USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1914-1921 > Part 10
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66 School department 2,796 27
66 2 notes new school building. . 650 00
66 2 notes anticipation of rev- enue, 1916 2,500 00
66 1 note general expense
500 00
2 notes anticipation of rev- enue, 1917 6,000 00
Interest on notes 380 33
66 State Treasurer, state tax . .
1,870 00
66 County Treasurer, County tax 834 00
66 Bureau of Statistics 6 00
State Treasurer, penalty for failure to make returns ... 4 00
By cash on hand to balance 1,180 02
$29,616 09
5
AUSTIN WOOD RELIEF FUND.
DR.
To cash received L. T. Gaskill, treasurer
1916-1917, deposited in Milford Savings Bank $886 96
To cash received deposited in Worcester County Institution for Savings .... 759 31 To cash received from Selectmen account unexpended from order No. 60, de- posited in Milford Savings Bank .. 6 83
To cash received interest Milford Sav- ings Bank 35 94
To cash received interest Worcester
County Institution for Savings .... 30 66
$1,719 70
CR.
By cash paid two Town orders $50 00
By cash deposited in Milford Savings
Bank 879 73
By cash deposited in Worcester County Institution for Savings 789 97
$1,719 70
Respectfully submitted,
LEONARD T. GASKILL,
Treasurer.
Mendon, January 1st, 1918.
6
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 FUND.
DR.
To cash deposited in Milford Savings Bank $559 20
To cash received interest in Milford
Savings Bank 22 58
$581 78
CR.
By cash deposited in Milofrd Savings
Bank
$581 78
$581 78
The notes against the Town Januray 1st, 1918 are :- 6 New school building notes, $500 each $3,000 00 6 New school building notes, $150 each 900 00
1 Note anticipation of revenue 1,500 00
$5,400 00
Respectfully submitted, LEONARD T. GASKILL,
Treasurer. Mendon, January 1st, 1918.
7
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The Selectmen submit the following report of expenditures for the municipal year ending January 1, 1918.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Frank M. Aldrich, forest warden $10 00
George M. Taft, auditor 6 00
Charles H. Allen, assessor 90 00
Charles A. Fletcher, assessor
75 00
Samuel W. Wood, assessor
75 00
Arthur E. Brown, constable, Sept. 1,
1916 to March 1, 1917 12 50
Frank M. Aldrich, fire warden
10 00
Leonard T. Gaskill, tax collector, year 1915
100 00
Leonard T. Gaskill, treasurer, year 1917 100 00
Moses U. Gaskill, selectman
50 00
Edward T. Powers, selectman
35 00
Luther W. Holbrook, selectman
30 00
Moses U. Gaskill, overseer of poor 45 00
Edward T. Powers, overseer of poor .
6 00
Luther W. Holbrook, overseer of poor .. 6 00
Arthur E. Brown, constable
25 00
Charles H. Allen, town clerk and reg- istrar 75 00
Charles H. Allen, recording and index- ing 14 births 7 00
Charles H. Allen, recording and index- ing 7 marriages 1 40
8
Charles H. Allen, administering oaths
to 31 officers 7 75
Charles H. Allen, sealer of weights and measures less fees 6 69
Charles H. Allen, recording and index- ing 15 deaths 3 00
Arthur E. Brown, dog officer 10 00
$786 34
BOARD OF HEALTH.
F. K. Brown, inspection of slaughtering $27 50
E. T. Powers, inspection of slaughter- ing 3 00
M. U. Gaskill, inspection of slaughter- ing 2 00
John C. Wood, inspection of slaughter- ing
30 00
Dr. F. H. Lally, fumigating three houses 12 00
$74 50
MOTH SCOUT.
Frank M. Aldrich
$252 07
George M. Aldrich 40 00
Carl Wilbur 28 00
George M. Taft, use of team 3 00
Staples & Gould, supplies 1 00
Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies
2 10
$326 17
TREE WARDEN.
Joseph W. Crockett, labor on trees ... $12 00
Frank M. Aldrich, salary, labor and team 47 50
2 25
G. M. Billings, printing notices · $61 75
9
INCIDENTALS.
Worcester County Abstract Co., assessors' supplies
$12 39
Johnson & Ritz, moving furniture from bridge
26 00
J. M. Demers, labor at bridge
5 00
E. T. Powers, cash paid, labor and
supplies 10 25
Yale & Towne Mfg. Co., supplies 1 18
Williams & Vincent, legal services
121 83
Hobbs & Warren, cash book for treasurer
3 33
Mathew Bender Co., law book
10 50
Carter Ink Co., state record ink
42
Arthur E. Brown, killing two unlicensed dogs 4 00
Sanford Putnam Co., order book 13 00
E. T. Powers, labor at watering tub. . . 6 50 Arthur E. Brown, services in criminal case 5 00
George K. Taft, caring for Town lawns
10 75
Moses U. Gaskill, postage and telephone calls 1 10
Herbert J. George, administering oaths
5 75
W. A. Barry, weigh book
1 42
M. U. Gaskill, inspector of animals . . .. 38 03 Smith A. Steere, petition to County Com- missioners relative to improvement of Providence road 3 00
Louis H. Barney, coal for record room 37 25
W. D. Howard 8 00
W. and L. E. Gurley, sealer of weights and measures 4 52
H. M. Burr, stamped envelopes 1 76
New England Tel. & Tel. Co. for Town phone toll charges 88
Worcester Suburban Elec. Co., Town
10
hall, record room and library, elec- tric lights 27 96
Arthur E. Brown, services in criminal case 29 72
L. T. Gaskill, making returns to bureau of statistics 7 00
L. T. Gaskill, postage stamps 11 00
L. T. Gaskill, use of well 5 00
L. T. Gaskill, cash paid for car fares 10 32
Charles H. Allen, sealing Town scales 1 00
Charles H. Allen, care of lawn and record rooms 8 00
Charles H. Allen, car fare and express. . 3 15
Charles H. Allen, postage and telephone 4 85
Charles H. Allen, expenses to Town Clerks' meeting at Whitinsville. . ...
1 50
$441 36
BALLOT CLERKS AND TELLERS.
John J. Driscoll
$7 50
Edward F. Driscoll 4 50
Herbert J. George
9 00
Arthur V. Pond
9 50
Raymond J. Daley
6 50
$37 00
POLICE.
John J. Noyes, police duty July 3 and 4 $4 00
Arthur E. Brown, police duty July 3 and 4 4 00
Joseph Alves, police duty July 3 and 4 4 00
$12 00
RETURNING DEATHS.
W. W. Watson, returning 5 deaths $1 25
G. W. Wood, returning 5 deaths 1 25
$2 50
11
TOWN HALL BUILDING.
Smith A. Steere, repairs
$84 64
E. H. Taft, wood 24 30
Staples & Gould, supplies 5 60
Otis Whitney & Son, flag-pole
10 95
Arthur E. Brown, Janitor 80 00
Moore & Shattuck, supplies
1 06
Arthur E. Brown, erecting booth
4 00
F. C. Townsend, repairs
35 60
Charles H. Allen, repairs
6 16
L. T. Gaskill, cash paid mending flag. . 1 00
$253 31
PRINTING AND SUPPLIES.
Milford Journal Co.
$103 07
Milford Daily News
47 75
G. M. Billings
19 75
A. W. Brownell 7 20
- $177 77
SUPPORT OF POOR.
Order to Overseers of Poor
$1,510 47
SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS.
Order to School Committee
$4,025 00
TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Order to Trustees of Taft Pub. Library $283 04
STATE AID TO PENSIONERS.
State aid to pensioners, Chap. 587, Acts of 1914, 12 months $216 00
12
AUSTIN WOOD RELIEF FUND.
Austin Wood Relief Fund $50 00
REPAIRS TO ROADS AND BRIDGES.
Orders to Highway Department ·
$4,393 36
MONEY FROM STREET RAILWAY COMPANIES TO BE EXPENDED ON HIGHWAYS.
Milford & Uxbridge St. Ry. Co.
$238 78
M. A. & W. St. Ry. Co. 42 50
Worcester Suburban 741 74
State Treasurer, St. Ry. tax 921 12
$1,944 14
STREET LIGHING.
Worcester Suburban Electric Co. ... $309 96
OLD CEMETERY.
Alonzo E. Brown, labor $47 00
MEMORIAL DAY.
Memorial Day Committee
$60 00
FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING FOREST FIRES.
Arthur E. Brown, storing fire apparatus $9 00
Samuel W. Wood, repairs on fire station 5 25
F. M. Aldrich, bottles, telephone charges, etc. 4 92
!
13
F. M. Aldrich, L. Wise and P. O. Gaskill, fires 10 00
F. M. Aldrich, charging and transport- ing extinguishers 3 50
Jackson fire, pay roll 5 40
Samuel W. Wood, labor and supplies, fire station 3 05
Town of Hopedale, Frank Taft fire .... 10 00
W. C. Tewksbury & Co., labor and sup- plies, fire station 8 45
Worcester Suburban Electric Co., heat for fire station 2 80
Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies 2 00
W. and B. Douglas, pump 12 00
W. A. Barry, supplies for fire station 2 00
$78 37
The Selectmen report the liabilities and assets of the town as follows :
LIABILITIES.
6 New school building notes, $500 each $3,000 00
6 New school building notes, $150 each 900 00
1 Note anticipation of revenue 1,500 00
$5,400 00
ASSETS.
Due from Collector, 1915
$18 20
Due from Collector, 1916
337 76
Due from Collector, 1917
2,855 18
Due from State account, State Aid for 1917
216 00
Due from State account, Tuition Indus- trial School 46 61
Due from State account, Mother's Aid 30 00
Due from State account, State road .. 361 08
Due from County account, State road .. 361 08
Cash on hand 1,180 02
$5,405 93
14
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1917.
Support of Schools $4,000 00
School Physician
25 00
Support of Poor
1,500 00
Repairs of Roads and Bridges, including St. Ry. taxes
2,944 14
Taft Public Library
300 00
Interest
400 00
Town Debt
1,150 00
Incidentals
800 00
Salaries of Town Officers
800 00
Board of Health
200 00
Fire Department, including forest fire fighting
200 00
Soldiers' Relief
50 00
Tree Warden
50 00
Moth Scout
300 00
Street Lights
310 00
Repairs of Highways in connection with Highway Commission
500 00
Memorial Day
60 00
Care of Old Cemetery
50 00
Suppression of Liquor Selling and Vice
50 00
Repairs on State Highway at South Milford
500 00
RECAPITULATION.
Town officers
$786 34
Board of Health
74 50
Moth scout
326 17
Tree Warden
61 75
Street lighting
309 96
Old Cemetery
47 00
Memorial Day
60 00
Fire Department, including forest fires
78 37
Incidentals 923 94
Support of Poor
1,510 47
Support of Schools and School physician
4,025 00
15
Taft Public Library
283 04
State Aid
216 00
State Roads
2,031 28
Roads and bridges
2,362 08
$13,095 90
Respectfully submitted,
MOSES U. GASKILL, EDWARD T. POWERS, LUTHER W. HOLBROOK,
January 24, 1918.
Selectmen of Mendon.
16
COLLECTOR'S REPORT.
1914. DR.
To balance uncollected January 1st, 1917 $46 00
Interest received 7 74
$53 74
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer $53 74
$53 74
LEONARD T. GASKILL, Collector of Taxes, 1914.
Mendon, January 1, 1918.
1915.
DR.
To balance uncolleted January 1, 1917 $341 77
Interest received 34 33
$376 10
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer
$355 90
Abatements
2 00
Amount uncollected
18 20
$376 10
LEONARD T. GASKILL, Collector of Taxes, 1915.
Mendon, January 1, 1918.
17
1916. DR.
To balance uncollected January 1, 1917 $2,822 09 Interest received 84 42
$2,906 51
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer
$2.550 30
Abatements
18 45
Amount uncollected
337 76
$2,906 51
LEONARD T. GASKILL,
Collector of Taxes, 1916.
Mendon, January 1, 1918.
1917. DR.
To taxes committed for collection $13,218 66
Additional Assessments
1,040 87
Interest received 23 61
$14,283 14
CR.
By cash paid Treasurer
$11,427 96
Amount uncollected 2,855 18
$14,283 14
Respectfully submitted, LEONARD T. GASKILL,
Collector of Taxes, 1917.
Mendon, January 1, 1918.
18
REPORT OF HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$1,000 00
Excise tax, street railways
1,023 02
State Treasurer, street railway tax
921 12
$2,944 14
EXPENDITURES.
CLEARING ROADS AND PATHS OF SNOW, (LABOR.)
C. A. Fletcher
$11 25
Geo. B. Cromb 14 37
Nils Carlstrom 5 00
Leon A. Paddock
1 25
J. Wheelock Towne
1 25
Harold Wheeler
2 50
John Towne
5 00
Manuel Rogers
6 88
Ralph Harding
1 88
L. W. Holbrook
75
Bert Harding
4 38
Harold Steere
2 50
Harold Cannon
2 50
$59 51
TEAMS.
C. A. Fletcher
$49 00
Frank Harding
21 75
Ralph Phillips
21 75
P. T. Kinsley
4 50
$97 00
19
W. C. Robinson & Sons, team and labor $61 70
W. G. Larking, team and labor 8 00
E. H. Taft, team and labor 8 46
Wm. Irons, team and labor
9 10
$87 26
LABOR ON HIGHWAYS.
John Towne $87 92
Edw. Tancrelle
136 67
Joseph Stenson 60 15
A. E. Brown
91 67
Edw. Cook 14 65
Nils Carlstrom
47 50
Joseph Taylor
79 67
Oscar Courtemanche
35 00
I. O. Rhodes
5 00
Felix Brothers
2 50
Harold Steere
16 25
L. W. Holbrook
327 00
Walter Moore
47 50
Frank Brown
29 17
Nathan Towne
13 75
John C. Wood
50
Earle Gaskill
2 50
$997 40
TEAMS.
P. T. Kinsley
$311 00
Wm. Irons
276 00
Joseph Taylor
228 75
$815 75
20
GRAVEL.
Felix Brothers
$3 00
Pierre Girrouard 3 40
Joseph Lamothe 3 00
Merril Wheelock
2 40
Austin A. Taft, Est. of
1 70
Geo. E. Phillips
6 20
C. A. Fletcher 56 40
D. H. Barnes
70
M. U. Gaskill
2 90
Alpha Tancrelle 80
W. W. Barr 16 20
H. A. Thayer 1 90
Lizzie Fletcher 2 40
Wm. Irons 5 30
M. & U. St. Ry. Co. 2 70
$109 00
M. & U. St. Ry. Co., flat car, carting gravel $67 50
C. A. Fletcher, 836 ft. in. plank $25 08
M. U. Gaskill, 3 ch. posts . 60
C. H. Ballou & Son, plank and stringers John F. Powers, labor and team work .. 39 00 9 57
17 76
N. E. Road Mach. Co., steel blade . .
Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies 6 25
W. A. Barry, labor and supplies 13 95
H. W. Gaskill, repairing culvert 3 00
Harry Taft. labor and supplies 9 00
L. W. Holbrook, telephone tolls and supplies 4 45
$128 66
Unexpended
$2,362 08
$582 06
21
STATE ROAD, NORTH AVENUE.
Balance from 1916
$465 24
EXPENSES (LABOR.)
Joseph Stenson
$12 50
Nils Carlstrom 11 25
Joseph Taylor
14 38
L. W. Holbrook
19 50
E. T. Powers
2 00
$59 63
TEAMS.
P. T. Kinsley
$33 00
Wm. Irons 21 00
$54 00
Walter A. Gaskill, gravel
$1 60
Town of Milford, steam roller 80 00
Town of Milford, watering cart
6 00
M. & U. St. Ry. Co., repairs for Jack
3 80
H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., coal
8 50
Thomas Carmondy, use of pump
10 00
D. H. Barnes, carting pump
4 00
C. A. Fletcher, freight and carting stone bounds 3 00
$116 90
Unexpended
$230 53 $ 234 71
STATE ROAD, NORTH AVENUE.
RESOURCES.
Apropriation
$500 00
State Highway Commission
500 00
County Commissioners 500 00
$1,500 00
22
EXPENDITURES (LABOR.)
John Towne $60 00
A. E. Brown
60 00
Edw. Tancrelle 50 00
Harold Steere
60 00
Frank Brown
58 75
Everett Ballou
22 50
L. W. Holbrook
72 00
$383 25
TEAMS.
P. T. Kinsley
$144 00
Wm. Irons
120 00
M. U. Gaskill
114 00
Joseph Taylor
102 00
Frank Harding
72 00
Earle Gaskill
84 00
$636 00
M. U. Gaskill, gravel
$59 50
Staples & Gould, drain pipe
4 50
$64 00
$1,083 25
Unexpended
$416 75
STATE ROAD, EAST MENDON.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$500 00
State Highway Commission
358 75
$858 75
EXPENDITURES (LABOR.)
Oscar Courtemanche
$42 50
Henry Moore
25 00
Thomas McTurk
5 00
L. W. Holbrook
51 00
$123 50
23
TEAMS.
Wm. Irons
$132 00
Chas. E. Pinkham
24 00
$156 00
GRAVEL.
Abbie E. O'Connor
$14 20
Swan P. Pierson 2 25
$16 45
Standard Oil Co., 12 barrels road oil ... $52 65
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., freight on oil 5 34
D. E. Ward, carting oil to pit 4 00
H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., coal and kind- lings 14 69
Town of Hopedale, steam roller 90 00
Town of Bellingham, oiling street be- tween Bellingham and Hopedale ..
36 64
M. & U. St. Ry. Co., labor and car sprinkler 17 80
$221 12
$517 07
UNPAID BILLS.
Mass. Highway Commission, 3000 gal. oil
$187 50
Mass. Highway Commission, Demurrage on car 12 93
$200 43
Unxepended
$717 50
$141 25
LUTHER W. HOLBROOK,
Superintendent of Streets.
24
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT.
Appropriation
$50 00
F. M. Aldrich, repair pump $6 50
Jos. Crockett, trees 12 00
F. M. Aldrich, pruning
31 00
Unexpended balance
$49 50 50
F. M. ALDRICH,
Tree Warden,
25
REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
The Overseers of the Poor submit the following report for the municipal year ending Jan. 1, 1918.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$1,500 00
EXPENDITURES.
For support of six persons having set-
tlement in Mendon $1,365 33
City of Boston, care of one person hav- ing settlement in Mendon 17 14
Doctor's bills, funeral and burial of one person having settlement in Mendon
38 00
Milford Hospital, care of one person person having no settlement in Mendon 42 00
Town of Milford, care of one person having no settlement in Mendon .. 15 00
Transportation of one person having no settlement in Mendon 3 00
Mother's Aid account 30 00
$1,510 47
Amount overdrawn $10 47
Respectfully submitted, MOSES U. GASKILL, EDWARD T. POWERS, LUTHER W. HOLBROOK, Overseers of Poor.
Mendon, Jan. 23, 1918.
26
REPORT OF TOWN CLERK.
DOGS LICENSED IN 1917.
87 male dogs ..
$174 00
8 female dogs. 40 00
$214 00
Clerk's fees
19 00
Paid County Treasurer
$195 00
BIRTHS REGISTERED IN 1917.
Date of
Birth
Name of Child.
1917.
Jan. 4. Albina Getti,
Jan. 16. Merton Forbes Barrows,
Feb. 7. Alfred Francis Caton Anthony,
Feb. 14. Daniel Hiscock Taft,
Feb. 21. Edwin Lorenzo Miller,
Mar. 18. Louise Adaline Daven- port,
Mar. 30. Harold Irving Miller,
Apr. 11. Evelyn May Rendo,
June 29. Earl Dalton,
Sept. 3. Edward Thomas Powers,
Sept. 8. Erle Warner Gaskill,
Sept. 11. Ethel Freelove Ballou,
Sept. 12. Franklin Wood White,
Oct. 1. John Dorman Cochrane, Nov. 17. Ethel M. Cook,
Dec. 18. Doris Adelaide Leonard,
Parents with Maiden Name of Mother.
Antonio Getti and Marie Tognetti. Roy A. and Florence Forbes. Alves Joseph C. and Flora R. Cote.
Clarence A. and Mary E. Benner. Ernest F. and Elizabeth Mc- Cracken.
Ora P. and Florence Northrop. Archibald and Rose Wheeler. Joseph and Bessie M. Hogarth. John E. and Bertha Howe. Edward T. and Cecelia G. Conway. Erle F. and Myrtle M. Warner. Everett and Minnie Green. Edgar L. and Lillian Freeman. John D. and Lizzie Dawson. Lester E. and Ida Nutter. John S. and Althea A. Knights.
27
MARRIAGES REGISTERED IN 1917.
Date of Marriage. 1917.
Name of Groom and Bride.
Residence.
Mar.
29. Arthur Everett Ellison, Carrie Amber Cromb,
Uxbridge, Mass. Mendon, Mass.
June
4. Bernard M. Hartshorn,
Uxbridge, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
July 23. Aldor Oliver Lemieux,
Florida Julia Grandpre.
Bellingham, Mass.
Aug. 20. Earl G. Crockett, Lucilla G. Rogers,
Milford, Mass. Mendon, Mass.
Aug.
27. Clifford Nelson Pierce, Ellen Elizabeth Miller,
Providence, R. I.
Dec.
29. Herbert Allen Alger, Gertrude May Hobbs,
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
DEATHS REGISTERED IN 1917.
Date of Death. 1917.
Name.
Y.
Age. M.
D.
Jan. 16.
Jason Smith,
83
10
29
Jan. 30. Julius Allen George,
75
7
Feb. 3. Nancy Caroline George,
53
3
16
Feb.
11. Luther Ellis Taft,
88
11
16
Feb.
19. Austin Augustus Taft,
88
9
10
May
2. Charles Wesley Arrand,
73
9
June
30. Clothilde V. Lemieux,
53
13
July
3.
Charles Adin Brown,
33
11
11
July
9. Otis Jackson Cole,
68
2
7
Sept. 23. Willis E. Lynn,
63
5
17
Oct.
1. John Dorman Cochrane, Jr.,
4 hrs.
Oct.
6. Maria F. Howard,
94
10
10
Oct.
14. Charles E. Knights,
60
4
14
Nov.
7. Thomas S. Litchfield,
71
8
18
Nov.
21. Leon A. Paddock,
43
8
24
Mary Etta Smith,
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
28
If errors or omissions are discovered in the list of births, mar- riages and deaths, report them to the town clerk, that the record may be corrected. Section 6 of Chapter 29 of the Revised Laws requires that "Parents within forty days after the birth of a child, and every householder, within forty days after a birth in his house, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the city or town in which such child is born. Every householder in whose house a death occurs, shall, within five days thereafter cause notice thereof to be given to the board of health, or, if the selectmen constitute such board, to the town clerk." Section 29 of Chapter 151 of the Revised Laws reads as follows: "If a marriage is solemnized in another state between parties living in this common- wealth, who return to dwell here, they shall, within seven days after their return, file with the clerk or registrar of the city or town in which either of them lived at the time of their marriage a certificate or declaration of their marriage, including the facts relative to marriages which are required by law, and for neglect thereof shall forfeit ten dollars."
Blanks for the return of all vital records can be obtained from the town clerk.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. ALLEN,
Town Clerk.
Mendon, January 1, 1918.
29
THE THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
TRUSTEES OF TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
There are not so many material improvements to report at the library as last year. The lighting and heating systems have been put into good condition, and seem likely to remain satisfac- tory for some time. Perhaps a couple of hot air flues leading to the northerly corners of the room should be added before the system can be considered complete.
"The circulation for the year shows a slight decrease in com- parison with the previous year. This may be due to the fact that since the entrance of our own country into the world war, people read the daily papers more and consequently patronize the library less. It is to be hoped that next year will show an increase.
Practically one-third of the books circulated during the year were non-fiction. This is a very creditable showing, as the vast majority of people read for entertainment rather than for enlight- enment. A certain exceedingly well read man once told me that he happened to read Carlyle's French Revolution when he was about twenty years of age. He was so fascinated by the work that he resolved then and there if truth was so interesting, never to read another book of fiction. Probably this is an extreme case, but it is certain that fiction is not the only interesting reading in a library.
The magazine department is pretty well stocked and is well patronized, more than one-fourth of the entire circulation of the library being from this department. This is further proof of the inclination of the people of Mendon to choose good reading.
Juvenile literature formed a good proportion of the books added during the past year. It is a wise policy to keep this de-
30
partment well supplied with the best of children's books, as it will tend to fix the habit of good reading early in life.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWIN L. WILSON, MOSES U. GASKILL, LYMAN COOK, F. G. ATWELL,
Trustees of Taft Public Library.
31
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY :-
The circulation for the year was 6272. The largest for one week was 174, the smallest 81, the average 120 plus. The circula- tion by classes was as follows: fiction, 4028 ; magazines, 1607 ; bound magazines, 52; biography, 75; travel, 54; history, 90; literature, 110; useful and fine arts, 151; science, 39 ; all others, 66.
The number of books now in the library is approximately 6010. There have been 144 added the past year. Of those 93 were bought by the town and 51 were given as follows: Massa- chusetts Library Commission, 37; Secretary of the Common- wealth, 11; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1; Doubleday, Page & Co., 1; National Security Laegue, 1
The library subscribes for the Century, Harper's Monthly, Scribner's, Munsey, National Geographic, Field and Stream, Illustrated World, Scientific American, St. Nicholas, Woman's Home Companion and Ladies' Home Journal.
The Library Commission gives us the World's Work, Good Housekeeping, Public Libraries, Popular Mechanics and Ameri- can Boy. The Musical Messenger, Choir, and Our Dumb Ani- mals are given by the publishers; the Atlantic by Paul Williams, and bundles of Current Magazines are frequently sent to the li- brary by Miss C. R. Seabury. Many pamphlets on various subjects, most of them connected with the war, have been received.
Books have been sent to Albeeville as in previous years, also many books are circulated from the Grammar and Intermediate rooms at the Center. If an account of these was kept, it would add considerably to the circulation record.
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$10.05 was received for fines ; $1.16 for old paper ; 25 cents for lamp, and $1.65 for damage to books.
Respectfully submitted,
LENA W. GEORGE,
Librarian.
Mendon, Jan. 1, 1918.
BOOKS ADDED IN 1917.
Fiction :----
Abington Abbey. Archibald Marshall.
Adventures of Jimmie Dale. F. L. Packard. Anne's House of Dreams. L. M. Montgomery. Barnabetta. H. R. Martin. Calvary Alley. A. H. Rice.
Cap'n Warren's Wards. J. C. Lincoln. Carmen's Messenger. Harold Bindloss. Changing Winds. S. G. Ervine. Christine. Alice Cholmondeley.
Colonel Carter's Christmas. F. H. Smith. Contrary Mary. Temple Bailey. Country Child. Grant Showerman. Definite Object. Jeffrey Farnol. Diversity of Creatures. Rudyard Kipling. El Supremo. E. L. White. Emma McChesney & Co. Edna Ferber. Extricating Obadiah. J. C. Lincoln. Glory of Clementina. W. J. Locke. Good Old Anna. Mrs. Belloc Loundes. Great Possessions. David Grayson. Greenmantle. John Buchan.
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Heart of O Sono San. Elizabeth Cooper. Hepsey Burke. F. N. Westcott. Herself, Himself and Myself. Ruth Sawyer. His Family. Ernest Poole. Hundredth Chance. E. M. Dell. In Happy Valley. John Fox, Jr. Indian Drum. Wm. MacHarg and E. Balmer. "K." M. R. Rinehart. Knave of Diamonds. E. M. Dell.
Long Live the King. M. R. Rinehart.
Maxwell Mystery. Carolyn Wells.
Mrs. Red Pepper. G. S. Richmond. Music Master. Charles Klein. Once to Every Man. Larry Evans. Penrod and Sam. Booth Tarkington. Power and the Glory. G. M. Cooke. Preacher of Cedar Mountain. E. T. Seton. Right of the Strongest. F. N. Greene.
Salt of the Earth. Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick. Secret of the Reef. Harold Bindloss. Secret Witness. George Gibbs. Sube Cane. E. B. Partridge. Then I'll Come Back to You. Larry Evans. Till the Clock Stops. J. J. Bell. Top Floor Idyl. George Van Schaick. Trevor Case. N. S. Lincoln. Twenty-fourth of June. G. S. Richmond. Under Fire. Henri Barbusse. Understood Betsy. Dorthy Canfield. Who Goes There. R. W. Chambers. Woman Haters. J. C. Lincoln.
Juveniles :-
Adventures of Buffalo Bill. W. F. Cody. Bilthe McBride. B. M. Dix. Boone, Daniel. C. H. T. Lindsay. Boy Scouts in a Trapper's Camp. T. W. Burgess.
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Boy's Book of Firemen. Irving Crump. Boy's Life of Mark Twain. A. B. Paine. Children's Book of Thanksgiving Stories. A. D. Dickinson. Danny Fists. Walter Camp.
Don Strong. Wm. Heyliger. Europe. N. B. Allen.
Five Babbitts at Bonny Acres. W. A. Dyer.
Golden Numbers. K. D. Wiggin and N. A. Smith.
Harper's Aircraft Book. A. H. Verrill. Heroes of the Farthest North. J. K. Maclean.
Heroes of Today. M. R. Parkman. Heroines of Service. M. R. Parkman. Home Book of Verse. B. E. Stevenson.
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