USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1891/1892-1894/1895 > Part 4
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519
Average number belonging. 533
Per cent. of attendance, 90)
Total enrollment at St. Mary's Parochial school, 203
Number over 15 years of age,
Number between 5 and 15,
174
Number between 8 and 14,
131
Average number belonging,
181
Average attendance, 150
Per cent. of attendance. 83.42
91
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ATTENDANCE BY SCHOOLS.
SUMMER TERM.
SCHOOLS.
Whole Number
Enrolled.
Average Number
Belonging.
Average Attend-
ance.
Per cent. of At-
tendance.
Per cent. of Tardi-
ness of cach Pu-
pil.
Number of Weeks of School.
High School.
84
80.5
77.1
95.16
.6
13.6
Higher Grammar-Main St .
31
25.6
23.4
91.02
.23
12.8
School St ...
18
17.6
16.4
93.1
.66
12.8
Lower Grammar-Main St ..
57
54
49.84
92.23
.74
12.8
School St .. . .
33
32.25
31.4
94.26
.38
12.8
Intermediate-Main St.
65
55
54
94.7
1.23
12.8
Main St.
32
29.7
26.9
90.59
1.21
12.8
Union St
38
33.4
32.2
96.1
.94
12.8
River St.
21
18.5
17.8
96.21
1.9
12.8
Pine St. .
34
31
28.3
91.3
.55
12.8
Higher Primary-Elm St.
65
58.3
53.7
92.1
1.92
12.8
School St ..
49
46.85
44.2
94.2
2
12.8
River St ..
30
26.2
25
95.42
1.2
12.8
Carpenter .
65
61
56.4
90.8
1.15
12.8
Pine St.
30
24.64
21.39
87.22
.34
12.8
Lower Primary-Elm St ..
48
38.23
34.61
90.53
3.43
12.8
Main St
75
64.73
58.76
90.78
1.15
12.8
Main St.
45
41.8
39
93.3
.. 54
12.8
School St.
74
57.88
54.77
94.63
.75
12.
Carpenter.
87
82.7
71.7
86.7
1.6
12.8
Grade I, Pine St
57
38.79
37.9
97.7
.66
12.8
II, Pine St
43
36.73
35.01
95.32
1.18
12.8
Plimpton St ..
36
31.34
29.64
94.57
.75
12.8
Grade I, Pine St
77
65.21
57.73
88.38
.9
12.8
II, Pine St
37
34.58
28.75
83.08
.55
12.8
II, Pine St
35
30.25
27.84
92.3
.66
12.8
Mixed Primary-Sumner
40
34.03
28.88
84.86
.75
12.8
Ammidown .
32
25.62
19.93
77.78
1.56
12.6
Ungraded -- Bacon
8
7.18
6
83.68
.12
12.6
Hooker
11
8.11
6.97
85.94
7.27
12.8
Dennison
10
9.33
5.47
58.63
1.4
12.8
1,367
1,201.05
1,100.01
91.59
1.24
12.8
92
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ATTENDANCE BY SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS.
Whole Number
Enrolled.
Average Number
Belonging.
Average Attend-
ance.
Per cent. of At-
tendance.
Per cent. of Tardi-
ness of each Pu-
pil.
Number of Weeks of School.
High School.
86
73.05
68.441
94
2.85
39.3
Higher Grammar-Main street ...
31
23.96!
22.12
92.32
.5
37.3
School street
18
14.97
14.28.
95,39
2.61
37.3
Lower Grammar-Main street
59
45.48
42.58
93.62
1.41
37.3
School street .
35
27.24
25.95
95.26
1.2
37.3
Lower Gram. and int .- Main street.
36
34
27.75
90.75
2.36
37.3
Intermediate-Main street.
71
48.7
44.83
92.04| 95.7
1.02
37.3
River street
43
17.55
16
96.18
3.43
37.3
Higher Primary-Elm street
85
45.61
39.73
87.13
4.36
37.3
School street
49
34.34
31.82
92.66
3.86
37.3
Carpenter.
75
38.36
34.55
89.3
1.46
37.3
Lower Primary-Main street
110
43.24
39.68
91.8
2.38
37.3
Main street
60
36.54
33.59
94.67
1.65
37.3
School street
106
53.57
49.87
93.09
1.13
37.3
Elm street
49
35.53
32.98
92.82
4.57
37.3
River street
75
30.96
29.61
95.9
1.12
37.3
Carpenter
108
61.22
54.37
88 97
1.75
37.3
Mixed Primary-Sumner
50
23.65
20.47
86.5
2.65
37.3
Ammidown.
35
27.67
23.07
83.74 85 85.91
3.86 .85
37.3
Hooker.
11
8.02
6.89
29
37.3
Dennison
10
6.57
4.47
68.03
1.7
28.3
1.261,770.27
700.481
90.94
2.19
37.1
Union street
45
30.94
29.61
2.72
37.3
36.3
Ungraded-Bacon ..
14
9.1
7.82
93
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The following pupils are reported as perfect in attendance. having been neither absent nor tardy during the year:
Mabel Murdock,
Stella Brainard,
Willie Olney.
Stuart F. Martin.
Jessie Hyde.
Chas. I. Tumey.
Albert Freeman.
Elmer Hall.
Wendall Sherman.
Perfect in attendance two terms :
Fred Perry.
Emma Laplante.
Albert Blanchard.
Arthur Boyer.
Peter Laplante.
Willie Riley.
Thomas Taylor.
Herman Lamson.
Florence G. Butterworth.
Sadie C. Brainard.
Wilbert Corey.
Carroll W. Holmes.
Mary Wells.
D. Henry Bartlett.
Sarah Fallows.
Corrinne Tetrault,
Emma Bates.
Lizzie Morse.
Frank Horton.
, Lester Newell.
. Henry Plimpton.
Thirty others have been perfect in attendance one term.
Others are equally deserving of commendation for prompt- ness and regularity of attendance. who were always present except when detained by illness.
On account of the re-opening in September of the Notre Dame Parochial school, thereby withdrawing from the public schools about 600 pupils, and closing eight schools which had been open during the year. a separate table showing the attend- ance of the summer term is presented.
The officer who made the annual enrollment. in May. of the children of school age in town, returned 1640 as the number be- tween 5 and 15. showing an increase over the previous year of 51 children.
The unusual disparity between the total enrollment and the average membership is due to the fact that so large a number of
94
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
pupils were in the public schools less than one third of the school year. The per cent. of attendance is less than usual. This was expected on account of the prevailing illness during the fall and winter months.
REPAIRS AND EXPENDITURES.
Aside from the re-shingling of the Dennison school house, nothing has been done to the buildings except in the line of or- dinary repairs. Next year, it will be necessary to do more.
By an act of the legislature of 1888 (see appendix ) the State Board of Inspectors of Public Buildings are required to see that all public buildings, including school houses, are properly ven- tilated. During the summer members of the State Board ex- amined some of our school houses, and advised in regard to the best means of ventilating the same.
Of the twelve school buildings in town, only two are provided with adequate means of ventilation. In case of those likely to be used permanently for school purposes, a beginning should be made by putting one or more each year in the condition required. In case of a two-room building, as the Carpenter or Elm street, to meet the requirement. it will necessitate an outlay of from $350 to $900, depending upon whether the rooms are heated by jacketed stoves or by a furnace. In either case, an inlet of pure air and a ventilating shaft are required of sufficient capacity to supply not less than thirty cubic feet of air per minute for each person. This the best authorities tell us is the minimum limit to maintain even a reasonable degree of purity.
The River street four room building is in pressing need of outside painting, and inside repairs in the two rooms now in use.
At the C'enter all the school rooms are occupied, and seventy pupils are temporarily housed outside in two rooms not designed for school purposes, showing that there are not in this part of the town, adequate accommodations for all the pupils now in the public schools. To meet this need something must be done
95
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
at no distant day. That something should be the best thing, looking not only to present needs but to the prospective demands of our school population.
During the past year the average number belonging to the two higher Grammar schools combined, was less than forty pupils-an ordinary school for one teacher-were there a build- ing so centrally located as to be within reasonable reach of the Grammar pupils. A material saving in the expense of conduct- ing these schools would result by uniting them under one roof. By this course the vacated rooms in the present Grammar build- ings would furnish ample accommodations for all of the lower grades in these localities.
It would seem the part of wisdom and economy that, before any further considerable amount is devoted to additional facilities, the whole question of school accommodations for the two villages be carefully considered, that a wise and compre- hensive policy may be the issue. I would recommend that immediate steps be taken in this direction.
96
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The summary of statistics of these schools appears in the following table :
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Number of Ses- sions.
Number en-
rolled.
Average Mem-
bership.
Average At-
tendance.
Per cent. of At- tendance.
Plimpton street. boys.
39
32
27
25.54
94.59
Plimpton street, girls.
40
46
40
36.25
90.63
Union street, boys.
39
58
52
48.1
92.5
Union street, girls.
39
56
46
42.4
92.17
Main street. boys.
37
99
83
70.6
85.06
Main street, girls.
37
53
48
39.73
82.77
344 296
262.62
88.72
1
Present every session.
Victoria Proulx.
Felix St. Martin.
Marie Proulx,
Joseph Carpentier.
Clara Rivet.
Louis Savaria.
Belinda Rivet.
Aimi Larange.
Georgiana St. Germain.
Evaria Peloquin.
Marie L. Proulx.
Alexis Savaria.
Joseph Larange.
Charles St. Martin,
Zepheren Lablanc.
Arthur Savaria.
Adelard Hufault,
Joseph Poinier.
Gedeon Bonneau,
Joseph Casavant.
Present all but one session :
Henry Amlow. Ulric Fountain. Henry St. Martin.
Jean B. Peltier. Docithe Proulx. Joseph Beauregard.
97
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Louis Gilbert.
Pierre Poirier.
Walter Girard.
Priest Allard.
Mary R. Bebo.
Ida St. Martin,
Exelia Carpentier.
Emma St. Martin.
Amanda Savaria.
Joseph Lafreniere,
Pierre Peloquin,
Justice Garceau.
Emile Gagnon.
Alfred Martel.
Ulrich Metras.
Lucien Metras.
Ovilia Ethier.
Rose Matte.
Marie Boulanger.
Ludioine Plante.
Rose Boudreau.
The evening schools were opened on September 21st, and continued for fourteen weeks, each school having from 37 to 40 sessions. Those at Plimpton and Union streets were held in the same rooms as in previous years. The number in attendance at these schools was not so large as to make them unwiekty. and nearly all in attendance seemed actuated by a desire to make the best improvement of the opportunities afforded. At the time of our visits these schools always appeared quiet and orderly, the attendance excellent, and the results of the work gratifying.
The Centre schools were held in the rooms of the Society of St. John Baptist. As in previous years. the number in atten- dance was very large. and contained more of the unruly element. that attend in compliance with law, rather than from desire of improvement. thus taxing the utmost resources of the teachers in the management. The majority however. of those in attend- ance were generally in their places, and made commendable progress. As regards the Centre schools the problem of man- agement is not yet fully solved. On the whoie, the schools were better than in previous years. and the average attendance better. Twenty were present at every session ; 27 lost but one session, 29 but two nights and 53 others were present every evening but three or four.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The Truant officers have attended to their duties with fidelity, rendering efficient assistance to the teachers by looking up delinquent pupils. They report investigating 213 cases, visiting homes and returning many truants to their places. They have labored under the disadvantage of having no place to send truants on account of the delay in opening the County school. This hindrance to the control of the class disposed to truancy no longer exists as the following communication shows :
County Commissioners : In session very Tuesday.
HENRY G. TAFT, Chairman, Uxbridge, Mass .. EMERSON STONE, Spencer, C. J. RICE, Winchendon.
NOTICE.
WORCESTER, MASS., Jan. 19, 1892.
The County Truant School at Oakdale. West Boylston, Mass., will be in readiness for the reception of such truants as may be sentenced to said institution (from any city or town in Worcester county) in accordance with the law in such cases made and provided. on and after Monday. Feb. 2d, 1892. An inspection of the institution is invited. visiting day, Thursday.
F. L. JOHNSON. Supt. HENRY G. TAFT, EMERSON STONE. CHARLES J. RICE, County Commissioners of Worcester County.
The laws relating to school attendance and the employ- ment of children in manufacturing establishments, have been growing more strict each year. A few years ago, children of ten years of age, provided they had attended school twelve weeks during the year preceding, could be employed in the anills. Now no child under thirteen can be employed at any kind of labor while the schools are in session, and all children
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
under fourteen must attend school at least thirty weeks during the year. This virtually debars children from labor until the age of fourteen. The impression prevails that children who have reached the age of fourteen can be employed whether they have, or have not, attended school during the year preceding, and whether or not they can read and write. This is not so. Whatever our thought may be in regard to allowing a child to assist in the support of the family which otherwise must receive aid from the town. there is given no discretion in the case ; the law is explicit. They must attend school thirty weeks during the year preceding the age of fourteen. The exception mare in Sec. 3. Chap. 433 of the Revised Statutes (see appendix) applies only to minors fourteen years of age or over.
THE SCHOOLS.
In many respects our schools are in a better condition the: at the time of our last report. During the year special attention has been directed to certain lines of work, and marked improve- ment has resulted from these special efforts. Both in gener. 1 management and in methods of instruction we are pleased to report a decided advance. The course of study has been care- fully re-written and adjusted more in harmony with present methods, and. although it will require time for the teachers to fully adjust their work to the new course, considerable progress has already been made in that direction, with gratifying results. These results are more apparent in the work in number and arithmetic. as special stress has been laid upon that phase of the general work.
The improved character of the work of the Grammar schools appears in the fact that every one in the regular classes of the twenty-six candidates for admission to the High school pass 1 successfully and without condition.
100
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
In closing I desire again to give personal expression of thanks to teachers for hearty co-operation and for the faithful manner in which they have discharged their duties, and to you for the personal courtesy and cordial support which you have constantly given me in my work.
J. T. CLARKE. Superintendent of Schools.
١
12
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
GRADUATING CLASS OF '92.
.TO-DAY IS OURS. AND TO-DAY ALONE."
LILLIAN BLANCHE WHEELER, MABEL JANE NEWELL.
MARGARET GERTRUDE BUTLER. BERT REED CLAFLIN,
HERBERT HARRINGTON MORSE, SARAH HANNAH FALLOWS.
CLARIBEL AADELAIDE GROVER.
PROGRAMME OF GRADUATING EXERCISES.
Music-Selection-"I. Puritani."
-
-
Beyer
Orchestra.
FRAYER-Rev. Silvanns Hayward. SALUTATORY AND ESSAY-"Music." Lillian Blanche Wheeler.
T. SAY-"Value of Friendship." Margaret Gertrude Butler.
WALTZ-"Reign of Love."
- - D. S. Godfrey Orchestra. - -
3.SSAY-"Study of Geology." Herbert Harrington Morse.
ESSAY-"Ballads." Mabel Jane Newell:
ESAY-"Influence of Imagination." Claribel Adelaide Grover.
SONGis-Selected. Members of the School.
ISSAY -- "The Use of History." Bert Reed Claflin.
ISSAY AND VALEDICTORY-"To-day's Advantages." Sarah Hannah Fallows. Music-Galop-"The Flying Seud." - - -
I SESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS-Superintendent of Schools. Orchestra.
LANEDITION.
103
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CALENDAR 1892-93.
Spring Term begins March 21, 1892; ends June 24, 1892.
Fall Term begins Monday, Sept. 6, 1892: ends December 23. 1892.
Winter Term begins January 2, 1893; ends March 13, 1893.
VACATIONS.
June 25 to Sept. 5, 1892, inclusive.
From Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, the remainder of the week.
December 24 to January 1, 1893, inclusive.
March 14, 1893, to March 20, 1893, inclusive.
HOLIDAYS.
Every Saturday; Washington's Birthday: Memorial Day: Labor Day; all National and State Fast Days.
EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC STATUTES OF THE COMMONWEALTH. CHAPTER 47. Concerning Vaccination.
SECTION 9. The School Committee shall not allow a child who has not been duly vaccinated to be admitted to or connected with the public schools.
CHAPTER 64. [As Amended. Acts of 1884.] An Art to Prevent the Spread of Contagious Diseases Through the Public Schools.
The School Committee shall not allow any pupil to attend. the public schools while any member of the household to which such pupil belongs is sick of small pox, diphtheria, or scarlet fever, or during a period of two weeks after death, recovery, or removal of such sick person : and any pupil coming from such
104
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
household shall be required to present to the teacher of the school the pupil desires to attend, a certificate" from the attending physician or board of health, of the facts necessary to entitle him to admission in accordance with the above regalation.
CHAPTER 149. [Acts of 1888.]
An Art to cause proper Sanitary Provisions and proper Ventila- tion in Public Buildings and School Houses.
SECTION 1. Every public building and every school house shall be kept in a cleanly state and free from effluvia arising from any drain, privy, or other nuisance, and shall be provided with a sufficient number of proper water-closets, earth-closets, or privies for the reasonable use of the persons admitted to such public building, or of the pupils attending such school house.
SEC. 2. Every public building andyevery school house shall be ventilated in such a proper manner that the air shall not be- come so exhausted as to be injurious to the health of the persons present therein. The provisions of this section and the preced- ing section shall be enforced by the inspection department of the district police force.
SEC. 3. Whenever it shall appear to an inspector of factories and public buildings that further or different sanitary provisions or means of ventilation are required in any public building or school house in order to conform to the requirements of this act, and that the same can be provided without incurring unreason- able expense, such inspector may issue a written order to the proper person or authority, directing such sanitary provisions or means of ventilation to be provided, and they shall thereupon be provided in accordance with such order by the public authority, corporation, or person having charge of, owning, or leasing such public building or school house.
SEC. 4. Any school committee. public officer, corporation, or person neglecting for four weeks after the receipt of an order from an inspector, as provided in the preceding section, to pro-
105
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
vide the sanitary provisions or means of ventilation required thereby, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.
SEC. 5. The expression "public building" used in this act means any building or premises used as a place of public enter- tainment, instruction, resort, or assemblage. The expression "school house" means any building or premises in which public or private instruction is afforded to not less than ten pupils at one time.
SEC. 6. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [March 20,1888.]
CHAPTER 103. [Acts of 1884.] Concerning the Furnishing and use of Free Test-books and Supplies.
SEC. 1. The school committee of every city and town shall purchase, at the expense of such city or town, text-books and other school supplies used in the public schools; and said text- books and supplies shall be loaned to the pupils of said public schools free of charge, subject to such rules and regulations as to care and custody as the school committee may prescribe.
CHAPTER 47. [AS AMENDED].
Concerning the attendance of Children in the Schoolx.
SECTION 1. Every person having under his control a child between the ages of eight and fourteen years, shall annually cause such child to attend some public day school in the city or town in which he resides, and such attendance shall continue for at least thirty weeks of the school year if the schools are kept open that length of time, with an allowance of two weeks' time for absences not excused by the superintendent of schools or the school committee, and for every neglect of such duty the per- son offending shall, upon the complaint of the school committee or any truant officer, forfeit to the use of the public schools of such city or town a sum not exceeding twenty dollars: but if
106
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
such child has attended for a like period of time a private day school approved by the school committee of such city or town. or if such child has been otherwise instructed for a like period of time in the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or if his physical or mental condi- tion is such as to render such attendance inexpedient or imprac- ticable, such penalties shall not be incurred.
CHAPTER 433, ACTS OF 1887.
Concerning the employment of minors who can not read and write in the English language.
(Section 1 was repealed by chapter 348, acts of 1888. )
SECTION 2. Every person who employs, or permits to be employed, a minor fourteen years of age or over, who can not read and write in the English language, and who resides in a city or town in this Commonwealth, wherein public evening schools are maintained, and is not a regular attendant of a day school, or has not attained an attendance of serenty per cent. or more of the yearly session of the evening school, shall, for every such offence, forfeit not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars for the use of the evening schools of such city or town.
SEC. 3. Whenever it appears that the labor of any minor who would be debarred from employment under section two of this act and amendments thereto, is necessary for the support of the family to which said minor belongs, or for his own support. the school committee of said city or town may, in the exercise of their discretion, issue a permit authorizing the employment of such minor within such time or times as they may fix ; pro- vided, such minor make application to said school committee, or some person duly authorized by said committee, for such a per- mit before the opening of the yearly session of the evening school of said city or town ; and the provisions of said section two shall not apply to such minor so long as said permit is in force ; provided, also, that if such minor has been prevented by sickness or injury from attending said evening school, as pro-
107
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
vided in said section two as amended by chapter one hundred and thirty-five of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, the school committee shall issue to such minor the permit provided for in this section, upon the presentation of the following blank properly filled and signed:
To the School Committee of the
I hereby certify that I have attended from to ; that said was sick or
injured with ; and that said was not in suitable physical condition to attend evening school for the term of days.
(Signed) Attending Physician.
[Dated]
The school committee of every city or town in this Com- monwealth wherein public evening schools are maintained shall furnish blanks described in the foregoing paragraph upon ap- plication.
SECT. 7. No child who has been continuously a resident of a city or town since reaching the age of thirteen years shall be entitled to receive a certificate that he has reached the age of fourteen unless or until he has attended school according to law in such city or town for at least thirty weeks since reaching the age of thirteen, unless such child can read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language, or is exempted by law from such attendance
CHAPTER 48. [As Amended.]
Concerning Truant Children and Absentees from School.
SECTION 10. Each town shall make all needful provisions and arrangements concerning habitual truants and children between seven and fifteen years of age who may be found wan- dering about in the streets and public places therein. having no lawful occupation or business, not attending school, and growing
108
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
up in ignorance, and such children as persistently violate the reasonable rules and regulations of the common schools; and shall make such by-laws as shall be most conductive to the wel- fare of such children, and to the good order of such town; and shall provide suitable places for the confinement, discipline and instruction of such children.
SECT. 12. Any minor convicted under a by-law made under section ten of being an habitual truant, or of wandering about in the streets and public places of a city or town, having no lawful employment or business, not attending school, and grow- ing up in ignorance. or of persistently violating the rules and regulations of the common schools, shall be committed to any institution of instruction or suitable situation provided for the purpose, under the authority of said section or by-law, for a term not exceeding two years.
REPORT OF FIRE ENGINEERS.
In accordance with the ordinance relating to the fire de- partment. the Board of Engineers present their annual report. giving a list of expenditures and the condition of the depart- ment for the year ending Feb. 29, 1892.
Outstanding accounts, March 1. 1891-
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