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 1901-1905 > Part 2
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Male
Arthur A. Webber and Lucy Florence Raymond
1899
Theodora Pauline Webber
Female
Arthur A. Webber and Lucy Florence Raymond
Male Frank P. Hatch and Marcia E. Stewart
Male
Michael Fallon and Ellen J. Duane
December 22 December 27 1900
Herbert Joy Clark
Male
Arthur E. Clark and Sarah C. Glass
January 26
Hartley Leroy Bosworth
Male
William F. Bosworth and Mildred E. Jennings
February 9
Alice Crowell
Female . Almond H. Crowell and Josephine A. Raymond
April
6
Richard Hartwell Reid
Male Richard Reid and Lizzie G Hartwell
May
4
Edward Leroy McAnaugh
Male
Edward H. McAnaugh and Mary Hayes
29
May
8 Albert Chassez
Male
Theophile Chassez and Adele Paré
May
26
Warren Sylvia
Male
John and Teressa Sylvia
Male
Joseph George and Maria Freitus Herman C. Smith and Susan Josephine Coffey
July
28
July
30
Ruth Celia Marshall
Female Harry E Marshall and Ada De Neves
August
11
Helen Maud Denley
August
13
Catherine de Madeira
Female
Manuel de Medeira and Marie Almeida
August
13 Manuel de Madeira
Male .
Male James E. Sawyer and Sadie E. McCarthy
August 19
Clarissa Bradford Ryder
Female
Setember 18
Winifred Phebe Hatch
Female
October 5
Clarence Arthur Wakelin
Male .
October
15
Mildred Frances Wade
Female .
November 4
Marion d'Andrade
Female
George F. Ryder and Grace M. Adams Harry P. Hatch and Flora I. Boyd John II. Wakelin and Harir t Corkum Winthrop A. Wade and Ida May Cook Manuel J. d'Andrade and Isabel Amila
June
2
Archie George.
June
24
Lillian Frances Smith
July
9
Stillborn
Ethelyn Rebecca Leavitt
Female .
William M. Leavitt and Lillian E. Clark
Female Clifton J Denley and Elsie W. Lambert
twins
August
17
George Sawyer ..
Female
February 27 November 11
Harold Perkins Hatch
Martin David Fallon
30
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The whole number of bound volumes in the library, December 31, 1900, was 5.258, 134 having been added by purchase during the year.
The total number of books, and the number of each class issued during the year 1900, is as follows, viz :
Agriculture,
1
Art,
9
Biography,
62
Fiction,
2,132
General Literature,
144
History,
101
Humorous Works,
60
Juvenile Works,
918
Magazines,
745
Poetry,
87
Works of Reference,
2
Religion and Theology,
9
Science,
52 .
Travels,
73
Public Documents,
5
4,400
COST OF MAINTAINING THE LIBRARY.
Receipts
Balance cash on hand,
$ .69
Received from town treasurer,
365.62
Fines and sales,
8.25
Balance to new account,
4.06
$378.62
31
Expenditures.
Charles E. Lauriat Co.
$101.06
Librarian's salary,
150.00
Messages and documents,
35.35
F. J. Barnard & Co.,
18.11
Wonders of Nature,
33.30
Magazines,
27.80
W. E. Fay, printing,
5.00
Miss Kingman, for books,
1.00
Oil, express, stationery, etc.,
7.00
$378.62
The Cornelia Alger Fund, on deposit at the East Bridge- water Savings Bank, now amounts to $911.38.
Respectfully submitted for trustees of library,
CHAS. R. PACKARD.
32
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
At the beginning of the school year of 1900 the following were members of the school committee :
E. E. BROWN, W. H. BOSWORTH, for three years .. MRS. A. S. LELACHEUR, C. P. HOWARD, for two years. MRS. M. K. CROSBY, MRS. C. H. COPELAND, for one year.
The organization for the year was as follows :
A. S. LELACHEUR, Chairman. M. K. CROSBY, Secretary.
W. H. BOSWORTH, C. P. HOWARD and E. E. BROWN, Committee on Repairs.
The schools were assigned as follows :
North to Mrs. Copeland, Cochesett to E. E. Brown, Center to Mrs. LeLacheur, South to C. P. Howard, East and Matfield to Mrs. Crosby, Jerusalem to Mr. Bosworth.
To A. S. LeLacheur, M. K. Crosby and C. H. Copeland was assigned the approval of teachers selected to fill vacancies. M. K. Crosby was appointed agent for school supplies.
W. H. Bosworth, I. E. Wheeler and F. O. Jones were chosen truant officers.
33
FINANCIAL REPORT.
TEACHERS.
Miss G. A. Smith,
36 weeks,
$360.00
Miss E. A. Morrow,
36
499.99
Miss R. L. MacDonald,
36
66
499.96
Miss W. A. Holmes,
36
432.00
Miss E. M. Dunn,
36
360.00
Miss M. A. Dewyer,
36
468.00
Miss A. M. Seyser,
21
210.00
Miss B. H. Dickerson,
36
351.50
Miss E. H. Richardson,
21
66
189.00
Miss M. Smith,
21
168.00
Miss S. E. Child,
15
66
135.50
Miss L. F. Shaw,
15
66
120.00
Miss L. G. Reed,
14
126.00
Miss S. McMenamen,
1
66
8.00
Miss I. S. Wood, balance for winter term,
26.00
Miss L. E. Merritt drawing,
10.00
Miss A. M. Barnes, music,
164.25
Conveyance of music teacher,
59.50
$4,187.70
JANITORS.
Paid for Jerusalem,
$14.00
Cochesett,
26.00
Center,
34.00
South, 1899 and 1900,
20.00
East,
14.00
Matfield,
14.90
North,
14.00
-
$136.90
[3]
34
FUEL.
Paid E. H. Lothrop, 13 tons coal, $57.00
B. Copeland, 3 cords hard, 2 pine (labor), 28.00
E. H. Thayer, 4 cords pine, 4 hard and labor, 39.00
C. P. Howard, 3 cords hard (labor), 21.00
C. G. Manley, 2 cords hard, 9.00
L. H. Marshall, 5 cords hard, 2 pine,
33.00
E. T. Snell, 3 cords oak, 1 1-2 pine (labor), 26.00
S. B. Hetherington, labor, 4.50
G. W. Ellis, labor, 11.77
George Penpraise, labor,
6.50 .
John Doyle, labor,
11.25
L. E. Hayward, labor,
3.10
$250.12
TRANSPORTATION.
Paid D. R. Simmons, coach,
$275.00
Electric car tickets,
152.50
$427.50
REFERENCE BOOKS.
Periodicals from E. W. Nutter, 1899 and 1900,
$18.97
One copy "Youth's Companion," 1.87
$20.84
EXPENDITURES.
Teacher's wages,
$4,187.70
Fuel,
250.12
Janitors,
136.90
Transportation,
427.50
Periodicals,
20.84
$5,023.06
35
RECEIPTS.
Town grant, $4,450.00
Income of Massachusetts school fund, 294.35
On account of district supervision,
166.67
Tuition of state wards,
83.00
REPAIRS.
General Repairs and Incidentals.
Paid J. Burrill, printing and stock,
$20.56
J. H. Fairbanks, labor and stock, 21.18
N. W. Bradford, labor and stock, East,
33.59
C. Eddy, blinds and labor, East,
3.10
J. Conlon, labor and stock, Centre,
15.44
J. Conlon, labor and stock, East, 31.29
J. M. Howard & Son, stock for well, Centre, 30.24
W. H. Bosworth, labor on well, Centre,
37.80
E. H. Lothrop, painter's supplies,
31.03
J. Baldwin, labor and stock, Cochesett,
92.21
Flags, East and Centre,
9.50
C. P. Howard, labor, South and Centre,
12.00
W. H. Bosworth, labor and stock, N., S., Centre,
12.48
Howard & Clark, settee, Centre,
3.20
Expense for diplomas,
4.35
J. E. Wheeler, truant service,
4.50
Express, postage and team,
7.51
$369.98
Small Repairs, Cleaning, Etc.
Cochesett,
$14.50
Centre,
16.95
South,
8.50
East,
10.27
Matfield,
6.88
North, 1899-1900,
13.87
Jerusalem, 1899-1900,
16.17
$4,994.02
$87.14
36
SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
Paid E. E. Babb & Co., text-books,
$67.37
Silver, Burdett & Co., readers, 26.68
Ginn & Co., text-books and copy-books, 40.11
88.22
J. L. Hammett & Co., supplies, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., readers,
10.20
Educational Pub. Co., readers,
3.75
University Pub. Co., readers, Express and supplies,
3.94
$241.71
Whole amount of repairs,
457.12
Cost of school supplies,
241.71
Total,
$698.83
Sale of text books,
$3.94
Town grant for repairs and supplies,
500.00
Special grant for wells,
100.00
$603.94
New Supplies on Hand Dec. 31, 1900.
Readers, geographies, arithmetics, etc.,
$36.37
Paper, copy books and general supplies,
14.28
$50.65
Inventory of stock, Jan. 1, 1900,
$131.74
Amount drawn from treasury,
237.77
Inventory of new stock, Dec. 31, 1900,
50.65
Supplies furnished schools,
222.80
1.44
37
CALENDAR FOR 1901.
WINTER TERM, January 7 to March 22, 1901. Eleven weeks. Vacation, two weeks.
SPRING TERM, April 8 to June 14. Ten weeks.
Vacation, thirteen weeks.
FALL TERM, September 9 to December 20. Fifteen weeks. Recess. Thanksgiving week after Wednesday.
Vacation, two weeks.
WINTER TERM, 1902, January 6.
Changes may be made in this to accommodate different schools.
The year just closing has brought to our schools more changes than often occur in the same time.
Miss Irene S. Wood retired from her connection with the Cochesett primary school at the close of the spring term, and the Committee take this opportunity of publicly recognizing the great worth of her long period of service in the town.
The resignation of our District Superintendent, Mr. Frank O. Jones, which was tendered in the summer vacation, was accepted with sincere regret, as he had filled the position for over two years most acceptably to the teachers and committee.
His successor, Mr. Robert J. Fuller, has entered upon the work with enthusiasm and we look for increased prosperity of our schools under his care.
His report refers to the number. in the Howard High school, which is considerably above that of the fall term of 1899. There is no class to graduate this summer, and if a class of good size enters in the fall, there will be a better showing in membership.
In our report for last year attention was called to the almost certain need of greater provision for pupils at the Centre.
38
Both schools there have been very crowded throughout the year, and there should be no delay in meeting this need.
In each building, all the space where it is possible to seat pupils, is occupied, with great inconvenience to regular school work.
There will probably be no seats for a new class in the primary school next fall, and it may be necessary to refuse admission to some pupils who should enter the grammar school.
In compliance with our request the superintendent's report presents our plans for relieving this serious condition of the Centre schools.
He has shown what the prospect is for numbers in the different grades and how the grades can be arranged in more rooms with great advantage to health and progress in study.
If some consolidation of schools could be properly made, the present number of teachers need not be increased, but for that, the co-operation of parents and citizens generally would be needed.
Such consolidation is now quite common in country towns, and is strongly urged by those who lead in the educational interests of our State.
The new building proposed, with fewer grades in each room, will provide for increase in numbers for many years, and will contain the essentials of school room comfort at the opening of the twentieth century.
The present grammar building, recently well equipped for its purpose, will furnish a comfortable room for two of the older grades.
In the new building it is important to have a small room to serve the double purpose of superintendent's office and for storing school supplies that could be unpacked in the building. This would greatly assist in the distribution of these supplies which is a laborious though very important work.
Of course the current expenses of these schools in heating
39
and janitor service would be increased, but not nearly in pro- portion to the resulting benefits.
Plans could be obtained and work commenced promptly upon the granting of an appropriation by the town so that the building would be ready for the fall term.
It is impossible to determine so early in the year the amount of repairs that may be required in the different buildings ; hence the repair account not infrequently exceeds the amount asked for.
As in the present year, shingling at the East building and painting at Cochesett seemed quite important.
The appropriation of $100.00 for wells has not been exceeded in repairing that at the South, and providing a much needed new one at the Centre.
We ask for the same ordinary appropriations as last year, not being able to estimate the extra expenses of the full term, with the uncertainty attending arrangements for the Centre schools.
And we ask for a special grant that we trust will meet the cost of a new building dedicated to the advancement of our town through the education of its children in the new century.
We recommend the following appropriations :
For the support of schools, $4,000.00
repairs and incidentals, 300.00
text-books and supplies, 200.00
conveyance of pupils, 450.00
Centre building and furnishing, 7,000.00
At the annual meeting it will be necessary to choose two members for three years.
Respectfully submitted,
A. S. LELACHEUR,
M. K. CROSBY, School
C. H. COPELAND, 1 W. H. BOSWORTH, C. P. HOWARD,
Committee.
E. E. BROWN,
40
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the honorable Board of School Committee of the Town of West Bridgewater.
In accordance with your regulations I herewith present to you my first annual report. It is the ninth in the series of annual reports since the formation of this union district.
As you well know, I took up the work of the year after it was two thirds finished, consequently my report must be concerned more especially with the work of the last four months. In addition to this, I wish to ask you to glance ahead at the future possibilities of your schools. When I began the work in September, all of the schools were pro- vided with teachers ; the course of study was fairly established and everything was in readiness for an auspicious beginning as well as a prosperous year. My predecessors had selected for you teachers of marked ability and adaptation for their work. This, together with the wise counsel of your secretary and yourselves, rendered my seemingly difficult task of "break- ing in" not only easy but very pleasant. For this, as well as all other kindnesses shown, I wish to express my sincere thanks.
At the close of the fall term 1900, I find, that in general, your schools are all in a progressive state. The number of cases of severe discipline has been small.
CONDITION AT A few of the children, some, I regret to say, END OF YEAR. with the consent of their parents, have wil- fully remained out of school during session time. May I, through you, say to those parents that, while there are times when it may be right to keep the children at home, the fact remains that it is a positive ATTENDANCE. injury to their boys and girls, mentally and morally, to keep them out of school unless the cause be a just one. A mental injury, because it causes
41
them the loss of the instruction, hence places them in danger of non-promotion and discouragement. Furthermore, accord- ing to a public statute of Massachusetts, no parent has a right to keep a child between the ages of seven and fourteen out of the public schools for any cause other than sickness, unless he attend some school approved by the school board. Can we expect that if as parents we allow our children to dis- regard law, that as young men and women they wll regard those laws which make them independent citizens? The scholarship of the pupils is, on the whole, good.
STANDARD. Some of the grades and schools are nearer the standard than others. This, however, is but a natural result of the difference in environment and condition. While we may never expect to see the schools with the five, six or seven grades in a room, as well classified as those with fewer grades, it has been and is my purpose to cause the work to become as near uniform as possible.
Having given some of my attention to the subject of spell- ing, I am convinced that for the sake of more definite work and for the assistance of the teacher in arranging this work, there ought to be in use in the grades above the fourth, some uniform text-book in Spelling. There are many words in constant use which are essential in the ordinary occupations of men and women. This fact is likely to be lost sight of by the one who presents the lesson. If however, a text-book containing the common words was in the hands of the pupil and was made the basis of the lesson in spelling, the complaint that our pupils are poor spellers would be heard less fre- quently. An attempt has been made to partially supply this need, and I hope to see improvement in this
TEXT-BOOKS. subject during the ensuing year. I have also been asked about the Physiology now in use in the upper grades. Upon a somewhat careful examination, I find that the one which we now have is much too difficult and exhaustive for pupils thirteen or fourteen years old.
42
I hope, therefore, to be able very soon to bring to your notice for adoption a more modern book based upon scientific knowledge and at the same time simple enough to be under- stood by the pupils of the eighth and ninth grades. My predecessor spoke to me regarding a text-book now in use in the ninth grade. It is Carpenter's "Composition and Grammar." I found this book, as the Physiology, very diffi- cult and unsatisfactory. The aim of the English work of this grade should be to round out the technical work of the eighth grade and help the scholars to such an understanding of spoken and written English that when they leave the Grammar School they may be able to write and speak correct English. If this can be brought about, those who do not attend High School will be able to enter a
ELEMENTARY higher station in life than they could other- ENGLISH wise do. With this end in view, new books
COMPOSITION. have been purchased for use in the ninth grade, Scott and Denny's Elementary English
Composition. This work, furnishing an abundance of themes and material for writing, carries out in detail what I have hinted at above. I feel certain that it will give the pupils of the ninth grade a start in the right direction.
From my observations and experiences during the past term, I have grown more and more to feel the need of a more definite course of study, or outline for all grades. If obliged to place a new teacher in any school temporarily or permanently, we have very little to put into her hands so that she may know just where to find the COURSE OF STUDY. classes. The course as arranged by your first superintendent and supplemented by your sec- ond is still in use. The conditions in your schools have changed somewhat since that course was established. Many of your text-books are different. Most of your teachers are new. I shall, therefore, some time before September 1, 1901, present for your consideration a prelim- inary course of study, which shall be as near the actual work
43
performed in our schools as it is possible for me to make it. In partial anticipation of this I have herewith appended a set of rules and regulations, relating in a general way to the schools of the town. I trust these, as well as those presented relating to the duties of the superintendent, teachers and janitors, may be adopted by you and printed copies be given each of the above officers.
Credit is due my predecessors, and you as the representa- tives of the town, for the consolidation that has already taken place in your schools. During the past century the the schools of this country have been passing through various stages of devel- CONSOLIDATION.
opment, until the educators of to-day con- sider that those which are most thoroughly centralized and and the work of which is mort carefully divided. are the ones where the best results are seen. Can you not, then as a school board, well ask yourselves and the town if you have done all that can be done in this direction ?
It is a fact commonly conceded by every intelligent citizen that one teacher connot give satisfactory instruction to more tha fifty pupils in a room with one grade, nor to more than forty in a room with two, three or four NUMBER OF PUPILS IN A ROOM. grades. In the following table, com- piled at your request, showing the number of pupils now in each grade in each school, I would like you to notice that next year, by the present arrangement of grades, one of the teachers at the Center will have forty or more scholars, while the other two will have all that it is possible for them to do. By a different arrangement of grades the CONGESTION. same condition would exist, but with greater inequality of division. In the three years following, taking into consideration the probable number to dropout and the number who will come to the Cen- ter from the North, South, East and Matfield schools, the-
GRADE AND PUPILS.
1900-1901.
1902-1903.
SCHOOL.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
LX.
Center Grammar,
8
13
16
11
15
14
21
16
20
Center Primary,
16
11
8
6
16
11
8
North,
6
4
6
4
5
6
4
6
Matfield,
7
13
13
9
3
3
7
13
13
9
South,
9
2
5
4
2
9
2
5
East,
2
4
3
4
3
4
2
4
3
1901-1902.
1903-1904.
Center Grammar, Center Primary, North, Matfield,
16
11
8
16
11
6
4
6
4
6
4
7
13
13
9
3
7
13
13
South,
9
2
5
4
9
2
East,
2
4
3
4
3
2
4
44
6
15 16 20 11
22
23 21 16
45
same disparity will exist. This does not provide at all for those entering the primary grade during the three years. With the electric railroad, and the desirability of your town as a place of residence, this number will, in all probability, grow larger rather than smaller. Thus, it seems to me, that you must see the immediate necessity of another teacher at the Center.
True it is, 'you cannot ask for another teacher until you have provided a place in which she may teach. Realizing that, as well as knowing the inadequacy of the two buildings at the Center, to accomodate the present number of pupils, I have given much of my time and attention to the prospect of a new building there. In this study I have endeavored to keep in mind first, the accomodation, comfort, and sanitary condition of all the pupils; second, the good name and standing of the town and citizens of West Bridgewater ; third, and not the least important factor, the expense of a building sufficient to accomodate the pupils, and at the same time built according to modern pedagogic ideas.
Of the present buildings at the Center, let me say that the small building is not sufficient to accomodate even the three grades. The teacher and pupils would always alike be crowded. The ventilation is imperfect, the lighting poor and floor arrangement inconvenient. In fact, the building, in an eastern Massachusetts town which has BUILDINGS NOW always been thrifty, is not only out of AT CENTER. place but almost a disgrace. It has served its purpose. Ought it not then to be discarded ? The large building, by actual measure- ment, will according to modern ideas, accomodate com- fortably no more than forty or fifty pupils. It is so arranged that the eighth and ninth grades can be very well taken care of by one teacher.
Starting with these hypotheses; the necessity of a fourth teacher at the Center, the small building there practically
46
unfit for use, the large building in reality only large enough to accomodate forty pupils and one teacher, I have at your request, the following suggestion or recommendation to make. Keeping the premises in mind, you will see that there are, or will be, three teachers at the Center in the near future with no place in which to teach. This then, anticipates for us the request that you cause to be built at the Center a three room building. This building to be so constructed as to accomodate the three schools and a supply or committee room. The plan to be so drawn as to have the three rooms on the ground floor; a corridor across the entire building to serve, by means of wire grating, as a coat room ; to have slate blackboards ; the building to be heated and ventilated through- out by the Fuller & Warren heating and ventilating system or one similar to it; to have a cemented basement, two rooms of which to be used for play-rooms, in stormy weather and to accomodate those who remain to dinner ;
NEW BUILDING. to provide in the basement, also, for the storage of fuel ; the basement to be con- nected with the outbuildings by a covered passage. Such a building constructed by responsible contractors, would cost not more than $7,000.00, made of brick, and about $1,000.00 less, built of wood. The cost of more land, grading and fur- nishing, would be not far from $1,000.00 additional. With such a building and another teacher at the Center, the classi- fication and comfort of your pupils will be so much enchanced and perfected that the Town of West Bridgewater will retain the good reputation of her schools, and will soon see them equal to those of any other town of her size in the state.
While writing this, the thought occurred to me, that it might be possible for us to provide for our fourth teacher from the present number of teachers and thus save a part, if not all, of the salary of one teacher. Transportation is not at all times and under all circumstances desirable. It is, in some cases, even objectionable. This is true in the case of a large
47
number of children transported by coach, but if responsible men are employed as drivers of these coaches, the objections become less. When, however, these same
FURTHER children can be transported by electric CONSOLIDATION. cars, these objections are reduced almost to nothing. In winter the cars are heated, in stormy weather closed cars are used, at all times conductors must see that there is no disorderly conduct on board. If, then, in your own town you have a school so situated that a majority of the scholars are now carrying their dinners and have a long distance to walk to and from school, if most of these scholars are within comparatively easy access to the electrics, would it not be a feasible and money-saving prop- osition to take such a school and teacher to this new build- ing? If this plan was adopted the scholars would have the advantages of better instruction, fewer grades in a room and more comfortable quarters, besides a
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