USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1879-1880 > Part 2
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).
Special appropriation, engine and house No. 5,
800.00
Amount from sale of old hose,
165.29
$1,965.29
Paid bills 1878 and 1879 :
Wm. H. Hoeg, labor, engine No. 3, $6.00
Wm. C. Ford, horses for engine, 11.00
Fairhaven Coal Co., 5.00
Stephen Weed, repairs, hooks and stages, 2.40 .
New Bedford fire department, re- pairs on hose, 2.00
Bills for present year :
Worthley, Downs & Co., hose and couplings, 29.37
New Bedford Gas Co., coal, 10.29
Albert J. Barney, labor, hook and ladder shed, 3.45
James Boyd & Sons, leading hose, 707.00
Charles A. Johnson, supplies for engine No. 3, 8.02
Ansel D. Bourne, labor, engine house, 53.09
Ansel D. Bourne, hook and ladder shed, 75.00
Allen & Omey, repairs, engine house No. 5, 47.81
Jeremiah H. Pease, cask, 8.00
Benj. F. Drew, janitor, engine No. 5, 26.46
B. Taber & Sons, paint and naphtha,
1.40
Hook and ladder company, men, 60.00
Steamer Contest, No. 3, men, 195.85
Engine No. 5, men, 445.81
Engineers, fire department,
40.00
J. G. Morse, for care and running steamer, 219.87
26
Wm. H. Hoeg, labor engine No. 3, 5.30
Henry H. Wilson, repairs and sup- plies, No. 5, 2.70
Harvey Caswell, repairs, hose reel No. 3, 1.33
James A. Lewis, expenses to Boston, 7.60
George D. Gifford, 10.50
James Woods & Sons, lanterns, 5.00
Rufus A. Dunham & Co., storage, 2.00
Albert J. Barney, repairs, engine house, 2.50
Roland Smith, labor, engine No. 5, 2.75
Temple S. Corson, coal, 10.25
Charles A. Johnson, repairs,
7.59
A. J. Taber, stone, hook and ladder shed, .80
James Curren, carting do., .70
Jireh C. Sherman, repairing, 14.22
Abner Howard, labor, house No. 5, 2.70
George W. King, iron work, 11.50
Leavitt & Taber, lamp chimneys, .28
H. F. Wild, supplies, engine No. 5, 11.57
Benj. F. Drew, care
12.00
$2,069.11
1,965.29
Amount from incidentals to balance,
103.82
$2,069.11
SALARIES OF TOWN OFFICERS.
Amount appropriated, $600.00
Amount from incidentals to balance,
712.72
Paid Eben Akin, Jr., clerk and treas- urer,
$250.00
George Jones, collector, 250.00
Obed F. Hitch, assessor, 80.00
George H. Taber, assessor, 80.00
William M. Stetson, assessor, 60.00
George A. Briggs, selectman, 73.34
Daniel W. Dean, selectman,
73.33
27
Robert E. Leavitt, selectman, 73.33
Chas. H. Morton, school committee, 58.75
Matthew Merry, school committee, 56.25 Roswell E. Briggs, school committee, 50.00
Joshua R. Delano, constable, 40.00
Thomas B. Fuller, auditor, 2.00
William F. Caswell, auditor, 2.00
Bills of 1878 and 1879 : . .
Chas. H. Morton, school committee, $63.80
Isaac Terry, school committee, 59.42
Matthew Merry, school committee, 40.50
$1,312.72
$1,312.72
TOWN DEBT.
Amount appropriated for liquidating debt and interest, $7,000.00
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, tempo- rary loan, 1,500.00
Brown, Riley & Co., temporary loan,
1,980.67
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, tempo- rary loan, 793.70
Amrunt from incidentals to balance,
298.66
$11,573.03
Paid
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, in- terest on bonds, $2,310.00
Seth A. Mitchell, interest on note, 112.50 Ellery T. Taber, interest on note, 103.00 Estate of R. Allen, interest on note, 107.00 Fairhaven Institution for Savings, interest on note, 267.50
Washington street Christian society, interest on note, 79.33
Pease district fund, interest on note, 300.00 Brown, Riley & Co., interest on note, 19.33
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, note, 1,000.00
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, town bonds, 2,000.00
28
Fairhaven Institution for Savings, temporary loans, 2,293.70 Brown, Riley & Co., temporary loans, 1,980.67 Washington street Christian society, note, 1,000.00 M
$11,573.00 $11,573.03
Town debt reported February, 1879,
$48,400.00
Town debt, bonds, February, 1880, $31,000.00 Town debt, New Bedford Institution for Savings, February, 1880, 7,900.00 Town debt, Pease district, February, 1880, 5,000.00
Present debt,
$43,900.00
TOWN PROPERTY.
Almshouse and farm, $6,000.00
Nine schoolhouses and 7 lots,
9,500.00
Watch house and lot, 350.00
Hooks and ladders, and shed,
125.00
Two engine houses and lots,
700.00
Steam fire engine,
1,000.00
Hand engine and hose,
1,000.00
Three safes and office furniture,
300.00
Weights and measures,
25.00
Stock and produce on farm,
879.00
Farm tools,
376.00
Burial lot,
50.00
$20,305.00
GEORGE A. BRIGGS, Selectmen DANIEL W. DEANE, of
ROBERT E. LEAVITT, Fairhaven.
The undersigned have examined the foregoing accounts, and believe them to be correct.
ROBERT BENNETT, ) Committee W. F. CASWELL, S on accounts.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN,
FOR THE YEAR 1878-9,
NEW BEDFORD : MERCURY PUBLISHING COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1880.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
It is customary for the Committee in their annual report to make such remarks and suggestions, as their observations during the past lead them to believe will be of value for use in the schools, or subject matter for future consideration by the Committee.
It is not our purpose, however, at this time, to make par- ticular comment upon any of the schools. It will suffice to say that we have a number where the work is uniformly good, and which afford only pleasure to the visitor; but in many, while they may compare favorably with schools of the same grade in other towns, we discover a lack of thorough- ness in the work. Still we think, making proper allowance for the unusual number of changes in the corps of teachers, the schools during the past year will compare favorably with previous years. The changes among the teachers have been mostly due to causes beyond the control of the Committee, principally, the offer of higher salaries in other places.
To supply vacancies we are, to a great extent, obliged to rely upon the graduates of the High school, it being impos- sible for the Committee to employ those 'from the Normal schools, or at least those that it would be desirable to em- ploy, as they usually command much better wages than we can offer.
4
We have alluded to teachers from the Normal schools be- cause the practical training received does, at the outset, give them a decided advantage over those from most other schools, and we believe, as a rule, that they render the best service. It certainly is true of the teachers employed in this town, though it would be injustice to one or two of our best teachers if we did not say, we have found excep- tions. And so inexperienced teachers are employed, who enter upon their duties, lacking knowledge of the proper methods to be used in teaching, and frequently with but lit- tle confidence in themselves, wanting that assurance which comes as the result of actual contact with and overcoming of difficulties, the consequences are that the schools have to suffer while the teachers acquire method and experience. The experience of the past, as your Committee, affords us conclusive evidence, that one of two things is essential for the future welfare and progress of the schools, either the appropriation of sufficient money to always command the services of the best teachers, or else to provide some better method of supervision, for it is certainly impossible for the Committee, during the limited time they devote to the schools, to overcome the lack of experience on the part of the teachers, and our only hope of accomplishing it is to commit the schools to the charge of some one person having leisure and special qualifications for the work.
It is not practical for this town to have a salaried superin- tendent, but we think it is practical to have a superintending teacher, and that with little, if any additional cost. The carrying out of this idea would require the employment of another assistant at the High School, but that expense would be about met by the salaries now paid to the Commit- tee, which they would not then be entitled to receive. The duties of the superintending teacher shall be primarily , teacher of the High School, but it shall also be his duty
.
-
5
whenever a new teacher is appointed to any school, to or- ganize that school, and to give it sufficient attention to start ยท it right, and afterwards to maintain an oversight of the work till he shall become satisfied that the teacher is possessed of correct ideas in regard to method, and is competent to govern well.
It shall also be his duty to visit other schools, that may be lagging in their work, to teach them in the presence of the teachers, that they may have demonstrated to them exactly what is required. It shall also be his privilege to visit the other schools, subject, however, to such restrictions as the Committee may consider desirable.
We are convinced that very many of the failures on the part of teachers heretofore could have been prevented by a little timely help from a competent superintending teacher, and we are satisfied that a very decided improvement could be made in the schools by such means.
It may be urged against the adoption of this arrangement that the High School would suffer in consequence. This may perhaps be true, but still even in the High School the change would offer some decided advantages to compen- sate for the occasional absence of the principal ; having an assistant in each room, he would be able to teach in turn all the classes of the school, and so make his influence felt through the whole. Whereas, any lack now on the part of the assist- ants to perform well their work, results in a failure, as far as the classes under their control are concerned, as marked as though it were a separate school. [Our remarks in this par- ticular must not be understood as in any way reflecting upon the present assistants, for were we commenting particularly upon the schools and teachers, we should have words of commendation for both, and especially for the first assistant, whose success in the new relation she has sustained toward the school during the past year has been very gratifying to
3
6
the Committee. ] But let the result upon any one school be what it may, we must consider the good of all the schools rather than the interest of any one.
In evidence that there exists a very general and positive sentiment in favor of better school supervision, we give from among the many articles upon the subject the following from the annual report of the Board of Education for 1874 and 1875, under the head of "School Superintendents :"
"But the most evident means for elevating the schools, is to employ one person, familiar with the science of teaching, to superintend the schools ; and commit their interest to his hands with pretty full power, subject to conditions imposed and enforced by a school committee composed of the best citizens of the community. From an observation of the the work of superintendents in small towns as well as in large towns and cities, it is my firm conviction that the more fully the supervision of the schools is intrusted to one person having the proper qualifications, the greater is the efficiency of the schools."
We offer the foregoing, not with the intention of asking the town to vote upon the question of a School Superin- tendent, but that they shall, if the idea meets their ap- proval, consider the question of increasing the number of the Committee to six or more, it being understood that the Committee are to serve without pay. The increased num- ber is considered desirable for several reasons. The Com- mittee will still be required to attend to prudential mat- ters, and unless the town shall otherwise provide, will have to attend to the keeping of the buildings in repair. These duties should occupy as little of their time as possible, and that without any considerable expense. It will also be of material advantage in deciding wisely the details of fore- going proposition of which we have given but a faint outline, and the larger portion of the Committee coming directly
7
from the people, will be free from any personal preferences to which a Committee might be liable. [In regard to the advisability of adopting the foregoing recommendation, the Committee are not agreed ; the majority are of the opinion that three can discharge the duties satisfactorily. ]
We desire that very particular attention should be paid to the following rule in regard to children who have reached the legal age, five years, at which they may enter the schools :
"Children of five years may enter the schools at the com_ mencement of the Spring term, and only then, unless they have been taught elsewhere and can enter the class that commenced in the Spring."
It is absolutely necessary that we should insist upon this, in order to maintain the grade of the Primary school. We do not advise the sending of children to school so young, believing it to be an injury to them, retarding rather than advancing their development, both physi- cally and mentally, but this is a matter of opinion, and the decision remains with the parents to send at any time after the child shall have reached the age of five years, subject to the above named conditions.
We have witnessed with pleasure the increased interest manifested by the teachers in regard to the moral element in education, and their appreciation of its importance as affect- ing the future welfare of those committed to their charge, and I trust that parents will fully cooperate with the teach- ers in their efforts in this particular, lending them their aid and countenance, and whenever the authority of the teach- ers may be insufficient from a legal point of view, will sup- plement the authority of the teacher with their own, so that a prompt obedience to all requirements may be gained, the scholars realizing that the same authority that requires good behavior at home follows them to the school, and is vested
8
in the teacher. The consideration of this subject at a re- cent meeting of the teachers, influenced us to call attention to it in the annual report, but finding an article in the Re- port of the Board of Education which treated upon the sub- ject at some length, fully and ably setting forth the import- ance of this somewhat neglected branch of education, we shall confine ourselves to the presentation of the following extracts from it :
"The young, to say nothing of the older, are liable to act from the principle of selfishness. They have no past to which they can refer for a guiding experience, or from which they can derive lessons for the future ; nor do they know that their future is related in any way to their present. The young act largely from impulse, with their thoughts on what they judge to be a present good. During this period of their lives they are to be controlled, in a measure, by the hope and fear of those rewards and punishments which af- fect the mind through the body. Selfishness is called a low principle of action ; but it is found in the original constitu- tion of the human mind, and is the only active principle while it is deriving all its knowledge through the senses.
At first, the mind must be led to do what is best from the hope of immediate good or from the fear of immediate harm. The teacher should see to it that proper rewards always accompany good conduct, and proper punishment bad conduct, so that thoughts of well and ill-doing may be early associated in the child's mind with thoughts of their own legitimate consequence.
Then, as a child has a desire for pleasure and an aversion to pain, by association he may be led to love that which produced the one, and hate that which produced the other.
The teacher of the young should never be satisfied until he leads them to act from a sense of duty ; indeed, while he is compelled to find the chief incentives in the lower princi_
.
9
ples of human action, he should keep in view the proper limits of their use, the danger of depending too long and too exclusively upon them, and the necessity of keeping constantly in view that culture which will prepare the way for the exercise of the highest principle.
The end that school government should aim to secure is self-government. The pupil can acquire the power of gov- erning himself by an habitual exercise of that power. All systems of school government are faulty that do not contain a plan which requires every pupil to have constant exercise in controlling his own conduct. In too many cases the teacher on entering his school makes of himself one party, and leaves his pupils to make of themselves another.
By practice, the one grows skilful in detecting the viola- tion of school rules, the other in escaping detection ; and both, in pursuing their ends, are often led to resort to those devices which degrade each in his own and the other's esti- mation, and which destroy their sacred regard for fidelity and trust, which it is the especial object of school govern- ment to cultivate. The power to mould character must be in the teacher. He must, it is true, express himself by sys- tems and rules, but back of these there must be in him a moral power, that may be known and felt by all who are in its presence. Moral training should deal as far as possible with individuals. It should lead every pupil to perform for himself all those moral acts which his feelings of moral obligation make to be duties. A good example may be presented by the teacher to the whole, and moral precepts may be communicated in lessons taught to the whole ; but, after these things have been done, the teacher should see to it that the moral conduct of every pupil corres- ponds to the teaching. If any pupil is found practising deception, then, after the meanness and wickedness of lying, and the moral beauty of truthfulness, have been clearly
10
shown, he must be compelled and encouraged to be truth- ful, until his acts have given him an inclination and facility for truthful acts forever after.
The young child may be stimulated to be truthful in all his relations to others, by an appeal to his hopes and fears of gaining or losing some present good. After an ex- perience in the results of his social acts, he will choose the truth because it is the greatest good. When the reflective period sets in-and this comes to the child much earlier than we sometimes think-he may be led to live a truthful life from a sense of duty. In this way, all the virtues may be taught, and the practice of them required, until the vir- tuous character is produced."
The school buildings in the village are now in very fair re- pair, and with the exception of the fence in front of the High schoolhouse, there is nothing that demands immediate attention. The North Fairhaven, Naskatucket and New Boston school buildings need painting, and we recommend an appropriation for that purpose.
The amount required for the above and other incidental expenses for the ensuing year as estimated by the Commit- tee will be $500, and the amount required for the salaries of teacher, care of buildings and fuel will be $4,500. The fol- lowing is the report of the School Book Agency for the past year :
SCHOOL BOOK AGENCY.
To books on hand, 2d mo., 15, 1879.
$54.30
Balance due on books,
44.65
Books purchased,
208.39
Advance on books,
19.50
$326.84
By cash paid town treasurer,
$101.28
Cash paid by agent,
6.85
Bill for assessors,
23.87
Books furnished schools,
57.63
Books returned,
14.27
11
Books on hand,
67.70
Depreciation on books.
6.16
Advance on books.
19.50
Balance due on books,
29.58
$326.84
The following is a statement of the expenditures for teach- ers' salaries, care and fuel, as far as the bills have been re- ceived :
1878-79.
Amount on hand February 15, 1879,
$1,201.19
Amount paid teachers.
$936.50
Amount paid for care,
98.72
Balance.
165.97 $1.201.19
1879-80.
Amount raised for schools,
$4.250.00
Received from the State.
196.95
Received from County,
182.42
Balance from last year,
165.97 $4,795.34
Teachers' salaries,
$3,507.00
Care.
319.68
Fuel.
184.20
Balance unexpended.
784.46 $4,795.34
The balance will be required to meet the bills that will become due during the present year.
TABLE.
SPRING.
SUMMER.
WINTER.
Attendance between
Attendance under 5.
Attendance over 15.
Whole attendance.
Average attendance.
Attendance between
Attendance under 5.
| Attendance over 15.
Whole attendance.
Average attendance.
Attendance between
Attendance under 5.
| Attendance over 15.
Whole attendance.
Average attendance.
North Fairhaven,
14
0
0
14
12
Oxford Village,
43
0
0
43
34
49
0
0
49
42
41
0
0
41
34
Naskatucket,
28
0
1
29
22
27
0
0
27
23
26
0
1
27
22
New Boston,.
31
0
1
32
25
31
0
1
32
25
29
0
3
32
26
Sconticut Neck,.
22
0
0
22
17.5
24
0
0
24
20.5
20
0
0
20
15
Centre Primary,
46
0
0
46
36
46
0
0
46
40
43
0
0
43
33
South Primary,.
36
0
0
36
31
40
0
0 40
35
31
0 0
31
26
North Primary,
46
3
0
49
44
51
0
0
51
32
44
0
44
30
Grammar School,
76
0
0
76
67
74
0
0
74
67
73
0 0
73
65
High School,
65
0 47 112
95
58
0 44 102
88
50
0.42
92
82.8
5 and 15.
SCHOOLS.
5 and 15.
5 and 15.
Number of children between 5 and 15-442.
12
The average attendance of all the schools during the past year is the lowest it has been for six years. A number of causes have combined to produce this result. The very changeable weather during the past winter has materially re- duced the attendance at the Primary Schools ; the changes among the teachers has also had its influence, but more than all else, the unusual number of scholars who have attended for a few weeks and then moved away. It will be noticed that there has been a marked reduction of the number of children in the town between the ages of five and fifteen years ; last year there were four hundred and seventy-four, this year we have only four hundred and forty-two. We do not, therefore, feel to charge the falling off in the average attendance to a lack of interest on the part of parents, they having exercised only proper care for the health of their children. Last year, in the list of three hundred and forty- four towns of the State, showing the average attendance in all the towns, Fairhaven stands No. 80; and again in the same report the table giving the percentage of appropriation according to valuation of all the towns, Fairhaven is No. 80, occupying the same relative position to all the towns in both cases .. The foregoing may not be taken as a certain indication that the average attendance will be just in propor- tion to the appropriation, but it is certain that the average attendance is usually best in the best schools, and the rank of the schools is in exact proportion to the amount of the appropriation.
C. H. MORTON, MATTHEW MERRY, School Committee.
ROSWELL E. BRIGGS,
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.