contract, under certain circumstances, but four dollars and fifty cents per week, for the time kept, would be paid.
3. To choose a sub-committee of three to examine teachers, and act as agents of the High School. Rev. A. J. Sessions, George C. Lee, Esq., and G. H. Bates were chosen. Mr. Lee declined, and G. W. Merritt, Esq., was elected.
4. That the master of the High School receive a salary of six hundred dollars.
5. That the committee express their disapproval of the practice of allowing private schools illegally to occupy the schoolhouses.
As the committee have not prepared a report on the subject of allowing the schoolhouses to be used for other than the ordinary purposes, the decision in regard to which was referred to them by the town, I respectfully submit, in their behalf, what clearly seems to be the common law upon this subject.
A private school, in order to gain admission to a school- house, must be open to every scholar of the district, whether the scholar contributes to the support of said school or other- wise. The teacher must be the usual instructor of the public school in that district, holding a certificate from the committee. When these conditions are met, the committee are at liberty to offer a schoolhouse to such school, and furnish fuel, if they please, at the town's expense.
The propriety of opening the schoolhouses to various meet- ings, having no connection with the public schools, is very doubtful. In the absence of agents, the statute, in that behalf provided, places in the hands of the school committee " the general charge and superintendence of the schoolhouses, so far as relates to the use to which the same may be appropri- ated."
Mr. Boutwell, than whom no authority on this subject is higher, gives the following opinion: " It seems to follow negatively, from the authority here granted, that the school committee cannot allow a schoolhouse to be used for any pur-
25
pose not contemplated in its erection. The same rule should apply to the powers of prudential committees, where the dis- tricts erect and maintain the houses."
It seems now to be clear, from a recent legal decision, that religious meetings of any particular sect cannot be admitted. In regard to the admission of the· Temperance Alliance, - a union of all sects in one common cause; the principles of which, " sobriety, chastity, moderation, and temperance," the statutes require all instructors of the youth to inculcate ; whose president is the chairman of the school committee, whose agents are the teachers, and whose rolls and pledges exhibit the names of many scores of our scholars, - there does not seem to be an absolute violation of the law.
The appearance of the whooping cough at a very unfavor- able season of the year led the superintendent to instruct the teachers to exclude temporarily all scholars having it from attendance upon the schools. The interruption of school ex- ercises always incident to a violent case of whooping cough seems, of itself, to be sufficient reason for the temporary ex- clusion of the sufferer. Still, there were a few who thought it a peculiar hardship and unjust.
But, when we consider its contagiousness, the law comes in, with its explicit provisions : "If children are suffering from a contagious disease, or are so impure in morals as to render them pernicious to others, the school committee may direct the teacher to exclude them temporarily or perma- nently."
The efforts to prevent its spreading were, however, ineffect- ual ; and in one or two instances the schools were so reduced as to open to the committee the question of closing them till the disease had passed away.
In this connection, your attention is invited to the subject of cleanliness, both as regards schoolhouses and scholars. The confinement of from twenty to sixty scholars three hours at a time, in a single room, often imperfectly ventilated, is of itself, with the happiest surroundings and circumstances, cal- culated to touch that choicest of all earthly blessings, - phys- ical health. Let the room be dirty and smoke-begrimed, and the evil effects are likely to show themselves in a light so
4
26
strong that every kindly parent would fear for the result. The children attending school in such a foul place, if left to themselves, will gradually begin to neglect personal cleanli- ness, and the absence of a certain tidiness, which ever per- vades a well-regulated schoolroom, will become apparent. They will lose their respect for the schoolhouse, and, worse than all, that self-respect which is the foundation of all the hopes for a worthy and prosperous life.
This subject must receive more attention. There are schoolhouses in town, that, until last spring, had never been so much as whitewashed since the day of their erection. It is not possible that the good people of Scituate can grudge the expense of the soap, lime, paint, and labor necessary to secure a sweet, clean schoolroom.
Then there is need of a little more care, in some cases, that pupils be made clean and tidy before leaving their homes. However much it may be argued that dirt conduces to health- fulness, be so good, so long as that treatment is continued, to keep the patient at home.
The well-being of the scholars as regards health should supersede all thoughts of crowding through certain amounts of study. In the late examinations, several teachers gave an exhibition of the gymnastic exercises practised in their schools, which I can but commend to the attention of all the teachers.
A learned and intelligent body of physicians has decided, that primary pupils should be allowed two recesses in each session ; and, if this has influenced us to encourage teachers to dismiss the little ones before the close of school, it is hoped the parents will not consider it ill-meant. Perhaps it has the appearance of something like irregularity, but a glance inside at the rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes should silence opposi- tion ; and may we not believe that the exercise in the open air and the warm sunshine of heaven is that which is health- giving, and not so much the dirt ?
As before intimated, the general school committee has power, under the laws of the commonwealth, in order to main- tain the " purity and discipline of the public schools, to ex- clude therefrom a child whom they deem to be of a licentious
27
and immoral character, although such character is not mani- fested by any acts of licentiousness or immorality within the school."
The propriety of the town's availing itself of the provis- ions of the truant-law, adopting by-laws and appointing truant-officers, is a question upon which the town might do well to take some action. The constables might be selected for this purpose, and thus render the cause of general educa- tion excellent service. Cohasset, Hingham, East Bridgewater, and several other neighboring towns, have appointed such officers, it is believed with good results.
The subject of school discipline is attracting attention at the present time ; one party advocating the abolishment of corporal punishment, while the other is engaged in its defence. The reaction from the extremes of the times of our fathers, and the substitution of female teachers for the severer masters have wrought a wonderful change in the government of our schools. But is there not danger of passing to the opposite extreme ?. It is not intended to disparage the influence of an affectionate intercourse between the teacher and pupil; but love alone can never control all minds. A teacher with a noble patience, a rare tact, and a deep insight into human na- ture, and with a " head full of expedients," may succeed in the management of some very difficult cases; but there must be authority, law, and a penalty following surely its violation, back of it all, to insure complete success. The teachings of the Scriptures harmonize with this view: "He that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."
There is a healthful medium between these extremes that commends itself. The rule of love, in the main, must be the reliance of the teacher. Her heart must go out in sympathy toward the pupil, longing, hoping, trusting that the gentle graces Christ came to exemplify may sweetly reign in all the school.
Every child, like Achilles, has a vulnerable part; and a skilful teacher will so touch the responsive chords that they will vibrate in harmony with her will.
28
Gentlemen of the town, How shall the thanks be expressed that committee, teachers, pupils, and every friend of edu- cation, owe you for the still increased appropriation of the past year ? It inspires a profound gratitude to Him, who, amid the burdens of war and the excitements of peace, has put it into your hearts to provide thus liberally for the youth.
It enabled the committee to continue each of the schools ten months of the year, the longest time in their history, while the wages of the teachers were considerably raised.
Section first of chapter one hundred and forty-two of the acts of 1865, provides that " no apportionment and distribu- tion of the annual income of the school-fund " shall be made to any town that " has not complied with the requisitions of the first and second sections of chapter thirty-eight " of. the general statutes; namely, the sustaining of primary schools six months in each year, and where there are five hundred householders, or families, a high school, for the benefit of all the inhabitants, at least ten months in each year.
Since reporting to the town at the annual meeting, my eye has fallen upon an amendatory act of 1866, section second, chapter two hundred and eight, which substitutes nine months for ten in the above.
The town has been urged repeatedly to abolish the district system, but without success. Your attention is invited to section first of chapter two hundred and eight, act of 1866, wherein each town, complying with all the laws in force, is annually granted seventy-five dollars, the residue of the moiety being apportioned among the towns in proportion to the chil- dren in each, " provided, that, after the distribution of said moiety of income in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, no city or town in which the district system exists shall receive the seventy-five dollars herein specifically appropriated."
The scholars have been encouraged to punctuality by the promise that all such successes would be acknowledged in the report. Should this honorable catalogue be so increased as to crowd out the usual remarks, we would cheerfully sur- render.
29
In the High School, Miss Amie Allen, Miss Selina B. Curtis, and Miss Carrie W. Litchfield were not absent once in a single term, and Miss Emma F. Northey not once in two terms.
Those present every day in one term, at Miss Whiting's" school, were Frank B. Allen, Osmon B. Nason, and Nellie W. Allen ; present every day for two terms, Josephine Vinal and Willie L. Jenkins. It will be recollected that Willie was not absent once last year. Sickness alone prevented his making up two years of punctuality. Willie has done well.
Turning to Greenbush Number Two, we find that Ella B. Clapp, Walter J. Bates, Edwin Bates, Charles Totman, John R. Wade, Frank F. Cole, Lemuel Robinson, Frank W. Bates, and Warren W. Jenkins, were each present every day for a single term. Certainly a very good record when we consider the sickness which has had full play here.
The North Main-street School is the second in size in the town. Eliza A. Bryant, Eva H. Merritt, Emily F. Morris, Flora L. Bailey, Lucy A. Clapp, Jane Studley, Hattie F. Mott, and Abby J. Gannett maintained a punctuality for one term ; Georgianna H. Clapp for two terms, and ABBY A. and HAN- NAH E. MORRIS for the whole year; while MARTHA J. NEWCOMB and JOSEPH W. MORRIS have not been absent once for two years. Truly No. 3 is the " banner district" in this respect. The names of these scholars will live long in the memory of the committee. For nearly four hundred days, neither indisposi- tion nor inclement weather has prevented Martha and Joseph from responding " present " to the call of the teacher.
At Grove Street, Number Four, Mr. Damon, the local commit- tee, calls upon the town for permission to grade the school- yard. It should be granted. Georgie Hyland, Lizzie Fitts, Emma G. Fitts, Israel C. Dalby, John Fitts, Frank S. Watson, and George E. Sylvester were each punctual for one term.
The patrons of Number Five enjoyed the services of a male teacher in the winter term. On account of illness, I employed Mr. Merritt, member at large, to visit this school and Number Four the last term. I am sorry to report that the registers do not show a single instance of punctuality in this school for two years.
30
The Beach-street School at the Neck averaged fifteen for the year, the whole number of scholars being twenty-three. Sarah Damon, George O. Pratt, and Charles Turner were not "absent once in a single term.
Passing to Number Seven, Common Street, we find Agnes W. Jenkins, Henry W. Harrub, and Eddie S. Jenkins with a clean record for one term ; Ellen M. Young and Matilda Night- ingale, punctual for two terms ; and SUSIE C. YOUNG and PRIS- CILLA J. LITCHFIELD, not absent once in the year.
At Willow Street, Sarah L. Tilden, Carrie Dunbar, Jennie Clapp, Charles F. Cook, Ellen Landers, and George F. Dunbar were present every day in one term; and Nellie P. Bates every day in two terms.
Those not absent once in one term in the Central-street School were Annie M. Brown, Annie F. Peirce, Emma A. Cudworth, Mary E. Damon, D. Augustus Langdon, Asa E. Merritt, Wesley C. Merritt, and Stephen L. Webb. Not absent in two terms, Lydia F. Jackson. Punctual through the year, HELEN S. BROWN.
The school in the Charles-street district numbers twenty scholars, and had an average attendance through the year of eighteen. Lizzie J. Curtis, Mary F. Curtis, and Harvey Cur- tis were each punctual for one term, and Sarah L. Hutchinson for two terms.
The crowded condition of the school in District Number One demands the attention of the town, that some measure of re- lief may be under consideration. It will be seen, by the tabu- lar statement annexed, that there are sixty-one scholars in this district ; but were it believed that this state of things would not continue, or become worse, the subject would not be intro- duced at this time.
From reference to section ninth of chapter thirty-eighth of the general statutes, it will be seen that the scholars here are not enjoying their full privilege before the law. While sixty, or seventy scholars even, would not be considered too great a number for one teacher in a graded primary school, fifty is certainly the highest number that can expect to do well in our mixed schools of the country.
I regret to report that several of the schoolrooms are defi- cient in charts, one, I think, not having a single map to grace
31
its walls ; and in view of the power granted the committee by section four, chapter thirty-six, to appropriate a sum from the income of the school-fund, not exceeding twenty-five per cent. of the same, for " the purchase of books of reference, maps, and apparatus," for the use of the schools, I would respect- fully recommend that they take action in this matter by soli- citing contributions in the respective districts, and, if these prove insufficient, by an appropriation as above provided.
The committee would be gratified to see a larger class at the High School in the Latin language. That it is vastly superior to the French in nearly all the respects that the study of the languages is expected to be of any benefit to our scholars, cannot for a moment be doubted. As regards disciplining the mind, and acquiring a knowledge of grammatical principles, the philosophy of language, and a richer, higher literature, and as a key to our own English tongue, the French cannot be compared with it.
It is objected that most of our pupils have but little time for acquiring a knowledge of the Latin, and that what they do obtain is likely soon to be lost. But is it lost ? Is there not, in the language of another, " a precision of thought, a moder- ation and justness in conclusions, and a fragrance of classical aroma diffused over style, giving a charm to discourse even in the ears of the unlearned," that are promoted by the study of this ancient tongue ? Distinguished educators so aver.
In the second class of high schools, the statute does not require the introduction of French, and hence instruction in it may not be expected of the teacher. As an equivalent for Latin in the course for graduates, it should not longer be accepted.
It seems to me that the study of grammar, as pursued in most of our primary schools, is almost an utter waste of time. Such a formidable and almost incomprehensible array of tech- nical terms are likely to inspire a young child with a life-long dislike of the whole subject, which a subsequent understand- ing of its importance may never overcome.
If the object of grammar is to teach children how to speak and write their native tongue with propriety, why not teach them first to talk correctly in their common conversation, -
32
regarding them as children and not men, - and afterwards how to write such simple thoughts as a child would naturally tell another ?
This has been practised in Number Seven the past year, where the use of the text-book has been almost wholly dis- carded ; and, I am free to confess that the grammatical ac- quirements of some very young children have caused certain older people to be extremely careful in their speech, lest they should be subjected to youthful criticism ; and in this way, not only may the children be taught the use of syntax, but, possibly, some who are supposed to have an acquaintance with it already.
As an example of this instruction, I introduce an incident from another district. To some question of the teacher, a pupil replied, " I and Harvey." Objection being made to this ex- pression, every thing for a moment was suspended, and the teacher, in simple but attracting words, explained to the school the infelicity of the boy's reply. He was required to improve it, - an essential point, by the way ; and the "Harvey and I," that followed, restored confidence, and gave evidence that the error would not again be repeated. The teacher further explained that the first answer would have been a good one had her question been, " Who are whispering?" Here was another thought ; and, by the answering light of their eyes, I saw that the youngest were comprehending it, and, more than this, that they were actually refreshed by a lesson in gram- mar.
Suppose, in passing through the lessons of the text-book, this had come up in another form : " Pronouns of different persons, used in the same connection, should have their ap- propriate position. The second person is placed first, the third next, and the first last ; except when a fault is confessed, when the order is sometimes reversed." How wearying when compared with the former, and how unlikely to be put in prac- tice.
The system of instruction here recommended naturally leads to the second division of grammar, - written composition, - without which its study is decidedly incomplete. Some plan should be devised to secure more attention to composition, to
33
make it more interesting; so that, if happily any one of our boys should come to be an applicant to teach a high school, he may not, like some in the past, make a dozen mistakes in spelling and punctuation on a single page of note-paper.
The committee have a word to say at this time on the subject of drawing, in the schools. But few instances are found where any attention whatever is given this interesting exercise. They regard it as entitled to much more consideration than it has ever received ; but it is suspected that many parents even sympathise with this neglect, believing it to be a total waste of time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.