USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1860-1869 > Part 2
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UNION DISTRICT.
Districts 4 and 7 unite in the winter, forming the Union School. It is still in operation, and will be examined the twenty-third of March. The committee were fortunate in securing the services of Mr. Alfred Bunker, of Nantucket, a recent graduate of the Bridgewater Normal School, under whose care the school has been brought into good condition, and is doing well. An assistant teacher is much needed. Mr. Bunker works assiduously, early and late, but is unable to perform all the labor needed in the school.
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
For the accommodation of the assistant teacher which we recommend the Union District to employ hereafter, a com- fortable room might be fitted up either in the basement of the Union School-House, or over the hall.
We are happy to report the school-houses in Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 5, in good condition, commodious and pleasant. That in No. 4 is tolerable, and answers very well the purpose for which it is used, -a summer school. The house in No. 8 needs extending. There is no room on the floor for a class, none for visitors, and but very little for the teacher, - hardly enough for suitable respiration. Besides enlarging and re- pairing, we would invite the district to consider the subject of putting in new seats.
In District No. 7 is the poorest school-house in town. Where we should naturally look for the best, - a model - stands one which is no ornament or honor to the place ; how- ever good a representative it may be. We regret that so much was expended upon it last year, as it is still very far from what a New England village school-house ought to be. If, as many suppose, a scholar's mind is modeled after the room
22
in which he lives and studies, the importance of spacious, un- scarred, and unpolluted school-houses is very obvious.
IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS.
We invite all to a diligent comparison of the two columns in the table, denoting the whole number of scholars, and the average attendance ; and to set themselves to work earnestly to bring the average attendance, hereafter, up very nearly to the number of scholars.
We have not reported the tardiness ; but could we transfer to this page the many long columns of tardy marks which may be seen in most of the registers, they would speak more forcibly than words. Absenteeism and tardiness are among the worst evils our schools have to contend with. Parents, we call upon you to remove these clogs ; to you belongs this work.
LENGTH OF SCHOOLS.
The following act was approved by the governor, April 6, 1859, and is now in force : "In every town in the common- wealth, there shall be kept, for at least six months in each year, at the expense of said town, by a teacher or teachers of competent ability and good morals, a sufficient number of schools for the instruction of all the children who may legally attend public school therein." Any town which refuses to comply with this law " shall forfeit a sum equal to twice the highest sum which had ever before been voted for the support of schools therein." In compliance with the above act, the schools have been kept six months the present year, which has taken so much money that, in some districts, there is not enough left for the summer schools ; as will be seen by re- ferring to the table. There is certainly not enough in Nos. 3 and 8. Ten dollars and forty-three cents were overpaid last year in No. 3 ; else there would be enough in that district for three months' schooling in the summer.
The sum raised by the town, for the support of schools, is -
- - $1,400 00
Received from the school fund, - - -
76 86
Total, -
- - - - $1,476 86
23
The number of persons in town on the first of May, 1859, between 5 and 15 years of age, - 367.
In conclusion, we would say that it is still the duty of the school committee to " select and contract with the teachers of of the public schools," . " unless the town determines that the duty may be performed by the prudential committee."
T. B. CALDWELL, IRA BAILEY, SANFORD BENTON,
School
Committee.
MARCH 1, 1860.
Summer.
Wages per month.
Number of months.
Amount of wages.
Whole number of Scholars.
Average attendance.
Number from 5 to 15.
Amount of Money for each
person from 5 to 15.
Amount of money for each
District.
Money left in Treasury.
1 G. D.
$22.00
24
$49.50
36
26 22-15 46
101
$3.33.9
$337.25
$143.02
1 P. D.
18.00
24
40.50
52
2
20.00
35
70.00
3
17.00
3
51.00
27
23 1-3
25
5.33.5
133.38
42.48
4
15.00
5%
86.25
40
27 54-115
47
4 09.3
192.39
111 26
5
18.00
81.00
44
34 2-9
39
4.38.2
170.93
113.03
6
21
4.02.4
84.51
7
22.00
51
115.50
58
39
69
3.64.3
251.41
128.47
8
18.00
23
49.50
26
21
26
5.23.3
136.06
11.35
Winter.
1 G. D.
$24.00
33
$90.00
48
39 19-37
1 P. D.
18.00
23
67.50
51
40
2
22.00
3
82,50
40
31 +
3
24.00
3
72.00
35
30
5
20.00
3
60.00
39
34 19-60
8
20.00
37
65.00
32
27
Union,
46 00
44
195.50
67
50
221.90
39
4 38 2
170.93
59 31
1
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
Selectmen,
verseers
of the Door,
TOWN CLERK, AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
WEST BRIDGEWATER,
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1861.
BOSTON:
PRINTED BY DAMRELL & MOORE, 16 DEVONSHIRE STREET. 1861.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
Selectmen, verseers of the Door,
TOWN CLERK, AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
WEST BRIDGEWATER,
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1861.
BOSTON: PRINTED BY DAMRELL & MOORE, 16 DEVONSHIRE STREET. 1861.
REPORT.
THE Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor of the Town of West Bridgewater submit the following report, showing the re- ceipts and expenditures of said town for the year ending March 1,1861 : -
RECEIPTS.
The balance in the treasury, March 1, 1860, was . $3266 83 To which has been added the amount of
the state, county, and town taxes, for 1860, $5822 02
The income of the Mass. school fund, 75 23
The amount received for dog licenses, . 75 00
Received from the liquor agency, 42 17
Received of estate of Ezekiel Reed for supplies and expenses, 15 34
Received of the town of Easton for ex- penses of Ella Phillips, .
6 82
Received of the town of Stoughton for expenses of Jacob Talbot, Jr., . ·
10 50
Received of the town of N. Bridgewater for expenses of Rowena Keith, ·
3 50
6050 58
$9317 41
EXPENDITURES.
For the support of the poor in the alms. house, including the warden's salary for one and a half years, . $371 98
Amount carried forward,
$371 98
4
Amount brought forward, $371 98
For support of paupers out of the house : For Cyrus Lothrop, 37 50
For Silas Dunbar, 30 00
For Sarah A. Pike and children, at N. Bridgewater, . 58 53
For Daniel Richards and wife, at East Bridgewater, . 15 75
For Martha Tribou, at state lunatic hos- pital, at Taunton, .
64 36
For paupers belonging to other towns, . 14 57
To Samuel Ryder, for hay furnished Ezekiel Reed, 9 42
$602 11
Paying the state tax of 1860,
$232 50
Paying the county tax of 1860, 788 35
$1020 85
Support of Schools, viz. :
To District No. 1,
$327 42
66
No. 2,
161 50
66 66 No. 3,
128 75
66 No. 4,
100 25
No. 5,
108 61
66
No. 6,
36 00
No. 7,
143 61
$6
66 No. 8,
102 59
" Union District,
·
221 00
$1329 73
Repairs of Highways, by the Appropriation of 1859.
By Amasa Howard, in Dist. No. 1, $42 94
Shepherd L. Pratt, 66 No. 2, 56 82
" Lewis Ryder, " No. 3, 64 27
" Pardon Copeland, No. 4, 37 97
" Thomas Ames, No. 5, 47 00
" Davis Alger,
No. 6, 42 03
Amount carried forward,
$291 03
.
.
.
5
Amount brought forward, $291 03
Repairs of Highways, by the Appropriation of 1360.
By Henry Bartlett, in Dist. No. 1, · $99 79
" Denison Packard, 66 No. 2,
·
135 53
" John L. Hayward, No. 3,
165 25
" James Copeland, 66 No. 4,
102 57
" Dwelley Fobes, No. 5,
79 20
" Alfred N. Peckham, " No. 6, . 47 34
629 68
$920 71
For building a new Road from the Union School- House to Flaggy-meadow Bridge.
To Edward Bird, for making two sections, $347 75 To John M. Lothrop, in part, for making one section, 125 00
113 50
To S. N. Howard, for making one section, To Thomas Snell, for making one section, 25 20 To S. N. Howard, for land for gravel for the road, . 100 00
$711 45
To Bradford Snell, for a piece of land for gravel, $30 00
To Hiram Howard, for gravel purchased by the surveyor, 10 00
To Joseph Kingman, for gravel purchased by the surveyor, 1 80
To the heirs of Charles Howard, for gravel purchased by the surveyor,
3 00
To Willard Ames, for gravel purchased by the surveyor,
3 75
To Lewis Ryder, for gravel purchased by the surveyor,
8 16
56 71
For iron pillars, and repairing three stone bridges, . 7 51
6
School-house Taxes.
For paying a part of the school-house taxes of 1856, 1857, and 1858 in District No. 1, . . For paying a part of the school-house tax of 1859 in District No. 2, 107 59 For paying a part of the school-house tax of 1853 in District No. 4, 3 73
For paying a part of the school house tax of 1859 in District No. 7, 13 84
$128 45
$253 61
Town Officers.
To T. B. Caldwell, for two days examining teachers, . ·
$3 00
For twelve days visiting schools, 18 00
To Rev. I. Bailey, for three and a half days examining teachers, writing reports, &c., $5 50
$21 00
For eleven days visiting schools, 16 50
22 00
To Dr. G. A. Collamore, for half-day ex- amining teachers, $0 75
For ten days' visiting schools, 15 00
15 75
To Rev. Sanford Benton, for 3} days visit- ing schools, 5 25
To Frederic Copeland, for 10 days services as School Committee,
15 00
To James Howard, for 8 days as Overseer of the Poor, $12 00
. For team, for 3 journeys, 2 07
For 27 days taking account of property for, and making, the State returns, and copying the old valuation, for the Valua- tion Committee, 54 00
For 2} days as Road Committee, . 3 75
For one day making out State papers, 1 50
For thirteen days appraising property for a new valuation, 19 50
Amount carried forward, $92 82
7
Amount brought forward, $92 82
For fourteen days making the valuation and taxes, and copying for the collector, 21 00
For nineteen days on selectmen's duties, . 28 50
For services as town clerk,
$142 32 28 68
To Albert Copeland for six and a half days, as selectman, $9 75
For services as overseer of the poor and team for do.,
16 00
For one day as Road Committee, 1 50
For eight days on valuation duties, as re- quired by the State, . 16 00
For four and a half days as assessor, .
6 75
To George D. Ryder, for 5} days' on
duties as Selectman, .
$8 25
For services as Overseer of the Poor, 4 12
For 10¿ days' services as Assessor, 15 75
For 16 days on valuation duties required by the State,
32 00
For one day as Road Committee,
1 50
61 62
5 23
33 50
$6 00
50
6 50
4 00
To James Copeland, for 8 days as Road Committee,
$12 00
For advertising,
2 75
For expenses to Plymouth,
1 50
16 25
To Joseph Kingman, for services as Auditor of Accounts,
2 00
To Caleb Copeland, Jr., for services as Auditor of Accounts, .
1 00
To Lewis G. Howard, for services as Audi- tor of Accounts, ·
1 00
For half a day as Road Committee, 75
1 75
$435 60
50 00
To Thomas Pratt, for services as constable, To Job Bartlett, for the duties of sexton, To Caleb Howard, for tolling the bell, For half a day as Road Committee,
To William J. Stanley, for tolling the bell, To Jonas Hartwell, for 22 days as Road Committee,
3 75
8
Incidentals.
To Simeon Taylor, for repairing road scraper,
$4 00 To George D. Ryder, for plank for road scraper, 2 00
To F. Copeland, for surveying, &c., 5 00
To S. O. Copeland, for surveying, &c., 2 00
For expenses for Ezekiel Reed,
2 00
To Register of Deeds, for a copy, 75
For enforcing the dog law,
5 50
For expense of two journeys to Boston, and one each to Plymouth and New Bedford, 7 46 To Congregational Society, for Town Hall, 40 00
For printing and advertising, . 31 00
To D. Reed, for a pair of handcuffs,
2 00
To Howard & Clark, for a book-case,
30 00
For sealing the town weights and measures,
7 25
For postage and express,
4 19
For blank books and paper,
2 75
For school books ordered by the School Committee, 1 89
$147 79
The treasurer has also been credited with the following sums, viz : -
Six per cent discount on the state, county, and town taxes of 1860, $349 32 . . Sundry abatements on the state, county, and town taxes, for 1856-60, 87 93
Sundry abatements on the school-house taxes of 1856 and 1857, in Dist. No. 1, 1 76 Sundry abatements on the school-house tax of 1859, in District No. 2, . 3 92
Sundry abatements on the school-house tax of 1859, in District No. 7, . 32
443 25
The foregoing expenses amount to . $5929 32
Leaving a balance this day in the Treasury of . $3388 09
9
Liabilities of the Treasury.
Due School District No. 1, of the last year's
· $156 72 appropriation, ·
Due School District No. 2, of the last year's appropriation,
66 34
Due School District No. 3, of the last year's appropriation,
54 01
Due School District No. 4, of the last year's appropriation, 184 32 Due School District No. 5, of the last year's appropriation, 186 77
59 43
Due School District No. 6, of the last year's appropriation, · . Due School District No. 7, of the last year's appropriation,
114 47
Due School District No. 8, of the last year's appropriation, 43 39
Due Union District, of the last year's ap- propriation, .
219 85
$1085 30
For Repairs of the Highways.
Due District No. 1,
· $90 21
66 66 66
2,
30 72
66
74 75
66
66 66
4,
39 93
66
5,
63 30
66
6,
72 35
371 26
School-house Taxes.
Due School District No. 1, the remainder of the School-house Taxes of 1856-58, Due School District No. 2, the remainder of the School-house Tax of 1859, 27 95
$24 46
Due School District No. 4, the remainder of the School-house Tax of 1853, 1 43
Due School District No. 7, the remainder of the School-house Tax of 1859, 8 00
61 84
For the use of the Town Hall for one year, ending April 7 next, 40 00
All of the above indebtedness amounts to $1558 40
After paying which the Treasury will be reduced . to .
$1829 69
3,
·
2
10
EXPENSES AND RECEIPTS OF THE ALMS-HOUSE ESTAB- LISHMENT, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1861.
Expenses.
Paid for flour and grain,
. $118 14
meat and provisions, . .
23 00
66
W. I. goods and groceries,
73 91
grass and garden seeds,
5 30
66 clothing, .
44 81
furniture and tools,
20 26
tobacco and snuff,
5 69
66
liquor and medicine, .
2 50
repairs of the buildings,
5 30
66 smith-work,
94
66 swine,
21 05
Warden's services,
130 00
labor on the farm,
36 00
butchering,
2 53
66
fencing material,
4 17
66
other items,
3 85
three cofins,
21 75
Six per cent interest on the cost of the farm,
140 47
Nine "
66
buildings,
54 00
Ten "
furniture
and tools, .
25 34
Balance on inventory of personal estate at the house against the Town, 87 49
A physician's bill (not settled) of about, .
25 00
$851 50
Receipts.
For hay,
. $119 94
five calves,
.
·
3 46
potatoes,
15 50
" lard, butter, eggs, and milk,
40 68
" lumber, .
26 45
highway work and use of oxen, . .
25 10
$265 13
.
34 00
one hide,
11
The present number of paupers in the almshouse is five; the average number therein during the year was seven and a quarter, besides entertaining about sixty transient persons for a night. The cost of each pauper in the house during the last year, per week, including all the charges against the establishment as made above, was $1.60.
LIQUOR AGENCY.
Dr.
To stock in trade, March 1, 1860,
$106 00
" cash received for liquors, .
384 52
$490 52
Cr.
By money paid for liquors, ·
$273 35
66 paying agent's salary,
75 00
money refunded to the treasury,
4.2 17
66 stock in trade, March 1, 1861,
100 00
$490 52
JAMES HOWARD,
Selectmen
ALBERT COPELAND,
of
GEORGE D. RYDER,
West Bridgewater.
12
Intentions of Marriage recorded in West Bridgewater, from Jan. 1, 1860, to Jan. 1, 1861.
No. Date.
Names of Groom and Bride.
1 Jan. 12, Alvin R. Coffin and Catharine E. Morey.
2 April 12, James O'Leary and Margaret Harvey.
3 April 28, Charles C. Thayer and Mary C. Tucker.
4 June 4, Cyrus S. Howard and Sarah C. Corkins.
5 June 5, Henry R. Mokler and Mary Jane Fisher.
6 June 8, Issachar K. Snell and Emeline Corkins.
7 July 28, Ira E. Horton and Eunice Malvina Folsom.
8 Sept. 5, Thomas J. Clark and Hannah C. Bryant
9 Sept. 27, Michael Frauley and Catharine Gallegher. George Shipman and Lizzie Hathaway.
10 Sept. 27,
11 Oct. 12, William Green Field and Eliza Jane Hill.
12 Oct. 17, John F. Cooper and Lucinda K. Howard.
13 Oct. 25, Henry S. Keith and Thalia Alden.
14 Oct. 30, Francis B. Porter and Abby A. Hartwell.
15 Nov. 26, Henry D. Robinson and Sarah C. Sanborn.
16 Dec. 19, Wesley D. Lindsey and Mary F. Dunbar.
17 Dec. 22, Samuel W. Brett and Abigail E. Uppman.
The number of births registered in West Bridgewater, from Jan. 1, 1860, to Jan. 1, 1861, is 50.
13
Deaths registered in West Bridgewater during the year 1860.
No.
Date.
Names.
Yrs.
Mos. Days.
1.
Jan. 6.
Harriet A. Johnson,.
30
9
27
2.
Jan. 17.
Ebenezer Copeland, ..
86
6
26
Old Age.
3.
Feb. 12.
Charles Howard, ....
70
24
Erysipelas.
4.
Feb. 16.
Warren Hartwell, ...
1
1
16
Dropsy of Brain.
5.
Feb. 17.
John Flynn,.
19
Congestion of Lungs.
6.
Feb. 26.
- McAdams, .
..
85
8
24
Influenza.
8.
Mar. 21.
Theron Bryant, ..
52
Erysipelas and Con. of Brain.
9.
April 6.
Chloe Chipman .... . .
82
2
10
Old Age.
10.
April 30.
Anna Copeland, .. ....
36
8
26
Consumption.
11.
May 31.
Betsey Howard, .....
78
2
17
Pneumonia.
12.
June 8.
Lucy Brown Ames, .. Lucy S. Monroe, ....
85
10
8
General Anasarca.
14. 15.
June 21.
Thomas Wood,.
64
3
4
Dyspepsia.
16.
July 2.
Albert Copeland, ..
67
5
4 Low Typhoid Fever.
17. 18.
Aug. 4.
Sumner H. Kingman,
24
8
27
Typhoid Fever.
19. 20.
Aug. 15.
8
1
25
Diptheria.
21.
Sept. 12.
70
2
29
Consumption.
22.
Sept. 21.
1
5
14
Consumption.
23.
Oct.
1.
Ella Phillips, . ...
1
2
12
Marasmus.
24.
Oct. 5.
Betsey Fisher,.
8
5
Old Age.
25.
Oct. 10.
Clarence W. Hayward,
8
10 Cholera Infantum.
26.
Oct. 11.
Lavina Howard, .....
62
5
25 Ovarium Tumor.
27.
Oct. 25.
Cyrus Lothrop,
72
5
28
Paralysis.
Nov. 1.
4
6
Bronchial Consumption.
Nov. 13.
Lydia A. Ashport, ... Mary Ann Lucy, ... Martha Howard, .... - - Hancock, ... . .
52
11
18
Congestion of Lungs.
32. Dec. 12.
Hannah Hancock, ...
37
2
10 Congestion of Lungs.
33.
Dec. 18.
Denison Packard, ...
49
10
27 Bilious Colic.
34.
Dec. 24.
56
10
22
Paralysis.
35.
Dec. 25.
Lavinia Williams, ... Ellen Nulty, .. ... . .
24
Scrofula and Con. of Lungs.
13.
June 15.
Eli Hayw'd Richards,
36
5
Diptheria and Cong. of Brain.
July 23.
John O'Leary, .. ...
19
5
Suicide.
Aug. 1
James O. Staples, ... Frederic J. Staples, .. Betsey Tisdale, .....
12
1
27
Diptheria.
28. 29. 30. 31.
4
Consumption.
Nov. 28. Nov. 28.
..
7.
Feb. 29.
Cynthia Shaw,
10
5
1 Anquiosa Scarlatina.
June 16.
Johanna Lucy, ...
80
5 Premature Birth.
JAMES HOWARD, TOWN CLERK.
AGE.
Disease.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WEST BRIDGEWATER,
FOR THE YEAR 1860-61.
ON account of the resignation of one, and the removal from town of another, of the former committee, it became neces- sary for the town to elect an entire new board. It appearing, after the election, that Messrs. Cephas Pasco and Nahum Leonard, Jr., were not eligible, from not being residents of the town a sufficient length of time, the vacancies were filled by the appointment of Messrs. T. B. Caldwell and Frederick Copeland.
The special superintendence of the schools was divided in the following manner : -
Nos. 3, 5, and 7, summer, and Nos. 3, 5, and 6, winter terms, were visited by T. B. Caldwell.
Nos. 1, 6, and 8, summer, and No. 1 and Union, winter terms, by G. A. Collamore.
Nos. 2 and 4, summer, and Nos. 2 and 8, winter terms, by Fred. Copeland.
DISTRICT NO. 1. - COCHESETT.
Grammar Department. - This school was taught during the summer term by Mr. Ira Bailey. Mr. Bailey suc-
15
ceeded in maintaining a good degree of discipline during the term. If he was not entirely successful in gaining the good- will and confidence of his pupils, and if, consequently, the advance in intellectual acquirements was not sufficient to meet the expectations of the district, the committee believe it arose from no lack of labor or desire on his part. About one-half the scholars were present at the examination.
We are informed that a vote of the district required the prudential committee to hire a male teacher for the winter term. Accordingly, Mr. Bailey had been re-engaged. A week before the term was appointed to begin, a remonstrance, signed by fifteen legal voters of the district, claiming to be a majority of the parents, was received by the committee, pray- ing them to withhold their approbation from Mr. Bailey as teacher for the winter term, on general grounds of bis non- adaptation to the views of the district. On being informed of this opposition in the district, Mr. Bailey declined undertaking the school.
After some delay, the services of Mrs. Mary L. Selee, of Mansfield, were engaged. Mrs. Selee has had considerable experience as a teacher, and began her task with the deter- mination to do her whole duty, and spare no pains in the improvement of the school. Unexpected obstacles to a proper discipline, and the good order of the school, arose in the per- sons of several of the older boys, who, though of age to assume the manners of gentlemen, preferred to disgrace themselves by their improper conduct. As they appeared heedless of the wishes of their teacher, and innocent of polite- ness or courtesy, on application being made to the committee, the teacher was advised to dismiss them from school, which was accordingly done. Aside from these troubles, the school appeared quite orderly and studious, and special instances of superior scholarship might be mentioned. Attention was paid to regularity and the habit of neatness. On the whole, however, and without reference to this term, this school is not up to its proper standard of scholarship ; in particular, we
16
consider it deficient in knowledge of arithmetic, and good readers are in much too small proportion. Examination was attended by too few scholars to be entirely satisfactory, though the large number of over fifty visitors lent interest to the exercises. There is a lamentable lack of black-board in this room, which we should be pleased to see remedied before another session.
The Primary Department has been under the charge of Miss Lucinda K. Howard for the year. She has labored quite successfully in improving the condition of the school. She appeared to engage in a great degree the confidence and affec- tion of her pupils, so that both strove together towards a favorable result. Although we might mention defects, yet, as they principally arose from the imperfect hearing of the teacher, she is not so much to be censured on that account. At examination, the exercises passed off pleasantly ; the attendance of scholars was excellent, and we were glad to notice the presence of so many parents and friends.
DISTRICT NO. 2. - JERUSALEM.
Summer term, this school was under the care of Miss Orynthia T. Howard, of West Bridgewater. At the com- mencement, it was very backward ; but Miss Howard hap- pily proved herself to be well adapted to its wants, and, by judicious management and thorough teaching, succeeded in creating an interest in the school, which laid a good founda- tion for the winter term.
Winter term taught by Mr. Elbridge G. Ames, of North Bridgewater, a teacher of energy, ability, and experience. Under his care the school made steady advancement. The register showed that the scholars were nearly all there, con- stantly and promptly, during the session ; and the good at- tendance of the parents at the examination showed that they, too, were interested, which fact tends greatly to lighten the labors of a teacher. This school has had the highest per cent of attendance for the year.
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DISTRICT No. 3.
The summer term was under the charge of Miss Mary B. Hall, a graduate of the Bridgewater Normal School. This was her first attempt at teaching a public school. The order and discipline of the school, and all of its exercises, satisfied the visitor that she is an efficient manager, and a competent, skilful, and thorough instructor.
The winter term was kept by Miss Adeline Harris, a teacher of some experience. This school was also an example of what may be accomplished by a teacher in a good school. We wish parents were more alive to the fact that a good or bad school, so far as government is concerned, depends much upon them. Teachers sometimes receive credit or censure, which should be shared with parents.
DISTRICT No. 4.
Summer term was under the charge of Miss Mary Edson, of West Bridgewater. At the first visit of the committee, the school bid fair to be a successful one ; but, the teacher fail- ing to awaken a deep interest in the scholars (without which no teacher can labor to advantage), as the term advanced, they seemed to lose the interest manifested at its commencement, which disheartened the teacher, so that necessarily there could not be so great an improvement. In some branches advance- ment was made. The order was fair ; but, on the whole, we could not consider it a successful school.
DISTRICT No. 5.
The school was kept during the summer term by, and is now in charge of, Miss Emilie B. Reed.
The business aspect of the school, the recitations and de- portment of the pupils, are deserving of much commendation.
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Miss Reed's success in teaching is well known in this vicinity. Her claims as a teacher are due to her skill in the manage- ment of her school, as much as in giving instruction. We rank her among the first class of teachers.
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