Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1901-1905, Part 14

Author: Acton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1901
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 612


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3. The annual and special meetings shall be held when called by the Chairman, or by the Clerk upon request of a ma- jority of the Board.


REGULATIONS CONCERNING LOTS.


4. Sales of lots shall in each case be consummated by the payment therefor and by the execution and delivery of the follow- ing deed; and no lot shall be considered sold or any rights gained therein, until delivery of such deed.


KNOW ALL MEN By These Presents, That the Town of Acton, in the County of Middlesex, and Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts, in consideration of dollars, paid by the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, does hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey to the said .


, heirs and assigns, the exclusive right of burial of the dead in one lot of land in Cemetery, in said Town of Acton, situated and numbered on the plan of said Cemetery, which is in the possession of the Board of Commissioners having the care and management there- of and may be inspected by the said grantee, his heirs and as- signs at all reasonable times.


To Have and to Hold the aforesaid premises unto the said


83


Town of Acton.


heirs and assigns, forever; but subject to the re- strictions, limitations and conditions, and with the privileges following, viz. :


FIRST, The grades of all lots shall be established and cor- ner bounds placed by the Commissioners.


SECOND, That the said lot shall not be used for any other purpose than as a burial place for the dead ; and no trees within the lot or border shall be cut down or destroyed without the con- sent of the said Commissioners.


THIRD, That if any trees or shrubs in said lot shall become in any way detrimental to the adjacent lots, avenues or paths, or dangerous or inconvenient, it shall be the duty of the said Com- missioners for the time being to enter into said lot and remove said trees or shrubs, or such parts thereof, as are thus detri- mental, dangerous or inconvenient.


FOURTH, That if any monument or effigy, cenotaph, or other structure whatever, or any inscription be placed in or upon the said lot, which shall be determined by a majority of the said Com- missioners for the time being, to be offensive or improper, the said Commissioners, or a majority of them, shall have the right, and it shall be their duty to enter upon the said lot and remove said offensive or improper object or objects.


FIFTH, That no tomb shall be constructed within the bounds of the Cemetery except by permission of the Commissioners, and in such manner as they shall approve; and no proprietor shall suffer the remains of any person to be deposited within the bounds of his lot for hire.


SIXTH, That said lot shall be indivisible ; and upon the death of the grantee, the devisee of said lot or the heir at law shall be entitled to all the privileges of the original grantee, and if there be more than one devisee or heir at law, they shall within nine months from such death designate in writing to the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners which of said devisees or heirs at law shall represent the lot, and on their failure so to designate, the board of Commissioners shall enter of record which of said devisees or heirs at law shall represent the lot while such failure continues.


SEVENTH, That said premises or any part thereof shall not be sold or conveyed to any person who is not, at the time of such


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Annual Reports


sale, a resident of the Town of Acton, without the written con- sent of the said Commissioners ; a breach of this condition by the grantee or any person holding under him shall make this con- veyance void.


EIGHTH, The said lot shall be holden subject to all the by- laws, rules and regulations made, and to be made, by the Board . of Commissioners.


And the said Town of Acton hereby covenants to and with the said , heirs and assigns, that it is lawfully seized in fee simple of the aforegranted premises, and of the way leading to the same from the highway ; that the granted prem- ises are free from all incumbrances ; that it has a good right to sell and convey the same to the said in the man- ner and for the purposes aforesaid ; and will warrant and defend the same, unto the said , heirs and assigns forever.


In Witness Wherof, the said Town of Acton has caused its seal to be hereto affixed, and these presents to be signed in its name and behalf by the Secretary of said Board of Cemetery Commissioners of said Town, this. day of.


.... , in the year one thousand nine hundred and.


By.


TOWN OF ACTON,


Secretary of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners. Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of


5. The restrictions, limitations and conditions mentioned in said deed and numbered 1 to 7 inclusive shall form and become a part of the rules and regulations of the cemeteries of the town.


6. Curbing, projecting corner posts, fences, hedges and walls, steps and walks, about or on any lot or lots are prohibited, except as approved by the Commissioners.


CARE OF LOTS.


7. Lots will be cared for by the the year at reasonable rates according to size and labor required.


8. Upon payment to the Town Treasurer of Fifty Dollars or more by the owner of or any person interested in any lot, the Commissioners will give perpetual care to said lot, keeping it tidy at all times and maintaining its monuments and memorials in their proper position and condition. The following form shall be


Town of Acton.


executed in duplicate in such cases, one copy to be kept by the Commissioners and the other by the beneficiary or his legal rep- resentàtive.


TOWN OF ACTON - CEMETERY DEPARTMENT.


The Cemetery Commissioners hereby certify that they approve of the sum of. dollars as sufficient to war- rant the Town assuming the preservation and care of Lot No.


in Cemetery, in accordance with the following conditions :


First. The Commissioners shall expend annually such sums of money, not exceeding three and one-half per cent. on the above named sum, as they shall deem necessary to keep in suita- ble condition and preservation, the soil, grass and memorials on said lot.


Second. To suffer the surplus, if any, of the interest on the said sum, to accumulate for such time as the said Commissioners may deem expedient, or in their discretion to apply the said sur- plus, or any part thereof, from time to time, to the ornamenta- tion and preservation of the said Cemetery.


Third. That the said Town of Acton shall never be respon- sibe in the premises, except for good faith and such reasonable diligence as may be required of mere gratuitous agents.


Cemetery Commissioners.


The Treasurer of the Town of Acton hereby acknowledges the receipt of. dollars from . on the con- ditions above mentioned, which are hereby made a part of and included in this receipt.


Treasurer.


Approved.


(Signature of beneficiary or legal representative).


.


FOUNDATIONS, ETC.


9. All foundations for monuments, headstones, markers, etc., shall be put in by or under the immediate supervision of the Superintendent, at his discretion, and no foundation shall be laid


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Annual Reports


dry or with cobblestones, and no memorial shall be erected with- out a suitable foundation.


10. Foundations for monuments shall be at least four and one-half feet deep, and for markers and other small stones not less than three feet.


INTERMENTS.


11. The following charges shall be made for interments : From $1.00 to $4.00 as the judgment of the Superintendent may determine. These charges shall apply to removals, with a suita- ble additional charge for disinterments. Graves, if desired, will be trimmed, for which an extra charge will be made proportion- ate to the time expended and cost of material used.


12. All graves shall be filled level or to conform to the grade of the lot, and shall be suitably designated. Mounds will not be allowed, except by special permission.


VISITORS.


13. All persons are forbidden to needlessly walk across lots, to pluck wild or cultivated flowers, or to leave rubbish of any kind in the cemeteries.


JULIAN TUTTLE, HERBERT T. CLARKE, HORACE F. TUTTLE, Cemetery Commissioners.


Acton, March 1, 1903.


66th ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


AND THE


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


OF THE


TOWN OF ACTON, MASS.,


FOR THE YEAR 1902-1903.


RATED


DONI


1735.


ACTON.


HUDSON, MASS. : THE E. F. WORCESTER PRESS. 1903.


School Committee, 1902=1903.


Charles J. Williams, Chairman,


Term expires 1905 66 66 1903


Horace F. Tuttle, Secretary,


Frank R. Knowlton,


1904


Superintendent of Schools.


Herbert E. Richardson, Residence, Littleton, Mass.


Truant Officers.


James Kinsley, Moses A. Reed, George C. Turner


STANDING RULES.


*RULE 1. Children under five years of age shall not be admitted to the public schools.


RULE 2. Pupils shall be promoted from grade to grade and school to school, according to merit. Thorough and satisfactory work will be required of pupils in a lower grade or school before entering a higher grade or school.


RULE 3. Children who have not previously attended any school shall be admitted to the public schools only at the be- ginning of the fall term.


RULE 4. Pupils will be held responsible for books loaned to them until such books shall have been returned to the teacher.


RULE 5. No repairs shall be made upon the public prop- erty in the care of the school committee except by their author- ized agents.


*When the birthday of a child falls on or before the 15th day of the month it is reckoned as falling upon the first day of that month.


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School Report


School Calendar 1903=1904.


High School-40 Weeks.


Fall term begins August 31st. Fall term closes November 25th.


*Winter term begins November 30th. Winter term closes March 11th.


Spring term begins March 21st. Spring term closes June 17th.


Common Schools-38 Weeks.


Fall term begins August 31st. Fall term closes November 20th.


*Winter term begins November 30th. Winter term closes March 11th.


Spring term begins March 28th. Spring term closes June 10th.


*Vacation of one week, from December 20th to 26th.


5


Town of Acton.


EXTRACTS FROM THE STATUTES. REVISED LAWS.


CHAPTER 43.


Section 11. The several school teachers shall faithfully keep the registers of attendance daily, and make due return thereof to the school committee, or to such person as the com- mittee may designate. No teacher of a public school shall re- ceive payment for services for the two weeks preceding the close of any term, until the register, properly filled up and completed, is so returned. All registers shall be kept at the schools, and at all times during school hours shall be open to the inspection of the school committee, the superintendent of schools, the truant officers and the secretary and agent of the board of education. In reckoning the average membership and the percentage of at- tendance in the schools, no pupil's name shall be omitted in counting the number of persons belonging to the school and the number of absences of such persons until it is known that such pupil has withdrawn from the school without intention of re- turning or, in the absence of such knowledge, until ten consecu- tive days of absence have been recorded ; but the foregoing pro- vision for computing the average membership and the percent- age of attendance shall not affect proceedings against habitual truants, absentees or school offenders, or other persons, under the provisions of section one of chapter forty-four and sections three, four and five of chapter forty-six. A pupil who is not present during at least half of a session shall be marked and counted as absent for that session.


CHAPTER 44.


Section 1. Every child between seven and fourteen years of age shall attend some public day school in the city or town in which he resides during the entire time the public day schools are in session, subject to such exception as to children, places of attendance and schools as are provided for in section three of chapter forty-two and sections three, five and six of this chapter. The superintendent of schools or, if there is no superintendent of schools, the school committee, or teachers acting under authority of said superintendent or committee, may excuse cases of neces-


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School Report


sary absence. The attendance of a child upon a public day school shall not be required if he has attended for a like period of time a private day school approved by the school committee of such city or town in accordance with the provisions of the following section, or if he has been otherwise instructed for a like period of time in the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or if he has already acquired such branches of learning, or if his physical or mental condition is such as to render such attendance inexpedient or impracticable. Every person having under his control a child as described in this sec- tion shall cause him to attend school as herein required; and if he fails for five day sessions or ten half day sessions within any period of six months while under such control to cause such child, whose physical or mental condition is not such as to render his attendance at school harmful or impracticable, so to attend school, he shall, upon complaint of a truant officer and conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars. Whoever induces or attempts to induce a child to absent himself unlawfully from school, or employs or harbors a child who, while school is in session, is absent unlawfully from school shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.


Section 6. A child who has not been vaccinated shall not be admitted to a public school except upon presentation of a certifi- cate signed by a regular practising physician that he is not a fit subject for vaccination. A child who is a member of a house- hold in which a person is ill with smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or measles, or of a household exposed to such contagion from another household as aforesaid, shall not attend any public school during such illness or until the teacher of the school has been furnished with a certificate from the board of health of the city or town, or from the attending physician of such person, stating that, in a case of smallpox, diphtheria or scarlet fever at least two weeks, and in a case of measles, at least three days, have elapsed since the recovery, removal or death of such per- son, and that danger of conveying such disease by such child has passed.


CHAPTER 46.


Section 3. Any child between seven and fourteen years of


7


Town of Acton.


age who wilfully and habitually absents himself from school con- trary to the provisions of section one of chapter forty-four shall be deemed to be an habitual truant, and, upon complaint of a truant officer and conviction thereof, may, if a boy, be committed to a county truant school for not more than two years and, if a girl, to the state industrial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section seven of this chapter.


Section 4. A child between seven and sixteen years of age who may be found wandering about in the streets or public places of any city or town, having no lawful occupation, habitu- ally not attending school, and growing up in idleness and ignor- ance, shall be deemed an habitual absentee, and, upon complaint by a truant officer or any other person and conviction thereof may, if a boy, be committed to a county truant school for not more than two years or to the Lyman school for boys, and, if a girl, to the state industrial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section seven.


Section 5 A child under fourteen years of age who per- sistently violates the reasonable regulations of the school which he attends, or otherwise persistently misbehaves therein, so as to render himself a fit subject for expulsion therefrom, shall be deemed to be an habitual school offender, and, upon complaint by a truant officer and conviction thereof, may, if a boy, be com- mitted to a county truant school for not more than two years or to the Lyman school for boys, and, if a girl, to the state indus- trial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section seven.


Section 13. Truant officers shall inquire into all cases aris- ing under the provisions of sections one and six of chapter forty- four and sections three, four and five of this chapter, and may make complaints and serve legal processes issued under the pro- visions of this chapter. They shall have the oversight of child- ren placed on probation under the provisions of section seven. A truant officer may apprehend and take to school, without a warrant, any truant or absentee found wandering about in the streets or public places thereof.


CHAPTER 106.


Section 28. No child under the age of fourteen years shall


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School Report


be employed in any factory, workshop or mercantile establish- ment. No such child shall be employed at work performed for wages or other compensation, to whomsoever payable, during the hours when the public schools of the city or town in which he resides are in session, nor be employed at work before six o'clock in the morning or after seven o'clock in the evening.


9


Town of Acton.


High School Course of Study.


FIRST YEAR.


CLASSICAL.


Latin, 5. Eng. Gram. and Compo., 5. Algebra, 5. Greek and Roman Hist., 3.


Latin, 5. Greek or German, 4. Eng. Lit. and Compo., 5. Geometry, 4.


ENGLISH. Com. Arith and Bookkeeping, 3. Eng. Gram. and Compo., 5. Algebra, 5. Greek and Roman Hist., 3. Botany, 12, 3. Civil Government. 12, 3.


SECOND YEAR. Eng. Hist., 3. German, 4.


English Lit. and Compo., 5. Geometry, 4. Physical Geog., 1/2, 3. Geology, 12, 3.


THIRD YEAR.


Latin, 5. Greek or German, 4. French, 4. Eng., 5. * Physics or Chem., 3. Reviews.


Medieval and Mod. Hist., 3. Solid Geom. and Trig., 3. French or Ger., 4. Eng., 5. Physics or Chem., 3. Reviews.


FOURTH YEAR.


Latin, 5. Greek or Ger., 4. French, 4. Eng., 5. * Chem. or Physics. Reviews. Optional.


Astronomy, 12. Political Economy, 1/2. French or Ger.


Eng., 5.


Chem. or Physics. Reviews.


A pupil must have at least seventeen prepared recitations a week. Pupils may take Latin together with subjects in the English course suf- ficient to complete the required number of hours.


10


School Report


66th Annual Report of the School Committee.


To the Citizens of Acton :


While the past year has been an uneventful one in the schools and although two of them are overcrowded, the South primary school seriously so, we are yet able to report that their work has been well done and that their present condition is, as a whole, in a high degree satisfactory. That this is so is very largely due, as it always must be due, to the faithful work of the teachers, but it is also due in a larger and more comprehensive sense to the work of the executive head of the schools, the Superintendent, whose unremitting care for the moral and intellectual welfare of the schools and whose labors in directing and encouraging the work of the teachers we highly appreciate.


The detailed report of the condition of the schools will be found in that portion of this report prepared by the Superintend- ent.


In 1899, a ninth grade was established in the Grammar schools, as a consequence there was in that year no class entering the High school and there will be this year no class graduating therefrom. During these years there have been, therefore, but three classes in the school. With the entrance to the High school in September next of the ninth grade class from the Grammar schools, the old condition of four classes in the former school will be restored. With the present course of study and with four classes present in the school, three teachers should be employed. At present, however, the employment of such a number of teachers is precluded through lack of room, with the result that a very greatly increased burden of labor must be thrown upon the principal of the school. In view of these con- ditions we ask for an increase of one hundred dollars in the appropriation for the support of the High school.


The several school buildings are in good condition. Public


11


Town of Acton.


buildings and grounds, which are so much in evidence as are those of the schools, must be and are to a very great degree the outward and visible signs of the prosperity and thrift of the Town - or their lack. The use to which these buildings are de- voted subjects them to a very heavy wear and depreciation and their maintenance in suitable condition requires a considerable annual expenditure for repairs. Last year the South school house was painted outside and the interior papered and whitened, the interior woodwork varnished and painted throughout and the grounds graded and sowed down to grass. This year the Centre school house should be re-painted and the interior woodwork be re-varnished and something should be done toward improvement of the grounds.


For the first time in eleven years we have to report an ex- penditure exceeding the appropriation and receipts. The deficit is caused by the heavily increased cost of transportation, begin- ning with the fall term of 1902, due in its turn to the greatly increased cost of teams and their maintenance and also in part to the fact that previous contracts had been made on two of the routes at figures lower than the requirements of the service would fairly warrant. We have therefore to ask an appropria- tion for transportation of $1,360.00.


As a matter of history and of some interest we print the following statement of unexpended balances of this department since the year 1892 :


1893, unexpended balance,


$ 84 86


1894,


66


226 11


1895,


66


294 95


1896,


101 66


1897,


66


211 50


1898,


66


24 95


· 1899,


66


290 54


1900,


66


66


14 85


1901,


66


66


201 92


1902,


66


542 96


A total in the ten years of $1,993.90. The very large unex- pended balance for the year 1902 was owing to the unusually large sum received in that year from the Massachusetts School Fund, which was commented upon in our last year's report.


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School Report


The appropriation of fifty dollars for the purchase of books and apparatus for the High school has been expended as follows : books, $16.25 ; apparatus and chemicals $32.32 ; express, $1.95 ; total, $50.52.


The sum of $375 has been received from the State on account of the district superintendency.


The reports of the truant officers and of the purchasing agent of the Board are submitted herewith.


13


Town of Acton.


RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.


ON ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1902-1903.


Receipts.


Appropriation for common schools,


$3,800 00


66


" High school,


1,700 00


" school supplies,


475 00


66


" transportation of pupils, 1,030 00


66


" books, etc., for High school, 50 00


" salary of Supt. of schools, 480 00


Received from Mass. School Fund,


426 34


dog licenses, 285 70


$8,247 04


Expenditures.


For common schools,


$4,420 21


High school,


1,709 42


school supplies,


489 14


transportation of pupils,


1,221 75


books, etc., for High school,


50 52


salary of Superintendent,


480 00


$8,371 04


Deficit,


$124 00


· Estimates for the Support of Schools.


FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904.


For common schools,


$3,800 00


High school,


1,800 00


school supplies,


475 00


transportation of pupils,


1,360 00


books, etc., for High school,


50 00


salary of Superintendent of schools,


480 00


$7,965 00


The School Committee of Acton, By CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, Chairman.


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School Report


Superintendent's Report.


TO THE ACTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE :


Gentlemen - In accordance with your regulations I here- by submit my third annual report as Superintendent of Schools. Below are given the school census of September, 1902, and a summary of statistics for the school year ending June, 1902. At the close of this report will be found tabu- lated statistics to March 1, 1903 :


Population, U. S. Census of 1900, 2,120


Valuation, May 1, 1902, $1,654,900 Number of persons in town between 5 and 15 years :


Boys, 154. Girls, 165. Total, 319


Number of persons in town between 7 and 14 years :


Boys, 108. Girls, 125. Total, 233


Number of illiterate minors over 14 years of age :


Boys, 1. Girls, 0. Total,


1


66 66 66 between 5 and 15 years, 304


350


66 66 66 7 and 14 years, 222


66


over 15 years,


27


Average membership,


" attendance, . .


26S


Percent of attendance,


91


Number of weeks in school year,


3S


Whole number different schools,


10


Whole number of teachers,


12


Number of different male teachers during year,


1


66 66 female 66


13


66 Normal School graduates,


7


who have attended Normal Schools,


7


College graduates,


3


.


·


294


Whole number enrolled in all the schools,


15


Town of Acton.


Average wages per month of male teacher,


$100 00


" female teachers, . 43 20


Aggregate of months all the schools have kept,


931


Average number of months schools have kept,


9.325


In reviewing the work of the past year we are impressed by the spirit of harmony that has prevailed among all con- nected with the schools. The teachers have been loyal and have rendered faithful, efficient service. The committee have been constant in their support and earnest in their endeavor to further the best interests of the schools. Everything con- sidered it has been a pleasant and profitable year, but it is not the part of wisdom to be satisfied, for such a condition would stand in the way of future progress. Only by an earnest striving after better things can improvement be ex- pected.




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