USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1848/49-1855 > Part 3
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66 Cash paid for preparing
Voters' Lists, Furniture and Stationery for Office, &c., 56,00
$2121,32
$223,86
3
18
Amounts brought forward, $2121,32 $223,86
Paid C. A. Hamilton, Recording Births and Deaths, &c., -
67,52
Ezekiel Daniels, Wood for City Hall, 57,94
Chas. P. Chapin, Painting Signs, 1,26
Edward Lamb, armory rent for Light Infantry, 90,00
2,338,04
CITY HALL AND WARD ROOMS. (Repairs and Furnishing.)
Paid Alonzo Woodcock, carpenter's work, $91,91
Chas. F. Smith, 153,75
Joseph Lovell, jr , mason 66
436,84
Jane Roberts, making carpets,
1,50
Sarah J. Geer, -
2,00
Julia Wall, -
4,50
Eliza Healy,
11,00
Henry Earle, posts and railings in Council Rooms, 143,74
G. V. Peterson, cleaning windows, &c., 4,25
B. L. Hardon & Co., bill of carpets &c., 212,78
Wm. T. Merrifield, lumber, 42,07
Simeon Blake, making vault at City Hall, 29,73
David Woodward, stone work, 16,50
I. K. Bates, Hard Ware, .
33,91
Clark & Phelps, stoves and funnel in offices, 39.22 Partridge & Tabor, furniture for Police Court room, - 62,00
" Wm. A. Wheeler, iron pillars for Council rooms, 62,88
" Sampson & Newton, whitening and coloring in City Hall, 6,00
Henry W. Miller, bill of hard ware, castings for desks, and stoves and pipe in Council Rooms, chandeliers, water closets, lead pipe, labor, &c., 565,32 Benj. Barber, stone work, 7,75
Hilton & Dodge, stoves and funnel in Watch House and Police Court Room, 25,73
" Benj. Buffum, lumber, 19,00
H. Baker, furniture for Council Rooms and Offices, - - - 716,52 James S. Woodworth, carpenters work and lumber, 646,12
C. P. Nichols, painting, 151,77
66 Leonard Poole, iron work for lockup, 34,69
E. Lund, buckets for lockup, 4,50
Martin Stowe, bedding 22,13
$3,548,11
$6,110,01
19
Amount brought forward, - $6,110,01
CLOCKS AND BELLS, (care and ringing.)
Paid L. L. Mason, care of clocks, - 32,50 -
32,50
CITY DEBT AND INTEREST.
Paid Wor. Co. Sav. Inst'n, principal & interest, 9,323,42
John W. Lincoln,
1,410,88
F. W. Paine,
66
1,261,43
Stephen Salisbury,
806,66
Elizabeth Salisbury,
705,84
Alex'r De Witt,
66
66
1,636,25
E. G. Partridge, ,
1,420,47
66 County of Worcester,
3,120,00
Man. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.
66
1,030,17
Wor. Co. Mut. "
66
2,415,69
Anthony Chase,
524,83
S. S. Hastings,
66
552,24
Chas. Blair,
71,28
Ebenezer Mower,
66
51,50
On ac't of work on the Grafton road, charged to this appropriation, -
- 300,00
Indorsement on note of Sarah Waldo's,
300,00
$24,990,66
COUNTY TAX.
Paid Anthony Chase, County Treasurer,
4,139,42
4,139,42
FUNERALS.
Paid Wm. G. Maynard, (city sexton.)
143,00
143,00
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Paid James Estabrook, rent for No. 3.
58,80
Engine No. 5., trucking,
6,00
A. & A. H, Hood, making ladders, - 12,50
Shelton & Cheever, hose couplings and torches,
36,00
Leonard Poole, iron work for hose carria- ges, &c.
12,26
Wm. A. Wheeler, castings, -
7,68
Luther Slater, rigging, 7,67
" J. S. Woodworth, hose tables, &c. - 9,25
Benj. Hutchinson, mending hose,
12,77
Barbour & Chaffin, oil,
31,87
Henry W. Miller, lamps, oil cans, &c.
24,56
Freight on hose, -
1,00
A. Tolman & Co., mending hose and iron work, - - - -
- 16,50
$236,86 35,415,59
60,00
66 Wm. Dickinson,
20
Amounts brought forward, $236,86 35,415,59
Paid Chas. P. Chapin, painting signal lanterns, 6,00 Isaac Ross. signal lanterns, 21,00 Tower & Raymond, repairs on hook and lad- der house, 5,46
.
Hilton & Dodge, stove and fixtures, (for No. 4.) 23,37
Andrew Braman, wood, 1,25 - $293,94
GRAFTON ROAD, (new.)
Paid Rockwood & Fitts, balance in full for making said road, - - - -
$2,095,37 $2,095,37
*HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES, (repairs of)
Paid Mayor's orders, chargeable to this appro- priation, $3,702,04 $3,702,04
HOSE.
Paid Shelton & Cheever, for new hose, $300,00 $300,00
HYDRANTS, (connected with E. Allen's Aqueduct.)
Paid Wm. A. Wheeler, castings for hydrants, $115,56
George W. Drury, setting 25,35
Henry W. Miller, superintendence of the above,
5,00
$145,91
LAND DAMAGES.
Paid C. P. Nichols, for land on Main Street,
136,26
" Timothy S. Stone, 66 66
40,48
Benj. B. Otis, "
29,62
฿206,36
MILITARY FUND.
Paid Worcester Guards,
81,50
Infantry, (in part,)
78,00
$159,50
OIL, LIGHTING AND REPAIRING LAMPS.
Paid Barbour & Chaffin,
oil, -
$112,02
C. Foster & Fox,
258,87
60 66
repairs
29,68
Hilton & Dodge,
8,00
Leonard Poole,
2,22
Simon Holt,
20,45
lighting,
211,26
$642,50
$42,961,21
*The Treasurer has paid the Mayor's orders given the Committee on Highways, and they have disbursed the monies under this appropriation. Consequently the description of expenditures for this object cannot be given by the Treasurer, as he has not the infor- mation necessary for that purpose.
21
Amount brought forward, - $42,961,21
OUTSTANDING TAXES.
The following sums due from the late town of Worcester, have been paid and charged to the account of taxes assessed prior to 1848.
Paid Rufus Rice, taking census of births, 22,67
" John M. Earle, printing, -
29,67
" F. W. Paine, balance due him as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for 1847, 355,72
L. L. Mason, care of clocks, 32,50
Chas. H. Hill, surveying and plan of P. M. Burial Ground, 6,50
Engine No. 5, care of hose and repairs, 21,77
B. E. Hutchinson, repairs for "Fire De- partment," - 8,92
Engine Co. No. 4, care of hose and trucking, 37,00
E. F. Witt, trucking for hook and ladder Co. 10,00
Ebenezer Jewett, repairing highways, -
9,69
T. W. & C. P. Bancroft, advertising and selling real estate, 56,44
Tucker & Ruggles, school books, 4,07
Barbour & Chaffin, oil, -
1,45
Dr. John Green, armory rent for Worcester Guards,
38,59
Samuel C. Grosvenor, care of Walnut Street School House, 6,57
Reed & Clark, oil and wicking, for engine No. 3.
15,55
Black & Bush, work done on Exchange St. in 1847, 8,00 Wm. G. Maynard, repairs in Sexton's de- partment, - - 8,75
Benj. F. Heywood, stone for bridge on Central Street, - 24,00
" J. S. C. Knowlton, advertising, 9,25
Henry Goulding. repairing engine No. 3,
2,75
"School Committee of 1847," balance assum- ed by them for the purchase of Piano Forte for High School, 112,00
Tower & Raymond, repairs in brick school house, on the common, 1,00
Paid Tucker & Bonney, rent of rooms for School Committee, 14,00
Edwin H. Lovell, land for school house lot, 38,37
Am'nt of poll taxes refunded firemen for year 1846, 1,34
1847, 231,82
$1,136,64
$44,097,85.
" Partridge & Tabor, furniture for school houses, 28,25
22
Amount brought forward,
-
$44,097,85
*PAUPERS.
Paid Mayor's orders chargeable to this appro- priation, 2,803,35 $2,803,35
SALARIES OF CITY OFFICERS.
Paid Levi Lincoln, Mayor, 764,41
66 Chas. A. Hamilton, city clerk, 289,58
Wm. A. Smith, clerk Com. Council, 195,83
David Gleason, city messenger, 272,13
George Jones, city Marshal, -
366,63
George A. Bates, city Physician -
81,12
F. W. Paine, chairman of the board of assessors, being 3-4 of the salary of the board for the year 1848, . - 262,50
John Boyden, Treasurer and Collector, 627,91
Joel Wilder, chief engineer, (3 quarters.) 112,50
$2,972,61
+SCHOOLS, (including Classical and English High School.) Instruction, Fuel, Repairs, and care of School Houses. Paid Mayor's orders chargeable to this appropri- tion,
13,815,27 $13,815,27
SCHOOL HOUSE LOTS.
Paid Austin G. Fitch, land in Quinsigamond village, - -
- 500,00
" Francis Davis, land on Summit Street, 600,00
Kendall Whittemore," "
(adjoining each other,) - -
600,00
1,700,00
Total Expenditures,
$65,389,08
Cash in Treasury, 5,957,05
$71,346,13
*The disbursement of monies under the "Pauper Appropriation," have been made by the "Clerk of the Board of Overseers," and therefore a general (or particular,) account is not here given, (the bills being in the Clerk's possession.)
+ A large portion of the payments made under the "Appropriation for Schools," (viz : the amount paid for instruction,) has been made by the Secretary of the School Commit- tee, and the whole sum expended is here given, (as in the Highway and Pauper appropri- ations.)
23
REAL ESTATE OWNED BY THE CITY.
The City Hall (of brick) and land, (the Common.)
The Alms House (of wood) and land, 204 acres, 133 rods. Wood lot, 26 acres, 19 rods.
Sprout land, 10 years growth, 16 acres.
Land around Bell pond, 9 acres.
Burial ground on the Common.
on Mechanic Street.
on Pine Meadow Street.
at South Worcester.
School House lot at Quinsigamond Village.
66 66 " on Summit Street.
" on Salem Street.
Lot for a Pound,* on Pine Street.
Brick School House, and lot, on Walnut Street.
66 on Main Street.
66
66
on Pleasant Street. on the Common.
" corner of Thomas and Summer Streets.
School House, and lot, on Summer Street.
66
(small one) so long as used for School purposes.
66
66
on Pine Street.
66
on Beach Street. on the Common.
in Tatnuck
District.
60
66
66 in New Worcester 66
66
66
" in South Worcester in Quinsigamond
66
66
in Monroe
66
66
" in Pond
66
1
66
66
in Adams Square
in Northville
(house of brick) ( )
in Burncoat Plain in Reed
66 in Chamberlain's 66
66
66
in Leesville
66
60
in Parkhurst's
Hook and Ladder House, Salem St., (on the Common) Engine House, and lot, No. 2, at New Worcester.
66
66
" No. 3, at 77 Main St. No. 4, in basement City Hall.
66
" No. 5. at Lincoln Square.
" No. 6, at 21 Exchange St.
Hearse House, Salem St. (on the Common) Pest House, at the City farm.
* To be paid for out of the Appropriations of the present year.
66
66 66
66
66
66
24
PERSONAL PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE CITY.
Furniture in the City Hall, Mayor and Aldermen's Room, Common Council Room, Police Court Room, Treasurer, Messenger and Mar- shal's Offices, School Houses and Watch House; Philosophical Appar- atus, Piano Forte, Maps, &c. in Walnut Street School House; Libra- ries and Apparatus in part of the School Houses.
The City Aqueduct, Reservoir, Hydrants, and fixtures belonging thereto.
In charge of the Superintendent of the Alms House.
1 Horse,
50 Bushels Corn, 20 lbs Wool,
4 Oxen,
7 Buckwheat, 1 1-2 bbls Vinegar,
11 Cows,
15
Rye, 1 1-2 bbls Cider,
3 Calves,
25 66 Barley 2 bbls Apples,
2 Sheep,
20 Oats,
6 Ladders,
2 Lambs,
10 Beans, 250 lbs Ham,
4 Swine,
13 Baskets,
900 lbs Salt Pork,
6 Pigs,
25 Grain Sacks,
120 lbs Lard,
30 Fowls,
12 Chains,
40 lbs Teas,
2 Ox Carts,
9 Shovels,
13 Stoves, Stove Fur- niture and Funnel.
1. Ox Wagon,
4 Manure Forks,
1 Covered Wagon,
1 Hay Cutter,
24 Feather Beds, Bed- ding, &c.
1 Market do.
1 Winnowing Mill,
Household and Dairying Furniture.
3 Harnesses,
3 Ox Sleds,
23 Axes and Pruning 20 lbs Stocking Yarn, Hooks, 30 lbs Candles,
5 Ox Yokes,
1 Grindstone,
40 M. Skewers,
1 Horse Rake,
1 Chest of Tools,
27 Brooms, 175 bushels Potatoes,
1 Cultivator,
2 Hives of Bees,
40 bushels Roots, 2 bbls Soap, 20 lbs Tallow,
20 Rakes,
3 Wood Saws,
3 Buffalo Robes,
2 Grain Cradles,
12 Hoes,
Chest of New Clothing.
16 Scythes,
12 Forks,
1 Sett Ropes and Fall.
This list of Articles is valued at $2.384.
In charge of the Chief Engineer.
5 Fire Engines,
9 Hose Carriages,
2967 feet of Leading Hose,
38 Buckets,
144 Suction
1 Ladder Carriage,
9 Ladders,
3 Fire Hooks,
1 Harrow,
1 Beetle, 4 Wedges,
1 Wheelbarrow,
3 Iron Bars,
6 Plows,
2 Steel Traps,
1 Buggy do.
12 Tons Hay, Lot of Lumber,
2 Sleighs,
7 Scythe Snaths, 4 Picks,
Axes, Drag Ropes, Lanterns, Torches, &c.
25
There is also 400 feet of Leading Hose belonging to Messrs. Rice, Fox, & Co. attached to the Hose Carriage, located near their Factory, and to be used in that vicinity, under the charge of the Board of En- gineers.
Also two "Social Fire Societies" in the City, owning about 160 Fire Buckets, and well equipped with Bags, Bed Keys, Screw Drivers, wil- ling hearts and ready hands.
In charge of the Superintendent of Streets.
3 Ox Carts, 1 Drill, 1 Meal Box,
5 Scrapers,
1 Stone Hammer,
1 Feed Trough,
2 Plows, 5 Ox Yokes, 1 Hay Cutter,
4 Chains, 4 Picks, Pail, Lanterns, and Oil Can.
1 Stone Boat,
17 Shovels,
4 Iron Bars, 2 Iron Rakes,
In charge of the Undertaker.
3 Hearses, (one on runners,) 2 Biers, 1 Harness, 3 Palls.
In charge of the Lamp Lighter.
The Street Lamps, 3 Oil Cans.
The undersigned would here say that the title to some of the lots of land upon which School Houses now stand, may revert back to the orig- inal proprietors, when said lots are not "occupied for school purposes," as in the case mentioned (in list of Real Estate) concerning the land on Summer St. upon which the small wooden School House now stands. He has endeavored to obtain full and correct lists of all Property, Real and Personal, belonging to the city. If anything is omitted, the reader will please annex it to the list here given, and thereby increase (in num- ber at least) the preceding schedule. He would also have given the es- timated value of the whole property, could he availed himself the services of an appraising committee ; for want thereof, and having been solicited to "say something," considers the sum of Two Hundred and Forty Thous- and Dollars, ($240,000,) a low estimated value of the property now be- longing to the City. The public debt was not diminished the full amount of the appropriation ($9000, for interest and reduction, ) as the City have purchased land for school purposes, on Summit St. and an order of Five Hundred Dollars for payment of land damages on Main St. has been drawn upon the Treasury, and for payment thereof the Treasurer was authorized to borrow, but has not, the payments (see Report) having been made from funds already in the Treasury.
Annexed is a Table of the City Debt, with reference at the bottom, to which your attention is solicited.
All of which is very respectfully submitted,
JOHN BOYDEN, City Treasurer.
-
4
26
AMOUNT OF CITY DEBT.
Date of Note.
To whom Payable.
Interest.
When Payable:
Amount.
July 1, 1841,
Worcester County Institution for Savings, 66
Per Ct. 6
On demand,
$6,500,00
Mar. 14, 1844,
6
66
8,950,00
Feb. 1, 1845,
6
66
7,000,00
Feb. 17, 1846,
6
4,000,00
June 1, 1846,
5
June 1, 1951
6,000,00
June 1, 1848,
Six Notes due same Institution, of $552,52 each, one Note payable annually till all are paid, . . . Seventeen Notes due same Institution, of $1604,85 each, one Note payable annu- ally till all are paid, .
Interest.
July 22,
27,282,45
June 1, 1848,
. Three Notes due same Institution, of $3,566,19 each, one Note payable annu- ally till all are paid,
No
Interest.
Sept. 1,
10,698,57
June 1, 1848,
Worcester Co. Savings Institution,
6
On demand,
381,70
June 2, 1848,
Ebenezer Mower,
6
66
2,000,00
June 24, 1848,
Mary C. White,
6
66
1,000,00
Aug. 2, 1848,
Judith Roberts,
6
6.
66
500,00
Oct. 2, 1818, Jan. 1, 1849,
John Boynton,
6
Oct. 2, 1853, On demand,
6,333,33
Feb. 28, 1849,
Solon S. Hastings, David Whitcomb,
6
6
Mar. 9, 1854, On demand,
3,000,00
Apr. 4, 1848,
Sarah Waldo, =
6
500,00
May 9, 1848,
6
700,00
Dec. 13, 1847, July 1, 1845,
Charles Blair,
6
66
1,188,00
William Dickinson,
6
66
1,654,00
*$95,633,17
66
66
66
No Interest.
June 17,
3,315,12
June 1, 1848,
No
Aug. 29, 1848,
John W. Lincoln,
6
2,500,00
1,500,00
Mar. 9, 1849,
Wor. Mut. Fire Insurance Co.
6
600,00
66
60
*Of this amount, it will be seen by the above table that the sum of $41,293,17 is without in- terest, and a part of the whole debt is not due until July 22, 1866, thus making the present worth about Fourteen Thousand dollars less than the sum here given, say $81,633,17.
27
CITY TREASURER'S OFFICE,
WORCESTER, APRIL 30, '49 ...
To the City Council of the City of Worcester.
The undersigned respectfully asks permission to present his first Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City for the year ending March 31st, 1849.
Very Respectfully, JOHN BOYDEN, City Treasurer and Collector.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, May 3, '49. Accepted-sent down for concurrence.
C. A. HAMILTON, C. C.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, MAY 3, '49.
Accepted in concurrence.
W. A. SMITH, C. C. C.
28
Dr. City of Worcester in Account Current from May 8th, 1848,
Paid abatement on taxes, (after payment) $223,86
Contingent Expenses,
-
- 2,338,04
City Hall repairs, -
- 3,548,11
City Debt and Interest,
24,990,66
Care of Clocks and Bells,
32,50
" County Tax,
4,139,42
" Funeral Expenses,
143,00
Fire Department Expenses, ( exclusive of members pay) -
293,94
Grafton Road, (completion of making) 2,095,37
Highways and Bridges, (repairs of) 3,702,04
Hose appropriation, -
300,00
Hydrant “ in part, -
- 145,91
Land Damages, (on Main St.) -
-
206,36
Militia Fund, to Infantry and Guards, -
159,50
Oil, Care and Repairing Street Lamps,
642,50
Pauper appropriation, (in part) -
2,803,35
School (in part) - 13,815,27
School House Lots, - -
1,700,00
Salaries of City officers, - - -
2,972,61
Sundry bills chargeable to the account of outstanding Taxes, - - -
1,136,64 Abatements of taxes to date, - - - 1,441,88
Discount on taxes paid prior to Sept. 1st, -
2,570,68
Amount of taxes uncollected, -
1,547,36
Cash in the Treasury,
5,957,05
$76,906,05
Worcester, April 1st, 1849.
-
-
70,949,00
29
to April 1st, 1849, with John Boyden, City Treasurer and Collector, Cr.
Received from Aqueduct Commissioners of 1847, 137,90
66
City Hall rents, - 512,73
66
County of Worcester, 88,00
Commonwealth, -
1,547,66
" " Committee on Finance,"
648,74
66 Interest,
297,90
Loans,
19,333,33
66
Licenses,
679,00
Police Court Justice, - - 61,60
Summons, - 1 - - 140,20
66
66 John Shea, Note and Interest,
21,63
66
" Taxes (of John Rice) 680,61
assessed in 1847, -
535,04
Amount of appropriations raised by
tax for 1848, - - $47,525,00
County tax for 1848, 4,139,42
Overlayings in making taxes, 557,29
52,221,71
$76,906,05
By Balance of Cash on hand,
5,957,05
M
Errors excepted.
JOHN BOYDEN, City Treasurer and Collector.
30
CITY OF WORCESTER,
In Board of Aldermen, May 3, 1849.
The Committee on Accounts, to whom the Report of the City Treas- urer was referred for examination, have attended to that duty, and ask leave to submit the following report.
They have carefully examined the account rendered by John Boyden, the City Treasurer, and find the same correctly made up in every par- ticular ; and all payments for the expenditures of the city, therein charg- ed, are properly vouched.
The report shows that there has been received into the Treasury at sundry times from all sources during the year ending March 31st, 1849, including the taxes of 1848, the sum of $76,906,05.
There has been disbursed by the Treasurer during the same time, for various purposes, the sum of $69,401,64. There are taxes uncollected and unabated amounting to $1547,36, of those assessed in the year 1848. These two sums, together with $5957,05, the balance of cash in the Treasury, at that date, make the sum of $76,906,05, the total amount of receipts as stated above.
The Committee deem it but justice, to say of the Treasurer, that the manner in which he has kept his books and papers belonging to the city, is such as to afford them entire satisfaction, and do himself much credit.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
By order of the Committee,
WARREN LAZELL, Chairman.
1
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The School Committee of the city of Worcester for 1848-49, at the close of their term of service, submit to their constituents the following
REPORT.
When the town of Worcester put off her old form of gov- ernment, and assumed the name and responsibilities of a city, im- portant changes became necessary in all the departments of her internal arrangements. As in others, so in that of the School Committee, the modification was great and immediately apparent. The old Board of Overseers, for the Centre District, and the Com- mittee of the other districts, had respectively lost their existence ; and whatever disposition they may have had to maintain separate authority, and to exercise, each its appropriate prerogatives, they were, so to speak, of necessity compressed into one. Referred to with respectful deference, as among the things that had been, and as affording useful lessons for their successors, they were replaced by the present Committee, to whose supervision and wise discre- tion, the care of educating the thousands of our children for the year was entrusted. The first meeting of the new Committee showed them, if they were not aware of it before, that heavy la- bors were to be performed, and serious obstacles to be overcome. It may now be permitted them to indulge in mutual congratulations, that they have been able to dispose of so many difficulties, to en-
32
ter into arrangements that experience has shown to operate suc- cessfully, and that they can surrender the trust reposed in them with the consciousness that it has suffered no serious detriment under their supervision.
In presenting their account of the several schools, whose inter- ests they have cared for, they are gratified in being able to say so much that is favorable, and in being compelled to say so little that is unfavorable. To begin with what are called the out-Districts : In all these, schools have been taught both Summer and Winter ; in most of them, with gratifying success. The majority of the teachers have shown themselves to be in earnest in their great work, and, in other respects, well qualified for it; and the results of their labors, have been as honorable to themselves, as useful to their pupils. In a few instances, it has been otherwise. Some, who appeared well on examination, and left hardly any room for doubt as to their success, failed, either in government or aptness to teach, and sadly disappointed the hopes which they had raised. In one or two cases, it was thought advisable to dismiss the teach- ers before the expiration of their term of service, and replace them by such as would reduce the unruly to obedience, bring order out of confusion, and train to good habits of thought, and propriety of manners. It is hoped that these failures will, on the whole, act beneficently on the subjects of them, by urging them to a more thorough preparation for future labors. Thus temporary mortifica- tion, shall work out permanent benefit.
It may be as well to state it here perhaps, as in any other sec- tion of this report, that, in seventeen instances, the Committee for examining and recommending teachers, have felt bound to give a negative to applicants. This too, without adopting any very strin- gent method of examination. It is hoped that the knowledge that an incompetent applicant will certainly be rejected, may have a tendency to increase the qualifications of such as propose to de- vote themselves to the great work of educating our youth. Mod- est merit is always to be encouraged. In present circumstances, necessity is laid upon us to recommend some whose deficiencies are scarcely overbalanced by any superior excellencies. But high recommendations and great pretensions, must not blind Commit-
33
tees to palpable defects ; nor must an unwillingness to give tem- porary pain, induce them to recommend as teacher, one in respect of whom hope is light and fear is heavy.
While they speak of this want of success on the part of a few of the teachers, the Committee may not conceal the fact that, in some instances, both parents and teachers have complained of ne- glect on the part of those who had been appointed to take charge of the schools. In two or more of the Districts, their visits were " few and far between ;" and no one of the Committee was present, at the final examination. In District No. 7, for example, four gen- tlemen of respectability, in a communication which they have sub- mitted in writing, say, after regretting the absence of the Sub- Committee, at the close of the school, and speaking in high terms of the teacher, " we hope that the Committee, whoever he may be, will be able to visit our school, at least three times during the next Winter term, and be present at the examination." This is not a solitary instance of complaint on account of the neglect of Sub- Committees.
In this connection it should also be stated, that gentlemen of the Committees and teachers have expressed much regret because the parents have generally manifested so little interest in the intellec- tual and moral training of their children. Though often said be- fore, it will bear to be repeated, that, if parents would frequently visit the schools where their children are being educated, and show in all appropriate forms, how deeply they are interested in their training, it would at once encourage the teachers, and stimulate the pupils for their good.
On the whole, after making all the abatements which truth de- mands, the Committee believe that most of the schools in the out-Districts, have been conducted, during the last year, under the new order of things, with as much success as in any former year. This, indeed, is not saying all the Committee would be glad to say ; but it is certainly cause for congratulation, if, amid the many changes required by a different government, nothing has been lost. It would not overstate the truth probably, to affirm that no loss, in such circumstances, is equal to some gain.
The following statements may now be submitted in regard to
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the schools in the Centre District. The school for colored chil- dren has been under the care of Miss Eveleth. Her success here- tofore, warranted the expectation that her pupils would not suffer under her charge during this year. That expectation has not been disappointed. The enlarged accommodations which had been pro- vided for her, gave her increased facilities for developing the pow- ers and promoting the interests of her pupils. It may suffice to say that her labors have been crowned with success. The minds committed to her training, will ever have occasion to cherish her labors in grateful remembrance. The Committee would earnestly recommend that the parents and friends of these children co-oper- ate more earnestly with the teacher, in bringing a greater number of this class of minds under her instructions.
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