Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1916-1920, Part 20

Author: Acton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1916
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 512


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1916-1920 > Part 20


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250.00


258.19


8.75


8.00


258.94


Aaron Fletcher


100.00


102.65


3.50


3.00


103.15


40


Mary J. Harrington


200.00


210.45


7.00


5.00


212.45


Elnathan Jones


100.00


102.70


3.50


3.00


103.20


41 42


Nathan Chaffin


100.00


104.17


3.50


3.00


104.67


43


Jonathan W. Loker


100.00


103.46


3.50


3.00


103.96


Rev. James T. Woodbury


100.00


114.66


3.50


1.00


117.16


45


Henry M. Smith


75.00


76.46


2.63


2.00


77.09


46


Julian Tuttle


100.00


105.00


3.50


10.00


98.50


47


James E. Harris


50.00


51.48


1.75


1.00


52.23


48


Francis Conant


100.00


102.26


3.50


3.00


102.76


49


Elbridge G. Parker


100.00


103.68


3.50


3.00


104.18


50


Lemuel and Augusta Dole


100.00


102.35


3.50


3.00


102.85


51


Edwin Fletcher


50.00


50.88


1.75


1.50


51.13


52


Nancy, Raymond and Joseph Estabrook


100.00


100.72


3.50


3.00


101.22


53


Edward Tuttle


100.00


102.00


3.50


3.00


102.50


54


Abram H. Jones


100.00


100.64


3.50


3.50


100.64


Joseph A. Whitcomb


100.00


105.83


3.50


2.00


107.33


Isaac T. Flagg


100.00


103.04


3.50


3.00


103.54


57 58 59 60


Joseph L. Reed


50.00


52.90


1.75


1.50


53.15


Charlotte C. Flagg


100.00


101.60


3.50


3.00


102.10


Cyrus G. Dole


100.00


103.87


3.50


3.00


104.37


61


Daniel Fletcher


100.00


102.92


3.50


3.00


103.42


62


Asa Parker


100.00


102.93


3.50


3.00


103.43


William N. Wood


100.00


104.75


3.50


3.00


105.25


Leonard Bulette


100.00


102.70


3.50


3.00


103.20


Ruth Robbins


100.00


103.40


3.50


3.00


103.90


66


Henry T. Billings


100.00


99.33


3.50


1.00


101.83


67


Mary E. Lothrop


200.00


212.17


7.00


3.80


215.37


Lewis Wood, Jr.


100.00


105.03


3.50


2.00


106.53


68 69


George Conant


100.00


107.66


3.50


1.00


110.16


500.00


539.77


17.50


14.00


Luther and Augustine Conant


55 56


Jonas K. Putney


150.00


159.96


5.25


3.50


161.71


63 64 65


54


70 71 72 73


Zoeth Taylor


50.00


51.73


1.75


1.00


52.48


Herbert S. Lane


100.00


102.58


3.50


3.00


103.08


"George H. Harris


100.00


114.90


3.50


2.00


116.40


Mary W. Fletcher


100.00


101.03


3.50


3.00


101.53


74


John J. Lothrop


50.00


56.12


1.75


1.00


56.87


75


Franklin P. Wood


100.00


105.16


3.50


3.00


105.66


76


Israel H. Giles


100.00


100.79


3.50


2.00


102.29


77


Joseph Barker


50.00


53.10


1.75


2.00


52.85


78


Emma F. Blood


50.00


55.10


1.75


1.00


55.85


79


Daniel J. and E. E. Wetherbee


200.00


208.90


7.00


2.50


213.40


80


Francis Campbell


200.00


207.50


7.00


4.00


210.50


81


Harriet W. Palmer


100.00


103.20


3.50


2.00


104.70


82


Jason W. Livermore


50.00


53.10


1.75


2.00


52.85


83


Josiah Piper


75.00


77.42


2.63


3.00


77.05


84


William F. Wood


50.00


50.94


1.75


52.69


85


John White


100.00


101.87


3.50


3.00


102.37


86


Cyrus Hale


100.00


101.30


3.50


3.00


101.80


87


Robert Wayne


75.00


76.26


2.63


2.00


76.89


88


Daniel Tuttle


200.00


204.00


7.00


3.00


208.00


89


Edwin Tarbell


100.00


102.00


3.50


2.50


103.00


90


Elisha Comstock


100.00


106.00


3.50


1.00


108.50


91


Luke Tuttle


100.00


101.20


3.50


3.20


101.50


92


Moses Taylor


400.00


418.00


14.00


10.00


422.00


93


William D. Tuttle


100.00


101.80


3.50


3.00


102.30


94


100.00


100.87


3.50


2.00


102.37


95


J. E. Billings


100.00


100.00


3.50


2.00


101.50


96


Lorenzo A. Pratt (Jan. 1)


100.00


3.50


2.00


101.50


97


April 10


George R. Keyes


50.00


1.16


51.16


98


May


6


William Hosmer


50.00


1.01


51.01


99


July


7


Henry Barker


100.00


1.75


101.75


100 July 31


F. E. Parsons


200.00


2.90


202.90


$11.200.00 $11,154.89


$384.85


$297.10 $11,742.64


NORTH CEMETERY


1


Samuel Temple


$50.00


$54.04


$1.75


$55.79


2


Frances Hutchinson


50.00


53.29


1.75


$1.50


53.54


3


Henrietta Anderson


50.00


52.79


1.75


1.50


53.04


4


Mary Hapgood


50.00


52.52


1.75


1.50


52.77


5


Jerusha Blood


200.00


235.75


7.00


1.50


241.25


$400.00


$448.39


$14.00


$6.00


$456.39


.


.


·


.


.


.


·


.


55


..


.


.


.


.


.


.


·


.


.


.


Cyrus Pickard


1 2 3 4 5


6 7 8 9


F


George S. Wright


100.00


114.90


3.50


3.00


115.40


George C. Wright (Davis Memorial)


50.00


78.55


1.75


80.30


10


B. H. and O. K. Patch


50.00


50.15


1.75


1.75


50.15


11


Howard E. Faulkner


150.00


183.80


5.25


3.25


185.80


12


J. Warren Hayward


50.00


50.65


1.75


2.25


50.15


13


Lewis B. Goodnow


100.00


111.65


3.50


3.00


112.15


14


Sarah A. Hutchins


100.00


115.16


3.50


3.00


115.66


15


F. D. Walcott


100.00


116.06


3.50


3.25


116.31


16


A. Louise Warren and Simon Hosmer


150.00


168.27


5.25


3.00


170.52


17


John R. Houghton ..


100.00


113.62


3.50


3.00


114.12


18


William A. Cutler and Bradley Stone


100.00


101.58


3.50


4.00


101.08


19


John Blanchard


100.00


116.83


3.50


2.75


117.58


20


Wheeler and Shattuck


50.00


50.21


1.75


1.96


50.00


21


George H. Decoster


100.00


107.00


3.50


$3.50


107.00


22


Henderson Rowell


50.00


50.03


1.75


1.75


50.03


23


Luke Blanchard


500.00


690.00


22.50


712.50


24


L. Blanchard, S. Blanchard tomb


100.00


137.50


4.50


4.50


137.50


25


Calvin and Luther Blanchard Memorial


100.00


133.50


4.50


138.00


26


John Temple and Edward F. Pratt


100.00


101.65


3.50


2.50


102.65


27


W. K. Davy


50.00


50.09


1.75


1.75


50.09


28


Ella F. and Lucius S. Hosmer


100.00


112.22


3.50


3.00


112.72


29


Caroline A. Hosmer


100.00


111.60


3.50


3.00


112.10


30


Isaiah Reed


100.00


111.98


3.50


3.00


112.48


31


Benjamin F. Hapgood


100.00


110.73


3.50


3.00


111.23


32


Lucy A. (Wetherbee) Burbeck


100.00


109.48


3.50


2.75


110.23


33


Francis Jones


50.00


50.04


1.75


1.75


50.04


34


Simon Hartwell


100.00


109.95


3.50


3.00


110.45


35


Emerson Fuller


100.00


106.15


3.50


3.00


106.65


36


John Porter Priest


100.00


105.15


3.50


3.00


105.65


37


Harriet D. Brown


100.00


105.25


3.50


3.00


105.75


38


Oliver Mead


100.00


106.28


3.50


3.00


106.78


MT. HOPE CEMETERY


Eliza A. Whitcomb


$75.00 1sh FRR


$79.87 37.90


$2.62


$2.50


$79.99 39.40


S. Lizzie Hayward


100.00


124.10


3.50


2.75


124.85


Frank C. Hayward


500.00


509.33


17.50


*17.50


509.33


George C. Wright


100.00


139.90


3.50


3.50


139.90


George Crampton


100.00


112.90


3.50


3.00


113.40


Joel Wright


100.00


114.15


3.50


3.00


114.65


Phineas Wetherbee


4.00


2.50


56


·


39 40 41 42 43 44 45


Bessie E. Brown


100.00


106.41


3.50


3.00


106.91


100.00


105.83


3.50


3.00


106.33


Hiram J. Hapgood


100.00


104.79


3.50


3.00


105.29


Charles Robbinson ·


75.00


77.82


2.62


2.50


77.94


Emerline A. Johnson, F. E. Flint and H. Louis Bush


400.00


433.77


14.00


11.00


436.77


50.00


50.02


1.75


1.75


50.02


100.00


104.50


3.50


3.00


105.00


Paid to F. C. Hayward.


i Paid to Geo. H. Decoster.


46


Charles S. Twitchell


50.00


50.04


1.75


1.75


50.04


47


Francis Pratt


50.00


50.00


1.75


1.75


50.00


48


Marcus M. Keyes


500.00


529.66


17.50


13.50


533.66


49


Alcander P. Bean


100.00


103.08


3.50


3.00


103.58


50


Bancroft Whitcomb


100.00


103.45


3.50


3.00


103.95


51


Hobart E. Mead


100.00


104.08


3.50


2.50


105.08


52


Jerome B. Whitney


100.00


101.70


3.50


2.75


102.45


53


Varnum Robbins


100.00


101.50


3.50


3.50


101.50


54


Walter O. Holden


100.00


104.20


3.50


3.00


104.70


55


G. W. Knowlton


50.00


51.16


1.75


1.75


51.16


56 57


A. Knowlton


50.00


51.16


1.75


1.75


51.16


58


Edwin Stone


100.00


101.35


3.50


2.75


102.10


59


Joseph E. Chandler


50.00


50.77


1.75


2.00


50.52


60


Granville E. Whitcomb


100.00


101.00


3.50


2.50


102.00


61


James E. Richardson


50.00


50.05


1.75


1.75


50.05


62


William F. Piper


100.00


100.03


3.50


2.75


100.78


63


Walter A. Gilmore


50.00


51.01


1.75


2.00


50.76


64


Henry F. Hosmer


50.00


50.87


1.75


1.75


50.87


65


Lyman Mead


100.00


100.87


3.50


2.50


101.87


66


E. F. Richardson


50.00


1.45


1.75


49.70


67


Feb. 27


Ira B. Hall


100.00


2.90


2.50


100.40


68 May 1


Alonzo L. Tuttle


50.00


1.16


51.16


69


May


8


Wm. Chaplin, Senior


100.00


2.03


2.25


99.78


70


May 81


Wm. Chaplin, Junior


200.00


4.06


2.75


201.31


71


May


8


Wm. Chaplin, G. A. R.


100.00


2.03


1.50


100.53


72


June 20 Guy Staples .


50 00


87


50.87


73


June 20


Albert Brown


100.00


1.75


2.00


99.75


74 June 28 Edwin C. Parker


150.00


2.63


152.63


.


.


.


50.00


51.16


1.75


1.75


51.16


Edith A. Watson


.


.


.


·


.


.


.


.


George Gardner


.


Nahum Littlefield


.


Francis Hayward


57


Jan. 29


75


June 28


Eben Smith


50.00


87


50.87


76


July


3 Oscar Preston


50.00


. 72


50.72


77


Oct. 29 Alvin A. & Ellen M. Haywood


100.00


.58


100.58


78


Oct. 30 James Rentell .


100.00


.58


100.58


79


Dec. 31


Pratt & Hooper


50.00


50.00


$8,350.00 $7,888.46


$281.12


$212.46 $9,207.12


·


· . .


.


. .


58


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


OF THE


TOWN OF ACTON


MASSACHUSETTS


FOR THE


Year Ending December 31st,


1919


RATED


DONI


1735.


41


ACTON.


HUDSON, MASS. THE NEWS-ENTERPRISE


1920


SCHOOL CALENDAR


1920


March 12. Winter term closes. 13 weeks Vacation, one week


March 22. Spring term opens.


June 11 *. Spring term closes. . 12 weeks


1920-1921


Sept. 7. Fall term opens. 12 weeks


Nov. 24. Fall term closes.


Vacation, Thanksgiving and day following


Nov. 29. Winter term opens.


· Vacation Christmas week and week following


1921


March 18. Winter term closes .. . . 14 weeks Vacation, one week


March 28. Spring term opens.


May 17. Spring term closes 12 weeks


Total .38 weeks


LEGAL HOLIDAYS


January 1, February 22, April 19, May 30, July 4, First Monday of September, October 12, Thanksgiving Day, Chrismtas Day. (The day following when any of the four first days mentioned, the 12th of October or Christmas occurs on Sunday.)


Arbor Day falls on the last Saturday in April and is not a legal holiday.


Flag Day falls on June 14, and is not a legal holiday. It should be observed by proper exercises by any school in session on that day.


3


STANDING RULES


*Rule 1. Children under five years 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 beginning of the fall term, unless qualified in the opinion of the teacher and superin- tendent of schools to do the work.


Rule 4. Pupils shall be held responsible for books loaned to them until returned to the teacher.


Rule 5. No repairs shall be made upon the public property in the care of the school committee except by their authorized agents.


Rule 6. There shall be no signal for "no school" on stormy or other inclement days, but parents shall determine in their individual cases whether it is expedient to send their children to school or not.


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


SCHOOL OFFICERS


Harry Nelson Brown, Chairman. Term expires 1921


Bertram E. Hall, Secretary.


Term expires 1922


Edwin A. Phalen ..


Term expires 1920


Mrs. Lilly C. Case


Mrs. Elsie F. Parsons


Mrs. Alice M. Carlisle


Superintendent


*Herman C. Knight, Residence, Townsend, Mass.


* (Elected Dec. 27, 1919.)


Attendance Officers


Thomas Scanlon . West Acton Carl Pickens .. Acton Center


Walter M. French South Acton


Janitors


Thomas Scanlon West Acton


Carl Pickens


Acton Center


Theron Newton South Acton


Teachers in Service, December 19, 1919


Teacher


School


Appointed Educated


Graduated


Home Address


Martha F. Smith *Ella L. Miller


Center Primary


1902|Lowell Normal


Yes Acton, Mass.


Center Grammar


1899 Framingham Normal Yes Acton, Mass.


Florence M. Williams Doris M. Look


Center Intermediate 1919


West Primary


1919 Fitchburg Normal


West Intermediate


1919 Hyannis Normal


West Grammar


1909 Mt. Holyoke College


Yes South Acton, Mass.


South Primary


1918 Fitchburg Normal


Yes Fitchburg, Mass.


Yes South Acton, Mass:


So. Upper Primary South Intermediate 1906 Fitchburg Normal 1907 Fitchburg Normal


South Grammar 1919


Yes Leominster, Mass. No


4


Muriel H. Fairchild * Eula S. Taylor Gladys Farnsworth Julia L. MeCarthy Jennie E. Stowell ** Mrs. Grace E. Tucker


Yes South Acton, Mass. Maynard, Mass.


*Principal * * Acting Principal


5


GENERAL REPORT


In presenting our financial statement for 1919, we wish to call your attention once more to the seemingly never ending tendency to higher prices, both for wages and commodities. Notwithstanding this fact, our estimate of 1919 expenses came within $103.57 of the amount asked for, the total amount of bills against this Department being $103.57 more than estimated. The receipts, however, were $535.02 less than expected, and this loss with the cut in our budget recommended by the Town Finance Committee, resulted in an un- paid bill at the end of the year of $1470.59. This is summarized as follows :


Total expenses. . $23,435.57


(Amount asked for, $23,332.)


Appropriation $20,000.00


Receipts (estimated $2,500) 1,964.98


Total receipts 21,964.98


Balance unpaid $1,470.59


The Massachusetts State Board of Education has recommended that Towns appropriate the amount asked for by the School Commit- tee, but that taxes be levied taking into consideration the estimate of receipts, and we sincerely trust this recommendation may be fol- lowed by our Town.


One important bill was passed by the Legislature in 1919 which provides for re-imbursement of towns for a part of the teachers' sal- aries, if the salaries paid are over certain amounts, and while our teachers for the most part have been satisfied with the increase grant- ed last year, they have recently petitioned this Board to consider further increases in accordance with this legislation and as the grant- ing of this increase will result eventually in a saving to the Town, we have raised our teachers' salaries for the coming year accordingly. We believe Acton has a splendid teaching force, and we desire to keep them satisfied and contented.


During the year we lost one teacher, who was receiving $627 to the City of Somerville, where she went to receive $900.


Our Supervisor of Drawing, Miss Marion C. Taylor, who has given us such excellent and efficient service for so many years, has left for other fields of usefulness, and Mr. DeMerritt Allen Hiscoe is teaching in her place.


One other important change has occurred. In December 1919 Mr. Frank H. Hill, Superintendent of this District, resigned to ac- cept the Superintendency of Schools at Marblehead. At a meeting of the joint District Committee held December 27th, in Littleton, Mr. Hill's resignation was reluctantly accepted, and Mr. Herman C. Knight was given a unanimous call to be Superintendent of this Dis-


6


trict. A committee was appointed to draw up resolutions on Mr. Hill's departure and reported as follows :


"The following Resolution was prepared by direction of the School Committees of the Towns of Acton, Carlisle, Littleton and Westford, Massachusetts, meeting in joint session in Littleton, Dec. 27, 1919.


WHEREAS: Superintendent Frank H. Hill is about to sever his connection with the schools of this district after eight years of ex- cellent service, be it


RESOLVED : that it is the wish of the Committee to give hearty and public expression of their appreciation of Mr. Hill's able, consci- entious and painstaking administration of the schools of this district; of his unvarying courtesy in all relations with the Committees, and of his attitude as a man and citizen toward the various interests of the towns within the district.


For the Joint Committee :


HARRY N. BROWN, South Acton


HERBERT A. LEE, Carlisle HERBERT L. CAULKINS, Littleton


CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, Westford


COMMITTEE"


These sentiments are heartily subscribed to by this Committee and we wish Mr. Hill continued success and prosperity in his new relations.


We also feel that in Mr. Knight we have a worthy successor to Mr. Hill.


During the year the Center School House was given some much needed interior repairs and the West School House was painted on the outside. This year it is intended to paint the exterior of the South School House.


The following is our detailed estimate of expenses for 1920 and the receipts and disbursements for 1919 :


ESTIMATES FOR THE SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1920


For general expenses :


Salaries and other expenses of the com- mittee $125.00


Salaries and other expenses of the super- intendent and truant officers 800.00


For expenses of instruction :


Tuition of pupils attending out of town schools 8,300.00 Salaries of elementary school teachers 10,000.00


For textbooks :


For elementary schools it is anticipated that the amount to be received from dog tax will cover this item. 300.00


7


For stationery and supplies : Elementary schools 400.00


For expenses of operating school plants : Wages of janitors, fuel and miscellaneous expenses Maintenance and repairs


2,930.00


700.00


For auxiliary agencies : Health 100.00


For transportation :


High school scholars


1,800.00


Elementary scholars


2,500.00


Total


Less estimated income, dog tax


$27,955.00 300.00


$27,655.00


RECEIPTS ON ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1919


Appropriation at town meeting


$20,000.00


Received from Commonwealth of Massachusetts :


County Dog Tax


$259.35


Mass. School Fund


962.07


Industrial Schools


233.79


Account Superintendent


343.75


Tuition (Sadlers)


54.00


Tuition from Avon Home


38.20


Ticket rebates


73.82


1,964.98


Total


$21,964.98


DISBURSEMENTS


General Expenses


School Committee


Salaries :


B. E. Hall, salary 1919 $75.00


Other expenses :


Wright & Potter Printing Co., printing blanks


$2.10


B. E. Hall, telephone, postage & travel


6.16


Samuel Ward Co., card indexes


14.81


Mrs. L. C. Case, expenses


2.20


$25.27


8


Superintendent of Schools and Enforcement of Law : Salaries :


Frank H. Hill, Superintendent $659.94


Carl Pickens, truancy .


5.50


Walter M. French, truancy


19.50


Thomas Scanlon, truancy


2.50


$687.44


Miscellaneous :


Frank H. Hill, postage and telephone


$42.73


Frank H. Hill, travelling expense 34.38


Ruth D. Willard, assistant to superintendent . .


10.33


Elizabeth W. Hill, assistant to superintendent


7.57


Expenses of Instruction


Town of Concord, High .


$4,950.53


Town of Concord, Agricultural


140.63


City of Lowell, Industrial


747.50


City of Boston


7.50


Elementary Schools


E. Sophia Taylor


$699.50


Hazel M. Stone


571.00


Mrs. Evelyn K. Reed


46.40


Mary Morris


113.10


Muriel K. Fairchild


55.26


Frances Hodgen


171.10


Dorris M. Look


256.00.


Ella L. Miller


699.50


Martha F. Smith


644.50


Anna D. Taylor


356.50


Florence M. Williams


272.00


Jennie E. Stowell


667.50


Gladys Farnsworth


597.50


Julia L. McCarthy


644.50


A. E. LeMoine


114.70


Cora D. West


217.00


Helen H. Cummings


33.68


Grace Tucker


298.91


Marion C. Taylor


273.00


Irma M. Durkee


205.33


F. W. Lamberton


20.00


Text Books $6,956.98


Edward E. Babb & Co.


$120.69


$95.01


$5,846.16


9


Benj. H. Sanborn Co.


14.26


Houghton, Mifflin & Co.


3.52


Ginn & Co.


6.92 . :


$145.39


Stationery and Supplies


Edward E. Babb & Co.


$173.59


Milton Bradley & Co.


189.45


H. I. Wallman & Co. 4.72


14.00


Theron F. Newton, freight and express


3.81


Frank H. Hill, express


.34


E. A. Phalen, freight and express


1.43


Thomas Scanlon, freight and express


2.58


Expenses of Operating School Plants Wages of Janitors


Theron F. Newton


$402.00


Thomas Scanlon


377.00


Carl Pickens


328.00


$1,107.00


Fuel


South Acton Coal & Lumber Co.


$1,046.68


George H. Reed


259.47


Hall Bros. Co.


37.00


Benj. F. Hayward


6.25


Thomas Scanlon


6.00


Thomas E, Downie


6.00


Theron F. Newton


1.00


$1,362.40


Miscellaneous


Carl Pickens


$18.92


West and South Water Supply District


of Acton


65.32


J. S. Moore


1.86


Theron F. Newton


20.79


Henry C. Doughty


80.00


Thomas Scanlon


11.29


Hopkinson & Holden


6.25


Fred W. Green


7.00


American Woolen Co.


1.88


J. W. Livermore


4.00


Huntley S. Turner


$389.92


$217.31


10


Maintenance Repairs


South Acton Coal & Lumber Co.


$18.47


Thomas McWalter


24.25


A. S. Lowden


3.58


Theron F. Newton


2.55


L. T. Fullonton


476.34


E. Z. Stanley


36.89


E. A. Phalen


44.67


Hall Bros. Co.


2.80


J. W. Livermore


6.40


J. L. Hammett Co.


44.00


Charles Edwards


11.00


$670.95


Auxiliary Agencies Health


George B. Robbins Disinfectant Co.


$95.00


D. Henessey


3.00


Thomas Scanlon


.52


Transportation


High School :


Boston & Maine Railroad Co.


$1,443.42


N. Y., N. H. & H. Railroad Co.


33.00


Forrest D. Parker


9.36


$1.485.78


Lowell Industrial :


Boston & Maine Railroad Co.


$125.40


N. Y., N. H. & H. Railroad Co.


219.45


$344.85


Elementary :


W. M. French


$390.00


A. Christofferson


533.00


Charles Edwards


774.00


J. D. Smith


760.00


$2,457.00


$4,287.63


.$21,964.98


Total disbursements


$98.52


11


Unpaid Bills


Town of Concord : Balance, Dec., 1919, tuition bill


$1,470.59


Respectfully submitted, HARRY N. BROWN, Chairman B. E. HALL, Secretary EDWIN A. PHALEN LILLY C. CASE ELSIE F. PARSONS ALICE M. CARLISLE


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT


Members of the School Committee-Ladies and Gentlemen :


Following is my tenth annual report, the twenty-eighth in the series of superintendents' reports.


The school year ending June, 1919, was so broken that it was hardly possible to do all the work planned, or to do it in the most satisfactory manner. But essentials were emphasized and promotions were made on the basis of the children's ability and application. I believe it is possible to make the present year cover the defects of the past unless the unexpected happens, such as another epidemic or the loss of some of our experienced and valuable teachers.


Little by little in the town the salaries of the teachers have crept upward. But not fast enough to keep in line with the trend in other places, or with the advance in the cost of living. Our schedule has been changed from time to time, to give teachers of corresponding positions or corresponding experience and training practically the same salaries; yet, to fill unexpected and difficult positions we have had to go into the market and take such teachers as we could get and at such salaries as they demanded. Many towns have a grad- uated scale of salaries from a minimum to a maximum, varying ac- cording to the grades, as primary, grammar and high. But until the situation becomes normal and teachers salaries settle into somewhat definite standards, such a schedule, unless very liberal, would be like- ly to hinder rather than to help a superintendent in his search for de- sirable teachers. Meanwhile, the General School Fund law offers a way to substantially increase the teachers' salaries without adding much to the present appropriation, and I think it should be taken advantage of at the earliest moment and to the fullest extent. It would purchase contentment and devotion at the state's expense.


Nothing so binds together the several members of a town into a strong unit as a high school in its midst. Such a high school Acton needs; with eighty or more pupils it could offer satisfactory and de- sirable courses for all ; problems of discipline and management would not lie within the jurisdiction of a town with which otherwise Acton has nothing in common; talents would be developed and used at


12


home ; Acton's money would be earned and spent in the home town; instead of three centrifugal forces tending to disrupt the interests of the town a single force would be created to build it up and elevate it. I had hoped to see this brought about in my time, but I must be content to be a Voice calling out the direction only. It may be and I hope, that the corner stone will soon be laid for such an edifice as my dreams have pictured.


I have been somewhat troubled by the attitude of some parents towards the enforcement of the compulsory attendance law. Either they believe themselves above the operation of the law or that they are in some way different from other people. It is the duty of the attendance officer to see to it that every child under sixteen years of age shall be in school unless he has an employment certificate or home permit from the superintendent of schools, or unless his physi- cal or mental condition is such as to render attendance inexpedient or impractical, or unless he is being otherwise instructed in a manner approved in advance by the superintendent of schools or the school committee. The superintendent of schools, or teachers in so far as authorized by said superintendent or by the school committee may excuse cases of necessary absence for other causes not exceeding five day sessions or ten half-day sessions in any period of six months. And, further, to secure a work certificate or home permit as issued between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, the child must have com- pleted sixth grade work, by a law passed in 1919.


I am convinced, after long experience in district supervision, that at least two innovations are necessary to bring about the results expected under supervision. There should be a supervisor for the first six grades, devoting all her time to that work, under the leader- ship of the superintendent. And there should be an agent under the direction of the superintendent to look after all repairs of build- ings and furniture and adjustment of the same; to see that what is proposed and ordered done shall be done promptly and fully; and to act as attendance officer for the district, and supply officer.to the extent only of insuring prompt delivery and distribution after books and supplies arrive at the freight or express offices. Since now all this is a part of the duties of the superintendent, and only a part, it would follow that such a division of his work would be greatly to his advantage from a professional point of view and to the advantage of his towns educationally.


The school physician should be appointed by the school commit- tee and subject to the call of committee, superintendent and teachers. It is sometimes necessary to have the school physician at once and before a condition arises to invite criticism from the outside. The roundabout way in which we have often had to proceed to secure such attention has been discouraging at times. The section relating to School Physicians reads as follows :- "The school committee of every city and town in the commonwealth shall appoint one or more school physicians, shall assign one to each public school within its city or




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