USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1914-1921 > Part 4
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$35 20
Clark Ellis & Sons, oil and supplies ... 4 80
C. A. Fletcher, posts and rails 21 40
H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., soft coal and cement
28 55
C. L. Fair, steam roller
280 00
$369 95
$849 95
Excise tax unexpended $938 61
21
STATE ROAD AT MENDON CENTRE.
RESOURCES.
From State Highway Commission $1,000 00
From Town Appropriation 500 00
$1,500 00
EXPENDITURES. (LABOR.)
Chas. A. Fletcher
$86 25
Harold Wheeler
55 00
Lyman E. Wheeler 63 00
Chas. S. Kelly
81 27
Geo. B. Cromb
55 00
Edward Wheeler
6 00
C. L. Fair
56 00
$402 52
TEAMS.
Chas. A. Fletcher
$235 00
Percy T. Kinsley 30 00
$265 00
GRAVEL.
Milford & Uxbridge St. Ry. Co.,
815.64 cu. yds. gravel 600 48
Wm. W. Barr, 75 loads of gravel
7 50
Clarence A. Taft, 8 loads of gravel .... 48
Chas. H. Allen, labor and supplies. ... $1 20
Z. C. Field, lumber for dumping board 3 29
H. M. Burr, lantern and oil 49
Walter E. Burke, care of light at Hope- dale Corner 4 17
Chas. A. Fletcher, cash paid for care of lights and oil 3 00
James L. Lilley, signs and lettering. . .. 1 50 H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., soft coal. ... 28 68
$608 46
22
Town of Hopedale, use of watering cart 7 00 Macker Bros., use of pump and labor 14 50 Edward Adams, use of roller and 1-3 portion of freight bill 113 81
$177 64
Balance unexpended
$1,453 62 $46 38
BILLS UNPAID.
Due Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies $9 05
Respectfully submitted,
ALONZO E. BROWN, LUTHER W. HOLBROOK, CHARLES A. FLETCHER, Road Commissioners.
Mendon, Feb. 1, 1915.
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$300 00
Private Spraying 24 30
324 30
EXPENDITURES.
Grasselli Chemical Co., lead $40 00
Frost Insecticide Co., hose
24 50
Frost Insecticide Co., hose and supplies
17 00
Chas. Kingsbury, labor
5 00
F. M. Aldrich, cash paid for labor, sup- plies, horse and labor, 3 bills. . . ..
135 05
$221 55
Unexpended $102 75
Respectfully submitted,
F. M. ALDRICH,
Tree Warden.
REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
The Overseers of the Poor submit the following report for the municipal year ending Jan. 1, 1915.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation $1,500 00
EXPENDITURES.
For support of four persons having a settlement in Mendon $1,048 21
For aid furnished two families 57 72
For care of a person having a settlement in Sutton 75 50
Doctor's bill for a person having a set- tlement in Milford 10 50
For postage and travelling expenses ... 4 64
$1,196 57
Balance $303 43
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY W. GASKILL J. STUART COX, HENRY M. BURR,
Overseers of Poor.
Mendon, Jan. 10, 1915.
REPORT OF TOWN CLERK.
DOGS REGISTERED IN 1914.
97 male dogs
$194.00
8 female dogs
40.00
Registration fees
21.00
Paid County Treasurer
$213.00
BIRTHS REGISTERED IN 1914.
Date of
Birth. Name of Child.
Parents with Maiden Name of Mother.
1914.
Jan. 1. Albo Sabatanelli,
Ercole and Paulino Bergoli.
Jan. 6. Anna Rand,
Boyden N. and Elsie B. Sterrett.
Jan. 8. Henry W. Roy,
Feb. 22. Sylvia Southwick,
Desire and Cordelia Germaine. Justin F. and Grace Scott. M. Claude and Grace Fuller.
Mar. 13. Virginia Moore,
Mar. 23. Richard William Mc- Cormick,
William H. and Minnie M. Wheel- house.
Apr. 28. Mildred Elizabeth Barnes, Daniel H. and Annie E. Kinsley. May 3. Madeline E. Gray, Forrest A. and Lillian M. Dudley.
May 4. Dorcas Marion Barrows, Raymond and Lulu E. Taft. May 26. William Irving Stack, May 29. Edith Wise, June 1. Vilja Rose Bell, July 15. Joseph Donat, Henry
William E. H. and Jessie F. Parsons. Leon A. and Leta Wilson. George and Adelia Hoose.
Bouchard, Nere J. and Delina Jacques.
July 30. Esther Margaret Coffin, Glenville C. and Annie Drummond. Aug. 10. Charles Edgar Goodnow, Franklin and Agnes A. Gibson. Aug. 11. Raymond Carroll Dudley, Joseph H. and Nancy Carroll. Oct. 14. Joseph Norry Alves, Joseph C. and Flora R. Cote.
Oct. 30. David Guy Smalley, John A. and Lola M. Parsons. Nov. 3. Elmer Ayer Perry, Leonard F. and Sarah A. Ayer. Clarence A. and Mary E. Benner.
Dec. 16. Emma Mather Taft,
-$234.00
26
MARRIAGES REGISTERED IN 1914.
Date of
Marriage. Name of Groom and Bride. 1914.
June 10. Edward T. Powers.
Cecelia Gertrude Conway,
June 12. William Charles Hoisington,
Mattie Granger,
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Oct. 24. Lewis W. Holbrook, Edith Laile Smith,
Dec. 13. Edward Newton Kinsley, Mabel Florence Ladd,
Milford, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Dec. 23. John Steele Leonard, Althea Adelaide Knight,
Dec. 23. William Russell Bowen, Mary Elizabeth Care,
Dec. 25. Manuel Traves Rogers, Emily Matica,
Mendon, Mass. Mendon, Mass.
DEATHS REGISTEED IN 1914.
Date of
Death.
Name.
Y.
Age. M.
D.
1914.
Jan. 8. Marcus Morton Aldrich,
79
7
19
Jan. 27. Frank Hastings Lowell,
49
5
1
Feb. 13. Johanna Norman,
69
3
11
Feb. 18. Sylvester Cook,
80
10
Mar. 20. James H. Wilber,
74
1
18
Apr. 8. Carrie P. Rich,
48
6
9
Apr. 12. Nettie B. Adams,
45
11
2
Apr. 25. Helen May Anderson,
24
7
2
Apr. 27. Edward J. Prentice,
85
10
19
May 31. George W. Gould,
68
4
29
June 18. Emma Agnes Taft,
June 24. Myra A. Davenport,
72
0
30
Sept. 8. Minnie Coleman Allen,
33
3
27
Sept. 11. Susan T. Keyes,
53
9
24
Sept. 23. George Fox Allen,
86
8
16
Dec. 9. Abbie Caroline Darling,
75
0
28
Dec. 18. Horace Sumner Coleman,
49
11
23
Dec. 31. Nathan Richard George,
77
1
21
Residence.
Mendon, Mass. Uxbridge, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
July 7. Charles John Phillips, Jr., Irene Florence Pratt,
Oct. 14. Adriano Bavosi, Mary Bracci,
Mendon, Mass.
Hopedale, Mass. Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Mendon, Mass.
Bellingham, Mass.
May
27. William Irving Stack,
49
7
25
4 hours
27
If errors or omissions are discovered in the list of births, marriages 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 commonwealth, 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, in- cluding 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, 1915.
THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The Trustees are pleased to report the continued successful working of the library.
The library building at present shows the need of paint and it is the desire of the Trustees to see the library building included in the next contract let for the painting of public buildings.
The library subscribers to "The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature" a current cumulative index to the magazines. This is an exceptionally valuable work. Any person seeking extra knowledge on any subject should consult this index, as a great sav- ing of time can be gained through the use of information contained therein.
All persons not now using the library are urged to seek there any knowledge or information desired. The books are classified and indexed according to the Dewey system, and should any patron fail to find what they desire, they have only to request as- sistance of our librarian and she will be pleased to aid them.
In behalf of the Citizens of Mendon, the Trustees tender thanks to all who have donated books, magazines, or literature of any kind to the library the past year.
The sub-stations of the Albeeville and East Mendon school buildings have been continued and thanks are due the respective teachers for their kind assistance in maintaining the same.
The Trustees are especially grateful to the librarian, whose care and foresight has aided in making the year's work a success.
F. G. ATWELL, H. M. BURR, LYMAN COOK, E. L. WILSON, E. F. DRISCOLL,
Trustees Taft Public Library.
December 30, 1914.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY :-
The whole number of volumes given our during the year was 6995. Largest number in one week, 189; smallest number, 80; average number, 134. The volumes of fiction numbered 4,432 ; magazines, bound and unbound, 1,670; history, 92; travel, 228; biography, 115 ; literature, 148 ; useful and fine arts, 146 ; natural science, 98 ; all others, 66.
There are now approximately 5,360 bound volumes in the library, of which 214 have been added the past year. Of these 17 were magazines bound by the town, 85 were bought by the town, and 112 were given, as follows: Mass. Library Commission, 38 ; Mendon Choral Society, 31; Mrs. A. R. Taft, 15; Secretary of . Commonwealth, 13; Mrs. E. P. Lowell, 6; Miss J. F. Darling, 3 ; Mrs. Robert Shaw, 2; H. W. Southworth, 1; J. C. Forbes, 1 ; U. S. National Museum, 1; Interstate Commerce Commission, 1; J. A. George gave Harper's Monthly and Outing for 1912-13, unbound.
The library subscribed for Century, Everybody's, American, Munsey, World's Work, National Geographic, Technical World, Popular Electricity, St. Nicholas, Ladies' Home Journal and Woman's Home Companion.
The Outlook, McClure's, Harper's Weekly, Youth's Compan- ion, Scribner's and Atlantic were given by different ones.
Books have been sent to Albeeville and East Mendon schools. $7.80 was received for fines.
Respectfully submitted
LENA W. GEORGE,
Mendon, Jan. 1, 1915.
Librarian.
30
BOOKS ADDED IN 1914.
Fiction :-
Big Tremaine. Marie Van Vorst.
Chance. Joseph Conrad.
Concerning Paul and Fiammetta. L. A. Harker. Desert Gold. Zane Grey. Diane of the Green Van. Leona Dalrymple.
The Encounter. A. D. Sedgwick.
The Fortunate Youth. W. J. Locke. General John Regan. G. A. Birmingham. Gold. S. E. White. The Hidden Children. R. W. Chambers.
Honorable Mr. Tawnish. Jeffrey Farnol.
The Illustrious Prince. E. P. Oppenheim.
The Invaders. F. N. S. Allen. Laddie. G. S. Porter.
The Last Shot. Frederic Palmer. Little Thank You. T. P. O'Connor.
Making Over Martha. J. M. Lippmann. The Man Inside. N. S. Lincoln.
Martha by the Day. J. M. Lippmann.
Mr. Pratt's Patients. J. C. Lincoln. One Year of Pierrot. Overland Red.
The Passionate Friends. H. G. Wells. Penrod. Booth Tarkington.
The Poet. Meredith Nicholson.
Price of Place. S. G. Blythe.
Red Wrath. John Oxenham. Rise of Jennie Cushing. M. S. Watts. Saturday's Child. Kathleen Norris.
The Severed Mantle. William Lindsay.
The Street of Seven Stars. M. R. Rinehart. The Taste of Apples. Jennette Lee. T. Tembarom. F. H. Burnett. Westways. S. W. Mitchell. When Ghost Meets Ghost. William De Morgan.
31
Whispering Smith. F. H. Spearman. The Whistling Man. Maximilian Foster. William and Bill. G. M. Cooke. The Witch. Mary Johnston.
Juveniles :-
Adventures of a Brownie. D. M. Mulock.
Adventures of Grillo. Ernest Candeze.
Beacon First Reader. J. H. Fassett. Book of Famous Verse. Agnes Repplier.
Book of the Camp Fire Girls. Book of Woodcraft. E. T. Seton. Boy Captive of Old Deerfield. M. P. W. Smith.
Boy Officers of 1812. E. T. Tomlinson.
Boy's Book of Airships. Harry Delacombe. Boy's Book of New Inventions. H. E. Maule. Brownies Abroad. Palmer Cox. Cattle Ranch to College. Russell Doubleday.
Children's Book of Christmas Stories. A. D. Dickinson.
Children's Own Longfellow. H. W. Longfellow. Child's Garden of Verses. R. L. Stevenson. Cinderella. Andrew Lang. College Years. R. D. Paine.
The Crimson Sweater. R. H. Barbour.
Days and Deeds. Prose. B. E. Stevenson. Dog of Flanders. Louise de la Ramee. Emergencies. C. V. Gulick. Europe. F. G. Carpenter. First Year Nature Reader. Katherine Beebe. Folk-Lore Stories. S. E. Wiltse. Four-Footed Friends. Mrs. Huntington Smith. Garden of Eden. George Hodges. Gerda in Sweden. E. B. McDonald. Good Health. F. G. Jewett. Grant, Life of. W. L. Goss. Heimatlos. Johanna Spyri. Heroes of Everyday Life. F. E. Coe. Hiawatha Primer. Florence Holbrook.
32
House of the Heart and Other Plays. C. D. Mackay. Indian Primer. F. C. Fox. Irish Twins. L. F. Perkins. Jim Davis. John Masefield.
Johnny Blossom. Dikken Zwilgmeyer.
King of the Golden River. John Ruskin.
Land of Song. K. H. Shute.
Little Folks of Many Lands. L. M. Chance. A Little Girl of Long Ago. E. O. White. Magical Experiments. Arthur Good.
Manuel in Mexico. E. B. McDonald.
Marigold Garden. Kate Greenaway.
Miss Billy. E. H. Porter. Mother West Wind's Children. T. W. Burgess.
Mr. Wind and Madam Rain. Paul de Musset.
Myths of the Red Children. G. L. Wilson.
Nancy Rutledge. Katherine Pyle. Nurnberg Stove. Louisa de la Ramee.
Operas Every Child Should Know. Dolores Bacon.
Our Little Chinese Cousin. I. T. Headland.
Our Little Eskimo Cousin. M. H. Wade.
Peter and Polly in Summer. Rose Lucia. The Pig Brother. L. E. Richards.
Pinafore Palace. K. D. Wiggin. Pinocchio Under the Sea. Plants and Their Children. F. D. Parsons. Poems Every Child Should Know. M. E. Burt.
Queen Hildegarde. L. E. Richards. Quest of the Four-Leaved Clover. W. T. Field. St. Nicholas Book of Plays. Saturday Mornings. C. T. Benton. School Speaker and Reader. W. D. Hyde.
Secret of the Clan. Alice Brown. Shaggy-Coat. Clarence Hawkes. Song Reader. J. M. Mclaughlin. Songs Every Child Should Know. Dolores Bacon. Stories of Mother Goose Village. M. A. Bigham. Story Hour. K. D. Wiggin.
33
Story of Mexico. Charles Morris. Story of Music and Musicians. L. C. Lillie. Story of Three Great Artists. E. M. Cyr. Story of Wool. S. W. Bassett. Tales of Canterbury Pilgrims. E. J. H. Darton. Thirty More Famous Stories. James Baldwin. Through the Farmyard Gate. Emily Poulsson.
Training of Wild Animals. F. C. Bostock. Trees Every Child Should Know. J. E. Rogers. When Mother Lets Us Sew. Virginia Ralston. Wigwam Stories. M. C. Judd. Wild Flowers Every Child Should Know. F. W. Stack. The Wonder Workers. M. H. Wade. Yankee Ships and Yankee Sailors. James Barnes. The Young Apprentice. B. E. Stevenson. The Young Farmer. G. B. Hill.
Non-Fiction :- African Campfires. S. E. White. Americans and Others. Agnes Repplier. Art of Writing and Speaking the English Language, 6v. Sherwin Cody.
Autobiography. Theodore Roosevelt. The Balkan Wars. J. G. Schurman. California Coast Trails. J. S. Chase. Divine Love Vindicated. H. W. Southworth. A Far Journey. A. M. Rihbany. Fertilizers. E. B. Voorhees. Forty Years After. H. C. Bailey. Germany and England. J. A. Cramb. Germany and the Germans. Price Collier. Germany, a Short History of. E. F. Henderson. The Land of Footprints. S. E. White. Lee, Robert E. T. N. Page. Letters of a Woman Homesteader. E. P. Stewart. Life in America One Hundred Years Ago. Gaillard Hunt. McDowell, Edward. Lawrence Gilman. Making the Farm Pay. C. C. Bowsfield.
34
The Mexican People. L. G. Lara.
Milk and Its Products. H. H. Wing.
Music History, Outlines of. C. G. Hamilton.
Our Common Road. Agnes Edwards. Our National Parks. John Muir. Panama Canal. F. J. Haskin. Personality of American Cities. Edward Hungerford.
Scenes from Every Land. G. H. Grosvenor.
Standard Operas. G. P. Upton. Success in Music. H. T. Finck.
39th Regiment, Mass. Vol., 1862-65. A. S. Roe. Through Our Unknown Southwest. A. C. Lant. Village Life in America. C. C. Richards.
What Men Live By. R. C. Cabot.
When I Was a Child. Yoshio Markino.
Woman and Labor. Olive Schreiner.
Women and the Alphabet. T. W. Higginson.
Writings of John Burroughs, 15 vols.
Vital Records of Abington, Brockton, Dunstable, Kingston, Reading, Tewksbury, Wakefield and West Bridgewater.
Finance Committee Report.
The report of the Finance Committee of the Taft Public Library for the year ending Dec. 31, 1914.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$300 00
Balance from last year 12 13
Fines 7 80
$319 93
35
EXPENDITURES.
Lena W. George, librarian $100 00
Forrest T. Lowell, janitor 7 50
R. K. Mathewson, janitor . 9 63
E. L. Wilson, book and supplies .
3 80
Lena W. George, supplies.
4 87
F. K. Brown, supplies.
4 68
E. F. Driscoll, magazines.
17 70
Jacob R. Brown, labor and supplies. 7 40 H. W. Wilson Co. "Readers' Guide" 4 00
Ginn & Co., books.
2 87
Samuel W. Wood, labor and supplies
32 55
G. M. Billings, slips and labels ....
5 00
National Geographic Society, book. 1 00
Old Corner Book Store, books.
84 21
L. A. Wells Binding Co.
11 21
James Brown Binding Co.
5 80
Mrs. Sumner Allen, carrying books to Albeeville school 3 50
H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., coal 8 50
Balance on hand. 5 71
$319 93
Respectfully submitted,
LYMAN COOK, HENRY M. BURR,
Finance Committee.
AUDITOR'S REPORT.
I have examined the accounts of all the Town Officers who have received or disbursed funds belonging to the Town for the fiscal year ending January 1, 1915, and find them correctly kept and with proper vouchers.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. M. TAFT,
Auditor.
Mendon, Feb. 5, 1915.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MENDON
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1914
.
MILFORD, MASS. MILFORD JOURNAL CO., PRINTERS, 1915.
ORGANIZATION OF
SCHOOL COMMITTEE 1914-1915.
HENRY W. GASKILL (Secretary), LYMAN COOK (Chairman), LENA W. GEORGE,
Term expires 1915. Term expires 1916. Term expires 1917.
SUPERINTENDENT. F. G. ATWELL.
TRUANT OFFICERS. GEORGE A. PARKINSON, LYMAN COOK, F. G. ATWELL.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
The School Committee submit the following report for the year ending Jan. 1, 1915.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation
$3,500 00
Appropriation for School Physician .
25 00
From State of Massachusetts, school
fund
1,071 62
From State of Massachusetts, Super- intendent
416 67
From State of Massachusetts, High School Assistant
500 00
From County Treasurer (dog tax) . .
187 88
From M. M. Moran, rent of North Avenue Building
15 00
From City of Boston, tuition.
68 50
Balance from last year.
362 43
$6,147 10
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers' salaries
$3,335 50
Superintendent
666 60
Care of buildings
370 50
Fuel 525 75
Transportation
863 62
Text books and supplies
362 18
Incidentals
360 04
School Physician (two years)
50 00
Overdrawn
$6,534 19 $387 09
40
TEACHERS.
M. Claude Moore. $540 00
C. Harold Risley
337 50
Ruby L. Mead.
300 00
Ruth A. Walker
187 50
Mabelle Carlon.
252 00
Karin L. Ekman
168 00
Lois A. Congdon
210 00
Laura R. Looke.
154 00
Mary E. Dudley 420 00
Lena Williams
350 00
Maria E. Allen
332 50
Frank H. Lowell
15 00
Ernestine Harding Wilcox
69 00
$3,335 50
SUPERINTENDENT.
F. G. Atwell $666 60
CARE OF BUILDINGS.
George A. Parkinson $317 50
Georgianna Cook
35 50
Leon Wise
10 50
Maria E. Allen
7 00
$370 50
TRANSPORTATION.
J. Franklin Leonard $420 00
Leonard E. Taft.
280 00
Milford & Uxbridge St. Ry. Co .... 163 62
$863 62
FUEL.
Albeeville, Henry W. Gaskill
$25 00
$25 00
East Mendon, Milford Coal Co. 32 00
East Mendon, J. Stuart Cox 15 75
$47 75
41
Center, Milford Coal Co.
$441 00
Center, Henry W. Gaskill.
10 00
Center, Joseph Taylor 2 00
$453 00
$525 75
TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
Henry L. Patrick $ 80
J. J. Gibbs
20 65
Milwaukee Dustless Brush Co.
8 50
Edward E. Babb & Co
50 18
Ginn & Co. 13 82
D. C. Heath & Co.
49 23
Houghton, Mifflin Company.
11 34
J. L. Hammett Company .
100 66
Wright & Potter Printing Co
1 85
F. G. Atwell.
11 13
Milford Journal Co
7 50
Allyn & Bacon
5 76
Little, Brown & Co.
20 86
L. E. Knott Apparatus Co.
2 47
American Book Co.
18 50
Brewer & Co.
37 73
E. H. Whittemore
1 20
$362 18
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
Dr. K. A. Campbell (two years). $50 00
INCIDENTALS.
F. G. Atwell, telephone, express, repairs, carfares, etc. . $25 91
Geo. A. Parkinson, glass, setting, etc .. . 6 45
Geo. A. Parkinson, mowing lawn. .. . .
5 00
Edward T. Powers, repairing pipe .. ...
1 00
Ross Bros. Co., iron wheelbarrow. .
4 50
Henry L. Patrick, basket, pails and soap.
1 70
Avery & Woodbury Co., cloth, ribbon, cord, etc .. 4 77
42
J. F. Damon, repairing lawn mower. . 75
Herbert C. Forbes, lettering diplomas. . 1 75
Remick Furniture Co., curtains, cords and chair 7 50
Joseph H. Dudley, labor at church ....
2 00
Henry W. Gaskill, record book, district meeting, cleaning chimney, nails and postage 6 88
J. Stuart Cox, broom, etc. 95
Clark Ellis & Sons, halyards, snaps, keys, labor, etc. 6 84
George G. Davenport, cleaning vaults. . 6 00
Milford Journal Co., programs. 4 25
Everett D. Robinson, sand. 2 00
F. K. Brown, soap, oil, freight and cartage 6 59
George E. Thayer, use of well.
3 00
W. G. Fiske, shingles, lumber and nails. 84 59
F. G. Halsing, shingling North Ave. buildings 31 42
Albert E. Kingsbury, shingling Albee- ville building 10 50
Albert E. Kingsbury, painting, Albeeville and North Ave .. 100 00
Mrs. Lora E. Williams, use of well .... 3 00
M. Steinert & Sons' Co., tuning piano. 4 00
Herbert J. George, cleaning up at North Ave. 1 50
Lyman Cook, taking school census, dis- trict meeting, labor, etc. 17 19
Henry W. Gaskill, secretary of commit- tee 10 00
$360 04
Respectfully submitted, LYMAN COOK, HENRY W. GASKILL, LENA W. GEORGE,
Jan. 26, 1915.
School Committee.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF MENDON :-
The twenty-first annual report of the superintendent of schools is herewith presented :-
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
This year opened with four new teachers, one more than last year. Frequent changes of teachers are to be expected in the smaller towns. They are, nevertheless, a distinct disadvantage to rural schools. In many small towns from one-third to one-half of the expense of education is borne by the State. Mendon receives approximately two thousand five hundred dollars per year on the average from the State. But this outside aid, even in such gener- ous amounts, does not enable the small towns to keep up to the standards of the larger towns and cities. The rural school prob- lem is now recognized by school men everywhere as one of great magnitude and importance. Of course, suitable buildings, ade- quate equipment, proper grading, transportation and many other requirements must be considered in its solution, but a question far greater and more difficult is the question of the right sort of teach- ers. "As is the teacher, so is the school," is an educational maxim which applies with special force to the rural school.
The difficulty in Mendon is not so much to secure good teach- ers as to retain their services for a series of years. During the past two years we have lost two good teachers from the high school and two more from the grammar school after a single year's service in each case. This was a great loss to the schools. Any one of these teachers would have been worth more the second year than any new teacher. There is an inevitable loss in the mere fact of change. Miss Dudley's school is always in good working order by the end of the first day of the school year. It would take a month for any new teacher to adjust herself to the new conditions, and another month
44
or longer before she would be familiar with the conditions of the town. I firmly believe it would prove to be the best kind of econ- omy to raise the salary of good teachers so as to keep them more than one year.
The question naturally arises at this point what to do in the case of teachers who for one reason or another are not quite satis- factory. It is assumed that a teacher will in all cases be given a full and fair opportunity to make good. If, after due trial, he or she proves to be a misfit for that particular place, it is best for the teacher, the school and the town that a change be made at the end of the year. Only in rare cases is a change during the year ad- visable. It encourages the pupils to feel that they can at any time get rid of a teacher to whom they do not happen to take a fancy. This would be exceedingly unfortunate for the school and unjust to the teacher. In no case is it wise for one to rock the boat in which he is himself a passenger.
The present corps of teachers seems to be individually and collectively satisfactory. The discipline and instruction are good, and the spirit of the pupils is on the whole studious. This is as it should be, for unless the children study, the best of teaching will fail to achieve its purpose. Hard study on the one hand is as essential to the education of the child as is good teaching on the other. Unless we can have both, the money expended for educa- tional purposes is wasted to just the extent that either is lacking. There never was a really good school where the lessons were not thoroughly learned, but many able men and women have come from schools where the teaching was not altogether good. Hence the inference is that lessons should be studied until they are learned. This is one of the most important educational principles I know, and the best teacher is the one who can enforce it, without friction if possible, but with friction if necessary.
ONE SESSION IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The change from two sessions to one was made at the begin- ning of the winter term. All of the patrons of the school were asked to express their wishes in the matter, and an unexpectedly large majority favored a trial of the one-session plan. It seems to be working very satisfactorily. It separates the larger from the
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