USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1900-1902 > Part 44
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 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
The $1.00 contributions amounting to $103, for the improvement of the room, started last spring by Mr. E. M. Grover, have been invalu- able, not only by adding to the utility and attractiveness of the room, but by arousing a more general appreciation of its needs and pri- vileges. In the equipment and patronage of this room, the town, and especially the contributors of the last year, may well take pride.
College Magazines .- This branch has now been in operation a second year and is supported by graduates of the various schools and colleges.
Magazines .- A few changes have been made in the list of maga- zines, as will be noticed on page 214.
Donations .- The committee would acknowledge the indebtedness of the town to the following, for valuable donations to the public' reading room.
Reference Books .- Many reference books have been placed on the shelves. It is the desire of the committee to make the information to be gained here so complete, that no citizen can afford to overlook it.
Constant Attendant .- The increasing use of the reading room war- rants early consideration on the part of the trustees, of the advantages to be derived from a constant assistant, although as frequently in the room as her duties will allow, the librarian cannot give the assistance to readers which a permanent attendant could.
Any slight disorders which may now arise would be avoided. The
204
assistant could directly obtain books from the library shelves for tem- porary use in the reading room. Such an attendant would be deeply appreciated by those seeking information, and, if tactful, might ren- der invaluable service to the many children patrons by guiding their tastes.
Appropriation .- The committee would recommend an appropria- tion of $200 for the use of the reading room.
RICHARD DUTTON, Chairman.
The trustees express their appreciation and thanks for the interest shown by numerous individuals, to Mr. E. M. Grover for his open letter in the daily paper, which resulted in contributions for use in the reading room of one hundred and three dollars ; to Feindle & Brock- bank for a very neat bulletin board ; to Mr. E. A. Carlisle for the fine light of glass for the library door ; to a friend in Reading, for the fine palm in the reading room ; to Mr. T. J. Skinner for rubber mat- ting, and to all others who have manifested an interest in the library, either by gifts or by availing themselves of its privileges. We would also express our thanks to the librarian, Mrs. Shepard, for her con- tributions of time and labor outside her regular duties, and for her faithful and efficient services as librarian for many years past.
The trustees respectfully ask for the following appropriation for the ensuing year for the library : five hundred dollars and the receipts from the dog tax. For some reason, either that there are fewer dogs, or that some one has not faithfully attended to that branch of his work, the receipts from this tax are about eighty dollars less than the year before. For the reading room we ask for an appropriation of two hundred dollars.
RICHARD DUTTON,
Secretary of Trustees.
205
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
The total circulation of books for home use has been 28,952, some 2,000 in excess of last year. 1.150 books have been used for refer- ence at the library. The average daily circulation has been over 100, the circulation for March being 3,176. 420 cards have been issued to new patrons of the library. 4,125 books have been re-covered during the year. Upon inquiry, it is found that many libraries do not c over their books, but all admit the books are much cleaner and last longer when covered. It is only a matter of work with them.
REPLACING WORN OUT VOLUMES.
Popular books, and especially children's books, gradually become so soiled as to be repulsive to sight and dangerous to health. Covers may be replaced, but when the inside of a book becomes filthy it should be withdrawn from circulation and replaced by a clean copy. 138 volumes have been thus replaced this year, a larger number than for previous years.
FILLING GAPS.
The increased use of the library by teachers, school children and members of literary clubs is constantly disclosing deficiency along certain lines of literature, and this is being remedied as fast as possi- ble.
Lists of the new books as they are added each month are published in the newspaper, also printed bulletins are posted in convenient places in the library and reading room, and are given to persons using the library.
A shelf has been placed near the delivery desk for the later and more solid books. This shelf is much liked and well patronized by the public.
206
CARD CATALOGUE.
We hope the card catalogue on which a good beginning has been made, may extend back over the supplementary bulletins, and that Miss Appleton's valuable services may be obtained to help in the work.
1
Whenever a book is now added to the library, it is classified, ap- propriate cards written, and added to the catalogue case at once, so that the catalogue is complete up to date, something impossible under any other system.
Following are some of the notable accessions to the library during the year :
HISTORY.
Century of American Diplomacy,
Foster
History of Colonization,
Morris
Pathfinders of the Revolution,
· Griffis
Last Years of the Nineteenth Century,
Latimer
BIOGRAPHY.
Contemporaries,
Higginson
Oliver Cromwell,
Roosevelt
Phillips Brooks,
Allen
Thomas Huxley,
L. Huxley
Eccentricities of Genius,
Pond
TRAVELS.
Historic Towns of the Southern States,
Powell
Along French Byways
· Johnson
Among English Hedge Rows,
Bates
Spanish Hyways and Byways, ·
Johnson
PSYCHOLOGY.
Divine Pedigree of Man,
Hudson
Talks on Psychology
.
James
Outlines of Psychology,
. Hoffding
LITERATURE.
Library of the World's Best Literature, 30 vols., · · Warner Literary History of America, . . Wendell
Literary Friends and Acquaintances, .
.
. Howells
207
NATURAL HISTORY.
Bird Homes,
Dugmore
Bird Studies with a Camera,
Chapman
Nature's Garden, .
.
Blanchan
Concerning Cats, .
Winslow
Guide to the Trees,
Lonsberry
MUSIC AND ART.
Rembrandt, .
Hurll
Michael Angelo,
66
Raphael,
66
For My Musical Friend,
Moore
Four Great Venetians,
Stearns
SCIENCE.
Flame, Electricity and the Camera,
Iles
Principles of Light and Color,
Babbitt
FICTION.
Voice of the People,
Glasgow
To Have and to Hold,
. Johnson
Robert Tournay,
Sage
Man's Woman,
Norris
Unleavened Bread,
Grant
House behind the Cedars,
. Chestnutt
Philip Winwood,
. Stephens
Reign of Law,
Allen
Tommy and Grizel,
Barrie
Eleanor,
Ward
In the Palace of the King,
. Crawford
Alice of Old Vincennes,
Thompson
Eben Holden,
. Bacheller
Quincy Adams Sawyer,
Pidgin
Cardinal's Snuff Box,
· Harland
An Englishwoman's Love Letters.
House of Egremont,
. Seawell
Black Rock,
Ralph Connor
Sky Pilot,
208
Number of volumes in the library February 1, 1900, Added by purchase during the year,
13,461
275
to replace worn out volumes, I38
66 donations, . 36
Magazines bound from the reading room, .
23
Volumes worn out during the year, · I37
Total number of volumes in the library February 1, 1901,
13,796
Donations from
State of Massachusetts,
IO
United States, .
.
4
Horatio W. Dresser,
8
Selim S. White,
5
S. W. Abbott, M. D.,
I
Donald M. Houston,
I
Henry Wood, .
I
Horace Seaver,
I
T. W. Balch,
I
J. M. King,
I
J. A. Frye,
I
State of Rhode Island,
I
A friend,
I
- 36
Persons having signed application cards for receiving books during the year, ·
420
Number of books delivered from the library Feb. 1, 1900 to Feb. 1, 1901, 28,952
Books delivered during March, 1900,
3,176
Number of volumes replaced during the year, I38
Number of volumes rebound during the year, including magazines bound from the reading room, · 247 .
HARRIET A. SHEPARD, Librarian.
Wakefield, February 1, 1901.
·
13,933
209
Rules of the Trustees of the Beebe Town Library, adopted May 14, 1900.
Organization .- The Board of Trustees shall meet for organization the first Wednesday following the annual town election, at eight o'clock p. m., and shall elect by ballot a chairman and secretary.
Duties of Secretary .- The secretary shall keep a record of all the proceedings of the board and shall have the custody of its papers. He shall notify members of all meetings in writing.
Regular Meetings .- The regular meetings of the board shall be held on the first Monday of January, April, July and October, at eight o'clock p. m.
Special Meetings .- Special meetings may be called by the chair- man, or by the secretary when requested by two members of the board.
Quorum .- A majority of the board shall be a quorum for the transaction of business.
Standing Committees .- Standing committees to be chosen annually in the month of March, shall be a book committee of five ; a library committee of three ; a reading room committee of four ; a finance committee of three ; and a catalogue committee of three. These com- mittees shall be appointed by the chairman unless the board shall by vote, adopt some other method of election. Vacancies occuring in the committees shall be filled as soon as practicable at a regular meeting.
Book Committee .- The book committee shall attend to the selec- tion, purchase and preservation of books and other property, subject to such votes and appropriations as the board may make; they shall cause an annual examination of the books to be made and report their condition to the board. Books purchased with the incomes of the various funds shall be credited to those funds. The committee shall acknowledge the acceptance of all books donated to the library.
210
Reading Room Committee .- The committee on the reading room shall select and procure the newspapers and other periodicals, and make all needful regulations for their use and they shall have general charge of the reading room, and make all necessary repairs and im- provements. No books, periodicals or other articles shall be pur- chased or added to the library or the reading room without the authority of the proper committee.
Finance Committee .- The committee on finance shall examine all bills for expenditure connected with the library or reading room, and if correct shall approve them through their chairman, or other mem- ber designated by the committee, for presentation to the treasurer. They shall approve no bill incurred by any standing committee with- out previous endorsement of such committee. They shall keep a record of all bills approved, and when called upon by the board, shall state the condition of the funds at its disposal.
At the first regular meeting in April, they shall, subject to the ap- proval of the board, apportion the funds to the various sub-commit- tees.
They shall present to the board in January an estimate of the ex- penditures of the library and reading room for the coming year.
They shall annually examine and audit the accounts of the libra- rian.
Catalogue Committee .-- The catalogue committee shall catalogue all additions to the library and shall prepare and issue such bulletins and catalogues as may be necessary.
Library Committee .- The library committee shall have general charge of the library room and shall make all necessary repairs and improvements. The library and the reading room committees may establish any additional rules and regulations not inconsistent with the foregoing, nor with any that may be hereafter adopted by the board of trustees.
Librarian .- Annually, in the month of March, the board shall appoint a librarian and fix his salary. He shall be removable at the pleasure of the board. Under the direction of the board he shall have the immediate care and charge of the library and the reading room, and shall report in writing to the proper committee any con- dition which is unsatisfactory. He shall be directly responsible for · all the books and property of these rooms.
211
Annually, in the month of January, he shall report to the board in writing the condition of the library, for incorporation in its annual report.
Reports of Committees .- Each standing committee shall present to the board, in the month of January, its annual report.
Annual Report .- A report of the board shall be prepared annually for publication in the annual town report, unless otherwise provided ; this report shall be prepared by the chairman, or some other member whom he may appoint.
Contributions mentioned .- In the annual report honorable mention shall be made of all who have in any way contributed to the library or the reading room.
Amendments .- These rules may be amended by the affirmative vote of the majority of the members, but no amendment shall be made unless notice of the proposed change has been given at a pre- ceding meeting.
Adopted May 4, 1900.
212
PERIODICALS IN THE READING ROOM.
Amateur Photographer American Field
Arena
Atlantic Monthly Birds
Bookman*
Carpentry and Building Century
Cosmopolitan
Current Literature
Citizen and Banner Education*
Etude*
Forest and Stream
Forum Frank Leslie's
Good Housekeeping
Great Round World
Harper's Bazar Harper's Monthly Harper's Weekly Irish World
Judge Ladies' Home Journal Leslie's Weekly Life Literary World · McClure
Metal Worker
Munsey National Magazine National Tribune New England
North American Review
New York Tribune Outlook
Outing
Photo Era*
Popular Science Monthly Public Opinion
Puck
Public Libraries*
Railway Guide* Recreation
Review of Reviews
Scientific American
Scientific American Supplement*
Shooting and Fishing
Scribner Self Culture St. Nicholas Success
Youth's Companion Boston Daily Globe Boston Daily and Sunday Journal Boston Sunday Herald
213
DONATED.
Science and Industry Farm Journal The Tech The Harvard Bulletin The Harvard Graduates' Maga- zine The Dartmouth The Worcester Academy Weekly
The Amherst Student The Yale Alumni Weekly Amherst Literary Monthly Smith College Monthly Tufts' Weekly Tufts' Mail National Single Taxer
The Public
MONEY DONATIONS TO THE PUBLIC READING ROOM, 1900-1901
E. W. Grover Dr. Chas. Dutton Rufus Kendrick H. B. Evans J. S. Bonney E. E. Lee P. S. Roberts S. B. Dearborn
Dr. J. W. Heath Dr. J. R. Mansfield Dr. Charles Jordan Dr. J. D. Mansfield Dr. F. T. Woodbury
Dr. C. L. Sopher Dr. S. W. Abbott W. A. Cutter
C. N. Winship Alexander Glass G. W. Eaton R. C. North
Dr. G. W. Butterfield C. A. Bowser
Darius Hadley J. C. W. Walton Richard Dutton E. W. Eaton John G. Reid
Wm. D. Deadman A Friend Chas. F. Mansfield
Frand H. Atwood
G. M. Tompson
Miss E. M. Greenwood
Dr. O. A. Parker F. Volturuo & Co
Chas. F. Woodward
E. M. Southworth Geo. H. Taylor
U. G. Wheeler
Wakefield Daily Item
Miss Jennie Gage
J. T. Paine Fred C. Howard
Arthur G. Walton
Mrs. Harriet Tarbox
Miss M. C. Marden
G. H. S. Driver
Thomas Martin
Mrs. Thos. Martin Riberot Dutton
J. M. Skully J. B. Johnson Dr. W. R. Jones Dr. S. O. Richardson
214
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Cate Rev: N. R. Everts H. M. Warren, Post 34, S. of V. Miss. M. A. Warren C. E. Randell C. W. Eaton, Esq Mrs. H. A. Shepard F. B. Carpenter Mrs. L. A. Mason E. A. Rich Sophia J. Rutter Thos. Winship Moses P. Parker
E. N. Heath Oliver Walton Mrs. N. E. Bartlett H. M. Warren, Ladies' Aid Society, No. 13
A Friend St. Joseph C. T. A. Good Will Rebekah Lodge John Flanley Ashton H. Thayer A Friend W. R. C. No. 69 A Friend
· MAGAZINES, ETC.
D. M. Houston E. F. Poland E. H. Palmer, Reading Herbert B. Willey Leslie Clough Bartlett Walton C. P. Heath S. B. Purdy V. W. Gouch
F. M. Cleaveland J. Frank White A. H. Thayer Theodore Eaton, Esq. Rev. A. P. Davis C. N. Greenough. Miss E. V. Buzzell A. Leon Cutler Single Tax League
ANNUAL REPORT
-OF THE- -
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE-
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD,
-FOR THE-
YEAR ENDING JANUARY 31ST, 1901.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1900-1901.
Ashton H. Thayer, Chairman, Greenwood, Term expires 1901 Mrs. Ida F. Carlisle, Secretary, 9 Summit Ave., 1901 66
G. H. S. Driver, 290 Main Street, Eden K. Bowser, 3-A Avon Street
66
1902
.
I902
Melvin J. Hill, West Chestnut Street,
66
1903
Everett A. Fisher, 7 Murray Street,
66 6. 1903
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
U. G. Wheeler, 27 Yale Ave.
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD.
ASHTON H. THAYER MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE,
Chairman
GEORGE H. S. DRIVER,
.
.
.
·
Secretary
Treasurer
SUB-COMMITTEES.
MRS. CARLISLE,
RULES AND REGULATIONS. M. J. HILL,
E. A. FISHER
M. J. HILL,
COURSE OF STUDY.
E. K. BOWSER,
MRS. CARLISLE
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
A. H. THAYER,
MRS. CARLISLE,
M. J. HILL
TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
G. H. S. DRIVER,
M. J. HILL,
A. H. THAYER
MUSIC, DRAWING AND CALISTHENICS.
E. K. BOWSER,
G. H. S. DRIVER,
E. A. FISHER
G. H. S. DRIVER,
PUBLIC PROPERTY. A. H. THAYER, E. K. BOWSER
E. A. FISHER,
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS. M. J. HILL, G. H. S. DRIVER
TRUANT OFFICER. H. A. SIMONDS.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. U. G. WHEELER.
OFFICE HOURS. Mondays from 7 to 8 p. m. Other school days, 4 to 5 p. m., from November to April, and 4.30 to 5.30 p. m. the rest of the year. School Committee Rooms, Flanley Block.
MEETINGS OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Third Friday evening of each month at 7.45 p. m., at School . Committee Rooms.
Report of the School Committee.
The School Committee herewith present their annual report.
The closing of the year 1900 also ended a century. A century almost of wonders. The perfection of steam power, the control and use of electricity, the discovery of liquid air and innumerable other inventions and discoveries makes the century a notable one. What will the next one hundred years unfold; where shall we stand, as individuals, as a nation ? " What we have been makes us what we are." What we are to-day is determining what we will be a century hence. To-day we stand in the van, a leader among nations, whether or not we keep the position depends upon our honesty of purpose; whether we act from high principle and unselfish motives or whether our aim is simply for our own glory.
In this march of progress the public schools have played no small part. They have helped to make the "thinking bayonet," " the man behind the gun," and this not by teaching the art of war but by educating our boys and girls to be honest and self- reliant ; to think and to act.
The high school occupies a more advanced position than ever before. The graduate from this school to-day has a better edu- cation than the college graduate of less than one hundred years ago, and in our town it stands, as it should, at the head of our school system ; the goal for which the pupils of the lower grades are working and the number belonging to the high school shows that a good proportion of them attain their object and avail them- selves of its privileges.
The scope and general usefulness of this school has been ma- terially enlarged the past year by the addition of a practical and
4
thorough commercial course to its curriculum and, while we can- not yet point to graduates of this course who occupy important positions, we see no reason to regret the step taken, especially if the work can be continued as efficiently as it has been begun.
Efficiency of service is also true of other departments of the school, which, as a whole, is in excellent condition and it will be the endeavor of the committee to see that it shall constantly im- prove.
The school has a good representation among the colleges, fifteen of the thirty-nine graduates of last year continuing their studies in other schools, twelve in college and three in the Salem Normal School.
EVENING SCHOOL.
Considerable interest having been manifested in an evening school, the school committee issued circulars to ascertain the number who would agree to attend such a school and the studies they wished to take, and there were about one hundred and fifty responses. The committee then recommended the opening of an evening school and the town appropriated eight hundred dollars for that purpose, but the attendance instead of being one hundred and fifty was more than twice that number, requiring nearly the full capacity of the high school building and a much larger corps of teachers than had been contemplated, and in consequence the term was shortened from twenty to sixteen weeks and even then the appropriation was insufficient. Considering the large attend- ance and the age and earnestness of those who attend, though the number, as expected, has fallen off, the committee recommend the continuance of this school next winter. The success of this undertaking has been largely due to the personal interest of Su- perintendent U. G. Wheeler and Principal C. H. Howe who have served as principals of the school.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The school committee were authorized by vote of the town to procure plans for an eight-room brick school building for the Junction district and a plan of such a building will be submitted with estimates of its cost. Notwithstanding the relief afforded by
5
the erection of the F. P. Hurd school, the Lincoln building is still over-crowded, every room being in use, with an enrollment of six hundred and twelve pupils or nearly one-third of the entire number of school children in town. Of these, one hundred and thirty-five come from the Junction or Franklin Street district. Fifteen of these, however, are in the ninth grade and would con- tinue to attend the Lincoln building, and there are also others living on streets which are more convenient to the Lincoln build- ing than to the district in which they live, but allowing for these the Lincoln building would be relieved of one hundred or more pupils by the erection of a school house as contemplated and for which there is imperative need.
The rooms of the Warren school, except one, are occupied and the rooms of the lower grades of the Greenwood school are full to overflowing and it is probable that it will be necessary to uti- lize the old school house this coming spring. Other buildings are fully occupied but not crowded.
REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
Last year the walks about the Hamilton building were relaid and other improvements made. The ventilation and sanitary ar- rangements of this building, however, are poor. The furnaces should be reset and good ventilation and sanitary conveniences be provided.
Considerable inconvenience was caused late in the summer by an unexpected order of the Board of Health to remove the sani- taries from the high school building. The Board evidently acted under a misapprehension regarding the construction and working of these sanitaries, confounding them perhaps with some other make where school rooms and sanitaries ventilate into one com- mon shaft. Those in use in our town, however, are not of that kind; the school rooms and sanitaries have independent shafts for ventilation and, if properly managed, are entirely odorless and unobjectionable, more so than many water closets.
This order of the Board of Health was not enforced, though a previous order to trap and ventilate the sinks was carried out under their direction at an expense of about five hundred dollars.
We deplore the ignorance of the local plumbing inspector in ad-
6
vertising and condemning the town as using a certain system of sanitaries when no such system had ever been in use in this town.
We again call attention to the condition of the curbing around the Lincoln school yard which is not creditable to the town. Most of this work-the repair of sidewalks and resetting of the outer curbing-belongs properly to the street department, but the work when done should be thorough and the school committee would work in conjunction with the road surveyor.
The concrete in the yard of this building also needs repairing and top dressing with concrete. Considerable fencing is needed at Greenwood between the school lot and adjoining lots. Such work as the above, cuts into the appropriation to a considerable extent, but is work that must be done, either from the school appropria- tion, or from a special appropriation for that specific purpose. These three items will cost probably seven hundred dollars and this if taken from the regular appropriation for incidentals would make that appropriation too small to pay the current expenses of that department.
Acting on the recommendation of the school committee, the town at the annual meeting appropriated $15,000 for enlarging the High School building. This was done to the satisfaction of the committee and in accordance with plans prepared by Mr. Harland A. Perkins, a graduate of our high school in the class of '96. While making little noticeable change in the outward ap- pearance of the building it gives six additional class rooms and adds very materially to the efficiency and convenience of the build- ing, reflecting much credit upon Mr. Perkins, the architect, as well as upon the building committee, who did not exceed the appropria- tion. Unless the school increases in size much more than we ap- prehend, the building will give ample accommodation for some years to come, until, we trust, the town will be able to erect a new and commodius structure, when the present building can be utilized for the entire ninth grade of the town.
Last year, by vote of the town, the coal was purchased for the different departments by the Selectmen. This may have resulted in a saving to one or two of the departments, but it was at the expense of the school department which paid a higher price for
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.