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 16
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labor on farm and in house,
140 63
wire fencing,
3 12
doctor's bill,
77 50
painting and repairing express wagon,
15 00
stock,
374 00
groceries,
150 90
grain,
460 83
coal,
16 75
house furnishings,
10 38
farming tools,
4 17
car fare and horse keeping,
6 95
oil,
6 14
Amount carried forward,
$1,647 75
10
Amount brought forward, Paid for nails and glass,
$1,647 75
1 72
team hire, 4 25
sundries, 11 36 warden's salary, 350 00 Hay, stock, etc., on hand Feb. 1, 1887, 2,137 90
$4,152 98
Expenditures of almshouse,
$4,152 98
Receipts of
3,439 92
Balance against almshouse,
$713 06
INMATES OF ALMSHOUSE.
Michael Ryan,
Age 39,
52 weeks.
Albert Staples,
45,
52
Mary Rogers,
66
32, 52
Ann Flynn,
78,
52
66
Abby Fadden,
66
59,
36
Cecil Morse,
40.
17 66
Frank Fadden,
31,
6
Flora Makenva,
19,
4
Ann Cobb,
66
42.
4
George Cobb,
-
13.
4
66
Walter Cobb,
66
16,
2
66
Average number during the year, 52. Average cost per week, $2.53333.
11
EXPENSE OF POOR OUT OF THE HOUSE.
Aid to Frank Fadden's children,
$165 00
Fred Leonard, 87 50
Mrs. Jonas Leonard,
8 50
Morse children,
59 62
Mrs. Wild,
105 00
Henry Withington,
24 00
Mary E. Leach,
10 00
Nathaniel Pratt,
122 50
Eaton family,
10 00
Horton “
25 00
Wm. Foye's family,
4 00
Geo. Young,
2 00
Crosby,
10 00
Thomas Clancey,
102 25
$735 37
Due from Plympton,
$122 50
Rehoboth,
25 00
Bridgewater,
10 00
State,
4 00
Middleboro,
2 00
163 50
Total expense of poor out of the house, $571 87 Due from Braintree, 86 00
HENRY COPELAND, HORACE W. HOWARD, JOS. A. SHORES, S
Overseers of the Poor.
12
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
INCIDENTAL ACCOUNT.
Joseph Ring, lighting and care of lanterns, $20 40
Charles E. Tisdale, printing and postage, 3 00
Molbry A. Ripley, 5 70
Daniel Perkins, office rent, 18 00
Samuel D. Bartlett, tolling bell,
5 00
G. A. Goodall, printing, 115 25
J. H. Adams, iron work for derrick, drills, etc., 4 50
McCann Bros., returning deaths, 1 75
F. W. Howard. digging graves and care of lot, 11 00
Clinton Howard, rent town hall, 75 00
C. H. Whiting, printing, 2 75
G. R. Drake, broom, stationery, etc.,
96
Wm. M. Thompson, insurance town buildings,
50 00
E. C. Linfield, printing, 2 00
A. H. Leonard, ‘ 10 00
John Gillispie, lighting and care of lanterns, 4 00
James Howard, surveying, 7 00
D. W. Gardner, care of monument, 2 00
L. E. Hayward, 2 00
Erland Thayer, paid for gravel, 19 80
W'm. F. Ryder, old bill repairing washout, 3 60
J. A. Shores, repairing guide boards, 1 45
M. A. Ripley, care of monument, 2 00
Wm. H. Tobey, returning deaths,
2 50
Davis Copeland, fighting fire,
2 00
S. G. Copeland, 6 00
Amount carried forward, $377 66
13
Amounts brought forward. $377 66
Henry Copeland, fighting fire, 5 25
Charles Atwell, iron work for bridge, 8 45
C. H. Morrison, tolling bell,
2 50
Henry Copeland, cash expenses and use of team, 20 58
Horace W. Howard, cash expenses and use of team, 10 00 J. A. Shores, cash expenses and use of team, 3 88
$428 32
Appropriation,
700 00
Appropriation for paying Brockton fire department, $450 00
Amount paid, 450 00
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
District No. 1. Appropriation, $314 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by E. B. Wilber, surveyor :
To E. B. Wilber,
$98 45
Horace Bartlett,
69 75
J. C. Howard,
53 40
Horatio Howard,
10 35
Elihu Leonard,
41 70
John Gillispie,
2 25
George Hopkins,
7 50
Clinton P. Howard,
31 53
314 93
Overdrawn,
93
14
District No. 2. Appropriation,
$289 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by L. A. Flagg, surveyor :
To L. A. Flagg,
$27 75
Cyrus Alger,
85 50
Cyrus E. Alger,
26 55
Stillman W. Hersey,
19 05
Edward Tisdale,
49 25
Charles Howard,
11 78
Joseph B. Phillips,
5 17
J. S. Jones,
7 72
J. C. Leighton,
4 50
Daniel S. Perry,
10 80
248 07
Balance,
$40 93
District No. 3. Appropriation, $314 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by Erland Thayer, surveyor :
To Erland Thayer,
$147 93
C. C. Thayer,
42 15
E. B. Wilber,
67 60
W. F. Ryder,
31 80
Horace Bartlett,
6 75
George Hopkins,
18 00
314 23
Overdrawn,
23
15
District No. 4. Appropriation, $264 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by S. G. Copeland, surveyor :
To S. G. Copeland,
$38 80
Davis Copeland,
34 82
Henry Copeland,
45 80
Bradford Copeland,
57 50
Ole K .. Ness,
10 00
James C. Keith,
11 00
W. C. Kinney,
7 50
Elihu Leonard.
6 00
211 42
Balance,
$52 58
District No. 5. Appropriation,
$289 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by John Cashman, surveyor :
To John Cashman,
$144 23
E. Wilber,
15 50
E. Lothrop,
6 00
Horace Bartlett,
4 50
P. Cashion,
9 00
John Luddy,
7 05
George Hopkins,
9 00
John Hennessey,
9 30
Edward Madden,
9 00
Edward Madden, 2d,
3 75
C. P. Howard,
2 70
R. C. Bennett,
9 00
W. K. Dickerson,
1 75
Eli Wheeler,
15 14
245 92
Balance,
$43 08
16
District No. 6. Appropriation, $264 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by Nathan F. Dunbar, surveyor :
To Nathan F. Dunbar,
$40 20
Horace W. Howard,
64 65
Albert L. Alger,
52 50
Stillman W. Hersey,
23 70
G. W. Howard,
23 75
Cyrus E. Alger,
27 90
Bismore Bros.,
11 25
William H. Howard,
3 00
John Dewyre,
2 00
J. H. Adams,
1 25
250 20
Balance,
$13 80
District No. 7. Appropriation, $264 00
There has been paid upon bills approved by. J. Q. Hartwell, surveyor :
To J. Q. Hartwell,
$53 00
L. E. & E. Copeland,
69 75
Thomas Jackson,
39 50
Horace W. Howard,
22 50
H. G. Mitchell,
9 00
Michael Egan,
18 00
Timothy Carroll,
21 00
Patrick Connolly,
9 00
L. E. Hayward,
14 75
256 50
Balance, $7 50
17
Appropriation for North Main Street, Paid James C. Keith,
$500 00
$140 35
Henry Copeland,
97 50
Warren R. Keith,
106 64
P. K. Bacon,
72 80
Willard Howard,
38 85
Davis Copeland,
3 60
Otis Cobb,
2 50
462 24
Balance,
$37 76
Appropriation for Swamp Road,
$500 00
Paid Henry Copeland,
$113 15
S. G. Copeland,
87 05
J. E. Carr,
57 70
E. B. Wilber,
21 75
Warren R. Keith,
9 45
Bradford Copeland,
20 00
Daniel Dean,
2 00
$311 10
Balance,
$188 90
BRIDGE ACCOUNT.
The following persons have drawn money for the construc- tion of Larkin's bridge :
Oakes S. Soule, lumber,
$12 41
C. P. Howard, railing and labor,
9 23
E. B. Wilber,
9 50
Amount carried forward, $31 14
18
Amount brought forward, $31 14
Owen Conlon, labor,
1 25
Albert Copeland, painting,
2 15
Charles Atwell, iron work, County treasurer,
9 75
2,010 00
Amount expended, $2,054 29 1,600 00
Appropriation,
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE SCHOOLS.
Appropriation for 1887,
$3,000 00
State school fund, 220 92
$3,220 92
Appropriation for school repairs and
supplies, 450 00 --
$3,670 92
There has been drawn from the treas- ury for the support of schools,
$3,386 52
For repairs, supplies,
269 16
150 00
3,805 68°
Overdrawn,
$134 76
NEW SCHOOL HOUSE AT MATFIELD.
Amount appropriated, Amount expended,
$1,600 00
1,569 69
19
STATE AID.
Paid the following persons, under Chapter 1301, Acts 1879 :
James P. Gallagher,
$72 00
Charles T. Morse,
54 00
Patrick Dorgan,
50 00
Lucius Dunbar,
72 00
William A. Linehan,
72 00
Benj. F. Phillips,
36 00
Charles E. Churchill,
72 00
John A. Millet,
36 00
Ellis R. Holbrook,
36 00
John Shipman,
9 00
William Crockett,
48 00
Andrew W. Perkins,
36 00
James H. Leonard,
66 00
Charles E. Miller,
48 00
William H. Jennings,
28 00
Mary E. Howard,
48 00
Elizabeth O. Packard,
48 00
Lucinda S. Lothrop,
24 00
Mary J. Reeves,
48 00
Eliza F. Richardson,
48 00
Mary E. Alger,
48 00
Caroline B. Dunbar,
8 00
-
$1,007 00
MILITARY AID.
Under Chapter 252, Acts 1879.
Michael Logue,
$18 00
David W. Tinkham,
72 00
Isaac H. Bates,
72 00
Amounts carried forward, $162 00 $1,007 00
20
Amounts brought forward,
$162 00 $1,007 00
George B. Randall,
120 00
William B. Smith,
48 00
Linus E. Hayward,
80 00
James Jacobs,
18 00
428 00
Total amount paid for State and military aid,
$1,435 00
TOWN OFFICERS.
Horace W. Howard, auditor, $1 00
Warren R. Keith, auditor, 1 00
Charles E. Tisdale, treasurer,
150 00
registrar,
2 50
William H. Jennings, moderator,
5 00
M. A. Ripley, selectman, assessor and overseer of poor, 14 00
George Burke, constable,
6 00
Albert Copeland, school committee,
12 30
Martha K. Crosby, supt. of schools,
125 00
B. B. Howard, town clerk,
75 00
Lucius Dunbar, registrar,
7 50
J. A. Forbes, 2 00
Henry Copeland, selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor, 134 00
Horace W. Howard, selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor, 104 50
Joseph A. Shores, selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor,
81 75
Frank Tisdale, school committee, 4 00
Ellis R. Holbrook, 8 90
734 45
Appropriation,
$700 00
21
TREASURER'S ACCOUNT.
RECEIPTS.
Balance in treasury February 1st, 1887, $1,588 70
Borrowed of Brockton Savings Bank, 2,000 00
Balance of corporation tax, 3 04
From town of Plympton,
123 50
Loaned of Brockton Savings Bank for 1 year and 6 months, 1,000 00
Loaned of Brockton Savings Bank for 2 years and 6 months,
2,000 00
Loaned of Brockton Savings Bank for 3 years and 6 months,
2,000 00
Loaned of Brockton Savings Bank for 4 years and 6 months,
2,000 00
From town of Rehoboth,
313 27
Borrowed of Henry Copeland,
700 00
Received tax bills for 1887,
14,936 13
Borrowed of Frank Dunbar,
1,000 00
Corporation tax,
694 81
National Bank tax,
555 76
State aid,
1,175 00
Military aid,
168 00
Dog fund,
294 79
School fund,
220 92
$30,773 92
22
EXPENDITURES OF TREASURY.
Six months' interest on loan,
$40 00
Note and interest,
5,055 55
Six per cent discount on 1887 taxes paid on or be- fore Oct. 15, 754 20
Henry Copeland, note and interest,
707 00
Frank Dunbar, 66
1,005 00
Six months' interest on loan,
160 00
Savings bank note and interest,
1,020 00
County tax,
1,107 01
State tax,
1,237 50
Savings bank note and interest,
2,060 89
Town farm, officers,
734 45
School supplies,
150 00
New school-house, Matfield,
1,569 69
School repairs,
269 16
Schools,
3,386 52
Poor out of the house,
735 37
Highways,
1,841 27
Incidentals,
428 32
Brockton fire bill,
450 00
North Main Street,
462 24
Swamp Road,
311 10
Abatement,
250 61
Larkin's bridge,
2,054 29
Library,
238 81
Lectures,
100 00
State aid,
1,007 00
Military aid,
428 00
$28,356 60
Cash and uncollected taxes,
2,417 32
$30,773 92
792 62
23
CONDITION OF TREASURY FEB. 1, 1888.
Cash on hand,
$593 66
Uncollected taxes, 1885,
51. 62
1886,
208 41
66 1887, 1,563 63
$2,417 32
Due from State for State aid furnished,
$1,007 00
Military aid furnished,
214 00
Braintree,
86 11
Bridgewater,
22 50
Rehoboth,
25 00
Plympton,
122 50
State,
4 00
Middleboro,
2 00
$1,483 11
We, the undersigned, have examined the accounts of the Treasurer of West Bridgewater for the year ending Feb. 1, 1888, and have found them properly cast and vouched for.
WM. F. RYDER,
EDWARD TISDALE, 1 Auditors.
OUTSTANDING NOTES AGAINST THE TOWN.
Two loans from Brockton Savings Bank of $1,000 each, paya- ble' Nov. 1, 1888.
Loaned from Brockton Savings Bank, 2,000, payable Nov. 1, 1889.
Loaned from Brockton Savings Bank, $2,000, payable Nov. 1, 1890.
Loaned from Brockton Savings Bank, $2,000, payable Nov. 1, 1891.
24
NAMES OF JURORS
For acceptance or revision by the town at its annual meeting :
Cyrus Alger,
Charles E. Tisdale,
Bradford Copeland,
Clinton P. Howard,
Frank Copeland,
Frank M. Hayward,
Horace Bartlett,
George H. Knapp,
Edward H. Keith,
Henry Copeland,
John A. Millet,
E. B. Wilber,
Myron Packard,
F. E. Howard,
Japhet Packard,
Joseph Vosmus,
Warren R. Keith,
Prescott T. Snell,
Herbert A. Millet,
William F. Ryder,
Curtis Eddy,
Lorenzo A. Tower,
Ira Pratt,
Jonas Hartwell,
William Shipman,
Abial Washburn,
Horace W. Howard,
L. A. Flagg,
Charles T. Thayer,
Fred. H. Washburn,
Charles R. Packard,
Davis Copeland,
Almond Rounds, ·
Julius Hayward,
George W. Howard,
George R. Drake,
Seba H. Marshall,
M. A. Ripley,
J. A. Forbes.
NAMES OF JURORS DRAWN IN 1887.
C. W. Bacon, S. D. Bartlett, Josiah Perkins,
Lucius Dunbar, John Copeland, Charles E. Churchill, George T. Shaw.
25
WE RECOMMEND THE TOWN TO APPROPRIATE :
For support of poor,
$1,400 00
support of schools, 3,000 00
school repairs and supplies, 450 00
highway repairs,
2,000 00
town officers,
700 00
incidentals,
700 00
public lectures,
100 00
building road at Matfield as laid out by County Commissioners, 500 00
completing North Main street and Swamp road . as laid out by the County Commissioners, 300 00
repairs at almshouse, 150 00
The next annual town meeting will be held on Monday, the 5th day of March, 1888.
HENRY COPELAND,
Selectmen, Assessors
HORACE W. HOWARD, and
JOS. A. SHORES,
Overseers of the Poor.
Report of the School Committee.
At the beginning of the school year of 1887-88 the following were members of the committee :
MRS. A. S. LACHEUR and B. PERKINS, for three years.
J. A. SHORES and MRS. M. K. CROSBY, for two years. W. A. LINEHAN and F. S. TISDALE, for one year.
The organization for the year was as follows :
J. A. SHORES, Chairman. M. K. CROSBY, Secretary.
J. A. SHORES and F. S. TISDALE, Committee on Repairs.
J. A. SHORES and B. PERKINS, Truant Officers.
The schools were assigned as follows :
North and North Centre to Mr. Perkins.
Cochesett to Mr. Tisdale.
Centre to Mrs. Lacheur. South to Mr. Shores.
East to Mrs. Crosby. Jerusalem to Mr. Linehan.
The teachers of the previous year were continued in their respective schools.
J. A. Shores, F. S. Tisdale and B. Perkins were chosen a committee to procure a suitable lot for a school-house at Mat- field, and to superintend the erection of the building, in accord- ance with a vote of the town at the March meeting. Their ac- count of expenditures shows a small balance remaining, that would have been used on the lot if the proposed changes in the adjoining highway had been completed.
27
During the summer vacation a much needed change was made by the repair committee, in the Cochesett building, by which each school has now a separate entrance, and the lower school no longer suffers from a lack of entry room.
FINANCIAL REPORT. TEACHERS' DEPARTMENT.
Paid Miss S. L. Waldron, 32 weeks,
$288 00
Miss I. S. Wood, 32 weeks, 288 00
Miss M. A. Tisdale, 32 weeks,
320 00
Miss E. Crowinshield, 31 weeks,.
276 50
Miss A. K. Littlefield, 32 weeks,
320 00
Miss W. A. Holmes, 32 weeks,
288 00
Miss M. A. Dewyre, 28 weeks,
280 00
Miss A. A. Frawley, 36 weeks,
360 00
Miss C. F. Ellis, 32 weeks,
320 00
Mrs. L. M. Toothaker, 32 weeks,
320 00
$3,060 50
JANITORS' DEPARTMENT.
Paid M. A. Dewyre,
$2 50
W. A. Holmes,
10 00
C. H. Morrison,
20 00
G. J. Kingman,
10 00
Elton Bailey,
5 00
Charles Connor,
15 00
Mrs. McDonald,
10 00
Mrs. Toothaker,
5 00
Henry Kinney,
5 00
$82 50
28
FUEL DEPARTMENT.
Paid J. E. Ryder, 5 cords oak wood, $25 00
G. M. Pratt, 1 cord oak wood, 5 50
Martin Dunbar, 2 cords oak wood, 10 00
L. E. Hayward, 1 cord pine wood, 4 25
cutting and housing wood, 7 75
C. H. Morrison, 10 00
Owen King, 66 28 50
Willard Howard, 2 cords hard wood,
10 00
cutting and housing wood, 5 00
Mrs. Crosby, 2 cords pine wood, 8 00
cutting and housing wood, 1 75
E. Thayer, 1-2 cord pine wood and labor, 3 00
for labor on wood from lot at Matfield,
1 00
E. T. Snell, 9 3-4 cords oak wood,
48 75
3 1-2 cords pine wood, 14 00
$182 50
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers' wages,
$3,060 50
Fuel,
182 50
Janitors,
82 50
East Bridgewater, for tuition,
55 34
$3,380 84
RECEIPTS.
Town grant,
$3,000 00
Income of Mass. school fund,
220 92
Overdrawn,
159 92
29
The account of the East school contains one month from the previous year ; that of the Matfield school leaves four weeks for the next year on account of the delay in beginning the fall term.
DEPARTMENT OF REPAIRS.
Jerusalem.
Paid T. Carroll, for grading near door,
$4 50
for cleaning house,
3 50
W. A. Linehan, repairs and furnishings,
2 75
60 service,
1 75
$12 50
Cochesett.
Paid E. E. Miller, mason work and stock,
$6 00
for cleaning building, 10 50
Albert Copeland, painting and stock,
8 50
for repairs and furnishings,
2 53
F. W. Howard, labor and stock,
83 77
$111 30
Centre.
Paid Albert Copeland, labor and stock,
$4 14
Chester Thayer, labor and materials,
5 28
S. D. Bartlett, labor and stock,
5 00
George Wilbur, labor,
1 50
E. E. Miller, mason work and stock,
5 50
for cleaning houses, 60 stoves and pipe,
1 60
for wire netting for windows,
2 62
" small repairs and furnishings,
1 40
$34 24
7 20
30
South.
Paid S. L. Ryder, stock and labor, $2 69
Chester Thayer, labor, 4 12
J. H. Fairbanks, stoves and fixtures, 13 08
E. E. Miller, mason repairs and stock, 2 00
for cleaning house, 3 00
stoves and pipes, 1 30
" small repairs and furnishings, 3 00
$29 19
East.
Paid M. K. Crosby, repairs and furnishings, $5 25
Wm. H. Tobey, bureau, 4 00
for cleaning house, 2 00
66 stove and pipe, 80
$12 05
Matfield.
Paid Wm. H. Tobey, bureau,
$4 00
S. L. Ryder, labor and stock, 3 34
for repairing clock, 2 00
" labor and cleaning,
1 25
" furnishings, 2 65
$13 24
31
North Centre.
Paid B. H. Waugh, labor and stock,
$4 25
C. P. Hilstrum, lead pipe and drain pipe, 2 69 66 labor, 2 80
66 66 cleaning stove and pipe,
1 25
Davis Copeland, stock for fence, 66
labor on
7 50
for cleaning room,
1 00
" furnishings,
1 20
$38 29
North.
$11 65
C. P. Hilstrum, labor, pipe and zinc,
2 05
for cleaning house,
2 00
" furnishings,
1 55
$17 25
Whole amount of repairs,
$268 06
Balance,
31 94
Town grant,
$300 00
MATFIELD SCHOOL HOUSE.
Paid W. F. Ryder, land,
$100 00
Horton Brothers, cellar and foundation,
178 00
S. L. Ryder, contract for building,
1,050 00
putting in desks, and extras,
23 22
Amount carried forward, $1,351 22
17 60
Paid B. H. Waugh, labor and stock,
32
Amount brought forward, $1,351 22 Paid for school furniture, 113 38
" settees,
11 20
" freight on furniture and settees, 18 92
" clearing and grading lot, . 40 92
A. Copeland, painting blackboards,
7 00
J. H. Fairbanks, stove and fixtures, for furnishings,
19 75
3 80
J. A. Shores, cash paid out,
3 50
Total expenditure, $1,569 69
Balance unexpended,
30 31
Town grant for building,
$1,600 00
A record was made last year of those pupils whose parents had not complied with the State laws requiring vaccination as a condition of attendance at school. The present vacation will give time to attend to this important matter, and parents are requested to communicate with the Chairman of the School Board, if there are good reasons why the law has not been ob- served.
As the Hampden County truant school is no longer open for the reception of truants from places outside that county, our almshouse has been selected as the place to which our truants shall be taken to secure regular attendance at school.
The number of children in town on the first of May was two hundred and ninety-one, between five and fifteen years of age. Of this number there were two hundred and forty-eight in com- mon schools, sixteen in the Howard school, fourteen (all but one of these over fourteen years) at work, two sick and eleven young and not having entered school.
33
One of the first questions asked by parents seeking to locate in the country, is : "What are the chances for a good education for my children ?" Schools that would be considered quite good in sections remote from educational centres, must here be com- pared with those that are provided with ample means for their support.
Attention has, in previous years, been called to the fact that we have a school year of but thirty-two weeks, while our neighbors find from thirty-six to forty weeks none too much. We ask this year for a grant to enable us to add at least two weeks to the winter term, and to reach the end of our labors with no deficiency.
The appropriations recommended for this year are these :
For the support of schools, $3,500 00
For furnishings and repairs, 300 00
For text-books and supplies, 150 00
At the next annual meeting two members of the school board should be chosen for three years.
Respectfully submitted.
J. A. SHORES, M. K. CROSBY, A. S. LELACHEUR, F. S. TISDALE,
B. PERKINS,
School Committee.
WEST BRIDGEWATER, Feb. 1, 1888.
Superintendent's Report.
During the period for which I now present you a report, most of our schools have continued their work without impor- tant changes in organization or instruction. This has been favorable to progress in all departments of school instruction. Teachers and pupils have, at the opening of each successive term, resumed their suspended labors and carried them forward without the delays that attend radical changes.
A second year's experience as superintendent has confirmed my opinion that our town's people should, in some way, be made better acquainted with the aims of our schools and the means employed to reach the desired results.
Assuming that all thoughtful citizens regard our public school system as a most potent agency in the present and future pros- perity of our town, and also that they are in active sym- pathy with all efforts to increase the efficiency of this system, a plan of the work attempted is herewith presented for their consideration.
Our State laws prescribe the work for public schools as follows :
"Instruction in orthography, reading, writing, English grammar, geogra- phy, arithmetic, drawing, the history of the United States, physiology and hygiene, (which, in both divisions of the subject, shall include special in- struction as to the effects of alcoholic drinks, stimulants and narcotics, on the human system,) and good behavior. Algebra, vocal music, agriculture and sewing shall be taught . when the school committee deem it expedient. "AH instructors of youth shall exert their best en- deavors to impress on the minds of children the principles of piety and justice and a sacred regard to truth; love of their country, humanity,
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and universal benevolence; sobriety, industry, and frugality; chastity, moderation, and temperance ; and those other virtues which are the orna- ment of human society and the basis upon which a republican constitution is founded."
. The Report of the Board of Education for 1884-5 contains a "Plan of Instruction for Elementary Schools," prepared by an experienced school superintendent and proposed as a guide for school officials in arranging their courses of study. This scheme provides for all graded schools below the high school.
With this amount of required work before us, and such help- ful suggestions for its accomplishment, our attention can be chiefly directed to adapting both work and methods to the ex- isting circumstances of our schools, at the same time keeping in view the imperative need of improving these conditions from year to year.
Our schools, for the most part, belong to the class known as mixed or ungraded, though in Cochesett, the Centre and South districts, there is a division into upper and lower schools. This imperfect grading should be carefully guarded as the basis of a more complete system that may be established when we have improved facilities for reaching some school centrally located, and when an increased number of pupils calls for its adoption. In mixed schools receiving, as ours do, pupils of school age whenever presented, it is impossible to arrange a programme with the precision that can be attained in graded schools.
This plan that I now offer as best suited to our schools, agrees in its essential features with that determined upon, several years ago, by one of my predecessors, whose official labors ceased before he had time to put his scheme into working connection with the schools. Its partial introduction at that time laid a foundation for more system and definiteness in our school work, and steady progress in the same line will prevent a relapse into methods that are inefficient and wasteful.
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COURSE OF STUDY.
FIRST READER GRADE.
Language .- Oral and written. Talks about animals, plants, pictures, etc. Lead the children to notice color, form, size, position, and other points that naturally present themselves in the conversations. There is great need of early attention to the correct and distinct enunciation of spoken words. The speech of children entering school is often hardly intelligible except to their home friends. Correction of errors in the use of language should now commence and be continued through all the grades of school life.
Reading .- Commence with a few simple, familiar words used in short sentences. Teach with blackboard and books. Alpha- bet introduced only when needed. Use several First Readers, taking the easier lessons from each successively, and afterwards return to complete the books.
Spelling .- This begins with the separation of words (first learned as whole) into the letters that form them. Constant use is made of the small letter cards referred to in the report of last year, and copying words from blackboard and readers, combines writing with spelling.
Arithmetic .- Numbers from one to twenty inclusive, advanc- ing from one and two upwards as fast as all possible combina- tions of those already learned are mastered by the pupils. Use buttons, pebbles, and other small objects, slate and blackboard. Represent by figures and Roman numerals. Concrete problems given by teacher and pupils.
Remarks .- The time passed in this grade must depend upon the natural aptitude of the child, his attainments on admission, and the time the teacher is able to devote to the class. All subsequent progress rests upon the foundation here laid, and time is well spent in securing thoroughness at the outset.
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SECOND READER GRADE.
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