USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medfield > Town annual reports of Medfield 1879 > Part 2
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Respectfully submitted for the Board,
J. H. GOULD, Chief.
.
24
FIRES AND ALARMS FROM FEB. 1, 1878, TO JAN. 31, 1879.
March 27, 8 P.M., Old Wheelock House. Cause, incendiary ; damage slight ; extinguished by regular force.
March 28, 11.30 P.M., Old Wheelock House. Cause, incendiary ; building consumed ; loss small.
July 4, 7.30 P.M., frame building ; owned and occupied by Mrs. Derby. Cause, probably incendiary, originated in attic ; loss on building, $150 ; insurance on building, $1,500 ; loss on contents, $60 ; insurance on contents, $300 ; extinguished by regular force.
Aug. 30, 5 A.M., hotel at Walpole. Remarks: Given in re- sponse to a call for assistance from Walpole, the Medfield Fire Department responded.
Sept. 25, 7.30 P.M., alarm of fire. Cause, burning brush near D. D. Curtis' grove. Remarks: In responding to this alarm, Fore- man Bullard was wounded in wrist, by contact with pole-axe while truck was in rapid motion.
Oct. 18, 7 P.M., fire in Rocky Woods. Cause, incendiary ; beat out by Hook and Ladder Company, No. I .; force under command of Foreman Bullard.
Sunday, Oct. 20, 12 M., 2 P.M., and 7 P.M. (three alarms), fires in Rocky Woods. Cause, probably incendiary ; extinguished by reg- ular force and citizens.
Oct. 21, 2 P.M., fire in Rocky Woods. Cause, probably incen- diary ; beat out. Remarks : The above fires in Rocky Woods are estimated to have burned over about two hundred acres of sprout and wood land ; estimated damage, $1,000 or more.
Oct. 22, 2 P.M., fire in woods near Elm Street, south-east part of the town. Cause unknown ; burned over about fifteen acres of sprout and wood land ; damage estimated $50 ; put out by citizens.
Sunday, Oct. 27, 7 P.M., one and one-half cords wood, North Woods, owned by Samuel Ellis. Cause, incendiary.
Nov. 19, 6.40 P.M., frame dwelling with ell, barn, sheds, carriage- house, and granary ; owned by heirs of the late Caleb S. Hamant ; occupied by Frank S. Wight ; ell consumed, roof of dwelling par- tially burned, other buildings totally destroyed ; loss on buildings, $2,200 ; insurance on buildings, $1,750 ; also twenty-five tons of hay, fourteen cows, one horse, grain, farming utensils, etc. ; owned by F. S. Wight ; loss, $1,416.79 ; insurance, $1,615 ; originated in barn. Cause unknown.
25
Dec. 25, 11 A.M., originated in grass near John J. Adams' farm- house. Cause, unknown ; damage none ; needless alarm.
Jan. 3, 6.45 A.M., D. D. Curtis & Co.'s boarding-house. Cause, overheated stove-pipe; originated on third floor ; damage to building very slight ; loss on contents, $100.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
OF THE
TOWN OF MEDFIELD, FOR THE YEAR ENDING APRIL, 1879.
Chief Engineer, J. H. GOULD. First Assistant Engineer, FRANK RHODES. Second Assistant Engineer, P. MATHEWSON.
MEDFIELD FIRE ENGINE COMPANY, NO I. Foreman, PASCAL C. GROVER. First Assistant Foreman, FRANK E. MASON. Second Assistant Foreman, FRED. M. SMITH. Clerk, B. F. CREHORE. Steward, E. T. EVERETT.
Members.
Jos. LONERGAN,
J. H. BAKER, Jr.
CHAS. F. DAVIS,
RAYMONT WEIKER,
ROBERT WRIGHT,
GEO. KEARN,
A. A. BLAKE, S.H.,
GEO. W. MORRILL,
C. L. COOLIDGE, L.H.,
H. W. HUTSON,
S. R. SCOTT, L.H.,
GEO. H. BULLARD,
E. W. KINGSBURY,
J. A. FAIRBANKS,
H. J. DUNN, L.H.,
A. C. GILBERT, S.H.,
THOS. E. MURPHY,
A. D. KINGSBURY, L.H.,
L. A. HAYNES, L.H.,
E. U. SEWALL,
J. JACKSON, CHAS. WOLFE,
GEO. H. SHUMWAY,
E. O. GROVER,
A. M. RICHARDS,
GEO. R. KEYES,
GEO. F. STONE,
THOS. ARQUIN,
DENNIS KENNEDY,
W. A. COOLIDGE, T. F. BARNEY,
LEMUEL WOLFE.
26
EXCELSIOR HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY, NO. I. Foreman, E. BULLARD. First Assistant Foreman, E. FRANKS. Second Assistant Foreman, W. HARDING. Clerk, L. S. ROGERS. Treasurer, GEO. E. PETTIS. Steward, ROSWELL MILLER.
Members.
A. A. GILBERT,
R. WEIKER,
H. W. GILMORE,
W. RYAN,
N. P. MCGRORY, J. NOONAN, JAMES PETTIS.
Fire Police.
HINSDALE F. BULLARD, JOSEPH W. PAGE, HENRY M. PARKER.
27
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The general condition and support of our Library we believe to have been very satisfactory. The pleasure and profit derived from it are more manifest than ever ; and the number of books delivered has steadily increased each year since its foundation, amounting to nearly eleven thousand volumes during the last year. We have catalogued in our Library over seventeen hundred volumes ; and of these about one hundred need re-binding before being again issued ; and, to meet the increasing demands of the public, we feel that at least one hundred and fifty, or two hundred volumes should be added every year, to insure its best interests.
For the Trustees,
J. H. RICHARDSON.
MEDFIELD, Mass, February, 1879.
Dr. ISAAC FISKE, Treasurer, IN ACCOUNT WITH THE TRUSTEES OF THE LIBRARY. Cr.
1878.
Feb. I. To balance cash in
Treasury . $58.45
June 28. To cash received of Geo. Cummings, Esq . . $ 100.00 1879
1878. April 20. By cash for binding old books ... . . $15.17 By cash for 86 new
books. ..
86.15
By cash Librarian to
Jan. 1, 1879.
75.00
$176.32
1879. Feb. I. Balance in the Treasury Cash in the hands of Librarian for fines and sales of catalogues .. ..
$182.13
25.00
$358.45
$207.13
Jan. 31. To cash, dog tax .. 115.85 To cash, Town Treas- urer 84.15
300.00
28
REGISTRAR'S REPORT.
BIRTHS IN MEDFIELD IN 1878.
DATE.
NAMES.
PARENTS.
Jan. 4
Olive Elvira Moody.
Jan. IS
Jennie Rebecca Howe.
Jan. 22 Eveline Johnston.
March 3 William Charles Davis.
Charles F. and Nellie A. Davis.
March 4
Louisa Coltman Hardy.
March 7 Harry Milne Middlemas.
April 5 Herbert and Albert Ricker, twins.
Joseph and Margaret P. Hardy. James and Mary Middlemas. George K. and Emma P. Ricker. Hamlet and Lucy J. Wight.
April 14
Alexander Eames Wight.
April 23 Edward Anson Guild.
William F. and Elizabeth M. Guild.
April 24 Ruth Bartlett Woods.
Frank A. and Almira Woods.
May 31 Irving Willis Sherman.
Rutillus E. and Emma L. Sherman David and Mary Meany.
June 13
Bessie Meany.
June 16 Abby Delaney.
Bartholomew and Bridget Delaney George W. and Mary E. Morrell.
June 27 Arthur Adelbert Morrell.
July 7 Idella Marion Cole.
Richard E. and Abby L. Cole.
July 27 William Francis Rourke.
Aug. IO
Albert Francis Whittemore.
Aug.
12
Frank Henry Weiker.
Aug. 24
Edward Scribner Cobb.
Sept. I
Christina Maud Ryan.
Sept. 12
Alice Agnes Brennan.
Sept. 13 Jennie Swan O'Connor.
Oct.
2 Bertha Agnes McGrory.
John and Julia McGrory. John and Elizabeth P. M. Ord.
Oct.
4 Robert Wheelock Ord.
Oct.
8 Lawrence Francis Wright.
Oct. 8 Lewis Leroy Adams.
Lewis L. and Nora B. Adams.
Nov. IO Emily Althea Wood.
Nov. 14 Oscar Judson Codding.
Loring J. and Margaret H.Codding.
Nov. 18 Warren Jacob Schools.
John and Eliza Schools.
Patrick and Lizzie C. Hanley.
Whole number of births, 30.
CHAS. C. SEWALL,
Registrar.
Wm.F. Linscott and Nellie Rourke. Warren F. and M. B. Whittemore. Wm. F. and Margaret J. Weiker. William H. and Emily W. Cobb. William and Hughenee Ryan. Michael and Bridget Brennan.
Frederic and Mary R. S. O'Connor.
Robert and Nancy C. Wright.
Edward H. and Ellen F. Wood.
Dec. 30 Teressa Hanley.
Samuel and Lizzie B. Moody. Frank J. and Louisa M. Howe. Jeremiah and Jane Johnston.
29
DEATHS IN MEDFIELD AND ELSEWHERE, OF PERSONS BELONGING HERE, IN 1878.
DATE.
NAMES.
AGE.
DISEASE.
Jan. 2
Clarissa Fisher,
69 yrs., 2 mos., 14 days.
Jan. 15
Sarah M. Hobbs,
70 yrs., 8 mos., 8 days.
Jan.
28 John Irving,
40 yrs.,
-
Feb.
2
Rachel Green,
91 yrs.,
Feb. 26
Charles Hartshorn,
80 yrs.,
6 mos., 20 days.
March 2I
Mary Cutler,
75 yrs.,
March 20
Emery A. Wheeler,
55 yrs., 7 mos.,
March 24
William H. Bullard,
62 yrs., 2 mos., 24 days.
Apoplexy. Paralysis.
May I
Freeman Newell,
23 yrs.,
Consumption.
May 24
Robert H. Bruce,
41 yrs.,
I mo.,
9 days.
July
19
Charles H. Wight,
I yr.,
5 mo.,
Chol. Infantum. Chol. Infantum.
Aug. 27
Mary A. Tarlton,
35 yrs.,
I mo., 6 days.
Puerperal Con. Dysentery.
Sept.
7 John S. Turner,
53 yrs., - 26 days.
Heart Disease.
Sept.
13 Clara W. Bussey,
19 yrs., I mo., 18 days.
Typhoid Fever. Cystisis.
Oct.
12
Horace Hill,
83 yrs., - 22 days.
Pneumonia.
Oct.
27
Caroline Smith,
78 yrs., 6 mos., 9 days.
Paralysis.
Dec.
I Gertrude E. Gilbert,
I yr.,
I mo.,
8 days.
Croup.
Dec.
II John H. Gould,
78 yrs., - 9 days.
Cystisis.
Dec.
31
Teressa Hanley,
I day.
Whole number of deaths, 24.
I over 90 years.
2 over 40 years.
3 over 80 years.
2 over 20 years.
7 over 70 years.
I over 10 years.
2 over 60 years.
4 under 2 years.
2 over 50 years.
CHAS. C. SEWALL,
Registrar.
July 22
Bessie Meany,
I mo.,
9 days.
Aug. 23 Sarah F. Ellis,
78 yrs., 7 mos., 10 days.
Paralysis.
Sept. 2
George Fiske,
75 yrs., 5 mos., 12 days.
Oct.
5
Charles Bonney,
72 yrs., II mos., 24 days.
Heart Disease. Debility. Pneumonia. Acute Bron'tis. Liver Disease. Dyspepsia.
March 28
David Hamilton,
81 yrs., - 22 days.
30
MARRIAGES IN MEDFIELD, IN 1878; AND OF PERSONS BELONG- ING IN MEDFIELD, WHO WERE MARRIED OUT OF TOWN.
DATE.
NAMES.
RESIDENCE.
BIRTHPLACE.
Feb. 2
Hattie B. Chase, S
Medfield.
Dennis.
April
4
Eliza R. Richardson,
Medfield.
May
19 Elizabeth M. Clifford,
Medfield.
Medway.
May
24
Aletheria Leland,
Milford.
Milford.
June
30 Cassie Farren,
Medfield.
Nova Scotia.
Sept. 6
Thomas C. Arguin, Mary J. Campbell, 5
Dover.
Cape Breton.
Oct.
16
Bessie Howard,
Medfield.
Medway.
Oct.
John King, Katie Mc Gee, S
Medfield.
Ireland.
Oct.
21
Jennie L. Smith,
Medfield.
Medfield.
Oct.
23
Sarah A. Ellis,
Medfield.
Medfield.
Oct.
26
Emily De'Lesdernier,
Medfield.
Eastport, Me.
Oct.
30
Emma S. Sprague,
Medfield.
Farmington, Me.
Persons belonging in Medfield, who were married out of town.
Oct.
30
Euphie Tubbs,
Medfield.
W. Dedham, § Boston.
Lewis M. Cutler,
Medfield.
Medfield, ¿ married in
Nov. 19
Theresa Fleming, S
Sherborn.
Sherborn, § Sherborn.
Nov. 28
Dora Pillsbury (nee Gay), §
Franklin.
Franklin, § Franklin.
Nov. 28
Frederic J. Allen, l
Medfield.
Medfield, mʼd in
Mary E. Kerr,
East Medway.
E.Medway, § E.Med'y.
Whole number in town, I2. Whole number out of town, 4. -
CHAS. C. SEWALL,
Registrar.
Frank G. Wilson,
Boylston.
Boston.
George F. Mitchell,
Medfield.
Calais, Me.
George W. Whiting,
Medway.
Medway.
William H. Mann, Į
Dover.
Dover.
Medfield.
Liverpool, Can.
Charles W. Gilman, ¿
Medfield.
Monmouth, Me.
Medfield.
Ireland.
Charles F. Bruce,
Medfield.
Medfield.
George M. Munn,
Holyoke.
New York.
John H. Tarlton,
Medfield.
Alexandria, N.H.
Adelbert D. Stanley,
Medfield.
Farmington, Me.
Granville H. Ellis,
Medfield.
Medfield, ¿ married in
Samuel Johnson, Jr., ¿
Medfield.
Medfield, married in
Sidney S. Mills,
Sawtucket, L.I. | Sawtucket, L.I.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF MEDFIELD.
FOR THE YEAR 1878-9.
The School Committee of Medfield, in accordance with long- established custom, and in compliance with the requirement of the law, present the following report of the condition of the schools of the town : -
NORTH SCHOOL.
This school, although not, in the opinion of the committee, a difficult one to teach, has, for several years past, been somewhat more difficult than the other schools of the town, and the results obtained here have not been entirely satisfactory. The spring term was taught by Miss Sarah C. Littlefield. Her engagement ended with that term, and not desiring to follow longer the pro- fession of teaching, her connection with the school then closed. She was much esteemed by her pupils. The fall term was taught by Miss Helen M. Lovering, who resigned at the close of the term. The school is at present under the charge of Miss Abbie H. Mor- rill, of Somerville, who, although she has but just entered upon her work, is doing well, and of whose success the committee are very sanguine.
CENTRE PRIMARY.
It gives the committee pleasure to be able to make a most favor- able report of this school. Miss Wight is a thorough and efficient teacher, and by her uniformly lady-like and gentle manners and her never-failing kindness and patience has endeared herself to all her pupils. The school is making commendable progress, and the teacher gives entire satisfaction.
CENTRE INTERMEDIATE.
Of this school, also, the committee make their usual favorable report. Miss Woods, in her long and faithful term of service, has acquired throughout the town a reputation as a successful teacher.
32
HIGH SCHOOL.
Mr. Marshall, who had taught the school successfully for several years, closed his engagement at the end of the spring term, and declined a reëlection. Mr. Walter H. Small, of Provincetown, was elected in his place. Owing to the crowded condition of the pri- mary and intermediate schools, the committee were obliged to transfer to this school a large number of scholars who do not prop- erly belong there, making the school more difficult for the teacher, and less advantageous for the high school classes. .
SOUTH SCHOOL.
Miss Addie Mason has been in charge of this school throughout the year. The school has for a long time been in an excellent condition, and is a pleasant and easy one to teach. The teacher has been faithful, and the school has made fair progress.
THE SCHOOLS IN GENERAL.
The schools in the central part of the town are yearly becoming more crowded, and it will soon be necessary for the town or the committee to take some action in this matter. If the number of scholars continues to increase as it has lately done, it will soon be- come necessary either for the town to furnish additional school- room accommodation at the Centre, or for the committee to send a portion of the scholars now attending there to the North and the South schools. The committee have recently received a petition, signed by a larger part of the citizens and tax-payers of the North part of the town, asking for the establishment of an additional school in the North school-building. A hearing was given to the petitioners, but as the establishment of another school would re- quire an additional expenditure of money, the committee thought it advisable to await the action of the town in town-meeting; when, if it is deemed best, and appropriation is made therefor, the commit- tee will establish the school as prayed for. If that school should be established, a portion of the scholars now attending at the Centre could be sent there, and by sending others to the South school, the schools at the Centre would be temporarily relieved.
MUSIC.
Under the thorough teaching of Mr. John Ord, Jr., the schools have made marked progress in music during the year. The cost is small in proportion to the benefit derived from this instruction,
33
and the committee recommend the appropriation therefor of the same sum that was appropriated at the last annual meeting.
TEXT-BOOKS.
The committee desire to call attention to the matter of the town purchasing and owning the text-books used in the schools. This has been done in several towns in the State with most satisfactory results. The advantages of the system are many and obvious.
The schools would then be entirely free, as the expense of text- books would, like other school expenses, be shared by all the tax- payers of the town; whereas, now, the books are provided, if pro- vided at all, by the parents of the scholars, who are often ill-able to procure them.
The scholars would all be prepared with books, and ready to begin study on the first day of the term, instead of much time being wasted for want of books, as is now the case.
The town would be able to purchase the books, at a discount from the retail prices, and a saving would be made in that way.
Different series of readers could be procured for the several schools, and, after they had been used a sufficient length of time in one school, they could be transferred to another, and by so doing the expense of changing readers in all the schools at one time would be avoided. Greater care would be taken of the books : the teachers would be made responsible for their condition, and they would be under their care and control.
In view of all these advantages, the committee recommend the purchase of text-books by the town. The plan would not, of course, be adopted at once as to all the text-books used in the schools, but, as often as a change was deemed advisable, the new books would be purchased by the town. In this way the expense at any one time would be trifling, and would hardly be felt by the town.
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
All the school-houses are now in good order and repair. The one at the Centre has been thoroughly painted, and in accordance with the directions of the Inspectors of Public Buildings, the out- side doors have been made to swing outward.
In conclusion, the committee desire to say, that in their opinion the schools of the town compare favorably with those of other
34
towns in the county, and, that they may continue to do so, they ask that the appropriation therefor may not be decreased, but may be the same as that of last year,- namely, twenty-three hundred dollars, with an additional one hundred and fifty dollars for music, making twenty-four hundred and fifty dollars in all,- unless the town shall recommend the establishment of another school, in which case an additional appropriation of four hundred dollars will be required.
In behalf of the School Committee,
JAMES HEWINS.
SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1878-9.
Length of Schools in Weeks.
Wages of Teacher per Month.
Whole No. of Scholars.
Average Attendance.
Schools.
Spring.
Fall.
Winter.
Spring.
Fall.
Winter.
Spring.
Fall.
Winter.
Spring.
Fall.
Winter.
No. of different
years of age.
Upper.
12
I2
14*
$88.88
$80.00
$80.00
40
54
54
35
46
48
O
16
Grammar.
12
12
36.00
36.00
36.00
31
41
42
27
36
35
O
O
Primary
12
12
14 **
36.00
36.00
36.00
37
40
35
29
33
29
I
O
North.
12
I2
14*
36.00
36.00
36.00
35
36
36
29
29
30
O
3
South.
12
12
14*
36.00
36.00
36.00
26
27
28
25
26
24
O
I
*Still in session.
ROLL OF HONOR.
Names of those who have not been Absent or Tardy for the whole of One Term.
Chas. S. Hoisington, Elmer H. Dyer, M. Minnie Turner, Herbert Babcock, Marcia A. Merrill, Mabel Morse, Charles E. Hale, Ada Richardson, Minnie Grover, Cora Johnston, Fred Morrill, John Richardson, Waldo Fitts, Jerry Maney, Willis Morrill, Manford Sweet, Edith E. Hewins, Lillie Harding, Ellen Maney, Florence Pettis, Mary Sweet, Willard A. Newell, Emily L. Noyes, Loa Rolerson, Lucyas Strang, Thomas Rouke, Allan Kingsbury, Samuel Guild, Addie Turner, Orra Guild, Margaret Callahan, Mary Callahan, Lizzie Cromwell.
Not Absent or Tardy for Two Terms.
Maud A. Curtis, Arthur Wight, Ally Clark, Arthur Guild, Delano Hamant, Annie Guild, Frank Quincy, Mary Babcock, J. Edward McGrory, John Brannan, Flora Crane, Edith Grover, Affie Hanks.
Not Absent or Tardy for the Whole Year.
Henry Marshall, Jenny M. Williams, Louis Guild, Carrie Gilmore, Mariette Hamant.
No. of Scholars un-
der 5 years of age.
Scholars over 15
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