USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1890-1893 > Part 44
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Ellison, Coolidge & Co., premium $50,000, 1 yr. to April 1, '92, Guarantee Bond of Fidelity & Casuality Co., on Thos. J. Skinner, Town Treasurer, . 250 00
$1,826 25
LEGAL EXPENSES.
W. N. Tyler, expenses to Haverhill, investigations, case of W. P. Dyer, military aid, . . $2 16
Cost of Fire Inquest, burning of barn of Enos Wiley, 116 40
G. H. Sweetser, services, Arrington case, 8 50
Louis Roberts, services, Enos Wiley case, 3 00
S. K. Hamilton, professional services, Arrington and other cases, from 1888, . 311 00
S. K. Hamilton, professional services, Carpenter rs. Town, · 200 00
S. K. Hamilton, professional services, opinion to Board of Health, . 15 00
164
S. K. Hamilton, professional services, Commonwealth vs. Maloney,
$20 00
Wm. E. Rogers, abstract of conveyances, 1890-91, . 43 92
R. F. Draper, 175 meals for prisoners at 25c., 43 75
66 66 hack hire, .
1 00
Chas. H. Davis, constable, serving town warrants, etc., 47 86
$812 59
TOWN CLERK'S RETURNS, ETC.
Chas. F. Hartshorne, returns births, marriages and deaths, 1890, ·
$117 70
E. P. Colby, M. D., returns 7 births, 1890, 1 75
J. W. Heath, M. D., 66
72 66 66
18 00
J. R. Mansfield, M. D., 66 27 66 66
6 75
J. A. O'Leary, M. D., 66
29
66
7 25
Oliver Walton, 66 100 deaths, " 25 00
$176 45
ELECTION EXPENSES.
19 election officers and counters, March 2, at $3, 19
Nov. 3, at $3,
57 00
C. F. Jackson, suppers, . .
11 55
Mrs. S. E. Gordon, suppers, .
5 60
$131 15
PRINTING, ADVERTISING, STATIONERY, ETC.
M. R. Warren, 6 licenses, $1 25
C. B. Bowman, stamps and box rent, .
28 50
A. W. Brownell, printing 1700 Town Reports 1890-1, other printing, 34 50
336 66
C. W. Eaton, advertising, warrants and printing,
113 50
Wakefield Record, “
etc., .
146 01
Maitland P. Foster, “ " and printing,
147 00
Rockwell & Churchill, printing 1500 Electric Light Committee Reports, 57 21
S. B. Dearborn & Co., printing 4,500 tax bills, 1891, 66 600 stubs, .
20 25
1 50
1,000 envelopes, ·
3 25
·
$57 00
165
. Sundry persons, distributing Town Reports, etc., $21 00
C. F. Hartshorne, preparing and printing "Instruc- tions to Voters," . ·
7 40
Fred S. Hartshorne, posting bills, etc., 12 50
preparing copy, " Alphabetical Lists Poll Tax Payers," 15 00
R. F. Draper, posting notices, 5 50
A. W. Flint, 1 box pens (Selectmen),
2 50
Greenough, Hopkins & Cushing, printing 50 Coupon bonds, . 31 50
Greenough, Hopkins & Cushing, account books for various officers, and stationery, 75 38
$1,060 41
EXTRAORDINARY AND OTHER EXPENSES.
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., rent of Telephone to Jan. 1, '92, $47 63
Tolls, .
9 85
Town of Stoneham, County tax, 1890, annexed dis- trict, . 31 89
Town of Stoneham, State tax, 1890, annexed district,
34 67
County tax, 1891, 31 89
State tax, 1891,
29 72
¿ cost of bound stones and setting, 21 25
S. F. Littlefield & Co., repairs on pump, Greenwood, and fountain at Junction, 2 80
S. F. Littlefield & Co., 1 paper tacks, 10
Geo. H. Taylor, repairs, East Ward pump, 1 50
66 " Rockery drinking fountain, 10 59
J. A. O'Leary, M. D., professional services, Madge Doucette case, 15 00
Allie Bessey, use of teams, Selectmen, 5 00
Chas. B. Bowman, Treasurer Wakefield Lecture As- sociation, 30 chairs bought of him, 5 00
T. J. Lynch, services rendered Electric Light Com., . 5 00 Wright Electric Engineering Co., professional services, C. H. Merrick, and car fare (Electric Light Committee), 25 50
166
Jacob C. Hartshorne, deficit Sweetser Lecture Course,
1890-91,
$24 75
J. H. Emerson, ringing bell, town meeting, 2 00 .
July 4, 2 50
Calvin Townley, 66 2 50
John J. Hurlbert, repairs, chairs and mats, Town Hall, 13 30
Wm. H. Wiley, care of town flag, 1 year to Apr. 1, '91, 3 00 E. A. Upton, services as Moderator, annual meeting, 25 00 Jas. F. Emerson, expenses of New Burial Ground Committee, . 2 50 ·
W. N. Tyler, book entitled ""Peace Officer," use of town, . .
2 50
· Wakefield Water Co., rates 1 year to June 1, '92, Main Street fountain, . 125 00 .
R. F. Draper, moving piano, Town Hall, . 66
2 50
66 salary as lock-up keeper, 6 mos. to Oct. 1, '91, 25 00
Wm. A. Cutter, Treasurer, Fourth of July Executive Committee, . 125 00
N. H. Dow, repairing reservoir, Salem street, 4 50 . Albert S. Wiley, cleaning up old Cemetery, 82 00
care of Sweetser and Eaton Lots in Cemetery, 6 00
Town of Natick, aid rendered Timothy Hagerty, Jan. 1, to Apr. 1, '91, 43 75
Geo. W. Killorin, 1 man, 1 day cutting weeds Chest- nut street, . . M. F. Gould, sprinkling Water street, 26 weeks at $1.50, .
2 00
39 00
J. S. Mason & Co., numbering houses, .
26 20
Andrew Young, moving and setting bound stones, Stoneham line, 6 00
W. M. Ward, labor of self and others on guide boards, 6 40
E. I. Purrington, 50 guide boards at 15c., 7 50
66 repairs ballot box, etc., 3 57
$859 86
167
RECAPITULATION.
Military and Soldiers' Aid,
. $1,480 29
Richardson Light Guard,
.
518 88
Board of Health Expenses,
. 1,321 63
Insurance,
1,826 25
Legal Expenses,
812 59
Town Clerk's Returns, etc.,
176 45
Election Expenses,
131 15
Printing, advertising, stationery, etc.,
1,060 41
Extraordinary and other expenses, .
859 86
Total, · ·
$8,187 51
Balance overdrawn,
87 51
$8,100 00
POOR DEPARTMENT.
GENERAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation authorized, .
. $5,500 00
ALMSHOUSE RECEIPTS.
From sale of milk, .
$926 87
66
pigs and pork,
133 90
66 cows,
133 00
calves,
2 50
corn, .
4 50
wood,
5 00
66
bull, .
20 00
From use of bull, .
21 00
" board of horse,
60 00
66 66 of men,
15 00
$1,321 77
OUTSIDE RECEIPTS.
From James I. Brown, board of son at Danvers Hospital, $169 48 Mrs. Ann Murray, board of daughter at Danvers Hospital, . 169 48
City of Boston, sundry persons,
42 99
.
168
From City of Salem, account W. H. Batch- elder,
$21 50
Patrick Hennessey, refunding coal bill, . 1 75
Department Outdoor Poor, State of Massachusetts, sundry persons, . 31 79
Sundry persons, · ·
5 37
Town of Lynnfield, care 3 tramps, .
1 05
1
443 41
Total receipts Poor Department,
$7,265 18
EXPENSES OUTSIDE OF TOWN ALMSHOUSE.
INSANE HOSPITAL EXPENSES.
Danvers Hospital, acct. Hannah C. Flynn, $169 46
66
" Geo. W. Clark, 169 46
66
" Chas. H. Potter, 169 46
" Hannah Lyons, ·
169 46
" *Kate Glynn, 80 21
66
" Annie A. Emerson, 169 46
66
" O. Brown, repaid, 169 48
66
" Agnes Murray, " 169 48
" V. E. Marsh, 169 46
Worcester Hospital, " +Nelson Sweetser,
69 65
Taunton
" Mary E. Adams, . 169 46
Westboro
" Eliza Green, 212 19
$1,887 23
State of Massachusetts, acct. Sarah Bach- ellor, .
$146 00
City of Lowell, acct. Frank Ames, 3 mos., , 30 71
Mass. School for feeble-minded, H. Ames, 169 43
66
John Froton, 169 43
515 57
AID TO PERSONS RESIDING HERE WITH SETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE.
C. H. Cushing and family, Wellesley, $50 17
Wm. H. Batchelder, Salem, 16 69
. *Died June 16, 1891; burial expenses $3.15.
+Died May 30, 1891.
169
John Nelson, State, funeral expenses,
$20 00
Mrs. Rose A. Dulong, Winchester, 3 53
Miss Maggie Doucett, State, .
3 22
John Werwick, State, ,
1 42,
$95 03
AID TO NON-RESIDENTS WITH SETTLEMENT HERE.
Mrs. Thomas Bacon, Lynn,
$118 25
C. H. Meyers and family, Lynn, · 15 00
66 board at hospital, Lynn, 33 00
burial expense, . 14 50
Mrs. C. H. Meyers, Lynn,
42 38
Mrs. J. W. Russell, West Peabody,
8 00
Timothy Haggerty, Natick,
140 00
Mrs. James Eustis, Salem,
39 00
Miss Mary Dudley, Boston,
18 00
Harold E. Tillson, Danvers, 41 00
Geo. A. Blanchard's child, Reading, 23 52
D. Shannahan, East Cambridge, 9 71
502 36
OUTSIDE HOME RELIEF.
James Doyle and wife, board, .
$156 47
Mrs. Hannah P. Stone, board,
104 00
Samuel Conant, rent,
80 00
Mrs. Porter Weston, rent,
72 00
Chas. Ryder, groceries, etc.,
72 32
" Thos. Trahea,
and coal, 46 29
J. Froton, 66
14 44
66 Jane Kelley,
66
5 63
66 Margrett Mertins“
and rent,
18 83
66 Anna Russell,
3 43
66 Thomas Hicks, 66
and coal,
10 51
John Sculley, 66
1 47
1. Godfrey,
4 50
66 and son, nursing,
70 00
Mr. Goodhue, groceries,
1 85
John Burdett,
4 62
Thos. Haverty,
4 73
1
170
J. O'Connor, medical attendance, Mrs. T. Kelley, groceries, 1890,
$2 50
8 31
Courtney,
8 00
J. Donahue, burial expense, 20 00
Minnie A. Nickerson, burial expense,
17 00
Wm. O'Neil's family, medicines, etc.,
15 55
Geo. W. Wilder, coal,
1 75
Stationery, etc.,
7 00
Expense removing sundry persons, .
9 81
Mrs. A. L. Heath, coal, .
.
3 25
" C. Connor, 66
3 25
P. Hennessey,
1 75
$769 26
Less orders drawn on Almshouse store,
217 88
$551 38
R. F. Draper, care 180 tramps, at 35 cts., 63 00
Purchases as reported on page 173 for delivery from Almshouse, .
145 67
Total outside expense,
$3,760 24
DETAILED ALMSHOUSE EXPENSES.
GROCERIES.
Cutler Bros., .
$70 90
Everett W. Eaton, .
29 98
A. Sawtell & Co.,
2 76
J. W. Roberts & Co.,
113 55
A. S. Atherton,
131 62
W. A. Cutter, 1890 & 1891,
82 65
$431 46
GRAIN AND FEED.
Cutler Bros., .
$91 87
M. J. Curley,
378 51
A. S. Atherton,
72 90
City of Lynn, swill,
36 76
D. P. Murphy, “
49 00
A. J. Bennett, “
18 00
647 04
.
171
MEAT, FISH AND PROVISIONS.
Harding & Dunton,
$197 79
F. H. Sweetser, fish, ·
10 50
H. B. Quint, fish, etc., .
. 15 67
$223 96
DRY GOODS, CLOTHING, SHOES.
J. W. Poland & Co., dry goods,
$54 80
E. G. Daland, clothing, . ·
64 01
Hugh Connell, shoes,
37 67
Bowser & Co., dry goods, ·
10 48
166 96
SALARY OF SUPERINTENDENT.
Geo. E. Donald, salary 1 year to Jan. 1, '92, 650 00
FARM LABOR.
Walter Severance,
$188 00
Seth Knowles, .
63 75
Ellis L. Edmands, marsh haying,
17 00
W. H. Ladd, haying,
21 00
289 75
HOUSEHOLD LABOR.
Hannah Desmond, .
$37 00
Myra E. Sederquest,
.
.
48 00
Olivia Sederquest, .
39 00
124 00
FUEL EXPENSES.
Wakefield Coal Co., 5 tons egg coal at $5.60, $28 00
" 15 tons stove coal at $5.70, 85 50
113 50
TOOLS AND SEEDS.
Cutler Bros., tools and seeds, .
$14 55
Jos. Breck & Sons, Buckeye mowing ma- chine,
42 00
Gilbride & Grey, tools,
2 15
F. N. Edmands, seeds, .
4 38
172
Alfred Estes, seeds, potatoes, . $13 80
Henry Newhall, plow irons, 5 55
J. F. Woodward & Co., repairs on lawn mower, 1 50
$83 93
BLACKSMITH WORK.
Geo. M. Kelley, shoeing horses and work, $7 65
C. L. Newcomb, shoeing horses, 3 80
J. R. Munroe, shoeing horses, 33 05
44 50
WAGON REPAIRS.
Sederquest & Wanamake, .
49 05
HARNESS AND REPAIRS. -
Geo. H. Hathaway, repairs, .
30 30
HARDWARE AND REPAIRS.
Geo. H. Taylor, $3 30
nails, etc.,
2 79
S. F. Littlefield & Co., .
20 33
J. Laybolt, filing saws, etc.,
6 00
32 42
MEDICAL EXPENSES.
J. D. Mansfield, drugs and medicines, $7 48
J. C. Oxley,, 66 16 10
STOCK EXPENSES.
W. Newhall, 1 cow,
$55 00
J. S. Flannigan, 1 cow,
65 00
T. H. Henry, 3 cows,
146 50
J. S. Henry, 1 cow,
70 00
D. C. Wright, killing hogs, etc., 1890-'91, 6 50
H. C. Perry, V. S., doctoring cow, . .
4 00
G. H. Allen, doctoring horse, . 6 00
Geo. Bleiler, 1 bull,
16 00
Robt. B. Bennett, 1 bull,
27 00
.
23 58
396 00
173
FERTILIZERS AND MANURES.
John G. Morrill, 10} cords manure, at $6, $63 00
Cutler Bros., fertilizers, . 17 00
$80 00
LUMBER AND REPAIRS.
C. H. Spencer,
$22 26
E. I. Purrington, carpenter work,
12 75
35 01
MISCELLANEOUS.
Wakefield Water Co., rates to June 1, '92, $40 00
Boston & Maine R. R., freight,
72
John G. Morrill, straw, .
10 40
Cutler Bros., screen doors,
3 70
T. Burtt Pratt, top dressing around house, 17 23
Town of Saugus, tax on salt marsh, 1891,
4 03
F. W. Pierce, express bill, 90
C. W. Eaton, "Citizen & Banner,"
.2 00
78 98
Total expense at Almshouse,
$3,494 24
Total receipts for 1891, . ·
Total expenses of outside poor, . $3,760 24 · . $7,265 18
at Almshouse, . 3,500 44
7,260 68
Balance unexpended, . .
$4 50
Due from town of Wellesley, .
$50 17
66 Winchester, 3 53
city of Salem, .
16 69
State of Massachusetts,
24 64
$95 03
ORDER DEPARTMENT, OUTSIDE HOME RELIEF.
Goods delivered by the Superintendent from the Almshouse on orders of Overseers :
Goods on hand Feb. 1, 1891, .
$65 73
Cutler Bros., .
3 32
J. W. Roberts & Co., flour, etc., 84 98
A. Sawtell & Co., .
53 62
A. S. Atherton,
.
. 3 75
$211 40
174
Delivered to the following persons : Mrs. Thos. Trahea,
$41 04
Margaret Mertins, .
2 83
J. Froton,
12 69
Anna Russell,
3 43
66
C. H. Meyers,
39 13
Thomas Hicks,
7 26
Godfrey,
4 50
John Sculley,
1 47
John Burditt,
4 62
Mr. Goodhue,
1 85
Mrs. Jane Kelly,
2 13
Chas. Ryder, .
65 82
Thos. Haverty,
4 73
$191 50
Miss Maggie Doucett (State),
3 22
John Werwick (State), . 1 42
Mrs. Rose A. Dulong, Winchester, .
3 53
Chas. H. Cushing, Wellesley, .
16 17
Wm. H. Batchelder, Salem,
2 04
26 38
Total,
$217 88
Deduct potatoes, ·
18 27
pork,
·
·
.
58 05
Furnished from farm,
$159 83
Stock on hand Feb. 1, 1892,
53 43
$213 26
The goods furnished by this department comprised the follow- ing twelve staple articles from which applicants for aid could select : Flour, tea, sugar, beans, pork, fish, potatoes, oat meal, meal, rice, peas, soap.
ALMSHOUSE INVENTORY, FEBRUARY 1, 1892.
LIVE STOCK.
One Morgan mare, .
$250 00
Ten cows and one bull, .
700 00
Twenty hens,
.
.
·
20 00
·
.
15 50
wood, ·
24 28
·
.
175
Thirty swine, .
$300 00
$1,270 00
HAY, GRAIN AND FEED.
Nineteen tons English hay,
$380 00
Five tons salt hay, .
60 00
Oats, rye, meal and shorts,
42 00
One ton straw,
24 00
502 00
Forty-six cords manure, .
$322 00
Twenty cords muck,
60 00
Fifty cords wood, .
250 00
632 00
Carriages and harnesses,
$565 00
Farm tools,
360 00
Household goods,
705 00
Fifteen tons coal, .
90 00
Groceries and provisions,
174 25
1,894 25
Total,
$4,298 25
An increase from last year of .
147 80
ALMSHOUSE INMATES, FEBRUARY 1, 1892.
Robert H. Raddin,
85 years.
Patrick Devine,
79
Barnard Derby,
Mrs. Barnard Derby,
69
66
Annie Fitzgerald, .
. 61 60
Annette Mayo,
41 66
Walter Mayo,
31
...
Thos. Hanley, admitted Sept. 10,
. 45 66
Jerry Haley, admitted Sept. 12,
. 40
66
FOLLOWING WERE INMATES A PORTION OF THE YEAR.
Edward R. Danforth, left May 19, . Charles A. Danforth, left May 19, Alice G. Danforth, left May 19, George E. Davis, left May 29, · James Barry, admitted June 17; left July 18, . .
12 years.
9
.
6
7
12
Oscar Hurlburt, admitted Sept. 2; left Oct. 4, ·
5
Ethel Hurlburt, admitted Sept. 2; left Oct. 4, ·
7 mos.
.
.
74
176
Auditors' Final Balance Sheet for the year, showing amount for each Department, together with the expenditure in each, and the unexpended balance or overdraft :
Town Debt,
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Interest on Town Debt,
4,000.00
2,586.34 $1,413.66
Support of Schools,
19,800.00
19,202.24
597.76
School Contingent Fund,
1,478.00
1,536.71
*58.71
School Text-Books and Supplies, 1,300.00
1,300.84
*. 84
Support of Poor,
7,265.18
7,260.68
4.50
Support of the Fire Department, 2,300.00
2,291.86
8.14
Salaries of Town Officers,
2,725.00
2,724.99
.01
Salaries of Night Watchmen,
1,800.00
1,800.00
Expense of Street Lamps,
2,000.00
2,070.95
*70.95
Expense of Town House,
2,100.00
2,169.33
*69.33
Miscellaneous Expenses,
8,100.00
8,187.51
*87.51
Highways and Bridges,
8,855.44
8,839.35
16.09
Concrete Sidewalks & Crossings, 2,214.92
2,151.23
63.69
Rental of Hydrants,
4,480.00
4,363.33
116.67
Public Library,
1,372.39
1,293.75
78.64
Public Reading Room,
175.00
170.90
4.10
Memorial Day,
200.00
200.00
Common and Park Commissioners, 800.00
801.43
*1.43
New Street Lamps,
146.00
100.69
45.31
Police Department,
· 1,000.00
1,087.95
*87.95
New School House,
50,000.00
38,460.99
11,539.01
Building Morrison Avenue,
200.00
199.63
.37
Building Fairmount Avenue,
600.00
599.31
.69
Railroad Street Repairs,
306.88
358.81
*51.93
Philosophical Apparatus, High Sch'1200.00
200.00
Heating& Ventilating Franklin “ 875.00 .6
" 2,273.50
2,000.00
273.50
Revision of Town By-Laws,
100.00
100.00
Fire Department Bldg. & Land, 6,000.00
4,893.61
1,106.39
Forest Fire Wards' Bills,
200.00
199.95
.05
Moving & Repairing Sch'l Houses, 625.00
613.48
11.52
New Fire Alarm Boxes,
400.00
345.07
54.93
Vernon Street Repairs,
700.00
698.69
1.31
566.67
308.33
66 High
177
Vinton Street Bridge Repairs,
$200.00
$119.70
$80.30
Prospect Street Repairs,
500.00
500.00
Maple Street Repairs,
100.00
100.00
Water Street Repairs,
300.00
299.41
.59
Highland Street Repairs,
200.00
192.38
7.62
New Hose for Fire Department,
330.00
330.00
Clerk of School Committee,
200.00
200.00
Rebecca C. Arrington Case,
1,500.00
1,387.97
112.03
Fish Committee,
62.75
41.30
21.45
Land Damage, Wiley Street,
25.00
25.00
Totals,
$140,510.06 $125,072.05$15,866.66 Deduct overdrafts, 428.65
$15,438,01
23
178
AUDITORS' FINAL STATEMENT.
From March 5, 1891, to Jan. 28, 1892, the Selectmen have drawn 1,149 orders on the Treasurer, representing $118,521.06, being the largest volume of business in the town's history. We have examined the vouchers for these payments, and our report upon them will be found on pages 135 to 175, arranged in the departments to which they belong.
Our final balance sheet (page 176) shows a total expenditure of $125,072.05, which includes $6,550.99 disbursed directly by the Treasurer for town debt and interest, and Library and Read- ing Room payments. We have verified the receipts of such departments as pay money to the Treasurer; we have examined the books of the Collector of Taxes, and of T. J. Skinner, Treas- urer of the Library and Reading Room, and find them correct (see pages 118 and 119).
We have also examined the accounts of Mr. Skinner as Town Treasurer, and find them correct, as shown on pages 116 and 117, with the proper vouchers for all receipts and payments ; and that he has a cash balance of $16,468.10 on deposit in the National Bank of South Reading. We also certify that he has securities and deposits representing the C. Sweetser Lecture Fund, Burial Lot Fund and Library Funds (see pages 103 to 105).
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM W. TAFT, EVERETT W. EATON, M. W. BOARDMAN,
Auditors.
WAKEFIELD, February 15, 1892.
179
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Town of Wakefield : -
In accordance with the public Statute requiring annually a report of the School Committee regarding the condition and needs of the schools, we herewith submit the following report : -
The duties of School Boards are little understood by the public except in a general way, and the following from the American School Board Journal by Henry S. Boltwood, gives a concise and interesting description of the "True Function of School Boards : "
" The School Board is the business representative of the community in school affairs. It is a standing committee of ways and means to provide for economical, harmonious and effi- cient administration of the schools. It possesses more absolute authority than any other body known to a free government. It is legislative, executive and judicial, all in one. It is to watch over and protect the rights of all; to hold each party to its obli- gation to the rest. It protects the child against incompetent, unreasonable and tyrannical teachers, and teachers against selfish, violent and unreasonable parents.
· "To teachers they are the power behind the throne in support of lawful authority : privileged advisors and counsellors. They judge school work from without, - from a layman's stand-point. Teachers sometimes stand too near their work to judge its results as well as those who may know less of the details of it, but who are very probably better judges of the actual wants and educa- tional possibilities of the community. The most important duty of a school board is the selection of suitable teachers. Careless- ness, neglect and favoritism in this are unpardonable sins. Having made wise selections, they are to retain the competent, pay them honest wages, give them moral support, and assure
180
them their places during good service. If incompetent, they owe it to the public to remove them, without fear or favor; in spite of the clamor of friends or the pleadings of poverty. Common- sense, grit and grace are the prime qualities of a good school director. Unpaid, often unappreciated, often between hammer and anvil, he needs all three."
The above reference to unpaid School Boards refers to towns employing a Superintendent, in which case no compensation is allowed the School Committee. Called upon, as School Boards are, to settle troubles which often arise between teachers and pupils and parents, their decision sometimes seems to one or the other, unjust and arbitrary, when if both sides of the trouble could be seen by those directly interested, the decision might not seem so unjust. Parents do not take that personal interest in the schools that they should. It is to be regretted that they do not visit the schools more. A more intimate knowledge on the part of parents of the arduous duties of teachers, would lighten the teacher's burdens by the more charitable judgment which would be rendered.
Teachers as well as parents are human, and children, at least a large portion of them, are far from angelic in school, whatever they may be in their homes. Sometimes parents hardly know what to do with two children; still they expect teachers to know just what to do in each individual case with forty or more. Children are great reflectors of their parents' feelings, and if parents are so indiscreet as to discuss unpleasant school matters before their children, criticising and condemning some action of the teacher, the result is anything but conducive to good behavior in school.
Many times what seems to parents to be a serious matter as reported to them, suddenly dissolves and vanishes upon a per- sonal interview with the teacher and hearing her side of the story.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
For a number of years past our school accommodations have been insufficient in the Centre and West Districts and the Frank- lin-street District. The Committee repeatedly brought the matter before the town, and their efforts finally resulted in the action of
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the town at its annual meeting last March, in voting to erect a commodious brick building to replace the two wooden buildings on Academy Hill; and in April ground was broken for the new building, the old buildings having been moved to the west end of the lot.
This building is a substantial brick structure with ten school rooms, two good recitation rooms, a teachers' room and several minor rooms. It is to be heated by steam by indirect radiation, either hot or cold air, as desired, being forced into the rooms by a Sturtevant blower. The building, though plain, presents an im- posing appearance, being well proportioned and finely situated. It will be a credit to the town as well as to the architects, Messrs. Wait & Cutter.
The erection of this building will relieve the schools of the Centre, and for the present the West District ; but better accom- modations are still needed at the Franklin-street School. The two lower rooms of this building are small and crowded, with no satisfactory way of relief, except by erecting a new building or remodeling and enlarging the present one. By the latter plan an attractive, substantial four-roomed building can be made at about one half the cost of a new building of the same size. With the above changes, the accommodations for the present in other districts are ample, but in the near future increased accommoda- tions will be needed at Greenwood. The West District is also growing rapidly and another building will soon be needed in that section.
OUR SCHOOLS.
We believe that we are justified in saying that our schools are as efficient in their work as those of neighboring towns, but still the Committee feel that they can and should be improved. We realize the fact that a board of business men with their time fully occupied by their business, cannot do full justice to the schools, they cannot give the time which they feel should be given to school work. To obtain the best results the schools should be in charge of a good Superintendent, one who can give a large portion of his time to personal supervision of the schools. It would make the school work much more systematic and effective. Under this system, good teachers would lose none of their person-
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ality or efficiency, while all weak points would be more readily noticed and corrected.
While all our schools are not strictly graded schools, only three have more than three grades: the North Ward, Montrose and Woodville schools. These have six grades each, the schools not being large enough to warrant a change. It is obvious that a teacher having bnt one grade, or but one class to each study, can do much better work than one having six.
TEACHERS.
A teacher's life is anything but easy ; the compensation of the average teacher is small and the work hard. Much is expected of them, and rightly so, for they fill a responsible position and should be well fitted for their work, mentally and physically, in addition to having a natural aptitude for teaching.
The present good standing of our schools is owing largely to the fact that we have, as a whole, an efficient, conscientious corps of teachers. Of course all are not equally efficient; this can hardly be expected. No doubt each is aware of some defi- ciency, some weak point in his or her work as a teacher; perhaps it is in government, or a lack of thoroughness, or an inability to transmit one's own knowledge to the pupils. Some are wanting in tact, others in patience. Tact, patience and control of one's tongue are three prime factors in an efficient teacher.
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