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 1880-1890 > Part 10
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ways and new roads, 4,050 23
A full account of which can be found under the report of the Road Commissioners.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE SCHOOLS.
Appropriation for 1884, $3,000 00 State school fund, 219 96
$3,219 96
There has been drawn from the treasury for the support of schools, 3,339 92
Appropriation for school repairs for 1884, 400 00
There has been drawn from the treasury for re- pairs, books and supplies, 734 63
For a special account we refer you to the report of the School Committee.
OLD CEMETERIES.
Paid J. Q. Hartwell, $17 00
Clinton P. Howard, 12 00
$29 00
Appropriation for 1884,
50 00
15
SUPPRESSION OF CRIME.
Paid William A. Linehan,
$10 75
George Burke,
8 90
$19 65
STATE AID.
Under chapter 301, Acts 1879, paid the following persons :
James P. Gallagher,
$72 00
Charles T. Morse,
54 00
Francis W. Wood, 24 00
Patrick Dorgan, 72 00
John A. Freese,
54 00
William H. Jennings,
72 00
Lucius Dunbar,
72 00
Bradford Packard,
64 00
William A. Linehan,
57 00
Benjamin Philips,
36 00
Charles E. Churchill.
72 00
Ellis R. Holbrook,
36 00
William Crockett.
24 00
Mary E. Howard,
48 00
Mary E. Kingman,
48 00
Lucinda S. Lothrop,
48 00
Harriet S. Bouldry.
48 00
Mary J. Reeves.
48 00
Amelia H. Gilmore,
48 00
Andrew W. Perkins.
20 50
Mary Mullins,
40 00
Dennis Callahan,
66 00
John M. Maxim,
6 00
Eliza F. Richardson,
8 00
Charles E. Miller,
6 00
$1,143 50
16
MILITARY AID. Under chapter 252, Acts 1879.
George B. Randall,
$120 00
David W. Tinkham,
56 00
William B. Smith,
4 00
Michael Logue,
14 00
$194 00
One-half of which is paid by the State,
97 00
Town,
97 00
$194 00
Total amount paid for State and military aid, -
$1,337 50
TREASURER'S ACCOUNT.
RECEIPTS.
Balance in treasury Jan. 31, 1884,
$4,443 04
Discount on 1883 taxes received after Oct. 15,
1883, 137 18
Henry Copeland, note,
500 00
Susan E. Bowman, note,
200 00
Mark Dunbar, note,
500 00
Frank Dunbar, note,
500 00
Frank Dunbar, note,
800 00
Tax bills for 1884,
10,880 93
Corporation tax,
672 93
National Bank tax,
618 95
State aid,
1,036 00
Military aid,
39 00
Amount carried forward,
$20,328 03
17
Amount brought forward, Balance corporation tax, Income from school fund. Dog tax,
$20,328 03
280 43
219 96
249 98
$21,078 40
EXPENDITURES OF TREASURY .
James Howard, note and interest,
$528 00
Susan E. Bowman, "
210 00
Mark Dunbar,
6 6
510 00
Frank Dunbar, 66
816 00
Susan E. Bowman, “
..
208 00
Henry Copeland,
517 50
Frank Dunbar,
510 00
Discount on taxes for 1884,
494 92
State tax,
1,120 00
County tax.
901 60
Poor out the house,
680 94
Highways and new roads,
4,050 23
Incidentals,
574 72
Town officers,
765 15
School repairs and books, &c.,
734 63
Schools,
3,339 92
Suppression of crime,
19 65
Town farm,
849 00
Abatement,
157 00
Library,
320 30
Lectures,
100 00
Amount carried forward. $17,407 56
18
Amount brought forward,
$17,407 56
29 00
Old cemeteries, State aid, Military aid,
1,143 50
194 00
$18,774 06
Balance in treasury,
2,304 34
$21,078.40
CONDITION OF TREASURY, FEB. 2, 1885.
Cash on hand,
$1,016 86
Uncollected taxes, 1884,
1,067 68
Deed of Ward property,
43 10
Due from James Howard,
176 70
$2,304 34
Due from State for State aid furnished,
$1,143 50
Due from State for military aid furnished,
97 00
Due from Bridgewater,
44 94
Due from Braintree,
86 11
$1,371 55
AUDITORS' REPORT.
We, the undersigned, have examined the accounts of the treasurer of West Bridgewater for the year ending February 1, 1885, and have found them properly cast and vouched for.
HORACE W. HOWARD. BENJ. HOWARD.
19
LIST OF JURORS.
The following is a list of jurors presented for the consideration of the town, to be acted upon at the annual meeting, March 9, 1885 :
Cyrus Alger,
Horace W. Howard,
Charles W. Bacon,
Edward H. Keith,
Samuel D. Bartlett,
William A. Linehan,
Bradford Copeland,
John A. Millett,
Frank Copeland,
Japhet Packard,
John Copeland,
Joshua T. Ryder,
George R. Drake,
Israel H. Ross,
Lucius Dunbar,
Sylvester Rice,
Jonas G. Hartwell,
Charles T. Thayer,
Linus E. Hayward,
Abiel Washburn,
Clinton P. Howard,
James Howard,
Ellis Holbrook, Almond Rounds,
Joseph C. Howard,
George Withington,
Samuel H. Howard,
Eli Wheeler,
Leavitt T. Howard,
W. H. Jennings.
WE RECOMMEND THE TOWN TO APPROPRIATE
For support of poor,
$1,300 00
support of schools, 3,000 00
· school repairs and school incidentals, 450 00
highways and bridges,
2,500 00
town officers,
700 00
incidentals,
600 00
public lectures,
100 00
repairing old cemeteries, 50 00
The next annual town meeting will be held on Monday, the 9th day of March, 1885.
HENRY COPELAND, Selectmen,
MOLBRY A. RIPLEY,
Assessors and
SAMUEL H. HOWARD, S Overseers of the Poor.
20
Report of the Road Commissioners.
As the road scraper needed quite a sum expended in repairs to make it suitable for use, and as there were other machines in the market which would do more work with less power, we thought it better economy to buy a new machine than to repair the old one. After looking at different kinds, we bought the " Victor Reversible Machine." We think it has saved the town more than it cost this year.
In regard to the new roads in the south part of the town, we have expended the sums appropriated for that purpose, by building the road leading from Main street to Georges street, and by shaping the part leading from near the house of James Ryon to the Bridgewater line. We would recommend the town to gravel this part when Bridgewater builds from the line to Aldrich street.
The Road Commissioners have paid or approved bills for the following sum for work on roads :
Nathan Alger,
$59 55
Geo. L. Howard, 1 50
Edward Tisdale,
12 28
Fred Field, 19 50
Timothy Carroll, 64 30
Albert L. Alger,
155 40
Amount carried forward,
$312 53
21
Amount brought forward,
$312 53
harles T. Jackson,
2 50
Horatio Howard,
135 20
Horace Bartlett,
217 80
Samuel D. Bartlett.
3 38
John Olson,
24 00
Patrick Connolly,
31 88
Charles Howard,
73 80
John Cashman,
7 50
Samuel G. Copeland,
138 55
James Howard,
60 40
J. E. Ryder,
8 55
Clinton P. Howard,
56 13
S. N. Howard,
6 00
Lyman Copeland,
87 00
John H. Colwell,
45
James C. Leighton.
9 75
Michael Egan,
25 88
Michael McCarty,
4 50
Patrick O'Connors,
37 10
Bradford Copeland,
251 77
Geo. Howard,
12 65
Eli Wheeler,
18 75
Cyrus Alger,
39 60
Owen Conlon,
55 13
Timothy Linehan,
59 14
Peres P. Field,
10 10
H. G. Mitchell,
18 95
Michael R. Murphy,
24 50
John Shipman,
21 90
Ansel Alger,
12 15
James Macinatigh,
65 25
Stillman Hersey,
29 25
Amount carried forward,
$1,862 04
22
Amount brought forward,
$1,862 04
Purson West,
13 50
Prescott Snell,
3 50
William Q. Snell,
18 60
Henry Copeland,
51 45
Eiland Thayer,
20 06
C. C. Thayer,
6 30
Horace W. Howard,
256 72
Warren C. Kinney-
32 10
David Frahar,
28 50
J. Q. Hartwell,
6 25
W. F. Ryder,
15 77
Geo. Hopkins,
11 10
Charles Atwell,
12 49
Geo. R. Drake.
2 75
William Alger,
3 00
John Cortney,
15 00
Edward Madden, 2nd,
6 75
Owen King,
75 75
John Luddy,
22 50
Thomas J, Ames,
4 50
William Dovin,
11 00
John McCarty,
8 25
Thomas Luddy,
22 50
Timothy Madden,
21 25
Stephen O'Neil,
2 50
Seymore Whiting,
42 25
James Ryon, land damage,
5 00
Edward Madden, 1st, land damage,
7 60
Edward Madden, work.
7 50
Mrs. O'Neil, land damage and moving wall,
8 00
O'Neil boys, work,
15 00
Michael O'Fallen.
10 00
Amount carried forward, $2,629 48
23
Amount brought forward,
$2,629 48
Robert O'Fallen.
8 75
William Madden. 1 50
John Toomey & Son,
41 50
James Hennessey,
13 13
Peter Keenan, land damage and wall.
25 00
Peter Keenan, work,
18 00
Wm. B. Ames, land damage.
15 00
Edward Kenney,
10 50
Geo. Silva,
10 50
Geo. Goodyear, powder, fuse, &c ..
8 98
John Hennessey,
7 50
William Penpraese,
9 38
Thomas Hennessey,
7 50
Marcus Pierce,
9 00
Geo. Tyler, road machine,
215 00
Geo. Tyler, set of blades,
6 00
Freight on machine and two sets of blades,
2 99
100 ft. drain pipe,
16 00
Justin W. Richards,
40 15
Henry Conlon.
2 25
Anson Cobbett,
6 75
C. W. Copeland,
2 25
Barnabas Dunbar,
3 00
Geo. M. Pratt,
1 20
Heman Copeland,
8 70
Elihu Leonard,
7 50
Mrs. Dunn, land damage,
4 00
L. E. Hayward,
153 61
E. B. Wilbur,
335 69
D. Copeland,
432 47
Total,
$4,053 28
24
GUIDE BOARDS.
The Road Commissioners recommend that guide boards be maintained at the following places :
Joshua T. Ryder's,
Pardon Copeland's,
Justin W. Richard's,
North Center school-house,
Joseph Kingman's,
Heman Copeland's,
Lewis Ryder's,
Nahum Leonard's,
Pine Hill Cemetery,
J. Q. Hartwell's,
Charles Howard's,
Stillman W. Hersey's,
Charles T. Morse's,
Dwelley Forbes's.
Molbry A. Ripley's,
Benjamin Howard's.
James Alger's furnace,
George Wilbur's,
Barnabas Dunbar's,
John B. Holmes's,
Cyrus P. Browne's,
George R. Drake's,
Joseph Alger's,
Center Post Office,
West of Almshouse,
D. W. Gardner's,
Edmund Geary's,
Waldo Howard's.
STATEMENT.
Balance of appropriation for the repair of highways unexpended Feb. 1, 1884, $1,136 43
Appropriation for repairs of roads and bridges for 1884, 2,500 00
$3.636 43
Amount expended to Feb. 1, 1885,
3,053 23
Balance unexpended Feb. 1, 1885,
$583 20
FOR NEW ROADS.
Amount in treasury, Feb. 1, 1884,
$500 00
Appropriation for new roads, 1884,
500 00
Amount expended to Feb. 1, 1885, 1,000 00
$1,000 00
DAVIS COPELAND, L. E. HAYWARD, Road Commissioners.
E. B. WILBUR,
25
Town Clerk's Report.
Marriages Recorded in West Bridgewater in 1884. Jan. 27. George Hunt of West Bridgewater and Lillian A. Brown of Abington.
Feb. 16. Ernest W. Thayer and Emily J. Rose, both of West Bridgewater.
May 4. Nathaniel Pratt and Esther Boyd, both of West Bridgewater.
May 4. Chas. E. Dunbar and Harriet R. Etter, both of West Bridgewater.
May 17. Herbert C. Hatch of Falmouth and Laura Dunbar of West Bridgewater.
May 20. George A. Dunbar of Brockton and Emma L. Richards of West Bridgewater.
June 17. Caleb Copeland of West Bridgewater and Annie E. Snow of Braintree.
June 25. John E. Saxton of Brockton and Catherine Geary of West Bridgewater.
Aug. 6. Chessman L. Hume of Taunton and Adelaide F. Fisher of West Bridgewater.
Aug. 24. Adelbert A. Goss and Lula A. Gilman, both of West Bridgewater.
Sept. 20. George W. Wilds of West Bridgewater and Mary E. Lang of Brockton.
26
Sept. 24. Winsor I. Southworth of Brockton and Harriet A. French of West Bridgewater.
Sept. 27. George S. Drake of West Bridgewater and Abbie S. Duckworth of Bridgewater.
Oct. 3. Alfred E. Howard and Edith Snell, both of West Bridgewater.
Oct. 22. Willard Howard of West Bridgewater and Mary Dunham of Provincetown.
Oct. 28. £ Oliver S. Wilbur of Brockton and Lelia A. Lind- sey of West Bridgewater.
Nov. 7. James Brown and Kate Jennings, both of West Bridgewater.
Nov. 9. George M. Pratt and E. Juliet Ross. both of West Bridgewater.
Nov. 23. Edward Welsh of East Bridgewater and Alice E. Donahue of West Bridgewater.
Nov. 27. Bartholomew Doody of East Bridgewater and Han- nah Linehan of West Bridgewater.
LIST OF BIRTHS IN WEST BRIDGEWATER DURING THE YEAR 1884.
DATE.
NAME OF CHILD.
SEX.
NAMES OF PARENTS.
Jan. 1
Florence May Shaw.
.
.
Female. .
Horatio S. and Olive A. Shaw. .
Feb.
2
Bertha Louise Hall.
.
·
.
James W. and Maria S. Hennessey. .
20
Honora Sullivan.
Philip and Mary Sullivan. William and Catherine S. Penpraese. .
28
Preston JJ. Howard Penpraese.
Male. Female.
William and Mary Foye.
March 3 66
22
Florence Elizabeth Wilson. .
W. H. and M. Elizabeth Wilson.
May 66
18
Fred. Nahum Pillsbury.
Male.
Alphonzo and Lizzie S. Pillsbury.
66
19
Lila Maud Flagg. .
.
Female.
Loren A. and Loraine A. Flagg.
66
30
Edmund Maxfield Ames.
Male.
Philip and Margaret Kent.
July
29
Thomas Kent.
.
30
Herbert Lester Hopkins.
Female.
Samuel G. and Carrie L. Copeland.
Sept.
3
Betsey Carey Copeland.
Male.
Julius and Ida A. Hayward.
Oct.
William Herbert Hayward. .
.
.
Thomas J. and Catherine Marmion. .
.6
15 Fred. Dunbar Baker ..
Male ..
Fred. H. and Mary B. Baker.
Nov.
1
Herbert William Gardner.
David W. and Marietta F. Gardner.
Dec.
8
Gertrude Evelyn Kinney.
Female.
.
Warren C. and Harriet C. Kinney.
21
Samuel and Sophia Pittsley.
·
Clifford I. and Louise A. Hall. .
11
Alice Hennessey. .
Annie Loring Dovins. .
William and Adelia Dovins.
5
27
George and Etta Hopkins.
12 Mary Elizabeth Marmion.
.
Female.
William B. and Annie C. Ames.
Mary Foye.
DEATHS REGISTERED IN WEST BRIDGEWATER IN 1884.
Date.
Name of Deceased.
Y.
M.
D.
Place of Birth.
Cause of Death.
Names of Parents.
.Jan.
8
William Michie.
37
7
24
Yarmouth.
Phthisis.
23
Galen K. Richards.
61
14
West Bridgewater. East Bridgewater.
Heart disease. Old age.
27
Tabitha Colwell.
92
30
Amasa Iloward.
85
25
West Bridgewater. Norton.
Old age. Consumption.
Feb. 17
Emily J. Ames.
50
S
6
West Bridgewater.
29
Dennis E. Buttomer.
29
1
27
West Bridgewater.
Mar. 27
Michael R. Murphy.
24
6
29
West Bridgewater. Ireland.
28
Matthew Murphy. James MeAdams.
52
1
2
Ireland.
24
Laura C. Dodge.
70
Pneumonia.
Jeremiah and Laura Thayer. James Keneally.
28
21
Susan M. Williams.
76
1
19
Bangor, Maine.
Old age. Phthisis.
George and Nancy Fulmer. Alva and Clarissa Packard.
26
Bradford Packard.
65
10
17
Norton.
Oct. 3
William Howard.
62
8
22
West Bridgewater. Ireland.
Drowning. Plthisis.
William and Catherine Harrigan.
23 24
Bridget Fitzgerald. Jonas Leonard. Eliza A. Taylor. Jane M. Edson.
61
3
19
West Bridgewater.
Mitral insufficiency. Paralysis.
Dec. 2 7
Patrick Gormley.
1
6
10
Marasmus.
10
Betsey N. Bassett.
92
19
Marshfield.
Mitral insufficiency.
21
Lizzie S. Olson.
17
6
23 Sweden.
25
Charles Beals.
1
8
Livermore, Maine.
26
Lyman Copeland.
84
1
26
West Bridgewater.
Cysto-peritonitis.
John and Birthie Michie. John and Hannah Richards. Sylvanus and Joanna Howard. Jonathan and Mary Howard. Alva and Clarissa Packard.
John and Mary Luddy.
28
Edward Luddy.
18
Phthisis pulmonalis. Phthisis pulmonalis. Consumption.
John and Ellen Buttomer. Michael and Catherine Murphy.
16
Clora E. Loring. Sarah AA'Hearn. Margaret C. Cashion. Catherine Conneys. Mary A. Richards.
21
3
20
Phthisis acuta.
Patrick and Mary Cashion.
July 10
50
Heart disease.
Thomas and Margaret Luddy. Azel and Mary Copeland.
50
11
21 West Bridgewater.
Febroid phthisis.
Aug.23
Charles and Betsey Howard.
Nov. 15
57
8
10
West Bridgewater.
Acortie obstruction.
Nahum and Rhoda Leonard.
65
27
West Bridgewater. Ireland.
Nathan and Annie Hewins. Henry and Betsey Bassett. Hugh and Susan Gormley.
Jedediah and Betsey Tilden Little.
John and Hannah Olson.
Nathaniel and Hannah Beals. Salmon and Betsey Copeland.
May 12
38
8
8 West Bridgewater. Ireland.
Pneumonia.
56
Bridgewater. Ireland.
Alcoholism. Supposed suffocation. Pneumonia.
Daniel and Ann MeAdams.
Apr. 19
52
26
Acute pneumonia. Mortification.
29
Report of the School Committee.
-
The annual report required of us by law is herewith sub- mitted :
ORGANIZATION.
William A. Linehan, Thos. P. Ripley. Terms expire 1885.
Lucius Dunbar, Ephraim T. Snell. Terms expire 1886.
Joseph E. Ryder, Albert Copeland. Terms expire 1887.
The board at their first meeting chose Lucius Dunbar, chair- man ; Albert Copeland, secretary. The schools were assigned to sub-committees as follows :
Jerusalem to Mr. Linehan. Cochesett to Mr. Ripley. Center to Mr. Dunbar. South to Mr. Snell. East to Mr. Ryder. North and North Centre to Mr. Copeland.
Chose Albert Copeland, superintendent of schools. Messrs. Snell, Copeland and Ripley, committee on repairs. Messrs. Ripley and Copeland, truant officers.
30
The town, at their annual meeting, directed the several boards of officers to report their departments in detail; in obedience to that vote, we report the department of schools as follows :
4
TEACHERS' DEPARTMENT.
Paid A. A. Frawley,
. $280 00
L. M. Swift,
288 00
L. M. Toothaker,
279 00
G. W. Gardner,
120 00
M. W. Wentworth,
220 00
W. A. Holmes,
289 00
M. A. Dewyre,
306 00
Q. S. Wood.
306 00
Edith Snell,
272 00
E. H. Benson,
200 00
A. K. Littlefield,
120 00
S. L. Waldron,
272 00
$2,952 00
JANITORS' DEPARTMENT.
Paid W. A. Holmes,
$10 00
M. A. Dewyre,
10 00
Willie McAnaugh,
7 00
Chas. E. Kinney,
5 00
S. Adams,
10 00
J. L. Pittsley,
10 00
C. N. Logue,
20 00
Elliot Keith,
10 00
W. A. Linehan, 10 00
$92 00
31
FUEL DEPARTMENT.
Paid C. T. Williams, wood, $26 00
W. Penpraese, cutting wood, 10 00
T. P. Ripley, housing 3 00
. E. T. Snell, wood,
31 50
H. Bartlett, wood,
4 00
W. Penpraese, cutting and housing wood. 12 00
E. N. Logue, . . 2 00
E. T. Snell, wood,
36 50
Owen King, cutting and housing wood,
14 00
E. P. Howard, wood all prepared,
3 50
J. E. Ryder, wood,
19 00
J. E. Ryder, cutting and housing wood, 8 00
L. T. Howard, wood cut and housed, 13 00
Davis Copeland, "
14 00
Thos. Snell, wood,
4 50
Anson Cobbett, cutting and housing wood,
1 50
L. E. Hayward, wood cut and housed,
21 75
W. A. Linehan, “
3 87
$228 12
RECAPITULATION OF SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid teachers' department,
$2,952 00
janitors'
92 00
fuel
228 12
Actual cost of schools in town, $3,272 12
Paid balance due E. Bridgewater for schooling, 89 52
Showing the whole cost of schools to be
$3,361 64
32
RECEIPTS.
Town grant,
Income of Mass. school fund,
$3,000 00 219 76
$3.219 76
Overdrawn,
141 88
$3,361 64
The school year begins with the spring terin, and as there are three terms it ends with the winter term. The financial year be- gins Feb. 1, and ends with Jan. 31. As the winter terms are none of them closed before the last-named date, consequently the financial school year begins with the winter term. This state of things gives rise to some curious complications. The regular school year consists of three hundred and twenty weeks, while the financial school year is of indefinite length. The one which closed with the last fall term consisted of three hundred and twenty-five weeks. This state of things came about as follows : In the South and Cochesett schools the winter terms of 1883-4 were twelve weeks in length, the spring terms in these schools were ten weeks, and the fall terms twelve weeks, thus giving to these four schools thirty-four weeks in the financial year. In the East school the three terms were ten weeks each, thus giv- ing but thirty to the year. The North Centre had two terms of ten weeks each. and a fall term of eleven weeks, or thirty- one weeks for the year. As the Board of Education issue the registers to be used in school, in March, and require that the annual returns for the last school year shall be made before April 30 of each year, and also the Superintendent of Schools is elected soon after the annual town meeting, it seems best that the school year should begin with the spring term; as in the present arrangement the winter terms are imperfectly reported. And also as the Superintendent of Schools, if he does his duty, should lay out his work embracing the whole year's work, and
33
as the year's work is not done until after the annual report is made, the results are not ascertained, and never reported. In view of these considerations, the committee think it expedient that the terms be so arranged as to close before the expiration of the financial term year, so that the whole work of the school department for the year may be fully reported, and the accounts all harmonize.
While the review of the work accomplished in our schools the last year has not realized our brightest anticipations, yet no one school has been suffered to deteriorate, while some, which in the beginning of the year were in a low and demoralized condition, have been raised to a comparative efficiency. Those also which were in good standing, well organized, and doing efficient work when last reported, have made very commendable progress. In reading and spelling the schools made the best noticeable progress. As these branches are those which form the basis and foundation of all learning, and without a good degree of perfection in these, the superstructure, no matter how elaborate, is inefficient, and liable at any time to show traces of imperfec- tion. It is with pleasure that we look over our schools in this direction, hoping for still larger advances in the future. In the other branches taught, commendable progress has been made. It has been the policy to so simplify the studies that the pupil is made to grasp the principle, and, by well-directed thought, to reach the desired result ; not to be confined to the text-book and the problems contained therein, but to apply the principles to the things in common, every day, practical life.
The introduction of a new series of readers has done much to stimulate the acquirement of the habit of correct reading, and if the committee look well into their duty, they will do the same for the spellers which they have done for the readers. The speller we now have has long been in use, and the old style spelling-book is fast falling into merited disrepute.
Educators now feel it to be irrational and wasteful of time to drill pupils on words of whose meaning they have no idea, and
34
a large number of which they will never have occasion to use. A spelling-book should be grounded on the laws which govern the growth of the child's intelligence, and his acquisition of an available vocabulary. This basis de- mands that the words be selected according to the order in which the child advances in knowledge. that they may be ap- prehended and used. Also, that every word spelled shall first be presented in intelligible connection with other words, so as to give a clear conception of its meaning. The words should be such as are in familiar use, and apply to familiar things, and are applicable to the wants of practical life. When the com- mittee find a speller embracing these invaluable requisitions, we shall feel justified in substituting it for the speller now in use.
It is the custom of the committee in some towns to report each school separately, and thus comment upon the successes and failures of the several teachers. This was formerly the practice in this town, and it has been suggested that the custom be resumed. The committee do not feel that it is a custom fraught with good. We feel that our teachers are faithful, dil- igent, conscientious, doing their whole duty, to the best of their knowledge and ability. If one has been more successful than another, she does not wish to have her success commented upon, and put in contrast with another, who, perhaps, has striven equally hard to make her work a success, and through. some circumstances over which she had no control, failed. If one has failed to reach the goal for which she aimed. no one can feel it more sensibly than she does. and instead of being held up for censure, should have the sympathy of the committee and the entire community.
We would again call the attention of parents, guardians, and all who have the charge of children who are of lawful age, and should be in schools, to the irregular attendance, as shown on registers. The statute provides " that children between the ages of eight and fourteen years shall attend school at least twenty weeks in each year ; said attendance to be consecutive, under
35
pain of penalties." We cannot think so hardly of any one as to think they would be guilty of such gross injustice to the children in their charge, as to wilfully deprive then of the privilege of doing their uttermost to avail themselves of the liberal advantages provided under the laws of the State by the town.
To all who have children in charge, we would urge you to see to it that the attendance is continuous and perfect, every day and hour when the schools are in session. An hour lost, a recitation lost or evaded, is a loss that cannot be made good. The pupil suffers, the class suffer, and the teacher's work, no matter how earnest and devoted she may be, is blurred and imperfect.
We again urge you to make frequent visits to the school- room, thus manifesting your interest in the work being done there. Your presence there would give to the pupils a greater confidence, and inspire to greater efforts to excel in their studies, and the teacher would be inspired, encouraged and cheered, by the thought that her labor was appreciated.
DEPARTMENT OF REPAIRS.
AT COCHESETT.
Paid F. W. Howard, for 11 lbs. nails,
$ 40
hardware,
95
...
lumber,
2 40
glass,
50
27 hours' work,
6 75
Paid A. Copeland, for 10 days' work,
25 00
105 lbs. white lead, 6 83
6 gall. linseed oil, 3 90
12 lbs. em'd. green,
2 70
Amount carried forward,
$49 43
36
Amount brought forward, $49 43
Paid A. Copeland, for 5 lights glass, 50
putty, &c.,
30
T. P. Ripley, for brickwork and pump, 1 50
. . work at schoolhouse, 1 25
soap, &c., for cleaning, 28
Callahan & Morey, for cleaning, 5 00
$58 26
AT JERUSALEM.
Paid W. A. Linehan, work and repairs, 6€ work and repairs,
$ 75
L. E. Hayward, repairs, 1 50
50
W. A. Linehan, cleaning school-house,
3 50
H. Mitchell, furnishings,
63
J. M. Howard,
90
W. A. Linehan, setting glass.
L. E. Hayward, repairs on pump and well.
2.50
W. A. Linehan, . .. .. 3 00
1 00
W. A. Linehan, repairs on chimney and stove,
3 25
A. M. Linehan, washing floors,
2 00
W. A. Linehan, repairs on pump,
1 75
$22 78
AT NORTH CENTRE.
Paid W. J. Hayward, for lumber,
66
50 lbs. nails,
2 27
hardware,
2 20
windows,
1 00
..
carting,
2 05
9 3-4 days' work, 28 50
1 00
W. A. Linehan,
50
L. E. Hayward, repairs on chimney,
$48 24
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