Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1916-1920, Part 5

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 5


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11


ESTIMATES FOR THE SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1917


For general expenses :


Salaries and other expenses of the committee $100.00


Salaries and other expenses of the superintendent and truant officer 675.00


For expenses of instruction :


Tuition of pupils attending out of town schools 8,000.00


Salaries of elementary school For textbooks:


teachers 5,865.00


For elementary schools it is antici- pated that the amount to be received from dog tax will cover this item 275.00


For stationery and supplies : Elementary schools 425.00


For expenses of operating school plants : Wages of janitors, fuel and mis- cellaneous expenses 2,000.00


Maintenance and repairs 500.00


For auxiliary agencies : Health 90.00


For transportation :


High school scholars 2,300.00


12


Elementary scholars 1,850.00


Balance 1916 tuition 1,243.04


Total $23,323.04 Less estimated income from various outside sources 1,200.00


$22,123.04


RECEIPTS ON ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1916


Appropriated at town meeting $18,000.00


Received from Commonwealth of Massachusetts :


Industrial school, superintendent fund, and tuition


846.46


Dog tax


319.32


Sale of old books :


Finney & Hoit


$29.42


L. D. White


2.50


E. E. Babb


25.00


56.92


Tuition :


E. Sadler


19.50


C. Gouch


15.75


Town of Stow


25.50


60.75


B. & M. R. R., refund


6.00


Total receipts


$19,289.45


13


DISBURSEMENTS


General Expenses


School Committee


Salaries :


Paid B. E. Hall, salary 1916


$75.00 Miscellaneous :


Paid News-Enterprise, printing school reports


$11.00


E. C. Page


1.35


B. E. Hall, telephone tolls, postage 6.28


$18.63


Superintendent of Schools and Enforcement of Law


Paid Frank H. Hill, superintendent . $577.50


W. M. French


3.00


Asaph Parlin 4.00


Thomas Scanlon


5.50


$590.00


Miscellaneous :


Paid Frank H. Hill, stationery and telephone


$14.05


Eleanor L. Hill, secretary to sup- erintendent 61.86


$75.91


14


Expense of Instruction


Paid Town of Concord, high $5,040.42


Town of Concord, agricultural . 573.25


City of Lowell, industrial 200.00


$5,813.67


Elementary Schools


Paid Harriet H. Gardner $570.00


E. Sophia Taylor


505.65


Ruth L. Harrington


490.00


Ella L. Miller


400.50


Martha F. Smith


520.50


Marion H. Barrett


490.00


Emma M. Halliday


547.00


Elizabeth A. Hinckley


520.50


Julia L. McCarthy


520.50


Jennie E. Stowell


520.50


Mrs. Forrest K. Howe


13.50


Alice M. Genthner


121.10


Mildred Brennan


78.98


Marion C. Taylor


212.45


Emma M. Gordon


135.00


$5,646.18


Text Books


Paid Edward E. Babb & Company . . $122.11


Ginn & Company .64


Thompson. Brown & Company . . . 21


American Book Company


9.01


Silver. Burdett & Company


10.56


The Orville-Brewer Publishing Company 3.00


The A. S. Barnes Company 1.88


D. Hennessey . 25


$147.66


15


Stationery and Supplies


Paid Finney & Hoit


$8.58


Fred S. Glines


1.45


The Industrial association


25.00


Edward E. Babb & Company


...


363.11


Ginn & Company


2.38


Huntley S. Turner


2.07


E. C. Page


.50


Dowling School Supply Company


16.10


J. L. Hammett Company


.80


Ella L. Miller


1.20


Thomas Scanlon


1.82


Tuttle & Newton


.87


$423.88


Expenses of Operating School Plants


Wages of Janitors


Paid Fred S. Glines


$380.00


Thomas Scanlon


351.00


Asaph Parlin


304.00


$1,035.00


Fuel


Paid A. H. Perkins


$22.00


W. H. Kingsley


4.00


Hall Brothers Company


1.25


S. A. Coal & Lumber Company .


735.66


T. E. Downie


14.00


L. W. Richardson


5.00


Overseers of Poor


66.25


$848.16


16


Miscellaneous


Paid M. E. Taylor & Company $7.16


W. & S. Water Supply


30.00


C. L. Chase & Son


20.70


American Woolen Company


3.60


Tuttle & Newton


. 42


H. W. Lewis 4.82


Edw. E. Babb & Company


1.12


Fred S. Glines


1.25


Hopkinson & Holden


6.00


D. Hennessey


2.00


$77.07


Maintenance


Repairs


Paid Chandler & Barber Company .. $8.10


F. Z. Taylor


4.76


E. T. Rice


108.50


Davis, King Company


2.75


C. H. Mead & Company


23.35


Tuttle & Newton


2.52


Finney & Hoit


10.20


E. A. Phalen


46.75


Thomas F. Parker


2.40


E. Z. Stanley


7.65


S. A. Coal & Lumber Company .


59.19


J. T. McNiff


. 50


$276.67


Auxiliary Agencies


Health


Paid F. S. Glines $ .50


George B. Robbins Disinfectant


17


Company


70.00


D. W. Hennessey


15.50


Asaph Parlin


1.50


$87.50


Transportation


High School :


Paid Boston & Maine R. R.


$1,491.81


N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. 433.55


H. W. Bursaw


21.30


Mrs. Fred Brill


10.68


A. H. Gilmore


2.00


$1,959.34


Lowell Industrial :


Paid B. & M. R. R.


$14.00


N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R.


71.85


$85.85


Elementary :


Paid W. M. French


$354.00


Charles Edwards


545.00


Jens Mekkelsen


532.00


A. Christofferson


418.00


$1,849.00 $3,894.19


Outlays


New Equipment : Paid West & South Water Supply Dis- trict


$42.78


E. Z. Stanley 180.00


D. Hennessey


2.00


18


William H. Kingsley


40.75 S. A. Coal & Lumber Company . 14.40


$279.93


Total disbursements


$19,289.45


Unpaid Bills


Town of Concord (balance 1916 tui-


tion) $1,243.04


Respectfully submitted,


EDWIN A. PHALEN, HERBERT W. LEWIS, BERTRAM E. HALL,


Acton, January 27, 1917.


Committee.


19


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT


Gentlemen of the Committee :


Following is my seventh annual report, the twenty-fifth in the series of such reports.


An attempt was made last year to raise the standard of advancement to the Concord high school over that of pre- vious years, with the policy in mind of requiring the same degree of proficiency in grade work for whatever course to be taken in the high school. The result was that several eighth grade pupils were not promoted, and are still in the Acton schools. They will no doubt go on to Concord next fall, and, with a better academic preparation, do much more satisfactory work even in the vocational subjects they may elect. In the agricultural department, age instead of rank is the standard of admission. When a boy is fourteen years of age he is eligible to enter that department whether judged to be entitled to promotion or not.


One of the standing rules of the committee is: "Chil- dren under five years of age shall not be admitted to the public schools." A child who is five in September may enter the schools and be ready to go into the high school at thir- teen. It is too young for the average child to enter high school. It is a period when such a child should be near those who know him. He is not ready for the readjustments that must come in his new environment. He is not ready to choose companions among so many new schoolmates. He is not ready to be trusted alone so many hours from home. If his choice is the agricultural department he cannot enter it until he is fourteen. The same reason should deter him from


20


entering any vocational department until he is fourteen. For these reasons I recommend that the age of entrance to the public schools be raised to six years.


For agricultural students we are being charged $130 per year, one-half of which tuition is paid by the state. For each subject outside the agricultural course, a charge of $16.00 additional is made. As the agricultural students take two subjects, English and science, in addition to the agri- cultural work, the cost to the town per pupil amounts to $97.00. The tuition received for such a course from all courses is $162.00. Add to this about $20.00 for transporta- tion and it makes the agricultural course seem an expensive one. The doubt has arisen in my mind as to whether the agricultural students can do justice to themselves in taking so much work. This may be the reason for some failures in this department in the last year.


I have held two general teachers' meetings in Acton since September. As often as once a month during the re- mainder of the year, teachers' meetings will be held, and the special subject for the year will be English, with the greatest emphasis laid upon oral expression. It is hoped that, as one result of this series of meetings, pupils will be better taught to express themselves logically and fully upon any given subject than now. The influence of this work upon written themes ought to be considerable. "Common Sense Didac- tics," by Sabin, has been selected as a book for general read- ing and discussion. In this way, I hope to make the year professionally profitable for the teachers, both by a general review of school conditions and by the special application of thought to a single subject of the program.


As work certificates and special home permits are based upon birth certificates as one condition, and upon school at- tendance of one hundred thirty days after the thirteenth birthday, as another condition, it would seem reasonable to require that children approaching their thirteenth birthday should deposit their birth certificates with the teacher as a part of the school record. Upon leaving town to acquire a


21


school residence elsewhere, the birth certificate could be. given to the child with his discharge card. More preliminary correspondence, and consequent delay, comes from the lack of a birth certificate when a work permit is desired than from any other cause. If, upon entering school, a birth certificate was deposited, and one required from pupils thirteen years of age, in a few years we should have a complete and abso- lutely correct record. Heretofore, the school register, our only immediate reference, has been very unsatisfactory evidence of birthday data.


Parents having their children educated in any town other than their legal residence should clearly pay tuition for such children. We should all make it an object to see that such parents or guardians are immediately made ac- quainted with the law relating to such pupils, that they may entertain no doubts as to the rights of the town in such cases. As it is not easy to follow up such cases after the child has left the school, as often happens during the year, the simplest way to administer this law might be to send a bill for tuition for a period of ten or twelve weeks in advance, as soon as the child is registered, the teacher to send all necessary informa- tion at once to the secretary of the school committee.


Numerous complaints of a minor nature have come to me in an indirect manner showing some friction between the management of the schools in South Acton and some of the parents of that section. Parents are usually interested to the point of complaining only when the liberties or rights of their children are affected. Liberties and rights are relative and dependent upon the liberties and rights of others, and especially it is the function of the teacher to decide under what conditions certain apparent liberties and rights may be exercised to the end that proper school discipline may be protected. So far as possible teachers are expected to con- sider the individual child and his development; but when that care involves the well being of the school, the school should have first consideration. The average teacher is less inclined to be prejudiced in favor of the individual child


22


than the fond mother; and on the other hand the average teacher is more inclined to stand erect for the school she is responsible for than the parent whose single son or daughter is the only object under her eye. I am sure that all mis- understandings could be cleared away if the parents, including the few with complaints to offer, should meet with the teachers and superintendent for a conference and ex- planation of school ideals and responsibilities. In mutual understanding the cause for any friction should be found preventable. No teacher can afford to lay herself open to the charge of being arbitrary and unreasonable, and parents should be equally anxious to avoid the imputation. I recom- mend to parents and teachers alike the get-together spirit, for the good of all.


Several text-book houses have notified me that prices will be advanced January 1, 1917. Prices of all kinds of school supplies advanced some time ago. It is not expected that the situation will change in the near future. It is pro- bable that the expenditures for books and supplies will increase rather than decrease next year. To be entirely safe seventy-five dollars should be estimated as the possible increase and added to the usual appropriation.


For the benefit of parents who think they have the right to keep children from school occasionally to help about the house and farm, I will quote, in part, the law relating to at- tendance as passed and approved March 18. 1915: "Every child between seven and fourteen years of age and every child under sixteen years of age who has not received an employment certificate . . or has not the written per- mission of the superintendent of schools . . to engage in profitable employment at home, shall attend a public day school in said city or town or some other day school approved by the school committee, during the entire time the public schools are in session. . . 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 seven day sessions or


23


fourteen half-day sessions in any period of six months." And further: "Every person having under his control a child as described in section one shall cause him to attend school as therein required, and, if he fails for seven day sessions or fourteen half-day sessions within any period of six months while such control obtains, to cause such child to attend school he shall, upon complaint by an attendance of- ficer and conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars, and no physical or mental condi- tion which is capable of correction, or which renders the child a fit subject for special instruction at public charge in institutions other than public day schools, shall avail as de- fence under the provisions of this or the preceding section, unless it shall be made to appear that the defendant has employed all reasonable measures for the correction of the condition and the suitable instruction of the child. Who- ever induces or attempts to induce a child to absent himself unlawfully from school, or employs or harbors a child while school is in session, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten, nor more than fifty dollars."


In concluding this report I have to thank the committee for their generous and continued support throughout the year.


Respectfully submitted, FRANK H. HILL, Superintendent of Schools.


Acton, January 8, 1917.


24


REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING


Superintendent Frank H. Hill :


Dear Sir-I submit the following as my fifth annual report on drawing in the schools of Acton, Mass.


Since beginning my work in the schools of Acton I have been very much encouraged by the enthusiasm with which most of our pupils take hold of the work. I can watch from year to year, the improvement and advancement in the in- dividual pupils. I also can recall a few pupils, that simply ignored art at first, but now are some of my best workers. Some are still continuing their good work at the Concord high school. The work of this year has progressed as well as I could expect under the several difficulties we have to contend with, but I do feel, that better work can be accom- plished, if the grade teachers would only have the pupils be more particular. In some cases the papers show untidy- ness and carelessness. That can be overcome in time I feel very sure.


I do not think that I need to repeat the work covered from grade to grade, as it is very much the same as last year's work, with few exceptions. I will say here, though, that I am trying to make the art subject as practical as pos- sible this year by introducing household furnishings, or the study of interior decoration. I am hoping to teach the girls and boys of this town to have very orderly homes and rooms of their own. We are working out drawings of a side of a room and choosing a good color scheme for that picture ; we also are learning how to group objects on a mantel or on the table, to avoid an unbalanced effect or a crowded appearance.


25


Appropriate shades and draperies are chosen and draped artistically, pictures are hung correctly on the wall. In a short time I feel that the pupils will understand the subject quite well. Both boys and girls are interested in this sub- ject, as they can design an imaginary room of their own. After all this work I feel that the Acton schools lack training in any vocation; our boys and girls should be taught sewing and manual training on a small scale. At South Acton the principal of the school has been struggling along with sew- ing, on a small scale, but she has done well under the condi- tions she has to contend with. At Acton Center there is a nice sewing machine, but nobody can spare the time to use it, and at West Acton neither sewing or manual training work have been attempted at all, owing to shortage of time and having three grades in the grammar room.


I could go ahead with this work and devote a half-day in each village if the committee agreed to have the work carried out, but I could not do the work on the present sal- ary. At West Acton a few benches could be put up, in the vacant room and a few tools could be bought for a small amount of money, and some packing boxes could be used up to supply pupils with lumber. A number of articles can be made from cigar boxes, so the expense would not be very heavy.


At South Acton and Acton Center we do not have the extra room, which we have at West Acton, but I know some work can be done and the town would not regret the extra expense, which would not be very heavy. I have felt for some time that the elementary grades are not getting all they should along the vocational line in their education. Some pupils going to Concord high school, taking the me- chanics art course and domestic science course, are unprepared.


I hope that this matter will be considered so we may give our boys and girls in Acton a better education.


In closing my report I wish to thank all that have co-


26


operated and helped to make my work a success throughout the year.


Respectfully submitted, MARION CELESTE TAYLOR, Supervisor of Drawing.


Acton, December 28th, 1916.


27


REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC


Mr. F. H. Hill, Superintendent of Schools :


Dear Sir-I herewith present my first report of the work in music in the Acton schools. I think that the first three grades cover the most important period of development in music, for the foundation of sight reading and proper tone production is established in these grades.


We are devoting much time in the lower grades to indi- vidual work and every new problem that is presented is being drilled individually. If pupils become able to sing independently in the lower grades the most difficult problem of upper grade work will be solved-that is, part singing.


I have found it advisable in the work of the first four years to give a separate lesson to each grade, even where there are two grades in a room. If two grades sing together the lower grade allows itself to be carried along instead of doing independent work.


All pupils, when they leave the grammar school, should be able to sing correctly in parts the familiar songs, the songs of the people, that are being so widely used in promot- ing "Community Music." We are spending considerable time in the seventh and eighth grades learning these songs. The majority of pupils will eventually become listeners, not performers, and they should be taught to understand and appreciate the best in music. The victrola is of great help in this line of work and in connection with its use I plan to take up the lives and works of famous composers, instru- ments of the orchestra and band, and music forms, such as opera and oratorio.


I wish to thank the teachers and superintendent for their interest and co-operation in carrying on the work.


Respectfully submitted,


MILDRED L. BRENNON, Supervisor of Music.


28


ROLL OF HONOR


Not Absent or Tardy for One Year


West Primary-Haverlock Schnair.


West Intermediate-Warren Boyce.


Center Primary-Louis Livermore, Olga Pederson, Inga Pederson.


Center Intermediate-Roland Flagg.


REPORT OF SIGHT AND HEARING TEST


School examined


& Number


Enrolled


Defective


Eyesight


Defective


~ ~ Hearing


Parents


West


Center


87


South


133


9


()


Total


309


19


1


18


SCHOOL CENSUS, SEPTEMBER. 1916


Number children between 5 and 7 .. . Number children between 7 and 14 .. Number children between 14 and 16 . Number minors between 14 and 16 who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language


Boys


Girls


Total


27


30


57


132


125


257


26


20


46


0)


0


()


Number of illiterate children 16 years of age or over and under 21 years of age


0


0


0


Total


185


175


360


5 1 - 31 . Notified


5


29


ATTENDANCE OFFICERS' REPORT


South


West


Center


Number of cases investigated


7


6


5


Number returned to school


6


6


3


Number committed to truant school


0


0


0


Estimated cost


$8.05


$1.00


$3.25


SCHOOL SAVINGS


Number Depositors


Amount Collected


South Acton


71


$342.54


West Acton


78


179.89


Acton Center


22


135.60


Totals


171


$658.03


Number Graduated from Grammar Schools


Boys


Girls


Total


South Acton


6


6


12


West Acton


7


4


11


Acton Center


6


3


9


Total


19


13


32


Acton Pupils in Concord High


Class Class Class Class 1917 1918 1919 1920 Total


Commercial course


5


1


5


9


20


College course


0


2


2


5


9


General course


3


1


3


1


8


Scientific course


0


1


1


2


4


Domestic Arts course


3


5


4


4


16


Mechanic Arts course


0


6


3


8


17


Agricultural course


2


1


5


1


9


Total


13


17


23


30


83


STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1915-1916


School


Grades


Different Pupils


Enrolled


Total


Membership


Aggregate


Attendance


Average Daily


Attendance


Average


Membership


- No. between


5 and 7


No. between


7 and 14


No. between


14 and 16


Number


under 5


Number


over 16


BG


BGB GBG BG BG


West


1-2-3


20


16


36


5559.5 30.88


34.60 10 9


10


7


0


0


0


0


0


4-5-6


12


12


25


3831.5


21.62


24.11


12


12


0


0


0


0


0


0


7-8


20


17


37


5985.5


33.39


35.20


01


0


16


17


4


0


0


0


7


6


0


0


Center


1-2-3


26


13


39


5495


30.35


31.77|12|11


14


2


0


0


0


0


0


0


4-5-6


19


14


38


5491.5


30.39


32.13


0| 0


18


14


1


0


0


01


0


7-8


12


8


20


3143.5


17.36


18.66


0| 0|


10


6|


2 20


0


0


177 150|341|50390.5|281.20 309. 05 |34 34 128 108 14 8 1 0 0 0


31


South


1-2|


21


21


42


5687


31.90


37.70|12|14


9


7


3-4


14


20


40


5407


30.30


33.50


01 0


14


20


5-6


17


16


34


5222.51


29.51


32.78


0 0


17


16


7-8


16


13


30


4567.5


25.50


28.60|


0 0


8


7


0


0


0


0


0


0


30


Number Entering Concord High, September, 1916


Boys


Girls


Total


Acton Center


3


2


5


South Acton


5


8


13


West Acton


6


4


10


East Acton


3


0


3


North Acton


1


0


1


Totals


18


14


32


Acton pupils in Lowell Industrial school 2


INDEX


Assessors' Report


38


Board of Health


77


Cemetery Commissioners


72


Collector's Report


39


Inspector of Animals


86 87


Overseers of the Poor


74 35 40


Town Accountant's Report


12


Town Clerk's Report


Births


26 31 33


Dog Licenses


28


Marriages


32


Non-Resident Burials


3


Town Meetings


8


Town Warrant


66


Treasurer's Report


69


Wilde Library Fund


70


Cemetery Funds


37


Tree Warden


85


Trustees Goodnow Fund


SECOND SECTION


School Report


1


School Calendar


3


Special Exercises and Holidays


4


School Officers and Teachers


5


Standing Rules


7 8


General Report


11


Financial Statement


19


Superintendent's Report


24


Supervisor of Drawing


27


Supervisor of Music


28


Roll of Honor


28


Statistical Tables


71


Librarian's Report List of Books Added


Selectmen's Report


Deaths


Town Officers


12


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SEVERAL OFFICIAL BOARDS


OF THE


TOWN OF ACTON


MASSACHUSETTS.


FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31


1917


RAFE


ONI


1735.


ACTON.


THE NEWS-ENTERPRISE HUDSON, MASS. 1918


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SEVERAL OFFICIAL BOARDS


OF THE


TOWN OF ACTON


MASSACHUSETTS.


FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31


1917


RATED


ONI


1735.


ACTON


THE NEWS-ENTERPRISE HUDSON, MASS. 1918


1


3


TOWN OFFICERS, 1917


Selectmen


Charles J. Holton Warren H. Jones


William H. Kingsley


. Term expires 1918 Term expires 1920 Term expires 1919


Town Clerk Horace F. Tuttle


Town Treasurer Frank W. Hoit


Assessors


James B. Tuttle


. Term expires 1918


Arthur M. Whitcomb . Term expires 1920


Ralph W. Piper Term expires 1919


Overseers of the Poor


William H. Kingsley Warren H. Jones Charles J. Holton


Collector of Taxes Arthur M. Whitcomb


Tree Warden James O'Neil


John T. McNiff


Constables Charles A. Taylor Oliver D. Wood


James N. Berry


John T. McNiff


Field Drivers Charles A. Taylor Oliver D. Wood


James N. Berry


Charles J. Holton


Fence Viewers Warren H. Jones William H. Kingsley


Cemetery Commissioners


Julian Tuttle Term expires 1918


Fred W. Green Term expires 1920


Horace F. Tuttle Term expires 1919


4


School Committee


Edwin A. Phalen Term expires 1920


Herbert W. Lewis . Term expires 1918


Bertram E. Hall


Term expires 1919


Trustees Memorial Library


.J. Sidney White Term expires 1920


Lucius A. Hesselton Term expires 1918


Horace F. Tuttle Term expires 1919


Board of Health


Edwin A. Phalen . Term expires 1920


Frank E. Tasker


Term expires 1918


Edward C. Page Term expires 1919


James B. Tuttle


Horace F. Tuttle


Finance Committee Edgar H. Hall Asaph Merriam Arthur M. Whitcomb


APPOINTED BY THE SELECTMEN


Superintendent of Streets Albert H. Perkins


Town Accountant Howard L. Jones


Registrars of Voters


Lewis Willard Term expires 1919


James McGreen Term expires 1918 Term expires 1920


George E. Holton


Horace F. Tuttle, ex-officio


Election Officers Precinct 1


Warden James W. Coughlin


Deputy Warden




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