USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1909-1912 > Part 14
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BOOKEEPING SYSTEM.
To take the place of the old form of bookkeeping or rather to systemize the keeping of the accounts and all business of the department, a systematic form of bookkeeping has been installed. which up to date has proved entirely satisfactory and of great aid to the police department. The records refer back to the first of May and are indexed in such a manner that any and all information desired may be obtained without the least hesitation. All business conducted by this department is embodied in the new system which renders it possible for the department to make known their records at any time they may be called upon to do so.
GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM.
Many gratifying results have been obtained from the green light signal system, which has been lately installed for the purpose of notifying the patrolmen oh their different beats that they are to communicate with headquarterø for instructions. Four of these lights have been arranged in different sections of the town at such location, as to have them visible from many points on the numerous beats.
When the switch at the headquarters is thrown on for the lighting of one of these lights it is the signal for the patrolman on this beat to communicate with the station either in person or by public telephone and while splendid results have already been obtained from this system, with the installation of the new tele- phone system the harmonious work of the two sys- tems will prove a great benefit in increasing the effi- ciency of the already well organized department.
159
REPORT OF POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TELEPHONE SYSTEM.
Probably one of the greatest improvements that has ever been made in the police department is the in- stallation of the telephone signal system, which at the time of the submitting of this report is practically com- pleted. With the seventeen telephones, distributed about the different beats, in working order the bright- est anticipations are held for presenting the residents of Southbridge with excellent protection as well as proving of a great convenience to the Police Depart- ment.
As the telephone system is yet to be tested there is little to be said as to its worth, but judging from the reports from towns and cities where similar systems are in working order the citizens and department alike are to be greatly benefited by the installation.
CONCLUSION.
With the submitting of this report, I take great pleasure in behalf of the Police department and my- self, to extend to the honorable board of selectmen, C. Fred Hill, Harry P. Colburn and Dr. J. G. E. Page, our most sincere thanks for their kindly consideration and support during my term of office. To this esteemed board belongs much credit in making the police tele- phone signal system possible and for many other ways in bringing the department to its present high state of efficiency.
To our judicial superiors, Judge Henry J. Clarke and to his associate Clerk, Frederick H. Berger and Associate Justice John M. Cochran, Town Counsellor J. C. F. Wheelock and Probation Officer Marcus L. Dillaber we wish to express our gaatitude for their kindly attention and co-operation given this depart- ment in many complex matters brought to our mutual attention.
Respectfully submitted, JESSE F. COOMBS, Chief of Police.
1
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1909-1910
GEO. L. TULLY, Term expires 1910
H. B. MONTAGUE,
Term expires 1910
S. E. BLANCHARD, Term expires 1911
J. A. WHITTAKER, - Term expires 1911
JOSEPH A. GENEREUX, Term expires 1912
H. S. CHENEY,
Term expires 1912
OFFICERS OF SCHOOL BOARD.
JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Chairman. S. E. BLANCHARD, Vice Secretary.
Regular monthly meeting first Tuesday evening.
F. E. CORBIN, Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the Board. Office, 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 Jan. 31, 1910, together with their recommendations 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 ACHATTIH7 ... K.HOL
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1
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
HIGH SCHOOL.
RECEIPTS.
Balance Feb. 1, 1909,
$249 93
Appropriation, 5,100 00
Tuition from other towns,
375 00
$5,724 93
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of teachers,
$4,275 00
Books and incidentals,
151 83
$4,426 83
Balance February 1, 1910,
$1,298 10
COMMON SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance February 1, 1909,
$1,243 16
Appropriation,
Tuition from other towns,
19,000 00 24 00
-- $20,267 16
16€
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries, superintendent and
teachers,
$14,220 03
Janitors, 1,793 05
Fuel,
1,457 54
Transportation,
346 50
Tuition,
88 50
$17,905 62
Balance February 1, 1910, $2,361 54
CONTINGENT SCHOOLS
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation,
$4,200 00
Books, etc., sold,
27 97
$4,227 97
EXPENDITURES.
Overdrawn, Feb. 1. 1909,
$93 71
Incidentals,
1,547 87
Repairs,
1,150 66
Supplies,
831 72
Books, 508 50
$4,132 46
Balance February 1, 1910,
$95 51
EVENING SCHOOLS
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation,
$700 00
167
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EXPENDITURES.
Account overdrawn Feb. 1, 1909,
$2 94
Teachers,
432 00
Janitors,
79 30
Rent,
73 34
Fuel and lights,
31 80
Incidentals,
44 52
$663 90
Balance Feb. 1, 1910,
36 10
APPARATUS
RECEIPTS.
Balance Feb. 1, 1909,
$7 10
Appropriation, 250 00
$257 10
EXPENDITURES.
Apparatus, chemicals and books
of reference,
$258 95
Overdrawn Feb. 1, 1910, $1 85
ESTIMATES FOR ENSUING YEAR.
High School,
$5,100 00
Common schools, 19,500 00
Contingent schools,
4,500 00
168
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Evening schools,
Apparatus,
$700 00 250 00
- $30,050 00
Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Committee,
J. A. WHITTAKER, Chairman.
February 1, 1910.
Superintendent's Report.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
Gentlemen: I have the pleasure to present to you my eighth annual report, it being also the twenty-fifth of the series of reports issued by the Superintendents of the public schools of this town. Throughout this report the year relative to attendance extends from September, 1908 to July, 1909; the year relative to expenditures, owing to the premature closing of the town accounts, from February, 1909 to January, 1910.
Statistics.
I. POPULATION AND VALUATION.
Population of town, census of 1905,
11,000
Assessed valuation of town, $5,698,528
Number of polls, 3,576
Rate of taxation, $22.60
Valuation of school houses and lots,
$127,900
Valuation of other school property, $6,880
II. SCHOOL HOUSES.
School houses, occupied, 12
School rooms, occupied,
35
Unoccupied, 2
Number of sittings,
1,463
170
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
III. TEACHERS
Number of male teachers, 2
Number of female teachers, 37
Number of special teachers, female, 2
41
Number of teachers in evening schools, males, 1 ; females, 8, 9
IV. PUPILS
Number of children in town September 1, as re- ported by the census enumerator :
1908
1909
Between the ages of 5 and 15 2109
2173
Between the ages of 7 and 14 1628
1766
Total enrolment, Sept. to June.
1185
1348
Average number belonging.
1016.07
1157.02
Average daily attendance 933.42
1082.16
Per cent. of attendance 92.86
93.42
Number under 5 years of age 4
11
Number over 15 years of age 136
132
Number between 5 and 15 1043
1195
Number between 7 and 14 732
867
Number enrolled at Notre Dame 863
835
Number under 5 years of age .0
0
Number between 5 and 15 852
833
Number between 7 and 14. .819
816
Average number belonging
Average attendance 743.7
763
Per cent. ef attendance 91.9
91
Number of teachers .
12
Number enrolled at St. Mary's
178
182
Number under 5 0
0
Number over 15 13
13
171
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Number between 5 and 15 .
165
169
Number between 7 and 14 143
94
Average number belonging
178
182
Average attendance
173
170
Per cent. of attendance
97
93.4
Number of teachers ..
.6
6
EVENING SCHOOLS
Number
Enrolled
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Per Cent. of
Attendance.
Number of
Evenings.
Main Street boys ..
89
81.
76.79 94.8
39
River Street boys
26
24.69
23.43 94.89
39
Main Street girls
37
31.1
27.75 89 61
39
River Street girls
47
33.48 27.28 77.53
39
COST PER PUPIL
Total expenses for the grades. $21,944 37 Cost per grade pupil based on total enrolment .. $16 28 Cost per grade pupil based on average enrolment.$18 96 Total expenses for the High school $4,426 83
Cost per pupil based on total enrolment $34 86 Cost per pupil based on average enrolment .$37 62
PHYSICAL TESTS
Children examined 1,245 Eyes defective 156 Ears defective. 55 Parents notified 131
172
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CHANGE OF TEACHERS.
The following is a list of the changes of teachers from February 1, 1909 to February 1, 1910 :-
RESIGNED.
Month.
Teachers.
School.
March. Mabel Ross,
Morse District
June. Emily Mague,
Elm IV Main III
June. Sadie Dickinson,
June. Ardel Cota,
Lebanon Hill
Sept. Eliza Ward,
High
Nov. Gertrude Healy,
Marcy st V
Dec. Ethel Bates,
Morse District
Dec. Alice Dolan,
Marcy VI
Dec. Eva Conner,
Dec.
Helen Grant,
Marcy VII Substitute
TRANSFERRED.
Sept. Margaret McCarthy, School III to Elm IV
Sept. Alice Green, Marcy VII to Main III
Sept. Mary Spring, Morse District to Mechanics I
Sept. Mary Butler, Mechanics I to Main I
Sept. Susie Knight, Main I to Assistant
APPOINTED
March. . Mary Spring,
Morse District
April. Ardel Cota,
Sept. Miriam Tenney,
Sept. Ethel Bates,
Morse District
Lebanon Hill
Oct. Eveline Gagnon,
Nov. Martha Clark,
Jan. Mary Coonan,
Jan. Ethel Brady,
Jan. Maud Forsythe,
Lebanon Hill High
Sept. Stella Hefner,
Assistant Marcy V
Marcy VI Morse District Substitute
173
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CORPS OF TEACHERS FEBRUARY 1, 1910.
NAME.
Salary.
Date of first
Election.
Grade.
Educated.
F. E. Corbin
$1,000
1902
Supt.
Williams college.
F. E. Corbin.
1,100
1886 Prin. H. S.
Bertram Albro.
1,050
1907 Assistant
Laura Williams
750
1890
. .
Alice Puffer.
650
1908
Harriet Parmenter
650
1908
..
Radcliffe.
Miriam Tenney
550
1909
6 6
Tufts.
Laura E. Shepardson
600
1897 IX.
Nichols Academy.
per month
Mary Meagher
50
1887!VIII.
Southbridge H. S.
Alice Holmes
57
1878 VII.
Palmer H. S
Annie Simpson.
46
1900 VII.
Worcester Normal.
Blanche Harwood.
44
1903 VI.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Coonan
40
1910 VI.
Worcester Normal.
Carrie Barber
44
1908 V.
Dansville Normal.
Martha Clark.e
40 1909 V.
Jennie Gilbert.
14
1905 IV.
Bridgewater Nor'l.
Mary Connelly
4
1908 IV.
Margaret McCarthy
40
190SIV.
Mary Chase.
1906 II-IV.
Bertha Harwood.
44
1901|III.
Southbridge H. S.
Amelia Guinasso.
44
1907 III.
Westfield Normal.
Alice Green.
1908 III.
Jane Farquhar
44
1887 II-III.
Jessie Barber
14 1908 II-III.
Mary Boardman.
46
1891 II.
Southbridge H. S.
Margaret Butler
46
1893 II.
Southbridge H. S.
Nettie Stone
1898 II.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary McCabe
44
1890 I.
Mary Ellis.
44
1883 I.
Mabel Chamberlain
44
1902 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Butler
44
1907 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Spring.
40
1909 I.
Bertha Johnson.
41
1907 I-II-III.
Stella Wood
40
1907 Ungraded.
Stella Hefner
36 1909
Ethel Brady
36 1910
66
Susie Knight
25
1858| Assistant.
Eveline Gagnon
12
1909
Southbridge H. S.
Maud Forsythe
36 1910 Substitute.
Westfield Normal.
Anna Eager
60 1896 Drawing.
Mary Carey
50 1908|Music.
Normal Art School. N. E. Conservatory.
Agnes Meagher.
46 1886 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Quincy Training. Southbridge H. S.
Perry Normal.
Worcester Normal. Worcester Normal. Home School.
Worcester Normal. Quincy Training. Albany Normal.
Worcester Normal. Worcester Normal. Southbridge H. S.
Brown University. Worcester Normal. Southbridge H. S.
Boston University. Nor'l & Boston U. Radcliffe.
Grammar.
174
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL REGISTERS.
For School Year Ending
June 1900.
Grade.
Number of Boys Reg
Number of Girls Reg-
istered.
Total.
Average Membership
Average Attendance.
Per Cent of Atten- dance.
High School Marcy Street
IX
21
19
40
37 6
36 35
96 84
VIII
17
23
40
32 47
30 57
94 19
VIIe
28
24
52
47 37
43 75
92 05
VIIW
31
26
57
37 26
35 56
95 21
VIe
21
27
48
39 39
37 03
94 61
..
VIw
27
20
47
37 81
36 31
96 08
Ve
34
24
58
46 5
44
94 10
Elm Street
IV
24
23
47
37 6
35 56
94 6
Mechanic Street
IV
31
23
54
32 12
28 26
91 72
School Street
:IV
15
28
43
39 31
36 33
92 50
Main, Street
IV-II
21
16
37
36 2
33 69
93 03
Mechanic Street
III
23
18
41
42 08
37 88
89 63
School Street
III
23
18
41
40 56
37 75
92 99
Morris Street
III-II
23
14
37
37 45
36 07
96 66
Main Street
II
20
30
50
41 70
39 22
93 77
Mechanic Street
II
20
22
42
36 73
34 71
95 40
School Street
II
19
18
37
36 61
33 75
92 23
River Street
II
16
16
32
25 81
24 64
95 42
Sandersdale
I-II-III
18
16
34
24 30
21 56
88 72
Elm Street
I
15
35
50
37 52
34 06
90 73
Main Street
I
22
26
48
36 63
33 08
90 25
Mechanic street
I
22
20
40
39 28
36 68
92 99
Morris Street
I
20
20
41
29 78
28 56
94 04
School Street
I
20
15
35
26 27
24 70
92 53
River Street
1
27
14
41
31 74
30 51
96 69
Dennison
14
4
18
18 43
17 43
94 58
Lebanon
2
4
6
10 00
10 00
95 00
Morse District
11
3
14
11 34
10 30
91 20
698
€50
1348
1157 02 1082 16
93 42
Vw
26
22
48
48 4
44 45
92 33
Main Street
24
17
41
41 36
37 90
91 9
62
65
127
117 4
111 5
94 72
istered.
175
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ATTENDANCE
The pupils daily attendance at school has gradu- ally improved for the past three years : in 1907 it was 92.6 ; in 1908, 92.86 and in 1909, 93.42.
This is a very good record as 90, or above is re- garded as satisfactory by the state authorities while less than 90, is generally regarded as a proof of the lax enforcement of the laws of attendance. The com- pulsory school age is between the years of seven and fourteen. Between the ages of fourteen and sixteen the child must be either at school or at work.
During the last calendar year our records show that one hundred ninety seven work certificates have been issued to children between fourteen and sixteen years of age. Of this number one hundred thirty three, seventy-two boys and fifty-eight girls, were practically given the day the child became fourteen.
Several cases have occurred where with a few more days of attendance the pupil might have completed the term but the sole idea seems to be to get to work at the earliest possible moment. The thought that an education can have any monetary value never seems to have occurred to the parent. Doubtless the services of many of these children are needed to assist in sup- porting the family but many show by their appear- ance that their help is not essential. The great majority of these children drop out in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. A child of average intelligence should have approximately completed the ninth grade at the age of fourteen. The most of these children begin work when their knowledge is limited to reading and writ- ing and because of these limitations will be compelled to always do the lower grades of work.
176
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
An illustration of the value of an education which was given in the 1907 report seems not inappropriate.
Boys who get tired of going to school should read the following, written by Professor Adams, of Fayette, (Ohio) college :
"The average educated man gets a salary of $1,000 per year. He works forty years, making a to- tal of · 40,000 in a lifetime. The average day laborer gets $1.50 per day, 3.0 days in the year, or $450 in a year. In forty years he earns $18,000. The difference, or $22,000, equals the value of an education. To ac- quire this earning capacity requires twelve years at school of 180 days each, or 2,160 days. Divide $22,000, the value of an education, by 2,160, number of days required in getting it, we find that each day at school is worth a little more than $10 to a pupil. Can't afford to miss school, can we ?"
As regards the money value of a higher education towards which many of our pupils are striving I quote the following from a lecture recently delivered by President Hyde of Bowdoin College. Speaking of the gifts conferred by a collège education, one of which is the gift to earn a comfortable living, he said : "A recent investigation shows that 493 graduates of Bowdoin College, who have been out of college more than 10 years, are earning on an average $3,356. The 64 phy- sicians in that number earn on an average $4,687 ; the 154 lawyers average $4,577 ; the 108 engaged in teach- ing average $2,258, and 68 ministers an average of $1,559."
REPAIRS
More than the accustomed amount of repairs have been made this year.
177
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
While none of the school property is allowed to go till it has a run down appearance yet a time comes when more extensive repairs than usual have to be made.
School buildings as a rule are an ornament to a town and when neat and well kept are an incentive to a pupil to keep himself tidy and his belongings in good order.
At the Morse district the school building was painted inside and out, walls painted, ceiling whitened and the desks varnished. This work was done so thoroughly that it will be some years before many re- pairs can be needed there again.
Owing to the increase of school children at Leb- anon hill the school which had been closed for two years was re-opened and all inside wood work painted and ceiling whitened.
It is noticeable that the parents in the distinctly rural districts take more pride in the appearance of their school buildings than many who live in the town proper. Some from having attended the school, and hence from association, are desirous of having the building kept up and others from the commercial side who consider a dilapidated school building as a black mark against the community.
Steel ceilings were placed in both rooms of the building at Morris street. These are the first that have been placed in any of the town school buildings while the committee have had such action in view for some time this is the first year that our funds have been sufficient to start the work. A good opportunity was presented in this building as the ceilings had become much discolored through leakage which had been remedied the year before by laying a gravel roof.
178
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Besides placing these ceilings the building was painted throughout on the inside and now the rooms present a very attractive appearance.
At Elm street a gravel roof was layed and the walls of the rooms painted and ceilings whitened.
At Marcy street steam pipes were installed in one of the basement rooms used for industrial work. All of the expense for this work has been kept within the appropriation.
All of our school buildings have been connected with the sewer as soon as the sewer reached them and during the coming summer connections will be made with the sewer at the School street building. This will involve a considerable outlay, as the basement should be deepened in order to make suitable accommodations.
SICKNESS
While we probably have no more cases of conta- gious diseases among school children than in other communities of the same size and of similar conditions yet parents have a feeling that such diseases are very liable to be contracted at school and whenever conta- gious diseases break forth many through fear take their children from school. While on the one hand the judgment of the parent in this matter has never been interfered with yet neither on the other hand are the school authorities lax in looking after the health of the pupils entrusted to their care.
The opinion is prevalent that pupils are given their books and supplies in a hit or miss manner and that disease is contracted by using material which has been handled by other pupils.
This opinion contains but a single grain of truth. The pupils are given their own individual books, pencils and erasers and they have no excuse for borrowing
179
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
from their neighbors and are forbidden to. All material except the books are used up by the individual pupil, the books have to be used another year. When the pupil enters the fifth grade he is given a set of books which he takes with him when he is promoted to the next grade and keeps as far as they are used in the grades above.
Whenever a pupil has contracted a contagious disease the books and all material used by him have been burned and the room and generally the entire building has been fumigated by the agent of the Board of Health.
The law governing the attendance of children who have contracted a contageous disease or been exposed to such disease has been rigidly enforced. The law is as follows :
No child can attend school from a household in which there is a case of smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or measles, or from a household exposed to a contagion from a household as aforesaid. Two weeks after the death, removal or recovery of the patient in a case of the first three mentioned, or three days after in a case of measles, the child may return, on presen- tation of a certificate from the attending physician or from the Board of Health .- Chap. 44, Sect. 6.
Careful attention is also given to the thorough cleaning of the buildings. The janitors besides being required to sweep twice a week and oftener if neces- sary are also required to mop the floors at the end of each term, a certain amount of disinfectant being add- ed to the water.
While the committee have not progressed to the point of hiring a scrub woman as an assistant jani- tress, as is done in some places, they have experiment- ed with a pneumatic cleaner and are ready to purchase
180:
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
one when they are satisfied that they have found the one best adapted to our needs.
The medical journals now devote much space to the "deadly drinking cup" as found in schools, ears and at public fonntains, cheerfully stating the number of thousand bacteria that can be found on each square inch of its surface. Our school children, however, es- cape this danger as our school buildings have for some years been provided with drinking fountains, and the deadly tin dipper is only found iu the outer districts where the water board has not as yet extended its pipes.
Fire gongs have been placed in all the buildings and a fire drill is required at least once a month. Some of these drills have been inspected by the chief of the fire department, who reports that the pupils are marched out promptly and in good order.
A minute and one.half is ample time for marching out the pupils. If the same discipline can be main- tained in case of a real fire little chance will be given for a serious accident.
Attention is called to the reports of the special teachers.
Respectfully submitted,
F. E. CORBIN.
EVENING SCHOOLS REPORT.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Sir:
In conformity with our usual custom, I herewith submit my annual report of our labors in the Public Evening Schools for the Fall term of 1909.
Commencing Sept. 14th, the term extended until the 15th of December; giving 39 evening sessions to both boys and girls at each of the two schools.
The sessions for the Globe Village contingent were held, as usual, in the River Street school house ; and for the "down town" section were held, same as last year, in the old "National Band Hall," in the Edwards Block, on Main street.
The total enrollment was about 120 boys, and pos- sibly half that number of girls. They consisted mostly of Albanians, Polanders and French-Canadians ; but there were also some Italians, Greeks, Jews and Rou- manians ; and in the "Advanced Class" Americans, Irish and French.
The attendance was fully up to the average of previous years in the boys schools ; many of the pupils not missing a single session throughout the term ; and many more being absent only once.
There were, as usual, many "grown-ups" who sauntered into the school for a few evenings ; probably impelled by curiosity to see what was going on ; but after finding that it was "strict attention to business" soon dropped out again, without remaing long enough to be considered enrolled members.
On the other hand, many who were not compelled
182
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
to do so, attended regularly throughout the term and made good progress.
By far the greater number of pupils, however ranged from 16 to 20 years of age, and attended in compliance with the State Laws, regulating the em- ployment of minors and illiterates in our shops and factories. The course of study was confined principally to reading, writing, arithmetic, language and element- ary American History.
Considerable time was devoted each evening to sentence building and number work , in both of which branches satisfactory progress was made.
Some attention was also given to letter-writing, both of a social and business nature, with those who were able to grasp this branch ; but the major part of our time was taken up with the purely elementary studies.
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