USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1853-82 > Part 34
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
24 62
From Town of Billerica, for support of War- ren Russell. 12 00
Lots sold in Cemetery 16 00
Use of Town Hall.
147 00
Dog Fund.
133 03
State Paupers ..
117 14
Interest on Taxes, 1871.
45 20
Note, George C. Wright John Goldsmith.
2,500 00
Joseph Barker ..
1,000 00
D. J. Wetherbee
1,200 00
H. J. Hapgood.
400 00
Lewis Rouillard
200 00
Joseph Noyes.
200 00
Joseph P. Reed Jonathan Piper
600 00
Luther Billings.
200 00
William D. Tuttle
2,200 00
Josiah Dow. 600 00
Patrick Farrell.
1,150 00
200 00
3,000 00
4
Note, John Grimes ..
$300 00
George Reed ..
450 00
George H. Harris
200 00
John Wilson.
500 00
David M. Handley
1,300 00
George W. Gates.
200 00
J. K. W. Wetherbee
300 00
State Tax.
1,580 00
County Tax
916 19
$36,014 70
EXPENDITURES.
SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS.
Paid G. W. Gates, South district. $648 00
Luke Blanchard, West district. 616 00
John E. Cutter, Centre district. 608 00
Henry Brooks, East district.
305 52
Winsdor Pratt, South-east district.
244 40
George H. Harris, North-east district ..
244 40
$2,666 32
SCHOOL HOUSE REPAIRS AND INCIDENTALS.
Paid Luke Blanchard, West district.
$24 87
G. W. Gates, South
10 91
Winsdor Pratt, So. east 66
11 90
John E. Cutter, Centre 66
11 73
$59 41
REPAIRS ON HIGHWAYS.
Paid Luther Davis.
$ 9 00
Alonzo Tuttle. 47 73
Charles Wheeler.
422 31
A. H. Jones.
119 03
William Spaulding
17 65
Daniel Harris.
51 60
John Harris.
470 00
Luther W. Piper
53 96
Francis Pratt 24 13
John Grimes. 48 40
Daniel Fletcher
91 50
Warren Flagg
29 35
Nathan Brooks.
49 00
John Conant.
20 80
Abel Farrer, Jr
14 07
5 .
Paid Simon Tuttle. F. H. Whitcomb. 25 00
$27 30
Moses Taylor 7 00
$1,062 53
SPECIAL REPAIRS OF ROADS AND BRIDGES.
Paid Daniel Harris, for lumber and labor rail-
ing road and repairing bridge near mills of H. M. Smith . $25 77
Francis Pratt, for repairing road from South Acton to house of Daniel Fletcher.
1,000 00
Charles Wheeler, for repairing road from South Acton to West Cemetery .... Charles Wheeler, for repairs on road near house of Levi Houghton ..... Reuben Handley, for labor on road from West Acton to West Cemetery, by order of County Commissioners. Isaac Reed, for breaking roads.
438 75
150 06
252 46
F. H. Whitcomb, 66
3 00
Levi W. Stevens,
4 00
Phineas Wetherbee, lumber for railing ..
2 00
Simon Tuttle, 66
3 00
Cyrus Fletcher,
8 35
$1,894 39
SUPPORT OF POOR.
Paid Sarah Hunt. 16 00
Sarah B. Childs
17 00
Mrs. Desmond .
15 00
Charles Edmonds
27 13
Sally White.
47 00
Adams family, 9 persons, Wilson fami- ly, 2 persons, Israel Nickerson, who
248 69
died while infected with small pox, Abel W. Jones
92 00
Warren Russell.
12 00
Dr. I. Hutchins, medical attendance for Nancy Sprague and John Brown in 1867, Mrs. Murphy .
30 62
1 00
Joseph Noyes, journey to Boston re- specting Charles Edmonds. . . . .
4 00
Town Farm deficiency for 1871-2 203 19
7 00
6
Paid James E. Billings, journey to Boston in reference to State Aid. $2 50 Journey to Malden, after W. Oliver. ... 3 00
Journey to Sudbury, after Sarah Hunt .. 2 00
$721 13
INTEREST ON TOWN DEBT.
Paid Augustine Conant $292 00
Cyrus Conant.
140 00
David M. Handley 141 48
Frederick Rouillard
110 50
J. E Billings
216 51
J. K. Putney .
39 00
William Wheeler
30 00
Daniel Harris
56 37
Calvin Harris.
14 00
John R. Whitcomb
35 00
Elizabeth Hanscom 40 80
J. K. W. Wetherbee.
13 47
George C. Wright
54 25
Isaac T. Flagg.
6 00
$1,189 38
TOWN DEBT.
Paid George C. Wright.
$3,000 00
J. K. W. Wetherbee 300 00
$3,300 00
MILITARY ACCOUNT.
Paid John Fletcher, Jr., armory rent .. .. $150 00
For entertainment of the Old Sixth
Regt,, April 19, 1872. 340 25
May Parade. 29 00
$519 25
PRINTING.
Paid Tolman & White for town warrants ... $14 50
Blank order book.
8 50
Notices, (wanted).
3 50
Reports for March and April.
101 47
Notices, school land
1 50
Assessors' notice. 4 00
7
Paid Dog notice .. $3 00
Auction of school house. 1 00
Sealer of weights and measures. 3 00
Valuation books ..
100 60
Notices, $500 reward.
3 50
Advertising in Herald, $500 reward, and telegram, etc.
9 88
$254 45
STATE AID.
Paid Hatttie W. Wilder $96 00
Joanna Moulton . 48 00
Rebecca C. Wright 48 00
A. R. Sumner. ..
42 00
George W. Sawyer
42.00
Nancy B. Richards
8 00
$284 00
CEMETERY EXPENSES.
Paid Martin Pike, for labor in East Cemetery $34 00
Francis Kingsley, digging well in West
Cemetery . . 56 00
Charles Hastings, work, lumber and
nails, for West Cemetery ... 22 37
$112 37
TOWN OFFICERS.
Paid John E. Cutter, superintending schools, collecting taxes 1871. .
80 00
Abatement of taxes.
70 75
C. A. Harrington, taking valuation and making taxes.
124 00
Isaac Reed, taking valuation and mak- ing taxes
129 00
Frederick Rouillard, taking valuation and making taxes.
134 00
Simon Tuttle, taking valuation and making taxes.
132 00
Wm. D. Tuttle, taking valuation, mak- ing and copying taxes 119 00
Do., preparing Assessors' notices for printing. 2 00
$90 00
8
Paid Do., copying valuation book for print- ing. . ... . $10 50
Do., services as Town Clerk 25 00 James E. Billings, services as Select- man. . 55 00
Hiram J. Hapgood, services as Select- man.
40 00
$1,011 25
SCHOOL HOUSES.
Paid Henry M. Smith, Centre scoool house .. $234 20
J. E. Cutter, settees and ladder for Centre school house .. 17 50
Geo. C. Wright, West school house. 7,000 00
James Tuttle, South school house 7,000 00
$14,251 70
TOWN HOUSE EXPENSES.
Paid Geo. W. Sawyer, 30 galls. oil .. .....
$11 03
washing floor,30 hours 6 00
ink, paper and pens. . 37
six lamp chimneys ...
75
1 sprinkler
1 05
2 brooms .
84
24 lamp wicks.
25
opening town hall 51 times . 35 25
opening hall to jubilee singers. 13 00
repairing funnel .. ...
3 00
taking care of clock .. 10 00
cleaning clock
75
varnishing hall
5 79
J. E. Cutter, for coal. 25 07
MISCELLANEOUS.
Paid Daniel Jones, repairing tree on common, John Fletcher, Jr., for pump for well on common
10 00
Crampton Brothers, damage to cow
18 00
Standard yard measure
15 00
$113 15
$9 62
Cost of indictment for road nuisance, 1867 .. 21 40
9
Paid John Dean, land for gravel. $51 50
Joseph Noyes, road scraper. 47 60
F. B. Holden, damage by defect in road, 16 00
Jonas Blodgett, selling school house ... Wm. D. Tuttle, expenses on pub. doc. . 66 valuation book. . ...
2 25
4 50
stationary and postage.
3 23
expenses to Boston to get valuation printed,
1 30
Surveying and grading road from South Acton to powder mills. 9 75 1 50
Setting and marking stake on roads ..
Recording 39 births.
11 70
10 marriages.
1 50
66
34 deaths. 5 40
Description of school house lot in West Acton 2 00
Journey to Sudbury to make out certifi- cate of election .. 2 20
G. W. Sawyer, tolling bell, 15 deaths .. 3 00 Francis Dwight, attending funerals for 33 persons. . .. 99 00
Coffin for Israel Nickerson.
4 50
Making returns of 32 deaths. 3 20
J. E. Cutter, stamps on notes. 3 25
66
books for Centre district. . 3 80
66
express on books, &c .... 2 60 insurance on West school house. . 110 00
66 error in county tax. ... ..
2 97
Geo. W. Gates and J. K.W. Wetherbee, land for school house in So. Acton,
500 00
Geo. Heywood, for advice
1 50
J. E. Billings, express
1 00
66 postage. 60
66
stationary 50
$975 02
RECEIPTS FROM FEB. 26, 1872, TO FEB. 26, 1873.
Unexpended balance as per report of Feb.
$1,186 80 26, 1872 ..
Appropriations and receipts. 34,827 90
$36,014 70
4 65
10
EXPENDITURES.
Support of schools
$2,666 32
Repairs of school houses and incidentals ...
59 41
Repairs of highways. . . .
1,062 53
Special repairs on highways and bridges. ..
1,894 39
Support of poor.
721 13
Interest
1,189 38
Town debt
3,300 00
Military.
519 25
Printing
254 45
State aid .
284 00
Cemetery.
112 37
Town officers
1,011 25
School houses.
14,251 70
Town house.
113 15
Miscellaneous.
975 02
State tax.
1,580 00
County tax
916 19
$30,910 54
Balance in treasury Feb. 26, 1873. $5,104 16
TOWN DEBT.
Ebenezer Conant. $2,067 66
Augustine Conant.
4,135 33
Daniel Harris. ..
846 78
Frederick Rouillard .
1,791 11
Joel Hanscom.
700 40
J. E. Billings.
2,138 07
David M. Handley .
3,054 25
Isaac T. Flagg
106 35
Calvin Harris.
203 63
John R. Whitcomb
507 58
J. K. Putney .
693 60
William Wheeler
523 00
James A. Billing's
217 00
John Goldsmith.
2,642 18
Joseph Barker
1,025 46
D. J. Wetherbee.
1,241 00
H. J. Hapgood.
410 96
Louis Rouillard
205 63
Joseph Noyes.
206 02
Joseph P. Reed
206 02
Jonathan Piper
616 05
Luther Billings
203 34
11
W. D. Tuttle
$1,017 50
Josiah Dow.
606 53
Patrick Farrel
1,158 05
John Grimes 303 50
Geo. Reed. 457 87
Géo. H. Harris
200 70
John Wilson
500 00
G. W. Gates
212 75
W. D. Tuttle. 1,200 00
$29,397 72
Amount due from State aid, . 332 00
From State, care of sick State paupers 193 69
Estimated value of old school houses.
1,000 00
Due from Town Treasurer
5,104 16
6,629 85
Balance against the Town $22,767 87
JAMES E. BILLINGS,
Selectmen JOSEPH NOYES, of
HIRAM J. HAPGOOD, 1 Acton.
ACTON, Feb. 26, 1873.
REPORT OF THE RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
AT THE
ALMSHOUSE IN ACTON,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING APRIL 1st, 1873.
ARTICLES ON HAND, APRIL 1st, 1873.
1 horse
$250 00
9 cows.
362 50
5g tons hay.
137 50
Oat straw
9 00
45 hens.
33 75
3 turkeys.
3 50
2 shotes.
18 00
10 pounds lard
1 25
Pickles.
2 00
40 lbs. corn beef
4 00
4 bbl. apples .
8 00
75 lbs. salt pork.
7 50
100 lbs. ham
12 50
50 bush. potatoes
37 50
1 hog.
15 75
$902 75
RECEIPTS.
Milk
$798 86
Apples.
168 00
Berries.
23 51
Poultry
49 11
Calves
60 70
Eggs
26 39
Potatoes
2 00
Ashes.
4 00
Bags
2 00
Squash
2 91
3 cows
107 54
$1,245 02
13
EXPENDITURES.
For oil meal .
$40 95
Cloth and clothing
22 25
Sugar . .
42 58
Glass and putty.
1 10
Grass seed.
9 61
Coffee
3 32
Castings ...
31
Corn meal .
289 12
Tobacco.
5 60
Matches.
65
Medicine
2 02
Mustard
59
Saleratus.
44
Cream Tartar
1 49
Paint.
3 17
Ointment.
1 25
Blueing
12
Nails.
78
Soda
1 12
Lemons
92
Brushes
1 53
Barrels
20 05
Starch
1 11
Scraps
1 94
Rope .
1 64
Brooms
76
Axe helve
33
Tomatoes
40
Spices
3 81
Beef
76 75
Lounge
13 00
Tools.
4 11
Salt
5 26
Bread.
1 24
Butter
30 63
Candles
2 25
Rye meal.
1 75
Potatoes
1 08
Turnips
75
Cabbage
25
Tin ware
6 54
Lettuce.
17
Flour
67 00
Rice
2 31
Oil.
2 24
Onions.
6 24
14
For Vinegar
$3 94
Dried apples ..
.1 40
Tea .
12 37
Beans.
5 76
Raisins
4 62
Soap
8 68
Door latches
31
Stone Jar
1 17
Fish.
8 03
Molasses
13 99
Cheese.
15 24
Peas .. .
98
Repairing barn
4 50
Filing saw ..
50
Wheelwright bill.
5 00
Butchering hogs.
2 50
Poultry
2 50
Oats ..
8 75
Newspaper
3 75
Labor.
82 83
Shotes. .
13 00
Use of Bull.
3 00
Repairing harness.
2 07
Dr. Cowdrey's bill
5 50
Blacksmith bill ..
9 78
Lumber.
4 99
Pump and repairs
8 00
Balances.
35
Locks
95
Basket
37
Barley
90
Lime . .
1 10
Smoking ham
70
Honey .
25
Solder. .
30
Pasturing cows.
20 00
Hay ....
54 46
Repairing sink
50
Stove
3 00
Pung
20 50
Pail .
36
Blacking.
60
1 jug ...
35
Coopering
44
Services of Charles Morris
325 00
James E. Billings, for services as Overseer of the Poor.
14 00
Joseph Noyes
66
8 00
15
For Hiram J. Hapgood, services as Overseer of the Poor,
$8 00
Total amount of Receipts.
$1,373 82 1,245 02
Drawn from Treasury to balance account 128 80
Income less than expenditures.
128 80
Interest on the Farm.
239 40
Drawn from Treasury . . 128 80
$368 20
Victualling 66 travellers $33 00
Cost of supporting Poor on Farm $335 20
Whole number of persons, exclusive of travellers, supported in the Almshouse, three ; average number, three; present number, three.
JAMES E. BILLINGS, ) Overseers JOSEPH NOYES, of
HIRAM J. HAPGOOD, Poor.
Acton, April 1, 1873.
We hereby certify that we have examined the Reports of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor, and find them to be correct.
WM. D. TUTTLE, 0
J. K. W. WETHERBEE, Auditors. D. J. WETHERBEE,
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT.
BIRTHS IN ACTON IN 1872.
No. Date of Birth. Name of Child. Parents' Names.
1 Jan. 1, Elizabeth Trainor, daughter of Hugh and Hannah Trainor.
2 Jan. 9, Ida Luella Boucher, daughter of Lewis H. and Lilla A. Boucher.
3 Feb. 13, Thomas Joseph Mannion, son of John and Julia Man- nion.
4 Feb. 17, Ada Marion Jones, daughter of Lowell A. and Sarah A. Jones.
5 Feb. 26, Berta Velma Littlefield, daughter of Nahum and Addie M. Littlefield.
6 March 2, Nettie Frances Drew, daughter of George H. and Nellie Drew.
7 March 11, Leander Van Ness Tuttle, son of Luke and S. So- phia Tuttle.
8 March 19, Gracie Eudora Tuttle, daughter of Alonzo L. and Ellen Tuttle.
9 April 4, James Davis, son of John and Elizabeth Davis.
10 April 10, Iola Augusta Preston, daughter of Oscar E. and Ma- ry S. Preston.
11 April 12, George F. Clark, son of George and Carrie M. Clark. 12 April 13, Harry Forest Hayward, son of Frank F. and Emily N. Hayward.
13 April 19, Edwin Fletcher Smith, son of Henry M. and Abbie B. Smith.
14 April 22, Roy Gardner Brooks, son of Henry and Julia A. Brooks.
15 April 22, Ellen Augusta Calanan, daughter of Daniel and Ellen Calanan.
16 May 11, Albert Cochrane, son of John and Emma E. Cochrane. 17 June 1, Mary A. Randall, daughter of Freeman L. and Amelia Randall.
18 June 11, Medora Carlotta Barker, daughter of Henry and Louisa M. Barker.
19 June 15th, Thomas Turner Foley, son of Patrick and Elizabeth Foley.
17
21
20 June 22, John Andrew Fehan, son of John and Lizzie M. Fehan. July 16, Louis Downing Whittemore, son of Frank H. and Nellie M. Whittemore.
22 Aug. 6, Henry Clay Dibble, son of Philo and Clementine Dibble.
23 Sept. 23, Albert J. Reed, son of Reuben L. and Mary A. Recd.
24 Sept. 27, a daughter to Frank A. and Anna P. Brown.
25 Oct. 5, Grace Lillian Hosmer, daughter of Lucius S. and Ella F. Ilosmer.
26 Oct. 20, William Henry Bradley, son of Dennis and Hannah Bradley.
27 Oct. 24, Willard Alvin Davis son of Alvin A. and Susan M. Davis.
28 Oct. 28, Grace Evelyn Robbins, daughter of Elbridge J. and Ellen M. Robbins.
29 Nov. 23, Belle Gertrude Sumner, daughter of Alson R. and Carrie A. Sumner.
30 Nov. 27, Margaret Traverse, daughter of Stephen and Cathe- rine Traverse.
31 Nov. 30, Mildred Abia Rogers, daughter of Sumner and Mattie C. Rogers.
32 Dec. 3, a son to Herbert T. and Mary J. Clark.
33 Dec. 17, a son to Isaac W. and Emma Flagg.
34 Dec. 21, Luther Conant, son of Luther and S. Augusta Conant.
35 Dec. 22, Francis Borden Farrar, son of Abel, jr., and Delina Farrar.
36 Dec. 23, Oliver Drew Wood, son of Rev. Franklin P. and Abby O. Wood.
37 Dec. 31, a son to Richard and Ann Morris. Males, 21; females, 16 ; total, 37.
1869, May 10, Idella Josephine Barker, daughter of Henry and Louisa M. Barker.
1870, Dec. 26, Lizzie Maria Fehan, daughter of John and Lizzie M. Fehan.
MARRIAGES RECORDED IN ACTON IN 1872.
No. Date of Marriage. Names of Parties.
1 April 10, Mr. James McGreen and Miss Belle Batchelder, both of Acton.
2 April 14, Mr. George H. Decoster, of Acton, and Miss Lucy A. Blanchard of Boxborough.
3 May 23, Mr. Isaac T. Flagg, of Acton, and Mrs. Lucy A. Keyes, of Groton.
4 May 29, Mr. Edgar Alonzo Jenkins, of Shirley, and Miss Lydia Ann Richardson, of Townsend.
18
5 June 6, Mr. A. Augustine Jenkins, of Leominster, and Miss Emma L. Knight, of Ayer.
6 Nov. 30, Mr. Elliot O. Taylor, of Dunstable, and Miss Charlotte A. Dutton, of Acton.
7 Dec. 4, Mr. Herbert E. Preston and Miss Sophia E. Symonds, both of Acton.
8 Dec. 11, Mr. Theron F. Newton and Miss Anna A. Tuttle, both of Acton.
9 Dec. 23, Mr. Edward D. Battles, of Acton, and Miss Adelia Ben- nett, of Concord.
10 Dec. 25, Mr. Horace Tuttle, 2nd, and Miss Arethusa M. Conant, both of Acton.
DEATHS IN ACTON IN 1872.
No. Date of Death.
Name and Age.
1 Jan. 7, widow Eunice Barker, aged 91 years and 23 days.
2 Jan. 24, Mr. Mathew Markland, aged 75 years 10 months.
3 Feb. 9, Mrs. Betsey Conant, widow of Simeon Conant, aged 74 years, 9 months, 9 days.
4 March 25, Mrs. Mehitable Piper, widow of Silas Piper, aged 101 years, 2 months, 1 day.
5 March 31, George E. McDonnell, aged 16 years, 7 mos., 2 days. 6 April 9, James Davis, son of John and Elizabeth Davis aged 5 ds.
7 May 19, Mrs. Mary Ann Quinlan, aged 42 years, 3 mos., 17 ds. 8 June 4, Mrs. Lucy Briggs, wife of Daniel R. Briggs, aged 66 yrs. 9 June 12, Mr. Lewis F. Ball, aged 53 yrs., 10 days.
10 June 16, Mrs. Ann Maria Parks, aged 31 yrs., 11 mos.
11 June 17, Mr. Horace Adams, aged 35 yrs., 5 mos.
12 June 18, Mr. Abel Jones, aged 88 yrs., 9 mos., 22 days.
13 June 26, Dea. Silas Hosmer, aged 80 yrs., 3 mos., 1 day. 14 July 3, Miss Julia Mann, aged 22 yrs., 2 mos.
15 July 10, Mr. Elias Warner, aged 76 yrs., 9 mos., 3 days.
16 July 17, Capt. Jonathan Hosmer, aged 86 yrs., 9 mos., 14 days.
17 July 26, Mr. Horace C. Rodgers, aged 29 yrs., 6 mos., 10 days.
18 July 27, Nellie, daughter of Marcus M. and Martha M. Ray- mond, aged 6 months, 18 days.
19 Aug. 9, Mr. Amos Noyes, aged 62 yrs., 11 mos., 13 days.
20 Aug. 11, Mary A., daughter of Freeman L. and Amelia Randall, aged 2 months, 10 days.
21 August 24, Mrs. Elizabeth A. Jenkins, aged 40 yrs., 11 mos.
22 Sept. 4, Mr. Jacob Soper, aged 72 yrs., 9 mos., 28 days.
23 Sept. 6, Mrs. Martha Hastings, wife of Mr. Charles Hastings, aged 48 years.
24 Sept. 18, Mrs. Bridget Shurry, wife of John Shurry, aged 34 yrs.
-
19
25 Sept. 28, Mr. Israel Nickerson, aged 17 years.
26 Oct. 13, Mr. John S. Hoar, aged 43 yrs., 3 mos., 24 days.
27 Oct. 20, Miss Hattie L. Hoar, daughter of John S. and Lydia P.' Hoar, aged 20 years, 2 months.
28 Nov. 15, Lilla May Teel, daughter of William II. and Mary E. Teel, aged 3 years, 2 months, 11 days.
29 Nov. 23, Miss Olive A. Pickens, daughter of Elisha and Mary C. Pickins, aged 15 years, 3 months, 16 days.
30 Nov. 25, William Murphy, aged 80 years.
31 Nov. 27, Martha E. Jones, daughter of Aaron M. and Augusta C. Jones, aged 10 years, 10 months.
32 Dec. 6, Mr. Aaron Wood, aged 73 years.
33 Dec. 14, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hosmer, wife of Mr. Edwin Hosmer, aged 43 years, 2 months, 1 day.
34 Dec. 22, Mr. William Spaulding, aged 59 years, 4 mos., 18 days.
DOGS LICENSED IN 1872.
Males, 67, at $2 each. .$134 00
Females, 5, at $5 each. 25 00
Total,
72
$159 00
WM. D. TUTTLE, Town Clerk.
Acton, March 26, 1873.
THE ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF ACTON,
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1872-73.
LOWELL, MASS. : MARDEN & ROWELL, PRINTERS, WEEKLY JOURNAL OFFICE. 1873.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Citizens of Acton:
Your School Committee having discharged the duties committed to their charge, respectfully submit for your consideration the following report:
In making this report, it affords us pleasure to be able to say, that with a very few exceptions, the progress and general success of the schools have been quite satisfactory. Considering everything,-the number of different teachers employed, the rate of compensation which we have been able to offer as an in- ducement to experienced teachers to labor in our schools and the fact that our schools are so far separated that we are not able to have teachers' meetings-consid- ering these and other things which might be mentioned we think that the success of the schools the past year has been as great as could have been expected. We can not expect our schools to be equal to those of the cities and larger towns, for the above mentioned and other reasons. Not only are we unable to offer adequate compensation for experienced teachers of the highest order of ability, but because of the fact that there is no High School in town, we feel it necessary to admit to our schools a range of studies that other- wise would be excluded. It is, moreover, more difficult to inspire the pupils of our schools with an ambition to excel in their studies, than it would be had we a
4
High School to which they hoped to be promoted when sufficiently advanced in their studies. We hope the time may come when this Town will have a High School, as well as good Primary and Grammar Schools. But in the mean time, we hope you will bear in mind the disadvantages under which those in charge of your schools have to labor, and approve or censure them accordingly.
As a general thing, however, in spite of the diffi- culties above referred to, we have been able to secure the best of teachers. Had you placed at our disposal twice as much money as you actually did place, we do not know that we could have secured any better teachers for those schools. It is only in a few cases that we were partially unsuccessful. . Not only have the teachers as a general thing been efficient, but we are happy to say that the people of the several districts have, with few exceptions, earnestly co-oper- ated with the teachers and committee in their endeav- ors to make the schools completely successful. In
looking over the reports we find that a large number have visited the schools, and thus shown their interest. Those who have visited the schools and others having children that have been pupils, have aided the com- mittee by giving information respecting the schools and by making suggestions as to how, in their opinion, they might be improved. We feel confident, more- over, that many parents have promoted the success of the schools by teaching their children to respect the teachers, obey the rules, and to be faithful in their studies. We take this opportunity to commend all
5
those who, in these ways, have promoted the cause of popular education the past year, and to bespeak, on the part of these and others, a similar co-operation in the future.
During the past winter it was our privilege to see four of the largest schools in town, located in beauti- ful and commodious school rooms. We feel sure that these new and ample provisions for the pressing wants of our scholars will do more towards attracting and retaining efficient teachers than anything else that could have been done. We think, too, that these new school houses, with their ample and convenient means for warmth and ventilation, will not only promote the interests of education, but will contribute to the health and longevity of many who will be obliged to spend a large portion of the most important period of their lives in our school rooms. On these accounts we would recommend what seems to be the settled policy of the town, that every district in the township be provided with a school-room suited to its wants.
But while our oversight of the schools the past year affords us so many topics for commendation and encouragement, we feel that we should be wanting in our duty, were we not to mention certain defects which, in our opinion, ought to be remedied as soon as possible.
TREATMENT OF TEACHERS.
1st. We think it possible for the people of the several districts to aid the committee in securing for our schools more efficient teachers.
6
In the first place, if a teacher is not successful in his work; if the committee are confident that some other teacher can be secured who will do the work more faithfully, the people ought not to allow any personal considerations to stand in the way of the dismissal of that teacher and the employment of another, at the end of a term at least. It is sometimes the case that teachers endeavor by cultivating personal favor in the community to make up for their lack of success in the school-room. We feel that in order to have successful schools, success in teaching must be the condition of a continuance in office.
Again, on the other hand, if a teacher is success- ful in his appointed work, no personal considerations should lead any one to endeavor to bring about his removal. But on the contrary, every parent and scholar should do all in his power to so co-operate with the teacher, and make his position so agreeable that he will prefer to teach in one of our schools to going elsewhere, even if his salary is not as large. When this course shall have been adopted by the people of all the districts in the Town, the duties of the commit- tee will be far less heavy and disagreeable than they are in some cases at present.
Again we would recommend, that if a teacher does not seem to be perfectly successful in his work, (if he is having a fair degree of success,) that the people, after having expressed their views of the matter to the committee, be not clamorous for an im- mediate removal. The committee may not be able to supply the place immediately with any one who will
7
do better; and it may endanger the reputation of the . school, or be unjust to the teacher who may have been successful in other schools-these and other reasons may make it appear to the committee not better to make an immediate change; and we feel that the peo- ple should sustain them in such a course.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.
2nd. A defect in our schools, which we will mention, is a lack of good order. This fault has been so often dwelt upon in the annual reports of this com- mittee, that it seems superfluous for us to mention it again. Our excuse for doing so is the fact that we are confident that one of the principal reasons for the lack of good order in our schools is the faulty view of the subject taken by many of the parents of the pupils. For instance, a parent asked one of our teachers not long ago, "Why can't you have the same kind of order and discipline in your school that the scholars have in their homes?" Every parent who has two or three children, and has attempted to read or write at home, can answer the question without any aid. But the question illustrates the ideas which many entertain upon this subject. As we look upon it, one of the good results of a well regulated common school is-that it tends to train the scholars to be good and law-abiding citizens, by forming in them the habit of implicit obedience to properly constituted authority. Did our common schools accomplish nothing more than this, they would do a good work. But aside from this, it is of course the fact that without good
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.