USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1848/49-1855 > Part 48
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66
500 00
66
Harrington, Emily A.
66
25 00
66
Henry, Charlotte C.
66
81 73
Henshaw, Marion
206 25
66
Hewett, Caroline
60
240 00
Hill, Charles W.
140 00
Hobbs, Martha
66
229 16
Hunt, Addison"A.
65
165 00
Jenks, Susan M.
250 00
66 Johnson, Osgood
1,162 50
66 Kinne, Mary L.
66
75 00
66
Lawrence, Mary A.
66
250 00
66
Mack, Mary J.
66
262 50
66
Matthews, Lucy H.
187 50
66
Maynard, Mary M.
66
168 75
66
25 00
Metcalf, Caleb B.
66
1,100 00
Moore, Sarah
66
250 00
Nixon, Jane E.
145 83
·
Norwood, Mary B.
66
350 00
Clements, Sarah W.
300 00
250 00
Cross, Kate E.
109 10
66
DeLand, Hester E.
Hathaway, Harriet
25 00
261 54
James, Anna P.
Lovering, Emeline M.
300 00
Merriam, Jane A.
90 00
Brigham, E. A. B.
Clary, S. H.
46
Paid Palmer, Ellen P.
teaching,
62 50
66 Parkinson, Caroline
350 00
66 Perry, Adeliza
66
350 00
66 Perry, Julia M.
66
187 50
Perry, Lydia A.
66
275 00
Pratt, Abigial
10 25
66 Pratt, Eliza A.
300 00
66 Prouty, Levi
66
148 00
66
Putnam, Caroline E.
245 20
66
Reed, Maria H.
66
250 00
66
Shepard, Elizabeth M.
66
275 00
66
Slater, Mary A.
66
300 00
Smith, Mary A.
60
250 00
Smith, Sarah M.
104 17
66 Starr, William E.
1150 00
Swift, Henrietta M.
168 75
66 Temple, Amelia C.
66
231 25
Thayer, Mary E ..
66
265 35
Thompson, Ruth C.
250 00
66 Turner, Mary S.
350 00
66
Walker. Harriet M.
66
325 00
Wheeler, Charlotte
66
200 00
Wheeler, Lois H.
66
350 00
Willard, Martha A.
66
275 00
66
Williams, Avaline
66
300 00
66
Williams, Mary H.
6 25
66
Wilmarth; Lydia M.
300 00
Adams, John G.
visiting,
45 00
Brooks, Calvin M.
66
50 00
Bushnell, George
66
50 00
Chapin, Daniel E.
25 00
66
Clarke, Henry
20 00
Dana, John A.
2 00
66
DeLand, Armit B.
66
20 00
Dresser, George A.
39 00
66
Estabrook, James E.
66
8 00
66 Higginson, Thomas W. visiting 60 1-2 days and preparing report, 25 days,
55 00
66
James, Horace
visiting, 66
58 00
66 Lazell, Warren
54 00
Magennis, Thomas
6:
28 00
66 Newton, John C.
66
62 00
66
Pratt, Joseph
8 00
Rice, William W.
66
10 35
Spooner, Moses
66
15 00
Stone, Samuel V. 66
28 00
Sweetser, Seth
66
65 00
66
Taft, Putman W.
50 00
Williams, James O.
7 00
" Williams, William A.
66
16 00
Paid Lazell, Warren salary as Secretary of Board,
25 00
Prudential Committee, 18 75
66
visiting and contingencies, 11 54
66 Newton, John C. salary as Prudential Committee, 131 25
66
250 00
Rice, Mary E.
47
Paid Tucker, Augustus
salary as Secretary of Board, 175 00 postage, &c., 3 50
66
66 Adams, Hezekiah
wood and contingencies, 37 50
66
66 21
66 Boice, John F.
66
61 60
66 Brooks, John H.
44 61
66 Burbank, Asa L.
22 00
Chaffin, Moore, M.
66
64 80
66
Chamberlain, Ephraim F.
99 49
66
Chamberlain, George A.
62 95
6. Cheney, Leonard
26 53
66
Curtis, Edward
66
30 39
66
Dodge, Robert S.
66
59 83
66
79 37
Hunt, John A.
66
79 58
66
115 62
66
Mills, Isaac
66
37 94
66 Prentice, Henry
66
111 61
66
Rice, Ezra B.
66
103 36
66
Stowell, Benjamin F.
66
17 20
66
Watkins, Elbridge G.
60
92 01
66 Cobb, Albert G.
wood,
-
315 75
Hayward, Calvin
66
-
42 00
Pratt, Charles B.
29 63
66
Goulding & Hooper,
coal,
83 40
66
Hacker, W. Alfred
66
-
936 17
66 Harrington, Simon G.
6 13
Padelford, John M. 60
4 33
Adams, Henry C. painting and varnishing,
7 75
Allen, Albert S. tuning piano,
4 00
66
Allen, Josiah. W. repairs,
1 00
Ayres, Horace fluid and sundries,
54 83
Bartlett, Isaac setting glass,
4 00
Bigelow, Charles P. & Co. netting, Borden, John black-board,
26 75
Boyden & Ball, plans, &c., for school house,
45 25
66
Brigham, William R. matting,
5 92
66 Brown & Co., inkstands &c.,
4: 38
66
Brown & Firth, mugs,
3 25
Bugbee, Lyman brushes, brooms, pails & sundries,
75 69
Burbank, Asa L. & Co. clocks and repairs.
35 50
66 Burgess, Alvan T. lime casks,
1 87
Burgess, Daniel S. repairs, - -
10 78
Bushnell, George freight and expenses, -
7 75
66 Carney, John painting and varnishing,
67 26
66 Carpenter, Harvey shavings and carting,
4 63
Chamberlain, George A. expenses moving school house and repairs, -
242 04
66 Chapin, Edwin lumber,
28 02
66 Chase & Stevens, painting, -
-
75 25
66 Cheney, Jonas S.
8 20
66 Coffee, John making fires and labor, -
421 85
66 Coleman, Charles C. clock and repairs, 7 88
66 Colton, J. HI. & Co. atlas. -
15 00
-
Stowell, Frederic T.
66
-
23 00
-
2 50
Hall, Elbridge G.
Jenks, Horace L.
-
-
Barnard, Cyrus G.
48
Paid Conway, Patrick labor,
-
28 00
Cooke, David W. repairs, -
-
19 25
Derby, William M. shavings, 6 00
Dorr, Enos & Co. books and sundries, -
356 20
Dresser, George A. trucking and expenses,
5 38
66 Drury, Lyman repairs,
5 83
Drury, Marshall L. painting,
24 22
66 Earle, T. & O. K. lumber,
6 29
Earle & Drew. printing circulars
13 50
66 Eaton, William H. building fires,
10 00
Estey, James F. pumps and repairs,
31 42
Fletcher, Benjamin W. repairs,
2 00
Foster, Calvin & Co. sundries,
70 63
66 Gale, George A. & others, land, 50 00
25 00
Goodwin, Charles
15 71
Gorham, Hiram repairs,
4 00
Green, William washing windows,
19 70
Hale, William H. hanging bells, repairing locks, new keys, &c.,
51 01
Hardon, B. L. & Co. crash, -
2 12
Haven & Lincoln, setting glass,
2 10
Hemenway, Ebenezer washing rooms, -
10 00
Hervey, Nathaniel drawing cards, -
75
66 Holbrook, Pliny & Co. sundries,
8 92
Howland, Henry J. printing reports, circulars, &c., -
123 30
Hutchinson, Andrew sundries,
13 66
Hutchinson, Gerry painting, - -
5 80
Ide & Dutton, maps, globes, and books,
279 60
James, Horace map and freight,
5 50
James and Bushnell, expenses procuring teach- er for High School, 18 00
2 50
Keith, John & Co. slate, books, &c.,
37 85
60 Kennedy, Catherine sweeping and cleaning,
19 50
Ladies Collegiate Institute, rent of room,
31 25
Lamb & Foster, repairs,
1 50
Lanigan, Patrick shovelling snow, -
2 50
Leonards Express, freight,
1 25
Lovell, Amariah B. repairs, - -
6 12
Lyon, Amos & Co. repairing lightning rods,
2 50
McGrath, Michael sawing wood,
65 62
Metcalf, Caleb B. geography,
60
Miller, Henry W. school chairs, desks, and sundries, -
378 07
Morse, James C. lumber,
-
17 96
Newcomb, Edward C. making fires, -
9 60
Newton, John C. repairs to school houses, building privy, and sundries, 731 84
Newton, Leonard putting in window springs,
3 00
$6 Phelps, F. Franklin ventilators,stove pipe,&c., 141 70
Putnam. Fayette H. repairing clock, 2 25
66 Quinn, John trucking, 17 25
Richards, Smith & Co., repairing sasb, 1 50
-
Jewett, John P. dictionary, -
-
Gates, Simon D). making fires,
49
Paid Sampson, PembertonHI. whitening&white washing, 19 25 66 Slater, Luther rope, 2 20
Smith, Thomas H. & Bro. painting, -
6 00
Sprague & Phelps, chairs, repairs, &c. - 30 60
66 Stowe, Martin crash and sundries, 14 95
66 Sturtevant, Lewis repairs, - -
4 35
66 Sullivan, Mary washing rooms, 1 50
6.6 Sutton, George T. pump and repairs, - 21 00
Taber, William B. & Co. chairs and sundries, 20 46
Taber & Chollar, chairs, mats and sundries, 41 68
66. Taft & Atherton, repairs, and building privy
274 93
66 Taft, Putman W. repairs and cash paid out for sundries, 76 64
.. Thurston, David C. stove pipe, -
7 65
66 Tucker, Erastus N. sundries, -
2 69
6.6. Tucker, Nathaniel G. pump and repairs, 13 75
Walker, Joseph 2nd, repairs, stock and labor, 83 03
Wedge, John L. setting glass, 2 70
66 Wheeler, Erastus W. making fires and sundries, 5 42
66 Wheeler William A. repairing furnaces, &c. 61 19
6.6 White, James stock and labor, 24 67
White, Samuel C. glass and sundries, - 19 91
Whiting, Amos tuning and repairing, - 2 00
Whittemore, Asa D. repairs, 4 50
66 Willard, Josiah Estate of setting glass & painting, 5 89
66 Willard, Henry cleaning out vaults, -
24 00
66 Williams, Giles A. making fires, 3 75
Wood, AdoniramJ. making fires, sawing wood, &c. 84 85
Woodward, Benjamin altering desks and repairs, 86 46
יי Woodward Josiah L. stone work, 13 42
Worcester Medical Institution, rent of room, 125 00
66 Wyman, Elijah cleaning out well, 2 50
-29,915 59
SCHOOL HOUSE, SYCAMORE ST.
Balance undrawn January 1, 1855, -
$365 74
APPROPRIATION, -
2,000 00
Transfer from "Loans" amount borrowed by order of the City Council, 7,447 67
9,813 41
Expenditures.
Paid Gilbert, Peregrine B. tables and sundries, $102 20
Hacker, W. Alfred coal, 97 71
Lyon, Amos lightning rods, -
-
89 87
Miller, Henry W. chairs, 134 40
66 Mills, Marshall building privies, -
110 00
Ross, Joseph L. desks and chairs, -
875 00
Taft & Atherton, balance on contract and extras, 7828 78
.. building fence and privies, 530 00
Tucker, Nathaniel G. pumps, lead pipe and labor, 45 45 --- 9,813 41
I
50
SHADE TREES.
Transfer from "Contingent Expenses," $245 42
Expenditures.
Paid Barker, Levi setting out trees, -
$ 9 25
Bliss, Harrison
20 33
Goodnow, Harrison D. paving round trees, 52 00
Goulding, Henry freight and sundries,
4 20
66 Hapgood, Nahum R. labor and stock, boxing trees,
35 02
Nichols, William maple trees,
10 00
Parkhurst, Nathaniel R. setting out trees,
35 00
Parmenter, William trimming trees,
73 37
Wesson, Ephraim carting
6 25
STATE TAX. APPROPRIATION, -
$8,406 00
Expenditure.
Paid State Treasurer,
-
8,406 00
SUMMONS.
Received from 749 tax payers at 20c.,
$149 80
Expenditures.
Paid Brigham, William A.
-
-
$23 00
Braman, Charles HI.
.
-
10 50
66 Kent, Ezra
-
-
75
Perry, Sereno H.
7 00
Reed, Samuel H.
6 00
Smith, Samuel
-
-
22 00
66 Thompson, Arvin
-
-
3 00
Wight, Hasky
-
-
2 00
Transfer to "Contingent Expenses,"
-149 80
TAXES.
Amount of 1855 taxes uncollected, -
$3,297 77
BILLS RECEIVABLE.
Due from Allen, Ethan
$75 00
Bartlett, Dwight
113 00
66 Bliss, Timothy S.
438 50
Sessions, George
383 50
66 Swan, Elliot
-
101 00
- -1,111 00
CASH.
On hand January 7, 1856, - - $2,309 48
-
.
-
75 55
- -- 245 42
RECAPITULATION.
Table of Balances (Jan'y 1, 1855), Appropriations (raised by tax, 1855), Receipts ex- clusive of Taxes, Transfers, each Appropriation as it stood after deducting or adding Transfers, Expenditures and Balances, from Jan'y 1, 1855, to Jan'y 7, 1856.
Jan'y 1, 1855.
CR. BALANCES,
raised by tax.
APPROPRIATION
sive of taxes.
RECEIPTS exclu-
TRANSFERS TO. .
TRANSFERS from.
from all sources.
TOTAL RECEIPTS
Jan'y 1, 1855, and
including appropri-
EXPENDITURES-
DR. BALANCES. .
CR. BALANCES.
Abatements, Discounts & Overlayings,
$2,710 91 $13,889 80 2,191 00
52 33|$11,072 48
11 54
13,304 27|13,304 27
Boyden, John -
1,250 00
1,250 00
City Aqueduct,
872 86
87-2 86
City Hall, -
1,498 75
1,498 75
City Scales,
-
-
44 29
12,550 00
723 70
27 75 8,903 17|
11,847 20
227 75 10,373 96
8,335 79
2,038 17
County Tax,
11,340 35
2,500 00
434 78
2,065 22
2,065 22
Engine House, No. 5, Fire Department,
42 74
7,000 00
642 18
7,666 92/
7,467 13
199 79
Fuel. Lights, Printing, &c.,
2,000 00
19 15
1,980 85
1,980 85
Funerals,
350 00
-
45 49
304 51
304 51
MUghv ays,
20,000 00
1,806 11
6,426 03
28,232 14
28,232 14
Hope Cemetery (lot account),
1,261 50
464 00
1,725 50
-
-
461 18
1,461 18
1,461 18
Interest,
6,000 00
66 06
518 99
-
6,585 05
6,585 05
Licenses,
Lighting Streets,
2,500 00
266 20
2,766 20
2,766 20
Loans,
1
-
20,520 15
62,789 47
62,789 47
Militia,
,
1,283 50
1,283 50
2,026 36
742 86
Paupers,
-
4,500 00
947 66
343 63
1
5,791 29
5,791 29
Police Court,
2,296 75
2,296 75
-
-
-
2,500 00
-
-
-
-
-
189 40
2,310 60
2,310 60
Clocks and Bells,
200 00
266 08
266 08
227 75
Contingent Expenses,
11,340 35
11,340 35
Engine, Hose and Repairs,
$2,000 00 6 14,600 71'$ 11,244 81
$3,355 90
Almshouse (new),
-
.
-
-
567 00
-
1,725 50
Hope Cemetery,
1,000 00
567 00
83,309 62
-
. .
overdrawn
balances. .
ations
Police (day),
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
791 50
6,608 50
791 50| 2,000 00 7,000 00 6,466 75 -
141 75
Salaries of Watchmen, Schools, 1
-
365 74
2,000 00
-
- 3,558 00 7,447 67 245 42
,
29,915 59 9,813 41 245 42
29,915 59 9,813 41 245 42
Shade Trees, -
State Tax,
8,406 00
149 80
75 55
74 25
Taxes uncollected,
-
-
-
-
3,297 77
8,406 00 74 25 3,297 77
3,297 77
Bills Receivable,
-
-
-
-
-
1,111 00
1,111 00
Cash,
7
6,616 18 136,636 15
96,411 81
42,686 20| 42,686 20 239,664 14 239,664 14
7,461 11|
7,461 11
$239,664 14
-
791 50| 2,000 00
-
791 50| 2,000 00 7,000 00
7,000 00 7,400 00 25,500 00
857 59
School House, Sycamore St.
-
1
-
-
-
8,406 00
Summons, -
-
-
1
-
-
2,309 48
2,309 48
-
-
Road to Leicester, Salaries,
-
-
-
REAL ESTATE
OWNED BY THE CITY.
THE City Hall (of brick) and land {the Common). New Common, abuts on Elm, Highland, and Agricultural streets.
Old Alms House (wood) and land, 181 acres and 111 rods. A new brick Alms House finished, in 1855.
Wood lot, 26 acres, 19 rods, (part of wood sold.)
Sprout land, 17 years growth.
Pest House, at City Farm.
Bell Pond, and about 9 acres land around it.
Hope Cemetery, New Worcester.
Burial Ground on the Common. 66 on Mechanic street.
on Pine Court.
66 at South Worcester.
City Pound on Pine street.
Brick School House and lot on Walnut street.
on Main
on Pleasant 66
66
on Ash
on Pine
on Sycamore (finished in 1855.)
66
on Thomas 66
on the Common.
66
66
at Quinsigamond Village.
at Adams Square District.
66
at Pond
66
62
at Northville 66
at Burncoat Plain
66
at South Worcester.
Wood School House and lot on Summer street.
$6
small one.
on Pine Court.
on Beach street.
in Tatnic District.
60
66
in New Worcester.
in Blithewood Avenue District.
66
in Reed
in Chamberlain
66
66
in Leesville
66
in Parkhurst
66
66
56
Lot of land on Salem street.
Hook and Ladder House on the Common.
Engine House and lot at Lincoln Square, occupied by No. 1 Engine Co.
at New Worcester, 2
6 66 at 21 Exchange st., 60
3 66 at 77 Main st., 66
66 6. on Carlton st., 66 1 Hose Co.
City Barn and lot on Salem street.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
OWNED BY THE CITY.
Furniture in the City Hall, Mayor and Alderman, Common Council, and Police Court Rooms, Treasurer, Messenger and Marshal's Offices ; in all the School Houses and part of the Ward Rooms ; Philosophical and other Apparatus, Piano Forte, Maps, &c., in Walnut street School house ; small amount of Books Maps, &c., in the other School Houses.
In Charge of the Water Commissioners.
The City Aqueduct, Reservoir, Hydrants, (104) and all the fixtures and tools belonging thereto.
The Hydrants are located as follows :
On Chestnut street,
5
On Main street, 21
“ Elm 66
7
" Mechanic 66 6
" Exchange 3
" Park 66
5
"' Franklin 66 3
" Pleasant 66
8
' Front 66 6
" Prospect
4
" Grafton 66
2
" Salem
3
" Green 66 9
" Summer 66 13
" Lincoln 66
3
" Thomas
6
The three on Lincoln street are attached to Ethan Allen's Aqueduct. There are also three belonging to individuals, located as follows : one at Edward Earl's house, one at Wm. B. Fox & Son's Factory, and one at Goddard, Rice & Co's Factory.
In Charge of the several Engine and Hose Companies and under a General Supervision of the Engineers.
1 Long Ladder at Granite Row, Main street. 1 66 at Dixie's Store,
5 Engines,
8 Hose Carriages,
124 feet Suction Hose, 4100 feet Leading Hose,
32 Buckets,
2 Hook and Ladder Carriages,
17 Axes,
8 Hooks,
21 Ladders,
11 Crotch poles and forks,
17 Trumpets. all in good order.
Also, 1 new Engine, not in use, in good order,
4 old Hose Carriages and about 3000 feet Leading Hose, not reliable.
In addition to the above, each Company is furnished with Spanners and Belts, Torches, Signal Lanterns, Bars, Shovels, &c., necessary to accom-
4
57
plish their duties ; they are also provided with furniture for their respec tive meeting rooms.
In Charge of the Undertakers.
3 Hearses, (1 on runners,)
1 Plan of part of S. Worcester ground
2 Harnesses, 1 Plan of the Pine Meadow ground,
4 Palls,
1 Plan of Hope Cemetery,
1 Rubber covering for Hearse, 1 Plan of graves on Common.
In charge of the Commissioner of Highways.
2 Horses, $300 00 30 load Paving Stone, 37 00
5 tons Hay, 100 00 1 Lumber Wagon, 30 00
5000 ft. Chestnut plank, 160 00 1500 Rye Straw, 9 00
800 ft. Curb Stone, 216 00
1 Snow Plow, 6 Ox Carts, 6 Scrapers, 2 Horse Carts, 1 Sled, 2 Plows, Chains, Bars, Picks, Shovels, Axes, Lanterns, and small articles, valued at
340 00
Whole value,
1192 00
In Charge of Surveyors in Outer Districts. 1 Plow and 1 Scraper in each district, valued at $120.
In Charge of Lamp Lighters, Stephen Shumway and Arvin Thompson. 57 Fluid, and 111 Gas Lamps in use, and located as follows : Fluid.
On Arch
street,
1
On Madison
street 2
Belmont
66
1
Main
66
2
Bridge
2
Maple
66
1
Central
2
Mechanic
2
Elm
66
1
Pine
3
Franklin
66
2
Portland
66
3
Green
66
2
Salem
3
Grove
66
6
School
1
Harvard
1
Southbridge
6
7
Laurel
66
1
Spring
60
1
Liberty
66
2
Union
3
Gas.
On the Common,
3
On Main
street,
31
Chestnut
street,
4
Mechanic
1
Elm
5
Oak
66
1
Exchange
4
Pearl
66
1
Front
66
1
School
3
Green
9
Summer
60
11
Harvard
66
6
Thomas
60
4
Highland
1
Trumbull
Lincoln
66
6
and Park streets,
5
There is 1 Post and fixtures complete for gas, 2 Lamp Posts, 114 fluid Lamps, 57 lights Glass, 24 Gas Burners, and Tools as follows :
1 10 gallon Fluid Can, 3 Fluid Cans, 1 Alcohol Can, 1 2 quart Measure and Tunnel, 1 Diamond, 2 Ladders, 1 Hammer, 2 Screw Drivers, 1 Wrench,
13
Pleasant
2
Grafton
1
Pleasant
7
Grafton
58
1 Soldering Iron, 1 Chisel, 1 Putty Knife, 3 pair Pliers, 1 Match Safe, 2 Files and 2 Gimlets.
Police Office and Watch House.
16 Mattresses, 30 Police Badges, 1 Standing Desk,
30 Blankets,
14 Rattles,
2 Stoves and Pipe,
14 Pillows, 14 Billys, 5 Chairs,
1 Cot Bedstead, 15 pr. Handcuffs, 1 Settee,
1 Cot Mattress, 1 Watch Hook,
1 Copper Boiler,
6 Office Chairs, 1 pr. Shackles, 1 Clock,
Buckets, Lanterns, Water Pails and other small articles.
In Charge of James M. Curtis, City Sealer. Standard of Weights and Measures.
Four City Scales, in charge of the following persons : Samuel Eddy jr., on Southbridge street. Frederick Cutting, at New Worcester.
Henry J. Holmes, at Washington Square. James T. Whipple, at Lincoln Square.
In Charge of Superintendent of the Alms House.
House Furniture, Stock on farm, Farming Tools, Provisions, &c., val- ued by the Overseers of the Poor in January, 1856, at $2,956 49.
AMOUNT OF CITY DEBT Jan. 7, 1856.
DATE.
To whom Payable.
Int. per ct.
When Payable.
Amount.
Interest paid to
July 1, 1841,
Worcester Co. Institution for Savings,
6
On demand,
$6,500 00 Oct. 1, 1855.
Mar. 14, 1844,
8,950 00
Feb. 1, 1845,
44
7,000 00
Feb. 17, 1846,
4,000 00
July 9, 1850,
552 52
July 24, 1850,
1,604 85
July 1, 1851,
8,500 00
July 1, 1851,
66
1,063 73
Sept. 1, 1851,
3,500 00
April 1, 1852,
2,335 88
July 22, 1852,
1,600 00
Jan, 2, 1854,
1,800 00
May 30, 1848,
..
..
no
July 22, annually, On demand,
16,048 50
June 2, 1848,
Ebenezer Mower,
6
2,000 00 Dec. 2, 1855.
Jan. 3, 1853,
2,000 00 Jan.
3, 1856.
Feb. 28, 1849, Solon S. Hastings,
1,500 00 Aug. 28, 1855.
July 20, 1850,
500 00 July 20,
Mar. 9, 1849,
John Boynton by transfer,
46
3,000 00 Mar. 9,
2,500 00 Dec. 1,
"
20,
Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank,
1,000 00 20,
April 4, 1855, 14,
1,500 00
14,
Jan. 5, 1856,
1,500 00
May 17, 1854,
5,000 00 Nov. 17,
Mar. 14, "
3,000 00 Oct. 1,
Feb. 10, 1855,
"
3,200 00
May 29,
1,800 00
Mar. 3,
James Shepherd,
1,000 00
« 19,
State Mutual Life Assurance Co.
5,000 00
April 3,
5,000 00
June 4,
5,000 00 Dec. 4, 1855
« 30,
5,000 00
Aug. 10,
3,000 00
118,955 48
66
Dec. 1, 1853, William Dickinson,
66
1,500 00
20,
20,
Rodney A. Miller, Tr. for R.W. Heard, Worcester Mechanics Savings Bank, Horatio Byington,
1,500 00 Oct. 4,
10 notes of $1,604 85 each,
66
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
-
PREPARED BY MESSRS. JAMES, HARRIS, MOEN AND A. TUCKER.
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE for the year 1855, in rendering to their fellow citizens a detailed account of their labors, and of the condition of the public schools while under their care, would take occasion to express their profound con- viction of the value of the interests with which they have been charged, as well as their growing confidence in the gen- eral excellence of our system of common school education. They have even a feeling of pride and exultation, tempered with grateful acknowledgements of a divine benediction, in the fact that a training, at once so thorough and so genial, is placed within the reach of all our families, without refer- ence to condition, birth, color or character. We may well make our boast that, among us, education is as free as air and sunlight. Yea more, that the best education we can give, the best obtainable within our limits, is the guerdon of simple citi- zenship, without money and without price, except the price which all pay alike, and according to their several ability, for the support of our civil and municipal institutions.
62
It is our deliberate conviction that our best schools are our public schools. This must be true from the very nature of their organization. It is also a position fortified by a mul- titude of factswhich have come under our own observation. This is not the place to give them in detail; but any one who will patiently and candidly consider them will find that no private establishments among us can compare, in thoroughness and comprehensiveness of training, with our public schools of corresponding rank. The many and great excellences of our various academies and private schools are cheerfully acknowledged. We wish them well, as faithful coadjutors in the great work we all have at heart. We are aware that they are necessary to meet a want of our times. But let every citizen know, from the most affluent to the most dependent, that no institution in this city, whether it be Protestant or Papal, has yet furnished for his son or daughter any thing preferable to a regular and full course in OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
NUMBER OF SCHOLARS.
The whole number of children between the ages of five and fifteen years, found in the City of Worcester, on the first day of May, 1855, was THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR. The whole number of all ages that have belonged to our public schools during the year, or any part of it, is, as nearly as can be ascertained, FOUR THOUS- AND FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY. The average of regular attendance upon the schools, in the aggregate, is two thousand five hundred and forty-four.
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS.
Considering each separate room, in which the scholars are mainly under the care and instruction of one or more teachers, to be a separate school, (as for all practical pur- poses it is,) we have in active operation, at present, forty-
63
nine schools .* Of these, seventeen are suburban, (located in fourteen districts,) and the remainder are in the central district, which comprehends the more densely populated portions of the city. They consist of three adult schools ; fourteen primary ; seven secondary ; six grammar ; and two which together form the Classical and English High School.
NUMBER OF TEACHERS.
To instruct all these schools the city employs sixty-nine teachers. This, at present, is a full corps. A much larger number, however, is annually engaged in teaching them, for the reason that two of the suburban schools have not yet been made "permanent;" viz. Northville, and North Pond ; and therefore they continue (very unwisely, as your Committee believe,) to change teachers every term. Other causes also operate to produce changes in the permanent schools, by resignation of teachers. So that, in fact, eighty- nine different persons, of whom nine were males and eighty females, have the last year been employed by your Com- mittee in behalf of the city, to instruct for a longer or shorter period. When it is considered that each of these eighty-nine teachers is to receive compensation, at a rate varying from two to fifteen hundred dollars annually, it will be seen at a glance what is the magnitude of the pecuniary interest which is intrusted to the care of the School Com- mittee. This is, we are aware, a low and merely merce- nary view. Still it deserves a passing notice.
* If the Classical and English High School with all its departments be considered but one school, as in some respects it is, and is usually deemed to be ; and if the Thomas grammar school be reckoned as only one school, with its three large rooms and recitation rooms besides, its six teachers and nearly four hundred pupils ; then, of course, the whole number of schools should be reported smaller than this. But in that case we should be at a loss whether to speak of the Sycamore street grammar school as being one or three. And the same difficulty would meet us at several other points. It seems therefore more simple and conformed to facts, to consider each separate room a separate school ; notwithstanding the fact that in several in- stances one teacher exercises some general supervision over two or more rooms. The different rooms have each a separate Register, each one or more teachers of its own, and the pupils sel- dom or never meet together in the same place. They are, then, in more respects distinct than united. But we have not counted recitation rooms as separate schools. In this enumeration we have reckoned New Worcester as having three schools, and Tatnick two.
64
SCHOOL HOUSES.
All the schools above named are kept in twenty-three different houses, nine of them being located in the central, and fourteen in the suburban districts. They are all, ex- cept one, (that in which the Providence-St. School is kept,) the property of the city, and are under the care of the School Committee.
SYCAMORE ST. SCHOOL HOUSE .- The growing wants of the southern section of the city have at length been heard and supplied in the erection of a large and commodious school edifice on the lot of land which the city has owned for some years on Sycamore street. At the suggestion of your Committee two thousand dollars were appropriated in early summer to finish and furnish the house, in a suitable manner for occupancy at the beginning of the Autumn term of study. This was very substantially and neatly done, under the care of Mr. J. C. NEWTON, the Prudential Com- mittee. And it is believed that no school house yet erected by the city, except the High School House, on Walnut street, will compare with this in the convenience, fitness and substantial comfort of its arrangements. It contains eight rooms, which are warmed by two furnaces, and ven- tilated by a suitable apparatus. It is designed for single schools, with only one teacher in each room; the number of pupils varying from fifty to seventy, according to the grade.
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