USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1882-1886 > Part 9
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450 00
divided as follows :
For Town Treasurer, $50 00
Town Clerk, 100 00
Board of Selectmen,
400 00
Assessors,
400 00
66
" Overseers of the Poor,
250 00
School Committee,
(with same recommenda-
tions in regard to Chairman and Sec'y as last year,
250 00
Board of Fire Engineers
75 00
66 " Auditors,
100 00
66 " Road Commissioners,
150 00
Tax Collector, for collecting tax
warrant of 1883,
400 00
Constable and Police services,
300 00
Total,
2,475 00
Miscellaneous Expenses,
3,000 00
Total,
. $44,225 00
In recommending an increase in the Appropriation for Street Lamps, it was with the opinion on the part of the Committee that our streets should be better lighted.
BEEBE TO 1856
BRARY,
LD
156
We recommend that the compensation of Enginemen for the year commencing May 1, 1883, be fixed at thirteen dol- lars and a sum equal to the poll-tax.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIUS BEEBE, THOMAS WINSHIP, . JAMES F. EMERSON, S. O. RICHARDSON, WM. F. YOUNG,
JAMES OLIVER, EVERETT HART, A. W. BROWNELL, AZEL AMES, JR., B. F. BANCROFT,
J. O. BLANCHARD, T. J. SKINNER, Sec'y.
Mr. E. E. Oliver, not having been present at the meet- ings of the Committee, does not sign the report.
WAKEFIELD, March 14, 1883.
-
157
REPORT
OF
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The experience of the year in the Health administration of the town has been peculiar, and is calculated to teach sev- eral valuable lessons if heeded. Its repetition would, in all probability,involve the town in serious expense and litigation as well as wide-spread sickness and possible mortality.
At the annual Town Meeting of April last the town elected as its Board of Health for the ensuing year, Messrs. John Purington, John S. Eaton and Azel Ames, Jr. At the first adjournment Mr. Eaton declined the election, and at a sub- sequent meeting the town declined to fill the vacancy. The remaining members met and organized by the choice of Mr. Purington as Chairman and Dr. Ames as Secretary and Health Officer. A few months later Mr. Purington died and but a single member remained.
The absence of any provision of law akin to that relating to the filling of vacancies in the School Board, whereby a joint convention of that Board and the Selectmen may elect, rendered it impossible to make good the number except by election by the town. It also left in doubt the right of the remaining member to act, while the election of a Board had, in the opinion of legal authorities, taken from the Board of Selectmen the power otherwise vested in them. The town was therefore left without a certainly competent health author-
158
ity, and, in case of emergency, without a power upon whom responsibility might surely be placed. Furthermore, remem- bering the action of the town in refusing to fill the vacancy upon the Board at the adjourned spring meeting, the Select- men naturally hesitated ahout calling a town meeting ex- pressly for that purpose.
The summer months were exceptionally dry, and the absen- teeism being large, a good health rate existed, which contin- ued with but little unfavorable change till the early winter months. An outbreak of scarlet fever, at first limited to a single section and comprising but two cases, (one of these certainly imported and the other possibly,) marked the month of December .. Knowledge of these failing to reach the remaining member of the Board, who, upon legal advice, had consented to continue to act by virtue of his unrevoked authority as Health Officer, the cases spread till, in the month of January, there were at one time twenty-one cases located in seven centres of infection. The total number of cases ascertained was thirty-two. The number fatal, five, though the disease was of a somewhat severe type. Without estab- lishing actual quarantine of the houses infected (which, under the doubtful authority existing, the Health Officer was re- luctant to set up,) such restrictions were placed upon attend- ance at school (totally prohibited) and intercourse with neigh- bors as should reduce the risks to the least possible minimum.
I regret to state that Dr. S. W. Abbott of this town, now the Health Officer of the State, and Dr. Chas. Jordan, alone forwarded notice of cases under treatment, required by law, the former reporting in writing, the latter verbally ; a cul- pable neglect, but one not to be wondered at in view of the indifference to vital health-matters so habitually manifested by the town. Fortunately sufficient intelligence was received from the sources named and from teachers of the public schools ( whose cordial cooperation has been most valuable and is most warmly appreciated) to enable a pretty fair oversight
159
of the epidemic, for such, to a small degree, it became. At this date, March 17, scarlet fever still exists in three families, (these unreported officially ) .
The prompt and cheerful acquiescence in the instructions given, by those placed under restrictions, has much lightened the task of the Health Officer, and one young lady attending the High School, who, wishing to observe all rightful pre- cautions and yet pursue her studies, found temporary accom- modation away from her infected home, is deserving of praise and thanks.
The advent of the open months makes it probable, though not certain that the spread of the disease at present is not to be seriously feared, though it is safe to predict that with the return of the winter months another year the disease will start up in the centres affected this year, and competent health authority will be required to suppress it. It is fer- vently to be hoped, especially in view of this probability, that the same want of interest in Health administration which has been manifest this and in past years, will not prevail at the approaching annual meeting.
The Town of Wakefield has attained size, importance, wealth and a prosperous condition such as to not only war- rant but demand the proper consideration of all its divisions of administration, and of these none is so fundamental as its public health.
The construction of Water Works in the town the coming summer, while bringing an inestimable blessing, also fur- nishes a most important additional reason why an able and efficient Board of Health should exist. Our houses are soon to be delivered over to the plumber, by the side of whose ravages and whose bill of expense " a bull in a china shop" is tame. The residents of towns introducing water, for want of precaution in this direction, have almost univer- sally been subjected not only to exorbitant charges, but- worse still-to wretched plumbing.' Experience has proven that there is but one way to successfully counteract this diffi-
160
culty, viz .- to require every plumber who plies his trade to be licensed by the Board of Health, and for that Board to license no one not passing a satisfactory examination or pro- ducing convincing proofs of honesty and skill. By this step, this town may avoid the woes that have so generally fallen upon others at the hands of the plumber.
It is beyond doubt that the introduction of water . will increase its use for all domestic purposes. When fouled it must be gotten rid of. It will behoove our citizens to improve and enlarge their cesspools, as a surely increasing demaud will be made upon them. Properly constructed, properly inspected, and properly emptied, they afford at once the best and the only available substitute for sewers, without the enor- mous expense of the latter.
But for the nature of the difficulties themselves, and the earnest efforts the School Board is making to meet the requirements, a most severe stricture would properly be passed in this report upon the wretched sanitary condition that exists in many of our school rooms, especially those occupied by the youngest children. It is most ardently to be hoped that the town will this year provide those increased accommodations that can alone relieve the present really criminal condition of things as regards overcrowding, etc.
The gratifying results obtained from the town's action of last year, upon the recommendation of the Board of Health, in regard to the culvert under Mechanic street, are cause for congratulation, and prove the benefit of thorough work where similar matters are involved.
The mortality of the year has been slightly above the average. The number of nuisance cases only one half of the number reported last year.
Respectfully submitted,
AZEL AMES, JR.,
Secretary of Board of Health and Health Officer. WAKEFIELD, March 17, 1883.
161
1
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
The School Committee hereby present their report for the year ending February 24, 1883 :-
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
I. POPULATION.
Population of Wakefield, Census of 1880, · 5,548
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age, May 1st, 1882, 1,092
Increase since May 1st, 1881, 78
II. TEACHERS.
Number of teachers in the High School, 3
6. Grammar Grades, * 4
60 66
66 Intermediate " ·
5
66
66 Primary
* 4
66
Wards (ungraded ), * 4
66
Special teachers, (music) 1
* Whole number of teachers, 21
*Excluding Assistants employed temporarily in Advanced, First and Second Grammar, Second Primary, West Primary and Greenwood Schools. 21
162
III. PUPILS.
Number of pupils belonging to schools Feb. 24, 1883, . · 990
Number of pupils belonging to schools Feb. 28, 1882, . 869
Increase, . 121
Average number belonging during the year 1882-
1883, . ·
924.6
Average number belonging during the year 1881-
1882, . 859.11
Increase,
65.49
Average daily attendance during the year 1882-
1883, . 831.7
Average daily attendance during the year 1881- 1882, . 764.05
Increase, 67.65
Average per cent. of attendance (upon the average
number belonging), 89.9
Average number belonging, for each teacher :
In the High School, 23.6
" " Grammar Grades, 55.5
" " Intermediate " . 47.5
" " Primary 66 53.3 ·
16 " Ward (ungraded) Schools, 45.4
163
TABLE OF ATTENDANCE.
SCHOOLS.
Average number [belonging.
Average daily attendance.
Average per cent. of att :n-
Number belonging to School
Feb. 24, 1883.
No. belonging to school, Feb. 28, 1882.
-
High School,
70.7
68.5
96.7
74
68
Advanced Grammar,
58.7
56.3
96
64
55
First Grammar,
52.6
49.3
93.7
49
64
Second Grammar.
69.7
66.7
95.6
84
54
Third Grammar,
40.9
38.4
93.8
40
44
First Intermediate,
37.7
34.7
91.7
45
37
Second Intermediate,
45.7
42.3
92.5
53
35
Third Intermediate, .
49.6
45.6
91.9
50
55
Centre Primary, No. 1,
38.9
34.6
88.9
37
47
Centre Primary, No. 2,
57
48
84.2
63
35
North Ward,
45.1
38.9
86.2
43
43
East Ward,
37.6
32.3
85.9
36
40
Woodville,
44
31.6
71.9
43
37
Greenwood,
54.7
46.4
84.8
62
45
Franklin Intermediate,
60.6
57
94
71
59
Franklin Primary,
59.1
52.9
89.6
65
61
West Ward Intermediate,
43.7
39.5
90]
46
53
West Ward Primary,
58.3
48.7
83.5
65
37
924.6 831.7 89.9
990
869
dance.
164
NAMES OF TEACHERS FOR THE YEAR, SALARIES, AND DATES OF ELECTION.
Names of Schools.
Teachers.
Elected.
Salaries.
High
Walter C. Hill,
Dec., 1881.
$1500
Martha Keith, Ass't
April, 1878. Sept., 1879.
650 400
Advanced Gram'r,
66
Mrs. M. E. Wentworth, Lizzie F. Ingram, Ass't,
Sept., 1882.
7 per week.
Ctr. Gram. No. 1,
Abbie S. Perkins, .
Sept., 1873. 625 5 per week.
Ctr. Giam. No. 2,
Philander A. Gay
.
Feb., 1882.
1000
66
66
Lucy E. Evans, Ass't .
Sept., 1882.
7 per week.
Ctr. Gram. No. 3,
M. Annie Warren,
Dec., 1871. 500
" Interme'ate, 1,
Alice Field,
Jan., 1879. 380
66
66
2,
Clara E. Emerson,
Dec., 1879.
380
Alice G. Currier,
Mar., 1880.
380
Centre Primary, 1,
Myra A. Stearns,
Sept., 1875. 380
Emma L. Randlitt,
Dec., 1881.
380
Minnie E. Emerson, Ass't
June, 1882.
5 per week.
West Intermediate 66 Primary,
Bertha Dana,
Dec., 1881.
380
L. J. Mansfield, -
Sept., 1871.
380
Franklin St. Int., Primary,
Mary J. Kelly.
July, 1882. 380
Eva E. Howlett,
יי 1880.
330
North Ward,
Hannah B. Danforth, .
Aug., 1882.
380
East Ward, ·
Cora E. Dennett,
April, 1882.
380
Woodville, .
Kate L. Brown, .
Aug., 1832.
380
Greenwood, ·
Susan S. Beebe, .
April, 1880.
380
Miss A. H. Thayer, Ass't Geo. F. Wilson, (Music)
Oct., 1882. Sept., 1876.
5 per week. 500
.
.
.
Lucy P. Greenough, "
Mar., 1871.
700
Isabel Townsend, Ass't
Oct., 1882.
66 3,
2,
66 2,
165
There has been a marked increase in the number of pupils during the past year. One year ago the schools showed a greater average registration to each teacher than could be taught to advantage and with the best results. That average has been increased by large accessions during the year in nearly every school in town. and the problem of how to give adequate instruction to all is by no means of easy solution.
Early in the Spring Term it was found expedient to divide the Franklin Street Intermediate School and employ an extra teacher, in order to give the necessary instruction to the class to be promoted.
The crowded condition of the Centre Primary No. 2. Second Grammar and West Primary, demanded additions to the teaching force in those schools or a division of numbers. There were no rooms to be obtained suitable for school pur- poses, and we chose the former course.
The relief is merely temporary, however, for the additions that always come in the Spring, especially to our Primary Grades, will increase the number in some schools beyond the seating capacity of the rooms. The need for further accom- modations is most urgent in the aforementioned schools and in the Franklin Street. This increase, with the prospect for the coming year, simply makes imperative what has long been threatening ; namely, the providing of additional school accommodations.
Your Committee, therefore, after careful consideration recommend that a four room building, with a seating capac- ity of, at least, two hundred, be erected in the west part of the town, in the vicinity of the Boston and Maine R.R. station. This would be devoted to the formation of a Primary and Intermediate School, with pupils from Franklin St .. West Ward and Centre Primaries ; with the probable addition of a Second Grammar Grade in the Fall.
Such a course would furnish much needed relief to our
166
present over-crowded rooms, and, to a certain extent, antici- pate the demands that are sure to come in the future. We urge prompt and favorable action in the matter.
EXPENSES.
We regret to report that we have again overrun our appro- priation. The Committee asked last year for such a sum as would, [in their judgment, if expended with care, guard against such a contingency. With no more than the ordi- nary demands upon us, it would have been sufficient; but . the necessity arose for expenditures in particular cases which we deemed imperative. The over-crowding of our schools, and the consequent employment of four regular assistant teachers, was the sole cause of exceeding our regular appro- priation.
The contingent fund would have been ample, had we not been obliged to furnish the High School with new heating apparatus, and make necessary repairs upon the roof of the High School building, together with providing accommoda- tions for a surplus of pupils.
The excess of expenditures over receipts from all sources amounted to $147.60, as follows :
Regular Appropriation, , $13,000 00 .
Contingent,
1,000 00
Special Appropriation for Contingent,
800 00
Massachusetts School Fund,
201 13
Received from sale of Furnaces,
26 08
Total,
$15,027 21
Our expenditures were as follows :
For Teachers' Salaries,
$11,583 52
For Janitors' Salaries,
701 67
For Coal,
818 48
For Wood,
45 79
For Sundries (including $648.88 for Furnaces in
High School; $93.14 expended on roof of High
School Building; $106.40 for alteration in rooms), the sum of
2,025 55
Total,
$15,174 81
167
TEACHERS.
Last year was a singularly unfortunate one for our schools, in the matter of changes in our corps of teachers.
In several rooms these changes very seriously interfered with the progress of the pupils, and entailed much difficult, and, in many respects, unsatisfactory work upon new teach- ers employed.
We are glad to report that this year has brought no such hindrance ; - changes have been necessary in but two in stances, and these have been made without in any way af fecting the advancement of school work.
As before stated, a division of the Franklin St. Interme diate was made for the spring term ;- the first class remained with Miss Dana ; the second class, in a building in the imme- diate vicinity, being placed under the charge of Miss Hannah B. Danforth, a teacher of experience from the town of Lynnfield. The work in this class was in every way so sat- isfactory, that, when a vacancy occurred in the North Ward School by the resignation of Miss Alice Freeman, we were glad to transfer Miss Danforth permanently to that school. The same careful, earnest work, as was shown in the class in Franklin St., has been manifest in this school throughout the year. .
In September Miss Nellie A. Miller resigned her position in the West Intermediate, and Miss Dana was transferred to that school.
Miss Mary J. Kelly, an efficient and able teacher of Ex- eter, N. H., was elected to the Franklin St. Immediate. Miss Kelly brought enthusiasm, tact and energy to her work, and the results in this school have never been more gratifying than during the past year.
These are the only changes among our regular teachers, although, as stated, the over-crowding of some of the schools has necessitated the employment of assistants. Miss Lucy E. Evans, of this town, has rendered efficient service in the
168
Second Grammar, and Miss Lizzie F. Ingram in the Ad- vanced Grammar. Miss Isabel Townsend in the First Grammar, and Miss Minnie E. Emerson in the Centre Pri- mary, No. 2, and Miss Annie H. Thayer in the Greenwood School, all graduates of our High School, though coming to its with no experience, are doing good work in their several positionis.
We are glad to report the return of Miss Myra A. Stearns, after an absence of one year, to her position in the Centre Primary No. 1. Miss Mansfield again assumes charge of the West Primary.
Much might be said of the earnest, faithful work of the teachers of our Public Schools, and, although it has been often repeated, we wish to emphasize it here.
The requirements placed upon dur teachers are by no means slight ; and upon their efficiency, more than upon any other factor, depends the success of the schools, Text books and supervision can, by no means, compensate for the merely mechanical work of an indifferent teacher.
We have in our schools a corps of teachers who, we coli- fidently believe, are conscientious and enthusiastic in their work; to them, teaching implies more than a mere cursory study of a certain amount in a text book; they aim at an understanding, as far as possible, of the individual needs of each pupil. The essential thing in teaching is that the inter- est of the child be aroused in whatever work is before him, and the mental powers be thus stimulated to activity. It is only by a recognition of this fact that a teacher can succeed. As has been said, "The touchstone of a teacher's success (and this cannot be too often remarked) is the degree of happiness with which children engage. in their work ; and they are happy in their work, (1) when it is wisely adapted to their power to do it; (2) when they are conscious of suc- cessful effort ; (3) when they feel that they are gaining in power." Consciousness of increased ability and of added power is the strongest motive to persistence of effort.
169
PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
The importance of thorough elementary work is apparent to every educator of advanced pupils.
A scholar's success in the upper grades depends, very materially, upon his getting, at the outset, an idea of sys- tematic, accurate study.
While the general plan pursued in our Primary schools is essentially the same as given in our last Report, we can re- port continued improvement in the use of new methods ; and a disposition, on the part of teachers, to make the object of each step in a child's work apparent, without the waste of time and effort on unimportant points.
The value of this is seen in the intelligent way in which the child grasps the study of a new subject and observes and discovers facts for himself.
Realizing the advantage to be derived from fresh and in- teresting reading matter, other than that furnished by the prescribed text-book, which the child soon learns by heart, we have placed five different Primers, of uniform grade, in the several Primary schools. These are sent from school to school, thus securing a large amount of fresh reading of the same grade, for each pupil.
The value of this is apparent in improved expression in their reading.
Sight reading of sentences, both in script and print, is given as early as possible ; so, that by the end of the first year, the child, in an attractive way, has mastered many of the hardest parts of learning to read and write. The progress which many of the little ones make during the first year, is surprising to one acquainted only with the old system. As our teachers become more conversant with these methods, we predict still more rapid advancement.
Objective teaching is now used very generally ; but here, again, we meet difficulties from the excess of scholars that each teacher is obliged to instruct; for, by this method, the
22
170
individual pupil necessarily makes greater demands upon a teacher's time. This we hope to see remedied, to a certain extent, the coming year.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
No important changes have been made in the course of study during the past year, and, with the exception of Draw- ing, no change in text books. The increased attendance in these schools, compared with that of former years, is very gratifying. There have been no unusual interruptions, on account of sickness or other cause, such as seriously inter- fered with the progress of our schools last year. The Sec- ond Grammar, under the efficient and able teaching of Mr. Gay, who assumed charge of the school one year ago, has risen to its former high rank among our schools. The disci- pline in and about the Centre School buildings, is much bet- ter than last year ; and we no longer hear complaints of the misconduct of pupils during recess or out-of-school hours.
There is no subject in our course of study which demands more careful consideration than that of Reading. It is not merely that we must teach our children so that their oral reading shall be intelligible; but it should be our aim to teach them to read with intelligence and to cultivate their taste and judgment to aid in selecting their reading in after life. They should be also taught that reading is valuable because of the mental strength obtained.
The use of Supplementary Reading matter commends it- self so strongly, and has been attended with such excellent results in the Primary Schools, that we propose, as far as practicable with the means at our command, to supply the upper grades during the coming year.
The study of Geography has always been given a promi- nence in our schools which its importance, in a certain sense, would hardly seem to warrant; for, though much good has doubtless been derived, yet it is a serious question whether it is commensurate with the time spent. The close attention
171
to details-requiring the minute descriptions of the courses of rivers, or the exact location and height of mountains, has compelled a large amount of profitless study. Such knowl- edge of uninteresting details, though good, is soon forgotten, and so comparatively useless ; facts should be connected with such events, incidents and associations as will serve to impress them upon the mind of the child.
A beginning has been made in some of our schools which, we hope, will lead to better methods and results.
In Language there is still a tendency to technical Gram- mar which we hope soon to see changed.
We maintain that technical Grammar, as such, has no place in any school below the Advanced Grammar, and, that the aim in the lower grades should be to teach the pupil how to express his thoughts clearly and accurately, with compar- atively little attention to arbitrary rules. The usual method begins by teaching the nine parts of speech, and by requiring the pupil to learn by heart the definition of each with illustra- tive examples. It is much more rational to begin with a sentence the scholar already understands, and to draw from him the simple facts, as one writer expresses it, that " We should have (1) something to talk about, and (2) something to say ;" thus developing the idea of subject and predicate. We should then proceed to the logical extension of the thought, showing how subject and predicate admit naturally of adjective and adverbial attributes.
In Arithmetic the same general plan, mentioned in previ- ous reports, has been pursued.
In Penmanship the schools show commendable results.
Pupils are drilled in a knowledge of the exact forms of letters by teaching the elements ; thus laying the founda- tion for good penmanship. Only careful practice will effect proficiency. The great amount of exercise-writing now required in every branch of study, often fails to produce good results, because the pupils are so hurried in their work as to
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