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 1891-1900 > Part 13
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For acceptance or revision by the town at its annual meeting.
William H. Bosworth,
George Burke,
Charles H. Caldwell,
Linus E. Hayward,
Jonas Hartwell,
Julius Hayward,
Albert L. Alger, Jacob Atwood,
George S. Drake,
Charles W. Elliott,
Joseph Vosmus,
Charles T. Howard,
Benjamin W. Spence, Jr.,
Joseph C. Howard,
W. H. Washburn,
Edwin L. Pratt,
Curtis Eddy,
Samuel G. Copeland,
Warren C. Kinney,
George H. Knapp,
Seba H. Marshall, Herbert W. Packard, Japhet B. Packard,
William F. Ryder,
Charles E. Tisdale,
Henry W. Leach, L. E. Copeland, Edwin H. Thayer,
Charles H. Fuller, Ellis R. Holbrook.
NAMES OF JURORS DRAWN IN 1896.
Abiel Washburn, Joseph E. Ryder, James S. Jones, James A. Fobes, E. Bradford Wilbur, Algernon S. Lyon,
Fred. A. Perkins.
17
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF SCHOOLS.
There has been drawn from the treasury for schools,
$4,091 35
For school repairs and supplies,
517 37
$4,608 72
Appropriation for schools, $3,600 00
Appropriation for school repairs and supplies, 500 00
Received from school fund,
369 20
Received from State on account of dis- trict supervision, 166 68
$4,635 88
Balance, $27 16
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
There has been drawn from the treasury for superintendent of schools, $1,500 00
Received from town of Raynham,
$150 00
Rec'd from town of East Bridgewater, 350 00
Received from the State, 750 00
$1,250 00
Cost to the town,
$250 00
TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOLARS.
There has been drawn from the treasury for transporting scholars, Appropriation,
$288 00
225 00
Overdrawn, $63 00
18
LIBRARY.
There has been drawn from the treasury for the library, $316 60
MEMORIAL SERVICES.
Appropriation,
$100 00
Paid Charles R. Packard, 100 00
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF HIGHWAYS.
Appropriation for roads and sidewalks, $3,500 00
Drawn from treasury on bills approved by superintendent of streets, 3,517 98
Overdrawn,
$17 98
COCHESETT CEMETERY.
Appropriation,
$100 00
Paid W. E. Kingsley,
$16 00
John Tallon,
21 25
Andrew Monson,
18 00
Joseph Vosmus,
21 25
Howard George,
3 00
L. A. Flagg,
3 50
$83 00
Balance,
$17 00
REVOLUTIONARY MARKERS.
Appropriation,
$30 00
Amount expended,
30 00
HEADSTONES FOR DECEASED POOR.
Appropriation in 1895,
$50 00
Amount expended,
36 75
Balance,
$13 25
19
At a meeting of the selectmen, held at their office on March 9th, William F. Ryder was appointed superin- tendent of streets.
WE RECOMMEND THE TOWN TO APPROPRIATE:
For the support of poor,
$1,500 00
transportation of pupils,
275 00
schools,
3,600 00
repairs and supplies,
500 00
highways and sidewalks,
3,000 00
town officers,
900 00
incidentals,
600 00
public lectures,
100 00
memorial service,
100 00
superintendent of schools,
250 00
The next annual town meeting will be held on Monday, the 1st day of March.
E. BRADFORD WILBUR, Selectmen,
SAMUEL G. COPELAND, CHARLES E. TISDALE,
Assessors and Overseers of the Poor.
20
REPORT OF T.HE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
The Superintendent of Streets has approved bills to the following named persons for material and work on the roads and sidewalks :
George G. Hopkins,
$393 50
L. A. Flagg,
253 15
Samuel Hetherington,
94 60
John Luddy,
144 00
John Cashman,
156 95
Patrick Keenan, 2d,
70 40
John Courtney,
125 60
Thomas Hennessey,
164 60
John Duguid,
40 00
Charles E. Leonard,
157 45
Albert L. Alger,
104 45
Elmer E. Howard,
102 85
Charles H. Fuller,
108 00
Dennis Sullivan,
54 40
E: B. Wilbur,
10 22
Daniel Lynch,
73 80
Horace Bartlett,
124 00
T. Prescott Snell,
122 00
Clinton P. Howard,
117 40
P. O'Connor estate,
99 45
Terence Keenan,
45 60
Charles Brown,
80 60
Joseph C. Howard,
120 05
Ira A. Pratt,
45 40
James McAnaugh,
63 00
George Withington,
39 20
Peter Keenan.
12 00
Warren C. Kinney,
46 35
Amount carried forward,
$2,969 02
21
Amount brought forward,
$2,969 02
E. A. Cole,
20 80
Frank Conlon,
1 20
E. A. Godfrey,
39 00
Charles H. Egan,
47 54
L. E. Hayward,
14 35
Joseph E. Ryder,
1 40
Andrew Monson,
4 50
A. B. Black,
40 00
Willis K. Dickerson,
16 60
J. M. Howard & Son,
5 00
Bradford Copeland,
1 20
Edgar Billings,
4 20
B. F. Spence,
13 75
George M. Pratt,
14 72
Oliver K. Ness,
2 00
Thomas Gorman,
2 90
Livano Cortantino,
1 50
John Norman,
1 20
George R. Drake,
1 45
Nathan J. Alger,
4 00
Henry Hiatt,
1 40
Charles Ness,
2 00
Patrick Keenan,
7 00
Erland Thayer,
9 25
William F. Ryder
292 00
$3,517 98
Appropriation,
3,500 00
Overdrawn,
$17 98
WILLIAM F. RYDER,
Superintendent.
22
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT.
Marriages Registered in West Bridgewater in 1896.
Jan. 1. Francis P. Maguire of East Bridgewater and Nellie Agnes McAnaugh of West Bridgewater.
April 18. Orrin W. Cobbett and Mary Agnes Bailey, both of West Bridgewater.
May 22. George Louis Smith of Brockton and Clarissa Dupuis of West Bridgewater.
May 30. Eugene W. Blood and Etta M. Willis, both of West Bridgewater.
June 10. John L. Pittsley of West Bridgewater and Florence M. Dean of Raynham.
June 17. J. Arthur Kilpatrick of New York, N. Y., and Edith A. Carpenter of West Bridgewater.
June 18. Nels Matias Wetzell and Ida Melvina Eklund, both of Brockton.
June 30. Herbert A. LeBaron of Bridgewater and Mary K. Leonard of West Bridgewater.
July 10. Charles E. Vosmus of West Bridgewater and Mary A. Mahon of Rockland.
Aug. 11. Fred H. Lindsay of West Bridgewater and Clara Crossley of Scituate.
Aug. 30. Franklin H. Haskell of New Bedford and Lillian B. Howland of West Bridgewater.
Sept. 30. Clifton J. Denley and Elsie W. Lambert, both of West Bridgeport.
Nov. 3. Ward Richards and Evelyn L. Lyon, both of West Bridgewater.
Nov. 19. James T. Walker and Hattie F. Stone, both of West Bridgewater
Nov. 28. Edward J. O'Brien of Randolph and Josephine Frances Kennedy of West Bridgewater.
Dec. 26. Joseph F. Mello of West Bridgewater and Mary F. Currier of East Bridgewater.
BIRTHS REGISTERED IN WEST BRIDGEWATER IN 1896.
DATE·
NAME OF CHILD.
SEX.
NAMES OF PARENTS.
1895.
March
30
Henry Wesley Stillman
Male
Charles W. Stillman and Oliver B. (Allen) Shaw.
1896.
1
Walter Churchill Crosby ..
Jan.
1
Betsey Emma Turner
Female .
Inther C. Turner and Emma F. Sargent.
3
William Ellis Hetherington
Male
.
Samuel B. Hetherington and Annie B. Bailey. Mannel Lewis and Isabel Lewis.
-
6
Rose Minnie Lewis ..
٤٠
Cornelius Buckley and Bridget F. Hennessey. .
Feb.
14
Susan G. Buekley.
66
22
Jane O'Leary .
Charles L. Bradford and Florence W. Stillman. Lawrence O'Leary and Margaret Danaher. Charles W. Elliott and Emma B. Lowell. Henry W. Parry and Catherine McLean.
May
4
Catherine Frances Parry
5
Esther Mary Cashion,
Michael W. Cashion and Margaret Cashion.
66
9
Gnstavns Frederick Peterson.
9
Margaret May McGarry .
10
Isaac Howard
Male
Clinton P. Howard and Harriet F. Alger.
66
· 19
Phebe Cabral.
Female
Jose Cabral and Julia A Andrada. 1
25
Doris Belle Logue.
66
Jnne
6
-Hennessey
George F. Logne and Belle B. Alger. James Hennessey and Maggie A. Scanlan. Joshna F. Wixon and Matilda May Miller.
July
5
Walter Frederick Wixon
...
..
. ..
Sept.
22
Charles Edwin Wilds.
25
Everett Churchill Clark
Oet.
20
Edward Arnold Winberg
Female .
Stephen E. O'Neil and Margaret A. Conneys.
Dec.
5
Jennie Marie Monson
.6
Andrew Monson and Ida Sophie Nelson. Charles E. Packard and Engenia E. Young.
17
Gladys Lillian Packard
. ...
.
15
Marion Lonise Bradford
24
Grace Emma Elliott.
.
Estella Margaret Cashion ( twins.
Male . Gustavus A. Peterson and Hilma Matilda .Johnson.
Female John MeGarry and Mary Ann Connors.
23
11
Harry Almon Ferris
Hubert A. Ferris and Mattie Elizabeth Barstow.
Male
12
Arthur Chassez,
Theophile Chassez and Adele Chassez. George W. Wilds and Mary E. Lang. Arthur E. Clark and Sarah E. Glass. Angust Winberg and Sophie Lindstrom.
Nov.
27 Bathsheba Ruth ()'Neil
.... ....
George W. Crosby and Kate Murray.
Female .. .
DEATHS REGISTERED IN WEST BRIDGEWATER IN 1896.
DATE.
NAME OF DECEASED.
Y.
M.
D .
CAUSE OF DEATH.
PLACE OF BIRTH.
NAMES OF PARENTS.
1896.
5
Lottie M. Pratt.
1
1
3
Convulsions.
24
Parmelia Leckie.
27
2
23
Puerperal Septicaemia. Heart Disease
Feb.
5
Catherine Ryan.
80
14
Jotham Nute.
76
58
30
Mitral Insufficiency Paralysis .
22
Jane O'Leary
Eliza F. Richardson
52
11
16
Pericarditis
March 2
7
Patrick Cashion
66
11
Cancer of Stomach
21
Thomas Mason
58
Bronchitis ..
Stoughton .
29
Marcus Southworth Stephen Smitlı
89
1
26
Old Age ..
Batlı, N. H.
Apr. May
26
Phebe Cabral ..
8
Convulsions.
30
Constance Pyne
14
1
12
Drowning.
June 66
18
Harry M. Tuell ...
68
7
21
Acton, Me .. Ireland.
17
Catherine O'Neii.
59
27
66
28
Aug. 66
3
Bertha C. Kinney .. ...
..
3
Friend W. Howard ..
72
9
23
Consumption .
5
Marion Louise Bradford
5
21
Cholera Infantum
14
9
27
Cholera Infantum.
30
2
7
5
36
5
9
12
Winona E. Packard ..... James T. Keenan
29 83
10
17
Paralysis.
Nov.
11
65
Apoplexy .
14
Francis W. Chamberlin
52
Dec.
29
Mary E. Ryder.
18
27
Diabetes. Paralysis
E. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. Waltham
29
Lydia E. Styles
65
W. Bridgewater. Marions Harb NY Ireland. Wolfboro, N. H .. Bridgewater ..... W. Bridgewater. Boston
Edwin L. Pratt and Mary H. Pope. Abraham Jones and Phebe Jones. Unknown.
Unknown.
Sylvanus Sturtevant & Polly Leonard Lawrence O'Leary, Margaret Danaher Unknown.
15
Morgiana Duren
79
1
Marasmus ..
Ireland.
Simeon Cashion and Mary Reed. Unknown.
Unknown.
Stephen Smith and Sarah Hadley. Jose Cabral and Julia d'Andrada. Annie Pyne.
24
July
14
Margaret C. Blanchard, Margaret May McGarry James Copeland . . .
47
1
20
2
19
94
27
Diarrhoea ...
20
7
15
Phthisis.
W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. Brockton
Thomas Reed and Margaret Baldwin. John McGrrry and Mary Ann Connors. Eben Copeland and Hannah Godfrey. Warren C. Kinney & Harriet Copeland Chelsias Howard and Clarissa White. Chas. L. Bradford, Florence W.Stillman Richard Westcoat and Lottie Burgess Albertus E. Willard, Olive R. Crowell Stillman S. F. Willis & Delia M. Noyes Walter E. Packard and Etta E. Abbott Patrick and Bridget Keenan.
Sept. 6
4
22
.
25
1
23 Phthisis.
28
Alın Earl Cady Heath .. Owen Conlon . . .
W. Bridgewater. W. Bridgewater. Killingly, Conn. Ireland ..
Shubael Cady and Wait Paine. Unknown.
Nat. Chamberlain, Elizabeth Harding Wm. F. Ryder and Ellen W. Glass. Joseph Styles and Lucy Smith.
18
E. Carlyle Allen
16
Marasmus ..
Chelsea ..
Drowning ..
Lancaster, N. H.
Carcinoma of Rectum .. Typhoid Fever ..
Abington .
Chronic Intestial Neph. Cholera Infantum ..
1
Gladys M. Westcoat .... George E. Willard .... Etta M. Blood .
Congestion of Brain Epidemia Dysentery .... Diarrhoea ..
Micah B. Allen and Hannah E. Tarbox John O. Tuell and Clara J. Aldridge. Stephen Shores and Sarah Knapp. John Cavney and Ellen Whalen.
Joseph A. Shores
83
La Grippe ...
Bangor. Me
20
W. Bridgewater. Boston
Jan.
9
Mitral Insufficiency,
25
TOWN MEETING.
Plymouth ss:
To any Constable of the Town of West Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth, Greeting :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabi- tants of said town, qualified to vote at elections and in town affairs, to assemble at the Town Hall, in said town, on Monday, the First of March, at one o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following arti- cles, viz :
ART. 1. To choose a Moderator to preside n said meeting.
ART. 2. To hear the annual report of town officers and committees, and act thereon.
ART. 3. To choose all necessary town officers.
ART. 4. To bring in their votes "Yes " or "No" on the following question : "Shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town ?"
ART. 5. To act on the list of jurors as reported by the · Selectmen.
ART. 6. To raise such sums of money as may be neces- sary to defray the town charges for the ensuing year, and make appropriation of the same.
ART. 7. To see if the town will raise one hundred dollars for public lectures.
ART. 8. To see if the town will authorize the treasurer to borrow money, in anticipation of taxes, to pay charges against the town.
ART. 9. To see if the town will appropriate money for necessary transportation of pupils to Grammar School.
26
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
There have been added, during the year 1896, to the library, 142 volumes, making the whole number 4,595.
The number of books loaned for the year, and the classes to which they belong, is as follows, viz :-
Agriculture,
4
Art,
19
Biography,
119
Fiction,
2,075
General Literature,
133
History,
137
Humorous Works,
61
Juvenile Works,
769
Magazines,
669
Poetry,
71
Works of Reference,
13
Science,
65
Travels,
49
Religion and Theology,
3
Public Documents,
2
4,189
COST OF MAINTAINING THE LIBRARY.
Receipts.
Cash from Town Treasurer,
$316 60
Sales of Catalogues and Cards, and Fines,
11 95
Balance to new account,
1 51
$330 06
27
Expenditures.
Balance from old account,
$0 92
Estes & Lauriat,
105 54
Librarian's salary,
104 36
Magazines,
32 65
J. F. Barnard & Co., binding,
26 46
Famous Composers,
24 00
Balch Brothers,
12 00
Postage, express, oil, etc.,
7 38
"Footsteps of Our Saviour,"
3 75
C. P. Howard, wood,
2 00
W. E. Fay, printing,
4 00
United States for Four Centuries,
3 00
Recollections of General Miles,-
4 00
$330 06
-
Respectfully submitted for the Trustees of the Public Library.
CHARLES R. PACKARD.
28
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
At the beginning of the school year of 1896, the following were members of the committee :
MRS. A. S. LELACHEUR, C. P. HOWARD, for 3 years. J. A. SHORES, MRS. M. K. CROSBY, for 2 years. G. C. HOWARD, W. H. BOSWORTH, for 1 year.
The organization for the year was as follows :
A. S. LELACHEUR, Chairman.
M. K. CROSBY, Secretary.
G. C. HOWARD, W. H. BOSWORTH and C. P. HOWARD, Committee on Repairs.
L. A. FLAGG, D. W. GARDNER, C. H. EAGAN, Truant Officers.
The schools were assigned as follows :
North and South to Mr. C. P. Howard.
Cochesett to Mr. G. C. Howard.
Centre to Mrs. LeLacheur,
East and Matfield to Mrs. Crosby.
Jerusalem to Mr. Bosworth,
To C. P. Howard, A. S. LeLacheur and M. K. Crosby was assigned the examination of teachers selected to fill vacancies.
M. K. Crosby was appointed agent for school supplies.
29
FINANCIAL REPORT.
TEACHERS.
Paid Miss G. A. Smith,
36 weeks,
$339 00
Miss E. A. Morrow,
36
432 00
Miss I. S. Wood,
36
66
360 00
Miss E. Prindall,
21
66
252 00
Miss R. L. MacDonald,
36
66
396 00
Miss W. A. Holmes,
30
300 00
Miss G. Leonard,
6
54 00
Miss E. D. Loring,
15
66
135 00
Miss H. Turner,
51
66
210 00
Miss E. M. Planche,
15
66
150 00
Miss M. I. Packard,
27
66
249 00
Miss A. M. Seyser,
9
66
81 06
Miss M. A. Dewyre,
36
66
432 00
Mr. E. F. Sawyer, music, 36
6.
136 25
Conveyance of Music Teacher,
59 50
$3,585.75
JANITORS.
Paid for Jerusalem,
$14 00
Cochesett,
25 00
Centre,
28 00
South,
14 00
East,
14 00
Matfield,
14 00
North,
14 00
$123 00
30
MAPS, PERIODICALS, REFERENCE BOOKS, ETC.
2 Sets Roller Maps.
$25 00
Periodicals, 23 01
Eclectic Physical Geographies,
.5 60
Simplex Printer,
4 25
$57 86
FUEL.
Paid S. H. Marshall, 3 cords hard wood, 12 c. pine, $22.00
E. T. Snell, 5 cords hard, 3 cords pine, 37.00
A. W. Snell, 2 cords oak, 10.90
39.25
Erland Thayer, 52 cords hard, 34 cords pine, labor,
1.00
C. H. Eagan, 3 cords hard,
15.00
C. P. Howard, 12 cords hard, 2 cords pine,
14.75
H. Withington, labor,
23.75
W. Penpraese
11,87
G. Ellis, 66
14.55
C. Keene,
5.50
L. E. Hayward,
4.00
W. H. Bosworth,
2.75
F. E. Bisbee, 66
3.00
E. A. Godfrey,
10.25
E. H. Lothrop, 5 tons coal,
33.75
$248.42
Expenditures.
Teachers' wages,
$3,585.75
Fuel,
248.42
Janitors,
123.00
Reference Books, Maps, etc.,
57.86
$4,015.03
31
Receipts.
Town grant,
$3,600.00
Income of Massachusetts school fund,
369.20
On account of District Supervision,
166.66
$4,135.86
REPAIRS.
General Repairs and Incidentals.
Paid Jarvis Burrill, printing and stock, ฿19.39
G. M. Webber, labor on stoves and stock, 21.75
J. S. Jones, outside painting, Matfield, 35.00
J. S. Jones, inside labor, East,
23.59
M. Curtis, labor and stock, East,
14.00
L. Richmond & Co., stock, East and Centre,
35.46
C. P. Howard, stock, (1895),
8.50
Isam Mitchell, stock, Centre,
9.03
G. H. Stone, labor and stock, Centre,
25.29
W. H. Lindsay, labor and stock, Centre and Cochesett, 24.98
S. D. Bartlett, labor, Centre,
1.12
W. Penpraese, Center and Cochesett,
12.50
G. Wilbur, Centre,
12.80
D. W. Gardner, truant service,
14.00
Express and postage,
8.45
Small furnishings,
5.33
271 19
32
Small Repairs, Furnishings and Cleaning.
Amount brought forward,
$271 19
Jerusalem,
3.70
Cochesett,
20.18
Centre,
18.08
East,
7.57
Matfield,
8.22
North,
4.60
South,
4.35
$337.89
SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
Paid Leach, Shewell & Co., copy books,
$30.27
Leach, Shewell & Co., language lessons, 4.50
American Book Co., copy books,
9.23
American Book Co,, readers and physiologies,
9.60
E. E. Babb & Co., music readers,
19.20
E. E. Babb & Co., general supplies,
36.30
Ginn & Co., geographies, (exchange),
48.65
Ginn & Co., arithmetics and histories,
20.00
J. L. Hammett & Co., dictionaries,
5.50
J. L. Hammett & Co., general supplies,
61.02
Express and general supplies,
11.53
$255 80
Whole amount of repairs,
$337 89
Cost of school supplies,
255 80
Total,
$593 69
Town grant for repairs and supplies,
500 00
New Supplies on Hand December 31, 1896.
Readers, geographies and other books,
$35 48
Paper, pencils, and general supplies,
8 51
$43 99
33
Inventory of stock on hand Jan. 1, 1896,
$45 95
Amount drawn from treasury, 255 80 Sale of school books, 2 55
Inventory of new stock December 31, 1896, 43 99
Supplies furnished schools, 260 31
The average membership in the schools for the year has been 247, and the cost of supplies furnished by the town has been $255.80 or 90.4 cents per scholar.
The school census for May 1, 1886, gave 261 children in town between the ages of five and fifteen years. Of these 237 were in the common schools, 3 in the Howard school, 2 (above 14 years) at work, 3 incompetent, 3 sick, 11 young and not yet in school, and 2 out for other causes.
Mr. Gifford, principal of the Howard High School, has fur- nished the following :
Number admitted in September, 1896, 14
Number attending Fall term, 29
Number of different pupils for the year, 40
Percentage of attendance for Fall term, 95.4
CALENDAR FOR 1897.
WINTER TERM. January 4 to March 19, 1897. 11 weeks. Vacation. 2 weeks.
SPRING TERM, April 5 to June 11. 10 weeks.
Vacation. 12 weeks.
FALL TERM, Tuesday, Sept. 7, to Dec. 17. 15 weeks.
Recess. Thanksgiving week after Wednesday.
Vacation. 2 weeks.
WINTER TERM. 1898, Jan. 3d.
Changes in this will be made to meet special needs in any school.
34
The school committee has been subjected to much criticism because it has not carried into effect the vote of the town at. its last meeting, appropriating $200 for the purchase of books and supplies for those town scholars attending the Howard High School.
The law under which the appropriation was made is as follows :--
CHAP. 94, ACTS OF 1895.
"Any town in which a High School is not maintained, but in which an academy of equal or higher grade is maintained, may grant and vote money to pay the tuition of children residing in such town and attending such academy; provided such academy is approved for that purpose by the State Board of Education."
At the first meeting of the school committee following the March meeting, Mr. George C. Howard was instructed to con- fer with the Secretary of the State Board of Education, for the purpose of securing the formal approval of the school. Appended is Mr. Howard's report to the committee.
"Acting under the instruction of the school committee, about the middle of March, I wrote to Secretary Hill, asking him to delegate one of the agents of the board to visit the Howard High School and formally approve it, in order that we might avail ourselves of the provisions of Chapter 94, Acts of 1895. Mr. John W. McDonald was sent to inspect the school. In a letter to me dated on the day following his visit, he wrote, 'It'-the Howard High School-'is giving to the children of West Bridgewater the advantages of a great high school, but as it accepts the children of West Bridge- water free of charge, the approval of the state board of edu- cation is immaterial.'
I wrote to Mr. McDonald explaining that we desired the formal approval of the state board in order that we might pay for the books and supplies used by the town pupils. Receiving no answer, I wrote again to Secretary Hill asking for the ap- proval of the school. In reply, the secretary wrote that there
35
was absolutely no objection to approving the school from an academic point of view, but he added, "Inasmuch as the school is in no wise under the control of the school committee, it is not -in view of the recent decision of the attorney gen- eral-a school in which West Bridgewater or any other town can properly pay tuition.'
It seems that after the passage of the law above quoted, the attorney general pronounced it unconstitutional since it con- flicted with the eighteenth article of amendment to the consti. tution of Massachusetts, which reads as follows :-
All moneys raised by taxation in towns and cities for the support of public schools, and all moneys which may be appropriated by the state for the support of the common schools, shall be applied to, and ex- pended in, no other schools than those which are conducted according to law, under the order and superintendence of the authorities of the town or city in which the money is to be expended.
No doubt exists in my mind but that the law of 1895 is un- constitutional. I have, as moderator, ruled several times that it was impossible for the town of West Bridgewater to legally appropriate a dollar for the support of the Howard High School, but when my attention was called to the law of 1895, I held my personal opinion of the constitutionality of the law in abeyance and determined to enforce the law as it stood.
In reply to the letter of Secretary Hill, I wrote at some length taking the ground that the law was a law until set aside by the courts, and that forty decisions of the attorney- general could not nullify it. I claimed that the law was still upon the statute books and that the state board of education was sworn to execute it. I claimed then and I claim now that it is a dangerous assumption of power for any executive officer or board to assume the responsibility of deciding upon the constitutionality of laws. For, if in the absence of a judi- cial decision, a board may refuse to execute a law because, in the personal judgment of its members, it is unconstitutional, it is in their power to nullify any law in the same manner.
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I closed my letter to the secretary with a formal demand from the committee of this town for the approval of the How- ard High School.
In reply, Secretary Hill wrote that he had submitted my views to the attorney-general and had been informed that while a decision by that officer did not rest upon the same basis or carry the same force as would a decision by the courts, yet no department of the state government would be justified in ignoring such a decision.
Later I was informed by Agent McDonald that the state board of education was refusing to approve any private school, basing their refusal upon the attorney-general's opinion.
There the matter rests. The school has not been approved and consequently the appropriation of $200 is not available and must be returned to the town treasury."
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of the Town of West Bridgewater:
I have the honor to present to you the following as my sec- ond annual report of the schools of West Bridgewater.
From the nature of things. there must be a certain degree of sameness in school reports, because many topics require annual treatment; but each year has its peculiar problems whose solution may properly be indicated in the report. Many details of these problems may be shown by statistics, and the condition and progress of our schools in certain direc- tions can best be shown in a tabular form. These statistics are a valuable feature of each report, since they answer for taxpayers and all others interested in our schools many im . portant questions and enable comparisons to be made from year to year.
These comparisons are best made when figures have been prepared upon the same basis for quite a period of time, since the use of a different basis would cause them to be misleading and confusing. For these reasons I shall continue to give the statistics in their usual form.
Number of schools in town, 9
Number of teachers required, 9
Number of teachers employed during the year, including music teacher, 14
Number of schools having different teachers,
4
Number of children between the ages of 5 and 15 years,
census of May, 1896, 261
Census of May, 1895, 280
Number between 8 and 14 years, census of May, 1896, 168
Census of May, 1895, 170
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Number of different pupils of all ages enrolled on school registers, 327
Greatest number enrolled in any school, (Matfield), 55
Least number enrolled in any school, (South), 24
Average membership,
247
Average membership per room, 27.44
Centre Grammar, 24.9; Centre Primary, 31.3 ;
North, 24; East, 20.1; Jerusalem, 26.5 ;
Cochesett Grammar, 37.8 ; Cochesett Primary, 24.1;
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