USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1901-1904 > Part 19
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Pine street ledge.
357 59
Police department,
4,320 00
4.320 00
4,320 00
Police station,
500 00
539 17
39 17
500 00
Preserving town records,
1.571 66
1.470 76
100 90
1.400 00
Public library.
2,753 86
2,582 12
171 74
DF.2,000 00
Railing highways,
400 (0
216 91
188 09
400 00
Repairs farm buildings,
582 41
21 91
560 50
Repairing Brickville road,
3 45
3 45
.
Relocating Charlton street,
28 44
28 44
Salaries,
4,800 00
4,523 70
276 30
5,000 00.
Sinking fund.
10,804 67
10,804 67
School apparatus,
259 12
228 16
30 96
250 00
Sewers, -
16,079 47
15,657 15
422 32
Sewer contingent,
1.163 70
1,066 81
96 89
1,500 0)
Sidewalk repairs,
1,090 25
1.422 50
State aid.
1.836 31
1,688 00
148 31
State highway,
763 10
763 10
Street lights,
7.315 48
7,141 92
173 56
7,500 00
Support poor.
2,482 78|
1,943 29
539 49
1,500 00
Special crossings.
150 00
187 31
.
.
37 31
900 00
Town Pound,
.
.
Unappropriated funds War relief,
1.635 00
1,846 08
211 08
1.500 00
Water Supply.
2,538 54
2,509 33
29 21
2.000 00.
Widening Main street,
157 88
157 88
Outstanding obligations re- ported by town treasurer
as in 1904, -
14.095 00
Totals,
$149,997 39
$120.601 52 $31,179 08
$1,760 87
$103,710 00
.
Cemetery Improvements,
1,268 76
1 290 60
·
18.400 00
Contingent account,
3.537 96
4,574 68
150 00
Engine men.
3.620 00
3,620 00
High school,
4.875 17
4.641 89
Hook street sidewalk,
678 00
698 28
Insurance,
1.435 09
1,376 43
58 66
$300 00
Bridges.
750 00
801 92
.
,
Town hall contingent
1,659 28
1,616 88
42 40
50 00
50 00
32 64
332 23
2,000 00
·
.
.
·
.
150 00
357 59
10 30
Printing,
·
Cemetery fund, -
13,296 75
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Cemetery Committee.
REPORT OF THE CEMETERY COMMITTEE.
The work of the Superintendent has been to the satisfaction and approval of the Committee. Were- commed the appropriation of seven-hundred and fifty dollars.
CALVIN D. PAIGE, MICHAEL EGAN, L. WESLEY CURTIS, MICHAEL D. MORRILL, J. F. LARIVIERE,
126
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMITTEE.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
TO THE CEMETERY COMMITTEE.
GENTLEMEN:
Have received from the following parties for the perpetual care of their lots :
T. J. Harrington, $50 00
C. L. Deon,
50 00
J. A. King and S. F. Newell, 50 00
Charles W. Hall,
50 00
Mrs. Lulu M. Lawson, 50 00
Estate of Lucina Newton,
50 00
For the sale of lots :-
F. O. Letcher, 50 00
E. S. Northup, 20 00
J. C. Brown, 75 00
Wm. H. Hinman. 25 00
Alva I. Hyde,
75 00
Lucy Rumrill, 25 00
Wm. H. Webster, 75.00
Mrs. Elizabeth Bolio, 75 00
25 00
Samuel O. Fairfield,
Florence M Morse, 1 grave, 5 00
Charles Curtin, 1 grave,
5 00
127
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMITTEE.
J. A. Young, 1 grave, $5 00
Douglass McCullum, 1 grave, 5 00
$765 00
Amount of fund March 1, 1903, 12,531 75
The fund now amounts to
$13.296 75
Invested as follows :---
Amherst Savings Bank, $1,000 00
Dedham Institution for Savings, 1,000 00
Gardner Savings Bank, 992 50
Leicester Savings Bank,
445 00
North Adams Savings Bank,
245 00
Peoples Savings Bank, Worcester,
1,000 00
Springfield Institution for Savings, 1,000 00
Southbridge Savings Bank,
1,600 00
Salem Five Cents Savings Bank,
1,000 00
Worcester County Institution for Savinge,
1,000 00
Webster Five Cents Savings Bank,
1,014 25
Ware Savings Bank,
1,000 00
Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank,
1,000 00
Worcester Mechanics Savings Bank,
1,000 00
$13,296 75
CEMETERY IMPROVEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation, Interest,
$750 00 501 76
128
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMITTEE.
T. Comberbach, for grass, $10 00
Lucian Clemence, grading lot, 7 00
$1,268 76
EXPENDITURES.
Paid the Superintendent for men, teams, tools, supplies, etc., bills examined and approved by the Committee and the Auditors. $1,290 60
Overdrawn, $21 84
SAMUEL WILLIAMS, Supt.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1904-5.
H. B .; MONTAGUE.
Term expires 1904
JOHN A. WHITTAKER.
SILVANUS HAYWARD. Term expires 1904 Term expires 1905 SOLOMON E. BLANCHARD. - Term expires 1905 PITT H. HEBERT. - Term expires 1906
JOHN W. HEFFERN, -
Term expires 1906
OFFICERS OF SCHOOL BOARD.
HENRY B. MONTAGUE, Chairman. JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Secretary. Regular monthly meeting first Tuesday evening at & o'clock. F. E. CORBIN, Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the Board, Ottice, Town Hall.
Office hours; Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4 to 5 p. m .; 7 to 7.30. Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL
COMMITTEE.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
The School Committee herewith submit the follow- ing report of the finances of the School Department of the town for the year closing Feb. 29, 1904, together with their recommendation of appropriations for the coming year. As to all matters connected with the policy and management of the Schools the Committee refer to the Report of the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. F. E. Corbin, which is hereby submitted as a part of our report.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
HIGH SCHOOL.
RECEIPTS,
Balance from last year,
$565 17
Appropriation, 3,500 00
Tuition from other towns,
$10 00
$4,875 17
EXPENDITURES,
Salaries of teachers,
$3,858 75
Janitors and fuel,
575 00
Books,
149 19
Incidentals,
58 95
$4,641 89
Balance, March 1, 1904,
$233 28
134
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from. last year,
$186 91
Appropriation,
17,900 00
Tuition.
15 00
$18,101 91
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of superintendent and
teachers,
$14,042 15
Care of buildings,
1,818 92
Fuel,
1,898 74
Transportation,
143 75
Tuition,
18 00
- $17,921 56
Balance March 1, 1904,
$180 35
CONTINGENT SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS ..
Appropriation, Books, supplies, etc., sold,
$4,000 00
16 41
$4,016 41
135
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EXPENDITURES.
Overdrawn March 1, 1903,
$612 14
For books,
441 71
For supplies,
897 00
For repairs,
785 75
For incidentals,
1,141 85
$3,878 45
Balance March 1, 1904,
$137 96
EVENING SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year,
$19 10
Appropriation, 600 00
$619 10
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers, Care of rooms, Fuel and lights,
$433 00
63 00
35 43
136
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1
Incidentals, Rent,
$45 17
35 00
$611 60
Balance March 1, 1904, $7 50
APPARATUS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year,
$9 12
Appropriation, 250 00
$259 12
EXPENDITURES.
For apparatus, chemicals, and books of reference,
$228 16
Balance March 1, 1904, $30 96
.MECHANICS STREET GROUNDS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from building committee, $235 03
137
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Appropriation, $300 00
$535 03
EXPENDITURES.
John A. Whittaker, pay roll men and teams, loam and gravel, $535 03
000 00
APPROPRIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
High School :- Teachers, Janitor and fuel,
$3,200 00
575 00
$3,775 00
Common Schools
Teachers and Superinten dent,
$14,500 00
Janitors,
1,850 00
Fuel,
1,900 00
Transportation,
150 00
Evening Schools,
$18,400 00 700 00
138
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Contingent Schools-
Books,
$800 00
Supplies,
900 00
Repairs,
800 00
Incidentals,
1,100 00
$3,600 00
Apparatus,
250 00
1
Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Committee,
HENRY B. MONTAGUE, Chairman.
Southbridge, March 1, 1904.
Superintendent's Report.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
Gentlemen : I have the honor to submit to you mny second annual report, which by the vote of your board is to constitute a part of your annual report to the citizens of Southbridge. It has always seemed to me that a Superintendent's report should not devote time to the theories of education, but should state the con- ditions and needs of the schools as briefly as possible, a business abstract, rather than an essay. I have, therefore, endeavored to follow out this idea.
Statistics.
POPULATION AND VALUATION.
Population of town, U. S. Census, 1900, 10,025
Assessed valuation of the town, 1903. $4,558,819
Number of polls, 2,072
Rate of taxation, $17.20
Valuation of school houses and lots, $128,900
140
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Valuation of other school property, $6,811
Number of children between 5 and 15
years of age Sept. 1902, 2,154
Number between 5 and 15, Sept. 1903, 2,234
ATTENDANCE.
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING WITH JUNE, 1903.
Number enrolled in the public schools
during the year, boys, 615, girls,
577, total, . 1192
Number under 5 years of age, 20
Number over 15 years of age, .92
Number between 5 and 15,.
Number between 7 and 14, .718
1080
Average number belonging, 1023.74
Average daily attendance, . 956.49
Per cent. of attendance,. 92.41
Number of teachers employed March
Ist, 1904,. .38
Through the courtesy of the instructors we are able to give the following statistics of the parochial schools:
Number enrolled at the Notre Dame,
boys 456, girls, 434, total, 890
Number under 5 years of age,. 4
Number between 5 and 15, . 886
141
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Number between 7 and 14, 665 Average number belonging, 859
Average attendance, . 703.
Per cent. of attendance, 82
Number enrolled at St. Mary's, 186
Average number belonging, 174 Average attendance, . 163
Per cent. of attendance, . 93.68
COST PER PUPIL.
Current expenses, including teaching,
fuel and care of buildings, ... $21,430 81
Cost per pupil, based on total enrolment,. .17 97 Cost per pupil, based on average enrolment, .20 93 Total expenditures, less permanent repairs, . . 23,954 44. Cost per pupil, based on whole number, . .. 20 09 Cost per pupil, based on average enrolment,. . .. 23 39 Cost per pupil in the High school, 57 40
.
1
142
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CORPS OF TEACHERS, MARCH 1, 1904.
NAME.
Salary.
Date of firs4
Election.
Grade.
Educated.
F. E. Corbin.
$900
1902
Supt.
Williams college.
F. E. Corbln.
1.100
1886|
Prin. H. S.
Thomas DeCondres
800
1902 Assistant.
Laura Williams
650
1899
..
Nor'l & Brown U. Nor'l & Boston U.
Edith M. Cook
650
1902
66
Nor'l & Colby U.
Mabel Barnum
500
1902
Boston University
Laura E. Shepardson ..
570
1897 IX.
Alice Holmes
570
1878 VII.
per
month
Isabel P. Taylor.
46
1890 VIII.
Mary E. Meagher
44
1887 VI.
Margaret Dougherty.
40
1897 VI.
Louisa Twombly
44
1892 VII.
Eva Conner
40
1898|V.
Sarah Haskell.
40 1901 V.
Rebecca Rowley.
44, 1865 V.
Mary Paige.
4( 1899 IV.
Bertha Harwood
36: 1901 III-IV.
Martha Cutting
40
1885 IV.
Clara P. Chase.
40
1896 III.
Anna Simpson, ..
36
1900 III.
Anna Seagraves
36
1902|II-III.
Nettie V. Stone.
40 1898|II.
Jane Farquhar
40 1887 II-III.
Mary Boardman
40 1891 II.
Margaret Butler
40 1893'11.
Susan M. Knight
40
1858 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary A. Ellis.
40
1883 1.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Agnes M. Meagher
40
1886 1.
Blanche Harwood.
36
1903 I-II.
Margaret Keenan.
32
1903 II-III.
Gertrude Litchfield
36
1901 I.
Mabel C. Teahan.
36
1900 1.
Mary McCabe
40
1890 I.
Quincy Training.
Minnie Thompson.
32
1903 Ungraded.
Alice Sanders ..
32
1899
Mabel Chamberlain
84
1902
66
Southbridge H. S.
Ita Morse.
28
1902
Alice Torrey
12 1903'Assistant.
Anna F. Eager.
55
1896 Drawing. Music.
Mrs. H. N. Carpenter.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Framingham Nor. Salem Normal.
Worcester Normal Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Johnson Nor'l.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Brimefild H. S.
Worcester Nor'l.
Bridgewater Nor, 1. Southbridge H. S. Quincy Training. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Southbridge H. S. Bridgewater Nor'l. Framingham Nor. Westfield Nor.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Normal Art Sch,l.
Grammar
Nichols Academy. Palmer High S.
143
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL REGISTERS.
For School Year Ending
June 1903.
Grade
Number of Boys Reg-
Number of Girls Reg-
istered.
Average Daily Atten-
dance.
Average Membership
Per Cent of A'ten- dance.
High School Marcy Street
IX
14
18
30 12
31 5
95 88
VILI
20
22
36 3
38 63
93 78
VIIW
17
13
26 69
28 54
31 45
92 95
VIw
25
18
38 76
41 17
93 84
..
VIe
13
26
36 08
37 48
96 24
66
Ve
15
15
30 66
31 87
90 40
School Street
V
13
17
24 23
25 62
94 54
16
II
14
20
25 86
28 82
90 04
66
1
16
22
31 68
38 86
93 00
66
I-II
19
15
24 34
26 69
91 18
I
29
16
35 85
40 08
89 75
Mechanics Street
IV
19
13
23 66
25 60
85 47
III
13
23
27 26
28 66
95 00
II
I
25
23
38 09
42 2
90 15
Elm Street
IV
24
26
43 99
45 76
90 68
River Street,
II-III
18
15
28 72
30 24
94 88
Carpenter 66
II-III
15
15
27 14
25 33
93 39
Sandersdale
Ungr.
23
14
32 19
36
90 10
Dennison
6 .
10
11
16 32
17 37
92 93
Lebanon Hill
1 6
9
8
8 71
9 51
91 32
Morse District
3
4
4 1
3 56
86 64
615
577
956 49
1023 74
92 41
16
I
]
39
26
43 19
46 03
94 02
I
24
29
30 22
32 49
91 96
25
23
38 38
41 07
93 47
Main Street
III
II
21
20
31 48
33 93
93 10
Vw
16
14
22 32
24 58
93 52
VIIe
19
18
29 45
38
46
72 49
77 04
93 99
95 76
III-IV
41 65
89 52
20
37 45
27 72
92 55
95 14
20
34 75
38 3
25 71
istered.
144
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL CENSUS.
The school census taken in September by Charles Tetreault and George Lamoureux enumerated 2234 children between the ages of 5 and 15, 80 more than the census of 1902, boys 1148, girls 1086. The town for the purpose of the enumeration was divided into two districts on the line of Chapin, Hamilton and Hook streets.
In the Globe district there were 1045 school child. ren; in the Sandersdale district 1189.
Number of illiterates over 14 years of age 69.
HIGH SCHOOL.
We have been exceedingly fortunate in the High- School in having no changes of teachers during the past year.
All the present corps of teachers came here with experience and with a good fund of schorlarship. While I am well aware that it is a part of the Ameri- can nature to boast of its belongings, yet I believe we have as good a corps of High-school teachers as can be found in any town in this Commonwealth. That the work has been well done here is proved by the fact that our graduates have taken an honorable stand in scholarship at our leading colleges and technical schools.
145
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
In order to secure uniformity the New England colleges appointed a committee last summer to revise- the list of the schools sending pupils to college on certificate.
I am pleased to state that our application to this; committee was reported upon favorably.
The Worcester Polytechnic Institute has also ac- corded us this privilege for the first time.
The class of '03', the third largest class that ever graduated from the High-school was remarkable in two respects, namely : that it numbered more boys than girls and also contained more members that en- tered higher institutions than any other class. Of this; Class four entered the Worcester Polytechnic Institute; two, Amherst; one the Amherst State college and one- Mt. Holyoke.
While those who attend higher institutions of: learning are naturally more prominent in the public: eye, yet in school they have a right only to their res -- pective share of the teachers time, and I have endeav -. ored to see that they receive no more. That is the. main idea of the school, is the greatest good for the. greatest number and all scholars are to have equal opportunities. It is not the duty of the school to ex- pend its strength on fitting a few pupils for college to the detriment of the great number for whom the High-school is the end of their school life.
The work of Miss Murdock, who last year had charge of the reading throughout the town schools, has been missed more in the High-school than elsewhere
146
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
as she devoted a relatively large part of her time to this school.
Thirty-six pupils from out of town have attended this year, the largest number ever recorded. Their bills for tuition will amount approximately to $1,000. While the tuition charged, $30.00 does not represent the actual cost to the town, yet it costs, approximate- ly, as much to run a school of seventy-five pupils effi- ciently as one of one-hundred and twenty-five.
So that the attendance of pupils from out of town is a direct benefit to all concerned.
READING.
The Ward system in reading has now been in use for more than one year in all the grades.
This work was started tentatively with Miss Meagher at School street and Miss Litchfield at Me- chanics street and owing to the results achieved by them, was then introduced in all the primary rooms. It is the unanimous opinion of the teachers that the system is an unqualified success. One of our teachers in a mixed school is confident that her pupils who have been drilled under the system for a year are more capable of mastering new words than those who have been in school much longer, but who have not been so drilled. I am certain that if the system is closely followed for the first two years, there is no
147
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
excuse for pupils in the fourth and fifth grades failing on simple words.
WRITING.
In September, Miss Anna Hill, supervisor of writ- ing in Springfiel i, gave a talk and practical lesson to our teachers. I think her visit was a profitable one.
We now have the Vertical system of writing. This system was widely introduced a few years ago, but it has never received the sanction of the business colleges or business men.
The child in the primary school is possibly enabled to form his letters legibly at an earlier period than by the old slant system. At present schools are turning to a half slant, so called, which combines the rapidity of the old slant system and the legibility of the vertical.
The object in writing is to attain legibility and . rapidity. While most of our school papers are always legibly and neatly written yet it is at the sacrifice of much time. I believe it will be beneficial to the pupils in the upper grades, at least, if a chauge to the half slant is made during the coming year.
148
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1
SELECTION OF TEACHERS
Four teachers from the lower grades handed in their resignations during the summer and some of them gave exceedingly short notice.
One of the most important duties of the commit- tee and superintendent is the selection of teachers To find one endowed with tact, scholarship and suitable training is not always an easy task. The need of scholarship is now much greater than a few years ago when the three R's were the only subjects taught. The state in order to raise the standard now permits only graduates, of the High-schools to attend the Nor- mal, and while the Normal can not as yet supply the demand yet it comes nearer each year. Teachers trained in different schools, although all were equally good, would make the best leaven. Given a girl of average intelligence, lady like deportment and normal training there is no reason why she should not make a good teacher. With a suitable number of candidates to select from there is no reason why the good teacher should not be the rule.
Our teachers are I think, especially, hard working, conscientious and attentive to suggestions given them.
While some of our local teachers are the best that we have, yet I do not think that it should follow of necessity that we should limit ourselves to local candi- dates. From the fact that one is born here it does not necessarily follow that the town owes them a living.
149
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
REPAIRS.
During the summer vacation the rooms at School street, were kalsomined and painted and the rooms now present a cheerful and pleasing appearance. The outside of the building needs painting.
The rooms at Sandersdale and Lebanon Hill were kalsomiced and one at Main street. The interiors of the school houses present a more pleasing appearance as a rule than the exteriors.
When the Marcy street house was built, sectional boilers were installed, two sections in one of these cracked in December. These boilers were of rare and peculiar pattern and were not economical. It seemed to the Committee, after due deliberation, that it would be best to ask the town for an appropriation to install a new boiler and for any necessary outlay that might arise. The voters at a meeting held on Jan. 4th appro- priated the sum of $1600. The Committee have in- stalled a Stewart 60 horse power tubular boiler which is giving excellent satisfaction.
The special appropriation granted by the town $350, for the improvement of the Mechanics street grounds has nearly completed the work. Some seven- ty-five loads of loam, are all that is now required to finish the work. The unsightly ditch has been covered over, thus giving an opportunity to widen the street corner some forty feet.
1
150
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Possibly some public spirited citizen will give the town a drinking fountain to be set up in the square thus formed. The planting of shrubs and vines will make this the pleasantest school yard in town.
Wide cracks have appeared in the outer walls of the Main street building and it can only be a short time before exte sive repairs will be needed.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The laws governing the attendance of minors at evening schools have gradually grown stricter, so that no option is now allowed the minor who can not read and write in the English language. The law is as follows :-
"While a public evening school is maintained in the city or town in which any minor who is over four- teen years of age and who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language resides, no person shall employ him and no parent, guardian or custodian shall permit him to be employed unless he is a regular attendant at such evening school or at a day school.
Any person who employs an illiterate minor in violation of this law "shall forfeit not more than one hundred dollars for each offence to the use of the
151
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
evening schools." The minor's parent or guardian "shall forfeit not more than twenty dollars."
"The employer shall send to the superintendent of schools a complete list of the names of all minors employed therein who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English lan- guage."
This last clause has not been followed very closely by the overseers but probably in the future more at- tention will be paid to it.
Attention is called to the report of Mr. Knowles, Principal of the evening schools.
Respectfully submitted, F. E. CORBIN.
EVENING SCHOOLS REPORT.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Dear Sir :-
I herewith respectfully submit for publication, sub- ject to your approval, my annual report of the work of the public evening schools for the late Summer and Fall term of 1903.
Previous to this year it has always been "Fall and Winter" term, but for reasons that will be hereafter explained the schools were all closed several weeks be- 1
fore the winter season commenced.
The schools opened up September 8th for boys at the River street regular school house, and upon the same date for girls at the center, in the rooms leased by the St. Peter's society in the Edwards Memorial block on Main street.
This earlier commencement and consequent earlier closing of the schools was a decided improvement over the fall and winter terms of previous years, as the se- vere winter weather with its heavy snowstorms, ex- treme cold, and icy roads and sidewalks-all of which, more or less, affected the attendance at the schools-
153
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
were thus in a great measure avoided, with decided advantage to both pupils and teachers.
The enrolment and attendance was considerably larger than for the past ten or twelve years. This was due to the active interest and vigorous measures taken at the commencement of the term by the Superintend- ent of Schools in looking after delinquents. A special officer was appointed to visit the various factories and workshops in town and interview all working minors both male and female.
Those who could not read and write well enough to comply with the requirements of the law were in- structed to attend evening school regularly or quit work. The total enrolment of male students was thus brought up to 168; consisting of 135 French Canadians. 14 Polanders, 7 Swedes, 6 Italians, 4 Americans, 1 German and 1 Albanian: More nationalities being rep- resented than ever before in the history of the schools. There were also 101 fetuale pupils, mostly French Canadians, but also including a few Polanders, Swedes and Italians.
Most of the number attended the schools quite regularly until disturbed by the deplorable and unfor- tunate labor troubles and subsequent serious "lockout" of Unionmen, that took place a few weeks before the end of the school term. Fourteem of the girls and five of the boy pupils were "perfect" in attendance, not being absent a single evening throughout the en- tire term.
154
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
About a dozen pupils were "excused" during the season after having attained the degree of efficiency required by law. Many other students, however, who also became "passable," continued to voluntarily at- tend regularly until the schools closed, with the com- mendable determination to fit themselves for better work and more usefulness in life by improving their education.
The course of studies pursued was about the same as enumerated in last year's report, consisting princi- pally of language-work, letter-writing and the regular course of reading, writing and arithmetic. The read- ing exercises embraced among other subjects Ameri- can and English history, so that the pupils by diligent attention and application could attain a fair knowl- edge of these essential subjects.
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